AN: Yet again, I am most prolific in writing around exam time. It's not that exams inspire me-rather, I look for any excuse I can to procrastinate. At least writing fanfic seems slightly more productive than playing video games.
This fic does not fit in the universe of any of the other fics I've written. It follows the official storyline up until Aizen reaches the world of the living. From there, he invades with his army of hollows, and is slowly taking over parts of Karakura Town. Ichigo and the others escape Hueco Mundo and join in the fight to protect their home.
Ichigo hefted his zanpakuto in preparation to strike at an Arrancar, when a jarring sensation made him stumble. Seeing an opportunity, the creature's skull-like grin widened as it put its hands together to form a cero. Ichigo recovered his balance before the energy beam could materialize, and skewered the creature through the head with his sword.
Without wasting another moment on the disintegrating hollow, Ichigo turned and shunpoed in the direction of the disturbance. At the speed he was going, it took only seconds to reach the source, but in that time it finally dawned on him what he was really sensing. It wasn't the presence of a strong reiatsu signature that bothered him. It was the absence. The absence of three reiatsu that until now, his senses had grown so accustomed to feeling that his mind naturally tuned them out. The individuals attached to those signatures had been of great comfort to him; pillars of strength that kept him moving forward when everything else in life worked so hard to beat him down. And now...
...they were gone.
"Ichigo! Did you see what happened?"
Rukia was already there, searching through the rubble of a smoldering building. It had broken into large cleanly sliced sections, as if from a laser or a sharp and powerful blade. Steam rose up from where water trickled over the glowing hot metal, giving the scene an even more otherworldly feel.
For several moments that seemed to span forever, Ichigo could only watch; too numb to move or speak. In a still functional corner of his mind, he thought it was touching that Rukia had grown so close to the three humans that she, too, had sensed when their lights vanished.
She called his name again, finally breaking the daze and spurring Ichigo into action. He came up beside her and helped lift a long block of cement that might once have been someone's balcony. There were several sheets of bettered metal under that, and even more debris when they finally had those cleared away. The pile was endless, but Rukia and Ichigo kept going in grim silence. Ichigo left his body on autopilot and retreated back into his mind, bracing himself for what they might find. He was only vaguely aware when sounds and movement in his peripheral vision signaled that Renji had arrived with his division to help them.
When Uryuu's body was uncovered, Ichigo was so detached from himself that he could summon only flickers of annoyance at the 6th Squad members who grumbled over expending such effort over humans. Looking at him, it was clear that Uryuu had died quickly from his wounds. The mortal blow must have been something that caught the Quincy completely by surprise, considering his speed and agility. The worst of his injuries did seem to have penetrated him from the back, and Ichigo vaguely wondered if Uryuu had been relying on someone to watch it for him. Chad, perhaps? Or Orihime? Could her shields really have stopped such a deadly attack?
Renji yelled at his squad to keep searching. It didn't take long, and Ichigo realized that he had been correct, and that all three had died beside each other. Chad's charred body curled protectively over Orihime, whose hands still clutched at her hair. Chad's armor had cracked from the intense heat, and where there was no armor, his flesh had simply melted away. In contrast, from the waist up Orihime was untouched, looking almost as if she was sleeping. But the rest... Ichigo only hoped she had been knocked unconscious at the start, rather than suffer as she felt life slowly bleed away from her crushed body.
"It was quick," Rukia confirmed, placing her arm comfortingly around his back. Ichigo gasped a shaky breath and nodded, finding himself suddenly on his knees.
"I'm sorry, Ichigo," muttered Renji, avoiding his gaze. "They were good friends, and strong allies. They will be missed. Unfortunately, my team and I are being called back to the front. Things aren't looking good there."
Ichigo nodded in silent acknowledgement, and all the Shinigami except Rukia vanished. She looked at him questioningly.
"Do you want me to stay with you, Ichigo? For the Konso?"
The impact of her words hit him like a punch to the gut. The Konso would be the ultimate goodbye; a true acknowledgement that his friends had passed. It was too soon; the wounds to his mind and soul were still raw.
"Can't...can't it wait?"
Rukia sighed. "Their spirit forms will materialize soon. This place is still a battleground, Ichigo. You won't be doing them any favors putting this off, placing their souls in danger."
Ichigo grit his teeth. "It's too hard for me to accept this right now, Rukia. I just...can't."
She nuzzled her head against him in sympathy. "I know. For humans, they did incredibly well. You were always together, always so close, and it seemed for a long time that they shared your crazy luck, Ichigo, and that nothing could stop them. But the reality is, nothing goes on forever."
"Yeah, I know that," growled Ichigo. "But at the same time, all those lucky breaks make me think there's still something we can do; something left that we have to try. If Orihime were here, she could have fixed all this, but now-"
"Let them go, Ichigo. Death isn't something to fix. It's natural."
"Hat-and-clogs," he said in sudden inspiration. "Rukia, can you do me a huge favor and get Urahara?"
"Ichigo, I don't think-"
"Drag him here kicking and screaming if that's what it takes," Ichigo ordered, refusing to give up. "Tell him if he doesn't come, I'll go grab him myself, and I will not be in a good mood!"
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them, broken suddenly by an embarrassed cough. Both heads turned in surprise to see the very subject under discussion walking towards them, navigating his way around the broken bits of masonry.
"Figures you'd be nearby," muttered Rukia darkly.
Urahara shrugged, dramatically waving his cane in the air. "I can't help but keep an eye on those I feel responsible for. And since I had a hand in guiding those three down their respective paths, I thought it was the least I could do to pay my respects."
"Don't you dare talk like that, old man! Don't pretend there's nothing more you can do to help them!" screamed Ichigo.
Urahara's eyes peeked out in surprise from under his wide brimmed hat. "My, my. I come here to try and be nice, and all I get is threats and accusations."
"You said it yourself, you were responsible for them! You told my friends about Rukia and me when we might have tried to hide it from them and keep them safe. You helped train them in their powers and you told them how to find me when I was going off to the Soul Society!"
"You can blame some of that on me," said a new voice as a short dark figure detached itself from the shadows. Ichigo's scowl only deepened when he recognized Yoruichi. "You were so young and wild and naive," she continued, ignoring his reaction. "I thought having other allies to watch over might keep you all grounded."
"Yeah, that worked out really well for them, right?" said the teen, pointing at the bodies. A small part of him realized that he was making a scene, and probably only served to make him look more like a child beside these ageless souls, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
Urahara plopped down on the ground beside him. Ichigo was ready to bat away any comforting hand the old man might offer, but the shopkeeper seemed to sense his limits. "Ichigo, all we did was give them an opportunity to help. We didn't make them choose to get involved in this war. They decided that for themselves."
Ichigo couldn't understand the resistance he felt from Urahara. The scientist had performed miracles in the past, and Ichigo knew that if anyone could help his friends, it would be him. If Ichigo failed to sway the old man, there would be no hope of saving them.
"You talk about guiding them, about giving them chances. So then give them a chance now! You found me dying in the street from the wounds Byakuya gave me, but you brought me back. You brought my powers back. Don't they deserve the same?" he cried desperately.
Yoruichi shook her head. "Your case was different; your body was intact. There was still time to help your soul recover from the shock and slowly train you back to your powers. But these three have have had their bodies mutilated. To delay their transfer to the Soul Society by forcing them to regain consciousness when they are like this... don't you see how cruel that would be?"
"Not to mention the risk involved if we keep them in that state. Their soul chains would need to be severed, and you know what happens next," spoke a third new voice, and Ichigo wondered just how many Shinigami there were hiding in the shadows and playing silent witness to the scene. Tessai shambled his giant body down the same pile of rubble his master had passed earlier, with their two young wards in tow. "It's not your call to make."
Ichigo grit his teeth in frustration. This was not the type of decision to be rushed, be he felt they were running out of time. What would his friends have wanted? Would they have been satisfied with their lives, and chosen to move on and start anew in the afterlife, knowing what the Soul Society was like? Like Ichigo, Chad and Orihime had wanted to protect those they cared for at all costs, thinking little about their own safety. Uryuu had his own special code and notions of vengeance against Shinigami, but he had been a decent guy and fought alongside them. Ichigo could not believe that any of them would have wanted to give up if they were given a chance at coming back and continuing to fight alongside one another.
"It isn't just what I want. They would have wanted the same," Ichigo insisted, trying to convince himself he was speaking truthfully. Could it simply be that Ichigo didn't want to see any of them go? Could his own selfish desire to keep them alive be putting their souls at risk?
The adults exchanged troubled glances. Of the three of them, Yoruichi seemed the most against the idea.
"They will suffer horribly until their chains are cut," she reminded them. "Assuming you can even bring them back."
Urahara frowned. "They each suffered in life as well. I think their souls have not yet traveled too far." He pushed himself up and wandered over to where Uryuu's body lay, examining it carefully. "If we bind them back to this world, their inner hollows will try to take over. To give their souls a chance, we need to awaken their zanpakuto. Before the chains are cut, we must stab them with our own blades, just as Rukia did to you, Ichigo."
"If I can, I'd like to help again," Rukia spoke up. "At least I'll already know what to expect."
"That should be fine," Urahara agreed. "Your powers have recovered sufficiently since the last time."
"So if we're going to do this, let's do it already!" barked the spiky-haired child from Urahara's shop. "They're only getting deader the longer we stand here."
"Right then, Rukia over here to Orihime, and Ichigo here over Chad," instructed Urahara. "Take your swords out and let's get ready."
"Wait, I've never done this before," spoke up Ichigo worriedly. "How exactly am I supposed to transfer my power into someone through my zanpakuto?"
"I didn't really understand either, when I did it to you" Rukia admitted. "It was something I'd only heard about, but at the time we were desperate. I just followed my instincts. It's okay, Ichigo, you'll do fine." She tugged his arm and brought him over to where Chad and Orihime were lying on the ground. Nervously, he tried to imitate her as she aimed her zanpakuto over Orihime's chest, and hovered his own sword over Chad. Urahara was doing the same to Uryuu. Energy began rolling down the length of their blades, almost as if the swords already knew what to do.
"You better not make me regret this, Urahara," Yoruichi growled to him. Without warning, her body was suddenly engulfed in blindingly white light that billowed outwards like flame. She aimed her hands and the energy shot out towards the humans, causing Ichigo to jump back in surprise as the bodies convulsed. Rukia grabbed his arm and helped him focus on the task at hand, and he mimicked her and raised his sword. Letting his instincts guide him, he didn't let himself think too hard about what he was actually doing. His zanpakuto felt drawn towards Chad's chest, and as he followed the pull and let it sink downward, Ichigo felt a sap on his energy. His uniform turned stark white and his zanpakuto vanished, but at that moment he felt Chad's reiatsu flare to life.
Ichigo crowed in joy when he saw Uryuu, Orihime, and Chad's spirit forms manifest suddenly in front of him. Seeing them wearing Shinigami uniforms gave him an odd sense of deja-vu of the days they had snuck into the Sereitei. However, the smile tugging at his lips was replaced by a look of horror as his friends collapsed and writhed on the ground in agony.
"Hyah!"
Before Ichigo could blink, something streaked across his vision, and he heard the sound of metal links hitting the ground. The kid from Urahara's shop was wielding some sort of axe and looking very pleased with himself. His friends' expressions of pain and their Shinigami uniforms were now gone, and their eyes slowly opened to take in the new scene around them.
"What the hell is going on?" demanded Uryuu, still gasping for breath.
"I was in so much pain, and now it's gone but...I don't feel right," complained Orihime, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"Ichigo, can you explain what happened?" asked Chad, holding up the severed end of his soul chain. The others suddenly noticed that they too, had a length of chain dangling from their chests. Their growing sense of unease was only made worse when they realized that they stood atop their own battered corpses.
"Calm down, everyone," Urahara ordered, not letting things escalate into a panic. "I know you want answers, but we can't afford to sit and chat here in the middle of a war zone. We need to get the three of you to safety."
"We're dead, though, right? Isn't that the gist of it?" asked Uryuu, now sounding almost relieved. "If so, what's the hurry? Just perform the Konso and send us to the afterlife."
Urahara exchanged an uncomfortable look with Ichigo. "I'm afraid it's more complicated than that," the scientist explained. "We interrupted the normal death process for you three, thinking you might have wanted to remain in the world of the living."
"Wait- you what?!" exclaimed Uryuu. He frantically turned to Ichigo for confirmation, but when he only nodded in reply, the Quincy reached out and grabbed the lapels of his uniform, almost throttling him.
"How could you do that! What if you've just damned my soul? What if I can't get into the afterlife!"
Ichigo might have felt a little guilty if he didn't find Uryuu's words so utterly ridiculous. "Listen to what you're saying! You've seen what happens to spirits when they get into the Soul Society. Were you honestly looking forward to going there?"
"No, of course not! But the Soul Society isn't all there is, Ichigo." In the lecturing tone that Ichigo despised, Uryuu explained, "My people believe that there is a realm beyond that one, where souls are truly free and at peace. The Soul Society is just a place in between, a limbo where souls that haven't proven themselves must suffer to absolve them of their sins."
Ichigo glanced at Urahara in surprise. "Is what he's saying true?"
The old man shrugged. "There are many theories about the afterlife, but if there really is anything beyond reincarnation that awaits those in the Soul Society, no one has ever returned to tell the tale. The Soul Society isn't all that bad a place, despite whatever impressions you guys had about it."
"Well now, thanks to you, I won't even have a chance to go there! My soul will be trapped on Earth forever!"
"You can't know that for sure, Uryuu-"
At that moment, the unmistakable howl of a Menos sounded, followed by several others. A second later, Renji materialized directly out of a shunpo jump, almost running into Ichigo when he was distracted by the sight of their resurrected friends. In a winded voice, he quickly relayed his message.
"The squads have been ordered to clear out, and when we do, this area will be overrun with hollows. You guys have to leave this place now!"
Urahara nodded to his staff, who quickly dispersed. Turning to the three new spirits, he urged them, "You are weaker at this moment than you have ever been. If you guys don't run for your lives, I don't think we'll be able to save you. I want you to head for my shop; I can help you once you get there."
They exchanged startled glances. Uryuu looked about ready to protest, until Urahara barked, "GO!"
"I'm looking forward to hearing some explanations later," muttered Renji, helping the others scramble up the pile of debris.
"So am I," added Uryuu sarcastically as they all began to run.
Ichigo tried not to let their comments unnerve him. He knew that it would take time for his friends to adjust to their sudden deaths, and he wasn't responsible for that part anyway. All he had done was try to make the transition easier for them by keeping them in this world. He had done a good thing... there was nothing to feel guilty about. In time, they would understand his decision and agree.
He had nearly convinced himself until Urahara turned to him with a conspiratory wink. "Lesson One is underway," the man chuckled, watching the others run. "If you think Uryuu's worried about his soul now, just wait until he learns what Lesson Two is."
"It's called encroachment," Ichigo explained uncomfortably, watching Orihime hold up the ends of her broken soul chain. "It normally happens very slowly over years, but we figured you guys wanted it over with as soon as possible."
"And that's why I'm in this pit?" she asked him, throwing a glance upward at the opening far above them.
"Yeah. Urahara calls it the Shattered Shaft. Something about this place speeds up the process."
They were both startled by a loud cry of pain that was just as quickly choked off.
Ichigo gave Orihime an apologetic look. "Sorry. I just got done explaining things to Uryuu, and I don't think he liked what I had to say. Urahara said hollowfication goes even faster when you're upset."
The girl looked troubled. "I wish there was some way I could help him. If I had my powers, I could heal our chains back to normal."
"I know that would make things easier, but it's the whole reason you guys are down here, Orihime. You can't get your powers back until your chains are fully gone."
"But you said Rukia had given me some of her power. How come I don't feel it? How come I don't look like you, Ichigo?"
The teen scratched his head uncomfortably. His zanpakuto and uniform had returned shortly after they arrived at the shop; Urahara had reassured him that his reiatsu would replenish quickly. The three newly revived spirits, however, still looked like ordinary wholes. He realized that he was the last person Orihime should be asking about how it all worked, but he tried to explain what he knew.
"Rukia temporarily transferred some of her reaistu into you to teach your spirit how to assume Shinigami form. But when your body died...the second time...you lost that power. To get it back on your own might take years, or it might never even happen-"
"So that's why I need the hollow to show me how," Orihime finished for him. Ichigo could see her try to put on a brave face for him, although it seemed to grow harder as they listened to Uryuu's screams.
Another cry of pain, this one deeper, came from the opposite direction. Ichigo glanced at Orihime's chain, and was comforted to see that she still had many links left intact. If Chad's encroachment was now beginning, however, he might need Ichigo's help.
"I'm going to check on Chad, I promise I'll be back." He crouched down as he prepared to leap up the walls of the shaft, but Orihime grabbed hold of him first.
"Ichigo, don't go," she pleaded.
"Wha-? You aren't afraid of this place, are you?"
She looked down at her feet. "I...I just don't want to be down here alone when the hollow comes. I know I'm just being silly."
Ichigo shook his head. "No, it's not silly at all. But Orihime, when it happens, you won't even see the hollow. You'll be inside your inner world, and I can't be there with you."
A flash of panic showed on her face, but it was quickly replaced with a shaky smile. "All right then. I'm sure it'll be fine."
"I could stay down here a little longer-"
"No, please go and make sure Chad is okay. I'm worried about him too."
Ichigo nodded and smiled, trying to reassure her, but inside he felt wretched. More and more, he was beginning to wonder if he had done the right thing. Tessai had been right; what they were doing was dangerous. What would he do if his any friends failed to overcome their inner hollow?
As he reached the surface, he saw Urahara approach him, wearing a troubled expression.
"Ichigo, we need to talk. I know you didn't want them restrained-"
"No, and I still don't," Ichigo growled as he stormed towards the shaft holding Chad. "You guys put me through more torture than was necessary. I won't have you doing the same to them."
Urahara caught up to Ichigo and grabbed his sleeve to make him stop. "I already explained to you why we did that. Yes, we knew it would provoke you, and that would make the hollowfication go faster, but it was also for your safety. Your safety, Ichigo, not ours. During hollowfication, the body loses control and lashes out against itself. Your friends could get hurt if we don't protect them."
Chad's scream filled Ichigo with sudden dread. He yanked his arm back from Urahara and shunpoed down the shaft. At the bottom he was surprised to see Tessai wrapping his arms around Chad, trying to hold him down.
"Boss, I was just going to call you," said the older man. Ichigo turned around to discover that Urahara had followed him in. The shopkeeper knelt down to examine Chad, whose own arms were crossed against his chest, as if he were trying to shield himself.
"Chad, are you okay?" Ichigo asked, wondering why his friend was thrashing so hard against Tessai's grip.
"Sor-ry, Ichi-go," groaned Chad, a crazed look in his eyes. "My hands... I can't control them."
It was then that Ichigo noticed the broken pieces of soul chain clenched between Chad's fingers. As the larger teenager writhed in agony, his arms moved just enough for Ichigo to see that only a few links of metal still remained attached to Chad's soul plate.
"Okay, enough of this," announced Urahara suddenly. He grabbed hold of Chad's arms in a lock that hardly looked strong enough to hold him, yet Tessai confidentially let go. "Tessai, I'm giving you permission to use whatever means necessary."
"Sir," nodded Tessai in relief. "Bakudo ninety-nine!" he cried, clapping his hands together.
Urahara released Chad just as thick black straps rose from the ground and wrapped themselves around the giant, with metal buckles slamming into place to hold him down. The straps immediately began to strain, and several buckles snapped off.
"Part two!" cried Tessai, digging his hands into the dirt. "First song, binding wrap!"
Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off his friend as sheets of white fabric shot out of the earth to curl over his massive body. Just before he was hidden from view, Ichigo gasped, seeing the unmistakable black and red markings of Chad's armored arms.
"Come on, Ichigo, we have to get out of here!" urged Urahara, grabbing him and hauling them both out of the pit. Once at the surface, Ichigo was ready to dive right back down, but Urahara stepped in his path. "There's nothing you can do for him now, Ichigo. This is between Chad and his hollow."
Ichigo frowned, looking over the edge but unable to see anything in the darkness below.
"This will be harder for them than it was for you. You only had to focus on finding your shinigami powers. They'll have to do the same, but their hollows will be there to confront them from the start."
Ichigo hoped they would be okay. He refused to consider the alternative. The chaotic storm of reiatsu he sensed in the shaft below was growing stronger. Over the howls of a hollow being born, Ichigo could just make out Tessai calling out the final form of his spell.
Chad coughed as he found himself suddenly face down on the dusty ground. He squinted his eyes as he tried to see through the clouds of sand being tossed into the air by strong gusts of wind. As he raised his arms to shield his face, he realized with relief that they had turned back to normal. He still remembered the odd sensation of his hands being under someone else's control and watching in horror as they snapped off the links of his spirit chain.
That must be why I'm here, Chad realized. Ichigo said this would happen. This place must be my inner world.
He looked up at his surroundings with renewed interest. He noticed that he was in an open area, but surrounding him on all sides were the ruins of a giant coliseum. There were cracks along the stone columns, and entire sections of the stadium seemed to have broken away. As the wind blew, small pieces of the building began crumbling before his eyes.
And there, sitting in the bleachers, was a hazy figure wrapped in shadow.
"Hello!" Chad called out, his voice echoing through the large open arena. The dark shape made no move in reply, but Chad had no doubt that it had heard him. Suddenly without seeming to move, the shadow stood directly in front of him. That would have unnerved him a year ago, but Chad had seen such speed before.
He searched his memory for any advice Ichigo might have given him on what to expect. "You... you're my zanpakuto, right?"
"Tchh," snickered the shadow, which Chad now realized was not actually a shadow, but rather a blur of gray something. No matter how long he stared, it could never seem to settle on a single form. "You have known me a long time, Yasutora Sado, and yet you feign ignorance."
Chad lowered his eyes in apology. "I'm sorry, this is all still very new to me. I was told my zanpakuto would speak to me in this place, and help guide me to my Shinigami power."
The creature roared and lunged, and if Chad had been any slower he might have been knocked into the dirt.
"Again, you insult me!" seethed the creature. It made no further move to approach him, but Chad took a few steps back, knowing as he did that it would be futile. His opponent was obviously fast enough to hit him any time it wanted; that it missed him earlier only meant that it wasn't really trying.
"If you are not the spirit of my sword, then what are you?" he asked, annoyed that this thing was playing games with him.
"Fool! Don't you know where your powers come from? Haven't you always suspected what you might be?"
Chad looked down at his arms in surprise to find that they had shifted back into Brazo Derecha de Gigante and Brazo Izquierda del Diablo. Glancing up, he noted that the grey figure had also solidified in shape. It was now an exact duplicate of Chad, but with pale white skin and hair, and yellow irises set in pitch black eyes. Its arms were the opposite of Chad's, with the left colored black, and the right ending in a bone-white shield.
"Much better," smiled the hollow, for Chad knew then what it really was.
"Where is my zanpakuto?" the teen demanded. At that moment a large section of the coliseum collapsed to the ground, but hollow did not seem to notice.
"A sword? What do you need that pathetic thing for, when you can deal mortal blows with your bare hands!"
Chad instinctively raised his shield just as his duplicate fired a cero at him. The energy blast ricocheted off towards a set of nearby columns, disintegrating them into nothing.
"You ought to be careful," smiled the creature. "Who knows where your zanpakuto might be hiding? You might destroy it by accident!" The hollow finished its sentence with a swipe at Chad's head, which this time the teen failed to dodge in time. He was thrown across the arena and crashed against the bleachers, breaking off another section of them as he did so.
Chad groaned and stumbled as he climbed to his feet. His hollow approached him slowly, seeming to savor its victory.
"Is that all you've got, Yasutora? Your grandfather would be disappointed. And your friends will be too, when I emerge out of that pit and eat them. Just imagine the looks on their faces!"
"I won't let you harm anyone," swore Chad in defiance. "My body and soul are my own, not yours. This is my world."
"Your world will soon be gone," remarked the creature, pointing at the crumbling ruins. "And as for you body-"
Both Chad and the hollow paused in astonishment. Chad's arms looked human again, but his clothes had transformed into a Shinigami's.
The hollow had undergone a similar transformation, again with their colors reversed so that its Shinigami robes were white. The only difference between them was that the hollow's right hand carried a sword. The creature looked down at its new weapon and roared in rage.
Almost instinctively, Chad thought himself standing at the hollow's right hand, and suddenly he was there. He grabbed at the weapon, which the hollow swung clumsily at him, as if it weren't used to wielding it. Chad managed to wrest the sword out of his clone's grasp, realizing in surprise that without the hollow arms, Chad was now the stronger one between them.
"Pathetic!" screeched the hollow. "Without my gifts, you are nothing! Do you think that zanpakuto will make you as strong as I did?"
"I don't need your powers," Chad answered with conviction. "I've got all the strength I need to take care of bullies like you."
Chad drove the sword into the hollow's chest and watched in satisfaction as the demon disintegrated.
Uryuu muttered Quincy oaths as he stared at his new surroundings. It was disturbingly familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before. As he pondered this, he reflected on just how he had come to be there.
Matters had been spiraling out of control ever since he had awakened to find himself standing over his dead body. Without any explanations, he had been told his soul was in mortal peril and that he has to race as fast as he could to Urahara's shop. When he arrived, exhausted and furious, Urahara still offered no answers, instead dragging him to his basement and then trapping him a pit. He had screamed obscenities until Ichigo showed up apologizing profusely, but by that time Uryuu didn't care about excuses and only wanted to beat the living daylights out of someone. From a safe distance at the top of the shaft, Ichigo then shouted down what Urahara had planned for them, which only made the Quincy's mood worse.
Damned Shinigami scientists, growled Uryuu furiously. They think they have the right to experiment on innocent people just to satisfy their curiosity. You just wait, Urahara. When I get out of here, I'll teach you a thing or two about Quincy vengeance!
He had blacked out at some point, only to awaken and find himself in an odd looking maze of giant pillars. His clothing had changed back to the outfit he had worn in Hueco Mundo on their quest to rescue Orihime. To his satisfaction, it even included the short cape in the back. The only thing he could not find and sorely wished he had was his Quincy amulet. Grudgingly, Uryuu had to admit that as good as he looked, the outfit simply wasn't functional without his weapon.
"Looking for this?" cackled a high pitched voice from atop one of the giant columns. The memory of the place suddenly struck him, and he realized where he must be. The entrance to Hueco Mundo was deep inside a citadel with multiple chambers, one of which bore a striking resemblance to this room. Rows of smooth red stone pillars jutted out from the floor, like a forest of branchless trees. It was where he had fought the arrancar Cirucci Sanderwicci, but unlike Cirucci's lair, this area appeared infinitely large, with no walls or ceiling in sight. He doubted that he had somehow been transported back to Hueco Mundo, so logically, this could not be the same place. That left only one possibility.
The figure atop the column moved into view, startling Uryuu. It was a copy of himself, wearing the same uniform, but made from black fabric instead of the signature Quincy white. His clone's skin and hair were deathly pale, standing out in sharp contrast to the dark clothes it wore, just as its yellow pupils blazed inside pitch black eyes. In its hand dangled a Quincy star.
"I see," said Uryuu slowly, backing up a step. "I guess Ichigo wasn't kidding. This is my inner world. But what I don't understand is how a filthy hollow found its way inside it."
The demon laughed shrilly, and Uryuu winced to hear such an irritating sound come from something that resembled him so closely.
"A little slow today, are we Uryuu?" it teased. "Normally your mind is a lot sharper. After all, if you're dead, what normally happens next? That is, if one of those damned Shinigami doesn't come over and interfere?"
Uryuu frowned, wondering what the creature was getting at. At least the conversation was keeping it distracted while Uryuu tried to assess the situation and come up with a plan. The hollow might have his amulet, but Uryuu's uniform still carried plenty of ammunition.
"My soul wanders, either left to find the Soul Society on its own, or until a hollow comes and feeds on it," he replied.
"Yes yes," said the demon impatiently, "but what if those don't happen either? What is the natural outcome when a soul is trapped in your world after death?"
Uryuu brought one hand up to his chin in a thinking pose, while the other hand slipped behind his back to where he kept his Seele Schneiders. He hooked his finger through one of the loops while he pretended to consider his answer.
"The natural outcome," explained the hollow, not waiting for Uryuu's reply, "is that the soul sheds its useless human form and inhibitions, and falls under the control of its true master-a master who until death, is forced to wait and watch itself pathetically stumble through life. When the body dies and its soul chain crumbles, the hollow is finally freed. Do you understand, Uryuu? I am here because I have always been here, ever since your soul was born. And now that you are dead, it is time to claim my inheritance."
The hollow leapt off the column and dove right for him. Uryuu whipped out his Seele Schneider and activated it, creating a blade of reiatsu. Just in time, the hollow activated the Quincy star and used its web-like energy bow as a shield, turning away his thrust.
"Give me back my amulet," growled Uryuu through clenched teeth, as he tried to force his weapon through the hollow's defense.
"Does the little Quincy want its bow back?" laughed his dark clone. "It must really annoy you to have to use a sword against me, doesn't it? Just like one of those wretched soul reapers." The hollow suddenly unleashed a volley of arrows at him, and Uryuu was forced to withdraw his attack and dodge back. "Not that I blame you, a Quincy bow is a much better weapon."
A rumble sounded in the distance, momentarily distracting them both. The hollow leapt back atop one of the columns, and sighed in satisfaction at what it saw.
"Your time is running out, Quincy boy."
Uryuu had to see for himself, and jumped up and landed on the column across from his clone. A cloud of dust swirled in the distance, and when it lifted, Uryuu could see that many of the columns there has fallen.
"What does that mean?" Uryuu demanded, but thinking back to the warnings Ichigo had given him, Uryuu already knew the answer. His inner world was collapsing, which meant that the hollow was gaining control.
"It means the race has begun," grinned the creature. "Of course, you could always spare yourself the pain and agony and just give up now."
Uryuu was again forced to dodge a swarm of energy arrows as he leapt from column to column. Looking over his shoulder, he answered calmly, "You don't know me at all if you think I'll let you win."
The barrage of arrows stopped for a moment, and Uryuu had a chance to catch his breath and study his opponent, who had temporarily lowered his bow.
"Oh, I know you better than you think. Tell me, Uryuu, do you really want them to win? Have you forgotten who killed your grandfather-the man whose amulet this is?" the hollow asked, motioning towards the bow. "Do you think he'd want you to join the ranks of the enemy?"
Uryuu grimaced, wishing he didn't feel compelled to justify himself to the demon. "My grandfather tried to be an ally to the Shinigami. He never wished them harm."
"And it was that kind of thinking that led to his death," the hollow reminded him. "The Shinigami abused his trust and destroyed him. I may not care much for you, Uryuu, but if you let me win, I will make you this promise. I will see to it that the Shinigami pay for their arrogance."
The pillars began to tremble as the ground quaked, sending more of them tumbling. The Quincy looked in desperation at his opponent. The clone held out a pale hand in offering. Uryuu leapt up to join him on the pillar.
"Will you give your soul to me?" the creature asked, its eyes glowing in hunger.
Uryuu's left hand raised in appearance of accepting, but at the last minute, it joined his right hand against the hilt of the Seele Schneider, activating the blade as he swung it towards the hollow. The dark clone raised its bow in defense, but this time Uryuu's weapon was stronger. The energy web dissolved in a shower of sparks as the laser sword continued towards its intended target, slicing the hollow down its center. The creature dropped to its knees and looked up at Uryuu with an accusing look.
"In your lecture on avenging my grandfather, you forgot one all-important detail," Uryuu reminded it, watching as it began to disintegrate. "The Shinigami were at fault for not intervening, but ultimately, it was the hollows who killed my grandfather."
As Uryuu watched, he noted in horror that his grandfather's amulet was dissolving along with the hollow. It took all his willpower not to drop down and frantically try to salvage what he pieces could, but somehow Uryuu knew that it would be futile. The confrontation with his hollow had cost him, and though it meant his soul had been saved, there always came a price.
Uryuu felt his white Quincy uniform fall away, replaced with the black uniform of a soul reaper. It was a bitter choice, but better than the alternative.
He altered his senses, now seeing the world in the form of reiatsu particles and spirit ribbons. There was a single dot of red in the sea of white; a dot that felt like a blemish on his soul. Praying that his Quincy ancestors would forgive him, Uryuu raced to reach that crimson speck in time.