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| This article, Hunger and Greed: Calm Before War, is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal, which continues on from the opening segments of the site's former Fanon Canon project. Use of this page's contents is determined by the author of this page, unless otherwise specified. |
This article, Hunger and Greed: Calm Before War, is the fifteenth chapter of the Hueco Mundo arc, which is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal. Gundinger and Ashido serve as the primary POV characters, with appearances from a number of canon characters. This chapter occurs during the week-long conflict between Kenji Hiroshi and Averian.
Hueco Mundo held its breath.
Hurricane winds wiped through the sandy dunes, rain fell in torrential sheets, thunder roared like drums, and lightning flashed for miles in all directions. Evidence of the strikes was everywhere. Glass formations like newborn trees, their surface reflecting the light of a crescent moon, spindly limbs reaching skyward, dotted the transformed landmass. In a land ruled by the still of the night, the current backdrop was altogether unnatural.
And every Hollow, and every Arrancar, knew it. Two days this fight had dragged on, and it showed no sign of quieting.
“Gun-Gun…”
“Pull everything back,” I replied, for once ignoring the mere mention of the hated nickname granted to me by Nelliel. “This fight will grow and grow. Nothing here is safe.”
“I agree,”
“So do we! That’s a bad Arrancar,”
The first one who agreed with me, surprisingly, was Rudbomn Chelute. Standing at his back was his executive hunting party, the Exequias, though only two of them, Loly and Menoly, showed any outward recognition of the statement. The second echoing agreement was the Picaro. These child-like entities were, actually, one Arrancar and, like me, once served as an Espada. These individuals accounted for the footsoldiers commanded by the Tres Pilares, and they now looked towards Grimmjow, Nelliel, and Halibel for direction.
As I expected, Grimmjow was impatient. He was growling low in his throat, a predatory sound, and he paced with impatience. At a gesture from his contemporaries, however, he calmed down and exhaled.
“... Gundinger!”
“Yes?”
“You are watching this?”
Grimmjow knew all about my surveillance ability and history as a tracker. Why I felt a surge of pride was anyone’s guess, I suppose.
“I am.”
“Then we’re all leaving.”
Once again, I find myself visiting the memorial site of a friend. Once again, I find myself unable to form the words I feel inside.
Captain Kuruyashiki, who was the seventh Shinigami to hold the title of Kenpachi, wasn’t just an old friend, however. He was both my Captain and teacher, and of all the people I have outlived, I feel his loss the most keenly. The barracks of the 11th Division just didn’t feel the same without his sociable attitude and humble disposition filling its halls with life and joy. Zaraki had fostered a very different attitude amongst his men, an attitude quite different from the one I remember from my days as Kuruyashiki’s Lieutenant. It seemed everyone wanted to test themselves against me and no matter how many times I indulged them, and defeated them, they always came back looking for more!
Or maybe I just hadn’t noticed it before?
“Ashido-san,”
I wasn’t surprised by the sudden appearance of Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyoraku, which might come as a surprise given the man’s talent for stealth and pulling a disappearing act, nor was I surprised by the manner of his speech towards me. We were, after a fashion, contemporaries after all. And, more importantly than that, old drinking buddies. His was a presence I found very welcoming. There weren’t many links to my past still alive today, so he was in very rare company.
“He never stopped believing that you were still alive and fighting,” he continued. His hat shaded his features from view, but his shoulders were slumped and there was a genuine note of sorrow in his voice. He and Captain Kuruyashiki had been the closest of friends. “When Rukia-chan mentioned you in her report, Ukitake and I came here together to tell him.”
“... Thanks for doing that. I wonder what he would have thought of this situation. An Arrancar powerful enough to devour Captains, poised to destroy the Soul Society?”
“He would have fought and would have been the first to do so. But then you know that better than anyone.”
“Agreed,”
I turned, hand resting gently on the hilt of my Zanpakuto, and began to walk away.
“Ashido-san?”
“I have the promise I made to my friends to keep. So, I’ll continue fighting. And I’ll do his share too.”