Chapter 8

Kitsune's hair flipped in the wind she created, her fan blowing a light gust in its bankai form. In front of her, Inu stared back, her sword in her hand and her ears pricked, attempting to pick up the sound of the lieutenant's next attack. Kitsune's wind was very silent but Inu's ears were sharp enough to pick up just the tiniest sliver of the whispering sound. Juuyon-bantai was in Urahara's secret training ground after school, preparing for war. The only one not participating in battle was Hebi who sat on a nearby rock, her sword laid out before her as her zanpakuto, Mangetsu, materialized in her mind.

Ookami was correcting a few mistakes that Neko made while she was fighting Nezumi. Neko supposedly had a big advantage over Nezumi despite the latter being her senpai. Neko had amazing agility as a cat shinigami which helped with avoiding the sharp claws of Daikin Kakure, Nezumi's bankai, which adorned her hand. Nezumi was a fire user and Neko was water so that was an advantage too. But Nezumi had a calm enthusiastic nature when fighting, her mind was fast. That was something Neko could not keep up with, so she had to play defensive until the opportunity arose. To Ookami's frustration, Neko wasn't the patient type.

'Wait for her to strike first!' Ookami growled loudly, focusing everything on the two pairs of fights going on.

HEBI'S MANGETSU

'She is a fierce leader.' Mangetsu intoned to its user, slithering along Hebi's shoulders where she sat in the grassland.

'Yeah, she's always so harsh on me!' Hebi whined, complaining.

'She's right, you should be more serious when fighting. Seldom when you wield me, are you intent on victory… It makes you unobservant.' Her zanpakuto hissed at her, coiling in the recesses of her mind.

'I'm plenty observant.' She pouted. 'I noticed that eyeball watching us from the southeast corner.' She justified matter of factly.

'Yet you do nothing about the intruder spy.' Mangetsu pointed out. Hebi's eyes snapped open in realization, taking her zanpakuto's suggestion. She used shunpo, serious about the information being stolen by the suspicious eyeball. She moved so fast, no one noticed until she grabbed the defying object.

'What's wrong, Hebi?' Inu asked sharply, sensitive to the aura around her friend and teammate.

'A spy. I think it's metal.' Hebi said, a frown on her face.

'Show it to us.' Ookami commanded, the others gathering around. Hebi came over, bringing the eye. When she opened her palm, it attempted escaped before being caught again by her swift fingers. A jolt went through her fingers, making her wince as Szayel shocked her in an attempt to free his creation. Aizen glared at his Espada dangerously for the harm the arrancar caused to his beloved.

'Ouch.' Hebi hissed, opening her hand slowly as she held it in place with two fingers.

Ookami sniffed, leaning closer. 'I smell an Arrancar's scent.' She declared, smirking threateningly at the device as she addressed it. 'I think you've seen enough of your death now, bastard Aizen. If you're there Gin, I hope you're ready for necrophilia.' The captain growled, taking the artificial spy and crushing it in her hand.

In Heuco Mundo, Gin sighed. She was going to kill him and then rape his corpse. Surprising but not unexpected. 'Aggressive as always, isn't she, Gin?' Aizen mused.

'She's an alpha wolf.' Gin agreed, grinning insincerely.

Aizen nodded and turned to Szayel. 'You're free to conduct more experiments if you think they'll work.' He said, pausing. 'But do not harm Hebi again.'

'Hai, Aizen-sama.' Szayel bowed, threatened yet amused by Aizen's final warning. With that he left the room, leaving Gin behind in the lab, staring at the blackened screen.

'I'd take that warning very seriously, Szayel-kun.' Gin almost sang out as he too glided out of the room. He knew exactly how angry Aizen could get concerning the 6th Seat of the 14th Division.

'Good job, Hebi. We failed to notice it.' Ookami congratulated with a smile as she unsheathed her sword. 'Shall we continue?'

'Kakure is tired.' Nezumi whined, deactivating her bankai. Her zanpakuto can be really lazy sometimes, especially after clashing with Neko's Hirame.

'Yukizuri wants a break too. We sparred with Shiro yesterday.' Inu seconded as she turned her blade in the light.

'Ryuushi…' Kitsune started but Ookami held up her hands.

'I get it, I get it! We should materialize our zanpakuto for a while though. I'll train with Hebi after that. Okay?' she asked, offering a plan. A chorus of affirmative sounds greeted her. 'Awesome. Tomorrow we're going to Soul Society to help out the other Divisions.'

Each member of Juuyon-bantai was tasked with helping out a particular Division to improve the bonds between the Gotei 13 and the 14th Division. Juuyon-bantai had a monstrous reputation before their banishment. Literally. No one really minded, each member put it out of their minds as they held their zanpakuto and readied for meditation.

OOKAMI'S KASAISUKE

'When will we spill blood together?' Kasaisuke asked its user, stalking along the mountainside.

'Very soon. You always ask me that.' Ookami replied easily as she leaned against the blood-red wolf in her mind.

'But you've never given me such a reply.' Kasaisuke retorted with a rumbling growl. 'And the enemy? Aizen?'

'…Gin.' The captain whispered.

Kasaisuke was silent. Then it nudged Ookami's arm with its muzzle. 'While I agree his blood is delicious, I would rather spill Aizen's.'

'We can do that too.' She agreed emptily.

'Can you really wield me against Gin with the intent to kill?' It asked unsurely though its fangs salivated at the thought of Gin's red blood, it put its user's feelings first.

'I don't know, Kasaisuke. Something is wrong. I am sure that Gin hates Aizen… What is he trying to do?' Ookami pondered, biting her lip. Despite all this, she knew if it came to killing Gin, Kasaisuke would not fail her. After all, it was the bloodthirsty spirit of a warrior hunter.

KITSUNE'S RYUUSHI

'Do not allow worry to cloud your judgment.' Ryuushi warned, its silver tail swishing back and forth as the wind blew in the grassy plain in the land of Kitsune's mind.

'Ookami will not tell me but I can see it. Everything will go wrong in the assassination missions.' Kitsune growled, pacing.

'Your strategies will not work if you think them in a frantic mood. You need to maintain calm. You're good at that.' Ryuushi reminded. Kitsune sat down next to her zanpakuto spirit.

'As always, I must watch and be the one who waits and holds secrets.' She complained. 'It's so bothersome.'

'Carry your pride. A fox ensures the wolf's survival.' Ryuushi said wisely and the wind picked up speed in these turbulent times.

INU'S YUKIZURI

'You're colder than me perhaps.' The Siberian husky said as it leaned into Inu's side as they sat together in the icy tundra landscape. 'It gives you good sense.'

'And you give me my battle fury.' Inu replied emotionlessly.

'But holding too tightly to your emotions… are you dying, Inu?' Yukizuri asked, making Inu look sharply at her zanpakuto. 'One does not live without feeling. That is not life.'

'How will emotion make me a better fighter? By clouding my judgment?' Inu asked sarcastically, her eye twitching with irritation.

'Do you even remember what you are fighting for?' Yukizuri barked out.

'…My friends. Juuyon-bantai. Soul Society.' The 3rd Seat murmured.

Yukizuri was still not satisfied. 'It took you too long to answer that.'

NEZUMI'S KAKURE

'Look around you.' Kakure rumbled, walking calmly in the fire-ridden forest. Nezumi's eyes followed that of her zanpakuto. 'You destroy. That is the command you use to awaken me.'

'I don't like to destroy. I prefer art, creating things.' Nezumi argued, wringing her hands.

'Look at our fire. We destroy!' Kakure said loudly, jumping at Nezumi who stepped back quickly. 'We are mice but you're the only timid one. Wield me without fear.'

'I-I don't want to destroy things!' Nezumi protested in a way that did not please Kakure.

'If you don't destroy your enemies, they will destroy everything else…' Kakure snarled and Nezumi fell silent, casting her eyes to the devastating flames.

NEKO'S HIRAME

'Focus, Neko.' Hirame reprimanded as her belly was scratched comfortably by one Mizume Neko.

'Yeah~?' She asked, continuing to pet her zanpakuto spirit beside the bubbling stream.

'The water, Neko.' Hirame meowed.

'Water is so nice, so gentle and cool! It makes cute sounds!' Neko cheered excitedly, stretching her body. She stiffened when large paws pressed on her arms.

'That kind of water cannot attack. It cannot defend. While water is beautiful, you must remember that water is strong. It roars and crashes like tides and tsunamis. It drowns.' The giant cat spoke seriously.

'I know.' Neko cooed very softly. A melancholy tone.

'You kill with it. You protect with it. You drown your opponents.' It emphasized and while Neko nodded, she did not accept it. It was too hard. To think that the water she loved was so brutal. That she was that brutal. It was something she did not wish to be.

Hirame needed her to be though as did many others, for the sake of Juuyon-bantai and Soul Society.