Chapter 5
Entering the dimly lit room where the espada led by Aizen held their meetings, Ichigo took in the scene in front of him. Eight espadas were occupying the long table, with Aizen seated at the end of the table with his two closest subordinates immediately on his both sides. The zeroth espada let his gaze wander for a moment around the room before taking his seat between Ulquiorra and Halibel. He glanced at Ulquiorra briefly, receiving a nod. "Welcome, my dear Espada. I have called you here to discuss some of the upcoming missions necessary to our cause. But first, let us drink some tea."
"tsch." Grimmjow grunted in dissapproval, already sick of the assembly. Aizen paid no heed to the teal-haired espada as his Fraccíon served cups of steaming hot liquid to his subordinates. Aizen brought his cup up for a toast. "To our continued prosperity." The espada repeated in unison before taking a sip from their cups. "Ahh. Aizen-sama, couldn't we drink something with caffeine for a change? This can barely keep me awake." mumbled Stark, letting out a yawn afterwards.
"As if anything could keep you awake. Tsch, lazy bastard." Nnoitra hissed through his teeth, grinning madly.
"These bastards never shut up. Hehehe." a smirk formed on Ichigo's face. He thought the pointless bickering between the espada to be quite amusing.
"Very well then, let us discuss the missions. Kaname, please activate the projector."
"Hai, Aizen-sama." Came the cold reply as Tousen flipped a switch and the platform housing the projector emerged in the middle of the table. A hologram appeared, illuminating the espada's faces with a green hue.
"Your objective this time is quite straightforward. Eliminate the Advance Guard, consisting of the 10th Division Taichou, Hitsugaya Toshirou and his subordinates. The Captain-Commander was in error to think that the loss of Inoue Orihime would delay our objectives." The projector displayed an image of Karakura Town as well as detailed information about the individual targets.
"This will be a mocking blow to the heads of Seireitei, displaying that their foolish actions haven't slowed us down one bit. Espada Numero Cero, Kurosaki Ichigo, you are in command of this mission. Take whoever you wish with you." Ichigo stood up and bowed. "Hai, Aizen-sama. I shall return shortly." He motioned for Grimmjow and Yammy to stand up. "Come with me, Grimmjow, Yammy."
"Tsch, whatever. Maybe that masked bastard will show up again..." The sixth and tenth espadas followed Ichigo out of the room.
Kuchiki Rukia was resting in the closet in Ichigo's room. The task of informing the family about Ichigo's death had befallen on her, due to her knowing him best. She had been working up the courage to tell them, but couldn't bear being the one to tell them that yet another member of their family had been taken away from them. She blamed herself, of course. She was the one who had twisted the orange-haired teenager's life horribly, chaining him to a burden that he wasn't supposed to even know of until his death. Tears began to form in her eyes as she played the events that took place in Hueco Mundo in her memory. Ichigo...
Her musings were interrupted as she felt a huge reiatsu tear a passage in the fabric of space and time. She felt the mixture of hollow and shinigami reiatsu that clearly belonged to an Arrancar. Arrancar!? Here, so soon? I must rendezvous with Hitsugaya-taichou!
The Espada numero Cero breathed in the scent of the Living World. He let his gaze wander around the city unfolding below them, taking a moment to wonder at its intricate structures and lights that illuminated the night-sky. "HAHAHAHAHAH! Been a while since we were here last, eh, Kurosaki!? Its almost nostalgic!" Grimmjow let out another howl of laughter, trying to read Ichigo's expressionless face. "If you're done fooling around, Grimmjow, we have a job to do." Replied Ichigo, his voice calm and controlled.
He sighed brought his right hand over his face. Remember, Espada. This is most important. Should you find yourself in The Living World, you must keep your hollow mask on at all times. Otherwise, your shinigami reiatsu is too easily detected by the dogs of Soul Society. As Ichigo recalled Aizen's words, he let the mask materialize, engulfing his face in a flash of black and red reiatsu.
His eyes blackened and his brown pupils turned deep yellow. "Huh? That shit again?", Grimmjow grunted. "Silence." The orange-haired espada's voice contained an eerie echo under the mask. "Yammy. Ulquiorra told me you've been working on your investigational powers. Lets put them to the test. Lead us to the shinigami dogs."
Yammi mumbled something incoherent before closing his eyes. After a few seconds, a smirk appeared on his face. "Looks like they beat us to it, Ichigo. They're all headed for us." Grimmjow's face broke into a predatory grin as he too felt the approaching spiritual pressures. Ichigo merely turned around, spotting the outlines of the shinigami in the distance.
Hitsugaya Toshiro had ordered the remaining members of the Advance Guard to a rendezvous point immediately after sensing the massive spirit forces. "What the hell could they be after already? We just kicked their asses in Hueco Mundo!" Renji bellowed the moment everyone had gathered at the rendezvous point at Urahara Shoten.
The taichou had replied in his usual cool manner. "It doesn't matter. Whatever they're after, we're here to prevent it. If we're lucky, they might spill something during the fight. Arrancar are arrogant like that."
"Oi, Taichou, Abarai. We miss any fun yet?" Ikkaku yelled. "Looks like Aizen means business. The reiatsu's I'm sensing are crazy." Ikkaku laughed at Yumichika. "hahaha. Scared? The stronger they are, the better. I'm dyin' to fight 'em! Lets go!"
"Ah. Let's go, everyone", Hitsugaya agreed. They all took off towards the arrancar reiatsu.
What is this feeling? One of the spiritual pressures I'm sensing is on a competely different level from the other two I'm sensing, but at the same time, it feels familiar...what is this unsettling feeling? Rukia wondered.
Three figures appeared in front of the Shinigami squadron, halting their movement abruptly. They were wearing the customary white arrancar uniform with black boots, their hakamas swirling back and forth with the wind.
"Yo, Shinigami. Long time no see, eh?" said Grimmjow in a mockingfully glee tone. His reiatsu was fluctuating wildly as a result of his increasing bloodlust.
Rukia recognized Grimmjow but had no idea who the other two were. "What does Aizen want with Karakura Town? Inoue Orihime is safely located in Soul Society, away from harm." Hitsugaya inquired in his usual cool tone.
"Tsch, You'd want to know, wouldn't you, Shinigami?" Ichigo, who was previously standing behind the other two Espada, walked in front of the Shinigami Squad. He unsheathed his zanpaktou, and the shinigami in front of him followed suit. "It happens so, our mission this time is quite simple. We're here to kill you guys."
Renji sneered. "Is that so, Arrancar? You're out of luck. Thats the worst possible mission you could ever receive!"
Who is this guy!? He sounds so familiar...and that mask..it's covering his face competely, unlike the other arrancar who have broken masks...and that hair...is it...orange!? "I-I-Ichigo!?" Rukia's voice was a whisper, but the espada seemed to pick it up anyway.
The espada was silent for a moment, seemingly shocked. "Wh...What is the meaning of this!? How do you know my name!? I didn't get around to telling it to you yet..." his voice was menacing as he pointed his zanpaktou at the ebony haired girl.
Rukia's expression was one of utter horror. She quickly sized up the Espada that claimed to be Ichigo, spotting the hollow hole visible in the opening on his long jacket.
This can't be happening...Ichigo! Rukia could no longer hold back the tears.
Grimmjow was eyeing the shinigami with wide grin, delighted in their horror.
"Impossible! He died in Hueco Mundo!" Renji took a step and slashed at the orange-haired espada, who caught the blade between his two fingers. "Patience, bastard. I'll kill you soon." He turned around and pulled his arrancar overcoat off to expose his número. A zero was tattooed on his abdomen. "Ceró Espada, Kurosaki Ichigo."
(AN Long Chapter this time. Sorry for any OOCness, working on that. TBC in CH 6)
I was thinking of making this a Hinamori/Ichigo pairing, Thoughts:P