(With Ichigo's team)
The group emerged from the portal into a long dark corridor, no windows to offer an image outside and no light to illuminate the way aside from a faint image of the passageway. The team looked around to try and get a sense of their surrounding and any possible enemies. Despite finding nothing, they remained on guard some wondering if they were in Hueco Mundo at all. Orihime made her way to one of the walls and placed her hand upon it, one of her rings shining a deep amber glow that resonated throughout the corridor.
"Terra says we're underground." She said, keeping her eyes shut. "There's a large room down that way with stairs that will lead us above ground." She pointed down the hallway as the group began to move. "Also, something big is heading toward us." She warned as she joined the group, prompting them to run. Ichigo released a small pulse for his Pesquisa to get a read on whatever that 'something' was.
"There are two Arrancar in this building." Ichigo said as they ran. "Minor threats. Who wants to get a quick warm up in?"
"I could use one." Tatsuki said with a smirk. "I don't get to fight nearly enough."
"Then I'll join you Tatsuki." Orihime added. "Masamune has been itching to test himself out." They soon entered a large circular room with clear lighting and a single staircase, the one that Orihime said was the way out. Tatsuki and Orihime strode out to the center of the room while Ichigo and the rest went off to the side. It didn't take the residents of this area too long to appear as they blocked off the exit and entrance, both looking more like Hollows than the usual Arrancar. One was an incredibly tall being with a stooped posture so his long arms brush along the ground, with black dreadlocks and a Hollow mask that seemed more fitting at a masquerade ball than a Hollow and revealing his deformed jaw. The other was much smaller, with a beak shaped mask that only revealed the upper left portion of his pale face and seemed to be lacking any limbs.
"Minor threats, Ichigo Kurosaki?" The smaller of the two asked, glancing at the hybrid in question. "That's truly insulting, and this is unforgivable." He turned his attention back to the girls in the center of the room. "Orihime Inoue and Tatsuki Arisawa, regarded as the weakest combatants of your group." Orihime glared at the Arrancar while Tatsuki faced the other. "Oh yes, lord Aizen gave us all information on the members of your team. Though those three extras are rather unknown, its no matter." He brought out four spindly gray arms with five fingers each. "Our duty is to keep you here! Let's go Demoura!" He yelled as he began to shoot bolts of energy from his fingertips while the now named Demoura raised his fist.
"Right Aisslinger!" He shouted, only for his fist and Aisslinger's bullets to be stopped by two orange barriers, both gasping in surprise.
"It's true, I'm not one for fighting." Orihime said while holding her arms out to direct her sprites to form their shields, pointing upwards with a finger to complete her arrangement with Tatsuki jumping off the barriers.
"And I didn't get nearly the same level of training." She landed on the topmost barrier before kicking off and punching Demoura in the eye and setting his head on fire. The giant began to spin with the force of the punch, with Tatsuki hanging off the mask and kicking off to slam another burning fist in Aisslenger's gut, shooting him back like a fireball. "But to think you had a chance was insulting to us." There was grunt as Demoura forced himself back up, head all charred to hell and swinging about wildly.
"Shall I finish?" Orihime asked, unsheathing the blade at her side. Tatsuki gave a smirk and gestured for her to go. Dashing forward, her defensive barriers offering her an incline, she rushed to Demoura's head and swung the katana down and cleaved his head in twain. She dropped back to the floor as the deformed Arrancar's head began to bleed and his body went limp. She turned to see Tatsuki giving her a thumbs up and Aisslenger wrapping his arms around her.
"Don't move!" He roared, coughing up blood and his clothes in tatters. "If I see you move I'll-" He threatened before Orihime shot toward him and stabbed both him and Tatsuki.
"Holy crap!" Bambietta cried out.
"What the hell is with her!?" Candice asked as Orihime ripped the blade free and cut Aisslenger in half, with not a mark on Tatsuki. While the Quincy stood in shock, those that knew Orihime and Tatsuki nodded their heads at their improvements in combat.
"Good job out there girls." Ichigo told them as the group joined up. "Is that Muramasa's new form?"
"Yep!" The Exorcist cheered. "Made to solely cut my enemies. Anything else, then it'll just phase through." Now that they got an explanation, the Vandenreich demanded answers.
"But did you know that was going to happen?" Bazz-B asked, still reeling from what he saw. For all the possibilities in the world of Spirits, turned out some things could still surprise him.
"Not at all. I just knew Orihime would never harm me." Tatsuki said, showcasing her trust in her allies. Something of a foreign concept to the Vandenreich. Their celebrations were short lived as the building began to rumble.
"Of course. Self destruct features." Ichigo said as everyone groaned. "Run!" He shouted, prompting them all to head for the staircase and into the world above. The shaking tripped Orihime, which prompted Tatsuki to use Flashstep to help her, just as a bunch of large debris began to fall on top of them. Before the stones got too close to them, a bunch of small balls of Reishi sank into the debris, causing them to explode into smaller, harmless fragments.
"Get moving girls!" Bambi yelled as they ascended up the stairs and out of the collapsing death trap.
(Las Noches Meeting Room)
The alarm rang out through the Hollow palace of Las Noches, calling all the Arrancar inside to attention. The ten Arrancar that made up Aizen's illustrious Espada gathered to a single place while the rest of the Arrancar were given a message from Aizen by the Exequias, the termination squad of Hueco Mundo. The same message that Aizen was personally delivering to his ten strongest soldiers.
"As predicted, we have intruders." Aizen said to his assembled elites. "Ichigo Kurosaki took the bait." An image was projected, showing the invaders as they stood outside the entrance of the collapsed tunnel. They were conversing amongst themselves while looking at the majesty of the massive palace. A low growl of excitement escaped from Grimmjow while another of his Espada scoffed.
"These are the intruders!" A dark skinned elderly man said, grumbling in disbelief. "They are children!" Most of the Espada were equally unimpressed with the exception of the scientist among them and the ones that already fought against them. "Its disgraceful that you lost to that brat Grimmjow!"
"Enough Baraggan." Aizen ordered, returning everyone's attention to him. "While five of them are the Ryoka that infiltrated the Seireitei, these three extra Quincy are rather unknown." He said, realizing what they were when they manipulated Reishi to form a platform and were dressed similar to Uryu during the Soul Society break in. "Keep a level head and let them come to us. Set up the battlefields to your advantage and fight to kill. The Quincy with the glasses, Uryu Ishida, and Ichigo Kurosaki were both regarded as targets for the captains of the Gotei. I will use a similar policy; none but the Espada are to fight Uryu and only Espada from rank 5 and on may battle Ichigo Kurosaki."
(With Ichigo's Team)
The group was speeding across the endless desert sands and to the only building in sight, Aizen's palace. Instead of running and expending energy pointlessly, Bazz-B came up with the idea of their current mode of transportation, a Reishi platform made and maintained by a Quincy, and taking advantage of the mass concentration of Reishi in the atmosphere. They've been riding on this mobile platform for ten minutes, most focusing on the battles ahead while Candice explained the concept of Shrifts to Orihime and Tatsuki and how Bambietta helped them.
"Bambietta, you're up." Uryu called out, keeping time for the other Quincy to know when to switch who controls the Reishi platform. The Explode took her place next to the Heat as he relinquished control to her. All the while, Las Noches did not seem to change as they rode. Uryu then went to Ichigo's side, who never once turned his eyes from the giant domed building. "How much further do you think?"
"Too damn far." The hybrid growled. "It's been bugging me for time that we've been moving fairly fast but that building doesn't seem any closer, then I noticed the trees." Uryu took a glance to the strange stone plants that decorated the desert sands, skinny and withered up close but the ones at the base of the building were like small pins. Meaning Las Noches was bigger than they thought and how far they were.
"And we can't go any quicker because maintaining this transport is taking all the concentration we can muster at a time." The teen groaned. "Just how big is Las Noches supposed to be?" Suddenly, in the distance, the sand began to shift and rise as a figure formed. A massive Hollow that was made of sand with a mask that seemed like a normal face with a wide mustache, and a head like a sand castle.
"So you are the intruders." It spoke with a deep echoing tone. "I will not-" The top half of its body was blown apart suddenly, with Ichigo's smoking fist as the only indicator of what happened. Before anything else could happen, giant hands began to sprout from all around them. "It's pointless." The Hollow said as he reformed. "I am Runuganga, Guardian of the White Sand. All the desert sand is my body and the defense of Las Noches is my purpose." Bambietta made them serve and twist to avoid all the slamming palms of Runuganga.
"If any of you got any bright ideas to fight him, USE THEM!" She yelled as she narrowly dodged another palm with the ground giving way to a massive antlion pit. "And now we're screwed if we lose the platform, fantastic." She groaned as she lifted them skyward and above the reaches of the sand.
"Rukia, think you can freeze him?" Ichigo asked as Runuganga created multiple tornadoes of sand.
"I can try." She said as got to the edge and drew her circles. "Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" She said and created a massive pillar of ice, leaving Las Noches untouched. "That should do it." She sighed as the desert calmed. After a small debate, it was decided that they'd bust through the wall instead of through the ceiling, especially since Bambietta gained a throbbing headache and a test shot revealed the dome was shielded. Candice took over the transport and brought them to the ground and to the wall of the palace.
"Finally, Las Noches." The hybrid smirked as the rest of the group readied for combat, until Ichigo heard something off. "Rukia, did you freeze the sand under the circle as well?" He asked before they dropped into the sudden sinkhole.
(Forest of Menos)
"Can you feel that?" A woman asked her twin, two sisters looking off into the distance, sensing a disturbance in the air. "Either something big fell in or a lot of somethings."
"I'd say a lot of somethings." The other sister said, sensing the individuals that made up the group. "And it seems like they're being thrown. Must have pissed of Runuganga something fierce."
"Some of those seem a bit familiar don't you think?" The first asked as a man with a gazelle skull mask began to move. "What is it Ashido?"
"We're going to check it out." Ashido said to the two. "Let go, Yin and Yang." He ordered as departed.
"Right!" The sister Arrancar returned, following their savior.
(With Ichigo's Group)
"Okay, we got dragged into the sand, thrown away from Las Noches if our fall is of any indication, thousands of feet away from the surface, and stuck in the middle of nowhere." Uryu groaned as everyone pulled themselves to their feet. "Can anyone give any good news?"
"We're still together if that counts for anything." Bazz-B said as Candice was having a near psychotic break. The teen sighed and resigned himself to count their blessings as Ichigo had a mental conversation with his Zanpakuto.
"Okay, according to Zangetsu, we're in the Forest of Menos." The hybrid said as he gained most everyone's attention, Orihime was helping Candice fix her look. "Apparently when one of us consumes a Hollow, we get a portion of their memories. Instead of questioning the plausibility of that, I'm just happy to get some answers."
"Do any of them include a way out of here?" Bambi asked she and the rest brushed the sand off their bodies.
"Most Adjuchas claw their way through the sand and onto the surface, but that was before Aizen set up shop here." Ichigo responded, sensing three new presences coming toward them. "We might need to find an intelligent Hollow and ask a few questions, or get ready for our new guests." That got the others' attention as they looked in the same direction as Ichigo, sensing the three stronger Reishi signatures as well as the swell of Hollows coming. With a silent nod from the hybrid teen, the rest of Ichigo's friends took to a vantage point and hid themselves while Uryu almost had to drag the Sternritters into place for not taking the silent cue. Ichigo himself focused his energy and released a pulse of his Hollow Reiatsu that said one thing, 'I'm strong and hungry'. The swell of Hollows disappeared almost instantly while the other three approached more cautiously, until they came into sight. Three figures dressed in fur cloaks with the one at point having various Hollow masks decorating his, approached Ichigo from behind. "That's close enough." Ichigo said, freezing the trio. "Any closer and I might consider you hostiles."
"Are you a captain?" The man in the mask asked. "I don't recognized that symbol on your Haori." He said as Ichigo turned to face them, a short moment of surprise crossing his face as he recognized the twin Arrancar that aided Kusaka.
"That's a long story but the short answer is no." Ichigo responded, noticing Bambietta and Candice getting ready to strike but were restrained by Uryu. "My current rank is the fourth seat of the 1st division." He said before the masked man appeared in front of him and swung his blade. Ichigo leaned back to dodge the swing and noted how old and weathered the blade had become. He was surprised when he felt the slight pressure of the blade in the air from the man's attack and his instincts kicked in. As the masked Shinigami was preparing his next strike, Ichigo slammed his palm into the man's gut and sent him flying into one of the quartz trees. Yin and Yang tried to move before Bazz-B and Uryu held them down. The masked man got behind Ichigo and attempted another strike, which the hybrid barely dodged before tripping his opponent. As the Shinigami fell, Ichigo grabbed his mask and slammed his head into the ground, breaking the mask and revealing the face beneath. A regular man with spikey reddish brown hair. "Yield." Ichigo ordered as the man gave in.
"Master Ashido!" The twins yelled, using their elemental abilities to force Uryu and Bazz-B back. They charged at Ichigo, only for him to strike at their necks with his hand and send them crashing next to the now named Ashido.
"Yin! Yang!" Ashido called out in concern as he went to their sides. When he confirmed that they'd recover he turned his attention to Ichigo.
"You're strong for a non-seated officer." The hybrid said as the rest of the group appeared, surrounding the Soul Reaper and Arrancar. "What's your story?" Seeing not other way, Ashido told his tale.
"A few centuries back, myself and a team of Soul Reapers were sent to repel some Hollows that appeared in the Soul Society. When they began to retreat, we followed them. Straight into this nest of Hollows. My allies fought to their dying breaths until I became the last one of my team, staying here to fight and kill as many Hollows as I could in the hopes that it would lessen the damage to the world of the Living." The Soul Reaper looked Ichigo in the eyes. "I'd ask if I was at all successful in that goal, but these two told me about Aizen and his army."
"And yet you kept them with you." Ichigo noted as the twins awoke. "They are Hollows yet you've kept them with you. Why?"
"Maybe I was tired of being alone?" Ashido guessed, unsure of the answer himself. "I know they're still Hollows, but they chose to be my companions after I saved them at their weakest." The girls pushed themselves to their feet and stood at their savior's side. "Hollows on their own are dangerous creatures driven by the instinct to feed, something I've felt all too close to becoming myself on many occasion, but as Arrancar...." He let the statement hang as he faced the hybrid. "It may be treasonous but I see a potential here to do some good. I'll-"
"Save it Ashido, the captain commander has already considered it." He interrupted, surprising Ashido, the twins, and the Sternritters. "There's another threat coming and the idea of Arrancar allies were brought up to help in the coming battle. You might not be doing much good here in Hueco Mundo, but maybe you can back in the Soul Society." The trio of survivors thought for a moment.
"Even if we wanted to, they've been unable to maintain a portal out of here for us to escape." Ashido said, prompting Ichigo to flick his wrist and open a Garganta, shocking the Soul Reaper.
"There's a small list of things I am unable to do." Ichigo explained. "Go towards the strongest sense of Reishi and you should return to Soul Society. Just maintain the Spirit Road so you don't fall." Ashido numbly walked toward the portal, reaching out with a shaky hand, almost disbelieving in the chance to finally return home. But his thoughts drifted back to the allies he had, the people that he lost.
"I appreciate the offer, but-" An slip of paper was pushed on him as he tumbled through the portal, his honed reflexes creating the Spirit Road just in time.
"That's not an offer. It's an order." Ichigo declared, steel in his voice. "Ashido, you are still a member of the Gotei. I'm the disciple of Genryusai Yamamoto and the fourth seat of squad 1. I'm pretty sure I outrank, so now I'm ordering you to do this. Return to Soul Society, offer the evidence that plan 16 is indeed a possibility, retire and become a teacher. That letter to the old man should help." He said, leaving Ashido no room to argue as Chad threw the twin Arrancar in after him. "I'd drag you to the old man myself, but he's probably still pissed with me. This wasn't exactly a sanctioned mission." The Shinigami couldn't help but release a breath of good mirth as he saw an old image of himself in the hybrid.
"Understood sir." He said, looking over the note of verification Ichigo gave him. "If I could ask something, please go to my friends' graves." He pointed off in one direction, to where he set up the memorial to his allies. "They haven't heard another Soul Reaper's voice in a long time." Ichigo smiled and gave him a thumbs up before the portal closed.
(Timeskip)
They found the grave with little issue, it seemed like the only place in the entire forest that didn't feel like Hollows. The moment was interrupted by a group of Adjuchas, one of which that called himself the Guardian of the Forest, who were almost immediately crushed by the Sternritters as Ichigo and his friends offered prayers to the fallen Shinigami. Under Ichigo's orders, the Sternritter disarmed the 'Guardian' and began interrogating him for the exit out of the Menos Forest. Despite the Heat and the Thunder applying their painful touch, the Guardian remained silent until Ichigo threatened to devour him, slowly. He quickly sang the location of the exit and Bazz-B saw fit to remove his head. Moving at their fastest, they went through the exit and back to getting to Las Noches. Instead of risking another fight with Runuganga, Rukia created more towers of ice which Bazz-B melted and Rukia froze again. The result turned the shifting sands into a solid foundation and their path into Las Noches was unbarred. The palace of Hollows was now invaded by Ichigo and his allies, something all the occupants of Las Noches felt.
(Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers)
Change of Clothes
"Absolutely not!" Karin yelled, bashing a tiki masked Arrancar with a large spiked metal club. "There is no way I'm wearing any Arrancar clothes!" She said before hitting another Arrancar with blonde hair and an insect like mask. "I'm not wearing the clothes of the enemy!"
"Karin Kurosaki!" The tomboy flinched before turning to see her sister, already in a modest set of Arrancar robes shooting an angry pout at her sister. "You have been wearing those clothes since yesterday. They're dirty and you reek of sweat. Go take a bath and get changed." She said, pointing out the door. Karin glared back as the Arrancar cowered behind Yuzu before relenting.
"Fine. But I want our clothes clean before Ichi-nii rescues us." She said, dropping the club. "Where is Neliel anyway?"
"Still playing with the bubbles in the bath." The twins sighed at the absurdity of their hostage situation.
Nnoritora makes a mistake
The current 7th Espada was walking aimlessly through the halls, grumbling in anger over what had currently happened in his life. Dropped two ranks with one being claimed by the person that he hated the most, the chance to cause Aizen's chosen enemy some real damage was stymied by Ulquiorra, and now he wasn't even allowed to challenge this 'Ichigo Kurosaki' and prove his strength by killing the hybrid bastard. Things have really been pissing him off lately. He then noticed the humidity in the air and the sounds of splashing and laughter.
"Oh yeah, Neliel did say something about the girls and bathing." He said before grinning. "Maybe I'll take go take a look. I hate that green haired bitch, but she has a damn fine body. Maybe those kids have some potential too." He said to himself, not noticing Ulquiorra standing right behind him with a change of clothes. The next instant had Nnoritora buried to his knees in the ground, upside down. It took Nnoritora's fraccion ten minutes to pull him out of the ground and another two hours to remove his weapon from his ass.
Taking all bets
"I'd say... Zommari goes first, trying to get payback from that Quincy lieutenant, and Nnoritora gets it the worst from Ichigo by saying something stupid." Grimmjow said, throwing a few coins on the table. Gin kept his smile and threw in some coins himself.
"I think you'll go down first fighting Ichigo, but Szayel will go out the worst because he'll describe an experiment he plans to do."
"What is going on here?" Aizen asked, walking up to Gin, Grimmjow, Yammy, and Baraggan all sitting around a table covered in coins.
"We're making bets on which of the Espada will get killed first and which dies in the worst way." Yammy said before throwing his coins in. "Nnoritora for both. He'll lose but I'm betting Aaroniero eats him for power before anyone else kicks it."
"I'll take that action." Aizen said, putting down a single coin. "Szayel will die first, but the most horrific won't be an Espada." He said earning a glance from his allies. "If he fails, he will definitely die in the worst manner."