I have a new chapter for you my faithful readers. The battle for Karkura town is nearly at hand!
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.
Isshin was worried. He'd noticed the sudden influx of shinigami coming to Karakura, and had decided to keep his head down for the time being. For something this extreme to go down, something had to be going on. He had closed down the clinic for the day, keeping a close eye on his family.
His troubled reveries were interrupted when the front door slammed shut. Isshin almost burst out of his chair, and rushed up to find his son in the hall.
"Ichigo," said Isshin, staring him down with a severe expression on his face. His son looked different- older, somehow, as if it had been years since they last saw each other rather than just a day or so. It wasn't that his hair had grayed or that his skin had loosened; it wasn't physical. It was his face. It was dead serious, grim even.
"Ichigo, what's going on-" he started.
"Dad, listen," Ichigo said, interrupting him. "There's no time, so listen to what I have to say. Is mom here? I need to talk to you both."
"She's- she just got home from work," Isshin said, taken aback.
"Karin? Yuzu?"
"They're in their rooms."
Ichigo nodded, seeming relieved. "Go get mom, then."
Isshin had heard that sort of tone before. He had often been the one to use it. It was the tone of an officer speaking to a private, of a superior making a statement that was not a request.
"Ichigo, what the hell is going on?"
"Get. Mom. Now."
To his own surprise, Isshin just nodded and headed up the stairs to bring Masaki. Whatever was going on had to be serious. He returned a minute later with a confused Masaki, finding Ichigo pacing in the living room.
"Ichigo…" said Masaki. She noticed it, too, plain as day, probably even better than Isshin. Something was wrong, very wrong, and Ichigo… Ichigo seemed changed by it.
"Mom, dad," he said firmly. Every syllable was short, sharp and to the point, spat out with machine-gun rapidity and efficiency. "I need you to listen, and not interrupt me. Can you do that?"
"Talk, son," said Isshin, more worried than ever.
"The short version," said Ichigo, "is that the Gotei invaded Aizen's domain. It went really poorly. Right now, they're licking their wounds and expecting an attack any moment. I need you both to take Karin and Yuzu and get as far away from here as possible. Don't pack, just grab whatever you need and run. The sooner, the better."
Normally, Isshin would have been pretty dismissive of such a demand, but the severity of his son's tone gave him pause. The Gotei had brought all they had- but it had still failed?
"It's the Gotei, right?" said Masaki. "Didn't they- didn't they put everything they had here?"
"People died," said Ichigo, "and a lot of them, too. Urahara had a plan in place to keep Karakura safe, but with the invasion, he didn't have time to finish it. When Aizen attacks, everyone is at risk. This city is about to become a war zone. Do you get what I'm saying? Get away from here, or you'll end up caught up in this."
"We can handle ourselves," said Isshin, unwilling to back down. This was the place he had called home for decades, where he had raised a family.
"Sure you can," said Ichigo, "but can Karin? Can Yuzu?"
The reality of it hit home, and judging by the look on Masaki's face, it had hit her even harder.
"Masaki, you take the kids," said Isshin firmly. "I'll join the fight."
Ichigo shook his head. "Dad, no."
"Don't you tell me no!" Isshin said angrily, his choler rising. "Don't you tell me the Gotei is about to have the showdown of a lifetime without me there to put my back into it!"
"Dad," said Ichigo with surprising calm, looking his father in the eye, "your powers aren't fully restored, and trust me… the things they will throw at us will kill you. They very nearly killed me."
"Listen here, boy!" Isshin said firmly. "I was a captain-"
"Komamura Sajin is dead," Ichigo said flatly. "Zaraki Kenpachi got destroyed, beaten to within an inch of his life. Kuchiki Byakuya nearly died, fighting beside me. Even two to one, we couldn't match our enemy. Erza lost an arm and nearly died, too. This is the real deal, dad, and it's not leaving room for anyone who isn't at their best."
"…They killed a captain?" Isshin said, eyes wide. "They beat Kenpachi?"
"A full retreat. They were defeated," Ichigo said, shaking his head. "Nothing you saw in your time as a captain measures up to this."
"You're telling me I can't do it."
"Yes," said Ichigo flatly, "not when the enemies are like this. Dad, you're not an officer anymore. It isn't your duty to get yourself killed. Your duty is to your family."
"You can't just-" Isshin protested.
"Do you disagree with anything I just said?" Ichigo demanded.
"I…"
"Is it your duty to run at the enemy and risk your life?" Ichigo insisted. His voice was calm, but it was the calm of a steel wire stretched nearly to its breaking point.
"Well…"
"He's right," said Masaki firmly. "You do not owe them anything."
"But, you do owe this family," said Ichigo mercilessly. "Dad, I'll take your place. There will be a Kurosaki to hold up the flag, but it can't be you, and I can't fight knowing you guys could get caught up in it."
"Ichigo!" said Masaki. "You cannot march in here and give that kind of lecture, talk about family and then just-"
"Yes, I can," said Ichigo, "and you can't stop me. Out of all of us, I'm the only one who can make a difference. I'm the only one who can actually do it. Aizen is bringing espada, his greatest elites. He's bringing vasto lorde. I can just about handle some of them. You? Mom, you're out of practice, and dad, you only just got your powers back."
"Damn, son…" Isshin grumbled, shaking his head. He thought of his daughters. He thought of his home, and realized he couldn't argue. Not with both his son and his wife at the same time. He wanted to take up his blade, badly, but Ichigo wasn't wrong. Family came first.
"Don't… die, okay?" he said after a pause.
"Isshin!" Masaki said, outraged. "You can't let him do this!"
"It's like he said, Masaki," Isshin said with a shrug. "We can't stop him."
He looked Ichigo in the eye, and felt pride welling up in his chest. In a very short time, his son had grown up to be quite a man.
"I won't die," said Ichigo. "I promise I won't. We'll be okay. But, for now…"
"I get it, son," said Isshin with a nod. "We'll get out of here for now."
Masaki stared at Ichigo. "You're not going to listen to me, are you?"
"Sorry, mom," Ichigo said, his expression softening momentarily.
"Alright, then," she said with a sigh, and pulled him in for an abrupt hug. He reciprocated, albeit awkwardly.
"You be safe now," she said, looking him in the eye. "I know that's a ridiculous expectation, but I expect you to come back in one piece. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," said Ichigo, cracking a very slight smile.
"Give 'em hell, son," said Isshin, "and bag a few arrancar skulls for me, yeah?"
"I will," said Ichigo. "Now, I wasn't kidding- they could hit us any minute, and I have a few allies waiting outside who I still need to introduce to the Gotei, so… see you around."
"See you around, son," said Isshin.
As his son exited the front door, Isshin hoped very badly that it wouldn't be the last he saw of him.
Yamamoto stood leaned over the holographic tactical map of Karakura. He was staring himself blind at it, seeing without really looking. His shoulders kept slumping when he wasn't paying attention. His subordinates noticed. He knew they did. That was why he had sent out all but Ukitake and Kyouraku, because he could not bear for anyone else to see how this wore at him. Besides these two, only Urahara had stayed behind.
Disaster. That would be his legacy. Even in victory, even if they made what was to come the most splendid triumph the Gotei had ever seen, it would take a long time to erase the stain of shame that his folly had wrought.
"Captain-commander?"
It was Kyouraku, sounding somehow distant. The boy tried, and Yamamoto appreciated it. He hadn't let a single quip pass his lips since the invasion started, keeping his head entirely in the game. Yamamoto's pupils were the only silver lining he could find.
"Yes?" Yamamoto muttered.
"I said that if we perhaps consider using this guarding pattern, we'll be able to respond more quickly to an invasion."
"How so?" Yamamoto muttered. "They might manifest anywhere."
"Consider Aizen's mentality," said Ukitake. "He will want to face us head on. Especially now that he is sure he has the advantage."
Yamamoto gave him a look. He had thought he had the measure of Aizen Sousuke, and where had that gotten him?
"No, listen, you can't go in there!"
The words, muffled, came from outside, and only barely registered in Yamamoto's ears as the discussion continued. It was only when the door was forcefully slid open that he thought anything of it. The open doorway revealed a couple of guards, pushed aside, and three figures walking into the room like they owned it. Straightening himself up, Yamamoto stared down the new arrivals, ready to berate them, but what he saw gave him pause.
There was the substitute shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo, the auxiliary- brave and strong, but certainly not brave and strong enough that he could be allowed to barge in on a meeting like this. But, behind him came two others, dressed like ordinary humans but unmistakably something more than that. Shinigami, but with something else to their signature. Two women they were, one serious-looking with black hair. Her green-haired companion looked more like she had wandered in by accident.
"Li… sa?"
It was Kyouraku who spoke first, gaping.
"Shunsui."
Memories long unused rushed to the forefront of Yamamoto's mind, and he realized whom he was looking at.
"It can't be…" said Ukitake.
"Yadoumaru Lisa. Kuna Mashiro." Said Yamamoto gruffly. He had a hard time believing his eyes, but all his senses told him they were the real article.
"I'm guessing you have a lot of questions," said Kurosaki sharply, "and they'll answer as many as they want to answer. What you need to know first and foremost is that they're here to help, and I know you can't afford to turn that away."
"You speak brazenly, young man," said Yamamoto after some deliberation, "but you are not incorrect. You two… are come to aid us?"
"We are," said Yadoumaru with a nod.
"Yup!" said Kuna cheerily.
"I… I thought you were dead," said Shunsui. "For all these years… I was sure you were. All of you, dead and gone."
There was something in his voice, sombre and unstable.
"Sorry, but that was the way it had to be," said Yadoumaru with a shrug. "Given that your first instinct was to have us all purged, we weren't taking any chances."
Yamamoto glanced over at Urahara, who had stood up straight, leaving his continuous tinkering behind for the moment. He looked surprised, visibly so. Given his normal composure, that was saying something.
"What do you know?" Yamamoto demanded.
"What I know or don't know," said Urahara evasively, "is not really for me to say. These two ladies are alive, and I knew they were. I… helped them around the same time that Aizen framed me. Anything else is for them to reveal."
"There's not a whole lot to say," Yadoumaru said, "at least not now, not here. We had hollows thrust upon us by Aizen's sick experiments. When push came to shove, your organization decided it was safer to have us killed than to try to cure us. When it turned out we could be fixed, we really doubted you'd welcome us back with open arms. We went to ground and hid until now."
"So, what changed?" said Kyouraku, "Why now?"
"Let's just say I decided hiding was no way to live," said Lisa. Staring Yamamoto sharply in the eye, she turned to address him directly. "This is not charity, old man. We expect you to let us be when this is over. We owe you nothing, and I'm not going to get hit squads sent after me when this is over. Whatever orders you had hanging over us are to be null and void. Is that clear?"
Yamamoto pondered her words for a few moments, then said, "We wrongfully believed Urahara Kisuke and Shihoin Yoruichi to be traitors. After Aizen's deceit was revealed, we naturally reconsidered, and an investigation was launched that exonerated them. We would offer you much the same."
"I don't think you get it," said Yadoumaru. "The hollow part? It hasn't gone away. In fact…" she curled a hand over her face, and instantly, a hollow's mask formed. Casually, she slid it upward, letting it rest atop her head. Her eyes glowed yellow, and her voice reverberated very slightly as she spoke. "It's a part of us. It always will be. I need to know you won't hunt us down for being freaks of nature."
Yamamoto took a moment to think. He felt repulsed looking at her, hearing her voice, sensing the change in her spiritual signature. The hollow was a monster, and to see it unnaturally merged with a shinigami was revolting. Finally, he decided that honesty was the best policy.
"I find your state of being repellent," he said gruffly, "fundamentally wrong. Abominable. This is no indictment on your character. This was done to you, not by your choice. Regardless, the notion of hollow and shinigami being one and the same… try as I might, I find it horrifying. The Central Forty-six of old would undoubtedly have agreed, and condemned you.
"However… currently, I alone represent the Gotei's legal system. Recent events have forced me to… reconsider certain things. Urahara Kisuke?"
"Yes?" said the scientist neutrally.
"You would know. You always know more than you let on, do you not?"
"It behoves me to let people think I do, at the very least."
Ignoring the quip, Yamamoto said, "Can you vouch for these people? They are not animals, consumed by a hollow's bloodlust?"
"Believe me, captain-commander," said Urahara firmly, "nobody has better self-restraint than they do. Having a hollow living in your head does that. If they were being influenced by their hollows, it would already have been too late for them. They've kept to themselves all this time, and there have been no incidents."
"Trust me," said Kurosaki, "they taught me all I know about this stuff. You know what I am, and I am no animal."
"That is good enough," said Yamamoto. "Yadoumaru Lisa, Kuna Mashiro, you have my word that your terms will be honoured. With your permission, once this is done, I would ask that this phenomenon be investigated further- but for now, I accept you as part of this city's defense. Will you accept me as your commander in return?"
"For now," said Yadoumaru.
"Sure," said Kuna with a shrug.
"Although I find this union repulsive," said Yamamoto, "I would add that I regret the way you were treated. You were fine officers once. You deserved better. You still do."
"Yeah, yeah," Yadoumaru muttered. "Save it, pops."
"What happened to the others? Do they yet live?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" said Kuna cheekily.
Figuring that was as much of an answer as he was going to get, Yamamoto decided to let it slide. He needed every fighter he could get, and if there was ever a time to reconsider some values, it was now.
She was really supposed to be out on patrol. Erza knew many of her colleagues were clinging to the familiarity of the routine like a man holding on to a cliffside, desperate not to fall. She couldn't stand it, and at any rate, she had better things to do. Ducking into an alley, she forced herself to calm, leaning back against a wall. It wasn't quite like the privacy of her own room, but it would have to do. Taking long, deep breaths, she focused… and before long, the urban concrete and asphalt was replaced by white marble and a blue sky. The sky was clouded, though, the blue obscured by the streaks of white passing over the artificial sun of the zanpakutou's realm.
"You return in disgrace."
Erza turned around to face Hagane no Tamashii, the spirit perched on his throne, staring at her judgmentally.
"Even you," said Erza firmly, taking a step forward, "are not arrogant enough to think we cannot be beaten. Even you would know some people are just stronger."
"Are you saying there was no way you could have won?" the spirit retorted. "That it was impossible? That there was not even one iota of hope, not one to the googolplex?"
"…No," Erza conceded.
"Then you are making excuses."
"It doesn't have to be so black and white!" Erza snapped. "Yes, I could have beaten her, in theory, but… she is better than I am. Tier Halibel is stronger than I am in terms of raw power-"
"Not by orders of magnitude."
"-and more importantly, she is more experienced than I am. The outcome is as much as I expected."
"I keep hearing excuses," said Hagano no Tamashii. "She's stronger. She's better. So what?"
"So what?!" Erza burst out indignantly. "I know you are demanding, I know you are hard, but I have never known you to be unfair!"
"Am I?" sneered the spirit. "You held yourself back. You did not even use the golden armour. You held yourself back. You hesitated to kill her!"
"I… did not," Erza said, shaking her head. Then she quickly corrected herself before the spirit could take offense. "I mean… I did. Once."
"Why?"
"Because as much as she hates me, I don't want to kill her," Erza said stubbornly. "She's a good person used by an evil man. She deserves to live."
"At the expense of your own life?"
"I…"
"That, Erza," said Hagane no Tamashii as he stood up from his throne, taking a step toward her, "is what you are saying when you hesitate. My life matters less than hers. My ambitions, my friendships, my allegiances, they all matter less than hers." He wagged a finger at her accusatorily.
"I do not!"
"Battle cares not for your wishes. You wish more for her? It matters not. If you die because of misplaced sentimentality, you fail not just me, but every other person in your life."
"It's true…" Erza said, shaking her head. "I hesitated when I shouldn't have. But, I also didn't know what to expect from her. I also didn't know where the upper limits of her strength were. I had the upper hand before I hesitated, because she underestimated me. You're right- this was never unwinnable."
"Of course," said the spirit haughtily, "but there was more to it, wasn't there?"
"…Yes," Erza muttered, "personal pride. I never won a spar against her. Part of me wanted to prove I could. Part of me wanted to best her without resorting to some sort of… trump card."
"Foolishness!" sneered the spirit. "You have a duty to yourself, Erza. Do you recognize this? Do you understand that if you believe your life is worth sustaining because there are things you must do, you must also act as if this were true. You must not hesitate when your life is on the line."
"Yes."
"Then what will you do if you face her again? Her, or any enemy of her calibre?"
"I will not hesitate," said Erza firmly. "I will assess my enemy's strength, and use the means I must."
"And?"
"I will stand victorious. I will prevail."
"I expect nothing less," said the spirit with a nod. "Do not shame me- us- with this kind of uncertainty again. No matter how merciful you may be to a defeated foe, anything coming at you with a blade in hand to kill us is an enemy and will remain as such until beaten."
Erza nodded. "Yes. But…"
"But?" said Hagane no Tamashii, his eyebrows narrowing.
"You know the nature of the final armour. I am not yet fully rested from my last bout. If I do use it, I doubt I'll have much strength left, if any. I couldn't maintain it for long."
"Then make do with what time you have. Do not waste it, and do not waste your strength on anything unimportant. Do this, defeat your foe, and I will have nothing to fault you for."
"Alright," said Erza with a sigh. "So be it, then."
"We will speak again soon," said the spirit, oddly reassuringly, "when Aizen lies dead at your feet, and your enemies are beaten."
"At least one of us believes in that, then," Erza muttered.
She expected some harsh rebuke, but as her inner world faded away, the last she saw was a confident smile. He was sure of it. It was oddly relieving. Erza shook her head, sighing. The next twenty-four hours would decide so much; it would quite possibly be the most important day in her life. Aizen Sousuke was coming, and all she could do was give her all. It would have to do.
Byakuya stood at the centre of feverish activity, directing his battered and bruised sixth division with quiet, sharp orders, never uttering a syllable more than necessary. It was important, he knew, that he stood there as a visible reminder that the power of the Gotei was unbroken. That although they had been humbled, they were not defeated. But, although he stood there like the very model of a leader, firm and to the point, he knew that many of the men and women here had seen him combat a foe he could not overcome. The rumour- or rather, the truth- that he had run from the battle had spread like wildfire. Kuchiki Byakuya, the exemplar, the elite nobleman had been bested. Although technically the battle had ended before that had become a fact, it was nevertheless an absolute truth. They were close to losing faith. That, Byakuya knew, was the problem, the great responsibility that fell onto each captain. To lead was to stand as a role model, as a representative of the Gotei's strength- and when one was humbled, so was the Gotei. When one triumphed, one stood as a representative of might, a confident statement of righteousness in power. When one lost, it had soldiers asking questions. Questions like, 'Can we do this?' or, 'Can we win?' Questions that would eat at a body, sap one's morale, one's will to fight. That was perhaps the most disastrous part of the situation. The loss of lives was dire enough; the sheer expenditure of resources put into the invasion had gone to waste, but worst of all was the doubt. The fear that maybe they wouldn't win.
Some people, like Erza Scarlet, would have considered this dependence on its leaders a weakness. The thought had passed Byakuya's mind, but he had never entertained it seriously. Instead, he blamed himself once more. He had failed to redeem himself when it mattered the most. He had not lived up to expectation. He had swallowed his pride enough to accept work from that… strange boy, but even working together, they had failed. Now his division worked in pains-takingly organized harmony, taking their positions and preparing their defenses as best they could, but it all rested on a knife's edge. And, when Aizen came, Byakuya had the sneaking suspicion that they would all die, himself included. He did not regret this fate, facing it with stoic resignation.
As if summoned by his thoughts, he sensed the boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, approaching him. Without regard for Sixth Division's carefully set perimeter around the blocks they had focused around, he marched toward the nobleman. Byakuya paused what he was doing, falling silent. The boy seemed different, somehow. Perhaps it was just the look on his face, as grim and resigned as that of sixth division's soldiers. He looked like he had aged overnight, the casual cheek and attitude gone. But, there was something else about him, too- his reiatsu had changed. It was subtle, but it felt… darker. If it had a taste, it would have seemed bitter.
"Captain Kuchiki."
Quiet, formal, even polite- was this really the same child who had chewed him out less than two months ago?
"Auxiliary Kurosaki," Byakuya said, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.
"I don't feel like small talk," said the auxiliary, and despite the relative politeness to his tone, Byakuya recognized the same bluntness as before. He hadn't changed that much. "We don't have time for it, either one of us."
"I concur," said Byakuya reservedly, deciding to hear the boy out.
"We got close," said Kurosaki firmly, "real close. We were pushing him hard."
"Close is not enough. It never is."
"Now it's my turn to concur," said the boy with a nod, "but my point is, I think we can do it. I know we can."
"That is assuming we will even get the chance. War rarely allows its participants much choice."
"I have a feeling he won't let it go. Ulquiorra… he acts all detached, but he's not so above it all. Just like you."
Byakuya almost flinched at the insult, but decided not to reprimand the boy, not yet.
"Is there a point in comparing me to that wretched creature?" he said, sharply.
"He'll come find us. He might think he doesn't, but he has his pride, too. We pushed him hard, and he couldn't finish the job. He'll want to, to prove his worth to Aizen. We'll get our shot; I'll bet our lives on it."
"They may not be worth much at this point," said Byakuya dryly.
"Maybe not," said the boy with a shrug. "Maybe we'll both die. Hell, I'd say it's likely at this point. But, I am pretty sure you'd like to do some damage before you go down. Sell your life dearly."
Byakuya's eyes narrowed. He was still quite presumptuous, and he should be reprimanded for it. Such familiarity was certainly not merited for a half-breed commoner. Yet, for whatever reason, the nobleman didn't. Instead he said firmly, "My life will be laid down for the Gotei. Of that, I have little doubt. But, yes… I will not yield until I have nothing left to give. To take the life of that wretched creature… that would indeed be preferable."
"Thought so," said the boy with a nod. "But, you know- and this isn't meant to offend you, captain, because you know it's true- that you cannot match him alone."
Byakuya shifted uncomfortably. The boy's tone had lowered near to a whisper; he'd had the sense not to embarrass Byakuya in front of his soldiers. It was true, but being reminded of it was no more tolerable for that.
"That," continued the young man quickly, "is exactly why we agreed to help each other out in the first place."
"Get to the point, auxiliary," said Byakuya coolly.
"What I'm saying is, with the end of the world just around the corner, let's fight together one last time. Like we were equals. Forget that I'm some bratty half-breed, and just think about serving the greater good. Think about whether you'll do it better with me at your side, or without me."
Byakuya's eyes narrowed. No, he had been at least partly mistaken- the boy's insolence was not gone at all. But, he had a point. Byakuya still felt the shame of defeat, and to wash it off his legacy… for that, he would do anything. To die in battle conquering such an enemy champion… he would know peace at last. He would rest a final time, the shame of his dishonour washed away.
Briefly, he considered it. Kurosaki Ichigo was a cur. He had no manners, and barely any respect. He did not know his power well, and it was infuriating to see so much strength in a child with not even a year's worth of training.
But, he was also hardworking, honest, and in his own way quite honourable. He was dedicated, and when he said he was willing to put his life on the line, Byakuya believed him. He had the right qualities. Some of them, at least. Even as a half-breed, there was some nobility in him.
"Will your services not be required elsewhere?" said Byakuya at last, realizing he was stalling for time. His mind had already been made up.
"I'm an auxiliary," said Ichigo with a shrug. "No details about who I have to report to or take orders from. Unless your boss says otherwise, I'd say I'm free to join the battle with any captain I want."
"Fate is a strange and fickle thing," said Byakuya thoughtfully. "Not long ago, I had nothing but contempt for you. Yet, less than two days ago I carried you to safety, even as I was on the brink of losing consciousness myself."
"Which I appreciate," said Ichigo.
"To see such spite turned into… respect," continued Byakuya, "is more than I had ever expected. You are a rude lout at times, yet I cannot seem to despise you the way I used to. So be it, then. It seems this is where the strands of fate has taken us both. If that is where we both are expected to be, I will not argue with it."
"Well… then I won't, either," said Ichigo, and a smile crossed his face. "So, do we have a plan-"
The boy's question was cut off by the sound of a loud voice, cast across the air through a kido spell.
"ALL FORCES ON ALERT! AIZEN SOUSUKE'S ARMY HAS BEEN SPOTTED! I REPEAT, THEY ARE COMING!"
They both looked up to the sky, where several garganta were opening. In the distance, they saw them coming, one by one. Their presence was overwhelming, huge oceans of malevolent energy. Aizen Sousuke had finally made his move.
"So, what do we do now?" said Ichigo, clutching his blade.
"Hold position!" said Byakuya, to the boy as much as to his subordinates. "We have our orders. Hold fast!"
Portal after portal opened, clotting the sky like black sores opening up on the skin of a plagued invalid. Arrancar spilled out in the hundreds; every last creation Aizen had managed in these last few months had been assembled. The lord of Hueco Mundo smiled confidently as he looked down on the town before him, standing some seventy meters over the ground level. Beside him stood Gin and Ulquiorra, the rest of his espada appearing over the city not far from where he stood.
"Say, what was the final count of all them arrancar, sir?" said Gin in his characteristic drawl.
"Three hundred and sixteen," said Aizen contently.
"Three hundred against, what, three thousand shinigami?" said Gin, smiling evilly. It was genuine enough that Aizen assumed he hadn't even noticed. "That'll be a slaughter."
"That's the idea," said Aizen, and turned to Ulquiorra. "Cifer, give the order."
"Yes, lord," said the cuarto. The command was issued, spreading through the ranks. The arrancar needed little encouragement. Only Aizen's presence prevented them from charging blindly. As the go-ahead was spread through the ranks, cheers of malicious glee erupted from the arrancar, who surged toward the shinigami positions with reckless abandon. It would be a slaughter, Aizen mused. Although he would never have done anything less than an outstanding job on each arrancar, the clay he moulded was, in most cases, so very limited. Most of them couldn't even manifest their zanpakutou. Hollows, just like shinigami, were a race defined by their limitations and mediocrity. But, they would be strong enough to cut a swathe through the Gotei forces. It would show them his true might, and weed out the old guard. When Aizen replaced them as head of the Gotei, the survivors would bend the knee and know what to expect if they did not.
"Lord Aizen," said Halibel, bowing to him, "we are ready to attack."
"Let the first wave hit," said Aizen. "Let the chaos ensue. Then, before the captains can turn the tide of battle in the favour of their subordinates, engage at will. You may lead the charge, Halibel."
"I would be honoured to, lord," she said neutrally.
Aizen realized, as he watched the chaos and heard the cries of pain and anger in the distance, that he too was smiling widely.
"Incoming! We have incoming!" Bellowed fourth seat Okita of seventh division. He and his men had taken position on a roof, blades all out and bracing themselves for a furious charge. A dozen of them were heading their direction, and he fought the urge to panic.
"I want everyone in formation, now!" he barked. "Sogun, take point along with Kaji! Ogal, lead the kido support! I said, get in formation-"
There was a thunderous clap, and suddenly his platoon were on their feet, the roof they stood on crumbling from the impact. Before Okita could rise, there was a swift movement from a white-clad figure, and suddenly he felt a shock of pain as a blade skewered him. All around him, he could hear his men crying out in pain, in fear. They were being silenced quickly. The last thing he saw was the boot of an arrancar, coming down on his head over and over.
"They're coming!" Erza barked as she ran into the command central. "Sir, I'm pulling my Fifth Division to support the front lines. I'll head out and help-"
"Stand down," Yamamoto said firmly. "Bring your division up to support, but you cannot waste any energy on fighting these lesser creatures. Hold your position near the front until a vital threat comes along."
Erza looked at him incredulously, took in a deep breath as if to say something, then forced it down. Nothing she had to say to that would be constructive.
"I- I'm going out there, then," she said, gritting her teeth.
"Don't worry," Kyouraku said somberly. "I doubt you'll have much time to help. They're coming."
Erza could sense them in the distance too, and knew he was right. She could hear the sounds of war outside, and marched out of the store, blade drawn. Behind her, Momo fell in line. The place was a thing of chaos, shinigami rushing out to the fight. She could see Soifon speed away- or rather, she saw a black streak speed out of the building, followed by a purple-and-orange one. She saw Urahara Kisuke, seemingly oddly serene amidst the chaos. She saw soldiers rushing away, and wondered how many of them she would see again.
"Are you ready?" she asked Momo, more to have something to say than for any other reason.
"Ready and able, captain," said Momo firmly. Erza nodded.
"Don't die," she said under her breath.
"That goes for you, too."
Erza just nodded. She walked outside, and before her eyes a building crumbled in the distance. War had come at last.
Aizen watched them take off, one by one. He shook his head in amused contentment. They no longer mattered. Live or die, his espada would pin down the captains in Karakura while he started his ritual. The only thing that mattered now was when Yamamoto would make his move; he would be the only captain strong enough to legitimately threaten Aizen in battle. Through sheer stubborn, ignorant force alone, he could stand on even ground with Kyouka Suigetsu. But, the bigger they are, the harder they fall… and his one asset to counter the old man had already been given his instructions. He muttered a few arcane words to himself, weaving his arms carefully in a precise pattern. Glowing runes manifested around him, and he could feel the hougyoku stir in his pocket. Its power would channel into this circle, and from there on he would extract what he had come for. Now or later, Karakura was doomed.
"Y'all want me ta get stuck in, sir?" said Gin, the sole member of his army who hadn't thrown himself at the enemy at the first opportunity. Only one thing would tempt the psychopath's bloodlust away from open battle and free reign to murder, and Aizen knew what that was. He was sorely tempted to order Gin away. If there was ever a time when he would be vulnerable, it would be while he prepared the foundations for the ritual to make the king's key. On the other hand, Gin was a snake, and snakes were always deadlier when they were hidden in the grass and waiting to strike. No, he wanted Gin to be right where he could see him at all times. Let the little murderer try his petty obsession against Kyouka Suigetsu's illusions. When he tried, Aizen would be ready.
"That won't be necessary, Gin," said Aizen calmly. "Stay here and guard me while I make the preparations."
"It'll be mighty hard when the old man comes out… lord."
"He will be taken care of. Right now, nothing can stop me. The die has been cast, and I already know how it will roll."
"Ya always did know that sort o' thing real well, sir," said the psychopath. Aizen smiled to himself. Today, he would not only be rid of the wretched shinigami, but a lot of excess baggage.
Halibel sailed through the air toward the closest shinigami formation. They were already beset by the lesser arrancar, and the air was filling with the cries of the dead and dying. It did not bother her, and neither she nor her three fracciones even considered engaging with their lessers.
"Lady Halibel?"
It was Sun-sun, her wide robes flapping in the wind.
"Speak," Halibel said bluntly.
"What are your commands? Lord Aizen did not give us much of a plan. I expected more than just… 'Run at your enemy and fight them'."
"So did I," muttered Halibel. "Still, I know what I am doing. All three of you, follow my lead. I am here to settle a score."
"It's that bitch who escaped you, ain't it?" said Apache gleefully.
"The very same," said Halibel firmly. "Keep anyone else off my back. I had her on her knees, revenge within my grasp, and she slipped away. I want you to kill her insolent little assistant for me, while I deal with Erza Scarlet. I have her marked for death, and she will not escape me a second time."
"And, after that?" said Mila Rose.
To herself, Halibel felt a little touched. They all took it for granted that she would kill the captain and move on, with the strength to keep on fighting. They had that much faith in her, much more than Halibel did in herself. Upon reflection, Erza had become… an altogether different beast than before. Halibel's victory had been solid, but it had not been dominant. Erza had grown, in terms of both power and skill, in a way Halibel had never anticipated. Halibel would win this battle, but… would she have the strength left to win any others after that?
Suddenly, Halibel found her way barred. A disgusting, caterpillar-like creature with a twisted human face had manifested right in their path, and before her eyes, it let out a noxious cloud of gas.
Several dozen arrancar were enveloped, and as the poisonous mist cleared, she could see the arrancar falling to the ground, twisted into unnatural shapes. She frowned. Such a weapon would weaken the advance considerably, and it barred her way. This was Kurotsuchi Mayuri, the man whose inhumanity outdid that of most hollows. She reached for her blade, and slowed her pace.
"Hold back," she ordered her fracciones. "I will deal with this one quickly."
She watched the creature breathe again, and surged over the cloud of poison. As she leaped, she charged a mighty cero in her hand, the bright blue of the Gran Rey coming into shape. She saw the captain scramble to the side, away from her blade, but she did not aim at him. The cero fired, and as the bright light subsided, Halibel saw with some satisfaction that the creature's hideous face had been burnt away, evaporated by her might. It started to twist and thrash, disintegrating before her eyes. Spinning her blade around, Halibel advanced on Kurotsuchi. He was reaching for something in his coat, but she didn't give him the time. A swift step of sonido took her within striking range, and a moment later his hand sailed through the air, down toward the ground beneath them. The next stroke raked across his throat, her off-hand seizing him by his remaining wrist. Her grip tightened, crushing the bones, and she saw his eyes widen as he let out a gargled grunt. Even he could feel pain, it seemed. Without pausing, Halibel thrust her blade into Kurotsuchi's chest, plunging it into his heart. She wrenched the blade free, and slammed a fist into the captain's face, sending him plummeting to the ground. One down, then.
"Come on," she said to her fracciones. "We have a job to finish."
He was a terrifying sight, even to Shunsui and Juushiro. They had joined the front as ordered, ignoring the cries for help from beneath. The divisions were on their own for the time being, and Shunsui hoped dearly that they would hold.
Standing some fifty metres over the ground, they faced him. Coyote Starrk, the primero. The number one espada, accompanied by what looked like a small child. There was something wild about him; although he seemed quite calm, almost bored, it was as if they were looking at a wolf at rest.
"Nothing spared, huh?" said Shunsui. He shrugged off his captain's coat, and reached for his blades. Beside him, Ukitake, too, drew his blade.
"I won't go all the way if you won't," said the espada with a shrug. "It's a pain in the ass, and Lord Aizen doesn't want too much collateral damage anyhow. Even so," he said, drawing his own blade, "I can't slack off and do nothing. I owe him too much."
"I respect that," said Shunsui with a nod. "Ukitake," he said to his long-time friend, "cover me, would you? I'll deal with him."
"This isn't any old arrancar, Kyouraku," said Jushiro, a warning tone in his voice. "Don't underestimate him."
"Normally, I might take it easy," said Shunsui, taking a first step forward, "but I've got somebody watching me, too, and I owe the old man too much to let him down."
Starrk nodded slightly at that, perhaps in respect, perhaps just in understanding, and raised his blade. An instant later, Shunsui had closed the gap, his dual blades clashing with the arrancar's one.
Renji had never thought of himself as a hateful person. He had always been passionate, always been quick to anger and quick to laughter, but he had never held much hate in his heart. But, having gotten out of his sickbed to see the rows of the wounded, remembering the dead strewn across the cold floors of Las Noches, remembering the defeat he had been handed by Coyote Starrk… remembering the helplessness, the futility, the defeat, the death…
Renji had seen the waves of arrancar crash against the shinigami defense lines in Karakura and hate had welled up inside him like a volcanic eruption. He wanted to hurt them. He wanted to grind every last one of them to a red paste under the heel of his sandal. Zabimaru was already released, and he felt a cold, odd calm about him as he stared down the espada.
"You're new," said Renji neutrally. "I don't remember reading much about you."
"I'm hurt," said the espada with a giggle. He had the looks of an effeminate young man, a small, comb-like mask fragment on the left side of his head the only visible sign of his status as an arrancar. "Old intel, I suppose. I am Luppi Antenor, septimo espada. That coward Grimmjow's defection left spaces to be filled, and here I am."
"Tell me your life's story while you're at it, why don't you?" Renji's fingers twitched. He wanted to rip and tear. He wanted to snap the smug creature's bones and watch that smug grin turn into a mask of pain, but he had to be smart about this. Somehow, his anger had given him focus.
"Oh?" said Luppi, with mock surprise. "And, here I thought your kind revelled in a little bit of pre-battle banter. Come now, go on and tell me how I won't get away with this. How righteousness will prevail, and how you will strike me down and so on."
Renji grit his teeth. The espada's voice grated at him; flippant and melodic, it reminded him of Yumichika- but twisted and prideful in a way the fourth seat was not.
"I'm going to break you in half," said Renji coldly, "and when you're ready to beg for death, I'll grant you that much mercy."
"Oooh, excellent!" said Luppi, and clapped his hands in a brief, sarcastic gesture. "I do like a shinigami ready to drop the pretences. Shall we?"
As the espada pulled his blade out, Renji raised his. Soon. Very, very soon, he'd get a little bit of revenge, no matter the cost.
Her blade was raised, pointing toward the arrancar. Lisanna would not make the first move, not even knowing Aaroniero's name and capabilities. Her recent defeat had left her cautious, unwilling to throw her life away. The decimo was nowhere near as frightening as Starrk had been, but she knew better than to underestimate him. He was a freak of nature, a glass jar with two floating skulls in place of a head, and she had little information on just what he could do- all their intel had shown was that he possessed unusual abilities. Whatever that meant, she would not make the error of underestimating it.
"Alright, then, you big bastard," she said, letting her reiatsu flare, "let's do this."
"As you wish," came the espada's voice, reverberating with a hollow tone across the battlefield. Lisanna steeled herself for what was to come.
And so it begins, the battle for Karakura town can now begin in earnest.
You're probably wondering why wont be participating in the battle beyond the reason's Ichigo brought up to his father. It's really simple actually...Not enough fighters to go around, atleast when it comes to captain level arrancar.
What battles are you the most eager to see that we havent shown yet? If you're lucky they may be what you see next time!
That's all I have to say for now.