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Crush the World Down
Yamamoto stands in the doorway, his hands resting on his cane. Ichigo, Chad and Rukia stare at him as he takes a slow step into the room, raising an eyebrow at the trio, his gaze falling onto Orihime, the girl still curled up in the corner, Rukia kneeling by her side.
'Ho…?' Yamamoto whispers darkly, turning his head to look at the other Yamamoto, beaten and tired by the wall.
'What…?' Ichigo stutters slowly, tightening his grip on his sword. '…Just what the hell is going on here!' he barks angrily, Yamamoto's gaze returning to him at last. The elderly man takes a few more imposing steps into the room, his feet thudding across the polished wood as he stops fast in front of them, his uniform billowing out around him.
'Acting…King…Yamamoto…?' Rukia stammers, her eyes shuddering. Suddenly, the old man begins to chuckle, his back hunched over now. Grinning, Yamamoto straightens up and unleashes his power, the room trembling, crackling and spurting with energy, almost tearing the wood to pieces and splinters. Ichigo watches in horror, sweating under the pressure, cursing.
'Could this be what Byakuya meant…?' Ichigo thinks to himself, being forced down to his knee, his white hair whipping around in the force of Yamamoto's power.
Byakuya said slowly, Ichigo looking from Rukia now down to Byakuya. '…don't…trust…Y…Y…' Ichigo's eyes widen as he remembers back to conversation he had with Rukia also, just outside the tower on the day they arrived.
'You mean Genryuusai?' Urahara asked, Byakuya nodding in response.
'Yes. The Inoues were very personal people. Genryuusai merely seems a strange choice considering they did not know him.'
Suddenly, as he tries to lift his strained neck, Ichigo hears Rukia over the crushing sound of power, Yamamoto letting up, Chad crashing to his knee, breathing heavily as Rukia's eyes stare at the man in horror.
'Don't trust Yamamoto…' she breathes coldly, her breath snaking through the air. The elderly man holds out his arms, laughing again.
'But you did.' He says dangerously, a greedy look in his old eye. 'Your brother was part of the resistance yet you still chose to shy away from his warnings. Now you have all been tricked, and, you, the final line in the legacy chosen to bring me down will be squashed like ants here and now.' Genryuusai sneers.
'Bring you down?' Ichigo ponders, struggling to his feet. 'Just who are you…?' his blue eyes flit over to the other Yamamoto. 'Who is he and why the fuck is Inoue here!' Ichigo roars, heaving himself to his feet and pulling his flowing white sword out around him, Yamamoto smiling nastily. Smirking to himself, the old man runs a hand across his head, sighing, his voice suddenly different now deeper and smoother, the aged hoarseness vanquished from his lungs.
'I suppose some answers are in order…' he sighs, opening his eyes revealing them to be black with white iris', Ichigo gasping in horror, Chad cursing. '…Kanzen Saimin.' Slowly, Ichigo and the others watch as the elderly man before them begins to dissipate into the air, shattering and breaking down, his face warping and twisting, his long white beard turning brown and falling down the back of his head, the wrinkles on his face forming scars.
His uniform breaks away like a shell, unravelling around him, revealing his white shirt and black trousers, Sosuke Aizen stepping out of the smoke that was Yamamoto Genryuusai, Ichigo lost for words.
'I see you're completely mystified. I understand.' Aizen smiles darkly, summoning his sword from a burst of green light in the air and holding it out, surveying the blade with lifeless eyes. 'My ability is Kanzen Saimin, absolute hypnosis. Of course, it is imperfect. There is one single flaw, but you didn't exploit it. This world, this Tower of Seireitei, it's very real.' Aizen explains, holding a hand out in front of him.
'However, the people in it are not. I've been keeping you alive to merely see what Urahara had planned for you but so far nothing has come out of it aside from you defeating that idiot Grimmjow. I'm disappointed.' Aizen sneers, Chad suddenly making a break for it, raising his fist at Aizen, the man chuckling. Chad is instantly stopped in his path, Ukitake appearing before the villain and smashing Chad across the room.
'Ukitake!' Ichigo chokes, rushing over to Chad's fallen body, the man waving him off. In horror they watch as Ukitake's body breaks down, revealing the cold demeanour of Ulquiorra beneath it, his green eyes piercing Ichigo's own. Shunsui appears in the doorway, his body unravelling also, Coyote Starrk beneath it, yawning quietly to himself, Ichigo grabbing Inoue and Rukia, the four heroes backing up together as Soi Fon zips into the room, breaking out of her shell, Harribel landing heavily on the wood.
'What the hell is this!' Ichigo screams, his blue eyes whipping around at the figures arriving, Mayuri stepping out of the shadows, his body splitting in half, the sheet on what he is holding burning up and revealing a tube full of red water, Aaroniero straightening himself up over them. Toshiro steps into the room, his body twisting around him, Gin Ichimaru stepping out of the icy smoke, rubbing the back of his head.
'Ow ow ow!' he mutters. 'Why did I have to be the little punk?' Finally, it appears everyone has arrived and the villains grin to one another, Aizen staring down at the four in the middle of the room, Yamamoto slumped by the wall still, his breathing faint. Ichigo stands up in front of them, his arms wide open, screaming at Aizen with an insane rage.
'HOW DID YOU DO THIS!' he roars, his white hair falling over his face, Aizen now not amused.
'You see, after Orihime was kidnapped, I made my move and arrived at the Tower, placing it under my hypnosis. I then took on the guise of Acting King Genryuusai, kidnapped the real Yamamoto and repressed his spiritual pressure with a machine known as the 'Wonder Bug', built by Szayel Aporro Granz. Orihime, as you've just found out, was placed in the same room. I then instructed the remaining guards to separate and go on 'far away missions'. Completely fabricated of course, but the real versions of Shunsui Kyoraku, Jushiro Ukitake and the others won't be able to arrive in time to save your lives. My men then took over the tower and we killed everyone, for the Hogyoku to feast on their souls before I cast another illusion, purposely for you.' Aizen says proudly, explaining his plan.
'Naturally, not everything went to plan. There were a few hitches with performing an illusion of such grandeur.' Aizen confesses, feigning disappointment, his men laughing darkly around him. 'For one thing, if either of you had ever touched any of these people, the illusion would have been instantly broken.' At this, Ichigo gasps with revelation.
'Whoa are you alright!' Ichigo asks, leaning in to grab the man's arm but he moves away quickly, avoiding Ichigo's hand.
'Ah, I'm fine…!' Ukitake laughs meekly.
'Not only that, but the air became thin due to having to stretch the illusion out across such a wide area, something Rukia Kuchiki there noticed almost as soon as you entered. The final issue was the dark feeling Rukia got from the area, but I honestly wondered whether or not you would catch something out. It would appear you didn't.' Sosuke explains, Chad stepping forwards.
'No wonder you tried to turn the battle from Aizen to Barragan all the time…' Chad growls dangerously, Gin chuckling lightly.
'Barragan Barragan…oh yeah, didn't you leave him at the borders?' Ichimaru wonders, looking lazily over at Aizen, the man nodding.
'Ah…the crows will pick at him forever.' Aizen jeers, Ichigo listening to this in horror.
'What about Komamura, I don't see him here? So you killed one of your own men?' Ichigo barks, his blue eyes seething with rage. At this, Coyote Starrk steps forwards, scratching the goatee on his chin, rubbing his thick, brown hair.
'I killed him. Sajin Komamura…' the man yawns, grumbling. '…was the only one who wasn't replaced by one of us. That explains why he ended up being so protective over you; Kaname could have ended up blowing his cover if we hadn't killed Komamura in time…' Starrk mumbles, opening a purple eye to the heroes. Whilst this is going on, Rukia has her eyes closed behind everyone, her back to Aizen and the rest, tears running down her face. However, she has something in her hand and switches it on, her black hair falling over her face.
Finally, Aizen steps over to them, Ichigo standing his ground, his arms out in front of his friends.
'You did well, that much I won't deny. Where Kisuke's resistance failed on numerous occasions to kill me, you have dispatched four of my strongest soldiers. You have continued their legacy that much is for sure…' Aizen glowers, his eyes widening insanely. '…of failure.' Clicking his fingers, the entire illusion surrounding the tower shatters, falling apart like a colossal mirror, Aizen stepping sideways, allowing Ichigo and the others to walk to the balcony.
'See, Princess, see what is going to happen to your illustrious kingdom!' Aizen snarls nastily, the orange haired girl staggering to the balcony, clasping it with weak hands and screaming as monstrous creatures traipse through villages, people screaming and crying as Rukon is overthrown, fires burning and raging throughout the nearby forests. 'My army now rages through and soon, when we have taken care of little Kurosaki Ichigo, you will be my bride and I will be king…' Aizen doesn't get to finish however as the girl runs at him, punching him wildly in the chest, glistening tears raining from her eyes.
'You monster! You monster!' she weeps, Aizen grinning darkly, Ulquiorra clasping her by the throat, the girl breathing faintly.
'Inoue!' Ichigo roars, turning to her, but Sosuke steps in front of him, the man's long brown hair billowing in the wind.
'I won't lie, Kurosaki. I did take an interest in you. Your evolutionary process of growth is astounding. I've never seen anything like it. However, whilst still tremendous, you don't have anywhere near the power to match me.' Aizen draws his sword from midair and twists it in Ichigo's face, the boy swallowing hard, sweating beneath his snowy hair. 'The war begins.' In an explosion of power, fire erupts from the Tower of Seireitei, raining down upon the courtyard. Chad darts over to Orihime only to be swatted aside by Yammy, the colossal giant crashing into the battlefield, laughing idiotically.
'BU HA HA HA! Looks like we meet again!' Yammy roars, the dust falling down around him as he wipes his fat lips. Chad skids backwards, kicking off and flipping over into the air, cursing, pushing his hair from his eyes in frustration. Yammy narrows his eyes at the man's missing arm before turning his mouth into an ugly smile. 'You never got your arm back? How pathetic! I'll destroy you!' The man roars, flinging an earth shattering punch towards Chad, the boy watching as the colossal arm comes thundering through the air. Whipping his single arm out around him, like plasma, his black and red armour seeps along his biceps, building up around his shoulder as he readies himself, standing firm against the enemy.
At the same time, Rukia finishes sending a message through the small device in her hand and pockets it, standing up just in time to roll aside as a sword smashes into the wooden floor, splintering it into a million pieces. She skids around, a towering figure behind her, his blood red liquid warping around the two small heads watching her through malicious eyes.
'Who are you?' Rukia scowls, unable to see the top half of her enemy through the shadows and raging fires that were now engulfing the land.
'You don't know?' the figure replies, his voice eerily similar to someone's she once knew.
'Show yourself!' she shrieks, the man stepping slowly out into the light. Rukia gasps, dropping her sword and listening to it crash against the wooden floor as she stares at Byakuya Kuchiki, the man sneering nastily down at her. Rukia sinks to her knees and a few tears roll down her cheeks as she shakes her head, curling her hands into fists. 'Why are you here…?' she whispers, shuddering from her crying, her black hair falling around her face.
'Because you let me die, Rukia.' Byakuya says coldly, his dark eyes scowling at her accusingly. Drawing his sword slowly, the blade glints in the light, Rukia's pitiful reflection cast in the metal. Byakuya lashes out, Rukia's arm flayed with blood as she rolls across the wood, crashing into a wall and spluttering now, Byakuya taking a few small steps towards her, his eyes narrow and heartless. Raising his sword above his head, the man's black hair flows out around him as his eyes flash purple, Rukia cowering beneath him.
'Now die for me, Rukia.' Byakuya drones, his sword exploding into a mist of pink, Rukia whipping her icy sword around herself, readying her blade, the weapon shaking and rattling in her fearful hand as she looks up into her brother's eyes.
'I can't do this…brother…I knew I wasn't ready for battle…I'm sorry Ichigo…'
Ichigo and Aizen stare one another down, Ichigo standing slightly slouched, unsure of what stance to take. His white hair is obscuring his vision slightly and he tries to move it, only to realise that by lifting his arm to do so he is halving his attack power. Then he clenches his fist, sweat trickling down his forehead as Sosuke watches him through merciless eyes.
'What am I doing? When fighting those other guys…Szayel, Nnoitra, Kenpachi, Grimmjow…I never felt like this. I'm analysing even the slightest movement I make for failure. I can't make any mistakes…not agai-…' Ichigo says in his mind, only for Aizen to begin to clap sarcastically, the boy's icy blue eyes widening.
'There's no need to look so shocked, Kurosaki Ichigo. I can understand your pain. Unlike those before me, I have no openings. You cannot fight with such lax strategy. No…against me, you cannot fight at all.' With this, Aizen zips towards Ichigo across the balcony, Ichigo whipping his sword around him, a ghostly white line following it as he roars.
'I can't let it break again!' Ichigo screams in his head, Aizen smiling dangerously as the two blades lock, lightning spewing out and tearing around the walls of the building, the top of the tower exploding above their heads in a shower of fire and brimstone, almost like a meteor just smashed into it. The dust clears, Ichigo pushes against Aizen, sparks bursting through the thick smoke circling the two fighters. 'Getsuga Tenshou!' Ichigo cries out, unleashing a wide white arc of lightning into the sky, obliterating the tower further, Sosuke merely skidding to the side to avoid it.
'Can you avoid this?' Aizen asks coldly, swinging his sword at Ichigo's eye, the boy grunting as he pulls his own weapon back down and kicks off of the floor, keeling under the blade and watching it fly overhead, eclipsing the sun. Ichigo then kicks his foot out, aiming straight for Aizen's chin, the man's black and white eyes looking down sharply as he moves hastily to avoid the attack. The two fighters speed away from one another, Ichigo panting heavily, Aizen running a hand through his hair.
'You've improved. Your reflexes can react far quicker and more efficiently to my moves than the last time we fought. However…' Aizen whispers, Ichigo's eyes widening as a thick shoot of blood erupts from his shoulder, the boy grimacing. Aizen raises an eyebrow. 'Ho…it would appear your durability has also improved. But…' Suddenly Ichigo is gone, Aizen's eyes widening in quick shock, yet he collects himself as he notices Ichigo's shadow on the tower wall above him, the boy leaping, sword raised high above him. The man's eyes move slyly behind him, Ichigo gasping as he collects a Getsuga Tenshou on his sword.
'…you've a lot to learn before you can compete with me.' Aizen smiles sadistically, unleashing a purple blast of tempestuous fire at Ichigo, the boy caught in the blast, his screams drowned out by the raging crackle of fire. As the flames vanish, Ichigo falls to the balcony, his smoking body hitting the ground with a thud.
'Ichigo!' Orihime shrieks, tears running from her eyes. However, Ulquiorra tightens his grip around her necks and throws her towards the nearest wall. She hits it with a crack and slumps towards the ground, the villain making his way over to her, his hands in his pockets. His black hair caught by the wind, Ulquiorra's deathly green eyes burn into the girl as she struggles to stand back to her feet.
'What is the point? What is the point in screaming for that man?' Ulquiorra wonders, tilting his head the woman. 'Lord Aizen will make short work of him, then the other two you travelled with. Give it up.' Ulquiorra hisses scathingly, Orihime looking down at the ground, her locks dropping over her eyes as she stands slowly to her feet, the villain raising an eyebrow.
'You're wrong…' Inoue says coldly, looking up fast, her grey eyes locking with Ulquiorra's. '…you're completely wrong. Ichigo…' she says quietly, Ichigo climbing to his feet, tearing off some of the burnt section of his clothes. '…Chad…' she continues, Chad leaping aside as Yammy's massive punch bursts through one of the stone walls. '…and Rukia…we'll all pull through together!' Orihime snaps, Ulquiorra watching her quietly before closing his eyes and sighing lazily.
'So naïve…' He says simply, turning away from her to continue watching his master, Ichigo straightening up now. The boy hauls his sword up in front of his chest, the burning feeling still coursing through his body as Aizen chuckles, nodding, impressed.
'That was a Hado 54, Haien. I must say, I didn't expect you to survive it. But take one more and it's all over.' Aizen mocks, Ichigo grinning slightly, his body slightly charred and still scorching hot. Pointing a weak finger at his enemy, Kurosaki laughs, smoke drifting from his mouth.
'Funny, seeing you use something Kisuke created…you really were inferior to him weren't you? I bet he'd have torn me to shreds with that move.' Ichigo chuckles, attempting to rile the man. Aizen's eyes twitch dangerously and his fingers flick by his side. Ichigo narrows his eyes, watching every move carefully. However, Aizen collects himself quickly again, merely running a hand through his hair and laughing daintily to himself.
'Amusing, Kurosaki Ichigo. You really are interesting. For you to talk down to me in that sense…' Aizen says, sneering again now. '…you really must have no perception of the difference in our power after all.' Leaping forwards, Sosuke vanishes as soon as he reaches Ichigo, the boy gasping as a slash spurts blood from his shoulder, Aizen appearing in the sky behind him, Kurosaki growling darkly at the man behind him. Ichigo kicks off of the balcony, vanishing in a twirl, Aizen's eyes flitting around the area. Ichigo is nowhere to be seen, and the man straightens up, facing out to the horizon.
'Are you going to hide, Kurosaki Ichigo?' Aizen's voice echoes across the mountains, an evil smile spread complacently on his face. Suddenly from behind the tower, a white light splits through it, shattering the stone and causing a colossal explosion, the light and debris engulfing Aizen, the man turning round into the destruction. Behind the remains of the tower, Ichigo stands with his sword out to his side, panting heavily. Harribel's eyes widen from inside the balcony as she stares up at the barrelling plume of smoke, her green eyes searching the ruin.
'Lord Aizen!' she shrieks, her voice muffled behind her mask. Starrk turns and ruffles the back of his hair lazily, squinting to see up into the sun, whilst Ulquiorra merely stares at the scene. Ichigo watches carefully, making sure that he can catch any sign of sudden movement. Then, from the raging white fires, Aizen steps out, unscathed, the billowing flames lighting his eyes up, his hair flowing out behind him like an ethereal god. Ichigo curses, swallowing hard.
'He's…unhurt! But I hit him with everything I've got…that was the power I defeated Grimmjow with!' Ichigo chokes, Aizen suddenly appearing in front of him, the flames exploding out around them, encasing the two combatants in a whirling tempest of white fire that snakes and coils up into the darkening sky.
'Power, agility, speed, endurance and control. These are the five things you must master in order to even step on the same plane of existence as myself. But what does 'master' mean? In terms of abilities such as yours, it may mean to attain the highest level physically possible for man in those five areas of expertise.' Aizen smiles darkly as Ichigo swings out at him, the body that was there shattering into a million pieces, the true Sosuke standing beside Ichigo, benevolently watching the fighting far below as Ichigo's crystal blue eyes widen.
'However, in my abilities, it means to ascend, to shatter the limits, to climb to a place you couldn't dream of reaching. It's the natural power a god has within them, Kurosaki Ichigo that makes them impervious to fear, to submission, to loss. Emotions only serve as distractions to the great you see. Just like your friends down there, you have all been subjugated by your own hearts.' Aizen says, his eyes gleaming in the fires. Ichigo scoffs at the remark, whipping his sword in front of him, the blade shimmering in the flames.
'Just like you to say something like that…clearly you're not as intelligent as you like to think!' Ichigo grins, Aizen raising an eyebrow, his face shadowed by the dancing fires giving him a menacing look, his eyes burning through the darkness, strands of renegade brown hair dangling down over his face.
'We'll see about that, Kurosaki Ichigo…' Aizen says callously, smashing his weapon down upon Ichigo, the boy grunting as sparks fly between them, the towering pillar of fire collapsing in on them in an explosion of silver that swamps the land.
Alone in his tower, or what remains of it, Kisuke stands in the atlas room, surveying the kingdom with his tired eyes. Yoruichi is buried on the hillside, where she always said she wanted to be. Urahara grips his hand tight, his body seizing up as he breathes in deeply, trying to force the memories from his head.
'Yoruichi…' he whispers to himself, letting the wind blow gently through his hair. '…I don't think I can fight him. He was my greatest friend…I cannot bring my sword to him.' Urahara curses his own weakness, the wind blowing his jacket aimlessly around him. Then, he places a hand in his pocket and removes a small item, looking at it through cold eyes.
'Would you be able to forgive me if I used this?' he wonders, looking up into the sun. 'I wonder…' he begins when all of a sudden a black butterfly appears from the sky in a flurry of shadow and light, the two merging together to create a small gate for the insect to fly through. Urahara's eyes widen in shock, a Hell Butterfly? Only nobles had access to such wondrous creatures. Reaching out with a thin hand, he lets the butterfly perch itself on his finger and slowly, black veins begin to creep along Kisuke's arm, flooding with a shimmering red liquid. Then, his eyes shoot open in shock and he brushes the butterfly away.
'A trap!' he chokes, looking around hurriedly, leaping from the building in such a rush that he crashes to the floor, scrabbling for his sword. 'How is that possible? Sosuke…' he curses, gritting his teeth as he hauls his weapon into his hand. '…I'm sorry everyone. How could I not have noticed?' With that, Kisuke makes for the door when someone leaps down in front of him, Hirako looking up, a serious look on his face.
'S…Shinji!' Urahara gasps; Shinji's smashing a hole in the sky and retrieving his sword from it.
'Ya ready to do this? We have to hold him there, Kisuke. Aizen can't marry Inoue, no matter what.' Shinji says darkly, Urahara collecting himself and breathing deeply, his chest rising and falling in a rhythmic fashion. Finally he nods sternly and clenches his sword tight.
'I'll send a distress signal to Kyoraku and the others then. To think, Aizen played us for an illusion this whole time. I just hope they make it in time…!' Urahara cries, sending the Hell Butterfly back across the kingdom, he and Shinji turning to dash across the lands, their swords in hand. '…let's go, Shinji!' They burst out of the tower and rush forth, Urahara and Hirako speeding across the hills.
'Just hold out for us, Ichigo!'