Bleach: The Alternate Tale

by blackout2010

We all know that Ichigo Kurosaki was a human who became a Shinigami, but what would happen if he was always a Shinigami when the events of bleach happened, perhaps an altered story. Very minor crossover with Sakura Wars. A/U A/T. Contains incest in later parts.

40. Skies of Karakura: Angel's fall first

(Pre fic banter)

Blackout2010: (sigh)

Senna: What's wrong Blackout? I thought you'd be happy that we got the next chapter going.

Blackout2010: I am…it's just (sigh). There was so much I wanted to do, but time constraints. (Sigh)

Ichigo: Oh yeah, like what?

Blackout2010: Well Sajin versus Yammy. It was going to be awesome, I mean picture it. To giant sized creatures going head to head, in a wrestling style match in a city.

Ichigo (sweat drop): A wrestling match…? Like a sport's entertainment one?

Blackout2010: It would have been awesome! Yammy could have lifted Sajin's Tengen myoin on his shoulders into an attitude adjustment and then at last second (clenches fist) SAJIN BANKAI, RKO OUTTA NOWHERE!

Senna: Y-you're crazy! If they had did something like that the entire town would have been demolished! Don't go using my hometown like some kind of stage!

Blackout2010 (crying as he pounds fist): It would have been so awesome! God damn it!

Sajin: My Bankai is not a tool for your personal enjoyment, Blackout2010-san.

Ichigo: Captain Komamura, I think we should reflect more on his twisted priorities. This is a fight for all of humanities existence, he's worried about entertainment.

Blackout2010 (still crying): Just. (pound fist) Not. (pound fist) Fair. (pound fist)

Senna/Sajin/Ichigo: (sigh)

Chapter 40: Skies of Karakura: Angel's fall first

Leading the way via Hollow-powered flash steps, Senna dragged her hand back to slow herself down as she slid into the aerial center of their destination, the intersection containing Senna's seal. Turning her body fully, she spied her dad appearing a little way ahead of her solemn but determined.

Returning her attention back to the invisible seal hanging between the aether, she lay her hand flat and closed her eyes, sensing out the spiritual energy within her magic circle, wanting to check the integrity of it since she last left it.

"Is everything alright?" Isshin asked, puzzled by the look of relief on her face, since Barragan could show up at any second.

Sparing a glance back up, as she removed her hand from the seal, she said. "I've only used this seal once and that was in my inner world, not out here in the real world. Even though the seal is connected to my soul, I wasn't sure if it could be sensed, or worse damaged by others, while I waited to use it. But lucky us, it's primed and ready to go. Still…"

Turning her head to the side where the large glowing white sphere had appeared, and where Aizen and Yamamoto had gone at the beginning of the battle, she added, "I just hope I'll have enough time to recharge it in case Aizen wins against the head captain."

Hearing a sigh, Senna turned to face her dad, who was also looking faintly in the dome's direction. "I can't say to know what Aizen's Bankai is capable of, Senna." He then turned a leveled a hard look at her, "Just focus on getting this seal up and running again as soon as possible and then lure him here, no matter the cost."

"A-alright." The girl nodded resolutely.

"Speaking of costs…" Isshin muttered as he looked back and spotted the arrival of the skeleton king. "Remember Senna," he whispered quietly to the attentive girl, "when I give the signal: activate the seal. No ifs, ands, or buts, we are only going to get one shot at this."

"Right dad." The Vizard said as she took a step back, pulling her sword out from within the confines of its golden staff.

Taking a few steps forward, Isshin steeled his nerves as Barragan called out to him. "You. You are that man who came with Aizen." The skeletal monster stated calmly as he walked into the range of invisible circle. "Why are you helping that girl? Are you working for the spirit king as well?"

"Hardly." The man said, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Jutting his thumb over his shoulder at the girl, he continued. "That's my daughter."

While it was difficult to tell given his bony face, Isshin could see that the Segundo Espada was surprised to hear that. "Entiendo ahora." The walking death answered back, "I do question your parenting skills, but she has turned out for the best." Raising his black ax up and pointing it at them, the man continued in a deathly whisper. "Still, you should take her and leave before I'm forced to kill you both."

Glancing behind him, Isshin whispered, "Is he close enough?"

"Yeah, I just need you make him more 'tangible' like you said and then clear the circle."

"…" the man turned away as he took a step forward, 'I can't.'

Barragan watched the sharply dressed man take a few step closer to him, still well aware of the distance between them, he could see that his gait wasn't one of protective guidance to allow his daughter to escape, but was instead a call of challenge, taunting him to step up or step off. "You will regret this decision." He replied as started marching towards him as well.

Seeing the man begin to come at him, Isshin took in a deep to calm himself down before letting it out all at once. 'It's time.'

Flaring out his substantial spiritual energy, the skyline darkened considerably, while the two spiritual entities in proximity to him had to release their own to avoid being crippled by its sheer weight.

'Wow, I didn't know dad was so strong.'

'I can see why he is so confident. But that strength of his will mean nothing against my Respira.'

"Senna." The man called out to the stunned girl, his spiritual energy incasing his body. "Do it now."

And then just like that he did something neither combatant expected.

Flash stepping over the ancient survivor grabbed hold of the skeleton's arms and shoulders, the flesh of his hands burning up in the acidic mist of the Respira. Senna looked on frozen in horror at what her dad had done, her mind reeling only now figuring out how her father had intended to make the man more 'tangible' at the expense of his own body.

"Senna! What are you waiting for!?" Isshin yelled back, the flesh of his arms peeling away through the muscle till bones and burning tissue were exposed, forcing the dark haired man to throw himself forward to hold Barragan in place, his upper body and cheek crashing up against the stunned creature.

"D-dad…"

Seeing that this was some kind of trap, the Espada of the endless night, tried to free himself from the surprisingly strong grasp of the suicidally protective father. Opening his mouth, the man let lose the full effect of his Respira into his face, eroding it off to kill him faster.

Catching a glance behind the dying man holding unto him with a grip even death would envy, he saw the girl slam the tip of her blade down beside her foot, a bright light flashing beneath the feet of all of them. A wide translucent circle filled with intricate signs and patterns emerging before his eyes, pulsing slightly. "N-no!" the Espada muttered, for the first time fear seeping into his ancient bones.

"What's wrong?" the raspy voice of the half-burned up throat said, the nearly disintegrated man, shoving his skeletal face against his own. "Afraid of dying!? Hahahaha!"

Neither combatant could hear anything said after that, as a bright light shot upwards, radiant white energy enveloping and battering against them. The haunting laugh ringing in the ear of Barragan as the man holding him burned up into nothing. But, by now it was far too late, he couldn't feel his arms or his legs, looking down in horror himself, he saw that they were evaporating into nothingness, dissipating by the light as a swirling vacuum like wind began sucking him forward.

"So…this is the end…?" the man silently questioned, the images of his friends, servants, and precious nieto filling his mind as he began to lose his consciousness. Turning his head to the side, he saw a figure standing off in the distance, the person's brown hair was swept back and his white uniform had a parting midway down the shirt, where a glowing orb rested, the sword in his hand, barley held by a shaking grip. "Forgive…me…"

Senna watched as the rushing air swirled towards her within the blinding eruption of light energy, the souls of both men heading towards their eternal cage. "FATHER!" she screamed deafeningly, herself voice drowned out as the sealing energies of the vortex slammed into her body sending her mind reeling into a near alternate dimension.

(Earlier: Aizen)

With a wavering of spiritual energy, the white dome that had hovered over the battlefield since the beginning shattered with a resounding pop, as its two combatant returned back to the spot where they entered.

One was standing over the other triumphantly as the other lay on the graphite of the roof, exhausted and barely breathing. "Well, I must say, after that little spat I can see why Masaki-sama held such disdain for Soul Society." The man said; his honest curiosity borderline smug after seeing the fall out between Yamamoto and the Miracle worker.

"You…have no right…!" the ancient Shinigami struggled to say, a chortled sputter of blood and saliva flying out of his mouth from the pain he was in.

"To what? Continue my mission and ascend to the spirit king's throne?" leaning in closer, the man then whispered dangerously, "Or speak of her in such a reverent tone?"

Seeing the hateful glare on the old man's face, Sosuke leaned back up to his full height. "Regardless of what you imply, it's irrelevant. You are beaten."

Stepping around the man, he walked over towards the fearsome Zanpaktou he possessed. The once burning firebrand was reduced back to its regular unreleased state posing no particular threat at this time. Grabbing hold of the hilt, Sosuke was moderately surprised by the weight behind it, it was quite heavy. 'It's a good thing that I don't intend to carry this around.' He thought to himself as released a bit of his spiritual energy creating a small gargantua beside him.

With a quick calling of strength, the man lifted it up and tossed the blade into the void leading back to Hueco Mundo. Watching the blade fall further and further into the void, the sudden sound of scratching and clawing behind him startled him back to the situation at hand.

Willing the hole in space and time away, he glanced back to see Yamamoto on his knees, trying to get up and continue the fight. Wiping around Kyoka Suigetsu, the blade cut into the back of the struggling old man, blood flying against the ground as the old man let out a howl as he crashed back down, body throbbing in pain.

Waiting a moment to see if there would be need of a more through answer to any further showing of resistance, Aizen exhaled appreciatively when the strength in Yamamoto's arms finally gave way; The struggle in keeping his upper body propped up pushed beyond it's limit after the vicious blow across his back.

He knew he was certainly in no condition to resume an ongoing battle with the ancient Shinigami on the level he committed against him and, Hogyoku-infusion be damned, if more threats converged on him, he'd be finished; succumbing to fatigue, long before coming face to face against his true enemy.

Walking back toward the weaponless soldier, the man narrowed his eyes on him as placed his foot against the thin line running across his exposed back. Raising his sword up to strike the man through, a clear picture of Masaki's face, when she confronted both the man in the captain's hall, and when he fought her in caja negacion, springing to the forefront of his mind. The thin line of his lips contorting into a deep frown silently warring with himself, exhaling slowly he brought the weapon down sharply, the steely edge cutting through shoulder of the man.

Aizen ignored the old Shinigami's pained bellow, as he withdrew his blood-coated weapon, focusing more on his thoughts about Masaki. Removing his foot from Yamamoto's body, he walked a couple of step from his body, his voice carrying back to him. "Be thankful." The brown haired man spoke, not deigning to grace the man by looking at him.

While he couldn't move the rest of his body, Yamamoto's head snapped up instantly at that. "Thankful!?" the old man gravelly roared, disgusted and insulted at the sheer arrogance the man possessed to make such a claim.

Aizen nodded, casting a shallow glance at him as he dug into his pockets for something. "Yes. I've decided to spare your life for your accomplishments as a show of respect." The man lied, more to himself than to the man. Pulling out a small black orb, he glanced at his own reflection briefly, 'Although, I wonder if it's wasted on you.'

Feeling an intense burst of spiritual energy, coming from the direction he was mostly facing towards, Sosuke looked back ahead and saw the horizon turning darker and darker until it became near pitch black. 'What is going on?' he wondered, silently hoping he wouldn't have to fight against such a strong individual. A shiver ran down his spine, as he wondered if that was Ichigo Kurosaki, he'd yet to see him so far…

'No.' the man dismissed, 'He would have been waiting for me if it was.' Tossing the caja negacion offhandedly, the orb bouncing off the old man's body as it activated, sucking the man into an alternate world. "Still, this warrants-"

His words were cut to a halt when a giant pillar of white light, shot straight up from beyond his vision and split the darkened heavens above, parting the black veil he witnessed nary a moment ago and restoring the horizon's natural blue hue.

Moving his body quickly in that direction, Aizen's thoughts were a myriad of both curiosity and horror. Never before had he seen, let alone heard of a power capable enough to create such a spectacle of force. His mind raced trying to narrow down the 'whose' or the 'what's' could have caused it. A kido? Unlikely, the sheer power he was feeling from the purging light was enough to make him think twice about engaging the spell's caster. An invention from Urahara? No, that man wouldn't have wasted any time in using it once he got a lock on his location. Mayuri? No, far too flashy, not to mention if it was meant to destroy whatever it hit, he'd throw a hissy fit since he was public enemy #1 and that didn't touch him.

As he landed on the rooftop just barely feel away from touching the rising beam of light, he saw an enormous intricate glowing seal interwoven with strange patterns and lines the likes of which he'd never seen before. Standing, well hunched, over the iridescent center was the human girl, Senna, driving the tip of her weapon into the magic circle. 'I didn't realize she had this kind of power!' He realized with sudden alarm. Never in his wildest dreams did he think she'd present this much of a problem; she was just a normal human being for crying out loud! Still, he had to admit that while he'd definitely have to re-think his approach now, he was a bit impressed by the strides a person could make in so short a time, especially when they had a reason to strive for something. 'It seems I shouldn't relax just yet. I'll need to formulat-'

He stopped himself when he caught sight of two more figures out of the corner of his eyes. One of them was a semi-permeable skeleton whose bony arms were clutching tightly against his right hand man, Barragan.

Aizen's heart shook with a massive chill as he witnessed, the released Segundo Espada, giving him a weak glance, the ghastly aura surrounding him disintegrating within the seal's blinding light released all around him, battering and consuming his body.

"No…" the man whispered, a hot tear escaping his eye as he witnessed the man's final hour before his very eyes. Memories of the jovial soldier played in Sosuke's mind as he stretched his arm forward, the burning hot energy scalding his fingertips, but he didn't care he needed to save him. He was about to jump into action when he saw the aged skeleton shake his head wearily, telling him it was far, far too late for him. "BARRAGAN!"

Sosuke's scream was lost within the sound of the seals battering wind-force, the light's glare radiated more intensely as it screeched out beyond the confines of the seal, blinding and overtaking everything in sight, obscuring it from view.

Even the Hogyoku infused being was forced to bring his arm back and use it as a shield for his eyes, lest he destroy his vision staring into the white void, but he held his ground as best as he could. The full fury of the rushing compressed air blasting towards him, whipping his hair and clothes violently as he braced his stance further.

When the force of wind finally died down, the man opened his eyes he had closed at some point under the barrage, blinking them quickly to do away with the remaining sunspots flitting about. When he could fully see, his heart sank.

There was nothing. Sure, the buildings on the other side were still there, same with the road and objects down below his perch from what he could see. But…in front of him. Where there had been life…nothing.

Just empty air.

The seal, the light, Barragan…they were all gone. For the first time in a long time, Sosuke felt completely numb. He was barely able to will his leg to take a step forward without stumbling in stride. The normally unflappable face of his held a thin neutral look as he gazed over the proceedings, his neck mechanically turning over to his right as he saw the human girl huffing to herself seemingly in pain and fatigue.

It was then that Aizen's eyes narrowed as a dark smirk took his face. Casually raising his hand up, he audibly snapped his fingers and waited. At first, nothing, but when he felt the sound of feet hitting the ground behind him, he spoke in as controlled voice as he could.

"Gin."

"Yeees?" the sauntering man replied amicably. His cheery mood was quieted, when the man turned back to face him, finger pointing downward to something, which turned out to be a woman.

"Kill that bitch." The man ordered hatefully, cruel smirk widening by the second. "I want to see her suffer."

It took all of Ichimaru's willpower to not just run up and hug him in that moment. Aizen was always so methodical, so 'by the book' and 'follow the plan' that sometimes he wondered if spontaneity was a foreign word to him. Sure, he had surprised him from time to time with his funny wit or casual plan change in the field, but now, NOW, now Gin was just so damn proud he didn't know what to do with himself.

He had actually told him to cut loose and show some brutality. He didn't know what the hell happened with the Aizen and the light show he just saw, and honestly, he could care less, but he was definitely in the camp for it happening more often if it put his fearless leader in these kind of moods.

"Not a problem, boss!" the snake sneered, as he disappeared in a flash step, appearing on the street below, behind the distracted woman. He pulled his sword out of its sheath slowly, to both give the man a grand show of her execution and to truly savor the thrill.

(Senna vision)

"Dad…" the girl muttered to herself, silent tears falling between her sobs as she experienced her future-sight. She was just laying there in the air, barely propped up, looking at the spot where her father had sacrifi—been murdered by her hands.

Before she could continue feeling her own self-loathing. Her perspective changed, as she saw a frontal view of her back that then started to move in closer and closer to her until…

Fsrah!

Senna's body shook as crippling chill ran down her spine from the sickening squelch. Looking downward slowly, she saw the blade of a katana sticking through her chest, blood coating the weapon, her blood. Slowly the weapon retreated back through the hole it made in her body, coming out of her back only after a quick yank that shook her body. A thin trail of blood spilled over her lips as her eyes grew heavy and her body started leaning forward more and more until she fell. Plunging head first to the street below, her Zanpaktou and partner slipped out of her fingers and her vision darkened further, though she tried little, she couldn't even raise the strength to open her eyes more, let alone move her hand to grab hold of her weapon.

As the wind blowing past her tilted her head up, to look back towards the bright sky, the woman saw someone standing where she had been past the fluttering strands of her hair, though despite her better point of view, she couldn't see the person's face as all sensation became lost to her. The world around her grew darker and darker until she finally realizing she was still falling, the light of the world above her converging unto one point growing smaller with each passing second.

"I…" she whispered to herself, tears still falling. "I deserve this."

She knew it was just a vision of how she would die, but…from the bottom of her heart, she felt so disgusted with herself that if this were her end then she'd accept it for what it was worth….

…she was no savior. Not for Karakura and not for humanity.

Soul Society, the betrayal, the psychopathic killers, the monstrous acts they committed, at least it was plain enough to see. But her…for all her ideals of cooperation, all her talk of trying to be a better person, she was just a hypocrite in the end.

She killed her own father…just to keep herself alive. Partially to kill the enemy…and mostly because deep down, she knew she didn't want to die.

She was just a murderer; No different from Aizen, doing whatever it took to achieve his goal.

Survive.

Do you want to live?

Senna opened her eyes when she heard the familiar voice of her sensei shout out those words at her.

"Do I…want to live?"

The woman's body stopped falling into the abyss as she felt herself slow to a light hover in the air. Her body slowly slanted itself as from beyond the darkness, the image of Soifon looked at her with clear annoyance on her face.

I said: Do you want to live? Not repeat what I said, Gakusai!

Senna for a brief moment almost felt her lips twitch upward, but she looked down at the girl's feet and said. "I don't know."

Soifon sighed in annoyance, before she looked at her with kinder eyes. You should. We want you to.

"We?" Senna asked

She got her answer when Ichigo stepped out of the shadows beside his wife, a carefree smile on his face. Yeah, we, as in us.

The man walked over and placed his hand on her head, ruffling her hair. We know what happened there Senna. You're not a murderer. Aizen put you in that situation when he started his plans, you're a victim like so many others, so it's not your fault.

"And dad?"

Dad was just trying to save you the only way he knew how.

"I guess." She muttered, still dispassionate but not sulking to herself as much as she'd been.

The man scratched his cheek thoughtfully. Well, if you don't believe me, why don't you ask him? Your hanging in his arms you know.

True to his word, when Senna looked down, she saw a pair of disembodied arms holding her body up. Looking behind her, she saw the image of her father form into existence, a happy look on his face.

The man kneeled down and helped her stand up again on her feet, before placing his hands on her shoulder. Yeah, Senna. Don't hold it against yourself. I honestly didn't know any other way to stop that monster until you brought up the seal. Raising his hand up, he brushed away the tearstains on her cheek. I know I should have told you…but…I figured if I did, you wouldn't go through with it. You're really like your mother in that regard.

"Dad…"

With that said, he continued, It's okay to practice peace and cooperation. But you must know when it must end. Otherwise, you'll live with regret and not want to continue living. The man then pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her forehead tenderly. And I can't have that Senna. I don't want you to give up. You have a lot to live for, you've got me and you've got them. Please…please survive. Be happy and always do the right thing.

Senna opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, since she knew they were right. Closing her mouth again, she nodded her head obediently.

That's a good girl. The man mused as he took a step back; Now promise me, you'll never give up again. Promise me that you'll keep fighting.

The girl nodded her head again, "Okay. I promise, dad. I won't give up." The man smiled before disappearing back into the darkness. Turning around, Senna smiled at Ichigo and Soifon. "Stay safe you two. Okay?"

The pair gave a smile before waving at her, their bodies disappearing into the shadows. The Miko turned back around, facing forward as the skyline of darkness cracked and shattered back into her world.

The world she was supposed to die in.

The world she was going to live in.

(Senna)

Remembering her vision's outcome, the Miko immediately jumped to her right and lo-and-behold a silver haired man with a blade came shooting past her previous position, his arm outstretched in a thrusting motion attempting to skewer her through the chest.

The man quickly adjusted his arm, so that it aimed towards the girl, the brief look of confusion on his face giving way to a smirk. "Shoot to kill, Shinso."

The short sword glinted in the light briefly before extending forward at a rapid rate, Senna barely able to move her weary body out of the way. The blade cutting shallowly into her side, knocking flecks of blood and pieces of flesh down to the street below.

Planting her armored hand against her side, she channeled her energy into her grieves and flash stepped away, hiding away till she could come up with some kind of plan to deal with Aizen and the silver-haired man.

Seeing the woman disappear quickly, Gin opened his eyes lazily, his unnerving smile widening by the second. "Run, run, as fast as you can." He said childishly, "You can't escape me, no one can."

The predator took off following after her spiritual trail.

(Senna)

Huffing to herself exhaustedly in a nearby alleyway, Senna sank down against the wall, trying to come up with some kind plan to deal with her new problems. The first of course was the one revolving around her wound: Luckily, for her, her hierro armor was restoring itself and clotting the wound so it wouldn't keep spilling her blood all over the place.

Still…

Senna closed her eyes queasily, as an irritating sensation came from the wound. It made her have the strangest urge to both throw up from the relentless waves of nausea and scratch away at the flesh wound to subdue the fervent burning itch she felt around the area. Though she wasn't sure completely sure why this was happening to her body, she did know that the blade cutting into her was the reason for her unease.

Although, it was slowly sliding into 'minor annoyance' territory, when she side-by-side compared it with her real problem. "The seal is depowered." She whispered to herself.

Though charging it back up wasn't the real issue, since she knew getting separated from the seal was a real possibility and had taken steps to ensure she could charge from a distance when she laid it's foundation in the first place. The real issue was the fact Aizen was over there. Senna didn't have to have the IQ of a rocket scientist to know that IF she tried to head back to the seal, never mind trying to use the damn thing, with Sosuke freaking Aizen standing just a few feet away, and no Shinigami or other obstacles between them, she'd pretty much be screwed. Then of course, there was that other man…

A heavy sigh escaped her as she pushed herself off the wall. "I've got to calm down." She said to herself, knowing that overwhelming herself all at once wouldn't do her any good. Taking in another breath, she exhaled slowly before reasserting her thoughts. "Okay, I just have to restore the seal and then try to get someone to distract him for me. That's all I can-"

"Gotcha." An unfamiliar voice called out menacingly

Turning around, the girl was barely able to raise Mirokumaru to intercept the extending blade that knocked her clear out of the alley way and into the nearby street. Senna's back crashed into the nearby guardrail as she slumped down from the blow.

"Damn it." She cursed, planting the tip of her staff against the ground to help her get back up to her feet, as her enemy strolled leisurely towards her.

Pushing herself up, she managed to catch a small glance behind the man and saw that he was alone, though for how much longer was anyone's guess. Closing her eyes, she quickly reconsolidated the restoration of her breastplate, to help her fight off the captain in front of her.

"Aww, you're done running?" Ichimaru mused as he came to a halt at the end of the alleyway and start of the concrete sidewalk. He shook his head disappointedly; he was hoping to enjoy the chase, before moving in for the kill at least. The man shrugged to himself; perhaps he could toy with the exhausted girl till she did what he wanted. "Oh, well, guess I'll have to earn my fun."

Raising her staff defensively in front of her, the woman steadied her breathing, before restarting her incantation. "Heavenly melody, rain down from on high…" (1-3)

Gin quirked a brow curiously, as he felt the girl spiritual pressure flux strangely as she spoke words in a strange language he'd never heard before. "Strike my seal with thunder and lightning. Bestow the right to judge life upon me."

The dull rumbling of the clouds overheard, caught Gin's attention next as he glanced up. "Interesting." He muttered, as he returned his attention back to the girl, a wide smile on his face. "What are you up to?"

"Prime the seal!" the woman yelled as distant bolt of lightning arced down from the heavens and hit what she knew was the seal, far in the distance. 'Whew…now I just need to finish the rest of the chants, again.'

Unfortunately for her, her enemy was far from impressed; "That's it?" he asked, clearly let down by the all flash and no substance display. "I thought you were gonna hit me with that or something! (Sigh) What a waste of time, I was really into it too." Opening his eyes, a chill ran down the girl's spine as he said, "You'll pay for screwing with me, bitch!"

The man rushed at her Shinso at the ready, forcing the girl to grip her Shakujo with both hands even tighter. The small blade shot out towards the girl, forcing her to bat it away lest it cut into her, but to her surprise, it did relatively little in stopping the man. He just kept coming forward, blade shrinking back down to manageable size, while her guard was left wide open after knocking the previous attack away.

Turning on her heel as best as she could, Senna jumped into the air, narrowly dodging the initial thrust. Gin though merely swung his weapon in her direction and smiled, the blade shooting out once again, clipping her in her shin. A shock of intense pain shot through the girl's body as she landed back on the ground, quickly falling to her knees, eyes closed in pain. "Wha…what is this!?" the Miko grunted out placing her hand against the open cut.

The traitor's captain retracted his blade before flecking away the blood off the edge. "Oh goody, it seems my poison will work on you! There's hope for you yet my dear!" the man gushed childishly, as he started walking over towards her.

"P-poison!?" Senna eked out, barely able to restrain the burning ache in her body.

The man nodded his head, quite pleased with himself. "Yup, my Zanpaktou's special ability is for it to release a poison into another blood stream and inflict some…'minor' damage to them." He relished the words, as the girl nearly doubled over in pain spasming from the cut. "It's got a real nasty bite for fresh wounds."

Fighting through the pain, Senna pushed herself back to her feet, as a sickly smoke began seeping from the cut. Huffing to herself, Senna looked wearily at her leg, before reaffirming her hold of Mirokumaru. Gin though was less than pleased by her façade of bravery.

"No, no, no! Where's the screaming of agony? No begging of mercy? Are you sure you're a normal girl?" Tsk, tsk, tsk." The man tapped his blade against his shoulder annoyed, brightening up only after a moments gleam on the silver lining. "Well, it's been a long time since I've gotten to poke holes into someone. I think it was that samurai fellow Shinjiro…" a delighted smile fashioned itself on the Ichimaru's lips, "Even after three days of pain I don't think I broke him, but I think you'll be a different story."

Spinning her Shakujo quickly, Senna conjured a violent gust of wind slamming into the unprepared man's body and knocking him down the street. Halting her weapon's spinning due to the pain from the fresh batch of poison coursing through her, Senna took in a few deep breathes before her initial plan slipped from too far into the back of her mind. "I-in my hand, the creator's sword that calls eternal sleep."

From below her feet, a green magic circle appeared in tandem with her chanting. "Honor our pact and hear my command!" The green circle shrank into the size of a small emerald that hovered in front of her eyes. Touching it gently, she finished the invocation for the first prime, "Raise the south wall, Zouchouten."

The verdant gem gleamed before shooting upward into the sky and disappearing. When it was fully gone, Senna felt a burst of heat in the center of her heart. "Good it's primed, arrggg." Senna winced again by the pain by the wound in her leg, although it was beginning to feel less of a hindrance.

"Did you reeeally think that would kill me?" the voice of her adversary taunted, as he reappeared where he had been standing earlier via flashstep. Gin shook his head dismissively as he tapped his chest. "Tch, Tch, Tch. You got me right here. I thought we were getting along."

'Give me a break.' She thought to herself as she pushed herself back to her feet. She was about to engage when she saw a shadow fall over her and continue to spread, looking down at the street below, then glancing up, she felt her face drain of all color.

Following her vision, Gin quirked an eyebrow at the sight of Sajin's Bankai tumbling towards them from a blow by Yammy. Honestly, he'd have to teach that man some manner about interrupting others. The battlefield wasn't just about him after all!

The pair disappear in a flashstep as the giant armored golem crashed into the road and buildings, while the giant multi-limbed Arrancar fell on top of him, arm careened back to wallop mercilessly.

(Senna)

Landing on the rooftop of the nearby super market, Senna sighed to herself as she tried to catch her breath. 'I don't think I can keep this up.' She took a glance in the direction of her seal grimly, 'and I'm getting further away from the seal. I need to get over there.'

"But first…" raising her hand up, she closed her eyes as a yellow light enveloped around her. "Neither soldier nor suitor traverses the gate of she wed fast to the shield-maiden's fate; for no weapon destroys passion's resent, breaking one's spirit and shattering their sense." Opening her eyes, she touched the opal gemstone hovering in front of her. "Raise the east wall, Jikokuten."

Like the emerald before it, the gemstone rose into the air and shot up into the sky, disappearing, but the girl knew it reached its destination when a tingly sensation ran up and down her spine.

Her moment of triumph was short lived when from out of nowhere Ichimaru appeared, slamming the back of his hand against her cheek. The sheer strength behind the blow staggered the girl, her body switching to autopilot as she took a few steps before tripping over her own feet.

"Whoooops-a-daisy!" the smiling man jeered, brushing the dust off the back of his hand, "Sorry about that. My hands was all, 'Gin-sama, you need to smack a bitch.' and well, you were the only one around, hahaha!"

"Errghh…" pushing her face off the graphite roofing, Senna wiped away the blood from her busted lip. Pushing herself up a bit, she paused as she rested on her elbows, trying to catch her breath and gather her wits.

"Aww, come on, come on, get back to your feet." The voice of Ichimaru 'encouraged' her as he started walking closer. Once he got to just a foot away from her legs, he crouched down on his hunches and rested his chin against his fist, staring at her seemingly in fascination.

Sitting there patiently, he watched her struggle for a few seconds, before he pulled out his sword and stabbed her in the leg. A loud pleasant cry of pain rang in the man's ears as the girl collapsed against the ground, her right hand leaving her staff and reaching down to soothe the burning pain. "Oooh, I am sooo sorry!" the man 'apologized' as he pulled his sword to fleck the blood off it. "My sword just slipped out of my grip there. Geez, man that looked like it reeeally hurt!"

Feeling his grin widen at seeing the wound on her leg forcibly close by the white substance of a hierro, he was tempted to stab her in the leg again to extend the process, but when his eye catch her weapon left unguarded, he nearly exploded in joy. "Tell you what, you get that." Pushing himself up, the man started to walk alongside her body to the Zanpaktou, "And I'll go get your-Opps!"

The dull clattering of the Shakujo's rings echoed loudly, as the staff was kicked away close to the roof's edge by the silver haired devil. Senna managed to turn her gaze up to see the man looking back at her, giant grin on his face, as he said, "Geez, I'm such a klutz. First, my hand, then my blade, now I'm tripping over my own two feet. How on earth did I make captain, eh?"

Looking away from the man, Senna braced herself for the pain that was about to shoot through her leg. Taking in a deep breath, the woman brought her right arm around and hit it into the back of the man's knees joint like Soifon had taught her during her hand-to-hand training. As she anticipated, Gin buckled under the blow, giving her the opportunity to push herself off the ground and sprint in a mad desperate attempt at her weapon.

The world around her seemed to slow down as she heard her shoes scrapping against the manmade slate. Her objective, the staff, wobbled in her vision as she transitioned from her prone to mobile perspective, while her leading arm reached out in its final attempt at saving its weapon and its master's life.

As her hand came closer to the golden staff, she heard the man's voice pipe up from behind her, slowed down by the sheer focus she had on her weapon. "Shooooot toooo," clutching her fingers around the weapon, the young woman ignored the dull pain of slamming her hand into it, as she pushed off with all her energy off her bad leg to her final goal.

"Kill Shinso." The man finished as his blade extended out. However, the woman's body already cleared the edge of the building just as the blade shot forward, missing her by the barest traces as she disappeared from sight. A loud audible rumbling echoed from below the edge indicating where the woman was. "Well, you're pretty quick." The smiling man said, more to himself than her as he retracted his weapon.

Walking over to the knee high edge, the sadist glanced down and found himself staring at the girl who landed on top of a closed dumpster several floors below. Despite the distance, he could tell she was alive due to the strange swirling blue energy around her, 'What's she doing?' he thought to himself, unable to tear his eyes away from the strange light show she was performing.

Less than a second later, the light condensed into a tiny gem of some kind, before shooting straight into the sky, narrowly missing Gin as he pulled his head back just in time. Searching the horizon as best as he could, he grunted to himself when he lost track of it mere seconds after seeing it. 'If that had hit me in the head, I might have been a goner. Still…I do like a victim with some bite to her.'

"She's one scary girl…" he muttered as he looked back over the edge. When his eyes locked with the girl's, his prior smile returned in full force, as he gently lifted his free hand up and waved at her.

The terrified girl rolled off the broken metal hood and started scrambling down the alleyway as best as she could.

"Mmhmhmhm. Scary…but far too slow to outrun me." He said as he jumped of the edge, continuing the hunt.

(Senna)

Seeing the sword just narrowly shoot over her side, the young Kurosaki turned to her next problem which was the landing. She had wanted to hope her staff would help her channel her energy enough to fly her out of harm's way, but the weary state of her mind and tiny amount of spiritual energy she knew she could afford to spare threw that option clear out of the window. Sighing to herself mere Nano-seconds before she collided with the dumpster she only now realized mid-fall would be her landing pad, she turned on to her back and dissipated the Hollow grieves and gloves, sending their energy to her back to form a maximize the hardness of her Hierro armor.

Duundoo!

"Ahhh…!" Senna could feel the tears coming out of her eyes after that landing. For a brief moment, she wished she could have went back in time to divert the remains of her hierro armor to the back of her head and ass. The inside of her skull was ringing so bad, she wanted to curl up into a ball and die, while her tender butt was throbbing so much she was sure that she'd never be able to sit down properly again.

"Fuck, my life." She cried out, lifting her hand up and using the remnant energy of her armor to help her for the next verse. "Though sightless he aimed, oww, and spite-less he drew, innocent the murder his arrow would do, please god kill me." She stopped temporarily, letting the sudden flare of pain emanating from every square inch body pass. "Ever in the keeping of the handmaiden's eyes, (Sniff) oww, three times he will die and three more will he arise."

The blue energy's flummoxing around her body condensed around her hand into a small sapphire, which made her glad she wouldn't have to do much movement for this one. "Raise the west wall, Koumokuten."

The radiant gemstone gleamed in the darkness, before obeying its mistress's command and shooting skyward, up and out of sight, towards the seal to prime it back to full power. Wiping the tears from her eyes, as the pain wracking her body finally began to die down; Senna couldn't help but let out a groan when she saw that murderous asshole looking down at her, wiggling his fingers at her with a childish wave.

Rolling off the cold steel door, the girl felt her vision shake as she placed her hand against the ground to steady herself. Moving her head to glance up at the close-knit alleyways ahead, she felt her heart nearly stop, when the world in front of her was nearly devoid of color. Even the filtering light from the sun was fluctuating between wondrous yellow to sterile gray. 'Is this an effect of the poison or maybe the blood loss?' she wondered as she started to move one foot in front of the other, running down the alleyway in the direction of her seal, 'Am I…?'

Shaking her head as she continued to run down the alleyway. She couldn't allow herself to be distracted with…that stark possibility. Turning down the nearest intersection, the girl knew she couldn't evade the man's extending Zanpaktou out in the open, not in her condition, so she slipped down another alleyway, narrowly avoiding clipping a backdoor stairwell as she ran as fast as she could, sandals splashing against the dirty puddles lining the concrete hallway.

Coming up to a three-way intersection, the girl groaned to herself agonizedly, "I know you're busy with the Arrancar, but fucking notice me! I'm dying here." She exasperatingly begged; very, very frightened at this point, at possibly dying.

Hearing the splash of a puddle not too far behind her, the girl tore down the nearest alleyway, and when she saw that it lead to a dead end, save for the two large dumpster on either side. She actually started praying to herself as she ran down trying to get behind one of them, knowing it was far too late to turn back now.

Ducking behind, one of metal barriers. The girl closed her eyes tight and held her breath.

"Wha-? You!"

Hearing the familiar voice beside her, the Vizard opened her eyes and looked to her left, and saw Marechiyo Omaeda cowering behind the other steel dumpster.

For a brief moment, the girl stared at him trying to place his name, before she exhaled in relief. "You're one of the Shinigami assigned to guard me." Though she didn't know what happen to him, and certainly didn't like him by any stretch of the word, she was at least glad someone could help her out. "Omaeda, right? I need your help." She whispered quietly.

The man shook his head incredulously. This freak wanted HIS help!? In what? What godforsaken ordeal had befallen her that she was going to drag his ass into? "Are you fucking kidding!?" he hissed, "No way, leave me out of it!"

He might have been assigned to guard her, but he knew suicidal desperation when he heard it, and after getting his ass handed to him by that one blonde Arrancar, he wasn't going to jump back in guns blazing. No sirree.

The girl didn't even make an attempt at hiding her disgust. Did he not get that if she died, they were screwed unless Ichigo showed up? She wanted to yell and argue with him that they needed to put aside their differences, but she had neither the energy or the luxury considering the captain was only a few seconds behind her. "Listen, I'm begging you. One of the traitor captain's is after me." She looked up and pointed her hand to the top of the wall beside them. "Just get me up there and I'll handle the rest."

"You mean you'll leave me to die!" the man retorted face turning red. No way, no how was he going to give up his life for this chick. Screw this, screw soul society; he was perfectly content in playing dead than playing hero.

'Goddamn it.' The young Kurosaki cursed the belligerent oaf, was it so hard to help a heavily wounded comrade in her time of need? She knew what it felt like to be so scared you'd do anything to live; hell, she was feeling it right now! But for fuck sake, was it so hard to stick your neck out just once!?

Just as she was about to open her mouth, the creeping voice of Ichimaru echoed down the alley from the intersection. "Where are you little girl? I wanna plaaaay, so come out come out, wherever you are!"

The two 'allied' Shinigami quietly took in a breath and stared at each other, neither daring to release lest they catch the madman's attention and their deaths. They sat there for the most painful minute of their lives, before they heard the footsteps of the man wander away.

Once the sound trailed off, Omaeda let out a heave of air from his chest. "Close." He muttered to himself, as he glared at the woman, "You almost got us killed."

"You're useless." Senna muttered under her breath, as she raised her Shakujo up so she could use it like a crutch. She was really beginning to wonder how many people like this she was going to be saving by defeating Aizen. 'No, don't think about that. Dad's right. There are a lot more good people in Soul Society and the world. I just nee-'

"Aaaah!" Senna screamed in pain, as her blood shot forward, splattering the ground in front of her.

Marechiyo's eyes snapped to see a blade sticking out of her left shoulder, covered in blood. Leaning out of cover, he saw the ex-captain of the third standing on the other side of Senna's dumpster with a smile on his face and Zanpaktou pointing towards the metal and extending. "Found you." He muttered childishly.

Turning his eyes back on the girl briefly and the distracted look on Ichimaru's face, the man knew it was his chance. Jumping out of cover, the scion of the Omaeda family took barely a second to flash a smile, before disappearing down the alleyway in a flash step.

Leaving the astonished Vizard to her fate.

Gin was just as surprised as the girl he'd pin. For one, he hadn't expected to get a two for one option and a juicy target at that. The second was for a moment he thought he'd have to rip out his weapon to defend himself, but that quickly died away when he hightailed it past him, he was partially tempted to do it anyway, but he had the business at hand.

Not letting the little strumpet that pissed off Aizen get away. "Note to self: Kill that guy later." Pausing as he likely considered the circumstances between the desperate girl and him, his smile disappeared for the briefest of seconds, "Make sure it hurts too. He ended my fun too early." He amended before turning his attention back to the little morsel he caught.

Retracting his blade with a sickening squelch and scrape of metal, the man walked around the failure of a shield and quirked a brow at the sight of the girl. Her head was bobbing back and forth, as she seemed to be hanging on the edge of consciousness, as her left arm hung limply at her side, while her right had a near death grip on her weapon.

Unable to suppress the wince he saw, she turned her head and made a feebly motion with her right arm. The Shakujo swayed slightly, but made no threatening motion to him. Gin couldn't really help but laugh, "Man, you look like crap. And dying in a back alley being abandoned by a so-called comrade, geez. I almost feel enough pity to kill you…" the man leaned in closer and whispered into her ear, "Almost."

Pulling back up, he walked around her body and placed his sword against her battered and torn skin, the smooth cold edge of his weapon touching a wound. "But you see. I can't have you die here. Aizen would be pissed, and frankly, I find beating you up really reeeeally enjoyable."

The girl grimaced slightly, before spitting in his face as best as she could. Most of it, particularly the blood, just hit her own lips and spilled, but she did get a couple of flecks here and there.

However, this only made the man smile even harder. "See, that's what I like. A little fight in my victims. Is that so much to ask?" leaning in a little closer, he sighed contently, before opening his eyes and seemingly staring into her soul. "You know, I almost feel bad for you. Cause you see, in this world. It's about survival." He held up a hand as if to stop her from speaking, even though they both knew it probably wouldn't have happened. "And I know what you're thinking, that's basically what you've been doing, but no, no, hear me out. They taught you wrong. It's not about enduring something and getting up to keep on going, no, no, that, that right there. That led you to this."

He tapped her aching chest, partially to make his point and partially to confirm that she was still breathing. "That made you a victim. If you really wanted to survive, which you're not, I'm just throwing this out there for you, but if you really wanted to survive. You'd have been like me. The strong survive. The ruthless survive. I saw you fighting against those fraccion earlier, you had the power to kill them, but you didn't. You're too kind, you're too weak. You're the kind of victim people like me like to prey on."

A dark chuckle escaped the man's lips, "You're the kind that turns me on." He whispered, reveling in the brief look of terror in her body language at the possible implication of his words.

Moving his blade away from her neck, he tilted his head curiously, just to make sure she was still listening to him. Seeing the woman's consternation at some distraction he couldn't see, the light bulb in the man's head turned on. "Oh, right, you must be so chockful of Shinso's venom even breathing must hurt for a freak like you." Reaching down to her left hand, he forced her palm open and then cut into it with his sword, red blood flowing along with a strange dark colored mist around the wound. The girl winced momentarily, before a labored breath escaped her throat, her chest rising and falling rapidly from the sudden decrease in pain in body.

Pulling his sword away and sheathing it, the smiling man said, "There. I've changed the burning venom into a more relaxing anesthesia, so you don't have to worry about it hurting as much."

Placing his hand against the scruff of her collar, the man lifted her up off the ground and then buried his fist into her stomach. The girl's body shook as a choked cry escaped her lips, the blow nearly causing her Shakujo to fall out of her weary hands. Seeing the tears form on the edge of her eyes, Gin chuckled to himself. "That was just a little reassurance for you, let you know you're still alive since losing feeling is a side effect for some. I know, I know, I'm such a nice guy to be so worried about you, you can thank me later on the rebound."

Lifting the girl up with both hands, he threw her over his shoulder before leaving the alleyway and flash stepping back where they had come from.

Arriving back in the middle of the airway intersection that their chase had begun. Ichimaru dropped her off his shoulders like a burlap bag, when he saw the girl's body and Zanpaktou float next to him instead of falling to the ground, he began to search the horizon for Aizen, so he could get his first hand kill show before she expired.

Just as he was about to sense out for his boss spiritual energy, he heard the clashing of steel to his far left hand side. Glancing in the direction, he found the man of the hour fighting against a blonde haired man with a white mask, just a couple hundred feet down the street.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Stark and Lilinette collapsed on top of the rooftop behind the fighters. Ichimaru supposed the two had been fighting against the man while Aizen provided directive, but once they were taken out of commission, he had no choice but to engage personally. "Well, I wouldn't have saved them, but can't argue if you got the power and the time to do so." Cupping his chin, he considered the situation. "I hope he doesn't become a victim at this rate. He'd never survive in a world where the strong are supposed to rule."

As Aizen disappeared in a flashstep to avoid a sword swipe from the masked individual, Tosen emerged from out of nowhere and crossed blades with the attacker. Following his line of sight, Aizen reappeared beside the defeated bodies of the two fraccion, trying to catch his breath.

Once he steadied himself, he then noticed out of the corner of his eye Gin standing quite care-freely. He was about to go over there and order him to do something useful for a change when he noticed that laying beside him was the girl, Barragan's murderer.

He smirked darkly for a moment. 'Yes, good work.' He thought to himself, until he saw the girl cupping some kind of energy in her hand. Taking his hand off his blade as quickly as he could to warn Gin, he pointed to the girl.

The man turned around seemingly catching the hint.

(Senna)

After being tossed of the man's shoulder, Senna used the spiritual energy of her staff to keep herself floating in the air. 'Owww….' The girl echoed in the back of her mind as her sore tired body landed on her golden staff.

The girl watched her captor turn his attention away as he seemed to be looking around for something. 'I don't have much time left.' She knew as she closed her eyes and began to search out for her seal.

She let her spiritual energy reach out as much as she could in her state, until her eyes widened feeling the ginormous pulse underneath her body. She—she was on top of her seal, the guy had taken her back to it, unknowingly. "Now or never…" Senna muttered as she pushed herself up barely an inch off the aerial seal. Cupping her left hand up as the fingers of her right hand touched the seal below, she followed up with the fourth and final primer. "Awaken the evening song that speaks of the empty skies, silence the pitiless voice of the tyrant lord. Raise the west wall, Bishamonten…"

"And what are you doing?" the man's menacing voice called to her. Looking back up as the consolidating red ruby disappeared in her hand into the seal, the man's blade slammed down into her flesh, digging in to her obliquus, just barely above her hips.

Still, she grit her teeth and fought through the pain; knowing if she stopped, if she hesitated, she was a goner. Reaching out with her free hand, she grabbed hold of the man's legs as the fingertips of her other hand touched both the seal underneath them and her Shakujo. "Harken the angel's summon, let the true path guide you!" she screamed out the invocation, as Gin started to pull the blade out to stop her from doing whatever she was building up for. "Find peace in annihilation! Purgatory!"

As Shinso broke free from the fleshy prison, the air beneath the man's feet illuminated by a large intricate seal. Not wasting any time, he brought his weapon down again to kill her, when a blinding light shot up from the visible seal.

Ichimaru watched in horror as the tip of blade that was mere inches from cutting into the woman face was breaking apart into reishi particles before his eyes, while an indescribable pain was assaulting him from all directions.

A howl of pain erupted out of his throat as he felt the skin of his flesh seemingly being ripped away. His eyes caught sight of his arm literally disappearing into nothingness in the veil of light. "No, no, no!" he cried desperately denying the reality of his death before him, even as more of his body split apart and evaporated in the air. "I'm a predator, not…not a victiiiiim!"

His scream echoed over the rushing of air that assaulted the weary Miko's ears even after the man's body vanished entirely from the force of the seal. A small fleeting smile graced her lips at seeing the object of her torment disappear. "Did it." She muttered tiredly, as she felt the man's soul being locked away within her, never again to see the light of day.

As the sacred seal's light finally began to die down around her, its task of sealing done. Senna exhaled slowly, as she used small vestiges of strength she had left to push herself up from her prone position. Getting up to her knees, she felt her body lurch forward from the weight of her Zanpaktou throwing her off balance, forcing her to take a few steps forward against her exhausted body's protest. "Uggghhh…I feel sick. I think I'm going to throw up."

Placing her hand against her forehead, she felt her body waver at being pushed to its absolute limit. That's it, she was done, nap time for her, she concluded. Cracking open her eyes fully, she stared at the horizon in front of her, the world having lost all color and reduced to a dull gray. She was about to groan to herself from the annoyance at knowing she was so on her last legs that she could barely see correctly, when she remembered one small important detail. "Where's the vision?" she muttered to herself, "I used the seal."

Squelch.

Senna's entire body shook for one brief moment, the sound of flesh splitting and blood flying ringing in her ears more loudly than anything she'd ever heard before in her entire life. In her mouth, she felt a warm liquidy substance slip past her lips and down her chin as her teeth started to chatter uncontrollably.

Forcing her head to look down, she saw a single blade sticking through her chest, coated in her own blood. Though she stared at it for maybe less than half a second before it was pulled out, it felt like an eternity, but once the blade retreated back with a sickening pop, she felt her whole body fall forward, as her darkened vision changed from the dull skyline of her hometown to the destroyed streets below.

As her strength left her body, she felt Mirokumaru slip from her fingers, not that it matter since it was over for her. She was done, she…she didn't avoid her foresaw death. Tear pooled around the edge of her eyes, as wind pressure forced her to look back at her killer, the one she now realized as Sosuke Aizen.

Though he seemed to be standing over her in triumph as a dark energy began to rise up around her, she ignored him as her eyes closed, unable to even keep them open. She could feel herself slipping away, but she wasn't as scared as she thought she'd be…

Because she could see them.

She could see all her friend from the human world and all the fun times they shared either in club or after school.

She could see the memories of her father and their time together in the human world.

She could see Shaolin's smiling face as the two women enjoyed each other's company during their brief time together.

And she could see him…

Kind, caring, Ichigo; her Ichigo, looking at her with a smile, silently telling her that everything would be okay.

"Ichigo…" the girl muttered, before her death at Aizen's hand could take her. "Don't…lose…"

The woman felt something slam into her body, a pain like no other in her broken state, registering even to the deepest reaches of her fleeting mind…

…and then finally nothing.

(Aizen)

"Got you." Aizen muttered lowly as his blade pierced all the way through the woman. He watched as the woman seemed to be struggling with herself, before she glanced down slowly. He felt a twinge of satisfaction to know he'd pierced her heart and given her weakened state, he knew she would be a goner. "Still…"

Pulling his sword out slowly, the overlord began muttering the incantation of the forbidden kido Kurohitsugi. He would make sure that this threat was destroyed, both for the reassurance of his plan and for Barragan.

From the street below rising upward, the black pillar of the coffin began to form higher and higher, going well above Sosuke's head until it towered the highest of buildings in the city. "Hado 90," he commanded confidently, the forbidden kido holding fast and waiting its master's command. Thrust his hand against smooth surface, he shouted, "Kurohitsugi!"

The spell responded and pierced inwards with incredible force, chewing up the area it covered up and grinding it into nothing with the spears of shadows contained within it's shell. Once the sound of crunching finally ended, the attack slowly evaporated from sight, giving Aizen a clear view of the chunk of the city block that was cleanly and violently removed from existence.

Staring down into the deep fissure, he saw only earth and broken water pipes spilling sewage onto the dirt, but he wasn't going to let his guard down just yet. Having got a feel from her spiritual pressure, he closed his eyes and began to sense for it. He waited and waited and waited, as he broadened his reach further and further out, only stopping when he felt the spiritual energy barely three feet behind him coming straight for him.

Aizen grunted as he opened his eyes. He knew there was no way, she would have gotten as far as he could sense in her condition, so she was most assuredly dead, which meant he could now turn his attention to the next nuisance.

Whipping his shoulder back, he outstretched his arm and caught the incoming mace that was going to strike him. Turning around to regard his opponent, he had to admit he was mildly surprised to see the lieutenant of squad two Marechiyo Omaeda on the other end of his Zanpaktou.

Although judging by the piss-shitting look of terror on his face. The stupid man clearly thought he could get the jump on him. "How foolish."

Swallowing the huge lump in his throat, Marechiyo tried to keep his legs from shaking and held on tight to his weapon. 'You had better know what you are doing Yoruichi!' the man mentally yelled at the woman, who wrapped him up into taking this suicide mission.

Raising a brow as Sosuke tried to consider what possessed the man to try this, his face contorted into disgust when he recalled the man was a nobleman cut from the same cloth as Sosuke Owari. The mere thought of being in the presence of one of the very people he despised made his stomach churn; while Senna deserved that death for what she did to Barragan, Sosuke was at least able to admire her strong sense of ideals and the courage to stand up for them.

But this man…

Narrowing his eyes, the bearer of the Hogyoku was going to cut him in half, but muttered. "No." he said flatly as he sheathed his sword. He wouldn't sully his blade on this unworthy…opponent.

Retching his arm holding the mace's head to the side, Sosuke crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye; his right hand clutching the man's trachea as he lifted him up off his feet, eyes staring coldly at the man. "I remember you very clearly, Omaeda-san. All the stories about you." A ring-like energy formed around the large man's neck as he struggled to break free, a choked wailing escaping his throat as Aizen increased the pressure around his neck. "I'm glad I got to meet up with you on the battlefield today, because you're the kind of person I hate the most."

The pressure against his throat increased again ceasing Marechiyo's wailing, as tears began to fall from his eyes. 'Yoruichi, where are you!? Save me!'

Aizen sneered darkly, "The kind of person who tried to keep me down."

Then just like that, he released his hand, the thin ribbon of golden light still wrapping against the freed man's neck. "Hado 45: Shikei shikkō burasuto (Executioner blast)!"

"Please! Spare me-"

The man flash stepped away as the nobleman's detonator went off, blasting the man into liquid chunks and destroying the two buildings closest to them, collapsing them down and shooting a smoking cloud of debris through the streets below.

Reappearing on the flagpole to one of the government buildings belonging to the city. Sosuke watched with mild satisfaction at the destruction of the area he had previously been inhabiting. Raising his hand to touch the Hogyoku implanted in his chest, he felt an inexplicable calmness fall over him refocusing his mind. It was almost as if Barragan and Rudbornn was right there beside him, whispering to him to stay sharp.

While he didn't know what the Hogyoku was capable of aside from assisting in crossing the barrier, Sosuke felt comforted to know that perhaps this little trinket would help him in guiding the world once he had finished his war against Soul society and the spirit king. "I will not allow us to be trampled under another." He promised to himself and his friend, as he turned his attention to survey the area.

He spotted a few of the towers, his armies' objective, destroyed while others remained standing outright, being defended in fierce battles. 'I need to go assist at once. After that we can retreat back to Hueco Mundo and regather our strength.'

With his plan set, Aizen placed one foot in front of the other to go assist when he stopped, feeling a strong spiritual pressure to his left. Glancing in the direction, he saw the beautiful ex-commander of the Onimitsukido, Yoruichi Shihoin, approaching Zanpaktou drawn from the sheath.

The two stared off at each other for a couple of seconds, before Aizen walked back on to the air, turning to face this latest adversary. "Can I help you with something, Yoruichi-san? I'm a rather busy man what with all the winning I've been doing lately, so if you have no busy I'd ask that you leave."

The usually coy woman glowered hearing the arrogant words of the man. "No, I'm here to stop you." She raised her Zanpaktou up, pointing it at him, as her scowl turned into a small sneer. "But I did want to thank for killing that man."

"Oh?" the traitor replied curiously, he certainly hadn't expected to hear that little tidbit. Had something happened between them that he was unaware of. "While I never knew you on a personal level, I always thought you were the type of person who'd save a comrade if it was within your power." Titling his head to the side, he asked, "So what caused this change, if I might ask?"

"Senna," the brown goddess summarized, "Soul Society has been monitoring the vital signatures of Ichigo, Uryu and Senna so they can be emergency returned in case it was needed."

"I see." Aizen replied, filing away the information of this Uryu fellow. He hadn't heard of him, so he'd have to be careful with what he could do too. "So what about these vitals?"

"When they dropped below a certain range, the 4th and 12th division coalition contacted me and told me to leave my position at the harbor and find Senna and bring her to safety."

(Flashback)

"Yoruichi-san, I repeat, Senna's readouts are dropping rapidly." The voice over the communicator relayed to the woman, as she waited for the garage door of the Vizard's warehouse to lift up enough where she could head out. "You need to locate her and either konso her back to us or get her back to Urahara's so we can send a team to her."

"What about the Vizards? They went out earlier. Can't you contact them, we can't leave Urahara here defenseless while he works on stabilizing the gateway for the Hueco Mundo team." She asked as she sprinted out the door and flash stepped into the city.

"Negative. We've lost contact with them and the Shinigami in the AO. They might be engaging an enemy at this time. That's why we contacted you, Senna is in immediate danger."

"Alright." She replied quietly, as she put the communicator away and focused on ahead more intently. As she continued jumping from rooftop to rooftop, trying to locate the girl, she noticed a blur of black out of the corner of her eye.

Turning around quickly, since it might have been the girl running away, she chased after it, using her superior speed to cut off the individual. Skidding to a halt, the ex-captain looked at the person and saw Marechiyo Omaeda huffing tiredly in front of her, sweating profusely. The man breathed hard for a few second as he tried to recognize her, before resting his hands against his thighs as he hunched over, relieved to know that it wasn't an enemy.

"Omaeda-san?" Yoruichi said quietly, "What are you doing all the way out here?" she gave him a casual look over and saw while he did look a little roughed up, he wasn't wounded that badly. Tilting her head to the side, she looked behind him and didn't see anyone giving chase, 'Why is he running then?'

Leaning back, Marechiyo wiped the sweat off his face, "Nice…to see you too, Yoruichi."

While she would normally appreciate sarcasm, right now was definitely not the time. "Listen, I know you were assigned to guard Senna. Right now, she's in trouble, I need your help finding her."

"What? No way! I just barely escaped with my life!"

Yoruichi's expression hardened, "Escaped with your life?" she quoted as she took a few step closer to him, burning hot with anger. "Did you abandon her to die!?"

The man recoiled at the accusation. He swallowed the lump in his throat since he knew if he admitted as much, he could be executed for his actions, he'd just have to spin it. "Ichimaru took her, there was nothing I could do!"

The man's weak excuse didn't have any effect on the woman unfortunately. "You could have chased after him, or interfered, or something!" she yelled, grabbing a fistful of his Hakama.

When the man careened back, bracing himself for the possible hit he was going to receive, the goddess of flash shoved him back forcefully. "Damn it, you really fucked up!"

As Marechiyo stumbled back, Yoruichi tried to sense for Ichimaru's spiritual pressure. Finding the clustered signature further into the center of town beside the flickering reiatsu of Senna, she nearly let out an anguished groan when she felt Aizen's spiritual pressure probably no more than 300 feet away.

'Damn it. There's no way I can grab Senna. If I go in to grab her and try to make a run for it, I'll all but be saying she's important to us, but if I don't hurry, she's going to die.'

Turning her eyes back to the demoted soldier, the woman started tinkering with a possible plan. If she had a distraction for one of them, preferably Aizen, she shouldn't have too much trouble losing the other and getting Senna out of there. "You're going to help me." She commanded in a low tone.

"W-what!?" the man balked as the woman glared at him darkly.

"I said: You. Are. Going. To. Help. Me." She repeated stepping closer to his face with each word. "If that girl dies, you're going to wish I killed you right now." Pulling back, she stepped around the cowed man and began walking to the edge of the building's roof. "Now follow me."

Jumping off to the building, she sensed for the spiritual pressure of Omaeda, when she felt it following behind her, she continued on with her plan. "Here's what you are going to do, dirt bag."

The man resisted the urge to say something, since he knew that it would only make things worse for him. "You're going to distract Aizen by attacking him from behind."

Any protest he was about to make was silenced, when she leveled him a heated glare and lifted up her communicator, letting him she had no qualms about letting this little incident slip. When he gave her a nod, she put the machine back and continued. "While he's distracted, I'll save Senna and move her somewhere safe."

"And what about me?" the man asked as he felt nervous from the powerful spiritual energies they were heading to.

Looking away and back to their destination, Yoruichi thought about it for a few second before saying, "Once she's safe, I'll come back and get you. I doubt Aizen is going to consider you anything more than a nuisance."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He muttered darkly, as he hoped that she didn't leave him high and dry.

(Flash back end)

"So to get him to go along with your little plan, you told him that you'd come save him when she was out of harm's way." The brown-haired man summarized, just a touch impressed by how she manipulated the man. "I must say while I applaud your ingenuity given the circumstances, your ultimate mission ended in failure both in saving the girl and saving him. In fact, you even left him to die."

Yoruichi shook her head, unconcerned by the accusation. "It's no more than what he deserves. He left her to die first, it's simply karma that he owns up to something he caused in the first place."

Aizen surprised Yoruichi when he let out a small laugh, "I could have used your sense of justice in the new world, a pity that I squandered the opportunity when it came to framing you."

"Yes, yes you did."

The woman raised her Zanpaktou up, about to engage him, when an overwhelming spiritual pressure erupted further down the street.

Aizen watched the woman's expression go from battle ready to a whimsical smirk. That's when he felt it too. 'Impossible.' He thought to himself when he felt just WHO was coming from behind him.

"Well," Yoruichi replied with a breezy smirk, sheathing her weapon, "I think I'll leave you two boys to catch up with each other." She then cat smiled at Aizen, "By the way you might want to dodge." And then disappeared into a flashstep.

Jumping to the side, Aizen narrowly dodged the black energy wave that shot past him, ripping up the streets and some of the buildings he collided in. That's how he knew without a doubt that it was him.

Getting back up to his feet, he sighed loudly as he turned in the direction Yoruichi had been facing. "I must say Kurosaki-san, you never fail to surpass my expectation."

Standing in front of the void in a black Gi with a dark blade in his hand was the final obstacle in his conquest. The son of his greatest idol Masaki Kurosaki.

Ichigo Kurosaki.

(Post fic banter)

Aizen (chocking): ha…ka…ehh..u-uncle, uncle!

Ichigo (pissed): No.

Blackout2010: I-Ichigo…we kinda need him for the next chapter. Please don't kill him off.

Senna: Y-yeah, I'm perfectly fine! See?

Isshin: Ichigo, I'm not seeing blood, get with the program!

Soifon: You're not helping the situation!

Ichigo: Don't worry, I won't kill him. (Menacingly) I'm just going to keep choking him till he stops breathing…

Everyone: (that's the same thing!)

Masaki (sweat drop): Umm, why don't you all come back later…you know once we get the newest chapter sorted out and umm…well… (Casts a glance at her son)…you know…

Unohana (cringing): Please feel free to contact blackout2010, if you are interested in applying for the position of 'Sosuke Aizen'. Experience in acting not required, but definitely preferred.

Masaki: Till next time! Ah, Ichigo stop, his eyes are rolling back!

Guidepost to the soul:

Senna's chants much like Masaki's chants were spoken in a language only known to them. The reason that it is in legible English is because, unlike when Unohana fought Masaki, we are with the chanter's perspective for the majority of the fight. Therefore, Senna, the chanter, when she speaks the words, would hear it no differently than if she had spoken normally. However Gin only heard her muttering gibberish and was perplexed by it.

For the sake of completionism, below is the chant in mystic language (Hebrew in this case) and written out in its entirety.

(Senna's starting chant) Heavenly melody, rain down from on high. Strike my seal with thunder and lightning; bestow the right to judge life upon me.

מנגינה השמימית , גשם מלמעלה. שביתת החותם שלי עם רעמים וברקים; להעניק את הזכות לשפוט את החיים עליי

(Senna's chant 2) In my hand, the creator's sword that calls eternal sleep! Honor our pact and hear my command! Raise the south wall, Zouchouten!

ביד שלי, חרבו של היוצרשקוראת שינה נצחית! כבד את הברית שלנוולשמוע את הפקודה שלי! הרם את הקיר הדרומי, Zouchouten!

(Senna chant 3) Neither soldier nor suitor traverses the gate of she wed fast to the shield maiden's fate; for no weapon destroys like passions resent, breaking one's spirit and shattering their sense. Raise the east wall, Jikokuten!

לא חייל ולא מחזר חוצה את השער שלהנישא מהרלגורלו שלהמגן - הנעורים; ללא נשק הורס כמו תשוקות להתרעם, לשבור את רוחו של אדםוניפוץ תחושתם. הרם את הקיר המזרחי, Jikokuten!

(Senna chant 4) Though sightless he aimed, and spite-less he drew, innocent the murder his arrow would do, ever in the keeping of the handmaiden's eyes, three times he will die and three more will he arise. Raise the west wall, Koumokuten!

למרות שהוא עיוור שהמטרה, ולמרות שהוא צייר - פחות, תמיםרצח חיצוהיה עושה, אי פעםבשמירה על העינייםשל השפחה, שלוש פעמים הוא ימות ועוד שלוש יהיה הוא מתעורר. הרם את הקיר המערבי, Koumokuten!

(Senna chant 5) Awakening the evening song that speaks of the empty skies, silencing the pitiless voice of the tyrant lord. Raise the north wall, Bishamonten!

התעוררותשיר הערבשמדבר על השמיים הריקים, השתקתהקול חסר רחמים שלהאדון עריץ. הרם את הקיר הצפוני, Bishamonten!

(Senna final chant) Harken the angel's summon, let the true path guide you. Find peace in annihilation. Purgatory!

"הקשיבו זימונו של המלאך, תן את הנתיב הנכון להדריך אותך. מצא את השלוםבהשמדה. Purgatory!

(Masaki verse 0) That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange eons even death me die. Now...lightning that writhes within the ashen depths of the world, gather now and grant life to the reaping seal of god.

שלא מתשיכולים שקר נצחיועם עידן ועידנים מוזרים אף למוות לי למות. עכשיו ... ברקיםשמתפתלים בתוך המעמקים חיוורים שלהעולם, לאסוף עכשיוולהעניק חייםלחותם קצירה של אלוהים.

(Masaki verse 1) A keen eye and with a marksman's hand, leave no refuge for prey on land. For death itself fears those who feast, upon what beats in the heart of the beast. Fall cold, blazing heart of Suzaku.

עין חדועם הידשל צלף, לא משאירה מקלט לטרף על קרקע. למוות עצמו חושש מי לחגוג, על מה שפועם בלב של החיה. סתיו לב קר, לוהט של Suzaku.

(Masaki verse 2) In the abyss, the tyrant of hell dances. Spilling crimson truth that blights the one true path. Close eternally, searing eye of Seiryu!

בתהום, הרודן של ריקודי גיהינום. שפיכת אמת ארגמןשמפגעידרך אחת נכונה. סגור לנצח, צורב עין, Seiryu!

(Masaki verse 3) Birthed to avenge his brother's bane, no song did he sing, nor word did he speak. All to be heard was the deathly shriek, for one night old he lay him slain. Dull bloodlessly, sundering claws of Byakko!

הוליד לנקום קללתו של אחיו, לא שירשהוא שר, ולא מילה עשתה הוא לדבר. את כל להישמע היההצווחה המוות, ללילה אחד ישן ששכב לו שנרצח. משעמם ללא שפך דם, לא יחולק טפרים של Byakko!

(Masaki verse 4) The wish-taker's luck shall take a turn for the worse, when the granter of wishes wills his wish to a curse. Now witness the sapphire light that burns deep into hell, their sins calling forth the Day of Judgment. Release the final seal!

לוקח את הרצון של מזל ינקוטתפנית לרעה, כאשרנתן משאלות צוואות רצונוקללה. עכשיו עדיםאור הספירששורף עמוק לגיהינום, חטאיהם קוראים שוביום הדין. שחרר את החותם הסופי!

Much like Masaki's verse, Senna's verse also reference 4 creatures in them. In Masaki's the four beasts are the four mythological creatures of the Chinese constellation, Suzaku (the red bird), Seiryu (the blue dragon), Genbu (the black turtle) and Byakko (the white tiger), sacred deities that represent the elements and seasons. In Senna's the four mentioned are the four devas (also called the four heavenly kings).

They are protectors of the heavenly and mortal worlds and fighters against evil, each king represents a different direction and promotes a different aspect of humanities growth. Zouchouten of the south is the ruler of the wind and promotes good growth. Jikokuten of the east is the god of music and grants compassion and harmony amongst humanity. Koumokoten lord of the west symbolizes the sun and the following of enlightenment. Bishamonten is the chief of the 4 protectors and fiercest of them all. He represents the north and is the ruler of rain and bestows wealth and good fortune.

Much in contrast with each other, Senna's verse to her half of the seal are much more 'divine' and/or holy, whereas Masaki's line come off as much more 'apocalyptic' and destructive. Which represents the Yin and Yang nature of things, and that only by coming together and accepting both halves, is ones true potential realized (in this case: A dimension destroying black hole vs a unblockable soul burning light/seal [Senna] and an unavoidable nuclear blast [Masaki])

PS: Consider this an early Christmas gift, since I'm not sure how long before the next chapter will be out. As always, thanks for reading and caring, it means a lot and if you can please provide feedback, so that I may continue to improve for you. Later guys! Blackout2010 out!