CHAPTER TWO: Awaken…

A long time later…

I slowly open my eyes after a long sleep of healing and unconsciousness. I look around my depressing surroundings and the blood appearing on the floor is dry and brown… I've been here a long time but how long?

I stand up with a weak feeling and notice the wound I previously had is completely healed with a scar… I tap my fingers against the cut open vest and it slowly closes it. It now looks like it was previously. I look around for Halcon who was lost to me…

Eventually, I saw the shine of the sword in the moon's beam and pick it up by the handle. I take a long look at Halcon, "I'm sorry for that my friend. Please, forgive me." And I gently slide my sword back into the sheath that was still on my side.

I looked around and up to the window that has bars… Great, I know what this place is. This is the Exequias's prison. It's far out away from the palace. The question is… Why would Nnoitra carry himself out this far to let me be imprisoned here?

The large bulky door begins to slide open, and three figures walk in… The one in the middle looks like a bull humanoid with horns while the ones on the sides have human-like skulls. I know who this was, it was the Exequias founder and leader Rudbornn Chelute.

"Hello, Ex-Espada number seven Masa Kumasaka… I have a message from Lord Aizen himself. More of a request." Rudbornn tells me…

I stand in the shadows to avoid being seen well, "What the hell does he want with me? He just betrayed me and yet he wants to use me?"

Rudbornn approaches me as the two figures guard the entrance to the door, a great escape but yet a risky choice. "You were sent here much long ago… You've been sleeping in this cell for a very long time. Anyways, we have been informed by Lord Aizen that there's intruders in Hueco Mundo." Rudbornn informs me in a serious tone.

"Is that so? And why am I involved in this?" I cautiously ask the skull bullheaded arrancar. He keeps his hands behind his back, "Lord Aizen has given you a deal that if you assist on capturing the intruders he will permit you back into the army but into the Privaron Espadas," he replies.

I look at him with a dumb look and begin to laugh suddenly, "That's a good one! How about no." I tell him in a rude tone.

He simply backs himself out and motions his companions to follow and they shut the door closed. My chance of escaping is now gone. I stand there in the spiritual compressed cell with nothing to do.

I look around and find a stone couch and walk over to it and sit on the rough furniture. I slide my sword back out and take a glare at the beautiful blade. I sigh after staring at it for awhile and slide it back into the sheath and stood up.

I sonido myself all over the room to exercise my speed and gain back my endurance. After a long day of doing with several breaks I stop and stretch my body out afterwards.

Man, prison is boring around here… I should be ready to escape any moment now. Just then, I heard groans outside the door like the guards were being attacked and I quickly get beside the door and unlash my sword.

The door slowly opens and the light glares into the room. A small figure slowly walks in, not looking that hostile. I quickly sonido behind this figure and bring the sword to the person's throat. I bark a question, "Who the hell are you?"

The small figure was a female and she'd put her hand on the blade like she wasn't scared, "Don't you remember me Masa? The only arrancar who wanted to be follow you…" I quickly knew who it was… It was Hikari Blythe Tsukino.

I retract the blade away from her throat and slide the sword back into the sheath. I sonido in front of her and look down at the small Hikari. "You know it was a mistake coming here, Hikari. Now the Exequias army will be after you. Besides, doesn't this mean Aizen will punish you for this as well?"

She simply shakes her head, "We do not have time for this right now, Masa. Right now we have to escape this prison into Hueco Mundo. I picked this opportunity to do it now do to the invaders being the primary focus over everything else."

I sighed after hearing her plans. She still is truly a follower to me. I could tell she wants to better know me still like always, "Fine but you stand by me. You're still nothing compared to all these Exequias soldiers." I protectively tell her. She really can handle these guys like nothing but I do get worried when she engages in combat.

She gets a bit mad after I say that and I swear a vein just popped out of her head, "Stop treating me like that! You do know I can just use my Teleportación ability to get us out of here instead of us wasting our time with these guys." She pretty much just hit gold right there.

"That's it! Let's give it a go then!" I excitedly say as I can finally leave. She closes her eyes and brings her hands together, beginning the amazing technique. A small black ball (Much like a cero) is being formed by her hands and it grows larger and larger. She gives the final word, "Teleportación!" and poof! The ball of energy becomes dust.

I knew what the hell happened… She used it once already. "You mindless idiot! I should have known you would have done that!" I yell because of the foolish action.

Her face grew red from her failure, "Hey! I could have used it twice! I-I just did it wrong!"

I sigh lightly after she makes that comment, "Alright we need to just move out of here and find the exit… I assume you came in here with your ability right?" I asked her. She nods after I ask.

I step outside and find the knocked out guards around the hallway, she sure has been better with herself. I turn to her, "You might as well explain yourself Hikari, there's no troubles here."

She sighs at me and sits down on the floor, crossing her legs. "Fine, I'll start explaining here." She says and I guard the entrance with my hand on Halcon. I stand out in the hall and look at both ways at even timings, she begins to tell her story.

"When I heard you were demoted out of the Espada I was shocked… I thought everyone was just being jerks and messing with me but it was true… I looked everywhere for Neliel as well and I find out she was replaced shortly after your demotion. She too disappeared without a trace. I looked around for both of you and couldn't find both of you sadly. Than it was Nnoitra who hinted your location-"

I quickly hear that name and turn around very fast, "STOP! That mother fucker still lives?!" I scream. Hikari gets scared after hearing me yell like that, "Y-Yes… He was promoted to the Fifth Espada Position not too long ago. He was being a jerk towards me when I was trying to find you and was telling me, 'You don't need to worry about that fool' and such. Finally, he pretty much told me you were kept here. I was shocked and I didn't know what to think. As soon as all the Espadas left for their meeting I left the palace and used my teleportation ability to get to you… I didn't know what cell you were in so I searched everywhere. So I knocked out guard after guard and even interrogated a guard. He wasn't scared at first but I surely showed him… After he gave me your location I spared him and came here. Here we are now."

I looked at Hikari with a shocked look, knowing that bastard has been promoted to number five pisses me off. I turn back around and try to remain calm. "Hikari… Would you please tell me…? Have you heard anything about Neliel?

Hikari bites her bottom lip and sucks her teeth, she then replies, "I'm sorry Master Masa, Lady Neliel has not been seen for a very long time. She may be dead for all we know."

I grip the handle of Halcon very tightly and thought for moment, "There's no way she's considered dead like that… Nnoitra must have done something to her. If she was really dead I would have been presented a body from the beast himself."

The halls begin to fill with life as the guard's voices from the long distance could be heard. I quickly turn back towards my friend, "Hikari, I hope you practiced with Sonido after I went missing because now we must go the other way!"

She suddenly sonidos while sitting down and sonidos next to me now while now standing, "Yup, I've practiced well Master Masa. Are you ready for a race?

I look serious into her eyes, "No time for games, follow me!" and we both sonido ourselves to the opposite hallways away from the guards path.

We travel fairly fast but not fast enough. I only do this so Hikari can follow along with me, "So, continue telling me about the situation, Hikari. Who are these intruders and why have they come?"

She snaps her attention to me while we Sonido, "They're humans. Three of them actually. The main one I've heard mostly about is Ichigo Kurosaki. It has been told that he has immense power that would give even an espada much trouble to fight. Lord Aizen has explained that he has fought against the Soul Reapers and has defeated a lot of them. Note is not to be underestimated. Next, is Uryu Ishida and from what I've heard about this one is that he's a Quincy. We don't get many of those around anymore. He's somewhat steady in power but not good compared to Ichigo. Finally we have Yasutora Sado. His power's origins are unknown but recently he just released a powerful blow towards one of our kind and it left a devastating blow."

They seem dangerous I thought. I focus ahead of us, "They come here to rescue Orihime Inoue, their lost friend who was captured by our fellow arrancars. She is believed to posse much great powers in healing. She's currently locked up in the palace on higher alert then you, Masa!" she yells sarcastically.

I looked at her with a pissed off expression, "Oh shut the hell up… We have to focus! Thank you for information but let us focus now." I yell.

She looked a little sadden by it but it didn't bother her much, "Right… Let's continue forward than." She says when suddenly something big appears. We both make a quick halt at the large sight and it was a very large arrancar and it sadly was guarding our exit…

He glares down at both of us, "How dare you leave your cell, prisoner!" and this large figure smashes down his fists down towards both of us. Luckily with quick sonido my partner and I get away from that attack.

He looks at us with a fearsome growl, I could tell what he is. He's the only arrancar who's crocodilian, 'Wrath'. His mask looks different to a lot of ours. It's only just his cheeks looking scaly that really makes him resemble a hollow and yes they are white and made from the same material as our masks. He was about 8'1 with a large sword on his side. He was bulky and built. He had pitch black eyes. He also wore the standard male arrancar outfit with the skirt and slightly opened up chest shirt.

"Well, well… If it isn't the big ol' Wrath himself. How's it been buddy?" I jokingly ask the tall arrancar. He focuses most of his attention on me over Hikari and begins to laugh evilly-like.

"Well, I didn't expect the great Masa Kumasaka himself to appear before me. I forgot you were kept here under high security. Who is this little weakling next to you?" he asks in a displeasing tone. I turn my attention to Hikari who seemed a bit annoyed by what he called her. I than look back up to Wrath and reply, "This is my partner, Hikari. Do not underestimate her, I trained her when she was first brought into Aizen's army. She is a tough cookie too, I'd advise you watch your tongue around her."

Wrath looked at me with an odd look, "I assume she was your Fraccion?" he asks. I quickly look at him in the eyes and make a sharp reply, "No, she was just my trainee." He suddenly begins to laugh out of nowhere, "Enough of this catching up, I must prevail my duty as the gatekeeper and not let you and your companion pass." he says in a laughing matter. He then pulls his Zanpakutō out and it looks fairly big compared to most of the arrancars I've seen. His Zanpakutō's handle is dark green with a boring looking Tsuba on it.

He glares at me with a grin, and prepares his sword to attack, "Come and prove you are still worthy of an opponent!" he yells in a high morale voice.

I sigh once more and grip the handle of my Zanpakutō and go into sonido. I quickly unlash it out as I sonido next to him into the side of his chest and I stop behind him with my sword out.

He stares for a brief moment but then he swings his sword beside my direction and I sonido away before the blade could touch me. I appear in front of him with my sword dripping with his blood and he looks at me with a painful expression, "D-Damn you… First strike and you got me clean," he says, rubbing his cut chest.

I simply look at him with a displeasing look, "Do you really want to put yourself through this, Wrath? You know damn well you are not at my level…"

Wrath gives me a dirty look and charges with brute force against me. As soon as he moves in close enough to strike, he swings his large Zanpakutō towards me but I luckily block it and stand there at the same. I block this attack with one hand but it still made me shake a little bit. Wrath looks at me with a shocked look and I look at him with a dead look.

"You are the biggest fool I have ever seen. Tsk tsk, I will give you one more chance to live. If you want to carry this out I will strike a mercy blow into you."

He simply smiles afterwards, "Not going to happen Ex-Espada…" then quickly thrusts his sword with a powerful thrust and that's what got me… I get myself off guard and get slammed into the ground. I lay there on the floor with the sword against my chest with my sword still blocking. I yell in all my anger and push the big arrancar off. He flies towards the wall and hits it hard.

I stand up with a grunt and lash my sword in a taunting matter. Wrath slowly gets himself out of the wall and his sword begins to glow with green energy around it… I knew what was coming, his sword is about to release… I stand into a charging position with both my hands on the sword and then the words came out.

"Chomp! COCODRILO!" then poof a thick smoke appears around him. I could barely see the beast but apparently Hikari could see him through the smoke. She had unique eyes but when I saw her face was getting concerned to the point of her shaking I got worried. Speaking of which, earlier she was yelling throughout the fight for me to be careful, but I ignored her.

The thick smoke was clearing up and there lies a real true beast. The man got a foot taller probably and his body gets covered in scales in hollow material. He had a spiny looking back with a long tail. Luckily, he had his arrancar skirt still on but his shirt was gone. His whole head was shaped like a crocodile's head and those black eyes were glaring at me…

He laughs corruptive-like towards me, "What's the matter, ex-espada?" he says. I simply shake my head with a smile, "I was scared at first I must admit but then I saw your UGLY face and I felt relieved not to worry about it." I reply with a chuckle.

He bit his mighty teeth down and yells, "Why you little bastard!" and starts sprinting towards me with his mouth open. I quickly charge with my sword towards him. As soon as we collide a strong powerful release of spirit energy gets released from both Wrath and I. I fly backwards and manage to flip myself and land but he looks completely unharmed.

I bite my bottom lip as he simply grins at me. "Don't tell me you're another spawn of that damned Nnoitra himself." I snap towards him. He shakes his head, "No, I would never be like that dumbass. You see my skin isn't iron but more of like a reptilian hide that's been specially improved. Nothing can penetrate my skin!"

This is where I feel too concerned… He must have a weakness… Suddenly, the large reptilian arrancar charges towards me and I lift my sword up to block him. He suddenly turns his head and opens wide. He thrusts into my sword and takes a large chomp into my metal sword and begins pull violently for my sword.

I attempt to pull my blade back but his mouth had a tight grip of my sword. I quickly made the reaction afterwards to slide the sword out of his mouth which at the end became successful. I sonido myself away afterwards and appear back in front of him.

I make the decision to make a Huelga move towards him. I ready myself by gripping tight of my sword's handle and sonido towards him. Barely having a quick reaction, he couldn't block it in time and the sword's blade hits his chest. As soon I hit contact I begin to push him forward. He looks pissed at me so he lunges his large mouth towards my head in an attempt to bite it.

I quickly realize this and sonido away while pushing him. As I sonido a few yards away from him, he yells out "You are so pathetic! I was expecting much greater power from an ex-espada!" and sprints towards me again repeating his same dull tactic.

I felt angered by his words and sonido out of his way as he gets close. I than come from behind him and lash my sword right through his tail. Obviously his tail wasn't completely armored. He screams as the blood splashes out of his tail. I quickly sonido myself away as he goes on a rampage. He begins ripping up the cement floor in pure anger and I sonido myself a distance from him.

Hikari looks at the gory sight with a horrific expression. I looked over at her, "Hikari look away to avoid this making you go into your insane state!" I yell towards her and she doesn't take a second thought about it and turns.

Wrath looks towards me with berserk look and sprints very fast towards me for me to react. As he gets in, he slashes me with his claws towards my arm. He cuts me than but I block him after his second attack and look into his face. "Damn you've got a large temper… A cat got your damn tongue, boy?" I sarcastically ask him.

He growls in pure rage and roars. While he stupidly distracts himself with that, I push his hands back with my sword from his attack earlier and make an enormous stab towards his chest. I can see the blade penetrate just a bit into his armor and causing a crack around it.

After a few seconds into that stab, he attempts to react by slashing me but I had my sword stuck into his armored skin long enough for him to slash my shoulders and I quickly sonido myself out after I get my sword out of his thick skin. I appear back in front of him a few yards once more and I look to my slashed shoulderpad. It looks damaged but not badly.

I focus back towards the angry crocodile like humanoid and notice his chest is dripping blood out. I grin at Wrath, "So, your skin is not possible to penetrate huh? What a load of horse shit." I say out loud.

Wrath simply looks at me with a disgusted look, "You're the fucking first to do it… If I don't end this soon, I'll have my blood all drained out. So, let's make this quick…" he says in a calm tone. He begins to charge himself up with immense spiritual energy and extends his arms out. His claws begin to grow out longer along with his disgusting teeth. It was a sickening sight because he was focusing all his energy into a final blow which he probably can't do correctly.

I ready myself by doing a two handed charge stance. I charge my spirit energy EQUAL to his. My eyes begin to glow white along with my sword. As he comes to charge forward, I charge forward. We both scream in a fearsome war cry that even scared the little Hikari herself.

As we both collided with our weapons (His long hands and my sword) the whole hall was engulfed in spiritual power, with Hikari being coverless from it. She flew back and hits the wall forcefully while the spirit energy traveled through the halls…

As the pressure sustained itself and the room started to clear up of the large thick smoke. I stand there with the sword in my hand and I feel very fine. I stand behind Wrath and he stands behind me. He looks very shocked in morale and suddenly we could see his hands were on the floor. I cut through both his hands because that's all he had as weapons. Flesh with metal doesn't go well.

I whip my sword out in the air and suddenly Wrath's chest releases a large burst of blood like a balloon. He falls to his knees and I slide my Zanpakutō slowly into its sheath. I knew exactly how I did this…

As soon as I made a complete charge into him, I focused most of my energy in slicing his hands which went through with a little trouble. Then after it cuts through, my sword continued to slide towards his chest and managed to cut into his chest. His armor broke like a clay plate being dropped onto the floor.

He falls finally onto the floor face first and blood begins to spill all over the floor. I look down at the beast with a disgusted look, "You charging into me like that gets you into deep shit. Maybe, if you survive through this you'll learn to watch your sorry ass." I explain to the weakened beast. He simply stared out into space with no expression on his face. I could tell he lived because his chest was moving like he was breathing but slowly.

I shook my head and walked passed him. I approached Hikari who was laying on the floor a bit hurt, but I grab her shoulders and pull her up. She weakly looks into my eyes, "M-Masa… You're hurt…" she says while pointing to my clawed arm.

I look at it for a moment and sighed, "It will be fine missy. Let's just focus on getting yourself pulled together. It'll eventually close up in a few moments. Healing this will be easy but will take an hour probably. If you dedicate yourself to healing a little bit over using too much of your power, you can heal minor wounds within hours." I explain to her.

She nods slowly, and manages to get ahold of herself to stand up. We look at what the large arrancar was defending for and it was the stairs to the exit outside. I approached it slowly but suddenly a large pressure was sensed by Hikari and I. "Where do you think you two are going?!" said a familiar voice.

It was Rudbornn once more and he snaps his fingers when the gate began to close suddenly. My eyes grew wide towards him but then he sonidos himself towards me with a strike. Suddenly, Hikari stands in front of me and blocks his strike. "GO MASA! I'LL HOLD HIM OFF!" she yells.

I was stunned by Hikari doing that but I nod and sonido myself quickly out of the exit. I stop right there at the opposite end as it closes and yell, "HIKARI! GOOD LUCK AND REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING! SEE YOU SOON, LITTLE ONE!" and the large bulky door slams shut.

I felt concerned for not staying back there for her but I can trust her against that fool. I rub my hand towards the gate and mumbled, "Good luck once more…" and turn around towards the steps afterwards.

It was a very dark hall of steps but I could see fine. I quickly start sprinting myself down the stairs and traveled down, farther and farther. Fuck these steps feel like forever… But, I saw a bright light up ahead so that gave me a boost to travel faster.

I eventually travel into the light and step on the sands of Hueco Mundo. Yes…! The air smells so fresh to me. I take a few steps out and look at the large building behind me. The building didn't go down underground but it up as it was a tall building like a few stories high. It certainly was big overall.

I have a goal set in place for this now. I want my revenge on Nnoitra and Aizen but I'd like to meet these intruders myself. Maybe, we have a same goal on destroying Aizen maybe? I know they want to rescue that girl but maybe they also have that goal of defeating Aizen down too. If I find them… I'll help them out with their rescue… If I can trust them…

Freedom felt so great to me because I finally can feel the great wonderful breeze of Hueco Mundo again but I left someone I felt was weak behind. I hope she can make it out in one piece…


Author's notes agaaaain!

Hello once more you awesome people! I finally got Chapter 2 finished with improved editing (I actually reread the thing lol). Sorry I didn't have Gin at the end! I planned on it but I am in such a rush right now that for the next two weeks I will be busy training for Life Guarding. I carried myself this week to make this chapter and it actually has more words in it then my previous chapter. I worked so hard on this and I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 2. I'm actually planning on rewatching the Hueco Mundo arc in Bleach to get ideas for my next chapter! Next time, Masa will meet up with Ichigo and the group when they eventually meet up with Nel and I plan on making this fairly accurate. However, I won't be doing that for awhile. I have to focus on my future job but I will keep updating this story... eventually... (Probably in a few weeks lol). Well, once again I hope you enjoyed this chapter! -Cam