Up in the air, high over the Kuchiki estate, it was much easier to estimate the enormous fortune of the Kuchiki family. Their sprawling estate went on for acres in all directions. They even owned a good portion of the forest that lay to the east, which had belonged to their family since Ginrei Kuchiki had bought it as a conservation effort and engagement gift for his wife, who was a botanical archivist.
All that wealth and history was lost on Ichigo's hollow, who struck at Aizen with the ferocity of a wild animal.
"Getsuga TENSHOU!"
A blade of black reishi flung itself at Aizen, who tilted his shield and sent the attack spiraling off towards the forest. An explosion met their ears, and a great swathe of trees fell, all severed by the attack.
"And now you're destroying their forest?" Aizen asked mockingly. "My, my, you'll be lucky to escape the death penalty after this."
The only response was an inhuman, blood chilling howl, resonating from the hollow's frustration. That same Getsuga Tenshou had been enough to temporarily defeat Yhwach, though he had immediately undid his death. How was it that Aizen's shield could deflect such a powerful attack?
The appearance of another extremely powerful spiritual pressure alerted both Ichigo and Aizen. Shunsui Kyoraku, the Head Captain of the Gotei 13, hovered in midair next to the nobleman and the hollow. With each of their positions, they formed a perfect triangle in the skies.
"Good evening Lord Hideyoshi, Ichigo. Or is it still afternoon? It's awfully dark out, so I can't really tell." The Captain-Commander scratched his chin, looking perplexed for a moment before remembering why he had interrupted their battle in the first place.
"Ah, right! Sorry, I got a little lost in my own thoughts. Now then, Ichigo… what exactly are you doing here? I thought we had a deal, remember? You were going to take some time to get your life back on track, enjoy yourself, live a little! You promised me you would graduate before you came back here, to give your spirit energy time to temper. Instead, you're right back here, causing a ruckus. Do you have any idea how much paperwork Nanao is gonna make me do because of this?"
The hollow could not look more confused. Beneath its mask, its amber eyes were as round as coins. It was hard to tell if he had even understood a word Shunsui had said.
"If I may, Head Captain… I believe this young man is distraught. I know he considers my lovely Rukia to be a very close friend. Perhaps this is the desperate act of a troubled young man terrified of losing someone precious to him?"
Shunsui narrowed his eyes. Ichigo had never been the sort of guy to be scared of change. That said, it was certainly hard to gauge his feelings for Rukia. The two of them had been connected at the hip, save when Rukia had been imprisoned, and when Ichigo had lost his spirit powers. Love could make the greatest of men look like fools, and desperation would only serve to fuel that pyre.
'Oh, to be young and in love,' Kyoraku thought, smirking to himself as he tilted the brim of his hat down.
Aizen waited for something to happen, but Kyoraku just stood there, looking quite unaffected by the incredibly tense situation. Ichigo was still confused, though he seemed to be recovering from his surprise. The impostor was about to point this out when Kyoraku posed a question.
"Say, Kamisaigaiku, were you aware of the fact that there are three distinct hollowfications a soul reaper can experience?"
Aizen, taken aback by the odd line of questioning, knit his brow and answered in character.
"I can't say that I am very knowledgeable when it comes to hollows. My experience with them is quite limited. Even more so with shinigami who possess hollow powers."
"Well, it's actually a fairly recent discovery," Shunsui said casually, "I've had an awful lot of resources devoted to the study of these unique soul reapers, thanks to the combined efforts of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Shinji Hirako-"
"RRRAAAAAAWWWWWWWWGGHHHH!"
It seemed Ichigo had had enough of being ignored. He bellowed violently before rearing back with the Tensa Zangetsu, poised to slash both Kyoraku and Kamisaigaiku out of the sky. As one, the Captain-Commander and nobleman raised their hands, pointing at Ichigo.
"Bakudo 61, Rikujokoro!"
Rods of light burst from the hollow's midsection, freezing him in place mid swing.
"Well, the first two types of hollowfication are simple. One type is willing, and the other is unwilling. The latter, however, has two different sub-types," Kyoraku continued, as if nothing had happened, "One unwilling hollowfication sees the shinigami wielding hollow powers, though this seems to stem from the shinigami's own personal 'dark side'."
"And what of the other?"
"The second type is more of the opposite," Shunsui explained, glancing at Ichigo, "it's when the hollow almost completely overtakes the shinigami, becoming feral and unresponsive to civilized conversation. Unless I'm mistaken, that's most likely what we're dealing with. The real question is what could have caused such a transformation? In most cases, there needs to be a life or death scenario before the hollow can assume control."
A strange hiss interrupted his words, and Kyoraku turned to find that the Bakudo on Ichigo was rapidly deteriorating. The spirit energy that comprised the bindings turned black and flecked away, like rust corroding metal. The hollow was now able to move its head, and was staring quite intently at the Head Captain who had denied him his prey.
Clenching his hands, the hollow called forth every store of power it had, drawing from its deepest reserves as the beast within was released. It closed its eyes, breathing heavily. The mask, which had slowly been deteriorating, began to reform, now growing horns, and completely covering Ichigo's head. The bankai shihakusho, which was as black as the night sky, was fading, as if it had been submerged in bleach. It became white, with great patches of red fur lining the sleeves and collar that gave the ensemble a barbaric appearance. Ichigo's hair grew longer as well, reaching his lower back.
"Hmm. This is unprecedented," Shunsui said, his voice now touched with an edge that hadn't been there before.
From within Ichigo's inner world, the hollow focused, meditating as it drew upon a power it hadn't used since returning to Ichigo. The words that came to mind and flashed behind his eyelids seemed to glow, as if splattered on a wall with glowing red paint… or was it blood? Quietly, the hollow spoke those words aloud.
"Vasto Lorde!" the hollow proclaimed as his eyes snapped open.
And just like that, the skyscrapers that stretched into infinity all around him began to shatter and crumble, with great cracks spidering across the concrete as the hollow's spiritual pressure grew even stronger.
In the physical world, Ichigo's black reiatsu crackled to life, and the last remnants of the bakudo shattered as easily as glass before falling back to the earth. Wasting no time, the hollow lunged for Lord Kamisaigaiku, who raised his Ward and braced for the impact.
His confident smile vaporized, however, for the Tensa Zangetsu, which had previously glanced off of the Ward, pierced the shield and slid home, driving in right up to the hilt. The blade of the sword was mere inches from Aizen's face, and the flickering red flame-shaped hamon seemed to glow the color of blood, as if it could sense how close it were to severing his flesh.
Try thought the hollow might, he could not pull Zangetsu free of the Ward, no matter how hard he struggled. When his desperate yanking failed him, the hollow began to look for alternatives. It wrapped its clawed hand around the corner of the Ward, ignoring the sizzling of its own searing flesh as it slowly but surely pulled the Ward away from Aizen.
'Where did all of this strength come from?' the false nobleman wondered, his eyes wide as he found his own boundless power being overcome by the hollowfied substitute soul reaper.
The hollow growled, a shudder running through its body as black ichor ran from beneath its fingers. There was virtually nothing separating Ichigo and Kamisaigaiku, and the nobleman was so disturbed that he could hardly think of the right spell for the situation.
Salvation came in the form of a shadow that appeared behind Ichigo, which held aloft two wickedly sharp blades.
"Bankai! Katen Kyōkotsu: Futatsu Tamashī Monogatari!"
In the instant that Kyoraku's reiatsu flared and his bankai was unleashed, the hollow lost interest in Kamisaigaiku. The captain commander brought his swords down on the hollow, the hazy outline of a smiling woman draped across his shoulders as he struck. There was no spray of blood, as one might expect. The blade seemed to ignore the flesh and bone of its target altogether, aiming instead for the hollow's psyche.
"Act One," Kyoraku and the woman said in unison, "Betrayal of an Adulterous Lover."
On one hand, Ichigo was now free of the room that he had been imprisoned within.
On the other, his inner world, which had been fine minutes ago, now lay in ruins. Shattered glass and broken pieces of concrete and rubble went on as far as the eye could see. There were no signs of the hollow, and Ichigo couldn't even sense his malevolent doppelganger's reiatsu. Even so, something was amiss. Ichigo knew it. Something was… off.
With a start, he realized that everything seemed grey, as if the color had been sucked right out of his surroundings. A keen sense of melancholy draped itself across his shoulders like a cloak of despair; weighing him down and causing his shoulders to slump. Panicked alarms went off in his head as he stared out at the desolation. Could this great sadness be caused by the destruction of his inner world? Or was there more too it?
Putting that thought aside, Ichigo took a step, and his foot crunched on broken glass. When he looked down, he noted that the glass was uniquely shiny and bright, unlike everything else he looked at. Bending at the knee, Ichigo crouched and picked up a shard of glass about the size of a CD. Images moved within it, as if shadows were flickering across its surface. Looking around, Ichigo saw all of the broken glass on the ground was shining in a similar fashion. The glass, as far as he could tell, was the only source of light and color, so Ichigo tilted the shard in his hand back and forth, trying to focus on the images within it.
But what he saw brought forth hot, bitter tears and made him clench the glass shard so tightly that the edges bit into his flesh and sent rivulets of blood dripping down his arm.
He saw Rukia, dressed in clothes from the world of the living. The wall behind her was painted a color he recognized almost instantly. She was standing in his room, in the Kurosaki clinic. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground, and her posture was slumped. She carried an air of nervousness about her that put Ichigo on edge.
The adopted Kuchiki looked a bit older than she was now, and her hair was a bit longer. The more Ichigo looked at her, the more he found the image becoming real, until he could no longer distinguish between his inner world, and the image of Rukia reflected upon the shattered windows all around him.
He stood in the Kurosaki Clinic, in his bedroom. Rukia, the love of his life, with whom he'd made some of his best and more cherished memories, stood before him. Ichigo wasn't sure how, but he could sense that they had been together and happy for years. So then, why was he so anxious? And why was Rukia acting so strangely?
"I'm sorry," she told him. "I'm so sorry… but I'm not in love with you anymore."
The ominous feeling in Ichigo's chest redoubled upon itself, turning into a painful tightness. The way Rukia had been behaving suddenly made sense.
Sucking in a shaky breath, Ichigo asked, "Who is he?"
Rukia froze, looking as though she'd been struck by a rogue bolt of lightning. She met Ichigo's eye for a fraction of a second before turning away, her guilt making it too hard to look directly at him.
"It's Renji."
Ichigo ran his dry tongue across his lips, preparing to ask the one question he never thought he would have to ask of the woman he had loved with every fiber of his being.
"Did you… did you sleep with him?"
In lieu of an answer, Rukia bit her lower lip, and her chin began to wobble. Ichigo immediately knew what was coming, and he felt his legs turn into jelly.
"Yes," she whispered.
Like a video tape rewinding, the scene blurred and warped, replaying that devastating moment again and again on an infinite loop. Each time Ichigo witnessed that scene, it chipped away at his resolve. Every time it began again, he had no choice but to wait for Rukia's answer, consumed by the dread of her forthcoming betrayal.
Ichigo opened his mouth in a soundless howl of pain and frustration, so absorbed in the suffering of it all that he nearly forgot it was an illusion. Darkness pressed in on him from all sides, threatening to engulf him as the light behind his eyes faded. Tendrils of darkness wrapped around his limbs, which shook and convulsed. Strangled gasps escaped his throat as the icy cold shadows embraced him, forcing the air from his lungs as he struggled to breathe.
An image of Rukia's stern expression flashed in his mind, and he felt the illusion's power over him lessen. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he focused on that image, and a flood of memories engulfed him like a tidal wave.
Rukia was betrothed! To Aizen!
That singular thought made his blood boil in his veins, but it didn't end there. He recalled his argument with Rukia, and the pain that had been plastered on her face, which he had ignored because of his reckless anger. He remembered the moment they had met, and the desperation in her eyes when she had broken the law and given Ichigo her shinigami powers. Every interaction they'd had leading up to that moment raced through his mind like someone had dumped a box full of photos onto the floor.
The darkness that had threatened to engulf him moments ago stopped, held in check by Ichigo's fond memories. A small, sad smile lit up features, and the shadows began to recede.
In a world fraught with danger, he and Rukia had stood fast against hordes of evil. Back to back, they had weathered every storm, and overcome every opponent and obstacle. And now, for better or for worse, they would always be a part of each other's lives. It was inevitable, considering how often they had placed their lives in each other's hands.
The dull, bleak atmosphere of the substitute soul reaper's inner world changed, becoming vibrant and colorful. The cloak of despair that had fallen across his shoulders was lifted, and he stood, tall and proud against all adversity. Skyscrapers lifted themselves from the ground and reassembled in record time, leaving not even a speck of rubble out of place. The malevolent darkness that had been slowly retreating was gathered through sheer force of will, and abruptly pushed back behind the immense, heavy double doors that Ichigo kept locked. With a bone rattling BOOM, the doors slammed shut, jarring him out of his inner world, and back to reality.
The cup of tea that Nanao had forced into Rukia's hands had been refilled and drained several times, but did nothing to help with her nerves.
Her hands shook so badly that the cup rattled against the saucer until she set it aside and clasped her hands in her lap. The sounds of battle had lessened somewhat, but Rukia could still keenly sense the spiritual pressures of Hideyoshi, Kyoraku, and Ichigo. With how powerful the three of them were, it was like looking at three stars gleaming against a blank expanse of night sky. Two of these stars were bright and magnificent. The third, however, was dark, unnatural, and malignant. It was the reiatsu of Ichigo, the most compassionate, caring man Rukia had ever known. It scared her to think that his compassion could turn so bitter and angry, corrupting his conscience and creating a monster.
Then, as if the Sprit King himself had flipped a switch, the dark star that was Ichigo's spiritual pressure vanished.
Rukia was on her feet in an instant, elbowing her way between Kenzou and Kenichi, who were watching the battle from the doorway. She took one step out of the door when an arm caught her around the waist. This time, it was Nanao, who refused to let her go.
"The Captain-Commander's bankai is active," she insisted, gesturing at the barrier around the tea house, which had begun showing signs of strain. "If you leave, you'll be caught in its effects!"
Rukia shivered. She knew that Kyoraku's bankai was considered something of a taboo. It was why her former captain, Juushiro Ukitake, had always defended Shunsui Kyoraku in battle.
She remembered asking her former captain about his staunch loyalty to Kyoraku, and his determination to never see him release his bankai.
They had been sitting in Ukitake's study, going over reports as they sipped herbal tea and breathed in calming incense. Even so, the answer she'd gotten still chilled her bones, and made her break out in goosebumps.
"Captain Kyoraku's bankai isn't really suitable for polite conversation," her captain had told her, smiling softly.
She had pressed him, due to her curious nature, until he had finally deigned to give her some insight as to the scope of power commanded by the former Eight Division captain.
"As a member of the Kuchiki clan, you are no doubt an avid reader, correct?" Ukitake asked.
Confused, Rukia nodded, her brow knitting as she tried to figure out what reading had to do with Kyoraku's zanpakuto.
Juushiro smiled, "Then imagine, if you will, that you could bring a story to life. Any story you like."
All at once, Rukia's mind was filled with endless possibilities. Any story she liked? She could summon treasures of untold wealth, and create objects of great power! She could control time, and space. Reality itself would be no match for her might!
"I'd be unstoppable," she realized, her voice soft as she found herself caught up in the thrill of such a power.
Her captain raised a finger and said, "Now, what if your powers would not let you manifest any of those things, accept those that would cause harm?"
Pulled from her daydream, Rukia felt her face go hot.
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
"Pretend that you can only manifest stories that cause other people harm," Ukitake said quietly. "Imagine that your immense powers could only be used to incapacitate or kill an opponent. You can bring any story to life, and force your enemies to suffer every agony that the character in the story feels… but only if it can take a life in return."
Suddenly, the lieutenant could appreciate why Kyoraku would not wish to use such a power. She had read plenty of timeless tragedies, tales of great battles, and dozens of violent 'whodunnits.' In a book, it was all well and good, but to have a grisly murder, or a maudlin suicide come to life before her very eyes was another matter entirely. And the power to make such stories real seemed borderline sinister, if not downright unholy.
"That is the nature of Captain Shunsui's bankai. As I said, it is not really the sort of thing you speak of in polite conversation. Still, the most frightening aspect, in my opinion, does not lie in the nature of his power. It is how a man who seems so peaceful and carefree can destroy you in any number of horrific and imaginative ways. When it comes to killing, his abilities are practically limitless. You would almost think it was his fate to become a shinigami captain."
Juushiro had laughed after that: a strained, worried laugh that Rukia had taken to mean that he had told her too much. She had remembered having nightmares afterward, as well.
So when Ichigo's body fell from the sky, it was no wonder that Nanao was the only thing keeping her on her feet.
"NOOO!" Rukia screamed, tears streaming from her eyes as Ichigo hit the ground with a sickening crunch.
Upon impact, his mask shattered. His bankai shihakusho was torn to pieces, leaving him bare-chested. His eyes were dim and unseeing, and his arm seemed to be bent at an odd angle. Nanao clapped a hand over Rukia's eyes, but it was far too late. The image of Ichigo's lifeless corpse had already imprinted itself upon the backs of her eyelids. She fell from Nanao's clutches, hitting the floor as she choked and sobbed, releasing every pent up emotion that had been welling up inside of her for days.
Kenichi and Kenzou quietly averted their eyes, leaving Rukia with Nanao. From the sky, two figures came floating down. Kyoraku rushed to Ichigo's side, only to freeze when he saw his broken form. The sick, twisted configuration of Ichigo's broken arm seemed to coincide with the twist in the Head Captain's gut.
"Dammit," he mumbled, "this wasn't supposed to happen."
Hideyoshi reunited with the earth as well, coming to a halt next to the Captain-Commander. He did not look very concerned with the tragic turn of events, and he kept his Ward active.
"He's not dead," Kamisaigaiku announced, noting how Ichigo's spirit energy was gradually increasing.
It was slow at first, and so faint that he could barely sense it, but Aizen narrowed his eyes, watching the body carefully for any signs of life. A finger twitched. The back muscles spasmed. The lungs began to function once more.
Ichigo's reiatsu glowed red at first before turning pitch black, surrounding him in an aura of shadows. The shadow rose unsteadily to its feet, taking a wide stance. Thrusting out a hand, the Tensa Zangetsu was ripped from the ground where it had fallen and reunited with his hand. The chain on the sword sprang to life, wrapping itself tightly about Ichigo's arm. The shadows converged, crawling across Ichigo's skin before coming to a halt on his chest.
The darkness vanished, revealing a large hole in the hollow's sternum. The mask that had cracked had been repaired partially, though it only covered the top half of his face, leaving his mouth exposed. Behind the mask, golden eyes flashed with renewed ire. His skin was chalk white, and he looked slightly malnourished. Even so, the power radiating from the hollow was phenomenal.
The blade of the Tensa Zangetsu began to lose its color, becoming stark white. His long orange hair fell in a mane about his shoulders, giving him a lithe, lean, lion-like appearance.
Whereas his rage had overtaken him before, this hollow seemed different, and not just in its looks. It was like a completely different entity. It did not roar, but a growl escaped the back of its throat. Its footsteps were light and cautious, like that of a wild animal.
It looked at the captain commander and the nobleman warily, analyzing them with glowing eyes that did not blink.
Slowly, the hollow raised a hand and pointed at the sky.
The reishi of the Seireitei seemed to shudder at the hollow's command. An orb appeared on the tip of the hollow's clawed finger, with a black center and a scarlet outline. It whirled in earnest, and reishi gathered to it, uniting with the sphere and being absorbed.
"Cero… Apagon." Came the hollow's warbled voice.
The orb pulsated, flaring dangerously, as if the energy within was straining to break free. Kyoraku had never heard of such a technique… but one thing was certain. If the Cero Apagon was released, the Kuchiki Estate would likely be erased in a single moment. Tilting down the brim of his hat, Shunsui said a silent prayer to the Spirit King.
"Kageoni!"
The captain commander dissipated into a shadow, reemerging behind the hollow, who paid him no mind. With singular focus, the malevolent spirit levelled its arm, pointing at Aizen. Kyoraku raised his sword-
"Act Two, Jealous Murderer's Remorse!"
Again, the blades ignored flesh, but the effect of the attack was immediate. The hollow's mask split right down the middle. The glow in his eyes faded, and his hair grew short once more. The Cero Apagon flickered and died, and a tremor ran through the air as the captured reishi was released.
Ichigo fell to his knees, nothing left of his shihakusho save for the wrappings that obscured his dignity. His pale flesh was no longer chalk white, but he still looked unhealthy. He fell forward and hit the ground, tears streaming from his eyes and saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. Rapid gasps and wheezes filled the silence as he struggled to breathe… but he was alive.
"NANAO!" Kyoraku bellowed, looking to the teahouse, where his lieutenant was holding onto Rukia. At once, the bespectacled shinigami dispelled the barrier and raced to his side, taking a knee before her captain. Shunsui's limbs were shaking from either exhaustion or adrenaline, and he looked very tired. Using his bankai seemed to have taken a lot out of him.
"Y-y-yes, captain?!"
Nanao had never heard Kyoraku yell like that. He seemed shaken, and he steadfastly refused to look down at Ichigo, who was still spluttering as he lay on the ground, face down.
"Go get Unohana. Ichigo needs medical attention at once."
"U-U-Unohana, sir?"
Nanao did not meet her captain's eye. She was afraid he would be angry with her. She had recommended the use of his bankai, after all. Some of the blame for Kurosaki's condition fell on her. The Head Captain's gaze was too hard to meet, like staring into the sun.
"Is there a problem, lieutenant?"
Nanao shook. Was he getting angry with her?
"Unohana has been dead for almost a year, sir! Captain Kotetsu leads Squad Four now."
"Ah, I see. Yeah, I suppose you're right. Forgive me, I'm a little worked up. I was scared I had killed-" Kyoraku coughed, the bile in his throat preventing him from speaking about death. "Well, fetch Isane on the double. And get me some sake, would you? My sweet little Nanao?"
A gentle hand came to rest on the lieutenant's head, ruining her tight bun and skewing her glasses. Readjusting them, she looked up at the Captain-Commander, who smiled. His calm and collected attitude seemed to seep into her, and the lieutenant nodded before vanishing into thin air. A gentle rain began to fall from the sky, staining the ground dark and turning the sky a silvery grey.
A scuffle from behind Shunsui caught his attention, and he spun on his heel, swords at the ready. Instead, he saw Rukia kneeling in the dirt, staining the very expensive kimono she was supposed to wear for her wedding. She had rolled Ichigo over onto his back, and had his head in her lap. Tears still ran from his eyes as he gently wept, but he did not seem to register Rukia. His soft brown eyes were dim, and lacked their usual charming sparkle. His body was covered in bruises, as if he had been brutally beaten. Rain fell onto his face, making his flinch.
"Ichigo…" Rukia muttered, gently shaking his head.
But he did not acknowledge her. Drool ran from the corner of his mouth, and he choked on it. His entire body shook, and his breathing was unsteady. Kyoraku pulled off his kimono- the one he had gotten from his sister in law, and was about to lay it on Ichigo when Rukia grabbed the Tensa Zangetsu and aimed its tip at the First Division's Captain.
"Get away from him!"
Shunsui looked at Rukia, staring hard into her dark eyes. A tense moment later, something seemed to pass between them, as if he had mentally promised not to hurt the substitute shinigami any more, and the sword fell from Rukia's hand, clanging against the earth. Taking a knee next to Ichigo, Kyoraku covered him with his kimono, and turned his head so that he would not choke on his saliva.
"I apologize," Rukia said suddenly. "I should not have raised a sword against you, Head Captain."
"Don't sweat it," he replied nonchalantly, flashing a tired smile.
The minutes ticked by in silence. No one moved. Before long, three shimmering silhouettes appeared, solidifying into Nanao, Isane, and Byakuya. The Kuchiki family leader coldy surveyed the scene before his eyes came to rest upon Rukia, Kyoraku, and Ichigo. Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku nodded at Byakuya, who immediately went to him. The two noblemen strode off around the cloister, speaking of all that had happened. Meanwhile, Isane Kitetsu sank to her knees next to Ichigo and immediately frowned.
"What are all these bruises from?" she asked, gently rubbing her slender fingers over his skin.
"That would be my doing," Kyoraku supplied, "I used my bankai to subdue him. This is an after effect of the Futatsu Tamashī Monogatari."
"The Tale of Two Souls?" Kitetsu asked, focusing her spirit energy into her hands and casting the healing kido on Ichigo.
"These bruises are the mark of the Second Act… wherein the jealous man kills his adulterous lover and her new partner with his bare hands."
Rukia shuddered, turning her gaze to the empty eyes of the substitute soul reaper. There was no doubt in her mind that Ichigo was living in that story, even as she cradled his head and ran her fingers through his orange hair.
"So then these marks-" Isane realized.
"Are the wounds of his mental battle," Shunsui confirmed with nod.
"His reiatsu is very weak," Isane noted, "but I'm more concerned about his mind. Will this ever wear off?"
The Captain-Commander scratched his chin, "It's hard to say. I've never used my bankai on a human before. And with his unique situation, it seems to have had a particularly devastating effect on his psyche."
"What are your orders, Captain-Commander?" asked Nanao.
With a sigh, Shunsui stood, pausing as his knees creaked and sent pain shooting through his thigh. He was getting too old for this.
"Get Soifon and the Stealth Force here. I want Ichigo transported to the Fourth Division's healing center as soon as he is fit to travel. After Captain Isane finishes the operation, take Ichigo to the Detention Center in the Squad Thirteen Compound. And Nanao… where's that sake?"
Author's Notes:
Woo, another chapter. Great.
Not gonna lie, this thing was a bitch and a half to write. I thought it would come to me with no sweat, but I guess I was wrong. Not to mention I've been crazy busy with life and stuff. Kinda lame, but there it is. That said, I want to get a little creative with Ichigo's powers. I have a pretty cool explanation for why he no longer carries two blades, by the way, it wasn't just an aesthetic choice. Oh, and did anyone catch onto that whole Vasto Lorde thing? I have more planned with that magnificent sunuvabitch, too. Also, we have flashbacks! Yay! And inner world stuff! Yay! And horrific, ever encroaching darkness that is no doubt a metaphor for the despair and sadness we humans all feek. YAY! TOTALLY NOT CLICHE AT ALL.
Also, Ichigo is doing time. because a jail will toooootally hold him. 100%. No problems there. And how about Kyoraku's bankai? As a writer, I have massive respect for a power that can bring stories to life. That said, there really weren't any limitations placed on it in canon, so I played with the mechanics a little. But I've gotta go to work tomorrow... and it's 4am, so I'll leave my sarcasm and witty commentary for the next chapter. Here's some music to listen to while you go about your business.
Harry Hudson-Yellow Lights (more of a romantic song, but this is, in essence, an Ichiruki fic)
Beggar's Song-Matt Maeson (I can picture Ichigo walking through Hueco Mundo as this song plays, just sort of looking at the aftermath of all the battles there and meeting up with his friends)
Johnny's Revenge-Crown the Empire (I used this one for the battle scenes)
Kratos-Jake Hill (hollow theme song)
Help-Jake Hill (Kyoraku's Bankai theme song)
Thanks for reading. Praise be to Tite Kubo.
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But have you guys ever read Rising of the Shield Hero? If not, you should.