Second Thoughts

Aizen eyed his opponent critically. "Resurrección? I must applaud you, Kurosaki Ichigo…" But he was cut off when the hybrid was suddenly in front of him, Tensa Zangetsu already mid-swing. He barely managed a block, but was then caught off guard when his shoulder was sliced open.

What trickery is this? Leaping back and trying to buy time to figure out just what had just happened, Aizen was completely caught off guard when he felt something impale him through the stomach, right next to the H ōgyoku with enough force to alter his path, taking him into a building. Ichigo's new monstrous form seemed to materialize, one claw-like hand gripping what Aizen now realized was the Vizard's sword, the other quite firmly gripping Aizen's throat. Feeling blood running in small rivulets down from small punctures from where Ichigo's sharpened nails had dug into the soft tissue of his neck, Aizen realized that the word claw was perhaps more accurate than he'd first assumed.

Trying to suppress a rising sense of panic, Aizen swung Kyōka Suigetsu at Ichigo's arm, hoping to buy enough time to get some distance and work out his next move, only to blocked by… Tensa Zangetsu? What? Aizen asked in disbelief, blinking once, before he glanced down. It took less than a second to register that Ichigo had brutally ripped his sword out of Aizen in a diagonal fashion so he could block in time. The pain was strangely absent, though… And then it hit him hard, and Aizen couldn't help but choke up blood over Ichigo's claw that held him in place.

Perhaps I shouldn't have antagonized him, the Hōgyoku-infused Shinigami realized belatedly, gazing into Ichigo's masked visage, bathed in a red light. Wait, red? Aizen's eyes widened as he looked slightly up, where a Cero was quickly forming, swirling between Ichigo's horns. Aimed right at him. For a split second, time seemed to pause just long enough for Aizen to verbalize, "Well, shit."

The Cero that erupted forcefully took Aizen out of Ichigo's grasp, leaving long scratches along his neck where Ichigo's claw had attempted to keep its grip. Sent flying once more into another few buildings that were practically vaporized by Ichigo's Cero upon impact, Aizen could feel the Hōgyoku working as fast as it could to heal the wounds while strengthening his body's defense, and he reinforced that with his own reiatsu.

Breathing heavily as he managed to stop himself, Aizen suddenly realized that he no longer felt any pain, and in fact felt much stronger than before. Am I in shock? Knowing he had little time, if any, before Ichigo would chase after him, Aizen let his hand feel out where he grievous wound had been, and felt an extremely smooth surface, like glass but not as rigid. Quickly taking an assessment of the rest of his body, he realized he was covered from head to toe in the substance. Realization hit him, and Aizen smiled behind the apparent cocoon. The Hōgyoku did this… as I thought, it responds to fear! To protect me against this new Ichigo, it gave me powerful armor, and is currently building its energy for the next transformation should it become necessary…

Aizen was utterly unsurprised when Ichigo suddenly appeared in front of him with a sonic boom. He confidently brought his blade against Ichigo's, smiling wider behind the substance when the block completely succeeded. "My turn, Ichigo-kun."

Meanwhile, Ichigo opened his eyes with a start. "Huh? What am I doing here?" he muttered, looking around. He was in his Inner World, and the sky looked very ominous, overcast with several threatening-looking clouds, drizzling lightly. Strangely, Ichigo could see neither of the spirits that usually inhabited his Inner World. "Cazador? Zangetsu? Where are you?"

"Heya, King." Ichigo spun around to see Cazador in his Resurrección form with an uncharacteristically serious frown on his face, which gave him a very bad feeling.

"What happened? Why am I in here?" the Vizard asked. "And where's Zangetsu?"

"I'm not sure what happened, honestly… But I'd bet anything that it has something to do with what you did just a minute ago," Cazador replied. "I couldn't tell ya. After Aizen mentioned he took action against our mother, it was raining too hard for us to see outside too well."

"I… I think I might have actually gone insane for a bit," Ichigo said slowly, trying to remember everything. It was strangely difficult, perhaps because Ichigo hadn't been fully conscious and aware of what his body was doing. "I fought him at full power, Adjuchas mask, both blades. Then someone shot a missile at Aizen and I, and I escaped with a Garganta. Reappeared, about to kill Aizen, Adjuchas mask broke. The next part I remember easier. I think the shock brought me back to some semblance of sanity. I… called out a release phrase, and your name!" Ichigo exclaimed in surprise. "Next thing I know, I'm here."

Cazador nodded. "That explains the strange call on my power. You must have used Resurreción… But that doesn't explain why you're here, instead of out there and fighting."

"I believe that I might be the best one to explain that."

Both Cazador and Ichigo spun to the side, not recognizing the voice. The new speaker was clothed completely in a black, hooded garment, shielding him from the light rain. "Who are you?" Ichigo demanded. "Zangetsu and Cazador are supposed to be the only ones here in my Inner World!"

"I am not surprised you don't recognize me… this is the first time you've entered your Inner World while in Bankai."

To Ichigo's shock, the figure drew Tensa Zangetsu and removed his hood, revealing himself to be a young man with long, ragged, wispy black hair that barely reached to his shoulders. "Wait, hold on a minute," Ichigo said aloud with a frown. "If you have that, then… are you Zangetsu?"

"I am not Zangetsu. Ichigo, what is the name of your Bankai?"

Ichigo blinked, rubbing his forehead as he tried not to get a headache. "So you're Tensa Zangetsu? Are you a separate entity from Zangetsu, because if you are my head is getting rather full…"

The Bankai spirit smirked in a way that immediately reminded Cazador of the ones Ichigo himself would give on occasion. "I am essentially the spirit of Zangetsu at his prime and full power, just as your Bankai enables you to be at your strongest, in terms of Shinigami power."

"Well, nice to meet you, I think," Ichigo greeted.

"You think?"

"I get the feeling that since Zangetsu never told me about you, and that you've never spoken to me before when I was in Bankai, you only make yourself known when something terrible is happening or about to happen."

"Not necessarily, but I can understand how you would make that assumption."

"What do you mean?"

"When you are in Bankai, you are fighting someone that you could not win without it. In such a fight, the most minor of distractions could kill you, so I did not dare alert you to my presence before we had an opportunity to properly speak."

"Makes sense, Ichigo," Cazador admitted.

Ichigo frowned, but nodded. "What about the times that I've been in Bankai here in the Inner World?"

"When should I have spoken? Each time you are here and in Bankai, you are fighting for control of your body. When you won, perhaps? But you called out for my older self, Zangetsu, and I knew that any guidance that I could give, it was unlikely that you would trust."

"So why is Ichigo here? If he got here through meditation, we'd have known it, and Ichigo himself doesn't know why he's here," Cazador asked.

"Resurrección," Tensa Zangetsu answered simply. "The combination of Bankai and Resurrección is extremely powerful, perhaps overly so. One of the side effects of being an Adjuchas is the overwhelming hunger, especially when fighting at full power."

Cazador nodded. "Right, at least until sufficient Adjuchas have been eaten. That weakness appears when Ichigo uses his Adjuchas mask. Are you saying that Resurrección enhanced that to the point where the King's consciousness was overwhelmed and forced here?"

"Mostly right," Tensa Zangetsu confirmed. "Ichigo did manage to impart one command that his now-berserk body has registered as more important than feeding. To kill Aizen."

"How do I regain control?"

"Are you sure you want to?" came the surprising response. "By using Resurrección, you've created the ultimate killing machine, whose sole purpose is to end the life of Aizen Sōsuke. Have you not accepted the fact that he must die, in order to safeguard not only your own existence, but that of your friends, of those you protect, of both worlds?"

"It won't mean anything if it doesn't come from my own hand!" Ichigo shouted back angrily.

"Why wouldn't it? Everyone you love would be protected."

"He killed my mother!" Thunder crashed and lightning lit up the sky, the rain beginning to pick up.

"She was not his only murder," Tensa Zangetsu coldly reminded him, rainwater running down his face. "Do you feel that Hitsugaya Tōshiro does not deserve a chance for vengeance for his friend, Hinamori? Or that the Vizard should not have the opportunity to avenge themselves? Remember what you fight for, Ichigo!"

Ichigo's hands clenched into tight fists as he locked eyes with his Bankai spirit. He hated how much sense he made. "I fight… to protect." He closed his eyes and recalled the words he spoke to Ishida all those months ago, back when Ichigo had first gained Shinigami powers thanks to Rukia. "I want to protect a whole mountain-load of people." Ichigo took a deep breath and opened his eyes, glad to see a subtle approval in Tensa Zangetsu's eyes. Unbeknownst to him, the rain had stopped as soon as he made his decision, and the thunderclouds were lightening, though not disappearing entirely. "Aizen is a threat that cannot be merely subdued. He's too strong for that, and his ambition will drive him to sacrifice those I protect, and we can't allow that."

"Damn straight we can't!" Cazador agreed enthusiastically, a manic grin on his face.

"What will you do, Ichigo?"

"I want my body back," Ichigo decided with his eyes narrowed. "It may be a killing machine, but it's operating without reason, without the ability to create plans or recognize subtle weaknesses. It may be stronger than Aizen for now, but Aizen isn't stupid. He'll figure out a way to lure it into a trap. Tensa Zangetsu, Cazador de la Luna… Help me!"

"I could cancel your Resurrección, and you'd get your body back, Ichigo," Cazador said slowly, "But you'll be stuck as a Shinigami, no mask, and low on power."

"Likewise, if I retract my powers, Cazador de la Luna will be thrown into control, but he'd be surrounded by the Gotei 13, who would take him as a threat," Tensa Zangetsu offered. "I dare not to that; all of us would die from a misunderstanding."

"Then I need the ability to retake control of my body as it is!" Ichigo declared. "Tell me how!"

The Bankai spirit's smile was almost as predatory as Cazador's could be at times, and Ichigo unconsciously took a small step back as Tensa Zangetsu brought his blade to bear. "In order for you take back your body at its strongest… you must fully embrace your nature, and demonstrate mastery of both aspects of your powers!"

"What do you mean, embrace my nature?" the Vizard asked, confused.

Tensa Zangetsu looked at Ichigo once again, Cazador de la Luna standing beside him. "You don't understand, Ichigo, the nature of just what we are," the spirit told him. "Both your Hollow and I are merely parts of you, representations of your power given personality based on your own."

Ichigo blinked. "Wait, just how does that make any sense? I mean, I know Zangetsu, and now you I suppose, are the source of my powers as a Shinigami…" He shifted his attention to Cazador. "And you're the source of my powers as a Hollow. But your personalities were based off of mine?" Ichigo gave a short derisive laugh. "Yeah, pull the other one. Cazador has always been more bloodthirsty than me, more willing and happy to fight anyone and anything that could pose a challenge!

And Zangetsu! He has always been so cool-headed, so wise, so strong and confident, and he was like a mentor to me! He listened and sympathized with my problems, he always explained things so well when I was confused, he was someone that I looked up to and could trust with anything! He was…" Ichigo fell quieter in realization. "He was what I always pictured as true strength."

Tensa Zangetsu nodded solemnly. "Zangetsu and I are based on your very soul, Ichigo. The characteristics you respected, the ones you held as synonymous with strength. Calm, wisdom, confidence, the ability to lead, intellect, prideful yet tolerant, the willingness to never give up, the desire to use strength for protection of others… Can you see it now, Ichigo?"

"Ichigo, I once told you that I am the personality you would have had, if you had turned into a Hollow that day in the Shattered Shaft," Cazador spoke up. "And when we first made that deal, when you were convincing Hat 'n' Clogs to let us fight, you said that Hollows are creatures of instinct. Just what do you think I am? Make the damn connection, you retard! I'm your Inner Hollow! I'm your instinct, all the good and bad parts of it! Everyone has the buried primal instincts of when humans were but savages: the primal push to kill enemies, the need for companionship of all kinds, the fear of death, the aggression to be the greatest, the desire to prove your indomitable might… but strongest of all within you, the instinctual need to protect those you claim as your own, at any cost to yourself."

Ichigo was speechless for several moments. A realization suddenly ran through his head that he felt compelled to speak, however. "What does this have to do with learning and accepting my nature?"

The Zanpakuto looked rather irritated at the question. "You have not truly accepted the truth, Ichigo. You call yourself Vizard, but you have always felt that the Hollow powers are Cazador's."

Aaaaaaaand back to confusion. "Aren't they?"

"Fool!" Tensa Zangetsu roared angrily. "Did we not just say that both he and I are part of you? We are fragments of your very soul! The origin of all your powers, Hollow and Shinigami, lies not with us, but YOU! You, Kurosaki Ichigo, are human, Hollow and Shinigami! And until you can accept that, you will never know true mastery of yourself and your powers!"

Ichigo froze for a moment before his expression twisted angrily. "I am not a Hollow! Do I look like I have a hole in my chest, or a mask?"

"But you do have a mask, idiot!" Cazador reprimanded. "Don't you remember that day you asked me just what I was?"

Ichigo swallowed a lump that suddenly appeared in his throat. "Yeah. Zangetsu's my sword, and you're my mask…" He didn't want to accept it. "But I'm not a Hollow! I just have Hollow powers because of what Urahara did!"

"Have you never once thought about why Cazador's powers were so strong, so early? Why he was capable of manifesting your mask without your will to save you in your fights in Soul Society? How he could possess your body against the wielder of Senbonzakura?"

Once again, Ichigo was shocked into silence. "Wait, what are you saying?"

"If you had developed artificial Hollow powers due to Urahara Kisuke, why did it manifest itself as a personality within you?" Tensa Zangetsu pressed on coldly. "How could the power become so strong as to overwhelm you within your Bankai state?"

"The answer is simple, King. You've been part Hollow a lot longer than you've been a Shinigami."

"But that doesn't make sense!" Ichigo cried out in confusion. "I would've known if I were… wait, did you say part Hollow?"

"You were, of course, still alive when it happened, so you would never have known had you lived out your natural life, or undergone a Konsō before becoming a Shinigami," Tensa Zangetsu conceded. "Remind me, Ichigo, how does a Plus soul become a Hollow?"

"Too much time being dead without being purified," Ichigo answered promptly. "The chain of fate will consume itself given enough time, and the soul undergoes Hollowification. Or, the soul could be partially consumed by other Hollows, like Inoue's brother…"

"Correct. Humor me, what will keep a soul from moving on without purification from a Shinigami?"

Ichigo frowned pensively. Rukia had never really gone into this… "Sorrow, regret, guilt, fear… too many 'heavy' feelings keeping their hearts grounded to the living world."

"And what could cause those?"

"Any number of things, I guess."

"Such as a traumatic event."

"Yeah, that could do it," Ichigo agreed without thinking. Then his brain caught up, and began making connections. "Wait, you can't mean…!"

"Yeah," Cazador confirmed. "Where did you think your increased willingness to fight and seriously injure those who annoyed you came from?"

"Hold on, you're saying that everyone who experiences a traumatic event of some kind, or suffers from extreme depression, or anything like that, could be part-Hollow?" Ichigo demanded incredulously. "Then why don't we have more people like Chad?"

"Think, Ichigo! Do not rely on me for all your answers," Tensa Zangetsu replied coolly.

Ichigo wasn't sure he liked the sword spirit, but did as he was told. What's the difference between normal people and Chad? Wait. Normal. "… Most people don't have reiatsu?" he half-asked, half-stated.

"And without reiatsu, no abilities can manifest. You, however, had enough reiatsu to be able to see Hollows even from that young age. Did you never wonder where your immense reiatsu came from? It's been building itself for years as you fought, as you interacted with spirits."

The dots were connecting. Ichigo didn't want them to connect, it would mean that he'd become that which he'd feared and fought against. "So you're saying that all this time, my will to fight has been enhanced by latent Hollow powers that I gained through the enormous psychological trauma from watching my mother die as a kid? And because I kept using them unconsciously, the powers got stronger until I became a Shinigami? And that's why Cazador could materialize the mask repeatedly on different parts of my body to serve as a shield for my vitals when I wasn't experienced enough to defend myself properly? And since they continued being in use, they got strong enough for Cazador to briefly take over during my fight with Byakuya?"

"By Jove, I think he's got it," the Hollow spirit mockingly addressed Tensa Zangetsu.

"But I haven't become a Hollow!" Ichigo insisted. "I certainly don't have the desire to consume other spirits!"

"Of course you don't. You may be Hollow, but you are no less human and Shinigami," Tensa Zangetsu replied as if that explained everything. "You only gain that urge and desire when you submerge yourself into the depths of Hollow powers, for all strength comes with a price."

Ichigo could not help but think, And what will the price for full control of my powers be? "So how do we do this? You said I couldn't get my body back until I'd demonstrated 'mastery of both aspects of my powers.'"

"You will fight us together…"

"… one on one."

Before Ichigo could demand what they meant by that, the two spirits touched, and began to merge. The Vizard looked at the merging critically, trying to figure out which personality would emerge triumphant over the other. But when the resulting spirit walked out, Ichigo could not help but gasp.

The spirit had Tensa Zangetsu's general appearance, black Bankai sword, and right blue eye, but Cazador had had his own influence on the form as well. The left horn of his Adjuchas Resurrección's mask was atop the spirit's head, directly over the Hollowified left eye, and the spirit's hair was a bleached white. Tensa Zangetsu was garbed in Ichigo's Bankai coat, though the neckline of the coat held Cazador de la Luna's red frill-like tufts of hair.

"Come, Ichigo!" the fusion spirit demanded with Tensa Zangetsu's voice, pointing his blade at Ichigo. "Prove to me and yourself that you are ready to accept everything that you are and may be!"

Ichigo felt a flash of fear, but promptly smothered it under the weight of his determination. "Fine then! If I have to beat you to get my body back, then…" With his left hand, he pulled on his Gillian mask, and brought out the ivory Tensa Zangetsu he'd won from Cazador de la Luna. "… let's go!"

At that moment, Coyote Starrk coughed some blood on the ground, and the rest of the wolves he'd summoned through his Resurrección faded away. It had been a hard fight, but his sheer speed and ability to manifest dual reiatsu blades had allowed him to counter almost every attack to what were now his vitals according to the game of Irooni – any part of him that was white. Nelliel was just too slow to hit him, so she'd focused on eliminating the wolves that kept trying to distract her two allies. Ukitake had joined her, leaving Shunsui to fight Starrk, each of them dual wielding.

To Starrk's frustration, several times he'd seen Shunsui tense, as though about to do something, but then leap back and put some distance between them. He guessed that Shunsui had been about to perform a critical strike to eliminate him, but had stopped due to Nelliel's pleadings to leave him alive. He almost wished that Shunsui would just kill him – that way Starrk could fulfill his loyalty to Aizen, be purified and go to Soul Society, perhaps even laze around a lot more, hopefully with a few friends. Everyone would win, he figured. The Shinigami eliminate a powerful Hollow, all the souls I've eaten get to go to Soul Society and move on with their existence, I get what I want, my loyalty to Aizen is fulfilled… what's so wrong with wanting that?

More than once, Starrk had contemplated simply not blocking or countering Shunsui, to catch him off guard and finally be purified. All of his comrades but Nel were dead or traitors. But his loyalty to Aizen demanded that he give his all to defeat Aizen's enemies, so Starrk fought his hardest, and was able to match Shunsui at his own game.

But that had all changed as soon as the game had, as soon as Shunsui had called out "Kageoni." "You've been holding back that move all this time?"

"Sorry, but I don't control my Shikai… it's only now that she allowed me to use Kageoni." Kyōraku Shunsui finished emerging from the shadows behind the man, holding the right blade of Katen Kyōkotsu inside where Starrk's left lung should be. It was a non-fatal wound, but certainly enough to weaken him to the point where...

With a whack from Nel's spear on the back of the Arracar's head, Starrk fell unconscious, his Resurrección fading quickly. With a pop of displaced air, Lilynette reappeared, also passed out.

"Thank you, Shinigami…" Nelliel whispered quietly, picking them up and laying them on the back of the horse part of her body.

"Wait… before you go, what's your name?" Ukitake asked. "You've given the two of us a lot to think about…"

"My name is Nelliel Tu Odelschwank, former Espada Tres. And yourself?"

The chronically-sick Shinigami smiled warmly at her. "Ukitake Jūshirō, taicho of the 13th Division."

"Kyōraku Shunsui, taicho of the 8th Division." The man inclined his head, also wearing a winning smile.

"I'm glad to have met the two of you… I pray the rest of the Gotei 13 will allow us to live in peace, but I don't have much hope for that…" She looked in the direction of Ichigo's fight with Aizen wistfully. "Ichigo has been so kind… I hope I get to see him again."

"Do you want us to give him a message?" Shunsui offered.

The Arrancar looked surprised. "You'd do that? Thank you!" she exclaimed.

The pair of Shinigami taicho exchanged looks, each wondering what it meant to be an Arrancar. Did gaining Shinigami powers affect a Hollow so much? Was Nelliel an example of the rule, or an exception to it? Did they still feel the need to consume other souls? There was no way to know aside from asking one or experimenting on it, and neither of them wanted to subject Nelliel to Mayuri's not-so-tender mercies. This was no time to ask, either, as there was still a fight to be had.

In the end, there was only one thing to say. "So, what would you like us to tell Ichigo?"

Ichigo's berserk form warred against Aizen, Tensa Zangetsu clashing against Kyōka Suigetsu over and over at high speed, neither of them giving an inch against each other. Despite having gained his armor and increased power from the Hōgyoku, Aizen was wary against letting Ichigo's blade touch him again. Unfortunately for him, Ichigo had not left him alone long enough for him to set up any traps yet. That's the trouble of fighting someone who specializes in speed, Aizen thought, frustrated as he once again brought Kyōka Suigetsu up to face Ichigo's next onslaught of high-speed attacks, twisting and contorting his body to dodge what he could, and blocking the rest. It's just a matter of time, though. I can feel the Hōgyoku strengthening me… preparing my body for the next evolution.

Spotting the red glow of a by-now familiar Cero, Aizen frowned. He'd never expected to have so much trouble with a single human teenager, despite having put so much effort into the experiment. "Hado 90: Kurohitsugi!"

Apparently sensing the danger, Ichigo's body vanished away in what Aizen vaguely noted was not Shunpo, but Sonido if the sonic boom was any indicator. The powerful Hado enveloped nothing but air, but it gave Aizen a valuable moment to think of a way, preferably ironic enough for Aizen's tastes, to defeat Ichigo's berserk Bankai/Resurrección blend.

Berserk…? Hmm… There's an idea. Aizen began to focus his power into Kyōka Suigetsu as he decided what kind of illusion he needed. Ichigo-kun's never seen me release my Shikai, so I can't just have him attack someone else… I need to have someone defend me, thinking I'm Ichigo-kun. With any luck, the boy will tear apart any and everything in order to reach me… He began crafting a simple illusion in his head that Ichigo was coming at him, and that Aizen had moved to the side, resulting in their having switched positions.

But despite his skill and intelligence, all Aizen had truly had was a moment or two before Ichigo was back to continue his fierce assault. He hadn't finished adding in all the necessary convincing details that were necessary to convince the taicho of their legitimacy – the feel of wind movements, sound, even smell if that Komamura was among the watchers – before Aizen's mental picture was shattered by Ichigo actually coming at him with all unbelievable speed of a vengeance-possessed berserker, Tensa Zangetsu engulfed in a Getsuga Tenshō that Aizen was sure was meant to pierce not the heavens, but his own skull.

Thinking quickly and trying to summon a similar enough illusion to use, Aizen attempted the sidestep that he had planned on including in his illusion, simultaneously firing a "Hado 63: Raikōhō!" that yet again was easily dodged by his troublesome opponent. The blast hit another building, which crumbled down around them. That makes 14 buildings destroyed by us so far, Aizen noted absently. Hmm. He never uses Bala like my Espada did… Does he not know it?

"Bakudo 61: Rikujōkōrō!"

Wait, what? Aizen found himself bound by six rods of light stuck in his midsection, preventing him from moving. He cursed aloud, wondering who had done it, and more importantly, how to quickly get out of it before Ichigo…

Too late. Ichigo had reappeared in front of him and taken full advantage of Aizen's binding to give a brutal slash to him, unleashing the Getsuga at point-blank range. However, the results were somewhat surprising.

The Getsuga had come down upon Aizen's collar, where the neck met the shoulders, and had successfully managed to shatter the armor around that area. However, it seemed to have used all its energy doing so, so instead of cleaving him in two it only gave Tensa Zangetsu a chance to give a moderate cut to Aizen's neck, which promptly healed due to the power of the Hōgyoku.

Undeterred, Ichigo's body leapt back, charging a Cero aimed straight for Aizen's head. But before he could finish, someone new Shunpo-ed nearby. "You're welcome for the opening, Ichigo-kun."

"Urahara Kisuke…" Aizen greeted softly. "Welcome to the battle. You were the one who used the Bakudo I assume?"

"Of course," the shopkeeper admitted freely. "It's been a long time, Aizen Sōsuke… And it seems you've gone and fused with the Hōgyoku."

"It is not fusion. I subjugated the Hōgyoku. You've lost your chance to be its master forevermore, Urahara."

Urahara glared at Aizen. "Yes, it's true that I failed to master it in the past… But, that is indeed in the past. Right now, you need to be dealt with. Bakudo 63: Sajo Sabaku!" Aizen was suddenly surrounded by glowing yellow chains that promptly snagged his arms and tightened them to his sides. "Bakudo 79: Kuyō Shibari!" Eight black holes the size of Aizen's head materialized around him in the form of a circle, and suddenly a ninth appeared in Aizen's own chest. "Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders."

"Do you really think I'll let you finish that spell?" Aizen asked, his voice not revealing any fear at all as he struggled to break the Bakudo placed upon him. The chains shattered, and the rods of light trapping him in place cracked severely, but Aizen was surprised when he felt claws gripping his hands and pinning them behind his back. Ichigo's sharpened nails were digging painfully into Aizen's wrists, cracking the armor around them.

Well, shit. Aizen couldn't believe he'd almost completely forgotten about Ichigo's presence. Somehow, in that berserk state, he'd still recognized Aizen as the greater threat and was instinctively keeping him from being able to stop Urahara's Kido! Worse, Aizen could feel Ichigo charging yet another Cero between his horns, held directly behind Aizen's neck. This… is going to hurt. He braced himself with reiatsu, knowing that he'd come out of the coming Kido alive, but unsure how much injury he would take in the process. I am beginning to think that I didn't think this all the way through…

"Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired!" Urahara cried out triumphantly. "Hado 91: Senjū Kōten Taihō!"

Several large spears of light materialized around Urahara before shooting forwards towards the bound Aizen. Struggling to free himself from Ichigo's vice-like grip and the Rikujōkōrō, if only to keep him there and hit by the same Kido, Aizen closed his eyes to shield them as he felt the spears hit and explode violently.

At the same moment, Ichigo unleashed the Cero blast in tandem with the explosion, firing at point-blank range! The combined shockwave ripped Ichigo away from Aizen, sending him flying, but Ichigo's body swiftly recovered and appeared on the opposite side of Aizen from him, waiting for the man to emerge from the smoke.

Urahara smiled grimly as he saw the burns and tears along Ichigo's body from the impact of the spears heal quickly. High-speed regeneration is truly an incredible thing. I've been lucky that Ichigo is focusing on Aizen, rather than random destruction of everything… what's different than before? "You've gotten too careless since you acquired those powers," he taunted. "You never would have let me hit you before!"

"You're right." Urahara whirled, hearing Aizen's voice directly behind him, but he knew he was too slow to react in time as Aizen slashed at his shoulder with his bare hand. In the barest of moments, he was able to observe Aizen's physical state. Aizen appeared largely unharmed from the Kido, which Urahara had expected, though his armor was cracked in a couple of places. Where Ichigo had previously shattered the armor, however, was bleeding slightly, though there was evidence that it had been bleeding far more seriously a few seconds ago, if the bloodstained armor in the surrounding area was anything to go by. Urahara couldn't tell what, if any, effect Ichigo's Cero had had on him as Aizen's back was not visible from his angle. The Hōgyoku must have healed him…

With a mild sonic boom of Sonido, Ichigo appeared between them, Tensa Zangetsu wreathed in the black reiatsu of a Getsuga as it moved to slice Aizen's hand off. To both Urahara's and Aizen's surprise, it succeeded! Taking full advantage of the opportunity, Urahara leapt forward and tapped both of Aizen's wrists before Shunpo-ing backwards.

Aizen leapt back, clutching his stump of a wrist in pain as he looked at Ichigo in shock. How can he counter the Hōgyoku like this? How can he be able to inflict this much damage on me after I've gained this much power, when his body is acting and reacting purely on instinct? Just then, both arms wringed themselves to behind his back, yellow spiritual energy cuffs keeping them together. His eyes widened as he felt a vague burning sensation within him. "What?"

"It's a seal," Urahara explained, turning away and tipping his hat downward over his face. "It blocks off the reiatsu vents located in the wrists of all Shinigami. Thanks to Ichigo, they were nice and exposed for my seal. You'll be incinerated by your own reiatsu, from the inside out. Goodbye, Aizen Sōsuke."

And as if his farewell was the trigger, Aizen was enveloped in a pillar of light that reached for the sky.