Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach

I'm still new to Bleach but this idea hit. So, characters may be a bit OOC and maybe what I had happen isn't possible but isn't that the whole thing behind fanfic?

Thanks to Salazar Marvolo and Ookami Kasumi for their help.

Chapter 1

Ichigo bit back a pained grunt as he was forced to his knees, fighting to remain conscious. His wounds were screaming in agony just from breathing which ruled out fighting. He didn't even know where he was as blackness flickered on the edges of his vision. A cold hand suddenly gripped his hair, forcing his head up and he blinked, trying to clear his vison. He was in front of white steps, leading up to a white throne and…Aizen. Hueco Mundo? He must have blacked out for the trip, he didn't remember being dragged between worlds.

He could feel Aizen staring at him, studying him, but why? The man had obviously ordered him to be brought here, so why did he see something like confusion in the man's eyes? Had it not been his plan after all? Did it matter? He could feel the tattered remains of his bankai coat barely clinging to his skin, ripped to shreds and covered in his blood. He'd fought so hard when the Espada had come rushing into town, but they were too powerful, and Toshiro and the others had been fighting with limiters, unable to get them lifted. They'd been separated, and he'd barely managed to stay with Rukia. After that thigs got really fuzzy….they'd faced…Rukia…she was hurt…he couldn't stop it...he'd tried…his mask, couldn't hold it long enough.

Ichigo tried to glare defiantly as Aizen descended from his throne, but he wasn't sure if the expression was coming through. He was in big trouble and he knew it, he couldn't feel his right arm at all and the feeling of the floor beneath him was becoming distant. This was worse than what Byakuya had done to him when he took Rukia, worse than Aizen's attack on him back in Soul Society. Maybe…he could just let go…let it end…he was so tired. He felt a hand on his face and forced his eyes open, staring up at Aizen. The smile on the ex-Captain's face was not comforting at all but it was getting hard to care.

"You are dying Kurosaki Ichigo," Aizen told him softly.

He didn't need the creep saying it, he knew it, struggling to focus on Aizen. His eyes widened in shock and horror as Aizen pulled out the Hōgyoku all while smirking at him. Even half dead he recognised that evil marble. Urahara had told them that it was dormant and would take several more months to awaken but it looked awake to him.

"This could save your life, you could join our cause," Aizen offered, and even with his vision greying in and out he could see curiosity, did he really not know Ichigo would never agree? "Soul Society will not come for you, you are too great a threat to them alive. I understand they gave you a Substitute badge, do you know what it does?"

Ichigo struggled to pay attention, wanting to scoff at the weak attempt to turn him against his friends, he didn't want them to come here, it was too dangerous. But… "bad…ge…"

"Ah, so you can still understand me. Yes, the badge you were given. It does not only allow you to leave your body and alert you to Hollows. It is a tracking device, allowing them to find you as long as you have the badge. But it is the final ability I think you should know, with it, they can limit your power."

Ichigo blinked dazedly, what? No…someone would have said something…"lie," he mumbled, head lolling in Ulquiorra's grip, body slumping further.

"Join me Ichigo and you will have all the power you desire. The power to protect those you love...don't you want that? Do you really think the Soul Society will let you live? Or your Sisters? They are like you Ichigo...or at the very least they have the potential to be. Do you think the Seireitei doesn't know that? Doesn't keep tabs on your every move? Just as they know that you are dying...Right now...Right here...alone. But None of that has to happen...if you join me."

He felt his hollow stir deep inside, wanting to take the offer. With that stirring though came a clarity of thought and more energy which was nice. He felt the Old Man's sorrow, that he couldn't protect him. As his hollow grew louder, he slammed it back, he would not betray his friends! Soul Society might have screwed him over with the badge, but what about his human friends? The Visored? He doubted every Shinigami knew what the badge was for either. And….he'd seen the flicker in Captain Ukitake's eyes when he'd given Ichigo the badge, the man had been obeying orders, it wasn't his fault. And he wouldn't just be betraying them, he'd be betraying his Mother, his family, everything he had ever stood for and loved. "Go…t…hell," he spat blood on white robes and Aizen shook his head, looking disappointed.

"Very well. You could have had a place of honour and power, instead you will be nothing more than bait for a trap. Either your rescuers will kill you or you will kill them."

"Nev…." The energy was fading fast, blackness coming closer.

"You will, because by the time anyone comes, you won't remember them, they will be nothing but a meal to you. Ichigo Kurosaki will die here, perhaps you will eventually evolve to take on a new name."

Something about those words sent terror through him but his thoughts were scattered now, body limp in Ulquiorra's hold. The Hōgyoku came even closer and Ichigo wanted to struggle but he couldn't control his body anymore. He felt the touch of burning cold and then he screamed as pain unlike anything he had ever known surged through him.

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Aizen reached out and touched the Hōgyoku to Ichigo's chest, desires focused so it would know what he wished to happen. The boy's body instantly went rigid before he began screaming. "Release him," he commanded and Ulquiorra stepped back, letting Ichigo crumple to the ground as his body began to writhe, spine bowing till they were sure it would snap. Kurosaki's capture hadn't been the plan but Ulquiorra had done well to do so. Despite his youth he was one of the stronger fighters against his cause, so removing him from their forces was good. Although he would have preferred the girl, he could use Kurosaki, if he survived. The boy had been trained by Shinji and the other ex-Captains, he already carried the taint of a hollow, but it was one he had defeated. Amber eyes were wide but unseeing, the colour beginning to change already, as his body jerked, out of control. Where the Hōgyoku had touched the boy's chest his bankai coat was disintegrating, revealing tanned skin beneath, with a burn in the shape of a circle that was moving deeper before their eyes. Ichigo coughed and choked as white material began to spill from his mouth to flow over his face, his eyes gold and black already. A pity he had not accepted his offer but he would still be useful.

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'KING!' His hollow screamed, clawing to fight the foreign power flooding Ichigo's soul, the Old Man standing against it firmly. Maybe they could fight it off, but that would definitely kill them all. Around them the buildings of Ichigo's inner world were collapsing as purple flames consumed them.

"We are losing," the Old Man said sadly as his barriers fell as quickly as he put them up. This would destroy him, he was the source of Ichigo's Quincy powers and Hollows destroyed Quincy's, the balance of three within Ichigo allowed them to coexist but this would destroy that balance. He looked to Zangetsu, not that Ichigo knew that was who his inner hollow really was. "You may survive this, Arrancar have Zanpakutō after all."

"You die, and King's soul will be outta balance," he snarled as he fought the flames. He looked at the Old Man, the one who had reached Ichigo first, had lied to him about being his Zanpakutō. He had hated the other spirit but Ichigo needed them both. "Go deep, lock yourself away as far as you can," he snapped. "We can't win now but we can win later. Bastard isn't killing him, we can fight later."

"Wise words," the Old Man admitted before nodding, yes, it was their best chance of survival and to eventually help and free their bearer. He sank deeper and deeper into Ichigo's soul, soon feeling Zangetsu following him, hiding where not even Ichigo could find them was their only chance.

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Ulquiorra tossed Ichigo's writhing and slowly growing body into one of the many larger cells within Las Noches, hidden deep to ensure escape was impossible. The room was metal and stone, the metal walls polished to a reflective shine while stone pillars were scattered about for support. It was cold but that was normal for this realm. It was twenty feet tall and forty long, so it should be big enough, no matter what his final form was. the door was locked and then a barrier placed on it as well to ensure he could not break out.

Ichigo was totally unaware of the change in location, feeling something trying to tear him apart. The pain had somewhat cleared his mind, he had felt his spirits fear and determination but now they were gone. He was alone, and it hurt! Worse than encroachment had! He forced his hand to move, touching his chest and felt his fingers slip into a wound? No, a tiny hole….pain and terror leant him the strength to drag himself up enough to see in the polished surface, a small hole in his upper chest, the skin around it blanching bone white. No….no….he reached for his inner hollow but there was nothing. No one had said that thing could turn someone into a Hollow! He already had an inner one, that was what it had done to Shinji….had turned hollows into Arrancar….Aizen was right, he'd kill or be killed if anyone came for him. He collapsed, screaming as the pain intensified even further somehow.

A memory nagged at him and he struggled to focus on it. Orihime…Sora…he'd remembered Orihime as a Hollow….through the pain Ichigo fought to focus on those he loved, to imprint their names and faces, to remember them even if he forgot himself. They would come for him, or he'd escape, he would not be used….Yuzu….Karin…Dad….Chad….their faces flashed through his mind as his body writhed, unaware of those now watching. His head went back, and he screamed, an inhuman sound as the tiny hole in his chest expanded, power exploding around him.

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Aizen watched on the monitor as the Hollow that had been Kurosaki got up. It was large, about fifteen feet tall should he stand fully upright, and all white except for some markings in black. Surprisingly, his Shihakushō had partially survived his transformation. The bankai coat was gone but his black hakama still covered his lower body, even the white hakama-himo remained. His feet were also now bare and clawed, as were his hands and…yes, that was a tail. He stood hunched, moving on all fours slowly, getting used to moving. Surprisingly, his orange hair remained, although longer now and his mask was bigger, heavier looking than his Visored one, though it still bore the same markings in black. The hollow screamed at the empty room and Aizen pressed a button to release several hollows into the room with the newborn hollow and he watched as it attacked, ravenous.

He hadn't been sure his attempt would work due to the boy's unusual heritage, but it appeared that his experiment had been a success. Kurosaki would never slaughter like that and then eat his victims. There was no sign of intelligence in the new hollows' actions, just the same driving hunger all his kind suffered. He would feed it, allow him to evolve, before setting him loose on his old friends, maybe he would even make him an Arrancar, give that power the ability to think and reason. Perhaps he could become an Espada eventually should he survive. Either way it would bring despair to his enemies.

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Kisuke worked furiously, trying to find where Ichigo had been hidden Hueco Mundo, he didn't appear to be in Aizen's base though maybe he was shielded? He had never seen this coming, he had suspected Inoue was a target for kidnap, not Ichigo. Rukia was an emotional mess, blaming herself for being knocked out and unable to help him but it was thanks to her that they knew anything of what had happened. She'd been coming around when the Arrancar had dragged Ichigo's limp, bleeding, form through a Garganta. With the difference in the flow of time between worlds, Aizen may have had his hands on Ichigo for weeks now, if Ichigo had survived long enough to reach him.

Kisuke knew his morals weren't always 'right', that he had done unforgivable things over the centuries, several of them to the boy he was looking for. But he could not leave Ichigo in that madman's hands to be tortured for eternity until Aizen grew bored with him. Who knew what Aizen would do to him, although his mind had come up with quite a few horrendous ideas.

The Visored were hovering, while they tried to deny it, he could tell they were terrified for Ichigo. Aizen had Hollowfied them, they could well imagine what sort of horrors Ichigo was suffering. Shinji had told him they were going after Ichigo as soon as Kisuke found him, risking their existence being revealed to Soul Society after a century in hiding. But that was the affect Ichigo had on people, he should know since he too was willing to risk everything to get the boy back. The original Soul Society Invasion group were also waiting for word, training hard. The Shinigami had been recalled from the town after Ichigo's capture and it was clear Soul Society would not risk anyone to go after him, they were saving their strength for Aizen. Hitsugaya had been apologetic and angry, not wanting to abandon Ichigo either but he had his orders and so had dragged the whole group with him back to their home.

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Aizen was once again watching the monitor since as watching their newest addition had quickly become a favourite pastime, the hollow on the screen currently resting. He'd evolved once already which was amazing, although they were keeping him well fed. The massive body was littered with wounds and scars from battling the hollows sent to it as food, with his evolution it was doubtful he would lose any of the fights but there was always the chance. If he lost, then he wasn't worth the investment.

There was still no sign of Kurosaki's memories or personality in the creature, but they had been forced to chain him up when he had almost gotten free of his room in a feeding frenzy. As long as the lack of memory continued, he was content to allow his evolution, he could always use more powerful soldiers.

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Sharp claws ripped the smaller hollow apart and he began to feed hungrily. Prey…eat…kill… Always hungry, never full… not like Yuzu….cooking…he snarled and shook his head, chewing on a leg. Another hollow leapt and he grabbed it by the mask, slamming it to the floor, ripping into its throat but as he looked at the mask there was a flash of a Cheshire grin and he almost hesitated before feeding.

When they were all gone, he curled up on the floor, tail wrapped around his body, gold eyes watching cautiously. He…he was a he, male….what was happening to him? A wary rumble came from his chest, but he remained still, something telling him he was being watched, that he was in danger. More….prey…eat…kill…

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"I found him!" Kisuke rushed into the training room and all activity stopped. He didn't realise just how bad he looked, pale from all the time in the lab, hair a greasy matted mess under his hat, clothes limp on his body.

"Urahara-san?" Orihime finally asked, her fairies hovering around him.

""I've tracked Ichigo's Reiatsu signature."

"He's alive," Shinji whispered in relief, then again after this long he might be better off dead. No, whatever had been done they would help him heal. "Where?"

"Las Noches," Kisuke deflated a little. "It was the first area I scanned for him when he was taken."

"A trap?" Chad spoke up and Kisuke nodded.

"There's no other reason for him to be hidden before and yet suddenly there." Ishida answered, pushing his glasses up his nose, white clothes barely touched by the training, no one knowing how he managed that.

"Doesn't matter, he'd come for us anyway. We can't leave him there!" Orihime argued.

"Soul Society has refused to send backup," Kisuke warned as he sat on a boulder, feeling every century of his age, exhausted.

"Then we leave in three days," Yoruichi announced before glaring at those who went to argue. "We all need time to recuperate and say goodbyes," here she looked at the teens who slowly nodded.

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Aizen was once again watching his newest experiment. As he continued watching the creature grow day in and day out, he couldn't help but be surprised how quickly he had evolved, his power level was that of an Adjuchas now, something that should have taken decades if not centuries. He stood on two legs now rather than all fours, the tail being used for balance and his mask had altered some as well, becoming more human as he evolved. Yes, he had plenty of other hollows to eat but could the Hōgyoku have influenced his further evolution as well and not just the initial transformation? He was definitely showing more awareness, assessing the hollows sent in for him to eat, his attacks more controlled. He had sent Starrk to the room since the two had never met before and had watched his reactions carefully. He had been wary of the Espada but had not shown the mindless reaction to such a powerful hollow, he had seemed almost curious. Though he had yet to even attempt to speak that the camera or microphone had picked up. Even low-level hollows could usually speak to some point.

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He lay on the floor, able to feel the bite of manacles in his skin, even with how strong his white skin was. He kept his tail wrapped around himself as he rested, senses peeled for any sign of danger or his next meal. He disgusted himself for what he had become even though he wasn't entirely sure why. That hollow that had come, introduced himself as Coyote Starrk, an Espada…that word felt familiar, heightening the feeling of danger and yet he had sensed no threat from the other hollow. It was frustrating, there was something…just out of reach. He could see himself in the wall across the way, his massive horned mask, long orange hair, white skin and black markings, hollow hole…he knew these words, knew their meaning, he just didn't know how or why he knew them. Something told him he hadn't always been this, been here. He just wanted to understand.

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The Garganta closed behind the group, leaving them standing on unending white sand, wrapped in Reiatsu concealing cloaks to hide their presence and for warmth. In the distance white buildings rose from the sand, their destination.

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"They've come for him," Gin called as he entered the monitor room. He spied the hollow on the monitor and deep down he felt pity for the boy he had been. He had hoped that if his plan failed then maybe the boy would grow strong enough to destroy Aizen, but that hope was now gone. It was up to him alone.

"Good." Aizen smirked as Kurosaki ate another hollow. "Stop his feeding and ensure his 'rescuers' are suitably challenged. Wouldn't want them to think it was too easy to find their target."

"With pleasure." Gin grinned and left, going to ensure Ichigo would be starved until the group found him. He was very curious as to what would happen. Would his friends kill him or try to get through to him? Was there anything left of Kurosaki in that hollow? He'd evolved quickly, just watching him it was obvious there was thought now behind his fights with the hollows sent to test him, but that didn't mean he remembered anything of his old life.

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Something had changed, he pushed up into a sitting position, golden eyes scanning his room. Food was not here but it should be. He hissed in annoyance, he was hungry, wanted to hunt, to kill and feed. He got slowly to his feet, tail on the floor for balance as he prowled the length of his chains. Loud noises, explosions, reached him and then the door opened, and two beings entered the room.

He stared at the small beings, feeling their power, they would make a good meal. He moved from the shadows and growled, mouth opening in preparation of feeding. He didn't know what they were, they weren't hollows but it didn't matter. He needed to feed. He lunged at them, aiming for the larger but he missed, and they split up around him, incensing him.

Again, and again they got away and he howled in challenge and anger, a cero charging between his horns, far more powerful than the energy waves he'd been using so far. He would not be hurt again!

"Ichigo!" one of them screamed and he growled. Ichigo….Ichigo….the energy stopped as he staggered back, shaking his head, snarling. He lifted his head as more words reached up, gold locking with brown. The sharp thing was put away, soft, unarmoured limbs raised, and he didn't understand.

"It's okay Ichigo, we don't want to hurt you. You know me kid, it's Shinji. We're here to help."

Ichigo…Shinji…. Clawed hands clasped at his head as he collapsed to the floor. Ichigo…he saw two young girls, smiling at him…Yuzu…Karin…sisters, his sisters….he cried out as images and words flowed through his mind, too much!

The sensation of touch reached through the pain in his head, something soft in his hair, it didn't hurt but it wasn't safe! Touch wasn't allowed! A clawed hand slashed at the threat and Ichigo was up again, lunging at him, howling in rage.

Rage clouded his mind as he attacked over and over, he was so angry, in so much pain. Abandoned, they'd left him! And then he smelt other hollows and snatched one up to devour. The two different things were staying out of his reach, fighting the others and he snarled in rage at being denied.

The one that had touched him was suddenly hit, he could smell blood and it was thrown towards him. He stared down at the being that had landed under him, licking his lips hungrily. He opened his mouth and leant down, his prey not moving. He felt soft flesh part under his teeth as hot blood pooled in his mouth…different to anything else he'd eaten. Then something touched his mask and his eyes refocused.

"I forgive you, Ichigo,"

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Shinji shattered the locks and pushed the door open, slipping inside, Kisuke at his side. They'd been separated by continual attacks but splitting up did let them search a greater area. He closed the door and felt Kisuke ward them with kido before looking around the room. "Ah, I think we should leave," Shinji hissed as he took in the scattered remains of a lot of hollows.

Kisuke turned to see what had made Shinji say that, taking in the bones. His eyes caught the shine of metal and he saw massive chains attached to a wall, leading into the shadows….where two golden eyes gleamed.

Shinji followed his gaze and saw the eyes before a hollow emerged, moving slowly and Shinji saw the manacles. Why did Aizen have a hollow chained up? And now he could feel its power, it wasn't an Arrancar, but it had to be an Adjuchas, maybe even a new Vasto Lorde. Was this how they were treated before being turned into Arrancar? But something about it tugged at his memory… "No…." Shinji couldn't take his eyes off the long orange hair….the ripped remains of hakama on the hollow's legs. The mask was differently marked not to mention bigger, but… "Ichigo?" It looked similar to what Ichigo had transformed into when he Hollowfied during their training but there were some differences although this hollow was much larger than Ichigo.

Kisuke started at Shinji's whisper, Ichigo? But…and then he took in what Shinji had, and his heart sank. No, not this. How had Aizen done this?

The hollow growled, claws flexing and then it lunged, and they separated to dodge. Their swords remained in their hands but unraised. It wasn't just claws, energy attacks that bore some similarity to Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō were hurled almost continuously, making dodging hard. They needed to tire him out without anyone getting hurt.

Kisuke spotted the surveillance and quickly disabled it while dodging the fast but clumsy attacks. Whatever happened in here, Aizen would not watch.

"Ichigo!" Kisuke screamed at seeing the energy gather for a Cero, aimed at Shinji, calling to his student without even thinking.

The two men stopped where they were, swords held too tightly as they watched the hollow's reaction to Kisuke's instinctive shout, the energy dissipating before being fired. They watched as he snarled and continually shook his head.

Shinji felt a surge of hope at his reaction to his name, did something of their friend remain in the monstrous form? "It's okay Ichigo, we don't want to hurt you," Shinji spoke quietly, calmly, despite not feeling at all calm. Gold on black eyes locked on him and Shinji slowly sheathed his blade, holding his hands out. "You know me kid, it's Shinji. We're here to help."

Kisuke stayed quiet, letting Shinji speak since Ichigo appeared to be listening before clawed hands scrambled at the orange hair.

They watched him collapse and Shinji shot Kisuke a look before slowly walking closer. Kisuke backed off, moving to guard the doors and Shinji's back. Should Ichigo attack, the Visored had a better chance in getting away when so close. Shinji slowly reached out to lay his hand on Ichigo's hair, ready to run but Ichigo just continued making pained noises, claws pulling at his hair. "It's okay, just calm down Ichigo. I'm here," he whispered as he stroked the long hair. He launched back as a clawed hand slashed at him and Ichigo was up again, lunging at him, howling in rage. Shinji saw Kisuke tense from the corner of his eye. "Stay back," he ordered, refusing to draw his blade. They'd reached Ichigo, if only for a few moments, he would do whatever he had to in order to help the kid, but he was maddened by rage and pain at the moment.

Ichigo lunged at him over and over and Shinji kept dodging, aware they were running out of time. Sure enough, the kido on the door snapped and several hollows rushed in to attack them. Shinji and Kisuke turned to face them, away from Ichigo's reach.

Shinji winced as Ichigo ate a hollow who got too close even as he kept fighting. And then one got through his guard, claws scraping through his chest, sending him flying.

"Shinji!" Kisuke called in alarm as he saw the Visored take a hit.

Shinji groaned and rolled over only to freeze as he found himself staring up into a white and black mask. "Ichigo…" Shinji pressed a hand to his ribs, trying to stem the blood, saw the mask and more importantly, mouth, coming his way but there was nothing he could do. He refused to close his eyes, maybe his power would be enough to bring Ichigo back to himself, there were worse reasons to be eaten. He felt the agony of sharp teeth in his shoulder, felt the blood flow and couldn't help crying out in pain, some part of his mind wondering if his arm was still attached considering the size of Ichigo's mouth.

Hearing his cry Kisuke turned, eyes widening in horror.

"I forgive you, Ichigo," Shinji whispered, gently touching the mask with his free arm. He saw the golden eyes focus on him before he passed out.

TBC…