Ch. 15

Toshiro rushed toward Dante at full speed, his sword aimed at his target. Dante quickly sidestepped from the attack just as Toshiro struck and countered with a slash of his own. The black teen's attack was blocked by the smaller opponent before being shoved back. Dante retaliated with a strike from his second sword, but missed as Toshiro jumped and used an overhead strike. However, the attack was guarded against as Dante held both blades up in a crossed position. He pushed the captain away and, with one sword held backward, struck the shinigami. Toshiro guarded against the unorthodox maneuver, but Dante used it as a diversion as his second sword flew at his head to stab him. Seeing this, the young prodigy swung his head to the side and distanced himself from his dark-skinned adversary. The captain then swung his metal chain, wrapping around one of Dante's blades. The black teen noticed the crescent-shaped blade now decorating his sword, but was unable to react as he was forcefully reeled in like a fish on a line.

Sailing toward the foe, the maverick threw his leg out in an attempt to kick the foe. Before the kick made contact, Toshiro evaded with a sidestep and swung his sword in an attempt to slash his leg. However, Dante managed to block with his free weapon before the hit made contact. Backing away, the black teen rushed forward and began attacking with fast and furious strikes. Even with the speed and surprising accuracy, Toshiro was just as fast at blocking and evading Dante's raid. Soon, the captain used the chain to stop the movement of one of his foe's swords and guard against the other. Now the two were locked, with Dante using his taller stature in an attempt to overpower his opponent. However, it was Toshiro who shoved Dante away, putting distance between themselves.

Now out of reach, the white-haired juvenile pulled his chain with enough force to yank Dante's blade out of his hand and toss it to the side. Forced to fight with a single blade, the black teen placed his empty hand on to the hilt of his only zanpakuto and stood with the weapon held in front. The captain-level soul reaper also stood in the same posture, biding his time for the next attack.

After a few seconds, both opponents charged forth and jumped in the air. Once they met, the two fighters slashed just before landing. Blood stained the sides of their bodies, but the injuries were not too severe. Toshiro spun around and swung his chain again in an attempt to lace it around his enemy's weapon. However, Dante swatted the hook away and saw the enemy shinigami race toward him. The two started to parry blows, trading slashes and blocking moves. After a few minutes of exchanging strikes, both young men were locked once more. Parts of their clothes were slashed open from their swordplay. They glared one another down with gritted teeth, yet each expression hid their reasons for battle (Toshiro for misguided vengeance and pride while Dante for revenge and survival). "Just as I thought," Dante thought. "This fool's no pushover. If I wanna live through this, I best keep my swagga up."

"His ability to use two weapons is impressive. He was able to match me move per move," Toshiro pondered. "Since he is only relying on one sword, I might have a chance to end this."

"I'm down by one sword, but I'm still good to go." Pulling their katanas back, both warriors quickly struck their weapons at the same time. Due to the force of the blows, both swordsmen bounced back from the rebounded strikes. Quickly, Toshiro rushed at Dante and managed to deliver a few powerful strikes, the last of which sent him in the air. The captain then leapt up and was ready to attack once more. However, Dante quickly recovered and managed make a couple of strikes of his own before bouncing off of the white-haired warrior's chest with his feet. "Holla at yo' boy! Time to get red in the face!" the black teen replied as he used his Assault Wing to boost his strength.

Toshiro saw this and sensed his power increase as he watched a red glow surround his body. Quickly, the shinigami held his arm extended and began focusing his spiritual energy. "Hado 63! Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Raikoho!" he shouted as a powerful yellow blast began surging toward Dante at high speed like lightning. Unable to counter the mystic art, Dante was hit by the powerful blow, feeling the shock head on. Once the attack was over, the black teen fell to his knees, his head slumped back and staring at the ceiling above.

Meanwhile, still standing near the tower, Sosuke and Gin watched the battle from a distance. Sosuke face displayed an amused smile. He focused on Dante's limp body like a patient spectator, studying him carefully. He could tell that the young man still had some fight left in him. "Captain, do you think we should leave?" asked Gin. "After all, we are currently behind schedule."

"Actually," Aizen began, "We have all the time in the world. After all, it's always entertaining to watch a sibling rivalry like this. Wouldn't you agree, Gin?"

Gin turned to his fellow captain with a bewildered expression. Of course, he shoved his brief skepticism aside in order to watch the duel. In all honesty, he did enjoy watching a good fight. For him, there was nothing more fun than watching a life or death struggle.

Back on the battlefield, Toshiro stood at the ready. Instinct told him that his enemy was not defeated yet, even after such a high level spell. Once he heard the sounds of light chuckles from Dante's direction, his assumptions were laid to rest. "Not bad, Lil' Whitey. Didn't think you could bust a move like that." Dante said as he threw his head forward and began standing up. His body was still a bit singed by the magic spell. Once he stood on his feet, the black teen began to chortle. "Now it's my turn to freestyle." With his arm held out, the began to charge his energy, ready to use one of his berserks. "Lagi style. Let the power of thunder rend. Set a smolder by the wrath of heaven. Unleash and set asunder! Lightning Storm!"

Toshiro was unable to react in time as lightning from above hit the ground. The captain was pelted by multiple electricity strikes. "Damn," he thought . "What was that? I've never hard of such a hado spell?" His train of thought was interrupted as he saw Dante looming overhead, ready to deliver a slash. Even though he was wounded by the shocks, the young captain still had enough strength to block his enemy's blow and kick him in the stomach. Dante staggered back and held his midsection before his enemy began to strike. Dante tried to block the hits, but his efforts were in vain as his body flew back and rolled along the ground.

Once he recovered, Dante looked up and saw that Toshiro wasn't through yet. The captain was coming in fast and was ready to deliver a killing blow. Dante quickly sat in a kneeling position and held his arms out. "Lagi style! Retaliation Orbs!" Before Toshiro slashed the black teen, three orbs of colorful light formed around Dante and blocked the attack. The soul reaper captain tried to pierce through the balls of light, but he bounced back from the attack. Once Dante returned to his feet he told the captain, "Payback's a bitch!" Countering the shinigami's failed attempt, the orbs traveled toward Toshiro at blinding speed. He tried to block the attacks, but the orb's small size made that an impossible task as they darted through him. The strikes were not lethal, but they still inflicted some damage. Using his counterstrike as another diversion, Dante decided to prepared another berserk. "Time to hulk up!" Using his gathered spiritual energy, Dante increased his defense using Protection Wing as his body exuded a green aura.

Recovering from the weak attack, Toshiro went on the offensive. He slashed and stabbed at the black teen. However, the maverick was keeping up with his strikes. He blocked and dodged against the strong attacks, using his enhanced defensive capabilities to their fullest. Soon, the two locked blades yet again, but that only lasted a second as Toshiro moved back and slashed at Dante's legs. However, Dante jumped over the attack and was bringing his own sword down upon the prodigy. However, another stalemate was met as the white-haired captain brought his sword up to block the attack.

After gaining a firm footing, Dante began to slowly push against Toshiro's blade. Even though the captain was lighter and smaller, the shinigami used his spiritual pressure in order to push back. The shoving match was evenly tied as both swordsmen moved each other inch by inch. The two gradually increased their spiritual pressure for a few minutes. Suddenly, Dante's reiatsu suddenly took a dramatic spike. This sudden burst momentarily caught Toshiro by surprise. Using this to his advantage, Dante began pushing the warrior back with a short sprint before delivering a strong slash.

Due to the force of the attack, the white-haired captain slid a couple meters back. Slowly, the young prodigy stood up, tired from the attack, and felt his chest was wet. Looking down, Toshiro saw a laceration which ripped through his robe. Blood soaked his top around his cut. He then turned to Dante, who was panting from fatigue. It was evident that their power struggle had exhausted both of them. "Such power… So this is the strength of the swords that ryouka possesses," Toshiro thought. "Even with one, he is still matching most of my attacks. And those abilities… They're not the Demon Arts. What the hell is he…?"

"I got Whitey up against a wall now," Dante thought. "But that shit I pulled left me pretty drained. I can't keep this up forever. Which means it's time to step my game up and unleash the dragon!!" Turning his eyes to the platform where the tower stood, he focused on Nemu. The young woman was still injured from the attacks she sustained from Aizen. "Nemu, I swear I'll get that bastard Aizen. For the both of us…"

"Even with his added power, there is no way I'll let him live. Hyorinmaru, it's time to awaken..." Both Dante and Toshiro held their swords off to the side and glared. Their spiritual pressures began to fluctuate. Leaping into the covered in a light blue aura, Toshiro shouted, "Sit upon the frozen heavens! Hyorinmaru!" Extending from his blade was the shape of a slender, serpentine dragon with long jaws filled with sharp teeth and red eyes. The creature's form danced around Toshiro, it's growls echoing through the room. "Your moments on this plane of existence are numbered! Prepare for a cold death!"

"Yeah, I admit that's pretty cool," Dante said as he charged his spirit energy. "But while you may be cool, I'm the one who's on fire!" With that, an aura of blood red began radiating from his body like a searing hot flame. "This comedy might be divine but it's no joke! Time to enter my inferno, straight from the five circles of death! Burst with the fury of the future! Akumu hi Ryuujin!" With a flash of light, Dante's sword transformed into its scythe stage. With its laser blade glowing a bright crimson red, the serrated edges along the roof of the weapon started to run like teeth on a buzz saw. Dante charged forth at his airborne target, the scythe's blade streaking from behind.

With a slash of his long blade, Hyorinmaru flowed ahead gracefully as he returned to the ground. It twisted and turned as it made its way toward the black teen. Once it arrived, the dragon's giant jaws open wide and was ready to rip Dante with its sharp teeth. Before it could do so, Dante began slashing the dragon with the weapon's blade in front. Blocks and shards of ice flew in all directions as he deflected the onslaught of the frozen beast. Once Dante destroyed the dragon, the black teen swung his laser blade, firing four powerful particle beams at the captain. Seeing the beams approach, Toshiro went on the defensive. With a single swipe of his blade, the captain created an ice barrier which blocked the lasers. He then leapt over his barricade and launched three streams of frozen water. Using his shunpo, the black teen dodged the strikes before launching his berserk: Hunting Scythe. Once the green shockwave met Toshiro's attack, a cloud of steam spread from the impact, blanketing them both in a thick screen.

Using his weapon's ability, Dante's eyesight changed from regular sight to a heat-seeking ability. He scanned his surroundings carefully, stalking through the cover. The only noise he can hear was the low hum of his laser scythe. A few moments passed before he saw a cold blue object a couple meters in the distance. Knowing it was Toshiro due to the low body temperature, Dante charged headlong to his target. He gripped his scythe tightly as he approached. Before he could strike, Toshiro twisted his body around and blocked the stroke. It was clear that the captain was expecting a sneak attack. "Did you think that little trick would work on me?" the white-haired prodigy asked. "You may have stealth, but I can still sense your spiritual energy."

"So much for my slick ninja skills," Dante said as he pulled back to strike again. Once more, Toshiro blocked Dante's attack. The captain then used his shunpo and appeared behind him to deliver a strike of his own. The black teen turned around and blocked the strike before twisting his scythe, causing Toshiro to loose hold of the weapon's pole. The captain quickly moved out of the way just before Dante swiped. He then countered by rushing towards the black teen, sliding along the ground with a trail of ice not too far behind. The maverick ryouka held his weapon up in an attempt to block. However, thanks to the momentum of Toshiro's blitz, Dante was still struck by the blow. He fell back and bounced on the ground before quickly returning to his feet. Toshiro then flung the chain of his weapon towards the recovering teen. Dante reacted by swinging his scythe forward to block the crescent blade. Instead, the chain wrapped around the top of the pole and started freezing that section. As the ice spread, the scythe's laser blade flickered off. "What the hell!?" Dante replied in shock as the steam dissapated.

"This is Hyorinmaru's shiki ability. Not only can I use my ice-type powers, but the chain on my zanpakuto can freeze anything it touches! Your advanced gadget has just become your liability."

Before the ice could spread any further, Dante pulled away from weapon. "Shit… I guess it's time to turn up the heat." Sensing his dire situation, the young rogue used the heat from his spiritual pressure to gradually melt the ice. Acting fast, Toshiro dashed forward and slashed. Dante quickly brought the pole of his weapon up before the strike. It was a close call as the sharp blade was mere inches from his throat. In retaliation, the black teen pushed Toshiro's blade away and jabbed the captain with the blunt end of his scythe in the stomach. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of the captain. Capitalizing on his stunned opponent, Dante vaulted forward and kicked the prodigy. The attack sent the foe a few feet and onto his back, leaving Dante to melt the ice for a few more seconds. Once most of the ice was melted, the black teen activated the chainsaw roof to shatter the block, allowing the laser blade to reactivate. "Haha! Back in business!" Dante replied as he shot the bottom end of his scythe at the enemy, connected by a chain.

Toshiro recovered from the earlier attack and saw the tip and chain coming at him. Quickly, the captain threw his head to the side in order to avoid getting hit. The tip flew past its target's head before it embedded itself to the ground just behind him. The white-haired captain then turned ahead and saw Dante propelling toward him. Apparently, the black teen was using the tip of his weapon to help close the distance between them. Once in range, and still above the ground, Dante brought his scythe down with all his might. Toshiro blocked the strike before the lethal blow could cause any fatal damage. The black teen's feet returned to the ground once they're weapons met and the chain retracted to the bottom of the pole.

The captain began striking Dante with swift blows. The black teen blocked the hits before flash stepping to the side and delivering slashes of his own. The captain was forced to step back while blocking each strike. Even from a distance, the rogue's attacks were still strong, fast, and accurate. Sparks flew as the rattling teeth and katana's blade collided.

After a few more blocked strokes, Toshiro dashed to the side, heading straight for Dante. The black teen shot laser beams at the foe, but the enemy used his speed to evade them. Once in range, Toshiro used another baseball slide to knock him off his feet. Getting back up, the captain then used a downward stroke in hopes of finishing him off. Reacting to the stroke, Dante brought his scythe over his body and used to pole to block the hit. For a few seconds, the white-haired prodigy was pushing down on Dante, who was struggling to keep him back. Dante brought his feet back and kicked Toshiro in the chest. Seeing the enemy stagger back, Dante decided to regroup and distance himself from the captain. After catching a short breathe, both the black teen and the ice-wielding captain stood in defensive positions. "You're not bad, Sub-Zero," Dante said. "Then again, you is a captain. Hell, if I were anyone else, you'd have iced me by now."

"Don't patronize me!" replied Toshiro. "Now answer me this question. The other ryouka, the ones we captured along with a rogue shinigami, came here in order to save Rukia, right?"

"So you knew. Not bad for someone that can't reach the top shelf," Dante quipped.

"Shut up!" Toshiro shouted. Before Dante could blink, the white-haired captain was already pressing up against the black teen's weapon. Even in the heat of battle, the young prodigy did not enjoy his liberties (in this case his height) to be insulted. "As I was saying…" the young captain began, this time with a lowered though still angry tone. "While they were fighting for a cause, you seem to be going around the Seireitei commiting random acts. What is your purpose for being here?"

"My purpose… is to find a someone," Dante replied.

Toshiro only bared his teeth at the rogue warrior. He didn't know what he was talking about. "Explain," he ordered.

"For as long as I could remember, I've been trying to find the one who did this to me. Who took me from my family and burned down my home. Then they used me as a guinea pig for some twisted-ass experiments. Every time I use these zanpakuto, I'm reminded of the day everything went down the shitter and the pain I went through because of that bastard. And now, I want me some payback."

"You're telling me that this is all a personal vendetta?"

"You got that right. Don't get me wrong, I did help save Rukia. I mean, I can have some fun on the side, no lie. But still, all I want is to kick the ass of the motherfucker responsible for all of this."

"So then why did you hurt Momo!? Why did you take Nemu?"

"I didn't take Nemu!" Dante replied defensively. "She wanted to come help me. But if I knew this would happen, I would have left her at the SRDI. But Momo…" The black teen distanced himself from the soul reaper and looked at him sternly. "Read my lips. I. Did not. Touch. Her."

"Why should I believe you!?" Toshiro replied. "My friend is clinging to life because of you!"

"Wrong! Your girl is clinging because of you!" Dante shot back as he pointed his scythe at Toshiro. The soul reaper stood stunned with widened eyes. "Nemu and I… We tried to save Momo because you weren't here! Don't try and push the blame on me because you couldn't stop her in the first place!"

Toshiro gritted his teeth. The nerve of some ryouka talking down to him like that made his blood boil. Even so, somewhere on the back of his mind, Toshiro knew the biting truth to Dante's claims. He underestimated Momo's kido abilities and her ingenuity with the arts. He felt he should have known something like this would happen. Then Momo would not be in near death. However, he still felt the need for retaliation and for Dante, it was a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. "You bastard… Shut the hell up!" Toshiro shouted. A powerful gust of wind suddenly swept past Dante along with a drop in temperature. The maverick shielded his face from the rush of air, but peeked through a space between his arms in order to see what was happening.

Toshiro stood with his sword held out to the side and light blue spirit energy circling around him. He then raised his blade in the air and said with a chilling voice, "Bankai." Upon command, the serpentine Hyorinmaru flew from the tip of it's wielder's zanpakuto and then returned to the ground where it encircled the young prodigy. Its coiled then began to shine with a bright light. Dante closed his eyes from the intense glow until it dimmed. As the strong winds finally subsiding, the black teen dropped his arms and saw the ground around him covered in ice. He then turned to his opponent and stared in awe. Toshiro now had massive wings and a long tail sprouting from his back all made of ice. Settled on his left hand was another hand with four sharp claws while the entirety of his right arm was covered in the shape of a dragon's head and neck. His feet were also covered in the icy clawed feet. Floating behind him were three large ice stars, each with four diamonds. "Daiguren Hyorinmaru!" Toshiro announced.

Dante was speechless by Toshiro's transformation. Such power, not to mention its appearance, was quite impressive. After a minute of gawking, Dante finally spoke. "Damn, G!" he replied enthusiastically as he clapped his hands. "That shit is straight-up dope. You was cool before, but man! You's iced out, pimpin'! Shit, bet the hoes be chillin' wit you! Staying more frosty than motherfucka!"

"I didn't think I would have to use my bankai," Toshiro thought. "However, due to his power and ability, I have no choice but to go at full strength. My bankai should be enough to take him down." Assured of his power, Toshiro launched forward with a flap of his wings. His sword held out forward, the young shinigami was coming in fast. Dante quickly leaped to the side in order to avoid getting skewered. However, he was struck from behind by the tapering tail of Toshiro's bankai. The black teen turned around and saw a wave of ice snaking along the ground and heading straight for him. Before he could respond, Dante was thrown back in the air by the glacial wave. With Dante now airborne, Toshiro flew toward the black teen. Hovering over him, Toshiro was ready to strike the young teen. Seeing the cut ready to be delivered, Dante recovered and managed to block the strike just in the nick of time. However, the force of the blow sent Dante slamming to the ground, creating a crater from his hard fall.

The black teen slowly returned to his feet, the landing making most of his body ache. He then looked up and saw a large ice blast came sailing from above. Dante rolled out of the way to avoid the attack. Once the blast hit the ground, the cracks were covered in tall, sharp icicles. Getting back to his feet, the black teen fired his lasers at Toshiro. However, Toshiro folded his wings in front of his body, effectively shielding himself from the light beams. The black teen shot more lasers at the captain, but the particle blasts proved useless against those thick ice wings. Toshiro quickly countered and shot more ice daggers. Dante was forced to use his agility in order to dodge the enemy's frozen flurry. He knew that if either blow connected, he would be frozen solid.

After a few minutes of firing multiple shots at Dante, Toshiro began to breathe hard. He could feel that his power running low. From behind, one of his stars disintegrated, leaving only two left. "One of my flowers is destroyed," the captain thought. "I must finish Dante off soon."

Seeing one of Toshiro's stars break, the black teen came to an observation. "That's right. Those snowflakes are like a timer or a little gas gauge," he thought. "He can only stay in bankai for so long before he runs out of steam. But that don't mean I'll last until then…" His train of thought was interrupted by a loud roar from above. Closing in on him were the jaws of Hyorinmaru. Dante quickly moved out of the way just as the ice dragon crashed to the ground and became a tower of solid ice. From above, Toshiro summoned another Hyorinmaru. With his arm held forward, the black teen used another berserk. "Lagi style! Judgement Day!" Dante shouted as two explosions errupted between both combatants. They expanded in size and rose in heat and were able to melt the ice dragon. Toshiro used his agility to move out of the attack's path. Once the explosions subsided, the captain saw Dante had become exhausted. He knew that desperation move took a lot of energy from his opponent. The prodigy fired a flurry of iceballs, but Dante managed to use his shunpo in order to avoid the attacks.

After dodging each strike, the black teen turned to his left and saw his sealed sword, Kowa ro Shii Maru, lying on the ground. With his weapon, the black maverick dashed to his blade. He zigzagged in order to dodge Toshiro's icy raid. As soon as he grabbed the sword's grip, Dante suddenly felt numb from his left lower leg down to the foot and unceremoniously fell to the ground. He flipped over to a sitting position and saw his leg encased in a block of ice. He slowly hobbled to his one foot, using his scythe for balance. Seeing his opponent partially frozen, Toshiro lowered himself until he hovered just above the ground. "It's over, Dante," he said sternly. "I will finish you off and give Momo and Nemu the justice they deserve." The captain held his blade back, ready to end Dante's life. Before he could deliver the final blow, the young captain stopped as he watched Dante laugh. The prodigy had never seen anyone laugh mere seconds before their demise. Still, such odd (if not loud) behavior was getting on the young man's nerves. "What are you laughing about?" he replied. "You know you're going to die! What's wrong with you?"

"Oh me? Nothing. I'm just happy I got to fight ya. Let me give you the 4-1-1. You're one of only five people that's come close to killing me. It's a real treat," Dante answered. "If the situation was different and I had no more cards to play, I wouldn't mind getting killed by your sword. That or dying after tapping Kim Kardashian's ass or being known as a hero for saving the world from menacing clowns and mimes, the true evil in the world. But still, this brother's got an ace up his sleeve. And what better time to use it than now?"

"What!?" was all Toshiro could say before he felt Dante's spiritual pressure suddenly rise. The red aura was now engulfing his body like a huge flash fire. The ice near him and on his leg began to thaw due to the intensity of the heat. The black teen held his scythe horizontally while he gathered his power. With a smile on his face and resolve at an all time high, Dante enthusiastically shouted, "Bankai!" Upon command, the inferno became a blazing tornado that swirled around Dante.

"This can't be possible…" he thought with sweat beading from his face. "This ryouka has actually learned bankai. It's not possible…" After a minute of watching the flames dance, the blaze soon died down, creating a black smokescreen. As the black fog dissipated, the young prodigy saw a rather wide shape starting to form. Once the smoke cleared, Toshiro found himself face-to-face with Dante in his new bankai form.

Unlike the Deadpool-esque ensemble, this time Dante was wearing different attire. His black pants were thick with wide bottoms that curved upward. He had on a sleeveless red shirt and bandages wrapped around his arms. His upper body was also covered in a large blood red tattered cloak. A black headband with a symbol of two sharp teeth with an 'X' in the middle adorned his forehead. Situated around his waist were two holsters containing a pair of medium-sized guns with a red shell-like covering and green blades resting on top. His sealed sword was strapped to the back. Placing his hands on the two weapons, he quickly drew them from their pockets and revealed a few other features. Popping from his cloak was a pair of wings similar to the dragonmare spirit along with its flexible red tail armed with a sharp hook at the end. The back of his thighs each sported a long toe. "Konran Akumu hi Ryuujin!" he shouted as hhis massive wings rattled and his tail swung in all directions. "Time to jack some shit up in this peace!"

Toshiro couldn't believe what he was seeing. Another warrior who also wielded a dragon-like spirit. Even though it isn't a naturally forged sword, it's power could not be overlooked. "This spiritual pressure… It's immense…" Toshiro thought. "It's almost on the same level as the burst on Sokyoku Hill."

At this time, Aizen's interest now peaked as Dante released his form. Even by his standards, Dante's spiritual pressure was something to take notice. All of these years, now he will see how powerful at least one of these zanpakuto really is. "So he awakened his inner dragon," the traitor thought. "Finally. Let's see just how far he's gone."

"Not bad, right?" Dante said as he twirled one of his guns around his index fingers. "This is the first time I've ever released my bankai. Didn't think I'd actually have the chance for a second there." He then stopped spinning his firearms and turned his Ipod to "So Cold" from MadWorld. He then aimed both his weapons at the shinigami and grinned.

"You may have achieved bankai, but it doesn't mean you've mastered it," Toshiro replied. "I have more experience in handling my power than you have carrying a sword."

"Is that right?" Dante asked. "Don't worry about me. I know exactly how to use these babies. But I hope you packed your sunblock, kid. 'Cause in this fight, you're gonna get burned." Dante pulled the trigger of his guns, shooting laser rounds toward Toshiro. The captain dashed to the side before unleashing two ice blasts with a swing of his sword. Dante countered and shot down both strikes with accuracy, a smile forming on his face.

Toshiro only narrowed his eyes as he used shunpo and appeared above Dante. With his sword raised over his head, the captain descended to the ground and was ready to cut his opponent in half. The maverick raised his guns over his head and blocked the captain's sword with his blades. Small as the green daggers were compared to Toshiro's katana, the blades were still able to keep the captain at bay. Toshiro broke the lock and was ready to strike again. This time, Dante managed to back away and was ready to strike with his own daggers. Both warriors parried against each other's weapons with blinding slashes and blocks. After trading blows, Dante distanced himself from Toshiro. "Feel my fangs, kid!" he shouted before launching the blades his daggers at the captain. Toshiro was briefly surprised by the attack, but managed to deflect the weapons.

Both fangs found their way back to their resting positions thanks to a long, thin wire connecting the back of the knives to the top of the guns. The black teen then began to charge his spirit energy for another berserk. Using Berserker Wing, a purple aura radiated from his body, increasing the power of his berserks. Dante then fired at Toshiro once more, but the prodigy shielded himself with his wings. Though the laser shots partially burned the frozen barrier, the soul reaper was still relatively safe. In retaliation, the young prodigy shunpoed behind Dante and was ready to stab. However, the black teen used his own shunpo to jump in the air in order to dodge the attack before rapidly firing at the soul reaper. Toshiro sidestepped from the laser shots' path and slashed his enemy. The black teen avoided the strikes before unleashing his wired daggers once more, swinging and spinning his detached blades at high speeds.

The white-haired genius used his defensive abilities to block the fangs. Knowing his conventional attack was going nowhere, Dante pulled back one of his daggers and kicked it forward. The unorthodox tactic managed to cut Toshiro's right cheek. The black teen then distanced himself and had his fangs travel ahead in hopes of landing another hit. The captain managed to block the sharp blades, bouncing them off his katana. As the fangs recoiled, Toshiro used his shunpo to close in on Dante and deliver a quick slash to his side. The black teen turned around but was too late to respond as Toshiro kicked his chest which tossed him back by a meter. Dante quickly recovered and slid to a stop, but winced from the pain he was feeling from the wound delivered. Seeing a chance to capitalize, the captain summoned Hyorinmaru to finish him off. The dragon flew up in the air and was ready to come down upon the maverick. Before the ice beast struck, the black teen flapped his massive wings to push his body away from the impact zone. The attack missed and created a tower of ice. The white-haired prodigy then heard a crackling noise behind him. He turned around and saw that another of his ice flowers disintegrated. With one star remaining, he knew he had little time left.

Back on the ground, Dante knelt down and breathed heavily from his close call. Thanks to the blood loss, his vision was beginning to blur and his reaction time was slowing down. Standing back up, the black teen used his berserk Heal Maxis to restore health and stop the bleeding. Witnessing Dante's ability, Toshiro displayed gritted teeth. "Damn it..." he thought. "So he has the ability to regenerate as well. Could all of this be the power of those zanpakuto?" Rising up into the air, Toshiro swung his sword from side to side, creating multiple waves of ice. Countering against the frozen crescents, the black teen attacked with Phantom Slashers. Five blades of wind were released and traveled forward. Each air blast sliced apart the oncoming ice, with one surviving strike coming at the attacker fast. Toshiro blocked the Phantom Slasher with his sword and endured the hit. At this time, Dante scanned his surroundings, hoping to find a way to defeat Toshiro. The immediate area was covered in towers of ice and small patches of flames. "Maybe it's time to see if these things are more than just for show." With a plan in mind, Dante began to run up one of the slanted towers.

After a short moment, the captain mustered enough strength to fling the blast of wind off to the side. He looked down ready to attack once again, but saw that the ryouka was gone. As soon as he turned to his left, he saw Dante in the air gliding toward him with outstretched wings. He shot at the captain with rapid laser fire. Toshiro was hit by the raid, but his injuries weren't too severe. The captain countered with a volley of ice that managed to hit the black teen. Once the two crossed, both fighters slashed with their blades before Dante landed on another ice structure behind the prodigy. Blood ran down their respective arms, but the two paid little attention. Dante then proceeded to cut a gash through the pillar before scurrying to the other side. Now unstable, the pillar began to fall toward the captain. Toshiro managed to move out of the falling object's path and launch a stream of ice where Dante perched. The black teen flapped his wings to avoid the attack and leave the ice pillar as it crashed to the floor. Now in the air, the black swordsman flew toward Toshiro, shooting at the ice user. Toshiro used his maneuverability in order to avoid most of the rounds while countering with a large wave of ice. Dante flew over the frozen curve and, now in close range, fired his daggers forward in an attempt to stab Toshiro. Once more, the captain brought his sword up and blocked, his blade able to stop them at their points. After a brief struggle, Dante backed away from the captain and shot his daggers again. Toshiro used his sword to block a second time. Instead, the blades shot past him the captain and pierced through his wings. Toshiro was somewhat confused by the tactic before turning back to see the black teen sailing forward. With his legs outstretched, he kicked the white-haired prodigy in the chest. The strike managed to stun Toshiro, giving Dante the chance shoot the foe with a powerful blast at close range. Unable to counter the attack, the young captain fell to the ground and a cloud of dust covered the landing site. Dante hovered over the air, looking down for any sign of his opponent. "Did I melt him?" His mental thoughts were put to rest as a fast moving projectile of ice headed straight for him. "Shit! He's still alive!" the black teen thought as he moved his body to the side attempting to dodge the attack. However, his evasion method failed as his left wing was caught and frozen by the strike. "Dammit! I got frosted!" Thanks to this, Dante was unable to control his flight and plummeted hard to the ground.

Returning to his feet after such a fall, Dante's body was riddled with bruises and possible broken bones. One wing was still frozen solid while the other was broken, grounding him for sure. Sweat dotted his face as he struggled to return to his feet. The black teen knew that he was running out of gas. He turned to his enemy and saw Toshiro leaning against his sword. Thanks to the fall, chips of ice began to break off the captain's wings. From behind, his flower had already lost two of its petals. Both warriors examined the each other's damage. "Well, this is it," Dante said. "The calm before the storm."

"It would appear so," Toshiro agreed. "This duel of ours will be decided in one final attack."

Dante smirked from Toshiro's statement. "You're damn right. The game was sweet while it lasted. But in the end, a playa knows when the fun's gotta end. But I got one question. Do you really think I'm the cat who hurt your friend?"

Hearing the query, Toshiro closed his eyes in thought. Throughout this battle, he wondered whether or not the individual in front of him was in fact the culprit. The only thing that was clear was that Dante was questing for vengeance the entire time. The reports of incidents involving him were minor at best. Including the one involving the black teen's first encounter with Momo. Their altercation only left the Squad 5 member with a few scratches. There would be no reason for Dante to attack her twice, with a more lethal result. Thinking over these points, Toshiro had his answer. "To be honest, I don't see why you would do it," he said. "Still, even if you didn't hurt Momo, I can't let you go."

"Oh great," Dante said. "So you finally get that I have nothing to do with Momo's accident, but you still want to go at it. What for?"

"You are still a dangerous criminal," Toshiro said. "As captain of the Gotei 13, it is my duty to apprehend or kill any and all threats to the Seireitei."

"Back to being public enemy number one, huh?" Dante said. "That might be a good cover, but I can tell you're enjoying this brawl." That captain said nothing in response to Dante's question. Seeing the white-haired captain hesitance, the black teen smiled. "That's what I thought, G. You may be sitting in a big chair, but you're still a kid. Loosen up a bit and have a little fun. You know the whole saying about work and play, right?"

"You're starting to sound like Captain Zaraki," Toshiro said.

"Maybe I am. But it's still good advice."

Toshiro only gave a calm exhaling breathe. It's funny to hear friendly advice from the person you were trying to kill. Still, the young captain knew, as did his opponent, that in the heat of battle, there were no friends. It was all about survival. Sword held in front, Toshiro began to muster all the spirit energy he had. "This is it. My final attack, which I use as a last resort."

"Your last resort, huh? Nice. I'm grateful that I get to see it."

With his spiritual pressure at an all time high, Toshiro held his sword above his head and released his power. From the tip of his blade, the familiar shape of the captain's ice dragon, Hyorinmaru flew in the air. However, unlike its previous dragons, this creature was larger with massive wings. "Behold! Daiguren Hyorinmaru Ice Dragon!" The beast roared, exuding its massive power.

"Nice summon, man," Dante said. "I've never seen something with so much power. I doubt most of my attacks could even scratch that thing."

"So what does that mean? Even if you give up, I can guarantee that you will still be killed by this attack."

Dante was quiet as he mentally shifted through the list of abilities that were available to him. Thanks to his low power, the rogue knew he only had enough for one blow. "Like I said, most of my attacks won't scratch it," he said. "But there is one that will be enough." Crossing his arms with guns held up, Dante gathered all his available spiritual energy and concentrated it for his final attack. He began to sweat profusely as he felt his body fell like it was on fire. With a loud yell, Dante held his guns over his head. "This is it! Lagi style! Dragon Phoenix!" Pushing his guns' triggers, the black teen released a burning stream of flames which gathered over his head. The flame grew larger and hotter as it started to take shape. Large wings formed from the side and began to flap while a long leg sprouted from the bottom. The back began to form a short tail which was almost reminiscent of a fish. Finally, the front portion formed a long, pointed head. The burning dragon screeched at its elemental adversary, burning brightly in anticipation. Hyorinmaru growled back, undeterred by the inferno's heat. "This is Dragon Phoenix!" Dante replied. "The strongest spell I've ever used. Get ready to recognize the power of greatness!"

"Then let's go!" shouted Toshiro as he swung his sword forward. The stroke of the captain's blade was the signal for Daiguren Hyorinmaru to start its attack. The dragon flew at its opponent with furious flaps of its wings.

"It's time for the showstopping number!" Dante replied. "Torch the skies and melt the frozen beast with the flames of a sun, DP!" The Dragon Phoenix cried loudly as it flew ahead to intercept the enemy dragon. In less than a few seconds, steaming hot fire and sub-zero cold ice collided between both swordsmen. The dragons' power levels went wild as the beasts fought for the upper hand. Flames and ice chunks flew in all directions and surrounded Dante and Toshiro, who were using their spiritual energy to increase their dragons' strength. This wasn't just a battle of dragon versus dragon, but it was a test of willpower as well.

As the battle raged, Captain Retsu Unohana of Squad 4, along with her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu, appeared at the entrance. Once they stepped foot in the chamber, both medical personnel watched in astonishment at the battle between the fellow captain and the rogue ryouka. It was indeed a sight to behold. However, while Isane's eyes were glued on to the fight, Retsu's gaze drifted to another sight. The form of a still alive Aizen. The traitorous captain saw his two new guests and gave a light wave before returning his eyes to the spectacle before him. Retsu, however, still watched the man with a wary eye as she felt her suspicions to be correct.

Back on the battlefield, both Toshiro and Dante were on their last ounce of strength. Both warriors' bodies were filled with excruciating pain. As the battle continued, the effects were beginning to show in their bankai forms. With Dante, his dragonmare wings were beginning to droop and the membranes between the branch-like appendages were ripping off. The red exoskeleton which wrapped his long tail was tearing off and the two toes from the back of his thighs broke away. As with Toshiro, his frozen form was starting to melt, creating a puddle of water where he stood. Chunks of ice from his wings and tail began to break away and the ice which covered has back was gone. The flower which floated close behind him was starting to shatter. He had already lost three of his four petals.

The dragons, on the other hand, were at a stalemate. Both Hyorinmaru and the Dragon Phoenix gave one more glare toward one another. Both spells were evenly matched in strength. Still, it would take one last strike to determine the winner of the duel. Both Toshiro and Dante traded one final glance. Even with the transgressions that may have led to this duel in the first place, the two swordsmen couldn't help but feel some respect for one another (of course, the white-haired prodigy would not openly admit to such a thing as his dark-skinned counterpart would). With a loud yell, both swordsmen sent their dragons forth. Once the two beasts met, a flash of blinding light filled the Seijōtōkyorin. Isane and Gin both turned away from the bright light while only Aizen and Unohana were the only ones unaffected.

After a minute, the light screen began to fade and both Dante and Toshiro were face down on the ground. With no more power to keep their bankai forms activated, both warriors were now tightly holding their sealed zanpakutos. Blood and scratches covered their motionless bodies. Still, their spirit urged them to get up. Using their swords, both young men dragged their bodies to horizontal bases. They planted their feet on the ground, fighting to keep balance on legs to weary to support their weight. "Dante…" Toshiro called between breaths. The black teen turned to the prodigy, feeling weak from the battle. "The one who… who hurt Momo… and Nemu…"

"…It was Aizen," Dante replied. "He didn't just do that… he also threw the SS into the crapper… and fucked up my past…"

"I should have known…" Toshiro replied. "I knew there was… something behind his death… and Rukia's execution…"

"Don't worry…" Dante said as he turned to face Aizen. "Imma cut… his bitch ass up…" Seeing Sosuke's face, the black teen was now more determined to stay on his feet. He wanted to take vengeance on the man who took his world and flipped it upside down.

Seeing a small fire still lit in his eyes, Toshiro saw that Dante was still driven. Even with such a wounded body that would drop any moment, the black rogue was still unwilling to give up. A small smile grew on his mouth as he realized that this whole time, they had a common enemy and similar goals. However, the young captain also knew full well that his body was too badly broken to last. Conceding to defeat, the young prodigy closed his eyes and fell to the ground. "Captain Hitsugaya!" yelled a concern Isane as she ran to the fallen captain's side.

"Congratulations, Dante," Aizen said nonchalantly. "That was quite an impressive battle you fought. A truly remarkable show."

"Screw you, bitch face!" Dante snapped. "Now tell me… what the fuck I want to know! Why did you make me… into this!? Why did you rip me from my fam!? Why the hell am I here!?"

"Patience, Dante," the traitor replied with a risen hand. "Let me tell you everything from the top. Like I said, you'll like this story. After all, it involves your father."

Dante only glared daggers at the man. "What the hell are you talking about? …There's no way you know him?"

"Actually, I do. He and I were close friends back in those days. In fact, you look just like your father when he was younger. It's too bad that only one of us have memories of him." As Dante snarled, he knew Aizen had a point. The experiments that he underwent damaged his memories. All he could remember was where he lived and his own name. Everything else about his past was a blur. "Now let's see… Your father, Otsuboro Blaine, first came here from the 3rd District about 130 years ago. Out of all the shinigami, he was the most unorthodox, yet most talented man I've ever met. After 10 years of service, he was named captain of Squad 10."

"My father was captain of Squad 10?" Dante asked.

"Yes. A position currently held by Toshiro Hitsugaya," Aizen replied, beating the black teen to the punch. "A seat inherited roughly 50 years ago."

"Inherited?" Dante repeated with a risen brow. However, his curiosity was ignored by Aizen.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm not there yet." Dante let out a low growl between his teeth. He wanted to let out all of his fury on the man, but felt learning about the past was necessary. "Like I said before, Otsuboro and I were close friends. Like brothers, if you will. So when he was appointed to captain, I was very proud of his accomplishment. Gin, you remember that day, don't you?"

"Indeed I do," replied the smiling fellow traitor. "I remember the after party well. He left me a whole plate of dried persimmons that night. A really good guy in my book."

"Sadly, he and I had a bit of a falling out. You see, nearly twenty years after he took the position of captain, Otsuboro uncovered my involvement in the disappearances of shinigami. However, before he could report his findings, I managed to intercept him and gave the man an opportunity of a lifetime. Join my cause to bring change to Soul Society."

"Right. You's a regular humanitarian," Dante replied wryly.

"Unfortunately, Otsuboro felt obligated to protect Soul Society and so engaged me in battle. In the end, I managed to defeat him. However, he escaped with the use of a machine I created and was banished to another dimension. The Seireitei had thought he died on duty when in reality he was alive and well in another world. The machine I had was damaged after it was used, so it took a few decades to get it working. On a positive note, I was able to use it to keep tabs on my old friend."

"And that's where I came in."

"Precisely. That's how I learned about an interesting heir to his bloodline who would continue to carry his father's legacy. One child, a son, born from a shinigami captain and a human woman about 18 years ago. You're spiritual potential was promising to say the least. If anything, it was similar to your brother's…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dante interrupted. "What the hell do you mean 'to my brother's'? You just said I was an only child! What? Megalomaniacs forget how to count?"

"Ah yes, I nearly forgot I didn't tell you that. You see, it was over a century ago, shortly before Otsuboro was transported to the other world. Back then, your father had relations with a shinigami woman. It was an intimate relationship which brought about his first son. However, the mother died due to complications from childbirth and Otsuboro's line of work demanded his full attention. So he decided to send the son to his mother, who raised the boy as her own until he grew and became part of the Thirteen Court Squads."

"So let me get this straight. My father… has another kid running around…?" The black teen was not buying Aizen's information. After all, the black teen always felt that he was the one in a million with no other ties. It was always him against the world. Hearing how there might be someone else related to him was unbelievable. "Even if I believe you, tell me who it is! Come on! Make me laugh!"

"Heh. I would think that you would have sensed his familiar spiritual pressure throughout your entire skirmish. I guess I was mistaken." Hearing this, Dante started to understand the man's hint. Turning to the fallen Toshiro, who was being treated by Isane, the black teen's eyes went wide. During their entire fight, the black teen felt a familiarity toward the captain's reiatsu. It was almost like his own. He then whipped his head to Aizen, who nodded in response. "That's right. Your brother is the child prodigy whom you defeated, Toshiro Hitsugaya."

"This can't be…" The black teen was completely flabbergasted from the discovery. It felt as though everything froze in place for a second. Aizen, on the other hand, only watched in amusement. "Toshiro's… my brother…?"

"Indeed he is. Your blood and his share the same type of spiritons, energy that was passed down from your father. The difference being that your spirit energy was weaker due to your half-human heritage. However, that's where I found a way around that little dilemma. Near the time Otsuboro left the Seireitei, I procured a pair of swords artificially created here at the Shinigami Research & Development Institute that were tossed in the living world due to their hazards. I held them for years until the time was right."

"I get it now," Dante replied. "You stole the swords and hired those motherfuckers at the Agency to do your dirty work."

"Now you're catching on. Using the Agency's scientific minds and technology, I was able to make sure your father and mother met their demise. But don't worry, Otsuboro still fought to the bitter, futile end. Maybe he would have had a fighting chance if it weren't for his power being so low."

Dante snarled at Aizen for what he did. All he wanted to do right now was silence the man with a swift decapitating stroke. Of course, there was still something he wished to have an answer to. "Why?" he began. "Why did you take my family out!? And why did you use me in those experiments!? It makes no sense!"

"I would think you would have guessed it by now? I wanted a weapon that would help me take over Soul Society. Something with the power to help me crush the shinigami. I have the swords, but no one to wield them. Then I thought, 'why not kill two birds with one stone'? Not only did I have a chance to end some unfinished business, but I also had a volunteer candidate. Though there was one slight drawback. The swords only work properly when the user has a high number of spiritons in their body. Luckily, your brother was kind enough to donate some of his blood. Using his samples, the Agency was able to isolate the spirit particles and bind them to your blood, thus increasing your own reiatsu."

Dante bent forward and gazed at the ground as he tried to absorb the information received. It was hard to accept the fact that his father was a Soul Reaper who arrived in his world by mistake. It was then difficult to a believe that he had a half brother, who he just defeated not too long ago. Now he had to stomach the fact that his misfortune was actually a part of an intricate plot created by a madman lasting over a century. "No…" he thought. "This can't be right… This guy's lying…! It's all a hallucination…!"

"You should thank me, Dante," Aizen said in a humble tone. Dante snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the shinigami. "If it weren't for me, you'd still be a ignorant of your father's origins. I gave you a sense of direction and purpose in life. I gave you power that most people can only fantasize." The glasses wearing man then outstretched his hand toward Dante. The black teen was shocked by the gesture. "And now I ask for you to join me. Together, with your zanpakuto and my ideas, we will usher in a new era of true democracy. A place that Otsuboro had only dreamt about."

The black teen was speechless, but enraged. "You mean after admitting to killing my father, hurting my friends, and setting me up to face my brother, you actually think I'd join your ass?"

"I understand how hateful you must be feeling towards me. But think about this: sacrifices are always made in the name of progress. Join me reign as god over the realms and enforce my rule."

"Join you?" Dante asked. "Join you!? No fucking way in hell! Would you like to know what happened after your little science project? I became a mercenary! A man who'd kill without even batting an eye! And I also swore that I would do everything I could to find the fool who pulled this shit on me in the first place!" Straightening his body, the black teen pulled his swords from the ground and pointed at the foe. "Sosuke Aizen, you's a bitch-ass nigga and Imma take your ass out!" Enraged and fully focused, Dante charged ahead. Though his body had partially recovered, he was still critically injured. Even so, that didn't stop the maverick from running toward the source of all his misfortune.

Once he reached the top step, Dante leapt in the air. Seeing this, Aizen only muttered to himself, "Déjà vu." Swords ready and yelling at the top of his lungs, the black teen landed and used a cross slash to deliver a fatal wound to Aizen. Blood spurted in all directions and time seemingly slowed down. Dante looked up at the traitor's face, only to see his smile still remain. "You're so much like your father, it's almost sad."

The black teen realized that what he struck wasn't real, but an illusion. "Oh hell no…" was all Dante could say before a cold steel blade ran through his chest. Behind him stood a calm Aizen, who held his blade lackadaisically. Dante still stood paralyzed in disbelief as he coughed blood. After a few seconds, the sword slowly exited from his body and held by its master's side. The limp body of the young teen fell to the ground as Aizen swatted away any remaining blood from his katana.

Acting as though nothing had happened, the traitor turned his attention to Captain Unohana and walked down the stairs. Gin followed close behind, still bearing his unreadable smile. Dante only watched helplessly as his quarry escaped him once more. Turning around, Gin waved to the young teen. "Bye, bye!" he called playfully. "See ya soon!" That was the last thing Dante saw before he black out into unconsciousness.

Thanks to the assistance of Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu, Dante was taken to Squad 4's barracks. His injuries were quite severe indeed. It was said that most people who suffered such trauma were usually dead in minutes. Luckily for the black teen, his odd healing abilities slowed down the debilitation, giving the squad enough time to save him from the brink of death.

Now in a recovery room, Dante's body was covered in bandages. Hearing the news of their ally's condition, Orihime, Uryu, and Ganju visited their comrade when they could. Others also came to observe the young ryouka, such as Rangiku Matsumoto and Hanataro Yamada, two shinigami who consider him a friend even during the invasion.

At the moment, sitting patiently next to his bed was Nemu Kurotsuchi, who was also injured during Aizen's raid on the Seijōtōkyorin. However, thanks to her father's expertise, the lieutenant made a full recover. Now all she could do was wait for the young maverick to wake up. After a couple of minutes, the sounds of covers tugging and light groaning were brought to her attention as Dante's red eyes opened. "Oh man…" he replied as he awoke. "Where am I…?"

"Dante, I see you're wide awake," Nemu said as she stood over his bed.

"Nemu…" seeing his ally alive and well, the black teen gave a small smile. "Yo, girl. Nice to see you're cool. How long was I out for and where am I?"

"You've been here in a Squad 4 Recovery Room for the past two days," the lieutenant replied. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like a bench sat on by both Rosie O'Donnell and Marechiyo Omaeda."

Hearing Dante's wisecrack made Nemu chuckle. For her, it was good to see that his personality remained unchanged. "Oh yes, I also have something here for you." Reaching into her robe, Nemu pulled out a small device from her pocket and handed it to the patient.

"Holy crap!" the black teen replied. "My Pimp-Pod! And it's fully charged too! Big ups to you, Nemu!"

"It was my pleasure. Captain Unohana said to return it to you once you've regained consciousness. Though I took the liberty of recharging its internal battery."

"Again, thanks!" Dante placed the earplugs in his ear, ready to turn the device on. Before he did, he turned to the table near Nemu's seat and saw a few items on the table. Among the items were a pile of clothes, a bottle with a pink bow tied to the top, and a crude and rather colorful bowl which read 'Get Well Soon.' "Hey, what're those?" he asked as he pointed to the items.

"They're gifts from a few visitors. A bottle of sake from Lieutenant Matsumoto. A small bowl from 7th Seat Yamada. Also I managed to stitch together your clothes." Seeing the gifts, the black teen smiled from the donations. Never had he seen such generosity. Back in his world, he was a solo act who had few true allies. Experiencing this was completely new to him. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's all good," he said as he pulled the covers off his body. Slowly, the black teen moved his body to the side attempting to get off the bed.

"I do not believe your body has healed enough for mobility," Nemu droned. "I recommend that you stay in bed."

"Nemu, you worry too much," the black teen replied. "It's all good. Hell, I feel just-" Once Dante moved off the bed and stood, his legs buckled up. In an instant, the black teen collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud. "Oh shit!" he replied in a panicked tone. "I can't feel my legs! I'm paralyzed! God damn I'm paralyzed! What is I gonna do!? What is I gonna do!?"

"You're not paralyzed, Dante," Nemu droned. "You've been in an inactive state for 48 hours. It will take some time for your limbs to work once more."

"Oh," the black teen replied. "Um… I knew that." Before he could say anymore, Nemu bent down and lifted the black teen. However, the black teen was being cradled in her arms. "Wh-What are you doing!?" Dante replied in shock and disbelief.

"I'm lifting you off the ground the same way you did me. Is there something wrong?"

"Well, you're not supposed to carry a gangsta like a newborn baby!" the black teen retorted, his face red like an apple. "It's just… It's freaky, ya know?"

"Really?" Nemu asked innocently. "I did not know that."

"Nemu! Hurry up and put me down before someone-!"

"Ehem," replied a new voice from near the door. Both Dante and Nemu stopped and turned to the room's entrance. Standing at the doorway sat Toshiro Hitsugaya wearing a white haori. Sitting in a wheelchair, the captain's body was also bandaged up from their confrontation. "If you two are done, I have some things to talk to you about."

"Toshiro, yo," Dante replied with a wave and a smile. "What happening, homeboy?"

"Please address Captain Hitsugaya," the smaller shinigami replied.

"I shall leave you two alone," Nemu replied. "The captain is expecting me shortly."

"Right," Dante agreed. Nemu gently laid Dante on his bed and put him back under the covers before giving a light bow. Once she reached the exit, she turned to Toshiro and bowed to him. With one last glance, the lieutenant left the room. "She's a good woman," the black teen replied. "Too bad she suffers so much at her crib."

Toshiro gave a light nod as he wheeled himself over to Dante's bed. "So, how are your injuries?" the captain asked.

"I'll be fine," Dante said as he placed his left hand on his right arm. "After all, I heal pretty fast."

"You don't have to tell me. I witnessed it first hand. If I didn't know better, I would think you were a hollow in disguise."

"A hollow? No way, G! I'm more of a full glass. The only mask I'll wear is a Deadpool one. And I don't have any holes. Well, except for those certain holes. Eyes, mouth, nose, ears. And then there's-"

"I get it! Geez." Toshiro quickly interrupted before Dante mentioned any other places. "Anyway, about the battle… I'm sorry I didn't believe you." The black teen raised an eyebrow in confusion. "It's just that I felt guilty for not reaching the chamber in time to save Momo."

"Toshiro… Look, homeboy. It's all good." Hearing this, the prodigy turned to the young maverick. "Besides, I should apologize to you."

"You mean for impersonating one of my officers, or for hanging one of them on a ledge?" Toshiro asked.

"Well… Both really. And for saying that it was your fault for Momo being there. The fool who's really to blame for all of this is Aizen." The young captain agreed with Dante's notion and nodded. "Speaking of that fool, what happened to him?"

Toshiro turned away and sighed. "He got away. It turned out that another captain, Kaname Tousen, was also conspiring against Soul Society."

"Not Jordi, too!" Dante replied.

Toshiro ignored the black teen's outburst and continued. "It turns out that they were after an item known as the Hogyoku, which rested within Rukia's gigai. That's what the whole execution was about. Now that the device is in Aizen's possession, he plans to create Hollows with Shinigami powers."

"You're kidding!" Dante replied, knowing full well what was going on. "He's actually gonna do that!?" Toshiro gave a light nod.

Silence now fell between the two as they assessed the situation. For Dante, he was starting to wonder what the point of coming here was. He was unable to get his revenge or stop the danger in Soul Society. Was there really something he could do? "So… You and I are brothers, huh?" Toshiro asked.

Hearing this broke Dante's train of thought and he faced the captain with a stunned look. When Aizen told Dante that history, the black teen thought the captain was unconscious from their battle. "You know? But…"

"Isane was not far from your location. Remember?" Toshiro answered. "She heard the entire thing. However, she told my lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, about the news not long after I came here. Then Rangiku told me about the information. However, knowing how she loves to gossip, it's unknown how many other people she told before hand."

"Oh, right. But do you think that trick was just frontin'?"

"The blood tests are positive. We are half brothers."

The validation of the claims once again silenced the two. For both brothers, it was hard to believe that they were related. Still, they knew there was nothing that can be done. "You know what? Maybe it's not so bad," Dante began, grabbing Toshiro's attention. "Hell, I always wanted a little brother. You know, teach him about those lessons in life."

"Little!?" Toshiro replied, offended by his brother's use of the 'L' word. "How am I the little brother when I'm a century older!?"

"Because… I'm taller and I hit puberty way before you did," Dante jeered.

Hearing this, the captain only groaned. "No way! I'm still the older brother due to my age. Shinigami like myself age at a slower rate than you living souls!"

"So what!? I'm still the 'big' brother! You might have the head start, but I didn't draw the short straw!" Dante sung.

Toshiro was now furious. It was a fact that few people who made fun of his size ever got away with it. "The only thing saving you is the fact that I'm still recovering from our last battle," the captain said with a sharp tone.

"Oh yeah? Where my boys at!? Get my blades!? I think someone's hankerin' for a spankerin'!"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you? We're in a hospital! No one's allowed to handle zanpakutos on the premises unless they're from Squad 4!"

"Don't call me an idiot, shawty!" Dante replied as he faced his brother. "You know I'll get off this bed! Don't make me get up!"

"Right, because the first try worked so well," Toshiro sarcastically spat as his forehead met Dante's. Baring their teeth, both brothers were ready to escalate the situation. After a few seconds, Dante began to stifle a laugh, earning a confused glance from the captain. Pulling back, the black teen then began laughing madly. "What the hell are you laughing about?"

"Nothing, man!" he replied "It's just… like I said. This is gonna be awesome! Hahaha!"

All Toshiro could do was watch his taller sibling laugh. At first, he didn't get the joke. But after a while, the white-haired captain cracked a small smile. "Who would have thought that this guy is my brother?" he thought. "The two of us are as opposite as night and day. Yet at the same time, with both suffered many hardships in our life." With that in mind, Toshiro straightened his face. "Which means that we also have a similar goal in defeating Aizen."

"Yo, bro," Dante replied, interrupting Toshiro's train of thought. "Something on your mind?"

"It's nothing," the captain said as he began to move his chair. "I think it's time I get back to my room. I want to recover my strength as soon as possible."

"Ah, so soon?" Dante whined.

"You'll be discharged tomorrow. And before you ask, I checked with Unohana before I came in."

"First my blood and now my records. I think we're gonna have to talk about invasion of privacy." Toshiro said nothing, but merely flexed his shoulder. "Eh, whatever. Well, see you tomorrow, Toshiro."

"It's Captain Hitsugaya."

"Right… Captain Toshiro," Dante replied with a slick tongue. The white-haired captain paid no heed and continued off. Now the black teen was left alone in his room. With his hands resting on the back of his head, the black teen stared at the tiled ceiling above, blocking out the sounds of the busy hallway outside his door. The only thing that escaped his lips was, "I wonder what crazy shit Panzerraptor will put me in next…"

Author's Note 1: Yes! Finally, I finished this story. I bet many of you who were reading are thinking "About damn time!" With this little adventure over, I'm thinking of doing some more stuff with this character. I mean, I wanted to feature Dante's other bankai in this story, but knew that there wasn't anywhere to do it. So there's a chance I'll throw in a sequel based on either Dark Souls or Shattered Blade (two games that take place before Ichigo and his party return to the living world). And since it's rarely been done, make it an OcxNemu or OcxRangiku fic.

But I would also like to my hand at a romance staring IchigoxRangiku or IchigoxNemu (maybe a triple pairing). But like I said, you might be seeing Dante again real soon. So with the story at its close, I would like to know what do you, the readers, personally think of the tale and character. And please, no full-fledge flaming.