At the foot of the Dual Terminus, 2nd Captain Sui Fong surveys the line of Captains and Vice-Captains that are present to observe Rukia's execution ceremony.

"...It's quite a pathetic turn out..." She notes blandly. "Only the 2nd, 4th, and 8th have shown up... the 5th, 11th, and 12th wouldn't be able to make it anyhow, but what are the rest of them up to..." She suddenly notices someone else approaching.

As she ascends the execution platform, Rukia looks up at the sound of footsteps. The man approaching is none other than Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain of the 6th Division and Rukia's adopted elder brother. Rukia is amazed that he would be here. Their eyes meet perhaps for the first time as well as the last. "Ah... Honored... Brother..." she murmurs.

Byakuya turns away as if ignoring her presence.

Rukia lowers he gaze sadly.

"Kuchiki Rukia," the Captain-General addresses the condemned. "Do you have any final words?"

Rukia takes a breath, closing her eyes. Then she opens them and looks away solemnly.

"Yes," she says under the looming figure of the Dual Terminus, "just one thing."

~*~*~

"That over there..." 9th Vice-Captain Hisagi Shuhei glances up at the black balloon tent that covers the roof of the building he was on earlier, "That's Captain Tousen's 'Enma Koorogi'...! Did the battle get so bad he had to bring out his Bankai? Or is it just that he doesn't want to fight any more than he has to? Either way, it seems I should get over there too..."

"...Wait...!" a voice calls out behind him. Hisagi turns to look down at his defeated opponent.

"I still... haven't lost...!" Yumichika smiles as he props himself up by his sword. Blood and sweat marrs his face.

"Give me a break." Hisagi says. "You lost."

"Unfortunately, in the Eleventh to lose means death."

"That's different from the 9th Division."

"As different as heaven and earth," Yumichika agrees, "I'm still in this fight."

"...A fight, huh..." Hisagi scratches his head. "Well, it's too late now. Sheathe your sword. No matter how hard you struggle, a 5th Seat can't win against a Vice-Captain. Plus... a battle-loving 11th wouldn't be satisfied by dying in nothing more than a measly fight..."

"...You don't get it, do you..." Yumichika smiles broadly. "We, the Eleventh... are a group of guys that are convinced that if we have to die anyway it might as well be in an extravagant fight." He rests against his sword, "I'll let you in on a little secret. The reason I'm in the 5th seat is because I don't see the number 4 as aesthetically pleasing."

"...What did you just say?" Hisagi steps forward, wondering what he's going on about.

"To be honest, I think the number 3 is the prettiest of all, but that one is Ikkaku's rank," Yumichika's expression goes soft. "So I decided to shoulder the number 5 because it has the closest resemblance to 3." (1)

Hisagi watches him silently. There has to be some point to his speech.

"There's one more thing," Yumichika moves to stand. "It's an implicit understanding among the Eleventh is that our zanpaku swords are only direct-attack types. We're all guys who would put out lives on the line for each other after all. Demon art type zanpaku swords are made fun of as being pathetic."

He raises his curved sword, "...So here's the secret." The blade begins to transform between his hands, melting into some sort of new shape sprouting peacock feathers. "Can you guess what is the true ability of my zanpaku sword?" He glares at Hisagi warningly, "I've especially kept this a secret from Ikkaku and our Captain. I don't want them to hate me."

Hisagi's eyes widen, "...You bastard...!"

~*~*~

Inside the confines of his own Bankai, Tousen tries to catch his breath. Zaraki isn't completely facing him - proof that he's not sure of Tousen's whereabouts. Even so, Tousen if growing frustrated, How... he can't use his eyes, ears nor his nose... He can't even sense spiritual energy...! So how can he... fight back!?

He charges forward and swings at Zaraki's gut, but the man dodges without warning so the deadly strike only results in a flesh wound, Again! He slips only a hair's breath away from being stabbed in his vitals!! Tousen turns to follow up his attack, but he suddenly bends backward to avoid losing his head off his shoulders when Zaraki blindly thrusts his sword forward. "Kugh!!"

He loses his balance and flips backwards several times to gain distance between himself and Zaraki, He can strike after dodging an attack... he's gradually improving his precision...! He really is... a demon...!

I got him this time, but it's just a nick on the edge, Zaraki raises his sword, unable to see the blood along the tip. So it's a Bankai that washes out the senses... what a pain in the ass. I've got my spiritual sense wiped out as well as my eyes, my ears... he sniffs the air without any success, Oh, my nose too.

Thankfully, my sense of touch hasn't vanished. As long as I have that, I can grip a sword. In the instant the tip of the blade sinks into my body I feel it and I can dodge. Zaraki recalls Tousen's last attack and how it clipped his side before he spun away. If I do that, I won't die for the time being. My blade is also getting more precise bit by bit, but that guy is also a Captain so he's not slow enough for me to be able to cut him down just by reflex and instinct.

Zaraki thinks sourly, At first, I thought this would be rare and entertaining, but this has gotten stale. I should have known it'd be boring if I couldn't stab anything.

So, He puts his hands out into the darkness, what do I do? If I want to cut him, I've got to come up with a way to somehow trace his exact location. But I can't see with my eyes, I can't hear with my ears, and I can't really figure out much difference in the spiritual pressure. He doesn't like the way things are turning out, Shit. Why do I have to bother with all this muddled up thinking when I'm in the middle of a fight. It's wearing me out. He's freaking sneaking about when I want a more fitting showdown.

Zaraki imagines what his companions would probably say to him in this situation. He mentally pictures his Vice-Captain, Yachiru, waving at him adorably, "I'd be cool if you cut him down by instinct!"

That's what I'm doing right now, Zaraki thinks dryly.

"What about that other thing? You know," Ikkaku would try to act cool at a time like this, "That thing they mean when they say 'Look with your mind's eye!'"

If I could see with something like that, I wouldn't be in this mess.

"I know what I would do..." Yumichika glitters as he makes a graceful gesture, "I would surrender - beautifully."

DIE Zaraki scowls.

He pauses for a moment as something finally clicks in place at the back of his mind, Wait. A slight grin creeps across his face as he mulls it over, Oh, is that all. I've got it. It's an easy way to figure out his location.

Unknown to Zaraki, Tousen is rushing up for another attack. ...He's smiling again... the 9th Captain thinks warily, Even after he's come this far, he still seems to be enjoying the battle...! Tousen's yell falls to deaf ears, but that fact doesn't stop him as he raises his sword and lunges at Zaraki, "You're a hazard, Zaraki Kenpachi!!! I knew you would be too dangerous for me to let you live!!"

Tousen's sword stabs right through Zaraki's gut, impaling the 11th Captain. He didn't dodge... no... or is it that he couldn't dodge... his heart is contorted by his enjoyment of a battle to the death. A split second of carelessness was born in that heart -

Tousen's thoughts are cut off as Zaraki's suddenly holds his sword hand in a firm, unyielding grip. Tousen is unable to pull away as Zaraki's eyes finally start to focus and his senses come rushing back.

"Yo," Zaraki leans over Tousen, "Long time, no see."

"It can't be...!!" Tousen gasps.

With one hand gripping Tousen's arm, Zaraki raises his blade and cuts across the other Captain's chest, spilling blood everywhere.


(1) [if you have a PC that reads Japanese characters.] To give you an idea of what Yumichika means: _ (4) looks very little like _(3). But _(5) only has two extra lines to make it look different from _(3). __, see?

Notes:
-I guess Tousen is learning the hard way that locking himself in a dark room with Zaraki is not a good idea.
-I ♥ the voices in Zaraki's head! XD

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