Chapter 24

The Ice Prince and the Demon

"Just hold on a little while longer, Kana! We're coming to save you!" remarked Aaron with conviction. The lone thing standing in between Ichigo, Hanatarou, Arashi, and himself from rescuing those in the Repentance Tower was a seemingly unending staircase leading there. "Gah! My legs are on fire! This is worse than the time my gym teacher made me run thirty laps around my school's track field for showing up late to class!"

"Tell me about it! Just how long does this thing go on for?" questioned Ichigo.

"Quit your whining already!" voiced Ganju, who was doused in sweat and looked seconds away from keeling over. "I-I think we're almost at the top!"

"Yes, he is correct!" announced Arashi. "Once we make it there, the Repentance Tower will only be a little ways further!"

"Great! You mean we'll still have to do some running afterward?" moaned Aaron. "I hope we don't run into any trouble then since we probably won't have the energy to do any fighting."

Stopping in his tracks all of a sudden, his brown eyes widened when he detected someone's spiritual pressure dropping like a rock, that someone being Konoka.

"M-Mitsumi?! No, it can't be!"

Hanatarou had not taken heed of the dark-skinned Shinigami halting, hence why he collided nose-first into Aaron's back. As much as his now reddened body part stung, he was more concerned with how pale Aaron had grown.

"I-Is something wrong?" he timidly asked.

"S-Something's happened to Mitsumi! I can't feel her energy anymore! Kurosaki, what about Sado's?! He was with her, right?! Can you pick up on his?!"

"I-I can't!" Ichigo's expression now matched Aaron's. "No way! How could Chad have lost?!"

"M-Maybe you two shouldn't jump to conclusions," stated Arashi. "Just because you can't sense them doesn't mean they're dead. They might just be hiding their spiritual pressure to stay out of trouble."

Ganju nodded. "Besides, didn't you two say they were strong enough to handle themselves? For now, let's just worry about getting to that damn tower!"

As much as Aaron wanted to believe everything was alright, his guts were screaming otherwise. Without warning, he chucked a still snoozing Mayu off of his back and into her brother's arms.

"H-Hey! What's the big idea?!" hollered Ganju.

"You guys keep heading for the Repentance Tower! I'm going back to check on Mitsumi and Sado!" proclaimed Aaron as he began sprinting back from whence he came. "Don't bother waiting up!"

"H-Hold on, Higuchi!" shouted Ichigo, though he was too late.

"Tsk! Idiot!" said Ganju, shaking his head. "What the hell does he think he can accomplish by going off alone like that?!"

"Good point! We'd better go after him!" said Arashi.

"No," interjected Ichigo after some deliberation. "...Higuchi can handle himself. Besides, I'm worried about Sado and his friend too. I'll feel a lot better knowing he's looking out for them. In the meantime, we really should head for where Rukia and that other girl are! We don't have anymore time to waste! Higuchi will catch up when he's done."

Ganju, Arashi, and Hanatarou still had their doubts. Nonetheless, the three nodded and followed after Ichigo as the group resumed their voyage toward the Repentance Tower.

"Stupid...Shinigami," uttered Mayu in her sleep.

#

Aaron, Flash Stepping as hard and as swiftly as he could through the Seireitei, kept repeating in his head that Konoka was still alright. Despite this, there was no denying that just minutes before, she and Chad had been right next to an immense spiritual pressure, one that likely belonged to the same being that had defeated them.

"Shit! I can still feel whoever that is too! I need to get to them before it's too late!"

With his mind racing, he did not notice himself dashing toward a horde of Shinigami. He was quickly spotted.

"What the…? Hey, you! What are you doing over there?" one of them asked. "What squad are you in? The Third Division was the one put in charge of searching this area, so…!"

Aaron did not so much as acknowledge any of them while tearing through the crowd, knocking most of them off their feet. By the time they got their wits about them, he was nothing more than a blur in the distance.

"Eh?! W-Was that guy for real?!" asked the same Shinigami from earlier, stroking his head. "I-I've never seen anyone move that fast!"

Aaron, out of breath and out of ideas, paused on top of a tall building to rest. The structure also allowed him a grand glimpse of the Seireitei, one he hoped would help him track down his friends.

"Where are they?! Dammit!" He drove his fist into the ground upon finding no one of interest. Afterward, he calmed and took a moment to mull things over. "...What the hell am I even doing anymore? Didn't I come here to rescue Kana? I was so close, and yet...here I am trying to track down Mitsumi. Why can't I make up my mind already?!"

He faced the Repentance Tower and reminded himself of Kana's plight. If he did not do something and soon, she would be executed.

On the other hand, Konoka could have been face-to-face with that same fate as he spoke. As such, common sense dictated he come to her aid first and foremost.

"Guess there's only one option left! I'm just going to have to find a way to save them both!"

"That's rather admirable. Still, do you think it'll be that easy?"

Aaron whirled around to individual behind him that had just spoken and caught wind of Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya. The blue-haired boy sighed at how optimistic Aaron sounded in spite of the odds being heavily stacked against him.

"...Can you even protect yourself, kid?" he asked.

"'Kid?' You've got a lot of nerve calling me something like that considering you barely come up to my kneecap," replied a beaming Aaron. "Now then, can I help you with something? Who are you?"

"My name is Toushirou Hitsugaya. I'm the Captain of the Tenth Division. Judging from your appearance, I take it you're Aaron Higuchi."

"Okay, you know me, but I'm positive I've never seen you before in my life. What gives?"

"...Don't worry about that. All you need to worry about is coming along with me, quietly preferably."

"I had a feeling you'd say something like that. Sorry, but I don't have time for that! I still have to…!"

"I already know why you're here, Higuchi. You want to save Mitarashi and Kuchiki in the Repentance Tower, right?"

Aaron, astonished, stammered while retorting, "H-How did you…?"

"Mitarashi already explained everything to me. The reason I'm out here is because she doesn't want to see you or your friends getting hurt. That's why she asked me to bring you in without a fight. Although it goes against protocol, I'm willing to do as she asked if you're willing to work with me."

"She did, huh? Yeah, that sounds like Kana alright." Aaron chuckled and could hardly believe Kana was fretting over him considering the circumstances. "...It's probably a dumb idea to even ask, but do you think you could let me pass? I'm really not in the mood to fight anyone again with my friends counting on me like this."

"Sorry. I might not like the idea of one of my subordinates being executed, but I'm simply following the rules. If that's your response, Higuchi, then I can't let you or the rest of the Ryoka have your way any longer."

"...Yeah, I had a hunch you'd say that too. Oh well. It was worth a try."

Aaron drew his sword, prompting Hitsugaya to raise an eyebrow.

"I'd think about this if I were you," said the Captain. "Mitarashi won't be happy."

"I don't doubt that, but it's not like you're going to move of your own accord," replied Aaron. "I know you're a Captain and all, but like I said, my friends are counting on me! I can't afford to back down either!"

Hitsugaya placed a hand on the hilt of his own blade and sighed. "...I tried, Mitarashi. Before we get started, Higuchi, do you know anything about the murder of a man named Sousuke Aizen?"

"Huh? Who's that? Never heard of him."

Hitsugaya considered that the young man before him might have been lying, yet gleaming Aaron's features, he could tell this was not the case. He was quite honestly relieved. Nonetheless, he still had a job to do.

He took to the skies, bringing down his Zanpakutou. Aaron easily blocked using his wakizashi though struggled to hold his opponent off as Hitsugaya began shoving him backward.

"I heard you went up against Akira Akiyama yesterday," said the Captain.

Aaron replied, "Yeah! She was quite the handful! You aren't so bad yourself!"

"You not only fought her but managed to beat her, yet you don't have a single scratch on you. You managed to give Hisagi some trouble as well. Just who the hell are you?"

"Me? Heh! I'm nothing more than a guy from a town called Hino!"

Aaron kicked Hitsugaya in the gut, giving himself some space. He used it to close and swung his sword for the fences. Although Hitsugaya was able to parry, the ferocity and speed of Aaron's strikes threw him for a loop. Because of this, a second, horizontal slash half near severed his head. In order to reassess the situation, he Flash Stepped a good distance away.

"Sheesh. I'm sorta glad he did that," said Aaron as his chest heaved up and down. "I'm still exhausted from running up those damn stairs."

Just then, he felt the force of a tremendous spiritual pressure pushing against him. It did not belong to Hitsugaya but someone far off. Whoever it was caused Aaron's blood to run cold.

"U-Unreal! There's...really a guy that strong around here?!"

"Tsk. It's gotta be Zaraki. That idiot causes nothing but trouble," remarked a displeased Hitsugaya. "Looks like he caught up to the rest of your friends."

Aaron gulped. Ichigo might have been strong, yet this seemed like a foe even he would struggle against. Aaron longed to go back and check up on the orange-haired Shinigami and the others, although he was positive Hitsugaya would allow nothing of the sort.

"Guess I'm just gonna have to worry about the task at hand." He refocused himself and held his Zanpakutou out. "Glimmer, Seigetsu!"

His wakizashi changed into its Shikai form, and he immediately implored it to launch a Getsuga Tenshou. Hitsugaya steered clear of the crescent-shaped energy, but Aaron was not done there. He let loose a barrage of Getsugas. Hitsugaya did not consider running his strong suit, yet he did not let pride stand in the way of him darting over and around Aaron's blasts.

"Whoa! T-This guy is fast!" said Aaron. "Alright, how about this?!"

He fired the biggest Getsuga Tenshou of the day. Hitsugaya did not even bother to get out of the way of it, something that caused Aaron to raise an eyebrow. He understood the Captain's inaction only after Hitsugaya severed the blue energy right down the middle. The remaining portion harmlessly passed him and obliterated a plethora of buildings.

A stunned Aaron stated, "I-I put everything I had into that one! H-How could he just swat it away like that?!"

"It's no wonder you were able to give a Vice-Captain like Akiyama trouble. I'd put your spiritual pressure close to Captain-level," stated Hitsugaya. "Even so, you know as well as I do that you have no chance of beating me. Do yourself a favor and give up. You wanted to help your friends, right? I can make sure they all come out of this alive."

As tempting as the offer sounded, Aaron replied, "...Sorry. I appreciate you trying to help, but I'd rather do things my way!"

Boasting was one thing, but Aaron was not sure if he had the skills to back it up. While he was already covered in sweat, Hitsugaya looked no worse for the wear.

"Ugh. What do I do here?"

"Man, you're so pathetic! Can't you do anything on your own?!" exclaimed an echoing voice in his mind. Along with it came stabbing pain. Aaron cried out and fell down to one knee. "It's making me sick just watching you get the snot beat outta you!"

"W-Who…?!" was the sole thing Aaron managed to spit out.

The feminine voice answered, "You should know damn well who by now, kid! Heh! What's the matter?! Need some assistance?"

"Y-You…! You're the girl that looks like Seigetsu, aren't you?!"

"Ding ding! Very good! Maybe you aren't as dumb as you act!"

"W-What the hell do you want?! I-I don't need help from the likes of you! Where's Seigetsu?!"

"...What is going on?" said Hitsugaya, who was understandably confused at why Aaron was conversing with himself. "Hey, Higuchi! What's wrong?!"

"You might wanna try calming down!" the girl occupying Aaron's thoughts told the dark-skinned teenager. "As for Seigetsu, she ain't around at the moment! You say you don't want my help, but what choice do you really have here? That punk over there is gonna kill you for sure!"

"J-Just back off already!" cried a visibly uncomfortable Aaron. He swatted his Seigetsu at the space in front of him in the hopes of warding off the girl. "I-I can win with my own strength!"

The girl laughed. "Well, you can't fight for shit, but at least you make good jokes, punk! I said it before, but you dying on me would be a real pain, so I think I'll take matters into my own hands! Sit back and take notes!"

"Wait a sec! You can't just…!"

Raw power surged from the depths of Aaron's being. He was unable to hold it back, and it burst forth in the form of pitch black energy. The aura sent shock waves across the battlefield and nearly swept Hitsugaya away.

"T-This spiritual pressure! It's the same one from yesterday!" he said. "...I'll ask again, Higuchi. Who in the hell are you?"

"Me? Well, if that isn't the million dollar question!" replied Aaron in a dual-layered tone as a horned Hollow mask materialized over his visage. "Hahaha! Considering you're about to be a corpse in a few seconds, kid, I don't see the point in wasting my breath by explaining!"

He caught the Captain by surprise by closing the gap between them in the blink of an eye. Hitsugaya lifted his sword to deflect a thrust from Seigetsu. He succeeded, yet the raw power behind the attack caused him to lose his balance. Aaron, or at least the Hollow controlling him, hastily capitalized.

"Slow! You're too damn slow!" he roared ahead of brutally slamming his opponent ground, carving an enormous crevice into it. He afterward lunged Seigetsu in the spot Hitsugaya lied, intending to finish the fight no sooner than it began. "It's over, kid! You're…!"

However, Hitsugaya Flashed Stepped himself away from danger, beating Aaron to the punch. Fresh blood from the Captain's skull leaked out and stained the space beneath him.

"Tsk! It's no fun if you run! Sit there and lemme chop you up!" declared Aaron.

"...His strength and speed just doubled. No, tripled," Hitsugaya muttered to himself. "His spiritual pressure is almost like a..."

"Alright, shorty! Break time's over!"

Aaron, twirling Seigetsu by its white cloth, launched the Zanpakutou right for his prey. Before Hitsugaya could even contemplate defending himself, Aaron used Shunpo to sneak behind the boy. Then, he pointed two fingers at the Captain and gathered crimson energy into them.

"Cero?!" cried Hitsugaya.

Aaron cackled at the top of his voice and proclaimed, "IT'S OVER!"

Both the Cero and Seigetsu made impact. In their wake came a tremendous explosion that rocked the area and then some.

"See, Higuchi?! That's all you had to do!" said Hollow Aaron, sweeping billowing, red smoke from the Cero away with Seigetsu. "You make everything seem so goddamn difficult!"

#

Aaron blinked. In one instance, he was standing face-to-face with the Captain of the Tenth Division. Now, he found himself once again in Seigetsu's realm. A calming breeze swept past him, and the pure, blue light from the full moon above assured him he was in one piece.

Nevertheless, he certainly did not feel in the arms of safety. His anxiety likely had something to do with the fact that his surroundings, other than the aforementioned celestial body above, lacked any sort of color.

"Black and gray. Okay, this is new. Then again, why should I be surprised by anything anymore?"

"It is nice to see that one of us is taking things so well, Aaron."

Aaron turned to whoever had just said that and was happy to discover it was not an enemy. Instead, the spirit of his Zanpakutou was staring back at him.

"Seigetsu! There you are!" he exclaimed.

The blue-haired girl nodded. "Indeed. I did not mean to worry you. Rest assured that I am unharmed. However, I feel I must apologize. I never meant for things to end up like this."

"What do you mean? And what's going on with this place this time around?"

Seigetsu wavered with her response. "...Do you remember your training in the Shattered Shaft? During the time you were attempting to reclaim your Shinigami powers?"

"Of course. There's no way I'd forget something like that, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything, Aaron. Do you remember what Kisuke Urahara said would happen if you failed to regain your powers in a timely manner?"

Aaron thought before answering, "Y-Yeah. He said Kurosaki and I would become..."

'Hollows.' Although the word never left Aaron's lips, his face illuminated in apprehension.

"Good. You are quick on the uptake," said Seigetsu.

"T-That's right! I didn't think much of it back then, but when Kurosaki and I finally got out of that damn hole, we were wearing Hollow masks! Wait, Seigetsu, are you telling me that I have some sort of...Hollow inside of me?!"

"Correct. I speculate that it was created at nearly the same time as I was. I never informed you of its existence because I had been able to restrain its influence on you all this time. However, all of that changed when you fought Akira Akiyama. When she critically wounded you, I could no longer keep the Hollow under wraps. It used the opportunity to take control. Now, I do not have the capacity to stop it. I am truly sorry, Aaron. I was irresponsible in not telling you about this until now."

"N-No. It's...okay." Feeling numb, Aaron struggled to process everything Seigetsu had told him. "Don't blame yourself. It's...my fault for letting that thing take me over again. There has to be a way to stop it though! There's no telling what it will do with my body!"

"We are in agreement. As I said, I am powerless to hold it back, but I may be able to if you can overpower it."

"Me? What can I do to help?"

"You must overpower the Hollow's will with your own. It must be iron-like if you have any chance at success. While it gave back your body willingly before, I highly doubt it will be so generous this time."

Aaron nodded. So long as he allowed this Inner Hollow to do as it pleased, he would never be able to help his friends.

"Leave it to me, Seigetsu!"

#

"...What the hell is this?"

Hollow Aaron was perplexed at the once clear sky becoming filled with ominous storm clouds. On top of that, the air got noticeably colder, so much so that buildings started to freeze over.

"Heh! I guess I should've brought a jacket!" said Aaron, unfazed. "Now then, where did that little punk get off to?"

He learned precisely where once Hitsugaya burst up from the subsiding smoke.

"I think I get it now," said the Captain. "You're some kind of Hollow."

"Ding ding! Looks like you finally figured me out! So, what are you gonna do about it?!"

Hitsugaya had something in mind as he held his Zanpakutou high and shouted, "Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

Water swirled around his now taller Zanpakutou and then froze into the shape of a dragon. At the swipe of his sword, the dragon twisted its way toward Hollow Aaron. It did not intimidate him in the least. In fact, the sight of it actually prompted him to smirk like a kid in a candy store.

"Ah! So that explains this damn cold! He can control the weather then! Neat! Well, Seigetsu can't do anything fancy like that, but it can do stuff like this!"

He severed the ice dragon down the middle. The fragments fashioned layers of frozen water all around him.

"Whoa! Maybe I should've brought along ice skates too!" he stated. "Anyway, that was cute and all, kid, but please tell me you've got more than that? I don't get to come out for air all that often, so make things interesting for me while I've got some time to play!"

The Hollow's yellow eyes widened after it saw it was taunting no one. Hitsugaya was gone.

"W-What the…? Heh! Not bad, kid! You managed to catch me off guard! Now then, where'd you get off to? It's no fun if you run!"

"You talk too much." Hitsugaya was not only able to position himself behind Aaron but also wrap the chain tied to the hilt of his Hyourinmaru around his adversary's left arm. "You shouldn't have underestimated me because of my looks. Now, you've lost."

"Tsk! Sneaky son of a bitch!"

The chain slowly but surely encased Aaron in a block of ice until he resembled a sculpture.

"...Good riddance," said Hitsugaya. Still, as much as he was glad to be rid of such an unpredictable foe, there were many questions burning in his mind pertaining Aaron. "Once I drag Higuchi back with me, I can probably have the Twelfth Division take a look at him. Dammit. Mitarashi never mentioned any of this. I'll have to..."

The clamor of the ice encasing Aaron cracking grabbed Hitsugaya's attention. It was not breaking of its own accord; dark energy was seeping out of every crevice. Hitsugaya instinctively distanced himself from the ice and was thankful he had once it shattered into a million pieces. Out from it came Aaron, who shook the remaining bits of water crystals off of him.

"Heh! Well, that was...something!" he said, still beaming. "I know this kid's body might be skinny, but it'd be rather pathetic if he let a little cold like that do him in!"

Hitsugaya tried his best not to show how irritated he was, yet he could not prevent his lips from curling. "...What a pain. I seriously don't want to have to kill you, but you're making it rather hard. I can barely stop myself from freezing over the whole of the Seireitei right now."

"Aw! Is the little boy gonna cry? Heh! Come on! Show me some more of that ice!"

"Be careful what you wish for, Hollow."

"Oh? Sounds like you're really getting angry! Good! Maybe then you'll…!"

Out of the blue, Hollow Aaron became as quiet as a mouse. He did not move an inch either. Seigetsu slipped out of his grasp and clattered to a halt on the rooftop.

Hitsugaya, raising an eyebrow, said, "What…?"

The Captain's vexation increased tenfold once Aaron erupted into earsplitting screaming. His fingers desperately scratched against his white mask. When this did not remove it, he resort to banging his skull into the ground over and over.

"What?! Y-You…! Stop it already, Higuchi!" the Hollow cried. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?! Do you really think you stand a chance against this kid without me?! Don't be stupid! You need me, Higuchi! You're nothing without me, so go back to minding your own business and watching the show!"

Despite the Hollow's pleading, the horned mask continued to crumble away. It shrieked even more and threatened to deafen Hitsugaya.

"Higuchi, what's going on?! Tell me what's happening!" the Captain yelled. "Higuchi!"

His voice seemed to break Aaron out of his fit. The dark-skinned Shinigami fell silent and did not stir for a number of moments. In the interim, Hitsugaya prepared himself for anything.

"...Ugh. I...need some aspirin," stated Aaron. His voice was back to normal. He shoved what little remained of his mask off before leering up at Hitsugaya. "S-Sorry about that. That girl has a habit of doing that."

He stood with the aid of Seigetsu and felt moments away from passing out. Fighting off his Inner Hollow had been more tiring than his brief clash with Hitsugaya.

"I don't know what the hell that thing was just now, but is it going to rear its ugly head again?" asked the young Captain.

"To be honest, I'm...not sure," admitted Aaron. "I don't think I'll be able to stop it next time either. Even so, I have to beat you! I barely feel Mitsumi's spiritual pressure at this point, so I don't have anymore time to waste here!"

"Is that so?" Hitsugaya paused while he observed Aaron on the cusp of consciousness. "...I doubt you have much left in the tank after what just happened. I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to pass. Just stay still and don't bother resisting anymore."

The Captain moved in for the kill, spawning more ice with Hyourinmaru. Aaron, meanwhile, grunted as he held Seigetsu out to block whatever his foe had in store.

"...What?"

Everything around him crawled to a halt. Somehow, time was now standing still. Boggled, he backed away from Hitsugaya, who had been close to landing a likely decisive blow, and strived to make sense of things.

A figure soon came into view and stepped past Hitsugaya.

"Why are you faltering, Aaron?" the person asked.

"S-Seigetsu?!" Aaron could not believe it. Never before had he seen the spirit of his Zanpakutou on the outside world. "Why are you here?! How…?"

"Never mind that. Listen closely, Aaron. Your concern for your friends is clouding your judgment. Even though you have such a powerful opponent right before your eyes, you are wasting time and energy thinking two and three steps ahead of yourself."

"What are you saying?! Are you asking me to just let Mitsumi die?! She risked her life to come to Soul Society and help me, so how could you expect me to just turn my back on her when she needs me the most?! And what about Kana, huh?! She's the whole reason we're here to begin with!"

"...I never imagined you could be so foolish."

Aaron, gritting his teeth, replied, "W-What your problem all of a sudden?! Just whose side are you on here?!"

"As always, I am with you, Aaron. You should not even have to ask. While I find it commendable you have been able to put aside your fear and fight despite the situation with your Inner Hollow, your indecisiveness is the reason said Hollow has been able to take control. All the pressure you are putting on yourself in trying to help everyone is weakening your resolve. You are only one man. Please, understand that you cannot do everything on your own."

"I-I know that! I know perfectly well that I'm not as strong as a guy like Kurosaki or crafty like Sasune! Maybe they would be able to help everyone by themselves and without breaking a sweat, but I'm not that kind of guy! E-Even so, does that mean I should sit back and do nothing?! I might not be as strong as the others, but I still have to do everything I can!"

"Calm down, Aaron. I'm only..."

As loud as he could, Aaron shouted, "No! I will not calm down! I can't do what you're asking, Seigetsu! I can't turn my back on my friends and just look out for myself! That's...that's just not who I am!"

"Oho! I didn't think you could get that angry, kid! It's kinda nice to see!"

Aaron and Seigetsu shifted their heads to a third individual: Aaron's Inner Hollow.

"…I was wondering when you would show up," said Seigetsu nastily.

"Ouch! Is that anyway to talk about yourself?" the Hollow replied with a grin.

"What is she talking about, Seigetsu?" asked Aaron.

"...As I said before, when you first reacquired your Shinigami powers, an Inner Hollow was also created. At that very same time, it merged with me. Therefore, I suppose you could consider us two sides of the same coin. That is why this Hollow looks so much like me."

The Hollow laughed. "That makes us even closer than sisters, doesn't it? You should be happy, Higuchi! You've got the two of us watching your sorry behind!"

In spite of her claim, Aaron did not take much solace in having an extra tenant in his soul, especially one who was so keen on taking over. Even so, it sounded like he was stuck with her for the time being.

"Are you done screwing around already?" the Hollow inquired. "Just hurry up and give me back your body so I can kill that kid over there!"

"Not a chance! There's no telling what you'll do or who you'll hurt!" snapped Aaron.

"Tsk! Don't be like that! All I'm gonna do is make sure you get outta this in one piece! Besides, how come you and Seigetsu here are the only ones who are allowed to have fun?!"

"Don't you get it?! None of this is about 'having fun!' I came to Soul Society to…!"

"Yeah, yeah! Spare me the details! I'll save that girl you won't shut up about too, alright?!" The Hollow held out its hand. "Come on? Don't be so stubborn! You've seen what I can do! I can defeat anyone stupid enough to get in our way! You just have to put some faith in me, kid!"

"No, Aaron! Do not let her deceive you! The Hollow simply wants permanent control of you and will say or do anything to get you to lower your guard!" warned Seigetsu. "You do not need her strength! You have more than enough on your own! For the time being, solely focus on the enemy before you! You cannot allow yourself to be distracted anymore!"

"Screw that! Are you really gonna take advice from someone saying you should give up on those pals of yours? Just give into your anger already! Fight until there isn't anyone left standing! I can tell that deep down inside, you love beating people into a bloody pulp, kid! It gives you a certain rush, doesn't it?!"

Aaron said, "T-That's not true! You don't…!"

"Don't bother lying! I could practically sense your blood lust when you fought with that Akira Akiyama! It roused me from my nap and let me come to the surface!"

This time, Aaron did not have an argument ready. Going back to his battle with Akira, he could admit that for a time, he could think of nothing more than removing her from his path by any means necessary.

"We could do the same thing we did to her to that kid over there!" said the Hollow, gesturing to Hitsugaya. "Think about it! We just have to crush everyone! Then there won't be anyone to hurt your pals! It's so simple!"

"No, Aaron! She is simply trying to confuse you! You are not the type of person who butchers everyone in his path!" declared Seigetsu.

"Man, don't you know when you're not needed?! Higuchi here is nothing more than a sniveling coward when you're at his side! That's why he needs someone like me to toughen him up!"

"There is only one path he can go down with someone like you guiding him! I will not allow something like that to happen!"

"As if you even had a choice in the matter! I think it's about time I took over for good!"

"You will have to go through me to do so! You…!"

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" boomed Aaron. Both Seigetsu and his Inner Hollow became as quiet as mice. "Both of you are wrong, alright?! Seigetsu, while I think I get what you're trying to tell me, there's just no way I can do what you're asking. I'm always gonna keep my friend's well being in the back of my mind!"

"I-I understand this, but..."

"And as for you!" Aaron cut Seigetsu off as he pointed at his Inner Hollow. "I'll just have to find a way to keep my head cool while I'm fighting so I don't give you the chance to pop up again! I'll admit that while you're strong, I'd rather not have to rely on someone like you!"

"Tsk! You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like…!"

"Oh, and there's one more thing I want to tell the two of you! I'm not fighting alone here! My friends might not be with me, but at heart, they're always by my side! I rely on them just as much as they rely on me! They aren't some crutch!"

Seigetsu softly smiled. "...Yes, that is true, isn't it? It is also true that you are quite stubborn. You will not listen to anything I have to say, will you?"

"Heh. Sorry."

"I see. Regardless of your decisions, Aaron, know that I will always be at your side, ready and willing to help. I am yet another person you can rely on."

"Oh man! How corny!" The Inner Hollow rolled its eyes and began walking away. "Tsk! I'm outta here! Hearing all this mushy stuff from you fools is just gonna make me sick! Just remember, Higuchi, that you better not slip up! Otherwise, I'm coming to take what's mine!"

With a series of mad chuckles, the Hollow dissipated.

Seigetsu started to vanish as well. "Focus yourself, Aaron. Never allow that Hollow the chance to do as it pleases."

Aaron nodded, promising to keep her advice to heart.

Time marched on again, and he got his wits about him enough to block Hitsugaya's attack. The two clashed swords even more until Aaron was positive he had stumbled upon an opening.

"Way of Destruction Number 31: Red Fire Cannon!"

The fireball sailed at Hitsugaya, who leapt back to avoid it. Unbeknown to him, he had fallen right into Aaron's trap. The moment the Captain touched down, Aaron lunged Seigetsu into the rooftop.

"Getsuga Jigokushou!"

Blue energy burst up from below Hitsugaya like an eruption from a volcano. Aaron shielded himself while it did so, hoping not to get caught up in his own blast.

"Gah! I-I forget how strong Seigetsu is sometimes..."

A frigid blast of wind dispersed the black haze kicked up by the Getsuga Jigokushou and revealed an unscathed Toushirou Hitsugaya. Aaron halfheartedly chuckled, having had a feeling the Captain would find a way to stay in the game.

"D-Dammit! I-I used up most of my energy just now. If he tries anything..."

Hitsugaya did, spawning more ice with his Hyourinmaru, ice that took the shape of five dragons. "Sorry, but I can't afford to hold back any longer, Higuchi. There's no telling what you'll do given the chance."

The young Captain spurred his ice dragons to swarm upon Aaron. Remaining still like he was stuck in quicksand, Aaron's mind became empty. He knew he had to do something, but nothing was coming to him, nothing that would turn the battle in his favor anyway. He had exhausted himself of techniques and vigor, and merely holding Seigetsu up to defend himself was taxing. Doubt began to creep up on him.

"This...might be it for me," he mumbled. "I can't..."

He caught himself before he could finish his sentence and reminded himself that he could not lose heart at this stage. His Inner Hollow was patiently waiting for him to slip up.

"A-Alright, Seigetsu. I made you a promise. ...Let's see if I can keep it."

Even without a plan, he could not just give in. He dug his heels into the dirt, took a deep breath, and confronted Hitsugaya's ice dragons head on with Seigetsu. They pushed with intensity against his blue tachi, but he fought back to the best of his ability and ignored the cold biting at his skin.

"T-Tell me you can eat energy and shoot it back or something, Seigetsu, because I really need a miracle here!"

Hitsugaya's ice forced him toward the edge of the building. By the time he noticed this, it was already too late. With nothing left to stand on, he began to fall, screaming as he did so. This had not been Hitsugaya's intent, hence the reason why he hastily went over to save the teenager before he went splat. To his alarm though, he could find no trace of Aaron. The sole thing he did pick up on was a black streak darting from building to building and away from the area. He was tempted to make chase but saw there was no way he could keep up.

"...That wasn't Higuchi. I don't recognize that spiritual pressure. Tsk. How troublesome."

He put away Hyourinmaru and contemplated what to do now.

"Oh! There you are, Captain!" said a cheery voice behind him. He instantly recognized it as Rangiku Matsumoto's. His busty Vice-Captain smiled at him being safe and went to hug him. She latched onto to nothing but air though and stumbled onto his face when Hitsugaya got out of the way at the last second. "H-Hey! What was the for?! This is the thanks I get for worrying about you so much that I had to come and find you?!"

Paying her teary face and whining no mind, Hitsugaya replied, "I told you I'd only be gone for a little while. Anyway, did you have any luck tracking down the Ryoka?"

Rangiku stood, stroked her scarlet nose, and frowned. "...No. Sorry, Captain. I've just been preoccupied trying to explain your sudden disappearance to everyone. Uh...I did manage to catch a glimpse of the one that is fighting Zaraki, but..."

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't ask you to jump in between that. Besides, I let one of them get away just now. They're a lot stronger than we gave them credit for. The sooner we track them all down, the better."

"You actually sound worried there, Captain! Still, they can't be all bad, right? I mean, they want to save Kana. We can sympathize with them, can't we? I mean..."

"Come on, Matsumoto. We still have work to do."

A sour faced Hitsugaya Flash Stepped elsewhere.

"H-Hey, wait up!" cried Rangiku, who hurried after him. Under her breath, she said, "...You're as easy to read as a book, Captain!"

#

Things in the Repentance Tower were tense. Neither Rukia or Kana said a word as they engrossed themselves on the vibrations of spiritual pressure impacting their prison.

"J-Just how many people are fighting there?" questioned Kana as she bit her fingernails. "It's almost like everyone in the Seireitei is duking it out!"

"Wait, do you feel that?" asked Rukia. She then paused prior to adding, "...It's stopped! It's gotten quiet too. Two of the immense spiritual pressures have disappeared. I wonder if whoever they belonged to are dead."

"D-Don't say that! W-What if they were coming from Aaron and Ichigo?!"

"I-I'm sorry, Mitarashi. I didn't mean to scare you," replied Rukia once she took heed of how violently her cellmate was shaking. "I'll admit that we can't be too sure of who exactly was just fighting, but when you think about it, there's a good possibility that it was one of our friends. We have to accept that."

"Y-Yeah..." Kana sniffled. "This totally sucks..."

"Yes. ...No one should be bleeding because of us."

Without warning, Kana got to her feet and began punching the wall beside her. "Ugh! I can't take this any longer! I gotta bust outta here! I just gotta so I can…!"

"C-Calm down, Mitarashi!" Rukia quickly ran over to the brunette and restrained her. "You're going to do nothing more than break your hands!"

Kana, fighting back, retorted, "I-I know that! Even so, I...I've gotta do something! Please, Rukia! Just...just let me..."

The remainder of her comment was lost in a shower of tears, and she sunk to her knees. Rukia could hardly fault her for feeling so powerless. She also had not the foggiest idea on what to say to cheer her up. She was in such an awful mood herself.

"...I'm lost now, Kaien. What would you have me do?" she asked herself.

#

One of the guards assigned to keep watch over the Repentance Tower cleaned out his ears and sighed in relief.

"Looks like all those wild spiritual pressures have finally calmed down. Whoever that was must've been quite strong! They were able to knock over a number of buildings near here! Heh! Lucky for me they didn't get any closer. I just hope none of the prisons got damaged."

Another Shinigami, grinning from ear to ear, approached him and said, "What's the matter, deputy? How come you're shaking in your boots there? Ha! You were affected by the spiritual pressure even though you were so far away? That's too rich!"

"W-What?! You're shaking too, aren't you?! You're the laughable one here!"

The other Shinigami was indeed trembling. He was sweating too. He growled at having all of this pointed out and aimed the staff he was holding threateningly.

"You want to repeat that?!" he exclaimed. "For your information, I'm…!"

He lost his train of thought when a clear liquid dripped onto his forehead.

"Eh? What is this? Bird crap?" he asked as he touched it. Seconds later, a bout of dizziness hit him, and his consciousness began to slip away. "What…?"

He passed out, leading his cohort to shout, "Hey?! What's wrong?!"

This same Shinigami's senses were raised at something else: a pair of figures standing on a building above him.

"Hey, you there! You won't get away with this! I'll…!"

A third person, this one being Ganju Shiba, landed right behind him. The Shinigami did an about face toward the man, only to receive a swift elbow to the chin. The blow knocked him out cold and sent him rolling.

Meanwhile, Hanatarou Yamada and Arashi Mitarashi climbed down from their hiding spot using some ropes.

"Y-You didn't have to be so cruel, Ganju," said Hanatarou, inspecting the wreckage.

"Man, that poor guy never saw it coming," added Arashi, shaking his head.

Ganju smacked his lips. "Oh, shut up! By the way, what the hell did you two do to that other guy?"

"Me? I didn't do a thing. It was Yamada here. Show him."

Hanatarou nodded and presented a vial of clear liquid. "This? Oh, it's only a tranquilizer. One drop on the unprotected skin of someone who has low spiritual pressure and that person will faint."

"W-Why do you have something so scary on you?" wondered Ganju.

"Y-Yeah. That stuff wasn't nearly as potent when I was in the Fourth Division," added Arashi, just as unnerved.

"You think it's scary? Why? It's totally useless on strong guys," said Hanatarou.

"True enough. Let's...not worry about that though."

The Repentance Tower stood before them at last. As happy as they were to have at last made it to their destination, they understood there was still work to be done.

"We just have to open the main gate now," said Ganju. He leered at Mayu, who was still asleep. "Man, she's missing all the fun parts!"

"Any ideas on how we can get that door open? I didn't bring a key along with me this time," stated Arashi. "Damn. I should've stolen one when I had the chance. Wait, maybe it isn't too late to go back for one."

"No need." Hanatarou reached onto his person and procured the item in question. "I sneaked out and stole the backup key from the storage room last night."

"Ah! Amazing, Yamada! You're always thinking one step ahead, aren't you?"

Hanatarou, blushing, muttered, "I-It was nothing. Really."

"You sure that was a good idea?" asked Ganju. "Won't you get in trouble with your bosses?"

"It's...not a problem," replied Hanatarou after some reflection. "It's just that last night I was thinking how Ichigo and Aaron had so many injuries on their bodies. It made me think how hard they must have been fighting. All I did though was run away. That's...so cowardly. I want to rescue Rukia too, so I should do my best to achieve that goal regardless of how much trouble I'll get in later on. Heh. D-Despite my boasting, the most I can do is steal keys. Maybe I'm just useless after all..."

"Don't say things like that, Yamada!" exclaimed Arashi. He spooked Hanatarou a little. "If you're useless, then I'm even worse! I too felt unsure of what to do when I heard my older sister was going to be executed. I knew I couldn't sit on my hands, yet I didn't have the courage to lift a finger until Aaron showed up and said that he was going to save Kana! That's when I decided that even if I'm executed in her place, I was going to do everything in my power to save her! My only regret is not doing something sooner!"

"R-Really? You...were anxious too?" Hanatarou smiled. "I-I know it sounds mean to say, but hearing that makes me feel somewhat better."

"If you ask me, I don't think either one of you are useless," said Ganju, looking away from the two. "What you've been doing is more than enough."

His compliment left Hanatarou and Arashi both speechless and appreciative.

With a mighty yawn, Mayu at last awoke. She rubbed her heavy eyelids, blinked a few times to clear her vision, and found herself confused at why she was no longer in the sewers.

"Huh? Where is this?" she sleepily inquired.

"It's about time you got the hell up!" barked Ganju. "Were you planning to slack off through this whole rescue operation, sis?!"

"Sheesh! You could at least wait to yell at me until after I've fully woken up!"

"Yeah, yeah! At least it was quiet while you were out! Now we have to hear your constant complaining!"

Ganju thought his joke was funny, but Mayu sure did not. She popped him upside the cranium for his loose lips.

"W-What the…?! You really shouldn't be hitting your older brother like that!"

"I wouldn't have if you'd stop making fun of me!" said a crimson-faced Mayu.

"Fine! You've gotten your point across! Pipe down already!"

"Not until you tell me where we are!"

"We're at the Repentance Tower, Mayu," said Arashi.

"Whoa! So, this is the place, huh? What are we waiting for then? Let's get in there and save those damsels in distress!"

"That's what we were going to do until you starting going around and smacking people!" yelled Ganju. "Anyway, let's just do this before…!"

"Wait! Aren't we missing someone? What happened to that dumb Shinigami?!"

"You mean Higuchi? Uh...he went to go check on some of his friends."

"Oh, that's right! Ichigo isn't here either! I...wonder if he's okay," said Hanatarou.

"I'm sure they're both okay," said Arashi. "Look, I know you're all worried about them, but the reason they stayed behind in the first place was so we could get this far. Let's not squander their efforts."

"Exactly! Now then can, we please…!" began Ganju.

Mayu interrupted him by saying, "You're telling me that the people who wanted to save those girls are the ones who aren't even here?! Oh, I swear I'm gonna pound that stupid Shinigami when I see him again! How dare he leave his girlfriend waiting like this?!"

"W-What is she talking about?" asked Hanatarou.

"D-Don't waste your time trying to figure out. I don't get it either!" yelled Ganju. "And quit cutting me off already, Mayu! You hear me?!"

For once, his sibling did not say a word. She was far too busy shaking in her boots and pointing at something the others were not aware of. Confused, they faced whatever it was and soon became just as frightened. They could not help it; it was not everyday they were face-to-face with a Hollow.

"Hello, everyone. I finally managed to catch up with you. It seems I'm not as fast as I thought," said Sharpscale. "Oh, there are some new faces here. Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Sharpscale, and..."

The others shrieked in terror, getting in the way of the rest of his greeting.

"A-A Hollow?! Where did one of those come from?!" asked Hanatarou.

"H-His spiritual pressure is off the charts!" said Arashi, gulping.

"R-Relax, guys! This one is on our side!" said Ganju. "...I-I think."

"The heck he is!" argued Mayu. "T-This is the same guy that nearly killed me! Go beat him up already, big bro!"

"M-Me?! No way! I ain't getting killed for you!"

"H-Hey! What kind of big brother are you?! You're pathetic!"

"...I see you both are doing well," stated Sharpscale flatly. "Er...I-I did not mean to startle any of you with my presence. I can assure you though that I am indeed with you all."

"Seriously?" Arashi was relieved though still puzzled. "Y-You guys are even more amazing than I thought! How did you manage to get a Hollow to help you?"

He yelped when he picked up on Sharpscale staring at him intently.

"My apologies," the Hollow said. "...I thought you resembled someone for a moment."

"O-Oh. No...problem. Heh. Actually, it would be quite weird if you did know me. I don't think I'm acquainted any Hollows."

"Say, how'd you know we were here anyway?" asked Ganju.

"Yoruichi told me. He also asked me to come here and help you all," explained Sharpscale. Everyone else merely stood in silencing, prompting it to ask, "...Yes? Is something else the matter?"

Ganju sighed. "A lot of things are wrong here, but I won't get into that. Hanatarou, get that damn door open already!"

"Oh! Right!" replied Hanatarou, who went to do as requested.

"Alright, this is it," said Arashi. "...I'll admit that I'm a bit nervous. Honestly, I still can't believe we made it this far. I never would have dreamed we could save my sister and Miss Kuchiki. I can't help but wonder what we will do after this. Neither Kana or I will be able to lead lives as Shinigami anymore. Everyone here will likely try to hunt us down. ...That makes me sad to a certain extent. We'll have to leave everything and everyone we know behind. We say that we are trying to rescue my sister, but when you really think about it, she and I won't be free. We'll always have Soul Society on our backs until the day that we die."

The others turned to Arashi, who had mostly been talking to himself. He caught their somber looks and waved his hands around feverishly.

"S-Sorry about that! Guess I was just thinking out loud! Listen, I still want to save Kana. That hasn't changed. Whatever happens, we can deal with it, but it won't matter if I sit back and let her get executed! Let's head inside."

"Y-Yeah..." said Hanatarou. He unlocked the Repentance Tower's front gate before it gradually began to open.

"Say, this Rukia and Kana you guys are trying to rescue must be cute out-of-this-world, yeah?" asked Ganju with a rather goofy smirk.

"N-No. It's not like that..."

"And that's my sister you're talking about there," said a scowling Arashi.

"That's right, you pig!" shouted Mayu. "This is all about true love! Of course, you wouldn't know anything about that since you look like one of those boars your gang rides!"

"Sheesh! What's with you today, sis?! You're more grumpy than usual!" said Ganju. He cheered himself up and happily peered inside the tower. "Let me check out their faces for myself! Hello there, ladies! I'm…!"

Rukia and Kana faced everyone and were more than little amazed to have so many guests. Bizarrely, Ganju appeared even more stunned than the two of them combined. His pleasant expression had been erased the moment he laid eyes on Rukia, and he could barely breathe or think straight, let alone explain his abrupt shift in demeanor.

"Um...is something the matter, Ganju?" asked Mayu. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Wow. There sure a lot of you today! You must be bringing us a big lunch!" said Kana.

"Sister!" Arashi moved front and center. "It's good to see than you and Miss Kuchiki are still alright!"

"Arashi?! You're a sight for sore eyes!" Kana went over and hugged her little brother. "Say, where in the world have you been?!"

"Sorry, sister. Things have gotten rather crazy since we last met. ...You've lost weight. Tell me, have they been feeding you well?"

"About as well as you'd expect they'd feed criminals like us. Then again, some of the food has been so nasty that I throw it away the second they give it to me!"

"Yes. Things have been rather unpleasant. Anywho, who are these people you have with you?" Rukia asked Arashi. "Are they friends of Ichigo?"

Hanatarou popped out from behind Ganju and exclaimed, "It's me, Rukia! I'm so glad you're okay!"

"You're...Hanatarou! Why are you here?!"

Hanatarou made his way over to her, grabbed her arm, and began tugging her with him.

"I'll tell you later!" he said. "Come on! We have to hurry!"

"That's right! Come with us, Kana!" stated Arashi. "Yours and Miss Kuchiki's dreary days here in the Repentance Tower have finally come to an end!"

"W-Whoa! You don't have to pull on my arm that hard, Arashi!" complained Kana. "Where's the fire?!"

"You heard Yamada! There's no time to explain!"

"Um, excuse me?! Considering the circumstances, I think Rukia and I have a right to know what in the hell is going on!"

"Ah. So this is Kana Mitarashi," remarked Sharpscale. "I see. It is a pleasure to..."

"WA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-AH!" cried Kana at the sight of the creature. "A-A HOLLOW?! Quick, somebody kill it!"

Arashi, shielding his poor eardrums, stated, "C-Calm down, sister! I can explain!"

Much to his and the other's dismay, she kept on howling.

"I-Is this really the girl that dumb Shinigami wanted to save?" asked Mayu in disbelief. "S-She's nothing at all like I imagined!"

"Yes, I too am unsure what to think," added Sharpscale.

"Hey, who asked you?!"

"My apologies."

"Stop apologizing already! It's so annoying!"

"Of course. My apologies."

"Ugh! Are you making fun of me on purpose?!"

"...A part of me wishes she were still sleeping," mumbled Arashi. "Um...is there something wrong, Miss Kuchiki? You've been staring at Ganju for awhile now."

She had been indeed because she was working something out with his clothing, particularly the white, swirl pattern on his green pants.

"Ganju? Say, are you alright, Ganju? Ganju!" proclaimed Hanatarou.

"Man, he's spaced out even more than usual!" said Mayu. "Hey, earth to Ganju!"

"...The explosive swirl of dissension?" said Rukia. Her eyes then enlarged, and she said to Ganju, "Wait! You're...a member of the Shiba Clan?"

"Huh? How could she know that?" questioned Mayu.

"D-Do you two know each other?" asked Hanatarou.

Ganju, unable and unwilling to bottle up his anger any longer, shook and answered, "...Yeah, I do. I'll never forget...that face. She's...she's the Shinigami who killed my brother!"

Everyone froze and became utterly quiet. A few even cleaned out their ears, certain they had just misheard him. None of them could believe the words coming out of his mouth.

Despite all this, Rukia was the sole one who did not bat an eyelash. It was almost as if she had been hoping, even praying, that someone would finally call her out for such a heinous crime.

END