Aizen's Part - Las Noches
"Kaname. Open the garganta" Aizen ordered him.
"Hai!" Tosen answered him and he opened the garganta.
"Well then... Let's go" Aizen said.
"Alrighty~"
"Hope Ran will be all right" Ren worried. The four of them entered the garganta and right immediately the garganta closed. But then, another garganta was opened and it appears...
Ran's Part - Las Noches
When Ran and Ichigo has finally reached the end of the road, they exit the garganta and entered Las Noches.
"Hm? Isn't it too quiet?" Ichigo asked.
"You're right" Ran said. They looked around and as Ichigo said, it was too quiet. It was like there were nobody there. None of them could feel any presence there. "Are they went out or something?"
"Or... Probably they are looking for you"
"Eh?"
"Dammit! We're too late, huh?"
"Um... Ichigo, should we head back then?"
"That's right. There's no point of staying here if they're not here. Let's just hope they went to world of living"
"Yeah" When they intended to went back, someone suddenly appeared behind them and they were...
"There she is" The man with silver-gray hair man said. He wore a white jinbaori over a standard shinigami uniform with long white arm guards. He also wore a white turtle-neck under his uniform and has his lieutenant armband on his left arm.
"S--Sasakibe-san..?!? And..." Ichigo looked beside him.
"As Captain-Commander predicted, the girl indeed went back to Hueco Mundo" The man with blond hair said. He wore the standard shinigami robes, and the third division's lieutenant armband on his left arm.
"Kira-kun..?!" Ran mentioned him. Sasakibe move forward to them while Ichigo immediately went in front of Ran, protecting her.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. We do not wish to fight you, please hand over Toudo Ran over here" He said.
"...What are you gonna do to her if I give her to you?" Ichigo asked.
"That girl's presence is a threat to us, shinigami and of course to you humans as well. You have to understand that we are doing this for all of us" Sasakibe explained.
"You mean by killing her?" None of them answered his question but Ichigo understood the meaning of their eyes. "In that case, I won't hand over her to you!" He shouted and immediately pulled out his zanpakuto and using his bankai. "Ran. You go hide somewhere. Don't worry. I won't let them take you"
"O--Okay. Please, be careful" She said and went to the behind of the pillar while watching Ichigo fighting with the two lieutenants. While she was watching them, she began to wondering why she became a threat to the both sides. Before she went to Hueco Mundo with Ichigo, Urahara explained to her what of her and what kind of materials Kiyo used to made her. She was shocked, obviously because Kiyo was using souls and hollows to create her. That's why it's restricted. She wasn't a human, but not a shinigami neither hollow too. It causing her did not understand what of her anymore. She was like didn't know herself anymore. And what will happened if she didn't get closer to the Hogyoku? What she will become? Will she became a hollow? Or...
"Ugh!" When she was busy with her mind, she caught Ichigo blown by someone's attack. She could see Ichigo already on his limit. He was panting heavily. He began to attacked them again and Ran knew... He couldn't win, if Ichigo kept to continue this-he will got himself killed.
"Ichigo!" She called him and the next thing she knew, Ichigo was getting himself blown again. She could sense Sasakibe was pretty strong. No wonder he was the lieutenant of the Captain Commander. She ran towards the laying down Ichigo. The injury was rather bad as she immediately healed her with her usual healing power. It took her only two minutes to had him back on his feet. But... She didn't want to see him got hurt because of her and if he fought them again-Ichigo probably will...
Oi!
She heard someone inside her was calling her. She knew that voice. That cocky and rude voice.
"Cerbeius..?" She asked in her head.
You still got another power within you.
"Eh?"
Or should I said, my another power. You probably could heal anyone or anything in instant, but... You could also... injured them back.
"Wh--What..?!"
Don't worry. They won't die with that little injury, but it'll be enough for you to run away with that orange brat. Well, hurry up and do it!
"R--Ran..?" Ichigo asked her. She then raised up her hand and looked towards Sasakibe and Kira but then... something strikes on her mind. Even though they were hurt but still another shinigami from Soul Society will came for them and she didn't want to see Ichigo got himself hurt by protecting her. And then, she decided... She looked back at Ichigo and then... a red light were covering him. "Ra--!" Suddenly he could felt pain in all over his body. "Wh--What the--! R--Ran..."
"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I don't want you or any of my friends got hurt. That's why..." She stood up and the red light immediately light off as Ichigo slumped to the floor. "I'm going with them"
"Wh--What?!? N--No! Ugh!"
Ran turned back and went to Sasakibe and Kira. "That's a noble move. We will take you to Captain-Commander as he will announced what are we going to do with you"
"Ran!" Ichigo shouted as he was trying to stand but his vision became blurry. All he could see was Ran walking away from him with Sasakibe and Kira. "R--" And in instant, he went unconscious as his bankai form slowly returned to his usual attire.
***
Seireitei - The First Division
"Captain-Commander. We have brought Toudo Ran" Sasakibe said to him.
"Good work, Sasakibe. Kira" He said as both of the lieutenants went back to their position. Ran could feel the gazes from all the captains and the atmosphere were very heavy. "Toudo Ran. I suppose you do know why you were brought here. And I suppose you are already aware of what yourself, no?" He asked but Ran only nodded to him. "You were one of the creation of Karasuma Kiyo, the former lieutenant of fifth division. She was brilliant and it was very unfortunate that we have to lose her because she created you by using souls here and hollows. Creating a life by using them will bring chaos to both Soul Society and world of living. We believed only Hogyoku could stabilize you but unfortunately, it were in the hands of the traitor-Aizen Sousuke and we could not simply asked him to hand over the Hogyoku, so we have decided..." Again, the atmosphere became tense. "We have to sentenced you to death in order to protect our world and that world. Until then, we have to put you in the cell. I know you will not run but I have to imprisoned you for the time being. Kyoraku-taicho!"
"Yeah?"
"Escort Toudo Ran to her cell"
"Alrighty~" He went to Ran's side and with his usual kind smile said... "Follow me, Ran-chan" And Ran did as he told and followed him from his back.
Along the way, Ran kept her head down. She felt rather weird. She was sentenced to death but she didn't felt scared. It was like the moment she knew what of her, she was ready to face to consequences.
"Um, Ran-chan?" He suddenly called her.
"Y-Yes?"
"...sorry about that" He said and stopped his walking.
"...Eh?"
"You know, about your punishment. I mean, you didn't do anything wrong but you were sentenced to death. I was completely disagreed with Yama-jii's decision, but you see...that person never listened to us. He felt you were a threat so before something bad happened, it'll be the best if you're gone. That's why... Sorry, because I can't help you" He bowed to her.
"Kyoraku-san... Um, you don't have to bow your head. W-Well... There's nothing you can do, right? I... I don't mind with it. Rather than watching my friends die, it's better if I... disappeared" She said.
"Are...you sure about that? By the way, you were spending your time with Aizen right? Did he do something bad to you?"
"N-No, not exactly. In fact, he was... kind to me. At first, I thought because I was Kiyo-san's creation that he was being nice to me"
"Oh, you already heard about Kiyo from him?" He asked and began to walked again.
"Yes" She answered and immediately followed him.
"You know, Kiyo-chan was being loved by almost everyone in Soul Society. She was kind and gentle towards anyone. At first, I was shocked when I saw you-because you looked the same as Kiyo-chan back then. She was also one of the best researcher we had besides Urahara Kisuke. And as you said, she was very close to her captain-Aizen. Maybe because they entered the academy together but I never see Aizen like that, whenever he around Kiyo-his aura changed. After Kiyo-chan died, he maybe looked warm towards anyone-but his aura was not the same. We thought he took you with him because maybe with you right beside the Hogyoku will made him powerful and destroyed us"
"I..see..."
"Oh, here we go" Unrealized, they were already in front of the cell. "I'm sorry but you have to stay here for a while" He opened the cell.
"It's okay, Kyoraku-san. Thank you" She entered the cell.
"Well, we're probably won't meet again but I'm still believed that boy, Kurosaki Ichigo will come to rescue you. Once again, I'm really sorry for not being able to saved you. Well then..." He closed the cell and locked it.
Ran was looking around inside the cell. She could only found one single bed. A typical bed like in the prisoner and take a sit there.
You dummy...
"Hm? Cerbeius?"
Why did you do that? You could easily hurt those lieutenants but you managed to hurt that orange brat instead. What's on your mind?!?
"...I... I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me, so I--"
So, you think to have yourself got killed will saved everyone? Well, maybe those useless shinigami and the rest of the world will relieved having you gone, but how about yourself? You want to die that badly? You don't want to be by Aizen's side anymore?
His question about Aizen hit her very hard. She wanted to see him so bad. At least, one more time before she was being executed. She haven't yet tell him her feelings about him and she wanted to hear his answer. But... She couldn't. She just can't. Her thinking about unable to know his true feelings about her causing her slowly drop tears.
Oi! Don't cry! Dammit! Looks like those shinigami were using something which made me unable to appeared in front of you. Oi, Ran! Don't worry! Everything is gonna be alright! You'll see! You won't die! You will live!
"Hehe~ Thanks, Cerbeius"
Hey, I'm serious!
"Okay okay" She wiped her tears and slumped to the bed. Slowly closing her eyes.
>> Dream
"Hm? Where am I?" She looked around her. She could see countless of science stuffs around her. She could see someone was standing. Long pink hair. "Ki--Kiyo-san..?"
"Kiyo!" Someone suddenly called her.
"Oh, Ren? What is it?"
"Oi... You're... joking, right?" He asked. It seems Kiyo knew the meaning of his question and didn't answered. "Seriously?!? You're using some of the souls and hollows to create her?!? Oi! You knew it was restricted, right??? What are you gonna do if Captain-Commander found out?!? Did you tell Aizen about this?"
"No. If I told him, he will stopped me"
"But--"
"Ren... I don't care about myself. The only I cared now, is her and no one else. She will be my parting gift to Sousuke. Ren, please promise me. Do not let her be parted from Hogyoku. Hogyoku was there to stabilizing the souls and hollows inside of her"
"What will happened if she was being far away from it?"
"If that happens... Something monstrosity will appeared. The souls and hollows will tried to take over her body but..." Kiyo was hesitating on continuing her words.
"But..."
"If she's strong enough, she will capable to get rid of the souls and hollows but instead... using them as her power"
"...Um, is that...good?"
Kiyo looked at him. "It will be something worse. She will become a perfect killing machine who will slaughtered everything or everyone, regarding they are her friends or enemies"
"Oi oi! If that will be dangerous, why you still insisted on creating her?!?"
"Because... I still believe Sousuke will protect her. I believe he will prevent that to happened" She said to him. Ran could see from her eyes that she was really believed on him.
"Geez~ You're really believe him. I will do my best too to protect her. But, Kiyo? I still got one more question for you" He said and Kiyo looked back at him. "What if she was taken over the souls and hollows? What should we do to stopped her? Is there any way?"
Kiyo hesitated on answering his question. "Yes, there is"
"How?"
"...It was..." Ran could see Kiyo was talking but she couldn't hear what she was talking. She knew this kind of pattern and suddenly her head became hurt again. And then...
<< End of Dream
She opened her eyes. "Again? It's always like this. Whenever she was saying something important. Why..? Was I...not allowed to know that?" She raised up her body and took a sitting position. Now, she became even worried. Hearing that from her own creator causing her became more worry. "Something monstrosity? What does it mean..? Was it---" Suddenly, she could heard her heart was pounding very loud causing Ran could even heard it and it was... hurt very bad. "Ugh! Wh--What...?!?" She hold her chest very tight, lie down as her heart continue to pounding from a constant... to a very fast beating.
There was suddenly an aura like surrounding her. A reddish-black aura. While she continued to hold her chest, her hair suddenly changed color into a platinum white hair. Ran could feel on her back, there were something coming out from it.
"U--Ugh! N--No! I--I won't...lose!" The next thing she knew, a pair of reddish black wings came out from her back and then... Her eyes color changed from emerald green in to ruby red color with cat-eyes shaped. The clothes were also changed. Ran slowly felt more relaxed as she stopped holding her chest but then...
"Oi! There is a reiatsu inside!" One of the guard said outside the cell.
"Isn't it that woman?"
"Y-Yeah! But it looked different. It's really strong!"
"Let's check it out!" He said and unlocked the cell as both of them entered the cell, only found a horror in front of their eyes. "Wh--What is that?!?"
"A hollow?!? N-No! It looks different!" Their eyes were wide opened as they could only stunned, didn't know of what to do to something in front of them. She was still in lying down position as the wings suddenly were wide opened and then... It let out a massive attack and the guards were not on time to react as they were mutilated, leaving the skeletons dropping down to the floors. The being move slowly, descended from the bed, fixing her clothes and her hairs. She opened her ruby red eyes and sniffing around and giving her evil smile.
"There are many delicious souls. Perhaps I could eat them after... I played with them a little" She giggled and walked out from the cell.
***
Outside the Seireitei
While the new threat were starting to attack the Soul Society, a garganta were opened as Aizen with his companions and also the Espada came out from it.
"Fiuh~ We made it" Gin said.
"Wonder Ran is here?" Ren asked.
"Should we head inside, Aizen-sama?" Tosen asked but Aizen didn't answer. It was like he felt something bad inside the Seireitei. "A--Aizen-sama..?" Aizen walked towards the gate and touched the gate and let out a small blow but it was enough to destroy the gate. As the gate slowly fell down, all they could see was...
"Wh--What the--!" Ren shocked. All they could see were countless of skeletons scattered around the floors. "What the hell?!? What happened here?!?" He entered, and then followed by Aizen, Gin and Tosen and the rest of the Espada.
"Arara~ I wonder what's going on here? Hm?" He caught to the figure who are wearing the shinigami attire kneel down while trembling so bad. "Ne? What happened here?"
"It---It---It's a monster!" He suddenly shouted. "It was a monster! A monster with black wings and red eyes! She's killing everybody! She didn't do anything but everyone were dead!" He told them.
"She? Don't tell me..." Ren looked at Aizen. He then walked towards the countless skeletons and grabbed one of them. He was like trying to figure what's going on there. He let out a sigh and walked back to his companions while holding the skeleton in his hand. "Aizen?"
"...The reiatsu was very high and... dangerous but something similar about it. There is no way I will mistaken the owner of this reiatsu"
"So, it was really..." Gin didn't continue his statement.
"That's true. It belongs to... Ran"
"Dammit! Hey! Where did she go?!?" Ren asked to the shinigami.
"M--Maybe still inside. I--I don't know where she went but she definitely still inside!"
"...I see. Aizen!"
"I know. All of the Espada, spread out and find her! Report to me if you find her and do not engage her!" Aizen ordered and the Espada immediately disappeared from them.
"Well then, me and Tosen-san too are going to find her. From the looks of it, Ran-chan will probably hard to search alone"
"All right then" Aizen said and Gin with Tosen disappeared from them.
"Well, that leaves both of us. I have to remind you, Aizen. You have to ready to face the most difficult decision ever in your life. You have to ready... to killed her if she couldn't be saved" Ren reminded him. "Kiyo said that was the only way"
"...I know" He said and both of them went further inside. Ren told him that the only way to saved Ran if she became berserk, was to killed her. If that was the only way, then Aizen has to do it but then again, he thought of something different and he was hoping it will succeed and had Ran back to him.
Ran...
------------------------------------
There you go for chapter 24. Oh no, Ran-chan changed! O_O She's killing everyone! Aizen! Hurry up and save her! Only you can saved her! >.<
Ran-chan changed in to something terrible! What will happened to Soul Society? Will Aizen able to saved her? What will he do? Stay tuned for the next chapter.
The cover for this chapter is the demonic Ran-chan. It was rather hard to find a picture with the same appearance with the current Ran-chan :p Credit of the picture goes to the owner.
Please leave comments or votes
See you in the next chapter! :D