Chapter 13 - The Hogyoku
Soul Society - Seireitei
Madara was escorted by Captains Kurotsuchi and Unohana as they made their way toward the Central 46 headquarters. The squad 4 captain had dispelled her Rikujokoro, but was unwilling to release Madara from the sekkiseki binds. As a result of Madara's compromised mobility, Unohana had released her shikai, morphing her zanpakuto into a gigantic green manta ray.
Madara growled in frustration; "How about we travel in my susanoo instead? It at least has legs to walk on."
Unohana threw him a sideways glance. "Given the nature of our predicament, I am not going to ask how you are able to perform your techniques while your spiritual pressure is sealed by the sekkiseki," she said, climbing up onto her shikai. "But understand, Madara, that this is only one phenomenon unique to you that must be explained when our more immediate concerns have been resolved."
"Yes, I already have over a dozen pages of experimental theories to test regarding this hollow. I simply cannot wait until these mundane distractions are over," Captain Kurotsuchi remarked as he clambered up onto Minazuki as well.
Madara did not respond. He had no intention of staying here for any longer than until Aizen was dealt with. He would escape with a garganta to Hueco Mundo, and if the shinigami wanted to pursue him there, they would be doing so at the cost of their home field advantage, and Madara had ample confidence in his ability to elude them in the endless deserts of the hollows' world.
When Unohana saw that the Uchiha had not moved, she motioned beside her; "Come on. Despite her appearance, Minazuki in her shikai form can take flight. She is not particularly fast, but we will still arrive no more than a couple minutes behind the head captain's team."
Acquiescing, Madara took his place beside the other two captains atop the large animal summon.
True to her word, the one-eyed manta ray flapped its wings and took off with the trio on its back. By his standards, it was incredibly slow. Madara briefly contemplated unleashing his perfect susanoo to run toward their destination anyway, but ultimately decided to bide his time riding Unohana's shikai.
Considering the buildings and shinigami scuttling about below them, his susanoo's sheer size stomping around in these residential areas would cause an unreasonable amount of collateral damage. He was not so cold-hearted as Yamamoto to justify that just for the sake of saving a minute or two.
"I can sense the head captain and Aizen's reiatsu signatures very close together, now," Unohana said, staring intently into the distance. Madara nodded; he supposed that was another benefit of being in the skies, and bringing up the rear. It gave them the opportunity to intercept Aizen if he somehow evaded the head captain's team.
He turned his senses toward Harribel, then, having sensed the Espada's reiatsu flare. She was with one of the captains that had defected, but they appeared to be squaring off against an opponent yet unknown to Madara. He took a moment to examine the stranger's reiatsu signature. He was certainly powerful, but not remarkably so. What did pique his interest, though, was that the unknown signature possessed distinguishing features of not just a Shinigami and hollow, but also something else. Something mortal, but not quite chakra.
Even as that thought danced across his mind, he felt the squad 5 captain's distinctive reiatsu signature flare, and then suddenly disappear, before reappearing some distance away in the opposite direction. Unohana brought Minazuki to a sudden halt; "Aizen's just teleported himself away…to the Senzaikyu?"
Seireitei - Sokyoku Hill
"We meet again, Ichigo Kurosaki. But as you can see, I am quite busy with this whole thing about killing Rukia, so I don't have time to play. Shoo away, now," Gin Ichimaru sang playfully, cracking a wide smile.
Across from him stood a stern-faced young man with spikey, orange hair. He held a large, two handed cleaver defensively before him, both hands gripped tightly around its bandaged hilt. Behind him stood a girl with similar, though slightly darker, waist-length, burnt orange hair that flowed loosely down her back. Her clothing was different from the shinigami's. She wore a pink blouse with cream colored, denim tights; clothing that stuck out like a sore thumb in the soul society.
"Gin Ichimaru…from Jidanbo's gate," the boy growled, before shooting a glance at the girl behind him, "Stand directly behind me, Orihime. This is another captain. His sword can extend at extremely high speeds so make sure you don't give him a clear shot at you. I don't know how strong he is compared to Byakuya, but this was the one who attacked Jidanbo."
"He's the captain ruthless enough to attack his own people just to keep us out…?" The girl gasped in horror. "What about the woman next to him?"
"I don't know. His lieutenant, probably." Ichigo replied, eyeing the tan skinned blonde beside Gin. "Yoruichi didn't describe anything about a captain matching her appearance, so she's probably not too big of a threat."
The woman did not move, but her expression darkened, and Gin's smile grew wider: "Oh, you are definitely going to be praying to the soul king for forgiveness soon. Unfortunately for you, Harribel here is not my lieutenant, and she is far more powerful than my poor, naive Izuru."
"What do you want, Gin." Ichigo demanded.
"I already told you. I'm here to kill Rukia, and you're in my way. So get out of my way and we're sweet. No issues at all."
"I can't do that. From my perspective you are the one in my way. I know she's there inside that tower." Ichigo replied, sparing a glance toward the Palace of Repentance. He could feel Rukia's small but undoubtedly alive reiatsu somewhere within those white walls.
"I swore that I would save Rukia… and that's exactly what I'm here to do," he threatened, his body giving off a sharp, blue glow as he primed his reiatsu for combat. "Now stand aside and let me pass, or we are going to have some major issues, very soon."
"Harribel, would you be interested in playing around with our friends here?" Gin asked the woman beside him.
"Lord Aizen's orders were simply to await his arrival. Our plan has already been compromised, and I have no interest in drawing further attention from the other captains," she replied coldly.
"Ah…you gotta learn to loosen up a bit, ya know? Captain Aizen's not here yet, and 'waiting' doesn't mean doing absolutely nothing until he arrives," Gin argued playfully.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo cried as a blue beam of energy fired toward the two. Even before the dust could clear, he launched himself toward the woman. If he could get this 'Harribel' out of the way, he had a better chance dealing with Gin one on one.
"Ichigo!" Orihime's scream from behind stopped him in his tracks.
"It's not polite to interrupt a conversation, Ichigo Kurosaki," Gin said, his ever present smile still plastered onto his face. He held his sword against Orihime's throat.
"Let her go, you bastard!" Ichigo roared, but he stayed still. When did he get there? He thought with a tinge of fear. He may be further outmatched here than he had originally anticipated. As the dust cleared behind him, he spared a glance to see that Harribel had not moved a step, and did not appear to be injured by his attack at all. Suddenly realizing that his position left him open to attack both in front and behind, sandwiched between Gin and Harribel, he gripped Zangetsu tighter. Damn it, he thought.
To his surprise, Gin obliged, releasing Orihime. She fell to her knees, wide-eyed and trembling. Very deliberately, he scooped up a handful of her hair, and leaned down to eye her azure hair clips.
"I'm curious, Orihime," Gin whispered into her ear, causing her to tense up and squeeze her eyes shut. "Just how did you use these things to reattach Jidanbo's arm after I lopped it off?" His lips were almost brushing against her ear, now, and she could feel his warm breath upon her face.
"S-s-santen Kesshun, I reject!" She stammered, and an orange glow barrier expanded out from her, pushing Gin away. Finding his footing again, his eyes opened fully in surprise, and his smile fell. However, once he saw that there was no follow up attack, Gin quickly schooled his features back to his preferred expression, lowering his zanpakuto again.
"What an interesting ability," he remarked, before turning and effortlessly blocking Ichigo's strike with his spare palm.
"Get away from her!" Ichigo yelled, pressing the blade of Zangetsu against Gin's hand but making no headway. He had thanked the heavens when Orihime freed herself from the squad 3 captain, and took the opening to charge at him. His gratitude quickly turned into hopelessness, however, when the squad 3 captain caught his sword bare handed.
"You are terribly, terribly rude, Ichigo Kurosaki," Gin chided in mock admonishment. "If you want to challenge me in a duel, then just say it and I'll fight ya."
At that instant, Sosuke Aizen and Kaname Tosen appeared before them.
"I see we are all assembled," Aizen remarked, looking at Gin and Harribel. "A pity Madara's eye allowed him to see through Kyoka Suigetsu's absolute hypnosis… He is lost to us now. I had some very high expectations for him."
"Lord Aizen," Harribel greeted. "Yes…it was truly a pity he had to be left behind. Madara's ability allowed him to dispel the illusion for every Captain present; please be careful when you see them."
"Thank you, Harribel." Aizen said as he gave a small nod and a smile to acknowledge the Espada, before addressing his fellow Captains. "Gin, if you are so taken with tormenting Ichigo, find out what he is capable of and let me know. Tosen, stay with Gin and provide backup if needed, in case the other Captains arrive."
Turning to face Harribel, he pointed at the white tower nearby. "My artifact is hidden within the soul of one of the prisoners in there. Come, Harribel. I would have you accompany me."
Seireitei - Near Central 46 Headquarters
Mayuri cocked his head; "What could he possibly be after in the Palace of Repentance? More criminals to join him?"
Madara was growing impatient. "The bastard can teleport, now? Hurry this thing up, before he gets away."
Unohana nodded, banking Minazuki toward the large hill in the middle of the Seireitei. "I apologize. As I mentioned earlier, this is Minazuki's maximum speed."
Madara gnashed his teeth in frustration, once again forgetting that he was unable to bring his hands together to form any hand seals for jutsu. Scowling, he forced a series of rough single-handed seals, before pointing his palms behind them. "Wind Release: Gale Palm!" He declared, and a vortex of wind exploded from his hands, accelerating their mount.
Unohana's eyes widened in alarm as Minazuki flapped her wings erratically, desperately trying to regain her bearings. "Stop, Madara! Minazuki cannot fly that fast! She's going to lose her balance!"
"What on earth do you think you are doing?!" Kurotsuchi screeched as they barrelled toward the white tower at the base of Sokyoku Hill.
Madara grinned, before leaping off the ray and manifesting his perfect susanoo to land against the hill, expertly catching Minazuki and the captains in two enormous, blue palms.
"I'm saving us time," he replied coolly, setting them down and dispelling his susanoo. Captain Unohana wore a dark look on her face, but said nothing as she held her zanpakuto before her, absorbing the green manta ray as it seemed to melt into itself. She sheathed her sword before turning toward the white tower before them.
"...You simply must allow me to study your shikai one of these days, Captain Unohana," the squad 12 captain drawled, almost lecherously. Out of immediate danger now, he seemed to have completely forgotten Madara's stunt.
Retsu Unohana turned to face Mayuri. She did not say a word, and because she had her back toward Madara, he could not see her expression, but the squad 12 captain suddenly blanched, backpedaling frantically. "I-I-I mean, you know I love to study properties of unknown zanpakuto but your Minazuki is clearly beyond my meager abilities to comprehend, Captain Unohana."
Madara raised an eyebrow at this. Her sword was sheathed. What could she possibly have done to give him such a spook?
Captain Unohana did not respond, instead turning toward Madara with a slight smile on her face. "Thank you for the assistance, but I would appreciate it in the future if you could let me know before pulling such a stunt."
The Uchiha suddenly felt a deep, primal compulsion welling up within him, urging him to apologize. What is this that I am feeling…fear? He pushed it down, doing his best to ignore it.
Focussing on the issue it hand, he tried to hone into Aizen's reiatsu signature. The rogue captain was close - he located the signature and manifested a large susanoo fist to smash through the outer wall of the tower.
Madara's sense was true, and he was rewarded with a look of surprise as Aizen dodged away with a shunpo, appearing again atop the Sokyoku hill.
He carried a petite, white-garbed shinigami girl with short black hair in the fold of his left elbow, and drew his Zanpakuto with his right hand. Tier Harribel was beside him, causing Madara to suddenly experience an odd mixture of feelings.
He didn't have the time to sift through them and identify each one appropriately, so Madara settled on the very familiar feeling of betrayal as he manifested the legs on his susanoo, leaping up atop the same hill as Aizen and Harribel. Captains Unohana and Kurotsuchi followed shortly behind, both landing behind him.
Before either side could make a move, the captain that prompted Tosen to use his Bankai at the meeting appeared beside Aizen. He, too, had his zanpakuto drawn, and there were some dust stains on his haori, indicative of a recent scuffle. His eyes were narrowed into slits, and his all-round sharp features gave Madara an instant sense of distaste.
"The Kurosaki boy talks big, but he is weak," he said. "I don't see why ya waste ya time with 'im. He does not have Bankai, and I doubt he could even provide a decent challenge to the privaron Espada."
"Do not be concerned about his current strength, Gin. The boy is the only known combination of shinigami, hollow and quincy in existence. His potential for growth is nigh limitless. It would be wise not to underestimate him."
"Should I kill him now, then, before he can actually cause us trouble?" Gin asked, opening his eyes slightly.
"No. I have high hopes that he could become very entertaining in the future. Let him live. We have more important matters to contend with at present," Aizen replied.
Madara took stock of his surroundings, noticing that neither of the captains beside him had drawn their zanpakuto. "What are you two waiting for?" He asked in confusion, thrusting his hands out toward Unohana. "Get these things off of me!"
Unohana frowned deeply as she surveyed the situation. She had Captain Kurotsuchi and herself, as well as a handicapped Madara against captains Aizen, Gin and Tosen, as well as an immensely powerful Arrancar in Harribel that had demonstrated above captain level combat ability. She made her decision swiftly, and moved toward Madara, laying her hands on the sekkiseki cuff binding his wrists.
"Stop!" A gruff voice bellowed. Captain commander Yamamoto arrived beside them in a shunpo, with Soi-Fon and Hitsugaya touching down beside him seconds later. Even as they locked eyes with Aizen - the real one, this time - the remaining captains of the Gotei 13 arrived, one by one. The flaring reiatsu on Sokyoku Hill had been like a beacon, alerting the captains and drawing them toward it. "It is far too soon to be releasing hollows to fight for us, Captain Unohana," he said as he drew Ryujin Jakka from its cane. Even as he spoke, even more members of the Gotei 13 alighted atop Sokyoku Hill; mostly lieutenants and higher ranked seated officers.
"Ichigo!" A female voice called, causing Yamamoto to open his eyes wide in recognition. Every captain aside from Hitsugaya recognized the tell-tale dark purple hair and tanned skin of the former Shihoin clan head and stealth force captain, Yoruichi Shihoin. Their expressions ranged from pleased understanding, from Kyoraku and Ukitake, to utter outrage, from Soi-Fon.
"I told you you are no match for any captains, and to keep your distance from them." Yoruichi said with a scowl, landing beside Ichigo and Orihime. "Yet here I find you and Orihime facing off against every damn captain in the Gotei 13, plus…two hollows?"
"Yoruichi Shihoin! By deciding to show your face here again after 100 years, I assume Kisuke is close by as well? Are you here to help us against Aizen and his Arrancar?" Yamamoto demanded.
Yoruichi shot him a look of disgust. "That depends. Do you still believe Aizen was innocent and that Kisuke was the one who set up the hollowfication experiments?" She said sarcastically, glaring at the squad 5 captain as she did.
Yamamoto cleared his throat; "It does appear that the records…require updating. I am willing to consider a full pardon to both yourself and former Captain Urahara, in exchange for your assistance in quashing this little rebellion."
"A full pardon, plus terms of reparations, and we will consider it," Yorichi shot back. "We were on the run for an entire century, completely innocent of the crimes you had charged us with."
Yamamoto held a blank expression, before saying; "The central 46's decisions do not always reflect my own, but they are the ruling body of the Seireitei. I would have suggested we plead your case with them and discuss compensation for the inconvenience you have been subject to, but Aizen has already slaughtered them all."
A litany of gasps and whispered muttering rolled across the gathering of Shinigami. Before Yoruichi or any of the other Shinigami present could respond, however, Aizen himself spoke up; "Yes, I did. Specifically because those self-serving old fools have no sense of honor nor any semblance of intelligence - as exemplified by the exile of yourself and Kisuke." He addressed that last part to Yoruichi.
"And thus I decided to put an end to this farce of a system," Aizen continued. "For far too long, there has been no figure of authority upon heaven's throne, but that unbearable emptiness will soon end. I will transcend the boundaries of both Shinigami and Hollow, and I will take the throne of the soul palace in place of that comatose puppet you call the 'Soul King.'"
As he spoke, a garganta ripped across the sky above the Sokyoku Hill, and dozens of Menos Grande peeked their heads out of the portal, shining four golden beams of light down upon Aizen, Gin, Tosen and Harribel.
Aizen was still carrying the unconscious form of Rukia under his left arm.
Captain Ukitake gawked in disbelief; "The Menos...have you truly sunken so low, Sosuke Aizen? And just what do you intend to do with Rukia?!"
"The light of Negacion…" Yamamoto growled, lowering Ryujin Jakka. The other captains present all stepped away from the light, similarly lowering their weapons.
"What are you all doing?!" Madara roared as he watched the Shinigami stare slack-jawed as the three captains and Harribel ascended toward the garganta. "Stop them!" He manifested a susanoo arm to swipe at the group, but reeled back in surprise as the palm of his susanoo passed harmlessly through them. Have they become intangible?
"It's no use." Unohana spoke softly from beside him. "Once they are enveloped by Negacion's light, their physical forms enter a different dimensional plane. We cannot touch them, now."
"You're just going to let them get away?!" Madara shouted in disbelief. "Bansho Ten-in!" He declared, reaching toward Aizen and activating his rinnegan. A few of the shinigami close to Aizen's group dug their zanpakuto into the ground to avoid being pulled toward Madara, but true to Unohana's word, his universal pull did not affect those inside the Negacion. From the corner of his eye, he saw Yamamoto turn and begin making his way toward him.
Suddenly realizing he needed to get out of here, Madara swiped at the air, chanelling his reiatsu. To his horror, he could not feel his spiritual pressure through the sekkiseki bindings, and no garganta opened.
"Harribel! He's just taking advantage of your sense of loyalty! Did you absorb nothing of what I told you in the Muken?" He demanded.
The Espada said nothing, but she recognized what Madara was trying to do. She extended her zanpakuto out of the Negacion light, and slashed open another garganta, even as she was pulled into the sea of Menos.
Gin and Tosen were the next to escape, and before Aizen too disappeared into the garganta filled with Menos Grande, he took off his glasses, crushing them in one palm with an arrogant smirk, before slicking his hair back with the other.
"So I see you are still alive, Madara Uchiha. If you make it out of here, find me in Hueco Mundo, and I will tell you the truth." With that, he sheathed Kyoka Suigestu and fished a small, green object from his shihakusho. Pressing his hand onto it, the object took on the shape of a glove as it enveloped his hand and arm in some kind of protective armor. He observed the glove for a brief moment, before stabbing it through Rukia's gut.
"Rukia!" Ichigo, Orihime and Ukitake cried in unison.
"Rukia…" Madara heard one of the captains, Byakuya, mutter softly.
"The extraction of an object embedded in a being's very soul can be a very delicate process. I had intended to perform this procedure with more finesse, but I am, unfortunately in somewhat of a predicament, and time is working against me," Aizen mused as extracted his hand, pulling from Rukia's body a glowing purple orb that fit neatly into his palm. "So this is Kisuke Urahara's Hogyoku…"
He tossed Rukia outside of the Negacion light, and Ichigo rushed toward her with a shunpo. "Orihime!" He shouted, catching Rukia before she hit the ground, her head in his arms.
Madara, with his Rinnegan active, knew the girl's life was at an end. The reiatsu within her body was erratic; chaotic. Her very soul had just been violated, and it looked as if her own spiritual pressure was unable to regulate itself, tearing her body apart from the inside. It reminded him of what he saw from Hashirama when he had tried to heal his own wounds after being attacked by Yamamoto.
It was to his utter shock, then, when the girl in foreign clothes ran up to Rukia and enveloped her in some kind of glowing orange field. Madara watched in awe as Rukia's reiatsu stabilized. It was almost as if the damage that Aizen had caused her by ripping out a part of her soul was being completely reversed.
Aizen had noticed, too, as his eyebrows were raised even as he disappeared into the sea of waiting Menos.
The original garganta that had cast the Negacion closed, leaving the smaller one that Harribel had opened for Madara.
Madara's thoughts were racing again. If this girl could heal damage done to someone's very soul, the chances are high that she could undo the damage Yamamoto did to Hashirama's chakra points. He just needed to get out of here, and somehow bring Orihime to Konohakagure.
Noticing some of the other Captains had turned to face him, now that Aizen and his group were gone, Madara clicked his tongue in frustration. I can't stay here. I could be locked up, or executed, or experimented on. He cursed to himself, before gathering his chakra and leaping toward the remaining garganta with all his might.
He didn't know if he was choosing the lesser of two evils by siding with Aizen despite the man's manipulative nature, but he knew for certain that he needed to stay alive for any of that to matter.
Right now, Hueco Mundo was better for his immediate survival than staying in the Seireitei, surrounded by every remaining captain and lieutenant of the Gotei 13. He could capture Orihime another time.
Manifesting his armored susanoo around him as he flew toward the Garganta, he heard a cacophony of voices from behind him. A barrage of Kido and other zanpakuto abilities slammed into his susanoo, but it held. "Reduce All Creation To Ash! Ryujin Jakka!" He heard, as he approached the garganta, before his world was enveloped by flames.
Zaraki Kenpachi's Dreamscape - Within the Izanami
"How many times do I have to play out this same goddamned series of events?!" Zaraki Kenpachi snarled in rage as he heard the same crunching of leaves beneath his feet, and felt the same gust of wind jingling the bells in his hair for what must have been the thousandth time. He knew he was stuck in some kind of illusion, but the problem was he did not know how to get out of it.
Roaring in frustration, he swung his nameless zanpakuto around him, cutting at the trees in futility. He knew they were just going to regenerate, and no matter how far away he tried to shunpo, it was almost as if existence itself shifted to bring him back to his original place. He felt like he had been here for days, trapped in this eternal loop.
"Kenny…why do you seem so unhappy? It's the first time you've come to visit me here." A small voice called out from within all the dust and debris he had kicked up.
"...Yachiru? Is that you? I saw you not long ago in the Seireitei, didn't I? What are you doing here?" Zaraki Kenpachi asked. He was confused, but suddenly hopeful. This was the first unique event that had occurred since the illusion began.
"The Seireitei doesn't count, Kenny!" The voice answered, annoyed, as a short, pink-haired girl emerged from the cloud of debris. She stopped before Kenpachi, placing her hands on her hips with a pout.
"As to what I'm doing here...I live here, Kenny, and I think it's about time you remembered yourself."
AN: Thanks for all the feedback, everybody! I think I will include Kaguya, and black zetsu, then - but not in their exact canon iteration. Will definitely do my best to deliver something interesting.
Responding to reviews: Mostly just thanks for the input re; Kaguya. I don't want to go too specific to what I have planned to avoid spoilers, heh.
awwal: Don't be so certain the two won't still work together :P I'm trying for things to not be so simple as just allies/enemies in this fic
Witcher: the top 6 espada are going to make an appearance and have some impact in the story soon. And yep aizen always has contingency plans...at this at this stage of the story. Haven't thought of the hell arc, yet...maybe but probably not. Will see where this fic goes and how much traction it gets lol
XenoLucifer: you make a good point - it was not very clear but I had tried to imply Tobirama defeated the Kinkaku unit except for the gold and silver brothers & Raikage before losing to them. Also, if it was the Raikage alone he would have died to Tobirama's flying raijin. This is the 1st Raikage, and as we don't have any feats for him it's hard to tell how strong he was. We do know that the cloud village under the 2nd raikage was strong enough for Tobirama to consider a truce between leaf cloud would be enough to end the shinobi world war, though. At the end of the day Tobirama had to die there to satisfy a plot point of mine. In canon he died to the Kinkaku unit alone (though they were amped with Kyuubi chakra)
