Author's Note: Sorry about the long wait... I got stuck then suddenly had this idea, which unstuck me. XD Enjoy!

"You know, we could just take care of this."

"And deprive our officers of their fun? For shame!" Shunsui said merrily and Starrk grimaced as Lilinette glanced into the sky, tracking the battles in progress. Right now it was the cannon fodder, getting disposed of quite speedily. "I wonder why they even bothered with those idiots? Just getting rid of them?"

"Probably." Starrk felt a little regretful, but only a little. The hollows in question were really nothing special. "Hmm, there go the fraccion." Starrk leaned against a wall, watching. Shunsui fished through his uniform, looking for something. "…Is that a bento box? Shunsui!"

"What? I'm hungry – oh look, Abirama is going to be fighting Kira." He said, fascinated by the sight. "And he's giving himself a pep talk again. Such a strange habit but harmless… let me interrupt him, it will be so much fun!"

"Go for it." Starrk sighed as he watched his mate head off. Lilinette sniggered a little as they watched him leave.

Elsewhere, Abirama was still giving himself the 'pep talk' and trying to get Kira to participate when Shunsui arrived. He took a seat on the edge of the roof, unnoticed by the two combatants and watched curiously as Abirama started again.

"I can do it I can do it I can – urk." Kira stared as the arrancar flinched away, suddenly grimacing in a way that reminded him of a man facing a bear and hoping it wouldn't become violent. Following the lunatic's gaze, he saw his taichou, sitting nearby on the edge of the roof. Realizing he had their full attention, Shunsui smiled and waved his chopsticks.

"Oh, don't mind me. I'm just having lunch." He said cheerfully before picking up a piece of sushi. "Try not to hold it against him. He's just telling you how much he loves you." He assured Kira, who lifted his eyebrows. Abirama instantly went from terrified to outraged.

"This is not about love! Stop mocking me!" He protested as Shunsui grinned, picking up something that looked like a bird's nest and eyeing it curiously. "This is a sacred ritual!"

"Oh, come on, we all know you're just insane." Shunsui said with a cheerfulness that also struck the watchers as insane. Abirama was more than willing to point it out.

"You calling someone crazy is like a snake calling a scorpion venomous!" He called back and Shunsui blinked, turning his attention away from his bento box with a surprised look.

"That's rather good. I like that!" He said, pointing his chopsticks at the fraccion. Then he vanished in a burst of sonido and Abirama looked around frantically before jumping as a hand went down on his shoulder. Shunsui leaned forward so he was speaking in the other arrancar's ear as Abirama tried desperately to get away from him without any kind of violence. He knew that was utterly doomed. "Fight well and perhaps I'll let you switch sides, hmm? I'm always looking for recruits."

"I – I cannot betray my god…" Abirama said, glancing towards Barragan a touch fearfully. Fortunately, the old hollow wasn't looking at them. Shunsui chuckled, a deep, velvety sound.

"Ah, but if a god can die he isn't really a god, now is he?" He murmured, squeezing the fraccion's shoulder for a moment before letting go. "Leave your 'god' to me. Concentrate on your battle because if you do poorly, I'll let Kira kill you. He won't enjoy it because he's not that sort – he's another like Starrk – but he'll do it anyway. Hmm?" He flashed a smile at his fukutaichou, who just looked away. Abirama swallowed, intimidated by the more powerful hollow beside him. "Have fun!" Shunsui said cheerfully before vanishing in a quick burst of sonido, going back to his bento box. The shaken fraccion attempted to pep himself up again but quickly abandoned the effort, crossing his swords with Kira.

Shunsui watched the battle unfold, quite interested. He knew both combatants and knew that Abirama's primary power would be unaffected by Kira's shikai. But it also would not reveal the nature of that shikai, leaving Abirama ignorant of the power he was facing. What would happen when he found out?

Shunsui smiled as he saw Abirama activate his tattoos. They were actually quite potent, a power that could actually let him stand up to an Espada for a brief moment. The power in them faded quickly, sadly. In this circumstance, though, they were worse than useless. Shunsui saw him go into melee range and fall victim to Kira's shikai. He was going to let the arrancar die when something unexpected happened.

"No. All this garbage about despair… I cannot comprehend that. And I will not fall… to the likes of you!" For a moment, Shunsui thought the fraccion was just going to bull through the shikai. That would be doomed to failure… unable to fly, Kira would be able to reapply it and force him down again. But there was a flare of red light and abruptly, his wings fell away. Abirama was breathing heavily as red light glowed from the broken resurrection, solidifying into a sword in his hand. "I will KILL YOU!" He screamed as he launched himself at Kira and Shunsui knew the sword he was holding would not be vulnerable to his fukutaichou's shikai.

A split second later, his hand closed on that weapon of red, utterly disrupting it. He caught Kira's weapon in his other hand, levering the two of them apart as Abirama looked at his hand in shock and disbelief. It was empty now, the power he'd summoned forced to release.

"Well, well! I am actually impressed." He smiled at the arrancar, who was still staring at his hand. "I thought you would do something stupid like try to force yourself up, through the shikai. Instead, you broke your resurrection! I am truly impressed by your psychotic dedication to the art of bloodshed!"

"Kyoraku taichou?" Kira said in a questioning tone and he realized the fukutaichou wouldn't understand the implications of what Abirama had just done. Smiling, he turned to him to explain.

"You see, Kira, when an arrancar seals their power they seal most of their hollow energy and attributes into a sword or, in the case of Starrk, a second body." Where was his mate, anyway? Shunsui glanced around and found him leaning against a wall. He waved and Starrk waved back as Lilynette jumped a little. "When we take back our swords we reclaim those hollow attributes. In the normal course of things, we use that power for a time before resealing it. However… there is another course of action available." He turned to look at Abirama. He was looking away, now, and there was a suspicious wetness in his eyes. No doubt he hadn't anticipated surviving at all, let alone in complete failure. "Instead of resealing, it is possible to break a resurrection, forcing all the energy out into a new form. However, that is an act of pure desperation, like an animal chewing off his own leg to be free of a trap. He has shattered his sword and will never use his resurrection again." Kira's eyes widened at that. But to a shinigami, the thought of breaking their own sword would be anathema. Zanpakuto were more than just tools, but it was different for most arrancar.

"Just kill me!" Abirama burst out, not to his surprise. No arrancar handled this sort of thing well. "Get it over with!"

"Now, now, calm down." Shunsui said cheerfully as he evaluated the energies the fraccion had left. It wasn't really that bad. "You're still seated officer level. Not fukutaichou level, alas, but I already have one of those." Abirama was looking at him like he was crazy, now. "Why don't you just take a seat and enjoy the rest of the battle? You must be exhausted!" That made the fraccion grimace and run a shaking hand over his face. He was indeed completely exhausted by his actions.

"Taichou? You're sure about this?" Kira questioned. He wasn't eager to have this arrancar as a recruit. Although he would fit in rather well at the Eleventh. Shunsui shrugged before smiling.

"Perhaps you can teach him your philosophy. He must be rather – oh, that's no good." Tosen was fighting with Hisagi and winning handily. "I really should do something. Excuse me!" Abirama and Kira both watched him leave before the fraccion abruptly sat down. Not because he wanted to, but because he couldn't remain standing.

Starrk watched with a small frown as Shunsui engaged Tosen. He could feel his mate's enjoyment but something about Tosen seemed… wrong. He seemed to be enjoying himself too much, but why? Surely of all people he understood what an excellent fighter Shunsui was –

"You fell to me once. You'll fall again." Tosen's words meant nothing to Shunsui. But what happened next meant everything. "Bankai." The dome just looked strange to Starrk but then he reeled as absolute terror hit him through their mating bond. It was like nothing he'd felt from Shunsui before and it was so strong it formed images in his mind.

Important information. Have to reach them, have to tell them… darkness, complete darkness, can't see can't hear can't smell NO Juu have to have to what is this –

The terror – was that a memory? – suddenly flashed into rage and Starrk gasped at the power of it. Sensing Shunsui's intention he reached for Lilinette. She immediately joined him, taking their first resurrection just as Shunsui reached for their second.

Tosen's bankai exploded. The shinigami was caught by surprise as he was abruptly attacked by an enraged Shunsui in his second resurrection. He attempted to use his hollow powers, but they were nearly useless. Shunsui cut him to pieces, literally. Blood rained down as the shinigami was torn apart and the arrancar's voice rang over the battlefield as Hisagi and Komamura watched in horror.

"He killed me! Murdering bastard, he stabbed me in the back!" The sheer joy in his voice was terrifying. "I've avenged my own murder!" The laughter that followed was quite insane. Starrk cut it short sharply.

"SHUNSUI!" The gun snapped and his mate blinked, looking at him. "We're burning power! We have to attack Aizen NOW!" They hadn't planned to use this so early but now that they had, there was no turning back. Shunsui frowned as he realized the tactical issue.

"Ah, right." Turning to launch his attack, Shunsui frowned. Aizen was watching them with a smile. If Tosen's demise bothered him, there was no sign. "Is he not taking us seriously?" They were a power on the same level as Yamamoto and Aizen had created a special plan to get rid of him. Why did he seem so blasé about his traitorous Espada?

"Be careful!" Lilynette said and Shunsui shrugged before going on the offensive. Black fire rose around them and reached forward – but then the power of the hogyoku flared. Shunsui lurched in the air as his weapons both screamed. Aizen's voice reached them, even through their pain.

"Ah, Shunsui, Starrk. Have you forgotten that I used the hogyoku to bind the power of Starrk's reiatsu? I know the very structure of his soul… and I can bring it forth." The hogyoku flared again and that flash of purple light found the essence that was Starrk. In a brutally painful lurch, he was yanked out and they were abruptly forced back into a fully sealed state. Starrk and Shunsui both reeled as Lilynette looked around in confusion. They had no hope at that point. Aizen's blade flashed once, twice, and Starrk and Shunsui were falling out of the sky.

"Starrk! Shunsui!" Lilynette's voice was echoed by Juushiro's. Starrk felt her hands on him, trying to break his fall. Vaguely, he was aware of being in shock. He'd known fighting Aizen wouldn't be easy but he'd never imagined it would be like this… he could see bright blood trailing through the air, and mentally reached for Shunsui. His mate was also in shock and Starrk jerked himself out of his daze as he sensed that Shunsui's wounds were much worse than his. Much, much worse…

"Shun… sui…" He had to go to him. He had to. "Lilynette, help me…" He said as he managed to break his fall, landing with a gentle thump. Lilynette helped him, shoulder under his arm as he struggled to get to his mate. "Shunsui?" Juushiro's expression was grim as he worked on the arrancar's wounds. Starrk knelt beside him, reaching up to gently touch Shunsui's face. Grey eyes opened, looking at him woozily.

"Ah. Starrk. Juu…" Shunsui's voice was a faded rasp. "Juu, do you remember the first time we met Yama-jii?" He asked and Juushiro looked up, his eyes wide as his hands stayed lit with the light of healing kido. "We thought we were so good. We were giving our instructors such a hard time… ah, but he took us so easily! And do you remember the time we got drunk and thought it would be a good idea to sing in the garden…?"

"Shunsui? You remember?" Juushiro sounded close to tears and Starrk swallowed as he watched his mate. A small smile crossed his face before he coughed, grimacing.

"Yes. Wasn't the wounds. Doesn't… need to be that… it seems… it was Tosen's bankai. That was how he killed me." Starrk held Shunsui's hand as he spoke. "I followed Lisa. I knew I shouldn't have. I knew I was harming her growth but I convinced myself I would just stay in the shadows and watch. I saw Aizen and his treachery. I was trying so hard to reach you… Tosen ambushed me. That power of his, I wasn't ready for it and he wasn't arrogant back then. He killed me as fast as he could." Shunsui paused before chuckling weakly. "Far more arrogant today… ah, have I died?" That made no sense but then – "Hello Lisa." Shunsui murmured and they both looked up as a foot hit the dirt. A woman in an odd skirt and top was looking down at Shunsui with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"We're both dead. I'm a soul and you're a hollow." She said before kicking him, to Starrk's horror. "So that's why you were there. You idiot! You didn't help at all, just got yourself killed like a fool!" She berated him and Shunsui chuckled weakly. "Well, we'll take care of your mess. Don't die in the meantime."

"Mmm. I'll try." He murmured and Lisa shook her head before vanishing in shunpo. Starrk stared after her, confused, as Lilinette put his feelings into words.

"Who was that? Your ex-girlfriend?" She asked, which was ridiculous and made Shunsui chuckle. "…I sure hope they win." She said as she saw a completely new group of people joining the battle. Starrk watched, wondering who all of them were… they had been connected to Shunsui's death, but that was about all he knew. Then he glanced at Juushiro as he felt the healing kido stop.

"He should survive. I have to go help them." He said and Starrk nodded. "Stay with him."

"Yes." He was in no condition to fight. His wounds hadn't received any healing at all, which was fine given that they were definitely non-lethal. Glancing down at his body, he grimaced at the ugly wound. It was definitely incapacitating, though. It would take at least a day before his natural healing factors could take care of it, especially with Aizen's reiatsu in the wound. "Shunsui… ah." His crazy mate was asleep. Starrk looked into his face before glancing up into the sky. Lilinette settled against him and he put his arms around her, cuddling her close. "I hope they win." He whispered. He didn't want Shunsui killed outright or kept as a hostage against him.

He could only hope they would win.

Starrk couldn't help but feel anxious as he watched Juushiro and Shunsui quietly conversing. They were both in the Fourth, healing from their wounds.

His mate was different now. He'd known he would be, if he ever regained his memories. He seemed older and wiser, calmer and saner. He was still a bit crazy, just like Starrk could be a bit lazy, but it was modulated by the return of his shinigami past.

Of course, that made him worry. Starrk couldn't help it. Shunsui had Juushiro now and he really remembered him, remembered the full past they shared. Starrk looked away, trying to believe that Shunsui wouldn't set him aside. He knew his mate loved him… but the fear just kept worming back. He was really nothing much compared to Juushiro, just a young hollow with too much reiatsu for his own good –

"Starrk, please stop with the 'I'm worthless' funk. I can feel it through the mating bond and it's ridiculous." Starrk looked over in surprise, seeing Shunsui looking at him with a tired smile. Juushiro was looking at him in concern. "How many times do I have to tell you I will never give you up? I love you both." That simple declaration took his breath away.

"YEAH!" Then a fist hit him in the head and he yelped in pain and surprise. Lilinette had managed to sneak up on him. "Kimono-chan loves you! Aizen's gone and he won't be back! Everything's good now so be happy you dumbass!" She berated him as he rubbed his head, blinking. Then he managed to smile.

"You're right." His feelings were ridiculous and came from his life in the Living World. It was hard to trust, sometimes, when he'd been thrown away so unceremoniously. "…I wonder if I can see my sister again." That would make him feel better.

"Oh geeze. Just wait a decade or two and you'll see her right here." Lilinette said and he sighed before bopping her on the helmet. "Hey!"

"She'll probably lose her memories and regain her youth. If she becomes a shinigami I might know her, but she won't know me." He told her as Lilinette scowled, rubbing her head. "Ah, well." That was just the cycle of life. "I'm so glad it's over." Although there would be more adventures, more crisis. The afterlife was full of adventure, it seemed. Starrk smiled at the thought before settling down on his bed.

He was enjoying his 'heaven' very much.

The young man smiled as he watched the little girl playing in the street. Her golden hair was glazed with dust and the hot wind kicked up more dust, making him sneeze. Shifting a little, he tried to ignore the ache in his gut. He was hungry, but there was nothing unusual in that.

He could remember very little except his name. He was Lupe and she was Lily. They were together because they'd always been together. He vaguely remembered sand, a man with long white hair and another man with an earring, but that was all. Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet.

"Lily!" He called to her and she left off her play to look. She'd been kicking a rock around. "We should go look for food." They were always hungry. She nodded.

"Should we steal some today?" Lily asked and Lupe thought about it. That was dangerous though. Maybe…?

"Why don't we go near the white place and try to beg?" He suggested. The white place was the great white walls that blocked this place from the other place. What was it called? The Seireitei, that was it.

"Okay." She chirped and he smiled, picking her up in his arms as he moved in that special 'move fast' way. It had just come to him, unprompted, and let them get around the slums much faster than anyone else could. That was good, because the better parts of town did not want them sleeping in the streets. In the worse part, they had a little shelter and they went there every night.

In the better part of town, though, there were stores and shops. Starrk started with the bakery, humbly begging the man running the shop for anything he could spare. He was given an old loaf of crusty bread, stale but more than edible, and he thanked the man as Lily grabbed at him.

"Lily. Be polite." He admonished her and she pouted but desisted. "What do you say?"

"Can I please have some Lupe? Please?" She asked, her blue eyes wide and full of appeal. He smiled and broke the bread in half, handing it to her. "Thanks!" She began wolfing hers down as he ate more sedately. That would ease their hunger for a time.

Soon they took a place near a shop selling little statues and other strange objects. They put out a cup and Lily cheerfully asked passing people for money as Lupe sat down and just smiled, looking at the strangers hopefully. The combination seemed to work well and they had some donations. Then, however, everything changed.

"SHIRO!" Lupe blinked as Lily tore off, towards a man with… long white hair? "SHIRO SHIRO SHIRO!" She practically danced around him as he stared at the little girl. And the man beside him…

"Kyo?" Lupe breathed. He remembered these two men. Pushing himself up, he picked up the cup – if he left it someone would take it, they were not the only hungry ones on the streets – and went over to join her. "Hello?" He ventured and Shiro looked at him, surprise and disbelief in his face. Kyo was smiling.

"Lupe? Lily?" Shiro asked and he nodded with a shy smile, pleased to be remembered. Lily giggled and hugged him. "Kami! It's been so long… we were starting to think you were lost."

"It's been long?" Lupe said, a touch surprised. "We have only been here a year." That was strange. The two of them exchanged a glance.

"A time delay?" Shiro said and Kyo shrugged. "Well, it doesn't matter. You're here now. And your spiritual pressure is remarkable." What did that mean? He didn't quite understand.

"He can do move fast!" Lily chirped and they both looked at her in confusion. "He can move in a weird way and it goes fast!" She tried to explain. "He just started doing it one day." They both looked impressed.

"Shunpo… you must both be hungry." Kyo said and Lupe nodded. They were always hungry, rarely finding enough food to truly fill the void. "Please, come with us. You'll learn to use your powers and always have plenty of food."

"Oooo?" Lily said, her eyes wide as Lupe vacillated for a moment. He knew there had to be strings attached. They would be required to do things, work for their food. But he was fine with work, he often did that when he could find a job. That was just rare, in the slums. And he trusted Shiro and Kyo. Nodding, he smiled at them and felt a warmth as they smiled back. He followed them as they took him into the white place, Lily skipping behind.

This would be a new adventure. He couldn't wait to see what the future held.

~FIN~