SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 7 out, this is Chapter 8 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Pairings: Ishida/Hasu, minor pairing Hitsugaya/Karin

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Chapter 8: Stop The Bount!

"I'm not going to let you get to Kariya." Ichinose swore.

"Not getting us get to Kariya, you say?" Hitsugaya echoed. "How can you be so confident when you're against this many of us? Matsumoto, I'll be fine here. Take Tula-sama and go on ahead. I don't think Seireitei that will fall so easily, bu the Bounts have raised their power abnormally by absorbing Reishi."

"Understood." Matsumoto nodded. "Let's go, Renji." she turned to the redhead. "Tula-sama, please."

"I thought I told you I'm not letting you go." Ichinose reminded. "Shine Brightly, Nijigasumi." he activated his Shikai.

"What is this all of the sudden?" Kurōdo shielded his eyes from the burst of light. "Isn't it a bit too early for mid-day sun?"

"It's too bright." Ririn whined.

"Matsumoto, Abarai, protect Tula-sama." Hitsugaya ordered and charged in at Ichinose. "What?" he gaped, when Ichinose vanished as a light screen covered the area. "This is..." he looked around at the empty space. "Ichinose." he spotted the rouge Shinigami running towards him.

"Captain Hitsugaya." Renji blinked, the two male Shinigami clashing blades and causing the illusion to fade.

"Abarai." Hitsugaya released his stance. "Why are you here?"

"That's what I want to ask." Renji countered. "I thought that Ichinose swung at me, but it turned out to be you."

"What in the world is going on?" Ichigo wondered.

"Don't move recklessly!" Hitsugaya warned. "We'll end up attacking each other. This is... Ichinose's Zanpakutō's power?"

"That's right." Ichinose replied. "My Nijigasumi is a Zanpakutō of light. The light that Nijigasumi releases reflects and refracts the air around you and creates this space."

"An illusion created by light reflections." Ishida surmised. "But he's a Shinigami; he's different from the Bount. Even if we can't see him..." he focused on his Reiatsu sensory abilities. "I can't even sense his Reiatsu?"

"Can he travel through space like Noba?" Sado asked the Mod Soul on his shoulder.

"No, it's different." Noba replied. "I never sensed him opening up space."

"Could it be that he erased his Reiatsu?" Ichigo guessed. "That's..."

"The cave that the Bount were hiding in had a special mineral that shut out all Reiatsu." Ishida stated. "Is he using that?"

"Damn." Hitsugaya cursed. "At this rate... Matsumoto!" his ears picked up a clash of swords and Matsumoto's scream.

"He'll keep attacking us if we don't move." Renji reminded.

"You're going to die here." Ichinose declared.

"Everyone, be careful." Hitsugaya warned.

It's useless. Ichinose centered his target on the Winter Goddess. Die, for the sake of Kariya's goals! He was about to strike down the Season Goddess when another sword blocked him. A sudden wave of Reiatsu nullified his Shikai.

"Hey, it's been a while, Ichinose." Zaraki greeted his former subordinate and parried the former Shinigami off.

"Icchi, we found you!" Yachiru beamed from Zaraki's shoulder.

"Zaraki." Hitsugaya stated.

"Hey," Zaraki grinned at the younger Shinigami. "It seems like something interesting is happening."

"He blew away his Reiatsu with his enormous Reiatsu?" Ishida was stunned. "That's crazy."

"Captain Zaraki, the Bount are headed for Seireitei." Renji reported. "We are stopped by him, and..."

"Zaraki Kenpachi..." Ichinose glared.

"Ichinose, you're now with the Bount, right?" Zaraki asked. "The leader of the Bount, was he called Kariya? So, what are you going to do? You've got to stop these guys, don't you? I won't interfere if that's what you're going to do. But if you're going to remain here, I'll fight you if you want me to. You look a little more determined than when I last saw you." he grinned as Ichinose readjusted he grip on his Zanpakutō.

"Zaraki Kenpachi, I will cut you down." Ichinose swore.

"All right." Zaraki's grin widened. "I was just getting bored. I'll take you on. Show me how much you've improved. Yachiru, step aside for a while."

"Okay." Yachiru beamed and jumped off. "Say, leave this to Ken-chan and Maki-chan, okay?" she requested. "I think that Maki-chan would like it that way."

"Let's go." Hitsugaya led the others off.

Omake: Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide

In the courtyard of the 4th Squad barracks...

Iemura: 7th Seat Yamada, about this document...

Hanataro: Yes, it is a plan to build a convenience store.

Iemura: (Twitch) Are you serious?

Hanataro: It's all right. I had training in the real world.

Iemura: No, not that... (Turns to Unohana) Really, Captain, please talk some sense into him.

Unohana: 7th Seat Yamada. Be sure to carry some cosmetics, too.

Iemura: (Withers) Captain...

SailorStar9: In the next chapter, 2nd Squad Captain Suì-Fēng orders her men to attack the Bounts, but Mabashi uses his doll Ritz to take control of them. When Suì-Fēng asks for a status report, one of her men controlled by Ritz attacks her with a Bitto. Now that's done, read and review.