Author's note: I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.


Chapter 13: Endless Sorrows

Inside Urahara's tent, El Dorado, Hueco Mundo

As Urahara, Tessai and the two teenagers entered their tent, they found out that Chad and Orihime were already inside, alongside Riruka and Yukio. But the blonde-haired man could notice the state of sadness Orihime was in, while Chad was trying to calm her down. Urahara had wanted to know what had happened to her and Chad while they were gone. Since all of them were gathered in one place, Orihime and Chad felt like sharing what they had been told by both Pieddot and Killaman, including the visions the oracle had told them about.

Both Urahara and Tessai were stunned once they heard Orihime's explanation. "No way…it can't be…you are the direct descendant of the first Dèesse?" Urahara asked in disbelief. "I mean…..I know only limited information about the Interminables….but I always thought that she died without leaving any children" he added to his beliefs.

Jinta and Ururu had also been intrigued by the explanation about the origins of the Interminables, considering that they two were also the same species as Orihime. "Interminables…so we're actually…created?" Jinta asked lowly as he glanced at his hand. "Perhaps this explains why I may have this hidden strength within me" he thought in his head.

Ururu faced the ground. "I've always thought of myself as different from other girls at my age" she admitted. "I think I'm beginning to see why" she suggested.

Orihime sighed deeply, before continuing speaking. "I know this is interesting and all, but to me, discovering the origins of the Interminables was not the most shocking revelation. It was learning about the death of my parents at the hands of the Shinigamis" she told everyone while facing the ground. "I saw everything. A village burned to the ground. Innocents forced out of their homes…" the orange-haired woman felt tears stream from her eyes. "And worst of all…my mother and father murdered by Captain Kuchiki…...how could he have done that?" she added while feeling shattered emotionally.

Urahara and Tessai felt themselves shocked by hearing this, although they could not help but to feel somewhat ashamed of themselves. In fact, Urahara began facing the young woman with a sympathetic glance.

"Orihime" the young woman lifted up her head to view the blonde-haired man, who did not seem to be in denial. "I assume that you're starting to resent Shinigamis…still…I mean we can't fault you for feeling that way" Urahara told him, while Orihime continued to stare at him with tearful eyes. The blonde-haired man eventually sighed deeply. "Yes, the 13 Court Guard Squads had always feared that the Interminables would spread their powers through other Humans, so they began a campaign of exterminating them, due to the fact that they were created by mixing the Soul King's blood with Humans. But they were after the direct descendant of the first Dèesse" the former Shinigami captain went on explaining.

"And of course, the Kuchiki clan and Squad 6 were the strongest proponents for this extermination" Tessai admitted while adjusting his glasses. But everyone became surprised by seeing the tanned-skinned man bow before Orihime, who was left stunned by his behavior. However, tears began streaming from Tessai's glasses and he was actually sobbing along the way. "It is also true…...that the Kido Corps was involved in those vile campaigns…...even during the time when I was its captain" he went on confessing to Orihime and the tall man lifted up his head to face the orange-haired woman, who along with her friends had never seen Tessai express such emotion before. "Young Orihime…on behalf of the Kido Corps as its former captain…...I sincerely apologize for our involvement on these atrocities, one of them which eventually resulted in the death of your parents" he apologized while sniffing.

Urahara watched his long-time friend crying. "Tessai…" he said lowly as he saw Orihime eventually approach the tall Shinigami and hugged him. Everyone was surprise by this, but they eventually saw this as a sign that Orihime was forgiving Tessai. Seeing this made Urahara smile. "Off course you are willing to forgive Tessai. He always knows when to make amends" the blonde-haired man thought while seeing them like this.

"Hey boss" Urahara focused his attention on Jinta, as he and Ururu had their glances fixed upon him. While Jinta's looked kind of demanding, Ururu's was still as meek as ever. "Back when you first found us, did you know that we were Interminables" the red-haired boy asked his superior.

The blonde-haired ma only faced the floor and sighed deeply before facing Jinta again. "To be honest with you, no" he said, much to Jinta's own surprise. "However, me, Tessai and Yoruichi realized that you were not just ordinary Human-children, considering that you were able to see both Pluses and Hollows. But above all, we didn't know you were Interminables" Urahara told him as honest as he could.

Ururu smiled weakly at him in return. "We appreciate your honesty, boss" the meek girl told him. However, she was briefly taking a glance at Orihime, who was currently facing the ground while holding around her legs. "Orihime…I wish there was something me and Jinta could do to help you…...we are of the same people after all" she admitted in her thoughts while noticing how lost she seemed.

Tessai had released himself from Orihime and was now facing the group, wiping off his tears. "Thanks to the story both Orihime and Chad told us, all of us have learned something very interesting. In fact, now that I think about it, I believe there exists at least one more Interminable in Karakura Town" he noted and suddenly began forming a trademark pose by crossing both arms over his chest. Those around him were dumbfounded by his action. "I believe you know who I am speaking off. That man who's famous for his exaggerated catchphrase: BOHAHAHAHAHA!" he said while suddenly coming up with an "evil" laughter.

Chad, Orihime, Jinta, Ururu, Yukio and Riruka could not believe what Tessai was saying, while Urahara only forced a slight chuckle at seeing his friend doing that. "Of course, you're talking about Don Kanonji!" he spoke out the name of the infamous spirit medium, who had his own TV-Show back in the Human World.

"Don Kanonji…that spiritual moron!?" Jinta asked in disbelief. "I can't believe that idiot's also an Interminable!" he added, not willing to accept the fact.

"I always thought there was something strange about him" Chad admitted to his friends. "But then again, Don Kanonji did indeed possess a great deal of knowledge about spirits, not to mention that he was able to see both Pluses and Hollows, even before I could" the tall man admitted to his friends who listened closely.

But Yukio and Riruka only focused attention on something else, with Riruka crossing her arms while huffing. "Meh, was never a big fan of Don Kanonji anyways. That doofus always pissed me off" she said before pulling on her hood from her sweater. Yukio started playing on his PSP as a means to stop listening to what he considered to be an uninteresting subject to him.

Urahara made sure that everyone got his attention. "Alright, everyone. Listen up. Back in the World of the Living, I dispatched Yoruichi to assist the Vizards with the task I gave them. I've already told that to Jinta and Ururu, but I figured that it would be best if the rest of you guys also knew about that as well" the blonde-haired man said while specifically facing both Chad and Orihime. He suddenly held up a Sternritter's medallion. "I'm almost finished with my examination of how the Quincies were able to steal the Bankais and how the captains who lost them can get them back. Once I'm finished, I plan on heading back to the Sereitei and assist Squad 12 with whatever they need" he then revealed to them all.

"Should me and Orihime accompany you?" Chad suddenly asked, while facing the blonde-haired man, who immediately shook his head in return.

"No. You two along with Ururu and Jinta will accompany Tessai to the Sereitei when I give him a call" Urahara told them, and it was not a suggestion. "In the meantime, I want both you and Orihime to train here and prepare yourself for the upcoming battle. And make no mistake…...both of you will head to the frontlines this time" he suddenly revealed to them in a serious tone.

Orihime felt confused by hearing this, yet decided to ask Urahara about something. "Where will we be training at? Is it at the Coliseo?" she asked him lowly.

But Urahara simply waved his hand at her whimsically. "Of course, not! You won't need to go that far!" he insisted to her. "In fact, you will be training outside….in the Negal Ruins" he revealed to them and they both looked surprised. Urahara smirked by seeing this. "I assure you it will be the best place for you to be training at. It's quiet, fresh and also safe from all harm. In fact, I have arranged for one of the Dechados to actually be keeping an eye on you while you're doing that" he then revealed.

All of a sudden, the entrance to the tent opened and right outside stood none other than Diablo Gallante, the Arrancar still wearing the cape, as well as the eyepatch that covered his right eye. However, Gallante was not alone as Ozzy Namatjira, his partner Lizzie and the mysterious woman named Belladonna Luisenbarn were standing behind him. The red-skinned Arrancar fixed his glance on the blonde-haired man, his eye piercing through him like an arrow.

"I am here to take both Orihime Inoue and Yastutora Sado out to the Negal Ruins for their training" Gallante spoke up, although his eye eventually narrowed sternly. "But I want you to remember this, mansion boy. The only reason I am agreeing to this…...is because these two Humans took care of Nelliel and helped her" the paragon suddenly revealed to him.

Both Orihime and Chad were stunned by hearing his reasoning. Could it be true? Had Nelliel somehow changed Gallante's view of them? Such answers remained to be seen. Nevertheless, they rose up and followed the red-skinned Arrancar, who was still facing Urahara suspiciously.

"Don't worry, I have no desire to be torn to shreds by either you nor Allowin" the blonde-haired man insisted while waving his hand at the two friends. "You two take care now, until we meet again" Urahara told them and Orihime and Chad followed the Dechado.

Once they were outside, they were introduced to the two Legionarios, who had decided to accompany Gallante on keeping an eye on the two Humans. Belladonna, the one dressed like a harem lady bent over with formality. "Pleased to be of acquaintance, Yasutora Sado and Orihime Inoue" the brunette told them while demonstrating her flexibility. "I am Legionnaire Belladonna Luisenbarn, younger sister of Annabelle Luisenbarn and proud member of the House of Luisenbarn" she introduced herself.

Both Humans snapped by hearing this. "Wait...you're that old woman's sister? But how come you look so…younger?" Chad asked lowly, causing Belladonna to glare at him with dispassion.

"Careful with whom you speak to, outsider. If you wish, I can demonstrate to you on why I am not to be trifled with" she warned him sternly.

But the brunette was interrupted by Ozzy and Lizzie standing before her, much to her annoyance. "Easy there, love! No need to be spewin' with these swaggers" Ozzy told Belladonna and fixed his eyes on the two friends before him. He faced them with an easygoing smile, while both Chad and Orihime were slightly confused about him. "Never mind Belladonna. She always yabber about her noble lineage and stuff. Anyway, the name's Ozzy Namatjira. Like this figjam beside me, I'm also a Legionario. And this little ankle biter on my shoulder is Lizzie Namatjira, my partner" he introduced themselves.

Lizzie waved her hand at them in a friendly manner. "G'day to you!" she told them sweetly.

"Why do you two sound so…Australian?" Orihime quizzed them while raising an eyebrow at them.

But Ozzy only waved his hand at her whimsically. "Now, now, Sheila. We'll have you know that not all Arrancars are cranky crooks and clucky dipsticks. Some are even mugs and dags like us two" the orange-haired Arrancar pointed out.

"Well, we expected you two to be at least speaking with Spanish accents" Chad suddenly pointed out.

"Us, speaking in Spanish accents?" Ozzy pointed his finger at themselves, before he and Lizzie busted out into laughter. "Sorry about that, mate. But we are already fine with what we are" he insisted to them.

But all the nonsense ended when Gallante slammed the butt of his Zanpakutou onto the ground, catching everyone's attention. "Let us not waste any more time. Shall we go to the Negal Ruins?" he asked them and began walking, with Orihime and Chad tagging along. The two Legionarios followed them suit.

"Tch, I was wondering when we would be leaving" Belladonna remarked with sarcasm while crossing her arms. The brunette then faced her fellow Legionario and his partner, who eyed her back. "Listen you two. Once we're outside, please don't disturb me while I'm doing my exercise, are we clear?" she told them sternly, making sure that they were both listening.

Ozzy simply grinned in return. "No worries, Belladonna. Me and Lizzie will use the opportunity to enjoy the dark outback we have in Hueco Mundo. We'll leave you alone" he insisted to her in return.

Sighing, Belladonna shut her eyes. Truth be told, she was looking forward to be able to do her exercise in fresh air, underneath the eternal moon.

Seeing that those two were gone, Urahara returned to his examination of the medallion, with Tessai assisting him closely. "Alright, my time in Hueco Mundo will give me an answer sooner or later. And I better hurry up, time's running short back in the Soul Society" the blonde-haired man noted while watching the screen on his computer.


Inside the transformed Squad 1 Barracks, the Soul Society

The entire transformation of the Sereitei had taken Head-Captain Shunsui Kyoraku completely by surprise. He had expected the Wandenreich to attack soon and had prepared both defenses and traps for the Quncies. However, he did not expect the enemy to be attacking by using such methods.

As Shunsui and Nanao were gazing out at the transformed cityscape, they were confronted by Jugram Haschwalth, who firmly told them that the orders he was given to by his superior was to eliminate the enemy army, meaning the 13 Court Guard Squads. This only started a confrontation between the two commanders.

But before Haschwalth could officially launch an attack, he noticed that a barrier had been erected between him and the two Shinigamis. He eventually found out that it was a Kido-spell named Hakudan Keppeki, which could stop Quincy-powers only temporarily. Nevertheless, it did not stop Haschwalth from reaching the two.

"Such ignorance" the blonde-haired man remarked while holding his sword tightly. "You say that only you know this spell, and yet you haven't fully mastered it, let alone allowed other captains to learn it" he added with dissatisfaction.

Nanao only adjusted her glasses while sweating. "I never expected to be schooled by a Quincy" she noted warily while looking at her superior. "Captain, I feel that Captain Kurotsuchi's Spiritual Pressure is still intact. Somehow, Squad 12 and the researchers must still be intact, despite this transformation" she told Shunsui.

The flamboyant Shinigami only faced her with a smug smile in return. "I see" he noted smugly. "Then it was a good thing that we let him stay there. As long as we have the Department of Research and Development operational, we should be able to communicate freely with each other" he noted with satisfaction.

"And do you suppose that it will make a difference?" the two Shinigamis were interrupted by the stern voice of Haschwalth, as he was still standing with the sword in his hand. The expression on his face looked as if thing did not matter to him. "Whatever you plan on, you cannot hope to succeed. The Sereitei has vanished. All that remains is the Wandenreich and Silbern. In this battle, we fight you at our own terms" the Sternritter Grandmaster went on explaining.

Shunsui only faced his opponent smugly. "Well, I don't know whether that makes a difference or not. Nevertheless, we are still gonna protect the Soul Society" the Shinigami in kimono declared while holding his Zanpakutous tightly.

Haschwalth was only unfazed by hearing this. "You are one, deluded Shinigami. I can see how the "so-called" Head-Captain Shigekuni Yamamoto fell before His Majesty so easily" he spoke with venom in his voice. "Since there are only us three alone here, I may as well share with you a little secret" he then suggested.

"Like hell we will ever listen to you!" Nanao barked and faced Shunsui. "Captain, don't be fooled by his words, he may be…." She stopped once she saw her superior's serious glance.

"I'll take care of things from here, Nanao. You stay behind and watch my back" he suddenly suggested to her in a friendlier manner, and Nanao did as she was told. The head-captain then focused his attention on Haschwalth, his only eye filled with suspicion. "Now what were you saying? And don't you ever dare speak about Old Man Yama in such disrespectful manner!" he lowly but sternly told the Quincy.

Haschwalth was still glancing at him with no remorse. "Why, is it because you are too afraid to see the truth? To admit that Yamamoto was nothing but a spineless fool without any moralities?" he once again spoke negatively about Shunsui's predecessor.

But instead of being pissed off at that statement, Shunsui found calm within himself and fixed a slight smirk with his mouth. "Moralities? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you Quincies have a clue on what the word even means" he told Haschwalth sarcastically.

"I believe there is no use in educating an ignorant scum like you" the blonde-haired man suggested before holding his blade up in the air and close to his face, so that his eyes could be seen. "Yes, His Majesty did win by stealing your previous leader's precious Bankai. However, as powerful and destructive Zanki no Tachi was, it pales before the true power of His Majesty" he then came up with a revelation.

Shunsui stood his ground with his lieutenant standing behind him. But while he was doing that, he briefly looked over his shoulder to feel the various Spiritual Pressures out in the transformed cityscape. He was thinking about his fellow captains, as well as the other lieutenants.

"Alright captains and lieutenants of the 13 Court Guard Squads, this is it!" Shunsui noted while returning his gaze upon Haschwalth. "Wherever you may be, stay strong…...and don't lose hope" he thought while silently praying for his comrades.


Meanwhile, in an alleyway in the icy cityscape

Three lieutenants, Shuhei Hisagi, Izuru Kira and Tetsuzaemon Iba were currently hiding in an alleyway, hoping to find a way to get a better perspective, as they were currently lost amidst this transformation. On both sides, tall, icy buildings closed in all around them.

"Damn, it's impossible to know where we even are, let alone feel any Spiritual Pressure nearby!" Tetsuzaemon remarked while adjusting his sunglasses. He then looked up towards the sky. "And not only that, I can barely see the sun" he added.

"It's not just the thick atmosphere" Shuhei said. "Just listen to the entire environment. You can hear explosions and cries almost everywhere if you're out of these alleyways" he pointed out to his fellow lieutenants.

"Yeah, I have heard it myself" Izuru noted and then fixed his eyes on both sides. "But we shouldn't be standing here for much longer. Sooner or later, the enemy will come searching for targets in alleyways such as this" he then told his comrades.

Before Shuhei could open his mouth, he stopped as he could hear the sound of Reishi enveloping around them. Looking at the road ahead of them, they were stunned to see a long line of Quicny archers standing there while readying their Reishi Bows, also called Heilig Bogen.

"We have targets in sight, men! Ready your arrows!" a commanding Quincy could be seen directing orders and the archers did as they were told.

"Shit! They sure are many!" Shuhei exclaimed with distress in his voice.

But Izuru had his eyes fixed on the road behind them and he was equally distressed. "Look over there! They are blocking us from both sides! We're surrounded!" he told his comrades and they eventually got the picture by seeing another line of archers blocking the road behind them.

The three lieutenants got closer to one another by their backs while holding their Zanpakutous. "Tch, those bastards think they can overrun us by mere arrows!? Heh, I'll show them!" Tetsuzaemon exclaimed with pride.

"You're an insane fool!" Izuru lashed at him. "It's too late to act reckless now, Tetsuzaemon!" he added.

But the man with the moustache faced the blonde-haired man with a glance of his own. "Then you tell me what is right move, you coward!" the machoistic Shinigami barked in return.

"Hold on tight, guys!" Shuhei suddenly shouted as he dragged the two along with him. They headed straight towards three windows on a wall and they each dived into them, thus shattering the glasses. By doing this, they had avoided the arrows that flied through the alleyway like small planes.

As they tried to brush off all the pieces of glass on their clothes, the three lieutenants quickly found themselves in a living room or some sort, with all kinds of furniture and other objects. It was a typical Western-styled living room. But the three comrades snapped as they could hear the sound of Quincies coming from the alleyway outside.

"Quick! Through that door!" Izuru suddenly pointed his finger at a door standing right at the end of the living room, and the three lieutenants ran straight towards it. They slammed it wide open, only for them to see that they had now entered another alleyway, expect for the fact that it was only one entry. A tall wall blocked the end of the alleyway.

"Great! Where to now!?" Tetsuzaemon asked while crossing his arms.

But before they could come to a decision, they got cautious by hearing another sound of Reishi being used. Turning at the only entrance, they snapped by seeing more archers blocking their way with their Heilig Bogen.

"There are more of those archers!?" Izuru exclaimed in shock by what he saw.

"We've got them cornered now! Fire at will, men!" the commanding Quincy told his subordinates.

"Through that door! Now!" Tetsuzaemon suddenly said as he pushed against a nearby door with all his strength. Luckily, it broke and the three comrades ran as quickly as they could through the entrance, eventually finding themselves in a long hallway. "Argh! This is so confusing! Where do we go know!?" he wondered while sounding stressed.

But Izuru suddenly ran straight towards the stairs at the end of the hallway. "We'll go up there, hurry!" Izuru told his comrades and they followed suit.

"Why do we need to go upwards?" Shuhei asked his comrades as he was panting.

Eventually, they reached the second floor, which was also a long hallway and had stars at its end. Izuru ran straight towards it as well. "If we can get on the rooftop, it may help us in giving a better perspective on where we are and what is happening!" the blonde-haired man told him in return as they once again walked up the stairs.

Eventually, they reached to the rooftop after walking up a final stair that lead to a single door. Once exiting, they could see high they really were on these buildings. But as soon as they stood out in the open, the three lieutenants watched themselves, wary that Quincy archers had been stationed on the roof tops as well. Surprisingly, they didn't see anything on the rooftops belonging to the nearby buildings.

Shuhei sighed deeply in relief. "Well…...we're safe…at least for now" he noted.

Izuru and Tetsuzaemon were trying to figure out where they were, but it was difficult for them to get a clear shot, considering that the entire city around them was icy white, and some of the buildings resembled one another. However, they could notice a giant and imposing palace in the middle. The two were eventually joined by Shuhei.

"I can still feel how difficult it is to sense Spiritual Pressure belonging to friends and foes alike" Tetsuzaemon noted lowly while facing the icy palace. "However, from what I can see, there is no doubt in my mind that this imposing we see is their headquarters, I can feel it" the man with sunglasses added grimly.

"So it its true then, everything is gone, including the Squad 1 Barracks and the Sokyoku Hill" Izuru noted grimly as he got a glimpse. "Damn it, these Quincies have once again taken a step ahead of us" he noted bitterly, as he still recalled the previous invasion.

"How they even managed to pull it off doesn't matter to us anymore" Shuhei spoke up as his eyes narrowed in his view. "I say we use the rooftops to find our way and head straight towards that palace in the middle. Once there, we will confront the Quincy Emperor and end this madness!" he told his comrades seriously.

"Hell yeah! I can't wait to shove my blade through that bastard Yhwach!" Tetsuzaemon exclaimed. But that's when something unexpected took place near him and his comrades.

"Wow, that sounds like a spectacular yet unlikely idea, wouldn't you say?" the three lieutenants snapped and immediately turned around, only to find a young, black-haired girl sitting on the rooftop door like she was interested in what they were speaking off.

Shuhei brandished his Zanpakutou while facing her demandingly. "Who are you!? And how long have you been sitting there listening to us!?" he demanded an answer from the young girl, who was without a doubt, a Quincy.

The Quincy girl only sighed while standing up on her two feet. "Like, since when you first got up to this rooftop. None of you bothered to notice that I was actually sitting here the entire time" she revealed to them while grinning cockily. "And as for your earlier question, I'm Sternritter E: Bambietta Basterbine" she introduced herself while standing proudly before them.

While Izuru and Shuhei remained warily of her, Tetsuzeamon felt stunned when his eyes caught a glimpse of this girl. "You…." he said lowly, and suddenly pointed his finger at her directly. "You're that little brat who stole Captain Komamura's Bankai!?" he angrily lashed out at her.

However, Bambietta only raised an eyebrow at her in confusion by seeing the lieutenant's angry outburst. "What? I don't recall ever meeting someone as tasteless as you!" she remarked while commenting on Tetsuzaemon's appearance.

But the man with sunglasses gritted his teeth in anger, as fire boiled inside of him. "You little bitch…" he cursed while brandishing his Zanpakutou. "You'll give back Captain Komamura's Bankai, or else I'll carve your eyes open!" Tetsuzaemon angrily threatened.

Bambiette was growing irritated by Tetsuzaemon's outbursts, so she began floating in the air, crossing her arms with dispassion. "You know, I really don't understand a thing of what you're saying! And who the hell is this Komamura-dude you keep whining about!?" she asked, oblivious to the fact that this man was Komamura's lieutenant.

Izuru drew his Zanpakutou warily. "If what Tetsuzaemon says is true, then this girl must be carrying Kokujo Tengen Myo'o! She is one of those Sternritters who managed to steal a captain's Bankai" he noted in his thought.

"Careful! She may use the Bankai she has stolen!" Shuhei told his comrades and they all agreed on this together. The punkish Shinigami gritted his teeth in frustration. "I know that a captain shouldn't have done this, but since we accidentally stumbled upon this Sternritter, we have no choice but to fight. But we're three and she's alone. It shouldn't be a problem" he thought to himself with confidence.

Bambiette snapped in surprise by hearing what Shuhei had just said. "Wait! How did any of you know that I had stolen a Bankai!?" she angrily demanded, but eventually gave up by sighing deeply. "Meh, whatever. It doesn't matter. Because against three vermin like you, I don't even need to use it" she told them with confidence.

None of the lieutenants seemed to take her seriously enough. "You're getting way too cocky with us, Quincy! We three are lieutenants of the 13 Court Guard Squads! You should know better than to underestimate us!" Shuhei told him and suddenly held his Zanpakutou to activate his Shikai. "Reap, Kazeshini!" the black-haired man added while reading his stance.

"We will teach you how to know humility!" Izuru said while activating his Shikai. "Raise your head, Wabisuke!" the blonde-haired man activated his Zanpakutou.

Tetsuzaemon only grinned cockily and held his katana up high. "Now you will see what it means to be a part of the 13 Court Guard Squads!" he said and began calling out his Shikai belonging to his own Zanpakutou. "Brandish…Haken!" he exclaimed, finally revealing the Shikai of his mysterious Zanpakutou.

Despite being confronted by these lieutenants, Bambietta didn't necessarily seem surprised not enthusiastic about them and even mocked them by yawning at them. "You don't impress me for a minute. However, I'll make this quick and blast you all off" she told them while suddenly reaching out her hand towards the trio.

The three lieutenants stood their ground, wondering if Bambietta was attempting to launch an attack on them. Surprisingly, they could not see any Reishi come out of her hand and the young girl continued to face them smugly.

"Is she for real!?" Shuhei wondered in his head while feeling frustrated over seeing this.

"This punk….she's mocking us!" Tetsuzaemon felt irritated with this treatment.

But it did not take long before Bambietta began giggling with satisfaction. "Sorry, Shinigamis. But this is where it ends! BOMB VOYAGE!" she told them and suddenly clenched her hand together.

Before the three lieutenants knew it, a giant explosion appeared from underneath them, and they were each sent flying towards each direction. The building they were previously standing on was almost reduced to a rubble. Bambiette was smiling by seeing her work and gradually began lowering herself down to street level.

"Heh, His Majesty gave me a Schrift, the letter E – The Explode. With this, I can create bombs of my own, as long as they're made of Reishi. Those three jackasses were probably caught by surprise when I showed them" Bambietta thought to herself with satisfaction, only to snap by realizing something. "Wait! That rude man with the sunglasses…he was with the doggie when I stole his Bankai! This means he was the…DAMN IT!" she suddenly recalled seeing him during the Wandenreich's previous invasion.

In her anger, Bambietta sent a Reishi Bomb heading towards a nearby building. The young girl could not believe herself. If she had only spared Tetsuzaemon, then she would've found the whereabouts of his captain, whom she wanted to humiliate by using his Bankai.

"Great! I guess I better continue my search for the doggie on my own" she muttered angrily and began continued searching for Komamura's whereabouts. But she paused as she heard a familiar voice calling to her.

"There you are, Bambi. We've been looking all over for you" the young girl turned around and saw fellow female members of the Sternritters. Bambiette smiled by what she was seeing. They were Sternritter T: Candice Catnipp, Sternritter P: Meninas McAllon, Sternritter G: Liltotto Lamperd and Sternritter Z: Giselle Gewelle. "We couldn't help but to notice how angry you were" the black-haired girl named Giselle said.

Bambietta sighed in annoyance. "Spare me your bullcrap, Gigi. Now where were you girls?" she slightly demanded an answer from them.

The small girl named Liltotto pulled out the ice cream she was chewing and faced her sternly in return. "We were just searching for some Shinigamis. Don't get your panties in a twist or anything" she told Bambietta.

"Screw all this! You all know what His Majesty just ordered us to!" the blondie named Candice told them while stretching out her arms. "Let's continue our search for enemy troops" she suggested to them.

"It's no use in getting angry here, Candi" the tall and calm-headed girl named Meninas said to her comrade. She then faced Bambietta. "Shall we go?" she asked her.

Rolling her eyes in irritation, she agreed with them. "Fine, but remember to not lose track this time, okay!?" she told them strictly and the five girly Sternritters were on their way to find more Shinigamis to kill.

But unbeknownst to Bambietta, the three Shinigamis she had just bombed were actually alive. But for Izuru, who had nearly been killed in the previous invasion, it was very critical for him to stay alive. The gloomy man with blonde hair found himself lying against a tall white wall, coughing out blood in the process.

"D-Damn it!" the Lieutenant of Squad 3 cursed while panting between his breaths. "I can't die…not just…yet!" he said stubbornly, once again coughing out blood, considering that the explosion had taken quite a toll on him.

But as Izuru slowly began moving itself, his only eye had caught something horrific stand right before him. Someone was shadowing him as he was sitting against the white wall. Izuru could not believe his eyes. "You're…." he said lowly.

"I see that you have found your way to the walls of Silbern, Izuru Kira" the voice came from none other than Yhwach himself, as he now stood before him, his mouth forming a slight smile. However, there was no hint of maliciousness in his red eyes as he was always known for. "First, you managed to survive against Bazz-B's blast. And now, you have managed to survive against Bambietta's bomb. You intrigue me, young one" Yhwach surprisingly commended him.

Izuru quickly reached for his Zanpakutou, only for Yhwach to sit to his level and put a hand on his artificial shoulder. By doing so, the blonde-haired Shinigami suddenly found calm within himself, as Yhwach continued to stare at him with a proud smile.

"Do not fret, Izuru Kira. I am not here to take your soul away from you, despite your weakened condition. In fact, I am here to bestow a piece of my soul to you" the black-haired man suddenly told him and put his fingers before the blonde-haired man's face. "You have no reason to fight me, or a reason to doubt me, all that you deserve is a deep sleep. You will sleep for eternity, but when the time comes, you will awaken, this time as a new warrior…a new fighter…...a new knight. So close your eyes and sleep, because when you wake up…...all that you will see is peace" Yhwach told Izuru and surprisingly, the blonde-haired man fell into sleep, his eyes shutting completely.

The Father of the Quincies stood on his feet while smiling at the sleeping lieutenant. However, he began pointing his handpalm at Izuru, who was unable to do anything at the moment. What was Yhwach trying to pull on him?

"Sankt Traum" Yhwach said, and Izuru was suddenly transported away by magical means. The Emperor of the Wandenreich faced the battlefield he had made and narrowed his eyes. "Let us see if there are others who are worthy of knowing the truth" he noted to himself.


In the Negal Ruins, in the Valle de La Salvaciòn, Hueco Mundo

These ancient ruins were standing below the tall mountains that dotted the landscape of the Valle de La Salvaciòn. They did not have to necessarily exit the mountain to reach the ruins, but went another way in the system of tunnels. What was noticeable with these ruins were the fact that they seemed to be inspired by those of Ancient Greece and Rome. Furthermore, there was nobody to be seen, even Hollows. The Negal Ruins lied completely deserted on the mountain.

Orihime was currently sitting while drinking fresh water from El Dorado, as she was sweating from all the training she had been through. Somehow, the training had actually helped her take off all the stress on her shoulders and her spirits had somewhat been lifted. However, as she drank water, her eyes were curiously fixed upon the crescent moon hanging among the black skies. It was apparent that she somehow had taken interest in it.

But there was something else on her mind right now. "I hope you are doing okay out there, Ichigo. You too Uryu" she noted in her thoughts while drinking.

"Orihime" the young orange-haired woman could hear the voice of Chad as he was facing up at her from below. The tall man had also been training intensely, which would explain why he was also sweating. "Are you feeling tired? Shall we stop training for now?" he then went on asking her.

The orange-haired woman turned around to face him with a smile of her own. "Oh, sorry about that, Chad. I didn't mean to distract you" Orihime apologized and returned her gaze on the environment that lied before her. "I just couldn't help but to notice how peaceful it feels here" she told him.

Chad walked up the stairs to be where she was, but he felt dumbfounded by her question. "Peaceful? We are training for war" the tall man pointed out to her.

This forced Orihime to chuckle slightly. "Well that's true, but I think….." the young woman was at loss of words while gazing out towards the landscape. She sighed deeply. "You know, the fact that we Humans are here in Hueco Mundo on our own free will, assisting the Arrancars, doing what we can for the Soul Society. It kind of feels peaceful to me" Orihime admitted to her friend.

Chad could not help but to feel the same way, but he was also slightly surprised to see how calm she sounded. Therefore, he decided to ask her something. "Do you wish there could be peace?" he then asked her wondering if this was the right answer or not.

Orihime faced the ground while resting her head near her legs. "More than that, Chad. I wish it could go on forever. But I know that such thing is impossible" she told him. "But I really want all this bloodshed to stop. I don't want more lives to be wasted" she added to her explanation.

Chad had understood what his friend was trying to say. "Orihime. Even though you have found out about the history of the Interminables, as well as the true death of your parents, I notice that you refuse to let your heart be poisoned by anger. But that is unavoidable. Sometimes, all Humans does carry a level of hatred within them, but only until he or she discovers something that will change that person and clear away all the hatred" the tall brown-haired man told her. Chad could not help but to smile lightly. "Even Ichigo does carry a small tint of hatred within him. But even so, he will not allow it to take control of his conscience. You may have failed to see it, but I have" he went on explaining to her.

As Orihime sat and listened closely, her thoughts drifted to her recent confrontation with Loly and Menoly. True, she did resent them for their previous actions, but she never had any desire to kill them. All that she had wanted, was to make a stand for herself and not be the usual damsel in distress. But still, a small aura of fire began burning inside of her and she felt slight determination as well.

"I am angry and upset with Captain Kuchiki for his actions, but that does not mean that I will seek his death nor will I pursue vengeance against him" Orihime suddenly revealed to Chad who was surprised. The orange-haired woman fixed a slight smile with her mouth. "No, but I will hear everything from him and all the other captains involved in those horrific purges. Tessai was willing to ask for my forgiveness and now wants to atone for his involvement, as did Urahara. Maybe Captain Kuchiki will do the same thing. But it's too early to conclude, and I still am uncertain about his allegiances" she then explained while sharing something important with her friend.

While stunned by hearing this at first, Chad eventually formed a smile of his own. "Very well, whatever you think is best for yourself" he noted.

While the two Humans were conversing with each other, they failed to notice that Gallante could hear what they were saying, considering that his hearing was incredibe. He could hear even if he was a long distance from them. But Gallante was currently sitting beneath a ruined statue and meditated. His only visible eye was shut as he did that.

"Peace" he uttered that word lowly. "I wish the same thing as you, Orihime Inoue. But we both know how unrealistic that is" he admitted to himself while sitting in silence.

Gallante's opinion on the Humans had changed since he stumbled upon Nelliel, who was only in her child form at that time. The red-skinned Arrancar could still remember all the things little Nel had told him when they were out for a walk.

"And after Nnoitora cut Nel's mask, Nel and her brothers were thrown out of Las Noches, and Lord Aizen never dared to send someone to rescue us" the words of little Nel came back to his mind. "Nel and her brothers were playing out in Hueco Mundo, until we met Itsygo, who was kind enough to bring Nel and her brothers back to Las Noches" the little child had told him.

At first, Gallante had been uncertain about whether to believe her story, but when Nel suddenly told her about the cut Nnoitora had given on her Hollow-shell, Gallante had decided to repair it by using his own Spiritual Pressure. With careful adjustments, the cut on Nel's Hollow-shell was gone and she quickly reverted back to her former adult form.

Once her intelligence was back and could speak maturely, Nelliel began telling the story from her own eyes. "What I previously told you is correct, Master Gallante. Sosuke Aizen abandoned me when he allowed Nnoitora to do as he pleased. He never lifted a finger to help me, Pesche and Dondochakka. Instead, I was saved by Ichigo. While may have been a Human, he took me and my Fracciòn in as friends. In other words, they saved me when Aizen didn't" Nelliel had told him while they were wondering the dunes.

Gallante remembered that he had then asked. "Even though he was the Substitute Shinigami, he never laid his Zanpakutou upon you or your Fracciòn?" he had asked him with interest.

Nelliel giggled by hearing this. "Of course not. Ichigo never did that to us. We were his friends. He only did that to Aizen's servants, those who blindly followed him to their own doom" Nelliel had told him back then.

In fact, hearing this Ichigo Kurosaki from Nelliel reminded Gallante about someone and he reached for something underneath his cape. Pulling it out, he held a small lotus flower that had surprisingly never withered to death, despite not being watered for many millennia. The red-skinned Arrancar's only visible eye changed into that of slight sadness and he eventually shut it to prevent himself from crying.

"Haya…...you will always be remembered in my soul" Gallante said, meaning that this lotus flower had some meaning to the devilish Arrancar.

But he put away the lotus flower when he could hear a loud noise coming from the two Legionarios that were accompanying him. "Get back here, you little twerp!" the angry voice of Belladonna could be heard, as she chased after Ozzy and his partner by jumping from pillars to pillars. "I told you not to disturb me!" she added to her yelling.

Ozzy panted while running from the angry brunette. "It's not my fault, Sheila! Lizzie was only playing with one of our boomerangs!" the orange-haired Arrancar told her while Lizzie found humor in this and stuck out her tongue at the brunette. He eventually fixed his eyes upon Gallante. "Hey Master Gallante! Belladonna's spewin' again! Mind if you be an offsider just a second or two!?" he then asked the red-skinned Arrancar.

Gallante only sighed in irritation and rose up from his seat to figure out a way to end this. However, he suddenly got an idea and decided to make both Arrancars stop this immaturity.

"Legionnaire Ozzy Namatjira and Legionnaire Belladonna Luisenbarn!" Gallante suddenly called out their names commandingly and they both stopped with what they were doing. Gallante held onto his Zanpakutou tightly. "You still remember how His Highness hates when Legionarios such as yourself bicker over something as stupid as this, do you not?" he reminded them. He suddenly looked at Belladonna. "And what if I were to tell your older sister about how immature you behaved out here" he pointed out to her.

Both Legionarios snapped by hearing this and immediately fell onto their knees begging their forgiveness, thus making them stop this senseless chasing.

"I sincerely apologize, Master Gallante! Please don't tell Annabelle about this, please!" she begged him while treating him with dignity and respect.

But Ozzy did not seem to be that concerned, and only gave Gallante an assuring nod in reply to his statement. "I'll behave. Cross my heart" the orange-haired Arrancar told him, before facing Lizzie annoyingly. "Hey Lizzie! I reckon you apologize to Belladonna!" he told her sternly.

The young girl faced the brunette with her usual normal glance and Belladonna faced her in return. "Sorry about that, wowser. I was just trying to have fun with ya" Lizzie told her.

Despite hearing this, Belladonna only focused her attention somewhere else. "Whatever you say, little koala" the brunette thought as she was getting tired of those two. "I may as well start doing these exercises here alone. I still wanna prove Annabelle how I can be of great use to our household" she then concluded.

To be continued…..


Author's note: That was chapter 13. We have seen what Orihime and Chad going out to train while the Soul Society are dealing with their invasion. And of course, some of these scenes, like that with Orihime and Chad training by the Negal Ruins is loyal to the canon part, as is the scene with Hascwalth being blocked by the barrier. What will happen next? And by the way, considering that Tetsuzaemon's Zanpakutou is never named, I decided to give it myself. And here it is:

Haken – I simply combined the Japanese words for blade and sword respectively. I came up with that by just looking at the shape of his Shikai. And the Release command is "Brandish".

We also saw Yhwach do something very unusual to Izuru, who was once again near his deathbed. What happened there? Yhwach even performed a unique technique that is completely original to this story.

Sankt Traum – German for "Saint Dream": Somehow, Yhwach can transport someone to another location. But where did he take Izuru?