Bleach (c) Tite Kubo
Black and Blue
Divisible by Nine
The Living world is as disgusting as ever. The air stinks.
Too... calm and pristine. It lacks the hard edge of home. Then there's the water. So omnipresent it even falls from the damn sky at semi-regular intervals. And the sky itself alternating between night and day at roughly twelve hour intervals? What a joke.
Its nothing like the harsh wasteland of Hueco Mundo, where hollows would slaughter and devour one another for whatever preciously few oases exist.
Is it any wonder humans grow fat and complacent with all this abundance?
It's a breeding ground for pestilence and weaknesses.
That makes Grimmjow sick. He's sitting on the edge of some concrete building, keeping his reiatsu suppressed to its utmost. It does nothing and no one any good if he was discovered before his job was done.
"Yarelli's a no-show." Yylfordt complains the instant he steps out of the Garganta into the night's rainfall.
"Betrayed us?" Nakeem's muses at a deep rumble.
"No. Yarelli's already here. Her Fracción too." Grimmjow's booming voice cuts through the hissing rain and their bickering before it can truly get started.
All six Fracción turned their gaze to the Espada who sat on the rooftop, wearing a scowl drenched in rain. If they didn't hold their leader in such high respect, or perhaps worked under a rival Espada, any one of the six would've compared Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez's current appearance to that of a drowned cat.
"Were you able to confirm her presence with the Pesquisa?" Shawlong inquires respectfully.
"They emerged from a Garganta about half an hour after I did. Different location, naturally. That conniving witch and her pet brats aren't anywhere near as subtle as they think." Grimmjow glances up at the pitch black clouds, brief flashes of sheet lightning dashing between them.
"I don't have to ask if you were stupid enough to let yourselves be followed." Grimmjow assumes.
"Of course not." Shawlong answers dutifully.
"Can't promise that Yarelli brat hasn't reported our absence before her departure." Erdad puts in, arms crossed over his broad chest.
"Its like the boss says; she wants ta steal the glory of our kills. She wouldn't report this 'til after she thinks she's won." Di Roy explains in a rare flash of insight then his jagged teeth are bared in a crazed grin, "Just means we gotta kill 'em and her gang first, yeah? Sounds like we ain't got a thing ta worry about."
"Grimmjow," Shawlong interjects, stirring the subject back on course. "On our way here, I couldn't help noticing extremely powerful reiatsu signatures. Many of whom Ulquiorra failed to including in his initial reports."
Grimmjow grunts, glancing upwards again. "This much rain is so damn unnatural. This world's atmosphere is disgusting, its disorientating all my senses."
"Is this from Yarelli's people?" Shawlong suggests.
"No. Yarelli has some hydrokinetic abilities but generating this amount of water on a whim? This is way beyond the scope of what she's capable of. Even if she is an Espada, she's only a Gillian. Likely this is just the normal weather patterns in this world. Revolting as that thought is." Grimmjow forks a hand through his light coloured hair, eyebrows knitted in a deep scowl. "Deploy your Pesquisa. Full throttle. Max range. Sweep the entire area. We need to know what we're dealing with."
Grimmjow orders and all of them close their eyes, pouring their focus into their sensory abilities. The Pesquisa sends out a radial pulse that rippled throughout the human town. In their mind's eye, anything with a trace of reiryoku lit up like tiny candles.
"I knew it. I told that jackass Ulquiorra this would happen. 'Not a threat', my ass. These signals are multiplying like crazy." Grimmjow sweeps his gaze over the horizon. "They probably went as far as calling Soul Society for reinforcements. Way to make our jobs harder. All right. We've got our work cut out for us, boys. But our plan remains the same. Find 'em. Kill 'em and go home."
"And Yarelli's crew?" Yylfordt pipes in.
"Kill them too if they start shit." Grimmjow orders. "All of you. Lets go. Don't hold back. Don't distinguish from strong or weak. Hunt down every last miniscule little speck of spiritual power. I don't want to single one of them left standing by the time we go home."
Grimmjow eyes every one of them critically. "One last thing. Work in pairs. Don't let the other out of your sight. And make sure you don't let Yarelli or her band get the jump on ya. Mimicking appearances is the least that conniving bitch can do. I'll say it again; don't me look like a fool by letting yourselves get killed by her cheap parlour tricks. Or I'll bring you back and kill you myself."
When Rukia's Denrenshinki detected several hostile reiatsu signatures inside Karakura's parameter, Ichigo was already on the move. She laments with fond exasperation that Ichigo hasn't changed a single bit. He's gone in a flight of Shunpo to Chad's residence.
Orihime is already under Captain Hitsuguya and Lieutenant Matsumoto's protection. Madarame and Ayasegawa are currently engaged in combat, Renji's still at Urahara's shop and Uryuu's... well, Rukia hasn't actually detected his presence at all since she arrived in the Living World. He wasn't at school today either.
Wherever he is, Rukia hopes he's safe.
Her lips pull into a wistful smile at that thought. If she were any other shinigami, they'd probably marvel at the idea of a Shinigami concerned for the well being of a Quincy.
After ensuring the Kurosaki residence (who so generously opened their home and provided her a place to stay for as long as she required it) is properly protected, Rukia set out at a run into the pounding rain.
Yuzu and Mr Kurosaki, bless them, tried to insist she take an umbrella with her but Rukia hurriedly declined.
There's something strange about this rain. Something she couldn't quite shake. The storm was brewing all afternoon and its no shock that it would lead to such a downpour, but there's a bizarrely off-putting sensation about it.
It feels... heavier than it otherwise should. A storm this severe was expected given how dark the clouds eventually became, but the rain water itself feels unnaturally dense.
She frowns, trying to place the sensation.
Is that... reiatsu? Actually, no. It's so faint that Rukia can't even call it reiatsu, its almost indistinguishable from the ambient background noise.
Wait. Rukia's eyes widen in recognition. She realises she knows this technique, or the mechanics behind it at least. And she feels twin feelings of excitement and anxiety rise in her core.
This is Kaien Shiba's technique.
Rukia already knew of Nejibana's formidably hydrokinesis, had witnessed it's crushing power countless times in battle and knew its power was only appropriate for the most powerful water-type Zanpakutou in history. However, she also knew Kaien had the innate ability to discreetly infuse reiatsu into water itself without his zanpakutou's aide.
It wasn't a capability he advertised. Truthfully, Rukia only learned about it because he'd used it as an example to explain a concept to her when they trained together. She'd never seen it before, or more accurately felt it before, in action but this rain had all the hallmarks of his particular technique.
As if the rain served as the prelude to their reunion, when Rukia turns the street corner, her heart leaps to her throat.
He is standing there. Right in the middle of the empty street.
Rukia gasps at the visage before her.
Dressed in a water-drenched regulation shihakushou and with a pristine blue wrapped Zanpakutou with a silver guard on his hip, Kaien Shiba stands tall with his scrutinizing gaze to the heavens. When he spots her, seemingly hearing her tiny gasp, he waves a greeting like it's the old days. Like they'd left for their quarters yesterday evening and happened to run into each other on the way to the barracks.
Like the last six decades were a nightmare.
"Yo! Its been a long time. Happy to see you're looking well!" He greets her in that sunny tone, despite the water pouring down his face.
Lieutenant Kaien is exactly as she remembers. Full of life and that wide beaming grin.
Though something in Rukia's mind cries out against this. So soon after she arrived, Kaien reveals himself? She knew Ichigo was in contact with her former mentor. She'd wanted to ask him about it, to pry the answers out of him if she had to, but she wasn't sure how to broach the subject matter.
But now Lieutenant Shiba's just... standing here?
"Lieutenant?" Rukia questions, taking a few unsteady steps forward.
Lieutenant Shiba's hand drops half way, evidently annoyed by her lack of response before his hands are on his hips.
"Huh? What's with that puzzle look on your face?" He grumbles back irritably, pointing a thumb at himself, "C'mon! Aren't you glad the popular Kaien Shiba's alive and well? You could be a little more enthusiastic, ya know!"
Despite everything, Rukia is reeling. Was this recent attack the reason he decided to come out of hiding? Is he trying to sneak around using this rain technique to pinpoint and discretely dispatch their foes?
Lieutenant Shiba gives a disappointed huff, "Play along, would ya? It was a joke. If you don't, you're gonna make me look like a buffoon."
Rukia lets out a shuddering disbelieving breath.
It really is the Lieutenant. He's really back! She could feel the tears gathering at the edge of her eyes and her heart soars. The Captain was right. The relief was... immeasurable.
"Seems like you believe me, huh? Yeah I get it. Its been a rough few decades for everyone and a lot's happened, but I'm back. For good this time, I promise." His face splits in a grin that beams like the sun.
"T-then, you're here to help?" Rukia ventures.
"Yeah I'm here to help. We've got ourselves a bit of a mess on our hands, don't we?" Kaien muses then offers a shrug, "I'm just here to handle the mop-up. Make sure everything goes the way its supposed to. You know how it goes."
"Not that I'm not happy to see you again, but where have you been this whole time?" Rukia asks unsteadily.
It's definitely not the time for that discussion, but the question tumbles out before Rukia had a chance to stop it.
The Lieutenant takes no offense and lets the question slide.
"That's not really important right now, is it?" Kaien deflects breezily. "What's important is making sure everything goes smoothly. You understand me?"
He regards Rukia, his expression suddenly grave and stern. "Actually, truth be told, I'm glad you found me first. I've got a plan to make sure everything runs smoothly and you're about the only one I trust to help me pull it off. Understand?"
Rukia listens attentively.
The Lieutenant glances at the skies again, there's a puzzled frown on his face as though sensing something amiss. Then his eyes snap wide in alarm. It puts Rukia on edge herself until her Denrenshinki beeps persistently. Swiftly she fishes it out of her breast pocket and snaps it open. Three of the ten total reiatsu signatures have disappeared in rapid succession, within less than a second of each other.
"Looks like there's another enemy incoming. We've gotta change locations. It isn't safe here. Follow me. We'll wait in ambush." The Lieutenant's tone is stern, brooking no argument and Rukia follows. But... was it her imagination, or did she detect a sudden undertone of rage?
"Yes sir." Rukia breaks into a jog to follow, her hand slipping into her pocket to retrieve her lucky Limited Edition Chappie Gikon dispenser.
When she looks up, she sees the glint of silver aiming for her eye. Reflex takes over and she barely dodges the tip of a Zanpakutou, but the blade scores a cut across her cheek instead. Operating on battle instinct, she raises the Gikon dispenser, ready to forcibly knock herself out of her Gigai.
Its a futile effort.
That same Zanpakutou cleaves the thing in twain, leaving a bloody gash across Rukia's palm and likely would've cost her fingers too if she was a fraction of a second slower.
The Gikon pills were destroyed completely.
Rukia stumbles back, cradling her mangled hand. Kneading her reiatsu and channeling it into rudimentary healing Kido, her palm glows a faint green.
Relief and hope are quashed by the dark glare the Lieutenant levels her way, his sword red with her blood. "What...?"
"What?" The Lieutenant echoes, his tone cruel and foreboding, "What do you mean, 'what'? Do you want to ask what am I doing? I told you. I'm here to mop things up. And you're the biggest mistake I need to correct. After all, you're the one who killed me. Is it out of the ordinary that I'd wanna return the favour?"
Rukia stares at him, horror stricken. She's too distracted to concentrate her healing kido and she's completely defenseless. The Lieutenant has his sword drawn and poised to strike, and he'd be able to skewer her before she finished chanting a spell.
Its a trap. Rukia realizes too late.
This isn't Kaien Shiba.
It may be the same voice and same face but this man isn't who he claims to be. There's no way he could be.
Kaien Shiba, the real one, would never be so cruel as to strike an opponent who couldn't defend themselves.
More over, she knew Nejibana well. The patterns on the guard and the guard itself were wrong. Still a rectangle with rounded edges, but the patterns were jagged lightening bolts, not ocean swirls. And the guard was silver, not gold like the original's.
Now that she had a closer look, the blue wrap was the wrong shade too. Ignoring the rain spatter, the shade of blue was closer to a dark turquoise than navy.
But... then how did he assume Kaien's shape? Was this an illusionary ability? Like Aizen's Zanpakutou? If so, how could this man perfectly mimic the Lieutenant's mannerisms?
"You did this to me." The voice cuts through her mental analysis.
Even as Rukia watches, her blood turns to ice and that chilling fear coils around her heart. His skin shifts to a putrid dark green and orange ichor spills down his face from his blackening eye sockets. His voice twists and distorts into that malice-filled tone, completely devoid of humanity.
For a minute, she's that cowardly child from sixty years ago, eyes filled with fearful tears and a monster wearing her Lieutenant's body like a new skin leaping through the air, ready to devour her. "You're the one who forced me to live like this. As a half-hollow abomination: Is any wonder why I want to kill you to even the scales. Now I'll have my pound of flesh."
Rukia raises her hand on reflex, a kido spell on her lips until -
"Your mugshot's sixty years outta date, asswipe."
This corrupt imposter's blackened eyes go wide and he spins on his heel. Right into an oncoming fist that caves his cheek in with enough kinetic force it sends him careening into the air.
Rukia's wide-eyed in shock as the imposter skids across the road, carving a long gash into the asphalt that rapidly fills with rain water.
His lower jaw spins in another direction, trailing arcs of... water? Mist? Whatever it was, it wasn't blood.
"Call me crazy but I'm pretty sure punching yourself in the face shouldn't be that cathartic."
The jovial tone snaps Rukia out of her daze and she refocuses on the new arrival only to feel another fierce surge of emotion ripple through her.
Impossibly, there's another Kaien standing above her.
However, this Kaien is dressed in a modern semi-fashionable human style with a sheathed Zanpakutou loose in his grip, grimacing at the other.
Briefly Rukia fears a repeat of what just happened with the imposter in the shihakushou and wonders if she can bare it. After all, this could very well be a rouse - a psychological tactic to throw her further of balance and deceive her yet again into letting her guard down.
Were there other Arrancars with this mimic ability? Or was this an extension of the first imposter's ability?
But there's quite a few key differences about this Kaien that give that theory pause. Details that implied a life lived beyond Rukia's static image of the man, but married up to the more unpleasant memories of that dark night sixty years ago.
He appears... not older, per se. He still carries himself with the same youthful vitality and relaxed easy-going demeanour but he seems tired, perhaps. Weathered and battered.
Then there's the scar. A thick rope of dark tissue circling his neck and black kanji tattooed down the left side of his throat, partially obscured by his collar. The part Rukia can make out reads Shiba.
The Zanpakutou in his hand is a superior approximation to the Nejibana Rukia remembers, the golden guard and its etchings and all, but she remains skeptical.
Kaien (the second one) brushes his wet bangs out of his face and shudders, repulsed at the sight of the man in the crater, "Sheesh. Is that what I looked like when I was possessed? That is gnarly. I am so sorry you had to deal with that." He offers a hand out to Rukia. "Up you get."
"Lieutenant Shiba?" Rukia ventures cautiously. "You're... the real one, right?"
"Real enough," Kaien returns with that characteristically goofy grin, "I'm flattered but you don't have to call me that. I'm pretty sure death counts as retirement, wouldn't you say? That being said, hope you don't mind if I give you some backup for old time's sake?"
Okay. This is leagues and miles better than the other guy, who's currently peeling himself out of that crater with breathless gasps and grunts of effort. That strange white misty substance leaking from the mangled lower half of his face.
Kaien slumps, sounding for all the world like he was chastising a disappointing pupil than a legitimate foe, "Come on. That wasn't even a love tap, you big baby. I thought you Arrancars were supposed to be made of sterner stuff."
The twisted visage deforms, melting like molten wax exposed to flame, sloughing off bit by bit until the corrupted visage of the Lieutenant is gone.
A woman with platinum hair and silver blood-shot eyes that screamed bloody murder emerges in its place. A bone white tiara sits on her forehead and its all that's keeping her unkept hair from spilling over her face. She's glowering as she unsteadily climbs to her feet, restored to her natural form, her jaw regenerated itself in the transition.
"No one told me this was a masquerade party. And here I am without my costume. That makes me feel rude." Kaien drawls mildly, "Since you clearly weren't who you appeared to be, mind introducing yourself properly? Or I could address you as 'hey you'? I'm easy either way."
"You run your mouth too much." The Arrancar's growls but the intimidation is lessened by her high pitched whine of a voice.
"Its a bad habit." Kaien admits, folding his arms.
"Very well." The Arrancar hisses, slicking her hair back with both hands in an attempt to regain a regal baring. "Know my name and fear it: I am the Noveno Espada, Yarelli La Apariencia."
"Huh. Another number nine. Ain't that a coincidence and a half. I'm the Ninth Visored, pissed to meet you." Kaien announces cheerfully.
"I believe the common phrase is 'pleased' or have you no manners?" Yarelli taunted.
"Oh no, I'm absolutely pissed. Blindingly so." Kaien replies genially.
Meanwhile. Rukia's head spins.
Visored? The reclusive terrorist organization? They were the traitors and rebels who illegally obtained hollow powers a century ago.
That incident became so infamous that the Central 46 initiated Special Order Thirty-Two to terminate any such individuals on sight. The Captain-Commander seconded the motion and it's strong stood this past century.
Granted Rukia isn't exactly enchanted by the Soul Society's rules and orders these days, thanks to her own recent mishap. But... is that why Captain Ukitake said they couldn't bring Lieutenant Shiba home? Because Kaien was somehow revived and pressganged into serving those criminals and the Captain's busy investigating any legal technicality or loophole to get Kaien out of the inevitable execution that'd follow?
That does make sense... but Kaien doesn't seem to resent the association?
No. The idea, the very thought, of Kaien Shiba's name being uttered in the same sentence as traitor or treason is unthinkable.
The Lieutenant Shiba Rukia knew would never have cast his lot in with those criminals lightly, not unless there was a damned good reason. Which begs a further question; were they the ones who brought him back from the grave? And if so, why? Had they manipulated his debt to them to make him more amenable to their ideals (Rukia doesn't relish that notion)?
There's also the matter of Kaien's association with Ichigo.
Rukia had faith in Ichigo's judge of character. In her heart of hearts, she knew Ichigo would never go along with anything illicit or immoral quietly. In fact, Ichigo would've been the first to raise his blade if anything untoward was going on.
There's too many conflicting variables and Rukia's attempts to puzzle it all out only ends in maddening contradiction.
Obviously there's a deeper story here but Rukia knows now wasn't the time to press Kaien for details. Not with a ranking enemy agent exceedingly aggravated at the both of them.
Putting her myriad of questions aside for now, Rukia takes stock of her options and they aren't promising.
Without the Gikon, it would take Rukia time to separate from her Gigai manually. Doing so would leave her as a sitting duck. The only thing she'd be able to perform with any haste in this body would be kido support. And against a foe like this, would that really be enough?
Her gaze wonders down to her hand, its still healing but the bleeding has stopped thankfully.
What a sticky situation.
"Since the jig's up, what's your gimmick? Shapeshifting with guilt chips attached obviously, but I doubt its as simple as that." Kaien questions casually.
The Espada straightens her back, glaring daggers back at him. "You honestly believe I'd simply reveal all my secrets to you?"
"She's got a point." Rukia puts in, perhaps unwisely.
"Whose side are you on?" Kaien teasingly rebukes her before turning his attention back to the Arrancar.
"You're a clever man. Clearly clever enough to conceal yourself and catch me unawares. I doubt you would've been able to land such a blow if I'd known your strike was coming. Why don't you tell me, what was it you called yourself again, Visored?" The Arrancar dares derisively.
Kaien's lips pull into a thin line. "Well, obviously you don't need to know what the original looks like but your guise was super out of date. For me. On the flip side, that's how I appeared like the last time Rukia saw me, especially with the whole possessed hollow thing. Which makes me think you've probably got some mind or memory-reading aspect to your powers, right? Somehow did a cursory glance at her memories and built a mimic based on her perception. Or it could be more like flashes of insight and you put on a spectacularly crappy improv routine. How am I doing so far? Either of those on the money?"
Yarelli's completely silent and continues her murderous glare for a solid minute. "You are more perceptive than you look."
Kaien gives a dismissive shrug. "Followed the bouncing ball really. It's about the only thing that makes sense. Unless your boss kept psyche evals on all his enemies when he abandoned Soul Society and you lucked out on your choice of opponent... which, admittedly is right up Aizen's alley. But please tell me its not something that disappointingly mundane."
"Would that trouble you?" Yarelli jeers, intending for it to be a taunt which obviously didn't spark the reaction she intended.
Kaien shakes his head, "No, it'd just be incredibly boring."
The Espada rears up, puffing out her chest in pride. "Very well. I shall tell you: did you know that Reiatsu contains memories? By sampling the reiatsu of my target, I can read those memories and then use my own natural abilities to assume the guise most likely to grant me an advantage over my foe."
"Classy." Kaien drawls sarcastically.
"Lieutenant, is it absolutely necessary to deliberately provoke the enemy? Especially when we have no idea what she's capable of?" Rukia questions pointedly.
"Necessary? No. Hilarious? Yes."
Yarelli's gaze narrows darkly. "I must commend your bravery in addressing an Espada with such brazen disrespect. I'll enjoy teaching you proper manners before you die."
Kaien scratches the back of his head with a sigh, "I mean... you're not the first Espada I've ever met. Not the first Ninth either. That other guy was freakishly weird. Think his name as Aari-something? Aarney-peon?"
Yarelli's expression turns cruel with a dark smile spreading across her lips. "Ah. I see. You'd encountered my predecessor then, Aaronierio Arruruerie."
Kaien groans, "Yeah. That jackass."
Yarelli begins laughing haughtily, "Truly, you must have the luck of the gods on your side. Or conjured a miracle from thin air, for that is the only reason you could've possibly escaped his clutches. I must commend you that; few could face the power of the Espada and-"
"Worst heartburn ever."
The frank confession stops the Espada cold. She blinks at Kaien completely wrong-footed.
Rukia does a double take, wondering if Kaien really has lost his mind. Did he just imply what she thought he did?
Yarelli's brows knit in a threatening scowl. "Excuse you?"
"Worst. Heartburn. Ever." Kaien repeats, emphasizing his disgust with pregnant pauses. "In my entire life. Lives, I should say. Seriously. Talk about a texture nightmare. Holy shi - Making it all worse? I still can't stand squid or octopi. Even looking at them makes me - Yck."
Rukia watches him shudders and stick his tongue out as if the very words made him gag. "It sucks! My baby brother used to make the best takoyaki, but now the thought of it makes me want to retch."
Rukia shakes her head in disbelief, "I-I'm sorry, are you trying to... did you actually eat an Arrancar?"
Kaien sucks in a breath, "Kuchiki look. In my defense: we all make bad dietary choices when we're going through a rough phase, okay? I say being trapped as a mindless Hollow definitely counts as a bad phase. Don't judge me."
"I'm judging you a little... and I think I need to lie down." Rukia mutters.
After a few seconds, Kaien concedes. "That's fair. Side note, the sass is new. Loving it. Keep it up."
Yarelli's eyebrow twitches irritably. "Do you think you're being cute?"
"No. Clearly I'm adorable."
"Am I a joke to you?" Yarelli demands, furious and flushed red in rage.
"Yes." Kaien answers bluntly, "But the bigger joke is Rukia actually fell for your crappy act for so long."
Rukia winces when Kaien pins her in place with a disappointed scowl, "Seriously, woman. You didn't even try to fight back. Honestly, if I told you right now the only way I'd forgive you for that crap six decades ago if is you threw yourself on your own sword, would you have done it?"
Rukia flinches at the rhetorical question, preferring very much not to answer. "I... don't think it now's the most appropriate time to have this conversation."
Kaien turns to face her, choosing to ignore the Espada completely for whatever mystifying reason. "No, no, I want an answer to my question and I want it now. Would you do it?"
Rukia hesitates then deflects. "That's... not important."
"I disagree!" Kaien snaps.
The Espada took advantage of the opportunity and Rukia sees Yarelli surge forward with her sword. She yells the warning but it's too late. However, what happens next happened so quickly Rukia questions her own sanity.
In a split second, Kaien evades the impale attack that would've skewered him through the ribs, snatches Yarelli's wrist and flings her away like a ragdoll before he continues glaring at Rukia as if the whole action was no more bothersome than swatting a gnat.
Only the Arrancar's screams of pain, the explosion and falling debris indicated anything happened at all.
Kaien jabs a warning finger at Rukia. "This conversation's not over."
Rukia winces again, feeling very small and meek and suddenly back at her first days in Squad 13, withering under Kaien's disapproving scowl before he turns his attention to the struggling Espada.
"Okay. Lets get this over with. Hurry up and release your sword or whatever; I need to knock some sense into my incurable idiot of a ex-subordinate."
Reiatsu swirls around the crater and Yarelli hobbles to her feet, blood spilling from her lips. She tears her Zanpakutou out of its makeshift rubble tomb.
"Flutter, Polilla!"
White energy washes over them, Rukia brings her arms up to protect her face from any stray rocks or debris.
Kaien casually brushes away a concrete shard aiming for his head.
Yarelli's upper body remained humanoid. The waist down warped and formed into a insectoid thorax and abdomen. A large pair of jagged moth wings tore from her back and with each bellowing beat, enormous gusts of air and rain spatter blew across the street. Her arms stretched and became jointed, encased by an chitinous exoskeleton, tipped with chittering claws. The remnants of her mask stretches into a full crown with the two antenna lengthened and hanging forward like a pair of Anglerfish lures.
"Huh. Shame. I left my fly swatter at home." Kaien's as irreverent as ever in the face of this power and Rukia stares at him as if he's gone completely mad.
Surely, he can feel this insane reiatsu?
"I'll teach you the proper respect, you rotten bastard!" Yarelli shrieks, her great wings beat as she rears for a charge. "Repent of your arrogance!"
Kaien clicks his tongue and reaches back to push Rukia out of the line of fire.
"You know I typically don't do this if I can help it, but if I don't practice every now and again I'll forget how," Kaien lifts his hand to his forehead, white reishi gathers at his finger tips. "Next time you impersonate someone else's Hollow form; do 'em the common curtesy of getting it right."
When his hand sweeps away, a bleached bone mask affixed to his face. There's no spike of reiatsu like with the Arrancar's resurrección but the very air itself thrums with an oppressive power. A looming threatening presence and Rukia feels like she's staring right into the eye of an apocalyptic maelstrom.
The world itself freezes for a split second. Even the rain suspends in midair for a second before pattering down again.
Yarelli's charge halts in its tracks and Kaien's now standing behind the Espada with his Zanpakutou drawn.
In the course of five seconds, the Espada's expression shifts from one of murderous intent to confusion, to comprehension then primal fear.
"You're a monster." Yarelli's horrified little whimper were her last words before bloody red lines split her skin, crisscrossing her entire body.
"That makes two of us."
The Arrancar crumbles. Reduced to a pile of bloody chunks that begin to dissipate into dark reishi.
Rukia is thunderstruck, staring in equal parts horror and fascination as Kaien turns back and approaches her, pausing only to scoop up Nejibana's scabbard and sheathe his blade.
This is mindboggling. Rukia knew how powerful Kaien was back then. But for all the admiration the Thirteenth had to for him, both as a man and a warrior, and for his potential to become a frighteningly powerful Shinigami, this was an opponent even the Lieutenant of old would've had trouble dealing with.
But now?
The difference is night and day.
The Arrancar isn't simply dead, she was completely obliterated.
What's more, this feels like its only a glimpse of what he can do, as though she's staring at a vast ocean with no idea how deep it actually goes.
Exactly how strong has Kaien become?
A treacherous worry crosses her mind; despite his saving her... was he really still a friend? Or, thanks to his new affiliations, a dangerous foe?
"As Hollow masks go..." Kaien begins that twisted double voice when there's only a half dozen paces between them, plucking that mask off his face and having a good look at it before offering it to Rukia for inspection. "Let's face it; I could do a lot worse, right?"
Its a draconic-looking thing with a plated jaw. Several elongated fangs stretch up from the lower half, seemingly sealing the fearsome row of teeth shut. The top of the mask is accented by a pair of horns. The primary set stands tall like a crown while the second set sweeps back from the narrow eye slips and over his ears.
Kaien disintegrates it with a flick of the wrist and breaths out a sigh, "Well. Now that disaster of a dress rehearsal's over, do you want to try that emotional reunion again with the real deal or are you tapped out?"
Throwing all decorum and her private misgivings by the wayside, Rukia throws her arms around Kaien with her face buried in his chest. It knocks the wind out of him and he stumbles back a pace, but he still laughs.
"Oof. Still as big a crybaby as ever, I see. Haven't changed, have you?" Kaien teases mildly, returning the embrace with a fond smile of his own.
Its entirely the opposite of sixty years ago where Rukia clung to a lifeless body. Despite the rain-soaked clothes, she feels the energy and vitality of life, can feel the low rumble in his chest from a faint chuckle, hear his heart beating strong and steady and the warmth of his embrace. A strong hand pats her back gently.
Rukia's getting a little misty eyed and sniffling slightly, after a minute she asks, "You're not going to pull out another sword and shank me, are you?"
Kaien breaks the hug, offended and disgusted in equal measure. "Good god, no! Gez Kuchiki, why don't you ask me if I go around kicking puppies while you're at it."
"Considering the evening I've just had, can you really blame me for double-checking?" Rukia replies.
Kaien's about to chastise her again before giving a nod, "Valid point." He turns his attention to the skies, brushing his hair back again, "On that subject, it feels like the rest of your team's in trouble. You should probably start making tracks."
Rukia grunts, scooping up the broken remains of her Chappie Gikon dispenser from a dirty puddle (Byakuya purchased it for her and she's absolutely crushed to see such a precious gift destroyed. Sadly, she'll have to mourn it's loss later). "I would but Yarelli destroyed all my Gikon. I'll need to stop by Urahara's shop for more."
"Hmm. Yeah, that's a problem." Kaien hums noncommittally before fishing out a charm on a chain from his jacket pocket that winds around his hand. "Oi."
Rukia glances up to catch Kaien flick her forehead. Hard. Hard enough to send her stumbling backwards out of her Gigai.
"Kaien, you jerk!" Rukia complains, rubbing the red spot on her forehead while he's hefting her Gigai like baggage.
Kaien flashes a cheeky grin in response, shaking the charm back into his pocket. "Problem solved. Get your butt in gear and go help your friends. I'll leave your Gigai at Kisuke's place. Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't stuff any more magical wish-granting baubles in it." He jokes.
Rukia blinks, her face falling. "You knew?"
Heaving a sign, Kaien nods once. "Yeah. Yeah, I know about that whole debacle. Suffice it to say there's a mountain of stuff we have to talk about but we'll save that whole conversation for later. Right now there's bigger concerns and you've got a job to do. And, fun as this was, I've already screwed around enough as it is. I need to keep out of sight until this current fiasco blows over. Can I count on you, Kuchiki?" Kaien prompts.
Rukia blinks. This was all too fast. He's leaving just like that? She wants to protest, to implore him to stay, but in spite of everything she wants to blurt out she gives a single nod.
Kaien ruffles her wet hair with another grin, and despite the gravity of the situation a smile sneaks across Rukia's face.
"Attagirl."
Author's note:
Thus concludes 'Divisible by Nine'. Or as its lesser known alternate title: Kaien gives zero fucks.
Real talk: Yarelli existed for two major reasons, First as a pay tribute to the Aaroniero fight (my personal favourite). Second: The pun. Yarelli is the Ninth Espada. Kaien is the Ninth Visored. She literally was divided by a nine. :D (I'll show myself out.)
Translation: Polilla - Moth.
Edit: 11/12/2022 - just cleaned up the chapter to make it flow better.
Edited: 25/4/2023 - Cleaned up the chapter's grammatical errors and spruced up the language a little.
Regards,
Aurora313