Matter of the Soul

Cazador shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. "Wait just a Kami-damned minute! Last thing I remember is going to sleep in Ichigo's soul during his vacation to the beach. Next thing I know, I'm in Hell, Ichigo's not answering, his mother and sister are dead, his other sister nearly so! And apparently I've been doing some killing, which somehow freed up Kami knows how many soul fragments! Those soul fragments recombined and made that guy! Can someone please either wake me up, or explain just how the fuck this happened?"

"Ichigo's sisters got kidnapped by Togabito, residents of Hell. His mother got banished to Hell by some nobles in Soul Society," Yoruichi bit out tersely, not taking her eyes off Hell.

"Ah." The dots were beginning to connect. "OK, so Ichigo decided to go to Hell, apparently with our good friends the Vizard here, you…" he looked around, doing a headcount. "Tōshiro, Rukia, Renji, and new guy whose name I don't know. Wow, a lot of muscle here. Somehow along the way, the Vizard Hollowified I take it."

"That would be my doing," Hell claimed. "This is my dimension. My reiatsu tends to have… side effects on Shinigami-Hollow hybrids if they stick around too long."

Cazador looked at him incredulously for a moment, but then sighed and shook his head. "Naturally, Ichigo takes us to the one place we can't be the strongest thing around. Of course. So off we go to Hell. We obviously find everyone. Shit happens, we get attacked by that guy's soul fragments, we kill them all and go insane in the process. Masaki and Yuzu die and are apparently claimed by Hell. And here we are."

"And here we are," Hell agreed, spreading his arms as if saying "what can you do?" "But I admit to having a question of my own. You are a Shinigami-Hollow hybrid, correct?"

"Yeah, I'm an Arrancar. So?"

"I thought as much. Arrancar, just by being here, normally enter a heightened state of aggression, to the point of attacking the first thing they see," Hell explained. He started to walk around Cazador, inspecting him like he would an experiment. "Yet, instead of attacking me, you instead demand answers. Instead of madness, you instead gained rationality. Interesting."

"Will you let Kurosaki Masaki and Kurosaki Yuzu free?" Yoruichi questioned steadily, interrupting Cazador's and Hell's thoughts. "They are not yours by any action of their own, and Yuzu is still human, not a spirit."

Hell laughed softly, but it still gave Cazador goosebumps. "Let them free? Why would I do that, Shinigami? Their souls are mine now – that is the price of my dimension. Those who die here are endlessly reborn as my tools and slaves. How they came to be here is none of my concern."

"I see." Her face betrayed no emotion. "And will you let us go without accosting us?"

Hell smiled. "As I said, I am in a very, very generous mood. I have just been reborn, after all, and I have you all to thank for that kindness. You are not mine, so I have no reason to keep you. You may all leave. In fact, let me help you out."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, an oval-shaped portal opened up, clearly showing the real world, where Urahara, Tessai , Hachi and Ukitake all looked stunned. Yoruichi stepped through without hesitation, rushing to Urahara's side. Hitsugaya quickly did the same, joining Ukitake. Rukia and Renji spared each other a glance and followed as well.

Cazador looked at the ally who still hadn't given his name. "What about you? You coming?"

He sadly shook his head. "I am Togabito as well. I cannot." He held up his left wrist, from which a chain dangled a short ways. An instant later, the chain shimmered, and Cazador could see how it linked him to Hell – the person, and the dimension both. "If you ever reach Ichigo again… tell him I will wait as long as it takes."

Cazador blinked, confused, but he nodded nonetheless. Then he turned to Hell. "What price would have to be paid, in order for you to release Kurosaki Masaki and Yuzu?"

"Hmm." Hell considered a few moments, and then let out a low, but rough, pulse of reiatsu. The Togabito shivered as it passed through him. Then Hell whistled lowly. "My my, what pure souls they have. You're quite right, they should not have come here at all, but I will not deny such a gift when it is given so freely. I would require two souls of equal pureness in exchange," he finally declared.

Oh boy. Ichigo is NOT going to like this…

"Hollow," the Togabito spoke up. He swallowed, apparently gathering his courage. "The chains can be-" He was suddenly cut off, by what was unknown, but he seemed to be choking. If Cazador was reading the impressions on his neck correctly, then his own Hell-binding chain was choking him.

He gave a questioning glance to Hell, who merely smiled. "Off you go now. Unless you want to join me, of course."

No, Cazador thought, that's really not something I want. In all honesty, he was more worried about what had happened to Ichigo. What could have happened that would keep Ichigo from responding to him? Could Hell's reiatsu have somehow buried Ichigo deep within his own psyche? Cazador resolved to enter his Inner World at his first opportunity to demand answers from Zangetsu.

Cazador hurriedly stepped through the portal, and Hell looked mildly disappointed as the Vizard followed suit mindlessly. With another gesture, the portal vanished. Refocusing his attention on his surroundings, the Arrancar noticed that Urahara was being helped to his feet by Yoruichi, while Ukitake was coughing weakly and being supported by Hitsugaya. Shinji had apparently made it out with his cargo, who were still being carried, with Karin seeming to gain a little more color in her face now that was out in the living world. Soifon stood to the side appearing slightly awkward, not knowing what to do next.

Yamamoto appeared out of nowhere, his Zanpakutō alight with the fires of his reiatsu. Cazador nearly jumped back in surprise, while Rukia and Renji trembled under the pressure of the sōtaicho's presence. "You fools!" he roared. "Shunsui, come here!"

Kyōraku Shunpo-ed next to him, lowering his twin blades. "Ichigo," he greeted, then took another look and frowned. "Wait. You're his Hollow, aren't you?"

"Yo," Cazador acknowledged, raising a hand in greeting himself.

"Cazador de la Luna," Yamamoto rumbled angrily, "where is Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"I'd like to know that too, Yamamoto. I only just woke up about 5 minutes ago," Cazador confessed.

"Inner Hollows sleep?" Soifon murmured under her breath, a little taken aback. Cazador didn't bother to answer that.

"And who are these Hollows?" Yamamoto demanded, pointing his sword at them. The Vizard didn't even flinch.

"They're the Vizard," Cazador answered. "Apparently their Resurrección was forced on them by Hell. But luckily for us all, Hollows of any evolution obey higher evolutions. That's a matter of Hollow instinct. As I'm an Adjuchas Arrancar, they obey me, and that'll probably continue until I dismiss them or until they regain their sanity."

Yamamoto appeared to make a snap decision, and suddenly his blade lost its flames, returning to a sealed state. He pushed it into the air before himand opened a Senkaimon. "Come with me to Soul Society, all of you. You must know what you all have unleashed with your actions."

"What about Masaki and Yuzu?" Cazador asked. "They've got the Hell-chains attached."

"It is too late for them. The chains cannot be broken," Yamamoto declared solemnly. "As they are out of Hell, they will not revive, but neither can they be saved. The kindest thing to do would be to burn them, destroy their soul so as not to suffer an eternity of torment in Hell."

"Like hell you will!" Karin yelled, wriggling out of Shinji's grasp. "That's my twin sister and mother! How do you know they can't be saved? How can you know if you haven't even tried! Kokutō said Ichigo had the power to break those chains!"

Cazador's head snapped towards Karin. Now he finally had a name for that Togabito guy. That's probably what he was saying. 'The chains can be broken!'

"Kurosaki Ichigo's status is unknown," Soifon answered the girl ruthlessly. "And Hell will come for their souls soon. Would you gamble your brother miraculously returning and having the power to break those chains against an eternity of torment?"

"Yes!" Karin shouted angrily. "Ichigo has never, ever let any of us down! We are his family, and he will come for us!"

"Failing that," came a new voice as he entered the clearing, "I will." Kurosaki Isshin entered the field in his Shinigami form. "I have failed my family too long. Should Ichigo be unable to break the chains, I will."

"And how will you do that, Isshin?" Yamamoto questioned quietly, but intently.

"You know perfectly well that I have completed Jinzen," Isshin answered calmly. "And there is nothing the Final Getsuga Tenshō cannot destroy. While I would lose my powers once more, it would be worth it to resurrect my daughter and my wife."

There was a moment of silence before the leader of Soul Society nodded assent. It would be a fitting end, Yamamoto mused. An exile losing his powers, in the process of restoring the rightful place of two souls who were not destined for Hell. Everything fitting together neatly. "Very well. We will place barrier Kidō to store them and monitor them. That should delay Hell from locating and retrieving them. Now come; we must discuss the consequences of your descent into Hell."

"Tessai and I will stay here in the living world," Urahara volunteered. "Hell must still be monitored, and Hollows exterminated. Plus, I don't think your Senkaimon has a matter converter, so Karin and Yuzu would need to stay behind in any case. Hachi can stay as well to set up his special barriers to store Yuzu and Masaki. Yoruichi will fill me in on the details when you're done." The Goddess of Shunpo sent him a dirty look, but nodded anyway. As these were all valid points, Yamamoto nodded again, allowing the deviation.

An hour later, the Hollowified Vizard, all the taicho and fukutaicho, and Cazador de la Luna all stood in the taicho meeting chamber. As Ukitake had no fukutaicho, Rukia stood next to him. Gin was absent, as he was in a medical coma induced by Unohana. Cazador stood in front of the Vizard, clearly indicating that he was their leader, while all the fukutaicho stood next to their respective taicho. Hinamori looked torn between confusion and fear, casting aside glances at Cazador. Isshin stood next to Cazador as well, looking calm but serious.

Yamamoto slammed his cane into the floor, calling all attention to him. "We have a crisis," he announced. "Perhaps worse than that of Aizen Sōsuke. Hell has arisen."

"Ah, forgive me Yama-jii, but I'm confused. I thought Hell was the dimension, and we've already known it exists for some time now…" Kyōraku commented.

Yamamoto nodded. "Hell is the name of the dimension for a single reason: the dimension is an extension of its creator."

"How is that possible?" Kurotsuchi asked, clearly very intrigued. "The amount of reiryoku needed to create even a small pocket dimension is enormous, to create and maintain a dimension with diverse environments would be astronomical!"

"Or his power was evolved," Cazador pointed out loudly. "He went and upgraded didn't he? He kept getting stronger and stronger, evolving beyond whatever he started out as. Then he created a dimension for himself!"

Yamamoto nodded. "That is what the records state. The rest of what I am about to tell you is a state secret, and cannot be told to anyone under penalty of death, both to you and whomever you told. I am authorized by the Zero Division, and the Berean family, to share this information only under the direst of circumstances."

"The Berean family?" Hitsugaya repeated, connecting the dots. "Didn't Ichigo…?"

"Yes," Yamamoto answered Hitsugaya's unasked question. "Though it is not widely known, the Berean family was charged by the Spirit King to collect and maintain records of all forbidden knowledge, including Hollowification, and all things pertaining to Hell. The ones who banished Kurosaki Ichigo's mother have already been caught by Kuchiki-taicho and Kurosaki. They are currently imprisoned and will be interrogated to uncover the rest of the conspirators. However, the Head of the Berean family has shared their records of Hell for the duration of this crisis.

"To return to the topic at hand, long ago, there was a three-sided war between the Spirit King, the King of Hueco Mundo, and Hell. The Spirit King successfully purified the King of Hueco Mundo, but Hell had designed his dimension so that whomever perished while within it became under his rule. He remained in his dimension and sent his forces out to the living world and Soul Society to perform his work. Whenever his forces died, he called them back to Hell via their Chains of Fate, which he had perverted into the Chains of Hell.

"As a result, Hell could never be truly conquered – he would resurrect upon his death, with no damage to his power or his memories. The Spirit King could not simply destroy Hell's soul – that would destroy the dimension, and the Spirit King was forced to admit that it provided a necessary service; it took the truly evil of humanity, leaving Soul Society the final destination of ultimately good souls.

"So the Spirit King shattered Hell's soul into thousands, millions of pieces. Those pieces became the beings we now call the Kushanāda, Hell's Will. Due to Hell's own rules, he cannot truly die. When a Kushanāda would die, it would revive with its soul fragment. The Kushanāda would always seek out and eat the strongest within its realm to attempt to regain the reiatsu it needed to return to their original form, and would as a result prevent any from growing strong enough to kill more than one at a time. This, the Spirit King felt, would be Hell's eternal prison, where he would be trapped within his own rules forever.

"But that ended today, when Kurosaki Ichigo, Soifon-taicho, Hitsugaya-taicho, Abarai-fukutaicho and Kuchiki Rukia entered Hell with the exiles known as the Vizard to save Kurosaki's family. Countless Kushanāda were killed simultaneously, allowing their soul fragments to rejoin and resurrect Hell, albeit as a shadow of his former self.

"We can assume that Hell will once again launch a campaign to take total control over all dimensions while seeking out the remaining pieces of his soul. We must take measures to counter this threat. Kurotsuchi-taicho, all current research projects are hereby suspended. Focus all efforts towards strengthening the barrier surrounding Hell, and restricting interdimensional travel. Kyōraku-taicho, Ukitake-taicho, Kuchiki-taicho, you will go through the Berean records and attempt to determine the method by which the Spirit King shattered Hell's soul.

"Hitsugaya-taicho, Abarai-fukutaicho, Kuchiki Rukia you are hereby reassigned to the living world. Aid Urahara Kisuke in guarding the living world. Cazador de la Luna, work with the Vizard – at this point, all strength is needed. Consider all laws considering Shinigami-Hollow hybrids under suspension, do what you must in order to regain their sanity and convince them to work with Soul Society. Also, determine what has happened to your host, Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Zaraki-taicho, I understand Madarame Ikkaku has Bankai. Make him as strong as you can – he will be one of primary assault when the time comes. Soifon-taicho, Komamura-taicho, step up your training – your Bankai will be needed to cut through and blast away the armies when we assault Hell in his own dimension. Tōsen-taicho, you will accompany Cazador de la Luna and the Vizard to improve your Hollowification. Unohana-taicho, continue to train your Division in the healing arts, and scout the other Divisions for those with healing talent – they will be needed.

"All fukutaicho, you are to take over and delegate as many duties of your Division as needed, and then train under your taicho when time permits. I will contact the Zero Division and request an audience with the Spirit King. Any questions?" There was silence. "Dismissed!"

A short while later, Cazador returned to the living world with the Vizard, the various taicho, Rukia and Renji. Not particularly wanting the taicho to know where the Vizard warehouse was just in case he had to hide there on a later date, Cazador led them all to Urahara's shop and immediately was granted access to the underground training basement.

Isshin, Rukia and Renji stayed upstairs with Urahara, not wanting to be in the blast radius of Vizard training just in case one of them woke up or went berserk. "Cazador de la Luna," Tōsen began, "I admit to some confusion from the sōtaicho's order. How am I to improve my Hollowification?"

"When you enter Resurrección, do you still get to use your Bankai?" Cazador asked bluntly.

"No… I merge with Suzumushi to enter my Resurrección," Tōsen replied. "How would I still use Bankai when my Zanpakutō is merged?"

Cazador sighed. "You skipped a step. You have to beat your Inner Hollow and take his Zanpakutō. Then you merge with that Zanpakutō." To prove his point, he materialized Ichigo's black Tensa Zangetsu. "See?"

Tōsen appeared interested. "While I am blind outside of my Hollowification, I believe I do understand. I sense Hollow reiatsu from one blade, and Shinigami reiatsu from the other. The differentiation allows you to use both Resurrección and Bankai simultaneously. Very well. I will begin my meditation immediately."

With that, he sat down, crossed his legs, and laid Suzumushi's sealed form across his legs. Cazador recognized the stance – he was undergoing Jinzen to talk to Suzumushi, and his Inner Hollow. Suppose I should do the same… He twisted around to face the Vizard. "Sit down, will ya? And don't do anything until I say."

As one, the Hollowified Vizard all sat down. Satisfied, Cazador settled down to the floor himself and focused on his Inner World, pulling himself in almost immediately.

He looked around. The blood-red moon was in the sky, the skyscrapers were still around, there was no scene of mass destruction that could possibly explain why Ichigo would be buried within his own mind. "Oi! Zangetsu!"

"I am here." Cazador turned to the side and saw Zangetsu pensively sitting on a flagpole, staring at him.

"What the hell happened to Ichigo?" Cazador demanded. "Where is he? Why am I awake? And why the fuck isn't he answering me?"

"The answer to all those questions is the same. Ichigo buried himself deep into his own soul, and pushed you into control. He cannot hear you."

Cazador growled. "Then why can't I just pull him up? Right now this is my soul!"

"Because I will not let you."

"What?"

Zangetsu jumped down from his flagpole and began walking to Cazador, drawing his blade. "Look into the blade's reflection, and you will see your answers."

Cazador peered into the dim moonlight reflecting from the magnificent cleaver, and then saw Ichigo's face contorted into a ferocious snarl as he swung his Shikai against… himself? The image was too quick to get a good look, but it looked like Ichigo was somehow fighting himself. "I don't understand. Who is Ichigo fighting?"

"Himself. Or rather, a manifestation of himself. That manifestation represents the person he could be, should he embrace Hell's ideals. That is the reason you were not affected by Hell's reiatsu. Ichigo was taking it all into himself, trusting you to take care of his family."

"How is this possible?" Cazador demanded.

Zangetsu gave a half smile. "Ichigo realized as the Resurrección finished that Hell's reiatsu was the cause of his unwilling transformation. He knew he could not win against both his Hollow instinct and Hell's manipulation, so he called you out of the depths of his soul. You are Arrancar, and retain both reason and the ability to control your Hollow instinct. That left Ichigo to handle the effects of Hell.

"As for why he is within me… You are the one in control, Cazador de la Luna. That makes me and Ichigo the source of your power. Just like you and I normally share one spiritual body when Ichigo is in control, he and I have the option of sharing one body when you are in control. To keep you from being unduly affected by the Hell fragment, he pulled himself and his Hell double into my body. I am, for all intents and purposes, the buffer while they battle. Admittedly, it is not a pleasant feeling."

"But we've left Hell!" Cazador protested. "Why is the battle still going on?"

"An unexpected side effect," Zangetsu admitted. "I am uncertain of the consequences as of yet, but I have faith Ichigo will win. It is simply a matter of time."

Meanwhile, within Zangetsu, Ichigo skid back from a kick he'd just received from his opponent. Using the air-walk technique to slow down, he readied Zangetsu into a defensive position, glaring intently at his doppelganger. Hell Ichigo was dressed similarly to Ichigo himself, with chains attached to each ankle and wrist. His hair was no longer the orange of Ichigo, but instead was deep obsidian, reaching to his shoulder blades. Hell Ichigo's eyes too were different, a blood red iris with midnight blue sclera.

"Why do you fight me?" Hell Ichigo pleaded in what sounded like genuine distress. "I want the same things you do! I want to protect my family, I want to make sure they can't be hurt anymore!"

"I do want those things, but you… you would pervert that desire!" Ichigo rebutted.

"How is it perverting our desire to protect Yuzu, and Karin, and Mom, and everyone else if we make a few examples of what happens if you try?" Hell Ichigo demanded. "Those nobles, the Berean, they deserve to die! They sent Mom to Hell! An eternity of torment! We would be showing mercy by not granting them the same fate but merely killing them!"

"I want to kill them just as much as you do, you know that, but we can't be the ones who decide who lives and who dies!" Ichigo protested. "We have so much power, it'd be easy to fall into that trap, but we'd become a spiritual dictator! An object of oppression!"

"It's only oppression if we oppress them!" Hell Ichigo yelled, trying to make his point. "A dictator who rules well is loved as a king! We could rule justly, and wouldn't that be worth it? To protect those who deserve protection, to save those who need saving… Don't you want to prevent more Quincy Massacres? More Bount and Mod Soul exterminations?"

"Of course I do, but killing my way to the top isn't the answer!"

"You would only have to kill a few people," Hell Ichigo pointed out reasonably. "The Berean for threatening your family. That won't be murder, that's justice. Yamamoto thinks you're unstable and out to get him anyway, he'll try to kill you. If you wait for that, then it's self-defense. After that, you'll be the poor hero who was so misunderstood by Soul Society's leaders. Probably be made a taicho, maybe even sōtaicho."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear this!"

Hell Ichigo ignored him. "From sōtaicho to Spirit King using the already-existing Ōken, that would make you the leader of two realms right there. With your power, it'd be easy to blackmail and threaten a couple of the living world leaders, so then the living world wouldn't pose a problem. You're already King of Hueco Mundo. That's three for three, right there. See, you wouldn't even have to murder anyone, and it's just a couple of kills that you wouldn't even be at fault for. Kill the few to save the many. You made that decision once already, remember? Or have you already forgotten Aizen?"

"Damn you!" Ichigo growled, rushing at his double with Zangetsu at the ready, a Getsuga already rushing down it.

"Too late," Hell Ichigo replied bitterly, meeting Ichigo's attack in kind. The twin Zangetsu clashed against each other, grinding and fighting for dominance over the other. "The temptation, the wishing that you were in charge; I can see it in you, Ichigo! Accept it! Why do you fight your destiny to rule, to protect your family? Don't you want to keep them safe by any means necessary? Didn't you swear that you would descend to the pits of Hell if you needed to?"

Ichigo screamed his frustration as he purposely let up the pressure behind Zangetsu, spinning around the incoming blade and swiping at his Hell self, who easily leapt back and avoided it.

"Work with me, Ichigo! Between us, we can keep them safe!" Hell Ichigo begged. "You've accepted being a Shinigami, you've accepted being a Hollow, why can't you accept being a Togabito as well?"

"Because I don't want that power, the consequences are too dire! Hell would take me and then I wouldn't be able to protect them anymore!"

"And who says Hell would be able to hold you?" Hell Ichigo pointed out. "Even without my power, you slaughtered everything in front of you! All those Kushanāda, gone! The Togabito, defeated! My power would just make it easier!"

"That just proves I don't need your power, and I don't want it! Get out of my soul!"

"Not a chance! If you won't accept the truth, I'll have to do it for you! I'll save you from your own stubborn naïveté!"