Disclaimer: Typical rhetoric
"If you have agreed to life then so to shall I agree to the repayment of mine debt," The Soul King said formally, "Kurosaki Ichigo; thrice have you died in my service -unknowing or not - and twice have you lost some of your soul. Your soul and rightful powers shall be restored unto you in a new world and you might ask three boons, once for each you died. One boon has been granted. I shall transport thee to another world where you might live. Ask your boons and you shall receive."
The former substitute shinigami let out a long breath of relief and felt his knees go weak. To have his powers again, to be able to protect again but most of all to feel the hole inside of him being closed- But he couldn't focus on that now. He had to think about those boons first... The teenager knew he needed to accept. By refusing additional aid it would be like saying that he did not respect the Kami's laws - and considering these were the laws that a Kami was forced to live by... well that would be an offence of the highest order.
Finally Ichigo asked, "Where can I find something I can use to communicate across worlds and how can I pay the cost for travel?" He definitely needed some more information before he signed on a dotted line.
"Hmmm..." The Kami hummed aloud in thought and paused with opening the portal, "Knowledge such as this can be placed under the cost of your travel so I shall tell you these things for free. Do not expect such behaviour from any kami or other beings; they are not and were never in your debt. I am placing you on an the Grand Line. There are three places in the world that contain communicators that will calibrate with your energy and can be used to communicate with any worlds you have spent time in and spilled blood in. The name of the place I shall tell you of is Marineford. This communicator is known as the Meteoric Globe to the humans of that world.
"If you want one of your companions to come through, you must do a boon to a kami of sufficient rank who will in turn request my use as a world traveler. These kami will know that it is I you speak of if you call me Mediator; my proper title. I am the divide between all worlds, I taught souls how to join with spirits and I exist between life and death, truth and time."
There was another long pause before Ichigo asked another question. He already had an idea of what he wanted, but he wasn't sure if it was possible.
"I will already have my powers upon going to the new world right? I will still be a shinigami - vizard - whatever I am?"
"Yes, I will be returning your soul to you, including Zangetsu and your hollow."
"Then can one of my rewards to go towards my sisters? Karin and Yuzu can see some ghosts, and I know that Karin can fight off lower level hollows but if there is any way I can protect them still - give them the ability to get away from an enemy they can't beat, or make it so that they can't be changed into a hollow..." Ichigo let his suggestion trail off on a questioning lilt. He would always put his sisters above everything else, he had plunged a sword into his chest with no guarantee of survival for them once, and he would do so again.
Although the teen couldn't see anything he got the impression that the Spirit King was nodding, "Yes, shinigami I will repay one of your boons by preventing the encroachment of your sisters soul chains. And your other wish?"
Ichigo considered for a minute. There wasn't much else he could wish for and expect to get. The one time he had asked Rukia kami; wanting to know if there was any truth in the old myths. She had said that the most important thing to remember was that while they were entirely truthful, they didn't necessarily say all of the truth. If he asked for something that the being would be obligated to pay, despite wishes to the contrary, -eternal knowledge, endless reiatsu, eternal life - his wish would be answered; chances were, however that the kami would create a situation that would make him anything but joyful. Ichigo grimaced as he thought of old legends in which a kami, youkai or oni could twist even the most benign of wishes. On the other hand the shinigami could not continue to hold the wishes over the Soul King's head - that in itself would be offensive.
"If - if I could keep the last wish on reserve," The dark suddenly seemed more ominous then ever before, "For a specific purpose!" Ichigo hurried on, "Can this wish be kept as future payment for the travel of any one of my part-hollow friends? After I get in contact with them some of them might want to come here. I know that Shinji and the others aren't very happy with how the Seiretti has been treating them. And then there's Nel." Ichigo wasn't even sure if Nel or any of the other Arrancar were still alive, but they definitely wouldn't have anything holding them to Hueco Mundo.
Left unsaid was the fact that their position in Soul Society might not be just uncomfortable but also unsafe - Ichigo remembered the things that Soul Society was capable of, the Quincies not least of it.
"I can do that..." Another long pause, a pause that could have lasted minutes or hours, during which Ichigo almost forgot the fact that he was wearing clothing - or even why that it mattered - and it slowly began to be swallowed in the reishi-less atmosphere. Ichigo came back to himself with a shout; suddenly remembering the kami's words - 'you can not remain here.'
Finally the kami finished. "I will let you bring four companions through the between in return for your favour; four for the number that signifies death.
"And now I shall send you. The name of the island upon which you will wake is Ohara," Ichigo leaned forward, trying to commit as much of this information to his mind as possible. Anything that he could learn on his new home would be invaluable. The Spirit Kings voice began to echo around him, as if the words were being shouted, whispered and hissed from every angle in the dark, "and was the home of a great tragedy; where upon many innocents died before their time in the pursuit of knowledge. I know not how far from this event the measurement of time will be read by mortal standards upon your arrival, however you will arrive after the deaths. It is likely various kami and spirits reside or visit there, for the island is a nexus within the spirit world. Not quite on the level of Karakura town, few places in the Living world have a dense enough reishi to meet the requirements of the King's Key, but certainly powerful in comparison to other areas. Because of the history of the island do not expect them to be friendly - the history of a place effects the dwellers upon said place."
And then there was no more.
AN: So another revamped chapter... DUN DUN DUN! Thanks to all who reviewed - even if I don't reply know that I read and appreciated it!
If anybody has any suggestions for who Ichigo should pull through to One Piece (which won't happen for several chapters - first he has to get to Marineford and talk to home) drop me a line and I will add it to the competition in my head.
As I get closer to Marineford - quite some chaps away unfortunately, I'll stick up a poll.
Kaen
