Grimmjow slowly opened his eyes, pain lanced through his arm but it had been bandaged and tended to. In fact, it didn't hurt nearly as much as it should. He looked from side to side and his eyes alighted on Orihime.

"Did you do this? Are your powers back?"

"No." She rose from the chair she'd been sitting in. He could see she was still weak. "Tessai used kido to repair much of the damage."

"Oh."

"Thank you."

"What?"

"Thank you for saving me and bringing me home."

"Its not like I had much choice."

"Still..."

"Just don't forget your promise. As soon as you're better, I want my memories back."

"Of course."

"Well good morning." An overly cheery voice blasted into the room and the eccentric shop keep strode up next to the pair. "How is everyone?"

"Who is this guy?" Grimmjow raised an eyebrow and glanced at Orihime.

"This is Kisuke Urahara. He found us and brought us here. And this is Tessai," she nodded to the man as he entered behind his master. "He healed you."

Grimmjow just grunted and got to his main concern. "So, if you healed me, can you do the same for Orihime?"

"Your wounds are physical." Urahara jumped in. "Orihime's are spiritual. Unlike previous times, her individual power spirits are still intact, but they just seem to not want to activate. And worse, that sudden loss of connection has left a spiritual scar in Orihime, leaving her weak. It will take some research to figure out how to help her but for now, she just needs to rest."

"Fine. But someone needs to explain to me what's going on. What do you know about me?"

Urahara opened his mouth but the words died when he felt an enormous wave of spiritual pressure. Grimmjow felt it too and tensed on the floor.

"What the hell is that?"

"That is Head Captain to the soul reapers, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, and it feels like he's headed this way."

"Why is he coming here?" Orihime asked shrilly.

"For either you or Grimmjow I imagine."

"Do something." Grimmjow demanded.

"I'm afraid I have nothing to match his strength. Its too late, you'd be best just to stay put.

"Like Hell." Grimmjow threw the sheets off himself and stood unsteadily. However, he grabbed Orihime's arm and prepared to sodino away.

"Grimmjow?"

"Sorry girl, but I can't let him take either of us."

"It's a mistake." Urahara cautioned but the two were already gone in a streak. He hesitated for a moment, glad to feel the Head Captain's spiritual pressure diverted from himself but unable to let Orihime get caught in a battle between the strange arrancar and Yamamoto, so, after a second's contemplation, he too, disappeared.

Orihime could see nothing but streaks of colour as she was pulled through space. For a few moments, she felt weightless, then gravity struck swiftly and violently. She heard a startled grunt from Grimmjow and suddenly they were flying through the air uncontrolled. He pulled her closer, curling his body around her just as they smashed through a wall. Orihime struggled to control her gag reflex when they finally came to a halt inside a large empty building, some sort of ware house. Save the nausea, she was unhurt, Grimmjow had take the full force of the blow and was struggling to get up, already weakened from the injuries Uluqiorra gave him.

"Grimmjow, are you alright?" Orhime helped him sit but before he could answer the room was filled with a suffocating pressure. The girl lost her voice and sunk lower to the ground. Grimmjow looked between her and the hole in the wall. He pulled her close against himself and let his own spiritual pressure envelop her, protecting her, even though he too felt the overwhelming weight of Yamamoto's presence.

"Who is this guy?"

Orihime trembled against his body and answered through shaking lips,

"Head Captain Yamamoto. He's the most powerful soul reaper."

"Then we'd better run." Grimmjow pulled her up but the Head Captain was already on them. In the blink of an eye Orihime found herself on the ground. She wasn't sure who had pushed her down but in any case it was for the best, the fight was fast and furious. There was a brief clashing of swords, then the room erupted in the red light of flames and a series of explosions of blue light. But it ended as abruptly as it began: Grimmjow was blasted back when his cero met a whip of Yamamoto's flame and the result was an enormous spiritual and physical explosion. He landed far on the other end of the enormous room.

Yamamoto sheathed his sword and approached Orihime, drawing in his spiritual pressure so as not to crush her.

"Orihime Inoue, I require your presence in the Soul Society."

"Wh-why?"

"You were recently abducted and taken to Heuco Mundo where several soul reapers, including Ichigo Kurosaki are currently missing. I must know everything you saw there."

"Y-yes sir, but–"

Orhime didn't even see Grimmjow coming, she only saw him when he was brought to a stop by the Head Captain. Yamamoto simply raised one hand and caught the arrancar out of his sodino, right around the neck. The girl couldn't believe Grimmjow wasn't killed right there, but Yamamoto was soon going to fix that. He slammed the espada to the ground, splintering the cement and squeezing the life out of him.

"Commander please stop!" Orihime cried. He continued. "Please. You can't kill him! He saved my life. STOP!"

Finally she grabbed his arm and put herself between Grimmjow and him. She couldn't physically dislodge the Head Captain but he did seem to pay more attention with her in his line of sight. He let go of Grimmjow and the wounded man coughed and gasped, his eyes barely opening. Orihime sat back but kept a hand on his shoulder, half comforting, half protective. The Head Captain was not pleased.

"You will both come with me, but make no mistake arrancar, I have not shown you mercy, your life may still be of use to me. I suggest you answer all of my questions when I ask."

Orhime felt a cold fear and looked to Grimmjow but he was already unconscious.

A few metres away the shopkeeper tugged his hat down lower where he stood hidden, preferring not to watch the three leave the world of the living through the Senkeimon. He sighed heavily when it shut. "I do apologize, Orihime."

Toshiro and Soifon rested for four hours in their small hollow of sand. Toshiro slept briefly after having expended so much energy healing Soifon but the leader of the stealth force just lay still and silent, letting her injuries rest while every other sense was locked on to the battle in Los Noches. Ichigo Kurosaki. She did not agree with his approach to battle, his lack of control, and his overconfidence, but he had still defeated countless enemies, even soul reaper captains, and she had to respect that. As much as he annoyed her, she supposed it would be better if he did not die.

"Come on, we have to go now."

Toshiro nodded and stood, his borrowed sword in hand.

"There is another soul reaper who is already there. Hopefully he'll still be alive when we get there."

"An ally?"

Soifon considered before nodding. "His name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

"And how will I distinguish him from the enemy?"

A rare smile touched the captain's lips. "Oh, he stands out."

Nnoitra fell, finally, and Ichigo knew this time he would not get back up. It had been a long battle, he'd taken many hits from the countless arms and their razor edged blades. But ultimately he was the winner, as he knew he would be, as he knew he had to be. Now, there was only a door between him and the real fight.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Aizen greeted him when he pushed open the giant double doors. He did not see Aizen's albino shadow, Ichimaru.

"Aizen. Where is Orihime?"

"Orihime? Oh don't bother yourself with her." Ichigo kept moving forward but the other stayed perfectly still, perfectly relaxed. Ichigo knew he had to be careful but rage was overwhelming him.

"Orihime, Uryu, where are they?"

"You'd best go, while you can."

"Enough Aizen. Be straight with me."

"I am."

Ichigo stopped. Something was off, Aizen seemed different. He still wore that arrogant smile but there was less confidence in his eyes than there was in his voice. Then, he saw the flick of Aizen's pupils just before the attack came. He followed his enemy's glance and whipped around just in time to counter Ichimaru. They traded blows, Ichigo moved to his bankai without hesitation but when he did he saw the slightest flicker of surprise in Ichimaru's face. He did not release his technique of his extending sword,

"What are you playing at Ichimaru?"

Ichigo expected the usual smile and cryptic remark but it seemed like Ichimaru was too concentrated on holding his own. Ichigo did not know what was happening but he had to try,

"Tensa Zangetsu!" The black arc of energy cut through his enemies defences as if Ichimaru had no more power than regular soul repear. Ichigo stared in horror at the destruction he caused. He was not a killer, not by choice at least. Though he knew this battle would end in the death of himself or his enemy, seeing Ichimaru's body so broken and bloodied burned him deep inside. Suddenly his rage at Aizen doubled and he spun.

"I'll ask you one last time Aizen, where are my friends?"

Aizen's eyes were still locked on the body of his comrade. When he turned to Ichigo they narrowed in hatred and he drew his sword.

"Fine, if that's what you want."

Ichigo flash stepped at his top speed, aiming straight for Aizen's heart. He watched for the counter attack the entire time but nothing happened. His sword drove deep into Aizen's body, right through the target muscle. He gaped into the wide eyes of his enemy. Aizen coughed up blood and Ichigo felt his weight slump against his sword.

"No. No way. What's going on? Your illusions shouldn't work on me!" Ichigo withdrew, looking all around in paranoia but nothing happened, Aizen just fell to the floor in a bloody heap. "I don't understand!" Ichigo cried frantically. Nothing made sense. He knew he should just run and look for his friends but he couldn't turn his back on the scene before him.

Aizen was still breathing, barely. He managed to lift one hand to his chest and place it over the wound but it would do no good. Then his body went rigid, convulsing and Ichigo knew these were the final moments.

Except he was very, very wrong.

Aizen's body calmed, his hand slid from the wound to the centre of his chest and he ripped away the blood soak fabric to reveal the tiny gold, glowing object, pulsing in his chest just like a heart beat. His eyes became deadly calm again. He sat up. Ichigo took a step back when the man rose all the way to his feet and he saw with horror that the wound in his chest was completely gone. Aizen smiled.

"Ah, now I remember you."

"Wh-what?"

"Hitsugaya really is a genius, but he didn't count on this. I couldn't have done it without you, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Do what? I don't understand." Aizen strode casually over to the body of his lieutenant. Ichigo could only watch as he bent and touched his temple. A brief flash of golden light passed from the master to his loyal follower and Ichimaru's fox eyes opened, his wounds gone.

"Thank you, Captain Aizen."

"Do you remember Gin?"

"This brat killing me? Yes."

"No. Do you remember what you forgot?"

"No? Do you?"

"Yes. I am the Lord of Los Noches again." He left Gin and faced Ichigo again. He disappeared and an instant later Ichigo was slammed against the back wall, Aizen's hand around his throat.

"Hitsugaya found a way to wipe all our memories, including his own. I was as helpless as a mere human, until you decided to kill me. When my life was in danger, the Hogyoku did what it had to, and when it restored my life, it restored my memories. So I must thank you, Ichigo. And to show my gratitude I will let you watch."

"Watch what?"

"Hitsugaya and Soifon are on their way here now. They think I have no memories, that I'm helpless and they'll eliminate me without resistence."

"You're going to ambush them." Ichigo hissed back in helpless frustration.

"Oh, I'm going to do more than that. I'm going to play with them."

Aizen just smiled, pulling Ichigo closer to his face,

"You bastard," the boy growled just before Aizen slammed his head back into the wall and all faded to nothingness.

Soifon held up her hand. They were just outside the palace.

"What is it?"

"Aizen's spiritual pressure fluctuated for a moment."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. It could mean Ichigo has reached him. It was only a moment, could be nothing."

"So we're just going to go in there and kill them?"

The battle hardened woman looked at him levelly. With the fresh wounds, sweat and dirt covering her face and body she looked even more at odds with her small form and girlish features, but there was no doubting the meaning in her gaze. Toshiro gripped his sword and nodded.

"You're with me right, Hitsugaya?"

"I am, Soifon." She gripped his hand and pulled him behind her at lightening speed. This time, somehow, he found himself able to follow their motion. The closer they got to the battle that waited him more confident he became that he was a captain, even if he couldn't remember. There was a power inside him, wanting to escape.

"Here." Soifon whispered dropping Toshiro's hand as they landed silently next to the doors of the great hall. The hall was half destroyed by some great battle, Ichigo no doubt, but then why was it silent inside? Surely he hadn't finished and left already.

Soifon heard movement in the corridor behind them. They had been lucky so far, she couldn't waste this opportunity. She flattened herself against the door and Toshiro did likewise. They nodded one last time to one another, knowing it was now or never and ran into the room.

Aizen looked up sharply from where he and Ichimaru sat at the end of the long table.

"I did not expect to see you two again." He smiled, standing.

"Give it up Aizen, I know you lost your memories." Soifon marched ahead of her small partner, sword raised and pointed at Aizen.

Aizen's smooth smile twitched a little, his gaze became menacing.

"Then you are a greater threat than I imagined."

"You have no chance against me." Soifon took a few more steps forward.

"Ah, but you've lost your zampakuto. I may not know how to use mine, but I'd say that puts us on even playing field." He drew the long blade out of its sheath and took his stance. Soifon smiled.

"You really have forgotten everything. Bakudo Sixty-one: Six Rods Prison of Light!" the golden points of light formed out of the air and shot into the stunned man, pinning him in position. Ichimaru reacted and Toshiro countered but he too became trapped when Soifon sent a spell his way. The two small soul reapers stepped back.

"Even without your powers that was pathetic Aizen." Soifon taunted, but she was not one to waste time in revenge and pride. Her face became grave again. "Time to end this once and for all. It will be much quicker than you deserve, but no point in wasting time."

She raised the blade and disappeared before Toshiro. She came out of flash step next to him just a moment later, wiping the blood from her blade. He stared in quiet shock as the two men fell dead, blood spurting from their necks, the prisons dissolving. He swallowed and steadied his voice.

"What now?"

"There is still much to be done here, but first I will take you home. Others can come deal with Tossen and the arrancars. But there is one more thing, I must find Suzumebache before we leave."

"Okay. What about the other soul reaper, Ichigo?"

"His spiritual pressure is gone, we must assume he is dead or has left this world."

"Oh." Soifon slid her blade into the belt at her side and headed for the door but Toshiro did not follow. Something was bothering him deeply. He looked back on the corpses, then the rest of the room. It was like there was something he couldn't see. Or hear.

Then is slowly became audible.

All of a sudden he could hear the scream that ripped through the room. A desperate cry, to him, to run.

"Soifon!" the woman was already turning, the room before them shifted and dissolved, one image was replaced by another. They faced a boy, wrapped in spiritual chains from head to toe on the back wall, screaming for them to run away. But it was too late.

"I told you it would be fun, Ichigo." Aizen smiled and patted the boy's strawberry head patronizingly before walking slowly toward the frozen soul reapers. He flash stepped and Toshiro braced himself but it was Soifon who went crashing through the air.

Her sword clattered away from her but she didn't miss a beat. Her white hiori was in the air and white light burst from her back. "Shunko!"

Raw energy poured from her body and she slashed at Aizen with her bare fists. Toshiro made to help her when Ichigo's voice stopped him.

"Toshiro look out!" Ichimaru's sword slid by him. He dodged another attack before striking back. The movements were natural, he didn't remember the training but it was there. His small form made him light and fast and Ichimaru was soon on the defensive. As soon as Toshiro got a good blow he jumped back to where Ichigo was chained and grabbed onto the gold links. After only a few seconds they shattered.

"It seems you haven't forgotten everything then." Ichimaru hissed as he picked himself off the floor. Ichigo was struggling to do the same.

"Some things are just instinctual." They engaged again but Toshiro let himself get distracted when Soifon cried out. He didn't see what happened but she rolled across the floor coming to a painful halt when she crashed into the long stone table. She did not get back up.

"Soifon!" Toshiro felt the slash from Ichimaru's sword cut deep into the muscle of his back even as he took an unexpected flashstep to his ally's side. He skidded uncontrolled next to her, Ichigo joining them a second later.

"We have to get out." he said grabbing the female captain. Toshiro grabbed her other side but already he knew it was too late. Aizen rushed them and he and Ichigo both moved to protect the woman between them with their own bodies.

The strike did not hit them, not yet anyway. After a second or two both boys looked up to see their own reelections in the glassy surface of the wall of ice that stood between them and Aizen. Toshiro felt the frost on his fingertips, tasted the dry snap of winter in the air, but could not explain what had happened. The moment of enchantment ended however, as the wall shattered and crumbled under Aizen's steel. He knocked away the rest with his head and stared at the boy captain for a moment before uncontrolled rage struck him and he grabbed the little captain by the front of his robes, yanking him off his feet and leaning in nearly nose to nose.

"Why? Why do you have this power? You, just a boy, the genius who figured out Ichimaru; the only one who has the power to face the Head Captain; the only one to ever know all Yamamoto's secrets and now this power out of nothing, no memories, no Hyorinmaru!" He kicked a chunk of ice and it spun across the floor. "What gives you the right, Toshiro Hitsugaya? Why did I have to work so hard when power is just given to you?"

He hurled the boy across the room only to appear next to him when he struck the hard floor. He pulled him up again. "First you will give me those secrets. Then we will see what else you have that's worth taking."

His free hand curled into a fist and collided with the boy's face. Aizen couldn't hold back the smile when he fell limp in his grasp.