My head hurts really badly right now, I shouldn't even be updating… but I am, and mostly cuz I'm getting worried about this story. I'm steadily getting less and less motivation to update and that's never a good sign. I really am trying my best to get myself to finish this story, but if I find myself losing interest I'm gonna have to not write the sequel.. And the sequel is EPIC. For now, I really don't know what's gonna happen, but it would really help to get more motivation from you guys…

And remember… they're fighting Aizen, who uses illusions. It's gonna be confusing.

"Do you truly believe you are capable of defeating me?"

The single question that escaped Aizen's lips sounded across the span of destruction in which the threesome stood.

"Gin," The man turned to his subordinate. "I thought you were smarter than to do something so hopelessly reckless."

Ichimaru's smile was surprisingly still spread across his face, the creepy, malicious intent clear in his ever-slanted eyes, preventing anyone from being capable of reading his emotions. Much the same as Toshiro, the words meant nothing to him. He didn't care for caution or reason anymore.

"I see." Commented Aizen as there was a lack of response. His hand came to Kyoko Suigetsu. "It seems you both need to be taught a lesson in obedience."

Toshiro snapped. He didn't wait for another word out of Aizen's mouth before spiritual pressure exploded from his zanpaktou, engulfing his entire being in bluish light. His teal eyes did not widen in rage, but remained calm in a state of such high rates of hatred.

As Hyourinmaru allowed his master to release their power, he felt the odd sensations of such turbulent emotions speeding through Toshiro's reiatsu, causing a type of unfamiliar darkness to mingle into the boy's heart.

If anything, it scared Hyourinmaru.

Without another thought, Toshiro raced forward, all of his spiritual pressure directed at Aizen for one magnificent blow.

"Foolish." As the lord of Hueco Mundo began to turn to his side to evade the fierce attack, he noticed a speedily lengthening zanpaktou barreling towards him in just enough time to change directions.

But Toshiro was not about to fail as easily as he had in their last battle. With reflexes as quick as his understanding of movements with Ichimaru, he turned just as Aizen evaded his attack, digging his zanpaktou into the earth as a support as he spun. Calling upon the power of his blade, a sheet of ice barreled at the mid-turning Aizen who was momentarily caught off guard.

The man didn't have the time to shunpo upwards and out of danger. With a sickening crack bones crushed under the pressure of Toshiro's attack, splitting skin, and casting blood across the remains of Aizen's palace.

Toshiro's eyes narrowed as the image vanished, but he knew to not be surprised.

"Don't tell me you honestly believed that would do any good." Aizen's voice came from above. "You are still under my zanpaktou ability of illusions. You have no way escape it."

Turning his head upwards slowly, Toshiro turned his glare to his enemy. With only a moment when their eyes locked, he sent up another blast of ice, this time the dragon's head forming from the frozen water. There was a small bored sigh as the attack reached its target, who immediately became nothingness.

However, the great pillar of ice turned downwards suddenly, into a spot across a torn down wall that appeared to be empty. At the same time, Gin's zanpaktou extended as well, heading straight towards the same place. It took Aizen a moment for him to understand what they were doing. With a quick shunpo, he vanished from the spot his true body really was, just as Shinso and Hyourinmaru crashed where he stood seconds before.

Using only a small amount of effort, the man came to a stop a little ways away, though still in speaking distance of his opponents.

"Interesting." He turned to Toshiro. "How did you know?"

The boy spoke for the first time in a while. "You think you're so powerful, Aizen. But your zanpaktou is nowhere near as impressive as you make it out to be. Kyoka Suigetsu has the ability to control your opponents senses, but not if they can feel by way of spiritual pressure."

His glare intensified as Toshiro completed his statement. "All I must do to defeat you is find your true self by means of feeling your spiritual pressure."

Aizen's smile widened.

A moment later, the man had vanished in a shunpo. Bringing his blade forward, Toshiro closely blocked Aizen's close range attack. Keeping careful to track Aizen's movements only by feeling his position in reiatsu, he blocked and parried the blows Aizen sent with only slight difficulty.

Then something changed. Even as he did all he could to ignore his eyes, he noticed the Aizen before him vanish, though he was certain the man was still there.

Something swished by his ear, and the petite soul reaper recognized the whistle of a blade coming forward towards his right side. His training kicked in. Turning, his zanpaktou came upwards to meet Aizen's.

Flesh tore from his shoulder down across his chest. Toshiro saw the blood before he felt the searing pain of a blade cutting into skin and bone. Gritting his teeth together to stop himself from screaming in agony, the soul reaper shunpoed away, the world blurring as he escaped Aizen. The person he had turned to block was an illusion, and Toshiro had known that even as he spun on his heel in reaction to the sound of a blade coming his way. As his attention was averted, the real Aizen had brought his blade down.

"Well then Hitsugaya," Toshiro's eyes widened as Aizen's voice came directly into his ear from right by his side.

"Are you sure it's that easy to ignore your instincts?"

Suddenly the soul reaper saw his own blood that had been spilled vanish. The pain that had erupted in his shoulder was gone as well, and Toshiro gaped in shock. The zanpaktou that had cut into his side was only an illusion, or was it? It was then that he realized just how difficult his battle would be. Aizen could be controlling him not be feeling the pain in his shoulder or see the blood, or the whole attack could've been a mere illusion. Toshiro had no way of knowing.

Unsettled by the malicious presence by his side, Toshiro shunpoed away, sliding to a stop away from Aizen. His eyes narrowed as he attempted to move his arm. Toshiro didn't know if he felt dread or relief as it moved normally.

With a steadying breath Toshiro made up his mind.

Master, if you continue, don't you know what this battle will cost you?

The young soul reaper gave a sigh and then responded to his zanpaktou.

"It doesn't matter. I've already decided to rust the others to protect Momo and Rangiku. I have to settle this, no matter what."

Hyourinmaru was silent. The dark feeling that clouded his judgment suddenly returned into Toshiro's heart as thoughts of Aizen entered his head. He wouldn't set his brain onto thinking about situations any further.

If Aizen wasn't going to let Toshiro know if was injured or not, then he would take advantage of that. When that power broke, however, he knew it was likely that he would die.

"Now then, Hitsugaya, let's not waste my time with this pointless battle." with his crooked smile still spread across his face, Aizen withdrew a small spherical object from his robes. "I can see that you have returned to your state of full power, so now…"

Aizen held out the Hogyoku. "Release it."


As Ukitake pushed his fellow captain further away from their original position, he gave a soft grunt of frustration.

"What do you think you are doing?" The perfectly calm captain of squad six asked, though his eyes betrayed no surprise or caring.

"Toshiro hasn't done anything that calls for you attacking him." Ukitake replied as he striked another blow that was blocked by the other captain.

"I have orders." Byakuya responded, "from the head captain to kepp him from getting out of control and to not allow Aizen to use him to open the Hogyoku."

"He's only just begun to battle."

"The result is inevitable."

"You don't know that." The clashing of zanpaktou in between them seemed less important than the words they exchanged.

As they pulled away from each other, Byakuya gave Ukitake a curious stare and changed the topic.

"This is an act of treason."

Still remaining at a distance, the thirteenth captain held his zanpaktou in front of him.

"No, it's not." He spoke firmly. "I am merely helping a captain to follow his orders. Toshiro is yet to lose control or himself, even if it is likely that he will. We are uncertain of Aizen's abilities, but with both Ichimaru and Toshiro against him, I believe they have a chance."

Byakuya was quiet as he considered Ukitake's words.

"I am not keeping you from doing your duty." The white haired captain explained as he brought his zanpaktou out of an offensive position. "I'm only asking you to wait. If he dies, either by your hand or Aizen's, at least let Toshiro have the comfort of knowing he tried to settle his revenge."

As Ukitake returned his zanpaktou to their sheaths, Byakuya was still giving him an odd stare.

"Why?" The man asked, "Why would you go so far to help him?"

Ukitake's response was soft. "Because… because I made him a promise, a promise to help him. And I intend to keep it."

I'm sorry if this chapter was short.. And late… like I said, I'm losing interest.

Sad story… My iPod is officially broken as of today. The center button has utterly failed me, probably because I play too much solitaire. I'm hoping I can get a new one very soon.

I really need to draw, so I'm gonna do that. Suggestions for art are still appreciated. Anything bloody and perhaps even involving insanity would be great. And plz review me! motive me!