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That Dreaded Word	By : Platinumsabr Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 11539 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or the characters from it. I don't make any money from the writing of this story, but I do enjoy writing it. Any Original Characters are mine however, as is the story itself, and if you see it posted elsewhere pleas

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Revealed
At Last

~~~~~~

�You truly are remarkable,
child.�

The words,
said with such understanding and pained acquiescence, were what had begun his
journey.

Once upon a time Gwydion Torisuna had been nothing but a pickpocket, a scoundrel
that used an ability he didn�t understand to make some
easy money if he felt like showing off. Trees were his sanctuary, the place
where he could look out into the vastness of Soul Society and lose his identity
in the breathtaking wonder of nature, far above the bloodshed and depravity
below. He carried a sword he had known all his life, his only constant from the
day he woke up as a child, knowing somewhere in the back of his mind this was
where people went when they died.

There was no finesse behind his
strokes, no training to give him guidance in wielding it, but it was his.
He only drew it when circumstances were dire, when the other orphans drawn to
his unnatural charisma were put in danger simply for trying to survive. Speed
was his friend; eyes that could follow any movement, a mind that could remember
any attack used against him. There was no need for finesse, he only needed to
dodge. If he could do that, if he could read between the movements he remembered
like he had seen them a hundred times before, any attack, no matter how
untrained, could take down the scum that was set against him. Adult or child,
it mattered little.

But one day, while he was basking
in the peace of his trees, the others had no defender to protect them.

Drawn to the cries eerily alike
to those he knew, he had rushed to the scene. The sight that met his young eyes
became one of the turning points in his life. Those who fancied themselves the
strongest of the region, the ruling �Yakuza� of that area of Rukongai, stood around the bloodied bodies of murdered
children; all for the reason of paying their dues for the money they pocketed
while under �their� jurisdiction. For a reason as petty as money, twelve souls
returned to the never-ending cycle of death and rebirth. Twelve
souls that had relied on him.

Art had no place amongst the
bloodshed of slaughter, losing oneself in the enormity of the world was but a
child�s dream in the light of the anguish of those left behind. A calm person
by nature, calculative in the core of his being, had for the first time raised
his sword in anger.

A child is still a child against
those older than them, regardless of if he was the only one among them to have the
supernatural power known as reiatsu.

Broken and near death, he met the
man that would shape the way he spoke for the rest of his life; the man that
would teach him the value of honor and valor; the man who would show him how to
train his ability to never lose it, and the man who would give him the skills
he needed to become one of the elites of their world; the ones who he knew would
have surely stopped what had happened had they been there. Those looked up to and
feared by everyone in Soul Society: the Gods of Death; the Shinigami.

Coming upon the scene of utter
carnage, violet eyes met violet eyes.

Something happened in that
moment, like a memory long since faded, and with a suddenly hardened
expression, the man with fiery hair unsheathed his sword. No edge shone on the
blade, just the cold steel of that fashioned into a likeness of the bringer of
death. Eyes that could track any movement abruptly had to struggle to see the
man move, and in what seemed like one swing of his weapon they all lay
incapacitated, never able to raise a sword again. That one instant became so
ingrained in his memory he decided then and there to follow that man, if not so
that another tragedy the likes of which he experienced never happened around
him again.

After being taken to a medic in
the area and paying for his treatment, the man had turned to leave. Though the
pain was unbearable, the child had followed. To assuage the concerns of the
child, the man had stayed, and when he was fully recovered he had kept his
promise, and followed once more. He learned the man was one who had passed on
willingly, one of the few that kept their memories from their old life, and he
knew the person he was looking for had done the same.

Begging and pleading to be taught
how to fight properly, the man had simply shaken his head. It was then, running
on anger and desperation, had the child first used the ability he had been
given like never before. Swinging out the blade he had known as long as he was
alive, it bit deep into the tree before him in the exact same movement of that
he had seen. Violet eyes nearly identical to his own had widened larger than
they already were, and he had looked down on the child staring fearlessly back
up at him with a melancholy smile.

�You truly are remarkable, child.
If you will learn regardless, I have no other choice but to make sure the art
is passed down properly.�

With the promise never to train
another, the child became the wanderer�s pupil. Through exposure to a more
mannered style of speaking, a memory awakened in the child, one he had not made
in this life. It was rather amusing how the samurai had a student who spoke
like a ninja. Far from discouraging it, his teacher encouraged the style to
grow, saying that even the ninja had a code of honor more disciplined than even
some samurai could claim.

With that, the child grew in
knowledge and stature, and as the years passed the child soon surpassed his
teacher in height and build. Under his tutelage and the ability he had to
remember everything he had seen with perfect clarity, there was eventually
nothing left to learn when it came to the style of swordsmanship his sensei
used.

Then, then the day finally came
when the wanderer found what he had been looking for in the realm of the dead. His wife.

And at that, the child knew his
place was no longer as a follower. He had to form his own path. His teacher had
merely nodded approvingly, giving him one last piece of advice as he set off to
join the ranks of those who could appreciate the diligence he had put into his
art, both with the pen and the blade.

�Anonymity is a man�s best friend
among an army of unknowns. Never before have I seen a comparison to the power
the beings of this realm wield, but know this: power the likes of which I sense
in you is best used in the lifestyle you�ve fashioned yourself to. Far from a samurai,
I see a true ninja in you. I�ve trained you in all I know of your kind, and
given you the skills you need to fight against the best swordsmen, but never
stop learning.

�Hide in the shadows even in
daylight, for you know now the true form of Shinigami is nothing more than man.
Man fears that which can overpower him, and hates in much the same way. If you
keep yourself hidden among the many, you will prosper. If you flaunt your
abilities, they will kill you.� Then he had smiled in his regular carefree
manner, and looked over at his wife lovingly. �But I�m certain the life you
were meant to have is among them. My life is here, and it always has been.�

When asked for his name at the Shinigami Academy, the child who only knew his
first name�Gwydion�had taken the surname Torisuna. It
was the only time he ever said his name. He was a traitor to those that trusted
him, not there when they needed him most; so the �treasoner�
he became.

Irony never failed to amaze him.

True to his sensei�s words, he
had adopted a mask, hid his very face from both his teachers and his
colleagues. The Second Division was the perfect place for him, and when he
graduated after only two years his art as one who dwelled in the shadows was
further refined. He was respected for his strength and knowledge, and a
curiosity because of his lack of identity. His skills were awed, but never once
did he think himself above the rest. He was the perpetual learner, the reluctant
leader, and though the blood that stained his hands darkened every day, he knew
that somehow, in some way, the Second Division was still the place where he
belonged.

When he had learned her name, the
sword he had never left, he had understood his master�s warning.

When he had unleashed everything
he knew, everything he had hidden, to save the one he loved, he had seen the
love reflected.

When he had first shown her his
face, he had seen her smile.

When they had
first made love, it felt like the world was as it should be.

When he had felt his team�s
blades pierce his body, his heart had broken.

When he had held her, dead in his
remaining arm, his soul had died with her.

When he first met her, he
felt a spark he hadn�t in almost two hundred years.

When he saw her smile, his
heart mended.

When they first kissed,
his soul found a reason for living.

When they first confessed
their feelings, he knew why he had belonged in the Second Division.

When they first made love,
he knew his world was as it should be.

As he stood before his
executioners, he promised himself he would get back to her.

If it was the last thing he did,
he would get back to her.

~~~~~~~~

Standing in the sky, in front of
the fox captain and his entire former division, Gwydion Torisuna
chuckled lightly. It seemed even if the end of life was not certain, one still
felt the uncanny desire to reminisce about the past. For all the hatred he had,
it had been slowly dying with every second he spent around her, his beautiful
assassin. Now he was at a sense of peace as he stared them down, resolved in
the core of his being that he would survive.

�G.T. Takumi, a.k.a. Gwydion Torisuna, for the crime of treason you will die this day,� Sajin Komamura stated tonelessly.

He chuckled again, and pulled up
his shirt�s neck once more before shaking his hand out of his sleeve. There was
a combined gasp from many of the older members of the Second Division, and even
Marechiyo Oomaeda was
frozen in fear. He placed the white covering over his face, staring out through
the eyeholes he hadn�t in almost two full centuries.

�Not if this one hath objections
to that ~de arimasune.�

�Holy crap, it�s HIM!� Oomaeda cried, and from the eyes of the others it was
apparent they were thinking the same thing.

It was time.

~~~~~~~~

Sajin Komamura looked around his assigned squad in confusion.
Some were sweating bullets, others openly shaking, but each and every one of
the older, stronger members were staring with wide eyes at the man in
the mask, their fear visible even through the coverings on the lower parts of
their faces.

�What are you so afraid of?�

Oomaeda
looked like he was going to wet himself. �H-He�s a legend in the Second
Division! They say he was able to land a hit on Yoruichi Shihouin on the
first day of training! No one knew his real name or his face the whole time he
was there! He could kill anyone, anywhere! By the time he was the Fourth Seat
they say he could get any information from anyone with just a few
minutes alone with them, and the captain actually backed it up!! They even say
he took out a hundred hollows by himself to save one member of his team!!!�

��Tis
untrue,� a voice interrupted, and they all looked over to the man in the mask,
whom they were sure was smiling, albeit sadly, behind his white covering. They
breathed a silent sigh of relief at his clarification, but alas, it was
short-lived. ��Twas two hundred ~de
arimasu.�

If it was possible, they paled
further.

Komamura
merely raised a brow. �What did they call you then, if they didn�t know your
name?�

Gwydion cocked his head to the
side confusedly. �This one has gone by many names ~de arimasu.
The one favored at the time was Shien ~de arimasu.�

Given irrefutable proof of his
claim, Komamura watched with interest as the shaking
among the men intensified. �I take the name isn�t spoken of often anymore.�

�N-No, Sir,� one of the men
explained, willing his voice to calm. �It is, though very, very carefully.�

�By whom?�

�It�s become the ultimate tribute
the leader of the Interrogation and Assassination Squad of the Second Division
can receive. No one in the time since the first Shien
has anyone ever gained the honor of being called it�or wearing that mask.�

The captain was unimpressed. �A
mask is a mask; easily replicated.�

The officer did his best to hide
his gulp. �With all due respect, Sir, those eyes aren�t. We don�t even know
what happened to the original, when he and his team disappeared so did it. He�s
the real deal; I remember that poise like it was yesterday. He�s the reason I
worked so hard to become the Fourth Seat.�

The fox-man sighed. �Rumors and
legends become more exaggerated the more time passes. Our orders are to execute
him, and that�s what we�ll do. Order your comrades to attack, Lieutenant Oomaeda.�

Being addressed nearly made the
fat man jump. �B-B-B-But you�re the captain here!!� He was promptly glared at
by the imposing being that was Sajin Komamura.

�I�m only here for necessity�s
sake. The Special Ops Second Division has been, and always will be, key in
executing traitors; I�m merely the witness here. Your men are still your men,
though I won�t hesitate to take command if it�s absolutely necessary.�

Gwydion smiled behind his mask.
Oh how he loved being underestimated.

�A-Attack!!�

Two of the younger, more careless
ones bounded into action first, and to all those watching it looked like the
traitor didn�t even move as they flashed to a stop on either side of him, their
blades suggesting a completed attack. A clear, piercing sound, like that of a
tuning fork, resounded in the air, and the man behind the white, faceless mask
shook his head sadly. �Dead; the both of you. Take
heart, this one has spared your lives ~de arimasu.
This one may indeed bear you ill-will, but he is saddened by the laxity of
Second Division training ~de arimasu. Captain Soi-Fong would be ashamed ~de arimasune.�

Blood exploded from the chests of
the two by his sides, and they fell to the earth below like rocks. At this the
whole assemblage was put on edge, even the once-confident Komamura.
He took a single step forward, then another, then another, and all they did was
tighten in place.

Steeled by the sight of their
fallen comrades, more of the squads moved, the only ones smart enough to stay
behind and watch being those led by the elder Shinigami among them.

Even in broad daylight, the
Second Division was known for its invisibility. Be it barriers or speed by itself,
they struck without warning, without trace. Thus, when Gwydion jumped and
twirled without explanation, it was only explained when his foot shot up,
smashing through the weak barrier above him and bending a black-clad, ninja-esque being over his sandal. Without even bothering to
land, he flipped sideways, grabbing hold of the loose garments of his foe and
throwing him into the path of another. When he landed the ones he hadn�t dealt
with took it as an opportunity, but once more that clear, piercing sound echoed
chillingly, and they too fell to the ground in a rain of blood, multiple
slashes scoring their bodies for seemingly no reason.

A captain himself, Sajin Komamura was having a hard
time believing the skill level of the one in front of him. Admittedly, the ones
that had attacked him straight out were nothing but low level officers, but
even low level officers in the Second Division had seen things high seated
officers in others couldn�t dream of. With less than three visible moves he had
incapacitated six of them, and he was sure now that he had seen a sliver of
movement from the handle stretching over his left shoulder. Just because he was
a power-oriented fighter didn�t mean he hadn�t trained to deal with high-speed
movements.

�I was under the assumption you
had lost your right arm and the sight in your right eye, at least that�s what I
was told. From how you�re using your left hand so much, I would think there
used to be a grain of truth to that.�

Gwydion had to admit, he was
impressed. �Thou can perceive this one�s movement ~de arimasuka?
Most interesting ~de arimasu.�
He shrugged the sheath of his blade over his head, until he held it solidly in
his left hand. Crouching down, he locked the blade over his left thigh and
assumed his stance. The captain�s eyes widened when his suspicions were proven
correct.

�So, you do use Quick Draw. To
use it with only one hand is an impressive feat, especially with it fitted to
your back. It�s a shame you have to die.�

The violet eyes behind the mask
narrowed murderously, and even Komamura was surprised
by the sheer volume of killing intent that suddenly boiled from him in waves.
�This one is afraid he must apologize in advance, for he is out of practice ~de
arimasu. Thou art under a most troubling assumption;
though this one surely uses what thou speaketh of, he
prefers the term battoujutsu ~de arimasu. Iaijutsu is such a
narrow idiom ~de arimasu.�

�So it�s a standoff then?�

The man once known as Shien smiled darkly. �Surely thou jest ~de arimasu.�

There was no time to react, for
the man once in front of him simply vanished. Following the reiatsu with his
trained eyes, he saw the man charging with untold speed at one of the clusters
of soldiers around him. The sleeved hand gripped the hilt tightly, and before
the group could even scatter he was behind them, and every single one of them
were sent flying in a bloodied mess. Shaking the blood from the blade with a
swipe of his sword, he sheathed it emotionlessly before turning back to look at
the captain.

�This one did nothing to provoke
such an action against him ~de arimasu. He shall not
allow himself to fall here ~de arimasu.� He didn�t
mention how absolutely ecstatic he was that he could still do all of his old
moves. This was a fighting chance if ever there was one, but he couldn�t help
but be disappointed in some of his old division�s prowess. They had certainly
slacked off in the time since he had been there.

Again, Izanami
sighed.

The whole assembly was trying to
get up the nerve to move now, and they all tensed when they saw him draw his
sword slowly, like he was savoring the act of bringing his companion into the
world once more. �Surely thou art curious as to why ye hath been set against this
one ~de arimasuka? Allow him to show thee ~de arimasu.� The air was suddenly chilled, and Komamura reached for his zanpakutou cautiously. �Know The
Fruits Of Your Labor, Righteous Goddess. Weep While You Destroy, Fallen Mother.
Fulfill Your Promise: Izanami.�

The captain�s eyes widened. A release command that long?? His zanpakutou is
ancient!! He wasn�t about to be deceived by the small form the sword took
in its owner�s hand. If what he had said was true, this was simply another
execution based on fear, not proof. If he could scare the upper echelons of
Soul Society with that blade, Sajin Komamura was not about to underestimate it.

�ATTACK!�
The captain boomed.

Chaos erupted.

Not even the older members were
about to ignore an order from their acting captain, and the whole group sprang
into action at once. None of them noticed the drawing in the air until he had
twirled the jeweled pen in his hand, and before their eyes a large scythe
materialized. With a jump and a large twist of his body, the weapon tore
through their formation, and while some jumped back to regroup, others turned
their attention to his back. With practiced motions the scythe disappeared and
the pen took its place, until suddenly two swords were in his hands, expertly
redirecting all the blades sent at him to their comrades around his body, and
many realized too late what it was he had done.

Shifting his weight from foot to
foot he spun between them, and even though he was only wielding two swords he
still managed to ensnare all of them at one point in time. The callous result
of course, was many falling injured to the blades of their compatriots.

He wasn�t stupid, and he knew he
had to keep moving. There was no time for sight, he needed to sense the
barriers that would surely come around him in real time, needed to feel
everything as it happened around him, and not be held back by the limitations
of his eyes. Drawing upon Tatsuki�s training he expanded his sense as he closed
his eyes, just barely dodging a slash directed at his waist from behind as he
jumped up before smashing the assailant�s face in with a powerful kick.

Everything was coming at him at once, and it as taking the full use of his acrobatics to
keep himself even minimally damaged. They were certainly impressive as a group,
but they were using tactics he himself had been taught. It was easy to differentiate
those that had trained before their induction into the Second Division, because
it was only them that used deviations from the division training. Transfers in,
and out, of the Second Division, were rare, if unheard of, and he was one of
the few that had more than their training under his belt. Admittedly, they were
trained to deal with pretty much any style of combat, though his was an art
that hadn�t been seen for a long, long time.

He hissed as a flip wasn�t
completed in time and a sword bit into the flesh of his torso, but
comparatively he had taken out more than twenty of their officers by that time.
There was no more time to show off, which had had the desired effect and wavered their resolves. With a quick cut upwards a soldier
backed off, but not before he was cut by the pen that had taken its place in
his hand once again. With an elegant scrawl in the air, the man fell forward
limply, to the ground below. He knew he�d survive that, any Soul Reaper that
couldn�t was way too weak to be sent on a mission like this. Quick strokes soon
delivered the same fate to the next group unfortunate enough to attack him, but
not before they did damage of their own.

With a burst of Shunpo he was far
away from the group, and they still seemed transfixed by the fading words of
blood hanging in the air. �Sleep.� They were all
asleep. He smiled a smile from a closer time, and started drawing again.
�Captain Komamura,� he began, and the fox turned to
him immediately, noting the change in tone. For all the blood staining his
robes his breathing was still steady, and any other person would have looked
ridiculous in the mass of clothing. He made it look effortless, even
battle-torn as he was. �Soul Society made one enormous mistake before they
finally sent you to kill me.�

His grip on his zanpakutou got
tighter as he heard the man start talking about himself in the first person
again. �And what was that?� He had lost so many men already it was a disgrace,
but he couldn�t deny the skill the traitor had. He was clearly captain class,
and he was regretting sending so many officers to their doom. He should have
dealt with him himself from the beginning. The information he had been given
spoke nothing of the man�s true strength, and he was beginning to think he had
been sent on a fool�s errand.

Gwydion smirked behind his mask
as he finished the picture, and with a twirl of his pen the weapon took form.
The fox�s eyes widened at the large, futuristic cannon that now rested on the
man�s shoulder. �They should have never let someone like me watch anime.�

The beam that blasted forth from
the giant gun put Ceros to shame, and the captain was
just barely able to get his Shikai activated in time
to take the brunt of the explosion. Regardless, it was more powerful than he
expected, and though they weren�t hit by the beam itself, they were hit by the
recoil of the giant arm protecting them. Komamura
growled as more of his assigned men fell to the ground below, nursing wounds
that thankfully wouldn�t kill them.

�This�this is a nightmare. This
can�t be real�!� Oomaeda stuttered, looking upon the
barren sky that had once been filled with the black of Stealth Ops operatives.
The air shifted in front of him, and soon the masked face bearing violet eyes
that pierced his soul was right before him.

�The real nightmare here is how
easy this was. It pains me to speak ill of my lover, but the Second Division
should have never been beaten this simply.�

The lieutenant shut his eyes in
fear at the fist barreling down on his face, but cautiously opened them when
nothing happened. The robed hand was caught in the massive grasp of the captain
of the Seventh Division, but their target didn�t express any visible discomfort
at the fact.

�No, what�s truly unbelievable is
that one man can take on so many highly trained officers and come out looking
like you,� the immense beast-man said incredulously. �To think there were still
men of your talent out there among the unranked. A captain�s position should be
yours by right, it�s sad that it has to end like this.� The grip tightened, and
Gwydion quickly slashed the captain�s hand with his free hand still holding Izanami. It worked like a charm, and Komamura
was left clasping his wound painfully while his captive jumped away, blood
dripping from his blade.

I�m sorry Captain, but I need
your memories. His right arm protested the movement, but he forced it to
work, and the bloody words of Sajin Komamura�s name were soon scrawled on the air in front of
him. It had been so long since he had used this particular ability with the
proper medium he had almost forgotten how overwhelming it could be. Everything
rushed into him at once, like a shared connection between two minds, and soon
the two left staring were met with the body straightening up proudly.

�So, it really was like that,
huh?� the man once known as Shien muttered sadly. �I
guess it�s to be expected.�

�Enough! You can�t fight me like
this, I broke your arm!� Captain Komamura bellowed.

Gwydion shook his head. �If you
think this amount of pain will stop me, you�re sadly mistaken. �This one�s time
has passed. I need to get back to the one I love. Not even a
captain will stop me from doing that.�

�What makes you so sure!? Even I
can see that you�re no match for me now!�

With a deep breath, the piercing
amethyst gaze was directed at him, and the fox almost took a step back.
Something had changed in the man�s eyes, and it was foreboding at the very
least. �I told you Komamura, the only thing my eyes
see is the path with the least bloodshed.�

Oomaeda
watched as even with the fur covering his face, Captain Komamura�s
skin lost all color. �W-What��

�Justice is always in that path.
The path I chose to walk�was justice.�

With an enraged roar the captain
drew his zanpakutou, his reiatsu bleeding murderously out for all to feel.
�Don�t�you�dare!! Don�t you dare say that!! BANKAI!!!!�

It worked exactly as it should
have, angering the captain to the point where he didn�t care about finesse any
longer. He had been drawing all through that time, and even as the gigantic
samurai took its place behind its owner, Gwydion didn�t flinch. �Do you know
what drawing something �to scale� means?� Looking at the wild eyes of the
captain as the beast swung back its sword, he shook his head. �No, I suppose at
this point you wouldn�t, would you?�

With a rotation of his pen the
drawing took form, and as the mighty sword of the giant was swung down, it was
soon stopped by an equally large saber stemming from a gleaming metallic arm. Komamura looked up in shock at the giant robot that had
been spawned behind his opponent, easily the same size as his Bankai.

�I told you they shouldn�t have
let me watch anime.� The fox couldn�t move his head, not with the blade set
against his throat from behind. �I don�t need to be stronger than you, I just need to know you. When I had that, you lost any
chances of beating me. Just leave now, everyone�s only wounded. They�ll live,
if you hurry. Normally the style I employ is slaughter with merciless
efficiency, but I was careful to make sure they only couldn�t fight.�

�How,� the captain hissed, �how
could you go that far and just expect me to leave?�

�Like I said,� the masked man
explained sympathetically, �I know you now. I know how you think, how you
fight, everything. I know I salted healing wounds, but I also know you want to
cut your losses. At this point even I can see you�re no match for me now.�

The man was an expert at twisting
words, fitting them directly into where they would do the most damage or the
most therapy. Komamura sighed as he disengaged his
Bankai and sheathed his sword. �Go, just go. I�ve been beaten.�

�Now now,
that won�t do at all!�

The cheerful words were the last
thing either of them heard before a blade had been stabbed clear through their
bodies; through Gwydion who was behind him, then right into him. The captain
stumbled forward in shock, turned just in time to see his former opponent
skewered through on a sword. Black hair swung out behind him fancifully, and
Gwydion managed to turn his head far enough to see who had done this to him.

Imagine his shock when he saw Ren Nanashi smiling back at him.

He smiled bitterly as he stained
the inside of his mask with blood. �I knew it.� He groaned when she pulled the
blade from his body, and he lurched forward painfully, gripping his sword with
renewed vigor. The woman licked the blood off her blade with a look of absolute
ecstasy, and soon the image in front of him had become identical to the Chiaki
he once knew and loved. �H�How�?�

The doppelganger smiled.
�Remember that kiss you and Ai shared? She wasn�t kidding about your taste. You
see, I�ve got the ability to peek into the memories of people through their
bodily fluids, and I can use it to change myself accordingly! No sound mind you, but hey, all I need is the image. But you,
you�re incredible, I was able to see things pretty clearly even though your
saliva had been mixed with Ai�s. I can see everything so perfectly now it�s
amazing, your mind�s like a steel trap!

�Something didn�t sit right with
me, so I infiltrated the Twelfth Division to do a bit of recon on you, though I
had been in there many times before, under different faces naturally. A little
snooping here and there, and wow, were we ever
surprised when we found out little G.T. Takumi was really Gwydion Torisuna, the original Shien of
the Second Division.�

�And you�you used her body�to get
to me!?� He almost saw red when the spitting image of his first love smiled
brightly and twirled around.

�I couldn�t copy her perfectly
because the image wasn�t good enough, but that was fine. If it was too perfect
everyone would get suspicious, and it did its job and got your mind working in
circles trying to figure me out!� Even though she couldn�t see his face, she
almost shuddered at the glare he was giving her. �God, you give me shivers! I
can see why Ai wants you so badly! What? Don�t like me like this?�

In an instant she was pressed
against him, but not as she was, instead a perfect replica of Soi-Fong ran a hand down the smooth surface of his mask lovingly, stared into his eyes with the warm grey he had
come to love. �You�re an enemy to all of Soul Society now, Gwydion. Come with
me, we can give you power you�ve never dreamed of.�

His hand inched up to touch her
face. It seemed like so long since he had last seen her, he had given up on
seeing her again in the foreseeable future, but here she was�. His glare
hardened ferociously as he whipped back his hand and struck out, but she had
already jumped out of his range, giggling madly. �What is your name, �Ren Nanashi�?�

The image of his lover pouted
sensually. �Ai was right about that too, you�re no fun. I suppose you want to
know what I really look like too, don�t you?�

Before his eyes her body shifted
and warped, until before his eyes another woman took Soi-Fong�s
place. There was simply no way to describe her other than beautiful. Her dark skin seemed to shift perpetually like liquid
night, and rounded spikes of bone framed the bottom of her eyes before
continuing on behind her ears and under her jaw. The bleach white bone
fragments lined her esophagus, and when they reached her collarbone they
stretched outwards, tracing the hidden structure with visible bone before
finally being concealed under the fabric of her dark grey shihakushou. He had
never seen anything like her eyes. Black as pitch, but lined so heavily with
shards of silver it was like cradling diamonds on black velvet. Raven hair
smoothed in uneven waves down her back, and all in all she struck a presence
more intimidating than some captains could ever hope to be.

�Is that better for you?�

Even her playful voice had
disappeared, and in its place was a voice deep and sensuous, yet different
fundamentally from Ai�s cheerful sensuality. She crossed her arms under her
bust, and he noticed the lines of bone continued over her arms as well, but the
two swords at her sides was what caught most of his notice. Izanami
was doing her best to stop his bleeding, he knew that, and he also knew as he
was if he fought he wouldn�t survive. He could feel the intruder�s reiatsu,
pulsing threateningly in the air, though it still felt like Ren�s.
It didn�t have the same�wretchedness, as the creatures he had fought before, in
fact it felt�normal.

�So I guess you can change your
form, but your reiatsu stays the same, huh?�

A dark brow rose in confusion
until she realized what he was getting at. �Ah, how foolish
of me. I�m sorry, were you expecting something more along the lines of
the Arrancar?� He tensed when her reiatsu abruptly shifted, turning the
once-normal reiatsu into that of a Hollow laced with Shinigami power. �Or
perhaps just strictly Hollow?� True to her word, it
changed once more. �We are the ultimate combination. There�s no distinction in
reiatsu for us, the only reason the others have such twisted reiatsu is because
they�re failures. Us, the ones that survived, we can blend in anywhere with the
proper disguise. With my abilities, it�s only natural I�m the Spy. You may call
me Nozomi, my General.�

A bestial roar drew her attention
for a moment, and a bloody Komamura stood with sword
raised behind her. She rolled her eyes as the giant arm of his Shikai came down, and stopped the blade with one hand.
�Honestly, we give them all that information, and they send you. A mismatch if
ever I�ve seen one.� Before he could even digest the surprise of what had
happened, she sent a teeth-rattling backhand to his face, ceasing consciousness
in the massive captain as he fell to the earth below to join his fallen
soldiers. �He was in no condition to fight me. It might have been a challenge
had he been at full strength�oh well.�

�I asked you a question. What. Is. Your. Name?�

This time the dark mistress did shiver as the ice-cold voice snarled
at her, and when she turned back around to face him his bleeding had been
stemmed completely. �Did I not answer that already?�

His body flickered, and she
watched in amazement as his speed almost made her eyes struggle to keep up with him. She had far more than just
training on her side though, and she moved out of the way just in time. When
the small blade attached to the jeweled pen sliced where she had been moments
earlier, the raised brow that time was in approval.

�My oh
my, what speed, what skill! You�re perfect,� she cooed lustfully. Looking down
on the small pen in his hand, she shook her head in amusement. �That tiny
little thing was what obliterated our failures? And to think they say size
matters.� The innuendo went unheard, because just then she noticed the dark
blood dripping from the edge. �What the�?�

�Look at your shoulder,� Gwydion
answered for her darkly, and to her immense surprise she noticed a tiny cut on
her dark skin.

The awe was plain in her stare
that time. �You really have gotten up to captain class. This is too perfect��

�You�re right.� She stopped at
the menacing pride in his voice, and moved a hand to one of her zanpakutous just in case. �I�m going to find out your name,
and when I do that, I�m going to find out everything about you. I�m going to
break you apart piece by piece until I figure out what makes you tick, and then
you�ll never want to fight me again.�

�What are you impl�??� Her words trailed off when she saw him begin writing in
the air, her odd colored blood the ink for the question which soon turned out
to be �WHAT IS YOUR NAME?�

Her whole body went stiff as for
the first time in a long, long, time�she felt fear. Her body was rejecting her control, her control! Her mouth was beginning to move, though she tried with
everything she had to stop it from doing so. Something was wrong here, this
shouldn�t be possible, but the longer she tried to fight the more pain wracked
through her body. It was impossible, something like this was impossible, but
soon enough her voice shouted out from between her lips a name long forgotten,
a name she had discarded. A name she never wanted to remember.

�Hiromi!
Hiromi Ogawa!� The dark-skinned beauty slapped her hands over her mouth the
moment the words escaped her lips, looking fearfully over at the man that had
made her admit to a name she hadn�t responded to in over two decades.

�There, was that so hard,
Ogawa-san? Did you think you were the only one that could do something with
bodily fluids? I�m sorry, but you don�t have a monopoly on that I�m afraid.�

But she smiled, a bright, happy
smile that looked downright evil despite the glee dancing in her eyes. �Oh yes,
oh yes you are so perfect. I never
thought a zanpakutou like that existed�you really are
the ultimate commander.� She charged at him, and just like she thought a sword
had soon been drawn and came to life in his hands, pushing off hers even with a
broken arm. �To create any weapon you can draw�to command any person with their
blood�you just keep getting better and better!�

So they fought. One sword turned
into two, and soon both combatants were flying at each other with dual blades,
and never once did Nozomi�s smile falter. In fact, it
only got wider with every passing moment, as she had to dodge improvised
weaponry again and again before he returned to two swords to fend her own off.
She had thought surely his wound would have incapacitated him by then, but it
wasn�t bleeding at all, and if his broken arm was giving him any trouble he
certainly wasn�t showing it.

She had never fought anyone that
fought as he did, changing from quick strikes to acrobatic displays of
flexibility that set him up for another strike to a completely unguarded area.
If not for her Hierro she would have been in significantly more trouble, but
this wasn�t the time for her to fight back seriously. She didn�t want to kill
him after all.

�My oh
my, you certainly are impressive. You even went and got your right arm and eye
back. Your hate is positively delicious, but it�s not enough to stop me.�

Gwydion glared as sweat poured
down his face, which was thankfully hidden by his mask. He was running
full-tilt and she barely seemed to be winded, and he couldn�t seem to get
another strike on her since that first one. He knew her name,
all he needed was more of her blood! It wasn�t the time for that, because he
knew his body was nearing its limits. He was already wounded, not badly, but
wounded, from his battle with a good amount of the Stealth Ops, and now he was
fighting with a broken arm and a barely-restrained chest-wound. He knew if he
passed out, it was all over. He couldn�t allow that to happen, not after
everything he had been through!

�I�ll�make it back�to her. I�ll
definitely�make it back�to her.� She could hear the anger growing in every word
passed through obviously clenched teeth, and to her confusion he pressed the
halberd-like pen against one of his open wounds. �The Time For Weeping�Has
Passed, Fallen Mother! Your�Knowledge Of�Your Creation Shall Be�Their Undoing,
Righteous�Goddess! Fulfill�Your Promise: Izanami!!�

Time slowed as the bone-made
instrument of pain was brought into the world once again, and she saw his
breathing even out as he grasped the worn leather covering the death-like
halberd. The glare that had been directed at the dark-skinned beauty hardened, and suddenly even the expressionless face of her
lover paled compared to what Nozomi knew was behind
that mask. His reiatsu burst forth like water from a broken dam, a violent
vortex of violet energy that threw the winds around them in huge gales. She had
been around captains before, and she knew this was as good as it got. Pure,
unadulterated anger refined into an explosion of spiritual pressure that was
even putting force on her knees. She
had hoped, but she never could have imagined anything like this.

Oh Ai, you�ll have lots of fun with this one, I guarantee that. I sure
hope you�ll share�

Seconds later he was gone, and
she jumped away quickly as eyes unique to their kind tracked his movements
carefully. When he reappeared she was fully prepared to parry his blow, but
with a simple flip once their blades connected centrifugal force pushed down on
her arms, and her other sword couldn�t completely block the butt of the weapon,
pressing the serrated shard at the end deep into her right bicep. The urge to
scream was almost overwhelming as the entirety of the pain shot through her
body, with more force than any single injury could hope to incur behind it. She
resisted, naturally, she had dealt with tortures untold of under Mayuri Kurotsuchi, she wasn�t about to cry out because of
pain; not ever again. That didn�t stop her from wanting to.

She snarled as she slashed out
with her good arm, waiting for the wound to heal. It took longer than it ever
had before though, and that was answered when she snuck a look and saw dark
purple miasma coming from the wound before it finally closed. She gritted her
teeth into an amused smirk. �Interesting. You continue
to become more and more interesting, Gwydion Torisuna.�

He didn�t respond, and the battle
began anew.

The weapon was perfect for facing
off against a dual-wielding fighter, and as time went on Nozomi
started to realize she actually couldn�t
get a hit in. He was fending her off admirably, coldly and calmly analyzing
every one of her strikes until the process repeated and he found a way past her
defenses. The thought that she might actually have to call out one of her zanpakutous fighting a single Shinigami almost made her
laugh out loud. This is insane! It�s like
I�m fighting the exact opposite of myself! She couldn�t believe he was
memorizing her movements, creating new ones that wound past the ones he knew
and forcing her to show him more of her prowess, delivering that to his memory
as well!

Nonetheless, as much fun as she
was having, she could sense he was tiring, and the blood that had been held
back from his chest was starting to flow again. �Looks like time�s up. I�d keep
fighting, but wouldn�t want reinforcements to drop by, now would we?�

In less than a second she
disappeared, her speed something not even his eyes could follow. The only one
conscious among the previous assault team watched in horror as blood rained
from the masked man�s chest, while the cause of those wounds reappeared behind
him. Seeing him clasp to his staff as he jammed it into the air to keep himself
upright made her roll her eyes, though she had to admit she was beyond
impressed with his tenacity. With a simple chop of her hand that echoed like
the force of a cannon when it hit his neck, he
crumpled into an unconscious heap. She was sure she heard a mournful cry from
his zanpakutou as it was forcibly reverted into its sealed state, and she
almost felt pity for the sword scared for its master.

She easily maneuvered herself
under him, thoughtless to the blood dripping onto her, and smiled victoriously.

�You are so very perfect it makes
me want to cry. The bond you and your zanpakutou have will surely lead to
Bankai, and with a Shikai as impressive as yours I
cannot wait to behold it. Your stubbornness will come in handy for what is to
come, though I expect nothing less from you. I�m sure you might have even been
able to kill me had I fought you at full strength. You will be magnificent, my commander.� She didn't tell him how appropriate his earlier words were either. What he had said he would do to her, they were going to do to him. Except in their case he wasn't meant to fight against them, he was going to fight with them.

The exotic beauty walked over to where Marechiyo Oomaeda stood shaking, and leveled a killing stare on him.
�And you, you are a sad excuse for a Shinigami. I�d kill you here, but I can�t
bring myself to dirty my hands with the likes of you.

�Prepare well. A war is coming.�

The overweight lieutenant fell to his knees, a dark stain on his hakama.

~~~~~~~~

�Do you think it�s over yet?�
Masaki Kuchiki asked quietly.

She and all the others had
resigned themselves to sitting on the floor, waiting until something happened
or some new was relayed. Soi-Fong sat curled up by
Yoruichi�s side, glaring at the Captain Commander all the while, while the
others tried admirably to keep the silence companionable.

�I don�t know, but it should be
over soon enough,� a new voice interjected, and they all jumped in surprise as
they turned to the new voice. A man sat before the imposing double-doors
leading into the room, a Garganta swirling wildly behind him. �Quite an
impressive barrier I must say, but hardly made for keeping things out.�

His height was impossible to tell
as he sat on the wooden floor, but that didn�t stop them from taking in his
other features. His skin seemed normal enough, if not a little pale, but unlike
all of them he wore a grey shihakushou. His short white hair spiked everywhere,
but the color wasn�t what had their attention, rather it was the fact that
every inch of it seemed to be calcified.
Each strand of his hair was straight, and upon closer examination it was
revealed to be bone. Even his white
eyebrows looked sharp to the touch, but what was under them was even more
surprising. Eyes as silver as anything they had ever seen shone in the light of
the room, pure metal disrupted not even by pupils. He was flawless in every
sense; a bit strange in places, but his hard musculature was second to none.

�Explain your presence here at
once!!� Genryuusai Yamamoto bellowed commandingly,
but the man merely set a disinterested gaze on him and shrugged.

�Good to see you again, Captain Kurotsuchi. Perhaps I should
call you Captain Yamada though now, isn�t that right? I suppose even Mother would work too, wouldn�t it? You did help make me into what I am today
after all.�

All heads turned to her, and she
was pale, paler than normal, even for her. �M-Masahiro��

An odd eyebrow cocked before
recognition dawned. �Ah yes, that did use to be my name, didn�t it? All of us
have discarded our old names, I go by Kuroshiro now.
I thought it was about time I introduced myself to you all.� Many of the
captains straightened almost imperceptibly, but he simply cast his brilliant
silver gaze on them all and they froze. �I wouldn�t do that if I were you. My acquaintance,
a woman you may know as Ai, happens to be but a breath away from your precious academy.
I would elaborate further, but I�m sure you fine people can understand what I�m
getting at.�

It was taking everything Soi-Fong had not to jump forward and kill him where he sat,
but she knew he wouldn�t have come here so brazenly if he couldn�t back up his
claims. If he was half as powerful as Nemu claimed
her survivors to be, he obviously felt confident in his position. �Is that all
this is, an introduction!?�

He stood, and she had to admit he
struck an imposing picture. Equal in height to Gwydion, and just as wide, his
odd coloration made him stand out even more than he would have normally. A
katana was strapped to both of his sides through his black obi, and they could
only guess their abilities. He leaned down to Soi-Fong�s
level with a blank stare. �An introduction, a distraction, call it what you
will. Actually I just wanted to see your face personally when you realized you
could do absolutely nothing to stop us.�

The rage boiling her blood was
made clear on her furious face. �I will
kill you.�

His dark chuckle chilled the
room. �Ah, do you know how many times I�ve sworn that? How many years we have
toiled to have our vengeance? World domination is such an overplayed idea,
though I suppose ours is really no different. We simply want to see Soul
Society burn.� Even with those words,
his expressionless face betrayed nothing of his emotions.

Ichigo fumed angrily, but knew
any action could result in many of the captain�s younger children being killed.
�I know you�re pissed at Mayuri, but he�s already
dead!�

Kuroshiro
turned his head to regard him. �That has no bearing on the situation any longer.
You of all people should be able to appreciate the beauty of what we�re trying
to create. Did you know our spiritual bodies actually have a blueprint of what
they believe they should look like? No matter what other entity or parts are
transplanted therein, the body will still try to regain what it was. That in essence
is what we are.

�As spiritual beings we can adopt
other body parts easily, especially with the theory behind Hollow Instant
Regeneration and their ability to gain the characteristics of that which they
eat. Of course, the true conflict occurs when the different sources of reiatsu collide,
but what happens when the mind overcomes?� He drew the sword at his right side
slowly, looking upon the blade in silent wonder. �You get us. We are neither
Arrancar, nor Vizard. In fact I don�t even know what we are; we are both. We have
no name for ourselves, only a purpose.� He stopped there, to resume his staring
match with Ichigo. �Still, I find it immensely amusing that after the years of
research and torture it took to create us, your firstborn turns out to be a natural
brother to us unnatural creations. Years of torture and research, and the
ultimate specimen was but a world away. Irony never
fails.�

�You still haven�t explained your
purpose here,� Byakuya Kuchiki stated coldly.

�Haven�t I? No matter. Right now you
couldn�t comprehend the power that comes with this. That�s all we�ve been
doing, searching for the ones capable of wielding this power. We simply finally
found the one to tip the balance in our favor.�

�He won�t be caught that easily,�
Soi-Fong sneered.

�Now that you are right about, Captain; he�s putting up the largest
fight anything ever has against us.� With a glance over at Tatsuki, he shook
his head in unbelief. �It was an ingenious move on your part, Lieutenant
Kurosaki, to have him go to the time mistress. I�m sure that was your idea, and
a rather recent one at that. I saw nothing before this to presume he had gained
back his arm and eye. He annihilated the Second Division operatives with ease,
which forced us to step up our timetable. But, thanks to that, we were able to
see the strength that gave him the name �Shien,� so
for that I thank you.�

�But in the end, he still couldn�t
beat me.�

The whole room jumped again�with
the exception of a few�when a woman stepped into the edge of the swirling
Garganta, a bloody bundle over her shoulders.

Soi-Fong�s
eyes widened when she recognized the weak reiatsu radiating from the body. �Gwydion!�

She moved before anyone could
see, or at least she tried, but right after a sharp pain stopped her in place.
She looked over to see Kuroshiro holding a white
spike, recognizable as one of his hairs, into her neck, and she soon lost all
feeling in her limbs. As Yoruichi jumped to catch the paralyzed captain, he
stepped into the Garganta.

�Do not worry, the paralysis is
only momentary. When my hair became like this, each strand became engrained
with one of the many strains of drugs that circle throughout our bodies. We
create them naturally now, and soon so will he. Let us be off Nozomi, we�ve given them enough to stew over. Ai will be delighted, our lives will finally be interesting again.� She
shifted the man into his hold, and in an instant he was gone from sight.

Nozomi
on the other hand stayed a second longer, looking over
the faces of absolute rage directed her way with glee. In moments Ren Nanashi stood before them,
and the looks of astonishment returned. �I�m sorry Captain Yamada, looks like
this is my last day! Say bye to Akon for me!�

A wave of her hand and the
Garganta closed, forever sealing the path from their knowledge.

Ichigo said the word everyone
else wanted to as he punched the floor in fury.

�God DAMMIT!!!�

Gwydion was gone, and they hadn�t
been able to do a thing about it, just as Kuroshiro
said.

Yoruichi could only hold Soi-Fong as she cried quietly.

~~~~~~~

Author�s Notes: Sorry about the wait again. I�ve started on a new
story (by the way, I�m in the process of putting all my stuff on FF(dot)net,
including a revamped version of WTECS and A New Window, so you can check those
out if you want) so now my time is split between reading and figuring out which
chapter I want to write more, LOL! Thank you all for your continued support,
even though only a few are reading this anymore apparently. Meh,
I don�t abandon my stories.

Gatita,
as you may have noticed, I decided to use something you mentioned earlier. When
I thought about it I noticed it fit perfectly, and hey, it�s Soul Society, so
everyone goes there when they die. I thought it was a nice adage, so I hope you
don�t find it too stupid. I kinda like the thought,
and as you may have noticed it went in perfectly with his fighting style.

Well, onwards and upwards! Hope
you enjoyed the chapter!
- 16
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That Dreaded Word