Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

A Shadow of What Was	By : katami Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 49594 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 27
- 28
- 29
Author's Notes: I find myself amused and feeling generous. So I have a gift for everyone - a second chapter.

Once again we are following different perspectives through the same events. Why? Many reasons, the main one being this was a big fight and there was a lot going on. And many of the small things in this fight will lead to major events later. *grin* Also, I kinda found myself missing Gin.

And yes, I will get to Kisuke and Ichigo, there is a plan though (I did not go to all the trouble of typing it up to ignore it).

* * *

Gin watched the Espada surge forward and the Shingami scatter. Captains needed room to work and with the numbers against them, it was guaranteed attacks were going to get big and showy. Just his sort of event.

A hail of blue arrows halted Malgwen and Celtain as they tried to pursue Urahara. The baby Quincy was in fine form. The two Arrancar quickly darted off to the left and right to avoid the shower of arrows and intercept their quarry.

The other Arrancar were pairing off with opponents. Zerimar, Rantar, and Gaian had followed Jyuushiro and Shunsui deeper into the park and out of sight. They seemed to have engaged the captains if the flashes and explosions were any indication though. Gin wished the three luck with that; those two were two of the oldest and most powerful captains of the Thirteen. They knew how to handle themselves and worse yet - how to fight together.

Virtu had lured or driven, one could never tell with the second Espada, Mayuri toward a sandy play area. The two were veiled from sight by a cloud of fine dust but Mayuri's reiatsu pulsed with annoyance. It would be a toss-up to see which of them emerged from the dust; Virtu was powerful and wickedly clever but Mayuri was ruthless and had more lives than a cat.

Faena, the prima Espada, was regarding Ulquoirra coolly, blocking escape from the park along the path. Gin silently bid the former Espada farewell. Faena was a viciously brutal fighter and her power far outstripped Ulquoirra's. The former fourth Espada was not long for this life.

Grimmjow was trading blows with the cherubic Azarro, but he was glancing nervously in the direction Urahara had been taken. Gin brightened as the feline-like Arrancar slashed at Azarro with his sword and then slammed his fist into the Espada's nose, smashing it like a ripe tomato. The blonde pretty boy was not going to be so pretty anymore. Grimmjow used the move to break from Azarro and dart after Urahara - which was not his usual style. The former sixth Espada hated to abandon a fight for any reason and Gin wondered what had made him do so.

Byakuya-kun had stayed by the rift, caught between Seregil and Dresry, the fifth and ninth Espadas. They hadn't yet managed to hit the young captain, but it was only a matter of time. Gin watched in fascination as the normally stoic captain of the sixth grew annoyed with the glancing blows and back attacks, snarling the release on his zanpakotou and sending what appeared to be a wash of cherry blossoms into the air around him. Thousands of blades rushed at the two Espada, making them retreat and giving Byakuya a moment's respite.

Aizen watched the battles eagerly and a small gesture from him sent Gin and Tousen forward into the fray. The former captain of the Ninth darted toward Ulquoirra, intending to land a blow and continue on after Grimmjow and Urahara. He likely attributed the defection to the former sixth Espada. A wave of cherry blossoms forced him to abort his attack and gave Ulquoirra a pause in his battle with Faena.

Gin watched in mute shock as the former fourth Espada slipped to Byakuya's side, not taking the other man's back but the offer to do so plain in his bearing. A slight tilt of that noble head was all it took for Ulquoirra to slide behind Byakuya and fire a wicked cero blast at Dresry. Gin chuckled at the idea of prim and proper Byakuya-kun letting an Arrancar at his back, a little sad that there was no one he could tell.

He was about to join in the chase for Urahara when the air grew stiflingly heavy and the ground all but shook. Kurosaki landed only a few meters to the left of him, his eyes silver and unseeing, and his reiatsu howling with malevolent tension. The force of that dark power froze them all for a moment, wondering what this demon given flesh in their midst would do. Twenty years and countless battles had turned the young, foolhardy, substitute Shinigami into someone even Aizen had reason to fear.

Seregil was the first to break their stalemate and took a swing at the captain of the Fifth. The sound of steel clashing rang through the night. Gin was about to use the pink-haired Arrancar's attack as a cover for a strike of his own when an icy reiatsu swept across the park. "GIN!" bellowed Hitsugaya, striking at him with a blow that meant to split him clean down the middle.

He dodged, covering his wince at the young captain's arrival with a mocking smile. He was unable to stop the dread filling his heart though. Where Hitsugaya went, she was sure to follow. Sure enough came the sad, husky contralto, �Roar, Haineko!�

Gin felt his heart skip a beat even as he leapt clear. Matsumoto. He turned, his eyes widening and smile slipping, as he took her in. She was still beautiful, although it had never been her beauty that drew him.

It was her light.

She was his hope, his soul.

Hitsugaya charged at him with another angry roar, an enraged dragon, and Gin bid a silent farewell to Matsumoto as he dodged the younger man�s attack. �Sloppy, Hitsugaya-kun,� he chided with a mocking grin, sending a glancing blow across the younger man�s right arm.

�Taichou!� screamed Matsumoto, sending a vicious slash at his head. He flinched away, losing a few strands of hair, but saving his skull from being cleaved.

�Too slow,� he told her gently, wanting to be able to summon something more - a better mask, wanting to be able to drop his masks completely and throw himself at her feet and beg her forgiveness. He could do neither. He loved her too much to do the former and his training was to good to allow the latter.

For better or worse, he was Aizen�s creature. He just wished it didn�t feel so much like it was for the worst.

Shunpo carried him to within a meter of Urahara, and he would have reached out and grabbed hold of the younger man had Hitsugaya not dogged his steps, leveling blows and icy hatred at him. The young captain had never forgiven him his part in destroying Hinamori.

He caught sight of Celtain attacking Matsumoto, ignoring Kuchiki Rukia in favor of her, and wanted to shout an order to leave her alone. He didn�t though. He knew better. Aizen might kill him for giving such an order and he certainly would have killed Matsumoto if he even suspected Gin cared for her half as much as he did. Aizen Sousuke was an exacting master and not inclined to share.

He darted away from Urahara, trying to put distance between himself and Hitsugaya and more importantly - between himself and Matsumoto. He watched as a blue arrow slammed into Kurotshuchi''s back, sending the Shinigami toppling down the incline from his perch atop a child's slide. He laughed, alighting near the prima Espada. Faena had abandoned her battle with Ulquoirra and was trading blows with Kurosaki, managing to hold him at bay thanks to Seregil�s help. Their battle had driven Byakuya and Ulquoirra back from the gate, the two were still fighting together however and handling Dresry with devastating efficiency. Rantar abandoned his haring of Jyuuashiro and Shunsui to help her, hacking and slashing at the two men.

There was a pulse of reiatsu from Urahara, pain and panic, and Kurosaki�s reiatsu screamed in rage. His mask slid over his face without being drawn and he sent Seregil flying more than a hundred meters with a backhanded blow, turning murderous rage onto Faena. The Vaizard hissed, "Getsuga Tensho," unleashing a black wave of power at the Arrancar. Gin staggered back from the force of the blow, the only thing saving him from Hitsugaya�s attack.

Ichigo was gone an instant later, off to find Urahara most likely. �Ichimaru-sama!� screamed Faena, a mere second before a blue arrow hit his leg, pinning him to the ground for precious milliseconds. Hitsugaya slashed at him, opening a wound from his fourth rib all the way down to his knee along the right side of his body. And freezing it a moment later. He stumbled over and used to the move to send a thrust at the younger man while he drew his sword back for the killing blow.

Shinsou took him clean through the middle and Gin could hear Matsumoto scream dimly before he was grabbed and hoisted from the ground. After that, there was only darkness.
- 27
- 28
- 29
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

A Shadow of What Was