Chapter 28: Interruption
(3rd Person POV)
"Not much of a turnout.", Captain Soi Fon tells her Lieutenant.
"Huh?"
"The squads with both the Captain and Lieutenant in attendance are ... the Head Captain's Squad 1, our Squad 2 plus Kyoraku's Squad 8. It's no surprise that Squads 5, 11 and 12 are missing ... But what are the others thinking? Even Unohana of Squad 4 is missing.", Soi Fon said.
At that moment two people arrive.
Captain Kuchiki and Captain Fushiguro have arrived but without their Lieutenant. Although Toji doesn't have a reason to not be in attendance of his Lieutenant ... he just doesn't know where Kira is.
Byakuya and Toji stand ready next to the others and wait for the ceremony to begin.
"Rukia Kuchiki ... Do you have any last words?", Yamamoto asks her.
"Yes ... Just one thing ...", Rukia says.
"... please spare Ichigo and the others and allow them to return home unharmed."
"Very well. In keeping with your wishes, I will allow the Ryoka to return home unharmed after the execution.", Yamamoto said after a moment of contemplation.
"Thank you very much!"
"How cruel ... He has no intention of sparing them.", Isane, the Lieutenant of squad 4 says.
"It's not cruelty, Isane. It is compassion.", Captain Unohana says.
"Captain Unohana! Where have you been?", Isane asks her Captain who just appeared out of nowhere.
"If this is the unavoidable fate, the least we can do is ease her of any worries ... and give her some piece of mind.", Unohana says, not answering the question.
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"Release the Sōkyoku!", Yamamoto commands.
Energy surges around the giant Halbert that is the Sōkyoku. While Hitsugaya and Rangiku depart for the Central 46 Compound, Sentarō and Kiyone alert Ukitake of the execution starting as he emerges from a room with the unsealed Shihōin Shield.
The members of the Kido Corps do their thing to unseal the Sōkyoku.
Meanwhile, Rukia laments about the words of Toji. She never thought anything about him. Her brother never told her what he found out after his one lesson with the man. The archives of the Kuchiki clan weren't truly clear on all the exploits of Toji Fushiguro, but some things were stated.
She thought about what Toji said to her. And she thought that she finally seemed to get some peace concerning her death. She thought that Captain Fushiguro was right. She had doubts because she wasn't sure what to hope for. But now ... she thought that she at least had some form of decision.
"My what a boring ceremony. And so useless as well. I sure hope something happens before the bird picks her to death...", Toji said, ruining the mood as he always did.
"Yare yare ... Toji. We have similar ideas it would seem.", Shunsui said.
"Where's Jushiro anyway?", Toji asked his friend.
"I'm not sure ... but I sure hope he gets here fast."
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Rukia is lifted off the ground and rises up to prepare for the Sōkyoku.
"Nanao ... Don't look so sad. You'll make me sad too.", Kyoraku says to his Lieutenant.
"It's not sadness ...", she answers.
The Halbert begins to explode in a massive fire collum. The heat rises massively and shoots to the sky.
"W-What is going on? Is this the release of the Sōkyoku?", the Lieutenant of Squad 2 exclaims.
"It sure is impressive as always ... it makes me nostalgic though.", Toji states.
The Sōkyoku is fully engulfed in flames and slowly rises into the air while transforming into Kikōō, its true form.
"The halbert of the Sōkyoku has taken its true form as officiating executioner to render the ultimate punishment.", Yamamoto explains, "It will impale the condemned, thereby ending the execution."
Thinking back on her life, Rukia thanks her friends, comrades, Byakuya, and Ichigo before tearfully closing her eyes as Kikōō hurles toward her.
However, Rukia is shocked when she opens her eyes to find herself unscathed and Ichigo standing in midair before her while holding back Kikōō with Zangetsu.
"Finally, I was starting to think I'd have to do it myself for a second.", Toji said.
This alarms the other Captains ... except Shunsui who is relieved about that.
Up in the air, Ichigo casually greets Rukia.
"Yo."
"I-Ichigo?!"
"You fool! Why did you come back?!", Rukia screams at him.
"Huh?"
"You should know by now! You can't defeat my Elder Brother! This time, he'll kill you for sure! I've made my peace! I don't need you to rescue me! Go home!", Rukia rants on and on and there is someone that does not enjoy all of this.
"That's impossible! He stopped the Sōkyoku with only a single Zanpakuto? The Sōkyoku is said to have the power of a million Zanpakuto. Just who is this guy?!", Captain Soi Fon remarks.
"I agree with you. Who the hell is this guy that he believes Byakuya boy is the ultimate threat here? I mean there are much stronger Captains here.", Toji says.
He is the one who didn't like to hear what those two were saying up there. Why was Byakuya the big bad who it was all about? He wasn't even that strong. Alone from the six Captains who were here ... four were stronger than Byakuya.
"Nanao-chan. Is that the boy the Ryoka everyone's been talking about?", Kyoraku asks his Lieutenant.
"Yes... His description matches all the reports we've received."
"I see ... So in the end, the Ryoka saves the day ..."
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The Sōkyoku backs up to deliver another strike. He attacks again but never reaches Ichigo because the Shihōin Shield cable wraps around its neck as Ukitake, Sentarō, and Kiyone arrive.
"Captain Ukitake?! And Kiyone, too?!", Isane exclaims.
Kyoraku touches the second pole with his hands and greets Ukitake.
"Hey there, handsome. What took you so long?"
"Sorry, breaking the seal took a while.", Ukitake says, "But ... this ought to do it."
"That's the crest of the Shihoin clan. Stop them!", Soi Fon says to her Lieutenant.
"Huh?", the man says. As per usual Omaeda is useless.
"They are going to destroy the Sōkyoku!"
"Me?"
Kyoraku and Ukitake slash their Zanpakuto through the Shihōin Shield and channel their Reiryoku into the cable. The energy flows along the cable and goes into Kikōō, causing Kikōō to explode in a shower of flames as the Sōkyoku is destroyed.
Upon seeing this, Ichigo moves to the top of the execution scaffold, embeds Zangetsu into it, and channels his Reiryoku into the stand, destroying Rukia's restraints and blowing a large hole in the beam. Then he stands there with Rukia under his arms, looking like a badass.
"Oh, this kid has the potential to become my student!", Toji says as he sees the amount of swag Ichigo shows. He might teach him some things when he has time...
... he surely has time.
Suddenly, Renji arrives and incapacitates the members of the Kidō Corps nearby.
"Oh Renji, I figured you'd come.", Ichigo said.
"Of course! Who'd save Rukia if I didn't come?", Renji says.
"Up we go.", Ichigo lifts Rukia above his head.
"W-Wait! Hey, you're not gonna--?!"
"Catch!", Ichigo screams and janks Rukia towards Renji.
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Once again many things happen at the same time. Renji ran off with Rukia. Ichigo knocked out the Lieutenants of Squad 1, 2 and 4 and then began to fight Byakuya Kuchiki.
Nearby, as Kiyone attempts to run to Isane's side, Soi Fon incapacitates Sentarō with a single blow and prepares to attack Kiyone. When Ukitake attempts to stop Soi Fon, Yamamoto confronts him.
"Do not move!", Yamamoto tells him.
"Genryusai-dono."
"It was a Lieutenant that took off with the prisoner. We can always find a replacement. We can take our time capturing him.
However ... I cannot forgive you two! As Captains, you have done something you must not have done. I'm sure you both understand what that is.", Yamamoto says.
Kyoraku grabs Ukitake's shoulder.
"Well, we have no choice! Guess we should make a run for it, Ukitake!", he says and Shunpo's away, pulling Ukitake with him.
As they descend the Sōkyoku Hill, Ukitake tells Kyoraku that his Lietuentants are still up there and that he wishes to help them.
"Calm down! If we fought Yama-ji up there, everyone would get dragged into it and suffer! Those two will be fine! Can't you feel it? There's an ally approaching. Besides ... he's up there as well.", Kyoraku says.
"Hm ... I guess you're right. He would never allow anything to happen to them."
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Up on the Sōkyoku Hill Kiyone looks after the retreating figures of the Captains.
"Can't stand just being a bystander ...", Soi Fon says. She was just about to roundhouse kick the Lieutenant when someone grabbed her leg.
"Now now ... no need to kick her like that. I'm sure you are not so petty as to punish someone for just going along with her Captain, eh Soi Fon.", Toji says and then lets go of her leg.
"Lowly scum! What she did was contemptible. She has dishonored the 13 Court Guard Squads! But rest assured ... I will kill her so that she will not do that again. And I will kill you as well, Captain Fushiguro, if you don't get out of my way."
"So much anger, sheesh."
"Toji ...", Yamamoto addresses his last student.
"Huh?"
"Were you in on this?"
"No. Now that I think about it... I feel a bit left out. However ... I would have intervened as well if Jushiro didn't."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, but there is more to this than you believe Yama-ji. I think someone is playing with us. Don't worry, I won't do anything while you're away fighting Shunsui and Jushiro. I'll just wait here and-"
He didn't get to finish his sentence because a shadow appeared and grabbed both him and Soi Fon and then sped down the Sōkyoku Hill.
.
As they were descending the Sōkyoku Hill, Soi Fon began to make a fuss.
"Let go of me! Who are you?!"
"Yare yare ... don't make such a fuss. I see your temperament hasn't improved.", the masked woman says.
"It really hasn't. If anything it has gotten worse, I'd say. Although that is partially the Shihoin brat's fault. Soi Fon always did have some form of obsession with her.", Toji said as he leisurely fell down the hill.
He looked like he was taking a stroll in the park.
The masked woman took off her mask and revealed herself.
"You're ... Yoruichi.", Soi Fon said.
"Long time no see, Soi Fon. And you as well Captain Fushiguro."
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Meanwhile, in the Third Old City, Shunsui, Ukitake, and Nanao arrive to 'wait' for Yamamoto to fight him there.
Nanao is stronger than she was in canon, due to Toji training her.
"This should be far enough.", Kyoraku says.
"Yes. No one else will get hurt if we're out here.", Ukitake agrees.
In front of them, Yamamoto is sitting, seemingly waiting for them to arrive.
"I must say, you're early.", Kyoraku says.
"No brat has ever been successful escaping from me ... apart from Toji that is. He was always a slippery one. Now come, you rascals. You won't get let off with just a thrashing.", Yamamoto says and begins to approach them.
'Head Captain Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto of the 13 Court Guard Squads. His spiritual pressure is enormous. Even higher than Toji ni-san. Even two Captains together might not be enough to win. There's only one thing I can do ...', Nanao thinks in her head. However ...
Yamamoto concentrates his gaze on her. She is paralyzed and fear takes over her entire body. She begins to feel very small and starts to foam at the mouth.
"Leave! It seems Toji has been very lenient when training you ... I haven't the patience ... to teach a mere infant like you how to breathe.", Yamamoto tells her.
Shunsui shields her with his body.
"It's all right, Nanao. Get yourself together. Sorry. I shouldn't have brought you with me."
Shunsui takes her and brings her away from the battlefield and then returns.
"Your Shunpo is magnificent, unlike your Lieutenant. I do wonder what Toji has been teaching her. He must be going easy on her.", Yamamoto says.
"Eh, you know Toji. He doesn't want her to be afraid of him so he usually takes it far too easy.", Kyoraku says.
"Yes. Toji is indeed soft when it comes to teaching. That makes him a terrible teacher ... but a good friend."
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