Akira's first impression of Shinigami prison was that it was as boring as hell. He hadn't spent too long in the holding cell after his arrest before his frosty-faced parents picked him up, and he'd been too shellshocked by the sudden nosedive his life had taken to focus much on his surroundings. After several days in the 4th though, the despair he'd initially felt had been replaced with mind-numbing tedium. Twiddling his fingers, he sighed from his perch on his bunk, staring at the singular barred window into the cell. The light shining through was dull and dusky – in another hour or so, night would fall.
In the grand scheme of things, the black-haired teen admittedly had nothing to complain about. While the cell was small and poorly lit, containing nothing but a small toilet and a pair of bunk beds, at least it was clean. More pressingly, except for the interrogation Unohana had given him while he was still hooked up on sedatives, he'd had minimal interaction with any Shinigami. The only time he saw them was when they dropped off food before skittishly running away. Compared to the sorts of abuse he knew prisoners could face, it was perfectly pleasant.
There was only one time the banal routine had been disturbed, and that was when Ishida had been dragged in a couple of days ago. Akira's heart had skipped a beat at the sight of the Quincy – he was wan and pale, with bandages clearly visible through the plain kimono they'd put him in. Isane – who was in charge of his transfer – insisted he'd be okay, but her expression had been troubled. When Ishida woke up and grimly informed him about his encounter with Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Akira suddenly understood why.
Suffice to say, the Quincy had been rather withdrawn since he regained consciousness, which lead Akira to his current predicament. Outside of twiddling his thumbs and pacing around the cell, there was absolutely nothing to do. He couldn't even meditate with his Zanpakutō spirit, as the Reiatsu suppressing cuffs all prisoners wore blocked off access to his inner world.
Of course, it was only a few seconds after he'd had that thought that the status quo came to an end. Naïvely enough, Akira had assumed that the Shinigami were going to treat them gently, given they'd gone out of their way to heal Ishida instead of finishing him off. That idea was quashed though as a bundle of tightly controlled but clearly agitated Reiatsu advanced on the cells.
"C-Captain Soifon! Captain Unohana hasn't declared the prisoners fit for questioning yet!" One of the guards squawked.
"I don't care what Unohana thinks. Here – executive orders from the Captain Commander. The Ryoka belong to the 2nd now."
Akira and Ishida exchanged a startled glance, and the frizzy-haired teen leapt off his bunk. The Reiatsu-suppressing handcuffs locked around his wrists ensured he wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight, but he knew damn well what a visit from the 2nd meant. Besides, while Ishida was conscious, he was still pale and drawn – it was clear he was still dealing with the side effects of Kurotsuchi's poison.
The door swung open, revealing a small woman with black hair tied back in twin braids. A sleeveless white haori was draped over her shoulders, and despite her stature, she carried herself like someone much taller – she was pretty much Isane's polar opposite in every way. I'll wait for her to lower her guard, and then I'll strike.
Luckily, it seemed the Captain felt more inclined to converse with him first rather than leaping straight to torture. "You – the brunette, what's her name?" Soifon demanded, eyes narrowed to slits.
His eyes narrowed in turn. Presumably, she was talking about Makoto. Still, like hell he was going to actually tell this woman anything. "Queen. Because she's the queen of my heart." Akira drawled.
Ishida pinched his brow. "Kurusu, please shut the fuck up."
"Will you tell me her name?" The Captain turned to the Quincy.
He looked at her flatly. "No."
She pinched her brow, expression brimming with all of the annoyance one naturally felt in the company of a sassy teenager. "You do realise I'm the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, which includes a torture and interrogation department, right? I'll get the information I want regardless – it's up to you how pleasant that experience will be."
Hmm. Judging by the coldness in her eyes and Urahara's reports, Akira had no doubt she'd be more than happy to follow through with that threat. Still, the fact that Soifon was trying to barter with them to begin with meant that for some reason, she'd rather earn their genuine cooperation instead of forcing it out of them. And that meant they had leverage.
"Why?" Akira asked, wary, but intrigued. "I'm talking about your earlier question, not the torture stuff."
"I want to talk to her."
Okay, on the bright side (assuming Soifon was being honest), it didn't sound like Makoto had incited her murderous wrath. Still, Akira was pretty sure catching the eye of the leader of the Shinigami black ops was not a good thing. Oh Queen, what have you done now?
"… Why?" Akira asked again.
Soifon looked even more peeved. "That's none of your business."
Ishida rolled his eyes and muttered. "It really is, actually."
Her lips curled in an expression of absolute distaste, but it seemed Akira's earlier suspicions were correct as she actually deigned to answer him. "She has information I want access to." Her scowl faded, replaced by something more appraising. "In fact, I'm prepared to cut a deal for it. Assist me, and I'll grant you your freedom."
Again, the two boys exchanged a glance, but this time, their eyes were wide open in shock. Just what on earth was this information that Makoto supposedly knew? The secret to immortality?! How to turn lead into gold!?
There is no way in HELL this is anything but a trap.
"… You do realise we're trying to break someone out of prison, right?" Akira slowly raised a brow.
Soifon shrugged. "I don't care. Kuchiki is a nobody, and so are the rest of you – if you truly threatened the Soul Society, we could annihilate you in minutes."
"I literally killed a Captain." Ishida's voice was full of incredulity.
"It was only Kurotsuchi." Soifon shrugged. "The man had his uses, but he was a walking liability who brought his fate upon himself. The weak deserve to get pruned."
Akira was utterly speechless. Wow, just… wow. Distinctly, he remembered the time when he thought Sae was unhinged, and internally, he apologised to the prosecutor. Soifon hadn't just taken the cake, but the whole fucking pantry.
"You know what?" Akira swept his hands through his hair. "Fine. I'm not going to give you her actual identity, but if you get these cuffs off me, I'll contact her with your offer."
Soifon gave him a clipped nod. "Those conditions are acceptable – now, don't get any funny ideas."
Unsheathing her Zanpakutō – a small wakizashi – she held it beneath his throat with one hand, and promptly disabled the cuffs attached to his wrists with the other. As the Reiatsu-restraining devices clattered to the floor, a weight lifted off Akira's shoulders as the bottled-up spiritual energy within him could finally escape. A part of him contemplated trying to make a run for it, but he quickly gave up on that idea. He was pretty sure Soifon would slit his neck if he even twitched oddly. Instead, slowly, carefully, he complied with her demands and cast a Tenteikūra – not just to Makoto, but to all the members of the Phantoms he could reach.
"Hey folks, Joker here – don't get too excited, I'm still very much in jail." He sighed. "Ginger is alive and with me, but, well, we've ended up in a bit of a situation. Apparently, the Captain of the 2nd wants to make some sort of Faustian bargain with Queen – don't ask me why, she's not exactly giving me details. Ostensibly, she's prepared to let Ginger and I go in return." While he was pretty sure Soifon would cut him off if she figured out what he was about to say, Akira didn't really care. "I'm 99% sure this is going to be a trap, but I'll leave the ball in your court if you want to trigger it or not. If you do, please bring Thunder or Ace."
With that, he aborted the spell, and while Soifon didn't look particularly pleased about his parting remarks, she didn't object. Given her cynicism so far, she probably just thought he'd said was obvious.
It didn't take too long for the air to tingle with Kidō, and Ann's voice echoed in his ears. "I can't say HOW much of a relief it is to hear from you! Thunder's gone off to do her own thing, but the rest of us have reunited, along with some extra helping hands." The blonde paused for a moment. "Don't worry though – if we take up her offer, we'll only send Ace."
Akira smiled, a wave of relief flooding through him at her report. Everyone else was okay – his friends were all safe. A part of him couldn't help but feel envious, though. They'd managed to do just fine without him – in fact, if anything, Akira was the one holding them down.
"… Speaking of, I don't think we've got any choice BUT to trigger it." Ann continued with a sigh, and Akira could vividly picture her twirling a strand of hair in her fingers. "It might be our only chance to rescue you two before the big day comes. I'll send you some coordinates. Let's rendezvous there in, say… two hours? No, scratch that – one hour."
Ann listed a string of meaningless numbers, and Akira dutifully recited them to Soifon. Presumably, they lead to some location in the Seireitei, as the Captain gave a short nod when he finished. "Those conditions are acceptable."
Soifon snapped her fingers, and Akira jolted as several Shinigami garbed in pitch black appeared behind her, faces obscured by masks like archetypical ninjas.
"Put the prisoner back in his cuffs, and escort them to the aforementioned location." She ordered, not budging her Zanpakutō an inch until Akira was safely restrained.
As two of them lifted him up roughly and the third rounded on Ishida, Akira couldn't help but wonder if he'd made a colossal mistake.
…..
Akira's eyes darted around, drinking in his surroundings. Their meeting spot turned out to be at the base of a gnarled oak in the forest at the foot of the Sōkyoku Hill, The fresh air, which smelt faintly of dew, should have been soothing after his stint in captivity, but the churning in his stomach prevented him from enjoying any of it. The darkness didn't help either. The dense boughs blocked off all starlight, and the waning moonlight made the long shadows draping the forest feel even deeper.
It was small consolation, but from what he could see, it didn't look like Soifon was setting up an ambush. She'd summoned a couple more of her black-robed guards to keep an eye on the prisoners – Akira assumed they were the Onmitsukidō – but beyond that, she hadn't sent out any messages or hidden any traps in the undergrowth. Still, given she could apparently summon a seemingly infinite number of ninjas on cue, he wasn't going to get his hopes up.
A tree rustled – the first sign they weren't alone – and Sae leapt down from it, landing gracefully. The Reiatsu of several members of the Onmitsukidō jolted, clearly caught off guard by the Quincy's sudden arrival, but Soifon showed no surprise. Instead, she scanned Sae with an appraising eye.
"You want to talk? Then talk." The prosecutor's voice echoed across the clearing.
Soifon nodded and strode forward to meet her in the middle. "My terms are simple. The captives and a promise of non-interference from the 2nd in regards to your rescue of Kuchiki, in exchange for a conversation with your brunette friend and the locations of Urahara Kisuke and Shihōin Yoruichi."
Akira's eyes widened, and several members of the Onmitsukidō stiffened at Soifon's demands. She wants Urahara and Yoruichi?
Sae folded her arms. "Who?"
"Don't play coy with me." Soifon's eyes narrowed to slits. "I saw that technique your friend used – it had Yoruichi's name written all over it."
"Alright, fine." The prosecutor shrugged. "Still, why on earth would I agree to that? I am a lawyer, you know – there are more loopholes in your offer than Swiss cheese. Perhaps you won't interfere in our rescue of Kuchiki-chan, but that doesn't mean you won't turn on us afterwards. Not to mention, I could simply just take Joker and Ginger back by force – you're not exactly a threat."
The Captain's nostrils flared, and even if Sae was bluffing, Akira couldn't help but admire her guts. Several members of the Onmitsukidō started to reach for their weapons, but Soifon raised a hand, stopping them in their tracks.
It turned out Sae hadn't finished. "This is also assuming your offer is sincere, and not a mere ploy to get our location. Two Captains are dead, after all – why the hell would a loyal member of the Gotei 13 be willing to cooperate with us?"
A condescending smirk flashed across Soifon's face. "Oh, please – you're just a group of Ryoka. To quote what you said before, you're not exactly a threat – you can't even get in and out of the Seireitei without aid. Besides, you don't have any motives to kill Aizen… well, well, at least most of your band of rogues don't have one, anyway."
Sae's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you implying?"
Moonlight glittered in Soifon's eyes. "Do you really think Urahara and Yoruichi are helping you out of the goodness of their hearts? Don't make me laugh – you're just playing decoy for them while they get up to something far more sinister. Tell me, what do you actually know about him?"
Sae stiffened, lips drawing into a thin line. The balance of power in the negotiation had flipped, and now, Soifon was the one who held all the cards in her hands. The taller woman was unwilling to give ground, however. "I have a hunch that's a rhetorical question."
The Captain shrugged. "You're right. Urahara Kisuke was the previous Captain of the 12th, and founder of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute."
Ishida froze at that announcement, a strangled gasp dying in his throat. "That's…!"
Glancing back towards the Quincy, she nodded. "That's right – you'd be interested to know that Kurotsuchi had been deemed too dangerous by the Central 46 to be allowed to roam free, until Urahara ordered his release and promoted him to his successor."
Bile rose to the back of Akira's throat and as goosebumps ran down his arms, he knew they weren't from the cold. Ishida looked positively nauseous at Soifon's revelation, and even Sae's slick façade had cracked, the prosecutor paling in horror. The Quincy hadn't given him the full details, but he'd told Akira enough about his encounter with Kurotsuchi. If Soifon was telling them the truth… it meant that even if it was indirectly, Urahara had played a role in Ishida's grandfather's death.
"How do we know you're not lying?" Akira challenged, but his voice wobbled with uncertainty. "Urahara is as skeevy as all hell, but that's a different can of worms than aiding and abetting someone like that."
Soifon's grin faded, replaced by a frown. "I assure you, while he might play the part of the fool excellently, Urahara is as intelligent as he is deranged – you're not the first to be tricked by his dopey act. In fact, it was his ability to lure his comrades into a false sense of security that ended up leading to his exile."
"What did he do?" Akira grimaced, well aware the answer wasn't going to be pleasant.
The Captain crossed her arms, expression grim. "Almost a hundred years ago to this day, Urahara attacked and Hollowfied four of his fellow Captains, three Lieutenants, and an esteemed member of the Kidō Corps."
The accusation rang through the air like a gunshot. Akira's blood froze as the skin on his face seemed to prickle and itch. The teenager couldn't help but look down at his Shihakushō, where Unohana had found a Hollow's mask after her battle with him.
Soifon crossed her arms, oblivious that she'd already delivered her coup de grâce. "He was sentenced to be stripped of his spiritual powers before being banished to the human world, but Yoruichi intervened before the sealing could take place. To this day, he's managed to evade punishment for his crimes." She tipped her head at one of her guards. "If you want proof of my claims, I can retrieve the trial's records."
A bitter laugh tore its way from Sae's throat. "There's no need. I damn well know you're telling the truth."
Akira winced. While Makoto hadn't given him the full story, she'd implied that Hollowfication was a bitterly personal subject to her sister. Truthfully, though, he couldn't help but agree with the prosecutor. Soifon's demeanour had been deadly serious during her descriptions of Urahara's crimes, in sharp contrast to her prior arrogance. Quite frankly, it would also explain a lot of the shopkeeper's actions - from his casual acceptance of Wakaba despite her misdeeds, along with his endorsement (if not participation) in the process that had almost led to Akira losing his own humanity.
A deep frown crossed his face. Despite all the evidence against the shopkeeper, the frizzy-haired teen couldn't help but think that he was still missing something. His mind raced over all his prior encounters with Urahara, from his cavalier cheer to his odd moments of deathly seriousness. Somehow, Akira didn't think all of that was fake, either. There was a vital piece of the puzzle that was Urahara Kisuke which Akira was still missing.
Ultimately though, it wasn't up to him whether they'd accept Soifon's deal or not. It was up to Sae, who'd made it abundantly clear she hadn't trusted Urahara from the start, let alone now that this latest bombshell had been dropped.
"Alright – fine. I'll accept your deal, on several conditions." The prosecutor's eyes burned, spine straight with rigid fury. "Firstly, if you're going to meet my sister, you'll come alone – if I even sense hide or hair of your guards, this deal is off. And I will sense them. Secondly, non-interference isn't enough – I want your assurance that Kuchiki-chan will end up in our hands, and a week's leeway before you resume pursuing us."
Soifon's eyes narrowed to slits. "I'll give you a day."
"Three." Sae bargained. "That's my final offer – leave it or take it."
The Captain hesitated for a moment, before reaching out her hand. Sae shook it, and with that, their deal was sealed. Trepidation shuddered down Akira's spine. They'd accepted the deal with Soifon, and there was no going back.
…..
When Makoto saw Sae step into the cavern with two figures in tow, she leapt to her feet, heart hammering in her chest. As she scrambled over to them and saw it was Akira and Uryū, an explosion of relief and delight burst within her. She almost threw herself into her friends' arms, but the second she saw their expressions she stilled, before slowing to a halt. While things between Sae and her father had still been awkward after their heart-to-heart, the blazing anger her sister had initially shown had completely vanished. Now, however, there wasn't a single trace of Sae's prior tranquillity – her posture was rigid, and her jaw set into a firm, furious line. Neither boy looked any happier – Uryū's lips were thin and his skin pale, while Akira was frowning, something dark churning in his eyes.
Alas, it looked like she was the only one who'd picked up the newcomers' less-than-happy demeanour.
"Akira! Ishida!" Ryuji yelled, waving manically as a huge grin blossomed across his face. The boy raced towards his friends, Ann barely half a step behind.
As the blonde reached Akira, she enveloped him in a firm hug before shooting Uryū a grin. "Dear god, I'm so happy to see you both."
Akira gave her a warm smile, his prior troubled expression evaporating. "Sorry about that. Don't worry though – Joker is back in action."
"Mate, you wouldn't believe everything that's happened!" Ryuji exclaimed, before beginning to bombard Akira with the events of the last few days.
Makoto took the opportunity to move to Uryū's side. "I'm glad you're alright." She stated, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you." He returned the gesture weakly. "It's good to see you alive and well too."
Giving him a brief smile, she filtered out Ryuji's blabber and turned to face her sister. "What's wrong?"
Sae sighed, her brow furrowing in worry. "You'll find out soon enough. Mind gathering the others? They all need to hear this."
It didn't take her long to find Yamada and her father, and Makoto ended up guiding both men back to their makeshift campsite. Yamada had found some sleeping bags in the supply cache alongside some tinder, and they'd set up a small living area in the corner of the training grounds. As the group reunited, they didn't move straight to business – introductions needed to be made, and after being confined for several days, she thought it'd be good to give the boys some dinner first. Neither Akira or Uryū seemed hungry, however, and after they revealed their discussion with Soifon, Makoto couldn't blame them.
"Maybe we're missing some context?" Ann frowned, worry shining in her blue eyes. "I dunno, I just can't see Urahara doing something so awful on purpose."
"Accident or not, it doesn't absolve him of what he's done. Plus, considering what happened to Kurusu-kun…" Sae trailed off, her words making several people wince.
Uryū adjusted his glasses. "After my experiences with Kurotsuchi, I'm not particularly inclined to believe the best of anyone who's been a Captain of the 12th."
"What if they'd lost their powers or somethin' like Akira did and asked him to do it?" Ryuji suggested, bouncing his leg idly against the rock he'd sprawled himself on top of.
"Multiple Captains and Lieutenants losing their powers all at once is a bit of a stretch." Makoto pointed out sceptically. She didn't like being cynical, but the facts simply weren't in Urahara's favour.
"Truthfully, it's a moot point." Isao interjected, crossing his arms. "We've made a commitment, and unless Captain Soifon betrays us, we'll presumably keep up our end of the bargain irrespective of Urahara-san's motives." He then turned to Sae. "On that note, how genuine do you think her offer is?"
"She'll honour the letter of the deal, but not the spirit." Sae stated. "She won't interfere directly, but that doesn't mean she won't try to sabotage us. Given the Onmitsukidō are currently guarding the Senzaikyū, I don't think we'll face any trouble taking Kuchiki-chan from her cell, but I wouldn't be surprised if we're swarmed by Shinigami the second we leave the place."
Akira rubbed his chin, eyes half-narrowed in thought. "If I were her, I'd get her colleagues to station patrols at each of the Senzaikyū's exits, along with the Senkaimon – we'll have to pass through them no matter what, after all. On the bright side, the Captains and Lieutenants should all be gathered at the Sōkyoku Hill for Rukia's execution, so we'll get a head start on them at the very least."
Makoto mulled things over. "What if we split up into groups again?" Practically everyone pulled a face at that, so the brunette elaborated. "As Akira said, we shouldn't be ambushed by anyone too strong straight off the bat, and if we scatter, the Captains will have to split up too – they won't be able to gang up on us all at once."
Her reasoning earnt a few contemplative murmurs, even if most of the Phantoms still seemed wary. Given the disaster that happened the last time they split up, she couldn't particularly blame them. Unfortunately, Makoto thought it would end up being a necessary evil.
"One thing I'd like to suggest is that we don't head towards the main Senkaimon initially." Isao suggested. "The Kyōraku clan has a private Senkaimon on their grounds – if we pretend that's our destination, the Shinigami will likely abandon their stations to cut us off once Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyōraku make their defection apparent. Once they do that, we can round back to the original Senkaimon, hopefully reaching it before they can regroup."
After scanning the clearing and seeing everyone's nod of assent, Akira rose to his feet. "Alright, it looks like we've got a plan. Tomorrow, Makoto will meet with Soifon." He glanced over at her father and Yamada. "You two should make yourself scarce for that, unless you want to get implicated."
"In fact… you should probably return to your Division, Yamada-kun, unless you fancy coming to the World of the Living with us." Sae pursed her lips. "With your prisoners stolen, I'm sure your Captain has more important things to do than wonder about where you've been."
"I guess that makes sense…" The skittish boy's voice trailed off, and standing up, he gave the Ryoka a deep bow. "Thank you for letting me help Kuchiki-chan. I-I hope everything goes well!"
"If anything, we should be thanking you." Makoto smiled warmly. Something about Yamada reminded her of how she used to be – craving validation and yet never receiving it. She was determined to make it just how clear how helpful he'd been. "You saved my sister and rescued me as well. In fact, if it wasn't for you, none of us would be here today. Don't ever forget that, okay?"
He blushed, a bashful smile crossing his face as the Phantoms gave him a round of hearty farewells. Sae echoed Makoto's sentiments, and Ryuji gave Yamada a couple of last-minute running tips. As the skittish Shinigami hurried away, waving, a twinge of nostalgia panged in the brunette's chest. Hopefully, his escapades here would help boost his confidence, like her activities with the Phantoms had bolstered her own.
Isao then rose to his feet. "I should probably be off as well – I don't want Captain Soifon noticing my Reiatsu. I'll try to come back the day after." He turned to his daughters, red eyes brimming with warmth. "Keep looking out for each other, and never forget that I'm proud of you both."
While a part of Makoto screamed in protest, not wanting to part from her father so soon after they'd been reunited, logically, she knew he had a point. The fact that she'd ever gotten to see him again at all was a miracle, and one she would treasure forever. Standing up, the brunette embraced him in a tight hug. "I love you."
"Love you too, sweetie."
As they pulled apart, Sae approached them and offered the man a tentative smile. "Stay safe."
Isao patted her shoulder. "You too, though I'm confident you'll be fine."
Makoto could barely tear her eyes off his back as he departed, until Sae patted her shoulder and brought her back to reality.
"We should probably get some rest." Her sister announced. "Tomorrow is going to be a busy day after all."
Murmurs of assent echoed around the campsite, and before Makoto even knew it, she was snuggled up in a sleeping bag on the girls' side of the clearing. As she lay there, it hit her like a brick – their time in the Soul Society was rapidly drawing to a close. Soon, they would save Rukia, or die trying.
…..
There was no sunlight in Urahara's artificial cavern, but Kidō kept the large cave illuminated at all times, so when Makoto's bleary eyes flickered open the world around her was bright. Sae and Akira were already up, the former keeping watch while the latter prepared breakfast. Makoto muttered a brief greeting, careful not the wake the others. By the time Soifon's arrival was just around the corner, Ann had joined them in the realm of the living, though both other boys remained fast asleep.
"Ishida is still recovering from Kurotsuchi's poisoning." Akira frowned, whispering to Makoto as she shot the Quincy's prone form a concerned glance. "Sae and I might take a look at him this afternoon, though he probably just needs rest."
"Ryuji's just like that though." Ann quipped, lightening the mood as the blond let out a large snore.
Alas, they had no more to banter idly. "Let's go." Sae announced quietly, rising to her feet. "I'll fetch Soifon and bring her back here."
Makoto frowned. "You're not worried about her knowing our location?"
Sae shook her head. "Not particularly. She's not strong enough to take us all on at once, and if she betrays us to the other Captains, Ukitake-san or Kyōraku-san would warn us – she doesn't know she isn't the only Captain on our side, after all. Besides, she seems pretty keen to get her hands on Urahara - she can't risk killing us while we know that information, and she doesn't"
At her sister's reassurance, Makoto gave her a small nod and did some stretches while Sae met up with the Captain. It didn't take too long for her to return, Sae's presence given away by the blip of unfamiliar Reiatsu at her side. The brunette stilled as they approached. While Soifon's height wasn't particularly intimidating, there was something predatory in her gaze, like a jaguar watching its prey. When she caught sight of Makoto, she strode towards her, every step oozing with confidence. Still, while the Captain's Reiatsu eclipsed Makoto's, it wasn't as potent as Yoruichi's – that was probably why Sae was so confident she could take her on in a fight.
"There you are." Soifon's voice was curt as her eyes settled on Makoto. "You're the one who defeated my Lieutenant."
Makoto winced. This was already off to an awful start – she wasn't here for revenge, right? "Um, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologise." Soifon shrugged. "It'll do him good to be knocked down a peg or two."
She couldn't help but raise her brows at the Captain's nonchalance. Though, Makoto supposed she should probably count her blessings – at least Soifon wasn't here to settle a grudge. "What is it you wanted to ask me?"
The Shinigami bit her lip, the first crack in her professional façade. "That technique you used to take Omaeda down – I want you to teach it to me."
Makoto blinked in shock. Soifon wanted her to teach her Shunkō? A Shinigami Captain wanted to learn something from her? Her brows rose. Yoruichi did say the technique might garner some attention, though I didn't think it would be like this. Still, as the student council president mulled things over, her surprise melted into wariness. Despite their tentative truce, Sae hadn't minced her words – Soifon was still their enemy. Teaching her the strongest move in Makoto's arsenal didn't seem like a good idea.
She glanced over at Sae, but her expression was neutral. It seemed she was content to stand back and leave the ball in Makoto's court. While a part of her craved her sister's guidance, Makoto dismissed it. Sae never would have trusted her with such a big decision at the start of the year - as frightening as it was, the fact that her sister had enough faith in Makoto to let her choose her own path also warmed her heart.
Soifon shuffled slightly, clearly starting to lose patience, but she managed to hold her tongue. The brunette mulled things over. She remembered Sae's words from the other day – the cards were in their hands. … So why don't I use them?
"… Alright, but I have a couple of stipulations." Makoto eventually conceded, and Soifon perked up. "Firstly, I want you to ensure the Senzaikyū remains unobstructed. We need to be able to get in and out of it unimpeded."
The Captain frowned, but clearly realised it was a fair offer. The Onmitsukidō were already banned from touching them anyway, and rank-and-file Shinigami rarely entered the place. It was barely an upgrade on the deal they already had in place, given no Captain or Lieutenant would be able to be stationed there anyway. "Very well. Your other terms?"
Now, it was time for Makoto's finishing touch. Nervously, she pursed her lips, and prayed Soifon blamed her hesitance on her age, as opposed to the truth - namely, the fact that Makoto was about to blatantly lie to her. "Secondly, we won't be using the main Senkaimon, but a private one belonging to a noble in the northern Seireitei. If possible, is it okay if you direct patrols to other areas?"
While Soifon's poker face was pretty good, at that titbit of information, the Captain's eyes lit up. "I'll see what I can do." She promised, which was clearly doublespeak for 'I'll warn the other Divisions to just stake out the Kyōraku estate instead, which is the only private Senkaimon located in the Northern Seireitei.'
As they shook on the deal, Makoto glanced over Soifon's shoulder at Sae, anxious to see her sister's reaction. The prosecutor's lips quirked into the slightest smirk, and Makoto felt the tension in her shoulders unwind. It seemed she approved of her gambit.
Once they'd finished shaking hands, the Captain stepped away and discarded her haori, revealing she was wearing a backless Shihakushō identical to the ones Yoruichi had chosen for her and Sae. Something uncomfortable twisted in Makoto's stomach – the memories felt tainted now that she knew the shapeshifter's true nature, yet at the same time, she couldn't help but feel guilty at her betrayal. Even if Yoruichi had just been using Makoto, she'd been a good mentor, and her advice was one of the reasons the brunette was still here today.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when Soifon's Reiatsu slowly rose, and Makoto's eyes widened in surprise as the Captain glowed with a soft light as waves of wind began to spiral around her.
"As you can see, I've been working on a similar technique. I thought I was making good progress, but…" The Shinigami looked like she'd bitten into a lemon. "It's clear Yoruichi has made strides in this art which I have not."
Makoto nodded. "She calls it Shunkō." Peering closer, she focused on the way Soifon's Reiatsu twisted around her. "It looks like you've already got the basic idea already. Still, you're clearly trying to drag your Reiryoku to the surface through your skin, but your body simply isn't designed to do that. Only so much energy can come through, weakening its overall strength."
Activating her Shunkō, a wave of blue light burst from Makoto as energy spiralled out from her back. Swinging a fist in the direction of a distant rock, a burst of wild energy exploded from her fist and reduced the boulder to rubble.
"It's kind of like Kidō. You can cast spells from your hands but not your elbows, as Shinigami have Reiatsu vents in their wrists, but not there. It's apparently not as well known, but Shinigami also have Reiatsu vents on their backs - they're not normally very useful since while they're large, the Reiatsu generated from there is basically impossible to mould into normal spells. Shunkō just needs raw energy though, so for maximum power and efficiency, use those vents to output your Reiatsu and then channel it down to your limbs."
"I see…" Soifon muttered.
Flexing her Reiatsu, a spiral of wind whirled out from the Shinigami's back. Soifon staggered, clearly having underestimated the amount of power true Shunkō possessed, but she quickly managed to brace herself. It was something the student council president was familiar with – during her first few attempts at the technique, she'd sent herself toppling into the ground at least a couple of times. After a few more attempts, the Captain seemed to adjust to the sensation, and she darted at a boulder before flicking her leg out in a kick. A wave of wind followed her blow, blasting the rock into splinters.
"How about a spar?" Soifon turned back to her, appraising Makoto with interest. "Individual practice has its worth, but is ineffective compared to an actual fight."
The brunette mulled it over. It'd be disastrous if she got hurt this close to Rukia's rescue, but at the same time, she had access to both Akira and the healing springs. Plus, sparring experience with a Captain could potentially be a great experience, even if Soifon almost certainly wouldn't go all out.
"Sure." Makoto smiled. "I'll admit, I'm probably not going to be a very exciting opponent for a Captain, but I'll try my best."
Unsurprisingly, the gulf between them became apparent almost immediately. Soifon was on Makoto in milliseconds, and launched a rapid-fire volley of Shunkō enhanced kicks her way. The Captain was fast – each of her blows blurred together, and the only reason Makoto wasn't immediately swept off her feet was a combination of Blut Vene and pure instinct. Even in a casual spar, it was clear Soifon rivalled Yoruichi in terms of speed, and even if her Shunkō was still somewhat shaky, her raw power was nothing to be scoffed at.
While it would be an overstatement to say Makoto gave as good as she got, true to her word, she put up the best fight she could. The brunette got in several powerful blows, and even managed to send Soifon flying once when she successfully predicted one of the Shinigami's feints, though the Captain had already recovered by the time Makoto launched a blistering ball of energy at her. In the end, to no one's surprise, the Shinigami came out on top. She caught Makoto in a headlock, and realising she was beaten, the teenager tapped out.
"You need to work on your speed." The Captain assessed her bluntly. "Your form is acceptable, but you're too reliant on your ability to take a hit – it dulls your reflexes, and makes it easy to anticipate your attacks."
Nodding, Makoto accepted the critique, and after a brief break, they returned for round two. By then, it looked like the rest of the Phantoms had finally woken up, and slowly, other figures joined them in the training grounds. Akira and Uryū engaged in a Mêlée à Trois with Ryuji, who showed off his Shikai to the other boys for the first time. Meanwhile, seemingly content Soifon wasn't going to hurt her sister, Sae stopped watching her like a hawk. Ann somehow managed to rope the prosecutor into a spar of their own, which was just as cosmically one-sided as Makoto's brawl against Soifon was.
As time passed, hunger began to grow in Makoto's belly, and the Captain finally brought the gruelling sparring session to a halt.
"I think I've grasped the basics." Soifon gave her a polite nod in lieu of thanks, not that Makoto was particularly expecting the latter. "I need to return to my Division – I'll contact you later in regards to Urahara's whereabouts."
Nodding, Makoto was about to say her farewells – even if the Captain was their enemy, it had been a good training session – when a blip of unfamiliar Reiatsu appeared at the cavern's entrance. Everyone froze, even Soifon – judging by her shocked expression, it wasn't one of her men. While whoever it was wasn't rushing their way, and their Reiatsu was calm as opposed to aggressive, that didn't mean they weren't a threat.
As they reached the cavern's entrance, Ann suddenly groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."
A tall Shinigami emerged into the light. His shock of red hair was tied back into a messy ponytail, and a segmented Zanpakutō was slung over his back – it looked like it was already in its Shikai state. While Makoto didn't recognise him, Ryuji bristled at his appearance and Akira's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Abarai." Their leader drawled, expression dark. "What are you doing here?"
Abarai opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say died on his lips as he saw Soifon. "What are you doing here?!" He gawped, eyes wide.
"None of your business." She replied curtly, crossing her arms. "In fact, I should ask the same question of you – didn't Kuchiki dismiss you from active service?"
"I'm not here on orders – I'm just looking for a big enough place to do some last-minute training." The redhead frowned, before his expression turned grim and he began to address the room. "… The date of Rukia's execution has been changed. The new time is noon, tomorrow."
A horrified silence followed the Lieutenant's announcement, and the Phantoms stared at him with wide eyes as Makoto took in a sharp breath. She wanted to dismiss his words as mere lies – he was no friend of theirs, after all – but at the same time, would Abarai really do something like that in front of Soifon?
"What?!" The Captain hissed, clearly as shocked as the rest of them. "That's ridiculous! I wasn't informed of this!"
Abarai just looked tired. "You can go outside and verify it if you want – it's no skin off my back."
Soifon briskly marched towards the exit, clearly intending on doing just that, but halted as she reached the Lieutenant's side. "So, why are you actually here, Abarai? You know damn well what the punishment for treason is."
He rolled his eyes, hefting his Zanpakutō. "I told you – I'm just looking for a good place to train."
He put some distance between himself and the Captain, before turning on his heel. Reiatsu flaring, Makoto watched in surprise as a giant baboon suddenly materialised at his side. No, not a baboon – a pale white nue. Is that some sort of kidō? But no – that can't be right. He didn't even say the spell's name.
If Makoto was startled by Abarai's display, Soifon was absolutely alarmed. Her Reiatsu jolted, and her stoic demeanour completely cracked. "You – that isn't possible! You haven't even been Lieutenant for a year!"
"So what? I've been a Shinigami for a lot longer than that." Abarai raised a brow, unimpressed.
Makoto's curiosity got the better of her. "Do you know what's happening?" She whispered to Sae.
Her sister shook her head, clearly as confused as Makoto was.
She must have underestimated how quiet she was actually being, as Soifon answered her instead. "That is his Zanpakutō spirit – only Shinigami on the verge of Bankai can materialise them in the physical world."
"What's Bankai?" Ryuji asked, and it was a valid enough question. Makoto gathered it was some sort of Zanpakutō technique, having witnessed Kurotsuchi's, but she knew nothing more than that.
Abarai responded. "It's the Shinigami's ultimate technique – the final form of their Zanpakutō."
"All Captains except for Kenpachi possess one." Soifon elaborated. "It's the technique that separates us from the average Shinigami. At bare minimum, it takes a decade to master, but can increase one's power tenfold in return."
Abarai nodded. "Hence why I need somewhere private and spacious, even if it is swarming with Ryoka."
"Very well." Soifon nodded, clearly still too bamboozled by Abarai's various revelations to question his motives in any further depth. She then glanced over at Sae. "I'll verify Abarai's words, and contact you if they're true. So, Urahara's location…"
"I'll instruct a random Shinigami to give the information to you once we're back in the World of the Living." Sae responded, and at Soifon's unhappy expression, arched a brow. "Don't give me that look - we need assurance you'll hold up your end of the deal, and it's not like we've got any reason to protect Urahara once that's done. In fact, I'd be more than happy to see him taken down."
Soifon scowled - Sae's words doing nothing to alleviate her annoyance - but the 2nd Division Captain clearly knew the prosecutor wouldn't budge, and with a clipped nod disappeared in a flash of shunpo. That left them alone with Abarai.
"So." Akira prowled forward, a trace of menace leaking into his Reiatsu and sending a shiver down Makoto's spine. "Why are you actually here? Don't give me the this-is-the-only-training-grounds bullshit – Soifon might be too distracted right now to question your lies, but I'm not."
"It's because you were right about me." Abarai cut to the chase. "I haven't been a good friend to Rukia – not for a long time." He clenched his fist, glaring at the ground. "When she was first arrested, I was just so damn angry. I didn't want her dead, but I thought going against the Central 46 was futile. If I tried to save her, we'd just both get killed. I thought if I managed to take you lot down, I'd at least be able to get some form of revenge."
"But… something changed your mind." Ann took a tentative step in his direction.
The Lieutenant gave her a firm nod, before sighing. "Yeah. If I let her die without putting up a fight… how the hell would I be able to live with myself?" A feral grin crossed his face. "At least if I throw in my lot with you, I'll get to go down fighting instead of being put to sleep like a stray dog. Hell, who knows – maybe you'll even be able to pull this off."
The cavern grew quiet as everyone pondered over Abarai's words. Unlike Soifon, who lived in the shadows and pedalled deceit like a salesman wares, from what Makoto had gathered the Lieutenant was a straightforward person driven by emotions. Out of all the Shinigami to offer them aid, Rukia's childhood friend should have theoretically been at the top of the list. At the same time, it was clear that their relationship was strained, and Abarai had been their enemy from the very start.
Akira broke the silence and turned back to face his team. "Thoughts? If people are happy for Abarai to join us, that's fine by me, but if you've got reservations we can just truss him up in a corner somewhere."
Abarai wrinkled his nose at the assessment, but didn't object.
"Honestly…" Ryuji scratched his head, eyes landing on the Lieutenant. "I'm still kinda pissed at you – it should have been fuckin' obvious it was worth fighting against the system to protect your friend. At the same time, I get doing dumb shit because you're mad, and it'd be kinda hypocritical if I held that against you." In the end, the blond shrugged. "So, yeah. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, I'm fine if he wants to give us a hand."
Akira turned to face Ann - the other member of the Phantoms who'd faced Abarai in battle - and she bit her lip. "… I think he's being sincere. Anyway, the more people Rukia has on her side, the better – she deserves the world." She then glared at the redhead. "Still, like Akira said, if you start anything we'll kick your ass!"
"Trust me, I know…" The Lieutenant muttered.
The Phantoms' leader nodded and glanced towards the rest of them. "What about the rest of you? Any objections?"
Uryū shook his head. "There's safety in numbers, and assuming Abarai doesn't want to flee to the World of the Living with us, having someone who could help hold off the Gotei 13's forces would be beneficial."
Sae just shrugged and stated she had no opinion on the matter, which left Makoto as the one who would decide Abarai's fate. She scanned the Lieutenant, and he met her eyes, expression level.
"… Well, he can't be any more dangerous than Soifon." She concluded, rubbing the back of her head.
"Then it's settled." Akira nodded, before offering Abarai his hand. "Kurusu Akira – happy to finally have you onboard."
Abarai gave it a firm shake. "Abarai Renji. Given name is fine – I don't particularly care for all that formality crap. Now, first things first… how the hell did you get Captain Soifon to work with you?"
Akira grinned and snapped his fingers. "We're manipulating each other."
"Sheesh. I'm not even sure if I want to know." Renji sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway, we've been lollygagging long enough – I've got a Bankai to obtain, and I'm sure you lot have your own things to do. Despite what Captain Soifon thinks, the Central 46 is adamant that Rukia's gonna end up six feet underground - this is our last day, and we've got to make it count."
With that announcement, Renji shunpoed to the other side of the training grounds, presumably looking for some space. Makoto then turned to face Sae – if this was their last opportunity to hone their skills, she wanted her sister's advice. As she approached her though, nausea settled into the brunette's stomach. She knew the clock had been counting down for a while now, but it dawned on her that by this time tomorrow, they'd either be back in the World of the Living, or…
No, don't think like that. She chided herself. They wouldn't go out in a blaze of glory – the Phantoms would save Rukia, and return to their halcyon days.