The Nueva Espada

Chapter 20:Heart Of Sword

"B-Brother?!" Isane stuttered "Captain Unohana, did you just-"

"Yes, Isane" Unohana interrupted her "This is Gamma...my brother"

"But Captain! He's a-"

"Yes" She cut her off once more, not taking her eyes away from Gamma "He is an Arrancar"

"...Captain" Gamma said, his voice rumbling as his eyebrows narrowed "You-..."

"I am a Shinigami" She finished for him "Captain of the fourth division"

"Retsu Unohana" Gamma scoffed "Using mom's surname..."

"I never did like Akutabi" She stated, her tone unchanged as she continued to stare at him

"It was our fathers name..." he glared "Out father was a good man..."

"Our father was a fool"

Gamma's nostrils flares as he clenched his fists...

"Do not speak ill of the dead"

"We are the dead" she stated "How else could I be a Shinigami and you an Arrancar?"

"Typical" he scoffed "You haven't changed, how long has it been Retsu? Two-hundred? Maybe Three-hundred years?"

"Two hundered and twenty-two years" she stated as she tilted her head slightly

"And you're still the ungrateful brat you were when you died"

"I was like that because of you" she glared "You and your father. I wasn't like that before that"

"You always hated Dad...and me"

"That I will not argue" She stated, but then jolted slightly as Gamma sonido'ed away from her, his chainsword fully revved

"Then fight me!" he shouted

...

"No"

"I SAID FIGHT ME!" Gamma roared fiercely

"I will not" Unohana stated

"Captain...you must!" Isane stated "He's an Arrancar! He-"

"He is my brother...Isane" she stated as she turned to her "If you were in my shoes and it was Kiyone over there...could you?"

Isane's mouth stood agape at her Captain's claim but soon hung her head low

"She's right...I would not be able to do it"

Unohana saw the answer in her and turned back to Gamma

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again...What happened to you...Gamma?"

"I lost everything" he growled "I lost it all...Unohana"

"Do you remember our father's land, back home?" She asked "Pastures of grass that seemed to stretch on forever. We used to run across those fields all day, calling up at the sky...and look at us now."

"Bringing up the good ol' days won't change anything" Gamma groaned "...I didn't think it'd be this way...if I ever saw you again...I figured I'd be kinda happy to see you again, but I was wrong"

Gamma lowered his sword as he began to walk towards her

"I've heard voices all my life. But now I hear the voice of a conscience...my conscience, and it's terrifying, because for the first time it's my voice. And it's telling me what to do..." Gamma growled as he stood a few feet away from his sister "It's telling me to kill you"

Gamma raised his sword once again as Unohana gazed at her brother with the same expression before closing her eyes and dipping her head, a smull rustling emerged as she reached into her Captain's haori which soon met with a *clunk* as her sheath hit the ground