"Ichigo, he's coming!" Chad's voice sounded in Ichigo's ear as he emerged from the basement. The teen soul reaper was going at full speed, not because Aizen was rushing toward his friends, the man was in fact standing perfectly still in mid air, but because, deep down, Ichigo was afraid: Aizen had released his bankai, and whatever unspeakable evil that might be, he needed to face it now, before he had time to think about all that could imply.

"So eager, young Kurosaki." Aizen leered at him, never moving even as Ichigo sped toward him. He summoned the hollow mask and struck. He hit empty air.

"Ichigo, behind–" There was no pain, no sword plunging into him like he expected, just a hand on his shoulder.

"Those eyes haven't seen my power, they are immune, but you can't hold onto that mask for very long." And even as he spoke it evaporated. "No, there is only one way you can hold onto those eyes. Tell me, is it worth it to turn into a monster?"

"If it means defeating you, of course."

"And you really believe that is possible?"

Ichigo was already trembling in the shroud of Aizen's power. The hand on his shoulder tightened a little.

"It has to be." Ichigo said as steadily as possible.

"Oh Ichigo, you know so little about me and yet, we aren't all that different. Take our bankais for example, as you can see, to the naked eye nothing about me has changed, but, just like yours, rather than a variation on my powers..." Ichigo felt the darkness around him increase ten fold, he felt the breath sucked out of him. The hand on his shoulder was the only thing keeping him upright. "...mine is a concentration of that power."

He leaned in close and his breath tickled Ichigo's ear. "And this, my boy, is just a fraction of my power. With my bankai, I could cover the whole of your world with it. Everyone lost in illusions. I could make them all jump into the sea if I wanted. So tell me, Ichigo Kuosaki, just how exactly do you plan to fight that?"

Aizen's hand lifted from his shoulder and reached to his neck. His fingers trailed up to his ear and plucked the bud out. "Human technology is so fascinating." He said as he flicked it back to earth. Then he grabbed Ichigo once more and spun him around as he waved his sword through the air. There were a couple of startled noises then four figures emerged from their hiding places: Uryu, Chad, Jinta and Ururu. "For example..."

"No wait!"

Aizen just smiled and Ichigo watched as Uryu lifted his hands to form the bow, his eyes dead, no emotion. He pointed it at Chad who made no move to dodge. "Don't!" the blue arrow went straight into the teen's chest and he fell silently. Next Uryu pointed to Jinta and Ururu. "NO!" Ichigo was screaming but Aizen had him, just one arm, now over his shoulders, pulling him close like they were old friends, but so much power swirling around them that Ichigo could not move. Uryu pulled back the bowstring and aimed at Ururu's solemn face.

A yellow light engulfed the Quincy. Ichigo hadn't heard a chant, he hadn't seen the old master but Tessai was there, and next to him was Rangiku, her sword held before her boldly.

Uyru snapped out of the stunning spell and when he did he seemed to be out of his trance. Ichigo couldn't hear the words but some agreement was made and Tessai disappeared with the two children and Chad. Uryu took his position beside Ragniku.

"You know they can never run far enough. I could destroy them now if I wanted, but these two will do." Aizen said. The soul reaper in his arms was now trembling uncontrollably. Aizen was slowly releasing more and more power so that now the boy had sunk completely against the man he hated most in the world. Was this how he would die, in the arms of his enemy, shaking like a scared child?

"Zangetsu, please..." He whispered in his mind when Aizen's hand slipped under his armpit to keep him on his feet.

But Zangetsu was just as much affected. There was only one being left that could help him.

"Will you let it out Ichigo? Will you let lose the hollow inside you?" Ichigo struggled weakly against Aizen but even though the man was taunting him, he knew it was the only choice. Still, even that might not be enough. Fortunately, Ichigo Kurosaki did not stand alone.

"Roar, Haineko!"

The whispers of tiny blades swarmed them, blinding them for an instant. A blue arrow shot through the middle of cloud, aimed straight at Aizen's chest.

Before the taunt could leave Aizen's mouth as the arrow dissipated harmlessly in the field of his power, they were struck from behind. The blow did no damage to Aizen of course, but Rangiku had managed to slam into Ichigo, trying to pull him away. However, this close the dark energy, she became just as weighed down by it as Ichigo.

"Nice try, Rangiku."

She had her hand around Ichigo's but Aizen swung through the swarm of Haineko and struck her. They followed after her as she fell, but not far, into the Quincy's arms. Beads of sweat covered him, he was struggling against the raiti even though he was at least a hundred metres below.

"Pathetic." Aizen spat and raised his sword again but Ichigo jerked in his arms and caught his right hand before he could do whatever he'd been planning.

"Impressive Kurosaki." Aizen increased his spirit on the boy and he collapsed completely, though still, Aizen kept him upright. Ichigo's head lolled back against his captor's chest and he saw the smile on his lips and even though the rage burned inside him he could not move.

Below them Rangiku was shaking herself awake. Her right arm was bleeding profusely, but she ordered Uryu to set her down.

"Rangiku, just wait."

"No, this is too important."

"No, I mean it, just wait." She followed his gaze downward and her heart skipped a beat. Her captain was coming.

Captain Hitsugaya's robes hung off him in rags, they were stained with dirt and blood, some wet, some crusted. His once flawless features were marred by the long scar that ran through his eye and his normally pure white and spiky hair hung flat and grey with the dust of the broken training ground. But somehow, as he entered into the battle, there was something majestic about him, something bright, something like hope.

He saw Ichigo in Aizen's clutches, he saw his bleeding lieutenant and he felt the cool power of his bankai as it enveloped him.

Before he could reach the pair in the sky, Aizen let go of the boy in his arms drove his sword through his shoulder. Toshiro screamed in rage but he also knew it was not lethal, he knew what Aizen was doing.

"I just lost my second in command." Aizen said calmly as Ichigo hung off the end of his blade. "How would you like the job?" that crushing pressure combined with the power of the hogyoku spread through the blade straight into Ichigo's body. "Sorry, but we'll have to do this the quick way."

Ichigo was not aware of his own screams. He was not aware of anything but the darkness that was filling him, killing who he was, but leaving the very darkest part of him.

Toshiro raced forward but hesitated slightly as he got closer, waiting for instructions.

"I can't tell, Aizen's bankai compromised me." Uryu's voice was in his ear. He was right, now there was no one, no one but the hollowfied Ichigo that was, without a doubt, fighting its way out even as Toshiro sped toward the two. Aizen's sword was occupied but a dark point of energy was forming in his hand. He was so fast, Toshiro didn't have time to doge, only deflect the black cero. It was followed by a second that he didn't see coming, the blow sent him spinning back until he was caught but the quick arms of the Quincy.

"Ichigo can't hold on much longer." Uryu's voice echoed in his ear.

"All three of us at once." Raniku said beside them.

Toshiro opened his mouth to protest but Ichigo's screams were too much. "Now!"

The three shot up together. Rangiku and Toshiro moved in practised unison, the captain swinging from the front, Rangiku from behind and Uryu came from the side, trying to reach Ichigo.

Aizen smiled patronizing at them. Just as they closed in he allowed a wave of his spiritual pressure to strike them. Ichigo was the only one who breathed, the pressure inside him relaxing for a split second before resuming. Rangiku and Uryu dropped, the force of the wave pushing them back as well as disrupting their own energy. However, Aizen's smug smile faded when one small hand closed around his collar, frost stiffening the fabric, blade pointed against his throat. It resumed though, when he felt the tip trembling and saw the sweat beading on Toshiro's forehead.

"You should not have been able to get through that. You're powers mus have matured since we were colleagues. But look at you, not enough spiritual pressure to cut me, it was all for naught."

"Not exactly." Toshiro saw a flash of red hair and a second later Aizen's blade was jerked in his hand as the weight at the end of it disappeared. Toshiro had distracted him just long enough for Rangiku to free Ichigo who spun back to earth where he landed in Uryu's arms. However, the inner hollow had already begun to emerge. Ichigo writhed in Uryu's grip, his face half covered in mask but fighting it.

"I don't want..."

"Ichigo, hang on."

"But it's the only way."

"No, Toshiro's got him." But he did not sound convinced.

"Get back Uryu."

"Ichigo, don't."

"I said, GET BACK!"

Ichigo shoved Uryu back and with his hollow strength breaking through the Quincy didn't land until he was several metres away. He immediately began running back but by the time he reached Ichigo, he was the monster again. Yellow pupils shifted in black eyes, assessing the situation. Uryu braced himself but when they fell on him he heard the skewed voice of his friend.

"Uryu."

"Ichigo, you have control?"

The eyes darted back to the sky when they heard a cry from the captain. "Stay back." the beast said as it leapt into the sky.

Two Chapters left! I will be posting one more tonight, hang on!