Ichigo's war
Ichigo woke up he saw the orange shimmering of Orihime's little fairy things god he could never remember their name, he looked around Grimmjow was standing there quietly watching Orihime heal his injuries.
"Ichigo-Kun are you okay" Orihime knelt down beside him.
"Yeah I'm fine Orihime, what are you doing there isn't it you're job to kill me" he looked at Grimmjow wary as to why he was just standing there.
"I am here to make sure you didn't die so I could kick you're ass" Grimmjow stepped forward.
"Grimmjow I kicked you're arse once before why do I need to do it a second time" Ichigo stood and drew his sword. "I will make this quick I do not have any spare time" Bundling reiatsu in his left hand he pulled it down over his face. The crushing reiatsu hit, causing Grimmjow to fall to his knees. Ichigo was stronger much stronger now than when they last fought, he could hold his Hollow mask for ten minuets now. He walked towards Grimmjow "I don't have to kill you, you know, you might be useful if you help me now I will let you live to become stronger than we may fight on even ground what do you say?"
Grimmjow thought this over then nodded, Ichigo cancelled his mask and held out his hand. Grimmjow looked at it then accepted the hand and got to his feet.
"well what is it you want" Grimmjow asked him
"This is not going to end today I cant beat Aizen not now anyway if I can be beaten so easily by Ulquiorra then I need to be stronger, I need to get the others and get out that is it now" Ichigo stated simply he could feel something coming he didn't have much time. "You will help us get out, then you will spy on Aizen pass me information on what he is doing and when the time Is right help me take him down" Ichigo held out his hand.
"Course I will I hate Aizen and his lap dog Ulquiorra I may be a Hollow but I have pride this is our home and no Shinigami should be taking over this easily" Grimmjow shook his hand "We need a code a way to let each other know we are who we say we are."
Ichigo nodded thinking then it came to him "when we meet one will say rising sun to be replied with falling moon" Grimmjow nodded.
"Follow me I know where you're female friend is and that big guy is hurt bad" Grimmjow turned and walked away. Ichigo, Orihime and Neliel followed.
Rukia slowly opened her eyes. She had lost conciousness after killing Aaroniero that bastard Espada she had lost a lot of blood her head felt fuzzy and she couldn't move, her limbs felt heavy she had trouble drawing breath. "I'm going to die" she thought to herself "well I'm already dead but I will loose my soul I wonder what happens when a soul dies" she pondered this for a while before feeling a faint reiatsu moving towards her.
"Kurosaki-Kun Rukia is fading we must hurry" Orihime was clinging to him as he carried her following Grimmjow Neliel had no problem keeping pace there was something not right about that girl.
"We are here She is up in that tower I can not spend any more time here with you the possibility of detection is too great find me when you need to leave. I will not hesitate to attack you for the sake of loosing my cover." With that Grimmjow left.
"We need to reach her quickly Orihime hold on you too Neliel" Ichigo grabbed hold of the two girls and flash stepped up the side of the tower entering through the whole Rukia made. "Rukia" Ichigo dropped the two girls and ran to her side. "Hold on Orihime heal her QUICKLY!" Orihime rushed over and started healing her friend. Ichigo felt a powerful reiatsu approach. "Orihime hurry up we have company." Ichigo pulled Zangetsu from his back. He started bundling reiatsu in his hand. The explosion shook the tower and a figure stood in front of him. Tall and lanky with a psychotic grin on his face. Carrying some sort of blade that resembled two moons that should be far too heavy for him to carry.
"Hello there I am Nnoitra Espada number five" the Espada walked forwards. Flash stepping he was in front of Ichigo in a instant.
Neliel shuffled and Nnoitra looked down at her "YOU what are you doing here you should be dead Oderschvank."Nnoitra was angry and slight fear could be heard in his words. This display had distracted Ichigo, Nnoitra suddenly turned and struck Ichigo cutting him diagonally across his chest
blood sprayed into the sky and Ichigo fell back onto the floor struggling for breath. Blood seeped from his mouth.
"Itsygo...Itsygo get up Itsygo...ITSYGO" Neliel screamed the last word and a blinding light engulfed her the shock wave of reiatsu that followed knocked Nnoitra down and shattered the shield Orihime had erected. Nnoitra looked up and standing before him was the former third Espada. "You should not have harmed Ichigo for now you will die." Neliel took her zanpakuto in two hands and swung down at Nnoitra shearing through his shoulder.
There was no way he could win he hadn't expected Oderschvank to show up he thought she was dead after they sealed her power a Gillian or Adjuchas menos should of eaten her easily well that's what they had hoped. Nnoitra was brought back to reality as Neliel swung again this time he dodged got to his feet and flash stepped away fleeing the forgone conclusion of his death.
"Ichigo" Neliel turned and dropped down beside him. She lifted her hand over his chest wound it glowed a bright white. The skin could be seen knitting together as his wound was slowly healed. Ichigo coughed and the blood that had settled in his mouth came up.
He looked up to see a very beautiful arrancar looking back at him a mile on her face "Nellie" he asked in disbelief. She nodded "is Rukia ok" he asked panicked as he got up and run over to her. "Rukia."
The shinigami looked back at him and smiled "I am fine Ichigo" she said to stop him worrying "we have to find Renji and the others then get the hell out of here" Rukia stood up and grabbed onto Orihime as she nearly fell over.
"Orihime can you sense them" Ichigo looked over to her as they made there way across Las Noches towards Chad's last known location.
As they approached Ichigo felt not only Chad's reiatsu but another very familiar one. He looked over to Rukia "tell me I am not feeling this please."
Rukia laughed and looked at him "yes it is."
They stood there and standing next to a fully healed Chad was Kisuke Urahara.
"What on earth are you doing in Hueco Mundo Urahara" Ichigo shouted.
"Ah Kurosaki-Kun so glad you could make it although a little worse for ware you seem fine" he practically sang his words. "I was asked to intervene and get you out of here by the captain commander he sent a few of the other captains as well, Renji and Ishida are already back at the gate now please follow me." He walked off god that guy was so annoying he made this seem like a walk to the shop not through the centre of Las Noches.
They arrived at the gate without any trouble Ichigo saw every Taicho in the Gotei thirteen and their Fukutaicho's present. Also one other Shinigami he had never seen in soul society "DAD WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!"
"Hi there son Urahara said he was going to pay you a visit thought I would tag along" Isshin grinned and looked at his son "My my you are a powerful shinigami arent you wouldn't expect any less from the son of a captain would you now."
Ichigo was gaping his dad his dad the biggest fool in the world was a ex Gotei captain. Jesus he needed a break.
Ichigo looked up he felt several very familiar reiatsu's approaching fast and a heck of a lot of unfamiliar ones. He turned to Urahara "GET US OUT OF HERE NOW."
All the captains looked up they could feel the reiatsu Zanpakuto were drawn. Ichigo turned to them "This is a fight we can not win the Espada's power gaps are too great if numbers two and three are there we are dead you should not use the others as a guide now move" Ichigo barked the order they all fell back to the gate.
They were upon them Urahara was chanting his balls off trying to get the gate open. Aizen was there with his Espada all nine of them. And a fuck load of smaller arrancar the captains helld there none of them making a move the lieutenants behind them guarding Urahara. Renji, Chad, Ishida, Orihime and Rukia were at the back. Neliel stood next to Ichigo.
They were surrounded the arrancar moved in Numeros lead units of thirty or so Ichigo saw count them and you could get a number. One, two, three, four, five...shit this is fucked up. "Urahara a gate would help now."
"provide us a tunnel from the darkness to the light lead us from evil to the good open a path of light NOW!" Urahara finished chanting and a massive beam of light expanded around him it hit the ground making the ground tremble. There stood a gate "Everyone leave now." Urahara turned to the tunnel sending Rukia, Chad, Ishida and Inoue first. The Lieutenants fell back into the tunnel. Then the arrancar struck.
This wasn't just fighting this was fighting on the largest scale Ichigo had seen the captains were holding back the hundreds of arrancar and falling back to the gate. Ukitake passed through, followed by Unohana then Shunsuie, Soifon and Komamura all passed together then Hitsugaya and Kurotsuchi passed through. It was Byakuya, Ichigo, Isshin, Kenpachi and Neliel left.
"On the count of three we all leave" Ichigo barked "One...Two...Three" They all jumped but one Neliel stayed and fought. "Neliel what are you doing" Ichigo shouted as he was pulled back.
"There is nothing for me in soul society I am a hollow no one will look past that good bye Itsygo" she smiled and the gate closed, the last sight Ichigo saw was Neliel cutting a blood swathe around her.
"No...no...NO no one was supposed to die" Ichigo hit floor causing a small crater to appear his reiatsu was going haywire he had no control at all at the moment.
All the captains were backing off even Kenpachi had a worried look on his face.
"I WILL KILL THAT BASTARD." Ichigo yelled and lost all control.
The shock wave hit his reiatsu rolling off him in waves the crushing force driving the Taicho's to their knees. The Fukutaicho's were flat to the floor and unable to breathe.
Isshin stood struggling to keep his feet on the floor and his body straight he walked up to Ichigo "sorry son" he hit him in the face knocking him out.
Ichigo awoke in a comfy bed that wasn't his he soon realised where he was when a shinigami walked past the foot of the bed. The fourth Division Hospital, he spent enough time here after rescuing Rukia.
"Ahh Kurosaki-Kun you are awake, how are you feeling. You took quite the hit from you're father and you let out a lot of you're reiatsu you could have died from that exhaustion. Unohana took out a small torch and checked his eyes while speaking to him.
"I feel fine Unohana" Ichigo replied simply
"Very well you may leave when you like just let someone know you have" with that Unohana walked off down the hall.
Unohana had arrived just in time for the captains meeting.
Yamamoto stood up on his platform "We are called here today to consider the restructure of captaincy in the Gotei thirteen, as you are all aware we are missing three captains, Division five is in dire need of leadership because of the mental state of it's Fukutaicho. What are the propositions for this matter" He sat down again to let the captains discuss the matter.
Twenty minuets passed when Ukitake stepped forward and bowed to Yamamoto. "We have reached a conclusion that might well solve the problems Yamamoto-Sotaicho we propose the reinstatement of Kurosaki Isshin as captain of Division Nine and..."
"I know what you're second proposition is going to be Ukitake-Taicho and I agree" Yamamoto interrupted Ukitake before he could finish but the captain merely bowed and backed away from the podium "He will need to be trained and I can think of no other person suited for the job than Momo Hinamori she is as you all know a Kido master and this is the area in which he lacks ability. If we are all agreed to promoting the Kurosaki's say aie" Yamamoto looked over the crowd of captains.
Every hand went up with the unanimous "aie."
"Very well we shall need both Ichigo and Isshin Kurosaki here and both Momo Hinamori and Shuhei Hisagi they will all be informed of the changes a meeting will be set for tomorrow, there will be a ceremony in one week for the promotions dismissed" With a crack of his cane on the ground the captains meeting ended.
The Taicho's all left the throne room.
Hitsugaya looked worried but knowing him none of the other captains were bothered by it. "I hope Momo can take this" Hitsugaya was worried how Momo might take to having a new Taichon. "Matsumoto" he barked his Fukutaicho appearing in a Instant.
"Yes Hitsugaya-Taicho" Matsumoto bowed.
"We have a errand to run follow me" With that Hitsugaya turned and walked away Matsumoto following.
Momo was sat in her room a cup of warm sake in her hands looking into the fire that blazed in the hearth.
Knock...Knock.
She rose from her chair and went to the door opening it to find standing their Toshiro and Rangiku. "Shiro-Chan. Rangiku-San what are you doing here"
"Evening Momo may we come in" Toshiro asked not bothered by the use of his nickname.
Momo nodded and stepped back opening the door. They entered her small apartment Toshiro knelled on the floor while Rangiku flopped down into the spare chair. Momo sat herself back in her chair.
"Would either of you like some warm Sake" she offered.
"No thank you Momo and Rangiku will have none either" Toshiro said while looking at his Fukutaicho. "We are here to inform you that commencing tomorrow you will have some new duties." Toshiro stopped took a breath then carried on "You will be training a new Taicho in the use of Kido one Kurosaki Ichigo" He stopped and looked at her. "This is because he will be the new Taicho of Division five."
Momo's eyes widened the thoughts tumbling through her head. "new Taicho but Aizen he might come back" Hinamori blurted out before she could stop it.
"Momo he is not coming back, he tried to kill you and Toshiro" Rangiku walked over to the young girl and pulled her into a hug. "You must learn to forget about Aizen he only used you're trust of him to spread lies and deceive you into doing as he wished." She let Hinamori go.
Hinamori looked down at the ground embarrassed by her reaction to the news of Ichigo becoming her Taicho. "I know that its just hard for me to accept he never liked me only used me as a tool for his deception." She looked at the floor and raised her hand to her stomach she had been hurt in more ways than one. She had never been loved, as a living being her only memories were of pain. Then in the Rukongai she was alone till Toshiro's grandmother took her in Toshiro was the only person she could call family and he was so distant now that he was a Taicho.
"Momo are you okay" Toshiro asked standing and moving over to her. She nodded he pulled her into a hug "you know I will always be here for you" he let her go. "There will be a meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter of you training Kurosaki I suggest you get some rest, Matsumoto we are leaving" with that he walked to the door. "Good night Momo" he left followed by Matsumoto.
Kurosaki Ichigo was supposed to be her Taicho she remembered seeing him when he had come to rescue Rukia, the time after wards she had tried to talk to him a few times. He was nice and courteous to her but with his looks he probably had pretty girls talking to him all the time.
Sighing she turned finished her Sake and went to bed what will be will be.
"Kurosaki Ichigo" The shinigami questioned.
"Yes"
"Come with me please" The Shinigami turned and left his room. Did he just walk in? Ichigo thought to himself then got up and followed the Shinigami. He followed the Shinigami not saying a word they stopped outside a huge set of doors they were at least fifty feet tall. "You may enter" then the Shinigami walked off leaving Ichigo stood in front of the doors.
He walked up and laid his palm on the door they opened slowly revealing a long chamber a red carpet running down the middle to a podium upon which stood a large chair. The Taicho's were in two rows along the sides of the carpet and the Yamamoto-Sotaicho sat in the chair. In front of the podium stood a shinigami with his back to him.
"Approach Kurosaki Ichigo" Yamamoto said and Ichigo slowly walked forward and stood next to the other Shinigami. Out the corner of his eye he spotted Hinamori standing behind Ukitake-Taicho. He looked at the other Shinigami his eyes widened it was his Dad why the hell would he be here. He was about to say something when Yamamoto spoke.
"We are here to discuss yesterdays matter of the promotion of Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Ichigo to the rank of Taicho." Ichigo stood there Dumbfounded him a Taicho. "We have considered this the best path for the Gotei Thirteen Kurosaki Isshin you will receive you're former position of Taicho of Division nine." Isshin nodded Yamamoto "Kurosaki Ichigo you will receive the position as Taicho of Division five" Ichigo nodded shock plastered over his place. "You're Fukutaicho's will remain as those present, Fukutaicho Hinamori please come forward." Hinamori walked forward and stood before Yamamoto. "You will teach Kurosaki Ichigo Kido and reiatsu control he will need to have these abilities for his role as Taicho. There is a formal ceremony in a weeks time all dismissed" He banged his cane on the floor the Taicho's turned and left the room.
"I will speak to you later son I have to see Jushiro and Shunsuie we have some catching up to do" With that his father was gone leaving him and Hinamori alone.
"Well I guess, I'm going to be Taicho" Ichigo said a confused look on his face arm behind his head scratching his hair.
"Yeah I guess" Hinamori said not looking at him.
"What's wrong Hinamori" Ichigo asked concerned for the poor girl, she had to go through so much and the defection of Aizen had completely destroyed her trust in people and left her severely mentally scarred.
"Nothing Kurosaki-Taicho" Hinamori replied still eyes downcast.
"Hinamori if I am going to be Taicho and you are going to be my teacher I will have no titles involved call me Ichigo." Ichigo looked at her. He liked Hinamori at least she had tried to talk to him after he came to save Rukia everybody else just ignored him with the exception of Ukitake and Zaraki. Ikkaku had become a good friend as had Renji and Yumichika. But Hinamori had been the one to talk to him and try to get to know him not as the reckless dangerous Ryoka when he arrived.
"Okay Ichigo" Hinamori looked up and smiled.
"Look Hinamori if I am going to be you're Taicho I will need a lot of help and I think we should get to know each other come on lets go for a walk" Held out his hand for Hinamori. She smiled and took his hand.
They left the chamber walking side by side Hinamori with a small smile on her face.
Toshiro stood on a building overlooking the chambers entrance he could see the smile on Hinamori's face and the calmness of her Reiatsu "Thank you Ichigo." He flash stepped away.
They walked around together talking for quite a while. They ended up at the training fields Hinamori clapped her hands together "Perfect we can train." she grabbed Ichigo's wrist and dragged him to the Kido range. She stood facing him and started to explain "ok the main thing to Kido is concentration and manipulation of ones spirit force. There are four parts to Kido number one is the incantation then the category this is destructive art or way of binding then comes the arts number and finally its name you with me so far ichigo." Hinamori looked at him expectantly.
"I think so it seems rather simple" Ichigo said a confused look plastered on his face.
"Can you focus you're spirit energy Ichigo" Hinamori asked him
"Errrr not really when I tried that when breaking in here I almost destroyed the Shiba household" Ichigo said with a grin while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Ok then we will start with the basics Sensing and hiding Reiatsu." Momo walked over to him and gestured for him to sit down while indicating the seat next to her. "Now I am going to teach you how to sense Reiatsu. This is easy in soul society everything has reiatsu so" she picked a rose "take this look at it close you're eyes try to picture the rose can you feel it without looking at it." She took the roe away.
"I...can sense it" Ichigo looked at Hinamori and followed her movements "I can see a small pink glow it's the rose I can sense it's movements" Ichigo followed Hinamori's movements
"okay well done Ichigo try to sense me" Hinamori slowly put out her reiatsu.
Ichigo concentrated on picturing Momo. Her beautiful features and that distinctive bun. He could see a dark pink glow emanating from her. "I can see it I can see you're reiatsu" he opened his eyes and saw Momo.
She smiled "well done Kurosaki-kun" she sat down next to him. "Try sensing someone else how about Toshiro" she rested her head on his shoulder. Ichigo looked at her and smiled.
"are you tired Momo" he asked her.
She nodded "I am I haven't been sleeping much lately ever since the incident with Aizen I just cant accept it, I know he used me but he was the first person to show me affection he was like a farther to me." She started to cry this was the most she had opened up to anyone not even Toshiro and he was like her brother. "After Toshiro became Taicho he became so cold and never spoke to me outside of a meeting" She clutched his arm and started sobbing into his shoulder. "It's just no one ever loved me I always felt alone and Aizen was the only person there." She sobbed into his shirt.
Ichigo didn't know what to do girls were never his area. He pulled her close and held her "quiet now Momo" he said to her his tone soothing and quiet "there's no need to cry any more, you will always have me now you ever need anything or anyone I will be there for you." Ichigo meant this he would never let any one he cared about suffer.
Slowly he stopped crying. "Thank you Kurosaki-kun" she looked up to him and smiled. "I want to kiss him" she shook her head where did that come from. Momo looked at Ichigo and was drawn into his amber orbs she looked away "it's late I am getting tired I think we should go home."
Ichigo was a little taken aback at her sudden change in attitude "Momo I didn't do anything did I you seem a little worried" Ichigo he looked at her worried that he might of upset her.
"oh...no no no Kurosaki-Kun you have done nothing wrong it's just we have...a lot to do tomorrow with training you to take over the Division." she smiled at him then took his hand "come walk me home."
He smiled got up and they walked back to Hinamori's.
"Thank you Ichigo you...have really helped me" she smiled at him.
"I should be thanking you Hinamori you are the one teaching me without this I would be useless as a Taicho...anyway I should get going" Ichigo turnt to leave. Hinamori reached out and grabbed his wrist spinning him back to face her and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night Kurosaki-Kun" she smiled and closed the door.