The Lengths One Will Go

by Kuroi Atropos

When Ishida goes missing, Ichigo, Orihime and Chad begin a search that leads them to Mayuri, where they uncover far more than their missing friend. Ironic that a Quincy would lead to the breaking of the Seireitei.

7. Chapter 7

The Lengths One Will Go

By: Kuroi Atropos

Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, the characters would mutiny.

Warnings: Umm, well you've gotten through most of the worst, so I guess just, well… Yeah.

Summary: Stuff stuff, and more stuff

AN: Yeah, RL is madly weird, much love to you all though! Sorry for lack of updating on this and all my other stories. Everything is suffering due to how many plot bunnies for NEW stuff I've had lately… (No Obi, I'm not talking about you specifically, although you certainly don't help but I love you anyway and my own brain is to blame for most of them…) I so need help…

Also, that thing I mentioned last chapterish in a RR about the occasional OC… Yeah, well this chapter starts out with another one, which was slightly bad planning on my part. *HEADDESK* Please let me know what you think of him, I was pretty happy that my last one seemed fairly well received, and am hoping this one is too… Not that I have problems with ANY type of feedback, but I'd especially appreciate C&C on Shin and Aiko. THANKS ALL!!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!

XXXXX

Chapter Seven

XXXXX

Shin woke with a start and stared at a strange blue sky. The world felt… Painful and slightly empty. Like a part of him was missing.

He shot up when he realized his wrists felt light.

Then he panicked even further when he realized he could move, but he couldn't clearly understand why he shouldn't be able to. Shouldn't he be more worried about why Gaki wasn't around his forearms? Why he couldn't hear him very well, like it was fuzzy…from distance...? But he shouldn't be far from Gaki, he never was.

"You're awake!? How are you feeling? I-" Shin focused in on the blonde man wearing sunglasses as the man rushed towards him, his black robes billowing in the air caught his attention and-

"He's obviously unique in some way. Maybe it has to do with those strange bracelets we pulled from him?"

FLASH

Gaki…

FLASH

A bright silver blade in the focused light… pain shooting through his arms as he hung almost exclusively by his wrists so the restraints around his chest wouldn't get in the way of what they were doing near his Soul Chain.

FLASH

Why wasn't he with Gaki…?

FLASH

A swirl of black robes and white lab coats.

FLASH

A flash of a painted face and strange eyes, followed by more pain. He couldn't move away from it!

FLASH

"It's so interesting, like he's some kind of symbiotic being missing the other half!"

FLASH

He couldn't scream, but felt his doll screaming in his mind…

FLASH

The pain of his soul being slowly pulled at even as his body was starved and his Reiatsu stripped away.

FLASH

The hole in his heart where his doll's comforting warmth should be. The metal cuffs where Gaki should be wrapped around his wrists.

FLASH

"Just up to dosage of the paralytics, he's got so much Reiatsu still, and his Soul is strong enough it'll last us 50 years at least, I don't want him to damage himself!" The agony that not even his drug induced stupor could fight, Gaki screaming in agony in his head as something hurt him. Shin felt every single second of his constant distress multiplied a thousand times as Gaki suffered something similar but so much more acute, but maybe, maybe their torture was nearly over… Maybe they'd finally die…

They would never be so blessed though, even as his mind hazed in and out of the constant pain he could sense from Gaki he could feel them toying with the lines into him that forced life into his body even though he didn't want it anymore.

Then he fell into warm arms, and the agony increased a thousand fold before everything went blissfully, peacefully numb. He felt his body knitting back together, and the daze of drugs and invisible restraints that stopped his limbs from moving vanished. He could feel the Reiatsu that did it, laughing, resolute, smiling, hopeful, he forced his eyes open and stared at the beautiful source… So pretty he thought, as the pain started to echo back again from Gaki and he slipped into the darkness encroaching on his vision. Nothing like the monsters that hurt him and Gaki…

FLASH

Shin felt overwhelmed as everything hit him at once, focused on the blonde that was kneeling at his side, the hazy pain from Gaki, and saw Shinigami robes, felt the hunger claw its way out from his stomach, and even though a Shinigami would give him a stomach ache and a dead soul would taste bad, he hated him for what he'd done and was sooo hungry…

He launched himself forward and locked onto the man's neck even as he screamed through his mind for Gaki to fly to him.

Maybe if he died, he'd get to feel the beautiful Reiatsu and see its Angel again.

He heard the man scream as he sucked and sucked and sucked. He didn't know how long it had been since he'd fed and didn't remember how to make the man not scream… Hands shoved them apart and tried to hold him down…

He threw them off and bolted up, crying out for Gaki. He felt a wave from somewhere above him, just as he felt an echo from the strange glowing gate. A few more Shinigami tried to grab him, but Shin dodged them. He'd always been fast and he wasn't going to let them tie him up again. He bolted for the strange doorway and made it through before anyone could stop him. When he arrived he could feel the difference of pressure in the air against him and laughed, surprising those who had been around the outlet for the tunnel.

He felt Gaki headed towards him, slower than usual. His doll was still aching and wrong and in pain, but he felt him, could clearly hear him for the first time in ages.

"Hey! You need to go back through! It isn't going to be safe soon, I-" Shin slashed his hand at the man who leaned down over him.

He scrambled back and laughed as dozens of Shinigami rushed towards him just as Gaki arrived. They would pay! They would erupt in a flurry of pain like they had caused he and Gaki, and they'd find the others and burn them to the ground! A beautiful, shinning, golden, gently curving rod slammed into the ground in between where he and the Shinigami were, and the pavement exploded. His head fell back and he looked up to his sun, his Gaki, and screamed.

Gaki!

What had they done to him!?

He'd been ripped in half.

Shin scrambled to his knees and raised his hands up to the golden sun. It settled down in his arms, and Shin choked on his tears as he ran his hands on the flat, smooth side. Gaki wasn't an orb anymore. Half of the intricate, twisting designs that could reach out and deliver the fire of vengeance into the dark souls that would hurt them -- gone, and he could feel it. He screamed again, felt Shinigami hovering uncertainly and hated them.

What they would do to them would be soooo much fun! He laughed as he threw Gaki into the air and the half orb spun, shooting out tendrils that caught the ground in some places, and Shinigami in others. The resulting explosions were absolutely splendid! He giggled again as Gaki floated into a building after two of the Shinigami he'd blasted away. Shin rushed after him, and came to a stop as he saw what was in it.

He screamed and kicked as he felt them hold him down. They'd taken Gaki from him like he was just a toy, then rattled out a string of words that made no sense. They had injected something into him and exclaimed as it didn't work. Then hit him with something else even as they did something that made Gaki go dormant. It didn't work the way it was supposed to though. He could still feel as they moved him, dragged him, hung him up by the wrists, braced him around the chests and legs, and drove the needles into him.

This was where –

"You – you hurt me… I didn't… I didn't do anything!"

The room was silent as they stared at him. "Kid-" a red haired Shinigami with an intricate design of thick black tattoos took a step forward, a blonde and black haired Shinigami near him were oriented threateningly over another cowering Shinigami on the floor even as they turned to face him. The Shinigami on the floor -- the one that had stuck the first needles in him. ..

The one that had had them take Gaki away from him.

Shin felt the rage burning in his heart erupt. His clutched at his pounding head, it throbbed with the ach of Gaki's pain and his memories that had this monster in them so frequently Shin almost wanted to run away. But the man couldn't catch him by surprise this time. Gaki might be hurt, but he'd spent a long time in this nightmare world and absorbed no small amount of Reiatsu. Gaki was ready, and he would pay.

"DIE!!"

XXXXX

It was another child, a little girl. Most of the others had been adults, or older teens. One elderly gentleman and this was the eighth child. Orihime bit back tears as Kotetsu-Fukutaichou and Kenichi-san (she couldn't remember what seat the red headed man held in the 4th Squad) released her into Sado-kun's waiting arms.

Orihime cringed as she managed to convince Shun'o and Ayame to fly forward one more time. They looked as exhausted as she felt, and she didn't know how much longer she'd be able to keep feeding them energy. Her limbs felt heavy and it was getting harder to concentrate, even with the pill that Kotetsu-Fukutaichou had given her. They could only guess that it didn't work as well on humans as it did on Shinigami.

She could hear Yamada-san fidgeting behind her. She knew he had her best interests at heart when he kept begging her to stop, telling her that Ichigo and Rukia would want her okay after this too, but she knew they didn't have time. Unohana-Taichou and the others who kept rushing in and out weren't calming down; instead they were getting more and more tense. She'd heard Hisagi-san and Madarame-san threaten a bunch of the 12th Squad to answer messages from the Central 46 and Sotaichou in a way that wouldn't make them suspicious. Kuchiki-Taichou had asked Unohana-Taichou something about creating false spiritual traces. A few minutes later she'd seen hazy duplicates of some of the people and all the Taichous and Fukutaichous vanish out the door.

After they had finished healing 15, maybe 20 people, Mizuno-san had pointed out the seals on the walls that had activated to counter the temporary generation disruption. It wouldn't be long before the seals really became strained and certain aspects of Soul Society began to shut down to conserve power for primary areas and those who wanted this to continue would have proof of the disruption.

Shortly before that Kurosaki-kun had pulled her aside for a moment, told her Ishida-san was safely through the Gate back to the Human World, and to run for it if fighting started. She'd only needed to glance at Chad to know that he would carry her if he needed to. They didn't want her ending up like Ishida-san.

She couldn't tell them no matter what happened she wouldn't leave until every one of these people had been safely released.

Mizuno-san had handed Kotetsu-Fukutaichou the next three people cleared to be taken down even as he rushed to Unohana-Taichou and quickly began explaining an idea he had for getting a few other people down alive. The 4th Squad Captain had smiled encouragingly, so it had to be at least viable. They were off to the side, discussing something about flow rates and muscle relaxants when Orihime managed to finish healing the little girl. It had taken longer than the first child. A lot longer.

She dropped to her knees in relief even as two 4th Squad members began to take care of the girl, bundling her up in a blanket and shifting her gently onto a stretcher. They then headed towards the steps down to the next level. Yamada-san handed her a water bottle, she gratefully took a sip. She carefully screwed the cap back on, and handed it up to the small Shinigami with a smile before trying to push to her feet. Her muscles screamed, pins and needles shooting up her limbs.

"Inoue-san, take a break for a moment. Let's let Unohana-Taichou and Mizuno finish talking."

Orihime looked up at Kotetsu-Fukutaichou, then over at Unohana-Taichou and Mizuno-san who looked more and more excited each second. "Do we have the time?"

The woman blinked for a moment, looking a little stunned before she smiled. "We'll make the time, Inoue-san."

"I'm sure we will, Kotetsu-Fukutaichou," Orihime looked up at the woman with a smile. From the Shinigami's reaction to it she doubted it'd been as reassuring as she had meant it to be. "Help me up please, Sado-kun?" she glanced imploringly at him. After a second he nodded and leaned down. Orihime reached out a hand but suddenly felt herself lifted up into the air, carried bridal style in his arms. She blushed.

"Hold her there, Sado-san. I want to try one more thing since the pill didn't work." Orihime blinked at the gray haired Fukutaichou who swung her pack off of her back and dug through it for a moment before pulling a bottle out. "Okay, this is going to taste bad, and is a little stronger than I'm entirely comfortable letting you have, so you'd better tell me if you feel even the slightest bit strange, alright?" Orihime nodded furiously. Then she twisted the cap off and choked at the smell. She recognized it from earlier; it was the drink that Yamada-san had given Abarai-kun and he was already up and about on the main floor. She took a deep breath, plugged her nose and gulped the stuff down.

"EEWIE EEWIE EEWIE!" she waved her hands, throwing the bottle who knows where in an attempt to get something besides the awful taste in her mouth. Yamada-san scrambled to give her the water she'd sipped at earlier and she quickly drank the rest of it. Orihime heard peals of laughter from behind Sado-kun and looked hesitantly over his shoulder to see Kotetsu-Fukutaichou holding her mouth shut, Unohana-Taichou smiling widely and the others beaming. She blushed scarlet and buried her face in Sado-kun's shirt before she realized that she felt amazingly better. She still felt a little hazy, but her vision was clearing quickly and the room didn't feel tilted anymore. She kept feeling better and better by the second!

Orihime glanced up at Shun'o and Ayame. They looked so much better too! Shun'o darted down and gave her a thumbs up. "We're ready to go again, Orihime-chan!"

She nodded, "Right!" She slipped out from Chad's arms (carefully, she still wasn't back to a hundred percent but was getting there) and turned to Kotetsu-Fukutaichou and bowed, "Thank you very much! Where are we headed to now?"

The woman's smile widened and her hands fell from holding in her amusement to pat Orihime's auburn hair, "Back to the main floor, then down to the very bottom."

"Got it!" Orihime clenched her fist to her chest as she swung around, the others following her.

They were half way down the steps when they heard the first explosion, and bolted down the rest of them trying desperately not to trip over each other. They appeared right as the second explosion rang throughout the room, a scream and two flying bodies in its wake. Chad grabbed her as the first one she had healed, the little boy, entered the room.

Hadn't the boy gone through the Gate? What had happened that caused the explosions? Was he alright?

Her heart broke at the boy's words, "You – you hurt me… I didn't… I didn't do anything!" She saw Abarai-kun move towards the boy, a placating hand raised, even as slight confusion played across his features. Orihime could see the moment the Shinigami shaking on the floor by Abarai-kun and Hisagi-kun registered with the boy. She didn't know what he'd done exactly, but from the way Abarai-kun, Hisagi-kun and Kira-san are hovered threateningly over the man and the boy's reaction…

"DIE!" The boy dove for man at the same time as golden tendrils shot out from the half sun over his head towards the man. She saw it in almost slow motion as Abarai-kun and the others deflected the golden spikes and as their Zanpaktous met the sun's rays, explosions consumed the area around them.

The kid dashed right through the fires, making it to the Shinigami as Abarai and the others landed where the explosions threw them. At their shouts of pain she shoved off Sado-san to rush forward calling out Shun'o and Ayame. She dropped to her knees by Ayasegawa-san as Chad reached the boy and pulled him off of the Shinigami on the floor. He'd done-- something to him, hurt him somehow… Orihime wasn't quite sure how but knew from the way Abarai had been acting that the guy probably deserved just a little of the punishment.

The boy leaped to his feet, even as the sun thing darted down in front of him protectively. Orihime finished with Ayasegawa-san and he nodded to her in thanks before shoving to his feet. The motion caught the boy's eye and Orihime's own eyes widened as he started towards them. The sun spun in front of him, and Ayasegawa-san battered it away from her with his Zanpaktou and the resulting explosion threw her to the ground and sent him flying several feet. The boy darted straight at her with blind rage covering his features and glazing his eyes.

Before she could call out her shield a form appeared in front of her and the kid latched onto that instead. She gaped at the sight of the boy's mouth locked onto Aiko-san's neck, and with a start she realized what the boy was… a Bount.

She stumbled forward half a step and ripped them apart with a grunt. The boy literally hissed at her, bearing his teeth before his eyes grew as wide as saki cups and he pounced on her. She winced as she imagined the pain she was about to feel but instead all she felt was wetness on her chest where the kid's face was buried, he shook, and then he whispered "Angel."

The others rushed to help her, but there was no pain… "Stop! It's ok he isn't hurting me!" This caused the kid to jump slightly and he clutched her tighter. His head snapped up as he glared and hissed at them. "I've got him, he's alright, isn't that right? See, none of us are going to hurt you-" She glanced around as she furiously whispered calming words to the boy, stroking his hair. The others had been quickly healed by Unohana-Taichou, most looked like they'd only gotten a few scrapes and bruises, some minor burns, and even Aiko was nodding to her though he looked a little drained, like he'd aged a year in five seconds, but he was moving. As the boy finally stopped shivering Orihime heard Unohana-Taichou order Abarai-kun and Hisagi-san to where the others were since she could sense Yamamoto-Sotaichou near them.

Orihime knew without a doubt that it wouldn't be too long before the real fighting started. She had to get back to work. She looked down at the boy and tilted his head up to meet his eyes. "Okay, now, I'm Orihime, what's your name?" He choked out what sounded like 'Shin.' "Listen Shin, I need to heal others, just like I did for you, alright?" He nodded, but as she got up to head for Kotetsu-Fukutaichou he jumped up too, trailing after her like along with Yamada-san, his doll clutched tightly in his arms. She sighed when he hissed at anyone from the 12th Squad, at least he wasn't attacking anymore.

As she faced the next victim, even she felt the first explosions of Reiatsu that signified the battle for these Souls had really begun.

XXXXX

The setting sun was really pretty, Ichigo thought as he kicked at a loose roof tile. The bottom of the large yellow ball was just barely touching the tip of the west wall and the sky look like it had been set on fire.

While Orihime was rushing around healing people back at that warehouse, Ichigo had been sitting on a roof staring at the clouds with Kenpachi in an almost Zen manner while Yachiru drew in red crayons on the white walls of the hallway beneath them. Byakuya was actually pacing on the opposite roof while the 8th Squad Fukutaichou had like 15 seals going doing things he couldn't figure out. Her Taichou, Kyoraku, had gone back to the Black Hole to let everyone know in person that the Old Bastard had betrayed them, and to prepare for a fight before heading to lead the protection forces on the opposite side of the Black Hole.

A few minutes after the guy had left, a bunch of Shinigami had scurried down the walkways and Ichigo could only scoff a little as he remembered the fear and regret that had been written on every line of their bodies. They were losers. If they were going to run, they shouldn't regret it.

Ichigo got more anxious the longer it took for anything to happen. It'd been at least 45 minutes, but he'd left his cell phone back with his real body and none of the people around him had one either so he wasn't sure. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was so bored he felt half tempted to help Yachiru with her mural just for something to do since he'd (secretly of course) always enjoyed coloring things with his sisters when they'd been younger, and had been about to jump down to ask if she had another crayon when a loud explosion came from near the gate.

He jumped to his feet, no way did something get past the ring of fighters and the warning systems that Kuchiki, Soi Fong and the 8th's officers had set up.

Another explosion rocked the area and Ichigo stumbled a little in an aborted Shunpo step when he saw Hitsugaya come into view, walking calmly and swiftly down the hallway. He jumped down and landed in the boy's path, "Toshiro! What's going on over there?"

His words were met with a glacial glare and Toshiro literally shoved past him. He could only kind of stare at the kid that was still walking down the path, and Ichigo'd just worked himself up to yell when Matsumoto-san and Ukitake-Taichou (along with his almost Fukutaichous) rushed past him. Matsumoto-san and Ukitake-Taichou literally grabbed onto Toshiro as another explosion, this one slightly muffled, echoed through the Seireitei.

Ichigo could feel himself rip in two. Inoue and Chad were back at the Black Hole near the explosions, but something obviously had Toshiro in flat out shock, and if the kid was heading towards yet another scene like the Black Hole than he'd need back-up, and his friends had plenty of people willing to fight around them.

"Ukitake-san! What's happening!? Those explosions-" Kuchiki called out from where he's poised on the roofs edge.

The white haired man turned to shout over his shoulder, "I don't know about those, but Toshiro just discovered they were going to put Hinamori-Fukutaichou in the Black Hole!" That made up Ichigo's mind. Even if he'd known who this Hinamori person was, it meant Hitsugaya was going after a single person, and that Ukitake and Matsumoto would be able to handle the kid. The others were probably more in need of help. Ichigo prepared to Shunpo for the Black Hole when Toshiro actually drew Hyorinmaru and swung at Ukitake and Matsumoto.

Ichigo froze as the kid screamed. "Don't try and stop me! Don't! I'll kill you if you try!" Toshiro spun around and Ichigo cursed as the kid got brought up short, not by Ukitake, but by rebounding off a towering, fox faced Shinigami.

Komamura, his Fukutaichou Iba, Soi Fong's hulking Fukutaichou, the Thing, the Old Bastard, a wall of Shinigami in the white of the Captain's Squad or the Ninja uniforms of the Secret Mobile Corps, and guys in weird red jackets or white robes are arrayed en mass against them, and he heard Byakuya actually curse the 'Kido Corps'.

The decrepit leader of Soul Society took a step forward and looked down at where Toshiro climbed back to his feet in front of Komamura. "Hitsugaya-Taichou, it appears as if you've come to senses and are leaving the traitor's side. Fight beside us and I'm willing to forgive you without trial." Ichigo winced, that certainly let him know exactly how long the Old Bastard had been standing there. Even though Toshiro was facing away from him, Ichigo could see the kid's answering smirk.

Ichigo vaguely heard Ukitake-Taichou yelling for Ise-san to get 'Shunsui' even as she called out that he was already on his way, more focused on where Toshiro was hefting Hyorinmaru. "I really was just planning to take Hinamori and leave, but if you won't let me I'll be happy to go through you to do it!"

The Old Bastard gave an overly aggrieved sigh, and turned his attention to Ukitake. "Well, Juushiro, are we really going to have to go over this again?"

Kyoraku had landed next to Ukitake by the end of the Old Bastard's question. The two shared a quick glance before nodding to the Old Bastard and drawing their Zanpaktous. "Yes, Yamamoto-Sotaichou." They said in perfect unison, and Ukitake stepped forward to add, "Whether you like it or not, you taught us to believe in Justice--in right and wrong, and not just what is best for Seireitei or what is ordered by the Central 46. We're sorry that this pits us against you, Sensei."

Kenpachi was grinning like mad by now, and the only thing keeping Ichigo from completely anticipating the upcoming fight was not knowing what the explosions he'd heard before were and how his friends were doing. In one of those moments of perfect timing Renji and Shuuhei landed next to him. Byakuya appeared beside his Fukutaichou and he and Ichigo glanced to Renji at the same time and his friend nodded. Keeping his voice low he muttered, "A Supplier woke up and had a few problems but Orihime got him calmed down." At this Ichigo turned back to the wall of fighters in front of them and finally let some of Kenpachi's euphoria and his Hollow's laughter infect him, since now nothing could distract him from enjoying this fight in the way he'd truly began to appreciate down in Hueco Mundo against Grimmjow.

The Old Bastard sighed again and Ichigo's hand clenched on Zangetsu's hilt in anticipation. Sure enough the Old Bastard's voice rang out over the assembled fighters.

"Attack."

Both sides launched at each other. Their side might have been fewer in number, but they were all Fukutaichous or higher in power. Still they could only be in one spot at a time, and some of the other fighters slipped past them. Ichigo could hear them running for the Black Hole, but knew Yoruichi, Soi Fong and the others wouldn't let anything bad happen even as he clashed with a 1st Squad members and their Fukutaichou.

It was only a few moments after the first blades met when three huge Reiatsu's crashed over the field. Several of the lesser fighters around them collapsed, including the guy tag teaming him with the 1st's Fukutaichou. Ichigo glanced around his standing opponent to see the Old Bastard facing off against Ukitake-Taichou and Kyoraku. Toshiro, Matsumoto-san and Ukitake-Taichou's weird subordinates were gone, and Ichigo figured they'd gone to the 4th Squad Hospital to get this 'Hinamori' person and let those at the infirmary know what was going on.

Ichigo's attention was drawn back to his own fight by the 1st's Fukutaichou coming at him again, two of his still standing Squad members that looked like they could be twins now at his back. This time Ichigo didn't have the element of surprise against the guy and since none of them were underestimating him it's actually a pretty good fight.

More Shinigami from the surrounding areas had arrived and those that hadn't collapsed under the Reiatsu started releasing Zanpaktous as they joined one side or another. Ichigo scowled as most of them blindly joined the Old Bastard's. He and his opponents darted amongst the fighters and essentially took pot shots at each other. Every now and then they'd be able to get in more than a few volleys, but they were always thrown apart by either other Shinigami flying between them or blasts from Reiatsu or released Zanpaktou forms.

Ichigo knew it put him at a disadvantage, but he kept angling his movements to get closer to where Kurotsuchi was fighting Renji and Shuuhei. He wanted to get at least one swing in at the Thing before the battle ended one way or another, but since he was having to concentrate to keep his attacks to a level that wouldn't flat out obliterate the weaker Shinigami around his opponents he couldn't just dominate and go join the fight he really wanted to be a part of.

He'd just barely dodged a whip that seemed to be made of water from one of the twins when the 11th Squad arrived with a battle cry of devotion to their Taichou who was currently facing Komamura again and the 7th's Taichou's giant Bankai was shaking the Earth and causing more property damage than even Kenpachi's wild swings.

It didn't matter that most of the half mad Kenpachi worshippers were still covered in bandages, they all ran headlong for the fight anyways. Ichigo and the other main combatants could only watch in amazement as the 11th Squad wave rushed through the battlefield, leaving broken, twitching bodies of lesser Shinigami in their wake, breaking around the powerful fighters leaving them to their battles. "They're insane, that's the only reason they could be so loyal to that nightmare and survive all of their mad stunts."

Ichigo looked across the now clear gap between him and the three 1st Squad Members and shrugged at the Fukutaichou's words. He couldn't claim to be very different when it came to miraculously surviving mad stunts. The three of them quickly firmed up their fighting stances only to be distracted again when a cry of frustration resonated over the battlefield.

Suddenly a mist covered the rubble around them and it washed over him at the same time as the three 1st Squad members he'd been facing collapsed, the Fukutaichou's hand twitching futilely for his arm band, fighters on both sides dropping unmoving to the ground behind them. Ichigo spun, coughing, trying to see where the stuff was coming from and growled as he saw it emanating out of the Thing's trident-shaped Zanpaktou. That cheating, unfair bastard Kurotsuchi. Ichigo recognized Renji and Shuuhei laid out on the ground before the Thing, hands draped across their bodies reaching for but not quite making it to their arm bands like the 1st's Fukutaichou and Ichigo managed to take a single step forward only to collapse as his limbs stopped obeying his commands.

XXXXX

End Chapter Seven

XXXXX

I really didn't want to be one of those authors who complain about what they posted, but… *shrugs* I'm not sure if I like the last fight scenes. I KNOW it isn't as good as my last one and I have severe issues with that since Bleach is so Battle oriented. Seriously, I didn't even describe a single freaking strike! Just explained who was facing who! *shakes head* I promise I shall attempt to do better next time! I really just couldn't get this specific part of the battle to flow right on paper… I think it's because I have it as another set-up piece for the next couple of scenes. *MAD LAUGHTER!!!!! CHOKE COUGH* GO (CENSORED DUE TO SPOILERS BY BETA)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!