Be warned this chapter has many spoilers for current chapters in the manga in japan so ye be warned.
Chapter 3: Release of the uncanny Zanpakutō
"Flip over, Muchas Caras," Ichigo said as a burst of spiritual pressure began to form shattering both the kidō and the ice pillar holding him in place. Rukia being blown away landed on her shoulder hard. Standing before them was Lilla, the Arrancar who was supposedly slain by Hiyori and Ichigo earlier that day. Only this time she was covered from head to toe in a bone-like substance, her mask fragment now almost a complete skull except for a triangle slice on her left eye.
"Your that Lilla woman, so Hiyori didn't kill you?!" Shinji said as he came at her, a bone arm keeping his blade from slashing her. Suddenly the bones began to change and skew over her body until she started to become more manlike once again and to their horror turned into someone they didn't want to see.
"Sosuke Aizen!?" Lisa said as the villainous former captain appeared before all of them.
"It would appear that I am Lord Aizen, but that is just a trick of my Zanpakutō and my release form as an Arrancar. But tricks like myth all have a bit of truth behind them. Muchas Caras has the ability to take the form of anyone whom I have had the genetic material provided for me. Lord Aizen gave me one stray hair giving me not only his form but also all of his abilities," Lilla-Aizen as she/he began to form a dark purple energy in one of her hands."Hadō number 90, Kurohitsugi."
The dark energy began to take the form of a box around Shinji. Knowing the spell his former Lieutenant was performing, using great speed he was able to barely escape the onslaught the kidō would have caused.
"You see Shinji, I have an unlimited amount of resources to use. I have devoured full Hollows and Arrancars using this ability, during the fight earlier today I was able to take blood samples from both Hiyori and Ichigo," Lilla-Aizen said as she began to change once again this time into Hiyori's form. "Maybe I'll change into the little brat! That way you can punish me Shinji."
"You've played your hand a little too soon Lila, there is no reason for us to hold back against an enemy wearing our friends' faces," Shinji said as he formed a fist. Red energy began to cackle and grow until it was released in a lateral line at Lilla who changed back into her Aizen form. Holding out his/her hand Lilla threw the Cero off with little effort.
"So my psychological attacks seem to be ill effective. I guess it's time to step up my game. You see in it's sealed form Muchas Caras is limited to only reproducing the abilities and appearance of one person at a time. In my released form I am able to reproduce the abilities of all that I have mimicked." Lilla-Aizen said unsheathing Aizen's Zanpakutō. "Chop cleanly, Kubikiri Orochi."
As it released it began to form into a giant cleaver like weapon with saw like serrations running along the front of the blade. Not only did Lilla decide to use Hiyori's Zanpakutō but also her Hollow mask began to form over Aizen's face. Lilla-Aizen began to charge a Cero in the teeth area of her mask. As it began to cackle as it charged Lilla-Aizen calmly said, "Fiendfyre."
The Cero launched at Shinji all the while the spell she used formed a giant serpent made of fire that entangled the Cero. As the giant beam was about to impact with Shinji, a beam of bright red light came from the side of it and blew the flame and the Cero out completely.
"Mashiro! Super Cero!!!!" Mashiro said with her bee like mask on.
"Put a sock in it," Kensei commented to his former lieutenant.
"Kensei, you can be so mean sometimes, I was being helpful, and your just a big jerk," Mashiro said really fast removing her mask and pouting.
"Your attack doesn't really need to be so loud, you could try using more stealth!" Kensei fought back.
"It would appear that you do have all of Lieutenant Aizen's abilities as well as a few of your own," Shinji said placing his mask to one side of his face, bearing his trademark top teeth.
"I see, you are trying to elect emotion from me by belittling Lord Aizen. It is ill affective while I do hold a lot of respect for Lord Aizen I feel no emotional connection to him. You may continue your jibs but they will be futile."
"Hmmm, I guess if my witty sarcasm won't do me any good, I will have to up the ante a little," Shinji said holding out his Zanpakutō. "Collapse, Sakanade."
"Madame Pomfry were you able to implement the gift we received?" McGonagal asked while Lief blinked his eyes open.
"Yes I do find this whole situation very odd, I've heard about these things from Dumbledore but a part of me was a little apprehensive believing in them."
"Where am I!" Lief exclaimed as he was surrounded by McGonagal, Pomfry, Harry, Cormac and Hermione."
"Your in the medical wing of Hogwarts," Hermione said half cautiously.
"Well it looks like I'll have to pull out all the stops to get out of this place," Lief said grabbing his Zanpakutō like wand. "Gallop ahead!! Pureza!"
The witches and wizards looked at the Arrancar with an odd expression as nothing happened. Lief than bounced his wand trying to awaken it's power. "Gallop ahead!! Pureza!?"
"What exactly is that supposed to do?" Harry asked
"Ummm it's supposed to transform me into my released form. Wait let me try this again. Gallop ahead, Pureza....... damn."
"Maybe you should take a look in the mirror?" An unknown voice said as Hermione handed him a mirror.
When he looked into the mirror he noticed that the mask fragment that was placed in the middle of his forehead was missing. He stood up in a panicked rush. Placing the mirror against the wall and pointed his wand at it.
"Engorgio!" Lief said as the spell enlarged the mirror to the size of a full length mirror. His reflection only reaffirmed what he already suspected. In place of his Arrancar uniform he was now wearing the standard Hogwarts black robes.
"You now you kind of look like a soul reaper in those robes," Said the same voice as she walked up to him a tall dark woman with dark purple colored hair and golden eyes.
"How do you know about Soul Reapers, who are you, and what did you do to me?" Lief demanded.
"Answer one I am one, well formerly anyway. My name is Yoruichi Shinōin. And finally I think that your last answer is a pretty simple one."
"A gigai? They aren't supposed to work on Hollows let alone an Arrancar," He said playing with his face a little.
"This gigai was created by Kisuke Urahara, it's was altered to contain Arrancars. It was modified from a model he used previously for similar reasons. It drains the user of it's spiritual pressure until the user is practically human."
"Stupify!" Lief said as he aimed his wand at Yoruichi who's great speed allowed her to appear seconds later behind him, totally avoiding the attack.
"Unfortunately it can't take away your magical abilities which still makes you fairly dangerous," Yuroichi said as she placed her hand over the wizard's wand.
"The reason we didn't place you smack dab in the middle of Professor Slughorn's spell is because you saved McGlagen's life and both McGonagal and this Urahara say you may have useful information," Harry said sternly.
"Thank you by the way," Cormac interjected.
"Well Lord Baraggan, Emperor Luisenbarn of Hueco Mundo, gave explicit instructions to leave the impact on this world to a minimum," Lief said as Yuroichi released her grip on Lief's hand.
"So what are the conditions of my imprisonment, are you going to throw me in Azkaban and have the dementors suck out what's left of my soul."
"They don't use dementors in Azkaban ever since Voldemort was defeated," Harry explained.
"Who?" Lief asked.
"He was a dark wizard who had been terrorizing the wizzarding and muggle world for ages you must be pretty old," Hermione explained.
"Does the name Tom Riddle mean anything to you?" Harry asked as Lief gave a shocked expression.
"I-I I've grown tired, can I please be interrogated in the morning," Lief said as everyone began to leave the room.
"I'm sorry, but what do we call you?" Cormac asked turning back.
"Lief, Lief Grung."
As they exited the room McGonagal, Harry, Cormac, Hermione, and Yuroichi met in the outside hall. Each of them with grim faces looked down at the floor with tired eyes.
"Yuroichi, what do you think we should do now?" McGonagal asked with a little vibration in her voice.
"Well Minerva, that spell Horace put up will definitely keep that Arrancar at bay, Kisuke is going to bring in some reinforcements from our world. We should limit any non-necessary travel to and from the castle."
"Excuse me but how exactly do you two know each other?" Harry asked still confused.
"Well Yuroichi is a Soul Reaper a spirit that regulates souls. She ventured here from across the river around my first year at Hogwarts but she knew Albus before than, believe it or not she was the one who actually helped me perfect my animagus form, but she is still on another level than I am I'm afraid."
"Why is that professor?" Hermione asked.
"When she transforms she can actually perform human speech," McGonagal beamed.
"Yeah but unfortunately I've never been good at transforming my clothes with me," She said as she gave a cheeky smile to Harry. "Maybe one of these days I'll show you."
"Umm no thank you I have a girlfriend," Harry said turning 50 shades of red.
"Geeze kid stop being so serious," Yoruichi said giving him a friendly slap on the back that still managed to disrupt his balance. "Anyway we have found away to open and close the barrier Horace created so we will have to open it when Kisuke has formed his group."
"Excuse me but what are we going to do about Lief are we going to lock him up or something?" Cormac asked.
"Well unfortunately we don't know very much about Lief's personality he may give us more insight to Aizen's plans or this Luisenbarn guy," Yoruichi said stretching a bit. "My suggestion is to have him pose as a student and always have Hermione or one of the teachers with him at all times."
"You want him to interact with the students?" Hermione asked alarmed.
"Lief for the most part is now human, meaning he will react more to human emotions. The more human we make him feel the more I think we will be able to manipulate him to give us the information we need," Yoruichi explained as she started down the hall. "I'm going back to my world to help Kisuke gather some forces to help you."
Right before she came out of sight she gave a wink to Harry and said, "I'll catch ya later."
Shinji's Zanpakutō, Sakanade released a very particular sent upon it's release. The scent struck Lilla, still in Aizen's form, automatically which gave an almost intoxicated look on Lilla's face. Closing her eyes within a blink everything had changed. Shinji stood in the air, which would normally not be such a strange feet. Except he was upside down holding the blade by some unseen grip within a ring at the end of Sakanade's hilt. Along the straight-edged blade were 5 holes along it's length.
"A curious power you have Shinji Hirako, I don't think Lord Aizen has told me about your Shikai."
"That's because he has never seen it before," Shinji said with a giant smile.
"I would assume you would save such an ability for the real Lord Aizen. Aren't you worried that he may be spying?"
"Hmmm, I don't think I gave it much thought. If Aizen is spying on us it doesn't bother me much. More likely one of his servants will discern it's ability after examining your corpse."
"Brave words Shinji, It would appear that you have merely altered gravity."
"Oh dear I know you like to act like Sosuke but you aren't anywhere near as bright," Shinji said rolling his eyes. "Sakanade's ability is complete control over it's opponent's senses."
With great speed Shinji came face to face with the Arrancar who was posing as his former subordinate. While it looked like Shinji was striking Lila's front a giant wound appeared on her back and spluttered out blood. Using Aizen's capable flash step abilities Lila made some distance between them, though not in the direction she was hoping for.
"Still confused Arrancar?" Shinji said appearing again before her. "Aizen probably would have figured some of the basics out by now. Up and down, left and right, front and back are all reversed. Being so turned around your instinct will cripple the fighting abilities of even accomplished warriors."
"Hirako, you do have one thing correct," Lila said as her hand began to form into a slithery looking green rocket. "You have muddled up my senses. You have forgotten my own abilities this is one that I acquired from a very pesky hollow in Hueco Mundo. This missile locks onto the specific spiritual pressure released by it's target. It doesn't require any of the five senses to operate."
As the rocket launched the missile was destroyed by a beam of crimson energy intercepted the missile with a firework like crack. The green rocket exploded in a green mist and Shinji looked at Mashiro who only nudged her shoulders in confusion.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I heard someone was causing a mess in Karakura town," Non other than Kisuke Urahara said as he held out his Zanpakutō Benhime.
"Kisuke Urahara, I've heard a lot about you from Lord Aizen," Lilla said as she turned to Kisuke. "It seems at long last I have found someone worthy of my power."
"What are you saying I am just a ruggedly handsome shop owner, I don't even think I could lay a scratch on you," Kisuke said as he than pointed his sword at Orihime, who was using her abilities to heal Rukia's injured arm. "These two on the other hand could cause a lot of damage."
"Kisuke you idiot what are you doing?" Rukia said getting up in a panic.
"Oh puh-lease, you girls are probably the best one's here to defeat this guy," Kisuke said with a cheesy grin.
"Intriguing, please explain," Lilla-Aizen said removing Hiyori's mask and sealing back her Zanpakutō.
"You see while myself, and the rest of the Vizoreds here have seen Aizen's Zanpakutō release, I don't think Ms. Kuchiki nor Ms. Inoue have had the privilege. You will be completely outmatched in battle with them."
"If this is true there is a simple resolution to that," Lilla-Aizen said as she lifted the Zanpakutō into the air. "Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."
Upon doing so it's ability wasn't mirrored by Lilla's abilities. Instead Aizen's image seemed to shatter away from her body, revealing her in her unreleased form with several geysers of blood spurting away from her body. Quaking on the ground Shinji calmly walked up to her. His eye's black and yellow, conveyed his intent as he held his arm once again into a fist and held it towards her defeated form. Without hesitation he let out his crimson Cero and she began to unravel in a greenish mist.
"Does anyone want to tell me what in the hell just happened?" Kensei grouched with folded arms.
"Well I have been kind of stalking you all since Rukia and Orihime left the Soul Society. I over heard that Lilla lady boast about Aizen gave her a piece of his hair. Sōsuke Aizen wouldn't give all of his abilities to someone he would see as subservient. He was testing her. If she wanted to she could have overthrown Aizen himself. So he altered the Spiritual Pressure in the strand of hair he gave her. I knew he would put limits to what powers she could use of his, and I guessed that the limit would be releasing his Zanpakutō. Am I a genius or what?" He said, afterwards being punched square in the jaw by Rukia.
"Next time you put Orihime or myself in that kind of danger ever again, you better be damn sure beyond guessing!"
"Okay I'm sorry Rukia," Kisuke said as he rubbed his cheek.
"You guys are forgetting something important," Shinji said removing his mask, revealing a sullen expression beneath it. "That Lilla woman killed Hiyori, and we still have no idea were Ichigo is."
"My guess is that they are both fine...... mostly fine anyway," Kisuke said mysteriously.
"Hiyori was completely obliterated, how can you say she's fine?" Shinji asked his eyes full of bewildered hope.
"Well upon seeing the powers Lilla had I recognized them almost instantly. Her spirit must have come here from the Turntable Place," Kisuke said with a gawky grin before being slapped again by Rukia.
"Will you stop with the whole damn mystery man crap and just get on with it?"Rukia belted.
"Fine fine. The Turntable Place is kind of an odd name for it really. In essence it's a giant waterway system that connects three dimensions. Ours, and two others. One Yoruichi and me have gone to thousands of times. We discovered it when we were kids. There many people use those spells like that Lilla lady did. One of those spells is named Geminio. It's a spell that usually is used to duplicate inanimate objects, my guess is that she used the spell in conjunction with her Zanpakutō ability to create a dummy of Hiyori."
"So your saying that Hiyori was cloned by some sort of spell, and that Lilla woman was a soul who came from another dimension and got herself turned into an Arrancar?" Shinji asked a little happiness breaking through his gloom.
"Yep and I'll guess that they may have stowed the pair of them in one of those dimensions connected to the Turntable Place."
"It makes sense Hiyori before the attack acted lifeless. If she was just a shell than maybe the real Hiyori is alive somewhere."
"Why wouldn't she just have killed them? She's powerful enough?" Rukia asked.
"Because that would only strengthen our resolve in this war. Knowing Aizen he wants us distracted. If we want Ichigo back in the war we are going to have to find him, and it could take longer than winter to find him. While we are running around trying to find Ichigo we may leave Karakura Town easy pickings."
"Than we won't make it so easy for him," Shinji said putting his hand to his chin. "If you get a small group to find Ichigo and Hiyori, we Vizoreds will protect the town."
"Even if that means working with the 13 Court Guard Squads?" Kisuke asked as everyone of the Vizoreds showed the same dark look.
"Yes."
"Well I'm going to look for Ichigo," Rukia said with pride as Orihime walked up behind her.
"I know you don't have faith in my abilities Mr. Urahara, but I want to help find Ichigo as well," Orihime said meekly.
"Whoever said I didn't have faith in your abilities?" Kisuke joked. This may work out to our advantage. It's seems if Aizen is focused on keeping us away from Ichigo he may not take notice of Orihime's abilities especially if she is hidden away in another dimension.
"You jack ass, how can you make Orihime feel that way and just take it back just like that?"
"I have no idea what your talking about, I think Orihime is a wonderful girl," He said slapping Orihime hard on the back.
"So it's settled than Orihime and I are going to this turntable place to find Ichigo," Rukia said sheathing her Zanpakutō.
"Oh no there is still a couple of people that I have my mind on to come with," Kisuke said with a grin.
Arrancar Encyclopedia
"Today we are going to discuss the Arrancar Lila." Gin said as he was shocked by a surprise guest.
"Hello everyone," Lila said under the guise of Gin.
"Interesting power you have there Lila, but I think everyone at home is wondering why you call your Muchas Caras a Zanpakutō?" The real Gin asked.
"Well it may not be a Zanpakutō with a capital Z but it's still what I have my special release form sealed in," Lila said mimicking Gin's trademark grin.
"From this perspective that's kind of creepy," Gin said examining his own eerie smile on Lila's face.
