Once Empty, Now Filled

(Orihime vs Loly and Menoly)

"Koten Zanshun: Waltz!" Orihime called out, splitting Tsubaki into six sprites that flew toward the two Arrancar. Understanding it was an attack, the two used Sonido to trap Orihime between them. Loly was in front and poised to stab Orihime while Menoly was behind and ready to behead the girl. Orihime dropped to the floor, pressing her hand against the stone. "Terra, now!" She shouted as the ground around her caved, causing the two Arrancar to tumble and fall. The two just barely escaped the trap and put some room between them and Orihime.

"That bitch!" Loly hissed, trying to think of a new strategy.

"Our intelligence didn't say anything about her beyond having spirits on her side." Menoly said, wanting to talk some sense into her friend. "She's not just a normal human." Orihime stood back up and glared at her opponents, almost daring them to make a move.

"Right. Should've done this from the start." Loly said as the two looked at each other and nodded. "Poison, Escolopendra!"

"Sting, Escorpion!" The girls yelled and transformed. Loly grew armor over most of her body while her arms became like centipedes, long and segmented, and something a tad more unsettling from the way they moved. Menoly developed a similar armor, but with a long scorpion tail and pincer shaped punch daggers. The two insectoid Arrancar glared at the Exorcist before making their strike.

"Terra, wall." She ordered quickly, the spirit raising the earth in front of her to create a barrier. "Ventus, let's get around them." She told the wind spirit as they used their speed technique to get behind Loly and Menoly. She paid rapt attention as the two Arrancar destroyed the stone wall. Loly's centipede arms seemed to be covered in a corrosive poison that ate away at whatever remained from her bashing the wall. Menoly was spraying her poison from the barb on her tail, but both made minimal progress from the spirit reinforced rock. That's when Loly screamed out in frustration before unleashing her Cero.

"Where are you!?" Loly screamed out in frustration, scanning the debris to try and find her missing quarry. Menoly looked around behind them, just in time for Orihime to charge forward and attack. Menoly managed to evade, but her tail was almost completely severed. Her screams alerted Loly, who swung at Orihime. The girl had no time to dodge and feebly rose Masamune to block the attack, the segmented arm slamming against the edge of the blade. The Exorcist braced for a pain that never came and when she opened her eyes, she saw Loly looking in disbelief as her arms were now almost stumps of their former selves.

"That was close." Orihime heard someone saw as a more neatly dressed and tanned version of Muramasa stood in front of her, holding the Masamune blade. "You have gotten better, lady Orihime, but you still have some growing to do."

"I guess I'm still too gentle to really fight." Orihime sighed looking at the spirit, while the Arrancar screamed in pain. "Let's finish this Masamune." She ordered, flicking her and glowing with spiritual power. The spirit nodded as he charged forward. "Aqua, bubble." Orihime commanded as the Arrancar got ready for a second assault. Before they could do anything, they were trapped in spheres of water. Helpless before Masamune as he cut off their limbs so quickly that neither realized they were hurt. Orihime stood before them as they glared at the Exorcist, trying to kill her with their looks. The girl merely sighed. "Shun'o, Ayame. Souten Kisshun." She ordered as the two spirits turned into their healing sprites and enveloped the Arrancar just as Aqua's bubbles drained away.

"You bitch! When I get out of this I'll-!" Loly tried to threaten but was repelled when her head touched the barrier.

"I really hate hurting people." Orihime said, sitting down in front of the two. "That's why I need my spirit friends to help me fight. Even then, I don't like killing." She said, trying to convey kindness. "What you're in will heal you, but my comrades are not so generous as to spare your lives." The healing process was moving very slowly, almost as if it wasn't happening at all while the pain finally registered to the Arrancar. "I insist you take Ichigo's offer. I'm not sure how long I can wait." A group of Exequias Arrancar appeared behind Orihime and were quickly engulfed in a torrent of flames. "My friends are waiting for me after all." She said with a smile that sent shivers down the girls' spines.

(Ichigo vs Ulquiorra)

The air shook and ground trembled as the two did battle. The black and empty bat against the hybrid protector, former friends and now enemies, fighting for their own reasons. Ulquiorra, as per his orders, and Ichigo, as per his nature to recover and protect his sisters. Those that could keep up with the two could see the pair flashing about in the sky over Las Noches, matching swing for swing and blow for blow. To those that knew the fighters, something felt off about the fight.

'Come on Ichigo.' Ulquiorra thought as he swung his tail like a whip, only for Ichigo to duck underneath and into his guard, making him catch Ichigo's blades in his talons and kicking off the hybrid's chest. 'You have to kill me. We both know this.' He dashed toward Ichigo, who jumped over his head and threw him down, sending Ulquiorra to the dome of Las Noches while his tail smacked Ichigo in the face, which sent the hybrid flying into one of the castle's towers. The Espada rose to his feet while Ichigo had to pry himself out of the rubble of the collapsing building. 'I know my duty, you know yours. So why are you hesitating?' He brought his hands together and pulled them apart, creating a long lance of glowing green Reishi that burned with energy. "Lanza del Relampago." He said before aiming and throwing the burning lance at Ichigo.

"Don't be stubborn Ulquiorra!" Ichigo shouted, shrouding himself in Reishi before catching the lance in his own claws as he was now covered in his Hollow armor. "I'm giving you a choice! Live or die, me or Aizen!" He growled as the lance burned in his hands, slowly converting and taking control of the attack. "Why are you so loyal to Aizen anyway!? He only uses people, he doesn't care about the Arrancar!" He shouted as Ulquiorra appeared before Ichigo again, with another energy lance in hand, giving Ichigo almost no time to block as the lance pierced through his armor and deep into the hybrid's chest.

"He made it clear he was different from other Soul Reapers." Ulquiorra said, wrapping his tail around Ichigo's neck. "You joined them. You are the one being used, you told me that yourself that you were training solely to kill someone." He knew he could lay a killing blow on Ichigo, snap his neck, blow a hole through his chest, but he hesitated and Ichigo punched him away. As the Arrancar reoriented himself, he saw Ichigo take the lance in his chest and finished what he was doing with the previous spear. He watched as Ichigo took the unstable energies and solidified them into actual spears, almost as if he perfected the technique. He held up one and threw it to Ulquiorra, strong enough to reach him but not enough to hurt him. The bat caught it and charged at Ichigo, who mirrored the action, going from fighting with claws and swords to spears.

"And when you stop being useful, he'll toss you aside." Ichigo returned, dodging a thrust from Ulquiorra while sweeping at his legs and making the Arrancar fly off. "I am training to kill someone Ulquiorra, someone stronger than Aizen, but not because I want to. Because I have to. If I can't kill the man I'm training to kill, then everyone is doomed. Souls, humans, Hollows, all of them." Ulquiorra pointed at Ichigo and shot a pitch black Cero at Ichigo, who thrust his spear forward and fired his own Cero from the spear tip. "I'm fighting to protect everyone I can. You stood by my side once before, why are you so intent on killing me now!?" He shouted as the blasts collided and exploded, destroying the dome of Las Noches.

'Because you chose to go where I couldn't follow.'

(Chad vs Yammy)

The Fullbringer was on the defensive because nothing he did had any affect. Yammy shrugged off all of his punches and overpowered him in every contest of strength. The main and only reason Chad didn't become a bloodstain on the desert sands yet is because he was too fast for Yammy. With continuous use of Bringer Light, he was able to out speed and out maneuver the giant Espada. Not helping the Arrancar was his own rage making him predictable. Chad dodged around Yammy's oncoming fist to land on his elongated back, where the Arrancar's tail was coming down to crush him and only managed to slam into his own spine.

"GAH!" Yammy yelled, feeling the aftershocks of his own attacks. Chad landed at the small of of Yammy's back, gasping for breath.

'Looks like the only thing that can really hurt him is himself.' Sado thought, trying to think of any plan, any way for him to beat the Espada. His thoughts were interrupted when Yammy's hand came out of nowhere and grabbed him. The Fullbringer struggled against giant's crushing grip, but he was at Yammy's mercy. His stomach lurched as the fist that held him shifted and brought him to the front before tossing him in the air and catching him again, this time right side up so Yammy could look him in the eye.

"You've been really annoying, flashing around like that." The Espada said, glaring at his prey as it struggled against him. "But I gotta admit, you've got guts trying to challenge me like that." Chad continued to squirm and struggle, slowly getting his arms freed. "As a token to your bravery, you can choose how you die." He managed to pry one hand out of the death grip and was working on the second. "But, I'm also a little curious. Most trash run off when they face me or simply die. Why did you stick around? What makes you think you can fight me?" He asked as Chad freed both of his arms.

"El Directo!" He shouted, shooting his blasts into both of Yammy's eyes. Proving that they were still vulnerable, the Cero Espada dropped the Fullbringer to grasp his eyes in pain. Taking his chance, Chad jumped back to get some distance the same instant Yammy removed his hands, still squinting from the damage. "I'll be honest, I don't think I can beat you." Yammy wanted to crush the arrogant bug instantly, but he couldn't deny his curiosity in what Chad had to say. Something that he could use to push the trash to despair when he crushes the life out of it in front of him. "It's obvious you're stronger than me, tougher than me, the only reason I'm still alive is because I'm faster than you. But it's not that I can't fight you, it's that I can't back down."

"So what?" Yammy asked, his vision getting clearer by the second. "You keep fighting because of some sense of honor?"

"I made a promise to my friend." He explained as his medallion began to glow. "That I would always have his back. The only way to stop him is to kill him, and I'd be there to keep that from happening." The sand began to shift away from Sado as his spirit seemed to change. "You want to kill my friend, stand in his way, threaten everything he loves. I won't let you. Even if it kills me, I have to beat you. Here and now." He looked up to Yammy as his Reiatsu exploded into a pillar of light. 'I still have no idea what this is, but now's as good a time as any. I'll tell Kisuke about it later.' He thought as the energy seemed to turn into a liquid and take shape before turning solid. It had four arms, two Gigante and two Diablo, had a mix of all the colors of his arms decorating its form, and had a pair of curved horns on its head. It matched Yammy in size and Chad saw through its eyes as well as his own. "Diablo Gigante."

(With Uryu and Tatsuki)

There was only silence as the group let the Espada rest while they removed all the bodies, and only after the teens confirmed the state of the twins did any tension ease. Yuzu and Karin were resting soundly in what seemed to be an induced sleep while the Espada guarded them, Uryu thanking his father again for including everything necessary to be a doctor in his education. With the bodies out of the way Tatsuki went inside to wake up the girls while Uryu got ready to speak with the Arrancar, getting a Sprenger trap ready to blow them up if necessary. Uryu took the chance to look over the trio. The green haired girl that still slept was clearly the Espada of the group, but the other too were... off. Their faces were completely obscured by their masks and they didn't wear the usual white every other Arrancar had, in fact they were closer to Hollows than Arrancar. The one with the beetle mask had white armor on his chest, arms, and shins with most of his body being purple and a loincloth giving him any modesty. The one with the Tiki mask was wearing a yellow bodysuit covered with black polka-dots. It took every ounce of self control Uryu had not to go into tailoring mode as he finished his observations.

"Thanks for not immediately attacking us." The beetle, Pesche, said to Uryu. "Lady Nel took the majority of the assassins and she's still not in full fighting shape."

"Some Fraccion we are." The Tiki, Dondochaka, continued. "We couldn't protect her back when she was the 3rd Espada, and we still couldn't protect her now."

"Sounds like there's some history of distrust among the Arrancar." Uryu noted as the two continued.

"Lady Nel, all three of us really, we aren't fighters." Pesche said, taking over the conversation. "Lady Neliel hated fighting, only doing so for what she deemed a good reason, unlike another Espada by the name of Nnoritra." Uryu nodded, recognizing the name of the Arrancar Chad and Tatsuki fought. "One day Nnoritra conspired with another Arrancar to betray lady Nel, using Dondochaka and I as bait."

"They tore off our masks and ambushed lady Nel! Such a dirty trick, don'cha know!" Dondochaka wailed, somehow producing tears.

"And we were abandoned in the deserts of Hueco Mundo." The beetle continued. "For some reason, Lady Neliel was turned into a child and we thought it best to let her live in peace since she hated fighting anyway. But then Aizen reclaimed her, saying he had a new need for her, and restored her as the 6th Espada."

"Lady Nel was loyal because Aizen was bringing order to the lawless world of Hollows." Dondochaka took over. "And she took over watching over the girls because Aizen swore their safety."

"That ended when the Exequias appeared and said their orders were to deliver them to Szayelaporro for 'experimentation'." The Espada said as she rose from her slumber, her Fraccion helping her up. "I heard your companion, 'Ichigo' I think, was trying to recruit the Arrancar to his side. Is this true?" Uryu nodded.

"It is. There is a greater threat than Aizen coming and Soul Society has decided to make allies with the Arrancar. Ichigo Kurosaki is to take the throne of Las Noches, since he is the closest thing to a Hollow among the Court Guard Squads."

"Will he be a just king?" Neliel asked, narrowing her eyes at Uryu and trying to divulge the truth from him in any way.

"Don't worry Nelly." They heard as Yuzu and Karin appeared with Tatsuki, back in their attire before being kidnapped. "Ichi-nii will be a great king!" Yuzu kept cheering.

"Though he may want to punish you for being the one to hold us captive." Karin said with an obvious emphasis on the word 'punish'. The result was a blushing Uryu and Tatsuki while Nel enthusiastically cheered.

"I'm in!"

(Ichigo vs Ulquiorra)

The fighting continued, wrecking the walls of Las Noches and sending devasting blasts across the desert sands, and still at a stalemate. Ulquiorra unable to land a killing blow and Ichigo still trying to reach through to his old friend. The Arrancar slashed with his spear, cutting off Ichigo's arm while the hybrid countered by punching the bat in the stomach during his regeneration. Ichigo grabbed Ulquiorra's neck in a crushing grip and the bat ripped him off with a hard strike from his tail.

'Why are you holding back?' Ulquiorra wondered, knowing that Ichigo was not going all out. He did not use any kido, actual hakuda moves, Quincy arts, just countering the Espada with his own prowess as a Hollow. 'I made my vow and you must kill me to reclaim your sisters. I'm not your ally!' He growled mentally, slowly losing himself to his more violent emotions which Ichigo was not prepared for. Ulquiorra's strikes became faster, more erratic, less predictable, and more vicious. He knocked Ichigo's spear out of his hands and used the blade to slash up Ichigo's chest to ribbons before using his tail to throw Ichigo down onto the desert sands. As the hybrid flew toward the ground, Ulquiorra charged a Cero to the tip of his spear and shot it down to Ichigo the second he collided with the sand. The blast slammed into the hybrid and caused a massive explosion, Ulquiorra panting from the effort and growling when the smoke faded. Ichigo still lived, and he was looking at the bat with pity.

"Ulquiorra." He called out, prompting the Espada flash in front of Ichigo and attack again. This time, Ichigo did not dodge. He just stood there and weathered the attack.

"Stop trying to change fate Ichigo!" Ulquiorra growled, slashing and pummeling the hybrid. "This is the way of things! Soul Reapers kill Hollows, Hollows kill Soul Reapers!" He roared as his hands broke with every strike on his enemy. "I can't believe in this world you say you'll create! I only trust what I see!" He roared as Ichgio gave him a harsh shove, making the empty bat glare at him.

"Then kill me." Ichigo ordered, holding his hands out and displaying every vulnerability he could. "If it is fate, kill me." Ulquiorra's hand tightened around his spear and let out a mighty roar, throwing the lance at the hybrid, and dropping to his knees as the missile missed its mark. Ichigo said nothing as he walked toward Ulquiorra, who reached up to his face as he felt an unfamiliar wetness.

'Am I... crying? Why does my chest ache?' He thought as Ichigo stood before him. "Ichigo, what is the 'heart'?" He asked, begged for an answer.

"I don't think I can really answer that." Ichigo responded, looking down on the Espada. "Everyone has a different idea. I think it's the force that drives a person to complete their goals, to feel for others, to achieve what a person never thought was possible." Ichigo held out his hand to Ulquiorra. "It's what pushes me to defy your so called 'fate' and save you." Ulquiorra looked at Ichigo's hand and saw the small child that he once protected years ago.

'I see now. I was always waiting for you to return.' He thought as he reached out to the offered hand. 'My destiny is to serve, but I found a false king. He freed my mouth and ears but you gave me a voice and heard me long before anyone else. Aizen made me acceptable, but you accepted me before anyone.' "I am yours to command. My king." He said, looking up to see Ichigo smiling down at him. The same smile he wore when they first met.

And his heart sank as a hand erupted from Ichigo's chest.

(Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers)

Karin's Bad Influence

"Karin! Tell big brother Uryu where you learned to talk like that!" The Quincy cried out, holding the tomboy by the shoulders while Tatsuki began to throttle Nel while blaming her for the naughty language. Pesche and Dondochaka freaking out about what to do.

"I heard it from dad." She said, making the teens freeze. "He said it felt good to be punished by mom. I thought it'd help." Uryu and Tatsuki decided not to mention this to Ichigo so they could kill Isshin when all was said and done.

Rukia's Offscreen Adventures

The icy Vizard stood across from the Arrancar, the right half of her face covered by a human skull like mask and wearing a green turtle-neck dress, neither moving to avoid antagonizing the other. The Arrancar had a dead, broken, gaze that told a deep story of pain and suffering. Rukia felt no danger coming from the Arrancar and decided to initiate the dialogue.

"Who are you?" She asked. "What are you among the Arrancar." The Hollow raised her head, almost as if she was confused.

"I am Roka Paramia, the healer among the Arrancar in lord Aizen's service." She answered, quietly. Almost as if talking scared her. "Are you not here to kill me, Shinigami?"

"No, only if you try to fight." Rukia returned, before realizing they weren't anywhere close to fighting each other. "Aizen's regime is ending. Join us and you will be spared." The lieutenant offered.

"Okay." Roka immediately agreed, throwing Rukia through a loop.

"That fast?"

"I am but a tool. It makes no difference who I serve."

'Okay, this girl needs therapy.' Rukia thought, surprised that things went this easy. 'And I swear, if I don't get any screentime next chapter, I will KILL THE AUTHOR!'