The Beginning of the End III
A shorter chapter this time, but it's an update nonetheless. Besides, I like cliffhangers! Enjoy and please review!
Four captains stood tall alongside their guests from the World of the Living. All in all, their war council consisted of seven members. Such was the drain this long war had had on the Soul Society. Ukitake remained at the head of the group, his expression ashen.
"As you all know...Mayuri Kurotsuchi has betrayed us." He spoke the words with such contempt that the others were stunned. Ukitake, the ever-calm, collected pacifist had now become haggard and furious. "This...Cure...Mayuri spoke of...It seems he had been experimenting on undead specimens to devise a way to make them stronger. Rukia was one of his guinea pigs. To our knowledge he has at least one more and that is..." Ukitake bowed his head, "Ichigo Kurosaki."
"Kurosaki?!" Byakuya's eyes widened in shock. It was chilling enough to find his sister standing before his very eyes when he had seen her die and yet now it seemed the Kurosaki boy was still alive as well.
Ukitake nodded. "Mayuri has found a way to bring Ichigo back to a healthy state, however it seems his abilities have become heightened because of it. He is also under Mayuri's influence. He has been deluded into seeing us all as enemies and will be very hostile."
"So this is how it ends huh?" Soi Fon sighed, "We have to kill more old friends to make things right."
"No!" Karin cried out suddenly, interrupting. "You can't kill Ichigo! He's my brother!"
"Tsk," Soi Fon cursed, "Brother or not he will kill you on sight if you let him close enough-"
"You're wrong!" Karin shrieked, her voice cracking, "When he saw me...His eyes...For just a moment he..." the young girl never finished, breaking down in tears. Alice comforted her while meeting the stares of the captains.
"Look, I may not know Ichigo as well as some of you, but I saw the look in his eyes back then. He seemed set on killing us all, but seeing Karin screwed up his delusional mind. He almost snapped. If we push him far enough he should come back to his senses!"
"An optimistic plan, but if he doesn't revert back to normal we will be in a tight spot. If you aren't prepared to fight him to the death then you stand no chance against him."
Soi Fon's lecture seemed to fall on deaf ears as the others contemplated the possibility of rescuing the fiery-haired boy.
"You said Urahara had almost broken through Mayuri's brainwashing, right?" Ukitake directed the question to Rukia, who nodded softly in response. "So...Ichigo could be turned against Mayuri. With his strength with us and not against us we could easily crush Mayuri!"
"So what do you plan to do?"
Ukitake smiled devilishly, "Oh I know exactly what to do!"
The war council entered the Research and Development Institute with steps of caution. Akon and a few stragglers remained at their stations typing away at their computers and monitoring walls covered in screens. The darkness of the room and the faint ghostly hum of machinery only worsened the atmosphere.
"Akon! Initiate the cleaners!" Ukitake instructed with a voice full of authority. The burden of his failed leadership thus far had pressured the captain commander into adopting his more forceful tone. Determined to never fail again, Ukitake resigned himself to do whatever possible to ensure Mayuri was caught and defeated and no more innocent lives would be lost.
"By activating the cleaners Mayuri will have no choice but to run or die."
"But then Ichigo will-"
"Mayuri isn't a fool. He's a wily creature. If anyone could sense the cleaners approaching it is Mayuri. He will detect it easily and escape."
"Why are you letting him escape?" Kommamura asked, "We should simply enter the Dangai and take him down now."
"No, that won't work. Even if Mayuri is the least capable in combat amongst us captains, he still has considerable power. If we fought him there it would damage the precipice world and we could all be trapped there for eternity, or worse still we might all perish."
The captains all wore stern frowns as they considered Ukitake's plans.
"So you seek to smoke him out?" Byakuya asked.
"Of course. Mayuri has two choices: flee to the World of the Living, or return here. Mayuri has never been one to abandon his research and so he will return here. This lab will be the site of his return. We can draw him out into the open and hit him with everything we've got!"
"I see...But what makes you think he will stop here first?" Byakuya inquired, "Knowing that deranged fool he would want to throw our forces in disarray."
Ukitake grinned at that, "Well spotted Kuchiki. Mayuri's only real choice to throw us off would be to open one of the gates and let the dead pour in."
Everyone present let out cries of shock. The prospect of a fully-fledged battle against the undead sent shivers down all spines. None desired to face the undead for the rest of their days. It was better to leave the ghouls floundering around outside the walls where they could never reach inside.
"We can't possibly take on the undead and Mayuri at once!" Rukia cried.
"It would be a suicide mission, of course. However we have enough lieutenants in reserve to head our forces. We can divide the troops into four squadrons, one for each gate. Station them appropriately and wait for Mayuri to make his move. Find the point where the undead are breaking through and shift all units to that point. Meanwhile we can focus on Mayuri and intercept him when he tries to reach his lab."
The others nodded, impressed with Ukitake's strategy.
"Sir," Akon interrupted, "the cleaners are ready to be released."
"Perfect!" Ukitake waved his hand forward as if directing an army, "Release the cleaners!" he then turned to one of the other researchers, "You! Send forth a message to all the barracks: Instruct them to divide their forces into equal stations and guard the gates. Have Hisagi and Matsumoto take the East Gate. Isane and Kiyone take the West. Iba and Ikkaku guard the North! Byakuya, I want you to guard the South."
The young hunch-backed researcher tapped away at a small keyboard before reaching for a speaker and relaying the message.
Ukitake saluted Byakuya as he made his way to meet the rallying troops. As soon as he was gone he folded his arms and gave off a venomous smile.
"Mayuri...You've made a fool of me. You've taken so much from me...I will finally have my vengeance!"
The deranged psychopath guarded against the little girl's wild punches. Infuriated for being forced to draw his sword, Mayuri had become rather distressed. He had been bested by Urahara, a disgraceful result. He had let the rest of their party slide through his fingers and reach Soul Society. No doubt Ukitake would finally know of his plans. A true shame. The blind old fool could have been led on for another century before becoming the least bit suspicious.
But now the secret would be out. No doubt the Gotei 13 would be rallying its reserve troops and awaiting his return.
Damn! I guess I underestimated those fools...But no matter! Even with these irritating little detours nothing can possibly stop me now!
Mayuri blocked another blow from the annoying child and swatted her away with his sword. He needed time to think, so at the least he was somewhat glad to be facing off against the child as opposed to Urahara. That man had a mind as sharp as his sword. He should have been more careful around him, but Mayuri had become too confident. He had ignored Urahara's presence thinking it as nothing more than another bump in the road. He was wrong.
Kisuke Urahara...Even now on the fruition of the new world, that wily snake had caused him trouble.
But the time for stalling had passed. Ukitake would no doubt make his move soon and it would be best to be prepared.
Ukitake has an army with him...The last bastion of mankind and its failures...So then I too must raise an army! It can't get any easier than this! I have billions of loyal soldiers at my disposal! The curtain shall indeed fall on mankind!
Mayuri couldn't help but chuckle at his own genius. At first he had been afraid of the ghouls he had created. They were disgusting, slow and brainless, but over time he had noticed their advantages and their better points. They intrigued him. And so it came to pass that Mayuri had desired to improve them and create a new master race. Now that he knew the formula to create creatures such as the Kurosaki boy it was only a matter of spreading the new virus to the undead masses and bring about the new age!
The end was so very near; Mayuri could almost reach out and touch it. His murderous grin only spread further as the girl rushed forward once again. Having barely been paying attention to his duel Mayuri had been somewhat beaten back but now he decided to focus.
With ease he stepped out of range of her arcing legs and effortlessly sliced through her calves. The girl collapsed in a heap and let out a shrill scream that caught the attention of her leader, Kisuke Urahara.
Mayuri licked his lips with anticipation as he brought his sword down upon her head, only for Urahara to block it with his own sword at the last moment.
Just as I planned!
The vicious madman raised his free hand at Urahara and fired off a point-blank ball of fire. Even Urahara hadn't foreseen it, much too pre-occupied with the threat to his subordinate's life. Such was his downfall. Urahara, like the other captains, were too far hung up on the well-being of their own men. Their fear for the safety of their own men distracted them and limited their powers. As such Kurotsuchi had learned not to mourn the death of cattle however the lesson had not stuck with anyone else. It was their greatest weakness, the chink in their armour. With that in mind it was too simple to exploit them.
There had never been a good chance to test it out, but now Mayuri had proof.
A shame he had to use it against such a remarkable specimen...
Urahara fell beside his young companion and the two gazed up at their assailant with wide eyes. Both covered in blood and too weak to fight back, they were powerless to stop Mayuri anymore.
However the chance to slay them by his own hand had passed. A distant rumbling and a tremor through the floor of the tunnel made Mayuri shudder. He understood perfectly well what was coming and instantly made his retreat.
"Kurosaki! We're leaving! Now!"
Without question, Ichigo ran towards the light at the end of the tunnel, the light which led back into Soul Society, back into the lion's den. Mayuri followed but stopped once again to look back at Urahara.
"Farewell, Kisuke. You were the one man I truly respected. Your cunning was truly admirable and your strength was legendary. A shame that you could be brought down so easily. Do not worry; I will be sure to spread the legend of the great Kisuke Urahara throughout the new world once it is complete."
With that Mayuri departed, accompanied by the enraged roars of the former captain of squad 12.
Just as he was about to leave he thought he saw a blur of movement but a cautionary glance back betrayed that thought and so he shrugged his shoulders and continued on his way to the new world...
On the eve of war the two sides make their plans. The ultimate battle of the living and the dead awaits! Don't dare miss the next chapter!