A/N: Thanks go to Koneko144 for helping with the translations. Here's what they mean:

Fumetsu no Rei: Immortal Spirit. Hiyori's Zanpakutou. Her abilities:

Tsubasa ouda: Wing strike.

Inazumaitokuri: Lightning Spinner. Kukaku's Zanpakutou. Her abilities:

Denkikumo no su: Electric spider's web.

Shibatsu: Death strike.

Thanks for all the words of encouragement. Enjoy the first fight of my story.

Side note: This is coming 6 months after I wrote this chapter originally. Hiyori's zanpakutou has finally been revealed, and it looks like one of Ichigo's Bankai training blades. Lame. I strongly believe that my idea for it was better.

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The Heir Apparent
Chapter 7 - Two New Captains part 2: The Duel

'Ready to lose, old woman?' said the short blond girl cockily as she faced her.

'Who are you calling old,' said Kukaku, her eyebrow twitching dangerously. She stayed focused though, this was the one chance she had to make her dream come true. She raised her blade with one arm, in classic en garde form.

'Begin,' Yamamoto ordered from the sidelines.

Immediately Hiyori rushed forward, her blade stabbing low. She was being aggressive off the bat, the only way Kukaku knew to face that effectively was to fight fire with fire. She blocked upwards while she ducked under the deflected blow, sliding her weapon off to strike the girls stomach. Only she wasn't there, Hiyori had somersaulted over her head, lashing out at her neck. Kukaku blocked reflexively, and they both turned to face each other after the movement simultaneously. The wind picked up a few leaves between them, otherwise nothing moved.

This time she moved first, giving a head slash that she changed the angle of in mid-flight. The lieutenant wasn't fooled, and dodged out the way, coming back immediately with a stab. They traded blows thick and fast, until she caught Hiyori with a solid kick under the chin, sending her flying backwards and very nearly disarming her. She recovered surprisingly fast though, flipping back so she landed on her feet. She put a hand to her mouth.

'Aargh,' she cried angrily, looking at the blood on her palm. 'Now I'm mad.'

'Come on then, little girl,' said Kukaku, a smile playing on her lips.

Hiyori's face darkened, and she put her katana on her left forearm. 'Attack and defend, Fumetsu no Rei'

Light burst from her blade as it melded into two separate entities, a large burnished shield with the emblem of a phoenix and a broadsword with an engraving of the same on the blade.

'A sword and shield combination,' said Kukaku, mildly surprised. 'I've only ever seen one of those before. However, it won't be enough to beat me. Weave, Inazumaitokuri.'

Energy poured from the heavens, striking her blade as she held it above her head. It elongated and extended to about one and a half meters, becoming a heavily engraved metal staff of countless symbols. Electricity ran up and down it's entire length, static sparks flying off at intervals.

'My Zanpakutou is the most powerful electric-type in Soul Society,' she said, smugly taking in the girls awed expression. 'Are you sure you don't want to back out?'

'Don't be a smartass,' Hiyori snarled, scowling. 'I'm here to beat you.' And with that she charged forward.

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'Whewee, they're really going at it,' whistled Shinji from the sidelines as Kukaku and Hiyori clashed again and again at breakneck speed.

'Yeah,' said Kensei, squinting his eyes to follow a particularly quick movement. Likely the seated shinigami in the stands wouldn't even be able to follow what was happening. Hiyori might not look it, but she wasn't far off captain level, and she seemed determined to win this one. He'd seldom seen her get so serious. 'A Kido-based elemental type versus a combat-based Zanpakutou. They're really going all-out,' he commented.

'Look closer,' said Shinji. 'Hiyori is using all she has to try and end it, but Shiba is holding back. Or more accurately, she's biding her time.'

Kensei grunted. Shinji was one of the most perceptive men he'd ever known, his deductions were usually spot on. So he accepted his assessment without comment or doubt. But waiting for what? Dragging out a duel was never a good idea, especially if your opponent could draw on hollow powers to strengthen them further. Realisation hit him like a sword thrust through the head.

'She's got some kind of ability that she's waiting on!' he exclaimed.

'Cor-rect,' said Shinji, smiling toothily and raising his index finger. 'But will Hiyori realise this?'

She hadn't yet, judging by how she was fighting. She sent a large smiting blast from her shield, which Shiba dodged easily, jumping high into the air. She started chanting something, moving one end of her staff in a cross, then in three progressively larger squares. Yellow energy followed the tip and solidified, creating something that looked like a net or a web. She grabbed the centre in her one hand before landing lightly, shouting out loudly enough for them to hear on the sidelines.

'Second weave, Denkikumo no su.'

'Oh, that's interesting,' said Shinji.

'Yeah, a net,' said Kensei.

'Not that,' he said, shaking his head slightly. 'It's an animal-based Zanpakutou, as well as being elemental; like Hitsugaya's. We'd probably see it properly if she goes Bankai. I'm guessing at a spider.'

'I don't like spiders,' said Kensei, his shoulders shivering.

'I know,' said Shinji, too engrossed in the fight to take advantage of the chance to tease him.

'Hiyori hasn't got her Bankai yet, has she?'

'No. She's done about half the training, but she's been slack about it. If she'd been diligent she'd have had it for more than a decade by now.'

'Ooh, that was close!'

Hiyori had just been partially netted by Kukaku. She had forced the older woman away with a couple of wild slashes, but her shield arm was still caught up with the sticky net. Kukaku then raised her arm and uttered a single word, the net glowed brighter; and exploded with a crackling boom. Kukaku had immediately rushed into the smoke, swinging her weapon. From there their sight was obscured to shadows. When the smoke cleared, Hiyori had the staff locked between her sword and shield.

'So she had to use it,' Shinji said.

Hiyori's Vizord mask was now on her face. Even from the sidelines they could see her brown-black eyes flash angrily.

'Is that even allowed?' said Kensei dubiously.

Shinji scratched his head. 'There's no rule against it,' he said slowly. 'I guess this is the first time someone with hollow powers has participated in such a test.'

There was no call from Yamamoto to halt the match. Kensei smirked. 'Hmph, Shiba will have to use her Bankai now.'

'Will she?'

'Tsubasa ouda!' Hiyori cried inside the arena.

She shoved the other woman away with a substantially more powerful smite blast. This one connected solidly. Even though Kukaku blocked at the last instant she was sent flying backwards. When she got up, the two woman looked equally frazzled and burned. Hiyori was shouting something about forcing her to show her true power, then attacked even faster than she'd done at the beginning of the fight. Kensei though knew this wasn't the full extent of her abilities, this time she was the one holding back.

'Eh,' he said, 'Hiyori is real determined to see her Bankai. Hey Shinji, what happens if the lieutenant beats the prospective captain?'

'I don't know. They're pretty strict about who they let take the test, as far as I know that's never happened.'

'Well, it might today if Shiba doesn't use her Bankai. Why do you think she's holding back?'

Shinji gave him one of his half-closed eyes glances that let him know he though he was asking a stupid question. 'For a captain to go to that level to beat a lieutenant means that they're not much stronger. This test is more than proof that one is strong enough to take up the role, otherwise only the captain-commander would watch. It's a way of introducing the new captain to the officers, and display their ability in actual combat.'

'I guess this gets around quite a bit.' he said, shifting on his feet. It had been over a century since he'd been a captain, he couldn't be expected to remember everything. 'And Shiba wouldn't like a reputation like Abarai has.'

'No, it would be all but impossible to live down.'

'But on the other hand, if she doesn't use it at this rate she's going to lose. Unless she plays that ace of hers soon.'

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Kukaku was defending now with both Kido and her staff. But the masked girl was a relentless force, smashing through her defences one after the other, constantly on the attack. She was reaching her limit fast, soon she would have to use her Bankai whether she wanted to or not.

'Just a bit more,' she panted, gritting her teeth.

Her body burned from pain. One eye was bruised and blackening, her hairline was cut and soaking her white head wrappings with redness. Blood ran out the side of her mouth. Half her body was covered in burns, and there were a host of small bleeding slices all over her. She could barely stand up straight.

'Just a little bit,' she muttered, as the girl rushed at her again.

She stabbed with her staff, aiming at the body. It was blocked by the shield, electricity flared, then the sword swept in. She flash-stepped away, but not fast enough. Another cut opened on her side, one substantially deeper than any of the others. Unable to contain it, she cried out.

'Is that all you've got?' Hiyori sneered, stopping and pushing her mask to the side. 'Come on, this is too easy.'

Kukaku tested the air. It wasn't fully saturated with static yet, but that would probably be enough if she could get past that accursed shield. Against a sword, a staff that couldn't be broken was superior, with far greater versatility and reach. It's only weakness that it couldn't cut her staff circumvented by electrocuting. But with the shield in the equation as well it was effectively two against one. And with Hiyori's smite blasts it was an effective weapon in its own right. She wasn't sure how much of her attack it would be able to absorb before it reached its limit, it might be enough to make any amount of preparation on her part useless.

'Your staff has charged up during the fight,' said the girl. 'It's glowing far brighter than earlier. Dumbass, did you really think I wouldn't notice. Shiba, just use your Bankai, whatever you've stored won't be enough.'

She hardly could have missed it, her staff was glowing so brightly by now it was becoming painful to look at. It had only reached about two thirds of it's maximum so far, but she couldn't risk trading any more blows. Her body would not be able to take it. She had to do it now.

'Carriage of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six. Bakudo no 61, Rikujokoro,' she said, moving her hands in the appropriate gestures. The spell caught the girl firmly in its grip.

'Gah,' Hiyori shouted, smashing the bottom of her shield repeatedly into the thin but wide metal pieces that encircled her. They started cracking immediately. 'Big-breasted idiot, this won't hold me!'

Kukaku had never intended for it to hold her though, just stall her enough that she wouldn't rush her attack, which took time to prepare. Inazumaitokuri was unique in that it not only got stronger as it traded blows, but added to and could draw on the static charge in the air. That was what Hiyori hadn't realised. The downside to that was any lightning-based attack she wielded would use up some of the charge, and an attack on the level she was about to use would strip all its and the airs power immediately. If this failed, she really would have to use her Bankai.

'Finish weave,' she cried, spinning her staff around in a vertical circle from shoulder height and marking eight shining points 'Shibatsu,' she shouted, stabbing her staff through the centre. The eight globes instantly drew the area's static electricity and poured it into her already powerfully charged staff, forming lines of lightning power connecting them the centre; as well as their brothers on either side of them. Then suddenly they all were sucked into the staff. After a silent second it triggered the massive lightning blast.

Hiyori had only just broken out of the binding spell. She didn't see the attack coming, nor have time to defend. How could she when lightning moves at the speed of light. There was a blinding flash that made everything momentarily white and a deafening boom that shook the region. Birds took startled flight in Rukongai, and people there turned in surprise. A huge cloud of dust billowed up in and around the arena, making visibility nearly impossible. In the distance it looked like a mini-nuke had detonated.

As the dust settled, it was obvious the fight was over. Hiyori was lying at an odd angle, her mask broken into fragments, her sword reverted back to it's sealed state. Shiba Kukaku was the clear winner. But there was a new worry.

'Isane, with me,' cried Unohana, rushing forward.

Kukaku's eyes were wide. She hadn't meant to kill the girl.

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Far away, past the poorest districts of south Rukongai , a figure stood on a rocky outcrop halfway up the mountain; watching the mushroom cloud with interest. He was a tall man, it was difficult judge his build since he was wearing a hooded black cloak. Under his cloak his clothing was unadorned white. What skin wasn't covered was pale as a corpse, his hair was jet black. On his hands were a pair of white gloves, they each had a single black cross decorating the back of them.

'Strong,' he said, breathing in the spirit-rich air deeply. 'Stronger than any in the Kreis, but no match for the Prima Kreis. I wonder, was that a Bankai?'

Another man came up behind him. He was uncloaked, and wore a pure white long sleeve and pants. His shoes were white too. Around his wrist was a thin chain.

'Lord Marx,' he said, bowing to his back, 'You have a visitor.'

'You can bring them.'

The man left, and returned a few minutes later with another man cloaked in red. He was shorter, but stockier. Under his cloak he was wearing some type of armour, which was made up of silver metal scales. His exposed skin was dark, a single braded black lock hung below his hood.

The underling left the two of them. For a moment there was silence. Then the red-cloaked one said, 'We should have done it today, Alexander.'

'My name is Marx.'

'The fact remains.'

Marx smiled. 'You always did get straight to the point, Khaan. One of your few admirable qualities.'

Reitsu flared from red-cloaked Khaan. The power was intense, enough to shake the earth around them, yet it was but a fraction of what the man could release. Marx simply stood with his back turned towards to him until it had subsided.

'Are you done?' he said indifferently. 'Do that a bit harder and you'll have the shinigami sniffing us out.'

'We should have attacked today,' grated Khaan. 'Their new captain and strongest lieutenant are exhausted. All the shinigami of rank were concentrated in a single area. They would have had no idea what had hit them. I cannot fathom why Lord Bismark favoured your strategy.'

Marx crouched down on his perch. 'You're so much like the flames you serve, Khaan. Quick to act, slow to reconsider a chosen course. And desperate to destroy anything in your path.' He took a handful of soil from the nearby ground, and allowed it to slowly trickle through his fingers. 'I, on the other hand, am the earth. Solid, dependable. A firm foundation from which to build upon.'

'What's that's supposed to mean?' said Khaan angrily, balling his fists. 'Quit talking in riddles and answer my question!'

'I wasn't aware it was a question,' said Marx. 'It sounded more like you were just expressing your displeasure. Curb your impatience. We've been waiting for the right time to enact our vengeance for well over a century. We weren't ready today, not all the pieces were in place. But we will be getting an even better opportunity coming up in a few weeks.'

'What are you talking about?'

'I have just learned that Soul Society has an heir to the throne of the Spirit King. He is to be formally crowned in thirty-nine days time, at which point they will also be reinstating their government; Central 46. All shinigami in Soul Society will be attending this ceremony, with the exception of a few token guards. They will be ripe for the taking.'

Khaan's anger faded as quickly as it had ignited. 'You sure about this, Alexander?'

'Marx,' he said through gritted teeth, then continued in a normal tone. 'Yes, I am sure. My informants are very clued up, I even have one in the top ten seats of the first division. He is particularly useful.'

'Will we be ready by then?'

'Can I count on you to do your part?' Marx countered.

'Of course. But will we be able to act at that time?'

Marx looked out in the direction of Seireitei. The cloud had dissipated by now, although its residue still hung spread over the area. 'In case you haven't noticed, we have made considerable advances in the past few weeks. It's been amazingly easy recently, with the shinigami struggling to recover from the war. We've battled for centuries to slip our people into their ranks, never having more than one or two at a time. But recently with them recruiting so urgently we have scores of infiltrators, some even reaching seated positions. Now we finally have access to the primary asset, in the first division. When the time comes, we will be able smite them down, permanently.'

'We have it!' said Khaan, unable to hide his glee. 'What about the others?'

'Most of them we won't be able to secure,' Marx admitted. 'But with the advantage of surprise that we will have, we won't need most of them. The few we get will be enough. After that it will depend on our martial prowess.'

'So this is it,' said Khaan, shivering with excitement. 'We're actually going to do this.'

The man was as good as putty in his hands now, he could tell him to do whatever he wanted. Khaan was strong, he knew, possibly even stronger than he was. A useful asset. As long as he could be pointed in the right direction.

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