Chapter Seventy Nine:
Byakuya watched the Senkaimon close as Ichigo, Urahara and Starrk disappeared into the world beyond, anxiety flooding his heart as he finally collapsed again, his injuries burning as Unohana immediately re-initiated his treatment. His injuries had been severe, and while she had managed to guide him back from imminent death the effort it had taken to blind Ichigo and then to console him had been great.
He stared up at the sky overhead, a deep set frown on his features. He barely realised that Grimmjow and Shinji had moved to his side, healed enough from Aizen's wounds that they could at least sit up and talk again. Their communications were strained, it was no wonder. The tide had changed so quickly and dramatically, he was sure barely anyone had been graced the time to acknowledge the not so subtle change of their enemies becoming their allies.
"How are you holdin' up, Byakuya?" Grimmjow's face was pale, his eyes were tired and his lips downturned in a glum expression.
"Who do you think you are talking to?" He muttered quietly, "I'm fine."
"Uh-huh..." The blue haired Arrancar trailed off, picking at his hakama absent mindedly, "I... I wanted to... You know..."
"There is no need for apologies." The nobleman interrupted him, eyes moving from the bright sky towards his face instead, "Gin told us how hard you fought against the drug, I know that you had no choice but to fight with everything you had. I'm glad you did. It was the right thing to do."
The man's shoulder's seemed to slump, perhaps in relief or maybe in exhaustion, "Thanks."
He wished he could smile, but the gnawing ache in his belly prevented it, "Shinji... Would you be so kind as to check on my sister, and Renji? And perhaps see how Szayel is as well."
"Sure thing." The blond patted his shoulder before getting up and walking away.
Byakuya returned his attention to Grimmjow and let out a small sigh, "So... Was everything you said during our conflict true? Your feelings... Towards me?"
The Sexta Espada looked away moodily, "Don't wanna talk about it. Don't worry... I know where the line is. I ain't the kind of guy to come between two people are deeply in love as you and Kurosaki. Especially not when he's my Cero. Got more respect than that."
"I would never do you the disservice of assuming as much, Grimmjow." He dabbed his tongue across his lips, "At the very least, let me confirm that I care for you. You became a close friend in Las Noches, and someone I would fight to protect. I have hopes that our friendship may continue now that you are free from Aizen's control."
Looking down at him, bright blue eyes softened as a small smile graced the Espada's features, "Sounds good to me."
Byakuya's gaze turned skyward again and he let out a breath, "Curse Kisuke Urahara for suggesting such a dangerous scheme. I wish I could have accompanied them... To make sure for myself that Ichigo remained safe."
"Primera will see him safe." Grimmjow muttered, "I'm sure of it."
"I know he will..." The nobleman trailed off, his lips turning downwards, "But what of that which comes after the Dangai... If Urahara is to be believed this scheme will see Ichigo put on a better footing with Aizen... Maybe even surpass him. But making the Hōgyoku disloyal to him seems such a difficult task and I..."
"Kuchiki Taichou." Unohana's voice was stern but serene beside him, "You know Kurosaki-san better than almost anyone here, you have seen him at his very worst and at his very best. Deep down you know his chances of success. I think, perhaps, we all do. For we have all seen him fight to protect his friends, and we have seen his anger when he fails. As he has time to think between this fight and the next, his anger will grow. And even if it seems like he will fail... I am sure his rage will make him stronger."
There was a faraway look in her eyes that he couldn't place and his frown deepened, swallowing hard, "Unohana Taichou... Why was Ichigo late to the battle?"
She looked down, her hands shaking only slightly as she continued to push her healing forces through him, "He was... Captured by Aizen's assassin and confined within Kyōkan."
"Kyōkan? That's where Norio was taken." Byakuya's eyes widened slightly, "Don't tell me Norio was..."
"No." She interrupted softly, "Kuchiki Taichou... The truth is far worse I fear."
His mouth dried immediately at the look in her eyes, he'd seen it many times. He'd used it many times. The dispassionate tranquillity that came from delivering bad news. The worst news. Could it be...
"Aizen's assassin is called Izanshi, he is capable of taking on the forms of those he had stolen reiatsu from. But he is also capable of creating clones of himself, each able to use a different form." Unohana began, "Kurosaki-san seemingly realised something was amiss with Norio Kuchiki's behaviour and ventured to the Great Central Underground Prison to investigate last night. There, he discovered that the prison guard was in fact the assassin, or one of its' bodies."
"And... Norio?"
"I fear your cousin has been dead for sometime, Kuchiki Taichou, I'm truly very sorry." She whispered, "The Hollow stole his reiatsu, and stole his form to continue acting within the Kuchiki Clan, and as a direct influence upon your life."
Byakuya stared at her for what felt like an eternity, his heart thundering in his chest, he sat up slowly despite her best efforts to stop him and rested his head in his hands, "That's... That's why he was behaving so strangely. Why he refused to accept Ichigo willingly into the Clan, why he fought so hard against our relationship, why he helped Ichigo escape Seireitei... It was the Hollow... All along... Curses..."
"I fear you are correct." The woman paused, "But I fear that is not the worst of it. The cell in which Kurosaki-san was imprisoned overnight was full of bodies. Shinigami... Dozens and dozens of them. Among them was my own Third Seat, Norio Kuchiki... But also... Hinamori Fukutaichou..."
He balked, eyes snapping up to meet hers, "No! Aizen's Fukutaichou?! I... I can't believe it... Does Hitsugaya-"
"Not yet." She whispered.
Letting out a startled gasp, Byakuya looked down, "My God... We have been played so thoroughly from the very beginning. How did you know where to find Ichigo? When I called Urahara..."
"It appears that man had a similar suspicion to Kurosaki-san. When he received your call and arrived in Seireitei, he came to me. I had not long finished healing Zaraki Taichou. I heard him out, and we agreed that the best place to conceal someone like Kurosaki-san would be the prison. So we ventured there to find him. Urahara-san was aware of Norio's imprisonment, and suspected things where not as they seemed."
"That man..." He clenched his teeth, "And so, Ichigo's fury at realising some of his friends have perished as a result of Aizen will fuel him once he has cleared his mind of the battle here. Perhaps you are right, Unohana Taichou, perhaps that alone will be enough..."
"You know him best." She smiled.
"I guess I do." He agreed, wincing momentarily as the first beams of brilliant sunlight struck his face as the clouds began to clear, the hues of orange and yellow seemed dull in comparison to Ichigo's hair, he let out a breath and a small smile tugged at his lips, "It won't be his rage that fuels him. It won't be his guilt, or his regrets. It will be love. The love of his friends, the love of his family."
Unohana seemed pleased that his melancholy was fading, she continued healing him in silence. During that time, Shinji returned with the news that Rukia was past the worst of her injuries and would survive, along with Renji and Szayel. The relief between Byakuya and Grimmjow was extreme and the blue haired Espada finally left his side to venture and see his friend. Byakuya sucked in a breath and clenched a fist.
"Unohana Taichou, please... Do what you can as quickly as you can. I want to go after them." He looked her dead in the eye, "When Ichigo strikes that bastard down... I want to be there for him."
She looked over him for a long moment before nodding once, "I will do my very best, Kuchiki Taichou."
Ichigo peered around the familiar city scape of his Inner World. He could sense Shiro and Tensa nearby, lingering just out of sight. Ever since he'd entered his meditative state they had been avoiding him, it was as if they knew why he was there. They knew what he wanted to ask them. He could feel their shared fear, their shared anger, their shared reluctance.
"Please come out... I don't have time to play games..." He whispered.
He had watched as Urahara and Starrk worked together to hold back the current of time in the Dangai, both men had connected to the Kaikyō Kotei and begun feeding their reiatsu into it. Apparently, Urahara had contacted Kurotsuchi not long before finding Ichigo in the prison and had requested that the man monitor any unauthorised Senkaimon. Should he sense a vast reiatsu like Aizen's, he was to divert it's course.
It would buy them two hours at the least. Inside the Dangai, that meant Ichigo could linger for close to four thousand hours, if Starrk and Urahara were able to hold up that long. He didn't want to put them in danger by staying too long. He didn't have time to play games with Tensa or Shiro. He needed them now, needed to know what the other Getsuga Tenshou was capable of. He needed to win.
"The Final Getsuga Tenshou." Tensa's voice came from behind him, full of anger and remorse.
"Final... Getsuga Tenshou?" He repeated, turning to face the spirit of his Zanpakutō, "Why have you been hiding? Don't you realise what we're up against?! I need this! I need to beat Aizen! Please help me!"
"No." The dark haired man shook his head, "Absolutely not. Find another way."
"There is no other way!" He exclaimed, "Didn't you see what happened out there?! I can't beat him like this! I need more power! I need your help! I need to protect my friends! I need to protect Karakura town!"
"I do not care about your friends!" Zangetsu snapped, fists clenched at his sides, "I do not care about Karakura town! Leave!"
"No!" He shouted, taking a step forwards, "I'm not leaving without your knowledge Zangetsu! Help me!"
"In all our years together..." There was a tingle of true rage in the Spirit's voice, "Through all the times you have used and abused the power I have granted you... You have never before asked too much. But now you do, Ichigo. You ask... Too much."
"I'm sorry!" The strawberry swallowed, "I'm sorry for the past, I'm sorry that I abused your power... Believe me if I could change it I would but... I can't. I have to ask this... I have to... I'm sorry."
The growl of frustration the man released was mirrored only by the way his shoulders seemed to curl inwards, as if trying to protect himself. He watched as blue eyes narrowed furiously, lips thinning into a line, jaw setting.
"If you want the Final Getsuga Tenshou... You will have to take it from me." Came the cold, brittle statement.
"So... It comes down to that? I have to fight you? I have to make you my enemy?" Ichigo shook his head, "This is madness..."
"No, Ichigo... I will not be your enemy."
"We both will, King." Shiro's voice came from behind the strawberry.
Ichigo tensed, realising he was stood between them, he was startled to see that Shiro's expression matched Tensa's. The albino too was full of anger, regret and torment. What on Earth was the Final Getsuga Tenshou to make them act like this.
"Fine, I have to fight you both and win. You'd better be ready to surrender that technique when I do!" He growled, lifting his hand as he flourished his blackened katana.
"Oh King... Yer still so naïve even after all this shit." Shiro shook his head, the albino walked forwards, passing him without so much as a second glance as he moved to stand beside Tensa, "Ya ain't gonna be fighting us two to one... Yer gonna be fightin' us... Combined."
The sunrise haired Shinigami faltered, watching as Tensa and Shiro disintegrated into pale blue reishi, the swirls of energy met and clashed, coiling around one and other before a new form took the place of the two sentient beings who had been there before.
His breath hitched in his throat as the world seemed to shake beneath the force of their reiatsu. The new form seemed mostly like Tensa, but his coat-like shihakusho had turned bleach white, while thick tufts of ebony fur rounded his neck and wrists like manes. His wavy length of hair had turned while like Shiro's and his skin seemed paler. Ichigo's stomach twisted as he saw one blue eye, and one golden and black as part of Shiro's blackened mask formed on the crown of the creatures' head. A single jagged horn stretching towards the sky with a malicious promise.
The sword in their hand, a white katana, was pointed directly at him. Fingers tight. Stance set. Eyes narrowed.
"What the fuck are you?" Ichigo asked, eyes wide as he stared at the new being before him.
"When you were born, your Shinigami powers were born with you. When Aizen used the Hōgyoku and you intercepted it, your Hollow powers were born. Originally, we should have merged as one being, but the fracture of your mind when you were forced to slay your family kept us as two entities instead of one." He sounded like Tensa, but there was a faint silvery undertone, "We are both your source of power. If you want to learn the Final Getsuga Tenshou... THIS IS THE FORM YOU MUST DEFEAT!"
Ichigo lurched out of the way, rolling across the floor as the white blade impacted against the floor where he had just been standing. He felt the shock waves of the tarmac tearing apart, scattering up into the pair with the force of the blow. He barely had time to turn and block before Tensa was upon him.
They clashed in a frenzied fury of metal and steel, Tensa was faster than he remembered. His reiatsu was thicker. His strength increased tenfold. The merged being before him had all the skill of the Zanpakutō while retaining all the fury and force of the Hollow.
Terrifying.
Forced to duck and dodge, arm shaking every time he was forced to block a blow that would have killed him. Ichigo lost track of time, knowing only the fight. It genuinely felt like Tensa was trying to kill him. Trying to show him that he wasn't worthy of the Final Getsuga Tenshou. But there was something else, every time their swords met, all he could feel was overpowering loneliness flowing through the white form before him.
He couldn't understand it. He couldn't understand what would make his powerful Zanpakutō feel so lonely. He knew he'd mistreated him in the past, isolated him because of his affiliation with Aizen, but things had changed! Their relationship had changed during their combined efforts to force Shiro into submission in Las Noches. So why... Why was he so lonely?!
All he wanted to do in that moment was reassure Tensa. To let him know that he wasn't alone. That he wasn't abandoned or neglected. He wanted him to know that... He cared.
Ichigo cried out in pain as he was kicked so hard he was thrown through two skyscrapers, his body arching and bending as he broke through brick and concrete and skidding across the floor. Scuffs and cuts and grazes opened up across his skin, blood dripping from between his lips from biting his tongue.
He swore under his breath and picked himself back up, teeth gritting as he waited for Tensa's next attack. No matter what his Zanpakutō was feeling, no matter how much he wanted to comfort him. He had a job to do. He had to protect his friends. He had to protect Karakura town. He had to stop Aizen.
"Do you even realise how long we've been fighting?" Tensa asked, suddenly behind him.
Ichigo gasped and narrowly avoided being stabbed in the back, he swung around and deflected another life threatening blow, "It doesn't matter."
"You've been here almost a month, I'm shocked you're still on your feet."
"I have no intention of falling... Not until you teach me the Final Getsuga Tenshou!" He snarled, pushing against their grating swords as he tried to force Zangetsu back.
His response seemed to anger the Zanpakutō spirit, "I WILL NOT TEACH YOU!" He roared furiously.
Ichigo's fingers were numb from deflecting rage induced blows, his arms shaking, his shoulders aching. Every strike, every lash, every arch and every stab. He had several cuts, more than a dozen bruises. His body was aching and protesting. The battle continued relentlessly, and yet despite Tensa saying he'd been there for a month, it felt like no longer than a matter of minutes.
Panting harshly as he clambered free of the debris, Ichigo slumped forwards over a large lump of concrete, remembering Urahara's warning as he had entered meditation.
"Be careful, Kurosaki-san. Isshin told me that his Zanpakutō went wild during this process, more feral and deadly than ever before. If Zangetsu is anything like Engetsu was... You will need to use every skill you've ever learned to defeat him. Do not die, Kurosaki-san."
"Well... He wasn't wrong." He muttered, grunting with the effort it took to stand. He was exhausted, but he couldn't stop now. He had to keep fighting. People were relying on him. And currently, only Kurotsuchi and Nemu were in the real Karakura town to defend it against Aizen. No matter how well the Division Twelve Taichou had done his job Aizen would eventually reach Karakura. He didn't have the time to keep playing.
He shot back up onto the roof of one of the skyscrapers, gasping in surprise when he was immediately engaged again. Ichigo grunted as more and more powerful blows registered against his sword, his arms numbing more and more with every hit. His legs were shaking with the effort to remain standing.
The strawberry's expression changed as he watched his blade blade beginning to crack, he tried urgently to disengage and put space between them but the merged form of his Zanpakutō and Hollow was relentless. He was pursued with each movement he made, blood flowing free as he received more and more wounds and snags and slices.
Ichigo let out a startled noise from deep in his throat, horror flooding him as he watched his sword break beneath Zangetsu's attack, his fingers tightened around the hilt. Even with a broken blade... He couldn't give up.
"Why... Why are you fighting so hard?" Ichigo asked, expression tormented at the broken rage he saw.
"Because..." Tensa's eyes flicked up to his face, but lingered there for only a moment before he seemed almost forced to look away, "... Of what I must protect."
He didn't understand. The spirit of his sword and Hollow seemed so angry, and yet so utterly sad at the same time. The way he'd looked away... As if it hurt to look at him... What was going on? He couldn't help but consider that... If Zangetsu had really wanted to beat him then he would have done at the very start of the fight. If he truly didn't want to tell him the secret of the Final Getsuga Tenshou then he could have remained hidden. He could have stopped the fight at any time and concealed himself. Why was there so much sadness, loneliness and sorrow flowing from Zangetsu's white blade?!
His expression changed suddenly as he watched Zangetsu shooting towards him, his heart aching as he allowed his broken blade to slip through his fingers, clattering loudly against the rooftop. He saw Tensa's blue and gold eyes widen in horror, but he couldn't stop. He was too fast.
The white sword ran him through, plunging straight through his chest and heart. He could hear the splash of blood, feel the warmth of it running from the wound. Tensa had managed to hit him in the exact same spot as Gin had so many months ago, sliding between his ribs unhindered.
There was no pain.
Zangetsu looked up at him slowly, lips turned downwards mournfully, "Congratulations... You realised that only by accepting my blade could you acquire the Final Getsuga Tenshou..."
"I-It doesn't hurt..." He said quietly.
"Of course it doesn't." Came the muttered reply, Tensa's voice turning strained, "If you accept this sword, the sword which came from you... There will never be any pain..."
Ichigo stared, feeling a coldness wash over him as he watched tears rolling down the pale spirit's cheeks, "Why... Why are you..."
"The Final Getsuga Tenshou. It is our ultimate ability, the most powerful we possess." Tensa breathed, his hands quivering.
"Why... Why were you so unwilling to teach me it?" He asked, "Why are you so sad?"
"You don't understand what you're asking... How could you? It... Is a power with a tremendous price." The Zanpakutō spirit sucked in a shaky breath, tears continuing to flow free, "The price is too high. Too damn high."
"No price is too high if it means protecting everyone." The strawberry argued.
"I don't care about your friends." Tensa breathed, "I don't care about protecting them. From the moment you were born you wanted to protect everyone around you. How easily you forget that a Zanpakutō is the mirror of your own soul."
"What... Do you want to protect?" He asked.
"You, Ichigo." The spirit swallowed thickly, "If I teach you this technique... I will have failed to protect you. I will have failed the very thing I live to do. I will lose you Ichigo. Forever."
"I don't understand." He reached out, fingers brushing the pale cheek of the spirit.
Tensa seemed to press into his touch, teeth clenched as if experiencing physical pain as a broken sob escaped his lips, his fingers slowly loosened on the white hilt of the blade, hands falling to his sides as his body arched forwards. Ichigo could barely stand to see him so broken, so hurt. But he didn't understand.
Their eyes met for a long moment, Tensa's voice cracking with emotion, "The Final Getsuga Tenshou... This blade will teach you the meaning soon enough. Together with the essentials of the technique. Ichigo... If you use this technique you will..."
