chapter 1
In the middle of Las Noches there is a special room, in that room hovering 5 feet above the ground lie a orb, a dimensional prison known as a Caja Negación. But this one is special, unlike others who work on espada for only a short time, this one is supplied with constant power from a generator to seal that particular espada as long as aizen wish for it which is forever.
Yammi the 10th espada tried to find that dark skinned woman who kept running from him, every time he thought he saw her among the dust clouds he would fire a cero at that direction which only created more dust clouds. yoruichi on her part only warmed up, after all the 10th espada was a joke compared to the rest of them but his ceros are a good workout before she continue to more dangerous foes but the same dust clouds that confused yammi also hindered her sight and she couldn't see what was standing behind her. Yammi saw the cursed woman figure in the dust clouds once again and fired again but this time the explosion was much bigger spreading the dust clouds to all directions, he hit a generator...
"What was that?" he asked himself but then he noticed that without the clouds he can see the dark skinned woman, "you won't run from me this time!"
"I am not planning to run, work out is over" they continued their fight not knowing what truly just happened.
Caja Negación room
Inside the Caja Negación there is nothing, only white, endless void and in the center of it a single being, Daru sit there preserving his power, waiting for the unexpected to happen "how long am I here? Weeks? Months? Sitting and sleeping waiting for a crack, for a chance...and nothing." he pondered to himself as he did most of the time, "iam here alone, only me and my zanpakutou...why did he throwed it here with me? So that I would commit suicide? So white...so...empty."
So he sat there for what seems like eternity waited for a chance, a chance to exact vengeance upon those who trapped him, against the abominations that filled this place and if there is a single truth to this world is that nothing is eternal...not even eternal imprisonment. a single black crack started to form beneath Daru legs and in the perfect white surface it looked as 'bright' as the moon on a pitch black sky, he smiled and started working, punching and tearing at the small crack making it bigger and bigger untill...
*crack* the orb that hovered above the room started to crack, slowly like an egg of chick until a single hand burst out, then another and pretty soon the former espada was free as the Caja Negación shattered to a million pieces glittering like starts at the night sky. slowly Daru descended to the ground and in his hand his zanpakutou, a massive scythe decorated with skulls of iron, as his feet touched the ground he took a big breath of fresh air, celebrating life and freedom...and now its time to celebrate death as well.
across the room he saw the body of one of the arrancar, a big slow one who was called yammi, he remembered that one, assuming that after Daru imprisonment every arrancar would be ranked up then this yammi is now the new 10th espada...even if Daru thought of this practice as disgusting he needed to replenish his power before he goes on his killing spree so he proceed to feed on the corpse of the fallen espada.
Full, his energy started to resemble the power he once had "That would do, I don't have time to gorge myself with this garbage..." he continued to activate his Pesquisa (arrancar radar ability) and confirmed what he already knew from the corpse that laid before him, the gotei 13 are in here attacking aizen forces, he tried to sense anything familiar and found out several signatures "the captain commander isn't here...but unohana is...and i can feel members of the noble houses, a Shihōin, Kyōraku, and a kuchiki.
he headed towards the one who caught his interest, hurling himself through the corridors until he reached his destination.
"Ni-sama please let vice captain isane to treat your injuries you are more important here and..." rukia tried to convince her brother to take care for himself, once again he was injured for her sake and she was eaten with remorse, yet with a single wave of his hand he silenced her.
"I am the out ranking officer here and i decide who need to be treated first, now lay down and let her finish her j..." The vague sound of a sonido filled the room as a once fallen espada appeared in the middle of the room silencing byakuya as well.
"I told you, I am the fastest espada!" zomari laughing figure appeared unscratched "how do you like my speed clones? Feel real don't they? especially when the five of them are forming a single one...you were sure you killed me? For your pride you say? don't worry I won't point my sword at your pride again" as he said that he pointed at rukia "I'll just cero your pride!" the red\black color of a Gran rey cero started to form, in beyakuyas eyes everything turned dark, he cannot move to stop the 7th espada and his sister is about to die. "Die!" the cero flash fired at rukia and an explosion filled that area; the entire left side of the room was covered with dust.
Slowly the dust disappeared and to zomari shock before the little shinigami girl a lone arrancar stood with his arm stretched forward "you bastard who the hell do you think you..." he recognized the face of the arrancar who stopped him "you! How can you be free?! Well it doesn't matter you are nothing but an ex-espada! You think you can stop me from killing someone? You won't even be able to see me..." once again the 7th espada disappeared, charging with his massive speed to the unknown visitor. the fist connected at Daru face but he didn't moved a inch.
"ex espada you say" a small voice answered, only zomari and the shinigami who were right behind Daru could hear him, "you know very well that I wasn't kicked out of the espada and forced into a Caja Negación for being weak..." zomari eyes started to widen with fear and he started to shake, "...I was kicked because I didn't accepted aizen rule...and you and I know very well that I was, I am and always will be, the 1st espada."
zomari was thrown across the room hitting the far wall. rukia couldn't understand what just happened, before her, protecting her was a former espada "wh..who are you?" she asked with a frightened voice, he turned his head slightly toward her and she could see his face, his eyes were gray and somehow cold as if he owned the room, most likely he did, but there was something else in there, a sadness. beside the eyes she noticed he wore cloths like the rest of the espada but his was stained with dried blood and were ripped at several places as if he was in a great battle and didn't changed clothes for weeks, his body itself was also covered with blood, his blood...and yet with all this savage look she couldn't help but to respect him, something...power...and knowledge.
without a word he turned back to zomari "you are fast, but you lack two things, which are strength and common sense...you should have run the moment I've entered the room but now, kido art 61 rikujōkōrō." everyone in the room were in shock as the six rods of light pierced the room and binded zomari in his place "learn this young captain, when fighting someone you don't know his powers at all, even if he is lower then you, don't assume he is without tricks," he referred to byakuya, teaching him a lesson about fighting "kido art 64 'sky lens'," there was no doubt now, this espada knew kido! a glass lens started to form before Daru "this kido create a lens that can spy over great distances...it also concentrate light if used correctly," Daru pointed at the lens and a red\black ball started to materialize, a cero "amplifying it several times over, when fighting an unknown enemy you must not show him mercy, overkill is the only way to protect yourself," the cero was fired, a concentrated ray of destruction hurled itself on the helpless espada vaporizing him and the wall behind him, nothing remained beside what seemed as a cave with molten edges "and now to you two..." he turned to the two shinigamis who laid behind him in terror and draw his zanpakutou, a massive scythe, lifting it at the helpless shinigami stopping inches before isane neck "you stopped healing her as I entered the room, did you assumed I was on your side?"
chapter 2
"Well? Did you assume I was on your side?" Daru returned on his previous question, but even now all he got was scared faces starring at him "when not knowing what is the intent of a newcomer you should prepare as much as you can to the possibility that this encounter will be hostile, you should have kept healing her even faster so that she could at least protect herself..." Daru paused and retracted his blade, "keep healing her and for you captain of the gotei 13, why do you let this unseated shinigami to be treated before you? by being injured you put her and the rest of the shinigami here in danger."
"I don't have any obligation to answer the likes of you," Byakuya replied to the espada, trying to show some confidence to reassure both Rukia and himself, pointless of course, Byakuya is injured and this espada is by far more stronger than the previous one...They are all at his mercy.
"Huh, an answer fit to a Kuchiki...But I am a good observer, she isn't an officer and she isn't strong, she isn't a Kuchiki also since I can smell this, so what is she? Important to you? I wonder to what extent..." slowly he cornered Byakuya forcing him to throw aside his pride and answer.
"She is my adopted sister," Byakuya had to admit this or else much more could be exposed, "but don't assume I am going to give you my reasons for adopting her, its none of your business."
Yet the arrancar didn't listened, he was in shock about the adopted sister revelation, "adopted..." he approached the wounded captain, his hand started to glow with the green light if an healing kido.
"what are you doing? Stay away from ni-sama," Rukia stood up alarmed at the unknown arrancar who approached Byakuya.
"lay down Rukia and let Isane heal you, I'll take care of this."
"but ni-sama..." Rukia tried to object to Byakuya order but was silenced again, this time by the Arrancar.
"A good sister should listen to her elder brother," he said without turning to her, "don't worry I have no intention to kill him, only to talk to him, so lay down and keep quiet,"
Rukia watched from afar as the unknown Arrancar healed her brother but it was clear that they were talking about something and whatever it was it shocked Byakuya, it was clear they were talking about serious stuff, "ni-sama..."
after several minutes Byakuya talked to Rukia giving her orders, "Rukia, this is Daru Keiser, the former 1st Espada, he oppose Aizen rule and if what he tell me is true then all this is Aizen trap and I must warn everyone else...Rukia...I want you to escort Daru to Aizen and gather whoever you can on your way and give them this warning, under any circumstances DONT kill more Arrancar, capture them and take them outside of Las Noches as fast as possible or kill Aizen first."
the order was clear and Rukia had to follow this order, she and Daru dashed across the corridors to the nearest ally she could felt, Ichigo. "Daru..."
"Keizer-sama," he corrected her "you are Kuchiki-san and I am Keizer-sama, keep this professional as much as possible."
"Oie," her stare flared at the Arrancar "no need to be so rude, I am only try to be friendly since we are allies," she gave him a crooked stare and for some reason he felt uncomfortable with it, "very well if you just want to keep this little trip quiet then suit yourself."
5 minutes later, "its Daru-san."
"and I am Rukia-san, nice to meet you" she smiled at him but he didnt returned a smile, just seemed not like his nature to smile alot, like it can hurt him, like her brother. "How is it that you can cast kido?"
"I learned it from shinigamis, but i refuse to speak about my past so dont ask about this again," he tried to salvage something from his broken pride, as much as he wanted to keep his past in the mist he just couldnt help but to try to converse, weeks in isolation do that to a man.
"Very well...then what is your problem with Aizen?" if she cant ask him about his distant past then maybe something more recent?
"I have cannot respect someone who create such abominations...and..." Rukia didn't noticed this before but when she looked now without the uncertainty from before she noticed other things, his handsome face were covered with what seemed as dried blood, the same goes to his hands and body, this blood wasn't from opponents but his own
it was clear that he fought and lost...and beyond this were a pair of sad eyes. "so who is this guy we are going to meet?"
"Ichigo? he is a friend of mine, he is special we will need him."
Special? Daru wondered...
chapter 3
Running and talking, a weird pair moved through the corridors of Las Noches, "So he saved you from the execution, impressive but i find it weird that you didn't knew that 'orb of distortion' was inside you, i also don't understand why didn't urahara warned soul society through the appropriate channels? from what you tell me he is on the good side but its really fishy."
So Daru did have contact with soul society, enough to know about the appropriate channels, where the execution grounds were held and Soul Society works and yet he didn't knew who is urahara is meaning that his contact with Soul Society was between 500 years to 1800 years around the time of the formation of the 4 great houses, rukia could learn this much from their little small talk but couldn't shake the feeling that he only gives her shreds of information to keep her interest up, "I am not sure about his reasons but we do need all the help we can get...what did you told to my brother?"
"nosy girl! do you question your brother like this? show me some respect and give me some privacy," Daru snapped at her but it felt more comic then arrogant, she laughed and a slight curve on Daru mouth appeared, it was close to a smile.
After a few more minutes of small talk they reached their destination, "Ichigo! Inoue! over here!" Rukia waved to get her comrades attention, they stood at the end of the corridor, she was healing him, they waved back.
"Rukia! you are alive? i was told you were killed," the orange haired shinigami shout at Rukia, the answer was soon to come, when she reached Ichigo she kicked his head.
"What kind of a response is that? you sepoused to say how happy you are that I am alive or that you are relieved that iam alive," she stood over the agonising shinigami who lay beneath her stomping on his head, "learn some manners! now die and return after a thousand years when you understand how to greet someone AND to appreciate my drawing."
"i apologize," he tried to speak, "that your drawing are SO bad!" he grabbed her foot and throwed her in the air, they kept bickering for quite some time in which Daru just stood there watching trying to understand what is the nature of their relationship, could they be arch-nemesis?
"Ahem," an attempt to be noticed by the bickering shinigamis, "you are Kurosaki-san? and you are Inoue-san?"
"excuse my rudeness, this is Daru Keizer an Ex-Espada number one and an ally, he would help us fight Aizen," rukia voice changed back to serious as she explained, "he have some important info, no matter what you mustn't kill any more espada, it seems that Las Noches is actually a device that can create the key to the king realm, if enough souls are given to it then the key would be formed and since each arrancar is actually many souls compressed..."
"NOW you are telling us? there are fights all over the place! what are we going to do to stop this from happening?" ichigo was alarmed because of the fights he saw, even now the fight between noitre and kenpachi raged on.
"simple, all we need to do is to kill Aizen first," Daru answer was clear and decisive and all everyone could say was 'yes sir (ai)'.
"itsygo, what's dat noise?" the little arrancar girl woke up from the noise, up until now she was sleeping behind Orihime.
"Oh, nel tu, meet Daru he is also an arrancar..." Rukia tried to continue the conversation but when she turned to Daru he wasn't there, what followed was taken right from the realm of nightmares, she looked back to nell and there Daru was, she could only see the final phase of his attack, a brutal kick to the head sending the little arrancar flying to the wall at the end of the corridor and a single word that came from Daru mouth.
vermin.
he continued to form a cero but was attacked by Ichigo before he could finish, now the two juggernauts are about to clash.
Chapter 4
"Why do you oppose me?" the Arrancar asked the orange haired Shinigami who already released his Bankai, "she is an Arrancar, a vermin that should be destroyed as soon as possible…"
"Shut up! Nell isn’t some toy you can play with; she is human just like anyone of us and you are an Arrancar as well!" Ichigo yelled at the Arrancar while he tried to make any sense in this. The Arrancar came with Rukia, they shouldn’t fight they should be allies against Aizen but now there is nothing but the attempt to survive this juggernaut, Ichigo Shunpo behind Daru and tried to slash him but he couldn’t pass the iron skin.
"Did I tell you I am number one?" Daru looked amused at the young Shinigami attempt to hurt him, "as for being an Arrancar it's not something I am proud of and I will take care of it but not before ill eradicate any last one of them, including the little one and if you stand in my way I have no choice but to hurt you as well but I do hope you see that what I am doing is the only way," he had resolve, he wouldn’t back off…and he is the 1st espada.
"So there is no way to avoid this…" Ichigo raised his hand to his face and released his mask, in his head a timer started, he cannot hold back on such an enemy, "forgive me Rukia but I have no choice," Ichigo dashed at Daru, blades clashed, unleashing a getsuga tensho from point blank in hope to cause some damage, it didn’t.
"I take my words back young Shinigami," Daru eyes started to turn red "I don’t want you to understand anything an I don’t apologize for hurting you, I am going to enjoy killing you hybrids," Daru opened his mouth and a Cero started to form, so close to Ichigo that Ichigo had to pull back.
"Stop this…please Daru stop this insanity!" Rukia tried to convince Daru but couldn’t even get near enough for the fighters to notice her; the reitsu was too heavy, "JUST STOP!"
Daru raised his scythe and attacked Ichigo slashing from the right side, Ichigo tried to block the attack but the scythe stopped before it reached Ichigo blade, "a faint?!" the hilt of the scythe slammed into Ichigo face from the left side and was followed by a kick to his torso sending Ichigo over 10 meters down the corridor.
"you have no talent boy, you are slow, weak and use un imaginative moves," a smile started to form on Daru face," let me teach you something, how a real soldier fight, no. 63 raikoho," a yellow thunder attack came from his open palm, hitting Ichigo and electrifying him, "I am not the strongest Espada or the fastest and my skin isn’t as hard as some of them but I have things they can only dream on… I have KIDO and I know how to fight with a blade better than any of them and as it seems I know how to fight better then you."
Ichigo mask started to crack, this battle isn’t going well, "you bastard how the hell do you know Kido… who the hell are you?"
"well I told you, I am the first Espada Daru Keizer," again he lifted his scythe, "and as for where I got my kido, its non of your business," suddenly he changed his pose, his right leg stretched across the floor to the right while his left leg only bended, giving him the look as if he stretching his muscles, his scythe was lowered to the right until it almost reached his right leg and then…he disappeared!
"Crap! Shunpo! "Daru appeared behind Ichigo with his blade already half way to Ichigo, he started to attack before he even used the flash step! Ichigo tried to block the attack but was pushed back even when metal hit metal. The result was a reduced hit to the right side of his belly but it wasn’t the end, the right leg started to move as well, dropping Ichigo to the ground before Daru. Ichigo tried to raise his blade at Daru who raised his scythe for one final attack but Daru simply step on the blade to the ground chocking Ichigo with his own blade.
"Since it doesn't matter I'll tell you something…I was a seated officer once, many centuries ago, 5th division vice captain to be exact…" the blade came down, but it didn’t hit Ichigo. A green hilted sword blocked it, with a scarcely clothed girl holding it.
"I came to return the favor, Ex 3rd espada Neliel Tu Oderschvank," with those words nell kicked the surprised Daru in the torso pushing him back several meters, "sneak attacks aren’t that fun?"
She helped Ichigo to get up, "it's not over yet, how much more time you have with the mask?"
"Not long… we must hurry…"
"very well," she looked at Daru again, "I think a united front is the answer in here," with those words she declared, "declare Gamusa!" a green aura filled the corridor and when the dust dissipated nelliel was in her released form, "your turn."
"it seems so…I am strong but I am not stupid or arrogant enough to not respect power when I see one, alone you won't stand a chance but its seems I am out numbered and out gunned, that is until I do my own release." With those words he raised the scythe and stuck in the ground with the blade and clapped his hands as if he was praying, " corrode, Destruição" a flash of white reitsu filled the hallway and when the dust dissipated again Daru was standing with no blade and no shirt, his eyes turned black completely and his body was full with tribal like tattoos, torso legs and hands as well as the head itself.
"watch out, I heard his release is pretty powerful but I was never told what it is…he was imprison by the time I joined the Arrancar," nell whispered to Ichigo, "just be careful…" with those words Daru disappeared and reappeared behind them when their head were close to one another, he took advantage of it and slammed their head against one another and as they moved away from each other slowly…oh it was so slowly for Daru… he grabbed their heads on the opposite sides and pushed then, each to the corridor wall nearest to him, he then just piled them together and took his distance from them, with his back to Rukia and Orihime, after all he wouldn’t dream of hurting a real pure shinigami.
"kido art no. 64 'sky lens'" once again two lenses started to form, "the only way to defeat an enemy is a overkill, "Daru raised his hand to the lens and a Cero started to form, a WHITE Cero, "a normal Cero is destructive enough but if I am already in this form then why not?"
"Stop this!" suddenly Rukia, who finally managed to get used to the amount of reitsu unleashed in this fight, stepped before the lens, "If you insist to kill my friends then ill go with them," she lifted her hands to the sides as if trying to shield them even when she knew that the most she can do now is to die with them, nothing will survive this Cero.
"Move aside, I don’t have any intention to hurt you, or the human girl, I am doing this to protect you."
"how can you protect me from my friends? Just stop this madness!" she wouldn’t move. Daru in the end gave up, he raised his hand up and fired his cero making a hole that pierced to the real skies of huechu mundo, the darkness from those skies fell into the room as if it was a pillar of darkness and in the entire room the only dark spot was over Daru Keizer the Ex 1st Espada.
"you made your choice, don’t come before me again," he sealed his power back to the scythe form and walked pass Rukia, pass the pile of wounded 'friends' and into the darkness of the corridors ahead, he started to move to Aizen throne room, still angry at Rukia betrayal.
Running through the corridors Daru felt the pain that follow his release over his entire body, that last battle took a heavy toll but Daru knew that there is only one option since the moment he decided to oppose Aizen, they will both die. Ahead of him the throne room laid, he approached the doors and smashed them.
Inside on the throne room Aizen sat and was looking very satisfied, "oh you came…Daru…or should I say Kazuma?"
Chapter 5
**one week before Aizen arrival to huchu mondo**
The small adjucha kept running as fast as he could, somewhere behind him there was a vastro lorde on the hunt. He chased the adjucha for over a day and soon it would be over…
Suddenly the path was closed before the adjucha, the menos forest is like this, full of dead ends. The sound disturbance of a sonido appeared behind him, the vastro lorde is here.
"this is enough…just give yourself to me, I do this because I must just as you must feed me," the vastro lorde twisted voice echoed in the adjucha ears, before him the vastro lorde stood with the majesty of those beings overflowing. it was said that being eaten by a vastro lorde is a great honor, the adjucha didn’t thought so, he just wanted to live.
"Wait! I can tell you a secret if you let me live!" the vastro lorde stopped, intrigued.
"What secret can the likes of you tell me? The taste of a menos? Or of a human soul?" the vastro lorde white skin shined in the forest in a sick light, the appearance of vastro lorde is so different, they look just like humans but with weird negative colors and with hollows eyes, but this wasn’t a time to phase out!
"NO! This is much more important but you must promise me you won't use me as food!" the adjucha trembled with fear the next answer would seal his fate.
First there was a silence but the vastro lorde eventually gave up, agree to bear the hunger for a short time, "speak and be spared."
"some one big is coming, his name is Aizen and he is a captain of the shinigami," the vastro lorde eyes widened as he heard the words captain of the shinigami, "he is coming with a device that can turn hollows to shinigami's and give them great power!"
The vastro lorde now was really intrigued, "and what is your connection to this guy?"
"Me and some of my friends are going to help him, we are talking with him for years now, we built a base for him over the surface! It's going to be great! If you let me live ill make the connection and you can get much more power!" it sounded like a plea…it was.
"Does that change stop the hunger?"
**Aizen creation of the first Arrancars**
The tall shinigami stood in the middle of the room which was filled with adjuchas and gillians, they watched in awe as another Arrancar was made, this one was even better than the previous! "as you see its change is much better than the previous, soon every change would be humanoid completely, who wants to try now?"
"I am," the vastro lorde approached the throne, "I have no desire to wait, the hunger drive me crazy and I want the remedy now."
"I said now."
Aizen sighed, "I guess I don’t have much choice then."
After a few minutes the change was complete, the cocoon started to crack and from the wreck raised the new Arrancar, a tall handsome Arrancar with black hair and grey eyes and who was a complete humanoid in appearance, only the hole in his chest and the small mask part around his left chick ruined his disguise. Suddenly the air started to swirl around the young Arrancar, something started to materialize, it was a scythe, his zanpakutou, Aizen looked at the naked creation he just made and noticed that on his chest there was a tattoo, it was the power seal of the 13 divisions, of the fifth division to be exact. "what is you name?"
"Daru Keizer."
**weeks later, the espada are assembled**
On top of his tower Daru stood and look to the distance, the fake skies above him were a poor mimic to the sky of sereitei, he remembered his time as a shinigami and was full of shame, "I was the brightest Vice captain, I was the only hope of my clan and I failed everyone by coming to this place…"
Every time the espada meet at Aizen throne room Daru would feel disgust, he hated Aizen for he was the epitome of betrayal and to Daru he was a harsh reminder of his own betrayal. It was a matter of time until everything would explode and the time was now.
"Why do you do this?" the meeting suddenly stopped, Daru question broke the routine of reports to Aizen and from Aizen, "why did you betray soul society?"
The espada were in shock at the first espada manner of speech, what was about to happen was even more shocking, "hmm, did he just questioned me?"
The voice of Aizen second, gin, answered "oh captain I am sure he is just in another philosophical moment nothing to be bothered with."
"But gin, he never have a philosophical moments."
"SHUT UP!" Daru yell actually caused this effect, everyone looked at him, an Espada or Arrancar never dared to talk back to Aizen, "I am tired of your pointless talks."
"I so disappointed, you are always so quiet and noble like and now you raise your voice, ,makes you look so weak," Aizen voice was like a rusty nail on Daru ears, listening to him filled Daru with disgust, "do you understand how serious…" Daru stood up started to unsheathe his blade.
"it seems you are not aware how dangerous this is," the blade was drawn completely, "I despise you."
The walls shattered as the two giants clashed and with which blow the walls shattered with reitsu, "I am disappointed at you…destructive art no. 90 'black coffin" energy waves started to twirl around Aizen hand, as the spell started to manifest, the black coffin started to surround Daru, he was trapped, "it's over," Aizen turned his back to Daru, listening to the sound of slashed flash or at least waiting for it but it never came.
The coffin disappeared and instead stood Daru surrounded by kido no 91 'bubble glass' "this kido is good to defend against energy based attacks…" a small smirk appeared on Daru face as he slashed Aizen back, if not for the command 'shot him dead shinsou' that followed the damage might have been more severe.
"I am…impressed…who could imagine that an Arrancar can use kido…so good?" Aizen breath heavily, then he smiled, around Daru appeared Gin and Tousen, their blades are drawn and following them are the rest of the espada, Daru is alone in this fight but Aizen isn’t.
"corrode, Destruição, level 1" the blade shattered, the skin covered with tribal tattoos and the eyes are as black as the night skies, the epitome of destruction.
"Shot him dead, shinsou" the blade started to hurl to Daru who simply hit the side of the blade tip with his fingers changing the course enough to completely miss Daru.
"Your attack is strong at the point but so weak on the sides and you yourself are so slow," 'soinido' Daru was already behind gin, kicking him down to the floor, "next."
Tousen dashed to Daru trying to use his senses to slash Daru but he wasn’t fast enough, unbelievable speed made Daru untouchable as if he was smoke. Beside Aizen ulquira stood and asked him, "what can we do to stop him?"
"nothing, there is no reason to break a sweat over him, maybe you don’t notice it but he become slower and slower, this release take its toll, just keep attacking him," Aizen looked as calm as if he was drinking tea, and the blood covering his back disappeared, if it ever was there.
The espada made their move, kept attacking Daru each attack was evaded and counter attacked, until eventually a single scratch appeared on Daru check, blood flowed and Aizen wave his hand, it was the signal, the espada disappeared into white smoke, they never were there…they stood at the side lines unharmed, now they attacked for real, the blood on Daru check wasn’t real but now he would bleed for real.
After the combined attack ended Aizen stood over Daru body, "he is still alive…put him the Caja Negación room…with his blade, he might decide to commit suicide."
**later inside the Caja Negación**
Daru opened his eyes, everything was white, he was inside the Caja Negación trapped with his blade.
Most people would fall to despair but Daru is of another breed, his pride won't allow him to lose to the likes of Aizen, he waited until there would be another chance…he waited for days, weeks, months, years, eons…you can't tell the time inside the Caja Negación.
Chapter 6
Daru looked around the throne room, no one was here, "where are you watch dogs Aizen?"
"They attend to other businesses, I am a busy man and have much job to do…you don’t expect me to do everything alone do you?" Aizen words angered Daru, he is so calm even when it's clear Daru came to take Aizen head, it sickened Daru to the core, "I am very happy to see that you are free, Kazuma, I was afraid that we won't meet again…I missed our small talks…"
"we never had small talks, I hated you from the start," Daru starts to draw his scythe.
"I know but I wish we could have," draw his zanpakutou, "after all I have so many questions to ask you Kazuma…kuchiki…"
Blade clash! "DON’T YOU DARE SAY THAT NAME ON YOUR FILTHY LIPS!" Daru eyes burn with a red glow as the anger take over him, "the likes of you don’t even deserve to live! And you dare to speak this noble name?!"
"Angry aren’t we? I thought you would be more noble-like, Kazuma-kun," Aizen annoying smirk crazed Daru who couldn’t accepted this behavior, "you asked me once why have I betrayed Soul Society, want an answer?"
"This doesn't matter to me anymore, your ideas, your ideals, your existence itself doesn't matter to me! I won't rest till you die!" a kick to the ribs sends Aizen to the floor, Daru blade follows him but Aizen disappear and appear behind Daru only to be greeted with a Bala.
The smoke dissipate, Aizen stands still, "my, my, aren’t we pissed today? Well its seems you don’t care about me and it hurts, but to me you are very interesting! Why you an Arrancar care if I am loyal to the gotei 13?"
"You had a choice…" Daru started to stretch his right leg to the right and lowered his scythe to the stretched right leg, all this with his back to Aizen so Aizen didn’t knew about the hidden attack that would come. SONIDO.
Suddenly Daru appeared behind Aizen, sending his scythe to slice Aizen but Aizen stopped the blade with his sword, next came the leg who tried to drop Aizen to the ground so he jumped only to meet the third hidden attack, a Cero from Daru mouth. Aizen was able to block it but it send him to the ceiling, "it's not over…kido no. 61 rikujōkōrō!" the six light spears clashed into Aizen pining him to the ceiling, "I pay back my debts Aizen, kido no. 90 'black coffin'" the black-purple box started to form around Aizen.
The black coffin dissipated, Aizen was covered with 'bubble glass', the perfect kido against instant 'black coffin' "how foolish you used the same trick I used on you without thinking that I would defend the same wa…" black coffin close the vision, the black screen cover the sight with a pitch black curtain and the 'glass bubble stop sound from reaching the user, Aizen couldn’t hear the true attack nor could he seen it…the 'sky lenses' were already in place and the cero was charged.
"good move Kazuma."
The wall was now a cave, but Aizen still stood there, bleeding slightly and smiling.
"I'll give you a run for your money Aizen."
"I hope so…it was so boring in those few weeks since you were gone…"
"Very well…corrode, Destruição, level 1" Daru released his power, the blade disappear and the skin become covered by tribal tattoos.
"But I've seen this…if you say that there are levels then maybe I worthy something more impressive then level 1?" Aizen smirk pissed Daru who knew that its partially right. Aizen death needs to be complete.
"corrode, Destruição level 2" suddenly the tribal tattoos started to disappear, like roots of a plant who grow backward, slowly, but the most visible change was in the environment, the ground cracked and stones become dust and dust become thin air, "epitome of destruction."
"stay away from Aizen-sama!" a arrancar girl with black hair charged at Daru only to demonstrate the meaning of pure destruction, the element of destruction, her cells started to break down faster then she could understood, her black hair started to turn white and her legs failed her, by the time she reached half the way to Daru she was dead.
"your turn Aizen," sonido once more to Aizen, Daru grabbed him on his uniform, Aizen spit blood as his lounges crumble and his legs started to fail him. Daru touched Aizen face, causing them great damage as they started to break down, "hmm, you had a choice to betray Soul society…I didn’t…and for that I'll see you dead, you and every single abomination you created, you and every single hollow Arrancar or visard…" with those words Daru thrust his arm into Aizen chest breaking bones and disintegrate organs, until the heart stopped.
Rukia entered the room to see Daru standing over Aizen mutilated body, "Daru...you killed him?"
"It seems so…"he looked at her with sad eyes, "I wish I could have been a better brother…I am sorry."
"what are you talking about?"
"my full and real name is Kuchiki Kazuma, a vice captain of the 5th division centuries ago, I am not sure what is my relationship to you but I think I am like an uncle…but it doesn't matter…I was a bad ancestor and I won't have the time to fix it."
"What are you talking about? You won, you killed Aizen…"
"there are other things that won't let me continue, I raised my hand on you and your friends, I am a taint to the family name with this hole and this mask and finally I am already considered dead," the tribal tattoos redraw reached its end, no more tattoos were left, "I am sorry."
"what are you…" her eyes widened as she understood what he meant, blood started to flow from small cracks that filled his body, he couched blood and fell on the ground, and at the end it looked like he exploded, blood everywhere and a broken body laying on the floor, Rukia rushed to Daru, "wait you can't die like this, you killed Aizen! Orihime will bring you back you will be FINE!"
"Killed me?" the voice came from behind her, she turned her head to see in horror Aizen standing above his so called corpse, "my my kuchiki san…don’t you have more respect to me?"
"Kyōka Suigetsu?" they were fooled, Daru killed nothing but Air…
"Now the question is if I kill you…or just let you die…what should I do? One thing is sure, she is dead."
Daru could barely see now, his heart started to beat slower and slower, he could barely make sense in the noises he heard, all the damage he caused returned to him when his released reach the end…in his final moments he saw the orange haired shinigami attack Aizen from the side, with some of his friends…nothing make sense anymore…just random colors and ever growing darkness… a darkness that soon covered everything…
So dark and so cold…
Chapter 7
Darkness is everywhere cold and overwhelming…
This is how it's like to die? So cold…I don’t want this…
"Brother…" I hear a voice, "brother…" who is calling to me?"Brother wake up."
Daru open his eyes, he is still in the darkness, floating, beside him he see a familiar character, "Ni-sama? How can it be? How can you be here? You died centuries ago," the face of his older brother, still with the 5th division captain uniform stained with blood from the battle of the gap.
"Kazuma-kun…we need to talk," that voice brought back memories that caused Kazuma to break in tears.
"I am sorry, ni-sama, it's my fault," his older brother, Tenzen, hugged him, comforting him.
"you suffered greatly during those years, we need to talk."
Suddenly the darkness started to change into an image, a place that haunt Kazuma dreams, 'the gap' this is the cursed place where the Kuchiki clan lost two of its bright members over 500 years ago and now Kazuma is again standing here but this time as an observer, he looked at the moment that destroyed his life.
"Kazuma I need you to take a quarter of the troops and guard this valley, making sure our main force won't be surrounded by hollows, it's important that you will guard the read while I meet the Gillian army with my forces head on," the order was clear, but…
"BUT brother I want to fight here with you! This is a minor guard duty cant you give it to someone else?" Kazuma looked up to his big brother to a level they could be mistaken as twins, sometimes Kazuma would be more alarmed from his brother minor injuries then his own life threatening injuries, some said its obsessive care and that it won't end well. They were right.
"No Kazuma, we can't allow them to circle us and even if it’s a long shot I want you to guard this place, I know you are the only person capable of doing it without a fail."
The landscape blurred again and Kazuma\Daru found himself at the valley entrance looking at the ranting Kazuma, "this isn’t fair why do I need to do this? It’s a waste of my powers where I can be of greater use to my brother on the front lines…" a decision was made and Kazuma left his post leaving command to the 7th seat officer who didn’t had enough power to stop what would come, Kazuma ran to the front line and started fighting, after several minutes Tenzen felt Kazuma presence and confronted him.
"WHY are you here? WHY aren’t you at your post?" Tenzen was furious that Kazuma disregarded his orders and abandoned his post, even more when Kazuma tried to explain that he wanted to be with Tenzen.
The hollow roars reached them, minutes after Kazuma left the hollows attacked that valley, they killed the shinigami who stayed there and started to amass on this side, now they came with great numbers from several directions, the slaughter was unimaginable and Tenzen after seeing that the battle is lost ordered the retreat but the hollows closed all exits so Tenzen gave his life…acting as bait to draw the hollows by releasing his reitsu to such an extent they couldn’t resist but also leaving him defenseless. The few survivors made it to Sereitei but the losses were heavy, over 70% of the task force were decimated, the town as well, the captain was dead and the vice captain dishonored the Kuchiki name.
"if you weren’t the only male heir you would have been punished more severely but we don’t have a choice but to let you live…even if you killed the brightest one of us…" the words of his parents burned his soul, he was shunned from his family, only retaining the duties of the captain until a new one would be elected, never again the name Kazuma would be given to a son of the Kuchiki.
For 2 years Kazuma suffered the humiliation, not invited to anything that connected to the noble families, his chosen would-be wife from another noble house married someone else and soon a new captain and vice captain would be elected to the 5th division, thought of suicide came to him…but he started to have other feelings as well, hate mostly.
Standing over the cliffs that observed a large hollow army who retreated back to their world stood Kazuma and a few Shinigamis who stayed loyal to him, "we go," they went. Into the hollow made Garganta, into huceo mundo, into the inferno…to seek death. They found it.
The first encounter with a vastro lorde was there, they were able to send their report back before being overwhelmed and being destroyed…the only survivor was Kazuma who was injured badly, so he died there on the sands of huceo mundo…but his life were too full of guilt and hate and he didn’t found peace even in death, the next time he regained his mind was when he feed on another menos. At the start there was terror, the white hands and the inhuman size of a menos grande freaked him, it was a nightmare but eventually hunger drove him to eat more and more until he reached the level of a vastro lorde. For times he thought about visiting his clan, eating his clan, eating everything but his pride was too strong, he will stay here in this desert until he die and would never continue to taint the name of the Kuchiki clan.
But destiny wanted him to stay alive, long enough for Aizen to come and bring his orb of distortion and so Daru Keizer the Espada was born…am I right Kazuma?
"Yes you are Tenzen ni-sama…" the two brothers stood and observed the dark images of the fall of Kuchiki Kazuma.
"You failed at the battle for the gap, you allowed the family to shun you, the pain was so deep so you decided to die, all you did was to run, what have it brought you?"
"Pain," Kazuma said with a broken voice.
"So what are you going to do?" asked Tenzen.
"Does it matter? I am going to die, hopefully my presence wont disturb anyone ever again."
"Are you satisfied with that?" Tenzen asked again.
"of course I am not satisfied with that, for my idiotecy I lost everything and even more worst I brought bright people down with me, my subordinate, those who came with me to this accursed place, you…" tears started to flow from Kazuma eyes.
"Then what are you going to do about it? Are you going to cry? Are you going to kill yourself? Are those your options? Or are there other options? What do you WANT?"
"I WANT EVERYTHING THEY TOOK FROM ME! I want to be back into the Gotei! I want my honor back, I want my status back, I want to walk in the sun!" the sands started to disappear with each word that Kazuma shouted.
"GIVE ME BACK WHAT I WAS!"
Nothing was here; only black void…but it isn’t black…it's orange? And it's warm?
"Wake up you idiot!" Daru opened his eyes, everything was orange, he was inside some kind of force field and he felt good, like he is alive, when he looked to the side of him he was surrounded by Shinigamis and some Arrancars, it looked like he was dreaming, Rukia sat on the side crying and yelling how much stupid he is for fighting Aizen on his own and even punched him in the head once.
But he was also very tired and fell into a deep slumber…details will have to wait a little longer.
Chapter 8
"It smells good," he thought to himself, the smell of the Sakura tree blooming filled his senses. But is there any logic in that? He was lying in the throne room of Aizen so where is that smell come from?
Daru opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, it was made of wood and was of Japanese design and he isn’t in huceo mundo anymore. "Where am I?" he asked himself, puzzled at what happened, trying to guess what happened since the fight with Aizen. A door opened.
"So you decided to wake up?" it was Rukia standing over at the doorway wearing some casual cloths and a smile.
"Where am I?" he already knew the answer.
"You are In the Kuchiki manor of course." She replied cheerfully
Daru got up and started to go to the exit, "I shouldn’t be here."
So she kicked him, he was still weak from his release and didn’t really expected THAT so his face met the floor, "BAKE! What do you mean you shouldn’t be here? You are part of this family so you better act like it!" he was very confused, she just kicked him.
"You just kicked me…"
"and I'll do It again if you say you are leaving," she looked pissed at him, "and from now on I am Rukia ne-san and you better go and wash yourself in the bathroom," she pointed at the hallway, "third room to the right."
"????" silently Daru walked to the bathroom, "what the hell was that? I can crush her head with my finger, yet she…women are scary," he started to take off his cloths and his bandages who covered his chest, hiding his hole. Sad look fell on Daru face, he touched the hole just to make sure it was real and as always it was, "that is who I am, no point crying about it."
Daru washed his body and enjoyed soaking his wary muscles with hot water, he cleaned his face for the first time in several weeks and scrubbed his hair as much as he could taking out all the dirt out. Too much have passed on his body but given a shower he was able to recover most of the damage, in the end he was still a Kuchiki, with a Kuchiki face and as such quite handsome. A flash of light suddenly interrupted his thoughts and he turned around quickly, "butter."
"What was that is there anyone out there?" no answer came, just more flashes of lights that blinded him. he put a towel around himself and opened the door to the hallway, it was too late whoever was there already left escaping through the corridors, as he turned to the other side of the corridors he saw Rukia from the distance, "have you seen anyone here?"
"I am sorry," she said and lowered her head, "the association demanded that I get you into the shower, forgive me."
"????" he really didn’t understand what just happened.
"So what happened after I fought Aizen?" Daru asked Rukia for the details about the aftermath of the war.
"Ichigo fought Aizen but he couldn’t beat him, no one could, but the espada were mostly killed and the result was that he got the key. Aizen is in the king realm right now and we don’t have any way to reach him."
"So he won…" Daru was depressed, now Aizen is even stronger then before, how can he be stopped?
"Don’t fall to despair, there is still hope!" Rukia tried to comfort him, "with his forces destroyed the hollows attacks have decreased drastically, next time we will meet him it will be the entire gotei 13, our allies and even you will have a place."
"I guess there is no points in falling to depression," maybe there is hope, "tell me, the kid with the orange hair is still here?"
Ichigo stayed in his room relaxing at the noon sun, nell was sitting at the side in her child from eating something, the door opened and Daru entered with noble cloths and a sword, Ichigo freaked out, "what the hell?! You still want to kill me?" Daru approached Ichigo and draw his sword, Ichigo started to sweat, then Daru dropped to the floor bowing before Ichigo.
"My deepest apologies for attacking you, I am sorry for the un-comfort my family have brought upon you, take this sword and my life with it!" he presented the sword to Ichigo and moved his hair away from his neck so that Ichigo could behead him.
"????" Ichigo was in shock, "what the hell are you talking about?! I am not going to kill you!"
"you are correct, I am not worthy of your blade, I'll do it myself!" he draw a small tanto from his sleeve and tried to commit seppuku. Ichigo jumped on him.
"What is your problem? Stop that! Rukia! Come in here!" Rukia entered the room, pissed at Ichigo for yelling like a barbaric in the Kuchiki manor, it was hard enough to convince Byakuya to let Ichigo stay there and now he is…raping Daru? As she entered Daru and Ichigo were struggling and since seppuku requires exposing the chest area it looked as if he was forcing himself on Daru.
Rukia blushed, "Ichigo…are you? I was right all along..."
"it's not what it look like!" he tried to explain ,"tell her!" he yelled at Daru who screamed that Ichigo can't force him like this, Rukia knew what to do.
"Cheese," she took several pictures and went out of the room smiling, this will surly improve her position in the association.
vBulletin® v3.7.0, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.