So, I took all the work I did for this story…and scrapped it. To be completely honest, I didn't like this one. I really didn't. Sorry for all of you who did enjoy the first chapter. But, I think that this one turned out MUCH better. Considering all the pointers I've been given along the way by avid readers of my work (shoutout to Ichigo Oga!). So, here are the true Memoirs, those belonging to the King who Rules the Dead.
Disclaimer: I own naught!
Chapter 1: The First Act
'Rukia!' Ichigo shot down from above the dome, picking up crazy speed, since he kinda pushed off the top of the down and launched himself like a tiny rocket. He closed in on the desperate figure of Rukia, who didn't notice his arrival, or him taking her in his arms, or even him landing on the roof of the small building that was miraculously still standing. She watched him turn away from her, the sleeve of his Ban-Kai outfit dancing in the wind, and the remnants of the tattered tail being thrown around. She couldn't see his eyes, but she could feel the disappointment pouring off him. He didn't even look at her, but he turned his head slightly, and she saw his eye.
"Stay here, Rukia. I'll take care of this quickly." She watched him launch himself at the giant that was the Cero Espada, Yammy Llargo. She watched him as he baited the monster away from their fallen comrades, the giant barely noticing what he was doing. Without warning, Yammy was struck in the neck by a full powered black Getsuga, and he slammed into the sands of Las Noches. Rukia froze when she saw the pattern on his mask, and even from that distance, she could see the difference. She remembered hearing that the pattern on his mask gradually changed, from one stripe across the left eye, to basically the full left side covered in red. But this…this was completely different. It was basically a skull, with a two black lines that went over each eye.
Suddenly, Yammy burst out back from the sands, blood sliding down his neck from a small wound. Ichigo dodged the incoming fist, and Yammy placed a hand on the wound.
"Tch, you actually managed to cut me a little, that's a lot more that what those other insects could do." He glared at Ichigo, who was staring at the small wound in shock.
'That was a full powered Hollowfied Getsuga! And he only got such a small wound?' He quickly snapped back into gear as his instincts flared to life, and he dodged the incoming fist, only to land in the path of an open hand, which wrapped around him, holding him in place. He could feel the fingers of the giant taking his life away, and he could feel his bones cracking. Screaming in pain, he struggled valiantly to free himself from the iron grip, but his struggles were in vain. He hadn't recovered enough reiatsu to free himself. And he could call on his Maska again as he couldn't sustain this new mask long. Suddenly, his world lurch to the side, and the fingers that were wrapped around him went limp. He could hear the pained shout from the Cero Espada, before plummeting from about 100ft straight down into the sands, where he found himself facing the Captain of Squad 11, Kenpachi Zaraki, and the Captain of Squad 6, Kuchiki Byakuya. He looked up at them in wonder, before noticing the bloodthirsty Squad 11 Captain raise his sword, and quickly dodged to the side, only to be thrown across the sands as the sword almost cut him in half. He stared at the man in shock, bef-
…
A yawn caught his attention. He looked up from the book he was reading from and noticed the violet haired young girl sitting across from him attempting to keep sleep away by furiously rubbing her eyes. She looked up at him, a pleading look in her amber eyes.
"Dad, don't stop! You were just getting to the good part! Please?" She gave him the dreaded puppy dog eyes, but the man just chuckled.
"You're half asleep. Besides, this can wait. Off to bed you go, Senna." The girl sighed, and just as she went to rebut him, she let out a massive yawn. She looked at him sheepishly, and chuckled when he raised an eyebrow in a knowing fashion.
"Right. Not tired at all. Off to bed. Remember your duties beforehand young lady." She nodded and stood up, popping her joints as she did so. She skipped over to his side and kissed him on the cheek.
"Goodnight Dad. See you in the morning!" She skipped off, stopping at the door to wave at him. He sighed and closed the book that was resting on the open page on his lap, making sure to place a bookmark on the page. He replaced the book on the shelf of the massive bookcase that was only the first of many in the Library. He quietly exited, noticing the guard standing quietly across the corridor, keeping an eye on his daughter.
Thanking the man from the other side of the corridor, he proceeded to make his way back down the winding corridors, before ending up in a large throne room. Sighing, he walked up to the throne and dropped himself into it, massaging his temples in an attempt to rid himself of the weariness that was threatening to send him off to sleep. Yawning, he completely missed the entrance of a young, violet haired woman, who proceeded to stand beside him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, expecting him to jump at her sudden appearance, but pouted when he turned to face her, a smile on his face, his crimson eyes staring into her yellow eyes.
"Hello my love. Glad to see you could make it." He turned back to look down the throne room, the red carpet a strong contrast against the black walls. He frowned. "I think we need to paint the castle. I'm thinking…an intense neon blue." He swiped his arm through the air, changing the colour of the walls to his liking, before instantly changing his mind and returning the colour to black. Soft laughter from beside him made him turn back to face the young woman.
"Oh Ichigo. That was horrible! I couldn't stand everything being so bright!" She reached up and ran her hand through his long, black hair, which was tied in a loose ponytail. He leaned into her touch.
"Now that she is here, with us, everything is much brighter, Ana." He gave her a smile, which she happily returned. She leaned down and gave him a quick, but deep kiss. He looked back down the room, before clicking his fingers, a servant appearing by his side in an instant.
"Yes, my Lord?" He gave a deep bow.
"I heard there was someone who wanted to see me today? I had been putting off meeting this fellow for a few months. Actually, I put off seeing everyone for a few months, so we could take care of little Senna. Can you contact this man, and tell him that I would be more than happy to make up for lost time, and see him within the next couple days at his discretion. Also, could you go fetch Kisuke for me? Thank you, Darros." With his orders in hand, Darros vanished. Ana walked over and sat on Ichigo's lap, leaning back into him.
"So, my King, how far did you get in your story time with Senna?" Ichigo laughed softly, before wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Well, my darling Queen, we are well into the Invasion of Hueco Mundo. I had just defeated Ulqiuorra, saved Rukia from falling, and Byakuya and Zaraki have rocked up to take on Yammy. I can't believe that Kisuke actually wrote a book about me, but I'm kinda glad he did. But, did he have to call it Memoirs of Hells King? Seriously, they aren't my memoirs!" He sighed at the antics of his oldest friend.
He and Kisuke had fought together for well over a thousand years. Both being there to witness each-others grief when the news that Central 46 had ordered the destruction of both the Shiba and the Shihoin houses because they were allies of the rouge Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo. Of course, the Gotei had vehemently opposed the orders, even going as far as to begin a revolt against Central, but what they didn't count on was Central removing them from their positions and installing new 'Neo-Captains' who were basically leashed dogs, to complete their orders. When they heard about the treachery of Central, both Ichigo and Kisuke invaded Soul Society, tearing through these so-called 'Captains' with relative ease. The two then stormed the Meeting Hall where the 'Neo-Captains' retreated to in order to re-group.
Needless to say, it was a massacre. Both Ichigo and Kisuke were responsible for toppling the corrupt Central 46 and their dogs in at least three hours. Once Central was destroyed, Ichigo basically forced the Old Man to take up the mantle of 'Leader of Soul Society', not even caring that it was meant to be Central 46 that ruled. They had screwed up enough times to prove that they weren't capable of running the place.
Once Yamamoto accepted the position (more like couldn't refuse), he had already changed the structure of Soul Society. Ichigo and Kisuke watched on as Mayuri was stripped of his position and thrown back into the Maggots Nest, powerless, and squad-less. His 'daughter', Nemu, had been given the position of Captain, and what a job she has done. She destroyed all semblance of the horror that was the Research and Development Division, and focused completely on advancing the technology of Soul Society, changing the squad into the Research and Advancements Division, or R.A.D. With her passion for the modern technology from the World of the Living, and the combined want for better medicines and practices by Unohana, the grumpy fossil finally relented, and order the immediate advancement of all technology within the Soul Society. Nemu had a field-day.
Ichigo and Kisuke heard a year later that Ukitake-Taicho had been cured of his disease, thanks to the medical advancements pushed forth by Unohana. Even though Soul Society had advanced so much, and come a long way in terms of structure, Ichigo and Kisuke never set foot within the spiritual plane again. Instead, they dedicated themselves to finding the re-incarnations of the people they lost. It didn't take long, but Ichigo was the first to find someone, and he was surprised to realise that he had actually found Kaien, Kukaku and Ganju, all together again, within the walls of New Lilith. Since finding them, Ichigo kept to Hell, Kisuke faithfully by his side. Together, they fought the Old Maou Faction after the Great War, in which his friend, and the then Ruler of Hell, Lucifer, was killed.
If it weren't for the involvement of both Ichigo and Kisuke, the Sirzechs, Serafall, Akuja and Falbuim wouldn't have won the war that quickly. It would have taken many more years of war, and many more lives would have been lost. Once the war was over, Sirzechs took the throne of Lucifer, but instead of being the Ruler of Hell, he gave the position to Ichigo, who wore the Armour of Hell, which he had gained when he invaded to free his sister from the clutches of Sinners all those years ago.
Ichigo ran his hand through his hair. Nostalgia sinking in as he realised that it had been almost 500 years since he had become the King of Hell, leaving the running of the place to the 4 Maous. He did a mental tally.
'I arrived here 15 years after defeating Sosuke, which was about 1500 years ago. I wandered about with Kisuke for probably 500 years, it was during that time that we invaded Soul Society and destroyed Central. After we returned, we wandered some more before running into Lucifer, who set me up with some nice digs. Then the Great War started about 400 years after that, which lasted for 100 years. After that, the Civil War started, with the Old Maou Faction wanting to remain in charge, but little Sirzechs and his merry friends wanted to change this place for the better. It was during that war that I met Ana, and it was after the war that we married. Sirzechs, Sera, Akuja and Falbium took over the major roles when I was given the throne, basically meaning I get to kick back and chill while they run the country. It was a good plan at the time, and it still is a good plan. Senna was born 12 years ago, and I'm thinking that for her birthday, I take her to Kyoto. I'm sure that Hanami would be more than delighted to see me again.' He closed his crimson eyes, and allowed the soft humming that came from Ana to lull him to sleep, but the arrival of Kisuke tore him from his almost sleep like state.
"Ichigo! You called for me?" Said man looked at him, before dropping his forehead onto Ana's back, where his muffled voice sounded out.
"Yeah, I did. Within the next couple days, I'm gonna meet this person who has been wanting to meet me for a couple months, but since Senna got sick, I haven't been seeing anyone. After, I was planning on taking both Senna and Ana to Kyoto, so I would like you to contact Hanami, even though I hear she isn't the Leader of Kyoto anymore. Apparently, her daughter, called Yasaka, is in charge now. So send a letter to both of them. Then, as much as it pains me to say this, I want you to send a letter to…Goat-chin. I think it's time he and the girls meet Senna." He sighed, but relaxed when Ana leaned her head on his. Kisuke coughed.
"Ichigo, we swore to never set foot in Soul Society again. I've heard they had installed a new Central System." Ichigo moved from the warmth of his wife, and gave the blonde former Shopkeeper a sad smile.
"Kisuke, I think it's time. We haven't set foot there in about a 1000 years. I hear that the new Central System has to answer to not only the new Sou-Taicho, but the Council of Captains, which, mind you, was about 1000 years too late. They have changed. If not, we can kill everyone and let it star-" He was cut off mid-sentence as Ana spectacularly elbow-dropped onto the top of his head, her small frame backing a lot of hidden power. Kisuke laughed.
"Seems like the Queen is stronger than the King. Ana, you truly deserve the title of Strongest Queen, I wonder why you gave it to Mrs Lucifuge." Ana, who had finished reprimanding Ichigo, turned to Kisuke.
"I gave it to her because Ichigo and I decided to not play a major role in the establishment of the new order. We were both from the Old Maou Faction, since we were sided with Lucifer during the Great War. Sure, he wasn't the greatest person, but he held this place together in a fragile peace. Once he was gone, the remnants of the Faction wanted to control the people, while the New Generation wanted the people to live free, happy lives, without the worry of being subjugated with tyranny. I was surprised when I found out that Sirzechs had married Grayfia, and I gave her the title of 'Strongest Queen' after teaching her everything I know." Speech over, she focused back on Ichigo, who was attempting to sneak away. Noticing he had failed, he ran, but Ana just smiled and let him go.
"He has really been working hard. Even though he has kept away from the 4 Maou, he still plays a major hand in their decisions." Ana turned to Kisuke, who had climbed the small stairs that lead to the throne. "Ichigo doesn't show it, but he's tired. I think he's had enough of ruling, and just want's to enjoy himself. He has regressed, wouldn't you say?" Ana looked back in the direction that Ichigo ran in.
"Yes, Kisuke, he has. I remember him during the Great War. With a swing of Zangetsu, he would make mountains vanish. A punch could make a hole in even the strongest enemy. Not even the Viceroy of the Fallen Angels, Azazel, or even the Great Seraph of Heaven Michael, would challenge Ichigo, or you by extension. He has mellowed out over time, and has regressed back into the person he was before the Civil War. Once the Great War ended, his childish and humorous personality is what endeared me to him. He was always a loving person, always. But the Civil war became too much for him, and he decided that the world shouldn't be under the thumbs of the Old Maou Faction, so he came to us, and said that he would openly support Sirzechs and his band of Merry Friends. And thus, we went back to war." She sighed and dropped into the throne. Kisuke looked down at her with concern.
"Ana? Are you okay?" She smiled at him.
"I'm fine Kisuke, just tired. With Senna being as sick as she was, neither Ichigo or I got much sleep. One of us was always by her side. Senna was a blessing to us Kisuke, and I don't know what we would have done if we had lost her." Kisuke, nodded solemnly.
"It truly was a devastating season for Devils Flu. Thankfully Ichigo came to me, and I went to Unohana, who went to Nemu. She asked to meet me to give me the vaccine, even though we met outside in the World of the Living. Ana, Ichigo, yourself and I were in the same boat, I don't know what I would have done if I had lost my God-daughter." Ana watched him lean on the throne, his grey eyes steeled with resolve. "Since Ichigo said it was time to return to Soul Society, then return we will. I shall make preparations for the Kyoto trip, then the Soul Society visit. Have a lovely night, Ana." With that, he gave her a quick bow, and walked off, vanishing with burst of Shunpo. Ana watched him leave, sadness rolling off him in waves.
She had been there when Ichigo found his family in New Lilith, which gave Kisuke hope for finding the one person he trusted more that Ichigo. Sadly, even after searching for a thousand years, there was no trace of Yoruichi Shihoin, much to the disappointment of both Ichigo and Kisuke. But, like a true friend, Ichigo never gave up the search, and still had people scouring the world of the Living and Hell for any sign of the were-cat.
Taking a deep breath, Ana stood and walked away from the throne, which seemed to display sadness as she walked away.
…
She stood outside of Senna's room, watching Ichigo as he slowly closed the door. Ever since she got sick, he had been watching her sleep for a bit to ensure that she was breathing properly. A couple times when things got bad, she had thanked him for being his over-protective self, because if he hadn't been there, then Senna would have been in serious trouble. He looked at her and gave her a genuine smile. He pulled her into him and kissed her gently. She dropped her head onto his chest and let out a long sigh, and Ichigo began to run his hands through her violet hair.
"She's sleeping peacefully. I didn't know what to do, Ana. So I went to the one person who did. Kisuke. I told him to do everything in his power to help her. I know he went to Soul Society for aid, and it must have been a very difficult thing for him. So I think my little surprise for him would brighten his mood." Ana looked at him, confusion on her tired face. "Not here, you'll scream." He began leading her back to their room, noticing the guard who was standing at the end of the corridor.
"Stram. Thank you, old friend. I swear, you'll get a hefty bonus for this." He pat the old soldier on the shoulder, but he waved him off.
"Ichigo, there is no need. I do this cause I care for the Princess. She really brightened up this place when she was born. If I have to stay awake for a thousand nights for her, then a thousand nights I shall stay awake." Ichigo smiled at him.
"Thank you, Knight-Captain Stram Fousend, for your loyalty." The Knight bowed.
"Thank you, My King, Shiba 'Kurosaki' Ichigo. And you, My Queen, Shiba Ana." Ana leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. They then decided to leave the Knight to his duties, and started the walk back to their room, which happened to be above Senna's room, a door hidden in the roof for quick responses to emergencies. Since there wasn't a rush, they took a leisurely stroll through the castle.
"Ichigo, you said you left Kisuke a surprise. What is it?" Ichigo smiled, a true, genuine heartfelt smile.
"I found Yoruichi Shihoin."
…(15 minutes prior)…
Kisuke left Ana to begin preparations for their trip to Kyoto. He knew quite a bit about the Shinto Faction, and the fact that the Ruler of Kyoto, the current Ruler, is a young woman called Yasaka. Apparently, she might be Ichigo's first daughter, since he had a…tryst…with Hanami before being brought to Hell. Ichigo had confided this in him, and he hadn't spoken a word to anyone. If word got out that the Ruler of the Kyoto Yokai might be the daughter of the King of Hell, then alliances would go to shit six ways to Sunday. He had told Ana that there was a possibility that Senna wasn't his first daughter, because of his intimate relationship with Hanami, and she had accepted it, saying that he was human then, and his humanity pushed him to developing a lasting connection to something in the world that wasn't his sisters or his father.
He sighed and ran his hand through his blonde hair, stopping to look at himself in the window. He laughed at what he saw. 'I need sunlight.' Shaking his head, he continued on his way to his study, which was basically the entire east wing of the castle. Ichigo had really gone all out to pander to his research side when constructing the castle.
The East Wing was the Science and Research Wing, and it was were Kisuke, alongside Akuja, created the Evil Pieces.
The West Wing was previously the residential wing, before being converted into a Library.
The un-used North Wing was converted into the residential area, with all the servants and guards moving in quickly.
The South Wing, which overlooked the realm of Hell, and had a nice view of New Lilith, was the Kings Wing. It's where Ichigo, Ana, Senna and himself slept. It also held the guest quarters, which were used frequently by Sirzechs and Grayfia, who brought little Rias to play with Senna. Sometimes they would be accompanied by Serafall, who would bring Sona to play. Needless to say, the three of them would get up to all kinds of mischief, and quickly became the bestest of friends.
The Central Tower was the Transport Room, where Ichigo would go if he needed to get to New Lilith quickly to discuss matters with the 4 Maou.
Below the Central Tower, was the Throne Room, which ran the length of the Castle, and allowed quick access to each of the wings. The Castle itself was 9 floors, each representing a layer of Hell. It was the previous castle that Lucifer resided in before the Great War. It was aptly named Fallens Cradle.
Of course, Ichigo didn't like the name, so he changed it to Horizon's Reach. He was quite proud of himself after it was chosen by the guards and servants, who all put in suggestions for names into a hat.
Once again, Kisuke found himself reminiscing, and shook his head to clear his thoughts, and looked down at his watch. Frowning, he realised that he had literally spent something close to 10 minutes thinking about the origins of the castle. Deciding that he could write the letters tomorrow, he moved away from the East Wing and moved in the direction of the South Wing.
…
It didn't take him long to reach his room. Sighing and opening the door, he froze when a familiar reiatsu washed over him. His eyes went wide, and his heart began to race. Sweat started to form on his brow. 'It…can't be…she…impossible…she's…it's…her…'
For Kisuke, coherent thought became a difficult thing. He stumbled through the short corridor, bumping into every piece of furniture along the way. He was pretty sure that he tripped once and had to support himself using the small table that held the photo of him and Yoruichi with Ichigo, the day he went to Soul Society to save Rukia.
He stuck his head around the corner, to be able to see into the room, only to be scratched quite viciously across the face. Of course it did nothing to him (training for 1500 years with Ichigo would increase your power quite a bit it seems) other than give him a slight tickle. His lack of reaction made the second occupant of the room quite annoyed.
"Tch. It sucked when I didn't get anything out of Ichigo, but you too? That's not fair!" Kisuke looked down, and scooped up the small black cat into his arms, before falling to his knees, tears threating to spill from his eyes.
"Yoru…ichi…" The black cat froze, before relaxing and exploding in a puff of smoke, revealing a very naked mocha skinned woman, who threw her arms around the blonde mans shoulders, pulling him close to her.
"Kisuke."
…
The two conversed late into the night, with Kisuke doing most of the talking. Of course, Yoruichi told him about how Ichigo found her, and it made the former shopkeeper smile. Even after a thousand years, Ichigo never stopped looking.
Kisuke listened as Yoruichi told him the story.
"So, there I was, facing off against a very, very big Dragon. I think Tannin was his name. Anyway, he charges down, shouting that I invaded his territory and it was his duty to remove me. I honestly didn't know where I was, so I fought back. I changed form and lashed out, only to find out I was very…very weak. I had my full power, but this guy was a monster. That was until he was slammed into the floor and flung into a mountain." She broke out into laughter when she remembered the face the Dragon made when he stopped mid-flight, and dropped like a sack of potatoes. Kisuke himself laughed when she dropped her fist into her palm to emphasise the impact the Dragon made. She looked back at Kisuke.
"The Dragon then pulled itself free from the mountain and charged right at the person who threw it, only to stop and start sweating. I was curious, so I shifted back into my cat form and got closer. All I cold see was the Dragon prostrating before 3 people. One of them had red hair, like Renji. The other was a small woman, about the size of Rukia, maybe a little taller. The third was tall, a black, tight fitting cloak that had three coat-tails which fluttered in the wind. He had long, black hair and crimson eyes*. His face looked really familiar, but I couldn't place it." Kisuke gave her a blank look.
"Yoru. That person, the third one, you know him. I've been helping him all this time. He's actually the one that owns this castle." She gave him a quizzical glance.
"Yeah right. Oh well, I guess I'll meet him tomorrow. The red-haired guy said that I was to wait for you here, then he left. What do we do now?" Kisuke lay back on his bed.
"We wait until tomorrow. The King wanted to see me." This got Yoruichi's attention.
"The King? As in the King of Souls? What did you do this time?" Kisuke actually laughed, which surprised her even more, because Kisuke was never one to laugh so openly.
"Nah, the King of Hell."
…
Yoruichi froze. She couldn't really see him, but she could easily recognise the black hair and the crimson eyes. What really surprised her was the recognition in his eyes. In all, he looked like he had just seen someone come back from the dead. Kisuke, who was beside her, pinched her arm gently, bringing her back to reality.
"Hey, Yoru. Say something! That's the King of Hell! He's in charge of this entire Castle! He graciously lent me that room when I told him I was a researcher! C'mon Yoru! Don't leave me hanging!" The woman coughed and spluttered a little, before regaining her composure, and walked up to the base of the stairs that lead to the throne the black haired man was sitting on, a violet haired woman sitting on an identical throne to his immediate right. They were both looking at her curiously, and the man raised an eyebrow when she knelt before him.
"My King. I thank you for rescuing me from the Depths of Hell. I humbly beg for your approval to let me stay here with Kisuke. He and I have been apart for…I don't know how long. I remember waking up here, and then being attacked by that Dragon. I swear to you. I offer you my services as a Former Captain of Soul Society, if that is what you desire of me." The room was quiet, then everything went horribly wrong. Yoruichi heard a snicker, before the snicker turned into giggles that were trying to be restrained. She looked up and saw the violet haired woman with a hand to her mouth. She heard the same thing from behind her, and she turned to see Kisuke in the same position, except he had his stupid fan covering his face.
She turned back to face the black haired man, but was shocked to see that he had moved and was standing in front of her, his hand held out before her.
"C'mon. You're better than that, Yoruichi." She frowned, before taking the hand and standing. She watched as Kisuke strolled up next to him and whispered in his ear. She saw the black haired man make an 'O' with his mouth, before laughing slightly. He turned back to face her.
"Let me introduce myself properly. Last time, when we were at the Crags, you ran away before I could talk to you, so I had Sirzechs and Serafall bring you here. It is a pleasure to see you again, Yoruichi Shihoin. I am the King of Hell, and my name is…Shiba Ichigo." Yoruichi fainted, much to the humour of both Kisuke and Ichigo. She swore to herself as her consciousness faded, that she would get strong enough to gouge their eyes out.
…
She drifted back into consciousness as she felt the cool sheets draped over her shift slightly. She groaned before attempting to sit up. She opened her eyes only to find herself staring into a pair of very large amber eyes, that were filled with wonder. She heard soft laughter coming from the corner of the room, and when her eyesight settled, she saw 'Ichigo' sitting in a chair, a book resting on his lap. He stood and walked over, his eyes soft and warm.
"Yoruichi. I know that it seems strange, to hear that I'm Ichigo. But I'm serious, I am Kurosaki Ichigo. The same one you trained. The same one who invaded Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, and the same one who used Mugetsu to defeat Sosuke. Trust me, Yoruichi, it real-urk!" He was stopped mid-sentence when Yoruichi threw her arms around him, tears spilling from her eyes.
"Ichigo! It really is you! Ichigo!" He wrapped his own arms around the woman and held her close. He could feel her tears soaking into his shoulder. He raised his hand and gently ran his fingers through her hair.
"Shh. Hey, Yoruichi, there are some people I want to introduce you to. Can you be strong for a little bit?" He got a nod into his shoulder as a response. He chuckled when she didn't let go. "Hey, c'mon now."
"A couple minutes more. You smell different. I want to remember it from now on as your smell." He chuckled some more. She let go of him after a little, using the back of her hand to wipe her tears away. He wiped a stray tear with a thumb.
"Atta girl." She raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, last time I checked, you were the child. What makes you think you can treat me like one?" She poked him in the chest. He gave her a sad smile and sat down on the bed next to her, Senna jumping onto the end of the bed and sitting cross-legged.
"Yoru, this is Senna, my daughter. She's gonna be 13 this year. Senna, this is your Aunt Yoruichi." The child turned to face her, her large eyes glistening.
"My Aunt? Awesome! Hi, I'm Shiba Senna, nice to meet ya!" She skipped over and jumped into her arms. She instantly took a liking to the mocha skinned woman. And the same went for Youichi, as she wrapped her arms around the child.
"Hey! How's it going kid? Chill here for a bit?" The young woman nodded before shuffling around and settled down on her lap, Yoruichi began to play with her violet hair.
"Hey, her hair colour looks just like that woman's hair from the throne room. Did little Ichi finally become a man?" She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively, to which Ichigo winked.
"Not in front Senna." She coughed at his response, her eyes wide.
'Since when did he learn? This will be fun!' She composed herself before going back to playing with Senna's hair. "Is she this one's mother?" Ichigo nodded.
"Yeah, Ana. She and I met a very long time ago Yoruichi. A very long time ago." He paused, before facing her, his entire posture radiated sadness, pain and suffering. "We met about a thousand years ago, Yoruichi." Now, Yoruichi thought herself to be composed and proper most of the time, but she thought she might have had a heart attack at this point. She wrapped her arms around the child in front of her.
"A thousand years?! Ichigo, are you kidding me? You've been in Hell for a thousand years?! Don't play games with me!" He raised his hands in an attempt to placate her.
"1500 years actually. But! Let me tell you what happened. After I defeated Sosuke using Mugetsu, instead of taking my powers, the Final Getsuga Tensho slowly began to drain my life away. I was dying. Goat-Chin decided to stay away, thinking that I was powerless, and the people I called friends moved away as well, even Soul Society kept from me. So I left, as you know. I ended up in Kyoto, where I met Hanami, actually, I saved her life from some loyalists to Tamamo-no-Mae. Anyway, she told me that deep inside my soul, there was something that was actually trying to negate the effects of The Final Getsuga, and that she was willing to help me bring forth that power. So I stayed in Kyoto for about 15 years, where I manifested the power Hell lent me when Yuzu was brought here by Shuren. Now, it took almost 15 years of trying and meditating to bring out this power, but as soon as I did, I was brought to Hell. Kisuke heard from Hanami that I vanished in a burst of flame, and he came down to see if I was here. Of course he found me, and it turned out I couldn't go back, because Hell finally had a claim on my soul. So I was stuck here, have been ever since. Oh, we need to talk about some adult stuff. Stram! Could you take Senna to Ana? She wanted to prepare for the trip to Kyoto. Thanks." To Yoruichi, the guard that entered could be compared to the Old Man in Soul Society, and the power he gave off could easily rival the fossil.
"Of course, My King. Come now, Young Miss." He held his hand out, and Senna spun, kissed Yoruichi on the cheek, giggled like an adorable child and hopped off the bed, taking the guards hand.
"See ya, Aunt Yoruichi, Later Dad!" She skipped off, closely following the guard, and said a joke which caused the guard to laugh, which could be heard echoing down the halls, and it quickly became infectious, with other people joining in. Ichigo turned to Yoruichi.
"What do you know about Hanami? I know you stayed with her after I left. There is something I need to know. Something I need to prepare myself for." Yoruichi cocked her head to the side.
"Geez Ichigo, it's been over a thousand years and the first thing you do is talk business. Fine. I shall humour you. A male Kyuubi-no-Kitsune arrived about a year after you left. He courted Hanami for about 100 years, as she was intent on you returning. She gave up and gave in to him, and she gave birth to his child 400 years after that. Yasaka was her name, and she is about 350 maybe 400 herself at this point, with her own child. Why?" Ichigo let out a sigh, and Yoruichi could basically feel the relief in his reiatsu. "Ichigo…you didn't sleep with her, did you?" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Yeah…a couple night before I was brought down to Hell. We…shared…a bed. I thought perhaps Yasaka could have been my daughter. The timing was all there, and I was seriously worried." Yoruichi was fuming.
"I sent you to Hanami, so you could live a peaceful life! And you slept with her! Ichigo!" She smacked him on the back of his head, to which he barely flinched. "WHY ARE YOU SO STRONG!?" She threw her hands up in the air, and she dropped back into the pillows. He just laughed.
"Yoruichi. Kisuke is about as strong as me. I've been here longer than him. He left the World of the Living shortly after Central went crazy. You should have seen the state we left Soul Society in." She turned to face him.
"What. Did. You. Do?" She punctuated each word with a brief pulse of reiatsu.
"Invaded. Took some names. Toppled a government. Nothing too serious." She punched him in the face. Surprisingly, he felt it. He dropped to his knees, his hands shooting up and began massaging his sore nose. It may have actually been broken.
"ARE YOU A FOOL!? SCRATCH THAT…I NEED YOU AND KISUKE HERE FOR WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO! KISUKE! GET IN HERE YOU BASTARD!" Not even a second passed before the eccentric shopkeeper appeared by the window. The first thing he saw was Ichigo clutching his nose, and he instantly knew what happened. He turned to face Yoruichi, and saw that she was absolutely furious.
"Yoru...ichi…san?"
"SHUNKO!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
…
Ana felt the castle shake, and the dying echo of a scream reverberated throughout the halls. Every guard looked around curiously, before returning to their normal duties. Senna frowned and looked at her mother.
"Hey Mom? Dad and Uncle Kisuke…are they going to be alright? I mean…Aunt Yoruichi seems quite…angry? Upset? Enraged? There are so many emotions pouring out of her right now." Ana giggled at the question, earning a raised eyebrow from her daughter.
"Don't worry about them Senna. Your Father and Uncle made her very angry by doing something really silly a long time ago. They are…however…going to fine, as they can most definitely take what your Aunt is throwing at them. Remember what happened with Tiamat?" She smiled at the beaming grin that Senna gave her.
"That's right. Dad made Aunt Tiamat into his familiar. And Aunt Tiamat is a Dragon. Admittedly, Aunt Tiamat tried to eat him first." She nodded and crossed her arms. Ana looked at her out of the corner of her eye, pride surging up from her heart at seeing her daughter growing up, maturing into a beautiful, young woman as every day went by. She smiled as her amber eyes reflected the sunlight.
She was surprised when Senna was born with violet hair and amber eyes, eyes which were actually a mix of her yellow and Ichigo's crimson. She remembered when he took her in his arms and said a name that she thought was perfect.
…(Flashback)…
The cries of the newborn child rung out through the halls. Ichigo, who had been pacing back and forth on the same spot for about 4 hours froze. He slowly turned to the door that was the only thing keeping him from his wife, and his newborn child. He turned ack to face the other people who were waiting with him. Sirzechs, who had arrived with Grayfia, who immediately went to help Ana with the delivery. Serafall was there, standing next to the Crimson Lucifer. So was Akuja, Falbium and Kisuke. They all gave him a look that was a mix between pride and surprise. Sirzechs walked up to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Congratulations, Ichigo. I can feel the little one's power from here. She will be a beacon to both our races. A true light in the darkness of Hell." Serafall clapped happily whilst the others cheered. Ichigo felt like crying, and he completely missed what Sirzechs said about the gender of his child. He spun back the other way when the door opened, revealing a very tired and dishevelled Grayfia.
"Ichigo-sama. She is asking for you." He nodded and stood to his full height, trying to hide every semblance of giddiness he could. He took two paces before forgetting all semblance of control and vanished in a burst of Shunpo, startled yelps from inside the room the indicator that he materialized next to his wife.
…
"Ana." He looked down at the tired visage of his wife. The woman who had spent her life fixing him, and the one who actually succeeded. He pulled up a chair and sat down by her bedside, taking her hand in his own.
"Ichigo." She turned her head to look at him, her yellow eyes filled with motherly warmth, love and affection. A cough broke their gazes, and they turned to look at Grayfia, who was carrying a small, pink bundle in her arms. He looked at Grayfia, then back at the bundle. A chuckle from the door made him look that way, to where Kisuke stood, an ever present pillar in his life.
"A man who faced down demi-gods, Gods, myths, legends and the Mother of Storms Tiamat herself, trembling at the sight of a babe. This will be the most comedic part of your memoirs to date." He whipped out his fan, and narrowly dodged the scalpel that flew at his head, courtesy of Ichigo.
"Why are you even writing that thing anyway?! Tia tried to eat me! Of-course I had to fight back!" He gave up when Kisuke lifted his fan once again, hiding his smirk. Sighing, he looked back at Grayfia, who moved closer to him once his little episode with Kisuke had finished. She gently passed the small pink bundle to Ana, who eagerly took her child into her arms.
"Mama has you. Mama is here." She sweetly cooed to the child, who slowly began to calm down. Ichigo stood and moved ever so slightly away when the little one began to cry. He looked at Ana with a look of confusion. She beckoned him over, and when he did close the gap, the little one calmed down. He smiled at her. Ana kissed the child on the forehead.
"Do you want to go to Papa? Here you go. Gently now, there we go." She passed the child over to Ichigo, who, thanks to all the time he spent in the clinic with his father, took her properly in his arms. He looked down at her.
"Our…daughter. Ana, what will we call her?" He kissed her nose gently, and chuckled gently when she wrinkled her little nose. It was at that moment when her eyes fluttered open, revealing two amber orbs looking back at him. Ichigo sat next to Ana, and the woman smiled when the child looked at her curiously.
"Senna. Her name is Senna." Ana looked at Ichigo, who spoke without taking his eyes off his daughter.
"What a beautiful name. I love it. Welcome to the world, Senna." Ichigo kissed her nose once again, before standing and walking over to Kisuke.
"Kisuke. Would you do us t-"
"Ichigo. Of-course. This humble shopkeeper accepts. Thank you, Ichigo. If anything should ever befall you, I will do everything in my power to make sure that she lives a long, happy life. That is the duty handed to me now, as her God-Father. Thank you, Ichigo. Also. It is now my job to spoil her rotten, and that is exactly what I will do! So if you will excuse me, I have presents I must finish building and testing." He bent down and gently kissed Senna on the forehead, the small girl letting out a little giggle. Kisuke opened the door and looked back at Ichigo, who in turn looked back at Ana.
"Go. I think I'll take a minute to recover. You try pushing out a baby." He chuckled and nodded.
"I love you, Shiba Ana."
"And I you, Kurosaki Ichigo."
…(Flashback End)…
Ana had finished packing when there was a knock at the door. Curiously, she opened it when she didn't feel any familiar power from behind it. She ushered Senna behind her, and gathered magic energy in her hand.
She slowly opened the door, to reveal Tiamat, who was leaning on the opposite wall, her face in a serious tone. She was angry about something, and her sky blue eyes looked like a thunderstorm was brewing in them. She pushed her white hair behind her ear and looked up at Ana, who was smiling brightly.
"Tia! When did you get home?"
"Lady Ana, I just got back not 10 minutes ago. I've come to let you know that there is a…guest…waiting in the Throne Room. I can't find Master anywhere, so I came to let you know. I am his Familiar, but I cannot sense him. Is everything okay, Lady Ana?" Ana smiled.
"Oh he is fine. He and Kisuke both are…catching up…to put it simply, with an old friend that was found in the outskirts of Tannins territory. He roughed her up a little, but Ichigo intervened quickly enough. Come in, Senna missed you dearly." She stood aside and let the violet haired bullet jump out from behind her into the waiting arms of the Mother of Storms.
"Little one! How are you? Have you been behaving?" Ana smiled, Tiamat always had a soft spot for Senna. Ever since she was born, she always kept a silent vigil over her while she slept. Ichigo and her were comfortable leaving the Castle because they knew both Tiamat and Stram were there. Stram, as it turned out, was strong enough to fight on par with both Serafall and Falbium. It also turned out that Sirzechs and Akuja were basically power inhabiting devils skins.
She closed her eyes and sent Ichigo a mental message through their bond. She received a confirmation almost immediately.
'I'll meet you and Tia at the Throne Room. Yoruichi just finished venting at us. Admittedly, she got us good at some points, and I think she broke my nose…multiple times. I just fixed it again so don't worry. See you soon!' She laughed, which caused both Senna and Tiamat to look at her funny.
"Ichigo will meet you, Tia, and I in the Throne Room. He is on his way there now, and I bet he will beat us there if we dally around. Stram! Please take Senna and keep her company. It is time for the King to greet his guest." Stram appeared out of nowhere and nodded. He turned to Tiamat and gave her a smile.
"Lady Tiamat! Welcome home. How was your mission?" Tiamat nodded.
"It went well. Crom Crauch won't be bothering the Quetzalcoatl anymore. That means the Mesoamerican Gods will sympathetic to the Maous want for peace." The Knight-Captain nodded.
"The more, the better. These old bones have seen too much war. I was there with the King and Queen during the Great War. Those were times to say the least. The King truly was a monster on the battlefield. I'm pretty sure that he was the reason so many high ranking Angels fell that day. I heard he almost made Lady Gabriel fall." Ana laughed.
"Oh yes. I remember that fight. Gab was getting so frustrated with not being able to catch him, that she was on the verge of letting her anger and rage take over. Of course, Ichigo noticed and knocked her out before she could fall, saying that Heaven shouldn't lose their 'Strongest Woman'. That was War though. And don't forget the Civil War. Senna, your father and I will tell you all about it when you turn 15, so off you go young lady." The young woman pouted, but agreed.
When she was younger, she asked them about the wars, but they refused to tell her because she was too young. They told her that they most definitely will tell her, just not yet. They asked her to wait until she was 15, and properly along in her training. She agreed, thinking that she could get some info out of them early, but was hugely mistaken when they kept avoiding her attempts to squeeze information out of them. They did, however, reward her with small pieces here and there when she used a creative method or ingenious plan to try and get something. When she asked, her father said that she was using her mind, and that it was the strongest muscle she had, and when she used it to create plans, or progress in her studies, she would be rewarded for doing good work.
"Alright then. I'll see you later then, Mom. Say hi to Dad for me!" She waved her goodbyes before heading off with Stram, saying that she had a couple more things to pack before the trip, and that they should head to her room as quickly as possible.
Smiling, Ana turned to Tiamat. "Let's go, Tia."
"Of course, My Queen."
…
Ichigo sat on the throne. His eyes set on the person standing below him, sword drawn, and eyes full of hate. Standing slowly, he waved off the concerned looks from both Ana and Tiamat, who had arrived in time to see the stranger draw his sword. He calmly walked down the steps until he stood before the man. They stared deep into each-other's eyes, then, as quick as a flash, the un-named man snapped his wrist, the sword arcing towards Ichigo's neck.
Moving equally as fast, Ichigo snapped his own hand towards the blade, catching it on a finger, eyes not moving from the other mans.
"Enough." He basically commanded, which seemed to anger the other.
"You…dare presume to command me? The last time you commanded me, ended with me killing you. What makes you think that you can do so now?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"I can do so now, because you, dumbass, are in. My. Home. Lower your sword. Now."
"The only way I will lower my sword, is if you tear my arm from its socket, or remove my head from my shoulders. I will not lower it of my own free will, Kurosaki Ichigo." He applied more force onto the sword, which was still stopped by Ichigo's finger.
"Then I shall take your arm…Ulqiuorra Schiffer." Without moving, the pale mans arm was violently torn apart, shock appearing on his face as the pain registered.
'I didn't even see him move!' He whipped out his other hand, grabbing onto the bloody limb that was dropping to the ground, pressing the severed limb to the stump that was his shoulder. A white substance bubbled, and the limb re-attached itself. Thinking quickly, Ulqiuorra jumped back, flipping a good distance, charging a green cero as he did so.
Landing halfway down the room, he raised his finger and launched the blast at Ichigo, who simply flicked his head to the side, and the attack lurched harmlessly to the side, crashing through the wall and detonating in the distance. Using the precise moment when Ichigo flicked his head, Ulqiuorra charged in again, a vain attempt to bring the confrontation back to close quarters.
Noticing the idea, Ichigo sidestepped the incoming slash, before lashing out with his foot, burying his heel into his attackers stomach. The move resulted in Ulqiuorra coughing up blood and spittle, before being launched towards the Castle entrance, crashing through the large wooden doors.
He tumbled head over heels, carving a trench with his body. He came to rest when a hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked up to see someone he didn't expect to see.
"Woman. What are you doing?"
"This is obviously not an opponent you can take alone. I told you. Taking on the King of Hell alone would be suicidal. Don't be stupid, Ulqiuorra, with me here, we can't lose. After all, my Blut can withstand almost anything." The woman helped him to his feet, and as he stood, he could feel his regeneration repairing all the damage done to him, bones cracking and setting themselves, and his lungs inflating after being punctured by his own ribs. He coughed up some more blood, but wiped it away and held his sword forwards.
"Enclose, Murcialago." He exploded in a burst of reiatsu, the green power flooding over everyone present, affecting people who were weaker than him. What he didn't notice though, was that the only people affected…were the gardeners.
Ichigo stepped out through the broken doors, his eyes landing on the woman standing next to the now released Ulqiuorra. He sighed. "One more doesn't change anything. I will show you, exactly how large the difference in power…really is." He vanished, and the woman gasped at the sheer speed he showed, getting past both their guards and planting his open palms into both their stomachs, launching them at the wall that surrounded the Castle. She coughed up some blood, and wiped it away with the back of her hand, a smirk finding its way to her mouth.
"Damn. This guy really is strong. He really deserves the title of King of Hell. C'mon, Ulqiuorra, let's step this up. I bet he doesn't even have a release." She held her hand up in front of her.
"QUINCY! VOLLSTANDIG!" She was bathed in a pillar of blue energy, while Ulqiuorra closed his eyes and shrouded himself in power.
"Resurrection: Segunda Etapa." He stood in his fully released form, and Ichigo just smirked.
"This again. I'm much stronger than before. Don't think that with this form…you will show me…true despair." He blurred and appeared in front of him, startling him again, and punched him in the face, launching him through the wall. Ichigo looked to his left, and reached up with his right hand, still outstretched from punching Ulqiuorra, and caught the arrow that was aimed at his head.
"Helig Phiel, huh? Pathetic. Do you honestly think, that this has enough power to even hurt me?" He launched the arrow back at the shooter, who had to quickly dodge using Hirenkyaku. She had to dodge again when a blast of magical energy tore the spot she landed in apart. She noticed something that shocked her though.
'THAT WAS KIDO!' She jumped back and pulled on her bow, charging a massive amount of energy into it. Ichigo chuckled.
"Bring it on. You too, Ulqiuorra. I'll take you both on." Said Arrancar appeared by her side, a flaming green javelin in his hand.
"Together now. LICHT REGEN!"
"Lanza del Relampago."
With both techniques named, they screamed towards Ichigo, who didn't move an inch. He looked up at the final moment, and he clicked his fingers.
"Bakudo no. 80: Danku." A white wall appeared and spilt the distance between him and the two attacks, which crashed into the wall and exploded spectacularly. Ulqiuorra and his accomplice were barely able to hold their ground as the concussive wave from the collision hit them. Then, everything went dark, as the smoke and debris rained down from the sky.
"Told you. Pathetic." They both spun around, and through the smoke, a pair of shining crimson eyes stared back at them. "Getsuga. Tensho." They didn't even see the attack coming before it crashed into them, and launched them back through the wall they were initially launched through, straight through the doors that Ulqiuorra was sent through, and crash landed at the base of the stairs that led to the throne. Coughing up blood, the woman turned to check on her companion, and cursed when she saw that he was knocked out of his Segunda Etapa, and his sealed sword was stuck into the ground a fair distance away. She clutched at the wound that the King of Hell inflicted on her with that attack, blood slowly oozing from the cut across her ribs.
She coughed up blood, and applied pressure to the wound. An evil chuckle caught her attention, and she turned to face the throne, only to see the King of Hell sitting back in the Throne, his crimson eyes crushing every resistance she had in place. She grit her teeth, and coughed up some more blood. She turned to look at Ulqiuorra again, and cried out in shock when the King waved his hand, and launched Ulqiuorra at the wall, his body slamming into it and falling lifelessly to the ground. Soft groans were all that told her that he was still alive. She needed to get him out, and fast.
"If you think you can get away, and get him some medical assistance, then you are sorely mistaken. You invade my home, threaten me, and attack me. That alone means you must face retribution for your crimes. I will only ask each question once. If you don't answer, then I will take a finger. Once you run out of fingers, I'll start taking toes. Then your nose. Then your teeth. Then your ribs, then each and every single one of your bones. Slowly. Painfully. And you won't pass out, you won't die. I will keep you alive until you willingly answer each and every one of my questions. Understand?"
She could only nod, no longer capable of meeting his eyes.
"Good. Now. What is your name? I know his is Ulqiuorra Schiffer. But you. You are an interesting one. A Quincy in Hell. The destruction of souls is a serious crime, Quincy. So, your name."
She took a deep breath.
"My name…is…Kurosaki Masaki. And I am a high ranking member of Khaos Brigade."
"…"
She looked up, and was shocked to see the flabbergasted face of the King staring down at her. It was this expression that let her find some form of resistance.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" A sharp rap to the back of her head made her flinch and spin to face her attacker, only to find herself staring into a pain of golden eyes.
"Yoru…ichi? Wait…what? What is going on? What are you doing in Hell? Answers, please!" She struggled to stand, but a hand from the mocha skinned woman made her drop back to the floor.
"Masaki. Don't tell me you don't recognise him." Masaki frowned, before she followed the line of sight of her old friend, and frowned when she was looking at the King of Hell.
"Am I supposed to?"
"Yes, Masaki, you are supposed to. Has it been so long, that you have forgotten? Have you really fallen so low as to join Khaos Brigade? You, a proud Quincy, working with an Arrancar? All in order to kill the King of Hell?" Masaki was seriously lost. She knew the King of Hell? How? When? She turned back to face him, and stared intently at him, when something suddenly clicked in the back of her head, someone she hadn't thought of in a very long time.
"Isshin?" Yoruichi laughed.
"Close, but no cigar." Then, it happened. Her eyes went wide, and her heart rate skyrocketed. Sweat started to form on her brow, and her hands began to feel all clammy. All the saliva from her mouth dried up, and tears started to form in her eyes. Her breathing changed from calm to quick, ragged gasps, and a blinding pain erupted from the back of her skull as long buried memories surfaced.
"Ich…i…go? Ichi…go? Ichigo! ICHIGO! IICCHHIIGGOO!" She forced herself to her feet, long forgetting the fact that she was wounded, and dragged herself up the short flight of steps, and the King dropped to his knees, his long arms finding her arms. Within a second, she was in his embrace, her own arms wrapping around his neck, her tears and his falling freely, as long, pent up pain finally surfaced.
Ichigo had a nagging sense that his mother was in Hell. Ever since he found out that Quincy went to Hell for the destruction of Souls, he had been searching for a while, but never found her. That didn't stop him though, and he kept on looking. And now, finally, he had her back in his arms. Admittedly, he didn't expect her to charge into his home and fight him, destroying a fair chuck of his recently renovated gardens. But none of that mattered now.
He buried his head into her shoulder, and only managed to choke out one word. But that word, had to potential to change his entire destiny.
"Mom."
And there you have it! The first (proper) chapter of Memoirs! And I threw characters into it like character soup! That was fun!
Read and Review! Flames will be PUBLICLY responded to, so get your act together!
Have fun kiddies!