"You're... dying?" Kisaki wasn't sure if she understood. And what did Tamotsu mean by the Final Death?

"Nothing can last forever," Tamotsu said, his tone casual. "I've become so much and now-"

"Oh, no you don't!" Tamotsu and Kisaki turned to see Hinohebi materializing out of her zanpakuto form. Her face was taut, her expression clearly upset. "You listen to me, master. I spent fifty years after my first master died to find you. Another thirty-three years after that waiting for you to hear my voice again. Five years later you went and blew yourself up, with my help mind you, then after that it was twenty-seven years of waiting until you heard me again. That's a hundred and ten years of waiting and I am not going to go through that again!"

Tamotsu eyed Hinohebi, her eyes growing glassy with tears. "I can remember lifetimes when I went just as long without-"

"Don't talk to me about your past lifetimes," Hinohebi interrupted. "Its always about the past lifetimes with you. What about those of us who only have one lifetime to remember?"

"Calm yourself, Hinohebi," a male voice sounded. Hinohebi turned to see Masamune, clad in his purple kimono, standing with his hands behind his back. "I, too, only remember one lifetime. And as long as you have spent waiting for him to hear your voice you should remember that it has taken much longer for him to hear mine."

"Masamune..."

"When he bonded with me while he was in the Kuchiki clan there were many lessons that were learned. I promised our master that I would never leave him, so even in death I buried myself. I felt the times when you entered into his inner world and still I waited. And you are not alone in your feelings. For the times you have witnessed him die... Remember that I felt those deaths and more. And still I stayed."

Hinohebi stared at Masamune, her mouth trying to form words but nothing came. He was right. He had been through much more than she had and he was not complaining. "I'm sorry... Masamune... Tamotsu..."

"Its all right," Tamotsu said.

"What do you mean by Final Death?" Kisaki asked. "You made a promise to me... You promised to help me find what my heart lacked... What the hearts of all Hollows lacked..." Kisaki's eyes became wet and a tear rolled down one cheek. A crack suddenly appeared and broke half of what remained of her mask and rolled down under her eye. "Tamotsu... You can't die..."

"Calm down. What is death but the word we give for changing from one plane of existence to another?"

He is right, a voice sounded. The group turned to see the Tengokucho sitting on the center of a table, its wings moving slowly. A soul does not cease to exist simply because it dies. Souls are always moving from one dimension to another.

"But what does he mean?" Kisaki asked.

Tengokucho cocked its head and seemed to look directly at Kisaki. Do you believe that this is all there is? Have you never looked upon the stars and wondered what else existed beyond them? Do you believe that this world was all there was in the universe? No, there is much more than you could possibly understand. This earth, with all of its interconnected dimensions, is but a single rock on a shoreline that borders an ocean of infinite potential.

"There's more out there? How much more?"

Your mind can only handle so much. As the Reincarnates can attest, having memories of one past life is extremely difficult. Many of the Reincarnates have tried to continue from where that life ended. But how much more difficult is it to have memories of two or three lifetimes? Could your mind handle it? What about a hundred?

Kisaki looked away, trying to take in what the white butterfly was saying. It was right, she finally decided. There was so much more than she could handle, yet Tamotsu seemed to be taking it all in.

A movement in the doorway caused the entire group to turn at once. Standing in his human form was Takeo Saegusa. He looked at the Tengokucho, then at Tamotsu and nodded. He had heard the conversation. With his right hand, he made a fist and placed it over his heart. A warrior's salute. Unable to speak, even in his human body, his message was clear. No matter what came he would follow Tamotsu to the end.

Are you prepared then? Tengokucho asked Tamotsu.

"Not yet," Tamotsu replied. "There are still some things I must attend to."

Such as?

"Aizen."

The group turned and looked at Tamotsu. With all that had happened to him in the past few days they had nearly forgotten about Sosuke Aizen and the plans he had for discovering the secret of the Reincarnates.

"This whole thing started with him... And with me. I must be the one who ends this."

Footsteps echoed through the empty halls as Captain Commander Yamamoto moved through the main lab at Division Twelve. Mayuri Kurotsuchi was sitting in front of his massive computer when he could fell the approaching presence.

"Ah, Captain Commander," Mayuri said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Mayuri Kurotsuchi," Yamamoto said. "I believe that Sosuke Aizen shall try to soon infiltrate your facility and take possession of the information you have obtained concerning the Reincarnate Shinigami."

"I thought as much also." Mayuri held up a compact disc and displayed it for Yamamoto to see. "I have already compiled the information into this disc."

"For the protection of this information I order you to hand it to me for safekeeping. Then, as further precaution, you should delete the files from your computer system."

Mayuri smiled and handed the disc to Yamamoto, but refused to let go. When Yamamoto tried pulling harder the disc, along with Mayuri, began to glow as an incredible increase of reiatsu emanated from them. The resulting explosion was not enough to harm but it did send the elder Shinigami flying backward several yards. A wicked laughter filled the echoing halls.

"You really do disappoint," Mayuri's voice sounded. "Its a little trick I picked up from Tamotsu. You may be able to fool my physical senses but I set in place several decoys. They were designed specifically to explode with direct contact with you your reiatsu signature, Sosuke Aizen."

The illusion faded and rather than Yamamoto, Aizen now stood in the hallway. "You always were a clever one," Aizen said.

"I find it hard to believe that someone who prides himself on deception was able to be fooled so easily. Perhaps you are losing your touch?"

Aizen looked around, trying to sense where the voice was originating. "I would rather save my talents for those deserving of them. But it would seem I have no choice now." Drawing his blade, Aizen strode casually to the front entrance. Two forms approached from the shadows, each of them looking exactly like Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

"Tell me, Aizen," one of the Mayuri's said. "Which one of us is the real one?"

"This type of Gigai was Tamotsu's brainchild," the other one said. "A decoy that copies the reiatsu of the intended target."

"I've been curious to see how it would work on someone of your level," a third Mayuri said as he emerged from the shadows behind Aizen. "Deception is not how I would prefer to work, but could you imagine the potential?"

Aizen smiled. "You did well, I must say," he said. "Right now it is impossible for me to discern which one of you would be real based on the reiatsu. But knowing you, Mayuri, you would send in your drones to test them first before making analysis. None of you are real."

Thrusting his hands outward, blue energy surged and struck all three of the Mayuri copies. Explosions bathed the area in bright yellow light as Aizen ran outside. He hadn't counted on them being able to see through his disguise so easily, but at the same time he realized he should have known better than to have tried the same trick twice with them.

Outside, Aizen was immediately met by a gigantic ice dragon. He dodged the beast and found Hitsugaya behind the frost left behind in the air. "We were alerted as soon as your reiatsu entered the Seireitei," Hitsugaya explained. "You would have done well to have stayed away instead."

"Captain Hitsugaya," Aizen said with a smile. "Its been too long. I suppose you're still mad at me for that last illusion you fell for?"

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed as he remembered the previous year in the attack on Aizen. He had mistakenly stabbed Momo Hinomori through the chest while under Aizen's illusionary influence. He had stabbed his best friend and almost killed her...

"You bastard!" Hitsugaya thrust his zanpakuto into the air and summoned a secondary ice dragon. A sudden light below him caused Aizen to look down and he jumped out of the way just as a pillar of ice formed in his previous position.

"Rukia Kuchiki," Aizen said as he met the gaze of the other Shinigami. "So am I to assume that all of the ice-type wielders are sent after me?" Rukia did not answer but instead sent another pillar of ice shooting toward the enemy. Again, Aizen dodged. This time, he exited the Shunpo jump just behind Rukia. "You should learn to watch your back."

Aizen thrust his zanpakuto forward, the tip emerging from Rukia's collar bone, then pulled it back. "I missed your vital organs," Aizen explained. "But you should bleed to death soon enough."

Rukia looked behind at her attacker before falling to the ground. "Rukia!" Rangiku used Shunpo to land next to the fallen Lieutenant and began to use healing Kido, but a presence behind her made her stop. She was unable to react in time as Aizen grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to her knees.

"You and your brother have been quite troublesome in my endeavors," Aizen said. "Killing you will bring me great satisfactions."

"Don't count on it," Rangiku said as she drew her zanpakuto.

"Tell me, Rangiku. Are you still mad that I killed Gin Ichimaru? But then again you're used to losing those you love. How many times has Tamotsu died in front of you?"

Rangiku angled her zanpakuto backward, the point facing downward. Aizen pulled on Rangiku's hair, pulling her to her feet.

"You're at an awkward angle," Aizen continued. "Are you sure you can cut me like that?"

Rangiku smiled slightly. "Who ever said anything about cutting you?" Aizen's face contorted, then turned to shock as Rangiku moved her zanpakuto sideways. She grazed Aizen's hand, but the hand was not the intended target. Moving quickly, she cut through her own hair then vanished.

She appeared again behind Aizen, who still held the long hair in his fist, and positioned her hands in front of her. A ball of red energy formed and fired. A cloud of dust and debris formed as the energy exploded, but Aizen had already jumped away.

Bringing her free hand behind her head, Rangiku felt her hair. The air felt cool on the back of her neck, something that she hadn't felt in years. "I'd forgotten what it felt like to have short hair," she said to nobody in particular.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya called out. "Stay focused!"

Rangiku nodded and went to Rukia's side once again. She was thrown away by an invisible force, then turned to see Aizen pointing his finger.

"Such a simple technique yet so effective," Aizen said.

Hitsugaya grimaced. None of his techniques would be able to be safely used with so many others closely, and Aizen was doing his best to make sure they couldn't use them. The other Captains were on their way, the alarm having been sounded once Mayuri's duplicate exploded, but time was short. Already he could feel Rukia's reiatsu becoming weaker.

"Its time to make things more interesting," Aizen said as he smiled, raising his zanpakuto. "Which illusion shall I cast for you this time? Or maybe I'm already casting one. Where am I really? Am I standing here? Or am I behind you?"

Hitsugaya screamed and lunged forward. Aizen was in his sights and nothing would stop him. He knew he probably wasn't thinking clearly but he attacked anyway. He was close to swinging his blade, but a voice sounded. It was not powerful or loud, but it struck him as if it were.

"Aizen..."

The group turned to see Tamotsu Toshiyuki approaching. Takeo and Naomi were walking behind and to the side, as well as Kisaki and the physical manifestations of Hinohebi and Masamune. Tamotsu's robes flowed in the breeze as he walked, the coloration so pale it seemed to glow in the light. Hitsugaya backed away and Aizen turned toward the newcomers.

"Tamotsu Toshiyuki," Aizen said. "Or should I refer to you as Kiyoshi Matsumoto?"

Tamotsu walked forward slowly and spoke. "My sister is the only one permitted to call me by that name," he said.

"And what brings you here?"

"I have come to put an end to your reign."

Aizen threw his head back and laughed. "You came to stop me? Look at you! Your robes have lost all color to them! I cannot sense the reiatsu of your presence! You've lost your powers, haven't you?"

"No, Aizen," Tamotsu said as he stopped at Rukia. She was on her back, almost hyperventilating as blood poured from the wound in her chest. "I have become far more powerful than you could possibly imagine." Taking his finger, Tamotsu touched the wound on Rukia's chest. She gasped as green light poured into the wound and stitched the broken flesh and bone together. Her energy renewed, the grabbed her zanpakuto and stood ready.

"So you still have some power left then," Aizen remarked, his smile vanishing.

Tamotsu stood, eyes closed and head bowed to where Rukia had been lying. "Tell me, Aizen. Do you know why, when a Shinigami loses their powers, their robes become white? It is not because they are without power, but rather because without power they humble themselves. They recognize their own weakness. And because of that they are not proud. They are pure. The whiteness is a symbol of that purity."

"So you are saying you have become a pure being?"

"I do not say this to boast or to place myself above others. As you are well aware, knowledge is power. You have sought power through knowledge and in so doing have become quite strong. But I, too, have gained vast knowledge. The knowledge of a thousand lifetimes. Such knowledge that makes even you seem like a child in comparison."

Aizen's fist tightened around his blade. The other Captains and Lieutenants were arriving, but gave Tamotsu room to move. "So what are you planning on doing now?" Aizen asked.

Tamotsu looked at his hand. "My time is short. But I have time enough. As I said. I am here to defeat you."

"Well then... You are certainly welcome to try..."

Aizen seemed to vanish suddenly and then reappeared next to Tamotsu and swung his blade. Tamotsu raised his hand with a single finger extended and the blade stopped as if it had hit a steel pole. Tamotsu flicked his finger downward as if casually brushing a speck of dust but Aizen's blade was thrown down with such force as to shake the ground and form a fissure.

"Disappointing," Tamotsu said. "Have you always been this weak? Or perhaps I have surpassed you completely? Surely you are capable of more than this."

Aizen sneered and jumped into Shunpo and moved his blade as fast as he could. A hundred slashes in under a second directed at Tamotsu, who did not seem to move. He landed some distance off, the entire audience not moving.

"Is that all?" Aizen turned to see Tamotsu unscathed. "Honestly, Sosuke. I expected more from you. Had you been moving any slower I would have thought you were standing still. I am sorry, but you'll need more than that level of power if you ever hope to defeat me."

Aizen grit his teeth together. He had used the same words against Tamotsu in their last battle together. Was he actually getting mocked by this Shinigami? Aizen, who had nearly destroyed the Soul Society single handedly, was being bested by one of his own creations? Thrusting his hands forward, a burst of brilliant blue and white energy surged directly toward Tamotsu.

"Kiyoshi!" Rangiku tried to run to her brother's aid but was stopped as if the air had solidified into a clear wall. A barrier? Placing her hands on it there was no doubt. What was more, she could not feel any of the energy being dispensed by Aizen's attack. "Kiyoshi..."

Aizen thrust his hands forward time and time again, firing off Kido spells that were level eighty and above. He poured his reiatsu into each attack, giving it maximum power. Such power that even the Danku barrier would not be able to stop them.

Green and Blue energy bursts erupted from his fists. Purple diamonds fired from around him. Red arcs of pure energy erupted from his presence. All of this was focused on a single point in front of him. All this, and Aizen did not stop. He pulled his fist back, brilliant blue energy forming from his own reiatsu and the reishi from the surrounding area. Such an attack as Soul Society had never seen. He thrust his fist forward- Only to have it caught by an open hand.

The dust cleared in a swirling vortex of wind and revealed Tamotsu holding Aizen's fist. His robes shone bright white, his hair matching the color of his robes was blowing outward by the force of his energy. Aizen felt himself being lifted up as a chair formed under him. Black tendrils of tape moved over his body and tying him down to the chair. There was no escaping it.

"I do believe you have a twenty thousand year sentence," Tamotsu said. "Go there now."

Aizen smiled as the tendrils continued to tighten, one moving over his right eye. "Well played, Tamotsu," he said. "Well played."

A point of light appeared in the center of where Aizen sat tied to the chair, then vanished. All that remained was the white robed Shinigami with hair like snow. He turned to see the Captains and other high ranking officers of the Gotei Thirteen staring at him.

Tamotsu nodded. "It is done," he said.

Looking behind him, Tamotsu could see that the Shinigami had all gathered in a crowd. Looking down at his robes, he stood tall and walked through them. They all parted to allow him to pass. Finally he approached Takeo. Tamotsu removed his Captain's haori and gave it to the Shinigami before him.

"I will no longer be needing this where I am going," Tamotsu said. He turned to face the majority of the crowd and spoke so that all could hear. "I appoint Takeo Saegusa to be my successor as Captain."

Hitsugaya stepped forward in front of the others and spoke. "You can't just appoint a new Captain," he said. "There are proceedings and processes. As a part of the Gotei Thirteen-"

"The fourteenth division is, as you stated at its formation, unofficial. Therefore it is not constrained by the same rules and regulations."

Hitsugaya was about to protest, but then looked at Captain Commander Yamamoto. "He is correct in that matter," Yamamoto said. "So long as the Fourteenth Division remains unofficial it is not required for them to abide by our traditions wholly."

Takeo took the sleeveless haori and threw it on over his robes. Looking at the Lieutenant's badge, he removed it and handed it to Naomi Kanagawa. She took it slowly, then nodded as she accepted the new position.

Moving from the Reincarnates, Tamotsu then walked to the spirits of his two zanpakuto. "Hinohebi," he said. "Masamune. You have both served me well. But where I go now you cannot follow."

Hinohebi stepped forward and threw her arms out. "Why not? We are bound to you! We are part of your spirit!"

Tamotsu smiled and turned his head slightly. "The Shinigami are known by another name. Do you know it?"

Hinohebi nodded. "Death Gods," she said.

"Where I am going I shall have no more dealings with death. I release both you and Masamune from me. You are both now free spirits."

Hinohebi turned away sharply and looked at Masamune, then back at Tamotsu. "But- We're zanpakuto! Without a master... What are we supposed to do?"

"The choice is now yours. Your future is your own."

Tamotsu approached Kisaki next. It was clear she was getting emotional, the mask on her face almost completely gone. The hole in her chest had also gotten noticeably smaller. Tamotsu placed his hands on Kisaki's shoulders and smiled.

"You know what is missing from your heart, Kisaki," Tamotsu said. "The choice remains yours to fill it."

A tear rolled down Kisaki's face. "Tamotsu," she said. "I- I-" She could feel the words in her mind, but couldn't bring herself to say them. "I..."

Tamotsu squeezed Kisaki's shoulders and smiled. He brought her in close and pressed his head close to her ear and whispered. "Speak the words... And be whole."

He pulled away to see tears rolling down Kisaki's face. There was nothing more for him to do for her. Turning around again, the crowd dispersed once again to reveal Rangiku Matsumoto. She walked forward slowly, Tamotsu matching her steps until they were close together.

"Kiyoshi..." Rangiku said. "Please... Don't go."

"I must go, dear sister," Tamotsu responded. "I have shown you all that you need to know."

Rangiku turned away, fighting to hold back the tears. "I- I don't understand..."

Tamotsu stepped forward and placed his hand on Rangiku's arm. "You will. Don't cry. For when you shed tears, let them be tears of joy. I am sorry, but this will be our final goodbye." Tamotsu placed his other hand on Rangiku's opposite arm and smiled. "Live well. Perhaps someday... we shall greet each other once again."

Unable to contain herself, Rangiku threw her arms around Tamotsu, who gently embraced her in return. Kisaki watched, her own tears rolling down her face as the last remnants of her mask broke away. They were not bitter tears of envy nor were they tears of sadness at the fact he was leaving, but the tears she shed bore an emotion she felt she had long forgotten.

It is time, a soft voice sounded. Every head turned to see a pinpoint of brilliant light open and a white butterfly with gold-trimmed wings emerged. People of Seireitei, I am Tengokucho. I have been sent to bring the Reincarnate Shinigami to his rightful home. He has proven himself to be pure and strong.

"Where is he going?" Rangiku asked. "Is he to be in the service of the Soul King?"

Even a King is subject to someone, Tengokucho said. It flew to Tamotsu's side and looked directly into his eyes. I shall open the doorway for you this once. Then you shall forever know your way home.

A bright light beamed from a few yards in front of Tamotsu and Tengokucho. The crowd stared in wonder, the brilliance too bright for the majority to see. But for others it seemed as if a golden city lie behind the doorway. The only other light that shone so bright went unnoticed as light filled the hole in Kisaki's chest as she stared. The blackness of her Hollow eyes faded into bright blue and the hole in her chest shrank.

The group stared as Tamotsu entered the light which faded quickly after the two walked through. The light faded and left everyone staring at an empty space. Kisaki touched her chest and looked down, then up again.

"The final death," she said. "Death is merely the word for changing from one plane of existence to another. The final plane of existence. Tamotsu..." Kisaki closed her eyes and thought once more of the Shinigami that had done so much for her, then spoke the words that freed her heart.