Ichigo and his hollow side square off against the Espada. Enjoy!

Sorry for taking longer than I promised to update. I first thought I would make all of this one chapter, but I realized it would be far too long and was forced to break it up. Even I was in surprise at the length of this chapter. Can you believe I wanted the last chapter, this chapter, and the next chapter all to be one? Clearly I have organizational problems. Oh well, I'll update as soon as possible. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. If I did, I would probably be busy drawing instead of writing fanfictions.

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38: Requiem for a Dream 3: Shut Me Up

"I want him for my research!" Szayel bragged to his other two companions. "So you just stay out of my way."

Hollow Ichigo raised an eyebrow at this comment.

"Hmph, go ahead," Barragan replied. "He doesn't look worth my time anyway."

"I agree," Zommari simply replied.

"Well that was easy," Szayel chuckled stepping towards Hollow Ichigo. "You don't seem to be like the other one," he analyzed.

"Like that's hard to figure out," Hollow Ichigo chuckled. "And you're supposed to be the smartest Espada?"

Szayel pushed his glasses closer to his face and simply replied, "Your energy is not unlike a hollows. It should be very interesting to study you…very interesting indeed."

Hollow Ichigo was suddenly beside him with his sword ready. "Sorry, but I don't intend to become anyone's test subject."

Szayel barely had time to bring his own zanpakuto up to parry the attack. The force was so great, however, that Szayel skidded a few feet, blood flowing down the side of his head.

"Being able to go through my pesquisa, he must be more like a hollow than I thought," he simply replied.

He didn't have time to go any further as Hollow Ichigo was on him again, his sword raised high. Szayel brought his sword up to parry, but cracks began to form from the force of it.

Thinking fast, Szayel brought his sword down slightly and two bits of pink energy began to form on both of his eyes. "Cero!" he yelled.

The two parts combined to make his cero blast, knocking the hollow back. "I know that's not enough to get him, so where'd he g—" Szayel started.

Hollow Ichigo suddenly appeared in front of him and slashed him across the chest. Blood sprayed out as he screamed in pain and jumped away from his enemy.

"Having trouble there Aporro?" Barragan mocked.

Rage appeared on Szayel's face now. "You low-grade specimen!" he cursed. "How dare you make me bleed! I care not for studying you anymore; it's clear you're inferior to us arrancar, so I'll end it now. Imbibe, Fornicaras!"

Szayel swelled up like a balloon as he swallowed his sword and appeared in his released form. "Aaaaah!" he said in a relaxed tone. "Now it's time to feed!"

One of his tentacles turned up behind Hollow Ichigo, intent on capturing him. The hollow was too quick, however, as he turned around and completely severed it with one blow. Szayel howled in pain as he sent two more towards him. They ended up just like the other one, severed and on the ground.

"Shit!" cursed the 8th Espada. "There's no way I'd lose to an inferior species like you!"

A large amount of black ink shot out of his back and flew towards Hollow Ichigo. He stood there calmly and simply said, "Getsuga Tensho."

The blast completely shot through the black ink, making him avoid it completely. Not giving Szayel any time to react, he appeared right in front of him with his sword ready to kill. He thrust his sword straight into the arrancar's heart, causing blood to flow from his mouth.

"Not…again…" he cursed as he began to disappear.

Before he was even gone completely, Zommari was behind Hollow Ichigo and brought his sword down on him. The hollow turned around and parried the blade. "You're pretty quick there!" he complemented. "But I thought you said you weren't interested."

"The death of an ally warrants interest," Zommari replied. "That's all that needs to be said."

"Is that so? Getsuga Tensho!"

The blast hit Zommari, but the hollow found out he merely hit an afterimage. The real Zommari appeared behind him, but Hollow Ichigo turned around and slashed him, only to find out it was an afterimage again.

"What the?!" he asked.

"As the fastest Espada, I am able to confused you with afterimages. It is called Gemelos Sonido!"

Before Zommari could brag any further, Hollow Ichigo was on the real him and slashed him lightly with his sword. The 7th Espada retreated in shock. "How?"

The hollow didn't bother answering, which angered Zommari a bit. He started moving faster to make five images of himself. "Now try and attack me!" he yelled.

Surprisingly, Hollow Ichigo thrust his sword through the real Zommari's shoulder, causing blood to shoot out. Zommari quickly jumped back, letting the sword come out on its own. "How did you know which was the real me?"

"Aizen already tried something like this," the hollow explained. "It's easy if you just focus on the one that's actually exerting spiritual pressure."

"I see," Zommari calmly replied. "Then I shall face you with a greater strength."

He levitated in front of him and it started to form into a ball. He clapped his hands together and stated, "Suppress, Brujeria!"

White mist emanated from Zommari's zanpakuto and enveloped him. He emerged in the shape not unlike that of a pumpkin, with fifty eyes covering his body. Before Hollow Ichigo knew it, one of Zommari's pupils enlarged and hit his leg. The shape of a black sun appeared on it.

"What?"

"The power of my resureccion lets me take the sovereignty of anything. In layman's terms…it lets me have full control of your leg. And if I take control of your head…"

Another on of his pupils started to enlarge, but before he could take control of Hollow Ichigo's head, he brought his arm up between his head, letting it get taken control of instead.

"Quick thinking," Zommari complimented, "yet fruitless in the end. I will take control of all of your body soon enough."

Before he could set his sights on anything else, he felt Hollow Ichigo's presence behind him. "What?!" was all he could say.

"Guess that really is just it, isn't it?" asked the hollow. "Sorry, but taking control of one of my legs isn't enough to slow me down that much, and I can easily use my other arm to do this!"

He suddenly thrust his sword in Zommari's heart, causing him to spit up blood. "Damn…you…" he said before disappearing into a white fog.

Hollow Ichigo noticed the suns went away on him. "Guess they disappear when you die, huh?"

"Hmph, weaklings, all of them!" Barragan scoffed.

"You're next," Hollow Ichigo threatened.

"You're very hollow-like," Barragan admitted, summoning his massive axe to him. "But I'm about to show you what it's like to face the king of hollows. Rot, Arrogante!"

"Arrogante?" Hollow Ichigo snickered. "Well it suits your personality well."

Barragan didn't answer as he was fully engulfed in blackness. He emerged as his old self, not but bones draped in a black robe with a beautiful golden crown.

"Oho, that's a scary sight indeed. No doubt it scares anyone who's never seen a resureccion before."

"Your meaningless words mean nothing to me," Barragan replied. "But in the end, while facing me, everything means nothing."

He exhumed his aura of death, causing the building under him to crumble. "What the?"

Barragan laughed as he didn't bother to explain, simply replying, "Rot and die!"

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Ichigo held his ground despite the power of Ulquiorra's release form. With his now completely helmet and white clothing, he looked an intimidating sight. He summoned a white lance in his hand and stared emotionlessly at his opponent.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

"No," Ichigo bluntly stated.

Before he knew it, Ulquiorra was right in front of him with his lance poised. Ichigo reacted quickly and knocked it away before he could get stabbed. "Getsuga Tensho!" he yelled.

Ulquiorra jumped back to avoid it completely and took flight in the air. Ichigo jumped to follow him and swung his sword upward. Ulquiorra parried it with his lance and was able to push him back. Before Ichigo could recover completely, Ulquiorra struck again, appearing behind Ichigo, swinging his lance to behead his enemy.

Ichigo ducked and was able to turn around and slash Ulquiorra lightly across his chest. The arrancar seemed surprised by this and leapt back.

"Seems like you've gotten better," he commented.

"Thanks," Ichigo replied.

"It still doesn't mean you can beat me," Ulquiorra replied. "I believe you remember this attack Kurosaki," he said, charging a black cero on the tips of his fingers.

"I do," Ichigo replied, lowering his sword. He began to charge a Getsuga Tensho on the tip of his sword.

"Thinking you can defeat my Cero Oscuras with a Getsuga Tensho? What a ridiculous notion," mocked the Espada. "In the end, you're still trash."

"You're pretty arrogant Ulquiorra," Ichigo shot back. "It's not like you at all."

"It doesn't matter," he said with emotionless eyes. "Let us end this now."

"Sounds good to me," the Captain smiled.

"Cero Oscuras!"

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Both blasts hit dead on in a massive black explosion, engulfing both shinigami and arrancar.

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Hollow Ichigo dodged yet another one of Barragan's Respira attack. "Not again! Can't you do anything else?!"

"You say it like you're winning!" laughed Barragan.

"It's not that, I just don't like you destroying the King's soul. I live here you know!"

"Is that so? Well then, I'll just have to expand."

Barragan's Respira grew to an even wider radius, destroying a good part of the building next to him. "I said stop!" the angered hollow yelled, rushing towards his enemy.

Barragan laughed as he extended his aura again, forcing Hollow Ichigo to stop and retreat. "What's wrong? Can you not handle the thought of aging?" mocked the laughing skeleton.

"Ah fuck you!" Hollow Ichigo replied, charging a red cero in his hand. "Cero!"

The blast flew towards Barragan, but aged and withered before it could reach Barragan. "It's futile," he scoffed. "You are equal before me."

"Hate to admit it, but he's got a formidable defense," thought Hollow Ichigo, taking flight yet again. "But there's gotta be some way to counter his defenses. But he won't give me any time!"

"I'm not waiting anymore," Barragan stated. "Prepare to rot!"

"Shit! Time to go!"

With that, Hollow Ichigo began running away from his enemy. Barragan merely laughed at this. "You think running will get you anywhere? You are nothing but an insect, and you will die like one!"

Barragan began to follow Hollow Ichigo, laughing the entire time.

"Gotta get to King so we can take him down together. I just hope he's finished his enemies off!"

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The dust cleared from both massive attacks, and both opponents came through wounded. Ichigo emerged bloodied and his hollow mask destroyed while Ulquiorra appeared with his shirt completely burned, reveal his chest and the tattoo of the number "4".

"Impossible," Ulquiorra thought. "That Getsuga Tensho was stronger than my Cero Oscuras. Where does he get such strength?"

Ichigo smiled despite his grievous injuries. "What's the matter Ulquiorra? Too much for you to handle?"

Ulquiorra cut off Ichigo's laughter by throwing his lance at his enemy. Ichigo barely had time to move his head, getting away with a slash on the cheek. "That's not like you," he continued. "Are you perhaps getting desperate?"

"Shut up trash!" Ulquiorra yelled. "It appeared I need to acquaint you again with the true meaning of despair!"

Ulquiorra transformed into his Segunda Etapa, hitting Ichigo with fresh spiritual pressure, healing his wounds as well. Ulquiorra stood there motionless, intimidating Ichigo immensely.

"Speechless again?" he asked. "I thought you'd be more prepared."

Ichigo stood motionless and remained silent. "No words?" asked the Espada. He summoned a white-light lance in his hand. "Guess I'll put an end to it now. Lanza del Relampago!"

Knowing the danger, Ichigo threw on his hollow mask and took to the air. "Useless!" Ulquiorra said, throwing the lance at his enemy.

It was then that Ichigo felt his inner-hollow's presence behind him. He turned around and saw him being chased by Barragan. Thinking fast, he leapt up higher just in time to avoid the lance, sending it straight towards his hollow.

"Heads up!" he only yelled.

Hollow Ichigo saw it, saying, "What the fuck is that?!"

Without an answer, he leapt out of the way, sending the weapon to his enemy behind him. The laughing Barragan was distracted, but saw the danger in time to activate his Respira, and disintegrate the weapon before it reaches him.

"Damn!" Ichigo said. "What the hell did he just use to get rid of it?"

"Barragan, such a bother," Ulquiorra said with a sigh.

Hollow Ichigo suddenly appeared in front of Ichigo. Before Ichigo could speak, the hollow brought his sword crashing down on Ichigo's head, shattering his mask.

"What…?"

"Don't ever have that mask on in my presence," he warned. "Don't make me tell you that again."

Ichigo didn't respond, simply gulped with intimidation.

Ulquiorra sped to Barragan, surprising him. "Why are you here?" asked the 4th with indifference.

"How dare you speak to your King and superior like that!" yelled the 2nd. Realization suddenly hit him and he asked, "What the hell kind of form is this?"

"Something you don't need to be concerned with," responded the emotionless Espada. "Let's just focus on getting rid of them shall we?"

But Barragan wouldn't let the subject go. "Seems like whatever form this is, it grants you greater strength. Not that it matters. I suggest you remember, everything is equal before me."

Ulquiorra turned around to stare at his enemies and responded, "I suggest you remember that not even Aizen has seen me like this; anyone that has seen this form has died a horrible death. But let's focus on that later and just destroy the enemies."

Barragan simply gulped at this comment, knowing he was dead serious.

"The power to age everything?!" Ichigo asked with confusion.

Hollow Ichigo simply nodded.

"It's a powerful ability no doubt. It acts as an offensive and defensive power, making him nearly indestructible."

"Then what should we do?"

"I think I have a plan," the hollow smirked. "Just listen to me."

Both Barragan and Ulquiorra were staring at their enemies. "Gah, this is taking too long!" the Segunda complained. "I'm going to attack them now!"

Ulquiorra simply kept his eyes closed and replied, "They're coming."

Both Ichigo and Hollow Ichigo charged in at the same time, the intent to kill in their eyes. Surprisingly, Hollow Ichigo went for Ulquiorra, and Ichigo went for Barragan.

"What's this?" asked the Cuatro. "A pitiful attempt at confusion?"

"Something like that!" replied his enemy, bringing his sword down on him.

"Pathetic," Ulquiorra simply replied, knocking his sword away.

"I don't care who I fight, you will all rot!" Barragan laughed.

Before he could finish his laughter, Ichigo appeared behind him. "Getsuga Tensho!"

Barragan laughed again and let out a Respira, stopping the attack. "Didn't you figure out already that's it's usele—"

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Ichigo was suddenly in front of Barragan and let out another attack. Before Barragan could even respond, Ichigo appeared above his him and let out another attack. "Getsuga Tensho!"

"You worm! It all will rot!"

Ichigo kept this strategy up, appearing on all sides of Barragan, releasing Getsuga Tensho's. Barragan extended his Respira all around him, eliminating any chance of any attack reaching him. Ichigo took this chance to hide, confusing Barragan utterly.

"Where did you go you insect! Come out!"

Ichigo only responded by sending out a Getsuga Tensho from a hidden place, keeping Barragan on guard. Several minutes of this passed, and Barragan was starting to feel the effects of keeping his Respira around him for an extended amount of time. Ichigo saw the aura start to retreat into him, making him smile.

Hollow Ichigo kept on attacking Ulquiorra with relentless strikes. Despite their ferocity, Ulquiorra asked, "You seem preoccupied. What's keeping you?"

"Nothing!" laughed the hollow. "I'm just wondering if you'll start to get serious and use that lance again!"

"Curious, eh?"

"Not that," he said, suddenly increasing his spiritual pressure and quickly cutting Ulquiorra's arm, "I just think you need it," he finished.

Ulquiorra growled at this and complied with the hollow's request. "Fine," he said, summoning it again.

He quickly swung it at Hollow Ichigo, but he ducked in time and leapt out of the way. "It can be a melee weapon too? I didn't know that," he lied.

Ulquiorra simply leapt back and aimed it at his enemy, and threw it at enormous force. "Bingo!"

The hollow leapt away just at the right time, sending the lance flying right past him.

Barragan was clearly angered, looking around for his hidden enemy with his Respira no longer extended. "I'll only use it when he sends out an attack," he resolved. "Otherwise, it'll drain my spiritual energy too quickly."

Unfortunately, he was too preoccupied with his thoughts and trying to find Ichigo that he did not notice Ulquiorra's attack flying towards him. "Barragan!" Ulquiorra yelled too late.

Barragan turned around to see Ulquiorra's weapon right in front of him. The explosion was massive, taking Barragan and stifling his screams of pain.

Ichigo smiled as he knew their plan worked. He leapt out of his hiding place, only to leap away when the dust settled. Barragan's Respira was going back out towards him.

"You insects!" they heard him yell behind the smoke.

"Can't be…" Ichigo said.

"Guess you underestimated Barragan's toughness," Ulquiorra stated.

"Do you know who I am…?" He suddenly emerged from the smoke with a massive crack running down his skull, nearly splitting his head in two. A huge chunk of his right side was missing where the lance hit. "I AM THE GOD OF ALL!"

Barragan sent Respira flying everywhere, going for everyone, including Ulquiorra. "ALL IS EQUAL BEFORE ME!" he yelled in a maddened state.

Ulquiorra sighed and knocked Hollow Ichigo out of the way, charging a cero on his fingers. Without warning, he aimed it at Barragan and said, "Cero Oscuras."

Barragan didn't expect that and took the blow full force, adding more to his damage. He blindly focused all of his Respira in the direction it came from, yelling, "HOW DARE YOU STAND UP TO YOUR GOD ULQUIORRA?!"

Much to his horror, he could feel Ulquiorra's presence right behind him where he was unprotected. In his hand was a white-light lance.

"Lanza del Relampago."

The blast hit Barragan dead on, finishing him off completely, and putting an end to his Respira.

"Well that was unexpected," Hollow Ichigo stated, standing up.

"Why would you do that?" asked Ichigo.

"It was clear he was unstable," explained the 4th. "I needed to put an end to him for Aizen-sama's sake. Now it's just us, so let's finish this once and for all."

"Sounds good to me! Let's go King, we'll smash him in!"

"It's time for a real rematch Ulquiorra," Ichigo stated.

Ulquiorra summoned another lance and replied, "Then by all means, let's go."

With that, all three of them charged at once. Ulquiorra felt Hollow Ichigo behind him and saw Ichigo appear in front of him. Thinking fast, he leapt into the air, but he was quickly pursued. Hollow Ichigo suddenly appeared in front of him and swung his sword. Ulquiorra parried the blow with his lance and was able to push the hollow back.

Ichigo took this opportunity to sneak up behind Ulquiorra, but he responded by swiping him with his tail. Ichigo leapt back yelling, "Getsuga Tensho!"

The blast hit Ulquiorra head on, giving him minor injuries. Hollow Ichigo, however, exploited this by slashing Ulquiorra across his chest while he was damaged. The Espada swung his lance in defiance, but Hollow Ichigo jumped away and yelled, "Getsuga Tensho!"

Ulquiorra dodged this time and appeared behind Hollow Ichigo with his lance ready to stab. Before he could hit, however, Ichigo intervened by slashing Ulquiorra's cheek, stopping his attack. Ulquiorra growled and leapt a good distance away.

Not wasting any time, he hurled his lance at his two enemies, causing a massive explosion. Ulquiorra knew he missed when he sensed Ichigo behind him. He quickly turned around, but was slashed in the back by Hollow Ichigo.

Ulquiorra roared in anger and turned around, only to hit air. "How can you sneak up on me?! I should be able to sense you!"

"Guess you didn't know, I'm the reason you lost the first fight," bragged the hollow. "Fighting us together, you don't stand a chance!"

He charged towards a maddened Ulquiorra after that and attempted to slash him. Ulquiorra completely forgot about Ichigo for a second, and because of that, he got stabbed through his shoulder.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

The explosion caused Ulquiorra a lot of damage, he retreated back and addressed Ichigo. "I thought you wanted a rematch! Why would you double-team with him when it should just be you and me?!"

"While it's true I want a rematch," Ichigo replied, "I'm afraid I don't have time to fight you right now. I have to get to Aizen and finally end all this."

"Ridiculous! You cannot defeat Aizen-sama! You will surely die!"

Hollow Ichigo appeared behind Ulquiorra and smirked, "Didn't you hear the King? He doesn't want to play with you anymore. Disappear!"
The hollow slashed Ulquiorra's arm off, causing him to scream in pain. He silenced it by saying, "Getsuga Tensho!"

Ulquiorra retreated yet again as his arm started to reform, but slower than it normally would. "Guess that means you're running low on spiritual energy," Ichigo stated. He raised his sword and finished, "Sorry Ulquiorra, but we have to end this now."

Ulquiorra only stood there and asked, "What drives you to go to such lengths?"

Ichigo stood still and replied, "My heart."

Ulquiorra understood those words completely and seemed to lose all will to fight. Regardless, he gave a half-hearted attempt to stop Hollow Ichigo who suddenly appeared in front of him, but only ended up getting his chest slashed yet again. He spat out blood and hopped back a few paces, only to see Ichigo above him.

Ulquiorra saw what looked to be sorrow in his enemy's eyes as he said, "Sorry Ulquiorra, maybe we can fight some other time. Getsuga Tensho!"

The 4th didn't even try to move as he let Ichigo hit him dead on, giving him a grievous slash to the chest, sending him to the floor in pain.

"The heart…" he thought as he felt the life flow out of him. "Hollows don't have them…is that why I was defeated? No, if that was the case, I would have been stronger than Kurosaki's inner-hollow. So what drives him so? Perhaps it's not just the heart. Perhaps it's like before, causing him to fight so bravely against me the last time..."

Ulquiorra felt his eyes mist over as he thought his last thought. "…Friends…"

Ichigo was forced to look away as he saw Ulquiorra begin to disappear. Hollow Ichigo slapped him in the face lightly a few times. "Don't go and get all emotional now. We still have to defeat Aizen. Don't forget that."

"Yeah…" Ichigo weak-heartedly responded. "Let's go…"

With that, Ichigo left Ulquiorra, hoping for the promise of a rematch, but knowing deep down in his heart that he would never get one.

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With the Espada defeat, Ichigo once again sets his sights on Aizen.

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