Both Ichigos turned at the same time, putting their hands on their respective zanpakutos. The man laughed again at the irony and crossed his hands over his chest.

"This is just too surreal! The odds of finding the both of you next to each other was a miracle in itself. Well, just so I don't have to deal with either of you, I'll just turn off the zanpakutos."

"How can you do that when you don't even know its name?" Ichigo said with a frown.

The man turned his head and then put his hands on his hips.

"Just like this: Indulge Sakti Baha-em Banda Zangetsu." He said, pointing a finger at each of them.

Nothing happened and Ichigo made a face.

"That's all you're going to throw at us?"

"Getsuga Tensho!" Captain Kurosaki yelled, holding Zangetsu in his hands.

Nothing came out and the man began to laugh.

"The look of horror on your face is probably the funniest thing that I've seen in a while, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

Kohana glared at him from behind the two of them and the man caught notice of her.

"Oh? What's wrong little girl? You don't like what I've done? Are you going to attack me?"

"No."

"Are you playing with Soul Reapers again, Busuta?" someone said, walking out.

He was a very sleek man, tall and had no hair. He had a pointed nose and long eyelashes. Ichigo thought he was a pretty good rival to Yumachika. The big man, Busuta, turned to him and scoffed.

"You're late, Tiku."

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"Go, Ichigo." Captain Kurosaki said.

"What?"

"Go, I'll hold them off."

"No, you go! If they get a hold of you, you can bring down the whole Soul Society!" he hissed.

"What?"

"It's true, ani." Kohana said. "They're after you. You have to go now. GO!"

"I can hold them off-"

Ichigo grabbed his older self and pulled him down to his level, glaring him in the eye.

"Listen, get the hell away from here and go warn everyone that these guys are here! NOW, Captain!"

"Oh no you don't." the skinny one, Tiku, said, turning back to them from fighting with Busuta.

"Undo Cetana-"

"GO!" Ichigo and Kohana yelled at the same time.

Captain Kurosaki used sonido and left just before Tiku could use his riha'i on all three of them.

"Ninda." Kohana and Ichigo immediately collapsed to the ground and Tiku snapped his fingers angrily. "Aw man! I missed him!"

"That's what you get for procrastinating." Busuta grumbled.

"Shut up and let's get these two to Roka. Even though we got the little one, I'm sure this Kurosaki Ichigo will be enough for her."

********************

Captain Kurosaki ended up in the middle of the Soul Society and he looked around for a moment, wondering where he should head first. There was no one to tell because he was the only one that really mattered and telling Nanao that her daughter was alive was a preposterous idea.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

Captain Kurosaki turned, seeing Orihime looking at him in worry.

"What's wrong?"

"Where is the Head Captain?"

"He's with Nanao-chan in the infirmary. I was explaining the situation to Matsumoto. Where did you go all of a sudden?"

"I saw Ichigo outside of the window and went to see what had taken him so long in trying to find Byakuya when I ran into... some people. They deactivated my zanpakuto and now they are after me. I need to go tell the Head Captain about them-"

Kurosaki looked and found one of his own blades in his stomach. He looked at Orihime, who's eyes were glassy, as if she were not in her right mind.

"Oh no, look what's happened." A female voice said, coming around the corner.

She had white hair that was spiked up and looked like a mix between Toshiro and Soi Fon's hair styles. Her half shirt and harem pants were white and her pointy shoes were black. She was very pretty and buxom as well as she walked over to Kurosaki.

"My, you are a hunk of a man, let me tell you. I didn't think we'd ever bring you down... Oh well..." She stood by Orihime and then pushed Kurosaki as his body slid from his blade. "My name is Banzai, by the way." She pushed Kurosaki again and he fell onto the ground.

He collapsed immediately and Banzai put her foot over the wound he just received, stepping on it and causing him to yell out.

"Now that you're wounded, you'll be slower to catch. Won't Roka be so happy to find you in a state of needing our help?"

"Kuro-sa-ki-kun..." Orihime said in shock.

Banzai looked over and made a face.

"Aw, time ran out. Well, I've done my duty. What can you do, Kurosaki Ichigo? You'll need our help one way or the other..."

She skipped away as Orihime looked at the sword in her hands and at Kurosaki on the ground. She screamed bloody murder as she went to her knees beside him.

"Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki! No! Not again! Please don't die! ICHIGO!!!"

**************

Byakuya opened his eyes but he was in his Inner World. He looked around and saw Senbonzakura standing there, stock still and not moving whatsoever. Byakuya got up as he heard someone conversing and looked over, seeing another version of himself and a lady with purple and pink hair talking next to a sakura tree. Byakuya got up and was heading over to Senbonzakura.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The woman said.

Byakuya turned to her and frowned, not happy to see her.

"Saskichi."

"You remembered me!" she said, looking thrilled. "I'm so excited!"

"How can I forget what you made me do?"

"Aw, are you still on about that? Gee, and your Hollow and I were getting along famously."

"Get a hold of yourself, Byakuya, and defeat this bitch!" his Hollow growled.

Murasunta moved and Byakuya could now see that he was being held to the tree by a stake through his torso. Even though Byakuya didn't like that side of him, he didn't appreciate Murasunta torturing him.

"Why is he trapped there?"'

"Safe keeping. They're not ready for him yet but they wanted you subdued. You're in a limbo-esque state. That's why that hunk of metal isn't doing anything... yet..."

Byakuya looked back at Senbonzakura when Murasunta turned her head a little.

"Oh? Ooh, it looks like it's time!" She ripped the stake from Byakuya's Hollow and held the stake up like it was a sword.

"Let's get down to business."

***************

Ichigo and Kohana were brought to Roka and Tiku pointed at the two.

"Redo Cetana Jagara."

They both woke up and when Ichigo saw where he was he got up immediately. Aizen smirked from his spot next to Roka on in her chair.

"That look of surprise never ceases to make me smile." He said.

"Aizen, that's enough."

Aizen slid is gaze to Roka but didn't say anything more. Roka smiled at Ichigo.

"Do excuse my subordinates. They get a little rowdy when we are trying to convert new members." Ichigo just glared at her. "This isn't the right one." She said, looking at Tiku and Busuta.

"Yes, well, he was there and then he disappeared." Tiku said, rubbing his bald head. "I was doing my riha'i and then he disappeared in the middle of it and these two were left."

Roka made a face as she got up and went up to Ichigo. She touched his face, moving it back and forth.

"Your power is not even close to the Kurosaki Ichigo I met some time ago or that I feel is here in the Soul Society. You're nothing but a silly shell."

Ichigo clenched his fist. "I am not a shell, or a gigai, or anything else. I am Kurosaki Ichigo, just like that guy you all seem to like so much. I grow up to be him. I am him."

Roka smiled at him like she was smiling a child declaring his dreams of being a unicorn herder. It was disrespectful and degrading.

"If that were so, there would have been a paradox already. You are not him and you never will be."

The door opened to their 'lair' and Banzai walked in.

"Banzai, where have you been?"

"Oh, causing a ruckus." She said with a grin.

"What type?"

Ichigo could feel it in his bones that someone was wrong with his other self. It wasn't that he felt it within him but it was just like when he kept tabs on his friends' reishi and...

"You killed him?" Ichigo asked, looking at her.

Roka turned swiftly to her as Banzai waved her hand dismissively.

"No. I caused a ruckus. If Murasunta goes over there now, she'll be able to claim his Hollow."

"Ooh! Ooh, can I go!" she said, raising her hand.

Roka smiled. "Well done, Banzai. At least someone knows how to get the captain." She turned to Ichigo. "As for you, I have no use for you. So, why don't you get reacquainted with an old friend of yours?"

Busuta grabbed Ichigo and held him there, dragging him to a hole that was in the middle of the room. There was a snarling noise as someone else brought in a Hollow and Murasunta grinned at Ichigo. Kohana gasped, finally waking up and standing.

"Oto-san..."

"Byakuya?"

"Have fun!"

Busuta threw Ichigo into the hole as Murasunta seemed to lift her hold and the Byakuya ran straight for the hole. They closed the door above them and Murasunta pranced over to the door.

"I'll be right back with one hunk of a Soul Reaper on our side!"

Roka looked at Aizen as he lifted an eyebrow at her. She walked over to him and pulled him to her level, giving him a nice kiss. He pulled away, not amused.

"What was that for?"

"Because my plan is going underway and it's thanks to you. I do enjoy a man with prowess and an evil streak."

"I prefer my women," He said, pulling away from her. "in their place."

"Or helpless, right?"

Aizen gave a slow smirk but didn't answer. He was going to take over the Soul Society once more and once Roka thought she was on top, he would use his zanpakuto against her and rule the worlds as he believed he should. But for how, he could play innocent.

After all, it was his forte.