10. The Go(o)d Touch
Shortly after Ichigo and Ichimaru spoke, Ichigo was called back into the meeting room. Ichimaru waved the teen off, explaining he was going to try to get as much sleep as he could before he had another attack. With complete understanding, Ichigo let the man rest, returning to the large room in the back of the house.
There, he was met with a roomful of determined faces and Kisuke's knowing smile.
The plan was thusly.
They would stay in their respective towns, within Lancashire and Akazuki, but would keep a constant portal—the translucent ones Ichimaru taught to Kisuke and Tessai—open between their homes. That way, for one, if a certain white-haired man went wandering, he wouldn't have to exert himself (and possibly kill someone), and furthermore they knew exactly where to go in case of a dire emergency: to the other group's town. Of course, in the case of the possibility that both locations were "hit" at once, that was what their training would be for. But not out in the open, of course...
Naturally, Kisuke had an underground training area beneath the shop, just as he had in Karakura Town and the Soul Society. Ichigo didn't bother asking how the damn place was made, but was greatly relieved to know they had two places to train, counting the one the Vizard had beneath the ruins as well. In fact, the portals were within the respective underground areas, allowing them to have time to escape.
But this was only if things went "well". The umpteenth worst-case scenario simply had them fighting, of course, and forsaking the portal entirely, if need be.
As for the likely plan of attack, they would only defend themselves. At least, that was the surface consensus. If push came to shove, if something forced their hand, they could invade the Soul Society.
They could; they mostly comprised of captain-level Shinigami with bankai and their Hollow masks. They had a...chance.
But that was a dire situation honestly no one really wanted to think about.
The groups consisted of the same people as before, with Shinji, Hiyori, Mashirō, Kensei, Love, Rose, Hachi, Lisa, Ichigo, Chad, Uryū, and Kon living in Japan, and Kisuke, Tessai, Ururu, Jinta, Ichimaru, and the still-missioning Yoruichi in England.
As far as said shapeshifter's mission went, those who were unaware were brought up to speed. But it apparently wasn't good enough, because, as in the case of Kon and Chad, they had no idea who the hell the shamans were outside of stories. And stories tended to exaggerate. So Kisuke gave them the gist of it without going into exactly how important a role the shamans had in the upcoming, inevitable future confrontation with the Soul Society.
Even with the groups set, nothing was in stone; count one ailing man to be the number one future culprit of portal-hopping.
But the eighteen outlaws were hopefully going to be as ready as they could ever be against an entire heavenly army.
The days went by steadily, after that. Life otherwise returned to normal, or however normal it could be for Ichigo, Chad and Uryū, all things considered. As they were still in high school, the latter two joined Ichigo in simple studies offered graciously by Hachi, Lisa and Rose. Naturally, thanks to their previous endeavors, Ichigo was at the same level of informal schooling Uryū and Chad were at, meaning before long, they would be finished with high school-leveled education entirely. Hachi estimated a month or so was all they had left. It was just too bad there was no way they could partake in a formal graduation ceremony.
While Uryū didn't live within the complex, he was allowed to come and go as he pleased in the ruins above and in the field near it. The town, of course, was neutral ground. The only exception within the complex was the underground training area, where the three young adults often found themselves sparring and training after their studies.
During this time, in the Lancashire town, to the surprise of the Back-Alley Shoppe household, a certain ailing man was more reserved than he had been in a very long time. He spent much of his time resting in bed or down by the water, lost in thought and oddly quiet. He did interact with his companions as usual, but had yet to so much as approach the portal to Japan. It was most unusual...but Kisuke and the others let him be.
On one of these days, a letter arrived in the mail. The envelope lacked a return-to address, but Kisuke and Tessai knew who sent it. Yoruichi had news for them. The letter read:
Tessai, Kisuke, and the Kids,
Some slightly good news. I've gotten into contact with a liaison for the king of our possible future allies. However, the liaison has informed me convincing the deity to listen is proving difficult. It may be some time before I speak to the king face-to-face.
I can only ask you all to hold on until then.
Please be careful.
YS
When this was told to Ichimaru, he merely smiled.
The very next day, he left through the portal.
-:Edth:C:-
Unlike the Dangai and a Garganta, the translucent-appearing mode of transportation led directly to a destination. It wasn't a simple thing to form, however, much less hold for extended periods of time, but the current portal's existence was to be expected from the former Grand Kidō Chief and his exceptional prowess.
Exiting the portal, Ichimaru found himself in a corner of the Akazuki complex's training area, giving him a full view of the sparring match occurring further within. Kensei, Hiyori, Mashirō, Lisa, Love, Kon, and Chad watched Uryū and Ichigo spar with their full attention. They shared an enormous bowl of freshly popped popcorn between them. It seemed Ichimaru arrived just in time, as the match was only a few moments in.
His already wide smile widening, he sat upon a nearby rock and watched, resting his head in his palms.
Meanwhile, Uryū was completely flabbergasted. Even if Ichigo was half-Quincy, no Quincy could create a spirit weapon without a medium. Without a cross. And yet, Ichigo stood before him, forming yet another thin, javelin-like weapon made from condensed reishi with his hands. Hands that were bruised just from forming them, but forming them nonetheless.
But to his credit, Uryū didn't bother to comment on it.
He quickly dodged the energy with high speed, and then retaliated with several shots from his new Heilig Bogen, which was a physical-looking, small bow. Within Ichigo's sight, he could just barely see the arrows, but didn't bother to use his eyes. He kept his eyes open, but used his more reliable senses to weave through the barrage.
"Impressive," Uryū murmured, recognizing the movement as Hirenkyaku.
Ichigo suddenly found himself dodging a Seele Schneider, only to realize a second too late that Uryū had disappeared. He abruptly ducked with a second to spare, missing yet another one. He used that momentum to move into a handstand in an attempt to attack with a kick. Uryū moved back just in time as the hybrid raised up, but his hands were somehow grabbed in the split second, taking him by surprise and causing his bow to disperse.
He looked up into an ocher gaze and a pleased smirk. Breaking out of the hold nearly left him open for another attack, as Ichigo swung around with another kick, but he blocked with his hands. Ichigo swung back with a roundhouse, but was again blocked, only to be hit in the chest by a palm that sent him skidding backwards on the dirt.
But Uryū didn't relent, charging energy to his left shoulder before firing an absurd rain of arrows at near point-black.
As he was recovering, Ichigo just barely dodged, his eyes wide as his cheek was nicked by a single arrow. But this was Licht Regen, so he wasn't given enough time to dodge them all. Dust kicked up as he took hits directly, and the onlookers watched on eagerly and with great anticipation.
Ichigo suddenly cried out, and an x-shaped energy hued black and red flew from the dust towards Uryū. His eyes widening, inches of hair were lost when the Quincy evaded just in time. He then stared at his friend, who stood with his arms black from his elbows up to the ends of his pointed, sword-like hands.
Unlike the previous times Ichigo looked this way, however, his eyes hadn't changed color, remaining their natural ocher. He didn't bother glancing at himself, sawing his blades together before appearing before Uryū in a split second.
To everyone's greater shock, as it looked as if Ichigo was going to have the upper hand, his blade swinging down, in a flash, two slash marks with a blue hue appeared on his chest. He went flying back not a moment later and Uryū quickly loaded his bow with the two Seele Schneider. As if he expected it, he was already aiming for Ichigo the second the hybrid arose using sonído to fly towards him.
Easily, the sword-like arrows were evaded with a mere jump, and while airborne, Ichigo's blades glowed before he let fly another x-shaped attack. This one, however, was larger, engulfing Uryū's sight with red and black.
The onlookers' eyes widened in unison. That attack would blow a hole in the area! "Oi, oi, oi!" Love exclaimed, jumping to his feet with all intentions to counter the attack with a spell.
However, a thin figure appeared between Uryū and the attack, taking it head-on. But to the shock of all present, the energy paused for a millisecond before redirecting to a point, as if it was being absorbed by something. In mere moments, the wind died down and the energy was gone, revealing none other than a clapping, sly-faced Ichimaru where the energy once was.
"Well, well, Kurosaki-kun," he said, lowering his hands. "Ya might wanna hold back next time, but that was amazin'."
Slightly grimacing already, the young man's expression briefly worsened. "...Sorry...I didn't mean to let such a powerful attack out." To Uryū, he asked, "Are you alright?"
The Quincy adjusted his glasses as he let his bow disperse. "I'm alright," he responded, eyeing Ichimaru suspiciously.
As he was directly behind the other when the attack was...absorbed...he saw everything. But he had more than an inkling that he was to keep quiet about it. And so, he said nothing.
All smiles and upturned crescents, said ex-traitor kept his focus on his student. "So, what brought all that on, eh? Yer not fightin' fer yer life an' ya ain't bein' tempted by anythin'," he said, and towards the latter part of his statement his smile grew by a margin.
Ichigo's eye twitched, whereas Uryū and the others had no idea what that meant. But Ichigo responded before any questions could be asked. "I don't know. I slightly pulled at the power inside, but it was...calmer, this time," he explained, holding up his hands as they were returning to normal.
"Why'd you guys stop fighting?" Hiyori called, shaking a raised fist.
"I think we should end for the day," said Uryū, and his words were met with a nod from Ichigo.
She made a face, but returned to eating popcorn with a glare at no one.
Sitting beside Chad, Kensei nodded with appreciation. "That was a good fight. Even some hand-to-hand," he said. His eyes wondered to Ichimaru with a hint of suspicion as well.
"A little bit of everything—except kido," Love agreed, popping some popcorn into his mouth. "Now that would have been entertaining."
"Better than your manga?" Mashirō asked, reaching for some.
"...Hm, maybe."
Uryū turned his attention to the hybrid. "What sort of ability is that, Ichigo?" he asked. "It's faintly Hollow-like."
"It's called a Fullbring," Ichimaru answered, moving past the two. "It's some rare power humans can have, an' yet here we are, in the presence o' two with such power, Fullbringers," he said, beckoning to Ichigo at his right and at Chad with the others.
Upon hearing the name of Chad's power, at last, Ichigo looked at him in awe. "Wait me, too?" he asked, looking back at Ichimaru.
"Fullbringers are the product of a woman surviving a Hollow attack, who then pass the residual Hollow reiatsu to their child," Lisa explained in brief, and then had some popcorn, closing her eyes.
"But my mother wasn't..." Ichigo trailed off, recalling the story of how his parents met. "Oh..." he murmured, gaze lowering.
"...My mother, too, apparently," Chad said softly, looking at his hands.
Kon realized something with this revelation. He placed a hand on his forehead while shaking his head. "Wait. You mean to tell me Ichigo has the power of every spiritual-based entity we know of?" he asked.
"Essentially," Ichimaru said with a grin.
"That we know of," Kensei emphasized in a mumble between a bite.
Softly, the others agreed with him. This only helped Ichigo recall the conversation about being experimented on. It was seeming like a true possibility, now. Kon only sighed, his thoughts in a similarly dark place.
A loud clap brought everyone's attention to Ichimaru standing further away. "So, then, who wants to spar with me? I got somethin' ta demonstrate."
"Are we gonna need the others for this?" Kensei asked with a slight, but not irate, frown.
Ichimaru didn't hesitate to answer, "Oh, yes."
-:Edth:C:-
The group of twelve watched Ichimaru as he moved to stand in the center of the space between them and the farthest wall with his back to them. Mashirō had been the one to retrieve Hachi, Rose and Shinji from the upper floor. They were most curious about this "demonstration".
Ichimaru deeply exhaled, lowering his head. He then let out his right arm before raising his reiatsu. Unlike when this happened during an attack, his reiatsu was a familiar outwards force of energy instead of a barrage of merciless force. To those who could see it, his reiatsu was a different color from what they recalled: icy, crystal blue in a black outline. It rose higher, but not nearly as high as they previously sensed it, before he turned around to face them and opened his eyes.
Instead of any familiar, remotely natural eye color, to the shock of all, both his eyes were white. There were no pupils or irises to speak of, yet it wasn't as if his eyes had rolled into his head. The smile upon his face wasn't very large, but still and keen.
A wave of reiatsu passed through the onlookers just as, in a flash of light, a large white snake appeared, coiling around his outstretched arm. One more appeared around his waist, curling up his chest and towards his neck, and he raised his other arm to show another coiling around it, as well. His reiatsu evened out, steadily lowering.
"Eight o' ya were Shinigami, an' still have proof of it, even now," he said. His voice was unusually calm, authoritative. "The true abilities of a literal Death God lie deep within all o' ya. We'll begin with these Shikigami," he explained.
As in awe as everyone was, Shinji frowned. "Shikigami?" he asked, wary.
Ichimaru returned his eyes to their tight slants as his reiatsu output stabilized. The snakes were subdued, idly flicking their tongues out to taste the air. "Yeah, a Shinigami's natural ally," he said, using his hand to take one of the snakes and fondly bring it to his face. It flicked its tongue at him, and, yet again to everyone's shock, his tongue flicked out in response—forked like a snake's.
"Okay," Love blurted, making an 'x' shape with his arms, "what the hell is going on?"
He wasn't the only one freaking out. Hiyori had her hands on her zanpakutō from the start, as did Kensei and Lisa, yet their expressions showed wariness and uneasy shock more than anything. The rest of the group were mostly in awe, still, and Mashirō jumped up and down.
"Ooh! Ooh! I wanna touch them!" she cried, waving her hand. "Can I?"
He smiled at her, holding out his other hand with another snake upon it. "Sure, ya can. They're friendly."
"I don't know..." Rose murmured with a deep frown. His fingers ran up and down his zanpakutō's hilt.
She turned to them all. "We have to learn to trust him," she said, placing her hands on her hips with a comically angry pout. "He's on our side!"
"Is he?" Hiyori scoffed. "He's one of the ones who got us INTO this mess we're all in, remember?!"
Standing beside his friends, Ichigo crossed his arms. The four of them weren't as drastically alarmed by all of this, but they were uneasy. It was Ichimaru, yes, but... "...He was trying to help from the start, but couldn't show his true intentions," he said, trying to make sense of it in his own mind.
Her head snapped into his direction. "YOU don't get a say in this!" she spat at him.
Kon glared at her, stepping forward from Ichigo's side. "Oi!"
"Shut up, Gikongan!"
"Why not?" Ichigo asked, taking several steps forward. "Are YOU forgetting that he's one of the ones who allowed my mother to be corrupted by a Hollow, which got ME into this mess?!" he shouted at her. He waved a hand towards the man waiting with unnerving patience as they bickered. "On top of that, he personally tried to kill me FOUR TIMES and I still say we give him another chance!"
"That's your problem, Ichigo, you're too damn trusting," she shouted back, hurt and anger causing her whole form to tremble.
"Oh?!" he scoffed, snarling at her, practically. "I sure as hell stopped trusting the Soul Society after they tried to kill me ONCE, just like you!"
Shinji moved between them, placing a hand on the young man's chest. "Enough," he said sternly. Both Hiyori and Ichigo glared at one another despite his presence. He looked at them both. "...We give him another chance," he said.
Kensei and Lisa slowly lowered their hands from their weapons, as did those who were itching to do so. There wasn't going to be much to ease their wariness.
But Shinji was wary, too. He caught Ichigo's gaze, brown boring into ocher. "ONE," he enunciated.
"Then what?" Hiyori demanded.
Lowering his hands into his pockets, Shinji looked towards the man in question. "We kill him."
At that, a large smile broke out on the man's face. In the next moment, it was gone, replaced with a friendlier one, and he waved Mashirō over. "Well, c'mon, then."
She bounded over, whereas her companions watched.
Kon crossed his arms, looking back at Ichigo as he returned to his side. The hybrid's eyes held a slight, familiar light in them...Was it because Ichimaru's life was threatened...or because of his spat with Hiyori? Chad and Uryū noticed, as well.
"...What do you think?" Kon asked them.
Uryū shook his head as Mashirō began to touch the snakes. "...I don't know what to make of this...Did you see his tongue?"
Chad hummed in agreement. "I think they forgot to mention that to him..."
The snakes remained passive even when Mashirō touched them, only smelling her and moving idly.
"So, what are they, exactly?" she asked Ichimaru. "Simple snakes?"
"Nah," he replied, "they're spiritual, like us, an' Shinigami can summon 'em."
"Only Shinigami?"
He hummed, tilting his head to the side, and then replied, "Supposedly. Not sure, myself. They're meant to be our lil' messengers, army, whatever ya want."
Her eyes brightened. "Like Hell Butterflies?" she asked.
"Exactly, 'cept these lil' guys answer only ta the one who summoned 'em. Ya don't even have ta tell 'em what ya want, they just know," he continued, letting the one in his left hand down to the ground. It then idly looked around, observing its surroundings and curling up. Despite this, it seemed relaxed, somehow. He let Mashirō play with the other one, and the one formerly on his chest was loosely around his neck and shoulders. He didn't seem to mind it, despite its size. To the others, he said, "Now, then. I want the rest o' ya ta summon yer Shikigami."
They didn't look convinced, their expressions warring between further unease and concern.
...All except Hachi.
The older man had been entirely silent, more than Rose, even, and in deep thought. Like Mashirō, he was willing to give Ichimaru the benefit of doubt. Perhaps even more willing that she was. After all that had happened, was the possibility of him being an ally really so bizarre, despite his methods...?
"What is the purpose of our learning this?" he asked Ichimaru.
The man smiled at him. "Ain't it obvious? This is more of yer untapped potential, more ways ta take our enemies off-guard and overwhelm 'em...for the uncertain future," he said. A sliver of his eyes became visible as he took in the other. "...What say ya 'bout that?"
Nodding, Hachi admitted, "...What you say is true. I am...willing to try."
Hiyori looked concerned. "Hachi..." she began.
He looked and smiled at her. "We need to acquire as much of our full, unadulterated power as possible for the unforeseeable future," he said, addressing them all. "Even the power we don't think we have."
Shinji's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Waving him over, Ichimaru didn't bother to reassure them. He had his say, and any more words were useless. He would have to show them, instead.
Hachi stood from his group and approached. Mashirō looked back a bit, the snake she had now resting on her shoulders. It, too, watched on curiously.
When the other came close enough, Ichimaru lifted his left hand, beckoning him closer. He then held his fingers forward, pointing it at his chest.
Recognizing this, Ichigo tensed. "Oh, man..." he muttered.
Arms crossed, Kon quit glaring at Hiyori to look at him. "...What's wrong?" he asked.
Ichigo slightly glanced at him, but shook his head before focusing on the scene before him. He knew that pose...
Ichimaru reached up to place his fingers on Hachi's chest, at his solar plexus. Not a second later, Hachi softly gasped when he suddenly sensed an abrupt surge of power within himself. Ichimaru stepped back, but did not change his stance.
"Pull at it," he instructed, "'cause I can't do this more than once."
Brows furrowing, Hachi reached within himself to feel at this power. It wasn't...quite foreign, but distantly familiar, as if he met the power once, long ago. It made his Hollow giddy inside. Not a menacing giddy, no...but in an excited, curious way. Interesting...
The expression on Ichimaru's face was becoming pained, so Hachi steeled himself before closing his eyes, accepting the power.
-:Edth:C:-
It happened so fast, Ichimaru, in his weakened state, didn't see it coming. He wouldn't even remember it happening.
One moment, Hachi stood with his head lowered and eyes closed. In the next, he stood leaning back with his hands out, fingers bent up and his eyes pure white while screaming as his reiatsu blew wildly around him.
Having sensed his job was done, Ichimaru used shunpō to move back. And the rest was history.
The other Vizards attacked him. Shinji went first, and his blow was swift and unyielding. The snake Shikigami tried to near him to protect their master, but they were dealt with swiftly by none other than Mashirō herself.
...But despite this, something else happened.
Slight touches upon chests were made from a bony, swift finger, and it left a tingling, dizzying sensation in its wake that passed into the victims' cores. But the three shook it off and focused their attention to him.
And then, suddenly, as it seemed to him, he lay on the ground bleeding and nearing unconsciousness with deep slashes to his chest and abdomen. But through blurry vision, he saw a familiar hybrid standing over him protectively, preventing the others from continuing. Ichigo's arms were blades again, and his reiatsu had changed to that strange Hollow mix. Ichimaru didn't hear words, but saw the Vizards bitter and angry, exchanging words with the young man, only to be shocked by something towards Hachi's direction.
Then all faded to darkness.
-:Edth:C:-
"Hachi...You're alright...!" Rose breathed, sheathing his zanpakutō.
They couldn't believe it. After all of that, he was okay.
His eyes had returned to normal and was coherent, not in any sort of pain, and the small, chittering creatures floating about him must have been...
"Are those...your Shikigami...?" Mashirō asked rhetorically, as they could be nothing else, of course.
Their faces were interestingly similar to his Hollow mask, with feathers and tusks that curved outwards. Their mouths were full of sharp, pointed teeth gnashing together, and their bodies were light browns with limbs lacking visible digits. They hunched even as they floated in the air.
"How...do you feel, Hachi?" Shinji asked, sheathing his blade as well. The others followed suit, parroting his words.
"...Incredible," Hachi responded, placing a hand over his chest. He looked bewildered. "Different...Elevated, almost. Yes, elevated..."
He then glanced at the small creatures about him. They looked back with large, bulging green eyes, but he wasn't afraid or even wary of them. Rather, he felt a calm, powerful and authoritative connection to them that was distantly, impossibly familiar. Likewise, he sensed their emotions, which expressed a long-sought fulfilment that brought them happiness.
...They had longed to serve him.
As the others crowded near and conversed, Shinji remained behind and near Ichigo and Ichimaru. The young man was still enraged, his two-toned eyes boring into brown that stared at him apologetically.
"You said you'd give him a chance," he growled, his echoing, warbled voice low with barely restrained anger. "You hardly gave him one."
The brown gaze lowered to Ichimaru, who was approached by Uryū, Chad and Kon. Honestly, Shinji didn't quite have the words to express himself in the moment. They had good reason to overreact. In any case, he was...slightly apologetic. Slightly not. Despite all of that, it wasn't as if Ichimaru was going to die...
Somehow, these unsaid words came across to Ichigo, who narrowed his eyes to thin, dangerous slants. Wordlessly, he then turned and lowered to check on Ichimaru.
In seconds, the Vizards had managed to nearly slice Ichimaru apart. Most of the damage was done to his chest...where his vitals were. They meant it about killing him, to no surprise. Ichigo's teeth clenched, and his arms slowly returned to normal in balled fists.
...Damn this man.
Damn everything...
Familiar soft chirping met his ears, causing dread to pass through his body.
"You should get him to Urahara-san's," Uryū said softly, meeting his fellow half-Quincy's yin-yang eyes for the first time. But there was no hostility in them towards him. Only thankfulness.
Ichigo nodded, and gently lifted the bleeding body into his arms. He gave nods of thanks for not overreacting to Kon and Chad, who only nodded back, before disappearing from sight with a burst of sonído into the portal to England.
The moment the hybrid left, Uryū let out a deep exhale, one that was in unison with Kon and Chad. He adjusted his glasses, shaking his head. "...If you want my opinion..." he said softly to Shinji without meeting his gaze, "...I don't blame you."
Kon scoffed, glancing to the blood on the ground. "...How could anyone blame you...It's Ichimaru," he emphasized just as softly.
Looking between the three of them, Chad remained silent. He then looked towards the portal, concerned for his friend. And Ichimaru.
If for no other reason, for Ichigo's sake.
