I Still thanks for the favs and reviews, also for the ones pointing out ways to improve my writing ^.^ I corrected this chapter myself, so sorry for once more bad spelling and grammar T.T.
Warnings: Hm, doctor who jokes and both Ulquiorra and Grimmjow trying to get it on with Ichigo?
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters belong to the great Tite Kubo ^.^
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Fallen Hero
Chapter four – King
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"Why do you stare at me like that?" Ullqiorra asks, as Ichigo had stared at him through the entire meeting. Ullqiorra had a deep hope that Ichigo wouldn't remember a thing of what happened around him when he was empty. It seemed even he himself had nurtured some warm feelings for their younger sibling.
"Um, nothing…" Ichigo stammers, before he pulls at his white jacket. "This is one of yours, right?"
"That is correct." He answers, trying to figure out where this was going. "What of it?"
"I prefer my shinigami clothes, so when I get them stitched together again you can get these back." Ichigo smile to Ullqiorra, who just looked away from him again.
"It is up to you." He whispers, it didn't seem like he remembered. Good, he didn't want Grimmjow to know that he had a caring side.
"Um, you were the one that put them on me… right?" Ichigo asks, Grimmjow digging his nails into the table as he listened to the conversation. Nell hoping against reason that no one would get hurt.
"Yes, I would not let Grimmjow loose to temptation." Ullqiorra answers, but then he gives a confused 'huh?', as Ichigo laid his arm over his shoulders.
"I knew you were a great guy! Inoue was right about that!" Ullqiorra looks quite put out, while Grimmjow were about to smash their table apart, as Ichigo leaned closer to Ulquiorra, whispering something into his ear.
"Heh, you are welcome." Ullqiorra chuckles, both Grimmjow and Nell not able to believe their eyes, Ullqiorra smiled? Was that even possible?! "Well, we should get back to business now."
"I thought we were waiting for someone." Ichigo point out, opening his jacket a little as it was too tight around his neck. "Since Ullqiorra isn't the boss I am starting to wonder who is."
"You have never been the smart one." Nell sighs, Ichigo looking confused around. Why did all of them look so embarrassed over him!? Had he done something wrong? How was he more stupid than Grimmjow?! "Here, a small mirror."
"What do I need a mirror for? With this mask I know I look like shit." Ichigo complains, opening the small make up mirror he was handed, giving a jolt as Grimmjow pulled at his head, turning it around so the marks on his neck appeared. "Ah! Who gave me a tattoo while I slept?!"
"It appeared when you got that hole in your chest." Grimmjow says bored, Ichigo's was getting more and more stupid. "You are an Arrancar like us, and you are number 0."
"Ah! I am the lowest? I mean… Ullqiorra is number one… and I am last, right?!" Ichigo yells in panic, even Ullqiorra rubbing his temple tired of the situation. "Gah! I am even lower than Grimmjow?!"
"What the hell does that mean?!" Grimmjow growls furious, Nell looking nervous at them as they seemed ready to start a fight.
"You two stop." Ullqiorra orders, both of them sitting down again as his stern look wouldn't let go of them. "We Espada don't number from 1-10, we work from 0-9, Cero is our strongest attack after all."
"Wait a minute! If I am number 0… then…" Ichigo goes silent, Nell and Grimmjow sighing tired as he looked at them for confirmation. "I am the leader!?"
"Oh, the idiot finally got it." Grimmjow sighs, as Ichigo kept looking back and forth at them for at least a laugh over the joke or something. "We don't choose our leader, we had to make our own marks, you became a hollow with one, so it is a sign that you are meant to be our leader."
"Ahaha, I wonder just what I am going to do being leader of a gang of four." Ichigo laughs nervous, but as no one said anything, he started understanding that it was more.
"You are the leader of the Espada, Arrancars and also all creatures that roam in this world." Nell whispers, Ichigo feeling like his head would explode. This really wasn't a fun joke anymore! He couldn't be the leader of the Hollows. Just what the hell would his job be? Send the hollows off to eat or something? He killed Hollows! He didn't want to dedicate the rest of his life for them!
"So… I am in charge of… protecting my people? Or something like that?" Grimmjow looks silently over at the shivering Ichigo. "Bullshit! I would rather slaughter them all! I will never help hollows hurt humans!"
"Silence!" Ullqiorra yells, Ichigo making a jump over the sudden harsh tone, before he sits down again, looking hard t the table. "This world is yours now, which is a fact! What you do with it is up to you! We are here to follow your orders! You can order us to kill all hollows and we will do it! But that would be manslaughter!"
Ichigo's hands shivers, as he were trying to figure out any sort of remark back. But he couldn't, and Ullqiorra continues.
"It is true that even we hate the weak hollows, because they remind us of what we were, but they can still reach the form of Adjuncas, and maybe even Vasto Lords, that is the same as the four of us, just not as strong since we can't turn them into Arrancars. Would you kill someone knowing that they have a chance of a better life? For we can kill all hollows for you, but we can't send them to soul society, nor can you anymore."
"I…" Ichigo whispers, looking over at Grimmjow, who looked sad back at him. He wanted to give Ichigo a word of advice, but he wasn't the sort of guy that had advices. "I wouldn't want that… but I don't want to be the lord here and just watch human souls getting devoured."
"It is ok, we are heartless all of us, but we understand your worry." Ullqiorra states, Ichigo looking confused at him. "You are the same as us, but you still feel don't you? So do we."
"So, there is something we can do?" Ichigo asks hopeful.
"Yes, we can close the gates between the two worlds completely." Ullqiorra answers, Ichigo looking confused at him. "There will still come new hollows over here when people dies, but when they evolve into Adjuncas, they will start from scratch, they will be individual, and even possibly able to become Vasto Lords."
"And no hollow will ever be able to get human souls." Ichigo asks, Ullqiorra nodding. "But, won't they all die out?"
"No, hollows are greedy creatures, they don't need human souls, but they go for them if they have the chance." Grimmjow answers, a little more content as it seemed the desperation was gone from Ichigo's eyes. "And most hollows are content with the energy in the air like you, and the ones that wants to evolve, goes for other hollows."
"So, it really is a chance to… at least make this place a little better?" Ichigo stammers, the three others smiling gently to him, as Ullqiorra nodded to him.
"It was a long time ago, long before the feud between this world and Soul society, but the two worlds were curious of each others, and the border opened." Ullqiorra starts, Ichigo listening. "Most of the hollows turned crazy over the taste of human souls, and got addicted, Soul society and the Vasto lords did their best to contain them, but there was too many that escaped at once. Then soul society started seeing the hollows as vile creatures even the Vasto lords, and they eradicated the great number that there was of them… But since there is needed a great number of lords to close the border between the two worlds, it was never closed."
"So if we can get enough Vasto Lords together, we can close the gate? And the three worlds will return to what they once were?!" Ichigo cheers, Ullqiorra once more nodding. "How many do we need?"
"The four of us are at the power of multiple Vasto Lords, so we should be powerful enough, but it needs to be from 0-9, so we have to fill the places up." Ullqiorra a little amused, over the new eagerness in their new leader's face. "One is yet to be made, so we at least have five, but we need the other five also, I know about a lot of powerful forces both here and in the human world, it will be up to you who you will have to rule your new world, Kurosaki Ichigo."
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"I mean it. I actually don't like guarding this thing taichou." The nervous Renji says, looking at the small case in the next room. "I mean, wouldn't it be a lot easier to just destroy it?"
"The Hōgyoku is a terrible thing, but it can't be destroyed, not before the scientists finds out what it did with the Arrancars, if we study it, we might find some sort of weakness." Byakuya whispers, filling in the last of the report on their search for a source of the enormous energy a month ago. They had tried to follow the traces of a gate that had been opened in the graveyard, but it seemed that it was a too strong Arrancar that had closed it, so they couldn't use that way in.
"I still wonder about that energy…" Renji looks out of the window as he tried to do his own paper work. "It felt a lot like Ichigo's… but it wasn't quite like it."
"Kurosaki Ichigo is dead, whatever force we felt, it was not of any shinigami origin." Byakuya says calm, but with a hint of 'shut up about it' under his voice. "Now get your work done, it is taking too long."
"I'm soon done." Renji sighs, about to sign the paper when a sudden energy hit the room, both of them turning confused as a gate to the hollow world opened inside the cell behind them. "Arrancar?"
Ullqiorra looks around to get a hold of the situation, it really did seem like Ichigo's portals were a lot stronger than theirs, to so easy penetrate all security in Soul society.
"You are the Arrancar Ullqiorra Schiffer." Byakuya walks towards him, as Renji moved the bars away. "You are all exiled to your world, why are you breaking your orders?"
"I take no orders from Soul society." Ullqiorra states and he overlooks the nuisance as he made his way to the small orb in the middle of the room. "We Arrancars will only have a leader when the one with a 0 appears, and now that we have a leader again, we will rise to stand without the mercy from soul society."
"Renji, call the alarm… I will eradicate this creature." Byakuya orders, pulling out his sword as he charged for the still not amused Ullqiorra. "Scatter… Senbon Sakura."
Byakuya never used his weapon so fast, but this man had walked right in, to set a portal into their cells was practically impossible.
"You are a lucky man, Kuchiki Byakuya." Byakuya looks confused at him, the Hōgyoku were gone from its case, and his attacker stood behind him. The rose petals around them withering as a new portal opened up. Byakuya's eyes widening, as he could see the faint outline of the man inside the darkness. "Since my lord won't allow me to hurt even one strand of hair on any of you."
Ullqiorra walks into the portal, not caring to turn as Byakuya made his redeeming attempt at a attack, but it was too late that Ullqiorra noticed that it wasn't directed at him, but Ichigo beside him.
Ullqiorra pulls his sword, Byakuya able to stop in time as he noticed the blade towards his chest, which would have slashed him apart if not for the man between them. Byakuya's gaze moves slowly over the orange head before him, but it stops suddenly, as he sees the hole trough his chest, and the broken mask covering quarters of his face. Yes, this wasn't longer the Kurosaki Ichigo he had had some respect for.
"Who are you?" Byakuya asks, able to get his sword up to Ichigo's neck as Ichigo didn't allow the panic struck Ullqiorra to move his sword. "Are you one of the hollows able to take the face of a human?"
"Heh, sorry Byakuya, I know this face don't look as good as it did before, but I am the same." Ichigo whispers, giving a smile to the silent captain. "For the new kingdom of Hollows… I am claiming back the Hōgyoku, and after one more use, I will destroy it for good."
Byakuya were about to slash, but Ichigo lets go of Ullqiorra's sword, the older Arrancar quickly hitting the enemy away from his lord. Byakuya too late to make a new attack as Ichigo started to close the portal.
"I'm really sorry for the surprise attack, but I want you to deliver a message for me." Ichigo whispers, giving a smile to the confused Byakuya. "Tell the commander, that the king of Hollows will seek audience with him soon, and it is to his own interest that he complies."
The gate closes, the nervous Ichigo falling to his knees, laughing nervous. So close! Byakuya had almost cut his head off!
"You are an Arrancar." Ullqiorra complains, making his point as he hit the confused Ichigo on the arm with his sword, no wound at all. "With no more force than that, and no intent to kill, no one can hit you."
"Oh, so it means that Byakuya didn't really hit to hurt me." Ichigo gives a soft laughter, before he looks at the small orb that he had gotten from Ullqiorra. "So this is what all that trouble has been about?"
"Yes, it is what gave birth to us Arrancars, except from you." Ullqiorra answers, looking over at the other place that the gate opened for them. "England, London… a powerful Vasto Lord from the old regime hides in this town, strong enough to make his own body."
"Wow, is that even possible?" Ichigo asks a little amazed, as they walked out of the gate, looking down at the town from above. Ichigo taking in the scenery quite curious, he had been to different worlds, but when it came to the human world, he had only been in Japan, he hadn't even been out of Karakura town.
"Of course, we Arrancars can do it easy." Ullqiorra laughs, once more feeling amused over the childish eagerness in Ichigo. Maybe it was others that got forth the human emotions inside him? At least Ichigo brought forth warmth in him. Grimmjow just brought forth a need to kill. He was hurtful for his calm and reputation. "You too, we have to ask around a little, so you should learn to make a body for yourself right away."
"Ah! I can't walk around in these clothes!" Ichigo motions to the uniform he had borrowed from Ullqiorra.
"Why? Do you find something wrong with my clothes?" Ullqiorra complains, Ichigo giving a nervous laughter as it seemed Ullqiorra really felt some weird pride with his clothes.
"Not at all, just not my style." Ichigo stammers, before he descends to the street under them, looking around in the busy shopping street. "Do we have money?"
"Do we really need such human articles? It will be easier to just take it before manifesting.", Ichigo sighs tired, he really had to do a lot of work with that guy.
"No, then we will just get trouble." Ichigo says, Ullqiorra watching a little amazed as Ichigo concentrated a little, already making himself a visible human form. "I'll get some for you too Ullqi! Just wait outside for me!"
"Keh, who gave you the permission to give call names?" Ullqiorra snorts, watching the eager youth, who were running around and looking at clothes, doing his best to find something that would fit Ullqiorra.
Heh, being on missions hadn't been so cute before. It was a little wrong of him to be so jealous of Grimmjow, both him and Nell understood what was going on between them. But luckily, Hollows usually shared bed with more than one, if Ichigo had left enough of his human side behind, Ullqiorra wouldn't mind joining them in bed. He was a collected man, but he had his primal urges too.
"Ah! Ullqi! I have someone clothes! We should find a place to change!" Ichigo cheers, as he came running out of the store, Ullqiorra looking a little annoyed at him. "What?"
"Why Ullqi?" He asks, taking the white jacket and black pants that Ichigo handed him.
"Um, it kind of sounds cute." Ullqiorra feels his eyebrows twitch. Just what was Ichigo's problem? "A small payback for Ichi-chan."
"I guess it is fair then." Ullqiorra sighs, Ichigo turning away as they were down in an alley to change, Ullqiorra changing with no shame before him. Wow, Ullqiorra were really pale, or more white, but it made the green eyes shine more, Ichigo had been captivated by those eyes when his mind was locked away, Ullqiorra's eyes was beautifully green. "Why do you keep staring at me?"
"Ah, nothing, just that I really like your eyes." Ichigo laughs, as he changed his own clothes, placing the change in a bundle on the floor, tossing Ullqiorra's there too as he sent them back to the castle with a portal. "Most of the Arrancar and hollow eyes are so empty, even Grimmjow's don't really have much light or emotion, but yours kind of have, you might have the most emotional eyes I have ever seen before."
"I do not find anything to agree with on that." Ullqiorra complains, even he knew that he did his best to have no emotion. "I make no emotion at all. I have been praised for this before."
"I don't want to say against that." Ichigo brush the confused Ullqiorra's cheek gently. "It isn't the face around I find so warm, but it is the deep light in your eyes, the warm light that shone more when you let me sit on your lap, and shared your favorite books with me."
Ullqiorra leans closer to the confused Ichigo, returning the favor as he brushed Ichigo's cheek gently, keeping him from moving as he brought their lips together, Ichigo kissing back as he didn't really have time to think if it might be wrong.
The kiss was deepened as Ullqiorra pushed Ichigo against the wall, but suddenly both of them noticed that they were watched.
"What the hell do you two think you are doing?" Grimmjow growls, here he had come and decided to help out, and that bastard Ullqiorra was kissing his Ichigo!
"We are kissing, want to join in?" Ichigo asks. Licking his lips clean as both Grimmjow and Ullqiorra looked quite shocked at him. Had their little innocent Ichigo just invited both of them to join in at once?! "Hm, have to continue on search first I guess, if you both play nice together, I might give you a shared treat."
Ichigo walks down the street from them, quite content with himself as it seemed like he had just broken the two of them mentally.
"Oi, Ullqiorra." Grimmjow asks in a low voice, as the two of them was left in the street. "We hold him to this later, right?"
"Of course, I am looking quite forward to it." Ullqiorra chuckles, Grimmjow giving a sigh. He had been right, Ullqiorra had his eyes on Ichigo too, but to share Ichigo with another Arrancar that he was close to was better than sharing him with others.
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The nervous Ichigo looks around in the underground club. Just what was he getting himself into? He really hadn't been the eager guy on clubs before, so he didn't feel like it now that he was dead either.
"Heh, I think me and Ullqiorra's color scheme is a little out." Grimmjow laughs, as he look at the dressed up club goers. "But man, if I knew about these sorts of clubs I might have a good reason to keep away from this world."
"Vile." Ullqiorra snorts, Ichigo laughing a little nervous at both of them seemed more put out by the place than him. "All I know is that this place is the club owned by the second oldest Vasto Lord, Vlad Dracu."
"Gah?! Are you kidding me?!" Ichigo complains, his followers looking a little confused at him. "I thought it was weird that we were going to an underground vampire club, but are you seriously telling me that the legend of Dracula is true?!"
"It is overrated." Ullqiorra answers, shuddering over the people they passed as they made their way towards the top guarded room that was the inner part of the club, only for the special VIPs and the owner. "He hates the name off Dracula. He escaped from the soul society slaughter, and because he was weak he took control of the body of Vlad Dracu, who had died by the hands of an assassin. He is the reason for the legends, but it mostly grew because of terrified servants. As I understood the stories of slaughter came from the human man, not the hollow that took him over."
"Then the bastard really is old! Just how old can the hollows get?" Ichigo asks, being thankful of Grimmjow as he kicked away a guy that had just felt up his ass.
"Damned crazy humans, if one more tries I will…" Grimmjow goes silent, as he noticed that everyone in the club had gone silent, all of them turning towards them. "What!? The guy had it coming!"
"Shut up Grimmjow, they are reacting because of our masks." Ullqiorra complains, Ichigo adding 'and your white clothes, you dolt' as Ullqiorra had freaked out about using other clothes and changed when they had found out where they were going. "And also the fact that you are too stupid to cover Grimmjow."
"Eh?" Grimmjow asks confused, Ichigo giving a 'gah!' as he also came to the realization. They had forgotten to cover that damned hole trough his stomach!
"This is why I wanted us to come forth in silence, the man we are meeting is a Vasto lord, he would come and see us anyway." Ullqiorra sighs.
"Come on now, it is my fault, I felt like walking around a little like normal again." Ichigo laughs nervous, Ullqiorra deciding to still his complains, he kept forgetting that Ichigo had grown up unlike them, and he still craved the human world. He wouldn't take that from him. "But what do we do now?"
"Just wait." Ullqiorra answers, feeling the presence of hollows in the next room, Ichigo and Grimmjow also noticing it as a tall man came out, most of his body hidden in clothes, but it was easy to see that he was an Adjuncas.
"What are you abominations doing here at the great Vlad Dracu's party?" He asks. A deep voice that made the humans around shiver in fear, waiting to see what would happen to the three intruders.
"We are here for…" Ullqiorra is stopped, as Ichigo walked before him, giving a grin.
"I'll try and do a little of the work too, you two can check out some cute girls or something." Ichigo laughs, Grimmjow giving a growl, while Ullqiorra just snorted.
"I have no interest in women." He complains, Ichigo and Grimmjow both a little amazed over his honest confession. "We will stand here. Don't make a fool of yourself so early."
"Hey, at least have some fate in me." Ichigo walks over to the giant before them, excusing as nice as he could to all the people he walked into as everyone were retreating to the back of the room. "Yo! I am here to meet a guy named Vlad Dracu, an old Vasto Lord or something like that."
"Insolent whelp!" The giant yells, Ichigo looking confused at him, had he done something wrong? He knew he wasn't much of a calm talker like Ullqiorra, but he had tried his best! "Just who are you?! Give a name before I smash you!"
"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, and I am here to meet Vlad Dracu." Ichigo gives a sigh as he pulls Zangetsu from his belt. "This thing is a little disappointing you know? I kind of liked my big sword, but after I changed, I haven't gotten it to go away from bankai, I don't know if this guy has gotten stronger, or if he just is mad at me for something."
"Hahaha! You think you can win against me with that small thing?!" The guard mocks, before he pulls out a giant baseball bat, Ichigo twitching a little. He had forgotten that only the Arrancars had zanpaktous, the Vasto lords and Adjuncas had to have something else. But a baseball bat?! Wasn't that a little out of place? "Weak half shinigami! Die!"
"Oi! Ullqi! What do I do?!" Ichigo holler back to Ullqiorra, as the baseball bat was bought hard down towards him.
"He will break half the humans this direction, you decide." Ichigo quickly reacting, bringing his sword hard upwards at the giant, who looks confused down at him, as the baseball bat scattered hard, falling hard back at the Adjuncas instead of the people around them. "Just as I suspected."
"Yo! What sort of bastard are you?!" Ichigo yells furious, the giant looking confused at him. "These people here are your guests aren't they?! Most of them are even too young to be here! Would you really have killed them just to try to get a hit in on me?!"
"Keh! Is this a worthless shinigami trait? To have compassion for humans?" He laughs, about to be a little cockier, when he remembered that his weapon was destroyed. "What was your name again, shinigami?"
"I'm not a shinigami… I'm an Arrancar." Ichigo states. "My name is Kurosaki Ichigo, remember it."
The giant gives a confused grunt, as he felt the gash open over his chest, not deep. But he hadn't even felt that puny guy hit him!
Grimmjow looks a little amazed at the decided battle before them. Heh, the little whelp had gotten stronger again, or was it just that he was calmer? And if his sword was normal in its bankai form now, did that mean that Ichigo had a second form like them now? Heh, he just couldn't wait to see it.
"Well, I think this is quite enough Munny, we have guests." Someone suddenly chuckles, Ichigo looking confused around, as everyone around them fell to the ground, bowing as the man walked into the club. "Ah, all my wonderful children, did Munny scare you all again?"
Ichigo looks nervous at the guy that came towards him, long black hair, and the only part of his mask was something that looked like a hair clamp that held up his hair and covered in a circle around his right eye.
And he was almost as white as Ullqiorra, but he gave off an entirely different aura! Why did he feel like all the stuff he heard girls say about vampires was true? He feared for his safety.
"I heard that someone had come from the old world, but I never thought it would be a kid." He laughs, sitting down in something that looked like a throne in the center of the room. "You can't have been a Vasto Lord long before Aizen changed you into one of those pitiful Arrancar."
"Sorry, never been a Vasto Lord before, and Aizen didn't put a hand on me." Ichigo complains, putting his sword away as the giant hollow crawled to hide by his lord's side.
"So you are not an hollow? But still travel with the Espada?" He asks shocked, looking at the white dressed men with him. "A shinigami then? I wondered when the shinigami serving bastards would give us away."
"Keh, we don't serve those bastards at all." Grimmjow snorts, the few lower level Vasto Lords in the room surrounding them. "Oi, isn't this enough Vasto Lords?"
"Yes, but they are trash." Ullqiorra whispers, before he looks up at Ichigo, who were trying to figure out how to calm the situation. "And it is up to him to decide, we are just here to watch him."
"I am a little confused Ulquiorra!" Ichigo yells, Ulquiorra looking back at him. "Arrancars can be made two ways, right? One if to break the mask, aren't these Vasto Lords Arrancars? This guy almost has no mask at all."
"In old terms I would be an Arrancar, all the current Vasto lords would be." The lord gives a big yawn, as he leaned back in his throne. "But because of our hate for the Arrancars that became Aizen's lap dogs, we will never take that name, so we are the higher level of Vasto Lords, the mask less ones."
"So, you are a strong guy aren't you?" Ichigo asks, looking at the now bored lord. Who nodded to answer him. "You don't seem to hate humans, if you keep them so close…"
"I love humans, they help me out of my eternal boredom, handsome youths and beautiful women, and all of it is to pass time." He brushes the cheek of a woman that lay over the side of his throne, the happy woman moving towards the touch. "But that is all I see humans as now, pass time."
He tosses the woman hard away, some of the other guests running to check if she was ok.
"Oh, you are truly a human aren't you? Even shinigamis wouldn't show such much hate only for a human getting tossed around!" He laughs, getting up as he used Sonido to stand before the stern Ichigo. "I have to say, you don't look so bad at all."
He brush the messy hair from the earlier fight out of Ichigo's face, about to lean closer to him as he see the mask, his eyes widening. He was a hollow?!
"Oi! Ullqi! I don't want this guy at all." Ichigo yells, hitting the confused Lord away as he turned around. Walking over to the disarrayed woman, who were hit so hard in the head that she almost didn't know where she was. "Hey, are you ok?"
She looks shocked up, reaching her hand slowly to the man that smiled so caring to her. And Ichigo takes a gentle hold of her hand.
"I'm ok… mister." She stammers, blushing as he gave a relieved smile.
"That is great, sorry that you got hit because of me." Ichigo pulls her gently to her feet. "I am Ichigo, you?"
"My name is Julie…" Ichigo looks shocked at her, as she gave a happy smile to him. Her body started to glow, as she started to fade into the ground. Ichigo recognized this. A soul burial? It didn't need to happen because of a shinigami, it could also happen if a soul that had been supposed to leave a long time ago was released from something. "Thank you, Ichigo."
"What hell just happened?!" Grimmjow asks, looking around in the room. He had felt something weird alright, not one living human was at the party at all. "A soul party?"
"Yes, Vlad Dracu's power is to get attached to souls, he steals their names and as long as they don't utter their own names to others, they will never go on to soul society." Ullqiorra explains, seeing the rage build in Ichigo. "And when he gets bored of them, he will change them into a lower form of hollow like the ones that looks like Vasto Lords in this room, they will not fade to soul society if their names are uttered, but they will one day change into true hollows."
"I see you know of me, weird, I didn't know any of the Arrancars could be old enough to have even heard about the old lords." He point out, but his curiosity with Ichigo wasn't over yet, as he appeared before him again. "Intriguing, you have a mask, even the eye, do you have the hole?"
Ichigo lower his t-shirt, showing the top of his hole. But the lord didn't notice the look he had in his eyes, one of disgust. Ichigo couldn't stand people who played with others lives, and a person who turned people into hollow was mortifying (Urahara included, but different reasons, he had had too much fun doing it.)
"But you aren't a Vasto Lord, or an Arrancar?" He asks amazed, about to get a small kit by his throne to do some research , but Ichigo had gone tired of him, and turned around, walking back to Ullqiorra and Grimmjow. "Ah! Where are you going?!"
"We are leaving." Ichigo complains, the souls moving aside for them.
"But the guy looks strong." Grimmjow says, he hadn't liked his constant touching of Ichigo, but he had looked like a strong guy, to have so many followers.
"I give a damn about that!" Ichigo yells, startling even Grimmjow as he looked with disgust at the confused Vasto Lord. "I need strong Vasto Lords! But I give a damn about strength if they play with the lives of the ones around them!"
Complete silence, the Vasto Lord suddenly feeling a strong presence from the youth before him, as his eyes glowed yellow again him. In so many hundreds of years, no one had ever looked at him this, like he was the worst monster alive. But, what was he doing wrong?! He just couldn't understand, he never hurt anyone for real did he?
"Ah, at least stay over for the night! We offer both room and company." The lord tries, so weird, he wanted that kid to stay, and why was he so desperate to feel confirmation from a kid? "As such an intriguing guest, I will be at your service."
A shudder goes through Ichigo over the open proposal, but he grab Grimmjow's jacket hard as he had been about to run in again with his sword held high to hand that guy just what he had coming for a while now.
"Sorry, not interested at all, Vlad-chan." Ichigo waves as they left, the club silent as they were gone, and their usual cheerful lord looking sad down. How was what he was doing wrong? He knew he was too hard against them most of the time, but he didn't know his own strength, just what was he doing that was so wrong?!
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Ichigo gives a tired sigh, looking out at the city from their seat on big Ben. He had always wanted to see some interesting places. He just had never thought he would die for it.
"So since you didn't like that guy, where do we go next?" Grimmjow asks, handing Ichigo and Ullqiorra the food he had gotten for them all. Normal they didn't need much food, but when holding made bodies they needed the energy.
"I don't know." Ichigo sighs, this really wouldn't be easy. He had forgotten that most of the Vasto Lords probably were more like normal hollows than the Arrancars he knew. "I just couldn't forgive that guy, holding all the people there trapped, and then turning them into hollows."
"He only keeps them there until the chain is about to snap." Ullqiorra whispers, Ichigo looking confused at him. "The ones he changed into half Vasto Lords is changed with his own blood, so when they change for real, they will change easier, and remain themselves. It isn't any less cruel, but the ones he changes into Hollow ask for it themselves."
"Those weird people that see too many vampire movies." Ullqiorra nods. For such a legendary man, to gain victims were an easy task. "Ok, where is the next guy we are checking out?"
"Back in Japan, then there is a few we are going to check from around Karakura town, and also one in our own world." Ullqiorra answers, giving a smile as he watched Ichigo eat, such a slob for his age.
"Ah! I wondered about something! How come I have a feeling that everyone talked Japanese today!? They couldn't have!" Ichigo asks curious. "We are in England, but I haven't heard on bit of English!"
"That is why we travel with Ullqiorra." Grimmjow explains, Ichigo looking confused at him. "He can translate all words for the people around him. It is a unique sort of mind thing that the rest of us are too stupid to understand."
Ichigo's gaze moves slowly towards the eating Ullqiorra, who looked a little bothered up at him as he wasn't left to eat in peace, and he gives an annoyed 'what?'
"Excuse me, but are you the doctor?" Ichigo asks, looking too un-amused for it to be a joke.
"What doctor?" Ullqiorra asks back a little confused, Ichigo sighing.
"I guess English jokes won't work on you guys." Ichigo sighs. "And come to think about it, I have never seen any of you push around a blue police box either."
"Have you finally gone crazy?" Grimmjow complains, handing Ichigo a pack of juice. "Hm, I have to say that it is fun to be allowed to go to other places than that damned home town of yours."
"Well excuse me for living in a boring town that seems to be the center of all evil." Ichigo gives a big yawn as he had finished his food. "I guess we go back home first then? Or do you want to see a little more of this town?"
"I doubt we have time for sightseeing." Ullqiorra answers, seeing that both Ichigo and Grimmjow was a little disappointed. "We will come here again sometime. There will always be some time when we can take a day or two off."
"I'll hold you to that." Ichigo laughs, not noticing the grin Grimmjow had, that was true, Ichigo had really dug a grave for himself hadn't he? He would really be submitted to something else when they got back home to the castle. But it would be a little intriguing to see how Ullqiorra would be in bed, he had never heard anything from the other about him, there were rumors, but he had actually doubted all of them. "Ullqi, Grimmjow is staring really intense at you."
"I know." Ullqiorra says, before he leans closer to the confused Ichigo, licking some bread crumbs gently off his cheek. "You should get some manners."
"Gah! You two are so getting a beating one day! Don't you have any restraint?!" Ichigo yells frustrated, feeling Grimmjow nibbling at his neck. "Ah! Stop it! We are at the top of a really big building! And people can see us!"
"You are really modest for a guy that keeps getting fucked by a brute like Grimmjow." Ullqiorra chuckle, as he enjoys the nervous look from the youth that had once been strong enough to kill him.
"Wah! I'm getting out of here!" The nervous Ichigo jumps down as Ullqiorra had started moving his hand inside his chest, damn! That big open hole was really turning into a weak spot.
"Hey! Come back you idiot!" Grimmjow growls, as he jumps after him.
"Why the hell would I?! I am saving the last of my honor from public display!" Ichigo yells, Ullqiorra watching them amused, as they both pulled their swords, Ichigo deciding to put out some steam on Grimmjow. But last named seemed really content too, as he got an all out battle with his sworn enemy once more.
"Heh, like watching children play." Ullqiorra chuckles for himself, as the two of them hid their presence again, to keep people from seeing them. Ullqiorra continues on the food Grimmjow had gotten for him, opening the front of his collar as needed some air, he felt too warm when he ate. And he seemed to have worked up some steam tending to their adorable lord. "I'm getting too old…"
Ullqiorra finishes his food, before he get slowly up, about to call the two back as it seemed they were forgetting that they were on the same side. But then he tense confused, looking at the shinigami's that had surrounded him. What was this?
"Ullqiorra!" Ichigo and Grimmjow yells as they too sensed the presence of the attackers. About to come to his rescue when the leader of the squad held his sword to the bored Ullqiorra's neck.
"Take one more step and your friend is dead." He orders, looking at the two others with caution. One of them looked quite strong, but the other didn't look as anything else than a school kid. "I am Táchira Yuki of the special extermination squad, what are three Vasto Lords doing here?"
"Tell us what you are doing here first, then we will answer afterwards." Ichigo says, doing his best to keep his cool. Ullqiorra was strong, he would be able to take care of himself, Ichigo was just a little nervous for the shinigamis. Ullqiorra would soon slaughter all of them if he didn't save them. It seemed like Ullqiorra had really enjoyed himself before they came along.
"Soul society have gotten word of an underground hollow club in this town, we are here to take it out." The leader answers, trying to figure out why they didn't look worried for their comrade anymore."Do you have any connection to that club?!"
"Nope, not at all." Grimmjow reaches for his sword. "As long as we don't kill anyone, right?"
"Right." Ichigo answers, pulling his own sword out as well.
"Hey! Aren't you at all worried for your friend?! I am going to kill him if you move!" He yells in panic, as the men around him suddenly fell to the ground. "Ah…"
"You have to see them move first." Táchira looks confused at the empty seat before him, before he feels the wind blow from behind. "And me…"
The squad is gone in less than a minute, Grimmjow grinning for himself as he planned on rolling them all off the tower.
"Let it be Grimmjow." Ullqiorra orders, before he turns his attention to Ichigo, who were looking towards the club in the distance, seeing the forces of shinigami strike. "What will you do?"
"We are going to help, I hate the guy, and the shinigamis will send the souls to rest, but the hollows there will be killed." Ichigo whispers, Ullqiorra and Grimmjow nodding as they jumped down beside him.
They came quickly to the club, most of the shinigamis hit out outside as Munny were doing his bouncer job with pride. But even he was overwhelmed as a second squad came, and he retreated inside as he understood he would soon get beaten.
"Let us go in." Ichigo says, the three of them looking around inside the destroyed club, where the shinigamis were fighting against the wounded Munny and Vlad, who both were doing their best to keep them from entering the second chamber. "What hurt them so? They are both strong…"
"During a raid like this, the shinigami will release a poison first, it kills weak hollows, but the strong ones will only get weakened, those two are fighting with more power than they should have at this point." Ullqiorra explains.
"But why? They could easily escape." Grimmjow gaze moves towards the curtains to the room they were protecting. The lesser Vasto Lords? They were protecting them? Ichigo's gaze moves the same way, before he looks at the souls that laid spread around in the club from the poison, more and more of them just fading, no trace of them afterwards at all.
"Even… the souls?" Ichigo knew he actually hated soul society, as much as he hated the hollows, but the few individuals could make him accept it all. But, all those souls.
"Yes, soul society looks at hollow slaves as dangerous influence in soul society, so they are never let in, the girl you helped earlier might be lucky if they don't find out where she was from." Ullqiorra whispers. "Your orders?"
"Force the shinigami to retreat, protect the souls and hollows from any further harm." Ichigo takes a hard hold of his sword. "Do it."
Both Arrancars nods, before they join the fight alongside the confused Munny, Ichigo flying in to aid the confused Vlad, hitting the leader of the attack squads away.
"You? Why?" He asks confused, looking at the youth that had come to his aid. The shinigamis getting pushed back by an eager Grimmjow, while Ullqiorra found his job in being sure that Grimmjow didn't kill anyone. "Why did you come back?"
"Do I really need a reason?" Ichigo complains, looking at the tired lord. "I don't like you at all, you are the sort of guy I hate, but your followers can't be blamed for their leader, and if you want to protect them, I will protect you."
Ichigo jump into the battle, driving the confused front squad easily away, as he keep them away from the weak souls and hollows that lay around in the room. He just hoped this wouldn't call out any captains or something like that! He really didn't like the idea of a hundred more times hyped Kenpachi looking for him in the centre of London. Ah, but he had shown himself to Byakuya hadn't he? He would probably tell what he had seen, and Rukia would know, and then the others would hear about it and Kenpachi would start searching for him, god only knows where!
"Squad! Retreat and prepare plan two!" The leader orders in panic, as he understood that he couldn't win over the Vasto lords with full powers. "Get out and send in the second bomb! Annihilate them all!"
"No!" Vlad yells in panic, looking from the glowing light that was tossed into the room, to his fallen people around.
"I'll get it lord…!" The tired Munny groans, using mostly pride than reason to get to his feat again, as he stumbles towards the glowing ball. "I'll… do it… for you lord…"
"Munny!" Vlad moves as fast as he could to be before his servant, and he grab the ball himself, clutching it to his chest as it blew inside his hole, making him take the worst of it. "Gah!"
As the light fades in the club, Ichigo looks confused at the club owner, who were doing his best to keep standing, staggering over to the almost thorn apart Munny. And he gives a forced smile to make him feel a little better, before he staggers over to the human souls around in the room. Ichigo watches in silence, as he walked around and whispered each their names, sending them away.
Ichigo tries to find something to say, but weren't able to get anything forth, as he saw the pain in the Vasto Lords face for each name he uttered, tears running down his face as he sent each his followers away to soul society. Ichigo hadn't really thought about it, his way of doing it was wrong, but a man that lived for hundreds of years, had to be really lonely. And he used his time to know each of them. Why else would he remember so many names? Or risk his own life so he could have time to send them away?
The last of the souls fade, the tired Vlad getting up as both he and Munny walked towards the back room, pulling the curtains tired away, their eyes widening in terror over the sight.
"Oi! Is something wrong? They are ok aren't they?" Ichigo runs over to them, looking terrified over the room, where the low hollows were all lying, all of them close to death from both wounds and poison. "This is terrible…"
"It is nothing we can do at all." Ullqiorra states, looking over at the shaking Vlad, who staggered into the room, falling to his knees as he moved around among the wounded hollows, checking their wounds as he tried to speak with them. "The poison is among soul society's finest, just used by special ops."
"There has to be something you can do!" Vlad yells, startling them over the sudden outburst. "I can't let them die! I promised them to take care of them! Who will I be with now? I… I don't want to be alone…"
"Lord…" The tired Munny whispers, all of them looking at the now whaling lord, as the first of the hollows started dying, Vlad doing his best to sit with them to the end.
"Ullqiorra… can you… do a little kind kidnapping for me?" Ichigo opens a portal for the confused Ullqiorra. "Inoue… she should be able to heal hollows too, right?"
"I understand." Ullqiorra whispers, walking through the portal.
"What are you going to do?!" Vlad asks tired, as Ichigo sat down beside him, helping him to lie something under the hollows heads. "Why are you helping?"
"Because you seem to need some help." Ichigo whispers, before he gets up again."I'm going to hide for a little, I don't want to meet the person who is going to help yet. Don't mention me at all, and lay your hands on her and I will kill you no matter what."
"I'll be nice." He laughs weakly, looking up as the gate opened again, the silent Ullqiorra bringing with him a nervous Orihime. "A human?"
"Um, ah! My name is Orihime Inoue! Sorry to intrude!" She yells out in panic, bowing as she saw the hollow lord before her. She had no idea what had happened, or where she was. Ullqiorra had come to school and pulled her into a portal! He wouldn't say a thing to her. "What… am I here for?"
"Stupid woman, can't you see people are hurt?" Grimmjow complains, Orihime making a jump as she noticed him. Ah! Even Grimmjow was there?! Then the people around them had to be hollows! But, were they evil or? "Heal them…"
"Why?" She asks, trying to sound firm, but all of them looked so pitiful, like humans.
"You can help them?!" Vlad turns towards her as he bowed down before her. "Please, I beg of you! If you can help my children! Even if you can't save their lives, at least help them pass away gently!"
"I'll… help." She whispers, Ichigo giving a relieved sigh from his hiding place, smiling as he watched her heal them. She hadn't changed much over the past years. Maybe her breast had grown more? If that even was possible. But, she at least looked healthy. "They should all be ok soon, but who did this to them?"
"Soul society." Grimmjow answers, Orihime looking shocked at him. If they had done that, those guys must have done something really bad! "And don't even look at me like that woman. I would rather crush your face in than get help from you."
Ichigo gives a tired groan, before he pick up a stone on the ground, tossing it hard at the confused Grimmjow, who falls to the ground, rubbing his head while he mutters some curses.
"I am sorry that we are being a bother." Vlad takes a gentle hold of the confused Orihime's hand, kissing it like a real gentleman. "My children never hurt anyone, we only live here to enjoy life as close to being human as we can, that is all the surviving Vasto Lords wish for."
"But… what are you two doing here?" Orihime asks, looking at the silent Arrancars. "And Kurosaki-kun, do you know anything about Kurosaki-kun?! Was he alright?! Did you find something that could help him?!"
Ullqiorra looks emotionless down at the now almost crying Orihime, which was pulling at his jacket desperate. She wanted to see him again, to tell him that she was ok. She did the same she did when her brother died, she only showed her happiness, but what if he saw her like him? And felt lost? What if her being happy hurt him?! Then she wanted to tell him how sorry she was face to face!
"A mere former shinigami is no worry for us. We only picked him up because Grimmjow wanted a pet." Ullqiorra hiss, the others feeling the breeze run through the room, even Grimmjow feeling the cold gust. Evil, that guy could really be evil. "And he is our worry now. It is none of your business."
"So horrible! Kurosaki-kun is my friend! And you all look at him as a friend too! Or you wouldn't have come and saved him!" Orihime yells, Vlad trying to figure out what was going on, for now deciding to take the beautiful Asian girl side.
"I agree with the lady, sir. If that boy is her friend, shouldn't she be allowed to meet him?" Vlad point out, and Orihime looks confused at him. He knew where he was? Ichigo gives a sigh, before he picks up a new stone, jamming the confused Vlad down from a distance. He couldn't trust that guy, and Ullqiorra were too blunt and evil to talk with ladies.
"We have no more need for you, Inoue Orihime. I will now escort you back." Ullqiorra states, and starts walking towards the portal again. "Tell anyone of this and I will skin you alive…"
Ullqiorra moves fast, grabbing the stone that was heading for him, but he was too late to take the second one, Orihime looking confused the way the stones came from, seeing a few orange strands from around the corner.
"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime walks slowly towards the form, her beating heart keeping her from walking around the corner. "It is you, right, Kurosaki-kun?"
"Heh, I guess saying something else would just come off really stupid." Ichigo chuckles, seeing Orihime in a mirror reflection further down the club, as she folded her hands happy. "Sorry for sending that guy with no people skills for you, was either he or Grimmjow…"
"It is ok, but if you had said it was to help you I would have come right away! And I could have brought Kuchiki-san and all the other!" Orihime cheers, giving her strongest pose. "And we could have all come running to help together! Just like we always do!"
"Sorry Inoue, but… please don't tell anyone about this, we will both get problems then, and soul society left all these people as dead." Ichigo holds his hand around the corner of the wall, Orihime hesitating, before she took a gentle hold of it. "And don't worry about it, I am not like your brother, keep smiling and shine for the people around you. I saw you on New Year's Eve, the picnic looked fun, the eating contest sounded good too."
"Kurosaki-kun." Orihime hiccups, clutching hard to his cold hand, it was so pale, and she couldn't feel a pulse at all. "Come back to us! All of us are so sorry! We all want you back!"
"Sorry Inoue, but… what will I do? When even you can't bear the thought of looking at me?" Ichigo stammers, Orihime looking ashamed down. "You had the chance to run to me, but you stopped anyway, I guess the wall between us is a safety blanket for you. Can't blame you at all, my face really looks like shit! Grimmjow beat my face up when I were sleeping, I would probably look twice as scary as before."
"K…Kurosaki-kun!" She uses all her courage, and move around the corner, but too late, as Ullqiorra grab her arm hard, pulling her into the opened portal, setting her off before she even had a chance to do more, and he disappears from her. "Kurosaki-kun… I'm really sorry… I wanted to heal you too…"
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"You are recruiting Vasto Lords?" Vlad asks confused, as he had gotten all the hollows to each of their rooms, it seemed all the guests lived in that place, so it was a lot of space. "For what?"
"The new regime of Hueco Mundo, we are aiming for closing the gate once more." Ullqiorra answers, Vlad looking shocked at him. "You helped opening the last one, you know how to restore it."
"And who is the new leader then? As I have understood little Ichi-chan is the leader of your little group, so who is pulling the strings from the main land?" Vlad laughs.
"It is only us three and one more." Ichigo gives a smile. "How about it Vlad-chan? Want to come to Hueco Mundo with us? You can bring your people too. They will live better there won't they?"
"What are you aiming for then? Hollow with no former evolution? Arrancar that had never been made an Arrancar?" Vlad asks.
"I really have no aim. I just want humans to be safe." Ichigo laughs nervous. Thanking one of the female hollows that came with a cup of tea for him. "That girl, Inoue, she is one of the people I want to protect, she went to school with me, and I want her to grow up happy, even if she has this crazy power."
"How old are you?" Vlad asks, trying to think over it himself, that girl was young too, so this new king couldn't be so old either.
"I was 15 when I turned into a hollow, 18 when I changed." Ichigo answers, Vlad looking amazed at him.
"So you were still a human for three years before you changed?" He asks, Ichigo nodding.
"I was also the only substitute shinigami ever." Ichigo point out, motioning to his sword. "This really evil shop owner decided to help me regain my powers and he turned me into a hollow, I still curse him on a regular basis."
"But I thought you didn't want me." Vlad says, remembering back to their first meeting.
"I know, but I have a feeling that a guy that cries over his people can't be as evil as I thought." Ichigo looks embarrassed away. He hated taking back what he had said, but even he did wrong sometimes. "So if you want to, you can join my new regime in Hueco Mundo."
"I can bring my people? And Munny?" Vlad asks, looking over at the crying giant, who was getting hugs from the hollows that was still trying to cheer him up for his utter defeat. "I would never manage without him."
"You can bring him, and I can send all of you over when you are feeling better." Ichigo laughs, before he gives a confused 'heh?' looking at the bag that Vlad opened before him, his eyes widening over the knives and scalpels that he had in it. "Um, what the hell?"
"I just can't help it! I feel so excited when I discover something new! Can I please make an analysis of you?!" He cheers, looking like a kid on Christmas as he held up a chart, ready to write down everything he found.
"Vlad Dracu is also a good scientist, and a doctor." Ullqiorra explains. "Let him give you a check up, I had planned on asking him for it anyway."
"Oh, ok." Ichigo follows the skipping doctor to the small office he had in the back. "You are an educated doctor?"
"Yeah, I get a new degree for each generation." He answers, Ichigo looking at the diplomas on the walls. It really looked like a cozy place. "Sit down in the chair and take of your top. I will be with you soon."
"Heh, I haven't been to a doctor for ages." Ichigo laughs, doing as ordered. "You seem like a kind enough doctor, so I still can't figure out why you hit Julie so hard…"
"She was a strong soul, so it wouldn't have hurt her at all." Vlad whispers, finding his equipment.
"That isn't an excuse." Ichigo says, feeling the cold metal against his chest.
"No, but it is a selfish kindness." He answers, and listen to the distant hammer inside the youth's chest. "She was close to fading. When they do I offer them all the choice, stay with me as a hollow or be let loose. I love it when they say yes to stay with me forever, but… I can't stop myself from being cruel to them before… hoping that they will decline and go for rest in soul society."
Ichigo hesitate, before he laid his arm around the confused doctor's head, Vlad's eyes widening over the sudden affection.
"It just means you are a really kind guy." Ichigo brush his hair gently. "It is sad to be lonely, but when you have a lot of people around you, you know you care for them, but you can't reach out, and when you watch them, and they are happy without you… you feel so sad, so devastated, but you know you have to let them go."
"And you have to let people go for the rest of eternity." Vlad whispers, Ichigo nodding, even he had understood that would be his future, he would have to watch so many of his friends fade one after another. But at least he had a hope that Ishida, Orihime and Chad would enter the shinigami squads when they died, and he might be able to make up with them all one day.
"But, if we all stay together, we won't feel alone." Ichigo states, Vlad's eyes widening once more. He was a soft hearted Vasto Lord, so the others had always looked down at him, but not the old Vasto King, he had been kind to him. But the old lord had gotten broken over the betrayal from soul society, and had taken his own life while taking down the shinigami that had betrayed them. "I don't know anything about hollows at all, I live to destroy them, but if one of them is kind I will accept that hollow as a friend, and I am the sort of guy that likes having a lot of friends."
"Heh, you are really the best sort of leader." Vlad laughs, as he moved out of the embrace, giving Ichigo a genuine smile. "I am looking forward to serving you, my new friend."
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End of chapter
I tihnk this is by far the longest chapter. I don't really like stories with original characters, but I will try my best to build the personality of each of the ones I make for the new Espada. There will be five new ones, Vlad is the first, then there is four more, the two last ones to join the Espada is old characters from the series.
So look forward to the next chapter! Where an old favorite will return! In new body and form and also too gain a name ^.^