Hey guys, me again! Here is another chapter of [Sub]! Enjoy this one!
I'll admit, the first chapter felt like rubbish to me…good plot and premise…waaaaaay too rushed for the quality of work I wanted to give you guys and gals, my faithful readers. Please accept my humblest apologies, and I pray that this chapter works out better.
I will attempt to cover anything I've missed in the first chapter and give you a better understanding of the events that I seem to have skipped over.
Disclaimer: I own none of this! I do wish that I did…honestly…Bleach wouldn't have ended the way it did if I owned it…
Review Dodecahedron:
The King of Despair: The pairing is Ichigo x Yasaka, as it was the original pairing of the original story
Heavenlydemonknight: Yeah I messed up the first chapter…
Ichigo Oga: I sent you the timeline, I'll openly admit I messed this chapter up slightly
Arraia: Sorry to disappoint but I don't really enjoy writing harem stories…though I will be attempting something over the course of this one
Shadic21: Thanks!
Adislt: I agree…I'll fix everything in this chapter
Aesir19: Oh it's gonna be something else…just wait for the punchline. There was too much jumping around, but I'm planning some major changes to this chapter, just hang on for a bit
Rawrking: I agree
Forest1395101: Yeah yeah…I messed some things up big time, I'm working on fixing it now, the romance between Ichigo and Bambi isn't forced, as it produces a major plot point for later chapters, and why Ichigo involves himself in the supernatural happenings of Kuoh.
Guest: I agree with the mess part, the Ichigo/Bambi relationship is important, the structure is bad even I cringed after re-reading, the pace is messed up too
Ungainlyace4: Thanks!
Ulttoanova: I had fun writing that scene, thanks for that!
Okay…here goes nothing, enjoy!
Previously, on [Sub]…
"YOUNG MISS! WHAT AILS YOU?!"
"Hime-sama! What seems to be the problem? Shhh. It's okay." The guard pulled her into a hug and let Kunou calm down. "What's wrong, Hime-sama?" Kunou sniffed a couple times before mustering the courage to speak.
"Mama…Mama killed…Mama killed Papa…" She burst into more tears.
Yasaka, who had heard the commotion outside, stuck her head back out from the office. "HE'S ALIVE!"
Chapter 2: The Re-written World
Ichigo stared up at the moon of Hueco Mundo. For some reason, whenever he fell unconscious or fell into a deep sleep, he would always wake up there. Looking around, he saw what became of the once proud castle that belonged to Sōsuke. Las Noches. Sighing, he picked himself up and walked towards the ruins, the broken dome a shadow of its former self.
Looking around, he noticed eyes looking back at him from the white sand. Red eyes against a background of white sand. He just stared at them, waiting for a reaction, but when the eyes seemingly faded away into the sand, Ichigo just blinked and kept moving. The dead trees the only change in scenery from that point on.
Arriving at what was left of the wall, Ichigo stopped and gazed curiously at it. Frowning, he placed his hand on the cold rock. He smiled when he realized he had somehow ended up at the same wall that he and his friends broke through when rescuing Inoue. Shaking his head to stop himself from drowning in nostalgia and regret, he walked around the fragment of the wall and walked towards the center of the castle, where a single throne still sat. He stood before it, eyes boring into the cold rock.
'Why was I brought here? I've never managed to get this far before, always getting to the wall before waking.' He looked around, seeing the remnants of battle. Skeletons littered the sandy floor, and ancient bloodstains splashed across the sand. 'No wind. Nothing has changed.' He saw something flash in the distance. He turned his head and ducked as a blade passed where his head used to be. Twisting, he lashed out with his leg, catching his attacker in the gut, launching them back at a pillar which withstood the test of time. Crashing through it, the stranger flipped back and whipped out their hand, a tiny dagger whipping out and flying towards Ichigo, who nonchalantly reached up and caught it with little effort.
"Your first attack was decent, but the reflection of your blade gave you away. Who are you? Tell me before I kill you." Ichigo stretched his arm out, forming a black blade from reishi, and held it next to him. His attacker appeared before him, and he noticed from the outfit that his attacker was in fact, a her. Covered with a hood that hid her face, the girl wore a tight fitting Arrancar uniform, with a hakama similar to that which he remembered Grimmjow wore. The girl reached under her cloak and drew a short sword, to which Ichigo felt his heart stop.
The blade she had in her hand, was a smaller, knife form of Zangetsu. Not the trench knife that was the physical form of Old Man Zangetsu, but the Khyber knife that was Zangetsu. She raised the blade above her head, and screamed.
"GETSUGA! TENSHO!" Bringing the small blade down caused an eruption of power that equaled his Getsuga when he had his Fullbring Ban-Kai. He raised his hand and caught the attack with an open palm, redirecting it towards the sky, and sharp twinge in his hand meant that the attack had actually hurt him. The girl, however, took a step back, breathing heavily.
"How? How did you stop my attack? Tell me!" She raised the blade, but Ichigo stepped forwards and yanked the blade from her hand.
"Stop pointing that at me and I'll tell you!" He huffed and crossed his arms, an action that was mirrored by the girl in front of him. He raised an eyebrow when she turned away and motioned for him to follow.
"It's not safe here anyway. Come, follow me." She led him towards a cave in the distance, and along the way, he returned her blade, which she eagerly took and placed it back onto her hip.
"Thanks, felt weird not having Hougetsu* in my hands." Ichigo stopped.
"Hougetsu? Crushing Moon? Are you related to the Shiba in some way?" The girl turned around, and with the movement, dislodged her hood, which fell away to reveal a head of shocking orange.
"You know the Shiba?! Are you a Shinigami survivor? I thought you were all extinct!" Ichigo stared at her, not believing what he was seeing. She perked up and shrugged her shoulders nervously. "Please stop staring, I know my hair color is strange, but…it's natural!" She turned around and stomped off. Ichigo, not satisfied with her answer, used shunpo to get in front of her. She of course didn't see him until she bumped into his and fell onto her rear.
"What the hell man? What's your problem?" She stood and dusted herself off, rubbing her sore rear in the process. She gave him a hard glare, which Ichigo returned with a scowl.
"Are you a Shiba?" She just nodded.
"Yup! My name is Shiba Hanami! Who are you?" She looked up at him, her eyes full of curiosity and wonder.
"Ichigo…Shiba Ichigo." Her eyes went wide, and she took a step back.
"But…you can't be…it's impossible…Baa-san said you died 1000 years ago." Ichigo stepped forwards.
"Who are your parents? Your grandparents?" He grabbed her face and looked into her eyes. Hanami swallowed.
"My parents were Kaien and Yuna Shiba. My grandparents were Juushiro and Lua Shiba. My great-grandparents…where Toshiro and Karin Shiba." Ichigo took a step back, his world spinning, and then everything hurt.
He fell to his knees, before vanishing into thin air, his presence gone completely from Hueco Mundo, as if he never existed there to begin with. Hanami looked around, her eyes searching for her long lost great-granduncle. When she couldn't pinpoint his reiatsu anymore, her shoulders slumped, and tears sprang forth from her eyes. Again…she was alone in a world where nothing lived, and nothing ever died. She fell to her knees and cried in the light of the moon of the Hollow World.
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Ichigo sprang up from the bed, his body coated in a cold sweat, his breathing coming out in ragged gasps. Next to him, Yasaka felt him move and woke up, casting a worried glance over her shoulder. When her eyesight adjusted, she noticed Ichigo wasn't in the bed they shared, but rather standing at the open window taking in large gulps of air. Worried, she got out of bed herself, draped the sheet over her body and made her way to his side, where she wrapped her arms around him.
"Ichigo? Are you okay? What's wrong?" He turned to her, his eyes constantly changing between brown, red, and gold. Yasaka saw this, and her eyebrows furrowed together.
'They only do that when he's going through an emotional crisis. This isn't good.' She placed her head on his shoulder. "Breathe my love. Breathe. Talk to me, what happened?" Ichigo, having calmed down enough for his eyes to not resemble a rainbow, turned and wrapped his arms around Yasaka, pulling her into his chest.
"Yasaka, have you heard anything about Karin or Yuzu, my sisters, having children?" Yasaka looked up at him, her eyes looking straight into his.
"No, I have not. But there may be something buried in the archives. Why do you ask?" Ichigo sighed.
"Remember how I told you that my consciousness travels to Hueco Mundo whenever I blank out? It's sort of like going into my inner world, but instead I travel to another dimension. Anyway, I met a child in the ruins of Las Noches. Yasaka, she had my hair, but she said her parents where Kaien and Yuna Shiba, her grandparents were Juushiro and Lua Shiba, and her great-grandparents were Toshiro and Karin Shiba. Yasaka…she's my niece, and her name is Shiba Hanami." He turned to look at the moon. "I need to go get her." Yasaka perked up, her tails appeared and began to twitch in annoyance.
"Ichigo, you just got home, and you want to leave again? What about the faction meeting? What about dealing with Levia-bitch, and what about the Two Heavenly Dragons? Didn't Amaterasu-sama say that you had to deal with them?" Ichigo sighed, but when he looked at her, she could see his warm chocolate eyes glowing blue with a determination she had only heard stories about.
"She's my family. I won't leave her to suffer alone in Hueco Mundo. I'll talk to Mother, and even if she says no, I'll leave as quickly as I can. I know where to go, and I know where she is. I'll find her and return as soon as possible. I promise. Plus, having Hanami here will give Kunou someone to talk to, someone her age. It'll be worth it completely. Trust me." He gave her a smile, and Yasaka found herself loosing all will to resist.
"You know, I only heard stories about your protectiveness, and how it boarded on fanatism, but, having seen it for myself, having seen your resolve, I'll convince Mother that you going is the best option. You are the last Head of the Noble House of Shiba, and this child is a Shiba by blood, and that is the strongest connection. I've got your back, Ichigo." She gave him her own smile, and he responded by lifting her up and carrying her to bed, where he showed her exactly who he was coming back to.
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"THAT STUPID ASSHOLE!"
*SMASH*
"BASTARD!"
*SLAM*
"SERAFALL ENOUGH!" The voice of a pissed off Sirzechs Lucifer boomed within the small house that he was currently lounging in. After the whole 'Ichigo' fiasco the night before, Serafall had been out for blood, and was lashing out at everyone who came near, even Sona, who was there only to try and calm her sister down. Sirzechs stood and stormed over to the now shrinking Leviathan and stood before her. "I may not always display it, and I never will, but I do to have a limit, and you, for the first time in a long time, have pushed me past it. Grow up Serafall. Ichigo is NOT coming back to you, he has been claimed by the Shinto and there is nothing you can do about it! Let him be! I want you to return to New Lilith and remove your little embargo on the Shinto faction immediately, and if you don't, I will personally lead Ichigo down to your office and let him rampage all he likes! Am I clear?" Serafall could only nod.
She picked herself up, wiped her eyes, and tapped the ground with a foot, a teleportation circle springing to life beneath her feet. Before she vanished, she looked up at the assembled group, which was still trying to make heads of what had just happened in the house the night before between Ichigo Shiba, an apparent Noble of Soul Society, and Serafall Leviathan, one of the 4 Ruling Maou's of Hell. "Sorry about ruining the house." And with that, she vanished.
Rias looked at her brother, who was now nursing a headache and was trying to relax himself by looking at all the embarrassing photos of Rias that he had saved in his wallet.
"Oh my sweet, cute Sister, what am I to do? How can I deal with this?" She watched as he cried and wailed, clutching the photos tightly to his chest. Feeling a tick mark appear on her head, and her face heat up from embarrassment, she stomped on the ground, getting everyone's attention.
"Enough, Nii-sama! Please stop." Sirzechs looked at Rias, before he nodded and put the photos away, somehow stuffing about 100 pictures all varying in size into a small brown leather wallet which he then tucked into his pocket.
"I guess you all have a right to know. I'll tell you what I know about Shiba Ichigo, or more commonly known as Kurosaki Ichigo, hero of the Winter War and one of the few survivors of the Thousand Year Blood War against the Quincy." He motioned for everyone to gather at the table, and once everyone was seated, he began. "Kurosaki Ichigo, according to the Archives, vanished from Soul Society 1000 years ago, trapping Ywach and a few of his most trusted Quincy within the Garganta, which basically ended the war. What wasn't said was that, once again according to the Archives, Ywach used a technique called 'Raum verloren' which translates to 'lost space'. Basically, it collapsed the Garganta, which sealed off Hueco Mundo from the rest of the dimensions. It's why there haven't been any Hollow sightings these last thousand years. The side effect of basically destroying every Hollow in existence was the creation of something new. Strays. Devils who become infected with Hollow particles, and instead of becoming Hollows themselves, they become Strays, wanting to feed on the flesh and soul of human beings. So, whilst being a major part of the balance, Hollows continued to exist through Strays, which is why Hueco Mundo still exists, but there is nothing wandering the desolate sands anymore." He paused and took a sip of water from a glass that had been placed before him by the recently arrived Grayfia, who managed to avoid everyone's attention.
"Thank you Grayfia. Now, continuing. Kurosaki Ichigo, for all intents and purposes, should be dead. 100% no longer amongst the living. Not even a Soul. He should have been killed by the Lost Emperor of the Quincy and he should have vanished from existence. But the fact that he appeared out of a portal right in the middle of a training session between Ajuka and myself, injured, scared and violently angry is very much true." He stopped.
"If you want the rest, then you ask Ichigo. I know where he is, but you don't want to go there. Simply setting foot in the Temple would roast you alive. I can withstand it because of my power as a Super Devil, but you guys cannot." He stood and walked over to Grayfia, giving her a nod. "I'll ask him to come here once more, but I cannot promise anything. I know you have questions, but only he has the answer to them." With that, he and his wife were swallowed by a teleportation spell that activated under their feet, whisking them away back to the Underworld.
Rias turned to look at her friends. Akeno was staring out a window, a look on her face that didn't fit her complexion. Koneko was staring at her feet alongside Asia, who was tearing up. Kiba had walked outside, followed by Issei. Sighing, she dropped herself into the couch.
'Kurosaki…I've heard that name before. Kuro…saki! Kurosaki Yuna!' She sprang up to her feet, startling everyone. "AKENO! Come with me! We need to find Yuna-chan." Akeno just gave her a blank stare. "Akeno, wWhat is Yuna-chan's last name?"
"KUROSAKI!? Rias, do you know where she is?" Rias nodded.
"Her family owns a shrine not too far from here. From what I've heard, her great-grandmother Kurosaki Yuzu, who is about 1000 years old, still runs the place. Must be her Quincy heritage." Nodding in understanding, Rias and Akeno set out towards the shrine. Sona, who had been quietly listening, sighed and went back to her own home, trying to forget the name she just heard.
'What did you do to my sister, Kurosaki Ichigo?'
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"I forbid it."
"Called it, you owe me $20."
"Dammit. How did you know she was gonna say no?"
"Call it…a woman's intuition." Sighing, Ichigo reached into his pocket and pulled out a $20 note American note, handing it over to Yasaka who eagerly deposited the cash into her own pocket. Looking back at Amaterasu, he gave her a scowl, before standing and making his way to the door. Just as he was about to reach it, things started getting very hot.
"Where do you think you're going, Ichigo?" Turning back to the speaker, Ichigo gave another scowl.
"Hueco Mundo. Please don't try and stop me. I need to go protect my family." He turned back around and reached for the sliding door when the temperature in the room skyrocketed.
"If you think I'm going to let you wander around Hueco Mundo looking for someone who may not even exist, think again. You are the Champion of the Shinto, my Child." Ichigo spun, his eyes flashing crimson.
"And she is my BLOOD! If YOU think you're going to be able to keep me here, think again. I may be your Champion, but before that…I…am…a…Shiba." He turned and grabbed the handle, avoiding the whole 'SHIT! MY HAND IS ON FIRE' routine that he usually does to cheer up a sad Kunou, he ripped the door open, slamming the shoji door against the frame, knocking it loose, before letting it fall to the ground in a crumpled heap. He let out an internal sigh when his Hollow regeneration kicked in and started healing his basically ruined hand. Looking down at it, he frowned when he saw the white of bone through charred and blackened skin. He turned to glare at Amaterasu, who was sending him a scowl that rivaled his on a good day.
"I'll be back later, Hanami in tow. Leave a light on for me okay?" He walked away, leaving Yasaka to deal with a very angry Amaterasu.
Sighing, Yasaka looked in the direction Ichigo had just walked in. 'You owe me a baby after this one.'
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Standing in the training grounds, Ichigo prepared himself for his venture into Hueco Mundo. He checked his bag over again.
Food? Check.
Water? Check.
Whetstone? Check.
Flares? Check.
Sake? Triple check.
Smiling to himself, he set his bag over his shoulder and raised a hand, feeling the connection between the worlds weaken at his command. Strangest thing though, the garganta wouldn't open. Every time he tried; the strangest thing would happen.
He would just get electrocuted.
After the fifth attempt, he finally had it. He cracked his knuckles and his neck, he thrust his hands out, grabbing two edges of the fabric of reality, and let his reiatsu loose in a display that could be akin to a nuke.
An explosion of reiatsu rocketed everything, bringing even Yasaka to her knees. Amaterasu looked up in worry, and Yasaka could feel how anxious the Head of the Shinto was whenever it came to Ichigo doing something reckless…like forcing open a garganta to a place that hasn't been habited for about a thousand years. Amaterasu let out a sigh.
"He's not going to find his past in Hueco Mundo. There is nothing that exists in that desolate wasteland, only ruins form a battle he fought long ago. Even the sword of Ulqiuorra Cifer has weathered away into nothing but a rusty remnant. Ichigo…" She trailed off, looking out the door with concern etched on her pale features.
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The pain was ridiculous. Sure, he had broken through the garganta twice before, once when trying to sneak up on Sōsuke, the other when he travelled from Hueco Mundo to Soul Society during the Blood War. He let more and more reiatsu flow into his arms, before he realized one, very, important thing. He let the partially open tear between worlds close and stepped back, letting his Hollow powers flow through him.
"Despair, Dragon."
And did everyone despair. It was as if a dark cloud suddenly appeared over everyone's head, causing a small thunderstorm to rage above them. But everyone felt that deep, dark sensation in the pit of their stomachs, one that made them feel sick, weak, useless, and afraid. Fear was the most prominent emotion everyone was feeling, and when Ichigo emerged from his cocoon of reiatsu, everyone realized why.
Ichigo had basically become a dragon.
Well, almost.
He stood as tall as he did before, his hair, no longer orange but a sickly white. His eyes, black sclera and golden irises. His skin had become a little bit paler, but the draconic bone like armor he wore and the mask that he wore on his face eerily resembled a dragon long lost from Norse Mythology. Yasaka took a deep breath, hoping that Kunou had already passed into the realm of unconsciousness from the pressure of the release. The poor child will be tormented for years to come if she was still awake through all of this.
As soon as the feeling of despair washed over everyone, it vanished without a trace. Ichigo flexed his shoulders, a pair of large wings unfolding from wherever they kept themselves.
"Right, now this should work." He raised his hand and clicked his fingers, the garganta responding to his will with gusto, eager to be used again to bridge the worlds. He began to take a step forwards, ready to enter the long forgotten realm of Hollows.
"Ichigo!" Turning, he saw Yasaka running towards him, her eyes full of…fear?
"Yasaka? What's wrong?" He watched with sadness as she flinched at the double layered sound of his voice, but she regained her composure quickly enough.
"Ichigo. Don't go. Please. You don't know what Hueco Mundo is like anymore. It could be filled to the brim with unspeakable evils. This girl, she might be lying to you. Ichigo. Please look at this from my point of view. It's rash and crazy and dangerous and a multitude of other things!" She grabbed his hand. "Please, I'm begging you here. If you go…I don't know who will come back. Ichigo…or Hollow Zangetsu…" She trailed off, but jerked slightly when Ichigo reached up and cupped her cheek with his free hand. Reaching up, he lifted the mask-like helmet from his face.
"I am…Hollow Zangetsu, and Hollow Zangetsu is me. Yasaka, a zanpaktou is born from the souls of the master, from me. Even if Hollow Zangetsu took over in Hueco Mundo, there is no way in Hell that he would come back and hurt you. Like me, he loves you too much. He wants to protect what I want to protect. And I want to protect this girl. Once I find her, I'll open a garganta straight back here immediately. I know where she is, in the ruins of Las Noches. It's not that hard to miss…you know…giant white broken castle with a background of black." He kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be back soon." Letting go, he flapped out his wings and took off into the garganta, rocketing through at ridiculous speeds.
Redonning his mask, he spoke quietly to himself.
"Let's go find my family…Zangetsu."
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Dropping into her chair back in the throne room, Yasaka could only sigh and fight the tears away. Sniffling, she failed to notice the arrival of Amaterasu.
"My child." Letting out a startled yelp, Yasaka looked around and found herself looking at the concerned face of her mother.
"Mother, forgive me. I seem to keep on trying to change Ichigo, but I can never change what he is. Alas, I keep hitting that brick wall, hoping for something to crack and allow me to get to him inside." She dropped her head into her hands. "He only just got home! We had plans for the weekend! Taking Kunou to the park. Having a nice dinner. Going fishing at the bay. There were so many things we had to do, and he just runs off! I feel as if sometimes he doesn't want to be here. That there is something here that is pushing him away from us." Amaterasu listened on as her child began to softly cry into her hands. Placing a hand on hers, Amaterasu got Yasaka to look up at her.
"Let me…show you something. Something you should have known a long time ago. Just who…Kurosaki Ichigo really is." Yasaka took a deep breath as she felt her mind going dark.
'Ichigo? What is…"
~Flashback, 1000 years ago~
A door was thrown wide open, slamming against the wall of a small room, startling the person inside, making them drop what they were doing and stare at the intruder.
"BAMBI! Let's go!"
"CHILL THE FUCK OUT BERRY!" Picking up the closest object, Bambietta Basterbine launched it at the head of the person who annoyed her to the ends of the Earth and back…multiple times. The object, which happened to be a lamp, hit her target dead in the head, causing his head to snap back with a meaty thwack. Smirking to herself, she crossed her arms and stuck out her chest.
"Still got the aim. Nice."
"THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!" Ichigo stormed into the room, his eyes ablaze with righteous fury, and a small trickle of blood dripping down his face. Bambi just smirked wider.
"You scared the crap outta me…only fair that if something comes from my body, something should come from yours." Ichigo, who was fuming, was now downright confused.
"Huh? Something came from you?"
"I peed myself."
"BAMBIETTA!"
The sounds of her laughter could be heard throughout the small house with a clinic attached to the side.
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"Now I need a new chair…goddamit…stupid." Grumbling to himself, Ichigo sulked downstairs, hearing the sounds of cooking going on in the kitchen, he made his way into the Kurosaki kitchen, where Yuzu was busy making something extravagant.
"Yuzu! Need a hand with something?" Leaning on the doorframe, he watched with mild confusion as Yuzu dropped the pan she was holding in fright.
"Onii-chan! Don't sneak up on people! You're getting as bad as Yoruichi-san!" Huffing and crossing her arms, she turned away, making Ichigo feel slightly awkward.
"But…I wasn't sneaking. I leak reiatsu constantly! I'm like a beacon! Even you can sense me when I'm a mile away!" Throwing his arms up in the air, Ichigo turned around and walked to the door. "I'm going out, I'll be back before dinner."
"Where are you going, Ichi-nii?" Looking up at the stairs, Ichigo saw his other sister Karin looking at him.
"Gonna get a new chair…Bambi made a mess of the last one." Seeing her eyebrow lift, he just waved her coming question away. "Don't ask." Seeing her nod, he went back to the door.
"Ichi-nii, can I come with you? I wanna get something from the corner store." Looking at her, he nodded and opened the door.
"I'll be outside, hurry up okay?"
"Got it! I'll be back soon Yuzu! Going out with Ichi-nii!"
"OKAY KARIN! TAKE CARE!" The siblings giggled at the mother hen that was the youngest twin, before stepping out into the world.
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Yasaka let out a scream, before grabbing her head as it throbbed in pain. She felt Amaterasu place her hands on her shoulders.
"Bear with it just a little more. Please."
The pain grew and she was once again thrown into the memories of the younger man.
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~Flashback 1000 years ago~
"GETSUGA! TENSHO!"
Cleaving down, Ichigo tore through a line of Quincy. Spinning, he deflected an arrow that looked oddly like a lightning bolt. Frowning, he looked towards the attacker, only to almost scream out in horror when an arrow almost removed 'little Ichigo' from his body. Spinning and weaving, he maneuvered his way towards Candice, who was laughing with glee as she disemboweled unseated Shinigami.
"CANDICE!" She looked up to see the anger filled face of Kurosaki Ichigo, as he split a Quincy in twain just to make it to her. She smirked, before reaching over her shoulder and pulling out a physical metal longbow. Pulling back on the bowstring, she let all the power that she normally would have reserved for making the bow flow into the arrow.
"BLITZKREIG!" The arrow almost killed Ichigo. If he were being honest, he would say that it felt like he got punched by Old Man Yama using one of his most lethal Hakuda attacks, Ikotsu.
Looking back, Ichigo felt his heart drop at the destruction that lay out behind him, he looked down and noticed that he had actually lost his left arm below the elbow, and his left leg was twisted horribly. Groaning, he forced himself to his feet, using Hollow Zangetsu as a support, much to the chagrin of his partner. Spitting out blood, he stared down Candice, who was making a beeline for him, knowing that she had seriously injured him.
"DIE! KUROSAKI!"
"Despair, Dragon." To say Candice wet herself would be an understatement. She stared wide eyed at the monster before her.
"How? How the fuck do you have a Resurrection? Isn't that a Hollow thing?" A faint buzzing made her spin, only to find herself staring into the black and yellow eyes of Ichigo.
"That's true. But I am also part Hollow. I am a Vaizard. For Arrancar, their aspect is a reflection of themselves. Grimmjow, for example, his aspect is Destruction. Tier, hers is Sacrifice. Ulqiuorra, his was…Isolation." He swung the shorter blade, and sent Candice flying through the air.
'What the fuck? He's too damn strong now! And what the fuck happened to his wounds? He was missing an arm and his leg was bent the wrong way!' Righting herself, she pulled the bow back from where she had it on her back, knocking another reishi arrow.
"BLITZKRIEG!" The arrow launched from her bow, dead set on her target. As the arrow got closer, Ichigo raised his wing, and bat the arrow away, creating a brand new chasm through the mountain range that separated the Rukongai districts they were fighting in. "With…a wing…impossible…" She fell back onto her rear, completely exhausted of power, and no more will to fight.
"Do you want to know my aspect? My aspect of Death?" He appeared before her, but his sword was held down, acknowledging her defeat and surrender. Reaching up, he removed his mask to reveal his pale face. "My aspect is Despair. It is what I live in…every day. Ever since my sisters were killed. Ever since Goat Chin was slaughtered. Ever since my friends were impaled on spikes at the gates of the Vandenreich, and Bambietta was stolen from me. I've lived in Despair for about the last 500 years. It's the only thing I know." He stepped closer. "And the reason it's a Dragon…is because Zangetsu thought a Dragon would be the coolest thing to turn into if I ever became a Hollow." She didn't even see the flat of the blade as it smacked against her head, and she passed into sweet unconsciousness. Slipping the mask back on, he turned his attention on the biggest source of power that he could presently feel, and one of the only options left in winning the war.
"S ōsuke…Aizen…I'll free you from the Muken soon. Just you wait…you slippery bastard."
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Yasaka felt herself fall to the floor. Sweat was making the fabric of her kimono stick to her body tightly, and she felt her breathing hasten. Taking deep breaths, she curled up into a ball and held herself tightly.
"No more. Please, no more, Mother. Please." Amaterasu felt a tear fall from her eye, as she knew what delving into Ichigo's memories, memories that he gave to her to use as she wanted, meant that they would experience every emotion the young man felt.
Pain.
Anger.
Fury.
Lost.
Despair.
That singular emotion was overwhelming. When Amaterasu delved into his memories alone, she returned a broken woman. The other Gods feared for her wellbeing, as she locked herself away and broke down into a mess of a woman, so they assigned some adorable little fox-kit to watch over her, and support her as she need.
She sat in the throne, picked up Yasaka and placed the woman on her lap, cradling her against her chest, where the woman balled her eyes out, and her screams were enough to make the hardest man cringe. She brushed her hair away from Yasaka's face, and got the woman to look into her eyes. "Once more, into the abyss. That is all I ask."
Before Yasaka could refuse, she was pulled back into the darkness that was Ichigo.
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~Flashback, 1000 years ago~
Bambietta watched as Ichigo slept. She watched him closely, just to make sure that he was actually sleeping. He was known to fake it, and then return to the battlefield in less than desirable conditions. This time, however, she saw his chest rise and fall gently, indicating that he was, in fact, sleeping.
"Ichigo. Can you wake up for me? Please?" She gently shook him, and he stirred, looking around at what was going on. His eyes then focused and the sleep vanished, and he took in Bambietta, as she stood at beside him, completely devoid of clothing. "Ichigo. I…You…We…" She took a deep breath, preparing herself to finally tell him the truth. But when she felt his lips against her own, her eyes went wide and she took a step back. "Ichigo?"
"Shut up, Bambi, and get in here. Even though I am enjoying the perky view, I'd much rather have you all to myself." He reached out and took her hand, and pulled her into him. The way he kissed her, was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
She let herself be taken by him. All of her. Every inch of her body was now his. As he claimed her as his own. His lover. His friend. His partner. His mate. The surviving Captains had noticed how Ichigo had slowly, but surely, started to become more and more Hollow like. Most of the times, he wouldn't even revert his eyes back, and when Urahara asked him why he wouldn't, he just responded by walking away.
And now, for the first time in a long time, underneath the man she loved more than anything in the world. More than her powers. More than her name. More than her King. She watched as the black and yellow faded away, revealing the warm, brown eyes that she had fallen in love with all those years ago, long before the war had ever come.
"I love you…Kurosaki Ichigo."
"And I…I love you…Bambietta Basterbine."
The next morning, however, is when Ywach finally found them, and the day he really, truly, finally…lost everything.
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Yasaka crawled off Amaterasu's lap, dragged herself over to a bin, and relieved her stomach of the food she so happily ate before. Looking back at Amaterasu, she opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, looking for a question, hell, she was just looking for something to say. Amaterasu, however, beat her to it.
"Ichigo is the last of his name. The last Shiba. The last Shinigami. The Last Kurosaki. But, there could be…could be…another, out there, in the sands of Hueco Mundo, someone who is scared, lost, alone and in a lot of danger. Ichigo would never forgive himself, or us, if we held him back from retrieving the person who could very well be the means of reviving his family name. And what a name it would be to have. Shiba…no…Kurosaki. This girl seems to be a remaining Kurosaki, and he will do anything to bring her back, and he will most definitely come back." She placed her hand on the woman's shoulders. "You just have to trust him."
Nodding, Yasaka managed to pick herself up on shaky legs, using the outstretched arm of Amaterasu to balance herself. "But yet, I did not want him to leave. Is that selfish of me?" Amaterasu watched her as she made to leave, before whispering to herself sadly.
"You're not the only one…who doesn't want him to leave."
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Ichigo landed upon the white sands of Hueco Mundo, the feeling of the sand below his feet giving off a feeling of familiarity. Looking around, he took in the sight of the familiar moon, and the ruins of Las Noches in the distance. Letting his Hollow powers fade, he felt his armor breaking off and return to the scabbard of Zangetsu. Taking a deep breath, he took of in Shunpo, straight at the distant ruins.
On his way, he felt a familiar presence, stopping, he spun, searching left and right, trying to pinpoint the location. All of a sudden, the presence he felt expanded slightly, before it began rushing to him at a ridiculous speed. He prepared himself, planted his feet, and held his arms out wide.
To anyone who could see him, they would have thought the he was a maniac, and had finally cracked it under the moon of Hueco Mundo.
To him, he was awaiting the return of someone he thought long gone. All of a sudden, the ground before him exploded out, spraying sand everywhere. Just after, a long, worm like body slithered out, and landed right on top of Ichigo, who just wrapped his arms around the giant worm like Hollow.
"Bawabawa! You're still alive! I've missed you old friend!"
"Bawabawa!"
"Of course! I would love a ride to Las Noches, just like old times. Thank you." The Hollow then lay flat, before rolling to the side to allow Ichigo to stand. Hopping up on its back, the giant worm wriggled in delight, as he once again had a use. Looking at Las Noches, Bawabawa and Ichigo took off, a vigor rarely seen in Hollows coursing through the veins of the Hollow, having reunited with an old friend, one thought long dead after the Thousand Year Blood War.
Along the way, Bawabawa looked back at Ichigo, who was sitting with a pensive look on his face.
"Bawabawa?"
"Sorry, just thinking. I heard Nel managed to return to Hueco Mundo. Apparently she got Tier out of the Vandenriech, and returned her to Hueco Mundo. What happened to this place? I heard that it was shut off from the other dimensions, but for Hollows to just vanish is strange. I should have been attacked by now." He looked around, searching for any other Hollow presence apart from Bawabawa, but found nothing at all.
"Bawabawa, bawa, bawabawa, bawa, bawa!"
"So Nel got Tier, brought her back, then went back to Soul Society? Was she mental? Ywach had completely overtaken the dimension! I heard he killed himself though when he tried to kill me and Bambi in the Garganta."
"BAWA!"
Ichigo held on as Bawabawa swerved violently to the right, narrowly avoiding a yellow cero that tore up the ground beside them. Ichigo flipped off Bawabawa, drawing his sword and deflecting another cero, before swinging the short trench knife straight from his hip in one swift motion, causing the sands to erupt outwards.
"Show yourself! If you don't, I'll start swinging like a maniac!" He waved his swords above his head, and when he got no response, he smirked. "Have it your way then." He poured reiatsu into his swords, and started swinging them around, launching unnamed Getsuaga's every which way, except the way Bawabawa was hiding in. He began to laugh, and he smirked when a figure landed a short distance away and charged at him.
During a swing, he angled his shorter blade towards the attacker and launched a Getsuga at them. He deliberately made it weak, using the least amount of power he had ever put into a Getsuga. He watched as his attack collided with the charging figure, sending them flying into the sands. Ichigo just stood there, a drop of sweat dropping from his head. "Eh?" When the figure didn't move, he began to panic, and he rushed towards the prone figure. Bawabawa had made his own presence known and rushed behind him, both closing in rather quickly. The Hollow just gave Ichigo a deadpan look when he realized that Ichigo could make the trip to Las Noches much faster than he could. Icihgo just looked up at him.
"What? I wanted to ride on your back again. Don't fault me for wanting to spend time with you." Bawabawa burst out into tears, which Ichigo gathered up using one of the many pots that Yasaka had snuck into his bag when he wasn't watching, and went back over to the prone figure. Kneeling beside them, Ichigo took the persons features in.
First of all, the person was a girl, and her clothes had been badly torn and burnt. Sighing, he pulled out a cloak and covered her rather ample bust. Taking in the rest of her features, from her dark skin, and her golden hair, Ichigo found himself looking at a rather small and much weaker version of Tier Harribel. Frowning, he picked the girl up and carried her to a rock which somehow managed to survive his rather violent little display. As he neared the rock, he realized that it had, in fact, not survived at all, and was actually spilt in different ways, and was holding itself together by the barest of margins. Turning back to Bawabawa, he jumped onto the Hollows back.
"Let's get going. She's low on reiatsu, and if there are any Hollows around, they might zone in on her." Nodding Bawabawa once again took off in the direction of Las Noches.
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Ichigo watched as she slept, making sure that she wasn't seriously injured. He himself lay back, feeling the cooling breeze of Hueco Mundo, a breeze that was only possible due to riding on Bawabawa. He had already cleaned her more pressing injuries, and bandaged the worst ones. Now all that was left was to let her regeneration to kick in, but the low levels of reiatsu that she had worried him.
'How could she have such little reiatsu? If she is Tier, then she could have easily deflected that weak ass Getsuga. Guess I have to figure some things out. But first, I have to get to Las Noches and make sure Hanami is safe.' During his musings, he failed to notice the newest passenger begin to stir, and he took notice when she sat up, allowing the cloak that he put on her to fall off, revealing her chest to him.
Coughing, he pointed at her as he turned his head away. Looking down, she saw her bare chest exposed to the world, and she blushed a bright red, before covering herself. She glared at him, only to notice that he at least had the decency to look the other way. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You dressed?" She nodded. "Good. I have some questions for you before we arrive at Las Noches." She nodded once again.
"Right, who are you? You look exactly like someone I know from a long time ago." She let out a sigh.
"Everyone says that. Everyone says that I look exactly like Tier Harribel-sama. Well, it's to be expected. I am her daughter." Raising an eyebrow, Ichigo leaned forwards.
"Really? Tier's daughter? I didn't even know Hollows could have children." The girl perked up at the casual way her mother was addressed.
"You know my Mother? You don't look like any Hollow I know. This guy as well. I have never seen you before." Ichigo laughed.
"It's to be expected. I've been gone a very long time. What's your name?" The girl smiled a bright smile, a smile Ichigo never saw grace her mothers face.
"Oh! I'm sorry! My name is Chiaki Harribel. Tier Harribel is my mother, and my father was a Shinigami. Mother wont tell me his name, says I'm not ready yet." She pouted, but remained otherwise cheerful. Curious, she turned to Ichigo. "And you?"
"Right, sorry. My name is Shiba 'Kurosaki' Ichigo. I've been gone from the world for about 1000 years." The girl visibly paled.
"KUROSAKI ICHIGO-SAMA!" She bowed to him, to which Ichigo urged her to straighten. "Please forgive my rudeness! I never thought that I would run into the Hero of the Winter War and the Lost King of the Shinigami!" Ichigo coughed at the title he was given.
"Lost King? What is that supposed to mean?" The girl looked at him.
"You are basically the Last Shinigami. There are no more of your kind. With the death of Ywach, who was the new Soul King, every dimension was sealed off. The fact that you managed to get here means that you reactivated the Garganta! You are here to finally claim the Throne of Las Noches for yourself and take your rightful place as King of Hueco Mundo!" Ichigo waved her enthusiasm aside, and she visibly deflated.
"Not yet. I'm headed to Las Noches for another reason. There is someone in the ruins that I need to find. Perhaps you've seen her? A girl with bright orange hair, wearing a white cloak, has a shorter version of my big sword? Ring any bells?" Chiaki placed a finger to her temple, thinking deeply about the description she was just given.
"OH! You mean Hanami-chan!" Ichigo leaned in.
"Yeah! Have you seen her?" Chiaki smiled sadly.
"She vanished a couple days ago. I always come this way to check up on her, but when I got to Las Noches, there were signs of a battle, and I couldn't sense her reiatsu anywhere. Her presence, however, lingers on the edge of my senses. I can feel her out there, I just don't know where exactly." Ichigo felt his blood freeze when he heard that she was gone. "Why do you need to find her? Is she important to you Kurosaki-sama?" Ichigo turned his head.
"She is probably the last surviving member of my family. I need to find her before anything happens to her. Do you know how to use spirit ribbons?" Chiaki shook her head. "Okay, let me teach you then. Oh, and call me Ichigo, not Kurosaki-sama. I'm no King." The girl looked aghast.
"I cannot!"
"I insist."
He held her gaze and did not waver, and she eventually backed down, agreeing to his demand. "Very well, Ichigo." He gave her a smile.
"Thanks, Chiaki. Now, we might need some time for you to learn how to find spirit ribbons. How far is your home? I would like to see Tier again." The girl once again broke out into a wide smile.
"It's not far from here. I'm sure Mother and Nel-sama would be overjoyed to see you." Ichigo tripped as he went to stand, and they were violently thrown from Bawabawa as he too tripped over nothing and rolled into a heap against a sand dune.
"Nel is alive?!"
"BAWABAWA?!"
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It took them about half a day to reach the cavern system that was home to the surviving Arrancar race in Hueco Mundo. Ichigo was surprised to hear that not only Nel and Tier were still amongst the living, but also two Shinigami who resided with them. No one knew their names, and due to their secrecy, the Arrancar saw them as the hidden rulers of Hueco Mundo, but Tier and Nel insisted otherwise. Looking at the entrance, Ichigo could feel the pulsing of power from underneath. He could also feel the two Shinigami reiatsu, and once he did, he vanished from Bawabawa's back and stormed through the cave, ducking left and right through the winding passageways, hunting down the two with fervent anticipation. A head of teal appeared before him, and he recognized Nel from a mile away. She drew her sword and pointed it at him.
"Enough intruder. You will go no further. Turn back, or you will be removed with force." He smirked, and vanished in Shunpo, appearing beside her without her even noticing.
"You'd never hurt your Itsygo would you? Neliel tu Odelschwank." With that, he vanished once again, leaving Nel frozen in place. She had felt his reiatsu as soon as he spoke, and the nostalgia filled her with a joy she had never felt before. She spun to tackle him to the ground, but he was gone. She looked around, trying to find his reiatsu, but found nothing.
"Nel-sama!" She turned to find Chiaki running towards her.
"Chiaki-chan? That other ma- BAWABAWA!"
"BAWA!"
Nel darted past Chiaki and threw herself at the large worm, tackling it to the ground. Tears fell from her eyes, and her crying brought Chiaki to tears.
"Bawabawa…Bawa…Bawabawa…!" She nuzzled the giant worm, which wrapped itself around her, holding her protectively. Chiaki walked over, placing a hand on the giant worm. Letting go of Nel, Bawabawa used his tail to gently wipe away his friends tears.
"Bawabawa."
"I missed you so much. I thought you had died alongside Pesche and Dondochaka. I couldn't find you when I returned from Soul Society. I missed you…I really missed you." As Nel hung onto Bawabawa, Ichigo stormed into the makeshift throne room, literally.
The doors were blasted off their hinges, splintering and raining down harmlessly on the assembled group of Hollows. Tier Harribel, who sat on the throne, stood and drew her blade, with every battle ready Hollow doing the same.
"Identify yourself. Now. Or die." Ichigo stared up at her, before reaching up and removing his hood, shocking everyone as he did so.
"Can't believe you don't remember me, Tier. Well…it has been 1000 years for you."
"Ichi…go? It can't be! You're…alive! Everyone! Lower your swords! The Lost King of the Shinigami has returned!" Ichigo coughed, getting everyone's attention.
"Goddamit! I'm no King! I told Chiaki-chan the same thing but she insisted on calling me the Lost King. Just calm down, and call me Ichigo."
"Now why would we ever do something so…rude…Kurosaki-san?" Ichigo turned to face the person who spoke, and found tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Oh? I didn't know you missed me that much? Now, come give U-bwah!"
"ICHIGO!"
A bullet sped past, knocking the person talking into the wall leaving a decent sized crater, and dashed straight forwards, crashing into the orange headed man. "Ichigo…Ichigoooo…Ichigo!" Holding the person tightly, Ichigo fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around them.
"Yoruichi." He directed his gaze at the man in the wall. "Urahara-san."
And that's a wrap! Hopefully some of the backstory was filled in. I've purposely ended it here…because if I didn't…I would never have gotten this chapter out and it would be over 36 pages long. Seriously…I'll finish writing the next chapter and hopefully it would have explained much, if not all, of what I have missed in the first chapter.
Sorry for the honestly crappy first chapter, hopefully this one tickles your fancy more than chapter 1!
Enjoy!
Jermaine94