Disclaimer: Can I stop writing that I don't own anything I'm writing about? It really doesn't make much sense to continue past the first chapter.

Author's Note: Well, I'm impressed. This story has almost caught up to my first in favs and follows. Considering how much shorter it is, you guys must have been working hard on enjoying this story.

-Fair Warning: Lots of scene changes today. The Byakuya fight is next chapter.

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Last time: Ichigo gained a multitude of new abilities, including his brand new Bankai. Hichigo showed up, and Soi Fon began getting ready for Yoruichi.

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Renji woke up slowly, pain shooting through most of his body. His fight against Byakuya made him feel pathetic. He had been so proud to wield his Bankai, so confident that he finally stood a chance against the man he blamed for taking Rukia from him. Instead, his giant skeletal serpent weapon had been damaged and forced back into its Shikai state by his taicho. It was a good thing that Ikkaku was going to bring that healing ryoka girl to this division to break her friends out today.

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Among the many bizarre circumstances surrounding the execution of Kuchiki Rukia, one more was being added. Despite the enormity of using the Sokyoku as the means of death, only five of the thirteen taicho were there. If any of the others were coming, they weren't likely to make it in time. As it was, Rukia had yet to arrive, and only the Sotaicho, Soifon, Unohana, Byakuya, and Kyoraku were in attendance.

The apparent disrespect shown by the living captains that were absent both rankled and surprised the ancient leader of the Gotei 13, mostly due to the absence of Komamura and Tosen. Gin and Kenpachi were regularly disrespectful, and Hitsugaya was young enough that his personal feelings may have clouded his judgement; still, the idea of two of his most mature and loyal followers being absent was what surprised him.

"Is Ukitake going to come, or is he feeling under the weather again?" Kyoraku turned to Unohana, the only taicho present besides the old man that he got along with. Her face seemed to show genuine concern, which was reflected in her fukutaicho Isane's expression.

"I don't think that Jushiro would come even if he was feeling well. He looks at Rukia almost like a daughter, he can't take the idea of watching her die. All this stress is probably what's causing his illness to strike, you know." The nearly always cheerful and lazy taicho wore a somber frown, and spoke without even once hitting on any of the women near him. That alone was proof that his best friend wasn't the only one unhappy with the current proceedings.

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Rukia remained still and silent as her cell was opened once more, finally resigned to her own death. She knew that her actions in the World of the Living didn't deserve an end like this, but she still personally felt that what had happened with Kaien did. In the end, as long as Ichigo and the others were safe, she would be content. Those were the only thoughts running through her head until a surprising face and voice appeared.

"So, Rukia… it looks like this is the end for you. It doesn't have to be though, does it? Would you like me to save you?" Rukia and all of her guards looked on in shock at what Gin had just said. His eyes squinted nearly shut as always, and his smile as cold and lifeless as a snake's.

"Ichimaru-taicho, you can't be serious?! Why would you do this?" The snake-like man ignored the guard's incredulous response, choosing instead to focus on Rukia. He walked until he was close enough to lean down and look her in the eye, raising one hand to touch her face. However, his smile simply widened as he poked her between the eyes.

"I'm just kidding. You guards take care of her now, otherwise she might die on her way to be executed!" While those leading Rukia to her doom were beyond surprised, and Gin seemed rather pleased with himself if the laughter was any indication, Rukia herself was crushed. She dropped to her knees, shaking her head.

'I really thought that I had a chance at living when he asked that, no matter how uncomfortable he has always made me. All my resolve to just face it, and all my acceptance, gone...' Rukia scarcely noticed as she was pulled up into a standing position once more, dragged along in a stupor by her guards. Gin watched for a few more moments, still silently laughing at his own joke. When they exited his sight, he disappeared in a burst of Shunpo.

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Uryu wasn't exactly happy with his placement. Not only was he in a cell, but he was in the same cell as his other friends that had been captured. Across the hall was a Shinigami that had apparently defected to their side and attempted to rescue Rukia, before being summarily beaten and thrown into prison. None of this made him unhappy, save for the fact that Ganju was in his cell. While not having the same intense dislike of the man that his cousin did, he most certainly didn't appreciate being stuck in a 8'x8' cell with him.

"Damn it! If only they didn't put these stupid anti-reiatsu bands on our wrists, I would have just turned the wall into sand and left! Hey, Ishida! Can't you absorb the stuff around you? You know, turn it all from independent reishi into your own reiatsu?" This question was exactly why spending time with Ganju was irritating. Even if he still had his Quincy powers, he wouldn't be able to do that without activating his Letzt Stil.

However, just as he was about to answer in the negative a seventeenth time, the wall behind them both blew open. When the dust from the collapse cleared, they were stunned to see a giant in an eyepatch with a woman on each of his shoulders. More particularly, they were stunned to see that Orihime was one of these women.

"Hey guys! We're here to break you all out. Oh, and that guy in the other cell to." All of them stared in shock at the always bubbly teen, her smile far too wide and innocent for the actions she was engaged in. The giant didn't seem to care, however, and simply walked forward and snapped their handcuffs. Not done yet, he proceeded to slash open the bars in front of him and do the same for the redheaded Shinigami across from them.

"We did it, Booby-chan! Now, we just have to make sure that we get that one girl so Ken-chan can fight Berry-chan again!" While everyone was rather shocked at the fact that the pink-haired little girl had decided to nickname Orihime after her chest, they were more heavily shocked that she had referred to who could only have been Ichigo the way she did. Uryu openly laughed, while Ganju made sure to savor the moment. Next time they spoke, the substitute Shinigami would be humiliated publicly.

Both of the two amused Ryoka stopped when they felt an icy shiver run down their spines, looking in every direction to try and find where it had come from. Plans to mock the orange haired warrior rapidly left them, though Ganju stubbornly held onto his ideas. "Come on, the faster we do this, the faster I'll have someone decent to cut up!" 'Ken-chan' had a massive grin on his face, looking excitedly towards the Sokyoku Hill. All of Ichigo's friends save Orihime shivered, she had already gotten used to the bloodthirsty taicho.

They were stopped shortly, however, as two more men, each wearing a white haori, stood before them. "I'll take these guys, you go make sure Ichigo keeps to the girl's word. I haven't killed anything in… it's been a while." Everyone save Ikkaku and Yumichika left, the two fukutaicho level Shinigami smirking when their leader turned on them. "You guys to, I don't need you getting in the way." Both of their smiles actually got wider at the threat, seeming not to care.

"Oh, we're just staying so that you don't have to kill the small fry, Zaraki-taicho. Why let them try to interrupt your fight if we can stop that, eh?" Kenpachi's grin grew at Ikkaku's words, the bald man was just trying to make sure he didn't get bored. Yumichika moved first, baiting a man with three scars and a 69 tattoo on his face to follow him. "Have fun, Taicho!" Ikkaku shouted as he led a man wearing sunglasses away from the showdown.

"So, Komamura, Tosen… you guys wanna come at the same time, or should I kill you in turn? Either way sounds good to me." The only taicho taller than Kenpachi growled through his helmet, while the blind soldier simply shifted his stance. "Looks like I'm fighting the pacifist first. I really hope your love of peace doesn't hold you back. I want to have some fun!" Komamura stepped back to allow his friend to fight, making sure he wasn't in range of what was about to happen.

"I'm not a pacifist, I simply seek to follow the path of least bloodshed. You, Barbarian, live only in a path paved with blood. This time, I'll make sure you drown in a sea of it. Bankai." Despite the obvious anger of his fellow taicho, Kenpachi's grin just grew when those words left his mouth.

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"Kuchiki Rukia, you have been sentenced to death for the crime of high treason. The means of punishment; to have your soul dissolved by the holy might of the Sokyoku. Do you have any final wishes or statements?" Yamamoto didn't really expect anything, but it was tradition to ask. Even if she did request something, it's not like he'd grant it. Criminals could be given peace of mind before they died, but that was already a test for his patience.

"Sotaicho, I do. Please, allow those who tried to free me to return home, I don't wish for anyone to die for me. That is all I can ask." Most of the small audience was shocked she could make her request so calmly, no tears showing themselves. The most ancient Shinigami nodded, allowing the young woman to believe he would spare them.

Rukia floated upwards, until she was set against the Sokyoku stand. She closed her eyes, allowing her arms to be extended. The massive naginata in front of her was shed of its bindings, forming into a resplendent phoenix. It honed in on her, screeching its power for all watching to hear. However, something began to glow with a greater ferocity than the majestic firebird that had targeted the powerless Shinigami.

Ichigo stood on top of the Sokyoku stand, a soft smile aimed at the woman he was rescuing. A brown cloak covered most of his body, though he threw it off as he pulled his blades free. "I told you I'd rescue you, Rukia. Let's get rid of that eyesore and get you out of here." Everyone watching on the ground was struck dumb as the single Ryoka they had become so familiar with, the only one to evade capture save for Shihouin Yoruichi, began shining with unrestrained power. "Azumanohikari ni taishite josho no jisan: Kogane no Taiyō no Kōtei!"

His Shikai active, Ichigo turned towards the living flames readying to attack him and his friend. Just as it attempted to finally attack, Ichigo stabbed it with his short blade. It pierced the area that would mark the energy being's eyes, forcing it to recoil and scream in pain. Its whole body darkened in reaction to Ichigo's attack.

Taking advantage of the distraction, a number of ropes wrapped around the living weapon. Glancing where they came from, Kyoraku and Ukitake were standing together. A shield bearing the crest of the Shihouin glowed between them, its energies rushing up the ropes to the Sokyoku. The weapon was forced into its sealed state, before the blade shattered.

"What is the meaning of this?! You two are traitors as well?" The two close friends shook their heads in unison to their commanders words. They fled using Shunpo, Yamamoto following them. The rest of Ichigo's companions appeared across the plateau from him, Renji running in an attempt to get closer to Rukia.

"Nice-timing! Renji, catch!" Before anyone could ask what exactly was going on, Ichigo sliced through the execution stand with his long blade, grabbing Rukia and throwing her to Renji in the same movement. The curses of the pair of Shinigami were summarily tuned out by the substitute, preferring to keep up the pace of this rescue. "Stop shouting at me and run! I'll cover you." Renji followed orders, running alongside Ichigo's friends as they went to the only safe area Renji could think of.

Three of the fukutaicho present made to chase after the group, but Ichigo saw to the safety of his friends in seconds. An elderly gentleman with a rapier-esque Zanpakuto was dropped by a hard knee, the fukutaicho of squad 2 was less lucky. Ichigo leveled a punch at the man that shattered his released Zanpakuto, before sending the man flying. The last present was Kotetsu Isane, fukutaicho of Squad 4. A quick chop to the neck and she was out as well.

Ichigo turned his head back toward the stand, only to see Yoruichi barrel into one of the three remaining taicho. The taller of the two female taicho was busy gathering the wounded, only Byakuya remained to face the substitute Shinigami, and Ichigo had a score to settle.

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Soifon had been preparing to kill one of the third-seats that had assisted the traitor taicho, when she had been tackled off of Sokyoku Hill. Being taken by surprise and being hit like that had been irritating enough, but when her attacker moved the bandana obscuring her face and smiled at her, she reached an entirely new level of pissed off.

"Hey Soifon, long time no see. Did you miss me as much as I missed you?" The smirk on Yoruichi's features did anything but lessen Soifon's anger, the smaller woman beginning to raise her reiatsu as she broke away from her former leader. "No answer? I was really hoping we wouldn't have to do this. You don't know what's going on." The playful woman frowned as her former right hand glared at her, not wanting to hurt her.

Rather than speaking, Soifon simply drew her sword. A horde of Shinigami dressed like ninja appeared, all of them kneeling to their commander. "I believe you remember what it means when the leader of the Onmitsukido draws their sword, even if you have forgotten everything it means to be a Shinigami. This is an execution battle, and all of us will be your opponents." Yoruichi smirked once more, before the many kneeling men all fell over one at a time. Small flickers of motion accompanied each fall, though the near one hundred men had all fallen in about two seconds.

"Looks like it's just you and me now, Soifon. Seems you've let the standards drop while you've been in charge." The petite Shinigami grew red-faced, from rage, embarrassment, or both. Yoruichi couldn't tell and wasn't about to try, especially with what her onetime fukutaicho was doing. Soifon switched the blade in her hand from a reverse grip to a standard one, holding the blade diagonally in front of her face.

"Jinteki Shakusetsu: Suzumebachi!" The sword glowed briefly, before shifting form into a bracer. A small chain connected the bracer to a stinger on the enraged covert ops leader's middle finger, a black and gold color scheme bringing to mind the creature this Zanpakuto was named after. "I've surpassed you in every way since I took charge, the Onmitsukido has never been greater! I'll prove it to you when I execute you as the traitor you are!"

To the average Shinigami, nothing was happening. About three seconds after the smaller woman had shouted, both of them would have disappeared from sight. In truth, they had disappeared the moment those words came, showing a mastery of Shunpo that no other fight would exhibit. Soifon had launched a kick at her former trainer's ribs, spinning with the shift in momentum brought on when Yoruichi deflected it. She took advantage of the spin to launch a back-kick at Yoruichi's head, flashing behind her teacher to stab at her back with her Zanpakuto.

Yoruichi arched her back away from the stinger, placing her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders and tossing her over her head. She flashed to Soifon's position, aiming for a rabbit punch at the head of her foe. Soifon crossed her arms to stop the blow, striking Yoruichi with a snap kick to her stomach. "Heh, you really have improved, Soifon. I guess that's to be expected when I haven't seen you for so long." Rather than respond, Soifon charged her mentor once more. This time, she managed to score a light blow with the stinger on her hand, a black, winged insect shaped crest appeared on Yoruichi's chest.

"I'm sure you remember my Zanpakuto's ability, but I've improved even more than you think. The Homonka no longer has a time-limit. Two strikes on the same target, and you die. I'm halfway to killing you and taking the only thing you have left. I'll be the new Shunpo no Megami, and you'll barely be a memory." The smirk that had been on Yoruichi's face throughout the battle so far left, and no hint of her teasing tone carried when she answered.

"You'll have to catch me to kill me, though I'm surprised you think yourself better when you need Shikai to fight an unarmed opponent. I'm trying not to hurt you, but I need to buy time for Ichigo." As expected, Soifon grew even angrier at Yoruichi's words. Yoruichi turned and fled, stalling to let Ichigo finish his own fight. She could feel the Reiatsu of the two in competition, both pushing themselves to incredible levels. She had to turn and deflect or dodge attacks from Soifon as she fled, still being fast enough that she didn't take any repeat hits.

"That's it! I'll use my newest technique, and prove that I've surpassed you. I won't need Suzumebachi for this one." Chaotic white energy began swirling around the petite taicho, blasts sparking off of her like like lightning. "This technique is so new, that I haven't named it yet. You should feel honored that you are the first target." Soifon's smirk lessened when she heard Yoruichi mumbling, irritated to get a response other than fear. "What was that?"

"Kido mixed with Shunpo, that technique has a name. Did you ever stop to think about why the Onmitsukido leader's uniform doesn't have a back or shoulders? It's because the Kido gathers most heavily in those areas, any fabric would be torn apart by the energies there. I'll show you what that technique, Shunko, really is." A more controlled, but still wild energy gathered on Yoruichi's form, the orange jacket she wore over her bodysuit tearing apart under the stress. Soifon rushed forward, determined to show that she really had overcome her mentor. Without a single extraneous movement, Yoruichi reached forward and grabbed Soifon's wrist, twisting her arm and releasing a shockwave that moved to their sides.

"You… you canceled my attack by sending your own out at the same power, rotating the blast the opposite way mine did. Even after a century, I'm still no match…" Soifon collapsed to her knees, grasping at Yoruichi's legs. "Why? I still don't get it. I lived for you, first to make your life easier, make you smile. After you left, I lived for you still, trying my utmost to live up to your standard, and eventually surpass you. Why are you still so much stronger, why are you still better than me? WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME?!" Tears began to leak out for the first time in years, Yoruichi kneeling down to comfort the stricken woman. "I would have gone with you…"

Yoruichi smiled more honestly, not her usual smirk. "I know, but that's why I didn't say anything. You were needed here, and you have grown so much. If you had come with me, would you have had that motivation? No, you needed to be here, it wouldn't have been right for me to hold you to myself. I'm proud of you." More tears came, though of a different nature. They embraced, though it wasn't to last. "Come on, everything will be explained soon."

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Toshiro and Rangiku were walking to the chambers of the Central 46, hoping to discover exactly what had caused this mess before Rukia lost her life. They weren't surprised when they saw that the building was in lockdown, but that did cause a few questions. "Taicho, if Central 46 has been in lockdown since the Ryoka first came in, or even if only since Aizen-taicho's death, how did we get the last few communications from them?"

The youngest taicho sighed, before slicing the metallic barrier stopping them from entering into ribbons. "Either people have been allowed in for the purpose of running messages, or those communications weren't from Central 46. Considering the fact that the alarm didn't sound right now, I think you can guess which of those is accurate." When the two made it into the actual chamber, both of them were shocked into paralysis.

"Th-they're… Taicho, who could have done this?!" The strawberry blonde woman and her white-haired leader had walked into a massacre, every member of the ruling body of the Soul Society lying in dried pools of their own blood. This just led to more confusion, as an alarm had never been raised for aid. Considering that the blood was dry, and even flaking apart, they had been dead for some time. It was possible that they had died even before Rukia was sentenced.

"You're both here… Hitsugaya-taicho, there's something even more shocking waiting for you further in. Rangiku, if you don't want me to get away, you'll have to chase me." Izuru Kira, the fukutaicho of Squad 3, rushed out of the building behind them, though at first Rangiku made no move to stop him.

"If you don't catch him, Rangiku, he'll likely reveal this to everyone and say that we're at fault. I'll be fine, just find out what he knows." With those orders, the incredibly well-endowed woman flashed out of the room, leaving Toshiro alone. Until a few minutes after he moved further into the building, when a voice sounded from behind him.

"Shiro-chan… I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it, but why would Aizen-taicho write it if it wasn't true. But now, now I've seen you here, and everyone dead upstairs, and…" The leader of Squad 10 turned to see Momo behind him, her face twisted into an expression an absolute terror. It hurt when he looked into her eyes, knowing that it was him that she was so afraid of.

"Momo, I don't know how you got out of your cell, or why you came here, but this isn't what you think. I've only been here for a few minutes, and all of this had already happened. Wait, you said that Aizen wrote that? How, Aizen's dead?" The terror sank into a glare, her hands flexing as she reached to her blade, before a voice even more unexpected sounded out.

"Momo, don't." Both of them turned to see the previously believed dead taicho walk out of one of the side doors in the chamber, his customary small smile and gentle expression fully displayed. "You can't take him, he nearly got me after all." All previous thoughts banished from her mind, Momo ran to her leader. Tears streamed from her eyes as she embraced the man, her words so heavily laden that no one could understand them.

"It's alright, Momo, though I fear that I have to apologize to you. After all, no matter how much you admire me, I still have to do this." Without his expression changing in the slightest, Aizen shifted his right arm. Momo, however, dropped to the ground, mouth and eyes wide with shock. Blood began pouring from her mouth and the stab wound that Aizen had given her, though at nowhere near the pace that would be expected. This was due to the immediate drop in temperature, white energy radiating from the form of the youngest taicho.

"Don't be mad, Hitsugaya-kun. After all, if she hadn't followed you this wouldn't have happened. I wrote that letter to get her to leave you alone, but it seems that I'm far too important to her for that to happen. A pity it was necessary, hm?" Toshiro began trembling, enraged to the core of his being. The room continued to grow colder, though it never dropped low enough to outright kill the injured Shinigami lying at Aizen's feet.

"BANKAI! Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" The white reiatsu that had been flowing from Toshiro's body intensified, freezing the air around him. His hands, feet, and back gained frozen draconic appendages, including a tail and wings. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS, AIZEN!" His many skills vanished in favor of the Zaraki approach, mindless berserk slashes failing one after the other to bite into his target. The room froze over in the wake of his attacks, everywhere save for a small ring around Momo.

The vicious assault was not to last, however, as Toshiro found himself impaled nearly in the same area as his closest friend. "Too bad, Hitsugaya-kun. I guess that you can't really beat me. It was foolish to think that your Zanpakuto made you my superior in combat to begin with, especially with how you use it." Aizen dropped his foe from his blade, turning to witness even more Shinigami had entered.

"Unohana-taicho, what a surprise. And what is Gin doing with you?"

Endnote: I'm considering adding a fourth story, and I have a few to choose from. My birthday is near the middle of next month, I'll officially decide at that time whether to increase my writing load or not. Otherwise, it's nice to be back.