Hollowed Sins
"Shit! He's barely hurt! Is that all a direct attack with Getsuga Tenshou will do to these arrancar?!" Ichigo thought as the dust cleared, revealing his enemy, the sixth espada Grimmjow Jaggerjack, to be nearly unharmed.
"Aww, is that the best you got? I can tell that attack puts immense strain on your body, it needs work." Grimmjow sneered. But inside, he was panicking.
"How the hell am I supposed to bring this guy in?! If I hadn't shielded myself, I'd be dead and his hollow half hasn't even appeared yet! Wait! I've got an idea..."
Meanwhile, Ichigo was struggling to supress his hollow side.
"How much do you think you can do on your own?! He's barely even hurt! Let me fight, I'll kick his ass!" the hollow said.
"No! You'll never fight if I can help it!"
"Very well. I will stay out this time, but I WILL devour you! Your time is running out Ichigo..."
"ICHIGO!" he turned to see Renji, Rukia, Toshiro, Orihime, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Rangiku running over to him. Grimmjow appeared on the ground and opened a portal to Hueco Mundo, as if he were trying to escape, but at the last second, he appeared behind Ichigo and kicked him through the portal into Hueco Mundo. Then he jumped in after him.
"No! Ichigo!" Orihime and Rukia screamed at the same time. They ran to the portal, as if to follow them, but it closed to quickly.
"Dammit!" Renji shouted as he punched a nearby building. "What the hell do they want with Ichigo!?"
"I don't know, but we should go to the Soul Society and tell them so they can organize a rescue squad. Ichigo is too important to loose. Inoue, you come too," Toshiro said. They followed the pint-sized captain into a different portal, this one leading to the Soul Society.
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"Argh!" Ichigo was thrown down roughly in front of Aizen and the Espada.
"They haven't sealed my spirit energy or my arms," he thought. "Maybe I--"
"Don't try to escape, with 10 Espada and myself here, you'll never make it and it would be a major drawback for me if you were to die," Aizen said, almost like he read Ichigo's mind.
"What do you want from me?" Ichigo asked, glaring at Aizen. Aizen grinned maliciously.
"Bring it in!"he shouted. Ichigo turned to look.
Two of the Espada, Yammy and Ulquiorra, brought in a strange looking device about 50 feet tall. It kinda resembled the scaffold of the Sokyoku.
"What is that thing?" Ichigo asked nervously. Aizen said nothing, but motioned to Tosen and Gin, who were standing in the corner.
In an instant, they flashed behind Ichigo and grabbed him, so he couldn't escape. They took him over to the strange machine.
"Let me go dammit! What the hell are you doing?!" he shouted, struggling with all his might, but to no avail.
They pushed him in, and he rose until he was in the middle of the device, about 25 feet up.
"Now you will have your answers," Aizen said, cackling evilly.
Yammy started the machine. Powerful surges of energy flew into Ichigo's body. The whole thing started glowing.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ichigo howled in pain.
He was starting to believe they just wanted to torture him to death, when something started to happen. Blood bursted out of his throat, revealing a hole similar to that of a hollow. His eyes began to turn the color of his hollow half, and part of his hollow mask covered his right eye and part of his cheek. His shinigami uniform was turning into that of an arrancar's, it looked kind of like Ulquiorra's.
The machine stoped glowing and he dropped to the ground. The arrancar seemed shocked, like that was not what they were expecting.
"Aizen-sama! What did you do to him?!" Ulquiorra asked, staring at Ichigo.
"That machine turned him from a shinigami to an arrancar, but it will only work on him. It will only work for him because he has a hollow inside him, but has not supressed it yet, so I drew it out and made it's power dominant. But he retains control over his personality, so his hollow can't go on a rampage, with the exception that he is now loyal to me," Aizen explained.
Ichigo began to wake up. He got up and went over to Aizen, who was now holding Ichigo's sword. Ichigo took his sword and bows.
"What are your orders, Aizen-sama?" he asked in an emotionless voice. Aizen grined evilly.
"I have a special mission for you. One that will demonstrate yourTRUE power..."
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"We have to go after him! Who knows what they'll do to him!" Orihime shouted, banging her fist on the table. The others drew back in shock. They'd never seen this side of her before. Rukia jumped up.
"She's absolutely right! You said it yourself, Captain Hitsugaya, Ichigo's too valuable to lose! We should organize a powerful rescue squad immediatly!" She said.
"Calm yourselves! We don't know the situation we are in yet! To act rashly will spell our demise! For the time being, we will wait. We will let them make the first move, then we will rescue young Ichigo," Yamamoto-Sou-Taichou said to the over-emotional women. But it only made it worse.
"Are you insane!? Doing that will be sentencing him to death! They will kill him before we even get the chance to save him!" Renji shouted.
Before the argument continued, a messenger came in.
"Sou-Taichou! The arrancar have launched another attack on Karakura!" he shouted.
"So soon?! Do we know what they want? How many are there?" Yamamoto asked.
"We don't know for sure. A runner just came in, confirming that they felt an extremely powerful amount of reiatsu, even more powerful than before! This is unconfirmed, but they believe the source is ONE arrancar!"
"One!? How the hell can we fight something like that?!" Ikkaku shouted looking alarmed.
"Well we can't just sit here and let it wreak havoc, so I want all of you to go back and fight, but take a unit of the Secret Remote Squad to help. Captain Hitsugaya will be in charge," Yamamoto orders.
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Hitsugaya and crew get to the human world to see half the city destroyed.
"Dammit! Where the hell is the bastard who did this!?" Renji shouted.
"Can't you feel it?! He's one the other side of town, probably destroying it too!" Yumichika said.
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On the other side of town, Kurosaki Yuzu had been walking home from the grocery store and saw the monster destroying the town. She dropped all her bags and stared in shock and fear. It was her brother, Kurosaki Ichigo. He was standing in mid air 30 feet above the buildings.
But it wasn't the Ichigo she remembered. His eyes, once a sweet, chocolate brown that gave her a feeling of comfort and safety, were now an evil, piercing yellow, the scelera turned jet black. He was wearing strange white clothes she'd never seen before, and there was a hole in his throat. But the scariest thing of all, was his expression. Emotionless and hard, like he didn't care if everyone precious to him suddenly dropped dead right before him.
"O-Onii-chan, wh-what's happening?" she asked, eyes glued to his.
He stared down at her, expression unchanging, and reached for his sword. She drew back. But before he could draw it, something pushed him back and sent him crashing into a building.
"Onii-chan! Onii-chan are you okay!?" Yuzu screamed, running to go help him. But someone blocked her way.
"Are you nuts!? He was getting ready to kill you! Run home, that's not your brother anymore!" It was Rukia.
"Rukia-chan, what's--"
"Don't worry, we're going to save him, if he'll let us," she sayed. "Now quickly, get out of here!"
Yuzu nodded and took off running. Meanwhile the other shinigami, including the remote force, quickly surrounded the area where Ichigo landed.
The dust cleared and Ichigo wasn't even scratched. He climbed out of the hole his collision had made and stared at them with the same cold expression he looked at Yuzu with.
"Ichigo, what did they do to you?!" Orihime asked tentively.
He said nothing but raised his hand. The remote squad members put their swords at the ready. But without Ichigo seemingly doing anything, half of them dropped dead with fatal wounds across the chest. Ichigo never drew his sword, it didn't even look like he moved, but his right hand was covered in blood.
"H-how the hell did he do that?!" Yumichika shouted, shaking from shock and fear.
Ichigo raised his hand again and the rest of the remote squad dropped dead, again with wounds to the chest. But he kept his "friends" alive.
"Ichigo, why are you doing this?!" Renji shouted. Ichigo looked at him with his piercing yellow eyes.
"Because Aizen-sama told me to. But you are to stay alive. I do not know why," he stated simply, his voice as emotionless as his expression.
Suddenly he disappeared. He reappeared in front of Renji and slashed a shallow wound across his chest with his hand.
"AAAAHH!! What the hell, I thought we were to stay alive," Renji gasped, holding his chest.
"That is your warning. Stay out of my way," Ichigo said as he opens a portal to Hueco Mundo.
"D-damn! how are we s'posed to beat him?! Let alone save him!?" Ikkaku said.
"I don't know, but we should head back to the Soul Society and regroup," Rukia said while Orihime healed Renji's chest.
They left.
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"So, was your mission a success?" Aizen asked Ichigo.
"Yes. They are aware of my power. The next time they try an assult, they will bring all of their best warriors, leaving the Soul Society defenseless," Ichigo told him. Aizen smirked evilly.
"We don't have to wait for that. With the amount of power that you have now, we can attack the Soul Society with a full scale attack right now."
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"Now what do we do?!" He's too damn powerful!! He destroyed half the city!" Renji shouted at Yamamoto.
"It seems we have no choice. We have to kill him," Yamamoto said grimly.
"NO! I won't!" Orihime screamed, tears starting to stream down her face at the thought of killing Ichigo.
"We don't have any other option! Unless we can come up with a new strategy to save him before the next attack, I will come personally and kill the boy," Yamamoto told her. "Please do not think ill of me. If there was any other way, we would use it. But the lives of many are worth more than the life of one."
Orihime nodded silently, tears still flowing freely.
"Now go get some rest, you'll need it for the oncoming battle. Inoue, you may stay in 13th company barracks, Ukitake has already given you permission. Now leave."
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Orihime could not sleep at all that night. The thought of killing the man she loved with her own hands was too much to bear. She knew it was for the best, but that didn't make it any less painfull. The only consoling thought she had before drifting into an uneasy sleep, was that if Ichigo knew what he was being forced to do, he would want to die rather than harm his friends and innocent people.
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"Now, we are ready," Aizen motioned to the silent army behind him to Ichigo. "I'm placing you in command. destroy everything and everyone. Weaken the Soul Society to the point that it can no longer fight back. Ichigo, you have the most important mission of all. Do not fail me or it will be most...unpleasant," his eyes narrow maliciously.
Ichigo nodded and motioned the mass of hollows and arrancar forward, through a gate to the Soul Society.
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Rukia was awoken abruptly in 13th company barracks when she felt an unnaturally high amount of spirit pressure. She heard a noise next to her. It was Orihime. Apparently she felt it to.
With an unspoken consent the two women got dressed and headed to Yamamoto's office. They were shocked to see Hitsugaya, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Rangiku in there as well.
"Is it--"
"Yes," Yamamoto said grimly. "They're here."
Suddenly, they heard a huge explosion from the western gate.
"Quickly! We must stop them!" Yamamoto shouted, grabbing his own zanpaku-to and leading them to the explosions. They all followed him, swords at the ready. The sight nearly made them pass out.
A huge army of hollows and arrancar had completely torn down the gate, and were wiping out squad by squad of shinigami. Leading them was none other than Kurosaki Ichigo.
"Don't just stand there gawking, kill them all!" Yamamoto shouted, lunging at them with his sword drawn.
The others followed suit. The other captains showed up and added their attacks to the deadly barrage. Yamamoto went to behead Ulquiorra, but Ichigo appeared infront of him and parried the attack.
"Where do you think you're going old man?" he asked coldly.
"Ichigo think about what you're doing!" Yamamoto shouted as he dodged an attack.
"What about it?" Ichigo said, going for Yama's throat.
"You're attacking your own friends and allies!"
Ichigo stopped mid-attack.
"What the hell are you talking about? This is only the second time I've left Hueco Mundo since I was created by Aizen-sama," he looked at Yamamoto, confusion replacing the hatred and bloodlust that was in his eyes.
Yamamoto was just as confused. "You mean you don't remember all you've been through here? Or your family?"
"Ichigo! What the hell kill him already!" Grimmjow shouted. He was fighting four shinigami at once from 11th company.
The bloodlust back in his eyes, Ichigo once again attacked Yama, who was taken aback by the sudden attack, believing he was starting to get through to Ichigo. Ichigo stabbed him in the stomach and twisted his sword downwards, trying to cut Yamamoto in half. Yama pulled out before he could do that and bit back a scream.
"I am truely sorry Ichigo, you do not deserve this," Yama said grimly.
"What? You think you can kill me! Hah!" Ichigo sneered.
He tried to attack Yamamoto again, but halted as he felt the rise in Yama's reiatsu.
"All things of this world turn to ashes! Ryujin Jakka!" Yamamoto shouted, releasing his zanpaku-to
Instantly, the area surrounding Ichigo and Yamamoto bursted into flames. As did Yama's sword.
The flames did not affect Yama at all, but Ichigo was having a hard time fighting in the intense heat. He couldn't see through the flames and the smoke was burning his throat. His pushed his discomfort aside and tried to focus on finding Yamamoto, but Yama found him first.
An agonizing scream could be heard across the battlefield. Yama had snuck up behind Ichigo and pierced his chest with his burning sword.
Ichigo ripped himself off of the sword. nearly slicing himself in two.
"Retreat!" he screamed.
The remaining hollows and arrancar quickly turn and dash through the portal that the mortally wounded Ichigo created.
"Hitsugaya-taichou! You and the others go after him and save him! Quickly!"
"But you said--"
"GO!" he roared. "Aizen has erased his memories of his life as a shinigami completly, so this attack wasn't his fault, and on top of that he failed his mission! Aizen was never one to show mercy, even to his own subordinates, he will most likely try to kill Ichigo for failing, bring him back even if he is still under Aizen's control!"
"Hai!" Hitsugaya shouted. "Abarai, Kuchiki, Matsumoto, Madarame, Yumichika, and Inoue! You are coming too!"
"Hai taichou!"
They dashed through the portal Ichigo had created just before it closed.
Yamamoto collapsed to the ground, his zanpaku-to returning to it's sealed state.
"Master Genryusai!" Komamura-taichou of 7th company rushed over to his fallen master.
"Get 4th company Now!" he roared.
"Get 12th as well," Yama ordered weakly.
"What? Why 12th?" Komamura asked.
"We have to find a way to change Ichigo back to a shinigami."
"Hai!"
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"Forgive me Aizen-Sama, I underestimated him," Ichigo said as he bowed to his master, still bleeding heavily.
Aizen looked down at him, pure fury in his eyes.
"Ichigo," he said, voice laced with anger. "I told you of this mission's importance. I warned you that if you failed, you'd be punished!"
Ichigo didn't even move as Aizen punched him into the wall. Finally sucumbing to blood loss, he passed out.
"Take him to the medical ward to be healed. I want him at 100 percent when I kill him," Aizen said as he stalked off. Ulquiorra nodded and threw the unconsious bloody mass that was Ichigo over his shoulder.
"Geez Aizen, do ya really hafta kill 'im?" Gin asked casually, walking next to Aizen. "I mean, we know his growth rate is incredible. In a few weeks he can take Soul Society out by 'imself."
"That's not it," Aizen said, stopping suddenly.
"Wha'?" Gin asked confused.
"I think Yamamoto got to him somehow. That is the reason he failed. In his current state he's even stronger than me. That is the reason he needs to die. If Yamamoto can completely reawaken his memories, Ichigo will be able to utterly destroy us, it's best to destroy him when he won't put up a fight," Aizen said grimly. "A pity," he sighed. "To lose his valuable strengh will be a huge drawback in my plans." With that, he shunpoed away, leaving Gin looking utterly confused.
"Meh, ya never know what' he's thinkin',"
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"There it is!" Hitsugaya shouted, pointing to the white castle known as Los Noches, Aizen's hideout.
"Stop! We need to come with a plan to get Ichigo, right now none of us are strong enough to take out Aizen," he said.
"Why don't we just sneak in, grab Ichigo and get out?" Renji said bluntly.
"Or we could just bust in and beat the crap outta anyone who gets in our way!" Ikkaku said.
"Didn't you hear what I said, Madarame!" Hitsugaya shouted with an anime vein. "If we run into Aizen we're finished!"
"Hmph, well I don't see you coming up with a plan oh wise leader," Yumichika said dryly.
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"Unh, wh-where am I?" Ichigo asked wearily.
"You're in the medical ward of Los Noches," a voice said. Ichigo immediately jumped up and bowed, wincing slightly from his recently wrapped wounds.
"Aizen-sama! Forgive me I-"
He was cut off when Aizen grabbed his throat and started choking him.
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"Hitsugaya-taichou! Ichigo's reiatsu, it's fading!" Rukia shrieked, looking terrified.
"Damn! We'll go with Madarame's plan! If anyone gets in your way kick their ass and keep moving!" Hitsugaya shouted.
"Inoue! You stay here, if we come back injured we will need you to heal us. Matsumoto, you stay with Inoue," Hitsugaya told them. They nodded reluctantly.
The group dashed inside. Surprisingly the long white corridors of the building seemed deserted.
"Che, I'll be damned if this isn't a trap," Renji muttered.
Suddenly, they felt Ichigo's reiatsu almost completely vanish. Panic stricken, they ran towards it.
"Ichigo!" Renji shouted, busting in first. He froze.
Ichigo was lying in a pool of his own blood, with Aizen standing over him, his sword covered in blood. Ichigo's blood.
"Bastard!" Renji shouted, feeling anger well from the pit of his stomach. He lunged at Aizen, sword drawn.
"BANKAI!" he shouted.
"Abarai wait!" Hitsugaya shouted.
But Renji didn't listen. "Hihio Zabimaru," he growled.
"Dammit! Madarame! Kuchiki! Aysegawa! Get Ichigo outta here!" Hitsugaya shouted. "Bankai! Daiguren, Hyorinmaru!"
Aizen turned calmly to face the two powerful shinigami. "Che, there's no way you could defeat me," he sneered. 'The only one who can do that lies behind me, dying.'
Renji lunged at Aizen.'Sorry Zabimaru,' he thought. "Higa, Zekkou!" he shouted.
The fragments of his bankai seperated and flew at Aizen from different directions. Hitsugaya took the oppertunity to launch an attack of his own. He shunpoed to Aizen not even a second after Renji's attack hit and thrusted his sword through Aizen's stomach to freeze him.
Sensing the oppertunity, Rukia dashed forward and grabbed Ichigo. Ikkaku took him from her and they ran as quickly as they could out of Los Noches.
"Where do ya think yer goin'?" a voice said.
They froze. The voice snickered.
"Sorry but Aizen-bastard said ya can't leave alive," he sneered.
They turned. It was the 6th espada, Grimmjow Jaggerjack.
Oh. Fuck. Not. Good.