Getting out of a Hollow warded building is a lot harder than it sounds. Or, maybe not? It's probably not too hard to imagine knowing Ichigo. He tends to receive bad karma only. He needs to figure out how to apply online for some of that good karma because this fucking sucks.
Yuzu and Karin are a little hesitant towards Ichigo, Karin more so. She's always been the one to be wary of people. She learned how from your's truly. She does it better than Ichigo, too. Go figure. Regardless of her rigid attitude, she stays close to Ichigo, ready to help when her big brother needs it. Yuzu is also close, only rightly so.
The four of them somehow manage to get to the dirt courtyard outside. Don't ask how, Ichigo barely remembers anything before he turned control over to Shiro. Rukia still has Ichigo's severed arm, and Yuzu and Karin are cautiously trailing behind Ichigo as he drags himself by Zangetsu out the door.
It's so hard to breathe. It feels like he's got something stuck in the back of his throat and it won't budge. It's probably something gross and inconvenient like a tooth. His back aches like it never has before, and the remnants of the vest he stole from Hachi barely stops the bleeding from his stump of an arm. And don't get him started on how hard it is to walk with his fucked up leg.
Isn't he supposed to have regeneration? He's done it before. Where the fuck is it now? It's probably more complicated than he thinks, so he keeps the matter to himself for now. He needs to get back to his fracción first.
"How do we contact the fracción?" Rukia grumbles.
Oh shit. They don't have a way to communicate, do they? God fucking dammit.
"I guess... we have to... walk," Ichigo pants.
"But Ichi-nii!" Yuzu protests.
"He's right," Rukia hisses to herself. "Everyone has their own assignments. No one is gonna be close by enough."
"Ichigo?"
The gentle voice of Chad startles everyone. His horrified face can be seen through his long hair as he gawks at Ichigo's shredded state.
That's right. Chad doesn't have any living family.
"Yo," Ichigo responds weakly.
"Chad, thank god. Quick! Help us get him to Aizen!" Rukia shouts, waving Ichigo's severed arm in the air.
"Don't mess with my arm like that," the ginger grumbles hoarsely.
"Oops! Sorry."
Chad is, well, very strong. He simply scoops Ichigo and Zangetsu up into his big Mexican arms, and hurriedly carries him away. The girls keep up rather well as they run into downtown Karakura behind Chad. Oh, don't get Ichigo started on all the stares they receive. Especially with Rukia holding his goddamn arm. He will die of embarrassment if he doesn't die from blood loss first.
Getting to the roof of Aizen's picked building sucks. First of all, it's an office building. There is definitely recorded evidence of Chad running through the lobby with a dying ginger in his arms and three girls running after him - one of which is, again, holding his severed arm. God, this is so exhausting. Wait, is Rukia visible? Don't fucking tell him his arm is floating. Jesus Christ, this is the day he dies.
Anyway, getting to the roof also sucks because going up staircase after staircase is shaking the blood out of Ichigo. As if the numerous holes in his body weren't also getting rid of his blood. How the fuck did he get so hurt? Why isn't Shiro helping? He willingly gives the vasto lorde control, and this is the thanks he gets? The voice in the back of his head whispers reassurances into his ear. The soft voice is usually right, so Ichigo shuts his mental rant up.
On the rooftop, Ichigo sees people he both does and does not want to see. The rest of his fracción is present so that's good. However, everyone else is not good. Keigo's sister, Mizuho, is here. Yeah, she's a fucking crackhead. Tatsuki's and Inoue's friends are also here. That's Ryō, Mahana, Michiru, and Chizuru. Most of them are okay, but Chizuru gets on his nerves. Aizen is still here, but now Gin and Tousen are, too. Like Ichigo needed more pain.
"Ichigo," Tatsuki gasps.
All eyes land on Ichigo. Oh, boy. Aizen frowns, and it feels suddenly feels like a death sentence being here. Aizen approaches the five of them standing by the roof entrance, his lackeys close behind. Chad shifts in discomfort as the three powerful Shinigami inspect what's left of Ichigo. Aizen hums in distaste, leaving Ichigo hanging by a thread. There's a horrible feeling in the back of his mind that isn't going away. No matter how much he wants to, he can't ignore the knowing feeling in his gut.
This man is going to kill him.
"Chad, be a dear and bring him to the others. They'll need time to have a proper goodbye," Aizen sighs.
Ichigo's gut drops. He knew it. He fucking knew it.
Chad slowly inches forward, trying to appear loyal to Aizen, but hesitant in understanding Aizen's words. Chad is smart, so it doesn't take him long to figure out what the hell is going on. He looks scared for Ichigo.
The roof is cold and hard. It sucks away what little warmth the ginger has left in his mangled body. Rukia gently places Ichigo's head in her lap, setting his arm aside. The two simply stare into each other's eyes. They're searching for something, whether it be peace or fear or anything. Ichigo knows Rukia found love in his eyes. Her expression and welling tears explain it all. She runs a defeated hand through his ginger hair.
"What are we going to do?" She whispers in anguish.
Ichigo glances at Aizen - the man who wants to put the dying dog out of his misery. There are reassuring whispers in his ear again. Zangetsu grows warm as he lays on top of Ichigo's chest.
"Something crazy, probably."
"Is that Ichigo?" Mahana gawks.
"It is," Ichigo replies, turning his yelllow eyes onto the normal people.
"Wha..." Ryō is as speechless as ever.
"I knew there was something scary about you, Kurosaki." Chizuru shakes her head, and Michiru hums in horror and agreement.
"Bite me," Ichigo snaps, baring his sharp teeth.
"What happened, Ichigo?" Aizen demands.
Ichigo sluggishly turns his body, putting Zangetsu on the ground. He gets to his knees awkwardly and bows the the megalomaniac. "The Vizard were guarding my sisters. And then there were Kisuke's mod soul kids..."
"You should be glad you got away with your life," Tousen huffs indifferently.
"Why aren't you regenerating?" Aizen narrows his eyes.
"I... I don't know, my lord."
"I see. I have no use for broken toys, Ichigo."
The ginger Espada can feel everyone start to get uncomfortable. Tatsuki and Chad look to be itching for a fight. Then there's Yuzu and Karin who are almost as confused as Inoue's friends.
"Yes, Lord Aizen," Ichigo finally says.
"Any last words?"
Ichigo starts to panic. God, he really is going to kill him. Ichigo racks his brain for something - anything - to say to Aizen. He has to prevent that psycho from killing him in front of his sisters and friends. Aizen goes to draw his sword. The voice hurriedly murmurs something Ichigo finds familiar. He has a very vague memory of saying that before he went to confront Shiro, and before he stabbed Rukia all that time ago.
"Hell is empty and the devils are here."
The rooftop goes still. What the hell does that mean to Aizen? It's just a Shakespeare quote. He did say that in Shiro's voice, though, so maybe that has something to do with it.
"Where did you hear that?" Aizen demands menacingly.
"Shiro," he replies.
"Shiro?" Gin blinks. He turns to Tousen. "Didn't you name that one experiment Shiro? The one that attacked the kid's parents?"
"Yes. I thought Urahara got rid of him," the blind responds with a growing frown.
"Is Shiro in your soul?" Aizen quirks an eyebrow.
The amount of questions the three are asking actually brings Ichigo some comfort. That means they're likely not going to kill him anymore.
"Yes, Lord Aizen."
"Let me speak to him."
Well, shit. How is he supposed to do that? Ichigo closes his eyes, and calls for Shiro in his mind. A hand reaches out in his subconscious, and the next thing he knows, he's turning over control. Mask fragments start to flake to Ichigo's face as he slowly raises his head.
"Lord Aizen," the vasto lorde speaks.
"So you are alive?"
"Urahara never could figure out how to get rid of me."
Gin gives a chuckle. "That must've put a damper on the man's pride."
"What are you planning, Shiro?" Aizen narrows his eyes.
"I wish to keep the boy alive. Survival is instinct, after all."
"I can't help but feel there's more to you and Ichigo," Aizen states.
"There is, but I don't quite understand it either."
"Very well. Can you fix him?"
The vasto lorde tilts his head in curiosity. "Yes, I believe so. He'll have to be in control."
"I see. Then you're dismissed."
"As you command, Lord Aizen."
Ichigo, while he was present during the conversation, is now finding himself being thrown back into the pilot's seat of his body. He jerks and gasps at the pain it brings him.
"Will someone please tell me what the fuck is happening?" Chizuru yells.
Tousen flashes over to the red head girl. He gets in her face as threateningly as possible. "Silence or be silenced, human."
Tatsuki and Inoue step in front of their classmate protectively. Tousen scoffs at them, and goes back to Aizen's side.
"You heard me, Ichigo. Let Shiro heal you," Aizen orders.
"Yes, Lord Aizen."
Ichigo listens to Shiro closely. Apparently Shiro severely slowed down Ichigo's regeneration on purpose. He wanted Ichigo to take him to Aizen, and he set up the situation perfectly to let the megalomaniac know Ichigo is much more valuable alive. Of course, he's only more valuable because he has Shiro in his soul. God, Shiro is an asshole. Ichigo thought he was actually going to die.
The ginger grabs his severed arm, takes off the vest bandage, and forces the limb into the stub. Everyone hisses in pain of watching while Ichigo hisses in more reasonable pain. He grinds his teeth, refusing to let out another sound. Soon, Ichigo releases his hold on his arm. It stays put. He tests his fingers on his sword arm, followed by the rest of his joints. It seems he can simply stick his limbs back in place after they've been cut off. This is some serious Resident Evil shit. Don't tell Ichigo he's dead and now living as a fungus. I'm going to have to change my name to Ethan, he thinks humorously.
All of his blood slips back into the wounds, and the cuts and stab wounds close. He stiffly pushes himself to his feet. Wow. He actually feels fine. His leg snaps back into all the right places and his eye socket mends itself. He grabs Zangetsu off the cold ground, and places him rightfully on his back.
"How's this? Should I give it a spin?" Ichigo finds himself saying. He's mostly doing it to spite Shiro for making him deal with the pain for so long, but whatever. "I'm not broken anymore."
"No, you're not. I should've known Shiro lives on in you. That'll be all, Ichigo," Aizen rolls his eyes playfully.
"Of course, Lord Aizen."
Ichigo walks towards his fracción and their friends and family, pretending the megalomaniac wasn't about to kill him. That was not a fun five minutes. Yuzu and Karin run up to either side of their big brother, glueing themselves to him. Chad and Rukia follow closely after the Kurosaki siblings back to the safety of the group.
"What the hell is going on?" Chizuru snaps.
"Are you okay?" Tatsuki asks Ichigo, ignoring her red head friend.
"Shiro wanted to prove to Lord Aizen he's still alive as a back up plan of sorts. He wants to make Lord Aizen reluctant in killing me," Ichigo explains in a very low voice.
The fracción nods in understanding. The regular people just blink with utter confusion.
"Ichi-nii?" Yuzu murmurs. "What's going to happen now?"
Ichigo sighs heavily. He looks out over Karakura Town. He can feel the souls of the citizens thrumming with untapped power. Aizen plans on taking the souls of this city simply to make a key. A fucking key.
The ginger Espada pauses. Something about the air doesn't quite feel right anymore. He slowly looks up. He seems to have noticed too late.
From above in the sky, a large number of senkaimon open up. Shinigami start to pour out by dozens. Ichigo gently removes himself from his sisters, and approaches the edge of the building. The sky begins to fill with the pawns of the Gotei 13. The ginger reaches behind him for Zangetsu. He releases the zanpakuto from his makeshift sheath, the white cloth waving in the soft wind, and he brandishes the large blade.
"Now? We go to war."