Tyoka looked up to the teal haired man carrying her. The look on his face betrayed nothing about him. She realised to herself that Ichigo must have had a very profound effect on Grimmjow, because before he was a very arrogant and proud Espada. Now he was much more reserved and kept himself to himself really. Tyoka could not understand, how could the man who came in and basically destroy the whole hollow elite, and yet command the respect of one of them? Grimmjow never seemed to show any resentment towards Ichigo nor any hatred. Saving Grimmjow's life had definitely been for the better on Ichigo's part.

Tyoka knew Nel followed him for an other reason also. Nel told her that when Ichigo had first came to Hueco Mundo his group and her group met. Although she was in child form, she still remembered it well. When they were all split up she ended up being with him in his travels through Hueco Mundo. Nel even told Tyoka that Ichigo went to extreme lengths to make sure she was ok even protecting her from other Arrancar. Tyoka was awestruck Ichigo came to the domain of hollows fought their elite but still tried to protect one that was essentially one of their own?

"What y'thinkin about?" Grimmjow's voice cut across her thoughts

"Hmm?" Tyoka asked still in a daze

"What are you thinking about?" Grimmjow re-iterated

"Oh, nothing" Tyoka answered back still not quite in reality

"You can't lie to me you make that face whenever you are thinking about something very important" Grimmjow explained taking in Tyoka's face. It looked like one in deep concentration but the smile on her face was all too easy to see

"It's about Ichigo isn't it?" Grimmjow asked her looking ahead again

"What! No!" Tyoka tried to deny vehemently turning a shade of pink and feeling her cheeks burn a bit.

"Tyoka, try not to take me for a fool, I may love to fight but I can see the way you look at him. I can be observant if I want, but I have a tip for you. Don't pursue it, you're only going to get hurt." Grimmjow talked as if he had no feelings at all, which really he shouldn't.

"What do you mean?" Tyoka asked trying to feign ignorance

"Ichigo loves that girl, now he may have been angry that she hurt you, but he still loves her" Grimmjow stated to her as if he knew he'd have to do this sometime. Tyoka went silent again and just buried her head into Grimmjow's chest. Grimmjow could then feel the warm liquid on his chest and knew that she must be crying. Well you might as well know now before you get hurt even more.

Nel ran through the void that was the garganta keeping a steady flow of spirit particles in front of her. She could see the residual spirit particles left by Ichigo. They were haphazard at best. Then she noticed that she was catching up on him. He must be calming down if he is slowing down Nel thought to herself. She kept up her pace knowing that even if Ichigo had slowed down, he was still fast. The opening at the end of the tunnel widened as Ichigo flew through it and back onto the desert plains of Hueco Mundo. Nel quickly followed. Nel landed on one of the dunes in the desert and noticed Ichigo simply standing still looking up to the moon in the sky. She could see the streak marks that went across his cheeks and knew he must have at one point started to cry. Ichigo turned to Nel and did not even try to smile, he just looked at her. A man without a purpose any longer. That hurt Nel. Nothing usually broke Ichigo's resolve any longer. If he was ever beaten he swore to win. If he was ever down he made sure he got happier. If there was anyone close to him in peril he would do his utmost to protect them. Now though he looked like he no longer had a resolve.

Nel walked over to him careful not to disturb him if he was ever to still be in his enraged state. Walking slowly across the sand she felt only pain coming from Ichigo. Even his spiritual pressure seemed to be feeling the same pain that he was going through. She could see those blazing ice-blue eyes, they were dull now nothing to brighten them up again. Upon her approach Ichigo did not move an inch. Too busy hurting from the pain of rejection and loss. Nel reached him and brought him into a gentle embrace. She lightly wrapped her arms around his back and rested her head against his chest. She did not need him to hug her back, she only wanted to show him that whatever pain he was going through she was at least there to help him through it.

Ichigo took a few moments to register what was happening. He could not even begin to fathom the strikes that rocked throughout his heart. Seeing Tatsuki had been the single most anticipated thing for him for all of that year. It was like Christmas had come early when he was finally able to go and see her again. Then seeing her with that other man just destroyed him, he knew that he should be happy that Tatsuki was able to find someone else. He felt Nel's embrace and was happy for it, she was showing him that she cared and that she was there for him. He gingerly placed his arms around her smaller framed and hugged her back. To at least show her that he was appreciating her trying to make him feel better. He looked down to her and smiled a small bit. She looked up to him and done the same thing. Ichigo pulled himself away from Nel, but Nel held onto him. He looked down to her and saw the worried look on her face.

"Nel? What's wrong?" Ichigo asked wondering why she was worried

"You, you're sad now, Nel don't like it when Itsygo is sad" Nel answered him a tear coming to her eye again

"Itsygo always made sure that Nel was happy, and Nel was always happy. When Nel was with Itsygo, Nel was happy, now you're sad and Nel feels sad too" Nel started to cry into his chest

"Nel don't worry about me. I'm a fighter, I'll get through this" Ichigo softly told her stroking the back of her head

"But. You're sad Itsygo, how will you get through this?" Nel asked tears still streaming out of her eyes

"It will just have to be done, if the other hollows catch on that I am sad or in anyway disabled of my full authority, they might try to destroy me. I may have become far widely respected by the hollows but there are still some I know would just love to fight me and take that name for themselves. As such I must stay strong and fight through this" Ichigo talked as if he had lived a far longer life than he really had. Nel could only listen in awe between sobs. Ichigo continued to stroke the back of her head. Nel could not help but feel stupid. She had come here with the sole purpose of comforting Ichigo and now here they were, him comforting her in stead. She finally looked up to the face of her leader and battle brother, his face had a smile back on it, even if it was feigned one for her. He then brought his face down closer to her own. Kissing her gently on the forehead.

"Don't worry Nel it will all be fine" Ichigo finished taking on his more fatherly approach towards Nel. She could only smile as she hugged back into his chest. He was always acting like the father she never had.

As they neared the walls of Hueco Mundo again a hollow came out to meet them and brought grave news with him.

"Ichigo-sama, I am sorry to inform you that a large group of hollows under the control of a rogue Adujchas have attacked the human world" the hollow informed them kneeling down onto one knee

"When did this happen?" Ichigo asked instantly concerned

"It happened only a few moments ago, I just witnessed a large mass of hollows and a slightly larger one leaping into a garganta sir" the hollow answered him dutifully

"Very well" Ichigo answered stroking his chin

"I'll take care of it Itsygo" Nel said serenely

"No, it's ok Nel. I'll go, I need to vent out this anger anyway" Ichigo replied smiling at her

"Where about in the real world did they go?" Ichigo questioned still kneeling hollow

"The Karakura town I think, sir" the hollow replied never once shifting position

"I see, well I guess I gotta hide my power, I really can't be bothered having to see any of them quite so soon after leaving in that fashion" Ichigo laughed to himself

"Itsygo, I'll go you don't have to go back already, what if they see you again? Will you be able to hold yourself back?" Nel asked getting worried

"Nel like I said before don't worry, I'll be fine" Ichigo finished as he turned away from them both

"You never do quit do you?" Nel asked feeling a small laugh catching the back of her throat

"Nope, I don't care really to be honest, if she has found someone it means they must be better than I, as such I'll leave her to it" Ichigo smiled now, realising that if Tatsuki was at least happy he could be also. He felt an enormous weight in his body lift at his latest epiphany, exactly if Tatsuki was happy with that guy then so was he.

Ichigo swiped at the air with his zanpaktou and a garganta instantly opened for him. Even if you have found someone better Tatsuki, I will protect you until the day I die. If you are able to live in peace and lead a normal healthy life I am happy not to be a block in the way. with his thoughts on to more positive things he jumped into the garganta. Running through this thing did take up a fair amount of stamina. He never had tried to run through a garganta twice in the one day, and not too long after each other. It was a good thing he had quite a large store of stamina otherwise this would be much harder. Ichigo smiled to himself, why would he need Tatsuki? He was the lord over an entire race, an entire world. His army was growing in size every day. Tatsuki would probably only ever feel out of place in Hueco Mundo. Not to forget that also some of the hollows might not even accept her or them being together. Ichigo had to sigh at that. He could not deny that his feelings for Tatsuki had developed, and over that amount of time he did not know if he could ever really terminate those feelings. Why was he even thinking like this anyway? All he was doing was going to the human world destroying all of the hollows there and returning home. No straggling about.

Tatsuki had never been annoyed at Kyomu before, he had never done anything wrong for her to be angry at. He was so nice to her, he would not raise his voice to her and cared about her very deeply. So what was there to be annoyed at him over? Ichigo. Tatsuki remembered very well how she felt when he had shown up again, if love drunk was even a word she would have described herself as that. She had been ecstatic to see him again, and for that matter alive. Yet she knew she had hurt him deeply. She felt it, quite literally. As soon as she ran into Kyomu's arms she did not expect him to kiss her. With that simple action she knew things with Ichigo were instantly strained. She could also feel the shivers from the threat she had received from that woman before too.

As they walked towards Tatsuki's house Kyomu had been very fussy over Tatsuki, and she was really starting to get annoyed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kyomu asked for the tenth time

"Yes, I'm very sure I'm fine" Tatsuki answered through clenched teeth

"I only want to make sure Tatsuki-san" Kyomu replied hurt. Tatsuki hated doing this to him, she hated the fact he seemed so pathetic also. She felt that she was being unfair to him as well. He loved her dearly that much was clear and she had loved him in the past. Yet seeing Ichigo again meant there was still that chance. Even if she did not get to be with him forever his friendship was enough.

"Kyomu" Tatsuki readied herself for the pain she was going to have to watch

"Yes Tats?" Kyomu asked curiously

"I don't think this is working" Tatsuki could not look at him while saying this

"What isn't working?" Kyomu asked hoping beyond hope that it was not what he thought it was

"Us, I don't think we should see each other anymore" Tatsuki told him at least looking at him to show him she was serious. He looked like he had just been shown a ghost of a passed on family member. His body froze and his face looked pained

"I don't understand what have I done wrong?" Kyomu asked his voice creaking in pain

"It's not you, it's me" Tatsuki answered, it was not exactly far from the truth

"So what do we just forget about seven months just like that?" Kyomu sounded even more hurt

"I'm sorry Kyomu, thank you for the last few months. Goodbye" Tatsuki started to walk away from the man who had taken it upon himself to quietly sob.

Ichigo dispelled his spiritual pressure the second he felt the crisp cold air of Karakura towns night air. Believing he had suppressed it just in time he sped off in order to find the rogue Adujchas and his legion of hollows. Flying through the air he could feel the spiritual pressures of all his former friends. Ishida's was in the same location as Inoue's, that was unexpected, go on Quincy, Ichigo congratulated Ishida silently to himself. Sado was with Tatsuki just now and they appeared to have calmed down since his earlier in trepidation. Ichigo felt the heavy spiritual pressure that was obviously the large amount of hollows entering the area. Wow, he was even quicker than most going through garganta.

He sped off to the source of the large manifestation of the hollows, he wanted to get this over and done with before any of his friends had to realise that he was even there. These were his subjects and they would be disciplined by him.

Ichigo found the source of the hollows spiritual pressure and was quite surprised by the amount of hollows here. They were a few hundred strong, but they were not even to the Menos stage of evolution so this would be easy for Ichigo.

"Why pre-tell are you hollows here in the human world?" Ichigo questioned the Adujchas before him

"To eat their souls of course…" the Adujchas turned around to reveal itself. It had a large serpentine body up to it's chest where it had four sets of arms coming from the torso. The mask looked more like a snakes head also "…My king" the creature hissed at him eventually.

Ichigo ducked to dodge a swipe of four arms to his left. Leaping to his own right he tried to put distance between the Adujchas and himself. Landing a backwards somersault kneeling down and sliding across the sky he picked himself back up looking at the hollow with a smile on his face

"Why are you so happy? King?" the creature asked him annoyed

"Well you are giving me something to vent out on, and I have got a ton of things bothering me right now. Good luck" Ichigo finished his speech to the hollow and charged at him zanpaktou kept low. As he reached the hollow he brought his zanpaktou upwards to try and slice at the hollow's mask. The hollow attempted to deflect his blow with it's arms but was shocked when the blade went through all four of them.

"AHHHH, Bastard" the hollow gritted out in pain, it turned its back on Ichigo each hand on its right side cradling a corresponding stump on its left. Ichigo stood there not believing his opponent to be quite done that easily. He wasn't wrong either. The Adujchas spun around and Ichigo could see four individual balls of spiritual pressure building up in it's hands all different colours. Ichigo knew he was powerful. Yet this amount of powere would require him to release some of his spiritual pressure. As the cero's shot in his direction, Ichigo quickly clawed across his face and brought out his hollow mask. As quickly as he could he leaned forwards and generated a cero between the horns on his hollow mask. Feeling the power grow he released it just before the opposing cero's hit him.

The resulting explosion was something fantastic. Tatsuki could feel the heavy and dark spiritual pressure and knew it was Ichigo. Sado knew it also. As they both looked to the direction it was coming from they could see the four different colours illuminating the night sky and they were charging at a figure standing helpless against it. Both Sado and Tatsuki knew that Ichigo was not the one to release those attacks because they could eventually see and feel him charging up his own and firing it back at the coloured ones. Tatsuki was off in a flash towards the place where Ichigo was with Sado in hot pursuit of her.

As the smoke settled Ichigo looked to his opponent. To his horror its severed limbs had re-grown and it had all eight of it's arms back again. The hollow looked down to Ichigo, he could tell the hollow would have a large grin under that mask. Ichigo brought his zanpaktou across his chest and prepared for an other attack.

Zangetsu lay ever silent by his side. Ever since the day he had fled into Hueco Mundo, Zangetsu had yet to even talk to Ichigo again. Ichigo had tried on many occasions to talk to Zangetsu in his inner world to try and work out why the old man would simply not talk to him. Every time he tried to get an answer all he could receive was an answer in the wind. The time is not right yet. Ichigo could not understand why Zangetsu would not communicate with him, he knew also without harmonious communication things would become tough for them both.

Ichigo decided he needed to get rid of this enemy quickly or else with his release in spiritual pressure everyone was sure to know that he was here. His hollow opponent started to charge up the power of his Omni-coloured cero's and laughed manically.

"You cannot hope to beat me Ichigo-sama!" the hollow roared out in glee

"I do have one move that you do not have the power to attain yet" Ichigo answered simply almost calculatedly, Ichigo made sure that the hollow was watching him, he wanted it to feel fear. Ichigo lifted Zangetsu and placed its bladed edge against his left hand's palm. In a deft movement he had sliced open his palm and blood started to ooze out. He faced his bleeding palm towards the hollow revelling in it's horror. As the blood dripped down from his hand he watched as the cero's charging in his opponents hands got larger.

"It does not matter how powerful your cero's are, against my Grand Ray, you have no chance" Ichigo stated matter of factly. He started to charge the spirit particles in the air around his hand and seen the red lightning collecting in his hand. Holding on to it for over a moment he released it's full fury towards the hollow. Too late did it fire it's own cero's for what it did not notice was Ichigo also bringing Zangetsu in front of him in an arc and shouting a damning command

"Getsuga! Tenshou!" with that the noise of yet an other cero sounded and the black wave shot out towards the hollow in the shape of a crescent moon.

The hollow was barely able to even stand again. All of its limbs had been amputated and all he had left was his serpentine body. Ichigo looked at him and felt his unique power. An idea cropped up in his mind. "You, what is your unique ability?" Ichigo asked the hollow interested

"To make those multiple different coloured cero's, king" the hollow answered realising it had been defeated. Ichigo was correct in his assessment

"Your powers would indeed prove beneficial" Ichigo pointed out with a grin. The hollow looked up in hope of retribution and the chance to live on

"However you have disobeyed my instructions, so it will be beneficial to me" Ichigo finished with an evil grin taking over his face. Ichigo began to absorb the hollow for all its spiritual pressure, he was quite surprised to find out how much it had but after a few second he had every last drop he wanted and could feel a power bubbling up inside of himself. As the hollow finally left from existence and became one with Ichigo's power he looked forwards to the whole horde of hollows that had gathered around him.

"I'll get this over and done with quickly" Ichigo spoke to himself. He charged a large amount of spiritual pressure onto the edge of his zanpaktou and held it high above his head

"Getsuga-" before he could even finish hundreds of spirit arrows had cleaved through the sky through the countless hollows that had taken up a large portion of the sky. Ichigo looked down to see the familiar smirking face of the Quincy, not all of the hollows were done yet. As the large number of them realised their numbers had been diminished by that man they all charged at him. Ishida did not even move only stood still and kept on firing. The hollows were barely even a few feet from him and Ichigo contemplated even helping him.

"Santen Keshuun" came a well remembered voice. A large orange tri-shield formed around Ishida and repelled all hollows who came close to him. Orihime stood in her pose a few feet away defending Ishida but not herself. Ichigo could see the hollows diverting their attention to the more juicy and easy to reach human. Speeding towards her they thought they were in for an easy meal

"I don't think so!" came an other familiar voice, and Ichigo watched as the poor unsuspecting hollow was kicked right across it's face, with so much force it's hollow mask began to crack. As Ichigo looked in her direction he saw Tatsuki again.

Ichigo just wanted this to be over and done with and not be forced to look at her again for a while. One of the final two groups of hollows left charged at her flank and Ichigo felt compelled to charge in and stop the attack from hitting home. He did not need to even bother Orihime had created a barrier to Tatsuki's back. Sado had also came charging in and with a well aimed "El Directo!" he had destroyed all of the group. it looked like they worked extremely well in a team, they no longer equired ichigo it appeared.

Ichigo spied the final group and by far the largest one. Let's see how this works for me. Ichigo thought to himself. Sheathing his zanpaktou again he prepared himself for what he was about to do. He dug his feet into the spiritual pressure he made under his feet, making sure that he was secure. He placed his still bleeding left hand in front of him and started to pool spiritual pressure to that area. The swirling mass of spiritual pressure again looked like lightning in his hand but it was not red any longer. It had taken on multiple colours and grew in his hand.

"Now! Leave this place forever banished from existence!" Ichigo yelled at the top of his voice over the large crackling of the grand ray cero.

No-one on the ground could believe what they were seeing. That looked far too powerful for what he was fighting. It was as if he had lost his mind and just wanted to fight. Orihime took most fright when she saw what Ichigo was charging in his hand.

"Inoue-san? What's wrong?" Ishida asked concerned by the worried look on Orihime's face

"That that move, but how?" Orihime started to weep quietly

"Inoue-san!" "Orihime!" Ishida and Tatsuki shouted in unison as Orihime fell to the ground

"He saved me from that power once before" Orihime silently mentioned

"When he fought with Grimmjow, Grimmjow wanted to see his true power and shot that at me. That's when Ichigo became serious and put on his mask" Orihime recounted the details as if they were yesterday, not four years ago. Looking up again she understood now what he had been up to since they had last seen each other.

"I think it's ok though, he's pointing it towards those hollows" Orihime indicated pointing towards the large group of hollows now charging towards Ichigo. As the whole group looked up Tatsuki felt a sense of dread filling up. After this was done she would have to talk to Ichigo again after what he had just seen and how he had taken it.

Ichigo released his Omni-coloured Grand ray cero and watched as it obliterated every hollow in it's path. This is the power of the king of Hueco Mundo. Ichigo dispelled his mask from his face and looked down to those who had helped him. He finally found Tatsuki's face, with her being this close he was sure she could see him. He smiled at her trying to make it out that things were fine and hoping that earlier on could be forgotten. He turned away from them and with his hand slashed at the air creating a garganta. His job was done. He quickly realised his hand was still bleeding and regenerated the cut at is will. Taking one last look back he smiled to himself. Until we meet again, Tatsuki. He stepped into the garganta and left them.

Tatsuki was not letting him leave her, not again. She blasted off from the ground amidst the three different shouts of her name. speeding towards Ichigo she tried to desperately activate her ability that Yoruichi had taught her. Activating Shunkou she sped after him with even more vigour determined to get through that closing rip before he was able to evade her again. She already felt the tears stinging her eyes. Since when did she cry this much? She may very well have become more feminine but this was taking it further than even she knew. The garganta was starting to speed up it's closing and it was as if time stood still for Tatsuki, if she did not make it she would have to wait for him to come back. She did not have the patience for the latter so sped on forwards. Reaching the garganta she plummeted on through and into the void screaming "ICHIGO!"

Ichigo had taken a walking pace and was not too far ahead hearing his name called out in this place seemed impossible. Yet h knew he heard it. He turned around and to his extreme surprise there was Tatsuki falling further into the void.

"TATSUKI!" Ichigo yelled out in fear. Diving down to catch her, he felt fear for the first time in god knows how long. Seeing her body falling to the oblivion that was this realm sent fear running through his body. Reaching out he desperately tried to grab her hand while she reached out with her own. With a burst of speed he had her in his grasp. Pulling himself onto her body, he grabbed her under the knees and shoulders and stopped the fall by applying spiritual particles to his feet. There he stood for a few seconds unable to believe what had just happened, she had followed him without even knowing the consequences.

"What were you thinking?" Ichigo yelled at her

"Chasing you!" Tatsuki answered him still shaking

"Why?" Ichigo yelled again his fear evident in his tone

"I love you, why else?" Tatsuki answered him trying to regain her calm

"What would I have done if I lost you here?" Ichigo asked her losing his tone of anger replaced by fear

"I..I don't know, but I couldn't let you just leave me again" Tatsuki replied tears rolling down her cheeks

"I only left to allow you to get on with your life with that other man" Ichigo replied trying to play down his hurt

"Ichigo, I love you and only you, please never leave me again" Tatsuki asked Ichigo as she reached up behind his head and pulled it towards her own, receiving the kiss that she had desired for the last four years. The one kiss she thought she would never get. He responded in kind, it was almost as if he wanted this kiss as much as she did. Here they were her in his arms and him keeping them in place over the raging spiritual pressure that surrounded them. What an unlikely place for a first kiss.

There we go an other chapter is up now you guys hope you enjoy this one, I finally brought Ichigo and Tatsuki together I felt I had left them apart from each other long enough. As for Zangetsu and Ichigo's family all in good time they will be re-united. So I hope you guys who have enjoyed the previous chapters enjoy this one.

Zecross- sorry that the last chapter was not up to your tastes, I do however hope that this one is more to your liking =]

As always if you guys could R&R and drop me any lines on improvements or faults on my part that would be greatly appreciated, thank you - Varrukh