Defect

Ichigo, garbed in his Gillian mask and already in Bankai, refused to let up against Ulquiorra, Tensa Zangetsu clashing against energy javelins that the Cuarta Espada kept generating. His sword was almost constantly raging with the power of a Getsuga Tenshou, which Ichigo suspected was the only reason why he was consistently breaking Ulquiorra's weapons.

If it were as simple as melee combat, Ichigo had confidence that he could win eventually. There were three problems, however. First, Ulquiorra was just too damn fast to make more than glancing blows! "HOLD STILL!" he demanded, slashing and releasing a silent Getsuga.

"Now why would I do that?" the Arrancar asked him tonelessly as he once more abused his Sonido technique to vanish and reappear a distance away, out of range of the Getsuga. "I have no wish to die just yet."

Ichigo lunged at him, frustrated as he witnessed Ulquiorra's minor wound – he'd managed one on his arm just a minute ago – closed up at a speed comparable to his own regenerative abilities. That was problem number two: Ulquiorra too had high-speed regeneration and just-as-insane levels of reiatsu as Ichigo did, which meant that minor wounds meant nothing and major wounds were only temporary. He'd need to cut off Ulquiorra's head or something equally fatal, and even then the Hollowified Vizard wasn't sure that Ulquiorra couldn't regenerate from that, if only a limited number of times.

As Ichigo flew towards Ulquiorra as quickly as he could, he had to dodge the Arrancar's own attacks; he had a tendency of firing a mixture of teal-colored Ceros and energy javelins at the Vizard. While Ichigo was certain he could relatively easily withstand a Cero, he'd already gotten cut by the javelin before, and Ulquiorra was extremely good at hiding the spears within a Cero. That ability happened to be problem number three.

The result? An extremely annoying battle, one that worried Ichigo immensely. He had no idea how long his Gillian mask would last, and he tried not to think about it, thanks to his Vizard training. If this battle becomes one of endurance, Ulquiorra will win, Ichigo thought grimly as he dodged yet another javelin. Fine then! He wants long range, let's see how he likes ME throwing weapons at him!

Flipping Zangetsu onto his ring finger and spinning it quickly for a second as he danced around the spears of death, the Substitute Shinigami hurled it at his foe. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!" he roared with all his might.

"Foolish." Ulquiorra held onto his newly regenerated weapon and covered it in his own reiatsu, using it to simply deflect Zangetsu. "What can you do without your weapon?"

"Who says I don't have a weapon?" Ichigo breathed, right behind Ulquiorra. He'd materialized his Inner Hollow's Tensa Zangetsu in his left hand, and used his even-more-enhanced Shunpo to reappear behind the Espada. Without hesitation, he viciously slashed at Ulquiorra's back and wings.

Predictably, Ulquiorra managed to turn around in time to blocked with his javelin, but Ichigo merely smirked behind his mask. Somehow sensing that something was off, Ulquiorra suddenly realized, The other sword!

Too late. Ulquiorra had been impaled by Ichigo's black Tensa Zangetsu from behind, the blade still raging with a very powerful Getsuga Tenshou as it pierced his right wing and lung. "Urgh!" he grunted, realizing he was in a very difficult position. If he tried to move away, the sword in his back would only open the wounds further. "Clever. You distracted me with that white sword of yours, while you pulled back on the black chain to return that sword to you, while I was in the way."

Ichigo's grin only widened further. "Now that I've got you trapped here… it's time to take your fucking head off!" The white Tensa Zangetsu thrummed in his hand as Ichigo pumped reiatsu into it to trigger another powerful Getsuga Tenshou.

"… Cero Oscuro."

Ichigo didn't even have time to register what Ulquiorra had said before he found himself being pushed back, his white Tensa Zangetsu battling against Ulquiorra's black Cero. Fuck, Chad was right! he realized as the Cero managed to overwhelm his defenses and completely engulfed him.

Thankfully, Ichigo had had just enough time to harden his reiatsu further, to keep from being too hurt; his mask, however, was relatively weak and began to crumble. By the time the Cero was finished, he had only the top-left part of his mask left on him. Further, Ulquiorra had by then disengaged himself from the black Tensa Zangetsu, and was waiting patiently.

"You are quite strong," Ulquiorra complimented as Ichigo irritably yanked back on the chain again, returning his primary sword to his hand. He waited until the Vizard had also ripped the air in front of his face again, regenerating his mask. "That's interesting… I was unaware you could repair your mask. That is quite an advantage you have over most Hollows."

"I would imagine so…" DAMN IT! Ichigo cursed mentally, knowing he had missed a chance to finish off the Espada. The wound's probably already mostly healed by now. I need time and a calm mind to figure out a plan…

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

… Could this get any worse? Ichigo couldn't help but think. I ask for a calm mind, and I get my insane Hollow half. The universe hates me.

Oi, what's going on? Before his host could answer, Cazador quickly took stock of the situation. Ah, you're fighting Ulquiorra I see! That's probably why I came back so quick… so much Hollow reiatsu in the air.

"I did not want to reveal this, especially where Aizen could find out, but I do not see much choice," Ulquiorra said quietly. "You are unexpectedly strong, and I could very well die in this fight if I do not unleash my true form. Pray to whatever you believe in, Kurosaki Ichigo; you will not survive this, the form of true despair."

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Resurrección: Segunda Etapa." At those words, Ulquiorra changed before Ichigo's very eyes. The coat he'd worn in Resurrección seemed to have vanished under the sheer reiatsu of this new form. In mere moments, the Espada's changes completed. His hole had widened somewhat, and was now dripping a black liquid down his front, a liquid that Ichigo suspected was some variant of blood. His waist, legs and arms had covered themselves in fur as black as pitch, and both hands and feet had become more bestial, forming claws and talons respectively. A thin, onyx tail had also grown, but Ichigo could hardly see it as he was preoccupied with the long, slightly curved horns that Ulquiorra's mask remnants had morphed into. The Espada's facial markings had elongated as well, but before Ichigo could make any more observations he was hit by Ulquiorra's extremely dense reiatsu, which had changed somewhat.

And just as the Arrancar had foretold, Ichigo felt despair. … Shit.

Yeah, that's an 'oh fuck' moment.

"I am the only one of the Espada to have reached a second Resurrección form. Not even Aizen has seen it," Ulquiorra boasted, with the tiniest traces of pride detectable in his voice.

I don't have a choice. Let's see how long this lasts. "You're not the only one hiding their true power, Ulquiorra," Ichigo whispered. Cazador, you ready?

That depends. Are you ready to take a level in badass?

Ichigo smiled tightly. Then let's see just how badass we can get.

Hooking the white Tensa Zangetsu on his pinkie so it wouldn't get in the way, Ichigo slowly reached up for his mask with his left hand. "What are you talking about, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ulquiorra asked plainly. "You already have your mask, and you are in Bankai. How much more power could you possibly have?"

"Enough." Summoning Hollow reiatsu to his fingers, he tore the Gillian mask right off his face, only to reveal his Adjuchas mask.

Ulquiorra was taken aback by the sudden and dramatic rise in Ichigo's power, and even more so when Ichigo opened both his and his mask's mouth wide and gave a Hollow roar.

The Vizard struggled to remain in full control of his body; the Hollow's instincts – to kill, to consume all souls in the area – were nigh-overwhelming. ENOUGH! He clamped down hard, forcibly taking full control of his body. Now that that's taken care of, I have an Espada to dismember. Cazador! As your King I DEMAND you dampen the lust to feed on other souls.

As you wish, King! Though he'd never tell Ichigo, Cazador de la Luna was impressed at how quickly he'd recovered control; by pulling on the Adjuchas mask, Ichigo was subjected to the raw hunger every newborn Adjuchas feels. They must eat other Hollows near-constantly, in order to keep from degrading back into a Gillian. It is only after the first couple of dozen other Adjuchas they eat that most Hollows manage to focus on a different picture than always eating, and have a little time between feedings.

Cazador had a bit of a buffer on his side when he became an Adjuchas himself; as an Arrancar, he'd kept from using his Resurrección form except when completely needed. As a result, he wasn't using his full power, and needed to eat far less.

Ichigo had no such protection; he was at his full power. With his Adjuchas mask, and both Tensa Zangetsu, the Vizard was unleashing reiatsu that rivaled Ulquiorra's Segunda Etapa form. For his liege to master himself and the mind-consuming instinct to eat other souls within seconds, Cazador had to acknowledge that Ichigo's will and determination were quite strong. It's moments like this that remind me just why I'm not pissed I lost to him. He's like a freaking force of nature, Cazador thought to himself.

I don't know how long I've got…. Ichigo reminded himself grimly. Best make it count! He lunged at Ulquiorra, both his swords lit up with the destructive light of the Getsuga Tenshou.

Both blades were met by a strange weapon of pulsing, glowing yellow-white energy. It took the shape of yet another spear, but Ichigo could tell instantly that this was on a whole new level of power. Of course, the fact that both enhanced Tensa Zangetsu had been stopped cold by this weapon was also noteworthy.

"This is my Lanza del Relámpago," Ulquiorra introduced. "I don't know how you have suddenly increased your power yet again, or why your mask has changed. But allow me to instruct you in despair. Cero Oscuro."

Ichigo vanished as the attack annihilated the space he'd been in mere milliseconds previous. He reappeared behind Ulquiorra and slashed mightily, only to be blocked once more by Ulquiorra's lance. "You must think me a fool to fall for that again!" Ichigo raged. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

Ulquiorra found himself being pushed back by an enormous Getsuga that engulfed his vision; only his weapon held back the destructive moon-fang. It was a few moments before he managed to, with some effort, deflect it upwards; somehow, his opponent's power rivaled his own now, and he would be hard pressed to defeat him.

Taking advantage of the distance his opponent had inadvertently created, Ulquiorra aimed carefully and threw his lance at Ichigo. It flew at speeds that even Ulquiorra had difficulty following; this was his ultimate attack. The Lanza del Relámpago, or Lance of the Lightning, was extraordinarily powerful, and lightning-quick, just like its name. As a result, however, it was extremely difficult to aim.

Ichigo barely registered that he was being attacked, but he didn't get a chance to move. The lance, fortunately, did not hit him directly, but it did tear out a gash in his right arm. So fast! Knowing he couldn't afford to have any part of his body weakened, Ichigo sent a rush of Hollow reiatsu to his arm to mend it, noting but ignoring the explosion that he heard occur someplace behind him.

Ulquiorra frowned at missing with his most powerful technique. "This technique is so difficult to control…" He trailed off when he saw Ichigo's arm heal rapidly. "… I see. So you too have high-speed regeneration," he observed.

"Yeah… You do too. We appear to be about evenly matched, wouldn't you say? If we continue to fight, we will only wear each other out," Ichigo said, somehow feeling that his Adjuchas mask was still holding strong; he had some time left.

"I agree with your assessment of the situation. Somehow or other you've gained a great deal of power since the last time we met. I find myself curious… just what are you?"

"I'm human," Ichigo responded quietly. "Human, with the powers of Shinigami and Hollow."

"I see." Ulquiorra turned his back. The Vizard blinked, and suddenly Ulquiorra was in his pre-Resurrección state, sheathing his sword. "I believe you will succeed against Aizen, Kurosaki Ichigo. My encounter with Sado Yasutora has taught me the lengths to which a human will go, and the power they gain from emotions. I would die facing you, I am certain. My Segunda Etapa form, the form of true despair, had no hold on you. Additionally, I cannot fully control my Lanza del Relámpago. You, however, are my equal with that mask of yours, and have mastered your Getsuga Tenshou. Facing you, Kurosaki Ichigo, would only waste both our time, and you will require all the power you have to fight Aizen." He opened a Garganta with a wave of his hand. "You will see me again." With that, Ulquiorra stepped through his rip in space and closed it behind him.

Ichigo blinked behind the mask before dismissing his white Tensa Zangetsu, which dissipated into spirit particles. "Well, that was rather anti-climactic."

Perhaps, but you gotta admit, for an emotionless guy like him, that was a rather dramatic speech, Cazador gave his input.

Fair enough. Ichigo reached up and removed his Adjuchas mask… and promptly fell to his knees in midair, gasping for air as his strength vanished and the remnants of Ulquiorra's Segunda Etapa reiatsu gripped him with chilling fear. "OK… note to self… powering down so quickly… is a bad idea…" Ichigo panted, slowly recovering as the reiatsu dissipated. Several moments later, he was back on his feet and looking around. He was impressed at the destruction his short fight with Ulquiorra had caused; several blocks had been utterly annihilated between Ichigo's Getsugas and Ulquiorra's various javelins, and there was a rather large crater where the Lanza del Relámpago had exploded. Not for the first time, he was glad that this was merely a replacement town.

Where to? Ichigo closed his eyes and reached out with his reiatsu sense; not sensing anyone in particular danger at the moment, he decided to check in with Yamamoto. After all, suppose I SHOULD reassure them that I'm still here after I went almost completely Hollow… Not bothering to dismiss his Bankai, Ichigo vanished in flash of Shunpo.

Meanwhile, Soifon and Nnoitra were leaping around, trying to hit each other in their dance of death. Soifon was far too fast to hit, but Nnoitra was keeping her from being able to hit him by forcing her back with his six scythes. It was a true test of speed versus power. Neither of them had been distracted for a moment by the enormous quantity of Hollow reiatsu coming from Ichigo's battle with Ulquiorra; they didn't really care about anything at this point but the battle, and the reiatsu wasn't so strong as to hinder their movements from this distance.

On her part, Soifon was getting rather irritated. She did not want to unleash her Bankai against such a foe; she was certain that Shikai would be enough. If only she could keep Nnoitra from moving… That's it! Soifon could have smacked herself. Bakudo! Leaping back out of range, the leader of the Onimitsukido channeled reiatsu to her fingers. "Bakudo 4: Hainawa!"

Nnoitra was so surprised by the change in tactics that he was unable to dodge, and all six of his arms were suddenly entangled, held at his sides. Shit! I'm defenseless! He broke the Bakudo in a second, but it was too late.

Soifon had gathered as much reiatsu as she could on short notice into Suzumebachi and struck out! While Nnoitra's Resurrección had cleansed his body of all wounds, the Homonka was still on his back, and that's exactly where she struck, successfully piercing the Espada's tough Hierro. The Homonka began to glow, and then it spread out, swiftly covering Nnoitra's entire body. Soifon quickly Shunpo-ed away from Nnoitra's retaliatory swipe. "It's over."

"NO! I CANNOT BE KILLED BY A MERE WOMAN!" Nnoitra screamed as he felt his body breaking down from Suzumebachi's poison. "YOU BITCH! I'LL COME BACK AND I WILL KILL YOU!" Mere moments later, however, he crumbled into dust.

"… Tch. Pathetic." Noting vaguely that Omaeda had also triumphed, Soifon turned on her heel and promptly Shunpo-ed back to Yamamoto, Omaeda following.

On the way, she was surprised to see Kurosaki Ichigo also heading the same direction, and looking completely unharmed. Silently, they began going side by side, looking for tactical advantage against ambush through safety in numbers. "Keh. I would've thought that you'd be in tatters by now, Kurosaki." Especially since after almost every fight Soul Society's recorded with you, you need medical attention.

Predictably, Ichigo turned to glare at her. "You faced the Quinta Espada, Nnoitra, who specialized in brute strength. I faced the Cuarta Espada, Ulquiorra, who specialized in speed and regeneration. Even if I WAS in tatters, you still wouldn't have any room to talk."

"At least I took down my foe with merely my Shikai," Soifon bit out. Stupid brat, you flaunt that Bankai of yours in every damn fight. You've grown too reliant on it. "Besides, if there was only one difference in rank, how large could the difference be?"

Ichigo snorted. "How far are you from Yamamoto? He's your soutaicho, which is only one rank from taicho, isn't it? Or would you prefer a comparison of fukutaicho to taicho?"

"Oh?" Soifon challenged.

"Surely you haven't forgotten the day Kuchiki Rukia was to be executed," the Vizard growled. "I took down three fukutaicho with my bare hands in seconds, but nearly died fighting Byakuya."

That shut her up.

After a few moments, as they made their next Shunpo jump together, Ichigo sighed. "Listen, I don't know what you've got against me, but –"

"I have several things against you, Kurosaki," Soifon interrupted. "I think you're a security risk. I think it's too dangerous to keep you alive with your Hollow side, especially as you've confirmed you've become a full-fledged Hollow before. I think you're too brash, too arrogant, too young, and too emotional for someone to wield taicho-level power. You don't respect Soul Society law. You resort to your Bankai for every serious fight. You don't respect anyone, and don't hesitate to trample on our pride. I don't like you, Kurosaki Ichigo. But right now you're an asset to Soul Society, and needed to help defeat Aizen. And for that I'll tolerate you. But if Yamamoto-soutaicho ever suggests you need to be eliminated, I will be the FIRST to line up for the job."

Ichigo gave a bitter chuckle. "Typical."

Somehow, that one word got under the taicho's skin. "And just what do you mean by that?!"

The Vizard and Shinigami locked gazes. "I'm saying it's typical of Soul Society to destroy that which it doesn't like. The Bount. The Quincy. The Mod-Souls. Your own Shinigami who, through no fault of their own, acquired Hollow powers. That's your default response, isn't it? Don't like it? Kill it. Doesn't matter if you created it or not. In that way you're no better than barbarians." Ichigo turned up his glare as hard as he could, the reiatsu he constantly leaked becoming denser and heavier with killing intent. Behind them, Omaeda was affected and looked at the Vizard with fear. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Byakuya that day on Soukyoku hill. I gained this Bankai to trample on Soul Society's pride, and to do whatever it took to protect my friends. And I warn you, Soifon, taicho of Squad 2 of the Gotei 13. If you ever come after me or my friends, you will need Yamamoto Genryuusai himself at your side to save you, because I swear I will come at you with all of my power!"

With that, he turned on his heel and Shunpo-ed away from them, choosing to go help his friends over reporting to the soutaicho; he was too angry at the moment to have anything to do with the Gotei 13. As soon as Ichigo was gone, Soifon continued on her way to Yamamoto. She easily dismissed Kurosaki's words against Soul Society. Tch. The brat's too young to understand why those decisions were made. The Bount were a threat to Soul Society and lived forever only by consuming the souls of humans. The Quincy were a threat to the spiritual balance because they destroy souls. The Mod-Souls were a crime against ethics; we shouldn't just take human corpses and force them to fight Hollows for us. The Shinigami who illegally obtained Hollow powers BECAME Hollows. And everyone understands that we have to purify the Hollows so they can reenter the cycle of reincarnation…

"… I swear I will come at you with all of my power!" Soifon repressed an involuntary shiver of what could only be fear before shunting it to the back of her mind. None of that will matter if we die today, she told herself firmly, focusing on the coming fights.

Renji and Rukia stood back to back, facing off against Harribel's three Fraccion: Apache, Mila-Rose, and Sun-Sun. Apache was of a slight build, very pale with a unicorn-like horn for her mask remnant. Her eyes were two different colors; her right was an icy blue, her left amber. Her hair was a much darker shade of blue, almost indigo, but her Zanpakuto was nowhere to be seen. Mila-Rose, however, was almost Apache's exact opposite. Her appearance was very much like the stereotypical Amazonian – dark-skinned, well-endowed, tall, but obviously quite strong. Her mask remnant was also atop her head, but took the shape of a three-sectioned crown going back over her long wavy hair. An additional part of her mask was present as a necklace, while her Zanpakuto was an extremely large broadsword. Where Apache's outfit was moderately conservative, Mila-Rose had modified it to take full advantage of her breasts' size. Finally, Sun-Sun was quite slender, with long straight olive-green hair that ran down to the middle of her back. There were three pink dots lined vertically on her right cheek, and her mask fragment took the appearance of three hair clips. Her outfit had also been modified, now taking the form of a dress with exceedingly long sleeves that went past the hands, much like the traditional Japanese priestess. Her Zanpakuto had yet to be seen.

The three of them had appeared almost out of nowhere around Rukia, possibly seeing her as the weakest target. Upon seeing this, Renji had rushed to her aid, managing to save her from a Cero to the back from Sun-Sun while Rukia fought Mila-Rose. Seeing as the three Arrancar had already encircled them, the two childhood friends immediately took a back-to-back position, releasing their Shikai.

"Any ideas?" the tattooed fukutaicho muttered under his breath, knowing full well that Rukia would hear him.

"Maybe. Have you mastered that trick of yours? The one you've been working on lately?"

"Yeah, but I don't see how it applies here…" Renji replied, confused.

Rukia allowed a small smirk that resembled Ichigo's own. "I'll provide a few pillars. Think you can handle the rest?"

"No problem."

"What're you two dead Shinigami talking about?" Apache demanded.

"You know, Shinigami are almost always dead to begin with," Mila-Rose teased. "After all, how else would they end up in Soul Society?"

"Fuck you, Mila-Rose! You know god-damn well what I meant!"

"Apache!" Sun-sun scolded. "You shouldn't give them any opportunities. These two are strong and you know it. We might even have to bring out our pet."

The high-strung Fraccion scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"Renji, I'm going to need you to protect me for a little bit," Rukia asked quietly. "What I'm about to do is going to take quite a bit of my reiatsu and concentration…"

Renji nodded, which the diminutive ice-user felt due to their size difference. "I've got your back, Rukia."

She closed her eyes and began calling up as much reiatsu as she could.

"Fuck, she's doing something!" Apache noticed and yelled out.

"We know! So stop her, we're kinda being blocked by her partner!" Mila-Rose replied back. "Sun-Sun, go help Apache, I'll keep the redhead occupied!"

"Oh no you don't! Howl, Zabimaru!" Though his Shikai was already released, Renji couldn't help calling on his Zanpakuto. It was a matter of pride.

To all three Fraccion's surprise, the chain-sword circled around the two of them dozens of times, forming a small protective sphere of blades, guided by Renji's reiatsu. All three Arrancar began hacking at it, and Renji focused his reiatsu into Zabimaru. Hold on there, partner. Rukia's almost done.

Do not worry about us, Renji. We are fine for the moment, as long as they don't begin blasting Ceros at us.

Unfortunately, after a few strikes Sun-Sun had that exact idea, and after relaying it to her fellow Fraccion, the three charged up Ceros and fired them at once at the same spot on Zabimaru, making it howl and hiss in pain from its ape and snake heads within Renji's Inner World.

"Renji!"

"About time!" Renji called Zabimaru back to its initial Shikai state, freeing them both. "Whatever you're going to do, do it quick!"

"Some no mai," Rukia intoned, but her voice was doubly-layered with something that made Zabimaru stiffen in recognition. "Tsukishiro!"

Dozens of ice pillars appeared around them in a circle, forcing all three Fraccion to dodge out of the way repeatedly to keep from being frozen solid. Rukia fell to one knee in mid-air. "Go, Renji," she whispered, trying to adjust to the severe reiatsu depletion. Thank you, Sode no Shirayuki, for your help.

Anytime, Rukia. I am glad to help.

Renji's eyes widened in awe of what he had just observed; Rukia had truly outdone herself there. Well I'm not going to waste the opportunity! He shot Zabimaru out towards Apache, who easily dodged. What she didn't see was that Zabimaru had been deflected and redirected by the impact with the ice pillar behind the Arrancar. Now it was subtly aiming towards Sun-Sun, who instinctually realized the danger and dodged as well.

"Watch out!" Sun-Sun warned Mila-Rose, who had her back to the oncoming blade.

From there it became a fun game – for Renji – of trapping the three of them in a cage of Zabimaru's blades. Finally, it was complete was the Zanpakuto's end blade hooked onto one of the previous segments. The pineapple-haired Shinigami smirked as he prepared to pull it tight and shred the three Fraccion. "Gotcha."

"We don't have a choice!" Apache cried out, pulling off her bracelets, which revealed themselves to be chakrams and her Zanpakuto. "Thrust, Cierva!"

"Devour, Leona!" Mila-Rose yelled, for once agreeing with Apache.

"Strangle to death, Anaconda!"

The energy emitted from the triple-Resurrección was enough to push Zabimaru's blades far enough apart for them to escape. Frowning at the lost opportunity, he quickly took stock of their new forms. Apache was now completely covered, from neck to toe, in fur. Dangerous-looking antlers topped her otherwise-unchanged head. Mila-Rose's warrior outfit had dissolved and had been replaced with garments made of Hollow bone that barely covered everything. It consisted of an armored thong, thigh-high boots, gloves that reached her elbow, and two claw-looking pieces that supported her breasts while concealing just enough to remain within the bounds of decency. The bone necklace she had worn had expanded into neck protection, while the crown morphed into a headdress that had long golden hair reaching down to the small of her back. Sun-Sun now resembled a naga, a mythical creature whose bottom half was an extremely large snake, while from the waist up was a woman.

"Shit," he muttered. "Rukia, you alright? Things just got worse."

"You don't say?" Rukia responded sarcastically, but she nevertheless got up to fight. "The pillars are still up. Why can't you just trap them again?"

"I don't mind trying, but I get the feeling that they're too strong to be held by my Shikai any longer," Renji explained.

"Then why not go Bankai?"

"Keh. They're not strong enough to need to go to such extremes. We just need to work together."

"You bastards!" Apache screamed at them. "Mila-Rose, Sun-Sun, let's bring out our pet!"

"Yes, let's," Sun-Sun agreed. Mila-Rose merely nodded.

What happened next stunned Renji and Rukia into silence; all three tore their left arms off and then threw them together a small distance away from them. "Quimera Parca!"

There was a bright light, and the three arms swirled together to form a gigantic being. He resembled a satyr somewhat, as from the waist down he had deer legs ending in hooves, while the torso was that of a highly muscular human. However, the being also had a long snake tail, a deer skull for a mask, and an extremely long mane. He let loose a Hollow scream before charging at Renji with a speed that belied his size.

Renji, on the other hand, was the fukutaicho of one of the fastest Shinigami in Soul Society: Kuchiki Byakuya, who had trained from a young age with the Goddess of Flash, Yoruichi herself. He vanished in a flicker of Shunpo and reappeared behind the monster, swinging Zabimaru to take off the being's head. Incredibly, the chimera bent to the side at an angle that would have made the fukutaicho wince in sympathy in any other circumstance, then twisted and punched. Too close and too surprised to dodge, Renji braced himself as best he could, using his Zanpakuto to block. He grunted with effort, putting all his strength into keeping that enormously strong hand from hitting him. "Rukia! Freeze the damn thing!"

"Tsugi no mai! Hakuren!" Another avalanche of ice erupted from Sode no Shirayuki, engulfing the beast in ice. However, the ice hardly slowed down the monster, which broke free in mere seconds. However, it was long enough for Renji to Shunpo to Rukia's side.

"Heh, you'll never defeat our pet, Allon, like that!" Apache taunted.

"Allon is our ultimate weapon," Sun-Sun cut in. "With all the strength, speed and ruthlessness of an Espada. He's never been beaten."

"Though we haven't really tested him out against any Espada…" Mila-Rose pointed out. "We don't exactly wanna kill our mistress, Harribel-sama, and Aizen-sama forbade us from attacking any other Espada…"

Renji seemed to have garnered the full attention of Allon as they chased each other, Renji often just barely escaping. "Rukia! Some help here?!"

"I'll try, but I'm running low on reiatsu… Bakudo 9: Geki!"

To the incredulous astonishment of everyone present, Allon seemed vulnerable to the Bakudo, freezing in place as he glowed a gentle red, the tell-tale sign of that particular Bakudo. "Let's finish this, Zabimaru!"

Renji's Zanpakuto thrummed in his hand, sharing its master's bloodlust as the Shinigami swung it at the immobile chimera. But suddenly, with no warning at all, Allon broke the binding and rushed at the redhead, easily avoiding Zabimaru's blades. Renji only had time to utter two words: "Oh fuck."

"Hado 63: Soren Soukatsui!"

Rukia's Kido struck Allon right in the head. However, it was only enough to push Allon to the side, just enough for his enormous fist to rip off Renji's left arm instead of punching through his chest. Renji grit his teeth as a wave of pain came over him. I'm gonna have to go see Inoue… But when Allon turned his sights on Rukia, Renji knew he couldn't just leave his childhood best friend behind. "No choice, then." He began to glow a fiery red as he gathered his reiatsu. Let's go, Zabimaru! "BANKAI!"

Moments later, the massive bone snake known as Hihio Zabimaru lunged at Allon, successfully snatching him up in its mouth just before he could reach Rukia. "Hikotsu Taiho!" Renji called out. On cue, the reiatsu that held the segments of Hihio Zabimaru together expanded exponentially, glowing the same red as a Cero-like blast began to manifest in the head. What none of them could see was that in the back of Allon's head, hidden by the mane, a single eye opened a charged a Cero of its own.

Hikotsu Taiho met Cero and battled for supremacy. Ultimately, it was when Renji slammed Allon to the ground face-first by having Hihio Zabimaru aim straight down that the Cero's power faded and Renji's technique blasted straight through the chimera. The blast continued and destroyed several building, and there was no doubt that Allon had been completely disintegrated

"They… they defeated Allon!" Mila-Rose breathed in horror.

"Yeah, and you're dead."

Suddenly, all three Fraccion were hit in the head with a spiritual arrow. Moments later, they began to dissipate into spirit particles as well, having been killed instantly. Both Renji and Rukia looked up to see the grim face of Ishida Uryuu. "You two should go get healed up. Renji needs his arm back and you're both running low on reiatsu."

"Where the hell were you?!" Renji demanded, angry that the Quincy had just appeared and killed the three Arrancar only after Allon, the primary threat, had been destroyed.

"Not that it should matter to you, but I was over there keeping the towers safe from various Gillian who had sensed the battles and were coming through," Ishida snapped.

"Renji, Ishida!" Rukia yelled, getting both their attention. "Now is NOT the time for your pointless, testosterone-induced squabbles! There is a war going on! Renji, accept that Ishida was helping out in one of our primary objectives! Ishida, Renji just lost his fucking arm! He's got the right to be angry when to all appearances you hadn't done anything! Now Renji, you and I are going to get healed. Ishida, continue to protect the towers. If you two are going to continue like this I will kick BOTH your asses! Are we all clear?!"

"Yes ma'am," both answered dully as Renji dismissed his Bankai.

"Good. Now let's go, Renji."

Harribel clenched her fists as she felt her subordinates' reiatsu be extinguished. "Skilled warriors on the towers?" she whispered hoarsely, remembering what Yamamoto had said as she watched the massive bone snake vanish. She turned to go after the ones who had killed her precious Fraccion, and vanished with a burst of Sonido. She arrived where the fight had taken place, only to find no one nearby. There was a single human in white clothing atop one of the towers, who was systematically destroying Gillian as they appeared using a spiritual bow.

The Espada shook her head. That can't be him. He looks too busy, and he's obviously not a Shinigami whose ability involves a giant snake. The thought struck her to destroy the tower herself, and Harribel paused for a few moments to consider. She decided against it, however, as she wanted to take personal vengeance on whoever had caused the death of her subordinates, and if she did not pursue immediately, she would not be the one to exact revenge. Harribel's head whipped to the side as she felt Barraggan's Fraccion die, and she sensed that several Shinigami had worked together to defeat them quickly and easily. Noting that they once again returned to the towers to protect them, she shook her head to remind herself of her mission, and began looking for traces of her Fraccions' killers.

She spotted two Shinigami making their way to a building on the ground, and her blood boiled as she realized that they must be the ones who had killed Apache, Sun-Sun and Mila-Rose. They're heading to a healing station! She dashed after them, memorizing their appearances so even if they escape momentarily, she would know them by sight.

The smaller of the two jerked suddenly before turning to look straight at her. Following suit, the redheaded one looked the same way, and a grim realization crossed their faces. Harribel smiled behind her mask and high-collared jacket. That's right, see your end as I come to take your lives. She drew her sword from behind her back. It was much wider, and shorter than most swords, but the truly unique aspect as that it was completely hollow inside. It consisted of nothing more than the edges and hilt. Her sword in hand, Harribel lunged at the two…

…only to be blocked by another sword, one very familiar sword. "Grimmjow?! What do you think you're doing?!" she demanded.

"Kurosaki had me beat, was about to kill me, but then offered a way out. He agreed to spare my life if I protect that building and whoever is inside. Something tells me he would count anyone trying to get there, and nothing personal, and I can't die just yet," Grimmjow explained.

"Traitor! I'll cut you down!" She jumped back and channeled her reiatsu into her sword, making the hollow inside become filled with her yellow reiatsu. "Ola Azul!" She brought her sword down in Grimmjow's direction, and the blade-shaped reiatsu launched itself at the Sexta Espada.

Grimmjow grimaced as he realized that if he dodged, the building he was sworn to protect would be damaged, and he couldn't afford that if he wanted to survive past today. He fired a Bala at the attack, which successfully decreased its power and deflected it away. While he felt he was on par with the Cuarta Espada, Ulquiorra, he knew that until he proved that, Harribel as Espada Tres would remain out of his league. If I can't win against Ulquiorra, I know I can't win against Harribel. But I must survive so I can grow stronger! There was only one option, so Grimmjow reluctantly swallowed his pride. "Please, Harribel, can't it wait until the ones you want come back outside? I can guaran-damn-tee they will, because they wouldn't be able to stand not being able to help their friends."

"They killed my Fraccion!"

Grimmjow honestly could not see why Harribel cared for her Fraccion so much; his own Fraccion had been cowards, the lot of them, giving up on their dreams of Vasto Lorde. However, it was as good a reason as any for vengeance, he supposed. "So you want revenge? Fine, then! But wouldn't your vengeance be so much sweeter if you crushed them while they were at full power? To make them see that it didn't matter what they did, they had lost the moment they faced off against you?

Harribel stopped in the middle of casting another Ola Azul, hit by the possibility Grimmjow's words offered. They made a kind of poetic sense. They destroyed my Fraccions at full power, the least I could do is do the same to them. She sheathed her sword. "Very well, Grimmjow Jaegerjacques! Tell them when they come out that I await them where they killed Apache, Sun-Sun and Mila-Rose."

"I don't think you'll get that chance." Harribel spun on her heel to see someone she had not seen in a long time. There was a woman, garbed in a torn two-piece olive green outfit. She had long, blue-green hair and her mask fragment was the front part of a skull with a pair of curved horns similar to a goat's. There was a crimson line reaching across her face directly underneath her eyes, across the bridge of her nose.

"Nelliel Tu Odelschwank!" Harribel breathed. "But, how? I was told you were lost!"

"I was," Nelliel agreed. "I was betrayed, Tia-chan. Nnoitra and Szayel attacked me from behind, and damaged my mask. I lost most of my reiatsu, and reverted into a child form with amnesia. My faithful Fraccion, Dondochakka and Pesche, took care of me." She shook her head. "Just earlier today, we came across an Arrancar named Cazador de la Luna. Later, we found out that he was the Inner Hollow of Kurosaki Ichigo, who was very kind, and refused to strike me or my friends down. I came to see him during his battle with Grimmjow, but in my child form I was unprepared for the intensity of such a fight, especially when Kurosaki Ichigo had pulled on his Hollow mask. The enormous surge of reiatsu, right next to me, forced open my memory block, and I collapsed from mental strain. I woke up in that building you are trying to attack, thanks to a wonderfully kind human with a gift for healing. Somehow, she had repaired my mask, and with that I regained my old form, with all my old power."

"I am glad you are recovered, Nelliel, and I understand that you owe your recovery to these people. But they killed my Fraccion! Tell me you wouldn't do the same if yours were killed!" Harribel shouted.

"I cannot," the former Espada Tres admitted. "But you must put the blame where it truly lies, Tia-chan. Who is responsible for their death? Would the ones you seek have killed them if your Fraccion hadn't attacked them first?"

"I don't know. Does it matter?"

"Very much," Nelliel insisted. "You must understand, Tia-chan, that the Shinigami and humans here are merely defending this town, and their own lives."

"But Aizen-sama needs this town to create the Ouken!"

"And why does he need it?"

"To ascend to the Royal Realm, and become a god."

"And there was no other way?" Nelliel questioned. "Of course there was. Aizen looked for the original Ouken for a long time in Soul Society. The best he could find were the instructions on how to make a new one, and that only the soutaicho knows where it is. All he would have had to do is become soutaicho, and then he could have ascended without causing all this needless violence and death." She shook her head sadly. "You know I abhor fighting, even when I know it is necessary. I cannot help but hate Aizen for causing so much pain and death and forcing us to fight. He betrayed Soul Society, his own comrades. He forced several of us to submit through sheer might. He refused to punish the ones who betrayed ME, and even promoted them! Is it any wonder that the Shinigami refuse to simply lie down and die? No, Tia-chan, the Shinigami are not responsible for your Fraccions' death. Aizen is!"

The two Espada Tres looked at each other in silence – Nelliel waiting for Harribel to say something, the latter struggling to digest her predecessor's words that held the ring of truth. "Why then?" Harribel finally asked. "Why did you serve Aizen-sama if you knew this?"

"What choice did I have? I desired to live, and Aizen did use the Hougyouku on me, for which I will forever be grateful. And I admit, for a time Aizen did have my loyalty. But I have seen him for who, no, what he is now. Aizen is a monster beyond that of any Hollow."

"Nel? Is that you?"

Both Espada Tres turned to the side, where they saw Kurosaki Ichigo, currently in Bankai, looking at the blue-green-haired former Espada incredulously. "Ichigo!" Nel promptly tackle-glomped him, sending Ichigo tumbling to the ground. "I'm so glad to see you're ok! I was worried when I woke up that I wouldn't have a chance of help you!"

Ichigo blinked and tried to keep from turning too red; Nel was most definitely a full-grown woman, and if he so chose he could have an excellent view of her breasts. Plus there was the fact that Nel was now straddling him… Now's not the time! "Erm, Nel? I'm glad to see you too, but could you let me up please?"

"Oh, right." Nel giggled a little, standing up before giving Ichigo a hand up as well. "Ichigo, this is Tia Harribel, Espada Tres. Tia, this is Kurosaki Ichigo."

The two glared at each other in suspicion before the Vizard tentatively offered a hand to shake. The Espada looked at it for a moment before reluctantly doing the same. They shook hands quickly then let go. Ichigo quickly turned his attention back to his friend. "Nel, how did you grow up so fast? Last I saw you were still a kid!"

"That friend of yours, Inoue, has a real talent for healing!" Nel explained happily. "She fixed my mask, and viola, I'm back to my old self again."

"Well, I'm glad you're better." Harribel was surprised to see honesty in Kurosaki's eyes. "What do you plan to do now? I won't lie, we could use your help, but I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to go near Aizen or his forces ever again."

"Well, I could go after Nnoitra…" Nel mused. "I do owe him a good beating."

"He's dead, a Shinigami taicho killed him," Ichigo interjected.

"Damn. What about Szayel?" At the Vizard's confused look, she elaborated. "Tall, pink hair, glasses, pretty creepy? Has a tendency to stalk other people, supposedly so he can study their powers and find ways to nullify them? "

Ichigo burst out laughing for a moment. "You mean to tell me there's a tall, creepy guy with pink hair and glasses in your ranks? He must be the laughingstock of the Espada!"

"You've got no room to talk," Harribel put her two cents in. "Orange hair? Really?"

That shut him up for a moment. "Anyway, he's not here. If he's an Espada and still alive, he's probably back in Hueco Mundo getting slaughtered by the team of taicho the Shinigami sent there."

"Shame. I would've liked to introduce him to my Resurrección," Nel commented. "Oh well. Who all is left around here?"

"Well, from what I could see on the way here, the Septima Espada is dead, Grimmjow's guarding this place, Nnoitra's dead, Ulquiorra's retreated and left Aizen's ranks… most of the Fraccion are dead. Only ones left so far as I know are the guy on the throne, the bored-looking tall guy and his Fraccion, and Harribel here," Ichigo summarized. "Oh, and Aizen, Ichimaru and Tousen who are still trapped by Yamamoto-jii's flames."

Harribel looked at him oddly. "You made Ulquiorra retreat? How did you manage that?"

Ichigo glanced at her, his eyes slightly frigid. "I don't want to talk about it." What was left unsaid was I don't want you to know, just in case I have to fight you later.

"Wait a minute, have you killed even a single Espada yet?" Harribel demanded incredulously.

Ichigo thought about it for a minute, rubbing his chin with his hand. "Let's see. Yammy? Nope, he escaped. Rukia killed that Aaroniero guy. Ishida's the one who killed Zommari… Grimmjow's alive, so is Ulquiorra… Nope, haven't killed even one of you yet."

"And that doesn't bother you?" Harribel questioned.

"Not really. Don't really have anything against Ulquiorra. Sure, I think he's a little creepy, but hey, who'm I to judge? Grimmjow pisses me off…"

"Yeah, you piss me off too, asshole!" came Grimmjow's yell from a distance away.

"…but if I don't need to kill him I won't. Yammy I would have killed if I had a chance, but that's only because Ulquiorra said he'd defect to our side if we did, as it would show that we had enough power to possibly defeat Aizen. Would've killed Aaroniero and Zommari too for a number of reasons, but Rukia and Ishida wanted to face them alone." Ichigo shrugged. "Doesn't matter though. We just need to defeat Aizen, to protect my town and those who live in it." His eyes softened a little as he gazed at the rest of the faux town, taking in the sheer destruction before hardening again. "As for whoever works for him… I don't give a damn. If you all just went back to Hueco Mundo, I wouldn't follow you. Just leave my town and my friends alone."

Harribel was forcibly reminded of Nelliel's words from earlier. You must understand, Tia-chan, that the Shinigami and humans here are merely defending this town, and their own lives. She turned her back on the two of them. "Fine. I'll help you finish Aizen, and then go back to Hueco Mundo."

"Yay!" Nel cried out happily. "You can trust her, Ichigo. She always keeps her word! And I'll help too!"

Ichigo looked surprised, but then gave Harribel a look of appreciation. "Thank you. Let me just warn the others not to attack you two."

With that, he Shunpo-ed away, back to Yamamoto. Wow, I totally did NOT expect that much help. Now we have two high-level Espada on our side!

That is indeed fortunate.

Ichigo almost did a double-take. Zangetsu? Wait, I thought Cazador was back in control…. Not that I'm against hearing from you! He shut up before he could dig a deeper hole for himself.

The Vizard got the oddest impression of his Inner Hollow shrugging at him instead of taunting him for his conversational stumble, which immediately made Ichigo feel uneasy. Eh, I'm not completely back up to full strength, so technically Zangetu's still in control. For some reason though he feels that we're both going to be needed at some point today.

That put Ichigo on edge. Zangetsu had never once been proven wrong in his memory, and had been a source of wisdom and strength for as long as he'd known him. Zangetsu, can you give any details?

Merely that in light of your opponents' superior years of experience, you will likely need every advantage you can gain. Therefore I would rather not waste either Cazador's or my own strength in a struggle for dominance.

Good idea. The Shinigami schooled his face into one of his classic scowls. More than ever, he was glad he'd made the deal with his Inner Hollow. So far, it had only helped him. He would ask Cazador to teach him a new Hollow power to give him an edge in the coming fights, but Ichigo had been aware of most of Cazador's time in control. The Hollow side of the Vizard hadn't used any Hollow-specific powers aside from Sonido, Cero and Garganta, all of which were instinctually-based. Most likely, Cazador would have nothing new to teach him, and the Cero wasn't as versatile as the Getsuga Tenshou.

Almost before he knew it, he had arrived where the Shinigami and Hollow sides were beginning to square off. Yamamoto had not taken an opponent, but Ichigo understood why. He's saving his power for Aizen. Ichigo rapidly observed who was pairing off; it would seem that Barraggan had risen from his throne and had chosen Hitsugaya-taicho for his opponent, while Starrk appeared to be eyeing Kyoraku-taicho. Starrk's Fraccion, Lilynette, was glaring distrustfully at Ukitake-taicho.

It suddenly hit Ichigo that those three were all that were left of Aizen's supposedly loyal Espada that were here in the fake Karakura. It gave him hope to realize that they now far outnumbered Aizen's forces. However, he had the grim feeling that Starrk and Barraggan were the most powerful, and most dangerous of the Arrancar they had faced thus far. The Substitute Shinigami shook his head to clear his thoughts before approaching Yamamoto. "Oi, Yamamoto-jii! Two more Arrancar have joined our forces. One's Nel, she's the one wearing a green tank top and skirt, and the other one's Harribel, the one with the coat that covers all the way up past her mouth."

"How can you be sure they can be trusted?" Yamamoto queried, almost tiredly. How is it that this boy can gather loyal followers so easily, without even trying?!

"Well, turns out that Nel was betrayed by Aizen a while back, and only just regained her full abilities. I was kind to her back in Hueco Mundo when I regained control over my Hollow, so she got a good impression of me, so she came to help me out," Ichigo explained. "As for Harribel, Nel talked to her for a bit and convinced her that Aizen was evil. She's more against Aizen than with us, if you know what I mean."

Yamamoto was quite familiar with the concept. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," he murmured. "Very well. Once Aizen is defeated, ensure she returns to Hueco Mundo, and we will not hunt her. Kill her if she doesn't comply."

Ichigo's eyes darkened, but said nothing. I'm not under your command, Yamamoto. At best, you are an ally. However, he knew better than to make an enemy when he didn't need to. "Fine. I'll go see if the two are willing to fight the remaining two Espada so we can get to the traitors." Without waiting to be dismissed, he vanished with Shunpo, rejoining Nel and Harribel who had been following from a distance.

Yamamoto breathed out in a long sigh. He could tell that Kurosaki Ichigo was rebellious and held distaste for his orders, but at least he accepted them. What am I going to do about him? He's too strong to force to submit, especially when we need him to help defeat Aizen. And there is no guarantee that even with Shihoin Yoruichi's guidance that he'll want to join the Gotei 13. He shook his head imperceptibly. That is a problem for another time… I must focus on Aizen.

With that decision made, he returned to carefully observing everything around him, wary that Aizen would break free of his fiery prison or utilize his illusion abilities without the soutaicho knowing it.

Meanwhile, within the prison made up of Ryuujin Jakka's flames, Aizen Sousuke, Tousen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin waited. Being unable to observe anything outside the flames with their five normal senses, they were forced to rely on their reiatsu senses. Since Tousen was by far the most skilled at it – he relied on it to cover for his blindness – he had been giving occasional reports of what he could detect. The prison itself made it somewhat difficult, however, as it consisted entirely of reiatsu, and thus clouded Tousen's perception.

Nevertheless, the blind Shinigami had adjusted and was reporting to his commander. "Barraggan and Starrk are preparing to fight. Harribel appears to be with a familiar Arrancar of Espada-level strength… I believe it is Nelliel Tu Odelschwank, but I cannot be sure. Kurosaki is now with both Nelliel and Harribel, with no rise of reiatsu to suggest that they are fighting. Grimmjow is also nearby."

"I see," Aizen commented, a small smile on his face. "Disappointing, but not a terrible loss. Neither Harribel nor Grimmjow are of sufficient strength to pose a threat to us. Their sole purpose is to weaken the Shinigami. What of Yamamoto?"

"He has yet to move from his previous position. It appears he is focusing on containing us."

"Predictable, but I must admit it is still an effective method of keeping me from unduly influencing the battles with my illusions," Aizen admitted. "I will be calling for Wonderweiss soon. Possibly after Starrk or Barraggan dies."

"I wonder how many Barraggan will kill before he is taken down?" Gin thought aloud. "His ability is truly fearsome."

Aizen's smile grew. "I predict… none."

"What? You don't have faith in his abilities?" Tousen queried, confused.

"I do. I merely know that the Gotei 13 have more than one person with a possible counter. It is all a matter of when they will realize it."