I do not own Bleach.
~Diez Espada Gate~
The sand in the room was littered with scorpion and spider carcasses. The twins had stopped calling on the critters once they had released. They didn't want to lose anymore of their pets.
"This is fun, brother." Antoinette called as she jumped out of the way of a blast of pink petals. She landed on the large shinigami's shoulder and jumped higher into the air. Laughing as her brother caught her and they swung away. "We should do this more often."
"Aa." Antonio let go of his sister's legs as he dropped off the bar her was swinging on. He landed beside her and smirked as he watched the two Taichous bicker with each other. "They don't work well together."
"Not at all." Antoinette looked over and spotted the two that had interrupted their fight. The red haired man was still down, but the little girl seemed to be watching the shinigami fight each other with a smile. "I have an idea."
Antonio leaned over as his sister whispered her plan into his ear. He grinned as he got the plan. "Let's go." He took off in a flurry of sonido and landed about halfway to the pink haired shinigami. And as planned, the Taichou of 11th squad got between him and his prey. But that was the plan.
Antoinette jumped up behind the tank as he swung at her brother. "Time for a power down." Her tail came down in front of her and sunk into the man's shoulder. She quickly retreated as he turned to attack her. "How do you like that?" She laughs as the man stumbled a bit.
Her voice caught in her throat as blood filled her lungs. Antoinette looked down and saw remnants of petals floating out of her stomach. Looking behind her, she saw the Taichou of 6th squad look down on her with no emotion as she fell to the ground.
Byakuya looked down at the Espada as she died. She had not been a challenge at all. "For my twin." He turned to look over his right shoulder, where the sound had come from. A pinching feeling came over the left side of his neck. He swatted at it, but there was nothing there. Just two bumps and a bit of liquid.
Antonio wiped his lips. "You know, I much prefer woman. Their blood is sweeter." He mailed a little as the two men stumbled around. "But the potency of the venom still works the same." He walked around the two men as they tried and failed to control their movements. "A few things to know about this venom. It will make using your reiatsu near impossible, as well as any other motor control skills. Even your hearing and speech will be impaired."
"You hurt Ken-chan!" Yachiru yelled at the blue haired man. "And poison isn't fair. Cheat-" Yachiru was cut off as the Espada pressed a hand against her neck, pressing her into the sand. She glared at him as he leaned down closer to her face.
Antonio could feel the 11th squad Taichou seething behind him. But he was far enough away that he wasn't going to make it. "This is war sweetie. Cheaters are the only ones that win." He grabbed one of her arms that was trying to remove his hand from her throat. "And little girls are so tasty." He bent down and bit into her arm. Smirking as she squirmed around and screamed. He had been told that his feeding habits were painful, but the sound was music to his ears.
"Hado 31: Shakkaho!" Antonio was thrown off his meal as a red ball hit his side. He looked over and glared at the red headed shinigami that had attacked him.
Antonio got up and wiped his mouth of sand. "Bad move, shinigami." He shot off towards the shinigami. But instead of his hand plunging into the man's gut, it was stopped by a wall of pink petals. "You?!"
Byakuya looked over his shoulder at his Fukutaichou. "Abarai. You are in possession of Rukia's heart. Remember the consequences of breaking it." He could see a bit of color drain from the man's face, as it should.
Renji bowed his head down. "I apologize for my careless action, Kuchiki-Taichou."
Antonio looked between the he two with confusion. "You two are weird."
"You're weird too." Antonio looked over to see the pink haired shinigami clinging to his shoulder. "You have 8 eyes. Does that mean you see 8 of me? Or is there just one? Like how we have two eyes but only see one. How many of me do you see?"
Antonio frowned at the little girl. He had fed off of her and now she was asking him questions. These shinigami were just weird. "None." He raised a hand to shoot a blue cero at her head.
Yachiru frowned as the blue cero died off and her perch began falling. She jumped off and watched as the Espada fell to the ground in two pieces. "Ken-chan! I wanted to know if he saw 8 of me." Yachiru whined up at the tall man that was cleaning his blade.
Kenpachi looked over at his Fukutaichou. Her face was covered in a bit of dirt and had trails from tears, but otherwise had not injuries. "Quit complaining." He slid his sword back into it's sheath and looked over at the other Taichou, or at least tried to. He wasn't sure which one was actually him. "We should go help the others." Kenpachi turned towards the door and walked right into the wall.
Yachiru looked over at Kenpachi as he laid on the ground. "Ken-chan, the door is that way." She pointed in the opposite direction that Kenpachi had been heading towards.
Renji looked as the small pink haired Fukutaichou tried to wake up her large Taichou. "What should we do, Taichou?"
"I believe it would be best if we go see Inoue-Taichou." Byakuya began making his way towards the front gate. Amazingly able to walk in a straight line, at a slower pace than usual, but he wasn't falling over.
Renji followed behind his Taichou. Checking behind him to make sure Yachiru was able to carry her Taichou. He still never understood how the girl could carry him so easily. But then again, Yachiru never really made sense. Looking over at the doorway on the other side of the room, he had only one thought. 'Don't die, everyone.'
~Noveno Espada Gate~
Primrose looked at the athletic woman curiously then back at the white haired shinigami. "Boyfriend?"
"Yeah boyrfriend." Karen growled at the woman. "And I don't like people picking on him."
"I do not get bullied! I can take care of myself Karin!" Toshiro yelled at the black haired Kurosaki. She reminded him a lot of her brother at times like this. He thought she would have gotten over this once he became taller than her.
Karin smirked as Toshiro yelled back at her. No one else really argued with her, they were too scared of her. "Whatever you say, Shiro-chan."
"Do not call me that!" Toshiro landed in front of Karin and grabbed her arm before pulling her back a few feet. Several spikes of ice landed where she had once been. "You should pay more attention." He loosened his grip a bit and pulled her closer to him.
Karin smiled as she held herself close to Toshiro. "Kind of hard when you have my full attention." Her smile grew as Toshiro chuckled while shaking his head. "I missed you, Toshiro."
"I missed you too, Karin." Toshiro took one more step and placed them beside Rangiku and Rukia. The former was rubbing her arms and frowning heavily. "Is something wrong, Matsumoto?"
Rangiku looked over at her Taichou and his girlfriend. "Yes something is wrong. It's way too cold in here. How can you all stand it? I get Taichou and Rukia-chan, but Karin-chan as well?!" She sighed heavily as they all just shrugged at her in response.
Rukia looked around an ice spike to try and see the Espada. So far there was no sight of her, but they also did not hear her. "Do we have a plan?"
"It's useless." They all spun around as the Espada slid down a pillar of ice. Then two more on either side of her. "You all will die." More came down from above them till they were surrounded by two dozen copies of the Espada. They all brought up their hands and began charging a white cero.
Karin cracked a grin and chuckled a bit, earning her questioning looks from her shinigami companions. "This is too perfect." She lifted her zanpakutou horizontally over her head with one of her hands under the blade. "Let it Burn, Hinowa!" A large ring of fire spread out from the zanpakutou, falling to the ground once it passed their group and rushed towards the copies.
*BOOM*
Toshiro held his hand out and caught a falling flake from the resulting blast. "Nice move." Snow flew everywhere as the copies returned to the snow they were made from. Never melting from the heat due to the extreme cold.
Karin shrugged as she placed her sickle and chain over her shoulders. "I try. I do have a family reputation to hold up after all."
"Incoming!" The group looked up as Rukia called out to them. A large ball of ice was falling towards them. They all scattered to avoid the object.
The ice meteor disintegrated on contact with the ground. Spreading out into a dense fog and covering the entire area. Engulfing the Shinigami in it, and leaving the Espada to smile as they called out to each other. "You will never find each other. Now...freeze." She smiled as the grey fog changed to white in an instant.
Primrose slid down the ice and into the fog, clearing at as she went. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fog to clear it. When the fog cleared, Primrose was her child self again. And she had four new ice sculptures. The one with really large breasts had her sword out and trying to do something, but failing. The sole male was reaching out towards another female, but just shy of touching. And the last female had her sword out and pointed towards the ground, surrendering.
Primrose was about to leave, but the sound of cracking ice stopped her. She looked around to find the source of the sound. "Impossible." She breathed out slowly. The black haired shinigami was unfrozen. "I froze you!"
Rukia gave the Espada a small smile. "I have frozen and unfrozen myself many times." Rukia looked over at the rest of her companions safely encased in ice. "And now...I can safely finish this." She brought her zanpakutou in front of her and leveled a cold look at the confused Espada. "Bankai, Hakka no Togame."
Primrose covered her eyes as a white light came from the shinigami before her. She shuddered as a shiver ran through her body. "Cold?" She looked down at her hands, there was frost forcing on them. "How?" Her eyes shifted towards where the shinigami stood. Her outfit a brilliant white to match her now colorless hair. "So you're a Shiro as well?" She felt a smile form on her face. "At least...it was the ice and cold...that sent me...away..."
Rukia watched as the child froze and fell over. Breaking into ice just as her clones had before her. She sighed as she slowly began to thaw herself. Bringing the temperature of the room up slowly as well. She had others to thaw along side herself.
"So cold!" Rangiku cried out as soon as she was able too. She started rubbing her hands over her arms to try and warm herself up.
"Karin!" Toshiro called out as his legs unfroze and caught a shivering Karin. He had to admit, he found it a bit chilly. "Are you alright?"
Karin snuggled closer to Toshiro, he was always a source of warmth to her. "Just a bit chilled, nothing permanent." She sighed happily as the tension in Toshiro's muscles relaxed. "What about you?"
Toshiro placed a kiss on Karins forehead. "I'm just fine."
"You two should just kiss already." Rangiku giggled a bit as the couple glared at her. But it was true, most of Seireitei had a bet going about when they would finally get married.
"That will have to wait." Rukia stepped between the Fukutaichou and the couple. She turned towards Hitsugaya-Taichou. "We should continue on to help the others."
Toshiro nodded as he stood up and helped Karin to stand. "Let's go." He took off towards the door, the others not far behind him.
"Time to get to warmer places." Rangiku shouted as they passed through the gaping hole that was still in the frozen doorway. The last remnants of the Noveno Espada.
~Septima Espada Gate~
Hisagi looked from the snake lady towards his Taichou. "What should we do?"
"Avoid the vines and kill the Espada." Kensei never took his eyes off of the Hollow they were facing.
Rose rolled his eyes at the white haired man's plan. "And how do you plan to accomplish that. Because that didn't work last time."
"Mashiro can do it!" The green haired woman jumped up excitedly. She looked over at Kensei that was giving her one of his looks. "I will go much faster this time. Then I won't get caught."
The sound of snapping vines drew their attention. The Espada was making a move. Kensei, Rose, and Hisagi spotted the thick vine moving towards them and jumped up over it. Kira and Mashiro also saw it, but couldn't move in time. So they blocked the attack, or tried to. They were both shot off deeper into the jungle around them.
Kensei gave off a sigh as he lost Kira and Mashiro's reiatsu among the reiatsu of the over grown jungle. "At least we don't have to worry about them getting hurt or caught again."
"Kensei, be nice to Kira-kun." Rose didn't like it when people picked on his Fukutaichou. He was still a bit of an emotional wreck.
"Should we try boxing her in?" Hisagi suggested as they looked around for the snake Espada. She had vanished.
Kensei was looking around as well. "We tried that. The jungle seems to like being her shield." He hated how he couldn't find her. He hated this stupid jungle.
Hisagi nodded as he moved both his blades to one hand. "Then let's get rid of the jungle. Hado 54: Haien!" A purple fireball shot off of his hand and towards the jungle, lighting it on fire.
"AAAHHHH!" The three tensed as the hollow screamed. "You murderer! How dare you!" They all moved as a deep green cero flew at them from the left side. More followed after the first, but all from one spot.
"I think you just made her mad." Kensei did not want to handle a berserk Espada. I calm Espada was hard enough to beat. But that was also many years ago.
"She's not the only one that is mad." Rose pointed towards the forest. Branches and vines were swaying around and snapping at each other. And as the fire spread, it began to bring trees down around them. "Let's get out of here."
They all moved away form the burning area and the angry Espada. Her screaming could still be heard along with the sound of falling trees. "What now?" Hisagi was not looking forward to facing an angered Espada.
Kensei looked away from the growing smoke. Might as well try to find the other two. She is going to be a while I think."
"How are we going to do that?" Hisagi looked around at the jungle. "This jungle is blocking any other reiatsu but it's own."
Kensei gave a sigh at his second Fukutaichou's argument. "The only other possible way." He took in a deep breath. "MASHIRO!" They waited as leaves rustled in the silence. A good 5 minutes passed before Kensei's frown deepened. "This isn't like her. "MASHIRO! GET OVER-"
He stopped shouting as two figures dropped down to the ground from the branches above. Mashiro and Kira stood up and faced the rest of their group. Kensei, Rose, and Hisagi would have been relieved, if they didn't see something was wrong. "What happened to you two?" Hisagi whispered as he looked between the two's green faces.
Laughter filled the air once more. "That wasn't nice at all, shinigami-kun." Rosetta slithered out behind the two green shinigami. Half of her face was covered by a burn. "Now I shall return the favor." Rosetta smiled as she stroked the hair of her two new pets. "Go devour them."
Mashiro and Kira drew their swords and ran at the group. Kensei immediately ran towards the green haired girl. "Mashiro! Snap out of it!" He shouted at her as she deflected his blade, opening herself up to kick him. Then swung with her sword again. Kensei frowned as he ducked under the strike, coming back up and cutting off the girl's head.
"Taichou!" Hisagi saw what Kensei had done, and was shocked. "What have you done?!"
"Relax Hisagi." Kensei looked down as the girl's body lost it's shape and became vines and leaves again. "It's just a plant copy."
Rosetta growled as the last two shinigami disposed of her other clone. "How did you know?"
Kensei shrugged at the Espada. "I just know my subordinates better than you do." He crossed his arms and smirked as he caught sight of something moving above the Espada. "Besides, Mashiro doesn't attack with her blade. She much prefers to kick things."
"MASHIRO SUPER KICK!" Rosetta looked up into the bottom of the green haired shinigami's foot. Plunging her head down into the dirt floor. Mashiro jumped away and landed in front of Kensei. "Kuna-super-Fukuatichou reporting in!" Mashiro saluted Kensei with a large grin on her face.
Kira landed beside the girl and gave a small bow. "Sorry for not answering earlier. We were a bit...tied up." Kira gave a shiver remembering what they had gone through.
"Yeah!" Mashiro pushed the blond away as she began elaborating. "These weird walking flowers came up and attached themselves to our faces. Then they stuck this tube thingy down our throats. Then they put us in this bubble and filled it with this green water. Then-"
"Focus Mashiro. Story time later." Kensei shook his head at his Fukutaichou's tale.
"But we basically got mouth raped." Mashiro tilted her head sideways as she spoke. Kensei seemed angrier than usual.
"I think I might ask Inoue-Taichou if she can erase my memory of today." Kira shivered again. This was definitely going to turn into a nightmare.
Rose patted his Fukutaichou's shoulder sympathetically. "I don't blame you, Kira-kun."
Rosetta's laughter stopped any further conversation. "Maybe I should have made that drug more potent." She smirked as they all took defensive stances. "Now, become mine!" Vines came up form the ground and grabbed the shinigami.
"Not again!" Kira tried to swing at the vines, but his arms were restrained too tightly.
Kensei growled as his movement was stopped. He caught sight of Hisagi trying to cut through the vines, but failing. But they still had another trick up their sleeve. "Hisagi! Do it now!"
Hisagi nodded at his Taichou's order. "Bankai! Kurogane Kageshi!" He breathed out a sigh as his body broke apart and reformed outside of the vines.
Rosetta looked at the shinigami curiously. His clothes had stayed mostly the same, but he now had a dark red lined, black scarf covering half of his face. And in his hands was a large shurikan and a large kunai. They were joined together by a chain. "So this is a Bankai. What is it suppose to do?"
"Kill you." Hisagi took off towards the Espada. He dropped down into the ground when she sent vines at him.
"Where did he go?" Rosetta looked around for the shinigami, but he had vanished. A shadow moving across the ground caught her attention. "I see you!" She pulled vines up from beneath the ground, hoping to hit the shadow. But it seemed the shadow was good at dodging.
Hisagi jumped out of the ground once he was near enough to the Espada. He threw the shurikan at the snake. She blocked by catching it in some vines, but he was hoping she would catch it. He pulled on the chain and pulled himself towards her faster.
Rosetta brought her tail up to catch the shinigami, but she didn't feel him land on her tail. Instead she saw his head come out through her tail "What-" She coughed out the rest of her words as his kunai cut through her throat.
Kensei sighed in relief as the vines that were holding him slacked off and dropped him. "What happened to the jungle?"
"Snake lady is part of the forest." Mashiro spoke mater-of-factly. "Her tail was attached to it. So she dies, then the forest dies."
"Good riddance." Kensei sealed his sword and sheathed it. He looked over to his Fukutaichou that was coming towards them in his Bankai form. "You did good, kid."
"Thank you, Taichou." Hisagi gave his Taichou a small bow. It wasn't often that the man actually praised anyone.
"Hisagi-kun. When did you get Bankai?" Kira questioned his friend. This was the first time he had heard of this. First Abarai-kun, then Madarame-san and Kuchiki-Fukutaichou, now Hisagi-kun.
Hisagi shrugged as he pulled his scarf down around his neck. "Back during the Quincy Blood War."
Kira nodded slowly. "I hated that war."
"That's because you were out of it for most, if not all of it." Mashiro poked the blonde in the side.
Kira turned to the green haired girl. "I had half my chest blown off!"
"We should get moving." Rose spoke to try and get things moving again. They were wasting time. "The others might need our help."
Kensei nodded in agreement. "You all seemed to have done alright." He turned as another group entered the clearing near them. Hitsugaya-Taichou looked over the small group.
"Hey Hisagi-kun, Kira-kun, Mashiro-chan." Karin smiled as the three Fukutaichous returned her wave.
Kensei looked over the group that had joined them. "Where are the ones from the Diez Gate?"
"Not sure. But I'm sure they have it under control. It is Kuchiki-Taichou and Zaraki-Taichou after all." Rangiku hadn't even thought that they should check on the ones behind them. But they also had the front gate nearby. "We were sent out to help you all with the Espada's since the front gate is completely under control."
"This one was surprisingly easy to deal with." Rose looked over at the dead Espada nearby.
Kensei shrugged as he looked towards the doorway to the next gate. "It just shows how much stronger we have gotten. We should get going."
"No kidding." Karin began walking towards the doorway. "I can feel Ichinii's reiatsu up ahead."
"Then we should go help out before he brings the roof down on our heads." Toshiro took off towards the doorway. The others following close behind him.
~Sixta Espada Gate~
Ichigo let the baseball sized cero at the end of his finger shoot off at the Espada. It exploded in a dark red blast, brightening the darkness a bit. "I think I hit him."
Shinji nodded at the double toned voice. "Looks like it. I can actually see your mask."
A deep chuckled filled the room. "Very good. It seems you have managed to force my hand. Allow me to show you my Sugenda Etapa, Pesadilla." The room brightened into a white room just like the previous ones. Shinji and Ichigo looked around as their eyes adjusted to the increase in light. But no matter where they looked, they could not find the Espada. "I'm sure you are both curious as to where I am. Don't be frightened, I am still here. Just not in your dimension of sight."
"Oh joy." Shinji drawled out as he looked around the bare room. He looked over at Ichigo in his Vasto Lord form. "You sense anything?"
Ichigo shook his head as his hollow senses searched for the Espada. "Tell me, shinigami, what do you fear most?" The two men looked between each other. Knowing what they were probably both thinking, Azien gaining power.
"Ichinii!" Ichigo turned and looked towards the doorway. He could make out Karin's reiatsu easily amongst the group that was heading their way. Karin spotted her brother in his hollow form. Their fight must not be going well.
Ichigo saw his sister determined to join the fight. "Karin stop!" He was relieved when Toshiro stopped the girl. "All of you stay out of the room. It's where his power stops."
"Where is he, Kurosaki?" Toshiro looked around the bare room. He could only see Hirako-Taichou and Kurosaki-Taichou.
Shinji shrugged nonchalantly. "Not sure. But he's bound to the room."
"What can he do?" Kensei tried sensing what was in the room. He could sense the Espada, but it covered the entire room.
"He just released his Sugenda Etapa." Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. He was still working on his own. "So we aren't sure what he can do now. Before it was mostly just taking away any source of light."
"Didn't the last Espada you fought had one of those?" Karin was still learning about the winter war. But she had skipped ahead and read about all of the fights her brother had been involved in.
"Yep." Ichigo spoke in a deadpan tone. "I just get all of the powerhouses thrown at me."
Shinji laughed at the man's comment. "Only because you are in their league."
A chuckle bounced off the walls of the near empty room. "More people, excellent. How about we add them to our fun?" Walls dropped down behind the group and in the hallway past the second doorway. Slowly the floors began to tilt up, sliding the second group into the room.
Karin watched as the wall continued to rise. "So much for staying out of the room."
"Now that everyone is inside, why don't we start the dream?" Bartholomew's voice breezed past everyone's ears. "What do you fear most?"
"Kensei eating all the food!" Mashiro spoke loudly while raising her hand.
Kensei rolled his eyes at the girl. "Really Mashiro? That's what you're scared of?"
"Look out for the shadow!" Hisagi backed away from a shadow that was moving across the ground. He guessed it had something to do with the Espada's abilities.
Toshiro spotted the shadow and moved away. "Good eye."
The others backed away form the shadow. But when it suddenly popped off the ground, it caught someone. Rangiku hissed as a black spike pierced through her leg. Then a cold feeling began to grow as the shadow spread across her body.
Everyone watched as Matsumoto was covered in shadows. When she was completely covered, she was inverted in colors.
"Not good." Kira backed away from the busty blond. The woman was scary when she got serious.
"Now then," The group was shocked when a deep baritone voice came from Matsumoto's lips. "You shall fall to your friend's power as you live through her nightmare." Bartholomew brought the woman's zanpakutou up and pointed it towards the group. "Bankai."
"SCATTER!" Toshiro called out as the Espada released his Fukutaichou's Bankai. She had only released it twice before, so hopefully it wouldn't last long. The wave of ash that followed her release filled the room with the fine grey dust.
Ichigo blinked as the dust stopped blowing around and began to settle to the ground. He looked around and was shocked to see most of the others on the ground, but there was no sign of Karin. "Karin!"
"You failed." Ichigo froze at the sound of the calm mocking voice. He slowly turned towards the voice, Aizen Sosuke. "My win, Kurosaki Ichigo."
Ichigo charged a cero between his horns. "Die." But the cero was dispelled as his horn was cut off. Ichigo fell onto his knees. He looked over with disbelief at who had dissipated his Vasto Lord form, again. "Ulquiorra?"
"Pay attention, Ichigo." Ulquiorra spoke calmly before standing beside him and facing Azien. "This is your first time facing this Bankai. So it's best you stay where you are."
Ichigo shook his head as he tried to figure out what was going on. His attention was drawn back to Aizen as the man took a step forward to attack. But he stopped about halfway to them.
Ulquiorra looked up above Aizen at the empty air. "Now, Hitsugaya-Taichou!"
Ichigo blinked as water started to hit his face. Soon it was downright pouring inside the room. But as it rained, things began to change. Ulquiorra change into Kuchiki Rukia. Aizen became Rangiku, still inverted in colors. And Karin, Hitsugaya and the rest came into view.
"So." Bartholomew's voice came out from Matsumoto's mouth. "You know how to counter her powers."
Toshiro gave the Espada a stern glare. "Of course. She's my Fukutaichou after all." He couldn't help a smirk forming on his lips as a shadow moved in behind the Espada. "And now we counter you. Hisagi!"
Hisagi jumped up from the shadow. He stuck his hand into Matsumoto's back, feeling the shadow resist him a bit, but ultimately getting pulled out of the woman. Hisagi threw the shadow towards the white wall. A dark spot formed with bright red glowing eyes.
Bartholomew was surprised the shinigami was able to pull him from the woman's soul. "So, you are also of the shadows and darkness."
"I am the slayer of fears and shadows." Hisagi threw his shurikan at the shadow. The shadow avoided it, but the shurikan passed into the wall, then began wrapping around the shadow. Hisagi caught the shurikan and pulled the shadow off of the wall. "Now vanish." He sent a wave of his reiatsu through the chain, causing small bombs to go off.
Shinji watched as the shadow vanished into the light of the room. "Is he gone?"
"Looks like it." Kensei ran a hand through his hair. It was a mess now.
"AAHHH!" Everyone looked towards the woman that was now back to her normal coloration. Rangiku looked around the room. "What happened? Where the Espada go?"
"Easy there Rangiku." Karin placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "He is gone, and you probably don't want to know what happened." She helped the woman up from her sitting position. "How's your leg?"
"It's fine." Matsumoto squeezed some remaining water out of her hair. "I can still go on."
"Once we figure out how to get out of here." Toshiro looked around the room. The walls were all the same. And he didn't remember where the doorways were. "What a bother."
~Cuatro Espada Gate~
Three shinigami were back to back in a clearing. The jungle around them was alive with the sound of rustling leaves and creaking wood. But there was no sign on the Espada they were trying to track. "I don't see him." Yorichi growled as she scanned the jungle again. The dense green was messing up her reiatsu sensing.
"There." Nemu spoke up as she fired a reiatsu ball into the jungle. A growl was heard along with breaking branches. "I missed."
Urahara chuckled a little. "At least you can find him. How are you doing that?" It seemed his Fukutaichou was still a bit of a mystery to him.
"He has hungry eyes." Nemu stated as she began charging another attack.
Yorichi smiled at the girl's abilities. "You are really wasted on 12th squad. You have enough skills to make it really far in 2nd squad. Or with me."
Nemu shook her head. "Mayuri-sama needed someone skilled to watch his back. He left it unguarded whenever he became engrossed in his research." She smiled fondly as she remembered past years. "12th is my home. I don't want to leave it."
Urahara smiled happily at the girl's declaration. Then ducked down as a hand made a swipe at him with long claws. He swung in retaliation, but his zanpakutou only passed through air.
Tulio laughed at the shinigami's attempts at hitting him. "Your skills are so pathetic it makes me want to cry." Even the black haired girl was having trouble hitting him.
Yorichi felt her eye twitch. "I hate this guy."
"Would you like me to catch him?" Nemu looked over at the Shihoin Princess.
Yorichi smirked at Nemu's offer. "Then I could claw his eyes out. Maybe also cut off his tail." Her smile turned sinister as she thought of more things she could do to the Espada.
Tulio barked out a high pitch laugh. "You? Catch me? Impossible. I'm too fast for you."
Nemu could feel eyes watching her back. She slowly drew her sword from within her sleeve. "No. You're slow. Synthesize, Kagaku-sha." Her blade glowed green and shrunk down into a scalpel. She stepped to the side and sliced into the back of the Espada's leg.
Urahara relaxed a bit as the Espada vanished back into the jungle. He looked over at his Fukutaichou and her zanpakutou. For only learning it's name a decade ago she had certainly mastered it. "What did you have it set to?"
"Purple." Nemu spoke calmly as she placed her zanpakutou into a pocket near her left breast. The abilities worked best when her zanpakutou remained in Shikai. "And with his speed it should take effect quickly."
Yorichi looked between her fiance and his Fukutaichou. "What does that do?" She hadn't heard much about Nemu's zanpakutou. Just that it fit really well with her place at 12th.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" All three shinigami looked over as the Espada emerged from the jungle. But he was different. He was now no bigger than a kitten. And looked like a kitten, not a human with cat like features. "Change me back! NOW!"
Yorichi let out a loud bark of laughter at the turn of events. "Well aren't you cute."
"Watch it lady!" Tulio glared daggers at the purple haired woman. "I'll rip your throat out!"
"That's nice." Urahara stated as he picked Tulio up by the extra skin behind his neck. Tulio went limp as he picked the kitten up. "You seem confused. You see I am very good with cats. But none can beat my favorite." He smiled as Yorichi sent him a sexy grin.
Nemu walked over to her Taichou and took the kitten from his hands and placed him inside a cage she had built from materials she had hidden on her person and some kido. She smiled a little as her Taichou pulled the Shihoin Princess into a kiss.
"You can't keep me like this forever!" Tulio growled as he tried to claw the shinigami through the bars, but there wasn't enough room for his paw to get through.
Nemu looked down at the cat. "You will remain like this as long as my zanpakutou is in shikai. And it can remain that way for weeks." She took her eyes away from the cat and back at her Taichou. She always enjoyed watching the two, it made her happy to see them happy.
Tulio couldn't watch the two shinigami suck each other's face. "This is so humiliating. CAN WE-" he was cut off as the girl shook his cage and threw him around.
"Don't interrupt. This is too cute." Nemu smiled thinking how nice it would be to find someone special herself. Someone she didn't have to be on guard for. 'Mayuri-sama would be furious.' She giggled a bit thinking how much her life had changed. She quite liked it.
~Tres Espada Gate~
Sui Feng growled at the Espada's lax attitude. "I have had enough. Bankai!" She glared at the man as she leveled her weapon at his head.
Oliver raised an eyebrow at the shinigami's Bankai. "Your Bankai is not befitting of an assassin." He found a bit of pleasure in seeing her face scrunch up in anger. These shinigami were far too easy to anger.
Sui Feng didn't say another word as she shot off a round at the hollow. Her feet managed to stay on the ground. She had had years to perfect the use of her Bankai. Even if she refused to use it most of the time. She quickly fired off two more rounds at the Espada before putting her Bankai away.
The dust slowly settled. And there in the middle of a large blackened crater, was Oliver. Iba was surprised, and a bit impressed, that the hollow survived that attack. "How is that possible?"
"As I have stated before." Oliver stood up and dusted himself off. "My heirro is the strongest in existence. Nothing can get past it."
"But you are unable to attack." Komamura watched as the Espada slowly turned towards him. "You have abandoned everything for the ability to survive any attack."
"Very observant of you, Canine." Oliver wasn't surprised he had figured it out. It had only taken Aizen-sama a glance at him to figure it out.
"But you have left yourself vulnerable." Oliver frowned at the dog's words. He was caught by surprise when the shinigami's large Bankai grabbed him in it's hand. "Even if we can not beat you, we can use you." Komamura slammed the Espada against the wall again. "Your heirro is stronger than the wall."
The Taichou stopped when the Espada was sitting in a hole in the wall. Iba looked at what his Taichou had accomplished. "I think you missed the door."
"But which wall is it?" Omeada looked around the white room. All of the walls looked the same.
"You missed it by one panel to the left." Sui Feng crossed her arms. She had made sure to keep track of where the doors were.
"Thank you, Sui Feng-Taichou." Komamura reached over with his Bankai once more and picked up the Espada. This time it only took four hits before the wall fell away to reveal a white hallway. He dropped the Espada, he was still breathing, but not moving. "It seems he is unconscious."
"I'm not surprised." Sui Feng stepped on top of the Espada to walk past him. "The wall was probably the hardest thing he has come in contact with. And just because he won't bleed, doesn't mean he can't be knocked out."
"Now what do we do?" Omeada asked as he gazed down the along hallway. It seemed strangely silent.
They all looked down the hall. Something wasn't right. They should be hearing a battle up ahead. But instead they were met by a voice. "Sui Feng!"
Sui Feng was surprised. "Yorichi-sama?!" She blinked as the purple haired woman landed in front of her.
Yorichi smiled at the small woman. "Did you just finish up?" She looked down at the Espada that seemed to be knocked out.
"Yes." Sui Feng followed her mentor's gaze. "But it seems we broke into the wrong hall way. We should have broken the one two to the right."
Yorichi looked up at the cracked and broken wall with a shrug. "Then we better get to work. Aizen is somewhere ahead of us."
"You won't win." The members of the group and the two new shinigami looked down as the Espada spoke. Oliver rolled over onto his back."You can't beat Aizen-sama."
"And what makes you say that?" Yorichi glared down at the hollow. He truly believed what he had said.
Oliver gave the woman a smirk. "Because, you brought him the last piece he needed." His hand laid flat against the floor. The ground shook as he rebuilt the walls around his room. And made one extra modification.
"Looks like we will have to break through again." Iba rubbed the back of his neck. This was becoming troublesome.
"Then you will flood the hall with sand." Oliver chuckled as they all looked towards him again. "You all may not realize this, but all of these gates are below ground. There are miles of sand above our heads. So it is your choice, shinigami."
Yorichi sighed as she listened for lies, there were none. "Then let's go back. Maybe some of the people behind us need help."
They all nodded in agreement. Komamura picked up the Espada after Sui Feng knocked him out. Then they were on the move.
~Primera Espada Gate~
Starrk and Grimmjow easily avoided the new Primera's wide swing. Grimmjow ducked as Starrk backed away. He then swiped with his clawed hand as Starrk shot at him from afar.
Belgone easily backed away from the swipe and twisted out of the way of the ceros. He laughed loudly. "Is that the best you got? Try again!" He spun his hammer around and landed a hit on the panther, knocking him into the wall of the room.
Starrk continued shooting at the Espada. He stepped out of the way as Belgone charged past him. "You're predictable as always."
"Oh really?" Belgone turned and faced the former Primera. "Then how about this?" He swung his hammer down into the ground, cracking it and sending spikes and large chunks of rubble into the air. "I learned a new trick." He swung around again and started launching the pieces at the wolf.
Starrk alternated between shooting the rubble and just avoiding them. Avoiding seemed to be better, it meant he could keep an eye on Belgone. But some pieces were too close to dodge. He shot one last rubble and froze, there weren't any more coming at him. He scanned the area for Belgone. He found him as he stopped his hammer from hitting him into the ground.
'Starrk! Take this seriously!' Lilynette yelled at her partner. The man was barely pushing against the hammer.
"Shut up." Starrk spoke to his partner as he tossed Belgone up into the air. He open fired on the Primera.
Belgone changed his momentum and shot down towards Starrk. Missing the fast blue mass flying at him and knocking him out of the way. He caught himself on the ground and slid to a stop by using his hammer. "That nearly tickled, kitty." Belgone chuckled as the former Sizta glared at him. "What were you expecting? To take me down then go help your little human girl?" Another bark of laughter passed his lips. "At least you're good at delivering."
"What are you talking about?" Starrk eyed the man. He was leaving something out.
Belgone smirked as he spotted two more figures enter the room. "Just as I said. You delivered just what we needed. Just as Aizen-sama predicted."
Grimmjow didn't like riddles. "What did we deliver?"
"Sakura-chan." All attention was drawn to the green haired woman that stepped up beside Starrk and Grimmjow. "This was all a trap."
"That is correct." Belgone laughed as the two men went from surprised to angry. "You two should school your emotions. You look like a human."
"We need to tell the Soutaichou." Tier stepped up beside her fellow Espada. The four of them should be able to take Belgone easily. Although why he wasn't already down was a bit worrying.
Belgone spun his hammer around to a defensive position. "No one will be interrupting Aizen-sama."
Nel drew her zanpakutou. "Yes we will be. Declare, Gamuza." The dust cleared and Nel pointed her lance at the Hollow. "Now move aside, or die."
"Not happening." Belgone pointed his hammer at the woman and began charging a cero.
Grimmjow gave the man a look. "Are you seriously about to do that?"
Tier placed a hand on Grimmjow's shoulder. "He's a grown Arrancar. He can make his own choices."
Starrk looked over at Tier with surprise. "Did you just use sarcasm?"
Any further conversation was interrupted as a large green cero shot off towards Nel. Nel sighed as she opened her mouth and swallowed the cero. Smiling a bit as she caught sight of Belgone's shocked face. Then firing the cero back at him while adding her own pink cero on top of it. "That wasn't smart at all."
Belgone looked from the large crack in the wall behind him to the goat woman. What the hell was that?"
Nel shrugged. "My double cero. Didn't you know about it?"
"You haven't exactly been back long enough for anyone to learn about it." Tier stated calmly to the woman.
Belgone growled at the group. "Try stopping this then." He began charging another cero, this time on his forehead.
"Heads up." Starrk spoke as the Espada ran at them.
"No kidding." Grimmjow followed the others as they jumped out of the way of the charging Espada. He couldn't see them with the cero blocking his view.
Dust jumped into the air as Belgone rammed into the wall. A layer of the wall came tumbling down, and a part of the ceiling with it. Sand began to fill the room. "You idiot." Tier spoke under her breath.
"We need to stop that flow." Starrk tried to think of how to do just that.
"What about opening up a wall?" Nel looked at the wall she had already cracked. "The walls are hollow in case the ceiling does collapse. So we can open a wall and send the sand into the empty space."
"That's not exactly going to be easy." Grimmjow frowned as he crossed his arm. "The idiot's cero and charge combined barely broke through one layer of the wall. A wall has 10 layers. And your double cero only cracked one."
"Then we work together." Starrk looked over at Nel. "How many cero can you swallow?"
"Sadly only one. But I can charge one on each hand and mix it with the cero of another." Nel smiled sadly. "I learned how from my Fraccion."
Starrk nodded. "Then mix one with Tier and one with myself. Grimmjow," He looked over at the blue haired man. "One more time."
Grimmjow grinned widely. "With pleasure."
"Have you forgotten about me already?" Belgone called out as he fell down towards the group. This was too easy.
"Not at all." Starrk looked over his shoulder at the Espada. Catching sight of wisp of smoke behind him. "Lilynette has just been waiting for you."
"What?" Belgone was confused. His confusion grew more as the former Primera vanished into smoke. He felt the barrel of a large gun behind his head.
"Here idiot." Lilynette whispered with a grin. "Cero Bazuca." A large pale blue cero shot out of the end of her gun. Blowing off the now deceased Primera's head. "Haha! Take that!" Lilynette dropped her gun before turning back into smoke and following it.
Starrk landed on the ground lightly and caught his two guns before placing them back in their holsters. He looked up and saw the others in his group looking at him curiously. "Yes, that's new. First time we've used it in combat."
"Not bad." Grimmjow thought it was pretty sweet. But wished he had been the one to finish off the son-of-a-bitch.
"Let's do this." Nel held out her hands for Starrk and Tier to begin charging a cero. Slowly adding her own in as they started to grow. She looked over at Grimmjow. "Whenever you're ready."
Grimmjow cut his hand and pointed it at the woman. "Gran Rey Cero." He ducked out of the way as the woman began swallowing the cero.
Nel shot the Gran Rey towards the wall after adding her own to it. Then shot off the two mixed ceros as well. When the light died down there was a large portion of the wall and floor missing. Revealing an empty blackness. "Now that that is-" Nel landed on the ground and looked up at her three companions. "Nel iz thmall again. Must'a uthed too mutch reiathew."
Tier picked up Nel in her child form. "You did good, Nelliel." She looked over at the two men. "Now let's go. The others need to know about this trap."
~Main Gate~
In a split second the battle had changed. Scorch marks and feathers littered the area. But it was very obvious who was struggling in this fight.
Sakura ducked as Henri attacked again. She backed up to try and get some distance between them. Or a pillar.
"You scared, Sakura-chan?" Henri called out to the girl. "This is the power of an Espada. And I'm only Octava." Henri laughed as he broke the pillar she was hiding behind. "You don't stand a chance."
Sakura jumped over onto a different beam as she dodged more attacks. She spun her scythe around to deflect feathers the hollow had launched at her. A few got past and left small cuts on her arms and legs.
Henri chuckled as the girl stood her ground. "Maybe you should have stuck near your father."
Sakura aimed a glare at the Espada. "I can take care of myself." She sent reiatsu into her zanpakutou, igniting the blade. "Kasai En!" A disk of fire shot of the blade towards Henri. Henri flipped over the disk and shot down towards her. She placed the dream catcher end of her zanpakutou on the ground. "Kage no Yume." A large black dream catcher formed in front of her, stopping Henri's attack.
Henri smirked at the girl. "So you got some new tricks." He flipped over and landed on his feet. "They aren't going to help you, Sakura-chan."
Sakura gave the Espada a grin. "But I saved the best for last." She held her zanpakutou in two hands. She needed to use it now, otherwise she had no hope of winning. "Bankai! Hosho no Yume!" She held her dream catchers at her side, relaxed and ready.
Henri brought his hands up and shielded himself as best as he could from the heat that was coming off the girl. He had never felt fire this strong before.
"You're done for." Sakura glared at the Espada as she sent reiatsu into her zanpakutou, igniting them.
The two glared at each other, waiting for the other to attack. "Sakura!" Sakura kept her eyes on Henri. "Imouto!" She could hear Starrk and Grimmjow calling to her, but she was kind of busy.
"Well, this won't do." Henri had his orders. He moved towards Sakura, ducking under her zanpakutou and grabbing the back of her shikahokusho. He dragged her back down to the ground floor and to the open doors. He tossed her inside and gave her a friendly smile. "Have fun with Aizen-sama." He shut the door and turned the lock.
"Tolston." Henri turned and spotted the former Primera, Sixta, Tres, and Cuatro Espada. Although the Cuatro looked a little shrunken. "Where is Sakura." Starrk glared at the red headed bird.
Henri could hear faint knocking coming through the large door behind him. "She's busy at the moment. Aizen-sama has need of her." He saw all of them grow angry.
"Move aside." Tier pulled her sword out and pointed it at the Hollow.
Henri gave them all a smile. "Nope." He reached behind him and cut his hand on his feathers. He aimed up and began charging a cero. "Gran Rey Cero." The cero shot off towards the ceiling. He walked towards the four Espada as sand began falling behind him. "For Aizen-sama."
~With Aizen~
Aizen easily avoided an attack from both Kyoraku and Ukitake. He faced the two as he stood between them and his machine. "You really should have seen this coming. After all, I did try taking her first."
"What are you talking about?" Kyoraku eyed the man. He wasn't making sense.
Aizen chuckled lightly. "Did you really believe that Central 46 is smart enough to come up with a plan to use an infant as a weapon? The old fools could never be that clever."
"But you were in Muken." Ukitake did not like where this conversation was going.
Aizen gave the man a questioning look. "Was I? This certainly wouldn't be the first time." Aizen looked from the white haired man to the pink clad man. "Now your wife was certainly the smartest out of you, Kyoraku. She had the genius idea of removing your child from the situation entirely." He chuckled a bit more. "IT was probably for the best though. I still would have had to wait for a second child."
"Why?" Shunsui asked as he tightened his grip. "Why my children?"
"Because Singulars are very rare." Aizen shrugged, it was obvious. "To have two poeple whose reiatsu are so perfectly compatible, and have them both be at Taichou level, as well as have the ability to even have children. You and Ise-san are a once in a millennium occurrence, Kyoraku."
*Beep Beep Beep*
All attention was drawn to the machine behind Aizen for a brief moment. "It seems Sakura-chan has arrived." Aizen smiled as his eyes turned to the entrance to the room.
"Jushiro, get Sakura out of here." Shunsui wasn't sure what Aizen needed her for, but it was best if he never got the opportunity.
"That won't do." Aizen spoke from between the two men. He made eye contact with Kyoraku as his zanpakutou plunged into Ukitake's chest. Followed by a kido blast that sent the white haired man into the wall. Aizen turned to the new Soutaichou as the man's eyes widened. "That won't do at all."
Shunsui went to move, but instead found himself falling, his stomach bleeding heavily from a deep cut. "...wha-" He coughed as he tried to speak.
Aizen sighed as he looked at the two Taichou. "This would have all been over a lot sooner if things had gone according to my original plan. Then your precious little girl would have been loyal to me. And she would have happily raised her little brother away from their power hungry parents that feared them more than loved them."
Shunsui gave Aizen a glare that was on par with one of Unohana's. "Rot in hell, bastard."
Aizen chuckled at the dying man's threat. "You should save your breath." He turned away from the two men. "If you both live long enough, then you can witness my accession."
~with Sakura~
Sakura picked herself up after Henri tossed her. She spotted the Espada giving her a cheeky smile. "Have fun with Aizen-sama." He then closed the door. Sakura went up to the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge.
"Well great." Sakura kicked the door before turning away from it. "Might as well should move on." Sakura moved down the hall and stopped when she came to a crossroad. The path split into three. "Great. It's a freaking maze." She stuck her hand out to the right wall and began walking.
She walked on for what felt like hours, but who could tell time in this place? She stopped at an intersection when she suddenly felt a wave of familiar reiatsu. "Sora." She whispered as her hand came off the wall and she followed the trail. She followed it through twists and turns till she came to a door.
Walking into the room she found three things; a machine that was emitting her little brother's reiatsu, Jushiro bleeding against a wall, and her father bleeding out at Aizen's feet. She immediately sent a glare at the man dressed in white. "Get away from them."
Aizen sent the girl a smile as he began walking towards her. "Welcome back, Sakura-chan."
Another one bites the dust! That took longer to write than I had originally thought it would. But it is done now and we are getting closer to the end.
Let me know what you think of the chapter. I love hearing from all of you readers.