"You wanted to see me Nii-sama?" Rukia asks as she enters her brother's office in the 6th squad barracks. The reserved man is standing at the far wall looking out the window in thought, mentally preparing himself for the ordeal that will occur in a few brief minutes.
"Yes." He answers calmly before turning to face her, he motions for her to take a seat in front of his desk. "I wanted to make sure you are faring well after the ordeal yesterday evening, and your thoughts on my decision to take part in hollowfication."
"I am well, truth be told I was just as close to snapping at them like Ichigo did, though I didn't think he was mad enough to partially hollowfy in front of the noble families and elders." Rukia explains, her hands nervously twiddling in her lap as she sits in front of her brother. "I did have a request."
"What would that be?" He responds.
"I wish to be promoted, Ichigo and I have been talking about it and he thinks I'm more than strong enough to take the position of Lieutenant of squad 13." Rukia says, though her voice is uneasy. "I understand if you-"
"Very well, put in the request forms for promotion and I will withdraw my written statement to keep you in the current position you're in." Byakuya interrupts her, the slightly concerned expression on her face turns to surprise.
"Nii-sama?" She questions.
"Please." He responds. "Use my first name, you deserve to."
"Thank you… Byakuya." She responds. "A-as for what I think about you going through hollowfication. I just want to know why you agreed to it."
"I do not care for the power it grants, I care for what it will allow me to accomplish. I wish for you to one day forgive my actions on Sokyoku hill, to forgive what I had said and for my promise to mean something. I have agreed to hollowfy so that I may understand what you have to go through with your own inner hollow." He explains, "I cannot express enough that I am truly sorry for what harm I caused you. I know you'll say you forgive me, but I want you to say it when you truly believe you have."
"What do you think about Ichigo and I?" She asks, having regained her confidence.
"While at first I did not like him, he has done nothing but impress me since you two have begun courting. He bested me in single combat, tried to protect you despite the grievous wounds, he is of noble blood and a natural born prodigy. His accelerated ability to learn and adapt is unlike anything I've seen in my 300 years. Just today, he performed a 80th level hado after only training in Kido for a month. While he could learn some respect, not referring to me by my first name until he's earned it, he is a good man." Byakuya says. "I believe the two of you will defeat Aizen."
"We will." Rukia declares firmly and confidently.
"I do not doubt you. Let's head to the facility. I'd like to have this finished before dinner this evening. I am looking forward to the roast duck that the chef is preparing this evening." He walks towards the door, grabbing his katana and tying it to his waist. "I hope that the hollow that I will soon develop does not attack you. The vizards, Kurosaki, Shiba Isshin, and Yamamoto will be in attendance for this. Let us go."
Ichigo and Rukia's hollowfication had been a fiasco, partly due to Hiyori's overzealous attempt at proving any dominance over Rukia. That being said, today the facility where the experiment will be taking place is under the research and development facility of squad twelve. Kisuke's training facilities all had a certain theme he was fond of, a rocky desert and clear artificial sky, this one has been reinforced with several meters of steel on all sides. Being more like a prison rather than a training facility. Rukia can't help but feel a bit of anxiety regarding what is to come. She normally can't read her brother, his stoic demeanor is usually enough to hide any emotion. However the long deep breaths he is taking and the distant look in his eyes tell her that he is also nervous for what is to happen. Ichigo greets the two of them at the entrance to the division, opting to walk alongside Rukia and her brother as one of Mayuri's men escorts them down to the basement lab. "Nervous?" Ichigo asks, more directing the question towards Rukia but Byakuya answers him. "Yes, I fear that should I escape the restraints when hollowfied I will attack Rukia."
"Tessai, Kisuke and Hachi will be using Bakudo on you after you go into Jinsen to fight the inner hollow. From what Kisuke had told me, it takes a few minutes, maybe five to ten after exposing you to the corrupted Reiatsu for you to hear the inner hollow. At least that's how long he took to appear, it's still a new process so he has no idea what can go wrong." The lieutenant says as the doors to the basement lab open revealing a familiar artificial world.
"Ah, you're early. Good, that means we'll be done rather quickly." Shinji says as Ichigo and the Kuchiki siblings walk down the stairs into the artificial desert. "Ichigo, Grimmjow is currently in recovery at the fourth though he did say he was going to work with us about further developing our hollow powers. As for the task at hand, Captain Kuchiki please follow me."
"Fight well Byakuya." Rukia says, prompting Ichigo to arch an eyebrow at her. Byakuya returns a curt nod to his sister before following the other captain down the staircase to the facility. "We spoke earlier, after your tussle with Grimmjow he said that I can apply for promotion and that I've earned the right to call him by his first name."
As the two lovers speak with one another, Byakuya is led to the center of the room where the vizard captains, Captain Isshin, Tessai and head captain Yamamoto are standing. Kisuke greets him with a brief hello before directing the sixth squad captain to take a seat so that they can begin. Byakuya removes his sword from his waist and hands it to the head captain knowing the damage that Ichigo and Rukia had caused with their own swords when they hollowfied. "I believe I am ready." Byakuya says as he sits down cross legged in a meditative pose, the others nod allowing Kisuke to step forwards. The hat sporting scientist picks up a syringe with a black moving liquid within it. Byakuya removes his haori and pulls an arm from within his shihakusho allowing Kisuke to clean the area before pressing the needle into the captain's bicep. The captain doesn't flinch as he is injected with the hollowfied reiatsu, instead he closes his eyes and begins to meditate as Kisuke pulls the needle out of his arm. After a few moments he manages to drown out the others, focusing on his spiritual energy.
His breathing slows as he meditates, concentrating on the feeling of his Reiatsu slowly beginning to become corrupted. His heart beating erratically due to the nervousness from the experiment. The seconds begin to turn to minutes as he remains patient and meditates, then he senses a new presence that isn't that of his zanpakuto. He feels as if it is breathing over his shoulder when he hears a hiss and a laugh break through the silence. He allows his mind to travel to his inner world. On the outside, the others notice that the part of his chest that is exposed begins to change color, the slightly tan complexion of his skin darkens to a deep red color. A small hole opens over the center of his solar plexus. The skin falling away like red leaves in autumn leaving a hollow hole in his chest. The hollow opens Byakuya's eyes revealing the silver eyes had become stained black along the sclera however instead of an amber color for the iris, his are the same shade of sakura petals. The falling leaves from his chest don't listen to gravity's demands, instead opting to float upwards towards his face.
The decaying flower petals begin collecting on his face, predominantly around his nose and mouth. The petals layer themselves like the folds of a flower bulb yet to bloom. Across the bottom of his face ascending diagonally along his jaw, across his mouth and nose and towards his left eye, the mask begins to take a plantlike appearance. Creases in the mask reminiscent of the same that occur in flower petals beginning to bloom, but still nestled tightly together before revealing themselves to the world. The most noticeable aspect of this mask is the lack of a mouth, some of the creases in the face are dyed the same hue as the sakura petals that make up his blade. Despite the lack of a mouth on the mask, the raised cheeks of the hollow's face give a clear indication that he is smiling.
"Hachi, Tessai, Kisuke. Restrain him." Shinji barks as hollow Byakuya attempts to stand from his seated position.
"Carriage of thunder, Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light divide into six! Bakudo number 61, Six rods prison of light!" Ichigo shouts, being the first one to react to the hollowfication, from his extended hand six beams of golden light fire from his palm. The light strikes Byakuya in the chest, restraining his upper body.
"Bakudo number 63, Ethereal binding chains!" Kisuke declares, the incantation creates a winding golden chair that snakes itself around hollow Byakuya before pulling taught.
"Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad butterflies. Standing upright, until the end. Bakudo number 75, Five pillared Iron Weights!" Hachi declares, the kido manifesting in similar iron pillars that once restrained Ichigo, slamming onto Byakuya's back shoulders and legs holding him to the ground.
"Think that's enough?" Isshin asks, resting a hand on his zanpakuto.
"If Ichigo's hollowfication is anything to go by, it won't be." Shinji responds. "For now if he breaks one of the restraints then we use number 99 until then you all focus on holding him."
A long path of sakura blossom trees dot a stone carved road leading into a large shogunate era castle. The land of Byakuya's inner world resembles the shogun's fortress some 500 or so years ago. The massive pagoda style building sits high in the center of the courtyard on top of a lone mountain. Around him and down the valley, distant empty villages sit near tilled fields and along winding rivers reminiscent of ancient Kyoto. He walks silently through the fortress, the amber colored sky giving hints of sunset. At the base of the fortress manor is a small pond with floating lanterns dotting the water drifting gently along the slight current. Bouncing off of small lily pads and off a lone figure standing in the water. Dressed in a black haori with white diamonds at the base, the eerie reflection of Byakuya stares back at him. The hilt of Senbonzakura sits at the figures waist, sensing the arrival of his adversary the hollow turns to face the original.
"It's quite peaceful here is it not?" The hollow asks, tilting his head to the side and giving Byakuya a wide evil smile. "It's strange to be born into a world of such stillness, I possess memories that aren't mine, a body that isn't mine and a face just the same. Though I doubt you'd understand what that's like, Byakuya."
"I don't suppose I can." Byakuya answers, he slowly draws his hand to the hilt of his sword. His left already on the scabbard, he presses against the handguard with his thumb and frees his blade from it's place at his hip. "What is it you wish? A man should at least state his last thoughts."
"I wish for power, for dominion and obedience." The hollow answers, copying Byakuya's movements however on the opposite side, drawing its own zanpakuto and brandishing the weapon with his left hand. "To slay a being mere moments after it was born… how cruel."
"It's unlikely you'll die from this battle, as from my understanding you'll reconstitute yourself in my soul and we'll do this again and again till the day we die." Byakuya responds, walking into the small pond and leveling his blade at his opponent.
"If that's the case, then I have nothing to lose. How do you wish to do this?" The hollow asks, beginning to step sideways around his opponent with Byakuya doing the same.
"Quickly." Byakuya answers.
Byakuya strikes first, slashing hard at his adversary only to meet the edge of the opposite of his sword. The two swords spark and cause ripples in the calm water as they clash with one another. The water sloshes about as the two swordsman clash blades time and time again. Despite having just manifested itself in his inner world, the hollow is nearing equivalent strength to himself rapidly. Each sword strike happens with enough force to radiate shockwaves through the captain's forearms. Byakuya slashes his blade down hard on his hollow's sword, the mirror having to catch the weapon and turn it sideways in order to stop the forward movement towards its body. Using a similar trick that he used against Ichigo, Byakuya lets go of one of the hands on his blade before pressing two fingers together and raising them to his hollow's face. The hollow immediately recognizes this technique and breaks the blade lock before kicking Byakuya backwards with a heel to the chest.
Byakuya coughs as he's struck center mass by the heel of his opponent, it nearly knocks the wind out of him, the hollow hit so hard. Having gained distance from each other, the hollow reciprocates this move from his opponent raising his right hand pressing his fingers together before charging a sparking light of blue electricity. "Hado number four, Byakurai." The hollow declares before firing the bolt of lightning at Byakuya. The captain more than fast enough to flash step out of the kido's way. When he appears again, he sees the hollow grinning at him once again. The mirror draws his blade upwards and holds out upside down pointing towards the water. Realizing what's about to happen, Byakuya answers by doing the same gesture with his own sword.
"Bankai." Both hollow and shinigami are declared simultaneously. Their blades fall and sink into the water they're standing in. The ripples from the falling blades extend outwards before colliding with one another.
From behind both fighters, a corridor of massive blades rises from the ground causing ripples of both water and Reiatsu as they grow from the aether. The silver swords of Byakuya are mirrored by the black blades rising from behind his hollow. The blades rise to dozens of meters tall as they tower over the two wielders of Senbonzakura. The silver blades glow a bright pink color before exploding into a maelstrom of sakura petals, each of which is as sharp as the very sword that created them. The darker version wielded by his hollow shatters into reddish wilting leaves cascading around him. "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Byakuya says calmly, using the petals of his sword to orbit him in a maelstrom of death.
In the real world, the air grows heavy as Byakuya's normally calm and reserved spiritual pressure turns, now giving off an aura of excited fervor. Through the multiple kido spells, the hollow hisses from behind its mouthless mask, his black and pink eyes scanning the combatants in the room. Around the new hollow, each vizard in attendance has dawned their mask in order to keep the level of power that the newborn Adjuchas has to offer. The hollow strains his head to look directly at Yamamoto who is standing the furthest away with Senbonzakura in his hand. The hollow laughs to himself, starting as a chuckle then maniacal laughter before increasing the output of its spiritual pressure. Instinctively, the vizards feel that the rise in power is this new Adjuchas hollow issuing a challenge to the others in the room. The one to reciprocate this challenge is Ichigo, who flares his own spiritual energy as high as he can without releasing his bankai. The Adjuchas turns to face the orange haired vizard, Ichigo's own hollow side being comparable to a Vasto Lorde. Ichigo sees the eyes of the hollowfying Byakuya squint at him slightly before thrashing against the restraints.
"Interesting." Yamamoto says to himself, feeling the immense spirit energy being exuded by the sixth squad captain. "The hollow is newborn and already possesses this much power, it must have derived the strength from what Captain Kuchiki already possessed. Be wary, Captain Kuchiki is on par with Kurosaki Ichigo and Captain Komamura in strength, with the hollow he's almost as powerful as Kenpachi."
"You said it gramps, I'm finding it hard to stand from all this pressure." Isshin responds, having to let his own spiritual pressure outwards in order to just remain standing.
"From what I understand, your son's hollow was twice this. I am a little apprehensive as to what yours will be like." Yamamoto responds. "As for young Hitsugaya, Captain Urahara and Hitsugaya himself have requested that I release my shikai against him to prevent the hollow from wielding Hyorinmaru."
"Is he going to counter my Engetsu?" Isshin asks, prompting the older captain to arch his bushy eyebrows from over his eyes.
"You haven't lost your cleverness in your 25 year long vacation, that is exactly what is going to happen." Yamamoto responds.
The hollow fidgets against the multiple kido spells holding it down, managing to break one of the six golden rods embedded in its torso courtesy of Ichigo. The large iron pillars are rattling violently on its back and the golden chains it has been wrapped in jostle and clink together as it struggles against it. The hollow stops moving abruptly, its eyes being pushed up slightly as it smiles beneath the mask. With a massive roar releasing waves of spiritual pressure through the air, the chains constricting him explode open, the iron pillars falling away clattering to the stony floor crumbling to dust. Now free of the main restraints holding it down, the hollow turns to face Ichigo before grinning, the mask splits open revealing teeth like thorns. He raises a hand to the golden beams impaling its sides before clasping a hand over the kido crushing it with a flick of the wrist. Once free of the last kido binding it, the hollow extends a hand towards Yamamoto before opening it. The posture he is holding his hand outwards in, looks as if he was dropping something rather than expecting to catch. Despite the grip that the ancient dragon has on the weapon, Senbonzakura responds to its master's commands. The blade falls through it's sheath and phases through Yamamoto's fingers before falling into the stone causing ripples across the floor as if it was water.
"Oh… Crap baskets." Ichigo sighs, immediately recognizing the release of Byakuya's bankai. "Bankai!" He shouts releasing his second release, his Reiatsu rises to eclipse that of the hollow in front of him. The burst of black flaming Reiatsu is cut through by Ichigo's slender black blade. "Tensa Zangetsu."
Inside the inner world of the kuchiki captain, the fight is beginning to heat up. Both his hollow self and he are launching torrents of sakura petals towards each other trying to end the fight quickly. Each cloud of petals slams into another of the opposite color eviscerating each other in a deceptively beautiful display of red and pink petals. The falling petals eviscerate parts of the fortress overlapping the pond, the shinto gate overlooking the pond had been reduced to splinters. The stone lanterns that sit lighting the cobbled path towards and cut down crumbling beneath the wrath of the two bankai facing off. The petals shrouded their wielders in protective cyclones, preventing anything from getting through.
"I thought you wanted to end this quickly." The hollow Byakuya asks in a mocking tone. "All we're accomplishing is shredding my new home to ribbons."
"I do wish to end this quickly, you however continue to persist." Byakuya responds, raising his hand outwards directing the petals towards his opponent. All this statement gets is a laugh from the hollow, who counters the deluge of petals being sent towards him.
"Of course, I want to continue to exist and not simply be subjugated to you like one of your servants. I am not a servant, I am not going to submit to you." The hollow responds through a growl. "You demand service and respect from everyone around you, even your own sister fears you. Some way to hold up that promise to Hisana." Byakuya's emotional mask breaks at this statement, his face now darkening with anger at the mention of his wife.
"Senkei. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Byakuya responds, causing his evil half to grin at the new phase of their battle.
The pink petals glow brightly in their own color before swirling outwards and upwards away from their master. Each of the thousands of petals begin to collect themselves in new forms, separating into four floating rigs of pink light above the battlefield. The rings separate outwards floating higher and higher before slowly beginning to rotate in alternating directions. The leftover petals begin to drift to the ground as the rings break apart into thousands of swords glowing in sakura hued spirit energy as they float listlessly in the air. Extending a hand expectantly, one of the swords floating overhead drops down perfectly into his grasp. He raises the blade towards the hollow causing the blades to immediately cascade down at the mirror before him. The hollow collects all of its own pieces of the bankai cladding himself in the red petals creating a sphere of writhing blades around him to protect from the incoming swords.
The swords and petals clash and eviscerate themselves, the broken blades disintegrating back into the sakura petals that made them. The red petals that cover the hollow being shredded, exposing brief glimpses of the hollow. The white Byakuya draws his hands close to himself before shoving them outwards and upwards expelling the petals from the sphere protecting him. Each petal strikes an incoming sword cutting each other to spirit particles as the hollow reciprocates the name of the technique that Byakuya used. "Senkei." It says, the red petals that survived cutting away the incoming swords collect in the same floating rings as his opponent. Now with the sakura hued swords floating around them, four rings of crimson blades now float within the rings of the other's Senkei technique.
"Struck a nerve did I? What happened to you Byakuya, has that boy really changed your perspective on things or have you grown weak?" The hollow asks mockingly, as he raises a hand and collects a sword much in the same way his opposite did. "Giving away Rukia like that, before she is even married. You failed her, and yourself because of that weakness."
"I recognise that weakness and have made decisions to counter it while I get stronger. My blindness to what I should do as a brother, as a captain and as a widower holding his wife's last wish to heart. I know my flaws, Hollow, I know what I must fix and you are only a reflection of that. With your power I will be strong enough to protect Rukia when Kurosaki Ichigo cannot, she will never feel abandoned and helpless like she was in Inuzuri, under my watch when she was sent to execution and I shall not stand to have my family harmed or Hisana's name sullied." Byakuya declares as he lunges towards the hollow, the two fighters slamming their blades against one another.
The hollowfying Byakuya stands rooted in place as the petals released by the wordless transition from an unreleased zanpakuto straight into Bankai collect in the Senkei configuration. Though luckily for Ichigo the hollow is attacking indiscriminately rather than just him, unlike their first fight the swords are launching themselves from the floating rings towards the people in the room. Yamamoto had merely performed the 81st Bakudo spell Danku creating an impenetrable wall in front of him that shatters the blades as they strike the wall. Isshin had released his shikai, so had Rukia and Toshiro had to release his bankai to combat against the swarm of swords attacking them. Ichigo himself has his hollow mask covering his face, slashing through swords that are thrown towards him, barely able to keep the blades from cutting him as one scrapes by far too close to his face for comfort. The blade leaves a long gash along his cheek and through part of his hair before embedding itself in the stony ceiling above them.
"Want me to tag in Partner? He's got you on the ropes." Hichigo asks, the voice momentarily distracts Ichigo but not enough for him to parry another incoming blade.
"No, you'll just make things worse." Ichigo responds audibly, catching the attention of Shinji and Yamamoto who both heard him speak to his hollow. "Getsuga! Tensho!" The soul reaper substitute shouts as he slashes downwards through more swords being flung at him. The wall of black and red spirit energy evaporates several of the blades that cage Byakuya's hollowfying form within.
"You're going to get your ass kicked damnit! What part of, I'm on your side did you not understand?!" Hichigo shouts back, this time he distracts Ichigo to the point he misses a parry and gets impaled through the stomach by a flying sword. He grunts in pain as blood begins to trickle down from the wound. The force of the blade hitting him stabs him into the ceiling near another one of the swords of Senbonzakura.
"Fuck it! When I say switch back then give me back control." Ichigo growls through clenched teeth, he breathes deeply trying to ebb the pain from the wound before his consciousness sinks into his inner world.
"Well well, time for round two, Byakuya. Though I didn't think this would be the circumstances we'd get to fight again." Hichigo says now in control of Ichigo's body, "This is gonna be fun."
"Well looks like Hichigo came out to play," Isshin says as he creates a wall of fire in front of him with Engetsu burning away the incoming blades to ashes. "This time I think it was willingly though."
"If Zangetsu is out then he's probably planning on getting the hollow to focus on him and him alone." Rukia says from behind her mask as Hichigo's chest opens up into a wide hollow hole.
Hichigo laughs with all the insane maniacal nature a vasto lorde is capable of, the spike in spiritual pressure from the total inner hollow take over draws the attention of the hollow Byakuya. Its pink and black eyes glare daggers at the other hollow that has appeared to ruin his fun, and with a movement of its limb the swords around them floating in the Senkei rings change position and point directly at Hichigo. With a flick of the wrist, Hollow Byakuya sends the thousands of swords flying at Hichigo who merely stands still watching as the pink blades get closer. He raises a hand and presses a finger flat against an invisible surface as he says the name of a Bakudo spell that Ichigo had only just seen in use. "Bakudo number 81. Danku." Rukia flinches expecting the worst when the blades close in but what she doesn't expect is for them to shatter upon contact with the invisible wall created by the kido spell. Up until then, Ichigo had to use the full incantation to cast spells but strangely his hollow had not only used the spell but also done it without the incantation and after only seeing it once. The swords from Senbonzakura clatter against the kido barrier shattering like glass before disintegrating into hundreds of thousands of flower petals.
Dispelling the kido barrier, Hichigo dips his fingers against the blood running down the fabric of his shihakusho. He raises his hand towards the hollow before extending a single finger towards it. Electric blue spirit energy begins to collect on the tip of his finger, swirling inwards in a vortex of spirit energy. The others immediately recognize the charging of a cero, and one at this level could bring the entire mountain down on their heads. The hollow himself senses the change in the battle and shifts the Bankai from Senkei back to Gokei turning the thousands of floating swords around him back into flower petals. "Zangetsu! Don't fire that thing in here, you'll bring the whole cliff down on our heads!" Rukia pleads, however the Hichigo doesn't listen to her, instead the orb continues to grow even larger and larger. "GRAN REY CERO!" Hichigo yells as he raises his arm upwards then points back at the hollow causing the massive ball of energy to fire. Hollow Byakuya directs all the petals from his bankai in the way of the cero that Hichigo had fired at him. The petals stream upwards and collide with the blue beam of energy, being incinerated as it contacts the beam. With his hand extended directing the petals, the hollow charges its own red cero preparing to fire it against Hichigo's in order to protect itself.
Byakuya slams his sword against the black blade of his mirror, sparks fleck off of both swords bouncing off their clothes and skin. The entire time Byakuya's stoic expression doesn't change, despite the multitude of different expressions that his hollow displays through the course of their battle. Around them, the crimson and sakura tinted blades slam against each other as they float around the two duelists. As the two clash blades, thousands of swords above them clash as well, in tandem with the movements of the two masters over Senbonzakura. Byakuya slashes upwards trying to disarm his opponent, but he's parried as another sword falls down from the ring and in the way of the upward strike. The hollow grabs the hilt of the second sword before slashing with both at his opponent. The blade in the right hand of the mirror catches Byakuya's shoulder much in the same spot that Hichigo had done nearly two months prior. The stoic captain doesn't show any emotion and doesn't react to the pain caused by the weapon striking him.
"Your resolve is as weak as your promises, Byakuya. What good are your words if you can't hold yourself up to them? You failed yourself, you failed Rukia and you failed Hisana." The hollow says, flicking the blood on the sword off and into the water beneath them
"Keep my wife's name out of your fucking mouth." Byakuya snarls, He spins the blade in his hand so that it's pointing at the foot of his hollow self before stabbing it through the ankle and into the bed of the pond they're standing in. The hollow winces in pain as the blade pierces it's foot however he doesn't have time to try to retract the weapon as Byakuya extends two hands outwards, one pointed upwards and the other downwards before pressing them flat against the hollow's stomach.
"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hado number 73 Soren Sokatsui, Twin Lotus, Pale Fire Crash!" He shouts, from his palms a massive swirling blast of fire erupts through his hands and out of the back of the hollow causing the beast to scream in pain as he is partially incinerated. As the fire dies down from the kido spell, the hollow buckles under its own weight, the swords around them disintegrating into the aether of Byakuya's inner world. The mirror falls forwards dropping the swords he was holding and clasps onto Byakuya's shihakusho to attempt to hold himself up. The sixth squad captain draws his hollow into himself, sitting down in the water of the small pond as the hollow looks up from his position across his mirror's lap. He gapes and clothes his mouth, attempting to speak but no words can come from him as the hollow's heart and lungs were incinerated in the blast. "Rest and gather strength, it will be needed in the battles to come. When you reconstitute yourself here, I hope that it is as an ally and not an adversary." The captain raises a hand to his inner hollow's face before closing the hollow's eyes. The body of the hollow breaks apart, turning into flower petals and sinking through the grasp of the captain, floating away with now gentle current of the water.
When the dust settled from the two ceros impacting one another, Byakuya had regained control over his body. The leaves of his hollow form descending to the ground as the captain collapses to a knee trying to catch his breath. Hichigo removes his mask seeing the change in Byakuya allowing the king to regain control of his throne. Rukia immediately dispels her mask and rushes over to her brother, the captain still sporting the flower bulb mask over his face. He raises an exhausted hand to the mask over his face before peeling it away to study it. The bone-like mask in his hands stares up at him before blowing away in the breeze turning into flower petals then into spirit energy as it dissipates into the aether.