Chapter Seventy Five:

Ichigo leaned back in his seat, smiling softly as he looked around the large dining table which was currently packed with assorted food and drink, all of which was being tucked into by a selection of his and Byakuya's friends.

It was the night before they were due to leave for the World of the Living. With the weight of the world on their shoulders, the pair decided a meal with their nearest and dearest would be a good distraction for everyone involved and the Kuchiki heir had kindly offered the dining room in the Kuchiki mansion to host it.

At present, the subtle sounds of music were mostly being drowned out by Matsumoto's rambunctious laughter as she teased Hisagi and Kira about their love lives, while Ikkaku and Yumichika were busy talking about battle strategy and aesthetics with Renji.

Rukia was happily comparing Kidō techniques with Nanao and Hitsugaya with an occasional input from Ukitake. All of which resulted in Kyōraku flirting excessively with Kūkaku, the former Shiba Clan Head didn't seem to mind, although Ganju looked like he would skin the man if he so much as laid a finger on his sister.

Sipping his saké as he watched the joyous scene, the strawberry glanced over at his fiancé, flashing him a placid smile, "Enjoying yourself?"

"I'm content." The nobleman replied, "This will do wonders for morale, as well as giving us a chance to spend time with the people we care about."

"I couldn't agree more. Thank you, for letting us use the mansion." The strawberry reached over and laced their fingers together.

"It was a pleasure." Byakuya lifted their hands and gently kissed Ichigo's knuckles affectionately, "Everything will work out, and when the war is over we can meet here again for a celebration."

"That sounds perfect." He murmured.

"So when are you two going to set a date?" Ganju called over, grinning smugly at their matching surprised expressions.

"Yeah come on, I want to know when I have to get a new kimono ready!" Matsumoto clapped her hands excitedly.

"Noble weddings are a big thing right?" Yumichika mused, resting his chin on the back of his hand, "I expect it will be all flash and beautiful. Not that either of you need to be made any more beautiful than you already are, I've scarcely seen such an attractive couple in Seireitei."

"And that's one hell of a compliment from him." Renji snorted.

"Well..." Ichigo chuckled quietly, rubbing the back of his neck before he gently fussed with his yukata, "We were planning for after the war concludes but other than that... We don't really have any ideas yet... Do we?"

"Not yet." Byakuya agreed, "Though, springtime in Seireitei is always beautiful."

"Oh a springtime wedding after a winter war! There's something poetic about that." Kyōraku hummed, tipping his hat with a small smirk.

Ichigo paused and considered it, glancing at Byakuya for a long moment, "Springtime?"

The raven haired noble held his gaze, the smallest of smiles turning his lips upwards, "Springtime." he agreed.

The strawberry jumped as there was an abrupt outburst of cheers from their friends, but he immediately broke into a wide toothy grin and laughed at the enthusiasm with which Matsumoto demanded another round of drinks to celebrate.

He joined in, carefully tapping his saké bowl against as many others as he could reach before downing the liquid, his throat burned from it but the subtle heady warmth that rose afterwards was pleasant.

It was only a few hours later when the mansion began to empty, everyone more than aware that they needed a decent night of rest and a distinct lack of a hangover so that they could fight with clear minds in the World of the Living. The seriousness of it had never entirely left them, but a few hours of relaxation and friendly banter had made it easier to deal with. It was the first time Ichigo had encountered such a thing, and it had felt good. Felt right.

Ichigo joined Byakuya at the front door, bidding farewell to their tipsy and merry guests. He granted each of them a hug, even Ikkaku had indulged his sentimentality for once.

Kyōraku was the last person to step over the threshold, pausing on the doorstep before he turned to look at the pair, lifting the rim of his hat as he appraised the younger Shinigami, "Kurosaki-san... Tomorrow will be a big day for all of us. But more so for you. If your information is correct, we will be facing the Espada and they will all be fighting against their will. It will be a hard fight, especially for you who was designated their leader. I despise meaningless conflict, but I loath meaningless killing even more. If you can find anyway to deactivate Aizen's hold over them... Please use it."

The sunrise haired man swallowed hard at his words and he bowed his head, "I barely got to know them myself. But... Shiro knew them all, knew them well. Even while they feared him, feared his insanity and his willingness to tear them apart if he was ordered... He grew to care about them more than he realised. Neither of us want them to suffer. They risked their lives to save us. If I can free them... If I have any chance at all... I'll do it."

The new Sou-Taichou's expression softened and he released a sigh, "I am truly pleased to have you, and your Hollow side, with us in this war. I'm proud of you for breaking away from Aizen's influence, and proud that you have made better choices for yourself. You should be proud as well."

"T-Thank you, Kyōraku Taichou." He smiled innocently and felt his face warm, "I'm glad I have the opportunity to fight and protect the people I love."

"Love is a powerful motivator." The pink kimono clad man gazed off towards where Ukitake was waiting for him, "Perhaps we will all be so lucky as to be so open with our feelings one day."

Ichigo's smile brightened as he looked between two of the longest serving Shinigami, "Whether we can be open with them or not... As long as we have at least one person to share them with everything has a way of working out."

"My goodness, those eyes of yours see far don't they?" Kyōraku chuckled, "You truly are like an entirely different person these days, Kurosaki-san. Goodnight."

"That was kind of you." Byakuya whispered as they watched Kyōraku stroll down the path, greeting Ukitake halfway.

"Well... Once upon a time, all I ever wanted to hear was that everything would be okay. I think everyone needs to hear it sometimes." He shrugged and turned to go back into the house, he paused however and frowned faintly, staring into the entrance hall.

The Kuchiki heir noticed his sudden halt and tilted his head, "Is all well?"

"Yeah... Yes I just..." The strawberry rubbed his chin in thought, "An entirely different person?"

Blinking, Byakuya quirked an eyebrow as he could almost hear his lover's mind working, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure... It's probably nothing but..." He turned on the spot, still just able to see Kyōraku's pink kimono in the distance, "I just need to check something and make sure... Do you mind?"

"I know you well enough by now, to know that you would never rest while something is troubling you. Do you desire company?"

"Mm, you should get some rest. I'm sure it won't take long. I'll be back soon." Ichigo smiled and kissed him sweetly, "Thanks for understanding."

"Very well, be careful." The nobleman leaned into the kiss and stroked his cheek softly, "I love you."

"I love you too!" He said before he ran off down the pathway.

Ichigo hastily rushed after the Sou-Taichou, he could still see the swish of the man's kimono as well as the illumination of Ukitake's hair under the moonlight.

"Kyōraku Taichou! Ukitake Taichou!" He called out, "Please wait! Kyōraku Taichou!"

The two men stopped so suddenly that Ichigo nearly bumped straight into them both, he panted softly as he stopped just short and rested his hands on his knees.

"Ichigo-kun." Ukitake blinked at him, "Did we forget something?"

"No... No it's not that. Sorry to disturb you." He straightened and clasped his hands together, "It's just... Something you said, Kyōraku Taichou, set me off thinking. I wondered if... If I could have permission to visit Norio in the Central Great Underground Prison?"

"That's a bold request, Kurosaki-san." There was an uncomfortable stillness in Kyōraku's voice.

"I'm more than aware that it is not usual practice for a Fukutaichou to be admitted into that prison but... I need to check something. For my own peace of mind more than anything else." He dabbed his tongue across his lips, "I'll willingly surrender my Zanpakutō at the entrance, and I'm capable of handling myself in hand to hand combat if anything was to get out control. Please."

Letting out a small breath, the man rested a hand on his hip and the other on his chin, seemingly considering the request deeply, "Very well. But I want a detailed report of why when you are finished. You can hand it to me tomorrow before we leave for Karakura."

"Thank you Kyōraku Sou-Taichou!" He accepted the prison pass he was handed from in the depths of the man's uniform and rushed off without delay.

Not far from the Estate he caught up with Hitsugaya, a nagging urge forcing him to make a request of the Division Ten Taichou as well.

"You want me to go and baby sit Zaraki Kenpachi?" The smaller built male blinked.

"Not baby sit... Just... Make sure he's alright." The strawberry bit his lip, "Look, I don't have a lot of time to explain but, doesn't it seem odd to you that Aizen's assassin would just disappear after he was discovered? If he's that capable of hiding for that long... Doesn't it make sense that he would hide until he could cause the maximum damage? The night before we go to war seems almost too perfect. Zaraki Taichou is one of the strongest fighters we have... Of course he'd be a target."

The white haired Taichou sighed deeply, "Regretfully it sounds plausible. Very well, I will drop by Division Eleven before retiring for the night."

Relaxing with relief, Ichigo smiled, "Thank you Hitsugaya Taichou!" He barely lingered for another moment before he continued on his journey to Division One.


As he arrived outside of the Sou-Taichou's Division he sucked in a sharp breath, steeling himself to discover if his suspicions were right or wrong. He glanced behind him, faintly seeing the still blooming tips of the blossom trees that lay in the distance to signify the Kuchiki Clan's presence. As much as he longed to be curled up in bed with his fiancé the night before they went to war, he had responsibilities now and he couldn't ignore the call to arms his gut was giving him.

"How would I ever face Byakuya if I ignored this feeling?" He shook his head and stalked into the Division with his head held high, prison pass clutched tightly in his fist.

Gaining entry to the Prison was far easier than Ichigo had expected. Upon showing his prison pass to the lone guard on duty he had been personally escorted down the spiralling staircase which seemed to descend for evermore into darkness. Indeed, it was only when he and his escort reached the bottom of the staircase that flaming torches began to reappear along the winding hallways, casting an overly theatrical and menacing illumination across the ancient brick walls and floors.

As they moved along, Ichigo could feel a constant drain upon his reiatsu, and he soon realised that the bricks lining the hallways were sekkiseki stone. The further they went, the more of his reiatsu was dampened.

The prison was separated into eight different levels, he had learnt about this during his time in the Academy, as all Shinigami did. While he couldn't quite remember the names of all the floors, he knew for certain that the third level was called Shugo and was used to imprison those who had dared to use forbidden Kidō, such as Tessai. The lowest level, the eighth, was Muken. Muken was a voided space completely sealed off from the outside world, aside from the main tower which served as an entrance and an exit. As far as he was aware, only criminals whose hearts could not be stopped by any means were kept there. He fleetingly wondered if himself and Shiro could have counted among that moment at one time or another.

A cold shudder crept along his spine like frigid fingers, and he couldn't help but react to it. They were currently entering the very tower which served as an entrance and exit to each level. There was another vast spiral staircase, which would taken them even further beneath Division One.

His destination, he had discovered from the guard who was leading him, was Kyōkan – the fourth level. It was reserved for those who had committed treason against Seireitei, or against nobility. It struck Ichigo as odd that Byakuya had pretended not to know where his cousin would be kept, he could only assume it was because the man had determined to forget Norio ever existed.

As they exited the staircase, Ichigo flexed his fingers at his side, accepting the flame torch from the guard as he was shown along the desperately vast area beyond. Kyōkan was a single, huge spiral corridor which wrapped around the main tower. It was suspended in a sub-space not overly dissimilar to that of Muken, except that the only thing severed was outside sound.

"The silence drives most of 'em mad within the first few weeks." The guard grunted, trudging along the hall as he lead the way to Norio's cell, "All we tend to hear is their screaming. It got its' name because of that actually."

"How... Lovely." The strawberry grimaced, unable to stop himself glancing at the solid steel doors which concealed their respective cells. There were tiny flaps at eye level, he assumed they were opened to check that prisoners were still alive, and to deliver food through.

"Gotta say, sir, we don't get many visitors down here. Is there a special reason that you need to see 'im?"

"Nothing overly concerning." Ichigo replied, "Just... Tying up some loose ends before the war starts."

"Ah, I quite understand, Kurosaki Fukutaichou."

They fell silent again, slowly approaching the lowest point of the level, the end of the curling hallway. Ichigo tensed, ready to see if his instincts were on point, or if he'd been mistaken after all.

"Here we are, sir." The guard stopped suddenly, turning to face the very last cell, "This is the cell Norio Kuchiki was assigned."

Frowning at the strange way in which he was introduced, Ichigo rolled his shoulders, "Alright, open it up please."

"Of course, sir."

With a jangle of keys, the guard popped the correct one into the lock. Two twists left, one twist right, the cell door creaked open to admit entrance. Ichigo slipped past and stepped just inside the doorway, freezing at the sight he was greeted with.

Corpses.

Dozens upon dozens of corpses, stacked in piles across the frigid cold room. Blood splattered the walls and the floor, dried and blackened with age, though fresher scarlet was prominent too. The bodies were in various stages of decomposition, the pungent odour of death and rot and mottled flesh made him wretch. The sight of maggot-riddled limbs sent a hot sweat throughout his body, forcing him to cover his mouth and nose as he tried not to throw up.

He wanted to look away. He needed to look away. But he couldn't. There were too many recognisable shihakusho, too many Shinigami in the piles... Why hadn't their bodies turned to reishi? Why had they been stacked and kept and placed and...

"What the fuck... Is going on..." He gagged out, turning to look at the guard.

Ichigo grunted as he received a hard kick to the chest, it was strong enough to throw him off his feet, further into the cell. He landed in the ragged, fetid pile of corpses, drawing a startled screech from his lunges as he scrambled to his feet, eyes lifting as the guard stepped forward into the light.

He watched as the man's hair and skin began to droop as if loose against his skull, growing mottled and aged as it almost appeared to melt away, dripping in gloopy splatters on the floor. For the briefest of moments, Ichigo could see a scorched and blackened skull. With a snap like elastic the guard straightened up and the strawberry met a pair of familiar blue eyes.

"Norio?!" He exclaimed, fingers flexing anxiously at his sides.

"Good evening, Ichigo Kurosaki." The former Head Elder clasped his hands together behind his back, a sickeningly twisted smile spreading across his face, "I wonder if you'd be so kind as to share with me... Those loose ends you wanted to tie up."

Stomach churning, lurching momentarily he grabbed the wall for support, "Just a hunch. Something I wanted to confirm."

"Do tell me more, I'm so interested."

Chestnut eyes narrowing, Ichigo clenched his teeth, "I have to say... You've got his condescending tone of voice just about perfect. But you won't fool me again. I know."

"Ah, I see..." The Kuchiki Elder chortled, eyebrows lifting in amusement, "So the game is up then?"

"Oh yeah." The strawberry growled, "You are not Norio Kuchiki. You're Aizen's assassin! The Hollow... The shape shifting Hollow... The one who killed Yamamoto and Sasakibe..."

"Correct." The false Norio never stopped smirking, "How did you know... That something was wrong?"

"I didn't." He said honestly, "I didn't have a clue. But then someone said something to me, something about me seeming like a completely different person and it just... Clicked. Byakuya told me that normally a Head Elder would be overjoyed by the prospect of two noble families coming together in marriage, he said it seemed odd that you'd still be so... Disgusted by my presence. Then, in addition, your willingness to send us off to Hueco Mundo to 'rescue' Byakuya. All along, your only plan was to ensure I ended up at Aizen's side, where I belonged."

He began to clap, laughing loudly, "You are far smarter than I was told! Your ability to see the finer details is truly impressive, Kurosaki!"

"So, do you have a name?"

"I am Izanshi." Came a frigid reply, "Aizen-sama created me for a single-minded purpose."

"Infiltration, assassination, replacement. You can create multiple bodies... Each with a different appearance..." Ichigo swallowed hard, glancing at the bodies behind him, "And these... These must be your victims... So many... My God..."

"Again, I must compliment your intelligence. You are correct." The fake Norio folded his arms, leaning casually against the door frame, "I would have had more time in their bodies had you not escaped Division Two. Somehow, Kyōraku and Ukitake became suspicious... It became impossible to maintain the facade. What a waste."

Scowling, he felt his blood boiling, "So... What... In order to change into someone's skin you have to kill them?"

"Not at all, that's so barbaric!" Izanshi snorted, walking towards him.

Ichigo flinched, watching as Norio's appearance began to change just like before. The sagging, the melting, the mottling, the disgusting sickly sound of flesh slapping against the stone floor. But this time, no Shinigami face rose in replacement.

Easily as tall as Starrk had been, and only slightly thinner, Izanshi was oddly angelic in his true form. Scarlet hair was shoulder length, slicked back like a mane; the remnant of his Hollow mask seemed to take the form of a thin bone circlet that ran across his forehead and disappeared into his hair, two small horn-like adornments pointed upwards to the ceiling. His skin was as white as snow, and his blood red eyes were ringed by a darkness that could only be roused by lack of sleep. Yet he was beautiful. Scarily beautiful.

"Then what is it?" He asked, voice cracking just slightly, "How do you change forms?"

"It is simply what I was designed to do. I am unique among the Arrancar, my power gives me the ability to feed on the reiatsu of chosen individuals, once I have consumed enough I can alter my appearance and take on their forms. Their looks, their smell, their sound, even their abilities and powers. Make no mistake, Ichigo Kurosaki, I am a spy and an assassin, but my strength easily rivals that of the Espada." He sounded so proud, so smug, "The beauty in my power is that it is flawless."

"Well, it's not is it? Because I realised." Ichigo snorted, folding his arms, "I wouldn't call that flawless."

Growling, Izanshi turned his back on the strawberry, "It hardly seems to matter what you think. You were foolish enough to enter that cell. You can remain here until Aizen-sama wins the war, then he will come to Soul Society, he will use the Ōken! And when he has slain the untrue King, he will come here to the prison and he will claim you himself."

Ichigo sucked in a breath, despite the cold and the ungodly smell of rotting bodies, he forced himself to be calm. He'd been trained to do this. He'd been trained to hold his nerve, to reserve his strength and find an advantage. He might have lost Aizen's favour, he might have regained his emotions and memories... But he had never lost his training.

"I have just... Two more questions before you leave, or whatever it is you're planning." Ichigo rested his forehead in his hand, looking at the stained floor between his feet as he sat down in the only available chair, "There are a lot of Shinigami corpses in here... Why haven't they turned into reishi? And were there any other Taichou class Shinigami you impersonated?"

"I drain their reiatsu, it doesn't leave enough to permit them to turn into reishi." Izanshi shrugged, "There was one girl... Annoying little thing from Division Five. Used to cling onto Aizen-sama's shadow as tightly as possible. Aizen-sama wanted her presence in Division Five even after he left, to garner information... Hina... Something..."

"Hinamori?" Ichigo breathed, his chest tightening in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"And she's... Dead?" His voice grew quieter.

"Well, I didn't need much from her, so I finished her off once I'd taken enough reiatsu. She was so shocked by Aizen-sama's betrayal that she didn't even fight back." He giggled, "Then there was Yamamoto, Sasakibe, and now you."

"I see." His heart was aching, his stomach was churning, his eyes were stinging, "You have my thanks, for your forthrightness on the matter."

"It won't change anything... You can't stop the grind of time now, Kurosaki. Aizen-sama will destroy Karakura town, he will make the Ōken and he will tear Soul Society apart with his power! But before that happens... I wonder if you taste as sweet as you smell."

Ichigo felt hands on his shoulders, pushing him back in the chair, he could smell the Hollow's breath and it reeked of rotting flesh and death. A hard grip pinched his face and he was forced to look up, forced to meet that bloodied gaze, his own eyes widening as he watched Izanshi's lips part. A long, violet snake-like tongue slithered out from his mouth, tickling against Ichigo's cheek before it forced its way into his mouth.

He retched, struggling against his grasp. He felt a chill, a violent shaking coldness that seemed to rise up from his core, flooding his body, making his skin prickle painfully. Izanshi's grip was powerful, he gagged as the tongue slipped further down his throat, he began to feel a horrific pulling sensation and Ichigo watched as tiny orbs of pale blue reiatsu began to float between them, the purple appendage began to glow.

Izanshi... He was draining his reiatsu! He might not kill him through fear of angering Aizen, but that didn't mean he couldn't still take enough to use later. This was bad. Really bad. His throat constricted, bile scalding his oesophagus. Fingers twitching at his sides, he released a muffled growl of anger and without warning summoned his Hollow mask between the digits, bringing his hand up sharply.

He heard a sickening squelch as one of his horns speared the Hollow through the throat, blood splashed his hair and arms as he jumped to his feet and tore his horn free. Ichigo watched as Izanshi released a wet screech of pain, recoiling as he clutched at the wound to stem the flow of blood.

Gagging as he was released, the strawberry covered his mouth, the taste of rot still lingered, but he was sure he'd managed to break the connection before he could be severely harmed.

"You sneaky... Dirty... Bastard!" The Hollow roared furiously, hissing as he backed away hastily.

"You've got a nerve to call me sneaky and dirty. You disgusting... Murdering scum!" He shouted in retaliation, stomping towards him, determined to finish the job.

Izanshi's eyes widened as he realised Ichigo's plan and he fled the cell, slamming the door shut behind him before he peered through the eye slit smugly, "I might not be able to steal your reiatsu but having you locked away is more than enough of an advantage. Without you present... The Shinigami will fall at Aizen's hand. They will die."

"No!" Ichigo slammed his hands against the door, pounding at the metal with his fists as he threw his mask aside, "Let me out! Let me out right now! Fuck!"

Izanshi was gone. Leaving Ichigo alone, trapped and weakened. The strawberry let out a hoarse cry of frustration as he sank to his knees, head hanging low. If Izanshi's words were to be believed Hinamori had been dead since Aizen had left Soul Society, and the Hollow had been taking her place for social and official meetings ever since. It was a horrendous feeling to know that he hadn't noticed the difference in her, that he hadn't realised something was wrong.

Hinamori had died alone, probably scared and confused. And he hadn't even realised. The feelings of guilt were only intensified when he realised there was a very good reason for him not realising the difference in her behaviour.

"I never cared enough... To get to know her before... Before he..." He gnashed his teeth together as a sob threatened to break free, "Fucking... Damn it!"

He acknowledged that his previous lack of emotions was responsible for him not having known her well enough to notice any kind of difference in her behaviour. He'd only taken the time to get to know the version of Hinamori that Izanshi had shown him.

His heart sank. Remembering his engagement party in Rukongai, she'd seemed to genuine... So real... So kind and soft and gentle. They'd laughed together. Partied together. Drunk together. And yet it... It had all be lies. It hadn't been Hinamori... It... It had been Izanshi playing a role...

"Fuck..." He croaked, punching the wall as hard as he could, he watched as spider web rivets crackled from beneath his knuckles. He swore again. Louder. Almost screaming it.

What were the chances of someone finding him before morning? Only Kyōraku and Ukitake knew where he had gone. No one would hear his shouts, no one would sense his reiatsu. The apocalyptic silence of Kyōkan's stasis would ensure it.

Turning from the door slowly, hesitantly, Ichigo stared at the heaps of bodies behind him. He had grown used to the stench thankfully, but it still seemed stifling. His heart clenched painfully, but he approached and gently began moving the bodies. He needed to see if he recognised anyone else. He needed to know who had fallen victim... How many imposters there might be out there... It was a horrendous job, but he needed to know.

He found one or two unseated Shinigami from Division Six, several more from Divisions Five, Eight and Twelve. He also found the Third Seat of Division Four, Yasochika Iemura. Despite being half blind from tears, he continued, sniffling through his sadness as he found the real body of Norio Kuchiki. The Head Elder was almost unrecognisable, clearly Izanshi had taken his form a long time ago, undoubtedly part of the reason for the tension between Norio and Byakuya was the fact that one of them was an imposter.

Ichigo only stopped when he finally found Hinamori, she too was in a bad way, not as bad as Norio or some of the others but bad enough that he finally broke down. He cried, sobbing harshly as he sat against the wall nearest the door, his head in his hands.

He had no idea how much time had passed, whether morning had come yet or not. Just as he doubted anyone would sense his reiatsu, he couldn't sense anything beyond the cell walls. He couldn't help but feel foolish, it had been a reckless act to investigate alone. If Izanshi was right... If no one found him... He'd almost certainly doomed the Goeti Thirteen.

He'd vowed to keep Byakuya and Renji safe for Rukia's sake.

He'd vowed to defeat Aizen for Gin and Shinji.

He'd vowed to free the Espada.

He had failed. He had failed them all.