The Moonlight Crucible

**The Moonlight Crucible** is the twenty-fourth episode of the Bleached Wolf's Rain series.

As Darcia encounters Jaguara, Ichigo races to rescue the wolves as the Noble's Paradise opens. With Darcia at her mercy, Ichigo and Kiba confront Jaguara.

## Summary

In the grand audience chamber, Darcia starts walking over to where Jaguara is. During that time, Yoruichi sees Cheza in the bubble tank, and makes her way over towards it.

Once Darcia stops, Jaguara tells him that she has been waiting for him. He removes his mask and headdress, prompting her to remove her own helmet and mask, revealing her appearance to be exactly that of his lost love, Hamona. Darcia admits that he never thought that he would ever see that face again, and it's learned that her and Hamona were twin sisters. After exchanging more words, Jaguara then extends her hand out to him, offering Darcia a dance. Outside in the city, power goes out all over, Blue watching all this.

At that moment, Tsume, Renji, and Toboe are trying to break free of their cells, when they see that power is going out. While Kisuke wonders what's going on, Renji replies that it must have something to do with what's happening. Toboe can't help but ask what could be happening, when the next thing they know, their cells open, and look to see that they've been freed by Ichigo, his Zangetsu drawn, asking them if they're okay. The first to be happy to see him is Toboe, while Renji wants to know how he got inside Jaguara's keep. After Ichigo brings up the fact that he fought his way through, he then asks where Kiba is, but Tsume doesn't know, since they got split up. Just then, Kisuke asks if he means the wolf, surprising Ichigo at the fact that he recognizes him from back in Freeze City. He tells him that he heard some of the soldiers talk about something called the Moonlight Crucible. When Ichigo asks if he knows where it is, Kisuke unfortunately doesn't know, until a voice says it does. It turns out to be Hige, who Toboe is relieved to see. Ichigo asks him where the Moonlight Crucible is, to which Hige informs him that it's in the center of the keep, between the two towers. Now knowing where to go, he says that he's heading there, and for them to meet up with him.

He doesn't get far though when Tsume tells him to stop, Ichigo wants to know what's wrong, but Tsume simply asks Hige if he's going to tell him, which apparently confuses Ichigo. At first, Renji argues that it's not the time, but Tsume believes otherwise, and again asks Hige if he's going to tell Ichigo, but he says nothing. So finally, Tsume reveals that Hige is one of Jaguara's wolves, and that he lured them to the city. Unfazed by this, Ichigo says nothing as Toboe thinks believes he might be wrong. However, Tsume brings up the wolves that he saw that were mounted like trophies. Only after Ichigo asks if it's true does Hige admit that it is, although he doesn't remember any of it. He understands, and starts to walk away. Confused, Tsume questions him about Hige, but Ichigo answers that it doesn't matter now; stopping Jaguara is. So with that, he moves out.

Out in an alley of the city, Blue sees that people are confused as to what's going on. That's when she notices someone stumbling in the alley, which takes her by surprise to see that it's Quent. As he passes her, she says that she hasn't seen him around. When he asks what it is she wants, Blue simply tells him that she trying to make conversation. She asks him where he's from, to which Quent informs her Kyrios, catching her interest. He asks if she's heard of it, she comments about how the village was burned down by Jaguara's soldiers. Quent doesn't believe her, but Blue goes on to tell him that some soldiers were searching for a wolves that were hiding there, so they burned the village.

But Quent still can't bring himself to believe it as he starts walking away, saying that it was the wolves that killed his son, Ruse. Finally no longer able to take it, Blue calls out that the wolves didn't kill him, and begs for him to believe her. Only after she refers to him as "Pops" does Quent stop, and turns back, realizing that it's Blue, who in her wolf state runs over to him. In the moment, Quent holds her close in tears.

Meanwhile, Cheza calls out to Kiba, who hears her. When she says that she is going to wither, he begs for her to hold on, until he manages to come to, and lets out a howl. Mustering the strength, he gets up, shaking off the attachments from his body, and lets out another howl. Reaching the Moonlight Crucible, Ichigo hears the howl, and sees Kiba, who sees him as well. They say nothing, until Kiba turns around to jump into the Moonlight Crucible, a brilliant light shining out all around. Inside, he runs towards the heart of it, while there Jaguara believes that they can stop time, and live this moment forever. Darcia believes otherwise as they are seen together in what appears to be Paradise. He believes that it's meaningless, which makes Jaguara want to know if it's because of Hamona.

Either way, she believes that this is what he longed for, and wanted.That's when he replies that she's wrong, his voice a fusion of Kiba's and Darcia's. While Jaguara is taken back by this, he goes on to tell her that this world is not Paradise, until she wants to know who he is. It's then she sees Kiba in his wolf state, and asks why. All he does is go for her throat, which causes the Moonlight Crucible to falter. Coming out of it, gasping for breath, Ichigo wonders what happened, when he sees Kiba jump down to him. Ichigo wonders something at first, but then realizes that it wasn't really Paradise at the same time, Kiba reveal that it wasn't. As such, Ichigo feels he knows what to do as Kiba passes him, causing him to release his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu.

Back in the audience chamber, Jaguara's spike collar falls off from what Kiba did, when Darcia tells her that it's over, and that her Paradise has been closed. Right then, Ichigo releases his Getsuga Tensho, which pierces straight through to the heart of the Moonlight Crucible, destroying it. Crying out, Jaguara stabs Darcia with a dagger. All Ichigo does is watch as the Moonlight Crucible collapses on itself, until he takes off.

Managing to come to, Yoruichi looks around to find Cheza, who she calls out to. She frees her from the bubble tank, causing her to fall, but she catches her. She hears her say something, but Yoruichi tells her that she saw it, but it wasn't the real Paradise. Cheza seems weakened as Yoruichi then assures her that it'll be okay. During this time, Darcia removes the dagger in his chest that he throws aside, Jaguara admitting that she did it all for him, desperately wanting to know why he loves Hamona and not her. Drawing her sword as he does the same with his, Darcia and Jaguara clash against each other. After a while, in Hamona's voice, Jaguara tells him that she loves him, taking him off guard. Still using her voice, she tells him to come with her, to Paradise, Darcia demanding for her to stop.

    While he starts losing focus, Jaguara explains that the dagger was poisoned, and that soon he will belong to her forever. Darcia loses his strength, and falls to the ground, and she is about to finish him off. That changes when Hige surprises her, causing her to dodge his attack. He moves at her again, which Jaguara avoids, and demands him not to interfere, launching her sword at him that pierces him in the chest. While Tsume sees this, Toboe calls out to Hige. Before she can do anything, a voice stops Jaguara, who looks back to see Ichigo in his Bankai state.

    She figures out that he was the one who destroyed her Paradise, but he replies that it was created from a cursed world, and that he's going to stop her. Jaguara brings out a sword as she and Ichigo move in on each other, the two of them in a clash of blades. After a while of them fighting, he gather spirit energy to release his Getsuga Tensho, which has Jaguara use a shielding spell to negate it, much to Ichigo's surprise. She admits that he's skilled, but it won't be enough to stop what she's set in motion. When she sees something, Cheza weakingly calls out to Kiba, taking Ichigo by surprise, as well as Jaguara. She wants to know why he's there, and to leave, but Kiba states that Paradise is their's, and that they're taking it back. As he charges at Jaguara, Ichigo joins in. Removing the sword, Tsume throws it aside as Toboe is concerned for Hige, who says that he has to keep his word to Blue. At that time, Jaguara stops Kiba with a spellbinding circle, planning to sap all of his strength, which has him growl at her. To her surprise, he starts walking towards her, when Ichigo manages to strike her, and Kiba tears into her shoulder, which throws her off guard as Jaguara catches her breath.

That's when she notices Darcia standing behind, simply looking at her. In that moment, she feels joy, which is cut short when he stabs Jaguara with his sword. She becomes taken back by this as she drops her own sword, until she collapses to the ground, dead. No one says a word, until finally, Darcia looks back, saying that Kiba really is the chosen wolf. Kiba admits that he has to know what he is, believing he's neither a wolf or a Noble. Holding out a black sphere jewel, he tells him that he was chosen, too. That it's not enough they they search for Paradise, but that Paradise is calling for them.

## Appearances In Order

* Darcia The Third
* Lady Jaguara
* Yoruichi Shihoin
* Cheza
* Lady Hamona (Flashback)
* Blue
* Tsume
* Renji Abarai
* Toboe
* Kisuke Urahara
* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Hige
* Quent Yaiden
* Ruse Yaiden (Mentioned)
* Kiba
* Darcia The First (Vision)

## Notes & trivia

* This is the second time that Ichigo has performed Bankai, the first being in Episode 18: "Soul Eclipsed".
* Jaguara is the third Noble Ichigo has fought against; the first was Darcia, and the second was Ichimaru.
* Last time Quent and Blue were together was back in Episode 10: "Fortunate Misgivings".
* Although a painting of him has made an appearance in the series, this is the first time Darcia The First has appeared, despite being a vision.