Chapter 19: Similar creatures

Ichigo made his way over to the old shipping yards. Well, old to him but relatively new actually in this time. The captain was able to pinpoint the eight Vizards and flashed towards them. The sight he saw caused him to smirk a bit as they were still in their soul reaper outfits and yet their masks were starting to crack and fall apart. This was a clear sign that their hollows were slowly losing the battle they were having with their respective hosts.

Ichigo watched from afar as each of them were simply seated on the ground inside of a warehouse with an open gate and waited. He wasn't going to intervene in this like he did for both Kisuke and Yoruichi. Moreso was that he cared about those two and wanted them to be safe and helpful to him. They weren't involved in his betrayal, the eight Vizards were. Despite the fact that he was somewhat lenient with Rukia and Toshiro, these eight were going to be a problem if they stayed in the soul society. Especially Shinji since he was the one causing Ichigo the most headaches. Without any of them in the Seireitei now, most of his plans can go unimpeded.

"Lets go see how they're doing." Ichigo said to himself as he flashed down to them.

Since most of them were still battling their hollows, they were still laid out on the ground. The sole exception was of course Shinji. Shinji was leaning onto a wall, slumped to the floor, and holding his mask in hand. To Ichigo, the mask still looked the same as the one Shinji had in the future, but it was clear that it seemed more primal than before. This came as no surprise to Ichigo as he knew that the early stages of hollowfication and mastering it were always the most difficult and trying times. The hollow inside would constantly look for any opportunity to take control of the persons body despite being tamed. Shinji must be feeling that right now.

Ichigo walked over to the downed captain, ignoring the other bodies on the floor until he reached the one captain that's been a thorn in his side for a while. He stood next to the dazed former captain, who was completely oblivious to what was going on, and began to speak.

"Doesn't feel to good now does it?" Ichigo started, getting Shinji's attention. Said man looked up to him and went wide eyed.

"K-Kaiyo!" Shinji yelled out while slowly standing up. He had his zanpakuto still in one hand and the mask in the other. He got into a shaky fighting stance and was prepared to fight in a sense. "So, this is all your fault!? You did this to us! You turned us into monsters for your own plans!" Ichigo said nothing. "Why?!" Shinji got no response again. He was getting angrier by the second. "ANSWER ME DAMMIT!"

Shinji took a swing at Ichigo only for it to be stopped by the current Kenpachi's bare fingers. This shocked Shinji to no end. "Because," Ichigo started in his usual tone. "You were being annoying."

The simple answer confused Shinji and he didn't know how to react to that at first. Being annoying? What did Kaiyo mean by this? Why would it be something that simple in the first place? There was just no way that was the reason, was it? Then it hit him. The real reason.

"You did this to get rid of me." Shinji started while Ichigo still had an impassive look. Because I was getting closer to figuring out just who you were and what you were about to do. But," he lowered his head and shook in rage. "Why?" He started off in a low tone before raising his head and screaming. "WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO EVERYONE ELSE THOUGH!?"

Ichigo kept his impassive look still, not fazed by Shinji's outburst even for a second, and answered him. "Because they followed you." Shinji narrowed his eyes as Ichigo continued. "These people are your closest friends and comrades. They would follow with whatever you did even if it seemed impossible at first. That's why I needed them out of the picture along with you." Ichigo let go of Shinji's zanpakuto and turned to leave the warehouse, leaving a stunned Shinji behind. "If I were you Shinji," Ichigo stopped at the entrance and didn't turn his head while Shinji turned to him. "I would take this opportunity to sit down and really think about the place you hold your undying loyalty to. Really think about it and see if it's really worth going back to." And with that, Ichigo opened a garganta and left Shinji to ponder just what he meant.

"What?" Shinji started just as the garganta was closing. When it did, the others masks started to break apart and some were stirring awake. The garganta was long gone by then and Ichigo's words were still ringing through Shinji's mind. 'What I really think of the soul society?'

Las Noches

Right about now, Szayel and Ulquiorra are on their way to see the two former soul reapers. They were assigned with watching the duo today and were actually pretty excited to do so. There was something about them that was just interesting to the two espada's. Hell, to the entire arrancar army these two were interesting. The idea that a soul reaper can summon a hollow mask and gain the strength of an inner hollow they possessed was absolutely unheard of, yet their leader, Ichigo, was able to make it so. No one knew how he was able to do so but just had a feeling that however he did do it was with whatever powers he had.

As the ninth and fifth espada's walked towards the training area that the two soul reapers were assigned to, they felt the intense build up of spirit energy. It was similar to their own yet foreign as well. The two made their way to the training area and saw the two they were assigned to watch facing each other on torn up grounds. The two were standing apart from each other with their masks on and simply staring at each other in fighting stances. Neither had their zanpakuto on them and that was the interesting thing about this. They seemed to be sparing each other open handed. For what reason exactly was hard to say, but the two espada had a very good idea why.

Yoruichi crouched down, taking the posture of a cat ready to strike at any moment while Kisuke simply held his arms in front of him in a defensive manner. The two suddenly vanished and collided in the middle, their energy flaring for dominance respectively, and left a crater when they parted. Yoruichi, with her superior speed, rushed behind Kisuke to deliver a powerful axe kick, but it was blocked by a red shield that shattered from the force of her blow not long after. This gave Kisuke enough time to move in time to avoid the blow once the shield broke and deliver a powerful punch straight to Yoruichi's mask. At least he would have if it hadn't been for Yoruichi's quick thinking. She dodged the attack and back-flipped from him. When she landed, both Szayel and Ulquiorra could see that the two were getting tired. This was even more evident once both of their masks shattered off their faces and the fell to their knees.

"How long was that?" Yoruichi asked as she turned over and laid on her back while panting and sweating heavily.

"About fifteen seconds." Kisuke answered her while doing the same. Only he took the time to crawl near her before laying on his back, their heads next to each other.

"I think we're getting better at this." She said to him and grinned.

"Yeah." Kisuke started. "I think so." Kisuke turned his head and saw that she had done the same.

They locked eyes and smiled at each other. Since they've been here in Las Noches, along with their inner hollows lusting after the other, both Kisuke and Yoruichi had been constantly together. Where it be training, eating, talking to other arrancar, or just being in their own room, the two were together. Sosuke hypothesize that the hollowfication process might have done something to them to make them more dependent on each other. That their hollows were like beacons to the other. The further away they are from one another, the weaker the connection is between them. The closer they are, the stronger the connection. They already worked in sync before and were efficient in doing so, but now with this, whenever they master their hollows, they might even be able to give Ichigo a run for his money.

Just when the two were mere inches away from their lips connecting with one another, someone just had to say something. "Very impressive." Szayel decided to speak up, ruining the moment and causing the two to look toward the entrance quickly.

"I must admit." Ulquiorra started as the two went down to the training area. "You two are getting stronger and better at this."

Both Kisuke and Yoruichi stood up and looked to the two espada. So far the two had met Aka, Halibel, Neliel, Starrk, Nnoitra, and Aaroniero. This was the first time they had met these two espada. Yoruichi actually had met Zommari before and challenged him to a race one time. Safe to say, even with her mask on she still came up a bit short since she wasn't used to her hollow powers all too much at the time.

"I take it that there's something going on or you're both just here to keep an eye on us." Kisuke spoke up as he stood behind Yoruichi and wrapped his arms around her neck, gently.

"Actually," Szayel started but was interrupted once a garganta opened up next to them.

Ichigo stepped into the room with his usual, impassive look as always. He looked to his espada then to the two Vizards. Then he looked around and took notice of the wrecked training room and smirked a bit. "I take it the both of you are adjusting well enough?" He asked while still glancing around.

"It's a slow process, but yeah." Yoruichi spoke up as she clasped her hands to Kisuke's. "We're slowly getting the hang of it."

"Good. Very good." Ichigo said as he turned to them and walked over. When he was standing next to them, he looked to Ulquiorra and Szayel, both bowing to him for a moment. "Did you both just get here for the assignment?"

"Yes Ichigo." Szayel answered for them both. "To be perfectly honest, no one expected you to be here for a few more hours."

Ichigo grinned to them as his hair shadowed his eyes for a brief moment, sending a shiver down their spines. Even Ulquiorra, the most stone faced arrancar in all of Hueco Mundo, was unnerved by that. Ichigo stopped grinning and settled for a smirk that was still very unsettling to them.

"Now," Ichigo started as he walked past them all. "We start Phase 1."

Phase 1 will be explained a bit in the next chapter. Now with all of the Vizards out of the game, and Yoruichi and Kisuke safely in Las Noches getting stronger each day, just what exactly will happen once Phase 1 starts?

Till the next chapter.

PEACE!