A/N: This is a bit of a sequel to my other Bleach/Pokémon story, "Frosted Ideals". It was stuck in my head for weeks, and I had to get it down. It's a bit lengthy, but if you have the patience for this little one-shot, please enjoy. Also, I'd like to see what you think of their zanpakuto. :)
Blazing Truths
"Hnn... where am I...?"
"Welcome."
The one who first spoke snapped his head up, eyes widening quite a bit.
"No way..."
"No, you are not seeing things."
A young man was looking up at the one creature that was stronger than Yamamoto himself – Arceus. The young man frowned deeply. He knew very well what had just transpired; he was dead, and frankly, he was fine with it... but what about his team?
"Are you worried for your team?" Arceus asked the trainer gently. After a moment, the human nodded.
"Yeah..." He admitted. "What happened to them? I know what happened to me, but..."
"They are in intensive care."
The trainer nodded sadly. He and his team had been attacked by some hypnotized trainers, all of which used solely poison-types. The attackers had come prepared, wearing masks and such; the victims weren't so lucky. The poison had been too much for his team, and so he'd tried to shield them from it. Look what that did.
"Jake... I'm sorry... but they'll be here soon..." Arceus said softly.
Jake remained silent. Then he looked to the young man that had become one of his best friends, after their initial struggles against each other.
"What about you? Did some guys come after you, too?" Jake asked. The other man sighed, and nodded. He had learned over time that it was alright to be less formal around friends.
"Yes, they did," He said. Then he looked up at Arceus. "What of the other two?"
"They are safe, don't worry about them. I am very grateful with how you two let them go in time."
Jake, along with N, nodded to Arceus. At that moment, the golden doors behind them opened, and two large creatures stepped in. They noticed their former trainers, and bit their lips, before rushing forward to hug them.
"Jake, I'm so sorry..." Zekrom whispered, Reshiram saying much the same. Over their years together, the legendaries and trainers had become very good friends.
"Don't be," Jake said, genuinely smiling. "I'm just glad that you're alright."
There was silence for some time.
"What happens now?" N asked Arceus, curious as to what would happen.
"...Normally, I would send you both, and the souls coming in, to the reincarnation cycle," Arceus began to explain, calmly, gently. "But not this time... Jake, N, do you recall the man with white hair form a few years ago?"
"The one with the freezing cold sword?" Jake clarified, receiving a nod. "Yeah... Hitsugaya, right?"
"Captain Hitsugaya," Arceus corrected. He chuckled at their confused looks. "I will explain when your teams arrive; after all, what is a trainer without their team?"
The two trainers smiled, and sat down. As the minutes passed, they appeared a bit uncomfortable, as if something was pressing down on them and they couldn't pinpoint its source. Then, glancing at each other, they suddenly realized.
"Lord Arceus, is what we're feeling... coming from each other?" N asked.
"Very perceptive of you," The Creator Pokémon said, nodding. "And here they are..."
Then, the doors opened, and ten Pokémon appeared – all from the teams of the two trainers. In moments, the souls of the humans were smothered in hugs and attention from their teams. Arceus chuckled, and after a moment, caught their attention. Then, he began to explain what he knew about Soul Society.
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"So what we're feeling from each other is spiritual pressure?" N clarified, receiving confirmation.
"...Am I correct in saying that N and I have pressure similar to Reshiram and Zekrom?" Jake ventured carefully. The two mentioned legendaries nodded along with Arceus.
"That's right," He said. "It is what allowed you to capture them. I'll admit, others have been able to catch legendary Pokémon, but they tend to have a much tougher time if their reiatsu – the proper term for spiritual pressure – does not match the one they are after."
"Then, um... as N said earlier, now what?"
Arceus smirked, and after a brief glow of his eyes, ten Pokéballs appeared in front of the trainers, five each. He explained that they were made to hold their Pokémon, even if they were not alive any longer.
"I am sending you both to Soul Society," He said shortly. "Zekrom and Reshiram will not be able to accompany you as a part of your teams as they have been, but they'll probably stick with you two for as long as they don't have to be here – even if I ask them to stay."
Zekrom blushed, while Reshiram muttered a not-so-quiet 'got that right'. Arceus rolled his eyes, Jake smirked to N, and N gave his friend a look.
"And I am sending you with your teams," Arceus continued. "Since they can no longer be in any regular Pokéballs, I am giving you these as replacements."
The two teens nodded, and sharing smiles with their teams, finished the job quickly, all five Pokéballs soon fixed on the belts of both teens. They watched as a door opened behind Arceus, glowing a soft white.
"This will take you to Rukongai district one. Since it is coming from here, that world will automatically allow you in, even if no soul reaper recognizes you. I have already sent word of your arrival to that organization, anyway."
"They're going to try to recruit us, aren't they?"
"Most likely."
Jake nodded at the answer, as he wondered if he should join them or not.
"Other than that, I have nothing else to say. If you have questions, then please ask someone in Rukongai – they will be able to help you much better than I can."
The two trainers – even in death, they remained in that occupation – nodded, and without a moment's hesitation, went through the tunnel behind the Creator Pokémon. After a couple of moments, the yin-yang legendary Pokémon made to follow – but were stopped, if only momentarily.
"Be sure to help them control their reiatsu," Arceus told both Zekrom and Reshiram, very serious. "And assist them in learning of their zanpakuto. They need to know."
The yin-yang pair paused, before nodding at their master. Then, they followed their trainers. The door to the pathway closed behind them quietly.
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"Huh... looks almost like Driftveil City, with the markets and all," Jake commented.
"It really does," Zekrom agreed, nodding.
The legendaries had switched into their human disguises, wishing to keep themselves hidden from the souls here. The reiatsu the four of them were constantly giving out was quite easy to sense, however. The former humans had been quickly taught traveling in the tunnel how to repress it, to keep it hidden; even with that quick teaching and despite them getting it down quite well, their reiatsu was still noticeable. Some of the people around them kept giving them looks, some of the obviously weaker ones sweating slightly as they were exposed to the pressure of the new arrivals. It was as the four were walking down the road that something occurred, causing all four to tense up.
"You two sense that?" Reshiram asked the trainers, both of whom nodded.
"It sends a chill down my spine," Jake commented, eyes narrowing.
"What is it that we are sensing?" N questioned.
"It's a hollow!" Called a citizen, as the people in the street literally dropped what they were doing and ran away. "Run, or you'll be eaten alive!"
"Hollow...?" N repeated, both he and Jake confused. Then the beast appeared before them, appearing to be akin to a lizard with a hole in its chest and a mask covering its face.
"I suppose it got the name from that hole," Jake ventured, calmly. The people watching from their windows were aghast with how the newcomers had yet to flee.
"Mmm... you four smell delicious..." Growled the hollow, grinning fiendishly. "Perhaps you could hold still – while I have a full-course meal!"
It never took its first step. In the instant that it prepared to lunge forward, several things happened.
"How rude," Jake commented.
"Indeed," N agreed.
The watchers gaped. There, the hollow was down. There, before the four, were two of the oddest creatures ever seen. And the two that had spoken... their pressure had just increased. Not by much, but it did. After a few moments, someone approached them cautiously.
"What... what are you?" The man asked.
"Name's Jake!" The young man in the hat exclaimed with a grin. "And this is Unfezant!"
"My name is N Harmonica," N said, bowing respectfully, his team member doing the same. He had, over time, grown used to the concept of Pokéballs, as he had learned how to hear his team's voices through them. "My partner is Zoroark."
"But... what did you do to this thing?" The elder asked, confused. The hollow was just laying there, unconscious, and it had all happened in the blink of an eye! "I hardly saw anything!"
"Well, Unfezant used an attack that can't miss, and so did Zoroark," Zekrom explained calmly. "I guess it was really weak... other than that, no clue."
More people had shown up by then, and watched as Jake was smiling and thanking Unfezant. The male bird Pokémon trilled, and Zoroark and N seemed to communicate. How were the humans able to so easily understand these odd beings, when the people didn't? After a bit of awkward silence when the two trainers had returned the Pokémon, the old man invited the four to his home, and began to talk to them. It was soon decided what would be done, and the four left. It would be almost an hour until an actual Soul Reaper came along and eliminated the hollow for good. The occurrence of its condition was reported, and despite investigations, confusion would remain high for quite some time.
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"Well, it's finally complete," Jake sighed, at the building he, N, and their teams had worked together to build over the past week.
The surrounding trees and ground beneath them had made for a very good place to build, away from the town. They had easily realized that the hollow had been after them because of their reiatsu, so they had decided to leave that place for the citizens' safety. Now, they had a home to stay in that was in the woods, and surrounded by trees that grew some good fruit, as well. The ground they'd built upon was a goldmine – not literally, of course. It was made of some sort of material that kept reiatsu from going through it. They had spent some time building a training room down there, where they could practice with speaking to their Zanpakuto... but before they did it down there, they had to expand it. It was, according to Zekrom and Reshiram – both of whom were currently in smaller versions of their real forms – not quite big enough for the two of them. However, they could still take turns.
"So why is it so important that we do it downstairs?" Jake asked.
"Because if you don't, when you attempt to speak to your zanpakuto, your reiatsu will shoot through the roof," Zekrom explained patiently. They had quickly learned that, in this world, they could understand the Pokémon, something both N and Jake were surprised – and happy – to learn about.
"...Good reason," He admitted quietly. "So who gets first try?"
"I would not mind if you did," N said. "I wish to be with my team before I do."
Jake nodded, before he and Zekrom headed down the steps, latching the trap door behind them. Thankfully, they had made the ceiling to also hold the material, so the reiatsu would be locked inside this room for good.
"Go ahead and take a seat," Zekrom said, sitting and leaning against one of the walls. "I can't really help you much until you can materialize the blade."
"...That can't be nearly as easy as you say," Jake said.
"Nope. Normally, in the academy, soul reapers are put in a room full of zanpakuto. Their instincts lead them to a specific one that they feel fits them the best. Their zanpakuto then takes that blade as a base, and modifies it to fit its requirements. You'll be summoning yours."
"Well, then I suppose I should get started."
"I suppose you should. It starts with nothing more than meditation. You first have to meet your sword's spirit."
Jake nodded, and took position, leaning calmly against the wall opposite his (former) team member. He still had to get used to that. Closing his eyes, he slowly calmed his breathing.
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And he slowly opened them. Blinking, he looked around. The air seemed filled with static electricity, but at a comfortable level. He stood on what appeared to be the top of a building, with what seemed to be a battling arena.
"Welcome to your inner world, Jake," Spoke a deep voice. Whirling around, the young man came face-to-face with a dragon. The scales were pitch-black, and eyes red.
He looks just like – Jake began to think.
"I suppose I should tell you – I can hear your thoughts when you're in here," The dragon said, appearing amused. "And yes, I know I appear similar to Zekrom. In fact, our reiatsu is also similar."
Jake was silent for a moment, before something came to mind.
"That must mean that Reshiram and N share similar reiatsu, correct?" He guessed.
"Correct," The dragon complimented, laying on its limbs, pausing to clap. Jake grinned, and bowed.
"Thank you, thank you very much, I'll be here all week."
The dragon couldn't resist a chuckle.
"I can't just keep referring to you as 'the dragon'," Jake said, air-quoting the last two words.
"Very true. My name is –" The dragon must have said something in a foreign language or something, because Jake frowned. Taking a moment to clean out his ears, the human asked for the dragon to repeat himself. The same thing happened.
"Aaaaand we've hit our first snag," Jake commented, sighing.
"Not at all. Academy students have trouble hearing the name of their zanpakuto at first as well. Even Captain Hitsugaya, at one point in time, couldn't hear the name of his own blade."
"Okay, now I don't feel so bad."
"Of course you don't."
"Don't give me that tone, I can tell you have the same opinion for it," Jake said, giving the dragon a look. The creature grinned.
"Naturally. Now then, you are attempting to summon me, correct?"
"Attempting being the key word."
"We will go over the other steps another time. For now, my appearance as a blade is fairly simple. In order for you to earn your control over me, and for me to call you master –"
"No."
"...Huh?" The dragon asked, interested at this, and a bit confused.
"Never will I ask for you to call me something like that," Jake said, clearly serious. "Never. I refuse to see this as a master-servant or whatever relationship. We're friends, partners... whatever word you wanna use, go ahead. Once I learn of your name, I hope you do not mind me using it with you, as long as you use mine."
The dragon remained silent for quite some time, before nodding with an approving smile.
"Thank you," He said calmly. "I will do so, then. Never-the-less, Jake, materializing me is no simple task."
"I got that part when Zekrom mentioned how academy students do it," Jake deadpanned. "Oh, well, the harder it is, the more rewarding, right?"
"Indeed," The dragon agreed, smirking as they got right to work.
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Zekrom raised an eyebrow, watching as her former trainer – man, that would be tough to get used to – slowly came to from meditation. She was, frankly, quite impressed.
"Wow, Jake," She said. "I'm surprised... you did it on your first try."
"Well... I had a lot of help," Jake admitted, looking at the blade and sheath that lay in his lap.
It was a standard katana in terms of size and shape. However, its coloring was a bit special. The blade itself was mostly black. The hand guard was in the shape of two intersecting bolts of lightning, colored the same yellow as the handle's wrappings. The tassels were colored red, but the most unique part was the streak of blue going down both sides of the blade and the sheath. The belt to attatch it to his body was, quite appriately, black with a red center stripe.
"I'm surprised it has so many similarities to me," Zekrom said. She took a deep breath as he retracted his reiatsu. "And man, Jake, your pressure gets strong when you aren't watching it. You sure you don't want to go straight into the academy?"
The young man's eyes hardened. The people of the village had explained, in detail, the way all directions of Rukongai worked.
"No. There are more important things to do."
Zekrom nodded, understanding him enough to leave him be, as the two of them headed upstairs to swap with Reshiram and N.
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"So that's what yours looks like?" Jake asked, upon N and Reshiram coming out of the basement.
N's zanpakuto, in a manner like Jake's, had a color scheme befitting that of Reshiram. A white blade and sheath, both with red streaks on either side. A red hilt of what appeared to be flames, with red wrappings and blue tassels. The green-haired man nodded to his friend's inquiry, then raised an eyebrow. A white belt with a blue line was where the sheath would rest if he wished to wear the blade.
"Jake, your eyes have changed to be two different colors," N commented. "Your left eye is still green, but the other is red."
"...Speaking of eye color, yours changed, too. Your right eye is the one that stayed the same, and your left is blue."
"Perhaps it has to do with the zanpakuto?" Zekrom guessed.
Is that true? N asked his inner spirit.
It is, The spirit said to him, just as formal as its owner. Just as Zekrom and Reshiram are opposites, so are you and Jake. The eyes further showcase this, and it also represents the fact that you two have come into contact with us. I apologize, N, but I had no control over its occurance; it would have happened whether I wished it to or not.
Jake glanced at his friend a moment later, before shrugging. Apparently his spirit had said something similar.
"I must say," Reshiram began to comment. "The changed eyes appear similar to ours. I suppose it is a testament to how connected we are."
"I guess we could take it that way," Jake agreed, standing. "I'm going to give the story to the rest of my team. I'll be back soon."
Stepping outside, Jake went to where his team was hanging out, where they were mingling happily. Shortly after, N went to his own group of Pokémon friends, and both trainers explained what had happened, before falling asleep to the late hour.
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"Captain Hitsugaya," Yamamoto began to say. "Please take Captain Ukitake, Unohana, and Kuchiki to west Rukongai's closer districts."
"...Captain-Commander?" Hitsugaya asked, wondering where this was going.
"We have recently had some new arrivals in our world," The old man explained calmly. "I am certain you know of whom I speak."
Suddenly it was clarified for the ice captain. Those two were here already? Shouldn't they be in the academy already? Or... was there a reason for why they weren't?
"Kurotsuchi has figured out that there were four unknown reiatsu signatures when that hollow a month ago was found unconscious around that area. At about the same time, I received a message that two humans were being sent here."
"They've already released their zanpakuto?" Ukitake questioned, interested.
"I do not know. The reiatsu has been beyond my senses, so they may have moved to area rich in sekkiseki mineral. Search carefully, and begin immediantly."
The assigned captains nodded, and the instant the meeting was over, left the area. Quickly, the four arrived at the first district of west Rukongai, as ordered.
"So, Hitsugaya," Ukitake began to ask with a smile. "What exactly are we looking for?"
The ice captain was about to answer, when he sensed it, as did the rest of the captains – several signatures of reiatsu, to the east. The young captain, and Hyourinmaru, recognized the biggest of them immediantly, and were interested by how large they had become.
"I suppose that is them," Kuchiki ventured.
"And if I'm correct, I'd guess that they're battling," Hitsugaya added on.
"Battling? Like they did with that memory you showed us?" Unohana asked, receiving a nod as the four of them shunpoed towards the sources. Upon arrival, they found two humans, both smirking to each other as they prepared to do exactly what Hitsugaya guessed.
"Hm?" Jake said, his attention being caught by the new spiritual pressures he was sensing. "Oh! Long time, no see, Hitsugaya... friends of yours?"
"Fellow captains, Jake," Hitsugaya responded. "Are you two battling now?"
"Just about to. Would you and your friends like to watch? Or do you not want them to, N?"
"No, I am fine with an audience," N said. "I have not formally met you yet, Captain Hitsugaya, but if you are a friend of Jake's, then you and your friends are welcome to stay."
"We are not here to watch a show of barbariasm," Kuchiki cut in. "We are here to ensure that you enroll in the academy."
"That's going to have to wait," Jake said. "We were already going to battle when you showed up. Perhaps you could sit back and watch, because it's not nearly as 'barbaric' as you think. Shall we begin, N?"
"We shall," N said. The two of them, friends, and yet, rivals at the same time. This battle would be the result of many years of training. "Let's share how much we have trained!"
There was silence for a while, both trainers' reiatsu subconsciously leaking out in growing amounts. The captains immediantly took notice.
They've gotten stronger, Master, Hyourinmaru commented. Did you notice that their eyes have changed?
Yes, they have, Hyourinmaru agreed, interested in how that had happened.
"We did not come here to enjoy a show of barbariasm," Kuchiki said quietly. "Let us end this nonsense."
"I think it would be of a better benefit to witness just how powerful they have become over the month that they've been missing," Hitsugaya disagreed. "As I'm sure you've noticed –"
In that instant, the trainers' reiatsu sky-rocketed. Kuchiki appeared unimpressed, but not so for the other three. Eyes widened a fraction, as the captains watched. In the moments between the pressure in the air building and the captains reacting, two creatures had appeared in flashes of white light.
"Munna, Psychic!" Jake ordered, watching as the dream eater Pokémon blasted the target – Archeops.
"Crunch!" N asked of his rock-/flying-type friend.
Things were definitely going to get interesting with these two in the academy, and among the soul reapers in general. They had grown far stronger than what they had been when Hitsugaya had originally met them. All four captains watched as the original Pokémon were pulled back upon fainting, and replaced almost immediantly with another pair. It was when, as their third Pokémon the two asked their legendary partners to step forth, that all present tensed.
"Hollows? Now?" Hitsugaya scowled.
There were two, one north, one south, both about a mile away. He paused when he saw that the two trainers already moving, almost instinctively. He almost gaped at what he next witnessed. Both trainers held out their right hands, as if expecting something to fly into it – and that is exactly what happened. Two sheaths flew from where they lay against the house in the background, one white and red, the other black and blue. Both trainers grasped the items, secured them with the belt attatched to the blade, and continued on their way. N went north, and Jake south.
"They already have a zanpakuto?" Ukitake said, impressed. "And they can call upon it at will. Impressive."
"We need to split up and follow them," Unohana said. "They appear to be charging in far too recklessly to know what they're doing."
The decisions were unanimous; Kuchiki and Hitsugaya followed Jake, with N followed by Ukitake and Unohana. They easily kept up with their targets.
"You gonna stand back and watch, Hitsugaya?" Jake grinned to the captain.
"No, I'm going to make sure you don't get yourself killed," Hitsugaya countered.
"I won't."
Before either of the two with him could respond, they reached the hollow. It stood there, wearing a mask of a snake, matching its body quite well. The naga-styled hollow looked at the three standing in front of it, watching as Jake drew out the blade from the sheath at his waist.
"Heh heh heh... two captains, and someone with a delicious reiatsu," Sneered the naga-hollow. "This will be simple."
"Don't be reckless, Jake," Hitsugaya warned. "You aren't a proper Soul Reaper, so I doubt you know how to deal with this thing."
"I bet otherwise," Jake said, then he blinked, noticing ice spreading from his friend rapidly. "Oh, that's right... yours is based on ice. That'll make this even easier."
"How so?"
Jake smirked, making the captain raise an eyebrow. Then the captain noticed how electricity seemed to be happily dancing along his path of ice.
"You see, Hitsugaya," Jake said, preparing a swing, his black-and-blue blade crackling with static. "The colder the air... the better it conducts electricity!"
With that declaration, the trainer raced forward, and swung. In the moment that the naga-hollow easily dodged, the static on Jake's blade and arm vanished in a flash of yellow light.
"Was that meant to hurt me?" The naga laughed, the sound cold and malicious. "I didn't feel a thing, fool!"
"Just because you didn't feel anything then, doesn't mean you're protected."
"What?"
Jake was walking away, when a flash of light appeared overhead. Then, with a loud boom, a large bolt of lightning crashed down on the naga-hollow.
"Don't underestimate the power of electricity."
The naga was silent, very clearly dead, as it faded from existence. Hitsugaya was not afraid to admit that he was staring.
"What... how..." He began to say, following the trainer back to the battleground.
"Like I said, cold air conducts electricity better than normal temperurature," Jake explained, shrugging. "We haven't gotten it off that strongly before."
Hitsugaya nodded. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the battlefield again, finding the other three returning as well.
"How'd it go for you?" Jake asked N.
"Simple, of course," N responded.
"Jake, N," Ukitake said, smiling. "Witnessing your abilities, we'd like to invite you to the academy."
"I'm not going," Jake said immediantly.
There was a pause.
"Don't you want to think about it?"
"No."
"Why do you refuse?" Kuchiki asked.
"...See these trees?" Jake said, gesturing to all the trees around them. "They're fruit trees. I want to use their seeds to grow trees all along western Rukongai, the seeds blowing along in the wind as they go. Eventually, they will reach district eighty. The area were things are the worst for everyone living there."
"Why not leave that to the soul reapers?"
"Because if you guys actually did your freaking job, they wouldn't be in such a state," Jake answered harshly. "You guys are supposed to be the 'protectors of souls', and yet you can't protect the innocent in those lower districts. Until you actually start doing so... I refuse to join the academy."
"What about N?" Hitsugaya asked, receiving a shrug from Jake.
"What do I care about his decisions?"
"I wish to remain with my friends," N interjected.
Well, this certainly threw a wrench in the plans of recruiting these guys, didn't it?
"However..." Jake began to say. "We were told of the situation with Aizen. I can't speak for Zekrom or N, but I'm willing to assist in the coming battle."
An even more interesting turn in their plans... could they accept such an offer? This needed to be discussed with the captain-commander.
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"So... you are willing to assist in the battle, but not join our forces?" Yamamoto said to Jake and N, both whom wore their entire team – minus Reshiram and Zekrom – on their belts, along with their zanpakuto.
"Why must we be required to do both?" N inquired respectfully. He did not wish for the ire of this man.
"It is the way of the world, child," Yamamoto replied. He did not appreciate the fact the invitation was so casually rejected. Jake sighed.
"Look," He said casually. The captains present instantly noticed his decision to not hold much respect in his voice.
"Boy, you are before the captain-commander," Scolded Sui-Feng. "Present yourself with respect!"
"...As I was saying," He continued, giving her a look. "If all we did was join in the battle, then afterwards I can resume my project. I don't want to just leave you all on your own in this fight – I wanna help. But not if it means abandoning what I'm doing right now."
There was silence from the captain-commander for some time. This boy had an attitude similar to the Substitute Shinigami's – reckless, incredibly stubborn, and caring.
"I will agree to your terms – on one condition," Yamamoto said at length. They needed all the help they could get. The captains in the room were watching intensely. "As long as you allow one of the captains here to assist in your training, and you come here at least four times a week in order to train with them."
Jake and N shared a look. The conditions were very reasonable, and so they were accepted, and it was decided for Hitsugaya to help them.
"Man, you just can't seem to get away from me," Jake grinned to the ice captain. The captain's eye twitched. "Should we get started today?"
Hitsugaya nodded, and quickly led the way to a training area.
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"So why exactly did your eyes change?" Hitsugaya asked after some training, as they paused for a moment.
"We are not quite sure as for the reasons," N explained calmly. "But we believe it is due to our zanpakuto. They are similar, as you have noticed, to the legendary Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom. Even the spirits of our blades are similar."
"So you two really are linked to those creatures."
"More than we had originally thought."
Hitsugaya remained silent, before a thought occurred to him.
"Have either of you unlocked your shikai yet?"
"The initial release?" Jake confirmed, receiving a nod. "Actually... we have. Care to witness?"
"Naturally," Hitsugaya said. "I want to see if you can make me use shikai."
"Yeah, with the difference in our levels now, we could use all the help we could get," Jake grinned. "But don't forget what I told you before – the colder you make the air, the stronger our attacks are."
"Are you including N in that? His blade is around fire, like the captain-commander's."
"No, I'm including my zanpakuto," Jake explained calmly. "N and I... we're a little different. We refer to our blades the same way we refer to the members of our teams."
Hitsugaya nodded his understanding.
They've certainly grown stronger, haven't they, Master? Hyourinmaru commented in his head.
They have, He agreed, watching as the two opposite him prepared their shikai. That month of intensive training had paid certainly paid off.
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"Oh? And who are you two?" Aizen taunted, spotting two new fighters that he hadn't seen before.
"Do you really need to know?" Jake retorted.
"Our names are not important to the likes of you," N calmly stated.
"Wait, you guys," Hitsugaya said, looking at them. "You two were impressive back there against those Espada, but –"
"Are you seriously going to charge in this recklessly?" Jake asked. "I thought you were better than that."
Hitsugaya gave him a look, and listened to Jake's whisperings. The trainers had their Pokémon out, the creatures' appearances having shocked many – but their battle prowess had been even more surprising. All ten of them had taken care of the Menos Grande horde with ease... although the Vizards had helped them. But the large white dragon, and the black dragon... their reiatsu matched that of the boys', and the reasons were unclear why to the majority of the fighters.
"You two and your creatures... they are things I have never seen or heard of before," Aizen commented. "Are you experiments from Kurotsuchi's lab, what with those eyes of yours?"
"Not in the slightest," N replied. This man reminded him of his own father so much, he was struggling to keep his cool... the things helping were his friends, and the spirit of his blade. "We are merely people blessed with friends, and the chance to assist in defeating someone like you."
"How do you plan to do so?" Aizen inquired. "You have seen the others fall. You stopped Hitsugaya from losing as well. How I do not know, but it doesn't matter. You'll lose anyway... even the human. Even though he is the only one to not be under my hypnosis."
Jake remained silent, as did N.
"Do you recall what the old man said of your blade's ability?" Jake said. "The only thing you cannot stop us from sensing is reiatsu. Something that can't lie. That is how we will fight you. And with the air as cold as it is, that should be of some assistance."
The air was, indeed, quite frigid from Hitsugaya's bankai, as Jake had requested. Zekrom and Reshiram were opposite their former trainers, ready to attack.
"You do know that you require at least shikai to even hope to damage me?" Aizen taunted.
"Of course," N answered. "That is what we were preparing to do."
Jake drew his blade, and held it vertically before him, almost like a lightning rod. N grasped his, and held it horizontally toward Aizen, as if he would use it to light a fire.
"Protect your ideals... Krezom," Jake intoned calmly, simultaneously with his friend.
"Defend the truth, Ramreshi," N said gently.
In a burst of electricity and flame, both trainers showered the field in a blast of reiatsu. Hitsugaya, having seen the results of many weeks of training, wasn't surprised; several other captains, however, were. Aizen was as stoic as ever, as the smoke revealed what stood there – but before the smoke even cleared, two pairs of eyes gleamed brightly. A red pair, and a blue pair. Then, he watched as N's form was revealed first.
Standing there, N had changed significantly. In a manner similar to Hitsugaya's bankai, white wings had sprouted from his shoulder blades, coated in a soft white downy fur. His hands were changed to be that of white draconic claws, now clinging to a pure-white blade. Its beauty rivaled that of Rukia's own zanpakuto. The flame-shaped hilt-guard was now enlargened, and dancing alive along N's hand painlessly. And his eyes had gone to be the same sharp, piercing blue as Reshiram's own.
Meanwhile, Jake was looking at Aizen with eyes a red burning with a unquenchable flame. Black wings sprouted from his back, his hands black claws. Dark scales wound their way up his arms, with one holding tightly to the pitch-black blade he currently wielded. Like N's, the hilt-guard was alive, and dancing up and down his right arm.
The one thing they shared, though, was their left arm. Tattoos that were simple outlines of their corresponding legendary Pokémon rested in their left hand palms. For Jake, the lines were white in contrast to his black-scaled arms; for N, the traces were black to stand out better. Lines twisted up their arms, around their necks, and down the other arm – before tying to their blades.
"Clearly... you two are meant to work with Hitsugaya," Aizen commented. "So many similarities. What else can you do, I wonder...?"
There was silence for a while, and Aizen made to make the first move – and discovered that he couldn't.
"What?" He said. "Did you do something in your release?"
"Aside from have Munna use Disable?" Jake inquired in response. "No. She used it to lock away your sword's ability. For the next hour, you will be unable to use the hypnosis skill. It also temporarily paralyzes the target."
Aizen suddenly realized that these two were, despite their reiatsu being much lower than his own, were tactically brilliant in their own right. When had that little pink creature done that? How did he not notice? And why had it hit him dead-on, when it should've gone for the illusion?
"If you are wondering why it did not hit your illusion," N began to say. "It is because during the time it took you to reactivate it – or, in our case, activate it for the first time – you flared your reiatsu, even if only for a single moment. But it was enough time for us to slip some of our own in, and attatch it to yours."
"To act as flag markers in order to locate me," Aizen said, realization dawning upon him. "So to know where I was, all it would have to do is find traces of you in my reiatsu."
"That is correct."
Aizen was silent for some time... before laughing.
"Very good," He chuckled. "I underestimated you because I didn't know you. But can you do it again?"
"Naturally."
Aizen noticed that he was having difficulty moving again, and that his nerves seemed to be misfiring.
"...A paralyzing wave?" He inquired.
"From Zekrom," Jake explained shortly. "And since Teravolt and Turboblaze are both active from all four of us, anything that's supposed to stop our attacks won't work."
Now the traitor was enlightened into realizing that these two trainers weren't tactical geniuses because of talent; they were experienced. They knew what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. They knew what they were doing.
"And with you paused like that... we shall begin our real attack."
N and Reshiram, flanking Aizen from the sides, charged their attack quickly. The generator-like tail on Reshiram whirred, flames bursting to life in front of her. N's arm and guard exploded into a ball of flame at the tip of his blade, which he brought back. The black lines on his body were glowing a fierce red.
"Fusion... Flare!" N and Reshiram cried at once, releasing their ranged attacks at the same time.
In the instant that the burning blazes hit, Aizen knew that this would leave a mark and an opening. Surely enough, the other two capitilized on this moment.
"Next up!" Jake exclaimed.
Zekrom's tail began to turn, cranking up the electricity as she enveloped herself in a ball of lightning reaching into the larger number of volts. The very large numbers. Jake's white contours along his body, along with the hiltguard and blade, were crackling with fierce yellow electricity.
"Fusion... Bolt!" The two cried, charging forward, and in a moment, were upon Aizen.
Afterwards, the battle continued on... with the monster that was the traitor somehow surviving those powerful attacks.
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"It's been a few months since Aizen lost," Jake said. He and N had finally joined the Gotei 13, and with their experience in the field, had quickly graduated from the academy. Why learn what you already know? Aside from the annoying kido, of course. "And I couldn't have done it without you."
"Well, we're a team," Krezom said, smiling as they spoke in Jake's inner world. "Now get out. We have a test to get to."
"Yup!" Jake grinned.
Today, he was taking the captain's exam. The holes left by the traitorous captains was still there. N had already replaced Tousen a few days ago. Now it was Jake's turn. So, with that in mind, he dashed off to the testing area, more than ready to pass. How did he know he was going to do so? Let's just say it was a gut feeling... and man, was it correct. The young Shinigami had passed with flying colors. Now, the three that supported each other in battle – Hitsugaya, Jake, and N – were all captains. Those three were a very formadible team, as was showcased during the Aizen Battle. Since then, things had gone well.
Jake had made serious progress in his project to help lower Rukongai. So much so that he had joined the academy, and once graduated, used his free time to both train and have a little garden within the Soul Society's walls to continue working on it. In the meantime, both he, N, and even their teams had grown far stronger. Which is why they were both now of captain rank, with Jake replacing Aizen. Well, now he had a lot more work to do with that division, and he would be sure to do it right...