FicWad

Visal Mars let loose an exultant roar as he led a veritable army of hollows and arrancars through the streets of the Rukon district towards the Seireitei. "At last! We sally forth to WAR!" He swept his short bladed Zanpakutō forward, signalling for his forces to charge.

The forces of Hueco Mundo were pouring forth from a massive series of Gargantas, with Mars, Sun Shira, and Grimmjow making up the vanguard strike force. Shiro watched the three Espada rush excitedly towards the home of the Shinigami with a smile on his lips. "Hello Seireitei..." He chuckled to himself, "I'm back." He gestured forward, signalling more of his hollows to charge in behind the vanguard. "We have the overwhelming advantage in numbers." He shouted, "Use it well, and Burn the Seireitei to the ground!"

The hollows all replied by letting loose the signature howl of their kind. The sound echoed across Soul Society, as thousands of lesser hollows, and hundreds of Menos Gillians roared and howled in pure bloodlust. They swept through the Rukon district like a tidal wave of death, laying everything before them to ruin and death as they went.

Barragan laughed as he followed a core of Gillians, ensuring that they stayed on course to the gate of the Seireitei. "Now this is how a true King attacks his foes!"

"I agree." Raiche Luraunt appeared behind him, grinning widely. "It has been centuries since Hueco Mundo was so united and mobilized. We are now the stuff of Legends! Win or lose, we bear witness to the making of history this day."

Barragan chuckled, looking back at the affluent Octava Espada, "You're even more of a foppish dandy than you look, using that flowery language of yours." He looked forward once again, firing a mighty cero into a line of buildings. "But you are right. Not since the days of Arturo-sama have we been so powerful. It fills my old bones with joy and pride to be on the front lines this time!"

Hallibel, Stark, and Ulquiorra moved together, leading a massive contingent of Menos towards the Seireitei. As they moved, Stark couldn't help but chuckle, "Gotta hand it to Shiro-sama..." He looked around as the massive tide of hollows rained destruction down upon the defenseless Rukon district, "He said he wanted to destroy this place... he really wasn't kidding."

"And that is the key difference between him and Aizen-sama." Said Ulquiorra, watching passively as a Menos unleashed a powerful cero upon a group of helpless souls. "Aizen wanted to rule as a god. Shiro-sama has no such lofty ambitions. He simply wishes to rule the world he's earned, but to do so properly, he needs to destroy his enemies completely."

Hallibel nodded. "Indeed... When you think about it, Aizen-sama never once put his true faith in us. He told us to never trust anyone... even himself... Shiro-sama though... He trusted us enough to give us a portion of his own strength so that we could win this." She placed a hand against her breast as she spoke, "For all his aloofness, for all the fear that he inspires in others, Shiro-sama seems to genuinely care about us as his subjects."

Nelliel stood motionless beside Shiro, watching the destruction with a bright smile on her lips. "It's so beautiful..." She sighed, "The flames look like something out of a painting."

"Oh?" Shiro crooked an eyebrow at her, "And here I thought you disliked violence."

"Usually I do." She nodded, "But the destruction of Soul Society was why we Arrancar were created in the first place. To see it coming true... it's oddly moving."

He chuckled, "Heh... Ever the romantic at heart, aren't you Nel?"

"Would you really have me any other way?" She practically purred, snaking her arms around his neck.

"Focus Nel." He interrupted before she could go any further. "There will be time enough to celebrate once the Seireitei is ashes. But until then, I need my Segunda Espada to focus on the fight."

She pouted, letting go of him and turning to face the burning Rukon district. "Fine then party pooper." Giving him a mischievous wink, she grinned, "You'd better not be standing me up Shiro-sama." With that, she leaped away, launching herself after the tide of gillians as they marched on the walls of Seireitei.

"Well, well..." A voice sounded from behind him, "It's nice to see you finally showing some interest in a girl, Ichigo." Tatsuki stepped forward, grinning.

"Tatsuki. Shouldn't you be out there killing things?" Shiro turned to her, his expression curious.

"I didn't really feel like wasting my energy on the small fry of the Rukon district," She shrugged, "So I sent Giri-san out with a group of hollows. May as well feed the troops while we can right?"

"Hmm. Perhaps you're right... Still, I don't like the idea of you eavesdropping on me."

"Apologies oh Shiro-sama." She bowed, still smiling. "I'm just happy to finally see you in a good mood. They're rare enough as it is."

Shiro laughed, turning back towards the invasion, "Come on, it looks like the other Espada have reached the gate." He vanished in a flickering sonido, with Tatsuki right behind him.

They reappeared a minute later standing before the great southern gate of the Seireitei. Grimmjow let out a low whistle. "Damn... that's an impressive gate." He said, grinning. "Tough too. The Gillians can't even scratch it."

"Why do you think I brought all ten Espadas with me?" Shiro said, drawing his Zanpakutō halfway and cutting his hand lightly on the blade, then reaching up and smearing the blood along the end of his mask horn. As he did, a cero began to charge, absorbing the blood and changing color to a deep black, tinged with red.

The other Espada each realized what he intended to do, and followed suit, cutting themselves slightly and charging a cero. A few moments later, eleven voices roared, "GRAND RAY CERO!"

*

Alarms began ringing through the Seireitei even before the reiatsu appeared, causing the Shinigami to look up from their various duties. When the truly massive wave of reiatsu erupted up from the south Rukon, several of them went deathly pale. Then the smoke began to rise.

Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai gazed out from his office as the sky to the south darkened to pitch black. He felt his grip tighten on his staff, "So you've come... Shiro."

Hitsugaya Toshiro felt his knees go weak as he noticed the sheer number of hollows that were attacking beyond the gate. "This won't end well for anyone..." He said, gripping the hilt of his Zanpakutō tightly.

Kuchiki Byakuya frowned, quickly making his way towards the invasion point. His lieutenant Abarai Renji followed closely behind him.

Komamura Sajin felt the fur along the back of his neck bristle. "Damn... I thought we'd have more time..."

In the Squad Eleven barracks, Zaraki Kenpachi let loose an insane bout of laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FINALLY!" He roared, grabbing his Zanpakutō and rushing out of the building, his lieutenant Yachiru, and Third Seat Madarame Ikkaku right behind him. "I've been so fucking BORED waiting for this!"

Ukitake Jushiro and Kyouraku Shunsui both looked up from the drink they'd been sharing, the massive wave of reiatsu instantly sobering them both. "Holy damn..." Kyouraku said quietly, "That Shiro doesn't do things halfway does he?"

Shiba Isshin looked up as the southern skys darkened with smoke. "Ichigo..." He felt his entire form go numb. "I need to kill my own son..."

In the Squad Four Infirmary, Hirako Shinji sat bolt upright, startling the other Vizard in the room. "ICHIGO!" He roared in fury.

Elsewhere in the Infirmary, Unohana Retsu frowned darkly. "I had really hoped that it would not come to this..." She turned to her lieutenent, "Isane, my sword."

"You're going to the front line?!" Isane stared wide eyed at her normally gentle captain.

"This is not a battle for half measures. Every Captain will need to be ready to battle." Her expression saddened, "Esspecially me..."

Urahara Kisuke rushed through the Seireitei, his Zanpakutō drawn, and his expression extremely dark. "Shiro... I have to kill you. I need to be the one to fix this..."

"Kisuke!" He blinked in surprise as Shihouin Yoruichi and Soi Fong appeared beside him, "Don't do anything stupid to get yourself killed. You hear me?"

Kisuke nodded slightly, his expression still dark. "I need to fix this Yoruichi... This whole mess is my fault."

Yoruichi frowned, seeing her old friend's face. "Kisuke..."

*

Kurosaki Yuzu screamed in terror as the wave of reiatsu washed over her. Karin rushed to her side, struggling to calm the poor girl.

"Yuzu! Yuzu! It's ok... I'm here." She grabbed her sister, pulling her into a tight hug, pinning her flailing arms to her side. "It's ok..." She said again calmly, "You're ok... I'm here..."

Yuzu continued to scream, until she feinted, both from exhaustion and from the fear. Karin carried her sister through the house to their room, laying her down gently and covering her with the blanket.

Getting back to her feet, she rushed back out into the garden, staring up at the southern sky. "What the hell is that...?" She felt the cold grip of fear close around her heart.

*

Sado Yasutora looked up as he felt the reiatsu, "Hollows... a lot of them..." He rushed from the cave he'd been using as a training location, praying he'd make it in time to be able to help.

Ishida Uryuu felt the color drain from his face. "Shit..." He threw himself from his cot in the Squad Four Infirmary, grabbing his belt as he went. Dammit! He thought as he ran, Without my left hand... this is going to be bad...

*

The defenders of the Seireitei gathered before the southern gate, many of them nervous at the enormous mass of reiatsu just on the other side of the Seikiseiki wall. Yamamoto appeared in the flicker of a shunpo, calling the gathered captains to him. "This will be a difficult battle." He said, "The walls will buy us a little bit of time to prepare a counter attack, but be fully prepared for the enemy to break through."

"Just how many hollows has Shiro brought to this fight?" Ukitake asked, gripping his Zanpakutō tightly.

"The most recent count from my squad is well over two thousand basic hollows." Said Kurotsuchi Mayuri, "As well as possibly two hundred Menos Gillians, and close to a hundred Arrancar of varying strength." He grinned widely, "I'll need to remember to thank him for providing me with so much raw research material..."

"This isn't the time Captain Kurotsuchi." Hitsugaya said, his face growing paler as he heard the numbers they were facing.

"Hitsugaya's right," Said Komamura, "This is a fight for our very survival... not a time for shopping for new toys to play with in your lab."

As Komamura and Mayuri glared each other down, a massive booming roar sounded from the other side of the gate. The roar continued as the seconds dragged on, seeming to grow louder and fiercer as it did. Yamamoto was the first to see the cracks forming in the gate. "GET BACK!" He yelled, just before a cataclysm tore the gate apart in a massive explosion, the eleven enormous cero beams cutting a swath of devastation straight up the middle of the Seireitei, all the way to the central tower.

Hundreds of Shinigami died instantly, caught in the path of the massive cero blasts. The Captains all stared in shock at the destruction. A voice suddenly laughed from the smoking ruins of the gate, "Hey Shiro-sama, I think we may have killed a few of our own hollows with the reiatsu from that attack alone."

"It doesn't matter." Shiro stepped forward through the smoke. "If they couldn't survive the reiatsu from that, then they would never survive what's to come." He grinned cruelly at the gathered Shinigami. "And look who has come to greet us... A veritable 'who's who' of Soul Society's best and brightest."

The smoke cleared slowly as ten other figures stepped up into a group just behind their King. Behind them, seemingly endless ranks of hollows gathered at the gate, awaiting the signal to charge.

Hitsugaya glared at Hallibel, drawing his blade and readying for battle. "This time..." He said quietly, "I won't hold back."

Kyouraku nodded, drawing his own twin Zanpakutō. "Mmm, this isn't exactly a fight we can take it easy for." He eyed his previous opponent Stark, noticing his young female Fraccion was still with him. Hmm... he has his Fraccion... why doesn't anyone else?

As the groups stared each other down, Shiro suddenly lifed his head, looking off to the side. "Hmm? This reiatsu..." He leaped into the air, "Ulquiorra, take command here for a little bit. There's something I want to investigate. Hollows!" He glared down at the gathered Shinigami, "Kill them all."

With that, he vanished away with a sonido. A howling, screaming roar erupted from the hollows as they rushed through the gate and poured into the Seireitei like a flood. The ten Espada also rushed forward, weapons drawn and ready to butcher any who got in their way.

*

Karin had managed to climb up onto the mansion roof, just as the massive cero cut it's way through the Seireitei. "Holy shit!" She shouted, watching the wave of devastation rip a scar into the city. Looking back towards the south gate, she saw figures outside of the ruins, tiny with the several kilometer distance, but still giant enough to see from where she stood.

She stood dumbfounded for almost a full minute, "Are those... hollows...?" She finally managed to ask aloud as she watched them rush into the Seireitei, unleashing even more destruction as they went.

"Indeed they are." A deep voice sounded directly behind her. "Impressive aren't they?"

Karin let out a scream, leaping away from the figure who had suddenly appeared while trying to turn to face him at the same time. She lost her footing as she landed, collapsing in a small heap and starting to roll down and off the slanted roof.

Before she hit the ground however, something caught her, lowering her down to the ground gently. "So clumsy, that's not like you Karin."

She felt her heart stop as the voice spoke. No... He told me he died... Looking up, she saw the white hakama pants, a black Zanpakutō set into the sash. Are you really...? Her gaze continued to rise, when the face finally came into view, she felt tears start to form in her eyes. "Ichi-nii..."

Ichigo gazed down at her, his black yellow eyes seemed surprised to even see her. The horned mask fragment atop his head catching the light and glinting dangerously. "Hello Karin."

"You... You're alive... h-he told us you died..." Her tears were falling freely as she rushed forward, hugging him tightly. "Th-that lying b-bastard of a dad... He said you got kil..." Her eyes fell on the hole in his chest. "No... nonononono... It's not true..."

Shiro closed his eyes, feeling the emotions that he'd been sure were dead begin to rise within him once again. "It's... true. I'm an Arrancar."

"NO!" She screamed, clutching at his shirt. "NO! You can't be... I need my brother back dammit!"

"I'm sorry Karrin..." He was shocked to find that he actually meant it too. Kneeling down, he locked eyes with her, "What are you doing here in the Seireitei Karin? How did you even get here?"

"Dad brought us here." Shiro blinked in surprise. "He's a Shinigami. I think they made him the new captain of Squad Nine or something... but he told us that you got killed by a hollow, and that hollow was threatening the rest of Soul Society, so he had to help them kill it..." Her hand clapped over her mouth as her eyes widened in horrified shock. "Oh god... It's you... you're the hollow he was talking about..." She backed slowly away from him.

Shiro felt an anger suddenly ignite in his chest. "So... he was a Shinigami the whole time huh...?" He looked back to Karin, his thoughts on her existence within the stronghold of his enemy conflicted. "Come with me Karin..." He held out his hand, "I'll take you with me, to my new home."

She shook her head silently, still backing away from him. Shiro was about to move towards her when a voice roared out above them. "GETSUGA TENSHOU!" A huge blast of white reiatsu slammed into the ground between the two, causing Shiro to jump backwards, landing on the roof as Isshin landed in front of Karin. "You stay the hell away from my daughter you monster."

"That's rich, coming from a lying fool like you." Shiro glared down at the man who had once been his father. "So Dad. You're one of them eh? I suppose I should have known, somewhere in my heart." He leaped backwards into the air. "If we're going to do this, I won't have my sister watch me tear my own father's head off." He then vanished away in a sonido.

Isshin immediately turned to his daughter. "Are you alright?" He knelt down, his hand on her shoulder. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

Her gaze was distant. "Y-you... you told us he... was d-dead..."

"And he is. That... thing... It may have his face, but it's not your brother. It's a monster, it-"

"YOU TOLD ME HE WAS DEAD!" She suddenly screamed, slapping his hand away. "You told me that he'd been killed, and you had to go fight the thing that killed him. YOU LIED TO ME!"

"Karin... I-"

"NO!" She shrieked. "I'M THROUGH LISTENING TO YOU! You lied to me. You lied to Yuzu. You're trying to kill your own SON!" The air rang out as she slapped him. "You are no father. You're just as much of a monster as he is now..." She turned, running from the house into the Seireitei.

Isshin tried to rise. Tried to run after her. But her words rang through his mind over and over. You are no father... He felt his entire frame go numb, as all of the strength left him. You are no father... His legs gave out, dropping him to a seated position. You are no father... Isshin threw back his head and screamed in pain.

*

"Yes! Give me more!" Visal Mars laughed as he clashed with Komamura. The two seemed to be evenly matched for the moment as the battle raged around them. "I know that you are capable of better Fox man!" He laughed. "Give me your ALL!"

He grabbed the hem of Komamura's Captain's haori, heaving with all his massive strength and throwing the large fox-like Shinigami over his shoulder. Komamura crashed through the wall of a nearby building with a grunt, the stone smashing apart under the force of the throw easily.

Coughing as he rose to his feet once again, Komamura glared at his large opponent. "You are surprisingly quick for such a large man."

"Oh...? An observant one are we?" Mars laughed. "Good. Good. That makes the battle so much more fun." He bounced on the balls of his sandled feet, bobbing back and forth before lunging towards the mighty captain.

The two clashed once again, exchanging a blurring series of blows that all seemed to only find the armored parts of each other's body. Is he toying with me? Komamura wondered as he parried another heavy strike, No... he's... he's like Kenpachi! He's trying to enjoy himself as much as he can. As he realized this, he swung down, releasing his Zanpakutō as he did, the enormous, gauntleted fist of Tenken smashing in with the force of a meteor.

Mars let loose a roaring cheer as the massive, ghostly fist swung down. Charging a cero in his off hand, he stabbed up with his Gladius Zanpakutō and fired the blast right at Komamura. "That's more like it Fox man!" He laughed. "Show me more!"

Komamura growled as he slowly rose back to stand. "Very well. Identify yourself Arrancar."

"Septima Espada, Visal Mars." The Espada clashed his fist over his heart in a form of salute.

"Gotei Thirteen Squad Eight Captain. Komamura Sajin." He dropped into a combat stance, "Bankai!"

*

Hallibel and Hitsugaya once again stared each other down in the skies above Seireitei. "So we meet once again, Captain Hitsugaya." The blonde Espada said, drawing her sword. "Are you ready to die this time?"

"I'm honestly surprised that you remembered my name, Tres Espada." Hitsugaya had his Zanpakutō at the ready.

Hallibel shook her head, "Not Tres." She said, causing the white haired boy to blink in confusion, "Not anymore. I am now the Quinto. You realize what that means yes?"

Hitsugaya felt the color drain from his face. That meant that there were five Espada that were stronger than this woman. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the hilt of his Zanpakutō. "Bankai."

*

Kuchiki Byakuya, Kyouraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro faced off against Nelliel, Ulquiorra, and Stark. Stark turned to look at his fellow Espada, "So... who want's who?"

In answer, Ulquiorra flashed forward, bringing his blade scything down on Kyouraku and forcing him away from the other two. Stark blinked, and then shrugged. Nel meanwhile turned to the white haired man, "I guess I'll face off against you." She said, smiling sweetly.

"Oh?" Ukitake managed a good natured chuckle. "I'm flattered that such a pretty lady has suddenly taken such an interest in me."

Nel blinked, and then burst out laughing. "Don't flatter yourself. I belong to Shiro-sama alone." With that, she flickered behind him, delivering a brutal kick to his side.

That left Stark and Lilinette facing down Byakuya. "Don't suppose you just want to surrender eh?" Stark asked, drawing his Zanpakutō.

"Don't insult me Espada." Byakuya replied, holding up his blade, aiming it at the ground. "You threaten all that I have sworn to defend. Nothing can save you now." With that, he let go of his sword, "Bankai."

*

Ulquiorra came to a stop several hundred yards later, kicking his chosen opponent into a building. "Get up." He said, "I have a duty to kill you."

"Ahhhah..." Kyouraku stood up, brushing himself off. "You sure we can't just sit back and enjoy a drink of saki?" In response, the Espada above him pointed a finger at him, firing off a powerful cero. "Woah!" Kyouraku reappeared above Ulquiorra, slashing down at him. "That's dangerous you know."

Ulquiorra responded by simply slapping the twin Zanpakutōs away and bringing his own blade up in a counter strike. Kyouraku twisted in midair, dodging the blow, rolling further up into the air before lunging back down at his opponent. "Taka-Oni!" He shouted as he fell.

Something is different about this strike. Ulquiorra thought as he dodged to the side, landing on a nearby building, fire from the destruction the hollows had caused flickering behind him.

"Hey! Not bad." Kyouraku grinned. "Kage-Oni!" He leaped forward, stabbing his blade into Ulquiorra's shadow.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened as a blade stabbed out of the shadow beneath his foot. He leaped away once again, his reflexes all that had saved the appendage. This man is dangerous. He thought.

"You're a quick little guy aren't you?" Kyouraku grinned widely. "This may actually be pretty tough for me."

"Don't be absurd, Kyouraku Shunsui." The pale Espada said, "You have yet to genuinely attack me."

"Says the guy who's holding back even more."

"You are correct..." Ulquiorra looked around, gazing at the massive battle. "Shiro-sama did tell me to ensure that you all died. So perhaps I should not hold back... Choke off. Murciélago."

*

Nel and Ukitake clashed near the wall of the Seireitei, her blade locking against the twin blades of his released Zanpakutō. "You're a lot quicker than you let on little man." Nel smiled warmly, "But it's gonna take more than speed to take me down."

Ukitake laughed, coughing slightly in pain from where she had kicked him earlier. "Sweet talker." He smiled, "Why don't you show me just how good you are." He spun around, breaking the locked blades apart, and slashing at her multiple times as he went.

"Hmm... Alright, but only because you asked so nicely." Nel reached forward, charging a large cero in her hand and launching it at him.

Ukitake grinned as the blast hammered towards him, "You're gonna need to do better than that!" He called out as the cero suddenly seemed to disappear.

Nel blinked in confusion before a cero fired from the tip of Ukitake's sword, aimed right at her heart. "Ooh? So that's how it is eh?" She said to herself, grinning, "This should be fun."

As the cero was about to hit her, she opened her mouth wide and inhaled. The cero crashed into her and stopped, beginning to grow smaller and smaller as the Espada simply swallowed it. Ukitake blinked in surprise, just before his enemy let loose a roaring shout and literally spat the cero back at him.

"Woah!" He leaped out of the way as the pink blast of energy roared past him and into the sky. "Never would have thought an Arrancar would have a similar ability as me..." He looked back at the beautiful teal haired woman. "This is going to be... interesting."

*

Sun Shira and Raiche Luraunt busied themselves with cutting down lower ranked Shinigami as the Vizard appeared on the scene. "Shit." Shinji said, looking at the battle around him. "Looks like we need to kill these bastards before we can find Ichigo. Focus on the Menos."

As he spoke, a heavy blow hurtled in and smashed him to the ground. The other Vizards looked up as Sun Shira flipped past them, landing on a nearby building, taking a deep drink from his gord. "Shorry fellah'sh," He grinned drunkenly, "But thish way'sh closhed."

"Honestly Shira-san..." Luraunt appeared above the Vizards, smiling jovially, the tip of his rapier dripping with blood, "You should really learn some civility. Even on a battleground like this." He bowed to the gathered Vizards, "How do you all do? I am the Octava Espada, Raiche Luraunt. I shall be the one to kill a few of you today."

"Hehe. You're funny Mr Floppy Hat." Mashiro giggled, summoning her insectoid hollow mask and lunging at the Espada, flipping around just before she reached him to deliver a brutal kick to his head. Much to her surprise, Luraunt managed to roll to the side just before she connected with her attack. As he moved, his rapier flicked out, cutting open a bloody line running up her arm, running from her elbow almost up to her shoulder. "Yeowch!" She shrieked in pain, gripping her now bleeding arm. "That wasn't very nice! You were supposed to get kicked by me."

Luraunt came to a stop a few feet away, still smiling. "Forgive me my dear. It was never my intention to cause you agony." His grin widened, an insane glint creeping into his eyes, "Next time, I won't miss your throat. I promise."

A shadow fell over him suddenly, as a punching blade hammered into his back, knocking him away and into a building. "Tekken Tachikaze!" Kensei growled, releasing his bankai. "You stupid dumbass Mashiro. How many times am I gonna have to save your ass?"

"Oh?" Luraunt reappeared with a flicker of sonido, his smile seemingly unchanged. "So you'd like to volunteer to die first eh?"

Sun Shira meanwhile squared off against Lisa and Rose. "Heh, thish may actually be kinda fun." The Espada grinned drunkenly. "Esspecially if my opponent'sh a babe like you." He flickered forward unexpectedly fast, spinning his staff like Zanpakutō in a twirling arc before smashing the club-like end of it into Rose's side, knocking him away. Planting the staff on the air, he then flipped up to sit on the top of the weapon as though it were a seat, grinning down at Lisa, "Whaddaya say hot shtuff?" He chuckled lecherously. "Wanna get out of here and shpend shome quality time together?"

"Ugh," Lisa summoned her mask, releasing her Zanpakutō as she did, "I think I may be sick." She slashed the spear around, knocking the staff out from under her opponent before twirling it around and up to stab at his face as he fell.

Impossibly, the drunken Espada managed to twist himself in the air so that the spear did nothing to him. "Aww, that's a real shame. I'm gonna feel bad 'bout killing you doll." He continued to spin as he fell, sweeping his staff around to knock her spear away, clipping her along the temple with the other side of the staff as he moved.

However, just as the blow struck, a Zanpakutō smashed into the length of the staff, stopping it's momentum and saving the woman from the head wound. "You're an annoying little shit, you know that?" Shinji growled, blood dripping down from above his eye. "But it's me that's gonna kill you." He held up his sword in front of his face, "Collapse. Sakanade."

*

Barragan gazed at his opponent from across the gap between buildings on which they stood. The Shinigami had a strange, almost insane grin on his face as he gazed about at the hollows all around him. "Wonderful." The Shinigami said. "I really must thank you Arrancar for bringing me so much research material."

"Hmm?" Barragan tilted his head as he considered the other man, "You're an odd one, for sure." He hefted his massive battle axe shaped Zanpakutō to his shoulder, "Given your eccentric appearance, you must be Kurotsuchi."

"Ohh? You know about me eh?"

"Shiro-sama made certain that we knew the descriptions of all of you captains." The old Espada flickered across the distance, bringing his axe smashing in at Mayuri's head. The Shinigami dodged backwards with a quick shunpo, drawing his Zanpakutō as he came to a stop and releasing it's shikai.

"You move considerably faster than your frame suggests, Espada. Perhaps you will be a worthwhile test subject after all." He grinned wickedly, holding his blade at the ready.

"Hmph." Barragan snorted with laughter. "Arrogant whelp." He vanished in a sonido, reappearing beside the captain and placing his hand on the shoulder of the other man's sword arm. "You don't even realize how dangerous your enemy is."

Mayuri's eyes widened, turning and swinging his Zanpakutō at the Espada and forcing him back. As his arm completed it's slash, he winced as he suddenly felt the bone within his upper arm break. What?! He jumped away from his opponent, looking down at his now useless arm hanging limply, and burning with pain. How did my bone break so easily? He forced himself to take a deep breath, forcing his mind to think. The point of the break feels like it's about where the Espada touched. That means that he has the ability to render me like this with a single touch. Fascinating...

Barragan watched the captain, an amused smirk on his face. "Shall I tell you?" Mayuri looked up curiously, "Aizen's Espada each represented a different aspect of Death. Mine is 'Old Age'. I can cause your bones to age to dust with just a touch if I want."

Mayuri's grin returned as Barragan explained, growing wider and wider. "Fascinating... Truly fascinating! You have proven to be a most interesting subject after all, Espada." He shifted his Zanpakutō to his other arm, and held it up, point facing down towards the ground, "Bankai!"

Barragan smirked as the reiatsu coalesced around his enemy. "Hmph. Arrogant whelp." He said again, holding his axe upside-down, "Rot. Arrogante."

*

Chad and Ishida stood together, facing down someone they never thought that they'd have to fight. "Arisawa-san..." Ishida still couldn't believe that the girl had become an Arrancar.

"Oh spare me Ishida." She sneered, "You won't be joining in on this fight. Not if you want to keep your one good arm." The Quincy winced. "As for you Chad..." She turned to face the massive man, "Shiro-sama doesn't want you dead if it can be avoided. He says that it's because your strength would be useful to him, but I think he still has a few emotions leftover from when he was human." She smiled warmly. "We don't have to do this you know? Just say the word, and Shiro-sama will let you join him."

The large man dropped into a fighter's stance, summoning the armoring around his arms. "Sorry Tatsuki." He said, "But I can't work with hollows. Not if it means betraying my friends here."

Tatsuki sighed, dropping into her own fighting crouch. "That's a shame. Well then, Cuarto Espada, Arisawa Tatsuki, ready for battle." She flickered out of sight with an incredibly fast sonido, reappearing between them. She then delivered a brutal kick to Ishida's stomach, knocking him away, before turning and driving a viciously strong punch towards Chad's side. The blow came up short, as his large shield like right arm swung around and caught the strike, however the force behind the young woman's punch was still enough to knock the large man back several yards. "Damn..." Tatsuki shook her hand a little. "The hell is that arm of yours made of?"

Chad simply straightened up, reiatsu beginning to burn out of the back of his right arm like some kind of engine exhaust. "Braco Derecha del Gigante." He punched forward, unleashing the massive blast of reiatsu at her.

Ishida struggled to sit up, tasting blood on his tongue, and realizing he'd been kicked through a wall into a building. She said Cuarto... He thought as he gingerly felt at his rib cage, noting at least three fractures. We may not be able to stop her alone... As he began to rise to his feet, a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he found himself face to face with Tatsuki, a cold smirk on her lips.

"Where do you think you're going?" She purred. Ishida's vision suddenly began to swim as the Espada filled the air around him with her pheromones. He stumbled backwards, coughing, but Tatsuki kept pace with him as he fell to his knees. "You just have a little nap here Ishida-kun. Shiro-sama will decide what he want's to do with you later."

Yes... Ishida's mind fogged over, his vision fading out as the beautiful girl before him spoke. I should just... He couldn't even speak, his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell backwards.

Tatsuki watched the Quincy collapse, quietly grinning at the sheer power that she held over him at the moment. "Now then... For the one that's really gonna be a challenge." As she spoke, Chad punched a hole into the wall from the outside. The large man's eyes found Ishida and widened in shock. "No need to worry Chad," Tatsuki smiled, "He's not dead. He's just having a little nap."

Chad growled, charging another powerful attack with his right arm, before lunging between his friend and the woman and unleashing it at near point blank range. Tatsuki seemed to flow like water, weaving under the resulting blast of reiatsu, and coiling herself around his body. She hooked a leg around his left arm, pinning it out to the side while holding his right arm at bay with her own arm. Meanwhile, her chest rested against the back of his head. Chad's eyes suddenly widened as his mind began to fog, his thoughts growing sluggish as though something were suffocating them.

"That's it Sado-kun..." Tatsuki's voice purred in his ear like honey. "Just feel my body against yours, feel my voice echo in your mind. Fall to your knees as your strength leaves you." Her pheromones filled the space, leaving the massive man nowhere to escape from them. His vision blackened, and he felt his knees give out. "That's it... Now just feel yourself drift off and join Ishida-kun in sleep. We don't need to fight. Just... Sleep..."

Chad was unconscious even before he fell forward. Tatsuki rolled off him before he hit the floor, catching his head and setting it down gently. "There." She smiled warmly, "That was easier than I thought it'd be." As she spoke, something ran into her, knocking her through the far wall and back out into the street. Rising unsteadily to her feet, she looked around, "The hell...?"

"So you're Arisawa huh?" A woman appeared on the roof of the building above her. She was dark skinned, and wore a sleeveless combat outfit. "You've got a funny way of showing your appreciation to the people who tried to save you."

Tatsuki grinned, leaping up to stand before the beautiful woman. "You've got me at a disadvantage here gorgeous. What's your name?"

"Shihouin Yoruichi." The other woman dropped into a fighters crouch. "I'm gonna kick your ass."

Tatsuki let out a musical laugh, dropping into her own stance, "Sorry Yoruichi-san, but it's gonna take more than just you to beat me."

"Good thing she's not alone then." Urahara Kisuke arrived in a flicker of shunpo, standing just behind Tatsuki, his Zanpakutō pointed right at the center of her back. Meanwhile, Soi Fong appeared to the side, in a similar stance as Yoruichi. "Give up Arisawa-san." Kisuke said, a sad look on his face, "Give up, and we may be able to find a way to undo what Shiro did to you."

Tatsuki looked over her shoulder at the man, "You're that fake candy shop guy." She said, smiling, "You're the one who sent Ichigo to Hueco Mundo in the first place." She grinned at the wince her words elicited. "Heh, I think I should be thanking you. If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't be in the position I am now."

"You can't win against the three of us Arrancar." Soi Fong frowned. "No matter how good you are, it's impossible."

"No." Tatsuki turned back to face Yoruichi, and cracked her knuckles. "Now it's fun."