False Memories

**False Memories** is the twenty-third episode of the Bleached Wolf's Rain series.

Things don't go as planned, with Kiba at Jaguara's mercy, and Tsume, Renji, and Toboe taken prisoner. Hige and Blue try to figure out what to do.

## Summary

Coming to, Tsume sees that he's in a cell. The first to say something is Renji, who he is surprised to hear, until he hears Toboe, who asks if he's okay. He assures him he is, but wants to know what happened and where they are. A voice tells him that he is being held prisoner in Jaguara's keep. Tsume sees the old woman, and asks what she's doing there.

She explains that she had been captured, alone with her pack, all because they were following a wolf wearing a collar, which catches his attention. With that, the old woman goes on about how her pack wasn't large, but they looked out for each other. One day, they met the wolf, who was all alone and hungry. So they let him into their pack, and since then, they had been found by Jaguara's forces day by day, until finally, he brought them to the city. But by the time they figured out it was a trap, it was too late. The others had been taken to Jaguara's great hall and executed, all because of "him".

On the outside, Hige falls, Blue going over to him and asking if he's alright. Weakingly, he tells her to go and leave him, get out of the city. She can't believe what she's hearing, refusing to leave him. But Hige only tells her that it's not safe, that she has to go.That's when Blue realizes that the collar he's wearing must be affecting him, so in her wolf state, she works on getting it off. As she does this, Hige wonders why she's doing this for him, but she refuses to give up as she continued to pull at it, until finally, Blue manages to get it off him. Hige then comes to, apparently recovered as she asks if he's okay, to which he states that he's doing better now, and holds Blue, thanking her. Afterwards, she wonders what to do, since Renji and Toboe were captured by Jaguara's soldiers.

Back in the holding cells, no one says anything. Suddenly, a few soldiers come in, one of them firing a sonic emitter at the old woman in her cell. This gets to Tsume, Renji, and Toboe. Confused, Kisuke asks them what it is they're doing, when he sees them dragging the old woman out of her cell, surprising him to see that she was really a wolf. Afterwards, Toboe asks what they're going to do, while Renji wonders if Ichigo and Kiba are still out there, Tsume believing they have to be. Kisuke feels like he's seeing things at first, which changes when he asks them if they're wolves. They appeared surprised, while he feels that he's not surprised after what he's seen. He's curious as to if they came to save Cheza. When they say they are, Kisuke tells them that she's been taken captive somewhere, Renji becoming concerned, while Toboe comments they have to get out of there.

During that time, Kiba has taken out the armored soldiers, slowly making his way up a flight of steps. While he does, Jaguara is watching Cheza in the bubble tank, asking her if she can feel the joy that she has; for soon, her "beloved" will come at last. Finally reaching a chamber, Kiba opens the door, and takes in seeing Cheza. He goes over to her, asking if she's alright, claiming he's finally found her. But she's unable to say anything, making him wonder why she won't answer. That's when Jaguara appears, referring to him as the "white wolf, hidden by the flower", and admits that he is beautiful. Kiba growls at her in his wolf state, then charges. At that moment, a spellbinding circle appear, stopping him in his tracks, until he falls to the ground. Walking over to Cheza, Jaguara tells her to open her eyes for "her Paradise". Once she does, the bubble tank breaks open, and Jaguara laughs, wanting to know if Cheza thinks they should celebrate.

In the city, Jaguara's soldiers are starting to go to shops to take possession of the finest food and drinks. While more soldiers are outside a wine shop, Quent sees one of them, telling him that there are wolves in the city. He informs him that he's had too much to drink, but Quent yells out that there are wolves all around them, all over the city, and all over the world. Before he can say more, he's knocked to the ground, while two more soldiers kick him. The first one has them stop, stating that Paradise is opening as they leave, Quent taking this in. From where he is, Ichigo sees this, and can't help but wonder what's happening.

Making her way towards the front of Jaguara's keep, Yoruichi wonders what's going on. Just then, something from down the street catches her attention. A figure that seems familiar, until she finally realizes that it's Darcia. While he passes her, she tries stopping him, when he stops and turns to her, asking if she will follow him into "the very heart of darkness". Yoruichi says nothing, but simply follows him as he approaches the front entrance. The armored troops see him, and are about to stop him, until they suddenly collapse.

At that time, Jaguara makes preparations for the Nobles banquet. She asks her servant if she is not beautiful, to which he agrees that she is. Then she says that they will stoke the moon with "a white wolf's blood". While out of it where he's being held, Kiba wants Cheza to sing for him, which she does. From inside their cells, Tsume and Toboe can hear her singing, surprising Renji. While Kisuke asks if they can really hear Cheza, they say nothing. As such, Jaguara enters the grand audience chamber, where other Nobles are waiting, and announces that tonight her Paradise will be opened.

Overlooking the keep, Hige thanks Blue for helping him, to which she thinks nothing of it. He then goes on to tell her that he wanted them all to get to Paradise, and that was all that mattered to him, until they got to Jaguara's city. With that, he says that he has to go, Blue replying that she'll come with him, but he tells her that she can't. She begs him not to leave her behind, when Hige assures that he won't, and promises that he'll never leave her alone. Hige then takes off for the keep.

The Nobles inside all dance in celebration, as does Jaguara. However, the doors open into the audience chamber, revealing Darcia. As the other Nobles see him, they suddenly all start to fall to the ground as he makes his way over to Jaguara, who finally stops when she sees him. During all this, Cheza starts to wither in the bubble tank, Kiba calling out to Cheza, while outside the keep, Ichigo says that he's coming to their rescue.

## Appearances In Order

* Tsume
* Renji Abarai
* Toboe
* Old Woman
* Hige
* Blue
* Kisuke Urahara
* Jaguara's Soldiers
* Kiba
* Lady Jaguara
* Cheza
* Special Ops Commander
* Quent Yaiden
* Special Ops Soldier #1
* Special Ops Soldier #2
* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Armored Soldiers
* Yoruichi Shihoin
* Darcia The Third
* Servant
* Various Nobles

## Notes & trivia

* The last episode Darcia was seen in was Episode 14: "The Fallen Keep".
* In this episode, Ichigo doesn't appear much. Also, it's unknown how he managed to escape Jaguara's keep, but could have fought his way out.
* When Kiba is caught in Jaguara's spellbinding circle, it's unclear whether she is using kido or simply sorcery, since she didn't announce the spell.