Chapter Fourteen: Kouga's Awakening

Aizen admitted that he got carried away. After dropping Isshin's bloodied carcass off at Squad 4 he tried to slip out quietly. But Unohana proved too skilled a huntress, and he found himself cornered.

'Captain Aizen, I realize that you have been having a very stressful day.' she said with a smile. 'We all have. I also realize that it was your perception that Isshin Shiba had doomed the soul society.'

Aizen shifted uneasily beneath her stare.

'However, bearing all this in mind, I must stress something. Beating your fellow Captain within an inch of his life is not appropriate conduct.' continued Unohana, the weight of her disapproval like a mountain. 'Especially since in doing so, you allowed the entity known as Muramasa to escape to the world of the living.'

'Yes, I admit that my reaction was… poorly timed.' said Aizen. 'However, I will correct the matter if only you let me attend to it.'

'Of course.' said Unohana. 'I expect you to apologize to Captain Isshin once he is stable.'

'You want me to apologize?' asked Aizen.

'It seems only reasonable and it will help maintain peace between the divisions.' said Unohana. 'Isshin is a forgiving-'

'No.' said Aizen. 'He nearly doomed us all.'

'I'm afraid I must insist.' said Unohana.

Aizen matched her gaze for a few moments, before looking away from her. '…Very well. If you'll permit me to work on a speech.'

Suddenly there was a shriek from the other room. Unohana turned and entered it quickly. She found Rangiku writing on the bed, screaming as nurses tried to hold her down. Curious. Aizen approached. 'What happened to her?'

'We don't know.' admitted Unohana. 'From what I can gather she is being attacked through her link to her zanpakto. It had been partially reestablished, and now it is being used against her. But we have no knowledge of where Heineko is.'

Aizen swiftly calculated all possible individuals capable of capturing and torturing a zanpakto. He then considered who might have an incentive. 'How long has this been going on?'

'For some hours.' said Unohana.

'…I think I'm going to have to have a conversation with the stealth force.' said Aizen.

Unohana looked up. 'You believe they captured Heineko?'

'Yes,' said Aizen, 'however what could they hope to gain by torturing her? The zanpakto threat has ended, and anything she knew could be asked of Rangiku.'

'…Not necessarily.' said Unohana. 'They might be interested in her very nature.'

'The Department of Research and Development.' realized Aizen. 'I'll see to this. Gin is close with Rangiku.'

'I'll go with you.' said Unohana, before looking to the nurses. 'Keep her sedated. I'm going out.'

Tosen and Muramasa passed beyond the soul society into the world of the living. Descending toward it they found their way to an island at the center of a lake. There were many trees nearby, and a town in the distance. Yet Muramasa could hardly conceal his excitement. At long last what he had sought all this time would come about.

'Is this the place?' asked Tosen.

'Yes,' said Muramasa, 'this is Kouga's seal.'

'Why would they move it to the world of the living?' inquired Tosen. 'It seems a foolish choice.'

Muramasa shrugged. 'Yamamoto was looking to hide him in the last place anyone would think to look. Now, let us-'

A blur of violet and black surged into the air. Tosen ducked under a flying roundhouse kick that would have taken his head off. A brown-skinned woman with violet hair clad in black leather halted and Tosen drew his sword.

'Kaname Tosen. It's been a while.' she said, voice furious.

'Yoruichi Shihoin.' mused Tosen. 'I was not expecting you here of all places.'

Muramasa kept moving.

'Well I was in the neighborhood, sensed your spiritual pressure and figured I'd come say hello.' said Yoruichi.

'Hold her off.' said Muramasa. 'I will release Kouga.'

He could sense her spiritual pressure jump as he said that. 'Kouga? You're trying to release Kouga?! Are you insane! After what he did!'

'I'm here to kill him.' said Tosen simply.

This merely confirmed what Muramasa had already suspected. Kouga had made many enemies, no doubt this one would be more personal. He raised his hand and began to channel his power.

'Why?' asked Yoruichi. 'What does Aizen get out of there being one less monster in the world?'

'I am not here on Aizen's behalf.' said Tosen. 'I am here on my own.'

'Well I'm sure as hell-'

Muramasa tuned her out. Distantly he was aware that there was a fight happening, but that which he had worked all this time had come about. Before his very eyes, the seal appeared. It was a golden box, held in place by many chains rooted in the ground through golden spears.

Muramasa raised a hand, and the seal strained beneath his exertion of will. It was old, very old, but little by little it cracked and shattered. Falling down onto the grass was Kouga. His sword was broken in half, and he looked far older. His skin had become wrinkled and stretched while he slumbered, yet none of that mattered.

His master had returned!

Muramasa ran to him as Kouga opened his eyes for the first time in hundreds of years.

'Muramasa…' he breathed.

'Kouga, I am here Kouga.' said Muramasa, kneeling by him.

And then Kouga's blade was driven into Muramasa's stomach.

The fight between Yoruichi and Tosen ground to an abrupt halt as they sensed what had happened. Yoruichi was out of shape, and Tosen had not been going all out. It had thus been fairly anticlimactic, testing each other's defenses. Both flash stepped to where Kouga was and saw Muramasa collapse to the ground as Kouga stood over him.

'Who is this guy?' asked Yoruichi.

Tosen did not dignify her with an answer. It was a strange thing indeed to see his life's great nemesis stand before him in human form. Kouga more than anyone else represented the soul society, a world without justice. And now he had stabbed his very savior.

Muramasa had gone to great lengths to save his master, and now he only looked confused. 'Kouga… why did you…'

'You didn't come when I called you.' snarled Kouga.

'I couldn't hear you Kouga!' said Muramasa. 'Your voice was too distant-'

Kouga struck him across the face. 'Shut up!' he roared. 'You are nothing but a tool! And a mere tool, shouldn't so conceited!'

He raised his sword to strike Muramasa down.

Tosen hated being a soul reaper. His greatest fear was to become one of the soul reapers, to forget his vendetta. He had never gained a zanpakto that was truly his own. He'd never wanted one, and even the sword he held in his hand was subject to that same fear.

Yet to stand by and let Kouga do this would not be justice.

He surged forward and caught Kouga's blade with his own. The forth of his strength was monstrous and Tosen could hardly hold it in place. 'Kouga…' he said 'you crush down one who sought to help you and then you try to kill them. Disgraceful, you have no right to life.'

Kouga looked at him and then to his weapon. Then his eyes widened. 'That sword. That belonged to me! Where did you get that, thief!'

'It was given to me.' said Tosen. 'Long ago…'

His friend, whose name had escaped his memory, had returned to the village. Sensed her approach, Tosen approached and smiled. 'You have returned. It has been a long time.'

'I've been kept away a while.' she admitted. 'Ever since I became a soul reaper I just haven't had as much free time.'

'How are things going?' asked Tosen.

'It isn't all I expected.' she said, sitting down next to him. 'But I get to protect people from hollows, and that is a sort of justice. There are all kinds of rules, and you have to be careful around people.'

Tosen smiled. He was glad she was happy. 'Do you ever regret it?'

'Never. I get to make a difference this way.' she said. 'Though I do miss spending time with you.'

They spent the afternoon speaking, joking, laughing and reuniting with others. People who had been long missed. In this time Tosen learned that the soul reapers had become decadent and corrupt. Though his friend was too easy on them. Many of the captains were not even qualified for their positions, having paid their way in.

His friend was ill at ease. Distracted. And he wondered why.

Then when it was getting late she revealed why to him. 'Kaname… I'm not going to be able to come around here any longer.'

'Why not?' asked Kaname.

'My family, they found out about you.' she said. 'They are worried I'll overstep boundaries. I… I'm getting married.'

Tosen felt a surge of grief at this, but he controlled himself. He'd always known that a blind man could never marry a noble. 'To who?'

'A man named Kouga Kuchuki.' she said. 'He was of common blood, but he was so powerful that the Kuchiki's adopted him. It's a powerful political marriage.'

None of that was important to Tosen. 'Do you love him?'

'I… no. I mean I can't really answer that.' she said. 'I've only just met him. But… he gave me this sword. I know you can't really see it, but its beautiful. We nobles never marry for love, really.'

'I see.' said Tosen, feeling very bitter. 'I am sorry.'

'Don't worry about it Kaname.'

They parted ways, and Tosen felt like crying.

The name Kouga Kuchiki reappeared some years later. Only this time it was spoken with terror. Kouga, that figure who wandered the wilds murdering anyone who got in his way. Kouga, that terror who had slaughtered whole villages simply for its own sake.

And then he reached the village Tosen was staying at. He killed without mercy, he felt feral and vicious and moved so quickly that no one could escape him. Kaname could do nothing but hide in the woods and sense as he brutalized those who had not escaped in time.

'No! No! Please don't hurt me!' screamed a man Tosen knew.

Then there was a sound of sword on metal.

Then Kaname's friend appeared. He wanted to cry out, but the terror of what had happened was too great. He could only sense as she approached. She was terrified, but she was walking forward anyway. Yet Kouga had no fear. He feared nothing, not the sword in his hand, not the future, not his own power.

Was that lack of fear what had driven him to do this?

Yet he seemed to recognize his friend. Of course, he did. They had been married. 'You…' said Kouga, voice cold. 'What are you doing here?'

'Kouga, what have you done?' she asked. 'Look at this! This is madness!'

'A village of meaningless wretches.' said Kouga. 'Now they will know better than to mess with me.'

'You are cutting down innocent people!' she said. 'People who had nothing to do with what happened to you! You have to stop!'

Kouga was going to kill her. Kouga would kill her unless Tosen did something. Yet his terror was too great, and he could not move.

'Are you going to try and stop me?' laughed Kouga.

'I have to.' she said. 'What you are doing here is evil.'

'Evil?' scoffed Kouga. 'Might makes right. The strong do as they like and the weak do as they must. That's the secret of the soul reapers dominance! But no more! I am the stronger! They can do nothing but run before my might!'

'It doesn't matter.' she said. 'If you keep going like this you will never create anything. You'll make only enemies and sooner or later they will hunt you down.'

'And they will die.' Kouga replied.

'And you will be just as wretched as you are now.' she shot back. 'Surrender Kouga, give yourself in the soul reapers, and you may escape a death by Sogyoku.'

There was silence and Tosen sensed in Kouga some fear arising within him. Fear of the future, fear to see himself.

'Silence!'

His friend screamed as a blade passed through her heart.

Kouga stalked off. Tosen ran into the village and kneeled over his friend's corpse, hoping she was still alive. Hoping she would be all right. But he knew the truth.

She was dead. And the sword was in her hand.

He buried her. He buried them all, but for her, he gathered flowers, even if he could never appreciate their colors. Then he took up his sword and vowed to carry on justice in her name. It was the least he could do.

Kouga had no response to Tosen's words. No fear, no confusion, not even curiosity. He sensed boredom from his blade and idle contempt. That was it.

'You killed her.' said Tosen. 'Your own wife. For scolding you after you massacred innocent people. And yet the soul reapers allowed you to live!'

Kouga Kuchiki was not given the death penalty. He was consigned to remain in his seal until the day he died. Sleeping peacefully until he was reincarnated. It was disgraceful, but nothing Kaname had been able to do could sway the decision. Central Forty Six had not even allowed him to speak.

'The whole system is corrupt isn't it, Kaname?' asked Aizen, a friend he had made. 'The nobles will never convict one of their own, no matter how terrible their misdeeds. Yet whole villages are massacred to keep secrets.'

'What can be done?' asked Tosen.

'That all depends on what you're willing to do.' said Aizen. 'Come with me Kaname, and I'll show you the path to vengeance.'

Fury which had built up within Kaname for years now washed over him. His hands were shaking with rage, rage only further increased by the sheer apathy before him.

'There can be no forgiveness for what you have done!' roared Tosen. 'Or for what they have allowed!'

'I don't remember.' said Kouga.

For a single moment, his anger was forgotten. 'What?'

'The sword was familiar. I remembered giving it to someone, a long time ago.' said Kouga, stepping back and looking up, almost wistful. 'But I don't remember anything along the lines of what you just said.'

'You…' Tosen could hardly conceive of what he'd just said. 'don't remember…'

'The day I killed my wife was a defining moment of your life.' said Kouga with a shrug. 'It was yet another corpse in my wake for me. Nothing new about that. I don't even remember her name. And from the sounds of things you don't either.'

'You… you…' Tosen roared and attacked him.

Kouga dodged and weaved beneath the onslaught of attacks. Then he leaped over Tosen, tossing aside his sword and snatching up a pike. They slashed, slashing, parrying and weaving. Tosen's blade neared Kouga's neck, but the man dodged back just in time. He brought around the blade of the pike at Tosen's eye.

Tosen ducked lower and slashed at Kouga's legs, only to be blocked. On and on it went, faster and faster without end. Finally, they separated.

'A white hiyori with the emblem of the thirteen court guard squads.' said Kouga. 'You're a captain of the Soul Society aren't you. Funny, you talk big, but you're still one of their lapdogs.'

'I am Kaname Tosen, Captain of Squad 9.' said Tosen.

'Well I've already killed a captain of Squad 9.' said Kouga, spinning his blade. 'I'd hate for things to get repetitive.'

Tosen rushed him, and they passed each other. Kouga's spear shattered and he was forced to grab another. They clashed again repeatedly before Kouga leaped into the air. 'I must admit, you are far stronger than your disgraceful predecessors.' he said. 'Maybe the Soul Society hasn't been wasting its time after all.' He raised his spear. 'Now let's see how you do now, with Kido!'

As Kouga and Tosen began to unleash barrages of kid on each other Yoruichi stopped and waited. She wasn't at all sure who she should be helping if anyone. The zanpakto was the only person who wasn't her enemy.

Then Kisuke arrived. 'Well, things seem to have gotten busy while I was on the way. Is that Kaname Tosen I see?'

'Yep,' said Yoruichi, 'see Muramasa, the guy in white, is a zanpakto which took physical form. I guess he wanted to release his master. Tosen went with him because he wanted to kill Kouga in retribution for Central Forty-Six not doing it. And I'm not really sure who we should side with here.'

'This may be a personal mission for Kaname.' said Urahara. 'But there will be captains on the way here at any moment. If we're going to do something it has to be now. One moment.'

He flash stepped over to Muramasa, who was gasping for air. Urahara kneeled by him. 'Having trouble breathing?'

'I… I need to help Kouga…' gasped Muramasa.

'From the looks of things he doesn't want your help.' said Urahara. 'Your spiritual pressure is all over the place. If you come with me, I may be able to stabilize it.'

'No!' said Muramasa. 'Kouga I-'

Urahara struck him over the back of the head as the combat waged on. Then he arose. 'Yoruichi, get him and let's go. We don't want to be around when the Thirteen Court Guard Squads arrive.' Yoruichi picked up Muramasa and slung him over one shoulder. She hoped Kisuke knew what he was doing. What was she thinking, of course, he did.

They flash stepped away.

Kouga had to admit, this guy was good. Sure he wasn't anywhere near as strong in terms of brute strength. But Tosen had a mastery of kido and a skill which the blade which made fighting him an absolute joy. He couldn't use his special abilities on a blind man, so it was just a straight up fight.

Clashing blades with him, he turned the dark-skinned man's blade before stabbing at him. Yet Tosen dodged aside and nearly ran Kouga through with a flurry of stabs. They separated and circled each other, watching for each other's weaknesses.

'I have to admit,' said Kouga with a smile, 'you're good. I haven't had this kind of challenge in some time.'

This only seemed to make him angrier. 'I will carve you to pieces for what you have done!' roared Tosen. 'There will be no mercy! Justice will be wrought upon the guilty!'

'Doesn't that apply to you too?' asked Kouga. 'I'm guessing the heir to the stealth force wasn't attacking you for no reason. Funny though, Yoruichi was a little girl when I last met her.'

Tosen put forth his sword. 'Bankai.'

The sword seemed to separate into a series of rings which surrounded the entire island. Kouga readied himself. 'Now we're talking.'

Everything went dark. He could see nothing. Hear nothing. It was as though the world around him had become a complete void. Kouga stepped backward, trying to sense for his enemy.

Then something slashed him. A vicious wound appeared on his side, then his shoulder. Then nothing. He was bleeding, he could feel his own blood dripping down his body. Someone had cut him.

A blind man who created a bankai of total darkness. Poetic.

Another blow slashed him across the leg, and he dropped to one knee. Taking a chance, Kouga rolled aside from what he could not see. He might have dodged a slash, or not. He couldn't tell.

Wait, how was Tosen finding him?

He was sensing for him.

Kouga stopped trying to see him. He focused on meditating, on feeling the area around him. Yet he'd never been any good at that. The best he could get was a vague sense that his enemy was coming at him from the left. He vaulted backward, and ran for the edge, trying to get out of the radius. Yet though he ran and ran he could not reach the end. And suddenly he found himself heading right for his enemy.

He hadn't flash stepped, Kouga would have sensed that.

His neck hairs stood on end, and he ducked, feeling a blade cut through his hair.

If Tosen wanted him dead, he would have been dead a long time ago. Tosen was deliberately dragging this thing out to make him suffer. Kouga had done that to a couple of people in his day, so he knew the mindset.

Okay, so that bought him time. But not much else.

There were two possibilities. Either the sphere was huge, or the sphere was somehow looping him back into one place. Kouga raised a hand and chanted a kido, sending a bolt forward. It surged away and he sensed it coming for him and stepped aside, before leaping over a blow. He reached down, groping for his enemy and touched something.

In that moment Kouga saw Tosen, as if illuminated by white light. He stabbed at his enemy, and Tosen slashed at him. He did not see the blow struck, but he felt a blade rake across his flesh and felt his spear graze something.

So he'd wounded his enemy. Big deal, in a fight of attrition he'd lose. Kouga wasn't stupid.

Hold on, he was on an island. An island surrounded by water.

Touching down on the ground he sprinted along it, sensing something coming from the side. Rolling forward he reached the edge of the water, took a deep breath and plunged into it. He could sense his enemy follow.

He could feel the water moving around him. It slowed everything they did, and he focused on his enemy following him. He was getting used to just sensing and he saw Tosen, like a flicker of violet flame coming toward him.

Kouga fired a kido downwards before catching Tosen's blade on his own. For a moment they stood there, forcing all of their power against each other. Then Tosen gave a cry as Kouga's kido connected. Kouga pressed his advantage, turning his blade and spearing Tosen through the chest. He rose into the air and throwing him to the ground.

The area surrounding him shattered and Kouga could see once again.

Tosen was on the ground, bleeding heavily. Kouga smiled. 'I admit, it's been a while since I trained blindfolded so I was a bit sloppy at first. See I have powers which manipulate perception. So I know exactly how dangerous it is to have one's senses messed with.

'This little technique of yours would have been sufficient to crush a lesser being! But my power is unrivaled!' He spun his spear round in triumph. 'Now die!'

He surged forward to finish him.

Then his spear was knocked aside by an armored gauntlet and he was staring into the face of a humanoid fox. Kouga stared, incredulous.

'Sajin…' said Tosen.

'What is that thing?' asked Kouga. 'And why is an animal dressed up on the robes of a captain?'

'We've come to assist you Tosen.' said the dog or fox or whatever.

'Wait, we?' began Kouga.

Then he sensed someone coming for him and ducked under a strike. A petite bowl headed captain in garments which bared her thighs was striking at him. With a stinger, hand thing. Or something.

She was really fast, but Kouga had a talent for predicting assault pattern. It was nothing he couldn't handle. Then he realized there was a butterly on his hand.

'What the hell…' he began.

She surged at him, but he spun his spear and got her upside the head. Then a gigantic sword swung down from nowhere, and nearly cut Kouga in half. He leaped over it and infused his spear with kido, before hurling it at Sajin. The dog thing got the spear to one hand and was trapped in place.

The ninja lady then came at him again. But Kouga outdistanced her, grabbing another spear and meeting her in a series of blows. This was giving him a serious workout, all things considered. And then he got smashed in the back by a giant fist. He saw the ninja lady stabbing forward for his hand, and moved it out of the way so she stabbed his forearm instead. Another butterfly appeared.

Kouga backhanded her across the face, sending her flying. From there he hurled his spear to impale her through the chest. She hit the ground hard and was up in a minute. Kouga sent some of his spiritual pressure into her and fox man. Then he watched the fun as they tried to attack him and fell short and far of their target.

'What is this…' said the fox man. 'How have you done this?'

Kouga blasted him with kido and hurled his spear toward the ninja lady. She tried to dodge and ended up running right into it. Impaled through the chest, she hit the ground hard. 'Sorry, I don't think you're worth revealing my techniques to.' Then realization dawned. 'Okay, I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You're part of that race which Central Forty Six ordered exterminated because… reasons.

'…Wow that didn't narrow it down at all.'

'Die!' roared Tosen, coming at him again.

Kouga leaped away and grabbed his final spear, bashed Tosen across the face with it. Then he hurled it through the air to impale the fox man through the chest.

'Sajin!' cried Tosen.

'I'm out of practice.' said Kouga. 'It's the only reason you weaklings are giving me a challenge. And the longer I stick around here the more likely someone else will come help you…' He paused. 'You know, I'm getting real sick of crushing you guys so I'll give you a choice. You can keep attacking me and let your friends die, or you can stick around here and let me go.

'What does your precious justice tell you to do?'

Tosen looked to Sajin, who was bleeding heavily.

'Damn you…' he hissed.

'Be seeing you.' said Kouga, slashing the air.

A gate opened to the soul society and he walked through it. He'd heal his wounds, get himself a replacement weapon, and then pay Ginrei Kuchiki a visit. It was time to even the score.

Authors Note:

Okay here is Kouga's big debut. When writing Kouga I basically imagine him as an evil version of Ichigo. An individual with massive power and potential. A cocksure attitude where he regards himself as the best. But with none of the empathy which prevents Ichigo from being a monster.

I didn't plan the thing with Muramasa, but oh well. Let's see where this goes, shall we?