Arc 2 Ch5 Part 3

...

The inevitable shock came right on time.

Only unlike my own expectation's, as well as Aizen's for that matter, it didn't come from him.

I blinked, a bemused expression showing on my face as Ichigo and Rukia tensed. Beside the two orange-haired humans, Shunsui quickly snapped to his feet, mild shock appearing on his face as he locked gazes with me.

No, the shock came from the two captain-class, in more ways than one, reiatsu's that suddenly filled the very air-

"That's... Komamura-Taicho and..." Shunsui's eyes widened further- "Kaname-Taicho!?"

I blinked again, one hand going through my hair as I sighed. "Kuchiki-san, if you could escort your friends to-" And I could just about see the moment Ichigo made to object- "Yoruichi-sans ward,"

The ginger hero didn't waste so much as a second as he turned to wait on Rukia, his curiosity overtaken by his... worry regarding Neko-gami.

When the foursome disappeared (Ori, Ichi, Ru, Hanataro), I let out a tired sigh. "...No rest for the wicked, eh?" I turned towards the other captain.

Shunsui, for whatever reason winced at the words. "...Not expected?" He questioned, a wary tone to his voice as he stared at me, clear worry shown over his face as he processed the situation.

I gave him a humourless smile and promptly disappeared in the direction of the sudden reiatsu spike, Shunsui on my heel.

...

"The noble barracks..." I heard Shunsui mutter, his form just behind me as we flew across the air.

"Hmm." I shrugged off the uneasy feeling the words filled... I myself didn't know much regarding the noble families but Aizen seemed to, given his current silence and the feelings running through.

"Do you truly not recall anything-"

"Shunsui-san," I spoke over him, turning a single eye back as I kept the other on the approaching site. "Do keep in mind, what I remembered to plan for, before my untimely traversal, only encompassed Hollows, Quincys and Zaraki Kenpachi."

"Untimely-" Shunsui focused on the particular word as he eyed me. "I thought you travelled here on your own whim?"

I nodded, "I did, given the lack of candidacy, who came here, was never going to be in question. But all the same, I never got to do it on my own terms, those were given to me... Besides, there was neither room nor anyone else to truly worry about at the time either." Given this is- Was all a manga before I came here went unsaid.

Shunsui mulled over the words, his frown deepening as we crossed another captains barracks, the flock of worried shinigami practically clearing the paths and air the moment their eyes landed on us.

"... Just who? Who could've had the power to throw the future into-"

"You.. really don't want to know the answer to that. There's a list." I remarked, having completely forgotten all of them myself.

Still, given the sullen mood on the mans face, his earlier joy at getting his hand back having entirely evaporated, I felt somewhat bad... So I figured I'd just tell him to relax- "Honestly? if I were in your position, I'd stick to drinking,"

Shunsui, however instead of making me feel bette- Instead of relaxing, winced again.

"...Perhaps after I've done my damn job... If what you say is true then..." He grit his teeth, his hands clenched tight enough to let me hear it, mid-flight. "We've let things escalate this far... All right under our own bloody noses, if not for your interference..."

"...You know it's funny... Back home-" Oh my god! Shunsui stop wincing! It's not good for your face! " I would've never believed it if someone told me I'd managed to make you go sober."

"..." Shunsui struggled to keep the sudden amusement from his face, a sight that finally let me breath a sigh of relief, a small smile almost growing on my own face-

Only for the man to wince again as he realised I'd been trying to make him feel better.... Because that made so much sense!

"For the love of the soul-king will you stop wincing!? It's really starting to piss me off!"

Shunsui's gobsmacked expression was, admittedly, worth the slip. Alas, because of it, I failed to see to the coming roof.

I doubt Aizen was going to be happy I may or may not have broken his glasses.

I am fairly certain the frame is not supposed to bend like that...

...

The noble barracks were certainly far more lavish compared to the rest, though this one made the Kuchiki's look like a military base... The Tokinada's were certainly wealthy, and it showed!

At least that's what, and I am naturally presuming here given I've yet to visit the Kuchiki residence, I'd normally say given the once likely beautiful grounds were currently on fire. And honestly, I am just a little surprised Shunsui and I were the first ones here. Even more so given the fact I couldn't feel any reiatsus making their way towards us...

Hysterical servants ran around in a frenzy all around us as we made our way across them towards the centre of the reiatsu pressure. How half of these souls were currently standing conscious amidst two captain- I blinked, my head snapping towards Shunsui as my eyes narrowed.

"You said there were two captain-level reiatsu's right?

Shunsui blinked, his hand outstretched as it quickly caught the girl he'd accidentally crashed into, my own body automatically sidestepping her fellow uh, colleague? His face however narrowed as he processed my words and turned back ahead.

"'Cos I am feeling three,"

"... Funny, I can feel four," He remarked warily.

With those words, I promptly stopped on my feet, surprising the other before simply focusing on the reiatsus currently spiking even further up.

Shunsui's eyes minutely widened as I threw caution to the wind and promptly flash-stepped into the middle of a potential battle.

When I reopened my eyes, I found myself staring at three captains I recognised, two of them swinging blade to blade as one made to overpower the other. Komamura currently had his sword held up in a guard stance as he stared down at Kaname Tosen, his baskelmet missing from his head. A worried expression on his face as he held Kaname at bay.

Ichimaru was quite literally just sitting towards the side, under a burning curtain no less, on one rather out of place looking chair, his eyes taking in the chaos with barely a care, an amused smile on his face as he relaxed, in his hand was a covered-

Ichimaru Gin. Was. Openly. Drinking.

Turning my head away from the confusing sight, I focused on the stranger just behind the wolf-captain, the green-eyed slender man with dark green hair barely going past his chin, dressed in what I could only describe as the formalist of formal wear and given it was in this universe, I immediately pinned him as a villain. The smirk on his face as his eyes landed on me only made it more evident.

Especially considering the first words out of his mouth at my appearance.

"Sosuke-kun! if you could kindly control your blind dog that would be greatly appreciated!" The man stated, an evil glint quite literally forming in his eyes as he lackadaisically laid a hand on his Zanpakuto. "Honestly! You'd think the Captains of Soul Society would focus their energy on the important matters... Like say, the current war in Karakura Town."

I blinked at the words, wondering what the hell he was on about...

"What war?" Shunsui immediately questioned the presumed noble.

"Oho? Didn't you hear? Seems some Hollows,"The man's smirk seemed to intensify as he stared directly at me, effectively sealing his fate. "Six, Espada if I heard correctly, are currently fighting a group-" His eyes seemed to light up at the word, as if it seemed to blow some kind of expecation- "of Quincy!" Wait... What?

Komamura on the other hand seemed more focused, given he hadn't so much as reacted, on his currently treasonous best friend. Said man entirely ignoring the rest as he made to get through the wolf before him. The two in their own world as they pitted their reiatsu against one another, the sparks in the air turning almost visible from the sheer raw power behind them.

Ichimaru Gin on the other hand, having processed everything that was said, promptly took another gulp.

"...Shunsui-san," I started, immediately earning the man's attention, though my eyes never left the strangers, my own smirk slowly growing. I... Was fairly certain he was lying about the supposed war in Karakura Town... We'd have heard something by now after all.

Regardless the man, for whatever reason, seemed to be on good terms with Aizen Sosuke, seemed to know some, if not all, of his plans and was evidently not on good terms with said mans underlings... Wasn't like Gin was making any effort to help him.

As far as I am aware those were grounds for an execution.

"How do you feel about nobles dying for the greater good?" Said noble, needless to say, was not amused at my choice of words, a cold mask quickly filling his face as he gripped his zanpakuto, the pommel slowly sliding out as he fixed his stance the slightest.

The captain in question's face, for a moment seemed to turn wary as he processed my words and took in Kaname's stance on the matter, Ichimaru Gin's drink in hand and the wolf captain in the room currently trying to defend said noble.

To my own surprise a determined look promptly took over the 8th division captain's face. I watched, both amused and somewhat shocked as Shunsui, without so much as a by your leave, quickly unsheathed his zanpakuto and struck.

...

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Edit: Added a few more words near the end.