Start; Soul Society

It had been a few good, quiet, years in the Kingdom of the Sun. Menma's dalliances had cut down to almost naught, he'd matured from his previous mindset somewhat, finding the odd toss in the sheets fun and all, but it was unbecoming of a King to act as a idiotic harem lord.

It seemed to take the others by surprise, his sudden 180 on the matter, but they respected his choice. Sig had cornered him at one point and managed to get his reasons out of him, mostly the fact that he felt… dirty for being so focused on the pleasures of the flesh that the idea of taking his comrades like some animal whenever he pleased sickened him in hindsight.

Sickened may be an extreme word for it, but it got the point across. Sig accepted this with a smile and left him be after that.

Speaking of the giant of a man he was none-too-pleased with Logan, the Australian apparently rubbed off on Sif somewhat after she heard him saying 'Fucking tops' and now the little girl used it liberally.

The Australian was a little too smug about it, but it only served to amuse those who were in the loop.

The general life of those in Hueco Mundo had been improved with the introduction of livestock that were bred to survive the climates, or lack thereof, of 'Limbo'. Szayel had outdone himself in this aspect, it took only a month for it to be done and already they were being bred en masse. Farming communities had popped up between Palacio del Sol and the Menos Forest.

The Palace was used as the centerpoint of the empire, with the Menos Forest being east of it, to the west was the 'Pride Lands' as the resident leader of the area, Ggio Vega, had dubbed it. Where the old rules were considered and used to create more savage and vicious fighters, though cannibalism was ferociously outlawed.

To the north of the Palace was the Proving Arena, where anyone could fight to entertain or for prestige, and with the offer of joining the Palace Guard for the strongest fighters. It was a big draw, Sig had his hands full with it most days.

To the South was the 'Empress' Ocean', quite literal in fact, Harribel had actually made an ocean by converting the reishi in a massive area into water molecules. Of course something on such scale was only possible in Hueco Mundo given how rich it was in spirit particles, but that didn't undercut the achievement itself. Aquatic based Hollows had begun cropping up more and more and thus needed a proper place to live, it was quite beautiful as well, the perfect distance to be cast in twilight, the shimmering waters and the faint light of the sun giving it soft clarity.

That and the skinny dipping with his Empress was quite fun.

So he wasn't completely free of tawdry thoughts. Not that he had to be, he wasn't a bloody monk.

Though he thought it a cruel twist of fate he was placed in his current predicament, he'd been minding his own business, training with either Sig or Lilynette as a distraction, attending to his kingdom to the best of his ability, when nary a day ago Sosuke had come and told him he'd planned out everything. He had said that the Hogyoku had been ready for collection, that Menma need only appear when signaled to cover an escape. Menma agreed as this led all things directly into his lap.

Part of him lamented this choice of coming alone, as he currently stood, in full armour with his sword aflame with every Captain of the Seireitei before him, and a great amount of their lieutenants as well.

Menma frowned 'neath his visor, not one to willingly walk into such a situation without true preparation. He'd have to take this out of Sosuke's hide, moreso than he already would for being such a conniving cunt to begin with. Menma scoffed at the idea that the fool thought Aizen's poultry little illusions would work on him, the notion was ridiculous as he'd already assimilated a small chunk of Kyouka Suigetsu's reiryoku, and thus essentially made it so he was unseeable by the blade.

Effectively, he was under a permanent camouflage from the swords influence, which was invaluable.

Menma's featureless helm looked at the gathered horde of Shinigami, Mugetsu sitting silently in her sheath, his shield flared, the white flames popping and crackling ominously the only sound atop Sogyoku Hill, the flames of his plume snaking down his shoulders like a deathly hot tail.

"I'd like to introduce you all to my dear friend, Menma Uzumaki, King of the Hollows," Sosuke said with the same smile he always wore, a pair of figures in the collection of Shinigami perking up at the name.

"Arrancar," Menma's bassy voice corrected from within his helmet.

"Of course, my apologies," Aizen offered with a soft chuckle. Menma waved him off, not really taking umbrage with it, given the fact that 80% of their conversations they threw verbal barbs at one another. All in the name of fun, mind you.

"Do you have it?" Menma questioned, looking over his shoulder at the man who nodded presenting a small dark purple orb, the Arrancar nodded and looked back."I'd recommend leaving, Shinigami. Your honour will not be stained if you flee from a superior opponent." Theatrics were always necessary when one was playing the villain.

"Like a creature like yourself understands honour," Sajin snarled, managing to drag himself into a standing position.

"I know a great deal more than you, dog," Menma said without inflection, Sajin growled lowly at the repetitive insult. "It unbecoming of one in your station to take such bait so easily."

"Pretty high and mighty for a Hollow," a red haired man grumbled, tattoos decorating his forehead and neck.

"Arrancar," Menma corrected, as though out of habit. Before shaking his head, "Sosuke, are you certain everything is finished?"

Sosuke Aizen nodded with a smile still firmly in place. If his past interactions with Uzumaki-san had told him anything, it meant that the younger man would relish the opportunity to play with the Shinigami somewhat, to test himself.

"Knight-san!" a voice shouted, Menma's whole body froze for a moment before his helmeted gaze traveled to a familiar orange haired youth, fingers clasped each side of the visor revealing the young man beneath, fiery orange eyes laced with violet, tufts of flaming red and orange hair, skin pallid and pale.

"Ichigo...?" the King said with shock, eyes wide in shock, before they filled with fury. "You knew he would be here!" the Arrancar snarled, turning sharply on his heel to stare at Aizen who merely waved off the accusation.

"I had an inkling, but I'd never have expected young Ichgio to be so... set, on rescuing his friend," Aizen admitted, the dark look on his comrades face did give him a flicker of worry but he remained outwardly calm.

"And you!" Menma snapped, pointing at the downed, bloodied boy, walking towards him without a second thought, Sol floating in the air around him. "Since when were you a Shinigami young man, hm!? And you didn't even have the decency to tell me!"

The captains all took a morose interest in the flushed face of the young orange haired boy being grilled by their foe like a child before an angry parent.

Ichigo opened his mouth to respond only for the Arrancar to raise his hand. "Don't. I'll hear this explanation in a moment, why are you here?"

"To… save my friend Rukia," Ichigo admitted, all his former bluster stifled in the presence of the familiar Knight. Ichigo pointed at Aizen. "He almost killed her getting some damn rock."

"Sosuke, explain," Menma's layered voice demanded turning to the traitor Captain, his sights firmly planted.

"To be fair, she was housing the Hogyoku in her body, I merely removed it," Aizen explained simply.

Menma frowned, and affixed his visor once more. "I'm going to start killing things now. And I'm not sure when I'm going to stop."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Aizen chimed with a chuckle.

Sajin was the first to break the quiet. "Bankai!" the goliath fox-man snarled, Menma released an impromptu roar to join his voice to the beast-man's

"Sit!" the King snarled as his clawed boot struck Sajin in the skull, his eyes rolled back as the energy that was beginning to gather fell away, the shout of 'Captain!' drew Menma's body onward.

His knee met the solar plexus of the white haired man, Juushiro Ukitake. The man coughed blood at the assault only for a whip of movement to send him sailing near the edge of the cliff, Menma landed from his roundhouse with a roar that flared his flames to dangerous azure blue, his movement dug burning trenches into the ground.

Shusui came in with a dueling slash, two blades meeting shield, the man actually seemed somewhat stunned that his assault was repelled so easily. "Use your brain, Shinigami!" the King roared as he headbutt Shusui in the nose making him wince. The vents on Menma's shoulders flared as fire shot out Shusui was run down by the force making him tumble.

Yoruichi snapped into view with an axe-kick to the helmet Menma's clawed hands rose up and grabbed her leg, with a vicious twist her shin bone snapped, the yellow eyed woman screamed in pain at the sudden onset of sensory abuse.

The Arrancar dragged her to meet his covered gaze and snarled, hot breath washing over her face. "This is for leaving me to that fucking Hollow, you bitch." With another movement he sent her into the ground with enough force to crack the earth on impact, and several of her ribs. "Sweet fucking christ I feel so alive!" Screamed the creature.

Menma's coup de grace involved stabbing his flaming sword into her gut and threw her away into the growing pile of Shinigami behind him. "Scatter, Senbonzakura," a quiet voice intoned, pink flowers began to float in the air.

Menma held up Sol and with another flick of his wrist flames blanketed the air, the petals began to spin and twist into a cyclone of delicate looking blades, the King leapt through the flames and punched Byakuya Kuchiki in the chest with his shield, digging three deep holes into his torso. Byakuya's eyes widened in shock at the sudden pain, followed by a knee to the chin.

Menma landed in a crouch and twirled to rise, looking directly at the Sotaicho. The old man frowned and narrowed his gaze, more so than usual, and tapped his cane onto the ground, a sword being revealed from within.

"It has been many years since I released my blade, you should feel honoured, Arrancar," the Sotaicho answered. "All of you, stand back!" he ordered.

Menma's almost covered lips creased into a smile, lines of purple twisting their way across his armour, the Dark Hand thrumming as it split into a shadowy second arm, it dipped to his waist and collected his dark princess.

"Then I'll give you the pleasure of taking this seriously, Genryusai," Menma exchanged swords with his shadowy arm, Sol being lifted into the air as Mugetsu's dark blade began to hum softly.

"Reduce all creation to ash, Ryujin Jakka!"

"Cast them into the abyss, Mugetsu."

Black reiatsu and ungodly heat began to pour from the two white clad beings. Two towering pillars formed, one showing a great dragon circling around the commander, the other an antlered bat of some kind. Black began to coat Menma's armoured shell, the dark hand was agitated by the rich reiatsu in the air and thrummed, producing yet another arm.

"So you can use Shikai? How many of our people have you devoured to attain such a thing, Hollow?" Questioned Yamamoto with a sneer.

"That's an interesting thought, but an incorrect one." Menma answered from within the shade cast by his energy, only his eyes piercing it's veil, "My Zanpakuto slept in my soul, I merely needed a conduit to release her."

Menma's black body emerged from the shroud of energy before his opponent did his. "Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo's ears perked at the name as a great wave of black, laced with purple, arc forth and struck against Genryusai's body he flared his power and destabilized the arc and with a sweep of his sword, shattered it.

"And how did you come to this conclusion?" Prodded the Sotaicho.

"You learn quite a lot when you take a moment to ask some questions, Yamamoto." Was all the Arrancar offered. "Like for instance, why is Ichigo Kurosaki here?" This was more of a demand than a mere question, there was a deadliness to his tone.

"The Ryoka boy invaded in hopes of spiriting Rukia Kuchiki away from retribution. Though given Aizen's apparent involvement in this, it seems we may have to reassess the situation after dealing with this infestation." This seemed almost pulled from Yamamoto's lips, unbidden. It disturbed him how readily he spilled his guts to the animal before him.

Aizen watched keenly. "I truly did not expect him to be so agitated with Kurosaki's presence. Is this some misguided, paternal instinct? A show of dominance, perhaps? You are such a strange creature, Menma."

"Heh, always has been a good boy." Praised Menma with a nod, "But a Shinigami! Come on boy! What part of 'Don't be stupid' didn't you understand!" Shouted the Sunlord throwing his arms up in frustration as he looked to the vague direction of the orange haired youth beyond the firewall.

Menma shook his head before leaping back into the fight, having said his piece about this matter.

In a burst of static Menma appeared before the Sotaicho and swung Mugetsu at his chest, the older man parried the blow only for a second blade to slash at his shoulder. "Two swords and a shield, keep track, Genryusai."

A tail surged from behind the man and struck Genryusai in the face making him stumble slightly. "Arrancar have more than just our arms and legs, you'll have to work on that reaction speed if you want to survive this, old man," the younger King barbed.

Yamamoto grunted and exuded so much pressure that the ground began to melt, blisters in the rock beneath their feet. Menma's eyes squinted as an ivory streak lit up on his face a wide grin showing off his sharp set of teeth, which caused a spike of anger to burst in the Sotaicho's stomach. "You'll not give such a grin when I'm through with you, beast!" the old man snapped, sending a wave of forceful flames to send his opponent skyward..

"A man and a beast are only separated by one thing!" Menma's voice said as a great shower of flickering flames drizzled down, he stood in the air, the only noticeable effect having been the smoke rising from his armoured form.

"A man chooses to hide away from his primal instincts, cowardly and concerned. A beast embraces that which they truly are, they are proud, they are savage, they are Arrancar!" Menma threw Mugetsu at his opponent the sword spinning in the air like a black windmill of murder, he disappeared and reappeared behind the Sotaicho, the old man's eyes widened for a moment only for his body to go stiff.

Searing heat rose in his gut, he looked down to see a flaming sword in his stomach, and then hissed in more pain as the black blade dug into his torso. Blood splattering across Menma's armour, the Hollow Knight leant forward and whispered lowly.

"And a beast can adapt. You Shinigami have been the same for years, your battles are nothing more than weak willed boys swinging your pointy sticks at one another," Menma's Dark Hand hummed ominously as Yamamoto felt his body fail him.

"That fire of yours was the perfect cover. Without anyone to help you, it's much easier to exploit your flaws. You're slow, you're prideful, and you're so self-assured that what you do is the correct path that you cannot adapt your strategy above, bait them into fire," Menma lectured with a chuckle as energy began to seep into him and out of the Sotaicho.

"An astute observation," Genryusai admitted. "But I have not lived this long without having a few tricks up my sleeve." Menma would have questioned this statement but was treated to a stabbing pain in his own gut.

Genryusai had cast a simple Byakurai spell into Menma's gut, out of his back.

The King of the Sun growled as he bounced back, taking his swords with him.

The shroud of flames dimmed for a moment before roaring back to life with renewed vigor. "It has been many years since I've felt a blow like that. I admit, I've grown careless because of it, but that carelessness will have cost you a great deal more than me, Hollow," the old man growled. Menma's gaze narrowed as the hole in his gut regenerated.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" the Arrancar questioned.

"I'd much rather see your expression when you realise it, Hollow," the Sotaicho taunted, Menma's eyes narrowed 'neath his helmet and a frown lined his visible lips. Genryusai took a moment of mirth at the creatures annoyance.

Menma's shield-arm rose, a black orb forming on clawed fingers pointed at the old man, "Cero Oscuras." A black tidal wave of concentrated reiatsu fired off like a thunderclap, Yamamoto only just being able to avoid it, the beam of energy collided with the wall of flames and crashed against it like waves of the abyssal tide.

Menma frowned. Yamamoto seemed to be switching up his little battle strategy as the fight progressed. The idea that he was merely testing him came to mind, and a frown etched itself onto the Arrancar's face.

"Not taking this seriously? A mistake," the King snarled, and grabbed Sol to hold it in his shield-hand, crossing the two swords across one another the Arrancar summoned up a great surge of energy.

Only for his chest to suddenly pulse with pain, stalling his body, he released a strangled gasp before vomiting up a mouthful of blood. Eyes wide the King looked down, his body beginning to shake as his armour flaked around his wounded abdomen, flesh being revealed and quickly turning a dark, sickly purple.

"You were quick to assume I'd allow myself to sustain such damage without any means of giving any. That was foolish, Hollow," Yamamoto informed grimly as he appeared before the King of Arrancar and slammed both fists into his stomach. Menma body was wracked with pain as he spit up another mouthful of precious life essence.

His arms fell slack at his sides all colour of his armour draining away. Yamamoto nodded to himself and whispered, "Your power was respectable, but this is our destiny, Hollow." Menma's bare torso was exposed as his armour shattered from his body, leaving only fragments of his helmet.

His hair had faded back to its usual black state, flames reduced to mere cinders. The Arrancar King fell to his knees as agony ripped through his nerves, the Sotaicho approaching with almost silent, measured steps, Yamamoto produced Ryujin Jakka once more and pressed it to the Hollow's chest.

Menma's eyes were lifeless as blood poured down his chin, thick welts forming over his abdomen as internal bleeding ran amok, a wound opened in the section of his abdomen where he'd taken the wordless Byakurai, energy foaming and bubbling for a few moments leaving a thick puddle of multi-coloured reiryoku, in a mysteriously liquid form.

"Stand up, milord. Stand and show this naive we are no mere animal to poke at," Sol demanded, the flaming knight's accented voice ringing in his ears. Menma's one visible eye cracked open his vision was swimming.

"It's been so long since I was out, and now this weak willed little Hollow will die, pheh!" a foreign voice growled, Menma's vision cleared for a moment as the shape of a towering draconian shadowed Genryusai.

"You have your trump card, Master," Mugetsu soothed, and she was right, Menma's right, Dark Arm, twitched in response, "Show that disgusting lizard who's boss."

"Let's fuck his ass!" Suzumebachi screamed, her own interesting war cry.

Menma coughed and managed a smirk. "Sting them all… to death, Suzumebachi."

The Sotaicho's eyes widened at the familiar command phrase, and in a flash of golden light the Arrancar vanished, appearing with an equally familiar gauntlet on his hand it molded to the black armoured skin of the beast well, and it sent a shiver of cold fury down his spine.

Barely standing Menma righted himself, the hole in his gut sealing with a hiss. "I'm not going to lay down... and die," the King muttered lowly, raising one hand to his face as his helmet reformed in full, armour taking on a hornet's colouration, hair looping in on itself tightly a cap reminiscent of a stinger forming over the end of the braid.

His chest remained bare however, no other armour forming.

"Pretty impressive, leaving a lump of volatile reiatsu in my gut to explode after the shell around it was eaten away. I guess you know more about Hollow abilities than I thought. Not many can figure out how to keep us from eating anything in our bodies." Praised the Arrancar with a short bow of respect.

"I didn't live through so many centuries because I'm witless." Scolded the Captain-Commander, garnering a nod in response.

"A fair point, that being said…" Menma lifted his 'White Hand' and cracked his knuckles, armour reforming over it and producing his shield once more, "If you were truly a man of intellect, I'd assume you'd have the 'wit' to at least pick up a goddamn shield." Scolded the younger of the two with a grimace.

"And give myself an unwieldy encumbrance to slow myself down? I think not." Rebuked the old man with a shake of his head.

"And yet this 'encumbrance' has allowed me to avoid every single cut from you." Pointed out Menma with a chuckle.

"Whilst this is true, it did not protect you from the true damage." Yamamoto pointed to Menma's stomach, getting a shrug in response.

"Your point is as valid as mine." Was all Menma gave in return.

Menma looked down to his hornet-styled glove and flexed the arm, clenching and relaxing the muscles therein. "I'm going to win." he said to himself, nodding before vanishing in a buzz of static, Yamamoto had to quickly move to the side to avoid being stung on the shoulder and rebuked with a fiery slash of his blade, though as he went to strike the man disappeared from vision.

Menma reappeared a few feet away, leaning down to grasp Sol and Mugetsu, the blades humming lightly as he collected them, sapping energy from the abyssal blade back into himself Menma vanished in a flash of crawling darkness and attempted to grapple Yamamoto once more this time the old man was ready and grabbed his arm throwing him onto the ground.

The Sol King grumbled as he flipped onto his stomach and vanished in another buzz of static.

Yamamoto found a boot striking his head and groaned in pain as he was thrown to the side, only to right himself and parry a strike from the hornet's stinger, a familiar tail rose up to strike him, Yama' back stepped abruptly and cut it off, reducing Menma's surprise weapon to a nub.

"Son of a whore!" Roared the Arrancar King as his wound bled heartily.

"How did your shield serve you now?" Prodded The Captain-Commander.

"Oh so now you're making jokes?!" Demanded the King with a furious howl, said howl seemed to shatter the wall of flames around them, reducing it to mere cinders. The murderous expression on the Arrancar's face told Yamamoto all he needed to know.

"That was my favourite extremity." Informed Menma dangerously.

"Wait what about your-" Began Renji Abarai, unwittingly he had to voice this.

"FAVOURITE!" Boomed Menma giving a few unfortunate people ear-bleeds. "Limb for a limb." In a sudden blur of movement Yamamoto felt only pain as his right arm was severed from his torso agony filled every nerve in his body, it was like fire in his blood.

All were given sight to the Arrancar, battered though he may be, slamming his boot into the Sotaicho's stomach and sending him tumbling away, slowly and methodically he leant down, grabbed Ryujin Jakka and crushed the blade with his palm, a wisp of flame leapt from the remains, floating away, only for Sol to strike the wisp and devour it, the burning blade lost all flame around it and seemed to hold it all in, becoming white hot metal that stung the very eyes of any who looked upon it.

All watched with varying degrees of horror as the Captain Commander was reduced to a cripple, on his knees and clutching his stump in agony.

Menma had a lot of feelings on this particular matter, did he kill the man? Did he spare him? One would end any potential threat, the other would enforce the message he sent today, 'do not bother trying to fight me.'

Sol grinned beneath his helmet as his spirit was emboldened and empowered by the power of Ryuujin Jakka, in a sense he ate the dragon and became a great deal more powerful for it. His smoothe armour gained a scaled pattern across its various plates.

Menma sealed and sheathed his weapons, and dusted off his hands a sword came into his view only for him to catch it and pull the wielder to his faceplate that was quickly dissolving revealing furious, flaming crimson orbs, doe brown locked with raging red.

"Stand down, Ichigo, I'm tryna do a thing." Menma demanded with a soft snarl, the orange haired boy felt his resolve falter for a moment only to shake it off, the urging of Zangetsu at his back.

"Can't do that, not if you're with him," the young man rebuked. Menma's expression was unchanged but the younger man saw understanding in those eyes, only to wince as the wind was knocked from his lungs, a single finger flicking his solar plexus making it hard to breath.

The wounds on Menma's body began healing rapidly as Ryujin Jakka's energy revitalised him, raising his hand Menma snapped his finger and a Garganta opened with a raised thumb over the shoulder, he gestured the traitors in.

He looked to Ichigo who was bleeding, but otherwise looked fine, remorse shone in his eyes as the fury of his own emotional maelstrom subsided. He'd allowed his animalistic fury to overtake his reason, well… there probably wasn't a way to fix this.

He'd burnt too many bridges today.

Menma placed a hand on Aizen's shoulder and smiled at the man, who nodded in return, only for his eye to twitch as he looked down and saw the fist of his comrade buried in his chest, Aizen's opened fully in shock.

"You've done your part, Sosuke," Menma said with a shrug and he pulled out the man's heart and a good portion of his ribcage, as the man crumpled he took the Hogyoku from his dying body, Menma held out a hand to the crumpled body energy flooding from Sosuke Aizen's rapidly wizening corpse and into the Hollow God's body.

"Cero."

A beam of deep red energy wiped the Shinigami out of existence, he caught the blade of Tousen and pulled the man towards him, ripping his head clean off with a palm strike to the chin.

"Wanna give it a go, Gin?" Menma asked lowly the man's eyes opened slightly revealing sky blue Menma jerked forward and gave a short 'Huh!?' actually drawing a flinch from the Captain,

"Bitch."

Menma looked back towards the reapers, "I was playing the long game. This is mine though." Menma held the Hogyoku up with two fingers, "Ichigo, I'll be by in a few days to explain it all to you. Rest up, you look exhausted." The King ordered softly, a paternal smile on his face as he leant back into the darkness.

He was not excited to explain any of this, it got out of hand rather quickly.

"At least you should be free from any fallout. I don't know why some girl was worth getting yourself caught up in all this, but I'll always keep you safe Ichigo," Menma thought, taking a quiet moment to himself as he strode through the darkness of the void.

The only company he had in the darkness was his footsteps his now bare feet slapping against the solid dark with each heavy step.

Within Palacio del Sol space in Menma's room tore, as if a mouth with malformed teeth opened its maw and spat out the Arrancar, he took a breath and settled for sitting down on his bed and sighing softly not wanting to do much else at the moment.

Looking at his bloodstained hands, the flecks of crimson across his chest and the wetness on his face he languished. "Am I no better than the beast the Shinigami make me out to be…? No, that's a little too dramatic, I admit I did wrong, I shouldn't have let my head get clouded so, but Genryuusai is old and should be replaced either way."

He rolled the Hogyoku in his left hand, the orb was warm to the touch. It felt like silk, yet had the rigidity of rock. He felt an empathic link to this stone, it felt alive, it thrummed with energy and power that was untapped and yearning for purpose.

The question was, what would he do with it? He'd killed the strongest Shinigami to ever walk the Seireitei in single - technically - combat and robbed him of any his Zanpakuto, in doing so granting his own fire-type weapon a massive boost.

He was safe, his people would be safe, even Aizen's little schemes had taken a permanent hiatus, what with his body being reduced to atoms and all.

A flicker of movement alerted him to Ulquiorra's presence. "Menma-sama," the Bat greeted with a slight nod.

"I crippled the Sotaicho," Menma informed without looking away from the rock in his hand. Ulquiorra blinked, not sure what to really say. "And then I killed Aizen, and Tousen. The man couldn't be trusted, obviously, and I brought back this."

Ulquiorra looked at the orb critically. It looked rather unassuming all things considered, just a deep purple orb the exuded energy. "So the Shinigami snake has been killed. And now you lack direction?" the woman asked, a singular quirked eyebrow on her pale face.

Menma nodded, running his thumb over the Hogyoku's surface.

"Then, seek something to strive for, Moonlight," Ulquiorra easily suggested. Menma looked up and quirked a brow of his own at that. "I have you, and you are all I'll ever need, but I'm aware that others require more stimuli than a singular being, so seek something to hold your interest, find a new foe to fight, explore the mysteries of the universe. Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy."

The singular expression on her face didn't detract from the intensity of the statement. Menma contemplated this and nodded. Standing up, he seized her in a gentle embrace, which was returned without hesitance. The King took a breath and smiled. His Ulquiorra always managed to pull him up and get his mind moving.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to go inform everyone of what's transpired," Menma said finally, looking out his window for a few quiet moments before he and Ulquiorra vanished in a burst of static.

Throne Room; 30 Minutes Later

Cleaned up and dressed in his usual attire the King of the Arrancar and Sovereign God to the Hollow infants sat comfortably in his glorified chair, his elite guardsmen lining the rooms walls and his various comrades filling in the centre space.

Harribel entered with her underlings, a veritable cacophony of faces trailed the Shark Empress, Szayel and Luppi entered after her, Sig and Sif not long after them with the little goat Gunter trotting along with the small child and the gentle giant.

Logan grinned at the sight waving covertly to the little miss who lit up at the sight of the Australian man and waved with the enthusiasm of 10 Orihime Inoue's, Sig merely stared him down.

Neliel followed by Pesche and Dondochakka made there way in, closely followed by Dio and Rudbornn.

Ulquiorra stood aside his throne, as did Apacci.

"Thank you all for gathering here so quickly. I know this was rather short notice, and I apologise for interrupting your days, but I've some good news," the King began, lifting his palm to display the Hogyoku. "First and foremost, the Hogyoku is within our possession and Sosuke Aizen is dead. So that whole potential shitshow is out of our hair."

A few polite golf-claps rattled across the gathering hall/throne room, Menma waited for them to fall silent before he continued, "Secondly, the Sotaicho has been crippled and his Zanpakuto removed from his person. Dealing a great blow to the Soul Reapers, letting them know that not only are we not to be trifled with, we are able to dish out punishment without taking a life. It puts us above them."

This was answered with silence, so he continued, "No more Reapers, no more hunting, all we must do now is evolve and grow in peace. Our bestial nature must be wrestled with each day, I am no different, 'twas my own callous lack of self-control that led to such severe actions today but I looked to all of you for strength, solidarity, and affirmation in our cause."

"A Hueco Mundo that we can all look back on in our final moments in this existence and be proud of."

20 Minutes Later

Menma sat on one of the many hills surrounding Palacio Del Sol, grass drifting peacefully under him, swords staked into the ground around him, he sat with his legs out somewhat but cocked enough that he could rest his elbows on each knee and in turn, rest his head in his hands.

The technicolour mayhem that was Menma's gaze looked across his domain, slightly bored. Sig and Sif were doing whatever it was they did in their off time, Logan was training with Dio, Apacci was asleep off to his side, Harribel had given him the 'look' that warned he'd be getting a grilling over his actions but at the same time she was apparently grateful he'd gotten all of them out of any future 'Aizen Situation'.

Lilynette and Starrk were off in the Menos Forest running a surprise inspection, this was mostly so Lily could piss off Grimmjow.

So here he sat, quite bored. And only 20 minutes after his victory.

He did have a moment of introspection over the whole event, was happiness so fleeting that something so substantial had already lost its allure? That was depressing.

He really hoped something of interest would come along in his life.

End.

Raxychaz!