a/n - G'day, today i'm just going to pass along some friendly advice, If you get a chance to go see Hot Tub Time Machine, do it... it's the funniest movie i've seen in a while

Layne and Ren dueled, sparks flying every time the white keyblade connected with the black broadsword

Layne could barely hold his own, factoring in the pain of his injured arm, and the useless deadweight it had become, it was a serious hindrance

Thank god my weaker arm was the one that got screwed

Layne grunted as he parried another strike,

This doesn't look good, at all

On the other side of the combat, Ren pressed his advantage, having noted that Layne seemed to be weakening under the constant barrage of attacks

'It's time to finish this" he said, attracting Layne's attention as he jumped back, and pointed Band forwards

"Pound to Death: Bokusi!"

The broadsword morphed again, and this time Layne noticed it

"Holy shit! Your Zanpakuto has multiple shapes!?"

Ren shook his head in frustration

I can't tell if this guy is a combat genius or just a lucky idiot

Meanwhile, Band had shifted into Bokusi, two form fitting all metal gloves that reminded Layne of both of his usual hand modifications except these gloves were more akin to Layne's hollowfied right hand than his Bankai

And they had blades

"Amazing" Layne complimented "But you're not the only one with gloves"

"I know all about your Bankai" Ren replied "And since you haven't used it yet, I just have to assume you can't"

Layne readied himself and Ren smirked

Right on

Layne jumped forwards, decided that it would be a smarter idea to actually fight and not talk

Ren sighed, despite his skill with swordsmanship; He was actually much better fighting with his his fists

So even though Layne brought Oathkeeper up to block the punch that he saw coming, Ren's other fist connected with his gut, and the combined bursts of energy blew him backwards into the closest wall

Daisuke's breaths were long and labored and he was covered in blood, had had half his ribs either simply fractured or torn off and now embedded in his gut, but he was having the most fun of his life

"This is the best!" He shouted, despite the exertion causing him to cough up more blood "I would of sealed my power from the start if I knew I could have this much fun in a fight again!"

Joel was unimpressed, rolling his rock encased shoulder around and giving Daisuke a weird look

"I've been beating this shit out of you since I started using this; it's not fun at all to be as injured as you are… trust me, I've been in a similar condition"

Daisuke reached down and picked up his sword, dropped when Joel had punched him so hard he flew into a building

"I think I might just have to fight for real now"

"Ban-"

"Like I'd let you" Joel snarled leaping forward and punching straight forward, forcing Daisuke to roll to the side, clenching his teeth as his ribs contracted and sent pain shooting all through his body

"Ban-"

Again Joel got there before Daisuke could complete the release, forcing Daisuke to dodge yet again, or face instant death

"Ban-"

"Give it up!" shouted Joel going for a third punch, but was stopped by a sudden inability to move his right arm

Daisuke had also stopped moving, and trying to release his Bankai, but his look was one of annoyance rather than relief

Joel looked over his shoulder and saw that his left arm was being held back by several whips

"Dammit Daisuke" Emi growled "I thought the idea here wasn't to have a fight for fighting's sake, but to kill your fucking opponent!"

"I haven't wasted my time, seeing as we got what we came for"

Joel didn't like the sound of that, so he yanked forward, attempting to pull Emi from her perch, but she released her whips and used them to grab Daisuke and pull him to her

Joel turned around "Running away huh?"

Emi turned and sneered at him "You've wasted enough of our time and anyway, if I had bothered to deal with you, it would just add another one of your friends to the death count"

Joel paled and extended his reiatsu sense

Death count…?

When he eventually sensed everyone still alive he relaxed, and prepared to unleash some serious beatdown on Emi and Daisuke

But they were gone, disappearing as soon as Joel took his concentration from them

"Fuck!"

"I wonder if that guy is still alive?" Ren asked to no one in particular, rolling his wrists and turning to walk away

"Where…do…you…think…you're…going!" Layne choked out, emerging from the rubble, covered in dirt and blood, his shihakusho in tatters with bruises beginning to form on his chest and head

This guy's pretty durable… but I bet he won't survive another hit from Bokusi

Ren turned back towards Layne

"You're the first to survive taking both of Bokusi's fists at once" Ren announced "For that you should be proud… I've never had to hit anyone a second time after that"

"Cheers, but don't mark that down as my epitaph just yet" Layne spat, along with a large amount of blood, and drew his other katana from its sheath, Oathkeeper having reverted to its sealed form and lost itself in the rubble

I can barely keep my goddamned eyes open… it's all blurry too

Ren sprang forwards, his reiatsu literally surging from his fists as he put a significant portion of his remaining power into them

"Scatter, Senbonzakura"

Suddenly Ren was surrounded by a cloud of pink petal-like things

This is...?!

Byakuya appeared next to Rukia's prone form his trademarked light green scarf flapping from his recent exit from a flashstep, who was just barely alive

"Feel honored, traitor, that you have the privilege of dying to Senbonzakura's released form"

Byakuya spoke without inflection, but even in his half dead state, Layne could feel something akin to anger attached to those words

Ren assessed his options

I can't fight off a battle ready captain... I could really die here

"Fuck that," Ren muttered, blasting holes in the blade curtain with Bokusi and disappearing

Layne blinked and looked at Byakuya, who turned to Layne and closed his eyes, as if unwilling to soil his eyes with Layne's dirty and bloody appearance

"I think… I'll leave this to you…" Layne said, falling forwards and letting unconsciousness take him

Later, when Joel had removed Nemu to get treated by Tessai, and gone out to help everyone else he was surprised by just how screwed over everyone was

He had seen a battered Renji carrying an unconscious Ikkaku, Gotten a nosebleed as he saw the state Sendo Hebi had left Matsumoto's shihakusho in, and currently was in the spot where Hisagi, Uryuu and Ichigo would have been fighting one of them

He looked around in confusion

Their reiatsu's are here… but I can't see them at all?

As if on cue, Ichigo burst up from the rubble behind him, scaring the living shit out of Joel

"Shit!" Ichigo cursed "That woman took Uryuu!"

Ichigo reached down beside him and pulled out an unconscious Hisagi from the ruins

"Hisagi-san!"

Joel sweatdropped

That guy doesn't look too hurt at all

The 4th division hospital complex was for the first time, miraculously clear, and so when Byakuya arrived with the terribly injured Layne, and the relatively less injured Rukia, Captain Unohana, Isane, and Moll were all instantly available to work on them

Byakuya waited outside, and was joined by Ukitake and Kyoraku when they heard this had something to do with Kira

Unohana exited the surgery room, with her usually serene expression, so everyone relaxed collectively

Byakuya shot Unohana a stare and she began speaking in response to his unspoken question

"She will make a full recovery Captain Kuchiki… though her Hakusui was partially damaged from her injury and she will not be able to use her spiritual powers for some time, she may be released to go rest at your estate tomorrow"

Byakuya nodded and got up to leave, his business concluded

"Oi Byakuya-kun" Ukitake tried halfheartedly "Don't you care about Layne-kun's condition?"

Byakuya ignored him and flashstepped away

Kyoraku chuckled and tipped his basket hat forwards

"Don't let it bother you Jyuu, He only ever does what interests him at any given moment anyway"

Kyoraku turned to Unohaha "And just how is Layne-kun?"

"Once again, I am amazed at Trell-kun's endurance; we healed numerous lacerations, bruises, fractured and shattered bones… and those weren't even the injuries that caused him to lose consciousness"

"Amazing" Ukitake said a little wistfully "And I can't even fight when my illness strikes"

"Don't talk like that Captain Ukitake" Moll cut him off, appearing in the doorway with Isane "Layne has never been, and never will be normal… things like this are just proof"

"So how is he now then, Third Seat Rone?"

Moll jabbed her thumb in the direction she just came from, where the sounds of snoring were becoming more and more audible

Kyoraku, Ukitake and Isane all sweatdropped

"I can't freaking believe you Daisuke" Emi cursed as Takeda's Doll Sai carried him into their hideout

"You're meant to kill both of them, use whatever you needed! But nooo, in the interest of holding a fun fight you don't even use your goddamned Bankai and nearly get yourself killed in the process"

"It was worth it"

Emi looked murderous, so Tsubaki subtly put herself in between the two

They opened the door and stepped through

"Tsubaki, go take that Quincy and put him in that room with the lock" Emi ordered "Takeda, do whatever it is you do with that gate when I don't feel like paying attention to you"

"What about me?"

Kira had emerged, her reiatsu evidently recovered

"Kira-san!"

"Yo"

"W-what happened to you, above that worthless store?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say that since I hadn't done Mi Gai Dageki in a while I overdid it and put far too much reiatsu into, which didn't strengthen it, but it weakened me"

Kira tilted her head from side to side, eliciting several loud snaps from her neck

"What happened to you guys?" she asked, noticing Daisuke slowly bleeding out in Sai's arms, and the numerous superficial injuries all the others were sporting

They all glanced at each other

"Nothing too important" Sendo Hebi answered from Tsubaki's back as she returned to the room "But by the ssscalesss on my blade, I am glad to sssee you back with usss Kira-sssan"

"Shut it, Hebi"

Sendo Hebi stopped kissing ass and shut up

The door burst open again, revealing Ren, who was far more damaged from his fight with Layne, and brief skirmish with Byakuya then had showed up then

"Ahh Ren?" Kira said with a wicked grin, she knew that she scared him shitless sometimes "It's a bit early for your report"

"Kira-sama" Ren said hurriedly "I beseech you for pardo-"

He was cut off when Tsubaki grasped his shoulder and smiled

Ren calmed down

"One of the Substitute Shinigami, the one with the white zanpakuto that looks like a key, he realized that you had spies in the Seireitei, and he convinced Rukia Kuchiki-sama to guide him to the Seireitei, Jankz and I overheard them talking and I moved to eliminate them, I had critically wounded Kuchiki and was about to apply the finishing blow to the substitute… when Captain Kuchiki interfered"

"So… how many did you kill?"

"…None"

"Well it doesn't matter anyway, Jankz is still there right?"

Ren nodded

"Then you can just come with us through Takeda's gate… I'm sure we can find someone for you to kill with your pitiful skills"

Tsubaki was already leading Ren up to her room, shooting an evil glare at Kira as she caught that last remark

Kira chuckled and then looked at Daisuke

"That still doesn't explain how you got so fucked up"

"That new lieutenant of the 13th division" Emi explained "Appears to be stronger that Daisuke"

"How are we going to heal those injuries?"

"Kidnap a member of the fourth?"

"So this lieutenant, stronger than Daisuke eh? Kira said, smiling "I wonder if he would be worth a fight"

Emi sighed, in their hearts, Kira and Daisuke were one and the same and Emi had always envied him for that

"In terms of power, Daisuke ranks below You, Me and Takeda" Emi said matter of factly "With Tsubaki directly under him, and then Ren and Jankz"

"Speaking of Ren, I'm interested to know just how he nearly killed that Substitute; I wouldn't have thought he would have had nearly enough power for it"

"Isn't he one of those dual Zanpakuto wielders?" Emi asked "Ren only said something about a white bladekey, if he wasn't using the black bladekey as well for whatever reason, then maybe his power level might have been equal to or lower than Ren's"

"This might be a stupid question Joel" Renji asked "But do you still have your limit release on?"

Everyone who had been fighting today was down at Layne's place in Urahara's basement, and they still had no idea where either Layne, Urahara or Yoruichi were, though Tessai, Jinta and Ururu had helped them patch up their injuries

Joel pulled the front of his Shihakusho down, exposing part of his muscular chest, where a black Summer Snowflake symbol was inscribed on his chest

Matsumoto suddenly reached out and grabbed him pulling him close and staring intensely at the mark on his chest

Joel's face became very hot "Oi, oi Rangiku-san"

"Your limiter decayed" Matsumoto announced, moving back "Your at seventy five percent strength while the rest of us at still at twenty, aside from Ikkaku, and Ichigo"

So that's why I could suddenly kick the shit out of that guy when I used Fist of the Mountain… It's such an explosive power release, even more so that my compressive Bankai, that it probably jarred the limiter

"Well that's a good thing" Ichigo remarked "I was at full power and I was getting my tail kicked by that woman who took Uryuu"

"Did you try Bankai?" Joel asked "I noticed my time getting a lot easier after I used mine"

"I…haven't been able to use my Bankai since I left Soul Society, I'm pretty sure Layne hasn't either"

"Why would that be?" Joel asked, tilting his head

"It's because of the lack of ambient reishi in the air" Nemu began explaining "Soul Society naturally has many reishi particles because of all the Shinigami and their unfettered reiatsu, but here in the real world, where anyone above Lieutenant level is limited, and there are more human souls, the reishi in the air is limited"

Joel nodded like he understood what she was on about and Matsumoto slapped him

"Pay attention"

"Because there has never been many cases of human's becoming Shinigami, I can only posit the hypothesis that because Kurosaki-san, and Trell-san are not full time Shinigami, they relied on the ambient reishi in Soul Society, rather than just the core of their Zanpakuto spirit for Bankai, therefore creating imperfect Bankai's

Everyone looked at Ichigo with a newfound respect

Even an imperfect Bankai was enough to defeat Captain Kuchiki?

Nemu continued on "So, until you and Trell-san can form their perfect Bankai's simply from the core of their souls, then you won't be able to do Bankai in the real world"

Joel was still nodding like he knew what was going on and this time Nemu turned to him

"You didn't understand a word of my explanation, did you Joel?"

"Not at all"

Moll had enough

"Tornado!"

A sleeping Layne was blasted through the wall, and he miraculously, didn't wake up even through that

"AGH!" Moll shouted "I can't take your snoring anymore!"

"Third Seat Rone!" Isane came round the corner, her expression stern "I thought I told you that could only stay here if you stopped blasting Trell-san through the walls, this is the third time!"

"Sorry" Moll said sheepishly "He just won't stop snoring"

Isane sighed "He didn't wake up through this Tornado either?"

"Not a stir"

"Impressive sleeper"

"Wait until you see this"

Moll reached over and plucked a green apple from a basket on the last remaining piece of furniture in the room and tossed it to Layne's sleeping form, among the pile of rubble, where it landed, just close enough to Layne's mouth

His head moved and took a large chomp from the apple, and he started chewing

Isane's jaw hung open

"And he's still asleep" she muttered disbelievingly

"Oh yeah" replied Moll gloomily "And this isn't even the most amazing thing I've seen him do while he's asleep"

One week later, Layne was still asleep, but the gang down in the real world now knew where he was, which was a topic of much confusion for a while

At the Urahara store Renji and Joel were cleaning the store, because Urahara said something about freeloading in the basement, when Matsumoto and Hisagi burst through the front door

"We found them?"

"Found who?"

"Kira!"

Joel and Renji were out of their bodies and out the door, heading for Ichigo's place before Matsumoto could blink

"How's that gate Takeda?" Kira asked "I want to get this over with"

"Almost finished" Takeda smiled "I just need this Quincy to fire his arrow through so we can enter the Soul Society

Uryuu sat bound in a chair nearby, and his eyes unconsciously slid to his reishi amplifying bracelet

No matter what, I can't fire an arrow into that gate

A loud explosion shook the building, and it seemed like an earthquake to those inside

Tsubaki, the resident Kido expert looked up in alarm, and Sendo Hebi immediately began shooting its mouth off

"Tsssubaki'sss Kyomon kido has been breached… by sssomething called Getsssuga Tenssshou" it hissed

"I've never heard of that before, but there's only a few people that could have been" Kira answered, drawing her Zanpakuto

Ren, Emi and Tsubaki mirrored her movement, and they were all ready when the inner door burst open, revealing Ichigo, Renji, Chad, Joel, Orihime, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Hisagi and Nemu

"Alright" Joel said with a grin "Don't worry, the Cavalry is here"

a/n - And so ends chap 23, hope your enjoying it =D

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I hate studying, which is probably why i prefer writing this... XD