Chapter Fifty-Four

Hueco Mundo

Ichigo vs. Aizen

The sound and pressures of everyone fighting threatened to tear Ichigo's focus. But his attention was solely focused on the man in front of him. Ichigo could feel every fiber in his body tense up, ready to cut this monster in human flesh to ribbons.

Disappearing in a burst of Flashstep, Ichigo met Aizen in a fierce bladelock, sparks flying from their blades as they pushed with all their strength.

"What a poor student you made, Ichigo," taunted the rogue. "I thought Halibel told you never to bladelock."

"Only if my opponent is stronger than me. And you…are not…stronger than me…ANYMORE!"

The hybrid pushed with all his might and shoved Aizen backwards. Ichigo flared red and black as he swung his blade hard. "Getsuga Ten-"

Aizen reappeared in front of him again and grabbed Ichigo's blade with his bare hand. "Getsuga Tensho. Getsuga Tensho. Getsuga Tensho. Do you have anything new, boy?" he taunted.

"How about this?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward. Red energy formed at the top of the horn on the side of his head. 'Cero!"

The rogue disappeared in the blast that erupted from Ichigo's horn. Turning to his left, Ichigo found Aizen nearby, though he was satisfied to see his shoulder singed. Noting his bloody hand, Ichigo held up the blood-smeared Tensa Zangetsu. "Looks like you got more than a little scratch this time from grabbing my Bankai."

A look of anger flashed in Aizen's eyes. He couldn't deny that Ichigo was so much stronger than when they faced off on the Sokyoku Hill but youthful arrogance was grating. "You scratch me. I'll do much worse." He held up a blood-covered hand. "Hadō #54: Haien." An oblong purple fireball shot out of Ichigo's hands. Ichigo slashed at it and split it in two, but the two halves detonated instantly.

"Hrghhh!"

"Hadō #63: Raikōhō"

Through the smoke, a large blast of electricity shot towards Ichigo. He Flashstepped out of the way and into the air but Aizen was already waiting for him. Their blades sang a song of murder as they clashed. Ichigo was more than a match fighting Aizen blade to blade. He feinted and slipped underneath Aizen's guard to strike. Once more Aizen disappeared from sight and flanked the hybrid. "Raikōhō."

The blast hit Ichigo right in the back. Ichigo cringed from the pain but endured it, only skidding forward a few feet before whirling around. He braced himself when he saw Aizen already making his next move, muttering an incantation while gathering his energy. Around him, multiple pink bolts began to form. "Senju Kōten Taihō."

The energy bolts launched at Ichigo. But the hybrid was more than ready this time. His body surging with power, Ichigo took Tensa Zangetsu and swatted the powerful bolts right back at Aizen, the rogue disappearing in a blaze of pink explosions. "Had enough?" Ichigo shouted as the dust began to settle.

"Hardly."

The rogue appeared from the smoke and dust, his hands already with black energy. "Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi."

A black box formed around Ichigo, threatening to crush him with distorted gravity. Ichigo swirled his pulsing blade around before he was completely enveloped and unleashed his power at full force. "Getsuga Tensho!" The black box around him was obliterated from his overwhelming power. Ichigo gasped, however, when Aizen appeared right in front of him. The hybrid's sword swung hard but Aizen grabbed Ichigo's wrist with his bloody hand, stopping him cold.

"So am I to assume that this is your best?" Aizen taunted.

A flash of steel and blood spilled onto the sands below…

Meanwhile…
Halibel vs. Barragan

The skies above Hueco Mundo became a tapestry of clashing red and yellow spirit energies, an orange nexus forming around the two archenemies while they glared at each other. Halibel could sense Ichigo and the others fighting but stayed where she was. Victory had no meaning if Barragan lived to haunt them another day.

No more words were said between them. The only thing left the two bitter rivals had was their seething hatred for one another and they were prepared to deliver that hatred through their weapons. Halibel launched herself forward and charged straight towards Barragan, her body shining like the sun.

A roar of hatred escaped the lich Arrancar's empty mouth as he brought the axe down upon Halibel, ready to turn her dust with one swing of his Gran Caida. To his surprise, Halibel's sword clashed with his axe without turning it to dust. "So, you're powerful enough to ward off my Senescence with your spiritual pressure. Only one other Hollow has ever been able to do that. Impressive. A shame you've become an enemy to be destroyed."

"Don't waste your breath. I would never bow to you, no matter what."

"And now you will pay for your insolence with your life!" Barragan pushed Halibel back and spread out his arms. "It matters little if you can trade blows. Before my power, even you are helpless!"

Halibel saw Barragan open his mouth and form another Respira Cero again. Acting quickly, she cut her hand on her energy blade and let her blood mingle with it before pointing it at her rival. Just as Barragan was about to launch his deadly attack, Halibel's golden energy sword turned shining silver.

"Gran Rey Cero. "

The air distorted around Halibel as she fired off the ultimate Cero right at Barragan. Without missing a beat, the lich Arrancar fired his wicked black miasma ball. Halibel watched as her attack failed to reach Barragan, disappearing in the black void that Barragan unleashed upon it. Just like Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho when he tried, the energy in her Cero aged away and was reduced to nothing. The transformed woman used Sonido to escape before she could be engulfed by the Respira just like Yammy had.

"Hahahahaha! Look at you. So powerful, yet you scurry around with the rest of the ants. How comical!"

"Laugh while you can. It'll only make killing you all the more enjoyable."

"Oh really?" The malevolent spiritual pressure surrounding Barragan intensified, his body crackling with power as it escaped from more cracks forming on his bones. "Even with all your power, you are powerless before me."

Taking a deep breath, Halibel closed her eyes. 'Ichigo…Asahi…Apacci…Sung-Sun…Mila Rose…'

'…Forgive me…'

From the hilt of her sword she revealed the cube she's taken from Nel. "I forged Ichigo into a mighty weapon. And now he will be the one to destroy you."

Meanwhile
Orihime vs. Tosen

Orihime panted, struggling to stay on her feet. She knew that this man was on the same level as Rukia's brother and Ichigo but he seemed just as terrifying as Aaroniero. Despite her training with Rukia, she knew this would be a very uphill battle. She ducked around a pile of rubble as a Kidō blast from Tosen turned the spot she'd been standing in into a crater.

"Hiding will only delay the inevitable girl. Even the Quincy showed more courage than you," taunted Tosen, calmly walking over to her, his sword almost glowing in the hellish red light Barragan was giving off.

Leaping out of cover, Orihime readied her hairpins and summoned Tsubaki. "Koten Zanshun! I Reject!" Tsubaki buzzed towards Tosen with the intent to cut him in half. The rogue brought his sword up and blocked it. Orihime's spirit pushed him hard but the former captain was able to deflect him away.

Tosen's sword arced through the air above his head. "Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō." A barrage of swords rained down onto Orihime's that came from Tosen's zanpakuto. Orihime brought her shield up and managed to block them in time. The crafty captain noted that the shield cracked but still held against his blows. "So I see you grew a little stronger than when you faced Aaroniero."

Panting, Orihime kept her eyes glued to the blind man, trying to figure a way to make an effective counterattack. "Tsubaki!" she shouted, dropping the shield to let Tsubaki take another crack at Tosen.

While Orihime continued in vain to attack Tosen, Kisuke limped over to Yoruichi. He became alarmed when he saw Yoruichi clawing at her mask, tearing the last of the bolts off. "Yoruichi! What do you think you're doing?"

Stopping, the Hollow looked up at her friend with resigned eyes. "Kisuke, I can't fight like this. Orihime needs my help. Help me…help me take my mask off."

The shopkeeper's blood started to chill at that sentence. "Yoruichi, listen to me, you can't become an Arrancar!"

"It's the only way. I'm useless to everyone now," she noted her severed limb and her bleeding leg. "Orihime will die if we don't help her."

"Then let me go help her. You need to rest and-"

"Kisuke, that's TOSEN she's fighting! She needs us both."

Still, Kisuke was hesitant. "Yoruichi, we don't know fully what Szayelapporo did to you! If I turn you into an Arrancar, there might not be a way to fix you!"

Silently Yoruichi raised a claw and touched Kisuke's arm. "Kisuke, listen to me. I'm your friend, no matter what I am. There's so things, even you can't fix. Maybe you can fix me, maybe you can't. We'll never know until we make it out of this alive. But I'll never forgive you if you don't help me save Orihime."

Tears threatened to spill from Kisuke's eyes. He didn't want to admit it but his best friend was right. "But…I only vaguely know how the process works. In order to properly take your mask off, I'd need the-" Kisuke was cut off when he noticed something in the distance that made his jaw drop. He saw Nel holding little Asahi in her arms, trying hard to keep the baby from eating the Hogyoku she had in her hand. "Never mind. I think I got this."

Orihime gave a cry as she was knocked backwards, Tosen kicking her hard in the stomach. "Ooof!" Landing on a pile of rubble, she saw Tosen bearing down at her with his sword aimed squarely at her heart. Putting her hands up, she decided to use her last gambit. "Shinten Kōshun." Her shield reformed again but this time was a little different, something she'd worked together with Rukia to develop.

Tosen scowled as he raised his sword to slash through the shield. "Put up as many shields as you like, it will not stop me, girl." He brought the sword down…and was immediately blasted when his sword connected with the barrier. The explosion was powerful enough to send him flying, hitting the ground with a thud.

Nursing her aching stomach, Orihime stood up on her shaky legs. To her dismay she saw Tosen start to get up, his right arm and shoulder badly burned by the explosion but he was still very much alive. "A clever trick. You kept using your normal shield to block my attacks so I didn't notice the difference when you put up a new shield. Sadly for you, that won't happen again."

"Why are you doing this?" asked Orihime. "Why is someone like you helping Aizen?"

Tosen looked at her, his head cocked while his expression remained unreadable. "I doubt you'd ever understand. What could you possibly know about me?"

The orangette shook her head. "When I was training with Rukia, we met Captain Komamura during one of our sparring sessions."

Tosen's expression flickered for just a second at the mention of his long-time friend. "Sajin?"

"Yes…"

The girls were both left panting for breath, the field covered in ice from Rukia's Shikai. "I think…we should take a break," wheezed Orihime.

"I agree…I need a breather…" Putting an arm around Orihime, Rukia walked her over to the edge of the field and they both sat down on the soft grass, letting the cool breeze wash over them.

Heavy footsteps interrupted their break, however, and they turned to see a huge wolf man walking over to them. "C-Captain Komamura!" Rukia immediately shot up and bowed.

The huge captain held up a hand. "It is alright, Rukia Kuchiki. I came here looking for your captain. I assumed when I felt your spirit energy that he was here with you."

"No, sir. It's just me and Orihime. We've been back here training for the past few weeks," she explained. Orihime also rose to her feet and bowed in greeting to the huge Soul Reaper.

"I see. May I join you two for a moment? My feet are quite tired from walking." He waited patiently for the girls to nod their heads before sitting down next to Rukia.

Orihime looked at Komamura with intrigued eyes. The Soul Reaper was quite unlike anyone she'd ever met. He looked bestial, but something in those golden eyes spoke of a greater wisdom. She wanted to ask if the captains had any news on Ichigo or her friends but she didn't want to rock the boat.

Rukia, on the meantime, decided to speak her mind about something that'd been bugging her since her execution. "Captain Komamura, sir…if it's alright with you…may I ask a personal question?" Komamura turned his head and nodded. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Rukia next asked, "Why do you think Captain Tosen joined Aizen?"

For a few moments there was nothing but an awkward silence. Just when Rukia was about to apologize for asking such a sensitive question though, Komamura finally spoke. "Before I knew Kaname, before he joined the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, he had a friend. I do not know her name. Only that she joined the Squads and was later murdered by her husband after he killed a comrade."

Orihime gasped in horror. "His friend was murdered?!"

"I do not know the specifics. Her husband had been a noble and it'd been kept hush-hush."

Rukia frowned. "And her murderer?"

Komamura looked at the ground, lost in his own thoughts. He'd a long time to process what happened on that day on Sokyoku Hill and even he was still trying to rack his head for answers. "He was never charged by Central 46. Soon after Kaname joined the Soul Reapers. When I asked him why, he told me it was to preserve the justice she wanted."

Looking at Komamura with sad eyes, Orihime started to see a clearer picture. "Do you think…he's doing this as revenge for his friend?"

"I do not know. I considered Kaname to be a true friend and comrade but now…I do not believe I ever truly know him. Right now he is in darkness. We can only hope that we can open his eyes and bring him back to the light…"

"He told us that you lost a friend to the Soul Reapers. And that the one who killed your friend got off the hook since he was a noble."

"Then what more is there to discuss? You have sight that I do not have. So you surely saw the wickedness of the Soul Society. That world needs to be purged to let a new world, a better world, take its place."

"But…what about all the people you intend to kill to make that world?!"

Tosen's voice was as cold as the steel in his hand. "A foundation must be built on what came before. Even if that something is a mountain of bodies."

Orihime could not believe that this man, Komamura's best friend, could be so cold hearted. "This isn't justice! Do you really think your friend would want you to do this in her name? If she were here, do you think she'd shine with pride?!"

The calm mask Tosen wore cracked and he disappeared again with an angry burst of Flashstep. Orihime tried to bring her shield back up but Tosen appeared behind her. "Kyaaa!" Orihime screamed when she felt Tosen's sword slash her back. His kicked Orihime in the side with full force. The breath was knocked out of Orihime, enough to break several of her ribs. Landing in a heap of rubble, Orihime didn't even had time to recover before Tosen was on her again.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" roared the blind man as he grabbed Orihime's throat with both hands, strangling the poor girl. "You're just a brat with delusions about good and evil. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT JUSTICE?!"

"Gakkkk!" Orihime kicked and clawed at Tosen but the man was too strong. She tried to summon her Tsubaki but Tosen wisely grabbed her hairpins and chucked them away to leave her powerless. 'Rukia…Ichigo…somebody…help…me…' Soon the world started to go dark and her face began to turn blue. "Gkkkkk…"

Just as the life began to leave Orihime, a huge bolt of lightning blasted Tosen from behind, breaking his grip on Orihime's throat. Tosen was forced to retreat before Kisuke's sword could take his head off, jumping away from him. "Orihime! Are you okay!" Kisuke laid Orihime on the ground and quickly pulled out a tiny bottle of oxygen, slapping the mask over her mouth.

After a moment Orihime's eyes flickered back to life and she sat up, coughing. "Ow…everything hurts…" she wheezed, a hand going to her broken rip. "Where'd you get the oxygen tank?"

"I always come prepared for anything." Kisuke handed Orihime her hairpins. "Here. Fix yourself and go take cover. You've done enough. We'll take it from here."

"We?" She turned her head to see who'd attacked Tosen before her eyes found her savior. "Yoruichi!"

Standing on her two feet again, Yoruichi glared at the treacherous captain in her new form, transformed by the Hogyoku back in Kisuke's possession. She was now a mix between machine and Arrancar. Dressed in a white version of her leotard Her mask fragment lay on her head in the form of a headband with cat-ears. Her right mechanical eye blinked red and she retained a mechanized right arm still equipped with her fearsome claw. Her legs had recovered but both of her feet were still robotic. To Orihime's confusion she saw that she still retained the tail.

"You turned Yoruichi into an Arrancar?!"

Kisuke pushed his hat down so Orihime couldn't see his shamed eyes. "I did what I had to. And what she wanted."

Tosen rose to his feet, his whole body stinging with pain now. "So I see that you've furthered your Hollowfication. I'm certain Szayelapporo would be pleased if he weren't smashed underneath all this rubble somewhere."

"A shame. I really want to claw his eyes out for all the pain he put me through," Yoruichi grinned, happy to finally have that mask off. "And now I'm going to pay you back for hurting Orihime." She held up her glowing claw. "I've had a hundred years to think about what I'd do to the three of you. So let's make up for lost time, shall we?"

Meanwhile…
Rukia vs. Gin

Rukia parried Gin's blow, slashing hard at him to keep him at bay. Her eyes were ever wary of the tip of Gin's blade. 'If I try to keep a distance it'll let him take a shot at me. But if I try to close the gap, it'll make it harder to dodge.'

"Frustrating, ain't it?" taunted the silver-haired foxy rogue. "You've never really done much swordfighting, held back by your captain and your brother, have you?"

"Shut up!" Rukia sent a wave of snow and ice via Hakuren at Gin. "You have no right to talk about my brother or my captain! Not after what you've put us all through, you monster!"

"Ooh, you're so cold. And here I thought it was your zanpakuto that was chilly." Rukia appeared in front of Gin and pressed her attack but Gin easily fended off her strikes. "Are you made because I stabbed your brother? I was aiming for you, you know?"

Gritting her teeth, Rukia tried to freeze him with Tsukishiro but he jumped out of the way again. "You put all our lives in jeopardy. And for what?!" she demanded. "Why are you with Aizen? For what purpose could you justify all the hurtful things you've done to me and my friends?!" She pointed her white sword at Gin and glared at him with hate-filled eyes. "You tried to have me killed and then you put Ichigo through all this misery. WHY?!"

Growing quiet, Gin quietly sheathed his shortsword and leaned back on a piece of a collapsed wall. "Hmm…how to explain all of this…" He tilted his head up and watched Barragan fight Halibel for a few seconds before turning back to Rukia. "Nope! Not telling! It's a secret."

Rukia could practically feel her blood start to boil and steam from her rage. "What?! Even after all of this, you still won't talk!"

"Tsk, tsk." Gin's eyes opened up and Rukia felt a chill run down her spine as those icy blue eyes stared her down. Pulling himself away from the wall, he redrew his sword from its sheath. "Rukia, haven't you learn by now? Life doesn't give you easy answers. Even if I did explain why I'm rolling with Captain Aizen? Do you think you'd really understand?" His face twisted into a wicked grin. "Did you think it'd help you forgive me?"

"Forgive you?"

"Sorry, but I know the path I'm on. So you can quit playing twenty questions. Let's end this, shall we? Tell me, did your big brother ever tell you about my captain's exam?"

Rukia froze at the implication Gin was laying out. "I do," she said, keeping her eyes fixed on the tip of Gin's sword. "During the Captain's Exam, when they were testing your combat skills, my brother was the one who tested you."

"Good, I'm glad that Byakuya's learned to open up to you. To be quite honest, one of the things I missed was our little small talks. Yes, your brother tested me. That was where I revealed the full capabilities of my zanpakuto. That…was where I first revealed my Bankai."

Knowing what Gin was about to do, Rukia darted to the side, not wanting to give him a clear shot. Byakuya told her about the length of Gin's Shikai. But more importantly, he told her about the length of his Bankai.

"Run about all you want. But it'll do you know good." Gin took a stance. "Bankai: Kamishini no Yari."

Rukia never saw it coming. All she felt was a swoosh of wind and the sound of metal shattering. She looked down and saw that her Sode no Shirayuki had been shattered by the speed and force of Gin's blinding Bankai. "How-"

"You're good, Rukia. I'll give you that. You'd make lieutenant if your brother would ease up off of you. But you're not quite there yet." To further show the power gap between them, Gin's Bankai once again flashed forward. Rukia didn't even realize she'd been stabbed in the thigh until seconds later when the pain kicked in.

"Argghhhh!"

Smirking, Gin pointed his sword down and next aimed his finger at her. "Hadō #1: Shō." The spell knocked Rukia backwards. Rukia screamed in pain as she was impaled through the stomach on a piece of rebar. "Ooooh, that looks like it hurts…"

"Nghhh! Rghhh!" Rukia tried to pull herself out but the pain was too much. "You son of a…son of a…"

"Ah, ah, language." Gin appeared right in front of her, his small sword, still in Bankai form, aimed right at her face. "Your brother didn't teach you manners, did he?" He leaned forward and Rukia couldn't hide her fear as she locked eyes with Gin's wicked blue orbs.

'Well, Rukia? Would you like to know what happens when a snake corners his prey?"

To be continued...