Again, I want to apologize to you all for how long it took me to get this chapter out. I had a monster test yesterday, and I've been studying my brains out all week, so I didn't have any time to sit down and write. I finally managed to get this chapter out, but I'm not so cure it turned out how I wanted it, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Oh, and for everyone who wanted Karin to become a shinigami, let me explain why I didn't do it (and laziness is not a reason). 1) I hate doing that. If she's dead it's fine, but the shinigami transformation has been done so many times, it's old and unoriginal, so I personally find it boring, to read as well as write. 2) She's in a major hurry here people! Hoshi and Hitsugaya are there now. She doesn't have time to sit around and train for days on end. And 3) She's damn strong enough as it is, don't you think? Besides, if she wants a sword, all she has to do is illusion one into existence. She doesn't need to be a shinigami to have a zanpakto. Ok I'm done. Here's the chapter…finally.

Uloquiorra walked calmly down the hall of Las Noches, nursing his injured hand as discretely as he could. He would never actually admit to anyone that blocking Hitsugaya's snow attack had done as much damage as it had. He was too proud for that. Luckily, the damage was mostly internal, so as long as his outward appearance didn't give any indication of the horrific pain he was in, there was no way for anyone else to know. And keeping a blank face regardless of the situation was one of Uloquiorra's specialties. He paused in front of a large door, pushed his pain as far back into his mind as it would feasibly go, and knocked (with the uninjured hand of course).

"Come in," boomed an authoritative voice. Uloquirroa entered the room and bowed before the large throne in the center.

"You summoned me, Aizen-sama," he said humbly.

"I did," Aizen replied. "It seems that we have visitors. I would like to greet them. Please escort them here. And see that no harm befalls them before they arrive. They are my honored guests, and I would like to thank them personally for the care they have provided for my son."

"As you wish, Aizen-sama," Uloquiorra replied, prostrating himself further before slipping respectfully out of the room. Aizen smiled to himself.

"Sometimes ants must be squashed under one's own foot," he said thoughtfully.

ooooooooooooooooo

"Dang, it feels like I just left this place," Ichigo said with a groan, gazing out over the desert wasteland bathed in eternal night. "I never thought I'd be back so soon."

"You asked to come here," Hitsugaya replied coolly. "Don't complain." He broke into a run.

"Oi, Toushiro, wait up!" Ichigo called after him, racing to catch up.

"If you're slow, I'm going to leave you behind Kurosaki!" Ichigo scoffed.

"You couldn't even wait for me in the severed world, and now you're trying to get away from me here! I came to help." Hitsugaya didn't respond. He had too much going on in his head at the moment to deal with Ichigo's ramblings.

"Neh, Toushiro," Ichigo began. "Where'd all that crap with Karin come from? What did you mean, you don't trust her anymore?" Hitsugaya felt like Ichigo had just wacked him over the head with his zanpakto.

"That's none of your concern," he sneered, quickening his pace. Unfortunately for him, Ichigo's endurance was almost inhuman. He matched Hitsugaya's new speed subconsciously.

"It is too my concern!" Ichigo retorted. "She's my sister and I care about what people say about her. What did you expect from her anyway? It's not like she's a shinigami. What was she supposed to do, sweet talk the Arrancar into leaving Hoshi alone? I mean, I know she's good with that kind of stuff, but she's not that good!"

"Your sister has powers that even you are not capable of," Hitsugaya replied tersely. "She is far from helpless." He was not in the mood to explain illusionists to Ichigo. He didn't think the buffoon's brain could handle it anyway, especially when his mind should be focused on reaching their destination. "Just be quite and run…" But he was cut off as a figure suddenly shunpoed in front of them. Hitsugaya and Ichigo both instinctively reached for their sword hilts and Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed.

"I have no intention of fighting you," Uloquiorra said firmly.

"That's what you said last time," Hitsugaya replied darkly, drawing Hyourinmaru just in case. "Yet you still made off with Hoshi. Now where is he?!"

"If you mean Aizen-sama's son, I cannot tell you that," Uloquiorra drawled. "But as I said, I have no intention of fighting. I am here as a messenger. Aizen-sama would like to speak with you personally."

"Don't mess with us!" Ichigo cried, also drawing his zanpakto. "Tell us where the kid is…"

"Take us to him," Hitsugaya interrupted. "Take us to Aizen."

"Toushiro," Ichigo gasped. Uloquiorra nodded.

"Follow me." Uloquiorra began the trek towards Las Noches, and Hitsugaya followed at a safe distance, Hyourinmaru still held firmly in his hand.

"Toushiro," Ichigo said urgently. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to Aizen," he stated soundly. "I'm going to end this once and for all."

"And what if it's a trap?"

"Don't think I haven't considered that possibility? But so what if it is? Our situation will be no worse than it is now. Do you doubt your ability to fight your way out?" Ichigo scoffed.

"Of course not!"

"Then there's nothing to worry about." Hitsugaya ended the conversation there, choosing instead to focus all his energy on Uloquiorra and his surroundings, waiting for any sign of an ambush. Las Noches grew closer and closer, and with it, Hitsugaya's anxiety. Were they really not going to be attacked? Was Uloquiorra really taking them to see Aizen? He tightened his grip on his hilt. If he could defeat Aizen, then the war was as good as won. Hueco Mondo would be thrown into chaos. The hollows would never unite under another, even if a different leader did try to take the stage. So much was riding on this theoretical fight. But Hitsugaya wavered. Was he capable of winning? Sure he had been training, mercilessly in fact, since the last time he had faced Aizen, but would it be enough? Even with Ichigo by his side, he wasn't sure if they had the strength to counter Aizen if he used his illusions. Last time Aizen had outwitted him so easily. But this wasn't last time. Last time he was caught off guard. This time, he was ready. He remembered his words to himself when he had decided to take on this recent mission.

"I couldn't protect Hinamori," he reminded himself. "So I'll protect her son. I will defeat Aizen and I will rescue Hoshi. I owe it to everyone I care about." With renewed determination, he looked back at Uloquiorra and the imposing castle which they had finally reached.

"Welcome," Uloquiorra said, opening the grand door in front of him. "To Las Noches."

ooooooooooooooooo

"I never realized Hueco Mondo was a desert," Karin marveled, observing the never-ending horizon. "I was expecting something much drearier. This is almost…beautiful."

"It's a land of death," Matsumoto said ominously. Karin looked up at the woman beside her. Although they were invisible to everyone else, Karin had blocked the illusion for them, so that they could still see each other. She thought it was safer that way. She shrugged.

"It's still beautiful. I assume that's where we're heading?" She pointed at the looming castle in the distance. Matsumoto nodded.

"You can't use shunpo, can you?" she asked. Karin shook her head.

"I may be an illusionist, but I'm not a shinigami. I can make someone think I have a zanpakto if I need to, but even I can't illusion myself to move at shunpo speed."

"Then climb on." Matsumoto knelt on the ground, offering her back to Karin. "We'll move faster this way." It felt horribly demeaning to have to be carried like that, but Karin was beyond that. She knew how important it was that they arrive there as quickly as possible, so swallowed her pride and assumed a piggy-back position on Matsumoto's back.

"Ready?" Matsumoto asked as Karin clamped her hands firmly around Matsumoto's neck.

"Ready," Karin replied, and with that, they were off.

ooooooooooooooooo

The halls of Las Noches were just as confusing as ever, but Uloquiorra had no difficulty finding his way around. They met few people on the way, but those they did simply bowed in homage before Uloquiorra while casting nasty glances at Hitsugaya and Ichigo. But Hitsugaya ignored them. His nerves were reaching the breaking point. Being here, so close to Aizen and Hoshi, with enemies all around him, was not comforting in the slightest. He searched desperately for Hoshi's reiatsu, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He assumed that Aizen had placed a barrier around him, just as he himself had done. The only reassuring thought he had was that surely Hoshi would come to no harm here. There was no way Aizen would sacrifice his son and heir. Why else would he want him?

Uloquiorra came to a halt in front of a door. It was identical to the hundreds they had already passed, but Hitsugaya could already feel the foul reiatsu emanating from the room beyond. Without waiting for Uloquiorra, Hitsugaya raced past him and burst into the room to face the man he hated more than any other.

"Aizen," Hitsugaya spat, his voice laced with pure hatred. He glared at the man, who stood at the opposite end of the cavernous hall, flanked by his two most trusted lackeys, Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname. Aizen looked up at him and smiled genially.

"Welcome to my castle, Hitsugaya-kun," he said jovially. "I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Ala, you are so kind, Aizen-sama," Gin smirked in his smarmy voice. "Welcoming in your guests like this."

"Aren't I?" Aizen replied with a smile.

"Aizen," Hitsugaya growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "This time, I will kill you."

"Ah, you never do learn, do you?" Aizen replied with a shake of his head. "I told you not to use such strong statements. They will make you appear weak." Hitsugaya refused to be intimidated. He let out an enormous battle cry and charged. Aizen shunpoed out of the way at the last second, landing in the center of the room. Hitsugaya attacked again, but this time, Aizen blocked him with his bare hand and sent him barreling across the hall. Hitsugaya skidded to a stop.

"Calm down," he ordered himself. "This isn't a battle of strength. It's a battle of cunning. It's the only way to beat an illusionist."

"Bankai!" he shouted. "Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" Armed with his ice wings, he charged, but just as he was nearing Aizen, he shunpoed around him, emerging on the opposite side.

"Way of destruction 33, blue crash!" he chanted. The kido appeared to hit its mark, but Hitsugaya didn't wait to find out.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!" cried, sending in his ice dragon to join the fray. The second blast resounded across the hall. As the dust settled, Hitsugaya became vaguely aware that Ichigo had his hollow mask in place and had begun fighting with Tosen. But before Hitsugaya could even gauge how well he was doing, he heard something that made his blood run cold; Aizen's amused laughter.

"Well, that was quite creative, Hitsugaya-kun," Aizen complimented. The last of the debris cleared and Hitsugaya gasped. Aizen was standing at the bottom of a cavernous pit laced with ice, but he himself was unharmed. There wasn't even a single hair out of place. "Unfortunately, it'll take a bit more than that to bring me down." Aizen disappeared, but Hitsugaya could tell that the movement wasn't shunpo. Out of instinct if nothing else, Hitsugaya whipped around to face the newly materialized Aizen. But he had seen this before. He was expecting the illusion this time. He jumped up and out of the way as Aizen thrust his sword towards him, and the strike meant for his heart impaled his leg instead. Searing pain shot through him as he clutched the wound. It was bleeding profusely and he knew it wouldn't support his weight anymore. But he had been injured before. This was nothing compared to Hoshi's safety. Taking to the sky, Hitsugaya began a new round of attacks. He slashed with his sword over and over, swinging as quickly as he could in the hope of pushing Aizen into a corner so he couldn't counter attack. But Aizen wasn't one to be cornered easily.

"Way of destruction 4, white lightning!" Aizen said lazily, and the kido shot right through Hitsugaya's stomach. He retched and vomited blood.

"Damn it!" he cursed, struggling to get off his knees. Aizen raised his sword, and Hitsugaya mustered up as much energy as he could, and somehow managed to get out of the way. With renewed adrenalin, he took to the air once more and counter attacked. Their swords clashed again and again, but Hitsugaya could feel his strikes becoming weaker with every attack. His vision began to go blurry from all the blood loss, and his swings were rapidly losing power.

Suddenly, an unexpected explosion ripped them away from each other and flung Hitsugaya across the room, where he landed unwittingly on his injured leg and immediately collapsed from the horrific pain.

"KUROSAKI!" Hitsugaya thundered, but Ichigo was so furiously engaged in battle that he didn't even notice that his getsuga tenshou had interfered with Hitsugaya's battle. Aizen smirked.

"Looks like the shinigami representative has yet to learn his boundaries," he said, clearly entertained by the situation. He raised his hand up towards Hitsugaya, who was in too much pain to move.

"Way of destruction 33, blue crash," he said. Hitsugaya didn't have the strength to block it. He braced himself for the hit, but it never came. The kido was halfway to him when it fizzled out in midair. Aizen curiously eyed the spot where it had been.

"That's interesting," he noted. "Let's try that again. Way of destruction 33, blue crash." But this one had barely left his palm when it sputtered and died. Aizen furrowed his eyebrows ever so slightly in confusion, but Hitsugaya finally understood what was going on.

"Karin!" he realized with a jolt. "She's here."

Ok, so not my best work, I know, but I hope the rest will get better. Now it's Karin's turn to kick some butt!