The Fallen Series: Part I - Victory Falls

by Seth's Kiss

Canon Divergent: 'They made the biggest mistake of their lives. They forgot Aizen always had a back-up plan, with it usually being far worse than the first'. DARK Fic. Rated M (violence, horror, torture, non-con), also has MxM, MxF, FxF and many unstable pairings (for now). Warnings in each chapter for safety. Proceed with caution. BEING EDITED: Chapters may vanish till completion.

11. Part One: Chapter 6 P3

The Fallen Series (a Bleach Fanfiction) by Seth's Kiss:

A/N: Finally done with the 6th Chapter! Phew...It was A LOT of work. Hope you'll enjoy!

To all the Readers of this fic: There is something I would REALLY like to ask all of you who are reading (who I simply can't thank enough): if you don't mind, could you please share your thoughts with me? Though I genuinely value them, I'm not the type to beg for reviews; however, feedback on your part is greatly appreciated: Do you like it? Hate it? Was there a part that surprised you? Shocked you? Saddened you? Made you laugh? Did you stumble upon something unexpected? Confusing? Disappointing? Sickening? Thrilling? Daring? Chilling? Were there parts that were not well-written? Is the flow too slow? Is it too dark or not dark enough? Are the characters far too out of character? What are you anticipating next? All these are questions that plague me daily as I write and I would really like to be set on what you think. Believe me when I say that it helps me more to know if I'm doing something wrong. Also, I'm readily open to any ideas and suggestions you may have: it might boost my inspiration further and help me overcome the terribly hated writer's block. I sincerely hope that you'll consider this. Thank you for your time.

To Enjali: Hello again Enjali! Oh and how do I agree with you! I'll have to come up with something very befitting for Aizen... Do you hate him? Because if you do, then it means I made a good villain out of him and if that's the case, then I'm so proud of myself! Whilst it's easy to be mean, it's hard to make someone evil in a constructive way, that is not outright wicked but vile just enough. I think I haven't given much depth to his full persona though: I'll have to work on that... Thank for your review and see you next chapter! Please enjoy this one!

To Guest 1: Hello and thank you for your review! I'm so glad you're enjoying this fic! Really! Thank you so much for reading and please enjoy this chapter! See you next update!

Rating for this chapter: Exactly the same as the former ones, since this is still the 6th chapter.

Part One: Victory Falls:

Chapter 6: Countdown to Chaos (Part 3):

Four

Ichigo was completely at loss. No. Not really. It was just...he wasn't quite sure what to do all of a sudden. No matter the situation, he was known to be rash and reckless...never hesitant...

He cast his widened brown eyes in the direction of the Tower, weighing his choices carefully, for once. It was impossible for him to run, not only because he wouldn't allow himself to abandon the others, but also because he couldn't: when Orihime had begun striking at him, he had accidently dropped, in his haste to evade, the only two sapphire gems they had left and they were now crushed beneath the debris. And given that he neither knew how to open a Garganta or the Senkaimon (which was destroyed on top of that), escaping wasn't an option. He couldn't find shelter either, given the state the Seireitei was in, coupled with the plague of remaining Hollows swarming around. Besides, his pressing priority was the unconscious girl in his arms for, given his time helping at the Clinic, her wounds were severely bleeding out and that was when he chose to ignore the rather worrying one upon her head, which he sincerely hoped to be no worse than a minor concussion: if he didn't act quickly...

Biting his lip, he started heading over to the Tower of Desolation, hoping that Unohana Retsu was still alive. Ordinarily, Orihime was the one within their group to deal with all the healing and it made Ichigo realize something quite harsh: with her out of the picture, whether because she was absent or, God forbid, dead, they would have been as good as goners a long time ago.

"Unohana-sa...!" called out the Shinigami Substitute urgently as he set foot upon the roof, but whatever he was about to say faded away as he looked on horrified at the sight before him.

Those he had left behind no more than mere moments ago, meaning, Renji, Yoruichi and the others, were now also battered prisoners, bound in chains where they knelt like everyone else. Except that 'everyone else', as Ichigo could only take in now given that before it was too hectic for him to take notice, was considerably lacking in number and there were many familiar faces that just...weren't there: Ukitake Jushiro, Kira Izuru, Rose, Love, Hachigen, Isane and her little sister, Tetsuzaemon Iba, the little Yachiru, Kenpachi? Yoruichi had mentioned losses earlier, during their brief briefing, but he hadn't imagined it to be this dire.

Wide aghast brown eyes then flitted over towards the enemy, not liking what was there either. The Arrancars, who had been left back in Karakura, were all here instead, with Nelliel and the others tightly tied in the same manner as the Shinigami, with the difference of harbouring gleaming purple collars around their necks that seemed to cause them pain with every glow.

Behind them, stood the remaining Espada (Szayel, Nnoitra, Youli, Veneno, Avaricia who Hinamori healed after the former's defeat against Grimmjow, and Ulquiorra who had returned from Karakura) and Fracción (Loly, Menoly, Tesla, Wonderweiss and Veneno's three underlings, Fleur, Apatico and Escarlata) along with two unknown individuals to the teen, one male and the other female, both brown-haired and eerily holding a strong resemblance to the immortal. Speaking of the immortal in question, with dark macabre amusement dancing upon his features, Aizen, his face leaning upon the hand of an arm propped up on a knee, was sitting on the conquered Grimmjow, right upon the blue-haired's heaving abdomen, rendering the latter's breath more difficult than necessary...

"Just so you know, Ichigo. You're the only one left" the child of chaos smirked sinisterly, as the teen's horrified eyes met his, and it only made the Shinigami Substitute's previous realizations sting even more: the others were then all...

"Oh dear me" chuckled Aizen scathingly, cutting the teen form his thoughts and earning a glare from the latter, which only deepened when the brown-haired immortal had the gall to feign sympathy at Ichigo's predicament "This is just too pathetic to be real."

"Do you have to make it fuckin' worse?" wheezed out Grimmjow breathlessly, as he shifted slightly beneath the other's weight: he wasn't that heavy but, being the bastard that he was, he was adding his own reiatsu directly for pressure upon the blue-haired's reiatsu-restrained body.

"I wouldn't interfere if I were you...given your position" mocked Aizen as his eyes flickered down to the one below him.

"Good fuckin' thing you're not me..." spat the feline Arrancar venomously with all the hate he could muster, causing the immortal to wordlessly raise an eyebrow at him.

Whilst the master and former subordinate went through an intense staring showdown, the female Aizen sauntered over assertively towards the Shinigami Substitute, only for her boost of confidence to deflate when she found herself with the tip of the other's blade at her chest.

"Stay back" warned the orange-haired teen firmly as he held out his zanpaktou steadfastly upon the brown-haired girl before him with one hand, whilst the other supported his friend's limp body against him.

"Easy" placated Hinamori soothingly with an expression of extreme gentleness that wasn't bought at all by the other "I just want to heal Orihime-sama."

"And I want you to stay back" maintained the Shinigami Substitute adamantly, not once relaxing his tense posture.

"You can trust me" smiled the female Aizen softly whilst she slowly raised her hands out in front of her in an 'I'm-not-going-to-hurt-you' gesture.

"I don't even know you" stressed out Ichigo with a scowl leading to Hinamori's coloured vexation "So no. Not happening."

"If Orihime-sama isn't healed, it could get worse" pointed out Neveromina curtly as she suddenly appeared beside the two orange-haired teenagers "Please let me see what I can do."

As the Shinigami Substitute stared at her and attempted to grasp why she looked familiar, Szayel frowned in his Fracción's direction: "Where have you been?"

"Around" replied the once-lieutenant with an absentminded wave of her hand "Not very far."

The Octavo blinked before he sighed: "We'll have to work on your responses sometime."

"Do...I know you?" hesitated Ichigo with a frown, drawing Neveromina's focus back to him.

"Maybe you used to" she answered with a brief nod of her head, her unchanging expression making something click in the teen's head.

"Yeah, I think I do. You're from the 12th Division, Nem-something."

"Was from the 12th Division and it was 'Nemu'" she corrected before she dipped her head in a slight bow "Now, I'm Neveromina, Fracción to the Octavo."

"Ah, I get it. That's why you look different" noted the Shinigami Substitute in understanding before his former scowl returned, even deeper this time "But, just so we're clear, why would you be any different than her?"

"I have no intention to harm, merely heal" she promised, putting a closed hand to her heart before holding it out to her side, as an emphasis to her next two words "I swear."

Ichigo was about to send her off, just like he had done for the other, but, as Neveromina slowly opened up her extended hand, he stopped himself, eyes going wide. Upon the Fracción's palm, grotesquely written by a thick marker, was a message from a little pink-haired menace he knew all too well: 'You can trust Nev-Nev, Ichi. From Yachiru, with Ken-chan.'

The orange-haired teen took in the one dressed in white before him before he carefully glanced over at the captives upon the roof. Yachiru, true enough, wasn't there. Neither was Kenpachi. And he knew better than to think that the message was faked. Not because it was written with 'Ken-chan', but because Yachiru was the only one to call him 'Ichi' as a cute nickname when it actually sounded more like a word reserved for perverts...

He looked on as Neveromina closed her hand again and slipped it beneath her sleeve as she lowered her arm, before he sighed, hoping he was right to trust the Fracción: "Fine."

As the once-lieutenant nodded and moved forward to heal Orihime, Hinamori's jaw dropped: "You...? You choose to trust this...thing instead of me?"

"I don't know you" repeated the orange-haired teen yet again as he gently set his friend on the ground for the other to start restoring her to health.

"But you don't know her either!"

"I don't know you at all!" snapped the Shinigami Substitute in irritation, his reiatsu flaring slightly along with it, making the female Aizen jump a little and quickly reach for her sword.

"Let it go, Hinamori" called out the immortal abruptly, smirking in amusement, before he addressed the teen, whilst the brown-haired girl bowed and fell back "So, tell me, Ichigo..."

"I really don't want to deal with you right now" grounded out the orange-haired shinigami heatedly, cutting off the other as he watchfully kept his eyes on the one healing his friend.

"Ah?" uttered Aizen in slight surprise before he smirked knowingly when he took in the teen's hands clenched rather tightly "Forgive me if I say that I don't believe you."

"I mean it" insisted Ichigo stubbornly, still refusing to look over towards the child of chaos.

"Not even a little?"

"You... You're...going to pay" gritted out lividly the Shinigami Substitute, finally glaring in the other's direction "For everything."

Ichigo had shown fear, apprehension, uncertainty, anger, even indifference in regards to the immortal...but never sheer hatred. And Aizen loved it, biting his lower lip and raising an eyebrow at the expression filled with raging loathing the teenager was giving him. Exquisite.

"Now that I believe" smiled Aizen before he sobered and shrugged quite nonchalantly "And it is quite probable for you to make that statement become a reality."

"What do you mean?" frowned Ichigo in confusion, not at all understanding how he would, given he was alone against the former prisoner of Muken and his little army.

Closing his eyes, the child of chaos exhaled deeply: "I'm rather fatigued."

"Seriously?" deadpanned the orange-haired teen with wide incredulous eyes, whilst everyone else merely stared at the immortal, wondering what the latter was up to.

"Let me finish" reprimanded Aizen gently, opening back one eye to lock onto the Shinigami Substitute "Between Muken, Orihime trying to destroy the Hogyoku, having to face those five and then battle Grimmjow again, I am in a quite state. You'll have the perfect advantage."

Blinking at the other's words, Ichigo voiced his strong scepticism: "Then why do I have the feeling that there's a 'but'?"

"Isn't there always one?" chuckled the immortal before he drawled out leisurely "But...You won't fight me."

Now the teenager was definitely stumped but he scowled all the same: "Oh yeah? I don't see why I wouldn't."

"I do. I have a certain advantage over you."

Trying to decipher the immortal's cryptic words, the Shinigami Substitute glanced over in the prisoners' direction, locking eyes with Byakuya who glared meaningfully at him, which led Ichigo to nod nervously before turning back towards the child of chaos: "They wouldn't want me to surrender in their name. I'll be insulting them."

"True" smirked Aizen, as he had witnessed the exchange, before he shook his head slightly "But I wasn't insinuating them."

Furrowing his brow as he tried to understand who the other was talking about, the teen's attention was drawn away from his thoughts over to focus on Neveromina who tapped his forearm: "She'll be alright now. All her physical wounds have been treated to."

"Physical?" echoed Ichigo tensely as his mind went back to Orihime no longer recognizing him "What about any...mental injuries?"

"I can't tell. Even if I could, kido can't heal that" admitted the Fracción blankly with an apologetic bow of her head before she stood up and made her way over to Szayel's side.

"Oh the poor dear" cooed sarcastically the child of chaos, smirking wickedly as the orange-haired teenager shot him a murderous glare.

"Forget it. You're not getting anywhere near her" seethed the Shinigami Substitute resolutely before his eyes widened slightly as he believed to have caught onto who Aizen had been implying before "And you can't bring Inoue back into this. Not after all she's been through."

"I'm a child of chaos, known for their wickedness" stated the immortal smoothly, as if he was telling the other the weather, though he didn't bother to elaborate when he saw Ichigo frown in puzzlement at the appellation used, before the brown-haired pointed out with a raised eyebrow "But I do have a sense of morality."

That, however, the orange-haired teenager refused to believe: "Do you?"

"Yes, I do. Is that so hard to believe?" wondered Aizen mockingly before he smiled darkly "Apparently it is."

"Then...who are you talking about?" inquired Ichigo in utter confusion, completely at sea.

The child of chaos, still smirking, was about to answer when a breathless voice called out to him, causing Aizen's expression to fall completely: "Sosuke!"

As everyone turned towards the newest arrival, Yoruichi's jaw dropped in horror: "Sojun?! I told you to stay away from here!"

"Sojun..." uttered the immortal softly, eyes widened, expression indecipherable, before his features bluntly turned blank "What are you doing here? No, wait. Better yet, what on earth are doing out of bed?"

Stumbling forward and gripping at the ledge, Byakuya's father shook his head, as if to wave off the other's words: "That isn't important, Sosuke. Listen, I..."

"Yes, it is" contradicted the child of chaos firmly, as he stood up and gestured at the Kuchiki's frail state for emphasis "Look at you. You're going to collapse. If you would be so kind as to leave the premises immediately, that would be magnificent of you."

Breathing out with difficulty, Sojun once again ignored the immortal's words, declaring adamantly: "I must speak with you."

"Must you?" Aizen sighed deeply whilst he closed his eyes and raised his eyebrows in exasperation at the Kuchiki's insistence.

"Sosuke..." whispered the Kuchiki in a tone that was far too soft to use for a perilous enemy. Silently watching the interaction along with everyone else, Byakuya frowned deeply in utter bewilderment as he stared at his father and the child of chaos. There was a palpable tension between the two, it was evident enough but, amidst Sojun's apprehension and Aizen's apathy, there was no hatred... And that perplexed the young Kuchiki noble to highest point. Given the way the immortal had spoken of their clan in general, it was as if it extended to every single one of them. So why was his father any different within Aizen's eyes? Because, whilst the child of chaos was mystifying and hard to pinpoint through his manipulations, it was clear to Byakuya that there was no resentment whatsoever directed towards Sojun. None at all...

"Sosuke, please" pleaded Sojun as gently as he could "Stop this madness."

The immortal considered mocking his childhood friend and adoptive sibling but refrained from it at the last moment, merely mentioning flatly instead: "Worry not. It'll end soon."

"That's not what I meant. You don't have to do this."

This time, Aizen did laugh out derisively: "You, of all people, should know better than that" his brown eyes suddenly darted behind the fragile Kuchiki and seconds later he was holding a zanpaktou out of Sojun's way "Hinamori. Lower your blade."

"Aizen-sama?" stuttered the brown-haired girl in confusion, not understanding what she had done wrong. Wasn't this man a Kuchiki? Their hated enemy?

"Don't interfere" whispered the immortal firmly as he smoothly pushed her blade away.

"Yes, Aizen-sama" she accepted easily before bowing and moving away "My apologies."

"She bears a certain resemblance to Lady Aizen, doesn't she?" murmured Byakuya's father gently, whilst his hands gripped the ledge even tighter, uneasy with the other's proximity.

Aizen's expression tightened temporarily before he breathed out softly: "Please keep such thoughts to yourself, Sojun. And don't waste your breath. Nothing you'll say will change my mind."

As the immortal started walking away, Byakuya's father spoke up quietly, words meant only for the other to hear: "I believe in you."

Gradually turning to face Sojun, Aizen eyed the Kuchiki as if he had gone completely mad: "After everything? All I'm doing? All I've done? Even to you? Especially to you?"

The frail noble didn't even hesitate as he replied unwaveringly: "Yes."

"Are you on drugs, Sojun?" inquired the immortal worriedly, searching for a sign that the other was joking or simply really losing his mind.

Smiling at the other, Byakuya's father reassured gently: "I'm perfectly lucid."

When Aizen finally realized that the Kuchiki genuinely meant what he said, the immortal took a step back from the other and slowly shook his head, a dark derisive smirk appearing on his lips: "Then you're a fuckin' fool."

Knowing that he was losing this conversation, Sojun's face fell a little at the other's words and the immortal forced himself to ignore the hurt that flashed through the Kuchiki's eyes, before Byakuya's father attempted to go at it differently: "Maybe, but I..."

Suddenly, a violent coughing fit took over the Kuchiki, cutting off whatever he was about it say and causing him to double over as pain wreaked through his entire being, but he didn't fall to the ground, as Aizen had swiftly moved forward to catch Sojun in his arms, holding him expertly and, surprisingly to most who saw, gently against his chest.

"Sojun!" cried out Ginrei in horror as he witnesses his son having an attack now of all times, whilst the other captives watched on in pained sympathy and, as for Byakuya, he was caught somewhere between concern and confusion as he focused on the scene unfolding before him.

Using kido and rubbing gentle circles upon the Kuchiki's back, Aizen reduced the hostility of the attack, his attention drawn to Sojun's quivering lips as the latter tried once again to speak: "Please, Sosuke... Just, please, stop... All this... Too much...Hurt...What for...In the end?"

The immortal didn't let the Kuchiki finish, setting his fingers tenderly upon the other's mouth to silence him, whilst muttering in reprimand, his face unreadable: "I told you not to waste your breath."

"Aizen-sama?" voiced the Segundo Espada as he approached his master before he gestured in the feeble Kuchiki's direction "Should we chain him also?"

Veneno recoiled in dread under the deadly dark glare he received from the lord of the Espada, before the latter seemed to realize what he was doing. Clearing his throat as he stood whilst cradling the Kuchiki in his arms, Aizen stated: "No, I rather you didn't. It won't be necessary anyways. He is no threat to us."

Sauntering over with quick steps over to the captives, he reaches Yoruichi and carefully sets Sojun in her already awaiting outstretched arms, understanding the brown-haired immortal's intentions the moment he began walking towards her. But she, like everyone else, simply couldn't comprehend his actions. Ginrei, however, apparently did, as he regarded the child of chaos with an expression of mixed horror and astonishment: "You...You still care for him?"

Sending a glare in the elderly Kuchiki's direction, Aizen casually addressed his Espada, who had followed him dutifully: "However, Veneno, if you wish, you may gag that hindrance."

As Veneno bowed and moved in to comply, much to the prisoners' revulsion, the Kuchiki's ire and Ginrei's high disapproval, the child of chaos sighed deeply: "Now then, where was I? Oh yes" dark brown eyes flickered over to another pair of lighter brown eyes "Ichigo..."

"Yep, still here" nodded the orange-haired teen with a frown, he too totally taken aback by what had just transpired but still on track with the previously unfinished conversation they were having "You were saying something about having an advantage over me?"

Smiling chillingly at the Shinigami Substitute, Aizen gestured towards his Cuatro Espada whilst giving his subordinate a brief nod, a signal, which led to the black-haired Espada to slowly rid himself of his cloak, one the teen just realized the latter had been wearing: "As Ulquiorra will so kindly show you, I do. And I don't believe you'll see it coming, Ichigo."

"Ichi-nii!"

"Oh God no" choked out Ichigo in complete shocked horror as his eyes doubled in size took in his two little sisters, overtaken by fear, futilely struggling against Ulquiorra's vice grip...

Aizen was absolutely right: the teenager hadn't seen this coming. Not at all. Not even once.

Three

"Let. Them. Go" seethed Ichigo threateningly, his hand tightening its hold upon his zanpaktou as his mind was plagued with only one single thought: getting his sisters far away from here.

"Just like that?" taunted Aizen derisively with raised eyebrows "Now, now, Ichigo, be reasonable. Make me an offer I can't refuse and then I'll consider whatever you wish in their regard."

"I...You said I wouldn't fight you. You're right. I won't" promised the twins' elder brother pleadingly and, in order to support his words, he hastily sheathed his blade within the holster upon his back.

"Obviously" the child of chaos chuckled knowingly before he regarded the teenager with a patronizing expression "But that's still not quite good enough."

"What more do you want?!" cried out the orange-haired teen, his voice bordering upon a rising desperation.

Noticing an all too familiar gleam in the immortal's eye, Gin blanched before staring at the young Substitute Shinigami with sheer concern: he couldn't even begin to imagine...no, actually he could, he just didn't want to dare picture what Aizen would to do to the boy, especially if Ichigo was the one to give in to the other, like he himself had done for Rangiku.

Kurosaki Ichigo was just a kid, a real tough one with his lineage, abilities and all, yet, in the end, he stayed but a kid, a very young one...a feat that dear merciless Aizen was completely and entirely unsympathetic about.

Licking his dried lips, the 3rd Division's captain called out evocatively, drawing the teen's troubled focus: "Don't let him goad you, Kurosaki."

"That is probably the most sensible advice you have ever given, Gin" remarked the immortal as he stared at the other out of the corner of his eye before he said ominously "Should we test out if you'll follow it yourself, with your dear Matsumoto Rangiku in my clutches?"

The silver-haired man felt his heart immediately sink to his stomach, but he instead spoke up steadily to the child of chaos: "You have me, Aizen. No need to drag her into this."

"You know very well that that's not going to happen" stated the brown-haired before he started walking over to the golden blonde who was at the heart of the conversation "You should have rid yourself of her back then at Karakura, to lower any future potential risks...like this one."

Gin's breath hitched slightly within his throat, as he witnessed his former captain reach and kneel beside the 10th Division's lieutenant who was watching the villain warily: "If you hurt her..."

"You'll...kill me?" completed Aizen mockingly with a smirk "Theoretically, that would be a laden lie" the immortal then shifted his attention to the woman next to him "Hello, my dear."

"I'm not afraid of you" voiced Rangiku vividly, staring hard at the child of chaos, showing off false bravado as she stood her ground as the other drew nearer, when she was just as on edge as her childhood friend was.

"Oh, but I'm not the one you should be afraid of" smiled the immortal darkly as he held out a hand and let it hover barely just above her forehead "It's the memory given back to you that your childhood friend should dread."

A faint frown appeared on the lieutenant's pretty features, conveying her puzzlement: "Memory...given back to me?"

The 3rd Division's captain paled considerably at the Aizen's words as he let out a shaky breath: "You wouldn't..."

"Do you honestly believe that, Gin?" the child of chaos smirked as he inched his outstretched hand closer to Rangiku's forehead, the latter who finally shied away at the last moment.

"No. NO. DON'T!" shouted out the 3rd Division's captain desperately, leading many to stare at him in shock: it was a most atypical sight to see Gin lose composure. And though Byakuya and Shinji had both witnessed it once, they too were still unsettled when witnessing it and couldn't help but feel whatever it was that worried the silver-haired man could only be bad news...

"We're not done, Aizen" Ichigo spoke up abruptly with crossed arms, feeling the need to interfere, lest something drastic were to occur. And things were already chaotic as they were.

"Ah, yes. My apologies" said the immortal as he feigned recalling the teen's presence all of a sudden, before he got back up and headed towards Ichigo, eyeing Rangiku's childhood friend along the way "We'll see to this later, Gin."

"What do you want?" demanded the orange-haired shinigami edgily, whilst Gin closed his eyes and let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding "Exactly?"

"Exactly?" the child of chaos repeated leisurely, tapping his long slender fingers upon his chin in contemplation "Hm, let's see. Well, nothing really. Your question should be a little bit more specific, I believe."

"What...What do you want...from me?" uttered the teenager in correction to his previous question, going slightly rigid at the way the words resounded in his ears, his mind going back to a tense conversation he had had with Grimmjow back in Karakura not too long ago.

"Your absolute surrender" declared the immortal darkly, a sinister smile tugging at his lips, sending shivers down the teenager's spine "You are a potential threat after all, with or without anyone guiding you along your way. I'd rather have you in my vicinity, whether dead or alive, if I can't have your loyalty."

"Never" the orange-haired teen gritted out through tightly clenched teeth: like hell he'd serve the other as a faithful lackey or anything else along those lines.

"That I know very well" asserted Aizen with a chuckle and a vague wave of his hand "And so, given the circumstances, I think it's in your best interest to give me a reason good enough to consider, now that I have you where I want you."

"Was...Was that advice?" blinked the Shinigami Substitute uncertainly, unsure he had heard right "From you?"

"Indeed. And if you're smart enough, you'll heed to it."

Noting that the other's words sounded more like a warning this time, Ichigo asked cautiously: "What are you saying?"

"I'm giving you the possibility to name one sole condition and I'll follow it, no matter what it is" offered the child of chaos temptingly, before adding as an afterthought to make sure the other understood "As long as you do submit, that is."

On a general and quick overview, the bargain seemed fair, but Ichigo, fuelled with all that has been said about the immortal, could only remain dreadfully sceptic: "You...You'll follow it? No turning back on it?"

"You have my word" vowed Aizen solemnly with a slight bow of his head before he appeared to abruptly recall something "Oh and, before you go on and make up your mind, Ichigo...You have absolutely no say whatsoever over any of the Shinigami or the Arrancars. Just so we're clear."

Biting his lip for he had actually been hoping to include at least whomever he could within the condition he was being allowed to make, the teen frowned as he suddenly became aware of something: "Wait. When you say 'one sole condition'...you're...? You're going to make me choose between my family and friends, aren't you?"

"That's right" the immortal smirked in amusement, before languidly gesturing towards Karin and Yuzu with one hand whilst using the other to point in Orihime's direction "It's either your sisters or your friend."

"Bastard" hissed out the orange-haired shinigami furiously as he mentally rectified a former thought: this was not fair at all.

"Language, Ichigo" chided the immortal mockingly whilst nodding in the direction of the teen's sisters, before raising an elegant eyebrow "We can't always have what we want."

Brown eyes narrowed angrily at the child of chaos: "That doesn't seem to apply to you."

"Why would they?" scoffed Aizen, slightly miffed by the mere thought "Well, Ichigo? Sorry to disappoint but I really don't have all night."

"One condition, huh?" whispered Ichigo to himself, wondering what to do, and, for awhile nothing came to him, until his eyes went wide "No matter what it is...you will accept, right?"

"That is what I said, yes" confirmed the immortal with a nod, curious by the sudden change in the teenager's demeanour: he seemed...apprehensive but also oddly...hopeful?

"Swear that no matter my condition you won't refuse" demanded the Shinigami Substitute, using a tone that caused Hinamori, Veneno, Loly and a few others to clench their jaws in mild ire: it almost sounded like the teen was commanding Aizen.

"I already have" sighed the child of chaos in slight exasperation "How many times do you need me to say this?"

"It's important" insisted Ichigo urgently, his eyes unwaveringly locked with the immortal's own, as he resolutely refused to back down.

"Alright then" Aizen relented eventually before repeating what the teen expected of him "I swear that no matter your condition, I will not refuse it. Now, may I hear it?"

Exhaling deeply, Ichigo spoke up loud and clear for all to hear: "My condition is...that I'll surrender to you...completely, all but my loyalty, in exchange...for you and your every ally staying the heck away from every single inhabitant from Karakura, currently present there or not! And don't you DARE say 'no'!"

Absolute silence instilled itself upon the rooftop of the Tower of Desolation, the only sounds actually heard were the still ongoing battles down below, and even they seemed so far way, as everyone, no exception whatsoever, were all staring at the teen with wide astounded eyes...

"And here I went on and on calling him 'an idiot'" deadpanned Kisuke in an awed whisper before he cast a glance in Yoruichi's direction "Since when did he learn how to negotiate?"

The Shihoin didn't answer, stunned as everyone else, before smirking smugly: "Go, Ichigo."

They weren't the only ones totally taken aback, for even Aizen was completely gobsmacked: "I honestly don't know what to say."

"Just say 'yes'" shrugged Ichigo carelessly as if it was obvious enough, not aware at all that he had just brought up a condition of the century that even the immortal couldn't counter without going back on his word. A feat he could have conceded to if he wasn't so pleasantly astonished.

Hinamori, however, wasn't that impressed: "Aizen-sama, you don't have to acknowledge his condition. You can just tell him to..."

"I consent" accepted the child of chaos aloud, cutting off the female Aizen who eyed him in bewilderment whilst everyone else regarded him in surprise, not at all expecting him to agree.

"What" uttered the brown-haired girl incredulously, baffled "And Orihime-sama? Wasn't he supposed to opt between her and his sisters only?"

"What can I say? I do enjoy the unexpected" the immortal commented casually before he focused his attention back on the orange-haired shinigami "Let me guess. You were going to choose your sisters anyway, but, as you didn't want to run the risk of leaving a probably amnesic Orihime in my hands which I would have definitely used to my advantage, you just went on and included everyone."

"There's a bit of that, maybe, but you not quite there" mentioned the teen with a shake of his head as he looked away with a deep frown, highly irked that he had been right about Aizen's intentions for his friend.

The child of chaos raised his eyebrows questioningly at that: "Oh?"

Glancing back towards the immortal, Ichigo stated steadily: "I honestly don't want you near anyone from my town, whether they're of family, friends or simply people I don't know."

"Incredible" drawled out the other slowly, wonder quite evident in his voice "I've already played around with your condition. There's no loophole. Nothing I can draw out to use against you. I may have underestimated you" he sighed significantly before Aizen then raised a sole finger "One thing though: your siblings are not to say a word of where you are. The last thing I need, is dealing with Isshin."

"Fine" assented the orange-haired teen easily before he gestured towards Yuzu and Karin who were wide-eyed and dead silent "Can you let my sisters go now?"

"Yes, yes, of course" said the child of chaos in a conceding tone of voice, glancing in the Cuatro's direction, the latter who immediately let go of the twins at his master's permission, only the two sisters were frozen where they stood.

As neither moved, Aizen walked over to them after a moment, gently reaching out and patting the black-haired twin's shoulder, snapping her out of her stupor with a violent flinch from her part as she instantly pulled away from him. Lifting her distressed eyes to his, she didn't say a word as he motioned over to where her brother stood, ordering softly but firmly: "Run along now."

She didn't need to be told twice. Grabbing hold of her sister, Karin ran, not once looking back, straight for Ichigo who was already kneeling and waiting for them, with his arms held out. As soon as Yuzu realized what was going on, she broke away from her sister and threw herself against her brother, crying loudly as he wrapped his arms around her shaking form: "Ichi-nii!"

"Shh...It's ok" he soothed softly with lowered eyes, stroking her soft toffee brown locks, the latter which vehemently shook as she agitated her head from side to side, fully disagreeing with him.

"No, it's not!" she wept out heartbreakingly as she clung onto her brother as tightly as she could and buried her face in the crook of his neck, her tears flowing freely against his skin.

"Ok, it's not" confessed the Shinigami Substitute quietly whilst she cried even harder when she felt a faint tremor run through Ichigo's body: he was scared too "But you'll be safe. And that's all that matters right now."

"But you won't!" choked out Yuzu distressingly, having heard it all, knowing, understating that the man dressed in black was going to keep her brother with him "You won't be safe!"

"I'll be fine" smiled Ichigo sadly, feeling utterly horrible for his sister's sorrow, and could only tighten his hold on her as comfortingly as he could: it was all he could give...because his words were lies.

"NO!" wailed the youngest of the twins as she began to bang on the orange-haired teen's chest "You can't do this to us! You can't!"

"Yuzu" spoke up Karin suddenly, her voice tight and quiet "Don't make this harder than it already is."

"But Karin-chan...!" began the other twin, weeping loudly, as she stared with wide teary eyes in her sister's direction, but before she could add anything, Yuzu saw that she wasn't the only one crying: Karin had tears falling without restraint down her cheeks as she bit her lip and kept her eyes to the floor, her whole body trembling with repressed sobs.

Glancing over towards the black-haired girl, Ichigo spoke to her softly: "Can I count on you, Karin?"

"I guess" sniffed Karin quietly before she glared feebly at her brother "You should have listened to Jaeger-san, Ichi-nii."

"I won't really argue with that" sighed the orange-haired teen before he delicately beckoned her over "Come here."

The eldest of the two twins barely hesitated before she jumped into her brother's embrace, sobbing quietly against him in symphony to her twin, breaking the teenager's heart, as he closed his eyes and choked out a whisper: "I'm sorry. So sorry. The last thing I wanted was for you to get involved like this."

Holding them for a moment longer and unintentionally invoking a horde of sympathetic feels amongst nearly all the captives, Ichigo then raised his wet eyes in the immortal's direction, his cracking voice laced with agony and anger as he spoke: "Can they leave?"

"But of course, dear Ichigo" smiled Aizen courteously who, whilst completely indifferent to the siblings' painful plight, respectfully chose not to deride it "Along with our dear sleeping beauty as well. Who would you like to accompany them?"

The Shinigami Substitute frowned at that: "You're saying that it can't be me?"

"Sorry, but that's not happening" stated the immortal with a shake of his head, sounding all but apologetic "Given your powers being back, your presence and then abrupt disappearance will alert all those with a spiritual awareness, so no. Like I said before, no one is to know where you are."

"Ok, ok, I get it" the orange-haired teen sighed before he glanced expectantly towards the Octavo's Fracción "Then can it be Ne...Ne...Ne...?" he grimaced in slight embarrassment "Sorry, I can't pronounce your name."

"Neveromina" supplied helpfully the person in question, though she remained as inexpressive as ever.

"Right. Norevemania."

"Ne. Ve. Ro. Mi. Na."

"Look, I really can't get it right" blurted out the teenager impatiently before he glanced down towards his sisters who had tightened their hold on him even further upon him, despite their crying having notably reduced "Could you take them home?"

Looking over to her master who merely shrugged indifferently, Neveromina nodded towards the Shinigami Substitute as she began walking over: "If no one has objections, I'll do it."

"Thanks. You know where we live right?"

"I do. And Orihime-sama? Should I take her to her house?"

"Uh, no. Not a good idea" stated Ichigo as he recalled that the orange-haired girl hadn't really been fully healed as of yet "Can you take her to the Karakura Hospital? You know, the one that belongs to Ishida's dad?"

"Alright" consented the Fracción effortlessly, bending down to gather Orihime and hold her against her in one arm before she stood up and, briefly locking eyes with the teenager, held out her free hand for the twins to take...as soon as they'd let go of their brother that is.

Swallowing at the lump that had formed in his throat, Ichigo gently made his sisters let go of him, forcing himself to ignore their cries, pleas and torn expressions, before taking a hand from each twin and setting it in Neveromina's awaiting hand.

"Bye you two" whispered the orange-haired teenager softly, affectionately ruffling at his sisters' hair before he took a reluctant step back "Take care, ok? And let loose on Dad if he bothers you."

Neither twin could respond, their grief far too strong as they unwillingly let the Fracción pull them towards a Garganta she had just opened. The little troupe stepped inside and, just as it was about to close, Yuzu turned back towards her brother and, holding out her other hand to him, cried out deafeningly: "ICHI-NII!"

Clenching his jaw and closing his eyes tightly shut, the orange-haired teen tried as hard as he could to keep it together...and not break down in front of the vulture watching his every move.

"Ichigo" drawled out Aizen in a dark tone, after waiting a moment for the other collect himself, and then, as he locked his dim insensate eyes with the other's wide distressed ones, tilted his head with an expression of mock kindness and beckoned the teen forth "Come here."

The Shinigami Substitute almost, almost, told to the other to 'go fuck himself', instead biting his tongue at the very last minute and forcing himself to walk over to the child of chaos.

A chilling sensation ran throughout Ichigo's body as he abruptly became aware that, in exchange for the secured safety of those he cared for, he was now literally going to have to do whatever the other said without question. Shit...

Coming to a halt in front of the immortal, the teen waited nervously and very nearly ran away when the brown-haired man reached out and firmly set a hand at the back of his neck to bring him a little closer, before speaking up slowly: "Now then, given the fact that you have chosen to surrender to me, you..."

"You forced me to surrender to you" corrected Ichigo automatically, scowling lividly at the other, not at all liking that the immortal was wording it as if he had been given a choice in the matter.

"An insignificant difference" commented Aizen offhandedly before he narrowed his eyes in slight displeasure at the teen "A word of caution: don't make a habit of interrupting me. Like I was saying, with you surrendering to me, there's something I would like you to agree to, an oath if you will."

Shuddering as the other stressed out his 'word of caution' by sending his reiatsu directly within his neck, the orange-haired teen frowned faintly: "An oath?"

"Yes. It goes like this: 'I, Kurosaki Ichigo, promise that my soul and body belong to Aizen-sama, existing for him and him only'."

Brown eyes widening slightly, Ichigo whispered apprehensively: "You make it sound like I'm selling my soul to a devil."

"Well, it isn't that far from the truth" the child of chaos chuckled sinisterly as he once again spoke in enigmatic codes, earning the teen's complete confusion.

"That aside, I'm not pledging my loyalty to you" the Shinigami Substitute steadfastly reminded, resisting the urge to smack away the hand that had smoothly begun caressing the nape of his neck "I made that clear."

"I'm not asking for your loyalty" contradicted the immortal gently as he drew his face slightly closer to the teen's, plunging his dark nefarious eyes within the vivid youthful ones before him "What I'm asking for is everything else you have to offer."

"DON'T!" yelled out Grimmjow vehemently all of a sudden, glaring warningly at the orange-haired teenager as the latter looked over towards the bound Arrancar "DON'T FUCKIN' SAY IT! DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!"

Sighing in slight irritation, Aizen looked over in Veneno's direction who hastily nodded in understanding before moving over to the blue-haired feline to silence him, roughly slipping a gag over the Arrancar's mouth. Once the nuisance was dealt with and he was sure no else would interfere lest they wished to experience the same fate as Grimmjow, the child of chaos focused back on Ichigo, smirking slightly at the appalled expression the latter had: "If you expect me to uphold my word, Ichigo, you'll have to endorse yours."

Locking eyes back with the immortal, the Shinigami Substitute hesitated heavily before he let out slowly, enunciating each word as if it scalded his tongue: "I, Kurosaki Ichigo, promise that my soul and body belong to Aizen-sama, existing for him and him only... There. Happy?"

"Ecstatic" smiled Aizen broadly, his mind anticipating the true desperation the teen had yet to endure as he devoured Ichigo with his eyes alone, causing the latter to shiver uncomfortably under the immortal's gaze. Expression darkening, the child of chaos leaned in to whisper directly within the orange-haired teenager's ear: "Oh and, Ichigo? Now you know, what the dear girl that Inoue Orihime is had been more than willing to give up...in order to protect, not only her friends, but most of all, you."

"What...?!" began the Shinigami Substitute heatedly but the rest of his angry question was crudely cut off by Ulquiorra, Youli and Avaricia viciously pinning him down to the ground before they proceeded to bind him forcefully, under their master's watchful stare.

"Why should it matter now? If she truly has amnesia, she can no longer recall the nightmares of the life she endured whilst under my service" stated the immortal loftily before he smirked forebodingly as the teenager seethed and glared daggers at him "Ignorance is bliss, isn't it?"

Two

As the three Espada had to put up with a fiercely struggling and terribly incensed teenager, the brown-haired watched on with unrestrained amusement: "Now that that has been dealt with..."

"Your actions truly surprise me" voiced Koga suddenly, standing beside his son with a tense posture and a taut expression that conveyed an immense sense of disapproval.

"Do they?" derided the immortal scornfully, sending a scathing smirk in his father's direction.

"You're far too indulgent" reprimanded the eldest of the two male Aizen reproachfully.

"Am I now?" laughed out the son before he sneered disdainfully at the other "Clearly you don't know me well, which is obvious since you were never around. My, is that displeasure I read on your face, father?"

Eyes narrowed warningly at the other: "Don't use that tone with me, Sosuke."

"My apologies, but when one sends their spouse up for slaughter, they're usually quite ill-viewed in my eyes" voiced the immortal meaningfully before he hissed hatefully at the man in front of him "I will not forgive you. The Kuchiki may have killed her, but you sent her to them."

"This again? I already told you..."

"I know what you said" interrupted Sosuke before the other could continue, already knowing what the other would utter anyways "I merely chose to ignore it. Let me do what I want and I'll consider forgetting your participation to the murder of my mother."

As his son began to walk away, Koga reached out and gripped the other's shoulder tightly as he stressed out: "Sosuke. Remember that I loved her. I won't allow you to say that I didn't."

"Loved her? As in past tense? Meaning you no longer do" the youngest of the two Aizen smirked, cruelly twisting the other's words, before wrenching himself out of his father's hold and frowning "Love? That word has absolutely no significance to me" Sosuke's eyes then turned sinisterly dark "Remember that if you're here, it's because I permitted it. Don't make me regret it, for I can send you back whenever I want."

Clenching his jaw at first, Sosuke's father eventually smiled at the other and bowed slightly: "By your command, my lord."

"Aizen-sama?" voiced Hinamori softly as she approached her relatives "Is it almost time?"

"Almost" replied the immortal whilst setting a hand upon her shoulder, which she instantly responded to by setting her own hand over his "We have a little more time to kill until then."

"What will you do until then?" she inquired, lovingly running her fingers over his hand.

Smiling at her, the child of chaos gently pulled away and headed over in the direction of their prisoners: "Sit back, watch and enjoy, my dear."

"Ah, my beloved Grimmjow" uttered Aizen darkly, as he neared the quiet aforementioned Arrancar, who was glaring venomously at the immortal, before trailing his black gloved fingers lightly upon the feline's face in a mocking caress, before reaching for the blue strands of hair and yanking at them painfully forcing the other to his knees, making the Arrancar let out a muffled hiss at the rough treatment "That was really glorious by the way, the former display of your Segundo Etapa, as expected from the bona fide king of the Hueco Mundo...El Felino Rey..."

Snarling viciously, the male feline continued to glare at the other man, cursing the fact that he could no longer move any of his numb tied up limbs; otherwise, he wouldn't have hesitated to punch him, consequences utterly be damned. He also cursed the gag: without it, he would have at least spat on the lord of the Espada.

Caressing the Arrancar's jawbone Hollow mask with a finger of his free hand, Sosuke Aizen knelt down to the other's level and let his lips right hover above the feline's fastened own: "Truly outstanding. It is, however, such a shame that'll it be the last time either of us see it: I simply can't have you use it against me again, despite the fact that I find its fierce animalistic aspect simply invigorating."

Grimmjow's exhausted gaze widened at his words but before he had the time to truly decipher them, Aizen swiftly rid the other of the gag before closing the distance between them, latching his mouth onto his former 6th Espada's own in a bruising kiss, the latter's eyes doubling even further in size.

Gasps of shock and revulsion rose amongst the scandalized defeated, whereas half the deserter Arrancars roared with vehemence, madly trying to break free from their bonds. Hallibel and Stark rapidly and respectfully closed their eyes as they turned their heads, whilst Nel gulped anxiously and quickly looked away, her gaze landing on her favourite orange-head shinigami who looked outright appalled.

The brown-haired immortal then proceeded to deepen the intrusive kiss, earning a very disapproving growl from the other for he was unable to pull back, so he fiercely bit at his former master's invading tongue as hard as he could instead. Aizen then abruptly pulled back with a wicked bloodied smirk and the Arrancar was suddenly and brutally taken over by an excruciating pain that made him scream out in sheer agony.

"Grimmjow-sama!" cried out Nel piercingly, desperately trying to free herself along with the other Arrancars as their chosen leader hit the floor.

"Grimmjow..." whispered Ichigo inaudibly, as equally horrified by what he had just witnessed as what had transpired seconds before: Aizen had literally viciously wrenched the Hollow mask from the blue-haired's face, wisps of black energy flowing from the violent separation between the flesh and the mask. Although there was no blood, the pain that was caused seemed to be agonizing, judging by the way the feline was now convulsing viciously at Aizen's feet.

Illfort and Eduardo, enraged, abruptly managed somehow to free themselves and rushed over, yelling with fury, with their swords drawn, ready to perforate the immortal for what he had just done to their king. Aizen barely glanced at them, before abruptly disappearing from their sight and then they both found themselves shuddering on the ground, now in the same condition Grimmjow was in, whilst the immortal reappeared over them holding their fractured masks in his hands which he easily reduced to dust.

He then calmly walked over towards the other restrained Arrancars, who began to panic and draw away as much as the bonds holding them down allowed them to, for they quickly understood that they were going to undergo the same fate...and, alas, how right they were...

One after the other, the malevolent child of chaos cruelly ripped off or broke away their masks, leaving them screaming and quivering in agony: Sun-Sung's, Luppi's and Cirucci's masks were crushed; Stark's, Findor's, Mila Rose's and Appacci's were torn away before being shattered to pieces; while Lilynette's, Abirama's, Ggio's and Hallibel's were directly smashed while still being upon their faces...

With tear filled eyes, Nelliel looked on horrified as her fellow Arrancars cried out and writhed on the ground, before her view of them was obstructed by the one responsible for their state. She raised her alarmed eyes to meet his deadly aloof ones and when she saw that he held absolutely no remorse whatsoever for what he had just done, her eyes widened even further before she suddenly began to thrash around violently, desperately attempting to free herself from Nnoitra's firm grip, the latter who had came over to make sure she couldn't break free like Eduardo and Illfort had just inexplicably accomplished.

"Nel!" called out Ichigo at the top of his voice, deeply concerned for her as soon as he saw Aizen nearing her "Leave her alone!"

The immortal man's eyes flitted over to the teen before smirking at him darkly, only to dismiss him straight afterwards as to refocus his attention on the female Arrancar before him who was still trying to make the tall Espada to let her go.

"Hey!" hissed out the Quinto irately as he narrowly escaped being hit where it hurts "Hold still! Tch...Having cold feet, Nelliel? Where's your honour now?"

Nel just screamed out in frustration, both as the inevitable neared and at the sting Nnoitra's words brought her, before sagging limply in his hold and falling to her knees while her arms stayed held upright in Nnoitra's firm bruising clasped hands.

She gasped out quietly in surprise as a cool black leather-gloved hand took hold of her tear-stained chin and gently made her look up into the eyes of her maker. Aizen regarded the young female before him silently for a moment before he gave her a condescending smile: "You should know, Nelliel Tu Oderschvank, that I have absolutely nothing against you. On the contrary, at the time you were under my orders, you were rather exemplary. Very dedicated and devoted."

Her eyes narrowed just barely as she whispered loud enough for her former master to hear: "That was before I found out who you truly were."

The brown-haired man chuckled knowingly at that: "Let's not let such findings get in the way of this conversation, shall we? As I was saying...Unlike Hallibel, Stark or Grimmjow, you were truly one of my most loyal Espada...and are still should you become one once more, Nelliel, after all, it would be a shame to take away from such a faithful servant all that power. What do you think?"

"Are you..." she began hesitantly with momentarily stilled tears, for she could not believe her ears "Are you seriously asking me to...? You want me to become one of your Espada again?"

"I am" confirmed Aizen lightly, with an indefinable glint in his eyes "I do believe that is what I'm implying. I can make an exception for you."

Nel stared up disbelievingly at the man in front of her, before she stated questioningly: "So you're basically asking me to come back to you, after all that has happened, after all you have done?" she paused abruptly to look over the now mask-less Arrancars who currently silent and motionless upon the ground, before continuing in a quiet voice "To...abandon them?"

Aizen said nothing instead just raised an eyebrow, indicating that he was awaiting a response.

Entirely livid, the female jumped up to her feet, unintentionally causing Nnoitra to stumble after her, as she stood up to Aizen, her tear-stricken face red with fury while glaring heatedly into his eyes and yelling out vehemently: "I'D RATHER DIE!"

Her strong determined declaration resounded over the otherwise silent rooftop, echoing all around those present, causing some, amongst both allies and enemies alike, to shiver in awe at the intensity of the fearless resolve within her words, while Aizen gazed at the female before him with an eerie elated smile upon his features: "Admirable, truly admirable. Such fidelity towards the ones you hold dear, or should I say towards the one you hold dear" paused the immortal as he glanced over to where Grimmjow laid immobile "If you and the others would rather die than betray him, he must be a lot more than what the rumours within the Hueco Mundo narrate...just as I thought" shifting his eyes back to Nelliel's wide eyes as he gently laid a hand on the mask fragment upon her head "I am truly appreciative of your display of devotion, even if it is for someone other than me, so out of sheer good will, instead of death, I shall grace you with the same fate as theirs, only less painful."

"Nel!" shouted out Ichigo, Rukia and Renji in horror as Aizen, while placing his free hand upon her shoulder, ripped away the female Arrancar's mask, causing her to gasp out loudly before fainting right after that within Nnoitra's arms, before he slowly set her limp body to the ground and merely walked away to stand a few feet away, where the other Espada stood.

The orange-haired teen slowly began shaking his head in denial, before getting a grip of himself and yelling furiously at the child of chaos: "Aizen! You blasted bast...!"

"Silence" interrupted the immortal in a deadly commanding tone that caused the Shinigami Substitute to instantly shut up and shiver unwillingly "Just keep quiet and admire."

The teenager was about to retort back when he suddenly heard small whimpers and soft groans of pain, causing him and the others to snap their attention back towards the bound Arrancars sprawled on the ground. The collars around their necks began glowing brighter than before, drawing out agonized gasps and cries from them before a sudden shining light, of a colour appropriate to each Arrancar, enveloped their entire bodies, cocooning them within it.

And then, ever so slowly, the Hollow holes of the Arrancars, upon whom it was visible, began closing, sealing up, until they completely disappeared as if they were never there in the first place. At the same that happened, every one of them had a different white mask each gradually inch over their faces, from their foreheads to their chins, holding form for a moment before the masks broke to pieces, all at the same time.

As the process of change came to an end, the light dimmed until it was no more and the shimmering collars lost their glow, becoming dark instead, whilst the Arrancars now were unmoving and so deathly quiet that some had the impression that they were now deceased. That possibility was quickly cast aside however as the deserter Arrancars moaned out in dull pain or coughed in discomfort as they stirred faintly, slowly shifting themselves with great difficultly into sitting positions while some opted to just remain laid down upon the floor, as they felt too ran over to move more than they could.

As an air of extreme satisfaction flickered upon the immortal's features, most of the perplexed prisoners kept their widened eyes on the Arrancars, deeply puzzled by whatever it was that had just happened. Those, however, who recognized what had occurred to the Arrancars, were beyond aghast. And, of the currently shocked five remaining Vizards, Hiyori was the most horrified: "You...You... You turned them...into Vizards?"

"Lesser or even imperfect Arrancars" corrected Aizen arrogantly, making the little blonde scowl at him angrily "This 'Vizard' appellation of yours doesn't quite suit my taste."

"Ya're a monster..." hissed Shinji under his breath, unable to stare away from the once Arrancars "Ya're worse than a Ho...No, wait. In fact, ya're no better than them, Aizen."

The other's expression turned menacingly dark as he stared down at his former captain who scowled up just as hatefully: "Ya're just as hollow..."

The 5th Division's captain reeled back after receiving a swift kick to the jaw causing him to fall face first to the ground.

"Shinji-chan!" cried out Mashiro worriedly as she crawled over to him as best as she could while Kensei clenched his teeth and glowered towards the brown-haired female Aizen.

The girl in question lifted an eyebrow while voicing out contemptuously: "Oh? It seems that you haven't quite cut off your tongue like it was intended."

Spitting blood that had invaded his mouth from having, fortunately enough, barely bitten his tongue, Shinji shifted his infuriated eyes to glare faintly at Hinamori: "Bitch..."

"No longer calling me 'Hinamori-chan', Hirako-taichou?" she inquired inquisitively with a tilt of her head, as she gave the other a smile of sickly sweetness.

"Ya're too far gone, kid" admitted the 5th Division's captain reluctantly, ignoring the pointed look he was receiving from a certain young white-haired captain "Nothin' left anyone can do for ya."

"Finally" sighed the female Aizen blissfully, relief appearing upon her fully relaxed features "Someone understands. It was about time."

All of a sudden, bursting all around the roof's edges came forth an immense wall of flames...

One

"RYUKEN JAKKA!" shouted aloud Yamamoto as he made his grand appearance, bringing his zanpaktou upwards, which led to the impressive barrier of fire to dutifully follow his lead.

As the Espada and the Fracción took a vigilant step back whilst Hinamori clenched her teeth apprehensively, Koga just smirked and the immortal shifted an utterly unconcerned gaze in the old captain's direction: "Ah, yes. I was wondering when you'd show. Wonderweiss."

Upon his master's call, the mindless Fracción complied with the main function his creation had been initiated for and, no less than mere minutes later, the fire zanpaktou had been sealed.

"Even without my zanpaktou, I will finish you" declared the Captain Commander heatedly, blistering with rage for he had come to witness the state of powerlessness the Division Zero had been reduced to. That aside, the shape of the Seireitei, the losses, the current situation of the lingering Gotei members...it was far more than the old man would permit. This had to end.

"That remains to be seen, Head Captain" smirked Aizen condescendingly, before he closed his eyes and turned his head away just as Koga abruptly appeared behind Yamamoto, the former's violently swinging his blade barely inches towards the latter's fully exposed neck.

"YAMA-JII!" cried out Ichigo in absolute horror as he witnesses, along with the aghast eyes of everyone else, the live beheading of the lead captain, the founder of the Gotei, the father of the shinigami...his head now rolling on the floor separated from his still falling body.

"Head Captain indeed" mocked Sosuke's father scathingly as he nudged at the head with the front of his boot, his action earning an intense uproar amongst the remaining Gotei members.

"How DARE you?!" seethed Retsu lividly, features contorted by anger as she wrenched against her bounds.

"Get away from him!" yelled Shunsui aloud, his expression torn somewhere between fury, grief and shock.

The eldest of the Aizen glanced in the two captains' direction with a derisive sneer: "Or you'll do what? Please."

Whilst Koga belittled the Shinigami who cursed him with every word they knew, an all new voice addressed the young child of chaos: "Aizen-sama."

"Ah. Jikoku" acknowledged the immortal as he turned towards the last person cloaked in crimson, crouched upon the ledge beside where he stood "You sure took your time."

"My apologies, but I did as fast as I could" she replied as she shed her hood, revealing a pale youthful but incredibly haggard face, with dark circles underneath her silvery white eyes, which held no iris nor pupils, and tangled dim amethyst locks, which framed her face but were cut unevenly, alternating between short and long strands here and there.

"And?" pressed Aizen keenly, not really concerned by the other's apology, before his eyes widened elatedly as Jikoku presented him with a small closed casket "Perfect."

"Now, Aizen-sama, if you please..."

"Don't worry. I didn't forget" nodded the immortal absentmindedly as he gently caressed the box now within his hands, before he gestured to the world around them loosely with his chin "The deceased shinigami all over should be more than able to compensate for the revived Espada and Fracción's souls. Take as many as you wish."

"Thank you for your generosity" she bowed graciously before she straightened up slightly and her eyes suddenly shone dark blood red as she began her harvest of dead souls.

"Thank you for your help. And I'm sincerely apologetic that you had to stay away this long from Hell. It must have taken quite a toll on you."

"It has. But it was worth it. I'm getting my hands on some rather valuable souls" Jikoku sighed contentedly before her eyes darted over to the surface of the rooftop "Aizen-sama?"

"Yes, Jikoku?"

"May I have his?" she asked carefully, pointing, with a long crooked and broken nailed finger that sent the cuffed chains at her wrist dangling noisily at her movement, towards the Captain Commander's decapitated body.

Looking over in the direction she was pointing at, Aizen remained without reaction for a moment, long enough for the raging Shinigami to take notice of his interaction with the other, before he shrugged with an uncaring grin: "Gladly."

Over the moon, Jikoku bowed down low once again at the same time as large skeleton-like winged scavengers, their eyes equally gleaming red, abruptly appeared out of nowhere before they swooped down directly towards Yamamoto's body.

Ichigo, the shinigami and the other prisoners then watched on in horrified silence as the beasts clustered around the old man's corpse until it was no longer in view, before they suddenly flew back upwards into the dark sky, revealing nothing left from where they had been seconds ago: the Captain Commander's dead body was gone.

"What the hell did you do?!" shouted the 4th Division's captain furiously, casting a black murderous glare in Jikoku's direction, who completely ignored her in favour of snapping her fingers which led to a portal opening nearby, through which she and the scavengers jumped and disappeared into before it closed up behind them, as if it was never there...

"Oh, she did nothing much" drawled out the immortal leisurely with a sinister smirk, replying in the departed individual's stead "Jikoku is one of the four guardians of Hell upon whom I called for a particular favour. Since most my Espada where there, I made a deal with her to be able to retrieve them, in exchange for as many souls as she could gather from what the outcome of this war had to offer."

"And...You gave her the Captain Commander's soul?!" cried out the 8th Division's captain in livid shock, incapable of truly grasping that what had just happened had actually happened "WHY?!"

"Why not?" countered the child of chaos with an unsympathetic shrug "He lived long enough. Who needs him reincarnated anytime soon (1)?"

"You heartless heathen beastly...!" grounded out Retsu furiously, enraged beyond belief, but the rest of her sentence went unheard as a loud strident laugh sent chilling shivers down the spine of each and every prisoner, but most notably two amongst them who paled awfully as they immediately recognized exactly who the laughter belonged to. What could be worse, than her presence of all people?

Zero

Amidst the many trees of the Rukongai's dark forest, a group of two people, a rather young brown-haired boy and a black cloaked woman, subtly made their way through the shadows...

As they finally neared an exit, the young boy's attention was drawn to a large sign that stood right there before them. He approached it and read out aloud the words engraved upon it: "Wych scum, back off. Enter now and be burned alive."

"Oh my..." chuckled the hooded woman darkly, whilst shaking her head "That is not at all welcoming..."

The boy just shrugged it off and resumed walking, only to stop again when he realized that the graceful bare footsteps behind him had halted. Turning around, he saw that she hadn't moved an inch forward from where she was still standing.

The boy then gave her a curious look: "Why do you not follow? Can't you go further?"

She returned his gaze and, as her voice turns scornful, she replied: "Alas, no."

The boy's eyes widened at that: "Are you a witch?!"

"Who knows..." the woman smirked widely, hands fluttering at her sides and moving around her long sleeves as she spoke "Maybe...Maybe not...Depends on the point of view really..."

"Huh..." he responded simply, still with wide eyes, before the woman sees his stare turn into one of resolve, making her discretely shiver with delight at its intensity.

He rushed over to her side before he grabbed her pale hand from beneath the sleeve and voiced: "Follow me."

A few instants later, the odd pair reached a rather poor looking village, seeming bare and desolate despite there being residents, though they were very few in number. The woman looked around in childish curiosity until she is suddenly interrupted by the boy speaking up: "Here."

"Here?" she echoed inquisitively as her eerie mismatched eyes flitted over to the young boy accompanying her "Do you want me to live here, little one?"

"Don't you?" countered the youth, not keeping his eyes away from the view before them "You can do whatever you want in this place. In this part of the Rukongai, the Shinigami never patrol as it is too...'far gone to be saved'...in their opinion."

"And they call themselves 'protectors of life and justice' who will 'do anything to save every soul encountered'. It is such a sad reality to see that their rarely upheld words as they are, mean entirely nothing" chuckled the woman mockingly, eyeing the village again before glancing down back at the boy "Are you sure of this, child?"

"I am. Besides, you'll be safe here" he reassured confidently, crossing his arms.

"And should I no longer be?" she asked, grinning at his smug attitude...for a little kid.

"Whenever that time comes..." he paused in thought, before lifting his eyes to hers and giving her an arrogant lopsided smile "Run away to the Human world."

"There? Is that not a little fare-fetched, dear boy?" she chuckled disbelievingly.

"Not really, no" asserted the young boy as he let one of his youthful cheeks rest upon an equally youthful hand he had propped up upon a nearby wooden fence "After all, it is a possibility you should consider, since you can leave whenever and wherever you want without even needing a Senkaimon, right? After all, anything that happens there is no concern to the Shinigami, unless it is Hollow-related..."

Staying silent for a moment before laughing musically, she flashed him an elated yet chilling smile that would have caused anyone else to run for their lives: "Despite no longer having anything left to learn or gain from me, I see that you are still looking out for me."

He regarded her with a rather offended expression: "I said I would, didn't I?"

"You did" the woman confirmed while clicking the long darkened nails, of one of her hands, against each other in a rhythmic manner "However, I did not think you would so dutifully maintain your words, just like so many before you have never done..."

"I am not like others" hissed out the boy vehemently as he looked away brusquely.

"That I can definitely see" she chuckled yet again, before her expression turned dark and a wide sinister grin appeared as she once again looked over the village in front of them "As much as your silver-tongued suggestion of living furtively amongst humans does soundly appeal to me, I believe I will first have a little entertainment here."

Glancing back at her, he smirked in an equally dark manner: "Have it your way."

"Does this place harbour a name, child?" she asked elatedly, as she freed her long dark brown hair from her now lowered hood, letting it cascade down until it reached her clothed lower back, while she saw from the corner of her eye the young boy nod.

"This is Inuzuri, the 78th district (2)..."

000000000000000000000000000000000000

The dark laughter continued to echo within the dark skies above the rooftop of the Tower, before, ever so slowly, quite gradually, a thick shadowy black mist suddenly manifested out of nothingness and swirled closely around the immortal as he unperturbedly stayed unmoving, actually smiling in amusement, before it stopped moving and slowly began changing shape.

Yumichika's breath hitched loudly within his throat in complete horror while Ikkaku's eyes widened before looking over at his closest friend worriedly as all the prisoners' eyes darted between them and the woman who had just taken a solid form from the shadowed mists.

She was impossibly breathtaking, but because of the wild expression of malevolence and wickedness etched on her features, every single one of the captives immediately felt on edge seeing her.

Dressed in a black kimono decorated with red cherries strewn over white leaves, the woman's deathly pale skin was revealed as the clothing was barely draped over her: neck, shoulders and a fair share of her cleavage exposed, while the robe was loosely tied at the waist, with a red sash in which was tucked a richly painted mahogany fan; the kimono reached down to the floor, yet showed off her long lean legs with every stride she took, her burgundy red toe-polished bare feet gracefully touching down to the cold cobbled floor of the roof.

Punctured by long dark wooden hairclips garnished at the top with gems and flowers, her long dark auburn hair was tied up in a geisha-styled bun with a few strands falling over her red powdered sharp mismatched eyes, the right pale blue and the other dark blue, tightly locked with Aizen's as she swayed over to him. Her luscious black painted lips were carved into a mischievous yet malicious smirk, lifting a decorated crimson pipe to them, wisps of faint reddish smoke escaping from her now parted lips, giving her the appearance of a she-demon.

Reaching Aizen, the woman set the pipe once again between her lips before reaching out to him with her now free hand to glide her slender fingers adorned with bright blood red nails over the immortal man's cheek, before threading them through the man's brown locks, drawing him closer to her while he rested a hand upon her waist, their faces now inches apart, a proximity allowed by the man, a closeness which caused many to stare taken aback, a gesture which made even Hinamori especially widen her eyes...

Looking up adoringly in eyes of an evil that reflected her own, she whispered in low, unsettling yet surprisingly seductive accented voice: "You are so cruel, Aizen-sama, leaving me hanging on a thread all these years, without keeping me notified, not even once...Before all of a sudden finding yourself within the depths of Muken... Am I to suppose that I no longer appeal to you?"

"Always so dramatic, Manter (3)..." Aizen chuckled in amusement at her words, closing his eyes and gently shaking his head still within her grasp "Did I ever insinuate such a thing?"

"Shall I list all that you doinsinuate?" she offered slyly, while raising an eyebrow suggestively making Aizen instantly snap his eyes back open, smirking at her words.

Gliding her slanted mismatched eyes over each of the silent prisoners staring at their interaction, she enquired curiously with an elegant arched eyebrow: "Are you trying to achieve forgiveness by bringing forth 'pets' for me?"

Ikkaku bristled at the word used to qualify them; a reaction that caught most of the captives' attention, mainly Shuuhei who frowned as he also took notice of Yumichika shaking faintly, torment tainting his ordinarily impeccable features.

Sensing him trembling beside him, Byakuya glanced at his lieutenant from the corner of his eye and frowned when he saw that Renji seemed as just horrified as Ikkaku and Yumichika were, while all eyes were warily fixated upon the woman.

"Forgiveness?" echoed Aizen with laughter, particularly amused by the word used to name their captives "If you want to see it that way. Manter, my dear, they are whatever you want them to be..."

Manter barely focused on his words as her gaze was caught by an unceasingly livid glare directed at her. Her slightly parted lips, pipe dangling faintly from them, suddenly curved up into a wide disturbing grin as she moved over to the owner of the hateful glower trained on her, not at all perturbed by the intensity of it, before standing in front of him.

"Madarame-kun?" she asked him in a mocking tone, both her eyebrows hoisted up, wanting to make sure if she was right.

When she saw his eyes narrow further, hers widened hysterically as she cackled out in such a sinister and nerve-jangling way that it sent chills down the others' spines. Yumichika shook even more as he heard her laugh, his eyes glazing over, causing Ikkaku to unconsciously move in front of him, in order to close the distance between them, trying to comfort him as much as he possibly could.

"Oh...this...is...priceless!" Manter screeched elatedly, her expression contorting her features in such a way that even Soifon shivered uncomfortably "Fate is cruel, is it not, Madarame-kun?! I would have to say that you are most unlucky to be here."

Her debauched gleaming eyes snap over to Yumichika who jumped in terror as their eyes locked: "And naturally, the same goes for our beloved Kujaku-sama."

While Yumichika, Ikkaku and Renji visibly flinched and/or stiffened at the title, the other captives just frowned in puzzlement or quirked an eyebrow curiously at the appellation used...

Amongst them, only Gin's eyes flitted contemplatively between the three before them resting upon Manter's crazed expression with narrowed eyes.

'Kujaku-sama?' wondered Rangiku, as she watched the whole exchange from beside her captain. She instantly felt worried for Yumichika as she saw him slowly back away and shake in dread as the woman slowly reached out a hand to grab his face...

Just as her nails were about to come in contact with his chin, her hand was harshly slapped away by both of Ikkaku's cuffed hands. Her jaw went slack and her pipe nearly fell from her lips, as she stared him, absolutely stunned by his bold move...

"Back off, Wych(4)!" hissed Ikkaku threateningly, using a tone no one had ever heard, not even Ichigo, who regarded the whole exchange speechlessly like everyone else.

Mashiro bit her lower lip as she saw Yumichika clutch tightly at Ikkaku's robes, pulling him slightly back, away from the demented woman, his face engraved with terror, an expression the girl had briefly saw on him only once: when Ikkaku had fallen, defeated while defending the pillar back in the fake Karakura town.

She glanced over to Shuuhei who held the same realization upon his face as they looked at each other: there was something else much deeper between those two which somehow caused them to be this close with one another, something that held them together so tightly, that should one of them ever got hurt, the other ended up devastated...

Right now, Ikkaku was standing up defiantly for his friend, but while Yumichika seemed utterly petrified, he also appeared to be very concerned about Ikkaku's safety for some reason which apparently involved that utterly demented woman.

Shuuhei frowned deeply: 'What the heck happened between those three?'

Snapping out of her stupor, Manter gave Ikkaku a sinister smirk, letting him instantly know that he wouldn't have time to react to whatever was going to follow... and indeed he didn't.

Byakuya's attention was once again drawn to Renji as the latter winced at her expression, apparently he too knowing what it really stood for.

Straightening herself, Manter abruptly brought her bare foot down upon the cuffs binding Ikkaku's hands, the movement so sudden and sharp, that the 3rd Seat was tugged forward by the blow until he found himself in an awkward kneeling position: he was on his hands and knees, with his chin tilted upwards uncomfortably by her knee. If he dared to move, the outcome would be undeniably painful for him...

Yumichika gasped in panic but did not dare budge when he was simply glanced at by Manter in warning, whilst the other captives just stared, aghast and appalled, not able to do much either, as the chains binding them restricted their movements.

The woman then disturbingly rolled her eyes back to focus at the man at her feet, staring at him with a dark look: "Did you just call me a Wych, Madarame-kun?"

Ikkaku scowled up at the woman who simply returned his glower with a daunting grin and an arched eyebrow, fingering her pipe that was now in her hand. With her eyes now gleaming with sadistic hilarity, she lazily brought it to his face, making the man widen his eyes in apprehension, as the tip of the object was scorching hot.

"Manter..." called out suddenly a deep voice softly, making the woman swirl at once from her prey, instantaneously forgoing whatever she had planned for Ikkaku which caused relief to flood Yumichika's features, as she turned to face Aizen with an elegant arched eyebrow.

"Shall we?" he continued in the same velvety tone as she neared him, like a moth drawn to a flame, taking hold of her extended hand when she was close enough and bringing her fingers to his lips, a gesture which once again stunned the captured spectators.

Smiling suavely at him and sliding her hand over his hand and then up his arm, she whispered softly in his ear as she passed by him: "Lets, Aizen-sama."

Swaying over until she reached the edge of the roof, Manter raised her mismatched eyes to the dark sky above, smirking in the direction she had left Division Zero moments ago, before she leisurely lifted her hands upwards, spreading out her fingers in a claw-like position.

For a moment nothing happened. And then, suddenly, a loud thundering noise resounded aloud from above before, ever so slowly, dark glowing blue lines appeared in the dark skies, little by little, forming a very large sort of pentacle-like mark with obscure writings which took place right up there in the middle of nowhere.

But it wasn't really 'nowhere': it was situated directly where Soul Palace and Division Zero were located. And, worse, it was a seal meant to prevent anyone from accessing or leaving...

Chaos

Frowning faintly, Manter blinked at the seal she just created with an air of uncertainty: "Do you think it is big enough, Aizen-sama?"

"I believe it is" the immortal chuckled, amused by the other's knack of concerning herself over honestly meaningless things.

"Are you sure? I can make it bigger, you know?"

"It's fine, Manter, fret not" reassured Aizen with a smirk before he waved off her concern when she raised an eyebrow at him "I don't doubt that it will be seen from miles away."

"What are you up to now?" wondered aloud Ginrei, demanding to know as he was one of the very few left lucid with the recent horrors nearly all the captives have endured throughout this tragic night, for it had been nonstop and one right after the other: Ichigo losing his freedom, the Arrancars going through a forced alteration, the captains witnessing the death of their commander, Ikkaku and Yumichika shocked to the core by the mysterious unknown woman's ominous presence. What else was Aizen going to unleash now?

Ignoring the elder Kuchiki, the child of chaos nodded towards his Espada instead, who on cue, along with the Fracción - along with Neveromina who had finally returned - took firm hold of the shinigami, Ichigo included, and the Kuchiki family, before dragging them over to ledge, so they could see whatever was going to happen.

And first nothing occurred, but then, through the broken gates of the Seireitei, came plundering in inhabitants of the Rukongai, hordes of them, wild and brutally cruel, set with an uncanny and bloody need for destruction. They gushed in, armed and dangerous, annihilating everything they touched, raving, raging, ramping along as they went, killing whoever they met, catching the women and young ones for a later raping...

"Good Lord..." uttered Ginrei in aghast horror, his old eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

"Behold..." voiced the eerie woman, gesturing with poise towards the unruly anarchy below "A world dyed and drenched in the shades of a glorious unravelling bleak chaos..."

Chuckling darkly in amusement, Aizen raised his eyebrows at Manter: "Very poetic."

"I am pleased you like it" smiled the blue mismatched eyed woman smugly, before shifting back to her mist form and soaring throughout the skies, disappearing again.

"So...what now?" inquired Hinamori softly, secretly glad that the woman had left: not only she intimated the young female Aizen, but the latter also felt threatened by the former, when it came to the immortal's attention.

"Now? Now, we state, arrogantly and proud, to those fortunate - or in reality, not so much, if not at all - to have been left alive 'Oh how far have the mighty fallen'" declared Aizen scathingly, his eyes gleaming with dark malice and undying triumph as he eyed elatedly the remaining Shinigami, Vizards and former Arrancars now confined and chained down before him and his allies "And to think that there is still a long way for you to ever hit the ground..."

As jaws clenched and eyes glared at his words, he merely smirked sinisterly in response before turning his back on them and heading over to the edging of the rooftop once more. Holding out his hand to Hinamori who hastened to take it with a deep blush, they both leapt up to stand upon the edge, their black-clad daunting presence earning the undivided attention of those below once they caught sight of them.

Raising their joined hands high, the immortal child of chaos spoke up, his voice loud and clear, calm and deep, imposing and dark: "We Aizen, Children of Chaos, born as inhabitants of the Rukongai same as you, have set claim once more to the world that was and is rightfully ours. We, rabble, have triumphed over the purebloods and as long as we breathe, no soul, living or dead, will EVER take it back from us!"

Acclaiming roars rose from the crowd below, cheering at his words, hailing at him and his companion, and chanting their accursed name like a mantra, whilst the captives could only shudder in horror as the cheers grew louder and the realization of their defeat grew stronger...

To be continued...

And in chaos they shall rule... There you have it: Aizen wins. What will befall our lovely main characters? Hint: it is worse than death for some...if it isn't already obvious enough (laughs wickedly before clears throat). I may be insane. Good thing there's fanfictions for therapy... So, the war has ended with Ichigo, the Arrancars and the Shinigami now fallen; hence their very short-lived victory falls with them. Things are escalating with the next chapters; the characters are finally going to experience firsthand Aizen's particular way of treating prisoners...or possessions? And as such, the first part of these series is almost over (maybe two or three chapters left) and after that, the second part will, hopefully, come to life... Another thing, after the next chapter, we'll see less of those within Karakura in favour of concentrating on Aizen and his captives. They'll probably come back only sometime later in the series. Please consider the note I left above for you in bold and see you soon! Bye!

Next Chapter: And They Fall...:

(1) According to the , when a shinigami dies, they get reincarnated as a human to go over the cycle of life again until their next cycle of death...And this, over and over again. However, if a shinigami gets eaten by a Hollow, it's impossible for them to come back at all... I merely went further and extrapolated that if a shinigami's soul went to Hell, there's no coming back either.

(2) The District of Rukongai in question was the one Renji and Rukia grew up in. I have both a personal opinion and thought of that District, involving two other characters, that'll appear in later chapters.

(3) Manter (or 'Manteru', to be pronounced in a Japanese manner) is an O.C, her name coming from the word 'man-eater'. She is probably the darkest O.C I've ever invented. That'll be all for now: she is rather multifarious and I don't want to spoil anything just yet.

(4) Wych, in old English (as in years back), was the way peopled wrote the current word 'witch'. It looks a lot cooler like the former though, only in this fic, it's pronounced: 'Vai-ch'.

A/N: A Minute of Silence, Apologies for the Deceased:

Sajin Komamura: Murdered (A/N: I...have nothing to say)

Mayuri Kurotsuchi: Murdered (A/N: I am sorry...I guess...)

Nemu Kurotsuchi: Murdered, sort of (she has now become Neveromina (Nemu, Verona and Lumina all in one body), Szayel's ultimate Fracción) (A/N: I am very sorry)

Marechiyo Omaeda: Murdered (A/N: I am so...No, not really)

Isane Kotetsu: Murdered (A/N: I am very sorry)

Izuru Kira: Murdered (A/N: I am sorry...Not a fan of his, but sorry nevertheless)

Hachigen: Murdered (A/N: I am sorry)

Love Aikawa: Murdered (A/N: No Comment...Ok, just one: his haircut's ridiculous and so is his humour...Don't blame me, I just don't like him that much)

Kiyone Kotetsu: Murdered (A/N: I am sorry)

Sentaro Kotsubaki: Murdered (A/N: No Comment)

Jushiro Ukitake: Murdered (A/N: I am sincerely and very sorry)

Roujuurou Outoribashi (Rose): Murdered (A/N: I am very sorry)

Tetsuzaemon Iba: Murdered (A/N: No Comment)

Chojiro Sasakibe: Murdered (A/N: To be honest, no one even notices him, so)

Tetsuya Kuchiki: Murdered (A/N: I am very sorry...but since this character is an O.C that isn't even mine, I felt it was only right to stop featuring him...So sorry about that)

Yamamoto Ganryusai: Murdered (A/N: I'm actually sorry for killing him off...Go figure)