Trial of Fire

I apologies now for the time jumping. This chapter cleans up their childhood and brings us into the main story.

Chapter 12
Darkness Hints

How word of her punishment reached Hueco Mundo no one was quite sure, or at least the guilty party remained silent. It was just fortunate that the Garganta opened in the S.T.C. while they were there or half of Seireitei would have been destroyed by a very furious former 6th espada.

Because the garganta appeared where it did no one was aware of the portal even being opened other then the ones in the chamber at the time. Kinomi was the first to charge head on into the figure that emerged, and only years of finally honed reflexes saved Grimmjow his head as Kinomi’s bankai, for she had been training in that form, nearly took it off.

Recognizing the figure she didn’t follow up on the foiled attack, instead staring at him in shock. She had never believed he would ever step paw or foot in Soul Society.

“Otousan.” Zan gaped. “What are you doing here?”

Nel emerged behind him and the gate shut. The two former espada looked over the group of HMKs, several of them they hadn’t seen since they were five or younger. Grimmjow let his gaze roll over the kids, noting their power levels with a hint of surprise before settling his gaze on Kinomi after pausing briefly to acknowledge his son.

“What the fuck is going on?” He demanded.

Kinomi blinked, not use to such language from him as he tended to curb it around the kids.

“We are training, obviously.” She answered.

“Not that. What’s this I hear about some dip shit trying to lay a paw on you only to have the idiot leaders here punish you for it?” He demanded in a growl.

Kinomi looked at him in shock, wondering how he had learned about that.

“And what’s this fostering thing I heard about?” He added, glaring at Zan.

“The fostering thing rock, Otousan.” Zan declared with a wide smile. “I think I get more training time then Neesan does.”

“As for the incident, I dealt with it. A few lashes is hardly worth writing about.” She commented. “I think it was also made quite clear that the next attempt on our lives will result in deaths. The morons went after Karin-obachan.”

“Seriously?” Nel asked surprised.

“Yeah. I am surprised we didn’t have a month of winter after that. Toshiro-taichou was pissed, and so were a lot of others. The Noble Cabal lost a lot of supporters when they learned the plot had involved kidnapping a human.” Taka laughed.

“I am fine, Grimm-ji, or is there another reason you came?” She asked.

Kinomi suddenly wondered if there was more to this visit then expected, after all a few whip marks was hardly worth rushing here for. He had done far more grave injuries to her then that while training.

“And how did you know about this place?” Galgo asked wearily.

“I told Nel-chan about it.” Taka admitted.

“It is a good place.” Nel noted, looking around the training room. “I remember you saying you trained here every second Sunday.” She added.

“As pleasing as it is to be reacquainted, Grimmjow-san, the question of the reasoning for your arrival still remains?” Reina pointed out.

“Huh?” He looked at her in confusion.

“Reina-san would like to know the purpose of your visit.” Barbo translated.

“I need to talk to Stark.” He admitted after a second. “And possibly Ggio to.”

That brought about a lot of confusion and Kinomi dropped her Bankai form, conserving her reiatsu.

“What’s going on?” She demanded.

“There is something big stirring in the South.” Nel admitted after a moment. “The few scouts who went out never returned but when we went to investigate personally there was nothing there.”

There was pain there and Kinomi wondered who they had sent that had caused Nel pain at their lose.

“I want to know if Stark or Ggio know anything about what it could be. Chasing it is like chasing shadows.” Grimmjow snarled in annoyance. “Like chasing smoke.”

The HMKs shared a look. None of the parents knew about this place and what they did here. They had kind of been hoping to keep it that way. With a quick huddle they agreed they could probably bring Stark over, after all he was the least likely to care or say anything.

Nodding in agreement, Taka asked them to wait while she disappeared in a bang of Sonido to find her father.

“This should take her about an hour.” Leon chuckled.

“If not longer.” Zan agreed.

“Now, what is this about Fostering and only coming back for a week.” Grimmjow demanded coldly of his son.

Not perturbed in the least Zan and Leon launched into the fostering deal. By the end Grimmjow had to reluctantly agree it was a good deal. By the time the boys were done they looked up to see Taka backing into the room, leading a blind folded Stark.

“Um, okay.” Leon chuckled.

“Well, it keeps the place sort of hidden.” Kinomi sighed.

Once they were at the bottom Taka removed the blind fold with an apology, but Stark’s eyes were already focused on where he knew Grimmjow and Nel where. Running a hand through his hair in annoyance, he sauntered on over to join them, Taka apologizing about the blind fold the whole way.

“What brings you here?” Stark asked his fellow former Espada.

It was Nel who explained the situation, Stark’s frown deepening as he listened to the explanation. Even Kinomi was starting to get a chill up her spine.

“And you don’t think its just a new powerful Vasto Lorde?” He asked at the end of the explanation.

“No. We would have sensed its Reiatsu when it fought the others. The only reiatsu that flared was the scouts.” Nel pointed out, again with that hint of pain in her voice.

“So you think it’s something else?” Stark asked, only now starting to show a bit of interest.

“That’s what we are trying to determine.” Grimmjow scowled. “But since we can’t sense its reiatsu we can’t track it. It’s frustrating as hell.” He snarled.

“And we can’t chase every reiatsu rise up from the adjucas, that would lead us on a wild goose chase as they fight to devour each other.” Nel pointed out.

Stark nodded in understanding. Kinomi frowned as she pondered the situation. She could easily see how it would be so frustrating.

“Could it be cloaking its reiatsu?” Kimomi asked. “I am sure Urahara-san made something like that before.”

“Was anyone unaccounted for after the invasion?” Taka asked with a frown.

“I am not sure.” Nel admitted. “There were several different factions on the field that day. Communication wasn’t really key.”

Kinomi nodded in understanding. So there was a chance some of the people they thought were dead were still alive, although Kinomi was pretty damn sure Aizen was dead as Shinji had dealt that blow and the kidou binding Toshiro had vanished.

Shaking the thoughts from her head she turned her attention back to the conversation at hand.

“Urahara-san might be able to create a device to track the thing down, if you can convince him.” Kinomi suggested. “And have you been talking to the local Adjucas, or are they all still avoiding your reiatsu?” She asked.

“Other then the one you fought a few years back, they have been avoiding us.” Nel answered.

“An Adjucas?” Galgo raised an eye at Kinomi.

“It was a good fight.” She smiled in remembrance. “Every time we go back I keep trying to find his reiatsu for another match, but I never can.”

“I am sure it helps you suck at sensing reiatsu.” Leon pointed out.

She shot him a glare, but had to concede the fact that yes, she did suck at that talent, just like her father.

“Still not fair that you are the only one to get to fight one, even if he was a rather low level one.” Taka muttered. “All the rest of us every get to fight are basic and dim witted menos.”

“When were you fighting hollows?” Galgo asked annoyed.

“Every time we go visit the family in the living world we spend time with Gimm-ji and Nel-chan in Hueco Mundo honing our skills.” Kinomi answered.

“I told you about it, you just weren’t listening.” Taka snorted.

“We must return. Whatever this thing is it is dangerous.” Nel commented, breaking up the conversation.

“How many are living in Las Nochas now?” Stark suddenly asked before they could leave.

“All the remaining Arrancar we are aware of, including a few of their children. As well as two vasto lorde and several adjucas who have been eaten.” Nel answered.

“Eaten?” Barbo asked.

“Had a portion of their masks eaten by another adjucas and as such can no longer ascend in power, but at the same time no longer fear descending.” Kinomi answered quickly.

Nel nodded in confirmation. “Most of them reached their peek in power and deliberately took the wounds so they would not regress. A few escaped death or their opponents were too weary to move in for a final kill for fear of being eating as well.”

“Cowards.” Grimmjow grumbled.

Nel chuckled at his scowl and ran a hand through his hair, causing him to scowl more but not to protest the motion.

“Despite the incident we should still be good for our yearly trip.” Kinomi noted. “If you are late meeting up with us I will assume you are on the hunt.”

Nel and Grimmjow nodded before the black maw of a garganta opened and they disappeared through it.

“It is getting late and Leon-kun and I need to get back to the Shihoin estate.” Zan grumbled.

Kinomi nodded and the two boys took off with a bang/flash of sonpo. Reina and Barbo also excused themselves, heading back to the Kuchiki estate together.

Kinomi, Taka, Galgo, Azucena and Stark left together to drop Azucena off first before heading to their homes. For the sake of safety and a clear conscious, Stark agreed to be blindfolded while they led him out of the cave and down several twisting twinning ways before removing it to head back as a group.

“Oh my god.” Konimi grumbled when they were half way to Azucena’s house.

“You have got to be kidding.” Taka groaned.

“Very troublesome.” Galgo agreed.

“Taka-neechan?” Azucena asked nervously.

“I will warn you once.” Kinomi shouted out to the crowd of circling reiatsu. “Our patience is at an end and this time I will not play this game.” She growled, flaring her reiatsu in silent threat, Taka joining her.

This time it was the lesser noble prick who dared to approach them with his royal guard. He hesitate though when he noticed Stark was with them. It was one thing to go after the kids, but having a well known Espada, the STRONGEST, well known Espada standing there was a different story.

Kinomi held back a smirk when she noticed the sweat stark to trickle down his brow.

“I am uncertain as to what you may be implying, I am merely out for an evening stole.” The Noble commented.

“With a large retain I see.” Galgo dead panned in a bored voice.

“After the dreadful attack on the poor human girl, one can not be to careful with his safety.” The man answered back.

“Right.” Taka snorted.

“If that is all, then have a good evening.” Kinomi commented coldly.

She started walking again, heading straight for him, noticing in silent satisfaction as his eyes widened slightly in fear as she passed him by closer then was courteous. She felt his guards shift to follow, but merely smirked to herself for unlike them, she had noticed the change in temperature.

She didn’t react to the sound of blades being drawn, she just kept walking, even when there was an explosion of ice from behind her, trapping several of the mans guards. Their screams of fear was up lifting and she just kept on walking, the others joining her as they bypassed the tower of ice surrounding the noble and his retainers.

“It is a crime for anyone in Soul Society to lift their blades against a Shinigami or a student.” A cold voice spoke up behind them as they continued walking away from the scene.

The sound of the noble stuttering behind them put a smile on Kinomi and Taka’s faces.

“End game.” Kyattsuai chuckled in her mind.

“End game.” Kinomi agreed, retreating to her inner world just long enough to give Kyattsuai a nice long stoke down her white furred back and a quick scratch behind both ears.

The rest of the trip went without any further delays and she made it home with a flash of Shunpo after leaving the others at their house. Her mother noticed her rather wide grin and it was with great detail that she told them about the foul up the noble had made.

They were questioned the next morning, every last one of them having the exact same thing to say. That afternoon a Noble house fell into disgrace and a new head had to be elected.

The Noble Cabal still existed, but they were severally weakened after the double blows it suffered that week. The fully reformed Central 46 also seemed indecisive on the charges and Kinomi knew they would not be a threat anytime soon, and by the time they did get around to moving again they would all be safely tucked away in various divisions and no doubt earning records that would make their expulsion cause riots.

It was for once with peace they finished off their year at Shinoreijutsuin, Kinomi and Taka slaughtering the combat class records and Leon and Zan taking the top of their classes in both Kidou and Combat, although the Combat was just by a few points instead of the leaps and bounds Kinomi and Taka had as the two boys deliberately held back in the class.

They hadn’t heard from Grimmjow or Nel again and Kinomi was half worried that things were going badly and half hopping it meant that they had resolved the issue. She would find out when they arrived in the living world for their yearly visit.

The usual year end events applied and with great glee Kinomi and Taka stood to either side of Kenpachi and Yachiru as he greeted the new recruits, made the division deceleration, and sent the three girls to ‘play.’

A few days later the annual living-world trip approached. Taka had agreed to come and this time Galgo had surprised everyone by requesting to tag along. Unable to refuse he took Zan’s bed once they arrived at the house and made it past all the usual greetings, threats, sparing matches, and other events their arrival always heralded.

There were babies to hold and coo at, couples to congratulate, grandparents to appease and vizards to beat up. It was late that night that Kinomi sat up staring out her window in the distance, worry etched in her heart.

For the first time ever Grimmjow and Nel had not shown up. And it left her worried beyond anything she had ever felt before. That worry grew as the weeks passed and there was still no sign of them.

Leon and Zan arrived for their one week of freedom and each of the seven days that ticked by caused a greater fear and worry to envelope her and the others. Even Galgo seemed concerned and the only thing stopping them from opening a garganta then and there to go see was the fact it would trigger alarms all over the place as Leon’s reiatsu was not registered where as Nel’s was.

It was with a heavy and worried heart that Kinomi and Taka started their final year at Shinoreijutsuin. Kinomi stepped up their training and with the Noble Cabal all but disbanded they met every Sunday to train.

She stepped up her own training with Hisagi-fukutaichou until she was accustom to fighting against his style. To this day every time Kyattsuai and Kazeshini clashed she could feel the others emotions race through here. Where before it use to be sad and depressed, ever so slowly she was starting to get the feeling the other Zanpakuto was thoroughly enjoying itself. Now if only Kyattsuai would stop purring so damn loudly every time they spared with the fukutaichou of the 9th and his Zanpakuto.

Of course as she began to become proficient with duel wielding she was able to finally go full bore against Ikkaku-taichou, slowly becoming more proficient with her Bankai's enhanced speed as the months ticked away.

When Christmas came and went with still no word from Nel and Grimmjow after their trip to the human world, it was then Kinomi knew that things had to be bad. She would have thought Nel would have at least sent a messenger.

It seemed to worry her parents as well because Rukia and Ichigo both went to talk to the Sotaichou, although Kinomi could have told them they were wasting their time. The only time she could escape her growing worry was when she was training or hanging out with the 11th.

Now that they were so close to graduating Kenpachi was starting to make them work extra hard during their usual after school visits. In fact he had them duel against all of his seated officers, from the twentieth up, one a day.

Kinomi took day one, sparing against the twentieth seat, then on day two she went against the nineteenth while Taka took the twentieth. For 21 days the sparing went on. It was interesting sparing against Yachiru-chan and the girls had to admit they loved every minute of it.

Kinomi was able to win her fight by one point against Yachiru, having refused to use anything higher then her Shikai. Taka lost by four points, but again she didn’t use her Resurrección.

And the fights were just that, sparing matches, not actual 'see if they could kill each other' combat. That they did do against Kenpachi behind a barrier erected by Yumi-taichou so no one could feel Kinomi’s bankai or Taka/Azucena’s Resurrección.

Of course they could not win, but Taka was able to score 763 points against him while Kinomi scored an astonishing 1014. Both parties were soaked in blood by the time they were done and Hanataro had been specifically called to heal them at the end of the fights.

When graduation came Kinomi and Taka were immediately offered places in the 11th, which both girls accepted without a moments hesitation and high fives. They didn’t go through the initiation like all new recruits did, after all they WERE the initiation.

What more they took the 3rd and 4th seats immediately. In a rather ironic twist of fate that seemed to follow the 11th when it came to their seated officers and their orders, Kinomi insisted on taking the fourth seat, as the number was a reminder of death and she was born on the dreaded 14th. As such Taka took the 3rd.

The party was held at the Kuchiki Estate, Zan and Leon of course being giving permission by their Foster family to attend. Gifts were stacked on the tables to celebrate the graduation of Kinomi, Taka, Galgo, Akata, Barbo and Reina.

All of their family and friends were there, servants from the Kuchiki estate running about making sure everyone had drinks and the food table was kept well stocked. Faces turned the other way as the graduates got to partake of the various alcoholic beverages being offered.

Speeches were made where Kinomi made sure to thank everyone who helped her train and promised she would be looking for them to keep herself in shape, especially Hisagi-fukutaichou and Kazeshini. After food, speeches and toast they were permitted to attack the pile of gifts.

There was a new diary from her parents, painted like the first one but with Volume 2 and a field of Yarrow flowers added. This time the note was from her mother expressing how proud she was of her daughter.

A new Kimono from Byakuya, a white panther displayed on a field of yarrow flowers. She had Reina coach her through the proper thank you for that one as she loved it and wanted to make sure he knew it.

The 11th, former and current, had put in together to get her and Taka their gifts. Custom made Shihakusho’s with their seat numbers printed on their backs surrounded by a ring of eleven yarrow flowers in the color of their sashes so they matched. Much like Soi Fon’s they were also sleeveless.

Who cared about proper behavior, they were the 11th after all? Kinomi and Taka gave the four of them all a big hug, causing Kenpachi and Ikkaku to blush a little and they both seemed embarrassed to have the girls hugging them while Yumichika seemed to enjoy it. The two girls had rushed off to change immediately, the others nodding their approval as they showed off their new uniforms.

They learned where the others had ended up; Galgo in the 13th with Ukitake-taichou. Barbo and Reina ended up in the 8th with Shunsui-taichou. Akata ended up in the 12th with Kurotsuchi-taichou. Only Kinomi and Taka took seated positions.

For the first month as they settled into the division Kinomi had almost forgotten about the situation with Grimmjow and Nel as they ran about getting settled in and training their former classmates as well as many of the regular men of the 11th. Apparently there was also a large amount of paper work, much to their dismay.

They had their own rooms in the barracks of course and moved their belongings in. It took two weeks to get every thing sorted out, but even during that time they still met every Sunday to continue their training and share information.

When they returned that summer with still no word from Grimmjow and Nel Kinomi started to feel panic, but with Leon and Zan trapped at the Shihoin they didn’t dare go missing to take a trip to Hueco Mundo to go looking for them.

After all if Grimmjow and Nel couldn’t handle what they were fighting than there was a large amount of doubt they would be able to handle it either. They had duties now and could not just up and disappear for a week at a time, at least not until after Zan and Leon graduated.

During that time they stepped up their training, and even saw a bit more of Akata on occasion. Now that he was in the 12th Kinomi had approached him about finding a device to track someone who was deliberately hiding their reiatsu. He promised to look into it and get back to her in exchange for blood samples from Taka.

In another two years Zan, Leon and Azucena graduated. Zan and Leon were admitted into the 2nd as per the contract, but there was a large amount of debate on what to do with Azucena. She was not suited for the 11th at all and had been hoping to join her mother in the 4th. However she was also Taka’s ‘zanpakuto’ and would need to be close at hand.

They sat down with Unohana and Yachiru while they tried to work it out. Finally they came to a compromise. Azucena would join the 4th to be a healer, but would accompany Taka on her field missions as the group medic.

It had been almost three years since they had received word from Grimmjow and Nel, and by this point Kinomi was starting to worry if they were even still alive. With a bit of help from one of Kinomi’s sources they all managed to get slated for a two week, unspecified missions.


They met up at the S.T.C, all of them loaded down with supplies. With a shared nod Kinomi turned to Leon, who concentrated and opened the black gate before them.

“We have two weeks before anyone will notice us missing. If we find nothing we return in one week. If we find something, we will decide what to do then. Ready?” She asked, looking over the other HMK’s minus Akata.

She was met with seven nods. They walked through the gate, coming out onto the white desert sand of Hueco Mundo, Las Nochas standing before them, or at least what was left of it. The place was in ruins.

At once Zan and Leon places their hands on the ground, eyes closed as they concentrated on their Pesquisa.
Frowning, both boys shock their heads in the negative, they had detected nothing.

“Leon, Zan, far back quarter. Barbo, Reina, right. Azucena, Taka, left. Galgo and I centre.” Kinomi ordered, dropping all suffixes and other unnecessary words to save time.

She was met with nods as they split up to cover more ground. Zan and Leon disappearing with Sonpo to get to the back faster, as she knew they would. She didn’t need to tell them to flare their reiatsu if they found something or got in trouble, it was standard procedure with them.

Galgo and Kinomi headed towards their section of the fortress together. It had been so long that Kinomi didn’t remember much of the place anymore. She remembered Nel telling her that there had been several Hollow living within the walls now, but the place looked like no one had been living in it for a while.

Dust covered everything and there were no new footprints. The damage was less then it seemed from the outside as only the outer dome apparently suffered any damage and Kinomi was starting to wonder if that was battle damage or because they tore the roof down to let the real sky through.

She was betting on the former as she doubted they would have left rubble all over the place if it was indeed the later. She paused as she entered the next room in the hall, looking around in surprise.

“I know this place.” She said softly, looking around the familiar room she had spent the first six years of her life.
It was empty now, no doubt Grimmjow had moved to a larger room after Aizen’s defeat. Moving over to her old bed she looked under the mattress, smiling when she noticed her stash of papers were still there, Kanji drawing crudely all over the place.

With a smile of nostalgia she folded and pocketed the papers before checking the next room on her side of the hall. It was about four hours later when she felt Zan and Leon flare their reiatsu with three long burst.

“They found something.” Kinomi thought to herself and she and Galgo ran towards the flares.

If they had been in trouble it would have been one large burst. If it had been urgent it would have been three short burst.

Kinomi felt Kyattsuai hovering in the background, and she opened her mind to the panther, letting her see more clearly with Kinomi’s eyes and senses least Kyattsuai pick up something Kinomi missed.

They arrived at what use to be Aizen’s throne room. The place was wrecked and blood splattered all over the walls and floor, dried to a flake and clearly old.

“Looks like a last stand.” Galgo commented, noticing the claw marks in the walls.

“Yeah.” Taka agreed.

“There is more.” Zan sounded sorrowful.

“What is it?” Kinomi asked, noticing Zan was holding something concealed and was holding back tears.

With great reluctance, he held the item out to her across both palms. Kinomi felt her heart stop and there was a ‘stilling’ from Kyattsuai. With hands shaking with disbelief, Kinomi slowly reached out and took Pantera’s hilt, taking the blade crusted in dried blood from her brothers grasp.

She stared at the blade in disbelief. She felt the power still locked in the blade, a power she knew almost as well as Kyattsuai, a power that reached out to caress against her own reiatsu as if to ease her worries.

Wordlessly Leon passed her Pantera’s sheath, thankfully bloodless, She unstrung the worn blue ribbon to tie the sheath across her back. She pulled out a rag and some oil and began to clean the old blood off of Pantera’s blade.

“Did anyone else find anything?” She asked, her voice eerily calm, her mind feeling somewhat frozen.

Other then ruble and the odd splotch of blood that could have been from the recent event or from fifteen or so years ago, nothing else had been found.

“He has to be alive.” Taka commented after the reports were done. “If he was dead ‘tera would cease to exist as well, right?”

“That would be an accurate assessment.” Reina agreed.

“If there is no one here, then where do you think they went?” Azucena asked nervously.

“I don’t know.” Kinomi admitted. “Who has the widest range of Pesquisa?”

“I have that ability.” Reina answered without hesitation.

“Most of the destruction appears to come from the south. It stands to reason anyone fleeing would go North.” Barbo noted.

With a nod, Kinomi sheathed the now blood free Pantera across her back and started walking North, using Shunpo the moment they were in the open to travel faster, the others right behind her.

They traveled a bit outside the walls before Reina kneeled down and placed her hands against the ground, eyes closed and almost meditating as she sent her Pesquisa out into the desert ahead of them, looking for any trace of reiatsu.

Stay Tuned for Chapter 13: Akutsuchi

Where a new far more dangerous foe arises

Well now we are onto the main story which means no more time skipping. I always hated this chapter but found it sort of necessary to tie up their childhood before jumping into the main story. I felt like the childhood part of the story was important for their character development.

As usual, /hug my reviewers, you know who you are :)

NOW LET THE BLOOD FINALLY FLOW MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *CHOKE*