Warning: Spoilers for chapters 432-433-434. Read them online if you haven't already, or you won't understand the last part of this chapter ;)

The sound of blades cutting through the wind was more than enough to create panic amongst the humans. The fighters paid no heed to them, ignoring them completely like they were meaningless ants beneath their feet. Everyone felt the reiatsu in the area skyrocket as the battle met its height. They weren't fighting two on two, rather one on one. The sun was hidden behind dark clouds, drops of rain falling on the ground and washing away the crimson blood. Corpses were still unmoved, the wounded crying and the others running for their lives. A pair of green eyes watched the humans while a pair of blue eyes watched the two ongoing battles.

Mai Cifer and Kuchiki Rukia were watching each other's movements closely. Rukia found that Mai's frivolity was quite aggravating to say the least. The way she danced around her, lashing out every now and then, laughing, taunting her…. It was testing her patience. She knew Mai was trying to get her to attack, but this unknown opponent might have tricks Rukia did not know of. So she stayed distant. After all, there was no need to battle close-ranged yet.

"What's wrong? I'm not going to bite you, just cut you down!" Mai said in a joking manner that irritated Rukia even more. It was as if she wasn't taking the Shinigami seriously. Mai suddenly shot right towards her, her sword aimed straight at Rukia's chest. She was fast enough to block the blade, but the force behind it pushed her back. Mai grinned widely, not noticing Rukia plotting something as she tried to push back. Suddenly, she attacked Mai with her Zanpakutō, which she'd already released in Shikai. The Espada easily blocked it, surprised by this sudden offense.

"Is this good enough for you?" Rukia said to Mai.

"What do you think?" Mai responded, attacking her again, this time aiming mainly at the shoulders. Rukia frowned, not knowing what to make of that question. Mai smiled portentously, switching her sword to her right hand. "Let's evaluate. You're already panting, putting full force behind your body and still struggling to keep me back, whereas I'm getting… bored."

"Don't get too cocky!"

"It's not cockiness. Face the facts, Shinigami. You're done." she raised her blade, and Rukia saw her chance.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" a huge wave of snow came too fast for Mai to dodge. She was caught in the snow that turned into ice as soon as it made contact. She was captured. Rukia, who was practically wheezing, was glad it was over. She looked at Renji, who was fighting a more fierce opponent.

"Is that all you got?" Cruz yelled with a wide, wicked grin plastered on her face and she tried to cut him down. Renji dodged, and immediately counter-attacked by hurling Zabimaru's extendable blade towards her. Cruz laughed, swatting the blade away with her Noche Asasino as if Zabimaru were a mere fly. Renji scowled.

"You talk too much." he grumbled. Her casual demeanor was as annoying as Mai's. He glanced at Rukia, who was watching from a distance. These Espada were clearly not taking them seriously.

"Do you wanna know my number?" Cruz asked playfully, as she shot toward him like a bullet. He tried to block it, but the force threw him right through a building. For a second, he saw nothing but dust and coughed. Cruz walked towards the gaping hole in the wall Renji had created. "Well?" Renji got up quickly.

"You bitch! Stop treating me like a joke!" he snarled at her, obviously very angry. Cruz's smirk faded away. She stared down at him.

"You're nothing but a joke, Shinigami." she said in a calm voice, with a dangerous undertone. A warning, perhaps, but it was too late for Renji to reconsider this battle. He attacked her again, extending Zabimaru. She dodged, clearing the way for him and he got out the building.

"Don't fuck with me! I'll show you how wrong you are! Bankai!" Cruz didn't even bother backing away. The reiatsu didn't impress her in the least. She watched as the blade grew, now a snake-like skeleton with red manes covering its head. Renji had a pink cowl around his neck.

"A snake? You think you'll beat me with a little snake?" Cruz mocked. Renji glared at the abrasive woman, and got into offensive stance.

"Take this!" With a smooth hand movement, the snake shot towards Cruz, its mouth wide open. Cruz frowned, dodging this attack easily, but the second was faster than she'd expected. She managed to block the teeth with her sword, but was slightly caught off guard by the force, though not entirely impressed.

Rukia had been watching all this time, but also very aware of the two former Espada who were watching them from above. She knew she was no match for them and had no intention in attacking them in her current state. Mai had landed a few blows which she called 'lighthearted blows', but they sure did hurt, especially the one on her lower back.

Suddenly, the ice cracked.

"Well, I'm done watching." Mai broke the ice with ease, and got out of her prison. Rukia gasped, turning around to the ice and facing Mai who was smirking. The Shinigami was completely flabbergasted, just gazing at the Espada in shock.

"You're-"

"-Still alive? Duh. Did you really think a little ice would hold me back? That's insulting." Mai declared, offended. She wiped some ice off her blade and looked at the two former Espada who'd been watching from a distance. "Do I have permission to kill?" Ulquiorra nodded, answering her question while Grimmjow just watched.

"Rukia, run!" she heard Renji yell and Rukia scowled.

"I won't die that easily you idiot! What-"

Blood hit the ground. Seeing your friend, a blade piercing through her skin and flesh, was certainly not a pleasant experience. The end of Mai's blade was sticking out Rukia's back.

"Eh? You're still breathing?" Mai noted surprised. "Can't have that now can we?" she turned the blade horizontally, making Rukia scream in pure agony since it was still in her torso. Then, Mai cut through her left side and the Shinigami fell down on the ground like a lifeless doll.

"RUKIA!" Renji yelled, but he was too late. Even so, he lost his concentration which would prove to be a near fatal mistake.

"Psh. Pathetic." Cruz sighed. Renji turned to back to Cruz, an expression of rage and distraught on his face and shot towards her. Another mistake. Renji stopped abruptly when Cruz was suddenly behind him. "Just die already. You're not worth my time." His right arm and part of his shoulder was brutally cut off. He had a second, deep wound from his left shoulder to his right hip. Incapacitated, he fell down on the ground like his friend. Cruz and Mai sheathed their blades. Renji looked up at Cruz with the little strength he had left.

"You… bitch…." he choked out.

"I think I'll tell you my number anyway." Cruz casually decided. "I'm Sexta. She's Séptima." Renji gaped at her with wide eyes.

'We never stood a chance,' he thought as Cruz grinned at him.

"It's nothing personal, really. Most people would just finish the job, but I don't see a point in even bothering to kill weaklings like you. You'll die eventually anyway, right? Well, nice meetin' ya." Mai walked over to Cruz and glanced at Renji, who rested his forehead on the bloodstained ground.

"So sad." Mai sighed and looked at Cruz whose grin had immediately disappeared again. She only saw her like that in battle, the rest of the time she was a pretty serious person.

"Whatever. They knew it was a lost battle in the first place. Maybe they wanted to buy some time." Cruz responded and looked up at Grimmjow who was closest to her. "Did the Captain show up yet?"

"No." he answered dully. Or rather, lied. He knew Cruz would probably volunteer to interrogate him immediately, and accidentally kill him one way or the other.

"Hmph."

"What's wrong? You're getting slow, Arrancar!"

"Ch."

Roxette inhaled, narrowing her eyes. She'd observed his moves for a while now, but to do that she had to get close to him which did cost her a little skin. She had some injuries, mostly on her arms, but it was nothing serious. She could still handle Ikkaku, even in Bankai. Though Skullak watching her was getting really annoying. She'd boldly refused his help, but he'd refused to go anyway.

"Here I come!" Ikkaku charged at her with his over-sized weapon. She blocked most of the attacks, dodging a few others and setting in a counter-attack right after that. She was faster and more balanced than Ikkaku, who was slowly getting overwhelmed by her disciplined, rapid lunges. Eventually, he spun the entire weapon around using the center piece that usually floated above him as a handle. Roxette was forced to take distance.

But she wasn't about to back away that easily. The second he stopped spinning she used her speed as an advantage and Sonido'd right in front of him, slicing him down from the shoulder until he Shunpo'd away, right on time or she would have wounded him fatally. To her surprise, he charged at her immediately. It was strange, as if he was getting stronger, not weaker. She had to adjust to his newfound strength to block and dodge his attacks. Where was he getting this from?

Suddenly, like a gift from above, she saw that he left his right side wide open, and took that opportunity with both hands. With a quick step to the left, she cut him in his side and would have cut his shoulder too had he not blocked it.

"What happened to your big mouth, Shinigami?" Roxette asked with a little smirk.

"Still here, don't you worry-"

"-Roxette." Skullak interrupted their conversation. "It's taking too long. We have to go." he ordered.

"Are you kidding me? I was just having fun!" Roxette protested as she was pushing against Ikkaku's blade.

"He's here." Skullak said, glancing at a group of people on another building nearby, watching from a distance. Roxette recognized Chié and Yukiko, together with a woman who was probably the bait.

"…I see." She looked back at Ikkaku. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to finish this battle some other time." She Sonido'd away, leaving Ikkaku stunned for a second.

"What the fuck? You can't do that! We're in the middle of a battle!" he shouted angrily at her.

"Duty calls. We'll finish this battle later. That is, if you're still alive until the next time we meet." she remarked, and Ikkaku smirked.

"Do I have your word?"

"Yes."

"Good. You better stick to it." They disappeared and he was left alone, until Yumichika finally joined him again. His friend looked at him.

"So, what happened?" he asked.

"A draw."

"The fuck? I thought we told you to return to Location N." Grimmjow said frustrated when he saw Amaya and the others appear.

"But it's so boring there!" Amaya complained. Kanna stared down at the bodies of the two Shinigami, while Aurelio lazily lied down on the roof of a building. Luna was next to Rukia, and poked her with her foot.

"She's still alive." Kanna then noted surprised when she saw the barely noticeable breathing movements of the short girl.

"Kill her off." Aurelio uttered as he stared up at the sky.

"We're not all psychopaths like you." Luna snapped irritated. When she looked at all the dead human corpses, she felt like getting sick. It was disgusting and there had been no need to go this far. Kanna decided mostly to ignore the gory environment while Amaya occupied herself with conversation so she wouldn't have to think about it.

"You are poking her with your foot-"

"-That's entirely different! I'm just making sure she'll stay down. There's no need for any more casualties."

"Psh, you women with your stupid empathy for freaking everything… it's sickening." Aurelio muttered.

"Well, excuse us for not being brainless animals like you men. Sexism is great, huh?" Amaya replied. Kanna chuckled amused while Aurelio glared daggers at their direction. Then, Roxette, Yukiko, Skullak and Chié arrived with their temporary prisoner who was unconscious.

"Finally! Took you long enough." Cruz said annoyed, and looked at the captured lieutenant. Aurelio peeked.

"Wow, those are some huge t-" Kanna punched his arm "-OW!" Amaya and Mai laughed entertained at the face Aurelio made when he was hit. Meanwhile, Luna squatted down next to Renji, studying him closely. He was more alive than his friend, but either couldn't move or was smart enough not to move.

It didn't matter. She sensed the Captain's reiatsu nearby. It wouldn't be much longer until they had completed their mission.

He had no idea what to do. He didn't know what he could do. Sure, he'd been training a lot to get his powers back but right now, they weren't nearly good enough to fight Hollow, let alone Arrancar. So why was he still running? He would get killed, that was for sure. But he had to know…. Ever since he felt Renji and Rukia's reiatsu disappear, and sense two unfamiliar but very dark reiatsu, he couldn't help but think…. Had something bad happened to them? Were they… dead?

'Of course not! Dammit, stop being such a pessimist!'

"Kurosaki! Wait up!" he'd met up with his friends right after the first encounter with the Neo Espada, though they had trouble keeping track of him because he was running so fast.

He jumped over all sorts of obstacles, not even noticing the corpses and wounded people on the ground until he heard Inoue Orihime yelp. He stopped in his tracks and turned around to see what made her scream.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Ishida and Chad seemed shocked too. They were all staring down at the ground. Suddenly, someone grabbed his ankle. Ichigo looked down, and saw a woman with blood covering her face look up at him.

"H…help…." she choked. Ichigo was nailed to the ground. Blood and bodies everywhere. What had happened here?

"Inoue-san, you can't possibly heal them all, they're-"

"-But I have to try!" Orihime interrupted Ishida desperately as she tried to expand her healing shield as far as she could. Even though it was at its maximum, it would take hours to heal all the people on the streets. But Ichigo knew they weren't going to change her mind.

"Ishida, it's okay… stay here. Chad, come with me." He tried his best not to look down and felt nausea creeping up on him as he walked over the bodies and injured, some moaning or pleading for help when he accidentally hit them. It was revolting. What kind of monsters would do this? When he turned around the corner, he saw. The first thing that struck him was bewilderment. The only thing he saw were his two friends, lying in a little pool of blood, not moving. He didn't even notice the Arrancar who was right next to them.

"RUKIA! RENJI!" He would have ran towards them were it not for Chad stopping him.

"Ichigo, look there!" Chad pointed out. When he finally looked up, he froze like a statue.

'Impossible….'

"So we meet again, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ulquiorra spoke calmly. Grimmjow merely glanced at the boy.

"Weak." he huffed displeased, and looked away. Ichigo now noticed they'd captured Rangiku, who seemed unconscious. He'd barely sensed her reiatsu.

"You're… you're supposed to be… dead…." Ichigo whispered, but Ulquiorra heard him.

"We're not, as you can see. I don't know if I can say the same for your friends." the former Cuatro spoke. Luna distanced herself from the two gravely wounded Shinigami, and Ichigo ran towards them, escaping Chad's grasp. He fell down on his knees next to Rukia, who was the closest, and gently turned her on her back. She was still breathing, but barely.

"Shit…." he breathed, looking at her wounds.

"Ichi…go…." Ichigo looked at Renji, who was still conscious.

"Renji!" the man gasped.

"Don't… do… anything stupid…." the redheaded Shinigami told him, before he too passed out. Ichigo looked up at Luna who was just a few feet away, watching.

"What the fuck did you do?" he hissed.

"I didn't do anything! It was actually Cruz and Mai-"

"-WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE? You two are supposed to be dead! I even saw YOU dissolve into fucking dust! How could you-"

"-Don't do anything stupid, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo looked to his right when hearing a new but familiar voice and saw the Captain of Squad 10, Hitsugaya Toshiro.

"T…Toshiro…."

"Take your friends and leave." the short, white haired Shinigami ordered him. Ichigo scowled.

"What about you? You're not thinking of fighting them, are you?" Toshiro sighed.

"Of course not. He's here to surrender." Ulquiorra said slowly.

"What?"

"Damn. I thought there were only two…." Toshiro muttered, realizing he had no other choice now he'd fallen for their trap.

"Yeah, we're pros in hiding reiatsu." Amaya bragged playfully.

"Hey Grimmjow, I thought you had some unfinished business with Kurosaki?" Kanna asked him.

"He's not worth my time anymore." Grimmjow answered indifferently. She frowned slightly at this but decided to let it go. Yukiko looked from Grimmjow to Ichigo, her eyes lingering just a second longer on Ichigo before she looked at the white haired Captain. He looked cuter than he looked dangerous.

"This midget is a Captain?" she commented loudly and Amaya burst into giggles again. Toshiro glared at her, but did not respond.

"Kurosaki. Go, now." Toshiro ordered instead, while Chad had already picked up Renji and Rangiku, whom Chié had released when Toshiro had appeared.

"But… I… fuck!" he felt so damn powerless. It was eating him up inside. He couldn't do anything but watch and let it all happen. He was useless…. But he had no other choice if he wanted to save Rukia and Renji's lives. He gently picked her up, looking one last time at Toshiro, before he and Chad turned around and left quickly. Luna stared at him until he disappeared around the corner, still trying to comprehend how this man had defeated Aizen. He had a decent amount of reiatsu, but not nearly enough to even fight a regular Hollow. How peculiar….

"Wise decision. Kanna, Yukiko, I put you in charge in watching over him." Ulquiorra ordered coldly.

"I don't want to be a babysitter!" Kanna protested with a frown.

"Why not? That's really all you could ever be good for in my opinion- OW!" Aurelio's arm was beginning to feel sore now. Kanna decided not to protest too much and Sonido'd down to the Captain, grabbing him by the arm. Yukiko followed her example. Ulquiorra opened a Garganta, and one by one, they disappeared into the black portal, leaving Karakura Town behind them.

"Ichigo, what-"

"-I need to get my powers back. Now." Ginjō Kugō stared at him, surprised by this sudden intrusion and the demanding- no, urgent tone in Ichigo's voice.

"We're working on it, aren't we?" the Fullbringer answered.

"That's not fast enough! Haven't you noticed the attacks? They went on a killing spree and I couldn't do anything!" Ichigo practically yelled at him. He didn't have time to do it the normal way. Who knew when they would attack again, and this time with the intent of killing everyone?

"…I understand. If you really want to do it the fast way, I guess I can't stop you. We'll have to push you to the limit. Riruka!" the man ordered the woman who'd been sitting on the couch, arguing with another member of Xcution.

"What?" she responded, irritated.

"It's time."

"Already? But… he's not ready for that! He'll die for sure!" Ginjō looked at Ichigo.

"You have to understand that we won't be able to help you while you're back in the doll house. It could take several days, weeks, maybe even a month. But you won't get out until you gain enough strength to get your powers back. And the process of getting them back will be… painful to say the least. Are you ready for that?" There was a brief silence, where Ichigo looked Ginjō right in the eyes, and with confidence and a fire in his eyes said:

"Yes. I'm ready."

"Good. For now, take some rest and clear your mind. We'll have to give you a basic strategy if we want this to succeed."

Sorry if I didn't spend much time on your OC this chapter, but as I said before, I have to prioritize. Some OCs will get more attention than others, mainly because they influence the story/main plot.

To give you a clear idea, right now we're in the Rescue Aizen arc. After that… eh… we'll cross that bridge when we get there :P

Next chapter: It will be a short, comical chapter, but it will start out seriously. Hitsugaya gets a painful interrogation, Fracción messing around, general stupidity and sexism, you get the point.

ALSOOOO: BetrayalIsBeautiful decided to draw all the Neo Espada and post it on deviantart. Right now she has the drawings of her badass but cute OC Amaya and my pretty OC Luna (though she misses her bangs up front...xD)

Click on her profile to get the link to her deviantart profile and check it out :D

Reviews! NAO! They make me write faster :D