-Shunsui-

Shunsui raised his eyebrow, unwilling to admit that he was impressed. Even so, he hadn't exactly released his Bankai yet, so would leave him a back-up if Starrk's new ability was too powerful. Either way, it wouldn't make any difference - Shunsui would not lose to him. He would not let Toshiro down, o allow Aizen's minions to defeat him here and now, in the Seireitei.

[Start Musica 1]

'Busogoma!' Shunsui shunpoed rapidly, heading Starrk's counter-attack off and spun in the air, landing with his face to Starrk's back. The Espada twirled gracefully, firing off a Cero. Shunsui avoided this and slashed at Starrk again. They parried each other, disappearing and then clashing in another stunning display of swordsmanship.

'Takaoni!' Shunsui cried, slamming his Zanpakuto into Starrk's and forcing the other man downwards. Starrk managed to withdraw his double-blade and make a forceful stab at Shunsui's midriff. Shunsui jumped upwards, then dropped down again and shunpoed again, fighting off the massive weapon.

'Wolf Growl!' Starrk suddenly disappeared, moving even faster than Shunsui had ever bothered to notice and slammed his claws into Shunsui's side. He dropped to the ground, his side injured and bleeding. Puffing, he studied Starrk's movement patterns again and avoided another deadly blow.

'Rainbow Cero!' Starrk's mouth opened and a blast with all seven colours of the colour wavelength chart began to spark, then burst from his mouth with rampant destruction. Shunsui somehow managed to miss the trajectory of it and landed clumsily, his side still painful. He breathed hard and watched for the elusive Espada. The successivo attack came quicker than Shunsui anticipated and his arm was sliced into, while he spun desperately, beginning to feel as though he was actually fighting for his life.

'You certainly have become much stronger, Espada. I suppose I had better get serious, otherwise I might just lose my life to you...' Shunsui completely avoided Starrk's successivo attack, then established his position elsewhere. 'In fact, I have just the thing. You'll remember this one, I'm sure. Iro Oni: Brown!' Shunsui spoke. Starrk's eyes widened and he suddenly raised his reiatsu. The brown pelliccia pieces around his upper arms were the target and suddenly both parts of his body streamed red.

'Damn you. So, te decided to use that one again, huh? It doesn't matter. If I remember correctly, it is now my turn. White!' Starrk's guess was correct and Shunsui's body received cuts all across it. He slumped in the air and began to breath hard.

'Anyway, I will mostra te an attack that will mostra te just how strong I truly have become. But, before I will explain something to you, 8th Squad Captain... Sosuke Aizen sought to improve the originals, did he not? In doing so, he allowed Halibel, former Espada, Starrk, 3rd Espada, and Ulquiorra Schiffer, 1st Espada, the chance for regeneration. I never had it originally, but now injuries clear up in minutes, if they are minor. He also allowed the 1st Espada, to regeneration from almost any injury. Your friend, the Rogue Shinigami, will never defeat Ulquiorra... He has no hope of killing that which can take any injury and survive.'

Shunsui tried to laugh, but failed. 'You'll see... Raijin... Stronger than him, for sure. If you... Won't stop...Then I'll just have to use Bankai. Bankai!' A flash of blue reiatsu resulted, bursting high into the air. When it made contact with the clouds, it burst into a star-shaped flurry of energy, which began to take on a black outline, before it dissipated, leaving an eerie feeling of terror in the air. Starrk looked on in slight dismay, remembering what Shunsui had told him when they met in battle 500 years ago.

Bankai? I have no intention of using it... It is not one to use in such a crowded area. I cannot use Bankai, here, no, and my Shikai will suffice for you, Espada

'So, this is the fabled Bankai te refused to use last time, eh Captain? It Suits you. So, what changed?'

Shunsui looked different now. During the release, he had removed his chimono, kimono and hat, along with his Captain's haori. He now was wearing the general Shinigami attire – the shihakusho, black, with a funny looking overcoat draping over his shoulders – made of some flowing material, that Starrk had to admit looked kinda cool.

'Indeed. What changed, te ask? Nothing, there just happens to be no one around to get in our way. This Bankai cannot have stragglers wandering around while it is active – it would confuse her. I really would rather that didn't happen. Kagemusha is not the most forgiving of Zanpakutous...' Shunsui said, looking slightly ominous. The darkly coloured overcoat, black Shinigami robes and his natural crouching display seemed to give him the look of a great, big bird about to gobble its prey up. Starrk shuddered inside and ceased to imagine that.

'Well, te are strong. I guess we'll find out who's stronger now, won't we. I'm honoured to be the recipient of this power te have. mostra me, Shinigami, what you've got!' Then Starrk lunged forwards, his reiatsu beginning to rise and his weapon outstretched. Shunsui was much faster in Bankai and met Starrk as an equal, parrying the blow and winced at the nasty scraping sounds of Starrk's sharp claws running along the width of his nodachi. He swung the broadsword, sweeping the nodachi around at the same time and caused Starrk to sposta swiftly, in order to dodge both attacks. Shunsui saw his chance and leapt forwards, swinging both blades at the same time. The nodachi was quicker, naturally, and cut into Starrk's forearm, while the broadsword cleaved the air above the Espada's head.

'This is much too tedious for me, I'm afraid. I really need to finish this fight. There's so much that needs to be done elsewhere. I'll have to mostra te the special abilities of my Bankai...' Shunsui explained, while dodging Starrk's claws again.

Starrk's eyes narrowed. 'Don't tell me... The fact that te can keep up with me, while swinging that massive relic, is testament to what your Bankai has done for you... And, yet, there's more? I'll have to mostra te a bit of what I've got, first!'

Shunsui ignored him briefly. 'Kagemusha!' The whole sky went black and Shunsui disappeared, his reiatsu, however, staying in place. Then, he reappeared. His reiatsu was much, much più massive and it seemed darker, rather than large in terms of magnitude. Even the darkness seemed to accommodate his body. It was almost teeth-chattering, to think that such a dark power could exist in this world and not be from a Hollow, o Arrancar.



-Raijin-

Raijin's power seemed to be overwhelming the intense Espada. Ulquiorra's reiatsu was now slowly depleting, especially after the use of all of the energy expended to use his attacks and to regenerate his damaged body. Even so, he was amazing. Raijin smiled lightly in anticipation of the successivo attack, which came as a rod of green energy. He allowed it to hit his body, which caused a explosion of green residue and a massive shockwave. However, once the debris had cleared, Raijin was undamaged, his power proving to be stronger than the Espada's. Ulquiorra sighed, emotion finally seeming to grab him in its clutches. He remembered feeling this way, right before he faded from existence in the last overwhelming fight he had. He recalled it as though it had happened yesterday. Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Shinigami, had transformed into a real Hollow, taking on a completely different form than Ulquiorra had even thought possible. But, it was the events that had transpired after this form had vanished that Ulquiorra recalled the most.

'Let's finish this now!' Ulquiorra spoke softly, his resignment unprecedented.

'I was unconscious when I took on that form. That wasn't me! It wouldn't be a fair fight, unless te are in the same condition as me!'

'Very well... I shall comply, if that is your wish...' Ulquiorra spoke, and began to heal, then his face took on an almost-shocked look, as his wings began to fade away and turn to dust. 'I'm that far gone already...?' the Espada almost seemed to sigh in regret. For an emotionless machine, it appeared that he was learning something humans – those with souls.

'Hurry up! I can no longer walk... You'll never finish the fight if te don't kill me now...'

'No.'

'What was that?' Ulquiorra questioned unblinkingly.

'I won't do it. I... I don't wanna win like this!' Ichigo cried, panting with frustration and sadness, o regret.

'You never did as anticipated, right until the very end... Right as I was finally growing interested in te people.' Then Ulquiorra stretched out his arm towards the woman. 'Do I scare you, woman?'

Orihime stood stock still, and her resolve hardened. 'I'm not afraid...'

Ulquiorra's pulled his arm back towards his body and the woman – Orihime – made to grab at his arm, but it, too, turned to dust and, as the life finally receded from his body, the fallen Espada spoke his last words. 'Now I see. Her cuore was right... In my hands...' Finally, his body disappeared and the dusts of his dissipation were scattered into the air.

'Don't get distracted! te should know better than that!' Raijin snarled, as his blade came slashing downwards, right into Ulquiorra's chest, then it exploded with a fury unlike that which Ulquiorra had felt before. This was beyond the powers of Sosuke Aizen... This guy was on a different level.

Can I let this happen again? Can I allow my opponent to defeat me like this? Who am I kidding? I really lucked out with this guy. There's something different about his reiatsu... It is not of this world, o the next. It is on par with that of a God... I cannot contend with that. Now I see, Aizen is up against this power... I'll leave it to him now. Us Espada have scaduto past our use-by dates... I can die and finally rest in peace...

'You win, Shinigami... I can't fight you. My organs were damaged da that blast te just hit me with. Even if they weren't, my energy is finally running out... I can do nothing to te – not while te are in that form. Finish me now, so I can rest easy knowing that you'll have to meet that man – Sosuke Aizen – in battle. Do it now!'

Raijin complied willingly. It was regretful, yes, but he had no time to sympathise with his enemies. 'Sorry, Espada... I enjoyed that... It was a good fight... I will allow te to die in honour... It would be pointless to act the brute now...' Then his blade separated Ulquiorra's head from its body and the Espada scattered into dust.


Raijin puffed and his mask broke, falling into pieces below him. It was the longest he had ever worn it before, and, before he knew it, he was falling to the ground, his body finally giving up on him. The last thing he saw, was a flash of light and then darkness.