Aizen brings back some unexpected visitors to combat Ichigo and his Hollow. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. If I did, I would probably be busy drawing instead of writing fanfictions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
37: Requiem for a Dream 2: An Eye for an Eye
"Double-team you say?" Aizen asked with a grin. "Sorry to disappoint, but it doesn't matter how many of you there are; I'm the God in here and I'll still emerge victorious."
"Talk all you want!" Hollow Ichigo threatened, "It still won't save your life."
"Your hollow side is quite the rambunctious one isn't he Kurosaki?" chided Aizen. "Hasn't someone ever told you that being boastful does more harm than good?"
"Hasn't someone ever told you that pride is a sin?!" the Hollow said suddenly appearing behind Aizen.
His quick sword slash made the illusion of Aizen disappear. "A sin eh?" he heard someone behind him say. "It's a sin itself to stand up to God, and for that you must be punished!"
Hollow Ichigo quickly jumped out of the way of Aizen's sword and landed next to Ichigo.
"Don't be stupid!" Ichigo said to his hollow side. "Aizen's too smart to be taken in by something like that!"
"Sorry King," he replied. "I was just testing him out to see what we're up against."
"If he wasn't tough, I wouldn't want your help," Ichigo stated. "But as it stands, I don't think I can take him alone."
"Then how about I take left and you take right."
"Sounds good."
"Then what are we waiting for King? Let's go!"
Both Ichigo's disappeared in a flash and appeared on both sides of Aizen, swords ready to stab him in his side.
"Satten Kesshun, I reject!" they both heard someone say.
Suddenly, two golden shields appeared on both sides of the grinning Aizen. Their swords bounced off of them, and the shields shattered.
"That's…" Ichigo started.
They both looked behind Aizen to see Orihime there, her hairpins alight. "Orihime…What are you—" Ichigo started.
He was suddenly cut off as Aizen slashed Ichigo across his chest, sending him stepping away from the traitor. Hollow Ichigo raised his sword high in an attempt to kill the distracted Aizen.
"Damn idiot, getting hit in surprise like that!"
"Koten Zanshun, I reject!"
Tsubaki suddenly flew out of Orihime's hairpin and hit Hollow Ichigo right in his chest, sending him flying to the ground with the force. Aizen simply stood there smirking, wiping the blood off of his sword.
"Ugh…shit…Didn't expect that to pack such a punch!"
"Orihime, why are you helping Aizen?!" Ichigo asked, now on his feet.
"You really are brainless aren't you Kurosaki," Aizen mocked. "My Bankai's power allows me to enter my opponent's soul and steal their memories. If I can steal and manifest them, then they can easily fight for me!"
"You bastard!" Ichigo yelled as he started running towards Aizen.
He was suddenly cut off by his hollow side. "What the fuck do you think you're doing idiot?"
"Get out of the way!"
"If you die, I die too!" Hollow Ichigo countered. "I can't have you running towards your enemy just to die. Calm down and don't let him anger you like that!"
Aizen was suddenly behind Hollow Ichigo with his sword raised high. The hollow countered quickly by turning around and parrying the blow. They stared at each other as Hollow Ichigo smirked.
"Seems to me like your little friend over there doesn't help much for offense."
Aizen smiled as he hopped back towards Orihime. "No, perhaps not. Worry not, if it's an attack force you want…" Mist suddenly appeared in front of Aizen and began to take shape. "…It's an attack force you'll get!"
The mist suddenly took the shape of six people. They revealed themselves to be six members of the Espada. Barragan, Ulquiorra, Nnoitra, Zommari, Szayel, and Aaroniero all stood with smiles on their faces.
"I believe you're acquainted with a few, but shall I introduce the rest?" Aizen asked mockingly.
"You said you use my memories, but I don't know three of those Espada!" Ichigo proclaimed.
"You didn't think I can't use my own memory do you?" asked the traitor. "Remember Kurosaki, this may be your soul, but my Bankai allows me to be the God in here. Now my fellow Espada, rip those two to shreds."
"Only two?" Nnoitra complained. "That's not enough."
"And they look so boring," Szayel added.
"They're hardly worth my time," declared Barragan.
"Go now," Aizen commanded, "and remember to share."
With that, all six Espada leapt towards their opponent. "Oh and…" Aizen added, "you two can't fight together."
He held his sword straight out, sending a large burst of energy coming from it. It sped towards Ichigo and his hollow form, and both of them jumped out of the way to avoid its sting. When they landed, they both saw they were facing three Espada each.
Ulquiorra, Nnoitra, and Aaroniero faced Ichigo, while Barragan, Zommari, and Szayel faced his hollow side.
"You'd better not try and take my kill!" Nnoitra said to his two companions. "Especially you Ulquiorra!"
"Don't worry," Ulquiorra said with closed eyes, "he is trash and I don't intend to fight him anyway."
"Hmph, whatever!" yelled the battle-hungry arrancar. "You'd better not interfere either Aaroniero!"
"Save it," Aaroniero exclaimed through his two faces. "I want to devour him and add his spiritual energy to my own!"
With that, Nnoitra and Aaroniero leapt towards Ichigo. They faced their adversary, and Aaroniero said, "Greetings, I'm the Novena Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie."
"Ninth?" Ichigo asked. "Didn't Rukia beat you before?"
"Rukia, you mean…" started the Novena as he took off his mask, revealing his face to be Rukia's, and finishing, "…me?"
"Rukia? How did you copy her face?"
"Quite simple really," Aaroniero said through Rukia's mouth. "I ate her," he lied.
Those words cut Ichigo like a dagger, and sudden rage overtook him as he roared and rushed towards his enemy. Before he could reach him, Nnoitra came between and blocked his attack with his massive zanpakuto.
"You're… Nnoitra!" Ichigo said.
"You remember my name?" asked the 5th Espada. "Yet I don't remember yours. Would you mind telling me?"
"Ichigo Kurosaki."
"Kurosaki, eh? I'll remember it until I kill you that is!"
Ichigo used his strength to knock Nnoitra to the floor and continued towards Aaroniero. He simply smiled and pulled out Rukia's zanpakuto.
"That's…"
"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"
A large ice wave flew towards Ichigo as he flew straight towards it. "Getsuga Tensho!" he yelled, smashing the wave with his attack.
He continued towards Aaroniero, but he was able to dodge his attack and appear behind Ichigo. He quickly turned around and brought his sword towards Rukia's zanpakuto. Ice from Rukia's blade started to form on Ichigo's sword, and he was forced to pull his sword back and land on the ground; Aaroniero followed suit.
"How can you use Rukia's moves?!" he asked in anger.
"Hope you didn't forget about me!" Ichigo heard behind him.
He didn't have time to look who said it as he leapt out of the way just in time to avoid the attack. Nnoitra stood there smiling and threw his zanpakuto from its chain towards Ichigo. He brought his sword up to block, but was pushed back several feet, still parrying the zanpakuto.
"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"
Ichigo quickly leapt out of the white circle that formed itself around him. "This is bad!" Ichigo said, "I have to take them one-on-one, but how?"
He didn't have time to think as Nnoitra appeared behind him again. "Gotcha!" he yelled triumphantly.
Thinking fast, Ichigo threw on his hollow mask and turned around, attacking Nnoitra. The Espada was able to parry his attack with his zanpakuto, but he felt the pressure of Ichigo's spiritual energy.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
The black blast hit a surprised Nnoitra head-on, throwing him back many feet in a heap. With Nnoitra out of the way, he turned his attention to Aaroniero.
He sped quickly towards the surprised arrancar and brought his sword down on him in a flash, slashing his chest open. He grunted in pain as he took a step back. Ichigo noticed his spiritual energy began to fluctuate, and Rukia's face began to change back to his original head.
"How dare you!" he roared in anger, his real face taking over.
"Just as I thought," Ichigo scoffed, "there's no way Rukia could have lost to you; once again, it was just another illusion."
Another slash of his sword changed Aaroniero back completely. "So what?!" he roared in anger. He pulled off one of his white gloves, revealing his zanpakuto. "I don't need her attacks to beat you! Consume Glotoneria!"
Aaroniero transformed into a large octopus-looking creature, as hollows began to form on it. "Prepare to face 33,650 hollows!" he laughed.
Before he could finish his laugh, Ichigo already leapt up to be level with him. Not wasting any time, he raised his sword up and started, "Getsuga…"
"Wait!"
"…Tensho!"
A massive black blast flew across and split Aaroniero in half, shattering the jar which held his two heads. His resureccion disappeared and he gave his final words before dying.
"Damn…it…"
Ichigo didn't have five seconds to breathe before Nnoitra was back up again ready to kill. Ichigo parried his blow as the arrancar scoffed.
"With Aaroniero out of the way, I can have you all to myself!"
Ichigo gave an unearthly shriek and pushed Nnoitra back with an amazing amount of force. He cursed as he skidded back. "Don't remember this much power before!"
Before he could blink, Ichigo was right in front of him, slashing him across the chest, ripping his uniform right open. "Fuck!" he cursed, swinging his zanpakuto towards him.
Ichigo deftly ducked and slashed both of his legs.
Nnoitra swung his zanpakuto down, but Ichigo avoided and appeared behind him, slashing his back. "You weren't this strong when I fought you last!" he yelled.
"That's because I was beat up from Grimmjow's fight," Ichigo calmly answered, cutting him again. "When I'm like this, you don't stand a chance."
One final slash across Nnoitra's face sent him flying back. Blood sprayed as he braced himself and cursed over and over. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! Fine, I'll just have to fucking crush you right now! Pray, Santa Teresa!"
All of Nnoitra's wounds sealed up as he grew six arms, each with large scythes. Nnoitra wasted no time as he rushed at Ichigo with all six scythes ready. Ichigo dodged the first two and parried the other two he swung at him.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
The blast went through the scythe he was parrying, and hitting Nnoitra in the process. He growled and brought his remaining two scythes down, which Ichigo was able to dodge. The Captain leapt in the air, and Nnoitra followed in hot pursuit. Ichigo raised his sword high starting, "Getsuga…"
"That won't fucking work anymore!" Nnoitra exclaimed, swinging his scythes towards Ichigo, cutting off his attack.
Rage began to overtake Ichigo as he realized he didn't have time to be fighting Nnoitra. With his anger, his spiritual pressure rose, and it grew so thick it was stifling to Nnoitra.
"Urgh…why do you have so much strength?" he asked.
"Because I'm stronger than you!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"I AM THE STRONGEST!" yelled a maddened Nnoitra as he leapt straight for Ichigo with his five remaining scythes swinging.
Ichigo brought his blade down and started to charge his Getsuga Tensho on the tip of his blade. Without releasing it, he kept the energy there and went to attack. Nnoitra swung his first two scythes at him, but they broke under the strength of Ichigo's blade.
"Fuck!" he yelled, swinging his other two scythes towards him.
Nnoitra found the same result for those two scythes as well. Nnoitra realized he was outclassed and raised his remaining scythe up in a defense against Ichigo's attack.
"Getsuga Tensho!" he yelled, bringing his blade down with a crash against Nnoitra.
The damage was severe as Nnoitra's last scythe broke and he barreled to the ground with a gruesome wound now on his chest. "Shit…didn't think he'd be so strong…" he wheezed, barely having any strength to get on his knees.
Ichigo landed right in front of the wounded arrancar and brought his sword high. "Going to finish me off then?" asked the 5th Espada. "That's fine…hurry up and split me in two. I want to enjoy my last breath in the heat of battle…I can't think of a better way to leave the God forsaken world."
Nnoitra surprisingly started laughing as he looked up at his opponent with a smile. "Sorry," he chuckled, "I still can't remember your name…"
Ichigo finished him with a decisive blow brought down on him, ending the 5th Espada once and for all.
With Nnoitra dealt with, Ichigo turned towards the seemingly unphased Ulquiorra. "Now it's time to fight you," he declared. "I have to finish you and get to Aizen."
"Get to Aizen?" the 4th Espada repeated. "Don't make me laugh Kurosaki. Even if you beat me, you're still no match for Aizen."
"Better not go underestimating me again," Ichigo warned. "It will be your downfall."
"Don't worry, I know how strong you've gotten, and intend to attack with the same kind of power," Ulquiorra responded, pointing his blade at him. "Bind…Murcielago!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ichigo defeats Nnoitra and Aaroniero, but will he be able to beat Ulqiorra again?
P.S. Sorry for the shorter than normal chapter, but this chapter and the next one were originally one, but it was too long so I had to split it up. With luck, I should be able to update tomorrow.
REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW PLEASE! All reviews are greatly appreciated.