Loneliness

Ichigo once again matched blades against Aizen, Tensa Zangetsu and Kyōka Suigetsu each struggling to overcome the other. "You claim to be immortal, Aizen?" he breathed, his horned mask looking into the visage of Aizen's blackened skull. "Then why is it that when our blades meet like this, all I can feel is fear in your blade?"

"Fear?" Aizen scoffed. "You misinterpret. If there is anything I fear, it is that you will die too soon for me to reach my ultimate evolution."

"Is that so? You should fear me, Aizen." Ichigo's Hollowified voice deepened even further as his amber orbs bored holes into Aizen's eyes. "I have cut off your head, I have ripped out the Hōgyoku! You have yet to even strike me!"

"Then perhaps it's time to correct that." The Hollow skulls at the tips of Aizen's wings charged Ceros once again, and Ichigo prepared a Cero in his horns, ready to counter… but when they fired, they missed entirely, confusing him.

Ichigo! He's fired at Karakura!

Ichigo's eyes widened in horrified realization, before he vanished again with a burst of raw speed, rushing to intercept the several beams. Aizen had been smart and not combined them all into one combined blast, given that Ichigo was able to overwhelm such a blast with a Cero of his own. Instead, there were six Ceros aimed at different parts of the town.

There was no time to think. Appearing between the Ceros and Karakura, with not a second to spare, Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu horizontally with all his might. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

The Getsuga this time was of epic proportions, its breadth as wide as Karakura itself, its height almost half as tall as Karakura's tallest buildings. The Ceros impacted not a moment later, and exploded, taking the Getsuga with it – Ichigo had mastered the Getsuga Tenshō to the point where the Getsuga was only strong enough to take the Ceros, and no more. It would drain him too much to create a Getsuga that large capable of doing significant damage to Aizen. As it was, creating that counterblast had made Ichigo lose sight of Aizen.

Until, that is, Aizen appeared in front of Ichigo. "… know your own powerlessness! Hadō 90: Kurohitsugi!"

When nothing seemed to happen, Ichigo blinked in confusion. "Wasn't that supposed to do something?" he asked mockingly.

"Look behind you."

Ichigo did with a sense of horrified realization, and was filled with anger as he saw that part of Karakura was engulfed in the black box of Aizen's favorite Kidō. To make it worse, he recognized what area it was too. It had his home and its entire neighborhood! Yuzu! Karin! And then his eyes widened. Oh Kami! I told Mom go there with everyone! The Vizard rushed at top speed to get to the Kidō.

Arriving a few seconds later, Ichigo sensed an incoming blast of Aizen's Ceros rocketing straight towards him! Roaring angrily, he threw a Getsuga-enhanced Tensa Zangetsu at the Kurohitsugi, the chain extending automatically. Almost before it left his hand, Ichigo twisted around and lowered his horns, charging another Cero.

Three things happened at once. The Kurohitsugi shattered like glass, pieces of the Kidō falling around the neighborhood before breaking further and further until there was no trace of the immensely powerful Hadō. Ichigo fired the Cero, obliterating the incoming combined blast from Aizen. But the third thing was, Aizen arrived, the Hollow skulls adorning his wings all having a Cero aimed in a different direction.

Aizen promptly swung Kyōka Suigetsu and cut the chain connecting Ichigo to Tensa Zangetsu, leaving the blade stuck in the ground. "Foolish, Ichigo-kun," he chided. "You might have killed me had you sacrificed your town. And you should never part from your weapon unless you're sure you can get it back."

"What makes you think I can't?" Ichigo snarled.

"The fact that if you try, these handy skulls of mine will destroy this lovely neighborhood."

"You're bluffing," Ichigo accused. "You need their souls for your Ōken."

"There are plenty more," Aizen countered with a shrug-like motion that looked quite strange on his Hollow form. "Not to mention, we are in Soul Society. There is plenty of spiritually enriched land and souls here."

Ichigo froze, having been about to Sonido down and get his trusty Zanpakutō. Aizen was right. "That's low, Aizen," he growled.

While it was almost impossible to determine expression on Aizen's skull-like face at the moment, his body language screamed smugness to Ichigo. "They are your weakness," he explained airily. "Why would I not take advantage?"

Ichigo's body shook with repressed rage. He wanted nothing more than to make Aizen die the most painful, agonizing death he could imagine. And right now, he was imagining pushing Aizen onto a bed of rusty nails, setting his whole body on fire, and then putting a watertight seal over his head and neck that Ichigo would slowly fill with Aizen's own blood so the Vizard could joyfully watch him struggle to breathe until he drowned. "You will pay for this!" he swore.

"I think not, Ichigo-kun. You see, I have come to realize that it is too much trouble to use Karakura for the Ōken."

Ichigo blinked in shock. "What?"

"I said that it's too much trouble to use Karakura. You should be happy, Ichigo-kun. You have convinced me not to use your precious town." Aizen paused for a moment. "Instead, I will use the Rukongai. It really is easier on all parties involved. Your town is safe, the Seireitei is safe, and I have my Ōken. Everyone wins."

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am perfectly serious, Ichigo-kun. And all you have to do to keep your town from being destroyed and sacrificed is to not attempt to stop me."

"That's it?" All Ichigo had to do was wait for Aizen to leave, and then he could go kill Aizen far away from Karakura…

"Yes, but before I go, I want your solemn word of honor as protector of Karakura Town that you will not inhibit me from making the Ōken as long as I don't use your town for it." Ichigo got the impression that Aizen was smiling knowingly behind that skull mask of his. "I have the impression that you won't break your word."

Ichigo was silent for several moments, unmoving. It was a horrible decision to make. To sacrifice his home to stop Aizen… or allow Aizen his goal and sacrifice thousands of people he had never and would never meet. There was no way for him to stop that many Cero blasts in different directions. In the time it would take for the Vizard to reach the Hōgyoku-evolved Shinigami, even forgetting Tensa Zangetsu, Aizen would be able to unleash his attacks. Also, Aizen had to leave and soon, or else his reiatsu would smother the life out of those nearby. It was doubtful that Ichigo could even kill him in one shot, with Aizen's immortality.

Can either of you think of a third option? Ichigo begged Tensa Zangetsu and Cazador de la Luna desperately. But neither spirit said a word. Ichigo had to make a choice. He looked away, at war with himself. How could he sacrifice everyone he'd ever known? How could he sacrifice people he'd never know? How could he live with himself, no matter what decision he made? "I…"

"Kurosaki Ichigo!"

Ichigo froze in mid-sentence, hearing a familiar voice calling his name, but not out loud. It was more… in his head.

"This is Ukitake-taicho. We are communicating using a Kidō spell cast by one of our fukutaicho. Aizen cannot hear us, but I'm afraid the spell is one-way only. We have been watching and listening to your fight from a distance to keep from being affected by Aizen's illusions, and we know of your situation. We cannot stop Aizen – the fact is, you are our last hope. I know how hard the decision must be, but you must not let Aizen create the Ōken!"

But how can I just allow anyone to be killed or destroyed under Aizen's reiatsu? Ichigo thought in horror. He shook his head. There was no good option. All he could do was protect that which he held dear. "I want your word in return that you will forever leave Karakura and its residents alone."

"You have my word."

"No! Ichigo, don't do it!"

Sorry, Ukitake-san. "And you have mine."

"Oh no…" Ukitake breathed.

"This is bad," Kyōraku agreed grimly. "Very bad. Jūshiro, Nanao, contact the Kidō Corps! I am authorizing emergency use of the forbidden time and space Kidō! We have no choice but to try to freeze time around Karakura to trap Aizen within it! Everyone else except Soifon, your orders are to stay one step ahead of Aizen and clear all the districts of the Rukongai. Make sure there aren't enough people for him to sacrifice within any half-spirit mile! Go now, we don't have much time!"

As ordered, everyone but Soifon vanished in a flicker of Shunpo. "What are my orders, Kyōraku-taicho?"

"Soifon…" Kyōraku murmured sadly. "I don't like to give orders like these… but in the event that we cannot freeze Aizen in time… do whatever it takes to convince Ichigo that Aizen cannot be trusted to keep his word."

"Hai." Soifon promptly vanished.

Neither combatant moved for several moments after Ichigo made his solemn promise. Aizen studied Ichigo carefully, searching for any hint of betrayal. Seeing none, seeing Ichigo's defeated posture Aizen was finally convinced that he was telling the truth. "I thought you'd see things my way, Ichigo-kun." Aizen powered down his Ceros and with a flash of light, reappeared high in the air. "I hold you to your word, Kurosaki Ichigo. Farewell." With that, Aizen began to walk away, knowing and relishing how Ichigo was watching his back, cursing his own powerlessness.

Ichigo's fists clenched as his eyes almost involuntarily bored holes in Aizen's back. How he loathed himself right now…

Ichigo… Tensa Zangetsu warned bracingly. Please calm yourself. Your Inner World is beginning to flood.

I… I'm not strong enough…

As you said before, it is not weak to value life. You were placed in a position where there were no good outcomes. Regardless of your choice, life would have been lost.

You chose to protect those you had claimed as your own. I can't really blame you for following your nature.

You must accept your actions, and work out your next step.

Ichigo's eyes still refused to leave that spot on Aizen's neck. I don't think I can accept them, Tensa Zangetsu. So many people are going to die…

You gave your word of honor. Will you break it?

I…

When you have nothing else, you have your honor, your pride. Your word, your trustworthiness, is important to you, is it not?

For the first time, Ichigo understood how Kuchiki Byakuya must have felt when Rukia was sentenced to be executed. Torn between his promise to his late wife, Hisana, to protect her little sister Rukia… and his vow to always uphold the law… Ichigo was now in exactly Byakuya's position, torn between his promise to allow Aizen to pursue his ambitions, and his vow to always protect those he could.

In the end, Ichigo had fought Byakuya and in victory, convinced the taicho to protect his adopted sister. It was in that recollection that Ichigo found his answer. His body, which had been trembling in helpless rage, began to still as he came to a decision. "Some things… are more important than honor. More important than pride. More important than my word." Ichigo's Hollow eyes flashed with resolve. "Guarding life… that is the most important thing of all!"

Ichigo extended his right claw towards his Zanpakutō. Come to me, Tensa Zangetsu!

The Bankai blade flew through the air, flipping in the air end over end until the hilt impacted with his hand, the chain rejoining where it had been broken earlier. Ichigo could feel the pride resonating within his Zanpakutō as his spirit spoke to him. You have found your answer, Ichigo.

Now let's go kill that bastard!

Ichigo tilted his head to the sky, flaring his reiatsu into a column that pierced the sky. "AIZEN!" he roared.

Not far away, Aizen twisted around instantly, only to see nothing but Ichigo's mask right in front of his face, murder in his eyes, before pain erupted within him. Tensa Zangetsu had pierced his neck right down the middle.

"You should never have threatened those under my protection." Ichigo's voice was low, dangerous.

Kyōka Suigetsu slashed out, but Ichigo was suddenly gone, and so was half of Aizen's neck. The Hōgyoku repaired the damage a moment later as Aizen twisted around, raising his blade to stop his enemy's next attack…

Except the Vizard apparently finished his attack with no resistance! It was as if Aizen's own sword was an illusion. To Aizen's stunned eyes, Ichigo had, for the first time in this fight, used both hands to wield his Zanpakutō, around which a Getsuga Tenshō seethed. Tensa Zangetsu was pointed down, though, so…

The next instant, all Aizen knew was pain. Kyōka Suigetsu screamed in his head as the top portion of its blade fell to the ground. Aizen screamed aloud as Tensa Zangetsu removed his arm, and all of a sudden he was defenseless against the flurry of attacks. His wings were shredded and then brutally ripped out when Ichigo vanished, his left arm joined his right falling to the ground, and quite suddenly, Ichigo had a Cero pointed directly at Aizen's head, and he had no way to counter it!

"All I felt in Kyōka Suigetsu just then… was fear. Do you fear me? You should."

"So what if I am afraid?" Aizen demanded, trying to buy time for his regeneration to give him a new set of arms and help with Kyōka Suigetsu's restoration. He would have retreated, but Ichigo had already proven that distance meant nothing to someone of his speed. "Fear is the key to the Hōgyoku evolutions!"

"But it is also the weakness of your Shinigami strength," Ichigo reminded Aizen strongly. "Fear saps the strength of your resolve, the strength of your reiatsu, the strength of your sword. I won the moment you began to fear me, Aizen, when you gave up on your Zanpakutō's ability to support you. Oh, and don't think I've forgotten about your regeneration."

Aizen let loose a bellow of pain as his arms were once again removed before they could even be completely formed again. Fine then. "I still… cannot sense your reiatsu," he grit out. "How is it possible that you have evolved to a still higher form than I? You trained for a paltry three months, yet you have progressed further than I have in centuries…"

"'Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate.'" Ichigo quoted. "Those are the words that my Zanpakutō told me when we first became partners, the creed I now live by. I have not stopped, nor will I ever stop moving forward in my pursuit to protect those I care for. That, Aizen, is why I am so strong!"

"I don't understand… I don't understand! How can anyone gain such power by surrounding themselves with weaklings?" Aizen cried out. "I wanted you to see that you could never defeat me by holding ties to those humans!"

Ichigo glared down at his foe, charging another Cero in his horns to match the ones at his fingers. "You will never understand, Aizen! To protect those weaker than myself is my reason for strength! Now just die, Aizen Sōsuke!"

Kyōka Suigetsu! Come to me!

But for the first time in Aizen's memory, his Zanpakutō did not answer his call. In that barest of an instant, Aizen realized that he had abandoned the only being that he had trusted completely, the only being who had supported him every step of the way… Kyōka Suigetsu could no longer hear him.

"Cero!"

Once more, Aizen's head was vaporized under the focused beams of Ichigo's Hollow power, his skull-like visage a mask of confusion. His body began to fall, but Ichigo's left hand once more plucked the Hōgyoku from Aizen's corpse. Ichigo glared at it disdainfully, not daring to cancel his Resurrección. Aizen should be popping up any second now, his immortality reviving him, hopefully weakened enough for Urahara's seal to take place.

Ichigo waited a beat. Then two. Still sensing no reiatsu, he blinked behind his mask, and glanced at the Hōgyoku, half-expecting it to have vanished and somehow made Aizen evolve past what Ichigo could sense, disaster though that would be. Nope, still there.

Do you think he's…?

If he is, then I have only one thing to say: Immortal my ass. He Sonido-ed down to where he'd seen Aizen's headless body fall, and stood over the corpse, watching it for another few seconds, on guard just in case Aizen tried a sneak attack. After almost a minute, it was clear. Aizen was dead. Ichigo immediately felt a vague ache in his heart – he'd wanted to kill Aizen, he'd wanted it so much. Aizen deserved it, that was for sure, but suddenly, knowing that he had exerted his power enough to actually do it, to end Aizen's life was… painful. Ichigo was suddenly horribly, horribly aware that he had the power to end almost everyone's lives. He was a Kami compared to pretty much everyone he knew. He could do quite literally anything he wanted, and no one would be able to stop him. Who would dare try after what he'd done tonight, after the power he'd displayed so casually?

Ichigo's eyes shifted to his hands. He'd never before understood how absolute power could corrupt absolutely. It was a weight heavier than any Ichigo had ever known, feeling as though he was the one who decided who lived and who died. No, he thought to himself, shaking his head. I will remain true to myself. My reason for strength is to be a guardian, a force of protection. I will not interfere.

Now what?

Ichigo wasn't sure he liked the fact that his Hollow sounded just as unsure as he himself felt. The fact of the matter was, his focus for months had been growing strong enough to protect everyone from Aizen. Now, he was stronger than anyone he knew, save perhaps Yamamoto and the older taicho. Well… I suppose we pick a direction, and move forward. First things first, we need to figure out what to do with Aizen's body.

But before he could begin that conversation with his Hollow and Zanpakutō, he sensed someone with a familiar reiatsu Shunpo several meters behind him. Ichigo didn't turn around. "What is it, Urahara?"

"Is he dead?"

Canceling his Resurrección and removing his mask, Ichigo still didn't face the ex-taicho. "He damn well better be. That's the second time I've obliterated his head today. I'm kinda surprised, though."

"Why's that?"

"The Hōgyoku didn't vanish again and heal him," Ichigo stated, looking at the orb that had caused so much trouble. "Gin used his Bankai to open up Aizen's chest and took it, but Aizen called it back and regenerated. I Cero-ed his head off, but Aizen called it back and regenerated. Now I did it again, and this time he didn't. I just don't know why, especially after Aizen claimed the Hōgyoku made him immortal."

"Hmm, I imagine that is rather confusing to someone who doesn't know the truth of the Hōgyoku's powers…"

That statement did cause Ichigo to turn around and stare incredulously at the man who'd invented the damn thing. "And what is that truth?"

"The Hōgyoku materializes the heartfelt desires of those around it," Urahara said simply. "Upon being mastered, it allowed Aizen to evolve as he wished, using fear as the trigger. However… I believe that it now acknowledges you as its master, after defeating Aizen so many times, after proving the strength of your soul was superior to his. So when you took the Hōgyoku out of Aizen's body this time, it did not return because Aizen was no longer its master. And without it, Aizen was no longer immortal, which allowed you to kill him."

"I don't know," Ichigo whispered, thinking of the feelings he had received from matching blades with Aizen, receiving those glimpses into his true feelings. He hadn't quite told the whole truth when he said he felt nothing but fear reflected in Kyōka Suigetsu. Aizen's feeling of solitude had grown as well, almost to the point of… loneliness? "Aizen has been on a level of his own from the start, hasn't he? I think he saw me as an opportunity to create someone on his level. A rival, maybe, or a friend. Someone he couldn't manipulate with his illusions. Someone who could understand him, maybe even sympathized." He chuckled, looking down at Aizen's decimated corpse. "Every battle I've faced him in, I've felt nothing but solitude in his blade. And by his own words, he's created most of the situations that forced me to grow stronger, to evolve.

"I believe that what he wanted above all else, was a companion who would stand with him at the top. Maybe he felt that after a century or two, our battles to the death would evolve into rivalry, and then perhaps into a friendship of equals, because who else could we turn to?" The more he talked, the more it made sense to Ichigo, the more he was sure that he understood Aizen's spirit. "Touch is such a huge part of human affection. Can you imagine not being able to receive even a simple pat on the shoulder? To play around with your friends? Can you imagine complete physical isolation? To Aizen and I, our evolutions kept us from doing that to any save each other. To us, it would be such an enormous gift to be able to actually touch one another, be it in combat or in friendship. It would be a sign that we are not alone. That was why Aizen made the deal to leave Karakura alone. He didn't want to alienate me completely, I don't think.

"The last few minutes of our fight, I felt fear in Aizen's sword. Fear of what, I couldn't tell at the time. But I think he was trying to catch up to me, because I had somehow managed to evolve further than he had. So he let himself fear, knowing it was the Hōgyoku's key to evolution. I think his fear was not of his own death, but of losing forever the possibility of him and me ever meeting on the same level of evolution, of ever eventually reconciling our differences and moving forward to a new future.

"That was why his form took on a Hollow appearance at the end," Ichigo theorized. "Fear, regret, worry… Aizen fell into despair, I think, when he felt my resolve to protect everyone even at the cost of my life, and hatred for him involving my family and friends. The Hōgyoku felt his despair, and gave him a form that suited his soul while granting his wish of evolution. Such terrible despair, and such lonely solitude, that just one Hollow hole could not suffice.

"Even now, Aizen has had the last laugh," the Vizard realized aloud. "Aizen desired an end to his loneliness, and he has gained it through the mercy of death and rebirth, leaving me to suffer the loneliness he has escaped, as my evolution and power sets me apart from everyone else. I am not even sure I can return to my body, for fear it would collapse under my reiatsu. I cannot devolve and return to what I once was. I am, for all intents and purposes, stuck.

"So perhaps, just before he died, when he felt my resolve to kill him, Aizen gave the Hōgyoku to me, preferring death and reincarnation to eternal solitude. Perhaps he felt that I deserved the chance… to use the Hōgyoku for myself, to materialize my heartfelt desire."

"Ichigo…" Urahara whispered, at once understanding what the young man meant.

Ichigo glanced at the jewel in his hand, before he held it out to Urahara. "I don't know what I am going to do now, Urahara. Please hold onto it for now."

Urahara took it gingerly, careful not to touch Ichigo at all. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"No. I wanted him to die with all my being, but I didn't expect him to lose his immortality." Ichigo looked down on Aizen's corpse, his face unreadable. "Aizen was right… taking the life of another sentient being hurts in a way that I can't describe. But I did what I had to, in order to ensure my people are protected."

Urahara bowed his head. "Duty is poor solace to taking a life, Ichigo. As a former taicho, and a former assassin, I know that very well. Is there…?"

The evolved Vizard merely shook his head. "Take care of Aizen's body. I… need some time to myself." With that, he flickered away with Shunpo.

Urahara glanced down at Aizen's headless corpse before shaking his head. "You've cost us so much, Aizen… Is it strange for me to feel like our greatest cost was that boy's innocence?"

A hand clasped his shoulder. "No, Kisuke…" Yoruichi whispered. "I don't think that's strange at all."

Soifon followed Kurosaki to the best of her ability – the Vizard, though too highly evolved for her to feel his reiatsu at all, was relatively easy to keep in sight since he wasn't utilizing his full speed. She kept her reiatsu suppressed to keep from being detected, just in case the boy had somehow improved that skill as well. She'd witnessed him defeating Aizen, but Kurosaki was too powerful to go unwatched. Until she could assign some Onimitsukidō to arrange a full-time watch, she would have to gather what information she could. 

Strangely, Kurosaki wasn't heading to his human home. Instead, he had gone to the tallest building in Karakura, settling into a crouching position on the rounded end of a flagpole, balanced on the balls of his feet, overlooking a large part of the city. To her surprise, he seemed strangely comfortable there.

Kurosaki looked up at the sky, his mouth moving, but Soifon couldn't hear the words as the Substitute Shinigami was too far away and speaking too quietly. However, Soifon was still an assassin, and any assassin worth their blade knew how to read lips.

"Now what?"

'Now what' indeed, Kurosaki. It was a good question. For the Gotei 13, it would probably go back to business as usual. A new Central 46 would be elected, Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname would be tried after their eventual recovery, and the taicho would figure out who would take over the empty taicho slots. But for the Substitute Shinigami…

"Aizen's gone. How can I just go back to my human life after what feels like a lifetime of war? What do I want to do now?" Kurosaki sighed. "All this time, I've known what I needed to do. I needed to protect my family. I needed to save Rukia. I needed to defeat my Inner Hollow. I needed to protect everyone from Aizen. All this time, my goals have been reactions to threats. But now… there is no one relying on me to protect them from some imminent enemy. What do you think, Tensa Zangetsu, Cazador de la Luna? Think it's time for that vacation?"

Before Soifon's startled eyes, two figures materialized on either side of Kurosaki. One seemed quite young, with shoulder-length ragged black hair and a flowing black cloak with its hood back. He crouched on the beam of the flagpole, much the same way as Kurosaki though facing a different direction. The other was almost a carbon copy of Kurosaki himself, save for the open white vest, red leggings, Hollow hole in his chest and mask fragment on his face. He instead leaned against the building itself, using the air-walk technique to keep from falling. All three looked up at the sky together. Soifon took the opportunity to get a little closer, close enough to actually hear them, since she couldn't watch all three sets of lips at once.

"Yes," the young man, who had to be the manifestation of Tensa Zangetsu, agreed. "You are extremely overstressed, Ichigo."

"You haven't had time for a break practically since the beginning," the being who could only be Cazador de la Luna concurred. "When was the last time you really relaxed?"

Kurosaki sighed. "It's been so long, I don't even remember anymore."

There was a pause, before Kurosaki's Hollow spoke up again. "I'm thinking we should go hit a beach for our vacation. Nice, warm, relaxing, and if you want to you can check out the babes."

Kurosaki snorted. "Yeah, women we can't touch without accidentally disintegrating them from our reiatsu."

"You can work on that on the side, Ichigo. So long as you don't unleash your Shikai in your human body, you should be capable of touching others without harming them. If need be, I'm sure Urahara would help you seal away your powers for a time."

"Well, when you put it that way… maybe some time on a beach would be good for me. It'd be nice to actually feel like a teenager again, rather than a war veteran."

The three stood in silence for a couple of minutes, before Tensa Zangetsu changed the topic. "Why are you not heading home, Ichigo?"

That's a very good question, Soifon agreed, listening closely.

Kurosaki swallowed audibly. "I'm not sure I can face them right now without falling apart," he finally replied, his voice aching with sorrow. "And I'm worried that touching them now, even if I dismiss the Bankai, will hurt them."

"Ichigo, can you take not seeing your mother when she's so close after so many years? I thought I was heartless, and I'm your Inner Hollow!"

There was silence for another few moments as the Vizard bowed his head, his longer hair covering his eyes and part of his face.

"Are you trying to punish yourself, Ichigo? For not being strong enough to save her on that day six years ago, where the rain flooded both that river and your soul?"

Six years ago? Soifon quickly did the math. Kurosaki was, what, nine years old? His mother died in front of him? Well then… it seems I have my method to control him.

"No!" Kurosaki firmly denied. "Grand Fisher is responsible for that."

"Then what're you waitin' for, Ichigo?

"Nothing. I'm going now." He stood up from his crouched position, and the two spirits dissipated. That done, he flickered away with Shunpo.

Soifon didn't dare move to follow just yet – there was a good chance Kurosaki would sense her if she raised her reiatsu enough to Shunpo. Even so, the conversation she'd witnessed was an incredibly rare look at the dynamics between Kurosaki, his Zanpakutō, and his Hollow. Most Shinigami never materialized their Zanpakutō spirit outside of attempting to gain Bankai; it was rather draining, and conversations could be had mentally in any case.

While she'd need to go over it again later, Soifon could tell that Tensa Zangetsu seemed to be a very perceptive, if slightly blunt, character. Cazador de la Luna, on the other hand, seemed a bit cruder, if his comment about women on the beach was any indication. But Kurosaki seemed to value their input, and revealed his emotions to them… that suggested that despite his near-constant use of Bankai, there was no real sense of domination over his Zanpakutō. Instead, there was… trust? Camaraderie?

Strangely, the Hollow seemed as concerned over Kurosaki's mental state as Tensa Zangetsu. Perhaps there was some form of symbiosis between them? If Kurosaki relies on Cazador for his Hollow powers… does Cazador rely on Kurosaki for his Shinigami ones? It was a strange thought, but it would certainly explain Cazador's Arrancar appearance.

Almost five minutes had passed – Soifon judged it safe enough to move, and began making her way back to the Seireitei. She had plans to finish. It was a good thing that Kurosaki was planning on going on vacation… it would give her a chance to plant some Onimitsukidō in his mother's district.

Standing in front of his home, Ichigo found himself hesitating. It was his last chance to back out. 

Abandon your fear.

Ichigo nodded, mentally thanking Tensa Zangetsu. Taking a deep breath, he dismissed his Bankai, reverting to Shikai state. Slinging Zangetsu across his back as usual, he approached the door, hearing the murmurs of conversation but unable to actually hear what was being said. With that, he opened the door.

All conversation stopped as Ichigo entered his home and looked around. On the couch were Tatsuki, Mizuiro, Keigo and Don Kanonji. Standing up and apparently having been giving a lecture, was Zennosuke.

"Hey guys," Ichigo whispered. "Where are…?"

"In the kitchen," Tatsuki said quickly.

The Vizard nodded and walked slowly to the kitchen which until then had been Yuzu's domain. He could hear soft crying coming from inside, but he gathered his courage and entered as quietly as he could. In the middle of the kitchen with her back to him was Ichigo's mother, Masaki. Karin seemed to have clutched onto Masaki's left leg, while Yuzu was on her right. Ichigo's father, Isshin, was holding Masaki closely, though he still hadn't returned to his human body. His eyes were closed, but there was a steady trickle of tears down his face.

"Mommy…" Yuzu sobbed into her leg. "We missed you so much…"

Silently allowing tears to run down her cheeks, Karin seemed content to clutch Masaki's leg as though her mother would disappear if she ever let go.

Ichigo knew perfectly well that at her age, he too would have been doing the same thing. But now… now, Ichigo was unsure of what to do. He wasn't good at expressing his emotions, but at this point not even he knew what he wanted, what he desperately needed.

He set Zangetsu down gently against the wall, hoping that the separation would make the difference in whether Ichigo could touch his mother or not. But apparently, that made more noise than he thought, because Isshin's eyes opened and homed in on his position. "C'mere, Ichigo."

"Ichigo?" Masaki's watery voice asked. She turned around, her twin daughters moving with her so as not to tangle her. For the second time that day, mother and son locked eyes.

"Mom…" Before he could warn her, Masaki had walked over and pulled him into a hug. Her right hand behind his head, her left at his back, Ichigo found himself pressed physically against her, his head over her left shoulder.

Ichigo came to his senses a second later, tensing and ready to pull himself away to save his mother's afterlife… but she was unharmed! Relief hit him then, sharp and cutting straight to his heart. Tears flowed to his eyes unbidden as he wrapped his arms around his mother and held her tightly, and Ichigo's eyes closed as he wept.