*No cover this week

*Gin is looking at what appears to be a map

Ulquiorra: Someone seems to have made it to the Espada’s palaces…

Gin: What a special occasion, you actually talking to me. It couldn’t be that you really dislike me?

Ulquiorra: Of course not (*SARCASM!!*)

Gin: Really? If that’s true then maybe we can be friends.

Gin: I’ve been lonely since Luppi died. He and I got along pretty well.

Ulquiorra: …this is…

Gin: Ah, nice isn’t it?

Ulquiorra: Corridor manipulation? (*I’m assuming he can change where the passageways lead to…like making Rukia head toward Kaien?)

Gin: No no, I haven’t done that. I would never do something that mean. Besides…

Gin: …I hate sad stories…

*Scene changes to Rukia and blood running down her cheek

264.Don't Say That Name Again

Aroe: …What’s wrong? That’s quite the confused look you got there.

Aroe: Kuchiki.

*The dark circles under Rukia’s eyes are really dark.

*Aroe laughs a bit

Aroe: I’m delighted. If it were the old days you would’ve died in one stab. Seeing their subordinates improvement really is a superior’s happiness.

Rukia: …w…why…just how much of what you said…was real…

Aroe: How much of it was real? All of it. What, did you think I was a fraud or something?

Aroe: What’s so strange about me trying to kill you?

Aroe: You haven’t forgotten, right?

Aroe: I’m Shiba Kaien, former vice-captain of the 13th division, who fused with a Hollow and is now in Hueco Mundo.

Aroe: And you’re Kuchiki Rukia…

Aroe: The woman who stabbed and killed me.

Aroe: Does that satisfy you as to why I’m “trying to kill you”?

*Rukia has a little flashback of Kaien’s dying face.

Aroe: So are you ready to be killed by me, Kuchiki?

Aroe: I’m asking if you are ready to offer your life as compensation to the man you killed.

Rukia: I am.

*The smile on Aroe’s face fades.

Rukia: …but I am not able to do that…yet…

Rukia: …I…I laid my hands on you…for that crime…I believe that no matter how many tens of years pass it is something that won’t go away.

Rukia: If killing me would lighten the load on your heart even slightly…I would gladly give up my life to you.

Rukia: However…I came to Hueco Mundo to rescue Inoue…to rescue my friend.

Rukia: …no matter what you might say…until I rescue Inoue Orihime from this place…I cannot give my life to you, Kaien-dono.

*A short silence

Aroe: Sorry! It was just a joke!

Rukia: …huh…?

Aroe: I was just joking! It’s true that I do sometimes think that you should pay for your crime…but trying to kill you because of it…

Aroe: …come on, there’s no way I’d even think of something so stupid!

Aroe: I told you, didn’t I? I have something that “only you can do”.

*As he says this he pats her on the head while looking all nice.

Aroe: If you really want to pay me back I have something I want you to do for me, Kuchiki.

Rukia: Something…you want me…to do?

Aroe: Yeah.

Aroe: Bring me…the heads of all your friends.

Aroe: Don’t worry. I’m sure you know each of the weakpoints in the abilities, right? If you just create an opening it shouldn’t be too hard at all.

Aroe: If you do that, then I’ll just let the whole “you killing me” thing go completely!

*He says all this with his usual smiling face

Aroe: …? What’s wrong, Kuchiki?

Rukia: …this time…you won’t just pass this off as just another “joke”…

Aroe: …Kuchi…

Rukia: It’s pretty obvious…there’s no way anyone would call…”giving up the lives of your friends to save your own skin” a joke…

*Aroe grabs Rukia

Rukia: Don’t you dare dishonor Kaien-dono…!

*Rukia gives him a scary face.

Aroe: …What did you just…?

Rukia: There’s no way you could possibly be Kaien-dono…Kaien-dono would never joke about those things just to test his subordinates…Kaien-dono…

Rukia: …would never say something that would make you weigh the lives of yourself versus your friends’…

Rukia: I’ll be damned if the Kaien-dono that myself…and everyone in the 13th division respected from the bottom of our hearts…was that sort of person…!

Aroe: Wait, Kuchiki! What are you talking about! I AM Kaien!

Rukia: Don’t you ever say that name again!!!!

Rukia = super pissed

Rukia: Dance! Sode no Shirayuki!!

*Aroe laughs and swings his sword. The pattern on the hilt of the sword is likely Nejibana’s.

*Scene change to Renji seeming to notice something

Dondochakka: Wh…wh…what’s wrong, Renji!?

Renji: Nothing…something just now…

Dondochakka: Oh~~~~what! Don’t freak me out like that!

Dondochakka: Even without you freaking me out this place is still kinda spoo…

*The ground beneath Dondo breaks apart

Dondochakka: …ky~~~~~~~~~~

*As Dondo says this he falls down a hole

Renji: Dondochakka!? What the hell are you doi...

*The ground underneath Renji also falls apart

*Renji falls down a different hole than Dondochakka.

Renji: Wha~~~~~~!!?

*Scene change where a lot of smoke and dust is flying in the air.

Renji: Cough Cough…shit…what the he was that giant hole back there…where…am I?

Voice: HAAAAAHAAAHAAA! That was amazing!


Voice: I set up a number of traps…but I never figured that someone would actually fall for the simplest one of them all.

Voice: How rude of me. I haven’t introduced myself.

Voice: I’ll only say it once so hopefully you can manage to keep it in that head of yours.

Voice: I’m the Octava Espada…

Zael: Octava Espada – Zaelapollo Grantz.

Sidetext: A new enemy!