Chapter 19

It was a little hard to believe at first, but eventually something clicked inside Shirou's head.

The oddities.

And an understanding of the true ability of Kyoka Suigetsu. It can alter an opponent's mind somehow through an illusion? Judging from what he had seen prior, there was a likelihood to this deduction, but he couldn't be sure as Kyoka herself had yet to reveal anything besides the components of her make. Her ability as a Zanpakuto was still obscured, and yet looking at how Aizen utilized it, a question came to mind.

Why then had Aizen not used it on him?

There were many questions running through his head, but not one of them left his mouth. Instead, he spoke out Aizen's name.

"Aizen," Shirou greeted with a tilt of his head.

Rather than answering immediately, Aizen minutely creased his brows, his once approachable demeanor shifting into a frigid cold as the expression on his face became neutral.

Throughout the entire confrontation between Shirou and the Captains, Aizen had been watching silently. Shrewdly he had drawn closer and closer, his fascination and curiosity growing from within him. Yet along with it, grew an increasing weariness that he could only scoff at.

Aizen cleared his throat, having come to a startling conclusion that bordered way past the notions of unimaginable, and could potentially explain the lack of effect from his blade.

Aizen drew Kyoka Suigetsu from its sheath, brandishing it in front of him in full display to Shirou. "Kyoka Suigetsu, it's a fine blade with quite a remarkable ability, but I suppose you already know that, don't you?"

It was an intuitive method of verifying Aizen's assumptions and conjectures based on the reaction of the other party. In which case, it was the lack of that solidified any thoughts Aizen had on what he had seen.

A Zanpakuto.

Rumours originating from Hueco Mundo told of a vast area covered in blades, and looked down upon by a hollow atop a lonely hill. Eyes that could see for an eternity, and power to rival or surpass that of even the strongest of hollows, the rumours were not baseless.

A grand display it was; observing from a distance as group after group of attacking hollows were shot down from seemingly out of nowhere.

It was a place and spectacle Aizen had seen himself.

And it was glorious.

The tension he had felt was like none other as the heat of the explosions had once pressed against his face, causing perspiration. In its wake was the remnants of a twisted sword, steaming with wisps of lingering spiritual energy.

Then and now, everything was coming together back to a single origin.

A Zanpakuto

All the swords Aizen had ever seen in that land full of steel, were they all Zanpakuto?

A burst of bemusement began to well from within Aizen, a rare expression of intrigue forming over his face. It had been a long time since anything had been able to garner his attention, and this ability Shirou seemed to possess very nearly urged him to act without care for consequence in the pursuit of curiosity. After all, his very objective might have preliminarily already been achieved in Shirou.

To break the boundary which separated a Hollow from a Shinigami.

The fact that Shirou was able to use a Zanpakuto, no; more than that, create them through his own power signified that the King of Hollows may already be at such a stage, knocking on the boundary itself. Yet that final push was still missing, and for that, Aizen would need the Hogyoku.

An item that can break the boundary separating Hollows and Shinigami itself. And that was Aizen's current sole objective in the Seireitei.

Gingerly, Aizen lowered Kyoka Suigetsu to his side as he stared at Shirou. The power Shirou had exhibited had more or less been deduced by him, but only a single question remained.

Prerequisites.

What allowed Shirou to utilize this ability?

The answer became fairly clear after thinking back to how Shirou had simply stared at Captain Zaraki's Zanpakuto. In that case…

Aizen's eyes glanced momentarily at his own sword, his partner before staring back at Shirou. This could be far more troublesome than he had first thought. Like an ignorant fool, Aizen had brandished his blade on his first meeting with Shirou. Perhaps at that time, a copy of Kyoka Suigetsu had already been created by Shirou, preventing Shirou from falling under Kyoka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis?

A conjecture worth noting, but all the same, Aizen would not regret what has already past. Simply adjusting was what a man like himself would do. In which case, he had high hopes for Shirou, especially after assuming just what kind of ability Shirou had and the benefits it could potentially bring.

At any rate, it was time to set everything in motion, no matter how many variables and changes sprung up in the plan like weeds.

"If you did not come to fight, then why are you here?" Shirou asked, growing impatient as the battles around him were intensifying due to the reinforcements sent by the Seireitei.

Aizen took note of this, and decided that it would be best to pursue prompt responses.

"It's all a matter of interest for now," Aizen sheathed his sword before adjusting his glasses. He then clasped his hands behind his back and smiled. "Speaking of interests, look there."

Aizen was motioning towards a building located in the distance.

The architecture was much the same as the numerous other facilities located within the Seireitei's walls, yet this building was far wider and more accommodating by comparision. The structure of most of the building consisted of plain white walls with brown tinted tiles as the roofing. Further behind the building, was a dome shaped arrangement of smooth and pale stone.

"That is the twelfth Division's Barracks. Also known as the Research and Development center. Your friend is held in there," Aizen admitted.

There was something peculiar about Aizen's expression at that moment, and it was enough to give Shirou pause.

"And why would you help me?" Shirou finally began to raise his guard. Something just wasn't quite right with Aizen, but at least the man had not done anything outside his bottom line.

In fact, everything Aizen had advised before were true, or held significance. The time Aizen had warned him of Kisuke Urahara, and the time Aizen put in the effort to aid him when Silent was in the Human world, both of them showed that he was at least willing to work with him.

A light entered Aizen's eyes hidden beneath the glare of his glasses. After all, what Shirou didn't know was that Aizen himself was indirectly an instigator of the events in the Human World. Although Kisuke's actions and lack of information couldn't have had helped Aizen more.

Aizen unclasped his hands from behind his back. "We all have interests, and that includes me," Aizen began, clear, crisp, and confident. "Only when two people have differing objectives can partnerships be truly struck. To that regard, I hope that you would remember a little favour on my behalf in the future? In exchange, I am willing to help shoulder your weight by protecting as many of your comrades as I can. Seeing the effects of my Zanpakuto, it could prove quite useful."

Shirou stared hard at Aizen, watching the man for any signs of deception before turning his gaze in the direction of the building Aizen had specified. He and the rest were in enemy territory, and the intel Aizen had just provided may prove pivotal to decreasing the amount of time spent within the Seireitei under danger.

Aizen had his thanks.

But Aizen had also garnered his suspicions, having an idea of Kyoka's abilities and remembering how Nel and the rest had reacted on his first encounter with Aizen. How he should have reacted, but did not.

"It's a simple water type Zanpakuto, however with my spiritual pressure, it becomes a dangerous weapon."

Had he actually been threatened from the very beginning?

He had no proof, but he did have Aizen's actions in aiding him. Proving that at least the man may not be as harmful as he imagined.

Yet could it all have been a lie?

His expression grew grim. It was a possibility that somewhere within the recesses of his mind, he knew he had experienced before.

Translucent Gears once again began turning.

A mind left undisturbed beginning to awaken.

He didn't want to think of the possibility for now.

In the end, it was Kyoka who earnestly made the decision for him.

"Sitting upon a serene lake, the moon drifting behind the clouds surrounded by a blanket of stars… He, the flower floating in the center of it all, is alone, basking in the radiance of that which is tranquil beyond compare. A mirror of oneself; an image revealed in the water. The moon flower awaits. Two faces, neither knowing much of the other, a reflection that can never be understood so easily."

Kyoka paused. Perhaps of anyone present, only she could claim to know Aizen the best as his Zanpakuto. "Although he may come off as a little off putting, the man I know who called upon me for the first time, was a man worth trusting. Aizen, he isn't bad."

Hearing the sincerity in Kyoka's voice, Shirou couldn't help but question himself. In any case, he nodded his head as an answer to Aizen's. "As long as you don't take things too far," he said.

With that, Shirou made off for the building Aizen had specified, leaving behind a mystified Aizen.

After all, Aizen had seen the growing suspicion in Shirou's eyes, and was prepared to persuade the Vasto Lorde to his cause. Yet it had somehow all just worked out.

Somewhat bewildered, but not muddle headed, Aizen began to fill out his end of the bargain, his attention turning towards Harribel, Apacci, Mila-Rose, and Sung-Sun before moving on to the rest of the hollows in the Seireitei. It would be too much of an effort to protect them all, so he would act only should the situation call for it.

With that in mind, Aizen took one last moment to consider what made Shirou concede to his request so easily before leaving, unable to come up with an answer.

Strapped beside Aizen's waist, Kyoka Suigetsu remained motionless within its scabbard, tranquil as a mirror.

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Somewhere within a forested region of spirit trees outside the Seireitei's walls, a hole tore within space itself, revealing a darkness one could barely see through even with the brightest of lights.

And from within it,

Was a black cat, followed by the sound of screams drawing closer and echoing endlessly in the void.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," the cat spoke licking its paw.

This cat was Yoruichi, the black cat Kisuke Urahara normally kept by his side. Its body was slender, its paws maintained, and its claws retracted to avoid damaging them, and currently, it watched silently as a group of people fell in a pile in front of it.

"Karin, are you alright?" Ichigo asked first, he was sitting near the top of the pile and above him held in his arms was Karin.

"Y-Yeah," Karin said before snorting and shoving Ichigo away from her. Ever since Ichigo had tried to push her away from all the danger, she had grown increasingly irritated at him. It only grew worse when she had realized that Ichigo had moved to protect her again while they were running away from the Kototsu, a sweeper of sorts that prevented individuals from remaining within the Dangai, the passage to the human world.

"Karin…" Ichigo trailed off, his lip twitching as Karin forced herself out of his hold, leaving him completely speechless with her behaviour.

After healing up, Ichigo had to admit that Kisuke was quite 'innovative' in his methods of bringing back Ichigo's Shinigami powers, but he was still furious with the man. Not only for what Kisuke had put him through, but for what he had done to allow Karin to come along, putting her in danger. Karin had yet to show anything close to an ability that would let her survive an encounter with an enemy aside from her control of spiritual energy which even surprised Ishida, but that was irrelevant. What mattered was that she had come along because of Kisuke's insistence, saying that she'd be better off sticking close to a strong source of uncontrolled and free spiritual energy to better develop before actual learning of a skill.

It was complete bullshit, just where could Kisuke find such a source?

Did Kisuke think he was a fool? Kisuke was obviously siding with Yoruichi who decided it would be best to begin training Karin.

The injuries he had sustained prior still stung, but he continued to disregard them as he gave Yoruichi the stink eye.

"Can you move already, Kurosaki," Ishida hissed with a flustered tone from beneath Ichigo and Chad. This was simply because of the positioning. As they had all fallen into a pile, Ishida was currently pressed right up against Orihime who was struggling to get out herself.

For those who had followed Ichigo despite knowing the danger, Ichigo was truly grateful. Aside from his views regarding Karin's participation, he was accepting of everyone else as they at least had skills to defend themselves with.

Chad was one of Ichigo's closest friend, the two sticking to each other's backs despite any situation. They had gone through a multitude of street fights as a result.

Chad was a tall man of Hispanic looking decent that normally wore a collared pink shirt and a pair of dark coloured jeans leading to a pair of worn sneakers. He had long curly brown bangs that shadowed his left eye.

Other than Chad, there was Ishida and Orihime Inoue.

The both of them had come to Ichigo's aid after knowing of the circumstance.

Orihime was a slim woman with a large bust line and small stature. Her orange hair was styled in a way that it fell just behind her ears, clipped up by a blue hair clip designed like flower petals. Her face was rounded, her cheek bones just barely visible from the complexion of her face.

Currently, she was at the bottom of the body pile with her legs pinned making it difficult for her to crawl out. Embarrassed as she was, she had become even more so after visualizing what would happen should Ichigo see her in such a state.

Immediately, she had somehow crawled out from beneath Ishida and stood with a relieved sigh beside Karin and Yoruichi.

Startled upon hearing Ishida's yell, Ichigo finally moved himself off of the pile and allowed both Chad and Ishida back up on their feet.

Ishida scowled while straightening his crumpled attire. A white battle suit he said was a Quincy's battle standard. It had long flowing cloth on the front and back ends, and a had a blue pattern design running up across the cuffs of his sleeve and chest.

Noticing that his current attire had been torn in various places, Ishida grumbled as he pulled out another one under the gazes of everyone present.

Karin like Ichigo had a brow twitch, but neither said anything after catching each other in the act. Scowling before both turning away from each other.

"That's enough from you two," Yoruichi spoke, gathering everyone's attention as she walked atop a tree stump. "Based on the geography, something must have had interfered with the co-ordinates Kisuke should have programmed into the gate between worlds. We all should have appeared near an area of the Soul Society known as the Rukongai, yet were far from it."

Looking up into the sky, Yoruichi frowned as she detected disturbances in the air. However, instead of contemplating on the matter, she decided to focus on the matter at hand.

"Ichigo," she spoke first, making sure that she had Ichigo's full attention by throwing a rock on his head.

"Calm down for now you idiot," was what she said, noticing the scowl on Ichigo's face. "What we're facing here is unlike anything you have ever faced. Those hollows you've fought with in the human world, I'm afraid they would be worth even less than a candle to the monsters lurking about within the Soul Society. Any one of them could take you all out just by exerting a little spiritual pressure. Like a child blowing out a flame. You all are ants in comparison. Even more so given the state the Soul Society appears to be in," Yoruichi said.

Ichigo grunted. "They're not that difficult to deal with. It was just those Captains you mentioned."

Thinking about Mayuri, Ichigo's knuckles whitened from how tightly he was gripping his fists. Karin was much the same, her personality near identical to Ichigo's. Neither of the two could forget what happened that night, and the anger and helplessness only grew the more they dwelled on it. This was especially the case for Ichigo as it was this memory alone that accelerated his training to better himself as quickly as possible.

Thud.

Another rock hit Ichigo square on the forehead, a quiet exclamation coming from his lips that was echoed by Karin at a location near him.

"Focus you fools. This isn't the time to get in over your heads. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to drag in those around you into unexpected trouble," Yoruichi spoke, her words causing an effect on the siblings, mainly Ichigo who looked around at his friends.

Chad, Orihime, and Ishida didn't have to say anything, but it was clear from their expressions that they wouldn't hesitate to follow him aside from some grumbling on Ishida's part. In any case, Yoruichi was right that he didn't wish to endanger them.

This line of thinking was mirrored by Karin who looked guiltily at Chad whom she had fought alongside with before. Thinking about it, it was also the time she had seen her mother again for the first time in years. And it had shocked her enough to cause her to forget to help treat Chad's injuries in an attempt to catch up to the fading back of the mother she loved.

Karin never did catch up to her, and once again, it was that very mother who shielded her and Ichigo from harm.

Her body trembled for a moment, but like Ichigo, her gaze turned towards Yoruichi's without wavering in the slightest.

Yoruichi nodded her head.

"Good eyes," Yoruichi spoke, sitting up on her hind legs and using her tail to help keep balance. "Now if there's one thing you all should remember, it's to avoid battle as much as possible. None of you are at the level required currently to combat anyone of seated Lieutenant or higher aside from Ichigo and Ishida. And even then, the odds might not be in their favour. Luckily, I excel in this kind of operation. Stealth is a must, and you would all do well to remember what I have taught you in the time Kisuke was nursing your injuries. It could very well be the difference between living and dying."

Ichigo and the rest nodded.

"Then what are we supposed to do now?" Karin asked. "If we can't move around as we want, then how are we going to save everyone?"

"Uhm, I think Karin has a point," Orihime spoke timidly, huddling in on herself as everyone's attention fell on her.

Noticing Orihime's discomfort, Ichigo coughed into his hand and brought the attention away, allowing Orihime to deflate in relief. She then gave Ichigo a thankful smile.

"Then do you wish to die?" Yoruichi's question cut straight through Karin's protest, but Yoruichi didn't seem to put in much consideration at the moment. "We have two objectives. One is to locate and secure Rukia Kuchiki, and the other is to secure Masaki Kurosaki away from the Twelfth Division's Barracks, where she is most likely to be contained. It is likely that the two are separated as I doubt the Head Commander would detain Rukia in the Twelfth Division. Thus, if we are to decide on priorities, I'm afraid that that aspect falls upon you all, and I will help to the best of my abilities."

Guilt began to well up from within Yoruichi as she knew better than anyone that her current priority lay in the acquisition of Rukia Kuchiki for the item stored within her. Masaki was her friend, but the consequences of the Hogyoku falling into Aizen's hands was just too dire.

With that in mind, Yoruichi continued speaking as she moved away from the stump she was talking from and moved atop a tree to settle on a tree branch.

"Remembering these objectives, we will begin heading West in-"

The words died in Yoruichi's mouth as her gaze fell upon a structure in the distance now visible due to her change in position.

The walls of the Seireitei stood erected, flashes of light originating from within and accompanied by bursts of spiritual energy.

The hollows had moved faster than what she and Kisuke had predicted.

Her ears twitched at that moment, her slit like iris's dilating from the scene she saw not too far away from her. Sparks flashed, a familiar figure she was well acquainted with sailing through the air and snapping the trees the figure impacted with in half before disappearing.

The expression on Yoruichi's face grew grim, and for a long moment, she just sat there idle. It was long enough to cause some unrest within Ichigo and the others, Karin even uncrossing her arms and voicing some concern.

Eventually, Yoruichi finally reacted, turning her attention back onto the Ichigo and the group.

"You all go on ahead towards that direction past these woods until you see a peculiar house. Trust me, you'll know when you see it. With how the Seireitei is now, it's already impossible for us to sneak in as originally intended as the Seireitei's walls have already come down. Because of this, you'll all need some assistance if you want to get past the barrier," Yoruichi clicked her tongue at that point.

A glaring question in her mind.

How had the hollows breached the barrier generated by the properties of Sekkiseki rock?

It was a question with no answer. Yet regardless, she had no luxury of contemplating.

"Hurry, and go now, just mention my name to a woman named Kukaku," Yoruichi said before pushing herself onto her paws and jumping onto Ichigo's shoulder. She then whispered something quickly before running away into the trees and rapidly fading away from sight.

Left behind, Ichigo and the others stood dumbly for a moment, before Ichigo just shook his head and began moving in the direction Yoruichi specified. The others soon followed behind him.

Walking, Ichigo carried the weight of his sword on one shoulder and walked silently while picking up his pace. The sword on his shoulder was no longer that broken sword left with only a hilt, but a massive cleaver like weapon that resembled a butcher's knife wrapped in long white cloth. The method of training Kisuke had admistered onto him to get him to such a point so fast were effective, yet because of the time constraint, he was far from fully healed.

This was why the pain from his injuries from the night Masaki was taken away still lingered despite the tablets of medicational pills Kisuke had given him to swallow every hour. He had been reckless and had eaten them all at once, leading to his current half-healed state. Yet that didn't matter at the moment. So long as he could get back up on his feet and rescue those he held dear, then he didn't care what price he would have to pay.

His only regret, was not being able to persuade Karin away from all the danger.

Her training was far less vigorous than his, but he was sure that he had seen Kisuke slip a couple soul tablets into her hands. It was the kind similar to what Rukia would swallow as she exited her gigai.

His mouth naturally began forming into a thin line as he began to brood, yet brooding would not change what had already happened.

Before long, the group reached the house Yoruichi had mentioned. Peculiar was an understatement. The very pillars used to hold up the banner displaying 'Kukaku Shiba' were styled into large arms and hands. The building itself was fairly normal aside from the large and narrow circular spire located near the back.

What was even more peculiar was the way the two guards at the front entrance seemed to pause upon seeing Ichigo's face, and then startle after seeing Karin's.

In any case, Ichigo paid this no mind and brazenly spoke what Yoruichi had told to them.

"Is Kukaku here? We were sent here by Yoruichi. She said you could help us."

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The sound of splintering wood resounded in the forest, lacerations present on the trees and torn branches found within the bramble.

A woman looked up at the sky from the debris she found herself in. She was bruised, and tired, one or two cuts on her body sending out a dull pain that let her know that she was still alive.

Good.

Soifon spat blood out of her mouth before bringing up a hand to wipe off the remnants clinging to her lip. Parts of her clothes were in tatters, the Haori of the leader of Squad Two having long since been discarded in favour of the form fitting black attire she wore.

In front of her stood the Vasto Lorde.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck.

She was proving more of a handful than what Soifon had anticipated.

Over Nel's body were numerous butterfly like marks that spanned across a narrow region on her body. The calling card of Soifon's Zanpakuto.

Suzumebachi.

The Death in Two steps.

Once Suzumebachi stabs a target with the stinger like blade connected to Soifon's finger, a butterfly like stamp would appear spreading from the center of the wound known as a hornet's crest. If struck by a second attack at the same location, the victim would inevitably die no matter how powerful they were.

Two strikes till death.

It was a very lethal ability for a Zanpakuto's Shikai state. Yet,

"Are you done, Shinigami?" Nel questioned, leaning her war lance against one of her shoulders.

It was just landing that second blow that was taking its toll on Soifon.

"Shut up," Soifon spoke, getting back up onto her feet. The sound of a chain's rattling resounded with her movements, the metal connector holding together Suzumebachi's stinger and vambrace tinkling.

Nel's expression grew cold. She had been fighting with Soifon for the past hour and by now she had some sort of idea of Soifon's intentions regarding the butterfly like marks that had sprung up on her body. Soifon wished to strike upon those marks a second time.

Nel didn't know the relevance of Suzumebachi's Two Strikes till death, but she was experienced enough to know to prevent her enemy from getting their way. It was a difference of lifestyle after all.

The life of a hollow when compared to a Shinigami was far more treacherous. It was only now that Nel had lived alongside Shirou's lands that she understood that an exception to that rule had been created. A benevolent ruler.

A Benevolent Hollow.

And she'd be damned if she were to let him die.

What he was doing here in the Soul Society.

His cause.

It resonated with her in a way that she had never felt before in Hueco Mundo. The notion of All for One. Knowing that if she were put in danger, Shirou would lead everyone for her sake.

That kind of ruler was one she was willing to follow.

And it was this kind of thinking that lead many of the hollows that lived alongside Shirou to follow under him. Not only because Shirou had aided in their evolution without the need to consume other souls and thus create an imbalance in identity, but because he was unique. The only King of his kind.

"Then don't think I will show mercy any longer," Nel said, once again positioning her lance in front of her.

Soifon clicked her tongue before fading in a burst of Flash Step.

Nel tucked her arms in, increasing her guard as her eyes shifted from left to right, taking in the minute movements in the wind and the displacement of dirt on the ground.

Admittedly, Soifon was faster than Nel.

Nel took a breath, and in that moment, she acted.

Wind whipping across her face, the sudden change in Nel's posture allowed her to dodge Soifon's incoming strike.

Fingers twirling the lance in her hand, Nel struck down, attempting to bat Soifon away.

Like an agile viper, Soifon quickly maneuvered away from the area Nel had just attacked.

Sparks flew as Suzumebachi grated against Nel's lance.

Even if Soifon had the advantage in speed, Nel was accommodating her lack of there of by shortening her movements and reducing the length of her attacks to increase the speed.

Pulling her arm in closer, Nel punched out with a fist at where she predicted Soifon to be, her efforts rewarded with sickening crunch. Unexpectedly though, a butterfly mark bloomed on her arm.

Nel's expression shifted into annoyance.

It wasn't as if any of her injuries hurt, but the more times Soifon landed a blow on her, the more targets Soifon had to aim at, making it more difficult to block everything.

Nel needed a way to prevent herself from getting injured any longer, her spiritual energy burst out from her in waves. That, or end things in an instant.

Soifon paused in her attacks, drifting along the ground as her speed decreased to a zero. A large bruise was forming on her arm, a fracture most probably from when she hastily blocked Nel's attack. At least it was bad as the previous strike that had caught her off guard and sent her flying across the forest. She could still feel the sting of splinters and bruises on her back.

Silently watching the spiritual energy coalesce around Nel, the apprehension Soifon already felt only increased. Still, with the number of targets she had already left on Nel's body, all it would take was a second strike.

She could do this.

Testing her injured arm if it was still usable, Soifon once again resumed her attack, utilizing extra caution due to the surge in spiritual energy Nel was emitting.

Suddenly, Nel struck a line across the ground. One slash in each direction.

"If you step across this line, you forfeit your life," Nel said. "I can't waste anymore time here."

Soifon scoffed in the middle of her Flash Step.

Her speed only increasing.

Slowly, as if only spectator watching a fight, Nel drew back her arm and pointed her lance forward.

A centaur stood posed, arms at the ready, and expression as if hunting prey.

The line that separated death from life could not be anymore distinct.

And within less than a second, Soifon had already crossed that line.

"Lanza Empujadora," the words left Nel's mouth, the spiralling tides of spiritual energy emitting off of her coalescing into her weapon.

The lance's tip approaching Soifon, she immediately began to evade, yet.

"Who said that this lance was solid?" Nel's voice was monotone, her expression revealing the killing intent hidden within the hollow chamber of the lance. "Cero."

Boom!

It was an explosion that rocked across the entirety of the area, the shockwave alone uprooting the trees and affecting the far away settlements of the Rukongai.

The Thrusting Lance. Lanza Empujadora, an attack utilizing the explosiveness of a Vasto Lorde's cero.

Torrents of spiritual energy continued to flow from out of the exit points within Nel's lance, propelling it forward at unimaginable speeds and increasing its penetrative power a thousand-fold.

Soifon pursed her lips, her eyes darting back and forth in less than a spilt second for anything she could use as leverage to somehow get out of the way. Yet she knew that with the spear's current momentum and her own, she would be hard pressed to slow down let alone alter her trajectory. Finding nothing, her hands feebly went up in a position to block the incoming strike, placing Suzumebachi's vambrace where the point of the spear would hit.

The odds of her survival now were truly too low, and she knew it as the head of the Soul Society's Stealth Force.

For a moment, she closed her eyes remembering a past memory.

In the end, what was it that she had achieved in the absence of the previous leader of the Stealth Force?

Strict protocols.

And harsh decisions.

It was all she could remember of the training subject to her in her childhood. That and the warmth she found under the previous Stealth Force leader's guidance.

A leader and an operative must always remain firm no matter the situation.

A teaching she had learned early on that she still remembered to this day.

Resolved, Soifon opened her eyes. The Head of the Soul Society's Stealth Force would not perish with her eyes closed like a child.

"Cut it out with that look in your eyes," a voice resounded in the heat of the moment, a leg changing the trajectory of Nel's lance. "You're not dying today."

The air pressure generated from Nel's thrust sent Soifon flying back, her arms shielding her head from the flying shrapnel, but she didn't pay much attention to that as a figure landed gracefully in front of her, glaring at Nel who glared back.

Purple hair swaying in the wind, and bangs parted at the center, the figure wore an orange shirt with a black undervest beneath that led to form fitting black pants. The figure, no, the woman before Soifon was entirely different from what Soifon remembered. But regardless,

She was a teacher Soifon had not seen in years, and had resented all the same.

Yet in this moment.

That whom Soifon hated for leaving her, once again stood before Soifon in her defence.

A woman from one of the most prominent families in the Soul Society.

The Shihoin.

And the previous leader of the Stealth Force.

Yoruichi Shihoin.

"Been a while hasn't it, Soifon."

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Neither Ichigo nor Karin could understand what it was about their faces that garnered such a reaction from the guards standing just in front of the building Yoruichi had asked them all to go to.

If the way they stared at Ichigo wasn't enough, they looked at Karin as if they were looking at a distant memory.

"Hey, are you two alright?" Karin asked, kicking one of them out their daze.

The two guards wore red hats with a gold trim and white tassel on top and a light blue scarf tied at the front by a red fastener with gold highlights. One of them wore a yellow top while the other wore a white top.

The one Karin kicked was the one in yellow.

"E-Even the personality appears the same," the guard in yellow muttered. "W-What's your name and why have you come to the Shiba household?"

"My name's Karin, and we were sent here by a cat named Yoruichi," Karin explained.

"Yoruichi?" The guard in white said before nodding. "Then I would have you all enter for a moment while I call upon Ms. Kukaku."

Karin nodded gratefully, unaware that the two guards were still looking at her and whispering between each other as they left. After all, Karin had a stunning resemblance to what Kukaku Shiba had once looked like as a child.

The guards themselves were named Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, the teachers who taught Kukaku Shiba all that she knew about fireworks from a young age. It was impossible for them not to recognize someone with a resemblance so uncanny to their own pupil.

Leading to the question, were they related somehow?

This was a matter that they would not tread lightly on.

After settling down Karin, Ichigo, and the rest within a guest room, the two then informed Kukaku of Ichigo's and the rest's visit. Moments later, Karin and the rest were promptly summoned to the reception room.

Inside sat a woman siting on a pillow with her legs sprawled to the side as she leaned over one knee.

This was Kukaku Shiba, the head of the Shiba clan, one of the four prominent clans of the Soul Society. She was a youthful looking woman with long messy black hair that parted down in half at the small of her back. She wore a white skirt and a provocative red robe that exposed her ample bosom.

In her hand was a smoking pipe which she accidently dropped upon seeing Ichgio and then Karin's features. It was like seeing a mirror of a time long since past when Kukaku had once stood beside her older brother.

She shook her head, but it was clear from the started choking noise next to her that her brother Ganju had yet to recover from the surprise.

Ganju was Kukaku's younger brother. He was a tall muscular man with chin-length black hair and a partially missing left eyebrow. On his person he wore a vest, a scarf, a bandanna, and a pair of goggles. Currently those goggles had dropped on the floor much like Kukaku's smoking pipe.

"Welcome," Kukaku said, composing herself. "I hear that you were sent here by Yoruichi?"

"Yes," Ishida responded, taking a seat while the rest followed his example.

It was only Ichigo who had yet to take a seat, his expression restless as he only wished to find away into the Seireitei sooner. Karin was similar to him, but she could at least hold herself back. Ichigo though was different. He had already lost his mother once. Now that she had appeared before him again and was taken away all the same, his current agitation and impatience could not be described.

"Look," Ichigo said. "We don't have the time to just talk like this."

Kukaku raised a brow, raising a hand to stop Ganju from speaking up.

"Then what do you suggest I do?" Kukaku asked.

"We need your help to enter past the Seireitei's walls," Ishida intervened before Ichigo could say anything detrimental.

"Hmm, with the way things are in the Soul Society right now, I suppose you don't know," Kukaku said off handily.

"What's going on?" Orihime asked.

"Well, for one, an army of hollows have begun to lay siege onto the Seireitei," Ganju explained. "Because of this, its been completely hectic no matter where you go in the Soul Society. Even the people in the Rukongai refuse to step out from their homes."

Saying that, Ganju walked towards a window within the house's walls and opened it. "Look to the sky, you'll understand," he said.

Everyone's attention turned towards where Ganju indicated.

In the sky was a horde of Hollows entering through the Seireitei's walls. The number and strength of the hollows was such that everyone present could feel the disturbing taint of their spiritual energy despite the distance.

It was now apparent to Ichigo and the rest just why it was Yoruichi continued to warn them to stay low and avoid battle. Fighting enemies of this kind of level would mean death for certain.

"Helping you all now would mean having to find a way through the walls, or past that crowd of hollows. In either case, the trouble it would bring would be more than just a simple headache," Kukaku reasoned, picking up the smoke pipe she had dropped.

She then began to make herself comfortable.

"Then you won't help?" Ichigo asked.

He knew that Kukaku had no obligation to help him, but if she was the only way in, then she had to help somehow.

"Isn't there any way?" Ichigo asked.

"Afraid not," Kukaku said, lighting her pipe while holding it in her mouth before taking a swig. "At least if you don't have any ideas on how to avoid that group of hollows, or at least something enticing enough to risk the trouble of confronting the Seireitei, it's a no go." Kukaku emptied the ashes in her pipe with a pat on a metal ash trey, and then leaned back on her arms.

"Looking at your faces, it's clear to me that you can't fulfill either of those two options. Although I'm sad to say that I'm going to have to turn down a favour from Yoruichi, but this sort of request at this time is too complicated," Kukaku finished with a grimace.

Ichigo clenched his fists, his brows creased.

"If Kukaku will not co-operate with you, then tell her this, but do remember that it could act as a double-edged sword."

The words Yoruichi whispered into Ichigo' ears came to mind at that moment. He didn't know the relevance in the sentence, but he did know he was getting frustrated that Kukaku was being so difficult to convince. So, with a twitch of his lips, he yelled what Yoruichi had whispered to him.

"Kaien Shiba is being detained within the Seireitei!"

It was like a bomb had gone off inside the room.

The calm expression on Kukaku's face slowly shifted. Her mouth had sealed itself closed, and her eyes had become shadowed by her hair. If one were to look even more closely, it was clear to see that she was trembling, her fingers digging into her own skin.

"W-What did you just say?" The voice was oddly quiet, like the last threads of a string holding a weight that could not be maintained.

"Kaien Shiba is being detained within the Seireitei!" Ichigo repeated heatedly, unheeding of the growing tension in the air, and the way the eyes hidden behind Kukaku's hair became murderous.

"You Fucking Bastard!"

Uhgk!

Ichigo was sent flying across the room, and even before he could even compose himself, Kukaku was already in front of him, holding him up by the collar of his clothing.

"How dare you say such things," Kukaku was seething, her chest rapidly moving up and down along with her erratic breaths.

Ganju was madly trying to placate her, but nothing he said could calm her down. That, and he himself was far from calm.

Pissed that he had suddenly been attacked, Ichigo scowled, tasting the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. He quickly yelled back the response Yoruichi had told him knowing that it would anger Kukaku more. "Kaien Shiba is being detained within the Seireitei, and if you don't help us he'll be executed!" He added.

Based on how the Soul Society reacted when they retrieved Rukia, then they may have retrieved Kaien for a similar reason. Ichigo didn't know who Kaien was, but he was basing his information from what Kisuke had deduced back in the Human World.

Staring at the expression on Ichigo's familiar face Kukaku froze, releasing Ichigo as she just stood there. "My brother has been dead for years," she said through clenched teeth. Her doubt was clear for all to hear.

She closed her eyes, and then opened them again after a moment before pushing Ichigo away.

"OUT! GET OUT!" She yelled.

"Fine, we don't need your help anyway!" Ichigo responded, walking out of the reception room and into the guest room where Kukaku had already agreed for them to stay.

Karin, Ishida, Orihime, and Chad soon followed, Karin glancing conflictedly at Kukaku before she left.

Only Ganju remained in the room with Kukaku in an awkward silence.

"Sister, I-"

"Stop, Ganju, don't say it," Kukaku pursed her lips. "I-It's too hard to believe."

"But, they didn't seem as if they were lying. And don't forget, that they said that they were sent here by Yoruichi," Ganju insisted.

Kukaku's back straightened at Ganju's point, her mouth going dry as she swallowed.

"Do you remember back when we were children, Ganju? The times when big brother would often play with us and keep us company under the watch of Miyako," Kukaku began. "Do you still remember the words big brother said back them. 'I will protect you all and the family,' and he did just that."

Kukaku closed her eyes, a memory filtering through her mind.

"He had found out something he shouldn't have back then. I knew it from the way he refused to acknowledge me when I asked. I was quite an observant girl. Yet he kept the knowledge only to himself. Protecting the family, protecting us even after losing Miyako and then his life in the following days. If there's a chance that he's still alive now based on Yoruichi's information, then it's our turn to protect him. But if this is a lie, there will be hell to pay. No one dares sully big brother's name and get away with it."

"Sister, then…" Ganju trailed off, lost in thought.

Kukaku though was no longer as muddle headed, having calmed down without the infuriating company of Ichigo and the rest.

"Call Jidanbo, the canon will take too long," she spoke.