These battles between Fairy Tail and Noches Espada are becoming more and more difficult. Many have fallen and many are injured. At this moment Rangiku continued to push through some of Noches Espada's soldiers.

"My…you are as strong as you are beautiful." Rangiku was stunned to hear that voice. She looked up and saw one of Noches Espada's generals, Gin Ichimaru, and was also an old friend of hers.

"Gin!" Rangiku said.

"Impressive that you made it this far, but I'm afraid it has to end." Gin said.

"Gin, why are you doing this?" Rangiku said. "When we were kids, you were a happy and helpful guy. We had nothing, but we helped each other. So how did you end up in a guild like this?"

"Sorry, but I can't tell you that. Lord Aizen will be most displeased." Gin said as he held out his hand and some light shot out and heading for Rangiku. The battles are becoming more and more personal.

"Black and White"

…..

Ichigo

Ichigo was the only one who made it to the tower. When he got there, Orihime and Ulquiorra were there and the two spirit slayers were already in conflict with each other. All Orihime could do is sit back and watch Ulquiorra shot out some lightning, but Ichigo was able to avoid all of it.

"Night Spirit's Lunar Reap!" Ichigo unleashed his attack, but Ulquiorra avoided all of his attacks. Ulquiorra jumped off from the wall and got behind him.

"You're very slow." Ulquiorra said. He kicked Ichigo in the back and had him slide against the floor. Ichigo jumped off with his hands and landed back on his feet.

"That all you got?" Ichigo said.

"Do you really think you can still win? Can't you feel what's happening on the outside?" Ulquiorra said. "The Eight Hollow Swords have been brought down to five. However, many of your friends are on the verge of death."

"Say what?" Ichigo said.

"It's true. Rukia, Uryu, Chad, Renji, and Nagato are greatly injured and will die just as you're about to." Ulquiorra said. "It's time for you to surrender. We're overwhelming you."

"How can you say something like that?" Ichigo said. "You were once a member of fairy Tail. You should know that we're better than that."

"Simpleton. It was made clear that was a lie." Ulquiorra said. "So why are you still going on about that?" He held out his hand and shot out his green lightning, but Ichigo avoided his blasts.

"What I mean is, even if your position there was a lie, you should understand how we work." Ichigo said.

"Well, I don't understand your guilds philosophies." Ulquiorra said. "You claim you put your comrades' lives above the fate of the world. I fail to see the logic reason in that." Ichigo jumped up and was about to slam his magic covered fist on Ulquiorra, but Ulquiorra flipped back and avoided it.

"It's not about logic." Ichigo said. "In Fairy Tail, we listen to what's in our hearts. We follow our emotions. It's because we treat every member like family and you don't turn your back on family. It's because we are a family."

"That's ludicrous." Ulquiorra said. "Lightning Spirit's Jousting Terror!" He unleashed the green quills and Ichigo got blasted around by them. "Listening to your heart and emotions is just an excuse to cover the fact that you made an illogical choice. You also can't be considered a family. Hardly any of you are blood related."

"That doesn't matter." Ichigo said as he was getting back on his feet. "Who cares if members of our guild are related by blood or not? That's how our guild was founded."

"Lightning Spirit's Whip!" Ulquiorra formed his whip and started to lash around, but Ichigo was able to avoid each attack. "Your entire guild is based on nonsense. You claim you listen to your emotions and your heart as well as putting your comrades first. You say your bonds are stronger than an actual family's."

"How can you be a part of Fairy Tail and not understand that?" Ichigo said.

"You guild is nothing, but absurd logic and reason." Ulquiorra said. "No human being is truly like that. It's all a fantasy where all of you refuse to face reality. Once Lord Aizen recreates the world, all of that will be no more. There's no place for a guild like that and no need for it either."

"That's it." Ichigo said as he became irritated with Ulquiorra after each sentence he said. He went for the direct approach, but Ulquiorra was ready for him.

"Lightning Spirit's Darkened Sky!"

"Night Spirit's Howl!" Ichigo counted Ulquiorra's attack as the two of them crashed together. It caused an explosion and both of them were pushed back. "Is that how you see the world?"

"What do you mean?" Ulquiorra said.

"You only say that because you don't value life." Ichigo said. "We see more of the world than what it really is, but it seems to me you see the world in just simple terms, Ulquiorra. It's all black and white to you."

"And what would be your point?" Ulquiorra said.

"I've always wondered how someone as emotionless as you could be part of the guild." Ichigo said. "I actually had hope that you would chance once our guilds beliefs reached you. I know that there are people that can't see things like we do, but I always thought we could influence everyone to believe that. I can see that I was wrong with what happened to you."

"Are you finally seeing that reasoning with me is pointless?" Ulquiorra said. "I just don't seem to understand what have members of the guild think the way they do."

"That's how Fairy Tail was founded. Our first master founded the guild for everlasting adventure and for us to treat each other like family." Ichigo said.

"Then, the first master was nothing, but a naïve child." Ulquiorra said.

"That does it." Ichigo said as Ulquiorra struck another nerve. No one insults the person who formed Fairy Tail. "Night Spirit's Dark Cross!" Ichigo tossed the cross, but Ulquiorra jumped out of the way and landed in front of Ichigo. Ulquiorra drove his knee into Ichigo's gut. He grabbed Ichigo by the arm and tossed him into an opening in the tower.

"Ichigo!" Orihime called out, but Ichigo tried grabbing the ground as his hand slid against it and it kept him from going out as he held on the edge.

"That was a close one." Ichigo said as he pulled himself up.

"This is becoming a drag." Ulquiorra said. "You have no chance of winning. I know all about you. I know the way you attack, the level of your power, and your limits. Ichigo Kurosaki, you are no match for me. Continuing this battle is meaningless."

"Do you ever shut up?!" Ichigo said as he attack again, but Ulquiorra stepped to the side and kicked Ichigo back.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about." Ulquiorra said. "There's no logic, no reason to the way Fairy Tail fights. It's all based on irrationality. I shared every detail with Lord Aizen about every member, many of your strongest members are defeated or injured, there is no hope for you just as there is no hope for anyone, and yet you keep fighting. There is nothing to fight for in this world."

"Nothing to fight for?" Ichigo said.

"What do you mean?" Orihime said.

"All of Fairy Tail's struggles in this fight is for nothing. What is there for most members to fight for if their loved ones are gone or whatever reason they have?" Ulquiorra said. Ichigo can't stand this guy and now he sees something he should have earlier.

"Ulquiorra, there are three rules that every member of Fairy Tail must oblige by whenever they decide to leave the guild." Ichigo said.

"Why are you telling me this?" Ulquiorra said, but Ichigo ignored that question.

"Number one, you never share sensitive information about the guild with anyone as long as you live." Ichigo said. "Two, you must never contact any client you might have worked with for your own personal gain. Three, although our paths must stray, you must promise to live life to the fullest. That means you have to treat every day like it's going to be your last. I believe those three rules also apply to when you are in the guild. You broke all three of those rules. I see now that you were never a true member of Fairy Tail."

"You are just now seeing that?" Ichigo said.

"I always believed anyone has what it takes to be a great Fairy Tail wizard, but there's you." Ichigo said. "You never had what it takes. It's just like I said earlier. Everything is black and white to you."

"What my eyes see is what's right in front of me." Ulquiorra said. "Fairy Tail is nothing, but nonsense and is doomed to fail."

"Oh man. Are you two done with this yapping? I swear, all this talking about what Fairy Tail is and how who sees what is making me nuts." Everyone heard a different voice and knew who it was. All of them looked up to the crystal wall and saw Grimmjow was able to join the fight.

"Grimmjow?! What are you doing here?" Ichigo said.

"Joining in." Grimmjow said as he jumped down and landed next to Ichigo. "So this is the guy that sold us out and he's a spirit slayer like us."

"Another example of Fairy Tail's foolishness." Ulquiorra said. "They let someone like you Grimmjow in after all the trouble you caused."

"Whatever." Grimmjow said. "Look, I get the whole you-don't-understand-Fairy-Tail and Ichigo's Fairy-Tail-is-about-family-and-heart. We all have different feelings and we all see things differently. Just know that the only reason I'm here is so I can get a few licks in on beating you to a pulp."

"Makes no difference to me." Ulquiorra said. "You will die with everyone else. In fact, I sense that the remaining two members of the Eight Hollow Swords are closing in on some of your main fighters and these two are actually the most dangerous out of the eight of us."

…

Gajeel

Gajeel and Levy stuck together ever since they got to Karakura. They were able to fight their way through some of the soldiers themselves.

"So far so good." Levy said.

"Yeah, but I'm actually looking for a real challenge." Gajeel said. "If we want to stop these guys, we got to take down the big guns."

"Ask and you shall receive, arrogant fool." Both of them felt so much magic energy and it felt evil and lifeless. Both of them looked behind him and met with the man that was emitting it, Baraggan.

"An old man?" Gajeel said.

"Careful. Can't you feel it? His magic power is dangerous." Levy said.

"Ridiculous." Baraggan said. "Lord Aizen is making a big deal out of nothing. This pathetically weak guild can't possibly stand up to our might. The only reason you've won the battles you have up until now is because others were weak."

"You think you're so strong? Why don't you come and prove it?" Gajeel dared.

"You're going to end up regretting saying that." Baraggan warned as some dark cloud was forming around him.

…

Wendy

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy shot out a whirlwind roar from her mouth as she took down some enemies herself. "I can't wait around here. I've got to find the others. I can feel many are hurt."

"Oh man. This is a drag." Wendy got startled as she looked ahead of herself and saw Coyote Starrk was relaxing against the ground and looked like he didn't want to be here.

'Who is he? Is he another one of the Eight Hollow Swords?' Wendy said as Starrk sat straight up.

"It looks like I've got no choice." Starrk said as he pulled out both of his pistols and Wendy got moving.

'A moving target is harder to hit. I need to keep moving.' Wendy thought as Starrk was taking aim.

"Don't run. That will only make you pain last longer." Starrk said. He fired one of them and it was magic he fired, but the blast was much larger than the gun. It caused a great explosion that blew Wendy around. These two are the most dangerous of the eight. What power do they possess?

…

Rangiku

Rangiku wasn't doing any better. She didn't last very long against Gin as she was beaten to the ground and didn't look like she could go any further. Gin stood over her without a single scratch on him.

"Such a shame. I was hoping we could play more, Rangiku." Gin said.

"Gin, don't do this." Rangiku begged.

"I actually did love you, Rangiku, but this is the end." Gin said as he was ready to kill her.

"The end of you!" Gin looked up and saw ice was coming his way. He jumped back to avoid it and saw Toshiro came to Rangiku's rescue.

"Toshiro!" Rangiku said.

"You're one of Noches Espada's generals and the old friend of Rangiku's." Toshiro said.

"And you're the Ice Dragon Slayer." Gin said.

"I hope you're ready because you're about to die." Toshiro said. Many battles are taking place, each just as dangerous if not more as the last. The battles are winding down, but who will prevail?

….

Ichigo: I believed that fairy Tail could triumph over any enemy. Yes, we faced those who were dangerously powerful, but we still won. The odds are against us, but our spirits keep us going and that's what helped us win all the time. I use to think that, but now I am not so sure.

Next Time: Eliminate the Fairies

Ichigo: Even the greatest of stories might have a tragic end.