Chapter 1: Rogue
For years he had risked everything to help out complete strangers. For years he had suffered, fought, lost, and won. For years he faced death everyday it seemed. Yet this was almost a natural aspect of his life. He was Kurosaki Ichigo, and he was a shinigami.
During his first years as a substitute he had helped the organization known as the Gotei Thirteen as they battled against hideous demons called hollows, along with other powerful spiritual creatures. In fact during a few of those wars he excelled beyond what normal shinigami were capable of. Certainly Ichigo was a powerful ally to the Gotei Thirteen, but with power comes a fear of that power, and where there's fear, there is always contempt.
So it was that when it seemed there were no more threats, the shinigami of the Gotei Thirteen began to fear and subsequently despise the substitute. Their irritation soon became a full-blown hate, and in time even his greatest allies, his nakama, turned their zanpakutos on him.
Dusk was rapidly setting in as Ichigo raced down an alley in downtown Tokyo. He had been on the run for weeks, and his pursuers were rapidly catching up to him. He gritted his teeth while glancing down at his representative badge. Could he afford to use it? As it stood, while in his physical body he could at least try and hide from his assailants, but his human body was much weaker and slower than his spiritual form. Though if he were to opt for the boosted abilities he'd gain from using his badge, his body would begin to radiate an unmistakable wave of power, and his enemies would be drawn to him like moths to a flame.
He slumped down against a garbage can as he panted for breath, trying desperately to breath as quietly as he could. He had only been resting for ten seconds when he held his breath at the sound of two feet touching ground not far down the alley. Could he chance a glance? He decided he would see just who was hunting him this time, and if it came to it, he could always rely on the power of the badge at his waist. He glanced out and grimaced. This time the Gotei Thirteen were fighting low, sending out unseated officers knowing full-well Ichigo would not kill them if confronted.
He decided to try and slip away, but as soon as he took a single step away from the shinigami his foot collided with another trash can making a clatter that instantly snagged the attention of the young shinigami. The two faced each other in silence, but then the shinigami hunter did something that brought on a wave of dread for Ichigo, he began to raise his reiatsu.
He knew he could drop this shinigami with little to no effort, but at the same time he refused to prove the Gotei Thirteen right, that he was dangerous enough to warrant a permanent residence in the nest of maggots. He turned to run away, but another unseated shinigami was already barring his path. "Give it up Kurosaki, we know you don't have it in you to fight back, and we have your only avenues of escape blocked. Surrender now." The second shinigami stated as she drew her zanpakuto.
Ichigo cringed, this time he would have no choice but to fight, and reluctantly he grabbed his badge. "Surrender... After all the help I gave your organization, this is the thanks I get?" He asked before placing the badge firmly against his chest.
"You fool, are you really intent on leaving your physical body defenseless? All to prove some crazy point!?" The first shinigami shouted.
Ichigo looked to the shinigami behind him with a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Surely by now you must remember who you're dealing with." He said coldly. "So believe me when I say, you'll never be able to even touch my body." He continued bitterly while drawing Zangetsu off his back.
The other two shinigami exchanged nervous glances. "Hey didn't the report suggest-" The first shinigami was interrupted by the second.
"-Don't talk about the report in front of him you idiot!" She shouted angrily.
Ichigo glanced back and forth between the two unseated officers. "Hmm, despite any information they may have about me, they aren't eager to face me... I can use this to my advantage." He thought as he narrowed his eyes while a blue glare shined forth. "Hey, in case you forgot, you're both already a little too busy to argue amongst yourselves!" He exclaimed while extending his sword outward. "Believe me when I say that I do not wish to fight you, but also appreciate the fact that I do want to continue living." He continued as he brought his left arm over to his right bicep.
"Hey isn't that how he prepares for-" The first shinigami was interrupted when Ichigo called out.
"Bankai!" He exclaimed instantly filling the two unseated officers with dread.
Meanwhile, across the city a much more powerful shinigami was closely monitoring the flows of reiryoku throughout the city, and she instantly picked up on Ichigo's increase. "Captain, northeast, about three kilometers!" Hinamori Momo called out to a man with long blonde hair.
"Interesting, he's only using bankai, no hollowfication." Hirako Shinji replied with an unsettling grin. While he and Momo were racing toward Ichigo's location, Shinji pulled out a soul pager. "Attention all shinigami of all squads in the northeast Tokyo area, those without the ability to invoke bankai are ordered to withdraw. Leave Kurosaki Ichigo to us!" He exclaimed confidently.
Momo gave him a worried look. "Captain, my bankai is not quite ready for a battle-test, is my assistance required? This is Kurosaki we're talking about." She explained nervously.
"Hinamori if you are unsure of your abilities you wouldn't have agreed to accompany me. Have faith in your own powers." Shinji replied, and just seconds later the two came to a stop in midair at the sight of a black wave of spiritual power forcing back two much weaker shinigami. "That's exactly why I gave the order for retreat." He uttered as he slightly shook his head.
Ichigo didn't struggle much against the two unseated officers, but he winced inwardly when he felt the presence of Shinji up above. Once the unseated officers were on the run, Ichigo focused his attention up at his former mentor. "He's decided not to attack blindly, well at least I can take the opportunity to plan out how I'll get clear of this one." He thought as a scowl intensified on his face.
Ichigo's first thought was to take Hinamori Momo out of the battle entirely, and was confident he could succeed even without the power of his inner hollow. However when he felt more and more high reiatsu waves steadily and quickly heading in his direction, he knew he'd not have much convenience for tactics. "Give it up Ichigo, you may be quite capable, but even you surely have limits." Shinji spoke down.
Ichigo glared up at the vizored. "Shinji, you were once hunted by those bastards yourself, so why would you even think about doing the same to anyone else!?" Ichigo called up just before Abarai Renji appeared down in front, his Zabimaru already in its shikai form.
"Ichigo... Please, stop this foolishness, Captain Kyoraku is willing to just seal your powers and let you live normally from there on out. Just come to your senses." Renji pleaded while holding Zabimaru down low in the most non-threatening way he could manage.
Yet another familiar reiatsu appeared right behind him, and it belonged to the shinigami responsible for just about everything in his life. "Renji is right, Ichigo." Kuchiki Rukia spoke out, and Ichigo glared back at her.
"Why do you all insist I'm a danger? Is it because you fear that I can completely eradicate a soul while in my hollowfied state? You do realize most of the captains are capable of such feats even without having an inner hollow." Ichigo replied angrily.
"What does it matter anyway? It's been years since we last observed a menos grande or had to deal with spiritually powerful humans. Why do you need your power in times of peace?" Renji asked as he took a step forward prompting Ichigo to lift Zangetsu in a defensive stance.
"Why are you all so concerned when I have not even made an attempt at a thought of turning my blade on you?" Ichigo asked in response.
"Because there is no need for you to have such power anymore." Rukia replied calmly.
"Then why aren't any of you going through the same process?" Ichigo replied.
"Because none of us were strong enough to defeat Aizen, but you were." Renji answered.
What Ichigo had failed to realize was throughout their short conversation, Renji and Rukia had been radiating their reiatsu as strongly as they could essentially blinding Ichigo to a surprise attack from Sui Feng when she phased through the wall of one of the buildings lining the alley. There wasn't much that he could do to break free of the binding kidou as he could tell the seal was specially designed for him. "It's over Kurosaki, it's finally over... Too bad you had to resist us every step of the way." The irritable captain stated smugly as she glowered down at the paralyzed Ichigo.
"Look at that, we didn't even need to get involved, your worries were really for nothing this time." Shinji told Momo with a slight hint of disappointment in his voice. "Would have rather seen how far he's come since the days of old." He continued more out of boredom while they watched the others casting more binding kidous on Ichigo.
Little did the shinigami know, there was a very intrigued man watching everything that had happened, and he was less than thrilled at the result. As he stood glaring down at the scene coming to its conclusion, he was approached by a young woman wearing a black shihakusho with a red haori draped over her slender shoulders. "Vector, status?" She asked impatiently.
The man called Vector grunted in disapproval. "The bastard shinigami got to him first. Forgive me ma'am, but I'm not trained for speed, nor am I trained to fight dozens of their seated officers." He replied irritably.
"It's alright Vector, no one is claiming you acted wrong." Another spoke up as he approached the two souls, and like the girl he was adorned with a red haori. "However, we can not afford to lose Ichigo Kurosaki." He continued, and he could hear the girl scoff. "I'm not joking Nami, we need his strength if we hope to survive what will be coming our way." He added on.
"Oh, I'm not confused on the matter, I don't get things twisted, but you're forgetting, the Seireitei is an almost impenetrable fortress, we'll never be able to rescue him." Nami replied irritably.
"Oh contraire little child... The Gotei Thirteen have all but forgotten our existence entirely. The element of surprise is certainly working in our favor, and with the numbers we've amassed we could very well raze the Soul Society to the ground." The man with the red haori replied with a confident smirk. "Just hold out for us brother, we will not be so unkind as to force you to lay down your sword when you wish to keep protecting souls." He continued. "Vector, Nami, we need to prepare for the great rescue mission. We can't let them seal Ichigo's powers away." He uttered before the three vanished under the aid of shunpo.
The three didn't go far, their destination was a large ship off the coast. A large one that shipped large containers of varied merchandise. There they went down the rows of containers until they came to a stop at one that had a skull painted on the doors. Nami knocked three times, waited a second, and knocked four more times before opening the container and closing it again, and finally knocking twice more. When the complex series of knocks was finished, she opened the container and led the two men in.
Inside the container, it was time for the man with the haori to knock on the wall opposite the doors. He knocked twice, and a shuddering jolt could be felt throughout the container as though it had just been set down on a platform. Finally Vector opened the doors, and waiting on the other side was not quite what one would expect. Instead of exiting out onto the deck of the ship, they stepped out onto a pathway lined by two rows of tall stone pillars on either side.
Waiting for the three was an older woman whom was also draped in a red haori. "Welcome back General Yukimura, General Blake, Vector." She stated merrily before a scowl surfaced. "Where is Kurosaki Ichigo?" She asked as she glanced among the group before focusing her gaze on General Blake.
"We weren't fast enough, the shinigami got to him first, and we were just returning to prepare for a rescue mission." General Blake replied in a flat businesslike tone.
The older woman glared at the general before turning away. "You mean to rescue him from... There." She replied as she began to walk prompting the others to follow.
"Well where else would we rescue him from, they won't seal his powers in the world of the living." Nami retorted before catching a glare from General Blake.
"Mind your words young one. Though you may be a general on the council you are still not worthy to speak up on such matters." The old woman growled with a glare. "As for you John, you still have yet to give me a reason to trust you yet, and I still don't feel much comfort in just your word that Ryuji passed his title onto you before he fell to that vasto lordes last month." She continued.
"Ouch." Vector mouthed as he nudged Nami with his elbow.
"I'm aware of that ma'am, but each time I try to prove myself, you refuse while claiming I can't be trusted. I find myself frustrated that I can't do my job as well." John replied defensively.
"That is simply because each time you come asking to prove yourself, you demand I entrust you with just about all of our brethren, and furthermore we don't have many tools at our disposal, should you fail we would lose valuable and irreplaceable equipment." The old woman replied impatiently.
"Well then what else do you suggest!? That we let Ichigo essentially die!?" John shouted. "Look, I realize being American, I'm not high on your list of people to trust, but lady you need to swallow your damn pride and look at the bigger picture, and then maybe you would appreciate how massively important this rescue mission is! General Satoshi, your mentor, knew the value Ichigo could have held for our organization back when he led us, and that was back when the damn shinigami accepted him. Now, he's all alone, and he's in their custody, the situation demands that we act in the strongest way possible." He explained impatiently.
"I thought I told you that you don't give me orders boy." The old woman replied.
"Fine, figure out how to get Ichigo here yourself!" John shouted as he diverted his direction off the path.
"Wait!" Nami called out as she moved after him before Vector held out his arm stopping her.
"Let him go, he needs to cool off before we continue." Vector stated calmly. "General Yamamoto, may we be excused?" He asked the old woman.
"Just go, I too need to calm myself." General Yamamoto replied irritably.
In the Seireitei, Ichigo was imprisoned in the tower of penance. It was by Captain Ukitake's word and the support of Captain Kuchiki that Ichigo was spared his immediate sealing of his powers. While he reflected on the events earlier that evening, he was visited by Abarai Renji. "I'm deeply sorry Ichigo, but the panic your presence was causing was just too great a strain not to do something." He stated as sympathetically as he could. Ichigo remained silent as he held his back to his former ally. "Come on, you have to believe that Rukia and I... We would never do this to you if not for a very important reason." He continued, and once more Ichigo remained silent.
Just as Renji was just about to continue, Rukia had entered the tower as well. "Renji... Ichigo, I don't know what Renji might have told you, but we only did this for you. Being on the run from everyone like you were, showing a willingness to attack unseated officers of any one of the squads... You have to believe us that we had little other choice." She explained as a tear came to her eyes.
Still Ichigo remained silent as he continued to hold his back to them. "Damn it Ichigo, what would you have done if it were me or Rukia!?" Renji shouted, angered by Ichigo's cold shoulder.
Ichigo lifted his head as he gazed out the window at a crescent moon. "I would have died for either of you to escape if only for another day." He finally spoke, his words more painful to the shinigami present than the most powerful arrancar's blade.
Neither Rukia nor Renji could find the words to respond, and ultimately had little other choice but to leave the tower in shame. As the two walked aimlessly down the streets of the Seireitei they couldn't avoid the feeling of crushing guilt. While they weren't in Ichigo's exact position, they knew that he was completely honest about what he would have done in their shoes. "Rukia... Were we wrong?" Renji asked shakily.
Rukia shuddered under Renji's question, but ultimately gave a meek nod. "Do you remember, shortly after we first met him? I was in a bad spot, scheduled to be executed, but Ichigo refused to let it happen... He even went as far as to try and face my brother without having a bankai... All to save me." She explained dismally while tears flooded her eyes.
"Well, the captain has changed a lot since back then, you know, and maybe he can help Ichigo out. I mean if this was any time back when we first met him, your brother would have demanded that he be executed on top of his powers being sealed. This time it was different... He spoke up on Ichigo's behalf, and now they're going to discuss things. We just have to believe that he can get things done in his favor." Renji explained. "Then there's Captain Ukitake as well. He's the head captain's best friend from back when they learned under Yamamoto himself! Maybe he can help influence Captain Kyoraku's decision." Renji stated in a hopeful tone of voice.
It wasn't much of a hope, but it perked Rukia back up, though she was still far from happy with how things were turning out. "Ugh, I just wish there was something more we could do!" She exclaimed in frustration.
"Well there's not much more can be done for him." The two shinigami jerked their heads up at the top of a wall.
"Yachiru, you shouldn't say things like that, there's always a way to help, we just don't see it yet." Renji scolded the young lieutenant.
"Well then why are you standing around here for? If there's a way you can help Ichi, then get it done!" Yachiru exclaimed as she dropped down off the wall.
"Easier said than done, or did you not catch the part where I said we just haven't found a way to help him?" Renji asked.
"No, it's not easier said than done, you're just making it harder than it is to say." Yachiru replied.
"Really then, how would you help him?" Renji asked irritably.
"Well Baldy once told me that when helping a friend you need to think like them, and see their weaknesses and cover them... So if instead you wanted to save someone who's looked at as a bad guy..." Yachiru trailed off as a grin permeated her lips.
"We're trying to help solve the problem, not create more!" Renji barked before Rukia grabbed his arm.
"Renji, you're arguing with a kid... No matter how much she's grown over the past few years, she is still a child." Rukia pointed out.
"I doubt it, living children grow faster true enough, but there's no reason her level of intelligence wouldn't increase as fast as a living child." Renji retorted.
"Well unfortunately there's no way of proving that, and quite frankly, you're embarrassing to be around right now." Rukia replied irritably.
"Glad I could make you guys a little happier!" Yachiru exclaimed as she turned away while she started walking.
"What are you talking about!?" Renji shouted angrily.
"Well you two have been gloomier than a cold rainy night lately, but now you two are yelling at each other just like old times... I cheered you up, and now I need some candy!" Yachiru exclaimed before taking off in a random direction, hopping over a wall completely.
"Huh, maybe you're right, perhaps Yachiru is a little sharper than most give her credit for." Rukia uttered in a dumbfounded tone of voice. "Still she's right, back in the day we would have been quick to figure something out, so what's so difficult about figuring it out now?" She asked as she furrowed her brow in concentration.
Renji thought about it for a moment before he suddenly had an idea. "Well I don't know how to help him, but maybe Ishida does." He replied with a grin.
"Renji that is genius!" Rukia exclaimed. "Just, how are we going to get authorization to use the senkaimon?" She asked, but Renji's grin intensified.
"Your brother... If we can get him to authorize it, I'm sure Ishida will know what to do." Renji continued as he took off with Rukia closely on his heels.
Meanwhile, back at the world on the other side of the ship, John, Nami, and Vector were preparing for an unauthorized mission to break into the Seireitei. "And you guys are sure you're with me on this?" John asked skeptically while he worked on a lock on a container that held all of their tools.
"Yeah for the hundredth time we are with you, just hurry up!" Nami snapped while looking over her shoulder.
"I'm almost... Ah, done!" John exclaimed as he opened the latch. Inside the container were several strange looking devices. John grabbed one that looked like a small cone, and another that was a simple piece of string, but the third item he grabbed he handled as though the tiny square of cloth was made of glass.
"Is that..." Vector trailed off as his eyes focused on the cloth.
"Yes, the shroud of mortality... The perfect piece of equipment for hiding our spiritual signatures." John replied as he gently dabbed his forehead.
"Yeah, your reiatsu just vanished." Nami confirmed with a grin.
"And soon so will his life!" It was General Yamamoto, and she did not look pleased.
John narrowed his eyes on his superior. "Lady, what do you expect us to do? All of us, every last member of our organization is tired of living in this shadow of where we belong. For too long we've been hiding from the shinigami that have mercilessly branded us as too dangerous to let be. Ichigo Kurosaki can change that. You know he is practically the only one of us all that can probably make a difference, but that won't be possible if things continue as they are!" He shouted before drawing a small hand scythe.
"Would you really draw on me? Do you have any idea who I once was back in the Seireitei!?" General Yamamoto asked angrily while she raised her voice.
"I know exactly who you are... Sister of Genryusai Yamamoto." John uttered as he held his ground. "Do you have any idea who I am?" He asked as he cocked an eyebrow in defiance.
"Soul Society, North American territory... You are the grandson of Alexander Blake, the current Master Commander." General Yamamoto replied indifferently. "I know all about your reaper blade, I know of both your ascendance and transcendence, and I know that you are particularly weak in the areas of kidou practice. In fact based on what I know, I can tell you quite frankly that you have no chance of walking out of here alive should you decide to go through with things." She warned as she drew her zanpakuto.
"The Shinigami... The only zanpakuto baring traits of its namesake. I do not fear that blade." John uttered with a confident grin.
"I hold in my possession the only zanpakuto with a sanban kaihou, and you don't fear it? There must be a deformation in your mind." General Yamamoto replied with a chuckle.
"Likewise I hold in my possession quite possibly the most dangerous reaper blade, or are you not taking into account that soul guards are a little less frightened by those stronger than them? Combine that with my exile, and can you honestly say with certainty that you can handle what I'm capable of?" John asked.
"Well then, if you are so confident in your abilities... Subete no tamashi o shukaku, Shinigami!" General Yamamoto called out, and aside from her zanpakuto growing another foot in length, not much was different about the shikai from the sealed form.
John let out a low whistle. "The shikai, first release right? Fail, on so many levels, you'll need nothing short of your sanban kaihou thing to beat me!" He exclaimed as he held up his hand scythe. "Raise hell the world-over, Lucifer!" He cried out, and the hand scythe quickly grew into a full-sized scythe.
Yamamoto was less than impressed. "The great reaper blade itself. Rumored to appear only once every fifty-thousand years... Likewise the almighty Shinigami, a zanpakuto rumored to be just as rare... Would you really see either of these lost once more to time itself?" She asked.
"If you refuse to let me help Ichigo then yes, I would see the Shinigami lost to the ages." John replied just as defiantly. "Yamamoto, come to your senses, you want the Gotei Thirteen to pay just as desperately as we do... Let us do our damn job, and who knows maybe you'll be sipping tea in the court of pure souls by tomorrow evening." He continued before resealing his reaper blade. John was a wise warrior who knew well how to choose the right fights, and while he was confident in his own mastery of the Lucifer, he was also confident in Yamamoto's mastery of her Shinigami.
Yamamoto seemed to have come to the same conclusion as her zanpakuto shortened down to its normal length. "Out of sheer curiosity, let's say I let you go, what is your plan for rescuing Ichigo, those shinigami there aren't exactly slouches despite how nervous they can be. How can you guarantee me that you'll succeed?" She asked as she sheathed her zanpakuto.
"Well the string as you know is used to allow us telepathic communication without a need for specialized kidou, then we have this little guy, I had a feeling it would come in handy as I was escaping a few decades back." John replied as he held up the cone. "It was developed by the research scientists, and can essentially grant temporary hollowfication abilities for everyone who is touching it when it's activated. Unfortunately it's also a single-use tool, but the effects last a little longer than twenty-four hours. Then of course the shroud to conceal our spiritual signatures, again, you can thank me for having a mind to grab this as I was leaving the North American Soul Society." He explained. "The plan is that we go in, all of us will draw attention of the native shinigami and then we give ourselves the rub-down with the shroud while also activating the hollowfy-cone and the mentality thread. After that we head three different directions, and essentially race each other to find Ichigo. We drop all who get in our way." He explained.
"And based on that plan you can see me sipping tea there tomorrow night?" Yamamoto asked skeptically.
"Well if all goes smoothly they'll send their captains our way, we drop them, and we essentially cripple the Gotei Thirteen." John replied.
"My brother will not be so easily beaten... His Ryujin Jakka is a very dangerous zanpakuto in its own right with frightening abilities." Yamamoto replied.
"That's where I come in." Nami replied as she stepped forward. "No fire type zanpakuto can best mine." She continued as she looked over her shoulder at her partner.
"And where does Vector come in in all of this?" Yamamoto asked.
"Ma'am, as someone priding myself on my sense of perception, I will weed out the onmitsukido, and of course their leader, Sui Feng of the second devision. She will be one of the primary threats, and I've studied her abilities back when the shinigami were fighting that Aizen Sosuke." Vector spoke up. "My soul peircer will see to her downfall." He continued as he held out his hand before materializing a spear.
"Hmm, perhaps this would be a decent partnership, two of you are of unknown origin to their order, and as for you Nami, like me your zanpakuto might be more than they can handle." Yamamoto replied with a grin. Now that she gave it a little thought, she was beginning to grow excited by the concept of crushing the shinigami. "Still, take your headsets, and if any of you find yourselves overwhelmed, I want you to summon us to your side. Is that clear?" She asked sternly, and the three soul reapers grinned back at her.
"Yes ma'am!" The three exclaimed in unison.
-End- So what do you all think about the new concept? I know it's a bit risky portraying the characters the way I did, but I want the future of this story to remain uncertain even to myself as to how things will end up. Furthermore, Genryusai Yamamoto is still dead obviously, but his sister just isn't aware. Another thing is that there are only a few dozen rogues, and of their underground rebellion, there are only five generals, of which the other two will be revealed in later chapters. As for the Shinigami and the Lucifer, the weapons will have abilities that warrant the persecution of their weilders. Finally, as of currently, while I am planning a pairing later on, it will be a very minor subplot, and will have absolutely nothing to do with Ichigo, so if you're looking to read up on Ichiruki or Ichihime, I'm through shipping either. Anyway, if you are finding yourself enraged with my latest idea, or the lack of work on my other ideas, I apologize, but it's time my writing changed, and this is where it will start. Oh, one last thing, the translation of Yamamoto's shikai release command is Harvest all souls, Shinigami, also as in a few prior fics i started, i made reference to sanban kaihou, the literal translation is simply third release.
Disclaimer: Bleach is not my work. I only own the OCs, some basic abilities, tools, and various terms I will use throughout the entirety of this fic. Rights of the original canon belong to Tite Kubo