Jigoku no Monko

Chapter 1
Kidnapped

It was a quiet night in the 4th. Only Monday nights could ever be this quiet as the 11th division finished nursing their weekend hangovers in their own division and no one had been out on any dangerous missions since the hollow race was all but exterminated by Akusesshou.

It was a relative time of peace that was gratefully enjoyed after the war with Aizen. All the divisions were fully filled again and they even had groups in power in both the living world, taking care of by Ichigo, his wife Rukia, and Shinji, and in Hueco Mundo, the four palaces of Las Noches, Las Tardes, Los Vida and Los Dias being ruled by the HMK’s and their allies.

Ukitake waved a tired hand as Shunsui and Nanao left for the evening, having stopped by to check up on him after his last large coughing fit that had left the front of his Haori red with blood.

Beside him in her own bed Rinascita, Unohana and Starks youngest daughter, also waved a tired goodbye to the taichou and fukutaichou of the 8th, thanking Shunsui for the small cup of sake he had slipped her. One cup always made her feel better after a bad fluctuation in her twin powers.

Now it was just the two of them in a room that was all too familiar. It looked more like a proper bedroom then a hospital room in the 4th, pictures of Rina’s family and other small items she owned covering the desk and walls.

It was a pity really that she practically lived in this room and despite being so much younger then him she had banked just about as many hours as he had in the 4th.

He remembered when she had first arrived, after her mother and the other prisoners had been rescued from Hueco Mundo and Aizen. She had been sick frequently and very scared of her new surroundings, which only caused her powers to fluctuate more and thus make her sicker.

Having fought in that last battle against Aizen's forces he had rather nasty attacks for the three months following. It had been Shunsui’s idea to put him in the same room as the terrified little girl, hoping his rather fatherly demeanour would help settle her.

It had worked, and now every time he had to be omitted, which was slowly become more frequently as he lost the battle with his tuberculoses, he was thrust into the same room with the little girl, who always seemed so happy to see him.

It was sad really. Because of her extremely large pools of reiatsu the girl was a potential danger that Yamamoto did not want word to get out about. Even the reformed Central 46 knew next to nothing about her. In the wrong hands she could be a rather deadly weapon.

So instead she lived a rather sheltered life in here, rarely seeing her siblings and the other HMKs as they had been busy with their own training and eventual posting in Hueco Mundo, something that has been negotiated with Central 46 who wanted them sealed and removed as a threat.

Central 46 was just as happy with the unofficial banishment. No doubt they had hoped it would lead to eventual death by hollows. No such event had occurred of course as after Akusesshou’s purging there was next to no hollows worth mentioning left. Those arrancar and adjucas that were left now answered to either Grimmjow and Nel in Las Noches or Kinomi in Las Tardes.

So alone Rina remained and even though Ukitake was probably well enough to return home he stayed to keep the young girl company, that and his twin 3rd seats seldom pestered him here and the peace was wonderful.

“You are lucky to have such a good friend like Shun-kun.” Rina commented from her bed.

He smiled at the comment. In this room, her whole world other then the small garden at the back, ranks and such meant nothing. The few who visited her were like family and treated as such.

“Yes I am.” He admitted. “I would like to think I am your friend to, ne Rina-chan.”

“Of course you are, ‘take-ji.” She smiled softly, the old childhood nickname having stuck through out the years when pronouncing his whole name had been too difficult.

He didn’t mind. If only to see the light in the poor, caged, girls eyes.

Nanao had turned the lights off for them when Shunsui and her had left so they were laying in the darkness lit only by the light coming from the half moon. A wistful sigh broke him out of his almost asleep state to look over at the girl looking out at the moon.

“I miss Taka-neesan and Galgo-niisan.” She admitted, knowing he was about to ask her what was wrong as they have been sharing a room for almost one hundred years. “I miss hearing about the adventures with the 11th and their missions from neesan. I miss hearing Niisan complain about how much energy Garou has.”

He could hear the distress in her voice and quickly made his way over, holding the young woman as another sobbing fit came. Her reiatsu started to fluctuate with her distress and she started into her seizures.

The bracelet on her wrist, twin ouroboro’s intertwined with each other, glowed as the device crafted by Aizen so long ago struggled to even her flow out before it went too far out of control.

Ukitake just held her as she went through the convulsions, making soothing noises and rubbing her back until the attack ended. Another person entered the room and had joined them on the bed.

“Otousan.” Rina wiped the tears in her eyes away and was quick to hug her father.

Ukitake moved back to his own bed, laying on his side as he watched Stark, former 1st espada in Aizen’s forces, softly settle his daughter back down. Word had apparently just arrived from Las Tardes and Rina was all too thrilled to accept the letters from her friends and family there.

Stark moved back to the door to turn the lights on so she could read the letters when the room went from the light silver from the moon to pitch black. Stark whirled around to see what had disrupted the light even as Ukitake jumped to his feet.

Then there was an explosion, a flash of light that blinded them and a burst of reiatsu that sent Rina into another convulsion and Stark to the floor barely conscious as he was unable to use his sealed reiatsu to buffer himself

Ukitake had not become a captain by luck. Even blinded he could feel the very faint trace of the attackers reiatsu after the spike, which he was sure came from the flash bomb device and not the person.

Drawing Sougyo no Kotowari from its sheath hanging by his bed he slashed for where he could feel the faint trace. Steel met steel and then he felt pain as the attackers foot collided with his chest. His lungs ached and a cough found its way out, blood filling his mouth.

He heard Rina scream and he jumped without thinking, groping for her even while his vision very slowly cleared. He grabbed what he hopped was her arm, and was pulled off of his feet as she was lifted into the air by the assailant.

His vision cleared and he had time to stare in horror at Jigoku no Monko as it was opened before them. The attacker didn’t seem to notice he was holding on and they plunged through the gate.

At once his world was distorted, but he kept a firm grip on Rina and his Zanpakuto. Then they were through and landing on red rock. The assailant seemed to notice him now and before Ukitake could react another kick connected with his chest, forcing him to drop Sougyo no Kotowari and let go of Rina as he coughed up more blood, his lungs protesting the movement and reiatsu flow so soon after recovering from a fit.

The assailant drew his own blade, catching the red light from the blazing sun in the sky. He could not get to his Zanpakuto in time, nor could he hope to dodge, bent over and struggling for breath.

“No.” Rina cried, moving in between them before the blade could finish it’s stroke. “Please, do not hurt him.” She pleaded, tears forming in her eyes.

The man pulled her out of the way, rising his blade once more. Ukitake lunged for his zanpakuto, taking a slash across his shoulder blades as the man slashed at him. Rina screamed, a burst of power flowing out of her, knocking the man away.

Ukitake felt his chest constrict under the spiritual pressure flying from the out of control woman. Swarms of small things that seemed more teeth and wings then anything else flew at him and he sliced them down with his Zanpakuto while calling for Rina.

Her bracelet glowed brightly as she screamed, her hollow powers flying lose and the twin entwined ouroboros around her neck, the fragments from her mask, started to writhe and move in opposite directions from each other.

“Rina.” He shouted.

He felt his lungs strain under the pressure she was exerting and still the little winged teeth came at him as if the overwhelming power of her reiatsu was nothing to them. Power was flying from her completely out of control. She was knocking the man down over and over again, lashing out in all direction wildly.

He froze when an invisible arm wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his side and the sharp edge of a blade tickled his throat. All at once the air just shattered and all the winged creatures were gone. His Zanpakuto was not in his hands, it was still on the ground ten feet away.

Rina gasped as the original assailant suddenly appeared on the ground dead several feet away from where he had been. The shock caused her to drop her hollow powers and the bracelet managed to reign her powers in.

“That is quite enough of that now, don’t you agree?” A soft, warm voice that oozed trust and comfort spoke from behind him.

Rina whirled to face them, a look of horror on her face.

“Silly creature, I told him only to bring you to me my dear, but I think this arrangement works to my advantage after all.”

Ukitake tried to get a look at whoever held him, but the moment he even twitched his head, the blade at his throat dug in and he froze.

“None of that now, Ukitake-taichou.” The warm voice chilled gently.

So this person knew him. But how? A hollow he defeated who had been sent here maybe? But then how would it know, let alone want, Rina.

“Who are you?” Rina asked.

She was exhausted and probably due for another seizure pretty quick here after that flare of power.

His prediction was right, and she suddenly trembled and cried out as her whole body shook. The bracelet glowed again and she shuddered as her Shinigmai powers were consumed by her Hollow powers to even her twin pools of reiatsu out once again.

In that moment of weakness another cloth clad figure appeared behind her and quickly restrained her, pulling her hands behind her back and tying them off before pressing a blade to her throat.

“Now then, I am going to take my blade away, and you are going to stand there and not move, right Ukitake-taichou?” The voice whispered warmly into his ear. “For you see, I only need her power and what shape her body is in means nothing to me. If you struggle or attempt anything else I can not guarantee she will keep all her unnecessary limbs. So please try not to give me an excuse to hurt her and kill you now.”

He would have nodded to indicate he understood if it wasn’t for the fact the blade at his throat prevented it. Instead he forced his body to relax the best he could in silent surrender.

The blade slowly lowered from his throat and he had to resist the urge to move, rather it be to lunge for his zanpakuto in a flash of Shunpo or to turn and attack whoever it was behind him.

His hands were pulled behind his back and wrapped in cord from his wrist all the way painfully up till his elbows were touching. It pulled on his chest and another coughing fit hit him, blood rushing into his mouth.

Unable to bring his hands up to cover his mouth, he ended up doubled over. He could hear Rina shouting his name and something collided painfully with the back of his head. His world darkened and as he collapsed he caught sight of a pair of deep, soft, brown eyes.


Kinomi chuckled at the dumbfounded expression on Hisagi’s face while she explained to him what kyoumei was. She found it damn funny that Kyattsuai and Kazeshini had been doing so for so long and he was only now getting the feedback of it.

Her good mood was quickly spoiled though when she felt Taka’s reiatsu explode, feeling of pure panic and grief. Before she even knew it she was flashing through the halls of Las Tardes, Hisagi a moment behind her.

She arrived at the meeting hall, the other residents of Las Tardes also arriving through various entrances as they responded to Taka’s burst. Standing before Taka was none other then Soi Fon.

“Soi Fon-taichou.” Kinomi acknowledged, dimly aware of Hisagi appearing beside her as his own Shunpo caught up to her. “What do we owe the honor of your visit?”

“This evening the 4th division was attacked.” Soi Fon answered.

Kinomi felt a twinge of fear in her gut. Who would want to attack the medical division?

“Ukitake-taichou had been admitted a few days ago and sharing a room with Rinascita when the attack occurred.”

“Are they alright?” Kinomi quickly asked, worried for her best friends sister and her old teacher; the man who always had a kind smile for them and candy somewhere on his person he would foster off on them without taking no for an answer.

“Stark was also there, but it appeared he was unable to be unsealed before the assault and is also injured.” Soi Fon continued. “When the others arrived he was unconscious and there were no signs of Ukitake-taichou or Rinascita. Stark just came to a few hours ago and told us….”

“They were taken to Jigoku.” Taka interrupted, tears threatening to spill at the thought of her little sister being dragged to Hell.

Kinomi looked at her friend in shock.

“Who is Rinascita?” Szayel asked confused.

“She is Taka and Galgo’s younger sister.” Kinomi explained. “Like Reina-chan, Zan-kun and Leon-kun, she has both the reiatsu pools of a Hollow and a Shinigami, very large pools, like Aizen level pools.”

Wide eyes looked at her in shock.

“But she is unstable. Her hollow powers consume her Shinigami powers and it makes her very unstable, and thus always sick suffering from seizures. Aizen made a device to turn her hollow powers into Shinigami powers to help balance her out but if she uses one pool it off kilter’s the other.”

“Why would someone want her?” Leon frowned.

“With her level of reiatsu, she could easily destroy all of Seireitei, if not soul society, if her power was ever channeled properly.” Kinomi answered with her eyes closed.

“That’s why she was kept a secret. If someone was to ever gain control of her they could turn her into a living bomb.” Galgo finished.

“What is Central 46’s solution to the problem?” Kinomi asked.

“They have not been informed yet. Yamamoto-sotaichou ordered me to come here to see if Szayel knew a way to open a gate to Jigoku as Urahara,” the name was spoken with extreme loathing, “ can not be found and Kurotsuchi-taichou is ‘too busy to be bothered with such a trivial matter.’”

“Getting a gate to open is easy.” Szayel commented. “Give me about an hour or two and I am sure I can have one opened. The hard part is getting back.” He explained.

“Will a Senkaimon or Garganta work?” Kinomi asked.

“I can not guarantee they will. However, I am sure we can just open another gate. What you would need to do is find it and get through it before it closes.”

“What about our phones? Will they work you think?” Zan suggested. “If we kept in touch they can let us know when to open the gate and where it formed.”

“I am sure they will work.” Akata decreed.

“So be it. Szayel, get a gate ready for us. Taka, how long can you stay merged with Azucena?”

“Indefinitely as long as I don‘t take too much damage. Our resurrections are not like a Bankai, we simply recall our sealed powers back not unseal them.”

“Wait.” Soi Fon protested. “You have not been authorized to go on a rescue mission.”

“3rd seat Taka, 4th seat Pantera, you have my permission to proceed.” Yachiru giggled.

“Thank you, Fukutaichou.” Both girls saluted.

“Yachiru-fukutaichou, you do not have the authorization.” Soi Fon protested.

“Nonsense.” Yachiru waved her off. “The only thing Ken-chan will complain about is that they didn’t pick him up first.”

“True.” Kinomi chuckled. “Taka, Zan, you two are with me. In this case a small group that can sneak in and out would be better then a force. Ulquiorra, Hurón.”

Both Hollows snapped to attention as she called them.

“You are in charge of Las Tardes until I get back.”

“Hai, Kinomi-sama.” Both hollow bowed politely.

“I am coming to.” Yachiru declared firmly.

Kinomi sparred a moment to nod in agreement.

“As am I.” Kinomi whirled about to stare at Hisagi in surprise. “Yumichika-taichou has the ninth in perfect working order and it’s been very quite lately. They can do without me for a while.”

Kinomi nodded her head and looked at the others. Leon made as if offer to come, but was cut off by Zan telling him he and Galgo were in charge of Los Dias until he got back.

The group decided Kinomi informed them they had one hour to get ready before they broke up to gather what they would need.

She headed to her room, giving out orders to her retainers as she went on what they were to do while she was gone, each of them bowing and heading off as she finished with them.

She pushed the door to her room aside and headed to her closet, pulling out a small traveling bag and tossing in one pair of cloths, a whet stone, a few hair ties, and a first aid kit.

By the time she made it back to the main room the others stood ready and waiting and Hinamori had two sacks of food waiting for them. Taka shared a nod with her then rested her hand on Azucena’s shoulder.

“Volar, halcón.” She declared.

In a puff of smoke Azucena disappeared and Taka emerged with her hair turned to feathers, two large, brown wings, and what had been Azucena’s mask fragment over her eye now.

“Ready.” Taka declared.

Kinomi turned her attention to Yachiru, who smiled happily and declared she was also ready. Hisagi met her gaze with a nod. She turned her attention to Szayel and the hollow he had chained up on the floor.

“Ready?” He asked.

“Yes.” Kinomi answered.

“Good. I don’t know where you will come out, it could be beside them or across the planet. As I said, no guarantees about anything, even if the phone will work to stay in touch.”

Kinomi nodded to show she understood.

“Very well, whenever you are ready, you may begin.”

Everyone just stared at him.

“You can open the gate now.” He encouraged.

“How?” Zan asked confused.

“Simple. Kinomi-sama, if you would do the honors.” He indicated the hollow chained to the floor.

She looked at him in confusion, then drew Kyattsuai and slashed it through the hollow at his prompting.

She jumped back when its mask cracked and a bright light shot forth. From the light a gate appeared, twin skeletons with their heads wrapped in in cloth adorned the doors. Their hands were set in such a way as to be opening the gates and open the gates did.

“Of course, no wonder Kurotsuchi-taichou informed us he had better things to do.” Soi Fon actually sounded ashamed of herself.

“Let’s go.” Kinomi ordered.

Zan and Taka rushed through the gates first, followed quickly by Yachiru. Hisagi and Kinomi followed right behind them.


Welcome to part 3. A rather smallish fic, but I didn't feel right slapping it to the back of Trial of Fire due to the large time spread and shifting POV. This is kind of one of those ficts that would be a millions times better animated.

This story will mostly be told from Kinomi, Hisagi and Ukitake's point of view. Unfortunately poor Ukitake is not going to have a pleasant time. Anyone else notice how we torture the ones we love?

While I still haven't quite finished it off, the Jigoku part is fully done and there isn't really a lot left that needs to be finished.

Huge hugs and thanks to everyone who reviewed Trial of Fire and I hope you enjoy this short adventure as much as the last and as always I love to hear from my readers and just a reminder you do not need an account or to log in to review.

If anyone can figure out who the villain is before I give it away I will let them demand a small story/one shot of their choice.