"What the hell is that?" A tall eyepatch wearing dark haired man says as he looks off in the distance towards the outer palaces of Las Noches. "Aaroniero released his resurrection but whoever or whatever he's fighting has released one too."

"Lord Aizen had said that we are under attack, it's not someone I recognize the spiritual pressure of either Lord Nnoitra." The shorter blonde arrancar named Tesla says to his master. "Want me to take care of it sir?"

"No, if whatever that is could kill Aaroniero you'd be fodder." Nnoitra says as he pulls the strange H shaped scythe from the ground before hanging it over his shoulder. "Let's see if he's willing to have some fun." Nnoitra says before flexing his muscles and raising his spiritual pressure as high as it will go. Tesla is alerted by the thunderous echo of a sonido and the rush of displaced wind from when this person appears.

"I was already coming to kill you, you don't have to ring a dinner bell." Grimmjow says as he looks down on Nnoitra with the fake sun at his back. "You leave the AC on or a window open? It's cold as shit in here."

"Grimmjow. You're not the one I was trying to lure here and you're not even worth my time." Nnoitra says before scoffing away from the blue haired former espada. "And this cold is that bitch's fault. Ever since Aizen decided that she's now the cero espada and turned her from a soul reaper to an espada the whole place froze over."

"Wouldn't call her that if I were you, if she's rank zero then she could fold you like paper." Grimmjow says before drawing his sword from its sheath, hearing Grimmjow draw his sword, Nnoitra turns back to face him. "And if you think in that bug brain of yours that I'm not worth your time..." Grimmjow says before disappearing in a burst of speed that even Nnoitra couldn't track, the sonic boom of the sonido happens again with Grimmjow appearing behind Tesla. "How about now?" He asks as Tesla's head falls from his shoulders and the body collapses to the floor.

"So you can cut down a single arrancar, so what." Nnoitra says, completely dismissing the death of his fraccion. "You can't cut me."

"Wanna bet?" Grimmjow says as he raises his sword to the side then flicks the blood from his blade.

"Yeah, you cut me even if it's just a paper cut, we'll fight. If you can't, Fuck off." Nnoitra says as he stabs the large scythe into the ground and extends his arms waiting for Grimmjow to strike.

"You're gonna eat those words." Grimmjow says before lunging towards Nnoitra.

In their previous sparring sessions, Grimmjow was never a threat and barely bruised Nnoitra's skin when he actually managed to land a hit. Cockily he extends his arms outwards allowing Grimmjow a clear open shot on his stomach and chest. He almost hesitates before attacking Nnoitra, remembering the last time they fought he couldn't even land a single hit but he conquers his slight fear. Grimmjow slices down hard across Nnoitra's midsection cutting in deep from his shoulder all the way down to the wing of the right part of his hip. Nnoitra's heart drops into his stomach as the burning sensation of a deep sword cut. Instinctively, Nnoitra teleports away from Grimmjow's attack, appearing a few dozen feet away staring wide eyed at the blue haired former espada. "What's the matter, bug boy? Cat got your tongue?" Grimmjow mocks before throwing his head back and belly laughing at Nnoitra's expense. The eyepatch wearing espada stares down at the sword cut that split easily through his shoulder, snapped his collarbone and broke three ribs before he sonido'd away from it.

"Just what the hell has he been doing to get that strong?! That felt like a sword strike from Ulquiorra." Nnoitra's thoughts run rampant through his head, he clutches a hand to the open wound across his chest, feeling the warm blood trickle over his fingers and down his chest. He scans the area for a moment looking for Grimmjow's fraccions but he doesn't find them. "No... there's no way you'd do that."

"Do what Nnoitra? Devour my own fracciones? They were weak, slain by the soul reapers that captured me. However, soul society promised me that I would get to kick your ass and shove my foot up Aizen's if I played nice. In exchange, I got to feed on those weak fools, and I even devoured that replacement of mine." Grimmjow says cockily as he slowly walks towards Nnoitra's scythe before picking it up. "Ready to take me seriously, Asshole?" He asks before throwing the scythe towards Nnoitra, the strange H shaped weapon clattering to the ground at his feet. "Pick it up."

"Fine, you want a fight? You got one pussy cat." Nnoitra says as he picks up his weapon, with a single hand he raises the giant blade over his head. The increase in power shakes the sand and snow around them as his body starts to glow with a sinister gold energy. "Pray! Santa Teresa!!!"

Grimmjow grins as his nemesis releases his resurrection, the tornado of energy creates a sandstorm around them. The uneven, unpolished grains of sand mixed with the now creates a wind tunnel of tiny daggers threatening to shred anything inside it. Though, it doesn't pose much of a threat to an espada, the constant feeling of being scratched by the razor like shards of sand and snow isn't pleasant. Returning the favor, Grimmjow tucks his sword to his side then claws a hand over the blade. "Grind. Pantera." He says, his voice is more calm and collected but laced with the excitement of battle. The soul steel blade glows a light blue before the spirit energy expands around Grimmjow as the two espada's unleash their power against each other.

With Renji and Uryu

The quincy and soul reaper sneak silently through the halls of one of the outer towers within the daylight desert of Las Noches. Byakuya had elected to go off on his own leaving Dondachaka and Pesche to go with Renji and Uryu. It doesn't help that the two former arrancars are constantly badgering the two with questions as they try to make their way silently through the halls. The endless repeating columns and walls across a blue triangle tiled floor abruptly come to a fork in the path causing the group to stop. "This is not good." Renji says as he scans the path ahead of them. The large tiki mask of Dondochakka looks between the two halls for a moment then shrugs as he turns back to face them. "I got no idea boss, don'cha'know. The only one I recognize is the third espada's palace. I've never seen this one before."

"Got any idea how we're gonna get past this?" Uryu asks before clicking on a flashlight to look down both hallways. "I can't see anything in either direction. This doesn't make any sense, when we entered this building it didn't look this big from the outside, but it feels like we've been running a 10k in that single hallway." Uryu thinks aloud.

"Call me crazy but I think I know why we've been running forever." Renji says as he walks towards where Uryu is looking. "Here, I'm gonna try something. It's a new trick I picked up with the new powers." Uryu steps aside, allowing the red haired man to gaze down the hall for a moment. He closes his eyes and pulls a hand up to his cheek bones before pressing his thumb and index finger to his face pulling them together. His fingers release an orange c black reiatsu that burns into the air as two holes appear under his eyes.

"Wait... those look like..."

"Infrared pits that vipers have, they're kinda like another set of eyes. I can see the infrared spectrum with them, kinda like a thermal camera that you humans use in the world of the living." Renji explains as he looks down the hallway scanning the walls and floor behind him. The dark blues of the walls and floor indicate that they're cold as ice, but he does notice areas that are much much lighter. Tiles on the floor look like they're green and yellow in certain areas. "There's heat coming from the floors, the cracks in the tiles. They've been heated by something..."

"Now that you mention it, there isn't any frost on the cracks of the floors either, and some of the frost that is on the floor is cracked. Wait! You don't think the floors have been moving do you?" Uryu asks, getting a nod from Renji as an answer.

"The rooms are changing. Someone is watching us." Renji declares.

"Ah, well I'm pleasantly surprised then. I wouldn't think a soul reaper was smart enough to figure that out." A slightly effeminate male voice echoes through the rooms, seemingly being spoken by the walls themselves. "You might just be worth studying."

"Show yourself coward!" Renji shouts before the floor beneath him shifts slightly, with the heightened sense from his hollow powers he feels the floor move again. "Look out!" He calls out but it's a moment too late as the floor beneath Pesche and Dondochakka opens up, dropping them into a square hole.

"Better catch up with your friends, little soul reaper, I'll see you soon." The voice echoes from the walls again before vanishing with a chuckle.

With no other option, Uryu and Renji share a nod to one another then jump down the same holes that took Dondochakka and Pesche. The square holed tunnels are polished smooth adding to their speed of descent in near freefall. Though the tunnels are at an angle that curves upwards slightly allowing for the quincy and shinigami to slide down the quartz slide without fear. The length of the fall is what is surprising, it feels as if they fall for over an hour down this slide. When it comes to an abrupt end, the wall ahead of them opens in a perfectly circular hole causing the two to slide out into a large room with strange L shaped upside down pillars along the walls and ceiling with an orange tiled floor that seems to span infinitely in the darkness. A thick layer of fog covers the room but contrary to everywhere else in Las Noches, this room is rather warm and almost comfortable.

"Where the hell are we now?" Renji asks out loud as he looks through the room using both his infrared and normal sight. The entire room is warm, the walls and floor are different shades of yellow and green helping him detect it. As he scans, he sees a rush of cold air darken the light blue fog in the room as a door opens. Walking out of it a tall slender human figure that radiates heat all over its body approaches him.

"You are in my playground, Shinigami." As the fog in the room dissipates the group is met with the sight of a tall slender pink haired and yellow eyed man with glasses over his face. His Espada's robes are almost skin tight aside from his pants, and the sword at his waist has strange bubble formations on the handguard. "Allow me to introduce myself, and I'll put it in simple terms so even you fools could understand me. My name is Szaelporo Granz. The eighth ranked Espada."

"If we're starting this honorably, I am the lieutenant of squad six, Renji Abarai." Renji announces as he rests a hand on the hilt of his sword. However this gesture causes Szael to raise his hands defensively.

"Oh no, there's no need for that. I may be an espada, but I'm merely the researcher for Lord Aizen's army. I'm not one for fighting, I prefer to study the spirit particles and energies produced by all types of souls." Szael responds, before smiling innocently and closing his eyes after his explanation. "There is no need to fear me. I wish to study your spirit patterns and energies much more closely and might I say yours are by far the most interesting Renji." The use of his first name in Szael's tone causes a shiver to run up his spine.

"I doubt that, now we can do this one of two ways. You tell me where Rukia is and I let you live or you don't tell me and I beat it out of you." Renji says as he draws the long slender blade of his katana from its sheath on his left hip. "So start talking."

"Who do all the men think with their swords and not with their minds? Oh well, we'll have it your way." Szael shrugs before opening his eyes once more, locking them with Renji's and making his expression as stoic as possible. "High queen of Hueco Mundo as Lord Aizen has instructed we call her, is down the hall, make a left after 15km, head up the grand flight of stairs, through the exequias guarding the main hall, past the throne room, across a lone bridge and within the icy tower. I do have to warn you, the temperature is so cold there that the atoms and spirit particles have stopped moving."

"What do you mean they stopped moving? You don't mean that the temperature there is absolute zero is it?!" Uryu gasps, this catches Szael's attention causing the pink haired man to shift to the side slightly to get a look at the young quincy.

"Oh, we may have a smart one here." He grins as he eyes over the quincy. "Yes, the temperature around the caballero encima's tower is at absolute zero. It's so cold that my equipment is unable to function properly there... and who are you my glasses sporting friend? You're far smarter than this redheaded bimbo is."

"Gah... B-bimbo?!" Renji gapes.

"Uryu Ishida, one of the last remaining quincies." This statement causes the bored uninterested look in Szael's eyes to shift, his eyebrows perk up and his irises shrink before he licks his lips.

"My my... one of the last quincies? I've never heard of such a species, I might just have to dissect you." This statement prompts Uryu to immediately summon his bow in preparation for the fight.

"Alright, chitchat's over freakshow. We're not here to play dress-up. We're here to rescue Rukia and put you espada in the dirt." Renji says boldly, causing Szael's lips to purse into a wide cheshire cat like grin. "Roar. Zabimaru." He releases his zanpakuto.

"Oh I do love it when my test subjects play with me. It makes this far more interesting." Szael grins as he draws his own weapon.

Byakuya.

The black haired captain walks calmly down another of Las Noches' infinite hallways. The glow dim of the spirit infused ice along the floor is the only light illuminating the lengthy corridor. The walls are slanted acting like shingles to a roof causing the air in the room to flow past him. The cold of his sister's power carries with it another sense, a tiny almost undetectable spark of sorts that Byakuya can't place off the top of his head but he can sense that she is calm at least for a moment. The wooden clogs he's wearing echo through the long corridor, but suddenly the reiatsu has shifted signifying another person present within this hallway. Turning around to face the man that had just appeared, Byakuya studies the man's appearance for a moment. His dark skin and piercing yellow eyes almost remind him of Yoruichi but this man has no familial resemblance to her whatsoever, just his eyes. His face is sturdy with heavy set brow, cheek and chin bones. His ears are pierced with a skull and crossbones set of earrings. Around the base of his neck and down the top of his head are a repeating pattern of small white spikes.

"Why do you intrude on Lord Aizen's fortress? Reveal yourself intruder." The man asks and commands as Byakuya merely looks at the man opposite him.

"I am your enemy." He answers.

"I suspected as such, however I have to inform you that you have encountered an espada and the end of your life." The espada speaks. "I am Zommari Rearaux, the seventh espada."

"Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the sixth squad." Byakuya announces as he draws his sword from his side. "I do not have all day." He says before flash stepping towards Zommari. As he appears behind him the espada reacts as well though not in the way that Byakuya was expecting. A second version of Zommari appears behind him with his own sword raised. "What?" He asks himself before flash stepping away from Zommari's body double.

"Gemelos Sonido." Zommari explains, speaking from both bodies at the same time. "I alone of the espada am the fastest, and I alone can use this ability."

"I know a man who can create 14 of those after images." Byakuya says but this statement causes Zommari to smirk.

"How arrogant. Here I reveal that I am the only one who has used this technique and you lie and say you know a man who's done it better. How foolish." Zommari laughs.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Lieutenant of Squad five. He is capable of moving fast enough to create 14 after images. I'm sure Aizen has informed you of him." This statement causes Zommari's eyes to narrow at Byakuya.

"The husband of the Caballero Encima?" Zommari asks as Byakuya points a finger in his direction. Immediately one of the flower petals flashes by the espada cutting a deep gash into the man's neck but he doesn't fall dead instead another version of Zommari appears to take his place. "I see, then you know how to deal with that technique then. Perhaps this fight will be interesting. Be still, this will only take a moment."

Zommari commands as he rotates his sword until it's perpendicular with his body. He locks eyes with Byakuya as he slowly removes all of his fingers from the handle of the sword causing it to float in mid air. The espada raises both hands and presses them together as if in prayer. He folds his legs underneath him as his whole body levitates and the spiritual pressure in the room rises dramatically. Finally he speaks. "Suppress." he says sternly before tilting his head ninety degrees so his head is now parallel with his sword. "Brujeria." He speaks from an open mouth without moving his lips. From his torso a thick white tar explodes from his being and covers his body in this bubbling viscous disgusting mass. Byakuya feels the dramatic shift in Zommari's spirit energy as the room around him begins to shake and the ice beneath his feet is crushed fine from the pressure. The bubbling tar begins to waft away into the air as white smoke revealing Zommari's resurrection.

The espada's head is framed by a strange neck piece with two skull shapes along the sides and teeth around the collar. At his chin is a large yellow eye followed by dozens more all around his new body. Eyes around his pectorals and upper body, around his back in rings around his midsection and arms. His hands are still in the prayer position resting on a pumpkin-like pink lower body that has faces on the swollen portions each with a single sideways unblinking eye that stares off in the distance. The man's face is now adorned with black tattoos running from his lips and eyes with more slits for eyes shut in vertical creases along the espada's forehead. "Your life ends here, Captain Kuchiki." Zommari states as the strange body shifts in its entirety to face Byakuya.

"I refuse, and I will not waste my time on you." Byakuya says firmly before dropping his sword. Zommari looks confused at the captain for a moment before the sword disappears into the floor as if it was water. "Bankai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."