A.N.: This is a request by draxon.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter Thirteen

Two days later…
Sokyoku Hill

Everything Ichigo had gone through had led to this moment, the final showdown with his enemy, Rukia's older brother, Byakuya Kuchiki. His black blade, the embodiment of his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu clashed with the man as he engaged the captain in a fast and furious duel.

Ichigo had arrived at just the last second to save Rukia, stopping the giant firebird with his zanpakuto. After Rukia's superior officer, Captain Ukitake, and his ally Kyoraku destroyed the Sokyoku, Ichigo tossed Rukia to Renji, who'd arrived after recovering from his defeat at the hands of Byakuya. After dispatching multiple lieutenants barehanded, Ichigo engaged Byakuya Kuchiki in open combat, their final battle beginning.

Though Ichigo got the upper hand with his Zangetsu's special ability, the Getsuga Tensho, Byakuya showed him how outclassed he was when he unleashed his Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Although Byakuya glowered in his impending victory, Ichigo surprised him by revealing he'd achieved Bankai himself, unleashing his sword's final form: Tensa Zangetsu.

And yet…something felt off.

As he dodged and evaded Byakuya's blades, Ichigo felt something stir within him. He didn't have time to dwell on it, but in the back of his mind, he started to feel afraid…

Ichigo unleashed the full speed of his enhanced power, catching Byakuya by surprise. "You said I wouldn't get another miracle. So what's this?" he asked before he slashed Byakuya in the chest.

Though he staggered backwards, Byakuya was still determined to strike down the impudent boy. "So I see. So that is your Bankai's power." Byakuya's eyes gleamed with bloodlust as he glared at Ichigo. 'Then I'll crush that power and you along with it!"

The blood dripping from Byakuya's wound glowed white as he summoned his petal blades. "Behold. This is Senbonzakura's true form, when it has abandoned all defense and commits itself only to killing an enemy," Byakuya proclaimed.

"Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

The two combatants were surrounded by a cage of glowing pink swords. Byakuya reached out with his hand and a sword appeared in it. He saw the frightened look on Ichigo's face and stepped closer. "Don't be afraid. The swords will not attack you," he told the boy. However, he was wrong about what was scaring the teen.

The dark stirring inside Ichigo grew. In addition, his body started to feel strained, the fatigue of his nonstop fights setting in. "Ugh…" He recognized the sensation. It was the same feeling that he felt when he fought his shadow and when he was with Halibel…

Byakuya saw the boy stumble and was confused. He didn't judge the boy to be frightened so easily and could tell something was wrong. "What is the matter?" he asked as he slumped forward. When Ichigo didn't answer, Byakuya decided to end the fight once and for all. He thought for a moment that Ichigo was setting him up with a feint but went in for the kill anyway. "This ends here." He lunged forward and brought his sword down to cut through Ichigo's head like a melon.

But Ichigo surprised him when he moved. He didn't bring his black blade up to block though. Instead, Ichigo stunned the captain when he reached out with his bare hand and caught his glowing blade. "What?"

"You fool," said the boy in a dark, mysterious voice. "Throwing yourself into a fight you can't possibly win? What would your girlfriend think?"

"How?" Byakuya gawked. "Who are you?" When Ichigo looked up, his eyes widened with horror.

The boy's eyes were black and yellow. And growing on the side of his face was a Hollow mask. "Who am I? I have no name!"

Meanwhile…
Hueco Mundo; Halibel's Room

Inside her room, Halibel was sleeping, resting comfortably on a huge bed. Her rest was disturbed, however, when she suddenly opened her eyes and sat up. She didn't know why but she could sense something terrible.

Something had happened to Ichigo.

Getting out of bed, Halibel tried to shake the feeling she'd woken up to. Despite the fact that her student was literally worlds away, Halibel felt a dark shift in the air, as if something unnatural had been awakened. "What's happened?" she asked herself.

Then she remembered something she'd neglected to think about. When she met Ichigo after his training, she noticed something different about him. At first she thought it was just his increased strength but his spiritual pressure felt darker, much like a Hollow's.

Halibel gasped as a revelation hit her. She cursed her lack of insight. She hadn't thought about exactly how Kisuke Urahara helped him get his powers back. There was only one recourse since he'd lost his Soul Reaper powers and that was to make him undergo Hollowfication.

She didn't know how but she knew that the boy was in danger from himself. She squeezed her fists, cursing her helplessness. She hated herself for not going to help him, her cheeks burning from her cowardice.

"Ichigo…" she whispered as she sat down in her chair. "Please be safe…"

But for now, all the Arrancar could do was wait.

Much later…
Sokyoku Hill

Ichigo stood next to Renji as they stared down the traitorous captain, Souske Aizen, and his two compatriots, Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen. Though Ichigo had been victorious with one battle, he'd ended up fighting another one right after.

His fight with Byakuya had become interrupted when his Inner Hollow took over, fighting the captain blow for blow. The Hollowfied Ichigo managed to get in a critical hit with a black Getsuga Tensho before Ichigo fought for control of his body back. Byakuya watched in amazement as Ichigo endured a mental Jekyll/Hyde struggle for his own body before coming back to the forefront to finish the fight.

The two unleashed their final attacks and Ichigo ended up the victor. Byakuya, taking too deep a wound, dropped to his knees and gave the fight to Ichigo, telling him to finish him off so that he could die with what dignity he had. But Ichigo refused. It wasn't Byakuya who was his enemy, after all, but the law of the Soul Society. Touched by Ichigo's drive, Byakuya agreed to not pursue Rukia anymore before collapsing.

Reunited with his friends, Ichigo let Orihime heal his wounds before they were contacted by one of the lieutenants who informed them of the mastermind behind Rukia's execution: Souske Aizen. Sensing them back up on the Sokyoku Hill, Ichigo raced back up and saved Renji and Rukia before Aizen could kill them.

"You ready, Ichigo?" Renji asked while he prepared his final attack. "This move will only work once but if it hits, Aizen will be vulnerable."

Ichigo prepared himself. He'd mostly recovered his strength thanks to Orihime and he was ready to strike down his man. He took Halibel's lesson to heart. This was the man who'd been the cause of much of his grief. Ichigo would show him no quarter.

Making a stance, Renji gathered what strength he had. "This is gonna sting, Zabimaru. Just grit your teeth and bear with it." He stabbed the broken sword into the ground. "Higa Zekkô!"

The broken pieces of Zabimaru that lay around Aizen glowed red before rising up. Before Aizen could react, the blades converged on him, the man disappearing in a cloud of dust. Seeing his chance, Ichigo charged forward before they even hit their mark, certain that his speed wouldn't fail him. Reaching Aizen he swung with all his might.

Aizen caught it with his bare hand.

Ichigo was stunned. He couldn't believe what was happening. How was Aizen that strong?

The captain took a swing at the exposed Ichigo but the boy's reflexes were sharp enough to help him dodge the blow, narrowly avoiding being cut in half. Aizen let go of Ichigo's sword and noted the tiny cut on his palm. He gave the boy a chilling smile. "She taught you well," he praised.

Ichigo blinked in surprise. "What?"

SHUNK!

An intense pain filled Ichigo's innards. Looking down, he saw Aizen's sword sticking out of his stomach. His head turned in horror to see Aizen standing directly behind him. Ichigo had never even seen him move!

"But not good enough."

Pulling his sword out of Ichigo, Aizen watched the boy crumple to the ground before turning his attention to Rukia and Renji. Ichigo could do nothing but lay on the ground as he watched events progress, unable to even move.

Ichigo watched as Aizen cut down Renji and move to obtain his prime objective from Rukia: an object hidden inside her Konpaku by Kisuke called the Hogyoku. Captain Komamura attempted to stop him but even he was defeated with a single spell. Aizen extracted the Hogyoku from Rukia, leaving Gin to finish her off. Byakuya arrived and took the blow in her place, saving his sister.

The other captains arrived but even they failed to keep the traitors from escaping. Helped by the Menos of Hueco Mundo, Aizen and his allies were lifted up by their Nagaciôn. Discarding his glasses, Aizen took one last look at his enemies as he stood with his minions.

"Farewell, Soul Reapers." His eyes turned to the defeated Ichigo. "Goodbye, Ryoka boy. You were most interesting for a Human."

Ichigo watched the man leave before grimacing, his mind turning back to what Aizen had said.

"She taught you well…"

Ichigo's hands squeezed into fists. "Halibel…" he groaned. Aizen's words had left him feeling betrayed.

'Whose side are you on?'

To be continued