DV: This is a shorter chapter. In fairness, you shouldn't have to wait a whole week for the next chapter, because we're not complete dicks. We plan for it to come this Wednesday. On another note, we got a review last chapter warning of character death. Well...yeah. Of course. Canon is practically a Sugar Bowl for the heroes compared to both our AU's, which of course influences how Minato and Marcus deal with enemies. Our writing sessions are basically D&D Bleach sessions in which we have no real overarching plan, and the plot direction revolves around where character interaction takes us.

US- And yes, we did just kill off Kenpachi last chapter. That's just the way that this story rolls *Puts on sunglasses dramatically as something explodes in the background*. As for what is still to come… who knows? Intersection, thy name is Bullshit. This is basically 'lets see just what parts of canon we can screw up and mess with' the fanfic.

Disclaimer: We can't even be bothered to attempt to write something witty here. Suffice to say, had either of us owned Bleach, we wouldn't be wasting our time writing fanfiction for it, and would likely be in a money jacuzzi at this point in time.

Marcus II

When Kenpachi Zaraki's head was swallowed whole, the only thing Marcus could think to say was "Holy shit!"

The second thing he said though, was, "What sort of a messed up power is that?"

"My power." replied Minato, wincing slightly as the tentacled creature retreated back into his back. "And I was right, he did taste like shit."

"I'm pretty sure you're just comically missing the point here." Marc sighed loudly but didn't press further, instead dispelling his blade. It had been a long day, filled with fights against Arrancar, the deaths of the only friends he still had, a hell of a lot of inner searching, topped up with an interrupted fight with his nemesis and a spot of interdimensional jumping.

At this point in time Marcus was tired, bruised, bleeding and he was pretty sure that several broken bones had accumulated since the last time a healer checked him, "God, what I wouldn't give for a nice shower right now…"

"Oh, don't be so lax. I'm not Unohana, but I can do basic healing. Sit down before you hurt yourself beyond my ability to heal."

"Might not be the best of ideas." Marc pointed sharply at the tiger in the room nobody had been paying attention to. Marc and Minato hadn't been alone when they fought and ultimately killed Kenpachi. No. Yachiru had been watching the entire thing, and she had just seen her father figure being eaten alive.

"K… Kenny?" The girls normally cheerful attitude was gone, her voice more hesitant, an impossibly wide grin stretched across her face. "You're just playin' dead, right? You can't be dead. You're the strongest. G-get up! C'mon! Kenny! Get up!"

"Perhaps we should leave before she snaps out of it. I'd rather not have Unohana...or Yamamoto coming down on us anytime soon." Minato suggested.

"Shit. Forget about my conscience, let's hightail it out of here before we attract the god damn Dragon!" Marcus had only seen the Captain Commander releasing his Zanpakuto at a distance, and had already been fleeing Fake Karakura Town when it happened. He had no desire to have the full wrath of it falling on his head. While he certainly felt bad for Yachiru, at this point he had so many traumas of his own to deal with that he just couldn't afford to worry about her. "We need to escape somewhere… find somewhere where we can lie low for awhile, and maybe actually get some answers from one another."

Marcus pondered for a second, before a small grin slid onto his features. "Are you thinking where I am?"

Minato raised both eyebrows, "Perhaps. I have yet to analyse your thought patterns."

"You do realise you sound like an android when you rattle off those types of lines, right? But yeah, if your answer was 'hide in the sewers' then yes, we thought the same."

"That was...not quite what I had in mind. However, it is a valid plan."

"Well what's your idea, smart guy?"

"No, no. You're doing splendidly, carry on." Minato announced with a beaming smile.

"...I can't be sure if that was genuine, or if you are legitimately just that patronising." Either way, he'd been given a pass to follow through with his 'hide in the sewers' scheme. At least they had some kind of plan.

Nevertheless, Marcus figured it would be best to save any more chit chat for when they were well away from the homicidal Lieutenant currently in denial.

"Well, let's go then. Don't suppose you could carry me?" It irked Marc to ask, but Minato was faster, and he was exhausted. He didn't think he could handle the journey to find an unattended opening to the extensive labyrinth beneath the surface.

Minato rolled his eyes before a mass of ribbons burst out of back, securing Marc in a bundle, before he took off to find an entrance. They left quickly, leaving only the crying form of a young girl behind them.