Chapter 22: Hard Truths and Fragile Dreams

*This fanfic belongs to Melkor's Mercy, I don't own anything*

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Silbern, Yuzu XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yuzu walked down the hallway towards a familiar location. She was on her way towards the grand hall. Apparently, all of the Sternritters were being called for another big assembly this morning. The past few days had been irregular for her. After having a girl's day with Bambietta's clique, she expected Bazz B to protest during their follow up training the next day.

Strangely enough, Bazz B didn't even come to get her until later that day. He was a lot less friendly than she was used to, but he didn't even seem to care when she told him about it. Part of her was beginning to wonder if that was just his way of trying to toughen her up or if she had done something to offend him.

Today was supposed to be another training day with Bazz B, but due to the news of the morning assembly, she figured it would have to wait. Yuzu took a deep breath and sighed, 'I really should think of some way to apologize to him. I don't want anyone to hate me if I can help it.'

Yuzu could not catch a break in this place it seemed. Just when Bambietta and her group were starting to come around, then Bazz B started to dislike her. Nothing was ever easy it seemed. Though Yuzu was at least feeling better after the day she had spent hanging out with the Femritters. They were all strange in their own ways, but being the person that she was, Yuzu did see some good in them.

Meninas seemed like a ditzy airhead, but she was actually fairly smart and was undoubtedly one of the nicest people in the Silbern. Liltotto was sarcastic, but she was intelligent and helpful. Bambietta wasn't all that bad either when she wasn't in a bad mood. Candice was still a bit of a mystery, but Yuzu had a certain amount of trust for the woman despite everyone else's warnings. Giselle was without a doubt the weirdest person she had ever met, but she was a very good teacher oddly enough. Overall, the Femritters weren't that bad. Although Bambietta was still scary and Giselle still gave her the creeps. Yuzu slightly regretted not asking about all of their pasts when she had the chance, but she figured that was probably something best done individually. Judging by Bambietta's remark about Giselle's past, Yuzu figured she was better off not knowing or asking.

"Hey new girl, stop for a minute," a strange voice sounded.

Yuzu was immediately drawn from her thoughts as she glanced back at the sight of not one, but two other Sternritters. One had unkempt long black hair and two tongues by the looks of it. Currently he had a closed smile, but Yuzu was almost positive she saw two tongues as she turned around. His arms were tucked into his long coat and he was apparently barefoot as well.

The other Sternritter was one Yuzu was unfamiliar with. This individual had an androgynous look with short, two toned hair. It was a blondish pink with dark colored tips on the bangs. Yuzu found it to be slightly edgy looking. She had seen people like this before, but was not expecting it in the Wandenreich.

'Why am I even surprised by these things anymore? I wonder what they want from me?' Yuzu thought to herself.

"Ah, if it isn't the new recruit. I heard you became a Sternritter…what was your name again?" the edgy looking Sternritter asked.

"Yuzu Kurosaki," the teen answered almost compulsively.

'What was that? I didn't hesitate…I just answered without thinking,' Yuzu thought confused.

"What's your schrift, Yuzu Kurosaki?" the Sternritter asked. It was at this point, Yuzu finally figured out the edgy Sternritter was a female.

"L for Light," Yuzu answered immediately.

"Hmm, interesting…so forgive my curiosity, but I believe I heard something about you being the hollow king's sister. Did you truly not know he was a hollow?" the woman asked.

"I had no idea. Ichi-nii died well over two and a half years ago. I didn't even know that hollows existed until just recently," Yuzu answered honestly.

"Fascinating…and do you hold any thoughts of-" the woman was about to ask another question, but was interrupted by the other Sternritter.

"Stop talking, Berenice. His majesty would not make her a Sternritter if he suspected her of being in league with the hollows," the unkempt Sternritter said annoyed. He had a strange way of talking in Yuzu's opinion. Although after confirming that he actually did have two tongues, she immediately realized why.

Berenice shook her head, "This was by no means an interrogation. I was just curious."

"Who are you guys?" Yuzu finally was able to get a sentence out.

"Nianzol Weizol, Sternritter W for Wind," the long dark haired one answered.

"Berenice Gabrielli, Sternritter Q for Question," the other Sternritter replied.

Yuzu examined them more closely with a cautious stare. Why were these Quincies addressing her? Was there some kind of motive behind their curiosity or was it simply that? The Kurosaki teen was beginning to grow less trusting of new people the longer she spent around the Quincies. This duo in particular had a certain mischievous aura about them.

"Nice to meet you," Yuzu finally said after a slightly awkward silence.

The inquisitive Berenice immediately started talking again, "Likewise, young lady. You seem like quite the little angel. I daresay you appear to lack a shred of hate or anger in your entire soul. Are you truly as innocent as you portray yourself to be?"

"I'm just who I am." Yuzu managed to reply vaguely.

Berenice raised an eyebrow somewhat surprised, "And who are you exactly from your perspective?"

"I'm Yuzu Kurosaki, a Quincy like my mother," the young teen responded.

"That was a vague answer…you are quite the elusive little mystery, young lady," the Sternritter noted.

Yuzu gave the edgy looking Sternritter an uncertain look, "Was there something you wanted from me?"

"You are much more confrontational and upfront than I imagined. All that time around Bazz B and Bambietta's gang has certainly made you less timid. You are definitely more callous and willful than before," Berenice stated with a strange grin.

Her words immediately shined a light on a very real revelation. Yuzu had been acting differently ever since beginning her training. It was no secret that she was changing, but how far had it already gone? Was Yuzu Kurosaki even the same person anymore? Everything was the same, and she felt the same about a lot of things. However, a lot of things were undeniably different.

Yuzu was thinking less fearfully and more tactically now. Her previous empathy for strangers had been slowly morphing into skepticism and caution. Bazz B's words of warning had been taking root very strongly as of late. The young teen was more than aware of the dangers that certain Sternritters posed to her, and knew the dangers of being too gullible or trusting. How long would it be before she ended up like Bambietta or her gang? Despite the fact that they weren't as terrible as she initially assumed, the idea still frightened her a great deal.

Yuzu shook her head concerned, 'Am I really changing? I don't feel any different, but she said I was more callous. I don't feel that way, but maybe it's happening without me knowing? Maybe Bazz B's training is changing my mindset? But I can't change too much…my family won't recognize or accept me if I become like these people. These people are corrupted,' Yuzu thought to herself in a trance like worried state.

"Of course I'm not implying you could ever be as vile as that lot. It would be inconceivable to see such a pure sweetheart become tainted in such a way. Although given enough time, there's no telling what Bambietta and her little entourage of sinners could do to you," Berenice rambled on.

The fair haired teen looked at Berenice concerned, "What makes them sinners? Do you not like any of them?"

"I'm glad you asked that question. It is good to educate the newer members on the dangers of sinning. As the Inquisitor of the Wandenreich, it is my responsibility to keep everyone educated and honest. Bambietta herself is a good Sternritter, but her loyalties have been proven fickle at times. However, Giselle and Candice are liars and fakes. Need I explain the vileness of fraud? They're slimy and elusive like anyone with a secret to hide would be. They must confess and repent their sins to me and to our great god-emperor," Berenice continued talking.

"You're the Inquisitor of the Wandenreich?" Yuzu reconfirmed as she began to realize why Berenice was talking to her now.

"Allow me to elaborate, Yuzu Kurosaki. The great lord Haschwalth and God-Emperor Yhwach have entrusted me to be the holy inquisitor of the Wandenreich. Each of the Sternritters and every soldier in our great army must confess their sins to me on a regular basis. It ensures loyalty, honesty, and improves morale," Berenice said proudly.

'Sounds like brainwashing and scare tactics to me. What was that word I heard in school that described this kind of thing? It was something to do with cults I think. Indoctrination was it? So she's like some kind of priestess they all have to confess to? That's unsettling,' Yuzu thought to herself.

Nianzol let out an over-dramatic sigh, "It's less of a confession and more of a mandatory interrogation. It wouldn't be so bad if you knew how to shut up occasionally."

"Talking is my job and my craft, Nianzol. You know this as well as I do," Berenice shot back.

"Why are you three standing around in the hall talking? The assembly is starting soon, so make your way there now," a calm but serious voice interrupted.

Walking down the hall, they spotted a tall darker skinned man with a unique looking outfit. His cloak was long and white, but light brown fur covered several parts of his attire. One of his arms was sleeveless and on his head rested a bicorn hat. It had a striking resemblance to a European admiral's hat or something a pirate would have worn. A closer look at his face revealed he had short blondish hair and an X shaped mark covering one of his eyes.

Berenice and Nianzol seemed worried upon noticing him and immediately tensed up fearfully. Berenice nervously spoke first, "Forgive us my lord, we were just speaking to the new recruit."

"Who is he?" Yuzu asked confused by their concern.

"That's Lille Barro, leader of the Schutzstaffel…the elite sternritters. Don't piss him off. If he tells you to do something, then do it," Nianzol leaned in and whispered to her.

"New recruit? Oh…the girl. This isn't the time to socialize. Move it you three," Lille said as he noticed Yuzu.

The Kurosaki teen could definitely see why the others were scared of this man. He carried a sniper rifle with him and had a constant look of bored displeasure. A brief moment passed before Yuzu realized that Nianzol and Berenice had already taken off. She looked around urgently as she realized she was now alone in front of this elite Sternritter.

"Are you deaf, newbie? I said move it," Lille repeated himself.

"Yes sir," Yuzu responded immediately as she snapped from her daze. She turned to make her way towards the grand hall, but soon found the man walking alongside her. She didn't dare to address or even look at him as they made their way to the assembly.

The man briefly looked down at her and shook his head, "Gerard spoke about you the other day…he seems to hold you in higher regard than most other new recruits. I hope his insight is correct, because the last good recruit we gained was Askin. The rest of the current Sternritters are unfit to call themselves Yhwach's knights. I hope you prove to be every bit as useful as Gerard believes you to be."

Yuzu didn't know how to respond to his comment and simply nodded in acknowledgment. Before long, they were finally in the assembly hall. It didn't take long for Yuzu to figure out that the other Sternritters were standing in alphabetical order. She made her way to the front of the crowd and looked for her place in the front lineup. She immediately found it right between two Sternritters she didn't know. One was a heftier fat man floating on some type of disc. The other was a dark haired man with a scar across his mouth and a disgusted glare permanently etched on his face. It seemed apparent that a few spots between her and the scar-faced man were missing.

The fat Sternritter on the floating disc was quick to give Yuzu a funny look, "Why if it isn't the fresh young maiden. What is your Schrift?"

"She's Sternritter L," Gerard answered for her. Yuzu quickly noticed Gerard standing on the other side of the floating fat Sternritter. The fat man on the floating disc seemed a bit confused, "L? But that's my letter…"

"You're Sternritter L too?" Yuzu asked the fat man.

He grinned a gigantic dumb grin as he adjusted his sunglasses, "Indeed I am little missy! Sternritter L, Pepe Waccabrada! L for Love!"

The scar-faced Quincy on Yuzu's other side looked over with a disgusted glare, "Shut up, you floating fat ass. It's embarrassing enough to stand this close to you in line…I don't want to hear you speak."

"You're as hardened and unbending as your schrift itself, Cang Du…" Pepe said with a light chuckle.

"I hope her being Sternritter L means that you're getting replaced…" Cang Du said with a heartless and bitter tone.

Pepe seemed taken aback by the comment and let out a chuckle to conceal his concern, "That would be quite silly, Cang Du. The great lord Yhwach appreciates those who serve and perform faithfully. My love is invaluable to our great Wandenreich."

On Cang Du's other side, Yuzu spotted Bazz B. The Mohawk Quincy had a deep look on his face as if he was more interested in the assembly than what was going on around him. It was quite apparent to Yuzu that Bazz B was likely aware of the reason why they were all summoned for the assembly.

"I liked it better when Kirge and BG9 stood between the two of us. Where the hell are those guys anyway? They're still not back yet?" Cang Du wondered.

"Those are the ones that were sent to Hueco Mundo right?" Yuzu asked inquisitively.

Cang Du glanced at her apathetically, "Yeah, they were."

"I imagine this meeting has something to do with the scouting party and their findings. They will likely present us with their espionage report…perhaps they even have captives!" Pepe stated enthusiastically.

Before anyone could say another word, Yhwach walked into the room with Haschwalth and Uryu at his sides. The Quincy Emperor had a look of seriousness and did not appear to be in a good mood. Haschwalth and Uryu quickly took their places beside him as Yhwach stood in front of his army.

"My faithful Sternritters and soldiers of the Wandenreich, I come bearing news about the scouting party that was sent to Hueco Mundo. Kirge and Nanana's powers have returned to me, and BG9 has been undetectable for a while now. There is only one explanation for this…the hollows have killed them," Yhwach began.

Everyone seemed to perk up with an urgent curiosity and concern. Several conversations broke out among the Sternritters, but they were quickly silenced as Yhwach continued speaking, "The hollows have drawn first blood. Make no mistake my children…they are coming for us."

"So what are we going to do about them now? I say we invade as soon as possible!" Gremmy interrupted.

"I doubt that is a good idea given the nature of the situation. Three Sternritters were killed by unknown means. It would be foolish to invade without any kind of intelligence on our enemy's numbers and motives. I suggest we fortify and wait for our lord Yhwach's powers to fully return," Robert Accutrone stated seriously.

"How much longer is that supposed to be anyway?" Cang Du muttered just loud enough for a lot of people to hear.

"It will take as long as necessary…you should be more preoccupied with strengthening your own Schrifts and honing your combat skills. The point of this announcement is to put things into perspective for the entire army. The hollows do not fear the power of the Wandenreich. In fact, they mock our very strength by killing scouts. A show of force must be delivered," Haschwalth announced.

Yhwach held up a hand to silence any additional comments as he spoke calmly, "My powers are not fully recovered yet, but I will assist in the invasion nonetheless. I am eager to meet Ichigo Kurosaki face to face."

"My lord…are you sure about going with them? You can't be away from the Silbern for too long," Haschwalth said seriously.

"For my purposes it will be long enough. Mobilize the Wandenreich immediately. We invade Hueco Mundo in one week's time. I suggest all of you hone your skills before then…battles will be inevitable," Yhwach stated.

Yuzu was not particularly thrilled by the news, 'They're invading the Hollow world now!? I hope there isn't any battles…I don't want to see Ichi-nii get hurt. Why is there going to be violence? I thought they wanted me to convince Ichigo to work with them? What's going to happen? I'm scared…I don't want to be in a war.'

"Just so we're clear, who is all going in the invasion?" Cang Du asked Yhwach calmly.

Yhwach grinned widely, "Everyone."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Soul Society, Karin and Rukia XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Kido is a lot harder than you make it seem," Karin said with a heavy breath.

Rukia frowned at her comment and shrugged, "Well it's not for everyone. It might not be for you. I know plenty of Shinigami that don't rely on Kido who make some of our greatest fighters. It all just depends on what you want to specialize in."

"Not knowing Kido cost me my fight at the Shinigami Academy. Teach me as much as you can," Karin pleaded eagerly.

Rukia sighed, "I've already taught you a lot of the basic ones. You just need to practice them on your own now. You should focus on getting skilled at the basics first. It builds a good foundation for a lot of the more advanced techniques later. It's all kind of boring at first, but stick with it and you can hone your kido skills pretty quickly. You already have a lot of spiritual energy, so that alone ought to give you an advantage in training more often."

"I see…well thanks for the help." Karin replied.

"I'm glad I could help…although I might have to let you practice on your own for a while now. I want to get the details about Captain Urahara contacting the zero squad. It's been a few days and they should be coming back soon," Rukia replied with a distracted expression.

Karin nodded, "I understand…what do you think the purpose of that trip even was?"

Before Rukia could answer, Yoruichi appeared nearby, seemingly out of nowhere. She was quick to explain the situation, "Sorry to keep you youngsters out of the loop, but Kisuke is making sure the Royal Guard is aware of the looming dangers. Whether or not they choose to help us is anyone's guess."

"Shihoin-sama? You're back?!" Rukia exclaimed with a shocked expression.

Karin gave the darker skinned woman a curious stare, "Is the other guy back too?"

"Kisuke is still there, but he'll be coming back with several of the zero squad members to speak to the Gotei 13 leadership. Apparently they're pretty unhappy about us asking them to intervene. Luckily Kisuke and Kukaku convinced them to listen. I doubt anyone else could have done as much," Yoruichi explained.

"What exactly is he asking them for? According to my brother, the Zero Squad isn't even allowed to leave the Soul Palace. It's their sworn duty to defend the Soul King. There's not really much they could do to help us from there," Rukia replied.

Yoruichi shrugged, "Well Kisuke is well aware of that. I believe he was asking permission for certain captains to train with them. It wouldn't really be a breach in their duty and it would be helpful in getting us a stronger edge in the battles to come. Plus it couldn't hurt to keep them informed of what's on the horizon. When Kisuke mentioned White to them, they seemed to take it pretty seriously. I get the feeling they know more than we do about the hollows and their motives."

"Training with the Zero Squad? How the heck would he pull that kind of request off? Normal Shinigami aren't even allowed to go to the Soul Palace. We don't even know how to get there! Speaking of which...you've already been there and back? How exactly?" Rukia exclaimed.

Yoruichi chuckled as she waved her hand, "It would be easier having Kukaku's little brother explain that to you. Ganju, get over here."

Clumsily breaking his cover, Ganju, who had apparently been eavesdropping, moved in. Rukia and Karin gave him unusual looks as he stopped in front of them and Yoruichi.

The man over-dramatically cleared his throat and spoke up, "Well not that many people in the Soul Society know this, but the Shiba Clan was entrusted with being messengers to the Zero Squad. I guess Kaien never told you, but we're the gatekeepers of the Royal Palace. You didn't hear that cannon go off the other day? That was them leaving for the Soul Palace. Kukaku is the only one besides the Zero Squad who can get to the Soul Palace. The arm she lost isn't from an accident…it was turned into an Oken…a king's key to go back and forth as one pleases."

"What?! I had no idea the Shibas were entrusted with something like that!" Rukia gasped.

Ganju sighed, "Yeah well it's not supposed to be common knowledge. Only people who are really high up the chain know about it."

"Regardless of that, the Zero Squad will more than likely help us in any way they can. This request doesn't necessarily interfere with their normal duties, so I am sure they will accept several individuals to train," Yoruichi stated.

"I wonder who they would take to train" Rukia pondered aloud.

Yoruichi crossed her arms and thought for a moment, "Well I doubt they would want too many of us, and I know some captains would be too proud to go anyways. The older captains especially would not go based on pride alone. It would more than likely be younger captains or stronger lieutenants. Captains Kuchiki, Hitsugaya, and Zaraki would be the most ideal candidates. Although I wouldn't doubt Captain Komamura accepting as well. Lieutenants Abarai, Hisagi, Matsumoto, Yachiru, and yourself would be ideal vice-captains to go."

"Could I go?" Karin asked.

Yoruichi gave her an unusual look, "I'm not really sure what Isshin would say about that. Besides, you're kind of new at this. You need to master the basics before you go bothering the Zero Squad."

Karin gave Yoruichi an annoyed look before turning away, "Rise Aoigetsu!"

Her shikai released and formed after a brief moment causing everyone to stare at her confused. Karin held it up and swung the blade heavily, "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A blue beam arced off the edge of her sword and flew into the distance cutting down countless trees and several other structures as well. Karin rested the blade on her shoulder as she stared Yoruichi down, "I'm not just some random kid. I can help too…I just need more training."

"When did you learn Getsuga Tenshou? That's Isshin's ability. Did he teach it to you?" Yoruichi noted with a curious grin.

"No, but I heard about it. The ability sounded similar to the arc waves my shikai released in the academy so I sort of just figured it out myself," Karin explained.

Rukia rose a brow surprised, "It's hard to imagine you as an academy student. You're already strong enough to hold a higher seat in one of the Squads. I guess it's not too surprising though…you are Captain Shiba's daughter after all."

Karin rolled her eyes, "Like I said…give me some direction and I'll run with it. I need to get stronger for the sake of my family."

"For the sake of your family?" Rukia questioned curiously.

"And what do you intend to do once you get more powerful, Karin? Fight your brother?" Yoruichi asked curiously.

Karin looked away glaring at the ground, "I thought about it...but no. That's not what's going to fix this problem. Ichigo is stronger than every Shinigami in the Soul Society."

"So then why are you so adamant about becoming more powerful?" Yoruichi wondered.

"You wouldn't understand…I need him to acknowledge me and not just push me aside. Ichigo can't just ignore me if I'm on the battlefield. If he's truly lost, then he would prove it by trying to kill me." Karin explained.

"That's ludicrous, Karin…you're going to get yourself killed if you try to put yourself in his way like that. Even Isshin has accepted that Ichigo is not the same brother you grew up with. The hollow that infected his soul is malevolent. What he did to Soifon was…monstrous. Do you really think your brother is that vengeful? No…the brother you knew is unfortunately dead, and the hollow is the dominant part of his soul. I know it's not what you want to hear, but White is going to have to be killed. There's simply no other way to stop him," Yoruichi ranted.

Rukia frowned and interjected slowly, "I have to disagree with you, Shihoin-sama…I was his hostage once. It was back during the first sightings of his Vasto Lorde form in Karakura Town. He forced the captains to retreat when he took me hostage. I could hardly believe they stood down, but afterward, Ichigo kept me with him and went to some graveyard. That was the first time I ever saw Karin…"

"You…You know about that?!" Karin gasped.

"He dropped me shortly after we got there, but I remember him staring at you intently. Call me crazy, but I didn't sense any cruel intentions in him that night," Rukia reasoned.

"He…he actually followed me to the park that night. I was sitting on a swing and he tried to communicate with me. He wanted to know what my brother's name was…I think he was still a Vasto Lorde at the time. I didn't know what to think. I thought it was all a trick, but when I told him, he said 'Ichigo? My name…' and he told me he remembered the hollow dragging him away, and that it wasn't my fault. He said he would do it all over again to keep me safe. That WAS Ichi-nii…even after all that happened to him, he was more concerned with my well-being. I asked him if I would ever see him again and he told me 'Hopefully not.' Ichigo was angry when he saw me again in the Soul Society at the Shinigami Academy. He asked why I was there…I said some pretty horrible things to him. Called him a monster…said he wasn't my brother. He never once tried to kill me, and before he left he told me to take care of Yuzu. Why would a hollow do something like that?! The Soul Society is messed up…we can't just kill Ichigo! There's got to be another solution!" Karin said emotionally.

"Like what? He's already made his intentions clear. He wants to destroy the Soul Society and kill the Soul King. How can you make peace with somebody like that? I'm sorry, Karin…but whether or not Ichigo is still in there, White has to die for the safety and preservation of our existence," Yoruichi replied sadly.

Karin shook her head, "Your way is stupid…everyone killing each other won't solve anything. Ichigo isn't a mindless monster…he's obviously angry at the Soul Society for something. Is the idea of trying to make peace with him too outlandish for you people?!"

"Of course not, Karin…I for one would be very much in favor for it, but that's unfortunately too idealistic for us to hope for. We can try…but we must be prepared for the other solution as well. Expect the worst and hope for the best, yeah?" Yoruichi tried to calm her down.

Rukia looked at Karin somewhat surprised by the revealing news, 'I had a feeling it was true…that night he went after her, and she wasn't even touched. If he did that as a Vasto Lorde, then as an arrancar it's even more apparent that Ichigo wouldn't hurt his family. It sounds crazy, but maybe we should try making peace with him. Maybe Ichigo would be willing to back down if he felt assured the Soul Society would leave the hollows alone. Although there's still the balance of the worlds to worry about. Hmm…but giving the hollows some autonomy over managing their population would be a better solution than trying to wipe them out. Full scale war is just going to get everyone killed. I should bring this up at the next Gotei 13 Squad Captain Meeting.'

Ganju decided to change the subject as he looked at Aoigetsu resting over Karin's shoulder, "On a different note though, Getsuga is a hidden Shiba technique. I'm amazed you learned it on your own. Not even Kaien managed to do that, and he was a lieutenant. You are definitely a strong heir to the clan. I think Kukaku would like to see that. Does uncle Isshin know you can do Getsuga too?"

"No, he doesn't…" Karin stated slowly.

"You've been growing at an exponential rate…it kind of reminds me of how quickly Captain Hitsugaya ascended through the ranks. Although it might be dangerous for you to grow too much too fast," Rukia stated.

"I wouldn't sweat it, Kuchiki. Maybe she's a prodigy. I know that having a good understanding of one's Zanpakuto can make a big difference in understanding one's potential. At any rate, if you really want to train with the others, Karin, then ask Kisuke when he gets back. I don't really have the authority to tell you what you should and shouldn't do," Yoruichi noted.

"I will…anything beats going back to school," Karin responded somewhat optimistically.

Ganju cracked a grin, "You are like a combination of Kukaku and Kaien…definitely a true Shiba! I like you cousin!"

"So what's the deal with this Kaien guy everyone keeps vaguely talking about? He was your brother right?" Karin asked Ganju.

He didn't appear thrilled by the topic of Kaien, but given the fact that Karin wasn't funny aware of the details, Ganju decided to explain, "Kaien was the older brother of Kukaku and myself. He was a Shinigami Lieutenant decades ago. He ended up getting infected by hollow and was killed…by her. You might have heard some of the details the night you arrived."

Karin looked over at Rukia, whom Ganju was now pointing at. Rukia did not seem thrilled by the topic, but nodded nonetheless, "I admired Kaien greatly…it brought me no joy to set him free from hollowfication."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did what you had to do…but it doesn't really change the fact that he's gone now," Ganju said sadly.

"Sorry for bringing that up, but it makes me wonder something. Where would someone's soul go if they died here?" Karin wondered.

"Given the fact that he was undergoing hollowfication, I imagine his soul was either obliterated or it ended up being recycled and reborn as something else," Rukia sighed.

"Is it possible he ended up in Hueco Mundo? I mean that's where Ichigo ended up after a hollow ate him," Karin said curiously.

Rukia's eyes shot open shocked, "That's crazy…there's no way Kaien is a hollow."

"But he was undergoing hollowfication…you said so yourself," Karin shot back.

"Even if it's true, normal hollow evolution takes decades if not longer. He would likely be part of a Gillian or one of the Adjuchas. Unfortunately, I wouldn't hold out hope for him being alive or dominant in that kind of state," Yoruichi sighed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hueco Mundo, Torre Del Sol XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Hell Gate slowly peeled open as the strained rattling chains loosened. Soifon gawked in utter horror before turning towards Athena concerned.

Athena's eyes were wide with surprise as the gate opened a bit further. She looked over at Soifon confused, "That's not supposed to happen…"

"Why would it do that?!" Soifon asked urgently.

Before the gate could fully open, a powerful jolt of spiritual energy flooded the room which caused the gate to reverse direction and slowly crank closed. Unfortunately, a black clad figure burst out before it could close. He was unusual looking to say the least.

Soifon gawked at this individual as she slowly gripped the hilt of her Zanpakuto. The mask on the man's face had a very similar likeness to that of a bird of some kind. A very visible chain could be seen anchoring the man to the open gate behind him.

Not moments later, two additional figures came through alongside him. Both of them appeared to have feminine physiques which led Soifon to assume they were women. One had the mask of a fox and the other was difficult to discern. Although their faces were covered by the masks, Athena seemed to know who these people were based on their statures alone.

She stared at them disbelievingly, "Taima…Miho…Yuvha? Is that really you three?"

"Athena…still guarding the gate I see. Even after all these years? I'm shocked it's still intact," the bird masked man said.

Athena narrowed her gaze at him, "How did you open it? What are you three doing in Hell?"

"Maybe you should ask your brother why we're dead and stuck in Hell," the female with the strange mask replied.

"What are you saying?" Athena deflected with uncertainty.

The fox masked woman took a few steps forward and started to laugh a in a slightly ominous way, "Don't pretend like you don't know, Athena…"

"Are you implying Arturo killed you three?" Athena asked.

The fox masked woman started to clap mockingly, "Bravo! She figured it out!"

The other woman hissed in annoyance, "Where's Arturo?!"

"He's dead…I haven't seen him since the fall of the Moon Tower in Las Noches," the purple haired arrancar replied.

"What a shame…that selfish bastard is the one who belongs in Hell, not us." she said.

"How do you figure? My brother only ever had the best intentions for Hueco Mundo. He would not have killed you without good cause. The fact that you three are in Hell makes me doubt that he did so without reason," Athena retorted.

"Surely you're aware of what happens when arrancars kill each other, right Athena? Since the victor no longer consumes the loser, their soul only has one place to go…Hell. That is one of the reasons why Zangetsu forbid us to fight each other. I highly doubt you forgot that," the fox woman said with disbelief.

"Then explain to me how Arturo killed you and why? He wouldn't do that unless he had to." Athena asked.

The fox woman shook her head, "Well he tried to declare himself King after the initial purge was over. News had already reached us about Zangetsu's death, and your cowardly escape. Only four Espada survived…Arturo and the three of us. He believed himself our superior and that we should rebuild the Espada beneath him."

"And that's what led to the infighting? I always assumed it was something less petty than that," Athena said with a frown.

"We know no King but Zangetsu…the one true King of the Hollows. Arturo had no authority to command us…he was barely stronger than I am. The Espada was Zangetsu's creation, and it died with him. I was not interested in following some over ambitious pretender into the grave with our King!" the bird masked man said strongly.

"Arturo cared just as much about Zangetsu's will as the three of you. I'm sure his intentions were more along the lines of revenge against the Shinigami…not usurping the power gap," Athena reasoned.

"You don't get it, Athena…if Zangetsu couldn't defeat the Shinigami then why would Arturo fare any better? You two like to pretend you were on par with him, but you never were and you never will be," the man growled.

"Don't bother, Taima, Athena's just as high and mighty as her bratty brother. Zangetsu should never have shown mercy to them in the first place…" the strange masked woman cut in. Soifon tried to make sense of what it was, but wasn't having much luck.

"Lady Athena, who are these people?" Yin asked curiously.

Athena sighed heavily, "Taima the thunderbird, Miho the kitsune, and Yuvha the basilisk. These were Zangetsu's lieutenants in the ancient times before the formation of the Espada. They ruled over the hollows in the Menos Highlands. They were the first to join Zangetsu's Conquest. They were later the Tres, Quinto, and Sexta Espadas."

Taima looked over Athena's companions with curiosity, "You found yourself some new minions I see."

Yin and Yang appeared otherwise speechless given the unusual circumstances. Taima's gaze immediately stopped upon noticing Soifon's attire, "What the…are those Shinigami clothes? Why would an arrancar be wearing a modified black Shihakusho?"

The woman identified as Yuvha sent an icy death glare towards Soifon. Though it was hard to see any of their expressions beneath the masks, her green snake-like eyes were definitely filled with hostility. Her mask appeared to make sense now that Soifon knew she was a serpent of some kind.

The fox masked woman looked over at Soifon and was the first to address her directly, "Why are you wearing a Shinigami uniform, arrancar?"

"Because I used to be one…" Soifon replied bluntly.

"Why is she with you, Athena?" the bird masked man wondered.

The woman shook her head, "I found Soifon out in the desert all alone. Her condition is apparently the work of Hueco Mundo's newest King. A hollow by the name of White."

"A new king? Hueco Mundo has a new king?" Taima asked.

Soifon nodded as she addressed the question, "Yes, and he's far more powerful than any of you. White sacked the Soul Society recently and abducted a powerful relic called the Hogyoku. He used it to mass produce an arrancar army…he's got hundreds of them. He also rebuilt the Espada and declared war against the Soul Society. I don't know how strong Zangetsu was, but the Soul Society considers White the biggest threat to the Shinigami in the history of the Gotei 13. White also turned me into a hollow after I declared my hatred for your kind."

"Ironic punishment…" Yang muttered.

Athena shook her head in annoyance, "Regardless of that matter…why are you three here? I highly doubt the guardians would just let you do this. Who got you to this gate?"

"Athena…you always were intuitive weren't you?" Miho chuckled, "Hardly surprising considering how knowledgeable you are on Hell."

"Why do they look like that? They don't look like the statues from the antechamber," Yang said noticing the differences in appearance. What's with those masks covering their faces?"

"We're Togabitos now," Yuvha stated as if it was obvious.

"What the hell is a Togabito?" Yin wondered.

Soifon had actually heard the term before. It was used to describe sinner souls who had greatly offended the natural order of the world. They were pulled from the cycle of rebirth and forever imprisoned in Hell for their crimes.

Athena chose not to answer as she took a step closer and looked at her three former companions. She gave them a deadly glare, "I won't ask again…what do you want?"

"What do you think!? We want to get out of here! You can get us out, can't you?" Taima shouted.

Athena shook her head, "And risk opening Hell again…no. We sealed it a long time ago for a reason."

"Wait…what?" Soifon cocked her head with widened eyes.

"Well this is part of what I wanted to show you, Soifon. Torre Del Sol was built to seal the door between Hell and Hueco Mundo. This tower was created stop demons and sinners from escaping Hell," Athena explained.

Soifon's eyes widened with disbelief, "I had no idea hollows sealed off Hell…"

"I know we were never close, Athena, but please help us. You can do something about this!" Taima asked somewhat more respectfully.

"You're all dead…you're going to have to stay dead. I'm sorry, but I won't risk letting another demon army into Hueco Mundo. Zangetsu made me swear that it would stay sealed. He may be gone, but his command still stands. Forgive me…I had no idea you three were in Hell. I know it's unfair, but I cannot risk another invasion," Athena said sadly.

"Pfft…you hypocritical bitch! Don't buy into her fake sympathy, all of you followers. Athena came from Hell. All of the ancient Sun Hollows did! She was a demon before she became a hollow!" Yuvha spat.

Soifon seemed taken aback by the shocking news. Yin and Yang appeared to be in disbelief.

Athena herself sent a fiery glare towards them, "You always did hold that against me…maybe this is karma."

Before any of them could say another word, Athena held her hand up and blasted their masks off with some kind of burning flare attack. Much to Soifon's surprise, the moment their masks broke, the chains began to yank the three back into Hell. The gate immediately closed afterward and was wrapped in chains. A bright light came in from the ceiling afterward causing some type of ward to cover it as well.

Athena sighed, "Well…that's certainly not something I wanted to show you Soifon."

"You're from Hell?!" Yang gawked at her mistress with shock.

Athena nodded, "I am…"

"How can a demon become a hollow?! That doesn't make any sense?!" Soifon said shocked.

"Things were different before Zangetsu came along. Hollows used to come from two sources…human souls and demon souls. One was falling down the ladder and the other was climbing it. It's difficult to explain this to those who don't understand the way the worlds work. Zangetsu, however, hated the idea of demons coming into Hueco Mundo…sinners escaping Hell and making their way back into the cycle was atrocious to him. Especially because it jeopardized what he was trying to accomplish with the hollows. Before I finally bent my knee to him, Zangetsu told me that leaving the gate open would only ensure chaos and misery for our kind. We built Torre Del Sol to keep the Hellgate sealed," Athena explained.

"Huh…I'll bet that pissed a lot of people off," Soifon noted.

"It certainly did…but the only reason I agreed to help Zangetsu with it is because of the Demon Army that tried to use Hueco Mundo as a buffer to reach the other worlds. Like it or not, he did the Shinigami and humans a massive favor by holding them back," Athena replied.

"So you just sit here and guard the gate? Is that why you were so determined to stay alive?" Soifon finally realized.

Athena sighed, "Well this situation certainly revealed more than I wanted to tell you, but it is good you know the whole truth now. I can only hope that this is enough to convince you that I'm not your enemy."

"So what are you going to do if and when White comes here? You mentioned this place had defenses?" Soifon asked concerned.

"I will speak with him and see for myself whether or not he's trustworthy. I would like you to be present when it happens if you don't mind," Athena replied.

Soifon looked down worried, "I don't know if I can face him again…"

"You won't be alone, Soifon. I'll be there with you," Athena tried to reassure her.

"You don't understand what he's like…I don't know what he'll do when he finds us and this place," Soifon said with unmasked concern.

"You are a good judge of his character. I am quite interested to see how he reacts to you. It will give me an idea of what kind of person he is. Also, do not be worried. Torre Del Sol has an impenetrable defense against attack. For now, I want to give you some lessons in how to be an arrancar," Athena said as she motioned for Soifon to follow her.

Reluctantly, the dark haired arrancar followed Athena out of the room leaving Yin and Yang behind. The twins traded concerned looks before Yin spoke, "I love Lady Athena, but I'm not fighting this arrancar king. If he offers us a chance to join him, I'm going."

"Yin! You can't just betray Athena like that…she's done so much for us," Yang said distraught.

"I'm just telling you now, so you're not surprised if it happens. Lady Athena has been nothing but good to us, but in all these years she never once told us the real reason why that Gate was in here. We're going nowhere just sitting out here. If there's hundreds of Arrancars on the other side of the Abyssal Scar, then I want to be there. Just imagine…a society of people like us where we can be a part of something great," Yin said eagerly.

"But we're already a part of something great. Lady Athena would not forgive us if we left for a supposed better deal. White could be a vindictive tyrant who would want to throw away our lives meaninglessly," Yang said as persuasively as possible.

"Yeah he could be a cruel ruler…but that's only one person's opinion. An ex-shinigami's opinion at that. Athena is leading us nowhere. At least over there, we'd have a real purpose you know?" Yin responded.

Yang frowned, "What if he tries to kill Athena though? Would you just stand by and let it happen? You would eagerly fall in line and follow some king you've never met who killed our leader?"

"Stop with all the doom and gloom, Yang! This is a good thing!" Yin said as she grabbed her sister's shoulders and tried to shake some sense into her.

"I find it ironic that you're the optimistic one for once and I'm the pessimist. Hmph…well maybe things will work out. No matter what though, we're sticking together," Yang replied with a light chuckle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Ichigo's Dream XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Looking over the monumental, shimmering citadel of Las Noches surrounded by individual monlith towers, Zangetsu smiled, "It's finally complete…"

"The Moon Tower is beautiful your grace…truly a testament to the might of the Espada," a voice sounded to his side. Zangetsu looked over and spotted a male arrancar with mint green hair and amber eyes. A mask fragment wrapped around his right cheek all the way to the back of his head.

"We didn't make it too big did we? The outer towers are all the size of Torre Del Sol. I don't want people to think we're over-compensating," Zangetsu chuckled as he looked over the city surrounding Las Noches below.

"Haha, surely they wouldn't your grace. It's no more ridiculous than any other palace. Besides, something like this will stand the test of time. Just think about what hollows thousands of years from now will say about it. It's like the heart of Hueco Mundo," the arrancar laughed.

"A pretty big heart…" Zangetsu laughed in unison.

His laughter died down shortly afterward as he stared at it almost sadly, "This is our legacy, Arturo…this palace is a testament to how far we've come. I won't be around forever, but hopefully Las Noches stands the test of time. Future generations will know that somebody was here and that there's more to our existence than this emptiness."

"Ha, what the hell are you talking about, Zangetsu?! We're going to rule here forever…we'll turn Hueco Mundo into a paradise. One that even the Shinigami envy," Arturo proclaimed proudly.

"Unfortunately, nothing good lasts forever. Thankfully nothing bad does as well, but it doesn't make the truth any easier to swallow. That's just not the way things work," Zangetsu explained.

"We can make it work, Zangetsu…all we have to do is protect it," Arturo said as convincingly as he could.

"And we will...for a time, but when and if I die, this entire kingdom is going to come crashing down…hollows only follow a strong leader. I doubt you or your sister could really stop a civil war if something happened to me," Zangetsu said distantly.

"You won't die! You can't die…" Arturo said rejecting the very notion of the possibility.

Zangetsu sighed, "If the Shinigami grow envious or fearful, then they're going to attack us. You have to consider the possibility of my death. If I die…make sure Las Noches stands no matter what."

"You're not going to die, damn it! Where'd all this depressing talk come from anyway? You're not worried about the demons coming back are you? Or is it the Shinigami?" Arturo wondered.

Zangetsu turned to face Arturo with a serious face, "I don't know what it is. I have been having these visions of my past life…it's all blurry. Nothing makes sense. I keep seeing hell butterflies in my dreams as well…"

"Zangetsu!" a voice interrupted them. Both Arturo and Zangetsu turned around and spotted a black haired female arrancar sporting a strange variation of the Espada wardrobe. It was quite similar to a short kimono and was the traditional Espada white. The arrancar woman was also barefoot.

She had beautiful blue eyes which were feral and almost seemed to glow unnaturally. Her scleras were black as well which only added to this unusual glow. Despite also having pitch black hair, the very tips of her hair was a ghostly silver-white. Her mask fragment looked remarkably like fox ears.

"I'll tell you the rest some other time," Zangetsu said as he briefly looked back at Arturo.

"What do you want, Miho? We were having a conversation," Arturo said somewhat annoyed.

The kitsune arrancar gave him a wicked glare, "I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to speak to my master when I wanted to. Am I forbidden to approach, Segunda?"

Arturo rolled his eyes at her, "Whatever…"

"Master, I have something for you," Miho said eagerly as she handed him a large and unusual looking key.

He gave her a bewildered look, "You made me a key? That's…cute. Is it the key to your heart?"

Miho immediately burst into laughter as she doubled over in hysteria, "Hahaha! You're kidding me right?!"

"It wasn't that funny…" Arturo said in annoyance as he gave Miho an unimpressed look.

"I thought the King's joke was hilarious," Miho replied.

"Oh you're totally right…it was a funny joke. The joke being why a key to your heart would matter to anyone?" Arturo responded callously.

"Zangetsu doesn't like me like that…and I don't like him like that either. Maybe you just don't understand it…Zangetsu is like my brother. Crawl out of your own ass for once, Arturo," Miho said somewhat more seriously.

Zangetsu shook his head and laughed, "There is no key to escape the friend zone I guess."

Arturo couldn't help but chuckle at the way Zangetsu followed up.

"Anyways…what's the key for, Miho?" Arturo asked.

"Wait a minute…is this what I think it is?" Zangetsu asked as he began to realize what the key was.

"Yeah…it's what you think it is. It's that Oken thing you were always talking about. You mentioned a good while back that you were looking for the rest of the parts. It took a while, but Taima, Yuvha, and I finally found them all and we managed to put them back together for you," Miho explained.

Zangetsu's eyes were wide with amazement, "You have no idea how truly thankful I am that you three recovered this for me…how did you find all the pieces? This thing was shattered."

"What's it open anyway? You always talked about finding all the pieces when we were Vasto Lordes," Miho said curiously.

"Yeah, what does that thing open? I didn't do all that work just out of the kindness of my heart. Why is that key important to you?" a male voice sounded nearby.

Zangetsu looked up and noticed a tall, tan skinned man with long raven hair. He also had tribal markings on his face which only accentuated his piercing silver and black sclera eyes. His mask fragment was difficult to describe, but it had feathers coming out of it which gave it an obvious avian appearance.

To his side was a woman with silver white hair, green black sclera eyes, and ghostly pale skin. Her hair was in a single long braid and her mask fragment resembled the remnants of a snake's upper jaw.

"Taima don't be pushy…he'll tell us if he wants," Yuvha said calmly as the duo made their way towards the others.

"Well you can't blame me for being curious…it's obviously something important," the man said seriously.

Zangetsu looked at the key for a moment and frowned, "To be honest, I don't even remember what it was for or what it opened. It was a long time ago and all I remember was it used to be very important to me. Now that I finally have it again, I don't really know what to think. You guys going through the trouble of doing something like this for me means more to me than the actual key itself."

"So it's the key to your heart?!" Miho laughed.

"Aww you seriously don't remember what it's for? That's like the biggest mystery ever when it comes to you. You're not even remotely curious to find out why you were obsessed with that thing?" Yuvha asked.

Zangetsu stared at it for a long moment, 'What did this thing open?'

He gripped it tightly in hand as he felt a wave of frustration wash over him, 'Why can't I remember?!'

Ichigo dream soon began to distort into a strange, twisted reality as a massive hell butterfly flew in front of him, "You have found solace in your ignorance, Zangetsu…but your time is running out."

"Get away from me!" Zangetsu shouted defensively.

He looked around in the darkness and couldn't see Hueco Mundo or his companions anywhere in sight. He called out to them urgently, "Taima! Miho! Arturo! Athena! Yuvha! Anyone!?"

There was no response, and all Zangetsu could see was the massive hell butterfly flying towards him.

"Darkness awaits you, Zangetsu. Nobody can hear you. Nobody can see you. Nobody can smell you. Nobody can touch you. Nobody can sense you. Nobody will remember you. Nonexistence will drown you in the black sea of oblivion. You were too weak. Your courage has failed. Your friends are all dead…your kingdom has fallen…Your heart will explode." an unknown voice said distantly in the darkness. It soon became clear that the Hell butterfly was the one speaking to him.

Not a second after it finished speaking, Zangetsu clutched his chest in agony. It literally felt like his chest was about to burst. He shrieked in pain as the feeling of pain in his chest grew exponentially.

"Arrgh!" Zangetsu howled as his chest began to inflate. From the hole in his chest, he could see a massive gathering of some white substance that ballooned to twice his size. Not even a second later, his chest burst causing him to writhe in pure agony.

"White! Wake up!" a voice cried through the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Las Noches, Ichigo XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jerking upright in terror, Ichigo immediately lunged for the figure standing over him in his dark room. He grabbed them by the shoulders as he pinned the shadow against the wall. It took him a few moments to realize he just woke from a nightmare. After realizing the situation, Ichigo calmed down and took a closer look at the individual who woke him.

It was none other than Harribel. Her deep green eyes had a look of genuine concern etched on them as she politely pushed Ichigo off of her.

"Are you, okay?" she asked not really sure what to say.

"Harribel…what are you doing in my room?" Ichigo asked curiously.

She frowned beneath her mask, "Well I wanted to get some advice from you about the whole second release thing…but I got a bit distracted by the weird stuff you were saying in your sleep."

"I talk in my sleep?" Ichigo said surprised.

She nodded her head, "Yeah…you said some names I'd never heard before. There was also something about the key to someone's heart? Must have been a strange dream…although the last bit seemed more like a nightmare. You were calling out for people...it kind of scared me."

"You've been watching me sleep? That's a bit…strange," Ichigo said as he rose a brow at her.

The blonde gave him a counter brow raise, "You don't seem to care when Ulquiorra does it."

"That's because Ulquiorra and I are close friends and he's mostly interested in keeping people from bothering me when I sleep," Ichigo explained.

"I'm bothering your sleep then? Are you saying we're not friends?" the woman crossed her arms.

Ichigo shrugged, "Well we are…but I don't know if I'd consider us close friends. You and I don't talk to each other that much. It's pretty rare for us to talk about anything other than business or leadership stuff."

"Why is that? You seem to talk to everyone else a lot. Even my own fracciones are quite taken with you. They always talk about how they enjoy your company and brag about getting personal time with you later. Do you not enjoy talking to me? Am I boring or something?" she asked.

"What? Of course I like talking to you. Of all the arrancars in Hueco Mundo, you're one of the most level-headed and sensible. I can always trust you to do the right thing and stay on track. I just leave you to yourself a lot because I know I don't have to micromanage you," the hollow king replied.

Harribel seemed as if she was analyzing his every word carefully. Ichigo didn't like this feeling of being analyzed so thoroughly and rubbed the back of his head, "So…what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Not so fast, White. My curiosity is getting the better of me. What were you dreaming about? You should tell me now before you forget," she said anxiously.

"What's with the sudden curiosity? It was just a weird dream. I'd rather not talk about it," Ichigo said defensively.

The blonde cocked her head at him, "You're on guard around me all the time…I didn't really notice it much at first, but it's completely obvious now. Do you not trust me?"

"It's not that…" Ichigo said as he looked away.

She seemed slightly agitated by his lack of an explanation and pushed him, "What is it then?"

There was an odd tension in the room that Ichigo could not understand. It seemed obvious that there was some kind of deeper meaning to what Harribel was asking him.

"You stare at me a lot whenever we're around each other. I can't tell what you're thinking when I notice it. Why are you so vigilant when I'm around huh? Do I make you uncomfortable?" She asked as she pushed him again.

"Of course not. I'll tell you about the dream then…" Ichigo changed the subject.

"You understand why I'm concerned right?" she asked him.

"You're making sure I'm okay because you're my friend, and you want to make sure this doesn't affect me or interfere in our normal operations?" Ichigo shrugged.

"I'm concerned because you don't seem to trust or like me very much. You know that your opinion means a great deal to me…but I get the feeling it's kind of one sided. What's my concern worth to you? Not much apparently…" Harribel said displeased.

He shook his head in disbelief, "Since when have you ever been under the impression I didn't like you?"

"And?" she said as she stared at him intently.

"What do you want from me? Just tell me what it is and I'll try my best to do it for you," Ichigo sighed.

"Tell me why you stare at me all the time but rarely talk to me about anything other than training. Why are we so impersonal despite all we've been through?" she half-demanded.

Ichigo finally gave in to her, "I don't mean to stare at you. It's nothing bad, Harribel…it's just because you're beautiful. I don't talk to you on a personal level much because you don't seem like you're a fan of small talk."

"I'm beautiful huh? So you just stare at me then in passing? How do you know I wouldn't like small talk? I'm interested in some small talk right now. Let's start with what the deal is with you and me? You don't have a problem talking to any other 'Beautiful' female." She countered.

Ichigo tried to change the subject, "You made your point...we should be more open. So do you still want to hear about my dream?"

Harribel glared at him, "You're doing it again. Now it's just starting to piss me off. I want to get to the bottom of this right now."

"So the dream began with me-" Ichigo began, but he was quickly interrupted as Harribel pushed him hard.

"If you're trying to provoke me then you're doing a great job. Don't make me do something you'll regret." she said dangerously.

"Oh so you do have emotions? What are you going to do that I'll regret? Push me again?" Ichigo decided to tease her since he was already on her bad side.

Not a moment later, the blonde tackled him. Surprisingly, she managed to knock him off his feet. The two went flying back and for some odd reason ended up on top of his bed. Harribel seemed completely flustered and Ichigo shocked.

"So I'm too emotionless to talk to? Is that it? You think I don't care about things? That I don't care…you're wrong if that's what you think. I care too much...and I'm afraid of that." she said somewhat emotionally. It seemed like her emotional wall was beginning to lower, and much to his surprise, Ichigo could see an unusual vulnerability in Harribel. It was so weird to see this side of her and he had no clue how to react.

She seemed very sad for some reason. Ichigo immediately began to feel horrible for inciting her and remained motionless as she clamped onto him tightly with her head buried in the mattress.

"I didn't realize you felt this way, Tia...but it's difficult to know what you want when you're always hiding your emotions from everyone," Ichigo said.

"I'll tell you what I want if you promise not to laugh. I like it when you look at me…it makes me feel good when I have your attention. I want you to like me…I don't know how else to say it. I want to be closer to you. I want you to touch me," she said as if it was the most embarrassing and shameful thing to ever admit aloud.

Ichigo wasn't really sure what was the best route to go from there as the two remained in the same position for a few moments.

"You can start by calling me Ichigo all the time…" was all he could think to say as he embraced her in a hug.

This seemed to make her feel a lot better as she made deep eye contact with him. Her face hovered close to his for a moment before her hollow mask opened. Before Ichigo could realize what this would lead to, her mouth immediately locked with his.

The blonde aggressively pushed him down as she crawled into a more dominant position and began to force her tongue into his mouth. Ichigo could barely believe her enthusiasm behind the action as she passionately made out with him.

After breaking their kiss, she looked at him hungrily as she grabbed one his hands. She slowly moved it up towards her stomach and higher, "More, Ichigo..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Ichigo's Room Later XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo awoke later to find himself tangled up in his bed with Tia. There was an obvious lack of clothes between them as he could feel her warm, soft, but defined body pressed against his.

"So that wasn't just a dream then? Well…this is certainly going to make things awkward around here now," Ichigo said to himself.

The blonde seemed to stir awake as her eyes slowly opened revealing radiant emeralds. She had a look satisfaction in her eyes which Ichigo wasn't really used to seeing. The woman chuckled at him as they made eye contact, "You're finally awake? I didn't wear you out that bad did I?"

"I thought you were still sleeping," Ichigo replied with a light blush at her remark.

She shook her head as she moved over to straddle him, "I can't sleep…there's too much on my mind."

"Like what?" Ichigo asked as he briefly looked down at her body.

"Like you and me…and the others. What's the deal with that anyways? Am I your girl now or was this just a one time thing?" she wondered.

Ichigo sighed, "Well, I've been kind of avoiding this stuff for a while. I can't afford to have distractions like this affecting our teamwork and efficiency. These kinds of relationships always complicate things. What happened was…amazing. But unfortunately, it's going to have some negative consequences."

"No negative consequence will ever outweigh the loneliness I felt before last night. You felt it too. You can't deny it was great being together like that," the blonde said softly as her mask fragment opened up again. Ichigo knew what that meant as the woman locked lips with him.

He broke it off before she could go any further and looked at her seriously, "We can't just do this in the middle of a war. Do you have any idea how the others will act when they find out? And trust me they will. You are not the only one who likes me, Tia. Do you really want to stir up this kind of dispute?"

"Why does it even have to be a dispute? What's the problem with us openly liking each other? It's not like what happened between the two of us is going to permanently forbid them from liking you either," she said.

"You don't see the problem in that? I don't want people fighting over my attention and getting resentful of each other," Ichigo replied.

She shook her head, "Maybe you haven't noticed, but everyone already fights over your favor and affection. I could care less if they want to spend time with you when I'm not around…just so long as you're always there when I need you."

"What are you saying?" he said shocked.

"I'm saying I could care less whether they're in the equation with us or not. They can either accept that and get over it or they can just die mad," she clarified.

"That's unusually open-minded. Not something I'd expect from you to be honest," Ichigo replied.

"Well it's good we're getting to know each other better then, isn't it?" she said somewhat seductively.

Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her comment, "I guess so."

She got off of him and cuddled next to Ichigo resting her head on his shoulder, "Enough about this. I'll keep it on the down low for now if you'd prefer. You should tell me about that dream now that we're both awake again."

"Ah okay. Well you remember what I told you, Barragan, and Stark the other day right? About how Zangetsu was the hollow king and my Zanpakuto is named after him. Well I have memories from his life sometimes. They usually come to me in dreams. I saw Las Noches' construction getting completed. Where the dome of the palace stands now, there used to be this huge central citadel called the Moon Tower. It stretched way higher than the outer towers. I was talking about it with some people in the dream," Ichigo began.

"Hueco Mundo used to have a tower like that? So then who were those names you were calling out?" She asked curiously.

"I think they were the ancient Espada…they gave me this key that I had apparently been obsessed with finding all the pieces to. Something called an Oken. I recall in the dream that I was desperate to remember what it was for. Then the dream got dark and I saw this massive hell butterfly. It said some strange things to me and that's around the time I woke up," Ichigo explained.

"A massive hell butterfly? I wonder that means?" she pondered aloud.

Ichigo shrugged, "I'm not sure…but it's definitely something Sousuke Aizen would know about. I'm going to ask him later. By the way, what was the original reason you came here before all this happened?"

"Oh that? It was the only excuse I could think of to come talk to you alone," she said somewhat embarrassed.

"For someone as strong and confident as you, I find it odd how shy you actually are," Ichigo laughed.

"Only when it comes to stuff like this. Well anyways, I'll let you get back to business then. I'm glad we…spent some time together," the blonde arrancar said as she got up and started to get dressed.

As she made her way to the door, she looked back at him, "See you later, Ichigo. I'll be coming around here more often if that's fine with you," she responded before departing.

"Sounds good," he said with a smile. He couldn't help but laugh at the way she phrased the sentence.

'Damn, who knew what a vixen she was. Hopefully I didn't make a mistake by letting her seduce me like that. I probably just opened the floodgates.' Ichigo thought as he watched Harribel's voluptuous sculpted form turn around.

After the woman left, Ichigo decided to get dressed himself. After doing so, he went to his balcony and looked over the horizon. Despite all that happened with Harribel, he was still somewhat hung up on his dream. Something about the names and faces of what he assumed were old Espada was striking a chord with him.

'They were Zangetsu's friends…what were those names again? Arturo? Miho? Taima? Yuvha? There was another name I called out in the darkness. I wonder who the hell Athena is?' Ichigo wondered.

"Ichigo!" an urgent voice sounded from overhead. Looking over, the hollow king noticed Ulquiorra land on his balcony next to him.

Ulquiorra's urgency was definitely not a commonality which led Ichigo to assume it was something very serious. He gave his dark haired friend a serious look, "Where have you been, Ulquiorra?"

"I was at the place you told me never to return to…that dark pit where I was born. Forgive me, but I had to go there in order to come to terms with who I am. I managed to achieve a second release in doing so," Ulquiorra explained.

"That's great news, Ulquiorra, but what's with the frown? You should be in a good mood. I achieved my second release as well. I wouldn't mind hearing about how your training went," Ichigo replied.

"It can wait for now…there's something very important I need to tell you. That dark pit that I showed you back when we were Vasto Lordes…I found a colony of hollows like me there. You remember them right? They were all dark…well I found out that the reason I was the only white one is because I'm their Omega. They sensed my power when I achieved Segunda Etapa. The alpha that found me had no idea what arrancars were, but she thought I was in league with some arrancar that crossed over the pit. Apparently, there's another landmass over it…something they called the Outlands," Ulquiorra explained.

Ichigo's face was a mixture of disbelief and anxiousness, "Another landmass? Are you serious? Did they describe what this arrancar looked like who crossed? Are you sure it wasn't one of ours?"

"They say it was a purple haired hollow with the number one on her shoulder. That would imply she was an Espada…but I don't know anyone with purple hair, and that number placement sounds odd. There's no telling who she is or what's going on in these Outlands," Ulquiorra replied.

"So what happened with the colony of hollows that found you?" Ichigo wondered.

"They offered to help guide us across the pit if I came back with you. The Alpha I spoke to went by the name of Dusk. She said she would gather the other Alphas to meet us. I'm sure they can explain more once we get there," Ulquiorra stated.

"We need to investigate this immediately. The last thing I need are rogue arrancars in Hueco Mundo. Besides…if there's an entire landmass on the other side of the pit then…" Ichigo stopped dead in his sentence as he remembered the memory of Zangetsu fighting Yamamoto.

'Those mountains were destroyed…I've been wondering where the hell that battle took place. It could only be the pit. How the hell did this not occur to me sooner?!' Ichigo thought shocked as the epiphany hit him full force.

"Should we bring any of the others, or do you think just the two of us should go?" Ulquiorra wondered.

"The others are still busy training…they need to focus on doing that. It would be safest and the most efficient for just you and I to go. We can afford to spend our time with this now that we both have a second release," Ichigo explained.

"Should I notify the others of the situation?" Ulquiorra asked.

"No…just tell them that you and I are going to go training with our second releases in the deep desert. I don't want this to distract anyone from achieving their second release. Whatever's out there can be more than easily handled by the two of us. At the very least, I'll go tell Sousuke in case this is a trap of some kind," Ichigo responded as he began to gather some nearby supplies.

"Meet me at the east gate when you're ready to go," Ulquiorra nodded as he departed immediately.

'An arrancar with the number 1 on her shoulder? She couldn't possibly be one of the old espada could she?' Ichigo thought to himself as he left to go inform some of the others that he was leaving the palace.