AN- SORRY FOR THE 7 WEEK DELAY! I've been a little unmotivated and also the scale of this fic got a bit bigger than I originally planned. I had to do some storyboarding and make sure there are as few continuity errors as possible during the months I've been writing this. Anyway- here it is. Next chapters won't take nearly as long. 100%.

Chapter 30 - The Cold Embrace of Home


Ichigo groaned, clutching the side of his head as he slowly regained his bearings. Pain had become his ruling sensation; each breath sent fresh agony blossoming from his abdomen, and every throb of his head made his vision swim with vertigo. His eyes refused to focus, but he could make out the silhouette of a horned Hollow before him.

In an instant, fragmented memories that were both intimately familiar and disturbingly alien exploded into his mind, adding to his already splitting headache. The Hollow before him drew closer, coming into focus as it did. Ichigo did not feel any threat, however - merely curiosity. WIth a start, he realized he could make out the barest outline of a released Tensa Zangetsu in its right hand.

Ichigo instinctively clenched his fists, frowning slightly as he felt the pressure of Tensa Zangetsu's familiar hilt in his own right palm.

I'm in my inner world, he realized. Which means that the Hollow in front of me must be White… Then where is old man Zangetsu? His vision was still swimming. And then he started. He hadn't recognized this place as his inner world, because it was completely submerged in water. The pristine skyscrapers that once stood as mighty sentinels in his subconscious had become broken, derelict ruins, floating listlessly in the murky water.

Ichigo gasped for breath, surprised he was not drowning. Breathing normally again, he did his best to ignore the confusion as he took a long, steadying breath. "Zangetsu!" He called out. His voice sounded dull in the water, but it didn't flow into his mouth.

"Ichigo." The hollow before him spoke. By contrast, its voice was crystal clear, distinctive rasp and all.

Ichigo's eyes widened briefly as it flared its reiatsu, enveloping them both within its dark swirls. He glowered at the Hollow, assuming a battle stance. "You bastard. What have you done with old man Zangetsu?!"

"I am Zangetsu," Zangetsu said casually as he held his blade out before him.

Ichigo froze. He extended his senses outward, and surely enough, he could not detect his zanpakuto spirit anywhere. What's going on here?

Suddenly feeling panicked, Ichigo concentrated, trying to leave his inner world, but stopped as he felt a crushing pressure all around him, squeezing the breath and life out of him. The water around him grew darker.

"Why are you here, Ichigo?" The Hollow asked.

"Tell me what you've done to Zangetsu!" Ichigo demanded. "Are you holding him hostage here? Why can't I leave? Are you holding me hostage?!"

The Hollow's bright, golden eyes dimmed as its posture sagged. The tip of Tensa Zangetso pointed downward as his arms hung at his sides. It shook its head sadly. "This is your world, Ichigo." Its voice was soft and gentle - almost mournful. "It is your despair that has flooded it, and your guilt that is causing us to suffocate in this abyss. Here, you have omnipotence, but you choose not to see." The hollow placed a clawed palm over the hollow hole in its chest as it heaved a labored breath; "You are the one holding yourself hostage."

The dark hollow reiatsu did not exude any malice as it floated around them; instead, it felt almost comforting, as if it was protecting something.

Ichigo relaxed, almost against his will as he observed the pitiful Hollow. He was frantically trying to make sense of the memories that both were and weren't his own. He was fighting Madara… and Nel… He was trying to kill Nel? He was fighting Yamamoto? But why…?

His heart skipped a beat. "Because Orihime is gone… I couldn't protect her…" He whispered, and the world around him shuddered. He turned an accusatory glare toward the Hollow. "You…! Why come out then? Don't you know that fighting against people like Madara or Yamamoto is just going to get us both killed?! If you'd come out earlier, we could have broken out of the prison and been with Orihime when-"

"Who I want to protect is not the same as who you want to protect!" The Hollow screamed at him, averting his gaze as he clenched his fist harder around Tensa Zangetsu's hilt. The reiatsu around Ichigo began to come alive, constricting, licking tentatively at the boy's clothing before darting away.

Ichigo felt his blood boiling, but before he could respond, another familiar voice reverberated in his inner world.

"Ichigo…!"

"Father…?" Ichigo looked around him.

"He's stable. It's fine. He can't do anything right now even if he hollowfies." It was Captain Unohana.

"The Sekkiseki didn't stop him before, and it's not going to stop him now." Isshin's voice was growing alarmed.

Ichigo put two and two together, dashing toward the Hollow with a shunpo. It checked his half-hearted strike as the two Tensa Zangetsus locked against each other. "Don't you hurt my father!" Ichigo growled.

The Hollow's golden eyes widened, before he swatted Ichigo aside and turned his back toward the boy. "When you understand me, Ichigo, you will trust me, and you will accept yourself for who you are."

Ichigo ignored its ramblings. "I don't care, just let me out!" He roared, though his voice died in his throat as it was smothered by the water around him. He focussed hard on his physical body, willing his consciousness to return to it.

As Ichigo disappeared from his inner world, Zangetsu sighed, rejected once more by his master. He turned his eyes up toward the sky, where the distant light of the moon shone through the surface of the water. "I am you as much as you are me, Ichigo. I just pray that you can accept that before it is too late."


Seireitei - Squad 4 Ruins, Makeshift Infirmary

The first thing Ichigo noticed as he awoke was the relief from the enormous pressure he had been experiencing in the flooded depths of his inner world. He noticed the comforting feeling of Tensa Zangetsu still in his hand, and the unmistakable, stubbled face of his father looming over him.

"Ichigo, thank goodness you're alive," Isshin whispered, as he buried his face in his palms, sinking deep into his chair. "You have my undying gratitude, Captain Unohana."

It was then that he noticed the Squad 4 Captain poking and prodding at his chest, wearing a deep frown. "No, Captain Kurosaki. Although I had intended to heal Ichigo with my Bankai, the hollow hole in his chest appears to have closed on its own."

Ichigo blinked, trying to get up before realizing he was immobilized. He could feel his spiritual power draining away, and he gave into it, not bothering to keep Tensa Zangetsu manifested when in the care of his father and Captain Unohana. Ichigo drew a breath to speak, but his eyes widened as he sputtered.

His throat felt as if it was filled with burning ash. His mouth was parched as he dry-swallowed, coughing reflexively as a metallic taste assaulted his taste buds. His father wordlessly brought a glass of water to his lips, and he drank eagerly from it, wincing with each gulp as it scraped down his throat.

Isshin flashed a humorless smile at his son. "You're lucky to be alive, Ichigo. The Head Captain spared you only because you are still our best chance against Aizen, but he did quite a number on you."

Ichigo scowled; "I think I can remember what happened. No need to remind me. Where's Madara?" He forced himself to talk despite the pain.

"He got away," a new arrival said. Ichigo turned to see Captain Kyoraku approaching his bedside. "The Captain Commander is leading a search party, looking for him as we speak. I have been given acting authority as Head Captain in the meantime," he explained.

Ichigo nodded as Kyoraku pulled a chair over and sat down near his feet at the end of the bed. He suddenly felt like a cornered animal. He was injured, restrained and boxed in with his father and Unohana on either side of him.

"What happened, Ichigo?" It was his father. "That Hollow you turned into. Have you seen it before? How much do you know about it?"

Ichigo had questions of his own, but he supposed it was only natural that the Shinigami were on guard, especially after he just turned into a Hollow and flew into a mindless rage. "It's name is White… It's my inner Hollow. I think I first met him when I awakened my Shinigami powers, after Byakuya…" He trailed off with a frown.

Isshin stood up suddenly, toppling his chair over. "That long? And you never thought to tell anybody that there was a Hollow living inside your head?!"

"Peace, Isshin." Captain Kyoraku waved him down. "Who was Ichigo meant to tell? We were his enemies, and he did not know you had knowledge of such things at the time. Isn't that right, Ichigo?"

The substitute Shinigami raised an eyebrow at the acting Head Captain. "...Yeah?"

"We were informed by former Captain Urahara about your Hollow, anyway, as well as by the former Gotei officers you know as the 'Vizards' during your training with them."

Isshin sat down slowly, looking at Ichigo with a conflicted expression. Unohana laid a hand gently on the former Squad 10 Captain's back. "They couldn't have known it was that Hollow."

Ichigo was becoming more and more confused, until he reviewed the memories from when he had fully hollowfied. "Wait a minute, dad. You know White?"

Isshin's face contorted in a mixture of pain and sorrow. "I do, but now is not the time to go into that. I promise I will tell you about it later. There are more important matters to attend to at the moment."

Kyoraku nodded. "I have decided that for everyone's safety - yourself included - you will be spending some time in the Muken."

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but exhaled again, keeping silent as he received a stern glare from his father.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Kyoraku continued. "You are our trump card against Aizen, as you have not seen his Kyoka Suigetsu. That means we must hide the fact that you completely hollowfied and went berserk. It cannot be allowed to become common knowledge within the Seireitei."

Ichigo grimaced; "I get that, but how're you going to explain to my friends why I'm locked up in the Muken?"

The acting Captain Commander smirked. "Because you won't be going in there alone."

"I'll be going there with you." Isshin's chair squeaked as he leaned back, closing his eyes as he crossed his arms. "It's high time I taught you a thing or two about real Zanjutsu, and the true potential of our Getsuga Tensho."

"We also have another prisoner," Captain Unohana added. "The Primera Espada, Coyote Starrk. I cut him down during the invasion, but kept him alive for interrogation. Given you and your father's unique ability to befriend seemingly anybody, we'd like to see you try and extract information from him."

Ichigo was beginning to understand, now. It was a well thought-out plan. "So in the Muken… Even if there are still people loyal to Aizen here in the Seireitei, nobody would know what was going on," Ichigo muttered. "My training would be done in complete secrecy…"

"Hey, your kid's sharp, Isshin," Kyoraku drawled, leaning in playfully to the former Squad 10 Captain. "Does he take after his mother?"

At the mention of Misaki, Isshin's expression soured, and Shunsui massaged his brow as winced; "I'm sorry."

Isshin smiled sadly. "It's alright. Let's move. We'll bring Ichigo up to speed about the state of the Seireitei on the way."


Elemental Nations - Shinobi Alliance Headquarters

Hashirama raised his head with a start, looking up from the pile of paperwork at his desk. "It couldn't be…" He mouthed, yet even as he words left his lips, the memories from his wood clone flooded through his mind.

Orihime's death, Madara's assault on the Seireitei, the danger Ichigo posed, and… Hashirama took a steadying breath as he felt a chakra signature that he never thought he would sense again. Even as he consolidated the influx of information from his wood clone, his younger brother materialized before him.

"You look well, elder broth-" Tobirama was silenced by a crushing hug as Hashirama wrapped his arms around the younger Senju.

"I wish I could say the same for you…" The Hokage whispered. "How have you been? Since you...?"

Tobirama freed himself with a groan, before chuckling and relaxing into a nearby chair. "I feel like myself. I don't feel stronger or weaker, or any different at all compared to when I was alive, to be honest," he answered with a shrug. "I knew you or Madara would show up in the Soul Society at some point, so I bided my time there gathering as much intel as I could about those who I believed to be our enemies."

Hashirama raised an eyebrow at that. "Those who you 'believed' to be our enemies? You mean the Shinigami?"

Tobirama nodded; "They are certainly a flawed organization, but one cannot deny their effectiveness as a central governing power within Soul Society."

Hashirama crossed his arms, suppressing a wry smile as Tobirama continued. "The population of actual Shinigami is remarkably low compared to the amount of souls that live within the districts. It is, in fact, a system not unlike that of our own Shinobi world. Shinigami are quite few and far between, and the people we fought were Capta-"

"Tobirama." Hashirama cut his brother off gently. "You died… You know that the afterlife is meant to be some kind of respite from the toils of the living, right?"

Tobirama scoffed; "There is work yet to be done-"

"You died, Tobirama," Hashirama said again, more forcefully this time. "You've given the ultimate sacrifice to Konoha. By all rights, your work is finished. You shouldn't push yourself so hard."

Tobirama grunted in a half laugh. "Look at us now, elder brother. When the world of the dead encroaches on the world of the living, what other choice do I have? Would you truly have me sit idly by?"

Hashirama sighed, nodding. "I suppose you have a point, as always."

"How did your chakra recover?" Tobirama changed the topic. "It feels much more potent than it ever has before, too."

Hashirama gave a sad smile. "Madara found a healer, from another world."

The younger senju's eyebrows shot up. "Someone with stronger healing prowess than even yourself?! I must meet this-"

"She was one of the casualties of Madara's attack on the Seireitei," Hashirama interrupted, drawing on the memories of his wood clone. "Are you staying here, Tobirama?"

"...Of course. I'll stay here as long as I am able."

"Then much has changed that you must know, Tobirama. The world is growing and evolving around us faster than ever before… Is this what it's like to grow old?" Hashirama lamented with a sigh.

"Perhaps, elder brother. You have far outlived the average lifespan of a Shinobi, at any rate," Tobirama replied, smiling wryly. "I was going to say 'we', but…" He trailed off, and despite the morbid joke, Hashirama chuckled and gave the younger senju a squeeze on the shoulder.

"Come, Tobirama. It's good to have you back. Hiruzen and Danzo miss you, as does Mito."


Elemental Nations - Konoha

"Tch." Madara clucked his tongue. "I expected him to leave, but without even saying a word?" He looked around in annoyance; Nel and Harribel were there, but Tobirama had disappeared. A quick sweep of his senses located the Shinobi in question with Hashirama, very far west. Madara blinked in surprise, then.

Hashirama wasn't exaggerating when he said there were over twenty thousand members in his Shinobi Alliance. The amount of chakra signatures Madara could sense gathered in one place was a number he had never realistically thought possible. As he expanded his senses outward, he could detect hundreds more signatures trickling in.

"Where is everyone? What happened? This is Konoha, right?" Harribel frowned as she gestured to the charred ruins around her. "Was there some kind of battle?"

"They just moved on," Nel replied with a small shake of her head. "The Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf torched their village before setting out on their campaign of unification."

Madara threw back his head in laughter. "To think… For all Hashirama's talk of protecting the village, it is he who ultimately destroys it. He is truly committed, then. I respect it."

Nel narrowed her eyes; "Hashirama and the Konoha Shinobi have moved on to greater things, Madara." She gestured around her. "Sometimes to preserve the legacy of something you love, you must destroy it before it can become tainted."

Harribel raised an eyebrow, bringing a hand to her chin as she did so. "An astute observation. He did this to prevent any remaining assets from falling into the hands of bandits, then?"

Nel nodded, not taking her gaze off of Madara.

The Uchiha's mirth had dissipated, a glint of anger flashing across his eyes at the tone Nel dared to take with him. He saved her life from Nnoitra, and she ultimately chose Hashirama and Ichigo instead of himself. Madara was about to speak, before he noticed a sliver of Hashirama's chakra close by. He located the source and made toward it without a word.

A light sonido brought him to the old Hokage's office. Madara tilted his head slightly, kneeling as he placed a palm on the ground.

"What are you doing?" It was Harribel.

In answer, the ground before Madara churned outwards briefly, as a small wooden box poked out from the earth. It was about the size of her hand, and from its appearance, there was no doubt that it was formed by Wood Style Jutsu.

The box was of simple design. There was a single, unlocked lid, which Madara opened with a flick of his thumb.

Madara froze.

Harribel and Nel had both walked up beside Madara by then. Both could see the amber amulet nestled within the box, but only Harribel understood its significance. Her mind flashed back to the first time she had come to the elemental nations, chasing after Madara at the behest of Barragan.

Madara gingerly fished the amulet out of the box, suddenly breathing faster as he scrutinized it. The slashed leaf - a symbol of his intention toward Konoha. It had sat atop a roll of parchment.

He unfurled it on the ground, for all to see.

"In memory of Madara Uchiha. Co-founder of Konohagakure; the Hokage that never was. My friend and brother, who lost his way."

He already had a grave for me, at the Valley of the End. What is this meant to symbolize? Madara snapped his head toward the two statues of himself and Hashirama, activating his rinnegan as he did. He noted with a pained expression that his statue was still incomplete. Hashirama's likeness was fully realized, but his own did not have the same crisp definition. Hashirama had given up on him. His old friend had moved on to realize their dream of peace on a much grander scale than just two clans, or even Konoha, now. The death of Konoha… and the birth of the Shinobi Alliance?

He looked at his calloused hands, no longer clawed since had awakened his resurreccion. In his mind he had never stopped working toward peace, yet in reality, he had just tried to destroy the Seireitei purely out of revenge. "Am I just…" Madara thought out loud. "An impulsive, idealistic fool…?"

Neither Harribel nor Nel answered immediately, though the former knelt down beside him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.

Harribel took the chance to study the amulet. The leaf within was perfectly preserved. Even with her sharp senses, she could only just tell that it was, in fact, two halves carefully encased in amber. "What will you do now, Madara?" Her tone was soft, though she wore a guarded expression.

Madara carefully looped the amulet around his neck, tucking the amber underneath the collar of his armor. One step at a time. He managed to outsmart Yamamoto, but the Captain Commander was still too powerful for him to overcome in a head-to-head battle. That was not even considering the arrival of the Zero division.

That bearded man that had confronted him with Urahara before Tobirama's timely intervention had exuded a presence that felt like something beyond a Shinigami. He knew without even crossing blades that this 'Lord Hyosube,' as Urahara had addressed him, was not someone he wanted to fight as he was, now. The corner of his lip tugged in the ghost of a smile. Aside from the One Tail and the Nine Tails, there were still seven tailed beasts running loose, as far as he knew. That was certainly a start.

He finally turned toward Harribel, answering her question. "I'm going hunting. Care to join me?"


Hueco Mundo - Las Noches Canopy

It hadn't taken long for Barragan to remember why he preferred his throne out in the open. Aizen had restored Las Noches, yes, but he had done so through the lens of a Shinigami. The end result was too clinical; too ordered and much too stifling for his taste.

He had commanded his fraccion to relocate the throne to the central spire on the roof of Las Noches, and he could hear his servants hammering away at a new spiral staircase leading up from the Las Noches canopy. He chuckled, lounging back as he feasted his eyes on the stars of Hueco Mundo's eternal night.

This was how a God-King should rule, not trapped and suffocating within walls that serve no purpose, but with the entire sky as the roof of his palace.

"Your Majesty," Ggio began, exiting his sonido in a kneeling position before Barragan. "Ulquiorra Cifer has returned and requests your immediate audience."

"Show him up."

Ggio inclined his head, but before he could move, the unmistakable reiatsu of the Cuatra espada joined them atop the pillar.

"Barragan. I see your brazen antics have escalated in Lord Aizen's absence," Ulquiorra deadpanned.

"Aizen has vacated this throne to me." Barragan allowed a brief stretch of silence as he observed Ulquiorra for any response. When there was none, he chuckled and continued; "Are the others all dead?"

Ulquiorra paused, too, contemplating whether or not he should take Barragan at his word and report to him instead of Aizen. Ultimately he decided he should; Barragan was the Segunda Espada, after all, and the highest ranking Espada now that Starrk was gone.

"Most likely. My deduction is that Gin betrayed us." He dug his left eyeball out as he spoke, crushing it and allowing its dust to dissipate around them. "Solita Vista."

Barragan cast a sideways glance at Ggio, gesturing away with his chin. The fraccion took it as his cue to leave.

The God-King growled as he watched the events of the failed assault on the Seireitei from Ulquiorra's perspective. "How many Shinigami were killed?" He finally asked.

"Many… I cannot possibly give an exact number," Ulquiorra replied, inwardly surprised that Barragan would care about such a thing.

The God-King nodded, stroking his chin contemplatively. "Dismissed, Ulquiorra." Barragan's gravelly voice boomed from atop the throne of Las Noches.

The Cuatra Espada regenerated his eye, but did not leave. "Pardon me, Barragan, but Lord Aizen's orders were to-" He was cut off by a wave of reddish-purple reiatsu.

"'Lord' Aizen's orders were for me to succeed the throne of Las Noches, brat. He has apparently grown tired of playing Hollow, and has scurried off to who-knows-where."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened, astonished at Barragan's audacity.

"You dare address Lord Aizen with such disres-" Ulquiorra's words choked away in his throat as Barragan appeared before him with a sonido. Even out of his resurreccion, Barragan's dominion over aging forced Ulquiorra to fight for breath when in such close proximity.

"I shall say this to you one more time, little Ulquiorra. I ruled these lands long before you or Aizen were even pitiful wisps of reishi. If you wish to challenge me for authority, then come at me."

Ulquiorra tensed, raising his reiatsu reactively. To his surprise, the weight of Barragan's power still pressed hard on his chest. He would have to enter his first release if he wanted to increase his reiatsu any further. I allowed Barragan to see my battle with the Captains, including my Segunda Etapa, Ulquiorra thought, studying the Arrancar before him. Despite knowledge of Ulquiorra's second release, nothing in Barragan's demeanor betrayed any hint of fear. Is Lord Tosen gone, as well? What has happened here? Was I not included in Lord Aizen's plans?

The God-King rose from his throne, towering over Ulquiorra as he stepped forward. "What's wrong, Ulquiorra?" He sneered. "Challenge me, puny Arrancar. Or kneel, and obey."

Ulquiorra's eyes twitched, but he ultimately averted his gaze, falling to one knee as he reigned in his reiatsu. "As you wish, Lord Barragan."

Barragan cracked a triumphant smile; "Very good, little Ulquiorra. Now inform Szayal that we should be expecting Shinigami visitors soon, and to let me know when they arrive. Do not engage, unless you wish to forfeit your life."

Ulquiorra's head jerked up at that, but the look on Barragan's wizened face snuffed out any questions he had. "Yes, Lord Barragan," was all Ulquiorra decided to say before he disappeared with a sonido.

No sooner had Ulquiorra left, did Barragan sense the flaring of a terrifyingly familiar reiatsu, outside the gates of Hueco Mundo, followed by the release of Yammy's Ira.

"Yammy, that Idiot," he mumbled. Grabbing Arrogante with a snarl, Barragan took off in their direction.

"Hold, Yamamoto!" Barragan bellowed as he arrived at the scene, taking note of the five Shinigami present. Aside from the Captain Commander, he did not recognize any of them.

Barragan positioned himself between a howling Yammy and the squad of Shinigami. The released Cero Espada had somehow managed to already be covered in burns from head to toe in the mere seconds Barragan had taken to arrive. "Remove yourself and tend to your injuries. I will take care of this."

"Identify yourself, Arrancar. You who address me by name." Yamamoto leveled Ryujin Jakka toward Barragan. They both ignored the giant, multi-legged beast that was Yammy lumbering away into the distance.

"Rot, Arrogante," Barragan declared, though he was careful to restrain any killing intent in his reiatsu. He did not want to fight here. He just wanted to enter his released Vasto Lorde form. "You will recognize me better in this form. It's been a few centuries, Yamamoto."

The Captain Commander narrowed his eyes, lowering Ryujin Jakka even as the Shinigami beside him readied their own zanpakuto for combat. "Barragan? I had assumed Aizen must have killed you. To see you still alive… Do you serve him, now?"

Barragan's expression was impossible to read in his skeletal form, but he gripped the hilt of his axe tighter. "You insult me. He usurped me through the power of his illusions, but not once did I ever think of him as my master. If you're looking for Aizen, you're wasting your time. He's gone. He left a few days ago to become the 'Soul King.'"

The entire Shinigami congregation tensed at that. They looked at each other until an odd-looking Shinigami with a headdress spoke; "Karakura? So the attack on the Seireitei really was just a decoy?"

"Aizen must know that a few Arrancar couldn't hope to bring down the entire Seireitei," another, platinum-haired male Shinigami answered. "I'm guessing that Madara's performance exceeded his wildest expectations."

"Silence, Captain Ukitake," Yamamoto ordered. He did not need to be reminded of his failure to protect the Seireitei while the wound was still fresh. "Mayuri; last you checked there was no sign of Aizen in Karakura town, was there?"

Mayuri shook his head; "No, but if he can summon his own Garganta, Aizen could appear anywhere, at any time."

"Karakura town is still defended by Shinji and the Vizards, not to mention Tessai. We should at least hear from somebody if it has been attacked," Ukitake added.

Mayuri nodded. "The fake Karakura Town has already been deployed. Urahara and Yoruichi said they were heading back, too. There is no way all of our defenses could be overcome without us knowing."

Yamamoto nodded. "Even so, we will head to Karakura next. Onto the other matters we originally came here for…" He addressed Barragan directly. "Madara Uchiha got away. Is he hiding in Hueco Mundo?"

Barragan cackled. "He slipped away from you Shinigami, too? I'm glad I didn't kill him the first time we met. These last few months have been truly entertaining."

Yamamoto raised his spiritual pressure in threat. "I assume that you do not know his whereabouts, then?"

Barragan shrugged. "No, I do not."

Yamamoto grunted in frustration, but accepted the answer. He couldn't sense Madara's energy signature anywhere, and he didn't know Barragan to be a liar.

"There was one more thing, Barragan." Yamamoto's voice became lower as he spoke.

The God-King of Hueco Mundo cackled in laughter. "As I expected. How many did you lose?"

"In total, almost one thousand souls."

"Same arrangement as with old times, then? A thousand Hollows to keep the balance?" Barragan asked knowingly.

Yamamoto grunted. "I'll leave it to you." He motioned to his entourage. "Let us head to Karakura town. Rendezvous with Shinji. Mayuri - you return to the Seireitei and see if you can locate Aizen."

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto," Mayuri said in a serious tone. "You have such dealings with the Hollows?"

Yamamoto silenced him with a glare. "These arrangements between myself and Barragan were - are - necessary to preserve the balance of souls. It is one of the primary reasons Aizen must not be allowed to interfere with Hueco Mundo place any further."

Mayuri chuckled, but said no more. The other Shinigami were wise enough not to comment. As Yamamoto opened a Senkaimon to leave, the others fell in line.

"Wait." Yamamoto looked over his shoulder as Barragan's voice carried across the white sands. "The few Espada with him and that bug, Tosen, are irrelevant, but Aizen subjugated the Hogyoku and implanted it within himself."

Mayuri's face contorted in frustration at that.

Barragan summoned a globule of respira on his palm. "The amount of reiatsu he has now defies comprehension until you have personally felt its weight. I don't believe I can kill him even if I got him by surprise." The God-King of Hueco Mundo ignored the looks of surprise on the Shinigami as Yamamoto grunted acknowledgement.

"Kill the bastard for me, Yamamoto, and I'll owe you one. If you fail…" The skeletal Arrancar chuckled. "I guess I'll see you in hell after he kills me, too," were Barragan's parting words as the two leaders went their separate ways.

Near the gates of Las Noches, Ulquiorra carefully watched the proceedings unfold. How long has there been such familiarity between Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society…? So this is the corrupt world Lord Aizen wanted to remake.


Elemental Nations - Shinobi Alliance Headquarters

Hashirama, Tobirama, and their aides looked up from their campaign map as the flaps to their tent swung open. "Pardon me, Lord Hokage, you have a guest who wishes to see you immediately. He claims to know you personally," a messenger genin said with a bow.

Hashirama exchanged a glance with his brother; "Now is not the best time. Please show them around the…" He frowned, then, as the messenger's expression grew to become one of apprehension.

Danzo stepped forward then, hand hovering over to the hilt of his kunai as Hiruzen followed suit. "Has he been unpleasant?"

The messenger was visibly sweating, now that they all had a good look at him. "W-well, no. He is extremely pleasant." He glanced over his shoulder quickly, before lowering his voice; "Something just feels really off about him. I can't place exactly what… I just have a very strong feeling that he doesn't belong here."

Tobirama brushed past them, then, opening the flaps to the tent. He studied the white-robed man that stood a respectful distance away from the entrance. Something seemed vaguely familiar about him. A black sheath with a green hilt hung on his left hip. He noted with concern that there was no chakra coming from the man.

Hiruzen and Danzo were quick to join him, followed by Hashirama himself. "Identify yourself and state your business," the Hokage ordered, crossing his arms as he spoke. A brief pause was punctuated by a gentle breeze. The brown haired man smiled and stepped forward.

"I had hoped you would recognize me, Hashirama, but I suppose my appearance has certainly changed somewhat since our first meeting."

At the sound of his voice, Hashirama and Tobirama both tensed.

They had only briefly met this man, but both knew he was a key player in the fate of their world. He no longer wore his thick, square-rimmed glasses, and his hair was slicked back. Instead of a slouch he now stood straighter, clad in pristine white instead of a black Shinigami Shihakusho. A faint, prismatic glow could be seen emanating from the center of his chest. His appearance had changed, no doubt, but the voice could not be mistaken.

Hiruzen and Danzo, sensing something was wrong, reactively drew their Kunai. The rustling of their garbs was accompanied by a metallic scrape as Hashirama unsheathed the sword of Kusanagi.

"Sosuke Aizen." Hashirama recalled exchanging blows with this Shinigami back in Konoha forest, only to find out later that he had been caught in some kind of genjutsu. Isshin had shared some information on Aizen's powers of illusion. Hashirama focussed his chakra; it did not feel disturbed at the moment. He felt his heartrate quicken. It didn't matter what he knew of Aizen's illusions if he couldn't identify or break out of them, anyway.

"Ah, I see your memory has returned to you. How have you fared since Captain Commander Yamamoto so rudely attacked you unprovoked?" Aizen asked, his smile not faltering despite the Shinobi drawing their weapons.

"I know about your Kyoka Suigetsu," Hashirama bit back. "Don't think you can fool me into thinking you didn't manipulate him into those actions."

Aizen raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Believe what you wish. It is good to see you well, Hashirama, Tobirama. It is truly a shame that Madara is lost to us, now."

Hashirama schooled his features to remain expressionless. So Aizen doesn't know that Madara is still alive? Their alliance must not be very trusting, then.

"What are you after, Aizen?"

"I'm here to negotiate, and to offer you the opportunity to participate in the crowning of a new overseer - a new God of our-"

"You're talking about becoming the Soul King?" Hashirama interrupted, eliciting the first genuine reaction from Aizen who's eyes widened in surprise. The former Lord of Hueco Mundo brought a hand to his face as he laughed heartily.

"Should I just assume that my ambitions have become common knowledge, in every realm now?" He looked thoughtful, then. "Though I suppose I did announce my intentions to the Shinigami quite dramatically."

"Talk. If you have nothing of importance to say, then leave," Tobirama threatened. "You are not welcome here, and if you decide to stir up trouble, we will neutralize you."

Aizen once more looked amused. "As I said, I came to negotiate, not to fight. You Shinobi no longer have the luxury of waiting, Tobirama. Not after you've drawn the ire of Genryusei Shigekuni Yamamoto of the Gotei 13."

Hashirama drew a breath in protest, before he remembered that Madara had only recently tried to sunder the Seireitei with his Tengen Shinsei. Aizen waited patiently for the Hokage to speak. When it appeared he would not, the Shinigami continued with a smile; "You can do nothing. You can meander on the sidelines, merely observing as we struggle for the throne of existence itself." Aizen opened his arms in a grand gesture as he spoke. "Or you can participate, and perhaps have a say in the final trajectory of this world. You want peace, do you not?"

Hashirama's expression darkened. "Do not dare speak of peace, Sosuke Aizen. Not after you sacrificed Madara and your own underlines in a bid to destroy your former comrades. This conversation is over."

Aizen shook head with a sigh; "I don't expect an answer from you immediately. Ten days. I will return in ten days. Perhaps more consideration in a friendlier environment is warranted." The smile fell slightly from his face. "Know that if you are not with me, you are against me. You seem to have done some research about me. I trust you understand the consequences should we ultimately stand as enemies."

Tobirama opened his mouth to speak, but Aizen continued before he could, holding up a finger. "Oh and by the way. I know Madara is here in the Elemental Nations. He's with two of my Espada. If you could be so kind as to return them to me, that would be greatly appreciated."

And with that, Aizen disappeared, as if he was never even there. Without a trail of chakra or reiatsu, there was no way to track his movements. None of the four shinobi moved, silently yet helplessly fuming at the arrogance of the turncoat shinigami.


Huge thank you for everybody who's still stuck by and reading this fic. I won't reply to any reviews on this chapter 'cause I'm not sure who's still around, but I'll address any questions/comments after next chapter. Again, it won't take nearly as long. A week or two at most :P

Until next time!