Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Deep inside the Garganta

Halibel led the way, guiding the group towards the darkness within. The group ran along a wide path of Reishi she created to give them something to walk on. "Keep close," she warned the others. "Should you fall into the void, you'll never be found again."

The others all gulped, knowing that there was danger all around them and they hadn't even made it to Hueco Mundo yet. Uryu looked over at the shopkeeper and noted the distress etched into his face. "Kisuke, you said that Yoruichi was captured? How could the enemy managed that?"

"Aizen's scientist, Szayelapporo," Kisuke explain. "He was packing a lot of crazy abilities. That and he brought a whole hoard of his subordinates down on Yoruichi. He used the power of his Resurección to cripple her by creating a voodoo doll of her and immobilized her. Then Szayel's Arrancars swarmed her and turned into a stone cube with her inside."

Orihime and Rukia gasped in horror. The idea that the enemy had the capabilities to defeat and capture someone with the speed and power of Yoruichi was chilling. "Do you think she's okay?" Orihime asked with hope in her voice.

Halibel didn't want to give her an answer but she couldn't mince words. "She's still alive. Szayelapporo would not kill her after going through such lengths. But that's not a comforting thought." She didn't look at Orihime as she continued speaking. "If Yoruichi is in Szayelapporo's clutches, then she faces fates worse than death."

"Oh no!" Orihime gasped in horror.

Running alongside her, Uryu glanced over at Rukia. "You sure about this, Rukia? You'll get in trouble with the squads."

Rukia merely huffed. "It's a little late to back out now. Besides, how could I just stay in the Soul Society after my captain warned me about the Head-Captain's orders to kill Ichigo? You guys went through hell to rescue me. I owe it to Ichigo to help him rescue his baby."

Halibel gave a glance over at Ichigo and found amusement when she saw his expression. "Are you okay, Ichigo? Your face is red."

Ichigo made sure that Rukia couldn't see his face as he tried to quell the rush of emotions from Rukia's statement. "I'm fine…" he murmured, his ears burning when he heard Orihime and Rukia giggle.

"We're here."

Everyone held their breath as another tear in the void opened up in front of them. The group jumped out and landed on a desert of white sand. Ichigo looked around as he examined the area. The white desert stretched endlessly into the horizon beneath a black sky, small withered trees panted here and there. It looked like the whole world had been caught in an old photograph. "This is…"

"Hueco Mundo. The realm of the Hollows." Halibel pointed off in the distance. "And that…is Las Noches."

The group turned and stood in awe at the large fortress in the distance. Even from far away it was massive. Kisuke whistled as he looked at the home of the Espadas. "Wow. Aizen certainly thinks big, doesn't he?"

"In the beginning, Las Noches was just a large stone floor with a throne. Barragan considered the sky of Hueco Mundo to be the roof of his palace and the canyons in the distance his walls. After Aizen usurped the throne, we built upon Barragan's original 'palace' and created this fortress."

Uryu took a few steps forward as he looked at the enemy base. "Why did you not get us inside?"

Halibel shook her head. "No. If Lord-" She hesitated for a moment and shook her head. "If Aizen knows we're coming, he would expect us to arrive right in the middle of it. Then we'd have to deal with all the Espada and the rest of Aizen's forces at once. That and…"

"What?" Orihime asked, everyone looking at Halibel curiously.

"Everyone, I would like to ask you to indulge my selfishness for a few minutes. I'd like to speak with Ichigo alone. We have things to discuss."

Rukia and Uryu looked at the woman dubiously but Kisuke gave her a nod. "Just don't take too long."

Orihime watched Ichigo and his mentor/girlfriend walk several yards away from them. "What do you think she wants to talk to him about?"

Rukia sighed. "I have some ideas. If even half of what Aizen said is true, then those two have some real problems to overcome…"

Ichigo continued following Halibel until they were a sizable distance away from the group. Halibel turned away from him and sat down on the white sand, staring intently at the fortress in the distance. "Ichigo…" She closed her eyes and felt a cold chill run down her spine. 'Is he watching us? Is his eye upon us even now? Has it always been that way? Throughout it all has he really been watching us both from the shadows?' She clutched her arms as she tried to finally process what Aizen had said. "I…I don't even know where to start."

"I know." Ichigo sat down next to her. The couple quietly sat there for a minute, each trying to digest what Aizen had told them. Ichigo could hear the harsh words of Captain Unohana echo throughout his mind.

"At best you are Aizen's puppet. He has steered you your entire life in order to make you his servant. At worst you're a weapon forged by both Aizen and Halibel meant to strike at the heart of the Soul Society."

"Halibel…am I just his puppet?" he finally asked, staring down at the ground. "He…he's been behind everything that's happened to me. To us. What are we? Just his science experiment?"

Halibel remained silent for a few moments. "Do you love me?" she finally asked.

"I do." Ichigo answered without hesitation.

"And I love you. I would give my heart to you had I one to give." Halibel reached for his hand and took it in hers. "He might have made us. He might have been the guiding hand that brought us together. But he does not own us. I want to believe we are the masters of our fate. But now…" She looked down at their hands and felt tears threaten to spill from her eyes. "What are we?"

Ichigo squeezed her hand. He knew exactly how Halibel felt. He felt that same whirlwind of emotions after Yamamoto and Aizen threatened him. The fear in Halibel's eyes mirrored his own on that day. And to make matters worse, their baby was in the clutches of the man who started all of this. He wrapped his arms around Halibel and drew her close, pressing his face into her blonde hair. "You are Halibel. And I am Ichigo. I will never bow to that man. And neither should you."

Halibel clutched his arms and finally let the tears fall. "Asahi…I want my Asahi…" she cried. Despite Orihime's powers, her stomach still burned from where Aizen stabbed her. "I want my baby back!"

The two remained silent on the desert sands, holding each other as they tried to overcome the wave of sadness that threatened to consume them. Ichigo ran his hand soothingly through Halibel's hair while she cried, close to tears himself. But this time he knew he had to be the strong one and remind Halibel of her own strength. "Halibel…I've only been able to come this far because of you. No matter how dark things got, you've always been my light." Halibel quieted down as she listened to her lover. "And I still need your light. Asahi needs your light." Hugging her tighter, Ichigo let his warmth protect her from the desert cold.

"I'm afraid, Ichigo…" Halibel admitted. "What if this is exactly what he wants? He could be spying on us even now."

The desert wind howled around them while Ichigo remained silent. "Do you remember what you once said to me?"

"What?"

"You once held me, like I'm doing now, and told me that fear is necessary to grow. I know you're scared, Halibel. I'm scared too. That man scares me to my bones." Ichigo looked up and for the first time in a while, a fire had been lit. He stared at Las Noches with a growing indignant rage at what'd been done by Aizen to him and his family. "But I will never bow to that man. I will beat him and I will take back Asahi. Then we're going home. And if the captains want a fight, we'll give them one." He stood up and offered his hand to Halibel. "But I can't do this without my teacher."

Halibel looked up. Staring into Ichigo's determined eyes, Halibel felt that bubbling feeling inside her start to grow. Her Hollow hold felt hot as she felt love surge through her. "I taught you well…" she finally said as she took hold of his hand. "I guess the student has become the master."

"I've still a lot to learn from you." Ichigo helped Halibel to her feet. "Now dry your eyes. And let's go get our baby back."

The couple walked back over to the others, who'd been waiting patiently on a huge white rock. "Sorry that took so long, guys."

Kisuke gave his student an understanding smile. "It's alright. You two have been through a lot in the past few hours. It's only natural that you needed a moment to get it together." He looked over at Las Noches and pointed to the five tiny towers poking up at the top. "I'm betting Asahi is being held in one of those towers."

"Yes. Aizen would want to keep our girl close at hand. Not just for leverage but to keep her away from the other Espada. She is either in his quarters at the north tower or in the throne room," Halibel surmised. "But as for Yoruichi...she would be in Szayelapporo's laboratory. Kisuke, I'm sorry." She bowed her head and felt shame for what she'd wrought on the shopkeeper. "I am to blame for this. My actions brought Szayelapporo onto your doorstep."

Kisuke shook his head. "No. It's not your fault. I was right there and I let her be snatched right in front of me. While you and Ichigo get your daughter back, I will go and save Yoruichi. Hopefully I'm not in for a scolding for keeping her waiting." Kisuke joked but he was deathly afraid for what was happening to his best friend at the hands of Aizen's minion.

Deciding that the touchy-feely stuff needed to be put behind them, Uryu cocked a thumb over to the fortress. "Halibel, is there a quicker way there than just running? We're out in the open. If Aizen decided to throw all of his forces at us we'll be in a bind."

"Not so." Halibel crossed her arms and shook her head. "Aizen is thinking that Ichigo and I are going to join him in order to get back Asahi. And if he's spent so much time and effort grooming the both of us, he wouldn't want to throw us away so casually. But…" She looked back at Las Noches and sighed. "I'm afraid I might have put us too far away. It'll be quite a while before-"

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone turned around to see a small robed figure being chased by a trio of Hollows. "Someone's in trouble!" Orihime gasped. "We have to help!"

"But this is Hueco Mundo. The only ones here are Hollows and Arrancars," Uryu pointed out.

But for Ichigo, there was no point in debating. "I'm going to help."

Halibel saw the Hollows chasing the person and narrowed her eyes. "Wait a minute…that large worm..."

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" the tiny figure screamed before Ichigo suddenly appeared behind them and swatted one of the pair of Hollows closest to him with his sheathed zanpakuto. The Hollow with a bug-shaped mask found himself running straight into Orihime's shield, smashing right into it and falling on his ass. Kisuke created a Kidō net to ensnare the worm Hollow following them.

Halibel scooped up the childlike figure into her arms. "Are you alright, little one?"

"What are you doing?!" The person pulled back her hood to reveal the face of a small child with green hair. "Why are you bullying us?"

At the sight of the skull-like mask, green hair and pink mark upon the girl's face, Halibel gasped in shock. "You…you're…Neliel?!"

To be continued