50 The Stage is Set
"Are you really leaving...?" asked Orihime, having followed Ohta to the entrance of the secret area, located in the side of a cliff overlooking a verdant forest.
Half-turning to stare at Orihime over his shoulder, Ohta briefly considered telling her they weren't friends. However, as her healing hadn't simply removed the scar on his chest but every single one of them, he ultimately replied, "See you around, ginger snap. Look after my cat for me while I'm gone."
Though she wasn't fond of the idea of Ohta going off on his own, Orihime smiled when he called her 'ginger snap.' Bar a few outliers like Ichigo and Uryu, Ohta typically only gave pet names to those he cared about. At the very least, that's what Orihime had heard from Tatsuki. Yoruichi, however, knew the truth. Rather than to exhibit closeness, Ohta used pet names to distance himself from those attempting to get close to him, evidenced by how he called her cat and never once used Karin's name after she began training with him...
"Be safe," said Orhime, her smile exuding the radiance of the Sun as she added, "And if you get injured, I'll be here waiting for you..."
Raising his hand to show he had heard Orihime's parting remark, Ohta promptly vanished from view. In his wake, Orihime spent several minutes simply staring into the distance, her smile gradually fading until it became an expression of concern, tinged by a trace of longing. Shortly after that, her ears began burning as the image of Ohta's naked form pervaded her mind for the umpteenth time...
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After meandering through the underground tunnels for hours, allowing him to move about undetected, Ohta eventually emerged in the district patrolled by Squad 12. According to Yoruichi, the Captain of Squad 12, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, would be out of commission for at least a few days. Squad 12 also had an antagonistic relationship with Squad 11, so Ohta assumed it would be the safest place to explore, gather information, and avoid Zaraki...
While Ohta didn't fear the battle-crazed Captain, their brief encounter had made him marginally more cautious. If Zaraki hadn't held back, Ohta knew he could have been killed in the first blow. His psychic barrier had offered him virtually no protection against Zaraki's sword, and if the man removed his eyepatch, Ohta knew he would become drastically more powerful. The tiny band of black fabric may look inconspicuous at first glance, but it was an advanced Reiryoku-devouring device, devouring and sealing up to 80% of Zaraki's power in his base form alone...
Fortunately for Ohta, around the time he emerged from the underground, Zaraki was napping on the bridge connecting the Seireitei's Hall of Justice to the Tower of Penitence that Rukia was being kept in. He believed that Ohta would make a beeline for the Senzaikyū when he learned about the advancement in Rukia's execution date. Instead, after being informed of the change by a very 'cooperative' member of Squad 12, Ohta returned to the underground tunnel system in a phenomenal mood. After all, with the date being moved up, it meant he would be reconvening with his favorite spider bunny nearly two weeks sooner...
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[August 6th, the morning of Rukia's Execution]
Interrupting Ohta's meditation, as she was want to do, Yoruichi appeared before him in her human form, crossing her arms as she questioned, "Are you ready? Only two hours remaining until it's showtime."
Instead of answering Yoruichi's question, Ohta opened his eyes, asking, "What about the edgy strawberry? Did he succeed in attaining Bankai, or am I carrying this shit show alone...?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Yoruichi replied, "It's hard to say. He obtained 'something,' but it's unlike any Bankai I've ever seen. It's more of a state of spiritual compression, drastically increasing his speed and power but lacking the x-factor most Bankai are known for. What about you? Is the temperamental puppy dog still ignoring you...?"
"Something like that..." replied Ohta, rising to his feet and rolling his right arm. The truth was that the jackal had agreed to lend him his power, but there were some conditions attached. He demanded that Ohta 'discard his fetter and claim what was his.' This might sound like he was referring to Rukia, but the reality was far more 'primal.' The shadowy jackal hated how Yoruichi and other women took advantage of his 'forbearance,' so it expected him to either 'cut them loose' or take them for everything they were worth...
Approaching Yoruichi, Ohta left the dark-skinned woman feeling at a loss for words as he cupped her chin, tracing his thumb along her bottom lip as he said, "Do not fail me..." with a smoldering expression and tone. His words and actions confused her greatly, but she felt equally excited when he released her chin and sauntered past her, slapping her ass and saying, "Let's go." in the same commanding tone.
Turning to stare at Ohta's back, Yoruichi narrowed her eyes and remarked, "Someone's in a feisty mood...". When Ohta seemed to ignore her, walking away in silence completely, she then transformed into a cat, leaping onto his shoulder and purring, "Slap my ass like that again, and I'll take you on the spot..."
Surprising Yoruichi once again, Ohta flatly remarked, "I just might if you stop entrusting the world's fate to teenagers, get off your ass, and earn it..."
Turning to meet Yoruichi's gaze, Ohta asked, "What kind of 'Defender of the Realm' sits on their ass and watches others fight to protect it?"
Furrowing her brows, Yoruichi huffily contended, "You 'know' it's more complicated than that..."
"And 'you' know I don't give a fuck," retorted Ohta. "Either fight with me from now on or back the fuck off and stay out of my way. If shit's going to be thrust on my shoulders regardless, I'll be the one to decide how I deal with it..."
"..."
Though she wanted to protest by pointing out she had spent the last hundred years preparing for the coming confrontation, Yoruichi couldn't deny that she and Kisuke were forcing a tremendous burden onto Ohta's and Ichigo's shoulders. Matters of the Soul Society should be handled by those native to it. 'Conscripting' a bunch of high school students to fight against people trying to supplant the closest thing to a God in the current world was more than a little unreasonable...
Interrupting Yoruichi's reflection, Ohta said, "Don't get your skin-tight pants in a bunch. Even if you continue doing jack shit, I'll kill Aizen, that Yhwach bastard, and anyone else who threatens the 'balance' you're so desperate to protect. Just don't be surprised when I send the Shihouin Clan a massive fucking invoice for doing your jobs for you..."
Exhaling a scoffing chortle, Yoruichi noted, "You're beginning to remind me of when we first met and began interacting. I like it, but don't take things too far and say something you shouldn't. As playful as I appear, you should know I'm a very prideful woman. I 'always' give as good as I get..."
"Well, if you want to 'get' anything, start giving," countered Ohta, adding, "And no, that isn't an invitation to continue tempting me. I want to see you actively working to resolve the threats we've discussed—something other than leaving things to me and an angry strawberry with mommy issues..." Feeling increasingly annoyed, Ohta's brows furrowed as he added, "There are absolutely no guarantees that Ichigo will be able to acquire the power necessary to defeat Aizen and Yhwach. What you and the creepy candy store uncle 'should' have been doing for the last hundred years is training like the fucking world depends on it..."
"You're starting to piss me off..." muttered Yoruichi, her feline expression morphed into a deep frown. At the same time, however, she couldn't deny Ohta's words. It wasn't like she hadn't trained at all over the past hundred years, but she definitely could have done more. Instead, she trusted that Kisuke had a plan, dedicating most of her time to gathering information to keep him apprised of Aizen's movements, misappropriating materials from her Clan's storehouses to supply his store, and liquidating personal assets to finance his experiments. All in the name of their friendship and the love she once believed he had for her...
Biting Ohta's cheek hard enough to draw blood, Yoruichi leaped from his shoulder and said, "I need some fresh air," before disappearing, leaving perfect outlines of her feet within the stone comprising the underground pathway. In her wake, Ohta reached up to touch his cheek, taking note of the blood on his fingertips as he remarked, "I knew my words would come back to bite me but come on..."
Responding to Ohta's utterance, the familiar voice of the shadow jackal said, ("You have kept your end of the bargain. Just this once, I will lend you my power...")
"Don't you mean 'my' power?" countered Ohta. His Zanpakuto Spirit was an extension of himself, so even though they had distinctive egos, they were ultimately the same existence.
Ignoring Ohta's remark, or at least pretending to, the shadow jackal said, ("Listen closely. My name is...")
Hearing the name of his Zanpakuto, Ohta's eyes briefly widened before a toothy grin developed across his face...
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Staring at the giant glaive that would soon reduce her soul to ashes, Rukia felt neither fear nor grief. Rather, as Ohta hadn't reemerged since his fight with Kenpachi, she felt relief. It wasn't easy to imagine Ohta fleeing out of fear, but she prayed that was the case. The Soul Society might not forgive him for his intrusion, but if he returned to the human world and lay low, he could enjoy a few more years of life...
"Have you made your peace...?" asked an incredibly ancient-looking man with a somewhat pointy bald head, numerous scars covering his face and body, long eyebrows that framed his face, and an even longer beard that extended to his knees, fastened by purple bindings. He supported himself with a large wooden cane, but no one in the whole of Soul Society would dare to consider him old and weak as the kanji emblazoned on the back of his Haori denoted him as the Captain of Squad 1, Captain-Commander of the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads and most powerful Shinigami to have ever lived, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
Adopting a faint smile, Rukia replied, "I have. And thank you for giving me one final moment to reflect..."
"Hmmm..."
Though barely half the Captains had shown up as instructed, Yamamoto nodded affirmatively, responding, "Very well. Then the time has arrived for your execution. Before that, have you any last words?"
Exhaling the faintest of chuckles, Rukia replied, "If I can be permitted a bit of selfishness, I would ask that the Ryoka who invaded Soul Society be allowed to return to their lives in peace. They are good people. Their lives should not be ruined trying to save their friend..."
"Hmmmmmmmm..."
Closing his eyes, Yamamoto looked like he was seriously considering Rukia's request. Fortunately, while the defeat of two Captains and the injury of several Lieutenants was no laughing matter, there had been no loss of life. In fact, based on the reports he had received, it seemed like the 'enemy' Ryoka had gone out of their way not to seriously injure or kill their opponents.
Surprising nearly everyone present, Yamamoto opened his eyes and said, "Agreed. Your last request will be honored. Assuming there are no further incidents, I shall allow the Ryoka to return unharmed."
Feeling even greater relief, Rukia exhaled a laughing sigh, a genuine smile developing across her face as she replied, "Then I can die without regret."
Nodding his head, Yamamoto said, "Then let us begin." In truth, he had no intention of letting Ohta and the others return, but as a final kindness to a girl he didn't believe deserved the punishment she had been assigned, he didn't mind telling a gentle lie...
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(A/N: And his name is...!)
