The Providence Of The Black Sun
[*(*)*]
This is my first fic so please excuse any minor mistakes, but constructive feedback is very welcome.
This is a Bleach/Anime Xovers fic.
Ichigo is going to be kind of overpowered, but not too OP.
I use the English name format. First name first and family name second, e.g. John Smith rather than Smith John.
And for those who have this story followed, this is just a revised and re-written version of the initial chapter. But read it because it's almost completely different.
Enjoy the initial setting up, and please help me improve.
[*(*)*]
Initial: Setting up the story.
[*(*)*]
'Inner Thoughts'
"Speech"
"Hollow"
[Hogyoku]
[*(*)*]: Scene Change
[*(*)*]
"I'll show you my Final Getsuga Tensho!", Ichigo announced. Black and blue reiatsu explodes outward from Ichigo making the traitor Aizen kneel from the pressure being exerted upon his shoulders. Aizen could not see his opponent because the black reiryoka completely enveloped Ichigo. The mountains surrounding them begin to shake and dust is unsettled, if it hadn't already been from the clash of two god-like beings.
In awe Aizen was thinking out loud," What is that form he's taking?"
While Aizen was still trying to comprehend Ichigo's power, Ichigo was having an epiphany.
'Now I understand, if I use this technique I will lose all of my Shinigami powers. That's what Final means.'
After regaining some composure Aizen's mind was running at an extraordinary rate, looking at all the possibilities as to why he cannot feel Ichigo's reiatsu. 'I still can't sense his power. I have evolved into a being far beyond that of a Shinigami or Hollow. Just as two-dimensional beings can never interact with three-dimensional beings, no Shinigami or Human will be able to detect my reiatsu; unless I deliberately bring my powers down to their levels of awareness.' Suddenly understanding why he can't feel Ichigo's reiatsu, he thinks 'Wait a minute... if that is the case, then that means he is at an even higher level than myself!' Aizens eyes widen.
"No! No! No! Nooooo! It's absurd! A mere human can't surpass me, it couldn't possibly be! Huh?" Aizen grunts as he sees Ichigo's sword arm rise with a swirling black mass of reiryoka in his hand.
Ichigo utters one word. Aizen's blood runs cold. "Mugetsu"
A black shadow covers the battlefield disintegrating everything, even sound. When the shadow disperses upwards, all that was in the vicinity of the technique was gone leaving a huge smooth walled crater.
Aizen is dead.
Ichigo floats towards the ground, sensing the expected but overdue arrival of Kisuke.
But as soon as his foot touches the ground, he feels like something pierced his heart and he gets dragged down into his inner world.
[*(*)*]
"Huh? Why am I in my inner world? Who dragged me down here?" Ichigo looks around noticing that it is no longer day time in his inner world, the clouds are now black with purple streaks through them and that his inner world is now the right way up. 'Why is it night? Is that a black sun up there?' Ichigo notices what seems to be a black sun in the pitch-black night sky of his inner world. The sun was completely black except for a red outline, as if a black moon is going through perpetual solar eclipse with a red sun.
"Hello!" Ichigo call's out, hoping he will get an answer. After getting none he call's for Zangetsu "Yo, Zangetsu are you here?" He then hears the sound of swords clashing in the distance.
"Who the fuck are you!" He hears Tensa Zangetsu's voice yell from afar.
Ichigo looks around trying to pinpoint were the sound is coming from and sees something he failed to notice before. His clothes have changed; he was now wearing a black jacket somewhat of a mix between his Bankai cloak but wider at the neck with a smaller version of Aizen's arrancer jacket's collar, the red which would normally line his Bankai cloak is now a deep purple and he had grey tribal tattoos criss-crossing his arms, torso and neck. His hair reached his ankles and it was now a raven black. He is still holding his Dangai Tensa Zangetsu. Its chain has unwrapped from his arm and is now dangling to the ground. But this sudden change of style is not what held Ichigo's attention; in fact he actually kind of liked it. No, it's what was on the end of the chain that caused Ichigo's eyes to widen to nearly the size of Rukia's.
"Is that the fucking Hogyoku?!" Ichigo picks up the glowing purple orb by the chain and takes a closer look at it, the sound of clashing swords forgotten. After a moment Ichigo says, "What the actual fuck is the Hogyoku doing on the end of my Tensa!?" He then feels an unfamiliar weight on his hip and looks down, seeing a katana with a traditionally purple-wrapped hilt and a single, small purple tassel at its end. 'That's new?'
Ichigo then hears what sounds like a Getsuga Tensho and see's a building in his inner world crumble. Remembering he heard fighting Ichigo shunpo's over to where he saw the building fall. It's there he see's a massive square mirror the size of the whole Seireitei, in the center of that mirror is a huge palace which seemed to be made of glass and mirrors.
"That wasn't here before," Ichigo states stupidly, "but neither were you." Looking down at both the Hogyoku and the new sword at his hip.
Ichigo looks down from atop a skyscraper and sees the combined form of Tensa Zangetsu and his Hollow just as he separates himself and the Hollow. "This is going to be fun! Hahahahahaha!" Shiro says while laughing hysterically, jumping in to the fight a woman by the looks of it.
Seeing the figure Ichigo thinks 'Who's that?' Repeating what he heard Tensa Zangetsu say before.
Trying to get a better look at the woman Ichigo shunpo's closer, and just as he comes out of his shunpo Shiro seemingly stabs the woman through the stomach. Shiro grins a maniacal grin and Tensa Zangetsu relax thinking that the fight had been won, but they gasp in surprise as the woman shatters like glass and feel a sword slash their backs open. Ichigo and his disabled counterparts hear a dangerously seductive voice.
"Oh how pitiful. I ask you where I am and you attack me. Now you're on the ground in a pools of your own blood," says a woman with long silver hair that licks her ankles, appearing out of thin air with her back towards Ichigo. She continues talking to Shiro and Tensa, not noticing Ichigo behind her. "Now I'll ask again, where am I and who are you?" She says in her voice like smooth honey.
Ichigo wills the chain with the Hogyoku on his sword to shorten so he could move silently; it shortens to about a meter and a half, then wraps around Ichigo's arm and part of his chest with the Hogyoku positioned over his solar plexus.
"How did you get here?" replies Tensa Zangetsu to the silver-haired woman whose face is yet to be seen.
"Hey! You can't answer my question with a quest..." She stops her sentence when she fells the cold, hard bite of steel on her throat. She tries to turn around but stops when she hears a strong, deep voice say in her ear.
"Don't move. Drop your sword."
The voice of the unknown man, the hot breath of spoken words and the feel of a hard muscled chest pressed against her back makes her shiver. Catching the masculine scent of the unknown man waft past her nose causes her to shiver again. She drops her sword.
Shiro and Tensa look at Ichigo with surprise on their faces, as they didn't notice him enter his inner world.
"Are you here to kill me?" Ichigo asks the silver-haired woman.
"I don't know where I am, let alone who you are." the woman replies. "All I know is that my master didn't need me anymore, so he discarded me. I found myself falling down in to a pitch black abyss and I saw a shaft of blue light with a black chain in it, so I grabbed it and when I woke up I was here with my palace."
"Why were you fighting my Hollow and Zanpakuto?" Ichigo queried.
"When I woke he was standing over me with a sword pointed at my throat." She said whilst nodding in Tensa Zangetsu direction.
When the unknown woman nodded her hair shifted, causing Ichigo to catch her scent and shiver. It smelt like light vanilla. 'It's like her voice' Ichigo thought 'smooth and sweet...' He quickly realized which direction his thoughts were taking and shook his head, ridding himself of such thoughts. 'What the fuck? The only other woman I've thought of like that, is Rukia.'
In the silence that followed her words, she noticed the man's strong heartbeat thump against her back and forgot the presence of the sword at her neck, becoming absorbed in the rhythm of his heart. She didn't notice Ichigo's hand had become lax around his sword, as he continued to try rid thoughts of the woman in front of him who had a seductive voice and a delicious scent.
Finally snapping out of his thoughts, Ichigo says to the unknown woman. "You're in my inner world, I don't know how your nor the Hogyoku get in my soul, but I feel it's related to what has just happened." He felt the woman stiffen at the mention of the Hogyoku.
Letting go of the woman, she spins around slowly and takes a step back. Going from feet up, she drags her eyes up the man who was holding a sword to her throat but a moment ago. She gasps as she brings her eyes up to the sword he's holding. Recognizing the sword she looks up faster but her eyes get caught on the purple-hilted katana at his hip, and she almost collapses as she recognizes the reiatsu coming from the blade. It is herself. It is her sword on the man's hip. She is that Zanpakuto on his hip. She quickly brings her eyes to the man's face and faints, uttering two words. A name.
"Ichigo Kurosaki?!"
[*(*)*]
Rukia, Renji, Chad, Uryu and Orihime were making their way over to Ichigo, because the sensed the fight was over. As they were making their way over they felt Ichigo's riatsu, as they felt this they saw Isshin shunpo over to his son. Knowing something was wrong they all rushed over to where they felt Ichigo's depleting riatsu. As they were running towards him they saw him slowly making his way towards the ground as if in a daze, then as his foot touched the ground he collapsed. Instant panic rushing through all of Ichigo's friends, all those who could, using shunpo or their equivalent to get to Ichigo faster.
Rukia being the first to get to Ichigo and seeing Kisuke there she screams, "What happened to him!?" Not waiting for a reply she continues to scream hysterically "Ichigo!?"
"Rukia?" Kisuke says quietly. Going unnoticed by Rukia, she continues to scream.
"Ichigo, wake up!?"
As Renji and Uryu get to Ichigo's still body they all feel Ichigo's reiatsu vanish and the deep thrum, like that of a river, which is the reiryoka of his soul get snuffed out of existence.
Everyone froze and remained stock still until Orihime collapsed, and Rukia continued to scream out Ichigo's name in a delusional hope of waking him up. Isshin, Renji, Uryu and Chad all look at Kisuke wanting an answer. All he gave them was a grim look and a shake of his head. One thought runs through everybody's minds.
'Ichigo Kurosaki is dead'
Kisuke glances at Isshin looking destroyed, kneeling on the ground.
"Why did it have to be him?" Isshin says queitly in a shaking voice. "Why has it always got to be him? First Masaki and now Ichigo, what more could you want Soul King? Fuck you Soul King! Fuck you!" Isshin yells with tears tracking down his face.
Kisuke looks on with a sympathetic expression on his face, feeling the beginnings of melancholy shred through him on the passing of Ichigo. Kisuke looks back to Rukia gripping on to Ichigo's body and notices something that makes even him, the most intelligent mind in all Soul Society completely lost for words and thought. Right there on the end of Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu is a purple orb. The Hogyoku. Realising this Kisuke trys to think of the reasons as to why Hogyoku is attached to Tensa Zangetsu. He comes to the conclusion that the Hogyoku has chosen Ichigo as its new master because he killed Aizen. 'That's why it is attached to the end of Tensa Zangetsu's chain. Ichigo must have unconsciously made the decision that the end of the chain is the best place to put it.'
Everyone stiffens as they feel an unknown reiatsu but it's soon forgotten as they feel Ichigo's reiatsu suddenly pulse through the air.
"Everyone get away from him now!" Kisuke shouts knowing what the pulse meant. But he was too late as Ichigo suddenly explodes with a purple reiatsu, throwing Rukia off him and pushing everyone else to the ground violently from the pressure.
'Wasn't Ichigo's reiatsu red and black?' All the males present thought. All of the women were unconscious. Rukia, after being thrown violently by the explosion of reiatsu, and Orihime from finding Ichigo dead on the ground.
As abruptly as it started the purple reiatsu Ichigo was emitting stopped and alleviated the pressure from those around him. Letting those who weren't unconscious breath again.
Kisuke was going through the implications as to why Ichigo's reiatsu was a different colour and why he still had his Shinigami powers. 'He must have wished to keep his Shinigami powers and it was granted by the Hogyoku.' He thought. 'But that still doesn't explain why his reiatsu was purple. I'll have to ask Ichigo if he or Zangetsu knows now that he's alive.' A deep commanding voice broke through his thoughts.
"Why are you all standing around when my Black Sun is unconscious on the ground?" Asked the deep new voice "He needs medical attention. Shun Shun Rika isn't going to work on a transcendent being like the Black Sun." Everyone turned to look at the newcomer. He was tall man with long black hair and a regal face; he almost looked like Byakuya but with harder features. He had a scar running from the bridge of his sharp nose to the bottom of his left eye, and another along his left jaw line. His eyes had black scleras and bright, almost glowing blueish-silver irises. On his head was a crown made out of what looked like flowing, azure and black reiryoka. All together he looked like a king. Everyone except Kisuke was wondering who he was.
'What the hell is he doing here, and why is he calling Ichigo his black sun', Kisuke thought. His minds processing speed, exceeding that of a normal soul.
"There are things even you can't comprehend, Kisuke Urahara. Yes, I can hear your thoughts. Ichigo is the Black Sun. He is my vassal of righteousness. He will use his power of divine judgement and government to keep the many universes I have created stable. He is the Protector of all beings in every universe," said the stranger, answering all of Kisuke's thoughts. "Ah, and now you have come to the conclusion as to why the Black Sun's reiryoka is always fluctuating. Might I say that you are certainly extraordinary Kisuke."
"So, I'm right to assume Ichigo has a small part of every being in him, and that he was created by you?" asked Kisuke. Everyone was looking between Kisuke and the unknown man with an utterly confused look on their faces ... everyone that was conscious anyway.
"Yes and no. You're right to assume that Black Sun is every being in one body and while I did create him, I did not use the way you think I used." The man said cryptically. He then turns to look at all the others and say's in a quiet yet commanding voice, "Did I not tell you to take the Black Sun to get immediate medical attention?" Everyone then scrambles into action, even though a strange man that only Kisuke seems to know gave the command.
"We will talk later." The man said to Kisuke, yet it was not vocal, the man never opened his mouth, it sounded as if his voice was in his head. Kisuke just nodded.
[*(*)*]
"Meh name doesh nat mean strawbewy. No! Meh hair ish nat bleshed, ichs natuwal"
Rukia was trying to hold in her laughter. She has been by Ichigo's bedside for 3 days straight, only getting up to go to the bathroom and to eat. She woke up from her unconsciousness 3 days ago and immediately asked the nurse tending her if Ichigo is in the Squad 4 barracks. Turned out he has been in a coma for 4 days, and it seems when he went into his transcended state all of the scars acquired while fighting in his spiritual form have reappeared on his spiritual form and human body. The stress caused from having all his injuries suddenly reappear caused Ichigo's body to shut down and go into a coma.
"Maarrrghraaahhhh" Ichigo spouted what sounded like a yawn crossed with a growl, only with an echo.
Rukia's blood ran cold. She immediately screamed for Captain Unohana. Rukia was hyperventilating. Hearing the cold-layered voice come out of Ichigo while he was in a coma was terrifying.
"What is it Rukia?" asked Captain Unohana as calmly as ever. She immediately came when she heard Rukia's panic filled voice.
"I-Ichigo's voice was hollowfied!?" Rukia said.
Captain Unohana pulled out a little flashlight and proceeded to open Ichigo's right eye, revealing that it is was still its normal amber iris and white sclera. Unohana did the same to Ichigo's left eye and found that its iris was a glowing golden and there was black spreading like black blood across his sclera.
"C-Captain, what does that mean?" Rukia asked.
Captain Unohana did not respond but started to unravel one of the many bandages covering Ichigo's body, letting his chiselled abdomen show. Underneath those bandages was tan skin and something else that Rukia had only seen in the little snippets she remembers of Ichigo after he killed Aizen. There were grey tribal-like tattoos crisscrossing his abdomen.
"Check his hair Captain" Captain Unohana looked at Rukia questionably "I think I might know what's happening." Captain Unohana nodded and started to unravel the bandage that was covering Ichigo's head. She gasped and stopped, then continued to unravel the bandage at a faster pace. Once she was done she stepped aside to show Rukia Ichigo's hair. Rukia was frozen and at a loss of words from seeing Ichigo's hair. Ichigo's hair was pitch-black and so long if Ichigo were standing she would bet it would reach his ankles.
"Do you know what this means Rukia?" Captain Unohana asked.
Rukia did not answer directly but answered Unohana's question with another question. "Have you felt Ichigo's reiryoka at all, since he's been in a coma Captain?"
"Now that you mention it, I haven't. But what does that mean?" Captain Unohana asked, yet it seemed as if she was thinking out loud. 'Does this mean he's human once again? No, if he was human he would not be able to survive in Soul Society without his human body, and I would still be able to sense Kurosaki somewhat if he was somehow still able to survive without his body. So if I am not able to sense his reiryoka and I am not able to see his reserves that must mean he's no longer a Shinigami and/or he has transcended Shinigami.'
"Captain?" Rukia asked cautiously.
"Can you see Ichigo's spirit ribbon?" asked Unohana
Rukia looked at Captain Unohana with a confused expression but she summoned the spirit ribbons and was immediately surrounded by red. Rukia began sifting through the ribbons that were close to her trying to pinpoint Ichigo's. She began to get worried after some time past and she still wasn't able to find Ichigo's ribbon even though she was sitting right next him. She then saw what looked like a bundle of ribbons seemingly wound around each other, all emitting an extremely dense purple reiatsu flecked with black and red. She also noticed that her red spirit ribbon was attached to the bundle. Rukia focused on the weird bundle of ribbons, following the ribbons back to their owner and she wasn't surprised when she found they were attached to Ichigo's heart. Still looking at the ribbons Rukia responds to Captain Unohana.
"He has multiple ribbons wound around each other. They are pulsing different colours in the pattern of a heartbeat. They are all emitting an extremely dense purple reiatsu that I can see but not sense." Rukia opens her eyes to see Unohana's eyes narrowed in thought. "Captain?" she queries.
"How did his ribbon look when you first saw it?" Unohana asks.
"It was a red, a little darker than other Shinigami." Rukia answers diligently.
Then Ichigo's eye's shoot open and he starts screaming as if in extraordinary amounts of pain.
[*(*)*]
"What is it you want and why are you here?" Kisuke asked the man with the azure and black reiatsu like crown on his head.
"Come on Kisuke. Now that I have restored your memories you should remember my name. You can say my name, no one else is around." said the unknown man nonchalantly. Kisuke sighs and says.
"What is it you want and why are you here, Soul King?"
The strange man gains a smirk on his regal face.
"Hahahaha, you're really a truly funny man Kisuke. You ask me questions you already know the answers to, no?" The man say, smirk still in place.
"Stop playing around and answer my question" Kisuke says seriously.
"I'm hurt Ki-kun(I might use honorifics sometimes for effect). Why so cold?" the man says with a false expression of betrayal on his face. "Ugh, fine. You're no fun anymore." His face than sets in to a very serious expression, and takes on a tone that is almost polar-opposite to the tone he was using but a moment ago. "I am here to tell The Black Sun that the time has come for him to take up the duty"
"Ah, I'll have to agree with you for once. He has most definitely proven himself, with the power he has shown to hold, he shouldn't have any problems getting there. He seems even more powerful than last time," says Kisuke.
"That's a scary thought. He was on par with me last time round, and I've got a feeling he has yet to reach his true potential." Soul King replies.
"Scary thought indeed." Kisuke says in agreement. "What's he got to do this time? Hopefully not what he did last time."
"I doubt it will come to that this time. Sacrificing himself was not what I wanted to happen, even if it did save all the universes." King says with a reminiscent expression. "It's really not as major this time. Only a few small problems that he will have to nip in the bud if we don't want a repeat. I know I've said this a thousand times, but it was lucky we found him when we did, aye?"
"Yea, now we know who the Black Sun is, it won't become as dire." Kisuke answers "I kinda like the way he is such a prude this time, no scratch that. I'm glad he is."
"Hahaha, fucking handsome bastard. I even caught my queen eyeing him up a few times." Soul King says with a grin "And you'd think that one wife was enough, but noooo~. No, he had to have six. Insatiable bastard."
"He's actually quite dense now. You wouldn't believe how many chicks he's got chasing him. Hell, even Yoruichi is chasing him and their affections bounce off him like he's a brick wall." Kisuke continues "Even his little twin sister have noticed the way little Rukia Kuchiki looks at him, she makes it so painfully obvious."
"Too bad he'll never be able to return her feelings." Soul King says, suddenly saddened at Ichigo's destiny. "And even if he returns, she'll have reincarnated a couple times. She won't even remember him." The two descend in to silence. It's broken when Soul King announces, "It seems he has started the merging." Kisuke nods and they both flash step to Squad 4.
[*(*)*]
"Ichigo, do you know who this woman is?" asked Tensa Zangetsu, looking down at the woman who collapsed in between them.
"No idea, I think she's a Zanpakuto though." Ichigo replies.
"No shit genius." Shiro quips.
"Shut up! Did I ask for your input?" Ichigo yells, turning on his hollow.
"No, but I'm going to give it whether you ask for it or not." Shiro says smirking at his twin.
"Not if I break your jaw!" Ichigo says whilst getting in to his instinctual hakuda stance.
"Oh, come at me then Kingy!" says Shiro whilst getting in to an identical stance.
"While this is amusing, I think we have more pressing issues than having an having a cock contest. Such as the identity of that silver-haired woman." Tensa says, interrupting their argument.
"Fine." Ichigo says getting in to a relaxed yet ready stance "Do you have any idea who she is Zangetsu?"
"I have felt her reiatsu once before, but I'm sure you're not gonna like this." Tensa says, looking Ichigo straight in the eye. Unbeknownst to Ichigo, Shiro's perpetual smirk grows bigger.
"You mean you know who she is?" Ichigo asks.
"While her reiatsu has changed from her being in your inner world, it is still somewhat recognizable, but only after focusing on it. That's why I couldn't figure out who she is when we crossed blades, but it is evident now." Tensa answers. "She was the previous Zanpakuto of-"
"Aizen." Shiro butts in.
"Don't fuck with me hollow." Turning back to Tensa he says, "Who's was she?"
"Aizen's." Tensa repeats what the hollow said. Ichigo was silent for a while.
"You're serious aren't you?" Tensa just nods.
"Well shit." Ichigo says simply. "Now that I think about it, it actually kind of makes sense."
"How's that Kingy?"
"Well Aizen did say that the Hogyoku deemed him not needing a Zanpakuto anymore, so it must of just pushed her out of his inner world. And I was the closest at the time." Ichigo reasons.
"It's not only that Ichigo, but it's also because you're human. If it had been a Shinigami than she probably would have just been reishi in the air. It's because of a human's unlimited potential that she was able to come here." Tensa explains.
"Now that's sorted, I kinda have a question. How are we still here and how is he able to come here? Not that I'm complaining or nothin'."
"You see that." Tensa says while pointing at the weird black and red sun in the pitch-black night sky.
"How did I not notice that?"
"Cause you're a dipshit." Ichigo quips. Tensa Zangetsu just rolls his eyes and continues.
"The sky is a representation of your power, dark and infinite. Now see the dark purple stars? That is the Hogyoku's reiryoka infused within yours; ours. It must have granted your heart's desire; to have the power to protect your friends and family."
"That still doesn't explain why we're still here, if he needed power he would of just evolved like Aizen. He doesn't need us if he's got the Hogyoku."
"You two are family. Shiro, you are my brother, the same goes for you Tensa. While Old Man Zangetsu is like an uncle." Ichigo says to his powers.
"Tsch, don't get all sappy. And my name isn't Shiro, it's Zangetsu."
"What? You aren't Zangetsu." Pointing towards Tensa he says "He's Zangetsu."
"Hahahaha, that's a story for another time is it not 'Zangetsu '," His hollow says with a smirk turned towards Tensa. Tensa gives no reaction to his hollow's words. Ichigo just looks between them confusedly.
"Just call me Shiro, kingy. So not to confuse your tiny brain."
"Shiro." Tensa says dangerously.
"Oh well, I guess its time aye Tensa." Shiro walks over to Tensa and puts a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes, I think you're right." Turning to Ichigo Tensa says "You have now accepted all sides to your soul. You unconsciously held back when using your mask, scared of the power you held. Yet you have now accepted him as part of yourself, even going so far as to call us family." Tensa and Shiro then merge to become his power in its strongest form. "We are not sure if that woman and Hogyoku being here will change the outcome but it's time for you to merge your soul with us once again. But do not fret; we will still be here in your inner world unlike last time." Tensa then proceeds to stab Ichigo in the chest. Letting the hollow side shine through for a brief moment, Tensa grins a feral grin. "It's gonna hurt like a bitch. Oh and when you wake up, push power to your hand and focus on an image of a bow."
"Wait, wha-" Ichigo then fells as if something is slowly snapping all the bones in his body, whilst clawing its way out of his chest. He screams.
[*(*)*]
Rukia opens her eyes and sees the destruction around her. 'What the hell happened? Ugh, my head hurts. This is my second time waking up from unconsciousness in one week.' She then notices Captain Unohana's body lying about 10 meters away. Rukia trys to stand up but she falls almost immediately, determining that walking is a bad idea she crawls over to Unohana and checks to see if she's breathing. Seeing the reassuring rise and fall of her chest she then tries to comprehend what just happened. Her thoughts are interrupted by a faintly familiar voice.
"I probably should have warned them about that."
"You think." Another voice says which she now knows belongs to a certain candy shop owner.
"Fucking Hat'n'Clogs!" Rukia says loudly while pulling herself in to a kneeling position.
"Oh hey Rukia!" Rukia just glares at him. "Why the look Ruki-chan, what could little old me have anything to do with this."
"Because you always do." Rukia grates out. She looks at the man standing next to Kisuke. 'He looks kind of like Nee-sama.' She notes. But then notices his rougher looks and the few scars on his face. There is a crown made of black and azure reiatsu on his head.
"Ah, Rukia Kuchiki." Rukia's eyes narrow at the mention of her name. "I know so much about you." The man says while walking towards the unconscious Unohana. "I will tell you who I am soon. First I need you to send a Hell Butterfly to the Captain Commander telling him to come to Squad 4. Don't worry he'll come. I'll just have to put a bit of my reiatsu in the butterfly." The man picks Captain Unohana up and puts her on her feet, supporting her with an arm. He put his finger to her forehead and a green light pulses from his finger. Captain Unohana slowly starts to awaken. She blinks to focus her eyes and looks at the person holding her up. Captain Unohana's eyes widen with surprise and immediately kneels to the ground and starts bowing. "Retsu, you don't have to bow to me."
"But my-" Unohana starts to say but is cut off by the man with the crown.
"Shhh. Don't want to ruin my surprise Retsu." The man says, nodding his head towards Rukia. Rukia just looks between the three with an utterly confused expression on her face.
"Do you always have to play with the young ones?" Unohana asks with a small smile.
"But of course. You know me, my sweet Retsu." The man replies with a mischievous smirk. " Are you going to send that butterfly, or are you just gonna stand there gawking?" he says to Rukia. Rukia blushed in embarrassment for getting caught staring and proceeds to tell the Hell Butterfly her message. The man walks to Rukia and taps the butterfly with his finger. The butterfly gains a golden trim on its wings from the man's touch, and it flies in the direction of Squad 1. "Now can someone tell me what happened before you blacked out?"
[*(*)*]
Captain Commander Yamamoto was peacefully doing paperwork, before he felt the crushing weight of Ichigo's reiatsu and is forced through his chair, breaking it, and is pinned to the ground. Looking over at his Lieutenant he sees he is on the floor, unconscious after been crushed in to the floor by the pressure. The pressure keeps up until it just seems to disappear. Searching for Ichigo's reiatsu, he finds nothing. He sighs and wipes the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead from having to resist the overwhelming pressure.
"What could have happened this time?" Yamamoto says, exasperated. He continues to do his paperwork. 'I should not even think about it. It just means another headache for me.' This was until a Hell Butterfly flies on to his desk. Looking at the Hell Butterfly he sees the golden trim around the wings and his eyes widen in surprise. 'A Royal Hell Butterfly?' Picking up the little messenger, he hears Rukia Kuchiki's voice telling him to come to Squad 4. Yamamoto just shakes his head and sends Hell Butterfly's to all Captains telling them to meet him at Squad 4. He Shunpos towards Squad 4 after sighing another heavy sigh.
[*(*)*]
"So he started screaming, you saw purple, red and black, then you woke up to this." He said motioning towards the destroyed Squad 4 Barracks. Both Rukia and Captain Unohana nod.
"That is right Kixyou-san. There is also has an odd reiatsu saturating the area." Unohana said.
"Ohh, c'mon Retsu stop being so formal. Just call me Ashita. And I believe that strange reiatsu is Ichigo Kurosaki's." Ashita replies.
"Were is Ichigo anyway, he should still be unconscious but I can't feel him anywhere." Rukia says to the people around her.
"Could you not just follow your spirit ribbon back to his?" Unohana tells Rukia.
"Yes." Rukia closes her eyes summoning the spirit ribbons to appear. Just as she was about to follow her own she hears a groan and un-summons the ribbons. Everyone looks over to the direction the groan came from. A collapsed piece of wall starts to move then flips over, and sure enough Ichigo comes out from underneath it and starts walking haltingly towards them.
"Ugh fuck. Jeez that hurt like a bitch. Could have warned me a little more, bastards." Ichigo says to himself.
"Ah, nice of you to join us Black Sun." Ashita says to Ichigo as he steadies himself. With that he raises his head giving everyone a look at his face.
"Ya talkin' to me?" Ichigo questions. The man gets ready to answer until Rukia interrupts.
"I-Ichigo... Is that really you?" Rukia asks Ichigo. He looks at her strangely.
"Of course, why ya asking?"
"W-well, your eye, its black and gold." Ichigo scowls.
"Oh c'mon. They could have warned me about this."
"Who is 'they'? And why is your eye hollow-like?" Unohana says with an eyebrow slightly raised.
"Shiro and Tensa. And it's like that cause I re-merged them back into my body." Ichigo answers.
"So that is why we can't feel your reiatsu." Unohana deducts.
"Shiro?" Kisuke asks. Noticing Kisuke for the first time Ichigo answers.
"Hey Kisuke, and that's the name my Hollow gave himself." Ichigo then gains a confused look. "Although he also said his name was Zangetsu."
Kisuke glances over to Soul King and their eyes met for but a moment, yet the message is conveyed. "Did they tell you anything before they merged with you?" Kisuke asks with a glint in his eyes.
Ichigo looks at Kisuke suspiciously. "Yea," Ichigo begins with a narrowing of his eyes, "they told me to gather reiatsu in my hand and focus on the image of a bow, and that they don't know if the Hogyoku being in my soul will change the outcome of the merger." He neglects to tell them about the silver-haired woman he found in his soul, not quite sure what to think of it just yet.
"What do you mean Ichigo?!" Rukia asks in a loud voice. "What do you mean the Hogyoku is in your soul?!"
"I'll explain later. I promise." Ichigo replies. Rukia calmed. It was enough for her at the moment, but she will make him tell her, be it under death threat or not.
"Well then, are you gonna do it?" Ashita asks Ichigo.
"Yea, but first, who the hell are you?" Ichigo says in a dangerous, suspicious tone.
"You'll just have to wait for the captains to arrive so I won't have to repeat myself."
Just as the last words passed out of Ashita's lips the shuffling sound of shunpo was heard. Everyone turned toward the direction of the sound to see that all of the captains had arrived. All with various injuries littering their bodies.
Ashita chuckled, "Good timing, now we can get down to business." Gaining everyone's attention, "Okay, I know some of you already know who I am and some of you use to know who I am, or have heard of me." He says cryptically, taking a little glance in Chico's direction.
"Get on with it!" Yelled Ichigo.
"Ok, fine, fine. The youth these days are so impatient," Ashita says exasperatedly the with a little roll of his eyes he continues, " To put it simply, I am the Soul King." Ashita says, as bluntly as a sledgehammer.
Everyone that didn't already know, namely Byakuya, Soi-Fon, Toshiro, Sajin, Kenpachi, Mayuri, Rukia and Ichigo almost face-vaulted, and of course Soi-Fon just had to voice her immediate thoughts.
"Bullshit!"
While the others, with the exception of Mayuri, just stared at Ashita with stunned expressions.
"No Captain Soi-Fon, he is not lying," the Captain-Commander said. "That man there is the Soul King."
[*(*)*]
After having to convince everyone who hadn't already known that Ashita was the Soul King, the unvoiced questions, which were wanting answers, were building tension between the gathered shinigami, candy shop owner, transcendent and royalty.
Not being able to deal with the tension any longer, Ichigo asks the question on the forefront of his mind.
"So, why are you here?"
"I am here for you Ichigo. You are the Black Sun, the being above all. You are my perfect creation Ichigo Kurosaki. You are the perfect hybrid being who will give providence to all worlds and universes. Your holy government is more powerful than even mine." Ashita says in his deep, regal voice. Yet his lips did not move. These words were spoken into the minds of those present. "You are the enforcer of righteousness. While I do so using light, you do so with the unlimited darkness of your soul. Ichigo, you are the One Protector."
"Ah, so he is the Black Sun of this life. I had suspected so." Captain-Commander Yamamoto said in his usual gruff voice.
"What do you mean I am this 'Black Sun'!" Ichigo shouts. "What do you mean I am a perfect hybrid?!"
"You harness the power of all the natural beings of this universe in complete, perfect harmony." Says Ashita. "You have the instincts and power of a Hollow, the unlimited potential of a living human, the perfect control of a Quincy and the base, raw power of a Shinigami. You have all these powers within your body, your soul. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of species which makes up the being that is you Ichigo Kurosaki."
"What do you mean I have the control of a Quincy! I am not a Quincy!" Ichigo yells in frustration.
"Ichigo what did your hollow, Shiro, say to you before you were ejected out of your inner world?" Kisuke says, finally saying something.
It takes but a moment for Ichigo to recall what Shiro has said to him before he was thrown out of his inner world into unimaginable pain. While this conversation had been going on between Ichigo and the Soul King, everyone except Captain-Commander Yamamoto and Kisuke were looking on with utterly confused expressions. Even the senior captains had no idea what the meaning behind what was being said was. Ichigo speaks.
"He said for me to push reiryoka into my hand and focus on the picture of a bow." Ichigo looked at the Soul King with growing understanding.
"Then do it." The Soul King prompts. Ichigo closes his eyes and pushes his reiryoka into his hand, like Rukia had instructed him to when she tried to teach him Kido, and focused his mind on the shape of bow. After a moment of nothing happening, Ichigo feels something solid and humming with condensed reiryoka hovering just in front of his hand. He grabs hold of it and opens his eyes. He stares at what had formed in his left hand. In his left hand was a massive black bow, almost 2 meters in length, seemingly made out of darkness. The bow was so black it looked as if all light around it had been sucked into it. There were dark, almost invisible over the black, purple tribal designs spiralling down the length of the bow and small blade like protrusions the same dark purple as the tribal markings. Ichigo looks at the group of Shinigami around him; they are all staring at the massive bow that had formed in Ichigo's hand. He looks back at the Soul King.
"Heh... So I'm part Quincy as well huh." Ichigo says, almost to himself.
"That's a rather impressive bow you've got there Ichigo." says Kisuke.
"It is, isn't it." Ashita comments.
Ichigo unsummons his bow and resummons it a couple times before letting it unsummon without resummoning it again. He looks the Soul King straight in the eyes and speaks.
"I guess you weren't lying or anything. But I am still confused as to what you mean when you were saying I am something called the 'Black Sun' or something. What did you mean by me being the perfect being? I am hardly perfect, the exact opposite." Ichigo says.
"You're the being I have created to be the holy government over all species, in all the universes. You are th-" The Soul King was interrupted by Ichigo.
"Hold up. What do you mean 'all universes'?"
"There are more universes than just this one. I have created thousands of different universes, but they are all fundamentally the same." Ashita explained. "I created you because I need help with maintaining balance in universes where the balance is tipping. So I made a soul that could harness the power of any natural being in the universe they occupy, but to do that I needed a pure soul, more pure and potent than all others, and I found yours. So I built this perfect hybrid with your eternal soul as the base and it was the most successful thing I have ever done. So successful in fact, that you have now risen to have the potential of having more power than even me. You have turned out perfect every time you have been reincarnated but every time you do reincarnate, you come back more potent than the last time."
"So I am basically your partner in keeping the balance of all universes?" Ichigo asks, realisation upon the horizon.
"Yes, you have turned into a God in your own respect." Ashita answered.
"I'm surprised I haven't freaked out at this point, but lets just go with the flow. I have two more questions. One, why am I called The Black Sun? Two, why am I Shinigami when I could have been many other species? Is it just random what universe I'm born into?" Ichigo asks with a surprisingly calm face. All the shinigami were now grasping the gravity of the situation and what this conversation has all been about.
"To answer your second question first," Ashita cracked a grin, "Your soul was originally from this universe so you will be reincarnated back into this universe when you die. To answer your first question, it was actually my queen who named you. The name The Black Sun means you are invisible and unnoticed but you still give off strength and warmth. It means you are the darkness that fights the darkness; to fight monsters, you yourself must become a monster. It means you are still the One Protector, no matter how unnoticed your protection may be."
"Rather fitting don't you think Ichigo?" Kisuke quips.
"Yeah," Ichigo gains a smirk, "I like it."
For the first time throughout the whole discussion, Rukia speaks.
"Kisuke. Soul King. What does this all mean? What does Ichigo have to do?" Rukia asks, darting her eyes from Kisuke and Soul King, standing next to each other, to Ichigo.
"I'm sure you have all already half figured it out yourselves. He has to travel to different universes to rebalance them." Soul King answers Rukia's question. "Now that you have all been informed about the current situation involving your saviour, you are dismissed, except for you Miss Rukia Kuchiki."
All the Shinigami Captains, including Captain-Commander Yamamoto, bowed low to the Soul King and shunpoed back to their respective Squads. Unohana went to her barracks. Byakuya lingered for a second, giving Ichigo a look of grudging respect, and then giving an almost unperceptive nod to Rukia before shunpoing to his Squad.
[*(*)*]
Once all the Captains had left Ashita turned back towards Ichigo, Rukia now next to him, and spoke.
"Now the hard part. Ichigo, I think you might have worked this out already but it will take a very long time to rebalance countless universes."
"Yeah, I kind of figured." Ichigo said with a quickly sobering expression. His tone heavy. Rukia heard it and sought out Kisuke with inquisitive eyes.
"How long is very long?" Rukia asked
Kisuke looked at Rukia with a heavy shadow around his eyes.
"A few thousand years." Kisuke answered. Kisuke already knew what Rukia's next question would be. He knew how she felt about the newly raven-haired transcendent next to her. It pained him to even think of the grief the answer of her next question would bring her. It pained him even more, knowing the actions they would have to take after that.
Rukia's mouth opened as her words were almost whispered out her lips.
"He can come back, can't he?" She asked the dreaded question that she may already know the answer to in her heart, but her mind has yet to catch up.
Ashita took the initiative and answered her question.
"No." That single word tore at Rukia's heart more painfully than any claw or sword could. Ichigo was already hanging his head before the question had been answered, knowing somewhere, he would not return to this universe. A stunned silence enveloped the small group. In that silence Rukia turned towards Ichigo, seeking his now mismatched eyes. Ichigo lifted his head, looking down into Rukia's desperately seeking eyes. She saw the hurt behind his eyes. He saw the utter despair setting quickly upon her mind.
"No." She uttered. That single word of denial; it was as if Ulquiorra had sent a cero through his heart once again. Ichigo didn't say anything in reply.
Rukia collapsed.
[*(*)*]
"I'm so sorry Ichigo. It has to be done." Ashita said in a hushed, guilty voice.
A heavy, "I know," was all he was responded with.
Ashita gave Kisuke a mental prod. Kisuke nodded to him and proceeded to pick Rukia up and take her to a wing of Squad 4 not destroyed by Ichigo.
"You have to leave in 12 hours."Ashita said to Ichigo once they were alone.
Ichigo didn't give any indication towards hearing him, but Ashita knew Ichigo heard him.
"Can you replace memories?"
Ashita nodded
"Yes, I can."
"Can you make it seem like I never existed in this universe?" Ichigo asked, looking into Ashita's eyes.
"Yes, I can. Although some people may feel as if something is missing from their lives; from their hearts. Like our young Miss Kuchiki, your sisters, your father and your friends. They will all feel the hole that you used to occupy in their heart."
"I'll say my last farewells and then we can leave, okay?" Ichigo asked in a quiet tone, with despair dripping of his words.
"Okay." Was the hushed word that answered him.
"It will be better this way." Ichigo whispered mostly to himself.
[*(*)*]
When Ichigo arrived at the real Karakura Town, now back in the Human World, it was past midnight.
Ichigo went to see his sisters first. He went to them and found them sleeping in their beds; in their shared room.
"It's better this way." He whispered to his sisters and to himself.
He looked down upon the peacefully sleeping faces. Karin with her raven hair, that Ichigo now matched. She was so much like him. Always trying to put on a tough act. Trying to act older than she is.
Yuzu was the polar opposite of her twin sister. She had soft, light orange locks. She was the turning into the spitting image of their mother, Misaki, both in her personality and her looks. She was caring and a pacifist to a fault.
Ichigo push a couple locks off their face and kissed both of their foreheads.
He was extremely proud to have been their brother. They are both so strong in their own way.
'I'm going to miss them. I'm going to miss them so much.'
Before leaving his house, Ichigo went into this room to get his substitute badge.
[*(*)*]
He next went to see his friends who had gone back to the Human World while he was in a coma. Unlike his sisters he did not get within a close proximity of them. He knew they would be able to sense his presence even though they could not feel his reiatsu, so he kept his distance. He just watched them each in their own house through a window or something. He just watched for a while. Ichigo wondered how life would be like without him. He reckoned it would be very much the same just with him out of the equation. Ichigo was glad he had made friends like them.
Orihime with her ditsy was of diffusing any situation and her perpetual care for either friend or foe.
Chad, with his everlasting silent vigil. He always had Ichigo's back no matter what. No one could have asked for a better best friend.
Uryuu, that snobby asshole. But he was a snobby asshole he liked being around. Through the hardships they had faced together, they had forged a friendship made of the strongest steel.
"I'm going to miss you guys." Ichigo said in an almost silent whisper.
[*(*)*]
Ichigo's last visit was going to be the hardest.
Rukia.
Night had fallen on to Soul Society when Ichigo had returned. He could still see shinigami travelling the streets of the Seireitei as he passed over them in his impossibly shunpo. Ichigo was making his way to Squad 4, seeing as he had felt Rukia there when he left to the Human World. He passed over the destruction he had caused earlier on his way to the undamaged wing Rukia was being held in.
She was there.
When Ichigo arrived, relief washed through his body. Rukia was sleeping.
Ichigo spent 6 hours just looking at her beautiful face. The face he had grown to love through the months he had known her. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep. Her alabaster skin, completely flawless, seemed to have an angelic glow. Her petite but feminine body's curves visible through the hospital sheet draped over her form. He had only just recently come to learn that she had loved him maybe even longer than he her. But now it is too late.
"My 12 hours are almost up. I need to get back to Ashita." Ichigo whispered to himself.
Ichigo looked at the woman who had started this all. The strong, stubborn woman who could kick his ass if need be. The woman he had and will run straight into impossible odds without hesitance for. The woman who has his heart. The woman he loves.
Ichigo brushed her stubborn lock, which goes down the middle of her face, aside. And peered at her for a while. He then leant forward slowly and gave her a light kiss on her full, pink lips.
"I love you, Rukia." Ichigo whispered to her as he leant over her still form.
Ichigo put his hand into his tight black cloak, withdrawing his substitute badge. He put it down on her bedside table. And turned to leave.
Ichigo heard a mumble as he reached the door.
"Please, no. Don't go."
Ichigo spun around quickly only to see Rukia's eyes closed. She was dreaming.
He left quickly, his resolve breaking.
That was the first time Ichigo cried since his mother's death.
[*(*)*]
"Said your goodbyes?"Ashita asked Ichigo.
"Yeah" Ichigo answered. Ashita noticed his red eyes, but didn't comment on it.
Kisuke Urahara was not normally one to feel the pain of sadness, but coming under the realisation that this would be the last time he saw Ichigo in this lifetime was getting to him. The kid had grown on him.
"Thanks for everything Hat'n'Clogs." Ichigo said as he turned from Ashita to look at Kisuke.
"No, thank you Ichigo." Kisuke had a sad smile on his face. "It's been nice working with you."
Kisuke held out a hand, but Ichigo slapped it away and pulled Kisuke in for a hug. Ichigo pulled away after a minute or two.
"Seya Hat'n'Clogs, live well."
"You too Ichigo"
Ichigo then turned towards Ashita and nodded.
"I'm ready."
Ashita nodded back. Ichigo walked backwards a bit and turned towards the two men, one being a God the other, a humble candy shop owner.
Ichigo smiled at them, then disappeared.
[*(*)*]
"You didn't fully replace their memory did you?" Kisuke asked Ashita, looking at the sly grin on the Soul King's face.
"It's only been blocked, but if Ichigo ever returns to this universe, it will become unblocked." Kisuke grew an almost identical grin.
[*(*)*]
Initial End
[*(*)*]
AN I: This is my first fic ever. I've been reading fics for about a 2 year now and have always wanted to write one. So this is my first try. Don't expect regular updates if you do like this and want to follow.
AN II: I know for those that actually like my story, this was a long wait, but I have regained my motivation. This story is actually a crossover hub, so I don't need to write new beginnings for every crossover story I'm going to write. So you have to read this first to actually understand any of my crossovers that will follow this. For my first crossover, I'm thinking maybe a Bleach/Freezing crossover. Beware, I like sex, so my stories will have lemons and limes.
But please review and tell my how this is and what I can improve on. Flaming will be ignored.
Unsolved out.