A/N: Hello~!

I DO NOT OWN RWBY OR BLEACH

Arc 3: Arrancar Arc

Chapter 25: No Rest For The Weary

''Hadō #4: Byakurai!''

The piercing blue bolt of lightning streaked across the open plains, before piercing the head of the last of the Beowolves. As the corpses slowly began to decompose Ruby sighed, flicking the excess blood off her sealed Zanpakutō before sheathing it. Grimm never got any harder to deal with, but at the same time never any easier - it wasn't their strength that was the problem, but their numbers. A thousand Grimm was a lot harder to deal with than one powerful Grimm. Plus, with her Shikai still repairing - and most likely for another few days - it was all the more tedious.

It had been two days since Muramasa had been defeated and slain by her mother. Byakuya Kuchiki, the clan head of the Kuchiki clan, had also personally confirmed that the deceased man was Kōga Kuchiki - and since the wielder was dead, so was the Zanpakutō by extension. The 'liberated' Zanpakutō remained for a little over a day before the energy powering them left them, and they returned to their wielders, willingly or not. Unfortunately there were some casualties from the recklessness of some of the more destructive Zanpakutō, resulting in nearly fifty deaths and a hundred or so hospitalisations.

Still, while mourning was done and hospital visits paid, everyone continued on with their lives. They had to; the world would not wait for them.

A flicker of Shunpo echoed before she was joined by the familiar face of Coco, who glanced around inquisitively before dismissing whatever thoughts lingered behind her eyes. ''Good work. Anything to note?''

''No. Same as usual.'' Ruby shook her head. ''What about you?''

''Boring. Only an Ursa or two.'' The fashionista replied coolly. ''Let's head back. Pyrrha and Sun will cover guard duty until tomorrow.''

Ruby nodded, giving a parting goodbye before vanishing in a step of Shunpo, heading back towards the Kurosaki Clinic. It was midday, the sun partially hidden behind grey clouds that spoke of ominousness, as if the world foretold what was to come. She wouldn't be surprised; the Grimm, Aizen, Muramasa... all the bad guys seemed to be crawling out of the woodwork in the past few weeks.

Coming to a stop above the clinic and landing on the roof, she only had to wait a few minutes before she caught sight of Ichigo walking down the street, other Karakura High students meandering down the street and into their homes or side-streets. Giving him a wave that he retuned, she hopped off the roof with a flourishing flip, landing with all the grace of a feather on the wall of the clinic. Ichigo rolled his eyes at her dramatic entrance, jerking his head in the direction of the Visored's warehouse, beginning to walk in that direction opposed to stopping at home. His sisters would be out at their friend's house for a while anyway, and his father was aware of the situation already.

''What're you planning on doing today?'' She queried lightly, hopping from fence to fence beside him.

''Bankai. Zangetsu agreed to teach me it now.'' Ichigo responded with a smirk.

Ruby smiled brightly. ''Cool. Should I tell the others you'll be busy, encase any more Grimm-people or Hollows show up?''

''Yeah. I'll probably take a few days to achieve Bankai anyway.''

She snorted, looking at him with amusement. ''Really? Bankai in a few days? It took me two weeks of constant fighting with Bara-chan to get my Bankai!''

He only continued smirking. ''I'll get it in... three days. I bet on it.''

''You're on.'' Ruby grinned playfully. ''If you lose, we have to go to that ice cream place again.''

''And if I win?'' Ichigo asked in a lazy drawl.

''You pick where we go.''

''Deal.''

'So Zangetsu, what's the test? A fight, I'm guessing?'

Ichigo stood in the middle of the desert-like underground area built beneath the Vizard warehouse. No matter how many times he saw it he always felt a bit of awe at the fact that, despite looking like it spanned a third of Karakura, in reality it was no bigger than the property above it - the warehouse, in this case. Urahara once mentioned it had something to do with high-level, time-space Kidō, but the man hadn't gone into depth about it, most likely due to the sheer complexity of it.

A flash of black and white appeared before him, before both halves of Zangetsu manifested before him, their blades in their hands. The desert crag was the perfect place for them to fight. The Quincy was stoic as ever, whilst the Hollow bore a vicious grin on his face, more than eager to start.

''Correct.'' The Quincy spirit confirmed. ''You will fight us, however, there will be a test at the same time. You must complete both to attain Bankai.''

''Alright, so what's the test then?'' Ichigo asked curiously.

His answer came in the form of his spirit raising his hand, before with a flash over a thousand swords of varying designs suddenly flew across the desert crag, impaling themselves into various parts of the terrain with a soft 'chink'. Each individual sword, despite bearing different and sometimes bizarre shapes, was a deep shade of black, endless like the night.

''Each of these swords are fake. Illusions; manifestations of your being.'' Zangetsu informed. ''One of these swords is your Bankai, and you must find it.''

''That's it?'' Ichigo questioned, frowning sceptically. ''Doesn't seem like that hard a test to me. More trial-and-error than anything.''

The Hollow-half of Zangetsu snorted. ''Yeah, but just 'cause you hold it doesn't mean it 'is' yer Bankai.''

''Merely holding the right sword is not enough. You must know for certain, with all your being, that it is the right one.'' The elder half of Zangetsu added. ''And we will be fighting you the whole time; and you are forbidden from using your actual Zanpakutō for the duration of this task.''

With a scowl the teen nodded, unsheathing the still-released khyber knife and trench knife, before stabbing them into the ground, leaving them there to collect later. Both spirits gave him an approving nod, before suddenly they both vanished. It took the teen a solid second before it clicked the challenge had started, and not a moment too soon he leapt back, narrowly avoiding the khyber knife that swung for his face.

Reaching for the nearest sword, a broadsword, he yanked it out of the ground and raised it just in time to block a downwards strike from above, courtesy of the Quincy spirit. Shoving the spirit back, he spun around to deflect a heavier blow from the Hollow, retaliating by stabbing the white-clad spirit in the arm. The Hollow Zangetsu didn't even spare it a glance, instead grinning even wider as he landed in a low crouch, lashing out with a two-handed swipe that shattered the broadsword, the tip of the khyber knife cutting the teen on the chest.

Spitting out a curse Ichigo vanished in a step of Idō, snatching up a tanto-like sword from the ground as he went. He clashed with the Quincy spirit a moment later, their blades letting out a resounding ring as the ground beneath them cracked from the force, their Reiatsu flaring around them. Their battle of strength was brought to an end as the Quincy's blade glowed a bright blue, before a destructive arc of Reiryoku burst to life, striking the teen's tanto and exploding into a plume of blue-tinted smoke.

Ichigo flew out of the smoke, flipping mid-flight and regaining his footing. Tossing away the broken hilt of the tanto he grabbed a random sword, a katana, and readied for another clash. The Hollow spirit was all too glad to oblige, suddenly appearing in front of him with the low buzz of Sonido and clashing with him.

''Tell us, Ichigo.'' Quincy-Zangetsu suddenly spoke up, hovering above the intense clash but not intervening. Yet. ''Why do you fight?''

The question threw the teen for a loop, and almost got himself cut because of it. However, after taking in his spirit's words, he found the question to be oddly easy. ''To protect.''

''Whom?'' The elder Zangetsu asked pointedly, confusing the teen, prompting the spirit to elaborate. ''Whom do you wish to protect?''

Ichigo frowned, struggling to focus on the question and hold back the Hollow half of Zangetsu at the same time. After a few moments he managed to shove his Hollow back, vanishing in a step of Idō to clear some distance. ''My friends. My family.''

A Getsuga screeched through the air towards him, narrowly avoiding him. ''And what of the civilians in Karakura? Within the walls of The Vale? What of the other outpost settlements, that remain at the mercy of the Grimm and Hollows? Do they not deserve your protection too?''

''Of course they do.'' Ichigo grunted, blocking a sudden strike from the elder spirit. ''But I can't be everywhere at once, can I? Even an idiot knows it's impossible to protect everyone.''

''So in the event one of your sisters was in peril, whilst you were protecting a settlement from powerful Hollows, and you were the only one able to help them, who would you sacrifice?'' Quincy-Zangetsu asked tonelessly, his face a mask of utmost seriousness. ''Where do you draw the line between family love, and the greater good?''

Ichigo grimaced, and didn't answer for several minutes. He valued his family more than his own life, and in the event Karin or Yuzu's life were in danger, he'd sacrifice himself in a heartbeat. But sacrificing dozens, hundreds, possibly thousands of innocents just on the chance to save one of his sisters? As guilty as it made him feel, he knew he'd sacrifice those people, unknowingly or not, in a heartbeat to save his sisters. They were far more important to him than a thousand faceless people he never knew.

But where did it end, he wondered? How high did the toll have to be until he considered his sisters, his family worth sacrificing? An entire settlement? Several? The Vale itself? All of Remnant? The scary part was that he didn't honestly know. He would sacrifice them to save his family. The mere concept of even imagining sacrificing his sisters for the betterment of mankind repulsed him on a fundamental level. He'd rather gut himself than do so.

''Eyes on the fight, King!''

Snapping back to reality, he snatched a machete out of the ground just in time to block a Getsuga, but the blade shattered almost instantly upon the getting hit by the explosions, forcing him to endure the rest of the blast. Landing atop a small rocky hill, he glanced around before selecting two separate swords; one an odachi and the other a katana. The Hollow appeared only a few seconds later, and the two entered a quicksilver battle of steel, sparks flying from where their blades collided. Despite wielding two blades that were equally weightless the teen struggled to hold his own against the single khyber knife Hollow Zangetsu held. Probably because they were false blades, or something of that nature.

His eyes flickered over to the Quincy spirit, revealing the old man to be remaining where he was, waiting with all the patience of a saint.

''Where does the line draw, Ichigo?''

Several hours past until he found his answer.

Ichigo bore several wounds, most of which had healed over in a matter of seconds, leaving only bloody stains and shredded fabric as sign of the wound's existence. Both halves of Zangetsu were not without their own wounds, as the Hollow's white attire was saturated in crimson and torn to the point it looked ready to fall off his shoulders at any moment, whilst the Quincy spirit had multiple cuts and gashes in his trench coat, his blood hardened to close the wounds but not erasing the crimson that stained his skin.

''Have you found your answer yet, Ichigo?'' The Quincy half of Zangetsu asked pointedly, yet patiently.

The teen grimaced, his hands visibly clenching tighter before they relaxed, and his form sagged. ''Yuzu and Karin wouldn't want their lives to be at the expense of others... if it came down to it, I... I would sacrifice them to save the majority.''

The Quincy spirit nodded. ''And if a situation presented itself where you could save both?''

Ichigo's eyes hardened in resolve. ''I'd do everything in my power to save them all.''

''If power is not enough?''

''Then I'll try harder. Cut deeper, move faster, think smarter.'' The teen declared, feeling oddly confident in those words, like they resonated with him.

The Hollow smirked, speaking for the first time in over an hour. ''That's the thinking I like to hear, King.''

''Agreed.'' The Quincy smiled briefly, before it was replaced by a stoic expression. ''We have the potential to reach the heavens themselves and rend them asunder, to split the skies and vanquish the rain. If fate is a milestone, then we are the grist. If we cannot protect them from the wheel, then we must strengthen our blade, our hearts... to shatter fate itself.''

Ichigo stood in silent awe, as if the truth of the universe had suddenly been laid before him. While the words were fanciful and poetic, there was something about them that resonated with him, with his soul, more intensely than anything else. He didn't fully grasp that resonation, only that it was important. Unrelated to Bankai, or even his powers, but important. Like the meaning of his life, the meaning of him.

''Heh.'' The Hollow huffed, smirking. ''This philosophy stuff is interestin' and all buuut that was only the first half of the test. The other half...''

''...is subjugation.'' Ichigo finished, his eyes glancing about before landing on a daito. Walking over to it, he gently tugged it out of the ground, before brandishing it with the tip pointed towards his spirits, held in a two-handed grip. ''What are we waiting for then?''

That was the signal, and both spirits lunged at him, and he met them halfway.

''Something isn't right.''

Inoue frowned at Chad's sudden comment, shifting on the park bench worriedly. The park around them was somewhat quiet, with only a few people walking their dogs or playing at the park due to it being dinner time. Since they had decided to take watch shifts alongside the Shinigami stationed in Karakura, they opted to take the dinner or afternoon watches so that the aforementioned Shinigami got a chance to get-together every once and a while, at least long enough to get a full meal in. Uryū also joined in, though he explicitly stated it was for the sole purpose of protecting Karakura, opposed to helping the Shinigami. None of them truly believed his words.

''What isn't?'' Inoue asked worriedly.

''...I don't know.'' Chad admitted. ''My instincts just tell me something's amiss, is all.''

Humming thoughtfully, the auburn-haired teen could only ponder what could set the normally unflappable Chad on edge. Before she could open her mouth to give her ideas, however, a sudden ripping sound tore through the air like shredding paper, rendering the entire block abruptly silent. In the sky above a grey, crack-like fissure formed out of thin air, before it opened like the hungry maw of a beast, revealing only static greyness within it. A moment later two blurs shot out, crashing down into the park, causing an explosion of dust in the process.

Civilians quickly scattered, some crying out in fear whilst others remained grimly silent, as per the instructions they were taught since they were a child. A Hollow or Grimm would find it harder to hunt down a low-Reiryoku human in the middle of the city, especially if they don't express much emotion. All but leaping from his seat, Chad grabbed his sheathed sword from it's position on the bench beside him, grasping the handle tightly.

''Stand Tall.'' Chad announced, as his sword glowed. ''Brazo Derecho de Gigante.''

''Murmur to the Heavens, Whisper to the Wind. Sing to the Angels, Scream to the Demons.'' Inoue followed suit. ''Unleash my will and reject what I overrule! Defy, Kōgen no Kashin!''

Her Zanpakutō shifting into it's Shikai form, and Chad's arm became encased in a black gel-like substance with a single magenta streak down the length of his arm. Uneasily both teen waited with bated breath as the cloud of dust slowly subsided, leaving the surrounding area ominously quiet. After nearly a full thirty seconds, a gruff voice spoke up.

''Oi, Ulquiorra.'' The man asked. ''I thought Aizen-sama said the Shinigami hadn't sent any back-up yet.''

''He did.'' An emotionless, monotone voice replied. ''You merely forgot about it, Yammy. Thus, he instructed us to be quick.''

''Heh, I can do that.''

The dust cleared fully, revealing the two speakers. The first was a large, tan-skinned male with bushy black sideburns, a thin black ponytail reaching his upper-back. His brown eyes lazily scanned the area around them, idly sweeping some dust off his white uniform - which, Inoue idly noted, looked oddly reminiscent of a Shinigami's Shihakusho. The most noticeable trait about him however was the bone-white mask fragment on his jaw, full of a row of eight teeth, and a Hollow hole in the centre of his chest. A katana, oddly similar to a Zanpakutō, was sheathed at his hip within the black obi sash.

The other was much shorter and leaner, with messy jet-black hair and pale skin. His upper lip was black, but his eyes were a deep, entrancing shade of green with a black slit-like pupil. He too wore the same white uniform, albeit more neatly and conservative, with the jacket having longer coattails and a high collar. He also possessed a mask fragment, taking the form of half a horned helmet on the left side of his head, with his Hollow hole located in his sternum. He, like the larger man beside him, possessed a Zanpakutō-like sword with a green handle and sheath.

''So can I start killing, Ulquiorra?'' The taller one, Yammy, suddenly asked.

''...that is partially the purpose of our mission, so yes, you may.'' Ulquiorra responded tonelessly.

Yammy laughed, an arrogant smirk crossing his face as he turned his gaze onto Chad and Inoue, the latter of whom took a step back warily, her hands raised and ready to support her friend. With one last chuckle, Yammy abruptly disappeared with a low buzz, stunning the two for a second too long. The hulking frame of the Arrancar suddenly appeared right in front of Chad, and before he could react a meaty fist crashed into his torso, sending him flying halfway across the park, crashing into several trees along the way.

''Sado-kun!'' Inoue cried out in worry, but snapped her gaze as righteous anger filled her veins. ''How dare you! Koten Zanshun, I Reject!''

Her bracelets glowed before an projectile suddenly shot out as fast as a bullet, whizzing through the air and cutting Yammy on the arm, cleanly piercing through his Hierro, much to his surprise. Anger quickly replaced the surprise and before the auburn-haired teen could react the Arrancar was suddenly behind her, striking her in the side with a meaty backhand, knocking her unconscious from the sudden hit. Her body skipped across the grass before tumbling to a stop, motionless.

''Keh, trash.'' Yammy scoffed, staring in disdain at the woman. ''Not even a chall-''

''El Directo!''

The sudden exclamation took the Arrancar by surprise, and a blast of highly condensed Reiryoku suddenly slammed into his stomach. It exploded with enough force to send Yammy skidding backwards, leaving a noticeable burn on his Hierro, but not piercing it.

Yammy blinked in surprise, before turning his gaze onto Chad, who stood where he had once been. The teen was slightly banged up, with a large bruise forming on his chin and collar, clearly spreading across his torso, but he remained standing.

''Not bad...'' Yammy grinned widely. ''...at least entertain me for a few minutes, trash!''

Chad's eyes hardened and his Reiatsu flared. He vanished in a step of Shunpo, flickering around Yammy several times as he pushed his speed to it's limit, making faint afterimages of himself. After several seconds of moving, he suddenly lunged at Yammy from behind, hand aglow with blue Reiryoku as it smashed into the Arrancar's back, and only then did he release the pent-up El Directo. It exploded on contact, searing Yammy's back and the surrounding area, but once more not piercing through his tough skin.

The teen raised his armoured arm just in time to block another backhand, but the strength behind the blow was still enough to throw him backwards, even as his Shikai reinforced him slightly. Every hit would increase his defence as far as his body and soul would allow, but it didn't calculate for how much damage was in each blow; only the attack itself. If he was to stand a chance against the Arrancar, he needed to get hit, but at the same time his hits were too strong to tank reliably. An annoying catch-22.

Once more vanishing in a step of Shunpo, he reappeared above the Arrancar, his non-armoured hand extended down as crimson flames gathered in his palm, condensing into an orb. ''Hadō #31: Shakkahō!''

The red cannonball descended down and struck Yammy with all the effect of a fly hitting a car, only prompting an annoyed frown from the Arrancar, his patience swiftly fading. When Chad came from the side, another El Directo charged and ready, he was unprepared for Yammy to suddenly disappear with a low buzz of Sonido, appearing right above him. With a crash the hulking Arrancar fell atop Chad, fist smashing the teen several feet into the ground and shattering the dirt and stone around them.

Rising to his full height, Yammy scoffed derisively as he glanced down at the form of Chad, who was no longer moving and had his unarmoured arm bent at an awkward angle. Given he gave no reaction to the pain he was almost certainly unconscious, if not dead outright.

''Oi, Ulquiorra.'' Yammy called out to his compatriot. ''I thought you said the Shinigami were strong. They're shit.''

''Aizen-sama informed us that recently turned humans would be present. It appears these two fit the description; they have likely not been Shinigami for very long, though they are equal to a Números.'' Ulquiorra responded. ''The one beneath you also has tenacity, and you should be more wary of your opponents.''

''Eh?'' Yammy turned, just in time for an glowing blue fist to slam into his chin, sending him flying several feet up in the air before being followed by an El Directo, exploding in his face.

Chad rose from the hole, a deep grimace on his face as he tried not to jostle his left arm. He was outclassed by a major margin, and if the way the other Hollow gave orders was any indication, he was the stronger of the two - and he hadn't even needed to raise a finger yet.

''You little shit!'' Yammy roared as he regained his footing, a faint burn on his chin and scorch marks on his mask fragment... but like before, that was the extent of the damage. The Arrancar vanished in a low buzz, and Chad raised his arm in preparation, only for a figure to intercept the Arrancar. A woman with blazing red hair.

''Absorb, Senshi!'' Pyrrha Nikos declared, and in an instant her Zanpakutō shifted into it's trademark pair of shield and xiphos sword.

Yammy's fist collided with her shield with a resounding clang, and she was sent skidding backwards a few feet, but remained firm. Before the surprised Arrancar could react she lunged, sweeping her blade out in a vicious arc across his arm, cutting a thin gash and barely piercing his Hierro. Without stopping she closed the distance between them, ducking under his retaliatory swing and slamming her shield into his gut, knocking the wind from him before stabbing him in the chest, the tip of her xiphos piercing an inch or two into his skin.

''It appears your skin is too tough for me.'' Pyrrha noted almost idly, leaping backwards with her shield raised defensively. ''May I ask for your name, Hollow?''

''Yammy. Yammy Llargo.''

''I am Pyrrha Nikos, Lieutenant of the Red Division.'' Pyrrha introduced, her emerald gaze flickering behind her to Chad. ''Please take Inoue-san and leave, Sado-san.''

Chad remained conflicted for a moment, but the pulsating pain in his arm and the unconscious Inoue made the decision for him. With a flurry of slow Shunpo, he and Inoue were gone. Seeing that, Pyrrha turned her gaze back to Yammy, only to notice he was no longer in front of her. She spun around and raised her shield in time to block the fist that would've struck her neck had she been a second slower, before redirecting her shield to the side, dropping her xiphos and extending her open palm, a golden glow emanating from it.

''Hadō #63: Raikōhō!'' She declared, firing it point-blank. The howling thunder cannon erupted into a cone of yellow lightning, engulfing Yammy in the blast. The attck quickly dissipated, revealing the burns across his body and the scorched outfit, but once again his Hierro was not pierced. Then again, that was not her intention.

A thrumming crimson orb formed in Yammy's mouth, before with a roar it was released. ''Cero!''

Raising her shield up, the crimson beam struck it, almost instantly becoming absorbed into the metal and giving it a crimson sheen. Directing the stored power internally, she felt her own power increase, and with a faint grin she vanished in an empowered step of Shunpo. Appearing right in front of Yammy, she side-stepped his downward punch, and instead swung in a wide arc with her xiphos, successfully cutting a light gash across his torso. She could cut him better, but it was still not enough. It would take too long and she'd tire long before he would.

Vanishing in a step of Shunpo, she landed a good few dozen feet away, and didn't spare a moment for dramatics. ''Bankai: Zettai Senshi!''

A flash of crimson engulfed her form, kicking up a heavy gust of wind in the process, before several seconds later it dispersed with a flourish. More armour covered her Shihakusho now, and her shield had increased in size and bulk, giving her an appearance not unlike the ancient Spartan warriors.

Without delay she kicked off in a step of Shunpo, not at all inhibited by the heavy armour she now donned. Yammy made the mistake of striking to block her swing, and was thoroughly surprised when her blade cleanly cut through his Hierro, barely hitting any resistance. Before the Arrancar could react she struck twice more, her swift slashes drawing an 'X' across his torso and spilling crimson into the air.

''Bitch!'' Yammy roared in pain, throwing a fist down that collided with her large shield, making her grunt from his strength but remained where she was. Before she could counter, he began barraging her with a flurry of punches, forcing her to hide behind her shield for cover as he slammed against it with immense speed. However, that was what she wanted.

All Bankai were an expansion upon their Shikai counterparts - that was a fundamental rule that all Zanpakutō followed, abstract or not. Hers was no exception. Her Shikai, by design, was to even the playing field - to remove any ranged or energy attacks, and to force them to fight in melee against her. To bring them to fight on her terms, in her domain. Her Bankai expanded on that. Instead of only absorbing ranged or energy attacks... it also absorbed kinetic force, allowing her to strengthen herself with the energy. Or, alternatively, release it back in a single instant.

As she felt the energy roiling under her skin, threatening to implode within her as she struggled to keep any more contained, she jerked her shield forward, slamming into Yammy's fast-moving fists and jerking them back. Using his surprise to her advantage she lunged, her xiphos cleaving through the air horizontally in front of her, a murky red glow emanating from it.

''Saishū Setsudan!'' Pyrrha declared her sole Bankai technique, and a wave of transparent crimson-tinted energy surged forth like a raging wave, tightly contained within the arc of energy. Knowing instinctively it was too powerful to block, Yammy vanished in a step of Sonido. However...

''Fuck!''

...he wasn't fast enough to dodge it entirely, as when he reappeared he was missing his left arm, cut cleanly off from the elbow down.

''Damn you, Shinigami!'' Yammy roared in rage, launching at her in fury.

Pyrrha only smiled grimly, and met him halfway.

Ulquiorra twitched unnoticeably as he watched Yammy get kicked around, and had he been anyone else he would've shaken his head in exasperation.

However, his attention swiftly left his brute of an ally as three signatures got in range of him, approaching him specifically. The Shinigami. When they got within his line of sight he noted their identities matched up with the ones Aizen had predicted would be sent; Sun Wukong, Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina. Despite the fact Yammy was present and the injured, none of them went for him, instead leaving it to Pyrrha Nikos. Odd, he mused, but then again Shinigami favoured one-on-one battles more than Hollows did.

''I'm guessing you're the boss of the two, eh?'' Sun Wukong asked him with an easy-going smile.

''I am a higher ranked Espada than him, so yes, I am his 'boss'.'' Ulquiorra replied tonelessly.

''Espada?'' Coco quirked a brow.

Ulquiorra responded without hesitation. ''We, the Espada, are Aizen-sama's ten strongest Arrancar, and are ranked as such.''

''And what's your rank then, emo-san?'' Coco asked bluntly.

''I see no reason to divulge that information. I merely extended the prior information as it provides no viable benefit to the Shinigami.''

Coco clicked her tone in disappointment, drawing her sword slowly from it's sheath. ''Shame, it's always nice when arrogant people spew all the important information. What's your name, Arrancar?''

''Ulquiorra Cifer.'' He stated, his eyes flickering to the side as the brunette woman suddenly appeared at his side. He intercepted her halfway, back-handing her sword away. She attempted to stab at him but he grabbed her blade, shoving her back without any wounds to show for it.

''So your Hierro is tougher than I thought.'' Coco mused, raising her blade. ''Create, Sōzō Mēkā.''

Her katana shortened in length, becoming more akin to a wakizashi and gaining an 8-shaped guard. Waving it in front of her in an arc, she released a wave of deep red water that swiftly formed a wave, surprising the Arrancar. A simple step of Sonido allowed him to avoid it, but he suddenly found bolts of purple lightning shooting at him. When they struck him they barely hurt, but he wasn't keen on letting her hit him repeatedly. For all he knew her attacks could have a slow-building poison in them, thus it would be prudent to not be hit by them.

Appearing in a step of Sonido behind her, he stabbed his hand out towards her upper back only for a wall of pale blue ice to appear, blocking his attack, not even shattering despite being mere ice. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion Ulquiorra leapt back, side-stepping a beam of white energy. His eyes narrowed further as he recalled a piece of information Aizen had told him.

'Zanpakutō cannot use more than one element, nor have abilities that are vastly unrelated.' The Arrancar recalled, before it hit him. 'Sōzō Mēkā... 'Imagination Maker'...'

When the next attack launched towards him, consisting of a blue dragon-shaped bullet, he didn't even bother to dodge. Instead, he stared it down... and watched it fade right before it hit him.

''I understand now.'' Ulquiorra spoke aloud, taking note of the sour expression on Coco's face. ''Your Zanpakutō creates illusions that rely on the target's belief that they are real. If they understand they are merely illusions, and thus fake, the illusions cannot harm them.''

''Yeah.'' She confirmed reluctantly. ''But knowing that won't be enough to save you.''

''Glow, Taiyō!''

Ulquiorra vanished in a step of Sonido, appearing several feet to the side, easily avoiding the bō staff that swung down at him. Undeterred, Sun grinned as he lunged at him, swinging his Shikai around and smacking the Arrancar on the arm. The blow did no damage due to his Hierro, but the flash of light was enough to blind the Arrancar. Sun attempted to take advantage of the blindness, but the moment his second strike landed Ulquiorra's hand shot out, grabbing the bō staff and pulling it towards him. Before the Faunus could react a fist was rammed into his gut, knocking the wind from him and a second strike hit him in the chest, audibly snapping one of his ribs.

His emerald gaze flickered to the side as several Shakkahō raced towards him, courtesy of the rabbit Faunus. Firing off several weak Bala's he obliterated the fireballs mid-flight, stepping to the side to avoid Coco's sword swing before punching her in the stomach, making her fold like a card. He was however taken by surprise when she exploded into a plume of flames, scorching the left sleeve of his coat off and revealing the pale skin underneath. The real Coco was actually standing behind a nearby tree, walking out with a smirk.

''Just because you acknowledge they're illusions, doesn't mean they permanently don't work on you.'' She informed smugly.

Ulquiorra merely gave her an unamused stare, before firing several Bala in her direction, forcing her to dodge. His attention flickered back to Sun, who tried to flank him from behind only to get a Bala to the face, sending him crashing into a tree. Several bolts of purple lightning attempted to strike the Arrancar, only to fade away a moment before they could hit him. However what garnered his gaze next was the Faunus girl.

''Wish...'' Velvet declared, ''Tentai Usagi!''

Her katana morphed slightly, gaining a brown tassel hanging from the pommel and a strange, star-shaped silver guard. It didn't reveal much, nor did her Reiatsu flare extravagantly either. It was rather underwhelming.

He redirected his attention to Coco as she dove at him, sweeping her blade in a wide arc. He nimbly leaned back, letting the blade scrape harmlessly against his Hierro before lashing out with a kick, nearly striking her in the stomach had she not vanished at the last possible second, appearing above him. Her attempt at an ambush however was foiled, as he grabbed the blade pointing towards him and threw it, with her alongside it. She recovered admirably fast, lunging at him once more, making him frown faintly. Surely by now they knew that they couldn't cut through his Hierro, so why even bother trying a melee attack?

Not even bothering to try and defend from the attack, he watched as the blade raced towards him in a stab, poised to stab his shoulder-

''Wish!''

-and then to strike... piercing barely an inch deep. While the wound wasn't even deep enough to draw blood, the fact alone it had pierced his Hierro was a surprising feat. His inhuman eyes quickly found the culprit, landing upon the nervous form of Velvet Scarlatina, her sword glowing a pale silver colour.

'I see.' Ulquiorra noted. 'Power augmentation through desire. How annoying.'

However, he was satisfied with the information collected thus far. With that in mind he vanished in a step of Sonido so fast he left an afterimage, before appearing in front of the surprised Pyrrha Nikos. Not giving her time to react, he slammed a fist into her solar plexus and knocked the wind from her lungs, before turning and grabbing Yammy alongside his arms. His comrade was a mess; now missing both of his arms, numerous cut and gashes, and many bruises. It would take at least several days of intensive recovery before he was back to fighting condition.

''We have achieved our mission.'' Ulquiorra informed his fellow Espada, tapping the air with his finger and opening a Garganta. The Shinigami didn't even try to stop him, most likely realising he was leagues stronger than they were.

Stepping into the Garganta, half-dragging Yammy in the process, he offered a final glance back at the weary Shinigami before the Garganta closed with an resounding boom.

''...her Shikai, Tentai Usagi, invokes a power augmentation via her own personal desire. I did not have much chance to study it, nor saw much use, as the power increase was not significant.''

Blake Belladonna remained stoically silent as she listened to Ulquiorra's report, kneeling before Aizen's throne as the other Espada sat on small platforms lining the walls. Gin remained on the right side of Aizen's throne, whilst she and Tōsen remained on his left. She could've stood on the right if she wished, but unfortunately that would lead to her being tempted into stabbing Gin repeatedly. Thus, she preferred to keep distance between them where possible.

She felt slightly conflicted about seeing the fight, courtesy of Ulquiorra's Solita Vista technique. On one hand, it showed her that her former friends had grown stronger and held the necessary drive to protect The Vale; her home. But on the other hand, that strength was not enough. It required Pyrrha releasing her Bankai to fight evenly against Yammy, and while she likely would've won that fight she would lose against the Noveno Espada. Coco might stand a chance if she had Bankai, but the Lieutenant had never given any indication of possessing it beforehand, so she might not even have it yet. She was truly beginning to worry about The Vale.

It was once said that ten Vasto Lorde-class Hollows working together could destroy The Vale. Aizen had six Vasto Lorde-class Arrancar, plus numerous Adjuchas-class ones.

''I see. Scarlatina-san doesn't often see combat, so it's possible she merely doesn't possess enough skill with her Zanpakutō to give an effective boost to her allies.'' Aizen mused to himself. ''Nevertheless, good work Ulquiorra, Yammy. This meeting is adjourned.''

With his dismissal the Espada began to file out of the room, though she noticed Grimmjow scowling more heavily than normal, sending glares at Ulquiorra before the latter disappeared in a step of Sonido. However her gaze quickly left the blue-haired Hollow, and fell upon another Espada. Her reason for betraying The Vale in the first place, and the one she had given up her entire world for. The Quinto Espada...

...Adam Taurus.

Translations:

Tentai Usagi = Celestial Rabbit. (Velvet's Shikai)

Saishū Setsudan = Final Cleaving. (Pyrrha's Bankai Technique)

Bala = Bullet. (Hollow Technique)

Solita Vista = Accustomed View. (Ulquiorra's Technique)

A/N: Hehehe.

Ichi's going for Bankai (which you'll notice the process is slightly different from canon), Ulquiorra and Yammy arrive, Velvet gets to show her Shikai, and Blake's reason is partially revealed~!

As you'll notice, the Espada rankings have changed - Nnoitra is no longer the Quinto Espada, instead Adam Taurus takes that place. Some of the Hollow characters will have a recurring theme too, one that'll hint a bit to The Vale's bloody past. A familiar face from the RWBY-verse will also make an appearance. Also, six of the Espada are Vasto Lorde now, opposed to canon where only four were.

Till next time~!