90 Into the Abyss

Finished with what he had to say, Aizen mused, "And with that, ladies and gentlemen, I bid you farewell. If you survive the coming days, let's build a better world. Beneath my rule, of course..."

Punctuating his statement, the stabilized Gargantas utilized by the Attack Squad to invade Las Noches promptly shut. At the same time, far beyond the walls of the massive structure, enormous black pylons whirred to life, resonating with the surrounding space to prevent further Gargantas from being opened.

Sensing what had occurred, a deep frown marred Harribel's face as she revealed, "Lord Aizen must have predicted you would take one or more of us hostage. I can't open a Garganta..."

Tapping the space next to her several times in vain, Karin, wearing a pouty expression, appended, "I can't open one either..."

"It's fine," assured Ohta, interjecting before Ichigo could blow a gasket. Then, as all gazes shifted to him, he calmly added, "Aizen isn't the only one capable of scheming..."

Though he could have explained further, Ohta didn't like revealing his hand when it didn't benefit him. Instead, he looked to Harribel, stating, "I'm going to leave you in charge of Las Noches. You and your Fraccion will stay here and protect my ward."

Interrupting Karin before she could protest, Ohta plopped his hand down atop her head, his expression serious as he pointed out, "You didn't seek power to engage in warfare. If shit hits the fan, you must do everything you can to protect your sister. Understood?"

"But I want to fight..." protested Karin.

Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta replied, "Sometimes, staying out of a fight is the best way to win a war. Even if Aizen succeeds in becoming the Soul King, he's mistaken if he believes he can rule uncontested. Live on, grow strong, and if you can't find happiness in the reality thrust upon you, fight tooth and nail to create a better world..."

Before Karin could respond, Ohta robbed her of her consciousness, her body going limp before floating like she was being carried.

Directing the slumbering Arrancar to Harribel, the inverted triangles in Ohta's eyes exuded an intimidating glow as he said, "Keep her safe." in a firm, authoritative tone.

Feeling a sensation akin to existential dread, Harribel resisted the urge to swallow as she responded, "Understood..." Then, alongside her Fraccion, she departed Las Noches, understanding that Ohta 'putting her in charge' was predicated on the fact he managed to defeat Aizen. Until then, she would bide her time and keep Karin somewhere safe...

Following the departure of Harribel's group, Ichigo approached Ohta with a serious expression of his own, expressing, "Thanks for keeping her out of this..."

Snorting through his nose, Ohta retorted, "You can thank me by being a better big brother once this is all over. It shouldn't have to fall to me and others to teach your sister how to stand on her own two feet..."

Though he furrowed his brows further than usual, Ichigo responded with a simple "Right..." before slapping Ohta on the shoulder and walking past him. He and the latter rarely saw eye to eye, but after learning the 'truth' of his origins, Ichigo understood he couldn't keep pretending everything was normal. Once this matter with Aizen was settled, he was determined to learn everything he could about his past and the responsibilities thrust upon him by his lineage to shape a better future. He wasn't sure how he would go about it, but he suspected Ohta could help point him in the right direction...

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Using his connection with Yoruichi, it didn't take long for Ohta and Ichigo to find her, Soifon, Byakuya, Zaraki, and, somewhat surprisingly, Captain Mayuri of Squand 12 and Unohana of Squad 4, each accompanied by their respective Lieutenants.

Though Yoruichi raised her hand and smiled, the first to greet Ohta and Ichigo was the pink-haired loli that always followed Zaraki around, often riding his shoulders.

Waving her hand excitedly, the diminutive Lieutenant, Kusajishi Yachiru, exclaimed, "Look, Kenny! It's O-kun and Ichi-ichi~!"

"I can see that," replied Zaraki, his voice lazy as he focused his singular eye on Ohta as he asked, "Tell me, kid...did you eliminate all the strong opponents? That's what my instincts are telling me."

Adopting a fearless smile, Ohta retorted, "What are you talking about? All I eliminated were weaklings. The real threat just fled to the Human World. Maybe you scared him off?"

Exhaling an amused chuckle, Zaraki mused, "Maybe..." before shifting his gaze to Yoruichi, adding, "Woman. Hurry up and force open the Garganta so we can return."

Raising her right brow, Yoruichi remarked, "Address me like that again, and I'll leave you behind to guard the rear."

"Huuuuh...?"

Exuding a golden Reiatsu from his body, Zaraki looked like he was about to try and intimidate Yoruichi when Unohana promptly stepped between them, wearing the kind of smile a mother might don while telling her kids they wouldn't be punished if they came forward and told her the truth.

Opening her eyes just a crack, Unohana stated, "We didn't come here to fight amongst ourselves. If you have any grievances, please settle them 'after' we've dealt with Aizen."

To the surprise of Ohta and Ichigo, Zaraki promptly restrained his golden Reiatsu, clicked his tongue, and averted his eyes while Yachiru snickered gleefully atop his left shoulder.

("I knew there was something strange about that bitch...") thought Ohta, recalling the nervous tension he occasionally felt during his stay at the Squad 4 Barracks. The only time he and Unohana interacted was when she advised him to be considerate of the other patients, but there were times when he would wake up in the middle of the night feeling as though a venomous snake was crawling up his chest...

Causing the pointed ears atop Ohta's head to flatten, Unohana directed her smile toward him, calmly asserting, "It's not polite to think ill of your comrades..."

("You need to kill this one before she kills you...") warned Anpu. However, while there wasn't much of a difference in his tone, Ohta could sense the jackal-like Spirit wasn't as confident as usual.

"Enough dawdling," said Byakuya, his gaze focused on Ohta as he added, "Quickly explain the situation. How many Espadas remain, and where are Lieutenants Rukia and Renji?"

Extending his right hand, Ohta released Rukia, Orihime, Chad, Uryu, and Renji from the cloak. As he did so, Rukia bowed respectfully, saying, "I am here, brother." in a courteous tone.

"Lieutenant Abarai, reporting," followed Renji, cupping his hands together and bowing toward his Captain.

Nodding slightly, Byakuya casually remarked, "The two of you did well," before redirecting his gaze to Ohta, clearly expecting a report.

Though he wasn't obliged to provide a report, Ohta revealed, "I defeated the former God-King of Hueco Mundo, Barragan Louisenbairn. After that, I coerced the Trest Espada into defecting and crushed the Octava Espada to prevent him from becoming a menace after Aizen's defeat..."

Plopping his hand down atop Rukia's head, Ohta mused, "You'll be happy to learn that Rukia managed to defeat the Rank 5, Quinto Espada, mostly on her own. She still has ways to go, but she didn't even need to use her Bankai to get the job done."

Feeling embarrassed, a red hue colored Rukia's cheeks as she muttered, "Ohta..." with a warning expression and tone. It didn't help that Byakuya seemed genuinely surprised, his brows rising a whopping 3mm as he said, "Excellent. Once we return to the Soul Society, I will nominate you for one of the vacant Captain positions."

Staring at her older brother in disbelief, Rukia was going to protest but was preempted by Yoruichi stating, "We really don't have time for this right now."

Garnering significant attention from Mayuri and Uryu, Yoruichi raised her Captain's haori to reveal rows of bottles containing concentrated Reiryoku and a distinctive golden sword comprised of a double-edged blade and a circular hilt with spikes protruding from the sides. Its handle was bound in purple bindings, and the hexagonal, shield-like crest of the Shihouin Clan was carved into its surface. A purple tassel dangled from a gap in the hilt, but its most notable feature was the effect it had on its surroundings. The moment Yoruichi pulled it out, the faint hum denoting that space had been sealed off promptly vanished.

Seeing everyone's gazes on her, Yoruichi adopted a narrow-eyed smile, waving the peculiar golden sword playfully as she teased, "Curious? Too bad. This is one of the Shihouin Clan's heirlooms, and I'm not at liberty to divulge its properties. All you need to know is that it can do this..."

Half-turning her body, Yoruichi sliced the air behind her, producing a large gash resembling a Garganta. Her Reiryoku noticeably tanked as she did so, but it was promptly replenished as the Reishi in the surrounding sands was rapidly drawn into her.

"That's a Quincy technique..." accused Uryu, staring at Yoruichi as if she had just taken a piss on his Grandfather's grave.

Rolling her eyes, Yoruichi remarked, "Get over yourself, kid. The Great Noble Clans developed the concept of drawing and utilizing Reishi from their surroundings hundreds of thousands of years ago. The Quincy have only been around for a few thousand. Your bloodline is certainly special, but you're deluding yourself if you think such abilities are 'unique' to your kind..."

Though she was tempted to lecture Uryu further, Yoruichi didn't want the person listening 'through' him to hear what she had to say. Besides, there were far more pressing matters to deal with.

Directing her golden-eyed gaze to Ohta and Ichigo, Yoruichi's expression became deadly serious as she said, "Once we pass through the Garganta, the two of you need to avoid engaging Aizen immediately. No matter how much you want to interfere, even if everyone here is cut down, you should only take action 'after' Captain-Commander Yamamoto. That goes doubly for you, Ichigo..."

Furrowing his brows, Ohta replied, "Fuck that. If you expect me to stand by and watch that asshat do as he pleases, you're even more braindead than a certain Strawberry..."

Understanding that Ohta was referring to him, Ichigo's frown deepened as he said, "That's uncalled for..."

Piggybacking off of Ichigo's words, Yoruichi stated, "He's right. Besides, everything you want to 'protect' will be here, safe and sound. That should make it easier for you to cut loose if shit, as you say, hits the fan."

Realizing what Yoruichi was stating, Rukia was next to gain a frown as she asked, "What do you mean by that, Yoruichi-sama?"

Responding in Yoruichi's stead, Byakuya explained, "You, Inoue Orihime, and the former Ryouka will return to the Soul Society with Captain Zaraki, Mayuri, and myself. There is no place for you in the coming battle, so you will help protect Karakura Town as its final line of defense."

"Laaaaaaaaaaame..." groaned Zaraki, earning himself a narrow-eyed smile from Unohana.

"That's how it is," said Yoruichi, adopting a distinctly catty smile as she added, "In other words, if the Gotei 13 and Commander Yamamoto fail to defeat Aizen, you'll be able to go all-out at your leisure. Everyone fighting is more than prepared to die, so if it comes to that, be sure to avenge me properly, okay~?"

Furrowing his brows, Ohta wanted to protest but knew war wasn't a place for sentimentality or reason. Aizen was a monster that could potentially take on the entirety of the Gotei. Waiting for him to exhaust his Reiryoku and be weakened was the wisest course of action, giving them the best chance of success. More importantly, it would allow him to observe the capabilities of Yamamoto and Shunsei, giving him some idea of what to expect should the Soul Society turn on him...

Surprising Ichigo, Rukia, and Orihime, Ohta ultimately responded with a curt, "Understood...". Then, before the latter two could make a scene, he momentarily robbed them of their consciousness, entrusting them to the care of Byakuya and a boy called Hanataro before eventually entering the faux Garganta created by Yoruichi with a fiercely resolute look on his face...

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(A/N: Rukia isn't going to be happy when she wakes up o3o...)