Disclaimer: I don't own bleach. Only the fan fiction I'm currently writing.

"Normal speech"

'Thoughts'

"Zangetsu/Tensa Zangetsu."

"Shirosaki Hichigo (Shiro)."

"I'm not fighting because I want to win… I'm fighting because I have to win!"

…

"Nonsense…"

#1#

The air was thick, the gushing breeze that was felt at the top of Las Noches was fierce, but that breeze was nothing compared to the pressure that could be felt, the reiatsu was incredible, it was hard to breath for the two newcomers that were heading to the top trying to find their friend that was currently fighting the one that was letting out that reiatsu. They were worried, even the Quincy that always thought indifferent about the orange head was worried. Who wouldn't be with the strength his opponent was showing.

They arrived at the top of the trip towards the roof, but even so they could not relax. Inoue quickly sprung forward into the fastest sprint she could muster. Ishida on the other hand was able to keep still in his crouching position and actually analyze the situation.

"I can't feel Kurosaki's reiatsu! Where is he?!"

Even when hearing Ishida's comment Inoue didn't stop, she couldn't stop, the bad feeling in her chest wouldn't permit her to stop. She just knew something was wrong, she just knew it even though she wanted to brush it off. But what she saw made her heart stop, she had stopped and finally caught sight of the mangled form of their friend, being held by Ulquiorra's tail at his neck, high above her reach on a tall pillar being illuminated by the creepy crescent moon of hueco mundo.

Ulquiorra glanced down to see her with his yellow eyes in a sea of green, more menacing than ever and imposing as ever.

"So you came, woman."

Inoue couldn't find it in herself to yell, she felt terrified, terrified for herself and terrified for Ichigo.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"Perfect timing. Watch carefully."

Inoue gasped when she saw Ulquiorra bring a black long finger to point at Ichigo's chest, she knew what was to come, she just didn't want to accept it, a part of her still hoped that Ichigo could fight back and survive it all, but that wasn't the cruel truth.

"The man to whom you entrusted all your hope is about to die."

Inoue's eyes widened in horror and opened her mouth to yell at the top of her lungs, having trouble at first but finding it in her to actually protest.

"DON"T!"

A pitch black cero was charged with the green outline, forming and growing in size until it was the perfect size and was fired. The shot covering the hole area from prying eyes, not letting anyone see the outcome of the point blank attack inflicted on the orange head, the force of the attack making the measly seconds were you couldn't see seem eternal.

When the cero's power dispersed and allowed the two to see their friend, their already shacked up state worsened. Ichigo was still being held by the neck but know had a hole going right through his chest with burn marks all around it, his amber eyes wide and losing their spark and turning a dull and lifeless brown. The tail that was the only thing preventing him from falling let go, leaving the lifeless body fall from the tall tower.

Inoue's eyes still wide in horror saw Ichigo's limp body fall, dread filled all her senses and made her pupils widen even further.

"N-No!"

She sprung forward in a desperate run to catch the orange haired man that was falling at top speed, seeing as she was not going to make it in time she let her shield fly up and catch him, placing him gently on the sandy floor.

Almost getting to where he was placed, Ulquiorra sonidoed right in front of her stopping her on her tracks. She was breathing heavily and it was hard to catch her breath.

"It's useless. No matter how badly you wish to help, your meager powers cannot save him from his fate."

Not really hearing Ulquiorra speak up, her eyes still wide in terror she could only watch Ichigo's lifeless body and speak shakily in her mind.

'Kurosaki-kun… Kuroskai-kun!'

Seeing as she was not hearing her and still not showing understanding at what he had just said he spoke up in his icy cold voice.

"Perhaps I wasn't clear. Its usele-"

His sentence was not finished as Ishida appeared behind him, his bow drawn and pointing directly at his open back, sending a lone arrow that was easily deflected by his black bat wings. Ulquiorra looked back at the Quincy with the same emotionless expression.

The momentarily diversion permitted Inoue to continue on her path to the lying form of the orange head shinigami. This gave Ishida space to send a rain of arrows at the espada that didn't even bother to dodge. The cloud of dust still lifted and not permitting prying eyes from seeing Ulquiorra, Ishida used Hirenkyaku to appear above and send an attack.

"Licht Regen!"

The attack created a shockwave that made the cloud grown in size around the pale man. Ishida landed next to it with his bow still drawn, not even thinking that something like that had finished off his opponent.

He was able to see Ulquiorra's figure as the cloud started to disperse and he frowned at seeing the espada unharmed.

"I'm surprised. I was under the impression that you were the most level-headed of Kurosaki Ichigo's human friends."

"I'm keeping my cool. That's why I'll be able to handle you."

#1#

Inoue didn't even care for the fight that was going on right now, her top priority was Ichigo. She had to get to him, she had to heal him. That's right she would just heal him and he would be okay, right?

"Kurosaki-kun!"

She let her saten keshun go to him and start to heal him, hoping it would be okay and he would stand up once again.

She arrived at the unconscious form of the orange head and what she saw made her breath hitch in her throat. His dead wide eyes pierced through her very soul. She couldn't stand any longer, her knees buckling from the shock and forcing her to kneel over next to the orange dome of her own power. Tears started to finally fall down her eyes as she saw the sight before her, the panic of having to reach him over but not the panic over her worry.

'What should I do? What should I do…? I always felt like somehow Kurosaki-kun would be okay. I believed Kuroskai-kun could win. And because I had so much faith in him I turned a blind eye. But… '

Inoue lifted her hands up to grip her head in desperation, she couldn't think well, she was desperate, she couldn't feel her powers working and Ichigo still had his lifeless dead eyes.

'What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?!'

Inoue was brought out of her shock when she heard a crash nearby, seeing Ishida battered and trying to hold himself against the espada. He had his hand scorched with burns and was panting loudly.

"Ishida-kun?!"

"Don't worry about me. I already took anesthetics and hemostatic. Inoue-san, take care of Kurosaki."

She saw him race forward at Ulquiorra weapon already drawn.

"Ishida-kun!"

She gasped in horror when she saw the espada take a strike against her friend making him land on the ground and slide thanks to the force used. Ishida kept falling after each whip of the tail he was getting making Inoue even more horrified at the scene gaining even more tears.

'What should I do?! What should I do, Kurosaki-kun?!

Inoue brought her shield up to block the attack directed to the Quincy on the floor, shattering against making impact with the sharp tail.

'I don't know what I should do. I don't… I don't know anything. I just don't know, Kurosaki-kun!'

More tears fell down her face and onto the roof of Las Noches that they were now using as floor.

'Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun…'

"SAVE US, KUROSAKI-KUN!"

Inoue's voice resonated around the cold open area, reaching deep, deep, within a certain someone's soul. Time seemed to stop in the outside but in the inside it was still hearing and seeing what was going on but not being able to do a thing making everything seem much slower.

'She's calling me. She's calling out to me. I can hear her. Get up!'

"Save us!"

'Get up! Get up!'

A burning and heavy reiatsu started to form from Ichigo's unmovable body. Red menacing reiatsu started to surround his body but currently unaware to anyone else, His long orange hair that had grown out to wait length flowing with the air the reiatsu was creating.

'Get up!'

He started to get up using his left hand as support, starting to not only emit red reiatsu but also black with red outlines.

'I… I-!'

He stood up, making his reiatsu more and more visible and making himself seen even more deadly.

'I'll protect you!'

Opening pale white eyelids just like the color of the rest of his skin, he revealed golden eyes in a sea of pitch black not letting his expression be seen, a mask started to form from his chin upwards also covering the golden eyes from sight leaving only the white mask that held two lines of red come down over his eyes, two horns pointing at front in a devilish manner. Red tuff of hair at his wrist, ankles and his collar bone. Black tattoos that snacked around his hollow hole at his chest.

He stood imposingly behind Inoue letting her see him for the first time since he came out of the reiatsu he had formed around his body when transforming. A low growl escaped and was heard only by those close by. They were all shell shocked at what was standing before them, it was completely new to all of them even those that had been friends with Ichigo and should know his power better.

"Kurosaki…"

Ishida was badly hurt and was half lying half sitting on the floor. But that didn't stop him from looking attentively at his friend's new form.

Ulquiorra also stopped his attacks to glance at the shinigami turned hollow, not really showing expression but inwardly as shocked as the other two.

"Impossible. You can't be alive."

He walked forward, towards Ichigo and stood directly in front of him but still a good distance away from the orange head.

"How have you taken that form? Who are you?"

Ichigo's only response was to stay quiet, letting his tattered shinigami robes that barely covered his body and his long orange locks flow with the breeze. He outstretched an arm and opened his right palm making Tensa Zangetsu that was lying away from him flung forward and directly into his grip. He grabbed the zanpaktou with his right hand over his chest and made a swinging motion downwards that created an aftershock and made the surrounding area crumble of the pressure of said swing.

"Inoue-san!"

Inoue was blown away thanks to the increased breeze in the area by the deadly swing. She was caught thanks to Ishida that was still hurt.

Not really caring what so ever even if the situation didn't seem so reassuring, Ulquiorra glanced at Ichigo once more, not even affected by the breeze.

"Didn't you hear me? I want to know who you are."

Ichigo let out a load roar that made his reiatsu flare up and surround him in it, marking his outline protectively.

"I see you can't understand me."

Ulquiorra started to form a cero oscuras at the tip of his finger while Ichigo charged a normal cero in the middle of his horns red in color. There was a big explosion created by the two attacks that created a mushroom like cloud of pure dust, neither side backed down, both, not backing down. And thus started the futile fight were the winner was already decided.

#Ichigo's Inner world#

"Hey Tensa, where's king?"

The high pitch double voice spoke up his thoughts. The figure that had spoken up was currently different than what he had been seen before. His long white hair mirrored perfectly that of Berserker's along with the mask that had black lines instead of red. He was wearing a white coat similar to that of his king, with the exception being the black fur at the end of his sleeves and his neck.

"He should be here."

The one that answered the first was a figure clad in black, pale white hands told you the tone of his skin that was not visible thanks to the hood that was covering his head, only leaving his hands as the visible part of his body. His voice gave you the idea that he was no older than 18. But even with the hood he had, it did little to cover his identity since Shirosaki had already called out to him by his name.

"Well he ain't here. He's not stupid no matter what people say, I bet he hasn't come here yet because he wants to postpone the beating he'll get for dying… again."

"He doesn't remember his first death. He was-"

The presence of Ichigo was felt throughout the inner world, but what shocked both was exactly where he had appeared. Both had wide eyes and were more perplexed than anything because that place should be in the deepest part of his soul and unreachable to him.

"What?! Didn't you say he couldn't access that area of his soul yet?!"

"I was sure of it, I really was. If he entered that place it's because a part of his mind is remembering… he's going there because deep down he knows he can live if he does."

Shirosaki was about to jump forward into the darkness under everlasting skyscrapers when Tensa put a strong grip on his shoulder.

"Why are you stopping me?! You more than me don't want him to remember so soon!"

"You think I don't know that!"

The hollow was shocked by Tensa's outburst and for the first time since they noticed where Ichigo had appeared did he see Tensa's eyes. They held an unimaginable sadness, sorrow and regret.

"… there's nothing we can do about it… he was going to remember sooner or later, we were just being selfish to want to let Ichigo rest, to be normal… his duties are much more tiring in comparison to saving a girl from an army of strong opponents… but, now that he's there… we can do nothing but wait for his return…"

Relaxing under Tensa's grip and settling down after a long explanation, Shiro shacked out of the grip and walked back to sit on a cold window.

"Che… at least we won't die… Kingy is going to be pissed."

#1#

Ichigo couldn't feel anything as he fell in the pitch black abyss. He was sure he had died surer than ever before, after all, who the hell survives with a hole at your chest the size of a ball? And worst of all, he could have sworn he heard Inoue's voice calling out to him.

He felt weird in this place, just floating/falling into nothingness. And the worst of all the place felt so familiar, like he should know this place even though all he could see is black.

"What is this place?"

Voicing out his thoughts he started to get adjusted to the dark surroundings. He wasn't falling in an abyss, he was falling in some sort of hole. The walls were actually skyscrapers, the so familiar ones of his inner world.

Getting a better grip on the situation he finally noticed that he was under water, finding it weird he could breathe. He tried to swim but to no avail. Finally seeing the end of his fall, he spotted the white floor. In the middle of the closed area was a white box, seemingly important since it was one step higher than the rest of the floor.

Landing on his feet he was able to analyze the box further. It was very similar to the one where he had found his shinigami powers. The only difference was a small black chain wrapped around it in a protectively manner. He saw other chains, broken and tattered on the floor around it, seeing that he concluded they were once on the box as well.

The curiosity killing him, and forgetting all about the fact he had just died he went forward, taking a step up and standing in front of the box. He crouched down and lifted a hand to touch the chain with a single finger. But, upon making the small contact the little chain started to crack until it shattered, making a glass like sound.

The moment the chain broke the lid blew open and out came a four colored reiatsu, heading upwards into the darkness. It was pitch black with white streaks and red and blue outline. Before Ichigo could question where it had gone he felt an incredible pain at his head and chest making it hard to breathe and keep upright.

Ichigo couldn't stand the pain and kneeled over, gripping his shihakusho with one hand at his chest and his orange locks with the other. The four colored reiatsu returned at full speed towards Ichigo's lying form on the floor. Once the reiatsu made contact with him, the pain left and thousands of memories started to flow into his mind, many memories together with many abilities and how to use them.

As the reiatsu disappeared into the orange head he snapped his eyes open wide, two hands hanging lowly at his sides and sweet dripping down his brow and to his chin.

"I'm… alive?"

The shocked expression morphed into that of complete calmness with a hint of sadness. He sat upright and stood up, his gaze lingering upwards to look at the black abyss.

"Looks like destiny proved you wrong… otou-sama."

A lone droplet fell down his cheek, eyes covered by the orange lock that had grown to where it reached slightly passed his shoulders at his back. Bringing up his hand to brush off the remains of the tear. Once gone he gazed forward, his amber eyes now held a hue of gold full with determination. He closed his eyes slowly and made mental connection with the other two beings in the inner world.

'You will explain yourselves on your actions. But not now, I need to regain control of my body.'

Ichigo heard Shirosaki grunt in annoyance but said nothing. Tensa just stayed silent at the beginning acknowledging the order and admitting defeat, but he decided to speak up once Ichigo mentioned his body.

'Can you retrieve it?'

He smiled slightly at the protectiveness of his power, they really worried for him even though they never showed it.

'Who do you think you're talking to? Surely my own source wouldn't doubt my abilities.'

Hichigo snickered at that, obviously getting his patience run out.

'Like hell we doubt of the power you have, the power you earned and we gave to you… but Berserker ain't gonna be easy.'

'Berserker isn't a part of your power, your soul, only a projection of your will in a mindless beast. It won't be simple to make it submit.'

Ichigo rolled his eyes end gave out a loud sigh, did they forget how stubborn he was?

'If will power doesn't work I'll use force, if force doesn't work I'll find another way. Because the moment I give up is the moment I lose the fight. It's not good enough to want something, I must fight for it and get it."

Tensa was proud of Ichigo, he had not only remembered everything, he regained his moral, his will and all he had learned and gained in his years of living.

Ichigo, not really caring weather they agreed with him or not he stepped forward, his long bankai robe following behind as it flowed with the pressure of the water. He kept on walking forward in an imposing manner with grace and much elegance, even more so than the stuck up Kuchiki noble.

He stopped when he noticed a tugging feeling of his soul. Apparently someone on the outside had intervened, that just made things easier. He started to fade away into nothingness and he let his conscious return to his body, he had to go back, he wasn't letting Aizen do as he pleased just because he had been gone three centuries.

#1#

The white horn that was sliced off of his head, fell onto the ground making the cero that was already forming explode in his face. The explosion was followed with the breaking of the mask, showing Ichigo's pale white face and dead brown eyes. Every piece of the white armor like piece of his body fell as well and left Ichigo to fall on the ground with a loud thud, his color returning to a sun tanned peach can his hair decreasing dramatically into the short-long he had in his inner world. The smoke that had formed over his body, circled in rings of different sizes until it returned into Ichigo, directly at the hole that was made by Ulquiorra and closing it in the process.

Everyone was beyond shocked, they were waiting to see if Ichigo would move. Ishida was supporting himself on a piece of rubble with Tensa Zangetsu impaled at his abdomen, Inoue was just standing at the side with her hands clenched at her chest in worry, and Ulquiorra was just standing in his usual emotionless expression, slowly reforming his leg and arm.

All of a sudden Ichigo jerked himself upright as he was suddenly lacking air, he was supporting himself with his arms and panting slightly. He turned himself to sit on the floor and brought a hand up to his chest to make sure the hole had closed. He sighed in relief when it wasn't there and finally surveyed his surroundings.

He saw Inoue standing near him and looked at her with curious eyes, she had a worried expression but also some sort of relief.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

He looked to his left and saw Ishida with his black zanpaktou impaled in his chest and he couldn't help but clench his teeth in anger at himself and Berserker.

"Shit…"

He glanced around some more to make sure there was no danger and go help Ishida when he spotted Ulquiorra in his battered state and couldn't help but feel sorry for the espada. He already knew that no matter what the man couldn't survive, it was already a surprise he hadn't started to dissolve into dust.

Ichigo stood up and went towards Ishida but stopped when Ulquiorra appeared next to his poor friend and took out his zanpaktou from Ishida's chest. Ishida made a grunt in pain when the sword was forcibly pulled out and Ichigo couldn't help but scowl at the espada's actions. Didn't he know he would die soon enough anyway? What good would it do to take Tensa from him? He wasn't going to attack the man, and even without Tensa he was sure he could defeat him, and even more so in the state he currently was in.

Ulquiorra threw the zanpaktou and landed in front of Ichigo, stabbed in the sand.

"Take your sword. Let's finish what was started."

Ichigo looked at Ulquiorra that had an emotionless expression. He responded with an equal expression, rivaling perfectly the other man. Ichigo was calm on the outside, but in the inside he felt bad for what had happened to the espada, he felt like he was about to tell a child Santa wasn't real, because Ulquiorra apparently hadn't noticed how bad he really was.

"There is no fight to finish. Because even if that was not me, even if I really feel sorry for what it did while I was gone, even if I wanted to tell you let's fight, cut my arm and leg and let's be equal in a fight we can't do that. Not anymore."

Ulquiorra looked at Ichigo with the same expression but if you were perspective enough you could tell he was mildly annoyed.

"What do you mean?"

Ichigo glanced back at Inoue that had a shocked expression, she was trembling to stay in place, she wanted to go running to Ishida and help him, but both men were in her way and she couldn't find it in herself to run between the two.

"You're a smart man, you should have already noticed. Your regeneration abilities are at your end."

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes and was about to speak up again when all of a sudden his bat wings started to crumble into dust. He was surprised and had wide eyes at what was starting to happen. It really was his end, he really had surpassed the capabilities of his regeneration and this boy had none it even before him. He glanced back at Ichigo and stated with his same monotone voice.

"Kill me."

"I refuse."

"What?"

"I said I refuse. There is no good in killing a man that is about to die anyways. But, I really am sorry it had to end this."

Ichigo closed his eyes as Ulquiorra dissolved. Inoue walked forward and stood next to Ichigo watching with wide eyes at the espada that had taken care of her over her stay in Las Noches. Ulquiorra noticed her stare.

"Are you afraid of me, woman."

"I'm not afraid."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and stretched his arm towards Inoue.

"I see… I think I was finally able to understand what you humans call a heart."

Inoue outstretched her hand to grab onto Ulquiorra's but didn't find anything as he completely dissolved. She dropped down her arm to her side and looked at the floor instead of forward.

Ichigo started to walk again towards Ishida, he was still conscious but was coughing blood making it hard to breathe. He kneeled next to his friend and looked at his injury, he had a sad expression, and he couldn't bear to see people get hurt because of his carelessness.

He bit his lower lip and put his hand on the injury as softly as possible to not make much pain. Ishida winced slightly at the touch and looked up to see Ichigo.

"Kuro… saki…"

"Stay still, the pain will leave in a second."

Ichigo closed his eyes and concentrated on the injury, making it close under his touch and the pain disappear like if it were never there, only a slight aftershock thanks to the fact that it was such a big injury.

"There… Inoue could you come and heal the rest, you need to replenish his reiatsu and the blood he lost as well as all the other minor injuries."

Inoue shook her head in understanding and kneeled next to Ichigo to cover Ishida in her golden dome. She started to concentrate on what was needed to heal and replenish. Ichigo sighed and stood up, not moving from his place but gaze lingering to the horizon of the never ending dunes of hueco mundo.

"It's not your fault Kurosaki. It wasn't you."

Ichigo glanced back down at Ishida that had just spoken up, he wasn't pale anymore, he looked way better and was now sitting instead of lying down. Ichigo looked away at seeing the frown on Ishida's face, he felt bad for letting all this happen.

"It wasn't me that much is true. But… this whole situation really was my fault…"

Ichigo walked to his zanpaktou that was still stabbed on the ground, the chain moved slightly with the wind making a jingling sound almost like a wind chime. He grabbed it by the handle and looked directly at it.

Ishida and Inoue were confused, Ichigo was different in more ways than one. He was more silent and calm yet at the same time that didn't make him seem weaker in any way. He actually seemed stronger and smarter as well. Ishida was going to ask what he meant with what he said but Ichigo beat him to the punch.

"I'm going to talk to Zangetsu, I'll be right back."

He settled down cross-legged with Tensa on his lap, he was about to close his eyes when Ishida spoke up in.

"You're going into your inner world when we could be attacked any minute?!"

Ichigo just pointed up where there was a transparent barrier settled around them, you could barely see it but it was definitely there. Ishida was going to question Ichigo again when he saw he had already closed his eyes and retreated into his inner world.

Ishida sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wanted answers and he was going to get them even if it was the last thing he did.

"I wonder what's wrong with Kurosaki-kun."

Ishida got out of thought when he heard Inoue speak up, she wasn't crying or trembling anymore, she was relaxed and was calm to some point.

"I don't know. But, he's defiantly different. I didn't even see him cast a barrier and he closed up my wound like it was nothing, he also knew about Ulquiorra… something's not right."

Inoue nodded, she was just as confused as he was and her curiosity was also killing her. She just hoped it wouldn't be anything bad.

#Ichigo's inner world#

Ichigo appeared on a skyscraper, he surveyed the surrounding area in the lookout for the other two he had left before. The two also arrived behind Ichigo, looking directly at his back. Ichigo didn't look back, he didn't want to see them yet, he needed answers and he sure as hell better get them.

"I want you to answer my question. Why?"

Ichigo held a firm voice but at the same time soft and open to understanding. He wasn't mad at them, no he wasn't, he just wanted answers, to hear reason and deem it right or down right wrong.

"You should know we did it for you."

"We care for ya even though ya think sometimes we don't."

"We wanted you to live a normal life for once, enjoy life and make friends be happy. We… were selfish that much we understand… but…"

Ichigo turned around and walked directly at Tensa that was staring at the ground, he put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and the other on Shiro's. He then proceeded to pull them both into a half hug.

"Thank you… but I have a duty and I can't just live like that, I've been gone long enough as it is."

"We really just wanted to protect ya King."

"Today I agree with the albino."

Ichigo couldn't help but smile at the two, they were the world for him because he knew they would never betray him even if they sometimes fought against each other, it was a nice relationship and it made him happy to have them, it was amusing to see Shiro get mad by Tensa's comments.

They broke the hug and Ichigo got back to looking at the horizon of his inner world. It was weird, to be so relaxed right now, he just felt so at peace even though a mad man was most likely beating the gotei right now, he would need to go save them.

He was brought back by his thoughts when he felt a strong spiritual pressure, his eyes widen in terror for his friends but return to his calm expression upon identifying it.

"I have to go. I'll see you guys later."

They both nodded and saw as Ichigo left in a hurry. He had to save them, they wouldn't survive if he didn't, it was his job to destroy any threat that was too strong for the soul society to handle.

He had been doing that since the day he was born, the day he was created and had gained the power to do so. Disposing of them even before soul society knew they existed, protecting the three worlds by otou-sama's last will, after all, what good was a king if he didn't protect his people? And that's precisely what he was, a protector, and he'd be damned if he didn't protect them after he let this threat surface to the extent it did just because he had died 300 years ago.

'I'll protect everyone, and I'll make things right again. It's time the king got back on his throne.'

To be continued…

Soooo… what did you think? I bet a lot of you people are confused about who otou-sama is, don't worry you'll know sooner or later. But in case it isn't clear yet Ichigo is King and he did die 300 years ago.

Thank you in advance for any review, favorite or follow.