Blackout2010: So, I really do miss these pre and post fic banter. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do one for a really long time because I've been focusing on the core of the fic and well, because writing original material is quite hard, especially when it's supposed to be funny. So, to meet half way, I decided to share an interesting fact with you.
Blackout2010: So, I was dicking around as one does when a strange thought occurred to me: I wondered how many pages this fic was. So, the data was ripped with using the word count from every chapter prior to it. I do know it will be slightly inflated because of pre, post fic banter, explanations, responding to unknown reviews etc. etc., but I just wanted to know.
Blackout2010: Turns out that the 848,026 words used gets converted into roughly 1782.7 pages at size 12 font in Calibri according to wordcounter. If we go to times new roman: It comes out to 2129.5 pages. To put this in perspective for you the audience. The average holy bible has about 1,200 pages. The Bible. So, you guys have essentially read the equivalent of 1 bible and 1 Quran combined.
Blackout2010: That's actually kind of amazing in a way. So let this be a testament that people will read any length so long as it's related to their interest and for reading all that I put down, I tip my hat to you. You guys are amazing.
Blackout2010: So with all that said, I will now stop calling this fic, BTAT, bleach: the alternate tale, and will instead call it: BTBL, Bleach: The bible length Or Maybe, BTDS: Bleach the door stopper, or perhaps BTPB: Bleach: the phone book, then again BTDE: Bleach: The Deforestation Event does sound nice.
ch.50 Jail Bird Blues: Canary Song
Casting wistful glances down from her vantage point, the Vizard saw the lone Shinigami on the bridge guarding the tower's entrance, oblivious to her presence.
'He's the only one.' Mirokumaru cooed softly beside her mistress.
'Looks like it.' The girl tilted her staff up, opting to levitating at her current position. 'He's gotta have the key on him.'
'Indeed.' Turning away, the spirit looked towards the tower above him and pointed toward it. 'Senna-sama, let us land there. We can make any final adjustments, before we begin.'
With a silent nod, the girl drifted towards the top of the tower. Once she was over the roof, she stepped off her staff lightly, before crouching near the edge, giving her full view of her exiting path. Seeing no one inside the tower opposite her from her current viewpoint, Senna glanced at her phone, checking to see if any Onimitsukido were in the area. Seeing it blank, the girl felt a rush of excitement, minus the two guards with the torches patrolling the ground level, it was just her and the guard up here.
'Security around here is still lax. Either they haven't had time to bolster it or they're keeping the execution order a secret until it's too late.'
Senna smiled as she set her escape plan map up, "Maybe, or they just can't spare manpower, either way I'm not going to complain." Once it was up, she highlighted the route in black, before putting it away and returning to the situation at hand.
The guard.
From her perch, she observed the lone guard dressed in white ceremonial attire, head covered in a full headdress. He stood stock still in the tower's torch light, one hand at his side, while the other clasped the hilt of his sheathed sword, on his hip hung a ring with attached keys.
He was completely vulnerable.
Taking a final breath, the girl steeled her resolve.
It was time.
"Let's do it."
Straddling her staff, she slowly floated down over the drop, lowering herself closer for her ambush. Coming to a stop about 10 ft above him, the girl placed her foot against the tower to spring forward. Licking her lips, she counted down. '3…2…1…'
Pushing off the wall, the Vizard darted ahead, heel slamming into the back shoulder of the unsuspecting Shinigami. The guard flew forward, smashing against the wooden bridge. Before, the man could even try to push himself up, Senna swung her Shakujo in the same practiced motion as one of her tennis rackets, clocking the man in the side of the head with its golden head.
As the sound of the rings clattered in the silent night, Senna watched with batted breath and stiff posture, hoping that she wouldn't have to make another swing. Watching slowly, the girl breathed a sigh of relief when the unconscious guard's chest rose and fell softly.
Lowering her Zanpaktou, the girl stepped towards the body and kneeled down at his side, taking the keyring from his side, before returning to the door. Inserting the only key into the hole, the lock clicked with a heavy thud. A Joyous smile emerging, the woman peered through the bars, "Cirucci!" she cried out, trying to locate her friend in the darkness.
"What do you want?" a soft controlled voice answered her.
Senna recoiled from the door slit when from the other side a brown skinned woman with jagged blonde-hair and piercing, teal-colored eyes moved into view.
Rendered momentarily speechless, the woman turned more fully to the barred window. "Shinigami." The woman spoke again, cold fury seeping into her voice. "What. Do. You. Want?"
"I'm here to rescue you!" the vizard blurted out, as she leaned back in. As the Arrancar's eyes narrowed skeptically, obviously trying to decipher if this was a trick of some-kind, the girl stepped to the side, giving the Hollow a full unmitigated view of the Shinigami, laying face down on the bridge. "Please!" she pleaded, hand motioning to the door. "Open the door. I just unlocked it!"
Looking down from her end, Harribel reached for the door and with a simple twist of the knob, heard the unmistakable sound of the slide hitting rapidly against the lock.
The door was open.
Glancing back up at the supposed savior, she saw only desperate concern on her face. Taking her chances, the Arrancar gripped the doorknob and said, "…alright." Before stepping aside to open the door.
As the door swung open, Senna quickly stepped into the chamber. She glanced briefly at the woman she'd been conversing with, her face barely lit by the chambers' torches. "Who are you?" the Hollow asked.
"I'm Senna." She replied quickly, eyes darting around, "Is Cirucci here?"
The woman nudged her head to the side to indicate direction. Following it with her gaze, she saw her friend sitting at the base of the stairs, her body leaned against the wall, as she tried to sleep as comfortably as she could.
With a relieved smile, Senna pulled down her mask before running over to her friend, trying to rouse her. "Cirucci! Get up, it's me!"
"enah, mmh, huh?" the sleepy Arrancar responded groggily, "Que pasa?"
"Cirucci." She called ceasing her rattle. "It's me. Get up!"
That seemed to jolt the woman awake, as she looked towards the familiar voice. Seeing the face of her Espada's sister, the purple-haired woman gasped, "Senna-sama?" she whispered, desperately hoping that this wasn't just a fever dream.
The girl's responding smile was radiant. "I made a promise, remember? I'm here to save you."
The captive's face broke into a hopeful smile, "Gracias, amiga."
Pulling away from her friend, Senna turned back to the greater part of the room and saw more people stirring at the insistence of the other Arrancars, previously hidden in the shadows. Eyes darting around, she was glad to see the number of individuals didn't go much higher than she'd previously counted when she spoke to Cirucci earlier that day through the bars.
'Good thing we're taking the sewers.' Senna thought to herself, as she looked back at brown woman with teal eyes. "Is this everyone?" she asked, slipping her mask back up.
The woman turned her head slightly, scanning through the darkness, counting all her fellow Arrancar. After a few seconds of silence amidst the low murmurs, she looked back at Senna, "Yes, everyone is present."
'2, 4, 6…and then me…so 12. I can do that.'
Raising her hand up to flag their attention, the vizard said, "Okay, everyone, I need you to suppress your Hollow energy to the best of your abilities. Just the Hollow portion, you can ignore the Shinigami-side. When everyone's ready step outside and follow me, quietly."
"Hmm? That voice…" a male said from the back.
"Quiet Cabrón! She's trying to get up out of here!" a younger guy chided the other male.
"Is everyone ready?" she asked anxiously, not wanting to waste any time getting out of here. The low grunts from the back and nod from Cirucci were her answer. "Alright, follow me."
The girl started walking towards the door followed closely by Cirucci. As she reached the entrance, her eyes immediately darted to the body laying on the ground. Her eyes hardened; it was her first challenge in the escape. Turning back around, she called back to the group, "Are there any guys here?"
From the center huddle, three figures stepped closer to her. Squinting her eyes against the darkness of the chamber, she saw one was a man slightly shorter than her with black hair and a tiger mask. The next was a thin-looking man with highly visible golden hair and the last a huge guy with a wild mane of red topped with a white beak of sorts.
"Can I have your shirts?" she requested, before gesturing to body on the moonlit bridge, "I want to tie him and gag up. That way he won't scream when he wakes up."
Seeing the logic in her action, the men took of their black prisoner shirts. As they did this, the ringleader looked back to her friend, "Can you tie him up and bring him inside for me?" she opened her hand and shook her head, "I don't want to risk touching him and putting my fingerprints on him."
Though not sure what she meant, Cirucci nodded, "Si." And set to work.
Observing the interaction, as Cirucci reached out for the clothes, Tia's eyes narrowed, 'She's making it look like we ambushed a careless guard.' She concluded, as the pair walked out to begin their task, one giving instruction to the other. 'That way they won't think a third-party assisted us.' As the purple haired woman heaved the gagged man into the room, announcing it was done, the former Espada relaxed slightly. 'Perhaps, we might actually escape.'
"Okay." Senna whispered, as she set the door to lock with the key upon closure. Turning back to the group, she beckoned them to follow, "Alright, follow me. Last one out closes the door behind you."
Jogging out into the moonlight it became very apparent to Senna that something was wrong; she only heard the patter of a single pair of feet. Coming to a halt where the downed guard had once been, she looked back and saw the now moonlit Arrancar crowded around the tower entrance staring at her with disbelief and incredulity. Her expression also became more quizzical when she looked back and vaguely recognized some of them, but once she saw past that, she knew what they saw.
A Shinigami
"Please, we need to hurry." The girl plead desperately.
"I don't like it." A jagged blond girl snarled, Hollow and normal eye narrowed dangerously, "This just read like a trap."
Uncrossing one of her arms, Harribel gestured to the pair, "She's already opened the door and subdued the guard." She stated calmly, "What more can we ask?" she shrugged.
From the other side, a blue-haired Arrancar with heterochromia and white horned-head band frowned, "Harribel-sama, I don't mean to be rude," she shook her head, "But Menoly's right. Miracles don't just happen."
"Hey!" Shouted a woman with skin comparable to Harribel. The brown maned woman stomped over and grabbed hold of the other woman's collar. "Are you questioning our Espada, Apacci!?"
Apacci backhanded her fellow beast's hand, "Shut up Gorilla!" She pointed at the Espada in question, "Unlike your dumb ass, I ain't just gonna put Harribel-sama's life on the line on a whim!"
"Calm down you two." A third voice spoke, Senna followed it back to a pale woman long dark-haired and even longer sleeves, standing behind Harribel. She brought her sleeved hand to her mouth. "We follow Harribel-sama." She chided, "If she would trust her, we trust her; if she doesn't, we protect Harribel-sama. No more, no less."
As the first two turned back to glare at the third girl, an overwhelming sense of déjà vu clicked in Senna's mind. Furrowing her brow, she closed her eyes and thought about it for a moment. Their antic and voices…they seemed familiar. A split-second image flared in her mind, of three women in white talking to her, Ichigo and Shaolin in Karakura town.
'It's them.' Mirokumaru stated more assertively to her ladyship. 'Those Hollows from before.'
'I think you're right.' She thought as she pulled down her mask, hoping maybe they might remember her face as well. "Hey!" she called out, catching the groups attention, "Aren't you the ones that came to Karakura town? The ones Aizen sent to recruit Ichigo and me?"
As the group turned to her, taking a closer inspective glance at their would-be rescuer, Harribel noted the look of realization and surprised relief on her Fraccion's faces. 'So, they are familiar with her…' Shifting her focus behind her, the Shark empress's gaze drifted over to the men beside Mallia and saw thinly veiled restraint. 'Seems they are acquainted with her too.'
"We can trust her." Mila-rose declared confidently, turning back to her liege.
"Are you kidding me!?" the short black-haired guy wearing a tiger skull atop his head roared. He jabbed his finger accusingly, "This bitch killed-"
"Silencio, Ggio!" the tall blonde man snapped at his fellow Fraccion, also aware of who she was. Ggio shot him a withering glare, the man wearing a visor shaped mask sighed defeatedly, "He'd want us to survive you know?" he said quietly, clearly trying to talk sense into the passionate youth.
"That's-"
He turned a somber look to him, "Will you disobey his will, Vega?"
Ggio's jaw clenched, as he stared hard at his fellow Fraccion. "God damn it!" he shouted, as he tore his eyes away. Cursing himself for his powerlessness in this situation.
"It's too late for any of us to back out now." A tall brown-haired man said lazily, a single eye closed. He nudged his head to the previous room. "If you stay here, you die."
"Stark." The small girl beside him hissed uneasily.
The man placed a reassuring his hand on her helmeted head, rubbing it gently. The pair made eye contact, before Stark looked back to Senna, "She's offering us a chance here."
"Or she's walking us to the slaughter." Menoly spat.
Stark shook his head in disagreement, "Call me crazy, but she doesn't look like the scheming type…" the man hummed to himself, before shrugging, "If anything…she actually kinda reminds me of the Primera Espada. Maybe her altruistic nature?"
With that little declaration, the Arrancar looked over the Shinigami again, and with a certain level of uneasiness, they found that 'yes', the girl did remind them of Aizen's top enforcer for some reason or another. While Senna had no idea if being compared to an Espada was a good thing in general, she could at least see that they thought favorably of her…
…at least for now.
Pulling up her mask, Senna turned to the path ahead, "Follow me."
Crossing the bridge tower, the parade of Arrancar followed their guide through the vacant tower pausing to allow the ground floor patrol to pass, before heading to the labyrinth of Seireitei. Fishing up her escape route from the soul pager, Senna followed her carefully planned route; peering around corners for Shinigami patrols she may not have sensed, and either doubling back to go around or allowing them to move on so they could cross.
It was when they reached the X-marked destination on their map did the girl practically cry in relief, "We made it." The nerve-shot girl told Cirucci and the others, glad that the most difficult part of this task was done.
"Made it?" the giant red tattooed man repeated incredulously, casting a cautious eye over their clearly Shinigami-built environment.
"Yeah," the girl bent down and tapped the manhole cover, "Time to go underground."
"The sewers…?" Sung-sun cringed, a sentiment shared by some of the other Arrancar.
"We've gotten this far because of her." Tia said dispassionately, as Senna moved the lid to the side, "May as well continue following the girl."
Finished saying her peace, she walked towards the ladder and descended, slowly followed be the others. As the last Arrancar to enter, Ggio closed the lid above the tunnel, concealing all traces of their existence.
(Present: Interrogation room)
"So, you honestly expect me to believe that you walked from your room to the penance tower?" Shaolin surmised hotly; eyes narrowed in disgust. "Do you take me for an idiot lieutenant?"
Trying to restrain the shaking in her body, Senna looked away timidly, "But I told you…there was only two guards patrolling the base around the tower." She shrugged softly, "And outside of our division, it's not like everyone know what I look like, especially without Cirucci."
"…" Shaolin shook her head dismissively, "And you maintain that the guard on the bridge, guarding the highly dangerous Arrancar, was really asleep on the job, despite his testimony and evidence of bruising?"
"He woke up when I initially tried to get the key, but…"
Shaolin kept quiet, as she tried to think on how to pivot things for damage-control. Of all the things, she could have said confirming the attack on the guard was probably one of the worst. Not only did it open the doorway for her accuser to attack her character, but it also confirmed Senna's Mirokumaru's involvement, a blunt staff. 'Hopefully, people don't know about Kisuke's cave. Otherwise, the how she was able to release her Zanpaktou and fly without being sensed becomes more pronounced. We'll have to be insistent in pointing out the detail discrepancies between the guard and her.'
Making a mental note to speak to the others to help get a defensive story straight, she resumed her role as inquisitor, "Well, I see you didn't try to deny things by saying that he was already knocked out upon your arrival…"
Senna flinched understanding the hinted warning of her words. "Very well, I'll continue entertaining your version of events." The dark-haired woman waved her hand back and forth frivolously. "So, what next? You exited the tower and entered the sewer?"
"Well, not much else that night."
Soifon quirked a brow, "So then you just left them there?" she asked, shrugging uncaringly, despite knowing better.
The accused girl gave her a confused look, "Well…what do you want me to say…?"
"The Reiatsu scanning of the sewers will verify your claims." The pregnant woman said coldly, although she tactfully made sure not to mention anything about the hot springs. "But if you are asking me personally, the truthful admission of you guilty and culpability is all that is required. I could live without a fanciful tale."
(Past)
Pushing open the manhole cover to peek, Senna glanced around to see if anyone was around to spot them. Seeing the coast was clear to the best of her ability, she moved the cover to the side and pulled herself out. She gave another once over to make sure no one emerged from anywhere else, "Come on!" she quietly ordered the group, holding her hand out for them.
One by one, they emerged from the tunnel, starting with Cirucci and ending with the mistrustful Menoly and the deferring leader Harribel. While the burlier men began to move to put the metal plate back on to its place, Senna flipped open her soul pager to confirm the new route from their current position. 'So far so good.'
"They're done, what now? Harribel asked, walking towards their guide.
Putting away her pager, Senna pointed ahead, "We're going to go over there and make our way to the division's assembly grounds."
Following the direction, she was pointing, after hearing what she said, Harribel was a little concerned, "Mass assembly usually have little to no cover. Only the cover of darkness will hide us."
"It'll just be for a sec." Senna assuaged, "Come on."
Turning away the girl went down the corridor, the Arrancar shared a cautionary glance, before following after the masked Shinigami. Crossing tensely through the open plaza, the group eventually came to an end of the tiled corridor and the start of a woodland area. As they began to wade into the woods, the suspicious atmosphere became more apparent for the Shinigami leading them.
"It's just a little way ahead." She nervously called back to the group, trying to pacify them just a little while longer with occasional updates, as she continued to follow the route on her phone.
"Stop." The voice of Harribel commanded softly.
In an instant, the numerous patters of feet were reduced to just Senna's and Cirucci's. Apprehensively, the vizard girl turned back to the group behind her. The blonde Espada's eyes weren't on her but seemed no less dangerous.
"Harribel-sama…?" one of her Fraccions called out.
The woman uncrossed her arms and pointed up, above the tree line. "That mountain ahead of us." Tia pointed out to everyone the reason for her complaint, "That's Sokyoku hill, isn't it?"
The words hung in the air momentarily, before the more hotheaded blonde tomboy moved closer towards the front menacingly, "Harribel-sama, when you say Sokyoku Hill, do you mean the hill Aizen-sama staged his escape from?" she turned to Senna, her single eye narrowing, "The execution ground!"
Realization coming over her, Senna tried to intervene, "No! Wait-"
"I knew you couldn't be trusted!" yelled Menoly, vindicated.
"Please, listen!" Senna begged, trying to regain control of the situation, especially when they were so close.
To the surprise of both parties, the one who quieted the clamoring was the one who had inadvertently started it. Raising a single hand to her side, Harribel called for silence. Once all was calm, the icy-eyed woman glanced over her shoulder, "Stark."
At the mention of his name, the shaggy brown-haired man holding the hand of a lime green girl stepped around Redder, leveling a dispassionate eye to the ladies up at the front. "Hmm?"
The former number 3 made a slight motion with her head, "Did you notice as well?"
The man's eyes wandered to the mountain briefly, before nodding, "Yeah, a little while back. When it started to peak over the tree line, I had a hunch. Aizen didn't mention there being a lot of crags in Seireitei, so process of elimination…"
The little girl at his side looked up at the man, clearly annoyed. "STAARK! How come you didn't say anything!? You can't keep that stuff to yourself!"
The man sighed, as he ruffled the girl's helmet, much to her chagrin, "Because," he drew out, "I haven't sensed anyone around us or ahead of us. So, I didn't bring it up because I thought it would cause a stir." He pulled his hand back, as he shrugged, eyeing the others, "And what do you know…"
"Grr…" Lilynette grumbled, as she turned away, cheeks puffed out, "Stupid smarty pants."
Chuckling to himself, Stark glanced back at their guide, "Anyway, if she wanted to ambush us then that barrack's assembly area was the best place to do it. Think about it. Wide open area with no cover, stronghold of Shinigami shrouded in darkness, no obvious means of escape." He rattled off nonchalantly but making his dire point clear. "All I'm saying is: If she wanted us dead, that was the moment."
With that moment of needed pacifying done, he looked back to Harribel. "But you're the leader here, Tres, so it's your call. I'm just giving my opinion as a Fraccion."
Harribel almost rolled her eyes, 'Fraccioned because of the Primera's mere existence. If we'd won the war, you'd be the Primera right now.' She mentally corrected, as she turned her attention back to her would be savior. The cool commander could see the girl was clearly stressed out by the situation they were in. Sparing a fleeting glance at the domesticated Arrancar beside her, she made her decision.
"I apologize for the trouble." She spoke softly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was only making an observation. Please continue."
The girl stood still as she let the older woman's words sink in. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Senna let out a dejected gasp. She gestured for them to follow her weakly as she turned away from them. Cirucci's frown deepened at seeing the girl's expression.
Language difficulty aside, the Fraccion knew that she was having doubts in her heart.
Continuing the now silent trek through the darkened woods, the group came to a cavern entrance. Feeling the piercing stares of distrust from behind, Senna didn't bother addressing them, wearily leading them further in before disappearing into the crevasse.
Leading the way through the winding path, her servant, Cirucci, the only one following with unequivocal faith in her, the darkness of night finally parted, as the soft golden-brown light of the cavern washed over the party.
Turning around, just as Cirucci stumbled through the last bend, Senna smiled gently at the look of captivated wonder and joy she had. It shot a surge of excitement through her being a livewire of uncontrollable energy. To her, it was the first real sign this entire night that made her believe this was the right choice.
That she wasn't wrong for choosing mercy.
As the others began to catch back up, also taking notice of the large expansive cave, Senna beckoned them to follow further in. Pushing into the cave, they eventually came up to a series of connected hot springs, when Senna stopped and turned back to them, "Well," she said with a demure smile, "We're here."
"Senna-sama," Cirucci spoke up, eyeing the steaming pools of water amidst the rocky landscape. "What is this place?"
"It's a hidden training facility that Urahara and Yoruichi built into Sokyoku hill." She explained to her, before regarding the other Arrancars. "You can go ahead and release your spiritual pressure, it's safe here." She pointed to the wall, pulsing with energy. "The cave is made from Seki Seki rock. From what I remember, it's the same as the wall around Seireitei. Keeps people from sensing anything inside it. At least, that's how everyone explained."
Taking her position as unelected unanimous leader in stride, Harribel lifted two fingers above her shoulders and lightly swayed them, silently telling the others to belay the suggestion. Drawing in a breath, the shark empress exhaled slowly as she released her constraint on her spiritual pressure, testing the waters so to speak.
The others looked on expectantly at the moment of truth. One second, two seconds, three...
Finally, the rest noticed her more relaxed posture despite her stoic gaze.
The coast was clear.
One after another, the group eased the deadly chokehold on their powers, letting their Hollow energy spill freely in this holy sanctuary.
"Umm, I know you guys are tired." Senna stepped aside, gesturing to the spring waters behind her. "So, you could soak a bit, before going to sleep. I brou-"
"WOOHOO!" shouted Lilynette streaking by the group—completely devoid of clothes. "CANNONBALL!"
The thunderous splashing of water broke the deafening silence that fell over everyone. Senna just stared dead-eyed at the display before she slowly looked back at the Arrancar. Her eyes narrowed in on the brown haired one next to the discarded clothes of the girl, "Smooth one, Lilynette." Stark deadpanned, facepalming over his other half.
"ermm." The topless muscular man in the back groaned, hand running through his shaggy black mane, "I wanted to do that…"
"Ughh…" the blonde man next to him sighed, joining Stark in the facepalm club.
The young man next to the big guy, shot him an irritated look, "Abirama! What are you!? Fuckin' five!?"
While most of the group's attention was drawn away, Harribel's eyes fell to the splishing-and-splashing of the Fraccion girl. "Me too." She mumbled dismally.
"Ah!"
Eyes widening, Harribel darted her attention to where she heard the noise of surprise originate from. A wave of embarrassment surged through her, when she saw her Shinigami guide with a glimmering 'I heard that' smile. Channeling her icy composure and dignified leadership, the teal-eyed woman fixed her a hard 'Not a single word, girl' glare.
When the girl shriveled slightly on receiving the message, she decided to bring things to order. "Alright, you heard her." She said loudly, before extending a hand to the hot springs. "Go relax. You've earned it. I need to speak to her about our next step."
As the hopeful crowd started walking by, speaking to each other amicably or giving an appreciative nod or gesture to the rebelling Shinigami, before separating into two crowds, the tomboy-looking blonde cast her an uneasy look.
To Senna's surprise, the brown-haired man standing behind Harribel remained, "So," he began, picking up Gingerback's clothes, "Not to sound ungrateful, but how did a girl like you find this place?"
Harribel nodded, as well, "Yes, it was something on my mind as well?"
Senna bit her lip, "Well, I don't know how much you know, but before we fought you Arrancar guys, we, I mean me and a few friends, had to break into Soul Society to rescue someone."
The Tres Espada's eyebrow raised at that tidbit, "This isn't your first time rescuing someone from this place?"
"Kinda?" the girl tilted her head to the side, "We were framed for instigating an insurrection against Soul Society. They took Rukia-chan, the girl we rescued, as a hostage after beating us in the Karakura town. From what Ichigo told me, she was set to be executed to serve as an example of those that betray Soul Society."
"Huh, well that's ironic." Stark mused thoughtfully, "You actually are guilty of inciting a revolution, just not the revolution they thought you were guilty of."
"…" Senna looked away uncomfortably, causing Cirucci to glare at the man. Once Harribel's disapproving eyes landed on him as well, he bowed his head, "Sorry." He apologized to his hostess.
With the apology given, Tia turned back to their rescuer, "Our word choice aside," she said softly, "Thank-you once again for assisting us."
The girl waved it off with a nervous smile, "It-it's fine!"
Sensing the franticness in her, Harribel decided to return to the task at hand, "So Senna, what exactly is the next phase of our escape?"
"Oh." Senna turned and beckoned them to follow. As the quartet went towards a nearby elevated plateau, a short haired woman peeked around the corner of one of the rock formations, staring down the retreating figures cynically.
(Senna and company)
Climbing up the small plateau's in laid stairwell, a large basket was sitting at the top covered by a blanket. Walking towards it, Senna kneeled down and pulled out a black cloth, "So I brought some of my uniforms for the girls and grabbed some men ones from a…" she paused a moment to think how to phrase it, without implicating her loved ones. "A friend."
"So, you're going to sneak us out disguised like Shinigami." Stark asserted, seeing the rudimentary implication so far.
The Shinigami nodded, "I figured it'd be impossible to break in and get you out in one day, especially by myself." She shrugged, as she stood up, "Honestly, they probably would catch us in a few hours, if we rushed."
The senior Arrancars nodded. It would be child's play to catch tired and panicking prey, especially in what could only be considered enemy territory. "So," she continued, "I was going to try and sneak you out one or two at a time, once Soul Society eased it's guard."
"Wouldn't Soul Society send out a memo on us? We've been there so long; I'd be surprised if they didn't know what we looked like."
"That's what this is for." The girl declared, holding out the black cloth that unfolded into a balaclava. "It's a special attire belonging to the stealth and punishment force. Everyone recognizes it, so nobody would stop you."
"Stealth and Punishment force?" Harribel mused to herself, unsure why that branch of Soul Society sounded familiar.
Stark furrowed his brow, "Wasn't one of the Shinigami working for Aizen…?"
While the two outsiders were pondering the item, Cirucci stared at the black cloth, "Senna-sama." She said quietly.
"Yeah?"
Narrowing her eyes on it for a second longer, she turned to her ladyship. "That's Ichigo-sama's, isn't it." She stated matter-of-factly, recognizing her master's spiritual energy clinging to the fabric.
The girl was uncomfortably silent for a moment, before nodding her head. "…yes."
Easing her scrutinizing stare, the Arrancar frowned a bit, piecing together the situation based on her ladyship's actions and mannerism and the disturbing lack of her Espada's involvement. "He's…not aware, is he?"
The girl shifted uncomfortably, as her own frown widened. "I didn't want to risk involving them." She confessed, crossing her arms in front of her defensively. "They still believe they can talk it out with Soul Society…work within the system to help you."
"You don't think they can?" Asked Stark
The girl shook her head, dismally. "I doubt Soul Society, not them." She corrected, before turning back and placing the face mask back into the basket. "Anyway, I'll see what I can do about getting you guys food, and, hopefully, once things calm down, I can try sneaking you all out of here."
"Soul Society won't notice the sudden food disappearance?" Tia inquired.
"Only if I take it from the same spot over and over." She explained, before motioning to Cirucci. "You can ask her we've gone to several division and ate at their cafeteria. So, as long as I go between the second, third and fourth division, places run by people I trust, it should be fine. I can't guarantee when the food arrives, but it's the best way to not get noticed."
"So, what next?" Harribel asked, satisfied with how things were detailed. "The food and escape route are secured, but what happens after we're out?"
"Ummm…." The girl groaned, as she looked to the floor instead of her asker. "after that…it…gets kinda…. fuzzy."
Ever the stoic, Harribel tried to keep her expression neutral. It did nothing for the sinking feeling that washed over her. "'Fuzzy'?" she re-quoted.
Senna started play with her hands nervously.
(Present: Soifon and Senna)
"Extrapolating off of everything, I take it you would be taking them to some safe house outside of Seireitei." Shaolin droned aloud, trying to steer the conversation to a false conclusion.
"Yes, ma'am. If you go from that."
"I thought as much." She said more to herself, 'So, that's why they were heading to Kukaku Shiba's residence. She was going to have them lay low there, before having them fired off to a different part of Soul Society with the Flower Crane Cannon.'
"One more question about this idiot plan of yours, once they arrived at this 'safe house' -which we will find- what then?"
Senna shrugged, nonchalantly, "They open a gargantua and go home…I guess?"
"'You guess'?" Shaolin quoted with faux outrage, "OR they go on and decimate Rukongai! OR they do go to Hueco Mundo again and build another army! OR they go to the human world and start feasting on people's souls!"
The line of Senna's lips thinned, "They wouldn't."
"Wouldn't isn't couldn't you fool." She yelled, slamming her hands against the desk.
The echoing silence that followed her shout was only broken by her labored breathing. Finally, slowly, the inquisitor slunk back into her chair, seemingly composing herself, "Fine." She said eerily calm, "One final question, before I conclude this pathetic interview."
"I want to know why: Why would you do this?" she asked with laser focus.
The girl turned away from the woman and over to the silent recorder. The one thing conveying and recording the 'truth' between their lies and deceptions. The woman closed her eyes and thought hard, "the truth?"
Now it was Shaolin's turn to shudder. Worried by the ominousness of what she was about to do. "Yes." She replied deathly quiet.
No showmanship.
No bravado.
No outrage.
Opening her eyes, Senna sent her a resigned look, before opening her mouth and saying the genuine truth.
(Past: Senna and company)
"So, this Shiba woman will help?" asked Harribel.
"I don't really know." Senna admitted plainly.
"You did say she was a friend Senna-sama."
The Shinigami scratched her cheek, "Well, last time she aided and abetted, we were kinda in the right. I'm not sure how she feels about Hollows." The girl shrugged, "Still, I'm really hoping we can borrow her cannon."
"Cannon?" all three asked
The girl nodded, a reassuring smile on her face, "Yeah, we can put massive distance between you and Soul Society with it. They might never be able to find you."
Harribel nodded, seeing how it all connected. "If Soul Society can't find us, and we never 'left,' then either they think we're still inside the Seireitei."
"Which is insane." Stark commented.
"Or we died, and Soul Society can't figure out why that happened."
"Honestly, I'm kinda hoping I can talk to Kisuke and clue him in to things. He's working with Ichigo-kun on the Hogyoku, so he might be smart enough to give a bad explanation to the Shinigami." Senna opined.
"I see." The blonde woman replied solemnly, before bowing to the younger girl. "I appreciate your efforts, Senna-san."
While Stark gave her a side-eye glance, Senna just waved it off with a smile, "I-It's okay. Really! Just…trying to help." She then turned to Cirucci, "Umm, I better go. It's gonna be hectic soon and I gotta play innocent.
"Senna-sama…"
"Senna-san." Spoke up the lone man. When she looked back at him, he jutted his thumb behind him, "Do you think you can show Sanderwhicc-san where the exit to the cavern is?" When the girl tilted her head quizzically, the man explained, "As the leaders…we'd like to know where it is, but I want to talk things over with Harribel-san, that way we can explain to the others what's going on and have everyone on the same page."
Senna nodded, "No problem." She then beckoned her friend to come, "follow me."
As the odd pair departed, the ex-Espada class Arrancar locked eyes with each other. One a dangerous glare, the other feigned apathy. "'I appreciate your efforts Senna-san'." Stark quoted the other woman, "That doesn't sound like 'Good job' to me."
The teal eyed woman sighed, "It's not like she had a plan beyond 'go live in the wildernesses.' Life is a little more than just barely surviving on the edge."
"It's ONE girl." He reminded her, "And if not for that one girl we probably would have been dead by sun-up."
"I'm aware." She agreed reluctantly, "I just don't like this precarious position we're in. I applaud her improvisational skills, truly, I do. But everyone else's' lives are at risk. Lives I'm supposed to protect."
Stark nodded, agreeingly, "I get it. But just remember: the drive you feel to keep us safe? It's the same one she probably feels for Sanderwhicc." The stoic Espada's eyes flickered briefly to the Fraccion, before going over to the hot springs, where her friends were bathing.
"Hmm…"
"Let's just keep 'em optimistic." Suggested Stark, "We'll tell them a bit of the plan to give them hope but keep the finer detail to ourselves."
"One of those finer details is that her plan doesn't account for our missing Zanpaktou." Countered Harribel.
"And?"
The Espada was going to respond, before she took a moment to consider the implications of it. It was true, they would be missing a literal piece of themselves, a piece of their awesome power.
But…maybe…maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
Tilting her head to the side, she considered the thought some more. "Then again…" she said softly, more to herself, "Perhaps, it's better this way? Soul Society may consider us less of a threat since we can't use our ressurreccion. Less reason to pursue us." She shot a small look to Stark, "Well, almost all of us."
The man smiled, "I'm perfectly happy spending carefree days at Lilynette's side in Rukongai. Better than wandering the desert."
"Perhaps," the shark empress turned back in the direction of the hot springs, the sound of splashing and laughter echoing in her ears. A small smile formed on her face, as she dropped her hands down to her side, freely. "Perhaps this Shiba woman could use some help with her fireworks making."
Stark chuckled, "Now you're talking."
The pair then slowly made their way to their comrades; filled with the possibility of new life in the cavern that would have granted them all victory in their old lives.
(Senna and Cirucci)
Breaking away from the other two, the avian pair began their trek back to the front of the cave. "Senna-sama." The following Arrancar called softly, breaking the silence. As the girl turned around, serene smile on her face, Cirucci bowed her head. "I…"
She stopped when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Looking behind her, she held a hand up to caution her ladyship. Narrowing her eyes, the servant scanned the rocky surroundings. "Quiero dec…"
Tilting her head to the side, Senna watched Cirucci puzzledly, before she disappeared in front of her. Glancing around quickly, she spotted Cirucci standing about 20 ft away, atop an overpassing wall of stone.
"Why are you slinking around, Mallia-san?" She barked curtly, staring down the other side of the ridge.
Senna's pulse quickened when she heard they were being followed, but before utter panic overcame her, she saw a blond woman wearing a white Shikusho step around the dividing rock wall. 'Oh, thank goodness.' The vizard breathed a sigh of relief.
'Stay on your guard milady.' Mirokumaru warned, 'This Arrancar is no friend.'
Keeping the warning in mind, the girl tried to be diplomatic, "Can I help you…umm, Mallia-san?"
The blond Arrancar scowled at the woman, the fake placating smile only irritating her. "I don't like you." She said bluntly.
'I would have never guessed…' Senna sweatdropped, lips parting to sigh. "Did you just come here to say that?"
Cirucci narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Mallia, tread lightly."
"Callarse, Traitor!" Menoly shot back glaring at the servant. "I've got nothing to say to a murderer!"
A sudden tense atmosphere fell over the trio as the angry Fraccion silenced the dutiful servant. Senna saw Cirucci face contort into a remorseful grimace, before breaking eye-contact with the tomboy looking woman.
'I thought there could be hard feeling about Cirucci-chan, but I didn't think there'd be a direct victim.' Senna steeled herself when the bone eyed Arrancar snapped her head back in her direction. "This is between me and her." Growled Menoly.
"What do you want?"
"Answers." She responded aggressively. Closing her mouth, Senna gave a slow assuaging nod, hoping appeasement could defuse the situation. "Who are you really?"
Furrowing her brow, Senna shook her head, "What do you mean exactly?"
"Harribel's three beasts and Barragan's former Fraccions recognized you." She clarified, before pointing at Cirucci behind her hatefully. "Are you the reason this bitch betrayed us!?"
'So, she knows about it, but not who. Better not mention Ichigo-kun or Shaolin-chan.' Lifting her hand, she pointed softly to Cirucci, "I didn't meet her until after the war was over."
"After it was over?" Menoly repeated, trying to make sense of what she was describing, "So, what? You, a Shinigami, just decided to be buddy-buddy with an Arrancar?"
"I wasn't always a Shinigami, you know."
As Menoly took that into consideration, Cirucci spoke, "Senna-sama was human, before she died."
"So were we." Menoly snarled.
"She died because of us." Countered Sanderwhicc
The angry Fraccion bit back a retort and tried to calm herself. After attempting to re-compose, she spoke again, with noticeably less hostility. "So why help us?"
Clutching her arm defensively, Senna teetered to and fro; "Because…" she said softly, "I'm doing what my heart says is right."
"That's it?" Menoly continued scowling, eyes narrowed as she wrinkled her nose further. "You think I'd buy that good-two shoes bullshit?" she glanced back at Cirucci for a moment to make sure she wasn't trying anything, before looking back at her supposed savior. "We tried killing your friends." Senna's frown deepened, while Menoly took a few steps closer. "We killed you."
"Puñeta!" Cirucci snapped, spinning the offending Fraccion around by the shoulder. Clenching her fist, she started twisting her body ready to knock Mallia's lights out.
"Stop!"
Locking her limbs up, the servant caught herself, fist mere inches away from the instigator's cheek. "Senna-sama…!" the purple haired woman hissed, as she glared hatefully at Menoly. "But-"
"You want to know the truth…?"
In that instant both Arrancar's eyes widened, as a chill ran down their spines. The innocent phrase spilling from the Vizard's lips was anything but the cautious yet warm and hopeful tone that they'd known. It was cold…
…and hateful.
Breathing shallowly, Menoly watched as the once spite-filled eyes of Sanderwhicc moved past her and towards the Shinigami behind her. And once it did, her arm fell back to her side, and posture slackened, as unease fell over her. Swallowing the lump in her throat and steadying the shaking of her hand, how long it'd been shaking she didn't know, she turned back around.
Glaring back at her was the girl but gone was any semblance of nicety or mercy. She was staring her down with unequivocal hate, the shadow marring her face was broken only by the shine of her barred teeth and eerie golden glow in her eyes. "Alright." Menoly took a step back at how she said it, as if she was talking to something lower than corpse.
"I didn't want to save you." Senna spat out, but unlike the thrill of vindication Mallia wanted, instead dread crept further over her. The angry girl pointed to Cirucci, teary-eyed. "I was just trying to save Cirucci, my friend. The same friend that's been trying to get you all free. The same friend that YOU keep putting down."
Finding her nerve from the sudden outburst, Mallia stood her ground, "So why? If you were here for that little traitor, why take us?"
The Vizard's eyes narrowed, "Because if I only saved her, everyone would have known that I did it!"
Mallia's eyes narrowed as well, "So we're just a useful expendable distraction?"
"No…not totally." Senna said lowly, wiping the tears away. "When I saw the others through the bars, I knew I had to help them too."
Pulling back, Menoly eased her glare, "So it's pity?"
'Does she only assume the worst in people…?' the Vizard thought with a sigh, "I was just doing…what my heart told me was right." She turned away with a dismissive shake, "I don't think you'd understand."
"Cause I'm a Hollow?" The distrustful Arrancar quipped, knowing that everyone knew Hollows and by extension Arrancars lacked a human heart, the thing that denied them humanity.
The humanity that would forever be lost to them because of these two.
"No…" came the soft reply, "Because I think your barely human." Locking eyes with the girl, Menoly saw past the girl's discarded anger and deep-seated disgust. Her blood chilled seeing genuine pity and disappointment in her.
Biting back an acerbic response, the blonde woman chose to remain silent.
Taking the lack of retort as a sign the argument between her and this bitch was done, Senna turned to her friend, "Can you take her back to the others for me, please?"
"Yes, Senna-sama."
"Thank-you Cirucci-chan." She said with a small quiet smile. It quickly disappeared when her eyes wandered back over to glaring Menoly. She met her hard gaze with an apathetic one, before turning around and walking towards the exit, head shaking disappointedly, 'I hope this wasn't a mistake…'
(Present: Soifon and Senna)
"I see." Shaolin muttered quietly, her words belying the damning picture presented so far. This 'confession' along with Kuchiki's, Ichigo's and her testimonials would certainly be a death sentence. A fact that seemed to have sunk into the now sullen ex-human. "So, in addition to helping them escape justice, you facilitated in them assaulting the on-duty Shinigami guarding them."
Senna grimaced, eyes flickering up to Shaolin briefly, before returning to the table. The ex-captain didn't blame her for her silence. Even trying to downplay the actuality of what happened still made things sound like willful aiding-and-abetting.
But it was either this: a plausibly defensible if ignorant negligible non-interference, to which most of the blame fell on the Arrancars, who did the egregious deeds and not her, OR the indisputable truth, that Senna not only attacked a fellow Shinigami, an innocent bystander no less, but then proceeded to conspire with war criminals to not only elude Soul Society justice, but to possibly facilitate in reigniting the war just ended.
"I will remind you:" She prodded the girl's attention; speaking low but threatening. "Staying silent is an admission of complicity and guilt, as far as we are concerned."
When the Vizard's expression dampened further, the inquisitor sought a new line of questioning to get her to speak up, to keep her engaged lest the courts hear a guilt-filled silence after her response. "This is your last chance, Takamiko." Shaolin instigated, leaning back into her chair, voice as hard as steel. "To save yourself."
She gestured to the door behind her. "We have your accomplice." Senna's frowned deepened, "She's selling you out." The blue haired woman tapped the recorder purposely. "But…" Senna's eyes darkened, listening intently, "But, if you tell us what happened, we'll take your word OVER hers."
Senna's eyes flickered to the woman, seeing the obvious provocation she was setting for her. A poisoning of the well. "Because she's a Hollow?" she asked with palpable disgust. Leaning forward, the girl snarled, "And I'm a Shinigami?"
Soifon shrugged indifferently, doing her best to play her role, "Because you aren't a traitor." She replied simply.
The look the pair shared, one pair of eyes fueled with heated indignation the other cold disgust, reconfirmed what they both silently thought of Soul Societies' bullshit stance on the situation.
"Now, where are they?" The dark-haired woman asked, pointedly, "Ichigo and I had our eyes on you since this morning. So: From then until Kuchiki-Taichō found you in that woodland area, tell me what happened. Where did they go? Your answer will decide your fate here. And remember: if you lie, Cirucci will tell us instead. We will have the truth."
Leaning back into her chair, Senna fell back into her thoughts; over the last few hours that ended in her capture.
Flying through the air towards the captain's hall, Senna was sweating bullets, as she gripped the shaft of her Mirokumaru harder than anything she ever clasped something in her life. She tried to steady her pounding heart with shallow breathes, but all it did was make it easier for her teeth to chatter. 'Keep your mouth shut. Play dumb. Look worried. Listen to what they are going to do.' Senna told herself, repeating the mantra in her head to better convince herself.
It was certainly much easier said than done.
'Senna-sama,' her staff chimed in, 'Remember why you are doing this.'
'Cirucci…'
'We both know that's not all…'
'Because it's the right thing to do.' She admitted, a little calmer.
'That's right.' Her spirit agreed.
The girl's eyes hardened, 'To show mercy…'
'Never forget it, milady.'
With a slow nod, the girl looked back ahead to the captain's hall. Atop of the stairwell plateau standing at the front of the building was Yamamoto severe expression on his face, as he seemed to be conversing with the commander of the kido corps. Nozomi was hovering slightly off the ground with a glowing orb in her hand, speaking between it and the Sotaichō.
Nearing closer to her destination, she saw another airborne object converging on the hill.
'Minazuki.' Senna noted the floating manta ray creature steering atop was the recognizable form of Unohana. The captain seemed to have noticed her as well, giving her a curt nod, before looking ahead to land. Senna saw one other person with Retsu but couldn't tell who they were from the distance. Looking back ahead, so she could land, the Sotaichō was walking into the hall trailed by Nozomi.
Coming down from her descent, Senna touched down at the top of the stairs. Looking over to her right she saw Unohana sheathing her Shikai away, as her passenger, which she now recognized as the 11th division representative.
Stepping over to her the tank-top wearing redhead stared her down with a serious look, "You see the enemy, fly-girl?"
"The enemy?" she recoiled at what the girl said, 'Oh, she must mean the Arrancar.'
Shaking her head, Yachiru turned away, still agitated, "Damn." She tsked, "Thought you might know."
"Sorry…" she said quietly.
The redhead waved her off, "It's fine. I was just raring' for a fight."
"Oh." The girl gave her the side-eye. 'That's really your concern?'
Not seeing the dirty look, Yachiru turned to the captain's hall, "Guess, I'm just gonna have to wait it out till I can knock someone out."
As the fight-happy berserker sauntered off, the doctor approached, "Are you alright, Senna-chan?"
Glancing at the inquiring doctor, Senna pointed at the retreating form of the rough woman, "Did something happen?" she said, a thin frown on her face, "she mentioned an 'enemy'?"
Inferring what likely transpired, the older woman took solace at the implication that she hadn't seen anything on the way here. "Thank god." She let out a sigh of relief.
Senna's frown deepened, as a growing pit formed in her stomach. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying not to think of how badly she might have actually hurt the guard to get this kind of reaction from Retsu-chan.
S-she held back…
…he was still breathing…
As the older woman's eyes flickered back to Senna, her brow furrowed, "Where are the others?"
Trying to suppress the shaking in her hand, she bobbed her head to the side, gesturing to her Shakujo. "They're on the way. They wanted me to go on ahead of them."
The doctor nodded, understanding their logic. Time was of the essence and Senna's constitution may not have held up under the exertion required to get here as quickly as possible on foot. Better for her to travel at her own pace on a route free of enemy attack. "Very well. Follow me inside."
Fighting down the surge of panic, Senna took a step back and gestured towards the stairs. "A-actually, I think I'll wait here." The girl rebuffed, trying to weasel her way into prolonging the meeting. "That way the others will know I arrived safely."
Retsu's lipped thinned momentarily, as she looked at the girl, then to the stairs, "…very well." The sleepwear clad woman quietly acquiesced, before turning to the captain's hall. "But don't stray too far, Senna-chan. It's dangerous and if the enemy attacks, you could be overwhelmed."
"I'll be careful."
As the captain went off to the hall, Senna felt relieved. 'Too close.'
Looking down to her hand she saw it trembling slightly. Clenching her fingers and flexing the digits, she tried to steady her nerves.
"Ah!"
A pained gasp escaped her as she touched the center of her chest, heart thumping beneath the skin.
'Milady…'
"It's okay…" she assuaged behind chattering teeth. As the sharp pain subsided, Senna looked back down the stairs, where the sun was slowly rising over the horizons. "I just need to calm down…I just…" Her eyes saw the arrival of her friends and family at the bottom of the stairwell. Raising a hand up, she waved them down. "Need to hold on a little longer."
Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, before exhaling slowly, "I don't want anyone else to die…"
The Zanpaktou spirit nodded, 'I know Senna-sama.' She murmured melancholically, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, as the other continued up the staircase. 'I am a part of you too.'
When the spirit faded back into her soul, the vizard glanced back to the rising sun. The promising light of a new day blocked only by the faces of Ichigo and Shaolin.
"Are you guys, okay?" the young woman asked, preempting any discussion.
"Don't worry." The pregnant Chinese woman said, as she stepped out of her husband's arms and on to the ground. "We didn't run into any trouble."
Exhaling slowly, the girl nodded trying to downplay her nerves. Just because she knew what was going on, didn't mean something unexpected couldn't have happened. When the brief exchange between them was done, Senna's eyes flickered to captain Byakuya, who moved closer to her.
"Senna-sama," the dignified man in less than dignified attire beckoned her attention, "have you spoken to the Sotaichō?"
The woman shook her head, "Not yet." She answered, before looking towards the captain's hall Retsu-chan had entered. "I got worried and decided to wait when Unohana asked if I was injured."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo pressed, his grave tone and hardened expression panicking Senna.
"I…I don't know." She forced out, body shaking from both fear of being caught and her intentional deception of Ichigo and Shaolin. Pointing a shaky finger towards the cliff to divert attention, she hastily said, "When I got here, Unohana was landing with Minazuki. I think she had the girl from the 11th division with her." Clasping her hands together defensively in front of her, the trembling girl shook her head, "Anyway, she had a really serious look on her face!"
Despite her hand in the events and the uncertainty in voicing them.
Her words and actions made one thing clear to them.
"Someone was attacked?" Ichigo whispered, terror sinking into the faces of the group.
Deep down, Senna wished she could have closed her eyes to the sight in front of her then and there, but to do so would have been an admission of her guilt. The guilt that no matter how painful it was to her that she…her cause was not just.
"I'm going to see what's going on." Byakuya announced, breaking away from the group and heading to the captain's hall.
Breaking her silence, Yoruichi asked Senna, "Is Kisuke here yet?" the golden eyes of the one-piece wearing shapeshifter shifting around for the eccentric genius.
Knowing the question was clearly made to her, Senna turned to the goddess of flash, "No, it's just you guys and Unohana. I haven't seen anyone else."
"I'm here too little lady." A voice called from behind her.
Whipping around, the Vizard saw a man with a floral pink sleep wear emerging from the shadows of wall. Her mind immediately went on high alert. How long had he been there!? How much had he heard!?
"Kyoraku-Taichō." Ichigo greeted amicably, as Senna tried to keep calm, hoping the captain didn't suspect anything amiss.
"Trouble first thing in the morning, huh?" he mused tiredly, putting his twin scimitars away, "People really should give peace a chance."
As the rugged man turned away, Senna almost smiled at what he was saying. So, he had just arrived as well and was also in the dark. Perhaps, she could get through this ordeal, if she kept her head down for a little longer.
"Urahara should be along shortly." He called back to the group, answering Yoruichi's earlier question. "I saw him flying through the air with Hirako Shinji while I was shadow hopping to get here."
"Flying?" Shaolin asked quizzically.
"Probably his magic carpet." The goddess explained to her protégé.
The older man waved his hand dismissively, banishing the idea. "No, it looked like a winged cape to me." Kyoraku tried to describe what he saw despite the distance and surrounding darkness.
"Cape…?" the brown skinned woman paused for a sec, before snapping her fingers together. "The Tentōken."
"The what?" Both blood born Kurosaki's parroted
"It's a sacred treasure of the Shihoin family." Shaolin answered with practiced knowledge. Looking to her husband she said, "It grants its wearer the ability to fly and leap great distances."
Yoruichi agreed with the sentiment, "Yeah, remember I loaned it to you during the invasion."
After hearing what they said, the man took a moment to think on it until an image appeared in his mind, the cape that let him scale the execution ground to save Rukia. "Oh yeah."
Glad to see Ichigo remembered, Shaolin narrowed her eyes at the next important detail. "But…" she said distastefully, "Why would he have it?"
Unfortunately for the diligent student, her master cared significantly less on idea of his possession of the item. "He always takes things without asking. It's part of his creative mojo, I kind of stopped bothering after years of dealing with it."
Frowning at the mention of Kisuke, since he might start asking questions, Senna took a step towards the captain's hall. The sooner the meeting started the less time hard questions could get asked.
"Maybe," This was it she thought to herself: Do or die. "we should head inside?"
"Good idea." Ichigo agreed striding ahead with a laser focused scowl, "We need to know what we're dealing with."
As the others slowly followed their leader. Senna cast a glance back at the slow dawning horizon, the rays of light barely breaking the morning dim. "Just a little more…I just need to keep it together a little longer…"
Turning away, she followed after the group, mingling into the assorted crowd of impressive, but underdressed Shinigami. As she minded herself, trying to get her own story straight, if asked, the late arrival of Kisuke, Hisagi and Shinji indicated the meeting was to set to begin.
From her spot in the hastily assembled crowd, she and the others watched as the head captain ascended the small set of stairs leading to his spot. With each step the old reaper took, Senna felt her entire being shake and when he reached the zenith and turned back to regard them -to stare them down- she felt incredibly small.
She felt…she felt like she was back in the Karakura town on that fateful day. Back when she watched in helplessly horror, as her father was burned away into nothing.
By the seal she created.
That she activated.
She felt like the murderer she knew she was, bloodstained hands and all, standing before a judge.
"Commanders of the Seireitei, I bear grave news." The ancient Shinigami announced, eyes looking for something only she knew. "Less than an hour ago, the Shinigami guarding the Arrancar at the penance tower was found unconscious and locked inside the tower by the oncoming guard set to relieve the other of their duty this morning."
Everyone stiffened up, any traces of daze or confusion replaced by seeping dread. "And the Arrancar, sir?" Kisuke dared ask beside a near trembling Hisagi.
"Missing." Answered Nozomi, standing at the bottom of the stairwell in front of the group. "Captains Hitsugaya and Kommamura were contacted separately to secure the scene once I was informed of the situation."
'That must be why the meeting started before all were present. 'Chimed Mirokumaru, 'Be aware, Senna-sama: Take care in what you say. Those two Shinigami may know than they let on.'
Heeding the warning, Senna spoke as quietly as she could, "A-and the guard? Is he okay?"
"His condition is stable." Retsu answered, much to everyone's relief. "I transferred him over to Fukutaichō Kotetsu's care, before coming here. From what I could tell, he had some light bruising on his face, shoulder and back, but there does not appear to be signs of a struggle."
'That must be why she asked if I was okay.'
"The guard was ambush?" Kuchiki surmised with scary precision.
"We're currently working under that assumption."
"But that isn't the major issue: The issue is the Arrancar." The old man barked.
"Umm, you said they were missing. How do you know? I mean, couldn't some have…you know..."
The head captain seemed to understand what she was hinting at, but seemingly unable to say. "Most likely not. If a battle were to have ensued, the guard would most likely have been caught in the crossfire. Not to mention fighting such monsters would have required considerable spiritual energy to be released. We all would have been alerted to such an event."
Nozomi concurred, making Senna' proposed theory that much harder. "Not to mention we found no blood inside the tower after a preliminary look."
"Sotaichō," Shaolin stepped forward with a crippling scowl, "they couldn't have gotten far." Bowing her head, she placed a hand over her heart, "Allow me to convene the Onimitsukido at once."
"You will do no such thing." He denied coldly.
Raising her head up, the pregnant woman looked at their leader with puzzlement, any sense of urgency lost. "Sir?" she breathed with a budding sense of horror of where this chain of events was leading towards.
"Due to the nature of this event." The smug sorceress stated with a hint of mirth, "It would suggest that the Arrancar was our assailant's goal."
"You suspect one of us broke them out." Said Urahara piecing together their unsaid message.
"We wish to hear your alibis." She replied oh so unthreateningly.
Beside Senna, her brother huffed to himself, "Well, that's not accusative…" he said, eyes rolling in annoyance.
Senna did her best to suppress any shaking when the kido commander's gaze fell on him, "If you wish to volunteer Kurosaki-Taichō, you only need ask." She swept a hand before the group, "It'll be a good example for you pro-hollow types…"
The war-hero's gaze sharpened, "Maybe the guard got beat cause he's all talk like his leader."
A hateful look emerged across the woman's features, "Impudent little brat." She snarled, hand curling slightly as particles of kido arched across the tips.
Before the squabble could escalate, a heavy pressure fell over not just her, but everyone else in the room. As a light pant escaped Senna, she saw the only one not showing any real signs of affectation was her twin, standing defiantly against the Sotaichō.
"Enough!" barked Yamamoto, slamming his cane into the wooden floor to emphasize his point. "Kurosaki-Taichō answer the question: Where have you been in the last 12 hours?"
The young captain grabbed hold of the nylon-tie of his sleep pants and gave it a tug, "Sleeping." He deadpanned, "Obviously."
Nozomi quirked a brow, "And before then?" she asked, rotating her wrist in nonchalant dismissal, "Minus the sass."
The man nudged his head toward his wife, "I was assisting commander Soifon in completing our respective paperwork and reports."
The woman looked ready to scoff, but thankfully didn't. "My, how convenient that you can cover for each other…"
The small release of spiritual energy beside Senna and the way Shaolin spoke made it clear to everyone, she was not happy with the woman. "Since you're so eager to push investigating," she mocked barely restrained rage pouring from her frigid glare, "What were you doing?"
Nozomi may have turned away from the strawberry, but retained her hostile glare, "I was assisting pending-captain Shusuke Amagi in his training for the kido portion of the captain's proficiency exam."
Seeing rising tension, Senna motioned with her hand to get Nozomi attention; hopefully, she'd be able to defuse things while asserting Shaolin's point. "A captain showing explicit favoritism?"
When the kido commander turned to her, a slightly more neutral expression, Senna feigned looking around concernedly, "Is that…ethical?"
The woman's eyes widened briefly as understanding came over her, before she spoke a bit more reservedly, "I am not a captain." She stated, clearing any clouds of impropriety that may linger, "I belong to a separate entity within the forces of Soul Society: The kido corps. I am it's commander, its 'Sotaichō' if you would."
The dark green haired woman gestured with her hand to the ex-captain beside the Vizard, "Much in the same way Soifon-san is 'Sotaichō' of the Onimitsukido."
"In other words," Shaolin regarded the girl with cooled patience, "Much as I have no prevalence in what the Shinigami do due to my suspension as a Shinigami, the Sotaichō has no say in what I do as an investigative entity or covert operations leader."
"Caveat of dual membership or suggestive advisory aside," Piped Ichigo from her other side, "The only reason Nozomi and Soifon are involved in the Arrancar situation is because it affects all of Soul Society, not just the Gotei 13."
Brushing some stray bands of hair behind her ear, the Kido Corp leader tried to downplay her levels of agreement with them, "Yes, well, I'd like to think the main forces would involve the other two factions that make up the entirety of the Seireitei's forces for disaster of this magnitude."
"Wishful thinking aside," Spoke Yoruichi, as she cocked her head back and shot Nozomi a smug grin, "I find it a little hard to believe that the greatest authority on Kido spent her whole evening training one person. There's only so much reiatsu a person has after all."
Kujo's eyes narrowed, understanding what the shapeshifter was trying to imply; an attempt to undercut her own alibi.
"Cat got your tongue?" she prodded the glaring woman.
Senna watched the cold hate on the woman's face flicker to pained remorse, before she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, clearly trying to keep even-keel apathy. "I…" the woman's voice wavered, as she tried to work up the courage to say her real reason.
For a moment Senna saw more humanity in her than she ever had in any of the previous encounters with her. "I was visiting…" A cross damn near outraged look covered her face, "I was visiting the memorial cemetery. I trust that satisfies inquiring minds?"
"It does." Spoke up Shaolin, a small understanding frown of her own. "But may I say," she looked away, as the woman's detest was ebbing away by the sincere token of solidarity, "You aren't the only one to lose people in the war, Kujo-san." The woman bit her lips, remorse evident to all. "Please, keep it in mind, before slinging zealous accusations."
"I'm only trying to further avoid adding to those losses." She replied, taking a step as she crossed her arms defensively over her robes, "That's the most important thing I…" Kujo paused as she glanced back at Shaolin, before giving an acknowledging nod, "we can do."
When the moment was broken upon her realizing that there were spectators to their 'moment' the taciturn woman turned away with an embarrassed flush, "But…I will try to seem less adversarial."
Ichigo shuffled slightly, scratching the back of his head, "I suppose that's the best we can hope for…" he accepted the unofficial truce, willing to let bygones be bygones on the matter.
Taking control of the gap created by the amicable peace, Byakuya refocused things, "In either circumstance, shall we continue?"
Met with a silent consensus, he laid his cards on the table, "Since we are giving alibis, I was attending affairs with the Kuchiki family. I can provide a list of witnesses up to and including my fiancé."
"Kukaku-chan, huh?" Urahara said pensively, likely scratching out another scenario with the exclusion of her and Byakuya. With an uncommitted shrug, he said, "Things must be serious to use the term fiancé."
Byakuya had a puzzled look, as if trying to discern, if the statement was bait for an accusation or an honest-to-God musing. With the Hogyoku's creator anything was possible. "You and Yoruichi-know her best. That woman doesn't do things in half-measure."
Letting his thoughts drift to the firebrand, a modest smile graced his lips. "It's all-in or nothing at all…It's charming in its own way."
Yamamoto made his disapproval known with a grunt.
As Senna turned her focus inward, as more people began to speak, her attention was called up when a phone rang. Nozomi recused herself momentarily, looking what was probably sent by the other two captains. When Genryusai wanting to continue with the proceedings tried to confirm if all was well, the Kido master threw Senna into the limelight.
"I just received word from captain Komamura. Apparently in the logs of the officer posted prior: there was sighting of a Shinigami visiting the penance tower." She turned her gaze and pointed at Vizard, "One Senna Takamiko of the second division."
"So Takamiko-Fukutaichō, you were last seen at the scene of the incident." The Sotaichō spoke increasing his pressure on her with each syllable.
Despite trying to keep things together, when she felt the stares and weight of his spiritual pressure fall on her, she was sure she was quivering. She felt her arms ready to shake, her knees buckle feebly, her teeth prepared to openly chatter and a lump from in her throat.
"Care to explain?"
"I…" the lone sound that escaped her seemed to take all of the air in her lungs, she tried slouching to ease the burden to no avail. "I was just visiting!" the truth spilled out of her breathlessly.
'oh my god, oh my god, oh my god-'
'Senna-sama! Breathe!'
"(huff)"
'Remember your story!'
"(huff)"
'Remember why you are doing this!'
"I had free time after doing my laundry!"
Her momentary triumph was crushed by even more spiritual pressure falling upon her, trying to make her crumble and submit.
"And during this visit" he spat voice battering her body like a hurricane, "I presume you were detailing-"
With a shift of movement Senna's heart stopped, as Ichigo stepped in front of her, spiritual energy flaring off him protectively against the ancient reaper's power. To the outside world everything was deaf to her, but inside her heart she only heard one thing.
"No…" she whispered under her breath.
As a black fire sparked on one of Ichigo's hands, the Sotaichō focused entirely on the presumptuous upstart. "Stand down, Kurosaki."
'No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Please, god no. Anything, but this.'
"I'm going to have to disobey that order."
'Ichigo, don't. Please, stop!' Senna's eyes started to tear up.
"Because this looks more like an inquisitor's witch hunt to me." The man snarled; fist clenched tight.
"For the good of Soul Society, the greater good, I will take whatever steps are necessary to protect it." The despotic old man bellowed, pointing his cane at her; the guilty culprit being defended by the innocent. "That girl happens to be at the penance tower the day before they go missing, and not only possess the power of Hollows but has ties to one of them? How curious, that she found the time to do so—by ignoring her duties and doing her laundry."
"Senna requested the time-off." Her captain spoke up, her golden eyes narrowing challengingly on the old reaper. "I cleared her myself."
"And checking in on the Arrancar isn't an illegal action, nor is visiting the penance tower."
'Everyone…you…you don't…' Terror caused her body to shake visibly.
"I do believe Kuchiki-Taichō and Abarai-Fukutaichō may have paid a visit to the late Rukia Kuchiki when she was residing in the tower. There was no uproar then."
"I do agree it isn't illegal," Spoke Nozomi, much to everyone's surprise, "But, certainly, you must admit it's suspicious chain of events.
"Like hell! It'd be more suspicious if she didn't go."
'Wh..what do I do?'
"If you really wanna know, Senna was feeling depressed about her powerlessness and decided to try and visit Cirucci because she thought she was scared and needed a friend. So that she'd think things would be okay-"
"And how would she know that?" Senna felt a stab in her chest, as her fearful heart raced, "Or you for that matter?" Another thunderous pounding of her heart. "You simply take her word? Were you there, Kurosaki-Taichō?"
With another beat of her heart an idea came to her. It was dangerous, but it might have been the only way to stop a battle from breaking out. "It's true!" she wheezed a labored breath, before falling to her knees; hoping her plan went as she needed, "Couldn't…abandon…"
As she started to hyperventilate, Shaolin-chan was on her instantly, followed by Retsu and Yoruichi. Seeing the terrified expression in Shaolin and Ichigo's face hurt more than anything she'd ever felt in her life. Even as she closed her eyes to not have to look at them, it didn't stop the image burned into her mind.
'I…'
"Ya that desperate to railroad an execution, old man!?" Ichigo roared hatefully beyond her vision.
'I didn't mean…'
"Justice my ass! I bet you moved them yourself just to have an excuse!"
'I didn't want…'
"Outrageous! You think to accuse me, boy!?"
'I thought…'
"What's wrong? Ya seem a little defensive."
'I was doing the right thing…'
"Got something to hide, like the truth!?"
'Being fair…protecting the innocent…'
"Abominations run amok in Soul Society, Kurosaki! They are an unchecked unrestrained danger!"
'But…'
"Yet all you see is what's in front of you; instead of looking ahead, thinking of the resulting consequences."
'I was wrong…'
"You're no different than Masaki!"
'I don't want anyone to get hurt!'
"Fuck this!"
'I wish I could take this all back!'
As the black-flamed captain stepped forward, ready to unleash a wave of energy from his fist, Urahara reached out and grabbed the arm, wincing from the raging bite of Mugetsu.
"Kisuke…!" Ichigo hissed at the interloper; the man that stopped things from escalating into all-out war.
"Everybody, calm the fuck down!" the usually jovial scientist shouted with grim urgency.
All Senna could do from her spot on the floor is watch helplessly- anxiously, praying through the tears that the man she loved listened to reason. She, along with the girls who had all but stopped healing her at this point, just stared silently until finally, Ichigo's reiatsu began to dissipate and his posture slackened defeatedly. 'Thank god…'
After the men shared a moment of good faith, and Kisuke finally took command of the room, Senna finally breathed a welcomed sigh of relief that the worst of this meeting was over. While she was under no illusion that everything was okay again, she retained a panicked optimism the fueled her, kept her alert, and filled with purpose.
"Nozomi," Kisuke called to the Kido Corp leader, after she responded he said. "I want you to compile a list of Arrancar that are missing. We can use that to narrow down the Zanpaktou we need to begin a spiritual signal trace to find out where they are."
'Trace!?' Senna screamed internally, as Nozomi vocalized her intrigue at the idea. 'Soul Society can do that!? No way! That can't be true!'
"Yamamoto-Sotaichō, I need you to give the go ahead to lift the lockdown order and return everything to code green." Kisuke continued, his dour tone making it abundantly clear he was not making up what he was saying.
'Perhaps, it's like the spirit ribbons, Senna-sama.' Chimed in the woman's Zanpaktou spirit.
'Spirit ribbons?'
'Yes.' The spirit said with quiet recollection, 'Remember when Ichigo-kun and Rukia-san told you about it after Rukia transferred her power to you? The power that lets you search for other's spiritual signature.'
'Not…really.' The girl thought to herself; having grown accustomed to simple seeing the obvious difference between Hollow and Shinigami energy. 'That was a long time ago.'
The spirit nodded, before manifesting a blank ribbon in her hand for her to see. 'I believe Shaolin-sama said she used it to find you once before.'
'I think I remember that.' The girl replied, a possible conversation they had once training. She'd need to revisit the basics later; if she forgot that who knows what else she'd overlooked. 'She mentioned using it to find me after sensing my spiritual pressure. So that must mean…'
The witch crossed her arms stoically, 'The Zanpaktou is forged from one's own soul. It contains the essence of one power, it's signature. They intend to get the signature and simply track it down like a hound would a person.'
"And the trace Urahara-Taichō proposes will find them." Spoke Byakuya confirming the plan to scan Seireitei for the missing Arrancars.
'But I put them in the underground training area.' Senna retorted with feeble desperation, 'Kisuke said the Seki Seki rock would prevent people from sensing us the outside. That's why it was our rendezvous point when we invaded!'
While Mirokumaru did nod to her words, her lips still thinned, 'That may be so; but they didn't know who they were searching for: A single sakura petal amidst the storm.' The priestess materialized her Shakujo in her hand, giving it a small shake. 'But with something to focus their attention on, I'd suppose it would be a matter of time to find the trail to the cave.'
Senna sighed. If they followed the trail from the tower to the sewers, they wouldn't just stop. They'd go in and continue. Then, when the follow it all the way to the forest and then the cave, they wouldn't just throw their hands up in the air and walk away with a cavern sitting in front of them.
"The false alarm clearance will also relax the Arrancar's guard." The girl overheard passively, her features hardening. 'There's no time to hesitate.' She concluded, 'I need to get Cirucci out of Seireitei now. If I don't…' she easily pictured the encroaching line of Shinigami coming to the cave where the Arrancar, the unsuspecting Cirucci was hidden.
"I'll need you to give an aerial sweep." Sounded off Kisuke, who, after moments pause, Senna realized he was talking to her.
'You gotta be kidding me…'
Seeing her displeasure and seemingly misattributing it to pessimistic concern, Kisuke urged her more vigorously, "You wanna find that Cirucci girl, right?" Senna's eyes flickered to him silently, before she nodded, playing into his understanding of her concern. "Well," the man started to smile knowingly, "there's a chance another factor might be involved…"
"Another factor?" Ichigo asked the seemingly confident man.
Kisuke pointed back at the young man offhandedly, "You said it yourself, Ichigo, during the captains meeting: that there might be more forces at work that we aren't aware of."
As the room feel into concerned murmuring, a chill ran down Senna' spine. The way he said it and his body language with her so far…did he…did he know? Or was this part of some elaborate super genius plan of his? Put pressure on one of their own and then offer a counter-solution to get everyone to think about things more logically after pushing their emotional buttons?
Or…maybe…he…?
"Let's not assume the Arrancar left the Penance tower willingly." He announced amicably.
Senna's eyes lit up. Kisuke! That beautiful, smart, misunderstanding man! He basically found a way to exonerate the others, by creating the illusion of possible enemy movement behind the scenes. Everyone here had been the victim of Aizen pulling string behind the curtain, everyone would second guess themselves before making certain serious decisions. If this worked like it seemed to be, Senna would gladly wear the pervert inventor's super armor of kinkiness again while kissing him senselessly.
Turning from her twin to her, he entreated her again, "I just need a single sweep." He compromised. "Just to see if anyone is running around."
'Really!? That's it!?' Once again, Senna's eyes blazed with hope.
"After that you're free to go rest."
The girl gave him an assertive nod, 'You don't need to tell me twice.'
"Now with that said, we need to act normally." The captain addressed to the others, "Senna's orders aside, hold off on executing them. If you have personal business of some kind attend to it; whatever, you have to do to make things look like business as usual."
When everyone nodded to indicate they were still following along with him, he continued, "at 1100, 4-and-a-half hours from now, I want all the captains to do a roll call assembly; to audit."
'So, I've got about a 4-hour window.' Senna glanced at Ichigo and Shaolin, considering their thoughts and course of action. 'But I better do it as soon as I get out of here.' She thought looking back ahead, 'They'll just hover around me, first chance they get.'
"I have an order to discuss with the secret police," Kisuke said authoritatively, eyes shifting to the lover pair, who nodded, before the man turned to the good doctor. "Unohana, it'll also require your assistance as well."
"Just tell us then Kisuke." Ichigo said impatiently, more than ready to get this operation started.
Kisuke held his hands up placatingly, "I appreciate your initiative, but it has something to do with the on-duty operatives last night." Kisuke retorted, making it clear that what he was about to say was need to know special forces only. Casting a glance back at the head captain and the kido commander, he added, "I want to see if they…" he rocked his head to-and-fro indecisively, "may have seen or done things that night, without letting their leaders know."
'Considering our trek through the sewers and the choice of garb when we left the barracks, I doubt there are witnesses to worry about, milady.' Mirokumaru whispered soothingly, to ease her ladies' nervous and runaway thoughts.
"We might also need to do a secondary sweep throughout Seireitei." The man requested, laying his plan out for the others.
Senna's eyes glimmered, 'I can move everyone!' she thought, seeing the opportunity to utilize the stolen special forces gear to blend the fugitives into the crowd of searchers.
Psyching herself up to the home stretch, she was about to go to work when Urahara mentioned her condition. Suddenly, everything froze up.
Did he have a change of heart?
"I…I'm fine!" she shouted, a little louder, a little more frantically than necessary maybe.
"And I believe you," Kisuke said offhandedly, as he flexed his finger between Retsu and he, "But I need to science talk with her, to know if any repercussions may have been incurred just now."
Senna blinked absentmindedly, as his words washed over her. It took a moment for it to click that he was referring to her lie from before. "…oh." The girl deflated a bit, as the man turned away. 'Right. Just had a heart attack.' She reminded herself, 'Act a little more cautious.'
From his spot, the head captain banged his cane against the floor, "Very well, everyone has their orders. Carry them out faithfully."
With the dismissal given, the 4-hour countdown had begun.
Keeping her condition closer to mind, she gave a parting smile and gentle wave to her group, as she made her way out of the hall. Once she exited out, her grin morphed into grim determination. There wasn't a second to lose.
"Take them to the twilight, Mirokumaru." The young woman chanted, her blade glowing and elongating as it twirled between her fingers. With a quick hop off the cliff, she mounted her staff and took to the air; the lone Shinigami set against the rising sun.
Within a matter of minutes, Senna escaped the cities' labyrinth flooring crawling with numerous ant-like Shinigami and reached the safe canopy of the squad 2 forest. While she doubted anyone was below her give the early hour, she kept to a safe altitude above the canopy. As she approached the rocky crag, where the training facility was, she pulled into a vertical loop-de-loop, before divebombing into the cracks between the tree branches, her descent as silent as her arrival.
After sealing her Zanpaktou away, the girl ran into the Seki rock lidden cave, "Hey! Hey, is anyone up!" She shouted into the amber lit chamber. "Hello!?"
"Yo, watch yelling for?" a high-pitched voice answered her calls.
Looking into the direction it came from, Senna saw a little girl with lime green hair staring at her curiously, her one visible eye beneath her helmet-esque mask.
"Where are the other Arrancar!?" the Shinigami asked frantically.
Wordlessly, the small squatting girl hopped to her feet and beckoned their ally to follow her. "Hey!" Lilynette shouted, as they made their way to the hot springs area, "It's that Shinigami girl from yesterday!"
Weaving through the path, the pair reached the area the others were gathered at. Eyes darting over for a quick head count, Senna exhaled quietly seeing that everyone was present. As Gingerback danced over to the man known as Stark's side, Harribel gave Senna her full and undivided attention. "What's going on?" The Shark empress asked, clearly seeing the implication that the situation had taken a turn for the worst.
"We have to get you out of here now!"
Cirucci was about to move, but was cut off by a hand from Harribel, "Calm down." The older woman ordered. When the girl turned to her, she softened her gaze. "Tell us what's going on."
Holding the authoritative woman's gaze a moment longer, Senna took a moment to steady herself. The Arrancar was right, she had to hurry, but not panic.
"The Shinigami are trying to track you down using your captured Zanpaktou."
"What do you mean, Senna-sama?"
"Okay." The girl closed her eyes momentarily, thinking on how to explain it. After an antsy minute, she regarded the group, "You know what Zanpaktou are, right?"
"They are the physical container of our original powers as Hollows." Stark answered her.
"…" Senna momentarily drew a blank, before shaking her head dismissively. Perhaps, the version of what it was that Ichigo and Rukia told her in Karakura town was Shinigami specific. Still, the concept was the same. "The…sword is part of your soul. It's still 'you'."
Stark stayed silent for a second, before burying his hand into his face. "I get it now."
"Care to share with those of us in the back of the class?" Redder asked, confusion and annoyance clearly evident.
Stark gave the man a side-eye, "If the Zanpaktou is part of us and they have our Zanpaktou, then that means they must have a way of tracking us down using it without having to physically look for us."
"You mean like our Pesquisa?" Pipped up the man's counterpart, who nodded in response.
"Un momento," Interrupted Findorr, "but shouldn't we be safe here? The girl did say the walls should stop us from being sensed from the outside."
"Even if that was the case, what about the area just outside the cave?" Harribel pointed out, "No traced Hollow energy in the entirety of Soul Society except there, in that one area? It would certainly warrant investigating to me."
"Harribel-sama is correct. If it wasn't something massive or certain to work, I don't think our rescuer would be quite so panicked by this." Sung-sun chimed
Ggio grimaced, "So if they don't immediately find us, we'll be trapped like rats."
"Given the situation, Soul Society will put it's full weight into searching the area. Does anyone think we'll be hidden for long?" Tia posed to the group.
Aside from a few silent curses, silence was the answer.
"Look, the situation hasn't really changed, if you think about it." Spoke up Stark, "Sure, there's more immediate pressure, but staying here is no different than staying in that tower we left. We're just waiting around to die. Being in this cave was never the permanent solution."
"I suppose from that perspective it's correcto…" Findor muttered, cupping his chin thoughtfully.
"Nah, he hit the nail on the head. Ggio snarled, before spitting on the dirt. "We were fucked till girlie came around."
"We're still fucked, Vega." Menoly emphasized to the impatient man, who just shrugged it off.
"Stark-san, Harribel-sama, we should view things as moving our timetable up?" asked Sung-sun.
Harribel nodded, "Yes. While trinkling out people one-by-one was the original plan, we can adapt and overcome." Turning back to the younger woman, the teal eyed woman asked simply, "How should we proceed?"
"We need to get everyone changed." Senna replied, before turning to Cirucci. "Do you remember where I put them?"
"Yes." The servant replied, before disappearing in Sonido. With the clothes enroute, Senna began to explain the plan. "I have some Shinigami clothes for everyone to wear as well as face and hair covering cloth." The girl pointed to the hot springs area, "Once you're done changing throw your prison clothes into the water to hide it and meet me in the front."
With her orders given, Senna turned to leave, as Cirucci returned with the garments.
(Present)
"So, you maintain that after checking the area, as ordered, you left Seireitei to go see if the Arrancar escaped somehow and didn't inform anyone of your departure?"
Senna nodded, which earned a scowl from Shaolin, "So then why is it that when Kurosaki and I asked Jidanbo, he said you were on orders from me?"
"I…think he misunderstood. The other Shinigami said they were on orders, I didn't."
Shaolin smirked slightly, "A group that you claim no association with."
"Mhm."
"Well, I suppose we'll have to interrogate them on their return." She stated matter-of-factly, knowing full well they would be no-shows. "Still…" adjusting in her chair, the woman switched gears. "You were caught red-handed not only fighting a captain, but with an Arrancar in tow. There's no explaining that one."
"…"
"So…" she spat coldly, "Explain."
With a fearful shake, the girl began to speak. "What happened was..."
(past)
Walking out of the Seireitei's pale corridors in a controlled pace, Senna thanked whatever deity above for getting them to the plaza of Jidanbo's gate without incident. While she was sure she got some odd glances from other groups patrolling around, they didn't stop to ask questions. The Onimitsukido were from the second division after all and considering the crisis at hand likely 'active' to the point of forgoing stealth. Her presence leading them must have simply solidified the state of emergency in their minds.
Stepping quickly to the mountain of a man resting against their goal line, Senna flagged the giant down, "Jidanbo!"
Seeing the familiar girl with the golden staff approach, the man loosened his grip on his axe as the stern scowl melted away. "Ah!" he breathed out, leaning forward to speak with the woman on a more personable level. "You're a sight for sore eyes, young lady. Haven't seen you since the end of the war!"
"Ah, yeah, been kinda busy with physical therapy and missions from my captain." She chuckled nervously, before taking a step to the side and pointed at the gate, "Sorry, I'd love to catch up, but I'm kinda on the clock. Can I pass through?"
"Sounds urgent." The behemoth rumbled, as he leaned back up, looking past her toward the direction of the captain's hall. "Something to do with the emergency lockdown?" He raised a finger up in the air and swiveled it. "I saw you flying all over the place a bit ago."
"Kinda, I can't really say anymore right now.
Jidanbo's expression hardened as he gave a solemn nod to her. Just as Senna was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the large man pointed at the group standing behind her. "Are they with you as well?"
"Ahh…" the girl croaked "Kinda? The captains…want to conduct a sweep…"
Seeing their guide crumbling under the unexpected scrutiny, Harribel stepped forward to salvage the situation, "We have our own orders." She asserted in a low pitch, channeling her usual no-nonsense attitude. "We'll let you know if we see anything, so keep an eye out."
"Same to you." The man grunted, before turning to the gate to put his back to work. The group waited with bated breath as the large gate ensuring their freedom was higher and higher off the ground. Senna peeked a hasty glance at Cirucci, who was breathing shallowly in anticipation, and behind her the smallest one, Lilynette was gripping the hand of the taller Arrancar beside her.
Once the opening was clearly over the group's head, Senna started walking forward, "Thanks Jidanbo!" she yelled out, eagerly crossing before anymore unwanted attention could get called this way.
The group followed behind her lead, each one trying to not look conspicuous as they crossed under the grunting giant holding up the enormous wooden gate.
Finally, once the last escapee crossed the expanse, the gate lowered down. Slower and slower until Jidanbo and the Seireitei, the prison that had been their home for the last several months, disappeared from sight with a low resonating clunk.
"She did it…" Ggio Vega whispered, breaking the lingering silence on their side of the gate. "Holy fucking SHIT, SHE ACTUALLY DID IT!"
"Of…of course." Mila-Rosa exclaimed, lips quivering. "I never doubted."
"Course you didn't cow-tits." Heckled Appachi with a relieved smith of her own.
"Ah dios mio." Findor let out quietly as Redman clasped his shoulder re-assuredly. The blonde man tapped the back of his hand with his own, as he shook his head, "If you could only see it now Barragan-sama."
Near the back of the group, Menoly's eyes drifted from the former Segundo Espada's Fraccion to the Shinigami at the forefront. The blonde woman puckered her lips, a forlorn look in her eyes. She thought of her sister, Loly, standing next to her, maybe even where that murderous traitor Sanderwhicc was standing now. She tried opening her mouth to at least whisper gratitude for everything Senna had done despite their-her animosity, but her voice was loath to show itself.
At the front, Harribel, certainly empathizing with her comrades, knew that they weren't out of danger just yet. Stepping toward their fellow conspirator, she spoke with her usual cool commanding grace. "You mentioned a safe house. How far is it from here?"
At her words, the others quieted their clamoring, refocusing on the face that the escape plan was only half-finished and that any further celebration should be saved for later, lest it lead toward a disastrous outcome. With a nod of acknowledgement, Senna spoke, "Alright. Make sure everyone controls their spiritual pressure as much as possible. The people out here will get hurt if you don't."
Heedful of her warning, the clandestine group made their way through the town. They passed through the nicer districts and paved roads to the dilapidated sectors and dirt roads to finally rolling hillsides and verdant wilderness, the Arrancar followed their Shinigami guide silently.
While none asked, they couldn't help but notice the breathing of Senna became more labored the further they went. Only Cirucci knew the true underlying cause, as she watched the girl grip wads of her Hakama in her hands, fighting through exhaustion.
Just when Harribel was about to deem they split up here, to spare the exerted woman for everything she'd done so far, a cry rose out from Senna, "There!"
Looking up the hill, the group saw a large house with a shaft-like Silo behind it. In front of the building was a trio of people waiting underneath a banner behind held up by two identical skyscrapers. While it wasn't as overt as before, a sense of dread did resurge in some of the Arrancar for the seeming strange allies this kookie Shinigami knew. Still, in light of the woman's accomplishments so far, it was easier to ignore the ping of skepticism that washed over them, as they made their way to Senna's conspirators.
Standing between the two near identical looking men was a busty dangerous looking woman with a prosthetic arm and jagged black hair wrapped in unkempt bandages. Her arms were crossed as narrowed eyes flitted quickly amongst the group.
"Kukaku-san." Senna greeted with a winded bow.
"Kiddo." She responded roughly, before her eyes fell on Harribel. In a second, the woman could tell by her posture and poise that she must have been a higher-up, if not the de facto leader of the escapees. "This everyone?"
The mocha toned woman nodded silently.
"Koganehiko." barked Kukaku.
One of the twins, the one wearing the yellow shirt, stepped forward to the group, before bending over and scooping up Senna in his strong arms. As the man cradled the surprised woman close to his broad chest, Shiba looked to the other twin.
"Shiroganehiko."
"Ma'am!" the large man in white shirt replied, before slamming his hand down onto the ground. A thud and clunk were the only announcement the fugitives had before the ground gave way as they fell through a trap door. From the top of the hill the screams of the group echoed from the abyss, but Kukaku ignored it. "Make sure you close it after me and then begin preparations for us to change locations to the next safe house. If anyone from Soul Society shows up *especially* my fiancé, tell your brother to get me then stall them till I get back. Can't have them snooping around the Flower Crane Cannon silo or the estate."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Get to it." She barked before leaping feet first to the underground.
(Arrancar)
Unprepared the group fell through the floor with a chorus of screams and curses. Harribel's eyes flickered to Kukaku's man, the girl in his arms clearly holding on to dear life. From the corner of her periphery, she saw stark mimicking the same defensive posture with Lilynette, arms cradling her with his back braced for impact.
Before the Espada could gather the air in her lungs to give out an emergency order, a sharp cry escaped her as her butt hit something smooth, and then instead of falling the group was now sliding down a half-pipe towards a distant light.
As the light drew closer, Harribel made out the indention of flooring they were speeding towards. "Ground!" Harribel shouted out to the others, adjusting her body posture to accommodate impact.
Coming out of the chute first, Koganehiko landed on his feet easily, with Senna still tucked in his arms, before side-stepping away, allowing Harribel behind him into the room, stumbling forward out of collective harm's way. As the leader kept going forward taking control of her slowdown, she glanced behind her to check on her charges, grimacing at their less than stellar landing.
Stark, cradling the screaming Lilynette, lurched his body forward, slamming and rolling against the ground, taking the brunt of the force for his other half. Next came Sung-sun, who gracefully entered the room having heeded her Espada's warning, leaping over the tumbling to a halt Coyote, before coming to a stop beside Harribel. Harribel paused for a moment as she saw a rather self-pleased smile on her subordinates' face, instead of her usual faux amusement. Glancing back at the slide, Tia wondered if the slithering motion felt welcomingly familiar to the detached woman. That, or the infinitely more presentable landing she had compared to Emilou Apacci and Franceska Mila-Rosa, who were clinging to each other screaming bloody-murder.
Harribel sighed, it wasn't that bad…
Was it?
The social pariah Cirucci was the next to enter, touching down feet first, before leaping toward the man holding Senna. The hard glare she was giving the man made it clear: if Senna was hurt in anyway, he'd be lucky to only pay in blood.
Spilling into the room was Menoly followed by Redman and Findor. The disheveled female Arrancar was buried underneath the tall hawk-like Arrancar, who was panting frightfully. Findor was shellshocked himself, barely on his knees, arm shaking as he muttered to himself, trying to recompose himself.
Last to enter was Ggio Vega, landing on his feet with a wide-toothy grin. "Haha! That was awesome!" Without even looking, Findor immediately deflated his fellow's excitement with a swift and firm fist to the tiger Arrancar's crotch, flooring him instantly with a plop and breathless gasp.
As the others started to get back to their feet, Tia looked back to the chute entrance when she heard a grating sound coming from it. Shooting out from it was the busty dark-haired woman from before, her prosthetic dragging against the slide behind her to help slow herself down enough to land safely with nary a stumble.
The hard eyed woman spared a glance at the group, before walking towards the twin holding Senna, "You good, girlie?"
The Shinigami nodded her head, as she was gently set down by the large muscle man. Cirucci seemed to ease up a bit but kept an eye on the trap springing woman. Kukaku glanced at her, "You must be her pal, Sandwich."
"Sanderwhicc."
Shiba rolled her eyes, ignoring the correction as she looked at Koganehiko, "I'll take it from here. Go help your brother. We need to be ready to clear out once we do our part."
"Yes, Kukaku-sama!"
As the twin exited out of the room, all eyes turned to Kukaku, the Shiba surrounded by Hollows.
"Are you the one that's supposed to help us?" Tia asked cautiously, speaking as the voice of reason.
"You can say that." The woman said briskly, before jutting a thumb toward Senna, "Save your thanks though; I'm only doing it cause girlie begged me."
Menoly's eyes fell to the floor quietly, unbeknownst to the others.
"So, here's the plan: Right now, all of you are on the second floor under the basement of this safe house. It's where I keep my materials to prep for the cannon above." She then nudged her head towards the Arrancar's direction, "Door over there leads to the silo."
Looking in the direction they fell in from, they saw a sturdy-looking blast-door. "The idea is to shoot you lot further south with the cannon, any questions?"
Redder raised his hand and Kukaku rolled her eyes expectantly.
"Yeah, can you go back to that part where you shoot us out of a FUCKING CANNON?"
"No prob. What's going to happen is you're going to shut the fuck up! Get in my fucking cannon, so I can launch your ass outta here and then you say: 'Thank-you Kukaku-sama for saving me. Your plan was brilliant, sorry for questioning you. May I have another?'."
Kukaku then shrugged her shoulders uncaringly. "It's either that or you walk." She said plainly "and if you walk, then they'll have your spiritual trail, with nothing else to explain or distract them from where you went. At least flying through the air, they can't follow the trail on the ground."
The tall man retracted his objection.
"Will the Shinigami find us here though?" Sung-sun asked.
"Doubtful. There are too many spiritual signatures from the people of Rukongai on the way here. As for my place, this room and the Flower Crane Cannon are coated with Seki-Seki rock, which blocks all traces of spiritual pressure from penetrating through. So, long as you don't leave those areas: Soul Society won't find you, unless they can physically see your ass. Still, I'm not gonna cross my fingers and give you a chance to do anything stupid."
"What do you mean precisely, Senora?" Finder asked diplomatically.
Shiba lazily held a hand leading to the silo, "Gonna have all of you wait underneath the silo," she the pointed to the floor, "Then we're gonna barricade this room off with items from the house above, so, in the off chance the Shinigami come around, it'll hide the silo door by looking like a cramped-up storage area."
"So, one cylinder prison for another." Lilynette mused aloud, Stark immediately swatted the back of her helmet.
"Hey, don't like it? Door is over there."
"What she meant to say was: that the only way in and out would be through the silo right?" Amended Stark, when the firework's master nodded, he continued, "So what's stopping them from walking into the silo through the top and down to us?"
"The silo design, specifically. Unlike other silos, which store the gun powder underneath and fizzles up from there to fire, the Flower Crane Cannon, fires from the front door up. My Spiritual energy will conduct through the cannon from the outside and catch the cannon ball sphere on the inside only. The underbelly where we typically store the cannonballs is where you'll be."
"This 'underbelly' is another compartment?"
Kukaku nodded, "The underside doubles as a storage area for the cannonballs as well as an escape tunnel either to or from the main estate. Need to get out of the home? This room connects through the blast door and up to the firing platform of the cannon. Trying to sneak in? You take stairs down the cannon into the second basement here. Either way, the stairs to the platform only open if someone who knows the sequence opens it."
"So: what happens if a Shinigami enter through the cannon, and you don't open it? What do they see?"
"Coming in from the main entrance, it'll look like a round empty storage room. Nowhere to go but up."
Ggio raised a brow, "And you're telling me no one is gonna think anything is strange about a huge ass empty tower in the middle of nowhere next to a house with another pair of building holding up an 'I live here' sign in front of it?"
Kukaku shot him an unflattering glare, "Be honest: When you walk into an empty room how many times do you think to yourself 'there must be a hidden floor here' versus 'looks like a storage space'?" When she was met with obvious silence, she shook her head dismissively, "Yeah. That's what I thought."
"I better get back." said Senna, knowing that she was on a time-crunch and that the Arrancar were in Kukaku's -questionably- safe hands. She glanced at Cirucci and smiled at her, glad that her friend's life would be spared, even if she'd never see her again.
A bittersweet Cirucci pursed her lips. Just as she was going to thank her for what she did, not just for her, but for the others as well, her expression morphed into horror. The Shinigami-hybrid let out a sharp pained wheeze as she fell to her knees. Cirucci was instantly by her side, along with Kukaku. The girl's eyes were closed but rimmed with tears as she hyperventilated, one hand clasping desperately against the center of her dark uniform.
"Kid!" yelled Kukaku, throwing one of the girl's arms over her shoulders. She was going to help her move, but Senna shook her head. After a panicked minute, the purple-haired woman's breathing finally soothed to more comfortable levels.
"Sorry…" she sucked out, slowly gathering the strength to stand under her own power.
"Senna-sama, your heart—"
"I'm…fine…" she panted unconvincingly.
"The fuck you are!" Kukaku roared maternally, "Your ass is staying here and that's final!"
"I can't!" the girl hissed back desperately. "If I don't hurry back…"
The message went without saying. No Senna instantly raised questions. Raised questions led to suspicion. Suspicion to double-checking. Double checking to retreading. Retreading to implication. Implication to tracking and tracking lead right out of Soul Societies doors and to Kukaku's—to the Arrancar.
They both knew that.
Harribel looked on worriedly, before turning to her Fraccion, who were equally concerned. The Espada thought for a moment, before resolving to herself.
The girl was willing to sacrifice so much for them, she'd repay her.
Stepping forward, Harribel was opening her mouth to speak when Sanderwhicc spoke up, "I'll help walk her back."
"Cirucci-"
"Silencio." She rebuked with a hard look. The reprimanded girl smiled gingerly, as the Fraccion looked to Kukaku, "Can Seireitei be seen from here, in a straight line?"
The woman thought on it and then nodded, "Yeah."
"Then I will carry her a small way back." The Arrancar declared, as she picked up Senna bridal-style. "And return at once."
Kukaku looked at the Arrancar conflictedly, before silently giving her bless. Not like she had a choice. "There and back. Move fast but keep your spiritual pressure to a minimum. Otherwise, you'll lead them in a straight line back here."
As Sanderwhicc nodded, Harribel closed her mouth, relaxing her posture. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Menoly looking away deliberately, one arm that had been partially extended out, quietly retracting back to cradle her bicep.
Had Menoly attempted to volunteer as Harribel had, but was also beaten to the punch by Cirucci, the traitor Arrancar? Harribel wouldn't be able to dwell on the thought as she began to listen intently to Kukaku, who started detailing the how and why the rest of this escape was going to go down.
(Cirucci and Senna)
Exiting out of the front door of the Shiba home, Cirucci ran as fast her legs could take her while carrying Senna, knowing a single straight-line down the hills and through the ensuing forest would get her to Rukongai outskirts, the avian Arrancar ran confidently.
"Thanks, Cirucci."
Looking down at her charge, cradling her Zanpaktou, Cirucci nodded, as she exhaled, lungs burning from exertion. Slowing down, the woman came to a halt amidst the sea of canopy, huffing to herself. "Cirucci." The breathless woman looked down, "You can set me down."
"I can keep going." The exhausted woman protested.
"No, you can't." she countered, turning her head to the path forward, she pointed to a break in the leafy overhead. "That clearing, I can fly back to Seireitei from there. It'll be quicker than you running."
"Can you manage it, Senna-sama?"
"Yeah." She replied, slipping her legs from the Arrancar's arms onto the earth. "I just overexerted myself trying to get everyone here as fast as I could."
"Vi eso." Cirucci replied, "We didn't stop moving since we got to this side."
"Yeah…" admitted Senna, as they walked to the clearing, "I should have called for a breather, but I guess panic and adrenaline carried me."
"You should have said something."
"Well, this wasn't how it was supposed to go in the first place…"
The servant nodded agreeingly, "Pero, it did work. I'm glad. Gracias, Senna-sama."
The Kurosaki beamed at Cirucci, as they stepped into the clearing. Pulling her blade out, she began to release her Zanpaktou so she could be on her way, when suddenly an overwhelming spiritual pressure fell over the pair. Cirucci had to brace herself as Senna collapsed to the ground, Shakujo clattering against the dirt path.
"Kismet." A smooth voice spoke from the same direction the Shakujo fell in, the softness of the man's voice belying his forceful actions. "You're both under arrest."
Eyes darting toward the sound, Cirucci cursed at seeing the white sheen of the captain Haori, as the handsome man wearing it pulled out his soul slaying sword. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."
As the blade disappeared into a flurry of small cherry blossom petals, Cirucci moved in front of her defenseless friend, shielding her from any possible attack. Thankfully, the petals stayed close to their master, as Senna calmed her body down enough to right herself.
"Captain…Kuchiki…" she huffed tiredly; the man's sudden spiritual pressure having knocked the wind out of her lungs.
"I'm going to offer you one chance to surrender peacefully." The man said, before delivering the terms of his ultimatum. "Tell me where the other Arrancar are, and your punishment will be lenient."
Predictably, the woman shook her head, "I don't know."
The captain's eyes narrowed at the answer, "Perhaps," he spoke clearly more annoyed than phased. "her suffering will jog your memory."
As the dangerous petals flew forward, Sanderwhicc began charging a cero.
(Present: Senna and Soifon)
"Captain Kuchiki had simply been on his way to check on his fiancé, so he could protect her and maybe convince her to stay inside the Kuchiki manor for a little while." Senna recounted of the encounter.
"So, encountering into each other in the woods was an accident, according to you?"
"We got lost in the woods and turned around…I don't know entirely." She lied.
Shaolin looked over her shoulder to the double-sided window, before returning back to the fugitive, "I want your answer on record," she tapped the recorder remindingly, "Where are the other Arrancar?"
"They may have split off in different directions." The woman shook her head, "Considering the odds of different personality, I don't think they had something to keep them together."
"I assume you mean something like a leader such as Aizen to give them guidance." Shaolin forespoke, though she knew it was better to make it seem like they were less of a threat due to infighting and not point out the obvious tactical advantage of not being able to round them all up by dividing.
Of course, keeping the truth to herself was paramount, which brought her to the next question.
"And you maintain that you received no outside assistance, no fellow conspirators or collaborators?"
The ex-human shook her head, much to her inquisitor's secret pleasure. "Fine." She barked coldly, "If you want to keep to your lies, so be it. We'll break Cirucci, Takamiko-san, and get the truth out of her. You will feel the full weight of what you've done here today."
With a small click, Shaolin stopped recording and put the device away. She didn't have long in this room; she too was being observed, as a suspect of treachery. "Ichigo is with Cirucci now." The woman admitted quietly, before getting up from her chair. As she turned around, Senna called out to her, "Shaolin?"
"Yes, Senna?"
The girl at the desk swayed uncomfortably, "Do you…" the woman's voice fell away, as she felt even smaller under her gaze. "Do you think I did the right thing?" she asked sadly, "I followed my heart…" tears began to well up in her eyes, "but…I don't know anymore…"
The older woman sighed tiredly, unable to really answer her.
"Please…tell me…" the woman hung her head, as tears streaked down her cheeks onto her trembling hands, "What should I have done?"
Blackout2010: Once again, formal reminder to save final judgments until next chapter and that anything taking place in the past is what genuinely happened.
