Haha, *scratches back of head awkwardly* Everyone probably thought I went off and died in a hole somewhere… Sorry, I have no excuses, just felt like surprising everyone with a chapter and some real good news.
Chapter 29
Wolfie: Alright, before we get moving again. I have a couple of big announcements to make. Firstly, for those who doesn't know. Halibel is alive! Kubo wrote a novel with someone else with the final information about most of the espada and a short story with what happened to Halibel included, I read it myself and although it isn't manga it is still by Kubo and even with a picture of her and her fraccion walking off into the desert. I will tell you more throughout the chapter.
Halibel: Secondly, this story is starting on a new leaf. It's been a long time after all and Wolfie doesn't remember what happened before anyway so any gifts or rules etc is null and void until further notice.
Wolfie: Also, any guests here went back home because they got bored of waiting for me and my eternally slow butt.
Halibel: Lastly, welcome back everyone!
Wolfie: I won't do all of the reviews from the last chapter, just the newest couple to get myself up and running again so sorry to those that left out. It won't happen again.
Halibel: First, we'll start with Broken-knuckles. That sounds painful…
isnt that from mozco's fic? uninvited visitors or something like that? also, i have a question for hallibel, who did you first kill? and, if it isnt a touchy subject, how did you die? (i am only on the fifth chapter of the story, so if someone already asked, sorry..)
Wolfie: Yes, the short stories were from Dai Reth's reviews were quotes from the fanfiction "uninvited guests".
Halibel: My first kill, that's a hard one since it happened when I first became a hollow long ago… If I remember correctly, it was another hollow that wanted to eat me. I don't know his name though. As for my death, I died giving birth to a baby. That's why my hollow hole is in my womb. It's one of the very few internal hollow holes.
Wolfie: This is the truth, I read it in the book. Next review is from Aburameclanhead
Hi Ultrawolfie. I really love you story. Sorry to hear you've stopped writting for now, I'm sorta in the same boat.I've got some questions her for you all. Just know I have ADHD and I tend to miss small bits of stories so forgive me if I repeat something somebody else asked, oh and some of thes are my friends questions, There a little weird and I just want it clear that some of these aren't mine.
1. To Halibel from my friend Edward, Dear Halibel What do you think about Grimmjoww? I see you together in a lot of fics.
Halibel: Grimmjow? Well he's… kinda destructive. I don't think he's really a bad person since he does seem to have some honor. He's just not really my type, I prefer calmer more sincere people.
2. From me, Is it true that Ulquiorra sleeps hanging from the ceiling like a bat?
Halibe: Chuckles. Unfortunately not. That's just an urban legend and I think Grimmjow was the one who started it anyway.
3. Me and my friend Emily have an argument. She thinks Mila-Rose and Apache are yuri and I think she's wrong. So, is it true or not.
Halibel: That's definitely wrong. The closest that those two girls get to each other is when they try to strangle each other.
Wolfie: Stark isn't here anymore so I'll leave out the last question. But I think his small change during ressureccion is because he's the most complete Vasto Lorde out of the espada. Then again, he did complain about how troublesome it was to go into release mode…
Finally I'm considering a fanfic that shows life in Las noches for the surviving arrancar, the "possibly surviving" at least. Grimmjoww is the new king and you Tia are queen, though not together, (well, maybe later.) Anywho, what do you think about it? I thought it would be good to have him as king but he needs someone to keep him in line. And who better than the Queen of Cool herself? I won't make it for a while though, maybe in a few months. Oh, and your fraccione will be alive, Yammamoto said he didn't completely burn them right? 'wink'
Also if you haven't already, (I may have missed it) can you have my favorite character ever in an interview? Hanataro.
Wolfie: Sounds like a good idea, Halibel's the only one confirmed alive anyway. All the others are dead and Grimmjow is still unconfirmed but most likely somewhere plotting Ichigo's demise hehe.
Halibel: My fraccion are alive, thank goodness. It seems the old man truly held back with his flames.
Wolfie: I'm taking a small break from other characters but be sure to remind me again ^_^
Halibel: Next is two reviews from sister.
You so rock, I know this is alittle late but please keep writing. Also, I'm in school so I shouldn't be doing this but its the only time I can. (Don't tell my mom.) Keep on keepin' on!
Thank u sooooo much for writing about Halibel, she is my favorite character in bleach. Why is it the characters I love die? Anyway I have to continue reading your work when I can. I'll keep reading if u keep writing. Peace out!
Wolfie: Thanks for the encouragement. Looks like I did take your advice. And this is one character that didn't die after all.
Halibel: Next is BlackDragon Immortal
Hello wolfie and Lady Halilbel. I have just join up so this is my first review. Wolfie I love the Halibel stories the you are doing, It is also okay to lose your interest to write. I read all the chapters you have so far I think that it is interesting that you arew from south africa. If you were wondering I am a girl who loves dragons. For Lady Halibel I give you a vodoo doll the has Azien's hair, so any thing that you do to this doll will happen to Azien. Have fun. Sorry if I forgot about team 7,hey. Good-bye.
Wolfie: I love dragons too! They're so mysterious. Thanks, ever since I first saw Halibel I wanted to try and be like the number one Halibel fanfiction writer. I'm failing a little on that since most of my ideas stay in my head…
Halibel: Takes voodoo doll and stares at it. Then makes it do a split in a splitsecond. Hmm, doesn't seem like something like this would work… Puts it down on a table.
Somewhere, deep deep in a prison of soul society Aizen is groaning while clutching his *ahem* package.
Wolfie: Next is Yukicrewger2 requesting Halibel's autograph.
Halibel: My autograph, hmmm. Don't even have a specific one. It's not like we sign forms in Hueco Mundo…
Wolfie: Just draw a shark and write your name in it. I'd love to have one of that personally.
Halibel: Guess that sounds fine. Signs a paper and gives it to Yukicrewger2.
Wolfie: Next we have quite some reviews from May Yuki who I need to thank personally for finally encouraging me to write again. I owe her one. She was also the one who tipped me off about Halibel's survival.
May: So she gives up like this? I was actually interested in this
Me: I wish she'd continue
May: Well we'll let her start typing again when she wants to
Me: I think even Tay's interested
Tay: As Kitsura put it, "I know not what you are talking about"
Me: If you can Wolfie, can you put Tay on your story?
Tay: No don't...I don't want to talk to Masamune
Me: SO YOU DID READ THIS I MEAN HOW ELSE WOULD YOU KNOW MASAMUNE
May:...This happens almost every day Wolfie. No need to worry...
Me: P.S. THE STORY IS FREAKING AWESOME! (pweez continue.)
Wolfie: Don't know about Tay since it was quite difficult getting someone else's oc right in my story so I'd rather prefer to stick with existing characters, sorry…
Ooh Fairy Tail huh? You should have someone show up like Erza or Gray. Wonder who'd win in a fight...Halibel or Erza...Anyway, you can update whenever you feel like it. But seriously, bring Erza to fight Halibel. My OC, May Yuki, knows how to make your favorite kind of pizza(singsong voice)
May: ...Don't drag me into this
Me: But you do know how to make the pizza don't you?
May: ...Fine...As long as she doesn't update on my PMS days I can make really delicious pizza
Me: ...Uh yeah Don't update on the 15th-18th of any month because May goes on a death rant once the Red Ninja (you know what I mean) visits her... UPDATE PLEASE!
Wolfie: That's an idea, Erza will get along great with Halibel, wink wink nudge nudge.
Halibel: I'm not liking the sound of this at all…
Wolfie: Next, she translated that one Afrikaans omake on google translate, it's not perfect but it's pretty accurate… more or less hehe.
i got ur joke translated
"Not a way, that guy should probably the most annoying guy on earth.
Yes, even the eight-tailed ox do not like him, and he had with him growing up. Sad. That's probably why he is more patient and polite than the other eight. They are just plain mislik.
Yes, we get the point so let's see what would happen.
Under other circumstances.
Why am I here, or rather, where is here?
Ha Hei you are in the Clouds Nation, here I am not so small Basie.
What a Floue rhyme attempt. Even I can do better but anyway. Why am I here? Answer me!
From what I hear in the chorus, you're from the desert nation, but not the sand village, for sure. You are here to help me to make some tough little from a certain cat helping because Genins nothing with this one achieved.
A cat?
And not only cat. Taros, Tora's older and more common sister with a temper viesliker. He has nine children killed who tries to catch it.
Aizen: Okay, I've heard, how do I get at home.
Killerbee: What kind of house you're in a paradise. So good and great, like the country's forest fire of death.
Aizen: Heaven help me. Am I stuck here?
To be persecuted in another day and another language."
right? right? i just went to google translator...:D
Halibel: The word order makes this quite funny…
Wolfie: Next is King of Heartless'09
My questions are simple
1) Why don't you show that good looking face more often :/
Halibel: Heh… I don't really have much of a choice there do I? And it does make my face difficult to read so I'm not really complaining.
2) If you could live again what would you do?
Halibel: Who knows, I probably won't care about a job or money since I know now that there's much more in this world. Maybe just do all the simple pleasures again like surfing. Or maybe get another baby, I think I'd make a good mother if I could become one…
3) Can you pat me on the head :3
If answered I will appreciate it
Halibel: Sure, since you asked so nicely, Pats King on the head. ^_^
Wolfie: Ok, that's all the reviews for now. Instead of a chapter from the book, I went to find the most accurate translation of the part in the novel where they explain what happens after the Winter war.
This is not mine, it is written by Kubo Tite and his friend. I'm just quoting a translation.
By Matsubara Makoto and Kubo Tite
Yammy – Yammy – It is nighttime in our world again…
After Aizen had left and all the Gargantas had closed, Hueco Mundo regained a sense of peace. Brushing by the ruins of Las Noches, the breeze seemed to carry with it sounds of lamentation. Yet apart from the sound of sand caught in the wind, there was only silence.
A single animal lay on this silent desert. It had the shape of a small dog, with the mask of a hollow and soft white fur. Its name was Kukkapuuro.
Kukkapuuro had lost almost all of its memories. It only knew that it was a hollow, and that this was Hueco Mundo. Calling itself "Kukkapuuro," rubbing its forehead with its paw, and scratching the itch behind its ear were the only important memories that it had, sketched deep into its consciousness.
In a world full of reishi like Hueco Mundo, a small hollow like itself only needed to breathe to survive, and eventually become the prey of other hollows. Kukkapuuro was at the very bottom of the food chain, yet it was able to survive entirely because it stayed by the side of someone very strong.
Kukkapuuro looked to him and thought, "I think this person must be very important."
As his steps were very large, he was always a great distance ahead, alwaus forcing Kukkapuuro to chase after his enormous shadow. He always looked at Kukkapuuro with an impatient mutter, refusing to even give it a name. He never held, petted, or shared food with it.
Even so, he never killed Kukkapuuro.
Until the very end, he also never left Kukkapuuro.
"It's pretty quiet here…" was the first thing Mila-Rose said upon exiting the Garganta.
Following her, Apacci, Sung-Sun, and finally Tier Harribel also landed on the desert. Behind them, the Garganta silently closed, and the rip in space suddenly vanished.
"What a complete mess…" said Apacci, looking at the destruction caused to Las Noches by heated battles.
"It seems like everyone used pretty barbaric methods to fight…" said Sung-Sun, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve and looking up at the sky. The ceiling had broken in many places, creating a mosaic out of the artificial blue sky of Las Noches and the dark sky of Hueco Mundo beyond.
Harribel stared silently for a moment at the battlefield. The three of them, despite squabbling all the time, also followed her example and stood there in silence.
Standing behind Harribel's right hand side, Apacci looked down at her own completely unharmed body, and clenched her fist.
(…Bastard!)
She muttered in her heart.
Only a few hours before, every single one of them had been close to death. Harribel's body had suffered two wounds from Aizen's zanpakutou Kyoka Suigetsu, one across her abdomen, and another pierced from her back through to her left chest. Apacci, Mila-Rose, and Sung-Sun had each lost an arm to create Allon, and had also suffered severe burns over their entire body from Yamamoto's fires.
Apacci touched her left arm with her right hand. It felt completely normal, just like her orignal arm. There was also no pain remaining anywhere on her body.
(In the end… we still had to rely on the strength of humans…!)
She clenched her teeth.
The one who healed them had been Inoue Orihime. When the Fake Karakura Town had been switched back with the real one, the unconscious Arrancars had also been sent with the fake town to Soul Society. Apacci had asked her to come into the town to treat them, when Orihime came back from Hueco Mundo with Kuchiki Rukia and the rest to see Ichigo after his battle had finished.
The three of them that had been spared by Yamamoto were relatively fine compared to Harribel, who had suffered two life-threatening injuries. Apart from Orihime, there was probably nobody who could help her. Still, trusting her deeply revered Harribel to a human, for even one moment, was something that she could never forgive.
Apacci hardened her face, tightly gripping her arm.
(Such a bastard…!)
Her own undying feelings of gratitude to Orihime were something that she could never forgive.
Not long after Kurosaki Ichigo met everyone again, he let out an anguished cry that seemed to split open his throat, collapsed, and lost consciousness.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
"Ichigo!"
"Kurosaki!"
Despite rejoicing only a few seconds before, Rukia, Orihime, Renji, Uryuu, and Chad now ran to Ichigo, calling out his name.
"Everyone, please be calm," said Urahara, stopping Orihime, who had her hands stretched out, ready to use Souten Kisshun. He saw her extremely troubled gaze and nodded to her, turning to the rest. "Kurosaki is fine. What happened just now does not endanger his life."
Chad let out a breath of relief upon hearing those words and lifted Ichigo, so that he might sleep facing up. His body, though unconscious, continued to convulse, and he let out a painful groan.
"What exactly happened to Ichigo...?" asked Rukia, frowning at Ichigo's pained state.
"In order to defeat Aizen, he used the Final Getsuga Tenshou."
"...Final?" asked Uryuu.
Urahara calmly closed his eyes, and slowly sighed. "It is a technique called 'Mugetsu,' and using it will cause him to lose all his shinigami powers... it is such a technique."
At first, everyone seemed to not understand his words. Perhaps unconsciously, they did not want to understand.
A few seconds later, Orihime murmured, "How could this be...!" She immediately collapsed to the floor.
"Shinigami... powers..." Rukia looked as if she had forgotten everything and only stared, unblinking, at Ichigo.
"Are you saying that Kurosaki can no longer be a shinigami...!" exclaimed Uryuu, as if venting his feelings.
Urahara nodded sadly. "Yes."
"...The bastard!" Renji felt in his heart a tumultuous brew of emotions, that they had no choice but to rely on Ichigo, who wasn't even from Soul Society, that he had use this kind of technique, and that he was himself so weak.
"Ichigo...!" Chad also lowered his head, shaking at his feelings of remorse towards his own weakness.
Urahara waited until everyone had calmed down, and continued, "Kurosaki collapsing means that the first stage of his losing all his powers has begun. With Isshin's help, he trained for three months in the Dangai Precipice World's timeflow, until he attained 'Mugetsu'."
"Three months?" Renji couldn't help but ask.
"That's why his hair is longer..." Uryuu said to himself.
Rukia envisioned the Ichigo that she had parted from in Hueco Mundo, and the one currently sleeping before her, putting both together in her mind. His hair had grown long, and it seemed like he was a bit taller. Whether unconsciously or not, his expression also seemed more mature. It had only been a few short days between the time when they sneaked into Hueco Mundo to save Orihime and the conclusion of all the fighting.
(But for you, it seems like it has been a very long fight...)
Rukia gave him a comforting glance.
"Right now his body is undergoing the effects of reversed timeflow from the time when he was in the Dangai. It will cause extreme pain and loss of consciousness, but it will not endanger his life."
"Is there anything that I can do...!" asked Orihime, distraught.
"Unfortunately, no." Urahara shook his head. "There is nothing we can do right now. After the timeflow reversion is complete, Kurosaki's shinigami powers will disappear. This is the first stage."
"And then what?" asked Rukia, surprised.
Urahara nodded to her and continued, "As for the second stage, when the rest of his reaitsu stabilizes, he will wake up... and then, his remaining spiritual power will completely vanish."
"If that's the case, Ichigo will..." Chad swallowed.
"Never mind shinigami and hollows, he won't even be able to see normal pluses."
Upon hearing Urahara's words, everyone fell together into silence. Being able to see spirits - this was the very essence of Ichigo's existence, something which every single person there understood.
Looking at everyone's pained and gloomy expressions, Urahara said brightly, "Anyway, let's first take him somewhere to get help! Until the first stage completes, we can't send him home. If his sisters saw him all grown up like this, they would be very surprised!"
"...That's right." Renji was the first to lift his head. "There's no use in us just sitting around and talking. Oi, bring a stretcher here!" he called out to the Fourth Squad members who were about to take apart the town. Two of the closer ones came over with a stretcher. "Take him to get help. Be careful…this is the great hero who captured Aizen!"
"Of course!" The two of them replied excitedly and bowed deeply. As the hero who had finally concluded this battle, Ichigo's name had spread in a flash throughout the members of the Gotei 13.
When they had carefully moved Ichigo's body onto the stretcher, Urahara and Uryuu looked up at the same time.
"Something's coming!"
"This reiatsu… an Arrancar!"
The two talented at sensing reiatsu lifted their heads and gazed upwards. Everyone else followed their example, looking to the sky.
Suddenly in the clear blue sky, a figure appeared using sonido, something only Arrancar could use. It came quickly, almost falling out of the sky.
They looked at the Arrancar on the ground. It was one of Tier Harribel's fraccion, Apacci. Her skin was burnt, her left arm ripped off with blood still dripping from the wound, and it was all that she could do just to stand.
"You must not want to live…!" Renji fixed his glare on Apacci, his hand gripping his zanpakutou Zabimaru.
Still, Apacci did not even spare him a glance, as she had eyes only for Orihime. "Hey, woman…come…with me…" Her shoulder shook violently as she breathed, her words coming out in short bursts.
Seeing her heading towards Orihime, Rukia quickly put herself between the two. But before she could do anything, Apacci took another step and lost her balance, falling heavily to the ground.
"Bas…tard…" Trying to lift herself up, she grabbed a fistful of dirt.
"Souten Kisshun!" Orihime stretched out her hands, using her Shun Shun Rikka technique. Shun'o and Ayame flew to Apacci, surrounding her with a glowing healing field.
"Wait a minute, Inoue! That's an Arrancar! There's no reason to heal her!" Renji shouted. Orihime had once been kidnapped by the Arrancar and Renji understandably hoped that she would have no further contact with them.
"But, I can't just do nothing…" Orihime walked past Rukia, coming closer to Apacci's body. Even though she was an Arrancar, Orihime could not just leave someone who was hurt.
As Orihime started to focus on healing, Apacci said weakly, "Don't mind me… first…save Harribel-sama…!"
"But, your wounds are also very serious…"
"Please!" Apacci lifted her head and grabbed Orihime's hand, her own hand shaking, either from the pain or something else. "Please quickly… save Harribel-sama…!" Her eyes held no antagonistic, killing, or deceitful intent, only concern for her nakama, like Orihime herself.
"…I understand! Please take me there!" Orihime released her Souten Kisshun, and offered Apacci her shoulder.
"I'll go too. Take hold of me." Rukia stood to her other side, taking note of the wound to her shoulder, and carefully holding her up. Rukia's left arm was also wounded and in a sling, but her right arm was tightly gripped around Apacci. Surprised, Apacci widened her eyes but did not say anything, relying on the two of them.
"Well then, I guess I have no choice…come on!" Renji walked up to them and bent over. "You're in a hurry, right? Then let me carry you. It seems like I'm the least wounded out of all of you…"
"Thank you, Abarai-kun!" Orihime and Rukia carefully placed Apacci on Renji's back. Renji stood up and started walking towards the fake Karakura town, with Orihime and Uryuu following behind him.
"Urahara, Chad, I'll just leave Ichigo with you then!" Rukia ran off to join them, leaving Urahara to explain Ichigo's injuries and Chad to nurse the wound to his leg.
Seeing some movement amongst the rubble, Sung-Sun asked, "Who's there!"
"Woof!" Kukkapuuro walked out of the shadows, running towards the four of them.
"You're Yammy's…" Harribel remembered that this tiny little hollow always was by Yammy's side.
"Near here…I can feel the remains of Yammy's reiatsu," said Mila-Rose. It was his reaitsu from where he had used all his strength for battle.
"That fellow Yammy, he's always so absent-minded, and always thinking himself so great, as if!" said Apacci in her usual voice. The other two nodded their agreement.
"What then…that bastard!" she said, kicking up the sand. Apacci hoped that everything would become normal soon. That humans, shinigami, this battle, and contact with Soul Society would all soon be forgotten.
"Che! Have they already discovered…!" murmured Mila-Rose, focusing on the reiatsu signatures around them.
Sung-Sun nodded, frowning. "Hn…there's a group of mid-level hollows congregating in that direction."
The hollows who before had feared Aizen and the Espadas' strength were now starting to surround Las Noches.
"There's…going to be another war then…" Harribel's expression was grim and her heart felt heavy. As she had followed Aizen hoping that his superior strength might stop unnecessary wars from ever happening, she was unwilling to let such a thing happen.
"Harribel-sama."
Hearing that call, she turned and saw Sung-Sun kneeling on the floor. She lowered her head and said, "Barragan is dead. Aizen is gone. The only one fit to become ruler of Hueco Mundo is now Harribel-sama."
"I agree!" Apacci also kneeled, bowing her head.
"No matter what, please become the new ruler of Hueco Mundo!" Mila-Rose also knelt.
Harribel lowered her head, calmly regarding the three who were now awaiting an answer. "Hueco Mundo does not need a ruler."
"A fake sun can not illuminuate this darkness." The blue sky created by Aizen stretched above them. "Hueco Mundo has darkness…and only needs a peaceful darkness."
Harribel slowly blinked and started walking towards the center of Las Noches. The three of them stood up, exchanged glances, and silently nodded.
"We will always serve you, Harribel-sama!" said Sung-Sun, as they followed her.
After five or six steps, Apacci stood still and looked back at Kukkapuuro, which was still staring at the four of them. "Hey, little thing! You'll be killed if you stay in a place like this!" She walked over and picked it up, but Kukkapuuro yelped and struggled from her grasp.
Seeing this, Sung-Sun said to her, "Let it go. Don't you understand that it wholly wants to stay here?"
"You're so noisy! I don't need you to tell me. I was planning to let it go!" She put it down and Kukkapuuro happily yelped, wagging its tail.
"You too, also have something that you cannot leave?" Mila-Rose gently petted Kukkapuuro's head, before walking back to Harribel's side with the other two.
Their shadows slowly disappeared. Their footprints also vanished, smoothed out by the wind.
Kukkapuuro stayed there and saw it all.
To this day, it is still there, still missing its deceased master.
Wolfie: After this, there's a picture of Halibel and her fraccion walking off into the desert with Apache looking back at the dog. And Yammy's dog silently watches them leave.
Halibel: That was… beautiful…
Oh my, I actually finished the chapter this time. I actually tried writing a couple of months ago but then my computer crashed on me and I lost the chapter and got annoyed. Oh well, lets see if this manages to get me back into gear. Personally, I think it would be great if that extract inspires any of you to write a Halibel fanfiction of what happened after the war or maybe something where they end up in Soul Society.
Ultrawolfie out