AN: This is a very rough One-shot that I mulled over for a while. I know this isn't a unique idea, but this is my spin on it. I had to get this out before my mind would let me work on my next chapter for English Lessons.
As always, Bleach and it's respective characters are not mine.
To compromise with a Demon
"-aki-kun!" Deep within Ichigo's inner world the demon stirred. Driven forward by instinct and a calling that couldn't be ignored.
Hovering right at the edge of consciousness, Ichigo could just make out the faint screams of the gentle healer he'd just risked everything to save.
"Am I dead Zangetsu?" Hearing nothing in response to his question Ichigo could only look around in confusion. "I know that last shot really did a number on me..." Ichigo shook his head in a vain attempt to get his equilibrium back.
The inner world he was so familiar with was nothing like it's usual self. Destroyed buildings were all around and the sky itself was a deep red, almost black. His eyes caught on a glimpse of white, like it was beckoning him. The tattered remains of his hollow's cloak hung off a jagged piece of metal jutting out of the desolation that surrounded him.
"Alone huh? I guess it's true what they say, 'everyone dies alone." Staring out into the desolation, Ichigo failed to see his hollow until he walked up beside him.
"Sad, yet beautiful at the same time. Isn't it?"
"The hell?! Don't just sneak up on me like that!" Ichigo clutched dramatically at his chest only to come to the grim realization that Ulquiorra's blast had blown a hole clean through. "Wait, should that happen?"
"What the giant hole in your chest? What did you expect? You got your ass handed to you and now you've gone and killed us both. This right now is your life fading out. The old man burned out during the attack just to give you as much time as he could." Smirking, the hollow waved his hand out, gesturing to the wasteland that had replaced the once proud city. "In the end Ichigo, this is what we get to see, and you never even knew your full potential. Wasting your time with that old man like you did."
Ichigo could only gape at his hollow. His inner world was in ruins, Zangetsu was apparently dead and his hollow was not only NOT trying to kill him, but seemed downright civil. "What do you mean wasting my time with the 'old man?"
"I mean that you never once used your full strength. That old bastard was keeping my power contained and even stole MY NAME! I don't think he ever had one of his own, at least, he never bothered to tell me." The hollow menacingly closed and opened his fists, staring at a memory of the dark haired old man.
"Wait, hold on. You're telling me that Zangetsu wasn't really Zangetsu? You're Zangetsu and he didn't even have a name?"
"Catch on quick don't you? Someone get him a cookie!" Zangetsu rolled his eyes at his wielder's obliviousness.
Ichigo was completely mystified. Everything he thought he knew was flipping on it's end, all at the end of his life. 'Well that would explain why it's just me and him now. Is this really the time for this? I'm dying and my friends could be too.' He could still hear Inoue's voice. It sounded broken, almost hysterical, as she called out to him.
"Hey, don't ignore me!" Zangetsu reached over and slugged Ichigo in the side of the face.
"What the hell was that for?!" Ichigo screamed as he picked himself up.
"Quit moping! This is THE END! We're dying! At least go down with some dignity! Damn!" Zangetsu enunciated each statement with a powerful kick to whatever shattered piece of landscape happened to be nearby.
"What did you expect? I just had a hole blown through my chest, found out that Zangetsu wasn't really Zangetsu and I can't get HER voice out of my head! I can't die like this! Not without making sure sh-, they're okay!" Ichigo caught himself putting too much emphasis on Inoue and quickly changed what he was saying.
"Sure King, you can lie to everyone else, but not me. I'm a part of your soul, remember? I know full well why we're here. Honestly, you're an idiot if you think that anyone other than her believes that shit. You willingly ran head first into certain death on the off chance that you'd get lucky and get her out. Now here we are, a moment from oblivion and you're STILL trying to ignore your feelings? Un-f$#king-believeable!"
Ichigo just stared at Zangetsu as he ranted. 'Sure, she's special to me, but I don't see how that really matters given the situation right now. Wait….' His face hardened as his mind reached a thought. "Hey Zangetsu? You said that I never used my full power? It's pretty clear to me that I've got to have something left."
"Yeah, in just a few moments we're going to burst into spirit particles and that'll be all she wrote." Zangetsu shrugged hopelessly. "You avoided the topic of HER again. Would it be too much to admit it, here and now?"
"Shut up Zangetsu! We're NOT going into this right now. We've got a little power, we're in Hueco Mundo, surrounded by dense spirit particles. I want you to take everything we have and make sure she is safe." Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu by the collar and roughly dragged him forward to stare into his eyes. "I don't care what else you do! Just SAVE HER!" He finished his declaration with a roar.
"Finally found some balls, eh King? We'll talk more if we make it through this, but you have to know, there's no going back. If you hand me the reins, we will merge and truly be joined as zanpakuto and wielder. You will not be the same. Your fractured soul will be complete."
"I get it Zangetsu. If this is what I have to do to save her, then this is what I will do. I will not let her die just because I refused to be what I am." Ichigo released his hold on Zangetsu's collar causing him to stumble. He reached out and caught Zangetsu's hand with a crushing grip. "Save her. Nothing else matters. Save her and we'll deal with any consequences afterwards."
Zangetsu nodded gravely only to break the moment by smiling. "You have no idea how long I've wished for this moment. The circumstances could be better, but we'll finally be what we were supposed to be had I been able to join with you properly. Hang on tight King. This is going to be very painful. I've got to heal this hole in your chest."
"Thank you Zangetsu, and it may seem a little weird right now, but nice to meet you."
Ichigo blacked out to the sound of Zangetsu's laughter.
"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime's scream lingered in the air as an oppressively powerful and dark reiatsu suddenly threatened to crush everyone in the area. She could only stare through tear-filled eyes at Ichigo's body. The hole in his chest was rapidly sucking in power from everything around it as he stood up.
Once on his feet, the white bone-like substance of his mask formed over his head. The mask solidified after covering the entire top of his head, then turned black with white lines running down through the eyes. It looked more like a demonic helmet than a mask, with a large horn on each side of his head.
Looking down from his head for a moment, Orihime was both delighted and mortified at the sight of his bare, hole-less chest. She was reduced to blushing up a storm while staring hungrily.
Ichigo slightly turned his head to check on Orihime before moving at a speed that caught everyone unaware. He grabbed Ulquiorra's sword arm at the wrist and slashed downward at an angle, neatly quartering him from neck down to his ribcage. The shock plain on Ulquiorra's face as Ichigo roared directly into the still held portion.
Uryu gaped at the speed and ferocity the newly revived Ichigo displayed. 'What have you become Kurosaki? You've never shown this level of brutality before.'
Orihime could only stare open mouthed at her dark protector. She was no longer blushing at his chest, instead she was scared. Not once had Ichigo said anything and he just cut through Ulquiorra in the blink of an eye! 'Kurosaki-kun? Please come back to me.'
Ichigo slammed what was left of Ulquiorra into the ground and placed his sword to his throat. Just before he could finish him off, Uryu's hand clamped down on his wrist.
"That's enough Kurosaki, he's defeated. I highly doubt he'll regenerate at this point."
Ichigo only turned his head to regard the Quincy for a moment before savagely backhanding him away. "I'm still me Ishida. Nothing will stop me from killing him though." After finishing his statement, he plunged his sword down causing Ulquiorra to explode into spirit particles. "Never do that again Ishida. I no longer have any issue killing those who try to harm those I have to protect, nor will I allow anyone to get in my way."
Uryu only barely registered Ichigo's voice as the blow he took gave him a rather severe concussion.
Orihime was shell-shocked. The rapid changes in emotion took their toll on her overly stressed mind. She felt despair at Ichigo's apparent death. Elation and embarrassment at her intense reaction to his bare chest when he stood up. Fear and shock as he callously smashed Uryu and killed Ulquiorra. All in just a few moments. She barely registered he was moving before he was there, right in front of her placing her on her feet.
Orihime looked down, 'wait down? Kurosaki-kun is definitely taller than me.', at Ichigo. He was kneeling before her, his sword held sideways on both hands raised up towards her. 'What's going on?' A minute of confusion reigned as she stood there, staring down at him, then he spoke.
"Inoue, I offer you my sword and my life. If not for you, I would be dead right now. My promise to save you was not enough. It was your voice, as I lay there dying, that gave me the determination to stand back up and fight on. The need to save you gave me the strength to fully merge with my powers and saved my life. This isn't how I pictured saying this, but I would do anything for you, if you'd let me."
'Okay, stop! I'm sure my imagination ran away with me there. That sounded entirely too much like a declaration of love!' Orihime reached up and slapped herself on both cheeks at the same time. 'OW! Wait, you aren't supposed to feel pain in dreams.' Her cheeks rapidly reddening from more than just the slap, Orihime's mind was quickly overheating. She barely managed to keep from falling onto her butt when Ichigo lowered his sword and pulled his helmet off, his cheeks stained red also. 'Must be hot in that thing.'
"Oi, Inoue. Are you okay? I know this isn't the best time, but after what I just went through, I've learned not to let something wait until tomorrow if it should be said now. You mean, a lot, to me. I couldn't stand the thought of living without you or dying not being able to save you." Ichigo's face got redder as the embarrassment grew. 'Please say something, anything. This suspense is killing me!'
Orihime shook herself out of her stupor over hearing the man she loved making such a ridiculously ill-timed confession. She smiled while placing one hand on each side of his face. Leaning down to his level, cheeks aflame, she said the only thing that she could think of at that moment. "I love you too Ichigo."
At that moment the world shook. The tainted knight knelt before the pure princess, receiving a kiss for his devotion. Not even death could stop him from getting to her. Woe to anyone stupid enough to risk his wrath!
AN2: I originally intended to make this into a Dark-Ichigo story, but I couldn't seem to string enough together to make it worthwhile. My take on Dark-Ichigo was going to be less of an Ichigo with darker influences and more like Arrancar Ichigo with Ichigo's drive to protect those close to him. I am sure that far better writers than myself have made this work.
Anyway, IchiHime for life!