Chapter 23: My dear daughter

Six years ago

Las Noches, Hueco Mundo

(Hollow and Togabito abilities slightly amplified, Quincy and Shinigami abilities slightly dampened)

The stage was set. And the two combatants were as ready as they could be, locking eyes at each other and observing their opponent. Their audience was a mix of Espada, their fraccione and a handful of soul reapers. All of whom were spectating the event from atop giant white pillars under the cover of the artificial sun within the confines of Las Noches. Without a doubt, this was a match none wanted to miss.

"Who do you think'll win?" asked Apacci, watching along with Mila-Rose, Sung-sun and Harribel.

"Hard to say. I for one, haven't seen either of them fight. We do know how well carino used to fight back in the days. But now…I have no idea" said Mila-Rose.

"Based on the strength of their reiatsu right now…..it looks like they could be an even match. But both of them are quite skilled at controlling their reiatsu" added Sung-sun.

"Little one…" thought Tier to herself. That look in her eyes. Her focus and the sharpness of her spirit energy. It told her a lot about how attuned to battle Ruby had become. The last she saw her little one fight was back when they used to have friendly sparring sessions in her old lair. But that was exactly that, friendly sparring matches. Nothing at all like the life or death battles that she had gone through. She was about to see a side of her that she had never seen.

"So that's Master Nel's friend and family, Ruby Rose!" noted Pesche, watching from another pillar along with his partner Dondachaka.

"That's right" answered Nel. "She's a really nice girl. I'm sure the two of you will get along just fine with her"

"But is she really that strong? I'm finding it hard to believe anyone could surpass master Nel" asked Dondachaka with uncertainty.

"Of course not, Master Nel is the strongest!" claimed Pesche.

"Umm….but you know guys, I AM only the 5th Espada, you really shouldn't be saying that to the others, they might feel bad…" said Nel with an awkward smile. "And…..she is stronger than me, no doubt. She's seen and experienced things none of us will ever see. Personally, I think this will be a learning experience for us all"

Grimmjow stood alone atop another white pillar, with focused eyes. His rival, his companion, one whom he, though he wouldn't admit it openly, looked up to was now here with that look on her face. He remembered all those times the two of them fought each other like it was only yesterday. He really had hoped he would be the one picked to fight her. Because now, he would know how she fought and to him, that was already taking out part of the fun. HE wanted to be the one that got to experience first hand how much she had changed. Instead, it would be that emotionless ass that got to experience it first. He was sure Ulquiorra didn't care less either ways. And that pissed off the jaguar arrancar. But he convinced himself by telling himself that this might be a good opportunity to make their eventual dual more even and fair. As much as he loathed to admit it, he already knew that she was stronger than him. And that the match wouldn't have lasted long enough had he fought her first. But now, he might have a chance.

Even Starrk was interested this time. Normally, he wouldn't bother with some 'initiation match' between two Espada level arrancars, simply because he had no interest in fighting to begin with. Even now, what he was most interested in was Ruby herself. Not her fighting capabilities, but rather, he wanted to see first hand the effects of everything that she went through in the last 94 years. Lilynette was a bit of both.

Ruby personally didn't care that much. She really wished this was over soon. She was tired, mentally drained out, and wanted nothing more than to go back to Tier's lair and simply let herself slump against the wall and give in to her mental fatigue. Even better if Tier or Nel or the Tres Bestias or Lily were there with her. Sure, she didn't mind Grimmjow or Starrk, but right now, she just wanted to be with another female. She wanted to be back in Masaki's arms. But she knew that would be impossible. No doubt she could simply curl up to her mom. But she didn't want to show her weak side when her mom had suffered just as much as she had.

"Thoughts for later" she told herself. She diverted her attention to her opponent.

Her opponent looked just as disinterested as her, but he looked like that the entire time she had seen him.

"They really weren't kidding about this guy" said Ruby softly to herself.

"Sweetie…you still needn't do this if you don't want to, you know. I've seen and handled people worse than Four Eyes there, so just say one word and mom will-"

"No…its fine mom. I'd rather get this over with now than later. And besides, now that I think about it, I'll just end up thinking about Masaki and feeling all depressed again if I went back to big-sis's place now. This way, I can divert my mind" she said.

"If the two of you are ready" said Aizen "Begin"

Ruby dashed ahead, but in controlled and observant manner. She knew nothing about her opponent. Nor could she read him. Normally, her strategy would be to initiate the opening attack and react to her opponent by reading their emotions and move. That was how she sparred against Kisuke, Yoruichi and Tessai. And that was how she'd learnt to fight in Hell and during all those times she'd fought against her master. But now, that option was no longer viable. Therefore, she opted to using her speed to gain an advantage.

Ulquiorra was quick, much more so than she gave him credit for. Not as much as Yoruichi's fastest strikes, but definitely comparable to Urahara. Who was no slouch himself either. She delivered a few quick strikes, opting to strike at him from different angles. A quick diagonal slash, and then a side step to avoid his blade, following which she vaulted over him, striking with a circular spin move. Ulquiorra retaliated with a quickly timed block, countering by twisting his arm to run his blade along the length of her own Zanpakuto in an attempt to disarm her.

Sparks continued to fly as the two exchanged blows and the spectators were watching with as much awe as they had since the match began.

"Damn…that guy can really fight…" remarked Apacci.

"What's with his moves….? They're so….." said Mila-rose.

"So…..mechanical" added Sung-sun. "That's the best way I can describe it"

"Not based on instinct, or experience or pure emotion" said Tier. "His is a fighting style that truly represents his aspect of himself; an empty, hollow style. As for Ruby…." Said Tier. "She truly is…..remarkable" she said with a small smile.

"Whoa…Master wasn't kidding.." said Pesche, leaning forward.

"Fu fu fu, told you so!"

"She's all whawu, whoah! Huah!" went Dondachacka.

"She's quite athletic….and can move around so well" added Pesche after seeing Ruby backflip and dart around Ulquiorra.

"Back then….she was quite good at moving around well too" said Nel with a tone of reminiscence.

"Who would've thought there was an arrancar this powerful" said Gin with a smile.

"One who can fight with Ulquiorra no less" added Tosen.

Aizen said nothing. He was far too preoccupied watching them, analyzing them, making sure he got every detail of how they moved, how they swung their swords and how their reiatsu changed as they moved. And so far, it had been interesting enough that the noises around him drowned out completely. A feat that didn't happen often.

Ruby on the other hand was admittedly finding herself hard pressed. The way he fought, the way he moved and the way his expressions remained so blank, he was unlike anybody she ever fought. In fact, the more she fought him, the more she crossed blades with him, the more her mind was going back. Back to them. Back to the demons of Hell. The same way they moved and attacked in such an inhuman manner. The same way they lacked any emotions and compassion or anything resembling the same. From the way he moved so unpredictably and the fact that she couldn't read him at all. And for some reason, neither had really used their reiatsu based attacks. It was as if they were both trying to understand each other by physically crossing blades and sate their curiosity about the other. Even Ruby, who initially just wanted to get this over with.

"Haaah…haaha…" she breathed hard, still gripping her zanpakuto. She shook her head, once, twice, to bring herself back to reality. Every second she spent fighting this guy, she saw herself back in the demented plains of Hell. Every second she parried another strike, or maneuvered herself over one of his strikes that came out of nowhere, she was back amongst the fiery lakes of the underworld. Flashes of images came and went and it was becoming really hard to focus.

It was back, and she was going back. The only thing she missed was…

The world froze. Nothing moved. Nobody spoke. And then, she was no longer in the endless white sands of Hueco Mundo. Instead, she found herself looking at the familiar figure of her mom. She had a complex expression on her face. One of resignation and yet, one of resolution. She let out a big sigh.

"Aah~ahh, I thought this might happen…..." she said sighing once more.

"Mom…? What's…?" asked Ruby confused.

"Really now, out of all the people that damn four eyes could've picked, he chose someone who might as well be from Hell itself" said Summer exasperated. "But because of that, you began to call out to her"

"Her…?" asked Ruby. And then, she gasped. Ah….

"I really, really wished you wouldn't have to rely on her again. Because I know you'd find yourself right back there" said Summer. "But I suppose….it was only a matter of time before you would seek her out again" she said sadly to herself. "Fiiiine, don't give me that look. I'll take you there" she cooed in resignation, pointing to Ruby to follow along. Much of the place was still dark. She couldn't see anything. But Ruby could tell where to go. Even without her mother guiding her. As they walked, a dim light began to appear which then grew more voluminous.

BGM: Gakkou Gurashi OST Vol.1 - 15 - Yasashii Megu-nee Arigatou

They were now in what appeared to be plains of sorts with a pitch black sky and the uneven ground tainted dark red. There were no other colors to distinguish any of the features and contours around them. The ground was uneven, resembling the floor of the 3rd layer of Hell with its fleshy textures. But the ground beneath her felt solid, like rock. In the middle, she saw slanting square columns that seemed to literally grow out of the ground. Engraved on the columns were many symbols, some even containing the faces of things she knew very well. And in the middle of one of them, chained from head to toe, kneeling down was a young girl.

She was clothed in a black robe, leaving only her face uncovered. Her robe also had a rose shaped pin at her chest. She had dark red hair with straight bangs over her forehead and long plaited twintails that fell to either side of her face. She was quite young, appearing to be only 7 or 8 years old, quite close to Karin's and Yuzu's age. Her skin was pale, but what set it apart were the markings that covered her face. These markings were also present on her hands and feet. Markings of pitch black rose branches with thorns going all over her skin, almost like tribal tattoos. And her eyes were pale golden, which stood out in the bleak red and black around her.

Ruby stood there, stunned, at a loss for words.

"Well, here she is. I have to say, even your mom was a bit uncertain about her. Be careful honey bun, she's-"

"I know exactly who she is" said Ruby in a sorrowful tone. She started walking towards the girl. The girl looked up, and only glared at Ruby.

"Ruby…." Said Summer in an uncharacteristically stiff tone. "She's not what you think she is. She's your inner darkness, your darkest instincts, she's your-"

"Bah, what 'inner darkness'? 'Darkest instincts'? Makes it sound like something from an anime" said Ruby dismissively. She then knelt down just out of reach of the girl. The girl said nothing, merely continuing to glare and snap at Ruby.

"Hey…I've missed you….." said Ruby with a smile. The girl grimaced her face. As if mad at her parent for abandoning her.

"Yeah I know…..I don't deserve to be in front of you again. Not after I left you…not after everything you did for me…." She said apologetically. The girl looked away to her side, dangling the chains. Ruby looked downcast.

"I know…..and I deserve every bit of it. In fact, I consider myself lucky to even see you like this again. You have no idea how happy I am just to see you like this" she said. And then, she drew her Zanpakuto.

"Sweetie, I don't think that's a good-" interrupted Summer. But before Summer could say anything or do anything, Ruby swiftly cut down all her restraints. The girl looked around, realizing the fact that she was indeed, free. And then, with one leaping motion, she tackled Ruby to the ground. She had a furious expression on her face.

"You're right….the pain you must have gone through must have been unimaginable. Without you, I would've never gotten to where I am now" said Ruby sympathetically. She could feel all the emotions of this girl. Pain, anger, rage, betrayal and despair. Like a child that wanted nothing more than to unleash her pent up emotions on the next thing that came nearby. And beyond all that, a more base, primal feeling. A primordial bloodlust.

Summer watched the exchange between them, surprised at the fact that Ruby seemed to be holding a conversation from the way she was speaking. Of all the times she'd tried talking this girl, she never spoke a word. Sure, she could feel all her emotions but that was the extent of their interaction. But Ruby was different. Even without words, the two seemed to understand what the other said perfectly.

"A demon huh? That's really undermining it if you ask me" said Ruby, looking at the girl. She reached out for the girl's face, only for it to be slapped away. "But you know, there's one thing I disagree with what you've said so far" said Ruby. "The real demon responsible for this state of our world, is right here" she said, pointing to herself. "I'm the one that embraced something that I really wasn't. I'm the one that put you through all that. I….always thought you were meant to be the one that helped me save the world" said Ruby with an awkward and solitary smile "Yeah I know, it's pretty childish of me. But even so, I wouldn't deny that's what I want. Looking at you like this, both breaks my heart and at the same time, makes me glad that you have such a beautiful form" The girl gasped, her mouth slightly open.

"So yeah. If you're looking for a demon, some kind of 'inner darkness' or 'inner demon' or whatever, then you need only to look right here" said Ruby, pointing to herself once more. "You could never be something that vile. You're my innocence that I wish I could have again. I quite envy you, you know? You're the purest being I ever know. When you're with me, I don't feel scared or uncertain. Rather, that's what pushed me to go on further. It gave me strength. What kind of demon or 'inner darkness' would do that huh?" she asked again, reaching for her face. This time, the girl didn't swat away her hand. But her expression was still one of doubt and resentment.

"You'll keep trying to get back at me? Sure. Go right ahead. After what I did to you, I deserve all of it" said Ruby calmly. "You wish I was dead? Now I can't do something like that"

The girl smiled at her as if saying 'Hmph, so in the end, you still-'

But that smile faded halfway when Ruby spoke again. "No no, you misunderstand. Me dying would do you no good. If my death could somehow make up for all that I need to do to repay you, then I wouldn't bat an eye. But right now, I know that isn't how I can make up to you. If anything, I never want to let you experience those horrible events ever again. No matter what you go through, I want to be a part of it" said Ruby.

"Sweetie, it's no use, no matter what you say, she'll still-"

"Shush mom, this is for me to do" said Ruby. "And you're wrong mom. Just like how you were there for me when I needed it most, I need to be there for her. And she's every bit like my own daughter as I am to you". The girl quivered once more.

"You cant trust me you say? That doesn't matter to me. No matter what you have to say or want to do to me, you cant stop me from trying to make things right. I wont promise anything. Instead, my actions will speak for me. You can make your decision after that" said Ruby, inching closer to the girl. The girl's eyes were strained.

"No, I wont stop. Because I have so, so much to say to you. But…." Said Ruby, looking towards the sky. "That guy's still out there. I need to get back to him sooner or later. If I didn't have this sense of urgency, I wouldn't leave so soon. I know you too need some time to think things through. But…..you wont ever be chained up there again. And I wont resent something that takes me back to Hell ever again" said Ruby. "After all, now I know, you're in this place, with me!" she grinned, rubbing her head and turning to leave. But a small hand grabbed at the hem of her clothes. Ruby turned back. The girl was looking down, shaking. Ruby knelt down, and gasped. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was agape. And falling from her golden eyes, were two thin streams of crimson tears. Ruby smiled softly, embracing the girl.

"See? You're my sweet little daughter. How could I ever think of you badly? When you're literally crying bloody tears?" asked Ruby, stroking her softly and hugging her tighter. The girl was now profusely crying, her face grimacing even further.

Summer felt horrible and proud at the same time. She approached the two of them, hesitantly at first and then decisively. How could she have thought so little of her? When she knew who she was? And now that she looked at her, she couldn't believe she'd made such a terrible judgement of character. Standing there, was just a sweet little girl, one who even reminded her of Ruby before any of this happened, back when she was still in Remnant. That….was what she was. The innocence she left behind before she was robbed of it. But paired to their combined Hell reiatsu. She was its physical manifestation, just as Summer was the manifestation of Ruby's Shinigami aspect. In just one glance, Ruby had understood her perfectly and yet, after all the time she had tried to communicate with her, Summer hadn't.

"Really, you've become so mature" said Summer kneeling down by their sides and joining in their embrace. "She should've been as much my own child as she was yours. And yet, I treated her so coldly. Can you ever…..can the two of you ever forgive me…?" she asked.

"Just be nice to her from now on" said Ruby. "And I'm sure, you'll understand her. And in time, she'll understand how awesome you are too. Knowing that the two of you are with me always….I don't think I can ask for anything more" said Ruby. She then turned to the girl.

"Oh...my sweetheart...how long have I waited for you to be in my arms again...my dear daughter...you, who helped me face my adversaries. You, who gave me strength whenever I held you in my arms...you, who took me through the darkest depths of Hell itself...I won't ever part with you ever again. For you are me, and I am you. And with you by my side, I wont ever feel scared again. Together, we can face whoever comes our way. Hey...even though you have a different name now...I still want to call you with the name I gave you...so please, come back to my arms once more...Crescent Rose..."

It was a heartfelt message. One that had no meaning or purpose other than to simply convey her purest feelings to her, the one she created herself, the one who now had such a beautiful form. Crescent Rose quivered once more, but with a teary smile adorning her face. To her, Ruby was no different than her mother. And to Ruby, she was no less than her own daughter. And the two would never part ways again. It was a soulful reunion, one that even Summer felt proud to be a part of. Anybody witnessing this scene would be hard pressed to say otherwise.

BGM: Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni OST - Shinjitsu

However, even Ruby's family would be unnerved by what they heard. One second, she was rushing at Ulquiorra and the next, she simply stopped, as if in a sort of trance. And then, she smiled lovingly, seemingly looking at no one in particular and even embraced herself. And that was when they would hear her message, her soulful call to her daughter. Except….what they really heard was….

"...esoR tnecserC...erom ecno smra ym ot kcab emoc ,esaelp os...uoy evag I eman eht htiw uoy llac ot tnaw llits I...won eman tnereffid a evah uoy hguoht neve...yeH .yaw ruo semoc reveohw ecaf nac ew ,rehtegoT .niaga deracs leef reve tnow I ,edis ym yb uoy htiw dnA .uoy ma I dna ,em era uoy roF .niaga reve uoy htiw trap reve t'now I...flesti lleH fo shtped tsekrad eht hguorht em koot ohw ,uoy...smra ym ni uoy dleh I revenehw htgnerts em evag ohw ,uoY .seirasrevda ym ecaf em depleh ohw ,uoy...rethguad raed ym...niaga smra ym ni eb ot uoy rof detiaw I evah gnol woh...traehteews ym...hO!"

Like a spell. Like a ritual. With a loving smile and affectionate eyes, she called out, her arm outstretched. Those same, silver eyes that looked at none present there. It was unlike any kido incantation or anything remotely from the world that they knew and yet, her eyes and demeaner were calm, clear and devoid of evil.

And then, her reiatsu spiked. The air felt cold. Her presence sent shivers down their backs. And in her outstretched hand, was a beautiful and foreboding looking scythe. Black and red in colour. The long handle was slightly curved and bent at parts. At the end of the handle was a broad, curved blade and a small, hook like double pronged jagged blade on the other side. The entire scythe was covered with black markings of thorn branches. The most notable feature was the skull with two crowns of thorns and a ribcage right below the jagged blade. And Ruby's sclera were black.

Lilynette fell down, yelping in surprise. She hadn't expected to be hit with reishi like that, let alone coming from Ruby.

"…W…wh….wha….?!" exclaimed Apacci, shivering. "What is this…..?!"

"That twisted reiatsu….." said Sung-sun, covering her mouth.

"Is that her…..Hell reiatsu….?!" Said Mila-rose. "And what's with her eyes….? They look like…."

"Yeah…more like a hollow's than an arrancar" said Sung-sun.

Tier couldn't say anything. She could only watch, in surprise and in sadness as the true proof that the little one that she knew was gone presented itself before her. No matter how much she could pretend that she was still there, no matter how many times she called Ruby her little one to maintain that illusion, in that end, the truth of the matter was that she was gone, and was never returning to being her little one again.

"That almost sounded demonic…." Said Pesche, hiding behind Nel. Dondochaka had broken down into tears and was comically hiding behind Pesche who was hiding behind Nel. The green haired beauty on the other hand, had a concerned look on her face.

"Oh Ruby….." she called out in a melancholy manner.

Grimmjow watched wide eyed, as the person he thought he knew well stood before him, emitting reiatsu that made even him unnerved. Normally, he would get excited over the prospect of fighting those that were stronger than him and could give him stimulus. Even more so if it was one that he acknowledged. But when he saw her, looking like that, spitting out such evil reiatsu, he felt a primal fear. His instincts were screaming at him to stay away. And yet, his mind wanted nothing more than to cross blades with her, to understand her as she was now and to revel in their battle.

"What twisted, evil reiatsu…" said Gin, his smile disappearing for the first time since the dual started. "And we're standing in a place that is literally the land of the hollows. Her reiatsu makes this place look like the soul society.."

"And that incantation…that didn't sound like any language I know….." added Tosen. "And the way that scythe appeared…..that almost looked like.."

"I see you caught on quickly, Kaname" said Aizen. "Indeed, that was definitely similar to a zanpakuto release. And with the amount of Hell reiatsu she's putting out, we can only assume that this is the manifestation of her Hell reiatsu. Arrancars have their ressurrecion, soul reapers have shikai and bankai. This, could be Hell's version of a zanpakuto release. Except, that weapon is most definitely far from being a zanpakuto. In any case….I can't wait to find out!" he said with an elated smile.

"What was that just now, Ruby Rose?" asked Ulquiorra. "What is that weapon?"

Ruby looked at him confused.

"Weapon..? That's not a weapon. She's my Crescent Rose" she replied with a loving voice.

"That is clearly a weapon. How else do you explain such spiritual energy coming off from it?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Aah~~it seems you wont understand. But it's fine. Now that she's with me, I can show you. Maybe then you'll see" she said. "Sorry to keep you waiting. But you see, I really just want to talk to her. I've been waiting so long to see her. But I'm in a really, really good mood. So at the very least, I'll play with you for sometime" replied the ex-rose huntress with a cheerful tone.

Ulquiorra readied himself, putting up his guard with his zanpakuto. He expected she would simply charge at him, this time with her scythe instead of her zanpakuto. But what he hadn't realized, was that the Ruby Rose standing in front of him was no longer the arrancar called Ruby Rose, but rather, the vasto lorde called Ruby Rose.

She fired off a quick flurry of balas, throwing off Ulquiorra. His reflexes were fast, but she was faster still. And the unexpected assault left him open to damage. His hierro dampened most of the damage, but he soon found himself trying to avoid impossibly fast and powerful swings from her scythe. He was forced to counter harder, faster than he ever could. Her blows felt swift, deadly and precise. Her movements had completely changed from before, now attacking him from a distance while circling around him, taking cover and using agile acrobatic moves to bombard him with a flurry of balas and ceros.

He fired off an emerald coloured cero of his own, which Ruby easily matched with her own crimson cero. And then, she pointed her scythe at him.

*BANG!*

A chain 'shot' out of the scythe, going past him and embedding itself in a nearby pillar. She then rushed at him, swinging her scythe in a wide horizontal arc as the scythe pulled in the chain. Ulquiorra fired a few balas of his own, which weren't as fast as hers, but it gave him enough of a window to parry her incoming two pronged attack. But as he locked blades with her scythe, she simply tilted her head and opened her mouth, charging a crimson orb right at his face.

"!"

Ulquiorra swung his zanpakuto sideways, tilting her head upwards and the blast passed above him but not before leaving his ear singed.

It was back in full force. The same unholy reiatsu coating her. The same, familiar sensation of gripping her trusty partner in her hand. And the same feeling of facing off against an emotionless, inhuman nemesis. Ruby's mind was no longer in the white sands of Hueco Mundo. Her eyes were no longer sending back images of her home back to her mind. Instead, all they could see were the damned pits of Hell, swarming with the unholy with her in the midst of it. But…..she was no longer scared. She was no longer uncertain. And she was no longer apprehensive of being here. Nay, it wasn't that she was completely over her time back here. It was simply the fact that she was no longer alone here. She never was alone. It was only now that she completely realized that fact. And she was elated. Joyous. Absolutely in bliss. In that magical moment, she had everything she could possibly want. Her dear Crescent Rose. Her mom. Her big-sis, Nel, Grimmjow, Lily, the Tres Bestias and Starrk were all there with her, watching over her. Like a child that wanted nothing more than to express its happiness over being in the safe and protective gaze of its parents while they did all they could to engage its childish requests, at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to express her happiness to her opponent in the way a child would. In the same way that Crescent Rose wanted to. The friendly sparring match was now literally a child's game for Ruby Rose and Crescent Rose.

She had experienced this before. She had experienced this a hundred times. A thousand times. Moving, hunting and attacking like it was second nature. Thoughts, images and feelings overlapping reality and illusion. She craftily used the chain from Crescent Rose to block incoming hits, while anchoring it around the battlefield. She never thought she would get the chance to incorporate hell chains once again in a fight. And she was slowly beginning to see a pattern in his fighting style. It was almost time now. She sidestepped away from a cero and then whacked away his follow up zanpakuto attack, disarming him. And from here, his stance was broken. And then!

*SCHICK!* *SCHICK!*

She reeled in the chain, following which she grabbed his zanpakuto that she disarmed just moments ago and sliced down. Both his arms came right off. And then, grabbing Crescent Rose she swung right at his neck….

"Darlings, you both became so engrossed in each other's company that you haven't realized how late it is" called out the voice of her mother softly. Her words didn't match the situation or the context. However, the meaning they conveyed was clearer than ever. Like a mother calling out to her child lovingly, telling her child that it was time to bed, Summer called out to them. Crescent Rose stopped just mere inches away from Ulquiorra's neck. Ruby simply tilted her head with an innocent expression, and raised her eyes. Her expression changed from a playful one to her normal look.

End BGM

"Uh….ah…" she fumbled, looking once more around her. "Sor….sorry that…it seems I got too carried away.." she apologized awkwardly. "Ah..! You're arms…! I….I'm…so sorry…!" she apologized again, lowering her head.

There was utter silence. Silence that soon broke when low murmers started amongst the other arrancars who were left speechless for different reasons. Baragan was impressed by her strength and yet disappointed when he remembered her rebellious demeanor from the meeting earlier. There was yet another who would be a thorn for his sight. Zommari was initially pleased to know that another powerful arrancar would be joining their ranks, which later changed when he learnt of her origins in hell through Aizen's observations. That feeling only multiplied when she displayed her hell reiatsu for all to see. He felt her presence was just wrong. Like the was in a place she didn't belong to. Nnoitora was fuming internally. Not only had the woman already stamped over his pride, but she was also allies with the one he hated the most and was also way more powerful than her. He couldn't stand it. Yami was the same, except that his opinions on Ruby were far less malicious.

Ruby's friends however, had far different reactions. Only they knew of her entire background. And only they knew exactly what they had witnessed. A mere small portion of her arduous journey. A portion from one of the darkest parts of her life.

"Well….now THAT was certainly something" said Gin. "You don't get to see someone doing that to Ulquiorra everyday"

"That was quite fascinating, Ruby Rose. I have to admit, you definitely overcame the expectations I had for you" said Aizen, flash stepping over to where Ruby and Ulquiorra stood. "You don't look to satisfied despite the fact that you were victorious"

"This wasn't a victory. I sliced off his arms even though I wasn't supposed to permanently main my opponents. It wasn't what I intended to do, and I don't consider this my victory" said Ruby downcast.

"If that is the reason for your displeasure Ruby Rose, then your concerns are pointless" said Ulquiorra simply. The stubs of his arms quivered and within seconds, they regenerated. "As long as they are non-vital organs, I can always regenerate from something like this. It changes nothing else. Not the fact that you bested me in my current state and the fact that your skills were definitely praiseworthy"

"Exactly. As Ulquiorra here mentioned, you haven't broken any of the restrictions I placed on this match. Therefore, you needn't worry about something like that" said Aizen.

"Still, if this was anyone else, that would've been permanent" said Ruby. "And it doesn't change the fact that I got too carried away and wasn't able to keep my emotions in check. Therefore, its still my loss. So I'm not going to take your place, Ulquiorra" said Ruby firmly.

"That's certainly a first" said Aizen. "However, I suppose you still have a point. Oh well. If you insist, I wouldn't mind going along with that" he said. And that was how Ruby was appointed the position of the 5th Espada of her own volition.

The participants of the events would then proceed to return to their respective chambers. But not her companions. They had many things they wanted to as her. Many things they still wanted to talk to her about. Which was the reason why time seemed to pass so painfully slowly as they waited for Aizen to be done with her initiation into the Espada. She was assigned temporary quarters until she decided one of her own.

After her initiation, Aizen and the other Shinigami would then return to the Soul Society after wrapping up minor things here and there. Things that also included putting up with Summer's sudden and enigmatic requests for ingredients to make cookies the next time he visited. Tia, Grimmjow, Nel, Starrk, Mila-Rose, Apacci, Sung-sun and Lily with Nel's fraccione stood outside her chambers.

"So…..who wants to go first?" asked Lily.

Grimmjow 'tsked' irritably and the promptly proceeded to open the door.

"Hey, you cant just barge into her room unannounced!" snapped Apacci, which obviously fell on deaf years. The room itself was small, with a small bed and a small window by the wall and a lack of any other furniture. And on the floor, sitting down and stretching her legs as she leaned against the frame of her bed was Ruby, her eyes closed. She held her zanpakuto by her side.

"Why's she sleeping on the floor….?" Was the first question that popped up from Pesche.

"Oh its you guys! Nice of you to drop by! But if you're looking for Ruby, as you can see, she's asleep" came Summer's voice from the zanpakuto.

"Wa….wait just a damn minute..! Did her zanpakuto just…talk or am I just hearing things…?" wondered Dondachacka.

"Oh hello there! I haven't met you two, but from what I gather, you two must be Nel's fraccione! Nice to meet you, I'm Summer Rose, my sweet little darling's zanpakuto!"

"Riiiiight and the next thing you'll tell me is that you're her mom.." said Pesche.

"Right you are! I'm surprised you guessed that!" she replied.

"Hu…haaaah….?!" retorted Pesche dumbfounded.

"What is tarnation is going on here….?" Wondered Dondachaka.

"If you're her fraccione, then I'm sure my sweetie will be really happy to get along! I hope you'll treat her well!" she chimed.

"Ye…yeah…sure.." said Pesche, still not digesting the fact the he was talking to a sword.

"If you're done with all that crap" started Grimmjow. "Oy, what in the world was all that about?!" he demanded.

"Sheesh, first you enter my daughter's room without her permission and then you're demanding things from her mom. What are you, my son-in-law?" she snickered. A vein popped in his head.

"Just answer the damn question!"

"Maybe if you chill out a little people would ACTUALLY be willing to talk normally to you instead of having a bitch face around you all the time" snapped Apacci.

"I wasn't talking to you!" he snapped back.

"And this is exactly what she was talking about, about why people never talk back to you in roundabout ways" sighed Mila-rose.

"The two of you are just going to make it worse" said Sung-sun calmly. "In some cases, the both of you combined are even worse than him"

"What was that?!" came their combined reply.

"Enough girls. Let's leave it at that. And you too Grimmjow" said Tier sternly. "We wont get anywhere if you keep bickering amongst yourselves like this"

"Tch"

"In any case.." started Starrk. "You mind filling us in on what happened earlier?"

"The way she fought after she manifested her scythe and that look in her eyes…." Said Nel.

"And what was that she spoke...? It sounded so sinister..!" questioned Mila-Rose.

"I never knew….that she could look like that…." Said Lily sadly.

"…She really is fortunate enough to have people look after her no matter where she goes" replied Summer slowly. "And I must admit, at first, I was a bit skeptical that hollows could be like that, you know, being a soul reaper an' all. But then, I changed my opinion after listening to you guys talk about yours and her times together"

"But what does that have to do with this, Summer?" asked Tier.

"Oh but it is. Especially since you've come to care for her back when she was still learning the ways of this world and hadn't experienced any of the horrors that she went through. It's only natural that it would be you guys that would feel most concerned to see her like this. But don't get me wrong. Yes, she's still in pain from losing someone who could only be her second mother. She's still in pain from being separated from her siblings. And yes, she still is recovering from the effects of her time in Hell. I would even say that she would likely never completely go back to the Ruby you used to know. But she's still there. Because at her core, that is what she is. The Ruby that you grew to love and care for, is her true self"

"Th….then!" asked Lily. "What was that from before? Why did she look like she was having…fun? Like she was playing with him?"

"And that weapon….I've never felt a weapon with such evil reiatsu" added Tier.

"…I completely understand why you might feel that way. But you should refrain from telling her that. Because you see, back in our world, Crescent Rose was one she built herself. That was what gave her strength when she found herself going through tough battles and during difficult situations. And even in Hell, it was Crescent Rose that gave her the motivation and drive to not succumb to Hell. And now, Crescent Rose exists as part of her soul, as a manifestation of mine and her combined Hell reiatsu and the innocence and purity that she lost. You know, just moments ago, I too realized what a bad parent I've been. I've known about Crescent Rose ever since Ruby became an arrancar. And yet, I never tried to understand her. And Crescent Rose wouldn't try either. But she was able to talk to her and reconcile with her instantly. To her, Crescent Rose is no less than her own daughter. What you heard back there...was the language that the demons that could talk spoke in Hell. I'm a bit surprised she can speak that. Maybe bonding with Crescent Rose helped with it. But what she really said was quite the opposite of what you think." And Summer told them of what Ruby actually told her daughter.

"No way….." exclaimed Nel.

"But….is something like that even possible? The way you describe it makes it sound like she has two zanpakuto spirits inside her!" asked Sung-sun.

"It's not too hard to picture really. Normally, Crescent Rose and I would have merged together as one entity. But she and I are VERY different reiatsu wise. You could say that we're not compatible for such a merger. That's why we exist as two separate entities. In Hell, the inhabitants were given bodies that could withstand such a merger so that their suffering could be prolonged. That's why Captain Reiji and I could exist there being part Shinigami and part Togabito. But that's not the case here." She explained.

"Then..!" asked Mila-Rose.

"Crescent Rose was by her side all the times she was in Hell. And after a year she learnt that it was such an important part of her soul. What you saw there was her doing exactly that, playing. Like a child asking those around her to engage in her games. In essence, she was simply indulging herself in Crescent Rose's company" said Summer.

"A child that would even rip off arms?" asked Grimmjow incredulously.

"That's not it" said Tier. "A child has no sense of right or wrong. To a child, playing is simply a way to pander to her own curiosity and boredom. Which to an adult might seem cruel and ruthless. Like how a child wouldn't think twice about ripping off the wings of an insect simply to sate her own curiosity. Children are mere blank slates, filled with innocence and naivete that still have no sense of right or wrong"

"I couldn't have put it better myself" said Summer. "You'll make a good parent someday" she said in a praising tone. "But you're right. Back then, she and Crescent Rose were merely playing. With no ill intent whatsoever. And to Ruby, who's seen evil far beyond any sane person's imagination and gore and bloodshed far beyond anything a person can take, what's slicing off a couple of arms? But….that wasn't completely true either. Ruby was still very much herself. It's not as if her personality just changed. Just that, being with Crescent Rose, she got so engrossed in being with her and fighting Ulquiorra that she simply….forgot about other things for the time being. Which is why she felt absolutely terrible once she was back to her normal self. It's not that she'll go into that state whenever she fights. It just so happened that fighting a guy that could literally have been from Hell itself, combined with the fact that reuniting with Crescent Rose didn't do much to keep her mind here in Hueco Mundo. You could say, she simply drifted back there due to the specific circumstances. For all intents and purposes, the Ruby you knew, is still right here. Just that, you must never, ever forget that a part of her also exists that is a manifestation of all the pain and suffering that she's still undergoing"

Tier simply walked up to Ruby, caressing her face lovingly. She had a sad expression on her face.

"So it's just as I feared then….." she said. "She'll never be…."

"It's all right Tia. I always believed and I still believe that our Ruby is still the same old Ruby" assured Nel with a smile. "And we'll never, ever allow anything vile to happen to her ever again"

"If that's what master Nel wishes, then that's what we'll do as well!" declared Pesche and Dondochaka.

"You got that right" said Starrk, agreeing with Nel. "Now with Aizen here, I doubt he would allow anything to happen to her either, especially since you mentioned how 'interesting' he found her"

"Aizen huh? I wouldn't really worry about him. And you're right. He's not the kind that would simply let anything happen to the three of us. I did have a small chat with him before he left after all. In fact, I very much look forward to the next time he comes over"

"And just why would you…" started Grimmjow.

"Oh, I asked him to get baking ingredients" she replied casually. The rest of the gang watched the zanpakuto as if they didn't quite hear her right.

"Um, what now?" asked Lily.

"Like I said, I asked him to get stuff for me. So I can make some cookies. Actually, it would be nice if you could keep it a secret from my cutie pie. I want to surprise her" she replied once more.

"You did WHAT?!" exclaimed Grimmjow.

"Wait, don't tell me you just waltzed up to him and asked 'Hey, can you go get ingredients for me?'" asked Tier.

"Yup. Pretty much" she replied. "He wasn't too amused at first but then he eventually gave in once I explained to him that it was 'for improving the general lives of your subordinates and the Espada'. Hu hu!"

"Unbelievable…" exclaimed Starrk.

"Pft…..pffffftt…..ahahahahahahahahahah! I'm sorry, I just cant imagine the look on his face when you just went up to him and were all like 'Hey you better bring me things to make for my cutie otherwise you'll face my motherly wrath!' Ahahahahaha!" cackled Nel.

"He was simply too interested in my honey bun's hell reiatsu to pass up an opportunity to learn more about it. To him, this would be too small a price to pay for learning about something like that. Of course, I don't intend to tell him anything about that just yet" she replied.

"Still…..that was pretty badass!" said Apacci.

"Keep it a secret from Ruby though. I really don't want to spoil this for her. For now, I really just want to let her rest and recuperate. Until then…..well, I think being around you guys things'll be just fine"

"But of course. You needn't worry about something like that" assured Nel. "I'm sure that given enough time, she'll recover. We'll make sure of that" she said, caressing Ruby's sleeping face.

After the whole initiation process with Aizen, Ruby was both dead tired mentally and also dead set on spending some time with her Crescent Rose. She was finding it difficult to chose between some rest and some quality time with her adorable daughter. She knew now when she drifted off into sleep holding her zanpakuto. Perhaps it was as she was thinking between her two choices. Or perhaps she'd decided to sleep after all. She couldn't tell. It had been a long time since she was back to the black abyss within her mind. Back then, she used to have these episodes whenever she was able to recollect things from her past.

But now, she saw no reason why she was here. Her memory was back for one and the other reason was she didn't like being here. The darkness was a bitter reminder of the times she could never go back to, a world that was currently much too out of her reach. Right now, she was happy. And she felt like she needed it. Thinking about Yang, Blake, Weiss, Uncle Qrow and the others was something she didn't need reminders about. Or Masaki for that matter.

But the current 'dream' that she found herself in felt much too different than the usual episodes. In fact, she felt a lot more conscious. And unlike her 'dreams' where she would find herself experiencing events in the perspective of her own self, looking at the dream from within her own body, this time, she felt as if she was looking through a window. But at the same time, she could move around. Or rather, 'float' was the better word. Like a ghost watching a play unfold. That was the most accurate description of her current state.

"Wh…..what is this….?" She asked her self-groggily. "Mom…? Crescent Rose…?" she called out. But there was no response. That's strange, she thought. I can't sense either of them…..

Somehow, their presence had simply…vanished. She was the only one in this 'dream'.

And then, the surroundings became clearer and clearer. Troves of trees and vegetation. There didn't appear to be any civilization or people in sight. She appeared to be in a forest of sorts. She ran her hands through the overgrown grass and tall trees. But they simply passed through her. Floating in the air like that and phasing through objects, she really did look like a ghost. She wandered about for what was possibly as little as five minutes following which she spotted a group of creatures she knew very well. Black body. A white mask with red markings and burning red eyes and pieces of white bone like material throughout its body at parts on the surface of their bodies.

"G….Grimm….?" she stammered confused. Why was she seeing Grimm? Sure, this was just a dream and seeing Grimm was no that surprising, especially considering she had all her memories now. But what surprised her was the sheer number of them. And even when she was right in front of them, they didn't notice her at all. There were more Grimm here in this forest devoid of people than the Grimm she remembered seeing back during the Vytal festival.

She continued to explore, mostly to see if she could find anything resembling human settlement. But she would be surprised if she did. No one would live this close to so many Grimm now would they?

But soon, she had her answer. She came across what she presumed was a clearing. But it was so hard to tell since the grass in the area was reaching all the way to her thighs. But in front of her was a wood cabin like home. To say that it was dilapidated would be an understatement. From the outside, it looked as if no one had been here for ages. There was moss and fungi growing everywhere, not to mention vegetation in and around the cabin house. But…she knew this place. Her jaw dropped when she recognized the arrangement of windows and the way the cabin house looked.

"This is…home…" she said. Almost as if being called by an unknown entity, she inched further and further towards what was once her home. That would mean this was the island of Patch.

"But…why are there so many Grimm here…..?"

The door was broken and lying uselessly against the entrance. The sunshade was lying nearby in pieces and the two lamps that would normally hand on either side of the door were broken, the dust inside them missing. She stepped inside.

BGM: The House in Fata Morgana OST - Odonata (Unrest)

Utter chaos was how she could describe what she was looking at. There were things scattered everywhere. Strangely enough, she could also smell, despite being in a dream. The heavy, pungent odor of cigarettes and alcohol pervaded the entire house. Magazines, newspapers and other such articles were scattered, crumpled and torn apart throughout the house. Many of them about list of missing people. In fact, now that she noticed it, most articles were only about Grimm attacks, or list of people that ended up dead or missing.

There were cans and cans and cans of alcohol lying about everywhere. But from the looks of it, they looked like they were the result of someone practically living on them daily for many months. The same could be said about the dirty dishes piling up in the kitchen. Clothes were hung about in furniture and there was a big pile of clothes in the washroom.

"What the hell happened here….?!" She cursed, her hands on her mouth. Was there even anyone home? What about Yang? What about her dad? She went upstairs and found her room practically the same way she remembered leaving it. There wasn't anything that wasn't covered in dust. Yang's room was in a similar condition. That would mean that Yang hadn't been home either.

Just then, she heard someone come in. She could hear slow footsteps in the ground floor. She had no reason to be alert about anything. The Grimm were hardly any challenge at her current level. And this was just a dream…..right? But even she couldn't explain why she felt such an ominous feeling inside her gut. She slowly approached the ground floor in order to take a look at the visitor.

Her eyes flew wide open and her jaws nearly dropped to the floor.

Long, unkempt dirty blond hair reaching to his shoulder blades. A gruff looking overgrown beard and mustache. Sunken lifeless blue eyes which were overshadowed by the heavy dark circles on his eyes. Tattered clothes and a body covered in many scars and wounds. This man was more dead than alive. There was no will to live in those sunken empty blue eyes of his. But there was no doubt who this man was.

"D….dad….?"

Damn, I had such joy writing this chapter! It feels so nice to be able to go back to my older style of writing, back when I was focusing on Ruby! Also, I agree that I might have terribly rushed the soul society arc. I still feel bad about it and do feel like I could've done this much better. I admit I could've planned it better and that's really why it feels a bit rushed. Because the SS arc was not planned out in my draft since I initially planned to skip over most parts and keep them the same as canon. But still, even in its rushed state, I'm glad I was able to make it feel different and try to fix many of the plot points in canon. Anyways, hope you liked it! And yes, we're finally in Remnant! But is this reality or a dream? Time will tell!

Omakes 1 and 2 from Chapter 19 take place right after Ruby's fight.

Mangetsu and Shingetsu's personalities are inspired by Zero and X from the Megaman X series. Mangetsu's energy shield is based of Zero's Shield Boomerang from the Zero series. Same with Yarigata Mangetsu which is inspired by the Triple Rod. Morigata Shingetsu is kinda the same but a larger version. And yes, Shingetsu's base form is very identical in shape to the triangular Z-sabre from the Zero series. Except that Karin's blade is not made of light or reishi but rather metal.

Response to reviews:

Spellflame: Yeah true. If Ruby did find Yuzu, she would pretty much be safe.

hmataco: Thanks a lot, really glad to hear it! That was the point with making many events deviate quite a bit. And yeah, I know it was rushed a lot. I only wish I had planned the SS arc better. Thanks for the book recommendations. I'll definitely check them out if I can get my hands on them. I do and can improve my writing for sure. Or at the very least I will try my best to improve.

Argorok: Thanks a lot as always!

bloodredmoon22: Haha yeah. But time will tell how things will go. Real soon!

Vedahzii: Thanks a lot! Hope your hands are alright!

firewyrm2: Close but they are actually inspired by Zero and X from the megaman series!

Greer123: Oh yeah, I remember you left many reviews for that crossover! Ahaha damn, its been so long since I've thought about my noblesse crossover. It's a shame I ran into a block there because it was so poorly planned. And thanks a lot!

Lucian Naruto: Indeed. And she gets to meet Ruby's other family who by extension will be like her own family as well.

Spartastic 4: Ah I see. Thanks for pointing out mistakes as usual! And really glad you liked it! Nope because that wouldn't have fit in if Ruby's reiatsu was there amongst with the Gillians. As for Grand Fisher, yeah time will tell.

ccl1995: Thanks! And that was the point really, to make the SS arc interesting despite there being no Ruby. The reunion will be here real soon.

: Yeah I agree. It was rushed and I really wish I had done it better justice. But I can totally understand why you felt that way. I'll definitely try to write future chapters better.

Yeah I know. I plan to do his future training in a different manner. That's why I did it this way. And also, old man zangetsu is not his Shinigami powers. Bankai can only be attained by making your zanpakuto submit. That's why, it HAD to be hichigo.

Yeah about this part I really think canon was a bit vague on this? That's why I took my own take. And you may be right, it could be that Ichigo survived simply because the bird was simply moving and not actually charging at the bird. And in canon, Ukitake really didn't need that shield thing. And yet he did. But still, something that powerful should've been able to turn Ichigo to ash even if he was simply touching it. But yeah, you could say that I down scaled it a bit.

Ah, glad you found this well done. I did work on the dialogue to make it look as such. And yeah, right now, Momo is like a yandere (which, to be honest, is quite intriguing). But to my knowledge she was quite obsessed with Aizen. That's why I went with that.

Yeah, this scene could've been done better too. With a few more dialogues for sure.

Thanks, in the end, I'm glad your review was quite thorough and constructive. I really will use it to improve my future chapters. Thanks for reading!

Swiftcaliston: Oh yeah. If she ever learnt what Aizen did….

Momentei: Thanks my man! And yeah, what can you say, I just love the troupe of corrupt the cutie/innocent. Yuzu really was the perfect candidate. No, nothing of the sort. They just….switch. Like Greed and Ling Yao from FMAB.

Pleaseworkforonce: Bleach canon doesn't really go into this, but in my fic, quincies would be killed/decimated completely if Grand Fisher had eaten her since hollows are poison to Quincy. But she was merely stabbed and Ruby chased away GF before he could eat her.

The-Killer-40513: Yeah definitely. But that's only if your hunger isn't eating at you constantly.

Zebralord23: Yup.

Zifryt: Yeah. But oh boy. Things are very different than what you'd imagine.

Crimsongear: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you feel that way! Yeah, I've read his fic as well. He's helped me a lot by reading through my fic and beta reading. We do talk about different scenarios for our fics. Though mine is planned out from start to finish and has very different origins as you say. There are a couple of similarities here and there but that's about it. As for Summer, kinda but its more like she's someone who can stand up to him without fearing him.

NEGATARO: Interesting scenario. I think D'nnome's story has this. In mine though, you can already tell its quite different. But no worries, you'll definitely see some epic fight scenes written out. Don't worry about mistakes, I think you've expressed it quite well. Thank you so much for the support!