Hello, and welcome to the next chapter!
Oblivious IJ; It seems that she has yeah~
Clarent excalibur; I'm glad you did! Yup, we're getting Mayuri vs Giselle. Nemu's going to have a moment yeah, to show Mayuri that she's not his personal slave anymore. She is going to say something like that yeah.
ShadowUzumaki55; Thanks very much! They did yeah, Soi Fon got out her emotional feelings, and expressed them to Takumi while thinking about the past, and how they had a fairly close relationship. He did yeah, fighting Soi Fon after not long fighting Unohana did tax him quite a bit. Haha, Giselle is going to show Mayuri alright, they're going to have a fun fight.
Skull Flame; Thanks! It is yeah, Soi Fon's been through quite a bit. Even Giselle would be creeped out yeah.
Silver crow; Thanks very much! Yeah, Nanao seems to care quite a bit about Takumi. He did yeah, he wouldn't let either of them get hurt. Yup, seems like Takumi started off in the Second Division with Yoruichi recognizing his talent, and Soi Fon coming to accept him more and more as he proved he wasn't just somebody that was weak. It's because he knew that Soi Fon didn't like his Father, and by extension, him as well. Yeah, he was still catching his breath from his fight with Unohana, and then Soi Fon was using her incredible speed, so it did place a tax on his body. In his current state, Takumi couldn't do what Aizen did, maybe in the future. Maybe he did win that bet, perhaps we'll find out in the future if he did or not. In the end, she couldn't deny her feelings, and decided that she'd let him go. Mayuri's a bit different from those Captain's though where he doesn't fight with full force, and we've seen in the last arc where he caught Kenpachi by surprise and stopped him from moving with his Shikai alone. He is yeah, she's going to tell him her emotions. Yeah, they look pretty good to me! Yuzu could get some letters. I can't reveal that just yet, we'll get more of it in the future. We'll have to find out if he does have any other powers.
Andrew123456; I am thinking about doing it yeah. Yeah, that could be a fun way of doing it. Flare would be quite interesting to have there. Yeah she'd be cool as well~ Yeah, I'd be up to doing them.
Well, with those lovely reviews out of the way, it's time to start the chapter!
Mayuri vs Giselle!
Sitting within her cell, Momo kept bringing up the past in her mind. How she went to the academy, how she had met people like Renji, how she had learned more about her power, how she had visited Toshiro often, though Toshiro didn't seem to want anything to do with meeting her.
Even then, Momo still liked being with Toshiro, it felt nice.
But she also remembered meeting Aizen, how he had saved her from the Hollow…
How he had been there for her when she needed advice, when she needed someone to speak to about her feelings...
"Captain...I'm so confused..."
It brought tears to her eyes, as she overlooked the letter once more.
She didn't know what to feel.
She didn't know what to do…
But she felt as if she had to find out.
She had to know what was happening right now.
Because she wasn't able to take it.
She looked at the note again and again, and saw the message that Aizen had written her, telling her how he was going to meet up with Takumi to resolve their old feelings, at a place where not many people would know about, but Momo could see it clearly within the message itself, exactly where he was speaking about.
"Captain...what I am supposed to do…?"
She sobbed.
She didn't want to deal with this anymore.
She just wished that her Captain was safe and sound.
That she could see him once more, and ask him why this was happening.
But she knew that she had to do something.
Anything to find out the answers.
If she went to the location that Takumi and Aizen had their 'meeting' then…
Maybe even she could begin to understand why this happened, and if she could get anything from this meeting. She knew realistically that if she tried to fight Takumi, then she was going to probably lose the fight.
Drying her eyes, she placed the note within her outfit, and stood up.
Conviction filled her, calling to the guard "Excuse me." and said guard turning around to see that from up above and around, purple petals began to fall down, with a purple aura around Momo's body.
"Hakufuku."
Those words caused the man's mind to be eclipsed by the power that she had, and he was forcibly placed into a slumber. With the man dropping down to the ground, Momo used her Kido to break through the door, and went towards the location that her Zanpakuto was, so she could use it to help her in deciding on what she was going to do next.
If she was going to fight Takumi, if she was going to speak to him…
Or if she had to go beyond that, and kill him.
Facing down Mayuri, Giselle knew it would be difficult. Not because he was strong, but because Mayuri was extremely cunning as an individual, and that was something that could backfire on them, especially with Kenpachi's attitude of just slashing down what he believes is in his way.
"Now then clown! I'll give you to the count of five to run, then I'm coming for you!"
Kenpachi declared with a battle thirsty smile on his face.
That caused Mayuri to let out a small laugh.
"Really oaf? You're going to be the one who ends up fighting me, are you? That's really sweet, I was hoping you would. I could use you as a personal slave."
Kenpachi's wild eye became angry, his hand tempting to go for his eyepatch to unleash his full power.
"What did you say?"
"You heard me oaf! The strong like you, need a Master to reign you in, you wont be useful in any other way. I'm sorry moron, but that's just how it is in this world. The intelligent lord that over the idiots like you."
"Insulting others, is that how you get your frustrations of knowing people are better than you out?"
Giselle said with a wishy washy expression.
That did cause Mayuri to feel anger for her.
"What did you say you little girl?"
"I said, you feel inferior to Takumi-kun and his Dad, right?" Mayuri glared at Giselle's challenging expression. "It's alright, people like you can only feel superior by attempting to mentally abuse people who you believe are inferior. To be honest, Kenpachi-chan here is superior to you in pretty much every way. You might be smart, but you've got nothing beyond your intelligence to fall back on. No comrades, no friends, no family. Not even your gadgets can keep you warm at night~ If you ever wanted to know why you suck, then I could give you a run down on your many, many faults~"
Giselle, in an attempt to make him lower his guard, continued to berate him.
Mayuri...actually began feeling anger for what was currently happening right now.
He wasn't pleased by Giselle's words in the slightest.
In fact, he wanted to wring her neck for the words.
Giselle twirled her hair with an apathetic look on her face.
"So, tell me about yourself Mayuri-chan. Why do you put people down so much? I bet it must have been so awful to realize that Takumi-kun, a kid no less, possessed quite a great intellect, while you, a criminal, couldn't do much at all. Am I in the ball park?"
Mayuri tightened his hand more and more.
He didn't want to fall for her taunts.
But they were very convincing.
He truly wished he could make a move, and stab her.
But he stopped, and smirked.
"I know what you're trying to do, girl. You're attempting to anger me to get some kind of advantage over me. I'm not someone that falls for such taunts easily-"
"Kisuke told me about you."
Giselle said, Mayuri's face turned downwards.
The sting of hearing Kisuke's name caused him to pause.
But then developing a condescending expression on his face, Mayuri turned up the creepy factor quickly.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, because we were coming here, I asked about the Captains and he told me about you, the mad scientist. Though he told me that he was a better scientist than you while acknowledging your achievements, but because of your crazy mental state, you aren't able to live up to the potential that you have, you always come up short due to your inability to see beyond gain for yourself. Well, that's what he said anyway."
Mayuri couldn't tell if she was being truthful, or telling a lie.
Either way, it did make him feel anger at her words.
With his hand tightening, Kenpachi couldn't wait anymore, and jumped up at a good speed. Even Mayuri was blind sided by what had happened, and saw the incoming blade mere inches from his face, ready to slice him down the middle, right in half.
However, an automatic barrier erupted around his form, something that blocked Kenpachi's sword, albeit with a large crack erupting through the barrier, almost breaking it in half, Kenpachi showed a dissatisfied expression.
"So, you're going to be an annoying kind of person who hides rather than fight straight on? It's people like you that piss me off on the battlefield. I hate your kind. You should just perish already. You're not even like Takumi in the slightest. He's smart, and yet fights straight on. That's the kind of opponent I like."
Kenpachi's words cut deep into Mayuri's psyche.
The thought of being compared to Takumi from someone like Kenpachi.
But, not wanting to appear as if the words had bothered him, he simply showed a degrading smirk.
"Hahaha, we all don't die on the battlefield, so tricks like this are to be expected oaf." Mayuri simply goes into his outfit, and brings out what seems to be a vial. "And now, as for you oaf, you're about to be incapacitated, for good."
Mayuri tossed the liquid at Kenpachi, who went to bat it away with his blade.
But Giselle quickly shot a few arrows at Kenpachi's outfit, tied to some kind of wire, and brought him away with a good yank of the wire, with the liquid hitting the ground, and dissolving it instantly, breaking through the ground and dripped down through the ground a good distance.
Giselle gave suspicious eyes at the sight before her.
"That liquid, it does more than normal acid, doesn't it?"
"If you're referring to the break down of spiritual matter, then you're right girl. This liquid would have little effect on humans, but spiritual bodies such as myself, or that oaf, it eats away at the spiritual body. Even the ground here is made of spirit particles, so it would even eat through that. Isn't it effective?"
Giselle wasn't exactly thrilled about seeing that in action.
It did seem to be quite worrying.
But Kenpachi didn't care, and jumped at Mayuri once more.
"Zaraki-san! Seriously, didn't you hear what we just said-"
"This kind of battle bores me! I want to cut him up! I don't care about mind games! Eventually, everyone goes down with a good slice to their body!"
Giselle let out a small sigh, seeing Kenpachi getting close to Mayuri. Mayuri took out his blade, and blocked Kenpachi's sword, but the pressure of Kenpachi's swing did push Mayuri back a good deal, even he would have trouble with him.
But Mayuri wasn't someone that fought directly with his opponents either, so he brought out some kind of bomb looking device, and tossed it at Kenpachi, while forcing his body backwards.
Kenpachi simply sliced through it, which set off a massive explosion, Giselle having the mind to grab Yachiru and get out of the way in time before she was caught in it, but Kenpachi was at the heart of the explosion, which ripped through an entire street of the Seireitei, turning it into a destroyed mess.
Mayuri smirked from his position.
"Silly oaf, thinking that he could simply..."
Mayuri was left with his mouth hanging open when he saw Kenpachi stood in the middle of the explosions smoke, with relatively minor injuries on his person. His body had some burn marks, but nothing that would cause pain and misery.
Mayuri ground his teeth as Kenpachi dusted off his clothing.
"Is that weak ass explosion the best you got?"
Kenpachi goaded Mayuri into making a move.
Mayuri was stopped for a few moments, before a deranged look spread on the clowns face.
"...You are a monster, that would have stopped most people. Then again, that amazing spiritual energy of yours would cloak your body and give you a sort of armour against attacks like this. So, that's why I am glad that I came prepared, just in case-"
"Shut up you bastard, and die!"
Kenpachi shot for Mayuri before he could pull out a new device, and swung downwards. The large amount of spiritual energy came from his blade in the form of a yellow skull, and unleashed directly onto Mayuri's form.
Mayuri was forced to create several barriers to defend himself, but the barriers couldn't hold off Kenpachi's wild attack, smashing through each of the barriers as if they were made of paper, something Giselle was pleased about.
But Mayuri didn't pause when seeing the barriers being cut down like that, and simply placed his hands outwards, gathering spiritual energy, blue in colour, in both hands, and announced "Soren Sokatsui!" unleashing the mass of Kido energy for Kenpachi who had shattered the last barrier.
But even then, Kenpachi just cut through the energy like butter.
However, the moment that he did, he noticed that ice was beginning to grow across his blade, and towards his hand.
"What is this..."
He murmured attempting to shatter the ice, but Giselle stopped him with a few arrows.
"Stop Zaraki, that is freezing you down to the core. If you shatter it, you'll lose your hand. It's some kind of rapid cooling agent, like liquid nitrogen or something even scarier than that!"
"Then, how do I get this shit off me? It's growing more and more!"
Giselle quickly went into her bag, and brought out some kind of liquid herself, shooting for Kenpachi, and poured it on the iced sword, along with the ice growing across his hand and up his arm, which gradually began to drain out the ice, and return his hand to normal.
Mayuri looked beyond surprised while Giselle smirked towards him.
"And what's that girl? Did you invent it?"
"Heh, it was someone that you despise invented it. Knowing you'd be coming up with all sorts of crazy ideas. He put you freezing people like this at number 12."
"...Then it has to be, Takumi Urahara! Wasn't it you little bitch?!"
Giselle wagged a finger at Mayuri who was growing in his anger.
"Wow, such language, aren't you supposed to be a gentleman~?"
Giselle sang out, while playing with her hair, wearing a goofy look on her face.
Mayuri was pissed off, he was sure it was Takumi that had invented the solution that stopped Kenpachi losing his hand, and even his sword.
Mayuri shook his head angrily, and revealed some kind of device that Giselle was suspicious about. He then casually tossed it towards Kenpachi and Giselle, the former went to cut it, but Giselle knew better than that, and forced them to dodge out of the way, with it releasing some kind of gas.
"Don't breathe it in!"
Giselle warned, covering her mouth, while Kenpachi growled at the sight.
But Kenpachi didn't seem to care, and swung his sword outwards several times, Giselle thought that he might be trying to get some kind of powerful gust going from his intense swings…
But she saw that in fact, he was merely trying to reach Mayuri with his blade.
"Come here, I'll slice you apart!"
Kenpachi went wild as Mayuri simply took out a handheld fan.
Becoming suspicious, Giselle covered her mouth, and went to cover Kenpachi's own mouth, but by the time her hand neared his face, the gas had been blown towards them, entering Kenpachi's mouth, Giselle quickly darted away as Kenpachi fell down to his knees.
She went into her bag, and brought a gas mask type device out, holding it to her face, and equipped it immediately.
Kenpachi suddenly began shaking, a sensation of pain like no other ripped through him.
"...What have you done?"
Giselle demanded from the crazy scientist.
Mayuri however kept looking at the mask Giselle had on, and also thought about the anti freezing agent that she had to save Kenpachi's arm before.
But then, Mayuri showed a dark expression on his face, and began laughing dirtily.
"Oh, I see it now. Takumi Urahara...that little bastard. Always there, being so nice and kind, and pissing me off constantly."
"He pisses you off because he's nice and kind? That doesn't even make sense~"
Mayuri shook his head.
"Of course a neophyte like you wouldn't understand it. That boy...that boy, his whole crap about using science to help others. Science is something you do to fulfil your own desires, to further your own goals."
"Well, if it wasn't for people like Takumi-kun doing their research for others, we'd be living in a very different world. People wish to help others, and to make sure that they're alright. It's people like you that aren't real scientists. Using your experimentation to hurt people, to take their bodies apart and destroy them on every level you can do."
Mayuri showed a disgusting smile.
"Naturally, a Quincy like you would say that. Quincy's really do piss me off after all. Even after I've finished my research on them, they still try and get in my way like this."
Giselle raised an eyebrow.
"...What do you mean by finished your research?"
"Hmm? Didn't I explain last time? The Quincy's are people that I had been interested in for a while. Though I stopped my research about...hmmm, maybe seven or eight years ago now. After experimenting on over 2000 Quincy's, I just lost interest in them."
Giselle's mind began to go blank.
Mayuri words had penetrated Giselle's mind and it felt like a large knife slicing her from the inside out.
He had been experimenting on over 2000 Quincy's.
All of them died, innocents had died.
"Though you girl, seem a bit different to the ones that I had experimented on. You seem to hold a different kind of potential within you. So, if you'd like, I'd be able to experiment on you? I treat the females under my care very well."
"Yeah right."
Giselle spat out, Mayuri putting on a faux hurt expression.
"My, it seems that you don't believe me. It's true, I only experiment on the girls, five times a day for a two hours at a time. I'd give you lots of water, maybe even a cup full for an entire day. That's more than most people get." Giselle continued to feel her anger rising within her. "I'll also only do body mutations that don't kill you. They might make you look horrible, but I'll share my findings with you. I promise girl."
Giselle felt her anger reaching its peak.
Tightening her hand, she felt as if she was going to explode with her anger.
But then Kenpachi body stopped, with his eye becoming heavier and heavier, his body slinking down to the ground.
"W-What's going on?"
Giselle demanded from Mayuri, but he simply laughed.
"He's shutting down. He'll be dead within the hour."
Both Giselle and Yachiru gasped at the sight.
Whatever Mayuri had done, it was very serious indeed.
Meanwhile, Takumi was moving away from the fight with Soi Fon to head back to the base of operations where Yoruichi and the others were, with Nanao beside him, seeing the young man breathing a little hard.
"Takumi-kun, you've been through a lot of fights today, perhaps we should take a break."
"Hehe, and if Soi Fon-san has a change of heart?"
Nanao sweat drops, thinking of Soi Fon hunting them down.
"Perhaps you're right, we should escape from here. Though Takumi-kun, I feel on edge, if we run into anyone else, with your current condition...especially if it is a Captain Class..."
"Don't worry, I've still got fight in me Nanao-san."
Nanao pushed up her glasses.
"Naturally, you always seem to be able to pull more tricks up your sleeve. Though I wish you wouldn't be so reckless. Fighting not one, but two Captain's today, along with Captain Zaraki the other day, it becomes worrying for people such as myself, you know?"
Takumi knew that he had worried Nanao and some others, and he did feel sorry about that.
"I know, I'm sorry about that Nanao-san. I wish that this was over, but there's a few things..." Pausing, Takumi felt the pressure of Giselle, and Mayuri's energies clashing. "...it feels as if there's a fight going on over there."
Nanao turned her expression into a more sturdy battle hardened look.
"...Yes, if I'm not mistaken, then that's Captain Kurotsuchi heading in that direction. But that other power...is it the Quincy girl? Not Yuzu Kurosaki...but, Giselle Gewelle? If that's the case, then they're in danger. But it is a bit of a distance from here...what should we do? Should we go that way? But in your condition, fighting another Captain is..." While Nanao was mumbling about what they should do, she saw that Takumi was already heading in that direction. "...w-wait one second, I'll also be coming with you!"
Nanao quickly shot for Takumi.
Getting close by, she glanced towards him.
"You could have said something if you're just going to leave."
Takumi showed a sheepish smile, seeing the tic mark on the young woman's forehead.
"Mehehehe, you were speaking so I thought if I began moving, you'd follow me. It seems to have worked, right?"
"Maybe you're right. But next time, don't dash out without informing me first."
Takumi became more focused with what she had said, knowing that he'd have to take it seriously.
"Understood."
He said with a serious expression on his face, and continued moving towards the location with Giselle and the others there.
Back with Giselle, she was watching Kenpachi slowly drawing in breath, with Yachiru who was in the background became confused by what was happening, attempting to reach out while calling "Ken-chan…" but Giselle stopped her from moving forward.
"Yachiru-chan, he's still in that gas. If you attempt to go near, you could be infected."
"B-But, Ken-chan is in danger!"
She argued, attempting to get by Giselle, but she kept stopping her.
"Perhaps, but clown bastard up there has done something to him. You heard what he said, it is something that is going to...kill him if we don't sort this bastard out soon enough."
Giselle said it while glaring towards Mayuri.
Mayuri placed a hand to his temple, showing a disturbing smile on his face.
"Aaaah yes, I got the oaf did I? Aah well, I was hoping to get you all in one fell swoop and have you die while I carve you up. But it doesn't seem to be the case after all. Well, I don't mind that now, I'll have to finish you off by the power of my Zanpakuto. I had wished to end this easily, but you're not being easy. That drug was made for Takumi you know? It painfully, agonizingly destroys your body from the inside out. I wanted him to be in as much pain as he possibly could be. Now you made me waste it on the oaf...well, that's alright anyway. He was a tricky one to deal with. If he unleashed his full power, we'd all be in serious trouble, wouldn't we? But that doesn't matter now, I guess that I'll have to make some more for Takumi. Aaha, maybe I could make it even better, and tear him asunder, wouldn't that be great?"
Giselle felt disgusted by what he had said.
It also angered her that he was trying to do something like this.
Mayuri stuck out his blade, and began summoning his power.
"Now, Quincy girl, behold my power. Rip, Ashisogi Jizo!"
Releasing his Zanpakuto, it became something that Giselle found terrible. Even she was looking at the baby face being made, and how it breathed out some poison, knowing she'd have to keep on the mask in case she was poisoned otherwise.
Giselle released a small breath, glancing at Kenpachi, then towards Yachiru.
"Yachiru-chan, take Kenpachi Zaraki away from here."
"But Giselle-chan, you..."
Yachiru wasn't sure.
Even she knew that Mayuri was deranged, and could come up with many different plans to attack.
Giselle offered a cute smile, trying to reassure her of everything currently happening.
"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Make sure that he is able to survive. In fact, take him towards the right hand side of my body. If you keep going that way, you'll eventually run into someone that will be able to help him."
Yachiru wasn't sure about it.
But she knew that Giselle had serious eyes, and that caused her to do what Giselle had asked.
Giselle quickly fished Kenpachi out of the gas, or rather she attempted to, when Mayuri unleashed a number of Byakurai's towards her body, so she quickly took out some arrows from her bow, shooting them off at the lightning for her body and caused them to cancel out the other.
"Damn girl."
Mayuri clicked his tongue, and quickly shot into the gas itself.
Giselle turned to see a sword heading for her body, so she dodged right, and pulled an arrow from her bow, shooting it off at a close range for Mayuri's face, his head flinging itself backwards, just as the arrow went above his head, passing by his face.
"Close call."
He murmured, turning back to see Giselle was beside Kenpachi, while turning towards Mayuri's form.
"Have this!" Giselle unleashed a number of arrows for Mayuri, who quickly sliced through the arrows coming for him. "Oh, no barrier Mayuri?"
She mocked, seeing how he was fighting off the arrows again and again.
"That was something used against sword attacks, not your arrows. Besides, they are moving slow enough for me to hit so easily. Even these arrows can be destroyed if I slash them the right way, you know?"
Despite saying that, Giselle wasn't deterred in the slightest, and took an arrow, holding onto it like a blade, and swung it for Mayuri's own blade, clashing with it while kicking Kenpachi's body away from them, out of the gas, and to Yachiru.
Yachiru glanced back at Giselle who leapt out of the gas, and got high into the air, bringing her bow string back, and gathered a number of arrows.
"Eat this you creepy clown!"
Releasing a number of arrows, they rained down towards Mayuri.
Mayuri glanced upwards, before pulling out what seemed to be some kind of cloth, throwing it up into the air, and it began expanding. As the arrows hit it, they simply disbursed through the cloth, something that Giselle was beginning to feel annoyed about.
Yachiru shook her head, and yelled "Please stay alive!" then she grabbed Kenpachi, dragging him out of there.
Giselle got down to the ground as Mayuri saw Kenpachi and Yachiru getting away.
"Damn bastards, I'll get them back!"
Mayuri used his fake arm to shoot it towards the fleeing Yachiru and Kenpachi.
But as the hand got near, Giselle's arrow hit the arm, and destroyed it instantly, forcing Mayuri to look at the cable where his arm should be, and let out a small laugh.
"You truly are an annoying girl, aren't you?"
"Heh, and you're one sadistic evil man aren't you?"
Giselle shot back at Mayuri who didn't even deny it.
"Ooh yes I am. But do you think this will stop me? I have something that can regrow my arm again and again. I can repair my body, and all you can do is wait for your own destruction. You can die while I-"
"You really like hearing yourself speak, don't you?"
Giselle said it with a sweat drop, causing Mayuri to snicker.
"Yeah, now look at this girl."
Mayuri went into his outfit, and brought out a syringe with a green liquid inside.
Looking over it curiously, Mayuri pierced his shoulder with it, with the lost arm giving a faint glow, before growing it back once more. Giselle just watched on without even looking worried about what had happened.
"There, my arms back now. See? This is science little girl, what you are going to do is-"
"Honestly, I hope you didn't bore others with this kind of crap, you speak so much, my ears are literally bleeding. All I care about is killing you, for those who you have killed. Killing so many Quincy's, killing those innocent people from your squad beforehand, you must be truly evil to do that."
Mayuri gave a small thinking pose.
"Does it anger you? I killed them while dissecting them. I made them die several times, bringing them back, only to kill them again to test their abilities, see what would be their true breaking point and see the potential of their powers. They cried for their fellow Quincy's, and the stupid Quincy honour. Quincy this, Quincy that! It gets so damn annoying!"
"Couldn't agree with you more."
Mayuri...was stunned.
He definitely didn't expect her to say something like that.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah, like it's so annoying when people think they're superior to anyone else. Quincy's, Shinigami, Hollows, they're pretty much similar with minor differences. It doesn't matter about that. People speaking about others in a negative way is terrible. Though you said you killed these Quincy's, they're my brethren, my blood, and you slaughtered them needlessly? You think saying that is going to get me rallied up? In fact, it only makes my convictions stronger."
"Why aren't you all about the honour of the damn Quincy anyway? Do you hate Quincy's?"
Mayuri guessed that.
But Giselle showed a scary smile on her face.
"No, I don't hate Quincy's, nor do I hate Shinigami or Hollows. I've got Quincy friends, I've got Shinigami friends, and I even have Hollow friends, so I don't hate any race. What I hate are people like you, people that abuse others, and use them, for your own gain."
"Speaking from experience? Have people used you before little Quincy?"
Giselle paused when he said that.
Her eyes closed for a brief moment, before opening them with more conviction.
"No one uses me, and I wont let you use anyone ever again."
"You and what army little girl?"
Giselle smirked, waving her hands outwards, which summoned Zombie members of the Gotei 13, including that of Ikkaku and Yumichika. With vacant eyes, more than twenty members stepped forward with Giselle seeing Mayuri's face curled downwards.
"This army. My army of Zombies~"
Mayuri did feel a nervous bead of sweat rolling down his cheek, and then down his neck.
Truly, he was becoming a little worried.
He hadn't expected something like this to happen.
Meanwhile, Nemu and Orihime kept going towards the location that Mayuri was in.
Nemu had many conflicting emotions running through her body. She knew that it was going to be dangerous, she also knew that it was going to be difficult for her to face Mayuri, she knew that she'd have to do it.
Her feelings about Mayuri were complex. He had been a force in her life that she had to rely on, now she was beginning to emerge her own kind of personality, and had decided that Mayuri's way of life wasn't a thing she wished to be apart of.
Orihime could also see the conflicting feelings within Nemu, and wondered if she should say anything about it.
But as they moved, they saw that Yachiru carrying Kenpachi away from the battlefield, Orihime gasped.
"Nemu-san, we need to help her!"
"Yes, let us go."
Nemu quickly dashed to the side of Yachiru, letting Orihime down who was riding on the young woman's back.
"Ken-chan's been hurt! Boobies, you have to help him! You can, can't you?"
Yachiru said it with teary eyes.
Seeing the fact that he was barely moving, they both had to wonder what was happening. But Orihime immediately tapped the top of the building.
"Place him here, I'll try my best."
Yachiru let out a small sob "Hurry..." so Orihime did just that, as he was laid down on the roof.
"Ken-chan..."
Yachiru spoke with a sad expression on her face.
But the young woman simply showed a kind smile.
"Don't worry Yachiru-chan, we'll do this together." Placing her hands out, her hairpins began to glow. "Soten Kisshun, I reject!"
Summoning her Soten Kisshun, she began placing it around the large man before her, and began healing him. Though she noticed that as she was healing him, the damage was just kept steady, and she couldn't get rid of the damage so quickly.
Nemu looked on and could feel Mayuri's power growing more and more.
She also felt Giselle fighting with some of her Zombie's.
Orihime looked on at Kenpachi, and could tell that her power was only holding off the death of Kenpachi. She kept trying to use her power, but something was interfering with her ability to return Kenpachi back to normal.
"I don't understand..."
Nemu exhaled slowly.
"Orihime-sama, I have to go and confront Mayuri-sama. By my calculations, Takumi-sama should arrive here in a few short minutes. Please take care of Captain Zaraki."
"But Nemu-san..."
Orihime called, worried that if Nemu went, and Mayuri was going to hurt her…
But Nemu knew what she had to do, and simply took off, having some more of her own agency now.
She had to go and do a few things, leaving Orihime and Yachiru to Kenpachi.
Back with Giselle, she had just revealed her army of Zombie's to the baffled Mayuri. He hadn't seen something like this before, and it made him all the more curious about where this was going, and what he could do with this information, how he could experiment more and more on Giselle.
"Now, what are you going to do, Mayuri-chan~?"
"Hahaha, I know what I'm going to do little girl. I want to see what's within your body to create these magnificent creatures. Zombies, make me more interested than anything else. I wish to see what kind of things you can turn into Zombie's. What's the process? If you tell me, I'll make sure you have a room all to yourself."
Giselle gave a light scowl.
"Yeah right, as if I'm going to reveal that to you."
Mayuri's interested face, began to turn into a scowl.
"Don't mess with me little girl."
Giselle showed a daring smile.
"Why not? I'll do as I like. So, why don't you try my Zombie's~?"
Giselle waved her hand, and sent off the normal Shinigami towards Mayuri, holding back her stronger Zombies for the moment. Mayuri scowl grew more and more, and turned his blade towards the incoming Shinigami.
"These people are weak fools. You can't hope to defeat me with imbeciles like these!"
Mayuri announced as Giselle took out her bow.
Mayuri jumped towards the enemy Shinigami, and began slashing them down more and more, using his sword to paralyse their bodies, cutting their chests, stabbing their legs, and other parts of their bodies while fending off their sword strikes.
"Hmmm, it seems that they haven't lost their proficiency despite being so called Zombies. Are they dead? Are they alive? I can't tell without studying them more."
While thinking about it, Giselle fired off a number of arrows towards Mayuri's form, forcing him to block with his blade, cutting down the arrows, just as a few Shinigami attempted to jump him from behind to cut him down.
His eyes scarily turned towards them, and gave a single swing outwards, slashing all their torsos, and dropped them down to the ground.
"Do you think these weak fools can fight me?!"
While he yelled that out, Giselle prepared an arrow that had some strange markings on them, firing it off at a high speed, and went towards Mayuri, who turned to see it coming, and raised a barrier with his Kido.
But the barrier simply shattered, forcing him to dodge out of the way, as the arrow continued on behind him, shattering a few walls along its path, surprising Mayuri quite a bit, turning to see that said bunch of walls had crumbled down to the ground.
Mayuri turned back to Giselle who was charging up another arrow for Mayuri.
Gritting his teeth, Mayuri charged for Giselle this time, hoping to slash her before she could get close with the arrow.
However, just before he could get close, Ikkaku jumped down and slashed at Mayuri instead, forcing him to block with his Zanpakuto. The naginata like weapon stabbed at Mayuri several times, who admittedly wasn't the best at sword play, was having a slightly difficult time in keeping up with the increased number of stabbing that Ikkaku was giving off.
"Naturally, it seems like their skills haven't dulled. A member of the Eleventh Squad is a dangerous person to fight up close anyway."
Giselle thought that Mayuri was a little too relaxed despite having to spar with someone like Ikkaku, who while wasn't the strongest, had sword, or in this case, staff skills, above Mayuri who specialized in Kido and poisons more than anything else like this.
Mayuri then watched as Ikkaku came from the right hand side, so he raised a hand and blocked it with a Kido barrier, pushing him away, along with releasing a Kido spell Hainawa, wrapping yellow rope around Ikkaku's body.
"Ooh no, he's caught! Whatever are we going to do~?"
She sang out, going to fire an arrow at him…
But then felt something creeping up her leg.
Turning down, she saw that it was a chain, that quickly wrapped around her form. But she felt it was stronger than a normal chain, as if it was being drawn towards her body, and she couldn't break free, with the chain binding tighter and tighter.
"W-What is this?! Get off me!"
Mayuri began to laugh at the sight, as Giselle tried to break free.
"I said I've been studying Quincy's girl and I met you before. I also knew that it would be difficult to trap you with Kido, so I made something to attract to your specific spiritual energy, which I gathered information back at the place we last met. Do you like it? You're going to be trapped now, you can't escape me. Even if you send that idiot Yumichika after me, he wont be able to held with you now."
Giselle didn't say anything, and watched as Mayuri was heckling her as if he was having a right to do something like that.
He then turned to Ikkaku with his blade.
"And now, it's time to off baldy here. Before I come for you, girl. Don't worry though, I wont hurt you too much. I'll just make sure that you're cut up a little bit, maybe we could find out more about Quincy abilities together? You could explain more about your powers, and eventually show me your powers."
Raising his blade, Mayuri slashed towards the right hand side, attempting to cut down the bald man with his blade.
But Giselle snickered at the sight, stopping Mayuri briefly.
"...What are you snickering at?"
Giselle stuck out her tongue.
"You really don't know your own members of the Gotei 13, do you? Speaking to me like you have any right, speaking down to people. Let me give you a lesson. When you get to know people, you get to know what kind of powers they have, and how to use them."
Mayuri didn't get quite what was being said.
But suddenly, vines erupted around him, wrapping around his form, and stopped him in track.
"W-What?!"
Mayuri traced the source of the vines, and saw that it was Yumichika's Zanpakuto.
"Ooh, did you not know? Or did you think I didn't know about it? Either way, Yumichika-chan here has been keeping a naughty secret about his Zanpakuto, and it seems that he's able to use two different release commands. This one, is called Ruri'iro Kujaku, and it has a special ability to drain the spiritual energy out of someone until they're bone dry, where they crumble away, and they die! Sorry Mayuri, it seems that you're done now!"
Mayuri began to truly panic now.
If this was the case, then they were done.
There was nothing he could do about being drained dry like this.
He had to think, and he had to think quickly, or he was going to die.
Back with Takumi and Nanao, they were continuing towards their destination, but Takumi had a few things he was rather curious about and decided to ask Nanao about it.
"Say Nanao-san, can I ask you something?"
"Yes, of course. What is it?"
Takumi thought about which question he'd want to know about first.
"Well,you must know of my personal relationships...do you know what Aizen and I were like back then?"
"Captain Aizen and you...erm, I do remember that you did have a friendly relationship. Though it seemed to be something that Captain Aizen wasn't really willing to share. Perhaps he was embarrassed, as he was more, introverted and silent and you Takumi-kun...well, you weren't really the silent type, you were the person that wished to help and get to know others...I think nothing has probably changed."
Takumi let out a small laugh.
"Nope, I'm still quite like that~"
Nanao raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"Why did you want to know?"
"I'm just curious about it, and to see if Aizen has some kind of personal vendetta against me, if my existence is something he hates."
Nanao got into a thinking pose.
"Honestly, I can't think of anything. I remember seeing you both when younger, and it seemed to me that you really got on, from your days on the Second Division, and then as you moved to other divisions..."
"How many divisions was I in?"
"Hmmm, you joined the Second...you were also in the Twelfth...you also were in the Eighth with myself, and Lisa-san..."
"Heh, seems like I jumped around a lot huh."
Nanao let out a small giggle she couldn't contain.
"You had your reasons from moving Squad to Squad."
Takumi was even more wondering than before.
"Do you know why?"
"I think it was probably because of your Father...you're aware he was a member of the Gotei 13 at one point like you, yes?" Takumi inclined his neck. "He also was in the Second Division, then he was in the Twelfth Division, the Captain with his Lieutenant, who you had a...colourful relationship with...but, he wasn't in the Eighth Division while you were."
"So, why did I move there?"
Nanao shrugged her shoulders.
"You never told me why, though I do have my suspicions why you were brought under Captain Kyoraku. I thought it might be because my Captain saw potential within you...or he was lazy and forced you to do his paperwork. The same with Lisa-san probably."
"Really? Lisa-san never said."
Nanao's face turned confused.
"You...still see her?"
"Back in the human world, I know all of the gang, from Shinji, to Lisa-san. They're all...pretty unique to say the least. They've taught me a few things, I learned a bit of Kido from Hacchi, I've learned aggressive sword swings from Hiyori-chan, Shinji taught me about messing with opponents, Lisa-san taught me about...sex appeal." Nanao sweat dropped. "I'm not sure where I'm gonna work that in, but it might come in handy. The others also taught me various things in their...respective fields, some are more useful than others, not gonna lie."
Nanao overlooked Takumi, and felt her face heat up ever so slightly.
"Y-Yes, it seems that you all have become rather close over the hundred years." Takumi began laughing to the confusion of Nanao. "Something funny?"
"It's just the concept of being over a hundred years old, it's just weird. By the way Nanao-san, do you know anything about my Mother?"
At the question, Nanao scrunched her eyebrows together.
"No...I can't say that I do. You spoke about her sometimes, but it seemed painful so I didn't interfere more."
Takumi could get that.
"So, what was our relationship, Nanao-san?"
As soon as he asked that, her face burned bright red, fixing her eyes to in front of her.
"W-We were friends, that's all!"
Takumi gave her suspicious looks.
"Is that all?"
Nanao nodded without looking at him like a robot.
"Y-Yes, we were just friends."
"Oh, were we at least close friends?"
Nanao paused, her eyes going towards him.
"...I'd yes that we were pretty good friends. I...don't have many personal relationships with others, and at first, we were...I was caught off guard by your demeanour, there truly wasn't a Shinigami quite like you. I'd say that my Captain comes close...but, you always had this mysteriousness about you, you often disappeared into the Rukongai, you even used to drink tea with Head Captain."
"The old man?!"
Takumi yelled with astonishment, Nanao inclined her neck with a small laugh.
"The very same, it seems he liked your youthful energy, he often asked you to come for tea. Even as a new subordinate under Captain Yoruichi. I remember a fair few people that found you weird, or odd, but I always found you fascinating. Anything negative thrown your way, you'd simply laugh it off, and continue forward with a smile. It was endearing to someone like me. I hadn't met anyone like you, plus you weren't lazy like my Captain, you always seemed to want to challenge yourself, and whatever you did make, you'd simply give it away to people that needed it. Yes...you were very odd, and I'm glad you haven't changed, Takumi-kun."
She admitted at the end, blushing heavily.
Takumi gave a simple smile towards the young woman as they continued on.
He was glad that he could learn a bit more, but it also intrigued him more about what his former life was like.
Meanwhile, Giselle continued to watch as Mayuri was being drained dry of his energy.
From the vines, rose like buds began to be produced, Mayuri's panic grew within his eyes, while Giselle smile was growing more and more.
"Sorry you clown bastard, but you're going to die. Perhaps now you'll know the real fear you put Quincy's through, everyone you've ever experimented on. You're no scientist, you're a joke Mayuri."
While she spoke, Ikkaku managed to break through the Kido spell, and come to her side.
"Zombie Ikkaku has come to save Giselle-sama."
"Good Zombie Ikkaku, you're a very good man."
Using his Shikai, he sliced right through the chains that bound her, and freed her body.
Waving a hand through her hair, her eyes went towards Mayuri.
"How you hanging Mayuri? Your body feeling weak? You'll soon be dead, but I'd like to help that process along."
Mayuri felt more and more of his power being drained out of him.
His eyes were being laced with a bit of fear.
He kept thinking about how to handle this.
Giselle began to laugh as she pulled back her bow string, and began forming an arrow, an arrow meant to kill Mayuri.
"This is also for your Lieutenant. Rest in hell, you bastard...no, hell is too nice for you. You need to go to the lowest levels of the world, and disappear for good. You wont be able to hurt anyone else where you're going."
Mayuri continued to panic, shaking side to side with worry beginning to come on his face.
As he thought about all of the gadgets he had, he wondered which would be able to help him…
Then he gained a dirty smirk.
"Hahahaha! So this is a good trick indeed girl! I'll praise you for your ingenuity! Did you get him just for this reason? My powers draining out of me, my body is going to wither away, yet I'm the most excited I've been in a long time! But, you also underestimated me. Because, I always come out on top, no matter the opponent, all I have to do is sacrifice my arm."
Giselle became confused, as she saw Mayuri going towards his pocket with his hand.
"No you wont!"
Giselle fired off the arrow instantly for his head to kill him.
Mayuri's fingers got inside of his pocket, and he pressed some kind of device that was in the shade of a sphere with lights coming off of it. The lights suddenly began to release some kind of fire that was growing higher and higher through his arm.
He let out a cry of pain as the flames quickly spread up his arm, which in turn burned through the vines, enough for Mayuri to move his neck out of the way, with the arrow cutting across his cheek, and pierced through one of the places his ears should be, shattering it off Mayuri's body, while the fire completely burns through the vines, freeing Mayuri.
Immediately, he sliced off the arm, which crumbled into ashes on the ground, with Mayuri panting at the sight of his arm being destroyed like it was.
But he still had a dark smile, twisted in with his anger, for Giselle.
"You bitch, you're really pushing your luck now, aren't you?"
Giselle panted, nodding as she took a good at the injured Mayuri.
"And you, what are you going to do now? Are you going to fight against me like that? I don't think so."
Mayuri, with his remaining arm, held his sword outwards.
"If that's what you think, then you either don't know, or don't remember, about Shinigami's Zanpakuto. They don't have a single release, they also have a release above the initial Shikai state, and here it is, my little Zombie girl."
Giselle began to panic.
She didn't know what Mayuri's second release was going to be, what kind of power it would have.
"Now, Bankai."
As soon as he said it, the baby face of his Zanpakuto let out a small crying sound.
The baby's head on the guard opens its mouth as it produces a giant creature with the body of a caterpillar in a red cape, with a grotesque golden baby's head and arms, and a silver halo hovering around its head. Near the back of the halo are 4 bells, 2 on each side. From the bottom of its body, blades jutted out, more than Giselle cared to count for.
From the mouth of the golden baby face, breathed out a thick layer of poison, Giselle watched as it came closer and closer, washing over them. But due to the masks, she and the others were safe from being poisoned.
Mayuri, with his injuries, began showing a truly disturbing look on his face.
"Now, girl! You're going to be pierced through and I'll end your life!"
"Don't just assume things Mayuri."
Giselle gritted her teeth, as the giant caterpillar creatures blade began moving forward, Giselle pulled back her arrow, and shot it off at the creature, which bounced off the body of the creature, not even leaving a dent.
"Hahahaha! Now girl, your arrows wont work!"
Giselle raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Is that so?"
"It is."
Giselle continued looking on and wondered what would be the best way to go about this.
But then she glanced at Ikkaku, and then her own bow and arrow.
"Ikkaku, it's time to do it."
"Do what?"
Mayuri quizzed the young woman, only for Giselle to smirk.
"For someone so smart, I thought you'd know of your trusted comrades abilities. You didn't know Yumichika's, so I'm guessing you don't know about Ikkaku's either, do you little bastard?" Mayuri furrowed his eyes curiously as Ikkaku swung his staff around. "Do it, Ikkaku, Bankai."
"B-Bankai…?"
Mayuri was baffled as Ikkaku thrusted his arms into the air.
"Bankai!"
With a release of power, Ikkaku's Shikai form breaks away and turns into a different shape all together.
Its two main weapons are a Chinese Monk's spade and a standard guandao. Both have a traditional horsehair tassel at the hilt, and a long, cylindrical weight for a pommel. The pommels are connected by a heavy chain to the center section, which resembles an axe blade, with a parallel handle forged into the blunt end and a dragon crest on one side of the blade.
Mayuri was stunned as Giselle snapped her fingers.
"Go Ikkaku-kun~"
Ikkaku followed his masters orders, and launched forward. Mayuri through gritted teeth watched as the large caterpillars blades clashed together, creating a heavy amount of sparks dousing the area, with Mayuri snapping at the creature.
"Bite him if you have to! Snap him like a twig!"
Mayuri's Bankai responded by showing its teeth, attempting to bite Ikkaku, but Yumichika's Shikai's vines shoot out, and wrap around the creatures neck, yanking it backwards, while also absorbing some of its power.
Mayuri looked on with an annoyed expression, ordering the creature to cut through the vines with the swords inside of it, which it did, but Ikkaku began swinging the large blades, clashing violently with the swords, and the power of the Bankai increased a bit, as it nicked some of the blade.
Mayuri looked beyond annoyed, while Giselle pulled back her bow string, and formed an arrow. But not just any old arrow, she was forming an arrow that was going to pool her powers, knowing that she'd have to summon her strength to cut down the Bankai.
Ikkaku forced back the Bankai of Mayuri's with a hard swing, before raising the two blades above his head, and with the chain attached to them, swung them round like a propeller, cutting more and more into the Bankai's body.
"I don't think so!"
Mayuri placed his hand out, and shot off a Sokatsui towards Ikkaku, only for Yumichika's Zanpakuto to form a wall of vines, blocking off the high dense shot, albeit with the power ripping right through the vines, but didn't progress further.
Mayuri ground his teeth, turning his attention to Giselle, and attempted to fire off a Kido spell at her, only for Ikkaku to stick out his blade, and slam it towards Mayuri, forcing him to dodge out of the way, while Yumichika shot his vines out towards him.
"Be shocked!"
From his head, a surge of electricity came out, shocking the vines heading for him, and forced them away, while Giselle snickered "That's Takumi-kun's specialty, not yours~" which infuriated Mayuri to no end.
His finger jabbed towards her angrily.
"You shut up! I am trying to do something here!"
"Yeah me too."
Mayuri was flabbergasted, he hadn't predicted he'd be pushed this far by Giselle.
Perhaps Takumi, but not Giselle.
Giselle though didn't seem to care what Mayuri thought and continued charging her arrow.
As the two Bankai's clashed together, Giselle could see the power was growing more and more with the red crest growing more and more. Ikkaku came right with the Bankai, which knocked it backwards ever so slightly, allowing Yumichika's vines to wrap around its neck, strangling the creature and sucking away its energy at the same time.
Mayuri, seeing his chance, shot for Giselle in an attempt to force the Zombie's to stop, his hand sticking out to grab the young woman.
But Giselle tossed some silver looking cylinders onto the ground, which erupted with power, creating a barrier, stopping Mayuri's progression towards her, his hand being repelled by the barrier ever so slightly.
Panting, Mayuri saw Ikkaku's Bankai slicing upwards, and cut the cheek of the creature, at the same time he received a hard slash to the torso.
"Hah! Your human puppets are made of flesh and bone, they'll eventually die, and my Bankai will kill you!"
"Perhaps that's what you think. But you know, Zombie's are a bit more durable than what you think. And how do you know that my Zombie's don't regenerate?"
Giselle baited, seeing Mayuri's eyes glaring harshly for the young woman.
"Don't test my patience girl."
Mayuri said it with a sharp tongued voice.
Giselle however saw that her arrow was ready, so she took aim.
"It's time to say goodbye to your Bankai."
"That wimpy arrow wont slice through my Bankai!"
Mayuri was sure of it.
But he didn't know what Giselle was thinking about.
"We'll see about that! Do you know about Blut? Blut Arterie, is something that Quincy's possess that can damage a Bankai. You Shinigami have Bankai, we have something as well. And if I use mine, you'd definitely die. Though, it's like hard to control, so I don't want to rely on it right now. This will be enough for someone like me."
Giselle heartily pulled back her bow string, and aimed right for the face of the caterpillar creature. Mayuri didn't think it would be able to work, but he had to admit that he was rather intrigued to see what Giselle's attempts were going to be.
Even then, Giselle didn't let Mayuri dissuade her, continued charging up that arrow of hers.
Mayuri, feeling more pressure from Giselle, began to feel nervous.
"Destroy her! That girl, right now!"
Mayuri commanded, so the creatures blades went for the arrow. Ikkaku went to slice down the blades, when Mayuri quickly did a binding spell on him, grabbing him with six pillars of light, Giselle thought he might do that, and turned to Yumichika...seeing that he also was trapped.
"Tch, you are tricky."
"Naturally, I knew you'd try that, little girl. Your ability to fight seems to depend on your allies around your, your Zombie powers makes it so your allies can work very well in tandem, almost as if you're the leader of an army. But even with an army, you wont be able to beat me."
Giselle showed a small smirk on her face.
"Yes, you're probably right. I'd have to use my full power to defeat your Bankai, but as I said, my power is difficult to control since I've not had it all that long. But you're forgetting my comrades, my adorable Zombie's, they have quite a few good abilities, and I'm going to use them right now to my own advantage!"
Giselle thrusted her hand towards Ikkaku, with a wire coming off her fingers, which grabbed the weapon, and brought it closer towards the young woman. Mayuri attempted to use the caterpillar to stop her in her tracks, but she was too fast for the giant creature, and brought the hulking weapon to her side.
She then overlaid her arrow with the glowing over half way full Dragon crest, using the Quincy ability to draw in spiritual energy, and did that with the storing power of Ikkaku's Bankai, which brought her arrows power to a level Mayuri hadn't even thought about, causing a nervous bead of sweat to run down his cheek.
"So...this is the power of the Quincy..."
Mayuri was in a state of disbelief, his mind couldn't comprehend that Giselle had managed to do this.
Building this much power, using the power to fight against him.
"Now Mayuri, time to go bye bye!"
Giselle, with the arrow that dwarfed a house, shot it off towards the caterpillar creature. It attempted to defend with its blades, but as soon as the arrow hit the blades, it ripped them asunder, destroying them instantly, and continued on.
"N-No! No! No!"
Mayuri exclaimed, attempting to move backwards, but the arrows speed, and strength was more than he had predicted, and the large arrow ripped right through the Bankai, splitting it almost in two, with Mayuri's right arm, along with his right shoulder, and all the way down to his hip on the right hand side was obliterated by Giselle's intense power.
With a large amount of blood leaking out of him, his body fell down to his knees, with a large deal of blood coming out of his mouth.
Giselle smiled at the sight…
But then she felt something impale her torso.
Widening her eyes, she saw that it was the caterpillars blade had been released, which was dripping with poison.
Mayuri's face curled upwards despite his pain, and began laughing.
"Always one last trick, girl."
Giselle crumbled down to her knees, as Mayuri began moving forward.
His legs were unsteady, but he still pushed forward.
With his sword now returning to its sealed state, he made it to Giselle who looked up at the sight.
"Your body...is stopped now...you can't...do anything little Quincy girl...you're going to die..."
Mayuri, lifting up his blade, and aimed it for Giselle.
Giselle gritted her teeth, thinking "I'll use Ransotengai to manipulate my paralyzed body like a puppet..." but before she could even begin, suddenly Nemu stood before Mayuri, stopping him in his tracks.
"Mayuri-sama, I beg you, please stop."
At that, Mayuri became so baffled that even he was stunned by Nemu's words.
Back with Orihime, she was continuing to heal Kenpachi as best as she could. But no matter what she did, it seemed like Kenpachi was still going through something akin to dying. He didn't make a sound, but the pain on Kenpachi's face was real.
Truly, it seemed like Mayuri had made this to make Takumi suffer, but he was now making Kenpachi suffer instead.
While she worked on Kenpachi, Takumi came shooting in with Nanao, landing beside Orihime.
"Taku-chan! Something's happened with Ken-chan! Help him!"
Yachiru let out a cute crying sound, so Takumi bent down to Kenpachi's unconscious body.
"It's alright Yachiru-san, we'll sort this out."
"But Taku-chan, I don't know what's happening. The more I heal him...it's like whatever Mayuri-san has done, is destroying him faster than I heal him. Even when I repair some damage, it just becomes damaged once more."
"What happened exactly?"
Nanao asked, so Yachiru gave the best recollection of events that she could.
While she did, Takumi took out a scanning device, while also doing some tests as he told Orihime to continue her efforts, which seemingly were keeping Kenpachi alive for the moment.
"It seems like he'll be gone soon, Takumi-kun. That...poison or whatever it is, is able to even kill Captain Zaraki."
"B-But I don't want him to die!"
Yachiru cried at Nanao, as Takumi gently petted her head.
"It's alright, we'll deal with this." Takumi continued scanning Kenpachi while Orihime continued healing. "Hmmm...from what I can see here, it seems that his cells are being destroyed from the inside. The pain would have been instant, and it's designed to attack his internal organs...it's a deadly poison alright, and we need to neutralize it. Even with Orihime-chan using her powers, it's rapid rate of spreading is killing him faster than your Soten Kisshun is able to heal him...but, if we're able to stop his body from dying...then we would work together to cure him of this ailment."
Takumi went into his bag, and began quickly mixing some chemicals together.
"Takumi-kun, what are you going to do?"
Nanao asked, while Takumi glanced at a few different chemicals.
"Honestly, this kind of attack is to be expected. He's a poison expert, Mayuri. This kind of attack would do the most damage the quickest. I have to say that if he wasn't evil, then he'd be able to help people, his knowledge on the human anatomy is fantastic...but, if we can put Kenpachi-san in a suspended animation like state, then Captain Unohana and I along with Orihime-chan should be able to help come up with a vaccine to this poison."
While he was speaking, Shuhei from Squad 9, after his swatting away from Kenpachi, began coming closer while rubbing his head.
"Aah damn...that attack was scary..."
As he spoke, he heard noises coming from up above.
Becoming wary of it, he jumped up towards another building secretly, and used his expert skills to spy on what was happening.
What he saw was Takumi was on the roof with Nanao and Yachiru, and Orihime.
He also noticed that it seemed like Orihime and Takumi to him was doing something to Kenpachi, and that Yachiru and Nanao were attempting to stop him, from his perspective anyway.
Seeing an opportunity, he leaped up towards them, and aimed a fist towards Takumi.
"Alright Takumi Urahara, it's time for you to be stopped!"
Takumi glanced up at Shuhei who was looking on strong.
Glancing at Orihime, she giggled out "Taku-chan, it seems we've been discovered, should we fight?" with Takumi scratching his cheek.
"He seems quite injured...so, Ravage, Kinhime!" With a bolt of lightning coming from the sky onto his blade, it turned into a sword shaped like a lightning bolt. "Now, you can either leave quietly, or we could have a fight."
Shuhei tightened his hands, turning to Nanao and Yachiru.
"Lieutenant's, we should team up, and fight him together!"
Nanao and Yachiru glanced at one another, Takumi giving them knowing looks, so they stood next to Shuhei and pointed their fingers towards Takumi.
"Yes, for my Captain, I shall take you in."
"You might have hurt Ken-chan! We can't forgive you!"
Hearing their faux words of antagonism, Takumi raised a brow curiously, before whipping his sword up above his head, creating sparks of electricity within the air. Shuhei got into a fighting position, charging for Takumi with his lightning fast kick heading for him.
However, Orihime thrusted her hands forward, on Takumi's request.
"Santen Kesshun! I reject!"
"W-Wait, what?"
Shuhei got confused as the shield came up, and blocked the intense kick, as more and more electricity came gathering onto the blade, with the tip of the blade, pointing directly at Shuhei as Nanao and Yachiru attempted to 'fight' against Takumi and Orihime.
However, Takumi announced a faux Kido spell to bind them, and they acted as if they had been bound by Kido energy, and fell down to the ground, while Shuhei was surprised by what had happened.
"Taking down Lieutenant's like that, you can't take me-"
"Have this!"
Shuhei watched as the blades lightning shot for him, so he tried to dodge it, but Orihime used her Santen Kesshun to create a wall, stopping him from being able to escape towards the left hand side, his eyes widening at the sight of the lightning.
"Aaaah!"
Shuhei let out a yell, with the lightning wrapping around the body of Shuhei, and sent powerful shocks through his system. Shocking him from head to toe, Shuhei felt as if his body was becoming paralysed by the intense shock of electricity.
Then Takumi whipped his sword right, and sent Shuhei away into a building. Though Takumi made sure that he didn't truly hurt Shuhei, but knock him out instead. Unable to fight for consciousness, he was knocked out, with Nanao and Yachiru stood up.
"Wow, he went far!"
Yachiru yelled happily, while Nanao folded her arms.
"It seems to have worked."
Takumi showed a calm expression on his face.
"Well, on the off chance that he got away, it couldn't be revealed you were working with me. And now you can both collaborate that you also were shocked and flung away from the area like he was. To be on the safe side, perhaps send some Squad members here Nanao-san."
"Good thinking, I'll explain the situation after we've finished here. It should give you time to get away, and I'll have to meet up with you later on. Top priority is to keep the safety of you, and the others."
Takumi nodded, and continued working on some kind of drug.
Eventually, after a few minutes, Takumi finished working on said drug, and injected Kenpachi with it.
Yachiru looked on with a heavy heart, hoping that Kenpachi was going to be okay.
Kenpachi's body began to spasm, igniting worry within Yachiru.
"Ken-chan! A-Are you..."
"It's okay, this is supposed to happen."
Takumi confirmed it with a kind expression on his face.
Yachiru turned her teary eyes towards Takumi.
"...W-What's happened to Ken-chan…? What did you do Taku-chan…?"
"What I've done is basically put him on ice, on the inside. But, don't think that's dying Yachiru-chan, it's a drug that works on slowing down the cells in his body until they stay completely still. He might feel cold, but everything in his body right now, is in a frozen state, nothing can progress, and nothing can spread either to other parts of Kenpachi-sans body either. And don't worry, it wont damage him permanently, and I can reverse it anytime with a counter drug."
Orihime let out a small breath she didn't know she was holding.
"That's a relief Taku-chan. We should be able to help him now."
"Yes, I'll regulate his body so nothing happens, but we should get going. First we need to check on the others, then head back to Yoruichi-chan. I'll carry Kenpachi-san, Orihime-chan I'll also carry you on my back. Yachiru-san, follow me, alright?"
[Yes!]
They replied at the same time, leaving Nanao to incline her neck.
"Then we'll part from here, be careful everyone."
"Thanks, Nanao-san. I'll leave it to you."
Takumi quickly hauled Kenpachi onto his right shoulder, with Orihime getting to his other side. Then they shot off towards the place that Nemu and Giselle was, hoping that they were still able to keep going on.
Back with Giselle, Nemu had stepped before Mayuri, who looked on with surprise. After hearing her request, he chose to ignore it, believing it to be a simple thing that she was doing, which she usually did when he was trying to do things she apparently was against.
"Nemu, what are you doing you dull looking girl? Where have you been? I've been calling for you for a while now. You best have a good reason."
At the threatening tone, Nemu almost felt like giving in and simply saying "Sorry Mayuri-sama." but she stopped herself, knowing it wouldn't be a great way to go about it.
Mayuri impatiently tapped his foot on the ground.
"Well?"
Nemu didn't reply.
She couldn't reply.
She hadn't faced Mayuri like this before, with a sense of independence.
Mayuri became increasingly annoyed.
"Whatever, move out of the way Nemu, I want to harvest this girls body before she dies. That poison will eventually kill her if I don't administer the counter drug to it. Seriously, having to use these on her, and not Takumi, it makes me feel so damn annoyed. Bringing me to this kind of level. Inconceivable? She really has driven my anger up. Now, it's time to finish her off."
Mayuri produced a normal looking knife, and aimed it at Giselle.
Giselle gritted her teeth, knowing that if she was going to be attacked, then she'd die, and she couldn't have that.
She began gathering spiritual energy around her form, while Mayuri laughed maniacally.
"Don't worry Quincy girl, this wont hurt that much."
Nemu watched as Mayuri began walking around her.
Nemu however couldn't let Giselle get hurt, and ended up getting in front of Mayuri once more.
"This is beginning to get annoying Nemu! Get out of the way, now!"
Even though she was threatened, Nemu couldn't do as Mayuri had asked.
She wouldn't do it anymore.
"...Mayuri-sama, you always told me to follow your orders."
"Yeah, and right now, you're disobeying them. Care to explain yourself Nemu?"
Nemu could see that Mayuri, despite his injuries, was becoming increasingly angry at Nemu.
"Mayuri-sama, I have begun thinking."
"Thinking? When did I tell you to do that?"
"You didn't, Mayuri-sama. However, I have been to Karakura Town, and I have been thinking about the treatment I have received since my creation. I...do not like it."
It took a lot for Nemu to say that.
It took a lot from her to even confront Mayuri.
But it didn't mean she could stop either.
"You don't like it? You are told what you like and don't from me! I am your creator Nemu, do not think you have any right to disobey me!"
"But Mayuri-sama, I must. I have come to like things such as music, and taking pictures. I also have a fascination with gathering information. I also appear to like chocolate milk, I hadn't realized that I did like it before."
Giselle felt a smile come to her face as Nemu was confessing these things.
It was her normal stoic voice for the most part.
But there was some strong emotion within her voice.
Mayuri couldn't hide his astonishment, and couldn't comprehend what was currently happening.
"Nemu, I do not like these words coming from your mouth. If you don't be quiet girl, I'll cut you down. Do you understand me? Who's put this nonsense in your head anyway? Is it that damn Takumi? It is, isn't it?"
"Takumi-sama...he is the person that asked me a single question."
Mayuri raised an irritated brow.
"And that was?"
"Who are you? That simple question began running through my mind, and I decided more and more about who I really am. Mayuri-sama, I do not wish to harm good people. And I cannot allow you to harm her, anymore."
Mayuri's face contorted into a shape that was unrecognizable.
It was inconceivable to someone like him.
He couldn't believe that Nemu of all people was standing up to him like this.
It caused anger to stir within him.
It caused his rage to grow to levels that he hadn't even thought about before.
His lone hand with his sword raised high, and he aimed it at Nemu.
Nemu...offered no resistance.
She couldn't offer any resistance.
She was told time and time again to never disobey Mayuri, it almost felt like she had been programmed to do that.
Giselle's body began to be wrapped within spiritual wires to hoist her up.
Mayuri saw that despite Nemu looking submissive, her eyes were defiant.
That defiance was something that Mayuri couldn't stand.
"I'll teach you to be like that with me, girl!"
Nemu lowered her eyes and accepted what was about to come.
Even though Giselle said things like "Don't you dare!" while attempting to move to intercept, Mayuri just kept laughing all the more, and went to slash Nemu with his blade…
When a voice rang out.
"Nemu-saaaaaaaaaaan! Don't let him hurt yoooooooooooooooooou!"
Though they were a significant distance away, Nemu heard the calling of Takumi, snapping her to make a stand.
Without thinking, she grabbed Mayuri's sword wielding arm, and stopped it in its tracks.
Mayuri looked down at their connection, then gave fiery eyes towards Nemu.
"You...stopped me? Why Nemu….? Why are you being defiant like this?"
"...I want to become a better person. I, can do that as well. Though Mayuri-sama created me...you do not treat me correctly. I, do not wish to be under your service if this is the life that I have waiting for me. Mayuri-sama, gave me life, and I am, grateful. However, that is as far as it extends. Mayuri-sama created me, but he doesn't..."
"Love you."
Giselle added, to Mayuri's despair.
"Yes, that is correct, Giselle-san."
Nemu's words cut like a knife into Mayuri.
His own creation, turning on him.
Nemu, wasn't following his orders.
Nemu pushed Mayuri away from her, as Giselle stood up, taking an arrow out.
Mayuri's angered eyes went towards Giselle.
"How are you...wait, is it that? The famous Ransotengai? It is, isn't it? Haha, you can even do that? You are a fine Quincy after all! And Takumi has swayed Nemu...seriously, you're pissing me off now!" Mayuri backed away, while slipping down onto the ground from his weakened state. "Y-You Nemu...you're going to regret turning your back on me! I'll make sure of it, you insolent girl!"
Nemu simply bowed her head, and didn't offer anymore than that.
Mayuri raised his blade, and pierced himself through the throat, shocking Giselle.
"W-What's he doing?"
"His body will turn into a liquid, and he'll be able to escape. Though he can get away, he cannot attack, nor can we attack him."
As she spoke, Mayuri's body exploded into a bluish green liquid that scattered everywhere. Giselle huffed while the liquid parts began to sink through the walls crevices, with them being unable to do anything against it.
"Good move Quincy girl...and Nemu, I'll be coming back for you. Nothing I create defies me, you are no longer anything I want to associate with...I'll build something even better than you...I'll create someone immensely powerful that wont betray me..."
"Mayuri-sama...I did not wish to betray you, I wished to do what was right."
"Who decides what is right?"
"Mayuri-sama, harming innocent people, is wrong. Perhaps you might dislike me, but I am grateful to Mayuri-sama. He gave me life, now I shall explore what it means to be living."
Mayuri released growl after growl.
It was inconceivable that Nemu could do this to him.
He had to wonder where he went wrong with her, why she had turned on him like this.
Getting beside them, Takumi and the others came to see the departing Mayuri.
"Mayuri..."
"Takumi Urahara, you did this to Nemu...you swayed her to your side with your words..."
Takumi could hear the rage within his voice.
It was nearly inhuman.
But Takumi didn't care, and still pressed forward.
"What I did for her, is only give her the right to choose what life she wished for. And she didn't choose to do what you do. I never swayed her, I only told her about the joys of life, and what she could do if she wanted. I didn't force my ideals onto her, she already had ideals inside of her, squashed under years of psychological abuse you had given her. She was your child, and you abused her trust, physically hurting her, mentally destroyed her to the point that she had nearly no agency, she was a nearly broken person. You, are not a true scientist, Mayuri. If you come for Nemu-san I promise to cut you down and leave no trace of you. I don't care how smart you are, I'll defeat you with all of my intelligence and my power."
Mayuri was seething at this point.
Losing to Giselle, Nemu disobeying him and leaving his side for Takumi's, and Takumi himself, being someone that had said those words that were stirring within his mind again and again.
"...Until the day Takumi, lets see who's smarter next time...I'll destroy you."
With that, the last of the liquid had disappeared, leaving them alone.
As soon as he went, Takumi saw that Nemu was looking at the ground.
"Nemu-san..."
"Takumi-sama, I...spoke to Mayuri-sama, about my true feelings."
"Yes, you did amazing, Nemu-san."
"Thank you, Takumi-sama. From now on...I want to help good people."
Takumi showed a light smile.
"Yes, that's a good goal to have."
"Also, I wish to stop Mayuri-sama so he cannot hurt anyone else."
"I see...then if that's what you wish, I'll help you anyway that I can..." As he spoke, Giselle felt a pain within her, dropping to her knees. "Giselle-san!"
Takumi went to her side, as her chest heaved.
"H-He poisoned me in the end...even with that mask...he stabbed me and I've been infected..."
"Then I'll..."
Giselle placed a hand on his face.
"Don't worry about that...I'll be alright..."
Takumi couldn't accept that, and wondered what he could do…
When Nemu pulled out a bottle from behind her Lieutenant's badge.
Taking off the lid, she placed it to Giselle's lips, and ordered "Sip this." which Giselle began to do, while Orihime used her abilities to heal the young woman.
"Nemu-san, is that the antidote?"
"Yes, it will make sure that she is able to live. Though she might feel a bit weak for a little while."
"I see, then once she's drunk that, we should all head back to the hiding place. We need to regroup before another Captain comes to interfere with us. Nemu-san, could I ask you to carry Kenpachi-san for me?"
Nemu nodded without pause.
"Yes of course, Takumi-sama."
"Great, then lets hurry since this battle will draw a lot of attention."
[Yes!]
With that understood, Takumi and the others quickly finished off healing Giselle to the point she'd be able to move, and once making sure everyone was ready, they all took off together, unaware of what was going to happen next.
Though it seemed small, Takumi was very proud of Nemu, for showing Mayuri that he wasn't going to get his way with her, and that she was becoming her own person, a person that Takumi thought Nemu should be proud of, and next time that they met, he was sure that Nemu's confidence in herself would grow even higher.
End chapter!
Mayuri fought Giselle this chapter, who used her Zombies to work in tandem with her, and managed to surprise Mayuri at a few turns, using some Blut to help her fight off Mayuri, along with showing Ikkaku's Bankai, and Yumichika's Shikai. Though Kenpachi got poisoned by Mayuri who was well prepared to fight him, but thanks to Orihime and then later Takumi, he has been saved for the moment to help him out when they're in a safe place, along with Unohana.
Meanwhile, Momo has escaped her prison cell, and it seems that she's gunning for Takumi, while Takumi himself spoke with Nanao, and found out a bit more about his past relationships with Aizen, Nanao herself, and hinted at a few others, and he also fought off Shuhei without much trouble, with Nanao staying behind to cover for her, and Yachiru.
Finally, Nemu stood up to Mayuri. Though it wasn't a fight (Mayuri and Nemu will have a bigger confrontation in the future) Nemu defended herself, and Giselle, and with some assistance from Takumi and Giselle, she managed to say exactly what she wished to say to Mayuri himself, who couldn't believe what had happened, and vowed vengeance.
Well, until next time, thanks for reading!
Takumi; Orihime, Rukia, Yuzu, Karin, Nemu, Giselle, Liltotto, Momo, Soi Fon, Yoruichi, Hiyori, Nelliel, Tier, Rangiku, Toshiro (fem), Nanao.