Ulquiorra was soaring through the skies around Las Noches, looking for any irregular activity, just like Ichigo had ordered him.
"Huh? What's that...?" He muttered as a giant sand cloud was getting closer. "Don't tell me...!" His eyes widened as he felt the Reiatsu coming from it.
About a hundred Hollows were approaching Las Noches, lead by an especially powerful pressure that seemed somewhat familiar to him.
The stampede stopped by one of the main entrances to the palace, guarded by clones of Rudbornn as well as a pair of miscellaneous Arrancar.
Ulquiorra went back to the ground to take care of the matter himself.
"Well..." Gin panted. "It looks like... There will be no... Batsu-Game for us..." He had his hands on his knees as he tried to get his breath back.
"What in the world... Ichimaru?!" Ulquiorra asked in shock.
Gin looked up to meet the jade eyes of Ulquiorra, surprised to see him as well.
"Ulq...iorra? You resurrected too...?" Gin tilted his head.
"Somehow... Though definitely not in the best way" Ulquiorra replied bitterly, but sighed afterwards. "In spite of that, I've found my new life to be quite enjoyable to say the least. You'll be surprised to find that there is yet another Espada that apparently left this world, although I wasn't alive at that moment. You should know better"
"Is that so? Well, it seems like fate is really capricious these days"
"More importantly, what is the meaning of this?" He asked, looking at the large amount of Adjchas and the couple Vasto Lordes that were behind him.
"Oh... You see, I resurrected as an Arrancar in a place known as the Blood Forest. I have no idea how or why... But going back to them, that place is specifically filled with very powerful Hollows that, me and a little friend I made along the way, defeated. As a result, I became their leader for a couple weeks" Gin resumed. "But it seems that things have been far more complicated out here. If Kurosaki-san had to become King of Hueco Mundo... I can only imagine the peril we're into"
"So Ichigo found you" Ulquiorra seemed glad to hear that. "Where is he?"
"Right here" He walked among the exhausted members of the Legion of the Serpent, unable to keep up with the Arrancar's pace, but forced by Ichigo to do so. "Looks like I was a bit rough with them..."
"You're not at fault, Ichi. They deserved so for threatening us back there" Nel joined them as well. "And besides, I didn't use my Resurrección or Velocidad, so it wasn't that much of an effort. We even gave them rests in between"
"Yeah... You're right. Still, for powerful Hollows they sure have a long way to go. I can see why Aizen turned every Hollow he could into Arrancar as fast as possible... In this form, they wouldn't stand a chance"
"Aum. They are only useful against enemies of their level. Actually, if you're planning to train them so that they become Arrancar, that's not happening. Only the Vasto Lordes can do that, so it's pointless forcing the others"
"There is another way to do that" Ichigo said, grabbing the tesseract in his chain necklace.
"Are you gonna turn them into Arrancar right away?" Nel asked him.
"No. They are not ready for that. Even for Hollows, they are too wild and violent. I want them to understand that Las Noches is nothing like the Blood Forest. They have to understand the meaning of peace and cooperation. Once they get that, I'll see wether they are fit to become Arrancar and live here" Ichigo replied seriously.
"I guess you are a King after all" Bryssling commented. "That kind of thinking is certainly of a leader. Despite the fact that I've been the head of this group before... I know I'm not a natural commander. I'm just a musclehead... But even so, I know I can be of use to people like you and Ichimaru-sama"
"Don't take it the wrong way, but I'm surprised to see you're so self aware, Bryssling" Ichigo admitted.
"Hey, everyone has at least a small notion of themselves, even idiots like myself" He replied with pride.
"Aum, you make it sound so important yet you're only statinv the obvious, Bryssling"
"What's that?!" The Arrancar angrily spat back.
"Hey, Satya, I remember you said that you hate stupidity, then why...?" Ichigo asked in a more subtle way so that Bryssling wouldn't notice.
"Aum, I do hate him, Kurosaki-san. But unfortunately, Ichimaru-dono told me to spare him and that we tried our best to work together so... *sigh* There's not much of a choice" Satya replied with a tired voice.
"So that's it..." Ichigo said in reply, comprehensively.
"Well, I'm glad to see you two came back safely" Ulquiorra smiled a bit at Nel and Ichigo. "You should go to the Throne Room. I'm sure everyone will be very happy. And I'm certain that they will be more than surprised once they notice our new additions..." He concluded as he gave Gin another look, still in disbelief.
"Yeah. Are you coming with us too?" He asked back.
"No. I'm still worried that the Oni are up to something right now. I know them better than anyone so... It's better if I keep my watch"
"Oh, right" Ichigo understood. "Th-Thank you for the hard work, Ulquiorra. Because of that I can be a tad calmer with the current situation, so I really appreciate it"
"No... I'm just doing what you ordered me, Ichigo. And... I'm also doing my best because of Inoue. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her" He admitted that there was a personal interest in that activity as well.
"Of course" Ichigo nodded. "About that... I'm still thinking of a good way to help you two... You know... To help you with that" Ichigo muttered, but Nel heard it.
"Thank you, Ichigo. I... I really can't find a way to express my gratitude... But I can tell you, you don't know how happy it makes it that you accept it"
"No need to say that. I was the one at fault for acting like a douche the other day. Love is love... I cannot forbid you two of being together, and Inoue is one of my best friends... Believe me when I say that I want her to be as happy as she can be" Ichigo smiled. "However... That also implies that I will not forgive you if she becomes miserable because of you"
"If that's the case... Make sure to kill me as slowly and painfully as possible" Ulquiorra accepted the threat wholeheartedly.
"I'll mark your words. Then" Ichigo put his hand on the shoulder of the Espada and walked past him. "Okay everyone, follow me! Once inside, I'll make sure you understand the rules here. Once that is clear, you can sleep and eat to your heart's content!"
"Y-Yes, Kurosaki-sama!" The Hollows replied nervously but firmly.
They arrived at the Throne Room, leaving the large group of Hollows outside.
Inside the room, they encountered Harribel, who was talking to Rudbornn.
"...Understood, Harribel-sama. Oh! Welcome back my King, my Queen..." He bowed, looking and sounding just like Ulquiorra when Ichigo had just become an Arrancar.
"Hi, Rudbornn. You know... It's not necessary for you to-"
"No, my King. These formalities are what distinguishes a royal servant from a common citizen of Las Noches. I am proud to be at your service" He pressed his right fist against his chest.
"Okay... If you're fine doing that, I have nothing else to say" Ichigo replied, a bit uncomfortable. Even now, it seemed impossible for him to get accustomed to the way he was treated now by any other individual that didn't know him personally.
"Thank you, my King. Now, if you'll excuse me, Harribel-sama asked me to communicate a message to other Arrancar regarding the Palace's reconstruction" He stood up again.
"Sure, good luck" Ichigo nodded.
"Ichigo, Nel-sama" Harribel walked to them. "How did everything go?"
Ichigo looked at Nel for a moment. He knew it had been a difficult experience for her at first, so he preferred that she replied.
"Really good, Tier! Ichigo and I found a whole crew of powerful Hollows, as well as three other Arrancar" She replied with her typical cheerful attitude. The last thing she wanted was worry her friend in that moment, amd besides, she knew deeply in her heart that one day she would be able to explain it all to her closest friends, so she wasn't being dishonest.
"Really? Do they have aspects of death?" Harribel inquired.
"Actually... We didn't really..." Ichigo admitted.
"Yes. We do" A voice Harribel recognized replied.
"What?! Isn't that voice...?" Harribel's emerald eyes were widened.
"Yes. That voice indeed belongs to the previous Commander of Aizen's Army, now current leader of the Legion of the Serpent" The man replied with his smirk as he walked towards the three, followed by Satya and Bryssling. "Long time no see, Harribel"
Harribel was astonished to find out he was alive, but all things considered, she had already seen an impossible revival in Ulquiorra and the miraculous apparition of Lilynette.
"Ichimaru..." She muttered. "How is it that...?"
"*sigh* You know, I know it's not yours or anyone's fault... But I'm getting tired of that question" Gin replied with a forced smirk. "I have no idea. Though probably... Someone like Urahara Kisuke would be able to theorize something"
"That's true. Urahara is always able to come up with an explanation... Somehow" Ichigo agreed, thoughtful.
"More importantly, Ichimaru, you said that you three have an aspect of death?" Nel asked.
"Yes, that's correct" He gave a nod.
"Then... What is it?" Ichigo inquired.
Bryssling and Satya looked at Gin, looking for a sign of decline or confirmation.
"It's alright. There's no reason to hide it anymore" Gin told them. "In fact, I believe you two should be able to tell mine... Nel-san, Kurosaki-san"
"You mean it is...?" Ichigo imagined the only possibility.
"...Deception?" Nel completed the thought.
"Wow, you're really good at this" Gin clapped a bit. "That is correct. I lived by the art of deceiving others and died that way as well..."
"I see..." Harribel said in an understanding way.
Once he shared that information, there was green light for the other two Arrancar as well.
"Well. If Ichimaru-sama revealed it, there's no way I can refuse" Bryssling stated. "My aspect of death, is Oppression
Ichigo remembered the whip, thinking it made sense.
Despite the actions of his partners, Satya was still unsure about sharing his aspect of death.
"Aum... Is it... Really fine if we just...?" He asked Gin.
"Well, I won't force you, Satya. But I believe that they want to confirm wether we are fit to be Espada, right?" He guessed right.
"Yes. That's true, Ichimaru. But, if he's uncomfortable sharing it, I don't think it is a problem. As long as you are saying the truth, I'll choose to trust your word"
Nel looked at Satya with pity. It reminded her of herself. The feeling of having an especially dark aspect of death was not pleasant, at all. Added to the fact that Satya was basically a teen, it must've been pretty hard for him to open up with that.
"You see... Satya has a very interesting aspect of death, and his abilities are also quite... Unconventional" Bryssling explained.
"Is that so?" Harribel asked, intrigued by the lilac haired boy.
"Aum. I'm not... I'm not ashamed of it" Satya replied. "But I don't like mentioning it. Ichimaru-dono was the first person I ever met to withstand my power and accept me. All the others... Are dead"
"Oh. But, we are all very strong, Satya-kun" Nel tried to calm him. "I don't think your power can be so disastrous in our presence, and trust me, no one here will be afraid of you"
"Aum..." Satya still seemed unwilling.
"You see, Nel-san, Satya's power is not ineffective against powerful beings. His ability, is one that has to do more with the strength of the soul" Gin explained.
"Ah, so that's it" Ichigo replied. "In that case, don't worry Satya, I trust you"
"Aum, thank you, Kurosaki-dono" Satya seemed more at ease.
"Now then, I need everyone to regroup so that I can formally establish the new Espadas"
"Okay. Grimmjow went to train with Abarai-san again and I believe Kuchiki-san accompanied them to serve as a healer" Harribel replied. "For obvious reasons, they are outside the walls of the palace"
"What about the others?" Ichigo asked.
"I believe Inoue-san went to see Nageki-san for some reason. My Fracciones and Ashido-san are currently training inside Las Noches, near her, in the red towers. Finally. Lilynette is sleeping in the room where she used to live with Starrk"
"Very well. Please tell her to come, Harribel. Nel, can you bring Grimmjow and company?" He asked kindly.
"Sure, Ichigo" She nodded with a smile. "I'll be right back"
"Pesche! Dondochakka!" Ichigo called them, as he knew they were always laying around.
The sound of feet quickly hitting the floor was heard from a corridor.
"Yes, Ichigo-sama?" Pesche and Dondochakka asked with a soldier's posture.
"Pesche, please tell Orihime and Nageki to come here. I'll leave Ashido and the girls to you, Dondochakka"
"On it!" Pesche agreed.
"I'll do it as quickly as possible" Dondochakka nodded and moved.
Ichigo sat on the staircase to his throne, casually inviting the three guests to occupy the seats in front of him.
"What's this? You don't use that magnificent throne over there?" Gin asked surprised.
"No. As long as I haven't ensured the basic conditions I promised when I became King, I have no right to use that"
"How noble..." He complimented.
"Aum, you never stop to amaze me, Kurosaki-dono" Satya agreed.
"Really? I think it's only fair that I do it this way" Ichigo replied.
"But being a King isn't about fairness, Kurosaki-san. It is a monarchy, not a democracy" Gin refuted.
"Is that so?" Ichigo said carelessly. "Guess I'll never truly act like a King. But at least for me, that's okay..."
About half an hour later, everyone was reunited, just like Ichigo had requested.
Gin and his companions were in another room, as Ichigo wanted to introduce them properly.
"So you're back" Grimmjow told him.
"Yeah, and Nel and I found what we were looking for"
"That means... The Espada are complete?" Rukia asked amazed, as the objective had been fulfilled in such a short amount of time.
"Well, I wouldn't say for sure. It depends on everyone's choice. If someone doesn't want to be an Espada, I won't obligate him. I want everyone to feel comfortable with their position and, being an Espada means a lot more responsibility"
"Ichigo is right" Nageki agreed. "In fact, I don't feel comfortable joining the Espada for two reasons. The first one being that, I feel like I was part of a generation of Espada that has disappeared, so I think it's only right that I disaopear with it, which leads me to the second point: I will be leaving this world in three weeks from now"
Everyone that didn't know looked at him in shock.
"Wait... Aren't you... Immortal?" Harribel asked confused.
"Only as long as I create the elixir of eternal life, and I decided to destroy the material to create that. I have finally fulfilled my mission, so now I think it is time for me to die"
Orihime sadly looked at the floor as he said that, since he had told her of that a while ago.
"I understand Nageki's decision, and accept it completely" Ichigo replied, before anyone could object something else. "He even went as far as to help us instead of disappearing right away, for which I thank you deeply"
"Thank you, Ichigo" Nageki nodded with a smile.
"Now, to the current task. We found a whole group of Hollows in a place known as the Bkood Forest. They are stronger than normal ones, but most of them were only Adjuchas. There is a handful of Vasto Lordes as well, but they all have yet to be taught the rules and lifestyle of Las Noches. Before they understand that, it is impossible for me to decide to turn them into Arrancar" Ichigo explained. "Despite that, there are three Arrancar who lead the group and bear aspects of death, making them fitting candidates for the Espada. Please, come in"
The three Arrancar entered the room, curiously looking around as to what faces they would find.
The rest, on the other hand, were simply shocked when they saw the silver haired Arrancar that was in the trio.
Lilynette even stopped yawning as she recognized her previous Commander.
Renji and Rukia felt cold sweat as the sole presence of the man stole their voice.
"No... This has to be a trick... An illusion...!" Rukia thought.
Ashido, on his part, was impressed by the clothes of the Arrancar, very reminiscent of what his attire used to be in the Forest of Menos. Such a memory seemed distant as he gave a look at his white clothing, which made him look like any other Arrancar in Las Noches.
"Oh, what do we have here? I see a couple old faces here and there, as well as some of my previous acquaintances back in Soul Society" Gin happily pointed out.
"Just what the fuck is going on?" Grimmjow muttered. "First Ulquiorra, then Lilynette and now... This? It must be a goddamn joke..."
"Oh, I'm aware of how astonishing this situation is. I haven't been able to come up with a reason myself, but, this is how fate has played" Gin simply replied.
"That is no fake..." Rukia thought. "That voice, that manner of speaking, that suffocating feeling I get whenever he opens his mouth. He is without a doubt, Ichimaru Gin"
"But if Ichimaru is alive... That means...!" Orihime thought about Rangiku immediately.
"Well, I'm sure you are all having a hard time digesting this... I was just as shocked at first but, this is reality" Ichigo clarified. "I'm sure you all will have trouble trusting him at first, but I think everyone deserves a second chance... And those who became enemies in order to kill a greater evil from inside, deserve it even more. That's why I'll gladly accept Ichimaru in the Espada"
Mixed looks were directed towards the smiling individual. Some of surprise, others of distrust and even some of fear.
Gin sighed as his expectations were fulfilled: No one was happy to see him again.
Although that was no surprise for him, it was still a bit depressing to see what his previous life had achieved. Even after trying his best, his final intent ended up in a failure. As a result, the only legacy he left in his world was pain and distrust, or so he felt.
"Whatever..." Grimmjow spat. "We have no time to be going in circles about this. If they are gonna join the Espada, that's fine by me... As long as they prove they have the strength"
"Aum, that Arrancar is right. Espada are ranked, so it's only natural that we fight in order to see who the strongest is" Satya spoke, looking at Grimmjow with a combined expression of bloodlust and defiance.
"You have guts, kid" Grimmjow grinmed. "But I'm sorry to say... There are five of us who won't be competing in that"
"Why?" Bryssling asked.
"Simple. Because we are on a completely different level" Harribel replied. "We have achieved a level above Resurrección, or, in the King's case... His power is simply out of reach"
"C'mon, it's not that great..." Ichigo said a bit embarrassed.
"No. I have no doubts regarding the King" Bryssling said. "Kurosaki-sama defeated us all just by entering his Resurrección. I doubt there is another Hollow capable of doing that... But, wait a second! A level above Resurrección?!"
"Aum, I heard it as well" Satya nodded.
"Now that's something I'd be delighted to see" Gin commented.
"Anyways... The point is that the only ones that will be ranked are those from number 5 to 9"
"So everyone is basically assured with one place" Ashido pointed out.
"Not really. While there are five candidates and five positions... That doesn't mean that everyone will become an Espada. In the case one fails to qualify in terms of strength, said Arrancar will still be able to be part of the army, just not an Espada, and even then, the chance to train and become stronger to achieve the position always exists" Harribel clarified. "It's true that we're in a rush... However, we need the Espada to exceed the capabilities of a normal Arrancar, now more than ever"
"Thank you, Harribel" Ichigo agreed. "So... Ashido, Lilynette, Ichimaru, Bryssling and Satya... You will have to fight to test your power overall"
"Oh really? Let's make it quick then, so I can go back to sleep..." Lilynette stretched her muscles a bit as she yawned again, spreading it to Satya.
"Grimmjow, like always, I see you're full of energy. Wanna test them yourself?" Ichigo requested him.
"I sure as hell do!" The Espada chuckled.
"Perfect. No going into Segunda Etapa though"
"Yeah, yeah... I won't need it against these small fries anyway!"
"Who are you calling small fry, punk?!" Bryssling growled.
"Aum, I'll make you swallow those words" Satya made a shaking incongruent gesture with his hand, showing he was pissed, even though his face did not express that.
"We'll see about that... Where to?" Grimmjow asked abiut the location.
"Why don't you go to the red towers' area? That way you'll have a lot of space" Mila Rose offered.
"Yeah, we were training with Ashido-kun some minutes ago" Apacci added. "It's a great place"
"Good enough. I once had my best solo fight in that same place..." Grimmjow remembered his battle against Ichigo.
"Just, be careful with my lab, please" Nageki asked politely, but worried as well.
"Tch... I'll see what I can do" Grimmjow closed his eyes as he put his hands inside his pockets. "Besides, it doesn't depend on me..." He looked at the candidates. "...But on them"
They all moved to the appointed place, followed by the Legion of the Serpent as well as attracting many other Arrancar to the area as well.
"So... Wanna go first, tough guy?" He asked Bryssling.
"Sure. A veteran like me should be able to teach you a thing or two" He said with pride.
"Ho? Now this is getting interesting. Don't disappoint me, old man!"
"For those of you, who don't get reason..." Bryssling prepared his multiple whip. "...Lash by lash, you'll learn a lesson"
Bryssling and Grimmjow clashed fist to fist, equally. Of course, the destructive Espada wasn't using his full potential, but he could feel in that first punch that Bryssling was without a doubt, a strong man.
"This guy reminds me of Yammy a bit, but the fact that he doesn't act or speak that stupidly makes him a lot more likeable than that asshole" He thought.
"Nice start right there! Let's see how much more you can handle" Bryssling said as he continued fighting hand to hand with Grimmjow.
The Espada, in spite of his spride, had learned quite a bit from Yoruichi's lessons, so he started gaining the upper hand quite quickly.
After Bryssling recieved a spinning kick in the stomach, he decided it was time to start using his Zanpakutou.
He directed his whip towards Grimmjow with ease, as if it was an extension of his body.
Every whiplash was enough to shake the sand it hit as the Espada evaded the attacks.
"One of those would be no joke..." He praised.
"And we've only just began..." Bryssling chuckled. "Discipline, Castigador"
The white whip on his hand started extending through all his body, turning his legs and arms into tentacles, and greatly increasing his size, although the rest of his body slowly turned into an amorphous white mass that seemed to reshape into a combination of man and squid.
By the end of the transformation, the cephalopod humanoid being extended his tentacles as he opened a single eye that had a scar across it, as if his two eyes had been combined in a pale white face without any other features aside from the ciclop eye and a mouth with sharp teeth.
"Now you remind me of another Espada we used to have" Grimmjow said.
"Really?"
"Yeah, his Resurrección also gave him a large body with tentacles, but you look a lot more humanoid in comparison"
"Well, you didn't use much power, so my form didn't change so drastically"
"What do you mean?" He asked curious.
"My aspect of death is Oppression. Because of that, the more in a pinch I am, either physically or psychologically, the more my body changes and grows" Bryssling explained.
"I see... Want me to clean the floor with you so that you can show your true power?"
"Why not? Go ahead and try!"
"Tch, tch, tch..." Grimmjow grinned. "Careful what you wish... Grind, Pantera!"
Bryssling ended up being easily defeated by the Espada in his Resurrección, but given the fact that Grimmjow had eaten more Hollows since being defeated by Ichigo and, even more important, trained thoroughly in the Dangai, it was to be expected.
"Not bad... But you're gonna have to train a lot more if you wanna stand a chance against the Oni" He concluded, still transformed. "Who's next?"
"*yawn* Sure... Why not get this over with..." Lilynette said tired.
"As there are still more people on the list, just go straight into Resurrección"
"Fine" She got her curvy Zanpakutou out of her missing horn. "I've never tried to go into Resurrección, actually. Can I even...?" She wondered, remembering the command. "Kick about... Los Lobos"
Blue Reiatsu bursted out of her as a white jacket with grey fur dressed her neatly, and a black patch appeared on her left eye. She looked just Starrk, but of course, her female body made the suit a little more risqué around the bust. Lilynette didn't seem to care though.
She looked at the two pistols that were in her hands, remembering how she used to become them and fight along Starrk.
"Starrk..." She sighed sadly, still looking back on those memories with melancholy.
"I was wondering when were you gonna use Resurrección" The weapon spoke.
She widened her eyes in shock as she looked at the guns.
"St... Starrk? Is that...? Is it that really you?!" Her eyes became watery.
"Is that...?" Grimmjow noticed.
"Well, who else would it be? I had been waiting all this time so that we could talk a bit. I even tried to speak inside your head and appear in your dreams, but something prevented me from entering the rest of your mind"
"Starrk...!" She sobbed, happiness overflowing her being. "You never left me..."
"Of course not, Lilynette. We are always together, don't you ever forget that. When I embedded your body with my Reiryoku, I guess a part of my Soul was also stored inside your body. I don't think we can split into two Arrancar once again, but hey, at least we are able to talk"
"I'm so glad..." She smiled as tears crashed around her. "This means... Now I'm as strong as you were?"
"I don't think so. You still have to get used to using that power, and I didn't give you all my Reiryoku either so, you should try to train and power up at least a bit, though I know it's a drag"
"Okay..." She accepted stoic.
"But, that doesn't mean that we'll just let this battle pass. Do your best, Lilynette, I'm here for you"
"Starrk..." Her light pink eye shined as she heard that.
"Let's do it"
"Yeah!" She seemed to cheer up and overflow with power.
"Now this seems interesting..." Grimmjow got all fired up.
"Cero Metralleta!" The two Ex-Primera Espada said in unison, blasting a barrage of blue and green Ceros at the new Cuarta.
After an emotionally charged as well as a thrilling fight ended, everyone contemplated the exhausted Lilynette, who had given her all and more, all thanks to her reunion with her lost half.
"Woah, that was a real fight" Grimmjow complimented as the girl panted on the sand floor, a smile painted on her face. "Now then, who wants to keep this party goin'?"
"I'll go" Ashido said, walking into the area.
"Aum, I'll go last" Satya replied indifferent.
"Satya, please help Lilynette get out of there" Gin ordered him.
"Aum" He walked into the arena and picked her up bridal style with no further trouble.
"Satya-kun is so cute!" Orihime said cheerfully.
"At the very least, he doesn't seem troubled to help" Ichigo pointed out.
However, Gin laughed internally, as he perfectly knew what such an action could be doing inside the odd adolescent's head.
Satya seemed to be perfectly normal on the outside, but his head was being sieged by a thousand thoughts as he carried Lilynette.
His eyes suddenly seemed to be spirals and his flesh started to sweat coldly, drawing an unstable grin upon his face.
As naturally as he could, he left Lilynette on the sand and walked away from the rest.
"I thought... It didn't matter... Then why...?" He blushed as he thought. "Why does it feel so weird to touch a girl?!" His mind blew. "Her breathing... Her scent... That smooth skin... How can a being be so different and yet so... Thrilling?" He wondered by himself.
"Thanks, kid. Now, let's get down to business" Grimmjow chuckled.
"Alright" Ashido was ready. "Decapitate, Cuernavaca"
With his head covered by that cow's skull, Ashido threw away his Arrancar jacket and charged towards Grimmjow.
"Now then, entertain me" The Espada grinned as he wondered what Ashido's abilities were like.
As soon as he became close to the previous Hollow Hunter, he was enthrilled to see a sharp bone coming out of his skin, attacking him, followed by a scratch of sharp nails that grew longer for an instant.
"I see... This guy can control the growth of all the bones in his body. In all my years as a Hollow, I've never seen something like that" Grimmjow thought, evading the spines that came after him. "Amazing"
Ashido had honed his skills a lot in the days that came after the awakening of his sword, learning how to use his most basic ability as well as some others he was still discovering.
Grimmjow was able to see this too, and while he knew that there was still a long way, it was undeniable that he had potential.
Once Ashido was kneeling on one knee, Grimmjow concluded the match.
"Heheh... You all are truly amazing in different ways" The Espada panted. "While I may not be in my strongest form, you've managed to make me sweat. Congratulations"
"And you still have two more left" Ichigo reminded him.
"Aum... It's my turn" Satya replied, now back in his normal state of mind.
"I've been eager to see what you have, kid. Don't disappoint me" Grimmjow's eyes shined as he braced for the semifinal encounter.
Satya pointed the large claymore at him. While he was about 1,64 meters tall, the blade was at least 2 meters and a half. It seemed impossible for him to use such a weapon with that physique, but that was the way things were.
He closed his eyes and inhaled all the air his lungs could contain. Then, he exhaled with the magic word thay gave him focus:
"AUM"
Once the air was all out, his golden eyes were opened again, and he attacked Grimmjow in his base state.
"Damn, I didn't expect you to attack me without entering your Resurrección" Grimmjow praised as he evaded the giant blade. "However, I'll make you regret this decision!"
Satya felt Grimmjow was going seriously at him, so he kept his senses as sharp as he could.
Slash after slash of the panther, he would either block or dodge. There was nothing else in his mind at the moment. For Satya there was nothing better than fighting, as both his body and his mind could focus on that single activity, finally stopping the endless noise that was constantly invading him.
Numbers he didn't comprehend, places he had never seen, objects he couldn't understand, incongruent patterns that made no sense whatsoever... It was an unbearable suffering to withstand all that a whole life.
However, there was someone who taught him how to distract himself without the need to fight. Someone who was able to reach him despite the fact that he was detached from the real world most of the time.
He chose to follow that man, and now, he was surrounded by more people that were willing to accept him.
He wouldn't fail. He couldn't.
He simply had to prove to himself that he was able to come out of that glass prison. Shatter that fortress that held him and be able to lend a hand to those that were helping him.
But despite that thought, there was still something he couldn't overcome: his aspect of death.
It wasn't because of a personal reason, or because it made him feel ashamed. It was because, it was horribly dangerous.
No one before had survived against it. If he entered Resurrección, it would be the end, or so he believed. Ichimaru was the first person to withstand the effect of his aspect, and proved him that a strong will to live is all you need to surpass said ability. Even so, he knew that not everyone was like him, reason that sinked him in doubt as he thought about releasing his blade.
A kick from Grimmjow sent him flying away as he tried to block it with the sword.
"C'mon, kid. You're pretty good, but you're going nowhere if you don't use your whole potential"
Satya stood up with difficulty, his blade shaking. Not because of the impact, no... But due to the thought of using his Resurrección.
"If I kill him, they will hate me" He thought. "Or worse... They will hate Ichimaru-dono"
His mind started getting out of focus, a dark haze covering his senses once again.
"No... Not now! I... I... I have to fight... I have to..." Satya forcefully cleared his head.
"Disperse... Escalofrío"
An aura of deep purple Reiatsu exploded from his body, making the sand around them rage.
"That's more like it..." Grimmjow seemed content.
And the moment after the sand covered their sight, Satya's figure slowly appeared, like a mirage.
His body seemed to be covered by a buddhist tunic, and instead of a Claymore, he was holding a long Shakujo that had a Katana-like blade on the other side, and a Gunbai on his back. Also, he had become taller, his lilac hair grew longer and his face showed more mature features, as if he had turned into an adult.
"I hate this..." Satya muttered with a deeper voice, one of a young adult.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Grimmjow asked intrigued.
"My mind is clear. Yet... That's the reason I'm mostly afraid" He replied seriously. "Grimmjow, don't take this as an offense, but you might die if you fight me"
"Ho? Now this is getting interesting. Are you really that strong?"
"It's not a matter of strength or raw power" He replied. "That's the problem"
"You become quite the somber type now, don't you? What happened with the kid that said 'aum' at the beginning of every sentence?" He chuckled.
"Grimmjow, he's being serious" Nel warned him.
"I know how you feel, but don't be reckless" Harribel added, knowing him better than anyone.
"Okay, okay... I'll be careful" He replied to the ladies. "But you don't have to worry, man. If you end up killing me, it will be my fault for being weak, alrite? You just give me everything you got"
"*sigh* You're just like Bryssling" Satya closed his eyes disappointed. "Please, forgive me"
He attacked Grimmjow with his blade, shaking the rings of the Shakujo piece.
"He's fast!" The Espada thought, dodging a cut in the last possible moment.
And then, like a shadow, Satya appeared on his back and swinged the hybrid weapon at Grimmjow, who got a superficial slash on his chest.
"Kgh... You got me a bit"
"No... It's over. Now it's up to you" Satya coldly said. "Velo de Maya"
Grimmjow felt as if the whole world suddenly melted, turning into a pitch black sludge that covered it all.
It wasn't hot or cold. It didn't feel pleasant or terrible. It didn't harm him in any possible way and yet... He felt a despair that was greater than anything he'd ever sensed before.
His five senses were numbed for a second, only to return in the form of a nightmare.
With his eyes, all he could see was a barrage of ways in which Harribel died, blinding him.
With his nose, all he could smell was her blood, slowly turning into anosmia.
With his mouth, all he could taste was that same ruby fluid, which he had tried before out of mere curiosity, and now appeared to erase all sense of flavour.
With his ears, all he could hear was the sound of endless screams of agony, deafening him.
With his body, all he could feel was the weight of his sins crawling over him, menacing to take what was most precious, leaving him in a state in which the rest of the world was intangible.
All these feelings combined fed a single emotion inside his heart, until a point in which even living seemed more unbearable than the worst torture he could have imagined.
His whole being couldn't contain the black dense liquid that had started running out of his mouth, eyes, ears and nostrils.
Everything was black.
Everything was awful.
Everything was...
Fear...
Grimmjow trembled, sweating bullets as his eyes lost all life and his hands started searching for his neck.
"Grimmjow...?" Harribel looked worried.
"Satya, what did you do?" Ichigo asked.
"That's how my powers work. In my Resurrección, every cut I deal with this sword immerses the enemy in a very powerful illusion. Said illusion increases the feeling of fear to a point in which the person does not wish to live anymore, actually, they yearn for death" He explained. "I tried to warn him, for real, but he was forcing me to use this..."
"I know, Satya, but you should've told us about this earlier" Ichigo refuted.
"I know... But, I thought you would set me aside if I said so, or well, my more immature self did. The Satya you know has a completely different thought process, filled with distractions and other obstacles that prevent him from thinking clearly or making the best choices. I, on the other hand, can see this world as it is and choose better options"
"So you are like... A different personality?" Orihime asked.
"No. I'm just the result of Satya maturing and leaving his psychological distress out. I am the same person you met, just better at thinking, relating to others and... Well, basically everything"
"Is there something we can do?" Harribel asked.
"I doubt it. My illusions work like a sealed dimension. I've tried to stop Hollows from killing themselves in the past... To no avail" He bitterly admited. "Our best bet is that his mind and heart are strong enough to break the illusion... But that... That doesn't seem to be the case so far"
Grimmjow had started grabbing his neck, slowly but strongly. If he continued, he would either asphixiate or destroy his own throat.
Harribel couldn't take it anymore, and she interfered. "Hunt, Tiburón!"
"Grimmjow!" She shouted as she tried to remove his hand from his throat.
"I... I'm sorry" Satya shamefully apologized.
"No. It's too soon to apologize" Gin said. "Satya, can you remember what I told you back then?"
"My power is my own. I control it"
"Exactly. So, you should be able to break the illusion"
"I know but... It's not so simple"
"But you will have to learn" Ichigo declared. "Don't worry. Grimmjow is not so weak, he might just need a bit of time. However, you must find a way to make that power your own, but for real"
"I... I understand, Kurosaki-dono"
"Grimmjow...! I know you can do it so... Come back!" Harribel screamed, as her eyes became teary. "Come back... To me..."
Inside Grimmjow's illusion, he suddenly felt as his senses returned. He was still suffering the failure cast upon them, but thinking it through, it was simply impossible to believe that was all real.
He hadn't witnessed anything like that, not even in his dreams. The closest thing was probably when he took her after she had been defeated by Ulquiorra.
"This is bullshit" He said. "The kid was not lying though... This is pretty fucked up. I really thought I was better off dead" He chuckled. "But enough is enough. If the situation is like I'm guessing, Tier must be at the border of tears" He unintentionally saud a pun.
Back in the real world, Grimmjow's lightblue eyes regained their color, and with it, his perception was back to normal.
"Woah, everything feels so strange..." He muttered.
"Grimmjow!" Tier hugged him.
"Looks like I guessed right" He thought with a grin. "Yeah, I'm back. Sorry for making you worry"
"Well, I wasn't really...!" She started saying as everyone directed special looks towards her, especially her Fracciones, who had jaw-dropped, so she let go of him, blushing.
Most chuckled, as they already suspected such thing, but for the Tres Bestias it was a different story.
"Please tell me it's not true!" Apacci protested.
"It has to be a mistake... Yeah, it must be a mistake..." Mila Rose trued to convince herself.
"Just... Why?" Sung-Sun asked rhetorically.
"They went through a lot together..." Nel explained the girls. "And believe it or not, Grimmjow is actually a good guy, deep inside. He just loves to act tough, but Harribel knows his other side better than anyone"
"But Nel-sama, he's-" Apacci tried to complain.
"He's the man that Harri loves, Apacci" Nel interrupted. "And if you three truly love her, you should support her"
"Tch..." Mila rose bit her lip. Nel was right.
"Nel-sama has a point. I mean... We wouldn't be happy if she was against... You know... Our feelings for-" Sung-Sun accepted.
"But Ashido-kun is different! He's polite, cool and... I don't know, he's simply, the complete opposite of that beast!" Apacci refuted.
"Well you might think so, but you are not her to understand those feelings. In fact, I think she doesn't get them perfectly either" Nel replied. "All you should care about is that face of relief she has right now" She looked at her friend.
Harribel was still next to the panther Espada, smiling under her mask.
"Tier, I'm glad you care, but... This is not over yet" Grimmjow whispered.
"Oh... Right. Sorry" She left his side.
Harribel seemed a lot calmer as she returned with the rest of the group.
Grimmjow on his part, approached Satya and punched him in the face with great strength, blasting him away and knocking him out immediately.
"Grimmjow!" Orihime and Lilynette protested.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't hit him because of what he did. I punched him because we were still fighting. Against an empty Demon, his ability might be practically useless, so he has to become a lot stronger" He explained, glancing at Gin. "Well, that only leaves Aizen's right hand..."
"It's enough, Grimmjow" Ichigo said. "I know what rank I'll give each"
"But Ichimaru-sama hasn't fought" Bryssling complained.
"There's no need for that" Ichigo replied. "He won't be a formal Espada. I'll just ask him his help while he's here. But I know, you are not planning on staying an Arrancar forever, are you, Ichimaru?"
"Hm... I'm not sure" Gin tilted his head. "What gave you that idea though?"
"Nothing much. Just a little hunch I got" He lied, as Nel had told him about their conversation.
"I see... Okay, then, what are the ranks?"
Espada *9: Ichimaru Gin.
Aspect of death: Deception.
Zanpakutou: Unknown.
Tattoo: None, as it is a provisional position.
Espada 8: Bryssling Bildungsroman.
Aspect of death: Oppression.
Zanpakutou: Castigador.
Tattoo: Right bicep.
Espada 7: Kanou Ashido.
Aspect of death: Guilt.
Zanpakutou: Cuernavaca.
Tattoo: Upper back.
Espada 6: Satya Żytecki
Aspect of death: Fear.
Zanpakutou: Escalofrío.
Tattoo: Left cheek.
Espada 5: Lilynette Gingerbuck.
Aspect of death: Solitude.
Zanpakutou: Los Lobos.
Tattoo: Back of right hand.
Espada 4: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
Aspect of death: Destruction.
Zanpakutou: Pantera.
Tattoo: Lower right back. Healed the previous 6 and carved again as 4.
Espada 3: Tier Harribel.
Aspect of death: Sacrifice.
Zanpakutou: Tiburón.
Tattoo: Left side of right breast, like always.
Espada 2: Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck.
Aspect of death: Betrayal.
Zanpakutou: Gamuza.
Tattoo: Mid back. Healed the 3 and carved again as 2, despite Ichigo's unwillingness to her getting hurt.
Espada 1: Ulquiorra Cifer.
Aspect of death: Emptiness.
Zanpakutou: Murciélago.
Tattoo: Left pectoral. Erased the 4 until a 1 remained.
Espada 0: Kurosaki Ichigo.
Aspect of death: Life.
Zanpakutou: Las Noches
Tattoo: Mid back. Just like Nel's.
Thus, the new Espada are structured and ready to protect Las Noches and its inhabitants.
Gin and his two underlings now lived in the palace, each having a room for himself, as they were all Espada. The rest of the Legion of the Serpent were still being taught the basics in order to live in Las Noches.
With the 9 Espada under his command, Ichigo has fulfilled his first objective, but it's not nearly enough for him to feel at ease.
Everyone had gotten into extensive training, to both improve and control their powers to a greatwr extent, starting with Ichigo and his Hollow absorption, as well as the possibility of Hollowfying other souls.
He also struggles to read the next movement of the enemy. The Oni are up to something and he knows it. Because of that, he'll make sure that the new Espada are strong enough to protect Las Noches from any menace, but he still felt that the uncertainty produced by this situation was tough to bear.
Ichigo laid on his bed, really tired after the last couple days, so he decided to get some sleep.
"Good night, Ichi" Nel kissed him as she bent over him.
Ichigo hugged her warmly in reply, placing his hand on her back.
"Are you sure it doesn't hurt?" He asked, worried about her new tattoo.
"Yeah, don't worry. Or does yours?" She passed her skinny fingers through the round mark in his back.
"No, it healed right after"
"You still forget we're Arrancar sometimes, don't you?"
"I mean... I tend to forget about my own capabilities. But the way in which I feel you every day, is something I would never forget" He replied, gazing straight into her eyes.
"Is that so?" She entangled one of her horns with his. "I love you, my King"
Ichigo wrapped his tongue around hers in a wet kiss as he fondled her soft bottom and caressed her back.
The two panted as the string of saliva slowly disappeared after their kiss.
"And I love you, my Queen"
Nel giggled mischievously as she braced for another wild night, one meant to reward Ichigo for all his hard work.
"Don't worry Ichi... This pain doesn't count as hurting me, in case you're worried about your promise" She clarified. "And... Neither does the one you give me in bed" She whispered. "That's the greatest pleasure you can give me" She giggled, biting her lip.
"You're crazy, Nel... But I love you" Ichigo chuckled, ravaging her. "I fucking love you"
~~~~X~~~~
Sorry for the wait, but this one was a little slower in general. Still, it was needed in order to get to the next step, so I hope everything is clear up to this point.
Also, with a lot of effort and a tad of luck, I passed all my subjects this year and now is vacation time! I'll do my best to bring new chapters ASAP. I also get xtra motivation with reviews, just sayin'.
Reviews:
Antex-The legendary Zoroark: Whoo! Great chapter! Loved this. Ya did good on this. I'm SO happy that my worries for nothing! It was also interesting as well to see Nel and Gin share bits of their pasts with one another. Speaking of Gin, I KNEW HE WAS ALIVE WHEN YOU MENTIONED IT LAST CHAPTER! YOSH! I hope he'll see Rangiku later on... I think both of them deserve a happy life together don't you?But I digress. Keep up the good work! I'm looking forward to the next chapter!
Reply: Of course, I wouldn't let Gin die just like that. After everything he did, he deserved a happy ending, so I'm working on that. As expected, I have a good explanation for his return, so don't think for one second that I'm somehow reviving everyone out of some feeling of nostalgia. Everything I do is with a reason and to fit Bleach's lore and parameters as well as possible.
'Til next Chapter! Evhron out.
PD: No Christmas or New Year special in honour of time and so that you all could get the chapter as soon as possible. They are all cliché anyway, lol. I wish you all late merry Xmas and, in advance, a happy new year!
Glossary:
Castigador: Punisher.
Escalofrío: Shiver.
Velo de Maya: Veil of Maya. Satya's intrinsic ability. Also, a song by Cynic that inspired the band, Veil Of Maya, with the name.