The Kaioken's aura tinted the inside of Las Noches bright red. Gusts of wind blew into the Soul Reapers' faces and obscured their vision.
"Captain!" Rangiku called out as she shielded her eyes. "That's Goten, isn't it?"
Hitsugaya unsheathed the sword on his back in a hurry and brought forth his aura.
Ichigo snatched him by his shihakusho. "Don't do it! We have to stick to the plan."
Toshiro snapped back at him. "You don't understand! I can't let him fight like this!"
"I know he's doing something dangerous, but he's giving us the time we need to do our part. If you go in there now, kiss everything you want to protect goodbye. So do you wanna go fight, or do you wanna win?!"
Toshiro clenched his fists, but shot a hand out. "Alright, let's hurry."
Ichigo joined Hitsugaya and extended his hand. The two locked onto Grimmjow's signal and sent their energy toward him. Once their strength left their fingertips, they both collapsed to a knee and gasped for air. Orihime tried to give them aid, but Unohana Flash Stepped in front of her.
"It would be best if you save your strength for healing the wounded," she said. "We'll handle this."
Unohana called her lieutenant, and the two rushed over to Hitsugaya and Ichigo. The women placed their hands on Toshiro's and Ichigo's backs and restored their power with Kaido. Though they'd both be back to full strength within a few moments, Ichigo gripped the cloak on his knee.
Come on, come on, come on! We gotta get going!
With violent anger coursing through his veins, Goten raced toward Aizen and threw out his fist. Aizen sidestepped, then slashed his sword downward. Goten's heightened senses allowed him to track the blade's path. Once the sword kissed his neck, he teleported behind Aizen and kicked him into the air. Though Aizen blocked his leg, Goten leaped from the ground to pursue him. A beam from Aizen prompted Goten to dash around and soar high above him. He lowered his hand to his hip and charged an energy ball into his palm.
"Kamehameha!" Goten released a massive energy wave hurled downward to his target.
"A decent effort, but a paltry one," Aizen said.
Before he countered with his own blast, he gasped and spun around. Another giant Kamehameha approached him from the ground.
What?! He shouldn't even be able to move.
Once he sensed his brother's energy, Gohan raised himself from his comatose state. While Goten distracted Aizen, he charged and released all of his power into his beam. Unable to escape either of the Kamehameha waves, Aizen stuck his arms out and caught them both in his hands.
"Fuck!" Goten yelled. He forced all of his power into the attack, but he couldn't drive Aizen backward. Aizen squeezed one set of fingers and destroyed Goten's beam. Several small blue balls dispersed and burst across the desert. One such ball struck him in the face.
While Goten fell from the sky, Aizen fired a small ball of energy into the other Kamehameha. The ball expanded to consume Gohan's beam in a matter of seconds. Gohan shoved his palms into Aizen's attack to prevent it from vaporizing Las Noches. However, the force overwhelmed his arms; his feet burrowed themselves into the sand. The ground quaked while fragments of the ceiling collapsed.
Goten landed and observed the energy ball progress toward the ground. Although he desired to help, Aizen already set his sights on Goku and Vegeta. He needed to make another decision.
I'm sorry, Gohan. As soon as they fuse, I'll help you. We'll all make it out of this somehow.
Goten stepped back and readied himself for another offensive. However, strains in several parts of his body prevented any further movements.
"Gaaah!" He dropped to his knees with labored breaths. His muscles stiffened; his hair reverted to its normal black color. In addition, the purple ice flowers that floated behind him melted away.
"All outta time, and just when I needed it the most," he said between exhales. "Fan-fucking-tastic."
The ice wings dissolved into the air. With his head lowered, he coughed out droplets of blood. Though his power dwindled to a fragment of its normal amount, Goten forced himself to continue.
"Come on, body." He strained his neck upward. "Don't fail me now. Just… move!"
With a push, he willed himself to his feet, but found it hard to apply pressure on either of his legs. His trembling fingers refused to curl into a fist. Blood combined with sweat trickled to his chin. The dry air burned his lungs with every breath. Still, he couldn't give in until they secured victory.
We're so close. Just… just a little more.
Far from the action and barely conscious, Grimmjow lay paralyzed from Aizen's previous blow to his chest cavity.
"Stupid Soul Reapers," he said. "What part of 'send your energy' did they not understand? This is what we get for trusting a pea-brain like Kurosa-"
An influx of energy rushed into his body and prompted a grin. "Took 'em long enough. "Wouldn't mind keeping some of this for myself." He strained his hand toward Goku and Vegeta. "Oh, well."
Along with a large part of his own power, he transferred the energy away. "Kakarot, Prince… give 'em hell." He turned away and stretched his hand in another direction. "Now for you, kid."
Grimmjow donated his remaining strength to Trunks. "You gotta stay alive. There's… not too… many of us left."
With his energy depleted, his head dipped sideways, and he slipped into insensibility.
While Gohan held back the energy ball as best he could, Aizen floated above and charged another blast directed at Goku and Vegeta. "Finally, I can give the two of you my full attention."
"Dammit, we're still not close," Goku said through clenched teeth. "Any ideas?"
Vegeta balled his fists. "None that will do us good. Hurry and help your son while I give this bastard a piece of my mind."
"That's crazy and you know it. There's no way you can fight him alone."
Vegeta grinned. "Hmph. If I'm going to die, then why not go out with a bang-"
A surge of energy flooded into their bodies. Their mouths gaped open at the sudden rush of strength.
Aizen gasped before he directed his fiery glare at Grimmjow. However, with his molars pressed together, he narrowed his eyes. "You all thought you would fool me with a simple misdirection? When I am finished here, I will find those hidden pests and exterminate them."
Vegeta stared at his hands in disbelief. "Where is this coming from? This can't be all of Grimmjow's power."
Goku's smile and translucent aura burst forth. "Doesn't matter. Let's figure out a way to fuse."
Vegeta nodded and powered up as well. However, the duo jolted when Aizen appeared between them. With only the force of his aura, Aizen launched Goku and Vegeta in opposite directions. Aizen chased down Vegeta and fired a slew of blasts at him. Vegeta regained his balance and took evasive measures. Goku controlled himself, but his eyes widened as his son darted toward Aizen.
Aizen stopped and faced Goten, who flew in with his fist pulled back. With all the might in him, Goten slammed his knuckles between his enemy's eyes. The fire in his gaze waned, and his mouth fell open when he realized that his punch had no effect. Without hesitation, Aizen thrust his hand and impaled Goten through the center of his chest.
"No!" Goku's voice stretched throughout the landscape. Vegeta froze in shock.
Goten trembled, but could not move. His arm slumped, and he struggled to intake any sliver of air that his ruptured trachea allowed.
In one motion, Aizen ripped his hand away. Goten fell forward, then heaved blood onto Aizen's body. Time slowed around him.
Damn. So this is what it feels like…
A force of energy from Aizen's hand propelled Goten across the desert. Goku exploded into Super Saiyan Blue and rushed to Aizen. Knowing he couldn't stop Goku, Vegeta powered up to the same state and charged from the other side.
With Gohan dealt with and plans for fusion deviated, Aizen's grin made a sly return. "Like lambs to the slaughter."
After having their full power renewed, Toshiro and Ichigo stood to their feet, then thanked Unohana and Isane for their help. Ichigo drew his sword from his back and thrust it in front of his body, while Toshiro lifted his blade to the sky.
"Ban-kai!" A burst of dust surrounded their bodies, then dissipated to reveal their transformed selves. Before he focused on the task ahead, Ichigo tugged on his black wristband.
"Leave those on," Urahara said. "It'll give you the element of surprise. Once you get within striking range, rip it off and hit him with everything you've got."
"Got it," Ichigo said. He turned to Hitsugaya. "Ready?"
Toshiro nodded, but before they left, an object in the aid sped toward them. Though it looked like a meteor, Toshiro detected a faint signal. "Goten?"
As his friend descended toward the ground, he gasped when a voice spoke to his mind.
"Freeze… the blood."
Goten crashed a great distance beside the group, carving a long trail of sand with him. Toshiro panicked and swiveled to retrieve him, but Soi Fon stepped out before he went any further. "I'll get him. Just go!"
Toshiro squeezed the hilt of his sword but relented. Without another word, he departed with Ichigo.
Though the duo rushed toward an unfathomable power, neither held any reservations. All thoughts of past failures disappeared. They directed all of their fear, anxieties, and anger into their Zanpakutos. Daiguren Hyorinmaru coated itself in ice, while black and red energy twirled around Tensa Zangetsu. The fate of Universes Six and Seven rested on their combined strike.
While Ichigo and Toshiro drew closer to Aizen, Soi Fon reached Goten's location with a Flash Step. Wasting no time, she pulled him from a mound of sand. Her heart missed a beat once she saw his injuries and blue-tinted face. She placed two fingers beside his throat, then hoisted his unconscious body over her shoulder and Flash Stepped next to Orihime.
"He's still alive, but you need to hurry," Soi Fon said as she laid him down.
Orihime nodded and activated Soten Kisshun around Goten. The rest of the group gazed down at him with wide eyes. Rangiku placed her hand over her mouth and resisted the urge to cry.
"Oh my god," Momo whispered.
Soi Fon shifted her eyes back to the battle. With Goten's body in such horrific shape, what condition would Trunks be in when they recovered him?
Shit. Why didn't I go?
From opposite ends, neither Goku nor Vegeta grazed their target. After he evaded several attacks, Aizen teleported behind Vegeta and slammed him to the ground. Goku swung his leg at his body, but Aizen snatched him by the ankle and flung him next to Vegeta. The two sat up, only to find a beam charged at Aizen's fingertip.
His grin slid open and revealed his teeth. "Gentleman, it's been a pleasure."
A loud rush of air prompted Aizen to turn his head. Ichigo and Toshiro sped toward him. "I was hoping I'd get to save you two for last."
Hitsugaya's eyes scanned Aizen's body as they came within striking range. Aizen turned and slashed his Zanpakuto, but Toshiro located the blood splattered on Aizen's chest, then encased him in a crimson shell of ice.
Aizen gasped. He used the blood? No. No!
Hitsugaya and Ichigo tore their wristbands to unveil their unrestrained power. From overtop their heads, they swung their blades and rammed into Aizen. The three of them smashed into the sand.
Vegeta hurried to the first position of the Fusion dance. "Kakarot!"
Goku hopped to his feet and mirrored Vegeta's pose. "I'm ready!"
The two Saiyans stepped toward each other and swung their arms overhead.
"Fuuuu-"
Aizen rose from the ground and grabbed Toshiro by his throat. He launched Hitsugaya into Ichigo's sternum, then fired a blast to dispose of them both. The blast carried the two into the sky.
"-sion."
Aizen threw two fingers into the air. "Hado #90, Kurohitsugi!"
The black coffin surrounded Goku and Vegeta and blocked out the light of the artificial sun.
"Haaaa!"
Kurohitsugi sealed, but red and blue streams of energy burst out of the top of the coffin and circled each other. Once the streams merged, an intense burst of light and wind eradicated the black Kido.
As Gohan hugged the purple energy ball, he couldn't help but smile. "It's… about time."
His ankles gave out, and the giant ball forced him downward. However, a man appeared with Gohan between his arm, and the mass of energy balanced in his other palm. With a flick of the wrist, he batted the ball through the roof and into the dark sky.
Gohan remained limp as the man threw him over his shoulder. His dark purple arms swayed and sagged. With a seared cheek and one eye open, Gohan tilted his head upward to a blue-haired man and rasped through a faint smile. "So… you're-"
"Gogeta." The man grinned. "You alright?"
"Just trying… to hang in there-"
Aizen teleported in front of the two of them and attempted to slice them. Gogeta flared his eyes open, striking Aizen with enough force to launch him through the castle wall and into the far reaches of the outer world.
Slow to rise, Ichigo and Toshiro's mouths fell open. "I can't even sense all of his energy," Ichigo said with a quivering jaw. "This is insanity."
Before Toshiro uttered a word, Gogeta appeared before them. "Thanks for the distraction. Now hurry and grab onto me."
The two touched his vest and teleported to a different location. Ichigo froze when he laid eyes on the stained sand beneath his feet. He raised his gaze; Trunks laid with his face submerged. Gogeta reached down and touched Trunks' back, then transported the five of them to the only energy signal he detected.
Once there, Ichigo snapped back and cried out, "Orihime-"
He cut himself off when he found her beside him. Toshiro and Ichigo's muscles stiffened into place at the sight of Goten under Soten Kisshun. The captain and lieutenant of Squad Four appeared next to Trunks, prompting the men to step back and give them the space they needed to work.
An audible gasp escaped from everyone in the group once they flipped his body over. Isane and Unohana remained composed and cleaned the sand from his wounds before they attempted to resuscitate him.
Gogeta laid Gohan on the ground, which allowed Hanataro to rush over and start medical treatment. After he furrowed his brow, a sliver of his energy leaked and dissolved the Kido that masked their visibility.
He apologized to the group. "Sorry, I got ahead of myself. Though, it's not like you'll be needing it anymore. I'll deal with him with shortly."
Gogeta vanished to the battlefield, leaving the Soul Reapers to process the effects of the battle. Behind Orihime, Toshiro shut his eyes and lowered his head. He couldn't bear the sight of Goten's marred body any longer.
I promised you I'd have your back. You helped me gain all of this power; you even saved my life against Captain Yamamoto. How could I ever face you again when I stood here and watched you suffer?
Next to Hitsugaya, Ichigo entrenched himself in feelings of helplessness. As his eyes moved between Goten, Trunks, and Gohan, guilt gripped his heart. He struggled to hold back his sadness.
We trained so hard. We spent a year putting ourselves through hell, and I still couldn't stop this. It isn't right. None of this is fair. I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have had to pay for my mistakes.
While Unohana and Isane worked to save Trunks, Soi Fon's eyes glued themselves to his being. From exposed bone and muscle structures to lacerated eyes, the morbid nature of his injuries disturbed her. His hand might have been the one thing that saved his entrails from spilling out. The bright-eyed man who assured her of victory, juxtaposed with his broken and desecrated body, wrenched her gut into endless knots.
Why would his fate affect her in such a dramatic fashion when countless deaths bludgeoned her emotions? A Soul Reaper should protect the Soul Society, no matter the cost, but seldom had she ever felt conflicted over this belief, especially on the battlefield. The inability to wrap her mind around her internal struggle sent her into a spiral. Soi Fon stood breathless, but continued to hope.
However, Ichigo couldn't hold back anymore. Over time, his sorrow morphed itself into fury. Energy escaped from his body, and he set his glare ahead of him. Before Urahara or anyone else stopped him, a large hand rested itself on his shoulder.
"You have every right to feel the way you do," Captain Komamura said. "Please, just breathe." Ichigo's anger faltered, but tears flowed down his cheeks. Komamura lifted his hand away. "It's clear that Aizen has fallen into more wickedness than we've seen previously. I understand you want to seek retribution for them, but this battle is no longer in our hands."
"No!" Ichigo yelled. "He needs to pay! I'm sick of waiting and letting people fight for me."
"Cool it, Ichigo," Shinji said from behind. "You already tried that, and look at what Sosuke did to you and Hitsugaya in less than thirty seconds. These guys knew what they were up against. Unfortunately, this was the outcome."
Ichigo's Zanpakuto rattled as he tightened the grip on his weapon. "You don't get it. This was my fight. They didn't deserve this. I was the one that didn't finish him. I was the one that failed."
"Look around. At some point in the past hundred years, everyone here has failed. Subvert your hero complex and understand that you're not the only one that feels responsible. I was his captain, after all. But I'll agree with you on one point: they didn't deserve any of this. In all my years as a Soul Reaper, I've never seen cruelty like this before. Even so, you know as well as I do that if you rushed in like you wanted, we'd all end up like them."
Ichigo released the tension in his hand as Captain Hirako continued. "I know it hurts to witness this. Trust me, kid. I've been in your shoes more than once before. But realize your friends came here first to protect us. When Aizen had the odds stacked against them, they put their lives on the line to make sure we walked out of this, even if they couldn't. Respect their sacrifice; don't throw your life away. That doesn't just go for you. I won't single anyone out, but there are others here that need to tame their impulses and take what I said to heart."
While Ichigo reflected on the day until that point, a fit of coughing next to him perked his ears.
"Wait!" Orihime said. "You have to stay still."
"Aaahhh! Aizen!" Everyone shot a glance in Orihime's direction. Goten winced in agony and struggled to lift himself. "Piece of shit. I'll beat his ass… one day."
Hitsugaya took a knee next to Goten. "You're insane. You know that, right?"
Goten gave him a weary grin. "You sound like… you didn't find that out when you met me. He didn't hit you too hard, did he?"
Toshiro grinned. "He did, but Ichigo and I got lucky compared to you." The corners of his mouth drooped once he fixed his eyes gaze on Goten's wounds. "Why would you even consider the Kaioken in a situation like that? You could've killed yourself."
"It was stupid, I know, but… I wanted to get him one time for what he did to Gohan and Tr-" His head fell to the side and laid eyes on Trunks. Though Goten couldn't see him well, he couldn't forget the condition Aizen left him in.
His voice wavered. "Captain Unohana, Lieutenant Kotetsu. Please… save him."
Unohana continued to work, but replied. "His injuries are severe, but it looks like he'll survive."
Ichigo's countenance lit up, and he darted his eyes to Trunks. A few of his fingers twitched, giving Ichigo the relief he needed. A quiet exhale left Soi Fon's lips.
"However, he most likely won't wake as fast as you have," Unohana said. "With all the blood he's lost, I'm quite surprised that he's still alive. I'm also surprised that you've regained consciousness this soon. With that being said, I'm going to ask that you lie still and let Orihime continue to heal you."
"Thank you, Captain." Goten laid back and turned to Toshiro. "Where's Gohan?"
"Behind you," he said. "He's hurt, but it's nothing life-threatening."
Ichigo stepped toward Goten, but Urahara called out to him. "Let him rest. For now, focus on the fight. If anything goes wrong now, you'll be the next line of defense."
Although he nodded and gave his full attention to the battle ahead, Ichigo held his doubts.
They'll be moving too fast for me to keep track. If he can't beat Aizen, then what the hell am I gonna do?
Distant from any life, Gogeta touched down on the sand and waited for his enemy to appear. Within a few seconds, Aizen teleported into the air above him with a scowl planted on his face.
"All of your efforts will prove fruitless," he said. "Gotenks pushed me to a new level of strength. Our battle will prove to do the same. You can't destroy me, and once the Hogyoku continues its evolution, I will bring you to your knees."
"You can fool yourself, but you can't fool me. If you believed you were unstoppable, then you wouldn't have gone to such lengths to prevent the fusion. Now that I'm here, your conquest is over." Gogeta revealed his full power and caused the entire dimension of Hueco Mundo to quake. As Aizen trembled against his might, Gogeta floated to his level. "You'll find out that I'm not much of a talker like Gotenks. I prefer to take a straightforward approach."
Before Aizen blinked his eyes, Gogeta closed the distance between them and ran his arm through Aizen's stomach. Aizen doubled over with blood spewed from his mouth.
Wrath reflected in Gogeta's pupils and aura. "Let's get started. I've got plenty of anger to work through."
A/N: After cleaning it up and polishing off some grammar and prose, I decided I couldn't wait till the weekend. I hope that's okay with you guys.
The title "Nightmare" comes from the OST of the Bleach anime. I planned on titling this chapter "King of Predators", an OST from the 2011 Hunter x Hunter anime. I think both songs capture the tone of the chapter, but it feels awkward for me to associate the term predator with anyone but Grimmjow. Give both a listen if you'd like. King of Predators is so elegant and melancholy, and the way the guitar is just crying in Nightmare... it's amazing. Two of my favorite OSTs for sure.
On the subject of music... If yall want a playlist... I can do that.
Thoughts on the chapter: Not a lot really. Aizen's reckoning has finally arrived. I hope I was able to draw emotion out of my writing, which is something I'm really looking to do a few chapters down the line.
Anyway, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. As always, comments are welcome, whether good or bad. Have a great rest of the week and I'll catch you on the next chapter, definitively titled Holy Wars (or some lyric from the song).