SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 9 out, this is Chapter 10 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 10: Suì-Fēng Dies? The Last of the Onmitsukidō

"So, this is one of the Bount's poisons?" Suì-Fēng cast a look at the Bitto shell. "Don't make a fuss." she calmed her Squad. I'm sure there's Bount with the power to control people. She guessed. It's highly possible that it was implanted during his encounter with the Bount. If that's the case, there may be others. "Who else had contact with the Bount?" she questioned.

"We ran into one while we were in the Eastern District." one of the Group 2 members reported. "What are you doing?" she demanded, when another of her group members went berserk.

"Protect the Captain!" the others formed a wall in front of Suì-Fēng as the others fought the controlled Shinigami.

"Just how many of them are there?" Suì-Fēng wondered and fled to get the poison neutralized.

Somewhere else in a stone plaza...

"That's great, Ritz." Mabashi chuckled as he watched his Doll wreck havoc. "Keep it up. Keep killing them. This powerful Reiatsu..." he picked up Suì-Fēng's presence. "And it's even..."

In the Squad 7 barracks...

"What did you say?" Komamura echoed after Hisagi reported to him.

"Yes sir." Hisagi confirmed. "One of the Shinigami units have fallen into the ryoka's hands, making them fight amongst themselves."

"What does that mean?" Komamura asked.

"One of the Bount's Dolls have taken control of them." Hisagi explained. "I came face to face with this guy in the real world."

"Is there a way to return them to normal?" Komamura inquired.

"It is uncertain if there is a way to defeat only the Doll embedded in someone's body." Hisagi admitted.

In the same stone plaza Mabashi was hiding...

Suì-Fēng threw off her haori and stumbled off. If I defeat the person controlling those Dolls, I should be able to return those being controlled to normal. The 2nd Squad Captain surmised. At any rate, the Bount... "Who's there?" she demanded. "A Bount." she glared when Mabashi appeared in front of her.

"I came to take a look since I felt a strong Reiatsu, but..." Mabashi chuckled. "You're Captain-class, aren't you? On top of that, you've been injected with the Bitto's poison, haven't you?"

"Was that your doing?" Suì-Fēng snapped.

"If you leave a living soul alone after you harvested it, it rots." Mabashi smirked. "You're going to die soon. Looking at me like that isn't going to do anything." he chided, seeing Suì-Fēng's glare intensify. "There's no way to counteract the poison."

Not letting his words at to her, Suì-Fēng went on the offensive, using Hakuda against Mabashi.

"Just as I'd expect." Mabashi chuckled, after several rounds of close combat. "But you know, you're going to make the poison spread through your body quicker if you move around too much."

I can't win if this draws out too long. Suì-Fēng agreed that she was at a disadvantaged in a prolonged fight. In that case...with a quick Shunpo, she flashed behind Mabashi, her Zanpakutō drawn. "Jinteki Shakusetsu ,Suzumebachi." she activated her Shikai. "I won't let you run." she chased after Mabashi who had slipped from her grasp.

"You bitch!" Mabashi growled, the Hōmonka crest appearing on his chest. "So this is the Hōmonka? I know about it. You die if you get hit by it two times in the same spot. But you see, time's up." he mocked the suffering Suì-Fēng who had collapsed on the ground. "You're just about to die. I think I'll just go hide somewhere and watch leisurely as you die."

"You bastard..." Suì-Fēng hissed.

"Have a nice death." Mabashi taunted as Suì-Fēng's vision blurred. "Fool."

"Wait." Suì-Fēng hissed, as Mabashi vanished from her sight.

Elsewhere...

"Hisagi!" Komamura turned to the Lieutenant as they fought off the possessed Shinigami. "It's just as you told me. It seems that whatever is controlling them has completely fused with their bodies."

"Yeah." Hisagi agreed. "They will probably start up again as soon as they regain consciousness."

"Let's go see the 4th Squad Captain." Komamura suggested. "I would like to ask Captain Unohana for advice. If there's anyone who can help people in this condition, it would be her."

Back in the plaza...

Suì-Fēng was heaving for breath as the poison worked through her body. Shit... this hurts... she moaned. I can't see... just what... should I do? To think that I am this weak... what should I do, Yoruichi-sama? Reishi...? she turned her head to see a trail of shimmering Reishi that had emitted from Tula. Lady Tula?

In a stone square in the central district...

Tula was expanding her Reishi throughout Seireitei to 'alloyize' the Reishi in Seireitei in an attempt to prevent the Bount from using their Reishi healing abilities.

Suì-Fēng, don't forget. Tula used her Reishi to transmit her voice to the Onmitsukidō Captain. The true power of your Zanpakutō.

Suzumebachi's true power... Suì-Fēng looked at the golden stringer. "I see..." she realized what the Winter Goddess was implying. With her Shikai still activated, she stabbed herself with Suzumebachi to neutralize the poison.

Somewhere else...

"What?" sitting on a staircase, Mabashi mused. "My orders aren't making it to Ritz. Damn those Shinigami. Are they knocking out those who are being controlled by Ritz? It's a waste of time. With my power up, Ritz has no limits to how many times she can duplicate herself. Go, Ritz." he sent his wave of Ritz Dolls into Seireitei. "This is too easy." he chuckled. "Come to think of it, it's about time for that Shinigami to die. Maybe I should give her a taste of even greater despair."

"Found you." Mabashi returned to the plaza where he left Suì-Fēng. "Hey." he greeted the motionless Captain. "So you were in a place like this. You still alive? You should be dead for the most part. I thought about hiding until you died, but..."

"Then, why are you here?" Suì-Fēng groaned.

"I sensed that your Shinigami friends were sealing away all my Ritz, one by one." Mabashi replied. "I was wondering if I should throw someone a little more powerful at them."

"You can't mean me..." Suì-Fēng realized.

"You see, I can't hold back any when people are hurting my Ritz." Mabashi explained. "What are you thinking about?" he taunted. "That you want to hit me here again? That you want to kill me? It's impossible."

"Wait!" a voice stopped Mabashi. "Captain, are you okay?" the security Squad jumped down to their Captain.

"So, there were still some left?" Mabashi scoffed. "Did you come here to save your Captain when she's in this pinch? You're so reliable. But are they really your comrades? Ritz!" at his command, the Ritz Dolls embedded within the Onmitsukidō Squad members bodies manifested. "What a pity. All of your subordinates belong to my Ritz. How is it? How does it feel to have your own subordinates hold you down?"

"You bastard." Suì-Fēng growled, the controlled Onmitsukidō members securing her.

"Even though you can't move anymore, your mouth keep flapping." Mabashi snorted. "I'm going to take your body. With Ritz's powers, I'll work you to death. Ritz!" he summoned his newly-grown Doll. "How ironic. Farewell, Captain. What?" he shielded his eyes when Suì-Fēng powered up a Shunko that blasted not only the Onmitsukidō holding her, and also the Ritz Doll.

Freed from her shackles, Suì-Fēng moved in and struck Mabashi the second time. "This is the second Hōmonka." she declared.

"Bitch!" Mabashi hissed. "Why can you still move?"

"Who do you think I am?" Suì-Fēng retorted. "I've already counteracted your poison." pulling her glove down, she revealed the Hōmonka crest on her arm. "I have been trained as a guard ever since I was little, so my body is already immune to most normal poisons. And I know how to make anti-venom for nay new poison I encounter. With Suzumebachi, I can inject poison or draw it out."

"Then, why did you act like you couldn't move?" Mabashi demanded.

"It was all or nothing." Suì-Fēng replied. "If I don't go after you directly, then I can't bring my subordinates back to normal. They're my precious subordinates. This is the end." she looked on as Mabashi fell to his knees.

"Don't underestimate me." Mabashi hissed. "Ritz!" he drew out the Ritz Dolls embedded in the Onmitsukidō members' bodies. "I still have Ritz. I'll get you this time. What's wrong?" he barked when Suì-Fēng remained silent. "You're so scared that you can't move?"

"How foolish." Suì-Fēng stated.

"Ritz, get her!" Mabashi ordered the Ritz Dolls hovering around Suì-Fēng.

The group of Ritz gathered around Suì-Fēng, before flying over to Mabashi, prodding him.

"What's this?" Mabashi tried to fend off his attacking Doll. "Ritz, stop it! Not me. Get that woman. Kill that woman."

"Your puppets are a double-edged sword." Suì-Fēng explained as the Ritz continued attacking him. "I've heard that if your own power wanes, it will turn on you. It's pointless." she noted, Mabashi vanishing in a swirl of Reishi, Ritz disappearing with him. "You body is already being eaten away by Suzumebachi's poison."

Elsewhere...

"So, it was Mabashi's Reiatsu that vanished?" Sawatari chuckled, emerging from the ground on Baura. "The enemy is pretty good. Now then, how about you quit hiding there and come on out?"

From the wall he had hidden himself in, Mayuri dissolved the shielding paint and stepped out. "I wonder how you knew?" the 12th Squad Captain mused. "I tired copying you by hiding my Reiatsu."

"Even if you hide your Reiatsu, anyone would notice that killing intent of yours." Sawatari pointed out.

"That's rude." Mayuri chided. "Now then, I'm looking for Ichinose. I wonder where he is."

"Let's see." Sawatari noted. "It seems like his Reiatsu vanished quite some time ago, so perhaps one of your men finished him off?"

"That's too bad." Mayuri mused. "Well then, there's no choice. I'll just have to settle with you. I'll have yo pay for humiliating me."

"My, my." Sawatari scoffed. "It seems that I'm being underestimated. Fine then. It's my job to deal with those who are Captain-class, after all."

Omake: Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide

Zaraki and Yachiru find themselves in the Kusajishi gambling house.

Zaraki: No one's here.

Yachiru: Really. It's empty. (Lounging on the bench outside the gambling house) Ken-chan, aren't you going to look for the Bount?

Zaraki: (Fanning himself) It doesn't mean you're going to find them if you just run about chasing after them. And anyway, the one I want to kill is Ichigo.

Elsewhere in Seireitei...

Ichigo: (Cold shiver travels down his spine) What is this I'm feeling?

SailorStar9: In the next chapter, Sawatari attacks Mayuri with his doll Baura, and manages to rip Mayuri's left arm off. Mayuri regenerates his arm with his medicine, and uses his Zanpakutō to paralyze Baura. Mayuri then stabs Sawatari in the right arm, and Baura manages to overcome the paralysis to retreat with Sawatari into another dimension. Sawatari surfaces in another location in Seireitei, and Mayuri appears, revealing that he made a scanner to track the Bount. Sawatari attacks Mayuri with the power of other Shinigami that Baura absorbed in previous battles. Mayuri is forced to use his Bankai, and kills Sawatari. Elsewhere, Ishida begins to fight the Bount Yoshi. Now that's done, read and review.