SailorStar9: This is Chapter 14 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

SailorStar9: We will now introduce the newest intro segment: Bleach Academy. And as it would have it, a new guy's just transferred over to Bleach Academy.

Ichigo and Hasu: (Look out of window to see Uryū at the school gates)

Hasu: (Blinks) A transfer student?

Uryū: (Twitches) What the hell's with these clothes?

Ichigo: (Holds sign that reads 'To Be Continued, Maybe')

Chapter 14: Motive of the Fist


Sado burst through yet another wall, sending several Shinigami flying.

To meet them, however, was the 3rd Seat of 8th division, Enjōji Tatsufusa. "Halt!" Enjōji barked. "That is far enough. "Foolish Ryoka. I am 8th Squad 3rd Officer, junior adjutant, Enjōji Tatsufusa. You have chosen the wrong path. The moment I appeared here, this path became a dead end. Well? Well? What's wrong?" he taunted, swinging his blade. "Can't make a move, eh? Do not worry, you needn't be embarrassed. That is normal. After all, this is the technique of the great sword master, Enjōji Tatsufusa. It has never been once in history been def..." he was sent flying into the air when Sado landed but one punch, defeating him with hardly any effort.

"I think he might have just made the orbit." Hasu joked as Enjōji vanished from sight.

In the beginning, two blasts a day was my limit. Sado looked down at his smoking hand. Now, I don't tire even after firing more than five blasts. I'll have to thank Yoruichi for training me.

"Whew, nice work." Kyōraku remarked as the pair neared the Squad 8 barracks.

"Flower petals..." Hasu deathpanned, noticing the shower of petals floating down. "That voice... don't tell me..."

"8th Squad Captain," Kyōraku declared, landing gracefully on the ground.

"Kyōraku Shunsui." Hasu finished. "I knew it."

"Pleased to meet..." Kyōraku blinked. "Hey, Nanao! That's enough flower petals! Maybe she didn't hear me." he noted, a disinterested Nanao sprinkling the red petals from above him. "Hey, Nanao! Enough flower petals! Cute, cute Nanao!" in response, Nanao dumped the rest of the petals onto Kyōraku, along with the basket.

"Sorry, but," Sado remarked. "I don't have time to join your skit. We need you to let us pass."

"Aw, what the heck?" Kyōraku complained. "Can't you join for a while? Everyone is so cold today."

"We're in a hurry." Sado urged. "Please move from there. You don't seem to be a bad guy. If possible, I don't want to fight you."

"We're at an impasse, it seems." Kyōraku noted. "We both don't like fighting, but I can't let you pass either. Isn't there any way you could withdraw?"

"I cannot." Sado confirmed.

"Then I have no choice." Kyōraku sighed. "Let's have a drink." he brought out a sake bottle from nowhere. "Well, if you can't withdraw, I thought maybe you could stop here for a while at least. It's jsut for a while."

"I cannot." Sado insisted. "It's the law. Minors can't drink alcohol."

"Oh well." Kyōraku sighed. "Right now, the other Captains are taking action, too. And this battle will be over soon, so until then..."

"The other Captains?" Sado gasped in shock. "Are Ichigo and the others being attacked by Captains too?" he pressed. "The situation has changed. Kyōraku, please get out of the way right now."

"What if I say no?" Kyōraku challenged.

"Sado, can you let me handle this?" Hasu requested. "You never change, Kyōraku-jii, even after 200 years." she sighed as she ignited her Spiritual Pressure. "Has so much time passed that you've forgotten how my Spiritual Pressure feels like? She's still alive..." she stated calmly. "Yadōmaru Lisa."

"Lisa-chan?" Kyōraku blinked.

"Did you know..." Tula added. "15 years ago, Aizen tried to assassinate me."

"Captain Aizen?" Nanao echoed. "Impossible!"

"Impossible?" Tula snorted. "No, the Captain Aizen you know is merely a mirage. Kyōka Suigetsu; a rather appropriate Zanpakutō for a psychopath like him."

"Please do not speak ill of one of our respected Captains, Tula-chan." Kyōraku warned.

"I won't let you!" Sado roared, firing his attack, seeing Kyōraku was about to launch an attack.

Kyōraku merely deflected the energy blast with one hand. "My, oh my." he remarked. "This has gotten out of hand, it seems. Missed again." he ducked another of Sado's energy blasts, Tula having suddenly disappeared from the battlefield. "Give it up, you get it now, don't you?" he advised. "Your technique is pretty powerful. It's hard, it's fast, and for a human, it's destructive power is pretty amazing. But they won't hit me. You can see what'll happen if you continue this, don't you? How about you give up and go home soon?"

"Thanks for the warning." Sado remarked. "But I can't withdraw."

"I'm telling you to stop." Kyōraku sighed as Sado charged. "I'm sure you realize," he ducked Sado's attack and appeared behind him. "There are two kinds of techniques: the kind one can't use at all once they've passed the point of exhaustion, and the kind one can keep using by draining their life even after the limit. Your technique is obviously the latter." then, using only two fingers, he landed a powerful hit on Sado's shoulder, blasting him several meters away. "I won't say anything cruel, so just go home. If we keep going, you really will die. This is a problem." he sighed, noticing Sado's determined expression. "Why'd you need to fight so badly? What's your objective? What did you come so far for?"

"Our objective is to save Kuchiki Rukia." Sado replied.

"Rukia?" Kyōraku echoed. "She only went missing in the Living World this spring. Too short. That's a weak friendship. I can't imagine that's worth risking your life."

"It's true that I know nothing about her." Sado admitted. "It might not be quite enough to risk my life. But Ichigo and Hasu want to save her. That's plenty. I don't need any more reason than that to risk my life."

"This is a problem." Kyōraku noted. "If you're that resolute, it'd be rude to try and convince you to go home. No choice. Well, then, I guess I'll have to take your life." he pulled out the dual Katen Kyōkotsu.

Ichigo, Hasu, I will defeat this guy. Sado promised, making the first move. I probably will risk my life. If I'm able to survive, this time I will promise you, Ichigo, the same promise as that day, in the same words as that day. That's right. he mused, the memory ending. It's a promise. So I can't accept defeat. At that, he released his attack.

The attack itself was devastating, yet Kyōraku still managed to dodge, slicing Sado with his Zanpakutō.

"I'm sorry." Kyōraku muttered, before Sado and his necklace fell to the ground.


SailorStar9: In the next chapter, after sensing Tula's Spirit Power around the defeated Sado, rather than kill him, Kyōraku orders Sado to be incarcerated. Elsewhere, Ichigo is fleeing Zaraki, terrified of Zaraki's overwhelming power. After realizing the importance of his mission, however, Ichigo finds the resolve to face him. He manages to cut Zaraki, but becomes overconfident after learning that Zaraki has not mastered his Zanpakutō. Zaraki then stabs him in the chest, breaking Ichigo's Zanpakutō in the process. Now that's done, read and review.