Schism

Chapter 3: Roots

Captain Commander Yamamoto stood at the head of the double-line of Captains, his unyielding glare the only outward sign he gave of his inward fury.

"Ichigo Kurosaki has escaped," he said. "How this happened is uncertain, but that does not concern me as much as the traitor escaping judgment. He will be brought to justice. He will be punished, and the laws of Soul Society will be upheld."

"I've been able to determine his method of escape," Urahara spoke up from his place in the ranks. "My teams haven't picked up any trace of Ichigo's reiatsu in Soul Society, and there wasn't any sign of him having used a senkaimon to escape. That means that opening a garganta with his Hollow powers was the only way Ichigo could have left his cell."

"Do you think he fled to the Human World, or to Hueco Mundo?"

"Hueco Mundo, Captain Commander," Urahara answered. "We have too many sentries in the Human World. Ichigo wouldn't take that risk."

"Very well." Yamamoto tapped the end of his wooden staff hard against the floor. "Yoruichi Shihoin!"

"Sir."

"I trust Captain Urahara has made you aware of this situation?"

"He has."

"And have you considered a team of operatives to locate and capture the traitor?"

"Yes, Captain Commander," Yoruichi answered. "I believe the best group for the job would be Kaien Shiba, Kukaku Shiba, Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki and Orihime Inoue."

"An interesting collection," Yamamoto said, his skepticism evident. "Do you believe this is a game, Shioin?"

Yoruichi kept herself from flinching, not expecting such scathing opposition.

"No, sir."

"You don't?" Yamamoto echoed, his eyes opening wider to glare intently at the head of the Onmitsukido. "Because your idea of sending a team made up mostly of unproven children, without a single Captain among them, into Hueco Mundo—that is not a plan that does honor to your station. To say nothing of the curious fact that those are all close friends of the traitor we are seeking to apprehend. Were you anyone else, I would have stripped you of your rank."

Yoruichi grit her teeth, the anger in her eyes perfectly evident.

"And sending Captains into Hueco Mundo blind would leave Soul Society defenseless, sir. And if they were to be killed, we would lose an unacceptable amount of our strength."

"That is a risk I prefer taking over letting that abomination of a traitor run free. Until Captain Urahara can find an explanation for what happened to Kurosaki, we are to operate under the assumption that whatever infected the traitor is contagious. We cannot let this disease continue to spread!"

Yoruichi fell silent and stared straight ahead, her eyes locking with Isshin's in a silent apology.

"Since the Second Division Captain is incapable," Yamamoto continued after a few moments, "I will decide who is to hunt down the traitor. Kensei Muguruma. Mashiro Kuna. Shinji Hirako. Hiyori Sarugaki. Lisa Yadomaru. Soi Fon. Byakuya Kuchiki. Kaien Shiba. Yoruichi Shioin," the Captain Commander finished, "I will give you the opportunity to prove yourself worthy of retaining your station. Lead this group, and do not fail. If the traitor resists capture, your orders are to kill him without hesitation. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"All of you may go."

The assembled Captains turned and walked out of the room, saying nothing out of respect for Isshin. The Captain of Tenth Division was outwardly calm, but everyone around him could feel that his reiatsu was trembling like a taut bowstring. Yoruichi let her pace lag enough to walk abreast of Shunsui, who looked split between sadness and apprehension.

"I'm sorry," Yoruichi said lowly. "I tried."

"Don't apologize. Hopefully Yama-ji will snap out of it before anything really bad happens, but he's not the biggest fan of listening to people who disagree with him."

"I'll keep her safe, Shunsui. I promise."

The other Captain smiled.

"Thanks," he said. "But Lisa-chan might surprise you. She's quite strong."

"Hey, Yoruichi," Shinji called over. "When're we leaving? I didn't get much sleep last night, y'know."

"Then go take a nap," Yoruichi replied, breaking apart from the group and moving in the direction of her Division. "We'll leave tonight. Rest up, say your goodbyes, and meet me at my headquarters at midnight."

She disappeared in a flash of shunpo, and Shinji glanced over at Byakuya.

"You ever see her that mad before?"

"No."

The Fifth Division Captain gave a bitter smile, shifting his gaze over to Kensei.

"Yeah, this'll be fun all right."

Shinji walked away from the group of Captains as it began to split apart, trying to shake off the feeling of concern weighing him down. Hiyori was a capable fighter, but also a total hothead. Not to mention she'd never been sent out as far as Hueco Mundo before, either. What the hell was that old man thinking? Shinji was relieved that at least he'd be able to keep an eye on her, but that didn't stop the whole thing from stinking. Was Ichigo really that much of a threat? Shinji'd seen the kid around Byakuya's sister-in-law, acting like a total idiot. No way would he stand a chance at bringing down Soul Society. So why was the Captain Commander so insistent?

Not to mention that Shinji found himself completely agreeing with Yoruichi's earlier point: sending that many Captains off into the Hollow's homeland was batshit crazy. There were few things that carried as much prestige for a Hollow as killing a Shinigami, and taking out a Captain was even better.

And as confident as he was in his own strength, Shinji had no illusions about its limits. If they got swarmed badly enough, they were all gonna get buried beneath the sand. Especially if what Kaien had reported a few nights ago about a Vasto Lorde-level Hollow attacking Ichigo was true—of the few recorded Captain fatalities in the history of Soul Society, every single one that hadn't come from a duel for the position with another Shinigami had come from the attack of a Vasto Lorde.

"Is something wrong, Captain Hirako?"

Shinji blinked himself out of his thoughts, seeing that his steps had carried him all the way to the Fifth Division. His Lieutenant was standing at the ready, as suspiciously unassuming as always.

"Nothin' at all, Sousuke. Just got orders from the boss. Leaving tonight. Gonna be gone a few days, so you'll get run of the place. Don't screw around while I'm out, yeah?"

"Of course, Captain Hirako. Might I ask where you'll be going?"

"Hueco Mundo," Shinji answered. "The lovely land of rainbows and sunshine."

Aizen's expression became puzzled.

"But, Captain… Hueco Mundo has no sun."

"No shit," Shinji shot back, making his way into the main room of the Division. "Does every joke fly over your head, or do you just like pissin' me off?"

Behind his Captain's back, Aizen allowed himself a smile. He followed his superior into the room, walking over to the kettle that sat over a flame, steam rising out of its spout and coiling in the air.

"Why are you going?"

"Why do you need to know? Captain's business."

Aizen poured two cups of tea, handing one to Shinji and keeping one for himself as he sat down. Waiting until his Captain had taken a sip, Aizen spoke again.

"It's about Ichigo Kurosaki, isn't it?"

Shinji maintained his composure perfectly as he swallowed his tea, as if he'd been expecting the question. Putting his cup down, he glared at his Lieutenant.

"Where'd you get that idea?"

"Word travels fast, Captain Hirako," Aizen answered, adjusting his glasses. "Ichigo Kurosaki escaped from his cell last night. And if he hasn't already been found, he's nowhere in Soul Society. That means he has to be in Hueco Mundo."

"Or he could be in the Human World," Shinji said, smiling. "Don't worry about it. Focus on what's important."

Aizen affected a blank look.

"Which is?"

"Updating my jazz collection!" Shinji answered, before finishing off the last of his tea. "I hear that Coltrane guy is somethin' special. You've got until dinner tonight, Sousuke, and I'm timing ya. Get on it."

"Of course, Captain Hirako."

"That's more like it," Shinji said with a smile as he rose to his feet and walked towards his room. "I'm going back to sleep. Later."

Aizen watched his Captain leave, smiling again as soon as he was alone. He couldn't have thought up a better alibi himself for a visit to the Human World. Aizen left the Fifth Division and made his way to a tranquil spot in a field not too far away from the Seireitei. There he found the Lieutenant of the Third Division, sitting cross-legged on the ground engaged in jinzen. His zanpakuto lay in his lap, its small size belying its formidable power.

"Gin."

Gin opened his eyes, their icy blue glinting in the noonday sun.

"Lieutenant Aizen. Time to go?"

"Yes. I would hate to keep our friend waiting, after he did such good service for us."

Gin's ever-present smile widened as he rose to his feet, slipping his zanpakuto back into his sleeve. Aizen noted his closest subordinate's maturation with pride: the promise Gin had first exhibited all those years ago as a child had continued to flourish as he'd grown into his power, coming close to exceeding even Aizen's own expectations.

He would need such strength for what was to come.

Aizen drew Kyoka Suigetsu and slid it into the empty space in front of him, opening up a senkaimon. He and Gin moved through the portal, quickly traversing the dangai and emerging on the other side in the Human World. It only took a few minutes of navigating crowded streets before they came to an alleyway marked by a particular neon sign. It was completely unremarkable by any standards, given importance only by the meeting that was due to take place there, hidden in plain sight.

"You sure took your damn time," the Hollow said as he walked out from the cover of the shadows, his eyes glinting with spite. "I was starting to think you wouldn't show up."

"I find your lack of faith disturbing," Aizen told the Vasto Lorde. "You did as you were told, and you didn't think I would fulfill my end of the bargain?"

The Vasto Lorde chuckled scornfully.

"Forgive me, Aizen-sama," he said, spitting out the honorific derisively, "but Hollow don't get far in life by trusting Shinigami."

Aizen said nothing, his confident smirk never wavering. He motioned to Gin, who set to work constructing a kido barrier to block them off completely from their surroundings. As soon as he was done, Aizen extracted a dark, blue-black orb from the folds of his robes.

"It's still incomplete," Aizen said, "but aided by my power, it should be sufficient for granting you your reward."

The Vasto Lorde didn't have a chance to speak before the orb in Aizen's hand seemed to come alive, snaking out small black tendrils and prodding them into his flesh. A flare of powerful energy erupted a heartbeat later, and the Hollow's world turned white.

When his senses returned, the Vasto Lorde looked down at himself and was surprised to see what looked like a Shinigami's body where his monochrome flesh had been only moments earlier. Reaching a hand up to his face, the Vasto Lorde touched his cheek and realized what had happened.

He was an Arrancar now.

"How do you feel?"

The Arrancar looked at Aizen and smiled, his now-green eyes bright with hunger.

"Powerful."

"Good. I have one more task for you to accomplish, my friend. But first, you'll have to pardon my rudeness. I never got your name."

"Darrón," the Arrancar answered. "What else do you need?"

"There is a group of Captains and Lieutenants set to infiltrate Hueco Mundo tonight, in search of one of their own whom they believe has gone rogue. I want you to intercept them, and do to them what you did to Ichigo Kurosaki and his mother."

Darrón nodded, his smile turning even more vicious.

"I'd have done that even without orders from you, Aizen. How many Shinigami will there be?"

"Enough for you to fully use your new powers, I'm sure," Aizen said as he walked away with Gin at his side, back down the alley. "Don't disappoint me."

The Arrancar laughed scornfully, ripping open a garganta and passing through it.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwank kept herself prone, her mask fragment on top of her head blending into white sand and hiding her sharp golden eyes almost completely from view. She masked her reiatsu as much as possible, desperate to stay away from this new stranger until she knew just what he was up to.

Seeing a newborn Hollow cutting through Adjuchas and hordes of Gillian like they were nothing would have been shocking enough, but seeing a Shinigami literally drop out of the sky and go on a rampage for seemingly no reason at all was downright horrifying. And not only that, but the orange-haired warrior wasn't even wearing the uniform of an enlisted Shinigami. He was wearing pure white robes, which was a designation Nelliel didn't understand at all.

Right now, the Shinigami was facing a group of four Adjuchas. Nelliel knew them by sight, they were some of Baraggan Louisenbairn's toughest thugs. Still, the Shinigami was unfazed, staring them down just like any other Hollow.

"Hey," one of the Adjuchas called out, "just who the hell do you think you are? You do know this is Baraggan-sama's land, right? Shinigami get killed on sight here!"

"Good thing I'm not a Shinigami anymore, then," the Shinigami replied, confusing Nelliel even further. "Who's 'Baraggan'?"

"What?" another of the Adjuchas exclaimed, surprised. "How can you not know who Baraggan-sama is? He's the King of Hueco Mundo!"

"I don't care," the Shinigami said flatly, looking around at his would-be opponents. "Look, I've had enough of killing Hollow. It's all I've done since I got here. At least you're smart enough to talk, so can we make some kind of truce? I don't want to have to kill you all, too."

"You make it sound like we're already dead." The Adjuchas laughed. "You got some guts, Shinigami. What's your name?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki," the Shinigami said, still not having drawn his zanpakuto. "Why?"

The Adjuchas laughed.

"I just wanted to get your name before I killed you."

The group of Hollow unleashed their combined reiatsu, and yet Ichigo stood his ground. He sighed, and Nelliel thought he even looked sad. Which was strange, but not as strange as the fact that the longer Nelliel observed this Shinigami, the more familiar he seemed. Had they crossed blades once before, and she'd simply forgotten?

"So," Ichigo said, "I can't convince you to walk away?"

"Of course not," one of the Adjuchas said. "Now, at least try to make this fun for us, Shinigami."

Ichigo said nothing, raising his right hand. But he didn't reach back to grip his zanpakuto: he just held his hand over his face for a moment, and then brought it back down sharply.

What Nelliel and the four Adjuchas saw made them all gasp.

A mask covered the Shinigami's face, and his reiatsu suddenly went from purposefully controlled to ragingly, wildly powerful. Nelliel couldn't see Ichigo's eyes from where she was lying, but she guessed they were black and yellow.

"Fine," Ichigo growled, drawing his zanpakuto. "Just remember, you could have walked away."

"Bastard," one of the Adjuchas said, clearly frightened. "What are you?"

Ichigo said nothing, vanishing in a burst of speed that was unmistakably sonido. The Adjuchas that had just spoken was lying on the sand in two halves an instant later, fading into nothingness as Ichigo reappeared and swung his zanpakuto back around towards two of the other Adjuchas.

"Getsuga Tensho."

A huge crescent of red and black energy screamed out of the cleaver-like blade, slicing the two Hollow to pieces. The name of the attack put the last piece of the puzzle together in Nelliel's head, and she understood why Ichigo looked so familiar—the name of that attack couldn't be a coincidence.

There was only one Adjuchas left, and his resolve was clearly shaken.

"Get out of here," Ichigo said. "Never come after me again."

"Screw you!" the Hollow shouted, jumping towards Ichigo with a yell. Ichigo raised his arm, opened his hand out in front of him, and a ball of red energy began to gather in the air. The Adjuchas was too committed to the attack to break off, and Nelliel braced herself.

"Cero."

The titanic blast ripped through the still air of Hueco Mundo, sending a shockwave of sand kicking up along its sides and searing a trench of glass into the ground. Ichigo lowered his arm.

"Huh. I didn't think that would work," he mused, before reaching up again and dismissing his mask with a wave. Ichigo looked over to his left, and Nelliel realized that he was staring right at her.

"You can come out," he said. "I won't hurt you. I know you've been following me for a while. Weird, for a Hollow."

Nelliel got to her feet, judging from the astonished look on Ichigo's face that he'd never seen an Arrancar before.

"You're not…" he began, before seeing the Hollow hole in her chest. "Wait… you are, but… what are you?"

"I should be asking you that," Nelliel said as she walked towards Ichigo, keeping one hand on the hilt of her zanpakuto. "What kind of Shinigami can shoot a cero? How did you do that?"

"It's a long story."

"We have time."

"It's a long story I don't want to tell you," Ichigo insisted, frowning. Nelliel relented, realizing it was probably a sensitive topic. Ichigo sighed again, suddenly looking very tired. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's just been a long day."

Nel said nothing, recognizing all too easily the signs that the Shinigami needed some space.

"You didn't answer my question," Ichigo said after a moment. "What are you?"

"An Arrancar," Nel explained. "It's what happens when a Hollow breaks off a piece of their mask. It's how we evolve. See?" She said, tapping her knuckles against the fragment covering the top of her head. "It's why we look like you Shinigami."

"And you have a zanpakuto," Ichigo observed, looking at Nel's katana with interest. A thought occurred to him then, and Ichigo shifted his intent gaze back up to Nel's face. "How many Arrancar are there?"

Nel shrugged.

"A handful," she answered. "I only know six others, but we usually stay out of each other's way."

"I've never heard anyone in Soul Society talking about Arrancar before," Ichigo said. "Have you ever met a Shinigami?"

"I have," Nel said, confusing Ichigo even further.

"But then… why would they keep you and the others a secret?"

"I don't know. You'd have to ask them."

He shook his head, looking downcast once again.

"I don't think I'll be able to do that."

They were walking now, and Ichigo turned his head to look at Nel.

"Should I be worried about the other Arrancar?"

She shrugged.

"Some of them might want to fight you. Others won't, and some will know not to try. It depends who you're asking about."

Ichigo looked at her then, and a thought came into his head that was crazy, dangerous and almost absolutely guaranteed to blow up in his face—but it was the best plan he could think of.

"Do you think," he began, choosing his words carefully, "that the other Arrancar would be interested in an alliance?"

"Why? To attack Soul Society?"

Ichigo shook his head.

"No. Just to survive. I think we'd all stand a better chance working together, don't you?"

Nel stared at Ichigo, unsure if this was some strange spin on her wildest dream, or if this Shinigami was actually proposing to do what she'd hoped to see happen for decades.

"I—I do," she finally said. "And I think they might be, or at least some of them. And the ones who don't probably won't want to fight against strength in numbers, so they don't matter."

Ichigo was quiet for a few moments, and then he nodded. When he looked up at Nel again, his eyes were bright with conviction.

"Okay," he said, "I'll give it a try. You can come with me, if you want."

Nel smiled, her restrained caution finally starting to melt away.

"I'd like that. It's been a long time since I had friends."

Ichigo smiled in kind, glad to be off to a good start.

"Who's the closest Arrancar to us?" he asked, and Nel pointed off towards the large, fortress-like castle in the distance.

"Baraggan Louisenbairn, who lives in that castle. He calls it Las Noches," Nel answered. "He might take some convincing, though."

"If he's the same one those Adjuchas were talking about, I can believe that," Ichigo replied. "Kings don't usually share power with anyone."

"Well," Nel said hopefully as the pair moved towards Las Noches as fast as their legs could carry them, "there's a first time for everything."

Rukia Kuchiki looked her superior square in the face, her eyes determined and unblinking.

"You're not coming with us," Kaien said bluntly, preempting her. "I'm putting my foot down on this one. It's too dangerous."

"I've fought Hollow before, Kaien-dono."

The Lieutenant shrugged.

"Regular ones, sure. Menos, a couple of times. We're talking about Hueco Mundo, Kuchiki. Adjuchas stomp around like they own the place. Menos Grande travel in swarms. I know Shinigami who've come back from there with nightmares so bad they never go out into the field again. I'm not going to have your death on my conscience, period. You're staying here. End of story."

"But—"

"No!" Kaien shouted, making Rukia take a step back. "I made a promise to your sister and to Captain Kuchiki that I'd keep you safe, and that's a promise I'm going to keep. Is that clear?"

Rukia sighed, nodding her head in acquiescence.

"Yes, sir."

Kaien exhaled, bringing himself back under control.

"Good." He smiled, looking at his protégé with paternal affection. "We'll bring him back, Kuchiki. I don't think there's ever been an expedition this large into Hueco Mundo before. Besides," Kaien finished, "what kind of cousin would I be if I let Ichigo down? I have an example to set!"

Rukia forced herself to smile, but the gesture was a hollow one.

"May I go, Kaien-dono?"

"Sure, Kuchiki. And chin up! Trust us, we'll get the job done."

Rukia bowed and walked away, moving through the halls of the Thirteenth Division in a half-aware daze. Ichigo was somewhere in Hueco Mundo right now, fighting to stay alive, and she couldn't even get permission to go help him. Hadn't she proven herself? Hadn't all of her training had a point? How long would it take before Kaien-dono and the other senior officers started giving her the same trust they constantly asked for?

Rukia let out a sound that was halfway between a shout and a snarl, startling a trio of nearby Shinigami. They darted away, leaving Rukia feeling even worse.

"You're worrying for no reason, Rukia."

The calm voice of her zanpakuto spirit spoke unexpectedly in Rukia's head, and she stopped walking immediately. Ducking into a side room, she assumed a jinzen posture on the ground and set Sode no Shirayuki in her lap, waiting for the spirit to continue speaking.

"You've sparred with that Kurosaki boy countless times," Sode no Shirayuki told her, "but you've never bothered to search out his true strength. You're blind to his power, and you always have been."

"And you're not?" Rukia asked, annoyed by her sword's accusation. "You've never told me this before, either."

"I was respecting the wishes of his zanpakuto," Sode no Shirayuki replied, unmoved. "But the time for that is past. Zangetsu's power is monstrous. If he had wished it, he could have shattered me like a piece of kindling."

Rukia was suddenly torn between feeling relieved that her zanpakuto was confirming Ichigo's apparently immense power, and irritated that he'd been going easy on her for decades.

"Rukia? Rukia?"

The sound of her name pulled the Third Seat out of her meditation, and she opened her eyes to find a familiar, concerned face looking down at her. The girl's wide brown eyes were framed by bright orange hair, and the arm-band of the Fourth Division was fastened around one of her arms… a change that made Rukia's heart feel heavy all over again.

"I'm fine, Orihime," she said, getting to her feet. What's up?"

"I heard," Orihime answered lowly, "about what happened to Ichigo."

"Yeah, it's pretty screwed up."

The newly-promoted Lieutenant stared at her friend, taken aback.

"That's it?"

"What?"

"You're just going to let him go?" Orihime pressed, incredulous. "I can't believe that."

"What am I supposed to do, huh?" Rukia shot back, hurt. "Go to Hueco Mundo on my own?"

"No," Orihime said firmly, putting a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "You're going to go with me."

"But… did Captain Unohana say you could go?"

Orihime gave a short laugh.

"Of course she didn't."

"Then you'll get demoted once she finds out, Orihime."

"I don't care!" the Lieutenant snapped, the force in her voice catching Rukia off-guard. "I didn't want this promotion, I didn't ask for it, and it shouldn't even be mine!" she continued, tears in her eyes. "Lieutenant Kurosaki should still be here! If I'd gone with her that night, I could've saved her. I know it. I could've saved her."

Orihime's voice trailed off as she kept repeating the phrase, before her words were eclipsed by sobs. Rukia drew her into an embrace, running her hand through Orihime's hair.

"I miss her, too," she said softly, knowing that she would never truly understand her friend's pain.

It was a few moments before Orihime pulled away. She composed herself and sniffled one last time before meeting Rukia's eyes again, her determination evident.

"I'm going to Hueco Mundo," she said. "I owe the Kurosaki name a debt, and I'm gonna repay it. You can come with me if you want, or stay here. Your choice."

Orihime turned and walked away, leaving Rukia near the threshold. She hesitated for a moment, before gripping her zanpakuto tightly and making up her mind.

"Damn it."

Rukia followed Orihime through the halls, saying nothing. She looked over at the barrettes nestled in Orihime's hair, quietly marveling at the extent of her friend's reiatsu control.

As soon as they were out in the open and away from any eavesdroppers, Orihime spoke up.

"Open a senkaimon," she said. "If I can cut through the wall of the dangai, we should wind up in the void leading to Hueco Mundo."

"You don't sound too sure," Rukia said, hesitating. "That could also just kill us, if the Cleaner doesn't do that first."

"It won't," Orihime insisted. "It'll work. It has to."

Rukia smiled.

"You sound just like Ichigo."

Orihime grinned, her earlier grief all but gone entirely.

"Thanks!"

Rukia took a deep breath, composing herself one last time. She was pretty sure that Kaien-dono was going to have her court-martialed for this, but Rukia wasn't about to let Orihime go marching off into Hueco Mundo by herself, either.

Sode no Shirayuki pierced through the air, disappearing into the space hidden between the planes of existence. Once it was in all the way, Rukia twisted her zanpakuto like a key, opening the senkaimon. She and Orihime darted into it, closing it quickly before anyone could catch on to what they'd done.

The pair had only been in the dangai for a few moments when the distant, fast-approaching rumble of the Cleaner reached them, and Rukia looked at her friend with worry.

"Whatever you're planning on doing," she said, "now would be a great time!"

"On it," Orihime replied, putting her hands out in front of her. "Koten Zanshun!"

A triangle of orange energy snapped into existence in front of her, and Orihime sent it barreling straight into the wall of the dangai. It sliced clean through, laying bare the black void that stretched beyond it for as far as the eye could see.

"Come on!" Orihime called out, stepping into the blackness and summoning reishi beneath her feet. Rukia hurried after her, barely making it through the opening before the Cleaner came roaring down the tunnel. Rukia's foot slipped, and only Orihime's quick reflexes saved her from tumbling off into the darkness.

"Thanks," Rukia breathed out as soon as her friend had hauled her up to safety. She was silent for a few moments, awestruck by the vast expanse of nothingness in front of her. "So, where to?"

"I'm going to head towards the strongest reiatsu I can sense," Orihime answered. "If we're lucky, it'll lead us right to Ichigo."

"That's a big 'if'," Rukia said, "but I guess it's better than nothing."

Orihime focused, stretching her senses out into the distance. It only took a few moments before she ran into a barrier of reiatsu so strong it almost made her lose her footing, something that felt stronger than any Shinigami she'd seen in battle.

"I think I found him," she said. "Let's go."

The pair hurried off into the black, a blue pathway of reishi keeping them on track. When Orihime stopped, Rukia halted alongside her, feeling the immense amount of reiatsu even through the dead space between them and Hueco Mundo.

"Are you sure this is him?" she asked, and Orihime clenched her fists.

"No," she said. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Rukia answered, drawing her zanpakuto. Orihime raised her hands again, preparing herself.

"Koten Zanshun!"

The stark, moonlit world of Hueco Mundo opened up before the two Shinigami, as the sharp triangle tore through the void like paper. As Rukia and Orihime emerged into the moonlight, what they saw made their blood run cold.

They were standing before a throne, and on that throne sat a skeleton. The skeleton was clad in royal robes, wore a crown, and held an axe that seemed as tall as Rukia and Orihime put together.

"So you really do wish to die, Ulquiorra," the skeleton was saying, before he saw the two newcomers and stopped in surprise. "What? Who the hell are these ants? Friends of yours?"

"I have never seen them before," a cold voice answered from behind Rukia and Orihime, pulling their attention toward it. The speaker was a young man, who outwardly seemed no older than Ichigo. His green eyes were cold and piercing, framed by unruly black hair, and half of a bone-like helmet rested atop his head.

"They appear to be Shinigami."

"Shinigami? Here?" the skeleton said, sounding more bewildered than surprised. "It seems as though everyone has a death-wish today. Poww, Nirgge," he called over to the two Hollow at his side,

"Take them. I will not have my duel interrupted by ants."

The two enormous Hollow, one shaped like a gigantic whale with arms and legs and the other like a huge mammoth, quickly apprehended Orihime and Rukia before they could react.

"You bore me already, Ulquiorra. I've changed my mind. Avirama, Ggio," the skeleton continued, pointing to Ulquiorra, "kill him."

The two Hollow, avian and feline respectively, advancing menacingly on Ulquiorra. The Arrancar drew his katana and stood his ground with absolute poise, waiting.

Avirama struck first, a flurry of talons and wings. Ulquiorra cut one slash upward, mortally wounding Avirama. Feeling the reiatsu of his other opponent, Ulquiorra kept his sword raised and gripped the hilt with his other hand, bringing the blade down with a powerful slash at the exact moment Ggio tried to use Avirama's body as cover for a lunging sneak-attack.

Both corpses hit the ground split into halves.

Silence reigned in the skeleton Hollow's court, until he himself broke it with boisterous laughter.

"That was unexpectedly entertaining," he said, rising from his throne and descending to face Ulquiorra on the court's floor. "Very well, Ulquiorra. perhaps you will make a more enjoyable diversion than I thought. Come. Let us see how long it takes for you to die."

Ulquiorra spared a single, sidelong glance up at the Shinigami, before lowering his eyes again and speaking.

"Bind," he said, "Murcíelago."

…

…

A/N: The plot thickens! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'd love to hear your feedback on it, as always. Biggest of thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, you all are champs.

And thanks once again to JasoTheArtisan, for helping me improve this chapter and smooth out some of the rough edges (as usual). Go read his Bleach stories if you haven't already. Seriously.

See you next time!

- Jazz

p.s. - I know the Vizards in canon use shunpo even when they have their masks on, but I had Ichigo use sonido here to show how much control he has over his Hollow. Just in case that made any of you do a double-take.