Requiem for the Hollow Rose

by sreshtiyer

After witnessing the death of Pyrrha, white fills her vision and the Rose huntress finds herself in a desolate and bleak place. Confused, lost and still grieving the loss of her friend and her own helplessness, little does Ruby realize that was just the beginning of her arduous journey. Innocent to Mature Ruby. Rated M for psychologically disturbing themes (non-sexual).

37. Chapter 37: Winter war part 1

Chapter 37:Winter war part 1

"Tatsuki-chan…..you're really staying here..?" asked Orihime.

"Yeah….sorry, I know I should probably be coming with you guys but I just want to be with them for a while longer" replied Tatsuki.

Orihime shook her head. "It's fine, I completely understand. And besides, in the one month I was here, I did get to spend some time with Ruby-san and I can tell why she means so much to you. So, don't worry about it"

"Thanks….after all this, how about we go to that cake shop you always wanted to check out, just the two of us, like old times? It'll be my treat" offered the raven-haired girl. The orange haired girl began to vigorously nod her head with sparkles in her eyes.

"Kurosaki" came a gruff voice, alerting Karin, Yuzu and Ichigo. They immediately recognized it as the voice of Grimmjow. Alongside him were Nel, Ulquiorra and Ruby. There was an uncomfortable pause; with Grimmjow looking at them like he had something to say, Nel tilting her head and observing the blue jaguar, Ulquiorra facing away with his eyes closed, Ruby glancing between her siblings and her family and the Kurosaki trio unsure if they wanted to interrupt the awkward pause in between them.

"This isn't over between us, Kurosaki. Next time, I'll be sure I'll kick your ass all by myself even if you turn into that thing" said Grimmjow, staring straight into Ichigo's eyes just long enough for him to get a glimpse of Grimmjow's defiant look before he turned away. Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu could only blink, confused by what he meant. Ruby sighed, walking up to him to him. Nel simply shook her head.

"He's always been like that, don't mind him" said Nel exasperated. "He's always tried to fight and overcome anybody whom he thinks is worth his time. Especially since he's beaten you once before only for him to be completely helpless against your transformed state even when he fought alongside others. You can only imagine the blow to his pride" she sighed. Grimmjow scoffed. Nel then leaned in close to the three of them. "But you know, if you ask me, it's good that someone deflated that swollen head of his, if only just this once" she winked. "And you know, I'd say he deserves it just this once. After all, he did rough you up and almost killed Rukia"

"That's not…It wasn't me…." Murmured Ichigo. "And besides…..I got all of you involved as well…"

"Pssh, we've seen and handled things far worse than that if you ask me" waved of Nel, roughly patting Ichigo on the back a few times chirpily.

"Exactly, so don't worry too much about it, Ichi" said Ruby. "Although, I'm not sure about your whole contest thing, buster. There's no way you're using my darling little siblings as your measuring stick" she said sternly, looking at the blue arrancar.

"It's fine, Nee-san. And besides, that didn't count. I wasn't 'myself'….so next time, Grimmjow…..Ulquiorra…I'll give you a proper fight as 'myself'. I'll settle my scores with you using my own hands and my own self" said Ichigo.

"Unlike Grimmjow, such trivial matters are hardly worth discussing when I know the end result to be obvious. However, if that is what you wish for, then so be it. I shall hold on to your words" said Ulquiorra.

"Heh, go be a wimp and give up if you'd like, Ulquiorra. I'll just keep getting' stronger and beat the shit of you, Kurosaki. And the same goes for the rest of you as well" declared the blue arrancar. Nel shook her head like an elder sibling would after seeing her younger one act childish and brash while Ulquiorra was already disinterred in anything Grimmjow related.

"Why must the two of you continue to be so childish?" sighed Ruby.

"Woman, this is between him and me. You stay out of this" retorted Grimmjow, only to be silenced by Ruby gently placing her finger on his lips.

"Shush, I don't care what macho contest the two of you want to have, and knowing you both, I know you won't listen to me anyway. But just do it somewhere I can't see you both" she replied, her hand on her forehead. "I'm going to spend some quality time with you until they're ready and in the meantime, you have a few dozen bloody soul reapers for you to play with out there, so go on, shoo shoo!"

"Like I said, you're not getting' in my way this time, Ruby. I've held back enough for you already!" said Grimmjow firmly.

"Yes, yes, we all get what a great, noble thing you've been doing, all for my sake. Such a sweetheart, aren't you? Go on big boy, you don't want to be missing out on all that 'fun' out there, now would you? Don't get into too much trouble, I'll join you soon, 'k? Ulquiorra, Nel, I'll leave this dolt in your hands. Take care of yourselves too" said Ruby exasperated smile, her arms on Grimmjow's back as she pushed him. Ulquiorra shook his head and Nel sweatdropped watching her two companions trade insults and bicker amongst themselves. Somehow, the sight was comforting to witness, especially since they were going to be involved in a huge fight soon. Nel gave her a quick thumbs up and a pat on Ruby's back.

Karin watched the scene with a suspicious look but her thoughts were interrupted when they were soon joined by Unohana and Rukia.

"Are you ready to leave?" asked Unohana.

"Uh huh, we were just doing some last-minute stuff but we're done here" replied Nel. "Are you prepared as well?" she asked, receiving a nod from Unohana as her response.

"Unohana-san…after this is over, I think you and mom should spend atleast a day going around town in the World of the Living" suggested Ruby. "I'm sure both of you have things you want to talk about. And I think it would be a pity if you didn't even get to enjoy a nice day off with mom after a 1000 years. There's even a nice little bakery close to where I live. You should definitely check it out atleast once"

"…that does sound promising. Very well, I shall hold on to that" replied Unohana with a small smile.

"Ichigo….Karin…Yuzu" said Rukia, coming over to the trio. She rubbed the twin's heads while giving a small playful fistbump to Ichigo's chest. "Take care" she said simply.

"Heh, what's with all this talk as if we're meeting for the last time or something? We'll be joining you soon enough, so just get going" smirked Ichigo, using his index finger to push Rukia by her forehead and then waving her off. "If possible, you both should come over to dinner sometime. I'm sure the old fart would love to invite his 'other daughter' over now that Nee-san is also here"

"Ahaha I suppose you're right. Personally, I can't wait to get back in your closet, Ichigo!" chimed Rukia, her eyes sparkling. Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu sweatdropped.

"Hold on….what do you mean by 'closet'?" asked Ruby, confused.

"Oh that? Basically, whenever she comes over, she prefers staying in my room's closet even if we do give her another place to sleep. Don't ask me why, Nee-san, I've already given up trying to understand what she's thinking" sighed Ichigo.

"One would almost think Ruki-nee is trying to seduce Ichi-nii, wouldn't you say?" winked Karin.

"It…it's not like that! It's just that I first took up residence there to help Ichigo out of his human body in case he needs to fight and this and that and I just found it to be the perfect place to sleep so yeah there's no way I would try to seduce a boy decades younger than I am, you have to understand! I…..!"

Karin watched in amusement as a flustered Rukia was trying her best to explain herself to Ruby while Yuzu was busy pinching Karin's cheeks for her mischief and Ichigo facepalmed himself.

"Well, I can see the three of them have been under good hands…ahahaha!" chuckled Ruby. She then grabbed Rukia by both hands. "In that case, you definitely should drop by sometime after all this. I would love to take you around town for everything you've done for them"

"Ah…yes…of course. You needn't thank me. I care for them as much as you do. But still, I'll take you up on your offer" she replied with a curt bow. "But…..if I may ask, Ruby-san…"

"Just called me Ruby" insisted the 5th Espada.

"…right. If I may ask Ruby….why are you and your friends going through this with us? I mean…I understand that Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu and Tatsuki are your family. But even so, why would you choose to go up against Aizen now? Considering that you've been holding back from going up against him all this time?" asked Rukia.

"…your concern is understandable of course. But you see, there isnt much to think about at all. Until now, I always thought that despite his falling out with the Soul Society, Aizen had no real interest or business in the World of the Living and by extension, my family. It's only now that I learnt what he actually planned to do with Karakura Town and its inhabitants. That town has a lot of memories for me and besides….it's her town. It's the town that she lived in. It's the town they live in. And so, I'll protect it. Somehow. Even if Aizen is leagues above me. It's as simple as that" said Ruby, offering a small smile. Rukia found herself staring at the ex-rose huntress with a mixture of surprise and awe. Never had she imagined that an arrancar, a hollow, would sound so human.

"…..I see. Yeah, I guess that makes sense" said Rukia.

"And Rukia-san….I understand it might be difficult for you to be suddenly asked to fight along side arrancars like us. Especially considering that Grimmjow nearly killed you. But even so, you volunteered to do so, all for Ichi, Kari and Yuzu. Once again, I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart and I can assure you that you won't fall to harm because of Grimmjow and the others. I swear it" said Ruby, placing her hands on Rukia's.

With that, Rukia couldn't help but audibly gasp. There was no deceit or trickery in her voice, only genuine concern and gratitude. It further reinforced the idea that she wasn't talking to the arrancar called Ruby Rose but rather to the elder sister of her close companion called Ruby Rose.

"Thank you" was all she could manage to reply, but it definitely conveyed her feelings to Ruby, judging from her satisfied expression. "Oh and….." said Rukia, leaning in closer to Ruby. "Do you think….you could…..um…..allow me to..play with your daughter once in a while?" she asked with a small embarrassed but silly smile on her face, struggling to find the right words to put forward to Ruby. The 5th Espada was surprised at first but then giggled to herself.

"Sure sure, why not! I'm sure she'd love to play with you as well! You've really taken a liking to her I see!" she beamed. Rukia could only turn away in embarrassment but couldn't help but secretly be happy.

"Right. I suppose you should be going now. Please be safe then. We'll join you soon, as soon as we can" she assured.

After they started leaving, Yuzu ran up to Ulquiorra, calling him.

"Wait!" she called out, quickly going up to him. "Here" she said, fumbling with her hair and then holding out a red, strawberry shaped hairpin in her hand. "Ulquiorra….I'm lending this to you. I want you to promise me that you'll bring it back to me after this"

"And why would you do something like that?" he asked, flat-faced.

"Just take it" insisted Nel. "If someone is entrusting you with something valuable to them, it means they trust you and care for you. The least you can do is try and appreciate that. If you still don't understand, we can talk about it. But for now, just hold on to it" The stoic arrancar spared her a single glance before letting out a small sigh and accepting the accessary. He promptly put it in his pocket.

"….Be safe and….remember, you have to bring it back, ok?" she reminded him once more. Ulquiorra gave her a slow nod. The girl, apparently satisfied and happy, ran back to her siblings. Nel then gave a small smile before continuing on towards the garganta.

"Yuzu…..what was that about…?" asked Ichigo. "Karin told me that you went out of your way before this too, to make sure he was alright"

"I'm sorry….I know it looks weird to you but…when I was here, outside of Onee-chan's friends and family, he was the only one who looked out for me. And he just looked so lonely back then that I thought I could give him some company. Don't worry, he may appear cold and cruel, but he just has difficulty understanding those around him and himself" said Yuzu.

"He'll be fine" assured Ruby. "And I'm glad you're keeping him company, Yuzu. You know, looking at the two of you reminds me of Starrk and Lily. As adamant as he was in not having any fraccione, I'm sure if you were an arrancar, he'd have taken you in before I had the chance to. Though he may not say it, I'm sure he cares for you and is grateful for your company too, in his own way. And don't worry, he'll be back. After all, he did manage to survive against Ichi in that state. For now, let's just focus on our own tasks"

And with that, all of them save for Tatsuki, the Kurosaki siblings and Ruby slowly made their way to the World of the Living.

---

"I'm gonna do it"

"I..really don't think you should, Karin-chan"

"But ju…just look! It's right there in front of me! Come on, admit it, even you wanna grab it, don't you? Tsuki-nee, you agree with me, right?"

"Leave me out of it you two, I don't want to get in trouble with Aneki later"

"You're saying that but I can tell by your exhilarated face that you want to grab that more than any of us!"

"Urgh…."

"I really think you both should calm down…"

*Wiggle* *Wiggle*

"Oh, come on that's just cheating! Now I just have to grab it!"

"Wait!"

"…what is it, Tsuki-nee?"

"Move"

"Huh…? Hey wait, this was my idea! Don't go stealing my-"

"Heh, too late!"

*Grab!*

"!"

*WHIISSSSH! SWIIISH! SHCIKK!*

One second she was by Ichigo's side, and in the next she felt something grab her tail rather firmly. She felt something firmly grasp her tail. It hadn't caused her pain as such, but it did make her arms reflexively swiped out behind her, following which, Tatsuki, Karin and Yuzu were left with a fresh set of crisscrossing scratch marks on their faces. Tatsuki had a smug but satisfied expression on her face that practically screamed 'Totally worth it', while Karin had the most disappointed look on hers, partially even glaring at Tatsuki for stealing what should have been her turn.

"…..so….soft…." said Tatsuki with a dreamy expression

"Tsuki-nee no fair…!" said Karin

"Why even me…" whimpered Yuzu, comically shedding tears.

"I'm so sorry! Are you three hurt anywhere?" asked Ruby, inching closer to them girls. After seeing that they were ok and only sustained minor scratches on their faces, a vein popped in her forehead, following which she bonked them on the head lightly.

"You three! Don't go grabbing my tail from behind like that! I may have cut you deeper you know!" she scolded them, but after seeing the mischievous expression on Karin, an apologetic expression on Yuzu and dreamy expression on Tatsuki, her anger melted away. "Come here" she called them softly, sighing. Once then did, she gently began to blow over the scratch marks to soothe the burning sensation and the pain, and then began healing them with healing kido.

Behind Ruby, the girls could see that Ichigo was already in meditation, with Tensa Zangetsu placed on his lap, his eyes closed.

"So….he's started is it?" asked Tatsuki. "Aneki….you really think it'll be alright?" she asked.

"It'll be fine…" she said, moving her fingers, tracing the lines left by her claws. "As I mentioned, your zanpakuto are a reflection of your own self, but they are also undeniably different to you as well. They have their own wills, their own thoughts and this is especially true for the three of you. Normally soul reapers pour their reishi, heart and soul into their zanpakuto when they leave the academy before a zanpakuto spirit is born. But for you three its different. Your powers were born from Masaki and Isshin's. In a sense, they're more akin to your siblings than a reflection of your own selves. But they are also a part of you, meaning they would have a lot of traits similar to you but at the same time, they are different still. Kinda like twins I suppose, wouldn't you say?"

"Well…I suppose…..I mean, Shingetsu does behave that way at times, and I really can't tell what she's thinking sometimes" agreed Karin.

"Same here" agreed Yuzu. "But I think I can understand Mangetsu much better now. I don't know if it's because I have access to my bankai or something else. What's strange was that when I didn't have my memory, he didn't either. But he did remember stuff that I didn't know, and I knew a few things he didn't"

"And in Ichigo's case, his happens to be a hollow. Well, more of an arrancar or Espada like myself than a pure Shinigami zanpakuto I'd say and well, being one myself, I can tell you that we certainly have a very different outlook to things than soul reapers do. But it'll be fine. Mom told him and I'm telling you all as well. Communication is the key to any type of relationship. Be it with your zanpakuto, your siblings, your friends or even your partner. There, all better now" she said, satisfied after looking at their scratch-free skin. She then plopped herself on the ground, a relaxed smile on her face. She then tapped then ground next to her, signaling at them to come over.

"It'll be a while until Ichi's done. Why don't we all relax until then?" she suggested. Tatsuki scurried over to Ruby's left, while Yuzu to her right. After seeing Karin's wishful looks, Yuzu smiled awkwardly, swapping places with her twin. Ruby herself had to lay down on her side, since her tail got in the way otherwise.

"Just be a bit more careful around my tummy alright? That area is a bit sensitive" said Ruby.

"Woah….it really does feel like a cat's fur….." said Tatsuki, stroking her hand.

"….floof…" remarked Karin, grabbing Ruby's tail once more.

"….Ah…you have a hollow hole…." Said Yuzu, looking at the one present on Ruby's belly.

"How's that even work? I mean…..what happens if I..?" asked Tatsuki, putting her hand through Ruby's hollow hole. It passed through quite effortlessly, without any indication of anything material present. When Tatsuki ran her fingers through the rim of the hole, it felt like she was touching skin and flesh.

"Don't ask me. Even I don't know how that works. I mean, it certainly feels strange….like I feel hunger, but at the same time, well, I don't really have a 'stomach' in this form and yet….but then again, I'm not quite human so I wouldn't expect human anatomy to even apply here" said Ruby. "Oh, and a little less rough Kari, I don't feel any pain, but it does feel ticklish when you do that"

And so, the girls spent the next few minutes poking, caressing and touching different parts of Ruby, examining her like she was an exotic species of animal they hadn't seen before, not to mention questioning her throughout the entire time. All in all, it was a unique experience to the girls all the same, and to Ruby, it was amusing that someone would be that interested in how she looked. But then again, she told herself that she too would've been just as excited had it be herself in their places. After they were satisfied, Ruby wrapped her arms around them, cuddling them and making herself and them comfortable in the warmth they shared. Her eyes drooped, and she began softly purring, something that did surprise the girls. She hadn't completely fallen asleep, but it was as if she'd suspended her thoughts for the time being. Occasionally Ruby would reach out with her hands, pawing them softly in an absentminded manner, which left them quite amused. They stayed that way for a while, until Karin felt the need to ask something that had been on her mind.

"So Ruby-nee….you never told me you were going out with someone" remarked Karin casually.

"Mhm…..? What do you mean….? Oh….you mean Grimmjow….? I mean…..I'm not sure I'd say we're 'going out' or anything. He isn't exactly the romantic type as you can tell. But we've been together for as long as I can remember along with big-sis and the others.….even so, is that so bad?" asked Ruby sleepily, completely unperturbed by the question.

"Wait so you mean it's true?!" exclaimed Tatsuki.

"Well, I mean, I don't see what's wrong Tsuki-nee. Honestly, it would be much more embarrassing for Ruby-nee if she was still single at her age. I think you should just get married already or something" said Karin.

"Bu…but..! You've never spoken about him till now!" argued Tatsuki.

"Nel told me something along those lines too. Oh, I even heard Onee-chan kissed him, so maybe it's true-"

"WHAT?!" cried Tatsuki again, jolting abruptly. "You're kidding right...? That guy...that guy...he...he did all that to Ichigo and even shoved his hand through Rukia's gut...and you're telling me that...!" Tatsuki looked like she'd almost been betrayed. "And how are you both ok with this?! This is your sister we're talking about!"

"Well, I mean, when you put it that way it does sound bad huh" remarked Karin dryly. "But you know, Ruby-nee's many years older than us. I'm sure she knows better than us. In fact, I think Ruby-nee's quite the player for catching a brute like that guy"

"Exactly-wait no, what do you mean by 'player'! Don't make your nee-san to be some sort of floozy!" argued Ruby comically. "I know you guys had a rough start with him but trust me, he's a really dependable guy once you get to know him. Remember, your big sister has been with him, been with them for many years. You guys have only met him a couple of times. And...I've made sure that he was well punished for what he did to you guys back then. And back then, he really was looking out for you because you're all family to me. I'll admit he was a bit rough, but his heart was in the right place. I'm sure that if he'd known Rukia was the one taking care of you guys in my place, he wouldn't have done that to her either" assured Ruby. "And you have nothing to worry about. They may be my family, but you guys are too. And I wouldn't give up one for the other" she assured, bringing them closer to each other.

"I've seen it too. As Onee-chan says, he's a bit scary on the outside, but I know he really cares for Onee-chan in his own way. And he really respects her too" added Yuzu.

"But still...it just feels like that came out of nowhere..." insisted Tatsuki.

"Dont worry about it" said Ruby "Right now, you're with me, and we're having a nice time together. Let's just leave it at that. Instead of fussing over Grimmjow, why don't I entertain you with some stories of my younger days back from Remnant?"

That certainly got their interest, thought Ruby to herself. The tense and defiant looks on their faces gradually drained out, replaced by curious and anticipatory looks. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright! Let's start with Beacon Academy and how your big sister started her journey to become a huntress! You see, academies in Remnant are just like school here, with their own entrance ceremonies, examinations, subjects, classes and so on. Heck, we even had an initiation ceremony! Actually, I guess it would be more accurate to compare them to the Shinigami academy. Yeah. Our first exam in fact was to explore a forest full of Grimm, and find our way to the exit! And you know, your big sister was only 15 at the time! I really was the youngest student there, since I was admitted on special circumstances. Because you had to be 17 or older to join the academy"

"15...so that would be around Ichi-nii's age right?"

"Yup! Needless to say, your big sister was overwhelmed but at the same time, excited to become a huntress, like those in the fairy tales I grew up on. And *snicker* you wont believe me but you know...they used launch pads to launch us up in the air and then into the forest where our initiation ceremony was!"

"What..!? A launch pad?! No way that's true!"

"No no, I'm serious! Aah..how long has it been! Tee hee, I still remember poor Jaune's clueless face up until he realized he was going to be thrown up in the air"

"But...what kind of nutcase school would yeet students in the air like that?! And with no parachutes and what not?!"

"Oh but it wasn't a normal school, remember?"

"But still!"

"And the first person we saw was to become our teammate for life even after we left the academy. Ahahaha poor Weiss! She was so disappointed when she saw my face but so was I! I mean after all, I did make her dust explode and stuff ahahahaha! Ooh ooh and then! We just stuck together, going through the Grimm like hyaaah! Kyaaah! You should've seen me back then! Sure I wasn't nearly as strong as I am now but I definitely was the cutest little thing out there! Ooh and there was even Penny! Oh dear lords, now that's a name I haven't heard in quite a while! The sweetest and most precious little robot girl! Though she didn't come by until much later. What? You don't believe me? Really, I swear! She really was an android girl! Your big sister was quite shocked when she found out too! And then that happened..."

The three girls listened sometimes awestruck, sometimes confused, and at times doubtfully at the tales Ruby continued to tell them enthusiastically as they lie there in her embrace under the pale moonlit sands of Hueco Mundo.

---

Before he knew it, Ichigo found himself gazing upon the horizon of his flipped inner world, or so he thought. The moment he found himself there he knew something was off instantly. For one, no longer were the buildings jutting out from his side but rather stood upright, reaching for the skies above him. And the other was the fact that the sky itself was no longer bright and sunny but rather moody and cloudy. He could still make out sunlight flittering out from the clouds, but the clouds themselves looked just as ready to burst and rain down on him.

But what caught his attention the most, was the presence he couldn't even see but knew was there, right behind him. It was obvious he could see Ichigo and was choosing to keep silent. 'Zangetsu-'. That was the first thing that came to his mind instantly. But the moment the thought left the confines of his brain, another revelation took over, making him go wide eyed. Ichigo could've sworn he heard him smirk.

"What's wrong, partner? You looked like you had something to say" came his voice, mocking him and also making himself known. Clenching his fists and after several difficult seconds, he found the will to turn around and face them.

Only to be left even more confused than before.

On one side was the one he knew as 'Zangetsu', his dark cloak fluttering in the non-existent wind. In all the time Ichigo knew the old man, never had he seen him display any sort of emotion. No matter the situation, no matter the circumstance, Zangetsu was the kind of person who could think rationally and pull through. And yet, now, he wasn't even looking at Ichigo. His gaze was averted elsewhere and his expression was ridden with guilt and regret.

And to his right was the other one. His hollow. And yet, if not for his stark white appearance and familiar looking hakama, there was no way Ichigo would've even recognized the one standing in front of him to be the same as his inner hollow. Covering his face was a black colored hollow mask with white colored tribal markings and two horns protruding on either side of his face. His 'eyes' were looking straight at Ichigo.

His words echoed in Ichigo's mind.

'I'm Zangetsu!'

Why was it that he had to defeat his inner hollow to gain his bankai? It was a question that had always been in the deep recess of Ichigo's mind. He merely assumed at first that each Zanpakuto had different ways of setting trials for its owner to overcome in order to attain bankai, other than defeating the zanpakuto in battle. But even so, he'd always wondered why was it that his peers always spoke about 'defeating the zanpakuto' and not 'overcoming a test or a trial' to attain Bankai.

But now, listening to Summer, it all made perfect sense. Or rather, it made sense when he assumed that which he'd always denied; the one thing that his inner hollow kept insisting, despite his protests and defiance.

'I'm Zangetsu'

He couldn't. Despite the fact that it was Summer who told him the truth, a person he could trust as much as he trusted Ruby, despite the fact that it made so much sense to him, he simply couldn't bring himself to accept the thing in front of him as his Zanpakuto, the very thing that nearly killed his family, his sisters and his friends. And he simply couldn't accept that the man who'd always been with him through thick and thin wasn't the one supporting him in all of his battles.

Ichigo's thoughts went back to that time, right after Grimmjow's initial attack in the World of the Living, back to the time he first met the Vizards, when Shinji helped him confront and control his inner hollow.

FLASHBACK

After spending several ridiculous minutes going along with the shenanigans of Shinji Hirako and his rag tag group of Vizards, Ichigo had just about had it. He was in no mood to be here to begin with. Everything his sister had told him. His meeting with Grimmjow. Rukia's injuries. Nelliel, who was supposedly his nee-san's family. Orihime's kidnapping. His sisters who were out there, training. And here he was, being forced to work out in a cross trainer. He really wished any of his friends were here. He was even willing to settle for Uryu or even Yoruichi, even when he knew that she would likely only annoy him further by treating him like a play thing.

And so, he let loose a barrage of insults towards these group of people whom he barely knew; people whom he knew were many years older than him, whom he knew were his only chance of getting stronger and controlling his inner hollow. Naturally he didn't expect their side to stay silent either. Hiyori had been a good example of that. And just as they were strangers to him, so was he a complete stranger to them. What was more, not only was he a stranger, he was also way younger than any of them. To their eyes, he was just a brat. And so, it wasn't soon before Shinji, who had been the most aloof of them all, shut him down with a tone as cold as ice. And before Ichigo knew it, Shinji was right in front of him, his palm outstretched over Ichigo's face.

"There's a lot of things we've known long before a greenhorn like you even stepped into this world. But those details…..can wait for later. Maybe you're right. Given the speed at which you've attained your Shikai and Bankai, you just might be able to overcome your inner hollow as well. Maybe that's what works best for you, wouldn't you say? Time to go, Ichigo!" he heard Shinji say, and before Ichigo could even react to anything, he felt his consciousness pulled away from the world in front of him and into the recesses of his inner world just like that time he fought Mayuri. And soon enough, he was staring at the tilted, skyscraper filled cityscape with clear skies and no noticeable greenery. He'd expected he would be pummeled by his inner hollow the minute he entered his inner world.

What he didn't expect was to see a familiar and comforting face instead.

"Old man Zangetsu…." Called out Ichigo in surprise. As usual, Zangetsu was 'perched' on one of the flag poles of a skyscraper in front of him, his cloak swaying in the non-existent wind. "I thought…..'he' would be here. You know….since I'm doing this to control my inner hollow and stuff. Or is this like my bankai training? Where I need to beat that guy again? Or don't tell me that guy got it wrong.."

"Ichigo…in all the battles you have fought so far, you have done so commendably and using your own battle instincts, resourcefulness and power. These are aspects that he excels in. Even when you were training for your Bankai, you were training to attain a higher level of power and your own, true strength. Hollowfication however, is about control. An aspect of combat that he cannot teach you and an aspect of combat that is equally, if not more important than raw strength. You will not learn such a thing from him, a being who lives by his instincts. And you Ichigo…..you are stricken with fear. With doubt. With confusion and with longing for power to protect your family. Your soul reflects your awry psyche" said the middle aged spirit, pointing to the clouds shrouding the sunlight.

"What's with the big words there, Old man Zangetsu….?"

"But fear not, Ichigo. That is the reason I am here. Seeing your soul in such disarray darkens my own as well. For none detest these cloudy skies as I do. That is why, I thought that….perhaps, it is time to offer you my wisdom and my insights and teach you control" continued Zangetsu, approaching him slowly. Any tension that Ichigo had was already draining, and his mind was beginning to calm down. It had always been that way. With his inverted self, it was as if his mind was in a state of constant alertness, ready for just about anything to happen at any given moment with no warning. It was stressful dealing with him. But with Zangetsu….it was as if he truly represented what a Zanpakuto was; a being that was akin to oneself, whose company soothes one's soul. Whether it was his calm and rational voice that radiated control and composure or whether it was his presence that didn't constantly threaten to end his existence, he couldn't tell. All that Ichigo knew was that he was immensely grateful to the middle aged spirit for handling this ordeal of his, especially during a tense period of his life.

"I'm happy you're here, Zangetsu but…..I don't want to put it this way, but well, how will you be able to help me if he's the one whom I have to subjugate?" asked Ichigo.

"Like this" replied Zangetsu, throwing him a zanpakuto that held the shape of his shikai state but was colored strangely. From its tip to around half way across the blade, it was colored normally. From the middle point to the hilt, it was inverted in color, just like his other self's zanpakuto.

"This blade represents you and him. Right now, he is dominant. Your reishi is more accessible to him than his reishi is to you. But should the scales tip either way, one will gain control over the other. However, you are not him, despite him being a part of you. Your reishi is that of a Shinigami, while his is that of a hollow. And his nature is to devour whereas yours is not. As you continue to hold this blade, you will find yourself being devoured by him, little by little. At first your reishi, then your thoughts, then your body and then your entire being. Your task is, as such, this: Master using this blade without losing yourself. Use and control your own reishi to control the reishi that is connected to it. Use it to maintain the balance between Shinigami and Hollow. Use it, and gain the control you desire. Exert your dominance" declared Zangetsu.

No sooner had he said that, Ichigo could feel his other self's malice and bloodlust, already eating away at his own psyche. Like it was awakening feelings he didn't know he had. He was already struggling to hold his sword and wanted nothing more than to drop it then and there. But then Zangetsu began attacking with numerous swords he manifested around him. His intentions serious.

And that's how his training had been. Zangetsu rarely spoke, and would rarely say anything in return after their sessions every day. The initial days were the worst, with Ichigo sustaining immense fatigue, wounds and an unwillingness to continue the other day. But there was no doubt that with each passing day, his other self began to bother him less and less. He could FEEL himself getting stronger with each day. Zangetsu was relentless, strict but never went overboard, giving Ichigo adequate time to adapt when needed, and would never, ever trash talk at him but still scolding him and corrected him strictly when needed. There were almost no words of appreciation for a task well done from Zangetsu, but Ichigo didn't need them. Because all in all, even with all the spartan training that Zangetsu put him through, Ichigo felt nothing but immense gratitude for the spirit in helping him subjugate his other self in a such an understanding manner. From the bottom of his heart, despite Zangetsu's lack of outward sympathy, Ichigo felt he could trust him with his life, literally and figuratively.

FLASHBACK END

With a heavy mind, he turned towards the old man. Ichigo felt downtrodden, and let down. He was unable to decide which was worse; the fact that his inner hollow had been saying the truth all along or the fact that the being he thought was his zanpankuto, taught him to control his fears and his powers was the one who had been deceiving him. But…..Summer's words also resonated within him. As much as he wanted to berate him, he was willing to give him and even his inner hollow to talk things out calmly.

"…..old man…and you…..I think we should talk….." said Ichigo slowly. The older spirit merely glanced at him, while Ichigo could hear an audible groan of disapproval from his inner hollow.

"Talk? You're joking right? You spend all this time without even bothering with all that crap and NOW you want to talk?! And personally, I have absolutely no interest in talking about such irrelevant things, King. And besides, that's not how it works between us, now is it? If you want something, you fight for it, partner. And if you have something to say, talk with your sword"

"Enough" stated the older spirit calmly, but with a certain authority in his voice. The hollow glared at him, but kept quiet otherwise. The older spirit had a weary expression on his face, and was trying his best to look Ichigo in the eye. "Very well, Ichigo. I admit, I've tried a variety of ways to avoid touching this topic. But it would seem that putting this off any further would be pointless. I still believe you are ill prepared for what you want to know, just as your sister suggested. However, I shall also tell you what I can, respecting the wishes of someone who cares just as much for you as I do. Follow me, Ichigo. And you too, Zangetsu. I'm well aware you have no wish to converse with any of us. However, even you have your role to perform, whether you like it or not. As do I. And now is the time for us to fulfill roles that we've shirked off for whatever reason" he said, looking at his other self. The inner hollow was hardly pleased but followed along grudgingly. The fact that the one he thought was 'Zangetsu' called the other by that name only drove his doubts and disbelief deeper into his heart. But he decided that he would listen to what Zangetsu had to say, what both of them have to say before he took any decision. They reached a somewhat open space, where the clouds were scarce and the sun shone with a dim glow, illuminating their forms.

"….Right…..first off, what's with that ugly form?" asked Ichigo, looking at his other self. It wasn't what he intended to begin with, but it was distracting him too much to keep going any further.

"Heh, you really don't know? Come on, you don't remember how you looked like when you were out there trying to skewer your friends and family to death?" mocked Hichigo.

"…..I had a hunch, but what can I say? It's hard to see your ugly mug under that creepy mask, so I just had to make sure" retorted Ichigo dryly.

"Now that you know, what're you gonna do about it?" asked Hichigo, removing his mask. And true enough, Ichigo found himself staring at his own face, albeit colored white with black sclera and dim yellow eyes.

"That's enough, both of you" interrupted the middle aged spirit. "Before we get distracted any further, allow me to answer. Yes, what Summer Rose spoke of is true. She left out the details, but it is the truth"

Ichigo's expression darkened.

"Then…you're really not Zangetsu..? You're really not my zanpakuto…?"

"….you're a special kind of dumbass, aren't you? Even after all those times I kept saying that 'I' was Zangetsu, even after everything that witch told you, even after what this guy just told you, you're STILL asking the same question?!"

"But why?! When I first got my Shinigami powers….you said…you said…..ah….!" The realization of the words that the middle aged spirit first spoke to him all those days back after Byakuya took away Rukia to the Soul Society came back to him.

"Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate. And now, call out the name of your Zanpakuto!"

"That's right, Ichigo. I never, ever remember mentioning to you that my name was Zangetsu. Neither he nor I have ever lied to you. All those times I lent you my knowledge and during all of our conversations, I have never once referred to myself as Zangetsu. As you have guessed, what I am is not your Shinigami powers. I am the manifestation of your Quincy powers. Did you never once think back as to why 'I' was still around when Byakuya Kuchiki took away Rukia Kuchiki's powers from you? If I was truly your Shinigami power, then I wouldn't have been there when you were looking for your Shinigami power inside your inner world. It would've been I whom you would've needed to find. And….did you never wonder why it was that after your Soul Chain was completely eroded you didn't explode and turn into a hollow? Why was it that you instead manifested a hollow mask first?"

"…you're right. I may have thought about it back then, but I chose to push those doubts back into my mind because I was willing to trust your words more than the words of my own mind" answered Ichigo, downcast. "All I want to know is….why? Why would you do all that?! And…..if you're not Zangetsu, then what are you?! Do you even have a name?!"

"Because I didn't want you to become a soul reaper, Ichigo" he answered calmly, his tone unwavering. "Your sister and your mother…..if there was one thing that we all agreed on, it was on the notion that none of us ever wanted you or your younger sisters to become who they are today. Even now, I have no desire to see you continue your journey as a Soul Reaper. I would be content to see you live as a human being, live out your days until you peacefully pass of old age. Perhaps I possess these thoughts, these feelings because I inherited them from your mother, who is the reason I exist and possess a physical form. I know not. But my intention has never been to harm you. And just as she once wished from your sister, when you did eventually become a Soul Reaper, I did my best to help your human body adapt to powers much greater than it could've handled. And so, I suppressed him, I used all of my power to throttle and control the amount of power you had access to and helped you slowly grow used to it, bit by bit"

"I can't even tell you how much I hated having to hold back, partner" thundered Hichigo. "All because you're were such a weakling. Honestly, the amount of shit I've had to put up with is just ridiculous. First, I'm imprisoned by that woman and then I'm trapped in the body of a brat, only to be suppressed by the geezer who lives inside him"

"And eventually, you did become stronger. Very swiftly too. I knew that one day, you would eventually become an exceptional soul reaper. You would even be able to use me, your quincy power in tangent with your Shinigami and hollow powers. You would become even greater than your mother or your father. But until that day, I couldn't stop. I couldn't let you get more and more involved with the spirit world. Have you never noticed, Ichigo? That no matter what kind of danger you were in, I was never the one who saved you. It was always him" he said.

"…..!..."

"Don't get me wrong, King. Don't think I was doing this because I cared or some shit like that. I couldn't have your weak ass dying on me because otherwise, I'd die too. There was absolutely no other reason I had for interfering. Apart from wanting to fight that is" answered Hichigo.

"But save you he did, and by doing that, I was able to continue on with our routine, always making sure you never got access to more power than you could handle, and never needed to access my powers either"

Ichigo spent a long time thinking to himself, going through all the events of his life and getting a second perspective on things after knowing what he did now. Everything that the middle aged spirit did and everything his inner hollow did. He still wanted more time to process everything and was still finding it difficult to just instantly look at them in a new light. But he certainly felt refreshed, a lot more calmer than he thought he would be. Perhaps it was the fact that Summer had taken all that care to slowly explain everything to him, like a mother trying to make her child understand something. Or perhaps it was the fact that Ruby had gone through a lot more in her own life, and to him, that in itself was a source of strength and inspiration. Something that helped him look at his own situation in a better light.

But was there a slight change in how he saw them now as opposed to a few minutes earlier? Naturally. The animosity and repulsion he had towards his inner hollow…..Zangetsu…wasn't there anymore but that didn't mean he didn't find him disagreeable. After all, Zangetsu, despite saving him, did put everyone else in danger. To him, if it meant keeping himself safe, that was all that mattered. But that was just him. Ruby had told him too and now he could see it. Zangetsu was a hollow and Ichigo simply theorized that it was just the way he was, even if he looked human like his sister did. But then again, this wasn't the first time he found someone to be absolutely despicable only for him to grow close to them after he learnt more about them. Byakuya was a good example. The guy had even nearly killed his sisters and yet, now, Byakuya was someone whom Ichigo could agree with on some level. And Zangetsu was nowhere near that level. Heck, he even held stopped himself from harming his sisters way back when he was still trying to attain Bankai, back in Urahara's training ground in the Soul Society.

As for the old man, Ichigo wasn't even sure if his name was Zangetsu, but to Ichigo, calling him by another name felt odd. And hearing the reasons that old man Zangetsu did everything only made him respect him even more. There was no doubt that both of them were looking out for him, in their own ways. If he had to put it, the old man was more….direct about it whereas Zangetsu was more sadistic and uncaring about it. Finally, he lifted his head, looking at the two of them. He took a deep breath, and sighed.

"Alright. Think I've gotten the picture now. First off, you're still an ass" said Ichigo, looking at Hichigo. "But…you did save my ass all those times. So I'm willing to consider looking past the fact that you almost killed my family and nee-san"

"Oh piss off, like I give a rats ass whether you forgive me or not. Let's make one thing very clear, Ichigo. I care only for my own survival and by extension, that means keeping you alive as well. That's it. I don't care why you don't want to do something or not, or why you don't want to kill someone because of whatever morals or whatnot you have. And don't think that we're 'buddies' or 'allies' or something." Replied Hichigo, completely serious.

"….fine. Whatever suits you. But can I still use my powers? Or do I need to kick your ass again for it?" asked Ichigo. "As it so happens, as much as I've needed this, I don't really have the luxury of time. Aizen's still out there"

"It's the same as it's always been partner. You continue to show that you're stronger than me, you get to keep being King and I'll happily help you as your Horse. Actually…..let's do this. I'm gonna make a pact, partner. An agreement. As long as you're King, I'll let you use my powers unrestricted and I'll even keep off from trying to take control of your body. But in return, you'll manifest me outside when I ask for it and you'll allow me to fight every now and then when I feel like it. I'll even promise that I won't go around killing people when I'm outside. But should you put yourself in life threatening danger, unintentionally or not, then I'm taking control and becoming King until you can defeat me and reclaim your throne again. In that state, until you regain your position as King, none of the no-killing rules apply until you can call yourself King again. How's that sound? Even you should agree that this is quite favorable to you. Otherwise, you can forget about going out there and saving anyone. Because I'm not letting you use my powers only for you to get killed again"

"You say you want to make an agreement and yet don't give me an alternative choice. Sounds a bit cheap, don't you think?" asked Ichigo. "Old man…..tell me you're with me here"

"Actually Ichigo, he's being more generous than you give him credit for. If you ask me, you couldn't get a better proposition considering everything"

"That's fine an all, but how do I know he'll keep true to his word? What if he decides to change his mind in between?" asked Ichigo.

"Tell me Ichigo, do you really think he would be one to do something like that? He is your zanpakuto, and the relationship between zanpakuto and soul reaper is built on trust and understanding of each other's natures and desires. You have mastered Bankai. And you have attained Hollowfication. Tell me, despite all that, do you still believe he would be one to pull something like that?"

"….no. You're right. Knowing this ass, he wouldn't have it any other way but to come at me head on and assert his strength…..now that I think about it" said Ichigo.

"Heh, now you're getting it. And besides, what I said earlier wasn't a metaphor. When I said, pact, I meant it. This geezer's been suppressing my power since the beginning. So if anyone one of us breaks our agreement, then he can just prevent that, don't you think?" said Hichigo.

"…fine. You have a deal. I would argue more but Rukia and the others need my help soon. So I'll figure things out later. Which brings me to you" said Ichigo, looking at the middle aged spirit. "First….I know you said your name wasn't Zangetsu. Then….what's your real name….?"

"I…..cannot say. Not yet Ichigo"

"Can I just continue calling you old man Zangetsu then?" asked Ichigo.

"It doesn't particularly matter to me. But if that pleases you, then I do not mind either"

"It's settled then. And….what about you, old man Zangetsu? If you're the manifestation of my Quincy powers….then….will you help me defeat Aizen as well…?" asked Ichigo.

"If you want to know, Ichigo..I am very opposed to this. Do not give me that surprised look. You know that you gain nothing by pitting yourself against an enemy that is far superior to any enemy you have fought before. And you know of my desire to keep you from becoming more involved with the spirit world. However, neither you will agree to such a thing nor will Zangetsu here. Using my power and his power, there is no doubt you will be far superior to Aizen Sosuke. But even if you were to defeat him, it would only put you in a position where you will be called upon and expected to resolve their issues whenever they face an adversary they cannot defeat. That's why, before you can use my power, or his power for that matter, I want to confirm that you ARE ready to handle it. That you CAN decide and stand firm on your own decisions for yourself, despite what anyone says. If you can show me that, if you can do that, then, I'll be happy to lend you my hand. Otherwise Ichigo, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave"

"…I'll do it. If that's what will take for you to help me, then I'll do it" replied the orange haired soul reaper. Zangetsu looked almost disappointed, but Ichigo couldn't tell. The middle aged spirit spared a single glance towards Hichigo, who only returned a single smirk.

"…very well. In that case Ichigo. You'll defeat the two of us, here and now. Show us that you can follow through with your decisions, even if you have the odds stacked against you, even if you have to face one of your own. Do that, and you have my and his unwavering support" said the quincy spirit, jumping backwards and preparing a battle stance. His inner hollow did the same. Hichigo drew Tensa Zangetsu and put on his hollow mask, whereas the quincy spirit manifested Blut vene and manifested a glowing reishi sword shaped like a broadsword with a 5-pointed cross on its guard. Ichigo wanted to question old man Zangetsu about his battle equipment, but found himself getting attacked almost immediately, finding no time to think about anything else but defeating his zanpakuto and quincy spirits.

---

Sometime earlier

"Is that still bothering you, Momo?" asked Aizen as they walked through the Garganta along with Gin, Tosen and the other arrancars.

"You mean…..having to purify Yami, captain?" asked Momo, still looking downward. "No it's not that. I mean, sure, it felt a bit….underhanded considering he couldn't even move and all of his limbs were cut off. But….is it bad that I thought I was 'putting him of his misery'? I just….can't believe that I'm having such thoughts. I never thought I'd feel so justified in killing off someone and calling it mercy" said Momo.

"You amuse me. You first say you aren't bothered by it and then you go on to tell me that is precisely what bothers you" said Aizen. Momo looked away apologetically. "But it is of no consequence. I don't know why you are so bothered by something you shouldn't have any doubts about. You are a soul reaper. And he was a hollow. You were just carrying out your duties. Both as a Soul Reaper and as my subordinate. And there is no doubt you've spared him from shame and humiliation more than actual pain and misery. So no, it wasn't 'mercy' by any means, it was you simply performing your duties. There is nothing wrong or immoral about this. Do not bring in your emotions where they aren't required"

"Ah…..yes you're right, Lord Aizen…I'll keep that in mind" said Momo.

"And the same goes for what we are about to face now. I sincerely hope that you are fully prepared for what is to come. After all of our preparations, I will be disappointed if you let your conscience cloud your skills" said Aizen.

"I'll be alright, Lord Aizen" assured Momo. "I was only bothered by what I had to do to Yami because I finished him off when he was down, suffering and defenseless. But that doesn't mean I'll be that way with them. I've pledged my allegiance to you and you alone. I've steeled myself to face them ever since I began to serve you by your side"

"Is that so? I'll be pleased if that were true, but let's see the extent of that shall we?" he said, stepping out of the opening in front of them. Bright sunlight greeted them, making them squint their eyes. Many tiny blocks of concrete, brick and wood lay beneath them like building blocks on the floor. Amongst the blocks they could see tiny specs of greenery, streams of water as well as mountains in the distance. And above them were fluffy clouds occasionally passing over the sun. But in front of them were several figures dressed in black, some of which were also covered in white. And in front of said group was the figure of an old man hunched over and supporting himself with the help of a cane. Aizen smiled. As he exited the Garganta, the rest of his subordinates followed suit one by one, starting from the 1st Espada all the way to the 9th Espada and their fraccione, each one taking up positions as per the formation they discussed before they arrived here.

In front of them stood a whole platoon of Soul Reapers and captains, each one in their own formations. Amongst the captains were Yamamoto leading them, Kyoraku and Ukitake, Komamura and Toshiro, Soi-Fon and at the very back, Mayuri. They were present with their lieutenants namely Nanao with Kyoraku, Hisagi and Iba with Komamura, Rangiku and Izuru with Toshiro and Omaeda with Soi-Fon and her stealth force.

But that wasn't all. Standing beside them in a separate group were the Vizards, their eyes fixed solely on Aizen and the soul reapers.

The first thing Aizen noticed was how different the air felt. The air didn't have the same neutral, scarce reishi that the World of the Living did but rather it felt fresh and robust, like that of the Soul Society. Looking around, he could make out four massive pillars around them in four corners of the city they were standing on.

"The air…..it feels different…..it feels…..like that of the Soul Society…!" remarked Tosen, looking around.

"Are you surprised?" asked Shinji snidely, tilting his cap. "You didn't think we'd simply waste away the time you so generously gave us now did you, Sosuke? What do you think? Like the new arrangement we made just for you?"

"We were able to make it in time thanks to captain Kurotsuchi and Kisuke Urahara's efforts. Your plans for the King's Key end here, Aizen Sosuke" boomed Yamamoto.

"It wasn't easy to anticipate the exact moment you'd come here, I'll tell ya that" admitted Kyoraku. "But well, what can you say? You might be quite the schemer but as they say, its rather easier to predict the actions of an intelligent man than that of a fool"

"You and I have a score to settle Sosuke…..wait, no, we have a score to settle, Sosuke. I hope you wont hide behind those arrancars of yours instead of facing us" said Shinji.

Toshiro couldn't hold it in any longer and stepped forward right beside Yamamoto.

"Captain Hitsugaya, why are you breaking formation-"

"Momo….so…..you're really going to stay by his side…? Despite knowing what he's planned….? Is this really want you want? Huh?! Are you telling me that's the kind of person you are?! It's not too late you know! You can still make the right choice here and come back to us! I know you're not the kind of person who'd want to go through with such a scheme! You can always make the right decision here and choose the right side!" shouted the 10th squad captain, looking directly at his childhood friend. He would've settled for anything; a sign of remorse on her face, or perhaps a sign of understanding or even a sign of defiance. Heck, he half expected Momo to actually lash out at him, or perhaps verbally counter argue with him. But all that he got was her turning away from his gaze with a disappointed but pained expression, staying close to Aizen's side. And she looked no more at him, her expression indifferent and determined. Almost as if his last response was all that she needed to make her final decision regarding the matter.

"MOMO! Is that really all that I'm worth to you?! Don't I even deserve a response?! Well?! Say something!" he roared, but to no avail. Gin could only watch amused and Aizen didn't even bother observing the 10th squad captain, as if he'd already known the result.

"I think you should save your energy and go back to your post, Captain Hitsugaya" reminded Yamamoto, stopping him. "Out of the goodness of my heart, I decided to give you and her one last chance to redeem herself. But as you have observed, she has chosen her path. I cannot allow you to be distracted by traitors any longer" Downcast, Hitsugaya had no choice in the matter but to obey. Yamamoto then turned to Aizen.

"Aizen Sosuke…..your foul actions and ambitions have plagued and ripped apart the trust and bonds of family, friends and peers who once trusted you like their own. As if that wasn't enough, you've dragged others down in a path of no redemption as well, forcing them to give up on their bonds and things that they cherish as well. Not to mention siding with those foul beasts and turning them into beings that make complete mockery of us Soul Reapers. There is no punishment I can lay down on you that will be adequate enough for what you've done. Do not look to repent for your actions later on, for you have brought this war upon yourself." declared Yamamoto, raising his zanpakuto and pointing it at him.

In all this while, none who stood beside Aizen Sosuke spoke a single word. The group of Vizards continued to demand answers and quoted vengeance for their burning hatred and their plight, while the head Captain, Kyoraku and even Ukitake began reprimanding him for his actions and its consequences. He could sense their growing unease. Aizen Sosuke understood it very well. The power of silence. With each moment he remained silent, with each moment they expected him to respond to their queries, their tension rose in anticipation of Aizen's next course of action. Aizen was one who had spun them around his fingers for over a century. And as such, he was already a figure whom they were cautious of to the extreme. And so, his silence to their taunts instilled a growing unease and fear in their minds. He had done nothing, and yet, that moment would truly be one that Tier and Starrk would remember for all time for it was then that the truly understood just how capable he was.

Aizen let air flow into his lungs as he took a small breath, breaking the subtle void of silence and giving it the slightest sound, breaking their thoughts. And disrupting their concentration.

"You stand there, calling me a hypocrite, calling me a traitor and calling this façade of yours a war. Talking as if you have anticipated my thoughts, my actions and have prepared for them in time. Did you think I would not be aware this isnt the real Karakura Town? That this is a portion of the Rukon District swapped in with the real Karakura Town? Did you think that this….would be enough for me to give up on my ambitions? The only true hypocrite here is you, who once fought in the bloodiest war in the history of the Soul Society dares to call this little skirmish a 'war', joined by your pawns who couldn't even compare to those from a 1000 years ago. You mock me for siding with 'foul beasts' and yet, you choose to ally yourself with the likes of Shinji Hirako, mock arrancars to whom you turned your back on after I was done with them for no fault of their own. You stand there, expecting me to confess my sins and justify your actions, all to glorify your own creed as being righteous. Drowning yourself in this self-righteousness…..I truly pity any soul unfortunate enough to be subservient to your sanctimonious ideals and your cause. This whole farce is merely a nuisance in my path to utterly crush such a flawed system that dares to bind me with its rules. I shall crush any who attempt to rule over me. And unlike you, who seeks justification from the enemy, I'll show you the consequences of imposing your lowly principles on me. It is you who shall repent the consequences of your fallen state and you who shall see what a fatal mistake it was to not attack me immediately the moment I appeared on the battlefield. You may have thought to diminish the strength of my forces by forcing them to fight in a battlefield where the reishi acts against them, but you seem to forget, that I, as a Soul Reaper, could not ask for a better place to crush you all and your focus should've never wavered from me even for a second" Said Aizen, raising his hand.

"Hado #95, Itan Shouki" (Lit: Way of Destruction, 95. Heretical Sanity)

The moment the chant escaped his lips, nothing seemingly happened save for a slight shudder that passed through all the fighters around Aizen. The other soul reapers were looking at each other in caution, but mostly to determine if the hado spell had really done anything and inquiring those around them if things were alright. The arrancars were doing the same, as evident from the whispers and hushed voices behind Aizen. Some were even hissing and hustling at the fact that Aizen decided to use a 90s level hado spell in such close vicinity to them.

But the eyes of Ukitake, Kyoraku and the head captain were wide open in shock and disbelief. Because it was only they who knew the true terror of the spell that just washed over them before they could even blink. Their experienced eyes wasted no time in observing their own troops in order to gauge the effects of the spell.

At first, nothing happened save for increased murmuring and some confused whispers from both sides. Even the head captain, Ukitake and Kyoraku who were initially paranoid about the effects of the spell almost heaved a sigh of relief.

And then, chaos ensued.

BGM: Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni OST: Anten

Tier, Starrk, Lily and the Tres Bestias would forever remember this moment for all of their lives and beyond as they witnessed what came to pass right before their very eyes with from just a single kido spell.

"THIS BODY! I MUST ESCAPE IT! I MUST RELEASE MY TRAPPED SOUL FROM THE CONFINES OF THE FLESH AND ATTAIN TRUE FREEDOM!"

"Lieutenant Matsumomo what's wrong?! Get a hold of your self!"

"AAAAAAARGGHHH! WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU…STOP…STOP!"

*SHICK! WHISHC!*

"awaaa…awawawa.….awawawaw…..awwwwaaaawawa….…"

"Lieutenant Iba…wh…what's going on?! Sto…what're you doing with that…..let go…..I said let go…ah…arrrrghhhhh!"

*SCHICK!WHISHCHHH! KSCHICH!*

"Someone restrain him! No….wait…..a stay away! AAAAAAARRRRGH!"

"Hey….Heeeeey….captain….see…? This medicine will make alllll better….! See….?! It'll only hurt for just a little bit…..! Just a litttttle poke. Chick! Just like that….! See…! Come closer….! Whhaaaat…? Yoou don't believe me…..? Then….I'll show it by using it on myself…ahgahahaa!"

"Nanao-chan don't! Stop it!"

*RRRRRAAAAAAWWRRRRR! ROOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!*

"Captain Komamura don't!"

"maaap…maaaaaaap…maaap…..mamamp…..mpmpammamp…"

"OMAEDA! I SAID SNAP OUT OF IT! Hey…..what're you doing with him…!? I order you to put him down….! This instant….! No….dont! DAAAAAMMMMIT!"

*SCHICCCCCCCK! CRUUUUUNCH!*

"moMO…I'll save you…MoooooMO….doooooont…don't leave me….MOMOOO…momomo….soon…..your light wont be blocked by him…you'll be as bright as before…..at our side…..at my side….moMOmoMOmomoMOMO…"

"….."

Momo watched, repulsed and terrified as Toshiro Hitsugaya approached Momo with his eyes wide open, pupils dilated and murmuring about saving her.

"Stay back…I said stay back Shiro-chan….! Just leave me alone…!"

*KLAAAANG!*

"…..!You…..MoMOMO…..why…? why do you reject me.,...? when I'm doing sooooo much for you…..?...if you wont come with me….then I'll just kill you here and now….!"

It wasn't just the Shinigami who were in a frenzy. Fraccione of Baraggan, Nnoitora were acting the same, some transforming to their released state and causing untold destruction and collateral damage around them.

Shinigami against Shinigami. Arrancar against arrancar. Shinigami against arrancar. Friend against friend. Foe against foe. It was a hellish scene and the skies were filled only by the deranged cries of the mindless fighters causing havoc and unfettered destruction around them. And those that were of sound mind had their hands full preventing said destruction.

"You never told me you had something like that up your sleeve…" remarked Gin, completely serious.

"Because I couldn't use it until recently, Gin" answered Aizen, a satisfied expression on his face as he observed the battlefield.

"For a Hado spell this is quite different…" remarked Tosen.

"Indeed. This Hado spell imposes a state of paranoia, hyperawareness and clouded judgement on those around the caster. A Hado spell is an offensive spell, but offense need not really mean something that cause explosions or cut through things. In that sense, this is more of a psychological offensive spell. Because it clouds and impairs the sense of judgement of the target, those affected are unrestrained in their actions as their brains no longer limit the amount of strength the yuse to perform actions, thereby leading to self harm as well. Normally, Hado spells have some form of reishi in the form of a blast that can be seen and avoided or intercepted. But this is a more passive type of spell meaning it is an effect that is imposed on you directly. And hence, it cannot be avoided" explained Aizen. "Actually, that's wrong. The effectiveness of this spell is dependent on the willpower of the target. If you're strong enough mentally, even the weakest soul can overcome its effects. However, weak minded souls, even at captain level or arrancar level will fall to its effects. A 1000 years ago, this was one of the main spells used by Soul Reapers to confuse the Quincies and cause untold destruction and collateral damage. The effects of the spell are also permanent. Which is why after the war it was deemed too dangerous and too immoral to use this spell against anyone. But back then, this spell was only useful against foot soldiers. And my chant of this spell is incomplete. It IS a 90s level hado after all. Which is why it took a while for its effects to show up and why the effects are likely not permanent. However…even at this level…..I never expected it to work this well" he admitted. "As I thought, the Soul Reapers died alongside the Quincies a 1000 years ago. Back then, something of this caliber wouldn't have done anything to the Soul Reapers. Living in an era free of conflict and war has made them weak and fragile"

"Wh…..what is this…?!" breathed out Sung-sun in utter disbelief, taking a step back in shock. The scene in front of her was unreal. One second everything was clam and then, there was blood and screams everywhere.

"Oy...I just...I just saw Ggio trying to rip his brains out with his zanpakuto...what the fuck is going on...?!" exclaimed Apacci, scared.

"They're fighting their own men..." said Mila Rose, similarly surprised.

"Aizen...?! What have you done?!" demanded Tier.

"What do you mean by that? I just explained it, I used a Hado spell. Surely you can deduce that this is the effect of using said spell" answered Aizen calmly.

"She's asking why you decided to use kido that affects our own troops as well!" said Starrk.

"Why? This is the fastest way to take out fodder. And besides, you miss the point. There's more to it than merely demonstrating the spell's grizzly effects. As I mentioned, this is my way of showing them how weak and corrupt they've become. Most of the casualities are on their side. And I dont see what you have to complain about. After all, the only ones affected on our side were a couple of fraccione. A fair trade off for taking out many enemies, wouldnt you say?" asked Aizen.

"But...what if we'd been affected too...?! I just..." stammered Lilynette. Looking at the crazed lieutenant of squad 8 talk about medicine and trying to scratch out her own neck made her shudder rather violently when she imagined herself in that position.

"I had utmost faith that you of all people wouldnt be so weak minded to fall prey to my kido. After all, I've known you all for about a century now" he replied casually, and it was then that they understood there was no further arguing with him.

Aizen, Gin and Tosen watched as each of the affected participants of the battle behaved and acted differently;

Nanao was poking herself and clawing her neck viciously while Kyoraku tried his best to restrain and subdue her. Her nails and hands were already coated with blood while thin streams of blood were streaming down her neck.

Momo continued to retaliate against a deranged Toshiro who was now using his Bankai against Momo. The girl was fighting back with a disgusted and pitiful look on her face with a combination of Tobiume's fire blasts, hado and bakudo spells.

Hisagi was standing at a single spot, looking towards the sky, dazed and chanting away 'wooouuuwouuuuwouuuuwouu' as he continued to swing his dual scythe Zanpakuto, Kazeshini around him in a trance. He was swinging it so fast that his own arms were swollen, bright red and looked as if they were about to tear themselves apart any second.

Yumichika and Ikkaku were trying their hardest to restrain Iba Tetsuzaimon who continued to talk about wanting to attain freedom from his fleshly body and stab away and dig out various parts of his body using his Zanpakuto. And in trying to restrain him, they had no choice but to force him into submission using Ikkaku's bankai as well as Yumichika's shikai.

Soi-Fon and the others of the stealth force were being crushed and rent apart by Omaeda's Gegetsuburi which was now being swung by Omaeda in ways he never did when he was sane. And Soi-Fon found that he was surprisingly a lot stronger than he was normally, to the point that he was bludgeoning himself at times as he swung his spiked chain mace Zanpakuto. After losing half of the members of the stealth force in trying to restrain him, Soi-Fon found no choice but to neutralize him using her zanpakuto's killing blow.

Nemu advanced against her creator, Mayuri with a blank look on her face as well, but was shut down by an enraged Mayuri before any damage could be done.

Captain Komamura went on a feral rage, using his Bankai immediately and swinging the titanic zanpakuto of his Bankai and completely decimating his surroundings. In doing so, some of the arrancars of Barragan's faction got caught in the attack as well, which in their frenzied state caused them to retaliate with equal fervor. As if following a domino effect, the fraccione of Baraggan joining in forced the remainder of the soul reapers to join in as well, following which Nnoitora, Zommari and Barragan joined in the fray. With such powerful arrancars joining in battle, Ukitake and some of the Vizards had no choice but to step in.

Even amongst the Vizards, Shinji was busy stopping Hiyori, who after hollowfying constantly tried to eat and bite her other vizard companions. Lisa was in a similar state, as was Mashiro and Kensei. It took Shinji's own hollowfication plus the disorienting abilities of his shikai to keep four other hollowfied vizards at bay without killing them.

All from the results of a single spell, and the battle had just started.

---

In the distance, not too far away, Kisuke Urahara was growing increasingly concerned for the happenings on the outside.

"Oy aren't you done yet?!" growled Yoruichi, pacing back and forth in the underground training hall of Urahara's hideout. Standing with them were Isshin Kurosaki, Tessai and Ryuken Ishida.

"Any minute now, it's almost ready" informed Urahara.

"Remind me once more why we are here, or for that matter, why is it that you've called for me, Kisuke" asked Ryuken sternly.

"Because the town's in danger you nut and if that's not enough, how about the fact that if Aizen wins this he's gonna go invade the Royal palace!" asked Isshin.

"I fail to see how that is particularly my problem" he responded.

"If he gains access to the Royal Palace, he could potentially take down the Soul King, thereby the whole world with it. Is that reason enough for you, four eyes!?" shouted Isshin annoyed.

"Tch…its always something with you soul reapers…." Scoffed Ryuken, adjusting his glasses. "You must really think this Aizen is strong if you've come all the way to me for help"

Before Yoruichi could interrupt them, the heavy presences of various spirit energies significantly diminished.

"Kisuke…..!"

"Yeah…..that's not good…." Said Urahara.

"I can still feel Aizen's spirit energy…..but….a lot of the captain's are lacking theirs…." Said Isshin.

"…..Yoruichi-san, Isshin-san, Ishida-san, go on. I'll follow right along" said Urahara. "I just need a couple of minutes. This should be right about the time Unohana-san returns from Hueco Mundo. I'm not sure what's the situation outside, but I think they'll be glad to use any help they can get"

With a quick nod, Yoruichi hurried along switching into the new combat attire Kisuke made for her while Isshin and Ryuken followed along.

"You'd better give me compensation for the trouble I'm putting myself through, Kisuke" said Ryuken before heading out. Urahara quickly flashed a thumbs up before getting back to work.

---

This took much longer than I thought, but here it is. I'll be honest with you guys, I wasn't particularly keen about the details of the winter war, atleast in the part where all the soul reapers are initially fighting. There are still some aspects I'd write in more detail but I wasn't planning to focus too much on the other soul reapers to begin with anyways. I know this probably isnt the best chapter but I tried my best to push through and flesh out some details here and there as far as the winter war goes. The next chapter will show a little bit more about the remaining conflicts, such as Starrk's fight, Tier's fight, the arrival of the party from Hueco Mundo as well as Yoruichi, Isshin and Ryuken.

---

Response to reviews:

spellflame: Yeah true.

Argorok: Thanks a lot, I'll try my best to!

firewyrm2: Oh but naturally. There might be momments when its just her, but of course it wont stay that way for long. After all, she'll want her friends and family from bleach to meet her family and friends back in Remnant, wont she? As for who goes with her, we shall see.

Redwood: Thank you so much for the elaborate review!

Yup that's what I wanted to go for since the beginning, focussing more on their character development rather than the powers they had.

True, but I promise them being too OP for Remnant wont be an issue.

I'm sure Summer can work out something. She's handled far worse after all.

Yeah, those are interesting interactions indeed. Though I would say that in Yang's case, she'll also get along with Nelliel very well, given their similar personalities

Yeah things are a lot different already. Heck, we already have one dead Shinigami (the lieutenant of squad 2) and it wont end there. Honestly, I dont want to focus too much on those Shinigami, but I'll try my best not to skim over them.

Yeah it's like it's something they needed to be told, even in canon. Ichigo had many elder, more mature people looking after him and yet, not one of them scolded them for doing stuff that had nothing to do with them or wasnt their responsibility. And knowing Ruby, it only made sense that in this fic, she'd blast them for what they did.

cassnova5424: ahahaha I can only hope I can keep writing long chapters! Though it is also true that my updates of late have taken more than a week per chapter, something I'm trying ot fix.

L4 of the WEST: Indeed. As I mentioned in the footnote, I dont plan to focus too much on the other Soul Reapers vs Aizen, and rather prefer to focus more on the fight between Ruby and squad vs Aizen more.

Crimsongear: Yup, it's been a long ride. It'll end differently to canon for sure. You'll see.

ranjira1988: Thank you so much!

Vedahzii: Thanks! And yeah, I left it vague since I thought 1. You could tell who was talking by the way they were talking and 2. You could chose for yourself if it felt too vague. I must say though, I'm really glad you're listening to the BGM's I put in and glad you liked them! Yeah a bit of info dump there and a bit rushed, I agree, but oh well, I didnt want to spend too much on the info dump as you said, so I summarized it. It'll be a big moment for Ruby, but it'll be more on the happier side for sure when she returns.

Kragh: You're welcome!

Fregreg: You're welcome! The silver eyes work on all hollows, even Ruby herself now that she IS one. But she's also part shinigami as are the other Espada. So the effect is halved. But for Ruby it stings a lot more than her friends because of her Hell reishi. This is if she is hit with the light from her silver eyes.

Lucian Naruto: Oh I've seen that, aahahah yeah that kind of Hell would be truly Hell for Kenpachi no doubt!

The-Killer40513: Or maybe she wont at all. But yeah, she probably wont now atleast as you say.

Athrick: Thanks! And yeah, me too.

Ninguem248: Wow that's really nice of you and I'm really happy you feel that way! I'll try my best to continue writing the way I am now!

NEGATARO: Thanks a lot as always! True, personally, I'm also really excited to write about Remnant! Soon my friend!

Xeno01: She'll be surprised to say the least ahahaha! Now one of her teammates is also a faunus(?), and a cat at that.

Yeah I should probably leave some form of numbers to give a good figure for the relative power levels of the cast. Perhaps next chapter I will.

Ah yeah, their reactions couldve been more...vivid. But I thought it might get old, since Ruby's tales have been told a few times now.

Yup, and Summer isnt nearly done with Unohana just yet!

Oh yeah, there will be deaths, on both sides. Heck, that lieutenant from squad 2 already is.

Ulquiorra is like, well, Ichigo in a hollow like form defeated me, so by how things go in Hueco Mundo, Ulquiorra's life is now Ichigo's to do with as he pleases.

You're welcome!