Chapter two

Matsumoto

"Tai-chou… actually lost?"

Matsumoto Rangiku rushed to the Sōkyoku Hill the moment she heard Kotetsu Isane's emergency transmission. How's it possible? Tai-chou… couldn't have lost! And Kira! What's with that expression on his face? It's as if he's shocked to hear that Hinamori is almost dead when he's on their side! Everything doesn't make sense!

She half wanted to rush to the 46 chambers to make sure her captain was alive, but orders told her to get to the Sōkyoku Hill as fast as possible. She shunpo-ed all the way, leaving the just beaten Kira on the ground. Her thoughts, however, kept running towards an image of Hitsugaya Toushirou dripping with blood, worn out and beaten. No. I mustn't lose it. Tai-chou's counting on me to do my part! She shook her head, trying to erase that image, but the sight of Gin charging up his power to attack Jidanbō Ikkanzaka swept it away immediately.

She sped up with extra force and grabbed onto his wrist, stopping the gathering of power. She swung her katana over his shoulder and held it in place beside his neck.

"Don't move. Please."

She could feel a wave of uncertainty flowing through her. After all, she and Gin were close friends since before they joined the academy. Holding a sword to the neck of a friend… was no easy task, Matsumoto had just realized.

"Sorry, Captain Aizen… She got me."

No sign of recognition, no gesture of friendship. Matsumoto had gotten used to his personality. She knew it wasn't as though he would say 'hi' when she was holding a sword against his neck. She gasped at the sight of renji, ichigo, and byakuya lying injured on the ground, and the weak rukia with her eyes wide open with trauma. Around her, others were also holding up swords against those they never thought they would.

Hisagi had to go up against his own captain, one who he had respected and trusted to such a high level. It must be tough for him. All of us vice-captains look up to our captains with such a great respect that I would rather kill myself than to ever go up against Tai-chou. Yoruichi was making sure Aizen didn't make a sudden move. And we had all thought he was one of the most respectable captains ever.

"This is the end." She heard Yoruichi say. "Don't you sense it Aizen? You have been… completely surrounded."

Sure enough, they were suddenly surrounded by all the other captains and vice-captains. The name 'Aizen' was exclaimed through the crowd. Yoruichi broke the silence.

"It's over… Aizen." But instead of fear, Matsumoto saw a smirk run across his face. Yoruichi frowned.

"What? What's so funny Aizen?"

"Yeah…Sorry, but… it's time." Yoruichi's eyes widened at Aizen's words.

If she was a second too late to jump away, she would have been caught in the column of light that had just fallen onto Aizen. Impossible… A hole appeared in the sky where the light had fallen from and huge white masks could be seen in the darkness. MENOS GRANDE! Shock fell on the faces of every single one of the shinigami who were present. Out of no where, another two columns of light fell from the sky. Matsumoto and Hisagi had barely escaped being captured in it when they jumped away, releasing their captives. Gin turned his head towards Matsumoto.

"Too bad… It would have been nice if my capture lasted a little longer… Farewell Rangiku. Sorry." That smirk that had just appeared on Gin's face was something Matsumoto was too familiar with. You never could tell his true feelings just by looking at his smile or his eyes, seeing that they were closed almost the whole time.

Everyone just stood there watching as the three captains were pulled towards the sky, knowing there was nothing they could do. All those who had fought against the menos knew that from the moment the beams came down, Aizen and the others were out of their reach.

The air was still and silent. No one moved, no one talked. Then Aizen did.

"Goodbye, Shinigami. And goodbye, Young ryoka. For a human… you are really interesting." Matsumoto looked to human boy who was lying on the ground only a few feet from her.

The three ex-captains were about to reach the hole in the sky when out of nowhere a beam of shimmer suddenly shot towards the Gillian in the sky like lightning and sliced through the masks of at least four of them, causing them to fade away in seconds.

"Good riddance to you too, Aizen." Everyone, including the three traitors, immediately turned towards the direction where the small voice came from. Matsumoto's eyes widened when she saw a girl who was poised in a landing, with her head bent down, back towards them all and one arm stretched out in parallel to the ground. She had landed so skillfully that Matsumoto thought she had just popped out from the ground.

"It was nice seeing you again." The hole in the sky banged shut at the girl's last word.

She stood up straight and turned towards all the suprised faces that looked her way. She wore an extremely serious look on her face. She had straight shoulder length black hair and had a green band across her forehead. She was in neutral-colored shorts and shirt. Matsumoto thought she looked like some archaeologist; and a really small one at that.

Her face switched from serious to sweet in a matter of seconds as the girl suddenly grinned and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear.

"Now that's what I call a dramatic entrance. And to think all of you just stood there like statues! I mean, you're gonna have to fight them in the end right? So why not just kill a few of first? Then you'll have less when the war breaks out. Tsk." She shook her head disbelievingly. Everyone just stared at her like she was some weird girl and she immediately grasped the situation. Who is she? The girl crossed her arms, pouted and frowned.

"Aw man. Are you telling me none of you actually remember me? I can't believe it! Was I that unnoticeable then?"

Something about that bold and naïve personality reminded Matsumoto of someone. She looked at the sweet and wide smile. A picture in the framed photograph that was on her captain's desk popped up suddenly in her mind. A photograph with three smiling kids, a white-haired boy and two black-haired girls. The picture with Hinamori on the left, Hitsugaya in the centre and… No. It can't be!

"Kir… KAJISAKI TAI-CHOU!"

Kirria Kajisaki grinned her widest as gasps ran through the crowd.


I hope the first two chapters were okay...

anyway, just incase you found it confusing, the name (bolded/italics) that appears, before that part of the chapter actually starts, is the person thinking in italics for that whole part. I didnt want to say it was their point-of-view because I'm not exactly using the first person style of writing...

am i making things more confusing? hope not! haha... please review! :D