Hello world! I would write a nice long AN about how horrible the things I do to Toshiro in the sequel are (Cuz I was spazzing about that today... my twin laughed... she laughed... those horrible things... and she laughed...) but anyway I wanna finish writing this while the sun is still nicely up in the sky so I can take my dogs for a walk... so I'm gonna start now... enjoy!
Arrogance leads to overestimating oneself, which then leads to a fatal mistake.
The words resounded in Toshiro's head as it rushed with power, and the thoughts somehow weaved their way through the blur that made up his mind. Wincing, Toshiro pushed his blade further into the Hogyoku's glass-like surface that was halfway dented through, and tried desperately to ignore the pounding in his head as he and Hyourinmaru stretched further into their shared power.
If this doesn't work, then we die for nothing.
The boy's eyes tightened further with determination. Knowing the inevitable result of any choice he made, Toshiro would not allow himself to fail. As sweat rolled down his face and his muscles burned to a painful degree, he continued to press further, his heart rate beating faster and faster.
After a moment, Toshiro's eyes widened as he noticed something change. With a rush of panic, Toshiro realized he wasn't releasing his power into the Hogyoku anymore. It had started to suck it in of it's own violation.
The Hollow mask that covered Ichigo's face failed to hide the glint of animosity in his eyes as he swung Zangetsu down into Grimmjow's shoulder. His brief opening having been taken full advantage of, Ichigo pulled his blade out of the shocked Espada's upper body. Blood soaked the ground and Grimmjow glared menacingly in his moment of defeat, but he immediately gotback into his battle position.
Both had already released to their full power, and after quite a while of fighting, it was beginning to reach an end as both reached their limits. Ichigo was out of breath, but his eyes were wide as he constantly glanced to the side. His heart pounded quickly as bursts of spiritual pressure continuously came from beyond the barrier.
He had been so sure. So sure that Toshiro would never give into Aizen's will, but now... He couldn't believe it. After putting so much faith in Toshiro to not follow his enemy, the substitute soul reaper wanted to pretend the reiatsu he was sensing wasn't the Hogyoku's.
Grimmjow came again, and again. Their zanpaktou clashed as ichigo's arm grew more and more tired. Impatience ticked in his head and he became angrier.
At long last, as he shunpoed and thrust zangetsu down, and luckily enough, the blade found its way into Grimmjow once more. Choking on blood, the espada grunted and pulled away, backing a few steps with a frustrated grimace replacing this cocky grin.
"You're too late anyway," He snarled, but a smirk still came to his face, "You're all gonna die."
Ichigo was on the brink of retorting, but the words were stopped before they could leave his throat. A deafening crack resounded, and all the battling soul reapers and Arrancars alike turned in surprise.
Somewhere beyond the barrier, the spiritual pressure of the hogyoku had been constantly leaking, but now it sky-rocketed. Spiritual pressure flooded against the barrier, a bright, blue and white flow of pure energy had blown to a while new level. The power had changed from a hum to a blast of absolute reiatsu, pounding against the golden bakudo even from the distance where Hyourinmaru and the Hogyoku had met.
Another crack reverberated, and the build-up increased futher. There was a universal intake of breath from everyone present as spiritual pressure began to pour from holes it had broken through the barrier, until the bakudo shattered all together in an ear splitting explosion.
The world became a blur of light and rock. Pieces of the collapsed Las Noches flew through the air as the spiritual pressure continued to flood the area. The energy not only broke the rubble to even smaller shreds, but the feeling it gave to those sensing it was crushing, and kind of radiant power that didn't cause fear, but rather invoked a state of awe. Having experience in this kind of situation, all of the soul reapers present managed to overcome the shock, and shunpoed to safety just before the blast of reiatsu reached them.
Ichigo had stopped in the first place his instincts told him, and found himself behind a large metal piece of rubble. After closer examination, the teenager noticed something along the side that mentioned some scientific formula that involved reiatsu. Whatever it meant, Ichigo crouched behind it, hoping for the best. His head spun painfully as the blast finally reached him, blasting against his safe-guard, though somehow parting around it. The substitute gripping the edge of the metal in anticipation, but the spiritual pressure continued to rush by ceaselessly.
As Aizen stood, a powerful bakudo keeping the huge rushes of energy from reaching him, he didn't even notice his mouth agape with awe. Joy streamed in the man's head as he beheld the power before him. His greatest expectations had been met, even exceeded.
With a growing glee, Aizen reached his bare hand out of his protection, and felt the energy caressing it. The power that would normally harm anyone who came in contact with it came to Aizen easily, having already familiarized itself with the man who had occasionally connected with it previously and had combined his spiritual pressure with it.
His eyes growing wide, he allowed his barrier to fall, and his body lurched as Aizen began to absorb the Hogyoku.
The change that took control of Toshiro's spiritual pressure triggered an instinctual fear in the boy's consciousness. At first, he couldn't help but struggle against the force, fighting a pointless battle to regain control, but after a moment he reminded himself of what he was doing.
It didn't matter if the Hogyoku was sucking away his spiritual pressure as the force required more and more to break the seal, as long it was all released into Aizen. Toshiro knew the cost of his actions. He knew the result, and he had to ignore his instinct to live now more than ever.
Somewhere inside of him, Hyourinmaru trembled, and Toshiro couldn't help but feel the same. His zanpaktou's presence was fading, and the boy shook as he grew exhausted. Everything that happened beyond his closed eyes in the real world was unnoticed by him as he clung to his weapon's weakening spirit, and the spiritual pressure continued to flow.
The boy was beyond noticing, as his head overflowed with fatigue, when the blinding light faded and he fell forward. Suddenly weakened beyond his limit, Toshiro collapsed to the ground, his breath barely coming at all. His vision blurred and his head pounding, he held tenaciously to what little consciousness he had left ,though he had no clue how was still alive.
The amount of energy it should've taken to break the Hogyoku would've been fatal, or at least that's what Toshiro had estimated. Had he not broken the Hogyoku? Had he underestimated himself? Did his plan work?
Now that the energy ceased to assail his head, the questions came clearly. Still trying to hold off his exhaustion, the boy listened to his surroundings, trying to understand what happened without having to move his head. When that failed, Toshiro slowly turned his head, until he found the strength to get on his hands and knees and look up at what had happened.
He had underestimated himself. The sealed Hogyoku was gone, and the area was silent as there were no traces of the released weapon. With dread beating at Toshiro's heart, he raised his head further to Aizen, who was standing not far away, his eyes wide.
Something inside Toshiro begged the world to have mercy on him, begged whatever karma existed to give him a break, to please let his plan work.
Aizen moved. Toshiro's eyes widened with horror as a smile spread across the man's face, no longer calm but wide with pleasure, and almost insane gleam in the man's eyes.
The boy's heart sank down to his stomach. It didn't work. Aizen had absorbed the Hogyoku's power.
Don't worry, I'll explain what Toshiro's plan was next chapter. I've gotta go, so please oh please review me! PLEASE!
And nobody's been able to predict Toshiro's plan yet, so I'm happy. Maybe you'll get it after what happened in this chapter.
