Bleach 1. Chapter 1: Realization

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

Orihime stood in her cell staring at the Hueco Mundo moon through the bars of the window. There was nothing else to do in here. Orihime sighed, sadly. She had only come to protect her friends and now they had come after her into Hueco Mundo putting themselves in even more danger. She was glad that they had come, but she didn't want any of them to get hurt. And she had something to do before she could leave Hueco Mundo. She had to destroy the hougyoku. Only she had the ability to deny its existence.

Orihime heard fighting far down the hall echoing towards her cell and she felt Ichigo's reiatsu. Ichigo was getting closer. Orihime had to make her decision now. Would she leave with Ichigo or would she stay in Hueco Mundo in order to destroy the hougyoku? But leaving with Ichigo would kind of be selfish, wouldn't it? It would serve the greater good if she could just destroy the hougyoku. Then... Then everything would be alright and she could go home and be with Ichigo, Tatsuki, Rukia, Ishida and Sado. But how would she tell Ichigo she was going to stay in Hueco Mundo. He had practically died to make his way this far just for her... He would be dead by now if Grimmjow hadn't made her heal him so that they could fight even more.

Suddenly the door to her cell flew open and Ulquiorra walked in. "Come with me, Woman."

Orihime knew what would happen if she dared to disobey Ulquiorra so she nodded. Ulquiorra walked out of the room and Orihime followed. She looked down the hall to where she felt Ichigo's reiatsu coming from. Ichigo looked up at the same time and saw her. He opened his mouth slightly and smiled with relief. The arrancar he was fighting took advantage of the momentary distraction and threw Ichigo up again the wall, hard. Orihime gasped and took off running towards Ichigo.

"ICHIGO!" She yelled as tears welled in her eyes.

The arrancar fighting Ichigo began to gather a cero in his mouth. Orihime put her hands on her hair clips ready to interject when Ulquiorra stepped in front of her, blocking her passage. "I said, come with me."

Orihime stopped and looked hopelessly at the scene as tears rolled down her cheeks. The arrancar released his cero and it went flying towards Ichigo. But Ichigo was no longer there by the time the cero hit the wall. Ichigo had shadow-stepped behind the arrancar and he swiftly raised Zangetsu and removed his opponents head.

"Ichi... go..." Orihime stammered.

"Inoue-chan" Ichigo said. "I'm glad you're okay."

Orihime smiled, but her smile faded as she noticed that Ulquiorra was no longer standing next to her. She saw Ichigo's sword being raised in barely enough time to block Ulquiorra's hand from piercing him heart. Orihime gasped.

"Ban-kai!" Ichigo yelled as his enormous reiatsu hit Orihime. Her hair flew back, but otherwise she remained unmoving. "Inoue, run. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Kurosaki..." Orihime paused, more tears falling from her eyes. She could feel Ulquiorra's reiatsu and it was strong. Possibly even strong enough to go against Ichigo. But no, Ichigo was strong. He wouldn't die.

Ichigo put his hand to his face and his hollow mask started to appear. Orihime turned and took off running. She ran towards Aizen's room. She could only hope that he wouldn't be there so that she could destroy the hougyoku. Behind her she felt Ichigo's and Ulquiorra's reiatsu clashing. She desperately wanted to go back and help Ichigo, but she had to have faith in his strength. She had to show them that she was useful. She had to destroy the hougyoku.

She arrived outside of Aizen's room and slowly opened the doors. She peeked her head in and looked around the relatively bare room. No one appeared to be around. Maybe Aizen was in a meeting or something. Orihime slowly walked in looking all around her. Could Aizen have really left the room completely unguarded? Orihime cautiously walked over to where she remembered the hougyoku's location. When Aizen had revealed it to her, he had used a hand motion to raise it. Would the same trick work for her? Orihime gulped nervously, but she was determined.

Orihime did her best to imitate Aizen's hand motion and miraculously, a circular portion of the floor rose. She tapped the circle lightly and it slid open, in several layers, to reveal the hougyoku. Orihime gasped. Could it really be this easy? She slowly reached forward and grabbed the hougyoku in her hands. She swallowed nervously. She might get killed for doing this, but it had to be done. For Ichigo. For Karakura Town. For everyone. Orihime touched her hair clips. Then her eyes widened in fear as she heard a foot step into the room and felt a now familiar reiatsu. Aizen was back.


	2. Chapter 2: Confrontation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

Aizen entered the room and looked at Orihime.

"Aizen-sama..."

"What do you plan on doing, Orihime?" Aizen said in a frustratingly calm voice. "Do you actually have the courage to disobey me?"

"Aizen-sama..." Orihime whispered "I... I..." Orihime stood frozen to the spot. Aizen had caught her in the act. Now their was no chance he would trust her again. If she lived, she would never get the chance to destroy the hougyoku again. It had to be now or never. And Orihime couldn't let it be never. She had to destroy the hougyoku, for everyone. No matter what the consequences would be. During her time alone in her cell, her faeries had taught her how to use Shun'ou and Ayame to destroy rather then heal. "I... I... I REJECT!"

Shun'ou and Ayame flew out of her hair clip and formed a shield over the hougyoku. Aizen instantly reacted. With a shadow-step he stood above the hougyoku and with a slight flick of his wrist, he sent the two faeries flying across the room.

"Shun'ou! Ayame!" Orihime screamed. Her eyes filled with more tears. Her two faeries were alive, but injured. They needed help. She looked down at the hougyoku. It was unharmed. In a desperate effort she snatched it back into her hand and ran away from Aizen towards her faeries.

"How dare you?" Aizen said, his voice still calm, but with anger in it.

Aizen walked over to Orihime with a calm anger while releasing enough reiatsu to overwhelm her. Orihime's eyes widened. She had felt his reiatsu before, but now it was on a whole new level. She fell to her knees and her hair blanketed her shoulders. Orihime's breathing got heavy in an attempt to get air while under such an enormous spirit pressure. The hougyoku that she had been clutching fell to the ground near her knees still intact.

Ichigo spent nearly all of his energy just blocking and dodging Ulquiorra's attacks. They came mercilessly and nonstop. His attacks were swift and well aimed. It was no wonder why he had been chosen as an espada.

Ulquiorra attacked with such force that Ichigo went sliding back, barely managing to stay on his feet. Now that Ichigo and Ulquiorra were farther apart, Ichigo finally had a chance to attack.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled through his heavy breaths while pointing his sword towards Ulquiorra. A huge stream of red tinted black shot at the espada. Ulquiorra raised his sword to deflect the attack. Blood dropped from his hand, but besides that, he was unharmed. Ulquiorra was about to attack when they felt an enormous spirit pressure.

"Aizen-sama" Ulquiorra said as he sheathed his zampakuto. He turned away from Ichigo and shadow-stepped towards where Aizen's reiatsu was coming from.

"Get back here! We're not finished yet!" Ichigo shouted at the already gone Ulquiorra. Ichigo narrowed his eyes and took off running in the direction Ulquiorra had gone. Ichigo stopped and opened his eyes wide when he noticed that Orihime's weaker reiatsu was coming from the same place as Aizen's. "Inoue!"

Orihime was nearly choking in Aizen's reiatsu as Aizen calmly reached down and picked up the hougyoku. He set it back on it's pedestal, then turned to face Orihime. He grabbed Orihime's shirt by the collar and dragged her up to eye level. The anger in his voice had lessened. "Orihime. I desire your power for my cause, but I see that you lack the necessary loyalty. However, I planned for this. As a human, your loyalty lies with your heart. And for now your heart is against me. But if you were a hollow, your loyalty would lie with me."

Orihime couldn't say anything with Aizen's spirit pressure so strongly affecting her. She couldn't move and she could barely breathe. Orihime wondered if this could be worse than the end. If she was a hollow, would she be like her brother Sora was when he was a hollow. Would she attack the people she loved most? She couldn't let herself turn into a hollow. But what could she do?

Orihime could just barely feel Ulquiorra's reiatsu as he walked into the room. He stayed near the door and seemed reluctant to address Aizen. Orihime had been his assignment, but she had gotten loose and she was making trouble. Aizen would not forgive him so easily. Ulquiorra bowed his head and did not interfere with what Aizen was doing.

Aizen glanced and Ulquiorra with calm anger, then returned his attention to Orihime. "Before I came to Hueco Mundo, I came across a clever invention called the ganbaru. The ganbaru makes it so that the soul can change forms and still retain its original power."

Ichigo burst into the room. "Inoue!" He was about to interfere with Aizen when Ulquiorra stepped in front of him.

"Do not interfere, shinigami."

Aizen continued his explanation to Orihime. " This would mean that even as a hollow you would still obtain your original power to reject reality. I would have your loyalty and ability then."

"What? I won't let you turn Orihime into a hollow!" Ichigo yelled as he hit Ulquiorra strongly with his sword sending him flying back. With Ulquiorra no longer blocking him, Ichigo used the chance to charge at Aizen.

Ichigo swung Zangetsu at Aizen with a lot of force. Aizen lifted the hand not holding Orihime to block the attack. A single drop of blood fell from Aizen's hand. Aizen looked down at his hand.

"You've improved since our last battle."

Rukia had instantly felt Orihime's reiatsu being smothered by Aizen's. She also felt when Ichigo went to help. Rukia knew that she had to get to them as fast as possible. Their lives depended on it. Rukia abandoned the slower arrancar she was fighting and took off running towards the reiatsus.

"Ichigo, Orihime. Hold on."

_Authors Note: Thanks for all of the encouraging reviews and please keep on reviewing. Sorry that the last chapter was so short. It was my first story posted on fan fiction and it looked longer on my word program. Sorry about another cliffy, but there's not really anywhere good to leave off at. I will try to update this as quickly as possible. _D And thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3: Blood and Tears

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Bleach or any of its characters.**

Ichigo widened his eyes in disbelief. Aizen had blocked the attack with one hand? Ichigo remembered back to when he was rescuing Rukia from Soul Society. Ichigo had charged at Aizen in his bankai form and Aizen had been able to block the attack with a single finger. Ichigo knew Aizen was strong, but he had spent months training to get strong enough to beat Aizen. And only one drop of blood fell from where Ichigo had hit Aizen. Ichigo was so busy staring in disbelief that he barely had time to jump back and dodge Aizen's counterattack. With the attack, Aizen stopped releasing so much unnecessary reiatsu.

Aizen dropped Orihime and she fell to her knees. Then he swung his sword at Ichigo causing him to fly across the room and crash against the wall. A pool of blood formed under Ichigo. Orihime gasped. She slowly raised her head and looked at Ichigo.

"Ichi... go..." Tears welled in her eyes once more as Ichigo barely managed to raise his head. Aizen ignored Ichigo.

Aizen continued his earlier explanation like nothing had happened. "The ganbaru was Urahara Kisuke's first model of the hougyoku. It differs on many levels. The ganbaru does not change a shinigami into a hollow or a hollow into a shinigami. The ganbaru only allows the one it is being used on to keep their abilities through the change. In order for a soul to change with the ganbaru they must first die."

Orihime looked up at Aizen. "Please... I'm not ready to die..., Aizen-sama" Orihime said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Aizen smirked and looked at Orihime "It is your punishment for betraying me. I'm sure you will understand. But fear not, your death will pass quickly and you will be a hollow before you know it."

"No... I don't want that..." Tears rolled down Orihime's cheeks.

Aizen smirked and looked towards the door as Orihime sensed a familiar reiatsu. Rukia stood in the entrance. She looked as if she had been running a while. Aizen's expression became thoughtful. "Kuchiki Rukia. I see your soul has recovered from Urahara Kisuke's attempts to hide the hougyoku in it.

"Aizen." Rukia said with hatred heavy in her voice. Then in a softer voice, "Orihime. Don't worry, you're safe now."

"Thank you, Rukia... Thank you, Ichigo..."

"Ulquiorra, please deal with this interruption." Aizen said with a glance at Rukia

"Of course, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra faced Rukia.

Rukia unsheathed her zanpakuto, held it in front of her and said "Dance, sode no shirayuki." Rukia spun her sword in a circle as it turned into it's beautiful, white released form with a long ribbon hanging from it. "Some no mai, Tsuki Shiro!" Rukia moved her sword back and a white, icy circle appeared on the ground where Ulquiorra was standing.

The bottom of his legs froze into the circle, but with his espada strength, he was easily able to break the ice and jump out of the circle before it completely froze. Before Rukia could fully recover from her attack at him, Ulquiorra shot his arm at Rukia with lightning speed. Rukia half jumped, half stumbled out of the way of the possibly fatal attack. As Ulquiorra sent his next well-aimed attack, Rukia barely raised her zanpakuto in time. He was too fast for her. Rukia was already showing signs of exhaustion.

Ulquiorra raised his right hand and shoved it into the left area of Rukia's stomach. Rukia coughed up blood and fell to the floor. She didn't move after, but Orihime could still feel her reiatsu. She was alive, but unconscious.

Orihime looked at Ichigo and Rukia. Orihime had the power to heal her friends, but with Shun'ou and Ayame injured, she couldn't do anything for them. So Orihime cried. She cried at her lack of power and at the injuries of her close friends. She cried out of fear of what would probably happen next. She desperately didn't want to become a hollow. All of her experience with them told her that they were mean and nasty. She didn't want t kill innocent people just for a snack.

Orihime didn't want to die either. Would she remember her current life? Would she remember Ichigo? Would she remember Tatsuki or any of her other friends? Orihime had had so much that she wanted to do before she died. She had surrendered most of her hope for her plans when she came to Hueco Mundo, but she had always held a glimmer of hope that she would be able to return home soon and live her life. But it wouldn't be so because Orihime didn't have enough power to defend her friends or herself. Tears flowed so freely down Orihime's face that a small tear puddle formed beneath her chin.

Aizen gave Orihime a chance to cry before saying to her, "Ichigo is conscious. I will let you say goodbye to him before I change you."

"... Thank... you..." Orihime looked up through her tear-filled eyes at Ichigo. He was badly injured and couldn't move. Orihime stood up and walked over to Ichigo. She knelt down by him and grabbed his hand. Ichigo raised his head as much as he was able.

"Inoue... I'm sorry... I wasn't strong enough..."

"No. Don't be sorry. Thank you, Kurosaki-kun. Thank you for everything." Orihime gently reached down and wiped some blood off of Ichigo's face. "Ever since we came back from Soul Society, there has been something I wanted to do. I didn't have the courage to before. But I can't become a hollow, without living first."

Orihime gently leaned in towards Ichigo and touched her lips to his in a short, sweet kiss. Orihime wanted to stay with Ichigo forever. She would be happy then, but she couldn't stay with him. She wasn't strong enough.

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise at the kiss, then a soft smile appeared on his face. "Inoue..."

Orihime returned his soft smile, but her eyes were sad. She let go of Ichigo's hand and stood up. "Farewell, Ichigo."

Orihime walked back over to Aizen. "Aizen-sama... please... Please do not kill Kurosaki-kun."

Aizen smirked and said "Are you ready for your future?"

Orihime shut her eyes and looked away. "Yes, Aizen-sama."

_Authors Note: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please review it. And Thank you to the people who have already reviewed._


	4. Chapter 4: Transformation

**Disclaimer: I probably never will own Bleach or any of its characters.**

Orihime stood near Aizen with her eyes squeezed shut. Her face was drenched with tears. She couldn't believe this was about to happen. If only she was stronger. Then she wouldn't be so useless. But maybe she didn't have to be useless now. After all, only two of her faeries were injured. She still had four that would be willing to fight.

Before Orihime could do anything, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and her soul went flying out of her body. She was still connected to her physical body by a silver chain jetting out of her stomach. Her physical body was bleeding. She heard Ichigo yell something frantically and try to get up. Rukia regained consciousness and raised her head. She gasped and yelled something frantically too.

Orihime wasn't listening though. She was having a flashback to the first time she had seen a hollow. Her hollow brother, Sora had come to her house and had knocked her out of her physical body. Orihime's soul had been attached to her body by a silver chain identical to the one she had attached to her chest now. Rukia had been able to save her because her chain was still attached. But it probably wouldn't be reattached this time.

Orihime grabbed the chain. It hurt. She looked up at Ichigo and Rukia. "Don't worry about me." She said with her most fake smile and closed eyes. "I'll be fine. Please worry about getting out of here alive yourself."

"Inoue..." Ichigo said.

"...Orihime..." Rukia said.

Aizen smirked and walked towards Orihime. He grabbed his zanpakuto and hit Orihime's soul chain, severing it. Aizen lifted Orihime's soul chain and began unraveling it.

Orihime looked at Ichigo. "If I ever try to kill anyone... Please kill me first."

"Inoue, I can't."

"Promise me!" Orihime yelled with sudden fierceness as Aizen's unraveling reached her soul body.

"Okay..." A tear formed in Ichigo's eye.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun. Thank you Rukia-chan. Thank you..."

Orihime gasped with pain as her soul chain completely detached from her soul body. She looked down at her body. A small hole went through her stomach. She knew she was one step away from turning into a hollow. More tears fell from Orihime's eyes.

Aizen reached down and grabbed Orihime's hand. He put the ganbaru on her wrist. Then he put his sword tip in Orihime's hollow hole, agitating it. This sped up the hollow transformation. The last thing Orihime heard before she lost consciousness was a combined yell from Rukia and Ichigo.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Orihime blinked and fell into hazy blackness.

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Rukia watched as Orihime began writhing as her body changed forms. Orange fur started to grow out all over Orihime's body. A mask started to form over her face.

Rukia watched with horror and slowly sat up. She could move, but her body hurt. Not only her body hurt, but her heart hurt. She had found a friend in Orihime and now she was turning into a hollow before Rukia's eyes. She watched the whole transformation begin.

Rukia looked up at Ichigo with sad eyes. Was he crying? A tear fell from Ichigo's eye and hit the ground. Rukia's eyes whetted, but she was trained for situations like these. She had to think. It was too late for Orihime now, but maybe Rukia and Ichigo could still escape.

"Inoue... Orihime..." Ichigo said with sadness. "I'm sorry..."

"Ichigo!" Rukia said in her commanding voice. "We have to leave! Now! Orihime wanted us to! It's too late for us to do anything for her for now. Even when she's a hollow we can still save her later, but only if we live."

Aizen smirked.

"I can't move..." Ichigo said

"You have to!"

"Rukia..."

Rukia stood up and walked over to Ichigo. She knelt beside him. "Ichigo, we have to save our selfs, don't you understand?!?"

Rukia suddenly looked up, her eyes wide with fear as she felt a strong wind pass her and as she heard a zanpakuto being unsheathed. Rukia nearly fell back when she saw Aizen staring down at the injured Ichigo with his zanpakuto in hand.

Aizen let out his reiatsu. Rukia was blown back a couple of feet and she stumbled slightly. Aizen raised his sword and brought it down on Ichigo.

Rukia gasped and tears flowed freely down her face as she saw blood flow heavily from Ichigo's body. "ICHIGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Aizen walked over to Rukia, but before he could do anything, Rukia shadow-stepped over to Ichigo. Rukia raised her zanpakuto and pointed the hilt at Ichigo's forehead. "He is human." She mumbled to herself. "I should be able to send him to Soul Society." Rukia touched the back of her zanpakuto to Ichigo's forehead. A black butterfly materialized in Ichigo's place and flew off. Rukia's tears landed on the floor. Ichigo was on his way to Soul Society.

Rukia looked back. Aizen stood behind her. Rukia looked at Aizen with a huge look of disgust. Then she turned towards the door and shadow-stepped for all she was worth because her life depended on it.

Ulquoirra was about to pursue Rukia when Aizen shook his head. "Let Kuchiki Rukia go. We have more important matters to attend to."

Aizen and Ulquoirra both looked down at Orihime, who had by now almost completely transformed into a hollow.

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Rukia could feel the reiatsu of her friends up ahead. When she met up with them, they would be able to leave Hueco Mundo. Rukia wanted to get to Soul Society as soon as she could and look for Ichigo.

With sudden force, a hauntingly familiar reiatsu appeared behind Rukia. Rukia turned around to see someone with a snake-like smile and closed eyes.

"How've ya been Rukia-chan?"

_Authors Note: With school, I won't be able to update as regularly. Sorry, but I will try to update whenever I get a chance. Thanks again to the people who reviewed and please keep reviewing. All of the reviews were really encouraging for me to read._


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Bleach, Adventure, Supernatural