Chapter 2:
As the sun began to rise, one soul reaper found the strength necessary to leave the barred cell he was in, with sword in hand. He was running out of time and knew the only way he was going to succeed would be to finish his training. He no longer cared what the Ryoka were doing, he just knew he needed to save his friend.
He quickly left the squad 6 prisons where he was being held and made his way through the seireitei. It was easy moving about as everyone else was completely focused on two things; the Ryoka, and whoever it was that had killed the captain of squad 5. As important as he knew they were, they were all trivial matters to him.
By mid-day he made it to an area he'd discovered that one could easily train in without being disturbed and wasn't too surprised to find a familiar reiatsu pouring from it. "Heh, I figured you'd be here, Ichigo," he muttered to himself before going inside.
As soon as he landed at the bottom of the ladder to the enclosed area he was able to make out Ichigo who was fighting with a large man with long black hair, and a woman with purple hair he couldn't identify. He easily called out in greeting to the carrot top, his own bright red hair waving in the wind brought on by his landing and Ichigo's booming reiatsu.
"Don't worry, I won't interfere with your bankai training," he explained lifting his Zabimaru over his shoulder. "I'm close to reaching the bankai release myself." As he spoke, a large baboon with a snake for a tail appeared behind him, standing as tall as the man himself. He smirked at the shocked look on the ryoka's face, and turned away from them to reach a more open area.
When he was far enough away, he spotted something else. Something he had not been expecting to see. A lone female with waist length blood red hair, dark green eyes, and a shihakusho from the 5th squad. She had her sword out and was going through the basic drills he'd learned from his academy days. The strangest part to him, however, was the fact that despite the amount of time he'd spent with squad 5 he did not recognize her. Nor did he ever remember seeing her at the academy. So then, where'd she come from?
"Hey, you!" he called out, catching the girl's attention.
She paused in her swings to look at him with eyes that looked dead for only a moment, before clearing up. "Do you need something?" she asked slowly. After a moment she seemed to realize he was accompanied by his zanpakto spirit as she sheathed her sword and began to walk away.
"Hold on!" he ordered jumping in front of her. "Just who are you? What's a member of squad 5 doing out here?"
"It's hardly any of your business," she returned coldly. "Besides, I don't answer just anyone's questions."
"Tch, I'm the Lieutenant of squad 6, Renji Abarai," he told her pointing at himself. "Now answer my question."
She let loose a small puff of air, signaling her amusement, though a smile never crossed her face. "You can call me Ume, Lieutenant," she answered easily. "As for the rest...try asking your captain. He might know." With that she vanished, having shunpoed away from him faster than even his captain could move.
Renji was stunned by what he saw, and by the girl's response to him. What'd she mean his captain would know? His questions were quickly doused as Zabimaru smacked the back of his head drawing his attention once more. It was time to get back to training. He only had so much time before Rukia was executed and he couldn't waste any of it on trivial things. No matter what, this time, he had to save her.
Less than a day after the three soul reapers appeared in the training area, they all left one after the other. First Renji, who sought to defeat his captain in order to rescue his childhood friend; then Ichigo, who managed to complete his Bankai at the last moment; and finally Youruichi, who turned to the girl left behind before leaving herself.
"Yukiko, I want you to stay here until this is over," she murmured worriedly. "However, I won't stop you from going out if that's what you want. Just promise me that if you do you'll keep your reiatsu hidden with a kido and do not engage Aizen."
Yukiko looked up at her, her eyes clearer than they had been the day before and nodded slowly. "I promise," she murmured softly. "I don't think I can face them yet anyway."
"Good. Stay safe." With that, the ex-soul reaper took off, leaving the younger female alone in the vast space.
"Stay safe...yeah I'll do my best," Yukiko muttered running a hand through her long dark locks. "But, I won't stay here. I can feel fights beginning to swell all over the seireitei. I have to see it...I have to see what has become of the seireitei...what's become of my home."
She ignored the warnings coming from her blade as she took off out the exit and turned toward the sokyoku hill. She could feel the majority of the strong reiatsus located there...so, that is where she decided to go. To see for herself what she failed to stop.
"Renji, leave Rukia where she is and back away."
Renji couldn't believe what he was hearing, or what he'd just finished listening to as the lieutenant of squad 4's voice disappeared from his mind. Captain Aizen, one of the captains he'd looked up to for so long, had really just done all that. Him and his two companions, Captain Ichimaru and Captain Tousen, had killed all of the Central 46 members, severely injured Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Hinamori, and plotted to have Rukia killed by the Sokyuku as well as faking his own death. To make matters worse, now he was standing before the three captains in question, being told to release the friend he'd risked everything to save and walk away. He just...couldn't believe it.
"I'll say it again, Renji. Leave Rukia where she is and back away."
Renji grit his teeth as he tightened his hold on Rukia and brandished his sword. "I don't know why you want Rukia, but there's no way in hell I'm handing her over to you," he declared.
"I see, have it your way then." Renji watched as Aizen kept Gin from attacking, then approached him drawing his own sword. "I'll keep your feelings in mind. She can stay in your arms, but the rest of you must leave."
Renji realized a moment too late what he was talking about and jumped backward only just avoiding having his arms removed. It wasn't too bad as he then proceeded to release his blade and direct his attacks at the captain before him. The first few blows were blocked by the man's sword, but on the final swing, he simply caught Zabimaru's blade before destroying it and slicing into Renji once more. This time the blow was severe enough that he collapsed to one knee, struggling to keep Rukia held in his other arm.
At that time, Rukia began struggling against his hold telling him to leave her and get away as well as telling the traitor Aizen that she'd be willing to go with him if he spared her friend's life. Like he was going to allow her to do that.
It didn't matter too much as moments later Aizen appeared in front of him and brought his sword down toward the redhead's head. Renji was frozen in time, not even able to close his own eyes as the deadly blade came closer and closer, until its descent was suddenly stopped.
"What's the matter Renji? It looks to me as if Rukia's become too heavy for you." To his surprise, he found Ichigo standing above him with his bankai released and blocking Aizen's blade.
"Well I was going to say thank you but now you can forget it!" Renji retorted as his grip tightened on Rukia who seemed to be struggling in his grasp, though his distracted brain didn't register it. "Frankly I didn't need your help!"
They went back and forth a few times with Ichigo throwing out a taunting face before the struggling girl finally got their attention and she pulled herself out of his loosening grip. Then she proceeded to drive her fist into his chin before yelling at him. "What were you thinking; that I was going for the world record in holding my breath? You could have killed me you idiot!"
Renji tried to reassure her that wasn't the case, but his attention was quickly snagged by the Ryoka beside him. "So, this is Aizen huh?"
"Yeah, that's him."
"Do you think you can fight, or at least run away?" Ichigo asked him.
Renji scoffed. "I've got enough left to stand here and fight," he answered tightening his hold on his sword. "Besides, you know as well as I that there's no running away from that guy." Ichigo nodded his agreement as the redheaded lieutenant directed what was left of his blade toward the traitorous captain."I've still got one attack up my sleeve. If it hits, it should give you an opening, but you have to strike while its there."
"Got it," Ichigo responded, preparing his own weapon.
Renji called out to his sword one more time, causing the blade pieces lying around to fly through the air, surround Aizen, then plunge toward him as fast as they could. In that instant, Ichigo rushed forward using the increased speed of his bankai to reach Aizen in the blink of an eye and swing his sword...only to have it caught by the man's finger.
Next thing Renji knew, was that Ichigo had been sliced through the middle and was left to fall to the ground. He vaguely heard Aizen mention that the Ryoka should have been cut in half but wasn't, before having the man stand before him and cut through his body once more. He collapsed to the ground, being unable to move and drifting in and out of consciousness as Aizen took hold of Rukia and began monologueing about his plan. He couldn't really understand what was being said as his vision swam between being able to see the man doing something to his friend, and complete darkness.
The last thing his conscious mind was aware of, was that somehow Byakuya had arrived and saved Rukia from a long sword. Then, he saw the two getting swallowed up by what appeared to be a tornado. His last thought was him wondering where the strange wind came from, and pleaded with the powers that be that it was a sign someone had arrived to help.
"Just please...save Rukia," he pleaded, before everything went black.
At the same time, all eyes had turned toward the sudden wind and the three captains were all showing varying levels of tension. Aizen was frowning while gripping his sword, Gin was sliding slowly into a fighting stance, and Tousen had jumped between the wind and Aizen with his sword fully brandished.
Ichigo was staring at what was before him in utter confusion. What could have possibly spooked them that much? Especially since the leader had blocked his bankai with nothing but his finger. Something about the reiatsu did seem a bit familiar though.
On the other side of the wind vortex, Byakuya was standing with Rukia in his arms staring at the wind that blocked the others from view. The two siblings were in shock and neither spoke a word, though Byakuya found himself relaxing even as a soul reaper appeared between them and the vortex.
"Who are you?" Rukia murmured, unable to think of anything else to say. She didn't recognize the woman before her after all and was confused as to why she would help them.
Byakuya, on the other hand, was relaxing his tense muscles and an almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips. He didn't say a word to the new arrival, or to his sister who was trying to help him remain standing.
The near wordless silence amongst the three was suddenly broken when the woman before them turned. Her dark green eyes settled on Byakuya who was able to see the pain, sorrow, and determination that shown there. "Just keep your sister safe," she murmured barely loud enough to be heard over the winds around them. "I will not allow him to do any more."
Byakuya just nodded, having no strength to do anything else. Then to the astonishment of everyone present and awake, she caused the vortex to dissipate and faced the three captains.
Her eyes made contact with each one of them, causing the two subordinates to tense where they stood before she strode toward them. Tousen was the first to react, jumping toward her with his sword drawn and whistling through the air. She didn't flinch at this and simply raised her hand stopping his progress with nothing more than a thin layer of wind. Then Gin called for his blade to shoot across the gap between them which she stopped with another thin sheet of wind.
As the two captains struggled, trying to push their way past her defenses, she paused and met Aizen's eyes. "I can't take this anymore," she murmured, her hands shaking at her sides in anger. "I won't allow you to take anyone else away from me...I won't allow you to do any more damage to the Seireitei. No more...no MORE...NO MORE! Aizen!"
With a shout, she shot forward, pushing the two attacking captains in opposite directions and throwing a punch at Aizen's head. To any onlookers it would have been obvious that she'd missed, but moments later, the image of Aizen faded to reveal her fist planted in the center of his palm. She pulled her hand back quickly and followed up her first strike with a series of punches and kicks that he was able to block.
At the end of her tirade, a single kick managed to slide past his defenses and land squarely on his chest, knocking him back a few feet. She panted a bit from the exertion and prepared to rush him again. She understood two things with this fight: she didn't have to win, and she needed to keep the three of them occupied long enough for reinforcements to arrive. These two things she was confident she could do. This and nothing more.
She was able to land a few more blows before a satisfied smirk made its way onto his features. After that, he caught hold of one of her hands and spoke before the other could fly. "Yukiko, does this attack mean you wish to receive more punishment?"
The last word left his lips just as her fist was thrown, which she halted mere inches away from his smug expression. She seemed frozen in time to the onlookers, until her entire body began to shake uncontrollably. In her frozen state, she did nothing to stop his free hand, from taking her chin and directing her gaze towards his own.
"You didn't answer me, Yukiko."
Her eyes widened and both hands went lax as the tremors only seemed to increase. "I-I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry, Sousuke," she stuttered, lowering her eyes from his face. "P-please...no more."
He gave her a look that only increased her shivers as he released his hold and she collapsed to her knees still muttering her apologies; as if saying them more would increase her chances of walking away unscathed. "If you do not move a muscle from where you are, I'll consider it," he stated coldly.
Her only response was more tearful mutterings of barely coherent apologies. He moved away from her at this point and she did nothing to stop him. Instead, she continued to stare at the ground, tears pouring down her cheeks as she continued muttering under her breath.
Ichigo was stunned to see this person, who was able to hold off two captains and attack another at the same time, crumble into pieces. He could barely make out her eyes from where he lay and noticed they'd returned to the dead look he'd seen before. If someone as strong as her couldn't defeat this captain...then who could?
While Ichigo was distracted by the confusing sight of the distraught soul reaper, Gin and Tousen rejoined Aizen who was approaching the Kuchiki siblings again. Before he drew too close, however, a shout from above alerted him to two new arrivals. Kukaku Shiba, the fireworks expert, and Jidanbo, the guardian of the west rukon gate.
Aizen's attention was drawn to them long enough for Youruichi and Soi Fon to appear with their weapons trained on him, trapping him with his sword forcefully sheathed. At the same time, Gin was restrained by a beautiful orange haired lieutenant with breasts that looked like they would fall out of her uniform at any moment and Tousen was stopped by the blade of a dark haired soul reaper with a sleeveless shihakusho, three scars down one side of his face, and a sixty-nine on the other cheek.
"It's all over, Aizen," Youruichi declared while holding his sword in place. The remainder of the captains and lieutenants began showing up on the sokyoku hill, not wanting to give the three traitorous captains a chance to escape. Then all at once, the feline-like woman noticed a smirk appear on Aizen's face as she shouted, "Soi Fon, move!"
Just as the pair moved away from Aizen, a beam of yellow light struck him after bursting through a growing tear in the sky. Then, three more lights appeared surrounding Tousen and Gin. The last of the three, Youruichi noticed, was headed right for Yukiko who hadn't seemed to notice the recent arrivals and was still kneeling in the same spot. Luckily, the ex-captain was able to reach her fast enough to avoid the beam.
The instant she was moved, however, Yukiko suddenly came back to life and began squirming in the older woman's grasp. "No!" she shouted struggling to get free. "I can't move from there! Sousuke will punish me again! I don't want any more punishments...no more...I CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER...!"
Yukiko's screams were cut off as Youruichi chopped the back of her neck and knocked her unconscious before laying her on the ground. She stared up at the three captains, rising into the air towards the rip in the sky. Pouring out of it were hundreds of Menos and behind them was what looked like a narrow eye. She heard the captain of squad 7 calling out to Tousen, demanding to understand why the man had changed. Then Ukitake began speaking to Aizen.
Finally, the ex-captain of squad 5 smirked down at the warriors below him. "From the beginning no one has stood at the top," he murmured. Then he reached up, removed his glasses, and slicked his hair back while explaining the continued absence of one stronger than everyone else. "From now on, I alone will stand at the top."
The captains and lieutenants still on Sokyoku Hill watched helplessly as the three captains reached the rip and began disappearing behind the closing pieces of sky.
Before he fully disappeared from view, Aizen smirked before saying one last thing. "Goodbye soul reapers, and goodbye ryoka boy. You proved to be far more interesting than even I believed." Then the sky closed, sealing off the forced space between the soul society and Hueco Mundo. It was finally over...
Shippoman: Sorry if this chapter was really choppy, but it had to be taken care of. Now that it's over, however, there shouldn't be any more instances where I have to adhere to what is strictly happening in the anime until the final battle with Aizen. So that's a plus...
Anyway, Aizen, Gin and Tousen have fled to Hueco Mundo to finish their plans of creating Arancar and attacking the human world. Meanwhile, all of seireitei will be in the recovery stages for a while. Next chapter, Yukiko's existence is called into question once more and she must explain herself to those who once knew her. Question is, will she be able to in her current state? Stay tuned to find out and remember to R&R.
And a special thanks to all of you who have reviewed the first chapter. It always makes my day go so much better knowing that you like the way it's going and care about what happens to Yukiko. It makes writing this all worth while.