Rue Diabolos sat on her heels in Urahara's living space, her hands folded politely on her lap, her back straight and proper. In front of her was Kiseki Urahara, his fan flicked out and covering his mouth as he took in he situation in front of him.

"So what can I help you with, Rue Diabolos-san?" he asked.

"I heard-" she began speaking, licking her lip nervously, "That you know a fast way to gain bankai. Ten days fast."

"Bankai?" he mused, his voice light and airy, "Whatever could you mean? Bankai could ever be gained in ten years time. Everyone knows that!"

"And everyone knows that Ichigo Kurosaki came into Seireitei with no knowledge of his bankai and when he left, the boy not only had his bankai but was trained enough to best Byakuya Kuchiki in a fight," she shot back.

"And why would you think I had anything to do with it?" he asked.

"At first I didn't," Rue said, "But then a mutual kitty cat came for a visit."

"My, my," he said, his voice not so frilly anymore, "Yoruichi-san has been quite busy hasn't she?"

Rue didn't even bother with pleasantries. She just sat silently, her request still floating in the air. Kiseki snapped his fan closed, a very hard look of distrust in his eyes.

"And why should I help you gain bankai, Diabolos? Shouldn't you be under lock and key, just in case your sister sends an Espada to snatch you away?" Rue bit her lip in frustration.

"If she wanted me in Hueco Mundo, she would have already done it."

"Fair point. But why should I let you gain bankai? Your sister's own bankai seems to be that of a little mystery, but a mystery with a few clues. With what I heard of her bankai abilities -without- her zanpakuto at her side, you would most likely match her level of strength. So why should I help you gain so much power?"

"Because I'm the only one who could kill Agito, Kiseki," she explained, "There are many powerful taichou in the Gotei but if in a fight, she would match them in power and strength forever. Even if she faced the soutaichou, with his zanpakuto of the sun, she has Michael. I've seen Michael's power. With how strong she is now, in bankai, she would be able to wipe out a third of the Living World, decimate all of Seireitei, and eradicate Hueco Mundo without dying."

"You think you can kill you sister?" Kiseki asked, a strange tone in his voice.

"I have to," she said, a little wobble in her voice that Kiseki was kind enough not to mention, "Agito may be evil but I'm her sister. She loves me. If I fight her, she'll give at least one opening for me to end it. That's more than what anyone else can say. I have to kill her or she won't be stopped."

"You don't know her anymore," Kiseki said, "She's in a dark place and full of dark intentions. How do you know that your sister would even recognize the bond you have with each other?"

She was quiet for only a moment before saying, "Did you know that when Agito woke up in Rukongai, she immediately went searching for me?"

"What?"

She smiled but it was sad and full of grief, "For ten years she traveled the many Districts, looking for me. She didn't even remember what I looked like, only remembered my name, but she knew she had to find me. Our sibling bond is so strong not even death could erase everything that we had together. I promise you, I'm her weakness and the best way to exploit it is for me to fight her in the upcoming battle."

Kiseki Urahara went quiet, studying the woman in front of him and remembering the other woman who he'd met a while ago. The Agito Diabolos from his recent memory didn't seem like anything anyone has ever reported her to be.

She wasn't a cold blooded murderer. She wasn't someone of evil intentions like he tried to suggest and what everyone has tried to say. It even seemed strange that Agito would even side with Aizen-san but she did. It was contrary to the incredibly independent woman he had only known for fifteen years. And to hear that she was made Queen well ...

Kiseki had always known that woman was hiding something.

And this woman was too. Rue Diabolos might try to hide it was much as possible but she wasn't a very good liar. Good. But not very good. Not as good as he.

She was lying about something. Something very hidden in the depths. But he didn't think her secrets would be harmful to his plans. He mused of her request and came to a decision.

"Oh alright~!" he sang, "I'll give you my incredibly helpful super-duper training regiment and you'll gain bankai in ten days! Or you die!" Kiseki and Rue got up to their feet and he guided her through the shop to reach the back. They both climbed down the basement.

Rue's hard, determined expression broke.

"Whoa! It's so roomy down here!"

"Aha! A nice fresh expression!"

"Urahara-san! Its very nice down here!"

His happy expression turned sulky, "Now you're just teasing me. Come along Rue-chan. Your training needs to begin now." She followed him a little ways away from the entrance of the basement and he scurried behind a boulder.

"Here it is!" he cried out before bringing forth his invention. A white plank of ... Whatever it was made from in the vague shape of a human.

"What is that?"

"I call it a tenshintai! Its a doll that will allow your zanpakuto to materialize in the real world and make your bankai training much more faster. The doll also exhausts your reiatsu and amplifies it so that your ten years of training to gain bankai amounts of reiatsu can be shortened to days. All you have to do is stab the doll with your zanpakuto."

"Stab the doll with my zanpakuto..." Rue mused, already drawing her sword.

"I must warn you," he stated, "You will die if you fail to acquire your bankai within the allowed days."

"Thanks for the notice," she said before rushing forward and stabbing the doll. Nothing changed. Rue stepped back away from the doll and cast her eyes around the area.

Something was different.

"Gabriel!" she called out, "Show yourself!"

'I can't give you bankai.' Rue twisted around to see her beautiful zanpakuto just as she remembers them. Crystal skin, silk hair, starlight toga, pearl and opal wings, perfectly symmetrical facial features, and twin stars for eyes.

"Why not?" she asked, not even noticing how Kiseki has hidden himself away. He wasn't gone to give her privacy. He removed himself to stay away from the resulting damage and take notes.

'I can't give you bankai,' they said rather forcefully.

"Why not? Am I not strong enough? Not worthy enough?"

'Rue,' they said, their voice soft and comforting, 'It is time I told you the truth.

'I am not what you think I am.'

"What are you talking about? You're Gabriel the Archangel of Intelligence, aren't you?"

'It is not who I am that is in question. It is what I am.'

"You are my zanpakuto," she said without a doubt. But their silence was telling. There was no question on their face, only something fierce and challenging. "No, it can't be."

'When I appeared before you the first time, you asked if I was your zanpakuto spirit,' they said, 'I remember distinctly of not answering you. You gave me the title of zanpakuto and I gave you a sword. I gave you power. But what you believed I gave you is not what I truly did.'

...

"You're not my zanpakuto."

~~~

>:D