AN
Hey everyone! I apologize for the delay, but hey! Cheer up I've got this chapter for you and the next one should be out either tonight or tomorrow—probably tomorrow but who knows?
Give big hugs/kisses/praise to VioTanequil who makes Beta Reading almost as fun as Grimmjow/Soifon's sparring match next chapter.
Whoops! Okay, well, don't kill me it'll be out soon.
AN
"You idiot!"
Urahara was not fast enough to miss the foot that slammed against his shin. Yoruichi glared at him furiously, but he could see the worry in her eyes. Even Benihime was wisely silent in the face of Yoruichi and her fury. He knew that his Zanpakuto spirit agreed with her much more than it did with him.
Yoruichi grabbed him by the collar of his robes and glared angrily at him, her golden eyes promising all kind of torture. Urahara gulped. Between Benihime and Yoruichi, he had his hands full of women who wanted to torture him. Then, in a completely unexpected move, Yoruichi threw her arms around him and took them both to the ground.
"Don't you ever run off like that again!"
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice soft, as he carefully put his arms around her, "I didn't mean to worry you."
He knew why she was worried. His decision had been a split second one when Shinji had knocked on his door. He had known then that there was only one path to take. He had been of help, he did not regret going, and he did regret not telling Yoruichi. He knew he was being stupid and overprotective and all those things she hated, but he wouldn't bring her to Las Noches anymore than he would have brought her along when he went to save Shinji and Hiyori that night so long ago.
And she was equally furious this time as she had been back then.
"I wasn't worried," she said hotly pushing herself up and glaring down at him, "I was just wondering if I was going to have to save you again."
"Nope," he grinned cheekily up at her, "No saving required," someone cleared their throat, "Except by darling Benihime of course."
"You realize that if you had just done it the natural way you wouldn't have to thank your Zanpakuto for saving you right?"
"No," Urahara said quickly as he heard the indignant cry Benihime gave, "I'm pretty sure I'd have to grovel anyway, comes with having a female Zanpakuto."
"Just be glad you're good at groveling," Yoruichi said sitting down on his hips.
"Oh I'm very very good at groveling," Urahara countered, pushing himself up with a smirk.
"Hmm," she raised an eyebrow.
"President Urahara! Special Forces Head Shihouin!" someone pounded on the door, "We're having a Captain's meeting—" Yoruichi opened the door to reveal the same division member, "Special Forces He—"
"We're not Captains," Yoruichi snapped, slamming the door in his face before pouncing on Urahara with all the grace of a panther.
Urahara had never been more thrilled at his exile or lack of title before.
Break
Shuuhei knew he was being a complete idiot. He had been through so much, he had survived so much, so why the hell couldn't he open the damn door? Well, probably because on the other side of the door was Former 9th Division Captain Muguruma Kensei.
Shuuhei had been offered higher positions in the other Divisions upon graduation but he had turned them all down to become a seated officer in the Ninth Division. He had worked his way up the ranks tooth and nail until he had become the Vice Captain. He wanted to be like the man who had saved him.
Even if, at the time, they thought he was a traitor, even if the word 'hollow' came up more than once, it didn't matter to him. Shuuhei just wanted to be like Muguruma Kensei. That was it. It was that want that drove him to go back and take the entrance test twice before passing. He didn't care if he had to take it a hundred times, he would have.
"You don't want to go inside?"
"Ise-Fukutaicho!" he turned around, jumping like a guilty child. The Vice Captain of the Eighth Division smiled faintly and pushed her glasses up on her nose, looking at the door regretfully, "You don't want to either," he realized.
"No," she replied, "I do not," she sighed, "but I know I must," And before he could protest, she pushed open the door.
The people within the room were talking, but the chatter stopped when the door creaked open to reveal the two Vice Captains. For a moment no-one moved as the two tried not to bolt at the sight of their former mentor and savior.
"Kid?" Kensei stared in disbelief, barely recognizing the tall man who stood before him wearing the badge of the Vice Captain of the Ninth Division. For a moment the man standing in front of him looked like the scared little kid from way long ago, but then his eyes met Kensei's firmly and he nodded.
"Holy crap, kid! I thought you'd be dead by now."
"Kensei, you meanie!," Mashiro scolded, giggling and grinning up at Shuuhei.
"Ninth Division Vice Captain huh?" Kensei said, crossing his arms and viewing him with a critical eye for a moment before grinning and turning to Mashiro. "Hey Mashiro, he got your job."
"He did?!" She raced over to inspect his arm, "You did!" she stepped back, "Well that's good," she beamed, "I didn't want someone bad to take my job," she continued, "Besides, Kensei-meanie, you got replaced by Tousen."
"I didn't pick him," Kensei glared angrily, "He just took the jo—you did not just stick your tongue out at me Mashiro. And you didn't pick him either, Mashiro! Kid! Hisagi! Back me up!"
"Well Tousen was a traitor—'
"You're not helping!"
Nanao and Lisa approached each other much more silently, the former obviously more than a little uncomfortable. She cleared her throat and ducked her head pushing her glasses up self-consciously, wondering if she should have left the book at home. Lisa approached her without any of the embarrassment, her eyes studying her quietly.
"How did it end?"
"Eh?!" Nanao's eyes widened as she stared at Lisa with unabashed shock.
"The book we were reading when I left, we were close to the end," she smiled gently, "How did it end?" Nanao felt herself flush, "I see Shunsui hasn't decided to do paperwork?" she added with a shake of her head, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"No," Nanao said softly though she now looked a little more composed, "he hasn't."
"Lisa-chan!" the door slammed open to reveal none other than a very drunk Shunsui, "Now that you've had a reunion with my Nanao, how have you been this past - "
Nanao brought her book up, blocking him squarely with a shot to the face, "Nanao," he whined.
"We're supposed to be escorting them to the Central 46," Nanao snapped.
"Still depending on your Vice Captain," Lisa scolded, turning to her former captain, "It's a good thing you pick excellent ones or you'd be in some serious trouble, Shunsui," she smiled, "And how have you been Captain Ukitake? You're looking well."
"My Vice Captain spoils me," he said with a grin, "Same problem as Shunsui."
"Yes except I imagine you're still too much of a gentlemen to hit on her," Lisa said glaring at Shunsui who was busy with Nanao.
"Yes, well, Retsu may be a healer but she's not a Captain for nothing—and my Vice Captain is actually happily engaged," he smiled, "to Ichigo Kurosaki."
"Oh," she said, her eyes bright, "well let's hope whatever 'reverse hollowification' thing Urahara has come up with works, it would be a shame for her to be a widow before she's a bride."
"Yes," Ukitake said softly, "it would."
Break
"Ichimaru? Gin? Can you hear me?"
The world swam back into focus for Gin, not all the way but enough for him to make out the vague shape of Captain Unohana's face. Relief was plastered all over her features. He frowned and realized he couldn't really move, it was as though the blood in his veins was replaced with lead. He tried to speak, but found the action as impossible as moving at the moment.
"Lay still," Unohana said, "You started to bleed internally and almost died again," she continued, "One of the healers found you, we managed to stop the bleeding and fix your injury," she added.
"Why?" he rasped out. She frowned in confusion, "Why the hell did you—" he shook his head knowing that if he asked why the hell she saved him she'd probably give him some stupid long-winded explanation about right and wrong.
"You need to rest," she said kindly walking out of the door. She stopped and looked at the man standing with his back to the wall, "When he sneaks out make sure no harm comes to him," she said before walking off.
Sure enough, as soon as he could, Gin was gone. He knew he was in no shape to be walking around, he knew he should be in the Fourth Division. No, he amended, he knew he should be dead. Well, he had never really done what he should so he saw no reason to start that now. There was no point. As he had mockingly told Kuchiki, his reason for being wicked was gone—but so was the reason for being good. The only reason he had ever done anything good was because of Rangiku and in the end, all he had been able to do was kill her.
Which was how he found himself in front of what would be her grave. He had limped there on pure spite and anger, ignoring the strange looks and whispers that accompanied him. They always had and he imagined that they always would. Even before he was a traitor he had always been a killer, always unsettling except to Rangiku. She was buried with all the others who had fought and died for their cause. There were no 'honored' graves, what honor was there in death after all? Just the endless remains of those who had died because one man had been evil, because he had loved that man like a father.
He found an unmarked stone that would probably be Rangiku's grave with little trouble. Her name would be on it as well as the date of her birth and death. For one selfish moment he wanted to be written on the opposite side of the grave, to have the promise that they would somehow meet in the next life. But there was no such promise to be had, there was nothing but the regret that seemed to weigh on him more and more heavily each day. He could blame the fact he sunk to his knees on the weakness that still held on his body but he knew it was more grief than anything else.
"Damn it Ran," he hissed, "it wasn't supposed to be like this, you weren't supposed to let go," he closed his eyes, "I was supposed to save you again," Ichimaru Gin didn't cry, he didn't, not ever, "I saved the world for you, I changed it for you—not for anyone else. Why did you go?" he hung his head, "you said that you always needed me but, God Ran, can't you see that I'm the one that always needed you?"
He didn't know how long he sat there, unaware of the world around him. Long enough for the shadows to change, long enough for his feet to go numb, long enough for Byakuya Kuchiki to approach him without him even realizing it. He had his headpiece back on, his scarf wrapped around his neck once more as he stood there in his armor. But the look in his eyes was one of pure understanding. If it was anyone else Gin would have smacked them but Kuchiki Byakuya was perhaps the only person who could understand—who did understand.
"Does it ever go away?" he asked, his eyes not moving from the gravestone.
"No," came the soft reply, "it does not," the Captain looked at the stone as well, "but you will adjust," he added, "much like you did to your Zanpakuto's presence."
"Shinso's as broken as I am," he said with an uncharacteristically regretful sigh.
"It is our duty to be an example to others," Byakuya said coolly.
"Don't give me that self-righteous crap," he snapped, "I'm an example to no-one. The only one I care about is going to be here in a few days," he hit the dirt.
"Be that as it may, there are others who care about you," he said his eyes not moving, "Vice Captain Izuru, you may come out from behind that tree now."
Gin turned his head to see Kira step out from behind the tree, his eyes downcast. He had not thought of Kira since the beginning of the battle. He had been worried that Kira would be as Hinamori had been when Aizen left but he felt Kira's Spiritual Pressure lash out and for once hoped that he would be on the losing side of, at least, the first battle of the war. He hated the Old Man Espada anyway, he was a total asshole and his Fraccion were little better. He hoped that his Vice Captain would kill his Fraccion and Kira had not disappointed him—Kira never had.
When he collapsed later Gin wouldn't know where he found the strength to get to his feet at that moment but it was precisely what he did. Kira's eyes widened and he started forward but Gin was to his feet already, standing between the man he had become a Captain with and his former Vice Captain. For a moment the three men stood silent. All had been hurt by their private losses, all had more in common than they would ever admit. No-one said a word but there was no tension either. The silence was not oppressive or stifling. Neither the former Captain nor the Vice Captain said anything, even when Byakuya stepped back to give the two men their privacy.
"Why?"
Gin raised an eyebrow. Kira met his gaze squarely with his own eyes. He didn't threaten to kill Gin, though he had enough reason too. He didn't shout or scream or cry, he simply looked at his former Captain—the Captain he would have gone to hell with if he asked—and tried to find the answers.
"Why what?" Gin asked, "Why'd I do it? Why'd she do it? What do you want to know?"
"Oh I already know why she did it, there wasn't enough sake in the world to make her forget you though believe me we did try. She loved you. As much as you've changed the world for her she would've done the same for you," Kira looked at the grave regretfully, "She did," his eyes went back to Gin, "I want to know why you left us for him."
Part of Gin wanted to keep silent. Part of him didn't want to say anything. The larger part of him knew that he was going to have to tell the story sometime and he'd rather tell it to Kira than to a room full of people who hated him. He frowned, he didn't think he'd ever actually told anyone why. He would have told Rangiku but she had died before he could. He sighed and sat down at the grave before he fell down. Concern filled Kira's eyes before he could mask it. Gin's hand went to Shinso, the Zanpakuto's spirit giving what little strength it could.
"Would you have betrayed me?" he asked. Kira frowned but shook his head, "Aizen told Hinamori that from the beginning he considered me his Vice Captain," he shook his head, "but that kind of trust goes both ways."
"It was Aizen," Kira said, 'Matsumoto told me—she said you'd always go off and disappear without telling her where you were going—" he shook his head, "I didn't even realize—"
"I was already the 3rd Seat of the 5th Division when I met her," he said, "I kept her away from Aizen," he smiled bitterly, "I tried to protect her. I think she was the first person I ever knew who didn't look at me like a tool or a monster," he sighed, "I thought Aizen was the first but no," he looked at the grave, "no, she was. Probably the only person too."
"Captain—" he stopped realizing his slip up, "I'll leave you now," he said turning to go.
"You don't have too," Gin said, "Tousen wasn't the best company you know."
"He never was," Kira said with a shake of his head, "even Hisagi said it was easier to talk to the walls than him."
"Eh well, it was how he got his paperwork done."
"Really? Maybe I should try that sometime."
"Kira, you're not that frightening."
"I could be!" A smile crept to his face as the indignant lieutenant turned away.
Break
The world swam back into focus for Ulquiorra. He frowned and blinked, expecting the blue to turn to orange and the male face to turn female. But it didn't. Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he realized that leaning over him was none other than Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. Ulquiorra inhaled sharply and shoved himself back, despite all his muscles being stiff from sleep. He was in the Fourth Division of Soul Society. He had helped save the world. All he remembered after being attacked was the bright golden glow that had burned through his eyelids.
Thank you
"Orihime," he choked, his eyes darting around the room for some sign of the woman. She was not there, "what—" he stopped as Grimmjow shoved him onto the bed and grabbed the straps tied onto the supports, using them to lash his wrists down, "what are you doing?"
"I don't know why the fuck they didn't send someone else to tell you this, but I'm not taking any chances," he looked around.
"No negacion field?" Ulquiorra asked dryly.
"Ha ha, if you had a Hollow Hole believe me I would," he snapped grabbing a chair and straddling it.
"She's dead isn't she?" Ulquiorra said after a moment's silence.
"She's been dead since the Winter War you idiot," Grimmjow snapped. Ulquiorra glared at him, "No. She used some kind of technique, told me to get you out of there, healed my cheek and threw us back," he sighed, "She's unconscious, has been since we got here. Captain Unohana said that she's gonna wake up, she just doesn't know when."
"How long have I been asleep?" he questioned softly.
"Long enough for the world to go fucking crazy," Grimmjow said with a snort.
"You saved me so it must be," Ulquiorra said.
"Yeah, well," Grimmjow looked away, obviously a bit uncomfortable at the fact, "So now we gotta wait."
"For?"
"Our trial, remember?" he said rolling his eyes, "We're back to being 'the enemy' again, at least until they see if this cure will work for the Vizards or not."
"Have they attempted the cure yet?"
"They moved them all to the Central 46," Grimmjow said. Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed as though asking how the hell he knew that.
"Weren't you giving someone a Piggyback ride?" Ulquiorra asked.
"What was I supposed to do huh? Leave her?" Grimmjow demanded loudly, "I don't leave people behind, even assholes like you who deserve it," he glared angrily at the floor.
"She healed you," he said.
"Yeah she healed me and threw us out," he continued to glare at the ground, "After everything we did she saved us," he rubbed a hand on his cheek as though he could wipe the smooth skin off and replace it with the scarred, "Don't even know why she did it."
"She did it because she saw good in you," came the old voice of Commander General Yamamoto, "It was in her nature too," he looked at the two of them, "The cure worked, the Vizards are all expected to make a full recovery and return to their Shinigami state," Grimmjow could make out Neliel and Halibel in the background, "As per our agreement we are prepared to offer you all full positions within Soul Society, if you choose to accept. If you do not, arrangements will be made for you to be stripped of your powers and returned to the living world to live out the remainder of your lives."
"Well, fuck that," Grimmjow snarled, "Humans are annoying, Shinigami, at least there's some fun in it," he crossed his arms, "I'm stayin'."
"I have decided to remain in Soul Society as well," Halibel stated calmly.
"Me too!" Nel chimed, though it came as no surprise.
Ulquiorra was very aware of the fact that he was tied up and that everyone was looking at him. He knew they were waiting for his answer, half expecting him to say he was going to leave. He had told Orihime that he had no plans to stay and he meant it at the time. Now though, now he was not sure. After she kissed him, after she saved him, after everything that had happened he was suddenly not comfortable with the idea of leaving her behind. Truthfully he was not comfortable with the idea of leaving everyone behind, okay he could probably do without Ichigo Kurosaki for the next hundred years or so but even he had become slowly tolerable.
"I think Ulquiorra needs a minute," Urahara spoke up from virtually nowhere, "He has just woken up to realize that Grimmjow saved him."
"Would you stop saying that?" Grimmjow demanded hotly, "I just grabbed him, Orihime saved him."
"Yes," Urahara said, "So lets give him a bit to think about it," he said, ignoring the plain look of displeasure on Yamamoto's face. At the murmurs of agreement he remained silent and nodded.
"We will return," he said before they all cleared out, leaving Ulquiorra alone with Urahara.
The blond scientist, the man responsible for his creation, walked forward and undid the straps that bound him, releasing him from his confinement. For a moment Ulquiorra wanted to shove his hand through Urahara's sternum and leave a gaping hole, much like the one that decorated his chest since he began his life as an Espada. Before becoming an Espada he had been a Vasto Lord, a cannibal. He had devoured hundreds of Hollows, hundreds of souls. He had thought nothing of it, after all in most cases Hollows did not think. Once they were a part of him the souls had been silent. Hollows were not necessarily conscious, they had no sense of right or wrong. He had gained that as an Arrancar but there was one question that he had never been able to answer.
What was he?
Had he, at some point, been a single soul wandering the earth? Had he lived? Had he loved? Had he existed as one person? He envied Shinigami because they knew that they had been one soul, that they had lives and that in the end they were able to release the ties that bound them to earth and move onto their next lives. He clearly had not been able too. For whatever reason he had lingered like all the other scum who were unable to move on. Orihime had told him that one day he would understand. He did not know what she was talking about. It seemed silly to care so much but wasn't that what landed him in this predicament in the first place? Caring?
"What do you want?" he questioned Urahara, easing himself into a sitting position against the bed. Urahara stood there, his eyes rather uncharacteristically serious, "If you're going to apologize, don't."
"Why not?" Urahara asked suspiciously, giving off the vibe that yes, he had juat been about to do as Ulquiorra had mentioned.
"There's no point," Ulquiorra said, "What has happened, happened and there is no changing it. I should be thanking you," he continued, "If not for you I would still be running around Hueco Mundo eating other Hollows."
"Yes, that's probably true," Urahara agreed, "But I should have guarded my inventions far more than I did. For that I am sorry, not for you or the other former Espada's creations though, in fact, I think life would have been rather boring if you four hadn't shown up," he tapped his chin, "Though if Stark had survived, that might be a different thing," Ulquiorra had to smile at the image of Stark being turned into a Shinigami. Urahara stood up and walked over to the door, "You should stay," he said finally.
"Why?" Ulquiorra asked.
"Because," Urahara said turning around, "Despite what you have been, what you are—what you will be, you are one soul," Ulquiorra's eyes widened, "You deserve some happiness, and you could be happy here."
"Are you?" he asked him.
"Yes," Urahara said finally, Ulquiorra was silent, "Oh and when you came to my office, as an Espada. You weren't completely unconscious," he said, "And the last time I checked my name wasn't 'woman'," Ulquiorra looked down, trying to keep the surprise off his face, "Captain Soifon," Urahara looked at the petite Captain in front of him, "can I help you?"
"No," she said, "I want to talk to him," she pointed at Ulquiorra. Urahara stepped aside and she walked into the room.
"Captain Soifon," Ulquiorra greeted.
"We both know you aren't going anywhere," she said cutting him off before he could say anymore, "My Division needs a Vice Captain, you're best suited to the task."
"You're offering me a job?" he asked incredulously.
"You will undergo training in the Shinigami Academy, once you have proven yourself to my satisfaction you will begin your duties as a member of the 2nd Division. Your missions will be close to Soul Society for a probationary period. Once that is over and you have proven yourself to me and my division you will begin your duties as my Vice Captain. Do you have any questions?"
"No," he said softly.
"Then?" she probed.
He was silent.