Sorry Roy... I removed your previous review. I saw your cryptic "don't post" and wondered why you started it that way and to think I told you to tell me... I'm an idiot. Sorry man.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the ideas/concepts for Bleach. Bleach is own by Tite Kubo and the events in The Beast Squad Arc didn't really happen... Perhaps someday...

Enjoy!

Chapter 19: Yamamoto Plus One

Ichigo stood between the Head Captain and Algera Sponge. His clothes were torn at places revealing minor cuts and bruises on his exposed flesh.

"Ichigo," Baldo asked, "Captain Kuchiki?"

"Renji took over the fight," Ichigo responded. He added sincerely over his shoulder "I'm sorry you had to fight your father."

"You could sense that? I thought our spirit pressure would be blocked by the Sekkiseki walls," Baldo said hearing his father chuckle.

Sajin mused looking into the open sky above, "What walls?"

"The spirit pressure released during that battle was epic," Ichigo explained, "I don't think there's anyone in the Soul Society that was unaffected.

"I'm glad that you were able to rescue your father," Ichigo continued looking toward Yamamoto. "Any pointers to free the old man?"

"Sorry, none," Baldo responded.

"Well? What did you do," Ichigo asked.

"It won't work the same," Baldo blushed looking away, "Trust me."

Algera laughed, "I don't believe your lips will have the same effect twice either."

"Lips," Ichigo asked as Baldo coughed his face growing a darker scarlet.

"Don't think I'll let you close enough for a kiss," Yamamoto removed the upper portion of his Shihakusho revealing a torso of rippling muscles and scars.

"Kiss," Ichigo repeated. Baldo grew more embarrassed.

"Sparks ignited," Sajin chuckled at Baldo's red hue, "It left me weak in the knees."

"Baldo," Ichigo questioned, "Was this really the time?"

"I'm sorry," Baldo answered, "It was all I could think of."

Sajin mused, "It lit a fire in my belly."

"Because I breathed fire into you," Baldo said trying to justify his actions.

"It got more intense the longer it went," Sajin enjoyed watching Baldo's tortured reactions.

"I slowly raised his body temperature until it was hot enough to kill the parasite within," Baldo turned to his father, "And the Head Captain cutting deep into your back is why you can't stand dad."

Ichigo questioned, "How'd you know he'd survive the higher temperature?"

"Tenken," Baldo answered, "The spirit of dad's zanpakuto breathed fired so I knew it was a power lying dormant inside my dad.

"Now I know the temperature it needs to be to destroy you," Baldo said to Algera.

"Everything! You really think of everything," Ichigo pointed Zangetsu.

"Not everything," Baldo answered.

"Destroy me," Algera laughed crossing her arms. She added smirking, "If that was the case, you would have defeated me already."

"She's right," Baldo spoke in a tone audible only to Ichigo and his father during Algera's laughing fit. He added, "We have to destroy her and cure everyone else at the same time to win. My flame's not powerful enough for that."

"So we need the old man," Ichigo said.

"I'll take him. You get her," Baldo had Draco go to sleep as Yamamoto held up his walking stick. Baldo's eyes narrowed, "I believe I owe you a rematch."

They enter into a series of flash steps. Each clash of the sticks indicated higher spiritual pressure than when the Komamuras fought.

The Head Captain and Baldo parried and thrust while simultaneously blocking and countering one another. Sajin, Ichigo, and Algera watched in awe barely able to stand between the clashes of spirit energy.

Noticing the Espada straining, Ichigo spoke to Algera asking, "Why are you doing this?"

"To free the king of Huenco Mundo," she responded, "It is Aizen's wish."

"Why do you serve a man that used, betrayed, and abandon his Espada," Ichigo continued his questions.

"I'm aware of the doctored records of the Soul Society," Algera answered, "Don't think you'll deter an Espada's devotion to her king so easily."

"They weren't doctored," Sajin spoke with authority while his attention remained on the kendo match above. He continued, "I was there when Aizen admitted it. He killed the very Espada fighting for him."

"Lies! All lies," Algera yelled angrily as Sajin would not turn his attention from Baldo and Yamamoto. "Look me in the eyes and say it."

"I CAN'T," Sajin growled menacingly, "Right now I'm forced to watch the two most important people in my life fighting one another." The wolf's eyes never shifted from Yamamoto and Baldo. His face filled with worry "I'm sorry my attention is elsewhere."

"Captain Komamura," Ichigo whispered then turned to Algera "It's not too late to stop this. You can still turn back."

"Naive Substitute Soul Reaper there is no going back," Algera stated drawing her zanpakuto. Ichigo and her exchange clashes.

"How long," Ichigo asked between slashes, "How long was this your plan?"

Algera laughed, "My plan? No this was Lord Aizen's plan."

Ichigo gasped, "What?"

"A contingency in case he failed," she smiled, "Lord Aizen had us sleeping within the Soul Reaper's ranks since he became Captain of Squad 5.

"But we weren't awaken until he was sealed," Algera spoke condescendingly to Ichigo, "To think he was defeated by you, Ichigo Kurosaki, how disappointing.

"Two years," she continued, "That's how long it took to find his location, to access the prison, and to learn how to break the seal."

Their swords clash several more times before Algera smiled relishing in her explanation, "To find the location took careful coaxing from Squad 5 Captain Hirako. Aizen's hidden in a special cell of Muken under Central 46 he said.

"I couldn't believe the new evacuation procedure for the members of 46 since Lord Aizen killed all of them before defecting," Algera exchanged slashes with Ichigo, "There wasn't one member of Central 46 here when the attack started. They scattered across the Soul Society.

"To break the seal before the 20,000 years imposed required the flames of Head Captain Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka to turn the seal to ash."

"How did you gain control of the old man," Ichigo asked locking blades again.

"It was all thanks to Squad 7 Captain Komamura," she smiled, "I targeted him from the start and cut him personally as he threw that pink haired girl through the Senkaimon."

Ichigo asked, "Targeted?"

"The only way I was going to gain control of Captain Yamamoto was to control his closest friend," Algera relished in every detail, "But his heighten sense of smell prevented me from infecting him through my usual means.

"After I cut him, I entered his body through the open wound quickly taking control," she clashed against Ichigo's sword again. "His relationship with Yamamoto allowed him to stay in the same room.

"Since the Head Captain's drinking supply is independent from the rest of the Seireitei, I had to pump my aerial toxin into the Head Captain's office," Algera explained, "With Captain Komamura's loyalty to me; I was able to pollute the air without raising any suspicions."

Ichigo and Algera clashed again while Baldo and Yamamoto's kendo match continued above.

"Shortly after I was able to infect all the captains and lieutenants that visited Yamamoto before coming here to free Lord Aizen," she continued her explanation, "Imagine my discontent when I discovered that the passage to Lord Aizen's cell was sealed and could only be undone by Kisuke Urahara.

"That's when I had the brilliant idea to destroy Central 46 and force my way to the eighth level but I overestimated my control of Captain Komamura," she sighed, "He simply refused to draw his sword without cause.

"I was delighted when Baldo's spirit pressure suddenly appeared yesterday," their swords clash again. Algera continued, "I knew it only be a matter of time before he'd try to rescue his father.

"I bore into his father's head that Baldo was his enemy and the filthy mutt finally obeyed as a good mutt sh-."

Algera was interrupted by an object that crashed between her and Ichigo lifting a massive amount of dust into the air. When it settled, Baldo stood pointing his twig toward Algera's chest.

"Baldo," Ichigo coughed.

"Sorry Ichigo," Baldo said. His eyes narrowed absent of warmth and compassion staring at Algera, "We're trading partners for a bit."