The orange haired warrior fell to his knees, his body damaged severely, his soul ripped apart, his will to fight completely obsolete…he had lost…
Out of all people, he never expected he´d be defeated by Aizen after coming so far…after seeking help from the most unlikely of sources, since Urahara Kisuke and Shihõin Yoruichi to enhance his shinigami powers and aid him in revealing his bankai, to the infamous Vizards, who despite not being able to help him fully control his inner Hollow, managed to teach him how to have access to some of its abilities, enhancing his strength greatly.
Still, he had lost to Aizen Sõsuke…
Still he had fallen at the power of the Kyoka Suigetsu…
Still he failed everyone who believed in him…
He failed Soul Society…all the captains, vice-captains and seated officers had placed their faith and trust upon him, believing he would be the one to save them all…
He failed the Vizards…they who in the short time spent with him gave their all to help him grow stronger, to become more….
He failed Tatsuki…his very first friend, the tomboyish girl who had been beside him his whole life; he would never forget how he made her cry when he left…he would never tell her how sorry he was…
He failed his family…ever since his mother passed away in order to protect him from the hollow Grand Fisher, he had sworn to keep them safe, not to fail again like he had before…it seemed that once again he had bitten of more than he could chew…he would leave them…as a failure…he didn´t deserve his mother´s sacrifice…
He failed Renji…despite their bickering, Abarai and Ichigo had become friends, heck, and he even considered the red haired shinigami a brother…a brother he would now leave…
He failed Ishida…the Quincy was his very first rival, although now they didn´t quite see each other like that…they were teammates, partners…friends…best friends…
He failed Chad… he had always enjoyed the company of the peaceful giant…strong as a tiger but gentle as a lamb…both had vowed never to give up and fight for what they believed him…then why didn´t Ichigo find the strength to continue…
He failed Rukia…the petit shinigami had become part of life, of his family…of himself…she had made him change his view of the world, helped him grow, made him strong…and what would he give to her in return? Deception and disgrace…
He failed Orihime…words could not express the excruciating pain that burned Ichigo as he thought about how he would never set his eyes on this angel…the girl he had battled for, travelled and faced worlds for, sacrificed himself for…it was all in vain…she would not be saved…he would not be the knight in armor that would bravely take her bake home…he was just a vermin who disappointed her…a toad unworthy of the love of that goddess…yes, he loved her…he kind of always had…ever since he had battled her hollowfied brother to save her and had gazed onto her beautiful moons, he knew it was her…her softness and grace reminded him of his mother, the mother he so desperately wished to save…now he had that chance again…but he blew it…she would remain in Hueco Mundo because of his weakness…he hated himself for that…
And overall…he failed himself…
The shinigami traitor know as Aizen Sõsuke smiled softly at his fallen opponent, albeit with disdain in his eyes, for he had expected more from the Shinigami Substitute…not for him to last long against his overwhelming power…not for Kurosaki Ichigo to defeat him…he just…well…expected more…
Ichigo´s hands desperately tried to reach Zangetsu…his bruised chest screamed in agony as he struggled to breathe, the air feeling like blades piercing his lungs…he had to get up…he NEEDED to get up…he had to fight…he HAD to win!
Ichimaru Gin simply enlarged the usual smirk that was drawn in his lips as he witnessed the futile attempts of the defeated shinigami to stand up and restart the battle.
"Y´know, yer not gonna make yerself any favor by facin´ Captain´ Aizen again" - the silver haired shinigami grinned more when he noticed the anger building up in Ichigo´s amber moons – "Yer fighting spirit was fun to watch, however it´s getting´ a lil´ borin´ havin´ to take yer ass down time and time again"
Tõsen Kaname stood next to the other two defected captains, and didn´t really seem to be concerned with his enemy.
To him, Kurosaki was weak…nothing but a pathetic vermin who was crushed and for whom no one would mourn.
As Ulquiorra would say: "he was nothing but trash".
"Tell me, Kurosaki…" – a triumphant Aizen declared with pride and somewhat insanity in his voice – "How does it feel to have come this far, to have defeated the biggest and the strongest, to have faced the wrath of all of Hueco Mundo…just to fail miserably in the end? Just to be defeated like you were nothing but a child…just to show all who believed in you how pathetic and sad you truly are…"
"S-shut up…" – Ichigo growled in pain as he tried to rise against this…monster – "It´s not over yet…I´m not finished…"
"Oh…I´m afraid you are, Ichigo" – replied the victorious Aizen – "From the very moment you first stepped forward to oppose me, you knew you were bound to fail…you cannot escape my power, you cannot escape your destiny…and most of all…you cannot escape your past…"
"NO! THAT´S NOT TRUE!" – yelled the despaired Ichigo as he finally reached his blade, much to the astonishment of Gin and Tõsen – "GETSUGA TENSHÕ!"
Somehow, he still had enough spiritual energy in order to do the dark energy attack. Aizen was amazed at the sheer determination of this human who, in spite of his injuries, could still maintain his bankai and launch the attack he had just performed as if nothing had happened. Could there have been any intervention from his inner hollow? Probably not. The mask had shattered long ago, and Aizen´s Kyoka Suigetsu made him invulnerable to any comeback from the beast.
Although he concentrated the remainder of his energy into the Getsuga Tenshõ, Ichigo knew it wasn´t enough…none of the three defected captains would even earn a scratch from this attack.
His suspicions were true as Aizen, with his bare hand, deflected the attack as if it was nothing.
"Kurosaki Ichigo…your efforts won´t pass without a reward…you came so far…I think you deserve a second chance…join me…and I will let you live…" – the villainous shinigami smiled with arrogance at the now incapacitated Ichigo.
"You´ll…let…me live?" – questioned a shocked Ichigo.
"Indeed…you have showed great skills, entering Hueco Mundo, defeating several of my Arrancars and even incapacitating one of my Espada, Grimmjow. I think that´s an amazing achievement for a mere human to accomplish…come with me Ichigo…and I will give you power…I will make you a God…you´ll have everything you desire…beyond your wildest dreams!"
For a few instances Ichigo stared down, not knowing how to react to this indecent proposal…could he really betray all of those who had believed in him? Could he destroy all the bonds he had formed during the way? Could he forget the reason why he had fought?
Voices echoed in his head: Rukia, Renji, Chad, Ishida, Urahara, Yoruichi, Byakuya, Isshin, Karin and Yusu, Tatsuki! But one of them screamed louder than all of them combined.
"Save us, Kurosaki-kun!"
"Inoue…" – he murmured, his hands shaking as pure rage filled his eyes – "Forget it Aizen! I am not like you! I never take the easy way if it means betraying all those who love me and fight for me! I only battle to keep them safe, not to make me a "God"…now I realize…despite all your power and army…you´re just sad…a sad and lonely man, who will never know love…and for that…I pity you…I pity you a lot, Aizen…"
Gin looked at his partner, and Tõsen could even swear the silver haired shinigami had opened his sapphire moons in astonishment for a second as he saw something he had never seen before in Aizen: rage. A small inch of frustration and contempt for the orange haired human was visibly stamped in the face of the powerful man.
Aizen Sõsuke stared coldly at Ichigo, with disgust for this vermin who dared to defy his power and will, rejecting his offer and even reaching the extreme of calling him a pitiful one…who did this kid think he was?
"Truly disappointing, Kurosaki Ichigo…I was hoping for you to see the light…to follow your common sense and do what was right for you…yet you dare to reject me, despite seeing how pathetic and powerless your and Soul Society´s attempts to defeat me truly were…still…if you wish to oppose me…then so be it" – he finally declared, digging his palm into the chest of the orange haired warrior, making him unleash incessant screams of pain as he felt something desperately trying to escape his body.
Tõsen turned his head in another direction, visibly disgusted with the torture Ichigo was being submitted to.
After a few minutes, Aizen removed his hand from Ichigo´s chest, a blue reiatsu flowing in his hand. Ichigo had returned not to his Shikai state, but to his human appearance, not wielding any shinigami clothing whatsoever.
"This is what you obtained in the day you first met Kuchiki Rukia…and became your journey…this…is the remainder of your spiritual energy…and your only way to become a shinigami…without it, you are nothing but a mere human…powerless to defeat the weakest of Hollows…I´m sorry Kurosaki…but your adventure is now over…stand idly by in Hueco Mundo as it consumes your soul and makes you one of the hollows you despise so much" – revealed a smiling Aizen, contemplating the now disgraceful existence of his opponent.
Ichigo trembled in agony, fighting to breathe, not wanting to believe what had happened. He would never return to Karakura, he would never see his family, nor his friends again…he would never tell Orihime how much he loved her…
"Farewell, human…it is really a shame you will die the same way you came to the world: weak" - murmured Aizen as he held Ichigo in the air before throwing him down a tower from the Las Noches palace.
Ichigo fell at a frightening speed, his lungs no longer working as he felt everything around him black out. This was it. Kurosaki Ichigo´s soul would vanish here…and his existence would be forever erased from history…all because of his weakness…
Faces surrounded him, voices echoed loud, screams, moans, sobs…all in vain…he would not rise, his fall couldn´t be stopped. There was no hope. Soul Society´s champion had been defeated, and soon all existence would be plunged into darkness by Aizen.
As he felt he was about to hit the ground, only three words managed to escape his lips before darkness engulfed him.
"Inoue…forgive me…"
The world´s greatest hope lies in its despair – Jean Racine