Chapter 25: Prelude to a reunion

Hueco Mundo

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

Gin Ichimaru's master had been known to make some rather brazen and complicated schemes, the likes of which many could not comprehend with their limited minds. Despite having observed him work, having seen him lay out ploy after ploy, nothing confused and surprised him more so than what he witnessed earlier today as they made their way from the soul society permanently.

Because this one had popped up completely out of nowhere. That, or Gin Ichimaru hadn't been told of this one. Which was rare considering that he was Aizen's closest confidants.

Oh well, even geniuses can be impulsive at times, he thought to himself. A flash of inspiration is what they call it, isnt it? he asked himself once more.

Just as he was about to ask him, Momo did it in his place.

"Lord Aizen…if I may ask, why did you bring her along…?" asked Hinamori with a touch of uncertainty in her voice.

"I must say, I didn't expect you'd do something like that in the last second. Considering that you haven't told me about bringing Yuzu-chan with us, I assume this was a last-minute addition?" added Gin.

"Not quite. I'll admit this wasn't in my long term goals, but when I thought back, I wonder why the thought never occurred to me. It was during the invasion that I wondered. A pair of twins, equally gifted, one the polar opposite of the other. Offence vs defence. Melee vs Reishi. Determination vs Resolve. In that case, shoudnt their development also follow suit? That's when I began to ponder. One twin, raised amongst the soul reapers as a soul reaper while the other here, in Hueco Mundo, in a place the polar opposite of the one her sister is in. After that, it was a simple matter to bring her along" explained Aizen.

"I see….it does sound plausible in theory" said Tosen. "But Lord Aizen…..wouldnt you say that its already a bit too late for that? Considering that she has already…..what's this? Why does she..?" asked Tosen, curious as he looked at Yuzu. She was still unconscious, but the moment they were in Hueco Mundo, she began to tremble, her brows narrowed and she hung on to Aizen tightly. Aizen reached out to her forehead, feeling her head with his palm. It felt warm.

"What's happening to her….?" Asked Momo meekly.

"Hmm….as expected, being half quincy has its own perks. But this is the other side. A hollow's reishi is poison to quincies. And we're in a land that's literally made up of such reishi. It's quite expected that there would be side effects…..No, it would be more accurate to say that being half quincy is what saved her. If she was a pure quincy, this would've been lethal" said Aizen.

"Ahh~ah, that doesn't sound too good" said Gin with a concerned expression, looking at Yuzu. "Then am I to presume that you're abandoning the plan, Lord Aizen?"

"Of course not. This is all part of the plan, Gin. Her mother survived an attack from a vasto lorde level quincy 20 years ago. She even survived having the soul of one inside her until it passed on to her son. And Yuzu Kurosaki is her daughter. I'm sure she can overcome this in no time. Momo" he called out to her.

"Y…yes, Lord Aizen?"

"I'd like you to heal her as best as you can. I'm well aware that healing kido isn't your forte. However, the wounds I inflicted on her aren't that serious or deep. Therefore, it should be possible for you" he said, and with but a simple nod, she got onto the task. As he'd mentioned, her wounds were indeed light. Well, as light as they could be as compared to the wounds she'd seen her captain inflict on the rest of the soul reapers before they defected to Hueco Mundo. She immediately got to work on healing Yuzu. And after she was done, Aizen picked her up, placing her in the sands of Hueco Mundo against one of the mineral tree like structures. And then, he took out a device that ever soul reaper would recognize when they performed duties in the world of the living.

"Isnt that….?" Wondered Momo. She wondered why someone like Aizen had one of these things. But she did admit that she found its design to be cute.

"A Kikanshinki" said Gin. "Pardon me for asking Lord Aizen, but why would you have one of these? Aren't these given to those that work in the World of the Living? They still have the same tasteless design I see" he said, glancing at the small device. "The Shinigami Women's Association is really particular about these kind of things"

"True. I do find it quite amusing as well. This is given to soul reapers to replace the memories of humans when they fall prey to hollow attacks and are rescued by the soul society. This one however, is my own version of it. It allows me to manipulate and place any memory I see fit in any being, not just humans. This is just another example of how lacklustre the system is. In the wrong hands, this can be such a powerful weapon. And yet, just about anybody can get their hands on something like this and even modify it quite easily to make it more versatile. And so" he said, activating the device near Yuzu's head. There was a puff of smoke as the familiar bird like head popped out of it like a jack in the box.

"Did you just…?" asked Tosen.

"Indeed. As I said, the point of this is to see her develop in an environment completely different from her other half. It would do no good if she has lingering memories and things she's grown up with along with her family, not to mention holding on to her beliefs of pacifism. So, I've removed those memories. All that she knows now is her name, the fact that she's a quincy-shinigami hybrid and her powers. And now, we wait. When she wakes up, she'll no doubt find herself in an unfamiliar, toxic environment, away from safety in a land filled with her mortal enemies. Needless to say, nothing makes a better environment to nurture her skills. And also, I've no doubt she will survive and even come across Ruby Rose and her group. Given her nature, there can be no doubt that she would take her in. A person who would be the perfect mentor for her" explained Aizen with a smile. "While under her care, I have no doubt Ruby Rose would request me to allow her to stay. And by doing that, not only would I have gained another powerful subordinate, I would have gained Ruby Rose's favor which I believe to be worth any price. And besides, Ichigo Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki will no doubt be here at some point to rescue her. And they will no doubt confront Ruby Rose and in turn, Yuzu Kurosaki. I can't wait to see when that time comes!"

It was a sound plan, one that was impressive considering that he came up with it in less than a week's time. However, it wouldn't be until much later how much he'd underestimated the influence Ruby really had in the grand scheme of things and how dangerous unknown factors are in any scenario.

It was agony. Ever step she took, every breath she took in this foul place. A bleak, pitch black sky. And white sands stretching as far as the eye could see in a stark contrast to the color of the sky illuminated only by a pale crescent moon. She had no recollection of how she found herself here. She had no recollection of anything at all. She tried and tried, but all that came to her, was her name. Yuzu. Yes, that's what it was. Yuzu Kurosaki. She knew she was part Shinigami, part Quincy. She knew her blade was called Mangetsu. She knew of such things, such concepts. Such as Soul Reapers, their duties, the quincies, the hollows and so on.

But when she tried to recollect her life, she drew a blank. But that was far from her immediate concerns. Right now, her body complained to make even the smallest of movements. She literally had to drag herself through the coarse sandy plains to go anywhere. Her body felt cold, and ached practically everywhere. Her breathing was laborious and her head throbbed with waves of pain.

"Wh…." she asked coarsely. "Wh….what is this place…..?"

Wherever she was, she knew she needed to get out of here. Because the air here was suffocating. Like she was inhaling smoke. And when she tried to draw on the reishi in this place, the agony only multiplied many times more.

"EEURRRRRGHHHHH!" she reeled from the pain, curled up on the ground and her face tearing up from the intense burning sensation. "It….it hurts.! it…..burns…!…someone…..please…it….." she squealed as she rolled around in the ground, however naught but silence answered her. But she pressed on. She had to. Anything to get out of here, anything that can give her some clues regarding the gaps in her memory.

She didn't know how long she was at it. It felt like days had passed, as her clothes became ragged, her hair unkempt and her body covered in lacerations from constantly walking and from continuously falling and picking herself up, forcing her legs to keep moving in the unforgiving white sands. Her condition improved, if only a little. But even that paled in comparison to the times she had to face a group of hollows, which were plenty in this place. Each encounter was a life or death struggle. Even regular hollows came close to killing her, while she struggled to even move properly. Her blut defences weren't holding up as much as she expected. Mangetsu and basic kido and bakudo were her only defence.

And every time her reishi ran out, it was Hell. Every time she had to draw in reishi, she would gulp and grimace, because she knew there was only one way out. But oh gods! Why did it have to burn and hurt so much?! Why?! What had she done to deserve this?! And yet, death was approaching, in one form or another. One way or another. She took a strip of the cloth wrap from the hilt of her ring like zanpakuto and bit into it hard. A single tear leaked out of her battered and worn out face. And then, she began to draw in reishi, just a little at a time. The instant the first dregs went into her, her world exploded.

"UUUUURRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she wailed out into the desolate land, screaming her lungs out. Tears flowed down in a constant stream down her face as her whole body burned and stung as if lightning passed through every single nerve in her body. And yet, she had to continue. She persisted; the cloth wrap clamped down hard between her jaws. They were slowly staining red. She knew not how long she lay there like that, bathed in the malignant reishi. But the hunger slowly disappearing from her core was enough to tell her that it was working. The pain was more or less constant now, but agonizing nonetheless.

With each encounter, she would gain another wound, both mental and physical. With each encounter, she had to hunt, to kill or to maim. Something that she despised doing with all her being. She despised holding up her sword to do these things. A sword that protects. Even though she knew that as a soul reaper, she was merely granting solace hollows who were once human souls. In fact, most of her injuries came about because she preferred to retreat rather than retaliate. And with each battle she forced herself to fight, against her will, her reishi reserves dropped ever more so. And every time she had to replenish her reishi, it was agony of the highest order. But soon, her body grew to adapt to the pain and the noxious reishi. Over time, she could breathe relatively normally and move under the toxic air. Even drawing reishi only gave her as much pain as a single pin prick. However, no matter how much this world put everything against her, she would still, without fail, offer a small prayer after each encounter. Both for the souls she'd purified and also for herself, for embracing something she had no desire to.

But that was all the generosity she was about to get. This place didn't grant it. And right now, she was just about ready to fall, because her reishi reserves were dangerously low, apparent from the ravenous hunger that tormented her. She was limping, her right leg bruised and possibly sprained at the ankle. There was a wound on her forehead, occasionally dripping blood. Her arms were sore, and holding her zanpakuto was becoming difficult without dropping it. She had a hunch that she was already here for a long long time. Maybe it had been days. Or perhaps months. Or even years. In however long it had been, she'd hunted many tens of hollows.

*RRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR!*

The abysmal roar that she'd grown so used to hearing bellowed out in the distance again.

Not now, she thought with a pleading voice. Please…just…..I just want to rest for a little while….she begged to whoever was listening. I'm already….

But fate wasn't as kind. Hungry, tired, beaten and suffocating without any desire to take up arms, she could only pray that whatever it was this time wasn't interested in her. But those pleas fell on deaf ears. She could only watch dumbfounded with partially open eyes as a titanic black shadow, easily the size of a skyscraper, with a white mask, burning red eyes and a gaping hole in the center approached her.

"Me….Menos Grande….." she gasped, taking many steps back. She didn't know why she knew what this thing was. After all, she didn't have any recollection facing this monster. And yet, she knew. Perhaps at some point in her life, she'd encountered this thing. Because her body tensed, almost involuntarily. The menos was still a ways away but it was after her no doubt. If she wanted to live, she'd have to do something about her ravenous hunger and depleted reishi. And almost by reflex, she began drawing in the reishi around her, ignoring the prickling sensation as it replenished her reserves. The menos approached. Her reishi was almost replenished. She tried to pick herself up from the dirt with wobbling hands. Her zanpakuto flickered to life as the familiar blue shield materialized around the ring.

The menos swung slowly with its clawed hands at her. Normally something this slow would have given no trouble at all. But now, she barely managed to avoid it with her tattered body. She could feel the adrenaline rush into her body, numbing the electrifying pain for the time being. In retaliation, she threw her spinning blue shield like a boomerang. Mangetsu flew in a graceful arc as it sliced through the menos's second claw attack.

It let out another colossal roar as it reeled from pain. With its free hand, it made a swipe towards her right. She raised her shield to block it, as well as chanting: "Bakudo #8, Seki!".

The blade dampened the impact and the bakudo spell created a weak repulsive force that also did the same. But still she felt her entire body shudder and creak as she was sent careening along the white sands. She coughed blood and saliva violently and the impact knocked the wind out of her. She could see the dim wisps of blut vene illuminating her skin. Even with all her defences, she wasn't completely unharmed.

The menos only had one goal. It was but a coalition of hundreds of souls, all of them lost in the vast ocean of consciousness that make up the menos and driven only by pure instinct. It sensed a source of high reishi , and by instinct, followed its scent to try and devour it. Since the prey offered much more resistance to its attacks than it thought, it simply tired harder. It opened its mouth, a gigantic crimson orb charging slowly.

Yuzu could feel the growing mass of reishi above her. With a blurry eye, she could hazily make out the crimson orb slowly becoming more amorphous and taking shape. She didn't need second thoughts to let her know that she wont get out of this place alive if she was going to be hit by something like that. But, the amount of reishi packed into the orb…..maybe, just maybe, she could destabilize it by adding foreign reishi and making it explode. But whatever it was, she needed to do it fast. She made several symbols in the air and then chanted.

"Bakudo #9, Geki!" The right foot of the menos was outlined with a weak red light, paralyzing it. The imbalance caused the menos to stagger, the crimson orb now wobbling and no longer pointed at her.

"Yarigata Mangetsu….." she rasped, and her zanpakuto transformed, making a shining spear tip at one end and a long reishi handle at the other. She formed a rippling reishi bow, and notched her zanpakuto. She put in as much of her reishi into it as she could gather in that quick moment. And then, just as the wobbling cero fired at her, she fired away her notched arrow.

"Mangetsu" she called out, transforming her blade back into its shield form mid air.

"Bakudo #4, Hainawa" A yellow glowing rope shot out of her hand, attaching itself to the still flying shield. She then tugged it at, and the shield changed course, flying towards the face of the menos and going straight through. But just before it did that, the menos managed to fire the unstable cero blast. The blast curved and changed shape mid-way, but avoided flying straight at her, instead colliding to the ground a few meters away from her. The ground erupted with a massive shockwave that sent her rolling away. The noise nearly blew out her ears. She could feel them ringing and was seriously worried they'd been permanently damaged. Dust and debris were blocking her view. But one thing was certain. The disappearing reishi of the menos told her that she pulled through, somehow. She gave a weak, relieved smile before allowing herself to grab her zanpakuto and try to move. And as before, she raised her trembling hands, joining them.

"May you find peace..." she managed to mutter, before moving on.

Though she'd won, she was far from done. If something like a menos was lingering around in this area, she seriously needed to move. And so, despite her complaining body and groaning aches and pain and injuries, she pressed on, her reishi almost depleted again after her final flurry of kido and using her zanpakuto. But she was too weak to physically support herself. And so, having no choice, she morphed her zanpakuto into its spear form and used it as a crutch to press on. Her sandals were gone, and she only had her blistered feet to drag herself wherever she needed to be next.

After what felt like hours, she finally saw a structure appearing in the horizon. It was still far, far away, but it looked like a palace of sorts. Perhaps she would find some clues there. After all, hollows didn't need places to live now did they? She theorized to herself. But it appeared to be miles away from where she was. She first needed to rest and recover. Fortunately for her, she could make out a rocky structure just within her sights. Perhaps she could hide for a while and recover before making her way out to the palace in the distance. The prospect of it seemed to sweet to ignore.

"Hu…huh….?" She wondered to herself as she felt her body just….stop. No matter what commands her brain was sending her muscles, everything refused to move. Her zanpakuto's reishi disappeared completely, making her stumble as she lost balance. She could feel her eyes go blurry again.

Move….. she begged. Just…..just a little….until I can get there…..please….

But nothing did. Her mind was being encroached by darkness, one step at a time. Just like her memories. Just then, she saw a figure approaching her. A human looking figure. The outline of which tugged ever so strongly at her fading mind. A single word came to her mind.

"Onee…chan….?..." she called out meekly before giving in to the darkness.

Six years. It had been six years since she had dreams of the past. True, her family had always been on her mind, evident from her actions and the way she spent her life as an Espada. But it was only now that she awoke from a particularly unpleasant nightmare. A dream of her siblings being here with her. That by itself wasn't a nightmare, far from it. But it was the implications of such a thing that frightened her. Because the dream seemed so realistic. Almost as if she could reach out to them in her dream and they would be here with her. And for all intents and purposes, she never wanted her siblings to be out here, in a vast desolate land away from where she and Masaki wanted them to be.

"…I've never felt such an uneasy feeling before…" she said to herself. Maybe she should just take a walk, thought Ruby Rose to herself. Sure, the sunny roof of Las Noches was welcoming at times, reminding her of the skies of the World of the Living, but nothing truly gave her comfort like the perpetual night sky of Hueco Mundo. Tier's Lair was where she was headed. Like always, that was where she was drawn to whenever she had thoughts eating away at her head.

Just then, she could sense a particularly strange spiritual pressure.

"Hollow…Shinigami…..and Quincy….?" She asked to herself, almost as if to reaffirm whether she was sensing the right thing at all. A quincy here? In a place that literally meant death for them? And…..how WAS there a quincy here? Could it be…..No. She was dead. There was no way it was her. But she had to know. The presence was still far away. Even now, she could only make out so much and the strength of the spiritual pressure was fading, little by little. It was evident that whatever or whoever it was, they were likely not going to last long.

And then, the hollow's presence vanished, which was surprising considering that the strength of the Shinigami and quincy spiritual pressures were almost non-existent as well. She hurried along. After running for just a short while, just a short distance away from her big-sis's lair, she came across what could only be described as a battle field. Signs of explosions and the like. And in the midst of it all, was a single figure. Of a young girl cloaked in black, with her wheat coloured hair sticking out like a sore thumb amidst her black outfit.

"….Eh….?" she gasped, still processing the scene in front of her. This close, the spiritual pressure coming from the girl, weak as it was, felt so familiar now. She could feel her emotions, plain and simple. Confusion. Hope. Longing. Fear. Pain. Loss.

The girl's unfocused eyes stared at her for naught but a second, and with trembling hands, she called out to her.

"Onee…chan…..?" she rasped in a weak voice, before she collapsed. The same way Ruby's emotions collapsed upon the sight.

In that instant, the wheels of her destiny came back full circle, and Ruby Rose found herself in the same place Tier Harribel did so many decades ago as she looked down on the visage of her own sister.

Before she knew it, she was rushing at the helpless young girl. No, that was wrong. She was rushing towards her little sister. Her reiatsu and her appearance were all just affirming factors to that fact. But what really sealed it in for her, was being called that way. She gently picked up the girl in her arms, examining her. She still had a million questions flooding her brain.

Why was Yuzu here? Why was she in soul reaper attire? Why was she so injured? Why? Why and Why?

"Sweetie, don't panic. I know it's a lot to take in, but try to calm down" suggested Summer from within.

Yes, she was right. Right now, she needed to save her. She needed to be treated. Seeing that Tier's lair was nearby, she took her there, laying her down softly on the floor and examining her.

"This is…horrible…" she gasped to herself. There were bruises throughout her body. She had swellings here and there. And there was blood in a lot of places. She was nearly out of reiatsu as well.

"Why….." she asked, once more gritting her teeth. "She's…..the sweetest person in the world. Why did she have to….?!" It was too much. To see her sweet, innocent little sister in that state, it was unforgivable.

"Ruby, I know how you feel. But when she wakes up, we can ask her. Right now…." Said Summer once more. Ruby took a few deep breaths, slapped her cheeks, calming her thoughts before getting to work. Luckily for her, healing kido was something her mom and by extension, Ruby, knew. As Ruby worked on her, Yuzu groaned and moaned from discomfort and pain. And eventually, her wounds disappeared and her reaitsu was back to normal as well. And soon, Yuzu was taking slow, periodic breaths, her head resting in the safety of her big sister.

Ruby was continuously stroking her, covering over her like a mother protecting her kids.

Why…? She asked again. Why was she here? The oddly realistic nightmare from the night before came back to her. Was this all a sign? Of things to come? If she was here, what about Karin? And Ichigo? How did this all happen? Surely Isshin or Kisuke or Yoruichi wouldve done something to stop something like this from happening. She simply had to know.

".…Something doesnt feel right here" said Summer's voice from inside. "Hueco Mundo is the last place Isshin-san or Kisuke-san or Yoruichi-san would think of sending Yuzu. She's part quincy after all. This place is literally poison for her. And yet, here she is, somehow able to withstand the reishi of this place. And there's no way for Yuzu by herself to find this place. The only one who knew how to open a garganta was Kisuke-san and we've already established that he woudnt be one to do something like that. Even if they wanted to reach out to you somehow, at the very least I wouldve expected them to be accompanied by Yoruichi-san or Kisuke-san. However…." she explained.

".…."

"We all know one OTHER person who's been going back and forth from the Soul Society. One who just arrived a week ago. One who managed to stay hidden within the Soul Reapers. One who's just too cunning for his own good" she added with a tone of seriousness. "I'll bet 100 cookies that he's the one behind this"

Ruby listened in silence, clenching her fist. So that was it, she thought to herself, enraged. It all made sense now. That was the only way this could make sense. The only way her sister was here, in death's door. Probably the result of him sating his 'curiosity'. She looked back to her sister. The pain on her face was evident, more mental than physical. Sweet and innocent Yuzu wearing such an expression on her face. The rage from Ruby's face disappeared instantly, replaced instead by a helpless but loving expression, as she drew her sister closer to her and embraced her, stroking her hair.

"You've…really grown up so much…" she said, almost tearful. "Don't worry, I wont let anything more happen to you ever again"

It was dark, cold and painful. She could feel dark thunderclouds shroud her vision, her body and her entire being. And then, she was enveloped by a strange sensation. Clouds far darker and far heavier than the one enveloping her currently washed over her. These clouds felt far eviler than any hollow or being she's sensed before. And far denser. And yet, she found peace being shrouded in its embrace. Even though she remembered nothing of her past, even though her mind was a complete blank at this point, her body instinctively found warmth and a sense of belonging as it was being blanketed by this mysterious presence. A single word sprang up within the depths of her being, from deep within her soul. The clouds around her cleared up, if only a little. The image of a single person materialized. A woman with short, dark hair with red highlights, sharp silver eyes and a face covered with the most horrible scars she'd ever seen on any person. And yet, she found nothing but peace and comfort when she saw her face. Because on her face, was the warmest of smiles, conveying care and affection like that of a mother to her child.

"Onee…..chan…." she called out once more, as she had earlier.

Yuzu awoke with a jolt, breathing heavily and sweating hard. She could feel multiple heavy presences around her. And all of them with the strangest of reishi signatures. All of them so much like herself, and yet, equally like the hollows she'd spent the last god knows how many days fighting. And in front of her, with an expression of utmost concern, was the scarred woman she'd seen in her dream, the only difference being that she had bony mask in the shape of an upper jaw of a cheetah on her head, like that of a hollow.

"Yuzu!" she called out. "How are you feeling? Are you hurting somewhere..?!" she asked, inching closer.

However, her response would only sink Ruby Rose's spirits further.

"Wh…..who are you…..?" she asked timidly, "Where am I...? And…..how do you know my name….?"

The woman's expression quickly morphed, form concern to confusion. She appeared quite surprised by the question.

"Eh...what do you mean...?" she asked. "Its me, Ruby! Remember? I know you were really young back then but surely you remember me right?" she asked, managing an awkward smile.

"Ruby here found you almost dead out in Hueco Mundo. If she'd been there any later, there's no telling what would've happened" said a green haired woman with an antelope like mask on her head with a kind smile, similar to the dark haired woman. She had a kind voice and she could sense no animosity coming from her. From any of them in fact.

"You don't need to be so tense, child" said the blond haired woman. "None of us here mean you any harm" she assured.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but for now, you should just rest up!" said a lime haired girl around her own age.

"Still, who wouldve thought you'd be here in Hueco Mundo of all places?" asked the middle aged man with shoulder length hair. "How did you even end up here?"

"I'm not sure" replied Yuzu, scratching her head. "All I remember was that when I woke up, I found myself here. Other than my name, the name of my zanpakuto and the fact that I'm a quincy and a shinigami, I don't remember anything else"

The group collectively raised their eyes.

"Wh…..what do you mean….?" asked the one called Ruby, the woman from her dream, with a quivering voice.

"It's like I said. I really don't remember anything. The only thing I remember was that I somehow ended up here with no memory of how I got here and what I did before this. Although…..I do get the feeling we've met before. You were also the one that saved me. Onee-chan…..would you happen to know something?" asked Yuzu with pleading eyes. Ruby only remained silent, her expressions unreadable and her mouth open agape. She then composed herself, and with a serene smile, pulled her into a tight embrace, confusing the flaxen haired soul reaper.

"On….onee-chan…?" she asked, flustered. Yuzu didn't know why, but calling her dear sister seemed so right. From the depths of her being. She felt like her big sister. She was her big sister. She was almost certain. Ruby. That name brought her warmth and comfort. Even though she was a shinigami and the woman in front of her felt anything but like a shinigami, she still a certain warmth being embraced by her. As if everything was indeed going to be alright.

"Its alright. Everything will be fine" she replied with a soft voice. "I know you must be really confused, tired and hurt. But its alright. I wont like this happen to you ever again. I promise…..and…..I'm sorry…I'm sorry…..I'm so sorry….." she went on, confusing Yuzu even more.

"Onee-chan…..what do you….?" she asked, but Ruby only continued to hug her even more. "I have somewhere I need to go right now. For now, please just stay with them. They're my family and friends. You can trust them. I'll be right back. We have a lot of things to talk about after all" she said, pulling away and smiling at her again, and giving her a small peck on her forehead.

Though Yuzu was only confused as to why this woman, who had such evil reishi far, far stronger than even the menos grande she fought earlier cared so much for her. But those around her had different reactions.

"Ruby….are you going to…?" asked the green haired woman.

"Yeah. It's time I get some answers from him. This is definitely his doing" she said with steel in her voice. A tone that was completely different from her previous tone. So much so that it sent shivers down Yuzu's spine.

"Will you be alright?" asked the blond woman. "If you'd like, we can come along…." she offered.

"I'll be fine, big-sis" replied Ruby with an assuring smile. "I'd be happy if you looked after her for a while. Don't worry. I'll be back soon. After all, I do want to talk to her" she said, rubbing Yuzu's head once more. "Pacci, maybe you can share your stash of cookies that you've hidden away with her, I'd appreciate it" The one called 'pacci' groaned.

"Aww how the hell did you find out about that?!", causing the dark skinned amazonian like woman and the slender woman with long dark hair and straight bangs to start snickering.

"If she asks for more, I hope you don't mind sharing yours as well, Sung-su, Mila" trailed off Ruby's voice as she left. Now, 'Pacchi' was the one snickering while the other two groaned.

Even though Las Noches had been Aizen's true base of operations since decades, the amount of things he needed to get done since his permanent arrival was staggering. One would expect the move in to be hassle free, considering he'd been working in this place over time, but things just didn't go one's way all the time. But that would be the least of his concerns soon.

Still pondering over his thoughts with his trusted aide, Gin and Momo, his thoughts were rudely interrupted when a certain Espada decided to interrupt him. Aizen had the faintest of smiles on his face. For one, this was around the time he'd expected her to come to him, asking for a favour to keep Yuzu Kurosaki under her wing.

But his calculations couldn't be further from expectations.

"You are…Ruby Rose….right?" asked Momo, still having some trouble remembering the names of all the Espada and the arrancars. Admittedly, she was in for the shock of her life when she first arrived in Hueco Mundo, expecting to find naught but desolate white sands as far as the eye could see. The palace was a surprise but the arrancars were a whole different story. Hollows that became like shinigami? No scripture in the Soul Society even spoke of such a thing, even in theory. Their power was unimaginable. Even the numeros, whom Aizen mentioned were the lowest class amongst the arrancars, were far stronger than her. The Espada were a whole different story. She was certain all of them were much stronger than even the likes of Toshiro. And yet, her lord was many levels above even them. And so, her respect for him grew even more so. Which was also another reason why she could stand in front of them so unperturbed.

".…."

"You look like you have something to say, my dearie" said Gin from the sidelines.

".…tell me one thing Aizen" asked Ruby, her expressions still dark. "Were you the one…..that brought her here?"

"Oh? And whatever do you mean?" he asked in a calm tone. This was…..unexpected. She was calm, much too calm and the air around her was much too different than he predicted. Perhaps seeing her injured in that state was the reason, he theorized.

"You know what I'm talking about Aizen. It couldve only been you" she continued. "Were you the one…who brought Yuzu here?" she asked again. Aizen gave a curt smile.

"And what if I did?" he asked. "What does me bringing a single soul reaper have to do with you?"

"I see. That's all I need to know" she said.

*WHIZZZ!*

*CLAAANGGGG!*

It happened so fast, that the rest of them blinked their eyes in confusion at the spot were Ruby was standing just a moment ago, only to see nothing. Instead, the loud ringing noise that came from Aizen's chair told them all they needed to know. Locking blades with Aizen was Ruby, her zanpakuto drawn. Her sharp eyes emitting an eerie bloodlust and yet, there was absolutely no rage on her face. A face that gave off a calm, eerie promise of death. Truly, it was unsettling. Aizen however, was calm but surprised nonetheless.

"Lo….Lord Aizen!" screamed Momo, drawing her zanpakuto.

"It's alright, Momo. Stand down" he assured her. "It would appear that you have some things on your mind. So why don't we calm down and talk in a civilized manner" he suggested, parrying her sword.

"There's nothing left for us to talk about for what you did to her, Aizen" she glared at him, striking at him again. Aizen swung back with force, sending her a few feet away. Ruby recovered quickly enough, pointing her finger at him and charging a cero.

"Ruby Rose. You are being far, FAR too impudent. Till now, I have granted you freedom to do as you please around here when any other would be swiftly shown their place. This time however, you are being far too unreasonable. Why would you transgress to such a degree for a mere soul reaper that has nothing to do with you?" he said calmly. "Summer Rose. If you're listening, I implore you to placate your daughter. Surely even you agree this is unreasonable? We will go nowhere locking blades like this. I am willing even to look past what you've done so far. And besides, I cannot have Las Noches caught up in between our scuffle" he said, placing his own palm forward. "Danku"

The crimson cero made contact with the invisible wall, causing a huge explosion.

"Nothing to do with me?! You abduct my sister and bring her to a place that's literally poison to her, what the hell am I supposed to think when she's at my feet half dead?! You took the words right out of my mouth" she snarled in a low tone, using sonido to move past him and striking at his neck. Aizen simply catches her blade, which cut into his hand.

"Your sister..?" he asked calmly, raising his eyes. "Now whatever do you mean by that? You havent mentioned anything about a sister before"

"That's not any of your concern. In fact I'd feel much better if you stayed as far away as you can from them" she said, drawing her sword back and jumping back a few steps. "All that I want to know is, why?!"

"Why? What an odd thing to be asking me" he replied "Because I wanted to. I just had to see. A shinigami-quincy hybrid…..I wanted to see with my own eyes. How much can she develop, in a place where her kind cannot survive and if she can overcome the odds stacked against her. In fact, you meeting her was also part of my calculations. It was well within my expectations that she would make contact with you and that you would take her under your wing. However…..sister you say? Even if that is true, you still have nothing to be wary off against me. Because I have no intention of letting her die. Far from it. In fact, you should be thanking me. Because my intention is to see her grow and mature and become strong in her own right. If you truly are her sister, then, wouldnt you say that what I did was for her own good?" he asked. "So therefore, it should be me who asks this; Why are you attacking me, Ruby Rose? As I mentioned before, this would go much more smoother if you simply behaved and allow for a more civilized conversation"

"For something like that…" she muttered. "I never wanted to…she never wanted to…" she continued. "I never wanted them to embrace this side and you just went ahead and!" she snapped, firing off balas at him. He nimble avoided the projectiles. Now, he was getting tired of it. But, there was clearly something that he hadnt factored in in his plans, and if he let this slide any further, they may destabilize many more things in the future. And so, raising his palm, he chanted.

"Bakudo #63, Sajō Sabaku"

Long, glowing ropes wrapped around her, immobilizing her in the spot.

"Have you calmed down, Ruby Rose? Now, about your sister…?" Aizen stopped mid sentence as he watch her say nothing for a moment, and then.

*Crack!*

The ropes shattered and broke apart, nullifying his kido.

"No…now way…! She just broke out of Lord Aizen's kido!" exclaimed Momo.

"Well…the Espada ARE strong, and she is special even amongst them but still…to break out of a kido that Lord Aizen used is something else…" said Gin with his hand on his cheek. But Aizen wasn't too surprised.

"Hmph, that was faster than I expected but Summer Rose was exceptionally proficient in sealing and healing kido. I'm not too surprised that she can break a binding spell that efficiently" he said. "However, I grow tired of this. I'd hoped that I wouldnt have to resort to this, but I cannot have you doing as you please all the time" he said. He then showed his Zanpakuto to her. She raised her eyes in a questioning manner.

"Look. This is my zanpakuto, Kyoukasuigetsu" he said. For a while, nothing seemed to happen. Aizen's smile only grew wider. "And with this, you have no choice but to-"

"I know you're right there!" shot Ruby's voice across the throne room, with her swinging her zanpakuto towards her right, in a completely different direction from where 'Aizen' was standing. Aizen's image shattered and in a place where there was seemingly nothing stood Aizen, his zanpakuto blocking Ruby's with an expression of utter shock and disbelief.

"Im….impossible!" he stammered. "She saw through me? Through my perfect hypnosis?!"

"No….no way…." gasped Momo.

".….." Gin could only stand speechless, the playfullness completely gone from his face. He was observing Ruby with a completely serious expression.

"So your zanpakuto creates illusions? I could get your scent from your fake image earlier, so I imagine it affects all of my senses to create a perfect illusion. I'm pretty sure there more to it however" replied Ruby, narrowing her eyes on Aizen. "I find it lacking"

"Wh….what…?!"

"The illusions of hell were far more realistic than what you just did" she said simply. "And besides, your emotions belie you"

".…Enough" he thundered. "Who do you think you are? You're nothing but a lowly arrancar. Did you really think you'll have your way just because you can evade my kyoukasuigetsu? If I so wished for it, I could snuff out the likes of you in no time. And I don't see how that's going to help anyone, let alone your sister" he said, glaring at her. "And I don't need my zanpakuto to do that. But…that would be far too much of a waste, now wouldnt it?" he said, sheathing his sword. "Why don't you just take a second to reset your thoughts, and tell me everything from the beginning. And we can do something about your sister"

".….fine" she said, sheathing her Zanpakuto as well. "But I still don't see why I need to tell you anything. After all, it changes nothing. Not the fact that it was you who did that to Yuzu"

"If you'd told me of her from before, I wouldve just sent you to her. I presented no falsities when I mentioned that I wanted to see her mature and grow. The reason I brought her here was to be mentored by you, eventually. Had you told me of this before, all of it couldve been avoided. And even if I stayed my hand, Yuzu Kurosaki wouldve been roped in by the Soul Society, to be called by them on their whims to solve their problems. Just like what they likely will do with Ichigo Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki."

"Wh…what….?!" exclaimed Ruby.

"So you see? I have asked you time and time again, to tell me. However, at each instance, I was refused. And yet, despite that, I was willing to hear you out. And yet, the first thing you did was lash out, calling me out for doing what I did. So who's the unfair one here?" he asked. "Even now, nothing is lost. You can still make amends for all of this. After all, I don't want you to come charging at me for something I do to someone else whom you might know" he said with a sly smile.

".….you really are a mischievous brat. Such a pain to deal with" said Summer's voice from within, speaking for the first time since their dual began. "Fine. It can't be helped I suppose"

And so, Summer told him, very briefly and omitting some details about Ruby's stay with the Kurosaki family for a year and how she grew up with them like siblings, only to leave because of Masaki's death. Aizen listened patiently, not interrupting her even once.

"So? See what your mischief has done? You've desecrated the one wish she truly had. Yeah, you were right. When you asked her all those times for anything that she wished for, she truly didn't have anything she needed. From you atleast. But now, no matter how much you wish for it, you cant do anything to undo what you've done. So just leave them in peace"

"I don't understand" he said, tapping his finger on his cheek. "I understand the context but I fail to understand your actions. 'When the time comes, please take care of them and help them accept their origins'. That was Masaki Kurosaki's sole wish. And yet, how does staying here achieve that? I understand that you remained here to have them lead normal lives and that you werent aware of the recent developments because of that. But that is what perplexes me even more so. Not once did you go and check on them even once. Even before I brought them here, Ichigo Kurosaki and his siblings have been involved with the spirit world. It has been many days since that happened. And as I mentioned before, even if not me, they were eventually bound to be involved. The Soul Society already has their eyes on them after our departure, no doubt. In fact, my actions have been more in tune with her wishes than what you've been doing here" he replied. "By bringing her here, Yuzu was able to overcome one of her fundamental weaknesses, she was able to fight, survive and even find her way to you. She was able to grow and mature, and come to accept herself more. You really should be thankful to me. If not for me, you wouldve stayed in the dark, not knowing anything about your siblings"

".…" Ruby had no reply to give him. Nothing at all. She could only look downcast, absorbing the implications of his statements. Because he was right, despite how much she hated it. He may have been directly responsible for it, but in the end, the penultimate responsibility for all this was none other than…

"Go see them" said Aizen, cutting across her thoughts.

"What…?"

"You heard me. Go to the World of the Living. Take Yuzu along if you must. Go and see for yourself, how Ichigo Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki have been. Take whoever you need. Though I imagine you'd want to do this alone. I was thinking it was about time as well anyways" he said. "I imagine you have a lot to talk about. See how well they have been doing, in your absence. What all they have seen, experienced and learnt, in the time you were away" he said with a smile. "And then, maybe then, you'll truly understand that you have much more to gain by working with me and that our goals are fundamentally the same"

".…..I don't need you to tell me that. I was about to do so anyways" she replied, heading back to leave. "But don't think I'll forget what you've done Aizen"

"I don't expect to and I admit, I may have been a bit extreme in my means but the end justifies the means. Isnt that what they say? The 'end' being you reuniting with your sister after all this while and even learning of the need to go see your siblings" he replied. "You are of course, free to retaliate against me anytime you wish. But…..I'll let you decide once you've seen for yourself"

The three soul reapers watched as the ex-rose huntress left the room.

"That was a most unexpected development" said Gin. "Who would've thought she would be related to the three of them?"

"Indeed. And her ability to foresee Kyoukasuigetsu's complete hypnosis was beyond my expectations as well. It would appear as if there are things she hasn't told me about Hell"

"But even so, its quite scary how you were still able to instantly incorporate that into your design. You even hid the fact that it was you who erased her memory and you who were responsible for them developing their powers. Sending an Espada to the World of the Living was something you'd already planned to do after all" he said with a smile.

"You give me far too much credit, Gin. This was an truly unexpected development, even for me. This time, I was just lucky enough that things could still proceed as planned. The rest was just a matter of quick play of words. Though, I must admit, with this, developing their powers will come about even quicker"

"Eeeh….you mean to tell me you're all hollows that became soul reapers…?!" exclaimed Yuzu, munching on one of the cookies that Apacci lent to her rather reluctantly. "Uwaaah these are soooo good!" she chirped. "Onee-chan made these…?!"

Even now, Yuzu couldn't believe she was having such a casual conversation with beings who were supposedly hollows. The same things that she'd been fighting for life just moments ago. And yet, being here felt no different than being back with people. After quick introductions, she was surprised to see how interested they were about her. The green haired woman called Nel was the first to comfort her after she finished. Indeed, she had a feeling that Nel was someone who could understand her very well, for she too hated the notion of fighting.

And for some reason, they were acting really familiar with her as well. Even though they were complete strangers. Enemies even, technically speaking. And yet…..

"Tch, why me…" groaned Apacci once more. "Dammit, I was saving those…."

"If….I really don't want to trouble you in that case, you neednt lend me" started Yuzu, but was quickly shut down by Apacci.

"Zip it squirt. I don't want to imagine the expression on Ruby's face if she came to know that I refused to give her sister some stashed cookies" she replied deadpanned.

"Sister…so she really is my sister…?" asked Yuzu.

"Uh huh" said Nel smiling. "She's been wanting to see you for a long time now. You and your other siblings"

"Other siblings….? I have other siblings?" asked Yuzu. Nel's expression faltered for a second, but then it was back to normal.

"That's right. I'm sure they must be laden with worry, wherever they are. You really remember nothing?" she asked.

"No…I can try and try but nothing" she replied with a frown. "But….ah…" she winced, clutching her head. "I don't know why but…..when I think about Onee-chan….I feel….so happy and yet….." A single tear escaped her eye.

".….Don't worry too much about it now. As Ruby said, you're in safe hands. I'm really glad she found you at the time she did" said Tier. "You should rest more. I doubt the effects of being in Hueco Mundo have completely disappeared"

"No….its alright. I feel fine now. When I woke up, I couldn't do much more than move. But over time, my body could withstand being here just fine. And Onee-chan healed all of my wounds too. If anything, I'd like to know more about Onee-chan" said Yuzu nodding her head.

"Rather than hearing it from us, why don't you just ask her then" said Lilynette, pointing to Ruby who just arrived. She had a defeated expression on her face.

"Ruby….? What happened? You don't look so…?" asked Nel, concerned. But she forced a smile. "It's fine, Nel. It's Aizen we're talking about. He does get on ones nerves at times after all" she replied. Ruby then walked over to Yuzu.

"Onee-chan…?"

"Do you want to see them? Our siblings?" she asked with a smile.

"…they're here?" asked Yuzu, surprised.

"Not here, but I can take you to them" she replied. "Maybe it'll help you remember as well"

"Ruby….you don't mean!" exclaimed Nel.

"Yeah…..I should've done this from the beginning. Even if I did it for their sakes, all that I did was running away…" she replied downcast.

"If you'd like, we can come along-" offered Lily, but she shook her head.

"It's fine you guys. I want to do this by myself. After all, this is my responsibility" she said. She went to Yuzu's side once more. "We can go whenever you feel ready" she offered. "So if you want to rest up more then-"

"It's fine Onee-chan. I feel alright now. I really have you and your friends to thank. I can begin to repay you for everything you've done, even going so far as to help me recover my memory" she replied. "I'm ready to go" she said. Ruby narrowed her eyes.

"Alright then. Come along" she offered, and Yuzu followed along. Nel, Tier and the rest watched as she left.

"Hey…..you think she'll be alright?" asked Lily.

"She's avoided that place for 6 years. Even when Aizen asked her to go to the World of the Living, she'd refuse. But now…." Noted Sung-sun.

"I can only imagine how much guilt she feels for not staying with them. And the circumstances under which she's going back….." added Mila-rose.

"We can only hope. And besides, this was bound to happen sooner or later" remarked Tier.

"Personally, I think this should've happened much earlier. Atleast now she can live in peace and look after them herself instead of distressing about them all the time while remaining in the dark" said Starrk.

The walk through the garganta felt like it was talking hours, even though they only needed to travel for a few minutes. During the entire time, though Ruby maintained a smile on her face, her inner thoughts felt anything but happy. Nervousness was dominant, followed by worry, anticipation and guilt. Even now, it seemed to surreal. Yuzu being here. Yuzu in a shinigami outfit, the girl who was the last one she imagined being out there, fighting. And...Yuzu having no recollection of her past. It was far too cruel. For all of their times and all of her times with Ichigo and Karin to be wiped away, just like that.

"How...how did this even happen...?" She pondered to herself, holding on to Yuzu's hand tightly.

"...It could be because of some trauma from being here in Hueco Mundo. After all, its a miracle she even managed to survive in Hueco Mundo's toxic atmosphere. And we have no idea when Aizen ACTUALLY brought here her. It could be that being in for so long affected her. If memory loss is all that she's inflicted with, I'd say she got lucky" added Summer.

"Still...why her...? She's the last one who..."

"I know sweetie. I feel absolutely dejected too. But perhaps Kisuke-san can help. Or Isshin-san or Yoruichi-san" said Summer. "Dear me...after six long years, I finally get to see those darlings again"

"Yeah...I'm...not sure I'm ready...but..." said Ruby to herself, squeezing Yuzu's hand. If anybody were to observe the duo, with the nervous Yuzu clutching on to the hem of Ruby's clothes and Ruby in turn holding Yuzu's hand, one might assume the latter was doing all she could to comfort the little one.

But the reality couldn't have been much different. In actuality, it was Ruby who was seeking support from Yuzu.

"No matter what happens, please don't let go of my hand" Ruby said with a soft voice. Yuzu naturally assumed it was for her to help her calm down. But it was Ruby who needed it. To help her face that which she'd avoided for 6 years. And the she'd seen the consequences of it first hand.

But soon enough, she was standing in the bright sunny skies of the World of the Living. Evident from the fresh greenery, architecture, the reistsu and the relaxed sigh from Yuzu. The strain on her from being in Hueco Mundo's air had disappeared.

She was finally here. Back to her siblings. Back to this city. Back to the city where her second mother once lived.

Sorry for the delay, I needed a break so I took a week off from writing. But updates will resume in a regular basis from now on! Anyways, next chapter is the big reunion. I really did want to include it in this chapter but I felt I can flesh it out more if I split it.

Response to reviews:

FPSLiverpool: Ahahahah sorry sorry! But I hope this chapter and the next will make up for it!

Karindan: Ah I can understand. Both bleach and RWBY are action shows and here I am writing it like a slice of life. But that's kinda what I was aiming for, with more importance on events and character interactions. Actions shows are good when you have some visual stuff and bleach anime has showcased that in a splendid way. So, I had to take a different approach. But I'll try my hardest to try to have some balance.

Argorok: Thanks! I agree. But now, she atleast knows there's something she can do to change it.

Zacatac: That….somehow just fits!

Mobian: Yup. But atleast she got some clue about home. And atleast Yuzu's with her now.

The Primodial One: Indeed. But even then he managed to turn it around in his favour.

The-Killer40513: Kinda. I mean, in 6 years things could've happened right? She really has no reason to not tell her friends atleast. Interesting and now that you mentioned Shirou, I can see that too. To be honest, I didn't have him in mind at first and it seems I unintentionally made it appear that way. But I think it's still a bit different. What she feels is more akin to guilt from helplessness. Not being able to help those she cared about when she had the power to do so. Helplessness because of circumstances around her.

L4 of the West: Hmm yeah could be. Time will tell who this 'mysterious being' is.

Misaka Phenex: I kinda agree too. Bleach world is definitely interesting. And of course, there will be a time when her friends will be in bleach verse too.

Crimsongear: Thanks a lot! Yup she is! Looks around the same age too! The two of them would hit it off quite well if you ask me! I do plan to talk about Summer's past at some point. Maybe as a spin-off or even as a flashback chapter. And yes, her past is definitely something. Sure, I can do that. Bleach does have some amazing music. Wouldn't be surprised if Brave Souls did as well.

firewyrm2: Of course! And yeah, you could say that. Ah well, even Summer wouldn't be so low as to interrupt her daughter's private time. Sorry to hear that, hope things are fine now! And sorry for being late! I promise updates will be back to their weekly release from today!

PanKeRio: Thanks a lot! Glad you feel that way! And damn, you nailed that! The part where you say that I went into a territory I didn't know what to do and tried my best to make it work as logically as I can. I totally agree. Some things I can just put them out instead of explaining it. I just hope that at the end of it, it came out alright. Glad to know the romance was alright. But yeah, as mentioned, its not the core of the story and it shouldnt be. Thank you so much once more, I'll strive to improve more and more. My update schedule is 7-10 days usually.

Loktar: Whahaha sorry about that! Hope I can make up for it with this one and the next chapter.

ccl1995: Hope I did it justice! Though the next chapter is where the real stuff is at!

RandomName3064: Of course. I think that was wasted potential in the manga. Glad you liked that and Yuzu's twist. I agree. I was speculating whether to do that now or much later. I guess you could say she still is kinda helpless to do anything , despite knowing that nobody's left for her back home. And she had no actual assurance that thing's will be fine the way she wants it to be.

Vedahzii: 1)Wahahaha sorry about that! 2) Right? 3) Glad you liked it! 4) Yup and 5) yup!

: First, thanks a million for the detailed review! It's such a praise for writers when their readers leave in depth reviews.

Yeah exactly, and I'm glad you picked that up. Gods are supposed to be neutral, because to them, a lower race is just that. They are beyond many things and to me, the way I wrote it is how I imagined a god would be like.

Actually, I thought that was her motive as shown in canon. But it's more so than just suicide. She mainly wanted to get back at the gods, take humanity with her. And yeah, I don't simply plan to have Salem as another bad woman to defeat or something. I plan to handle her, Cinder and the rest in a very different way when that time comes.

They will. I don't plan to take the Emiya route because hmm….I didn't really have that in mind when I wrote Ruby. But I coincidentally ended up doing that. But don't worry. She wont be all gloomy and depressing. She will cherish herself too. Because that was one of Masaki's wishes. Its just that from time to time, Ruby lets that slip from her mind and ins instantly reminded of it by her friends.

Thanks and glad you feel that way. Its mostly because I'm back in a part of the story where I have things laid out in detail in my draft.

As for clone Ruby, to any other person, it was a terrifying and disgusting thought. But you could see how little Ruby thought about it. It goes to show how much she's changed and how much she's gone through to feel that little of it. That's why even her friends were surprised.

Personally I felt that way, apart from his nihilism. You could say that being narrow minded is a side effect of his nihilism. In canon, he's the one who says 'If I cant see it, cant experience it myself, then, it doesn't exist'. A pretty narrow minded way to look at things if you ask me.

Of course. Things with romance are not the main focus of my story. So I'll be sure to take my time with it.

Well, this one reveals what happened and why it happened to her.

Once more, thanks a lot and I hope I can keep you and all of my other readers interested!

Spartastic 4: Ahaha now that's a new one! And I'm surprised I didn't think of Echidna soon enough! Or even Featherine Augustus Aurora from Umineko for that matter. Yeah they fell when they were jostling.

Zifryt: Maybe. Time will tell. Yeah indeed. Don't worry, I plan to handle Salem much differently, giving her some screentime as well. I just felt that in canon, they really didn't do her justice.

I don't want to say much but you'll see soon!

Indeed! And that's really the thing. The ship is present but isn't the main thing of the story.

Yeah she cant use it.

Lucian Naruto: All thanks to Ruby. Her impact was much larger than any had anticipated.

michelmmm: Thanks a lot!

Kragh: Thank you so much!

AMAZING EZ-8: Don't worry though. It exists but is not the main focus of the story. It affects nothing major. And I agree. That was the reason I went with Ruby's ship so slowly. Because at first, I always thought it could get real messy.

NEGATARO: Yup and thanks as always!