SailorStar9: This is Chapter 15 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.
Ichigo: (Walks down the row of tables and looks around) Eh? Where's the transfer student?
Chapter 15: Desperation! The Broken Zangetsu
"What does the Riteitai want from me?" Nanao asked, sensing a messenger. "If they wish to give me orders, the Hell Butterfly should have sufficed."
"Yes," the messenger from the Inner Court Troop replied. "However, it's because the message is signed by both Captain-Commander Yamamoto and 10th Squad Captain Hitsugaya."
"Signed by two Captains?" Nanao echoed. "Is it a top priority order?"
Elsewhere...
Ichigo was still running from Zaraki, but got cut off. He parried off the attack, running away as Zaraki mocked him.
Ichigo continued to flee, remembering his first cut on Zaraki and the failure it ended in. Grasping his wounded hand, he told himself to calm down, before seeing the wall crack. Thinking it to be Zaraki, he readied himself.
Zaraki indeed burst through the wall, still telling Ichigo to stop running.
Ichigo clashed with the Captain, who blocked off all the attacks with no effort. Ichigo was winded, but Zaraki was unaffected. The two clashed as Yachiru watched safely from above. Ichigo tried to land a hit to no avail and took off again. Pausing to catch his breath, he was still trying to figure out why his hits did not work. Bringing his fear under control, he plotted his next attack with a new found resolve, before sensing Sado's Spirit Power disappear.
Back with Kyōraku...
"Who'd have thought the last attack would be this powerful." Kyōraku mused. "If I'd taken that directly, I might've been in serious trouble. It's amazing for a human to even get inside the Court, but that he could fight this hard..."
"Captain Kyōraku!" Nanao hurried in. "We have a message. Captain Aizen has passed away." she reported. "The cause of death was removal of the 'Chain Link' and 'Soul Sleep' as well as cardiac destruction through the use of a Zanpakutō. It was not an accidental death, but murder. The murderer is unknown. It is a 1st priority message signed by Captains Genryūsai Shigekuni and Hitsugaya Tōshirō, so I don't believe there is any mistake."
"Is that so..." Kyōraku noted. "Sōsuke is... well for now, shall we go see him?" he exited from the battlefield.
"Yes, sir." Nanao proceeded to follow her Captain. "Is something wrong, Captain Kyōraku?" she voiced, sensing the same thing Ichigo had, that Sado was still alive, albeit barely. "This Ryoka isn't dead. Shall I go ahead and deliver the final blow?" she offered, powering up.
Just then, a powerful, yet gentle Spirit Power shielded Sado before Nanao could make her move, the Spirit Pressure stunning both 8th Division's Shinigamis and reigniting Sado's life-force.
"This Spirit Power..." the wide-eyed Nanao was shocked. "Could it be... is that girl... really Tula? Then, we..."
"Let's call the Rescue Squad and have them put him in a cell somewhere." Kyōraku suggested. "You understand, don't you?"
"Acknowledged." Nanao replied. "I will make arrangement immediately.
"This has gotten out of hand, it seems." Kyōraku mused. "For Tula to return at this time..."
With Ichigo...
I haven't got any time. Ichigo mused, assured of Sado's safety, now that Tula had reignited Sado's life. To be afraid.
"So, finally you show yourself." Zaraki stood up. "Are you prepared to die? Or have you just given up?
"Both of those are wrong." Ichigo corrected and both adversaries clashed blades once again.
In the morgue...
"Aizen Sōsuke, Captain of the 5th Squad has passed away." Unohana reported to Komamura and Tōsen. "When he was lowered from the wall, he was no longer breathing."
"Is there any possibility of a gigai?" Tōsen asked.
"Yes," Unohana replied. "I investigated every possibility, including the chance that someone had used a gigai to deceive others' eyes, but it only serves to confirm the truth of his death. After this wartime chaos is resolved, a new Captain of Squad 5 will be selected by Central 46 and Squad leaders. Squad Seven Captain Komamura, Squad 9, Captain Tōsen, would you two please return to command your squads? I too, shall visit the front-lines soon."
"In order to inquire into the truth behind Captain Aizen's death, it seems the quickest route lies in ending this fighting." Tōsen informed Hisagi outside the Squad 4 barracks. "I will join the fight. Nothing would be better than to avoid fighting, but it seems things aren't going to go smoothly. Fighting... if not for fighting, people would not be misled by ugly emotions and neither would ugly tragedies occur. I detest fighting... from the bottom of my heart."
With Ichigo...
It would seem that Ichigo's zeal had not deteriorated.
After a small acrobatic feat, Zaraki vanished, only to resurface behind Ichigo.
Ichigo, having heard the bells on Zaraki's head, blocked the assault.
Zaraki noted how he wore his bells and eye-patch in order to make fighting more fun for him.
Ichigo then asked why had he not release his Zanpakutō, but Zaraki simply replied that his sword had no name, so it was already released. He also mentioned that due to his vast Spirit Power, he could not keep his Zanpakutō sealed if he tried.
Ichigo remarked that it was a relief that his sword would not get stronger, but Zaraki attacked, saying that Ichigo was wrong and that he could get stronger.
As proof, his Zanpakutō then easily cut through Zangetsu, before cutting Ichigo. He then rebuked Ichigo's temporary lack of guard. Zangetsu was split in two and Ichigo collapsed.
After a short eulogy, Zaraki turned to leave, certain the fight was over, but Ichigo's resolve prompted Zangetsu to take a human-like form, stopping time and approaching his wielder.
SailorStar9: In the next chapter, Zangetsu, the spirit of Ichigo's Zanpakutō, brings Ichigo into his world. Through fighting a Hollow version of himself, Ichigo realizes that Zanpakutō are more than mere tools, and that simply knowing his Zanpakutō's name does not make him more powerful. Ichigo is then able to fight Kenpachi on equal footing, and as the two clash in a massive strike, Ichigo collapses. Now that's done, read and review.
