A New Day
Chapter One: A New Day
Ichigo awoke to a dismal grey sky in his solitary apartment in the outskirts of Tokyo. It seemed only yesterday that he had been fighting for his life in Hueco Mundo alongside his friends.
His friends.
His friends and family had all died in the final battle between Aizen and Ichigo. The battle over Karakura town did unspeakable damage to the small city as two transcendent beings did battle in the outskirts of its walls. Ichigo regretted the decision he had made a year before. It was his indecisiveness that cost the lives of his friends and family. The substitute had dragged the battle on for too long, refusing to use the Final Getsuga Tenshou had saved his powers but killed everyone he had come to love.
In the aftermath of the war Ichigo had found the bodies of his deceased friends among the rubble of collateral damage that littered the city. Using Urahara's technology he had altered the now imprisoned Aizens' memories so that when interrogated he would reveal that the Shinigami's proxy, Ichigo Kurosaki had died weakening Aizen enough for the seal to work.
The orange haired teen began his every day morning ritual. He would wake in the morning, groom and converse/train with Tensa Zangetsu for the day with breaks to eat and sleep. He received monetary support from the Gotei Thirteen and as such was unemployed. Due to his status as a transcendent being with a limitless pool of Reiatsu, his bankai was at a constant release state much like his shikai was back when he was a normal Shinigami.
"Oi, Zangetsu, You there?"
"Of course Ichigo," Zangetsu replied sullenly. Since the battle Ichigo's inner world changed. It was no longer a city filled with hope filled sky scrapers, but instead a replica of the town he once called home.
"What'll it be today, more Zanjutsu, or perhaps we'll start Kido?"
"No, I think we'll just talk." Ichigo glanced at his zanpakuto. "Ichigo, it's been a year since that day." Ichigo's eyes slightly widened. "There's nothing to talk about, you know I hate dwelling on the past," he replied as he severed the mental connection with his blade.
Tensa Zangetsu knew the toll his master took. No blade did more damage to him then his own. No, because with his very blade, Ichigo's friends and family had been cut down. What haunted Ichigo even a year later was the fact he didn't know whose blade caused those pillars to crush Rukia or his former house to be brought down on his sisters. He acknowledged long ago that he had no way of knowing whose blade was responsible but the seeds of doubt and despair were planted that day and had long since grown its ugly roots.
Ichigo hated the rain. It had rained the day his mother died and also rained on the day his friends died.
A bright flash of light went off in the horizon and the resounding clap of thunder had gone off seconds later. He decided to lounge on the roof today, contemplating the world's problems. As Ichigo sat down on the roof a sad, reminiscent smile was plastered onto his face as he gazed at the two small things that dangled from Zangetsu's chain, Orihime's hairclips and Ishida `s Quincy cross. The two items had been the only things he had left of a time where he was together with his friends. With his calloused hands, he subconsciously began to feel the cool metal of the teal hairclips and the azure cross.
He began thinking of the Shinigami, wondering how Toshiro was handling Matsumoto's indolent ways or if Hinamori was recovered. It had been a year since the last time he was in Soul Society and was beginning to miss all the friendly faces that were a dimension away. It was nigh time he paid them a visit. He withdrew Zangetsu and thrust it into the air.
"Damn Mayuri! Isn't he supposed to close all Senkaimon when the cleaner's out?" Ichigo thought out loud as he saw the familiar light in the distance.
"I guess it can't be helped, eh Zangetsu? Oh well, I'm not the one paying for that heap."
With a swipe of his hand the cleaner imploded.
"Mayuri-Taichou we've detected that the cleaner has disintegrated!"
"Oh? I simply must know what can cause such destruction!" Mayuri shouted gleefully
"Nemu hurry and get the security feed up on the main monitor!"
"Yes, Mayuri-Sama." She replied stoically. The scientist's eyes widened slightly before narrowing in suppressed anger. "Damn that bastard Kurosaki!"
Ichigo sneezed as neared the entrance to the Sereitei. "That's strange, Matsumoto must be thinking about me." He said while a sick grin formed on his face.
The former Ryoka stepped through the gate and was pleased to see that Soul Society hadn't changed in the year he's been gone. He wasn't surprised though as Sereitei was famous for its rigid rules and regulations.
'It's been a while hasn't it, Kurosaki." A familiar voice echoed behind him.
"Toshiro, is that you? I can see you've been drinking your milk, for a midget you're pretty tall. Have you finally reached three feet?"
A stress mark appeared on the young captain's forehead. "I'll let you know Kurosaki that I am now five foot two inches." A smile blessed Toshiro's face as he relaxed. "I see you haven't changed one bit Ichigo. Come on the rest are waiting at the first squad barracks to meet you again." Toshiro said as he shunpoed away.
"Wait up Shorty!" Ichigo bellowed as he quickly followed.
Ichigo stared up at the starry night sky in his favourite part of Soul Society. It was here on Sokyoku Hill that Ichigo defeated Byakuya, Kariya and Yushima. For Ichigo it was a symbol of his resolve, his victory. It symbolized the stone road fate created for him and the pebbles he left behind. Ichigo pondered his existence and realized how much he had matured over the three years since his involvement with the Shinigami. In many ways he was the same older brother figure he had been years before albeit exponentially stronger. What changed in him that fateful day he met Rukia was that he was no longer alone. He now had the ability to be with others like him. People who had things they needed to protect.
The universe is cruel though. In the day that transpired Ichigo saw that the Gotei 13 had moved on with their lives. There had obviously still been wounds from the war, but their wounds were scars unlike the gash Ichigo felt at the loss of his closest friends. He did something he had not done in a while. This time he would indulge in something he thought he could no longer do. While he was in solitude on that lonesome hill, Ichigo, the protector of Soul Society and Hero of the Winter War cried himself to sleep.
It had begun to rain within his mindscape as the merged form of Tensa Zangetsu and Hichigo looked at the dismal display of dominant grey in the horizon. "I will lend you any strength, any power at my disposal to stop the rain from flooding this place again, Ichigo. Open your heart again, accept the change that has come to pass." Thunder struck in the distance. "Ah, but then again Ichigo, you won't change to fit the world, you'll change the world to fit to you. That's why you're strong. You possess a weapon greater than me, a heart made full metal, unbendable by anyone."
"Ichigo, wake up. Oi! Ichigo come on! How can you sleep through this thunder?"
"Shouldn't you be inspecting the Academy by now it is your turn this year isn't it Shinj, Fifth Squad Captain-Sama?" Ichigo grumbled back as he sat up. "Damn," he inwardly thought "Rain again?"
"Yea but you agreed to accompany me since Hinamori-chan is visiting her grandma in Rukongai." Ichigo mumbled something incoherent and shunpoed with Shinji to the Shinigami Academy.
"Is that Kurosaki Ichigo-sama?"
"Oh my gosh it is him! Wow Hiyumi, he's even hotter in real life than in those magazines. But who's that bowl cut captain beside him? He looks like an escaped rapist."
At that remark Shinji raised his reiatsu enough to silence the academy onlookers. "Clearly these kids have no taste; Lisa herself said that this new hipster style was big in the real world."
Ichigo and Shinji continued into the academy ignoring the looks of admiration and awe they got from the students. "Oh Gengoro-san, still as lively as strict as ever I see," Shinji addressed a rather burly man who rivalled even Kenpachi in height. Gengoro-san gave him a curt nod, clearly expressing his disdain for the vizard.
"Alright listen up! As you can see we have to very special guests from the Gotei 13. I expect you all to address them with the proper respect for two war heroes. To my left is Kurosaki-dono and to my right is Hirako-taichou." Whispers filled the room as people were awestruck by the power the two radiated.
"You may retrieve the wooden swords from the supply room and begin sparing, same partners as last class!"
As Ichigo witnessed the atrocious footwork all the students displayed while practicing Zanjutsu he cursed himself for ever agreeing to Shinji's terms. "This is gonna be a long, long day."
The bell rang signalling the end of the school day as teachers and students alike cursed the Gods for inventing rain. A monsoon torrent of precipitation had left much of the school grounds flooded and had forced students to stay in their dorms.
"Hey, You still hate the rain? Crap must've forgot Zangetsu at the Hakuda field." Ichigo quickly shunpoed to the flooded football sized grass field and saw his sword leaning on one of the bleachers.
"Sorry about that Zangetsu. Speaking of which what do you thinks going on with this weather, it won't let up."
"Just get me out of the rain will ya?" Since his sword fused with his hollow Ichigo realized that not only did they share their powers with each other, but also they shared their personalities. Lightning struck in the distance. Better get out of here Ichigo thought.
Ichigo woke up in a dishevelled little town, the hot summer sun beating down on his orange hair. "Zangetsu, what the hell just happened? When did it get sunny and why do I feel like I'm hung over from drinking with Matsumoto?" Aside from a slightly singed shihakusho he also experienced a throbbing headache.
"You were hit by lightning and five hours later you awoke hear." Zangetsu replied pensively. He too had no idea what had happened. All he saw from his sword form was a bright flash of yellow and orange than a blinding white light.
Ichigo saw two Shinigami walk into a bar. "Shinigami!" he shouted. "Do you know where I am?"
"What the hell is with that kid's hair? Ne Matsumoto?"
"I don't know but he seems pretty damn cute to me. Hey what division do you think he's from? I've never seen a shinigami wear that type of shihakusho?"
"I dunno, maybe he's from that prissy bitch squad that Soi Fon-taicho runs."
"Oh it's you Matsumoto-san. Mind telling me where the hell I am?" Instead of an answer he just got a very confused look from Matsumoto.
"Wait, do I know you from somewhere? Aren't you the thirteenths fukutaichou Shiba Kaien? But I thought you had black hair not orange?"
"What booze has she been drinking and who's this Kaien kid I thought Ukitake-san didn't have a fukutaicho?" Ichigo thought to himself. "It's me Matsumoto, Ichigo Kurosaki."
"And my name's Bob Saget sir, seriously though nice choice with growing out your hair and dying it, suits you fine." Matsumoto replied. Ichigo's cheeks blushed at the comment and the action didn't go unnoticed by the well endowed blonde. "What's this? The great Shiba Kaien, heir to the Shiba clan has a crush on little ole me?
"I didn't know cocaine existed in Soul Society?" "Matsumoto its Ichigo, you remember, the substitute Shinigami, hero of the winter war, conqueror of Aizen the traitorous captain?"
"Look kid, I don't know if you're a fan boy of Kaien's or just a random bloke but Aizen, the traitorous captain? Come on, I know he's not the strongest captain but that's no reason to harass the man. Let's go Iba, this kid's crazy."
"What the fuck just happened, Zangetsu? That was some weird stuff right there. I thought besides Toshiro, Matsumoto hated Aizen the most."
"Can I get you anything young lad?" The bar keeper said seeing that Ichigo was a Shinigami and probably had cash to burn. "Just a water for me if you please," Ichigo replied still deep in thought.
"Hey kid, you hear about that new bomb that the Americans used against the Japanese in the world of the living?"
"America?" Ichigo replied. "Since when were we at war with the Americans?"
"What you haven't heard, some of your Shinigami friends said they were calling it an Atom Bomb, did crazy damage to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I thought you'd know being a Shinigami and all. Didn't you guys have a ton of Death Gods running around for soul cleanup? That was one nasty war, killed tons of people."
Ichigo's eyes widened slightly at the sudden realization; "not where but when am I?"
"Excuse me sir but do you know exactly what year it is in the world of the living?" He asked nervously. He had a feeling he already knew the answer but he didn't want to grasp the exact implications that it would imply.
"Why it's 1945 of course."
"Shit."