keep in mind that this happened all before the ending of the series. thanks!

+++++++++++++++++++

Once the smoke died down and everyone was coughing, Gin looked over to the open door as Aizen smiled at him.

"I commend you, Gin, about your ability to remember what I tell you. I always knew you were a wonderful student."

"You were a wonderful teacher... I didn't think that these lowly people would interest you into such a petty thing."

Aizen smile smugly. "To be set free is to be without binds. I have tried to transcend that of a Soul Reaper and although I failed to physically transform, the Hogyoku is still within me and if being a Cakurahita helps me get to another level, then why would I waste such an opportunity?"

He walked away as Gin frowned and turned to Toshiro, who was coughing.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Fine, just a little choked up... You still admire him after what he did to you and Matsumoto?"

"I can't deny a person who has so much knowledge and power. If given half the chance, he's a decent person. Although I cannot forgive what he did with Rangiku, I also cannot forget what he is. He's immortal due to the Hogyoku, so there's nothing to be done with him. He knows what path he's taking."

"Is everyone alright?" Kyoraku asked, looking around and holding his arm as it bled. He turned to Gin. "Captain Ichimaru, did you know about this?"

Gin smiled. "No..."

"Do you think you could track Aizen down?"

"I might be able to, but he'll see me coming from a mile away."

"Well isn't it just luck that you are immune to his zanpakuto?"

Gin sighed. "I guess..."

"I'm coming too." Toshiro said.

"I don't think that would be a wise idea, Captain Toshiro." Gin said casually.

"Look, I've been trying to defeat that bastard ever since he did what he did to Momo. And then she was murdered because she was still recovering from what he had done to her. I won't be at peace until he's dead."

Gin frowned but Kyoraku motioned for him to go as he helped another captain up.

"Go, go..."

Gin frowned as Toshiro picked up Hyorinmaru and they left the captain's meeting.\

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

Ichigo was blasted back, Orihime in tow as the two Hollows sent Ceros at each other and they hit one another. The blast sent the two flying but Ichigo shook his head, ready to fight them both.

"Wait! Ichigo!"

"Orihime, I have to save myself. If I don't do that then-"

"He's wounded; badly... I couldn't heal it."

Ichigo looked at her. "What?"

"He was stabbed with his own swords so I couldn't heal the wounds. I guess I can't heal anything considered self-inflicted..."

"What's the point?"

"He's very weak so his Hollow may not last for long."

"Not if that woman is controlling him. She'll control him until he dies."

"Or until his body gives out. When that happens, Byakuya-sama will be ready to deal the death blow to him. You have to save your strength to save yourself. Please... if you don't then you will have failed."

Ichigo didn't want to listen to her but he knew that she was right. If he was weak, his Hollow form would dissipate no matter if he was the one controlling it or someone else was. His body determined what he could do and if his body was bleeding, then most likely the Hollow would use what energy he had and sap it. Ichigo felt useless but he gripped his swords and hung back with Orihime.

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

"Is this the place?" Urahara asked.

"Yes, this is it." Osaka said with a downcast look. "Can you let me go now?"

"No." Tachuri growled, yanking the rope. "You still a lot of info that we need."

"What more can you need?"

"How to defeat people without swords, duh."

"Tachuri is right. We need a way to defeat these people when they can control their shikais or bankais with just a command word and sheer willpower."

"Maybe if someone volunteered to have their zanpakuto taken away so that they could use their raw power to defeat them..." Soi Fon said.

"Yes but in the end, how would it get reverted back?"

"Um..." Everyone turned to Osaka. "Since I'm never going to get out of this, I guess I should tell you... Roka-sama can put the zanpakuto back together. She just needs a blank asauchi to put the powers back."

"I see... so, who would like to volunteer their zanpakuto to be released?"

"Shouldn't you take that up with the Head Captain?" Kohana asked, looking at Urahara. "I mean, he may be able to send someone in who doesn't look suspicious..."

"True... someone who looks innocent but has a way with their zanpakuto..."

"Wait!" Tachuri yelled. "I know exactly who to send."

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

Gin and Toshiro were still looking for Aizen when Gin thought he heard someone yelling at him. He looked down from using shunpo and saw Urahara waving at him. He landed and Urahara smiled.

"I'm glad we found you. Where were you headed?"

"To find Aizen. He just staged an attack in the captain's meeting."

"Ah, I see, but everything is alright, right? I mean, you were there to make sure that things were fine?"

Gin's smile widened. "Of course."

Toshiro made a face at Urahara.

"What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you knew where Kira-san was staying nowadays."

"Kira? Well he's not in my division anymore..." Gin said.

"I'm aware of that but he was pretty close to you, was he not? Do you know where he might be?"

"Ever since Orihime restored him, I think he locked himself away in one of the barracks. No one sees him very often." Toshiro mentioned. "Why do you need him?"

"We would like to ask him if he would be a guinea pig for us."

"Oh, in what regard?"

"We need someone to infiltrate the Cakurahita by offering to give up their zanpakuto."

"And you want Kira? How can his zanpakuto be of any use without the sword?" Toshiro asked.

Gin turned his head. "He does have a point."

"There are some ways I think we can use them but that's the thing. It's a strange combination of melee and kido, so maybe this Roka woman won't be the wiser. Do you think Kira-san would be willing to try?"

"If I find him then I will see what he says. We're trying to find Aizen at the moment so if you see him, send him our way."

"Aizen is out?" Soi Fon asked.

"Yes and he's sided with the Cakurahita. That means that he's able to use his zanpakuto without the sword."

Everyone drew their swords and looked at the two.

"Then how do we know you two are real?" Soi Fon growled.

"Well, Aizen thought that I was dead, so why would he bring me up to you fine people? And he was unaware of Captain Hitsugaya's growth spurt, so wouldn't he have showed him to you as the young child you knew?"

Gin had a point and everyone set their swords down.

"With that information though," Urahara said with a frown. "That means that Aizen is even more dangerous that he was before. We need to get this done quickly."

"Captain Hitsugaya, will you go and try to find Kira-san for us? I know you would like to come and find Aizen-sama with me but I'm the only one who isn't affected by his shikai and it looks like find Kira-san is very important."

Toshiro growled but nodded. "Fine, I'll go and find Lieutenant Kira..."

"Take Kohana with you." Urahara said.

Kohana looked at him and he smiled.

"I trust you'll be careful."

"Bring him back here and we will explain our plan to him." Yoruichi said and then turned to Gin. "And you, don't you go siding with Aizen again."

"Why would I do that?"

"It's something you would do, you conniving snake." Soi Fon growled.

Gin just smiled. "My, my, Captain Soi Fon, your confidence in my abilities are just underwhelming."

She said nothing as Toshiro and Gin split up, Kohana going with Toshiro.

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

Roka watched the fight from above and crossed her arms. This wasn't going as she had planned. She turned to Murasunta, who was filing her nails in the corner of the small building.

"Murasunta."

"Yes?" she said, looking at her leader expectantly.

"I think that this is enough for today. You'll exhaust Kurosaki to death."

She rolled her eyes. "Well isn't that the point?"

"No. The point is that we need him to relinquish his zanpakuto to us."

"Why can't you just take it like you do everyone else's?" Tiku asked.

"Kurosaki is not like everyone else. His powers are so vast and meshed together that releasing them without his own mental faculties holding them back would cause devastation across the worlds. He has to be aware that his zanpakuto is gone so that he can mentally prepare his body and spiritual pressure to stay under control." She turned to Murasunta. "Saskichi, please release them so that they can get some rest."

Murasunta sighed but went to the opening for the underground place they were in and dropped down in the middle of the fight.

Ichigo thought he heard a voice and looked from around the rock to see Murasunta standing beside Byakuya and Captain Kurosaki.

"Now, now boys; wake up!" she growled as she grabbed them by the heads and hit each other together.

The two seemed a bit dazed and staggered back from each other, the masks over their faces cracking and finally exploding. Murasunta giggled and then looked over at the rock where Ichigo and Orihime were.

"Oh! Yoo hoo! Little Ichigo! I turned them off so you should be okay now! Hey, how about you convince yourself to give in to us? You'd be so much more powerful if you did! Mwah, mwah kisses!"

She ran towards another rock with good momentum and then jumped onto it to use as leverage to get out of the underground facility. The door closed behind her and Ichigo and Orihime waited for a moment before going over to the other two. Orihime went to Captain Kurosaki first as Ichigo went to Byakuya.

"Are you alright?" they both asked at the same time.

Byakuya put his hand to his head and blinked in confusion, his eyes still with black sclera but seemed to be coming out of it.

"What happened?"

"Those people had a hold of you."

Byakuya looked around and then remembered what had happened.

"Saskichi..." He saw Orihime holding Captain Kurosaki and his eyes widened. "Ichigo..."

Orihime looked over her shoulder as Byakuya and Ichigo went over to them. Captain Kurosaki was barely breathing and Orihime laid him down on the ground, releasing her healing shield.

"I can't do anything past this wound but I think I can reverse the damage done here to give him more time..." she said sadly, looking over him.

"What do you mean? Why not that wound?" Byakuya asked as his face began to clear back into his normal look.

"Orihime says that she may have found a flaw in her healing powers in that if the wound is self-inflicted then she can't heal it."

"That's not true. You've healed dozens of shinigami who have cut themselves while training."

"I don't think it's the action but the item... Zanpakutos are extensions of the shinigami, in essence, a little piece of you. Captain Kurosaki was stabbed with his own zanpakuto... I tried to heal him but it wouldn't budge." She said as tears pricked at her eyes.

Byakuya pursed his lips as Ichigo sighed. There was nothing they could do at the moment. Captain Kurosaki coughed a little and Orihime smiled.

"I can at least fix him until the time of the initial stabbing."

"How... did he get stabbed?" Ichigo asked, looking at her.

Orihime looked away. "One of the Cakurahita... she hypnotized me and I... I used Zangetsu against him."

Ichigo made a noise as Orihime finished and Captain Kurosaki opened his eyes. He looked over at Byakuya and made a face.

"Kohana is alive..."

"Yes, I know." He said with a small smile. "I put her away to keep her safe."

"Well she's out now. She's helping us. She said that this Roka woman even tried to get her to give up her zanpakuto." Ichigo said.

"I assume she didn't."

"I don't think so."

Captain Kurosaki sat up on his elbows and Orihime helped him up.

"We don't have much time." He said painfully. "Eventually, Roka will stop caring whether or not to ask people properly. She'll just start unleashing zanpakutos."

"I don't think that would be a wise thing, do you?"

Everyone turned to see Aizen standing there. Byakuya drew Senbonzakura as Aizen just put up his hands in a surrendering way.

"Please, please... I don't want to fight you. Besides, I'm not really here, am I?" he said, looking at Ichigo.

Byakuya looked at him and saw that he wasn't paying any attention to him. Byakuya looked back and Aizen's image smiled.

"See?"

"What do you want?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked and then saw Byakuya's stance. "What's going on?"

"Aizen's image is here... you can't see it but I can."

Ichigo drew his sword anyway.

"What do you want?" Byakuya asked again.

"I think we could work together to defeat this woman."

"Defeat her? Aren't you working with her?"

"Although I appreciate her giving me back my zanpakuto and then releasing its powers from the sword-binds, her illusion that I will rule with her is quite... unacceptable. She wants to rule the Seireitei, making everyone free agents to their abilities, as if she is liberating slaves, but all she wants is just to eliminate the use of zanpakutos. There's no gain or power in that, just... liberation. The Soul Society is something that I have longed to rule for a long time and although I haven't surpassed a shinigami, my powers are not bound anymore. Thus, I have the power to do what I please... but I don't want her in it.

"In essence, Captain Kuchiki, our goals are the same: eradicate the Cakurahita."

"What did it say?"

"He says that he wants to help us get rid of the Cakurahita, but it seems the cost will be him ruling over us without a zanpakuto, which would cause chaos."

"No, not chaos, order. You see, she wants to release all zanpakutos but some don't work that way. Some need the sword in order to work properly. She would send the Soul Society into chaos. I would use order. Captains who have certain types of zanpakutos would be able to release it, if they so choose, and anyone who has a stable hold over their abilities. The Soul Society would be a much better place."

"What does that have to do with us?" Byakuya asked.

"There is a plan hatching outside of this place and I would like for you to cooperate with me. May I have permission to use the likeness of your Senbonzakura?"

Byakuya made a face but Aizen seemed quite serious and he turned to Ichigo.

"Aizen says he wants to help us defeat the Cakurahita but he needs to use my Senbonzakura's image as a decoy for some sort of plan that is being devised outside."

"You think it's a trap?"

Byakuya looked at the Aizen-image.

"I'm not sure-"

"Do it." The two turned as Captain Kurosaki leaned against Orihime as she helped him stand up. "Whatever he's asking you to do, do it."

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"Aizen isn't someone's puppet. He's the master. Roka is stringing him along and he doesn't like that fact. Her intentions have no bearing but the potential does have bearing on the evolution of the Soul Society. I'm sure Aizen is smart enough to see the good and bad of this situation... He's our best hope at defeating them because he knows them... and his zanpakuto is useful."

"Do we have a deal?"

Byakuya looked at everyone and Ichigo looked at Captain Kurosaki. He nodded and then Ichigo nodded. Byakuya didn't do anything but Aizen decided that that was good enough.

"Excellent. I will inform your friends..."

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

Aizen smirked in the chair as Murasunta and Banzai spoke loudly to each other and Tiku played with a rat's consciousness. Suddenly, Roka slipped into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Soon, my love, we will rule this world together."

Aizen smiled at her. "How lovely it will be." To have you as my slave and rule this Soul Society in a new era, with me as its king.

++++++++++++++++++++

no one said that kira survived or died. in all honesty, i didn't even know he was a zombie. i think i somehow skipped that scene *shrug*. anyway, in this he's alive and was restored via orihime. plus, wabisuke is my favorite zanpakuto out of everyone's for some reason and it will be useful for this problem, i promise

and roka really doesn't have a master plan other than making everyone not have a sword vessel so aizen has decided to take over secretly.