Disclaimer: All right to the Bleach franchise are monopolised by that magnificent asshole, Tite Kubo.
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
[Mugetsu talking]
"Attack Names"
xxxxxxx
Chapter 4: Fun in Hueco Mundo
It was a fondly exasperated Ichigo that gently held on to the babbling Nel, who had a vice-like grip on his arm as she was stuck between being overjoyed at seeing him and on the verge of tears for not having seen him for so long.
It would have been an endearing sight to the other Arrancar if they weren't on high alert at Ichigo's presence. A sharp look from Harribel made Apacci and Mila-Rose bite their tongues and step back from confronting the boy. The former Tercera Espada knowing that this was the boy, no man that had defeated Aizen. They would be fools to take him lightly, despite the fact that he gave off absolutely no presence. She decided to keep a wary yet intrigued eye on the former Substitute.
Starrk was much the same, although he was a lot more chilled out about it. He was a good enough character to judge whether or not Ichigo had any ill intentions towards them. So far, he could tell that there was none. Not to mention, he looked far too comfortable with the adorable little Arrancar in his arms to be a bad guy.
Lilynette, being the inquisitive girl she was, looked on interestedly at the intruder. She would admit, he looked pretty cool. A lot cooler than her lazy-ass of a partner. He also seemed to be quite close to Nel, which was weird considering he was supposed to be a Shinigami.
Pesche and Dondochakka were happy to see Ichigo again, knowing how much he cares about their Master and the close bond those two share.
"Okay Nel, calm down." Ichigo told the young girl as he placed her on the ground and dusted her off. Said girl sniffled feebly, wiping away her tears in an effort to be strong around her hero. Ichigo just smiled softly at her. "So how's my favourite Arrancar been doing?" He questioned as he gently ruffled her hair. Nel giggled cutely at that before beaming up at him.
"Nel missed Itsygo. But Nel has been having fun with Pesche and Dondochakka and Bawabawa in Los Naches. We've been playing more games than eternal tag. Plus the Tres Bestias are fun to watch. They are Harribel-sama's three Fracción and they are super strong and scary. Plus they're always trying to kill each other like some kind of cannibal animals. They are a gang of three super crazy monsters!" She excitedly explained to Ichigo, waving her arms around to emphasise her statement, something that Ichigo found adorable. Harribel chuckled at the description the little Arrancar gave to her Fracción. The aforementioned ladies though weren't feeling the same.
"What did you call us, you snot-nose brat?!" Apacci and Mila-Rose screamed at Nel.
"Hiiii!" Said little girl screeched in fear as she hid behind Ichigo's leg. She did however, poke her head around his leg and stick her tongue out at the irate women. Much to the amusement of the others.
Harribel had to hide a smile at the interaction. Starrk as well couldn't help but crack a smirk. Even he could admit that things were livelier these days.
Ichigo looked over and spotted Nel's 'brothers' and raised his hand in greeting.
"Yo, Pesche. Dondochakka. How's it going?" He casually greeted.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. It's truly an auspicious occasion for us to meet again like this. Why, not since we fought side-by-side, bravely defending each other's backs against the forces of evil have we seen each other. I remember it like it was yesterday. It's truly marvellous to meet one of my brothers-in-arms again." Pesche narrated eloquently, much to the confusion of the other Arrancar. Ichigo just sweat-dropped at his over the top personality. He forgot how annoying this guy could be.
'He's like the Arrancar version of Keigo, except with a better vocabulary.' Ichigo thought tiredly. He just got here and he was already feeling exhausted. He ignored Pesche and turned his attention to Dondochakka.
"Hey Dondochakka. You're looking good. Did you lose weight?"
Dondochakka burst into tears, much to the shock of everyone present, who were startled by his shift in emotions.
"Somebody finally noticed, dontcha know! You are too kind, Ichigo-dono!" He shouted loudly, before breaking into a sprint with his arms wide open towards Ichigo, intent on engaging him in a manly hug. Ichigo deftly side-stepped the attempt, allowing Dondochakka to crash face first into the wall, leaving a large crater.
"You guys are as lively as ever." Ichigo commented with a rueful chuckle. He patted Nel head once again before turning towards the other occupants of the room who were keeping a wary eye on him. He let out a friendly smile when he turned to them though, something that caught some of them off guard. "And it seems you made some new friends too. Hey there, names Kurosaki Ichigo." He introduced himself with a casual wave of his hand.
"We are well aware of who you are, Kurosaki Ichigo. Aizen had an extensive database concerning you." Harribel replied coolly, never taking her careful eyes of him.
"O….kay…That's doesn't sound creepy at all." He drawled out sarcastically. "You know, it's considered polite to introduce yourself when someone introduces themselves to you." He pointed out. Harribel quirked an eyebrow at him, before conceding to his point.
"Tier Harribel." She said promptly. Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at her standoffish response but chalked it up to a personality quirk. He instead took the time to examine her appearance. Harribel has olive skin, aqua eyes, thick eyelashes, and short golden blonde hair, which was kept messy with three braided locks. She wears a variation of the Arrancar jacket with a high collar, which covers the lower part of her face downward, while baring a good portion of the lower half of her large breasts. The jacket has a zipper running along its entire length, which is opened from the bottom upwards. It has a beige air filter on either side just below the trim. The jacket's sleeves completely envelop her arms, terminating in black glove-like extensions at her extremities, resembling the appearance of a cat's paw. It certainly was an exotic and unique appearance.
He turned to the three women who stood next to Harribel, the same three who arguing when he arrived. He looked at them intently, urging them to follow their leader's example.
"My name is Cyan Sung-Sun. It's a pleasure to meet you Ichigo-sama." Sung-Sun, being polite as ever and much more socially aware than her fellow Fracción, took the initiate to respectfully greet the, from her memory, far more powerful warrior. She wore a long white dress, with sleeves extending well past her hands and two belts crisscrossing each other on her waist. Sung-Sun also has long, flowing green hair, and three dots below her right eye. Her mask remnants create three hair clip-like extensions on the right side of her hair. She also seemed to have a habit of covering her mouth with the large sleeve on her left hand.
"Franceska Mila-Rose." The introduction was short, just like Harribel, but unlike her leader's, Mila-Rose sultrily licked her lips as she spoke, her voice taking on a seductive undertone. Mila-Rose is a dark-skinned Arrancar whose mask fragments form a three-sectioned crown around her head and a thick necklace. She had a thick mane of semi-curly, dark brown hair. Her Hollow hole is positioned midway between her navel and breasts
"Che…Emilou Apacci. Be grateful I'm even speaking to you punk." She said gruffly, clearly not impressed with him. Ichigo just sweat-dropped at her brash personality. Apacci seemed to be a tomboyish Arrancar with heterochromia, one sky blue and one amber eye, with the latter having a red ring around it. Apacci's mask fragment is on the top of her head, with a horn in the middle.
Ichigo then turned to the young looked girl who was looking at him intently while bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Hi! I'm Lilynette Gingerback! It's nice to meet you, Ichigo-san." She said boisterously, with an excited smile on her face. Ichigo smiled warmly at her. She reminded him greatly of Yuzu. She looked to be around the same age too, physical at least. She wore white-coloured briefs with a black line positioned in the middle, arm-warmers, a revealing vest with a high collar and thigh-high, fur-lined boots. Her Hollow hole was positioned in the centre of her stomach. The remainder of her Hollow mask is in the form of a helmet. With two horns on the top of her head. The left horn looked as though it had been cut off and the left half of the mask covers her left eye. Her right eye is a light pink, with the left eye covered by her hollow mask and a flame design over the eyehole and she also has light green hair. Ichigo immediately took a liking to the friendly girl. Her bright smile was replaced by a heavy scowl though when she turned to her partner, who seemed to have dozed off again. "Wake up you bum and introduce yourself!" She shouted into his ear, causing his to jolt upright in his seat before sending her a look of annoyance.
"Hey. Coyote Starrk. Nice to meet you." He introduced himself, barely fighting off a yawn. Starrk has blue-grey eyes and wavy, dark brown hair, parted down the middle which ends at the base of his neck and looked unkempt. He also has a faded goatee. He wears the typical Arrancar clothing, a white jacket outlined in black, though it was altered with the collar upturned. He has a black sash around his waist along with white gloves. The remains of his Hollow mask consists of a fanged bottom jaw which is positioned along his neck, similar to a necklace. His Hollow hole is located on his sternum, right below the tip of his mask. He seemed like a pretty okay guy to Ichigo. He was extremely powerful as well, if Ichigo's senses weren't lying to him. Easily the most powerful Arrancar in the room. Far above most of the Captain's in the Gotei 13. But he seemed to be just behind Ulquiorra in terms of power.
"Well it's nice to meet all of you." Ichigo responded to their introductions. Harribel just narrowed her eyes at him, making him chuckle at her wariness.
"That is all well and good but it begs the question. Why are you here? More importantly, how did you get in here?" She questioned. Even though there was no emotion in her voice, Ichigo could clearly hear the demand. He just sighed at her guarded stance. He honestly didn't initially plan on meeting any of them. Maybe it was the sliver of loneliness he's been feeling lately, but he wanted to try and get to know them as they seemed like an interesting bunch. Besides, they were friends with Nel so they couldn't be too bad as he trusted the judgement of the little Arrancar.
"First off, I'm here to see Nel. Meeting you lot was just a happy accident." Ichigo replied, much to the protest of Pesche and Dondochakka who gave shouts of complaint. "Okay fine! I came to see the two of you idiots as well." That seemed to placate the duo who crossed their arms and nodded sagely, much to the annoyance of Ichigo. "As to how I got here, I opened a Garganta of course. I've been inside this place before so it wasn't too hard to open a Garganta in here." That got a few raised eyebrows from those gathered. As far as they were aware, he was a Shinigami. It seemed a bit farfetched that he could open a Garganta. Seeing the disbelieving looks he was getting, Ichigo rolled his eyes before tapping the air beside him, opening up a Garganta for them all to see. "Happy?" He asked, seeing their widened, disbelieving eyes. They could barely comprehend how a supposed Shinigami had opened a Garganta.
"Wow! You're so cool Itsygo!" Nel praised as she looked up at him with stars in her eyes. Ichigo puffed up his chest and smirked confidently in response.
"Of course. I am friends with the great and powerful Nel Tu, the great master of the desert and best eternal tag player in all of Hueco Mundo after all." Ichigo boasted playfully, causing Nel to stick her chest out proudly with her hands on her hips in a pose that was meant to look regal but instead looked ridiculously cute.
"It's good that Itsygo understands Nel's greatness." She responded, causing Ichigo to laugh at her behaviour. Nel too laughed, happy to be having fun with Ichigo. "Did Itsygo really come all the way to play with Nel?" She asked curiously. He sobered up instantly, giving her a small smile as he pet her.
"I sure did. But I also came to keep my promise to you." She looked at him quizzically, not understanding what he meant. "I promised that I would protect you, remember. The best way I can do that is make sure that you can protect yourself. So, will you trust me to help you?" Ichigo asked. Nel looked deep into Ichigo's eyes, something that he didn't shy away from, before breaking out into a wide smile.
"Of course Nel trusts Itsygo!" She declared confidently. He smiled in return.
"Then we best get going." He said as he picked her up and placed her on his shoulders, much to her joy as she squealed happily and latched onto his bright orange hair like she was holding the reigns of a horse.
"W-Wait a minute, Kurosaki Ichigo! Where are you taking Nel-sama?" Pesche frantically asked, the others in the room also wondering where he was taking the little Arrancar. Ichigo just looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Outside of course. I remember Ulquiorra telling me that all Espada below number 4 were prohibited from releasing their sword within Las Noches. I need to release my Shikai for me to help Nel and I don't think it's safe for you guys if I were to do that in here. Hence, I'm doing to do it outside." He stated before continuing walking, leaving Pesche and Dondochakka scrambling to catch up to him. He could have used Shunpo to cover the distance in seconds but he decided to take the scenic route. Not to mention that Nel seemed to enjoy the ride she was getting. He wanted to enjoy this form of her for a little longer. Besides, if he did take off like that, the others wouldn't be able to sense him if they wanted to follow.
The other Arrancar looked at each other before following Ichigo, clearly interested in seeing what he was going to do. They weren't too worried about what he would do anymore as he didn't seem to hold any ill will against them nor did he seem to be looking for a fight. He was polite and respectful. Not to mention, he seemed really close to Nel and treated her with great care and affection. The little Arrancar seemed enamoured with him too and that was enough for them to conclude that he must be a good person. They also wanted to see him release his sword. They would be lying if they said they weren't interested in the kind of power he had, especially since he had defeated Aizen. Even the normally lazy Starrk followed with interest.
Harribel did wonder why the young man was taking a casual walk instead of using his Shunpo, but disregarded it as he seemed to be enjoying the walk with Nel on his shoulders. He was most peculiar for a Shinigami. He seemed to hold no hatred for their kind, despite their role in the war that he fought. They had also kidnapped his friend and kept her hostage. It doesn't seem to bother him, if the friendly way he greeted and interacted with them was anything to go by. She would be lying if she said she wasn't curious about him. She wanted to know his motivations. She wanted to know what drove him. It was rare for her to take interest in anything, but she would make an exception for the strange young man. It also interested her that he mentioned Ulquiorra. None of the other Arrancar knew what happened to the emotionless Cuatro Espada as they found no trace of him upon their return. She was keen to know what happened to him for he was one of the few tolerable Espada.
Starrk too, was quite interested in Ichigo. He couldn't sense any reiatsu coming from him but he clearly wasn't powerless if the Garganta he opened up was anything to go by, not to mention that he spoke of releasing his Shikai. It was a strange paradox. He also seemed like a pretty cool guy. Lilynette seemed to take an instant liking to him and Starrk trusted the judgement of his partner. His own instincts were telling him that he could trust Ichigo. It was a strange feeling for someone like him. He honestly hoped that he could get to know him more. It would be nice to have another guy to talk to. Pesche and Dondochakka were the only other men around, and the less said about those two lunatics, the better.
Lilynette was already running to catch up to Ichigo. As she got there, she started excitedly walking beside him.
"Ne, Ichigo-san. How come you can open a Garganta? Aren't you a Shinigami?" Lilynette inquired innocently, an inquisitive expression on her face. Ichigo smiled down at the bubbly little girl. He slowly pulled out a candy bar, unwrapped it and offered it to the salivating Nel who happily munched on it. He noticed that Lilynette was looking longingly at the candy bar, causing him to chuckle and pull out another and hand it to her making her beam at him in happiness. "Thank you!"
He didn't even have to look back to know that the rest of the Arrancar had perked up interestedly, obviously eavesdropping to find out more about him. They were just as interested as Lilynette. They were never more thankful for the friendly and inquisitive nature of the young girl as they were now.
"Haha, you're welcome. It's fine to just call me Ichigo, Lilynette. I'm not one for formalities." He said, causing the girl to smile happily as she savoured her candy bar. She was excited to make a new friend. "As to how I can open a Garganta…well technically I'm not a Shinigami." She looked a bit lost and confused at that. Seeing her confusion, he decided to elaborate. "While I most certainly have to powers of a Shinigami, I don't really consider myself one as all Shinigami are affiliated with the Gotei 13. I, on the other hand, am not. With that in mind, even though I have the abilities of a Shinigami…I also have the powers of a Hollow. Something I'm sure that creepy paedophilic stalker, Aizen, must have informed you about." He added, causing her to giggle mischievously at his description of their former leader. Ichigo also heard a few snickers from the following group. He didn't even have to look back to know it was Apacci and Mila-Rose. "The reason for that is because apparently, my mother was infected by a Hollow before I was born. It happened when she was fighting a Vasto Lorde, since he infected her before she killed him, that taint was imprinted on her soul. When I was conceived, it passed onto me. So that is the reason I have a Hollow nature so to speak. I can also use stuff like Cero and Hierro too. Pretty cool huh?"
"Cool!" She grinned at his story, before remembering something important. "Wait! Your mother killed a Vasto Lorde!?" She questioned in shock. The others were in a similar state of disbelief. Harribel and Starrk though, were listening intently, curious about any titbit they could pick up about their mysterious visitor. They were quite surprised to hear that his soul carried the power of a Hollow since birth. Such things were unheard of before. Then again, it was a Vasto Lorde, so it wasn't too farfetched to think that the consequences of having that in you didn't yield any power. Hearing that his mother apparently killed said Vasto Lorde was also shocking. As two former Vasto Lorde's themselves, they knew the kind of power that the highest evolution of Hollow's possessed. It was nothing to sneeze at. Hell, most of the Captains in the Soul Society would have great difficulty dealing with one. Hearing that his supposedly human mother killed one was something they found hard to believe.
"Yep! It was the coolest. My dad was fighting him originally, but he got his ass kicked. He was about to be killed but then my mom arrived on the scene. She sent an attack at the Hollow, but it didn't even scratch him. His Hierro was pretty tough. So she did something completely unexpected." Lilynette leaned in curiously, as did the rest. Clearly invested in his story. "She held her arms out to him and invited him to attack."
"What!" The little girl shouted in shock. That was crazy. No normal person would do something that crazy.
"Yeah. As she held out her arms, the Hollow rushed her, hoping to bite a chuck out of her shoulder. Unfortunately for him, my mother had an ability similar to Hierro and he therefore couldn't bite very deep. As he had his teeth clamped down on her shoulder, she wrapped an arm around his head, holding him in place before bringing up her other arm, which had a crossbow in it, and held it to his head before blowing his brains out." He finished, leaving his small audience amazed.
"Wow! You're mom sounds so cool!" Lilynette gushed. There were stars in her eyes as she pictured the scene.
"Haha! Yeah, she was pretty badass!" Ichigo bragged. He was always happy to tell stories of his mother. It didn't hurt as much as it used to when he talked about her. He was happy to take advantage of that fact and tell stories of how awesome she was.
"I would love to meet her some day!" She said excitedly. Ichigo's smile shrank a little but it was still in place.
"That won't be possible since she died a few years ago." He informed her gently. The girl looked at him with wide eyes.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories." She apologies quietly. She wanted to leave it at that but she was still curious. "Um…If you don't mid me asking…how did she die?" She questioned tentatively.
Ichigo wasn't at all bothered by the question. He may have been a few months ago but he has since made peace with it. He could tell that she was just curious and there was no malicious intent behind it.
"She was killed by a Hollow. Grand Fisher, to be exact."
Lilynette's eyes widened in horror at that. Harribel's Fracción shifted uncomfortably at that piece of information. Even Starrk flinched slightly at hearing that. Harribel herself felt her eyes widen imperceptibly before gazing intently at Ichigo's back, as if trying to solve a puzzle. She couldn't understand him.
Ichigo looked to the side to see Lilynette staring ahead in horror as well as a little shame. He decided to put her fears to rest. He gently ruffled her hair, drawing her attention to him.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I've made peace with it already. Besides, I already took care of Grand Fisher. I'm sure her soul was able to move on by now. She's probably somewhere in the Soul Society." Ichigo informed her, making her smile in relief. Although that wasn't the full truth, as apparently his old man took out Grand Fisher. But they didn't need to know that.
Harribel though, couldn't contain her curiosity anymore.
"Kurosaki Ichigo." She intoned, getting not only his attention, but of all those around her. It was rare for her to speak unless it was important. "I've come to understand that it is somewhat expected for one to hate the people who kill someone close to you. It is something that I have understood better since the end of the war. Which is why you confuse me. How is it that you can walk so casually amongst the very race of creatures responsible for the death of your loved one?" She asked bluntly, staring intently at the back of his head. There was silence in the corridor as the other Arrancar listened intently for his answer. Even Nel stopped munching on her candy bar. He didn't answer for a few minutes, causing the more impatient one to fidget nervously.
"It's true that hatred might be the natural emotion to feel in those circumstances. I won't lie and tell you that I've never felt such hatred for Hollows, because I did." He said, causing Lilynette to look down sadly and even Nel sobered up. "But over my journey in the spiritual world, I've come to understand many things. I've met different characters. Some good. Some bad. It has allowed me to see the world from a different perspective. I've met many kind Hollow's, who care deeply about their friends and family." He said, looking intently at the three former Espada. "I've met Shinigami who would kill their family without hesitation in order to satisfy their pride and ego. I've seen humans that are far more monstrous than any Hollow could ever hope to be. I have encountered Shinigami that are fair and just and who do their best to keep the world safe but I've also seen the atrocities committed by the Soul Society. I've also met Hollows that were every bit the bloodthirsty beasts that most make them out to be." His audience silently digested his words as they thought hard about what he said. "What I'm trying to say is that, the world isn't as black and white as people make it out to be. It isn't all good and evil. There are varying shades of grey and one simply has to be opened minded to accept these facts and not stubbornly cling to stereotypes." There were many thoughtful faces that were silently nodding along. Ichigo looked at Harribel out of the corner of his eyes. "You ask how I can walk so casually amongst you. It us because I know that you are all good people." That seemed to shock a few of them if their bulging eyes were anything to go by. "There is no point in holding on to senseless hatred. For that does nothing but perpetuate an endless cycle of hatred and violence. I prefer to look past such petty ideals. I like to think I'm a good judge of character and my instincts tell me that I can trust you all. Which is why I'm telling you as much as I am since I haven't even told the Soul Society as much as I have told you. Plus, you all looked after Nel and took care of her in my absence. She seems to like you all as well. That is enough for me to count you as friends in my book." He said with a warm smile. "Besides, I'm just as much a Hollow as I am a Shinigami. It wouldn't make much sense for me to hate myself now would it?"
Harribel closed her eyes in acceptance. Having nothing further to say in the face of his profound answer. She would never say it out loud, but it gave her a great deal of satisfaction to hear him referring to her as a friend. She didn't know what it was about this strange young man, but there was something about him that called out to her. She was positive that Starrk felt it too. There was this strange magnetism to him. She was at first extremely distrustful when he first showed up, remembering the last time a Shinigami casually showed up in Hueco Mundo and the pain that it brought. But Ichigo was different. There was a kind and gentle air to him. Something that soothed her and told her that everything will be okay. She couldn't sense his reiatsu but his very presence was comforting. Like a warm embrace. It made her want to put her trust in him…and she didn't like it one bit. She was always cold and calculating. She never did things without a reason. She had liked to think she had evolved beyond the primitive instincts of her species and therefore liked to follow logic. Which was why this young man's presence was causing turmoil in her world. She remembered the last time she blindly trusted a man. She ended up being betrayed and ruthlessly cut down. She refused to make that mistake again. The lives of her Fracción along with the other Arrancar were in her hands now. She would do her utmost to ensure their safety. Which is why she would keep a close eye on the former Substitute. She would do her best to fight her nature for as long as she could to make sure that the man in front of her was worthy of the trust that she was sure the others would put in him if what she was feeling was any indication.
Starrk cracked a small smile at hearing Ichigo's response. It was quite thought provoking and something he agreed with 100%. His already positive opinion of Ichigo rose even further. He was now truly interested in getting to know the guy. Starrk could tell they were a lot alike. They were lonely souls in search of the warmth of companionship. He also felt himself get pulled in by the natural charisma of Ichigo, something that he didn't fight. Starrk was perceptive, far more than anybody ever gave him credit for. He already judged the character of Ichigo and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he could thrust this man completely. It was in the nature of Hollow's to be instinctual and his instincts have never lead him astray before. He spied Harribel out of the corner of his eye and he could the inner struggle she was going through. It wasn't a surprise to him as he knew she had a lot of issues since being betrayed by Aizen. He also knew that she fought against the more primal instincts of their race more than others, thinking that logical thinking would make her more humane. It wasn't completely wrong but sometimes, whether you're a Hollow a Shinigami or even a human, one should just listen to their instincts. He would leave her to sort out her issues herself as it was something that she needed to overcome but he knew their new friend will prove to be more than worthy of their trust and break down those barriers she's put up.
"We're here." Ichigo stated, breaking them out of their thoughts. The main entrance/exit of Las Noches before them. Ichigo looked back at Harribel, quirking an eyebrow at her, urging her to do something.
At first she was confused as to why but she soon realised, much to her embarrassment, that she needed to input reiatsu signature into the scanner to open the gates. Once she hurriedly got that done, allowing the gates to open, Ichigo was greeted with the vast emptiness of Hueco Mundo. An endless desert as far as the eye could see with a clear night sky…with the exception of the full moon that hung in the sky. He had a momentary flashback to the last time he crossed this desert and cracked a small smile. He broke into a run, hoping to get clear of Las Noches as much as possible. They others briskly followed him. He came to a stop when he got far enough.
He plucked Nel off his shoulders, much to her displeasure, and place her gently on the ground. He ruffled her hair and spoke softly to her.
"I need you to stay here and be patient for me Nel. Can you do that?"
"How rude! Of course Nel can do that. Nel isn't stupid you know." She argued with a cute pout on her face. Ichigo chuckled at her behaviour. He looked up and gave a nod to the uncharacteristically serious looking Pesche and Dondochakka. Even they understood the gravity of the situation. He used Shunpo to appear a few metres away from the group, not wanting them to be caught up in his release. There were many curious sets of eyes that followed him.
'Hey Mu-chan, it's your big debut. Let's make it flashy for our audience.' Ichigo thought. He could literally feel the irritation of his Zanpakutō spirit in his mind.
[Ichigo-sama, I've asked you on numerous occasions to stop calling me by that infernal nickname]. Mugetsu said in a sweet tone of voice that did nothing to hide the promise of pain hidden in her tone. Ichigo just chuckled at her, having grown accustomed to her quirks.
'And I have asked you to just call me Ichigo. So until you address me without honorifics, I'm going to keep calling you by that nickname.' He argued back, much to her annoyance. They both put it out of their minds and got ready to release for the first time in front of people, not counting Yuzu and Karin. 'I've got a suggestion to make it even cooler. Do you think we can do something like this?' He questioned, projecting an image in his mind for her to view.
[It should be simple enough. Why though? I mean what's the point of making it so flashy?]. She inquired.
'Ah my dear Mu-chan. First impressions are everything. I want to leave a lasting impression on them. Besides, what's so wrong about wanting to show off the majesty of my beautiful Zanpakutō?' He teased, causing her to flush imperceptibly.
He had become quite good at getting under her skin over these last few months. Something that made her both happy, as it meant their bond had grown stronger…as well as annoyed as he seemed to make it his mission to break her elegant demeanour and bring out her down to the level of regular people. Something that he succeeded in doing most of the time. She wouldn't complain though, as their bond with each other was something that could never be broken.
'All right. Let's do this. Thanks for showing it to me, but I'm going to take a page out of your book, Ulquiorra'. Ichigo thought as he unsheathed his Zanpakutō, holding it in front of him. He gathered his reiatsu and prepared for his release. The air was tense for a moment, before Ichigo's voice rang out in the emptiness of the desert.
"Fade to Black, Mugetsu"
There was an explosion of black and purple reiatsu that towered high into the air, seeming to encompass the sky before purple raindrops of pure reiatsu rained down on the audience in an awe-inspiring display. They all watched, captivated by the display of power and beauty. The odd thing was that even though they could see the physical manifestation of the reiatsu, they couldn't feel it. They couldn't feel the depth or the texture of it like one normally could in these situations. That just made it all the more entrancing. What they could feel though, was the monstrous presence that weighted down on them. It wasn't reiatsu, more like an aura permeating the air. The quality of a king, an alpha male. It was an aura of pure dominance that seemed to be calling out to them to bow down to it. They had never felt anything like it before.
With a swing of his sword, Ichigo cleared the reiatsu away, revealing his Shikai for them to see. It was a pure black blade, similar to his old Bankai. The difference though, was the length. It was much longer, in the realms of ōdachi-class swords, with a slightly more upward curving tip. There were three upward curving grooves on the blunt end of the sword as well. The handle was still wrapped in black leather with purple diamonds along the side and the manji guard remained, except it was now black as well. There was a chain hanging off the end of the handle though, that ended with a five pointed Quincy cross hanging off it. Even though it looked simple enough, it was still enough to inspire a little fear in the some of the Arrancar.
Ichigo disappeared in a burst of Shunpo before reappearing a few metres in from of a dazed looking Nel, who was still admiring the pretty display.
"Okay Nel, I'm going to start. I'm going to need you to stay still and trust me okay?" He stated with a serious look on his face causing the little Arrancar to gulp but nod without hesitation.
Ichigo held out his free hand toward Nel, concentrating a little before a translucent purple dome appeared around her head. She was enamoured by the dome and thankfully didn't panic much.
There others were a bit more cautious and didn't seem to like where this was going. Apacci and Mila-Rose wanted to jump in and stop what was happening but they were surprisingly held at bay by a stern looking Pesche and Dondochakka.
Ichigo nodded when he got the dimensions of the dome just right before activating his ability.
"Temporal Reversion."
Before the amazed eyes of the Arrancar, Nel's broken mask slowly started to knit itself back together. The large scar across her face stared to fade away as well. It took less than a minute, but the mask fully reformed. When that happened, there was an explosion of pink smoke that engulfed the area.
Ichigo smiled at the success of his endeavour before silently releasing his technique.
The others looked on, curious to see what was the results were. None more so than Pesche and Dondochakka who realised what Ichigo had done. They both had tears on their eyes as they felt the familiar reiatsu of their Master.
As the smoke cleared away, everyone present was treated to a view of a drastically changed Nel. In place of the adorable little tyke that they knew her to be, was a tall and voluptuous woman.
Her new form is that of a fully-grown curvaceous and well-endowed adult with long waving greenish-blue hair, retaining similar features to her child form, including the crimson line that runs across her face, but her bottom canines aren't quite as pronounced. Her gown is now torn into a skirt and a top, connected with a single strip across her abdomen. Her skull mask also differs slightly, its features appearing sharper and less cartoonish with a pair of curved horns, and the once missing teeth fully reformed. She also carried her Zanpakutō in her left hand
The Arrancar present, with the exception of Pesche and Dondochakka, were shocked into silence at the drastic change in the girl. Not just her appearance but the amount of reiatsu they were feeling from her. It was easily comparable to Harribel. They got their answer to why that is though, when a gentle wind blew across her back, revealing a large "3" tattooed on her back, indicating that she was the former 3rd Espada. It was an eye-opener. They weren't too familiar with the previous Espada as they were some of the newer members, despite their high rank. To think that the energetic little girl that used to run around and play pranks on them was in actuality the former Tercera Espada.
Nel slowly opened her eyes, taking in the new view that she was offered. She would feel her power fully restored. It wasn't temporary like the last time. That burning scar on her face also ceased to exist. He body felt in tip-top condition and she could feel the tight muscles beneath her skin. The stoic look on her face gave away absolutely nothing though as she gazed at her body. As she was done with her inspection, she turned her emotionless gaze to Ichigo, who was standing before her. He looked at her with a warm smile on his face.
Nothing was said between them…before Nel burst into action.
"Ichigo!" With a wide smile on her face, she tackled Ichigo into a bone-crushing hug…smothering his face into her soft, cushiony breasts, despite being at least a head shorter than him…leaving the poor guy struggling for air, much to the amusement of Harribel's Fracción and Lilynette, who was cheering Ichigo on. The blonde former Tercera Espada though wasn't very happy. For some reason or the other, the scene before her really annoyed her. She decided not to dwell on it though.
Starrk was smirking at the situation Ichigo found himself in….whilst simultaneously cursing him for being such a lucky bastard.
""Nel-sama!"" Pesche and Dondochakka cried out as they both crashed into the hug, making it an impromptu group hug…much to the annoyance of Ichigo. He didn't mind Nel, because she was soft and pretty. These bastards on the other hand…he wasn't going to stick around for that. He used Shunpo to stealthily escape the pile up, moving to a spot just beside Starrk as he watched the reunion fondly.
"Nice work. You got quite the reward for your trouble as well. If you ask me, it was worth it." Starrk drawled out in a teasing tone, making Ichigo gape at him.
"I didn't do it for that, you smug bastard!" Ichigo raged at him with a comical look of denial on his face. It didn't work though as the former Primera patted Ichigo on the shoulder before nodding sagely…as if that was supposed to explain everything.
Ichigo, being the mature and level-headed guy that he is, did the only thing that made sense to him. He pulled his eye down and stuck his tongue out at Starrk causing the man to sweat-drop at the expression that looked totally out of place on the normally stern face of Ichigo.
Ichigo, though, put it out of his mind and turned his attention back to Nel and her Fracción. There was more work to be done.
"Oi! Pesche. Dondochakka. Go and stand over there. I'm not done yet and you guys are next." He ordered. They two of them looked at him in shock while Nel just clapped happily at Ichigo's next course action. The two subjects of Ichigo's orders took a few seconds to kick into action but they eventually scrambled to get into position, standing side by side, just in front of Ichigo.
Nel used her Sonído to appear beside Ichigo, curious to see his ability in action. He held his hand out once again, allowing two translucent purple bubbles to cover the heads of the two Arrancar.
"Temporal Reversion."
Once again, Ichigo's power went to work. Unlike with Nel, they couldn't really see what was happening under those fake masks that the two wore. But the two of them could feel themselves being repaired. Just like before, there was an explosion of smoke. Lilac for Pesche and yellow for Dondochakka.
As the smoke cleared, jaws hit the ground, Ichigo included, as they beheld the restored forms of Nel's Fracción.
Pesche now stood straighter, looking taller as well. His skin was pale, in a healthy way, and unblemished. His body was taut with well compressed muscles. He had a classic swimmers build. He was wearing tattered white trousers and a lilac vest. He was a mask fragment covering his left eye with his right eye left on display. His eye was light blue in color. His pale blonde hair was straight and hanging just past his shoulders. His Zanpakutō was in the shape of a sabre with a light purple hilt.
Dondochakka now stood at a height of at least 6'6 and his large body was extremely muscular. Not overly bulky like Yammy, but more proportional and aesthetic. He looked to be built for power. He had short, spiky black hair and light brown eyes. His mask fragment took the form of a guard that covered his jaw. His face looked a lot more chiseled and manly than before. His Zanpakutō was a little strange, being a yellow and black Kanabo.
The silence was deafening as they beheld the true forms of the two goofballs that followed Nel around. Apacci and Mila-Rose couldn't keep the blushes off their faces as they ogled their fellow Fracción, much to the amusement of Sung-Sun. It was such a stark difference from their usual appearance that it wasn't even funny.
Seeing their expressions of shock, Pesche let out his usual laugh.
"What's the matter, Ichigo-dono? Are you enraptured by my bishonen appearance?" He questioned while striking a ridiculous pose, his 'brother' joining him by flexing his large muscles.
Aaaaaaand it's gone.
Whatever illusion Ichigo may have been under was broken as he stared at the two idiots with a dead-pan look on his face. Nel just giggled at the antics of her companions.
"You three should probably find some clothes that fit you better and get yourselves cleaned up." Ichigo advised, doing his best to ignore the strange duo, who were still doing strange poses, enjoying the return to their original bodies.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the tugging he felt on his coat. He looked to the side to see a serenely smiling Nel looking up at him with a few tears at the corner of her eyes.
"Thank you, Ichigo. For everything." She choked out before being pulled into a hug by the exasperated Ichigo, who couldn't help but smile fondly and gently stroke her hair as he embraced her.
"Anything for you, Nel. Anything." He replied. He nodded in reply to the looks he received from Pesche and Dondochakka, clearly conveying their thanks for not only healing them but mainly for returning their Master to her true form. No words needed to be said for the three men understood each other enough to convey their heartfelt thanks for the woman that was close to all of their hearts.
"Okay that's enough of this mushy crap. Go get cleaned up so we can finally catch up." Ichigo ordered sternly getting a mock salute from Nel before she took off in a burst of Sonído, leaving her two companions scrambling to keep up with her.
(Scene Change)
The rest of the gang returned to the conference room as they waited for the three freshly restored Arrancar to finished getting dressed and join them. Ichigo having long since sealed his Zanpakutō.
Although he wasn't a mind reader, Ichigo could feel the curious stares of the women in the room. Starrk was far more subtle about it but he too seemed to be curious about Ichigo's ability. Nobody made any move to question him though.
Ichigo would have like to have said that they were sitting in silence but Harribel's Fracción were having another pointless and loud argument amongst themselves. Ichigo leaned over to Lilynette and posed the question to her.
"Are they always like this?"
The young Arrancar looked at Ichigo with tired and resigned eyes.
"Every single day. It was amusing at first. Now it's just plain annoying." She complained with an irritated look on her face. Ichigo chortled lightly at the girl's irritation. He turned to a barely awake Starrk instead.
"So what do you guys do for fun around here?"
"Sleep." Starrk lazily answered, getting a dead-pan look in response from Ichigo. It also earned him a smack to the back of the head from Lilynette, making him grumble about 'annoyingly, energetic brats'.
"There really isn't much to do aside from sitting around and talking." Lilynette answered sadly, a cute pout on her face as a result.
Ichigo sweat-dropped at the limited range of options available to them.
'It must really get boring here. I can see now why she was so excited to talk to me. I'm probably the most interesting thing that's happened in a while.' Ichigo deduced.
Their conversation was cut short by Nel and her Fracción entering the room. They were looking really smart. Much more formidable than before. It was seriously impressive. Ichigo gave a smirk at their appearances.
Nel was decked out in her old Espada uniform that fit her like a glove. Pesche wore something similar to Ulquiorra with Dondochakka wearing Yammy's old outfit.
"Looking good guys." Ichigo complimented with a cheesy thumbs up in their direction.
"Ehehe." Nel laughed bashfully as she rubbed the back of her head.
The three of them hurriedly took their places at the table. Nel, of course was comfortably seated next to her favourite strawberry.
"So Nel…you were an Espada?" Harribel questioned tentatively.
Nel frowned a little before properly introducing herself.
"Hai. My name is Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. I am the former Tercera Espada." She stated before launching into the tale of her time as an Espada and the circumstances that led her to being the way she was as well as Szayel and Nnoitra's role in her incapacitation.
Needless to say, none of the occupants in the room were happy after the story. The women, of course, were disgusted by the blatant sexism exhibited by Nnoitra as well as his petty need to sooth his pathetically fragile ego. The guys weren't in a good mood either. Pesche and Dondochakka, for obvious reasons. Ichigo lost all emotion on his face as he once again heard the story that made his blood boil. He so wished he could rip that skinny little bitch, Nnoitra, to pieces but it was too late for that. Starrk too felt anger, for he was someone who valued his comrades deeply…regardless of the kind of people they were. It made him upset that someone like Nnoitra would throw away the companionship offered to him over something like his pride.
"I know you well enough to know that this won't make you feel better…but for what it's worth, the last time I saw Nnoitra was when Zaraki Kenpachi cut him in half." Ichigo said. Nel didn't react much to the news but her eyes did show sadness, before finally settling on relief as she smiled at her Fracción, signaling that their nightmare was over.
"Earlier you mentioned that Ulquiorra told you about the restrictions on our releases within Las Noches. He wasn't here when we returned. Do you know what happened to him?" Harribel questioned Ichigo as she pierced him with her gaze. That drew everyone's attention to him.
Ichigo let out a small sigh before he gazed at Harribel, his eyes showing sadness and remorse, something that took her by surprise.
"I'm sorry to say that he is dead." He stated, his voice echoing in the silence of the room. Harribel closed her eyes in resignation while Starrk let out a sigh of regret. Even though they weren't particularly close to the Cuatro, he was a valued comrade and he was much more preferable to the other animals that made up the Espada. "For what it's worth, he died with a smile on his face. He had finally found what he had been searching for all along and he was at peace in the end." He informed them solemnly. The two former Espada nodded, grateful for that piece of information.
"Hey Ichi, could you tell us the story of how you defeated Aizen?" Nel asked curiously, blowing away the somber atmosphere of the room and causing all the occupants to perk up in interest before looking at him intently. He just cracked a grin at her attempt at raising the mood in the room before launching into his tale.
His audience was captivated as he spun his tale about his encounter. From the moment he stepped foot in the fake Karakura Town, to watching Aizen effortlessly cut down the Captains of the Gotei 13. He mentioned Aizen's numerous transformations, along with the fact that he grew butterfly wings. That little titbit made Lilynette, Apacci and Mila-Rose crack up in laughter. He mentioned how he used the Dangai to accelerate his training as well as him learning the sacrificial technique that would eventually defeat Aizen, something that made Harribel jolt up in her seat and focus her piercing gaze on Ichigo. He told them how manhandled Aizen and the abomination that their former leader would eventually become. He finally stated that his sacrificial technique was enough to cut Aizen in half, but the Hogyoku still regenerated him and it would have been the end of Ichigo is not for Urahara Kisuke's sealing Kido taking effect. He ended his tale by telling them that as his powers were being ripped from his body as a result of his sacrificial technique, for some reason or the other, the Hogyoku noticed his plight and intervened, allowing him to keep his powers before being sealed away.
The Arrancar were looking at him in awe at the end of his tale. His power, bravery and willingness to sacrifice himself earned him the respect and admiration of everyone in the room. None more so then Harribel, who felt something unfamiliar stir within her as she gazed at Ichigo. She was unsure what it was but something had changed within her after hearing that story. She felt her respect rise for Ichigo and felt a sense of kinship with him. For she too shared a similar set of ideals. Nel was looking at Ichigo in pride. She wasn't shocked in the slightest. For she knew that was the kind of person he was. She simply beamed at him in happiness. She frowned a little though, when she thought of something.
"Ichi, I remember you saying earlier that you weren't affiliated with the Gotei 13. I don't understand? I thought that you were friends with them?" She queried.
"I was never really part of the Gotei 13. Like I said before, even though I have the powers of a Shinigami, I don't consider myself one. The only reason I allied with them is because we had a common enemy in Aizen. I wouldn't have cared much about their war had Aizen not kidnapped Orihime and threatened to kill everyone in my town. While it's true that I consider some of the Shinigami to be my friends, even I know that if push came to shove, very few of them, if any, would side with me over the Gotei 13." Nel understood for the most part what he was saying, but didn't understand what he meant by them having to choose sides. "Let me elaborate. Remember I told you that Aizen effortlessly defeated all of the Captains and former Captains with nothing but his Shikai without even getting a scratch on him." Ichigo asked, getting a nod from not only Nel, but the rest of the room who were listening intently. "By the time I faced him in the end, he had undergone at least four transformations thanks to the Hogyoku, bolstering his power exponentially. Now, if you factor in how easily I overpowered him in that state, it tells you that my power is way above any of the Captains. That being said, if I have learned anything about Soul Society, it is that they despise things that are out of their control. Not to mention that they can be a bunch of self-righteous pricks most of the time. Even before I gained all that power, I was never one to follow their silly rules and I always did what I wanted. They didn't complain much because they could have dealt with me if I stepped over any of their imaginary lines. Now that my power is this high, I would be immediately labelled a threat if I don't bow down to their authority. They would have found a way to neutralize me, regardless of me winning their war for them. That's just how it goes in the Soul society. Even in the event that the Captains were to give me a 'pardon' so to speak, their Central 46 would never let me be free. That's why when they believed that I had lost my powers thanks to the technique I used…I didn't correct them. I'm much happier not having anything to do with them anymore." He finished, getting an understanding nod from everyone in the room.
They were all Hollow's and therefore had their own unfortunate experiences with Shinigami. They gained a new perspective though, about the inner workings of the Gotei 13 from Ichigo's explanation. It didn't endear the Shinigami to them in the slightest.
"What about Giant-kun and Glasses-kun? How are they doing?" Nel asked innocently. Ichigo grimaced slightly, something that Nel immediately noticed before he plastered a smile on his face. She could see clearly though, that his smile didn't reach his eyes at all.
"They…We decided to go our separate ways."
Suddenly, everything clicked into place for Nel. Ichigo's openness with them regarding the information they wanted as well as the slight tells that his body gave away.
"Oh Ichi, you…" She whispered sadly, as she gazed at him in sympathy.
Starrk too, surprisingly enough, immediately understood what was happening. He could tell from the empty look in Ichigo's eyes. He realised as well just what Nel had concluded. He understood that look well enough, for he too wore such a similar expression not too long ago. It was the look of a man who understands the pain of loneliness in this cruel world. It was the eyes of a man yearning for companionship, for the deep bonds of friendship. To find people that he could put his complete trust in, knowing they would never let him down. Starrk realised better than anyone, how similar he and Ichigo truly were. They were both extremely powerful warriors. Unfortunately, that very power cost them the one thing that they valued above all others. Fortunately for Starrk, he had found what he had been searching for. It looked like Ichigo was still alone. It was at that moment that he vowed, he would make sure he extended his hand in friendship, if not for anything else than to help out a fellow lonely soul. But from what he has seen of his character thus far, Starrk was positive that Ichigo belonged with them. He would make sure he was accepted with open arms and welcomed in Las Noches whenever he wanted to visit.
Ichigo shook his melancholy off and got to his feet.
"It's a bit late now. It should be just before dawn in the World of The Living so I need to get going. I've got school to go to and a kendo tournament to prepare for. I'm glad I was able to see you again Nel. And yes, you too Pesche and Dondochakka." He added with a chuckle when he saw the two about to protest. He turned to Starrk and Harribel as well as their respective Fracción. "It was a pleasure to meet you all as well. You have my deepest apologies for intruding. Please continue to take care of Nel. I know she can be a bit of a handful, but she's a precious friend of mine." He implored.
"Hey!" Nel shouted in protest before puffing her cheeks out in mock anger. She couldn't keep the blush off her cheeks though when she heard Ichigo refer to her as precious.
"Don't worry Ichigo. She's in good hands." Starrk reassured him, getting surprised looks from the others at his voluntary participation in a conversation. Ichigo though, locked eyes with him. There was a moment that passed before both men nodded. Having both reached an understanding of sorts with each other.
"Promise you'll come and visit again, Ichi." Nel pleaded with a little worry. Ichigo looked a little uncomfortable, not sure how to proceed. He wanted to say yes immediately, but he knew that he was an outsider her.
"I would love to visit again, provided that the Lady of the house agrees." He countered, before switching his gaze to Harribel. The aforementioned woman sat there with her eyes closed and her arms crossed underneath her breasts. She went over everything she heard and she came to a similar conclusion to that of her fellow Espada. Not to mention, Kurosaki Ichigo has proven himself to be a man of great substance and character. She also felt a kinship with him and even though she was hesitant to trust again, the least she could do was give him the benefit of the doubt.
"I have no objections."
Nel squealed in happiness before glomping Harribel, much to the annoyance of the blonde.
"Thank you, Tier!" She gushed as she rubbed her cheek against Harribel's causing their large breasts to mash against each other. It was a view that had all the males shift uncomfortably in their seats and pinch their noses to stem the nosebleed that was imminent.
"Get off me, Nelliel." Harribel demanded with a touch of displeasure in her voice. Nel just pouted cutely at her in return.
Ichigo laughed happily at their antics. Something that Nel, Starrk and Harribel immediately noticed. He looked as if a small weight had been taken off his shoulders.
"Thank you for that, Harribel. And I promise to come visit you soon Nel. I'll see you guys later." Ichigo bid farewell with a grateful smile on his face before opening a Garganta and passing through.
There was silence after Ichigo disappeared into the Garganta.
Nel suddenly turned to Harribel, a serious look on her face, something that the others weren't used to, with the exception of Pesche and Dondochakka.
"Thank you, Tier. It means much more to me, and to Ichigo as well, than you realise."
Harribel just scoffed at her before leaving for her private chambers, her mind working overtime thinking about the strange visitor that came and threw her emotions into turmoil.
Nel just smiled as she watched the blonde walk off, confident in the fact that she too was ensnared by Ichigo's charms. Just as she was sure the rest of the Arrancar were. He just had that quality about him that drew you in and before you knew it…you never wanted to leave his side. She made a vow to herself that she would stick by him always. She would have his back and she would follow him to the depths of Hell if he needed her to. It was with that thought that she happily skipped to her room.
(Scene Change)
The Garganta silently opened, depositing Ichigo in the middle of the desert far away from Las Noches. He couldn't take the chance of showing them his other ability yet. It was far more dangerous in his opinion as he didn't need to release his Shikai to use it and it may make them more wary of him.
With nary a thought, the world around him turned red and time was locked in place. He ripped open a Garganta once again before following it to come out in the middle of his bedroom. He looked around to make sure that nobody was around before he released the technique, allowing the world to regain its colour. He looked at the time and saw that it was 3AM. It was too late to sleep now, so he may as well get his day started. He slipped into his human body before grabbing his towel and heading to the shower.
As he let the warm water cascade down on him, he couldn't fight the genuine, heartfelt smile that graced his face at the thought of his new friends. He didn't know it but the gap in his heart, that he didn't even realise was there, was slowly starting to fill up again. The world was looking good for Ichigo once again. He could wait to see what tomorrow brings.
xxxxxxx
Author Note:
Wow, the responses that I'm getting for this story are heart-warming. I'm glad so many people have taking a liking to the premise. The ideas just keep flowing and I have to put them down.
This chapter was the start of Ichigo's journey in building his allies and establishing his faction so to speak. As usual, there are a few things I want to address in this chapter.
Mugetsu: I finally gave you a glimpse of Mugetsu's Shikai in this chapter as well as one of her abilities. Now, for those of you that immediately thought 'Hey! That's a lot like Orihime's ability'…the answer to that is…exactly! That was exactly what I was going for! Please allow me to explain.
Orihime's ability has been establish for a long time now as being in the realm of 'godly'. I won't even hesitate to say that she has the most dangerous ability in Bleach. The thing about it though, is that the explanations we have for its origins are very vague. I remember Urahara Kisuke stating that Ichigo's overflowing reiatsu resonated with the souls of Orihime and Chad, allowing them to awaken their abilities. And that is the explanation I'm going with.
I'm working under the premise that Ichigo's reiatsu imprinted upon Orihime's and Chads soul, allowing them to awaken abilities that are influenced by him. Similar to a Zanpakutō, which if I remember correctly, Nimaiya stated that Asauchi are created by artificially piling up souls. Therefore, I'm theorising that if a soul is powerful enough, than it can act in a manner similar to an Asauchi…which is what happened with Chad and Orihime. To me, Chad's El Directo is ridiculously similar to Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou. Which to me, was the result of Ichigo's soul influencing Chad.
Therefore, in the same way…Orihime's powers are the result of her soul being influenced by Ichigo's soul…which in this story, gave her a set of abilities that came close to what his true powers are. They are similar of course, but not the same. Where Orihime has the power to 'reject', Ichigo is literally reversing time in a designated area. His ability is similar to what Ulquiorra initially theorised Orihime's ability to be. I hope that made sense to you guys.
Now, if you haven't already guessed it, his Shikai sword is the same as the one as his Bankai after it was influenced by his Fullbring. It was too cool of a sword for me not to use it.
There a few more abilities that Mugetsu's has that you will see later on…but I would like to point out right now that almost all of them are support abilities. To me, Ichigo has all the firepower he can ever need. Mugetsu's job is to supplement those abilities. And she does it to devastating effect. Even the premise for his Bankai that I'm working on is just one simple ability. Nothing flashy or awe-inspiring…just one simple ability that to me will be a complete game changer. It is also the perfect counter to Yhwach's 'Almighty'. Feel free to guess what it is. I'll PM you if you are correct.
Ichigo's emotions: As you may have noticed, Ichigo was a lot more passive and subdued in this chapter. I did this for a reason. I wanted to show that even though he is an all-powerful transcendent being…Ichigo is still a teenager. He too has things that he can't overcome with pure power alone. I already foreshadowed it in the last two chapters, but him being on the outs with his friends have affected him much more than he let on. Ichigo, by nature, is a protector. He is at his strongest when he is surrounded by those he cares about. Even though he has Yuzu and Karin, whom he loves deeply and would do anything for, they aren't yet ready to share the burdens that he carries. He needs peers of his own. Those he can call his friends, his comrades, his brothers-in-arms. People he can speak freely to about all aspects of his life. People with whom he can share his power and his happiness with. That's what I wanted to portray here and what I wanted you to understand. This is why he values Nel so highly. It was also why he was so open with them about the events surrounding the end of the war. He was subconsciously hoping to establish a base of trust and friendship. And this is also the reason why the Arrancar mentioned in this chapter will be so important to the future events of the story.
The Combat Pass: 1999 mentioned it in his review, and it honestly never occurred to me that Ichigo could see the Combat Pass after losing his powers even though only spiritually aware people were able to see it. How did he not realise that him being able to see it means that he still has his reiatsu? Is it a continuity error or is there some explanation for it? Please let as curious folk know.
Fullbringers: The next chapter will deal with the Fullbringers. I was honestly just planning on killing them and being done with it, but there are a few things that Ichigo is going to take from them (insert evil laugh). From what I've already outlined, Ichigo will show his manipulative side next chapter and maybe come off as a little cruel. Think of it as the first look at the dark side of him that he's already embraced a few chapters ago.
I don't care much for the Fullbringers but even I would admit that I love Riruka's character. I'm unsure as to what to do with her though. Do I let her disappear into the world or should she join Ichigo's faction? Let me know what you guys think.
TheAllSeeingWolf-195 posed the question about whether I plan on Ichigo awakening his Fullbring. To be honest, I never planned that, as to me, his Fullbring doesn't offer anything that he doesn't already have. I mean sure, the armour is pretty badass…but in this story Ichigo has extremely tough Hierro not to mention Blut Vene for added defence. So it makes the armour kind of redundant. The problem with his Fullbring for me was that they didn't allow him to fully display its abilities, whatever they may have been. So unless I've misinterpreted the nature of his abilities, I won't be using his Fullbring here. If you can give me some solid suggestions though, about unique ways in which I can incorporate it into his arsenal…then I would be more than happy to take it into consideration.
That's it for this chapter. I do have a question though, if any of you are kind enough to answer it as I have no idea whether our favourite blonde Espada's first name is Tier or is it Harribel? I'm confused. Please can someone clarify?
Also…since Arrancar have Zanpakutō…if they were to kill other Hollow's…are those Hollow's purified just as they would have been if they were killed by a Shinigami?
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this, look forward to ore in the future.
Lionheart021 out!