#not tousen i think tousen could and would blow himself up

[recurring-polynya]

an alternative interpretation

Yes Renji, the first thing Aizen did was attempt to escape captivity. This seems pretty predictable, honestly...and well done by Soul Society to find a chair this strong.

[gallusrostromegalus]

So how eldritch can we expect your version of Hollows to be? Because if there's one thing I take joy from the various fandoms you stick your fingies into is the extremely enjoyable (cursed) way you describe the gods/monsters

I'm definitely looking forward to all these Bleach shenanigans~ :3

Have a Sample:

*

He doesn't sleep.

Kaname just lies there, fingertips tracing over his chest. It bothers him now that his skin is unblemished. There should be something, he feels. A ring of raised flesh, an abrasion, something?Surely this feeling in his chest means he's about to become one of them.

He presses his chest, trying to feel it out. His heart still beats, his lungs ache- Maybe it's in his Liver. You can live without half a liver, can't you? Or was it gallbladders? Retsu had told him, once, when-

He does not cry out. He swears he can feel the hole growing every time he thinks of someone who was ever kind, who ever trusted him, of Shuuhei and Saijin and home and anything more than surviving the next hour. He does not cry out, but he can't grit his teeth hard enough to hold the little whimper entirely in.

Unfortunately, it's enough to wake his companion.

Wonderweiss is a pure creature, and even under better circumstances, Kaname isn't entirely sure he could deny him anything. Under these circumstances, he's given to spoiling the creature. So the small Arrancar had been allowed to curl up beside him, sleeping with his back to Tousen and his face to the door. Saijin used to do the same, when they traveled together, at least in new villages.

Perhaps he couldn't deny himself the faint comfort of another warm body. Perhaps he feels like he deserves the way the memory cuts at him. Perhaps he hopes the memory will finally cut his chest open.

But Wonderweiss stirs at the noise, sitting up. He sleeps at a twisted angle, chest flat on the bed and hips nearly facing the ceiling. When he moves, Kaname feels Weiss' top half rise, but not the bottom, like his spine is little more than a polite suggestion.

"Ahm?" He asks, nudging Tousen.

"I'm fine." Kaname lies.

"Hmg." Weiss grunts, sitting up all the way and patting at him, humming with concern. Small soft hands on his face, arm, shoulder, stomach-

"Weiss?" He frowns. "Did you grow more hands?"

"Ah!" Weiss chirps.

"...Good Job?" he tries. He can feel the edges of his eyes burning with exhaustion, even when they're closed. More hands. Sure. Why not?

"-I wondered if I would learn what kind of a freak you were before you died." Gin drawled from the doorway. "Have to admit, didn't think you'd be into-"

Wonderweiss made a noise that roughly served the same function as a growl, but sounded like it had been turned inside-out, a low, wet thumping from the middle of the Hollow's chest. Weiss started to get up and Kaname felt the bed dip like the hollow had also tripled in size overnight.

"Fuck off, Gin." He groaned, sitting up and wrapping his arms around what he hoped was Weiss' abdomen. "Don't bother, he'll only give you a stomachache." He mumbled, tugging a bit against Weiss, who had previously been roughly the size and shape of a small child, but now seemed to be taking on the scale and proportions of a moose.

"I mean I shouldn't be surprised, you always did have a soft spot for animals-" Gin teased, and Weiss gave him another wet growl. "-Seriously, you feel safe enough to sleep with this thing?"

"If Grimmjow or Baraggan decides to do me in, that's one less warm body between you and The Old Man whenever push comes to shove." Tousen shrugged, tugging more insistently at Weiss, who seemed to sit back a bit. "The microsecond it takes him to blow through me might be your only chance to slither off like the coward you are."

Gin didn't immediately respond. "You know how lucky you are that you can't see that thing, right? He looks like a pipe organ made of ribcages."

Weiss trilled a short set of scales smugly.

"Is. Is it actually supposed to be doing that?" Gin asked, sounding almost genuinely concerned. "I thought it wasn't supposed to shapeshift until-

There was the faint sound of Gin's foot crossing the threshold into the room.

Wonderweiss' furious screaming probably woke every hollow in Hueco mundo, if not the lighter sleepers in the soul society. A high, almost metallic scraping noise, like a knife on a chalkboard, followed by a deep, resonant boom as something elaborate that Kaname absolutely did not remember including in Weiss' specs happened in the Hollow's thorax, and the wall opposite the door exploded.

Ah. The "wonder" in Wonderweiss. Must be short for "Wonder what the fuck that was". "Fuck!" Yelped Gin, and the Hollow launched off the bed, galloping after him through the echoing halls of the city.

Kaname sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating chasing after them. On one hand, he didn't want Weiss to come to any harm. On the other even the effort of sitting upright was making his arms shake and stomach churn. He realized he was rubbing his chest again, searching for the hole that had to be forming there.

Well, if he became a Hollow, perhaps he'd become a bastard-eating one like Weiss and devour Aizen. It'd serve him right after all this. There was some dark comfort in that thought and slowly, he rolled back onto the bed and tried lying still with his eyes closed again.

Kaname does not sleep.

He does manage to stop thinking for a while and is nearly startled when Weiss returns, humming cheerfully. He feels like he's returned to his regular size and number of limbs now, as he climbs awkwardly over where Kaname had rolled onto his stomach to rest.

"Kahnm?" Weiss tries, nuzzling at his shoulder.

"I'll be alright." he mumbles, reaching up to pat Weiss' head and this time, it almost feels like it might be the truth.

Satisfied, Weiss settles over Kaname this time, probably only two arms folded over his side and chest resting across Kaname's back, legs sprawled out to the side like a great cat as he resumes his vigil of the doorway. The weight is comforting, and more presicent in his mind than the sensations in his chest.

This time, Kaname sleeps.

[recurring-polynya]

What are your thoughts on Bazz-B? He and Renji seemed to have developed a good rapport and I feel that they would’ve been good frenemies had be survived. I can imagine them exchanging fashion tips which would have interesting results!

I imagine that in another universe, they could have been friends, but I feel like the fact that Bazz grievously injured/ambiguously killed one of Renji’s best friends would put a big damper on that.

I really, really, really do not like the Sternritters. I don’t even like them as villains. Out of them, Bazz is probably the least objectionable, but I still don’t like him.

Here are a few thoughts on why, but I’m gonna put them under a cut, because that’s my policy when I say critical things about characters. If you like the Sternritters, I’m glad for you and please feel free to skip the rest of this post!

One of the major themes of Bleach has always been about moral ambiguity, that people are rarely pure heroes or villains. In the earliest episodes, Rukia warns Ichigo to kill Hollows from behind, to never try to glimpse the person they once were, advice that Ichigo roundly rejects as he’s constant turns enemies into friends/allies. This works really well at the beginning of the series and... less well each time we got through this.

My understanding is that Kubo’s original plan for Bleach ended after the Soul Society Arc, and that makes sense to me, because it seems so well plotted out to me, and then the subsequent arcs just seems to try to be recapturing the magic. The thing that is coolest to me about this arc is that the shinigami characters have real depth, and that our initial impressions of them are insufficient. The Gotei is going through an existential crisis, where an injustice (Rukia’s execution) is being prosecuted, and in addition, Aizen has laid a groundwork of mistrust and misinformation. You have characters like Renji, Kira, and Hinamori, who are torn between their orders and deep personal feelings. You have bystanders like Hisagi and Komamura, who don’t really have skin in the game, but feel a sense of unease about the way things are going. You have characters who seem sympathetic-- when Aizen comforts Hinamori that Renji won’t be fired, and the fact that Tousen seems to be someone who would be on the side of justice if only he had the full story, that turn out to be disingenuous. Then you have characters like Kenpachi, who, at least in the second half of the arc, is on Ichigo’s side, but not really for any noble reason, just because he likes Ichigo and also he wants an excuse to fight other captains. There’s Kurotsuchi, who is nominally on the side of the good guys, but is not, in fact, a good person. By the end of the arc, I feel like Kubo has done a really good job of presenting a diverse group of people who live in a flawed system and who were played by someone who took advantage of that. I have no objection at all to the idea that Ichigo considers many of the shinigami his friends afterward, including a very strong friendship with Renji, who is presented as a villain initially.

The Arrancar arc, is more of a mixed bag for me. I still think it mostly works. Arrancar are not humans. They follow Aizen, but in some ways, they are also his victims-- post-Arc, I don’t find myself begrudging any of the surviving Espada for having gone along with him. They are Hollows, and they come from a life of violence and anger and brutality. They have risen above that, which means different things to the various Espada. Harribel, Starkk and Nel are all sympathetic, even tragic characters. Nnoitra and Szyalapollo are monstrous, but in the way that terrible humans are monstrous. Grimmjow is an interesting character, because he falls somewhere in the middle.

I read a fair amount of GrimmIchi fic, because a) it often features Renruki as a side ship and b) there are a lot of really, really talented GrimmIchi writers, but I do not love the ship for it’s own sake, and it’s mainly for one reason: Grimmjow purposely hurt Ichigo’s friends in front of him, and I do not think that’s a thing Ichigo would take lightly. Now, one of the things that make GrimmIchi writers so good is that they are often willing to do the heavy lifting of examining Grimmjow’s brutality, and way Ichigo views the Hollow within himself (for some people, this is even one of the attractions of the pairing). We get a lot of canon scenes with Grimmjow in various situations-- when he backtalks Aizen, when he “rescues” Orihime from Loly and Menoly, when he tries to get her to heal Ichigo just so he can fight him again, when we see him willing to fight his fellow Espada. He’s a meaty character and there’s a lot to dig into. I would still, someday, like to see Ichigo say, “Hey Grimmjow, y’know, you badly hurt my friend Rukia and it messed me up a bunch and I am having trouble getting over it,” and for Grimmjow to have to deal with that. (Polynya, you say, didn’t Rukia kill one of Grimmjow’s Fraccion like 5 minutes earlier? Yes, she did, and whether Grimmjow would respond with “yeah, well, Rukia killed my friend and it hurt my feelings too!” vs. “yeah, well, Rukia killed my friend and you don’t see me crying about it!” are both really interesting ways you could take this)

ANYWAY, getting back to the Quincy. From our earliest introduction to Uryuu in the series, we know that Quincy ought to have a legitimate beef with Soul Society. For starters, there is their underlying philosophical difference: Quincy don’t think that the shinigami do enough to protect the Living World, and they have taken matters into their own hands. They want to see Hollows annihilated, rather than purified. Then, on top of that, the shinigami eradicated their people, and treated them like lab rats. You could spin a lot of gold out of this, but instead, we got the Thousand Year Blood War Arc.

The Quincy are, basically humans with powers, and yet they are extremely bloodthirsty and cruel. We see Bambietta killing people to blow off steam, they take glee in killing lesser opponents (both Hollow and shinigami), As Nodt tortures Byakuya rather than just killing him cleanly, Giselle takes over Bambietta’s body in a horrifying way. Yhwach chastises Yamamoto for having “gone soft”, and says “you used to be cooler when you were a murderer.” The Vandenreich isn’t about justice or improving the system, it’s just about revenge and power and proving racial superiority. Are y’all ready for the hottest take I have ever had? Here it is: The Bount Arc, which is bad and should feel bad, provided a more well-characterized and relatable set of villains than the Thousand Year Blood War Arc.

I mentioned earlier that out of all the Sternritter, Bazz is the best of a bad lot. He gets some good flashbacks and his story evokes both Renji and Rukia’s childhood relationship as well as Gin and Rangiku’s. He's shown hating Yhwach in his youth, but then it’s never really followed up on. Nothing about this works to make me like Bazz, though, it just makes me feel like Yhwach is terrible, a person who ruins lives in both big and small ways.

I honestly hate the scenes where Bazz and Renji banter. Up until this point of the story arc, we have been slammed over and over with how much worse the Quincy are than previous villains. They cause massive destruction, they maim and kill beloved characters. Then, halfway through the arc, Kubo suddenly tries to start walking this back. Byakuya and Kenpachi were supposed to never fight again, but, uhhhh, Byakuya got healed in the Royal Realm and Kenpachi... got better? Look, we fixed Kira! Mayuri brings everyone back as zombies, that’s cool? Let’s have some banter, ha ha, the Quincy are fun! I don’t want to blame Kubo on this because he wasn’t feeling well and also, all of this smacks of editorial pressure, but it doesn’t sit well with me. It seems out of character to me for Renji to joke with someone who has hurt his friends and destroyed his home, and I sometimes justify it in my mind by saying that Renji probably doesn’t know that Bazz was the one who hurt Kira, but in some ways that makes things worse.

To be honest, a much better way to humanize the Quincy would have been to do so through Uryuu. One of the huge flaws of this arc is that there is so little focus on him, the character who ought to tie all this together. Uryuu has been harping for years that shinigami are his enemy and that he’s proud of his heritage. This is literally exactly what he has always says he wanted, and the fact that I, the reader, never believed for a microsecond that his loyalties were divided speaks to how awful the Quincy must be. How did Yhwach first approach Uryuu? It would have been cool to be introduced to the Vandenreich via the narrative device of Uryuu’s introduction. Was anyone nice to him? Do the Quincy have any redeeming value? What if there had been a scene where Bazz-B is goofing around, maybe training with someone, and Uryuu says to himself, “He reminds me of Renji and I hate all of the feelings that are currently in my body”? That would make a cool fanfic, actually, and anyone who wants can have that idea because I will never, ever write fanfic about the Sternritter.

Finally, on a note about fashion, the Sternritter uniforms (along with all their other symbolism) skirts way too close to “Nazi” for my tastes, and one more thing I hate about them is that they have retroactively ruined Uryuu’s aesthetic for me.

[fantastic-secrets]

Butterfly Wings [1]

Fandom: Bleach

Summary: "Have you ever wondered what would happen if you tore off a butterfly's wings? Do you think it would crawl on the ground, struggling to survive? Or would it just die slowly, deprived of its freedom?"

When Gin joins the Fifth Division of the Gotei 13 to keep an eye on Aizen and carry out his revenge, the Vice-Captain welcomes him with open arms. Soon, they’re playing a game of cat-and-mouse, each trying to guess what the other knows and their motives. Aizen, in particular, seems to enjoy pushing Gin down into the mire, and for Gin, there’s no turning back.

Characters: Ichimaru Gin, Aizen Sousuke

Warnings: Murder, Innuendo

Word Count: 1.8k

He wasn't unfamiliar with death. But there was always something different about taking a life with his own hands. Despite the presence behind him, he didn't move as he gazed down at the lump of flesh, composing his feelings. This was just the first step in his plan, and his goal was much too important to ever make a misstep.

The events of the evening had been carefully choreographed from the moment he stepped onto the grounds this morning. During the tour, he'd carefully paid attention to his surroundings, fixing in mind where the seated officers' quarters were and the ideal location in which to call out his opponent. Then, with just the right balance of flattery and confidence, he'd asked for a private practice match, fully aware that his reputation preceded him. The other man's pride--and his fear of having that pride dragged into the mud before everyone else--sealed the deal. Really, the most difficult part was making sure that he was caught by just the right person; anyone else, and all his careful efforts would be rendered entirely useless. It couldn't appear to be anything but a coincidence, so as not to raise suspicion, and despite his calm facade, his heart had been racing the whole time, until he sensed someone stop to watch them. Watching, but not raising a hand… not even when his opponent had called out for help in desperation, finally relinquishing his foolish pride as he grasped for life. And that was when he was certain, and he had struck the final blow without hesitation and with a quieting heart. 

So when his companion finally spoke, he was able to turn and greet him with a smile and a tone of calm indifference despite being half-covered in blood. But it really was strange, how easy it was to defeat the third seat. Even if his opponent had never seriously considered the possibility that a mere "kid" would really try to kill him, he had been way too soft. If this was the level of the Gotei 13, it really was no surprise that Soul Society couldn't even keep its affairs in order. So when the fukutaichou asked for his opinion, he answered truthfully, and not just because that was the answer Aizen expected.

"Completely useless. What a joke."

That slight smile told him everything: he had passed the first test. He had the resolve to kill another human and the skills to fulfill the task. Of course, Gin wasn't naive enough to think that Aizen trusted him at all with just that, but that would come in time. On the other hand, the fukutaichou was highly respected and renowned as a kind man; Rangiku had gushed about how lucky he was to have been accepted into the Fifth Company and the importance of making a good impression on his superiors. At the time, Gin had reassured her that that was exactly what he intended to do.

"Ichimaru-kun, I would like you to be my subordinate."

Still grinning, Gin tilted his head as though he was puzzled by the statement. "Ain't I already, though, Aizen-fukutaichou? I'm part'a the Fifth Company like ya, right? 'less you're saying ya think I wanna fight ya for yer seat, or the taichou's. I ain't that good."

"Not yet, but perhaps in the future," Aizen agreed, favoring him with another smile that said he saw right through Gin's innocent charade. "Now, wash up and go back to bed. I'll take care of the cleanup here."

It wasn't until much later that Gin learned just how the fukutaichou had managed to disguise the murder as a suicide. But in the end, nobody questioned the situation when the body was found the next day, or challenged his assignment to the third seat. There was certainly some resentment over the fact that a recruit fresh from the Academy would be given the position, but everyone recognized that the so-called genius was more than qualified to hold it.

So like a shadow, Gin was often found trailing behind Aizen, always smiling and eager to please his superior. "A creepy kid" seemed to be the general consensus about him, and many seemed relieved that he had attached himself so closely to the highly respected fukutaichou, as if they expected that Aizen would keep him in check. But really, it wasn't as though he had ever been caught doing something wrong. He was just too clever, too strong, and too young… combined with his polite indifference towards most, it scared people. Both of them recognized that truth, and so Gin did nothing that would challenge that perception, because that was what Aizen wanted.

The only person who truly trusted him was Rangiku, and only around his childhood friend could Gin relax. Between his company duties and her classes, he couldn't see her often, but the brief moments of relative peace that they shared together were worth it. Although Rukongai had practically been a living hell, if there was anything that he missed about it, it was the way they had created their own universe together with just the two of them. He didn't resent her or her new friends, though: she'd always been more sociable than him, and he was glad that her world was being filled with color and laughter. But sometimes, he felt like her complaints and teasing were the only thing keeping him sane as his own world sank into the shadows.

In retrospect, though, he'd still been too naive. He'd never actively tried to hide their relationship from his fukutaichou, knowing that it would be a futile effort. Aizen watched the third seat too closely, clearly still cautious despite their shared complicity.  And even if he hadn't, he was clever enough to notice if Gin was hiding something from him and persistent enough to figure out what it was. So long as Rangiku didn't get in the way of his plans, she wasn't worth his notice… or so Gin believed.

Several years later, Gin stepped silently into Aizen's office, his usual smile affixed to his face as he greeted the other man. 

"Ya called fer me, Aizen-fukutaichou?"

"Ah, Gin. I was hoping to get your opinion on something. Please, sit."

Obediently, Gin lowered himself onto the cushion that Aizen indicated, puzzled. In all the time that they'd worked together, Aizen had never sincerely asked for his opinion on anything, not since the night he'd killed the former third seat. Would it be another test, or was it a sign that he was beginning to earn Aizen's trust?

He accepted the document that the older man offered to him, opening it to reveal Rangiku's Academy report. Carefully, he read through it before looking back up, with his expression as noncommittal as ever.

"So whatcha wanna ask, then?"

"I was thinking about inviting her to join the Fifth Company. The taichou is rather ambivalent about her, but she's your friend, right? I wouldn't mind putting in a word for your sake, since you've been so helpful to us."

A chill crept into Gin's bones as he shrugged, acutely aware of the fukutaichou's steady gaze under the lightness of his words. He'd expected that Aizen would be aware of his friendship, but this possibility had never occurred to him. He didn't want Rangiku anywhere near Aizen, not only because of what had happened in the past, but also since it seemed just as likely that she'd end up as yet another casualty of the man's charisma. Even with the experiments, she'd be safer elsewhere. Carefully, he considered his words before he spoke. 

"Nah, ya don't need t' do that. You saw her report, too. She ain't anything more than an average shinigami, so she wouldn't be able t' help ya much. I 'preciate ya thinkin' 'bout me, but she'd just get in the way here. It ain't like I can't see her if she's in a diff'rent company."

Aizen nodded, as kind and understanding as ever, though his eyes never left Gin's face.

"She's a fairly attractive woman, though, isn't she? Still a bit young, but she's got promise. Are you seeing her romantically?"

At that, Gin's smile widened slightly, making him even more inscrutable than usual, even as he shook his head. 

"We ain't like that, Aizen-fukutaichou. We were just friends, growin' up in Rukongai. 'sides, her other friends don't seem t' like me much. She probably doesn't even really need me anymore."

"And that doesn't upset you?"

"Would ya like it to?" Though the words sounded like a challenge, Gin's tone was as casual as always. The contrast seemed to surprise a chuckle out of the other man, though he caught himself quickly, holding out a hand. Obediently, Gin moved to return the report, only to be startled himself when Aizen grabbed his wrist, tugging him closer so he was half-sprawled over the desk. The smile slipped from his face, and his eyes slitted open slightly, revealing a flash of blue in his otherwise pale complexion. Bemused, he watched with wary caution as Aizen's free hand moved deliberately toward his face, tucking under his chin to tilt his face up.

"Your eyes are quite beautiful, Gin. It's a pity that I don't get to see them more often." Though Gin had tensed, he didn't resist as those slender fingers drifted closer to his eyes, tugging his lids wider and applying a gentle, steady pressure. "But I also feel jealous when I think that others might also see them. I'd like to take them out and keep them locked away, just for myself. What do you think about that, Gin?"

Slowly, the smile returned to Gin's face as he relaxed despite Aizen's terrifying words. "If that's what ya think is best. Though I dunno if I could be as good as Tousen-san."

For a long moment, the threatening pressure remained, and then Aizen released Gin, allowing the younger man to return to his seat and smooth down his robes.

"It truly would be a pity to lose your skills," Aizen agreed. Then, as if the last few minutes hadn't happened at all, he continued, "You're certain, then, that you don't want me to invite Matsumoto-kun to our division?"

"Prob'ly best that way. But thanks fer lookin' out fer me," Gin answered with an empty smile. Aizen nodded a dismissal, so Gin got up and left, making his way back to his rooms. Only once he had closed the door behind him did he collapse in a flood of relief.

He wasn't sure how much of his words Aizen had believed, but Rangiku would be safe. At least from their superficial conversation, the fukutaichou wouldn't extend that proposed invitation. His hand trembled slightly as it reached up to touch his eye, as though making certain it was still there. If Aizen had tried to rip them out, Gin would have let him, but that didn't make the prospect of blindness any less terrifying. He also couldn't shake the feeling that he'd missed something, in those long moments. He hadn't failed the test… but he hadn't quite passed it, either.

[tsarisfanfiction]

Destruction Alone

Fandom: Bleach Rating: Teen Genre: Angst Character: Grimmjow

In that one invasion of Karakura Town, Grimmjow lost it all.

The former sexta Espada was nowhere to be seen for most of the week following his demotion. Not that anyone really cared enough to go looking for him, but his loudness was easily missed. The only person that had even considered to seek him out was Szayelaporro Granz, but when he did eventually find him, sitting out in the sands of Hueco Mundo and staring up at the large moon, he couldn't get a word out of him. Grimmjow stubbornly looked away, refusing to even acknowledge the words the octava spoke. Eventually, the scientist gave up and re-entered Las Noches, deciding that it was best to leave him alone.

Grimmjow gritted his teeth as the scientist, unusually serious, left. He had been the one arrancar above all others – yes, even his replacement – that he hadn't wanted to see. Ever. The feeling of Yylfordt's disappearing reiatsu was still fresh, and he had no words to say to the younger brother. The lack of his arm was nothing compared to the size of the hole now in his heart. Not his Hollow Hole – somehow that had remained the same size – but another one, one that could not be seen.

It was less than a week ago that he'd scoffed at Ulquiorra and Yammy for their failure, his fracciónes standing by him, ever loyal. Now he was the one being shamed for his, and all alone for the first time in many years. He didn't like loneliness, he decided. He didn't like knowing that if he spoke, the only answer he would receive would be silence.

He thought back to when it had all gone wrong, when what should have been a simple massacre had become an unforgivable defeat.

He sat on top of a roof in the human world, awaiting his fracciónes. Five familiar reiatsu appeared and he looked up.

"Finally," he growled. "I assume that no-one was detected?"

"Of course not," Shawlong reassured him, to his satisfaction. "However, there seems to be several entities in the area that are showing noticeable reiatsu, but they were not included in Ulquiorra's report."

"Damn," Grimmjow growled. He'd wondered if reinforcements would be summoned. "Let's do a Pesquisa." When at least eleven different signals, not including those of his fracciónes, reached his senses, he muttered to himself. "Just as I thought. There are more now." Raising his voice to address his fracciónes, he continued. "The chances of them having reinforcements are high. Be careful, this operation might get complicated. Those cowards were real fools! Di Roy, Shawlong, Edrad, Yylfordt, Nakeem, it's time to do this thing ourselves. I don't care who they are, if they show even a bit of reiatsu, we just kill them. Kill them all."

With those words, his fracciónes each latched onto a reiatsu or few and headed off to find them. He hung back, wanting to keep an eye on everything that was happening.

The feeling of Di Roy's reiatsu suddenly disappearing shocked him. There had been no warning – the strength of his opponents' reiatsu had not seemed to even pose a threat to him in the slightest – but one of his fracciónes was dead. Furious, he made his way over to the last place he'd felt the small arrancar's reiatsu and swiftly encountered two Shinigami.

"What's this?" he asked, glancing around to see that there was no sign of a body. Di Roy had been completely obliterated. "Di Roy's killers still here and waiting around?" He frowned at them. "You won't get out of this. I will kill you both!" He supposed that he should conform to their funny ideas of etiquette, after all, he wanted his name to be known, and feared. "I'm the Sexta arrancar, Grimmjow. Remember that, Shinigamis!"

The raw fear on the female's face was something that he relished. She could tell, couldn't she? She could tell that Di Roy was nothing compared to him, and he was angry.

"Well now… which one is it?" he asked, to be greeted with looks of confusion. He decided to elaborate. "What I want to know is which one of you is the strongest?" He would destroy them both, but he hoped that at least one of them would give him a decent fight in the process.

Realisation dawned on the female's face and she screamed for the other one – Kurosaki, if he remembered Ulquiorra's report correctly – to retreat. She had just answered his question, he decided as he punched her in the stomach, relishing the feeling of blood on his hand.

"I knew it," he gloated. "Definitely not you." He let her crumple to the floor, ignoring her weak splutter and the scream of what he assumed was her name from Kurosaki.

He registered Edrad entering his Resurrección and frowned. None of the opponents here, not even the Shinigami, should have been strong enough to force any of his fracción to release their Zanpakuto. Nevertheless, he was confident that he would be able to defeat his opponent without help and so turned back to the matter at hand, namely the enraged Shinigami charging at him.

Kurosaki's blade was so easy to block it was ridiculous, and only a minor flare of his reiatsu was needed to send the Shinigami flying backwards.

"Hey!" Grimmjow called, making no secret of the fact that he was bored. "You underestimating me, Shinigami? I still don't quite feel like killing you yet. Get a grip and come on! Show me your Bankai!" He looked over to the bleeding female, being attended by what looked like a human version of herself. "If you don't, I'll do the same thing I did to that little Shinigami over there and put a fucking hole in you!" He was eager to fight. This was the Shinigami that had managed to slice Yammy's arm off and he wanted to see what he could do.

The feeling of the reiatsu opposing Edrad grew stronger and he began to grow concerned. He contemplated going to help and leaving this pathetic excuse for a Shinigami behind to cry over his girlfriend, but before he could Edrad's reiatsu disappeared completely. No way. There was no way that two of his fracciónes had fallen. The only consolation was that Edrad's opponent's reiatsu had also gone. He made a decision then. There was no way they could take on all these Shinigami like this. He would complete the main objective – kill Kurosaki – and then give the order to retreat. This wasn't worth losing them all. Nothing was. The remaining three appeared to be coping, with their opponents already tiring, but he was still worried. These reiatsu seemed too weak, far too weak in comparison with Aizen, Gin and Tousen. Were there really no captain or lieutenant-class Shinigami here? He wondered about that.

Yylfordt entered his Resurrección, but Grimmjow couldn't sense why. Then again, knowing the elder Granz brother, it was likely that he was just bored. He hoped that was all it was. Shawlong followed suit less than a minute later and Grimmjow wondered why. There was nothing remotely near him in power around, so why? His fracciónes were proud, yes, but they weren't stupid. He would ask Yylfordt and Shawlong what they thought they were doing later.

"Bankai!" the orange haired Shinigami proclaimed. Grimmjow was disappointed and made no secret of it.

"Is that it?" he asked. The small black blade looked completely unimpressive. However, despite his distain, he was cautious. Ulquiorra's report had been pretty effective, so he was fairly certain he knew what it could do, but it was still a Bankai. There must be something special it could do. His remaining fracciónes seemed to be surviving well, even if two of them were in Resurrección form, so he could afford a bit of play time.

He dodged the blow with ease and grabbed the blade that swung towards him with no effort at all. It wasn't even sharp enough to get through his hierro. What a joke. Using the sword as a lever to throw the Shinigami, he followed up with a punch aimed at his face, which the Shinigami used Shunpo to avoid. He appeared to think that a second swing would do some damage, but Grimmjow just caught the blade again before kicking in Kurosaki's face.

"Psh," he scoffed. "This thing's a Bankai? You disappoint me, Shinigami. All your Bankai does is increase your speed? Is that it?"

Three sudden flares of reiatsu caught his attention. His fracciónes' opponents appeared to dramatically increase in strength and he decided that it was time to wrap things up before his fracciónes died. Suddenly their being in Resurrección seemed like a very good thing indeed as he realised with a sinking feeling that the three Shinigami that had suddenly powered up were probably Lieutenants, at least. He just hoped that there were no captains. They were only fracciónes, after all, even if they were his.

All three reiatsu disappeared at once. Whatever the Shinigami had done to themselves, it had obviously been so quick that his fracciónes had been unable to keep up. Whatever it was, Grimmjow didn't care. What he did care about was that all his fracciónes were dead. He made a new decision. The moment he killed off this pathetic creature in front of him, he was going to hunt down his fracciónes' killers and destroy them.

His attention was drawn by a massive disturbance as some dark red attack gathered around the sword. He didn't know what it was – it definitely hadn't been in Ulquiorra's report – but it looked almost like a threat.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Kurosaki yelled, sending it flying towards him. On instinct, Grimmjow raised his arms defensively. He wasn't confident that his hierro would block this.

He was right. Pain blossomed across his arms and down his torso, and he felt blood dripping down.

"What was that just now?" he asked, slowly lowering his arms. "That sort of technique wasn't in Ulquiorra's report, Shinigami!"

"Did that end your disappointment, Arrancar?" Kurosaki retorted. It would have done, if Grimmjow was looking for fun. Now he was looking for blood, so this new ability was a nuisance. It wouldn't be long before someone came looking for him – no doubt they would have registered his fracciónes' deaths by now – and he wanted revenge before that happened.

Kurosaki clutched at his face, and Grimmjow realised immediately that that unknown technique was very much a double edged sword. That was fine with him – he didn't want to face it an infinite amount of times now, he was on a tight schedule to kill everyone with reiatsu in the town, particularly the Shinigami reinforcements, before someone came to get him.

He heard a Garganta open up behind him and cursed. Hopefully it would be someone that wouldn't mind him killing a few more people first. Harribel would be nice – she'd understand why he needed to kill them. Ignoring it for the moment in favour of at least managing to finish off this one, he laughed.

"Well isn't this great, Shinigami!" he proclaimed. "It seems it's finally worth killing you!" He reached for Pantera, wanting to get things over with quickly.

"Hey! Stop staring so absent-mindedly, Shinigami!" he protested, seeing that Kurosaki was still caught up in the backlash of his own technique. "It's my turn now!"

A hand gripped his shoulder and he looked around, hoping it wasn't who he thought it was…

"Sheathe your sword, Grimmjow," his blind superior said.

"Tousen…" Grimmjow growled. "Why the hell are you here?" he shouted.

"Why?" Tousen asked, sounding disbelieving that he didn't know. "Do you really not understand?" Oh Grimmjow understood why he was being brought back, just why, out of everyone it could possibly have been, was it Tousen?

"Taking it upon yourself to invade the living world, mobilising five arrancar without permission and attacking Shinigami," Tousen continued, apparently unaware of the thoughts within Grimmjow's head. "It was all against orders. You understand, right? Aizen-sama is furious, Grimmjow."

Somehow Grimmjow doubted that. Aizen seemed to want Kurosaki dead, if the orders he had given Ulquiorra were anything to go by, so why would he be angry now? He wondered if Tousen was really the one angry, but was using Aizen as a way to get his obedience.

"We're going," Tousen informed him. Grimmjow gritted his teeth. He still had Shinigami to kill, dammit! Even Kurosaki was still alive! "You punishment will be decided in Hueco Mundo."

"Shit," he swore. "Alright." He wasn't happy. He wasn't happy at all, but defying Tousen would get him into trouble with Aizen.

"Wait!" the stupid, half-dead Shinigami called up at him as he entered the Garganta. "Where the hell are you going?"

"Shut up," he growled, his irritation at not being able to avenge his fracciónes seeping into his voice. "I'm going back to Hueco Mundo."

The stupid Shinigami didn't seem to know when to shut up. Apparently he wanted to die. If it wasn't for that bastard Tousen Grimmjow would have been happy to oblige.

"Our fight isn't over?" he scoffed, looking at the bloody form. "You stop messing around! Our unfinished fight spared your life, Shinigami! That technique you just used hurts you too! I can tell just by looking at you. You have maybe two or three of those left in you to fire. But even if you could keep firing those all day…" He paused, relishing the look of shock that told him he was right. "You still wouldn't be able to beat me in my released form."

He ignored Kurosaki's confusion. His friends could fill him in – they'd fought Yylfordt, Shawlong and Edrad in their released forms, after all.

"Do not forget my name," he continued. "And pray that you will never hear it a second time. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. The next time you hear it will be your end, Shinigami!"

Rather theatrically, the Garganta closed just as he finished speaking. He was reminded briefly of Szayel, before realising that he was going to have to explain to the octava why his older brother was dead. That sobered him up immediately and he skulked back to Hueco Mundo, keeping a grin on his face because he was sure that Tousen only pretended to be blind.

Grimmjow rubbed at the stump of his left arm. Tousen had punished him without authorisation from Aizen, but that didn't mean that Aizen was unhappy about it. It had been tempting to strike back, get into a proper fight with those Shinigami and punish them for what had happened to his fracciónes, but he knew that he would lose. It was better to just grin and bear it, so that was what he did.

He missed them. They'd always been there, even if they'd been annoying cowards that would rather give up than keep striving for their dreams just because it took too long. He'd hated them for that, but now that he was alone, he would much rather have them there, squabbling amongst themselves and occasionally dragging him into it as well, than this oppressive silence that now surrounded him.

He wasn't going to give up, though. He would still become King, even though he now had to find more Hollows to be his servants, and to do that he had to start by reclaiming a place within the Espada. One arm or not, he would do it. Because his fracciónes had brought his dream to life, and for them he wouldn't let it die.

[despairforme]

Yo, it’s been a while Toby, hope all is well. I had something I wanted your take on. In both the manga and anime, Nnoitra attacks Grimmjow after his defeat to Ichigo. Then, he goes in for the finishing blow, which Ichigo blocks. I know it’s harder to explain ships that fit into the canon lore versus an AU, but what is your opinion on Nnoitra’s reason for attacking Grimmjow had they been shipped in the canon verse at the time. Would it even be possible?

     [ Oh hello there! It’s been a while. I’m doing good! Hope you are as well. WELP not often people ask for my take on things so I’ll do my best! I’m flattered you would ask me.

     So - Nnoitra attacking Grimmjow in canon, and especially that ‘ finishing blow ‘ he tries to deliver, the one that Ichigo blocks. It’s meant to KILL Grimmjow. My take on it is that Nnoitra sees Grimmjow as someone with great potential to grow in strength. He sees him as someone who could possibly become strong enough to challenge him in rank ( since he holds the rank just beneath him ). So for Nnoitra, killing Grimmjow off when he is weak and can’t defend himself is a good way to assure that nobody will challenge his position. This is just his alpha-male way of thinking. Getting rid of the ‘ competition ‘ comes naturally to him.

     My ship with Lexie’s Grimmjow in canon verse is set before Ichigo’s group invade Hueco Mundo, so this whole scene never happened in their verse ( though Nnoitra did try to kill him before they got emotionally involved with each other, it’s only thanks to Tousen showing up that Grimmjow is still alive ). We re-wrote this whole scene with Nnoitra attacking Grimmjow. In our version, they were just sparring, and Nnoitra CAN’T turn off his need to kill his opponent, so it was pretty much instinct for him to not just ‘ spar ‘ with Grimmjow ( even if that was what they had agreed on ), and so Grimmjow ended up almost dying during their sparring match. It was an ‘ accident ‘ one might say, since Nnoitra is so used to fighting in life-or-death battles, it was hard for him to fight just to ‘ train ‘. 

     As for this CANON scene with Nnoitra attacking Grimmjow and Ichigo getting in the way... I personally don’t see a reason why Nnoitra would attempt to deliver a FATAL blow to him if they were in a ship. Some vague ideas that might work: If they just started ‘ dating ‘ and Nnoitra felt like his feelings for Grimmjow was becoming a weakness of his, and he saw that Grimmjow was already close to death - he might think less of him for appearing so ‘ weak ‘ and thus just wanna rid himself of this burden of emotions by killing him. BUT this would only work if Nnoitra truly felt he was getting ‘ weaker ‘ from being in love with Grimmjow... Which?? Is not true because these good feelings make him a lot stronger ( mentally ).. But yeah, could be a believable twist, I think! I hope this was helpful?? Thank you for asking my view on things, it was fun to write this out! ]

[godkilller]

@dokuhai​ said:  How open is Gin in terms of his relationship with Rangiku in your redemption verse? What is he doing to try to earn back the trust of her friends, who I imagine are extremely upset with her for continuing to be with him after all that he's done?

unprompted ask.    //    thank you, love <3

          First off, GIN ISN’T REALLY OPEN ABOUT ANYTHING, let alone open about his relationship with Rangiku. It’s going to take him time, as well as trial and error when it comes down to him revealing more emotions with her. Even simply holding her hand whilst in public requires build-up after the Winter War is done. Taking baby steps isn’t necessarily an option when one considers that ANY act of openness, vulnerability... is a  substantial  leap to him. After everything Gin’s done and everything he’s gone through, there are no small steps left. This is why, for a moment, Gin seems to stand utterly still within Redemption Verse. 

          He knows he can’t get away with avoiding for very long. There are broken bonds to mend, a new life to live. Second chances seldom exist without reason, and Gin has a list of wrongs to right------at first, Gin attempts to give Rangiku space; despite needing to recover, he had every intention of parting from her to allow her ample opportunity to be solely ANGRY with him, rather than swiftly forced to take on a caretaker role. However, Rangiku was stubborn, relieved that he survived, so Gin couldn’t exactly fulfill that for her. Her friends, though ? Gin had no problem giving them space.

          Things would feel strained and odd to immediately seek their approval while wounds, both physical and emotional, remained so blatantly fresh. How could he expect anyone to regain even a drop of respect for him while they still felt the ache of the war he had opposed them in ? No, they needed time, Gin needed time. To feel better enough to venture out alone, at the very least, without Rangiku wanting to monitor him.

          It was surprisingly ( but maybe... not really ? ) easy to approach Hisagi. No matter what level of resentment present, the presence of Tousen, lingering, between them----helped a lot in terms of Gin finding some sort of foundation to stand upon when facing him as one of Rangiku’s friends. No so much in seeking approval, of some kind of blessing, Gin focused more on repairing damage----Hisagi mourned loss, and in a way so did Gin. He grew up with Tousen more than the Lieutenant even knew, and soon enough with a few drinks ( his treat ) Gin could find himself offering small stories, quiet memories, to at the very least ease the man’s suffering over the ordeal. Gin may not have been able to answer all of the man’s questions concerning his deceased comrade, but he did his best to provide better closure------and the offer earned him respect.

         Nanao is someone that Gin is not familiar with at all----as one of Rangiku’s friends, as well as a previous captain of the Gotei 13... she’s rarely even been in the room with him. So getting her approval, her acknowledgment, or dealing with her disapproval simply doesn’t happen. Gin doesn’t think of it solely due to how they’ve rarely actually met.

          Abarai was a little difficult, considering his fierce loyalty to Rukia ( who Gin threatened during the initial betrayal of Soul Society ) as well as his previous classmate Izuru who felt the blow of his betrayal in full. Gin didn’t seek to come to any sort of understanding with him; what was done was done. Thankfully, Renji knew a thing or two already about the act of accepting a deplorable ( in his eyes ) person into the life of someone he cares for. Though the Lieutenant hardly respected him, there was an agreement reached. If he made her happy, he wouldn’t think poorly of him.

          Gin still has not spoken to nor even approached Hinamori, as Hitsugaya personally ( and privately ) warned him that it would be best, for everyone and especially for her, if he didn’t. Lingering resentment towards him as the true villain merely pulling Aizen’s strings, or perhaps the echoes of her fear and despair viewing him as Aizen’s murderer, illogical, fueling her hurt, the traitor would do more harm than good. Gin agreed... but still hasn’t told Rangiku of her captain’s request concerning her friend.

          There’s a massive wall of anxiety, uncertainty, when it comes to approaching one of Rangiku’s main friendships once the Winter War has concluded. His previous Lieutenant, Izuru, above all others, challenges Gin the most in terms of finding that connection again------earning back trust, respect, can be intimidating even for the most uncaring or seemingly casual individuals. Gin knows he fucked up, and while Izuru may be coping and eventually flourishing ( even if out of spite ) he knows it’s still not okay. GIN DOESN’T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. He knows he needs to apologize, but then what ? He doesn’t want to pressure Izuru into forgiving him when he damn well knows that’s not even within reason to be expected, or deserved. This extends all the way into Gin becoming his captain again, and only strengthens the tension between them------until it’s actually IZURU who lectures him, letting loose, that he needs to stop sulking. It’s a stern talk, quiet, but ultimately appreciated.

          From there, Gin can rebuild. Be it via physically rebuilding, together, their division’s trampled grounds ( fixing the garden, replanting a new persimmon tree, etc. ) or regaining the trust and respect from his fellow division members------Gin, eventually, finds his footing to make progress alongside his Lieutenant.

          Maybe Rangiku spoke to Izuru about the issue behind his back because of how well their eventual talk went. They both needed a little nudge, he supposed.

[beautifulblackbutterflies]

Smokin’ Hot Headcanons

As quoted from the Smoking Is Cool page on TV Tropes, “If you’re badass, you smoke.” Smoking can either make someone look bad to the bone or someone is actually is bad to the bone look even more so. I think the Espadas are all pretty badass, soooooo here’s some headcanons spawned from a convo with my bro!

“Which Espadas do you think would take up smoking as a habit?”

Starrk: When we talk about “habits” with this man, you know it has to be something that requires minimal effort. For crying out loud, his favorite hobby is being asleep! Smoking would be a yes because it would not really require him to move from his favorite position (laying down/half-laying down) that much. At most, he’d have to move his arm towards the ash try to tap the stray ashes off or put the cigarette out, but then it’d be right to his lips again, dangling idly from his lips as he blows lazy whiffs out from his nose. He probably wouldn’t do it much around Lilynette, though, just because he wouldn’t want her pestering him for one (which he would never agree to. She doesn’t need to pick up any bad habits).

Barragan: This one is an immediate “yes” in my mind. He’d look like a cool mafioso type, just sitting on his throne surrounded by smoke. I see him with a cigar or a pipe. Y’know, something associated with old well experienced people. As a man who plays chess, a game that requires patience and time, he would appreciate a good cigar. It’s something to enjoy over time, something to be savored. In fact, I can see him with one clenched between two fingers while he plays a game with Tousen.

Harribel: I honestly can’t see her smoking. For one, the logistics of it. I can’t see her wanting to go into her resurrección form every time she wanted to light up. For another, I think she would think it was kind of pointless. I can’t see her ever letting something stress her out enough to do it, nor can I see her doing it just because. She’s not the type to do something without purpose, so she will decline.

Ulquiorra: If anyone ever offered this one a cigarette, I can practically feel that empty stare as he asks, “Why?” Like Harribel, he doesn’t do things without purpose. Most likely, after you explain that it’s something humans do to unwind, conveniently leaving out the fact that it can develop an addiction and be slow torture for the lungs, he maybe might try one. Just one. And somehow, he would manage to finish it all in a single drag. He would look unbothered and uncaring like always, but it will be pretty cool to watch the smoke spew from his mouth as he reiterates the fact that he doesn’t understand the activity while he walks away.

Nnoitra: Um. Yes. Definitely yes. He’s more likely to do it if he sees someone else doing it, and he’ll probably do it “better.” You know how obsessed this guy is with being the strongest. If he sees someone smoking one cigarette, he will have two lit up and smoke them at the same time. He also wouldn’t take filtered cigarettes. Not a chance. And no menthols. Only the smoggiest of cigs will do it for this guy and he will actively laugh out anyone who provided those as an option when he’s bumming a cigarette off somebody. He’d rather go smokeless! (He’d probably still take it, but complain the whole time)

Grimmjow: Catnip bud. Ahem. So, this is a bit tricky and could go one of two ways. 1) The idea can be off-putting to him because of that keen feline sense of smell. Smoke smell clings to clothes and hair for a long time after the cigarette is gone, so I can see that being overwhelming. 2) It would be something he takes up because anything that makes him look like even more of a badass, he’ll jump on it like a ball of yarn. It’s one of those things I can see so easily in a human!AU, the cool guy with the awesome outfit (I LOVE that post-time skip outfit) leaning against the wall and silently watching/judging passersby.

Zommari: Eh…nah. His favorite way to pass the time is doing his meditation thing. He seems like the type of guy who would always want to be super in control of himself. He will most definitely judge you if you are smoking around him and will prove himself superior by not engaging in such activities.

Szayelapporo: Thiiiiis dodgy summamabish. You see, this one would be more of a social smoker. And not just any social smoker, the type of social smoker that will do it ten times more flamboyantly than you. He will be there in the midst of it all, obnoxiously long cigarette holder in hand, twirling it around it a la Cruella DeVil while he prattles on about some lofty subject or other, while they pretend to listen. He certainly loves to strut.

Aaraoniero: Again, logistics don’t seem to allow much for this. Granted, he could put on one of the many faces he has taken over the years to get the job done, but that wouldn’t change the fact that he’s two weird floating heads in a jar, sitting on top of a borrowed meatsuit. So that’s a no.

Yammy: I...honestly don’t know. I feel like, despite calling it stupid/weak, he would at least try it. There’s honestly no telling what that guy will do next. If he does continue with the habit, I feel like it would be something done to pad gaps of boredom. He’d complain about being bored the whole time he was doing it.

~thoughts by Kitty ♥