Last chapter! Yes, I know that it is a freakishly long chapter, but I got carried away and didn't really know how to cut it in two. This is only the end to the fight. Sorry for the delay, but I was typing it, and then my USB got a virus and I lost it, so I had to restart. Grrr.
Disclaimer: You know, I've always thought it would be funny if Tite Kubo were here writing fan-fiction. Why would he need too, if he already has Bleach? So, since Tite Kubo owns Bleach, and since he probably isn't here writing fan-fiction, I'm obviously not Tite Kubo, or I wouldn't have been ranting about other chapters anyhow, I think it's pretty obvious I don't own Bleach.
I realized I've never put in a disclaimer, so there. Thanks to all that reviewed, read, favourited or put this story on their alerts. It makes me so happy! And now, on with the chapter, which I hope is okay.
Chapter 10 Final Battle
"I wondered what that reiatsu was. So it was you," Aizen said, a smirk plastered all over his face. "You have finally awakened, Hitsugaya."
Ichigo stared, eyes wide and open-mouthed at the 10th division captain. The young boy was surveying Aizen with a cool expression. Fat flakes of snow danced around his form. His reiatsu rolled off of him in thick waves, the sheer power of it crushing to even the captains. The glow from it caught on the snow around him.
"No…no way!'
"It's the captain!" "But I thought he…"
"Taichou!"
"Hitsugaya-taichou!"
The cries that filled the air came from the lower-ranked shinigami, and were slightly muffled by the thick snow. The captains and lieutenants, however, were too shocked to say anything. Even the arrancar were frozen in shock.
"Tou-Toushirou!" Ichigo gasped out at last. Toushirou's eyes flicked toward him for a brief moment, and Ichigo saw in the blue depths of it an understanding and wisdom far beyond what one would normally expect someone his age to possess. As well, just by looking into his eyes, he could almost feel the ancient and tremendous power that Toushirou now possessed.
Toushirou turned back to Aizen. "Aizen, your power is finished. You're going to fall today." His voice was soft and calm, laced with coolness. There was no threatening tone, or boastfulness, just the quiet understatement of truth.
"Oh, you think so, Hitsugaya?" Aizen sneered. "You dare presume that you can defeat me? That I can possibly fall?"
"I don't presume," Toushirou replied. "It's over for you, Aizen."
The next things happened so fast that it was all over before anyone even began to register what had past. There was a flash of color and sonido behind Toushirou, who vanished from his spot, just as a blade sliced through the air which he had previously occupied. He reappeared, a few feet above, his eyes narrowed at the arrancar holding the blade. The arrancar in turn, glared venomously back at Toushirou. He must have recovered from the shock that still held most frozen.
"Why you insolent little brat! How dare you talk to Aizen-sama like that? I'm going to teach you a lesson!"
The arrancar's reiatsu flared, seeming almost at espada level, and he sonidoed up to the captain, slicing his zanpakutou at him. Toushirou easily dodged the strike.
The arrancar didn't stop there. He slashed at Toushirou again and again, showering him with relentless strikes, but the captain dodged every one, not even bothering to raise his zanpakutou to defect it.
The arrancar grew more agitated and frustrated as it went on. His strikes grew clumsier, filled with unnecessary force. Toushirou narrowed his eyes at him, and shunpoed back, a little further ways back than before. The arrancar didn't slow his pace, but immediately sonidoed after him. He appeared in front of him for a split second, before disappearing again. Toushirou felt his reiatsu suddenly move behind him, and turned his head sharply to see the arrancar behind him, zanpakutou raised, and a look of triumph on his face. "Ha ha, I got you, you little boy! The fight is over for you!"
The blade flashed, and crashed down upon the captain in a burst of dust and reiatsu, so quickly that many had only just begun to register what was happening. It had certainly not been enough time for Toushirou to move.
Soul Society's forces cried out in fear, shouting too-late useless warnings, while the arrancar hissed in satisfaction. All sounds were silenced, however, as the dust that had been obscuring the scene before them began to clear. They all looked on warily, breathes held, wondering at what they might see, and not sure if they wanted to see it.
They were met by a shocking sight.
The arrancar, thinking that he'd won, felt the smirk on his face slide off as easily as water on ice. He found his blade stuck, it's movements halted, by a single finger. His eyes widened in horror. He was frozen. Frozen in fear and disbelief.
And perhaps by something else as well. Frost began to creep up his zanpakutou, spreading onto his body. A chill ran through him, the wrenching cold numbing his nerves, rendering movement futile. The very blood in his veins seemed to freeze.
Toushirou's head was bowed, a shadow over his face and his hair ruffling in the leftover breeze of the attack.
"No. The fight is over for you," he said quietly, but firmly, so that his words were heard quite clearly. The rest of his fingers clamped down on the arrancar's zanpakutou. Lifting his head, he stared straight at the arrancar. His eyes narrowed and flashed a fright blue. At the same time, ice and water erupted from his fingertips, running along that arrancar's frozen body, surrounding and quickly encasing him in a cocoon of ice. Without hesitation, he jerked his hand away, and the ice shattered from the force of the movement, disintegrating along with the arrancar to dust that was lost among the snow in the air.
Ichigo and the other shinigami's eyes were like saucers as they stared in shock. No way! Ichigo thought. With just a finger, he blocked that arrancar's zanpakutou! And he defeated it without even lifting his zanpakutou! What's going on? When did he become so powerful?
There were cries of outrage from the other arrancars, who seemed to have snapped into action again by the death of one of their comrades. They charged at the captain, murderous intent evident in their eyes. Toushirou turned toward them and immediately swung his zanpakutou, sending a wave of ice and water at them. The arrancar tried to dodge, but the water curled up, following their movements, overtaking them and eventually freezing them into sculptures of ice before shattering.
Almost at once, there came a strong wind of sonido from behind him. Toushirou, in a fluid motion, swung his blade behind him and caught the incoming blade of one of the new espada with a clang.
"Those were my fraccion you just killed," he said in a deadly calm voice.
"I'm sorry, but they were the one's attacking me," Toushirou said, pushing off the espada's blade and leaping a few feet away. "They were going to kill me, so it was only natural that I defend myself."
"Then you will kill me too?" the espada asked.
"Not unless I must. If you would step aside, I won't do anything."
The espada considered him. "Unfortunately, I cannot. My duty is to serve Aizen-sama, and since you are a threat to him, then I must eliminate you."
"I see," Toushirou said softly, "It can't be helped then."
The espada kicked off his ground and charged at the captain, who leapt into the air. The espada leapt with him, following his movements and attacking him with deadly accurate strikes. Toushirou responded with equally, if not more, deadly strikes. Their blades flashed in the air, maneuvered by their owners with ease. The espada was on the offensive, attacking every one of Toushirou's defenses, trying to find an opening. But with Toushirou's master swordsmanship, it was not an easy feat.
The spectators watched in awe as the two flashed across the air, occasionally vanishing and reappearing elsewhere. Neither fighters seemed to be backing down. Each wove around the other with a sort of grace characteristic of masters.
Suddenly, the espada seemed to have had enough. He attacked Toushirou with a strike of unnecessary force, sending the captain skidding few feet away. Before Toushirou could recover himself, the espada lifted his zanpakutou, obviously ready to release it.
Toushirou narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines that Gin had been when the espada had first appeared. Do not allow them to release their zanpakutou's. Before the espada could complete his Resurrecciόn, Toushirou brought his zanpakutou in an arc above his head, allowing to blade to point at the espada. His eyes narrowed and his reiatsu flared. Water and ice converge around his blade. "Hyourinmaru!" he called out, and the huge, full-fledged ice dragon materialized coiling in the air before him. The sheer power of the reiatsu pouring off of him drew the espada's attention, causing him to pause in his release. It was his fatal mistake.
Turning his zanpakutou slightly, Toushirou said calmly, "Hyaku Hiryuu (hundred flying dragons)"
There was a blast of Reiatsu as the enormous ice dragon shattered into a hundred shards of ice. Each shard immediately morphed into separate smaller dragons, which twisted in the air for a moment, surrounded by deadly reiatsu, before shooting at the stunned espada, moving so fast that they became blurs, shedding some of themselves in the form of ice dust due to speed.
The espada tried to block, but it was futile. They crashed into him, stabbing into his flesh, freezing and coating his limbs in ice. Their speed and power shattered his zanpakutou as they made contact. And then there was just the sheer number of dragons. The espada gasped in shock as the last of the dragons attacked, his breathing heavy as he raised his head, his hate-filled eyes finding Toushirou. He wasn't finished yet. Gathering his energy, he converged all the energy he had left inside and released it in the form of a dangerous cero.
Toushirou saw it coming. He tensed his muscles, and gathering his own energy inside him, he leapt forward, blade outstretched, slicing through the cero and continuing to the espada. The espada looked at him with wide eyes, his mouth formed into a small "o" of surprise.
There was a horrible slashing sound, and the next moment, the espada found himself run through by Hyourinmaru. Water blossomed from the tip of the blade, spreading all over his body. He did not resist, for he knew it was futile. He only looked up into Toushirou's eyes as the water blurred his vision as it turned to ice. He saw a sort of solemn regret there, and knew that the captain didn't enjoy fighting this war any more than he did.
The ice was shattered as Toushirou ripped his blade from the ice, sending the espada to the same fate that claimed his fraccion. The other shinigami were struck dumb at this fantastic display of power. "No way!" Renji gasped. "He defeated that espada as it was just a normal hollow! How did he suddenly get so powerful?"
Many others were wondering the exact same thing. Momo, meanwhile, could only stare. Shirou-chan, she thought, what happened? Why do you suddenly possess such devastating power? And how are you all okay?
"My, my," Aizen's sneering voice broke the silence, apparently the defeat of his arrancar having no effect on him. "As can be expected of the Heavenly Guardian. Truly amazing. And that's not even the most of your potential. You truly are the reincarnation. It's just too bad that you won't be able to live long with the honor."
"Is that so?" Toushirou said, turning toward Aizen calmly.
"Of-course. You're too late, Hitsugaya, in challenging my power. My power has risen high above its previous state. It's even more powerful than yours. I have fused with the Hougyoku, and pushed away all my limits. My power rises with each passing second. You cannot defeat me!"
With a maniacal cackle, Aizen rose into the air. It seemed that he had snapped, his lust for power had finally snapped his sanity, and warped his mind. He radiated reiatsu so strong, so crushing, that all the shinigami, especially in their weak states, collapsed. Even the remaining arrancar, espada, and the vaizards fell to their knees.
Sudden wind picked up, the sheer force of it shaking the demolished buildings. Along with the wind came waves of black reiatsu. As soon as they touched any surrounding matter, the matter began to break apart, much like a sand castle does as ocean waves crash against it.
The shinigami gritted their teeth against the pressure, their bodies almost completely immobilized by the crushing pressure. Some were just barely able to raise their heads, while others were completely defeated.
Ichigo was among those who could still raise his head. He felt sweat bead down his face as he struggled against the pressure. But his struggles were all but forgotten as something caught his eye that was more shocking than anything that had happened to him recently.
Toushirou was still standing. He seemed completely unmoved and unaffected by the pressure. In fact, he was not only standing (or flying, Ichigo couldn't tell), but he was still able to move with ease.
Toushirou narrowed his eyes at Aizen. He could feel his reiatsu rising with each passing second. He knew that he had to do something soon, or the power from it could really blow everything to dust.
He saw out of the corner of his eye his own reiatsu manifesting. His grip on his zanpakutou tightened. He gathered his reiatsu around Hyourinmaru, compacting it. Then, he raised his sword above his head and swung it down, releasing the dense, compacted energy at Aizen in a torrent of reiatsu combined with water and ice. It shot through the air, sweeping away the black reiatsu that was Aizen's as it moved. The clashing reiatsu created huge shockwaves of energy that rippled through the air like giant ocean waves. Toushirou, for the first time, gathered reishi beneath his feet. Without a moments pause, he tensed his muscles and leapt.
Aizen turned as the wave of energy swept his away. The next instant, before he could contemplate what to do, Toushirou forced him to lift his zanpakutou to defend himself from being sliced in two by Hyourinmaru. The two blades clashed, the sound of scraping metal heard clearly even through the howling wind of the clashing reiatsu and snowstorm overhead.
The two exchanged furious blows. Aizen felt his smirk die down, and instead, his face twist and contort in frustration. Toushirou's skill of combat had seemed to increase exponentially since the last time that they'd fought. He dodged speed and grace, using reishi in the air to form footholds as he attacked and dodged. He strikes were filled with deadly accuracy and strength, coming in at angles that caused Aizen to just barely block to prevent being struck. He was quick, switching expertly between offence and defense.
Aizen, frowning, struck out with his blade, but Toushirou leapt, touching his foot on the blade and stepping down on it before slicing at Aizen, who dodged just in time to save from being beheaded, though a few of his auburn locks weren't so lucky. Toushirou leapt back, waving his hand at Aizen.
"Hadou 88, Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!" Toushirou said, and a truly enormous strike of lightning, larger and stronger than any they'd ever seen, even from captains using this spell, shot at Aizen. Aizen gritted his teeth, and, feeling almost a sense of Déjà vu, quickly said, "Bakudou 81, Danku!"
A rectangular wall rose up between him and the attack. The electricity blast struck the wall with a huge explosion of reiatsu, which when cleared, showed that the force had destroyed both the shield and the attack.
Neither parties were wavered though. Both Toushirou and Aizen simply charged back into fierce combat. The shinigami watched the fight, awed. The level of skill that Toushirou showed was unlike anything they'd ever seen. And that wasn't all. As they watched, Aizen suddenly swung his zanpakutou at Toushirou's legs. The latter leapt up, and, not pushing against anything, shot right back at Aizen. Something told them that Toushirou wasn't just using reishi to stay in the air, but actually flying.
Aizen narrowed his eyes, and raised his arm. With a wave, he sent a series of what looked almost like ceros, except much more dangerous and destructive, at Toushirou. Toushirou managed to block or dodge most, but couldn't help one of them scratching him on the arm. He frowned and covered the wound with ice, and charged at Aizen again. Aizen, realizing that he hadn't bought himself a lot of time to prepare an attack, sent a horde of hollows at Toushirou with another wave of his hand.
Toushirou looked around him, frustration clear on his face as he sliced through the hollows with ease. There were so many of them, and it would take too long to carve a path to Aizen.
"Chire, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," came a calm voice.
Toushirou's eyes widened as the air was suddenly filled with a multitude of tiny, pale pink blades, drifting among the snow like pink sakura blossoms. They suddenly whizzed out of sight, and suddenly, the hollows fell by the thousands, disintegrating in bursts of pink reiatsu as the power of Byakuya's bankai hit them. The captain's bankai seemed more powerful than ever, and even some Menos were taken out by a single blade. Toushirou turned to glance at Byakuya, giving him one grateful nod. The captain was panting slightly in effort of using bankai in his weak state, but gave him a nod of acknowledgement. Then, as Toushirou shunpoed away after Aizen, he turned to his companions. "We must help," he stated. "The final, decisive battle is upon us. We must do all we can to end it now." He didn't wait to see if they had listened. Instead, he shunpoed forward, sword forming in his hand again, scarf and hair fluttering with grace as he locked swords with an arrancar for a moment. His eyes flashed and narrowed, and suddenly he vanished again. The arrancar looked around frantically and suddenly, Byakuya was behind him. Before he could do anything, he found himself suddenly surrounded by millions of tiny blades. Within seconds, there was nothing left of the arrancar. Without missing a beat, Byakuya turned to another opponent, eyes blazing, his reiatsu fully unleashed now, flaring around him, as he fought without hesitation, showing just truly how terrible his power was.
The shinigami looked at him, varying expressions on their faces, but they all melted away to determination at his example.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Using all his strength, he pushed against the pressure in the air, which had weakened somewhat, and got to his feet. With a battle cry, he unleashed the Getsuga Tenshou at the hollows. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, invigorating him like a drug. He watched in grim satisfaction as many hollows were taken out, and others faced him. He tightened his grip on Zangetsu's hilt, and leapt into the fray, slicing at hollows left and right. The other shinigami followed suit, all pushing against their physical limits, all with steely resolve to fight and finish this once and for all.
Battle broke out again, the shinigami rushing at the hollows and arrancar with renewed strength and ferocity. The arrancar fought back, but somehow were beginning to struggle under the weight of force brought on by their opponents putting every last shred of strength into the fight. No matter how tired and battered they were, they fought with double the strength, invigorated by Toushirou's return, and Byakuya's speech.
Matsumoto was unmoving for a moment. She still couldn't believe that her captain was alive, and the level of power that he'd radiated. She had heard the rumors before, but since Toushirou never liked talking about it, she's dismissed them as just that. But now, she wasn't so sure. She struggled to get up, but several of her bones, including one leg, were still broken from the branches, and the wound in her side had not completely healed.
"Ran-chan, need a hand?" came a familiar, cheerful voice.
Matsumoto looked up in surprise to see Gin, stretching a hand to her as he had done when they first met. The same grin that had mystified her back then, and looked so familiar now, was still plastered over his face. "Gin…" she whispered, fighting back an urge to throw her arms around him, knowing that now wasn't the time, and that he still had a lot of explaining to her to do.
Gin grinned wider. "C'mon, mini-taichou needs our help."
A few hollows surrounded them, along with the arrancar that Matsumoto had been fighting. He leered at them, especially Gin. Gin merely raised his zanpakutou with his free hand. "Ikorose, Shinso!"
The arrancar dodged, though the hollows weren't so lucky and tens of them were sliced to pieces as Shiniso stretched out. But Gin wasn't paying attention to that.
"C'mon, Ran-chan. Ya wanna help your kid-captain, ne?"
Matsumoto nodded, determination in her eyes as she let Gin pull her to her feet and support her weight, as she could not. Once she had regained her balance slightly, Gin bent over, and unceremoniously ripped a portion of his robes, and quickly bandaged her leg into a splint. Matsumoto nodded in gratitude, as she could stand now, albeit awkwardly. Raising her own zanpakutou, she said, "Unare, Haineko!"
The two fought, side-by-side again for the first time in many years.
Uryu looked up at the fight that had broken out again. He stood up, clutching his bleeding stomach.
"Ishida-kun!" Orihime cried out. "You shouldn't move!"
"I have no choice," he said. "I must fight, or be killed."
He raised his right hand, his bow forming from the Quincy cross that he carried. He drew the string made of reiatsu, gritting his teeth in effort, and let fly the 1200 arrows that vanquished hundreds of hollows as they rained upon them.
"I have to keep fighting to my last breath. That is something I must do on my honor as a Quincy!'
"Spoken like a true Quincy."
Uryu's eyes widened as he turned to find his father striding toward him, followed by Ichigo's father, stepping out of a senkaimon. "What-"
"Yo, did we come too late?" Isshin saluted. "We just managed to fend off all the hollows that have come to Soul Society. Something seems to have made them stop coming. And I've finally managed to get them to open a senkaimon for us, after convincing them that I was indeed real." He chuckled to himself.
"Ehh! Kurosaki-san! Ishida-san!" Orihime cried out in astonishment.
Isshin was looking to the battle between Toushirou and Aizen. "My, my, the boy's really advanced," he murmured to himself, lost in memories. "I remember back when he'd walk around with this cold, mature air about him, and nearly gave me frostbite when I called him Shirou-chan." He shook his head. "Well, I told you, my replacement is much more mature than me." He added to Ryuken.
Ryuken ignored him, and summoned his bow, and did not reply. Isshin grinned.
"Well, I shall explain everything later, kids. Right now, we have a battle to fight. Oh, and reinforcements are coming," he added.
He was right. He had barely shunpoed away when the senkaimon glowed and some moths flew out, followed by a horde of shinigami, though the senkaimon was not really needed, as the barrier between the two worlds was not but a thin membrane. They all bore scratches that signified that they'd been in a fight, but they were mostly fresh, with strength and determination. Following them was Nanao, who looked around immediately for Kyouraku. She found him, fighting Stark again, and pushing him away from the other arrancar. Stark glared at him.
"Taichou!" she called out, shunpoing forward, when she was stopped by an arm covered by a slightly tattered and bloody sailor suit sleeve. A familiar voice came to her, one that she hadn't heard in over 100 years.
"Don't distract him. He needs his concentration."
Her eyes widened as she traveled down the arm toward the face of the glasses wearing, hair in a braid woman that had read to her on the first night of each month so long ago. "Yadomaru…fukutaichou…" she whispered in utter shock. Lisa's gaze flickered to her, and she flashed a grin. "Old habits die hard, don't they? You still carry a book around all the time, and call me fukutaichou. Aren't you the lieutenant now? By the way, good job on keeping him in line," she said, jerking her hand at Kyouraku.
Kyouraku spared the two one glance. Well well, it seems like a day full of reunions, he thought to himself.
"What's wrong?" Stark demanded. "Your reiatsu just fluctuated. Are you too tired to fight?"
Kyouraku grinned. "No, on the contrary, I feel more pumped up for a fight than ever, knowing that my little Nanao-chan is watching. Shall we begin, serious this time?" he said, taking a stance. His reiatsu rose and peaked. He shrugged off his pink kimono, throwing it into the wind. The two charged, fighting all across the skies. Ceros and reiatsu flew in all directions, causing many to clear away from the two.
After a while of furious fighting, Kyouraku suddenly slashed out at Stark, coming in at a fast and sharp angle that stunned him. Blood splattered into the air and Kyouraku leapt back, watching as Stark glared at him lividly. Then, angling both his blades at Stark, Kyouraku said, "I think that's enough. Sorry, espada, it is time to show what I can really do. Bankai."
Reitsu peaked, one among many rising reiatsu in the area. Stark's eyes widened at the sight. This time when he released it, it was more powerful than anything that he'd ever seen before. Now he understood why the other man had said that it wasn't suited for fight with him. "Jushirou said that my bankai isn't suited to fight with you, but that doesn't mean I can't still beat you," Kyouraku said as he attacked. (note: I have no idea what his bankai could be, and I plan to let Tite Kubo decide. But I usually picture Kyouraku beating Stark, so I'll work around what Ukitake had said)
Stark gritted his teeth. He tried to fight back, but he finally realized Kyouraku's true strength. The man had been toying with him all along!
Kyouraku's smile faded for a moment. "I'm sorry, Stark, 1st espada. Your strength was truly stunning, and you were a tough opponent. Allow me to say that I was truly surprised by your strength. I do regret that it has to come to this."
Stark's eyes widened as reiatsu surrounded him, and suddenly, before he could do anything, he knew that it was over.
S-Stark! came Lilynette's scared voice.
Don't worry Lilynette, I'm sure that wherever we're heading, it'll be a great place for napping.
Is lazing around all you care to do? Lilynette reprimanded. Stark shrugged. He felt his body fading away, disintegrating to reishi. He knew that it was all over for him, but somehow, he didn't feel humiliation like he thought he would if he died. Maybe it had something to do with being killed by such a powerful and honorable man like Kyouraku.
Ukitake ad felt his friend's bankai as he fended off the other arrancar. He admits that he had felt deeply uneasy when the man had activated it, fearing for him. But he should have known that Kyouraku would not be defeated, no matter what disadvantage his bankai caused him.
As he fought, he felt a cough rise to his lips, threatening to take over his body again as it had done on the night that Kaien died, but he suppressed it harshly. Everyone else was pushing their limits, and so will he. He refused to let a small setback like his weak health to disable him now, not when it was so close. He fought at his full strength as well, along with everyone else, fighting with all the power and grace that someone like him possessed.
Soi Fon and Yoruichi were destroying hollows everywhere, relying heavily on their shunko abilities. As she destroyed another hollow, however, Soi Fon nearly collapsed and she groaned as she clutched at her wounds, which had reopened. Her vision blurred slightly and she felt weak from blood loss and using up her reiatsu.
"Soi Fon?" Yoruichi asked.
"I'm fine," she said, though her voice contradicted that statement. "I only have a little energy left, and my body can't take it much longer. We need to finish this soon." She let out a war cry as she released a large amount of reiatsu and charged with double the speed and ferocity of before.
Yoruichi grinned. Soi Fon, You've really improved. "Well, just don't die on me. We can have Orihime look at that arm of yours later."
Komamura let a snarl rip through his throat as he cut down another arrancar. Beside him, Hisagi twirled his dangerous scythes above his head. Somehow, the two seemed to have bonded by the betrayal of the same person, and it was a close bond that none had expected. The two fought with all their strength, wanting it all to end.
"Some no Mae, Tsukishiro!" Rukia called out as she swung her zanpakutou in a graceful arc, creating the pure white circle that froze all the unfortunate hollows that were in the way.
"Hikotsu Taiho!" shouted Renji from beside her, swinging Zabimaru. He was fighting a new arrancar, now that Momo had finished off the one he had been fighting. He couldn't help notice that Rukia's attack was stronger, that the circle was larger, and the air colder. He wondered if it was because of all the snow in the air, or her determination, or maybe she'd just gotten stronger when he wasn't looking.
Chad, who had been keeping a low profile during the fight so far, now came out into the open, slaying hollows and arrancar alike with a determined air.
Izuru had pushed himself up, and standing with two of the vaizards, he too fought with all his strength.
Ikkaku and Yumichika were fighting together, Ikkaku his usual fighting self, and Yumichika complaining with distaste of what the snow and dust in the air from the explosions was doing to his skin and hair.
Momo dragged herself up as well, fighting her exhaustion and dizziness. She had recovered somewhat, and was throwing herself back into the fight. Raising Tobiume, she thought, Are you ready, Tobiume?
Are you sure you're ready for this?
Yes. I may not have mastered it, but I can barely move fast, let along shunpo. I need it.
Okay, be careful…Momo
Raising Tobiume, she called out in determination "Shiroi Tsubasa! (White Wings)"
White wings sprouted from her back, made of concentrated white reiatsu. They looked almost like insubstantial, pure-white glowing feathers, surrounded with a faint pink reiatsu. She felt energy course through her, and though she knew that as soon as her bankai fades (which probably won't be long, since she'd used so much energy already), she would have no strength left, but she didn't care. For now, she was able to move with speed, and attack. She looked at Toushirou, who was locked in combat with Aizen. She didn't think that he was as all right as he looked, for there was a thin crease on his forehead, and a slight look of pain that he was not able to completely hide. But he was unwavering in his fight, not letting his pain get in the way.
As long as he can fight, I will fight as well. He is in so much more pain than I, she thought. But Shirou-chan…please be careful. I don't know what to do if I lose you.
The arrancar were subtly shocked at their strength. The new reinforcements had invigorated the fighters further, and the enemy began to fall slightly at the sheer forces and strength of their wills.
Aizen, however, was far from worrying about his subordinates. Aiming another strike at Toushirou, his face held nothing but scorn. Toushirou dodged the attack. Raising his had, and after checking that no one was nearby, Toushirou said "Hadou 95, Hyakurai! (Hundred lightning bolts. See author notes)"
Clouds in the sky rumbled with energy, and golden electricity crackled across them. Then, without warning, huge bolts of lightning shot down in destructive columns, reducing anything they touched to nothing but smoking cinders. The noise was deafening, and the force of the attack felt by everyone. No one could predict where they would fall, and the attacks came down at such speed that it seemed that Aizen would have no chance to dodge. However, as the last of the bolts vanished, and the dust cleared, there stood Aizen, a little disheveled and a few cuts on him from little sparks of electricity that had escaped the big bolts, but otherwise unharmed.
"A level 90 kidou without incantation and at such a level. When did you achieve that?" Aizen asked with mock interest.
Toushiro frowned slightly at Aizen. "I trained to that level ever since you were rumored to have achieved that," he spat, as if admitting something horrid. "But I just achieved it recently."
"That wasn't much time, yet it was so strong. Is that due to your newly raised power, or maybe because you're just so adept at controlling weather that such kidou is easy for you," Aizen smirked as Toushirou glared coldly at him. "So you still want to kill me so much that you would do anything. You know very well that you cannot, unless you have something that I don't know about, and power stronger than mine," Aizen taunted.
Toushirou smiled slightly. "I do, but you'd never understand," he replied as he shunpoed toward Aizen to land another strike. Aizen ducked out of the way, and immediately swung his zanpakutou at Toushirou, with every intention of cutting off his lower body. However, the lithe young captain was much too fast, leaping back, arcing his body and swinging his legs out of the way of the incoming blade. Without pause, he swung his zanpakutou down at Aizen while still floating in mid-air, but Aizen blocked quickly.
"I know I can't kill you myself," Toushirou said calmly, taking advantage of their close distance. "And I never for a moment had any intention to do so."
"What?!" Aizen said, narrowing his eyes as he slashed out, causing Toushirou to flip back through the air. Toushirou swung his zanpakutou at Aizen, and before Aizen could attack, sent a shower of ice and water at him. The ice twisted to form spears, but Aizen sliced through them easily as though it was water. However, the distraction had been what Toushirou had been going for.
"This is the difference between you and me. You trust no one, and work alone. None of us have your power at this moment. But the thing is, we all trust each other. We all work together to fight, because we are the Gotei 13. And even those outside the Gotei 13, they have their own bands, all built on trust. And when we band together, we band together by loyalty. That's something that you, Aizen, a man who betrayed everyone's trust and in turn trusts no one, can never understand. The strength of everyone united, that is what you do not know about, nor have."
Some nearby shinigami heard him, and though they realized that this was the truth, they wondered what the captain was getting at.
Aizen snarled in anger and swung his zanpakutou at Toushirou again. The young captain leapt above the blade, and then pushed it down again with a sandaled foot. "Until now, we all made the same mistake. We all fought alone. We were all fighting on the same side, and for the same cause, but we were in context fighting independently. Therefore, no matter how many times you were struck, or what way you were attacked, you couldn't be defeated."
Aizen gnashed his teeth and swung his sword to knock Toushirou off. Toushirou flew up into the air, unperturbed and continued to speak. "Now I realize our mistake. The only way to kill you is to combine all of our attacks."
"You think it's so easy? You think that it will be that easy to be able to have enough time to combine all your attacks like that? You think that you, a mere poor boy from Rukongai and all these other pathetic weaklings can beat me, even if you were to combine your attacks? You are mistaken, Hitsugaya Toushirou, sadly mistaken. I've had enough of you all! I'm going to end this all right now!"
Aizen, after giving Toushirou one more livid glare of supreme hatred, gathered his reiatsu, more reiatsu than he'd ever gathered at once. Glaring at the awakened Guardian, his eyes filled with hatred beyond that of comprehension, he released a huge wave of deadly reiatsu flying. "You've had your awakening, Hitsugaya Toushirou. Now it's my turn."
Reiatsu exploded, and a sinister light and black reiatsu flowed from Aizen's body, no longer any restraint over it.
If the shinigami had thought that his previous releases were frightening, then no words could describe the emotions they felt now. If the previous releases had been strong, then this new power was the power of the sun compared to a small spark. It roared, its power radiating and hitting them hard, sending some flying back through the air, and others struggle to remain where they were, even though the attack had not yet been administered. Its raw power was beyond imagination, drowning out all other.
Aizen's body began to morph. I stretched, becoming grotesque and almost hollow-like, yet at the same time, still resembling a mutilated sort of human shape. His eyes glowed a deep blood red, his pupil contracting until the black vanished. His irises expanded, devouring the whites of his eyes while his eyes grew bigger in a disconcerting way. Black scales, made of the same crystal like substance that the branches from before had been made of, sprouted from his skin, starting at his shoulders and racing down his limbs, covering them like an impenetrable armor. Black spikes rose up menacingly at his shoulders, knuckles and forearms. They glinted in the weak light, somehow blinding even when not reflecting the sun.
The power of his transformation shattered the air, rendering all nearby matter to shreds and dust. He let out a terrible roar as his transformation completed. He had truly become monster, terrifying and utterly grotesque, a sort of demon found only in the depths of hell.
There were screams and many shrunk back in horror, even the arrancar. Yumichika let out a shudder of fear and disgust as he was thrown to the ground by the reiatsu that still flowed from Aizen. Byakuya narrowed his eyes in distaste and the pressure, while sweat rolled down the temples of Izuru's face. Even Ulquiorra managed to show some expression of emotion as he looked at Aizen.
The last barriers of the worlds shattered. The white sands of Hueco Mundo crashed upon the ground. The senkaimon that the reinforcements had arrived in shattered as the saw the houses of Rukongai blur into sight, the citizens all on their knees from the reiatsu, and shaking with fear. The pillars that held Karakura town where it was cracked, shattering part way, and the town began to move back, the conscious citizens trembling, and the rest of the human world began to blur in together. The sky opened, and suddenly, the battlers were staring into the faces of the royal guard, all of whom had put up a barely stable barrier to prevent the onslaught of power from reaching the Royal Family. They were scrutinizing the fight with harsh faces, struggling to keep the barrier up.
Toushirou frowned, gripping his zanpakutou's hilt tightly, sweat rolled down his face and his eyebrows were furrowed. He bared his teeth against the reiatsu. This power…I don't know if I'll be able to stop it…
Remember your promise Toushirou, came Hyourinmaru's voice unexpectedly.
Toushirou glanced at Aizen. His eyes met his, pure-blue against marred crimson. He saw death and destruction in them. His mind raced. He saw only one way to end this.
Aizen's face twisted into a sick sort of smile, and he began to gather his energy for a final attack. The air itself began to shake and almost break apart from its power. If the attack were released, everything, everyone, and every world in existence, no matter what they were, would be utterly annihilated.
Toushirou racked his brain, forcing it to work beyond its limits. He could only think off one way to end this. One of the techniques that Hyourinmaru had told him about just after he'd awakened, much like "Hyaku Hiryuu". But that one had been easy to pull off, but this one, the energy required…it might be too much for his body the handle.
But he had promised.
He'd promised to protect everyone.
He'd promised that even if it killed him, he would bring Aizen down. He'd sworn to his soul, and he was not going to run again.
He knew what he had to do, and decided not to hesitate. There was no time to lose. Every second, the worlds merged more. Every second, it came closer to full destruction. He gathered every shred of energy and reiatsu inside him, every scrap of power he possessed and could reach, building it all up in his chest. Hyourinmaru, please, lend me some of your strength, he thought, and felt the sword in his hand hum in response.
He gathered every shred of reishi that was still pure in the air. Every drop of moisture, from the snow, the clouds, and heaven itself.
He gathered it all, keeping it reined, holding it ready, molding it to his needs. His body glowed as he did so, releasing spurts of ice-blue reiatsu. It seemed to fight against the darkness, tearing at it valiantly.
The two powers clashed. The two reiatsus recoiled and snapped at each other. Heaven and hell seemed to be clashing together in the form of the two clashing powers of the two people facing each other.
Toushirou's body shuddered, and he felt a pain course through it as he strained it, his previous wounds throbbing slightly, threatening to reopen. He wondered if he would be able to hold out. But something gave him strength.
Images of everyone flashed in front of him for a moment. All the people that he realized cared about him and supported him, as well as all that were fighting at his side. They were all with him, Momo, Matsumoto, Byakuya, Ukitake, and the rest of the Gotei 13…
Aizen has always fought alone. I have everyone here, fighting together. We are all here with the same purpose. We are fighting together.
The thought gave him strength and the resolve he needed. He flew up, higher than ever before, higher than anyone has ever flew before, a graceful glowing figure against the stormy heavens, looking literally like one would expect a Guardian of Heaven would look.
Water and ice swirled and surrounded his body and zanpakutou. It twisted together, merging and forming into the giant dragon Hyourinmaru. The remaining water also curled together, details forming, defining, into smaller, more lithe versions of Hyourinmaru. The dragons surrounded the Guardian, awaiting his command.
Just as Aizen reached the peak of his power, just as it got too much, just as he was about to release his attack, Toushirou swung his zanpakutou toward him, crying out in effort to control the immense energy he released as he gave the dragon wings to fly, and the power to combat Aizen. The largest dragon shot ahead of the others, reishi and ice streaming off his body like stardust as it sliced through the air at unimaginable velocity. It slammed against the pressure of Aizen, pushing against it with a roar of defiance, its body quaking.
There was a pregnant pause, in which time seemed to stop. Then the dragon broke through. With a roar and a huge wave of reiatsu, it opened its jaws, dangerously sharp teeth glinting, and clamped them upon the monster that was Aizen, interrupting the attack. The teeth pierced through the crystal armor and into the flesh. Aizen let out a hiss and snarls as the dragon melted, freezing ice water covering his body and refreezing into ice, with Aizen frozen and immobilized. The dragon's strong tail slammed into the ground underneath. The whole body suddenly became still, freezing into a giant rigid pillar of ice, with Aizen trapped at the top, his attack completely destroyed. Suddenly, the worlds stopped merging, even if it was just for a moment.
As soon as the ice completely froze, the rest of the dragons caught up to the first. For the moment they circled Aizen, growling deep in their throats. The sound was guttural and terrible, and everyone could feel it deep in their chests.
Aizen struggled. He let out huge bursts reiatsu. He struggled, trying to break the ice, but it was futile, for the ice did not even shake and glowed blue every time he assaulted it with reiatsu.
The pressure in the air had lessened now that Aizen was trapped, and the other fighters finally managed to stand. They gaped in awe at Toushirou.
Toushirou himself flew to where Aizen was. He stopped about twenty feet away, looking on calmly, his icy front hiding the exhaustion and struggle from keeping Aizen down.
Aizen glared, panting slightly from the effort lost in his assault. "You still can't kill me. Even if you have me trapped like this, you don't have enough strength to kill me."
"No, not alone I can't," Toushirou stated. "But you will die today."
"Oh really, and what makes you so sure?"
"Because it's not only me who fights against you. You, who fight alone, are alone. Sure, you have your arrancar, but they don't work together. I fight for soul Society, with Soul Society. We are all fighting to bring you down. You've threatened not only soul Society, but many other worlds too. But that's all going to end now."
Toushirou's reiatsu began to manifest around him again, like a glowing blue mist. His eyes flashed blue. He raised Hyourinmaru high above him, and slashed through the sudden freezing air, releasing from it one last ice dragon. "Kinbaku, Tenryuu Hyōrō (Bind tightly, heavenly dragon ice prison. I was so not original when I created this…I sort of took the name from Sennen Hyōrō. Don't know if the grammar and vocab is right and all)
The dragon's surrounding Aizen suddenly all stopped circling him. They focuses ruby-red eyes on Aizen, and then, as one, flew toward the trapped man. They sand their lethal jaws into his body. A huge burst of reiatsu exploded from the moment of contact. The dragons turned to long branches of ice, protruding from Aizen in resemblance to the branches of a tree, only parallel to the ground. The last dragon, larger than any before, flew high into the sky, circling the area with such speed that it became a blue blur. A wind picked up, and wind and reiatsu was blown around violently. The arrancar and hollows were suddenly thrown out violently, though the shinigami, as well as the Vaizards and Ulquiorra and Nel were still inside. A sort of barrier of wind rose up around everyone, and the ice structure that kept Aizen imprisoned. The ice began to glow, along with Aizen, a brilliant blue as bright of the stars themselves.
Toushirou gripped his sword tightly. He could feel Aizen once again struggling to free himself, only this time with many times the strength, as he knew that if he didn't, he might die. Sweat beaded upon Toushirou's face from the strain of keeping Aizen sealed. He knew that he couldn't hold on for long.
"Hurry!" he shouted with strain, using nearly all his strength to keep Aizen immobilized. "Attack him now! The only way to kill him is if we combine the power of everyone's attacks and send it at him. That is the only way we can overpower him. Quickly, while he's still immobilized."
The shinigami all looked toward him and Aizen, varying expressions of uncertainty and unsure of what to do at his sudden order, still in shock from Toushirou's attack. "What do you mean?" Renji shouted, startled.
"Hurry!" Toushirou snarled in effort, not bothering with politeness as he felt Aizen almost break through his ice. His strength was depleting fast. "Hurry! Attack him, or the ice. It doesn't matter, because it will all reach him. Just do it before it's too late. It's not the time to ask stupid questions!"
A minute crack appeared in the ice. The glow intensified as Toushirou plunged every fiber of his energy into the ice. He could feel Hyourinmaru shake from strain as well. His body felt as if it will tear apart, but he persevered.
It was Byakuya who first understood. Almost immediately after Toushirou's shout, he leapt up into the air until he was level with Aizen. He narrowed his eyes in concentration, and all but slammed Senbonzakura down, bypassing the first stages of his bankai. "Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
Millions upon millions of glowing, dangerously sharp pink blades rose up, then all whizzed toward Aizen, flying through the air at indescribable speed, surrounding Aizen like a could, and slowly closing in, leaving no angle for escape, if Aizen had been capable of escape.
Momo caught on almost of the same time. Though her body was screaming in pain and exhaustion, she knew that Toushirou was in much more pain. She watched his pained face as he strained to keep Aizen down. He's doing this to save us all…"
Without hesitation, she raised Tobiume with determination. She poured all her energy into the blade and the attack. Thousands of medium sized, high-energy reiatsu spheres rose up around her, glowing with intense violet, like a ripe plum. She watched as her white wings broke apart, the reiatsu that formed them flying to the spheres and surrounded them. She gave a cry as she swung her blade down toward Aizen, shooting the energy spheres at Aizen. The white reiatsu from her wings seemed to turn into wings for the spheres, allowing them to move at double the speed they normally would.
This is for you, Shirou-chan, she though as she began to fall almost as soon as she released her attack, since she no longer had her wings nor energy to stay airborne. She managed let her legs hit the ground first, though with an ominous crack and hot searing pain, they shattered from force, making her collapse, lying on the ground, in pain. It's the lease I can to for you…
The flying "plums" joined the pink blades; some of its reiatsu seemed to merge with the sakura blades as they both drew closer. The others all immediately snapped into action from the demonstration.
"C'mon, we have to help!" "Hitsugaya-taichou can't hold on for much longer!" "Hurry!"
"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren!" Rukia shouted, swinging her pure white blade.
"Hikotsu Taiho!" Renji shouted from beside her.
"Unare, Haineko!"
"Ikorose, Shinso!"
"Okiro, Benihime!"
"Buttsubuse, Getetsuburi!"
"Bankai, ryumon Hozukimaru!" Ikkaku suddenly shouted, leaping into the air, surprising everyone, especially those who knew about his bankai. He spun the giant blade quickly, and then attacked the ice, sending jolts of energy racing down the ice toward Aizen.
"Skikurue, Ruri'iro Kujaku!" Yumichika said, following Ikkaku's lead and also revealing his secret. Ikkaku gaped at him, but he smirked, saying "At times like these, we need to use our full power."
Kyouraku smirked to himself as he raised his blade, still in bankai, and attacked as well. Ukitake also ascended his bankai, and the two captain's bankai's shimmered and shook the air as they joined the others.
"Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo!"
"Karire, Kazeshini!"
"Banshō issai kaijin to nase, Ryujin Jakka!" Yamamoto boomed.
"Bankai, Kokujo Tengu Myo'o!" Komamura said, putting all his effort into his attack.
"Ugate, Gonryomaru!"
"Hashire, Itegumo!"
Ulquiorra and Nel exchanged one fleeting look before also releasing their zanpakutou's, feeling it almost ironic to attack their once ago master.
"Tozaze, Murciélago!" Ulquiorra said calmly.
"Utae, Gamuza," Nel said right after.
They sent there attacks racing down the ice. Immediately after, there came from behind them a mad cackle, and the two sonido'ed out of the way just as Zaraki shot past them, missing them by inches. "This is awesome!" Zaraki shouted in mad exhilaration, sending his own wave of powerful golden reiatsu at Aizen. Yachiru giggled from his shoulder before leaping off of it, somersaulting in the air for a second, and then sending her own attack. "This is so fun, Ken-chan. I have to thank Shirou-chan later for letting us do this!"
The Vaizards also raised their zanpakutou's, attacking with their masks in place again, making the air tremble with their power.
Uryu raised his bow, gritting his teeth against the pain of his wounds. He sent a thousand bolts of deadly powerful arrows shotting forward. Bedisde him, Orihime stood up as well. "Tsubaki, Koten Zanshun! I reject!"
Chad raised his arm. "El Directo!" he grunted.
Soi Fon stood, once again anchoring herself to a tall building by her Ginjohan. She gathered the last bit of reiatsu that she had left, wondering if she'd be able to perform the technique. "Bankai, Jakuho Raikoben!" The huge missile at the base of the armor on her right arm shot forward with shocking speed. Her lieutenant, who was a bit away, winced at the thought of its explosion when it hits.
Yoruichi, who was also nearby, smiled slightly at Soi Fon, a sort of pride in her eyes as she shunpoed right up to the ice, striking it with a series of lightning fast strikes, each filled with the power of powerful strikes, enhanced by the pressurized kidou. The attack raced along the ice, the kidou flaring like lightning.
Every single person against Aizen all sent a powerful attack shooting at Aizen. They all either sent their attack directly at Aizen, or if it was a close range weapon, they sent the attack racing along the ice. Some sent Kidou, while others just their zanpakutou's attacks. The attacks, though remaining quite individual, at the same time seemed to almost sort of fuse with the others slightly. They were all racing toward Aizen at close proximity to each other, merging together and separate at the same time. The ones still watching knew that there must be something about the air and ice-prison that caused their attacks to act this way, but didn't think on it.
The royal guard members looked at each other. Then, without a word, some broke through the barrier. Somehow, they were admitted into the wind shield. Hiyori gasped as she recognized Hikifune Kirio. They also sent a powerful attack at Aizen. Kirio gave Hiyori one motherly glance before following her companions and quickly withdrawing from the area, and back to the shield in the sky.
The espada and arrancar outside the wind shield tried to stop them, but were unable to enter the area. Something stopped them, slamming into them like a huge ice wall, and they had no doubts that it was the white haired boy and the circling ice dragon's doing.
Ichigo leapt up. He saw all the attacks at Aizen, all filled with power. Everyone was putting all their strength into the attacks. They all wanted it to be over.
He looked at Toushirou. The captain looked on the edge of his limit, keeping Aizen trapped and the arrancar out.
C'mon, Toushirou, he thought, gripping Zangetsu's hilt tightly, frowning in concentration. Just give me a few more seconds.
He converged all his energy in his zanpakutou. He drew the power of every fiber of his being, from his hollow side, and his shinigami side.
His eyes narrowed in concentration and black reiatsu, though not sinister like Aizen's had been, surrounded him. He raised his blade. "Getsuga…TENSHOU!"
And as soon as the words left his lips, the strongest attack he'd ever created was released, shooting toward Aizen just as the other attacks were about to make contact. And as soon as it was released, Toushirou let go at last, unable to hold on, but knowing that it didn't matter anymore. The last ice dragon that circled them overhead stopped and coiling gracefully, shot down to join the attacks, flying ahead of Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou. It too merged slightly with the attack before it, and Ichigo's attack following immediately after it.
Aizen saw them coming, yet he was unable to do anything, frozen and immobilized by the ice. He felt the strength, the unbearable agony, as each attack hit him, one right after the other, the first not having completely faded before the next one hit. His body was overwhelmed by the power. He couldn't move, couldn't even scream. There was no time between each hit to even draw breath. He felt his blood burst from wounds all over his body, felt his body deteriorate with each assault.
A huge explosion of light, reiatsu, and dust shot up. He felt the ice shatter, both from the energy ripping through the air, and from Toushirou's sudden release on it. But he couldn't do anything. There was no time.
He looked through the dust, and saw one last ice dragon, body trailing ice, water, and reiatsu, shooting toward him. It was full-fledged, terrible red eyes blazing, and a low roar in his throat. It hit him, claws and teeth sinking into his flesh, cracking the last of the armor of crystal. It slammed into him, sharp ice cutting into him and strong body wrapping around him and breaking him easily as if he was a snowflake. Ice and cold as cold as a million winters combined seeped into his body, freezing him to the core of his being, freezing his first expression of fear and terror on his face. His eyes reflected one last attack, the huge, black Getsuga Tenshou, shooting toward him. It was coming, bringing the blade of the Guillotine upon him at last.
Fear gripped his frozen and mutilated heart. He knew that it was the end of him. In the last few seconds of his existence, he could help the bitter feelings that rose like bile in his throat. A burning hatred and bitterness took over his whole being.
I worked so hard, I got so far, only to be thwarted by these pathetic fools?
I warned you, Aizen.
Normally, Aizen would have been surprised to hear Kyouka Suigetsu's voice at any time. But his bitterness overwhelmed any other emotion. "You sound satisfied, but you realize that you're been shattered too."
Yes, but being shattered like this serves only to finally free me from you. I warned you that your plans would turn on you, but you never heeded my words and forced me to do your will. Now you see?
Aizen smirked inwardly. "So, the zanpakutou knows best, as always," he said sarcastically.
The Getsuga Tenshou hit the thing that was Aizen. The greatest eruption of reiatsu exploded upon contact, knocking many people down. It was the explosion of a giant mass star in a huge supernova, and explosion of so much force and reiatsu that time and space seemed to have been ripped into shreds. The shinigami closed their eyes, and tried to futilely shield themselves tightly against the fierce wind and bright light of the reiatsu, dust, ice, and what looked like sakura petals that flew through the air. Their torn clothing and hair whipped fiercely around them.
Soi Fon was thrown back and hit her head upon a broken concrete slab. Momo was thrown back many feet, wincing in pain. Even Byakuya was thrown into the air, though he managed to flip in the air and land carefully on his feet a distance away, narrowing his eyes against the wind and reiatsu.
Ichigo and Toushirou leapt from the fierce storm, Ichigo covering his face, and Toushirou still, frowning into the explosion.
And then at last, the light faded, and the wind calmed.
All was silent.
Everyone was silently staring at the huge crater in the ground where Aizen had last been. Debris of ice and dust lay everywhere.
Aizen, whether alive or dead, was nowhere to be seen.
"Is…is it over?" Rukia murmured tentatively, voicing the question that was burning in everyone's minds, but didn't dare voice.
Dust suddenly began to converge at the center of the crater. With a dull glow, the Hougyoku materialized. It shuddered for a moment, then cracks suddenly appeared in it. The next second it shattered, crumbling to dust. Urahara gave a soft sigh.
A silver flash shot across their field of vision. Their eyes widened as they saw a zanpakutou, Kyouka Suigetsu, fall to the ground from the sky. It landed, perfectly perpendicular to the ground, point submerged in the stone beneath. It quivered for a moment, before suddenly splitting cleanly into two pieces, the top part with the hilt clattering and bouncing as it hit the ground.
A torn piece of white cloth, looking battered and torn from an arrancar outfit, drifted to rest by the broken sword.
There were shrieks of "Aizen-sama!" and "Aizen-sama was been defeated!" and "Quick, go back!" The arrancar stumbled clumsily, bumping into each other and ripping a garganta in the sky. They all stumbled through, trying as fast as they can to leave the battlefield, before the shinigami turned on them, though the shinigami were obviously not giving chase. Soon, all the hollows and arrancar were gone.
The worlds had stopped shaking. All around, humans, hollows, shinigami, and any other beings and animals wondered what could have happened, looking around them warily. Slowly, they watched as the fake Karakura town began to vanish. The worlds began to separate again, and miraculously, even the real Karakura town began to move back as Urahara used the last of his strength to partially mend the broken pillars.
"Umm, so what happened?" Keigo asked Tatsuki, the only one nearby.
"Dunno," she replied.
Ichigo's little sisters just stared at the sky, a thoughtful expression on Karin's face.
Unohana stepped to the edge of the crater. She surveyed the battleground. Bodies and remains of arrancar and shinigami alike lay strewn across the area. Debris, dust, and ice also choked the ground. The building's had mostly been deteriorated.
She scanned the area carefully with reiatsu.
Then she smiled. "I sense no trace of Aizen's reiatsu," she said, looking up as the clouds above parted, and a lone ray of sunlight broke through the dark clouds and touched the place where the last remains of Aizen's power and Aizen himself lay in the form of his roken sword, the shattered Hougyoku, and tattered cloth.
"It's over at last."
Author's notes
The end! Yay! *Throws confetti* Yes, I have just killed the mood. Thank you all for reading. I'm sorry that this chapter was so long, but I didn't want to cut it anywhere. I would really appreciated if you would review, though, to let me know what you think. Please no flamers though. I am a sensitive person.
Of course, this isn't the end end. If Bleach ended here, then it would suck. I wrote the next bit, but it didn't fit with this story, so it will be a sequel called "After the End". It will be an attempt at typing up loose ends. Warning, there will be a bit of fail romance in it, and a little depressing. More info later, but if any of the parings in that one offends you, you don't have to hate this story, right?
I took some liberties with the attacks they used. I hope you didn't mind. Hadou 95, I made up. There is no such thing, and never will be, as far as I know, but it doesn't really matter, because there are multiple number of spells to each level, such as Soren Sokatsui and Raikoho both being level 63. So even if there was a spell for 95, this one could still exist. Momo's bankai…well, I've read in a fanfic somewhere about wings. Originally, I didn't plan to use wings at all, but then thought about how it was Tobiume, meaning Flying Plum Tree. I thought that it would make sense for wings. I know it's overused, but I liked it.
And if you were interested, the attacks were, in order, Byakuya, Momo, Rukia, Renji, Matsumoto, Gin, Urahara, Omaeda, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kyouraku, Ukitake, Kurotsuchi, Hisagi, Yamamoto, Komamura, Sasakibe, Isane, Ulquiorra, Nel, Zaraki, Yachiru, and then the vaizards (I didn't know their releases), Uryu, Orihime, Chad, Soi Fon, Yoruichi, some of the royal guard, and then lastly, Toushirou and then Ichigo. I'm sorry if I missed anyone, so if I did, and you noticed, please message me so I can fix it.
I have recently revised it and added the Royal Guard, because I realized that they never showed up. I know it's crudely done, but I'll fix it later when I have more time.
Thanks again for reading, and for all those who favourited it or reviewed.