I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.
End
"I'm done," Hachigen reported, moving out of the way as Kurai instantly leapt to his feet.
It had been an hour and five minutes on the dot. Kurai was already late.
"Wait," Nemu spoke up, also standing. "Please, be careful."
Kurai nodded then kissed her. Then, he turned and opened the Senkaimon. A Hell Butterfly arrived and he sprinted through, the butterfly guiding him. After less than a minute, he sprinted out and slid to a stop. He could sense Aizen in battle. But his focus was on his immediate surroundings. Tatsuki, Mizuiro, Keigo, Chizuru, and Don Kanonji, all friends of Ichigo's, were standing around him staring at him. He had suppressed his Spiritual Pressure the moment he saw them, allowing them to remain standing with him there. The next thing he saw, was Rangiku, weeping over Gin's bloodied and lifeless body. He sighed deeply as he strolled over, drawing Haruko.
"Gin Gin Gin," Kurai sighed, making Rangiku look over at him, unsurely. "By the wounds I'd say it was Aizen that killed you wasn't it? Poor guy. It wasn't even a nice quick death probably. So, you were in deep cover all this time huh? I bet I know why you did it too. Well, normally, I'd let dead enemies stay that way. But in this case...Grow, Haruko."
He released his Zanpakuto and Haruko grew, except that there was a gap in the field below Gin's body.
"I know you dislike him Haruko, I'm not overly fond of him myself," Kurai stated. "But he did give his life to stop the person you hate most."
Haruko did nothing for a moment before closing the gap and wrapping grass around Gin, more grass blades pulling his arm over to him. Then, the field glowed. A moment later, Gin's eyes snapped open as the grass retracted and Rangiku began to sob in joy, hugging him tightly.
"Good morning," Kurai smirked. "I'd stick around but something tells me I should go find Ichigo."
And with that, Haruko wrapped around his wrist, and he was gone. Kurai traveled quickly, but just as he neared the battleground, a massive wall of black Spirit Energy shot skyward. And he sensed nothing. He couldn't sense Ichigo or Aizen, for a moment. Then, Aizen's Spiritual Pressure returned but Ichigo's did not. Kurai appeared beside Ichigo, who had long black hair, bandages wrapped around his body, and a skirt-looking thing made out of black flames. Aizen stood, his sword dissolving, just as Ichigo's black hair exploded off his head, leaving his orange hair but a bit longer than when Ichigo had left, and his bandages and flame skirt left revealing the ruined remains of his Shihakusho. He had no Zanpakuto.
"I'll ask what that was later," Kurai said. "Aizen, you look like hell. Since Ichigo's in no shape to fight, I'll pick up where he left off."
"You can never defeat me," Aizen spat. "My Zanpakuto is dissolving because-"
He was cut off when several red Spirit Energy spikes erupted from his chest. Kisuke appeared a moment later as the spikes sprouted crosses from his back.
"Look at that," Kurai smirked. "Sealed away because the Hogyoku decided you failed."
"What are you talking-" Aizen stopped as the hollow-mask-like face he had been wearing shattered, leaving his right eye normal again, and his right hand, which had been partially fused to his Zanpakuto shattered along with what was left of the blade.
"You don't know do you?" Kurai asked walking forward and stopping in front of Aizen. "You said it yourself, the Hogyoku is sentient and brings the dreams of those around it to life. But do you know how? Hypnosis."
Kurai's hand streaked forward, ripping the Hogyoku from Aizen's chest before Kurai turned and walked back to Kisuke and Ichigo.
"You see, the Hogyoku has been sentient since long before Kisuke finished it," Kurai explained. "It told me so because it wants a new servant. It knew it would eventually be destroyed, though it wasn't sure how. So it wanted a tool to defend itself. It brings the dreams of those around it to life by hypnotizing the world itself. This is important, because it chose you as its tool."
Wood was beginning to grow at Aizen's feet and he began to break it as it tried to encase him.
"It knew that you were powerful enough to protect it, but weak willed enough to be subjugated easily," Kurai stated. "It chose you long before you had awakened Kyoka Suigetsu's powers. The powers of complete hypnosis. Where do you think you got such incredible power? The Hogyoku wasn't telling you you didn't need a sword, it was reclaiming what originally belonged to it. You believed you had subjugated the Hogyoku but in reality, it's been your master since long before you knew it existed. It is the source of your power. But you've failed. It's really a shame. You created the perfect test subject using the Hogyoku's power. You succeeded in creating the one true Arrancar, a cross between hollow and Soul Reaper. But the Hogyoku hid it from you. You see, that is what the Hogyoku promised you. But it couldn't promise to give you what you already have. You see, try as you might, you were never able to crete a perfect Arrancar after me because you were trying to do something that wasn't possible. The Hogyoku can't actually make Arrancars from nothing. Even your Espada were failures, remember? But me...I'm perfect. The one true Arrancar. Even without you, I was destined to be born. Want to know why?"
Aizen glared at him, still breaking away the wood that had reached his chest. But he froze, shocked horror moving into his face as Kurai held the Hogyoku up between his thumb and index finger, and with those two alone, shattered it.
"I was destined to be born, because I am the only thing in existence that can destroy the Hogyoku," Kurai stated. "It is a blight on this world, and needed to be disposed of. So I was brought into being. I was given Haruko to aid me to my destiny, and to keep me from losing heart. Without her, I would have died or lost my way too many times to count. I was always meant to be the person that ended the source of your power. And since the Hogyoku made it hard to kill you..."
The seal finished, turning Aizen into three spike crosses that were set up so that two formed an "X" and one was driven down through the center of them. Kurai drew Haruko and slashed it horizontally, Aizen reforming out of the broken seal, back to the way he had been before the Hogyoku had mutated him. Just as he reappeared, Haruko plunged into his heart, edge upward. Once her blade was extended from his back, he ripped it upward, splitting his head in half, finally killing him.
"Holy shit," Kisuke breathed. "You did it."
Kurai nodded then turned around as Orihime, Rukia, Renji, Chad, and Uryu all arrived. Ichigo greeted them but as he moved to go to them, he collapsed. Kurai caught him and sighed.
"Where do we take him?" Kurai asked.
"My house," Rukia said.
Kurai nodded and looked to Kisuke.
"I expect you to explain what happened here to me," Kurai stated.
Kisuke nodded and Kurai left with Flash Step, taking Ichigo to Rukia's. Over the next ten days, Kurai and Haruko helped with the wounded that were slow to recover, including restoring Head Captain Yamamoto's left arm, which he had apparently sacrificed in an attempt to kill Aizen. Once that was done, Yamamoto sent him to Hueco Mundo with Nemu and Halibel to retrieve the newest member of the Captain guards. Once they had found Ashido, Halibel opened them a way back to the Soul Society, and the three went home all welcomed by friends, now that Halibel was a hero to the Soul Society for fighting against Aizen. Then, finally, Ichigo woke up.
Rukia and the others briefly explained what had happened before Rukia confirmed that they knew that his Final Getsuga Tensho, which he used to defeat Aizen, had taken his Soul Reaper Powers from him, though they were leaving slowly, allowing him to survive in the Soul Society and see Souls and hollows.
"According to Kisuke, there will probably be several stages," Kurai spoke up from his place against the wall. "First you lose consciousness and the time you spent in the precipice world immediately begins to flow in reverse. Did you notice your hair?"
Ichigo glanced upward at what he could see of his hair and sighed.
"Your height has returned to what it used to be and your Spirit Energy is stable now," Kurai stated. "However, at the beginning of the next stage, you'll black out again, this time accompanied by intense pain. That may be a week from now, or a month, or a year. But in the end, you will no longer be able to see or interact with spirits, Soul Reapers and Arrancars included."
"I see," Ichigo nodded. "Well, I guess when that time comes it comes. There isn't much I can do about it now."
"How can you say that!?" Rukia shrieked. "You won't be able to see me either! Do you think I want to lose you!? Do you think I want to have to suffer knowing that you will eventually move on because you don't know I'm there!?"
"Rukia," Ichigo smiled. "I have no intention of moving on. And besides, humans can see a Gigai."
Rukia blinked at the simple solution then grinned and nodded. Kurai suddenly tossed a ring similar to his own ring Gigai but a different color gemstone and different designs to Rukia.
"I had Kisuke make it for you," Kurai stated. "We figured it would be better than the one you had to lug around before."
"You were planning this weren't you?" Rukia asked looking to Kurai.
"Not at all," Kurai stated. "I had no idea Ichigo would be dumb enough to give up his powers. But hey, at least that Gigai will get some more use than your current one did."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rukai asked.
"It means, it's time for me to go meet my new squad," Kurai stated. "See you guys around."
And with that, Kurai left, heading to Research and Development. Nemu met him at the gate and they walked in hand in hand. Mayuri, ever the pleasant one to be around, simply nodded to him then returned to his work. Kurai walked into the next room, a very large open one, where the entirety of Squad 12 was waiting for the celebration of their new co-lieutenant.
"Welcome home," Nemu smiled.
"Next stop, Captain," Kurai whispered and Nemu nodded smiling.
"Has to be better working conditions than now, but don't tell him I said that," Nemu smiled.
Kurai kissed her then sat down at his table, picking up the Sake bottle.
"Let's get the party started!" Kurai shouted and everyone cheered before beginning to drink.
THE END
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