With a heavy heart, Yamamoto gave the order.
"It is decided then. All squad captains, you are to hunt down and capture Kurosaki Ichigo! Use lethal force if necessary, bring him back dead or alive, it does not matter!"
--
"So what now?" Tatsuki asked him, as they walked down the barren, empty halls, their footsteps echoed, bouncing off the walls, steady tapping of his black zori sandals, and the slow, easy padding of her bare feet against the cold tile. "When are we gonna get payback?"
Her eyes gleamed with untold anger as she said this. She hadn't known Chad and Uryuu that well, but the death of Ichigo's family, as well as the news of Orihime's death had hurt her deeply, and that wound wasn't going to heal until she got some well justified revenge.
"For starters, I think youneed a change of clothes." He commented this blandly enough, but Tatsuki Arisawa could've sworn that she saw his lips twitch into an almost invisible smirk just then.
"Well excuse me for not having the time to change!" She sputtered, a light pink flush tinting her otherwise tan cheeks. "After all, you didn't really give me much time....
(Flashback)
Tatsuki Arisawa suddenly felt cold.
Her eyes snapped open, and the first thing she felt was the water.
She had been taking a hot shower, when the sudden chill came over her. It had been so unexpected, so sudden, that she actually stopped functioning for a second, unable to realize just what it was.
The hot water jarred her out of the daze, and she realized she'd been standing in the hot shower for too long. Turning the knobs, she finally killed the water, pulled the curtain aside, and stepped out. As the heat from the shower misted at her bare feet, she peered into the mirror.
Unable to see due to the steam, Tatsuki wiped at the mirror, until she could just see her face.
"Why am I thinking about Orihime all of a sudden?" She murmured, pressing a hand to the fog covered glass, as if the reflection there would supply her with the answer with the answer she sought. "And why can't I sense her again? I felt her a second ago-
"Tatsuki." A voice whispered in her ear, and warm breath made her shiver-
"Ah!" She squeaked in surprise, hastily wrapping a towel around her otherwise naked body, a dark blur darting out of her sight. Slowly, she turned, searching for the voice that had just spoken her name, but there was no one in the bathroom. And when had she left the door open?
Before she exited the bathroom, Tatsuki slipped on a pink bathrobe, to prevent any peeking, regardless of whom it might be. Only then did she edge her way out of the bathroom, and even then it was very slowly. "W-Who's there?!"
"Out here." Called the voice, coming from the direction of the balcony.
Slowly, she edged her way out into the living room, and sure enough, there was a figure out on the patio. He had his back to her, but even in the dim light, it was impossible to miss that shock of strawberry blond hair.
"I-Ichigo?! W-What're you doing here?! And where's Orihime?"
"Come out here, Tatsuki." He said simply.
Suddenly relieved, yet apprehensive, Tatsuki felt ill at ease just standing inside by herself. In one smooth, yet frantic movement, she bolted across the living room, opened the sliding door, and stepped out onto the patio-
"BAKA!"
Ichigo made to move to react, as she delivered a hard right hook to his face. Surprisingly, her hand met something hard, and she jumped back a pace, holding the throbbing fingers in pain.
"Ow! Ow ow ow!" She whined, waving the hand up and down rapidly, in an attempt to soothe the raw nerves. A scowl marred her face, and she shot dagger at him as evident by her glare. "Jeez Ichigo! What the heck was that?!"
Ichigo finally turned to face her.
Tatsuki was met with a terrifying sight.
His sclera were black instead of white, his irises had turned an eerie yellow...
And he wore a mask.
It was as if death were staring her in the face, and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. The air came in short ragged gasps, then she lost the ability to draw in oxygen altogether, or that was how it felt. He was suffocating her, just by looking at her with those eyes...
"Tatsuki, it's me." He repeated, waving a hand over his face, and dispelling the hollow side of himself. The mask he wore melted away into dark energy, exposing herself Almost immediately, the pressure weighing down her mind faded, and his visage was exposed.
"Oh...She sighed, and it took everything she had not to slump down against the door and collapse. With a visible effort, she controlled herself, looked him square in the eye, and spoke.
"Did you rescue Orihime?"
He nodded, but it was stiff.
"Great! Then where is she-
"She's dead." The words came out as a dry rasp, as if he needed a drink of water. He couldn't bear to meet her gaze when he gave the news, so he turnd away when it was said. It took a moment to register, what he had just said, but once she'd processed it, the smile that had been creeping up upon her face...died like a rose in a winter storm.
"Y-You're kidding right?" She elbowed him playfully, hoping, BEGGING that this was some sick and twisted joke. There was no possible way Orihime was dead! She'd seen her just the other day! "It IS just a joke, right?"
His eyes conveyed untold sadness, and that was what told her it was the truth. His hands clenched, and unclenched into fists, and he bit his lip until a thin line of blood ran out. "No, it's not a joke."
She tried to say something, but he cut her off.
"They're dead, they're all dead."
Momentary concern for him, washed away the misery that now stabbed into her chest. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Tatsuki dared to place a hand on his arm, not knowing if he would go ballistic.
"Who, Ichigo?"
He shook his head.
"Ichigo!" She said it harsher than she meant to, and therefore was stunned speechless yet again by his next reaction. The normally hardheaded highschooler whirled on her, tears in his eyes
"Everyone!" He sobbed! "Chad, Uryuu, Inoue, my family...they're all dead!"
"H-Hey! Don't go and cry on me!" Protested Tatsuki, suddenly finding that she had to take on the supportive role for a moment. But then she was crying too, more so for him and Orihime than herself.
"J-Just t-tell me what happened, o-okay?" She hiccuped, finding herself unable to stop the tears, no matter how hard she tried. Almost immediately, he launched into a long and complex story, that took up the better part of a half an hour.
As he finished up his tale, Tatsuki could not believe her ears.
"You were...
"Betrayed." He sighed bitterly.
Poor Ichigo. He'd already lost his mother when he was nine, wasn't that enough? Just when he'd started to smile again, just when he'd started to overcome her death...
Orihime had been kidnapped.
He'd saved her, sure enough, he was vehement about that much. But to be betrayed by your own allies, just because they didn't want you to turn on THEM? Now that was cold. And now the rest of his friends and family?
Gone.
"Ichigo...I'm sorry."
"Don't be." He whispered, unable to think straight at having to retell his story again. Right now, his mind was a jumbled fragment of images, sights and sounds, of which the slightest breeze, the slightest action could shatter.
At this very moment, he was on the verge of insanity.
The tears had already begun to well up in her eyes long ago, and now, they too were spilling out. She wanted to do more for him, she really did, but what could she, a simple human, possibly do?
"I really am." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around him suddenly. "I'm sorry this sere-whatever did this to you." Tatsuki didn't know why she just did that, hugged him, nor could she explain the sudden, undesirable urge to never let go. He went stiff, and she panicked, thought about pulling away, but for some reason, as his arms came around to hold her by the small of her back, and as he rested his head atop hers...
It just felt right.
Granted, she'd never had any romantical intentions towards Ichigo before, and she didn't right now. However, she'd just seen his vulnerable side, his weaker half...
His emotions.
The realization hit her like a bolt of lightning.
'I'm... the only friend he has left.'
Her lower lip began to tremble at this, and the flood of tears came without warning. One minute she was fine, drying her tears and trying to process what in the world was going on-
Then the dam burst.
Ichigo reeled back a step as she buried her head into his hakama. Less than a split-second later, tears began to stain through the fabric, and onto his bloodstained skin. He still held onto his childhood friend, even as she started to wail and sob.
His own tears joined hers soon afterwards.
For just a moment, they stayed like that. They held each other and cried, two friends who had lost absolutely everything in this world, and were left with nothing but each other...
Alas, this moment could not last.
"Hado #4: Byakurai!"
A bolt of kido blasted in the door, and Ichigo shoved Tatsuki back a pace. As she stumbled back in confusion, he twisted himself to the side, taking it clean through the shoulder, and leaving a small hole.
Blood spattered onto the floor, his cries of pain mixing with Tatsuki's horrified scream. His mind kicked into overdrive, screaming one fact over and over, searing it into his mind.
They had come to kill her!
"Ichigo Kurosaki, you are under arrest." Declared Byakuya, stepping through the hole where the door had just been. Behind him were captains Kenpachi and Sajin.
Three captains against one wounded vizard.
Very bad odds for Ichigo.
He inched back, and got between them and Tatsuki.
He needed to stall for time.
"So, how's Toshirou doing?"
Byakuya drew his blade in response.
"If you're trying to goad me into killing you, then it won't work" He held the blade up before his face, about to declare its shikai release. "But I'll have you know he's in critical condition after what you did to him."
"Hold on." He hissed, and before she could ask what he was about to do-
He grabbed her by the hips, and slung her over the shoulder. Almost immediately, the karate champion turned scarlet, "H-Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Getting you out of here." He replied, and the air blurred before her vision-
"Scatter."
"Kuso!"
He must've used some sort of high speed movement to get away, as they were now in the air. He set her down in front of a building, and then, before she could protest, he shoved her inside, rather roughly, via kicking her in the butt.
"Get in there!"
As the door slammed shut behind her, she watched him pull out another blade from the sheathe. It snapped shut seconds later, but now the sounds of steel beating against steel could be heard, followed by the sounds of grunts.
He was fighting.
"Ah, if it isn't Tatsuki-san!"
Only then did she realize that it was Urahara's shop.
(End flashback)
--
And that was the gist of it.
After Urahara helped him to drive away the three captains, Ichigo had insisted he open up this garganta or whatever. Urahara had agreed, but only on the condition that it was for noble purposes. After much bickering on their part, Ichigo wound finally wound up in the desert, and much to his dismay, she'd come after him.
She'd come here to this castle with him, too.
He'd fought the fox faced guy and the other one to a standstill, then convinced them to 'come over to the right side' as he had put it. That being done, he'd marched right into the room of that man, cut him down, and taken over what she now knew to be Las Noches.
Now he was the king, and those present her, were referring to them as Ichigo-sama, and Tatsuki-sama. The honorific had been impossible to ditch, he'd explained, as they saw the two of them as their saviors now.
He'd outlined his plan to her, and she'd been all for it.
But Ichigo scratched the back of his head at her retort now.
"Erm...sorry."
"And you should be!" She shouted, stomping her foot down on his own, drawing a pained yelp from the vizard. As Ichigo hopped up and down, holding his leg in pain, she continued with: "Now you have to take me shopping to get some new clothes!"
He stopped hopping, and stared at her for a second.
"Fine."
"You heard me-wha?" Tatsuki did not expect him to give in so easily, and it showed in her expression. "Did you just agree to go shopping?! She asked incredulously. A long sleepy yawn soon followed his affirmation.
He snapped his fingers, took in a deep breath, and bellowed:
"Oi! Get some clothes for Tatsuki-sama!"
A lowly arrancar scurried over to him, and handed him an outfit. (Neliel's arrancar outfit)
"Here." He grumbled, tossing her it.
"Thanks." She held it up and looked for a room to change into.
"Yeah, sure, whatever. But I'm taking a nap right now." As he said this, he headed off towards the nearest room. Unable to tolerate being left alone, and honestly, rather afraid of it in a place like this, Tatsuki followed after him.
He gave her a glance, as he kicked off his sandals. After doing so, he set each zanpaktou in the corner, with Zangetsu leaning against Suigetsu, and Zabimaru against Shirayuki.
She sat down on the bed next to him, waiting for something to be said, if he had something to say. However, Ichigo just stared off into space, focused on the quartet of blades he had come to acquire through various means.
Unfortunately, Tatsuki took his looking away as an indication to get changed. Since there were no curtains, and this room was the only one around for miles, she made do with what she could.
The pink bath robe fell to the floor as she hurriedly undid the sash. Blushing madly, she slipped into the bodysuit, and was surprised to find that if fit her quite well-
Ichigo turned around just as she had gotten it up to her waist. Fortunately, her back was to him, so Tatsuki missed his almost open stare, one of pure curiosity. Her skin was smooth and flawless, not quite tan, not quite pale. The outfit she wore, lacked sleeves, or rather, they ended at her elbows, with the rest of the outfit smooth and form fitting.
"Ecchi!" She cried, as he jerked his gaze away at the last second.
"H-Hey! I wasn't looking!"
"Were too!"
"Was not!"
An uncomfortable silence reigned over the room, as they refused to look at each other.
"Um...
"Hmm?"
"Ichigo...Can I sleep with you?" The question came so suddenly it shocked them both.
At this, he gaped. "Huh?!"
"Not like that you pervert!" She snapped back, a vein throbbing in her forehead. "I just...She squirmed a bit, unable to find the right words to use in this situation."Gah, I just don't like this place!"
"Erm...
"Please?" She asked quietly, vulnerable and alone in that moment.
"Ugh. Fine." He sighed, pulling aside the covers.
"You can have the left, I'll take the right....
--
(Sometime later)
"Well, what now?" Asked Gin, as Ichigo reemerged from the darkness. He was still in his bankai outfit, but after a good night's rest, he was at least feeling better.
Tatsuki was still sleeping soundly in the bed.
And during his sleep, he'd had gotten a brilliant idea.
"Gin, Kaname." He spoke slowly, getting their attention. "Come with me."
'Fox-face' seemed to grin even wider.
"Oh? This sounds fun."
Ichigo smiled, and it was not pleasant.
"It will be."
--
(Fake Karakura town)
"Man, I can't believe we got stuck with cleanup duty...Grumbled one shinigami, a male who was plain in appearance, and thus unworthy of description.
"Just be glad Kurotsuchi-taichou isn't here." Replied another, as they patrolled the streets, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Namely, the few fraccion that had still been unaccounted for. "He'd do worse to us if he caught us slacking off...
The small group of five shuddered at the grisly thought. If Mayuri Kurotsuchi caught them lazing around, it'd be worse than any nightmare they could possibly dream of.
"L-Let's get going...
All the espada had been wiped out, but regardless, the fraccion were hiding somewhere around here... Those thus far missing were the three fraccion of the tercera espada, and the single fraccion of the primera espada.
A blur of motion caught their attention.
"There!"
The figure paused in midstep, panic flashing in her pink eyes. Her mask had been partially broken, revealing her other eye. Her clothing was ripped and tattered, for she was visibly battered and bruised, but that didn't slow her down in the slightest, as she abruptly then raced down an alleyway.
"She's got nowhere to run!" Declared one, drawing his zanpaktou as they rounded the corner after her, their footsteps beating loud in her ears like a concord of monotonous drums, along with the rapid breaths she drew in accompanied by the sounds of many swords being drawn. "After her! Don't let her get away!"
'No...
Her feet drummed against the ground.
'No!'
The pounding beat of her stride originated in her heels and ran up her legs, through her hips, and along her spine until it terminated at the base of her skull, where the recurring impact jarred her teeth and exacerbated the headache that seemed to worsen with every passing step.
'I don't wanna die!'
"That way's a dead end!"
She soon found out that they were right, as she ran smack dab into the concrete wall, the impact was sharp and jarring, throwing the fraccion back on her butt. She didn't have the strength to use cero or bala, she couldn't even use sonido, so weary she was.
The shinigami, now ten in number, came down the alleyway slowly, savoring the moment. Their blades gleamed in the dim light, as they edged towards the arrancar.
"Got her!" Cried one, seizing her by her light green hair! She could barely even breathe, let alone struggle by this point, and her efforts to break free were futile. "Now lets bag her before Mayuri skins our hides!"
It would be the last moment they ever experienced.
"Kurotsuchi is the least of your worries."Snarled a voice, from nowhere. Seconds later, the air was thick with a dark, sinister reaitsu, an energy which seemed to stem from hell itself. This level was beyond that of a captain, no, it was bey
"Huh?" The congregation gasped as one, as the man stepped out of the shadows. His orange hair was a dead giveaway, as was the blade he clutched tightly in hand.
"I-It's K-Kurosaki!" Sputtered one of them in, stepping back in trepidation.
The mask twisted into a sinister smile, a twisted, sarcastic voice creeping out from behind it.
"Oh? It's so good to be remembered!"
A black blade flashed into the air, and the fraccion cried out in surprise, released. The one who held her now stumbled back, screaming. With a small gasp, she soon realized why. He was now clutching the bloodied stump of his right hand. The severed appendage flopped to the floor, oozing dark crimson liquid.
Suddenly, her view was blocked by a dark cape. The man rose now, uncoiling from his almost predatory crouch. Cold yellow irises gleamed out of his mask, the black sclera deep and soulless, cruel and sadistic.
"Why you-
All the blades were now pointed at the vizard.
He stared at them for a second, but made no effort to move, as the prongs pierced his skin. They went in about a centimeter or two before they shattered into harmless steel shards.
He shook his head and sighed.
"That's the best you can do, huh?"
Now their was fear. It was written into their faces, their eyes, everything. Some of them were trembling, some of them were shaking like a lead. Still others dropped their now useless zanpaktou, and began to run, and soon the entire group had turned tail to flee.
"You think that'll save you?"
The air was now thick with dark reiatsu, and some of the former pursuers looked back in sheer terror, as a dark bolt, outlined in red, exploded from the heavens and into existence. It struck Ichigo, silhouetting him in its aura, while he laughed aloud, raising one finger to point at the fleeing entourage.
The lone digit sparked with red reiryoku, and the mask could not convey how much he was about to enjoy this. Time seemed to slow for the poor shinigami, as the last sight they ever beheld was that eerie red color of a cero.
"Farewell!"
A swathe of red light erupted from his finger, and consumed them, burning the soul reapers to ash. It continued onward, slamming into a nearby building, vaporizing it. The cero had left a massive path of destruction in its wake
Lillenette scampered back a step, and he turned to look at her.
"W-Who're you?"
He pulled aside his mask, exposing a human face.
'An arrancar? No...he's at LEAST at espada level...
"W-What number are you?"
"Number? I have no number." He replied to her, one hand patting her helmet.
"T-Then who or what are you?"
A smile traced at his face, when he saw the two garganta opening up in the fake town, and then a wave of hollows spilling out of it. That was the signal, the distraction they needed to escape.
Gin and Kaname seemed to have found a few fraccion as well.
"A friend." He told her, as she followed him into the void.
"A friend that wants to help."
--
(Later, Hueco Muendo)
"You....he wheezed, struggling to rise, but a hand forced him back down.
"Easy. Your wounds are still healing."
Blue eyes twitched in weak annoyance, his glare the only deadly thing about him. His body was still covered in cuts, and though his breath came in ragged gasps, he was still very much alive.
"Nnoitra!" He gasped suddenly trying to rise again, but another pair of hands held him down, this time by his shoulders. "You'd best stay still." Laughed a haughty voice.
'Szayel...
"Where is that sonova-
"Nearly dead, for the most part." Replied the effeminate man. "But you'll have a rematch against him soon enough, provided he lives."
"What're ya doing here, Kurosaki?" Snarled Grimmjow, shifting his gaze to the vizard.
He was rather surprised by what he saw.
The shinigami had a hollow look in his eyes, as if the light had been sucked right out of them. His face was slack, and his body bore all sorts of gashes and cuts. His tone was dull, but beneath lay untold misery, that much he could tell.
Not that he cared.
"It's a long story, but you'll hear it soon enough."
--
"You've changed again."Sighed Ulquiorra, as a figure appeared behind him. He wore is full mask, and he was in that monstrous second form of his, the one that had overwhelmed him only last week. "I take it you need my assistance?"
"That I do." Replied the demon ominously.
"And what do you intend to do with the Sereitei?"
"I will burn it to the ground."
"No matter what?"
"I will kill every last one."
Much to his surprise, Ulquoirra began to chuckle. "How very Hollow-like..... It soon built up into a laugh, which was eerily cold and chilly, as if he were ice itself. After a moment, the mirthful sound subsided, and he turned to face the hollowfied shinigami.
"Very well then. I'll join you in your vengance, Kurosaki."
--
'Lets see. Nel, Nnoitra, Grimmjow, Szayel, Ulquiorra...and maybe Yammy.'These were the only original espada that were still around, and still breathingfor that matter. Grimmjow was on life support, due to his wounds, Ulquoirra was still slightly wounded, and Yammy of course was napping.
Personally, he hated Yammy, and didn't want him to be an espada at all. He had taken down Rukia and Renji, and Ichigo was seething already when he realized that he was still living. He'd have to send him on a 'mission' so he could be rid of him.
Let his friends take care of the oaf. Ulquiorra had been somewhere above the dome of Las Noches, where Ichigo had left him. Of course, that had been after the cuarta espada had sliced off his horn, thus returning Ichigo's sanity to him, and saving Ishida.
Nnoitra he could barely even stomach, and was tempted to get rid of him as welll...
But that crazy S.O.B. was the only one who could fight on par with Kenpachi.
He was alive, but those wounds of his still hadn't fully healed. Either that, or he hadn't gotten his full strength back just yet. After a beating like that, you couldn't really blame him.
Nel was the only one that was alright physically, aside from Szayel, who had been the only other physically intact espada. Mentally however, was a different story for Nel. Before he had left Hueco Muendo, she had only just recently recovered her memories, so that matter was probably still up in the air.
He didn't even know where she was, and the same went for Pesche and Dondochakka.
He'd ordered Szayel to track them down, and with any luck, he'd find her soon...
Kami, this was gonna be difficult...
"Ich-igo!" Growled a voice.
"Gah!" He cried, as Tatsuki stormed up to him.
"Where the hell did you go?!"
"Out!"
"Out where?!"
"Out!" He insisted.
"Well next time at least tell me where you're going!"
"Why?!" He barked back!
"Because I was worried about you!"
The sudden declaration made them both blush, and they immediately turned away from each other. Tatsuki glanced back to Ichigo however, and he did the same to her. Of course the silence couldn't possibly last, and eventually, they turned around.
"Look, I'm worried about you." He started.
"Don't be! I can take care of myself-
"Can you?" He asked, appearing behind her suddenly. "Can you wield a zanpaktou, use a sonido in a minute? Is your skin an impenetrable armor, can you sense reaitsu levels?"
She shook her head.
"You're gonna make me teach you, aren't ya?" He sighed.
She nodded, and he tossed her Kyoka Suigetsu. She caught the zanapktou between fumbling hands, a look of surprise on her face, as he drew a blade. "Here."
"Roar: Zabimaru!" He declared, and the zanpaktou took its shape.
Tatsuki took a step backward, as he brought up his stance.
"If you're to have any skills, I'll test you first."
He made ready to move.
"We'll find out right-
"Ichigo-sama, everyone has been gathered." Interrupted Kaname, appearing from nowhere. The vizard turned, dispelled his shikai, then sheathed the blade. "They do not yet know about Aizen's death, shall I inform them?"
"No, Kaname." Kurosaki shook his head, back in the role of the leader once more. He seemed to straighten just then, grow perhaps a bit taller, and bit firmer...
And a mask of unreadable emotion slipped onto his face, much like his own vizard mask, yet nowhere near as disturbing. Now, try as she might, Tatsuki honestly couldn't tell what he was thinking now.
"Let's begin shall we?"
--
Everyone looked up as the doorway opened. Many, many arrancar were now gathered, but some stood out from the rest. After all, it was glaringly obvious, even if the original espada were still in recovery.
A group of four people walked towards them. Each of them wore white, and of course, Gin and Kaname were recognized almost immediately. However, murmurres of confusion ran through them, as they saw the two newcomers in Aizen-sama's place.
"Hello, my dear arrancar." Spoke the one in the middle, the one with orange spiky hair, speaking to the congregation of adjuchas, gillians and current arrancar, though the former were far more numerous than the latter. This man radiated power, and his eyes ran over the hollows beneath him. "I am here to tell you that your precious Aizen-sama is no longer among the living."
When this did not unsettle them, he bid Tatsuki to raise Kyoka Suigetsu.
"He is dead, and you will follow me instead."
"NO! WE WILL NOT-
A hand gesture silenced the chaos that ensued.
The clenched fingers slid over his face, summoning the mask. His reaitsu pressed all of them to the floor, killing their cries of dissent, and outright disintegrating some of the lesser hollows on the spot.
"What say you now?!"
All of them went silent.
"We will start anew!"Ichigo spoke loudly and firmly, raising one hand to the masses! "The old espada are hereby disbanded! A new class of elited shall be chosen to lead the hollows into glory, and this time-
The doors on the opposite sides parted, and Ulquiorra stepped in, taking his place to the left of Ichigo, whilst Tatsuki stood on his right, with Gin and Kaname some ways back.
The prescence of the vasto lorde was enough to kill the uprisings yet again. Even more so when Ulquiorra got down on one knee, his head inclined in reverence and loyalty to Ichigo.
"Ichigo-sama is the leader of Las Noches." He stated upon rising. "If any of you disagree, then please, speak up." He looked down upon his fellow hollows, as if expecting an answering shout of dissent to come-
And when it did, he vaporized the hollow on the spot, leaving nothing but a small crater where it had been. The hollows gaped at the hole, looked up to Ulquiorra, then Ichigo, to the hole, and repeat.
"Anyone else?" Asked Ulquiorra slowly.
Abruptly, a loud cheer rose up!
"ALL HAIL ICHIGO-SAMA!"
"Together, we will grind those who oppose us, into dust!" Declared Ichigo!
"ALL HAIL ICHIGO-SAMA!"
A new era had begun.
An era of darkness.
And the worst was still yet to come...
Ichigo will wait awhile before attacking. Possibly a year, to consolidate his strength for one final assault, since he basically has the same goal as Aizen now, to create the oken.