Chapter 6
Hueco Mundo, Las Noches, Ichigo's Room
"...AND WITH THIS I WILL BE THE KING! SO LONG ICHIGO!" The hollow screamed in victory.
Ichigo snapped forward in his bed with a cold sweat covering his body. He tried to reassure himself that it was just a dream. Just another nightmare like the other ones. Unfortunately the faint cackling laughter in the back of his mind told him it wasn't a coincidence he couldn't sleep soundly ever since his run in with his inner hollow two days ago.
'Why? Why are you doing this to me?' he thought in desperation.
There was no verbal reply but instead an impression of a plan hit his mind. An Ichigo without sleep was an unfocused Ichigo. An unfocused Ichigo was a weak Ichigo. And a weak Ichigo was easy prey.
"Like I'll make it that easy for you..."Ichigo grumbled to himself.
He wiped the sweat off his face with his blanket and looked towards the clock resting upon the white dresser. It's bright green numbers the only source of light in the darkness.
'2:18 huh? So that's...an hour and 40 minutes of sleep between the nightmares...shit. The gaps are getting shorter.'
Not feeling like subjecting himself to more harassment from something invading his dreams Ichigo reluctantly swung his legs over his bed and began getting dressed for the day. He slid open his closet and saw a huge array of uniquely designed white clothing and of course a single shinigami shihakusho.
He briefly pondered wearing one of the white outfits. The material certainly looked comfortable and the imagined reactions of the others seeing him dressed like the Arrancar got a chuckle to escape his throat. However in the end he went with the familiar black.
As he slipped his arms through the sleeves he couldn't help but talk to himself. "You know I'm not sure if I should feel grateful or creeped out that someone keeps putting a fresh outfit in my closet when I'm sleeping…"
Ichigo exited his room and started walking without a destination in mind. 'Nothing to do for a few hours. Might as well go exploring. Maybe clear my head.'
Close to two hours later he began to really regret not doing this with a guide as he was completely and hopelessly lost.
'Damn it. This is the fifth corridor I've found that looks just like this...or did I finally make my way back to the third one? Why the hell would you design a place like this? At least put up signs!'
"Hey you! Shinigami! This is all your fault isn't it!" a voice screamed at him from behind.
Ichigo turned around and watched as an Arrancar with serrated teeth and a green cloth wrapped over half his head stomped towards him. "You're the one who convinced Lord Aizen to change the number system aren't you?" he accused.
Ichigo blinked. "Wow...That was quick. It hasn't even been a full two days. When did this happen?"
"JUST NOW! LORD AIZEN HAD A MEETING WITH ALL THE NÚMEROS! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?"
"You guys had a meeting at four in the morning?" Ichigo asked incredulously.
A second Arrancar, this one with black braided hair and a mask topped by a long spike pointing to the right, approached the two in a brisk walk with his arms folded behind him. "You'll have to forgive Di Roy Mr. Kurosaki. He's a little upset at the moment over his new ranking. To answer your question though, I think you'll find that the 24 hour day means very little within Hueco Mundo. When there is no sunrise or sunset time just seems to blend together."
"You're damn right I'm upset!" The Arrancar now identified as Di Roy protested. "Before I was No.16. One of the oldest Números in Lord Aizen's army. I had respect. Seniority! Now everyone will just see me as the lowest ranking Fracción! Even that bitch Loly was laughing at me!"
"Um...not to interrupt...but who exactly are you two?" Ichigo asked.
The taller Arrancar turned to Ichigo and gave a courteous half-bow with one hand on his chest. "My apologies Mr. Kurosaki. How rude of me. We are both Fracción serving under Espada No. 6 Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. I am the newly designated Arrancar No.19 Shawlong Koufang and my comrade here is Di Roy Rinker who now holds the title Arrancar No. 44."
Di Roy huffed as his rank was revealed.
"Nice to meet you. Call me Ichigo. None of that Mr. Kurosaki stuff." he said while extending his hand.
"And you may call me Shawlong." The Arrancar said with a smile as he shook the shinigami's hand.
"So you both work under Grimmjow huh? I haven't really had the chance to talk to the guy. What's he like?"
Before the Arrancar could answer Ichigo's stomach rumbled and the shinigami looked away a little embarrassed. "...and do you know where I could get some food around here? I've been exploring the palace but I'm kind of lost." he continued.
Shawlong chuckled. "Yes Ichigo. If you'll just follow me. We can talk on the way."
Di Roy followed behind the two grumbling the whole way.
Soul Society, Commander Yamamoto's Office
Isshin Kurosaki was marched through the double doors with spirit suppression cuffs over his wrists and three captains at his back. He was stopped at the center of the room and stared straight ahead unfeelingly at his former boss.
"Release him." Yamamoto said gruffly from his position in front of his desk.
Captain Kuchiki twisted a key into a slot on the side of the restraints and they snapped off with *click*.
"Leave us." The commander then demanded.
Captains Unohana, Kuchiki, and Ukitake all turned and headed for the door. Ukitake hesitated for a moment as if to say something but must have thought better of it and left through the exit without a peep.
Isshin rubbed his wrists where the restraints were a moment ago. "I suppose..." he started. "...I should at least thank you for having the courtesy to wait until my girls were at school before you had me dragged out of my own home at sword point."
"A coincidence." Yamamoto dismissed.
"You really are heartless aren't you?"
"I am whatever Soul Society needs me to be. I rarely have the luxury of compassion."
Isshin sighed. "What do you want old man? I told Jūshirō at my home that I was stranded in the human world."
"And that is the only thing you told him." Yamamoto countered. "I want a full briefing. Every detail. I want to know exactly how one of my most promising captains went out on a simple scouting mission, vanished, and then reappeared 20 years later with three children. Explain it to me." he demanded.
So Isshin took a deep breath and began his story. About how he was attacked by Aizen and an experimental hollow under his command that was possibly Vasto Lorde class in strength. He talked about a passing quincy girl saving his life and about how he gave up his powers to return the favor. For over half an hour he talked and talked until his tale concluded with his powers returning to him rather recently.
Yamamoto hmmed to himself as the story finished. "Do you know why your powers have come back after all this time?"
"I can speculate."
"Will you?"
"No."
Yamamoto huffed. "Very well. It doesn't affect my decision. I do not agree with your chivalrous choice to trade your powers to save the girls life. You were a captain of the Gotei 13 and you had responsibilities far beyond that of saving one human. Secondly, I feel the need to remind you that it is illegal for shinigami to father human offspring. The mother being a quincy only makes the transgression even more egregious. Although you yourself were powerless at the time your genetics were not. Third, you did not even attempt to contact Soul Society and explain your situation."
"So what? You gonna chuck me in prison for abandoning my post? Failing my sacred duty? Some shit like that?" Isshin scowled.
Yamamoto cracked his eyes open. "No. If Central 46 were in session I have no doubt that that is the decision they would make. However, for the moment I am in charge. What Soul Society does not need right now is to throw a captain class fighter away when we are at the cusp of war. You will be taking up the vacant captain position for the 9th division and you are confined to Seireitei for a probationary period of three years. You may leave only to partake in major battles and pick up your daughters this evening to relocate them to Soul Society."
"And If I refuse?"
"Then I will take your daughters from you and personally register them in the shinigami academy by this time tomorrow with specific instructions to turn them into the most heartless killers the Gotei 13 has ever seen."
"You wouldn't!" Isshin snarled.
"Try me boy. I am whatever Soul Society needs me to be. And what it needs from me right now is getting you to lead the 9th. Are we in agreement?"
"Fine. I agree." Isshin spat. "On two conditions."
"Name them."
"Yuzu and Karin get to live with me in the squad barracks. They don't have to stay with the shiba's in Rukongai. Any training they receive, if any at all, is done under my supervision."
"Done. And the second?"
"You will remove the 'Kill On Sight' order for my son immediately. Something which I'm sure you only put over his head to make me cooperative anyway."
Yamamoto allowed himself to grin. It was so nice when a plan came together. "Agreed."
The Desert Just Outside Las Noches, Later That Day
Neliel frowned and lowered her sword back into it's sheath. "We're done for the day."
"What! No I can keep going." Ichigo protested.
"Ichigo. You're swaying on your feet. You clearly haven't slept much and on top of all that you refuse to enter your bankai. What's the problem?"
"I'm just trying to get more practice in with Zangetsu in his normal state. I can't just jump straight to my bankai every time I enter a fight."
Neliel narrowed her eyes. "You know how I feel about you lying to me Ichigo." she threatened.
Ichigo averted his gaze and swore under his breath. 'How does she always see through me?'
"...I...I can't. He wants me too." Ichigo explained.
"Who?" she demanded.
"Him. I can feel him in my head. He's taunting me. Daring me to activate my bankai."
"Do you think he'll be able to grab control again?" she asked blankly.
"I don't know...maybe...I'll probably be able to hold him back." Ichigo guessed uncertainly.
"So if you think you can mentally restrain him what's the problem?"
"I might not be able to. He might get out!" Ichigo yelled as if that explained everything.
"And if he does then I will subdue him until you wrest back control. So I ask again. What is the problem?"
Ichigo hesitated a moment before speaking. "...he could hurt you."
Neliel sighed as her default look of impassiveness melted away and a soft smile made it's way to her face. "It's touching that you're worried about me Ichigo. Very charming. But our goal here is to train you. We were making healthy progress before he appeared and we won't be stopping on his account. In case you have forgotten I am a member of the Espada and not some fragile little woman. Now release your bankai before I-"
A buzz of sonido interrupted her as Ulquiorra appeared in the space between the two. "Ichigo Kurosaki. Lord Aizen has requested your presence immediately. I have been assigned to escort you." he stated with an emotionless voice.
"What is this regarding Ulquiorra?" Neliel inquired.
His eyes briefly shifted to the lower ranked Espada. "I am not required to answer that. If you wish to know you may follow us." Ulquirorra turned his eyes back to Ichigo and placed his hand on the young mans shoulder. Then with another buzz the two vanished from the desert.
Las Noches, Throne Room, A Few Minutes Later
Ichigo stood before the stone monument that held Aizen's chair at the top waiting for the man to appear. Off to the side of the room four others stood along the wall. Chad looked nervous for his friend and wondered what the reason for this summons was. Neliel felt the same only she hid it better. Ulquiorra stared straight ahead without looking at anything in particular and Chad's new training partner Dordoni felt out of place and was regretting tagging along.
Slow footsteps clicked on the stone pavement from above as Aizen appeared with a pink haired Arrancar at his side. Ichigo recognized the Arrancar as one of the Espada but couldn't recall ever speaking to him.
The leader of Las Noches sat down in his chair and rested his chin on his fist. "Thank you for bringing him Ulquiorra. You are excused. Dordoni, my apologies that you came all this way but this meeting does not concern you." Aizen said politely.
Ulquiorra left slowly and calmly without a word whereas Dordoni tried to leave with as much haste as possible while still maintaining a sense of grace. Let it not be said that he didn't know a dismissal when he heard one.
"Neliel and Sado. You may both stay. I have no doubt Ichigo would tell you both anyway."
"Tell me what exactly?" Ichigo spoke up.
Aizen closed his eyes and looked to be in thought for a moment. "Where to begin?" he asked no one in particular. "Tell me Ichigo. How important would you say information is when preparing for a war?"
"It depends." Ichigo answered noncommittally.
"Good intelligence is of extreme importance. There is a saying that 'knowing is half the battle' but I personally think that to be an understatement. In the years before I left Soul Society I installed a number of devices all over Seireitei as well as a few other areas of interest and kept them hidden through the use of a custom kidō. These devices transmit information such as reiatsu readings and audio recordings to a control room here in Las Noches where several individuals comb through it for noteworthy intel. Unfortunately in my absence many of these devices have been discovered and subsequently shut down by the 12th division. However for at least the short-term future we are still getting enough information to have a good idea of what's going on outside this palace."
"What does this have to do with me?" Ichigo asked.
"You'll understand momentarily. Part of me wished to keep this from you but imagining your reaction if I did convinced me I shouldn't. Szayel would you please read the relevant readings from devices KT-018 and SS-237."
"Yes Lord Aizen." The Espada said as he adjusted his mask-glasses. "At 11:02 local time Karakura town three large reiatsu signatures appeared out of a senkaimon gate. The patterns matched with captains Retsu Unohana, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Jūshirō Ukitake. 12 minutes later at 11:14 the three reiatsu signatures disappeared back into the senkaimon alongside a fourth much lower reiatsu pattern that our database did not recognize."
Ichigo's eyes widened fearfully as he made a guess as to what was coming next.
"Next. At 12:49 a conversation was recorded between two mid-ranking shinigami officers outside the 1st divisions barracks. They subject of their conversation was that captain Isshin Shiba who has been missing in action for two decades was brought in to seireitei with spirit suppression cuffs over his wrists and was being escorted by sword point to the captain-commanders office by three captains. Would you like me to read the actual transcript Lord Aizen?"
"No Szayel. I do not believe that to be necessary. Please return to your station and keep me up to date on further developments."
"Of course Lord Aizen." Szayel said with a bow before excusing himself.
Aizen looked back at Ichigo and found the boy shaking and trying to decide between being angry or terrified. "What are they going to do to him?" Ichigo asked.
The room was silent as Aizen thought about the different types of answers he could give. One answer would calm the boy. Another could increase his hate of Soul Society even further. Another might just keep him feeling jittery and unsettled until further information came. A fourth option was just telling the boy the truth that they were probably going to try and recruit his father for the upcoming conflict. Then there was...Ohhh...that could work.
Aizen shifted in his seat and put on an air of being worried and concerned on Ichigo's behalf. "It is likely that they will imprison him just as they did you and Sado before they execute him. Yamamoto has never been forgiving to those who abandon their post. A man of Isshin's political stature could serve as an example to all the rank and file shinigami that not even ex-captains are safe from breaking the law. I'm sorry Ichigo."
"NO!" Ichigo blurted out in a panic. "I will not let that happen! How long before they kill him?" Ichigo demanded.
"The standard wait time in this scenario is 5 days." Aizen answered without missing a beat.
"Then I have time to save him! How do I get to Soul Society from here?" Ichigo asked desperately.
Aizen looked at the boy with sorrow. "You know I can't let you leave Ichigo. Not with your inner hollow situation being what it is."
Ichigo's face switched from desperate pleading to hardened steel instantly. "Fine. I'll find my own way out." Ichigo spat.
He turned around and marched towards the door only for Neliel to walk out and block his path. "Lord Aizen is right Ichigo. Going to Soul Society like this will only get you killed. You're a little stronger than when you arrived here but it isn't enough. Especially with you low on sleep and afraid to use your bankai."
"Get out of the way Nel." Ichigo demanded coldly.
Neliel winced at the tone that came alongside the shortened name that he had previously only used when they teased each other during sparring. "I will not. I have grown...fond...of you. I am not going to stand aside and let you march to your death." she declared as she drew her sword.
Chad transformed his right arm but didn't know if he should fight alongside his best friend or help Neliel prevent him from doing something stupid. He promised to follow Ichigo wherever he went but at the same time he'd rather have Ichigo pissed at him than dead.
Aizen raised his spiritual pressure a little to remind the others that he was still in the room. Not enough to incapacitate but enough to get all their attention back on him. "Ichigo. I believe you misheard me. I said I can't let you leave because of your hollow situation. If that situation were to change then my decision would as well."
Ichigo's anger was replaced by confusion and then just as quick shifted to hope. "You mean you know how to get rid of it?"
"Get rid of it? No. But there is something I would like to try." Aizen proclaimed as he reached into his pocket and held out the Hōgyoku between two fingers. It's inner flame glinting beautifully for all to see.