Disclaimer: I have a lov-e-ly bunch of coconuts.
Author Note: From now on, a summary of the last chapter or a small snippet of its ending will be in the start of new chapters. I'm actually excited for this chapter, since now Ichigo and Yoruichi can have fluff that both parties know is happening. Also Bankai training and #Spoilers, but mostly my unending love for fluff.
Last time: Ichigo defeated both Renji and Kenpachi, Uryu shot Mayuri through the heart, and Chad got his ass handed to him by Kyoraku. The most important event, was the long awaited reveal of Yoruichi's true form to Ichigo. On with the show!
1111111111111111111
Hinamori Momo was a truly devoted fukutaicho. This loyalty stemmed from her great admiration for the kind man she was lucky enough to follow, Aizen Sosuke. She remembered to this day what it had been like when she first saw him, he had been promoted several years earlier to the position of taicho, and was at the Academy to spy on new talent. Out of the hundreds of students that had gathered, he had made direct eye-contact with her and smiled.
Then, in her first exercise in the World of the Living, disaster had struck. A large group of Hollows had attacked them, killing a number of students. When she was losing hope, fearing to never see her home or friends again, Aizen had shown himself once more. All of the Hollows were decimated in an instant, Aizen moving to the surviving group and checking for injuries. It was possible she had developed a slight crush on him since then, though she would never admit that.
She had been close friends with several others in the Academy, those being Kira Izuru, Abarai Renji, and, before she had been adopted into her clan, Kuchiki Rukia. Which lead to her current situation. Renji had disappeared during the fukutaichous' meeting, her taicho had been acting suspicious of Izuru's, and Rukia was unfairly scheduled to be executed. Sleep was not going to come easily tonight.
"Aizen-taicho? Do you mind if I come in?" The kindly man turned away from whatever he was writing and smiled at Momo, nodding to her. "Thank you, Taicho. I'm sorry to bother you like this, but I've been really stressed with everything going on recently. I… couldn't sleep." Momo clasped her hands in front of her waist, embarrassed about coming to her taicho for such a minor thing.
"It's alright, Momo. You can stay as long as you like, you're never a bother to me." He smiled once more, then turned back to his writing. Momo idly glanced at the paper, it was too far away to read, but she knew that Aizen had beautiful handwriting. He had even taught calligraphy classes at the Academy. "No peeking, Momo. This is an important letter, one I'm afraid you aren't ready to see." She looked back down, extra nervous knowing that Aizen could apparently see her when she was behind him. That feeling quickly passed though, as it always did. A few minutes later, and she had fallen asleep.
Aizen walked over to Momo, his kind smile still on his face. "Can't let you sleep like that, you might catch a cold." He draped a blanket over her figure, his face turning serious when he stood up. He grabbed his Zanpakutou from next to his desk, and strode out of the office. He turned back for a quick glance at his sleeping fukutaicho, a sigh leaving him. "Sorry Momo, but this is necessary."
1111111111111111111
Ichigo awoke once more, his chest still in pain from Kenpachi's sword. It was puzzling that he had even lived. Kenpachi had used more power than himself, yet Ichigo only had a wound in his right side. Kenpachi had nearly been split in two, three inches deeper and he would have been. Then, there was the white material that had fallen out of his Shihakusho, something he didn't remember ever being there.
"Awake again? Good, I put some clothes on so that you don't try and repeat last time." Yoruichi was smirking at Ichigo, who managed to look at her for almost a second before turning away. His face was reddening again, making Yoruichi worry about having to bandage him a third time. "What's wrong, Ichigo? Am I just too beautiful for you to look at even when I'm dressed?"
"Y-Y-Y-YOU AREN'T WEARING PANTS!" Yoruichi looked down, having spent so much time as a cat that wearing clothes was distinctly uncomfortable. She practically pouted as she slipped the rest of her outfit on, sighing in disappointment that Ichigo was lucid enough to be gentlemanly.
"Fine, I put some on. I don't get why you want me to wear clothes though, I look much better naked. It's also more comfortable, I think you should try it some time." 'I really hope you do try it some time, hiding what you've got should be illegal.' Ichigo turned back around, thankfully unable to hear Yoruichi's more explicit thoughts. He even managed to suppress most of his blush, although the sinfully tight black outfit Yoruichi was wearing would hardly be counted as clothing in his town.
"Tell me what happened while I was unconscious, is everything alright?" Ichigo was actually staring Yoruichi dead in her eyes the whole time he spoke, ignoring how uncomfortably warm he was at the moment. It was thanks to this he managed to notice a bright gleam enter Yoruichi's eyes. The warmth he felt quickly cooled as the icy grasp of fear wrapped him in an embrace.
"Well, there is going to be a scar, but that only adds to your attractiveness. Also, the second time you passed out 'it' was impressively large and hard, so no worries there." Yoruichi probably would have continued her enthusiastic retelling of her experience bandaging Ichigo, if not for her worry that it would lead to even more time spent doing so. Still, teasing him was quickly becoming a favorite activity.
"NOT THAT! I meant tell me about the others! Wait… why would I be completely naked while you dressed wounds on my chest?" Yoruichi completely ignored Ichigo's latest question, thankful that her skin was dark enough it was hard to see her blush. It was Ichigo's fault for passing out in the first place.
"Ganju and that mousy kid you met up with are on their way to Rukia's cell, though there is likely danger there. Chad and Uryu have both been caught, while Orihime has been… adopted by Kenpachi and his fukutaicho. He's kept her hidden so far, but I don't know how long that will last."
Ichigo nodded, and adjusted his blades. He walked to the entrance/exit of the room he was in with Yoruichi, but stopped himself when he saw how high up and far away he was from the tower. "Yoruichi, how did you get me up here? I'm pretty sure that it would burn a lot of power and make your position obvious to air-walk here." Yoruichi's eyes narrowed, but she grabbed a cylindrical object resembling a wand. The tip was shaped like a bird's skull, with four hooked bone protrusions coming from the back of it..
"I used this, it allows the person holding it to fly. All that's required is to channel Reiryoku into it." Ichigo held out his hand, clearly asking if he could examine the object closer. Yoruichi handed it to him, only to leap back as the wing membrane flowed from the protrusions. "What are you doing?! You're still injured, Ichigo, you don't stand a chance against any of the taicho in your condition!"
"I know that you can feel Byakuya's Reiatsu the same as I can. I'm going to help Ganju and Hanatarou, keep yourself safe, Yoruichi." He flew off as soon as he finished his sentence, leaving a frustrated Yoruichi behind.
1111111111111111
(Slightly before)
"Ganju-san, that's the cell Rukia is in. I think I can get us past the guards, just follow me." The duo scaled the tower behind the guards, stopping on the awning directly above them. Hanatarou pulled a small vial from his Shihakusho, dripping a tiny amount of liquid on both of the guards under them. They both fell to the ground immediately, dropping their sasumata and breathing lightly.
"I don't know what you just did to them, and I don't want to. You can be one hell of a scary kid, Hanatarou." Ganju opened the doors into the cell, stopping dead when he saw the Shinigami inside. "You… I can't believe he's trying to save you! You're the one that killed him!" Rukia's fair skin paled further when she heard those words, thoughts of her past returning to haunt her. Ganju backed out of the cell, allowing Hanatarou in to set Rukia free. A voice from across the bridge drew him from his thoughts, sinking all three of their hearts.
"I see that I was right to come here. Return the prisoner to her cell, and I might not have to execute you." Ganju stood in front of Hanatarou and Rukia, the only person in their group able to take the Reiatsu he was pushing out. He drew the wide knife he wore on his back, his face in a position between a smirk and a grimace.
"There's no way that Shiba Ganju will be known as a coward, Shinigami. I don't care about this woman, but Ichigo trusts us to help him." He held his knife in a reverse grip, valiantly keeping his expression confident. The effeminate man in front of him drew his sword slowly, allowing the ring it made to echo before speaking.
"Forgive me. If I had known you were from a noble clan, I would have taken you seriously to begin with. Chire: Senbonzakura." A soft pink glow enshrouded his sword, the blade disappearing as though carried away on a soft breeze. Ganju looked around, noticing what looked like sakura petals floating around him. "Goodbye, member of the Shiba clan. Hopefully your next life in the cycle of reincarnation gives you the power to make better decisions."
Ganju's eyes went wide when the petals surrounding him closed in, blood splattering the white stone of the bridge. Byakuya stepped over his body as he walked to Rukia, his sword scabbarded once more. He jumped back as a Kido flew by his head, Ichigo landing between him and his sister. "I'm here to save you Rukia. Hanatarou, good job getting her out." Ichigo's eyes focused on Ganju, thankful that some level of energy could still be felt from him.
"You again? I am five times stronger here than in your world, and you couldn't handle me then. What makes you think you have a chance?" Byakuya drew his sword, shocked when a small tear showed in his sleeve. He had blinked out of view, winding up a sword's length from Ichigo.
"I can follow and counter your moves now, and I just fought another taicho to a close victory. You aren't as intimidating as he was." Ichigo was thankful that Rukia was too stunned to speak yet, otherwise she would probably be yelling at him for coming to rescue her. Byakuya launched a second offensive, high slashes aimed for Ichigo's head and low stabs at his center of mass deflected with similar effort.
The short exchange was halted as Byakuya disengaged, bringing his sword vertically in front of him. His sword flared for a moment, before what appeared to be bandages wrapped around his blade, stopping his Shikai from activating. The figure that held the bandages flickered, Ichigo looking down to see their hand in the wound from Kenpachi. He passed out once more beginning to get irritated with how often that had been happening lately.
Yoruichi almost sighed, but kept herself aware of her surroundings. She ducked under a slash from Byakuya, flickering in place to land atop his sword when he attempted to stab her. "Nice try, Byakuya-bo, but I can't let you fight Ichigo yet. Give me three days, and he'll beat you. Oh, and don't even try to follow me, there's no way you'll be able to keep up." Yoruichi disappeared with a wink, a new voice stalling him before he could follow her.
"Kuchiki-taicho! What's going on, I felt you release your Zanpakuto?" A pale man with white hair, stood on the far side of the bridge from Rukia and Hanatarou. "Rukia?" She looked away from her taicho, barely managing to bring herself back inside the tower.
"You didn't hear about what happened this morning, Ukitake-taicho? We have been granted authorization to use our powers as we see fit after Aizen's death." Ukitake's eyes widened, coughs beginning to wrack his frame as he dealt with the surprise. Two more Shinigami showed themselves, grabbing onto their taicho and leaving without a word.
111111111111111
(Significantly earlier)
Momo opened her eyes, noticing a blanket fall as she sat up. "Aizen-taicho? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep in your office…" She trailed off when she realized that her taicho wasn't in the room. She folded the blanket he had gave her, walking out of the room and heading around the corner to her room. A silent group standing and staring at something up on the wall caught her attention, her own eyes following the gazes of her fellows.
"AIZEN-TAICHO!" Momo's scream caused everyone staring to snap out of their trance, several high level Shinigami running towards her. She fell to her knees, tears flowing freely down her face. Aizen Sosuke's body was anchored to the wall by his own Zanpakuto, a massive blood-stain all around him.
"Such a shame. I wonder who could have done that?" Gin's omnipresent smile hadn't faded in the slightest, morphing Momo's grief into rage. She stood and drew her blade, another scream echoing from her as she attempted to strike the one person she knew Aizen didn't trust.
"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS! HAJIKE: TOBIUME!" Momo's katana straightened, before extra prongs formed on its length. A wordless snarl formed on her lips, and with the sound of a gull's cry, a fireball flew at the fox-faced taicho. A blonde man dropped to the ground in front of her as she attempted to release a second blast, his own blade squarely hooked.
"Momo! I don't know why you think Ichimaru-taicho did this, but calm down! Lower your weapon and you might not get executed!" She ignored him, attempting to lift her blade for another attack. Izuru narrowed his eyes, striking her Zanpakuto five times in succession. The blade dropped from Momo's hands, creating a small crater in the ground. Momo lifted her hands by themselves, the telltale glow of a Kido forming.
"Stop." Toshiro phased between the two, his hand on his own Zanpakuto. "You didn't have permission to release your Zanpakuto, and you don't have evidence against Ichimaru-taicho. Both of you will be put in holding cells until this matter is settled." A dozen Shinigami wielding Sasumata rushed to detain the two fukutaicho, neither one resisting for fear Toshiro would actually hurt them.
"Nice job there, Hitsugaya-taicho. I was about to step in myself, thanks for keeping my hands clean." Toshiro glared at his colleague, refusing to answer him. 'The only reason I got involved was because I sensed you were about to kill Momo.' No, he could give the older man a warning, but he would need evidence before anything else could happen.
"I'm only going to say this once, so listen closely." Gin leaned forward, acting overly curious in what the young prodigy had to say. "If you so much as touch Momo, I'll Kill You." The two backed away from each other, Gin surprised enough to open his eyes. A Hell Butterfly flew over to them, interrupting their staredown with news of a meeting.
11111111111111111
(Present)
Yoruichi was impatiently waiting for Ichigo to wake up. She knew that he was close to fully recovered from his fight with Kenpachi, but there was no way he would be able to fight Byakuya in his current condition. An irritated groan sounded from behind her, nearly making her wince as she considered how upset Ichigo would be with her.
Ichigo really hoped he wouldn't pass out anymore, the headache he always woke up with was quite possibly more annoying than his father. He stood and walked to where he could see Yoruichi, observing his surroundings to be similar to those where he had trained with Urahara. "After everything that has happened, and you saving my life after my fight with Kenpachi, I'll give you a chance. Why did you keep me from fighting him and saving Rukia?"
Yoruichi met his eyes, glad he was calm enough for her to explain. "There's no way you can beat him yet. He still has a secret weapon you have yet to see, the greatest technique of any taicho save Kenpachi. Bankai, the final release of a Zanpakuto. Using raises the user's power on average from three to ten times what it is in their Shikai. It takes ten years to achieve, and another ten to master. I have the secret to allowing you to achieve it in three days."
Ichigo took a deep, calming breath. The level of Reiatsu from such an increase would have not only overpowered him, but crushed Rukia in her weakened state. His eyes followed Yoruichi as she walked away from him, straying once a little lower than was appropriate. A large doll, vaguely human shaped, was drawn from behind a boulder.
"This is a Tenshintai, it is used to forcibly manifest the Zanpakuto spirit of a Shinigami, by said Shinigami stabbing it with their Zanpakuto. Once this is accomplished, you will have three days of training to convince your spirit to grant you Bankai. Are you ready?" Ichigo nodded, drawing both of his blades and thrusting them into the doll as one. Bright golden light obscured its form, until a familiar figure stood before Ichigo.
"I see you have called me into the outside world, do you think yourself ready for all of my power?" The figure was just as regal in the outside world as he had been in Ichigo's head, holding himself with the utmost in nobility.
"Yes, I do. Even if I didn't, we don't have much choice. I can't beat my foes without your help, Kogane. Please, show me how to use your true strength, so I may better protect my friends." Yoruichi gazed curiously at Ichigo's Zanpakuto, believing wholeheartedly that many people wouldn't see how well it represented Ichigo. The being was obviously a king, the crown and ermine cloak made that obvious. It seemed to take his ideas of 'nobility, protection, and responsibility', and physically manifest a being using those concepts.
"Very well, Ichigo. First, you must pass a test. Fight me, blade to blade, and try to understand my power. There is one thing I want you to think on while you try to truly understand me. He who basks in the brightest of light, casts the darkest of shadows." Ichigo's Shikai blades materialized in the scabbards the spirit wore, barely a second passed before he charged Ichigo.
The young Shinigami ducked the attack, lashing out with a kick to buy some time and distance. He noticed that his blades had reformed on his person as well, though they weighed significantly less than he was used to. When he moved to guard against the next attack from his manifested spirit, he was shocked to see the blade it used go straight through his own. He managed to twist to the side, but took a shallow cut along his ribs in spite of his efforts to dodge. Even worse, another cut mirroring the first opened on his other side, though no blade had gone near there.
"Think, Ichigo! You have more than a sword, more than you can touch, more than you can see!" A stab from the shorter, wider blade opened larger wounds in his shoulders. This time, he noticed that the attack hit the front of his right shoulder, but the back of his left. He released a Sokatsui at his spirits stomach, disengaging from the battle and attempting to find what his spirit was using to strike him from behind. Instead of finding that, he saw a golden light flash from the ground, before it brightened to a painful white.
"You really don't understand yet, Ichigo? Maybe if I show you more of our power. Hakko Taiho!" The energy that had been building in the short blade the spirit used escaped from its prison in the blade. The formerly golden light grew more intense, until all color bleached from it. Ichigo leapt down from the plateau he had used to look around, the blast levelling it and tearing chunks from the ceiling.
Ichigo could feel the heat and pressure from the blast, amazed at how much more powerful it was than when he used it against Urahara. He was set upon once more as he landed, more confidence in his ability to handle the blades than the massive energy cannon his second sword had turned out to be. "Ichigo, stop trying to block our blades with your body! Think about what we've said and what has happened before we try again. Maybe you'll be able to draw an actual blade as opposed to a shadow next time."
The Tenshintai reappeared, the blades Ichigo was using vanished as his real ones became visible stabbed into the odd device. He knew that they would try again later that day, that his spirit had only relented due to the wounds he had suffered early on. Yoruichi walked over to him, examining his newest injuries. "I'm amazed that he tried so hard to hurt you, even if he was trying to teach you as well. Did he speak to you using the royal 'we' when you met him before, or is that new?"
Ichigo shook his head, ashamed that his first showing against his Zanpakuto was so feeble. "I don't think he was using it this time either. Urahara-san said that most people with dual-blades, like me, have two spirits. I suffered attacks that I didn't see from the opposite side of his attacks as well, I'm beginning to think that I only know half of my Zanpakuto." He sighed, at this rate he would be lucky to survive his Bankai training, let alone actually achieve his goal.
"It doesn't make any sense, I could see the blades I was using, I could even feel them, but they weren't there. I know that my powers are light based, but I doubt that includes illusions, especially considering I could touch them. His cryptic statements won't be any help until I can figure them out either. More than I can touch is probably about the fact that I didn't actually have a weapon in my hands, but I don't know what else he could have meant." Yoruichi frowned, while she had a slight idea, it was up to Ichigo to earn his Zanpakuto's respect and gain Bankai.
"I can give you some other training for now, before I get you healed up enough to go against him again. If you channel Reiryoku to your feet and take a step, you can activate Shunpo, a high-speed movement technique. It's what I did to stop Byakuya and knock you out at the bridge. Take some time to get used to moving like that, and meet me over by that rock formation." She pointed closer to the entrance, leaving Ichigo a few minutes to try and use this new technique.
Yoruichi had an excellent plan to tease Ichigo once more, she just needed a few minutes to get ready. Next time he practiced her favorite art, she would be there to show him how great she was and get more teasing, but her current plan was more than enough.
Ichigo moved to where Yoruichi had pointed earlier, only to blush heavily and pinch his nose at what he saw. Sitting in a hot spring with mist obscuring most of her form was his newest teacher. She turned her head and met his gaze, and began speaking once more in the sensual voice that had nearly killed him when he first saw her. "So, Ichigo-kun… would you like to join me in the bath?"
Hakko Taiho: White Light Cannon
Endnote: So I didn't update last week, and between the last update and this one I hit three hundred favorites and 400 follows. This is also the 31st chapter I have posted overall, when my next story updates, I'll have more chapters than the number of days in any month. Sorry, no hints for next chapter in this endnote.