Well, guys, here we are... Our next chapter is here! I don't really have much to say this time around but I can say that the arc is nearing its climax. For those who have wanted to see some more fights that have not been featured in the canon, this chapter is for you. We have an entirely original battle that features two characters that I believe deserve more spotlight later on in the series. Its quite ironic that we're reaching the final battle of this arc while Fairy Tail is approaching its final battle as well. I have to say that I am rather excited to see how the final battle in Fairy Tail will go. I am confident that Mashima can pull this off. Literally anything is better than Acnologia being defeated by the Time Lapse. By Ichiya...By freaking Ichiya! Thank god that disaster was avoided.
But even if for some reason he does not give me the epic battle I have waited for, I have enjoyed the past 540 chapters of this series and I don't regret picking it up in the slightest.
Finally, I would like to congratulate us for getting for getting as close as we have to 1,000 reviews. I am confident that we can reach it at the end of the arc. However, to make sure that this happens, please leave reviews for the upcoming chapters. Be it positive or negative, I want to hear what you have to say. However, I have talked long enough. Let us enjoy this new chapter!
Thanks once again to Greatkingrat88 (for writing) and jcampbellohten (for being our Beta)
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.
Erza felt her pain begin to fade, relief washing over her as Orihime's orange light covered her, restoring her injuries. The process would take no more than a few minutes, Erza knew, but they had no time to waste. Even so, she was in no shape to fight even an academy student at the moment. They had found her sitting by the roadside, leaned against a tree trunk, where she had collapsed out of exhaustion.
"Are you okay?" she asked. Orihime's skin had reddened, like it had just had a sunburn, and although her compatriots were fully restored, the torn and shaggy nature of their clothes pointed to a very real and hard-fought battle.
"Mmm-hmm," Orihime said, her brows furrowed, very much concentrated on restoring her foster mother just as she had healed her friends.
"It was Hitsugaya Toushirou," Lisanna commented, letting out a short sigh. "He really did a number on them... but then again, they gave almost as good as they got."
"Hitsugaya?" Erza's eyes widened. "Orihime, you fought a captain?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"That's insane-"
"She did great!" Momo blurted out, cutting off Erza before she could launch into a motherly tirade. "She was... braver than all of us."
"I didn't really do that much," Orihime said dismissively. "It was your magic that did all that damage. At the end of the day... all four of us couldn't do a thing against a captain."
"I couldn't have done it without you," Momo insisted, almost zealously. "My will faltered. I almost gave up, but she, a human girl with no experience and little power, still refused to give in. She is your daughter through and through, Erza, blood or no blood."
"It, um, it was..." Orihime mumbled, a little overwhelmed by the praise. Even through her reddish skin tone, Erza thought she could detect a blush.
"It is true," Uryu said levelly, giving her a nod. "When we were confronted, she held the team together. It may well be that each one of us individually are chanceless against a captain, but together, working in tandem, we forced him to give it his all. Even after using bankai, we stood up to him, and Orihime held us all together."
"He went into bankai?" Erza said, gaping.
"So he did," Chad said. "It was a great and terrifying power."
"Damn right, it is!" Erza said, torn between concern for Orihime and reluctant pride. "You really... I mean, you beat him?"
"Technically, that was me," Lisanna said. She grimaced. "I stabbed him in the back and electrocuted him when he was all but spent. Not a great and glorious victory, buuut..."
"You do what you have to," Erza said, nodding approvingly. She, too, disliked the necessity of cowardly action, but without it she would still be collapsed by the roadside, and all their hard work undone.
"He's a good kid," Lisanna said, and shook her head. "I didn't like it, but..."
"We do what we have to," Erza reassured her. "Good work, every one of you. I know it would have been especially difficult for you, Momo."
Momo, who had been quiet since hear earlier outburst, blushed a little. A look of pride briefly passed her face, before turning into a mask of unease and concern.
"I... we tied him down. He's hurt, but he'll be fine."
Erza gave her a reassuring nod, and turned back to Orihime. "So... heart of the team, huh?"
"It really wasn't like that," Orihime said evasively. "Just keep still while I heal you, okay?"
"It was, though," Tatsuki cut in.
"I just... I just did what I thought you would have done, okay?" Orihime muttered. "You wouldn't have given up, no matter what. We have to save Rukia, and we can't stop trying until we're out of options."
Erza looked at her with admiration. Orihime, once the meek little bullied girl she had seen all those years ago, had turned into something else. Steel disguised as silk, an iron will worthy of Fairy Tail.
"Stop looking at me like that," Orihime said. "It was just... what we all should be doing, anyway. I'm not the strongest, but I had to do something."
"It's not about strength, but about giving it your all," Erza said, and smiled. "I'm proud of you. I'm proud of all of you. You've squared down with the best of the best, and you've come out on top. Don't ever think 'I was just lucky,' or 'I wasn't strong enough.' Luck is just as much part of a fight as anything else."
The brow-beaten teenagers looked up, and it looked like her words had hit home. Chad was as stoic as always, but Tatsuki grinned and made a fist, whereas Uryu nodded and adjusted his spectacles. Small gestures, all speaking to a fighting spirit bruised but not broken.
"...And that should be it," Orihime said, finally finishing her treatment. The orange shimmer receded. "Try standing up now, okay?"
Erza clenched her fist, undid it and stretched her fingers out, before making a fist again. Where she had before suffered broken bones, cuts, and bruises, she was now as fit as ever. Carefully, she stood up, feeling not a single jab of pain. The power her adoptive daughter possessed truly was miraculous; the only difference was that she still lacked the reiatsu she had expended fighting Komamura. Regardless, she had more than enough left to give it a good fight, and then some.
"I could fix your clothes, too," Orihime said, gesturing to Erza's torn and ripped shihakusho, damaged from the battle with the dog-like captain.
"We've taken too long already," Erza said dismissively. Turning to the rest of the group, she raised her voice and proclaimed, "All right, listen up! We're heading for the top of the hill, where we will assist with whatever help we can offer to our friends already fighting there! If the objective is already accomplished, we'll do our best to get our own out and run like hell. Understood?"
There was an affirmative chorus of 'yes' from her friends, and Erza turned around, breaking into a sprint. Behind her, her companions fell in line.
As they made their way toward the hill in a steady lope, Momo levelled with Erza, struggling a little to keep pace.
Sensing her intentions, Erza said, "I'm not sure now is the best time for a heart-to-heart, you know."
"I can run and I can talk," Momo said stubbornly.
"All right," Erza said with a shrug. They had a couple of minutes to spare, anyhow. With shunpo, they would make it more quickly, but that would leave some of them behind, and dividing the group was the last thing they wanted.
"You really made quite a life for yourself when you were away, huh?" Momo said. It was an innocent enough comment, but Erza had a suspicion of where it might head.
"I never forgot any of you," she said simply, "and it hurt me every day, thinking of you all. But you have to keep going, always. So, yes, I made a life for myself in the world of the living. A good one, too."
"That's... good," Momo said hesitantly. "And you even got a daughter..."
"Adopted, yes."
"Yes, they told me. You did great, Erza, even without us all. Just as I should have expected."
"I was always going to come back. Rukia's execution forced my hand, but... I was never going to stay away forever. For you, for everyone else... and for Aizen."
"I just..." Momo said, and hesitated. "I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I'm coming with you. If you stay here after all this, or if you have to go on the run again, I'm not leaving your side again."
"Even with all your hard work here?"
"I became strong for your sake, not for the Gotei," Momo said, and there was a quiet stubbornness to her tone that told Erza not to question that. "All my hard work was so that we could see each other again. It's not fair that you should have to give up everything all alone. I knew you'd come back one day, and you did. I knew you were innocent, and you were. I don't care who believes it. I made my mind up."
There was a finality to her words. Part of Erza wondered why Momo would throw everything away just to go on the run, to become a criminal like her, but another, much larger part was more moved than she cared to show. To be believed in... it touched the very core of what she had always wanted ever since her involuntary exile.
"Let's... let's not count our chickens before they've hatched, okay?" she said quietly. "We still have to live through the rest of this. Make plans for the future when it's a bit more secure."
Momo nodded, but Erza knew this wouldn't be the last she heard of this.
"Out of my way, peasant," Byakuya said. His voice was still level, even, but he was struggling to control it. He was desperately aware of how Rukia was being carried further and further away, taken from him, taken from justice...
Justice. Justice. In his mind, Renji's furious, passionate words echoed with the deafening resonance of a monastic bell. Unjust and illegal. Over and over, the words had rooted themselves in his mind, ringing in his head, refusing to leave or let go.
It was folly, he had immediately told himself. He was letting himself grab onto the possibility that maybe Rukia could live after all, that maybe there was no need for her to die, that maybe he needn't stain his honour after all. That was vain, stupid and false. It was to seek personal gain where one should seek selfless service of something greater than oneself. One didn't choose when to obey or disobey an order. The Central Forty-Six were wiser than he could ever hope to be, and even if they were wrong...
Even if they were wrong, one still obeyed. Loyalty was all. Even if a mistake was made, one's life was still theirs to forfeit if they so chose. That was the nature of the society they had built, the world he had grown up in, the order he was sworn and dedicated to serve.
Unjust and illegal.
It took every ounce of his willpower not to show his weakness, not to tremble.
"Not gonna happen," replied the insolent ryoka. He stood proud and defiant, and inside Byakuya, a great anger welled up. He dared. He dared to stand in the way of justice. He dared defy Kuchiki Byakuya, lord of his clan and captain of the Gotei Thirteen. Harnessing his anger, he started to gain a bit more focus. So be it, then. He would punish this ryoka, and when he lay dead on the ground, Byakuya would find Rukia and bring her back.
At the edge of his mind, the ringing of Renji's words still lingered, and Byakuya wasn't sure he'd have the strength to follow through with his conviction. Pushing these doubts aside, he focused on his hated enemy, and in one smooth movement, he drew his Senbonzakura.
"You will not be warned any further," he said dispassionately, but behind his words, he longed for the defiant little whelp to try his luck.
"I'm well past warning, asshat," the ryoka spat. "I'm here doing what you should be doing- looking after my own. If you had any sense in you, it'd be you carrying Rukia."
"Silence," Byakuya said, the words almost a snap. "You know nothing of the Gotei or nobility, you plebeian ignoramus! Dignity and pride, these concepts are beneath rabble such as you."
"If dignity means watching your sister die for nothing, I don't want it," the ryoka spat.
"Be gone."
"Bring it."
His heart quietly singing with righteously wrathful joy, Byakuya surged forward with flawless precision, launching into a quick set of cuts, not a single movement anything less than perfectly executed. It was to his dismay, then, that the whelp not only met his blade each time, parrying what would surely have been fatal injuries again and again, but did so with ease and confidence. Byakuya redoubled his efforts, his blade moving in a blur, faster than he could even think, but the ryoka matched it. This was unthinkable. With a quick shove, he pushed back the ryoka, putting a bit of space between them. Somehow, he was being matched by a mere... human.
"You think you can beat me like this?"
His eyes narrowing, Byakuya held up his zanpakutou.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
Heeding his command, the blade shattered into a thousand pieces, each a razor, and surged toward his enemy.
"That's more like it!" the ryoka cried. "Cut the heavens, Zangetsu!"
His zanpakutou, already a distastefully oversized piece, grew even further in size. Elongating and widening, it took the shape of a long, black knife, thick and unseemly. What it could do, Byakuya wasn't sure- it hadn't impressed him back at the bridge, and it didn't impress him now. Following the command of his very thoughts, every piece of Senbonzakura flew forward, intent on cutting the insolent ryoka to ribbons.
The ryoka dashed to the side, however, neatly evading the swarm of deadly blades, and charged Byakuya directly. The blades followed suit immediately, hot on the ryoka's tail, but he was closing in more quickly still. Irritably, Byakuya skipped back, evading a fierce horizontal slash by less than an inch. Senbonzakura's petals hit the ryoka the moment after, and only a very adept shunpo saved the peasant from having more than his robe cut. Confident that he was directing the pace of the battle, Byakuya mentally commanded the razor blades to hunt the criminal scum relentlessly, pursuing him without mercy. What hope could he possibly have, with such a simple shikai? Against the elegant supremacy of Byakuya's Senbonzakura?
The ryoka skipped and jumped, dashing from one side to another, and irritatingly enough, he was well faster than the petals. Byakuya could direct them with his hands if he so wanted, but resented the idea of having to do so- this cur was beneath him, and true effort was more than he deserved. Predicting the criminal's flight pattern, he set up a trap, sending some of his blades to the side, anticipating where his enemy would be in a few seconds. Unaware, the criminal ran away from the bulk of his swarm of pink death. Then, just as Byakuya had planned, he was surrounded, enveloped by the thousand blades.
The ryoka swore, and Byakuya felt a small measure of satisfaction. Now, Senbonzakura would taste the ryoka's blood-
"Getsuga Tenshou!"
There was a sudden discharge of energy, blowing aside the light, rapid petals, and a crescent moon-shaped disc of energy surged toward Byakuya at incredible speed.
Quickly, the noble brought a hand up, and cried, "Bakudo thirty-nine: Enkousen!"
As he spoke the words, the kido barrier formed, blocking the projectile at the last second. The disc exploded, negating the spell as it hit. The impact rocked Byakuya, and he nearly lost his balance. As he took a step back, he saw the ryoka already charging at him.
This was... unbelievable. Not only had the ryoka reacted in time to the trap he had set up, not only had he negated the attack, but he had at the same time counter-attacked. In one simple stroke, he had turned the table where he by all rights should have taken a fatal injury.
With desperate urgency, Byakuya raised his arms, commanding the petals directly. Reacting more quickly to the direct stimuli, the thousand blades responded to their master's call, but the ryoka was already close. Inwardly cursing, Byakuya was forced to jump back, to dodge and evade, and had been driven back three steps before the petals caught up, at last catching the criminal's blade in a barrier of pink. Frowning, Byakuya examined his enemy. This was strength and skill of a kind markedly different from the clumsiness he had seen but a few days ago. He had assumed the boy had somehow gained his powers second hand, or perhaps that it was some residue from Rukia's own power, but this was far too strong and far too well handled.
"You have changed," he stated dispassionately.
"Damn straight," the ryoka said, staring him down. "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, son of Shiba Isshin, and if you think you're going to push me around like some 'peasant', then you're in for a hell of a surprise."
Byakuya blinked. That... explained a lot. The Shiba, that disgraced and fallen clan, nevertheless possessed a strong lineage. They had always bred strong, hardy warriors. The son of a dead captain... however that was possible, it was undeniable- after all, now that he thought about it, the boy was the very picture of the late Shiba Kaien. A scion of the Shiba...
"I see," he said, and the calm in his voice was not faked this time. He took a step back, and the boy followed suit, keeping his guard up. In the air, Senbonzakura's petals hovered, ready to obey the command of its user at will.
"The Shiba. I can see it now, fool boy. As much as it pains me to admit it, I can no longer hold myself back. The spawn of a nobleman turned traitor is an insult to all the Gotei stands for. I will crush you with all my might."
"Going all out at last, huh?" the boy said cockily. "Figures. You weren't making much headway like this anyway, oh great and mighty captain."
The calm which clarity had brought threatened to vanish as a spike of anger rose within Byakuya. The insolence was reason enough. He held out his arm, Senbonzakura reshaping as a normal sword in his hand. Slowly, he turned the blade one-hundred and eighty degrees, until its tip pointed directly toward the ground. Then, he let go of the hilt, the blade falling to the ground.
"That's your idea of going all out?" the boy said mockingly. "Letting go of your weapon?"
Suppressing an urge to smile, Byakuya kept his voice level as he said, "Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
The blade sunk smoothly into the ground as if into still water, creating a set of ripples. Around the two of them, in two rows five-hundred strong, rose a legion of blades. They towered over the both of them, each over four meters high. Feeling a sense of triumph, Byakuya gave his enemy a look.
"Shatter," he commanded, and at his will, the thousand gigantic blades broke into tiny razors, numbering in the billions. The very air around them looked pink, and he knew it was over now. His enemy was surrounded from every angle by a sea of death, an inescapable death trap. This was power, true power, what separated the head of the Kuchiki clan from upstart rabble like this Shiba whelp. Extending a hand, he pointed at the boy, and made a fist. Following his command at once, the blades surged toward the boy from every angle.
To his credit, the whelp reacted quickly, putting as much space between himself and the pink tide of death as he could, but it couldn't possibly be enough. Thousands of blades raked against his skin, cutting him, shredding through most of his shihakusho, and he was thrown back a good thirty yards. He stood up, writhing in pain, his chest a bloody mess. Half of his shirt had been torn asunder, one sleeve hanging by as little more than shredded cloth. Confidently, Byakuya strode forward, arms hanging by his sides. He wouldn't even need them to guide the blades. At his command, the immense cloud of pink surged forward again, forming long, deadly tendrils, reaching out to strike the treasonous swine that had so brazenly defied the authority of the Gotei.
Reacting just barely in time, the boy jumped back, his eyes widening with panic as he only barely avoided one, two, three huge waves of petals. He was on the run now, Byakuya knew it.
A wave of blades hit home, and although the boy managed to avoid being cut, expelling enough force with a well-timed slash to disrupt the blades, he was still knocked over, sent tumbling across the ground.
Letting his sea of blades pause for a moment, Byakuya walked forward, his gait dignified and calm. It was a shame it would be over so quickly. Standing face-to-face with an enemy he was bent on destroying was simple, free of doubts or hesitation, and he almost wished it could go on further.
The boy leaned on his blade like a cane, standing up. With some effort, he assumed a stance, holding out his blade, but Byakuya could tell he was badly hurt. What hope did he have against such magnificent and overwhelming power?
"That was pretty dumb," said the boy, and let out a wheezing chuckle. "Hell, it's arrogant, thinking I could handle a bankai just with my shikai."
"Your self-realization comes too late, cur," Byakuya said, and made ready to rain down hell upon him, to cut him into minced meat, down to the very bone. He would destroy him, break him down to his basest parts, and he would do so without hesitation. Such was ever the fate of the enemies of the Gotei.
"I should have busted out my own right away," said the boy.
Byakuya's eyes narrowed. Was he delusional?
"Surely you do not suggest that the likes of you possess bankai?"
"That's exactly what I'm suggesting, you pampered dandy man," said the boy, and suddenly, his reiatsu flared, rising to greater heights than ever before. Byakuya watched with a strange fascination, refraining from attacking. Let him try his hardest; let none say Kuchiki Byakuya was not chivalrous enough to give his enemy a chance to fight back.
"Ban... KAI!" the boy cried out, and there was an explosion of spiritual energy, rustling the billions of blades still hovering around Byakuya. There was a massive spike of power, before it quieted down, focusing inward onto its source, onto its owner. Just like when a captain released his...
No. That was surely impossible. It was simply not possible that the clumsy, unskilled fool he had faced but a few days prior could have earned the very culmination of shinigami power, the one that demanded at least twenty years of intense training and harmony, and another twenty to master it. It could not be.
The dust cleared, and the boy stood there still, tall, defiant, and proud. Where his torn shihakusho had been, there was a black greatcoat, its ends frayed and torn. His midsection was wrapped in white cloth, the coat neatly held together with just the one button. More to note was the blade, which had gone from an unseemly, oversized piece unfit for a noble warrior to a long, sleek, black thing, its hilt wrappings red and black, its guard taking the form of a manji.
"Tensa Zangetsu," said the boy, his voice firm with a mature confidence Byakuya had not sensed before.
"That is not a bankai," Byakuya said firmly, in complete disbelief. What audacity was this?
"I don't care what you believe," the boy said flatly, holding his sword in a downward stance, blade held to his right. "You'll see what it is when I shove this sword down your throat, Kuchiki Byakuya!"
"Kujo? Kujo, come in. I repeat, come in."
Rod's voice was sharp and controlled, only a little strained from the brisk pace he and Renji kept as they ran down the hill, moving as quickly as the terrain let them. The duty of carrying Rukia had been left to Renji as Rod had pulled out a hell butterfly, to contact Nozomi at twelfth.
"-ead you, vice-captain-" Nozomi's voice came in, followed by a brief spike of static buzzing.
"Damn it," Rod muttered. "Repeat, Kujo. You're breaking up."
"-can hear you loud and clear," Nozomi's voice came again, still riddled with static, but clearly audible this time. "Can you hear me? Um, over."
"Roger that, hearing you loud and clear," Rod repeated, breathing a sigh of relief. "Is the senkaimon ready?"
"As ready as it can be, but I can't keep it open and waiting for you without somebody noticing."
"Damn it. So much for a lucky break," Rod muttered. "How fast can you get it going when we approach your position?"
"Five minutes at the most. ETA?"
"ETA, ten minutes plus-minus five," Rod shot back. It was a simple plan, which was how he liked it. Once the objective- Kuchiki Rukia- had been seized, she would be rushed to a senkaimon, designated for the world of the living- preferably Karakura. From there on, she could be hidden and kept safe. They had a contact there, apparently, although who exactly that was, Rod wasn't clear on.
"Do you have a course plotted?" he said, just to make sure. Kujo Nozomi was a capable enough officer, but Rod had learned to check and check again; it was the best way to avoid mistakes.
"I can get you within at least ten miles of Karakura, like you asked."
"Will they be able to trace it?"
"I should be able to erase the log history of the gate-"
"Can you guarantee that?" Rod snapped.
"I... yes." Nozomi said hesitantly.
"Good."
"We got company, on our six!" Renji shouted, and Rod stuffed the hell butterfly into his sleeve with practiced ease, immediately focusing his attention on the here and now.
Turning his head briefly, he saw a flash of black and white, and a top of white hair. Sensing the reiatsu, there was no mistaking it: Sasakibe Choujirou, veteran officer and second to Yamamoto himself.
"Halt, right now!" Rod said sharply, sliding to a halt. Somewhat confusedly, Renji did the same. In two seconds' time, Sasakibe caught up with them, facing off some four yards off. His face was a mask of restrained anger and contempt, staring at them with his hand at his blade. Renji gently set down Rukia and took a stance.
"Together, right?" he said, glancing at Rod. "If it's the two of us, we can totally handle him. I'm strong enough to make sure of it-"
"Negative," Rod said dismissively, sizing up their pursuer. Sasakibe Choujirou, being the captain-commander's equerry, was not often seen in military action. But even so, his strength and skill was widely respected. He was the chosen subordinate of a living legend, older than most captains, and only a fool would underestimate him. To dismiss him as a mere vice-captain would be nonsense.
"What?" Renji said.
"You know our objective. We can't afford delays. I'm a better runner than you and I know the Gotei better, so you're staying behind."
"I care not which of you treasonous swine see fit to face me," Sasakibe said coldly as he drew his sword, "but do not expect me to give you time to scheme in peace."
"Renji, no!" Rukia exclaimed.
"Bit late for that," Rod said, and casually walked over to her. "Be a good objective and keep quiet, yes?"
Unceremoniously, he grabbed her by the wrist, pulled her up, and slung her over his shoulder. Rukia grumbled, but kept quiet. Rod shot Renji a look. He wasn't one for inspirational words.
"...Break a leg, Abarai," he said, and turned around, making ready to sprint away. "Preferably, his."
"Damn it..." Renji muttered. "All right, go!"
But Rod was already gone, skipping down the hill toward the urban area of the Gotei's divisions.
"Friggin'..." Renji grumbled, and drew his sword. Turning to face Sasakibe, he said, "What, no 'I won't let you escape' bragging and such?"
Sasakibe shook his head.
"He, too, will face justice in his time. I know my limits, and I do not expect to pass you by so easily."
"Uh... thanks?"
"Do not thank me, traitor!" Sasakibe sneered. "Respecting an opponent's strength is not the same as respecting his character. You have turned against the organization that raised you, made you what you are, and for that you will die."
"Let's just get on with it," Renji said, eyeing his opponent carefully. "I'm all out of cool, defiant statements."
"So be it, then," said Sasakibe, and keeping his blade low, he charged. The world became a nigh-incomprehensible mess of muscle memory and near-instant reaction as battle ensued, the old man unleashing a flurry of blows, Renji just managing to keep up.
It wasn't the titanic, overwhelming power of a captain, but Renji still felt uneasy, intimidated, as he parried for his life. A shinigami grew in strength as he got older, and few were older than Sasakibe Choujirou- who appeared none the worse for his old age, every strike lightning-fast and perfectly timed. Renji skipped back a step, evading a horizontal slash that would surely have disembowelled him. Batting aside the next slash, Renji lunged forward, aiming to knock the air out of the old retainer's lungs with the pommel of his sword. Anticipating his movements with ease, Sasakibe took a step back, deflecting and redirecting the force of Renji's thrust. Renji was sent tumbling forward, almost losing his balance, and cursed inwardly, feeling grateful they were alone. The old man was making him look like a first year student.
Quickly recovering, Renji spun around to parry a thrust aimed for his neck, quickly catching the next cut against Zabimaru's guard.
"You've grown well, traitor," Sasakibe remarked, staring Renji in the eye.
"You have no idea," Renji shot back, and pushed the old man back, putting some space between the two of them.
"You're older than me, but not slower," Renji said slowly, thinking carefully, "and way more experienced. I'm surprised I'm keeping up at all."
"As am I," Sasakibe commented from under the sternest of frowns. "Ten years ago, I would not have placed you far up the ladder."
"A man can go a few extra miles if he has a good reason," Renji said, cautiously spinning his blade around, feeling its weight in his arm.
As expected from the captain-commander's equerry and chosen second-in-command, Sasakibe was more than just a stern, dignified appearance. And this was only scratching the surface...
"Don't see a point in holding back," he said, and ran his hand along the dull side of his blade. "Howl, Zabimaru!"
Singing with approval, Zabimaru changed its form to the long, bulky, spiked whip he was so well familiarized with, and felt... right. As messed up as the situation was, a scrap like this was what he understood best.
"Agreed," Sasakibe said, and held his zanpakutou pointed up. "Pierce, Gonryoumaru!"
Little changed visibly, other than the blade straightening a little, appearing to become thinner, its guard becoming a strange, rounded shape extending down over the old man's hand. Renji was on his guard, however. Whatever it was, it was bound to be powerful. Deciding to test the waters, he swung his bladed whip around, the wiry chords extending at his will. Having gained a bit of momentum, the whip surged out, intent on taking Sasakibe's head. With flawless precision, the old man batted aside the whip's head, the whip segment clattering harmlessly to the ground.
"I ain't done!" Renji shouted, and swung his whip about through the air at tremendous speed, whipping up a whirlwind of spiked, furious death. At his will, following the motions of his arm, the whip struck again and again, one spike after another cutting at the old retainer with furious speed. One attack would strike his head, then a split second later his arm, his leg, his ankle, his back...
But as the storm of blades descended, Sasakibe parried each hit, his arm moving at a speed as absurd as that of Renji's shikai. His defence was like an impenetrable wall, and no matter how Renji tried, his whip could not find an opening that the old man could not close.
Frustratedly, Renji retracted the whip, his weapon once more taking the form of a bulky blade. It was a bit more unwieldy than its sealed form, but it could still hurt plenty in close combat. Letting out a loud cry, he charged in, holding Zabimaru in both hands. Swinging with brutal strength, calculated as only the owner of an ensouled weapon could, he struck at Sasakibe over and over. Calmly having assumed a stance, the old retainer met his charge head-on, catching each of his strikes with contemptuous ease. The sheer force behind Renji's furious charge rocked him, but like a ship in a storm, Sasakibe swayed but stayed afloat, not even a rip in his coat to show for the violence Renji was throwing at him.
Then, suddenly, as Renji committed just a little too much energy into one strike, Sasakibe redirected his slash. Zabimaru struck into the ground, and the split second was all Sasakibe needed. Thrusting forward, the point of his blade sunk into Renji's shoulder, the sword running him halfway through. With the elegance of a master, Sasakibe kicked him in the midsection before he could recover, and followed up with a thrust toward Renji's neck. Renji staggered back, trying to evade, but the tip raked against it, and Renji felt a sinking feeling; another millimetre and he would have been opened up like a butchered pig.
Letting out a grunt of pain, Renji recovered. He wanted to clutch his shoulder, blood pouring gratuitously from the cut, but taking even one hand off his sword, he knew, could be disastrous.
"You seem surprised, traitor," Sasakibe said. His voice was calm, well controlled, but there was a hint of triumph in it, too. "This is the power of Gonryoumaru: immaculate perception. Nothing escapes my eyes when I use this blade. No fighting style or weapon may take me by surprise. I can not only predict your every move, but learn how to counter it to perfection."
"Damn..." Renji muttered. "Hell of a shikai. Just like I'd expect of the vice-captain of First. Does it make you faster, too?"
"No," Sasakibe said, shaking his head. "My own strength and speed is more than enough."
"Alright, then," Renji said, taking a breath and shrugging off the pain. "I just have to beat you at your own game, then, don't I?"
"You will try," Sasakibe shot back. Taking the initiative, he lunged forward, one arm tucked behind his back as he launched into a set of lightning-fast thrusts. He was close, well within Renji's guard, and the rebel, whose shikai was not suited for close-quarters combat, much less fencing, was hard pressed to do more than parry or evade. Within seconds, he had been forced several steps back, Sasakibe coming dangerously close to hurting him a dozen times within that short time. Renji felt the burn as the rapier missed an artery in his neck by an inch, scoring a shallow cut. He jumped back, keen to put some distance between them, but the old retainer was relentless, refusing to let go of his advantage. Renji struck out toward him in a fierce, double-handed blow, hoping to drive him back, but the old man dodged under the slash with ease and the next moment thrust forward his rapier, running Renji through. Going almost down to the hilt, the blade pierced his chest, and Renji let out a gasp, blood seeping from his mouth.
Sasakibe pulled out Gonryoumaru in a single, merciless motion and flicked the blood off the blade, before assuming a stance again.
"Sonofabitch..." Renji murmured, just barely keeping up with the next assault.
There is no choice. You know it.
Zabimaru's voice rang through his mind at this most unwelcome time; through the pain and having to match a veteran of Sasakibe's calibre, he really didn't have time for his zanpakutou's advice. But even so... it wasn't wrong. The veteran's form was all but flawless, and now enhanced with his shikai against Renji's relatively clumsy blade, and immune to the ranged attacks that were Renji's strength...
If it kept going, it would only mean that eventually the old man would find an opening, again and again, and whether in a few decisive blows or through a thousand cuts, Renji would be cut down, slain or taken captive. His shikai was useless here, and he could not hope to match the old man's superior skill.
Lamely blocking yet another ultra-rapid thrust, Renji made an effort to pin down his opponent's blade. Seeing through the move with ease, Sasakibe pulled back his weapon, readying for another stab. Just as the blade came in, Renji held up his hand, the thin, sharp point of Gonryoumaru running through the palm. It hurt like a bastard, but Renji could handle worse. Twisting his hand down, he raised his blade, readying to strike. He brought Zabimaru down, and Sasakibe, surprised by this self-destructive tactic, jumped back, putting some space between the two of them.
"You are getting desperate, boy," the old man said, scolding him.
"Yep, sort of..." Renji said, drawing in a hissed breath as he shook his bloodied hand. No bones appeared to be broken, which was a small mercy, but it still hurt. "Screw me..."
"You did that the moment you chose to betray the Gotei."
"Well, nothing for it," Renji said, shaking off the pain and shrugging. "I guess I gotta go all out."
"All out?" Sasakibe said, his eyes narrowing. "Surely, you do not mean..."
Renji let his reiatsu surge, raw power emanating off his frame in waves. This was the first time he would ever do it outside of training, and it was still brand new. Lots of kinks to work out... but there was, like Zabimaru had said, no choice.
"Bankai!" he rumbled, holding up his blade. The weapon came aglow, its shape morphing, shifting, growing to immense proportions. Like an enormous serpent of legend it towered over Sasakibe, its coils looking like bamboo, protectively wrapped around Renji. An enormous, bone-white serpent skull formed its head, a huge red mane flowing from the base of its skull. The beast was tremendous in size, its raised head some twenty yards over Sasakibe's. Coils and all, it looked to be well over a hundred yards long.
"Hihio Zabimaru," Renji said, breathing the words out in a fierce, husky tone as the coils opened to reveal the rebellious vice-captain standing tall. A short coat of thick, pinkish fur hung over his shoulders, extending down fully over his sword arm, where he held the base of the beast's tail in his hand like a club. The serpent let out a shriek, its cry rumbling across the forested hillside.
"Bankai..." Sasakibe said, sounding if not awed, then at least surprised. "To think that you were able to achieve that after all."
"I had help."
"I always knew you had potential, boy. It is a crying shame to see it go to waste like so."
"Pfeh," Renji sneered. "I ain't here to go for verbal sparring, old man. We had enough of that already. Me, I'm here to win!"
His brows furrowing, he lashed out with the tail-bone in his hand. Heeding its master's command, the serpentine monster surged forward, its jaws snapping at the old veteran. Sasakibe jumped out of the way, nimbly dodging the beast's attack, but nearly lost his balance. The sheer impact as the beast's head hit where he had stood not a second ago was tremendous; there was power here, just as one should expect from a bankai. Dashing forward, Sasakibe anticipated the next attack and moved before it had time to recover. His blade raked against one of the bamboo-like segments as he dashed past and forward, but to no avail- his shikai couldn't so much as scratch it.
"Oi, oi, oi!" Renji cried boisterously, raising his arm again as he commanded the bankai. "Ya sure ya wanna come in close?"
"Positive!" Sasakibe shot back. The serpent's coils writhed and moved as the beast's head reared, its body convulsing wherever the old man came close, but he dodged each blunt strike, nimbly jumping over and under the coils, aiming directly for Renji. The creature was large and terrifying, that was true, but size wasn't always an advantage. If he got in close, it would be difficult for it to move in accordance to defend its master. Mobility was on his side.
Rolling under a thrashing segment, directed his way by Renji, Sasakibe jumped forward, dashed against the side of the bankai's coils, and thrust his sword forward, aiming to run his opponent through from the back. Not terribly honourable, but there was no time; he had to move quickly and confuse him-
But then the air was knocked out of his lungs as Renji's foot connected with Sasakibe's chest, the younger man having followed his movements, and the old veteran was sent flying back, colliding with one of the rock-hard bamboo segments.
"You ain't the only one what can see something coming, old man," Renji said triumphantly. He moved his arm, and the next moment, the bankai's coils crushed Sasakibe into the ground with a thunderous blow. True to his rank and form, Sasakibe sprung to his feet the moment the segment lifted from the ground, but on Renji's command, the bankai slammed into the old man again, sending him flying with little more than a shrug. Sent some forty yards through the air, Sasakibe finally had his flight broken by the thick trunk of a tree. A large crack was left in it as he tumbled to the ground, groaning with pain.
"I gotta give you credit, pops," Renji said loudly, advancing slowly on the downed vice-captain, "I ain't never seen form like that. I don't think I could beat you one on one. But you can't out-fence a monster, can you?"
"Ghrrrnnn..." Sasakibe muttered, slowly forcing himself to his feet, blade still held firmly in his hand. "As... as one should expect from a true bankai. I was a fool to take it on directly."
"Ain't exactly fair," Renji said, and as he flicked his wrist, Hihio Zabimaru reared its head, rising up to a striking position, "but then again, that's combat. That's life."
Standing up, Sasakibe swayed a little. Blood was seeping from his mouth, from a few scrapes on his face, and it was clear that the tumble he had taken hadn't left him unaffected.
"Damn it..." The old man muttered, assuming a stance. "Traitor, do you have enough honour left in you to let me do the same?"
"You what?" Renji said, his bankai remaining on standby.
"You heard me. You are not alone in achieving greatness, scum."
"...Huh," Renji said, looking puzzled. "Sure. Go ahead, then."
Part of Renji knew that it was not the wisest move, knew that pressing his advantage would have been more pragmatic, but Renji was not ruthless at heart. In a battle between men, both should be able to give it their all. It wasn't the most thought-through of philosophies, he knew, but it was as good a code as any.
"Very well," Sasakibe said, holding his shikai over his head, with visible effort. His reiatsu, like Renji's before him, began to surge.
A bolt of lightning extended from the tip of his rapier, as his energy peaked, and there was an explosion of electric energy, at first formless but then taking the shape of a dome over Sasakibe's head, hovering some ten yards over his head, crackling with raw, barely contained power. A number of pillars formed by raw electric energy fastened it to the ground, one larger pillar extending well up into the sky.
"Lightning?" Renji exclaimed. "The hell does that have to do with fencing?"
"What do you think gives me those reflexes?" Sasakibe said snidely. "Koukou Gonryou Rikyu."
Above them, the sky darkened, clouds gathering. Where the glade had been bathed in sunlight a minute ago, an ominous gloom descended over the hillside for as far as Renji could see. The sky crackled and rumbled, Sasakibe's bankai looking like the heart of a thunderstorm, ready to bear down on his enemy. Renji was all too glad to know that the bone-like structure of his bankai wouldn't conduct electricity, or he would have been finished immediately.
Sasakibe pointed his sword at Renji, and the dome of lightning crackled with energy. Sensing the incoming attack, Renji cried, "Hihio Zabimaru!"
Following its master's command, the serpent wrapped around him, forming a protective barrier around him. But before it had even finished moving, the assault began. Rapidly, the lightning dome of Sasakibe's bankai began to fire, one bolt of lightning lashing out after another, dozens of strikes landing within seconds. Most were absorbed by Hihio Zabimaru's sturdy body, but several sailed past its defences, and the ground around Renji stunk of ozone as one bolt after another discharged.
With a sensation like the kick of a mule, one bolt impacted with his chest, sending him stumbling back. Still absorbing dozens of bolts faithfully, enduring the assault with staunch defiance, his bankai's defence was far from perfect. Another bolt struck, then another, and Renji felt the hairs on his back standing up. His body burned, his clothes smoking, as the lightning reaped its toll.
To his astonishment, he was not only conscious but still standing when the attack finally stopped. He blinked, his vision having gone blurry from the sheer shock of it, and struggled not to fall over. His bankai, lacking direction, moved about uneasily.
"You are made of sturdy stock, traitor," Sasakibe commented, sounding far more sure of himself now. "Then again, what use is a bankai if you cannot endure the use of another?"
"Hell, old man," Renji wheezed, his voice a croak. "You had all this power, all this time?"
His throat was dry, and he felt like he had caught fire. He had no desire to look, but he was sure he had several nasty burn injuries on his body, and more than likely a few broken ribs.
"I know what they think," the old man said dismissively. "They say, 'Old Sasakibe is just a servant to the captain-commander. He's kept around out of sentimentality. He's not all that.' It has never bothered me. I know the truth, and so does my liege lord. And now, so do you."
"Fuck me, I do," Renji said, grimacing. Another assault like that would be hard to endure, even if he could arrange Hihio Zabimaru's defence perfectly. The fact that his bankai was still new really showed; it didn't respond very quickly to his commands, not the way it should with proper training. And even if he defended... then what? Sit back and hope the old man tired himself out? For all Renji knew, he could keep going for hours. And even if he tired... this was sure to attract attention. No, defence was a losing strategy. Deciding to pre-empt his opponent, Renji moved the hilt of his bankai, and let out a loud battle cry. The serpent moved to his will, surging forward, its enormous head smashing through the dome of lightning.
If Renji had hoped to damage it, he would be sorely disappointed. Although undamaged, Hihio Zabimaru passed right through it, the cage of energy parting like water, before reshaping itself almost immediately. The serpent's head still came down, aiming to bite Sasakibe in half, but the veteran simply jumped back, the dome of lightning smoothly following his movements.
"You've slowed, traitor!" he cried, pointing his arm, sending a flurry of lightning bolts toward Renji.
"I ain't done by a long shot!" Renji roared back, his snake-like bankai pursuing Sasakibe, snapping and striking at it. The vice-captain was evading the attacks with comparative ease, but the lightning he sent toward Renji was neither as accurate nor as copious as before. Shrugging off a glancing lightning hit, Renji redoubled his efforts. It was working! Letting the old man seize the initiative had been foolish. He could not endure more lightning storms like those- but if he kept his opponent running, he wouldn't have to.
Choujirou leaped quickly, dashing in between the trees, using shunpo when he had to. His bankai followed after him, waddling through the air like some sort of bizarre jellyfish.
Though not impossibly fast, that serpentine bankai was quicker than its size would suggest, and it exerted tremendous force. That one single instance, where he had been hit twice, had broken four of his ribs and fractured his left arm, and he feared what it might do if it struck him again. A direct hit could be disastrous.
Fortunately, it seemed unable to keep up with his movements. Trees were uprooted or snapped in half like twigs where it surged forward, and the landscape around them was quickly being turned into a scene of chaos. It had been a long time since Choujirou had fought such a battle, and the young traitor was more than a threat here- with such power, he equalled the veteran's own bankai.
As he ran, Choujirou evaluated the situation. It seemed clear this was a new bankai, young and poorly mastered, which was a factor well in his favour. It was clear also that the lightning barrage, when it had hit, had done more than enough damage to potentially end the traitor.
Hiding was not an option; his bankai hovering over him was the most obvious marker imaginable, and he disdained the thought of doing so in any case. Though not obsessively focused on the concept, Choujirou valued his honour and resented the idea of a cowardly strategy. He had tried that once already, and as if by karma, had been struck down for it.
The first thing he had to do was stop running. His bankai, although incapable of being hurt by the gargantuan creature, also could not stop it from striking- its properties were offense, extreme offense, but when he did not direct it personally, it was little more than a large blob of extremely draining energy. No, he had to find a way through, go in closer, and strike. If there was no option for an outright lightning storm, then he would personally strike his enemy, one bolt after another, taking all the time he needed to find an opening.
Renji's attack overshot, smashing through a magnificent oak as though it were a toothpick, and as it struck, Sasakibe launched himself onto the bankai's body, using it as a springboard, rapidly running toward Renji.
"Hey, hey, it won't be that easy!" Renji snarled, and with a motion, he separated the segments from one another. Undeterred, the old man jumped off the last segment he could gain footing on, landed nimbly on the ground, and dashed toward Renji in a zig-zag. He launched one bolt of lightning after another, each one carefully aimed, and Renji found himself jumping, jerking to the side, trying to dodge. He pulled back Hihio Zabimaru, the head turning back inward to strike at the old veteran, but it was already too late. Well inside the bankai's guard, some twenty yards away, Sasakibe halted for a second, his lightning bankai stabilizing behind him, and he aimed his sword. A set of lightning bolts, fired in rapid succession, came at Renji, and two of them struck home, kicking like a mule each time.
"Sonofabitch!" Renji snapped, hastily jerking at his bankai's hilt. The serpent's body writhed and struck where Sasakibe had stood a second ago, already sailing through the air in a graceful somersault. Pausing for another second, he lashed out again. Ready this time, Renji managed to raise a bamboo segment to block the attack, but still felt the sting of a lightning bolt hitting his leg. The old man was already in motion, and Renji started to feel frustration. That old bastard had already seen through his bankai, already formed a strategy, and what was worse, he wasn't sure how he'd counter it. Renji hadn't expected bankai out of this guy, and when he had first released his own, he had been sure victory was his. When he had hit Sasakibe that first time, he had hoped that would be it, because as righteous as he felt, killing a former comrade felt... wrong.
Now he was being outmaneuvered and, knowing how stern the old bastard was, he wasn't sure he could expect the same mercy from him. Assuming the worst- which was what made the most sense to a soldier- he was now fighting for his life. It was do or die.
Defense was a losing strategy. That much he held firm to, and feverishly, he moved his arm, commanding his bankai each time. It was difficult; Hihio Zabimaru was huge and Sasakibe was a small target, and this close, it was more than a little challenging to make his bankai move without it colliding with itself. It wasn't all against him, though. Sasakibe, for his part, had to constantly dodge, evade, and jump.
But even so, he kept finding an opening, kept finding the time to stop, strike, then move again. Renji was struck, over and over, and no matter how hard he tried, no matter how far he pushed his opponent, his defence was penetrable. It was the mark of a veteran, a patient and cautious soldier having lived to old age through skill and talent.
Struck for what felt like the umpteenth time, Renji was breathing heavily, his bankai's movements slowing. His arms felt heavy, his body hot like it were on fire, and he wasn't sure for how much longer he could keep going. Sasakibe landed, a bit further out, his bankai stabilizing above him once more.
"A commendable effort," he commented. His brows furrowed, and he stared at Renji coldly. "However, it ends here, traitor. This is the fate of all who turn their back on the Gotei."
"Ain't... done... yet..." Renji growled defiantly, knowing fully well that his time would soon be up.
"Yes, you are," the old veteran said, raising his sword. The pillar of lightning reaching up to the sky glowed brightly, power beginning to charge. He was readying for another strike, and Renji wasn't sure he would be able to stop him this time.
But then it came to him. There was one thing he could do, a long shot perhaps, but... one thing.
His reiatsu surged as he drew on what remaining fighting spirit he had, a red glow emanating from his form. It spread to his bankai, each segment beginning to glow red. Power coursed through him, running from his body, through his arm and into his bankai. He raised his arm, even though his bankai felt heavy, like the weight of a mountain, and slowly, he whipped the hilt around. Following his command, the serpent writhed and slithered through the air, power running from the end of its tail and through its body.
"You expect to kill me with that, young fool?" Sasakibe cried. "I will not be struck by it. You know this!"
"Ain't DONE!" Renji insisted, too tired to think of anything better to say.
"So be it. Be gone from this world, traitor scum. Face the judgement of the heavens!"
Lightning crackled from the source of Sasakibe's dome of electricity, and Renji knew he only had seconds.
"Hikotsu Taihou!" he roared, as the power surging through his bankai released. The snake opened its mouth as a red ball of raw, tremendous energy formed there. A second later, it discharged, the ball turning into a smooth, thick ray of red destruction.
"Fool!" the old veteran cried. "You know I'll-"
But the attack was not aimed for Sasakibe. Striking with the force of heavy artillery, the attack impacted Sasakibe's bankai. There was a massive explosion, and Renji was nearly thrown off his feet. There was a storm of dust, and for a few seconds, he couldn't see anything. He knew it had worked at least to some extent- no lightning storm was discharging. If it were, he'd already be done for.
The dust began to clear, and from out of it the old veteran stumbled, his rapier snapped in half, his pristine uniform sullied with dirt and dust. He had been knocked off his feet, judging by the look of things, before he had gotten up again. All around him were traces of electricity, sparks of lightning saturating the air. The bankai wasn't gone, it seemed, but it had yet to form.
"My- my bankai," the old veteran gasped, coughing, trying to breathe. "You did..."
There was a spark in the sky above Sasakibe's head, and Renji knew he'd only have this opportunity. Letting out a loud cry, he moved his arm one final time, and like a very large club, the broad side of Hihio Zabimaru slammed into Sasakibe, sending him flying. He didn't go far, but he didn't recover, his body tumbling across the ground before slamming against a half-broken tree trunk. He lay quite still, and forcing himself to stay upright, Renji sensed for his energy. He had never been an expert, but there was no mistaking the power of a bankai. He lay still there, all signs of raw power gone, his reiatsu signature low and all but impossible to sense. Checking again, then another time just to be sure, Renji took a few long, deep breaths before finally dismissing his bankai, sealing the sword fully. Cautiously, he made his way to where the beaten old man lay.
He was on his side, his right arm looking twisted and broken, but he was alive. Renji held on to his sword, and leaned over him, rolling him over to his back with his free hand. Sasakibe groaned, and opened his eyes, staring up at Renji with a look of contempt.
"Stay down, all right?" Renji muttered, breathing deeply. As the adrenaline of the fight was beginning to leave him, he started to fully feel the pain of his broken limbs and his burns. Even moving was going to be a hell of a pain.
"I ain't one to kick an enemy when they're already beaten. Just... stay down and don't do anything stupid."
"How... did you..." said the old man, stopping to breathe in short, quick huffs.
"You was right that I couldn't hit you," Renji conceded with a nod, "but your bankai wasn't that fast, was it. It was a gamble, but I figured, if it's made of energy, then let's see what happens when you toss a great, big ball of other energy at it. Seems it worked."
"Luck, instinct, and gambling," the old man said with distaste. "How very typical of you, brute."
"It worked," Renji said, and shrugged. "Well... don't die, old man. I'd look after you, but I got places to be and people counting on me. See you around."
Sasakibe made a fist, and bit back a curse, before closing his eyes again, embracing the mercy of unconsciousness. Renji turned around, sheathed his blade, and slowly made his way down the hill. Hell... the old man had a lot of fight in him, and Renji himself had a long way to go. For now... the plan. At least Rukia was safe.
Isane felt the familiar thrum of power as she muttered the incantation, neat, square lines manifesting on her arms as she made ready to broadcast to the entirety of the Gotei. She stood a ways off from where the sages lay dead, in their now silent chamber, her captain depending on her to relay the truth. Her heart was racing; this situation was outrageous. The Central Forty-Six, their pillar of wisdom and centre of government, was slain, their stink invading her nostrils. Some unseen hand had manipulated them all, all this time. The thought was staggering.
But, like so many times before, a focused calm descended upon her as she wove her spell. Handling stress was an essential skill for a doctor, and her ability to do so was what had allowed her to rise through the ranks of the fourth division in the first place. Kotetsu Isane appeared timid to the world, but when push came to shove, she knew what to do and how to do it.
That is why it was so extraordinary that, when she heard the voice, she let out an undignified yelp, her concentration breaking and the spell sizzling out into nothing.
"Good day, Captain Unohana, Vice-Captain Kotetsu."
That voice. Deep, calm, inviting the listener to trust and believe, to calm and to listen, was all too familiar. Isane jerked around to where it had come from, toward the doorway of the chambers. Defying all reason, Aizen Sousuke stood there, looking quite alive and healthy. He had lost his glasses, it seemed, and a quiet look of satisfaction was on his face.
"I must congratulate you, Unohana Retsu," he said, slowly stepping toward them. "I had not expected anybody would find out the truth until I decided it be so."
"Isane," Unohana said in a firm, authoritative tone, one Isane had only ever heard her use on the battlefield before, "stay still. Make no sudden movements."
Aizen smiled, and it was shocking how different he looked to Isane. The kindly, benevolent figure was replaced by a cold, superior visage, assured of its supremacy and utterly confident.
"Rest assured, senpai, I am not come to visit harm or death on either of your persons," he said, stopping some three yards away. "Rather, as I already said, I am here to congratulate you."
"What is your game?" Unohana said. Her voice was quiet, polite, but there was an edge underneath it, one that the entire Gotei knew to respect. Aizen seemed unimpressed, however.
"Soon, the whole of the Gotei shall know. The whole of the Soul Society. Within no more than an hour, in fact. What I must know is... what led you here? Mere chance? Luck? Or did you somehow see past my illusions?"
"That corpse I examined in the morgue," Unohana said, carefully placing one hand on the hilt of her zanpakutou, something that prompted Aizen to smile amusedly, "it was very convincing. Too convincing. So convincing, in fact, that when I found a small oddity in its genetic structure, I felt myself insisting very, very strongly that nothing was wrong. I would examine its molecules under a microscope, decide something was odd, then look back at the corpse and feel very strongly that I was being foolish. It took more than a few instances of this before I realised that it was rather like the work of an enemy zanpakutou."
Aizen nodded to himself, thoughtfully.
"I see, I see. The illusion itself held up... but through deduction, you realised something was not right. Then, you became suspicious. After all, the Central had been behaving strangely for some time."
"Just so," Unohana said, and nodded.
"I am glad," Aizen said, and Isane thought she heard a little relief in his voice. "After all this, it was chance, not some failure. The world is too complicated to possibly account for all imaginable opportunities, after all. Kyoka Suigetsu is flawless."
"Wait, what?" Isane blurted out, something inside her bursting. This was insane! An assuredly dead man was standing there, talking to her captain like he was pulling every string in the world, and her captain was looking at him like he was a criminal, a threat. "Kyoka Suigetsu is a water-type zanpakutou that uses reflection from the water it creates to confuse its enemy. You demonstrated this where everyone... could see it..." she trailed off.
"So I did," Aizen said, the smirk simply not leaving his face. "So I did, and everyone has seen it."
"You said it was flawless. You mentioned illusion. Was this how you hid... this?" Unohana said, gesturing toward the dead.
"Oh, them," Aizen said dismissively. "No, I made sure they saw what was coming to them. They represent the worst of our society's hideous bourgeoisie ruling class: arrogant, prideful old men and women who claim to know what is best for the people, yet rule them without the smallest concern for their lives. It was quite useful in masquerading their deaths, though."
"What do you hope to accomplish?" Unohana insisted.
"Like I said," Aizen repeated calmly, "within the hour, you and everyone else will know. Suffice to say that I will revolutionize the Gotei Thirteen itself. The old order will wash away like filth under a tidal wave, and in its place... there will be a new order. My order."
Unohana pulled out her blade, but Aizen simply chuckled.
"Please, senpai, do you think I would be telling you any of this if I thought you had the smallest chance of hurting me? I am not some B-rate movie villain. What I have planned is already in motion. It cannot be stopped. Have your little underling broadcast the truth already. By the time your message reaches everyone, I will already have what I want."
Unohana's eyes narrowed. Aizen ignored her, turning his back on her, and began to walk out.
"Oh, and one more thing," he said, turning back to look at her one last time, "I would get to the top of the Sokyoku hill if I were you. There will be many in need of a good healer."
With that, he walked out. If Unohana had intended to pursue, she gave no sign of it. She marched up to the doorway, looked outside of it, then turned back in.
"Gone," she muttered, her emotions indecipherable to Isane.
"Captain-" Isane started.
"Isane, establish a connection with your kido immediately," Unohana said sharply. "Everyone must know the truth. Now."
There was a sharp edge to her voice, direct and almost aggressive, that Isane wasn't used to. It stunned her for a second, before her usual calm kicked back in. Almost feverishly, she began crafting the spell again. Aizen Sousuke! Aizen Sousuke, traitor and engineer of all this chaos! She almost lost her concentration again, muttering out the spell. As it finished, she checked the connection once, checked that each point was established, that everyone in the Gotei would hear it.
"Everyone, listen!" she cried, her voice echoing across the entirety of the Gotei Thirteen. "Urgent message going out, Priority One!"
Well, I certainly hope that I was able to entertain you guys well enough. Dont worry, we're not skipping out on Ichigo's battle with Byakuya. How on earth could I consider cutting out one of Bleach's best battles? However, I wouldn't expect a copy of the original if i were you. We're going to try our hardest to try to spice things up.
As for Renji, I couldn't just give the guy nothing to do. Seeing how we exchanged his fight with Byakuya for a big speech, I had to give him an opponent that would be a appropriate challenge. Ultimately, Sasikibe was chosen. Considering the fact that he has a bankai, is the direct subordinate of Yamamoto himself and is one of the oldest soul reapers alive, he was the best candidate for the job. As you can all see, he is no slouch, and has earned his place. It's better than canon, where he was really just fodder for Ichigo.
I am disappointed that I had nothing else to do for Nozomi this arc, and I promise we have more for her down the line. With so many characters, it's hard to allocate enough screen time to everybody. The same can be said for Uryu, though I do promise we have something significant for him coming up.
That's all I have to say for now. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please feel free to leave a review. Whether positive or negative, we could really use the feedback, and it puts us closer to our one thousand reviews goal. Until next time!