Yo everybody! Before I start the next chapter, I have something important to say. This story has reached over 10,000 hits!! I want to say something to all the people who have reviewed my story, to the people who put it in their favorites or alerts and to all of my fans, Thank You! It's you guys that have given me the drive to write my stories. Heres to the next 10,000 hits!
Now that that's out of the way. It's time for what I've been waiting for. And I imagine, most of my fans as well. The release forms.
Darkanagel1910: Than I've done my job. I've actually written the last section of the final chapter. The ending will be kinda bitter sweet, both happy and sad. But it will lead into the squeal I have planned. And that's all I'm gonna say about the ending.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this piece of fanfiction.
Chapter Eighteen
"You've been abandoned. Forgotten. You are weak. Pathetic." the voice said. "I can change that. I can make you stronger. Stronger than any mere human. Strong enough to destroy those who abandoned you. To prove to all just how strong you are. All I ask for is one little thing."
"What?" she asked.
"Your heart. The core of your humanity. You won't need it anymore. In exchange for your heart, you will become something greater, stronger, and superior to humans."
"Yes dammit!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I want power! I want to be stronger! If I have to give up my humanity, than so be it! Make me stronger!"
The voice laughed. "Excellent."
The darkness descended on her...and she was reborn.
She opened her eyes.
Tatsuki opened her eyes. There was a familiar orange glow covering her vision. She also noted that her wounds were slowly healing themselves. She sat up, spat out the blood in her mouth and looked around. Next to her was Ichigo, lying bloody and unconscious. Another glance. Orihime, kneeling next her and Ichigo, healing them and staring at her with a worried look on her face. Another glance revealed Grimmjow.
"Grimmjow." she said. "I should have know that only you'd be stupid enough to take Orihime out of her cell while intruders are in Los Noches."
"It won't matter. You and Kurosaki are gonna die and I'm gonna get my number back."
"Like a pathetic failure like you would ever become an Espada again."
"Bitch."
"Cripple."
Grimmjow growled. "Hurry up and heal them girl."
"You plan to take us both on at the same time?" Tatsuki said in disbelief. "You're either braver than I gave you credit for or stupider. Personally, I think it's the latter."
Elsewhere
"Bang!" Keigo shouted as he fired off the cero.
The cero flew towards Chad. Chad spun towards the cero, raising his shield arm as he did.
The cero struck his arm and exploded. Chad had survived the blast in one piece, though the shield part of his right arm was almost entirely blackened from the impact. Of course, had it struck just about anywhere else on his body, even he would have been badly hurt by the attack.
"Wow! That's one tough arm. But it's gonna take more than that to beat me." Keigo said as he started spinning his kamas again.
Keigo threw his kamas like he had so many times before. But this time, Chad caught them before they hit him.
"What?!" Keigo shouted in surprise as he tried to pull his kamas back.
Chad wasn't about to let go of the kamas. He started spinning, causing Keigo to spin as well. Chad could have sworn he heard Keigo shout, "Not again!!"
After a good minute of spinning, Chad let go, causing him to crash into a wall of a nearby structure and fall down to sand below.
Suddenly, the kamas came back to life and attacked. One blade dug into his left shoulder while the slashed across his chest. Keigo stood up as his kamas pulled back. He seemed to be favoring his right shoulder.
"Damn. I think you dislocated my shoulder." he said as he tucked his kamas back into his belt.
He then proceeded to snap his shoulder back into place, letting out a small yelp of pain as he did.
"That's better. Now, where were we?"
Elsewhere
Mizuiro had followed the unsuspecting quincy all the way to Szayel's Domain. The pink haired Espada was battling Uryu and that tattooed lieutenant, Renji Abarai. There was also that moronic hollow from before as well as another one.
He decided to stay hidden and watch as the two tried to defeat the top arrancar scientist. They had come close with the use of an unstable kido spell from Renji and some rather powerful quincy attack called a Sprenger. But Szayel survived and just finished restoring himself by devouring one of Fraccion. A disgusting sight.
"You know, you come out and show yourself Mizuiro." Szayel said as he discarded his dead Fraccion's arm.
Everyones' (expect for Szayel) eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know I was there?" he asked as he stepped into the room.
"I have my ways." the pink haired arrancar smugly replied.
"How did you escape my slick?!" that annoying hollowed shouted.
"Oh that? I simply analyzed your 'slick' and came up with a counter agent." he answered. "Here let me show you."
Mizuiro then sprayed that hollow with his own slick, causing him to slip and start sliding across the floor. A minute later, he sprayed a second liquid on to the sliding hollow, canceling out the slick and stopping him.
"Quite an interesting ability you have Mizuiro. I would very much like to study it in greater detail." Szayel said with an excited grin.
'I bet you would, nutjob. But that's not about to happen anytime soon.'
"Perhaps later. We have intruders to worry about."
Szayel smirked and chuckled. "Quite right. Come. We'll give these fools a brief chance to come up with some new strategies. I need a change of clothes anyway." he said as he turned and started walking away from Uryu and Renji.
Szayel took a few steps, stopped and turned to Renji and Uryu. "If I were you two, I'd try to escape before we come back." he said before resuming walking towards a door
Mizuiro followed him while Uryu and Renji seemed to follow Szayel's advice and ran the opposite way. The goofy looking hollows following them.
Mizuiro and Szayel walked down a short hallway and into a room. The room seemed to be a cross between Szayel's bedroom and security control room. Szayel walked over to the console and pushed a few buttons.
"That should keep them busy for awhile." he commented before walking to his dresser.
Mizuiro walked up to the console and looked at the screens. Somehow, Szayel had altered the layout of his domain to prevent Uryu and Renji from escaping. They would end up running around in circles for a good ten minutes before ending up back where they started.
"I designed my Domain to be an extension of my own body. I'm aware of anyone and everyone who enters my Domain and I can alter it as needed."
"Ah...So that's how you knew I was there."
Szayel finished putting on a new uniform. "Well then, shall we see how they're doing?"
Mizuiro grinned. "Yes. Let's finish them off."
Keigo lunged at Chad slashing across the chest, while Chad's right fist slammed into Keigo's forehead, driving him back.
Both combatants had yet to truly overpower the other. As a result, the battle had degraded into a bloody brawl that seemed to have no end in sight. Chad knew that he was physically stronger than Keigo. Keigo on the other hand, was much faster.
"It seems that we are fairly evenly matched." Keigo said as he wiped some of the blood off his forehead. "But I think it's time to end this right here and now."
Chad knew what was about to happened. And braced himself for it.
"Soar Plumado Serpiente!" Keigo shouted as started to spin his kamas by their chains.
Faster and faster, the kamas spun while reiatsu surged around the spinning weapons. Suddenly, the kamas exploded, blanketing Keigo in fire and smoke.
When the smoke cleared, it revealed a large ball made up of dark blue feathers floating about a foot off the ground.
The ball opened up, revealing that the feathers belonged to two pairs of large wings emerging from Keigo's back. A long white, scaled tail with a rattle slid to the ground. Keigo's jacket was gone and his body and arms were covered in white scales with red and dark blue streaks running down his body and tail. His tail was connected to the middle of his back, just beneath his wings. He had retained his human legs and still wore his hakama and sandals. His finger nails had turned dark gary and had lengthened a bit. His mask fragments now looked like long, sharp spikes sticking out of his cheeks. Keigo grinned, revealing sharp, pointed teeth.
Keigo's right hand reached for his left side while his left hand went to his right side. His fingers dug into his flesh. If Keigo felt any pain, he didn't show it. Keigo pulled out two of his ribs which transformed into replicas of his kamas. The wounds the action caused, instantly healed up. The tip of Keigo's tail lifted up and started shaking the rattle on it.
"Good bye Chad."
Keigo sonidoed and struck.
Renji didn't like how things were fairing. He hadn't been fairing all that well against the pink haired whackjob, mainly because he had neutralized his bankai. How the hell could he beat even a low level Espada without his bankai? As much as he hated to admit it, he sucked at kido.
Then Uryu showed up and their chances of victory rose. They had managed to severely injure the Espada, only to watch him regenerate by devouring one of his minions. Then when it looked like things couldn't get any worse, Mizuiro showed up. Which that in itself was a major problem as they couldn't kill him. They had to fight but at the same time hold back enough to prevent killing him.
So when they left, Uryu proposed that they escape Szayel's Domain and split up, causing Mizuiro and the Esapda to split up to chase after them.
They reached the top of the stairs and pushed open the door...only to find themselves back in the exact same room as before. They had even entered through the same door they left.
"This isn't possible." Uryu said as he looked around the chamber.
"Did you enjoy run?" the Espada asked as he entered the room. "I found it quite amusing. Did you really think that you could just leave like that?"
"Yeah." Renji answered with a nervous smile. "We kinda did."
The Espada chuckled. "This is my Domain. I am king here. Everything here obeys me. The very walls will move to my will. How can you possible escape a place like this?"
"But it doesn't matter. For now it's time for the final act." Szayel said as he drew his sword. "Sip Fornicaras!"
The Espada then shallowed his sword and expanded like a balloon. He exploded, revealing his creepy-looking release form.
"Hm...It's actually less creepy than I thought it would be." Mizuiro commented. "But then again, appearances can be deceiving. So there's no way of knowing just how creepy you are in that state."
Szayel bowed his head. "Thank you for the complement."
Mizuiro shrugged before drawing his sword and holding it out in front of him. "Consume Plaga!"
The entire sword, from the tip of the blade to the butt of the hilt turned black and broke apart into hundreds of little black flies. The flies flew around Mizuiro, their numbers increasing until Mizuiro's entire form was surrounded by a mini cyclone of flies.
A moment later, a pair of white hands with bright green fingers tipped with short, curved claws emerged. The palms of the hands turned upwards, revealing a hole the size of a quarter in the middle of both palms. All of the flies immediately swarmed both hands as they crawled into the holes in the palms. Revealing Mizuiro's released form.
Mizuiro wore a black, ragged looking, sleeveless robe that ended midway down his shins. It fluttered and shifted constantly, almost like it was a living organism. His arms now looked like bone covered in white skin with small, dime size, holes going up his arms. There were two tube-like protrusions coming out of his back. His sandals were gone. In their place, were white skinned feet with bright green talons. His mask had changed slightly. Three spike-like horns now emerged from the top of his mask fragment.
Mizuiro exhaled and small clouds of green mist came out of his nostrils and the ends of the tubes on his back.
"Why don't you go first Mizuiro." Szayel said. "After all, you're the guest here."
Mizuiro nodded. "Thank you Szayel."
Mizuiro raised his hands, firing ceros from each hand.
'This is gonna be a pain in the ass.' Renji thought as he dodged the cero.
Ichigo slowly opened his eyes and sat up. He had been healed by somebody. Even his clothes had been restored.
"Ichigo!" two female voices cried out as a pair of arms wrapped around his neck in a hug, quickly joined by a second, smaller pair.
It was Orihime and Nell.
"Orihime? How-"
"So Sleeping Beauty finally wakes up." a familiar voice interrupted. "About damn time."
Ichigo looked up and saw Grimmjow staring at him with a wicked grin.
"Well then. Why don't we get this show on the road then." another familiar voice said. "I've grown tired of dealing with both of you."
Ichigo looked to his left. There, siting on a fallen white tree, was Tatsuki, fully healed.
"Yes." Grimmjow said. "Let's end this once and for all. Both of you have humiliated me for the last time. Now I will kill both of you and retake my position on the Espada!"
"You couldn't beat me before Grimmjow. What makes you think you can do it now?" Tatsuki said as she stood up.
"You got lucky Arisawa! Nothing more! You're not stronger than me!" an enraged Grimmjow shouted.
"Luck? You think it was luck that I beat you? Than you're a bigger idiot than I thought Grimmjow." Tatsuki said. "Luck had nothing to do with it. It was simply a difference in power and skill."
"We'll see Arisawa. We'll see."
Grimmjow sonidoed. But instead of going after Tatsuki, Grimmjow lunged at Ichigo, catching him off guard and slamming his fist into his head. Ichigo fell to the ground while Grimmjow charged a cero at him. But before Grimmjow could fire it, Tatsuki dropkicked his head. Tatsuki than offered her hand to him.
Ichigo, without thinking, took it. Tatsuki helped him up...Only to then grab his waist and suplex him into the white sand behind her, burying his head in the sand.
Tatsuki laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that Ichigo! When did I ever say I was fighting on the same side as you?"
Ichigo pulled his head out of the sand, only to get grabbed by Tatsuki. She lifted him up with one hand and started punching him in the face with her free hand for a while before throwing him behind her. Ichigo landed several feet behind her and as he tried to get up, he received a kick to the face from Tatsuki.
Tatsuki then tossed a resealed Zangetsu at his feet and said, "C'mon Ichigo! At least try to be a bit of a challenge! It'll really boring if you don't-"
Suddenly, Grimmjow appeared and drove a knee into Tatsuki's back. Sending her forward into the ground. Grimmjow followed up by jumping on her back and stomping on her.
"BANKAI! Tensa Zangetsu!"
Ichigo lunged at him with Zangetsu. But Grimmjow caught the black blade effortlessly.
"I've told you before. Your bankai just isn't enough Kurosaki." Grimmjow said before uppercutting him with his free hand.
Ichigo flew back a number of feet.
"Why don't you let out Him." Grimmjow said as he walked towards him. "He's the guy I wanna fight. He's a true-"
"Gran Rey Cero!" Tatsuki shouted from behind the two.
Both turned and saw Tatsuki back on her feet, her right palm charging a massive cero with her left arm supporting her right arm.
Time seemed to slow. Ichigo glanced behind him. His eyes widened in horror. Orihime and Nell were a few feet behind him. There was no way for them to get out of the way in time.
Tatsuki fired the giant cero. Grimmjow barely sonidoed out of the way. But Ichigo couldn't. Not with Orihime and Nell in danger.
Ichigo summoned his hollow mask and blocked the attack with Zangetsu.
When the smoke cleared, Grimmjow laughed at the sight of Ichigo and his mask. "There we go! There's the guy I wanna fight!"
Grimmjow lunged at him, but Ichigo flash stepped and reappeared next to Orihime and Nell. He grabbed them and flash stepped again. This time, he reappeared on top of a nearby structure and deposited them there.
"Orihime, summon your shield and don't let it drop for a second." he said.
"Ichigo..." Orihime said weakly.
"Don't worry Orihime. Everyone's going back home today, Tatsuki included."
As he flash stepped away, he heard Orihime say, "Be careful."
He reappeared and attacked Grimmjow. Grimmjow quickly drew his sword and blocked the attack. Tatsuki took this opportunity to attack him with her own zanpaku-to. But Ichigo effortlessly caught it and drove a foot into her side. Driving her into Grimmjow.
Ichigo let loose a barrage of sword swings at the two arrancars but because he was attacking the two of them at the same time, he wasn't able to actually land a strike on either of them.
Ichigo leapt back a few feet. "Getsuga Tenshou!"
A wave of black flames surged towards the two arrancars. Both barely sonidoed out of the way.
"Hmm...It looks like you've somehow gotten better Ichigo." Tatsuki said. "It's been over eleven seconds and yet you still have that mask on."
Grimmjow laughed again. "Finally! An opponent I can go all the way with!"
Grimmjow moved his sword to his left side.
"Grind Pantera!" Grimmjow shouted as he raked his hand across his sword.
Both Ichigo and Tatsuki flash stepped/sonidoed a good distance away from him. A vortex of reiatsu engulfed his body. There was a loud roar, like that of a jungle cat, followed by the reiatsu exploding.
When the smoke cleared, Grimmjow's release form was revealed. He resembled what Ichigo could best describe as a half-man, half-cat creature.
Tatsuki smirked. "Well now. I'm starting to feel a little underdressed for the occasion. Allow me to correct that."
Tatsuki raised her own zanpaku-to. "Impale Verdugo!"
Tatsuki drove the blade into her own chest. A white liquid poured out of the wound as the sword was absorbed into her body. The liquid quickly covered her entire body as reiatsu surged around her. The instant it finished, Tatsuki tilted her head back and let out a loud wolf howl. And the surging reiatsu exploded.
The smoke cleared, revealing Tatsuki's new form. Her body was covered in a white skin similar to Grimmjow's, but there were crimson spiral designs all over her body and limbs. Her muscles looked bigger and stronger than before. Her fingers were tipped with crimson claws and there were short, matching boney ridges sticking out of knuckles. Tatsuki's feet had become more animalistic. Her feet had lengthened and she stood on the balls of her feet, giving her added height. On each foot was four crimson talons for toes and a matching talon sticking out of her heel. The left side of her mask and it's horn-like ears had reformed, leaving only her lower jaw uncovered. Her canines, both on her mask and in her mouth, became longer. Her hair had grown wilder and a bit longer, ending just past her shoulders. Emerging from the base of her spine was three long tails tipped with wicked looking blades.
To sum it up, Tatsuki looked like a monster.
"Ah...It feels so good to be released again." Tatsuki said as she stretched her neck and flexed her clawed fingers. "It's been far too long since I've done this."
Tstsuki glanced at him and grinned. "What's the matter Ichigo?" she said in a mocking tone. "Afraid of me? You should be, cause I'm gonna peel the flesh from your bones."
Ichigo raised Zangetsu, ready for anything from the two released arrancar. He could already tell that this was gonna be one of the toughest battles he ever fought. But he was going to win.
Okay ladies and gentlemen, time for brief rundown on their abilities when they're in their released forms.
Keigo:
The first thing is that his speed greatly improves, enabling him to create 4 after images instead of the 2 he can only create in his normal form. Additional, his tongue is able to stretch to extreme lengths and can actually double as a third arm if need be.
As shown, he can painlessly remove parts of his body, such as his bones (they instantly regenerate if he does this) and turn them in to weapons. However, should something damage that body part, for example, someone breaks a bone, he can't use that body part to make a weapon until he gets it repaired. He calls this ability Hueso Amoldar (Bone Forging). Finally, he transform his hands back into their scythe blade state from when he was a hollow.
Mizuiro:
As I've stated in early chapters, Mizuiro's ability to create toxins and poisons and the like, is completely uninhibited in his released state.
But his most powerful ability is his flies. The live inside his body, constantly feeding off his reiatsu, (or any other reiatsu they can find) which enables them to survive and multiply. In exchange for feeding on his reiatsu, they become his most versatile and valuable weapon. They can sacrifice themselves to repair damage he sustains, though it greatly consumes the number of flies in his body and his own reiatsu to do it. Mizuiro can also consume them to replenish his own reiatsu levels when he needs to. He can also send swarms of them to simply attack his enemies, or form them together into various objects, ranging from simple shield to protect himself with, to large weapons and limbs to attack with, to complex copies of himself to trick his enemies.
Ultimately, they mask his biggest weakness, his physical frailty. For an arrancar of his level, Mizuiro's body in both states, is quite frail and can't withstand the levels of damage that other people of the same level can.
Tatsuki:
Tatsuki really has only three abilities in her released state. The first is her physical strength, which goes from scary in her normal form to insane in her released form.
Her second ability is called Acero Lluvia (Steel Rain). Her tail blades turn into a number of small, but razor sharp needles, which she can fire off in a high-speed barrage of needles. They don't cause much damage but penetrate just about anything and because of their speed, their hard to avoid. However, after she fires them all, it takes a few moments for the blades to regenerate.
Her final ability is called Muerte Corte (Death Blade). She generates energy blades around her limbs, arms, legs and tails. They can extent great distances but they grow weaker and duller the longer they become.
I'm gonna take a break from this story for awhile. How long? I don't know. Though actually post the fights first, then take a break, I haven't quite decided yet. But I do plan to start submitting the first couple of chapters of other stories I've been working (mostly Naruto fanfics) and will have a poll sometime in the future to see which one I should work on first.