Diamondhead chuckled, filled with newfound confidence. "Well, it looks like diamonds are forever!"
Baraggan glared at the wall, imagining the look on the hero's face at this revelation. "You little ant! I will show you!"
"No, you won't!" Diamondhead slammed his hands back onto the ground. A crystal pillar rose up from underneath Baraggan. The move distracted him long enough for Diamondhead to lower the crystal wall and tackle him. Although he could feel himself slowing down, the proximity between him and Baraggan, combined with the Espada's disbelief over something being immune to his powers left him too stunned to realize the danger. Baraggan's eye bulged when he finally realized the current situation. His teeth ground together, his fist clenched the hilt of his axe so tightly that it began to tremble, and his entire face looked like he was ready to explode.
"You…you…abomination!" Baraggan roared. "You cannot exist! You cannot exist!" He swung his axe at Diamondhead, who, thanks to Baraggan's power, was unable to do anything except let the attack hit him. Although his crystalline body blocked the blow, the sheer force once again brought him to his knees. Baraggan's spiritual pressure flared wildly, forcing the others to their knees as well. Diamondhead noticed this out of the corner of his eye, though he also noticed Harribel slowly making her way over to the other two combatants. Diamondhead wondered if she was able to use her own spiritual pressure to counter Baraggan's, though his power to slow time was probably affecting her as well. This deduction gave Diamondhead an idea.
"Man, sucks to be you," he taunted the Second Espada. "You were so full of yourself and here I come along and it turns out your powers doesn't work on me. That's just sad."
Baraggan's face contained nothing but pure rage at the crystalline being before him. "Hold your tongue you insignificant trash! You used some sort of trick! Claiming that your crystals cannot age is arrogance to the finest degree! I applaud you for your showmanship, for a moment I honestly believed that you could somehow resist my power."
Diamondhead simply smirked. "Wow, lying to yourself just so you can feel better? You've probably reached an all-time low, Baraggan. What's the matter? Can't really fight without your fancy time powers helping you?"
Baraggan snarled as he increased both his spiritual pressure and the pressure on his axe. Diamondhead cringed from both assaults, though another sound worried him. He looked at the pillar Baraggan was partially imprisoned in and noticed small, thin cracks begin to form. Baraggan's sheer spiritual pressure was affecting the crystals. Baraggan noticed Diamondhead's looked and followed his line of sight. What he saw caused his fierce visage to drop back into calm arrogance. "So, your diamonds are not unbreakable. Good." He raised his axe. "You're too dangerous to let live, Ben Tennyson! Aizen was a fool to ever let you into our ranks. So I shall rectify that mistake." But just as he prepared to swing his axe, he suddenly cried out in pain. He had been so distracted by Diamondhead that he failed to realize Harribel had been getting closer and closer. But, aware that Baraggan's time powers would hinder her regardless of her opening, she decided to simply hold her blade out in front of her as she made her way towards him. Fortunately, Diamondhead's taunting, combined with Baraggan's desperate refusal to believe anything could halt his power, the former lord of Hueco Mundo never realized she was there until her blade impaled him through his shoulder. Howling in pain, Baraggan dropped his axe, turning his head to see who had attacked him.
"H-Harribel!" he thundered.
Harribel glared at him with narrow eyes.
"Lady Harribel!" Apacci cried happily.
"She did it!" Mila Rose exclaimed.
Diamondhead quickly took advantage of Harribel's attack to back away from Baraggan before giving a thumbs-up to the third Espada. "Great job, Harribel!"
"It was thanks to you that I was even able to attack," Harribel complimented him before glaring at Baraggan. "That was for threatening me, my Fraccion," She looked over at Diamondhead and her expression softened. "And my friend." Diamondhead smiled in response.
"Lord Baraggan!" His Fraccion cried out, unable to believe that their leader was capable of being injured.
"Yeah!" Apacci punched the air. "You did it! You hurt him!"
"I never thought I would see this day," Sung-sun whispered to herself.
Mila Rose grinned as she put a hand on her hip. "That Ben. No matter what happens, he always finds a way to surprise us."
"I…impossible," Baraggan said, staring at Harribel. "You…hurt…me. Y…you can't…"
"We have," Harribel said firmly before looking over at Baraggan's Fraccion, all of them flinched at the intense look she was giving them. "This fight is over. Leave now and I will not inform Lord Aizen of your treacherous actions."
Diamondhead gave them another cocky grin and made a show of cracking his knuckles. "Unless you guys want to go a few rounds with me?"
Baraggan's Fraccion looked conflicted. No doubt it was because they wanted to avenge the slight against their master, but at the same time, knew exactly who they were up against.
"Damn you," Vega growled.
"W…what…do you think you're doing?" Baraggan asked, glaring over at his Fraccion. "You would surrender to them? Like cowards?"
"Lord Baraggan," Findorr started to say.
"Stop them and destroy this Oasis!" Baraggan shouted at them. He turned his head towards Harribel. "You think you have won because you managed to hurt me, Harribel? How presumptuous of you." He started reaching for her, only for Harribel to twist the blade in his shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain.
"Lord Baraggan!" His Fraccion cried out.
"Come on!" Vega shouted at his teammates. "If we all gang up on Harribel, we can take…" He was unable to finish his sentence before Mila Rose appeared beside him with Sonido, just barely missing him when she brought her sword down.
"If you want to get to Lady Harribel," She said with a feral grin on her face.
"You'll have to get through us first," Apacci said as she unclipped her chakrams and threw them. Baraggan's Fraccion split in different directions to avoid the incoming projectiles.
Redder sneered at them. "You think you can take us on!?" he raised his wings but before he could fire his feathers, he found himself under attack from a flurry of shards, courtesy of Diamondhead.
"How does it feel when your plan gets turned on you?" Diamondhead chuckled.
"Redder, Charlotte!" Findorr called. "Focus on Tennyson! We'll deal with Harribel's Fraccion."
"Hmph," Sung-Sun said as she casually pulled out her sai. "My. How confident you are. How about we show you the results of our training?"
Vega laughed. "You think a little bit of training will make you a match for us?"
"Why don't you find out?" Mila Rose challenged, raising her sword.
"Right!" Charlotte replied to Findorr. "Alrighty, Ben! Get ready! Beautiful Charlotte's Ultra Sexy…"
But Diamondhead slammed his hands onto the ground, a large crystal bursting out toward Charlotte, who gawked when he saw the crystal explode into a fleche storm of shards. Charlotte hissed as the shards struck him. He angrily glared down at Diamondhead. "How dare you attack me while I was in the middle of calling out my attack?!"
"Do you have any idea how long your attack names are?" Diamondhead responded before firing another barrage of shards. This time Charlotte dodged out of the way before using Sonido to appear right beside his opponent, throwing out a kick, which Diamondhead blocked. He was about to attack when he saw Redder above him, preparing an attack of his own. Quickly, Diamondhead grabbed Charlotte by his outstretched leg and before the flamboyant Arrancar could do anything, Diamondhead tossed him straight at Redder. The avian Arrancar was so stunned by this unexpected move that he did nothing to prevent Charlotte from colliding with him in midair, causing both to fall to the ground.
Diamondhead chuckled for a moment before frowning. "Man, I thought these guys would back down once we get the better of Baraggan but it looks like they're just too loyal. I guess I better stick to knocking Charlotte out and see if that gets rid of these thorns. Where are the girls?"
He looked up and noticed that Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun had been surrounded by Vega, Findorr, Parduouc, and Poww. He prepared to jump in until he was suddenly tackled by Redder.
"Don't take your eyes off of me, Tennyson!" Redder yelled.
…
Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sung-Sun eyed their opponents warily. Poww remained as stoic as ever, Vega and Parduouc were both smug, while Findorr had a less arrogant but still confident smile on his face.
"So," Poww said nonchalantly. "How shall we deal with these three?"
"There's four of us and only three of them," Findorr stated. "Should perhaps one of us sit this out?"
"You can if you want, Findorr," Parduouc told him. "But I'm not passing up a chance to fight some hot ladies."
"You three probably should have stuck with Tennyson," Vega said to the girls. "You might have stood a chance but now there's no hope for you."
"We've heard that you've been training with Tennyson but nothing about whether or not you've actually beaten him," Poww added. "If you can't even defeat him, what makes you think you stand a chance against us?"
During this banter, all three girls regarded their enemies with disinterest. At first the males chalked it up to weak bravado in the face of danger but when the girls continued looking at them nonchalantly, it started to unnerve and irritate them.
"What's with those looks?!" Vega demanded. "You really think you're better than us?!"
"If you're going to insult us," Mila Rose said coolly. "At least make sure you get your facts straight."
"Sure we haven't had the best of luck with Ben," Apacci admitted. "But those were just spars, so of course we all hold back, Ben included."
"However," Sung-Sun added, lowering her head. "This is an actual fight. Plus you, and your master, are nothing more than scum."
All three girls glared. "So there's no reason for us to go easy on you!"
Suddenly all three shot off in a blur. Before anyone could register what had happened, Findorr was disarmed by Sung-Sun's sai, slashed cross the chest by Mila Rose's sword and hamstrung courtesy of Apacci's chakrams. His comrades all stared in shock at this sudden attack.
"Since you like sealing so much of your power with your mask, Findorr," Sung-sun said. "That makes you the weakest one here right now."
Findorr grit his teeth in pain as he fell on his back. Apacci shot towards him before flipping up into the air. Findorr only had enough time to open his mouth in shock before Apacci divebombed him with her fist, the blow strong enough to cause him to cough up blood before falling into unconsciousness.
"Findorr!" Vega shouted before Apacci's chakrams flew towards him. He ducked under them only to barely dodge Sung-Sun stabbing his face, and lunging forward when Mila Rose tried to slash him from behind. Poww moved to attack them, swinging a massive fist. All three girls dodged before launching themselves at him simultaneously. Poww blocked Mila Rose's sword, though he winced as he felt her cut his arm, swung his other hand at an incoming Sung-Sun, but his eyes widened as he felt Apacci's chakrams slice into his back. The pain left him open for Sung-Sun to strike him across the face, stunning him long enough for Mila Rose to slash his leg, causing him to stumble. Gritting his teeth, Poww tried to push himself back up, only for all three girls to strike him simultaneously. More blood burst from his newest wounds as he toppled over onto the ground.
"Unbelievable," Vega muttered. "Instead of fighting one on one, all three are attacking one of us at a time?!"
"I believe, as Findorr would say, Exacta!" Mila Rose said with a grin.
"What?" Vega tried taunting them. "Are you three so weak that you all need to gang up on one target?"
"I thought you said you were the strongest Numeros in all of Hueco Mundo?" Sung-Sun pointed out. "Surely three weak girls wouldn't be too much trouble for a single member of the Fraccion belonging to the mighty Baraggan?"
"You bitch!" Vega shouted.
"Vega, no!" Parduouc tried to warn his comrade as he charged at the three. But he was so blinded by his anger that the three were able to slash him simultaneously just as they had with Poww. "Vega!"
"Damn…you…" Vega cursed before Sung-Sun struck him in the back of his neck with the flat side of her sai. He collapsed as well.
Parduouc's jaw hung open as he tried to register what was happening before his eyes. His teammates, the proud followers of Lord Baraggan, had been taken out in no time at all.
"Man," Apacci said, putting a hand on her hip. "That was…kinda disappointing. Were they really that weak? Or did we get that much stronger?"
"While we have improved," Sung-Sun said. "They did outnumber us and we don't know how costly this fight would have been if we all released ourselves. We took them down so easily because those fools weren't expecting us to rush them one at a time. That, combined with their arrogance, allowed us to take them down quickly."
"Tch," Apacci looked over at Parduouc. "Down to one, huh? Wonder if he's got any fight in him."
Parduouc was understandably nervous after witnessing the defeat of his teammates, but the girls' conversation had given him confidence. "So the only reason you three won was because you took them by surprise?" He chuckled as he reached for his Zanpakuto. "That means, since you won't be able to take me by surprise, you don't stand a chance."
All three girls looked at him with their eyes half-closed. "Is he serious?" Apacci asked.
"He's trying to make himself feel better," Mila Rose said with a shrug. "You two can go help Ben if you want, I'll handle this guy."
Parduouc gripped his Zanpakuto tightly. "I'll teach you three to look down on us!"
All three girls shifted into defensive stances but Parduouc never managed to attack them because at that moment, something crashed into him, kicking up sand everywhere. The girls were only able to stare in confusion at what had just occurred before the figure that struck Parduouc picked itself up.
"Ugh," Diamondhead rubbed his cranium before gazing up. Charlotte and Redder hovered over him, both grinning down maliciously at the alien hero.
"Ben!" Apacci called, running to his side. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Diamondhead said as he got back to his feet.
"Are you seriously having trouble with these guys, Ben?" Mila Rose asked, eyeing the last two of Baraggan's Fraccion.
"These guys have been sticking to keeping their distance or using hit and run tactics," Diamondhead explained.
"Redder specializes in long ranged aerial combat so it's no surprise," Sung-Sun said as she stared up at the two.
Charlotte was about to comment when he saw the defeated forms of his teammates lying on the ground. "What?! You…you guys lost?!"
"What gives?!" Redder shouted down at them.
"Huh?" Diamondhead looked around. "Whoa. You took these guys out fast!"
"Nice to see that our training has been put to good use," Mila Rose said to him.
Just then they heard a groaning off to the side. Turning, the four saw that Parduouc was starting to pick himself up.
"Excuse me," Apacci said before walking over to Parduouc. She raised her foot and slammed her heel into the back of his neck, fully sending him into the realm of unconsciousness.
"…Good job," was all Diamondhead could say, earning a grin from Apacci. Diamondhead then shifted his attention back to his airborne adversaries. "Guess all we need to do now is deal with these two."
"Want some help?" Mila Rose offered.
"Nah, I got this," Diamondhead reassured her.
The last standing members of Baraggan's Fraccion scowled at Diamondhead. "I don't know how you did it but now it falls to us to avenge Lord Baraggan's honor!" Redder declared.
"This has gone on quite long enough," Charlotte said as he struck a pose, flexing his muscles. "As a princess, I declare you all must fall!"
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, "princess"," Diamondhead said as he brought his hands together. "But it's time you were overthrown!"
Harribel's Fraccion watched in fascination as Diamondhead created what appeared to be a large, chained, crystalline hook.
"Step back," Diamondhead advised the girls. They quickly retreated backwards as Diamondhead spun the giant hook over his head before sending it flying at Redder. The hook struck Redder in the side, sending him barreling into Charlotte who he grabbed in a blind panic, the force sending them both towards the lake of the Oasis. Grinning, Diamondhead yanked on the hook's chain, pulling both Arrancar straight towards him. As their momentum carried the two towards him, Diamondhead raised another wall of crystal out of the ground. Both Arrancar only had enough time to widen their eyes before they collided with the wall with a resounding thud.
Apacci threw back her head with laughter, Mila Rose chuckled softly, and Sung-Sun giggled behind her hand at the display. Diamondhead lowered the wall as Redder and Charlotte slumped to the ground, dazed but still remotely conscious. The two froze when they saw Diamondhead's feet before them. Slowly, they looked up, seeing Diamondhead grin down at them. Sweat ran down their foreheads. Diamondhead grabbed Charlotte by his shirt and Redder by his feathers, hoisted both off the ground, and proceeded to slam their heads together.
"Finally," Diamondhead muttered as his opponents slumped unconscious in his grasp. He dropped them both unceremoniously before tapping the Ultimatrix dial, transforming back into his human self.
"Nice one, Ben," Mila Rose said. "We all knew you could make walls but I didn't know you could make other stuff out of crystal like that."
"Yeah, Diamondhead's pretty versatile," Ben said.
"Well done," Harribel said, still standing in the same spot she had been; her blade still piercing Baraggan's flesh. She looked to the side, noticing that the black thorns were starting to disappear.
Baraggan himself on the other hand, was staring at the fallen forms of his underlings. "It…can't be. My Fraccion…my warriors…defeated by the likes of them?!"
"The arrogance of you and yours have has become your downfall, Baraggan," Harribel said coolly. She pulled her blade out, Baraggan hissing as he felt it leave his body. He reached over his shoulder to feel the wound but Harribel paid him no mind as she walked over to Ben and her girls.
"Glad that's over," Ben said, putting his hands in his pockets before pausing. He walked over to the plants and started inspecting them. After a moment he let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, so far I don't see any damage."
"That's good," Apacci said as she reattached her chakrams to her wrists.
"I don't understand why Baraggan thought this would work," Mila Rose commented as she sheathed her sword. "Even if he destroyed all these fruits, Lord Aizen could've just had Szayel and Ben make new ones. Was he planning to constantly destroy them and hope Lord Aizen would just give up?"
"It's possible that he didn't think that far ahead," Sung-Sun pointed out, her sai disappearing into her sleeve. "Maybe he was just so focused on getting rid of these fruits that it didn't occur to him."
"Heh," Apacci scoffed. "Pretty stupid if you ask me."
"Well, bottom line is that everything worked out," Ben said. "Thanks for all your help." Then he remembered what Harribel said earlier and grinned at her. "So, now you see me as a friend huh?"
At first, Harribel said nothing, merely crossing her arms and gazing at him. Ben wondered if he maybe he had pushed his luck too far. "You have treated my subordinates and myself with courtesy, respect, and kindness. You were uncomfortable about our existence but did not judge us, and you have put your own life on the life for our sakes. So yes…I see you as a friend." Then, in a surprising moment of playfulness, she added. "If that is alright with you."
Ben simply grinned while her Fraccion gaped at their leader. They had seen many sides of their leader but nothing remotely close to playfulness. They turned their heads in wonder at Ben, who was still grinning at Harribel, amazed at bringing out a new side to their leader.
"One thing I don't get though," Ben said as a thought occurred to him. "Is why Baraggan wanted to destroy the fruits instead of hogging them all to himself. I honestly thought he was going to try and use them to overthrow Aizen. Does he really believe in survival of the fittest that much?"
Harribel looked over her shoulder at Baraggan, who was still wrapped up to his waist in crystal, clutching his bleeding wound and staring at his fallen followers.
"While I don't doubt that he believes in that philosophy," Harribel spoke up. "I believe he had another reason for wishing these plants destroyed." When the others looked at her expectantly, she continued. "I believe he feared the fruits could be used against him."
Ben and the girls blinked at this revelation. "Okay, that, actually makes a lot more sense," Ben admitted.
"It's possible that he did consider using the fruits against Lord Aizen," Harribel added. "But as I said, he possibly feared that we, perhaps even Lord Aizen himself, would use the fruits to counter him."
"So Baraggan probably figured that if he couldn't have them all to himself, nobody could," Ben realized.
"That's my theory, anyway," Harribel admitted.
"I don't think we need to worry about Baraggan," Apacci said before slapping Ben's back playfully, the hero stumbling. "If that old fart acts up again, Ben can just go Diamondhead on him."
"Let's not get cocky, Apacci," Ben cautioned her. This got her attention, if Ben was being cautious, this had to be serious. "Baraggan's time powers seem to be his ace in the hole, but I'm pretty sure he's got plenty of other powers to fall back on and I don't know if Diamondhead alone will be enough."
"I agree, Ben," Harribel said, respecting Ben's strategic thinking. She then addressed her Fraccion. "Also, girls. I'm proud of all three of you. Today you have shown not only the capabilities of your teamwork but also the effect that sparring with Ben has had on you. You did excellent today."
"I'll say," Ben said. "I only saw parts of the fight since I was focused on Redder and Charlotte but from what I saw, you three were awesome. They never even saw you coming."
Apacci sported a cocky grin, Mila Rose a proud smile, and Sung-Sun covered her mouth with her sleeve again. Ben laughed heartily while Harribel remained silent, though there was visible pride in her eyes.
"Im…possible,"
The five turned towards Baraggan, his entire body shaking. "Impossible," He growled.
"Oh, man," Ben grumbled. "This isn't good."
"What was your first clue?" Apacci snarked.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Baraggan roared. His spiritual power flared immensely, shattering his crystal entrapment. He faced Ben and the girls, his face more livid than they had seen yet.
"YOU WORTHLESS ANTS!" Baraggan howled at them. "YOU DARE TRY TO MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME!"
Harribel narrowed her eyes. She had never seen Baraggan this enraged before and it didn't bode well for them.
"I WILL TEACH ALL OF YOU YOUR PLACE!" Baraggan vowed as he made his way towards them.
Harribel held her blade out protectively. "Don't be foolish, Baraggan. Your Spiritual Pressure will be sensed by everyone at this rate. Do you really wish to invoke Lord Aizen's judgment upon you?"
Baraggan said nothing, merely gnashing his teeth as he glared at Harribel.
"He's too angry to listen to reason," Mila Rose noted.
"We wounded his pride," Sung-Sun replied. "And now he wants revenge."
"Okay, Ben," Apacci said. "You should probably go Diamondhead now."
"Y-yeah, I think you're right," Ben said as he started reaching for the Ultimatrix.
Harribel looked towards her Fraccion. "Girls, get to safety! You know what…"
Just as Ben was about to activate the Ultimatrix, Baraggan launched himself towards them. "Harribel, watch out!"
Baraggan was directly in front of them now, having reached them with Sonido. Harribel's eyes widened as Baraggan shot his fist outward. Assuming that Baraggan had targeted her first, Harribel raised her blade to block him, only for Baraggan's arm to pass her in favor of the target beside her.
Ben only had enough time to raise his arms in a block when he felt Baraggan's fist connect. He cried out as pain exploded in his arms and sickening cracks exploded in his ears. The force knocked him off his feet, blasting him into the sand.
"STARTING WITH YOU!" Baraggan declared.
Ben clenched his teeth in pain as he weakly attempted to sit up. He tried using the Ultimatrix only to shut his eyes tight from how much pain his arms were in. He had a strong feeling that they were both broken.
"Ben!" Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun yelled in concern.
Harribel rounded on Baraggan, her eyes shining with ferocity. "You!" She swung her blade at Baraggan, only to chide herself as she felt her body slowing down. Baraggan grabbed her by the arm.
"I'll deal with you in a moment," He told her coldly before shoving her back and to the ground. Harribel winced as the force almost dislocated her arm. She looked up to see Baraggan slowly approaching Ben. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun quickly pulled out their weapons and stood before their enemy.
"Get away from him!" Apacci threatened.
Baraggan glared at her with contempt. "Do you wish to die first?" he asked.
Mila Rose raised her sword. "We won't let you hurt Ben or Lady Harribel!" She declared.
"Hmph," Baraggan snorted. "Worthless ants, all of you! You shall pay for your defiance as you watch me remind this pathetic human how insignificant he is!"
Despite knowing the odds were against them, all three girls lunged at Baraggan.
"Pointless," Baraggan muttered as the girls began moving towards him at a slower pace. He backhanded all three in one blow, blasting them backwards.
"D-damn you," Apacci cursed, rubbing her jaw.
Baraggan ignored her as he stood directly above Ben. Breathing deeply, Ben looked up at the Second Espada with all the courage he could despite his pain.
"In the end, this is all you amounted to," Baraggan said as he reached out.
"Ben," Harribel whispered in fear.
"No!" Mila Rose shouted.
"Leave him alone!" Sung-Sun screamed.
Suddenly a new pressure came upon them, one even greater than what Baraggan was emitting. In fact, the Espada himself seem frozen in place by the sheer force of the pressure.
"Baraggan"
Said Arrancar turned as he was addressed, his eye widening at the voice. Standing behind him was none other than Starrk himself, and he was given one of the deepest scowls that had ever been shown on the normally apathetic Espada's face.
"Get away from Ben," Starrk told him. "Now."
The other Arrancar stared at him in shock. Starrk never gave orders. Sure he might snap at Lilynette for something but he never made a command like this. To Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun, he seemed even more intense than when he had confronted Nnoitra during the Fifth Espada's first fight with Ben.
Baraggan quickly overcame his shock. "You dare order me, Starrk?"
"Well I happen to outrank you so yeah, I dare," Starrk said testily and yet again, the others were taken aback by his sudden attitude. Not keeping his eyes off of Baraggan, he addressed the other present Espada. "Harribel, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Harribel said, quickly rising to her feet. "Out of all of us, Ben is the most wounded. I think both of his arms are broken, possibly shattered. If he hadn't blocked at the last second…" Harribel stopped though the implications were there all the same.
"I see," Starrk said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "Harribel, I know I don't have any right to ask this but could you please take Ben to safety?"
"Wait!" Apacci shouted, running over to Ben. "Swampfire can regenerate, right? We can just have Ben turn into him and everything will be alright." She grabbed the Ultimatrix and ran her hands along the centerpiece, trying to get it to activate. She quickly became frustrated over her lack of progress. "Gah! How do you work this thing?" She yanked on the Ultimatrix, thereby yanking Ben's arm.
"Ah!" He cried out from the burst of pain. "Apacci!"
She flinched. "Sorry, Ben!" She let go of the Ultimatrix, which caused Ben's arm to fall to the ground, causing him to cry out again. "Ah! Sorry!"
"Apacci, you idiot!" Mila Rose shouted testily. "Are you trying to kill him?"
"I was just trying to help!" Apacci snapped. "Which is more than I can say for you!"
"What was that?!" Mila Rose growled.
"Girls!" Harribel said firmly. "Get Ben to safety first. I'll stay here with Starrk and…"
"It's okay, Harribel," Starrk said, causing the Third Espada to falter. "Go with Ben and your Fraccion. I'll deal with Baraggan."
For the third time, the other Arrancar were stunned, though Baraggan quickly regained himself.
"You'll deal with me? What is this, Starrk?" He questioned. "This uncharacteristic behavior of yours; is it really all for the sake of a mere charge?"
"I'll only say this once, Baraggan," Starrk said, not rising to the other's taunts. "Back off."
It seemed that the reminder of wounding Ben helped bolster his confidence because all Baraggan did was smirk at Starrk, flaring his own spiritual pressure to counter the Primera Espada's. "No."
Harribel looked back and forth between them uneasily. She feared that if the two most powerful Espada were to come to blows in the confines of Las Noches, nothing would be left standing. She felt that she needed to intervene, perhaps even aid Starrk however she could when…
"That would be unwise of you, Baraggan."
Both Starrk and Baraggan's Spiritual Pressure stopped immediately as they, Harribel, her Fraccion, and Ben turned to see Aizen standing before them. Gone was the smile that usually donned his face. His mouth was a thin line as he studied the surrounding area, namely Baraggan's unconscious Fraccion and a wounded Ben, before his eyes settled on Baraggan.
"Would you care to tell me what happened here?"
Baraggan said nothing, merely looking at the Soul Reaper who had dethroned him.
"Am I to assume that this was simply a sparring match gone awry?" Aizen asked, though his tone indicated his skepticism. He shot a glance at Ben. "Or perhaps you decided to do what Nnoitra, Grimmjow, and Luppi have done before you, Baraggan."
"This had nothing to do with the boy," Baraggan said evenly. "He just got in the way."
"You liar!" Apacci shrieked.
"Lord Aizen," Harribel said. "Baraggan, he…"
"Perhaps Ben got in the way, initially," Aizen said, cutting Harribel off, as he looked over at the trees. His eyes landed on a particular spot where the squashed remains of the fruit Baraggan had aged still laid. Baraggan scowled when he noticed what Aizen was looking at. "But then you were tired of him getting in the way and decided to take your anger out on him instead."
Baraggan didn't even try to defend himself. He simply kept his mouth shut; glaring at Aizen with all his might, as if hoping he could strike the Soul Reaper down with emotion alone.
"Hmm," Aizen muttered to himself as he looked down at Baraggan's Fraccion before looking over at Harribel's. Then he smiled. "Well, it seems your Fraccion's training has done wonders, Harribel. Yours have defeated Baraggan's. I'm impressed."
Baraggan growled under his breath, his fists clenched tightly. His free arm shifted over to his wound and Aizen noticed this as well. A miniscule moment of surprise crossed his face. "Baraggan? You're wounded?" Starrk's eyes widened and Baraggan's body shook at both the reminder and the fact that it had been revealed to more people. Both Starrk and Aizen looked at Harribel.
"It was me," She admitted before walking over towards Ben. "Though I could not have done it without Ben's help."
"Really now?" Aizen asked, following Harribel as he asked.
"That's right, Lord Aizen," Apacci contributed. "Turns out Ben's form Diamondhead can't be affected by Baraggan's aging powers."
That actually caused Aizen to falter in his steps. "He can't be affected at all?" He looked back over his shoulder towards the fighting grounds and noticing the shards littering parts of the ground.
"No, sir," Mila Rose added. "We all saw it. Ben was able to trap Baraggan in crystal, and then distracted him long enough to allow Lady Harribel to wound him."
Aizen resumed his pace, kneeling down beside Ben. "Well now. Your aliens continue to surprise me, Ben." He ran a critical eye along Ben's arms and frowned, as if he was able to figure out the damage just by looking. "Did you know that Diamondhead could do that?"
"Can't say I did," Ben replied, trying to sit up as best he could, wincing whenever his arms moved even the slightest. "Never fought anyone who could age things."
"How interesting," Aizen said. "But for now, Ben requires medical attention immediately."
"We were trying to help him turn into Swampfire," Apacci explained. "But we don't know how to work the Ultimatrix."
"I see," Aizen said, looking at the Ultimatrix. "Perhaps…" He placed a hand on the Ultimatrix dial, exactly the same way Ben did, and lightly turned it. The dial popped open, displaying the holographic image of Humongousaur.
"How did you do that, Lord Aizen?" Sung-Sun inquired.
"After seeing Ben use it, I thought imitating his hand motions would provide the same result." Aizen explained. "Fortunately I was right. Now, let me see. Where's Swampfire?" Aizen started turning the dial, browsing through Echo Echo, Water Hazard, Goop, and Cannonbolt. Ben couldn't help but feel uneasy. Just by watching him a few times, Aizen was able to activate the Ultimatrix with ease. He already knew the guy was smart but he was starting to realize how much he might have underestimated the rogue Shinigami.
"Ah, here we go," Aizen said as he finally reached Swampfire's image. "Now I believe I just need to…" He pushed the dial down, unflinching as green light filled his vision.
"Thanks," Swampfire said after the light passed. He looked down and grimaced at what he saw. His arms had become shriveled and twisted. "Oh, man." He tried to move his arms, only to grit his teeth when the pain started taking effect.
"W-what happened to your arms?" Apacci gaped. "Swampfire can regenerate so why aren't your arms healed?"
"It would appear that any damage Ben receives in his human form is carried over to his aliens," Aizen said as he studied Swampfire's arms. "Perhaps the reason why Swampfire did not regenerate is because of the difference in biology."
"Difference in biology?" Swampfire asked.
"That's right. I'm going to assume that Swampfire does not have bones like your human form, and therefore cannot recognize pain from damage unfamiliar to his own body, so he cannot not heal from it on his own. Or, maybe, you can only regenerate when wounded as Swampfire."
Swampfire groaned, slumping back onto the ground. "So much for that idea."
"It's not hopeless, Ben," Aizen reassured him. "For I have a suggestion but I won't deny it is risky."
Swampfire became nervous. "Uh, what would that be?"
"If Swampfire is unable to heal your arms," Aizen said. "Perhaps it would be easier if we simply cut them off and allow you to regenerate new ones."
Swampfire flinched while everyone else stared at Aizen. Well, everyone that Ben considered a friend here. Baraggan's eye was focused on Aizen's back. Starrk glanced at the other Espada, as if making sure he didn't try anything when everyone else was distracted.
"Um…is that a good idea, Lord Aizen?"
"I don't see why not," Aizen answered. "Though, if you are uncomfortable, we can simply take Ben to the infirmary if you wish. I'm leaving the choice to you though, Ben."
Swampfire looked down at his arms. Aizen was giving him a choice but if this way got his arms to heal faster…
"Alright," He relented. "Let's try it."
"Very well," Aizen said as he drew his sword. In one quick stroke, he severed Swampfire's shriveled arms. The hero grit his teeth but after that brief moment, the pain was gone from his body as new arms started immediately growing from his stumps. Once they had fully formed, Swampfire flexed his fingers.
"How do you feel?" Harribel asked.
"I feel fine," Swampfire said, letting out a breath of relief. "Good as new."
"Technically speaking, they are new," Sung-Sun pointed out.
Swampfire made a face at her before chuckling. "Good one." He pushed himself off the ground. "Now for the moment of truth." He touched the Ultimatrix dial on his chest, transforming back to his normal self. Ben grinned. "I feel great!" He stretched his arms out. "So glad that worked."
Harribel's Fraccion let out their own breaths of relief while Harribel and Starrk relaxed their posture. Baraggan growled again at seeing Ben recover so easily.
Aizen heard him however and turned back around, fixing the Second Espada with a most displeased look. Baraggan tried holding his ground, glaring back at Aizen."Ben, Starrk, Harribel," The Soul Reaper said. "Please leave now. Baraggan and I have much to talk about."
"There is nothing for us to discuss," Baraggan huffed, making his way towards his Fraccion, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. "We'll be going."
"You may grant your Fraccion medical attention," Aizen said. "But we are going to talk."
Baraggan paused and Ben couldn't help feeling a slight shiver down his back at Aizen's tone.
Aizen then turned towards their group and gave them a warm smile. "Please, don't hold yourselves up. I'll be with you shortly."
"Of course, Lord Aizen," Harribel said, immediately collecting herself. "Ladies, come."
"Of course, Lady Harribel," Sung-Sun said, following after her leader with Apacci and Mila Rose right behind her.
"Understood," Starrk added. He then took one more glance over at Baraggan before facing Ben. "Come on."
"Right," Ben said, quickly following after Starrk.
. . .
"What?! What are you, some kind of trouble magnet or something?"
Lilynette was currently screaming Ben's head off after the group returned; Harribel's group deciding to stick with them for the time being. Starrk had Lilynette stay behind when he went to go and investigate the rise in Baraggan's spiritual pressure. Obviously, she had plenty to say once she was told what had happened.
"Sometimes I wonder," Ben muttered, sticking a finger in his ear. "Ow!" Lilynette had kicked him in the leg. "What was that for?!"
"For being so stupid!" Lilynette barked at him. "Starrk told you not to fight Baraggan and look what happened!"
"I didn't fight him at first," Ben reminded her.
"Oh right, the whole "You'll spar with my Fraccion" excuse," Lilynette scoffed. "And you fell for that?"
"No!" Ben snapped. "I had a feeling something was up so I decided to see how things played out."
"Well look at how well that turned out!" Lilynette yelled. "If Starrk hadn't been around to save your butt…if Swampfire didn't work…"
"Lilynette!" Starrk shouted at her, bringing his other half to a halt.
"S-Starrk?" She stared at him.
Starrk sighed as he sat down on his pillows. "Look, what's done is done and everything worked out. Let's be grateful for that, okay?"
"I agree," Harribel said, herself resting against the wall.
"Still," Lilynette groaned as she rubbed her head before shooting Ben a smile. "I'm glad you're okay, Ben."
Ben laughed as he sat upon his bed.
"We should all be thanking Starrk of course," Harribel reminded him. "I don't want to think of what Baraggan would have done if he hadn't arrived."
"Neither would I to be honest," Starrk said under his breath.
"That was pretty intense though," Mila Rose said to the Primera Espada. "No offense to you, Starrk, but I never saw you look that angry before."
Lilynette blinked. "Starrk…angry?"
Starrk cringed when he realized that everyone's attention was on him.
"I honestly thought he was going to tear Baraggan apart," Sung-Sun said. "Regardless of Baraggan's powers."
Lilynette gawked at her counterpart. Starrk's eyes darted from each of the other participants in the room before sighing and laying down on the pillows. Lilynette grumbled and seemed ready to attack him when Starrk said something that halted her assault.
"He hurt my friend."
Lilynette nearly face-faulted at Starrk's words, staring at him with her mouth slightly open. Harribel's eyes widened a fraction. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun stared at Starrk while Ben felt another smile creep onto his face. He wasn't the only one as Lilynette's gaping mouth closed into a smile that soon turned into a wide grin. She pounced upon Starrk and started tickling his sides.
"Hey!" Starrk yelled as he thrashed around, trying to throw Lilynette off of him.
"You big softie!" Lilynette teased him.
"Get off of me!" Starrk told her.
"At least she's not hitting him," Ben whispered to the other girls, which earned him smiles and laughter.
Just then there was a knock. Lilynette stopped her rough-housing and pushed herself off of Starrk, who got to his feet afterwards. "Come in." He called.
By now everyone suspected who it could be and they were correct as Aizen walked into the room. He looked downcast and troubled, which worried the Arrancar.
"Is everything alright, Lord Aizen?" Harribel asked.
"No, I'm afraid not, Harribel," Aizen replied. "Ben. How are you feeling?"
"Oh, I'm feeling better," Ben waved his hands. "See?"
"Good," Aizen said though his expression had not changed. "I can no longer stand by and allow this sequence of events to continue. Therefore, I won't have you participate in the war. After the Soul Society is dealt with, I will combine its resources with mine and see if I can find a way to send you home. But aside from that, you won't partake in any of the fighting."
"What?!" Lilynette cried.
"Ben has already done enough for us thanks to the Oasis," Aizen said. "But I can't keep asking him to fight for us after what happened now. In fact, I should have done this right after dealing with Grimmjow, but I allowed my eagerness to have a new addition to our forces cloud my judgment. And for that, Ben, I'm sorry if I pressured you to continue helping us."
Ben was floored by how saddened Aizen seemed, and it made him find it even harder to doubt him. Did Aizen really feel remorse over what had happened? Or was he putting on an act to guilt trip him?
"Fine by me," Starrk said softly.
"What?!" Lilynette yelled, smacking him upside the head. "Why would you say that?!"
"Think about it, Lilynette," Starrk said. "So far, Ben's entire time here has been fighting off one person after another. He's not required to help us, let alone risk his life for us. If this can keep him safe, then sure."
Lilynette took a step back, moved by Starrk's words.
"It's understandable," Harribel spoke up. "If that is what you wish for, Ben, then we won't hold it against you."
Everyone's eyes were on Ben. Harribel, Starrk, and Aizen looked calm while Lilynette, Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun were conflicted. Ben knew it was dangerous, especially now, but staying in the fight would allow him to look like he was still trustful of Aizen and allow him more leeway in finding out about his true intentions.
But there was another reason why Ben wanted to stick it out. Harribel and Starrk. They and their Fraccion were good people. If the Soul Society was as bad as he was told, Ben didn't want them to die. And if Aizen was the bad guy all along, he didn't want them to be fall prey to his machinations. He'd had enough experience with bad guys who treated their minions as disposable tools.
"Don't worry," He told them. "I'll still fight."
Aizen closed his eyes and nodded while everyone else stared. Had they really expected him to back out?
"You're still going to help us?" Mila Rose asked. "Even after…"
"Ben," Harribel said. "You're not obligated to help us. Especially not after everything you've been through since you arrived."
"I know and I'm not doing this out of obligation," Ben said, grinning. "Besides, what kind of hero would I be if I turned my back now?"
"A suicidal one," Sung-Sun commented.
Ben just shrugged. "Danger comes with the job."
Harribel stared at Ben, her respect for him becoming even greater. Starrk himself had a tiny smile on his face which contrasted with the massive grin on Lilynette's. Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun all looked relieved.
"Thank you, Ben," Aizen said. "For all you have done and more. I promise I will take more measures to ensure your safety within Los Noches from now on."
"And I'll do more to keep an eye on him, Lord Aizen," Starrk promised. "I'm sorry I haven't been doing a good job so far."
Aizen scratched his chin, interested in Starrk's sudden dedication to his task. "Very well, Starrk."
"And I will too," Harribel told him.
Aizen smiled at this. "Thank you both."
"We'll help to!" Lilynette declared.
"Sure thing," Apacci spoke up.
"Why wouldn't we?" Mila Rose added.
Sung-Sun silently nodded with them.
"I'm glad to see that at least some of us are being getting along with Ben. And so," He turned towards Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun. "I heard you three defeated the majority of Baraggan's own Fraccion. And judging from your state compared to theirs, it was completely one-sided in your favor."
All three smiled at Aizen's praise. "There's a little more to it than that," Mila Rose admitted.
"Regardless," Aizen said. "It shows that your training has been going wonderfully. I'm proud of you three."
Apacci and Mila Rose's smiles grew. Sung-Sun's mouth was once again covered though one could see the corners of her mouth peeking out from the edge of her sleeve.
Aizen's smile soon faded to a more troubled look. "I wasn't expecting the day to turn out this way, but I suppose it cannot be helped. As you have learned by now, Ben, many of the Arrancar are as ruthless as they are powerful. But at least they are honest about it instead of covering it up with an air of self-righteousness. That doesn't excuse their behavior but, alas, it makes them necessary for the war."
"Uh," was all Ben could think to say.
"I apologize, I was musing," Aizen said. "What I mean is, since you still intend to fight, I feel I must prepare you for the ruthlessness of the Gotei 13. Consider the letter I gave you a starting point to what I will tell you now."
Ben leaned forward, curious to what Aizen had to say.
"By far, two of the most dangerous are Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi. Kenpachi is more beast than man, striving for the thrill of the fight. He gets riled up at the thought of fighting powerful opponents and will stop at nothing to do so. He even gets excited if his opponent is capable of hurting him, because it shows the promise of a good match. Though, perhaps the greatest ruthlessness of all is not with Kenpachi himself, but with the Squad Eleven's requirement to become captain."
"And what would that be?" Ben dared to ask.
"Kill the current captain in single combat, with an audience of over two hundred members as witnesses. Zaraki did this with a single blow."
Ben blanched upon hearing this. "Okay, seriously? Why would they allow a rule like that? Were all the other captains okay with this?"
"Squad Eleven lives and dies for combat," Aizen said. "And while they might have had qualms with Kenpachi himself, they knew it was the rule of Squad Eleven and simply went along with it."
Ben frowned upon hearing this. "I'm afraid to ask but what about that Kurotsuchi guy? I know your notes mentioned he was a scientist…"
"That's correct, he is in charge of Squad 12,specifically the Technological Development Department. Kurotsuchi is a man of science to the highest degree. Research and experimentation are his passion but he disregards impediments such as morals and ethics. To him, all living beings are guinea pigs for him to poke and prod as he sees fit. He even experimented on the members of his own division without their consent, turning them into living bombs."
Ben's frown quickly changed into a scowl when he heard this and his hands starting forming into fists.
"But the greatest form of his sadism is his lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi," When Ben opened his mouth to ask, Aizen cut him off. "Nemu is his "daughter" in the sense that Kurotsuchi is her creator. Nemu is an artificial soul implanted in an artificial body known as a gigai."
"You can actually make a soul?"
"It's not as easy as you might think," Aizen told him. "I will say this about Kurotsuchi. He is unscrupulous but he is brilliant. Sadly, even though Nemu is regarded as his finest creation, he doesn't treat her any better than any of his other "subjects". He demeans and abuses her, believing that as her creator, he can treat her as he sees fit."
Ben looked down at the floor in disgust.
"But the most ruthless of them all, if you haven't realized it already, is none other than the Captain Commander himself," Aizen said. "There are many reasons why he has retained his position for the past thousand years and one of them is because he will go to any lengths to enforce the Soul Society's rule. I told you about how he allowed a Soul Reaper to be executed for granting a human her powers despite her reason being that she could save his family, but that is far from the worst he's done."
"I'm afraid to know what," Ben muttered dryly.
"Perhaps the most ruthless thing he's done, that I'm aware of at least, would be the fate of the Quincy," Aizen mused.
"Quincy?" Ben repeated.
"The Quincy were a group of humans born with spiritual powers. They made it their own mission to hunt Hollows in the living world. However, unlike Soul Reapers, Quincy did not purify Hollows, they destroyed them."
The Arrancar all shifted uneasily while Ben felt apprehension running up his spine. "By destroyed you mean…"
"When a Hollow dies by a Quincy's hands, they cease to exist," Aizen clarified.
Ben's jaw dropped at this information. "Cease to exist?"
"Yes."
"But why would they do that?" Ben asked.
"The Quincy tried to pass it off as saying that, since Hollows fed upon souls, they no longer had the right to live," Aizen explained. All the girls glared while Starrk simply closed his eyes, lowering his head. Ben was prepared to argue but Aizen once again cut him off. "However, I always believed there was another reason for why they chose to exterminate Hollows. Tragically, the Soul Society could have chosen to collaborate with the Quincy, find out the real reason they hunted Hollows and help them. But instead they simply ordered the Quincy to cease their activities. They didn't even bother to explain that by killing Hollows instead of purifying them upset the balance of nature and risked destroying the world. The Quincy were unaware of this and refused. The Commander then ordered their extermination which became known as the Quincy Massacre."
Ben froze to the spot. "Just like that? He didn't even try to find other options first?"
"No," Aizen said. "There are at least some Quincy still around though I don't know the exact number."
Ben sat down as he heard all of this. "The Commander didn't even bother explaining why it was bad for them to kill Hollows like they did?"
Aizen shook his head. "The Captain Commander sees his orders as absolute, even more so those of the Soul Society's ruling body, the Central 46. If he tells you to do something, you do it without question or hesitation."
Ben eyed the floor bitterly. "I'm not saying what the Quincy were doing is right but those guys really didn't bother explaining the situation, they even didn't even look for alternate solutions first."
"Yamamoto will go to great lengths for the sake of balance and peace, but only through what he says is right."
Ben let out a deep breath as he rubbed his head. "Wow."
"Now that I have told you what the Gotei 13 are willing to do for their goals, will you still stand with us?" Aizen asked.
Ben took another deep breath to steady himself. "Yeah. Yeah, I still am. Thanks for giving me the heads-up though."
"You are most welcome, Ben," Aizen said warmly. "You've been through quite a lot of excitement lately so I'll let you relax. Congratulations on your victory against Baraggan and his subordinates. And once again you have my thanks for helping us create the Oasis."
Ben grinned, though it was a smaller one than usual, something the others noticed. "No problem."
Aizen smiled before heading towards the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to have a talk with Baraggan." With that, he left.
The moment Aizen left, everyone turned to look at Ben. "Are you okay?" Lilynette asked him.
"Yeah," Ben said as he leaned back. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a little worn out."
"A lot has happened today," Harribel said. "Would you like to rest?"
"Uh…" Ben looked over at his bed. "Yeah, I think I need to lie down a little."
"We'll let you rest," Harribel said. "Ladies."
"Right," All three said at the same time.
"Take care, Ben," Apacci called back.
"Get some rest," Mila Rose told him.
"We'll need to resume sparring to keep our skills up," Sung-Sun added.
"Oh great," Ben mumbled as he took off his shoes and climbed into bed.
"Sleep well," Harribel said to him.
"Thank you," Ben said as he rest his head against the pillow
"And once again," Harribel said as he approached the door, stopping to look over her shoulder at him. "Thank you for everything."
Ben laughed. "No problem, Harribel."
Harribel and her girls left the room. Starrk decided to resume his own nap and Lilynette, puffing her cheeks when she realized she had nothing to do, decided to amuse herself by rereading Aizen's notes.
Although tired from the day's events, Ben wasn't in any rush to fall asleep. His mind boggled with the things Aizen had told him about the Captains. He'd like to say he couldn't believe anyone would do such things but his past experiences had taught him otherwise. What would the Soul Society be willing to do in order to stop Aizen? What would they do once they found out about him? Ben tensed, having a feeling that he was going to be handed over to Kurotsuchi for obvious reasons.
But, what if that was all stuff Aizen made up? Ben groaned at his lack of progress. Was Aizen the bad guy or were the Thirteen Court Guard Squads? Were both bad? If so, who was the lesser evil? Ben hoped a real opportunity to find the truth would come along and soon.
. . .
As Aizen walked down the hallway, he paused.
"You can come out now, Szayel,"
The Eighth Espada approached Aizen gleefully. "Forgive me, Lord Aizen, I couldn't quite contain myself."
Aizen chuckled as he reached into his pocket. Szayel was on the verge of salivating as Aizen deposited Swampfire's previous, shriveled arms and a few of Diamondhead's shards into the Espada's open hands.
"Wonderful," Szayel said gleefully, holding the contents in his hands like he had been granted a precious treasure. Quite fitting he was given literal diamonds.
"I know you were planning on a…subtle way of obtaining samples but I figured I might as well give some in advance." Aizen told him.
"Oh thank you, Lord Aizen. These will do wonderfully."
"I believe you will find the shards to be more worthy of study at the moment," Aizen said. The vagueness of his statement caused Szayel to look at him curiously. "Those shards, as well as Diamondhead himself, have shown the inability to age, as proven during Ben's confrontation with Baraggan."
Szayel stared at Aizen before the full meaning of his statement sank in. Szayel's eyes threatened to pop out of his head and his mouth struggled to form coherent words. "You…you don't mean Ben actually…"
"He did not defeat Baraggan though Diamondhead was capable of at least holding his own."
Szayel's hands shook as he looked down at the shards with a greater awe. "Thank you, Lord Aizen, for providing me with these samples. These will prove very beneficial to my research."
"I'm glad to hear it," Aizen said. "If you'll excuse me."
"Where are you going, Lord Aizen," Szayel asked.
"Ben was not Baraggan's initial target but that didn't stop him from going after our guest either," Aizen said. "He is the latest of my Arrancar who wish to attack Ben despite my constant warning that he be left alone. If they will not listen to me, then I will give them a reason to do so. And if I must make an example to my point clear, then so be it."
Szayel shook his head as he watched Aizen turn around the corner. "Oh dear, Baraggan," he said as he looked once more at the contents in his hands. "Looks like your pride got you into trouble again. As for these," he chuckled. "They will be perfect additions to my growing collection."
Chapter 12
Heroes United: Calm Before The Storm
After the battle with Baraggan, it was very clear to all the Arrancar within Las Noches to steer clear of Ben. Of course that didn't stop Harribel and Starrk from taking extra precautions. Not only did Harribel and Starrk make sure that Ben was always accompanied by at least one of them outside of their rooms; Ben had taken to staying in his alien forms too. Diamondhead, Chromastone, NRG, Water Hazard; Ben picked his most durable aliens to make sure nobody could get the drop on him.
Fortunately, some of these drastic measures may not have been necessary. Ben was no longer harassed by the likes of Nnoitra, Grimmjow, Luppi, or any other Arrancar that had some issue with him. Whatever Aizen had done seemed to work, much to Ben's relief. Starrk and Harribel did not wish to take a chance and Ben agreed with them. As for the Oasis, Aizen had whatever fruit seemed ripe enough to be harvested put into storage to be used at a later time. Szayel had taken some so he could harvest the seeds in order to plant more; he also admitted that he wanted to study some of the plants and see if modifications could be made to improve them and in turn, improve the fruits.
"Perhaps we should expand upon the Oasis we already have first," He had told Ben earlier when the hero asked if he would have time to work on those conductors for another Oasis. "One cannot deny the benefits of these plants but at the same time we have to make sure they don't grow out of control. Heh. The last thing we need is for Las Noches to have a weed problem on our hands."
Ben and Tosen sparred when possible and then Ben in turn would spar with Harribel's Fraccione. Their coordination was excellent and they seemed to be more trusting towards each other in the heat of battle, something that had not gone unnoticed by their leader. No, from a distance as Harribel watched something amazing happened. Her Fraccione almost butted heads but had each other's backs, in their own way at least. Now any insult was obviously a jest and taken in stride, the girls now more willing to listen to each other's advice, congratulate and encourage each other; all because of this one human.
The changes didn't just happen in battle either, her Fraccione hadn't noticed but Harribel sure had. Before Ben Tennyson came along, when had any of her Fraccione smiled, not just triumphantly smirked, but actually smiled? The way their faces lit up whenever they played around with Ben after a hard training session, the bubbling laughter whenever he did something funny, the excitement when he told them how he had defeated his latest opponent. Even after they had become Arrancar and entered the relative safety of Las Noches, Harribel and her Fraccione were still focused on survival.
But now, with Ben Tennyson, they were having fun and enjoying themselves. What's more, the girls were completely unaware of this great change and Harribel didn't feel the need to point it out. But how long would this peace last? Whenever Ben mentioned going back to his own dimension, she saw the subtle shift in their faces. But to none of them, not even Sung-Sun, could hide the hesitant, wistful looks on their faces.
"You don't want him to go home."
All three had flinched at Harribel's words. Ben had long since returned to Starrk's chambers, allowing her this private moment with her Fraccione.
Sung-Sun had averted her gaze while Mila Rose hung her head. Apacci had stammered for a moment, much to her own frustration. After taking a deep breath, she started over.
"It's not that we don't want him to go home, Lady Harribel," Apacci had replied. "It's just that when he does…" she looked at her feet. "We'll never see him again."
Mila Rose then sighed before she too faced their leader. "We understand that he needs to return to his own dimension; that he has his own responsibilities and people that are waiting for him. It's...we…"
"He makes you happy," The girls flinched again at Harribel's words. "There's nothing to be ashamed of girls. You've been enjoying yourselves during his stay and I'm happy to see you three able to have fun."
That made the girls relax, as they smiled sheepishly.
"But you must understand, girls," Harribel had said firmly. "Ben needs to go back. He has his own life to live and problems in his own dimension he needs to fix, just as we have our duty to Lord Aizen."
The girls nodded in understanding, but couldn't help the looks of melancholy on their faces. Harribel walked out to the balcony, staring at the Oasis in the distance.
"Do not be sad when he leaves, girls," Harribel said. "For now, enjoy as much time as you can with him. When he leaves, think of all the good times you had with him. Cherish those memories."
"We understand, Lady Harribel," Apacci said softly, Mila Rose and Sung-Sun nodding in agreement. Harribel didn't need to turn around to know they had done so.
"Good," Harribel said to them gently, still looking out at the Oasis. "Though, I do not believe Ben Tennyson's legacy here will be forgotten any time soon."
Szayel had been hard at work, not just with the plants he had harvested but also with the other samples Aizen had provided for him.
Speaking of whom, Aizen himself had entered Szayel's lab. "How is everything, Szayel?"
Szayel, who had been typing furiously at his computer, turned towards Aizen with a smirk. "So far everything is working perfectly, Lord Aizen. I believe I might even complete the first subjects ahead of schedule."
"I'm glad to hear it," Aizen had said, looking over Szayel's shoulder to see the data on the screen. "And your plans to expand the Oasis?"
Szayel had chuckled, his eyes lowering. "If my calculations are correct, I'll turn that little Oasis into a jungle."
"We'll need to be prepared for when the Hollows outside Las Noches sense that abundance of spiritual energy," Aizen had mused, cupping his chin though his smile never left his face. "Most know better than to come here but there will be those foolish and reckless enough to try…"
"You think Runuganga won't be enough to stop them?"
"Runuganga is diligent," Aizen had replied. "But I'd prefer to take extra precautions, especially since I've decided to test the capabilities of some of the fruits in storage."
Szayel's eyes widened before immediately lowering again. "Oh~, Lord Aizen. When you get the results from your test, do let me know. I'm eager to see them for myself."
Aizen had closed his eyes, slowly opening them again. "I'll be sure you get them, Szayel."
As for Ben? He had been in Starrk's chambers with Starrk himself and Lilynette when those two Arrancar girls, Loly and Menoly, arrived to say that their presence had been requested by Lord Aizen.
Soon they were led to the throne room, where several of the Espada had gathered, all resting on pillars. Luppi glared daggers at Ben from his pillar but averted his eyes when Starrk looked at him. Harribel gave them both a reassuring nod.
In the middle of the room stood Aizen. Before him was a transparent cube, with what appeared to be a heavily bandaged human shape inside. A smaller cube sat on top of the larger one. In the middle of the top cube hovered a small, black sphere. Ben tried to make sense of what he was seeing when Aizen turned his head and smiled.
"Hello, Ben," He said pleasantly. "I don't believe I've ever shown you this before. This is what has allowed me to make so much progress in Hueco Mundo. It is the Hogyoku."
Ben blinked at the aforementioned sphere. The Hogyoku, eh? For some reason Ben couldn't help feeling apprehensive as he continued looking at it.
"The Hogyoku was created by one of my fellow Soul Reapers, Kisuke Urahara," Aizen explained. "It is what allows me to turn Hollows into Arrancars. Although Hollows are capable of becoming Arrancar naturally, there is far too much risk. The Hogyoku allows them to become Arrancar without complications and therefore be at the height of their power."
"Huh," was all Ben could think of, looking at the bandaged figure inside the larger cube.
"But Urahara, fearing the Hogyoku's power, sealed it," Aizen went on. "Essentially it is sleeping."
Ben opened his mouth but his question was cut short when the doors opened. Ulquiorra and Yammy promptly entered the room.
"Welcome, Ulquiorra, Yammy," Aizen said. "I was explaining the Hogyoku to Ben here. I just told him how it was sealed and needed time to awaken."
"What is the status of the Hogyoku's awakening, Lord Aizen?" Ulquiorra inquired.
"Fifty percent," Aizen immediately answered. "Under normal circumstances at least, which is all Soul Society will take into consideration."
"Um, if the Hogyoku has been sealed," Ben spoke up. "Then how have you been able to use it to turn Hollows into Arrancars?"
Aizen's smile grew a fraction and Ben felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the gleam in the Soul Reaper's eye.
"Because I discovered something that no one, not even Kisuke Urahara himself, would be aware of," Aizen answered. He reached through an opening in the cube towards the Hogyoku. "And what I discovered is that when someone with spiritual pressure higher than a captain temporarily unites with the Hogyoku, for a brief moment, it displays power equal to that of its unsealed state."
For a brief moment, it looked as the Hogyoku had sprouted small tendrils that reached out to touch Aizen's fingertips. Then the entire room felt heavy. What seemed like seconds felt like minutes to Ben as his breath was cut short and he felt dizzy. Starrk put a hand on his shoulder and everything cleared. Was that sensation the power of the Hogyoku?
"You've never felt Lord Aizen's spiritual pressure before, have you?" Starrk whispered to Ben. "It flaring up thanks to that Hogyoku takes some getting used to. Sorry I forgot to warn ya."
Anything Ben could have said to Starrk was interrupted by the sound of glass shattering. The larger cube had been destroyed. Kneeling on the ground was a skinny, male Arrancar with blonde hair and mask remains that resembled a crown on his head.
Aizen looked down at the new Arrancar. "Would you tell us your name, new comrade?"
Slowly the new Arrancar looked up at Aizen, a dazed look in his purple eyes. "Wonderweiss," He murmured. "Wonderweiss Margela."
Aizen smiled at his latest warrior as Ben processed what he had just seen. The Hogyoku huh? And Aizen had been capable of forming an army with it despite it's sealed state? Once that thing was fully awoken...it reminded Ben a little too much of Vilgax for his liking.
"Do you remember what I spoke to you about last month, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked suddenly.
"I do, sir," Ulquiorra replied, stoic as ever.
"Put it into motion," Aizen told him.
Ben raised a brow. Aizen noticed this and tilted his head, his smile never leaving. "While I'll leave the exact details to you, Ulquiorra," he said. "I want you to take Ben with you."
Starrk and Harribel both stood up straighter at Aizen's orders while sharing a look of confusion and concern.
"I understand, sir," Ulquiorra said, his expression hadn't changed in the slightest despite these new orders.
"Okay, um, would somebody mind telling me what's going on?" Ben cut in, apprehension gnawing at his gut.
"I am sending Ulquiorra to retrieve something from the Living World that will be vital to our plans," Aizen said. "But there is no way for him to enter the Living World without being detected by the Soul Reapers. As such, I am allowing him to bring additional forces to engage the Soul Reapers and keep them distracted from our true goal. As for why I wish for you to join Ben; I believe it's time to test your abilities against an actual Soul Reaper enemy. Not to mention this is the perfect chance to identify the masked person aiding them."
Harribel and Starrk stared at Aizen, which did not go unnoticed by Nnoitra.
"This is what he's been training for isn't it?" Nnoitra said with a sneer. "Are you actually scared one of the Soul Reapers might kill him?"
"I highly doubt the Soul Reapers could be a threat to Ben," Ulquiorra admitted, surprising some of the Arrancar. "Starrk, Harribel, you have my word that I will make sure he returns to Hueco Mundo."
"Of course," Aizen said. "I do wish for this to be Ben's decision in the end. So, Ben, will you accompany Ulquiorra?"
Ben thought it over and honestly, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
It was hard for Ben to believe that he had been in Hueco Mundo for over a month and still nowhere closer to getting home or finding out Aizen's true intentions. He had little knowledge of the layout of Las Noches or the extent of any surveillance system. Ben was worried the moment he tried to sneak around and get some clues that he would be immediately caught. The young hero tried to remember the last time he had felt so trapped.
Of course, if Aizen was a liar, where did that leave Starrk, Harribel, and those under them? Had all the times Ben had spent with them meant anything? Or was it all a ploy? Despite Ben wanting to be suspicious, he found it hard to whenever he actually spent time with them. That realization led to another thought; if Aizen was lying, could it be possible he was lying to his own subordinates as well?
Unfortunately Ben was stuck with the same solution he had been using since day one; play it by ear and be prepared for trouble. What was that mysterious guy's plan in sending Ben to this universe? And what about that masked man helping the Soul Reapers? How did he fit into all of this? Though he managed to keep a cool head around the Arrancar, there were times Ben wanted to tear his hair out. Was it too much to ask for a little hint in the right direction?
This mission may in fact be that window of opportunity he needed.
"Sure," Ben crossed his arms as he gave Aizen his cockiest grin. "Let's see how these Soul Reapers stack up against the hero of an entire universe."
Aizen chuckled. "They will have no idea what's in store for them. Very well, Ulquiorra. Take whoever else you wish. Oh, that reminds me." He looked over his shoulder and raised his head. "Do you wish to go...Grimmjow?"
Ben followed Aizen's line of sight to see Grimmjow sitting on one of the more elevated pillars. He was now sporting a burn scar running diagonally down his chest and, like Luppi had said, was missing his left arm. Ben cringed at the thought of having to be anywhere near the Sixth Espada, worried that he might try to take out his bad mood on Ben himself.
"What?! You're going to the Living World?"
Ben and Starrk had wasted no time in returning to their chambers and telling Lilynette what had happened. Now she was pacing back and forth.
"Lord Aizen wants you to fight the Soul Reapers now?!" She waved her arms erratically. "But-but what if they hurt you? Capture you? What if…"
"Don't worry, Lilynette," Ben said softly. "Aizen said we're just keeping them busy until Ulquiorra gets whatever he's looking for. Then we'll head right back to Hueco Mundo safe and sound."
"Grimmjow got his whole team killed the last time they went to the Living World!" Lilynette screeched in frustration.
Ben ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah...good point."
"Grimmjow went to Karakura Town without permission and without a plan," Starrk said from his pile of cushions. "Ulquiorra's not only more powerful but also more tactical. He promised nothing bad would happen to Ben and I find him more dependable compared to some of the others around here. Why do you think Lord Aizen relies on him so much?"
Lilynette grit her teeth and looked ready to slug Starrk but Ben grabbed her hand and gently pushed it down.
"I appreciate you looking out for me, Lilynette," He said, giving her a one-armed hug. "But I will be careful, I promise."
There was a knock at the door. Starrk stared at it as he activated his Pesquisa, after a moment he relaxed. "Come on in, Harribel."
The door opened to reveal Harribel and her Fraccione. "We came to wish you luck, though I wish we could do more," Sung-Sun said, cutting straight to the point. "We understand why Lord Aizen is sending you to the Living World, but we feel that we should be there too; to provide you with proper backup."
"Lord Aizen left it up to Ulquiorra to decide who accompanies him, though," Harribel reminded her.
"How come we don't ask him to let us come along?" Apacci asked.
"Too many forces may cause Soul Society to deploy stronger forces, if they haven't already thanks to Grimmjow's blunder."
Everyone turned to see Ulquiorra approaching Starrk's chambers.
"That and I would be held responsible if anything to you three; just as Grimmjow was punished for the death of his own Fraccione," Ulqiuorra continued. "Since you are not my Fraccione, Lord Aizen would be even more displeased if I allowed anything to happen to you."
"Come on, Ulquiorra," Apacci urged. "We've gotten a lot stronger now, probably stronger than Grimmjow's Fraccione were. We can handle this."
"If Ben was not accompanying us, perhaps."
Mila Rose narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"
"You three are obviously fond of him," Ulquiorra said bluntly. "That could be a hindrance in battle."
"A hindrance?!" Apacci stomped up to him. "After everything we've been through here? Luppi? Nnoitra? Baraggan? You call those hindrances?"
"You were still within Las Noches and therefore had easier access to aid," Ulquiorra said, no more shaken by Apacci's outburst than anything else. "In the Living World, Lord Aizen won't be there to assist if things escalate. Besides, suppose if the opposite situation happens: where Ben is more concerned with your wellbeing than his own preservation? Do you want to shoulder that burden?"
Apacci's whole body shook, her fists trembled, and her teeth were grinding against each other. It took all her willpower not to lash out at the Fourth Espada. She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning her head sharply to see it was none other than Harribel herself. Harribel then turned to face Ulquiorra.
"We will respect your decision, Ulquiorra," she said. "You're here to retrieve Ben for the mission?"
"I am," Ulquiorra looked directly at Ben. "Are you ready?"
Ben takes a deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be. Lead the way Ulquiorra."
Ulquiorra turned on his heel and proceeded down the hall. Ben made way to follow him when someone suddenly tackled him with a hug.
"Come back safe, okay?" She murmured in his jacket.
It was moments like these that made it hard for Ben to think he was being tricked. Closing his eyes, he returned the hug. "I will, Lilynette."
"Good luck, Ben," Harribel said.
"Show those Soul Reapers who's boss!" Apacci cheered.
Mila Rose smirked. "Not like they stand a chance against you anyway."
"If they thought highly of themselves after dealing with Grimmjow," Sung-Sun said. "They'll be in for a rude awakening."
"Be safe," was all Starrk said.
"Thanks, everyone," Ben waved them goodbye before running after Ulquiorra.
"So, Ulquiorra," Ben said as they walked down the hallway. "What exactly do you need to retrieve from the Living World?"
"We're not immediately retrieving it," Ulquiorra said. "Rather, I am securing it to retrieve at a later date. To do so now would draw the attention of the Soul Reapers."
"But what exactly is it?" Ben asked.
"Something that should be a valuable asset to Lord Aizen's plan," Ulquiorra replied. "That's all you need to know."
Ben frowned at the cryptic response. Was he worried that Ben might accidentally let it slip to the Soul Reapers when they met each other? Or was it something Ben himself wouldn't agree with?
"Before we leave I suggest you turn into one of your aliens," Ulquiorra said suddenly. "Although it's obvious, I should stress that you cannot allow the Soul Reapers to prevent you from using your Ultimatrix."
Ben raised a brow at Ulquiorra changing the subject. "Good point." He activated the Ultimatrix and slammed the dial down. A flash of green light later and Ben had turned into Diamondhead.
"A good choice," Ulquiorra stated before he resumed walking. Diamondhead just stared at him.
"Does that guy ever show emotion?" He muttered under his breath before chasing after the Fourth Espada.
Soon they were back in the throne room where Yammy, Grimmjow, Luppi and that new guy Wonderweiss had gathered around.
"Just you guys?" Diamondhead asked in surprise.
"Two Espada, one former member, and a new recruit should be sufficient enough," Ulquiorra said. "The five of you will go on ahead to Karakura Town; I shall join you via a separate route."
"Won't the Soul Reapers sense you appearing somewhere else?" Diamondhead asked.
"Not if you keep their focus on yourselves," Ulquiorra answered. "Your presence in particular should be more than enough to draw their attention."
Yammy grinned. "I'm kinda looking forward to seeing Ben here in action against the Soul Reapers. He's been kicking plenty of Arrancar asses." He couldn't resist smirking at Luppi and Grimmjow, who scoffed and looked away in annoyance. Wonderweiss just seemed to be staring into space, his mouth hanging slightly open. Diamondhead frowned; was it a good idea to bring this guy along?
"You all have the fruits that Lord Aizen provided you?" Ulquiorra asked, startling Diamondhead.
"Wait, what?"
Grimmjow, Luppi, and Yammy all pulled a fruit from their pockets.
"Aizen's actually allowing you to take some of the fruits?"
"He believed this was a perfect opportunity to test their capabilities in the heat of battle as a support item," Ulquiorra explained. "Use them whenever you see fit but it would be in your best interest to use them when absolutely necessary." He tilted his head at Grimmjow. "Do not underestimate your opponents."
Grimmjow let out a low snarl though Ulquiorra was predictably unfazed.
"Yeah, yeah, Ulquiorra," Yammy said as he pocketed his fruit. "Those Soul Reapers won't know what hit them."
"Very well," Ulquiorra said. "Prepare to depart."
Suddenly there was a shift in the air. To Diamondhead, it seemed as if the air in front of him was splitting in two horizontally, creating a gaping hole into blackness.
"That is a Garganta," Ulquiorra said to the staring hero. "It is what Hollows and Arrancar use to travel between Hueco Mundo and the Living World. Those using it create a foothold with their Spiritual Energy."
Yammy stepped into the Garganta. The moment he did, a bridge of light seemed to form under his feet and expand into the darkness. The other three Arrancar joined him.
"Hey!" Yammy called to Diamondhead. "You coming?"
"Right," Diamondhead stepped into the Garganta, surprised by how solid the pathway was. Though he reasoned it was probably because the others had strengthened it. He turned to wave Ulquiorra goodbye. "Wish us luck, Ulquiorra."
Ulquiorra said nothing as the Garganta started to close.
"Tough crowd," Diamondhead said dryly.
Yammy snickered. "That's Ulquiorra for ya. Come on, we got a job to do."
The others said nothing as they proceeded down the path that would take them to Karakura Town. Diamondhead sighed. He didn't know what he was expecting but there was no turning back now. He followed after them.