Chapter 2
Ichigo floated in the air, held up by his own spiritual power; pitch-black darkness enveloped his form, and rippled in waves.
Rukia could only watch, and keep her distance otherwise she'd be disintegrated like the earth beneath him. The relaxing fields of the fourth division now contained a shallow, wide crater; however, a good hundred meters of untouched grass still remained. Perhaps she didn't need to stand so far.
She flash stepped closer to get a better view, but really, she just wanted to be near him.
At the closer distance, his transformation was clear. His right arm and the bottom half of his face were covered in thick, grey bandages. A Hakama skirted over his legs, made of the same flowing darkness as his spirit energy. His eyes were still closed, tightly shut in his typical scowl.
Chills ran across her skin, fluttering through goosebumps. "Ichigo," she whispered.
A white haori appeared several meters in front of her. "Head captain Yamamoto," she greeted in her Kuchiki voice.
"Lieutenant Kuchiki," he acknowledged, without even turning around to look at her. "You would be wise to stand back. The power here is at a level you can't even comprehend."
Could he sense Ichigo's power? She risked asking him. "Head captain, can you sense—"
"Only some of it."
Only some of it? How did he know what he felt was the entirety of Ichigo's power? It must have been some technique he learned in the thousands of years he lived, so Rukia went along with it, and shrugged.
He spoke again, as if answering her unspoken questions. "The spirit energy is similar, almost…" he trailed off, mumbling, barely audible, but the word monk was clear.
There were no monks in the Seireitei, but that wasn't important right now. "Will he need to be sealed?" she asked in a near whisper. "Like Aizen?" she added, voice breaking, shattering her Kuchiki mask.
He didn't respond.
She hanged her head, and clenched her fists. Ichigo was a danger to soul society now, even to the captains of the thirteen court guard squads. The head captain would be forced to seal Ichigo if he couldn't control his power—that's what he'd be thinking.
Captains Unohana and Ukitake—Rukia's captain—appeared near the Head Captain, exchanging their usual greetings and nods.
"I came as fast as I could. This stuff is heavy," Rukia's captain said, smiling. He held a black, cloth-like material, folded into a neat pile—like the seals they used on Aizen.
The head captain grunted in acknowledgement.
Rukia frowned as she examined Captain Unohana, who hadn't carried a thing. The black binding cloth and Kido might not even be enough to hold Ichigo's spirit energy, yet the elder captains appeared rather calm and confident.
Her captain noticed her, blinking, as if surprised to see her here already. "Ah Rukia… This is just for in case things get out of hand and if Ichigo needs to be restrained for his own good…" he trailed off and glanced back at Ichigo.
Rukia sighed, though made sure her breath wasn't loud enough to be heard. "I understand, Captain, if Ichigo must be sealed, for the safety of Soul Society, then it must be done," she said as formally as her roiling heart would allow.
"Well, you see—" Captain Ukitake began, but stopped when his eyes flickered to the Head Captain for half a second. He smiled, nervously, and turned to watch Ichigo. His long, white hair fluttered in the wind of Ichigo's transformation.
They were keeping information hidden—from her, but she let their silent exchange drop when more spiritual pressure signatures approached. Her brother, captain Kuchiki, along with Renji landed a few meters away. Her brother closed his eyes, keeping his noble mask stern.
He spoke, lips barely moving. "Rukia, do not waste yourself on worry. I do believe the elder captains have something planned, though they have not informed us on what it may be."
That calmed her twisted heart and stomach somewhat. She breath once, and just once, for Ichigo and the hope of him waking up with his freedom intact. But why wouldn't the older captains mention anything?
"Yes brother, Thank you for the kind words," Rukia said, acknowledging his kind words before too much time passed.
He nodded, and also took a breath.
A flicker of his gray eyes gave away something hidden under his ever stoic face, but only lasted for a second.
Renji mumbled under his breath, and scratched his head. "I'm sure the idiot will be fine, the old captains are the smartest people I know, and I heard that Urahara's also working on something," he offered, stepping forward into polite conversational distance. Even he had some training on how to act decently around nobles.
But not acting good enough, as a waver of his voice tainted every word, only adding to Rukia's own worry. She waved him off, rolling her eyes. "Just say what you really think, Renji."
He grumbled, and turned to watch Ichigo like everyone else.
Everyone else wasn't far behind. They arrived with varying features ranging from guarded mouths to a bloodthirsty grin in Captain Zaraki's case. He must be anticipating a chance to fight Ichigo, like the barbarian he was—that's what her brother would say. A false smirk crept on Rukia's face.
Yachiru jumped down from his back, cheerful as usual. "Wow what's happening to Ichi over there Kenny? He looks so strong! But I still can't feel anything from him though."
"Ha, I'm sure I'll get a chance, to see what he's made of, and whether he has orange hair or black makes no difference to me," Zaraki said, gesturing to Ichigo with a fist. "I'm itchin' for a fight."
A fight with a transcended being, possibly more powerful than the Head Captain. That fool would get himself killed one day, and not in a glorious, bloody battle either. It would be a one-sided slaughter. Rukia would have chuckled but the strain of the situation kept her sombre.
The other captains and lieutenants exchanged greetings, and some smalltalk, for formalities and politeness of course—a face they all had to put on, as being a part the elite Soul Reapers. An elite… which she's now a part of. They'd promoted her to lieutenant the moment her deeds in the winter war were revealed to the upper echelons of nobles. Formal galas were held for the triumph over the traitor, for her victory over an Espada… for the the hero of the Winter War who now was on the verge of losing his freedom. She sighed, teeth gritting as more guilt griped her throat.
The last of the lieutenants arrived. The weaker ones. Everyone showed their respect and concern for the situation, except Omaeda, who snacked on potato chips. Captain Soifon sent him a glare, and blasted the packet with a shot of Kido. He slumped, and whimpered as his chips disintegrated into a charred ashes.
Several of the lieutenants laughed and teased him, but Rukia held back, or her brother might have something to say about it. And neither was she in the mood to.
Captain Kyoraku appeared next to Rukia's captain along with his lieutenant. His pink Kimono billowed in the gusts of wind. He exchanged greetings with the elder captains, and also nodded—a hidden signal. Her brother was right. They did have something else planned.
"Well looks like we weren't late after all," Captain Kyoraku said, grinning under his straw hat. "He hasn't exploded or anything."
Rukia narrowed her eyes, and nearly walked up to him to kick in his side for that comment, but Nanao took care of it for her.
"We're lucky because your laziness causes us to be late more than half the time," she said, smacking his head with her book.
"That means we're either early or on time almost half of the time," he replied with a goofy smile.
That earned him a third book smack. "My lieutenant is so cruel…" He moaned, crying fake tears.
"Ah Shunsui, Have you heard from Kisuke yet?" Rukia's captain asked.
Captain Kyoraku tilted his head, covering his eyes with his hat, silent for several seconds. It seemed like people who wore hats only did because the covering let them be dramatic and dryly mysterious. Rukia pictured herself with a hat, sitting on her head of short hair like an ornament. Perhaps a Chappy hat.
His reply was barely audible, and the chatter of the lieutenants wasn't helping either. Matsumoto was especially loud. "Well from the last I heard from him…" He put a hand on his neck, massaging his large tendons.
Rukia straighted, as if it would focus her hearing.
Kyoraku sighed and looked up from the shade of his hat. "He said he should be back right on time."
So they did have something planned, something of an attempt to save Ichigo.
And Urahara played a crucial part.
Before Rukia's captain could respond, his attention caught onto something to his left.
Rangiku and Nanao pulled out cameras, and took many photos of Ichigo, flashing several times in bursts of white light. The pitch darkness of Ichigo's spirit energy refused the illumination, devouring it, consuming ever last ray of light as if feeding on it.
And this was a completely inappropriate time for something like that. Rukia was desperate for information on the secret plan. "What are you doing?!"
"These are for the Magazine, and SWA," Nanao said, taking more photos. "We're running low on funds… you want that beach trip to happen don't you?"
"What the hell?!" She balled a fist. Her spiritual pressure billowed. "This isn't the time—"
"Oh come on," Nanao said. She offered a faint smile. "Do you really think central 46 and the nobles will let the hero of the winter war rot in seals? The captains will figure something out."
Her logic registered with a part of Rukia's mind that was still calm. She nodded, grudgingly agreeing before shifting her gaze back to Ichigo. He was still swirling in that pitch spirit energy that didn't emit any pressure.
Strands of fluttering ginger-blonde hair danced at the edge of her vision.
"Don't you just want to get your hands all over those nice abs, eh rukia?" Rangiku asked, tone filled with suggestion.
The sudden tease caught her off guard, breaking her Kuchiki resolve and the vice grip of guilt in her throat. Warmth rushed into her cheeks as stuttered out a reply. "Wha- what do you mean? Ichigo is a frie-"
"Oh we all know, Rukia, you're quite obsessed over him," Yoruichi interrupted.
"I'm not obsessed!"
"What was that? Something about three months in a—"
"SHUT IT!"
She blocked out all the idiots, turning her attention back to Ichigo and ignoring the varying comments. That only sent more snickers and crude remarks at her. Even her brother had a visible smirk.
Growling under her breath, she focused on her center and calmed her spirit energy as the minutes passed with irritating chatter.
Everyone was silenced from their chatter when the pitch-black spirit energy started to pour out off Ichigo, in massive waves and pulsating tendrils.
"Get back!" the head captain yelled.
Much of the ground cracked and disintegrated, and everyone flash stepped back a hundred meters just in time.
Then a pillar of his dark power erupted, blocking out a large portion of the sky and cutting right through the barrier formed by the Sekkiseki walls.
His eyes were still closed with that same scowl.
The elder captains shared a look, and Rukia's captain began chanting, readying the seal he carried.
Rukia only looked forward, accepting Ichigo's fate. He would be sealed after all. Urahara was nowhere to be seen, and the cloth captain Ukitake carried was definitely a seal, if the familiar glow it gave off said anything. Her hope of Ichigo only having to be confined to Soul Society was just that—a hope.
"I'm sure whatever the captains and Kisuke Urahara has planned will help Ichigo, even if he has to be sealed, I doubt it will be fore long," Isane offered, which did indeed help, as the seal wasn't permanent, or even damaging to the soul.
"He's been gone for three weeks now, and according to what my captain said even he didn't fully understand the Hogyoku, Ichigo might be sealed for a quite a while until he comes up with something," Nanao said, pushing up her glasses.
Isane shot her a glare, but it made sense to Rukia. Nanao was just trying to squash any false hopes.
Nemu also offered thoughts, in a monotone voice. "According to ex-captain Urahara's report, nothing he tried on Aizen worked on him while he was still in control of the Hogyoku." Her face didn't hold any expression.
Rukia shuddered, ice gnawing at her bones. Nemu and Captain Kurotsuchi always freaked Rukia out.
"Why are you here anyway?" Renji said. "I thought you and your captain couldn't care less about Ichigo."
"I am here because my captain is here. My captain is here because he is interes-"
A distinctive, cheerful voice interrupted her. "You lovely lieutenants wouldn't be talking about a certain handsome shopkeeper would you?" Urahara asked from behind his fan, probably grinning his goofy grin.
Rukia took a step towards him, to kick his shin.
Yoruichi flash stepped behind him before Rukia did anything, and slapped the back of his head. "Where the hell were you?! You better have come up with something to get the Hogyoku out!"
It looked like those were the words everyone wanted to say, even the elder captains.
Urahara closed his fan. "To separate the Hogyoku from Ichigo, I have come up with…" he paused, much to Rukia's irritation.
"…Absolutely nothing!" Urahara announced with a huge grin.
Many of the lieutenants and captains looked like they wanted to punch Urahara, while others just looked at him with deadpan expressions. The elder captains didn't appear pleased, but after a sharing a look with Urahara for two seconds, they turned back to Ichigo.
Rukia wanted to feel irritated at him, but just stood there with her shoulders slumped, letting everyone's exclamations at Urahara wash over her. Her brother even had things to say. Even captain Komamura, who rarely said a thing.
Ichigo's spirit energy flared again, darkening the sky into a deep shade of blue.
So this was it.
Maybe she could still talk to him while he was in his seal—right? That's if he wasn't completely furious at her and the soul society.
"However…" Urahara said, raising his voice, and pulling out a sheathed sword from him coat.
"What?! How is your Zanpukto going to help us?" Renji demanded.
"Idiot! That's an Asauchi, you dumbass," Rukia said, punching his arm. Though she didn't know how one was supposed to help.
Renji blinked. "I knew that."
The head captain glanced over his shoulder. "Kisuke Urahara, Has everything been prepared?"
"Yes, head captain, Should I assume the message got to you in time?"
He only received a nod in response.
The sky darkened to a starless night-sky, and the maelstrom of energy grew to a vortex as Ichigo remained oblivious.
Urahara adjusted his hat. "It's time, he will have to be restrained."
The head captain gave the signal with a wave, and then flashed into position along with his three elder captains.
Rukia's captain activated the black bandages and sent it flying at Ichigo. It wrapped around him, covering his entire body except his left eye and hair. His black energy condensed around him as the seal took effect.
The four of them chanted and shot binding spells.
"Bakudo 99, Part 1: Kin"
"Bakudo 79, Kuyo Shibari"
"Bakudo 75, Gochūtekkan"
"Bakudo 73, Tozansho"
A pyramid of blue light trapped Ichigo, held in a blur of multicolored Kido.
Captain Ukitake turned back to Urahara. "Kisuke, do it now. This won't hold for long!"
Rukia'a eyes widened. They couldn't seal Ichigo?
Urahara took out a sake cup from his coat.
What was he doing? Now was not the time to have a drink. Rukia was about to say something, but he pulled out a black orb as well, dropping it into the cup.
"What the hell are you—" Renji said. A look from her brother silenced him.
The orb melted into liquid darkness as it hit the wooden saucer.
Unsheathing the Asauchi, Urahara dipped the end of the tip into the Sake cup, and then let go of the upright blade. The darkness ran up the metal in inky lines, coating the entire Katana.
An unfamiliar Kido incantation echoed through the group of Soul reaper as Urahara muttered in a rush of syllables. Only a few words stood out to Rukia. "Black sun… Tomb… Fish… Graves… Kingdom… Eyes…"
When he finished with a final mutter, the Asauchi evaporated into inky spirit energy, and rushed towards the blue pyramid.
Rukia's eyes were unblinking as the ink shattered through the many Bakudo spells and merged with Ichigo's own spirit energy. For many moments, a bulging mass of energy and ink expanded in the center of the crater.
Several of the lieutenants flash stepped away, but not Rukia. Her brother nudged her arm; she shook her head.
The black swell grew to a hurricane of darkness, despite the seal captain Ukitake used already being in effect, despite it being to hold back the spirit energy of several captains. He said something to the head captain, who nodded once, then looked to captain Kyoraku, exchanging a few words.
Then the maelstrom grew several fold.
Rukia nearly dashed out in a flash step, but remain bolted to the vibrating ground. She'd see it to the end.
The captains erected many high-level barriers between them and Ichigo, which wouldn't even hold for more than a couple of seconds—just enough to dodge an explosion with a flash step.
She took a step back, and then another, just in case she'd to die to Ichigo's uncontrolled power.
The steps were pointless; the vortex exploded only a second later, consuming everything in sight.
For a minute, pitch-black energy blocked out everything in Rukia's vision. She stood inside a black void of emptiness, alone without anyone. Nothing could be felt. Nothing could even exist in this expanse. Every thought drained away in a wisp, leaving her core behind. It was like looking at herself in a mirror, yet she couldn't see anything.
A glimmer flickered in her phantom self, but before she could reach out and grasp it, the dark void imploded back into Ichigo, releasing a pulse of black pressure. The Kido barriers shattered and everyone flash stepped away.
A massive spiritual pressure engulfed the area, forcing Rukia to her knees.
The pressure decreased and levelled out, allowing her to stand. It was difficult to move and she remained sweating, but it was Ichigo's familiar spiritual pressure—his comforting, protective spiritual pressure.
He fell to the ground with the black bandages still wrapped around him, though bits of it were disintegrated. The remnants of Ichigo's spirit energy coalesced around him, forming his new Zanpukto.
Rukia let go of a huge breath, tears beading in her eyes. He would be just fine. The captains found a way to save him after all.
The weight of her worry melted, washing away. But what it left behind troubled her greatly. She liked him, not just as a friend.
Captain Kyoraku chuckled. "It looks like we aren't the only ones anymore Jushiro."
The rumbling spirit energy subsided in Ichigo's inner world as her blade dissolved into his chest. The lake settled back into gentle ripples and the trees stood still again. The wet grass sparkled as he looked around, but seeing it wasn't important—because he felt it. He felt spirit energy flowing through the world. He felt the spiritual pressure of his two spirits. He felt everything again, as if his powers returned.
He blinked. He is a Soul Reaper again.
Or whatever the girl—
She giggled, and embraced him in a crushing hug against her open-weave dress. "Tensa Zangetsu, if you want this to work," she said.
Right. She could read minds.
"Mhmm, we're going to be together from now on!" she said, strengthening her hug.
Suffocating against her squished breasts, he managed to choke up some words. "C-Cant bre-ath."
"Oh sorry," she said, releasing the vice-grip, but still keeping the embrace. "I'm just so happy you accepted me."
Accepted her, which could mean a number of things. Like being stuck with a glowing orb in his chest, or transformed into a Hollow monster.
He cringed. Please not a butterfly.
"Why do you hate butterflies?" she asked, poking his cheek. "Don't you think they're pretty?"
"Why the hell would I want to be pretty?" he said, stepping out of her hug. "And that thing Aizen turned into is not pretty!"
"Hmph," she huffed, stepping closer again. "From what I saw in your memories, he looked rather beautiful with those delicate white wings and long, pretty hair."
What the hell was she on? She wasn't normal, but granted, she was the Hogyoku, or whatever her relation to the orb was. Before he could ask, she hugged him again, weaving her legs in between his.
"We're going to have soooo much fun together… Ichigoo" she said, swaying him left and right. He felt everything, and his Hakama bulged as blood rushed into his waist. She pressed herself closer in response.
He pushed her off and backed away, flailing his arm. "What the hell is that supposed to mean! You're my Zanpukto now so—"
"So what? I'm here to help you with your deepest and repressed desires."
"What repressed desires?!" he said, waving his arm. "I have none!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
He hardened his glare, even though her soft body invited him back into a hug, and more. She'd be the death of him, especially if she wears clothes like that every time he visits his inner world.
She smirked and fingered the knots in the lace. "It's gotten real hot ever since we became one," she said, taking off her already too revealing dress.
It fell around her ankles in a pile, and she stepped forward again, pushing out her body without any shame. Every inch of her perfection was visible, every curve and every soft feature.
"GAH! What the hell! You were just floating in a lake dammit, how can you be hot?" he said, covering his eyes.
Zangetsu's sharp voice cut through the clearing. "I believe it's time for you to go now. You're in quite an— interesting position at the moment."
He was still young, and half-Hollow, but his female counterpart chirped up again before Ichigo could comment.
"Aw… I was just about to have some fun," she said, pouting.
"Keep your fun to yourself!" Ichigo yelled, pointing a finger at her. "And you two still haven't given me an explanation yet. What the hell happened?!"
In an instant, Ichigo was sucked out of his inner world.
Bits of dirt rubbed against his teeth. Not only that, he was bound in tight cloth and unable to move. He could only see out of his left eye. He thrashed back and forth on the ground.
A/N 25/02/2016 Significant edits.
