Brother's Broken Bond

Brother Broken Bond is a story that takes place during the Fake Karakura Town arc. It is seperated into chapters (dubbed Episodes) for easier reading.

Episode 1
Kirrin looked down at the defeated Arrancar and watched as his opponent faded crumbled and faded away. He sheathed his Zanpakuto, Kage Tora, and smiled. The fight had been rather disappointing but he still enjoyed the thrill of battling strong opponents. Intruding on the Battle in the Fake Karakura Town had been a brilliant idea. Now all he had to do was head to the Soul Society to exact his vengeance.

Suddenly, Kirrin heard a footstep behind him. He turned and there stood Kona, in his shinigami robes, Zapakuto at his side. Kirrin smiled at the sight of his younger brother.

"Long time, brother," Kirrin said nonchalantly, "How's the blue-haired justice nut?" Kona didn't respond with words, but instead with a gesture of his head. Kirrin looked to his left and, amongst much debris and rubble, there lay an unconscious Alfi Bluebird, her minimal amount of clothing torn from battle. Kirrin laughed out loud now. She was strong, for an Arrancar, and Kona had really struggled against her before. Now here he stood, with only one sleeve torn off, victorious over his rival.

"What do you plan on doing, brother?" Kona questioned, though he knew the answer.

"While old man Yamamoto and the other captains duke it out with Aizen," Kirrin explained, "I'm gonna head on over to the Soul Society and kill the hell out of Shunsake Kenshin and anyone who tries to stand in my way." Kirrin chuckled to himself. How long he had waited for this chance.

"I can't let you go, brother."

Kirrin looked at Kona in surprise before smiling. His brother was growing up right before his eyes and it was magnificent.

"Oh yeah?" Kirrin replied, interested at Kona's intent, "And how are you gonna stop me? I can stomp you into the ground without so much as batting an eyelid and you think you have a chance at beating me. Not a chance in hell, little bro, not a chance in hell." Kona assumed a battle ready stance as his hand grabbed a hold of his Zanpakuto.

"You're right," Kona responded, "I probably can't beat you." Kirrin grinned. "But," Kona continued as his hand twitched, "I can slow you down! Roar across the time stream - Taimu Tora!" Kona seemingly disappeared and reappeared behind Kirrin, apparently sheathing his sword. However, Kirrin had already drawn Kage Tora and stopped Kona's first strike. The two brothers then charged at one another, exchanging blows without either combatant gaining any advantage. Kirrin would block one strike effortlessly before countering with a simple slash or thrust of his sword, which Kona would in turn parry with his Zanpakuto. Eventually, Kirrin slashed Kona across the chest, sending Kona sliding back a few feet.

"See," Kirrin said casually, "You can't even slow me down that much." As he said this, he felt his movements being slowed. He knew this to be an ability of Kona's Shikai, but smiled all the same. He found Kona charging at him and blocked the incoming series of attacks. Despite being slowed, he was still on par with Kona for speed. Every time Kona finished a combination, he would step back and sheath his sword before launching another series of strike. Kirrin felt confident that he could beat Kona without really trying. That was until Kona landed a strike on Kirrin's right shoulder. Kirrin withdrew a few feet as he felt his speed returning to normal. He inspected the wound and smiled. Kona had grown quite strong indeed.

Kona said nothing and instead returned to his ready stance, facing his brother. Kirrin grinned as he held his Zanpakuto. It was time to teach Kona an important lesson.

"You should feel proud, little bro," Kirrin said in congratulations, "You've just earned a taste of my shikai. Tear through the darkness - Kage Tora!" Once Kirrin uttered this, his Katana disappeared and was replaced with an ornate Scythe with a black blade. Kirrin leaned the back of the scythe on his shoulder and smiled again. "It's funny," Kirrin chuckled, "Our Zanpakuto are siblings, just like us, and just like us they're facing each other in battle. Irony abounds on the battlefield." Kirrin now held the scythe ready as he charged at Kona, swinging the scythe faster than the younger shinigami could see. Kona was cut across the chest again and struggled to repel the second swing with his rapidly drawn serrated Katana. Kona grunted as he felt pain shoot through his chest, the two cuts combined burden telling him to surrender. Yet he would not.

Breaking away, Kirrin withdrew and awaited his brothers next attack. Kona clutched the injuries on he chest and looked at his brother. He then sheathed his sword once more and began to glow with a blue aura. Kirrin knew this technique and grinned. He had earned one of Kona's specialties. Kona quickly drew forth the Katana and swung it skyward, sending a large, red arc flying towards Kirrin. Kirrin simply held out his finger and in an instant sent out multiple deadly, red beams that utterly consumed Kona's attack and then surged forth at him, destroying much of the area where Kona had been standing. Kirrin then disappeared into the air and fired even more at the surrounding area, devastating it utterly, reducing much of it to little more than a smoking crater. When Kirrin finally stopped this barrage, he grinned.

"I'm impressed, little one," Kirrin said as he looked over his shoulder to see Kona standing in the air as well, with Alfi tucked neatly under one arm, "I knew you'd be able to save yourself, but I didn't think I'd left time to save her as well. Did you use your Shikai to delay my ceros? Very crafty indeed." Kona didn't reply, but reacted to Alfi regaining consciousness in his grip. She yawned briefly before noticing she was in the air. She then looked up to see Kona holding her. Then she struggled in his grasp to free herself.

"Unhand me, shinigami fiend," Alfi yelled during he struggle, "If not in name of justice, let it be in the name of honour! You should not have such filthy intent for your defeated adversaries." Both Kona and Kirrin reacted in shock.

"Did she just…?" Kirrin began as he jaw began to drop. Kona threw her aside, allowing her to slide on the air before standing up.

"Listen here, Bluey," Kona snapped, "I just saved your life! I had no intention of using you for anything except a punching bag so get your head out of the gutter and stay out of my way." Alfi glared at Kona, fires burning in her eyes.

"Oh ho ho," Alfi replied, "So you think your cheap lies can fool me? And whose head is in the gutter anyhow?" Kirrin stepped between them and slashed Kona, who slid back a few feet. "Dishonourable fiend," Alfi snapped at Kirrin, "How dare you attack a man when he wasn't ready! That kind of dirty fighting is reserved only for the lowest-"

"Knock it off, love-freak," Kirrin replied casually, "He was ready the moment he drew his sword against me." Kona then charged at Kirrin, who deflected his attack with ease before punching Kona in the chest, causing even more pain to shoot through his chest and sending him flying into a partially destroyed building. "Of course," Kirrin continued, "You may have a point. He isn't ready for a fight like this." He glanced over his should to see Alfi holder her Zanpakuto. "Let me guess," Kirrin said playfully, "You're gonna say that this fight is wrong and that it has no meaning. Well you're wrong there." Kirrin then swung his scythe, while never taking his eyes off Alfi and cut Kona along the arm. He then kicked Kona and sent him flying into the same building. "This fight has plenty of meaning and comes with a valuable lesson. Once the fight is over, I reckon he'll learn it. Until you're needed, just stay there and watch." Kirrin then dashed forward to meet another attack from Kona. Alfi just watched on, stunned at Kirrin's response and admiring Kona's resolve.

Even though he's totally outclassed, Alfi thought to herself, He won't give up. Is it bravery, as I think? Or is it…?

Kirrin effortlessly repelled Kona's next lighting fast combo with his scythe before kicking Kona away. He smirked. Kona puffed and panted before coughing. Blood shot forth from his mouth and fell down to the ground below.

"You done yet, little bro?" Kirrin asked in a concerned tone, only for Kona to stand up, "Guess not. I'll give you a hint; use your Bankai." Kona was shocked. "Your Bankai is one of the most powerful I've ever seen," Kirrin continued, "Even I don't stand a chance against it. I know about your five minutes limit, but if you used those five minutes well you could turn this fight around." Kona didn't need any more encouragement as he held his sword in front of him. "BANKAI! Hareyakana Jikan Tora!"

Episode 2
A cloud burst around Kona and when it dissipated, he was left with a more stylised Katana and a bright, tiger-esque Haori over his existing Shinigami robes. Kona pointed his Bankai at Kirrin and smiled briefly before charging forward, faster than before. Kirrin had little time to block and only just managed to prevent the attack from slicing him. They remained like that, with their weapons locked, for a few moments until Kirrin forced Kona back with his immense strength.

Kona smirked for a moment as Kirrin and him were enveloped by a blue field. Then it happened, Kona unleashed a flurry of blisteringly fast strikes and all Kirrin could do was stand there and take each strike, though no visible injury had been caused...yet. After what felt like hours of punishment, but was really only four minutes, the field retracted and Kona's Zanpakuto reverted to its Shikai state. Kona puffed and panted for a few moments, visibly drained from using his Bankai. Suddenly, as Kirrin expected, Kirrin's chest and arms burst open in a great torrent of blood. Kirrin immediately fell to one knee, but remained in the air, panting as well. Then he laughed.

To Kona's horror, Kirrin stood up as his injuries closed over themselves rapidly. Kirrin continued laughing as Kona stared on in surprise. Before he could react, Kirrin had already moved just in front of Kona and grabbed his face before pushing him into a building and throwing him through it, causing said building to collapse.

"I have to admit, I was a little worried there for a second," Kirrin said as Kona gathered himself, "But you forget one key detail; I got some hollow in me. Your cuts, while painful, were too shallow to do any damage that would last longer than your usage of your Bankai." Kona snapped out of his shock as he returned to his combat stance. Kirrin sighed as he held his scythe in front of himself. "You should feel honoured, little bro," Kirrin stated casually, "You now have the privilege of facing MY Bankai."

Kona could only watch in horror as his brother prepared to unleash his Bankai.

"BANKAI! Kokai Shadotaiga!"

A cloud burst out around Kirrin, later revealing that his scythe's blade had begun to smoulder and had become transparent while he himself wore a fur cloak over his tatterred white outfit. Before Kona could even react, Kirrin cut Kona with his Scythe before following up with three more cuts. Kona could do nothing except activate his Shikai ability, but even then Kirrin outpaced him.

"Trying that again are we, Brother?!" Kirrin mused before cutting Kona again. In that moment, Kona realised that he stood no chance of delaying his brother any further. In the blink of an eye, Kirrin stuck his bankai's blade into Kona's heart, a strange white substance falling from his face and vanishing into the wind. But the pain didn't end there.

"Akuma Kokai Shadotaiga."

Suddenly, a severe burning pain shot through Kona's entire form as Kirrin's scythe pulsed with energy. Every moment felt like years of torture until at last Kona fell into some inner darkness, losing consciousness. Kirrin, noticing this change, withdrew his scythe from his brother's form and watched as Kona fell to the ground. Kirrin watched as Kona fell and fell, doing nothing. He watched as he saw his brother fall to his apparent doom. He watched as his brother's unconscious body was caught by Alfi. Sealing his Zanpakuto, Kirrin appeared next to the Arrancar as she nursed Kona's unconscious form. Alfi looked up at Kirrin, revealing the tears in her eyes.

"Are you satisfied now, you monster?" Alfi said bitterly, "You may have just killed your only brother." Kirrin merely slapped the Arrancar, leaving her shocked.

"He's fine," Kirrin replied, "I know he's lived through worse. I deliberately withheld the true power of my Akuma Kokai Shadotaiga. If I hadn't, he would be dead right now." Kirrin kneeled down next to his brother and placed a hand on his forehead. "Ah, you fool," Kirrin said calmly, " Y ou're still tryin' to make me look like I'm the best, huh? You've grown strong in my absence, indeed I reckon you could've defeated me if you'd used your Bankai while I was releasing mine. Had you done that we might still be fighting or you would have defeated me anyway. I'm proud to call you my brother, even though you're still just a kid." Kirrin stood up and began to walk away. "Take him to Captain Unohara," Kirrin said to Alfi, "She'll be able to look after him. Then make yourself scarce. You're too injured to rejoin the fighting and it's just gonna get worse from here. Thanks to Kona, I can't enter the soul society just yet. So in the end, I won the fight but he won the battle."

With that Kirrin walked away towards the Edge of the Fake Karakura Town, content with how strong his brother had become through their broken bonds...