Sins of the Unholy

Chapter 11: The Cave

Walking up to the large mountain area, Juno stays at the back of the squad. Toshiro and Ragiku lead the way as many of the squad members whisper and joke around. Not many pay attention to the 3rd seat as she rubs gently at her chest. A few days ago a report had come in, Kirin's had been spotted exploding across Karakura.

Head Captain Kyoraku took everything in and dispatched Squad 12 to take samples and determine the level of reishi in the area. All Captains then took to their squads and began preparations for training and updated patrols around Karakura.

Coming to a halt, Juno moves along the edge of the group to stand just under the shade of a tree. Toshiro steps forward and looks over his squad.

"We are at war! Like all threats that have come to the Soul Society, we will face it head on. You know what you need to work on. Become strong, stand taller and do this squad proud. Lieutenant Matsumo and I will be roaming around to check progress and correct any stances. Seated officers 4 through 10 will divide you into groups." Toshiro's words are strong as he gestures to 7 officers that lead the group.

The groups begin to break off as the seated officers begin rambling off names and taking groups further into the mountain area. Once all have gone, Rangiku and Toshiro approach Juno.

"I'm not going to like this am I?" Asks Juno as she looks over the two of them.

"Oh, you make it seem like it's a bad thing! Cheer up, it will help!" Cheerfully Rangiku links her arms with Juno and drags the 3rd seat to the opening of a large cave. Juno eyes it wearily before looking at Toshiro.

"Is this an order Captain?" Juno looks at him. Since the report from Karakura, Toshiro had been distracted. Not only had it resulted in more Captains meetings but the pile of paperwork that had accrued had left him slightly snappy.

"You and your Zanpaktou need to find the cause of the disturbances in you. For this exercise, the limiter will be taken off Kiseichu and placed on the cave to keep you both limited within." He gestures for her to enter. Juno slumps slightly before pulling away from Rangiku and moving to stand just within the mouth of the cave.

Rangiku and Toshiro raise a hand toward the cave and Juno looks to her Captain. His eyes are focused and hard as she feels a shiver run down her spine. Matsumoto brings her other hand up and begins to form hand signs before her.

"Kigai no Jomon!" Hexagon-like plates of green begin to form before her and slowly move over the cave opening. More appear and begin to combine effectively locking Juno into the cave. Toshiro closes his hand into a fist and gold chairs link his fist to Juno's hip. She looks down at her Zanpaktou and notices that the gold wrapped around it glows.

"Break, Sajo sabaku!" He opens his hand and the chain begins to crack and fall away from the Zanpaktou.

"I can feel you again." Kiseichu's voice seems to vibrate off the cave and a small smile comes to Juno's lips. She walks deeper into the cave and takes slow even breaths as she goes.

"I told you, it was just a matter of time. You're being impatient." Comments Juno as she comes to a row of torches lit within the cave. She sees that they lead up to a stone seat. Moving over to it she pulls Kiseichu out of its sheath and stabs him into it. Taking a step back she looks around the area. It's marked up and disturbed from the many that have used it for training.

"I want power, we cannot grow without it." His words growl out and Juno shivers under the assessment. Moving to sit cross legged before her sword Juno closes her eyes and focuses on their inner world.

The land is covered in low fog, Juno breaths out a small sigh of relief.

"Do you know why it is like this?" Asks Kiseichu as he materializes before her. She looks over her Zanpakto carefully. Moving around him, she takes him in. His kimono is in place and his features do not look as haggard as they had been in Hyorinmaru's world. She reaches out and caresses his braid and shoulders.

"Something is here that does not belong." She comments as she comes to stand before him again. Her eyes travel to the three gems that dangle from on the left side of his face. The clip into his hair just behind his ear. His gray eyes are softer than they have been and she smiles back at him.

"We are so far apart when we were so much closer before."

"We have much more to worry about now."

"We cannot live like this anymore. We need to grow and devouring is the only way. We are what we stand for. We are the parasites of this world. We devour all." His words take on a dangerous growl and Juno steps back from Kiseichu.

The man pulls his blade and lets it shine under the light. It's dark blue blade seems to sing under the attention and Kiseichu's smile turns cold.

"Kiseichū wa shōhi shimasu!" (Parasite Consume) He yells loudly and the blade shatters into a bright light. Juno turns away to run and the fog meets her. Flash stepping around the small area the bright light follows and Juno begins to feel fear consume her.

"We will do what we need to in order to evolve!" The light catches Juno and begins to cover all over her body. Kiseichu stands before her again and smiles as the light begins to burn along her body. She screams out as the light begins to drain her of her spiritual energy.

"Together, we will realize that we are nothing but a nightmare upon this world. The sweet act's end now. We will consume Juno, you will realize this is our true nature." His hands reach out to her and wrap around her throat. Juno watches with fear in her eyes as his body seems to vibrate. His form is shifting and his features become exaggerated and fast. Morphing between anger and sadness, everything leaving behind an echo of the action before.

"Kiseichu!" She yells as she shakes under the light and begins to feel him pull at her energy.

"Iko!(Transfer!)" Slowly Juno begins to close her eyes, her breathing begins to slow and slowly the world around her blacks out from the lack of oxygen.

Juno's sitting body falls back and lays along the cave's floor. It's breathing increases and she curls up into a ball. With a strong deep breath, Juno screams at the top of her lungs. It's blood curtailing and raw as it tapers off. Quickly another one rips from her body and she continues on as tears begin to fall down her cheeks into the dirt ground.

Back within the inner world, Juno lays on the ground weak and beaten. The fog around has grown denser and higher. Kiseichu's roars are louder and more sure of itself. His body stands tall and his sword is fixed again. He holds his hand out and shoots off a kido blast into the fog. It clears the path quickly and he simply laughs at the amount of energy it produced.

Like a madman Kiseichu fires off more and more blasts. Insanity seems to take over and he begins to shoot down around Juno.

"We will be one, one way or the other Juno." Juno closes her eyes as smoke gives way to a new dream.

Kiseichu kneels under a single spot light. Chains keep him to the ground. His head leans back and his body sits broken and beat up. Before him lays his sword form, the blade is shattered into many pieces while the guard lays split in two.

All around him lay clippings of hair and the hair piece he normally wears lays in tiny green shards around him. Slowly he rolls his head to look forward. Juno gasps as she takes in her zanpakto. His face is scarred all along the left side of his face, his left eye is pitch black while his skin is a paler white than his normal.

"We will die because of you."

Toshiro stands at the cave's entrance. Soldiers standing along the tree line all turned to look down at the cave. Another scream rips from within and Toshiro balls his fist. Juno had been in a little over two hours before the screaming had started. He watches as the door to the cave ripples under the sunlight and Hyorinmaru nudges at his inner world impatiently.

"Master please we must go in." Comes the dragon's worried statement. Toshiro steels himself for what must happen. Turning away from the cave, he crosses his arms and looks over the soldiers.

"Something you all need?" He yells out and everyone scrambles back to their own forms of training. The screaming behind him dies down and Toshiro feels like his heart is about to explode.

"We should have gone with her Captain. Kiseichu is killing her." Matsumoto joins him as she keeps her eyes on the cave. From within it lights up and she flinches when the screaming starts again.

"Killing her would do him no good right now, whatever barrier they must break, whatever issues they have with one another. All of it needs to be dealt with now." His words are cold as he moves away from the cave and begins to look over the work of his squad. Many practice kido while others work with the basics of hand to hand and sword combat. He talks briefly with each seated member. Each one seemed concerned but no one questioned the Captain.

Two more hours pass and Matsumoto brings the squad back together. Quickly he dismisses them all and demands reports by day's end from his seated members. Once all of them leave, Toshiro makes his way to the cave as Matsumoto brings up her hands.

"Rangiku, wait." He calls as he waits. The screaming had died down a few minutes ago and the lighting of the cave had all but stopped flashing. He lets his spiritual pressure fan out and he can feel a small spark coming their way.

"Juno!" He calls out waiting to see what kind of state she'll be in. Coming into the lighted opening, Juno creeps out slowly. Her hair is out of it's normal bun, her clothes are covered in dirt but most of all her face looks gaunt and forlorn. She looks over her Captain and Lieutenant and seems to wait for something to happen.

"Are you in control?" Asks Rangiku as Juno's eyes look to hers. The lieutenant gasps as she notices they are pitch black. Rangiku moves to draw her sword but Toshiro holds his arm out in front of her.

Juno pulls Kiseichu from its sheath and grins at the two of them. She slashes across the barrier and growls out as it simply bounces back her attacks. She seems to tire under that before she raises her sword high.

"Yume no kiseichū, shōhi shite kaihō suru!" She yells the release command and the blade above her head morphs. The blade becomes straighter and the handle shorter, it takes on the form of a chinese han blade. Yume no Kiseichu becomes etched into the stark blue blade. Energy begins to form at the end of the blade and her smile becomes more twisted as her eyes glow under the light.

"Tragic ties and swift retreats, cast about the empty world and be bound by the will of all. Bakudo #63 Sajo Sabaku!" Toshiro stands with his fist balled before him and calls forth yellow chains. The chains come out either side of his fist and go straight for Kiseichu. They wrap the blade and Juno begins to scream out. They wrap it from tip to hilt and pulse as the energy attack begins to die.

Juno drops the blade as if she's been burned and looks to the two in anger. Rangiku can see when her eyes slowly start to turn back into their brown color. Swaying in place, Juno falls to her knees before falling onto her side. Both members wait, making sure that everything settles before Rangiku raises her hand again and releases the wall.

Comments, Questions, Concerns

Hello! Welcome back again! I hope your all liking it, we are slowly making our way to the end. I may do an extra chapter later today after I take care of a few things.