Ichigo Awakens

(Sokyoku Hill)

Ichigo watched the tunnel of blades dissolve into hundreds of millions of bladed petals, the noble captain not wasting any time on the upstart ryoka. With a flick of his hands, Byakuya Kuchiki commanded his torrents of flower petal blades into a fast moving stream to the hybrid. The only look in the man's eyes was cold anger, anger at the disrespect of the law, anger at the failure of his promise to his late wife, the betrayal of his lieutenant, and above all this one upstart commoner who dared to spit in the face of hundreds of years of tradition.

'Wow, he is mad.' Ichigo thought as he flashstepped around the chosen battlefield, feeling the fury in the captain's attacks. All this was to buy time, time for someone, anyone, to find and reveal Aizen's plot. So for now, he focused on dodging and blocking the torrents of blades coming at him from practically every angle. Blasts of Kido and Reishi, blocking with the broad side of his blade, just plain evasion, all to prevent the noble across from him landing a hit. Byakuya waving his arm like he was conducting an orchestra of death against the single opponent he has.

"I was expecting a bit more after the first time we met, Ichigo Kurosaki." Byakuya said, a cold edge lining his words. "If this is all you can muster, then you should never have come to Soul Society." He swung his arms again, the stream of petals coming down on Ichigo's head and another small one from behind.

"How is the law more important than your sister's life!?" He yelled out, blocking the above attack with his blade while feeling the attack from behind tearing into his side. He grunted in pain but stood his ground. "I think even your parents would say something is wrong with all this."

"Someone like you would never understand the weight I bear." Byakuya moved his blades in formation for one of his signature abilities. "The weight of a noble and a captain." He said as all the bladed petals surrounded Ichigo, trapping him in a swirling sphere of death. "Though, as much as I hate you for failing Rukia, you do have my thanks. For a time, I had hope. Hope that she would be saved. But the law is greater than the life of one noble. Gokei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." He said, making the sphere implode on the hybrid. "Repent for your sins to myself and Rukia in the next life, Ichigo Kurosaki." He watched his attack strike true, and was immediately blasted away by an intense force of Reiatsu.

"Do you know how long I've been preparing for this? I've been trained by and with nine captain level people, masters of Shunpo, Hakudo, Kido, and Zanjustu." He heard Ichigo say from a swirling black vortex with a blue and red glow. "For the past six years of my life, I, the heir of the Kurosaki clan of the Living World and son of the Shiba clan of Soul Society, have trained to the limits of my body and pushed beyond. My blades are the power that will cleave the heavens and tear them asunder." He watched as the hybrid stood up, his torn clothes revealing a thousand fading gashes as they healed. "I don't give a damn about laws and traditions. I've trained for one reason." He pointed his massive Khyber blade at the shocked captain. "You are just a stepping stone to my end goal Byakuya Kuchiki. This fight is one you cannot win."

"I swore to kill you." Byakuya forced out, refusing to be intimidated. "For the sake of my pride, and the protection of Soul Society. Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." He said, surrounding the both of them with thousands of glowing pink swords in the form of his blade. "I have only shown this to one other person. One that I swore to kill with my own hands. You forced my hand, boy. Feel the weight of the Soul Society." He said, summoning a blade to his hand.

"Okay." Ichigo said, surveying his surroundings. "Then I'll try this." He threw his lone blade into the air and swung his hand down. With that came a rain of dozens of different variations of his sword. "Mayonaka no Ha." He said, standing in the middle of his blades.

"Is this the power of your Zanpakuto?" Byakuya asked, feeling insulted by the display. "Summoning more of your blade? You think that shikai can measure to my bankai?"

"I absolutely can." Ichigo said, grabbing a saw tooth blade. "I'd say more, but there are spoilers involved." He charged to meet the noble, releasing a loud clang.

(With Soi-Fon and Yoruichi)

Their clash continued, a fierce exchange of punches and kicks, knees and elbows, palms and chops. Yoruichi could tell that her former protege was skilled enough to match her, just barely, but she was distracted.

'Tatsuki,' She thought of the one person that could have done anything to rattle her old student, 'you've overstepped your boundaries with this.' She continued to defend against Soi-Fon's attacks, the smallest of tears dripping from her eyes as memories and words from now and long ago echo in her mind.

"Put your life on the line to serve her." The memories rang out with every attack she made. Some hitting true, some missing. "Just call me whatever you want." Each one, slowly cracking that shell of hate she built for the past century. "I had you moved here because you have potential." Her father, Yoruichi, Tatsuki, and herself. "She left you behind because she didn't want you to become a criminal for her sake." "I worshiped her." She loosed out a scream of fury as she unleashed the technique she made, reserved solely for this fight with her fallen mentor.

"Look at me now Yoruichi!" She yelled out, the swirling vortex of Kido power radiating from her. "This is the new technique I invented just for this!" Yoruichi watched in shock at her disciple's foolish action.

"Soi-Fon stop!" She yelled out in concern. "Your Shunko is unstable! You can't maintain-"

"Look at how strong I've become!" Soi-Fon said, her voice cracking. "I'm strong now... right?" She began to tremble as her emotional defenses finally fell. "I've met your expectations now, haven't I?" She dropped to her knees and Yoruichi went to her crying disciple to dispel the dangerous technique. "I... I..." She stammered before feeling her mentor wrap her arms around her shaking form.

"You've gotten so strong while I was gone." She said, pride evident in her voice. "You were the only one I could count on to take over after I left." Soi-Fon brought her shaking arms around her mistress. "I'm so proud of you." Yoruichi said, making her disciple cry again. In relief and joy. Yoruichi was still her much beloved mistress.

(Somewhere in Seireitei)

The rest of the gang were running around, trying to meet at the agreed on rallying point. Ikkaku led Tatsuki, Yumichika and Hanatarou helped Orihime stay focused, Chad and Uryu had directions from their captain captors, and Ganju followed Uryu. After a few minutes of running, they finally caught up with each other.

"Alright, everyone listen up." Uryu said, taking charge of the group. "Ukitake told me that Rukia is coming our way. We need to figure out whose getting her out of here and whose backing up Ichigo."

"We'll get Rukia out of here." Tatsuki said, gesturing to herself and Orihime. "You two have more battle experience and have fought alongside him longer."

"We'll leave our Ichigo in your trustworthy hands." Orihime said with a smile. She brightened up further when she saw their objective. "Rukia!" She called as Renji continued to carry her. Just then, a bleeding Tousen appeared in front of them and pulled out a length of cloth that spun around the three before vanishing in a flash of light.

"That's not good." Uryu stated, feeling three strong presences showing up where Ichigo was. His eyes, drifting to the glove on his right hand.

"Attention everyone!" They heard a voice in their minds.

(Kenpachi vs Komamura)

The wolf man continued his barrage in vain. No matter what he did, Zaraki was just stronger and seemed to grow more so as the fight went on. The scarred man grunted in annoyance as the giant puppet kept bringing down his strikes that he just kept deflecting. Eventually he grabbed onto the massive blade and tore it out of the giant's hand, with Komamura reflecting what happened.

"How did someone like you ever become a captain?" Kenpachi groaned, not feeling any benefit from this battle. "You don't even make for a decent warm-up." He said just as a voice called out to everyone.

"Captain Aizen is alive!" They heard the ethereal voice that would condemn who was thought to be a dead man.

"And there's the confirmation." Zaraki said, completely apathetic to the situation. "Tousen's a traitor." He looked over to Komamura who seemed to be in shock and denial. "Let's go." He told the wolf man. "The old man issued their deaths if they were found as traitors." Komamura took a few more seconds before he rose up, dispelling his bankai.

"Very well." He disbelief switching out for righteous fury.

(Earlier at the C46 Chambers)

He was blind to the world around him, focusing only on the sight ahead. He had broken through the barrier that separated the outside from the 46 officials that made up the main governing body of the Soul Society, and found only corpses.

'Aizen is suspected of treason.' The words of the ancient commander echoed in his mind. 'If there is evidence that supports this at the Central 46, then captains Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen are to be found and killed on sight.'

"Who could have done this?" He heard his lieutenant ask, managing to stay composed. "Captain?" She asked in concern, shaking him.

"Aizen's alive." He barely managed to whisper. One of the most gentle, charming, wise, and trustworthy captains had manipulated everyone this whole time. "He's deeper inside." He said, trying to make any rational sense out of everything. If they were paying any attention, they would have noticed Hinamori at the entrance and Gin on the other side, beckoning her closer, silently.

"Captain, what are you talking about?" She asked, desperate to understand what was going on.

"Ichigo told the Head Captain that Aizen was planning to betray Soul Society." He admitted, shocking his lieutenant. "Gin and Tousen are his co-conspirators, they have been for centuries." He left Momo, his closest friend, in the care of a man trying to destroy Soul Society for decades. He looked to the only other entrance, deeper into the council chambers. "I need to see this. I need to see with my own eyes that Aizen is alive." He made his way inside, deeper into the forbidden sections of the building. His pace increased as he went deeper and deeper, hearing his childhood friend and a man he still wanted to think was dead. He reached them, seeing them embrace each other, with a dark look in Aizen's eyes. He shunpoed his way to them and ripped Hinamori from the traitorous man's arms, and felt cold steel pierce his back.

"Quite the trouble maker aren't you, Hitsugaya." Aizen said. Toshiro looked to see Gin smiling that sadistic smile at him.

"T-Toshiro?" Momo asked as Rangiku pulled her away. "W-what's happening? Captain Aizen-"

"Rangiku!" Hitsugaya yelled out, coughing up blood. "Get Momo out of here and send the message! Aizen is a traiAHH!" He ordered as Gin ripped the blade out of him. Rangiku attempted to run before getting bound.

"Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro." Aizen calmly chanted, trapping all three. "I was hoping to kill her quickly. A last courtesy to her. So easy to manipulate." Momo was in shock, everything she was was trying to deny anything but the kind gentle captain she adored. "But still useless. I was expecting her to try harder and die by Ichigo's hands. Ruin more of his credibility. Instead he made it to Yamamoto."

"And told us everything." Another voice said as Unohana revealed herself, making Gin jump back to Aizen. "I thought something was off with your fake body. But when I showed the ryoka, they saw nothing. One of them even dispelled the illusion. Quite the dangerous Zapakuto you have." She said as Toshiro slowly pushed himself up. "I'd suggest running while you have the chance. Tousen wasn't nearly a match for Zaraki and Yamamoto's waiting for my lieutenant to signal everyone." She reached her hand to her braid and released it, letting her hair slowly unravel. "Unless you'd like to gamble on a fight against me?" Aizen glared at the captain and felt a sense of fear he hadn't had in a long time. Gin activated their escape spell, just in time to hear Isane preparing her broadcast.

(Sokyoku Hill)

Byakuya was forced on the defensive as Ichigo's unpredictable style assaulted him. Ichigo was practically seamless, switching between blades and styles with ease. Every blade made him alter his fighting in the smallest way and didn't slow him down in the slightest. Different types of serrated blades to tear away Byakuya's guard and slash him deeply, hooked blades to put him in an extended grab and slam him against the ground, slim for speed, wide for defense and power. Byakuya couldn't get close when Ichigo started summoning blades to his hand much like he did and started swinging them by the cloth like a demented dance. Ichigo spent the past three days adapting to his hundred different blades and now it shown. Byakuya was only making do with his slightly greater speed and years of experience. After ten minutes, Byakuya noticed something was off.

"I thought your intention was to defeat me." He said, managing to flashstep into Ichigo's guard and impale his foot. "Is this the extent of your abilities?" He asked while placing a finger against Ichigo's shoulder.

"No, but you never know whose watching." Ichigo said, matching Byakuya's actions but on the side of his abdomen.

"Hado #4, Byakurai!" They said simultaneously, Byakuya blowing a hole through Ichigo's while he did the same elsewhere on the noble's body.

"Besides, I'm not trying to kill you." Ichigo grunted, stumbling back as his body healed from the attack. "Just buying time." He said before delivering a strong blow to Byakuya's wound. "Every heard of the idea, to fool your enemies you must fool your friends?" He asked as Byakuya dropped to his knees. "Do you really think I would've survived against the Captain Commander if he was really trying to kill me?" He asked making Byakuya's eyes widen in realization. The excessive punishment Rukia was sentenced to, the aggressive attack made against Ichigo, and the fact that he survived the Head Captain's wrath.

"There's a conspiracy." He whispered, dispelling his Senkei just as Aizen and his allies appeared with Rukia and Renji in tow.

"You are too much of a threat to my ambitions, Ichigo Kurosaki.." Aizen said, just as the message was being broadcasted.

"Aizen is alive and guilty of high treason! Orders as dictated by Head Captain Yamamoto are to kill traitors Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen on sight."

"A shame you couldn't join me. But at the rate you are growing, you'll become too much of a risk." He looked to his two subordinates. "Kill him." He said before proceeding to cut off Renji's sword arm.

"Byakuya! Backup!" Ichigo yelled, charging forward to the two captains. Byakuya, fighting against the pain in his torso, made his millions of blade petals move to his new ally's aid. Tousen created a barrage of blades with his Suzumushi while Gin shoot his Shinso towards Ichigo. He was able to stop the barrage, but Shinso pierced through the defensive barrier and speared into Ichigo, only for him to power through after stumbling for a second.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo roared, spinning himself and tearing the blade through his body and swung both great blades in his hands down, unleashing two massive waves of power. The attacks were blocked by a pair Danku barriers. While their sight was obscured by the smoke and Reishi waves still fighting the barriers, Ichigo flashstepped behind the barriers and delivered a deep slash to his opponents. Across Tousen's stomach and on Gin's arm. Ichigo continued toward his target, but it was too late. Aizen had Renji armless and bleeding out while tearing out a jeweled sphere from Rukia's chest with a weird ritual.

"I was surprised when you displayed hollow abilities and your own amazing growth Ichigo." Aizen said, looking over the orb in his hand. "Out of all the experiments I have made in hollowfication, you are the only real success." He said, throwing the weakened girl away. Ichigo in his shock and anger at seeing his friend in such a state left himself open as he was impaled from behind, Gin and Tousen pinning him to the ground. Byakuya took his lieutenant and sister away in the confusion, his own feelings getting in the way of his sense of duty, but there wasn't much he could do. All he could do was pull them out of the way. "But this was all as I predicted, even you telling Yamamoto. The word of exiles and traitors is poor evidence for the accusations you must have made." Aizen rose his blade. "You could have been the only one to equal me. A shame-" He almost said before a massive blue bolt struck him and sent him back. Gin and Tousen were then punched in the face by two giant fists, sending them next to Aizen.

"Sorry about being late." Uryu said as Chad helped his friend back up, pulling out the lodged blades in his friend's back. "I had to carry Chad."

"It's fine." Ichigo said, his wounds slowly closing up as the damage started to get to him. "Thanks for the assist." He noticed the growing barrier around them.

"Urahara's idea." Chad said, pointing at a few stakes around them. "No escape, no sound or sight into the barrier."

"Alright." Ichigo said, standing upright and creating more of his blades while his veins glowed and his body was covered in the white armored shell of his hollow power. "I feel better with you two at my back." He said, finally noticing the new outfit of armor and the wing of Reishi at his shoulder.

"It was this or I let you die." Uryu said, knowing what Ichigo was going to say. "What's done is done and I'm not losing anymore family."

"You can be so stubborn." Ichigo growled in annoyance, but smiled anyway. "I'd do the same thing." They all shared a smirk as the two sides charged at each other.