Chapter 13: The Stakes We Are Gambling Are Frighteningly High

"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Zanpakutō"
"Hollows/Vizard"
"Reading/listening to a message/letter"
"{Speaking a different language}"

AN: Okay, we should be done with the jumping around timeline-wise. Should.

-]|[-

Third Day of the Ryoka Invasion, Late Afternoon

"I believe the Quincy, who has identified himself as Ishida Uryū, used Letzt Stil to overcome Captain Kuchiki, which would explain the overwhelming boost in his power. Thankfully, due to the limitation of the technique, he's been rendered powerless and is currently being kept in the 4th Division holding cells," Ukitake concluded. The current captains meeting was the third one in the last week. Normally, a meeting would be held every six months at most. But the current situation was far from normal. All available captains were present and alert, minus Captain Zaraki who was no doubt lost once more. Though, given the man's nature, even if he were present, he'd contribute little and retain less.

"Very well," The ancient Head Captain, one Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, said. Completely bald, he made up for his lack of hair with a grey waist-length beard and thick bushy eyebrows that nearly reached his chin. Though his stooped form made him seem harmless at first glance, his was the greatest power in all of Soul Society. Even most of the men and women that stood before him could not hope to face him in combat and live. And perhaps only two had even the slightest hope of victory, slim though it would be. Turning his attention towards the diminutive but dangerous Soifon, he addressed her next, "Captain Soifon, you captured a pair of the Ryoka. Have they given any useful information?"

Stepping forward as Jūshirō stepped back, Soifon reported, "Neither Ryoka knows the whereabouts of their comrades, stating they got separated during infiltration. However, one of them did confirm the information Kuchiki Rukia reported; their goal is the retrieval of former Lieutenant Kurotsuchi. Unfortunately, they have so far refused to share any further information."

"Hm. Step up your interrogations, but don't yet do anything the 4th Division can't fix. They might be useful later," Yamamoto ordered. Once more, he switched his focus to another captain, this time the motherly Unohana. "What of the captains and lieutenants of 2nd, 6th, and 9th? How goes their recovery?"

Soifon dutifully returned to her previous position as Unohana answered, "Lieutenant Omaeda is the most healed and has already been cleared for duty. Lieutenant Abarai will be cleared for light duty tomorrow and full duty within a few days. Lieutenant Hisagi has regained consciousness but the nature of his injuries makes it difficult for him to move. Given the current workload, my medics are burdened with, it is unlikely that he will be ambulatory for several more days." The woman paused and released a nearly imperceptible sigh. "Captains Kuchiki and Tosen are still unconscious. Captain Kuchiki will most likely make a full recovery at roughly the same time as Lieutenant Abarai. However, Captain Tosen might never fully recover. From what I've determined, his Zanpakutō exploded while he was wielding it. The resulting shrapnel injuries and deafness were simple enough to heal, but his hands were obliterated. He will need prosthetics to ever hold anything again, to say nothing of wielding a Zanpakutō."

Yamamoto glared slightly, though Unohana was unfazed, knowing it wasn't truly directed at her. "And what have you learned of their enemies?" He asked.

Were she a lesser woman, the first Kenpachi might have pinched the bridge of her nose or rubbed her temple. "Lieutenant Omaeda fought the same pair that Captain Soifon captured. Lieutenant Abarai was defeated by the same Shinigami as Kuchiki Rukia, having admitted to specifically hunting that Ryoka, one Kurosaki Ichigo, down. While Hisagi was unable to learn the name of his or his captain's assailants, his description of them confirms that both are Quincy as well. Beyond that, he didn't have much to share besides a physical description."

The Head Captain sighed before addressing the most grievous news, "And the deaths of Captains Aizen and Kurotsuchi?" The already serious mood grew even more somber. It was uncommon enough to lose a captain less than thirty years after another disappeared. Two dying in a single night? Outside of the incident over a century prior, only the very eldest captains had ever heard of such a thing.

"Captain Kurotsuchi's final battle was caught on camera by his division, who then forwarded it to myself shortly afterwards. Much like Lieutenant Abarai, Captain Kurotsuchi had sought out Kurosaki, apparently out of anger at the Ryoka having 'inconvenienced him by getting his lieutenant killed'. The Ryoka lasted considerably longer than expected, but was incapacitated nonetheless. However, when Captain Kurotsuchi attempted to land the finishing blow, his Zanpakutō glanced off Kurosaki's skin. He then managed to stand, despite having been struck repeatedly by Captain Kurotsuchi's Shikai, which caused Captain Kurotsuchi to unleash his Bankai." Unohana paused for a moment, clearly unhappy about the next bit of information, "We have so far recovered the bodies of eighty-seven Shinigami killed by his Bankai's poison gas, bringing the current death toll up to a hundred and three." At this, Yamamoto desperately wanted to pinch his nose. He'd known Kurotsuchi was a loose cannon, to put it mildly; the man had been recruited from the Maggot's Nest for Soul King's sake! But he was personally responsible for over five times as many deaths as the Ryoka! "Kurosaki used some sort of Reiryoku attack from his Zanpakutō to both destroy Captain Kurotsuchi's Bankai and kill the man himself. The resulting explosion has unfortunately caused enough damage to make recovering bodies difficult.

"As for Captain Aizen, there is currently little information regarding his demise. Investigation of the area in which his body was recovered shows little signs of a struggle, but his killer somehow managed to impale him with his own Zanpakutō with enough force to leave him nailed to a wall nearly four meters off the ground." And that was the information that really had people unsettled. Kurotsuchi's death had all the noise and collateral one would expect from a captain level battle. But Aizen was killed without a fuss, no hint that it had occurred until hours after he died.

The Head Captain slammed his cane on the floor. "This is unacceptable! A mere eight Ryoka have defeated multiple captains and lieutenants as they run rampant throughout the Seireitei! As of this moment, all unseated officers are to be removed from patrol. Tenth seats and above are to patrol in groups of now fewer than four members. Should they encounter a Ryoka, they are to immediately notify their captain or lieutenant. Furthermore, a captain is to be posted outside the Senzaikyū at all times! Lastly, all captains and lieutenants have permission to use the entirety of their powers against the Ryoka. Capture is no longer a priority! If any intruders resist, terminate them immediately!"

The present captains all bowed their heads in acknowledgment and filed out, knowing a dismissal when they heard one. Once the hall was empty, Yamamoto sighed wearily. "So many lost. One captain injured. Another who will likely have to retire. And two more dead. This is turning into a worse disaster than the last Quincy War, Chōjirō." As ever, the dutiful lieutenant stood by his side, waiting for any orders.

-]|[-

Ichigo awakened with a groan. 'It's like there's a K-Pop concert in my head. Is this how Goat-chin feels when he's hungover?' "Well, you certainly took your time waking up." The woman speaking just made Ichigo's migraine worse.

"Now now. He was in worse shape than the rest of you," Another voice spoke. Like the first, it was vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it with how his head was throbbing. "Not gonna lie Ichigo, I'm kinda surprised you survived. Kurotsuchi is- was- a nasty bastard to fight."

Managing to open his eyes without the ambient light forming a laser aimed directly at his retinas, Ichigo looked towards the two voices. One of the Quincy girls was seated on a futon nearby and in front of her was a familiar black cat. "Yoruichi and… Candy? What're we doing here?" After a moment, his mind caught up to the fact that the other teen was topless. 'Make that naked,' He mentally corrected as his eyes wandered down her body and saw plenty of hip where the sheet covered her legs.

"Candice, but close enough, I guess. Kitty here's apparently been making sure we don't die," Candice explained.

"Oh, well good job, I guess? Could've used you after I fought that lieutenant. I needed someone named Aizen to patch me up."

The moment Ichigo said that name, the atmosphere instantly changed. Yoruichi, previously lounging smugly like any cat, sat up and stared intensely at him. "Did you say Aizen?"

"Huh? Yeah, pretty sure that was his name. Bit taller than me, brown hair, glasses, captain? He patched me up and gave a pep talk about not being my enemy and wanting the Hōgyoku." Ichigo responded, nonplussed.

"Did he reach for his Zanpakutō at any point?" The cat demanded.

"What?"

In an instant, the small feline vanished in a cloud of steam. Out of said cloud leapt a dark-skinned woman who pinned Ichigo to the floor, gripping him by the sides of his head as she all but roared, "Did he reach for his fucking sword?!"

Alarmed, both by the transformation and the ferocity of her question, Ichigo sputtered, "N-no! He never touched it!"

Only now did Yoruichi relax, sighing in relief. Letting go of Ichigo's head, she sat back and said, "Thank the Soul King." After a moment, she paused as a thought occurred to her, "Wait… how did you not remember Aizen? We briefed you lot on the captains!"

Ichigo awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Well… I… kinda forgot about the others because I was so focused on Mayuri."

Off to the side, Candice chuckled as Yoruichi facepalmed. "If you weren't still injured, I'd punch you. That was important information! Right, anyway! Aizen's Zanpakutō creates illusions that affect every sense. We don't know much more than that but that alone is pretty damn broken."

Noticing a detail of his own, Ichigo couldn't help but ask, "Why's everyone naked?"

Candice was the one to field that question, "Kinda hard to treat our injuries without taking our clothes off, ain't it?" As the Quincy spoke, Yoruichi dismounted from where she'd been functionally straddling Ichigo. Her hand glowing with Kaidō, the werecat checked over his injuries. However, her change in position shifted the blanket, revealing Ichigo's… response to having a beautiful naked woman in his lap, something the nearby Verdette was quick to comment on. "Hey, nice cock." When Ichigo blushed and attempted to hide his shame, she just laughed, "C'mon, nothing I haven't seen before. Okay, maybe not that big, but I've seen a dick or two in my time. Here, how about some quid pro quo?" Candice stood up and moved to stand over him.

From his position, Ichigo could see Candice's entire front. From her full perky breasts, each pale pink nipple decorated with a silver stud, to her flat stomach with another silver stud through her navel, down to her pink pussy, her pubes trimmed into a lightning bolt that pointed directly at the stud through her clit. "Whataya think? Pretty damn nice huh?" Ichigo swallowed and nodded. He wasn't the blushing, stammering mess he'd have been half a year ago, but a gorgeous woman flaunting her naked body was a bit much.

In an effort to distract himself, Ichigo looked around and finally noticed the two still unconscious women in the room. "Tatsuki? Bambietta? What happened to them?"

Ignoring the Irishwoman grumbles about Ichigo remembering the other Quincy's name, Yoruichi replied, "Same as you. They fought someone they weren't ready for. Though they tied rather than winning. I only recovered Tatsuki earlier today so she's still unconscious. Bambi's in decent enough shape. She's just sleeping."

"Yeah, exploding bitch sleeps like a log," Candice chimed in.

-]|[-

Isane rushed to the Senzaikyū. With the ongoing captain's meeting, she had a brief window in which to act. With any luck, she'd be able to retrieve Nemu and meet up with the Ryoka before any alarms were raised. As she came upon the Senzaikyū, the guards stationed outside called out to her, "Halt! State your business here, lieutenant!" But the amazon ignored them. Or rather, she answered by way of driving her fist deep into the gut of one of the guards. The other three took precious moments to react. While two moved to stop her, the third reached for the alarm kept on his person. However, while the guards were stronger than the average Shinigami, all being around the level of a 10th Seat, Isane vastly outmatched them. Before the guard's hand even touched his alarm, his compatriots had been knocked unconscious with a single blow each. As he fumbled in his pocket, a hand grabbed his wrist in a bone-crushing grip. Looking away from his uniform, he looked up into Isane's steely gaze, right before she drove her forehead into his nose.

With the immediate threat taken care of, Isane turned her attention towards the Senzaikyū. She didn't have the keys this time, but honestly, she didn't need them. Instead, she dashed forward as fast as she could without Shunpo, which sadly didn't lend itself to what she was about to do. As she reached the door, the silver-haired lieutenant cocked back her fist and punched! The gate immediately shattered like a pane of spun sugar, tiny fragments raining down. Within the cell, Nemu stared from where she had been using the bars of her window to perform inverted sit-ups. Bursting in, Isane cried, "Nemu! I'm breaking you- why are you naked?"

Nemu casually dismounted from her perch, catching herself on her hands before flipping back up to her feet. Picking up her discarded robe, Nemu donned it and replied, "My clothing kept getting in my way. I found it easier to exercise nude."

Isane took a deep breath as she processed that before deciding it was best to just move on. "Sure, why not. Anyway, I'm breaking you out of here. We'll meet up with the Ryoka and they'll take you somewhere Soul Society can't find you. C'mon!"

The taller woman grabbed Nemu by the wrist and started running towards the exit. As they left the tower, the violette questioned, "Do you have some way of contacting Ichigo-kun and the others?"

Before Isane could answer, an orange haired Shinigami came into view. "Kurotsuchi-sensei!" The young woman smiled and waved as she ran towards them.

Under her breath, Isane muttered, "Hadn't really planned much beyond this part but I'll take it."

Once she had reached them, Orihime grabbed Nemu's hands in her own, happily exclaiming, "I'm so glad you're alright! Kurosaki-kun was so worried about you! He was even more frowny than usual! But we made more friends and a talking pussy brought us here and then- Oh!" Seemingly noticing Isane for the first time, the schoolgirl promptly grabbed her in a massive bearhug, actually lifting her off the ground slightly. "Thank you! Thank you so much for rescuing Kurotsuchi-sensei!" She continued babbling high speed gratitude even as she swung the taller woman back and forth.

Looking over the much shorter girl's head, Isane silently asked Nemu for help. Taking pity on her, the other lieutenant touched Orihime's shoulder. "Inoue-kun, we need to rendezvous with the others quickly if we're to elude our pursuers."

Orihime promptly released Isane as she processed her teacher's words. Smacking the bottom of her fist into her palm, she exclaimed. "You're right, Kurotsuchi-sensei! I just got caught up in thanking… um, sorry I forgot to ask your name." At this, she awkwardly turned towards Isane, who was still recovering her breath.

"K-Kotetsu Isane," The amazon replied, stuttering slightly from lack of air. "Where are your comrades? We don't have much time before the captain meeting ends. And who knows what new security measures the Head Captain will enact."

"Well for one, a captain is to be posted at the Senzaikyū until Kurotsuchi-chan's execution. Also, the meeting ended ten minutes ago I'm afraid," Kyōraku Shunsui informed her.

"Oh, in that case, we really need to hur-" Isane trailed off as she realized just who had spoken. Turning her head slowly, as though hoping delaying seeing him would make the captain disappear, she beheld the calmly smiling form of the Captain of 8th Division. In an uncharacteristic display, the argent-haired lieutenant softly muttered, "Fuck."

Chuckling, Shunsui replied, "Quite. I don't suppose I could convince you three to give yourselves up? I'd personally rather not fight." Despite his laidback words, the captain noticeably kept his left hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō's katana. The message was clear: Shunsui didn't want to fight, but he would.

Before either lieutenant could answer, their third member acted. "Tsubaki! Koten Zanshun, I reject!"

The fairy split off from Orihime's hairpin and soared towards Shunsui at high speed. But the man in question casually backhanded it away, not remotely harmed by the attack. "Well, I suppose that answers that question. For what it's worth, I am sorry it came to this." With that, he drew both his Zanpakutō's blades.

In that instant, a fifth figure joined the fray. Kurosaki Ichigo soared onto the bridge, a wing-shaped glider attached to his arm. As he landed, the glider folded away into a small wand which he tucked away into his Shihakusho. Standing between the Shinigami Captain and the three women, Ichigo drew Eien-ō and addressed the man, "Long time no see, Shunsui." Despite his friendly words, the teen's face was hard. "I seem to remember you promising leniency for Nemu. Yet here we are."

Shunsui's smile melted off his face. "Yet here we are," He agreed, voice contrite. "I won't insult you with empty platitudes, Kurosaki-kun. Just know that while I do agree with your motivations, I can't condone your actions." Katen Kyōkotsu transformed into her Shikai, becoming a pair of curved Chinese scimitars, without a word from the captain. "I might not want to fight you, but if I must, the least I can do is fight you seriously."

"Much appreciated," Ichigo retorted, only half sarcastic. "Reclaim your throne, Eien-ō!" Holding his own Zanpakutō in a ready position, he asked, "So, what game are we playing?"

His smile returning, Shunsui commented, "Oh, so you did have info on us after all. We'd guessed as much given who you're working with. Katen Kyōkotsu says we'll be playing Irooni first. I assume you know the rules."

"Well enough," Ichigo agreed. "You can only harm the color you call. Like this! Color demon, pink!" Rushing forwards, Ichigo moved Eien-ō to stab through his opponent's kimono. He didn't want to kill Shunsui. Regardless of anything else, he at least seemed like a decent enough person. But if it meant protecting those close to him, Ichigo was willing to do far worse than kill a decent man. So he'd fight with every intent of killing his enemies. If they surrendered or were no longer a threat, he'd spare them, but the enemy's life would likely never be a priority.

Rather than bother dealing with the attack, Shunsui simply let it strike his body. It was readily apparent that the boy didn't know all the details of his Shikai. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to attack a color he wasn't wearing himself. Sure enough, while the attack certainly felt as though it should be piercing through his lung and out his back, all Shunsui sustained was a minor puncture that was barely bleeding. "That's true enough. But apparently, you weren't aware of the second rule," The captain lectured as Ichigo gawked in shock and disbelief. "Color demon, black." His retaliatory strike was little more than a poke in the chest, but it sent Ichigo hurtling backwards, his ribs feeling like they had been pulverized as he collided with the three women behind him. "The damage you deal is proportional to how much of that color you're wearing. Unless you're wearing some truly colorful underwear, I'm afraid that rather limits your options, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo struggled to stand, even as Isane ran a Kaidō infused hand over his chest. "Don't move, Kurosaki-san! Your ribs are in danger of puncturing your lung!" She desperately warned him. Orihime quickly cast her Santen Kesshun between their group and Shunsui, but she was hesitant to try to heal Ichigo, not sure if her efforts would interfere with the other woman's.

"She's right you know," The older man said. "Just surrender. I promise your lives will be spared." He hadn't moved from his spot, possibly to appear less threatening, but potentially so he would have more room to move if need be.

Ichigo growled through gritted teeth, even as he shook off Nemu's attempts to hold him down. "Just like you promised Nemu's life would be spared?!"

With a heavy sigh, Shunsui admitted, "I suppose I deserve that."

Nemu grabbed at Ichigo's sleeve even as he forced himself to his feet. "Don't, Ichigo-kun! I'm not worth dying for!" Her voice was quiet but overflowing with emotion, "I told you, I'm replaceable. You aren't!"

"Bullshit!" Ichigo snarled. Ignoring his screaming ribs, he held Eien-ō at the ready once more. "If you don't value your life then I'm claiming it for my own! And I say you're not allowed to die! Not here! Not like this!" The teen's Reiatsu burst forth at his declaration, growing stronger and heavier than before.

In response to this proclamation, Shunsui shifted, taking a more aggressive stance. He opened his mouth to reply, but his answer would go unknown as he was interrupted. "Color demon, red!" At speeds greater than anyone could react, a single foot crashed into the top of his head, right on the red design of his hat. Stunned but not significantly harmed, Shunsui stumbled forward. He recovered almost instantaneously, but that fraction of a second he needed proved to be enough. When he looked up, Ichigo was gone and in his place was a scrawled note in a familiar handwriting. "He'll be back in three days." It was signed with a chibi drawing of a cat.

-]|[-

In a hidden cave below Sōkyoku Hill, Ichigo found himself carelessly thrown into a pool of hot water. After a couple seconds of flailing, he stood up, soaking wet, angry, and still in a hell of a lot of pain. "Gah, the hell?!" He had barely registered Yoruichi's presence in the time it took her to bring him all the way here. "Wait, where're the others? Why did you only grab me?!"

"Calm your tits, boyo. Shunsui's one of the original captains. No way I was getting away from him carrying more than one passenger," The werecat replied. "Now, gimme a sec. I have to go get the others. Enjoy the hot springs while you wait." And she was gone. She didn't blur or sprint or even move from what Ichigo could see. She was just there one moment and gone the next. Realizing there was little point in arguing with the air, Ichigo sat down on the edge of the spring. He felt a little ridiculous soaking fully dressed but even standing up hurt. No way he was going to stress his ribs by trying to undress. Though, as he soaked, Ichigo did note each breath coming slightly easier than the previous.

Only a minute or two passed before Yoruichi reappeared, carrying the still unconscious Tatsuki and Bambietta under each arm. Meanwhile, Candice was riding piggyback on the older woman. The verdette was shaking slightly, causing Ichigo to wonder if she got motion sickness or something. "Holy shit that was awesome!" The Quincy woman cried, "I didn't know anyone could go that fast!" 'Oh. Guess it wasn't motion sickness,' Ichigo thought.

"You should see me when I'm not lugging around three times my weight in passengers," Yoruichi bragged. "Speaking of which, mind getting off now?" At her request, Candice released the stranglehold her legs had on Yoruichi's waist and stood under her own power. "Thanks. Now help me get these two in the pool. It'll speed up their healing." As the two approached, each carrying one of the girls, Ichigo moved to stand up and help, only for the resident werecat to scold him, "None of that boyo. Your ribs are still broken. Sit your ass down until you can crack your back without collapsing."

Once all the humans were seated in the hot spring, Candice making sure neither of the other girls slipped underwater, Yoruichi spoke up again, "Hey, scoot forward Ichigo."

Confused, Ichigo looked at the ebony woman, "Why? Also, are you ever going to put clothes on?" Indeed, Yoruichi had yet to put on even a single stitch of clothing since he'd woken up. He certainly wasn't complaining but talking to someone naked was kinda awkward.

"In opposite order, no because I'm about to get in too, and because I need to sit behind you and speed up your healing more." Obediently, Ichigo moved forward enough for Yoruichi to slip into the water behind him. Once she was settled, the stunning woman reached forward and pulled him to lean back against her. "There, much better, wouldn't you say? Oh, right." With a quick motion, Yoruichi sliced through Ichigo's Shihakusho and threw the pieces off to the side, leaving him as nude as the other four. Wrapping her arms over his shoulders, her hands glowed with Kaidō as she lightly ran them over his chest, healing his injuries further. "Much better. It'd be kinda rude for you to be the only one dressed, you know."

"Not that I'm not enjoying the show, trust me I am, but how is soaking in a hot spring gonna help us rescue that Nemu chick?" Candice spoke up. Sure, Ichigo was a hot naked guy and Yoruichi was a solid 15 out of 10 who was clearly enjoying rubbing up against him, but the whole thing hardly felt like it'd help a prison break. Maybe in a porno, but not in real life.

Still rubbing the young man's pecs, Yoruichi replied, "I told you before, the hot spring has healing properties. Once Ichigo here's healed up enough, he'll be training to obtain Bankai. Meanwhile, you three will be training as well so you can jailbreak the others. If all goes well, we'll be ready to make our move in three days."

"How the hell am I going to learn Bankai in three days? Doesn't that take a decade on average?" Ichigo asked. He was certainly feeling better from Yoruichi's healing, already breathing only caused a lingering ache rather than actual agony. Of course, the reduced pain made him much more aware of the three naked women in front of him and the one pressed up against his back. If the water was even a bit shallower, they'd be aware of just how much he was enjoying his situation.

Yoruichi's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, "Ordinarily yes, but Kisuke invented a device called the Tenshintai which massively accelerates the process. However, you will only have three days to obtain Bankai. Trying to go past that time limit is likely fatal." Just then, a hell butterfly flapped its way towards them. "Hm? Who could know where we are?" Keeping one hand working on Ichigo, Yoruichi lifted up the other to let the butterfly land on her finger. From the insect came a voice she hadn't heard in a far too long, "Hey sis! I heard you were back in Soul Society! Why didn't you pay a visit?! Anyway, I heard earlier that the execution of that Nemu girl has been moved up. It'll be at midday in four days!"

Its message delivered, the hell butterfly flew off again. "Well, there's another reason why you can't take too long. Seems we have just under four days before the execution now. So, better not dawdle boyo!"

-]|[-

Third Day of the Ryoka Invasion, Evening

"…Believe … days … it's bull…" Momo regained consciousness to a familiar voice. She could only make out bits and pieces of what they were saying though. It felt like her entire body was weighted down with stone blocks. Even opening her eyes was a chore. A distant part of her brain noted that she had clearly exhausted her Reiryoku, something she hadn't done since the academy. 'Well, outside training anyway.' She admitted to herself, recalling a few times she attempted to cast level 90+ Kidō. Momo managed to open her eyes, only to groan at the throbbing pain in her head. 'Definitely used too much Reiryoku.' It wasn't even particularly bright in the room. Indeed, a quick glance at the window showed the sun was almost set.

"Oh! You're awake. Toshiro will be happy to hear that." Looking over to the other side, Momo saw Rangiku sitting near her bed. "You gave him quite a fright, you know." Though she tried to appear casual, Momo knew the older woman had been worried as well. The two weren't super close, but they had become friends through Toshiro over time. Rangiku was particularly fond of saying Momo was the only one who could get Toshiro off her case whenever he caught her slacking again.

"Wha- what happened?" Momo managed to get out. Her throat wasn't overly dry nor did she feel any of the usual weakness from a prolonged stay so she figured it hadn't been too long since her fight with the Ryoka. Even as she spoke, she was able to sit up in her bed, defying the weight of her exhaustion.

Fixing her junior with a gentle look, Rangiku told her, "A patrol found you around noon. You weren't too badly injured but you had exhausted yourself so you were brought here for observation. I guess the Ryoka you fought wasn't interested in hurting you more than they had to." Momo nodded in agreement. The busty young woman had said she didn't want to fight.

After a few seconds, she realized Rangiku hadn't said anything else. Turning to look at her fellow lieutenant, Momo saw she was looking off to the side, a strange reluctant expression on her face. "What is it? Did the prisoner escape? Did Toshiro get hurt?!" With each question, her voice became more frantic. She tried to get out of bed, only for Rangiku to gently but firmly push her back down.

"No. Nemu's still imprisoned, bullshit that that is, and Toshiro's fine. It's… something else. I don't know how to say this but… this morning Captain Aizen was found dead, impaled by his own Zanpakutō." Her words caused Momo to lose all her strength, falling back down to her bed entirely. 'It… it can't be true. Captain Aizen can't be… he just can't!' Distantly, she heard Rangiku still speaking, "After securing the- the body, Captain Aizen's home was searched for clues to his killer. This letter was found. It's addressed to you." Rangiku pulled a letter out of her robes and held it out towards the dark-haired woman. But Momo didn't take it; she didn't react at all.

After several seconds, Rangiku placed the letter on Momo's bedside table. Without a word, she lifted up Momo's unresponsive form and hugged her, holding the smaller woman to her chest as she stroked her hair. That caused the dam to burst. It started with a sniffle then a sob, and within moments, Momo was bawling into her uniform. Through it all, Rangiku didn't say a thing; she just kept stroking the distraught young woman's hair as she held her close. She knew no amount of sympathy or pretty words would help her friend right now. It took several long minutes, but eventually, Momo cried herself out. At least for the moment. She fell asleep almost immediately afterwards, causing Rangiku to gently lower her back to bed and tuck her in. The strawberry blonde stepped out of the room to send her captain a message but then she'd be right back; she wasn't leaving Momo alone tonight.

-]|[-

At Roughly The Same Time

"Alright, so now that I'm patched up, how is this training gonna work?" Ichigo asked as he donned a spare uniform Yoruichi had procured. Honestly, he was rather grateful; he'd half expected to spend the next few days completely naked.

Yoruichi hefted up a large, roughly humanoid doll. "You're going to stab your Zanpakutō into this doll here. That will forcefully manifest Eien-ō's spirit. Then they'll challenge you in a manner of their choosing. Win and you'll unlock Bankai. Lose and you'll die. Horribly."

Hefting up Eien-ō, Ichigo couldn't help but snark, "Gee, no pressure huh? Well, no time to waste I guess." He thrust Eien-ō into the center of the Tenshintai, causing the figure to be engulfed in light. Once it cleared, Eien-ō stood before them. As always, she stood only a few centimeters shorter than Ichigo himself and was clad in armor from the neck down, leaving only her head exposed.

The blonde woman cast her piercing gaze around the spacious underground cave for a moment before fixating on her wielder. "Your Majesty. I see it is time for your next lesson." With a single sweep of her arm, half of the cavern was filled with countless swords of all shapes and sizes. Grabbing a sword that had sprouted directly underneath her hand, Eien-ō drew it from the ground, revealing an exquisitely crafted rapier with an unusually long white handle and an intricate golden hilt. Holding the blade in a fencing stance, she explained, "This lesson will be much simpler. No hidden tests or motives. All you have to do is strike me down."

Not far away, though outside the field of blades, Tatsuki lounged in the hot spring with Candice and Bambietta. Yoruichi explained their training would begin once she had gotten Ichigo set up. Looking out at the manifestation of Ichigo's Zanpakutō spirit, the tomboy commented, "So Ichigo's sword is a woman? Huh."

Candice shrugged where she sat, enjoying the hot water. "Hell if I understand Shinigami powers. I'm still figuring out what my Schrift can do, let alone whatever their nonsense is."

"Shrift?" Tatsuki asked curiously. She knew the two girls, and Uryū, all conjured up some kind of ranged weapon to fight with but that was pretty much the extent of her knowledge.

"I suppose it's a little like a Shinigami's Zanpakutō. Sorta," Candice replied. "See, all Quincy have access to the standard abilities, right? Heilig Pfeil, Blut, Hirenkyaku, etc." Tatsuki nodded, not really knowing what those words referred to but getting the general idea. "Well, each Quincy also has an ability that's unique to them, called a Schrift. Bambi can turn things into bombs, I can generate electricity. Hell, think I heard about a guy who could turn his skin to metal."

Tatsuki stared at her for several long seconds. Finally, she said, "You know, I wanna say your powers are ridiculous but then I remember that I turn into a damn dragon. So I guess I can't be throwing stones."

Glancing over to see that Yoruichi wasn't heading their way yet, Candice leaned in conspiratorially and asked, "Wanna see a neat trick I learned?"

Curious as to what she was going to do, Tatsuki replied, "Sure, I guess." Candice leaned back in her spot and sat up straight until her breasts were completely out of the water. Closing her eyes, the verdette's face scrunched up slightly in concentration for a moment. Then, to Tatsuki's surprise, a small bolt of electricity shot out of the Quincy woman's nipple. Shortly after, another one shot from the other nipple. Soon, bolts were shooting from her nipples in quick succession, each one making a noise which formed a familiar tune. "Wait. Is that- did you just play the Super Mario Bros. theme with your tits?"

-]|[-

A Few Hours Later

When Momo reawakened, it was already dark out. A quick look around the room showed Rangiku sleeping on a nearby chair and Aizen's letter still on the bedside table. 'It was real. Captain Aizen really is…' Staring down at the letter, Momo reached towards it with a shaking hand. In some ways, it felt like she could pretend her captain was still alive if she didn't read his final words to her. But she knew she had to know what the letter said. Hesitantly, she unfolded the letter and read Captain Aizen's last words.

"My dear Momo, if you are reading this then it means I am dead. I am sorry to have to put you through this but I feel you need to know. Something is rotten within Soul Society. There is a conspiracy that seems to revolve around Kurotsuchi Nemu. Her sentencing is highly suspicious, not only for the fact she's to be executed but also that it is to be carried out via the Sōkyoku, something normally reserved for captains. Could it be that someone wishes to harness the power of the Sōkyoku for themselves? If they were to do so, they might well be able to destroy the whole of Soul Society.

"I will not ask you to investigate yourself. It is far too dangerous. Instead, I merely ask you to keep an eye out. Do not trust anyone from the Seireitei, especially captains. Any one of them could be part of the plot. If you absolutely must get involved, try to help the Ryoka. While I hesitate to call them allies, their plan to liberate Kurotsuchi-san could help smoke out the conspirators and disrupt their plans. But whatever you do, don't draw attention to yourself.

"I go now to investigate a new lead I have. With any luck, I will be able to halt this treasonous plot and you will never read this letter. Sincerely, Aizen Sōsuke."

Momo stared in shock and horror at the letter in her hands. A conspiracy in Soul Society? A potential plot to steal the power of the Sōkyoku? And the Ryoka… 'Oh no. Ohnonono! I tried to stop the Ryoka! If only I had known sooner! I could have helped her free Kurotsuchi-san and then Captain Aizen's death wouldn't have been in vain! …I- I know what I have to do. The moment I'm able to move again, I have to stop the execution! I won't let you down, Captain Aizen!'

-]|[-

AN: So this one took so long because I overused our collective brain cell, causing Archer and PV to steal it back and not let me use it for a while. As such, even though I had the first scene ready two chapters ago, I was pretty much completely incapable of writing this story. Also in my defense, I posted the previous three chapters in less than four weeks time. Speaking of: I highly recommend checking out the works of E-LuckArcher, Primordial Vortex, Shadking666, and Kairomaru. Iirc, only Kai has a Bleach fic but they all have good shit worth reading.

Oh and there is a poll up on my FF profile for what lewd omakes yall would like to see next. The top three will be written in the order of how many votes they got. Others might get written eventually. Poll will close two weeks after this chapter has been posted.

Just a quick note: Aizen had written a different letter originally but changed it when Momo didn't discover his "corpse". Because a good plan needs flexibility. Even if he's legit just messing with her mind for his own amusement.

Kudos to anyone who recognizes the rapier Eien-ō started with. Yes, the test is unfortunately similar to canon. The only real difference here is Ichigo doesn't have to find his Zanpakutō's "true" form to win. Though I personally assume defeating your Zanpakutō spirit in single combat is the norm for obtaining Bankai.

Lastly, I wonder how many of yall look up the chapter titles to find out what songs they're from, versus how many already recognize them and how many just don't particularly care.

Next Time on "Vow Of The King": Tatsuki, Bambietta, and Candice work together to lick that pussy. Meanwhile Isane gets punished by her Mommy Dom.