Framed Crescent Moon

(Soi-Fon vs. Tatsuki)

The sky in the realm of passed on souls was on fire with the light of the setting sun. The two martial artists stood a few feet apart from the other, waiting for a the start of the fight. A brave soul among the patrol corps volunteered to referee the battle between the hornet and fireball. Rules stood as when one of them admits defeat, or was rendered incapable of fighting. No blades, no kido, just martial arts. The women just kept their confident smirks as they wait, though Soi-Fon remained calm and focused while Tatsuki could barely contain her excitement. Off to the side, with the rest of the Onmitsukido, the appointed official raised his arm.

"Begin!" He yelled, bringing his arm down swiftly. The two charged at each other, Tatsuki throwing the first punch which Soi-Fon caught and deflected it. Managing to use that shift in balance, Tatsuki continued a furious assault of punches and kicks to her senior disciple of the Flash Goddess. Soi-Fon kept her focus and seemingly danced around every attack, dodging or deflecting every blow with relative ease. Once she had a clear opening she struck, slamming her palms against Tatsuki's midsection and sent her back several feet.

"First blood." She quipped, Tatsuki already steadying herself. "Ready for more? I'd be disappointed if you gave up now." She just disappeared in a burst of shunpo and slammed her foot into Soi-Fon with similar results.

"Don't worry, I can take a hit." She returned as Soi-Fon uncrossed her arms from blocking the near sudden attack.

"Keep this up and I'll make you my new lieutenant." The captain returned, pleased with the promise her challenger displayed. They again charged at each other and became locked in another exchange of blows, each one as unrelenting as the last to display their skills in bare handed combat. It went on like that until the petite captain caught Tatsuki's wrist and twisted around to put her in an arm lock, pinning her right arm helplessly against her back.

"Not to seem rude," Tatsuki groaned out in pain, "but I'd rather not go against my boyfriend and join the enemy. We're still on opposing sides remember?"

"Maybe so, but it's only a matter of time till you're all captured." She said, putting more pressure on Tatsuki's arm and forcing the girl to her knees. "You said it yourself, only two of you are supposed to be strong enough to fight captains." Tatsuki regained her smirk as she felt her hand press against the small captain's stomach.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm a slouch either. Doesn't that burn by the way?" She asked, igniting her Reishi in her fist and summoning her fire. Soi-Fon jumped back in surprise and released Tatsuki who kicked her legs out from under her and tried to slam her burning fist into the Onmitsukido commander's stomach. She was met only with stone as Soi-Fon escaped at the last second.

"We agreed on no kido." Soi-Fon growled, analyzing the mysterious ability her opponent displayed as her other fist ignited. "But that's not kido, is it?" The two returned to their stances in preparation of the next assault.

"You're so much better than me." Tatsuki defended, not the least bit bothered by her flames. "I needed an ace up my sleeve." She charged at the hornet, the fires in her hands roaring as they flew through the air to find their target with every strike.

'So much heat in such a small flame!' Soi-Fon thought as she dodged through the assault. The new ability Tatsuki displayed increased the effective range of her attacks, leaving small burns and singes on her as she tried to adapt to the sudden change. 'Does she actually know... no. It's not the same. A good imitation though. Definitely need her in my squad.' After she managed to recognize the pattern in Tatsuki's movements, she made her move. Once again deflecting Tatsuki's punch and exposing her side. 'Predictable.' Soi-Fon smirked, readying a disabling strike. She was unaware of Tatsuki's smirk as she turned on her own and got Soi-Fon with a spinning hook kick, with a little extra spice to it.

"My fists aren't the only ones that burn." She explained as Soi-Fon slid to a halt on the ground, grasping her shoulder as the remnants of the spirit fire continued to burn her. She stood up as Tatsuki ignited her feet as well. "That's my point captain." She said before charging again, putting Soi-Fon on the defensive as she had to dodge the fiery strikes. Her shoulder still burned from the earlier attack and it put her on guard. For as much danger she was in and the duty she had to uphold, she found herself enjoying the match. It's not often that she gets a challenge that actually tests her in such a manner. She disappeared in a burst of speed to gain some distance and rethink a strategy.

'Skilled martial artist, interesting ability, maybe some more work on her shunpo.' Soi-Fon evaluated Tatsuki in her head. 'Omaeda, say hello to your replacement.' She finished before Tatsuki spotted her on a spire and threw a punch.

"Meteor strike!" Tatsuki yelled, shooting off a fireball at her opponent. Soi-Fon barely managed to dodge the explosion when the ball connected to the building. Tatsuki winced from the accidental damage she caused. "Sorry. Still working on that." She apologized.

"Just something we'll have to work on when you join the Stealth Force." Soi-Fon said, disapproving of the flashiness of the move. "Should be easy to fix."

"Understood. Thanks senpai." Tatsuki let out carelessy, making Soi-Fon stiffen.

"What did you call me?" She said shaken. She knew that Tatsuki didn't attend the Academy, and her movements were so familiar. Now she understood why.

"I said sen... pai." Tatsuki realized her mistake. "Right, Sensei said you'd still be mad at-" She didn't even see it coming, barely felt it until she saw Soi-Fon in front of her with her fist buried in her gut, right on the solar-plexus. Tatsuki coughed out in pain as she was tripped and both her arms nearly torn out of their sockets and Soi-Fon dislocated them. The moment she landed face first, Soi-Fon pinned her there with a near death grip on her neck.

"I'm done with this spar, Arisawa." The captain said coldly as her squad members came over to retrieve the defeated ryoka. "It was a good match, so I'll give you some advice. Leave her, she doesn't care about her students." She said bitterly, never forgiving the woman she once looked up to. She heard Tatsuki gasp out with some laughter.

"I'll keep that in mind." She groaned out, ignoring the pain in her chest. "By the way, still wanna hear that secret?" She called out to the back facing her. "It has to do with why she left."

(Ichigo vs Aizen)

"I'm the captain of squad 5, Sosuke Aizen." The man across the hybrid said. He spoke gently, mockingly as he was sure Ichigo knew who he was and his intentions. The hybrid said nothing as the two stood across from one another. "If you would be so kind-" He unsheathed his blade as Ichigo instantly appeared before him and swung his blade. He effortlessly blocked the attack as a shockwave created a gust of wind. "-to let me finish. And you called Renji rude."

"The difference is that Byakuya was actually interested in what I had to say." Ichigo said, charging his energy for a familiar ability. "There is nothing you have to say that I care about. Getsuga Tenshou!" He roared, hitting Aizen point blank with a black and blue wave of energy. The blast left a giant gash in the ground and reduced several buildings to rubble. Ichigo scanned the cloud of dust for his opponent. "I know what you're after and you won't stop me from reaching Yamamoto."

"Do you mean to tell him about my goals with the Hogyoku?" Aizen said from behind Ichigo as six beams of light impaled him. "Do you really think he'll believe the words of a ryoka or the student of exiles over a captain that's served loyally for a century?" He asked before blocking another strike as the trapped Ichigo disappeared.

"Actually, I was going to tell him about an actual threat. Not some arrogant child attempting to play god." Aizen glared at the hybrid in front of him. "Did I actually strike a nerve on the great Aizen?" Ichigo asked before Aizen got behind him a left a deep gash in his back.

"I thought you wanted to get to Yamamoto as soon as possible." He said to the boy as he staggered in pain. "How do you expect to get to him if you spend all your time talking to me?"

"Guess you're right." Ichigo said as he straightened up, already healed from the deep cut in his back. "If we're going to keep exchanging banter till one of us dies, we'll be here till morning." Ichigo rolled and stretched his limbs in preparation. "So I'm not going to bother being subtle with this, neither of us are going to go all out and I doubt you'll benefit in killing me now." He faced his opponent and settled into his stance. "Is this just to get an idea of my current power, or are you staging a show?"

"Could be both, could be neither." Aizen returned, readying himself. "You will never succeed, Kurosaki. Shatter, Kyoka-" He never finished his release phrase before Ichigo attacked him furiously, forcing the captain on the defensive. The training from Urahara and Yoruichi showed as every blow was filled with an intent to kill, so subtle that the only way to confirm the intentions of every strike was that each one was aimed for a vital area. Aizen easily met every strike, the danger actually making him focus on defense. 'Could he? No, that's impossible. No one knows.' Aizen thought to himself as Ichigo continued his assault.

'Cannot let him use his illusion ability, absolutely can't!' Ichigo told himself, knowing that anything less than lethal intent would do little to give the man pause. Ichigo was caught off guard as Aizen managed to disarm Ichigo of his blade as he twisted it out of his hands. Left with his bare fists, Ichigo increased his speed suddenly and struck Aizen in the chest with a palm attack. Aizen attempted to get some distance but Ichigo stayed inside his guard, doing his best to disable or at least crush his throat. Just as Ichigo seemed to get the upper hand, Aizen made another deep slash through Ichigo's throat.

"Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro." Aizen recited, trapping the boy with the rods of light again. "Foolish boy. All those years of preparation, all that training, all of it amounting to nothing. Even with me holding back. What a disappointment you turned out to be." He closed his eyes in shame at the display of Ichigo's abilities, secretly hoping for him to prove him wrong. He opened his eyes to see Ichigo in front of him with his arm glowing in concentrated Reishi.

"Getsuga!" Ichigo yelled, striking Aizen in the chest with a fist and blast of Reishi, sending him back several feet. Not lightening up, he aimed his palm at the man again with a ball of crackling energy ready. "Hado #63, Raikoho!" He fired the blast of energy at the man as he ended up buried in rubble. "Like I said," Ichigo growled as he summoned his sword back to him, "you will not stop me Aizen." He released the first form of his blade and raised it up for next attack. "Getsuga Tensho!" He roared, sending a wave of his destructive power at the man, destroying everything in its path. He grunted, feeling himself losing to his bloodlust. 'No! Gotta stay focused! Can't reveal any more hollow or quincy abilities!' He yelled to himself, trying to suppress his inner beast.

"Not bad," He heard from behind as Aizen sunk his blade into his body, "but you are still too weak. Hado #11, Tsuzuri Raiden." He said, sending millions of volts of spirit electricity through Ichigo's body. The hybrid could only drop to his knees helplessly as his muscles clenched and his fries from the inside. "I was hoping that you would be an ultimate being, capable of standing at my side in the end. But you have proven weak, feeble. Maybe, next time I try, I will use one of your sisters to birth my creation." Aizen mused, purposefully goading the hybrid. The worst part was that Ichigo knew that was his goal, but he didn't care.

"Don't you DARE!" Ichigo roared, forcing himself up and uppercutting Aizen with all his strength. Ichigo's veins were glowing and bulging out with his eyes shifting colors and his Reiatsu flaring about his body. He rocketed toward Aizen, creating three separate speed clones that each attacked the captain. The man flew higher until he felt a bind around his body. He found a rope of light binding him as Ichigo ripped him toward the ground. As they neared, Ichigo grabbed hold of him and used the momentum to spin them around and threw the manipulator into the ground at a greater velocity. As soon as Aizen collided with the ground, Ichigo aimed his palms again for another kido spell. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado #31, Shakkaho!" Ichigo chanted, creating a massive fireball.

'A fine display of power, but not enough.' Aizen thought before shielding himself with a Danku, holding off the majority of Ichigo's fireball. After the blast ended, he saw over a hundred more appearing everywhere above him and shooting down like rain. 'That's a new one.' Aizen idly thought before the punishing bombardment slammed into his barrier, eventually breaking it. Ichigo landed on the ground, almost a hundred feet away. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu-" He attempted before feeling himself get impaled and shot back into another building, this one collapsing on top of him. Ichigo's blade retracting to a normal length.

"In retrospect," Ichigo panted as he finally calmed down, "this was a really bad idea." He looked down at his bloodied sword, now returned to its sealed state for that final attack. Every bit as difficult as he thought it would be, but he felt something was off about this.

"Captain Aizen!" He heard a woman scream. He turned a saw a petite distraught girl, looking at where Aizen last was before turning to glare at the hybrid. "You murderer!"

"Ah crap." He whispered as he saw more lieutenants reveal themselves in the pale moon light, all looking at him in shock. He tried to figure a way out while ignoring a sudden itch in his body.

(With Aizen)

"That boy is definitely something." He said, focusing his kido into healing the wound in his side. "He's able to mix and blend his abilities to frightening extents. Generating Reishi platforms as a focus for kido, mixing sonido and shunpo, concentrating his Reishi through his own body? Ichigo, you will be a fascinating being." He ceased his spell as he finally healed from his stab wound. "Didn't expect him to mimic Gin's shikai like that. Maybe I should have gotten to you first. No matter." He rose up and returned to the building of the Central 46. "With this, you will be the most wanted man in Soul Society and your friends will be executed." He said, looking down at his zanpakuto. An elegant blade, despite missing two inches of the tip. That part of the blade was still embedded inside Ichigo, breaking off when he turned to attack him in that final assault. "This will not protect you, Ichigo. The other captains will kill you for me."

(With Kenpachi and Yamamoto)

"Wow Kenny! Ichi must be really strong!" Yachiru exclaimed from her captain's shoulder. The scarred man could only grin in anticipation.

"Yeah, that definitely looks like a worthwhile fight." The Kenpachi said in his ever gravely voice.

"Do you not care that he killed captain Aizen?" The old commander by his side asked. When Zaraki heard of where he could expect to meet his chosen opponent he made his way into Yamamoto's barracks and settled down, waiting patiently for Ichigo to arrive. The old man allowed it, as he figured the simplistic nature of the bloodthirsty fighter might inspire some revelation to some of his questions.

"I couldn't give a damn who dies. That just means they were weak." He said, completely without care. "Though it does surprise me. Aizen said that he wanted to help save that Kuchiki girl and he was going to do everything to help do that. You'd think Ichigo would take him up on that offer."

"Indeed." Yamamoto mused. 'Ichigo Kurosaki. When you and your friends were attacked with the intent of capture, you defeated them without killing them. Aizen finds you and tries to help you, you kill him in cold blood. What is happening?' He questioned as he enjoyed the rest of his tea.