Ulquiorra Schiffer.
He stood feet away from Ichigo, Inoue in his arms. A moment had passed before Inoue could comprehend what just happened. She looked up into those cold eyes and froze, unable to move or speak.
Silence.
A howling wind rose up over the Serietei. "It looks like you're about to die" he said coolly. "And you'll die alone" he said before disappearing with Inoue.
Ichigo stopped breathing. He couldn't believe it, this was just a dream. His hands dug into the blanket underneath him. Wake up, wake up, he kept telling himself, but it took minutes for Ichigo to realize that he wasn't sleeping. That Espada had just taken Inoue away, again.
Fury.
Despite his dying form his body slowly surged with heated reiatsu. He tore the mask away from his face and pulled out the needle in his side screaming at the top of his lungs. It was then that he heard laughter. Deep inside him the demon was laughing.
She was let down as soon as they reached their destination. Ulquiorra had taken her to the Souyouko where Rukia was supposed to be crucified. She shuddered at the memories and looked around. She stood in the middle of a crowd of Arrancar and Espada. In front of her was their leader, Aizen.
"Inoue, good of you to join us" he said motioning for his operation to proceed. The crowd disappeared in a single flash and she was alone with him, Gin and Tousen not too far behind him.
"Aizen" she quietly said looking at him.
"You didn't think I was done with you" the question was rhetorical. He stepped closer to her. "I have something for you to do for me" he said pulling out the Hougyokou from space. "It appears that the Hougyoku has declined in power since my last army creation. I want you to restore it back to full power" Aizen commanded.
Inoue looked around for help, but found none. This time no one would be able to save her, she would have to fend for herself. Against all odds she had to believe that she could fight, she had to believe and hope that she could win, or last long enough to see Ichigo again. She thought about what he had just asked her to do. "No, I can't do that. I won't" she raised her voice a bit, her fear fading.
"Yare yare, we expect'd as much" Gin sighed flashing away and coming back with a body in tow. Inoue looked passed Aizen at the crumbed figure in Gin's arms. It was Rukia. Inoue tried to run towards her but was caught by Aizen's strong hand. He held her by the throat.
"Now please, I don't want to ask again" his voice was cold, heartless. Inoue's eyes spilled tears.
"What about Renji?" she said looking at Aizen.
"Who knows" Gin replied, his smile a little more twisted than usual.
"No that won't do. I won't do it unless they're both okay." Inoue yelled.
The sound of cloth tearing. Her body was invaded by Shinsou. Rukia cried in pain, the blade lodged in her shoulder. If there was any better way to get something done from Inoue it would be to harm the lives of her friends, those closest to her. Her biggest weakness and just the same her best strength because it was for them that she found a reason to fight. This time she just couldn't do it, it seemed the entire powers of the world were against her and she couldn't bear the thought of Rukia's life in her hands, knowing that she would be the one blamed for the shinigamis death. In the end it would be her duty to tell Ichigo. Inoue surrendered. "Okay" she raised her hands to her temples when she realized that she couldn't feel Ichigo's reiatsu. She looked in the direction that he was supposed to be. Did he? No it couldn't be; he's a fighter. She thought her heart breaking.
"No, I won't do it" she solemnly said. Anywhere the boy went the girl was sure to follow. "I'm sorry Kuchiki-san" she whispered. She fell limp in Aizen's grasp, or she thought she did. Again it took her awhile to realize that she was in somone's else arms. Aizen only had enough time to raise his hypnosis an instant before the blade cut him. His arm was wounded, but not severed.
"Don't touch my woman" the voice was maniacal. He looked like Ichigo, but there was nothing left of the man she loved. This was something else. He put Inoue down and stepped in front of her. "Stay back Orihime" he said with his own twisted grin. She looked up at his figure. He was shirtless; he wore only his Shinigami pants. There was a hole where his wound once was and the number one tattooed on his shoulder blade opposite the wound.
"Ichi-" Inoue was confused.
"That's good enough for me" the being cut her off before she could continue. "After all I'm number one" his voice cocky and defiant. He raised Zangetsu. "Although I should properly thank the person responsible for this" he tipped his head to the side and laughed evilly. "I'm supposed to join ya or something right?" the being spoke.
"Something like that" Aizen replied. The howling wind stopped. All around them the reiatsu of shinigami's flared up. Some faded, some conquered, it was impossible to tell who.
The being pointed his sword towards Aizen. "I ain't about to be your bitch or anyone else's for that matter" his voice dripping sadistic. A step later and the battle started.
The hollow and Aizen exchanged some blows, the arrogant phantom felt no need to use his bankai. The two struggled against each other's swords. Aizen used his hypnosis, the old trick he used on Hitsugaya but the phantom parried back and stopped. "You're not giving it your all, I demand your all!" the being sneered.
Aizen smiled. "No I wasn't giving it my all, but I don't have to" he said pulling out the Hougyouko. "Submit"
The phantom's smile faded and he began to struggle under an invisible pressure. His legs burned trying to stand up straight. His eyes blurring, as though he was being pushed out of consciousness, Aizen forcing to take over. The phantom was determined not to let that happen, but every time he withstood Aizen's power the harder it became to resist. Aizen stopped his assault and let the phantom listen.
"I thought about the paradox of your being, your race. You are human and hollow alike. The hougyoku has the power to diminish the barriers separating each, so I thought about the possibilities of turning a vaizard into a vaizard. Curious isn't it? I simply allowed the hollow to take over. Ichigo is dead, or at least to a certain degree. If I completely cut the connection between the human and hollow, nothing would exist. But of course I couldn't just have you the usual way I make an Arrancar. Freedom of choice, that's what you lack where Ichigo is concerned. I used a much longer process to hollow you out." Aizen explained in fine detail.
"The sickness" Inoue said under her breath. Everything started to make sense, these past few weeks Ichigo had suffered for Aizen's amusement and gain. What remained to be said was Aizen's purpose. What reason could he possibly have to do this to Ichigo. "Why?" Inoue yelled wanting answers.
"I'm getting to that. You see the vaizard are an exceptional race. Rivalled only by the Espada, they both have the capacity to exceed the limit of a shinigami or a hollow, making them a valuable resource. Who knows the infinite power of a vaizard. Shall we find out?" Aizen said directly to Inoue. He whispered to the Hougyoku and his pet knelt down, yielding his will to the master. Aizen moved closer to the phantom Ichigo "I know how much you hate this. I can feel it in your reiastu, but you belong to me. You will do all that I say and even the things I don't" Aizen said.
A flash step later and Tousen was face first in the ground. The phantom Ichigo hovering over him like a vulture, blood cascaded off his blade. Tousen tilted his head upwards in confusion.
"Your just punishment for conspiring against me with a vasto lorde" Aizen's words were only half the truth. In reality the Vasto lorde had come to Tousen trying to convince him to join his rebellion, Tousen had doubted his allegiance to Aizen for a moment, but it was enough to seal his fate. The former captain died shortly after. Gin's lips curled when the last traces of reiastu faded, a small chuckle escaping his mouth.
"Although I wonder how much power I have over you" Aizen spoke his part in his finely mastered orchestra. Gin lifted Rukia in the air and retracted Shinsou. Inoue knew what was coming next, if the phantom Ichigo was as obedient as Aizen made him to be then Rukia's life was in danger. In a matter of moments she had placed a barrier around Rukia pushing back Gin and thwarting the phantoms hasty attack. The barrier nearly broke in the process, but Inoue's iron will triumphed.
"Ichigo please stop" she begged. She hoped that whatever was left of Kurosaki Ichigo would hear her and somehow break through. "You're stronger than this Ichigo" she cried looking for him in his piercing glare.
Aizen nodded his head uttering a silent command. The phantom didn't flash step this time but ran towards Inoue, his spiritual pressure swirling around him, the look in his eyes detached. Inoue didn't move, there was no chance that she could get away from him even if she wanted to. The phantom came down full force on Inoue.
When the cloud of dust cleared the phantom was standing beside the unharmed Inoue, a lock of her hair flying on the wind. Inoue couldn't move, she didn't know what had just happened.
"So there are some things even the Hougyoku can't overcome." Aizen said turning his back to the pair. He looked and Gin and nodded his head. The sky ripped open a horde of Gillian waiting to recover their masters. "Oh well just a little more time and petty human emotions won't pose a threat to my design" he finished walking away. The phantom Ichigo following behind him.
Tears slipped from her eyes, it felt the same as before. She was losing Ichigo all over again, forever watching his back, watching him steal away. She couldn't let it happen this time. The girl followed after him. Reaching out she pressed herself into his back holding onto him with all her strength. "Don't leave me Ichigo. You promised me you wouldn't leave me" she sobbed.
Inoue reached out to him with all her being, he was still locked safe inside the phantom, if she could just have one moment with the real Ichigo. She was so determined that she had followed Ichigo right into his nightmare.
The sakura petals around them fell upwardsThey were standing by a familiar river, Inoue knew this place and so did Ichigo.
"I've come here to die like I should have all those years ago."
The hollow echo of his voice penetrating the fabric of his dream.
"I've come here to live for those that still need protecting"
The siren in the night spoke. Ichigo's soul. Defiant until the end. Inoue smiled then despite all that was happening, despite all the heart break and uncertaintity because she knew that Ichigo intended to keep his promise.
"I don't know when, but I promise I'll come back" his soul spoke proudly.
Inoue was back in the Seiretei, her feet still planted to the rough earth. Her arms tangled around the phantom. The tears from her eyes poured down the tattoo on the phantoms back, the black ink coming undone . She felt his warm hand rest on hers. The phantom motioned for Inoue to step back.
"Ban-kai" he growled while Aizen stopped in his tracks. The moments that followed after were nothing but a shadow of black. Inoue had been blown back by their incredible reiastu, knocked unconscious.