It had been two days since the hollow attack on the East Quadrant. Everyone had healed up nicely.
"Waaaah!" Shinn cried running down the hallway.
"Get back here you little..." Rei cried as she chased the shinigami across the hallway.
It had started innocently enough. Rei had reinstated Shinn into the patrol after Miho explained that he successfully defeated the two hollows, however she left out the part where Shinn had toyed with the hollow. Rei decided that in order to compensate for his lack of skill he'd have to make up for it in chores.
His most recent task was to clean the floors. However when Rei decided to check on his progress she accidentally got her foot caught in a pail of soapy water. What happened next could only be described as painful, klutzy, and downright hilarious. Unfortunately neither saw it that way. Shinn saw it as an unfortunate accident and Rei saw it as motive to kill.
Shinn turned around the corner and sprinted down the hallway with Rei hot on his tracks.
"Holy crap!" He cried as he vaulted over two girls.
"Get back here!" Rei cried running after him.
He opened one door and slammed it shut behind him and looked up to see where he'd holed himself in.
The air was thick and hot. Steam coated the area and he could smell a sweet scent but he could feel the occasional breeze. So wherever he was it was hot, stuffy, but had access to constant open air and smelt almost like...soap?"
"Oh crap," He gulped.
He was in the women's open-air bath and none of its occupants looked happy.
"It was a mistake!" He cried holding up his arms.
Kido charged, fists cracked, and growls were heard.
Seconds later Shinn found himself running from a stampede.
"Why me!" Shinn screamed.
Later when things had quieted down he emerged from the bushes and decided to cool off in the stram.
"Damn, Rei's gonna kill me when I get back," Shinn sighed as he ran his hands through the cool water.
"Rei's mad but not that mad," A voice remarked from behind.
"I know," Shinn sighed, "But still, those girls are gonna give me hell,"
Miho smiled then plopped down next to him.
"How's your soul-slayer?" She asked.
"I haven't sensed the other's presence but I don't think I that means it is gone," Shinn replied, "I just think it would be easier for me to handle it,"
He tried to smile but Miho could see through it in an instant.
"You're a terrible liar," She remarked.
Shinn merely smiled and then watched as the water ran by.
"Can you do me a favor?" Shinn asked.
Miho stared at him quizzically but then nodded.
"I promised I'd help Hana practice with her soul-slayer, can you tell her I'd be running a bit late?" Shinn asked not even looking up from the stream.
Miho knew he was leaving something out but she decided to leave anyways considering if he didn't want her around there was a good reason.
The moment Shinn failed to sense her presence he turned bowed his head into his knees.
"I can sense you, you know," Shinn remarked.
A ghostly apparition of himself appeared. However this version was the darker side that had attacked the two hollows.
"Lovely woman over there," The other Shinn remarked.
"Shut up Yami," Shinn muttered.
Yami turned and smirked at his other half.
"I could show her just how much you care for her," He sneered, "I could show her..."
Shinn stood up and regarded his darker half with an icy stare.
"Don't ever go near her!" Shinn whispered, "Or I'll personally break you in half!"
"Hmph, don't worry, I'm more focused on gaining complete control over that body you live in than getting the attention of your little angel," Yami sneered.
Shinn's fist clenched but he said nothing.
"Don't worry, I know you need my help so as long as your in that body I'll come out when you need me but if I feel that I am in danger then I will not hesitate to take over again," Yami smirked, "I love being able to hear those screams again,"
Shinn picked up his blade then sheathed it and secured it to his uniform.
Yami smirked then fell away into black smoke.
Shinn hurried into the meeting room.
Hana, Saito, Koji, Cho, and Miho were already there and Rei was already debriefing them.
"You're late," Rei scolded.
"Sorry," Shinn replied smiling as he took his seat.
Rei looked at him for a second then continued her briefing.
"Only until recently have we detected a massive flock of hollows breaching the barrier into soul society," Rei continued, "These hollows have been augmented in strength so the files are most likely inaccurate but that is all we have,"
"The hollows are all registered as B-class however the reports indicate spirit energy ranging to A level," Rei explained.
"All we need now is a Menos Grande," Saito complained.
"Several have been sighted in the North Quadrant," Rei sighed, "The Captains have mobilized in order to compensate for the lack of strength to combat such forces."
"So what's happening?" Koji asked.
"We're gonna divide our strength and cover a third of the quadrant in groups," Rei explained, "Koji and Hana, Myself and Saito, Cho, Shinn, and Miho will be a group of three,"
Shinn sighed then regarded his patrol teammates. Miho he trusted completely but Cho was kinda unpredictable.
"Yes!" Cho cried punching his fist in the air, "I have been successfully teamed up with the most Precious Flower of Patrol 18!"
Rei and Hana's eyes blazed while Miho smiled somewhat shyly.
"Do not worry," Cho cried smiling widely, "Fate has put us together for a reason!"
He clenched her shoulder tightly smiling with unbelievable wideness.
Shinn sighed and shook his head as he left the meeting hall.
The moment he stepped out of the building he clutched his forehead.
"What do you want!" He hissed as he felt Yami's presence rapping against his skull.
"I sense a hollow!" The voice whispered, "It is powerful...near..."
"Where?" Shinn asked.
He suddenly felt a presence emanating from the forest nearby.
"Let's warn the others..." Shinn began but suddenly Yami's presence flooded his mind.
"Fool! You wish to endanger your friends?" He snarled.
Shinn thought for a second but then nodded and started for the forest.
"Shinn?" A voice asked.
Shinn turned around and noticed Hana watching him with a confused expression.
"Oh hello!" Shinn replied, "Um...I just have to go...um...do some meditating! That's right; can you tell Miho that...um...I can't practice kido with her today?"
"Er...Okay," Hana answered confused.
She turned around to find Miho.
Shinn quickly hurried away while mentally berating himself for his lie.
He entered the forest and tried to detect the presence of the hollow.
"It's near..." Yami whispered as if licking he's lips, "So near..."
Shinn surveyed the tall pine trees wondering where the attack would come from.
Suddenly a figure stepped out of the shadows.
"Wondered when you'd show up," A voice smirked.
Shinn immediatly drew his soul-slayer but hesitated in transforming it into shikai.
"My, my, you are quite jumpy," The voice continued.
"Who are you?" Shinn asked.
"Names mean nothing but I you know me as Aizen Sousuke," The voice answered.
Shinn nearly dropped his soul-slayer.
"A-Aizen?" Shinn stuttered, "The rogue shinigami captain?"
"Indeed, now I have no business with you however I would like to speak with Yamikaze," He explained.
Shinn felt his sword shudder slightly in his hands.
"A shinigami? Yet...I sensed a hollow!"
"Ah," Aizen commented as if he had read their thoughts, "My shikai is capable of manipulating and hypnotizing the senses, even spirits,"
"So this was a ruse!" Yami spat, "I'll kill him!"
"No," Shinn said firmly to his sword, "He is to be brought to the proper authorities,"
"Fool!"
"Aizen! You're coming with me!" Shinn called out raising his sword.
"Come," Aizen smirked, "I have no time to waste,"
Shinn jumped forward and cut down but Aizen suddenly phased out and reappeared behind him.
"Release," He said calmly.
He drove his hand under Shinn's chest causing dark energy to shoot into his body.
Shinn collapsed onto one day and coughed up a wad of blood.
"W-what was that..." Shinn gasped.
Suddenly his zanpak-to grew larger and sleeker and the handle began to curve.
Shinn tried to get up but Aizen appeared in front of him again and drove his hand into his chest again sending him flying into a tree.
"W-hat's...happening?" Shinn gasped as a seal began to form around his stomach.
His zanpak-to had suddenly transformed into a cross-hybrid of his zanpak-to and shikai.
"Enough! I'll finish this!"
"N-no," Shinn gasped, "I..."
Suddenly black sears formed onto Shinn's hand then face.
He stood up as if completely healthy again.
"Good as new!" He sneered.
"I haven't much time longer for this little play," Aizen sighed, "I'll just have to finish this quickly,"
"It's your funeral!" Yami cackled and dashed forward as black energy enflamed the gunblade.
Yami slashed down intending to slice Aizen in half but Aizen easily sidestepped the attack.
"Done," Aizen murmured as his hand shot forward to drive into Yami's chest.
Suddenly Yami jumped back and landed in a crouched stance.
"You think I'm as stupid as my other half?" He snarled, "You're underestimation will be the end of you!"
He jumped forward intending to end it once and for all but suddenly Aizen met him halfway.
"Skilled, perhaps if you actually learned to manipulate your spirit pressure you may actually be a threat," Aizen smirked.
He suddenly drove his hand into Yami's forehead.
"Eyaaaaaaaaahhhh!"
This time both Yami and Shinn felt the pain.
It was as if Aizen had stabbed a searing hot chisel into their brain and began to scoop out its contents.
Back at the patrol's meeting room.
"What was that?" Koji asked settling his hand to rest on his zanpak-to.
"I don't know," Saito murmured as he lowered his pipe.
"That...was Shinn's voice..." Miho whispered.
Hana opened the door and walked in.
"Hey Miho?" Hana called out, "Shinn told me to tell you that he won't be able to make kido practice with you,"
"Kido practice?" Miho asked confused, "But..."
Another scream shot out.
"Oh no," She murmured, "Shinn!"
The scream echoed again as Miho raced out the front door followed by her teammates.
They found him in the forest lying in the fetal position constantly screaming. His soul-slayer lay still in shikai form embedded in the ground.
"What're those marks on him?" Hana asked.
The black sears had remained on his face and arm and now a black web was spreading across his face and chest.
"I don't know," Miho whispered as she kneeled towards Shinn, "They appear whenever he's using his shikai's full power,"
Shinn's eye widened in fear as he recognized those that surrounded him.
"Get out now!" He screamed, "He's here!"
"Who?" Koji asked confused.
"He's in me!" Shinn screamed, "He's a part of me!"
"Who?" Saito asked.
"Y-Yamikaze!" Shinn cried and his body wracked in spasm.
"What?" Hana cried.
Suddenly Shinn stopped shaking and lay limp.
"Is he dead?" Saito asked worriedly.
Suddenly a grin formed around Shinn's face. A dark laughter could be heard coming from Shinn.
"Shinn?" Miho asked hesitantly.
"He's gone," The voice hissed completely different from Shinn's voice.
Shinn got up somewhat stiffly and grinned with pointed teeth.
"Shinn's gone, I've finally taken over!" Yami laughed.
"Shinn..." Miho whispered.