Summery
Is there a traitor in the midst of them all? As Ichigo finds the answer to this horrid question death comes in the night for all he has loved friend and family. After the traitor strikes who will be left to bear the burden of the honored dead and who will rise to bring forth the new and bloody dawn.
Main story: Part One Betrayal: To Walk the Bloody Dawn
Part Two Awakening: To Grasp the Sun
Part Three Vengeance: Swords of the Moon, God's Heir Strikes
Part one
Immediately after the end of Part one of the Hueco Mundo arc,
Grimmjow is breathing heavily, sword wavering in front of him Ichigo stands five yards away also breathing heavily both with determined looks on their faces. Ichigo strides forward confidently batting the sword from Grimmjow's hand and viciously kicks him to the sand "Grimmjow," Ichigo says "do you want the chance to face me again and prove you can defeat me? I don't know if this will work but is this the only way for you to fight me again".
"Yes, yes Shinigami I want to face your hatred again and kill you with my own hands".
"Then I will try to perform a Konso for you but you must truly accept it in order to pass on to soul society, with every fiber of your being you must accept it".
Ichigo then bends with his sword in hand and performs the Konso for Grimmjow. Although the symbol glows nothing happens to Grimmjow and Ichigo frowns his face painted with sorrow.
"I am sorry Grimm…".
"Don't say your sorry you son of a bitch I had the time of my life fighting you and will always hate you with the depth of my soul even though I die now I have no regrets for what I have done only that I will never get to hunt you myself one more time".
"Grimmjow if I didn't know better I would say we could have been related once".
"Let me die Shinigami leave me to die alone as I should".
"Farewell Grimmjow Jaggerjaques".
"Rot in hell Ichigo Kurosaki".
Ichigo turns with a smile on his face. He truly did believe that sometime they could have been fiends in their own way. As he looks up at Orihime and sees the orange glow that always accompanies her abilities and decides it is time to take her back and find everyone else. Ichigo makes it up in short order and finds Nell unconscious and under Orihime's healing shield.
"What happened to Nell Orihime"?
"She was struck by some debris while you were fighting," Orihime looks down at Grimmjow's unmoving form below "is he dead Ichigo"?
"I don't think so he is a stubborn man he may take a long time before he dies".
"I hope you suffer Grimmjow you bastard". Orihime whispers under her breath.
Ichigo looks apprehensively at Orihime wondering what they have done to her to make her react this way. Ichigo turns as he hears faint yelling and sees Uryuu running towards them in the distance but closing fast.
"Looks like Renji has gone to get Rukia, Ichigo I think we should get Chad once Uryuu catches up to us."
"That sounds good Orih…"
Just then Ichigo feels a sharp blow to the base of his skull sending absolute shock through his mind as he falls to his hands and knees nearly crippled with pain. Barely able, Ichigo turns his head towards his attacker and sees Ulquiorra standing above him with the typical deadpan expression on his face. That is the last he sees as Ulquiorra kicks him in the jaw breaking it and sending him over the edge and to the sand far below. Orihime turns in shock to Ulquiorra who says.
"Don't look so surprised Orihime I told you this would happen".
Orihime bows her head in submission hiding her face and whispers "I know".
Ulquiorra then turns and sees the Quincy still running their way. To Orihime it appears as if Ulquiorra disappears and then reappears behind Uryuu and proceeds to beat him unconscious and drag Uryuu's body to Ichigo's both of them still breathing if faintly.
"Ulquiorra bring me to Chad maybe I can still save him"
Ulquiorra grabs Orihime by the arm above her elbow harshly "As you wish, he is only going to die anyway you know."
"I know but at least I can give him that much"
One hour Later at Chad's location
Chad is cut and bleeding severely from multiple wounds. "Chad, are you Ok"?
"I am fine Orihime I am just resting here for a bit". Chad says weakly.
"Would you mind if I helped you Chad"?
"Ok Orihime".
In a flash of motion Orihime grabs Ulquiorra's sword from the scabbard at his hip and simultaneously thrusts it through Chad's heart. Orihime then bends and kisses Chad on the lips savoring the taste of his dying breath. "Come back to me Chad and be one with us as you always should have been".
Ulquiorra stands shocked truly shocked for the first time since his awakening by Aizen "Orihime return my sword at once".
Orihime turns to face Ulquiorra with an childlike smile on her face "Of course Ulquiorra I was just barrowing it, oh and remember what you've seen today for I am more than you ever knew".
Ulquiorra bows deeply and takes his sword in hand and returns it back to its scabbard gently. "Shall I return you to Ichigo and the Quincy"?
"Yes you shall. Now".
Ulquiorra takes Orihime notably softer and by the shoulders as they vanish heading back to Ichigo and Uryuu.
One Hour Later at Ichigo and Uryuu's location
Ichigo feels himself finally coming around but still unable to move and started looking around at his surroundings when he saw Orihime standing besides Uryuu and then notices Ulquiorra behind he right shoulder looking down at him and in that moment Ichigo felt such hate as he had never felt before, not even in his fight with Grimmjow. He tried to speak but it was still to painful he thought his jaw must be broken and considering all the other places he felt similar pain also his legs in multiple places as well as his back. Orihime bends and whispers to Uryuu. "I hope you suffer right now and come back for more you bastard". Ichigo could only stare with wide eyes filled with horror as Orihime stands slowly and lifts he right leg and smashes her heel into Uryuu's throat his larynx and trekia popping and crunching loudly bringing Uryuu out of his stupor and rushes his hands to his throat, wheezing and weakly coughing as he struggles to gain breath. Ichigo tries to scream out of pure anger and rage filled now with such revulsion at this one thing he once thought was a friend but all that issues forth from his mouth is a spray of blood and a frightening gurgle sending spasms of pain throughout his broken body.
Orihime walks over to Ichigo and bends over so her face is nearly touching his. "Ichigo, I loved you once and all you did was turn away from me. All you have to say is that you love me now and you will live for me forever."
In response Ichigo coughs and spits blood into Orihime's face, and with all the strength left to his broken body he mumbles "I may die here Orihime but know that beyond the gates of hell I will be waiting for you and I will repay you beyond imagination for what you have done this day, for I once loved you too but was to frightened to tell you, may your soul live in torment for the rest of eternity for no one will ever love you now, fear you yes, love you never. You condemned yourself this day Orihime".
All Orihime does in response is to wipe the blood away with her right index finger and lick it away savoring every drop of its copper like taste. "Ulquiorra, give me your sword now".
"Of course, it would be my pleasure". Ulquiorra says with a short bow to Orihime. Ulquiorra then pulls the sword from its sheath and offers it to Orihime with both hands, the hilt extended towards her. She accepts the sword gently as if taking the hand of a child who is lost.
"How very courteous of you, Ulquiorra." Says Orihime with some obvious sarcasm but is smiling genuinely, as if at a pet that deserves a treat. Orihime then firmly grasps the hilt of Ulquiorra's sword and brings it point down to Ichigo's heart. She leans close to Ichigo once again saying clearly and with glee in her eyes. "Ichigo if I can't have your love no one will. Feel free to wait for the rest of eternity for me because I will never die. Suffer as I have suffered waiting for you to return my feelings". She then slowly pushes the blade down into Ichigo's chest twisting her wrist as she does knowing that it will cause pain beyond imagining to Ichigo. She savors the shrieking that can be heard emanating from Ichigo despite the broken jaw, and when she feels the tip of the sword punch through his spasming back muscles and into the sand below she bends down and kisses him on the lips but the taste to her is unquenchable, such will to live flavored everything about him the hate alone tasted magnificent but that was it he wasn't quite dead he was still lingering on despite the clearly fatal wound. After several long lingering moments she finally feels his life begin to fade into darkness and pulls away from his lips. She stands strait and whispers to herself, "That is something I will seek after for the rest of time and never find anything to compare to it," she then smiles meekly "thank you Ichigo". Orihime then hears a sharp and echoing roar, heart chilling for all its fury she spins around quickly toward the source of the roaring; it is Grimmjow with the still glowing symbol of the Konso on his forehead.
"You BITCH HE WAS MINE, MY PREY, HE WAS MINE TO KILL"! Somehow Grimmjow stands and starts running toward Orihime, who smiles in contempt. "I WILL KILL YOU AND EVERYONE WHO YOU HAVE EVER BEEN FRIENDS; I WILL FEED ON THEM ALL"! As Grimmjow finishes that last shout he begins to glow blue. He laughs with a killer's joy for new and interesting prey. "His faith and want for us to fight again and again has seen to the death of everything you will ever do. Where ever you stand I will be there facing you for every step back you take I shall take two forwards. I will hunt you again and again and never stop for if I die Ichigo will just toss my ass back out to hunt you again and again. You are now living in your own hell". As he finishes only his head remains grinning ear to ear a feral grin that spoke nothing but death.
In the Real World Several Hours Later
A father weeps for his son, and two sisters stand staring wondering what has been so violently torn from their existence, and a friend stands in the night and removes his hat and cries ashamed that what he has done may have caused the death of several good fiends, and in distant soul society a presence feral and hungry awakens wearing robes of purest black and ice blue hair "I guess I am the Shinigami now". The presence laughs waiting for the next dawn to begin the hunt that will either see him dead or crush everything that Orihime holds dear.
End of Part One of Betrayal, Awakening, and Vengeance.
If you liked this dark and twisted reality or just want to see this play out to the end just make your comments or remarks but please be gentle this is my first time after all.
Part Two Awakening: To Grasp the Sun
A lone figure sits at a tree haunted by images he does not recognize, he does not fear these glimpses of someone's life he is only curious as to what is causing them to occur and why him of all people. He continues to sit in the chill of pre-dawn darkness watching as the horizon is brought to glow a deep red, a red the color of seeping blood spurting into a thirsty darkened blue sky that has born witness to battles beyond count and never tires of them, and a the sun weeps the blood of the fallen. The lone figure feels the faint presence of the others around him and for some reason he can smell them too even hear some of them, for him this is a new sensation as he only got this way when he really cut loose hunting his prey. He looked at his hands and they were the hands of a man he looked down his body and he saw that he was clothed in a deep black but was still wearing his white shoes that had black trim. He thought to himself "Good I liked these better than those fucking sandals He was always wearing. Now what though, what the hell am I going to do? Well I am not the type to get help from just anyone and most around here are more suited to be my prey if they ran fast enough to make it fun." He rolled his shoulders in an extremely feline manner and in doing this he again realized something he never usually felt and that was that he could isolate each muscle group individually giving absolute power to any singular movement or to move in complete and utter silence no matter the environment or landscape. "Well that is nice it is almost as if I am in my resurrected state but nothing else is visible," he reached up and ran his hands though his hair "at least I don't feel any ears so there isn't anything else. Well I better get off my ass, the sun is rising and I am going to need information if I am going to get things straitened out and have my vengeance on that little bitch."
"And what little bitch is that going to be"? Whispered a dark feminine presence behind him.
Shit, he thought to himself, I must have been talking out loud the entire time. "That's none of your business Shinigami".
"What is you name and what are you doing here? Oh and while you're at it keep facing that way. By the way you sure look like a Shinigami too if I am not mistaken so are you just angry in general or did somebody forget their pills today"
"Fuck you bitch! What I am doing ain't none of your damn business." He begins to turn around but feels a sword point in his back.
"Didn't I tell you to stay facing that way? You must not be a good listener are you? Now put your hands behind your back," he slowly moved to comply "good boy now keep you tail still while I tie your hands."
"How would you know? My "tail" as you call it is in front".
"No, I am quite sure I am looking at it right now".
He hears a stomping noise simultaneous to a pain that flows from the sound of the stomp to the lowest part of his back. "Fuck! You weren't kidding God that hurts, get off my fucking tail".
"Only if you stop moving it around, otherwise I will tie you hands with it and I won't be gentle and in any case I don't think you want the lieutenant playing with it either if you want my advice make it look like a belt and I'll tuck it in on the back". She began tying his hands as she finished speaking and moved her foot from the tail.
"Fine I can't help it though if I am agitated from someone disturbing me while I was just sitting here minding my own damn business and why are you helping me anyways is you lieutenant that bad of a person"? He wrapped his tail around his waist and noticed it was the same color as his hair.
"I am not helping you; I am helping myself and my division and just to let you know its not that she is bad per say but that she has, uh a unique way of thinking that most people have problems with and never understand"
"Well I am so grateful for the thought," In the distance he feels a rapacious hunger for blood and war one that surpassed his own "what is this I feel woman". He says with a feral grin on his face and blood lust in his voice.
"That is my captain and god's help to you if he deems you worthy enough to fight him, the last one who he fought seriously was Ichigo Kurosaki and they nearly killed each other doing so.
"Perfect place to start then". He purred. Then he laughed so loud that even those far away trembled with fear at the sound of it echoing through their homes.
In the real world at the same time
Sisters clung to each other in the chill darkness of predawn and a father wept for his sins that had a son suffer death, and far away a friend and mentor took off his hat in shame for he knew what had to be done and it was neither pleasant nor comforting that he would have to not only deal with a grieving father but also with a secret that was kept from god himself.
An hour later at Urahara's shop
Issin Kurosaki knocked on the door of Urahara's shop a red radiance filling the darkened sky, but there was no answer. Still Issin waited tears beginning anew praying that everything down to the last detail had gone his way for just once in his life and that everything would once again be normal, well to a degree he thought to himself cause Aizen wants to destroy the home he made his family everything I mean will nothing satisfy the man he already took my son from me is that not enough I mean yeah I teased him when we were… finally the door slid open revealing a very distraught looking figure revealing himself to be Urahara.
"Issin I thought you should know there were complication and not everything went as planned doing this for you almost cost me my life but I think now hope has once again been born today although he took my strength he has been recovered. Issin your son awaits you."
Issin wept tears of joy at this incredible news but he was still touched with sorrow for what his son would think of what he had done to make this occurrence a possibility. "Ichigo, can you ever forgive what I had done to you? For it cost you your life and you are now truly touched by death."
Back in Soul Society
Grimmjow stretched his cramping arms against the rope that tied his hands and thought to himself, the damn bitch tied them too tight and my fucking tail is cramping from being a fucking belt. Not to mention she still hasn't moved that damn sword of hers either. Man we have been walking for hours and gone through six shitholes they call towns and we still ain't there yet you have got to be kidding me and all theses flash backs or whatever are really fucking me up it's almost like I have been here before.
"What was that I didn't quite catch it? Oh, and didn't anyone ever tell you that talking to yourself is a symptom of psychosis let alone mumbling to yourself".
"Whatever you say, did you know that hearing things is a symptom of psychosis too".
"Hey who's the one who got caught because he talks to himself when he thinks no one is around it certainly aint me and you know what I really didn't want to be woke up by that creepy ass laugh of yours either. Thank god we are almost there I am tired of putting up with you I almost want the vice captain to know you have a tail just so you would suffer through that. Even if the squad had to suffer too I think I would find it worth it so watch your mouth from now on."
"Ok, ok fine. You don't have to get all sour on me when I am right you know, and if I remember I didn't laugh until you were already awake"
"What the hell did I just tell you, now just shut the hell up and yes you did laugh because it was the same one you did earlier. Now we only have a few more miles to go so shut up so I can have some peace and quiet before you meet the lieutenant".
"Wow. She sounds like a real thrill. I almost hope she is only half of what you say she is."
"Don't you worry she will be all that and more you have no idea you poor soul speaking of that I am leaving after I drop you off for her so she doesn't get any funny ideas about you and me."
In the Real World
As Issin descended into Urahara's basement complex he heard the screaming rant of his son, and that sound alone was tearing his soul apart with suffering not knowing if his son would ever forgive him for this.
"You should wait until the union is finished Issin, if you go in there now he will just kill you in blind rage and the last moments you will see of your son wont be as the way you remember him. Now remember he will still have all of his memories but they can't surface until the pain of his dying subsides and from the way it sounds it was an extremely excruciating death one that will haunt him for the rest of his life. He may leave this bonding of sorts with hopefully no psychological damage but the odds are that he will not be entirely the same young man you once knew as your son".
Three Hours Later
After finally making their way across the entire length of Urahara's basement complex they arrive at a steel grey windowless building the size of a small house covered in immensely elaborate geometric designs with a small black door directly in front of them.
"Urahara how come I can't feel my sons spiritual presence the only reason I know he is in there is the sound of his screaming his lungs out".
"Well the only way that I can describe this in an easy way is to say that I hid him from himself, I figured that once he got hold of his Shinigami powers he would end up spending a lot of time here and I was right so I set several layers of barriers to: one, keep him in and two, keep him out as well as draw him here if he were to die which he did. Well now we wait for your son to calm down which knowing him could take a very long time".
In Soul Society at the same time
"Thank god we're finally here now I can ditch your sorry ass and let the captain have fun with you not to mention our adorable little lieutenant".
"Oh great, what you leaving me here so she don't get the wrong impression or what and you might as well point me in the right direction so I can keep walkin' anyways maybe you should stick around we could have fun later".
A high pitched voice calls out in greeting. The woman turns to see Lieutenant Yachiru running over to greet them and curses under her breath.
"Hey, who's this is he your boyfriend because you have a new one every week so it's hard to keep track sometimes Pretty".
"That's Penny M'am not Pretty and no he is not my boyfriend he is someone I took prisoner…"
"Whatever Pretty, well he's tied up like the other boyfriends you had."
Penny blushes. "That's not it you misunderstood M'am…"
Yachiru turns to face Grimmjow with a wide smile on her face. "Hi what's your name? Oh you're the one Kenny wants to meet, too bad you wont be able to make Kenny happy the old guy said no". Yachiru frowns with the last statement.
Grimmjow is shocked by what to him seems to be a child standing in front of him; he thinks to himself. You have got to be kidding me this brat is a lieutenant. "My name is Grimmjow Jaggerjaques. Now take me to your captain I need to figure some things out."
"Oh Grimmjow doesn't sound fun you are now Grimmy"!
A vein pulses rapidly on Grimmjow's forehead. "Arh! You brat I am going to kick your ass for that". Trying to suit action to words Grimmjow kicks out with his right foot but catches nothing but air nearly loosing his balance when he feels some weight land on the top of his head.
"Hehee, Grimmy has fangs. Big and pointy fangs".
"Get the hell off of me you brat and no I don't have fangs…" Grimmjow pauses at a poorly disguised cough.
"Yeah just like you don't have that belt right" Penny says obviously hinting about the tail.
A thought pops into Grimmjow's mind. "You shut up this time or I will tell her about it and then tell everyone I see that its your fault for their suffering".
"You blackmailing son of a bitch I knew I liked you but you don't realize if you think its going to be bad for me you will bare the brunt of the suffering as you are the target not me. Nice try though".
"Are you two talking about what you did last night and he is your boyfriend you just said you liked him but Kenny is getting impatient so you have to come too now Pretty".
"My question is why you are still standing on my damn head".
"Cause I can see more from here."
Penny laughs as they make their way to the eleventh squad barracks.
Back In the Real World
After what seemed an eternity Ichigo could finally stop screaming, the visions of his death finally ceased. All he felt now was the silence the dark endless silence. He couldn't see anything the room was the essence of light itself, brightness beyond that of the noonday sun encompassing all in its light leaving no shadow. The feeling slowly returned to his limbs first his hands then his feet slowly working back to the core of his body. A door he could not even see opened bringing darkness and contrast once more into his life he began to see what was in the room with him a table with three chairs was too his right and the door that was slowly opening was to his left. He sat up slowly aching everywhere on his body, he was naked he looked at his chest to see the crescent moon shaped scar over his heart and was instantly reminded of how it was that he died. Am I in heaven? Where the hell am I? He thought to himself. He felt a cool breeze across his body, and felt two presences familiar and yet strange at the same time. "Who is there? Where am I?"
"It's Urahara, Ichigo and your Father too. You are back at my shop. You don't need to worry anymore."
"How did I even get here? First I am in Hueco Mundo and then I am here what the hell happened."
"Ichigo your father and I will explain this to you in a little while but in short… you died. Someone gave you that scar and murdered you in cold blood. First of all though here" Urahara toss Ichigo his blue jeans and a t-shirt "put these on I don't think you want to talk naked like that. When your done sit at that table over there and we can begin to tell you why this happened."
Urahara and Issin sat while Ichigo took a couple minuets to let his body become flexible again so he could put on his clothes, when he finished he walked over to the third chair and sat down slowly to avoid further discomfort. He wondered why his father was so quiet it wasn't very much like him to be quiet like this. It was awkward seeing his father like this quiet and depressed like some one shot his dog or something. He was torn from this train of thought when Urahara finally spoke again.
"Ichigo to restate what I said earlier you died obviously a very painful death. Now as to why you are here to try to explain this in a simple way as possible Issin and I at your birth split your soul in to two segments one to be held here containing two thirds of your strength and the rest to remain in your body until proper conditions were met and your power was awakened. Now as your power continued to develop so did the part of your soul that resided here in this room. While the connection between these two parts of you were tenuous at best it would allow you in times of great need to pull some energy though this connection giving you a massive surge of power so forth and so on. Now the reasons as to why we did this are in Issin's hands to explain to you."
"Son what I did to you was wrong and if you hate me I will understand but I did what I did for good reasons I am only sorry that you had to suffer death in order to become who you truly can be. Son I am the brother of the King of Soul Society unfortunately so is Aizen he has always resented me and several years before you were born and I met your mother Aizen tried to have me assassinated so I fled to the real world and made a life for myself here. Well years went by and Aizen assumed me to be dead and gave up hunting me. Now what Aizen really wants is power and status he was always left out when we were little and he wants vengeance so he plans to kill our brother the king and take his place. The reason I split your soul was to prevent Aizen from killing you to get to me should he ever find out who you are now being that the king has no heirs you are the only one left because Aizen's son was eaten by hollows before he was even twelve years old and you have met your cousin already on several occasions he now calls himself Grimmjow Jaggerjaques and its not your fault but as far as we know he is now dead his sword Pantera broken. With the power you have now you can easily equal Aizen in combat strength but he is still much smarter than you are. The only way you are going to beat him is to reach though the veil of death and bring Grimmjow back to life and force Aizen to deal with the shame of watching his son be consumed by hollows so he could use him for his own selfish games. Son I wish you luck and I can only hope you can forgive what I did."
"Shut up. Don't get all sentimental on me now you gave me a second chance dad, how could I hate you for that."
Issin leapt out of his seat to embrace Ichigo but instead found a foot in his face. "Son I have trained you well."
"Urahara, where do I start if I am going to really pull this off?"
"Start in Soul Society they should have a way to get you started."
END OF PART TWO: AWAKENING
In the next part can Ichigo even succeed, how will Grimmjow deal with this information, and can they really defeat Aizen a brother of the King of Soul Society.