For the first time in his life, Ichitaro was forced to fight. A fight on a situation he'd never asked for and it involved his twin sisters, even though it's part of the training held by the old Head Captain himself.
He realised it was going to be a serious battle with a man he barely knew. Since he was accused of a petty crime and if he doesn't act soon, Ichitaro himself would ended up injured or worse- dead.
Meaning his parents won't take the news extremely well and Ichigo could obliged the Soul society and blamed Rukia for it.
Just when Yumichika charged towards Ichitaro, he lifted his bokken for an attack. Ichitaro's dodged it and swiftly kicked Yumichika's face, but was blocked and he stood back. Unusually, Yumichika sensed Ichitaro's spirit energy increasing.
" I....would never....betray your friend like that....", Ichitaro panted lividly, " He was actually helping me.... when I'm this close to be with Death.... by....by finding Unohana to heal my leg. Now you think I....did that.... for a petty shit?!"
[ * Wrathful whistling sound * ]
Ichitaro's spirit energy intertwined with a mysterious, yet furious black flames as his body radiated a massive energy, creating a gust of wind blowing in the training hall. Yoshimura covered her sister using her own body. Yet miraculously, Rangiku's spirit energy shielded her instead.
The remaining captains and lieutenants ducked down and some covered their faces on their hands and arms. However, Yumichika released his reiatsu and activated a shield, which blocked his spirit energy.
Then again, he was almost blown backwards by an energy infused with a high forced wind. Once the wind like spirit energy disintegrated into almost nothing, they removed their arms and hands from their faces. Almost sooner, their eyes widened with horror.
A black coloured spirit energy was evenly spreading as Ichitaro was changing. Anger and grief drastically collided and his eyes turned to midnight black. Yumichika immediately deactivated his shield when his silvery white eyes glanced at Ichitaro. Frozen by terror, the panic stricken Shuru begged Yamamoto :
" Captain Yamamoto, you need to stop this training now! This child might kill Yumichika or worse! Please, Head Captain! Do something!"
The other captains agreed. Unfortunately, the Head Captain raised his left arm for silence and folded his arms without a single word, leaving them in an unsettling situation.
During the `battle` , Ichitaro drew his right foot apart from the other before dashing towards Yumichika and raising his bokken for an attack.
[* Plonk×3*]
Their bokkens clashed like wooden katanas. Ichitaro was proven to be more faster than his previous fights when he didn't held back on his opponents. The moment Yumichika swung his bokken on Ichitaro, he instantly vanished and reappeared, standing right behind Yumichika.
Ichitaro kicked Yumichika and he staggered backward. Ichitaro launched another attack on Yumichika and hit him on his back. He tried fighting back, but Ichitaro slid past him and struck him on his leg right arm, face, hips and stomach with his bokken.
As Ichitaro stood back, Yumichika knelt on the floor, dropping his bokken. Zaraki and the other captains were alarmingly concerned about this training, except Captain Yamamoto. Yoshimura and Rangiku were worried about Ichitaro and wondered if he's there- spiritually.
Even the arctic blue furred cat like entity was quietly watching on the background, having the same feeling as the others. Struggling to stand up, Yumichika grabbed his bokken and staggered to his balance.
Now two different entities faced against each other and without hesitation, both of them raced together where their bokkens were, once again, met and the sound of blending wood echoed through the training hall. The fight between them intensified, but Yumichika held his ground when his movements are more fluid and controlled.
Ichitaro's bokken moved like a dancer's grace and leapt upwards and was about to struck a final attack to conclude his training. Yet, Yumichika tightened the grip of his bokken and managed to block Ichitaro's attack.
The remaining lieutenants mumbled in awe, despite they doubted Yumichika's diminutive chance of surviving Ichitaro's fury. As they continued watching the training resumed, Yumichika pushed Ichitaro and aimed at his weakest point- his stomach.
Using the tip of his bokken, he rapidly thrusted Ichitaro's stomach with little damage. Ichitaro took that pain on his stomach and leaned back, but his exhaustion got the best of him along with his aching body. Seconds later, his eyes were shut closed.
Ichitaro fell on both of his knee and so does Yumichika until he lay on his stomach for his exhaustion too. Yoshimura and Rangiku rushed to their twin brother who was struggling and panting. Anxiously, Rangiku asked :
" Ichitaro! Are you alright?"
" A....little....dog tired....that's all. " He panted. When he opened his eyes just to look at his sister, his eyes became normal again and his sister gave him a faint smile.
The remaining captains and lieutenants breathed a sigh of relief, reckoned there are no casualties between them and the Head captain Yamamoto finally spoke before leaving:
" It seems we have to conclude the training for today. Let's hope we'll continue again tomorrow. "
Minutes passed and every captains and lieutenants left the training hall. Ramune ordered the maids medicine and food for the triplets. As Yumichika was assisted by the other lieutenants, Ichitaro forced his tiresome body to stand, but his sisters are helping him. He called Yumichika's name, pausing him and the others and said:
" Yumichika-kun wait. Before you go, there's something I wanted to tell you. I don't know what happened to me back there and I'd like to apologise _____."
" Don't be sorry.", Said Yumichika, disturbing him., " This has nothing to do with you. Whoever taught you those moves, you should get a different one. It's, somehow, similar to the Red Prince's abilities. So we're even.....for now. "
Yumichika turned around and Ichitaro watched him slowly heading to the medical facility for a treatment. By then, Ichitaro decided to take his words as an advice.
Meanwhile, Ramune and Shunsui looked at Ichitaro talking to Yumichika. They too, wondered on their existence and Ichitaro's alleged movements similar to a certain person. When Shunsui turned to the notebook in his side pocket, he looked at his wife as she asked him:
" Still worried about them?"
" Maybe? I don't know what kind of secrets they're hiding, but if this is regarding on the attack and Kazumi's motive agenda pointing directly at them, this could possibly mean they're up to something and none of us were sure of it." Shunsui answered with a big sigh of disappointment.
" So, what should we do? Even if we ask shīfú for help and ____." Ramune suggested, but Shunsui immediately halted her.
" No, sweet rose. We can't ask old man Yamamoto for help. It's too risky. I think we should send this to Mayuri instead. If they're actually up to something, then we'll intervene him." He said, before both of them left.
~~~~~~~~
{ YAMAMOTO'SPOV}
LATERIN THEMIDDAY.....
Snows in the Soul society sprinkled into small amounts until it stopped. Yamamoto was in his office with Captain Sōi Fon. He wrote a letter on his experience regarding on giving Ichigo some of his powers and had no choice but to withdraw.
Smothering a bottle of ink with an old Japanese brush, he stroked a final word and stamped his name. He folded the single paper and placed a red candle over the folded paper, dripping hot wax before stamping the Soul reaper crest, similar to a Hallow pass.
He gave it to Sōi Fon and requested her :
" Give this to Kisuke Urahara. I don't know if he'll take it well, but he'll surely understand. "
" Are you sure, Head Captain? Everybody knows he's an unpredictable man. He'll even go against your orders." Sōi Fon remarked.
" It's true. But he'll have to accept it, whether he likes it or not."
Then, Sōi Fon bowed to Yamamoto and exited his office. The old captain was left alone and starred at the open view of the blistering cold weather. He thought about what Ichitaro had said to Yumichika that day when he arrived at the Soul society and when Hōshi's confession on their whereabouts.
The more he pieced it together, the more questions lingered with answers involving Unohana and, sometimes, Koro. He stroked his beard as he sat down on a Chinese style chair, still observing the view.
Hours had passed and it snowed yet again. The old Head Captain questioned himself on Unohana's actions.
' What are you hiding from me? Yachiru. Koro. What were you two up to?' He wondered.
He took a deep breath and sighed, whilst seeds of suspicions were slowly sprouting.
~~~~~~~~
MEANWHILE.....
Outside of the white castle, Jupiter arrived with an ancient medieval bag full of herbs and bandages. Not so long ago, he'd found his way to heal his wounds after Byakuya attacked him and now he's fully recovered.
As he went to the castle door, he immediately opened it and headed inside. Cheerfully, his entire body disappeared and transforming him into smoke. Flying and gliding inside the castle building in full speed, he headed straight and passed through each door rooms, when every guards watched the dim gray smoke floating in mid air.
Once he nearly passed a vintage medieval looking door, he made a u-turn back towards it and letting his own smoke went through, making his way into a darker room, where Aizan's body was set to be layed there.
Jupiter's body started to transform bit by bit and turned into his normal form, while gazing at the body of his late ` friend ` still in pieces. He took a deep breath and sighed as he said to Aizan, lighting the entire candles before he begins:
" Lord Aizan, you were gone too soon. You could've had killed that dragon riding bitch while you had the chance. But I'll promise you. I'll end her life and burry her head next to yours. That way, you'll be avenged."
Few hours passed by in a mysterious room and Jupiter was done wrapping Aizen's body like the mummies of ancient Egypt, silently without any distractions. As he made his way back layed his hands on to Aizan's chest and saw his dead ally he felt a certain dark powers surging out of him, when everything suddenly stopped.
Jupiter's eyes turned white and saw vile vision regarding on Aizan's last days in the inner prison of Mukēn. At first he saw a frightening gumiho trying to escape from Aizan when he stopped. Aizan entire body was frozen and little did Jupiter knew, it wasn't Ramune but a cat-fox hybrid like entity, starred at Aizan coldly before his tragic death. That's when it turned to Jupiter in a devious look....
At the passage way, Bezel arrived and gently knocked on the door, waiting on Jupiter. When he opened the door, Jupiter already burst through it, coughing loudly along with gasping and sputtering.
He sunken on his knees, whilst wheezing and hacking as if his heart thumped and his chest burned by fire.
Bezel was surprised when he saw Jupiter in this condition and in act of desperation, he quickly grabbed Jupiter, but he pushed him away.
" No! " He responded. Bezel was confused as Jupiter was full of tears and struggled to gasp for air.
" Oh dear. I was trying to help you. W-Why are you so stubborn?" Bezel asked worriedly.
Jupiter shook his head and panted:
" You'll make this worse, Lord Beelzebub.... Not since Phantom was looking at me like Hades himself."
" What are you talking about? How is Phantom involved in this because he is____."
" He's still alive, Lord Beelzebub. He's inside this....this spirit demon child. We must inform the queen immediately. There will be no funeral happening tonight. Not then. Not now. Not ever! "
Bezel nodded, before retreating slowly. Jupiter sat down and looked through the moonless cloudy sky, with few droplets of snow, his gnashed his teeth and tears dripped from his eyes.
" He must be killed. Phantom must die." He ranted, as his wheezing was slowing down.