Chapter 23

Al, Sora, and Ed were walking towards the dark laboratory. "Everything seems quiet so far..." remarked Sora.

"Well, it is abandoned," replied Ed. "I mean, what do you expect? A bunch of enemies walking, talking-"

""HAHAHAHA!"

The scream scared the trio. They hid inside of nearby barrels as a large figure approached.

"Now, Maleficent, I think it is time that we push for that-"

"You fool, not so loud!"

A black and green lady emerged from the darkness. Evil radiated from her as she walked next to the large figure.

"Pete?!" whispered Sora.

"Who?" asked Al.

"I'll tell you later..." Sora spotted heartless near the gates. "We have to-"

"But why NOT?!" exclaimed Pete. "Those clowns can't do anything without us!"

"And that is why we have to be careful! Those beings have that power to do what we need."

"I hate it when people speak the pronoun game," said Sora.

"Agreed," mumbled Ed. "Why does the rest of our team have to skip out of this?"

"We split into two teams - one for stealth, and the other for force." Al said.

"Yeah...so what was the difference?" asked Ed. "I mean, we will have to fight these...heartless...later on, so-"

"Shhh! They're talking more, brother!"

"...Have the forces been trained?" asked Maleficent.

"Yes, those heartless and the nobodies are ready to kill." Pete paused. "Are you sure that we need to-"

"-To do that? Yes, Pete, this will give us more chances to control the darkness. Now, let's hurry to that place."

The duo vanished into shadows. As they did so, Sora remembered something. "There is a way to get in undetected! I'll transform into anti mode!"

"Whaaa-?" Ed glanced at Sora. "What, you have an-"

Sora changed into his form, scaring his companions. "You can do that! Whoah!"

"Shadow travel time!" Sora grabbed Ed and Al, teleporting to go to the inside of the laboratory.

"Ugghhh..." Ed stumbled to the wall. "I'm too...dizzy..."

"Snap out, Ed! We are here!" Sora pointed to the hallway ahead. "According to Mustang, we need to head towards its basement and see if anything is there!"

"Yeah, yeah, captain obvious..." Ed walked towards a door. "Would it be luck that this door leads to the basement?"

"Not really..." Al pointed to the sign on the door. It read "Entrance to the basement labs".

"Oh...well, it still is luck," pointed out Sora. "I mean, how was I able to teleport near this door?"

"A trap?" answered Ed.

"Well...would it matter much?" Al asked. "Either way, we have to find out what is going on..."

They opened a door to see a staircase going down. "Ready to go?" asked Sora.

"Yes." Ed stepped forward.

Meanwhile, Ichigo clashed blades with Kenpachi. "Don't hold back-!"

"Same goes for you!" Kenpachi slammed his blade into Ichigo's. As Ichigo backed off, Kenpachi slashed the ground in front of him.

"Your sword..." Ichigo heard rumors of his blade's powers, but it was enough to scare him. Ichigo looked at his blades in horror, only to see that he should not have worried. Why haven't they been broken? thought Ichigo.

"So you've noticed." Kenpachi grinned. "I think that my blade and your blades are of equal strength right now. Don't tell me that this is all that you have got."

Ichigo raised his blades. "Don't mock me!" He ran at Kenpachi, carving a wound on Kenpachi. Kenpachi, unfazed, swings his sword and tries to take out Ichigo in one hit. At the last moment, Ichigo dodges, but not before receiving a cut on his left arm.

"Nice reflexes, but try this!" Kenpachi took the offensive, hacking and slashing the air around Ichgio. Ichigo blocked several hits, only to see something odd about Kenpachi. His face was angrily serious, which is unusual, considering that this man enjoys fighting.

"Why the look?" Ichigo glared at the large man.

"You don't know the half of it..." All of the sudden, Kenpachi releases a roar. Ichigo steps back, seeing Kenpachi wrapped in a cloak shaped like some sort of creature.

It's a pokemon! exclaimed Raquaza.

Oh, hi! What happened to you? thought Ichigo.

Sorry. I was meditating. Ask me questions later. Anyways, that roar belongs to the pokemon Salamence! It's a dragon, like me!

How do we defeat it? Zangestu asked.

Oh, you are here as well? We should do something together, you know?

I agree-

Kenpachi lauched himself at Ichigo. "Oh, come on!" Ichigo parried his blows, only to see the Salamence aura manifest into hands. They began to reach Ichigo, but he yelled "Getsuga Tensho!" and banished them.

Kenpachi raised his sword. "I...will...win!"

"Wake up, idiot!" Ichigo dashed around him. "You can't let them do this to you!" Ichigo closed his eyes and stopped. He began to transform into a green cloaked form. "Meet Dragon form!"

Roaring, Ichigo yelled "Twister!", slamming into Kenpachi. He flew across the abandoned village, buried in the rubble.

"You won't win! Ever!" Kenpachi broke out, rushing towards the green cloaked shinigami. Ichigo kicked his stomach, sending him back to the rubble.

"Snap out of it!" Ichigo stepped forward. Kenpachi got up and removed his eyepatch, releasing aura.

"Flamethrower!" Kenpachi breathed in air, then released a fire blast. Ichigo dodged the attack, only to see Kenpachi teleport near him. "Dragon pulse!" His blade sent out energy blasts towards Ichigo, who countered with energy blasts of his own.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo's blades collided with Kenpachi's, causing a huge explosion in the area. Kenpachi backed off, stumbling.

"Don't...you...underestimate-"

Ichigo pointed his blades to Kenpachi. "Too late. You lost!"

"NO! I will beat you!" Kenpachi stepped forward, gripping his sword with both hands. "Fight to the death!" He roared, charging at Ichigo. Ichigo sighed, swinging his blades to counter Kenpachi's slash, causing another explosion.

Kenpachi flew backwards, crashing into the ground, defeated. Ichigo, relieved that the battle is over, got out a device.

"Anti-brainwashing disc, go!" He put the device over the man and his body relaxed. Ichigo was glad that Kenpachi is alright, but he had to teleport this guy to Soul Society somehow.

Just then, Ichigo's phone rang. "Hello?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia called from the other side. "All you alright?"

"Yes, I just found Kenpachi."

"That explains the massive disturbance in this world. We will try to send for some help, but make sure that you hold on."

"Yes, got it!" Ichigo hanged up and carried Kenpachi. "We have to find shelter somewhere..." Ichigo groaned.

Meanwhile, in the laboratory underground, several figures were talking to each other.

"So, the experiments are complete?" A man with long, dark hair asked. He was wearing red armor and had odd eyes.

"Soon, the heartless will have their hearts back, creating the neithermen." The answer came from a man with blue fire for hair.

"Don't forget, these neithermen are special." The man with the eyes smiled. "They are infused with other creatures. Their powers will be more than anyone can handle."

"Even Maleficent?"

"Oh, that weak fool? I know what she added in-her own darkness. However, what she doesn't know is that these creatures are meant to die instantly, since they are hosts to other monsters."

"Really, Madara? You mean that..."

"Yes, Hades. These neithermen are like cocoons. They will spawn stronger creatures, ones who will be merciful. Soon, the worlds will fall into the Minus dimension and below."

"Yes, I know, but...well, I know this is weird, but...what is your backstory?"

"Finally, someone asked." Madara smiled again. "I was originally from another world. However, I found a way to escape it and explore others using a dimensional power. Now, I am here, finding answers to a question that I have."

"Oh, that's nice! I'm just an GOD of the underworld."

"Well-" Madara snapped and looked around him. "Someone is coming here. We have to go."

"Is it...the Homonculus? The contracters who hired us for this?"

"Not just them...it's a keyblade wielder!"

"Wait, how do you know of the keyblade?"

"I will tell you later..." The figures departed, leaving no trace of them being there.