>>Szayel Vs. Renji>> "See, it's all because you weren't listening." Szayel spoke disapprovingly, nodding his head, "You can't use Bankai in this room." "I...can't use...Bankai?" Renji asked recollecting himself. "Yes, for a fool you're rather smart." He spoke smugly, "I have recorded your Bankai in "perfect condition", Thus I have made this palace so that you could not use bankai." "But, how?--Only someone who's been in direct contact with it could do that..." "My brother. Haven't I told you my name? Ah, well I guess you forgot." He shrugged, "I guess I could tell you again. Szayel Aporro Grantz.--and Illforte Grantz is my elder brother." The memory hit Renji hard, the shock visible in his face. "Ah, so you remembered? I should be thankful you remember the trash." "Then i'm guessing you're not out for revenge." "No, why would I target you for such petty reasons?--Your bankai information was obtained from the spirit parasites I infested my older brother with, to me, he was simply a box which carried my tools.--It's quite childish to be angry over a broken tool box." "Trash...that's what you are." Renji hissed back under his breath. "Anyhow, there's no way you can run from me, much less win. So try not to resist too much." He was sliding his sword out of it's sheathe, "This is the first time i've seen a living specimen use bankai, so try not to get too damaged." >>Aaronierio Vs. Rukia>> Aaronierio was launched back by Rukia's shikai, over a platform, yelling, "What's the matter, Kuchiki?! Is that all you got?!" Rukia stared at his as he fell, standing on a pillar of ice, "First Dance, Tsukishiro. Second Dance, Hakuren." "I know very well how those techniques work! I saw you use them in front of my very eyes!--Did you honestly think they would work against me, Kuchiki?! Or is that the full extent of your powers? Couldn't be helped, I guess..." He held out his zanpakuto, "Suitensakamake [Reverse Swirl], Nejibana." A trident appeared in place of his zanpakuto, coming from a swirl of water. "It's over, Kuchiki." >>Karakura Town>> "Sometimes, I wish things were back to the way they used to be..." I spoke, walking down the street in shinigami form, "Ichigo, Chad, Uryu, and Orihime would still be safe, if they never got involved...I shouldn't dwell on the past anymore..." I reached a chain-linked fence, surrounding a brick building. I flash-stepped up the side of the wall, vertically, until I reached the 3rd floor window. I grabbed the ledge, peering in to the classroom, looking at 5 empty desks and the classmates I hadn't seen for almost a month now. I grabbed the window, trying to slide it open as discreetly as I could. Trying. Ryou [Tall, long black hair, always reading a book?] and Michiru [the small girl, always hiding behind Ryou?] had noticed the glass slide upwards, and since they couldn't see me, they should've been mortified. Not Ryou, she kept a straight face on, returning her attention to Oochi-sensei's lesson. Michiru, on the other hand, started whispering to Tatski, "T-Tatsuki, i-is it j-just me or is the w-window opening itself??" She asked, shaking and pointing at the window, where I sat nonchalantly. Tatski turned to face me and her eyes widened before she turned back to Michiru, explaining, "I'm sure someone just opened it while you weren't looking." She shrugged, watching me from the corner of her eye. I sat there for a few more minutes, until the lunch bell had rung. Tatsuki fully turned her head to me and waited for some signal, Mizuiro and Keigo took notice to her immediate action and watched me too. I pointed upwards, and the three of them had simultaneously nodded, before taking to the ceiling. >>FF>> I stood there, waiting and watching the whole of Karakura, before I had heard the clicking of the door knob. "Yasu? When did you get back?" Keigo asked, being serious for once in his life. "I'm not back. I just wanted to make sure you were all okay." I said, not taking my eyes off of the sun. "Have you found Orihime?" Tatski jumped upon the subject the minute she had the chance. "We know where she is, and we're trying to get her back. As we speak, Ichigo, Chad, Uryu, and Rukia are risking their lives to save her." "Why aren't you with them?" Mizuiro asked. "I'm leaving, today.--They're in trouble, and they need our help now." I folded my arms over my chest, waiting for another question. It was silent, so I assumed they were finished, "Well, I'm gonna leave now." I grabbed the fence, climbing over and staring at the three of them. We looked back at each other, "Good luck, Yasu." I nodded back at them and jumped downwards to the street. I waved back up at them, whether they saw it or not, I wasn't sure... >>Rukia Vs. Aaronierio 2>> "Here I come." Kaien took Nejibana, summoning a swirl of water around it, "Get ready, Kuchiki." He thrust the trident towards her and Rukia blocked with her zanpakuto. He pushed it into the floor, making the ground shatter, Rukia was sent flying upon a rock and Kaien swung Nejibana down, Rukia raised her sword to her face, blocking again. A whirlpool of water was swirling above them and crashed down upon Rukia. She jumped back, considering her opponents strengths and weaknesses, 'These techniques are surely Kaien-dono's, but no matter how much my heart tries to deny it, my body and reality...tell me this is Kaien-dono." Flashbacks of the former Kaien had flooded Rukia's mind, and all the while Aaronierio had swung his trident, knocking Sode No Shirayuki out of Rukia's grasp. "Game over." Rukia stuck her palm out, yelling, "Hadou 33!! Sokatsui!" The attack had missed it's target, crushing the pillars behind him, "Skipping incantation, huh? I'm impressed, but did you really think--" The sun was shining through the broken pillars, and Kaien leaped backwards, ultimately puzzling Rukia, 'He had the chance to kill me, right there, but since he isn't Kaien-dono, I have no right to believe him, which means...' "Bakudo 4 Hainawa!" A spirit energy had wrapped around Kaien's hands, "What's wrong with you?! These petty moves won't stop the inevitable!--" He turned to Rukia, hearing incantations belonging to another kido, "Bakudo 61, Rikujyoukourou!" The Espada was imprisoned in a flower shaped lock, "Hadou 63! Sourensoukatsui! Rukia had blown a hole through the wall of the palace and Kain's face...seemed to melt, revealing his true identity: two heads had floated in a jar, the number 9 imprinted on both heads. "What the hell are you?!" "Ah, so it melted away...We are Arronierion Arrueri!" It spoke in a double toned voice, one like that of a child and the other of an adult. "What the hell...?" "Don't make me keep saying it...if it's about my face, then nevermind, I don't wanna hear it. What an idiot, though. If you hit me with that attack, you would've definitely hurt me." "This was my number one priority, to prove to myself that you aren't Kaien-dono." Rukia had re-obtained her zanpakuto, now pointing it at Aaronierio. "Did I hear you right? Are you saying that if you had no doubts you could've easily beat me?" He reappeared behind Rukia, "Don't underestimate me.--I can't use my powers in light, but as long as I have shadow, I can use my ability again and again." Kaien's face started reforming on the jar, "And you think my power is to transform, right?" "Are you saying i'm wrong?" "Yes, You should know...that I am the only Gillian class Espada, and yet I was given the number 9. Know why?--It's because out of all the arrancar, i'm the only one who can evolve without end!!!--I eat hollows and devour their powers!!" He took off the sleeve concealing one of his hands, revealing a parasite, long jagged teeth surrounding the opening, "My ability is hollow eater, to devour hollows and their abilities." "That means..." "That's right, that feeling you got, wasn't just your imagination! I am the soul body of Kaien Shiba!!" Rukia's eyes widened in fear, "It's over, but at least let me show you an Espada's true release--Devour, Hollow Eater." Smoke surrounded the area and out emerged an octopus-like hollow, hideous in appearance, "That's a good expression of fear! This is the true form of all the hollows i've devoured at once!" Kaien was atop the monster, "I've eaten 33, 650 hollows!" "I'm sorry, Kaien-dono, but I have no strength to raise my blade against you again, Goodbye." Rukia leapt up, raising her sword in defense, the trident had plunged through the sword, breaking it and thrusting through Rukia's stomach. Rukia was impaled upon Nejibana, lying limply, while Arronierio's cackle echoed in the air. A flashback of Kaien, the one that she had known, passed through her head. ... A hand reached out, smacking Rukia on the head, "Kuchiki!" "Ow! What was that for?!" She yelled, rubbing her head. "I could've yelled and you still wouldn't have woken up.--We're almost there." I remember. Each tree, the entire scenery. This is Mt. Koifushi, the place where Kaien-dono first trained me. Death is not goodbye, it seems my thoughts are far away now...
"C'mon! It's not over, Kuchiki!" Kaien and Rukia sparred and a bird had distracted Rukia's attention. Kaien had knocked Rukia's zanpakuto out of place and Rukia had moved away.
*Grumble*
A roar arose from Rukia's stomach.
"Oh, I get it, your hungry! Don't have to be so obvious about it...!"
"N-no! Kaien-dono!"
Back then, there was only one thing that worried me. Do I really belong in the Gotei 13? Why am I here?
"That's so simple! To fight and protect!"
"Protect what?"
"Y'know...everything!"
"Do you have a better answer?"
"Better answer?" Kaien tapped his chin, "Do you know what Ukiake-taichou's policy on fighting is?--It's to protect life or protect pride. But, I think those two, just end up fighting for the same thing in the end."
"What is it?"
"Heart."
"What? That's so corny!"
"Hey, i'm being serious!--Then, let me ask you a question: Where do you think the heart lies?"
Rukia thought for a minute, before placing her hand over her chest.
"It lies here." Kaien raised his fist, "Every time you act and think, the heart is born. If your heart thinks you belong here, then you do."
Those were Kaien-dono's exact words.
"One more thing, Kuchiki, remember, you should never die alone.--our bodies disintegrate, but where do our hearts go? With others, our comrades."
Thank you, Kuchiki. Thanks to you, I can leave my heart here.
...
Rukia was revived, and she grabbed the trident, surprising Arronierio, "Even if you're still alive, you have nothing to strike me with."
"I remember."
"I'm telling you to stand down."
"The third dance." She pointed her broken zanpakuto at his head, "Shirafune." A blade constructed of ice, had pierced through his head, "You do not have Kaien-dono...because...he passed his heart...onto me!"
The ice spread, completely destroying his body and setting Rukia free from her impalement, "It hurts! It hurts! Aizen-sama, you said if I followed you, that you would release me from all my pain! I don't want to die! Nononono!" The heads were spilled upon the floor, screaming out in agony and Rukia had fallen, promising herself that she would not die, alone. She recollected her thoughts, thinking of us, her nakama. "I know what loneliness is. I'm coming for you now, Inoue..." With the strength she had left and Sode No Shirayuki in hand, she went...
>>Urahara Shoten>>
I jumped down the opening, landing hard and crushing the floor, "Hoho~Back so soon, Yasu-chan?"
"Yeah, well, there wasn't much to say..." I said, looking away, "Where is everyone?"
"I'm not sure!" Urahara answered cheerfully, "But, I do know this, it seems that you've gotten stronger." He pointed at me mockingly.
"Well, what did you expect? I fought against the "cero" Espada and ultimately, won. [That's right, Kagami was the "zero" Espada] Aside from that, KageRyuu pulled out a new ability--Here, check it." I swung the blade out of its sheathe and called, "KageRyuu, Summon." The blade turned black, the particles leaking off of it.
"Oh~." Urahara stared in wonderment.
"So what is it?"
"It looks like excess spirit pressure, coming from your blade. It almost like a weak version of Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou." Urahara stuck out his palm, catching the mist in his hand. Only seconds later, small drops of blood had formed.
"Yeah, I figured...--"
"Urahara! The garganta is ready!!" Tessai yelled, standing by the stone structure.
"Ready?" Urahara turned to me.
"I've been ready." I walked to la garganta, dragging KageRyuu behind me.
To be continued...
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By pandabaka at DeviantArt [I love this picture!!]
