24
Forget About It
…
The white-haired man jumped back into a spot beside Toshiro, facing the current threat. Haunting green eyes were filled with determination. They cast a quick glance at Toshiro.
"Yes," he confirmed. "I am Katashi Schiffer. Do I know you?"
And in that moment, the younger brother's heart sank. He didn't remember. Of course he didn't remember. He tried not to let his disappointment show. "You used to."
"I'm sorry," Katashi replied. "From the way you said my name, we must have been close, but I don't remember anything from before a few days ago."
Pain reverberated throughout Toshiro's whole being. Nothing. He remembered absolutely nothing. His hands clenched tighter on his zanpakto.
"Daiguren Hyorinmaru!" Hitsugaya shouted in fury. Icy wings sprouted from his back, the frozen liquid traveling down to form claws on his feet as well. He charged forward at Black Cloak. The being fired a cero at him. Toshiro had to move aside to dodge it, which caused him to lose sight of his target. A screech alerted him to its location. Apparently, Kurosaki had come in and caught it off guard. Now its focus was split between the three of them.
Katashi made a wide circle around it so that all sides were covered.
"How well can you fight?" Toshiro asked.
"Well enough," Katashi answered. "Bind, Murciélago!"
With the cry, his blade shifted until it resembled a long bat wing. The spiked edges appeared threatening, leaving no doubt that they could and would tear through skin in the most painful way possible. Green energy crackled around the blade. With a sharp swing, Katashi threw it at his opponent. It only grazed the being's shoulder.
The same green energy was then fired in return.
"Watch out!" Toshiro warned. Katashi flitted out of the way without complication.
"It can replicate our attacks," the older Hitsugaya sibling concluded. "I wouldn't fire anything too powerful at it."
"I don't remember any Espada being able to do that," Ichigo claimed.
"Then it may not be an Espada," Toshiro said. "It may not even be an Arrancar."
His lips formed a deep scowl. "D—it!"
…
From below, Ukitake watched in wide-eyed horror. "His attack is much like my zanpakto's ability," he concluded. A loud clang cut off his train of thought. Grimmjow and the Captain Commander had clashed blades.
"I don't know what you're all waiting for," Grimmjow said. "Kurosaki can handle his own fights. We should handle ours."
"Ah," Shinji agreed, raising his blade.
"C-can't we all just calm down and negotiate?" Ukitake suggested.
Shinji huffed. "Already tried that. Didn't work out so well."
"Urahara?" Ukitake pleaded.
The ex-captain of squad twelve shook his head. "Sing," he whispered, "Benihime."
A stroke of red energy shot out toward the Head Captain. It missed by millimeters.
"Grimmjow," Urahara called, "call your man off Kurosaki."
The blue-haired man flew back into the line-up while Shinji departed for his turn. "Can't. He's a rogue. Won't listen to a d—thing I say."
"A rogue?" Ukitake shouted. "Who is he?"
Grimmjow grunted. "Not who he used to be, that's for sure. Hey, you said earlier that the white-haired guy's name is Katashi, right? And Ulquiorra's old name was Katashi?"
Ukitake became serious. "Yes. Ulquiorra was purified and revived in Soul Society. We found his soul alone off in the mountains and only were able to do so because of a reiatsu surge. He had no memory, but he could already release his zanpakto. I didn't want to bring him along, however I thought that doing so might avoid something like this."
"Hn." Grimmjow's eyes narrowed. He leapt into the fight again.
"Can't you all stop?" Ukitake exclaimed. He moved to draw his sword, but was cut off by another coughing fit. This one brought him to his knees. As the world began to go fuzzy, he caught a glimpse of Katashi and Toshiro fighting side by side. So alike. Yet, there was something here that was just so…
Blackness slipped over him. He wasn't even able to finish the thought. Wasn't able to say:
Wrong.
…
"Ukitake!" Toshiro shouted upon noticing his fallen comrade. He was forced to dodge another green blast of energy.
Ichigo shunpoed circles around the mysterious figure, looking for an opening. At last, he found it and charged in. His blade must have been an inch from impact when a cero met him straight on. Ichigo was blown back twenty feet.
"Who is this guy?" Ichigo cried out in frustration.
"Something about him is odd," Katashi concluded. "I do not know much about Arrancar, but there is no way he could be one due to the lack of a zanpakto. Unless he has already released it."
"No," Ichigo denied. "If he had, he'd be a lot stronger than this."
Katashi's frown deepened. This person was eerily familiar. His head began to throb. A flash of an image, too brief to decipher.
"Something wrong, Ulquiorra?"
Katashi's head jerked toward Ichigo at this. "What did you just call me?"
Ichigo paled at his slip up. "Sorry, Schiffer."
Ulquiorra…Schiffer…
A low growl resounded in Katashi's throat. He knew these people. He must have.
But he didn't remember.
His expression slipped into one of anger and he charged forward. His two comrades seemed shocked by this show of emotion and brashness, irritating him further. He swung the weapon down upon the thing's head. It vanished before the hit was made. Katashi made a quick spin to cut it off before it tried to get him from behind. His sword connected with its hand. He fully expected the appendage to fall right off. Instead, his attack was stopped by the thick bone plating covering it. The figure grabbed hold of the blade's tip and used it to launch Katashi off to the side and into the ground. The size of the impact made it obvious how hard the dark being could throw.
Katashi struggled to a stand, using his zanpakto to push himself up. A thick trail of blood flowed down over one eye.
"Stand down," Isshin ordered, flitting to the teen's side. He placed one hand on Katashi's shoulder.
"But—!"
"No," Isshin said. "Ichigo and Toshiro are both of captain class. You'll be more of a hindrance. Stand down."
Katashi agreed with the upmost reluctance. "Then what should I do?"
"Help keep guard over the dome." Isshin's eyes flashed over to where the group of humans was. "Do not let anything happen to them."
However, Katashi didn't budge. His eyes stayed momentarily glued to the fight above. Black Cloak was gunning for the small, white-haired captain. Almost like he had a vendetta. Katashi's hand twitched on his sword hilt. Whenever Ichigo interfered, the mystery man would turn particularly vicious toward the substitute Shinigami. Not a simple out-of-my-way blow. Importance hung in each one. Black Cloak was prioritizing. There was a relation here, Katashi knew it.
A soft conk to the head brought the white-haired teen out of his observation. Isshin's gaze was severe. "What are you waiting for, huh?"
"The Hollow in the black cloak knows them," Katashi revealed.
"…I know."
Katashi turned to look in surprise.
Isshin scoffed. "I'm seeing the same thing you are. This attack pattern isn't random. He singled out Toshiro and Ichigo for a reason."
"Some type of grudge?" Katashi theorized.
"Most likely," Isshin agreed. "He's unconcerned with you now that you're out of the way."
"So I'm someone he doesn't know," Katashi concluded.
"Or someone he doesn't hate." Isshin's eyes narrowed. "You either weren't important enough or not strong enough to be considered an immediate threat."
"Then shouldn't I help because his focus won't be on me?"
Isshin shook his head. "No. He's determined. He'll take you out with a sinlge hit if it means you won't interfere with what seems to be a very significant fight for him."
"Significant…" Katashi trailed.
His heart skipped a beat. He placed his hand where it would be, searching for the traces of a memory he no longer possessed. He was a Shinigami and thus there was no longer a metal charm around his neck to prevent losing control to his inner Hollow.
"Katashi?" Isshin asked, motioning with his head toward the dome.
"Right, I—"
He was interrupted by a massive explosion.
…
Ichigo, Toshiro, and Black Cloak were thrown backward by the force. Attention drifted to the three attacking Yamamoto. The Head Captain himself had been the one to administer the blast. It had effectively blown away the offensive on all sides. Urahara, Shinji, and Grimmjow were left more than a little singed.
Ukitake's eyes slowly blinked open, the heat having alerted him awake. Reiatsu was igniting the air; a spark to gunpowder. He took in the sight with the kind of awe people reserve for particularly violent automobile accidents. He pushed against the ground, but found himself too weak to stand. A hand was lowered down to him.
"Shunsui," Ukitake addressed.
"Got here just a second ago," Captain Kyoraku informed. He pulled his long-time best friend up, letting the white-haired man use his shoulder for support. "You don't look so good."
"I'm aware," Ukitake answered, "but the battle is more important at the moment. They're trying to murder Yamamoto."
"I know," Kyoraku answered.
"Then why aren't you doing anything?"
"Because," the brightly dressed man sighed, "I'm not sure if he would appreciate me interfering. This is his fight."
Ukitake's expression hardened. "He's up against an ex-Shinigami Captain, an ex-Espada, and the leader of the Vizards."
"Don't get me wrong," Kyoraku said, "I don't want him to die or anything. He was our mentor. However, I don't think realizing the need for change would hurt him. I'll only interfere if he comes close to losing his life."
Ukitake opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it just as fast.
…
Yamamoto stared down his three opponents. A standstill had come about after the last blasting.
"You continue to persist?" the Head Captain inquired. "Have you not learned that doing so is futile?"
"We don't need to kill you, even if we could," Shinji explained. "We only need to change your mind."
Yamoto's eyes narrowed. "You think you could kill me?"
"Look around you," Shinji pointed out. "None of us have even hit Bankai yet."
"Yamamoto," Urahara addressed. "When you think about it, what we're asking for really isn't that much."
"You're asking me to let Hollows run free," Yamamoto argued. "To let go of the rules. Rules are made for protection, Urahara. Violating them only brings about chaos."
"And what do you call this?" Shinji interjected. He motioned to the fight. "Look at your soldiers. They're dying. Half of them aren't even sure which side to fight on anymore."
"I will stand my ground," Yamamoto defied.
Grimmjow shot a look between his two comrades. He nodded to them. Understanding this somewhat telepathic signal, they shot forward together, blades outstretched. Urahara let loose a massive wave of red energy from the tip of Benihime. Yamamoto blocked it near effortlessly with a shield. Seeing Shinji coming in from the front, he sent an inferno behind him. He knew well of Shinji's powers. It brought him satisfaction to have nearly hit the blonde youth. Then he heard the kido spells being cast.
Binding spells.
From two captain class beings.
Yamamoto, though, would not let this take him down. The spells were relatively simple and it was nothing to destroy them before they made contact.
"I will not be defeated by Hollows and traitors," he declared.
"Really?" a flat voice asked. "You hate Hollows so much, would you kill yourself if you were to become part Hollow?"
And the next thing Yamamoto saw was the Hogyoku being thrust near his face. He flash-stepped out of reach just in time, leaving Grimmjow to barely miss him.
"The Hogyoku?" Yamamoto demanded. "That should have been destroyed in the last fight with Aizen!"
Grimmjow held the powerful orb up for close inspection. "Not quite. I snatched it in the chaos."
"Grimmjow," Urahara called, his voice deep and serious. "There is a piece missing."
"True," Grimmjow said. "A fraction of it fell off after I resurrected our friend in the black cloak. He's wearing it around his neck right now. It's the only thing keeping him somewhat stable."
"Stable?" Shinji demanded. "Grimmjow, who is that guy?"
"He is…"
…
Toshiro rammed his ice dragon against the enemy. Apparently, he could not replicate this attack. Then again, maybe he was simply choosing not to. Toshiro theorized there might be a limited number of times this being could copy an attack. After all, he'd only used ceros at first: a basic Hollow weapon. If that was the case, it was possible he was saving up these powers.
Something about this didn't quite click.
"Toshiro," Ichigo shouted. "Should I try Getsuga Tenshou?"
"It's too risky," Toshiro decided. "It's non-physical like what Katashi used."
"Then freeze him over or whatever!" Ichigo cried.
Nodding, Toshiro focused his energy on using Sennen Hyoro: the Thousand Year Ice Prison. He cried out its name and watched as the pillar appeared. They snapped around his enemy and enclosed to suffocating proportions. He directed for it to move inward until its captive was crushed. He bowed his head at the large structure, eyes closing.
A sharp gasp ripped through his throat halfway through this gesture as pain erupted in his side. He looked down to see blood pouring out of a fresh would. In reaction, he swung his blade to the side, hoping to catch the attacker. The shoulder of a black cloak was torn, revealing white armor.
"D—!" Toshiro cursed.
"Toshiro!" Ichigo cried. With the force of an enraged older brother, he thrust Tensa Zangetsu forward, aiming for this thing's heart—if it even had one. The cloaked male began to sonido away, another display of his amazing speed, but was stopped by the attack. It missed his chest, but pierced his hood.
Ichigo pulled back his sword. "Let's see who you really are."
The hood fell away. A jagged mask of blinding white shown through, interrupted by a scarce few colors. The red of blood from where Ichigo had scraped. The black markings upon its slender face. The green of its eyes.
"Impossible!" Toshiro exclaimed, glancing toward the ground where Isshin and Katashi still stood.
Ichigo merely blinked. "Ulquiorra? Again?"
…
I don't know what to say, guys, for your insane amount of support of this story over the past week. I know I haven't been updating terribly fast, so I appreciate your patience. I made sure to make this chapter extra long because of it. Hopefully, it won't have to last you two weeks again.
I want to give a big "THANK YOU" to: kyokun928, -SoManyUpsAndDowns-, Insomniatic95, fan girl 666, Yemi Hikari, Hatsune-chan, hitsugayataichoda, InfernalNero, Azublue, and Jiyle.
You are all my motivation, inspiration, and dedication.