Disclaimer: I do not own.
Author's Note: This story ended up differently than I'd expected. Please tell me what you think of it.
He had heard rumors, legends.
Of a human who knew of the supernatural, and was trained as a knight by the shinigami who fought to protect humans.
Then, he left to battle against Sousuke Aizen, the betrayer.
No one knew what happened, only that he never returned.
It had been thousands of years since Ichigo Kurosaki had vanished, lost in history, in time, never to return.
No one knew what happened.
Only that, in the shadows of his disappearance, a demon took over the world.
He did not go by a name, most called him 'Demon', or 'Hollow', the old word used for demons. He was a mystery.
It was believed that he had served Aizen Sousuke, perhaps overthrown him. No one knew. No one knew what had happened, what happened to Ichigo Kurosaki and the others fighting alongside him.
Los Noches had been the first to fall, though it had not been obvious. After Los Noches had been Hueco Mundo, the home of Hollows no more. Then, Karakura had fallen, the shinigami stationed there executed without warning.
There had been no warning, when Sereitei had been attacked. It had not taken long for it to fall. Hiding, without defenses they had waited for the sword to fall…it hadn't.
His name was Benitora. Once, he would have been a lieutenant, if not a captain. Now, Sereitei was no more. No one knew what happened to the captains at the time of the attack. According to legend, they had abandoned Sereitei, some of them: Byakuya Kuchiki, Shunsui Kyoraku, Jushiro Ukitake, Zaraki Kenpachi, Retsu Uohana, Hitsugaya Toshirou…but they had just vanished. Legend had it that they would return one day, but he did not trust legend.
Only one of the captains still lived, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The soutaichou had been killed in a sneak attack on Seireitei, he had been the only casualty.
Benitora was young, just shy of two centuries; he had been a shinigami for three decades. He had lived in Rukongai, fearing the last attack that would destroy them, until he became a shinigami to protect his family.
He had learned of the legend, the stories of Ichigo Kurosaki, in Rukongai, for they were forbidden in Seireitei; Ichigo Kurosaki, who had defeated Jidanbo Ikkanzaka, the West Gate gatekeeper of Seireitei, in a mission to save his friend.
Jidanbo, who had left his post one night for reasons no one knew. Ever since then, the West Gate had remained closed. A legend had grown, that when Hollow was defeated, the gate would be opened again. Benitora didn't know if he believed it.
He had volunteered for this mission, to fight against Hollow. He and a few select others had been in training for this moment.
An attack on the Hollow, to defeat him and his Generals.
When Ichigo Kurosaki had vanished, so had his friend; "Chad" Yasutora Sado and the Quincy Uryuu Ishida as well as Orihime Inoue who they had gone to rescue from Las Noches. Teams had been sent into Las Noches, but none left alive.
The remains of Kurosaki's human friends and his family had vanished when Karakura was conquered, only to return at the side of the Hollow.
Mizuiro, the Hollow's tactician, Keigo Asano his spymaster and assassin, and Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki who along with Tatsuki Arisawa and Chizuru served as his Guard. A hundred years after they joined him, they vanished, according to rumor killed by him for attempting to overthrow him.
Everyone feared the Hollows Guard, made up of equals to what were once called captains: the vizards Shinji and Hiyori, the fallen captains Urahara and Yoruichi, the Espada Nel and Grimmjow, and the traitor Rukia Kuchiki who betrayed Seireitei.
First they went to Old Rukongai, where Rukongai had been before Seireitei had insisted they move to a more defensible position.
Old Rukongai had been taken over by the Hollow's allies: Kukaku Shiba and her brother Ganju. They were in what was once the Shiba ClanHouse, now falling apart as time passed day-by-day.
It was harder than expected to kill them. They had entered Rukongai cautiously, bewaring of bombs and traps. They encountered none.
Based on tales of battles passed, Misoka battle Ganju, his zanpakto that of water, turning Ganju's sand to mud. Keiko battle Kukaku, her mist/rain zanpakto rendering her explosives useless. Despite the tactics, some of the group were lost. Kukaku, upon seeing Ganju fall beneath Misoka's zanpakto screamed and committed her suicide move, taking Keiko with her.
Benitora waited before he moved on, murmuring words over the battlefield.
May they be united with their brother and reborn alongside him.
I don't know what's happening. Taicho left abruptly for a meeting with the other captains. I wonder if it has to do with Ichigo. I know that Rukia's worried. I think she left to look for him, probably why taicho is so worried. But that's stupid; if she's in trouble, Ichigo will rescue her like he did before. Not even Aizen can stand in his way. But, I understand what taicho feels. If Rukia doesn't return soon, I'll go look for Ichigo and Rukia myself. But I'm sure they're fine.
There are few records left of before the world changed. Renji Abarai is one who left behind such records, though they are irregular. According to legend, he went to fight the Hollow, and returned on the brink of death. His last words were a whisper of betrayal; it was answered when the Hollow attacked, Rukia Kuchiki at his side.
Rukia Kuchiki who attacked the Kuchiki Clan, destroying it by herself except for a few members, wearing the white robes that signified her loyalty to the Hollow.
The next battle is one unexpected. When he had vanished, Zaraki Kenpachi was written off as fallen in battle. He returned alongside the Hollow, destroying the 11th Division when they tried to attack.
He is the next battle the group faces alongside Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Aysegawa who vowed to follow him forever.
He is the hardest to fight, and Benitora is grateful that Ikkaku and Yumichika remain off the battlefield, just watching.
Kenshin is the one to deliver a killing blow, having relied on speed to dodge Zaraki's blows, his blade poisoning the ex-captain with each blow.
Then the battle is over, and Zaraki lies fallen. His vice-captain Yachiru goes to his side where she is slain by Kenshin without warning. Ikkaku executes him before grinning gleefully.
It is harder, the two traitor shinigami are fresh and not tired, but they are at last beaten due to a numerical advantage.
They pile the bodies onto a pyre and burn them.
Once more, Benitora waits and murmurs words before heading on.
May they be together again and fight never-ending battles and strong rivals to face.
They go to Karakura next. They are cut in half before they find their opponents: Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihoin, captains exiled from Seireitei. They were drawn out by burning down Urahara Shoten, killing those still inside.
Yoruichi is an assassin, but so is the entire group. Urahara falls first, his purpose to get to his friend Tessai who was in the building when it burned. Yoruichi falls next.
May they be together in the next life, a life not haunted by the taint of betrayal.
They find the vizards next, all of them, not just Shinji and Hiyori, the other vizards who are long thought dead.
It is a hard battle. They are all old, and strong, but using their Hollow abilities exhaust them. In the end, it is the last captain Mayuri who kills the leaders of the Vizards, Shinji laughs as he dies while Hiyori pants and tells him to shut up.
May their next lives be happy, where they are not betrayed…or monsters.
He is a myth, a hero in Rukongai (which is no longer New).
He stands at the gate of Los Noches, where everything started. A Gate that the Hollow created, connecting Karakura to Hueco Mundo and Los Noches.
Jidanbo is a gatekeeper not a warrior. They believed it would be an easy battle; it is not.
His last words is stating that he always fulfilled his duties.
When he died, the gate swung open silently.
May only those loyal pass through his gates in the next life.
They fight Grimmjow next. Grimmjow, who purposely came to seek them out. The panther, who fell to the lion, Mordecai bearing his lion zanpakto. They kill Nel as she is trying to heal her fallen ally in her child form. There had been a previous group, who left her alive, taking pity on her as a child, only to perish when she became an adult.
May in their next lives they not become monsters.
In the center of Las Noches is what would appear to be the remains of a throne room. Instead, the room is a wreck and the throne is empty.
The Hollow is pale, skin the shade of marble, though his eyes are golden and lit by humor and bloodlust.
Kurotsuchi dies seconds after entering the room, cut down before he can draw his sword. The samples he took fall to the floor, breaking.
The Hollow laughs.
Benitora feels a cold shiver crawl up his spine.
There are a few pictures of Kurosaki. Standing in front of them is what could be his twin.
Sitting next to the throne, staring at a picture is another legend, Isshin Kurosaki, who vanished during the takeover of Karakura.
The Hollow laughs.
Rukia Kuchiki sits on the other side of the throne. She was the one to kill Kurotsuchi.
She is called a traitor and laughs, before stating that all she did was give her loyalty, and she means to keep her vows.
She and Isshin watch, doing nothing as the Hollow begins his battle.
The Hollow, for he is insists on being nameless, does not use shikai or bankai.
The zanpakto remains in a sheath at his hip, though it is released. Benitora breathes a sign of relief; perhaps he is not an arrancar, there are tales of Rukongai ghosts and some Hollows who found zanpakto of fallen shinigami and used them as their own. The idea is horrifying to contemplate, but preferable to the alternative.
The Hollow is laughing and dripping in blood, some of it his own. He is far from beaten, but Kenshin is not the only one with a poisoned zanpakto.
Sarutobi's zanpakto is in the Hollow's chest when there is an explosion of reiatsu.
Benitora breathes. It is…he sighs in relief. It is similar, but different from the Hollow.
The door that the Hollow was standing in front of opens; and the newcomer blinks at the scene.
He is dressed like the shinigami of old, covered in blood and wounds Benitora is amazed he lives. He is supported by a tall dark-skinned figure and a paler male wearing glasses as an orange-haired girl stands on his other side, clutching his hands.
"Shiro!" he cries.
The Hollow, Shiro, smiles, and if Benitora did not know better he would swear it was full of affection; but that is foolish because Hollows do not have hearts.
"King" he purrs.
The Hollow has never called himself king, or ruler.
The injured male draws away from his companions, unsteady on his feet. He falls, and is caught by Rukia and Isshin, who support him to Hollow before releasing him.
The male falls forward, as if he were bowing, but smiles as he accepts the black zanpakto that is held out and hands over the white one he carries. He carries a mask identical to what the Hollow has perched on his head.
Hollow then has wrapped the male in his arms, burying his nose in orange hair.
"Where is everyone?"
"Waiting for you to wake up, you took a long time."
"Oh, sorry, but that doesn't mean you can grope."
Benitora is afraid to think of who is master; especially in the return of one who he had believed would be the hero.
The Hollow ushers his colored counterpart to the throne, sitting in it, the other male in his lap. Isshin moves to the side, murmuring to the picture he holds, tears running down his face. Rukia and the three others move to flank the throne.
The reiatsu is rising again.
Hollow chuckles softly and covers the other male's mouth with his own "that's enough King" he said.
"But…"
"I like you awake" he said "it's boring running your kingdom by myself. You can bring them back, but only a few."
Urahara and Yoruichi are standing before them again. They move to flank Isshin, who is still watching silently.
The four flanking the throne move forward, joined by others, except for two girls who look similar to each other who move to flank the throne.
"What do you want Shiro?"
"Just what I always have King, only you."
On the male's wrists is tied the Hogyoku, believed to be lost when Aizen was defeated. So he had been the carrier of it.
"You're still a pervert."
The Hollow smiles.
And then the shinigami are attacked.
Benitora is slain by an arrow shot by the last Quincy. As he lays dying, he watches.
"And now that you're awake" the Hollow was smiling "on to the next adventure."
"Together?"
"Yes, as one as we were once" the Hollow purrs.
"I'm sorry."
"Hueco Mundo and Los Noches are not the only homes of monsters King. The vizards could have warned you that Seireitei feared the unusual."
What…?
"Yes, but I'd thought they were allies…"
"The soutaichou is old for a reason, age, experience and treachery, remember" the Hollow is amused.
Benitora's vision darkens as they all encircle the throne. The ones who were killed appearing and joining them, as well as the lost shinigami. More are coming, ones who he recognizes from the stories of old… Renji, Matsumoto, Hinamori…
"You'll be there?"
"Always and forever"
So, that was the truth…he had been used…as a weapon…betrayal on the side of Sei…rei…tei…
Black overcomes his vision, hearing just before he dies.
"I reject."
"Shiro, I said stop it!"
"Aw, come on King, just one kiss?"
"Geez, you pervert. Come on, we're gonna be late!"
"They can wait."
"Tatsuki said that if you keep her waiting again she'd break both your legs, and she can do it too! Besides, goat-face insists on throwing some big party, he invited everyone."
"…everyone?"
"Yeah, and Shinji said that they were in the area-…"
"Couldn't their bus have broken down somewhere?"
"Shiro"
"Fine"
"…hey, I had a weird dream last night."
"What was it?"
"I don't really remember. I think it was sad…but I was happy at the end."
"How come?"
"You promised to be with me and it was going to be forever. I think we were going to go someplace, but it would be together."
"Aw King, is that a proposal?"
"Shut up Shiro"
"You needn't blush. I'll always say yes, so long as it's you asking or with you. Doesn't matter King."
"I made you wait."
"In your dream? King, if it was you, for you…I'd wait however long it'd take, even until the world ended; I'd wait after that."
"Is this your way of confessing to me? Because I love you too; now, we're gonna be late. Time to go."
"Alright, but I will be rewarded for my patience, right?"
"Pati-…you mean in my dream? Shiro you pervert!"
A fond laugh, a slight smile "love you too King, forever and always, only you."