AN:

Hey guys, short time no see for once, huh? I mean, it's only been two weeks! That's better than at least a month between updates, huh? Anyways, I hope you're all having a good September. I'm good so far.

Anyways, responses:

To Gamelover41592: I'm glad it was epic! I hope the ending to the fight can live up to that!

Now, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, which marks the end of the world traveling part of this story and the point at which the endgame of the story will start to advance. We're building to the final conflict with OJ! Now, please, enjoy and drop a review if you have any questions or if you liked something.

Chapter 31: March Equinox

"So, I'm guessing this is where you really live?" Jaune asked Ichigo when their eyes adjusted to the sunlight streaming down from above. They were in a large town, really more like a part of a city, and it was... peaceful. Nice, if it weren't for the unconscious bodies lining the streets, people that looked as if they'd fallen there in the middle of the night. Jaune stared at the snoring people and chuckled nervously. "It's... nice?"

"Usually there's less snoring in the streets," Ichigo explained. He glanced down at his sword, now fused to his hand. Its chain now arced all the way up his arm, having destroyed his sleeve when it expanded. "I hope we can keep all these people safe."

"We can," Jaune said. "If Yang and Rukia believe in us, I don't doubt it for a second." He patted Ichigo's back. "Even your crazy inner demon thought we could do it."

Ichigo chuckled. "Yeah, I guess not trying to take over my body counts as approval from him," he agreed. He turned to Jaune. "We need to hurry."

"Yeah," Jaune said, growing serious, too. He looked off in the distance and took a deep breath. "Let's go."

Ichigo and Jaune ran towards the source of energy that dominated this place, a twisted energy of Light and Dark shifting and phasing into one another impossibly fast. There was only one thing that could be responsible for that, and it was who they were trying to defeat. "How long do you think he's been here so far?" Jaune asked worriedly. "It can't have been too long, or... well, we'd be dead already."

"I'm not exactly a genius when it comes to screwed up time, Jaune," Ichigo remarked dryly. "Do you have a lot of experience with it?"

Jaune blinked. "Uh... Actually, yes. Should I know more about this?" he muttered to himself. He shook his head and turned his attention back to running. "Wait, did Aizen's energy just get closer?"

"I honestly did not expect you to get here." The two froze as Aizen appeared in front of them, followed a few moments later by his fox-like lieutenant. Aizen shook his featureless face. "I assumed that Wonderweiss would be enough to kill you both. Then the Heartless must have altered Wonderweiss more than I had assumed."

"Well, it is a new science, Aizen. Even ya can't learn those in a couple months," Gin said, keeping his hands in the opposite sleeve. Aizen turned to look at Gin. "Are ya glarin' at me, or just lookin? Hard to tell without a mouth. Or eyelids."

Aizen turned away without response, returning his attention to Ichigo and Jaune. "Your ally must be more powerful than I anticipated, Jaune. Ichigo's 'friends' are so underwhelming, so often," he said with his echoing voice within their heads. He reached down to his hip and drew his sword, bringing it over his shoulder as he prepared to attack. Jaune and Ichigo readied their weapons anxiously, prepared to defend themselves from Aizen's incoming attack."Now, I believe I have wasted enough time with you. I -"

"Aw, c'mon, Aizen. That ain't necessary," Gin said, grabbing the flat of the blade. "I still haven't got my shot."

Aizen continued to stare at Jaune and Ichigo. "Well, if you insist, Gin."

Gin's eyes opened, icy blue appearing as his face twisted into an angry snarl. "Always. Bankai! Kill, Kamishini no Yari!" The blade flashed and –

Aizen's body tensed all over, reacting to the blade buried through his chest. "I've been waiting hundreds of years to do that," Gin said, yanking his blade out of Aizen's chest. The white figure stumbled and threw his leg out, steadying himself as a drop of what looked to be liquid Darkness dripped from his wound.

Gin whipped his blade to the side, smirking. "And just like that, the traitor gets betrayed. Ironic, ain't it?"

"You..." Aizen turned and slashed at Gin, who jumped just beyond the blade's reach. "You didn't honestly think a simple stab wound could kill me, did you!?"

Gin scoffed mirthlessly. "No, not with that sphere in your chest, ya madman," Gin said. He rushed forward, slashing at Aizen's head. "But with a hole in your gut I think I'll be able to take ya down a peg or two!" Aizen hissed and slashed up at the incoming blade, deflecting it before Gin's blade suddenly extended again, this time carving one of Aizen's eyes out before he could react.

"Careful there, Aizen! You wouldn't want a lowly nothin' like me takin' ya out!" Gin spun and moved to decapitate his former ally.

"D – Do you know what's happening?" Jaune asked Ichigo after a moment, the two stunned by what was happening. "We should help him."

"No need, Kiddies!" Gin grinned and slashed at his former ally again, their blades screaming as they connected. "Hey, Aizen, I forgot one more thing! Tell me, what do ya think of blood that'll vaporize ya?" Gin shouted as he shoved hard against Aizen's blade, creating a bit of space between them so he could reset his stance.

Aizen's head cocked to the side again. "Wha -"

And that was the moment half of his body vanished. Gin grinned and took a step backwards from the vaporized stump of his former ally. Jaune and Ichigo glanced at one another, then turned back to stare in confusion at Gin. "A shard of my Zanpakuto in your body and you're gone," Gin said before turning to Jaune and Ichigo. "Just like that and we don't even need Urahara's ringers. Sorry, Boys, but I guess ya ain't needed here."

"Oh, Gin." Everyone froze, staring at Aizen's legs as they began to grow again. A body slowly began to grow, butterfly wings erupting from the back of the all white body. A large hole, connected to the Hogyoku by perpendicular lines of white to his body. His head grew out next, topped with his long brown hair and his face remade as it was, save for his black sclera and silver-white irises. He grabbed his sword from the ground and slashed upward, his blade cleaving through Gin's chest before he could react. The blade vanished as Gin's blood trailed behind it, leaving a deep, bleeding gash in his former lieutenant's chest. "Thank you, for giving me the last push I needed. Fear is necessary for evolution, and you were the first to give me fear in a very, very long time. Even in betrayal, you are loyal." He stepped forward and grabbed Gin's throat before he could fall, then buried his hand up to his wrist in Gin's gut. "And so, your reward."

He turned to Ichigo and Jaune. "Why don't we finish this somewhere else. Wouldn't want to risk harming all these Hearts I'll be using for fuel, after all." Then Aizen vanished, leaving the stunned warriors behind to watch as Gin fell suddenly and painfully to the ground.

Seeing him on the ground, they charged forward. "Are you okay?" Jaune asked, sliding to his knees and summoning a Curaga. The spell did its job, but he was too injured for it to save him. It staunched the bleeding, but a hole in the gut and the cut across his chest had done their job. His entire outfit was stained dark red, and the light in his eyes was starting to go out.

"Whaddya think, Kid?" the dying man asked. He coughed and laughed, blood flying from his mouth, then shook his head. "Do I look okay?"

"He's a traitor." Jaune glanced up at Ichigo, who was glaring angrily down at Gin. "He betrayed the people that counted on him. Let him go."

Jaune looked down at Gin. "But... why did you do it? Doesn't that matter?" He looked back up at Ichigo. "He did the wrong thing, but -"

"Does it matter?" Ichigo said, his voice steely. "They counted on him, and -"

Jaune narrowed his eyes. "You don't get it! Even though he was wrong, he might have tried to do the right thing! They'd forgive him if -"

"No!

"Yes!"

"Easy, Boys. You can't kill each other before ya kill Aizen." The two young men looked down at Gin. He was smirking at them, amused by their argument. "Look, I knew none of them others could kill Aizen. They wouldn't do anything to beat him. Rules, honor. Buncha morons. He'd already been playin' those rules for years, so I knew only someone with a little Darkness in them could trick him. Either I'd bide my time, or everyone'd die. Even... people I care about."

Ichigo snarled and aimed his sword at Gin's throat. "So you hurt them to -"

"I did something just as bad." Ichigo turned to stare at Jaune, stunned. "But the opposite. I was willing to trade everyone's lives for one person. I almost killed the universe. All of it." He smiled sadly. "But I was forgiven. So..." He looked down at Gin, whose eyes were shut once more. "I know you did the wrong thing, but, well, I was forgiven when I asked for help. So, if you want our help, I forgive you, too."

Ichigo was about to ask what the hell Jaune was thinking when Gin laughed, the dry and pained noise startling both of them. "You're a piece of work, Keykid. A piece of work." He sighed and opened his eyes, the blue softened from its usual ice. "Ya got Darkness in ya. I saw it back in Hueco Mundo. But, ya know, maybe it would have paid if I'd have been as Light as ya, too." He turned his gaze up to the sky. "Maybe if I'd asked her for help, or if I'd warned Urahara... Either way, yeah. Stop him. Please." He turned his gaze back to Jaune's. "Please, fix my mistake."

"Of course," Jaune said, grabbing Gin's hand. "We'll beat him."

Gin smiled and shut his eyes again. "Thanks, Keykid... Thanks."

Jaune watched the man for a few more seconds before carefully placing him on the ground and standing up. He turned to Ichigo, who was studying him with an intense and unreadable gaze. "Well?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I guess I didn't really understand what you'd done, Jaune," he said evenly. He looked down at Gin's corpse. "... I don't forgive him for what he did. I've met the people he hurt. He helped hurt Rukia. I can't."

"Then just understand. Imagine you met Aizen alone, and knew his plans from the start," Jaune suggested. "Fear, hate, sadness... love. They make people do things they didn't think they ever would."

Ichigo looked back over his shoulder, where the doorway they had exited had vanished a few minutes earlier. "Rukia..." He turned back to Jaune and nodded. "I guess, if he tried to stop Aizen here... then there must have been something. Even if I can't forgive him, maybe whoever decides where he goes next will." He turned towards the growing energy that Aizen was giving off. "Let's go."

R W B Y

Sosuke Aizen had once had a plan. He had set it up for centuries just to get to this war. It had been methodical, precise, and was built to deal with whatever power he could imagine from any Soul Reaper. As loathe as he was to admit it, the arrival of the Dark Keyblade wielder with Jaune Arc's face had thrown him off, and it had made his plan... messier. While he was sure that the Hogyoku was stronger with the power he had given it after studying the Keyblade, it was the arrival of a true Keyblade Wielder of Light that made him wonder if that was enough. Just judging from the strength of the Head Captain and that... Dark Jaune, there were too many unknowns for him to be certain of the outcome. And that made him uncomfortable. After all, he'd spent hundreds of years only fighting when he was virtually certain of the outcome, and now he had to face Kurosaki and a Keyblade Wielder together.

Speaking of those two, they had finally arrived outside of the town in the wide open desert he had led them to. A place where none of the Hearts and Souls in the town would be put in danger. After all, he planned to use them when he became this world's god.

So Aizen put on his cockiest smirk and turned to the two children, channeling energy into his hand to replace the sword he no longer needed. "You certainly took your time in getting here," he noted. He cocked his head to the side. "I suppose that you decided to entertain Gin in his final moments, then. Tell me, what did he think of dying? Fear of the unknown? Rage at his weakness? Perhaps regret for following me?"

"He died knowing we'd beat you," Ichigo stated with a growl. He flew forward, blade crashing into the energy weapon in Aizen's fist. "And we will!"

"Interesting. Your Zanpakuto has fused to your form," Aizen said, pushing against Ichigo's weapon and keeping the two of them locked where they were. "How have you changed?"

"Let me show you," Ichigo growled. "Getsuga Tensho!" The blade exploded with black and red energy and Aizen gasped. The sheer energy was... well, it neared his own power. He was blasted backwards by the explosion that resulted, his wings burned and tattered but quickly regenerating. He tumbled through the air for a moment before catching himself, flaring his wings to come to a stop.

"You can't honestly think that was enough, Kurosaki?!" Aizen snarled, raising his energy blade and flying at Ichigo at full speed.

He was thrown off course by a Keyblade crashing into the side of his face, Dark and Light energy swirling through the air after him. "Then it's a good thing he's got friends!" Jaune Arc snapped when the energy crashed into Aizen. The two were on him again before he could fully recover that time, and Aizen was forced to divide his attention between the two warriors closing in on him. He brought his sword up and to his left, deflecting a blow from Ichigo's sword. He swiped back with a clawed hand, a sphere of energy glowing in his palm. Ichigo moved too quick for Aizen to see when he dodged, the blast in his hand flying past Kurosaki's hair and into the sky. The boy hadn't been this fast or strong before. What had changed beyond his outfit?

Aizen had no time to consider this, as he sensed the power of the Keyblade Wielder approaching him from behind. He dashed forward, the blade narrowly missing his back. The spell that came off of it, however, was too close to miss. Flames exploded all across Aizen's back, and he was sent flying, trailing smoke and flames through the air. He tried to flare his wings to stop himself, but he soon realized that the flames had burned them away.

"Maybe that wasn't enough, Bastard. But why don't we try again!" His blade swirled with energy as it shot forward. Aizen threw his hands forward, trying to summon up a wall of energy to block the incoming attack, but he couldn't put enough power in it fast enough for that to matter, and his shield shattered in front of him, the energy barely dispersed when it burned through his flesh and carved through him, his own power stitching him together in its wake, but not dulling the intense pain traveling through him.

Aizen's eyes widened as he reconstructed himself and he spun to the side, the glowing Keyblade passing by him just barely. He knew what was in that strike. It was a power he had only ever sensed the Dark Jaune use, the sealing and unsealing of the Lock the Head Captain had placed on the Seireitei. He knew instinctively what the boy had been trying to do to him, to use that odd power of the Keyblade to lock the Hogyoku's power and leave him easily defeated. He knew now that, if this boy had that power, Jaune was the real problem he had to deal with.

And before he could do anything, his head was separated from his shoulders.

He was still conscious. His mind and soul were part of the Hogyoku now, after all. And so, in those moments, he was able to bring all of his strength to bear on a single idea: evolve or die. The Light around him was drawn into the Hogyoku, inverting and darkening. Portals of Heartless began to appear, their energy flooding through the air towards him. Jaune and Ichigo were sent spiraling from the force of the wave, drowning under the Darkness. Until, finally, it was gone. Aizen opened his now burning, yellow eyes and flexed his wings, the left the deep black of a bat and the right a gleaming white of a bird. His outfit had changed, with his bottoms turning a deep black with white flames trailing from its edges. His shirt was gone, but he now had a huge emblem on his chest, a crossed out Heart with the Hogyoku resting atop the 'X.' He turned his eyes towards Jaune and Ichigo, grinning. "Thank you," he said, raising his right hand, Darkness spreading from his fingertips and all the way up to his elbow. A sphere of Darkness appeared above his clawed fingers. "I had thought my evolution completed by Gin's meddling. I should have known that you two would drive me even further."

R W B Y

"We should be careful," Captain Ukitake said, glaring at Wonderweiss as he threw a tantrum about Jaune and Ichigo's escape. "Even if his abilities are not as powerful against us, Aizen trusted he would be strong enough to fight the Head Captain."

Yang and Mercury glared, unconvinced, at the monster and its tantrum. "Riiight," Yang muttered. "The toddler is dangerous."

"If the Captain is worried, so am I," Rukia explained, holding her snow white sword defensively.

"Caution is all well and good, but we're never going to get anywhere if we don't make the first move," Urahara pointed out. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a new hat. "Glad I didn't waste my replacement before Aizen's attack."

"Enough talk. Let's fight!" the other captain, Kenpachi, shouted. The little girl on his shoulder laughed excitedly as they rushed forward, the blade in his left hand a deadly arc of metal as it came towards Wonderweiss' neck. "That's what we're here for!" The monster's eyes immediately calmed and twitched towards him, followed by its entire body twisting and clawing at him. Flames of searing pain shot from his hands, and his claws crashed into the incoming blade, sending it into the ground at his side. The monster babbled again and shot its claw forward, aiming for Kenpachi's Heart. The man's eye widened and he threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding death.

Urahara, Yoruichi, and Ukitake came in at the same time. "Could you please try to listen to a plan next time, Kenpachi?" Yoruichi asked as she appeared behind the creature and slammed its arms to its sides. The monster writhed and fought agaisnt her even as Ukitake and Urahara came in from the front, their swords slashing in tandem. The flames on its shoulders exploded before they could get close, forcing them back and a now burned Yoruichi to dash away.

"Hot," Yang said drawing an annoyed glare from Mercury, the only one to have heard her. She smirked and slammed her fists together. "If the rest of you all have trouble with a little fire, then maybe it's about time you wait for some real hot stuff to take care of it for you." Her hair flared up, flames as large as Wonderweiss' streaming up from her head. The babbling creature turned in curious excitement, eyes widening when they reached her. "Let's see who burns brighter, Ugly." With that, Yang charged the monster, her elbow shooting out Fire spells that accelerated her prosthesis' rush towards Wonderweiss' face. The monster turned towards her, laughing like a giddy child as it brought its claw up into her path. Their fists slammed together, and an echoing thunderclap blew the flames surrounding both away, dying in the vacuum. The monster laughed excitedly and brought its other claw down at her, the fists once more colliding as she brought hers up. "Did you know firefighters will start a fire to suffocate another? Learned that one when I started a forest fire after I got my Semblance. I think if you want to use flames, I'll just have to use them all first!" Yang roared and slid his claws over her shoulders, the attacks slamming into the ground. Her flames ignited a moment before his, and she brought her leg around to slam her heel into his chest. The creature laughed at the attack bending its chest inward, sending its giggling form flying.

Rukia watched the creature's flames flare, stopping its movement with a bubble of superheated air. Its flames kept anyone from getting too close, and it could attack from far with them, judging by the missiles of flames it was sending at them. Mercury leaped in front of her, spinning to summon a Reflect wall that sent the attack soaring away. He kicked another that came too close, his own Firaga stopping it in its tracks. "You have that same look Blondie has when he comes up with a plan," he noted as he lowered his leg. He glanced over at her. "What?"

"Yang, can you do that again?" Rukia asked. "Put out his fires?"

Yang glanced over at Rukia. "Sure, Short Stuff. Won't matter if we can't keep his fire snuffed, though. And I can't if he's in the sky."

Rukia smiled. "Leave that to me." She gestured at the Captains, Urahara, and Yoruichi. "Captains! Get him down here, please. I have a plan!"

Zaraki didn't wait, leaping into the sky and slashing with his own wild laugh. His sword cleaved through the pillar of fire, but the force of the heated air made his blow little more than a scratch against the monster's mask. "Harder!" He screamed, turning the sword and slashing again. The monster flew backwards to avoid the attack, right into a crimson wall. "AGAIN!" The sword flew forward, aimed at the creature's head. It ducked and spun around him, flames exploding to force Wonderweiss from death at Kenpachi's hand.

"Hado one. Sho!" Ukitake shouted from behind the wall, beside Urahara. A powerful force exploded from his outstretched finger, slamming into the creature's chest and sending it flying backwards a short distance. The flames calmed as the creature was stunned, just enough for Yoruichi to fly in, appearing in front of the monster as if out of thin air. She slammed her fist into its face, her energy spinning along her knuckles and giving her the strength to blast the monster away, creating a crater where it hit the ground. But it wasn't hurt, judging by the speed with which it got to its feet.

"Hey, Shoulderpads Jones!" The monster's laugh stopped and it turned towards Yang. She grinned and slammed her fists together, burning even brighter than before. She looked like she was flame itself, given form. Orange shaped into a human, surrounded by a halo of gold. "I'm the firefighter." She rushed him again, doing the same as before. The flames around her hid the explosions of the Fire spells, their light hidden by the flames but their force propelling her forward nonetheless. The creature babbled once more, its manic grin growing as it slashed its claw at where she was going to be, having learned from their last conflict. Its body exploded in flames, leaving it a horrifying beast of red among a field of orange, fire rising to meet fire.

Yang grinned and focused, more flames exploding from her knuckles and she spun around quickly, left fist clenched tight and slamming full force into the monster's face.

The thunderclap was louder this time, if that was possible. Yang's flames and Wonderweiss' exploded apart from one another, melting cement and warping steel beneath them. Rukia glared at the flames swirling around one another, forcing herself to ignore the heat burning at her face so she could concentrate her power on doing what she had to do next.

The flames died out a moment later, revealing Yang slamming her fist into Wonderweiss' gut, forcing all the air from his lungs, or whatever he had instead of lungs. "Now that's what I call fighting fire with fire!" She jumped away, the flames already starting to ignite in her hair again. "Get going, Shorty!"

"Second dance, Hakuren!" She stabbed the ground before her four times and stabbed forward, a freezing stream of ice exploding from the tip of her weapon, the cold traveling to Wonderweiss almost instantaneously. The monster breathed in as the cold hit him and he was flash froze, ice creeping up his legs to his head.

"Nice!" Yang said, landing and shutting off her own flames.

"It's good enough," Mercury said, rushing forward, bathing his legs in Blizzard spells. He slammed his feet, one after the other, into the monster's face. The ice shattered, but was quickly replaced by the exploding spells coming off of his spinning legs. He landed on the other side of the creature and watched as Kenpachi laughed wildly, crashing on top of Wonderweiss and shattering the ice around him completely.

Wonderweiss gagged and fought against the weight atop him, trying desperately to summon flames to throw him off. The flames sputtered and died, as if his very essence remained frozen by Rukia's attack. Kenpachi ignored the struggles and slashed at the monster's body carving bits of it up before it turned and swiped a frozen and sluggish claw at him. Kenpachi laughed like a wild animal and simply caught the blow on his sword's edge, cleaving the hand in two. "That wasn't too bad!" he shouted before bringing the sword down in another powerful blow, cleaving the creature's head off with minimal effort.

Yang frowned at the rising cloud of Darkness. "Aizen made that thing pretty brain dead," she said. "I'm glad it wasn't smart enough to kill us, but -"

"But no one deserves that." Captain Ukitake noted.

Mercury shook his head. "Won't stop people from doing it."

Zaraki sighed. "If he'd been better, maybe the fight would have lasted longer," he noted, disappointed. He glanced out at the battlefield. "Well, I'm bored."

"Yeah, Kenny! Let's go!" the little girl on his shoulder shouted. "Maybe there's more fights!" Kenpachi and the girl vanished.

"He's insane, isn't he?" Yang wondered, scared of what meeting that man again would be like.

Mercury looked at her. "He's insane?"

She turned and smacked his head, only for him to dodge out of the way. "Not this time!"

Rukia turned to her Captain, conversing with Urahara and Yoruichi. "Where should we head now, Sir?"

Ukitake opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by Urahara. "Well that's an easy one, isn't it, Yoruichi?"

"Of course, Kisuke," the darker woman said, leaning on his shoulder and grinning at the three younger warriors. "The love birds need to make sure their boys aren't dead. Silver..."

"Needs to make sure his friend's okay," Mercury stated simply. He crossed his arms. "Besides, where he goes, that's where Em would be if she's here."

"Lovebird number three!" Urahara taunted with a grin. "Who'd have guessed."

Ukitake smiled softly. "Very well. Rukia, your orders are to see if Ichigo and Jaune need any assistance. Take the off worlders with you. They deserve to see this fight through, I think."

Rukia laughed happily, then caught herself and bowed. "Yes, Captain. Right away." She turned and held her sword out, ready to open the gate. "Let's go."

"Yeah, maybe we can see Jaune and Ichigo take him down if we hurry!" Yang shouted, pumping her fist. "Let's get there before too Xiao-Long so we don't miss it!"

R W B Y

It was like facing a whole new Aizen, Jaune decided. Having absorbed dozens – if not hundreds – of Heartless, he had grown to a whole new level and was toying with them like this was back when the whole adventure had started. To taunt them, he had created a weapon of energy in his right hand and one in his left, a Zanpakuto crafted from Darkness and a blade of Light shaped like a Keyblade. Right now, he was using both of them to attack Ichigo while Jaune was kept at bay by beams of energy flying from tendrils of Darkness growing from Aizen's back.

Jaune grimaced and attacked the beams as they came, often one appearing directly behind him just fractions of a moment after he shattered another. "Sol!" The shield on his arm flared to life in its buckler form, giving him a way to swing an arm quickly around to deflect the incoming energy. The Light glanced off of his buckler and he turned to the next, slashing it apart and moving to block again, preparing for the bolt to crash into the buckler. The attack never came. Instead, Ichigo was slammed back first into the ground in front of Jaune, sending stone and dust exploding out from where he had landed.

Ichigo struggled to his feet and his shirt fell apart as he came to his feet, blood and cloth falling to the ground around him while he used Zangetsu to hold himself up. "This is more in line with what I predicted." Aizen smirked at the two from the air, his weapons dangling at his sides. He rushed down, swiping the sword at Jaune, catching the Keyblade, before spinning and slamming the false-Keyblade into the hastily constructed defense of Ichigo. Jaune stood his ground, the Keyblade glowing as the attack that hit him lost momentum in their clash. Ichigo, however, had no such luck. The magnified power of Aizen shattered his defense, a blade of air following the attack and slamming into his chest. Ichigo screamed in pain and was sent flying backwards once more, a large slash leaking blood from his midsection. "One of you lacks the defense to stand against me, and the other the ability to damage me in any way." Aizen backed away and threw his black blade into the ground, effortlessly grabbing Jaune's Keyblade with one hand. "Neither of you are worthy of the power you have been given, miniscule as it may be."

"I know I'm unworthy," Jaune said resolutely. He pressed forward as hard as he could against Aizen's disinterested grip. "But that's how I can see you aren't worth a fraction of what I had at my lowest! STOP!" A Stopga exploded from the tip of the Keyblade, the energy surrounding Aizen. Jaune pulled away from his weapon and summoned the Keyblade to his hand. "And I'm smarter than you give me credit for."

"Are you really?" Aizen's head turned and he dropped his arm. "It seems to me you did not think that through." He pulled his false Zanpakuto from the ground and brought it up above him without looking, blade colliding with Ichigo's incoming assault, flashing around to block the dozens of slashes that came in a second. The blade melted around Ichigo's blade on the last attack, locking him in place. Then a beam of energy fired from the grip, crashing into Ichigo's face and sending him flying up into the air. Aizen reformed his blade and advanced on Jaune once again. He slashed at Jaune with the blade of Light, the attack glancing off when Jaune's buckler came up in its path. The black sword vanished and he tore the Keyblade from Jaune's hand, then brought his leg up and kicked Jaune square in the chest. The Keyblade wielder was shot back, air in his lungs vanishing until he slammed into a butte nearby. The true Keyblade in Aizen's hand vanished, reappearing in the stunned Jaune's grasp in a flash of spiraling black-red energy.

He smirked again as the energy in the area began to change again, though it was not coming from either of the battered and weakened warriors he had been defeating so far.

"What are we going to do?" Ichigo asked, appearing beside Jaune and helping him to his feet. "You have to Seal him so I can destroy him."

"I can't get an opening. He's playing with us," Jaune explained sourly. He glared at the man, who wasn't even paying them attention now. "I hate to say it, but you might have to..."

Ichigo frowned and looked off into the distance. "I... I don't know."

Jaune got it. He wouldn't either. "I know. But still."

"I know... But I hoped all the rest of the strength I have now would be enough. I'll give this all up, but I don't want to," Ichigo explained sadly. "So... just one more try. We can do it."

Jaune sighed and nodded. "Okay." He turned and got ready. "Let's do... this..."

Aizen was staring at a swirling doorway of energy, slowly opening. The monster raised his hand, summoning a swirling sphere of Darkness and Light in his palm aimed at the doorway. "No, we do not need interlopers now." And he let the energy loose.

Jaune and Ichigo were in front of the doorway barely a moment later, intercepting the massive river of Darkness and Light swirling towards them, scorching and twisting the earth beneath their feet, burning through buttes behind them as they split the energy that screamed against their weapons. "Ichigo! What's happening?!"

He didn't turn around to greet Rukia. He was already slipping. He could feel it, that he was losing against Aizen, even with Jaune's help right there. The stream of energy was blasting them backwards, inch by inch, foot by foot. "Jaune, you can do it!" Yang said, reaching out to the Keyblade wielder and grabbing his shoulder.

"Or we die!" Mercury pointed out, earning fiery hot glare from Yang. "So, uh... yeah, you can do it!

"Ichigo... what are you doing?"

Jaune glanced over and saw Ichigo staring at him sadly. "I'll get you your shot!" Ichigo shouted before shutting his eyes. He pushed harder against the wave of energy. "Final Getsuga Tensho." The air around him exploded, a pillar of white energy with black, crackling lightning traveling through it appearing around him, suddenly burning the wave away completely.

Aizen snarled as he was blown back, the backlash carving his face off and revealing the horrifying, featureless shadow beneath. "What the hell!?" the horror's echoing voice wondered as he glared at the smoke.

Jaune and the others stared in surprise at Ichigo, whose appearance hd changed completely. His hair had grown, turning into a massive black mane reaching his waist. Fluttering in the wind, it almost looked like a cape or cloak attached to his back. His body was covered in blue-gray, crisscrossing bandages that traveled from just beneath his eyes down to his waist, leaving only his left arm visible. Black tattoos of flames twisted around his bare left arm and under the bandages, seeming to flare as if they were real. A massive cloud of smoke floated up from beneath the tattered remains of his former outfit and his right arm, almost obscuring his right side completely at times. His eyes were steely and sad, but filled with determination and the knowledge that what he was doing was the right thing, the only thing, if he wanted to protect Rukia.

Ichigo vanished from sight, and the group yelped as the wind buffeted them suddenly. They looked around for Ichigo, except for Jaune. He was staring directly at Aizen, who was also looking around in surprise and worry. "How did he..?" Aizen wondered.

Aizen coughed out blood as Ichigo suddenly appeared behind him, fist slamming into one of Aizen's kidneys. The monster shrieked in pain and went flying, soaring over Jaune and the others. Jaune watched him fly, a level of wonder filling him. This was like watching Sora fight, someone just... impossibly strong. "You okay?" He turned to Yang, who had her arms crossed. She smiled at him and asked, "I mean, you're watching for your shot, right?"

Jaune dropped his weapon to his side and jumped forward, hugging her with his free arm. He fought the tears of relief that wanted to stream from his eyes as he thought of the energy wave rushing towards her. "Yang, I – I was worried... we wouldn't get to you guys in time."

Yang smirked and hugged him back, arms tight around his midsection. "Never even crossed my mind." She pushed off to hold him at arm's length. "How about you help beat Aizen so we can go home. I... have something I want to ask you when we get there, so make it fast, okay?"

Jaune sniffled and wiped at his face. "Uh, yeah. No problem." He took a breath and turned back to the fight, where Ichigo was still beating down Aizen. He slammed his smoking hand into Aizen's face, shattering the shark like teeth filling his maw. Aizen snarled and raised his energy weapons, trying to deflect the next incoming attack. Ichigo spun around it and slammed his foot into Aizen's head, snapping his neck and sending him flying to the ground. Aizen's neck was healing before he even hit the dirt, and flared his wings to stop his descent.

Ichigo slammed into him before he could respond, grabbing hold of Aizen's hands, his black hair whirling about behind him. "Ichigo..?" Rukia muttered, staring at the power her friend was unleashing. She knew that all power had a cost, so what could possibly be the cost of this? Of fighting a demi-god? She glared at the ground. She had been there the entire time, fighting beside Ichigo at his best and worst, at her best and worst, and now she couldn't help him do anything. She just had to stand there and watch while he fought Aizen. Ichigo slammed a fist into Aizen's face and wrapped a hand around his throat, using the grab to turn and slam him into the ground. She couldn't do anything at all.

"Ichigo, you better not lose or I'm going to kill you!" Rukia shouted, tears streaming down her face. "We still have a lot to do together!"

Ichigo smiled behind his mask. "Maybe one day, Shorty," he muttered as he stepped away from Aizen's twitching body. "If – No. When I find a way to see you again." He swept his hand out, blocking the sudden attack from Aizen and shattering the energy blades against his right forearm.

"A surprise attack. What happened to being sure of your power?" Ichigo taunted. He slammed his hand into the terrified Aizen's face, tightening his fingers around the traitor's head. "I thought you were supposed to be a god." He slammed his left hand into Aizen's gut, the force blowing a hole in the man's body that was already healing.

Jaune rushed forward, recognizing his opening. Ichigo was going to lose his powers, his ability to even see Rukia, because of this fight. Jaune was going to do his part to make sure that sacrifice wasn't in vain. Ichigo saw him running in and let go of Aizen's face, turning and slamming back kick into the monster's chest. Aizen screamed and flew backwards, trailing blackened blood the entire way to Jaune. Jaune nodded and twirled the Keyblade in his right hand, Light and Darkness swirling around its edges. He concentrated on the feeling he had in Ichigo's Heart when fighting Zangetsu, on finding a way to enter Aizen's Heart quickly to alter things from within, then leaving before he had even recognized he was in that black pit. He stopped spinning the Keyblade and stabbed forward, the teeth of his weapon facing the ground as the weapon collided with the Hogyoku, then he turned the Keyblade and poured his determination into the weapon. "Revert!"

The world around them groaned and the too loud noise of a lock tumbling echoed through the sky from Aizen, who had lost all momentum. Jaune jumped to the side, avoiding the claw of Aizen that came his way as the man recovered from the blows, stumbling in a clumsy attack that missed by a mile. "You... you two think that will stop me!?" He screamed as Ichigo stood beside Jaune, glaring at Aizen. The traitor roared in rage and raised two fingers towards the pair, a swirling mass of Darkness and Light forming instantly at his fingers. "You two can never stop me! I'll kill you!" The energy was let loose, rocketing towards them.

"No. That's you," Ichigo said, raising his right hand. The smoke around it condensed, coming together in a single black blade in his hand. "Mugetsu." He slashed upward, the black blade lengthening and carving the wave coming towards them in two, continuing down the entire length until, finally, it cleaved Aizen in two.

Ichigo lowered his hand after a moment and sighed, the last of his energy gone. The black faded from his hair, returning the massive mane to its natural orange. He gasped in pain, the bandages around him shattering and falling from his body to the ground with an armor like thud. The flaming tattoos slowly died and vanished. Ichigo turned towards Rukia and the others. "See? No problem." Then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he began to tumble forward, only saved by a pair of small, cold arms catching him before he fell completely unconscious.

R W B Y

Ichigo woke up with a sudden gasp, air rushing into his exhausted lungs. He panted heavily, still feeling like his limbs were stone and he was about to fall unconscious despite the fact he felt like he'd slept forever. He looked around, still just struggling to stay awake, and noticed that he was in a back room of Hat-and-Clogs' shop. He grabbed the back of his head to alleviate the headache thumping in his skull from sitting up too fast, and noticed someone had cut his hair. There were a few voices coming from outside the door. "Hello?" he asked. He coughed, surprised at the intense hoarseness of his voice. "Hey!"

The voices stopped and came towards the door, sliding it open. Jaune and Yang walked in, leaving Mercury, Urahara, and Yoruichi behind. They left the door open as the trio nodded and walked away, Urahara lifting the letter as he did. "So, what's that letter about?" Ichigo asked, wanting to deflect from the first thought he had: Where's Rukia?

"A tournament," Yang explained, crossing her arms. "We need some help catching our own bad guy, too. Mercury is helping them go over the details but it's been slow."

"The Head Captain guy doesn't want to give us the Hogyoku, so it might be a while before the tournament actually happens. We'll be sending someone to talk with him. Probably Sora, or Ozpin," Jaune said. He walked up to the side of the sheets Ichigo was sleeping beneath and plopped down. Yang did the same beside him a moment later. "They'll figure it out, though."

"Yeah, I bet..." Ichigo muttered. He groaned and laid back down, his exhaustion growing. "How long have I been out?"

Yang gestured at herself before saying, "With me, Jaune, and Merc healing you, it's only been a week or so. Your dad came in a few days ago and said it could have been months if it weren't for that."

"My... dad?" Ichigo wondered. He sighed. "Of course that weird old man knows about all this." He turned his eyes to Jaune and frowned. "So, I'm guessing..?"

Jaune bit his cheek and looked away from Ichigo, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. Finally, he supplied, "Kisuke says it's gone. All of it." He looked back at Ichigo. "Our healing accelerated that, too."

Ichigo felt all of the air rush from his lungs and an ache more painful than anything Aizen could have done ran through his Heart. "A-all?" he shut his eyes and forced the tears to stay put. Eventually, when he was sure they wouldn't flow, he opened his eyes and turned to them. "So I – I'll never see – her – them... again."

The pair turned to look at the wall, then back at him. "Kisuke is working on it, apparently. But..." Jaune shook his head.

Yang put her hand on Ichigo's shoulder and smiled to comfort him. "It's not looking good," she supplied. She shrugged. "But it's only been a few days, so maybe that'll change."

"I wasn't even able to unlock your powers again," Jaune explained, tightening his fists on the ground. "It's like they aren't locked away, they're just... gone. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything!"

Ichigo laughed and shook his head, stopping Jaune's spiral. "No, it's not your fault. Zangetsu said this'd be the cost, and I paid it. What else would I do when the people I cared about the most were in danger?" He shut his eyes. "I'd do it again, and I'd have done it even if you weren't here, got it?"

Jaune grinned. "Yeah. I got it."

Jaune and Yang stood up after a few more moments of silence. "I'm sorry, Ichigo, but we have to go," Yang supplied. She brushed off her hands on her pants and pulled out a small Gummi cube. "If you ever need to call us, plug this into your Scroll."

"My what?" Ichigo asked.

"She means whatever it is you use to call people. Like this," Jaune took his Scroll out shaking it.

Ichigo blinked once. "A phone," he supplied.

"Yeah, sure," Yang replied, rolling her eyes. She leaned down and placed the block beside his head.

Jaune pulled something out of his pocket and laid it beside the Gummi. "And hold on to this, for me. If it can give me power, maybe... maybe it'll do that for you, too."

Ichigo turned and grabbed hold of the small Keychain shaped like a skull on a wooden pentagon. The Keychain that looked exactly like the Substitute Soul Reaper badge. "I... thanks, Jaune." He clutched it to his chest. "I'll give it back, one day."

Yang smirked and crossed her arms. "We'll miss you, Strawberry."

Ichigo glared at her for a moment before chuckling. "Yeah. Me, too," he agreed. "You know... I'm glad I can still see you guys. Maybe... you can tell Rukia goodbye for me? Please?" He shut his eyes and fought back the tears.

Jaune and Yang glanced at one another, then at the person that had been sitting beside them. Rukia, crying silently, stoic above his bed despite her tears. "I mean, I just – I don't want to never say goodbye to her," Ichigo said, sobbing. He pulled one arm up and draped it over his eyes, hiding the tears that were flowing freely now. "I want her to know I miss her."

Rukia sobbed at that, bringing her own arm up to cover her eyes. "I... I'll miss you, too!" she cried, jumping forward to wrap her arms around him. Ichigo grunted as she clutched too tight, forcing his arm from his face. His eyes widened at her crying beside him, as if she had appeared out of thin air. Which to him, Jaune and Yang realized, she had. "Ichigo, I'll miss you, too!"

Ichigo stared at her and smiled, the tears flowing harder but his sobs vanishing. "I... I'll always have you in my Heart," he told her, wrapping his arms around her, too. "Even... even if I d-don't see you. After all, you got me into this whole mess, didn't you?" He hugged her tighter and buried his face in her hair.

"I don't want to lose you, either," Rukia cried. She buried her face deeper into his shoulder. "I... I'll find a way, no matter what. You'll see me again, I swear!"

"I believe you," Ichigo said before she slowly vanished from his sight, and his hands passed through where she was, hitting his chest. His eyes widened and a broken sob escaped from his mouth before he forced it back down. "I know I'll see you soon, Short Stuff."

Rukia let go of him, watching her hand pass through his and she stifled her own sob.

Jaune and Yang turned away and left the room, deciding that they both needed time. Captain Ukitake stood just outside the room and shut the door when they were through. "Are you sure you want to leave the Head Captain's Keychain with Ichigo? Without his powers -"

"It'll drive most things away from him. Keep him safe, if it's the same as the other time I saw one of these," Jaune explained. He shrugged. "And maybe it'll help him wake his powers up faster."

"You'll be waiting for our guy to come, then?" Yang asked, changing the conversation. "Oz or Sora'll come fast when we tell them you guys aren't giving us the Hogyoku."

Ukitake shrugged. "I'm sure they will come to an agreement, eventually," he supplied. He turned and looked at the door. "We will have to leave, soon. There is too much we have to fix in the aftermath of the war, and order has to be restored. It will not be easy on her."

"She's strong. She'll survive," Yang supplied. She sighed. "We have to go, too. Can you help her?"

Ukitake nodded. "Of course. I would not see her sad for long," he said. "If I can help, I will gladly."

"Good," Jaune said. He walked up to the Captain and held his hand out. "If you need us, just call. Okay?"

"Okay," Ukitake said, grinning happily. "And don't forget to visit. You are heroes, after all, especially after locking the Keyhole for us so no one can get to it again."

Jaune and Yang smiled, overjoyed at hearing one of their dreams coming true in front of them. "Heroes, huh?" Jaune asked. He nodded. "We'll live up to that, no matter what."