I do not own any part of Bleach or High School DxD.
1
My name is Kurosaki Ichigo. I am 17 years old and a Shinigami representative.
What is a Shinigami, many might ask. Shinigami are the souls of the dead that have special powers. These powers come with the responsibility of being the guides for the recently deceased. They help guide these souls to Soul Society and purify the "corrupted" souls called Hollows. These hollows devour other souls to try and fill the hole in their hearts. They can range from mindless beasts to intelligent and powerful and human like.
I became a Shinigami representative when a shinigami named Rukia Kuchiki transferred me her powers to defeat a hollow that had gravely wounded her, a serious crime according to Soul Society law. A group including myself and several of my friends entered Soul Society to rescue her. In the end our rescue attempt revealed a plot by a group of three Shinigami captains to overthrow Soul Society. After many battles I finally fought the leader of the treacherous captains, Aizen Sousuke. He had embedded a very powerful object into his body making him extremely power and immortal. I used a secret technique that gave me the strength to severely weaken him by sacrificing my shinigami powers. He was sealed and locked away in the depths of Soul Society.
I recovered my powers 17 months later. I was given them back by the combined power of the entire Gotei 13 command and Visored as well as Urahara and my father. They returned them for two reasons. The first reason was a reward for my sacrifice to stop Aizen. Second they needed my help dealing with Ginjo Kugo. He was a devious and dangerous opponent that they wanted me to fight as a secret test of my character. Apparently I not only passed but I surprised them with my new level of maturity.
I am currently in Soul Society dealing with the fallout of Ginjo's death. I had requested to meet the Captain's so that I could hold a proper burial of Ginjo's body. He was the first Shinigami representative so I couldn't let it go. This is what could have happened if I had slipped and succumb to my power, I had thought while I fought Ginjo. I needed to do this for my sake more than Ginjo's. The meeting went smoothly and I actually surprised the captains when I told them I would continue to be a representative and had no issue with their previous actions. Hell, I knew I could be reckless especially a few years ago. Them taking action to protect themselves after a previous substitute had abused his powers was completely within reason.
With the meeting now complete I am heading back to the senkaimon so I can return to Karakura. With my thoughts on the past for the last few minutes I have been unusually quiet and honestly so has my companion. Looking to my side and I give the shorter woman beside me a quick glance. She seemed to be brooding a bit, her face a mask of seriousness but her violet eyes blank and unfocused. Kuchiki Rukia had changed my life that night she gave me my powers and I realized I had never actually said 'thank you' for it specifically. Maybe it was too late but she did deserve to hear it. Maybe it would help knock her out of her thoughts which I had a suspicion were on that night as well.
"Thanks, Rukia." I say with a smile putting a hand on her shoulder. She turns to look up at me clearly showing some confusion in her violet eyes at my words.
"For what? I mean I know I am always going out of my way for you but that's what friends do." she says with a confident smirk. She was messing with when I was trying to be serious. Sometimes she really could be an annoying little woman.
"I'm being serious here. I realized I never actually said thank you for giving me the power to save my family on that first night." I reply while reaching my hand up to scratch the back of my head. I am a bit nervous now that I am talking about something so important. Rukia just smiles and then chuckles before shoulder bumping me in the side.
"Well what can I say. I am amazing, you should be in awe at my kindness." She sassed still screwing with me. I should have known better. This was how she always brushed aside my awkward times like this. It is kind of cute in an annoying sister kind of way so I let it go. I am not going to keep pushing when my plan obviously worked to cheer her up. We had finally reached the Senkaimon gate without either of us really noticing. It was time for me to return to the world of the living since my business here was done but I am reluctant to leave. What other excuse or reason did I have to stay. I would see Rukia again and the fact that I was reluctant to leave was something I hadn't really felt about Soul Society before. Normally I wouldn't even think twice about going back home but now...
"Well I just felt I needed to say it. I'll see you around." I mutter before turning to the glowing gate.
"WAIT!" a Rukia shouted out stopping me in my tracks. I slowly turn back to her the air suddenly tense for some reason. She quickly stood on the tips of her toes and gave me a quick peck of a kiss.
"Goodbye." she whispers quickly her cheeks a bright red as she looks down. I can't move, frozen in place by this sudden turn of events. Where the hell did that come from? I can't leave now! Not after that! I gently nudge Rukia's chin pushing it up slightly so I could look her in the eyes. I am not even sure I am in control of body right now. There is a clear blush on her cheeks and small tears on the edge of her now closed eyes. She was clearly scared about how I would react. I mean the last time I saw her I was still oblivious to women since I couldn't even see Orihime's feelings for me.
"Rukia. Please look at me." I order lightly. A deep inhale and a second later I am staring into her beautiful eyes, a single tear rolling down her left cheek. There is nothing but anxiety in her eyes. Impulsively my fingers run up from her chin to her cheek gently brushing away the offensive droplet of water. Before I know it I am leaning in and giving her a soft kiss back. I can't hurt the woman who had changed my life for the better twice now. We separate reluctantly, her eyes are still closed from the kiss I returned. I shove down my nerves before speaking.
"Rukia, I'm not sure where that came from but I do care about you." I started cautiously. I wasn't good with this kind of thing. "I would say I would like to see where this goes considering you have done so much for me but..." Her eyes shoot open and she interrupts me before I can continue.
"You don't see me that way. I mean I should have known for 17 months you were with Orihime and I'm sure she told you. Why would you pick me." she blurts out quickly. She looks away quickly, now with tears running down her cheeks. I can't stand to see her upset like this, maybe this is love or maybe not but right now it doesn't matter. I grab her chin and force her to face me before wiping off the tears.
"Stop. It's not that. Orihime never told me anything but I can't ever look at her as anything but family. She was frightened when she saw my hollow mask, she couldn't see me... just the monster." my words dropping in volume until even I can barely hear them. "Anyway, I just don't want your brother to kill me." I muse giving Rukia the truest smile I can. She gives just the smallest smile accented with concern in her eyes at what I said. I hope she can see that I just don't want to talk about it yet.
"So you do like me." She says slapping my hand away before giving me that same confident look that always pulls me from my depression.
"Who could like an annoying woman like you?" I reply sarcastically before continuing. "Except for the man whose life you changed forever. Now I guess we have business to take care of before I go." I say with a gulp. My focus now is intent on finding Byakuya's reiatsu. It takes me only a second to find that calm and collected pressure that can really drive me up the walls. I take off straight away towards it leaving Rukia to follow me.
"Where are you going?" Rukia calls out from behind me before hurrying to catch up. I chuckle at her when she grabs my hand. She only huffs as her cheeks flush which causes me to chuckle a little more before she squeezes my hand sharply as a warning of her impending retaliation if I don't stop.
"We're going to see your brother." I tell her as if it's the most natural thing in the world. She immediately lets go of my hand and freezes in place.
"Why?" she asks plainly her face contorted with so many emotions I can't tell what she is thinking.
"You are a noble and he is your clan head. I have to get his permission to court you." I reply before resuming my trek towards Byakuya's reiatsu.
"Who are you and where is Ichigo? I thought we could keep it secret but instead you are asking brother for permission properly. Maybe you can learn..." she muses as she returns to holding my hand.
"He would find out eventually and then he would never allow us to be together. I may not be ready for everything or know how far we can go but that's the point of official courting. Getting to know each other better." I say with a smile. Her mouth hung open at my well thought out response. Now I could finally return the teasing. "That's not very lady like you might even swallow a fly."
"Shut up, idiot." she grumbles before pushing past me and taking the lead. We reach the 6th division barracks where Byakuya is obviously located pretty quickly at her pace and before long I am standing outside her brother's office. We can both hear Renji inside shouting rather loudly about some mission. It is a little surprising to see him get this animated with his captain like this.
"You can't send him there alone. It's a dangerous place on top of the actual mission. He has only killed someone once and that was TODAY! He doesn't have the killing intent needed to survive there. The Captains need to send someone with more experience. I volunteer." Renji demands. I already know the answer before Byakuya says it.
"No, now leave. This mission is classified and only the Captains are supposed to know. How did you find out?" Byakuya asks stoically. I can imagine Renji found out the same way as everyone else does about these kinds of things... Rangiku.
"uhhh..." Renji started stalling as he thought of a way out of his current situation. I guess I could save the poor guy. He was looking out for a subordinate obviously so he deserved the save. I knock on the door politely before speaking
"May I enter, Captain Kuchiki?" I ask politely. I can hear Renji gasp before Byakuya responds.
"Please enter."
I slide the door open stepping inside alongside Rukia before closing the door behind us. As I pass I give Renji a hardy pat on the back before whispering in his ear. 'You owe me one for the save'. I continue forward to stand directly in front of Byakuya. His eyes linger on mine for a second before looking at Rukia. She couldn't match his look and instead looked at the ground.
"Renji please leave. I have business to attend to with Kurosaki Ichigo and Rukia." He ordered as emotionless as usual.
"Yes, Captain!" Renji responded before bowing slightly and darting out of the room. His footsteps stop for a second outside like he was considering eavesdropping but then thought better of it they raced away.
"Now to what do I owe the surprise visit from my sister and you, Kurosaki?" Byakuya asks with a knowing look in his eyes.
"Please Captain Kuchiki, I think you know me well enough to use my first name or is that all you can call me besides boy?" I ask in a polite but joking manner. Byakuya shows a faint hint of surprise before nodding and pointing at a seat. I sat down slowly as I tried to organize my thoughts.
"Now then, Ichigo, for now you may call me Byakuya in private if you prefer. I am surprised to see how much you matured in 17 months. Now how can I assist you?" Byakuya asks me the tension I normally feel talking to him gone. Maybe if I prove to him I have matured more and can handle the noble lifestyle I can seriously court Rukia, I thought with a plan forming in my mind.
"I have three requests of the Kuchiki clan and yourself. The first is I request to begin courting your sister, Kuchiki Rukia, second I wish to learn more about noble society and third I request time from you to learn Kido. You're perfect execution of kido in combat has impressed me more than any other time I have seen it. I thought kido was pointless and a risk in combat until your perfect execution in our fight." I request with as much confidence and determination as I could muster. Mentioning the Byakurai in our fight made me subconsciously rub my shoulder where the attack hit and the still perfect circle of the scar remains. Byakuya showed no expression until my second and third requests when his eyes widened. He looked curiously to Rukia as if asking 'who the hell is this?' before looking back to me. I barely contain the annoyance at his disbelief hoping that he would give me a favorable response.
"I have no problem with you courting my sister. Though I do think you need to speak with your father to discover all the reasons for that. The other two requests I have to deny for now. Not that I don't want to help you but with you here now this might be the best time to ask you." he replies with a sigh. Rukia couldn't help but gasp a little at Byakuya agreeing so quickly to me courting her but she did look concerned as well. I can't help but wonder about what my father has to do with any of this.
"Ask him what, brother?" Rukia asks nervously. If Rukia was this nervous I couldn't help feeling apprehensive at what he would say next.
"We have a mission that you are the only one capable of fulfilling due to recently acquired intel. We have been contacted by the zero division and been informed that the Soul King has awakened. The reason this is an issue is that he placed a seal on the leader of the Quincy almost 1000 years ago. The seal caused the Soul King to be put in a deep sleep leaving Central 46 in charge." Byakuya explains. It quickly becomes apparent to me what this means.
"Meaning that with his awakening the seal has been broken. I'm assuming that's not the only problem is it, Byakuya-sama?" I ask already knowing this was going nowhere good fast.
"No, zero division also said that an unauthorized tunnel was made through the Dangai into an empty space called the dimension gap. This gap separates the many universes that exist. Trace reiatsu samples show it's the work of the Quincy. We know that there is a sister universe to this one that contains many different types of spiritual beings including dragons. We have discovered that if all these 'dragons' are killed then the two universes will collide. We believe this will result in the destruction of both universe. We assume this is their plan." Byakuya continues leaving something obviously unsaid in his explanation.
"So we just need to go there and protect these dragons and kill or capture the Quincy." I say with determination. I had my world to protect this was obviously a danger to everyone I knew.
"Yes, but there are a few stipulations to the process of sending a being over there using the method Soul Society has discovered. One is that only two people can go. Two is that one of the travelers has to be a Quincy. Three is that those that go will have no way of returning without help from the other universe." Byakuya explains leaving me with way too many questions. I need to find a Quincy first... Ishida might know more.
"How can I help? I can talk to Ishida and see what he knows?" I respond sounding as helpful as I can.
"No Ichigo. To help us right now you need to talk with your father. He will be able to explain better what we are asking. He should be here soon anyway." Byakuya says as his gaze returns to some documents on his desk indicating the conversation was on hold for the present. I stood and bowed slightly.
"I will let you get back to work Byakuya." I inform him getting just a nod in response before stepping out of the office. Rukia follows me a few steps behind. The world was in danger again and I find myself powerless to protect it. What was the point of getting my powers back if this is all I can do? My thoughts are quickly interrupted when Rukia grabs my hand and gently pulls apart the fist I was making subconsciously.
"Ichigo, please wait until you talk with father. I don't know what brother is really asking you to do but I'm sure once father arrives it will all make sense." Rukia says with a confident smirk. How does she do that so easily. I can feel her confidence wipe away my doubts and worries. Wait... What did she just say?!
"You called 'him' father. Are you crazy? What if he heard you say that?" I shout freaking out about the dire consequences of my father hearing such a thing.
"It would make him a very happy man." my father's voice calls out from behind me. I turn directly into the stupid grin of my old man holding a thumb up and wagging his eyebrows.
"Do I hear wedding bells?" he calls out before I slap both my hands hard on his ears. He cried out in pain before dropping to the ground wiggling all over the floor. "MY SON DOESN'T LOVE ME MASAKI!"
"No it's just your ears ringing." I reply derisively before turning back to Rukia ignoring the man-child that was my dad. As soon as my attention was off of him he was wrapping Rukia up in a huge hug.
"My third daughter still loves me right?" He asks emphatically while shaking Rukia in his death grip hug. Rukia's eyes went cold and the world seemed to freeze as she spoke.
"Don't touch me." My dad fell face first to the ground crying. Rukia just giggled at his response before going back into Byakuya's office to give me and my dad privacy.
"What has our horrible son done to our 3rd daughter? Oh Masaki! My children have forsaken me" he cries. Everytime it's like this when he is around. Trying to motivate him to begin this important discussion I kick him hard to get the point across that I was impatient. He quickly sprung up and then his face became deadly serious.
"Ichigo, it's time you knew the truth about your life."
It took an hour but my dad explained to me everything about my mom and my heritage. It all made sense to me now and I finally understood why Byakuya was unhappy. I had asked to court his sister but then they also needed me to go to another universe and possibly never return. The man obviously respected me enough to be upset about it. I stilled didn't quite understand why he would agree to let me court his sister if I would be leaving potentially forever.
"Ichigo, I know you're going to leave. Just remember to not give up. I know you can find a way home if you try. We will all be waiting for you." Dad encourages me before giving me a real hug.
"Of course, Dad" I reply before breaking the hug. My determination found, I spin around and quickly enter Byakuya's office. A hell butterfly currently resting on his finger, delivering its message to the now more tired looking Captain. A quick nod and the butterfly left a second later as his attention was now focused squarely on me.
"I'll do it." I replied in my normal confident tone.
"As we expected. As such a partner has already been found for you." Byakuya says before I look to Rukia who is standing by his desk with a smirk on her face. Byakuya's ragged appearance suddenly makes perfect sense.
"Can't let you go without me. You might start crying when things get tough. Honestly I don't know how you saved me from execution." She teases with a giggle.
"Shut it." I grumble even as a smile betrays my feelings.
Byakuya coughs softly regaining our attention. "Now Ichigo, there are a few things I have to say before you leave this room. One, protect my sister with your life. Two, I expect you and her to return someday. And three, as a noble courting my sister and a friend of the Kuchiki clan I want you to have this." Byakuya says before holding his hands out. A scarf identical to the one he wore regularly was in his grip. I reach out slowly before taking it. I can't help but stare at the simple piece of cloth. Something so simple held so much meaning behind. I carefully wrapped the scarf around my neck making sure it sat comfortably in place.
"That scarf is a symbol of the Kuchiki clan's official support of you and also it is designed with one other purpose. The calming of your reiatsu. It's soaked in a solution containing trace amounts of Seki-Seki making it invaluable to stabilizing chaotic reiatsu. Mine was once much like yours when I was younger." Byakuya explains as my fingers still linger on the cloth. His attention returned to his desk the moment was obviously more personal than he was used to dealing with and especially after admitting to having his own difficulties in the past. I think I now understood Byakuya on a much deeper level.
"Thank you... Brother." I barely whisper. I know that it could be taken to mean so many things but I had two meanings in mind. First is that I never had an older brother look out for me and this is what I imagined it must feel like. Second is that I really do intend on making him my future older brother if things with Rukia went well though I would never openly admit that. My whisper must have been more audible than I thought as Rukia gasped loudly before sitting down from the shock and Byakuya froze. His eyes moving up slowly and locking with mine. I can see a torrent of emotions in them and it's clear that I had somehow broken the Kuchiki mask.
"Ichigo, please be careful and return. I would be honored to one day call a man such as you... my brother." He replies before standing up and rushing out of the room. I turn to watch him go and as he steps out of the room someone speaks up behind me.
"Are, Are. The great Kurosaki Ichigo, my hero and savior." I spin around pulling Zangetsu from my back, the sudden appearance of person instantly putting me on the defensive. Rukia rushs to my side as I examine the man in front of me. A man dressed in a simple white kimono was now leaning against Byakuya's desk. He has slicked back black hair and a really average appearance. The only thing that stands out are his unusual eyes. They have black sclera and white almost star like pupils.
"Who are you?" I ask as I clench Zangetsu's hilt tighter.
"Me? Just the Soul King. Now before I send you and Kuchiki Rukia here to the other universe I have a small package from Urahara Kisuke. He said it would contain everything you should need including Gikon and Gigai." the Soul King said before tossing me a small backpack. I caught it easily and threw it on my shoulder.
"Thanks, but is this really how we are getting sent off. I mean couldn't you send anyone other than me if this is the case?" I ask curiously. It seems rather sudden and really odd to me. There is no way this is what Soul Society originally intended on sending us.
"No, only a Quincy can create the path through the dimensional gap. It is a space that is said to drive a man mad but inherently a Quincy's powers protect you from it. This wasn't really the plan that Zero Division and the Gotei 13 came up with. They wanted a send off with lots of fan-fare and tears. Tears are boring and I am impatient." He answers with a grin. The vibe he puts off bothers me and almost reminds me of the same creepy vibe Gin put off. I return Zangetsu to my back but still keep an eye on the unusual man calling himself the Soul King. Rukia moved closer to me clutching my hand.
"Ichigo, he scares me." Rukia said just loud enough for only me to hear. I squeezed her hand in assurance before standing slightly in front of her.
"Good already touching. Well then goodbye and good luck." He said before raising a hand and snapping his fingers. The world twisted into black with his fingers being the last thing I saw.