Chapter 32 - Ouroboros
Elemental Nations - Land of Earth
Madara scowled as he surveyed the barren plateaus around him. The four tails should be somewhere in this region, though his scowl deepened as each sweep with his Rinnegan revealed nothing new.
They had made camp in a clearing between some mountain ranges, and he had scaled the summit of the highest peak to find a better vantage point. He closed his right eye experimentally; his sight was slowly returning to his left. It was blurred, but definitely there.
It was quite odd, he thought, momentarily turning his mind away from the tailed beasts. He was fully prepared to lose sight in that eye forever, so was pleasantly surprised that he was beginning to actually see out of it despite having used it for Izanagi in the Seireitei. His vision had slowly been recovering following his Izanami on Kenpachi, as well - until Orihime had fully healed him in the Dangai.
The first time, he had chalked it down to luck. The second time, though...he was starting to suspect that for whatever reason, he could consistently recover from these single use jutsus.
He didn't know whether it was by merit of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, the Rinnegan, his Hashirama cells or even his high speed regeneration, but at the rate his sight was returning, his left eye should be fit for battle in the next few days. The recovery was much faster this time round, too.
He hissed through his teeth in frustration. It was not fast enough. Not having full use of both eyes did not help him in locating the tailed beasts, at all. The four tails should be somewhere here in the Land of Earth, but-
"Madara."
The shock of Zetsu's voice sent a wave of adrenaline surging throughout his body. He stumbled forward before catching himself with a string of curses. He sent a mental reprimand through his inner world before turning his thoughts toward his Zanpakuto spirit. Silence, Zetsu. I need to concentrate right now.
"I was the will of the Rikudo Sennin, Madara. I was present when the Juubi was sundered. Let me help you with this."
Madara tilted his head, considering Zetsu's words briefly before commanding the spirit to manifest itself physically. To his surprise - and mild disgust - a torrent of organic goo sloshed out from his torso. It splashed onto the rocks, pooling into a swirling puddle of black and white, before combining into two halves of a humanoid creature.
"I thought you two were separate entities." Madara said, quirking an eyebrow as the combined Zetsu took form.
Reaching out with his senses, he could feel a unique Chakra signature emanating from the creature. It was insignificant - comparable to that of a lower ranked Jonin at most, but it was distinct, and was not something he had previously taken note of.
"We are." Black Zetsu answered in his scratchy bass voice. It made Madara quite uncomfortable that only half of its mouth moved as it spoke, though its speech was curiously unimpeded.
"But we can combine like this to be more effective, especially as a reconnaissance unit." It was White Zetsu this time. Similarly, only the white Zetsu portion of its mouth moved.
"Yes," Black Zetsu said again, "We have some more combat power this way, as well." As he spoke, a series of green, plant-like structures budded out from his body. Within seconds, they had grown into long, vicious spikes.
Madara raised his eyebrows - the structures reminded Madara of wood-release. Using Wood Release for body modification? Why have I not thought of something like that, yet?
"We are intimately aware of each of the tailed beasts' chakra signatures." Black Zetsu continued, "With your permission, we can quickly scout this area and send out a chakra signal to you after we have located the Four Tails."
Madara was surprised by the offer, but he had no better ideas. "Very well. You have my blessing to proceed."
Zetsu bowed deeply, before slowly disappearing into the ground in an almost wraith-like fashion. Madara watched intently, with morbid curiosity as it sank into the earth.
There was no sound as he left, and no disturbance to the rocks. No evidence at all remained that Zetsu had just been there, mere seconds ago. Even its chakra signature had completely vanished. I suppose he is a spirit, after all… The Uchiha thought.
Suddenly feeling the pressure of a full bladder, Madara found a dry-looking rock nearby, and unfastened his armor. He was about to relieve himself, when he suddenly stiffened, goosebumps erupting throughout his body.
Hastily pulling up his pants, Madara whipped his head around to look behind him…and came face to face with a very surprised-looking Harribel.
"Damn it, Harribel!" Madara whispered forcefully, frantically tying up his drawstring. He quickly scanned the area to see if Nel was close by. She was not. "I hate it when people sneak up behind me. Haven't I ever told you that?"
The blond Arrancar backed away slowly, blushing slightly as she raised her hands in apology. "Sorry. I was coming to check on your progress, and I couldn't help but see…"
Madara blanched. "What did you see!?" He stormed forward a few steps.
Harribel jerked back instinctively at his sudden outburst. "Z-Zetsu." She said, flustered. "I can't place why, but your Zanpakuto spirit gives off an aura that just makes me uneasy."
Madara relaxed. "Oh, Zetsu?" Madara shook his head slightly, massaging his eyes and chuckling to himself, before looking back toward Harribel. "I'll admit that I do not feel entirely comfortable around it, but it does my bidding."
Harribel was about to say something else, but Madara raised a palm to stop her. "Give me a moment. Just wait back at camp. I'll be right there."
She nodded, and disappeared with a sonido.
"Where's Nel?" Madara asked, as he returned to their camp with a series of deft jumps. It took longer than Harribel's sonido, but he wanted to avoid using Sonido in the Elemental Nations unless it was absolutely necessary. He supposed part of him still wanted to hang onto his roots as a Shinobi.
Harribel shrugged in response to his question; "We just did a bit of sparring for training, but she's left to explore the area."
Madara nodded in understanding. Nel was a ram hollow, after all, and rams were known for their exceptional climbing ability. She must feel very at home here in the Land of Earth, with all these rocks and mountains. He was about to ask Harribel to elaborate on her concerns about Zetsu, before he noticed that she was sitting on one of the platforms he had crafted with his wood style. He frowned, slightly. Something about it seemed vaguely familiar. He squinted…he had definitely seen it before.
For an instant, his vision unfocussed, and in his mind's eye, he saw the same wooden frame - except, it was stained a rich, dark mahogany. Adorning it was a trio of thick, luxurious red cushions trimmed with warm, golden stitching. Similar golden tassels decorated the corners of the cushions, and Harribel did not sit alone on the couch. She was smiling - laughing, even - along with a lively Orihime.
Of course. In Hueco Mundo, right after I met Orihime in Karakura town…
"-adara…? Madara!" Harribel's sharp voice cut through his stupor, and Madara only just realized he had zoned out, with his mouth hanging slightly ajar. He schooled his features, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head violently. I'm seeing things…he thought. When was the last time I even slept…? Damn it. Even in death, I am still bound by basic biological necessities.
Reopening his eyes, his hair was obscuring his vision. Annoyed, he brushed his wild, dark locks out of the way. A few strands came loose, and Madara did a double take as they appeared greyer, more faded than he remembered.
He tracked the strands of hair with his eyes as a gentle gust carried them away, and all remnants of his lavish vision was swept aside by cold, harsh reality. Almost against his will, he reached out toward the disappearing strands, before closing his hand into fist and letting his arm fall back to his side. The plates of his armor impacted with a thump.
My arm…it feels so heavy. I feel so heavy. Madara thought.
"Madara?" Harribel tried again, she had risen from her seat, concern evident in her eyes. He did not immediately respond, instead taking a moment to study the Arrancar before him.
Harribel looked different, too, than he remembered - she looked worn and tired. She still held herself upright, with a warrior's poise, but her once rich, golden-blond hair now appeared dull and dusty; previous glossy, tanned skin now splotched and marred by dried blood and grime that had stayed unwashed for too long.
Where she showed skin, she sported an impressive collection of scars; all in various stages of healing. There were much more than Madara had previously noticed, now that he really paid attention. Most were likely from their recent assault on the Seireitei.
The time had been when he envied the comfort of Harribel's estate in Hueco Mundo. She, who had fraccion to keep her company, and servants to attend to her. As he reminisced, a wave of sadness flowed through him. He recalled that he had also wanted to furnish his own Uchiha office in a way befitting his title of Clan chief.
His own clan, that had abandoned him, electing Hashirama for Hokage instead of himself.
His office was gone, now replaced by rubble. All of Konoha was, in fact.
In his quest for peace and comfort, he had embroiled the Elemental Nations in the largest war it had ever seen, spanning multiple worlds, and crossing the very boundary of life and death.
And he still had no friends, no servants…no comfort.
Except Hashirama, but he had burned that bridge, too.
Harribel, though, following their initial misunderstanding, had constantly been with him, supporting him through battle after battle, mistake after mistake.
Was it just because of Barragan's orders? Aizen's orders? Something seemed suspicious. For some reason, Madara suddenly felt that it was important to know the reason Harribel was sticking around.
Over the last few months, he'd inadvertently dragged her to the brink of death multiple times; she had gone from the luxury of her private estate to the Central Prison of the Seireitei, to the ruins of Konoha, and now this rocky wilderness, sitting on a mockery of what she enjoyed back in Hueco Mundo.
Finally realizing that Harribel was still waiting for him to respond, Madara drew in a deep breath, sighed, and then tried again; "Do you…recognize what you're sitting on, Harribel?" His voice was hesitant, almost as if he was afraid to hear the answer.
Harribel frowned, confused by Madara's demeanor, before raising an eyebrow, studying the bench briefly before shaking her head. "Should I?"
Madara opened his mouth, closed it, and shook his head quickly. "No. Forget I asked." But Harribel noticed his hesitation; his voice was unusually small, and she could hear a hint of sadness in its timbre.
"Are you alright, Madara? You've been acting strange for a while, but it's really starting to worry me."
"I'm fine." Madara said dismissively, trying to brush off Harribel's concern.
The Tres Espada shook her head decisively, stepping forward toward Madara. "You've been much more irritable of late. Especially toward Nel." She pressed, "Speak to me, Madara. What's the matter?"
The Uchiha scoffed. Everything's the damn matter. He took a steadying breath, before letting it all out in a heavy sigh.
With a wave of his hand, he summoned two, wooden chairs, and let himself collapse into one. Harribel gracefully took the other.
Despite her best efforts, however, Madara could identify a stiffness in her movement. She and Nel didn't have the Hashirama cells he had, and they had both given up their innate hollow regeneration for raw combat power. The injuries they'd sustained in the Seireitei were going to take longer to heal than his.
"I'm…sorry." Madara said, scrunching his face up in distaste as he uttered the words.
Harribel almost fell out of her chair. "For what?"
"My failure in the Seireitei…my temper…and my ineffectiveness in capturing the tailed beasts." Madara threw his arms up over his head, gesturing around him. "I mocked your notion of sacrifice, and claimed to know its true meaning, yet... Each battle is deadlier and more taxing than the last. We've given up so much. Your Fraccion and your Palace, Konoha, Hashirama…Orihime…" His voice took on a bitter note, and his hand floated in front of his left eye as he spoke, "and what do we have to show for it? We have sacrificed so much, and have gotten nothing at all in return."
Harribel looked Madara in his eyes, only now noticing that his left eye was duller than his right. "Your left eye…"
"Pay it no heed, it will regain its sight." Madara said dismissively. He leaned forward on his seat, then, clasping his hands together and resting his elbows on his thighs. Harribel took the hint, and returned to the previous subject.
"I disagree, Madara." Harribel said softly, "Sacrifice is when you give."
She fell silent, and when Madara raised an eyebrow in prompt, she crossed her arms. "That's it. You give, and expect nothing in return. There doesn't need to be a reward…just a purpose. That is my aspect of death…my nature, as bestowed to me by Aizen."
Madara contemplated her words. Bestowed to her by Aizen… "Why are you still here, Harribel? You said that Barragan sent you to keep tabs on me…and after that, Aizen sent us on the same mission." Harribel nodded slowly as Madara spoke. "I want to be clear to you now, that I don't believe Aizen has my best interests in mind. Depending on his actions henceforth, he may become an enemy of mine. Where would you stand on this?"
The Tres Espada leaned backward, eyes downcast as she crossed her legs as well. "I've been thinking about that very question over the last few days."
Madara raised both eyebrows now. "Oh? Your wording suggests the possibility of siding with Aizen." But for some reason Madara knew that she had made the other choice. "You know he is here in the Elemental Nations, now…yet here you sit."
Both Arrancar observed a lengthy silence. Eventually, Harribel broke it, locking eyes again with Madara as she spoke. "I'm still here because I believe in you, Madara."
"...you do?" Madara laughed mirthlessly at that. "I find it reaching just trying to believe in myself, of late."
"I've been around many lifetimes longer than you, Madara, and I mean this with no disrespect," Harribel said with a smile, "but only in recent years have I experienced any comfort or security. Before Aizen came along, I lived in a cave with my fraccion, in far worse conditions than we have right now. I was on the run from Barragan, all the while preying on weaker hollows just to survive. You don't need to pity me."
Madara frowned, slightly annoyed that she had seen through him so easily.
"I believe in you; I fight, and bleed with you, because I believe in the strength of your heart, and the purpose of your quest. Yes, you have made mistakes…we have all made mistakes and have lost much because of it, but we are still alive, right?"
"Mmhm."
"So long as we live, we can make things right. Before any reform, the previous system must be destroyed, like Aizen destroyed Barragan's rule before ushering in his own. I believe that we are in that process of destruction…and I'm betting on you instead of Aizen, because you haven't been playing any tricks. Your method is transparent and straightforward, and I prefer it that way."
"Hmph." Madara kicked back, mirroring Harribel's posture in his chair. He felt much better already. "So you're saying I've got nothing to apologize for? You look terrible…and I was just trying to show some compassion."
Harribel stood up, raising her eyebrows as she looked down toward Madara. "We can be compassionate, but we can't afford to be weak. I'm just tired, Madara, and so is Nel."
She deliberately gave him a once over, moving her head exaggeratedly with her gaze. "You look terrible, too, by the way."
"...I know." Madara replied, before erupting into a hearty laugh, and Harribel's smile widened as he did.
Madara stood up, too, extending his hand out to Harribel. "Thank you...I do not believe we have ever formalized our alliance, Tier."
Harribel laughed, too, before stepping forward and batting his hand away. Only a lifetime of stubbornness and refusal to give ground kept Madara in place as Harribel continued forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "It's good to have you back, Madara."
For some reason, hugging Harribel felt different to Hashirama. Madara didn't hesitate as he found himself returning the embrace, taking comfort in the warmth of her body against his own.
"Yes…I will not forsake myself again."
Madara knew, from the depths of his soul, that he had something else to protect, now. It was no longer just the Elemental Nations.
He remembered the feeling of comradery, and relief when he and Hashirama finally put aside their differences and founded the Leaf. It was through countless clashes, across decades, that he finally thought he knew Hashirama's heart, but the connection he felt with Harribel surpassed even that.
Sensing Nel's reiatsu returning, the two stepped away from each other, both smiling warmly as they did so.
"You've become a much better conversationalist, Harribel."
Harribel shoved Madara playfully. "This is a better place for a conversation than in the Seireitei's prison, too."
Madara laughed. "After the four tails, we'll get some proper rest." he declared, "We all need it."
In the distance, one of white Zetsu's clones let out a pent up sigh. Harribel definitely suspected something, but luckily, she had gotten too distracted to voice her concerns to Madara for now. If all went well, he only needed to play it safe for a few more days.
Hueco Mundo - Desert
"This is far enough."
Barragan looked over his shoulder as Aizen finally stopped; the shadow of Las Noches still loomed over them, but they were a considerable distance away.
"For what reason are we traveling all the way out here, Aizen?" He spat. They were accompanied by Ulquiorra and Tosen. The Cuatra Espada had quickly crawled his way back to Aizen once the Shinigami turncoat reappeared in Las Noches.
"Have you changed your mind? Bringing me out here with your lap dogs to get rid of me?".
Aizen laughed; "You think too little of me, Barragan." It went unsaid that there was no need to go through such an effort if Aizen wanted to dispose of Barragan.
"Ulquiorra," Aizen said, and the Cuatra Espada knelt before him.
"Yes, Lord Aizen?"
"Please enter your second release."
Ulquiorra's head snapped up, his eyes widening in surprise. Aizen merely smirked. "Of course I am aware of your Segunda Etapa. I am the one who bestowed your powers upon you, after all."
Ulquiorra immediately bowed deeper. "My apologies, Lord Aizen. Please, stand back as I release Murcielago.
Aizen nodded, taking a quick flash step backward. Barragan and Tosen followed suit.
"Enclose…Murcielago." Ulquiorra declared. Before the green-black reiatsu had even subsided, it soared a second time in potency, causing a blanket of acid rain to fall around him. "Resurreccion…Segunda Etapa."
Barragan narrowed his eyes as the Cuatra Espada unfurled his black wings. He was aware of this form through Ulquiorra's Solita Vista, but only from Ulquiorra's perspective.
To see it in person, the difference in power compared to a typical Resurreccion was revealing, to say the least. Tosen remained stoic; his body and face not betraying any reaction or emotion.
"Cut off an arm." Aizen ordered, and Ulquiorra obeyed wordlessly, generating an energy lance in his left hand to sever his right arm at the shoulder. Aside from the hissing of burning flesh, Ulquiorra did not utter a sound.
"Very good. Now regenerate it."
Ulquiorra did so.
"Excellent. Now…slash my arm off, Ulquiorra." Aizen ordered, holding out his left arm to the side.
This time Ulquiorra did not immediately obey. "Lord Aizen…?" The Cuatra espada mumbled inquisitively, hesitantly raising his energy lance as he spoke.
"Trust me." Aizen reaffirmed, nodding toward his outstretched arm. "I have lowered my reiatsu to a point where I believe you should be able to cut me."
Ulquiorra nodded, before slicing down at Aizen's shoulder. His lance cut through, and Aizen winced deliberately as he casually observed his amputated limb, before picking it back up and holding it toward his shoulder.
Closing his eyes, the purple glow of the Hogyoku intensified as strands of muscle and sinew reattached themselves, before even his clothing was mended to its original condition. There was not a single, visible blemish.
Aizen experimentally swung his newly reattached arm around, testing its strength and mobility, before nodding with a satisfied hum.
"I brought you here, Barragan, for two reasons. One, to show you that there is power that exists beyond Resurreccion…and two, to demonstrate the combat utility of the Hogyoku. It protects its master, often in a way that defies comprehension."
"Tell me something I don't already know, Aizen." Barragan growled wearily.
Aizen placed his hand in his pockets, fishing out two small, crystalline objects. He handed one to Ulquiorra, and threw the other to Barragan, who caught it deftly between a skeletal thumb and index finger.
"What is…" Barragan began, before trailing off as the object glowed in response to his reiatsu. It was the same, luminescent purple he had just seen emanating from Aizen's chest. "Ah…I see."
Aizen smiled. "Barragan, Ulquiorra. You have the next 24 hours to implant these Hogyoku shards and subjugate it with your reiatsu. Know that what you two are holding now is, admittedly incomplete. It is small, and weak compared to my own, but I trust that it will nonetheless prove very useful in our fight against the Shinigami."
Ulquiorra fell to one knee, bowing his head in thanks, whereas Barragan closed his fist around the shard, nodding approvingly as he basked in its power.
"Don't get too carried away," Aizen said playfully, as Barragan began to cackle in laughter, "We must all be at full strength if we are to face the Gotei 13 and emerge victorious. The Royal Guard have also descended, as well."
Seireitei - Muken
"Who are you?" Starrk demanded, bringing a pistol up toward the Kurosaki duo. He cautiously eyed Isshin's light generating Kido, as if he feared it could attack him at any moment.
Ichigo opened his mouth to answer, but almost jumped out of his skin when the pistol whipped backward, hitting Espada on his head with considerable force.
"That's Ichigo Kurosaki!" A young, feminine voice cried. "Don't you remember him? From Lord Aizen's briefings! Don't know who the other one is, though."
Starrk tilted his head, frowning slightly as he analyzed the new arrivals' features. A flash of recognition crossed his features before he assumed a more defensive stance.
"Is that true?"
"Yeah. So you're the strongest Espada?" Ichigo frowned, scratching the back of his head. The remnants of his hollow mask hung like a choker around his neck, and his jacket parted to his sternum, proudly displaying the hollow hole at the center of his chest.
"Doesn't look like much." Icihgo muttered to his father, "he can't be that strong if Captain Unohana took care of him, right?" He noted offhand that the Primera Espada had no bindings on him.
Isshin stiffened, before letting out a low chuckle. "This might be a bit of a surprise, Ichigo, but Captain Unohana is the finest zanjutsu duelist in the Seireitei…also, are you really telling me that you can't feel his reiatsu? I could sense it the moment Captain Kyoraku unlocked the Muken."
Ichigo's frowned deeper. He concentrated hard; there was an oppressiveness in the air, but he chalked it up to the Muken. As he analyzed the feeling, however, he identified the unmistakable tint of a hollow's reiatsu, tracing it back to the Espada before him. "That's his reiatsu? I thought it was just the creepiness of the Muken I've been feeling."
Isshin released a disappointed sigh. But before they could talk any more, Starrk spoke again. "I have orders to kill you should you ever become a threat to Lord Aizen, Ichigo Kurosaki, but I never thought I'd finally meet you in a Soul Society prison, of all places."
Isshin raised his eyebrows. This was good; Starrk was talking and they were already gaining intel. He decided to stay back and see how Ichigo handled this situation.
"What were you guys actually doing here, Starrk?" Ichigo demanded. "There's no way Aizen expected so few of you to actually overwhelm the Gotei 13."
Starrk was simultaneously impressed by Ichigo's directness, and also insulted by the question. He supposed he could answer honestly; "We came to kill as many Captains and seated officers as possible. By the looks of things when they threw me into this place, your Gotei 13 had its hands pretty full just with the six of us."
Ichigo stole a glance toward his father. They couldn't really argue against that.
Isshin unbuckled Engetsu, handing it to his son as he strode forward."Starrk, put the gun down, please. We're just here to talk." He took care to keep his reiatsu in check.
When the Primera Espada did not oblige, instead cocking his second pistol and pointing them both toward Isshin, the former Squad 10 Captain grinned, and sat on the ground, cross legged, no more than ten paces from Starrk.
"My name is Isshin Kurosaki. I'm Ichigo's father." He began. "We're here in this prison because we've also done things the Gotei 13 disapproves of."
Starrk narrowed his eyes as Isshin continued; "We've had some dealings with Madara, as well as some personal history with Aizen. You should know that Gin was never on your side to begin with. In fact, he had wanted to bring more lower ranked Espada here and set them up to be slaughtered."
"That sly snake!" The pistols screamed, "I'm going to kill him!" Starrk banged the two guns together, drawing a yelp of pain from them.
Isshin shook his head. "Lilynette, was it? I'm afraid he's already dead. Madara got him. Are you a Zanpakuto spirit, Lilynette?"
"Hey, he seems to be a nice man, Starrk. Maybe we can go back to our separate forms now? I want to walk on my own two feet again, too…can't see anything here." Lilynette grumbled. Starrk sighed, before holstering his pistols and closing his eyes.
The Kurosakis looked on as Starrk's body glowed, before splitting into two. The disheveled, brunette looking man was still there, now without his eye patch, but a second, teenage girl now stood beside him. "Hey, I'm Lilynette, Starrk's other half."
"Damn, that's intense…" Ichigo finally said after hearing Lilynette's story, "So you're so strong you became lonely, and eventually split your soul in two to deal with that?"
"Uh-huh." Lilynette nodded enthusiastically, pleased that Ichigo seemed so enraptured by her and Starrk's origin. They had spent what must have been hours sharing each other's stories, as well as their conflicting opinions on Aizen's mission to replace the Soul King.
Ichigo turned to his father, then, "Hey dad, if Starrk and Lilynette have never trained, but they're already this strong, wouldn't it be a bad idea for me to be training with them? What if they get too strong, too?"
Isshin blanched, drawing in a breath to speak, but Starrk beat him to it. "Wait, what? Since when were we training together?"
The elder Kurosaki face-palmed. "Ichigo. Your training is predominantly meant to be with me." He eyed the Primera Espada awkwardly, "Starrk here is meant to be…a benchmark, for your progress."
"Alright, pause." Starrk said, rather forcefully. He had his eyes closed in a frown, and massaged his temples with his fingers. "Let me get this straight. You think Aizen's just using us to cause havoc and distract you Shinigami from his movements, and that his actions are ultimately going to make everybody suffer."
Isshin nodded. "Couldn't have summed it up better myself."
"How well do you know about hollow society, may I ask?" Starrk said.
Isshin raised his eyebrows, "Not much, I was a Shinigami most of my life, and lived as a human for the last twenty years or so."
Starrk nodded in acceptance, before raising an eyebrow at Ichigo. The orange haired boy replied without hestitation, "I have a hollow living inside here." He tapped the side of his head. "In fact, I can draw on his powers to bolster my shinigami ones."
Lilynette's eyes widened, "Ohhhh? So you're almost like an Arrancar, but you started off as a Shinigami?" She turned toward Starrk. "Doesn't that make him one of us?"
Starrk frowned deeper. "No. Not necessarily. His reiatsu still feels like a Shinigami, for one."
"Starrk." Ichigo said, steel in his voice. "Watch, and be on guard." He swiped a hand across his face, donning his hollow mask. With a feral, two-toned cry, he charged toward the Primera Espada, brandishing Zangetsu.
Isshin felt his blood running cold. It's definitely that hollow. Each time he felt his son's hollowfied reiatsu, more memories of the horned hollow that had infected Masaki forced their way back into his mind.
Starrk blanched at the explosion of reiatsu, raising his Zanpakuto to defend. They exchanged a short series of blows, mostly with Starrk being on the defensive, until Ichigo jumped back, allowing his mask to dissipate.
Only then did they register Lilynette's screaming. "Oi, what the hell is wrong with you! Ichigoooo! Are you bipolar or what!?"
"It's alright, Lilynette." Starrk placated. "I sensed no killing intent from him, and he was not striking to wound me."
Ichigo nodded. "I believe you guys, now. Your Zanpakuto. The loneliness your blade exudes is excruciating. You don't know how you came to be…no memories of a previous life. You yearn for companionship…to be accepted into a community where you matter."
Starrk and Lilynette exchanged a dumbfounded glance. "What…are you a mystic now, or something?" He grumbled, suddenly self-conscious.
"No, but I've always been able to feel a person's soul through clashing with their Zanpakutou." Ichigo said with a shrug. "Don't ask me why."
Starrk made a quizzical expression, as if scrunching his nose up. "That's quite an interesting ability."
"It's funny, Starrk." Ichigo sighed. "You and I are pretty similar, in some ways. I used to think I was just an ordinary kid, but I'm apparently part human, Shinigami, Hollow, and even Quincy. I'm looking for a place to belong, too."
Isshin felt as if he'd been stung.
"So how about we give this training thing a chance? Maybe we'll find that we are more kindred spirits than originally expected." There was a dangerous, excited glint in Ichigo's eyes as he spoke.
Starrk sighed, massaging his eyes as he let out a pained groan. "I really, really…don't like fighting." He lifted his Zanpakuto. "But recent events have forced me to shift my perspective…broaden my horizons, per se." He gathered his reiatsu, hardening his hierro. "I'll take you up on it."
Ichigo grinned, and the two disappeared. Shunpo and Sonido flashed about in the Muken, accompanied by a cacophony of grunts and of metallic clangs.
Isshin chuckled to himself. It wasn't how he would have handled things, but he supposed Ichigo could stand to learn a thing or two from this Espada before he taught his son the Final Getsuga Tenshou.
He blinked. Starrk was already moving at a speed faster than when Ichigo had fought Harribel, and Ichigo was keeping up. Masaki, our son…he truly is special.
Elemental Nations - Land of Earth
A few hours passed before an unmistakable beacon of Chakra roused Madara from his afternoon nap. Harribel and Nel, less sensitive to Chakra, remained fast asleep as he silently made his way to Zetsu, bounding across the rugged terrain.
He immediately regretted not using Sonido, as Tobirama and Hashirama appeared nearby with the Flying Raijin. Zetsu! That idiot should have known…deploying his Chakra like that would draw Hashirama's attention, too.
Madara closed the remaining distance with his Sonido, taking solace that he still made it to Zetsu first. He knew that Tobirama had Flying Raijin marks everywhere throughout the Elemental Nations, but luckily the closest was far enough from Zetsu's current location they still had to traverse some distance by foot.
Madara arrived in time to see the four tails thrashing about as Zetsu nimbly evaded its blows. It appeared as a gigantic, orange-furred monkey, covered from head to toe in rippling muscle.
Sensing the Senjus closing in, Madara knew he had no time to waste. He clasped his hands together before placing them on the ground, forming a cage around the tailed beast with his Wood Release.
He summoned the Gedo Mazo, then, ordering it to release a Chakra chain that wrapped around the neck of the four tails. As it struggled, Madara dashed beside its face, kicking it on the side of the head hard enough to stun it against its cage. Undoing his wood release, Madara watched impassively as the Gedo Mazo reeled in its prey.
The tailed beast shimmered as it was pulled closer, its physical form rapidly dissolving into a torrent of chakra that flowed into the mouth of the Gedo Mazo.
"Madara!"
He turned at the sound of Hashirama's voice. Tobirama was there, too, and Madara waited until they drew close enough that he did not need to raise his voice.
"What do you want now, Hashirama?" Madara sighed. After the recent heart to heart with Harribel, the thought of facing Hashirama gave him an odd sense of apprehensiveness - it was as if in the back of his mind, a small part of himself felt guilty for not putting in more effort to preserve their friendship. He knew that he had not given his old friend the benefit of the doubt with his Shinobi Alliance.
"You work fast, Madara." Hashirama said again, softer this time as they were only a few paces apart. "That's the third one you've captured so far." The statement was delivered too neutrally for Madara to discern Hashirama's thoughts on the matter.
Not fast enough. Madara thought. "Four more to go, Hashirama." He replied solemnly, "Before the Jinchuriki." He met Hashirama's gaze as he spoke, seeing the Hokage's expression darken at the implication. Tobirama also scowled.
Hashirama took a deep, deliberate breath, before sitting down backwards. A wooden platform emerged from the ground to support him as he did. "You're dead set on opposing the Alliance, then? Without even seeing what it's like?"
"I will, in due course. when I come for the One Tail and the Nine Tails."
Hashirama shook his head sadly. "I'm tired, Madara."
Madara gave a surprised grunt in response, before he suddenly felt his anger rising. "You're living a cozy life in your new 'Shinobi Alliance', surrounded by aides to attend to your every need, yet you are tired?"
Hashirama chuckled humorlessly. "I would gladly swap my administrative duties to hunt for the tailed beasts, instead, Madara. Instead of meeting with a few clan heads, now I'm meeting with dozens. You wouldn't believe the sheer number of problems I'm forced to deal with."
Madara crossed his arms. "Poor you."
"Look Madara," Hashirama said slowly, "We are at odds with this whole thing about the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and I won't let you touch Mito, but won't you at least come and have a look at the Shinobi Alliance? I'll even help you catch the rest of the tailed beasts, if you just give this a chance."
Madara's gaze shifted between the Senju brothers, before scoffing. "You will help me with the tailed beasts, but won't relinquish Mito? Then your 'help' is worthless."
"Madara." Hashirama's voice took on a commanding edge. "I'm going to be honest with you. I'm worried."
Madara frowned. Hashirama seemed serious, especially as he had come personally this time, instead of sending a clone.
"I want you to at least see the Shinobi Alliance, because it has grown to a scale beyond my wildest imagination, and I cannot protect it on my own."
"You insult the very title of 'Shinobi', to suggest they need your protection, Hashirama." Madara retorted.
"Maybe so, but how long could they hold out against you, If you were to attack them?" Tobirama interjected, Against Aizen? The Shinigami?"
Hashirama nodded. "If you and I fought now, it wouldn't just be mountains that are razed and valleys hewn into the earth, Madara. Entire countries could be purged from the map just by collateral damage. Is that something you want?"
Madara narrowed his eyes. "No, but what do you expect me to do? Protect this alliance like a good little guard dog? Isn't that what Tobira-"
"I did not trust you, Madara!" Tobirama shouted, stepping forward. "Don't even pretend that you wouldn't be gleeful if elder brother had chosen to kill me instead of himself that day. Circumstances change, and so must we in response. We cannot afford to weaken ourselves with this infighting while the dual threat of Aizen and the Shinigami looms over us. That's not even mentioning whatever the new faction is we ran into on our way out of the Seireitei."
Tobirama had regained his composure as he finished talking, and Madara considered his words. "So you are asking for a temporary truce."
"Yes, otherwise the Elemental Nations could be torn apart on three fronts, and there will be nothing to protect, and nobody left to put to sleep in your Infinite Tsukuyomi." Tobirama said, exasperated. "...a concept even an academy student could understand."
Madara's reiatsu exploded outward, forcing Tobirama to dig in his heels and clench his teeth in exertion just to stay standing. "You suggest my intelligence is inferior to that of a child!?" His hand found the hilt of his Zanpakuto as he spoke.
"Enough, both of you!" Hashirama released a similar amount of reiatsu, forcing Tobirama's knees to buckle. "Leave us, Tobirama. I will make my own way back to the Alliance. It is not far."
The younger Senju grimaced under the strain of Madara and Hashirama's combined reiatsu, but wordlessly obliged, teleporting away with his Flying Raijin.
Neither Madara or Hashirama eased their spiritual pressure.
"I can't care less about Tobirama…but I really thought I understood you, at one point, Hashirama." Madara said, voice dripping with venom.
"Madara!" Hashirama shouted back in frustration. "If you don't wish to be compared to a child, then use your brain, and think! Why do you think it feels like we don't understand each other anymore, Madara?"
"You've changed. You've grown too comfortable with your family while I have lost mine-"
"You fool!" Hashirama roared. "Did you forget that we both lost our families in the war? Yes, Izuna died first, but Tobirama was killed by the Raikage, too!"
Hashirama drew his Sword of Kusanagi, brandishing it before looking at his reflection upon its blade. "I found Mito…I am about to become a father…not to mention Konoha and now there is the Shinobi Alliance. While I have found other things to protect, you have devolved into an angry, bitter man, Madara, unable to move on from past transgressions!"
"I am protecting-"
"-nothing, Madara! You are protecting nothing! Suppose we fight now and you kill me here, what does that achieve? What will be 'protected' by my death!?"
"The Infinite Tsukuyomi is assured."
Hashirama gradually lowered his reiatsu. "I understand you, Madara." He whispered sadly.
Madara was taken aback by the sudden shift in tone.
"I always understood you, Madara, and I believe I still do. I thought that letting you be Hokage would give you a solid purpose - that of protecting Konoha."
"Your plan failed."
Hashirama grimaced. "Yes, we are both victims of circumstance, Madara. But even if you hate the circumstances that grieved you, you do not need to project that hatred onto others. Come with me, Madara, come and visit the Alliance."
Madara shook his head. "And what, you'll delegate some kind of position to me? You insult me. There is nothing I stand to gain, Hashirama. I've already told you, the Alliance will fail."
The Hokage stepped forward, "I swear to you now, upon my life, that if the Shinobi Alliance fails, I will personally deliver the One tails and Nine Tails to you."
Madara's jaw dropped, his mouth hanging open at the impliciation before he caught himself. "You believe in your Alliance that much, Hashirama? Is it more important to you than even Mito?"
"Yes. But I am not sacrificing Mito, Madara. I don't believe I will need to. Instead of creating a fictional dream world, I choose to change the reality around me. If my reality fails, then I will own it, and go through with your plan."
"Well said." Both Madara and Hashirama started at the sound of Aizen's voice. The white-robed man himself materialized from a Garganta before them. "I was only here for the tail end of your conversation, Hashirama, but from the sounds of things, you have no intention of joining me?"
"Aizen." Madara spat, stepping forward. "What was the point of that attack on the Seireitei?"
"To kill the Gotei 13." Aizen replied smoothly, "You were almost successful, too, from what I had heard."
Madara scowled, "It feels more like you set us up for failure, to act as some kind of decoy."
"Decoy?" Aizen raised an eyebrow. "For what? I intended to lead the second wave of the attack myself, when the Seireitei is in chaos from your initial strike, but Gin prepared countermeasures delaying my arrival. By the time I disarmed his trap, the battle was all but over."
"We didn't even arrive at the Seireitei."
"Another ploy of Gin's doing, no doubt. Ulquiorra made it back alive and informed me about what happened." Aizen said remorsefully, "You cannot possibly think I planned to have the strongest of my precious Espada fall into a Shinigami ambush, right?"
Madara grunted, he supposed it didn't make much sense.
"What are you doing here, Aizen?" Hashirama asked, cautiously on guard. "It hasn't been ten days yet."
Aizen laughed softly. "What am I doing here? After a display of reiatsu like you two just put on? It would be foolish of me not to check what was happening."
"Fair enough," Hashirama acknowledged, "We have yet to make a decision on your offer, and there is nothing more for you to see, here."
"You needn't be so cold, Hashirama," Aizen said, frowning in mock hurt, "I've also been thinking about some incentives I could offer for you to join me."
Hashirama forced a smile. "Thank you, but there is nothing we need at the mom-"
"What about infrastructure for your Shinobi Alliance?" Aizen interrupted. "I can give you plans to construct buildings like the Seireitei, multiple stories tall with no risk of collapse. I can give you blueprints for devices that can automatically keep track of your population just by the press of a few buttons. Long-distance communication devices that you can use to talk to anybody, from anywhere." Aizen procured two small, rectangular gadgets, and handed one to Hashirama. Sensing no killing intent, the Senju cautiously accepted it.
"This is called a radio. Right now, it can only send signals to this radio I'm holding, and the maximum distance is a hundred meters or so." With a quick shunpo, Aizen was suddenly much further away.
"As I'm talking now, my radio is transmitting my voice into yours." Both Madara and Hashirama's eyebrows darted up as Aizen continued talking, his voice coming out of Hashirama's handheld device.
"I can arrange to set a few communication beacons up for you, and provide one of these for all of your important personnel." Aizen continued, "That way, you can delegate tasks and give instructions without having to meet anybody face to face." With another shunpo, he returned to Madara and Hashirama, noting the impressed looks on their faces.
"What do you say, Hashirama? I am willing to do this first, as a gesture of our cooperation, if you would offer your assistance in my fight against the Gotei 13. Upon our victory, I will provide other technologies to uplift the Shinobi Alliance. Absolutely anything you see in the Seireitei can be yours."
Hashirama was almost convinced. The offer was far too good to ignore. "What if they break…what if the infrastructure fails, what guarantee do we have that we do not simply become dependent on your technology?"
Aizen smirked. "As I mentioned, I will not just give you the finished product, but provide the blueprints as well as instructors to teach your Shinobi how to build everything independently. I do not need or want to have the Elemental Nations wrapped around my finger. Lend me your strength, Hashirama, and I will see your people to a future of peace and prosperity."
Hashirama frowned deeply. "All you want is me? Nobody else gets involved…I and I alone?"
Aizen shrugged. "That's good enough for me."
"I'm in."
Madara's breathing quickened as Hashirama spoke those words.
"Have you something to add, Madara?" Aizen asked as he saw the Uchiha's reaction. "Do you wish to join us, too?"
"Don't play games with me, Aizen" He said, crossing his arms, "You want me strength, and you have something to offer in exchange for it."
"Very astute, Madara Uchiha." Aizen said, inclining his head placatingly. "You're right. I want you on my side, but I honestly don't know what to offer you…the best I can do is promise that we will not fall into an enemy ambush, and that my sword will be at your side in the coming battle."
"I am on the verge of obtaining greater power than Yamamoto, Aizen. I don't need your help-"
"You can keep Harribel and Nel, too, if you want. Join me in battle in their place, so that their lives needn't be at risk." Aizen said with a glint in his eye.
Madara clenched his fists, shooting a darting glance at Hashirama. "...Alright. For the sake of tose I must protect." Madara said. "Let me talk with Nel and Harribel, and we will meet you two in the Shinobi Alliance shortly."
"Those you must protect...Harribel..." Hashirama's eyes widened in understanding. "Madara, you-"
"Save your breath for the matter at hand, Hashirama." Madara interrtupted, bashfully. "Go and let Tobirama know. I'll see you soon."
Hashirama chuckled. "What about the rest of the tailed beasts?"
Madara smiled wryly. "You need not concern yourself with them. I will gather the remaning beasts shortly, but will spare Mito and the one tails' Jinchuriki, for now."
Hashirama nodded. "Thank you, Madara. Lets go, Aizen."
Left alone, Madara scanned the area to confirm there was nobody else present. "Zetsu."
"Yes, master?" The creature poked its head out from the ground.
"Can you create clones of yourself?"
"Yes."
Madara's smile widened, before he concentrated, channeling his Chakra into his right Rinnegan. "Limbo!"
Zetsu's eyes widened in understanding.
"Four limbo clones, for four tailed beasts. You truly are a smart shinobi, master."
"Save your platitudes, Zetsu. There is work to be done."
The creature bowed deeply, before its white half grew outwards, forming three copies of itself. "Yes, master." It said, as each Zetsu latched onto one of Madara's limbo clones. Each of the four went toward one of the remaining tailed beasts.
Madara was taking no chances. If he could find himself in close proximity to the Jinchuriki, then it would make it that much easier to siphon their chakra. Worst case scenario, I wait until Mito's child is due.
AN - A bit of development between Madara & Harribel, as well as drawing the final battle lines. The action will begin next chapter, as well as the big plot twist I've been dropping hints for :P The fic will escalate and it'll be a hectic ride until the end. Last chance for anybody to try and guess what the twist is going to be - leave a review if you have any ideas!
Responding to reviews:
Guest - to the guy who suggest Madara could copy Kido, that idea has really motivated my writing - i've been in a bit of a slump since I can't think of any reasonably believable escalation for the final battles, but Madara copying Kido...? heh heh heh there is certainly a lot of potential there
GHETTOKINGKAI - Hey, first of all I'm really grateful you've still hung around. I know there are fics on this website that have hundreds of thousands/1 mil + words, and that cover a lot of characters, motivations much more in depth than this one. I had a rough idea of where I wanted to take the plot, and certain battles/deaths I really wanted to happen, so I'm focussing more on the plot. I tried to make it obvious that despite all of Tosen's surprising amps, Barragan could still have taken him on until the very last moment. Even then, it's not to say 1 Kido blast could have killed Barragan. It was more a friendly duel to prove a point, and that point was that Barragan never gets stronger. Ichigo's story is yet to reach its real climax, as well. Stick around and hopefully you'll be happy with how the main characters/plot lines wrap up!
Super98 - Thanks!
MadaraLimboClone - Cheers mate! The tailed beasts could never challenge Madara, so I'm using this as more of a downtime/introspective character and plot progression. Madara's in a low point at the moment, but as the main character of this fic I have plans for him to really become the MVP soon
Witcher - Thanks man. You're right - I think Barragan is pretty much the Frieza of bleach verse. Known for ages as the 'strongest' to the point where he just never trained. If he trained he could probably become insane, but it's a bit too late for that, heh. Also at this point, the Aizen in my story has pretty much exactly the same power level as when he fought the captains in Fake Karakura town, before crysalis, butterfly, etc. In my own headcanon is think Barragan's respira could kill this Aizen, but he might just revive with the Hogyoku, stronger. Barragan is going to have a big fight soon, though. Stay tuned!
Dio Senko - Unfortunately I have no plans for Toneri to be a part of this fic
