Bleach – The Heart of the Matter
By Tayla Drago
(Belmont Saga: Part 2)
Some chapter/episode the last one was, huh? Something else…From Dracula making his appearances to warn everyone from the Soul Society and the World of the Living of his upcoming ruling to all the worlds to change everything from bad to worse and to have Sonia and Richard Belmont powers for himself to complete it all. So much! Sonia getting some powers of Soul Reaper to a new attack to stop her enemies with 'even Alucard' for her friends and Ukitake will be there for her to fight on; as Ichigo does the same thing for both Renji and Rukia to tell the others on what they got back from the Soul Society to see the hologram of Dracula was all real for them, Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Uryu, Hayame, Kon, and Maria with Howey had a word with one another after training 'for today' to question themselves on what they should do next. No kidding, what's going to happen next? Does anyone know? Let's not forget about the strange blonde woman in a red dress who aided Sonia and the others too, who is she? Anyways, back with Ichigo and the others real quick back at the Belmont Village. As for Master Shu, Furio, George, Urahara, Yoruichi, Ururu, Jinta, Tessai, Ririn, Kurodo, and Noba discuss on other things like it too in the other room so they get the whole mess like the others were.
"Damn that Dracula…!" angered Ichigo. "Trying to threaten us to try changing things and hurting others…?"
"I still can't believe Dracula's going this far." said Orihime.
"That he is…" same with Chad.
"Dracula's a madman!" Kon was screaming his head off.
For Ichigo to punch a wall to know that he can't let Dracula win or see Sonia be put in danger again.
"Damn it! What can we do now?! Just wait until he comes after all of us or what?!"
Feeling upset for poor Ichigo and everyone else, all was not lost…well, for Howey to peck at Ichigo to keep him calm from Maria's doing.
"Please, Ichigo, calm yourself. Getting upset won't solve everything." she said for Howey to come back to her. "See? Even Howey knows all about it."
"Ow! Really?"
Ha! Ichigo just got pecked by an owl.
"Look, Ichigo, she's right. Well…they both are." Hayame said to agree with Maria and Howey. "This is only the beginning of everything we're fighting for against Dracula. To end the curse that is. But we need more time, we're getting close if we continue to train for twenty-six more days to go by fast."
For others to agree, even for Uryu to take Hayame's word for it as well.
"If Hayame and Maria said so, then I also do. If we just stick together."
"Seriously?!" Ichigo was lost.
Well…I can't say I blame him for getting all worried to protect his friends, for they're worried about him more than their own lives.
"Hey! We told you on what we just heard back from Captain Kuchiki himself, Ichigo!" said Renji. "So what else are you worried about. We'll be fine to fight again soon."
What else was Ichigo worried about besides protecting his friends? He was almost killed by Dracula to force Sonia to curse her with the bite mark to slowly become a vampire 'even though she's fighting back', to thought that she died to have the power to be send to the Soul Society to be a Soul Reaper and half human. You know? Is that what Ichigo was worried about? To see someone else die, betrayal like Alucard was, and Richard Belmont who was cursed? Rukia might know to cheer her friend up because they needed Ichigo to fight back. A friend/sister she was to him, I like their friendship very much.
"Ichigo, answer me this. Are you afraid on what happened when Dracula attacked us the last time?" she sees the reaction on Ichigo's face to be right. "I get it. Someone who's dangerous to fight again was hard for the first time, almost dying like that and worried about us and for what we thought of Sonia was dead…we got lucky. So that's what I call luck, Ichigo. And because of this luck, we're still alive! Meaning that we all can stop Dracula as a team, we can't give up by hiding and worrying! Ichigo, we need you in this. So please…Please save your anger when we stop Dracula together. It will happen. I promise, you won't be alone. Nor will Sonia."
You know Rukia as she knows what's on Ichigo's mind to try saying something about. And…Yes, she was right. For the others were looking at Ichigo, he had his head down to hide his shame for Orihime to be there by his side to feel better 'a bit better' for she understands.
"Ichigo, Rukia's right. We won't go down at the likes of Dracula. And we'll save everyone for Sonia will do the same for us." she said to hugging Ichigo next. "Trust in us as we trust in you."
This made Ichigo blush to feel happy with Orihime hugging him from behind.
"(Orihime…)" he snaps out of it to say something next. "Thanks, Orihime, I'll be fine." Ichigo said to her. "Everyone, sorry to have you all worried about me, instead of me worrying about all of you. I guess we'll just continue to train until we see Sonia again to stop Dracula, for good this time. You guys still in?"
For Ichigo to say that 'and for Orihime to be very happy to hear', she and the others were happy to see Ichigo in good spirit. There's hope left. For Orihime, Rukia, Renji, Uryu, Chad, Hayame, Kon, Maria, and Howey were all in to answer back so to the Substitute Soul Reaper.
"Thank you, Ichigo. (He's so kind hearted…)"
"We're all in this together, Ichigo, good to see you as yourself again."
"Hell yeah, we're in."
"I hate vampires who are bad compare to Soul Reapers."
"Right."
"I'm so glad I've moved here!"
"I'm going to be number one after this!"
"Of course. Now that's the fighting spirited we needed to have to keep on going, the way all of you did for me and Howey."
Howey was nodded his head admit it too to be pleased about it as well. With everyone still in, so the training continue…
"In that case, let's continue training then and chat with Sonia again later." he said to get ready to become a Soul Reaper. "Think you guys can keep up with me with your Belmont powers?"
Ha! Nice one…Looks like they get back to training right away together for Ririn, Kurodo, Noba, Tessai, Jinta, Ururu, Urahara, and Yoruichi to do the same thing with the others – as both George and Furio looked at each other to see that all was calm 'for now' to talk to one another of the event to come back, for Dracula's warning was only the start. Things might get worse later.
"George, you know that we don't have much time left, right?"
"I do, Furio, that's why we must hurry. (Sonia, we'll be seeing you sooner than you think.)" the Master Liberian said.
I guess we don't have to worry about them for a while, huh? We'll be back with the again later. But for now, let's see how Sonia was doing back at the Soul Society to be training very well, to overhear on what the captains meeting was all about; as Yamamoto tells Soi Fon, Retsu, Byakuya, Sajin, Shunsui, Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, Mayuri, and Ukitake were all there in the room 'as Sonia listens in too by her uncle's side'. From Dracula's warning he gave out since yesterday, there was no way for all of them to ignore on what just happened, you know? This was serious. As each other Soul Reapers told each other about everything and for Sonia to fill in the rest, Yamamoto says this next on a backup plan to think of what to do for the upcoming battle.
"And that's about it, Uncle Moto." said Sonia. "This is why we need to be careful on what's to come."
She was right, as her uncle says something next for his niece and the other captains to listen in on one last thing to say before ending the meeting…
"Very well…Then if Dracula wishes to fight to the death to try taking our lives and home, let him try! Keep on training, Sonia Dear, to become a Soul Reaper real soon." Yamamoto said to also be clearing his throat. "As for everyone else to all of you captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads along with your lieutenants, the same thing until Rukia and Renji from Squads Six and Thirteen return with Ichigo and the other team with both Ex-Captains Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihouin arrive here. For any other monster who attack us first, can kill them on site. So, all of you be well prepare for anything." Yamamoto's words made that perfectly clear on that part. "That is all. Meeting adjourned." he says one last thing to Sonia to be doing something to go into another building with her boyfriend. "Sonia Dear? May I ask what you and Captain Ukitake are doing right now?"
"Just some business to know more about Dracula. Something is on Jushiro's mind and such, I feel something…A bit off about him than his original energy of his. I don't know why though." Sonia thought about that for a while since she was cursed. "I bet it's nothing, Uncle Moto. Please excuse me." she takes off. "(It's not just for me to worry about it, Jushiro knows of something and I wish to learn more about it...)" Sonia then bumps into Nanao on her way out. "Ouch! Sorry, I didn't see where I was going. My bad."
Almost losing her glasses, Nanao gets it back on her face to get her note book that she carries around as well to see Sonia for the first time.
"It's nothing really." Nanao said to be looking for someone right now. "I need to find someone, he has to be here somewhere."
Talking to herself to look around every building she goes into, I bet she was looking for her captain Shunsui. Gone off drinking again or something…?
"(OK…? I hope she finds what or who she's looking for.)"
Anyways, Sonia leaves Nanao be to following Ukitake to look for something in the record books of Soul Reapers? And what does that have to do with Count Dracula about the histories of Soul Reapers that's on Ukitake's mind right now? So confusing. With the room was like a huge library room to have so many books and on the many shelves it had in the hallways to find one little thing for the two. That's something else. As Sonia enters in the room for Ukitake to wave to her on where he was.
"Sonia! I'm down here!" he waves to his lovely girlfriend. "I'm somewhere down this way to find the book about Count Dracula!" Ukitake kept on doing it to get Sonia's attention many more times.
She hears him to go down there to join in.
"(Jushiro, you're so funny and cute when you cheer me up.) I'm coming!" Sonia rushes to the other side to catch up to her boyfriend to see what Ukitake could find about Dracula. "Nice place you have here, Jushiro, I hope with any of these books to find us the answers we know to learn about Dracula, and maybe ways to weaken him to know that spell to destroy him for good."
"You know of a spell, right? From the Master…Liberian himself, correct?" Ukitake ask Sonia.
That George did say it all to Sonia, Rukia, Renji, and Alucard a while back...With any luck for it to happen later…
"Yes, if whatever is on your mind right now to find something, I hope it's here-!" Ukitake then pulls Sonia somewhere private in the corners to kiss and hug her. "Jushiro!"
Seems it was making out time for Ukitake, and Sonia didn't mind at all since they were alone right now.
"Sonia, you know whatever happens now, I will protect you from Dracula, he won't have you. I won't see you turn to a vampire either."
He was right for Sonia to embrace with her man.
"I know…the curse, Dracula himself, Alucard, the demons, saving my Big Brother, and protecting both the Soul Society and the World of the Living." she said. "All of this…we can't give in to the evil from this monster."
"We will win by training hard and stopping other monsters if we have to…" Ukitake said to kissing Sonia.
Enjoying their few minutes together, it soon stops when they both hear someone clearing their throat to be in the same room they were in in. Huh? And hiding very good for both Ukitake and Sonia to not notice either.
"Who's there?" Sonia demanded to know.
Soon, that someone started to talk to sound familiar to Ukitake.
"Who me? Just taking a break from being a captain here, you know? Drinking, sleeping, and then so on for that meeting to go on and for the battle to come, I have to make the best out of it."
And sitting on top of the shelves of books, it was none other than Shunsui himself to be drinking and sleeping on the job again. Yep, he's back again. Ukitake's closest friend, a student of Yamamoto, Captain of Squad Eight, and…I guess we now know who Nanao Ise was searching for 'again'. Sonia remembers the man at little when she first arrived in the Soul Society to now seeing him more in person.
"Ah! The captain from Squad Eight, Shunsui!" Sonia was shock to be blushing. "Ever heard of eavesdropping is creepy and perverted?!"
Ukitake laughs to pat Sonia on the head.
"It's fine, Sonia, Shunsui's only playing. How goes it, Shunsui?" he asks his friend.
"You know each other?"
Once Sonia asks her boyfriend that, Ukitake does. For him and Shunsui were best friends. As he comes down with a bottle of Sakai to get drunk a lot to have some fun.
"That we do, Sonia, I see you're a couple now. Nice catch, Jushiro." Shunsui smiles to be shaking hands with Sonia. "I never knew Old Man Yamamoto would ever have a niece left in the family. That's good…Our teacher sure is something else."
Good thing Ukitake already explains of her uncle Yamamoto told her that he use to be his student to train from long ago, like Shunsui to learn more about him…I can explain about Captain of Squad Eight and his lieutenant Nanao herself 'and you'll see why I'm bringing her up too in a bit'…
Despite being of such old and prestigious lineage, he disliked studying and training, and preferred to chase the ladies, although being told by Captain-Commander Yamamoto that he could see the truth and was wise for his age. Because of this, he was sent against his will to the Shin'ō Reijutsu Academy (Shinigami Academy). At some point in Shunsui's Academy days, Shunsui trespassed into Yamamoto's room. After being chastised by Yamamoto, he asked about the painting in his room, and Yamamoto replies that it was a monster that caused strife when it was around. While there, he came to know Jūshirō Ukitake, who would become his best friend and fellow captain. He, along with Jūshirō Ukitake, was one of the first Shinigami to become a captain through the Shinigami Academy. Furthermore, he was personally trained by Yamamoto. He and Ukitake are the oldest captains among the Gotei 13, with the exception of Retsu Unohana and Yamamoto himself. It was stated that the four of them have been captains of the Gotei 13 for at least 100 years, as of 110 years before the current time.
Nanao was notable for being in the Eighth Division when she was a little girl, and enjoyed being read to by former Lieutenant, something they did regularly each month around the time of the first. Eventually, she worked her way up from being Shunsui's subordinate to his lieutenant. Being young back then…Hmmm…Does she love Shunsui as in love with him, or what? He is a lady's man. It was hard to tell really. For Nanao to might have some strong feelings for Shunsui might be already aware of.
"Well, I guess that makes sense…Please to meet you too, Shunsui." Sonia said hi back to remember someone she met with. "Oh! I just ran in to your lieutenant a while ago, Shunsui. I think she was looking for you."
Once Sonia said that, Shunsui knew who it was on the dot. To also hear that voice of Nanao to come into the book of records building to finally finding her captain. To be to busy to have no time for fun to tell the same for her captain to get back to work.
"Captain Kyoraku! I found you at last!" she said in anger.
"Oh, boy."
Shunsui knows that he was in for it now. Ha! Nanao comes marching inside of the building to have a word to her captain as both Ukitake and Sonia were caught in the middle of their conversation.
"I've been looking all over for you, Captain, you were supposed to finish your paper work once the meeting was over. But instead…You're drinking and relaxing at random places again to avoid me." Nanao said to adjust her glasses.
For Shunsui to smooth talk to his lieutenant to make Nanao to forgive her 'like he always does'. But he drags Sonia along to try flittering with her to make Ukitake worry about his friend again.
"Now, now, Little Nanao. Don't be mad. I was just saying hello to my dear friend Jushiro and his new girlfriend Sonia Yamamoto here, Old Man Yamamoto's niece, remember? Look how cute she is."
Sonia hated perverted for Ukitake to ask Shunsui calmly makes him stop.
"Knock it off, Shunsui, please!" he asks nicely.
Nanao sees Sonia to know who she was now to meet with her in person for the first time.
"I see…Sonia Yamamoto and a Belmont I see of a half Ryoka. Nice to finally meet you, I'm sorry about my captain." she said to hate seeing Shunsui to be a pervert to other girls like Sonia. "He's too much to go near any pretty girl."
And Sonia can see why…
"Little Nanao might be jealous of us, Sonia." said Shunsui to try kissing her. "I might make my own lieutenant my girlfriend…unless you want to me be mine instead."
Sonia slaps Shunsui to the face to soaking him in water a little for Ukitake to laugh st, for she has a boyfriend already.
"Shunsui, don't even think about it!" she said to talk to Nanao. "And I can see why, Nanao, he sure is good with the ladies to win over…As if!"
"Tell me about it."
As the two girls laugh together, they soon become closest friends for Nanao to already like Sonia. As Shunsui dries himself off with Ukitake helping him out.
"Serves you right, she's with me." Ukitake then had something else to ask of his friend next. "Listen, Shunsui, both Sonia and I wish to look up more on Dracula. And…we need to ask for your help."
For Nanao to lead the three there, that was the paper work that Shunsui was supposed to do to lend a hand right away.
"Nanao?" Shunsui was lost.
"Come, Captain. We have to report this back once we leave them out the information about this monster we're facing with, right?" she said. "I know of a book we can look up on. Two in fact. Come with me."
For Nanao to know what Ukitake and Sonia needed to find, Shunsui tags along too for he wants to learn more about Dracula as well.
"Well, you heard the young lady, you two. Let's follow the pretty leader."
And so, the three do so for Nanao to take them to the right spot. Good to know, smart girl she is. Unaware that it was Succubus's turn again to stop the three to gather their blood and souls while trying to kill Sonia to make it look like an accident to Dracula 'again' since she loves her boss a lot more that Sonia does. Oh, brother…it never ends, huh? Killing some of the Soul Reapers while using some petals of her dark magic to put the rest of them to sleep from guarding around the building, she flies to make her entrance a sneaky one to be ready to attack with another demon ready to send out in a bit.
"(When the time's right, then I'll be ready to attack again. With Sonia finally gone.)" said Succubus.
As she follows the four throughout the building of books…Well, they fought out about Dracula's background story how he came to be the Prince of Dracula of all vampires…
The man later known as Dracula was originally born Mathias Cronqvist. Sometime during the mid to late 11th century, he served in a company of knights alongside then Baron Leon Belmont. With Mathias's brilliant military strategies, and Leon's skill with a sword, their company was unstoppable. Little is known of Mathias's early life or his family, save that they seem to have been longtime practitioners of Alchemy and had advanced further into the study than most alchemists could have ever dreamed. Mathias was very well educated, and quite skilled in the art, though he never told Leon or any of his other compatriots of his knowledge, with the notable exception of Rinaldo Gandolfi, whom he had met at an unspecified time. Mathias married a woman named Elisabetha who he was deeply in love with. While away on a campaign against heathens in the east, Elisabetha died due to illness. Upon returning and learning of her death, Mathias was overtaken with despair so profound that he became bedridden, presumably worrying Leon considerably, as Mathias was the strategist and tactician of the company.
During that time, Mathias grew angry at God for allowing Elisabetha to die such an early death while he was away risking his life and fighting in God's name. He thought it was unjust and unfair for God to take away what mattered most to him, when he had given God so much, and when Elisabetha was such a pure and blameless woman who has not deserved to die. Mathias began searching for ways to become immortal and show God that he didn't have a final say in everything, and that he could defy God's decrees by existing outside them, and scorning God in his eternal life. He learned about the Crimson Stone, considered to be a treasure among vampires. Through some means, the stone came into Mathias's possession, and he planned to use it to ascend to immortality.
Through his acquiring the arcane relic, an evil deity known as Death bound himself in servitude to Mathias, as Death would only follow he who controlled the Crimson Stone. With the stone, Mathias could not only control the powerful spirit creature, but also absorb the souls of slain vampires and add their powers to his own. As an effect of this, humanity would be lost, and he would become a vampire himself. The young Knight then had all the resources he needed to plan his scheme to become an immortal. Mathias eventually met a powerful Vampire Lord named Walter Bernhard, who had somehow obtained the Ebony Stone, another vampiric treasure that locked his forested realm and castle in eternal night, thereby making him the most powerful vampire. The only thing of value that Walter desired was the Crimson Stone, which was believed to be lost for ages, but was secretly held by Mathias.
The vampire was bored due to his own immortality, and to distract himself from that, he enjoyed playing life and death games with brave humans. To raise the stakes of the game - to make the human more interested - he would steal that which is most precious from his target. Mathias suggested targeting Sara Trantoul to Walter, the fiancée of Leon Belmont. The knight would make an interesting player in Walter's game, because according to Mathias's stories, his combat prowess was second to none. Walter, who didn't realize he was being tricked, ordered his forces to invade Leon's domain to capture Sara.
All went according to Mathias's ingenious plan; Leon went to Walter's castle to save Sara, and due to a series of planned events, could defeat Walter. When Walter was dying, Death appeared and took his soul and granted the vampire's power to Mathias, who had materialized in the castle. It was only in his final moments that Walter realized what was happening, and what Mathias's true intentions were. Due to absorbing Walter's soul, Mathias became the most powerful vampire, though the Ebony Stone eluded him, as it was destroyed in Leon and Walter's battle.
Mathias then declared that he had never spent a better night, and gave Leon his gratitude. A confused Leon demanded an explanation, to which Mathias replied that he needed a powerful vampire's soul, and he knew that Leon had it in him to destroy Walter so that he could take the soul. Leon sensed a rage from the Vampire Killer, which he used to kill Walter, and asked in disbelief if his best friend had abandoned humanity. Mathias confirmed this and revealed his motive. He admitted that everyone involved in the ordeal were just pawns in his plan to become the most powerful vampire and curse God forevermore because of God's cruelty. Mathias then offered Leon eternal life as he too suffered over the death of his beloved. Leon refused, because eternity without the one he loved would be empty, and Mathias's twisted plan had cost Sara her life. Mathias believed that Leon out of all people would be the one to understand him, but when that wasn't the case, he became a bat and flew away, and the two would never meet again.
Mathias went in hiding in foreign lands and he continued to curse God. Eventually, he named himself Dracula, Lord of the Vampires and King of the Night.
At some point during Mathias's unholy life, he built a magic castle in the province of Valachia where he would recruit humans and other beings who had turned their back on God, or were shunned by the light. Mathias granted some of them the forbidden knowledge of Devil Forgery and allowed them to practice their rites in his castle.
One day, he met a kind woman named Lisa, with whom he would eventually become romantically involved. She reminded Mathias very much of Elisabetha, which was mostly the reason why he had fallen in love with her. Lisa loved Mathias very dearly despite his views on life and they would eventually have a son together named Adrian Fahrenheit Ţepeş, who would be later known as Alucard.
Eventually, rumors started to spread that Lisa's medicinal practices were a form of witchcraft. This caused her to be arrested and sentenced to death by the authorities. Lisa was captured and crucified, an event Adrian witnessed but was prevented from intervening in. As the execution would have traditionally occurred during the daylight hours, Mathias would not even become aware of it until hours later, and when he learned of this, it drove him over the edge. Eventually, he changed his name to Dracula Vlad Ţepeş and plotted his revenge against mankind for ruthlessly taking away what mattered most to him. Sad story there, huh? Yeah…For Nanao to tell everything to Sonia 'for her to understand more about Dracula more and more', same with both Ukitake and Shunsui too.
"This would make perfect sense. For Simon Belmont stopping Dracula-like powers from back then…And centuries later…" Sonia remembers the other half of the story. "Alucard met up with three more heroes. Alucard told me once from a long time ago for him to stop his own father to avenging his human mother Lisa with other heroes who made history." she sees the name in the book. "Trevor Belmont, the Vampire Hunter. Sypha Belnades, the white mage, and Grant Danasty, the sneak thief. They traveled together to get Dracula's castle to stop him in the end."
For the three to learn about this mess, Ukitake was shock for he remembers that year when 'it' happened to someone he once knew.
"No…That year with those people during the time…" he was shock. "It can't be him!"
Seeing some photos to know of an old Soul Reaper from long ago for Sonia was worried about Ukitake to be panicking about someone, or something.
"What's wrong, Jushiro?" Sonia checks on her boyfriend.
Nanao points out on what made Ukitake's face turn blue, a male type of Soul Reaper of an old photo in the book of histories.
"Is it this man here you're shock about seeing, Captain Ukitake?"
"It is…" he answers. "How can I ever forget about my old captain from Squad Nine?"
This comes to Sonia for a surprise.
"Captain from Squad Nine? From centuries ago?"
Shunsui might've heard about him too since he and Ukitake were kids back then to train in becoming full grown Soul Reapers one day, and then in to captains' centuries later.
"Hmmm…" Shunsui knows of the Soul Reaper after seeing the photo. "I thought I've seen his face a while back. Yes, it's him! Old captain from Squad Nine, Shinjero Inkia."
Shinjero Inkia who use to be a captain from Squad Nine centuries ago that both Shunsui and Ukitake recall him when they were kids. For both Nanao and Sonia, this was news for them to know more about the Inkia former captain from centuries ago.
"Okay, who's this Shinjero Inkia person?" ask Sonia. "And what does he have to do with Dracula?"
I might as well explain this next part as the two captains of Squad Eight and Thirteen tell about it to the two girls to listen in, so please pay close attention…Shinjero Inkia was a former captain from long ago of Squad Nine who was a captain once, during the time both Shunsui and Ukitake both trained hard to live a good life to becoming Soul Reapers themselves one day for Inkia taught the young ones a lot in their younger years of training. Little at a time while saving souls to bring to the Soul Society and stopping Hollows for so many years for others to care for this man a lot. Respected by all and such to care about Inkia and his amazing skills on what he does best.
It was during that time, he aided Trevor, Sypha, Grant, and Alucard to work together to stop Dracula for the curse was true and the stories about the enemy to be one hard battle; however almost dying from blood loss from Dracula biting Inkia to be saved to still be human 'by luck' the war was over until the next century for Dracula to appear from long ago for him to be gone…and Alucard to be put to sleep until next time, as Trevor and Sypha got married to be a family, and Grant going his own way to live a good life with someone else he does falls for later. That was good, but for Inkia to slowly lose his mind over power to be close to death, he learned, studied, and research a lot about vampires to try to become one 'during the time that the Bounts were being made'.
It was then that the Bount thing ended by Central 46 to destroy it all for both Inkia and Rao Tao did it for one to escaped but the captain, for his punishment he was sentence to death by getting burned alive 'the way Rukia almost was' to work for his aches to be hidden with the tombs of the Soul Society deep underground to never come back to life in that body ever again. Or his soul to be on the loose from becoming a Hollow. Sometimes they do that just in case. For his dying words were something like placing a curse on himself to get back at the Soul Reapers and their world, to all of the worlds to have power to try to change everything somehow, but it never happened. From then on, Shunsui and Ukitake became Soul Reapers centuries later, to know of the face and power felt and looked the same as Inkia's was, but was that true? For Sonia and Nanao to hear the whole story, it could be an important clue for later about both Inkia and Dracula for some odd and strange reason.
"So, that's why the Bount project was stopped. It wasn't just because of making other living vampire types by Rao Tao's doing…But it was to bring back Dracula himself by a madman." shock Nanao. "I guess this would make perfect sense there why this Inkia person was executed afterwards, the other project failed to have that monster roam freely again. All because of the never-ending curse."
"I never thought it would be a reason, but to have some powers like Inkia did for some Soul Reaper to Belmonts like Big Brother?" Sonia took a wild guess. "I heard the other part from Urahara, I just…I never would have imagined something else far worse. Could this be connected somehow?"
Before anyone could answer anything else, Succubus makes a move to summon another demon to attack the four right away while she was flying to watch the show.
"Right where I wanted them all to be…Time to play fetch on these Soul Reapers and the Belmont Girl, Cerberus!"
Out of the hole from Dracula's lair and into the Soul Society appears a giant three headed dogs of evil. With red skin sharp claws, teeth, armor with blue and yellow on it, and three elements to attack at his enemies.
For when he talks, Cerberus's other heads talk the same as the middle one being the main part of his body. Fire, lightening, and ice were the blast that he can also fire. n Greek mythology, Cerberus (in Greek Kerberos, 'demon of well'), was the dog of Hades. He was a canine monster with three heads (although sometimes it's said that he had fifty or a hundred), and with a many-headed serpent in place of a tail. Cerberus guarded the door of Hades and ensured that the dead did not leave and that the living could not enter. He was son of Echidna and Typhon, and the brother of Orthrus, a two-headed hell hound. The myth of a supernatural guard dog watching the gates of the underworld dates to ancient Indo-European mythology. Other such watchdogs of the underworld include the bloodstained dog, Garmr, of Scandinavian mythology, who serves a role much akin to Cerberus, and their more benevolent cousins, the Welsh Cwn Annwn, who were the spectral guard dogs of the paradise other world, Annwn. Concerning his name, it is unclear if there is an association with Cerbere (Naberius) from the Dictionnaire Infernal, although in 1583 Johann Weyer considered both to be the same demon.
Anyways, it appears to growl and gets ready to strike with a fire blast type of attack by Succubus's orders.
"Prey to play with before their deaths, huh Mistress, Succubus?" the demon hound fires away. "I'm on it!"
One fire blast for all four of them to sense for Nanao to warn them all too late.
"Everyone, get down!"
One powerful blast sends the others flying for the building was half destroyed for Cerberus to look mean and ugly for a bad hell hound to cause more trouble. Even for Sonia too as Succubus was laughing at her to watch her die 'to make it look like the demon did it to disobey orders from Dracula'. That bitch!
"Everyone all right?!" Ukitake checks on Sonia to be fine.
Shunsui was okay, as Sonia sees her enemy once again with Dracula's curse coursing through her veins again.
"You!" angered Sonia while trying to fight the curse and tries to be ready to fight.
"Nice to see you again, Belmont Girl, so I may watch you die by my hands." Succubus laughs. "Between you and those handsome gentlemen must face against Cerberus here alone or together, because if you don't…" she snaps her fingers to show her deadly roots had Nanao held captive and tied up to crush a bolder in seconds. "She dies with the snap of my fingers."
Not good to have Nanao as Succubus's hostage to have Sonia, Ukitake, and Shunsui to worry about her safety and theirs to protect Sonia 'a little' while stopping both the she-bitch and a demon.
"No, Nanao!" Sonia got upset to get mad a Succubus. "Dirty move there!"
However, Shunsui steps in to try stopping Cerberus alone while Ukitake and Sonia both cover him from oncoming long-range fire attacks from the three-headed dog.
"She'll be fine, Sonia, I got the beast and we'll get Little Nanao back." he said to getting his Zanpakto out. "Just cover me and slowdown that Succubus lady for me, okay?" Shunsui says the same to Ukitake. "You too, Jushiro! Both of you lend me a hand here!" he then releases his Zanpakto to be ready to fight. "Let's play tag, Fido…Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer! Katen Kyokotsu (Flower-Heaven Bone of Madness!)"
Having two blades in his hands and ready to fight against Cerberus, he comes slashing at the demon hound to block the two blades by using his body of full armor. They were both tough! How can Shunsui stop the demon himself? A big battle was going on for Nanao worries of her captain's safety than herself.
"Captain Kyoraku…What are doing…? Forget about me and save yourself…Protect Sonia…"
No one's leaving anyone behind! For Succubus was loving this as Cerberus protects himself to bite down on one of Shunsui's twin swords.
"You're good, Soul Reaper, not bad." said the demon hound to claw at Shunsui to rip his sleeves off. "But if you think a good sword fight and biting to clawing down will stop me, I got a lot more tricks up my sleeves. Time to play dead. Help me out, brothers!" The three heads of the hell hounds started to fire lots of fire, lightening, and ice blast attack of all three at the same time. Very fast to get burned, frozen, or shocked.
For Shunsui tries to avoid hitting the rest to cut down; for Shunsui was tiring himself out for Ukitake to use his Zanpakto Sogyo no Kotowari to burn out the fire and Sonia to water out the ice with her water kills of Kido and Zanpakto to cut up.
"Sonia, stay close to me!" Ukitake said.
"I will, Jushiro." she said back. "I'm more worried about Shunsui and Nanao than I am about myself."
Well, when it comes to friendship for Ukitake to know about his friend Shunsui to save one of his members of Squad Eight and Nanao sometimes, he knows what he's doing.
"He'll be fine. Trust me. When it comes to caring for us as Shunsui can be silly sometimes, he still means well."
With both Ukitake and Sonia dealing with more blast attacks to soon have Cerberus biting down on Shunsui's arm to soon get burned a little, hitting the feet to be trapped in ice, and electrocuted to be weaken for Cerberus to pin his body down to the ground next. Not good! With the hell hound freezing up the path to not let the other two get to Shunsui, what now? Will Succubus finally win to getting the job done?
"Got ya!"
"Well done, Cerberus, good dog." Succubus said while clapping with joy. "And now…make this captain play dead…"
Not good!
"Shunsui!" both Ukitake and Sonia said in horror.
No matter what Shunsui try to do getting his Zanpakto back but it was too far away from him to reach, Cerberus was about to finish him off.
"(I can't get my sword…!)"
For Nanao to see Shunsui was in danger to try pulling herself out of vines as hard as she could without stopping. Seeing that her captain was always silly to be relaxing a lot, flittering with other girls, drinking, and skipping out on his paper work, he always pulls through in the end for his squad and herself to get through the day. For this was one of them to be useful in battle as much as she could do. Finally breaking free, she had one Kido move to use on Cerberus to fire from behind to save Shunsui's life and fast!
"Let see how tasty you are when I burn my new chew toy up." Cerberus growls.
Just then, this happens…
"Bakudo! Number sixty-three, Sajo Sabaku (Ethereal Binding Chain!)"
It was Nanao! Using a Kido type of Kido move on Cerberus to trap all four of his legs to get Shunsui out of there to check on each other. Cool, one saved the other to do the same in return.
"Nanao?" Shunsui was surprised. "You saved me…"
"Captain, are you all right?" she asked. "We got to go now."
But there's no stopping for Ukitake and Sonia to cut down the ice for they must stop Cerberus right away and Succubus too with no running away on this one.
"No, Nanao, we have to fight back no matter what it takes. I saved your life and for you to save mine, now we do it together."
"But, Captain-!" Nanao stops to see both Shunsui and her bodies were glowing up. "What…What is this?"
Strong Spiritual Pressure was coursing through both Shunsui and Nanao to have another Belmont abilities to be happy for her to tell, and to shock Succubus to try using her claws to free Cerberus right away.
"No…! No! Not another!" she tries to try freeing her henchmen faster. "Hey, dog! Get to it already! They're about to attack back!"
Sonia tells the two to power up.
"(Wow, this is something else…) Shunsui! Nanao! Power up!" said Sonia. "Another power up is happening can stop this thing and stop Dracula to get more answers about this Inkia guy later! I promise!"
And thanks to Sonia's words, Nanao understands to use her own Zanpakto to fight back by Shunsui's side.
"I understand, Sonia, and we will too. Captain Kyoraku, I'll back you up."
Soon enough, power up of another Belmont happens for the two from Shunsui to have a puppet-like skeleton to control with his weapon.
"Captain of Squad Eight, Shunsui Kyoraku!"
To Nanao to join in to have her body glowing up. For some with no special moves to still be fighting, they have their bodies to glow up, it was the best I can come up with just so you guys will know about that part.
"Lieutenant of Squad Eight, Nanao Ise!"
And with the powered up, the two say the last part together.
"Powers from within! Activate!"
As Succubus frees Cerberus to try using his triple element blast at the two and goes charging in at them.
"Make a fool out of me, will you?" Cerberus growls. "It's time for you two to die together-!"
For Cerberus to charge at them for Nanao uses her sword to stop the beast to cut down the armor in half, allowing a blast to be fired…only for Shunsui to have his puppet to control and absorbs it all from within its body to power up, to fire another blast-like attack.
"Sir!"
"I'm on it, Little Nanao." Shunsui gets ready to control his new skills. "From freezing up this bad dog to learn his place." he does it to freeze up Cerberus' entire body. "And this from both a little flame and some spark to course through into one…and boom!"
Combining the fire and lightening, hits Cerberus hard to get shocked, burned, and two of his heads melted off but the middle to be injured now.
"AH! My two heads!"
Ukitake uses his Zanpakto to have Succubus all washed up.
"Hey!" she got mad.
"That should keep you busy." he said with a smile to turn to his girlfriend next. "Finish it, Sonia!"
For Sonia to fight over the curse pain 'and surprised to see Nanao and Shunsui were kind of close together' as they've weakening Cerberus to finish the job next.
"Yes, Jushiro." Sonia said to get her special attack ready to go. "Both you, Succubus, and Cerberus here are all washed up. In the name of the Belmont Clan! Holy Cross, I now Bathe ties the Evil. Be…Gone!"
Firing her water attack at Cerberus to get hit and then slowly disappearing.
"This shouldn't never happen to a demon dog like me!"
Well, Cerberus was gone. And as Nanao, Ukitake, Shunsui, and Sonia had Succubus now and trapped…she panics to make a quick retreat back to Dracula's lair until she makes her next move again.
"You're next, missy." Shunsui said.
"Damn it all!" said the angry Succubus to fly away in time. "I'll be back, Belmont Girl…!"
Good thing that was taken care of 'with some repairing to do for the building now'. For Nanao tries to stop Succubus but it was too late for Shunsui to say so.
"She's getting away!"
"Let her go, Nanao." he said.
"But Captain Kyoraku." she was confused. "Why? We almost had her after stopping Cerberus."
And with their powers shutting down 'for now', they call it a day for Shunsui knows they'll win this somehow soon enough.
"True, but now we know a little between on what Inkia might've done before dying, this is a chance to tell Old Man Yamamoto the news. And with the new powers we've got, we can't lose. Don't you think so, Little Nanao?"
Trying to kiss Nanao to push Shunsui's face away with her hand.
"Captain, out of all of the things to not take seriously…you're an idiot!" she then calms down to smile and says this to him next. "Still…you did save me and then I did save you afterwards to be good in battle both you and me. So, thank you." Nanao turns to Sonia next. "Sonia, let's do our best to beat Dracula as much as possible. It would seems that my captain has this type of paper work to complete right away."
I guess Shunsui doesn't mind doing it at all. For Ukitake and Sonia to laugh together and seeing how amazing Shunsui and Nanao was today, everything will be fine to still stop Dracula and not be afraid from his threats. After having the place all cleaned up 'with no books getting destroyed by luck', all the Soul Reapers were unharmed, and telling Yamamoto about what the four had found out today, they called it a day. For now, that is…For Shunsui, Ukitake, Sonia, and even Nanao all gather together to have themselves a drink 'and not too much for Sonia this time' to have a good time to celebrate and hanging out a bit more once and a while besides doing their jobs.
"What a day, huh?" the drunk Shunsui said. "I'm glad I made my Little Nanao smile…"
She tries to control her captain's drinking problems.
"Just be happy that I've given you a comment there, Captain Kyoraku…Sorry if this is bothering you, Sonia."
Sonia was fine to have her boyfriend a bit drunk too in a happy kind of way he was in, same with Shunsui to be so relaxed.
"It's fine, Nanao, really. I got some issues with Jushiro here, but in a good way." she said.
Ukitake then laughs to be smiling, hugging Sonia, and the falling on the ground together.
"My adorable Sonia's fine after today…And she said we'll find out more about Inkia's plans, it has to be him." he said laughing.
"There, there, Jushiro!"
With Shunsui laughing for Nanao sees the other two were having some trouble right now.
"Captain, please!" she said in a panic.
"We're fine!" said the drunken Ukitake. "I got Sonia to saved me from my fall…! See?"
"Ah, Jushiro!" Sonia tries holding and pulling her boyfriend back up gently. "You almost hurt yourself, be more careful next time."
Ukitake gets back up with Sonia to kiss her, since learning more about Inkia's other plans, it would have to wait somehow to discover on other things…
"I know, Sonia, I'll be fine. All of us will. Thank you again."
"You're welcome." Sonia said back.
For Shunsui to serve more drinks to Ukitake a bit more and Sonia to call it a night on her end…
"Then here's to another victory until next time!"
Nanao to be seeing this that those two were made for each other as herself to care for her captain a lot more than Shunsui's lieutenant just the way it was right now, and nothing else to change about it. Still, she's cool when she powers up her body to fight from the Belmont powers, huh? Super cool. To end this all, for her to be saying this to herself…
"(For both Captain Kyoraku and Ukitake to get along so well since they were young, it's good to know there's some things left to be good or bad to solve some problems. Even from something from one person to learn about. I'll do all I can to help out. Even for Sonia to fall for Captain Ukitake and for my Captain to help them out by stopping Dracula and removing hurt curse too, it's to have love for us girls and a thing call friendship to aid one another. No matter what.)"
For love, friendship, family, and what 'or' who you're fighting for is all that matters the most. As the four have a fun night together, who knows what tomorrow will bring to be ready for it, because each of them will be ready to fight back. Yeah…
