"Chire, Senbonzakura," said Byakuya as he held his Zanpakuto in front of him.
Ichigo waited until the tiny blades were only a couple feet away before he swung Zangetsu down towards Byakuya. "Getsuga Tensho!" The wave of spiritual energy blew away the petal-blades of Senbonzakura as Byakuya moved to avoid being incinerated. Ichigo grinned as he saw that Byakuya had still been injured on his left arm.
"What was that?" asked Byakuya after he had finished getting out of the way of the attack. "Was that the power of your zanpakuto?"
"Yeah, at the instant of the slash, it absorbs my spiritual energy and releases highly condensed spiritual energy at the tip of my blade, magnifying the slash attack and flying forwards," said Ichigo with a grin. "Why don't you use your Bankai? Your Shikai won't win against me."
"Charging towards the Sky… what an arrogant name. So be it. Since you so strongly desire my Bankai witness it with your eyes and remember it well," said Kuchiki Byakuya as he dropped Senbonzakura. "Don't worry, you won't regret it. Before you do that, you will most certainly be rendered into dust before me," said Byakuya as two rows of gigantic katana blades appeared behind him. "Bankai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," said the noble as the katana blades separated into a maelstrom of petal-blades.
"Use Bankai now," warned Zangetsu and Shiro at the same time. Ichigo nodded.
"That's a magnificent Bankai Byakuya. It's so much more extravagant then mine," admired Ichigo with a whistle as he grasped Zangetsu with both hand and pointed it in front of him at Byakuya.
"Watch your words brat. You sound as if you've acquired Bankai," said Byakuya as the seemingly infinite amount of blades danced around him.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm implying, Kuchiki Byakuya!" said Ichigo with a grin as he brought his spiritual pressure to the sufficient amount needed for Bankai. And then raised it even higher.
" Ichigo, are you sure you want to put this much of your energy into Bankai? It's risky, you haven't mastered my Bankai form yet," said Zangetsu.
"I'll be fine. In any case I can still Hollowify if I need to," reassured Ichigo.
"Bankai!" yelled Ichigo as the force of his Bankai caused a tornado of spiritual energy to whirl around him.
As the dust that was picked up by the tornado subsided Kuchiki Byakuya got his first glance at Ichigo's Bankai. Ichigo was garbed in a long sleeved, ankle-length black shikakusho with a red lining that was enclosed at his waist and had ragged ends. Ichigo was holding a black daito that had a short length of chain at the hilt.
"Tensa Zangetsu," said Ichigo as he raised the daito.
"What.. is that thing? Is that your Bankai?" asked Byakuya with a glare. "Isn't that the normal form of your zanpakuto? I see… with the execution, with the Bankai. It seems you really enjoy stepping on our pride. Then I shall carve on your body, the penalty for violating our pride!" said Byakuya angrily as Senbonzakura Kageyoshi buzzed around him like a swarm of angry hornets before flying towards Ichigo. In an instant Ichigo was next to Byakuya with Tensa Zangetsu at Byakuya's neck.
"Pride… does your pride involve executing Rukia? If so then I will step on it like you said. That was the reason I obtained Bankai!" declared Ichigo as he leapt back.
"Why did you not slash my throat? Was it a display of confidence? Arrogance is often the undoing of a would-be victor. I will say it once more, that little thing you are holding cannot be Bankai. You will regret not killing me. Miracles only happen once Don't count on getting another brat!" said Byakuya as his eyes narrowed.
"Are you sure about this King? I don't really want to feel a couple hundred thousand petals ripping us to shreds," said Shiro as he eyed the petal storm nervously.
"Don't worry. I'm going to use Getsuga Tensho to blow most of the petals away while I get behind him and make sure he doesn't get another chance to attack," replied Ichigo as he dodged a flurry of petals.
Byakuya was starting to get worried when he saw Ichigo dodge Senbonzakura Kageyoshi with ease. What unnerved him the most was the fact that Ichigo didn't even seem to be trying hard. Deciding that he needed to end the fight before his opponent got the upper hand, Byakuya used his hands to direct Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw that Senbonzakura Kageyoshi was starting to catch up to his speed. Both he and Shiro realized that at the rate that Senbonzakura Kageyoshi was speeding up it would catch up to Ichigo before he could end the fight. Deciding that it would be prudent to use his Bankai to the upmost of its possibilities, Ichigo speed up until Senbonzakura Kageyoshi couldn't keep up, even with its boost in speed.
"Ichigo are you sure your body's going to hold up?" asked Shiro.
"You've never gone this fast in training with me. At your fastest in training you only lasted five minutes before your bones started to break under the pressure," said Zangetsu in a worried voice.
"Yeah, at this rate I'm not going to last more than two minutes unless I Hollowify. I can try to end it without Hollowifying or I can play it safe. What'd you guys think I should do?" asked Ichigo as he started to feel his limbs shake from the spiritual compression of his Bankai. Yoruichi was right, he still needed more practice with Bankai.
"Hollowify. If you don't, you could die," said Shiro as Zangetsu nodded in agreement.
"Alright."
Ichigo poured his spiritual energy into Tensa Zangetsu and slashed at Byakuya, releasing a much larger Getsuga Tensho than the one he had used earlier in the fight. Byakuya was forced to use most of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi's petals to block the attack giving Ichigo the chance to don his Hollow Mask.
As Byakuya blocked the larger Getsuga Tensho he couldn't help but feel that Ichigo had an ulterior motive for the attack. From earlier in the battle Byakuya had deduced that Ichigo was the type to create a diversion and then attack while the opponent was distracted. Byakuya had been expecting this but when the second attack never came he realized that this was more than just another attack As he felt the tremendous rise in Ichigo's spiritual pressure and how Hollow-like it had become a small sliver of fear wormed its way into Byakuya's heart.
"Congratulations Kuchiki Byakuya. You've forced my hand," said Ichigo's voice with Shiro's echo. As Byakuya finally got a look at Ichigo, he saw that Ichigo was standing in his black Shihakusho and Tensa Zangetsu, but this time he had a Hollow Mask with dark red stripes almost covering the left side of the mask. The amber of Ichigo's eyes had turned gold and the whites had turned pure black.
"What… are you?" asked Byakuya cautiously.
'I'm no one important. I'm just someone trying to save the life of the woman who gave me a purpose in life… and in death," said Ichigo.
"Why have you taken that form? You could have finished me off with just your Bankai. The speed you were moving at was faster than what Sebonzakura Kageyoshi could move at, even with me controlling the direction," said Byakuya.
"First, I can't keep up that speed for more than two minutes without my body breaking under the strain of keeping it up. It would have taken longer than that to defeat you. Second, I respect you. You are an amazing fighter. The only way I could think of to show my respect for you in this fight would have been to give it my all," said Ichigo honestly.
"I see. So you have nothing else to show?" asked Byakuya as he built up his own spiritual pressure in preparation,
"I do but I'm going to put everything I have in this next attack," said Ichigo.
"Shukei:Hakuteiken," said Byakuya as every single petal from Senbonzakura Kageyoshi condensed into a single white, illuminating blade. Massive white wings formed on his back along with a halo of concentrated spiritual energy. Ichigo grinned as he felt Byakuya pour all of his energy into the attack.
"Impressive, all I have is Getsuga Tensho," said Ichigo as he brought Tensa Zangetsu to bare. As he poured more and more of his Hollow reiatsu into Tensa Zangetsu, the Getsuga Tensho energy turned darker and darker until it was pitch black.
"This is new," said Ichigo mildly.
"It's name is…," started Shiro and Zangetsu at the same time. "Kuroi Getsuga."
Ichigo raised Tensa Zangetsu as he leapt towards Byakuya. Byakuya responded by raising his pure white blade and leaping, no flying towards him. As Ichigo and Byakuya's blades connected their spiritual pressures spiked and dropped dramatically as the Black Moon Fang and the White Emperor Sword exploded sending a shockwave of white and black reiatsu everywhere.
Pain. That was what Ichigo felt as Byakuya's attack ripped through his torso cutting through flesh and bone. Ichigo felt the same must be true for Byakuya as he had gored Tensa Zangetsu through Byakuya's torso. With a start Ichigo realized that both he and Byakuya had missed any and all vital muscles and organs even though they had been aiming to kill one another. Ichigo winced as another wave of pain washed over him.
"Why isn't the High-speed Regeneration kicking in?" asked Ichigo frantically.
"You're the idiot that pour all of our fucking reiatsu into that last attack! My High-speed Regeneration is powered by our reiatsu. Since neither of us has any to spare, its obviously not working," said Shiro.
Ichigo and Byakuya breathed heavily as they looked at each other. Ichigo was forced to pull Tensa Zangetsu from Byakuya in order to lean on it when his Hollow Mask dissipated.
"Go. It's your win. You have broken my blade. Your will is stronger than mine. I no longer have any right to pursue Rukia," said Byakuya as he turned and slowly limped away, hand over his wound before he used Shunpo to leave Soukyoku Hill.
"I shouldn't be saying this considering you just won the hardest fight we've ever had but we're losing blood. Fast. Unless you can suddenly start absorbing the reiatsu within the air to power our High-speed Regeneration, I'm going to have to take over," said Shiro.
"Alright, just be careful," said Ichigo as he allowed Shiro to take control of his body. To him the change in control really felt like getting out of the driver's seat of a car and switching places with the guy in the back.
"Wow, you really messed yourself up big time," commented Shiro as he tested Ichigo's battered body.
"Just heal me," muttered Ichigo.
"Alright, I'm going to heal you while I chase after that red haired guy," said Shiro as he latched onto Renji and Rukia's spiritual signatures and Flash Stepped in their direction.
"Alright, the regeneration isn't high-speed but at least we're healing. Now listen up. I'm going to teach you how to open a Garganta…"
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"That's weird. I thought Kurosaki would be here," said Ishida to Orihime and Chad as they reached the abandoned Soukyoku Hill.
"Ichi-chan left. He went after Rukia," said Yachiru from above as she waved.
"Then we should follow him," said Chad as tried to sense Ichigo's spiritual pressure.
"Where is he?" muttered Ishida as he tried to and failed to locate Ichigo's normal spiritual pressure.
"He's to the north. I can feel him but his reiatsu is different. It's so cold and… hollow,"said Orihime quietly as she reached out and felt Ichigo's reiatsu.
"We should find him. Something's wrong if his reiatsu isn't normal," said Ishida as the others nodded in agreement and left the empty landmark.
"Kurosaki… what on earth happened to you?"
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Ichigo sighed as he felt Shiro return control of his body to him. While he was still somewhat wounded from Byakuya's attack, Shiro had reassured him that their regeneration would heal it soon enough. Ichigo wondered how on earth he would have saved Rukia if he didn't have Shiro and Zangetsu's help. Without Bankai he would have never beaten Kuchiki Byakuya, and without Shiro he wasn't sure if he could have won some of the fights he did.
"Let's see you've taught me Hollowification, Cero, and now how to open the Garganta. What's next?" asked Ichigo.
"First I'll teach you how to do a Gran Rey Cero, then you have to learn how to use your Hollowification more effectively. When you learn how to do that, I'll teach you Sonido. After you've mastered those I'll teach you our Segunda Hollowification," replied Shiro.
"Gran Rey Cero? Sounds deadly. I like it," said Ichigo with a grin.
"Ha! You're becoming more like me every day," laughed Shiro.
"Don't forget about me Ichigo. You haven't mastered Bankai. You've only unlocked part of Tensa Zangetsu's abilities," said Zangetsu.
"I'd never forget about you old man. But I didn't know that our Bankai wasn't complete, it feels amazing already," said Ichigo.
"Our Bankai is different from other Bankai's. It is comprised of three parts. The Perfect Speed, The Perfect Sense, and The Perfect Attack. You have only completed The Perfect Speed. You still need to complete and master the other two parts and then you have to put the three parts together," said Zangetsu.
"So, I already know about The Perfect Speed. Tell me about the other two."
"The Perfect Sense comes as a direct result of The Perfect Speed. When you have The Perfect Speed you move so fast in combat that you have more and more time to analyze and react to your opponent. That is what The Perfect Sense is. When you have achieved perfect mastery over The Perfect Sense you know what your opponent is going to do before they do anything. You break down their body motions in your brain and you sense minute changes in their reiatsu. Then you process the knowledge so you know what they are going to do before they do it."
"Finally, you have The Perfect Attack. With The Perfect Sense, you know what an opponent is going to do before they do anything, you also know how to attack an opponent to destroy them, however some of those attacks may not be possible at that stage. With The Perfect Attack, Tensa Zangetsu enhances your attacking abilities to the nth degree making any possible attack a reality. When you put all three of these parts together, you have the final form of Tensa Zangetsu. Tensa Zangetsu, Ultimo Momento," explained Zangetsu
"So I'm invincible when I achieve Tensa Zangetsu, Ultimo Momento?" asked Ichigo.
"No. For example, if someone is about to release a cloud of poison gas at you, you know that he's going to release it at you but you don't know what type of poison it is. Tensa Zangetsu, Ultimo Momento doesn't make you omniscient or omnipotent, it enhances your abilities it doesn't make you unbeateable," cautioned Zangetsu.
"Looks like I have a lot of training ahead of me," said Ichigo glumly. Shiro and Zangetsu both nodded.
"While we were chatting, you've reached her," said Zangetsu as Ichigo returned his attention to the outside world and saw Rukia and Renji a couple hundred feet in front of him.
As he neared them a dark skinned man with dreadlocks tied back in a ponytail appeared and surrounded Rukia, Renji and himself with a strip of cloth and they all disappeared.
"Shit! Where'd he take them?" asked Ichigo as he looked around.
"Use your head for a moment Ichigo! Their reiatsu's back at Soukyoku Hill!" said Shiro.
Ichigo cursed under his breath as he turned around and used Tensa Zangetsu's Perfect Speed to return towards the site of his battle with Kuchiki Byakuya. He hoped that he would get there in time.
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Ichigo gasped for breath as he lay on the ground, his body almost cleaved in half horizontally. He looked up and saw Aizen hold Rukia up by the weird choker around her neck. His regeneration was already being pushed to its limit as he screamed at his body to move.
"If you keep moving, not even the regeneration will save you!" yelled Shiro in panic as Ichigo tried to push himself off the ground and failed.
Ichigo screamed silently as he watched Aizen pull out a small round object from inside Rukia. He breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that Rukia was unharmed. The relief quickly turned to rage as he heard Aizen tell Gin to kill Rukia. Something inside of Ichigo broke as he started drawing in the spirit particles around him at an alarming rate. The regeneration that was waning only moments before suddenly returned to high speed as he donned his Hollow Mask. He saw Byakuya take Gin's Shinso to the gut as he saved Rukia with a Flash Step. As Ichigo rounded on Aizen he raised his left hand and growled, "Cero."
The Doom Blast raced towards Aizen as Ichigo fired off two Kuroi Getsuga's behind the Doom Blast and used his speed to fire Kuroi Getsuga's from all directions towards Aizen. With a whip of his hand, Ichigo dissipated his Hollow Mask. As the explosion cleared Ichigo saw that Yoruichi and the rest of the captain's had shown up and were quickly surround the three traitors.
"Thank God it's over…," thought Ichigo as he relaxed and closed his eyes. As he felt the now familiar sensation of a Garganta opening, Ichigo's eyes shot open. He looked up into the sky and saw at least ten Menos Grande's looking out of a gigantic Garganta with something even bigger looming in the shadows behind them.
"Now we're talking," said Ichigo and Shiro at the same time. Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu around to make sure that nothing was wrong with the blade before he pointed it at Aizen. "Time for round two."
The smallest of smiles appeared on Aizen's normally stoic face as he turned to face Ichigo. "You are quite interesting for a mere ryoka. I regret saying that this is where we part ways for now. I have no doubt that we will meet again," said Aizen as square beams of yellow engulfed Aizen, Tousen, and Gin.
"Trying to run? You…," sad a man with shades as he started to run forwards.
"Stop. That beam of light is called "Negación". The Menos use it to rescue their comrades. Once the light is cast the area inside becomes a part of Hueco Mundo. Everyone who has fought Menos before knows this. From the moment that beam of light came down, Aizen has gone beyond our reach," said the Captain-Commander. At his words Ichigo begane to laugh. It was a wild, crazy, excited laugh.
"What's so funny Ryoka?" asked the Captain-Commander.
"You said that Aizen's beyond our reach. You're wrong. Aizen's gone beyond the reach of everyone… except me," said Ichigo as he raised Tensa Zangetsu towards Aizen and placed his left hand over his face.
"But if a Hollow can't enter Hueco Mundo it's a sad excuse for a Hollow isn't it?" said Ichigo as he ripped his Hollow Mask onto his face, Shiro's voice overlapping with his. The sudden surge in spiritual pressure forced more than one captain to breathe heavily. The only ones unaffected were the Captain-Commander, Yoruichi, Kenpachi, Kyouraku and Ukitake.
"Now Aizen you should know that I always finish what I start," said Ichigo as he spread his arms to either side and a Garganta opened behind him. Aizen's eyes widened as he realized what Ichigo was doing.
"The space inside the Negación is part of Hueco Mundo. Anyone with the ability to open a Garganta with accuracy can open a Garganta into the space of a Negación. Since Aizen's a Shinigami he can't do anything to retaliate. This is nice," said Ichigo as he pointed a hand towards the open Garaganta. "Cero." He raised Tensa Zangetsu and another Cero formed at the tip of the blade. "Cero Doble." Finally, Ichigo opened his mouth and his Hollow Mask moved to accommodate him. A third Cero began forming in his mouth. "Cero Trenta." All three Ceros combined and fired into the Garganta. The Shinigami and Ryoka turned to watch the inside of Aizen's Negación explode.
"That was useful, I'll have to remember that one next time," said Ichigo in his echoing voice as he brushed some dust off his Bankai robes.
"Wait, you just made that up?" asked Yoruichi in surprise.
"Of course, you know me, I learn best on the fly," said Ichigo with a shrug.
"Getsuga Tensho!" said Ichigo as he lazily flicked a couple Kuroi Getsuga's into the Garaganta for added effect. "Well that's that," said Ichigo as the Garganta closed.
"What? Why are you letting him go?" asked Renji as he coughed up blood.
"Cause I can't keep the Garganta open any longer. You trying keeping a portal open into a pocket dimension of another dimension while sending massive amounts of reiatsu through," said Ichigo darkly.
The group of fighters looked up to see that Aizen was actually on his knees panting. Blood ran down his side as he glared at Ichigo with hate and clutched at the wound in his side.
"What are you trying to do?" asked Ukitake as he looked up at Aizen.
"To go higher," said Aizen simply.
"Have you fallen in the process?"
"You're too arrogant Ukitake," replied Aizen. "No one starts on top of the world. Not you, not me. Not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne over the sky is over. From now on…I will be sitting on it," said Aizen as he slicked back his hair and crushed his glasses.
"Goodbye Shinigami, and goodbye Kurosaki Ichigo. You really are an enigma," said Aizen as the Garganta the Menos Grande had opened closed.
"Damn it…," growled Ichigo as he watched the three traitors disappear into Hueco Mundo. "Well then… this is awkward," muttered Ichigo with a cocky grin as his gaze lazily trailed over the Shinigami around him. "You guys look like you've seen a Hollow, what's the matter?" asked Ichigo as he increased his spiritual pressure. At this point all Shinigami that weren't Captain-class or higher had fainted from the sheer pressure of Ichigo's reiatsu.
"Exterminate the abomination," said the old Captain-Commander as he settled into a fighting stance.
"Well then, if that's what you want… let's go," said Ichigo, Shiro's voice overlapping with his, both voices dripping with anticipation and excitement.
"Ichigo, you do realize that against just the old man you'd still lose right?" asked Zangetsu worried that Ichigo might have gone insane.
"Yeah, don't worry about it Zangetsu. I'm just going to hold him off long enough for me to open another Garganta and slip through," said Ichigo.
"Yama-jii is this really necessary? He did manage to wound Aizen and reveal who Aizen really was,"said Kyouraku as the man in the flowery kimono sat down and brought out a bottle of sake. "Tell me Ryoka… do you drink?"
"Kyouraku is right Genryusai-sensei. This fight is pointless,"said Ukitake trying to persuade the Captain-Commander that any further bloodshed would only weaken the Gotei 13. Soifon was about to Shunpo behind Ichigo but Yoruichi put her hand on the younger woman's shoulder and shook her head. Ichigo relaxed as he saw that many of the other Captain's didn't want to fight and he dissipated his mask with a flick of the wrist.
"I don't care… do whatever you want," said Komamura as he turned and walked away.
"Captain!" called out Komamura's Vice-Captain before Tousen's Vice-Captain told him not to bother the strange looking Shinigami.
Ichigo sighed as he looked out at the now setting sun. As he closed his eyes, the warm orange rays washed over him as he felt someone else stand next to him. He had gotten better at sensing people and grinned lazily as he spoke. "What d'you want Yoruichi?"
"I just wanted to ask what you were going to do now. You've accomplished your goal. Rukia's safe. And… you're dead. What are you going to do?" asked Yoruichi.
"I love her, but her life would be so much better if she stayed in Soul Society now that everyone's stopped trying to kill her," said Ichigo his eyes still shut.
"I was asking about you Ichigo," said Yoruichi as she fought the urge to roll her eyes. Ichigo opened his. His amber eyes met her gold ones.
"I don't think I'm staying here," said Ichigo simply.
"Where will you go? The Human World?"
"No. I don't belong there. I'm dead. I don't really belong here either. I'm not really a Shinigami like the ones in the Gotei 13. I think… that it's time for me to go. There's one place I haven't been to though. It calls to me. I think it's time… That we went home," said IChigo, the last of his words echoing with shiro's voice as the whites of his eyes blackened.
"Don't tell me…," said Yoruichi though she knew what he was going to say.
"I hear Hueco Mundo's perfect for your average Shinigami/Hollow," said Ichigo as the voice overlap faded along with the black in his eyes.
"I don't have anywhere else to go. Besides I don't really have a purpose anymore. My goal was to save Rukia. It's time for me to go," said Ichigo as he tore his eyes away from Yoruichi's and looked back at the sunset.
"Don't you want to stay near Rukia?" asked Yoruichi.
"Of course I do, but I don't belong here. I'm not suited to be a Shinigami in the Gotei 13. Never was, never will be. I prefer solo work and you know that," replied Ichigo.
"You honestly think you're strong enough to beat everyone in Hueco Mundo?" asked Yoruichi.
"No, but that's the whole point in going there," said Ichigo with a shrug.
"You're suicidal," said Yoruichi, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You either live long enough to become a legend or you die," muttered Ichigo as he felt the energies needed to open a Garganta return to him.
"Kurosaki Ichigo, do not move. As of now you are under arrest by the joint authority of the Gotei 13," said the Captain-Commander just as Ichigo was about to open a Garganta.
"You have got to be kidding me…," said Ichigo as he turned to face the Captain-Commander with a scowl on his face. "Do you really want to do this?" asked Ichgio as he Hollowified and brought his spiritual pressure to the maximum.
Rukia stared in fear and amazement as she watched Ichigo confronting the Captain-Commander. The two figures sized each other up as the Captain-Commander disintegrated the wood of his staff revealing his zanpakuto. Not a good sign. She started to feel lightheaded and unable to breathe as the Captain-Commander's reiatsu washed over her. Just as she was about to lose consciousness Ichigo's reiatsu surrounded her and beat back the stifling pressure of Yamamoto's.
"Hey hey, is that any way to treat your subordinates?" scolded Ichigo as the old man glared at him.
"Genryusai-sensei, please! If you fight him now you may win but Soul Society would be severely weakened. We just lost three Captains, we need to conserve as much of our forces as possible," said Ukitake trying to be the voice of reason.
"Yama-ji let the kid off. He probably doesn't even know laws he's broken and since he wasn't a registered Shinigami when those laws were broken everything's fine. Now calm down and we can all talk about it over a drink," said Kyouraku as he brought out a couple more bottles of sake from the folds of his robes.
"Just how much sake does he carry on himself?" asked Ichigo extremely tempted by the sake. No one knew, but he had been sneaking into his father's sake stash since he was thirteen. He loved the stuff.
"Alright," said Ichigo as he removed his Holow Mask, and came out of Bankai. "Let's talk," continued Ichigo as he placed Zangetsu on his back and sat down next ot Kyouraku and poured himself a cup of sake. Everyone stared at him. Even Kyouraku.
"I like you already," said the flowery captain with a grin before he toasted Ichigo and downed his cup.
"I don't think I can keep up with you but I enjoy my sake," said ichigo with a grin as he downed his own cup.
Ukitake looked around, shrugged as he saw that medical help from the 4th Division had arrived and sat down to join his long time friend and the ryoka that had saved his subordinate. He poured himself a cup as he heard Yamamoto sigh.
"Someone pour an old man tea," grumbled Yamamoto as he sat down with the other Shinigami.
Rukia's jaw dropped as she watched her Captain, Kyouraku-taichou, Yamamoto-sotaichou, and Ichigo sit down to drink tea and sake together. She sees Yamamoto motion for her and the other Captains to join him and they quickly oblige. Unohana heals her brother enough so that he could sit up while the others questioned Ichigo.
"Now then Kurosaki Ichigo… tell us how you acquired these powers of yours," said Yamamoto when Rukia and all of the Captains had settled down.
"Well…," started Ichigo before he told the people arrayed around him everything.
His absolute defeat at the hands of Kuchiki Byakuya.
His attempt to regain his Shinigami powers.
His partnership with Shiro.
His death.
His fights with Ikkaku, Renji, and Zaraki.
Him achieving Bankai.
His rematch and victory over Kuchiki Byakuya.
"That's everything that's happened to me so far," said Ichigo as he looked around at the Captains.
"So then… you're dead?" asked Rukia in disbelief.
"Yeah. It's not as bad as I thought it'd be. At least I don't have to worry about school anymore," said Ichigo with a half hearted grin.
"You idiot! Why'd you let yourself die? You should have stayed behind! You were only 15! You had your whole life ahead of you," ranted Rukia as she started beating every inch of Ichigo she could get her hands on.
"Hey – Ow! I – That hurts damn it! Stop it," yelled Ichigo as he grabbed Rukia by her collar and lifted her so she couldn't reach him anymore.
"If you are dead then the Gotei 13 does have jurisdiction over you," said Yamamoto as he glared at Ichigo.
"Look. We've been over this. You could try to capture me. Then I'd fight back… you'd kill me… the fight would take out a lot of Soul Society… Aizen comes back and destroys everything. You get the picture. You all seem to forget the all important fact that I can open a Garganta. You can't keep me anywhere," said Ichigo aas he rolled his eyes.
"Genryusai-sensei, why not just give him a position in the Gotei 13?" suggested Ukitake as Ichigo and Yamamoto both spit out the sake and tea they were drinking.
"He's easily a Captain-class Shinigami and so far he's the only one here who's been able to even touch Aizen," said Ukitake simply as the others stared at him.
"Tell me Kurosaki Ichigo. Was that black daito your Bankai?" asked Yamamoto.
"No, it wasn't. That was part of my Bankai. I haven't completely mastered my Bankai yet. I've only mastered 1/3 of Zangetsu's true power," said Ichigo honestly.
"He managed to wound Aizen with 1/3 of his Bankai…," said Ukitake as he looked at Ichigo with respect.
"Yama-jii we do have three openings for Captains now," said Kyouraku as he downed another cup of sake.
"He is powerful," admitted Byakuya as he grimaced while he was being healed.
"What are you going to do? There is a place for you in Soul Society if you wish for it," said Yamamoto evenly as he stared at the orange haired man.
"I don't know… I really don't know. Staying here would be nice but I don't feel as if I really belong," said Ichgio as he sipped his sake. "I could stay here but I never was a Shinigami like all of you. I never had that "Shinigami Pride" that byakuya was talking about. I threw always all of my pride to save Rukia."
"Please explain," said Yamamoto as the other Captains listened to Ichigo's ever word.
"I don't know how to explain it. I've… never been one to hold pride highly. I believe that there are things far more important than pride. I needed power to save Rukia if I could get it by throwing away my "Shinigami Pride" I would have, and did so, gladly. If you aren't strong enough to make it to the top by yourself, swallow your pride and ask for help. That's what I did," said Ichigo seriously.
"What is your decision? Will you stay here in Soul Society? Or will you find your own path?" asked Yamamoto as all eyes turned towards Ichigo.
"I will stay until Aizen is dead. When that happens, I'll walk my own path," said Ichigo as he looked Yamamoto straight in the eyes. "If you don't mind I'd like to tell my friends about what happened to me myself," said Ichigo as Ishida, Chad, Orihime and Ganju appeared on the horizon running towards them.
"Then this informal meeting is dismissed," said Yamamoto as the Captains and Vice-Captains moved off to survey the damage done to Soul Society and its protectors leaving Ichigo and Rukia alone.
"You're dead? Really dead?" asked Rukia as the two sat with their legs off of Soukyoku Hill.
"Yeah. Zanpakuto through my heart while I was in spirit form. If that won't kill me, I don't know what will," said Ichigo as he looked down at Soul Society before looking around again.
"Why?" asked Rukia quietly.
"Why what?"
"Why did you come? It would have been better if you stayed and lived a normal life," said Rukia, sadness pervading her voice.
"It wouldn't have been. You need to stop being so hard on yourself. Don't think about how our lives would be better if we did what you said. I would have never been able to live knowing that I did nothing while the person that changed my life was killed," said Ichigo firmly.
"But,"
"Trust me Rukia. This was the right choice," said Ichigo as he looked straight into Rukia's eyes.
"But what are you going to do once Aizen's dead?"
"I'm not sure yet. I'll see how Soul Society works for me. If I don't like it, I'm just going to head to Hueco Mundo and see what I can do there," said Ichigo carelessly. "I kinda like that idea, standing alone at the top of the world."
"Is there room for one more?" asked Rukia softly.
"There's always room for you," said Ichigo with a soft smile as he looked out to see the sun.
"This is… nice," commented Shiro as he and Zangetsu felt the enormous amount of peace that flooded through Ichigo.
"It is. There isn't a single cloud on the horizon. The wind is blowing. Stay like this Ichigo. I finally feel at peace," said Zangetsu with a smile.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Sorry it's taken such a long time to update, but I'm currently working on a the first part of a trilogy that I'll hopefully publish. So the Earliest I'll update again is the end of August. Sorry about the delay.