"Then what are you going to now, Layne?" The pseudo-Layne asked, kicking some more pebbles into the lake and turning it blue again
"I'm going to get my ass out of here…and go save everyone" Layne said, a determined look taking over his face
Turning to leave, Layne's arm was grabbed by the copy
"You'll need this" and with that he vanished from sight
Layne looked at the arm, trying to ascertain just what he would need and he caught sight of the new markings on his hand, A large X that stretched all the way across the back and over onto the palm
As Layne vanished, Roxas walked around from behind the tree and looked at the Pseudo-Layne, sitting under the other tree
"So what did you think" Roxas asked guardedly, sitting down and looking over the water
"He's strong, but he doesn't know what to do with his strength…perfectly ripe for the picking"
The Psuedo Layne displayed a nasty grin, and Roxas sighed as he slowly faded into the Pseudo-Layne, the two becoming one
Joel collapsed backwards, utterly defeated by Kieran's overwhelming strength, portions of his body raised and all of his wounds looked like they had a nasty infection
"You're pathetic" Kieran spat out, his tone venomous "I don't even know why you two even bothered to stand up when you felt that retard die"
Moll stood up and grasped her zanpakuto tightly, realizing she was the last person who could stop Kieran from doing whatever he wanted to Layne and Joel's bodies
Kieran smirked at her "Don't even try it bitch"
An immense reiatsu flared, toned down and the flared again, and Moll didn't dare to believe it as she turned around, her expression one of amazement
"So just who is dead?" Layne asked Kieran calmly, picking himself up off the ground with some effort, wobbling unsteadily on his chicken feet
"I thought I could try it…but never in a million years could I defeat a Bankai only using my Shikai" Layne said regretfully, talking to Moll "You sacrificed yourself so that I could learn this technique, and I don't even use it when I have the chance?"
Kieran's eyes narrowed "You expect me to believe that you've attained Bankai, you've been in the Soul Society for less than a week, you've been harassed and fighting the whole time, there's absolutely no way that you can achieve Bankai"
"You've got it somehow… and you've definitely been here much less than ten years, seeing as the last time I saw you was only a year and a half ago… how did you get here Kieran, what are you trying to accomplish"
"You're a fucking idiot, like I'd tell you that… I'm calling your bluff, You don't have Bankai, you're just trying to psyche me out"
"Whether or not you believe it is up to you…."
Layne summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion to him, and the flashed into existence in his hands
"…but can you deny the evidence that your own eyes give you?"
Layne hardened his reiatsu and literally knocked Kieran back with the force of him pushing Oblivion forwards
"Take a look, this is my…BANKAI!"
Layne's hardened reiatsu condensed and then exploded outwards, with varying impacts, To Moll behind him, the impact felt like a decent breeze, but to Kieran, it was like being hit by a brick wall that was shot out of a cannon
The reiatsu storm settled down, and Moll got a good look at Layne, standing there looking only slightly different from before
The chicken feet, and the plague inflicted by Kieran's Bankai had been eliminated and Layne looked human again
The only real difference to his normal appearance was a pair of half-finger gloves that looked like they were made out of thin glass and filled with water
"Roxas: Final Form" Layne announced
He moved at impossible speed and Kieran barely had enough time to block the opening strike
"Shit"
Kieran pushed Layne back and caught him in the side with Plagado, but the weapon just passed through Layne as his body liquefied
"What the fuck!" Kieran exclaimed, overbalancing as he wasn't expecting to feel no resistance from the attack "What does your Bankai do!"
"I've got no idea, let's find out together" Layne replied with a grin
Kieran grit his teeth and began unleashing a flurry of blows, but each time Kieran came close to landing a hit, it was either dodged, and Layne would appear behind him in some kind of overpowered flashstep, causing Kieran to go on the defensive for a bit, or Layne would turn to water and Plagado would pass harmlessly through
"You must be able to do better than this" Layne commented, sounding bored "You can't even touch me now!"
"Plagado!" Kieran shouted, getting angry now
A stream of vile ooze flew from the mace towards Layne and caught him before he could flashstep out of the way
"I see it now!" Kieran shouted
The plague started eating at the stomach of Layne's shihakusho and Layne quickly turned to water and reformed, plague free
"Enlighten me then" Layne said cautiously, having worked it out for himself as soon as he had dodged Kieran's second strike. It was his power after all
"Bankai, the most powerful skill available from a zanpakuto." Kieran began, staying on guard in case Layne tried another overpowered flashstep
"It usually functions as an expansion of the user's reiatsu, amplifying the Shikai abilities, Or rarely, as a compression of the massive power of Bankai, increasing physical prowess…but mine, and that fucktard Joel's are the only compressions I've ever seen….but yours, yours is both…the expansion is the water, I'd have to guess that you're capable of controlling not just water you generate, but outside sources as well"
Layne raised an eyebrow at glanced at Oathkeeper; it couldn't possibly be that powerful…could it?
"And the compression," Kieran continued "You always were fucking fast, but both your speed and attack power increased? Is there no fucking justice in this place?"
"With you on the side of what passed for justice, of course there isn't"
"Well either way, It doesn't matter, now that I know that it's just more of the same shit, I'll just fucking kill you anyway" Kieran snarled, suddenly launching himself forwards
Plagado clattered off Oblivion as Layne parried and attempted to swipe Kieran's legs from under him, but Kieran grinned and spoke the words "Sepsis!"
"Oh f…" Layne was cut off as he was enveloped by a literal black cloud of disease, and Kieran jumped back; he wasn't entirely immune to his own attacks
"Overconfident, Layne" Kieran mocked, "Just because you dodged a few of my attacks doesn't mean that you're stronger than I am, it just means it was going to take slightly longer for you to die."
The cloud dissipated and Kieran walked over to Layne's kneeling form
"Heh, you must really be at your limit, even Joel took one of those and got back up to fight"
Kieran swung Plagado down, intending to end it, when Oblivion shot up and impaled Kieran's shoulder, causing Kieran to stagger back a few steps
"That was totally pathetic" Layne's voice said, but not in Layne's voice "Even in your Final Form, you go and almost get us killed"
Layne stood up and looked directly at Kieran, who was shocked to see that, the left side of Layne's face was now covered in what looked like half a bone white mask that seemed to be steadily forming from nowhere. The mask had a deep green stripe from the corner of what looked like half an inverted trapezium, which served as an eyehole, revealing a black sclera and yellow iris
"Wh..what the fuck are you?" Kieran spat out, wrenching the black keyblade from his shoulder and tossing it aside
"The 'thing' in Layne's body summoned Oblivion to himself, and picked up Oathkeeper from the floor, sneering in contempt as he tossed it aside and replied to Kieran's question
"What am I?... I'm nothing" and the very words it spoke, filled Kieran with dread
Layne disappeared from Kieran's vision, and a very deep cut opened up on his back, this went on for a few more seconds, cuts opening all over Kieran's body as the thing inhabiting Layne did its work
Suddenly it stopped, right in front of Kieran and he watched as it spasmed, hearing voices, like two people shouting at each other, in the middle of a heated argument
"This is my fight…What the fuck are you doing?, if you let me stay we'll win…I won't sink to his level…you already…GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
With what looked like a titanic effort, Layne's left hand shot up and tore the mask off, letting it hit the ground where it broke, and vanished
Layne panted, cuts opening over his body that he didn't even know that he'd sustained,
"Glad …*pant* …that's… *pant*… over… *pant* …sorry" Layne managed to get out "I won't sink to your level, even if it kills me"
"Why the fuck are you apologizing?" Kieran growled "This is a fight to the death, and I've still got enough left to fucking kill you"
"Heh, so be it then, but neither of us are going to be able to stand up for much longer, so let's wrap this up quickly"
"Rot, Plagado!" Kieran began radiating all that was putrid, foul and sickening, focusing all the essence into his mace, which took on the aura of just plain death
"That's a nice trick" Layne commented "Riptide Strike: Maelstrom"
Thunder sounded, and it immediately began to rain hard, while this was happening Layne was manipulating most of the water into a shape that Kieran couldn't discern
The rain ceased as Layne completed the technique, two additional blades hovering around him, mirroring the appearances of the blades he held, yet completely made of water
"Riptide Strike: Rainblade"
"Fuck off and die" Kieran snarled as he leapt forwards
"That's my line" Layne replied, moving to intercept
The blades clashed, Oathkeeper and Oblivion hitting Plagado and the resulting reiatsu explosion kicked up a storm of dust, making it impossible to determine the outcome
Coughing slightly Moll used Sora's air abilities to blow away the dust, and got a good look at the scene
Kieran and Layne stood apart from each other, facing outwards
"Chh" Kieran spat as blood erupted from his chest and back "I really, fucking hate you" he said before he collapsed
Layne fared a little better, suffering no injuries from the clash, but he fell onto one knee, looking totally spent
"That was for my mother you piece of subhuman filth"
Moll ran towards him, and hugged him, reassuring herself that he was still alive
"It's ok Moll, I won" Layne told her, wanting to get moving, but unable to do so, with his friend currently holding onto him
"I was so afraid" Moll said, beginning to tear up "You idiot, why did you have to go and play dead twice?"
Layne decided not to tell her that he hadn't actually been playing dead at all
"Look, this is fun, but I need to go help Ichigo, then we can get the hell out of here"
Joel groaned and rolled over "You're alive Layne!" he shouted, flashstepping from his sideways position into a standing one next to Layne somehow
Layne had about enough "We need to go help Ichigo!" he half shouted, somewhat angrily
Moll and Joel backed off instantly, feeling the wave of angry reiatsu Layne emitted, even if he hadn't realized he was emitting it
"Ok then Joel, pick up this idiot and let's get going"
Joel collapsed; his elation at seeing that Layne was ok, ebbing away and the painful feeling of every single one of his injuries combined overtaking him
Moll sighed "Must I do everything around here?"
She used Sora to make Joel and Layne hover a few feet above the ground and led them along to where Ichigo was fighting Byakuya
"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi: Shukei Hakuteiken" Byakuya murmured, the white wings of the technique expanding behind him
"Amazing" Ichigo whistled softly "Sorry, but Zangetsu only taught me Getsuga Tenshou, so the best I can do is put all my strength…into this last hit"
The two charged forwards, strangely mirroring Kieran and Layne's final attacks from before
Once again a dust cloud blew, and Moll used Sora to blow it away, not saying anything as Orihime, Uryuu, Nemu and Chad moved out of their hiding spot in the trees and joined her, Joel and Layne, waiting for the outcome
Ichigo and Byakuya stood a few meters away from each other both facing outwards, and awaiting their strikes to affect each other
Blood erupted from Ichigo's shoulder and he slumped forwards, pushing Tensa Zangetsu into the ground to hold himself up
Byakuya spoke a few words to Ichigo, and then lay down on the ground, unable to summon the energy to even stand
"I…I Won!" Ichigo shouted and then "Shit…I can't stand up"
Orihime rushed to catch him, but was too slow and ended up connecting her head with the back of Ichigo's
As Ichigo clutched the back of his head in agony, Orihime wildly waved her arms and tried to apologize
Then Ichigo noticed who it was "Orihime!" he exclaimed
"For someone covered in blood, your surprisingly energetic, Kurosaki" Ishida said calmly as he pushed his glasses back up his face, everyone had moved over after Orihime's initial rush and now stood around him
"Uryuu!, Chad!, Moll!... and who's that?!" Ichigo asked, catching sight of Nemu
"Everyone is unhurt, that's really good"
"What about me you bastard!" Layne complained, waving a blood covered hand behind the crowd
"Who did you even fight?!" Ichigo said, noticing Layne lying on the ground for the first time
"Long story… I'll tell you about it sometime"
Renji ran along the Seireitei, heading for Jidanbo's gate so he could get out to Rukongai when he reached Tousen
"Captain Tousen…what are you doing here" Renji asked in confusion
Tousen said nothing, but produced a long cloth item and tossed it so it wrapped and covered the three of them, Tousen, Rukia and Renji
Renji coughed as the cloth unwrapped, and looked around "This is…the Sokyoku Hill" he whispered, his face reflecting the utter shock he felt.
"Greetings Abarai-kun" a voice Renji never thought he'd hear again said, completely devoid of emotion
"Cap…Captain Aizen…" Renji stammered out
"Please Abarai-kun, put down Rukia Kuchiki, and step away"
For a nanosecond Renji was tempted to do just that, and then he recalled Ichigo's words
"Don't let go of her, even if you die"
For a 15 year old kid, he had some powerful ideals
"What did you just say" Renji growled, identifying Aizen for what he was, an enemy
"Did you not hear me? I told you to put down Rukia, and step aside"
Ichigo and the others had just made their way to the bottom of the hill, Chad piggybacking Ichigo who still had Tensa Zangetsu in a tight grip, Nemu carrying Joel, and Uryuu and Moll supporting Layne between them, Joel, Ichigo and Layne were swapping battle stories and complaining about their injuries
"Everything Hurts and I'm dying" Joel complained "I had to go two rounds with Bankai users"
"You didn't fight a Captain" Ichigo countered "You'll be fine, I on the other hand"
"Tell me about it" Layne replied "My feet changed shape, it was fucking disgusting"
"Bakudo 77. Tenteikuura!" Isane's voice resounded through everyone except Orihime's heads
"What the…?" Everyone except Orihime and Nemu said at once
"Bakudo 77, Tenteikuura" Nemu explained "Remain Silent, a message will come through soon"
"This is Isane Kotetsu, Lieutenant of the 4th division…please listen carefully, everything I am about to say is entirely true"
They all listened as she detailed the events of the conspiracy that had undertaken around them, with them unwittingly at the center of it all
"I fucking knew it" Layne muttered "There was no possible way Anita, Jed and Kieran were here because they were fucking paragons of virtue… this Aizen guy is one fucked up dude"
Layne's and Uryuu expressions grew steadily darker as the message progressed on, and when Ichigo asked "What was that all about?" They shot him looks as if to say, "Are you an Idiot?"
"How come I didn't hear anything?" Orihime asked the group, looking around in confusion, completely missing the context of what was going on
"The message came from the fourth division; you never came into contact with them" Chad explained
"But why would they tell us that?" Ichigo asked the group again "Isn't a captain killing captain their problem?"
"They told us, because we needed to know" Layne said heavily
"Huh?"
"Don't you see Kurosaki" Uryuu started explaining "This Aizen, murdered the Central 46, which is obviously this places government…and started giving the orders himself…and ever since we got here, Kuchiki-san's execution date kept getting pushed forwards"
"So…"
"It's obvious isn't it" Layne took up the mantle of explaining again "Aizen's goal is to kill Rukia"
Joel perked up as he noticed a reiatsu where it definitely shouldn't be "Shit…Renji's back on the hill?" He disengaged himself from Nemu's back and flashstepped off
The blood drained from Ichigo's face "Renji…had Rukia" he vanished too
"For fucks sake" Layne complained "Doesn't anyone explain where they are going around here?" and with that he flashstepped off as well
Moll facepalmed at his hypocritical statement, and began running back up the Hill with the others, knowing that none of them could move fast enough to catch those three idiots
"I refuse, Captain Aizen" Renji said stoically, clutching Rukia tighter to his chest, she was seemingly paralyzed by Aizen's reiatsu and couldn't say a word
"Very well then" Aizen replied, moving forwards and unsheathing his zanpakuto "I can understand just how you feel right now, so if you want to hold onto Rukia, that's fine, just leave your arms there and step aside"
"Shit" Renji thought, sidestepping just fast enough to dodge Aizen lopping off both arms at once
"Impressive" Aizen said calmly "You've become strong enough to dodge successfully, however, if at all possible could you please stop being so stubborn? It's difficult enough not killing you with the first hit, and being your former superior, I couldn't bear to see you die"
"Then why did you kill Hinamor?i" Renji shouted "Howl! Zabimaru!"
Renji's sword changed to the long serrated whip and he shot it straight towards Aizen, who blocked it with his palm, so it all tangled up and fell on the floor, destroyed by his reiatsu
Aizen appeared behind Renji, slashing all up his back, so blood spurted and covered him and Rukia
Renji gasped in pain and knelt down,
"So, Abarai-kun, I'll ask you one last time, Put down Kuchiki Rukia"
"Renji…let me go" Rukia pleaded
"I refuse" Renji said, coming up with a grin "I'm never letting go of her again"
"How unfortunate" Aizen said, swinging his zanpakuto in an arc towards Renji's neck, who grit his teeth and shut his eyes
There was a clang, and Renji opened his eyes, to see Joel standing in front of him, Way to the Dawn in direct contact with Aizen's zanpakuto
Aizen disengaged and jumped back a few steps
"Yo, Renji, I came to help" Joel said with a grin, before turning to Aizen "I knew there was something off about you when we met… you were trying to hypnotize me"
"Very astute"
Aizen's praise felt more like an insult to Joel, who just gripped his zanpakuto even tighter
"Sorry" Ichimaru said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand "I was zoned out and I didn't notice the three of them coming"
"Three?" Joel thought, glancing sideways and seeing Ichigo and Layne arrive beside him, the three of them arranged in a loose formation around Renji
"So that's Aizen?" Ichigo asked
"Jeez, I think I've got myself in another fight" Layne complained "I can't catch a break"
"It's not a problem," Aizen, said to Ichimaru "The difference between one and four specks of dust isn't something that can be seen with your eyes"
That taunt pulled Ichigo's, Layne's, Joel's and Renji's attention back to Aizen
"Do you still have enough strength left to run?" Ichigo asked
"Yes. But I'm not running, Zabimaru's broken form has its uses"
Ichigo and Renji argued for a little bit while Layne and Joel stood on guard
"Joel"
"Yo?"
"Can you give me an opening?"
"Easily"
"Then let's get this Quadruple Team Started!"
Joel stuck Way to the Dawn in the ground "The ground is going to swallow you up! Quake!"
Earthen spikes moved from where Joel had his zanpakuto stuck in the ground and moved towards Aizen at a frightening speed
"That's a scary ability" Ichimaru commented, not sounding scared at all "Control over the very ground we stand on"
Aizen watched the spikes come on in exactly the way Layne would of, and so Layne knew exactly when to strike
"Here we go, Roxas!" Layne called out, aiming to put all of his remaining strength into this last blow so Ichigo and Renji had enough time for their plan
Layne launched himself forwards, using the full speed granted by his Bankai, and accelerated even further by swinging Oathkeeper behind him and firing off a jet of water
"This is for all the pain you've caused Aizen!" He shouted, putting his remaining reiatsu into Oblivion and swinging it straight for Aizen
Who took the blow on his arm with no effect at all, in fact Layne's hollowfied hand couldn't stand up to the reiatsu Aizen had reinforced his arm with and started bleeding
"Oh…Shit"
Aizen cut clean through Layne's left arm, severing it and throwing it and Layne at Joel who fell over backwards, trapped under Layne's dead weight
Aizen flashstepped next to the pile of Layne and Joel and looked down on the two of them
"Who would of thought, that my third generation of pseudo-arrancar would be so weak, I'm not sure how you managed to beat the second" Aizen said calmly, almost clinically even, seeming to study Layne as he lay there
"I don't know what that means, but fuck you all the same" Layne replied through gritted teeth to avoid showing any signs of pain
Aizen looked like he was about to execute Layne and Joel and Ichigo and Renji were forced to put their plan into action
"Renji!" Ichigo shouted "We have to go now
"Forgive me Zabimaru… Higa Zekkou!"
The broken and scattered fragments of Zabimaru suddenly rose up and flew at Aizen, surrounded with Renji's bright red reiatsu
"Get away from them" Ichigo shouted as he charged forwards, the speed of his Bankai allowing him to cross the distance almost immediately
"Getsu…" And a blade flashed and pretty much severed Ichigo at the waist, turning his speech into gurgles
Ichigo hit the ground and stopped moving, while Aizen appeared next to Renji and gave him another deep slice up his back, knocking him out.
"Now, Rukia Kuchiki" Aizen smiled as he approached her, ignoring the four fallen forms of Rukia's would-be saviors
"Stand Up"