I own none of the rights to bleach, they all go to Tite Kubo.
Rock, Ice, Blood.
This chapter is on Toshiros fight, probably won't be too long (said that last time) as I can't make fights last that long.
It was raining and that was never a good sign when it came to battles that mattered. The dark sky looked ominous and there was darkness in the air that was so subtle you only knew it was there because it sent shivers down your spine. Toshiro could feel that something very wrong was going to happen, this fight would have to be quick and his opponent had the upper hand.
"Why'd you let them pass?" Toshiro asked his opponent who was currently covered in a rock based skin.
"There are others that will deal with them, but by now many have escaped as we knew you would all some here." The Oni growled out, morphing its bladed arms into two heavy looking hammers.
"Don't be so sure. Oni!" Toshiro was confident in his fellow captain's abilities to stop any of the Oni left in the cave as well as catch up with those who had 'escaped'.
"Che, I can tell you're underestimateing my power. One of the Onis main abilities is to sense and read souls." If his face could stretch into a grin it would've but alas the Onis face stayed carved in anger.
"Let's finish this." Taking his battle stance as he spoke, Hyōrinmaru in front of him ready to strike, "I am Squad 10 captain Toshiro Histugaya."
"I suppose you'll need to know the name of your killer, captain," the Oni sneered at him, the hammers crossed in front of him one further forwards then the other. "Kouki, that is all my name need be."
They charged at each other, both bringing their weapons up for an attack. One that would have hit Toshiro, but the small captain used a quick shunpo to avoid the attack and brought his zanpakuto down on the Oni. Hyōrinmaru made contact with something, but it wasn't skin, it was hard rock that cracked and crumbled to the ground seconds after the hit.
"You'll have to be less obvious then that." A voice whispered from above. Kouki was surrounded by small missiles made from more rock. They spun around the Oni as he charged down at Toshiro. He was too fast, he left no time for Toshiro to even try and put up a good defence. And attempt to shunpo and block at the same time more or less failed. At least two of the shards hit him as well as one of the hammers clipping his ribs. The shards had indented themselves into his left arm rendering it useless. Blood cascaded to the floor and even though the fight had been going on for so little time the bloodied captain knew he had to use bankai. His opponent was strong. He knew the others were battling just as strong opponents, their spiritual pressure was working at maximum and he could tell they were all tiring. However, one thing worried Toshiro and that was how more hollow like Ichigos reiatsu was getting. But there was nothing he could do about it right now, he needed to finish this fight first.
"Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!" Wings and a tail of pure ice grew out from the young captain. But they soon became soaked in the still pouring rain just as Toshiro and Kouki were. The blood that was flowing from the wounds became mixed with the rain and streams ran down onto the icy tail, tainting it slightly.
"Becoming desperate are we?" Kouki taunted, preparing for another attack new shards primed for an assumed final attack.
"This need to finish now." Was all the captain said before starting his final assault.
The wings flared out. Kouki charged. Toshiro charged. The spiralling rock was frozen in an instant and they fell to the muddy floor now harmless. Two hammers were brought down, one was frozen and the other sliced off. The Oni howled in pain as black blood poured out from the now handless arm revealing that Kouki was only wearing a layer of stone that deflected light attacks. White bones protruded from within the black blood and skin, a stark contrast that was only visible for a moment before it was sealed over with stone preventing any more blood being lost.
Ignoring the loss of a hand the Oni continued its assault the hammer was now a long sword as it attempted to hack and slice away as much of Toshiro as he could. A few of the strikes made their way through his defence but it was a small price to pay for what he would do next. While the Oni had been attack Toshiro had also made small cuts that had yet to close up. Water had found its way into the cuts and they would soon freeze.
Using Zanhyō Ningyō Toshiro left the ice doll as he shunpoed behind Kouki stabbing him though the back and freezing him from the inside. The water in the wounds also froze over and expanded, ripping open the skin. Blooded flowed out, seeping through the ice and streaming down the rock. But that wasn't all, ice exploded from Koukis chest piecing outwards shattering the rock skin covering the Oni.
The battle was over, but Toshiro felt no sense of pride over the victory he'd accomplished. Instead he felt shame, shame that it'd come to this and that nothing could have prevented it.
Coughing came from the Oni who was currently lying on the floor after Hyōrinmaru had been removed from his chest. The spikes of ice were still there, blood coating them among other organs that should never leave the body. Walking over to the dying Oni Toshiro exited him bankai, there was no need for it now. The battle was over, that was evident from his opponents dying form.
"Che… That….was…a good….fight..shini…" He fell into a fit of coughing and eventually was silent. The face still fixed into its angry expression, but there was no real emotion behind it. The red eyes were blank and glassed over, vacant of any life that had existed. The rest of the body was matted in blood and mud, cold and lifeless as it began to crumble. The ice in his chest started to disperse first. It was then followed by the Onis limp body as it faded into spirit particles, the particles made their way up into the still dark sky, their path undisturbed by the continuing rain.
"It should have been different." There was nothing more the distant cold captain could say, he knew that the Oni were the enemy but couldn't help feeling that this was all senseless and mindless fighting over pointless things. The question; why had they done this to Ichigo? Floated into his mind and he hoped he would find the answer soon.
Toshiro headed into the cave were the others were. He could sense that all their fights had finished too but they were all like him, extremely tired. The Oni had put up a good fight but in the end they had lost. That's what Toshiro thought until he arrived at the big open arena in the cave. There was a sudden rise in Ichigos reiatsu as it became more twisted and hollow like. It eventually stabilised and was now like that of a vasto lorde. Suì-Fēngs reiatsu was barely there, as if she were either dead or on the verge of death. But that wasn't possible; she was a captain and commander of the stealth forces. How could she get taken down when they weren't?
"Do you think…?" Toshiro trailed off not wanting to admit what had happened.
"Yes, he has lost it all. We must now do what we were sent to do." The ever dutiful noble Byakuya said as he shunpoed away. Even with his arm shredded among other injuries he was attempted to take on a fully reformed Ichigo, he was mad. But there were seven of them and they would be more than a match for the vasto lorde. Everyone started after Byakuya ready to complete a mission they had hoped would never need completing.
Tracking the reiatsu of Ichigo they arrived at what remained of a heavy wooden door. It was blown outwards, pieces scattered everywhere in any direction. Through the door way they captains saw the hollow Ichigo deal fatal blows to the students he'd befriended only hours beforehand. None of the captains cared at that moment for how they'd gotten caught up in this fight, they only cared about stopping a mindless hollow that would surely kill anyone Ichigo was every involved with. They started through the doorway just in time to see a thin black blade protruding from an Onis chest. Maniacal laughter echoed throughout the room but it was cut short as small cracks started appearing in the mask. The captains froze not wanting to dispose of him if Ichigo was able to regain control.
Will their hope be short lived? Guess you'll have to wait about two more chapters :P
Next time it'll be Byakuya and Kenpachis battle with the metal haired twins!
Thanks for reading guys :D
Zanhyō Ningyō is the ice doll type technique that he used against Halibel during their battle in Katakura town.