Chapter 6: Tumbling into Turmoil

"Hey, new girl," Yoruichi Shihoin called.

Sui-Feng turned around earnestly. "M-me?"

"Yeah, I need a favor um… Soi Fang?"

"I-it's Sui-Feng, Ms. Shihoin," she corrected. "B-but if you want to call me Soi Fang, then that's also accep-."

"Oh lighten up already!" Yoruichi complained. "It's been almost a week since you joined, and yet you're still so formal."

"But to speak informally to Lady Yoruichi would be impudent of me. I couldn't possibly- Aiee!" Sui-Feng yelped as Yoruichi pinched her thigh.

"I said lighten up. Look, I know your family is bound to mine, or some other thing like that, but you don't have to be so afraid of coming out as rude. I want my men to feel comfortable around me. Now shape up and try again."

Sui-Feng stumbled against the wall of an alley, panting from exhaustion. The time when she first joined the Stealth Division continued to play in her head like a tape recorder. 'To be thinking about that at a time like this,' she thought to herself in a scolding fashion. 'I must be delirious.' Blood soaked the side of her head, flowing from where the bullet from Baader's gun had grazed it. The force of it made her deaf in her left ear and caused her eye to squint shut. 'I need to find some place to recover.'

"Target inbound. Fire on my mark."

Sui-Feng practically flung herself forward as the building she was leaning on caved in on itself from aerial fire. A trail of bullets followed her as the jets tried to gun her down.

'This can't go on much longer. I have to figure out where the Quincy is. This is a cutting the head off a snake type of situation.' The woman's foot landed on something hard and metallic. 'Are those...' Sui-Feng's good eye opened wide in shock as the object began to beep. Her body was caught in an explosion and flew into the air. Unfortunately for her, three missile had been aimed in that exact direction. Her body was hidden from the world, eclipsed by a fury of fire.

Baader Batterlicht (The Krieg) watched as Sui-Feng's form plummeted to the ground in a heap of smoke. Taking the cigar from his lips, he looked as if he almost pitied her. "She was a tough one, but even I know she couldn't have taken that one and still be standing." The bald man reached up and brought his receiver to his mouth. "All units move out to sector 212-7. The objective has been incapacitated." Baader reached out and reformed his rifle, looking down the scope.

A bullet shaped Heilig Pfeil ripped through the air and took out Sui-Feng's thigh mid-Shunpo. She stumbled, her body skidding along the ground. She landed straight onto another mine, fire and shrapnel swallowing her body. She screamed, flesh burning. Every one of her limbs felt as if there were filled by flames. In the corner of her eye, she could see projectiles flying to her. 'I can't move.'

Buildings rattled as missiles obliterated the ground she lay on. She could no longer be seen, assault after assault of hellfire raining from above. Baader reached up a hand, signaling his aerial forces from launching away. He could still faintly sense her Reiatsu, but barely. As the smoke cleared, he threw down his cigar and crushed it underfoot. Her body was no where to be seen.

Sui-Feng opened her eyes slowly, taking note that she was now moving. The environment zoomed past in a blur. She was being carried by Omaeda, pushing his shunpo to the limits in attempt to flee. "What... do you think... you're doing, Omaeda?"

"Please be quiet, Captain. I'm doing my best to keep you alive." Though his tone was forceful, an expression of relief flashed across it.

Sui-Feng allowed herself a small smile. "Since when did... a coward like you... have to guts to do this?"

Omaeda's brows furrowed. "Why are you always like this?! The least you could do is thank me!"

Silence passed between them as he continued forward. Sui-Feng's lips parted, as if to say something.

"...Th..tha-"

Omaeda dropped her as the two crashed landed. A tank shell had struck his back, singing off the little fabric that covered it. Another hit Sui-Feng, sending her away spiraling. She sat up, grimacing with intense pain. Her eyes fell upon Baader, stood over Omaeda with his rifle pointed. A dangerous light glinted in his eyes.

Sui-Feng reached out, eyes widening. "No, don't!" For a second her eyes locked with Omaeda's. They were full of pain and fear. But even worst was that it looked like he was apologizing for

Bang.

The color in Omaeda's face vanished, his eyes now vacant and emotionless. The bullet tore into the back of his neck, severing his vertebrae. Sui-Feng slumped back, defeated. He was cowardly, arrogant, and a nuisance, but Omaeda was still her Lieutenant and was at the very least loyal. And she let him die, right in front of her. Baader crouched down in front of her, acting as if he hadn't just killed someone. "This is your last chance," he stated. "Activate your Bankai."

Sui-Feng glared daggers at him but said nothing.

"Our orders lie in pacifying this place. I don't have to kill you at all."

"You didn't to mind it when you slaughtered my men."

"You believe that I killed them. But it wasn't my fault." He leaned in close, whispering. "It was your own incompetence that sent them to their deaths. They died because they were weak enough to follow you. And yet you still got them all killed."

Something within Sui-Feng snapped. Maybe it was the spur of the moment, maybe it was since what he said held some truth to it. Whatever the reason, she had had enough of their battle and was ready to end it. Reiatsu poured out of her as she lifted her gauntleted hand. She charged Baader, aiming for the black butterfly at the side of her head.

Blood splattered against the floor, both combatants at a momentary standstill. Baader's eyes were full of surprise. "I warned you," he said weakly.

His hand was over Suzumebachi, holding it in place. At the corner of Sui-Feng's lip, a single line of blood trickled down her chin. She looked down, where Baader's combat knife sat pressed into her stomach. Her nearly seared off Shihakusho became bloodstained from the wound. Baader let go of her, allowing her to drop to the ground. Her breathing became even more haggard, black filling the corners of her eyes.

"Sorry," Baader apologized halfheartedly. "I never held a grudge against you Shinigami. I barely give a damn about that whole Quincy Extermination thing. But I have comrades to help."

Sui-Feng was not fully listening, consciousness slowly evading her.

"My mother used to sing to me when I was little," Yoruichi explained as she sat with Sui-Feng under a sakura tree. She lay on her lap, letting Yoruichi's warmth sooth her. "Every time I got worried or scared, she'd bring me to this tree and sing."

"That sounds lovely…"

"Would you like to hear one of her songs?" Sui-Feng nodded earnestly. As Yoruichi began to sing, Sui-Feng became enthralled. Though she stumbled over a few lines and apologized for getting them wrong, Yoruichi's voice alleviating all her stress. When she stopped, she looked down at the young girl, smiling. "Maybe one day you could sing to me." The girl nodded. Yoruichi reached down and wrapped their pinkies together. "Promise?"

It was her turn to smile. "Promise."

Sui-Feng lay against the cold pavement, warmth escaping from her body. 'Omaeda, I'm sorry you had to put up with my personality all those times. You were...a good soldier. Ms. Yoruichi...forgive me. I couldn't… keep your promise.' A tear fell down her face as she drew her last breath.

Diana Baumann (Gottesengel 'R') ducked under the swing of Byakuya Kuchiki, who fought with renewed vigor. He swung with ferocity but control, every swing calculated abd deliberate. Lars Baumann (Gottesengel 'U') watched his sister and her condition. A light sweat bore down her forehead as her breathing remained steady. 'I guess she's fine on her own,' he concluded, returning his dagger back to the large belt he wore around his waist. His eyes slid to Byakuya, now an aggressive fighter. 'But just what is he seeing right now. To be on the offensive like that...he must be having a bad memory.'

Byakuya locked katanas with Sojun Kuchiki, the men engaged in a battle of speed. If an onlooker were to pass by, they wouldn't be able to follow their movements. Flashes of white blurred through the air, the sound of metal hitting metal drowning out the sound of crashing waves.

The two finally took an intermission from their fierce combat, stopping opposite one another. 'I must find a way out of this place,' Byakuya thought to himself. 'I have to get back to the Soul Society and stop the invasio-...The war...' He briefly stopped, confused. 'The...war..?'

"Something seems to be troubling you," Sojun observed. "You can't remember something?"

The young Byakuya placed both hands on his sword, holding it in a defensive stance. "No..." What was he trying to remember?

"Why did you defect from the Soul Society?" He decided to pursue his father's reasons for leaving the Gotei. He had a rather loyal nature and was altogether kind hearted. None of this made sense.

"Byakuya do you know what lies underneath our manor?"

"The family library of Soul Society's history." Byakuya knew that fact like the back of his hand.

"And the most confidential files which lie within it."

Byakuya gripped Senbonzakura. "What are getting at?"

"Do you know why the Quincy are so few in number?"

Byakuya thought back to his days in the academy, reciting the words of his professor on one of the few topics which genuinely interested him.

"900 years before, Ywach, the King of the Quincy, revolted and declared war with Soul Society. They lost the war and nearly their entire race. Since then, they've been hiding in few numbers, scattered amongst the World of the Living."

Sojuro sighed, briefly closing his eyes. "That information is textbook knowledge for all Shinigami," he stated. "But is only partially true."

Byakuya showed slight surprise. "Are you trying to tell me that we are purposefully being deceived on the matter?"

Sojuro raised his zanpakuto, the blade held parallel to his body. "I'm afraid you'll have to defeat me before learning the truth. Puncture-"

The younger man tensed, recognizing the command which his father uttered.

"-Howaitorozu."

Colorless mist began to cloud from the hilt as the blade disappreared, evaporating into the air. Byakuya fell to one knee, an intoxicatingly sweet smell filling his nostrils. Roses.

An invisible force attacked him, covering his arm in numerous scratches. Byakuya squinted upon seeing light reflected off a thin object in the air. Vines of white light covered in thorns suddenly revealed themselves to him, snaking their way towards him. Byakuya leapt forward as they cascaded around him, thorns catching onto his exposed skin.

Sojuro appeared behind him, bringing down his sword's handle.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura!" The vines closest to Byakuya shred apart and fell in tatters before fading from sight. He turned around, swinging his now also bladeless sword at his father, flower petals following its path.

The world swam before Byakuya as his legs grew numb. He collapsed to his knees as they gave way, now assaulted by sudden dizziness. Vines wrapped around his body, digging their thorns into his skin.

Sojuro looked down at him with regretful eyes. "Please don't try to escape," he stated without much assertiveness. "You could be torn apart if you make any drastic movements."

The numbing spread through the rest of Byakuya's body. In a minute, it would almost certainly paralyze him. Senbonzakura returned to its hilt, reverting to blade form.

Sojuro reached out and pressed his first two fingers against Byakuya's temple. "Forgive me. But this is the only choice I have to not kill you.

Byakuya knew what was to come. His father was going to use hakufuku and escape once again. But he couldn't fail. The honor of the Kuchiki depended on him succeeding. Quickly but carefully, Byakuya unclenched his fingers, dropping Senbonzakura. Sojuro Shunpo'd away, realizing what his son was doing.

"Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

Eric Costas (Gottesengel 'I') scanned his eyes through the room he stood in. On either side, downed Shinigami lay dead, bleeding from swift strikes to their arteries. In front of him were closed sliding doors, hiding what ever was in the other room.

'I can't sense anyone in there,' he observed. He had broken into Squad 13's barracks, looking for its person of authority. 'Jushiro Ukitake was not sighted anywhere throughout the Seireitei, nor was he detected in Rukongai. This is the only place he could possibly be. So then why is it that I do not feel anything on the opposite side of this door?'

Giving up on formulating any reasonable answers as to what was happening, Eric raised his hand to the door and collected particles of Reishi into its palm. "Fackel." A sphere of light formed and increased the amount of heat around him, causing the doors to melt into pools of wood and wax. The sight he found was not what he was expecting. Ukitake sat on both knees in the middle of his office, turned away from him.

His back was slightly arched, both hands held up as if in prayer. He strangely had discarded his haori, devoid of any clothing above the waist. What shocked Eric was what appeared before the man. An ethereal figure hovered in the air, black as the outside sky. It had no definable shape, a mass of what resembled shadows. And in the midst was a single eye, its pupil constantly shifting its point of focus.

"I suppose this would eventually happen," Ukitake all but whispered.

"What?"

Ukitake slowing turned around to face him. Eric's ocean colored eyes widened. An oil like substance covered Ukitake's eyes and forehead, an eye matching that of the creature behind him in the substance's center. The same strange substance appeared on his back in swirls of black. "Reio-sama...has deemed you a threat." Ukitake stood up, zanpakuto dragging across the floor as be grasped its handle.

Eric produced a cylindrical tool akin to a Seeleschneider. "Lichtbringer" White light streamed out, taking the form of a blade. "I did not anticipate that you would perform Kamikake ," he stated. "But to completely undergo a fusion with it is another thing entirely... how foolish."

"Forgive me," Ukitake apologized. "I'm sure your cause is right in your and your comrades' eyes. But it poses a threat to the existence of Reio-sama." Water spouted away from him and hit Eric full force. Pushing forward, he sliced through the water and nearly cut through the masked man's head. Eric parried it calmly and stepped into the next strike. Their swords met, sparks sent in every direction. Ukitake brushed aside a carefully aimed jab and swung vertically. A column of water followed the strike and made contact with Eric, who blocked it with his Lichtbringer. The pressure of the water was so powerful that it blasted Eric through the barracks' ceiling and into open air. Wings of light briefly adorned his back and launched him onto a building, dispersing back into ambient Reishi as he touched down on its roof.

The carnage of Baader's fight raged on in the distance, jets encircling the area. Towards one of the four gates, a behemoth of what must have been Sajin Komamura's Bankai swung its massive weapon wildly. Eric did a quick check and began sensing the Reiatsu of every Gottesengel in the invasion. 'It seems no one is having any trouble other than Oldenburg. Though he has Grimmlocke in his presence. Good. That means I don't have to worry about anyone dying. It would be a real inconvenience to lose allies of that strength this early in the war.'

The sound of running water filled the air as Ukitake rose after him, carried by a whirlpool. Two torrents of the liquid shot past him and straight for Eric.

"Glänzende Schutz!" A bright disc encompassed him, dispelling the initial force of the attack in front him. When the water died down, it was revealed that the buildings surrounding his were decimated completely. Ukitake touched down a ways away, brandishing his katana.

"There is information in our Daten that you are a proficient user of Kido," Eric stated. "Judging from those last attacks your affinity must be water. I'm impressed that you can summon Kido of that level without even incanting its name." Ukitake didn't respond, holding his weapon in a firm grip.

Eric raised two fingers. "I see you are bent on resisting. So be it." Reishi collected into a small Heilig Pfeil that fired from his fingers.

"All waves, rise up and become my shield; Lightning, strike now and become my blade." His blade split in two, connected by a thin red rope decorated with five talismans. "Sogyo no Kotowari."

Eric moved sideways, avoiding his own arrow that was redirected back. It hit the ground and engulfed the area in pure red flames.

"Spülenlicht." A sphere the size of a tennis ball shot towards Ukitake, who merely lifted his left sword. Eric dropped to the right in a split second, the roof melting beside. He thrust up and intercepted Ukitake, who shot yellow lightning from his sword. Eric glanced down, watching the rise and fall of the other's chest.

'His breathing is... steady.' His eyes drifted up, back to Ukitake's face. 'Lack of perspiration, no visible exhaustion. I see. He managed to keep his illness at bay. For now.'

"Suchscheinwerfer." A blinding light illuminated them, disrupting Ukitake's focus. His hand loosened on his sword by only a fraction of strength, allowing Eric to curve it away. Light gouged into his chest, splattering the floor red. Instinctively throwing up his right hand, a Heilig Pfeil left the sword's tip and slammed into its original owner, who flew back as it detonated seconds later. Landing onto nearby debris, his vision blurred as water rushed around him.

"Hado #65: Raikoho." Lightning met water and electrocuted Eric, muscles contracting throughout his body. Ukitake descended and summoned a ball of fire which decimated the already destroyed pavement. As the mist from the evaporated water dissipated, Eric was revealed, panting heavily. Part of his mask was broken, pure white hair matted by the bloodied cut over his brow. Raising both arms away from his body, light left his hands and ascended into the sky. Where the clouds met the light, lightning pierced through them and screamed for Earth. An arena formed around them, filled with oversized arrows that would have impaled a whale.

"Sankt Altar. A technique dedicated to all out defense. You will no longer be able to touch me at this point," Eric claimed.

Ukitake looked about the the theater of light, emotionless. "My comrades continue to die as this invasion persists, a sacrifice that shouldn't need to be made in the first place. If I stop here, it would be an insult to their-" His attention was drawn elsewhere, head turning away. Eric searched for a change in their vicinity using his Reiryoku and realized what made Ukitake stop. Sui-Feng's Reiatsu had vanished.

"It appears another of your allies have fallen in vain."

Ukitake lunged at him, bringing his sword down in a heavy swing. Two of the large arrows crashed in between them, blocking him as they formed an 'X' shaped shield of sorts.

Ukitake's eyes suddenly formed into near perfect circles, blood spewing from his mouth. He looked down to see a giant arrow stuck in the ground, entering his back and jutting through his stomach. Blood stained his chin and chest, falling down in rivulets.

Eric approached the critically wounded man, blue eyes of dispassion set upon him. The arena disappeared, the only traces of it being there now impaling Ukitake.

"If you had kept a calm demeanor, you would have been able to dodge that. Take some words of advice: it is dangerous to hold onto attachments to your comrades whilst in the middle of war." He placed a hand against the wounded man, light emanating from it. "Spülenlicht." Pain racked Ukitake's body as a small hole was blown through his chest.

"I do not desire to kill you," Eric continued. "Tell me where the Soul King's Heart is, and I will call off this invasion. If not, I won't hesitate to have every single Shinigami present purged from existence."

"You… you can't kill the Soul King. He is… what keeps everything in balance."

Eric's one visible eyebrow raised. "Comical. You people actually believe that is our goal?"

The substance covering Ukitake's face receded into his skin. Breathing rapidly, he tried to speak, only resulting in a fit of blood filled coughs. He raised one of his swords slowly, arm trembling spasmodically. Light flashed into the air, causing Eric to follow its skyward path with his eyes.

Storm clouds circled overhead, letting down a shower of rain. The rain came down hard, splashing against whatever surface was around them. Below them it started to flood, water rising at an extraordinary rate. Eric looked at the man in mild surprise. 'There was no part of the Daten which mentioned his zanpakuto was of controlling the weather. Unless…'

Ukitake was muttering something. Eric did his best to catch the man's words as he tried to speak, his voice barely audible. "...Ban...kai."

Shunsui Kyoraku and Raphael Schoenholtz (Gottesengel 'G') were in the middle of a competitive drinking game. Although neither of them were giving up anytime soon, Adolf Röthke (Gottesengel 'D') could clearly tell that they were buzzed.

"We really did it this time," he sighed as he ran a hand through his jet black hair. "What if his comrades come in and see him passed out. Then they'll think I did something to injure him and attack me all at once. Or worse. They'll nearly kill me and leave me to die. Or worse. They'll capture me and give me to that Kurotsuchi guy everyone's afraid of. And he'd do unspeakable things to me…" Adolf shuddered at the mere thought of what horrors Mayuri could inflict upon him.

"Hey, stop *hic* doing that." Raphael snapped at him. The amount of drinks he had was already causing him to hiccup. "You always *hic* worry over noth- *hic*, nothing."

"Oh man," Kyoraku said while chuckling. "I must have had way too much to drink. It feels like I'm swimming." He had to lay his head down to avoid a drunken headache that was sure to come.

'My skin feels moist...I really do feel like I'm in water right now,' his sluggish mind thought. He closed his eyes, hoping it would make the feeling go away. Except it became even stronger with each second. 'It...really feels as if I were in an ocean,' his mind continued, now in confusion.

Kyoraku's head shot up as he felt an all too familiar power. Not only that, but he noticed heavy rain in the distance, somehow fixated to one spot. "Jushiro?" The name came as a whispered question.

Adolfe felt it too, noticable worry flashing over his face.

CLICK.

Kyoraku turned to find a revolver trained on his head.

"Sorry, Mr. Captain," Raphael muttered from behind the gun. "It looks like things are becoming dire, fast." Kyoraku tried to shake off his mild drunkenness, scrambling for the wakizashi sheathed inside his blue obi. The sword flashed up, just as Raphael pulled the trigger.

Criticism and reviews are welcomed and encouraged.