Yeah this is late, I apologize. It's the end of the semester right now so it's crunch time. The next chapter might be a bit late as well since my muse has been utterly shot thanks to the workload.

Anyway, this chapter is kind of... odd. For one thing, it's the shortest chapter yet and secondly, it's very un-IchiHime since it doesn't have Ichigo nor Orihime in it. So yeah, very strange little chapter. And lots of you are going to shoot me for either what happens at the end of the first part or the ending. *puts up shield*

I'm in a bit of a rush so I can't do shout-outs, but many, many thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm STILL not getting notifications for reviews so I'm sorry again if I didn't respond to your review; I've read them all at the very least. Extra thanks to my beta-readers for looking over this and fixing it. Without further ado, here's Chapter 23.

Chapter 23

Loose ends and good-byes

Six days: that's how long Tousen and Ichimaru were imprisoned in Soul Society. Their trials were conducted swiftly, for there was no doubt of their treachery, and the two former captains did not plead otherwise. Although Yamamoto remained comatose, a temporary body replacing the Central 46 had been formed in the weeks following Aizen's defeat. This council, along with some of the senior captains of the Gotei 13, ran the trials and sentenced Ichimaru and Tousen to death.

On the dawn of the seventh day of their imprisonment, they were to be executed. This shocked no one. However, a few were grieved. Komamura, Rangiku, Hisagi and Kira would probably be the only ones who would truly grieve the traitors' deaths, but perhaps it was fortuitous for Ichimaru and Tousen that they should have anyone miss them at all.

However, before their friends could come and visit them on what would be their last full day alive, Tousen was visited by an unexpected guest early that morning on the sixth day.

Like Ichimaru, he was being held in a solitary confinement cell in the second division out of contact with everyone, even the guards who watched over his cell. He was sitting on his bed, staring at the far wall (for he had nothing else to do, really) when a portal suddenly opened in his cell. Tousen recognized it as the one used by the Royal Guard.

The Guard that stepped out motioned to Tousen for him to remain quiet as he cast a kidou spell over the cell door. Once it was executed, he nodded. "I'd rather they not overhear us."

"Nori-san," Tousen said, addressing Commander Kurou's right hand man, "why are you here?"

"I wonder," Nori said, a frown appearing in his expression. "Here you are, captured and jailed without being able to fulfill your mission. It'd be a shame to let that happen."

Tousen's own frown turned pensive. "We hadn't expected Soul Society to move so suddenly. Even so, we made some preparations but… some of the Arrancar turned."

"Oh?"

"They were offered a way out. All they had to do was simply refuse to fight and they were allowed to leave without harm. Former Espada arranged this with Soul Society," he explained, venom filling his voice as he went on. "They betrayed everything they had stood for with Aizen-sama."

"Traitors, then?" Nori said. "Aren't you one to talk about betrayal? Consider why you're in your current predicament."

"My loyalty has been with Aizen-sama for over one hundred years!" Tousen said with vehemence. "I never once betrayed him!"

"But you turned your back on the institution that took you in."

"The Gotei 13 meant little to me, even back then. I wanted justice for my friend and to see her ideals carried on. In Aizen-sama, I saw a better way. It would have been more of a betrayal had I not joined Aizen-sama and-"

"Justify it however you want," Nori said, cutting him off. "I don't care much for your ideals. I understand, however, your drive to continue Aizen's plans even after his death."

Tousen nodded gravely. "I can never be what Aizen-sama was, and though I would not try to invade the Royal Realm in light of our alliance, I will still settle for what you offered us." He clenched his fist. "Allow us another chance. I understand now the Arrancar are not to be trusted. Revenge drove me blind to common sense. I should not make that mistake again."

For a moment, Nori regarded Tousen thoughtfully. Then, he broke out into a fit of laughter. Tousen listened in shock as Nori's cruel laughs bounced off the walls of his tiny cell. As he calmed himself down, he wiped away a stray tear and said, "Beautiful! I really had you going there, didn't I?"

Tousen's eyes widened. "You-"

"I never had any intention of breaking you out. We're done with you. Still," he said, his expression composed, "I should thank you and Ichimaru. If it weren't for you two, we would never have found who we were searching for. Now that we have, we no longer require you. He'll suit our needs just fine."

"What about our arrangement?" Tousen demanded, getting to his feet. "You promised us rule over the Gotei 13!"

"We can manage them just fine," Nori said with a dismissive snort. "It's not like we're short on people. Really, we just played along to see what you would do, but it paid off rather well."

Resigned to his fate, Tousen collapsed back onto the bed. In a low voice, he said, "Will you also deceive Ichimaru and goad him, the same way you did with me?"

"No. To be honest, Ichimaru never seemed that interested." Nori tapped his cheek thoughtfully. "I never quite understood him. He didn't have the same ambition you did or the will to carry out our plan. I wonder if he cared at all." He shrugged, not caring either way. "It doesn't matter. But I won't bother him with this. It was risky enough even coming here to talk to you."

Tousen said nothing as Nori's portal reappeared. As he started to walk back towards it, he said, "Good-bye, Tousen Kaname. I'm rather sorry you won't get to see our plans come to fruition and see a new era ushered in." With those departing words, he walked through the gate. It shut behind him, leaving Tousen alone again in his small cell.

"Forgive me, Aizen-sama," Tousen said as his head hung low. "I could not honor your memory and do justice to your plans. Perhaps the next time we meet, whoever we may be, I can redeem myself."

Later that day, when the sun was high in the sky, Rangiku was walking into the restricted area of the second division where Ichimaru and Tousen were being held. She had been allowed a temporary return to Soul Society to say her good-byes. Although she hadn't questioned why they had felt generous enough to allow her this, she suspected her captain played a part in it.

She approached the two sentries who stood guard at the entrance to Ichimaru's confinement cell. There was no view of inside the cell, save for a small window at the top of the door. The door and walls were heavily built and reinforced; it would have taken a small army to knock it down.

"Matsumoto-fukutaichou!" the guard on the left greeted her.

"I'm here to see him," Rangiku said.

"Yes," the other guard said. "We were told to expect you. Go on in. You have an hour."

She nodded and began to approach the door. Suddenly she paused and asked, "Was Kira-fukutaichou here?"

"Ah, yes," the guard on the left said. "About an hour or so ago."

So he already said his good-byes, she thought. I'm the last friendly face Gin will ever see. Swallowing her anguish, she said calmly, "I see," before entering.

The heavy door shut behind her. She stood at the end of a long hallway. At the other side, she could make out iron bars and a figure sitting on a bed. Although her heart seemed like it was going to burst, Rangiku kept her steps even as she walked towards Gin's cell.

He lifted his head and gave her his usual smile as she approached. "I was hopin' I'd get to see ya," he said cheerfully.

"Gin…" Rangiku sighed, unsure as to what to say.

"Ara ara," he said, his smile falling for a moment. "What's with that face?"

"Why do you think, you dolt?" Rangiku sighed in exasperation.

"I know." Gin glanced at the far wall. "But I'd rather remember seeing ya smile than frownin' like that."

"There's not much to smile about."

"Yeah there is," he said. He turned back to her, his smile having returned. "Ya got the bad guys, and yer mission's done. It's when you go out and have a drink with yer buddies and celebrate."

She doubted she would be drinking tonight, or if she did, it wouldn't be to celebrate anything. She leaned against the bars as she stared at Ichimaru. "Gin," she finally said after a long pause. "Why did you do this?"

Whether he was surprised at her question or not, she didn't know. Even though she was closest with Gin, she could hardly read him better than anyone else. He sighed lightly and answered, "To be honest, I'm not sure when I look back on it. I thought I could avenge Aizen-sama but the longer things went on, the more I realized my heart really wasn't into it. It wasn't the same."

"Avenge him? By coming after us?"

He remained quiet, his smile never fading.

Rangiku crossed her arms and sat on the ground, looking more frustrated by the minute. A part of her wanted to press him more on the subject, but a larger part didn't want to. This was her last meeting with Gin. She would not waste it with a fruitless interrogation. "Say…"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember that one year we had such a huge blizzard that we were snowed in for two days?" She smiled softly as she recalled that storm from their childhood. "You opened the door that morning and all the snow fell on you. I never saw you so flabbergasted as you were when I pulled you out."

Gin smiled with her, a more sincere smile than what he usually wore. "Yeah. I remember you wouldn't stop laughin' at me. I don't think I ever saw you laugh so hard."

"I didn't laugh much in those days," she said thoughtfully.

"There wasn't much to laugh about."

"Yeah there was. I just didn't realize it." Had she known how things would turn out, that one day she would saying good-bye to her childhood friend like this, she would have been far more grateful and enjoyed what she had back then. I almost want those days back. They were hard, but at the same time things were so much simpler.

"Then there was the time," Gin began, disrupting her thoughts, "when we were at that festival."

"The summer one?"

"Yeah." His smile was nostalgic as he continued, "It was right around when ya got into the Academy. We went out to celebrate and ya got drunk."

Rangiku smiled wryly. "Oh I know. I knocked over a stand and I had to push my boobs into the guy's face so he wouldn't make us pay for it. You were laughing, at least."

"How couldn't I? I think that was the first time I saw you practically molest someone in public to get out of trouble."

"I'm a bit shameless," she admitted as she sat down on the floor, still leaning against the cage bars. "I was even back then."

That's how their conversation went for the next hour. Neither one of them seemed willing to bring up the events during the war or the ones following it, but choosing instead to reminisce about the past, back before shinigami and Aizen entered into their lives. They talked of their childhood days, both good and bad. They remembered poignant conversations they had over a dim fire and later, when they were older, over cups of sake. They laughed about comical mishaps and blunders they had made. Everything they shared in their last hour together brought forth good memories, at least until the last two minutes.

A loud pounding on the door interrupted their conversation. "Two more minutes, Matsumoto-fukutaichou!"

Rangiku sighed, knowing the dreaded departure was almost upon them. She turned back towards Gin, who was still sitting as he had been when she had first come. "Before I go, there's one thing I want to ask you. And I want you to be honest with me. All my life, I always felt you hid something from me, were always just a step shy of the truth. I understand why now, but in our last moment, I want to be able to walk away knowing you were completely honest."

She swallowed, bracing herself as she asked, "That day, when you left Soul Society with Aizen…"

"Yeah?"

"Did you mean what you said?" Her eyes pleaded with him to tell her the truth, no matter how much it hurt. "Were you really sorry?"

He allowed her the chance to see his eyes as he opened them, something he so rarely did. His blue eyes bore into hers as he answered, "Yeah. I really was."

She smiled slightly, even though this was the end. "Okay. That's all I needed to know." With a heavy heart she got to her feet. She stood in front of his cell, her arms at her side. "Thank you."

The door down the hall opened, signaling Rangiku that her visit was over. Sighing quietly, trying to push back the dread, she said, "Good-bye, Gin."

His eyes still open, he answered with the saddest smile she had ever seen him wear, "Good-bye, Rangiku."

It took everything she had to turn herself around and walk towards the door. Each step felt heavier the closer she got to the exit. Yet somehow she made it there. As she passed the door, she couldn't help but turn around to see him one last time. His eyes were still on her. She met his gaze and forced herself to smile, so that his last image of her would be of her smiling, even though it hurt her so much to smile.

She kept that smile on, even as the door began to close. They kept their gazes locked for as long as they could. Her hand balled into a fist at her side to stop herself from shaking as the door slammed shut, forever barring her from her friend. It was only then, with the door shut and Gin out of sight forever that she allowed her smile to fall.

She had held back her tears and her grief until she got back to her room. Shutting herself inside, she spent the rest of the night and early morning gazing out the window, her eyes trained in the direction of Gin's jail cell. She hadn't taken a sip of sake or any other alcoholic beverage; she felt too sick to drink.

When dawn broke, she felt Gin's reiatsu in the distance. She focused on it as its owner made his way to where he was to be executed. Her hands trembled as she curled up into a ball on the chair, waiting for the inevitable to happen. It did; not even a half hour after Gin left his jail cell, she felt his reiatsu disappear. In an instant it was gone, just like a candle snuffed out.

She buried her face into her folded arms and cried. In the privacy of her room, she could let her emotions escape. There was no holding back this grief, anyway. So she let herself grieve for the man she had loved and cared about ever since she was a child. Tomorrow, when she returned to the human world, she would have to try and put on a brave face, but for this morning, she allowed herself this much.

Just outside Rangiku's door, Hitsugaya listened as his vice-captain broke down. He grimaced at the pain it brought him. Momo had suggested earlier that he should go to her when dawn came, but he knew Rangiku would prefer to be left alone in her grief.

Still, it was hard to stand by and listen to her while doing nothing. He was helpless, and he hated that more than anything. But what could he do anyway? He couldn't bring Ichimaru back, he couldn't erase what he had done. Ichimaru had chosen his path, and Hitsugaya would have been fine with letting him suffer the consequences, save for the fact that it broke his vice-captain's heart in the process.

Damn it, he thought as he leaned his head forward. He wanted to curse Ichimaru, but it didn't feel entirely right at the moment. No, damn you, Aizen. Damn you to hell for hurting Matsumoto and Hinamori. He clenched his fists, wishing he could pound on the infernal man some more, but he was dead and hopefully rotting away somewhere, if there was any justice in the world.

Where's the victory in this? We completed our mission and cleaned up the mess left in the war's aftermath, but there's no sense of accomplishment. He clenched his jaw. Because there's no victory in seeing the survivors suffer, there's nothing to gain from it but regret. Komamura and Hisagi will move on. Kira will move on. Even Matsumoto will move past this. But it won't change a thing. There will be no forgetting this.

He sighed quietly, not wanting to alert Rangiku to his presence. No, this is one of the few times I hate being a shinigami. This is the price we pay for it.

I just wish it wasn't such a high price.

In the Royal Realm, Nori was walking alongside Commander Kurou down one of the grand halls of the Royal Palace. Nori was reiterating his conversation with Tousen to the Commander. "They're dead by now, I imagine," he finished as they passed an old majestic tapestry.

Kurou nodded in satisfaction. "Good. That's one loose end tied up. With them gone and our plan set, we're ready to take the next step. But not immediately."

"Why not?"

"Soul Society is still on their guard," Kurou explained. "Although the remaining traitors have been rounded up and dealt with, they'll be waiting at least a few days more to make sure nothing else happens, namely with those Arrancar or whatever in Hueco Mundo."

Nori frowned in puzzlement. "Are they expecting an attack?"

"They'll be expecting anything," Kurou said with an amused smile. "The Gotei 13 are generally paranoid by nature, which is why we need to wait until they feel safe. A few days more, I imagine. Then we can proceed."

Nori nodded, although something still seemed to be bothering him. Voicing his worry, he said hesitantly, "But even when the shinigami pull out of Karakura, there are capable fighters that live in town."

"They won't be a problem," Kurou said. He paused near a stained glass window, seemingly admiring its art and color, his eyes roving over the famous scene of the crowning of the first Reiou. "The only formidable opponents there are Isshin and Masaki, and their powers would have been sealed. We have nothing to fret over."

"I apologize," his assistant said with a bow. "I did not mean to show a lack of faith. It's just..."

"I understand," Kurou said with a smirk. "We've waited this long. Impatience is understandable. But this is when we must exercise our patience the most. One slip now will ruin everything." He clenched his fist in the air. "Soul Society will be governed by its rightful ruler once again, and Isshin and Masaki will suffer for their betrayal."

"It doesn't get much better than that, does it?"

"No." Kurou grinned manically. "No, it doesn't."

Princess Yuuki had heard enough. She ran from her hiding spot in one of the corridors adjacent to the hall Nori and Kurou were walking down. Trying to keep her steps light and quiet, she made her way to a stairwell and quickly climbed it.

I have to warn Isshin and Masaki, she thought determinedly as she clambered over the top of the stairs and hurried towards her room in the east wing. Then I'll warn the Gotei 13. They may not be on par with the Guard but their knowing should be enough to deter Kurou from acting out his plans.

As she rounded the corner that led into the foyer of the east wing, she saw Hikifune walking with two of her colleagues. The one to her left was El, a short man with purple hair in a short Mohawk who was also the youngest member of the Guard. On Hikifune's right was Mara, her assistant with sandy-colored hair, big boobs and an attitude to boot. Strange people to be sure, but Yuuki trusted them as much as she trusted Hikifune. It was why she was so glad to see them as she ran up to them. "Hikifune! El! Mara!"

"Your Highness?" El said in surprise at her worried expression. "Did something happen?"

"Did the barrack toilets overflow again?" Mara said with a deadpan expression.

"No!" Yuuki was panting by the time she reached them. "It's Kurou. He's going to enact his plan soon!"

"Did he say when?" Hikifune asked.

Yuuki shook her head. "No. At least a few days, though. Which is why I need to get to the human world and warn Isshin."

Hikifune blinked in bewilderment. "Your Highness, you can't-"

"I know it's forbidden!" Yuuki waved off her protests. "But this is an emergency! I must go now!"

She brushed past them to get to her room and the three Guard members, deciding it was best not to argue with her, walked after her, matching her hasty, long strides. "What would you have us do?" El asked.

"If possible," Yuuki began, glancing around to make sure no one else was around, "contact the Gotei 13 and warn them about Kurou."

"Contact them?" Mara raised her brow. "Princess, we've never had reason or means to contact them before."

"We do now!" she retorted, and Mara fell silent. "Tell them they had been working with Ichimaru and Tousen and that they are endangering a human family."

"Good enough," Hikifune agreed as they approached Yuuki's room. "I will contact them. I'm sure some of the captains there will remember me. What else?"

"Keep Kurou and his lackeys in the dark until everyone is warned," the princess said as she opened her bedroom door. "If they ask about my absence, tell them I have business in the city."

Yuuki ducked into her room. Walking around her bed, she pulled open her closet door and grabbed a traveling cloak and some sturdier boots. As she donned them, she continued, "If things get really bad and the situation gets out of control, or if Kurou decides to make his move early, bring my father out of meditation. Say I ordered it and that it's an emergency, which it damn well is."

Hikifune nodded solemnly, even as the other two gaped in shock. "Understood."

"Right." Yuuki grabbed her short sword from its perch against her bureau and made for the door. "We'll play the rest by ear according to what happens. Hopefully we can stop this before it can come to fruition."

"Do you know where Isshin and Masaki are?" El asked quietly as they walked back down the hallway they came from.

"Yes." Yuuki slowed her steps for a moment, her thoughts turning elsewhere. "When they left, they told my father and me where they were going. We swore we wouldn't tell anyone else, and we haven't." Yuuki vividly remembered Masaki saying something about having friends in a place called Karakura. "They're in Japan, in the capital. I'll go there now and try to find them. Even with their powers sealed, it shouldn't take-"

She immediately froze when she saw Ryou and several members of the Guard waiting for them in the east wing foyer. Her heartbeat accelerated, but she forced herself to sound calm as she addressed them, "Hello, everyone. Is something the matter?"

"You seem to be in a rush, Your Highness," Ryou said with a smirk. "Perhaps we should be asking you the same."

"I have important business in town which I am late for," she lied.

"Business, eh?" Ryou chuckled as he walked up to her. "Pray do tell, what business?"

"My business is none of your concern," she answered coolly. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hikifune take a step towards Ryou. "Now if you excuse me, I need to be off."

"The only place you're going," Commander Kurou said as he entered the foyer, flanked by Nori and more Guard members, "is to your room under house arrest."

"Excuse me?" Yuuki said, her voice low. "On what grounds, Kurou?"

"For conceiving a plot to disrupt the Royal Realm," he answered with a placid smile. Yuuki could see the malicious gleam in his eyes. "And to bring ruin to it."

"That's bullshit!" Mara shouted as she drew her sword. "The only one striving for that is you!"

Hikifune brought her fingers to her mouth and let out a low whistle. As she took a few steps towards Ryou to bar him from Yuuki, about a dozen or so Guard, likely the remaining members of the Guard that weren't already in the foyer, descended the stairs. They drew the swords on Hikifune's cue.

Kurou merely smirked before he flash-stepped. Immediately he was in front of Hikifune and rammed his sword through her torso. Yuuki screamed as Hikifune collapsed, blooding spilling from her wound. "Any further acts of rebellion will be punished by death," Kurou said calmly as El flew to Hikifune's side. "Now, place the princess under house arrest and jail everyone who is siding with her and Hikifune."

"No, let me go!" Yuuki screamed as two men of the Guard grabbed her and pulled her away towards her room. "Hikifune! HIKIFUNE!"

El gritted his teeth as he was surrounded by Kurou's subordinates. "Idiots, all of you," he said as he hovered over Hikifune, as if trying to shield her.

Mara sheathed her sword when Kurou aimed the tip of his at her. "You're only asking for ruin," she said to him. "Isshin'll gut you like a fish if you touch his child."

"I'd love to see him try," Kurou said with a laugh, "considering his powers are sealed. Now, if you'll be on your way to the dungeon, there's a nice prison cell waiting for you all." He smiled in triumph as Mara, El, and the other Guard that had showed up to help Yuuki were escorted with swords at their necks. Hikifune had to be carried. As a Guard walked past Kurou with Hikifune in tow, the Commander added, "Send for a medic for her. I don't want her to die and miss what's about to happen."

As the room cleared, only Kurou, Nori and Ryou were left standing in the foyer. Ryou grinned as he stretched his back. "That takes care of that. What's next?"

"We wait," Kurou said. "Yes, we will wait three days. On the third day, we will go to the human world to capture Kurosaki Ichigo."

A/N: Don't you love cliffhangers?

Okay, okay, I know some of you are probably ready to REAM me for Gin's fate, but please let me attempt to explain myself: I am fully aware he was revealed to be a good guy in the canon and I was pretty okay with that. His actions were questionable and the way in which he went about things were... well, not so good, but his intentions were decent. However, as I've said time and time again but I'll say it anyway, this whole story concept was developed shortly after the Lust Arc concluded which was over two years ago, and I canNOT include anything that happened after Chapter 352. By the time I started writing this and posting it on here, I pretty much had most of the story planned out and I haven't made many changes to it since then. I needed Gin and Tousen to be bad guys for the sake of this story's plot, so I kept them that way even after Gin was revealed to be otherwise. So I'm really sorry to any Gin fans out there; I don't have anything against the guy, but I've got the plot to consider here.

Anyway, I'm sure many of you will still be mad, I just thought I'd try explaining things. Otherwise, enjoy that cliffhanger and the rest of your day XD