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Song to listen to while reading this chapter: "Epitaph" by King Crimson (it just works)
I honestly shouldn't be awake right now, I have work in 7 hours, but LET'S DO THIS.
TOKI WA TOMARE
So we start out with...Askin, who has decided to confront Ichigo FABULOUSLY (dancing in the rain~). Ichigo wants to know where Grimmjow is, but all Askin knows is that he "defeated" him - doesn't know where, though, since the streets are so confusing. Ichigo being Ichigo, he decides to attack, but both of them are stopped dead when the surrounding area goes down a few notches in brightness. Ichigo's friends all note that it's cold for some strange reason and that everything's eerie...and Ichigo figures that this is the work of Shunsui. Hooray for interrigence.
At this point, taking parts out of your outfit can only be beneficial.
Meanwhile, Lille decides to land on a building, but not before giving himself a kilt and ungodly improbable high heels for some reason. What a primadonna. Anyway, he notices the darkening too, but Shunsui shows up to ask him what the world looks like - guess he can't see this part of his Bankai. Lille's all "I can't feel fear because blah blah God symbolism" and unleashes what looks like kinetic bombardment on Shunsui's location, which actually breaks off part of the city - thanks Lille, you just RUINED the feng shui - but is surprised when he too gains some holes in his body...right where Shunsui has some. Guess he really is an Arrancar now. Unharmed (by that last attack, at least) Shunsui emerges and explains that this is the first level of his Bankai - his opponent's body reflects the state of his own, wounds and all. Shunsui then moves to level 2, which gives Lille smallpox space AIDS black spots all over his body, and he begins to bleed profusely - this is tied into the previous level by the story of a warrior whose grief at being injured on the battlefield gave him illness. Finally, Shunsui activates level 3, which puts them both in a swimming pool where they are too wait until one of them drowns due to Reiatsu deficiency.
Well, uh...wow. Both exactly and not quite what I was expecting from this Bankai. I called the first level's effects, but I didn't see the next two coming at all, and they barely got any explanation. I can see why Ukitake told him to not use this against Starrk, though. Guessing this fight has 2-3 more chapters left, at this rate.