Spirit Ribbons of the Forsaken

By: Chris Harrington

Chapter ten: The Devil vs. Madness

Satoshi attacked Kirio rapidly barely allowing her to retaliate, only allowing her to block near fatal blows. Over and over, block after block, mere scratches were all that the crazed Satoshi could land as his laughter echoed throughout the battlefield. Finally Kirio managed to launch an attack only for Satoshi to grab the staff of the scythe and move it to the side so that he could slash her across her chest and shoulder. Kirio fell to the ground and coughed up some blood as she kneeled over her weapon. Satoshi walked up to Kirio as she looked up at his face noticing that the mask was slowly growing over his face. The only other thing that Kirio noticed was the madness in his red glowing eyes.

"Demolish…Aku Arashi!" he said as his zanpakuto changed to its Shikai state, "I really wish that you were more of a challenge, but if this is how weak you are then Satoshi shouldn't waste his time on you!" the hollow said preparing to strike, when he released his sword to cut her down he was blocked by a black blade, "So the Soul Reaper that Satoshi has such great respect for."

"Well it's good to know that even enemies show respect to each other." Ichigo said as he launched a Getsuga Tensho that pushed Satoshi back with little injury, "Are you alright ma'am?" Ichigo asked as she got up and healed herself with Kido.

"I'm fine Captain, do you think you can deal with him?" she asked as she faced Tenma, who was just getting up from her spot on the ground.

"No problem." Ichigo said as he flash stepped over to Satoshi only for him to block the attack, "Do you want to know what I hate about Satoshi?" Ichigo asked as his blocked zanpakuto kept pushing the hollowfied Satoshi back and back with no sign of stopping.

"What do you hate about my lord Captain?" The hollow asked amongst the slight laughter.

"He thinks that he can do whatever he wants and he will get away with it! GETSUGA TENSHO!" Ichigo yelled as the black beam launched from the blade of darkness and annihilated all in its path until it faded revealing a very badly burned Satoshi laughing as he held his zanpakuto sideways to avoid death. All of a sudden the laughter stopped and the hollow opened his eyes with a serious look on his face, the mask slowly creeping up his face nearing completion.

"Is that what you think Satoshi is doing," the hollow started as his wounds healed as the electricity closed each one up, "Satoshi isn't doing this for senseless destruction Soul Reaper, he's doing this for revenge." Ichigo looked dumbfounded at the hollow as the pale skin turned to black and a hole slowly formed in the center of his chest. "I'm merely along to watch the carnage; Satoshi can put on quite a show when he wants to. And personally I don't think I could do a better job if I tried!" the hollow lunged at Ichigo jabbing and jabbing as Ichigo dodged them all almost fearful of the haunting laughter bellowing from his insane enemy.

Ichigo finally flash stepped behind Satoshi in an attempt to slash him from behind only for the sword to block his attack. Ichigo then noticed that Satoshi wasn't even looking at him when he attacked and he then noticed the black lightning sparking from the blade. "Tsunagari Inazuma!" the hollow yelled as Ichigo held back the lighting with his Bankai as it repeatedly lashed at him like a whip, "I'll have to hand it to you," Satoshi said continuing his rapid attack, "It's no wonder you became a Captain so quickly after regaining your power. But there was one thing that always puzzled Satoshi and I would like to end the confusion."

"And what's that?"

Satoshi's hollow stopped the attack and flash stepped right in front of Ichigo staring into his eyes only inches from his face. "He wondered if you regained your hollow powers along with your Soul Reaper powers." Ichigo pushed Satoshi back with his sword and looked at his opponent with eyes that began to shimmer a light blue.

"So you want to know if I still have my hollow." Ichigo asked as he placed his left hand over his face and a black spiritual pressure engulfed his face until he removed his hand revealing his two stripped mask and his cold black eyes.

"So our powers are connected to the zanpakuto as well then, interesting." Satoshi said as the clouds around him began to get darker and darker and the rain fell harder, the only light was the light of the bolts of lightning sparking in the clouds, "So for Satoshi to live I have to get serious about you being my opponent." Satoshi's hair began to grow long and the mask covered almost all of his face as the hollow screamed their haunting shrieks. The hollow opened its mouth and launched many pitch black cero at Ichigo as he dodged some and destroyed the others with a Getsuga Tensho only to launch his own crimson cero at the monster.

Satoshi only put his left hand in the path of the cero and stopped it dead in its tracks, as he pushed his fingers into the sphere it shattered into nothing but a burn on Satoshi's hand. Ichigo looked at this being in shock as it ceased its laughter and no longer saw the battle as a fun occasion. Its eyes showed nothing more than a murderous intent that was fixated on Ichigo. All other fights seemed to give the two some room as they gazed at each other unyielding.

"Your strong Hollow," Ichigo said in his echoed voice as he placed one hand on his masked face, "Even Ulquiorra couldn't take my cero like you just did," Ichigo released a massive amount of spiritual energy, enough to topple buildings that were slightly destroyed around him and make the rain cease to fall on his head, "I never wanted to use this but to defeat you it seems that I have no choice...Shatter fate," Ichigo chanted as he was engulfed in a Getsuga Tensho that reached high into the sky almost scorching it with its power. When the beam faded there stood the devil form of a hollow that decimated Ulquiorra so effortlessly, "Tensa Diablo!" Ichigo said in a hissing voice that was hardly his own anymore. "I hope you're prepared Hollow." Ichigo inquired as the hollow took a stance. (Tensa Diablo means Heavenly Chained Devil)

Meanwhile Grimmjow was aggravated at the persistence and pointlessness of his battle, he looked up to see the tower of spiritual pressure that was Ichigo's and smiled at the thought of the battle only to snap out of it in time to block an attack from the Soul Reaper before him.

"Distractions aren't good for you Arrancar, they tend to get people killed." The man stated as he flash stepped away and before Grimmjow knew it all around him there were mirrors that all had his opponent's body in them.

"Do you really expect me to fall for such a cheap trick?" Grimmjow said as he walked up to one and turned his back to it only to feel a massive pain in his shoulder, he looked down to see a blade poking out of him covered in his blood he looked behind him to see that the mirror image had stabbed him. "What the hell?" Grimmjow asked as he used a cero to destroy the mirror and the sword in his body.

"Did you think that Kagami Kigai just made mirror barriers Arrancar, they also make mirror copies of me!" All of the mirror images said at the same time but with one voice as his laughter filled the air.

Tsuyoshi and Suzaku were fighting at a distance from each other showing that neither wished for a close quarter's battle. Each blocking the others attacks with almost synchronized precision as Suzaku panted and Tsuyoshi continued on with his unflinching face.

"Well old man it seems that we're evenly matched in Zanjutsu, Hoho, and Hakkuda, but I wonder if Kido is a different matter." Suzaku said as he pointed his finger at Tsuyoshi and said, "Bakudo sixty-one Rikujokoro!" to which Tsuyoshi was bound in the six lights that held his arms close to his sides. Tsuyoshi struggled against it only for Bakudo number sixty-three Sajo Sabaku to wrap him in a tighter grip. "You see old man I don't want to fight you anymore because you haven't surprised me yet, you fight the same as you did in the old days so I'm going to show you something that you didn't teach me, Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired, Hado ninety-one Senju Koten Taiho!" ten pink lights formed around Suzaku and then fired at Tsuyoshi leaving nothing but a beam of light that would slowly reduce him to ashes. Suzaku turned around and began to walk away, "That's why you're my predecessor, it's because I'm better than you." Suzaku continued to walk away until a spike launched up from the ground and stuck in Suzaku's side.

Suzaku turned to face his supposedly dead opponent and saw that he was encased in a shell of rock that was slowly crumbling away, "Is that so Suzaku." Tsuyoshi said as he freed himself of the kido holding him back. Suzaku gripped his zanpakuto tighter as Tsuyoshi took a stance where he was imprisoned. Soon they both gathered massive amounts of spiritual pressure and gazed at each other with nothing short of hatred for the other. "I am tired of this battle Suzaku we'll finish this now!" Tsuyoshi yelled.

"I agree!" Suzaku yelled back as they charged at each other while large debris flew all around them as they clashed and sped past each other. Suzaku looked down and smiled maliciously as he walked over to Tsuyoshi still turned away from him, around the old man's neck was one of the circular weapons.

"See you in hell old man!" Suzaku said as Tsuyoshi smiled at his defeat, "What are you smiling at old man?" Suzaku asked angrily.

"Congratulations you beat me…son." Tsuyoshi said just before his head fell off his shoulders and hit the ground soon followed by his body which first fell to its knees and then its stomach.

"Thank you Master." Suzaku said as he flash stepped away.

Tenma was lying on the ground still weak from the attack from Kirio and noticed that she was still healing herself with kido some distance from the battlefield. She was soon accompanied by Gustavo who stood over her with his Zanpakuto still released to its monstrous form.

"So I see you aren't doing so well?" he replied as he looked over at Satoshi and Ichigo in his evil looking form. "So Satoshi's hollow took over," he replied as Tenma nodded slowly. Gustavo injected Tenma with some Hojiku-zai he had kept for himself and took her away from the battle.

"Why are you taking me away Gustavo?" she asked in a quivery voice from the exhaustion.

"I doubt that Satoshi would want you to see him like this, plus I don't think that you need to die in this manner.

Please don't die Satoshi, Tenma thought to herself, cause Shiyori would want to see her father and mother.

"Come on Hollow!" Ichigo yelled as he aimed his zanpakuto at Satoshi

"Let's see what you got Soul Reaper!" Satoshi yelled as they both sped towards the other and clashed their swords with enough force to send all other battles flying in the air and destroy what few structures remained excluding the palace.

END OF THE DEVIL VS. MADNESS

Happy Times: The Union has been forged.

Hitsugaya: We warned you! *he's wearing a bandana around his head that looks important*

Me: What's with the Bandana?

Hitsugaya: We Captains are tired of potential battles going to Ichigo and we have started a Union! *Hitsugaya, Renji, Soi Fon, Komamora, and all the lieutenants raised their fists in defiance with Ukitake and Kyoraku in the background*

Me: You too?

Ukitake: No not really I'm happy that there hasn't been a battle where I was needed.

Kyoraku: Same here this way we can just get plastered on the side and watch some cool fight scenes.

Hitsugaya: But don't you feel left out!

Kyoraku: Not really.

Ukitake: As long as we get some screen time here and there it really makes no difference to me. *Hitsugaya turns around and sees that the others are just socializing and screwing around in the back ground*

Hitsugaya: Why won't anyone take this Union Seriously?

Me: ha-ha.

Hitsugaya: Shut up!