Ichigo slept in the guest room that had been provided to him until early afternoon. He wanted to spend more time with Rukia, but didn't want to look suspicious. So instead he allowed himself to be escorted down to another luxurious dinner and then to the princesses' room. Once again, he refused the sake from Sui-Feng – and the chocolate that Yachiru offered him, just in case. And once again he laid down and pretended to sleep.
The second night went much as the first had. He chose yet another boat to board and ended up in the one with Orihime and her pale, dour partner.
"Prince Sosuke will be finished with his project soon," the man said. "Will you stay here with me, even after your dancing is no longer needed?" Though his tone was flat and almost emotionless, there was a softness to his bright green eyes and Ichigo thought – Oh. He's in love with her.
Orihime giggled softly. "Can't you come with me, instead, Ulquiorra? I want you to see where I live. There's beautiful sunlight, and delicious sushi. And my father seems to have given up on the idea of any of my older sisters getting married, so I'm sure he'd be thrilled to meet you."
"Prince Sosuke will make your sister his bride," Ulquiorra said instead of answering her question directly. And Ichigo thought, over my dead body.
The dancing went as it had the night before, but this time Ichigo didn't just stand and watch. He needed to find out what this project was. He wandered the ballroom, listening in on the couples' conversations; once again Rukia seemed repelled and so did Nanao and Sui-Feng. Occasionally a servant – silent and clad in a plain uniform of white fabric trimmed with strips of black – stepped into the room to replenish something from the banquet table or offer a goblet of wine during a dancing break. Ichigo slipped out of the ballroom behind one of the servants.
He hated taking his eyes off of Rukia, but he needed to know what was going on. So, Ichigo followed that servant from the kitchens behind the ballroom and found himself in a surprisingly plain-looking hallway. From outside the building this 'Sosuke's' palace had looked huge – and so Ichigo was surprised by how utilitarian the space looked. Still, he knew he didn't have much time, and so he hurried down the hallway on sock-clad feet. Invisible though the cloak apparently made him, Ichigo knew that doors that opened by themselves would likely gain attention, and so he listened at every doorway before he opened it.
It quickly became clear that Sosuke's enormous palace was a false building of sorts. Though he found enough bedrooms for the twelve men who'd been dancing with the princesses each night, and a dining room with a table large enough for thirty people, the palace did not seem nearly so large outside of the ballroom. And there were few servants wandering the hallways (a fact for which Ichigo was grateful).
He followed a set of stairs downwards and found a few more rooms – and, finally, what he sought. A little surprised that there were no guards, Ichigo slid open a door into a tiny room. In the middle of the room sat a pedestal, and upon that pedestal sat a gleaming black orb. Blue sparks circled it and Ichigo could see little tendrils coming towards it.
One of them hit him instead, and it felt so much like Rukia that his knees nearly buckled. This was why the princesses were dancing. This thing, whatever it was, was pulling their energy into itself. The question was what the twelve men upstairs were going to do with it once the 'project' was complete.
Ichigo memorized the look of the thing as best he could and then hurried back upstairs into the ballroom. He was just in time: the dancing was winding down. Several of the princesses had given up on dancing entirely and were nibbling on fruits and other dainties from the banquet table. Rukia was one of them, and she looked so exhausted that Ichigo just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her until she fell asleep. Instead, when she drifted toward a low couch at the end of the room he followed, and sat beside her when she draped herself over it. He didn't dare touch her. When she looked in his direction he froze, barely even breathing until she looked away again, a puzzled look on her face.
It was a short respite: Sosuke sought her out before too long and held out his hand. "There is a little more time for dancing, Rukia," he said in that smooth voice of his.
"Aa – I'm sorry, Prince Sosuke," Rukia said in a voice pitched higher and sweeter than anything she'd ever used with Ichigo. It sounded false to his ears, and he wondered if this man picked up on it. "My feet are so very sore, and my slippers are almost worn through." She lifted the hem of her plum-colored gown and showed off matching slippers. The soles were heavily scuffed and whatever held the slippers together was clearly failing: the leather of the soles was coming away from the fabric on both feet.
"But we must have one more dance," Sosuke said, and grabbed for Rukia's hand before she could stop him. "You must dance with me, princess."
The tone sent a chill down Ichigo's spine and he watched helplessly as Sosuke practically dragged Rukia onto the dance floor. The musicians in the far corner began a new song. Now that he'd seen the orb below the ballroom, he could see the occasional flash of energy from one of the princesses. He needed to know what this Sosuke wanted with the princesses' energy, and he quickly realized: he wasn't just solving a mystery.
This was a rescue mission, even if none of the princesses were in physical chains.
Ichigo got back up and sought out the other dancers, particularly the men. The fox-faced man dancing with Rangiku was a good start, and he listened shamelessly as the couple whispered to one another behind silver goblets.
"Trust me a little longer, Ran," he was saying when Ichigo got within earshot. "Aizen's near his goal and he needs me. But once this project is complete, you and I…" His eyes opened fully for once and Ichigo could see that they were the palest blue, almost silver in the light of the ballroom. "I'll come back with you and ask your father for your hand."
Rangiku was blushing and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I'd like that, Gin," she whispered. She took another sip of her wine. "But what is this project? Why does Prince Aizen need us to dance every night?"
"Aa, that's a secret, Ran." His eyes were back to their mostly-closed state, and Ichigo suppressed a sigh. Not that he expected it to be so easy to figure out.
But Rangiku did, apparently, and she leaned over and poked Gin in the cheek with one finger. "Tell me," she whined. "I've ruined almost a hundred pairs of dancing slippers, and father's never been so mad at me. Even the idea of marrying his daughter to a prince might not make him forgive me." The words were clearly an exaggeration and this time Ichigo had to suppress a snort of amusement.
"Hn. Still a secret, Ran," Gin grunted. "And it's time for you go to back to your bed." He whispered something in Rangiku's ear that Ichigo didn't quite catch, although what he did hear made the tips of his ears blush. He hurried away – this Gin was right. The musicians were silent and Sosuke was leading Rukia from the ballroom.
Ichigo grabbed a discarded goblet on the way back and tucked it beneath his cloak. He already had the jeweled twigs, but the more evidence he collected, the better. He sat in Tatsuki's boat again for the trip back, and watched the scowling, blue-haired prince pole them back to shore.
"Your feet hurting again?" he asked as Tatsuki put her feet up on the other bench, perilously close to Ichigo. His tone was gruff and though he looked annoyed, there was a hint of compassion in his voice.
"Hn. At least you didn't step on them this time," the princess said. She examined her ruined dancing slippers. "But these aren't made for dancing all night. I don't know why your older brother insisted we wear such flimsy shoes, Grimmjow."
That was another clue, and so was the way this Grimmjow scowled at her and said in a low voice, "He's no brother of mine."
"Then what is he?" Thanks for asking that, Tatsuki, Ichigo thought.
"A man who wants power," Grimmjow growled, and looked out over the water. Then he glanced down at Tatsuki again. "He'll make your older sister his wife when he gets it."
"Please. Rukia doesn't even like him. Why would she marry him?"
The other boats were beginning to reach the lakeshore, but Ichigo listened intently.
"Not sure she'll have a choice," Grimmjow commented. "Not when Aizen's the emperor."
And – oh. That changed Ichigo's plans altogether. When Grimmjow's boat docked and the other women were still disembarking, Ichigo listened to Aizen Sosuke and Rukia say their goodbyes. She was once again repelled by him, her hand snatched from his as soon as she could manage it and her body language stiff and uncomfortable.
"Tomorrow night, princess?" Sosuke asked and smiled at her with all of his teeth.
Rukia held her head in the air. "Sisters, we must get back to bed before dawn," she called, and Ichigo hurried ahead of them. Once again he was lying on his futon before even Rukia's feet were on the wooden floorboards. He waited impatiently while the women changed back into their nightclothes and settled back down for the night.
Then Ichigo stepped out from behind the screen and found Rukia's futon. She was still awake, he could tell: her eyes were closed but her breathing was still uneven. "Rukia," he whispered, and even in the near-total darkness of the bedroom, which had only a sliver of a window high on the far wall, he could see that her eyes flew open.
"Ichigo," she whispered back, and sat up so quickly their foreheads collided. "Ow!"
The noise woke up the rest of the sisters, and Nanao lit one of the oil lamps quickly. "What's going on? Rukia?"
Ichigo rubbed his forehead lightly. "Uh," he said intelligently. But Rukia was looking at him, and so was everyone else. And he looked around at them all and said, "You might as well light the sconces."
He took advantage of the distraction that caused to kiss Rukia's forehead where his had bumped hers, and mumbled an apology against her skin. She mumbled one back, and their lips met in a chaste kiss even as the room steadily grew lighter while Nanao and Orihime lit up each of the sconces on the walls.
"Oh! Rukia," Rangiku giggled when she saw them. Ichigo's cheeks heated and so did Rukia's, but he only shifted to sit on her futon with his knees drawn up towards his chest, one hand loosely holding hers.
When there was enough light in the bedroom to see by, Ichigo looked around. Every woman in the room looked exhausted, and Ururu and Yachiru looked as though they could barely keep their eyes open. "I know where you're all going at night," he said bluntly. "And I know this Aizen has some kind of plan that involves him taking your father's place as emperor."
Rukia's hand tightened around his while Rangiku and Orihime gasped. Tatsuki just raised an eyebrow at him. But it was Sui-Feng who spoke up and said, "And where did you hear that from? All Tousen told me is that he wants Rukia as a wife."
He felt Rukia stiffen next to him and Ichigo squeezed her hand gently. "Grimmjow, Tatsuki's dance partner, said it to her tonight. And both Gin and Ulquiorra have talked about some project that requires each of you to dance. It's stealing your energy to power something beneath Aizen's palace." Those words met with more gasps, but Ichigo barreled on, "So what I need to know is why none of you can tell your father, the emperor, that someone beneath his feet is plotting treason."
"It's a spell." The words came from an unexpected source: Ururu, whose voice was so quiet that Ichigo strained to hear her. "Jinta, the boy I'm supposed to dance with, says Sosuke has real magic, and he used it to cast a spell on my older sisters and some of the boys, too."
Ichigo blinked at her. "Real magic," he said flatly. When Ururu shrank back a little, Ichigo deliberately softened his expression and his voice. "Does Jinta know which of the men are under this spell? Do some of them not want to work for Sosuke?"
Ururu shrugged and continued in her soft voice, "Ulquiorra and Grimmjow are. Jinta doesn't think Grimmjow likes Sosuke at all. Gin isn't."
"But Gin thinks he's going to ask father for my hand in marriage," Rangiku spoke up, and blushed when twelve heads swung to look at her. "He didn't say that Aizen wants to be emperor!"
"Hn. Well, I'm not under a spell, and you can clearly talk about it with me," Ichigo pointed out.
"Maybe it's because you're supposed to be dead in two days," Sui-Feng said bluntly. "Only you wouldn't drink the drugged sake that I'm compelled to try and give you."
Ichigo grunted under his breath. He didn't like the reminder that, under a spell or not, the princesses were partially responsible for the deaths of over fifty men. He stood from Rukia's futon, hand letting go of hers, and walked behind the screen that separated his futon from everyone else's. There, he pulled his boots on and gathered up the jeweled twigs and the goblet. When he came back around the screen, they were all staring at him and Rukia was standing, hands clenched in her nightgown.
But Ichigo just walked to the door of the bedroom and pounded on it with his free hand, the sound echoing and reverberating through the room. When there was no response, he did it again, and finally the door unlocked.
"No one's supposed to leave before daylight," the young guard at the door whispered, body blocking Ichigo from leaving.
He rolled his eyes. "Go get Muguruma. Tell him it's an emergency."
The door shut and locked again, and when Ichigo turned Rukia was next to him. "What are you going to do?" she asked in a whisper.
"I'm going to tell your father that I know where you're going, that his daughters have been put under a spell, and that there's a man beneath his palace plotting treason." And then I'm going to stab Aizen in the heart for putting his hands on you, Ichigo thought.
Rukia's weight fell against him suddenly, and Ichigo slid an arm around her. "You mean it's going to be over soon?" she asked softly.
Ichigo kissed her forehead again. "If I have anything to say about it."
The door opened again a few minutes later and Muguruma was there, along with Hisagi. "You know what's happening," Muguruma said, and there was a note of wonder in his voice. "I've woken the emperor."
Ichigo glanced back at the women. "We should all go," he said. If the women were still under some kind of spell, he thought, one of them might try to get back to warn the princes.
And that was how a procession of three guards and twelve women and girls in nightdresses ended up in the emperor's throne room. The emperor wasn't exactly dressed for company either: he wore a black robe over his nightclothes, but his beard was tangled and he blinked owlishly as his daughters trailed in behind Ichigo, Muguruma, and Hisagi.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, but there was a note of something more in his voice. Ichigo thought it might be hope.
"Your Imperial Highness," Ichigo said, and bowed. "I know where your daughters are going at night, and I know why their slippers are worn through every morning."
As the emperor stared at him, Ichigo pulled from his pockets the three branches and the goblet. "There is a trap door beneath the floorboards of their bedroom. It leads down and away from your palace a short distance. I don't know how it's possible, but there is an underground cavern beneath your city, Sir." He held up the three branches. "They go through a grove of trees made of silver, and then one of gold. The final grove is a tree dripping with gemstones." At the emperor's gesture, Ichigo stepped closer and placed the three twigs in his hands.
Emperor Yamamoto studied them for a long moment, fingers moving over them slowly. "I see. And what do they do there, Kurosaki?"
"They are met by twelve men and boys, the oldest of whom is a man named Aizen Sosuke," Ichigo continued.
The Emperor straightened up and interrupted, "I banished that man from my sight two years ago. And you tell me he is under my city?"
Ichigo nodded slowly. "He and eleven others meet your daughters on the shore of an underground lake. They take the princesses across the lake to a building that looks like a palace from the outside. It has a ballroom, and your daughters dance with these men until their shoes are worn through. This is one of the goblets I took from the ballroom." He offers the golden cup to Yamamoto, who takes it with shaking fingers.
"My daughters are dancing with an exile," Yamamoto said slowly, and Ichigo shifted as though he could block the women from the emperor's sight.
"They are spelled," he said, "So that they couldn't tell you, and couldn't stop. I saw Aizen use some kind of – hypnotic magic on the crown princess. He must be using it on everyone. Princess Ururu's partner told her that some of the men are bespelled as well." Ichigo clenched his hands. "Aizen is using your daughters to power some kind of orb, your Imperial Highness. I don't know what it's supposed to do – but tonight I heard one of the men saying that whatever Aizen is planning is so that he can usurp you as emperor."
Yamamoto's eyes widened and he looked between Ichigo and his daughters. "Very well, Kurosaki Ichigo. You have solved this mystery. I suppose you want to choose a bride from amongst my daughters. Orihime is the prettiest, I suppose you'll want her."
Ichigo blinked at him and glanced back toward Rukia and her sisters. Orihime looked devastated at the idea, and he remembered the look in Ulquiorra's eyes as well. "The crown princess Rukia is my choice, your Imperial Highness, if she will have me." There were sighs behind him, Orihime's one of relief, and Ichigo straightened up. "But I think the more important thing here is that only a trap door lies between a traitor and you, Sir."
"Hn. Captain Muguruma, assemble a unit of guards," Yamamoto ordered.
"You say there is a lake down there, Kurosaki?" Muguruma asked, and Ichigo nodded to him.
"I didn't see a way around the lake to get to the palace on foot. But only the path through the trees is lit," Ichigo explained. "And I'm sure the little boats these men use are back at the underground palace."
Muguruma nodded and then bowed to the Emperor before striding off.
"Go and dress, before the rest of my guards see you in your nightgowns," the Emperor ordered his daughters. "Rukia?"
As the other women filed out, following Hisagi, she stepped up next to Ichigo. "Yes, father," she said, and bowed to him.
"Will you have this man as your husband?"
Ichigo didn't dare take her hand in his. But then the pretty alto voice next to him said, "I will. Kurosaki Ichigo is an honorable man."
Yamamoto hummed thoughtfully under his breath. "Good, then. Go and dress. And Kurosaki – you will accompany your fellow guardsmen."
Ichigo bowed. "Of course, Sir."
They waited until the door to the throne room was closed and they were alone in the hallway before they reached for one another. Rukia stood on her tiptoes in bare feet and Ichigo still had to lean down to reach her, but their lips met and clung for a long moment. Ichigo hauled her closer to him and held her tight against his body. "Let's go. I really am going to stab this Aizen," Ichigo said when they parted, and put his hand on his blade.
They were halfway back to the princesses' room, hands entwined, when Rukia said, "I'm going with you," and Ichigo blinked down at her.
"Like hell. I won't have you in harm's way," he growled as they hurried through the palace halls.
"I can fight. And so can Rangiku and Tatsuki, and Sui-Feng and Nanao. We're not helpless, Ichigo," Rukia growled right back.
Ichigo sighed heavily. "I thought you just came down to the salle because you were bored," he said. They were nearly to the doors, and Ichigo could see Hisagi standing outside.
"Well. There was that, too. And I liked looking at you," Rukia admitted with flushed cheeks.
Ichigo could feel his own cheeks heat, and heedless of the fact that Hisagi could see him, he stopped Rukia and leaned down to kiss her again. "Fine. But let the guards lead," he ordered.
Hisagi raised an eyebrow at him. "Muguruma wasn't pulling my leg," he said. Then he bowed to Rukia. "Your sisters are changing inside, your Highness."
Rukia nodded to him and pushed open the door, slipping inside. Before Hisagi could stop him, Ichigo pushed inside as well and, at the sight of half-dressed women, clamped a hand over his eyes.
"Kurosaki! I didn't think you were that kind of man," Rangiku teased.
"I'm not," Ichigo growled, and scowled when he heard Rukia's laughter. "We're about to attack the men who have been dancing with you for a year now. I don't want you left without any kind of guard."
There was more laughter, but a lot more rustling fabric. When Rukia told Ichigo that he could open his eyes, all twelve sisters were dressed, and their futons rolled away. Rukia, Rangiku, Nanao, Tatsuki, and Sui-Feng all wore clothing not entirely unlike what Ichigo was wearing: dark monpe and boots, and close-cut shirts. They each wore a leather dō that covered them from neck to knee, and there were sureate and tekko covering their legs and arms.
A knock at the door reverberated, and Ichigo pulled it open. Muguruma nodded to Ichigo and shoved a pile of armor into his hands. "Put that on," he ordered. The sisters shuffled to the side of the room as a contingent of fifteen guards stepped inside, each wearing armor and swords strapped to their belts.
Rukia stepped forward and helped Ichigo put his armor on; for just a moment the world vanished around them, as she helped him buckle on his dō and placed the tekko on his arms herself. "There," she said when she was done, and plainly ignored the way everyone stared at her.
"Where's the trap door?" Muguruma demanded finally, and Rukia gestured. She and Tatsuki made quick work of the wooden floorboards and threw open the door beneath. Muguruma went first and his guards followed, though some of them still seemed distracted by the princesses.
"You shouldn't stay here," Ichigo said to the other princesses, the ones not dressed for battle. "Especially you, Yachiru and Ururu. If anyone escapes back up the stairs you could be in danger."
"I will lead my sisters somewhere safe," Nemu said evenly. It was the first time Ichigo had heard her say more than two words, and he nodded to her briefly.
"Good." Then he exchanged one more look with Rukia and pulled his cloak on. "I'll be up at the front with Muguruma," he said when he was invisible, and the women startled. He plunged down the trap door and called back up to them; the five women followed.
They weren't so far behind the guardsmen, and Ichigo hurried to catch up. The men were distracted by the tree groves momentarily, but then they reached the lakeshore. True to Ichigo's words, there were no boats along the shore. The palace was still lit up across the lake, and the dark water reflected its light. "There must be a path," Muguruma said. One man, close to the lead, lit a torch and they walked along the lakeshore toward the palace.
The lake, it turned out, was quite large, and in the darkness the men moved slowly. But eventually the shore curved back toward the palace and they reached the building.
Aizen was waiting for them. Ichigo's hand fell to Zangetsu, but Muguruma spoke first. "Aizen Sosuke. You are accused of high treason against the Emperor. By the order of the Emperor Yamamoto Genryusai you are to surrender any weapons and come with us peacefully," he intoned.
"Oh, I do not think so, Captain Muguruma," Aizen said, though he smiled. "You do not want to arrest me."
Muguruma wavered, but then he grit his teeth and stepped forward. "You will surrender immediately, Aizen."
The other men – other 'princes' were filtering out of the building. Gin still had that fox-grin on his face as he strolled up casually, as if he was out for a morning walk. He faltered, however, and Ichigo glanced back – Rangiku had pushed her way to the front and was staring at him pointedly. Rukia hung back with Tatsuki and Sui-Feng, who sneered as more of the so-called princes emerged.
"This is my domain, and you are trespassing upon it, Captain. I must ask you to leave." Aizen smiled again, and held up the small, black ball in his hand. "My project is nearly done, and I need only the Crown Princess Rukia to make it complete. How fortuitous that you have brought her to me."
Ichigo drew his sword as silently as he could, and watched. Rukia showed no signs of stepping forward, but Aizen did instead – and with a wave of his hand he pushed aside half the guards, clearing a path to Rukia. He drifted forward, smiling that smarmy smile again.
Until Ichigo's sword blocked him. "If you touch her again I'll stab you through the heart," he growled, and pulled his hood back. The tip of Zangetsu cut through Aizen's shirt and a single drop of blood ran down the blade.
"Interesting. A magic cloak? It must be you who broke my spell then," Aizen said calmly. "But you're late."
Behind him, Ichigo heard Rukia draw her sword, and a blade of steel so pale it looked white appeared beside his. "He did," Rukia said, "and as the Crown Princess of the Empire of Shinai, I order you once again to surrender. If you resist, I'll kill you myself."
Aizen just laughed, and backed up a step. "I have eleven other princes who would object to your order, princess."
Ulquiorra stepped up beside him, clad not in his dancing finery but in good armor, and looked over the guards and princesses. "Nearly all trash," he said with a sniff. "I will take care of them, Prince Sosuke." He drew his sword.
"And what about Orihime?" Ichigo asked as the somber man stepped forward. He didn't take his eyes – or his blade – from Aizen, but from the corner of his eye he could see Ulquiorra pause.
"I will defeat you and then retrieve the princess," Ulquiorra decided. "You are a threat to Prince Sosuke."
"Orihime won't forgive you if you hurt her sisters," Tatsuki called. Again, the man's blade hesitated.
"Hesitating again?" That was Grimmjow's voice, and he grinned savagely as he sauntered closer and drew his sword. But his eyes lit on Tatsuki's face and that grin turned into a scowl. "What are you doing here?"
"I can fight as well as I dance," Tatsuki asserted. "Better, actually."
"Ridiculous. If you won't fight them, I will." That voice belonged to Nnoitra, and he drew his sword and swung it. Muguruma blocked him with a grunt and pushed him back with a shove of his blade.
The assault broke the stalemate, and Grimmjow jumped into the fray along with Ulquiorra, Ggio, Tesla, and Findorr.
Tatsuki sneered and shoved past Ichigo and Rukia to bring her blade up against Grimmjow's when the latter brought low one of the guards. She matched him blow for blow, and he laughed. "You do fight better than you dance," he agreed, and their swords clashed again.
Muguruma and the other guards brought down the three younger men – Ggio, Tesla, and Findorr – fairly quickly, disarming and leaving them bound on the stone steps. Ulquiorra and Nnoitra, though, fought savagely while Gin just watched.
The two redheaded boys – Jinta and the other one, Ichigo had never caught his name – tumbled out of the doors with Tousen and Coyote following. The last of those yawned and strolled forward, ignoring the fighting in favor of leaning against the building walls and watching.
Two more guards fell as Ichigo watched, blade still trained on Aizen. "Do you want them all killed?" he asked conversationally. "Do these men mean nothing to you?"
Aizen just smirked. "They are useful tools, much like princesses. And much like this." He held up the black ball. "This will crush the Emperor and make the city mine."
Rukia's blade moved, then, and white steel bit into Aizen's wrist. He grunted in pain and the ball dropped from his injured hand. When he dove for it, Ichigo was there, blocking him with his blade while Rukia grabbed for the small thing. It shone in the palace light and she stared at Aizen as she held it. "You will not kill my father," she ordered him. "And if you touch me again I'll take that hand off."
Around them the fight continued, though it wasn't even close to an even match. Rangiku had the two redheaded boys by the backs of their shirts, and she glared at Gin when he approached her. "You promised me," she told him, and there were tears in her eyes as she said the words.
But: "I keep my promises, Ran," Gin told her, and glanced down at the two boys she'd grabbed. "Good, keep them out of it." Then he swung around and dodged Tousen's fight with Sui-Feng. The man was holding his own, clearly following the sound of the girl's blade, and Gin didn't interfere. Grimmjow and Tatsuki looked like they were sparring more than fighting.
Aizen's hand found Ichigo's blade and he shoved the shorter man back. "That's just where I want you, princess," he drawled, and finally he drew his sword. His free hand came up. Then he spun and blocked Gin's blade as it swung toward him. "…Gin?" he asked dangerously.
"Couldn't let ya make me break my promise to Ran and make her cry," Gin said, and his lips curved in another vulpine smile.
"How quaint." Aizen swung again, and the other fighters backed away as the two men fought. Ichigo shielded Rukia with his blade as they gave the two room.
And then Aizen stabbed Gin in the side. The silver-haired man fell and Aizen turned toward Ichigo and Rukia. His hand clenched, and the ball began to glow.
"Smash it," Gin ordered weakly from the ground, and let out a wheeze and a grunt of pain as Aizen kicked him.
Rukia dropped the ball on the ground and brought her foot down as hard as she could. The ball shattered beneath the heel of her boot and energy burst from the shards, glittering blue and yellow in the darkness of the underground. She flew backwards with a scream, landing on the shore of the lake and lying still despite the shards of blue power that found her and flew into her body.
"Rukia!" Before Ichigo could run for her Aizen brought his blade up and tried to run him through. Ichigo barely dodged – but he'd fought a war and survived it, and he fought dirtier than Aizen did. They traded blows but Ichigo's foot came out and kicked Aizen's legs out from under him. When the man came back up Ichigo's blade slashed across his chest, sending blood spilling down. He could see Gin struggling on the ground and grinned.
He just needed to keep Aizen's attention on him. "Told you I'd stab you in the heart if you ever touched Rukia again," he said, and parried another blow. "And you've already lost whatever the hell that little weapon of yours was," he taunted.
Aizen lifted his blade for another blow – and then arched, all the breath leaving his body in a choked-off huff of pain as Gin's blade burst through his chest. The blow sent blood spraying over the ground and onto Ichigo's face.
"Told you I didn't want you to make Ran cry," Gin hissed, and pushed Aizen from his blade. Then he collapsed.
"Gin!" Rangiku's scream echoed through the air. It stopped everyone, even Tatsuki and Grimmow, who looked at one another and got out of the way as Rangiku pelted down the steps and threw herself down beside him.
"Sorry, Ran…"
Ichigo tore his own shirt from his body. "Bind him with that," he ordered Rangiku, and returned his attention to Aizen as she followed his directions. He turned Aizen over with one boot. Dead. Good, he thought, and shoved Zangetsu into its sheath. "Guard the body," he ordered the nearest guard, and threw himself at Rukia.
She was still breathing, and Ichigo felt for her pulse and then lightly tapped at her cheeks to wake her. "Rukia? Can you hear me?"
A soft groan came from her mouth and when Rukia's eyes opened slowly, Ichigo clutched her so tightly to him that she squeaked. "Ichigo?" she whispered.
Though the sounds of clashing steel echoed behind them once more, Ichigo kissed her, hard, and pulled her even closer. Then the ground started to shake. "We have to go," he yelled, and lifted Rukia into his arms. He grabbed her sword and shoved it into her sheath. "Everyone back to the palace, now!"
Muguruma ran by him carrying an injured guard over one shoulder and then other guards ran past as well, each dragging along one of the captured princes. Coyote followed, carrying the two redheaded boys, one under each arm. The false palace began to crumble and collapse, and the lake churned violently. The three musicians ran past Ichigo, one still carrying his violin, and a few servants followed.
Nnoitra and Tousen were dead – no loss there, Ichigo decided – but Ulquiorra was just standing over Aizen's body even as Rangiku helped Gin up and half-dragged, half-carried him. "Get out of here, back to the other shore," Ichigo ordered, and the pale man stared at him but slung Aizen's body over his shoulder and followed Rangiku. Tatsuki, Grimmjow, and Sui-Feng ran past as well. Satisfied that the living were on their way, Ichigo ran after them, bringing up the rear. They ran double time along the lake shore and through the groves of trees.
The very cavern itself began to collapse behind them and Ichigo shouted a warning as the lake overflowed its banks. He could see the water rushing up behind him. Ahead of him, the guards, princes, and princesses were running up the stairs. Ichigo put on a burst of speed and caught up to them, still carrying Rukia, who was tightly clutching his cloak. They were the last through the trap door even as the stairs crumbled beneath his feet, and Grimmjow was the one who threw the trap door shut.
Ichigo looked around. Gin was still leaning on Rangiku and the shirt binding his wound was stained with blood. Sui-Feng just looked satisfied. The wounded guard was lying unconscious on a hastily-unrolled futon. Light came in from the small window on the far wall; it was already past dawn.
And Captain Muguruma – well, he just shook his head. "We need a healer," he said. "You – go, wake the palace healers and get two of them here as fast as you can. Run."
Ichigo looked down at Rukia and she looked up at him. And then she said, "It's really weird that you're still mostly-invisible in that cloak. I feel like I'm being carried by a floating head." He just laughed helplessly and kissed her.