We are Gotei

by Callian31

The original Gotei 13. A group shrouded in myth and legend. A powerful force that could end anything in its path, even an army. Blood thirsty killers with no remorse. You may be surprised to hear there was one generation that came before the killers. Would you like to know where the Soul Society came from? Where Shinigami got their name? Then come closer as I tell you a tale.

5. Chapter 4: The Gotei 13 is Formed

I don't own Bleach

Ichibei placed his hands on the edge of the couch and looked at Alexander. "Ok, Mr. Alexandre," he said, "What's this all about?"

Alexander walked across the room and faced the 12 other individuals in front of them. Each with their eyes glued on him. Unmoving and expecting they watched him intently. Alexander let out a sigh and began his speech. "In the past, some of you have met me before," he started, "Tell me, how many of you actually know who I am?"

"Well, according to you," Ran'Tao said, "You're something called a "Nephilhim" chosen by a being known as the "Soul King" to ferry lost souls to Spiritus when they can't move on from their deaths. Is that where you're getting at?"

Alexander nodded and leaned against the wall. "Good, you know that much, at least," he told them, "Now, what you people may not know is that you are all Nephilhim yourselves." The group grew a collective breath save for Shutara and Ran'Tao who knew this themselves.

"H-how?" Chang asked, "I mean, what is a Nephilhim, exactly."

"It's just Ran'Tao said," Alexander explained, "They are beings chosen by God to ferry lost souls into Spiritus via a process known as konso. Essentially wiping their memories of their previous life so that they have no reason to stay."

"You-wipe their memories?" Yhwach asked, "And then dump them in this godforsaken world all alone!" Alexander nodded in the affirmative. Yhwach stared at him with wide-eyes, "Th-that's too cruel."

"Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't," Alexander answered, "I don't question myself on the morality of my job as completely sound arguments can be made the other way around as well. It's just a job that I do. Nothing more, and nothing less."

"So, what?" Tenjiro asked him, "Since we're Nephilhim too you want us to take this job up too?"

"As a team," Alexander answered, "I do."

"Why?" Oetsu asked him, "Why should we help you?"

Alexander walked towards the group and looked over them. "Because, if I don't do my job then one of two things happen. 1. The spiritual balance that keeps the world in check will be thrown out of whack due to the high number of spirits in the Living World and everyone dies or 2. Hollows show up and start getting a drastic population boom and eventually spill into the rest of Spritus looking for more food. I won't go and say it's a pretty job but it sure is better than some of the alternatives."

He looked among the small crowd of people gathered in his living room, scanning them for what seemed like hours. "I know not all of, if any of you, find the idea of this job appealing," Alexander told them, "It's very much thankless and unappreciated. But, I know some of you are lost and don't know what to do now. I know some of you just want to lead a nice, calm peaceful life, and I know some of you just don't give a damn. But, to those of you lost, I can't give you purpose, but maybe this job can help you find it. To those of you who wish to live a normal and calm life, I'm sorry, but now you will be hunted by those that fear or hate you. And to those of you who don't care, I'll make it worth your while. Well?"

A long silence passed as the group contemplated what they were just told.

"I'm in," Shutara said.

"This would give me the chance to travel a lot," Oetsu said, "And, if you can put my Zanpakto to use I'm down with that."

"If is thankless, yes," Ichibei said, "But I will do it."

Tenjiro grabbed his axe, propped up against the wall, and said, "If Ichibei's in, I'm in."

"You killed my father," Ran'Tao said with disgust, drawing everyone's attention.

"That I did," Alexander said.

"I accept," she told him, "This will give me ample opportunity to learn how to kill you."

Everyone turned towards the remaining 6 who had not answered.

"Well?" Alexander asked.

"We're not doing it," Yhwach said, standing up, "We're thankful to you for your help. But we owe this world nothing. Come on, Sebastian." The two of them left, Sebastian looking back as his brother pulled him away, and waving goodbye."

"I do not accept," Ahmad said, "The affairs of others and the fate of the world are not my concern. Come, Yachiru."

"No, I shall accept as well," Yachiru answered, "It will be the swiftest way to get Ran'Tao to accept my challenge." She turned to Alexander, "Do not worry, I will pull my own weight."

"Yachiru," Ahmad gasped.

She turned towards her master and smiled, "This is where we part ways, Master. May you find your perfect battlefield." She put her hands in a prayer position and bowed.

Ahmad gave a small, sad smiled. "And you yours," he said, mimicking her. He opened the door and left

Wakiza got up and pointed at Alexander. "You disgust me," the forest dweller told him before storming out of the building.

Shikeguni looked up at Alexander. "I-I don't think it'd be a good idea to trust me with this," he told Alexander, "My power- it- it isn't meant for anything like this. It's just a terrible, destructive force that just destroys whatever it touches. I'm cursed. You'll all just die and anyone we try to do that konso thing on will die too!"

"Shigekuni," Alexander told him, "You're not cursed. Just strong."

"Liar!" Shigekuni screamed, storming out of the room.

Alexander sighed and looked at the remaining people in the room. "And you, Chang?" he asked her.

She looked between him and the door before answering, "I just freed myself of one master. I will not subjugate myself to another." So, she left as well.

Alexander walked over to the other open chair and slumped down. "That could have gone better," he told himself. Looking at the people in the room he told them, "We'll begin tomorrow afternoon. Use that time to rest up and make any preparations you need to. Weapons, belongings, etc. that you want to bring. Just, make sure you can carry it. We'll be traveling for a little while before we reach our first destination." They left to go prepare.

Outside

Shikeguni looked around after he left until he spotted Wakiza walking away. "Wakiza, sir, wait up!" he called out. Surprised, the man turned to see Shikeguni running towards him. After Shikeguni caught up to him he leaned forward and looked back up. "Do, do you mind if I come with you? I-I'll try not to be a burden," Shikeguni told him, "I'll do whatever you ask me to- without question! Provided it falls into acceptable moral boundaries."

Wakiza looked at the boy in front of him. He had said so earlier that he was not suited for raising children and that Shigekuni had controlled his powers, not Wakiza. Yet, did he dare leave him with Alexander after he heard that plot the man concocted or worst even still, all alone in Myrinon. "Very well," Wakiza told him, "But expect work to be hard. I do not raise children. Only live with companions."

"In that case," the voice of Chang said behind both of them, giving Shikeguni a start, "can I come?"

"Did you hear what I just said?" Wakiza asked her.

"You don't have to worry about that," Chang told him with a solemn look in her eyes, "I haven't been a child since I was 4 years old."

Wakiza just nodded silently and the group walked off. As they walked Shikeguni noticed something from the corner of his eye. "See ya, Yhwach, Sebastian!" Shikeguni yelled to the younger boys. Sebastian, still holding his brother's hand, waved with his open hand.

"Bye bye!" Sebastian yelled to them, slightly sad. Yhwach did no such thing. He just gave them a sparing glance without turning around and walked away, Sebastian in tow. The Gotei members were scattered around the city all doing different things. Buying, selling, walking, everything they felt they needed to do to go where they wanted to go. And Alexander watched them all, one of the many skills he'd picked up in his time as a Nephilhim. He watched, his eyes closed, looking at everyone else doing what they needed to do, well, except for-

"What are you up to now?" Ran'Tao asked him suspiciously.

He opened his eyes and turned his head behind him, giving her a side glance. "Watching," he simply answered.

"Well, will you be "watching" us the whole time we're part of this little team of yours?" Ran'Tao asked him, sitting down next to him.

Alexander smirked and answered, "Maaaaaaybe."

She smacked him upside the head. After a short silence Ran'Tao turned to him. "Why did you kill my father?" she asked him.

Alexander looked at her and answered, "That's a good question. Next question?"

"Dammit!" Ran'Tao yelled, "Don't get all mysterious on me, Alexander Fucking Alexandre! I deserve to know!"

"You do," he answered, "But I'm still not telling you."

"Why you-" she growled at him. But, before she could there was a large explosion. "What was that?" she asked.

"Hollows," Alexander simply answered.

Bellow them

Looking around Shikeguni saw people running away from something. The crowd quickly separated him from Wakiza and Chang. Then he saw them, creatures with bone-white masks, eating people.

Sebastian

Sebastian looked at what was going on behind him and Yhwach pulled him away from the creature. "Brother!" Sebastian yelled, pulling the other way, "We need to help them!"

"They're not our problem!" Yhwach yelled, "It's just us!"

"NO IT'S NOT!" Sebastian yelled, breaking free and running. From what Alexander said, he should be able to help, right?

Alexander

He looked down at all the Gotei members and smiled.

Shikeguni

The first thing he did was grab a sword and start attacking one of them. Screaming he cut down the middle of the creature's mask, destroying it.

"1,"

Chang

She grabbed her dagger and quickly appeared behind one of the monsters and cut the back of its neck and it let out a screech as it died.

"2,"

Sebastian

He didn't know what he was going to do. But he knew he needed to stop these things. So, he grabbed a walking stick off the ground and jumped up screaming. One of the monsters looked up and screeched as he brought the cane down on its head, killing it.

"3,"

Tenjiro

He saw the boy, Shikeguni, fighting a Hollow and losing badly to it. So, he picked up his battle axe and chopped the Hollow's head off. As it dissolved that Chang girl joined them. "Let's go," he told them.

"4,"

Yhwach

He saw it, a creature running towards his brother. His eyes widened in horror and he reached out, as if that would do something. "GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!" he screamed at the creature. Suddenly, his hand glowed with a bright, blue light and it shot out, piercing the Hollow, screeching as it died. Looking at his still glowing hand Yhwach pointed it at the creatures. "Alright," he said, getting back-to-back with his brother, "Who's next?"

"5,"

Senjumaru

Some needles and thread, that's all she had and all she needed. Jumping down she tied the threads to the needles and raised her hands. The threads shot up with the needles and she jumped down from the roof she was on and thrusted her arms in front of her, destroying several Hollows at once.

"6,"

Ahmad

He saw creatures attacking. One was foolish to attack him, so he cut it down with ease. Looking forward he smiled. He'd never fought an army before. So, he charged in laughing.

"7,"

Ichibei

Most saw an oversized paintbrush. That's not what it was. What he wielded was probably one of the most powerful weapons ever created. A weapon capable of overcoming nearly anything and utterly destroy it. But, right now, it was a brush handle with a blade. He wouldn't use his power here. He was more sensible than that. No, the blade was good for his purposes. Cutting through these creatures was easy and effortless. They were like butter to a knife, paper to a scissor, and he cut down many. Soon, he was joined by Senjumaru, Shikeguni, Tenjiro, and Chang. They didn't need to say anything. So, they continued to fight.

"8,"

Wakiza

He saw them, the boys from earlier, Yhwach and Sebastian, fighting the creatures as if it were a normal thing. The effort in which they handled it, was something to be amazed by. But, there were too many Hollows, and he could not just abandon them. So, he drew an arrow and pulled it back, aiming for the horde of creatures charging at the boys. "Ah Tabai," he said, releasing the arrow. It divided rapidly into countless copies of itself striking down nearly every Hollow before him. The two boys looked up at him with wide eyes. "What are you standing there for?" he asked them, "The others are over there!" He led them that way.

"9,"

Oetsu

A sword at his side he rushed to battle the creatures that had attacked Myrinon. He'd been in his shop when the attacks first started so he was pretty late. But once he reached the frontlines somehow, he wasn't that surprised to see that the Nephilhim were leading the charge against the Hollows. Smiling, he drew his sword and joined them.

"10,"

Yachiru

She was one of the last to show up, and that was not acceptable. She had to cut down the most of these creatures, her pride demanded it. Drawing her blade she quickly cut down every Hollow in her path indiscriminately and soon, the battle was over and they had won. The others were off, cheering at having won the day with so few casualties. They were all tired, but did not care. Except her, though. She had not cut down NEARLY enough enemies. Letting out a cry of frustration she kicked a small piece of the part of the city's destroyed wall and it hit something. Standing there was a human-like shape. Though, it was obviously a Hollow. Smiling that she got to have one more kill she struck the creature. It did not flinch and her sword broke. Apparently, the creature had just now perceived her presence until now and it looked down at her. For the first time in her life, Yachiru Unohana was afraid. After that, more of the human-like Hollows showed up. And everything went to hell.

"11,"

Ran'Tao

Her eyes widened in horror as the rest of the Gotei were all thrown through Myrinon's wall into the Ashfield in front of it, skidding to a stop. The Vasto Lorde were merciless in their assasult on them, and they would die if something. "We need to help them!" she screamed at Alexander.

"No," he answered, "I won't."

"Why not?" Ran'Tao asked him, "Are you truly that heartless of a person?"

"That all depends," he answered her.

She spat in his face. "Depends on what?" she asked, disgusted, "You have the power to end all of this in an instant but you do nothing! So, what do the requirements for your help depend on, huh!?"

He looked up at her. "On whatever you chose to do," he answered. She looked at him, then down at the Nephilhim. More Hollows were dropping down by the second. Adjuchas mostly. But a few Vasto Lorde here and there. She saw the Nephilhim being beaten down. Shigekuni bleeding out, Tenjiro, Senjmaru, and Ichibei all unconscious, Yhwach could barely move, Ahmad was being beaten around by a Hollow, Chang was being restrained, and Yachiru was being flailed around like a towel. Then, she saw a Vasto Lorde grab Sebastian by the neck and she drew out her gun and fired right through the creatures head, killing it and freeing Sebastian.

"Burn in hell," she told Alexander.

"If only I could," he answered. She jumped down and tossed her gun away. She clapped her hands together and yellow energy rings flowed out of her wrists. When she lowered her arms the two rings became energy katanas and she charged in. She cut down two Vasto Lorde who charged at her and rushed over to Chang, cutting off the arm of the Hollow holding her down. "Alright," Ran'Tao said "Who's next!?" The Hollows all dropped whatever Nephilhim they were tormenting and charged at her. She cut down the first Adjuchas that charged at her. She jumped on it to propel her just as it disappeared. She sliced up two more Hollows and stopped the attack of a third with one of her blades. She quickly sliced that Hollow in half and turned her attention to some Vasto Lorde charging up Ceros. Them, they rapid fired at her. She dodged and sliced the blasts as they reached her. When they stopped she charged at them and jumped into the air and drove her swords through one of their skulls. Two grabbed her wrists and immobilized her and began making a stabbing motion with its clawed hand. She sliced off the hand of the two restraining her by flipping her swords in her fingers and dodged the stab and sliced the attacking Hollow in half.

She killed the two Vasto Lorde that restrained her and was suddenly bombarded from above. Looking up, she saw a swarm of flying Hollows above her. She slammed her two Katanas together at the hilts and spun them around until they were a single curved energy object. She placed her hand by it and a string appeared. Drawing it back an arrow appeared and she shot, killing one Hollow in the air. At that point she began rapid firing as fast as she could, destroying numerous flying Hollows. Several took the choice to dive bomb her. She jumped up and shot one arrow straight into another's skull and hopped on another, the weight on its back causing it to slam into the ground. She looked and saw even more Hollows converging upon her. She reached down to her bow to activate her final weapon from.

"12,"

Alexander

He looked down on the battle bellow and smirked. They were ready. Getting to his feet he flashstepped down and placed his hand on Ran'Tao's. "Don't bother," he told her, "I got this." He turned and as the Hollows converged on the group a pressure could be felt that stopped them in their tracks. The pressure continued to increase and they began to falter and many couldn't even stand. And without moving, without speaking, without snapping, without so much as blinking, every Gilliam, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde before him were immediately obliterated from existence by Alexander's bare reiatsu.

"and 13," he said to himself. Jumping up on a rock he looked down on the group beneath him and smiled.

"I forgot to mention one thing earlier," he told them all smiling, "Another part of this job is protecting people from Hollows! And it seems you're all pretty ok with that. So, ladies and gentlemen I am proud to announce that We are Gotei!"

Unknown

When Celestine reached Los Noches she immediately took for the very top of the central palace. The black stands where the Espada met. Once she reached it she landed in her chair with ease. Looking around she inspected the ones there. A Large ape-like Hollow sat far back in his chair with both his long arms reaching out and easily grabbing at the front of the rests, Ice Grinder. Next she turned her attention to the mermaid appearing Hollow sitting in her own chair, Nelisandra. There was another one, a bird black as night, aside from the mask that donned its face, Black Wing, who sat on a perch instead of a chair. Next to him was a mask shaped like someone screaming floating there, Phantom Pain. The next one down the line was one who took the form of a wolf man sitting in his chair like a loyal dog, Slasher. Then, she took a look at a Hollow with no mask but a hideous appearance with shaggy black hair, bat wings, and no lower half, Serena Aswang. A rumbling was heard, the building shook, and they all knew, the Primera had arrived. First, they saw one head that just appeared to be a snake, the next one donned with feathers, the third fish-like scales and gills, the fourth took the form of a snake with a dragon-like head, and the last one was a cobra head, Serpentine Towers.

Looking up, above the level all the other Espada were seated at, positioned so that the moon was perfectly behind him, black wings spreading out across the sky, was the Cero Espada, King of Hueco Mundo, Cielo Black. She swallowed and called out to her king, "You Majesty, what's this meeting all about?" she asked him. He looked down to her and answered.

"I'm afraid I know not, I did not call it," he told her.

"That would have been me," a new voice said. Celestine turned and was shocked. Nine Lashes was there, at a meeting. And he called it! Everybody straightened at the news of that. Nine Lashes was notorious for not showing to Espada meetings and NEVER called for them. Whatever it was, it was important.

"My Liege and my fellow Espada," Nine Lashes announced, "We have a problem. And it calls itself the Gotei 13."

Author's Notes:Arc 1 is done! After nearly a flipping year Callian! Ugh. Well, sorry folks I'll try to get better about updating this fic. Until then, hope you enjoyed this double update! So, we have our main antagonistic force. The original Espada. I'm not talking about Aarinero's original Espada. In this fic that just means the first generation of Aizen's Espada. No, I'm talking about the ORIGINAL Espada. And these guys are no joke either. How powerful are these guys? The Eighth Espada, one of the weakest, could take on Byakuya, Toshiro, and Zaraki all at once and win. Do NOT underestimate these guys! Now, I've made that promise, I hope I can uphold it. Callian31, signing out!

PS, please note the Espada were NOT listed in order of their number. I want to leave you guys and gals guessing.