White Sun Rising Ron the True Fan Edition: The Lost Tales
Arc One: Eyes of the Soul-Cutting Swords
Chapter 1: Link/Love/Meeting
Sode no Shirayuki listened to her current wielder's idiot father plan a trip to a graveyard.
She had a better idea of why Ichigo suffered from self-loathing: he believed he murdered his own mother.
He didn't, as she saw his memory of the event.
It was clouded, but she knew a Hollow when she saw one.
"His mother meant the world to him, didn't she?"
Zangetsu simply nodded.
Zangetsu was a quiet man waiting to have his name called to join Ichigo at his side.
"Hopefully he finds peace."
"Rukia has brought a great deal of it into his life. I daresay he is in love with her."
A smile tugged at Shirayuki's lips.
Then she started laughing.
"That's not funny."
"I know, Zangetsu! I've seen it too! And I know my wielder as well as you know yours! She's in love with him too, but doesn't want to admit it."
"Nor does he. He fears getting close to anyone, else he would lose them like he did his mother."
"Then I pray the Hollow that did this appears tomorrow. Killing the damned thing might provide some closure, at least."
June 17th
Shirayuki got her wish, alright.
Problem was, it was a rather well-known Hollow: Grand Fisher.
Other then Menos Grande, he was regarded as one of the more powerful Hollows.
Ichigo struggled for a few minutes, getting hurt in the process, then finally got PISSED.
Grand Fisher was the first to learn that making Ichigo angry is a really BAD idea.
Ichigo had massive reiatsu reserves, even without his zanpakutō giving him any.
If he was using Zangetsu, it wouldn't be a problem.
He was not.
He was still using Shirayuki.
It was only after the battle that Shirayuki felt the after effects.
And it was Zangetsu that discovered something potentially bad.
"Shirayuki, I have found something you will want to see."
The female zanpakutō spirit was very winded, unable to stand. Zangetsu knelled and cupped her face, using his hands to make her look at him.
"It is very important. If you are tired, I can carry you."
Shirayuki blushed, but nodded.
Zangetsu picked her up in a bridal carry, then used shunpo to get them to the building with the Inner Hollow.
Shirayuki didn't notice it at first, then she looked closer.
The unsealed Zangetsu was on his back, but on his right hip was a very familiar weapon: her sealed self.
She jumped out of Zangetsu's arms to look closer.
"How?"
"Perhaps Ichigo's love for Rukia has done this. Even if he calls my name, he can still use you."
Shirayuki shook slightly.
"This breaks every law in the Soul Society. No two shinigami can wield the same zanpakutō. Individual zanpakutōs are for one person and one person alone!"
"If it is any consolation, when Rukia regains her powers, she may be able to wield me, as well." Shirayuki took in a breath.
"At least we'll still be together, right? I mean, you're my friend."
Zangetsu scoffed at that.
"You're lying to me as well as yourself when you say that. I am not just your friend. And you are not just my friend, either."
Shirayuki blushed.
Zangetsu wasn't blind.
Over the past few weeks, she'd shown signs of being attracted to the mid-aged zanpakutō spirit, despite trying to hide it.
'And he practically just confessed to me.'
She blushed, turning pink.
"I'm sorry."
Shirayuki stood up and hugged him.
"I don't mind. At least Ichigo and Rukia won't be alone."
One week later
"Move Ichigo! He's going to attack!"
Surprisingly, Ichigo tried to dodge Byakuya's attack, but failed.
Shirayuki blinked in surprise.
"He heard me."
Zangetsu nodded solemnly.
"I will try and keep the connection intact. At the moment, you are his blade."
Zangetsu disappeared, moving to the wound Byakuya made with his sword.
If it wasn't healed, even partially, both their wielders would (not could) die.
Seconds later, Ichigo appeared in his inner world.
"Ichigo...Ichigo...wake up!"
Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, looking around the snowy realm.
"About time you woke up. I see you noticed you aren't where you used to be."
"Who are you? And where are you!" Ichigo searched wildly, looking for Shirayuki.
"Up here, Ichigo." He turned around, finding Shirayuki. "Who are you? And where are we?"
"This is your inner world Ichigo...though, I imagine it would look quite different if I wasn't here. I am Rukia's Zanpakutō, you formed a link with me when you took her powers."
Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Inner World? And you're Rukia's Zanpakutō? Why am I in here in the first place?"
The women laughed lightly.
"My, aren't you full of questions, Ichigo. This is the deepest refuge of your soul. You are in here because Byakuya Kuchiki, my wielders brother, nearly destroyed the source of your powers, your Soul Chain and Soul Sleep. I did what I could to move your body after the first blow, but you still took a bad wound. I can help you get back up and fight them more, but only for a very limited time, and I will be strained to hide your powers after that.
Knowing that…do you want to fight or live?"
Ichigo stood up, and looked his best friend's Zanpakutō straight in the eye.
"I want to fight!"
She nodded and smiled slightly.
"Okay then."
She took in a breath.
"My name is Sode no Shirayuki."
Ichigo disappeared in a flash of white light, and Shirayuki looked at her sword as it entered shikai.
The hilt and guard were still the same, but the blade was a LOT longer: four feet from guard to tip.
Power radiated from the white sword, and it slightly scared Shirayuki.
'Is this what Zangetsu has to deal with?'
And we've entered the original story. I even used the original text from my revised version.
The next chapter is the last in this little arc and focuses on the Inner Hollows.
After that, we get to see how Nemo and Rukia met and just what the hell happened to him in Hueco Mundo, and that'll be a two chapter arc.
Major incidents mentioned in the original story (The Valley of Screams Incident and the Diamond Dust Rebellion) will be much longer in chapter length and number.
Next Time on WSR Lost Tales: The Hollows awaken and meet!
Ja Ne!
