It was gone in a moment, it went in a blaze

I felt so helpless, being so far away

Ichigo Kurosaki's silent body slumped from Grimmjow's extended hand. The Soul Reaper's shihakusho had vanished from the upper half of his body, while the lower half tore in several places. Wounds spread across his arms and back; fresh blood dripped onto the hot pavement. Grimmjow held Ichigo and his Bankai, with only a few scratches and tears in his uniform to show as battle scars.

Goten and Hitsugaya froze at the sight of Kurosaki. He trained with Trunks for five and a half months and had even closed a bit of the power gap between them, but the sixth-ranked Espada defeated him with ease. The pressure mounted onto them, as they found they were not only surrounded and outnumbered, but also outclassed.

"Here." Grimmjow swung his arm backward before he tossed Ichigo. "Catch!" Goten caught Ichigo in both of his arms and threw him over his shoulder. He looked up, and seeing his Tensa Zangetsu in mid-air, reached his hand out to catch it.

"He'll live," he said. "It's nothing that his girlfriend can't fix." Once he confirmed Ichigo would be okay, Goten set his sights back on his enemy. Grimmjow, however, turned to his fellow Arrancar. "You two, let's go."

Goten and Hitsugaya gasped, but Nnoitra challenged him. "What!? Why would we leave now when we have them right where we want them?"

"For starters, we've more than completed our mission, and don't you think you've already had enough? I mean, come on. Your Fracción looks like he's been through a fucking meat grinder, and you got pretty banged up yourself."

"Hmph, he only damaged me because I let him. I was trying to surprise him with my Resurrección."

With the flick of a finger, Grimmjow opened up the Garganta. "Then how about we leave it at that? Now let's go."

Nnoitra grunted, but walked into the portal. Before he and his underling left, however, he smiled at his enemies. "Congratulations, you get to live another day. Enjoy it, because you don't have many left." Nnoitra then turned and disappeared with Tesla.

Grimmjow followed suit until Hitsugaya called out to him. "Wait!"

"Hm?" Grimmjow spun to him with his eyebrows lifted. "What the hell do you want, short stack?"

"What exactly was your mission? Did you come here to scare us? To cause destruction and spread fear?"

"It was a test," he smirked. "We came to see how powerful our opponents would be, and if I'm being honest with you, I'm not impressed. Anyone at Kurosaki's level and below shouldn't bother coming to fight us, especially him. Aizen said he wants to save him for last, but I'm certain he would slaughter him the second he laid eyes on him. The city was just collateral; nothing more than Nnoitra being impulsive." He strolled into the void. "You have two weeks left, so I suggest you make them count, because if you stay at the level you're at right now, you're as good as dead. See you in Hueco Mundo."

The Garganta slammed shut and left Goten trapped in thought. All of this was to test us? How could they do this and just leave?

"Goten!" Toshiro yelled. Goten snapped out of his trance and swiveled his head to Toshiro. "Get Ichigo to safety and then come back here! There are still civilians here."

Goten nodded, but before he took off, sirens blared in the distance. "Clear a path for the emergency vehicles and try to fight the fires!" Toshiro agreed, and Goten raced out into the sky

Meanwhile, Trunks bolted towards Urahara's, using all the energy he had. In his arms, Soi Fon's body grew colder; her skin lost its color. He tried to apply pressure to her wound and stop the bleeding, but the cut was too large and deep for him to do anything. Trunks pleaded with her to hang on as her life continued to slip away.

No… please. You can't… I won't let you… Dammit!

Trunks arrived above the shop, and once he spotted Urahara outside with Yoruichi, he cried out to him. He landed in the yard and rushed toward them as fast as possible. "She needs help!"

Kisuke ran inside and called out to Tessai, but Yoruichi was taken aback when she gazed at her former subordinate. She only whispered out, "Oh my god," before she got a hold of herself and followed behind Trunks. They laid her on her side, and while Yoruichi held her in front, Trunks stripped off his jacket to halt the blood flow. Tessai hurried out with a tray of medical equipment, and Trunks and Yoruichi moved out of his way.

Trunks watched from above, but his anxiety only continued to grow. Soi Fon's condition didn't improve. Her energy only weakened as her body went into shock. If Tessai couldn't save her in time, a sliver of hope still existed. Only one person would guarantee her survival.

"She's not gonna make it!" He sprinted toward the door. "We need Orihime!"

Yoruichi snatched his arm and pulled him back. "No! I'll find her. You need to get back there and help."

"I will, but… I can't leave her-"

"Get back to the city, now!" Kisuke shouted.

Trunks jolted. He never heard Urahara's voice extend beyond its normal, calm sound. He didn't even think his vocals could perform such a feat. His father yelled at him before, but to have it come from someone as cool and collected as Kisuke made Trunks feel as if he let him down. However, Kisuke was right. At that moment, hundreds of citizens needed him, and they needed him more than Soi Fon did.

Trunks backed down, and Yoruichi released his arm. "I won't let her die. I swear."

Trunks nodded and took one more glance at Soi Fon. He squeezed his hands, then sprinted out of the door. Once he exited, he took to the air and soared back to downtown Karakura.

Trunks' mind raced with images of everything that had occurred in the brief encounter. Scattered human remains, civilians screaming in terror, Soi Fon's spilled blood, and Nnoitra's smug grin circulated through his imagination. He snapped out after he noticed someone flew toward him. Within a second, the two flew parallel to each other, and Trunks glanced at Goten carrying a battle-worn Ichigo, headed in the direction that he came from. They passed each other without a word or even an acknowledgment.

How did I let this happen? How did everything go so wrong? It wasn't supposed to be like this…

As much as Trunks wanted to lose himself in negativity, he kept his focus on the task ahead. Once he arrived back in the downtown area, Toshiro floated above his head and used Hyorinmaru to combat the fires. The firefighters battled the flames on the ground. Trunks ran into the building with the closest energy signal. The rescue workers on the ground yelled for him to halt, but he tuned them out and entered a burning apartment.

He sensed that there were only a few people inside. "Hello, can you hear me?!"

He sprinted up a staircase beside him. The steps collapsed under with each step and debris from the ceilings fell, but he stayed on course. After climbing a flight of stairs, a baby cried out above. Trunks rushed up another flight of stairs and turned into a hallway. Once he pinpointed the location of the crying, he rammed through a flaming locked door with his shoulder.

Inside, a little girl kneeled and sobbed next to a woman trapped under a metal beam. "Mommy, please wake up." The wails of a baby persisted in a separate but nearby room.

Trunks rushed to her and threw the beam away. He picked up the mother and tossed her over his shoulder before tucking the little girl in his arm. He then rushed to the other room, where he found the infant in their cradle, surrounded by flames. Trunks sprinted to the crib and cradled the baby in his remaining arm. He turned to the wall and rammed through it.

Trunks and the family leaped three stories onto the road, before he ran over to the nearest group of EMTs. He handed over the baby and the mother. "Hurry and get them out of here!"

He set the little girl down. With soot on her face and tears in her eyes, she looked up at him. "Mister, is my mommy gonna die?"

She couldn't have been that much older than his sister. Trunks got on one knee and smiled at her. "She's gonna be okay. I promise."

An EMT guided the little girl to an ambulance nearby, but she waved goodbye to Trunks. After he rose and returned the wave, a group of police officers circled him.

"We're going to need you to leave the area now," one of them said. "We appreciate your efforts, but-"

Trunks disappeared from their sight and ran back towards the fires, ignoring their calls to return. His side stung and stiffened up, signaling that the adrenaline from his fight earlier wore off. However, he fought through the pain and fatigue to save more people. While Toshiro and the firefighters tried to quell the flames, Goten dropped next to Trunks. Without sharing a glance at each other, they sprinted into the blaze to search for any signs of life.

They saved many lives that day, but there were just as many, if not more, that they didn't reach in time. Several bodies laid in the street; flames turned others into charcoal. Some had suffocated from the smoke; others passed in the care of medical professionals. Two thousand civilians died, and the Japanese government estimated eight thousand injuries in what the media dubbed as the Karakura Town Explosion- a February afternoon when multiple parts of the city's downtown area combusted without warning and stole the lives of unexpecting bystanders.

The flames extinguished within five hours, but embers and ash continued to shower the city. Trunks, Goten, and Toshiro floated above Karakura Town in silence as the sun set. The aftermath of the fires continued to unfold beneath them. Soot painted their faces, and not one of them escaped the anguish in their hearts. A cold winter wind swept through and wrapped around their bodies.

"I think I'm gonna take Ichigo and head to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," Trunks said to Goten. "You two can go in together if you want."

Goten continued to stare into the city. He replied in a low, monotone voice. "I can't. I've got something I need to do."

"Yeah but, you can't take a day to-"

"Trunks, I-I just can't! I'm sorry." Trunks another word from leaving his throat once he saw the turmoil in his eyes. Goten gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, "Fucking hell," before he dashed away. Neither Toshiro nor Trunks protested for him to stay.

"I'll go after him," Toshiro said.

"Yeah… please." Hitsugaya turned and flew away from Trunks to pursue Goten. After he took another moment for himself, he flew back to the shop. Soi Fon slept on a mattress with Yoruichi seated close to her. The normal pigment in her skin had returned, and her calm expression relieved his anxiety.

"Is she alright?" Trunks asked. He dragged himself into the room.

Yoruichi nodded. "She just needs some rest. She'll probably be up and kicking in a couple of hours."

Trunks turned his attention away to Ichigo. Reverted to his Shikai form, he laid asleep with Orihime at his side. He didn't ask her about his condition, but he thanked Orihime for healing both of them.

Orihime gave him a half-smile, but changed her expression into one of horror. "Trunks, you're hurt!"

He trudged toward the door and muttered, "Yeah, I know."

"Would you stop it?!" Yoruichi yelled. "Just sit and let her heal you."

"Maybe later." He stepped outside and pulled the door shut.

"He's just being irrational. I'll bring him-"

"Yoruichi." Before she stood, Kisuke stepped out of another room. "I'll handle this one. Seeing as I was so harsh before, I should probably be the one to chat with him now."

Kisuke exited the shop, but didn't find Trunks on the porch. However, when he lifted his head, a pair of feet dangled over his head. Kisuke took two steps before he leaped onto the roof. Trunks stared down into the dirt and dried blood that covered his hands. Kisuke turned towards the edge of the roof and gazed out at the flow of smoke from the town.

"It's too cold to wallow in defeat," Urahara said. "At least by yourself."

Trunks closed his hands. "I failed, Kisuke. I didn't protect my friends, and I let so many innocent people die."

"That's not something you could have prevented, Trunks-"

"But I should have!" His voice trembled. "If I trained harder to begin with, or if I acted faster. I could've… I could have saved everybody. Ichigo wouldn't have gotten hurt, Soi Fon wouldn't have almost bled to death, and… all of those people would still be alive."

"You did all you could, given the circumstances, and you ended up saving a lot of lives. I'm sure the captain and the residents of Karakura Town are more than grateful to you."

Trunks paused before another word escaped. "I saw them all. So many bodies burning: kids, teens… I didn't make it there in time. If I wasn't so selfish, I could've helped more."

"You can't always expect yourself to be so analytical when the people close to you sustain injuries. I know that from experience. In hindsight, there are always things you could do differently, but you're young and you still have to grow and learn."

Kisuke paused, then returned his eyes to Trunks. "You've seen more death and destruction today as a twenty-year-old than most Soul Reapers will experience in their lifetimes. I know that when things like this happen, we sometimes wish the world would stop to let us process our pain. Unfortunately, time doesn't stop, and neither does your enemy. While you sit here and try to recollect yourself, your enemy continues to plot your downfall. If you don't keep up, your foe will overwhelm you, then destroy everyone and everything you care about. This is the essence of war. All the hurt, the pain, the anger that you feel shouldn't be directed at yourself. Direct it at the ones responsible for this, the ones who've caused us all to hurt for over a hundred years. Direct your anger at Aizen and his henchmen, and make him pay for it."

Trunks stood looked out to the horizon. "Yeah. There's no more time to waste."

"I'll get the Tenshintai. You can start your Bankai training right away."

"I think I have a better idea. I'm gonna have to leave with Ichigo, but I should have my Bankai by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, you say? Are you going to that room that can give you a year's worth of training in a day?"

Trunks nodded. "I tried to go without it, but I'll need any extra advantage I can get."

Kisuke tipped his hat forward. "I see. Well, before you head off, at least let Ms. Inoue heal your wounds."

Trunks agreed, and the two jumped down and entered back into the shop. Trunks picked up his torn and bloodied jacket from the floor and put it on. He walked over to Orihime and sat down next to her. "Would you mind healing me, Orihime?"

She smiled. "Not at all." She then stretched her hands out towards him and chanted, "Soten Kisshun, I reject." The hairpins in Orihime's hair flew out and surrounded Trunks. They began emitting a yellow light that shielded him and began the healing process. Trunks watched as not only his injuries received treatment, but the ash and blood lifted from his skin as well. Her technique even repaired his jacket. After a minute, the glow faded away, and the hairpins returned to Orihime's head.

Once she finished, Trunks stood and expressed his gratitude. "Thanks, I feel as good as new."

"Of course," Orihime said. "I'm glad I could help."

Trunks walked into his room and went to the far corner where his suitcase was located. He reached into his bag and grabbed his walkie-talkie. Even though he hadn't talked to his father in four months, he didn't hesitate at all to speak.

"Hello, dad?" he called out. "Are you there?"

After a few seconds, static blared from the other end. "I can hear you, Trunks," Vegeta said. "What is it?"

"I need to meet up with you guys immediately, and then I need a ride to the Lookout. This is urgent, so I need this to be done as soon as possible."

"Okay, I'll arrange for that now."

Trunks dropped the walkie-talkie back into his bag, then picked bag by the handle and reached for something that sat next to it. He picked up a box with gift wrap on it that was bright yellow with black cats scattered around it. When he rose, his ears caught sniffles from another room. Trunks walked over to the room across from him and peeled the door back. In the center, Jinta sat with his knees to his chest and head lowered, failing to hold in the tears that escaped.

"Hey," Trunks said. "What's the matter?"

Jinta tried to stifle himself. "I- I just got a text. Two of my friends from school… died in the fire."

His mouth fell open. "Jinta I- I'm so sorry."

"It's just… so unfair."

Trunks took a knee beside Jinta and rested his hand on his back. Jinta turned towards Trunks and buried his head on his shoulder. Trunks hugged Jinta and allowed him to cry for as long as he needed to. When Jinta finished, he wiped his eyes and continued to sniffle.

"Trunks?" he asked.

"What's up buddy?"

"Make sure those bastards don't walk out alive."

Trunks nodded. "I won't. You have my word. I'm leaving for a couple of weeks to train, so hold this place down for me while I'm gone, okay?" Trunks lifted his fist and prompted Jinta to strike it his with his own.

He then re-entered the main room and faced Urahara. "Hey Kisuke, would you mind doing me a favor?"

"Ask away, my boy," Urahara said.

"Well, it's actually two favors. First, would you mind getting me a pen and a piece of paper?"

Kisuke nodded and retrieved the items. Trunks thanked him and placed the paper on the wrapped box to write.

"So, what would be your second request?" Urahara inquired.

Once Trunks finished writing, he folded the piece of paper and raised his head. "Do you think you can up the gravity of the chamber to seven hundred?"

"Seven hundred?!" Yoruichi gasped. "Don't you think that's going too far?"

"If it was for me, I'd agree. But there isn't a concept of too far with Soi Fon."

Kisuke gazed down at her. "You think that'll be enough?"

"If she reaches that within two weeks, it'll have to be. Please, make sure she doesn't overdo it."

After Kisuke agreed, Trunks handed Yoruichi the box with the paper on top. "Could you make sure she gets this when she wakes up?"

"Sure," Yoruichi said. "Are you sure you don't want to give it to her yourself?"

"I won't be here long enough to do that."

"What do you mean? Where are you-"

A loud boom from the front yard interrupted Yoruichi. Everyone in the room jolted except for Trunks. "Looks like my ride's here," he said. He strolled to Ichigo and sighed. "I was hoping he'd wake up before we left. Oh, well." Trunks bent down and tossed him over his shoulder.

Orihime expressed her uneasiness. "Uh, Trunks. Maybe Ichigo should rest more before you move him."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but we've gotta get going now." He made his way toward the exit.

"Where exactly are you going?" Yoruichi asked.

Trunks stopped in front of the door. "Ichigo and I need to get stronger, so I'm taking him to the best place I know to get the results we need in a short amount of time." He turned and glanced at them one final time. "Take care, guys."

Trunks opened the door and found another angel waited for him instead of Vados. "Hey, you got here pretty fast."

Whis grinned. "Well, your father requested I picked you up as quickly as possible." Trunks placed his hand on the angel's shoulder, then soared away to Universe Seven.

Five minutes after they left, Ichigo's eyes opened. Stars and planets passed by at a rapid pace. "What the- what the hell's going on?!"

Trunks turned his head back toward Ichigo. "Well, look who's up."

"Trunks? Where are we, and what happened to Nnoitra, and Grimmjow… and Karakura Town?"

"I got us a ride to my universe. We're gonna pick up our training there. I'll try to explain everything when we arrive."

"Well, can you at least put me down?"

"Sure, but make sure you don't let go of me, or else you'll be launched into deep space."

Ichigo disembarked from Trunks' shoulder and grabbed onto his arm. "What the hell happened after I got knocked out?"

"A lot. Soi Fon nearly died, Goten and Toshiro saved us, and… the city burned down. We couldn't save everyone. I'm sorry."

Ichigo clenched his fist. "Dammit. What about the Espada?"

"Apparently, they left after Grimmjow defeated you and handed you over to Goten. Goten told me he said it was all a test to see how strong we were."

"No… what the hell are we gonna do?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

The group soon arrived on Beerus' planet and touched down in front of the Saiyan trio.

Gohan was the first to greet them. "Hey, it's been a while, Trunks, and this must be your friend, Ichigo."

"Looks like you've gotten a whole lot stronger, too," Goku said. Trunks thanked him, then looked to his father.

"So, what's this all about?" Vegeta asked.

"Nice to see you too, Dad," Trunks said beneath his breath. "We fought Espada numbers Five and Six a few hours ago, and it's safe to say their strength is a lot greater than what we expected."

"I fought Grimmjow," Ichigo said. "He had a new form to his Resurreción. It's called Segunda Etapa, and I barely scratched him while he was in it." Goku's and Vegeta's eyes shot open.

"Damn," Gohan said. "I knew it was a possibility, but I was hoping it would only apply to Ulquiorra."

"You knew?" Trunks asked.

"I knew something was wrong when Dad's description of Ulquiorra's transformation didn't match the file you gave us. Now that we've confirmed another transformation, it would be our best bet to assume that all the Espada have an additional form."

"Shit. Gohan, I think we're gonna have to change our plan."

"Hm? How so?"

"I think the Soul Society needs to stay back while the five of us go to Hueco Mundo." Trunks turned to Ichigo. "Sorry, that means you're gonna have to hang back, too."

Everyone gasped at this proposition, especially Ichigo. "What the hell?! You guys are gonna fight all nine Espada plus Aizen by yourselves? That's suicide!"

Gohan voiced his doubts as well. "Trunks, I'm not fully disagreeing with you, but we need to know the logic behind something like that."

"Ichigo, what happens if we get there and Aizen's sealed the Garganta?" Trunks asked. "Now imagine what would happen if sent half of the Espada to Earth or even the Soul Society? Another Espada at Grimmjow's level or higher would slaughter a majority of our forces in minutes, and I don't think I have to explain to you why we can't leave Karakura Town defenseless. On top of that, Goten said that Aizen's waiting to get his hands on you. You're practically dead if you step into Hueco Mundo with us."

"So what are we supposed to do instead?" Ichigo asked.

"What I'm proposing is that we have a majority of Soul Reapers go to Earth indefinitely, and then have a select group sit back and wait in the Soul Society until we signal for you to come. That way, you'll be ready to help us if we need you, but you can also make a beeline to Earth if the situation gets bad over there. If the Garganta's closed, we'll open it from the other side."

Ichigo backed down, but Gohan came around to the idea. "That makes sense. They'll outnumber us before we reach Aizen, but we've been through worse."

"How many Senzu beans do we have?"

"Only seven. Hopefully, it'll be enough."

Trunks sighed, then encouraged a dejected Ichigo. "This doesn't mean you don't get to fight. It just means you'll be our ace in the hole." Ichigo lifted his head and nodded.

"Sounds good to me," Vegeta grinned. "Now I have even more fools to put down. It'll be my lucky day."

Goku shared his excitement. "Yeah, I can't wait to show off our training."

Gohan turned back to Trunks. "So, you're off to the Time Chamber now?"

"Yeah," Trunks said. "We still need to put some finishing touches on our training. We'll probably even stay on Earth for a while to train in peace."

"I understand. I'm guessing Goten didn't wanna come with you."

"He said he had something else to do. Hopefully, he's already strong enough."

"Good luck, you two. You're gonna need it."

Trunks and Ichigo thanked Gohan and said their goodbyes. Once they arrived at the Lookout Tower, Trunks thanked Whis and bid him farewell. The angel took back to the sky and departed.

Ichigo's eyes bounced in all directions. "The air is so… thin here. What is this place?"

"This is where the guardian of the Earth, Dende, stays. We call it the Lookout Tower. "

"So, are you gonna tell me what we're doing here now?"

Trunks strolled to the Lookout's edge. "Yeah, in a second." He lowered his head to the Earth and confirmed it for himself: no one lived on the planet but them. He took a deep breath and turned around. "Alright, follow me."

Trunks led Ichigo down a hallway until they stood in front of a brown door. "On the other side of this door is another dimension called the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Inside, a year passes in a day's time out here. The gravity is only ten times Earth's, but the temperature fluctuates rapidly and the low air density makes it hard to breathe. Everything gets worse the deeper we go in."

A smirk slid across Ichigo's face. "Hmph, sounds like it should be fun."

"Not in the slightest." Trunks opened the door to the dimension. They both entered, and Ichigo shut the door behind him. Trunks pointed to his left. "Over there, you've got the kitchen and bathroom." He then shifted to his right. "And over here are the beds."

Ichigo looked both ways before he set his sights forward, gasping in pure astonishment. "No fucking way!" He ran out into the chamber. Once he stepped off the platform, he peered out into a sea of nothing. "You're telling me that this is an entire dimension of white space?"

Trunks nodded. "You take a minute and check that out while I go get changed."

Trunks wandered to the beds and left Ichigo to marvel at the room. The building that he stepped out of had hourglasses with green sand racing to the bottom. An enormous clock sat in the center of the dome roof. The reflective floor grew colder by the second, while the white space seemed infinite and overwhelming. No walls existed for the sound of his voice to bounce off of. Doubts already trickled into Ichigo's mind.

Is this for real? Are we really gonna spend an entire year here?

Trunks emerged, clothed in his Saiyan battle suit. "So, what do you think?"

"This is insane," Ichigo said. "You've done this before?"

"When I was eight, Goten and I stayed here for two weeks. This isn't even the worst part. Like I said before, once we go deeper in, everything gets a lot tougher."

"I can see why you kept quiet about this place before."

Trunks drew his Zanpakuto and sat down. "Ichigo, I hate this place, and I really hoped we wouldn't have to come here. The two weeks I spent here as a kid were some of the most agonizing days of my life, but let's hope that'll be different this time around." Trunks placed Zangetsu on his lap and closed his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get my Bankai."

While Trunks entered his inner world, Ichigo contemplated if he should to wait for him. How the hell can he try to meditate when it's this cold? Fuck that, I need to stay active before I get too stiff.

Within a few seconds of meditation, he laid on the ground and stared at a familiar blue sky. His Zanpakuto spirit stood on a pole and faced away from him.

"So, you've returned," Zangetsu said.

Trunks leaped to his feet. "Zangetsu, face me!" Zangetsu turned and hopped onto the rooftop. "I need my Bankai, and I'm not leaving here until you give it to me."

"Trunks, do you not trust me?"

Veins throbbed in his neck. His hair flowed upwards, and electricity bounced around his body. "You've kept me waiting long enough. The way I'm looking at things, there are only three options now. You can give me my Bankai now so I can start my training. Or you can give me my Bankai after I beat the shit out of you. The third option is that I go back to Kisuke, get the Tenshintai, and force you to give me my Bankai. Whatever way you choose, you will give me my Bankai. So which one is it gonna be?"

"There is no difference between option two and option three-"

"Answer me!"

Zangetsu sighed. "Very well." He waved his hand, and in an instant, an extensive selection of swords appeared thrust into the ground, not only on the rooftop, but on the sides of the building as well. "Find your Bankai among these swords and defeat me with it."

Trunks transformed into Pseudo Blue and yanked the sword closest to him. "Now that's more like it." Trunks rushed Zangetsu and clashed swords with him, ready to do whatever it took to receive the power he needed.

Orihime left the shop after Trunks and Ichigo departed. Half an hour later, Soi Fon's eyes made a gradual open. She had no idea where she was, but she shifted her eyes to the person next to her. "Lady… Yoruichi?"

"Hey," Yoruichi smiled. "You're up sooner than expected. How are you feeling?"

When Soi Fon remembered where she had been before, her eyes shot open. She leaped out of her bed and darted toward the door.

"Hey!" Yoruichi called out. "Take it easy!"

Soi Fon threw the door open, but stopped. "It's night?" She turned to Yoruichi."How long was I out for?"

"A little over five hours. It probably would've been longer if Orihime hadn't healed you. You lost a lot of blood back there."

Soi Fon paused. "Where's Trunks?"

"He took Ichigo and left for his universe about half an hour ago. He said he wouldn't be back for two weeks."

She stepped back inside and closed the door. The events of the fight came back to her in pieces. She prepared to finish the Fracción off when Nnoitra caught her off guard and slashed her from behind. After that moment, nothing came to her. Though she wished to receive the full story from Trunks, it came secondary to the fury that welled inside. How could she let an enemy turn her into a liability? Had she kept on guard for a surprise assault, she would have dodged it like any other attack.

She clenched her jaw and glared at her friend. "I need to speak to Urahara."

"If it's about the chamber, Kisuke's already upping the gravity to seven hundred, per Trunks' request. He said he should have it done by 6:00."

Soi Fon's anger soothed and changed into curiosity. "He asked to increase the gravity even though he knew he was leaving?"

Yoruichi nodded, then she rose. "That's not all. He also left this."

She held up the gift-wrapped box with the note to Soi Fon, who hesitated to receive it. "This is for me?"

"Mhm. Open it up, I wanna see what it is."

Soi Fon took the box, but first opened the note and read it.

Soi Fon,

I wanted to give you this tomorrow, but I had to leave with Ichigo, so I'm sorry. I'm also sorry that tragedy will probably overshadow your birthday. Regardless, it's still your day and it should be commemorated. Hopefully, we can celebrate when this is all over, but for now, this gift is all I can give.

Stay strong and always hang on to your pride.

Happy Birthday!

Trunks Briefs

P.S: It's Citrine. I thought it would match your sash.

Soi Fon folded the note back up and tore off the wrapping paper, giving way to a plain white box. She pulled the top of the box off and revealed an amber yellow stone surrounded by a square frame implanted with diamonds. The frame connected to a ring clasp, which was suspended from a sterling silver chain. Soi Fon held the necklace out in her palm and marveled at it with wide eyes.

Yoruichi couldn't withhold her astonishment. "It's so beautiful! He must've put all his pay toward that."

Soi Fon gazed at the stone for a few extra seconds, but closed her hand. Her arm sank, along with her head,

Confused, Yoruichi tilted her head."Soi Fon? What's the matter? You don't like it?"

"Lady Yoruichi," she whispered. "I just don't understand."

"You'll need to elaborate. What's there not to understand?

"Why would he do something like this?"

"Well, why wouldn't he? You got him something for his birthday, too."

"It's not the same. I spied on him and dismissed him, yet he still tried to be kind to me. Every single day he saw me, he never relented. At his own birthday party, he left to have a conversation with me, going as far to declare us friends. He even saved my life, and he most likely saved it again today. The watch I gave him… he deserves that and more. I don't deserve this. I don't deserve anything, so why did he give me this? What could I have done to warrant this?"

Yoruichi sighed. "Often, affection isn't something that's earned. People tend to hand it to you for free. These are the things Trunks does to show that he cares about you."

Soi Fon raised her head but avoided eye contact. Blood congregated in her cheeks. "He… cares?"

Damn, we're going to be late…

Toshiro hustled down the Squad Ten barracks and stopped in front of a sliding door. "Goten, are you in there?" No answer came, so the captain tried again. "Goten, if you're in there, please come out. We can talk about this."

Again, no response came from inside of the room. Hitsugaya grasped the door and spoke one last time. "I'm coming in now!" He flung the door back, but found no one inside.

Toshiro sighed. He had to be somewhere in the Seireitei. He closed the door and flew into the sky to search for his friend.

At the bottom of a grassy hill that overlooked the rest of the Soul Society, Goten sat with one leg to his chest and the other stretched out. He rested his arm on his leg and stuffed his head between it. Sticky and soot-covered skin didn't bother him. After everything, he desired solitude from everyone and everything.

The horrors from Karakura Town wouldn't leave his head. The faces of the dead reminded him of his family and friends. Cries of the young and older survivors echoed through his ears. A city engulfed in flames would forever burn itself into his memory.

If he had only gotten there sooner, if only he asked fewer questions and acted faster, he could've prevented it all. His friends wouldn't be in danger, and he wouldn't have to experience the helplessness of being surrounded. Goten tried to hold his emotions back, but tears flowed from his face.

Why… What the fuck is wrong with me?

A voice called out from above. "Young man, are you alright down there?"

Goten jolted and wiped away his tears. The wolf-like captain stood at the top of the hill. Goten leaped to his feet. "Oh, hi Captain Komamura. I was just trying to get some fresh air."

"Would you like to come up here and chat with me for a moment?"

"Oh, sure!" Goten jogged up the hill, and upon reaching the top, saw two headstones in front of him. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know this was a-"

"It's quite alright. I wouldn't expect you to notice, given the day that you're having."

Goten's eyes sunk to the grass. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Word sure gets around here fast, huh?"

"I'm sorry that you had to witness such atrocities at a young age. You shouldn't place any blame on yourself for what happened."

"It's easier said than done. If I got there sooner, maybe I could've changed everything."

"I'm sure you did all that you could from the moment it had been brought to your attention. There are some things in this life that are out of our control."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Komamura turned to the graves. "Goten, the people buried under these headstones were just like you: individuals who sought justice by any means. One of them was the former captain of Squad Nine."

Goten's head shot up. "You mean he was Shuhei's captain?"

Komamura nodded. "Yes, and we were close friends until he sided with Aizen. It wasn't until his deathbed that he finally opened his eyes to the light, but at that point, it was already too late. He was quickly cast aside by Aizen when he proved of no value. I'm telling you this to say that there are those in this world that will try to achieve their goals by any means and will crush any life in their way to obtain their desires. Sosuke Aizen is such a person. The Thirteen Court Guard Squads have long been fighting this war to bring him to justice and make sure he atones for his crimes. I can tell that you are a young man with a strong moral compass who wants to protect everything that you can. Goten, when you fight your battles, you are not alone: the entire Soul Society is behind you."

"I appreciate it, Captain. I need all the support I can get right now." Toshiro dropped out of the sky and landed beside him.

"Are you alright?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Yeah. Captain Komamura over here picked me back up."

"It's good to see that you're well, Captain Hitsugaya," Komamura said. He turned and walked away. "It looks like you two have some things you need to discuss, so I shall see myself out."

"Thanks again, Captain," Goten called out.

"It was nothing, and if you ever need to talk again, I'll be more than happy to."

Goten turned his attention back to Hitsugaya. "Sorry that I made us late. Hopefully, the Captain Yamamoto will understand."

"That's not what I'm concerned about right now."

"Well, how about we fly and talk?"

Toshiro nodded, and the two took off towards the Squad One barracks. "Goten…"

"What's up?" Goten asked.

"You're not alone in this."

"What do you mean?"

"I know how you are. You're placing all the blame on yourself, just like I am. I know you want to save everyone and put the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you don't have to. We can shoulder it together. Whatever battles you face, I'll be there to back you up."

When Goten heard it from Captain Komamura, the kind gesture didn't ease his mind. However, his friend's support brightened his spirits.

"Thanks," he said with a half-smile. "I appreciate that. We gotta put our all into this training. If we can face him for the next two weeks, then we'll be ready for Aizen."

After Hitsugaya agreed, they descended onto the Squad One barracks. landing at a building known as the Central Great Underground Prison, next to the Head Captain's office. Upon seeing the two of them approach, the guard called for the gate to be opened. Once it parted, the Soul Reaper instructed them to travel down eight flights of stairs to reach the room known as Muken.

Toshiro and Goten wandered down the dark staircase before they came to a door. Toshiro opened it, and duo walked into a dark void that seemed infinite.

In that darkness, Yamamoto stood a great distance away. His voice echoed when he called out to them. "Now that you are here, are you ready to begin your training?"

"Yea!" Goten yelled out. "Give us everything you've got!"

"I expect the same in return." The Head Captain threw off his robe; the weight of his spiritual pressure crashed down onto Goten and Toshiro. Flames disintegrated his brown staff and revealed a Zanpakuto. He unsheathed the sword; his chilling chant raised the hair on Goten's arms.

"All Things In the Universe, Turn to Ashes, Ryujin Jakka!"

From his sword and Yamamoto's body, fire shot out from all directions and illuminated the darkness. The intensity and heat of his Shikai release caught Goten and Toshiro off guard, but the duo stood their ground. However, the sight of flames prompted Goten to scream and powered up to his maximum. With aggression, he pulled his blade from his hip and drew heavy breaths.

"Hey!" Toshiro yelled from beside him. Goten snapped his eyes. "Don't forget, I've got your back."

Goten slowed his breathing, then smiled. "So, you ready?"

Toshiro nodded. They both lifted their swords into the sky.

"Reign Over the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!"

Both Zanpakutos extended and grew a chain with a crescent-shaped blade attached to bottom of the hilt. A large ice dragon with red eyes circled each of them.

The fires of Ryujin Jakka magnified once the Head Captain brought his sword forward. "Come!"

"Guess that's our queue," Goten said. "Fire versus ice. Let's see who comes out on top."

"Let's not get too hasty," Hitsugaya said. "We'll die if we don't proceed with caution."

"Sometimes you just gotta go for it and take some chances. At least that's what my dad says. Besides, I have some techniques I wanna try out on him."

"Well then, lead the way."

"With pleasure." Toshiro followed close behind Goten's charge. Determined to use their remaining time to the fullest, they began their two-week training with the Soul Society's most fearsome warrior.

A/N: One thing to clarify: all the new Espada form designs are ripped from the Bleach: Brave Souls CFYOW designs.