Hey, this is my first time properly writing a fanfiction, but i've had this idea in mind for a while. While it starts very close to canon, it will diverge. Feel free to give feedback, and thanks for reading!
A figure watched over the desolate plains, frowning at something far in the distance. He wore all pale orange clothes which clashed with his blonde hair, and strangely floated in the air upside-down, as if the rules of the world need not apply to him. Concern etched his face, it was easy to see he had thoughts troubling him. I hope they will be alright without me, Aizen is a fearsome enemy.
Suddenly his eyes widened at the spike in power, and flashes of red, before a roar of pure hatred echoed through the wasteland. He then frowned, and his usually casual, cheery expression was replaced with a darker one.
A few minutes later
"He's dead...?" Ichigo stared at the motionless body of the espada he had just been fighting... and losing against. Suddenly his head burned with flashes of memory, the fierce clashes, the nonchalant, almost bored expression on the arrancars face, the feeling of despair as his enemy released his reiatsu and it had literally rained down on him. The shock as his mask was destroyed in an instant, and his futile efforts against that hopelessly stronger than him. Grimmjow had been a challenge yes, but beatable with bankai and his hollowfication. This... had been a fight to stay alive, a hopeless one at that. He glanced at where the hole in his chest should've been, where Ulquiorra released a small but potent cero at point blank range, going through muscle and bone with ease.
More memories hit him, of a masked demon fighting Ulquiorra, going toe-to-toe against the 4th espada, even catching his spears with ease. He could feel the demons reiatsu, and the terror of it. It was strange, because it was almost as if he was a spectator in the demons body. He realised with a shock that the demon was holding zangetsu. Had it taken it off his body?
That wasn't the only unnerving thing he noticed. The demon had long, strawberry locks of hair down his back and was wearing what seemed like the remains of shredded shinigami clothing. He then saw the hole in the demons chest. Exactly where the cero had gone through his body.
"Impossible." Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts, and turned to see a barely conscious Ulquiorra looking at him with shock. "My 2nd released state could've matched the no.1 espada, even in his released state. No, that's not what surprises me: you are afterall the one Aizen-sama has his eye on. My cero went through your heart. How are you still alive, Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"I don't..." Ichigo began to say, but he felt the burning sensation in his head again as more memories came into his mind. He saw the demon overpower Ulquiorra, even in the face of the esapadas staggering regeneration capabilities, finally smiting him down in such a brutal and merciless way. He was almost sure this "demon" was a hollow, but he had never seen one so berserk and angry, and incapable of speech despite being way above the level of any basic hollow, even the menos grande. He couldn't get several nagging doubts out of his head: Why did he feel the demons emotions so strong, why did he almost sympathise with it, and why did he and it look so similar? It can't be... Was that me?
Not quite Ichigoo... he could hear the hollow in his head teasing him.
What does that mean?! Ichigo yelled back at his inner demon.
The hollow sneered at him, but gave no response.
"Kurosaki-kun?" Again Ichigo was taken out of his thoughts, this time by a trembling figure, lying against one of the ruined pillars staring at him in... fear? Another unconscious figure also lay there, surrounded in an orange shield.
"Orihime. Is Ishida...?"
"He will be fine." Inoue smiled at him. It wasn't her normal cheerful smile though.
Ichigo knew enough from the way she looked at him. It all made sense. In his near death state, his hollow had "borrowed" his body for a bit to finish what he couldn't. He punched the ground, bitterness welling up in him. He was still too weak, how could be possibly hope to protect those he cared about? It seemed no matter what, he relied on his hollow despite all he had been through, the power that he had been given.
He thought back to that day, when he first met her. He felt his fists tighten without realising it. You'd better be okay Rukia.
In the corner of his eye he noticed that Ishida had regained consciousness, and as they caught each others eyes, mutual understanding passed between them. They knew they had to find the others and get back to karakura, now that Orihime was rescued. Other issues would have to wait for now.
"About time you stopped sulking." Ichigo jumped forwards as a familiar voice spoke behind him. How had he not noticed his presence earlier?
"Shinji? What are you doing here?" said Ichigo, startled at the sudden appearance of his visored trainer.
"I'm here to help you get your act together." Shinji sighed and rubbed his head, while casually swinging his sword around. "I technically should be with the others in karakura, but it seems fate had other plans. Even after all the practice with hollowfication yours is still vastly incomplete. I arrived in time to see your hollow break out and have a bit of fun with that guy." He said, pointing to Ulquiorras torn up body, which he could now see was starting to fade into ash. "In any other situation I would leave you to handle it by yourself, as each of us visored have done with our inner hollows. However after that fight, I now realise your demon is particularly... unique."
"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo questioned him
"I will explain later, right now we don't have time. I assume you were intending to meet up with everyone else still in hueco mundo?" Ichigo nodded. "Good. In that case, onwards!" and before he could protest Shinji was already walking away.
"Wait! Ugh, godammit." Ichigo only had more questions after that. He looked over to see Orihime gingerly lifting Ishida up, who seemed better than he had just a moment ago. Her healing abilities were truly remarkable. He then glanced at what remained of his opponent, and for a fleeting moment felt pity for him. He shuddered to imagine what it must've been like, facing that overwhelmingly evil reiatsu. The moment passed, and he ran over to catch up with the others, leaving behind countless ruined buildings and pillars.
I can hear the rain in my head again. Ichigo hated the rain.
