Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, its characters, nor do I profit from them in any way.
Summery: AU, 2 years after the winter war Ichigo has recovered his shinigami powers, and he can't help but recognize the signs of his inner hollow stirring. However when a new threat shows its face Ichigo and his hollow will have to rely on their friends, as well as each other, in order to survive.
Peace vs. memory
Chapter 1: Bleached soul
"BAN-KAI!" shouted a young man with short orange hair. He wore a black shihakusho that looked like a tattered jacket with medical tape wrapped around his abdomen. He held in his hand a nearly all black blade with a broken chain hanging from the hilt.
"Tensa Zangetsu. All right Tensa Zangetsu, lets see if we still remember how to do this." he held his blade aloft and a surging black energy began to swirl around the blade.
"GETSUGA TENSHO!" he shouted as he loosed the stockpiled energy in the blade of his sword. A black wave of energy shot into the sky and continued until it was long out of site.
"Haaa. Man that use to be a lot easier." he said as he released his bankai. His sword returned to its original size, which was roughly the length and width of his own body (minus his arms). It had been 2 years since Ichigo "strawberry" Kurosaki had reached the peak of his powers and lost them all in the same fight against the traitorous Sosuke Aizen. He had defeated Aizen, but at the cost of his powers as a shinigami, or soul reaper, and only about 3 months ago had he started to regain his lost powers little by little. As he stood there remembering the events that led to the loss of his powers he was surprised to see that he had unconsciously placed his hand just above his face like he was going to pull something over it to hide himself.
"No." Ichigo thought to himself. "I only just got my powers back, I'm not going to risk waking him until I'm sure I'm strong enough to subdue him again." He looked at the large sword that was now draped across his back and covered in cloth. " I'm going to need your help, master" without another word Ichigo flash stepped his way home. ****
"Do you understand the parameters of your mission?" the question was asked by an old man in a black shihakusho with a white sash draped over his shoulders. His beard was so long that it nearly touched the floor, and his bald head showed the scars of many hard won battles. He held his cane in his one and only hand and stood, even hunched as he was, as a towering presence over everyone in the room.
"Yes, Captain-commander Yamamoto. I am to make contact with the recently recovered substitute soul reaper Ichigo Kurosaki, evaluate his progress, and ascertain as to how long it will be before he is able to continue with his duties as a substitute soul reaper." answered a young woman with mid-length, raven black hair. As with everyone else in attendance she was also dressed in a black shihakusho with a sword in its sheath at her side.
"Very well. I can see that you are well prepared for the task I have set for you, and I would imagine that you are eager to return to the world of the living as soon as possible. However, it is my duty as Captain-commander of the 13 court guard squads to congratulate you and wish you the very best of luck, vice-captain of squad 13, Rukia Kurosaki." Captain-commander Yamamoto bowed as he said this and all in attendance, captains, vice-captains, and seated officers alike followed suit. (except for one Mayuri Kurotsuchi)
"Thank you very much" Rukia bowed in return "I'll send full reports at least once a month by way of hell butterfly" Rukia waved to her friends as she passed through the gate that lead to the world of the living, and just before the gate closed she caught a glimpse of her brother and saw, just before he turned and walked away, that he was smiling slightly. ****
Ichigo caught sight of his house as he was walking down the street that his family's clinic is on. Ichigo had moved out of his childhood home but he stayed right down the street just in case something happened to his sisters or dad. He was always just a few flash steps away. Just before he reached his house he noticed a young woman walking toward him on the sidewalk.
"Kurosaki-Kun! I wasn't expecting to see you today. Weren't you going somewhere today?" asked the girl. She was looking Ichigo dead in the face with her large gray eyes. She wore gray pants and a pink shirt that hugged her form and showed off her rather large bust. Her hair was held back by two identical hair pins on either side of her head.
"oh, hey Orihime. Yea, I was suppose to go to the soul society with Rukia but she said that she could handle it on her own. You know how she gets sometimes." Orihime looked at Ichigo
"Well that is true. She's really scary sometimes when the soul society is involved." Ichigo started laughing. "Your absolutely right. So…where is your other half?"
"I'm right here." Ichigo nearly jumped out of his skin as he looked to his right and noticed for the first time the green eyed man standing there. Under his eyes were green tear streaks and his skin was as light as was possible which made an interesting contrast to his hair which was blacker than midnight. As always he was dressed in nearly all white, a white hoodie, white shirt, and tan skinny jeans.
"Holy crap Ulquiorra! Don't do that to me! I almost had a heart attack." said Ichigo, clutching his chest. The former espada only looked at him with a blank stare.
"It cannot be helped. You should work on your pesquisa." was his reply. Orihime stood next to him and wrapped her arms around his right one and laughed. Ichigo was glad to see Orihime so happy. He had been shocked when he first found out that Orihime had resurrected the former fourth espada after he had lost his powers. At first he thought he was just seeing things, but when Ulquiorra walked right up to him and Orihime re-introduced him it was official. Hat-and-clogs also had a hand in it, giving him a gigai to live in. It had been uneasy at first but gradually it seemed that Orihime was breaking through his emotionless wall and reminding him of what its like to be human.
"Kurosaki, your drifting off again." Ulquiorra's observation snapped Ichigo back into reality.
"Oh, sorry. I was actually on my way home. What are you two up to?" asked Ichigo. Orihime placed one hand on her hip and pointed with the other at nothing in particular.
"We are going to the movies to see ZOMBIE MUTANT MONSTERS 7!" she exclaimed. Ulquiorra put his face in his hand.
"She tells me that it is something that I must experience." he said calmly. Ichigo looked at the pair and chuckled.
"well that sounds like fun Orihime. Maybe me and Rukia will go next time. Oh yea, have you seen Uryu? He hasn't been at his house in a couple of days." Orihime put her fingers to her lips trying to think when Ulquiorra answered.
" The Quincy went to the 12th division of the Soul Society to study the records and Quincy histories recorded by Mayuri Kurotsuchi." Ichigo scratched his head.
" Oh yea, I had completely forgotten about that. Hmmmm. *Ichigo grins widely* I'll bet he's really there to see that vice-captain. What's-her-name Kurotsuchi." Ichigo said. Orihime's eyes lit up with the possibilities.
" Maybe you're right Kurosaki-kun." she and Ichigo laughed at the idea while Ulquiorra stared on in curious silence. After Orihime and Ulquiorra left Ichigo he continued on his way home.****
Ichigo felt the heat of the sun on his eyelids and opened his eyes to see that he was outside. That's strange Ichigo thought to himself, I could have sworn I was taking a nap on the couch until Rukia got home. he looked around and noticed something odd about his surroundings. Everything was turned on its side and he was laying down on a window pane of a large building.
"Ichigo." Ichigo recognized the gruff yet gentle voice of his zanpakuto and he turned to face the man. Zangetsu stood on top of a flagpole as he always did and looked down at Ichigo through his sharp yellow sunglasses. His tattered and flowing coat flowed around him like water and his gruff unshaven face regarded Ichigo with disdain.
"have you not noticed the coming trouble? Or are you still that weak because of your recovery?" Ichigo scowled at Zangetsu.
" You know I don't think it'd kill you to keep from insulting me just once. And what the hell are you talking about 'trouble'. If you ask me things have been to quiet and -" "ARE YOU REALLY THAT STUPID!" Ichigo was cut off mid-sentence by Zangetsu " IF YOU DON'T PREPARE THEN-" Zangetsu was cut short when a white blade came out of his chest followed by maniacal laughter.
"aww come on old man, there's no need to ruin the surprise. I don't want the king to think I've forgotten him in these last few years." Zangetsu fell forward and disappeared and standing in his place was a bleached-out copy of Ichigo. He looked like him in every way except for his creepy grin and his harsh yellow eyes.
"hello again Ichigo. How's the king of this world? Since its not raining I guess your okay." he said with a wide grin. Ichigo was horrified to see him, it had been 2 years but here he was. Ichigo had hoped that he had vanished with his shinigami powers but here he was.
" What's the matter king? You don't look happy to see me." the hollow disappeared and re-appeared behind Ichigo. " Well I'm happy to see you. I couldn't get out when you didn't have any powers. But now I'm awake. And guess what else king? I'm stronger than you now." with those words the white Zangetsu blade burst from Ichigo's chest. Ichigo sat straight up panting and looked around. He was in his living room.
"It was just a dream?" he said to himself. Somewhere deep in his mind he heard maniacal laughter.