Since I took more liberties than usual with this chapter, I feel the need to say this is my story and I'm only using Bleach's characters. They don't belong to me.

Chapter 6: Harsh Tutors

Sometime in the past...

Little Ichimaru Gin breathed his last and the next thing he knew, he was looking down at his body lying in bed as the EKG showed a flatline and beeped a flat tone. A chain attached his heart to the heart of the body lying in the bed. He didn't mind death in and of itself, it's a whole lot better than that life of being sick, that life of constantly being a burden. Well, a burden to just about everyone except the nurse who took care of him. The nurse with strawberry blonde hair, with bright blue eyes, and a really nice pair of endowments that he wished he didn't find so enjoyable to look at. It saddened him to die and cause her pain and misery. And he wished like hell that his body was stronger so he did not have to see those eyes sad. He futilely try to rattle his soul chain and make a racket but for the life of him, could not get the kind nurse's attention and thank her for all she's done and that she should not feel sad anymore.

"She can't sense you. You have passed on." said a gentle voice. Yet, his whole body felt like he was hundreds of feet underwater during his worst bout of asthma. He fell to the ground, gasping for breath and struggled to turn around and see the owner of the voice and the possessor of such enormous power. Ichimaru glimpsed the being, he's not sure if he's a man, as a man with short wavy brown hair, glasses and broad shoulders. He did not look menacing but he could see the face being so. And he is a being not to be trifled with.

"You shouldn't linger here." It is then that Ichimaru saw that the man carried a sword and drew it. Before Ichimaru could protest or cry for help, the man used the handle and stamped his forehead with it. A black butterfly flew by after Ichimaru's soul vanished and the man in the white robe did the same.

He appeared on the border of a forest and desert area to find that the man was already there waiting for him patiently. Ichimaru could not get over how unsettling this man is despite how kind he looks. "I am Aizen Sousuke. And you are the first person that I am actually taking this approach because I expect to get a lot of use out of you so mere threats and harming you won't get me very far. Your condition is the first I've seen in my long years as a shinigami captain. You were a sickly child because your reiatsu, your spiritual pressure concentrated around your head, in particular your eyes and respiratory system, explaining the bad asthma. With my help, I could get that reiatsu better distributed. When that happens, I could train you to be a shinigami, and eventually, to be a captain like myself."

"Ah, I see," said Ichimaru.

"I am anything but a selfless man. See, you possess an ability due to your unique reiatsu concentrations. Take a couple of steps back Ichimaru." The silver haired kid did so and as he did, he saw that there was another Aizen standing beside him. "You never saw the illusion I made, did you?" The silver haired kid just smiled and made no response one way or another. "Now step towards the illusion of myself." Ichimaru did so. As he did, he saw that the illusion started to unravel and became nothing altogether. Ichimaru found this phenomenon fascinating.

Aizen continued, "My zanpakuto's ability is to create illusions and operate while my opponents are distracted. But you," he pointed at him, "could pull the rug from under me because of your unique ability. I have big plans for this place you see, plans that most people will object and fight me for. But if I could keep their attentions elsewhere, that makes my day a whole lot easier. And for convenience purposes, there will be way fewer dead people." It was Aizen's turn to step back.

The blade of his katana disappeared and in front of Ichimaru, was the kind woman that took care of him. She was facing him, smiling, alive and well. Ichimaru felt his heart skip a beat upon seeing her again. Suddenly, a blade skewered her through the chest from the back forward. "NO!" Ichimaru yelled in horror. Her doctor's coat stained with blood and her face contorted in horror as she fell, a pool of blood gathering around her. The blade impaling her suddenly pulled out letting her wound gush blood in a fountain. When the bleeding stopped, the body started to animate and flecks of white started to gather around her face, building a mask scarily resembling a skull. She let out a feral snarl and leaped to attack Ichimaru. Believing the illusion to be real, Ichimaru shielded his face and screamed in horror.

"I'm not asking for your cooperation, I am demanding it." Aizen spoke, dissipating the illusion himself. "What she became is called a hollow. They are evil spirits that form when the soul chain is finally gone, the chain that you try to rattle to get that nurse woman's attention. So not only will I kill her, should you get any ideas, I could make her a hollow and have you do the job of exterminating her yourself. Do I have your full cooperation?"

Ichimaru bowed and dropped to one knee. "Yessir, I do. What is it you want from me, taicho?"

What followed were years of relentless regiments to get Ichimaru into good enough shape to obtain and develop shinigami powers. Aizen would give him instructions like be able to shunpo by the time I next get back. Ichimaru dared not find out what Aizen is capable of if he failed. The grisly murder and hollowfication of the kind nurse in his past life is a constant reminder of what he might and can do. When he got his basics down, such as walking on air and flash steps, Ichimaru began to learn combat such as hand-to-hand melee and some kido.

"I am clearing the site of hollows for Las Noches. This is a perfect opportunity for you to obtain your zanpakuto." Aizen reached into his robe and pulled out a fat drawstring bag of white crackers. "Take one and crush it." As Ichimaru followed the order, he felt many dark presences rapidly approaching. When Ichimaru looked up again, Aizen was once again gone. Ichimaru wished like hell that he has a soul slayer of his own. He's seen what a hollow is and without a sword, he does not know if he is yet strong enough to purify one.

Use of hollow bait accomplishes more than one purpose. This portion of Rukongai, the 70th Southern District is unique geography because the barrier between the worlds is especially weak here. The part of Hueco Mundo that Aizen decides to erect Las Noches is right by the 70th District. The hollow bait will then clear out the hollows in the immediate area of the construction site, saving Aizen the effort of killing all of them just to have more to return later. By doing so, these wayward hollows will have a place to go. The second purpose is to give Gin a workout of the abilities Aizen expect him to know. Aizen could also personally guide a stronger hollow than usual through the worlds and punish Gin, should that course of action is ever deemed necessary. The final consequence, unintended by Aizen or Gin, is the sudden hollow population spike in the 70th Southern District. This provides opponents for a certain battle-hungry killer.

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All around were sounds of clamor, a symphony of pandemonium. Swords clashed against other blades, some found their way home in skewering an opponent's flesh. Most of the clashing, especially the skewering was done by one man. This man found a home in this chaos. Where there is fighting, killing, maiming and struggling, that is this man's natural habitat. One man. One man with enough bloodlust to send a nation to war. His name is Zaraki Kenpachi, a name that chills the blood, the name of a man that storytellers by the fireside say, cannot be killed.

Currently, his opponents of choice were a group of bandits right outside the 70th District. Kenpachi feels no need to protect this poor and wretched district. He himself is from the 80th District, a part of Rukongai where people were more akin to savage predators than homo sapiens. However, as Kenpachi senses the nearby spike in hollows, and this group of bandits running from them, he figured a warm up is in good order.

Yet what was goin in Kenpachi's head was he tires of this. He'll never not love killing and fighting, but it's getting routine. There are no real strong opponents and Kenpachi has to zone out for what feels like eons(in reality, two seconds max) before the opponent's sword strikes him, and even then, it's the opponent's hand that bleeds because of the difference in reiatsu. Eighty districts is a long way to get to the center where the captains are. Until then, all this reiatsu will be a burden as he will have power and not use it.

Even now, he's down to last his last two opponents while thinking about this. While lost in thought he killed over twenty bandits armed to the toe with swords, halberds, spears, bows and arrows. All Kenpachi wielded was his jagged sword that's seen better days and seems to scream retirement. But that's more than enough.

The last opponent dropped. The last two put an especially good fight, which perked up Kenpachi a little bit but disappointment set in even harder after skewering both of them. Given time, these bandits, especially the last two would realize what bad habits they have like going for wide attacks instead of shorter quicker ones, looking at the target then striking, or simply being in bad shape, like that last guy was. So what if Kenpachi struck the sword over fifty times in the span of a minute? His shoulders should be strong enough to withstand!

He went to the body of the leader of the bandits, a man larger and in a cape. He would have the money of this little gang. Indeed he did, they guy was quite loaded to carry this much money around. "Ken-chan, why are you sad?" asked little Yachiru.

"Hey, I'm not sad. Just disappointed." replied Zaraki simply. Indeed, sadness was a foreign concept to him, a weak concept. Those who can't fight and end up at the wills of others, THOSE are sad.

"You're sad!" cried Yachiru louder. "You just finished killing, you're not allowed to be sad!" She glared up at him with a pout. It would be cute except for the amount of spiritual pressure she can exert too. It was nothing Zaraki couldn't handle, but it was not something he'll leave alone either.

"There are no strong opponents, Yachiru. I love killing, but they die too fast. I can't do what I enjoy. These pathetics are too weak!"

"Then stop killing!" she exclaimed.

"Huh, but the I can't do what I enjoy!" Zaraki said giving the little girl a sad look.

Yachiru looked down. "Help them" she said quietly. "If you give them time to improve, you will have strong guys, Ken-chan! More playtime!" she said cheerfully as if her moment of solemness was never present.

Zaraki was puzzled. Not kill? But then what else are human beings good for? This new concept started off as a small knock but bit by bit, the suggestion of not killing started to knock Zaraki Kenpachi's core and values out of position. He felt what "weak people" called "confusion", another foreign emotion.

The massacre of the bandits was some time in the afternoon. When the fight was over, there were twenty something dead guys that Rukongai would certainly not miss and that was around early evening. By nightfall though, the warrior and the little girl were in a full-fledged shouting match.

"Whaddya mean not kill? Where's the fun in that?" he shouted in frustration, virtually incapable of thinking outside the box of fighting and bloodshed.

Yachiru shouted back "Strong people help other people be strong! If you kill all the people, who'll be strong!?"

"But-" Kenpachi started to protest.

Yachiru folder her arms across her chest and looked away. Kenpachi walked around to face her. It was kind of cute to watch, except any bystanders would be dead in a second seeing as both beings have extremely high spiritual pressure and are extremely heated against each other. But, had there been anyone to watch, this would have been entertaining. The huge muscled guy feels the need to understand and communicate with a girl that he could probably eat for breakfast. "No, don't look at me. Don't talk." she shouted angrily.

"That's ridic-"Kenpachi started to say.

Yachiru took a deep breath. "I. Said. DON'T TAAAALK!!!" she enunciated in a volume that most adults aren't capable of reaching. Her reiatsu manifested as an angry cat face that glared at Kenpachi almost daring him to say another word. Kenpachi grunted in defeat and exasperation, he himself sitting under a tree.

"Freakin' women." He's now "frustrated", yet another one of those foreign "weak people" feelings. He's encountered a lot of them in one day. Sadness. Disappointment. Followed by confusion, doubt, and finally frustration. The last one was the friendliest of them all, it allowed some space to be angry, but none of them could be solved by drawing a sword and hacking away. He made up his mind that he hates all emotions other than those that come with fighting and killing. They're way too friggin' complex. And they attack in groups too. Stupid unbeatable emotions.

Zaraki Kenpachi, for the first and probably, for the last time in his life, started to think. Somewhere out there, a guy in horns and barbed tail complained about the temperature because hell just froze over. He thought "So, I encounter a strong opponent. I fight strong opponent. While fighting, I see an opening, as usual. So far, so good. All familiar. Do I go for it- YES!- wait, Yachiru just told me no. So the guy will kill me if I don't. Not that I'm scared and he'll probably have to hack away for the next month before my reiatsu gives way. I'll probably lose patience before that- I'm getting sidetracked. So I will hit him if he has an opening, but not lethally? That' crazy-talk! Wait, it may not be. I could knock him around some more!"

Kenpachi paused to smile at the thought. "To hit, but not hitting to kill? Hmm…not sure about that. But that would mean more hits if they're not dead. WOW! THAT I could understand!" His reiatsu flared up right then and there, and the tree started to collapse from the increase in spiritual pressureand would have if not for Kenpachi sitting there preventing it. He does not know that though. "So if I knock him aorund, and he realizes he's open, I'll spare that sucker. It means he can learn, did learn, and if I spare him, I could come back later and fight the same guy but a better guy! So to defeat him, what should I do? I can...knock him out. Knock the air out of him and keep doing so until he has no will to fight. I could break his sword. Can't break his arm though. If I do, he can't get better."

Hours passed as Kenpachi had his little brainstorm. Yachiru is snoring softly, minus the angry pink cat reiatsu, to Kenpachi's relief. Now Kenpachi himself got a headache. He's not used to sitting down and thinking. He fell asleep pretty soon after. He could fight for days and take all kinds of hits and wounds but carry on as if they did not happen. But thinking? For his own sake, and for the sake of anyone around him, he hopes he never has to think about such things ever again. The thinking bout exhausted him so much that Kenpachi did not even notice the tree fell with a crash, waking up all the wildlife in the mile radius except for the sleeping future captain and vice captain.

The next morning, Yachiru was not talking to Kenpachi.

"Oi, Yachiru, what do you want to do?"

She simply looked away.

The truth is, Yachiru was not mad at all that morning. But she needed to make a point to Kenpachi. She never want to see Kenpachi sad again. Besides being a complete mood downer, Kenpachi being sad downright scared her. Powerful as she is, Yachiru is still only a child and as such, is comfort-driven like other children. Bunch of murderers want a piece of her? No problem. She is fast enough to make a lieutenant level shinigami struggle to catch her, she does not have to worry about a bunch of angry people with knives. And what her speed could not handle, she has her abnormally high reiatsu. But a sad Ken-chan? There's nothing in the world that could solve that problem.

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Not too far away, our hero, the skinny, smiley, silver-haired Ichimaru Gin had a regiment to complete. Aizen gave him the drawstring of hollow bait to use up. Sure, Gin could be a slacker and bury the bait somewhere and say he finished but that results in combat inexperience. And inexperience leads to further punishment. Gin, though initially hating this man Aizen does have to thank him. The regiments are making him more powerful by the practice. Today, he could crush a dozen pieces of hollow bait and fought off all these masked creatures no problem.

As soon as he exterminated the last hollow, he crushed 24 pieces of bait. While waiting for the hollows to come swarming, he went to a nearby tree and started doing forearm clashes. The exercise involves hitting his forearms against the trunk of the tree to harden them but his strength is so great now that he is actually starting to knock it down. When the tree fell, he pulled out his utility knife and started making staves as weapons for this upcoming onslaught. His arms and legs are tired and he needs to fight with his zanpakuto eventually. Ichimaru worked himself extra hard today in hopes that he will finally get to see the avatar of his zanpakuto and finally have one of his own.

The reiatsu that Ichimaru felt from the hollows coming was enormous. That was to be expected seeing as he crushed more bait than he ever did before. However, what wasn't expected was he sensed a decrease in population but no decrease in reiatsu. Upon paying more attention to the spiritual pressure, one being is holding all the power. The hollows were joining together to become one!

::Flashback::

"Say, taicho, there diff'rent types'a hollows or they all the same?"

"They're not all the same, Gin. If you fight hollows long enough, you'll encounter huge beings called menos grande. They're hollows form from hollows mixing and devouring one another. A dominant one will control all the combined mass and power of the other's it devoured. They are rare since one dominant will is hard to find, but the exist, and now and then, one will cross over to other worlds. Within the class of menos grande are further divisions but that's for another time."

"Scary..."

::End flashback::

Ichimaru felt the excitement of fighting a new and significantly more powerful opponent. However, there is always that part of him that is afraid of dying and all that he worked for will be for naught. But it's too late for such thoughts, like it or not, this colossal being is hot for his blood.

There was a shimmer in the air followed by a slit in the fabric of reality. A huge gaunt white hand reached from the beyond to Rukongai and pulled itself to this reality. The creature was over ten stories high. The trademark white mask and hole in the chest is present. The nose is elongated and pointed and corpse light illuminated the eyes behind the mask. It's movements were slow but unstoppable and Gin prepared for the worst.

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Kenpachi watched from afar. There was one of those really big white masked creatures again and it's opponent is a skinny pale kid with a silver hair. 'Now this is an interesting sight.' Kepachi thought to himself.

Five minutes later...

"Wow, if this fight does not end right now, they'll both have hell to pay!" Kenpachi said in impatience and boredom. The big hollow is slow, and the little kid is weak. The result is neither landing blows, the big hollow because it's too slow to touch the kid, and the kid could not hurt the hollow either because the hits were not getting through. Kenpachi drew his sword and prepared to jump in, facing both of them.

As he did, he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his head. "Now this is new," he said to himself, his sword drawn but he stopped in his tracks. Energy is being gathered by the giant hollow, concentrating around it's mouth. The spiritual pressure increased in the vicinity. Kenpachi smirked to himself. "This is what I'm talking about!" The spiritual pressure is dense, sending just about anyone to the ground gasping for breath, but this is the feeling Kenpachi's been craving, the power that is just lacking in all the fights he's been in.

The red energy blast from the hollow's mouth obliterated everything where the kid was just standing in. However, the kid with the silver hair was not there but in mid-flight toward the mask. While the blast was still going, the silver haired kid took his staff and stabbed out one of the eyes. The hollow's attack immediately stopped, followed by pained howl, covering it's wounded eye. The silver haired boy did not finish. He landed on the pointed nose and proceeded to gouge out the other eye, blinding the hollow before landing lightly on the charred crater the hollow made.

"Ouch, hot n' scary, no?" His feet burned landing on the hot ground.The silver haired kid shunpo'ed outside the crater, beholding his handy-work. "T'is the best 'cud do fo' now. Pissed can't wield my own zanpakuto though...Ah, well, another day then." The silver-haired kid stopped short and turned around.

As the menos turned to retreat back to the abyss it came from, a blade protruded from the back of it's head. The menos started to fall and dissipated to nothingness. "Yo," greeted the spiky-haired Kenpachi. "That was a cop-out of a fight. Let me give you a real one!" With that, Kenpachi charged.

The man known as Zaraki Kenpachi was merciless and tireless. If not for the legions of hollows still coming after the destroyed menos, Ichimaru would have had no openings. Kenpachi took the time to take out the evil spirits getting in the way of their fight, not even minding that Ichimaru took those opportunities to hit him with his staff while Kenpachi's sword is occupied skewering the white-masked opponents.

"What I do mind is how freakin' scared you are!" Kenpachi yelled in a sudden burst of rage. He threw his sword at an especially big hollow and pinned it to the entrance way between Hueco Mundo and Rukongai, effectively using the big hollow as a plug to hold back other incoming hollows.

"Dun' know what yer talkin' bout, Kenpachi." he said with a grin and rushed at him.

Kenpachi greeted the charge with a punch into his mid-section. Ichimaru toppled over gasping for breath. Kenpachi, using his bare hands started wailing away at Ichimaru's exposed back, sending Gin deeper and deeper into the ground with each blow. The blows stopped and he spat on Gin. "You disgust me. All your ability and potential and you still have not obtained your own zanpakuto!? Have you given any thought as to why? It's because you're chickenshit. Each of your movements in a fight scream out "God, I hope I don't die!" Well, if you die, so be it! It's a price you sometimes pay to be in a good fight. It's a chance you take to be stronger than you are! If death comes to claim you, hack and slash until you can't anymore! Until death is bleeding and can't do it's job! I don't care what you do, you won't be stronger than you are if your fears hold you back from what you want!"

Ichimaru was paralyzed, apart from the pain, he felt closer to death than ever before. He felt his heart stop and his breathing following suit as he blacked out. But most painful of all, he saw the truth in this savage man's words and wants to be rid of his weakness.

Gin opened his eyes in a new realm. It was morning in a grove, not unlike the Garden of Eden. The trees were healthy and green and wildlife all around were stirring at the onset of a new day. The scenery and time should be peaceful and innocent yet the atmosphere was anything but. The morning sky was blood red, as if an omen of carnage and bloodshed in the day to come. Infernal affairs were at work.

As he walked through the foliage, he noticed that almost all the animals, the birds and snakes were all heading the same direction, all carrying plant matter. Not knowing what else to do, Ichimaru followed, at the same time curious abt why all the animals are carrying . There, at the clearing of the center of the path, Ichimaru saw the reason for such a gathering...and why they all carried plant matter.

They were building a pyre. Those aren't plants but dried twigs and dead branches. The animals all had something wrong with them too. There was a hole where their hearts should be, and all of their faces wore a white mask. As soon as the last animal deposited the last twig, the hollows stood back in a circle, beholding their handy-work. In the center, tied to a stake was the nurse that took care of him, the one that looked like a carbon copy of Matusmoto Rangiku, but he did not know that yet.

Ichimaru watched this in horror. He wanted to move forward but his body will not budge. His fear was so great actually that he did not notice a pale white snake drop down behind him and slithered up and around his neck until the snake's head was inches away from Ichimaru's face. "Boo!" it said playfully.

Ichimaru screamed and fell backward. He hushed immediately, suddenly fearing that the mob would throw him on the pyre too. "Afraid they'll burn you too?" the snake asked as if reading his mind.

"H-How'd ya' kno' that?" he asked the snake. "An' who are ya' nyhow?" Ichimaru swallowed nervously. He hated himself right now. He normally hides behind his slang talk and grin. It took him all his effort to at least maintain the slang, but he could not bring himself to smile. The one good thing in his life is about to die, there's a snake around his neck and it's talking to him. On top of all that, his greatest fear, not just death but the death of the nurse, is keeping him from saving her from these hollows, beings that he fought countless times and could dispatch with his eyes closed...literally.

"Heh. Know what? I won't mention the fact that you should know who I am, or how you should have your zanpakuto already, or ask how does a future death god fear death. I should, but I won't. In fact, I'll hand you the cake. You just have to eat it. I am Shinsou, your zanpakuto's avatar. That over there is your greatest fear." The white snake shifted his head to the front, because Ichimaru and the snake are still hiding behind a tree. "All these surrounding her, the one hollows you fight all the time, are manifestations of your fear. Your zanpakuto is there, on top of the stake. Use it to get your girlfriend out of her plight and things will be moving along. Oh, and if you don't, the one with the flint will use your wakizashi to create the spark and light her up. Better get movin'." With that the snake just slithered away.

"B-but..." Ichimaru started to say but it was pointless. What more can he ask for? Shinsou spelled everything out for him. He just has to cut her free.

Before any other thoughts could take over, Ichimaru ran toward the pyre. He expected the hollows to give him a hard time, and he was ready to send them to hell if any of them get in his way. However, they did not. In fact, as if sensing his presence, each hollow got out Ichimaru's way but more than that, each of them bowed. With that obstacle out of the way, his walk became more confident. That confident walk sped up till it was almost a jog. The jog sped into a run. The run to a sprint. Her life depends on him. He could not dally any longer. He got there just in time because Ichimaru saw that in another part of this really large crowd, the hollows were being thrown about as someone is forcing their way to the center. Ichimaru grasped his zanpakuto and not a second later because another hand grabbed nothing but air as Ichimaru's hand moved away. Ichimaru looked up at the owner of the other hand.

It was Aizen Sousuke. "She is to die for her crimes. Give me the wakizashi." Aizen said gently.

Ichimaru drew his sword and charged to stab him. Aizen easily sidestepped, stuck a foot out to trip him. As Ichimaru fell, Aizen with the skill of a pickpocket took the zanpakuto away from the falling hand. As Ichimaru fell, Aizen took out a flint and used Gin's zanpakuto to make a spark. Within three hits, a fire was started and all around Ichimaru, flames went up.

Ichimaru was not afraid anymore. He was angry now. Angry at the man that just started the fire. Angry that the snake lied to him. With a cry, Ichimaru tackled Aizen as his back was turned. Upon getting close to Aizen, he dissipated and the Gin's zapakuto clattered on the ground. He wasted no time being confused and needing to know what was going on. He grabbed the sword, cut the ropes loose and freed the nurse. He felt himself black out again. The last words he heard were "Next time, don't take so long to ask for me...if you want my help, say "Ikorose"..."

Gin's eyes reopened back in Rukongai. The world of pain Gin felt suddenly came crashing down on him, causing him to cringe. Kenpachi was walking away and stopped suddenly, sensing that Gin is stirring. "Heh? You're still alive-"

"Shinsou, Ikorose." Gin barely held up the sword. He expected the snake to appear and do something or tell him how to defeat this tireless fighter but instead the sword did him one better and shot forward like a bullet. Kenpachi held up his blade to block and the sword continued to push Zaraki away. The sword stopped extending at some point but it was too far away to tell. Ichimaru felt the reiatsu of Kenpachi continue to travel even as his sword returned to normal length.

"Wait for me, Ken-chan!" yelled a little girl with pink hair seemingly appearing out of nowhere and running after him. Ichimaru didn't ask questions. He's satisfied with leaving this battle alive but most of all, finally getting his zanpakuto.

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Long Author's Note:

- I know in the explanations, Aizen's illusions are a result of hypnosis from his zanpakuto's ability but here, I made the illusions creations of Aizen's reiatsu.

- I gave Ichimaru a dissipating ability after watching the famous fight between him and Hitsuguya. Remember the dragon that attacked Gin dead on and just seem to be absorbed? I saw that and thought, if I gave Gin the ability to disperse reiatsu, he would be a threat to Aizen because he won't see the illusions and give endless opposition if Ichimaru managed to get followers to fight Aizen. So long story short, Ichimaru's reiatsu has the ability to disrupt other people' reiatsu if he's close enough, and in time, he can disrupt at will thus making him a valuable ally because he would otherwise be a dangerous opponent.

- Basically, I took a lot of liberties with Ichimaru. I try to keep him as true to the original as possible but where there is space to offer my own explanation and be creative, I won't pass the opportunity. That said, I still welcome feedback and response. No flames please, but if it's something you don't like, please explain.

- C'mon guys, I got ONE REVIEW(not to downplay or not appreciate Waya.Y because I do, it's the rest of you that read but don't say anything!) from my previous chapter! Please, give me a review if you read it. I want the story to work but been struggling to finish. It'll be great to get some moral support! I know none of you have anything to do on a Saturday night but read and write fanfictions so review. Oh wait, that's me...the bum at home reading and writing instead of having a life! P Heh...