A few minutes before...
Ichigo stood over the wounded body of his inner hollow, pressing his foot against the beings throat. Ogichi struggled weakly, but could not muster the strength to push Ichigo's foot off of his throat. He coughed up blood, a deep gash across his chest oozed blood with each heartbeat. The blood then floated into the dim water around them. Zangetsu floated off to the side, his ace hidden by the shadows of his cloak.
"Ha, I've beaten you, now give me back control! Damn hollow! I'll kill you if you resist!" Ichigo yelled into the hollows face, twisting on his heel and grinding his foot into his neck even harder.
"Che...king...jus lemme hanel em. I goddem..." Ogichi mumbled, his words barely making it out of his mouth.
"No! All you ever do is mess things up! You hurt my friends! Now stay out, get away from me if you want to continue your pathetic existence!" Ichigo removed his foot from the hollows neck; Ogichi stumbled and made his way over to Zangetsu. He grabbed the flowing black robes and pulled himself up into a sitting position, and then he turned back to Ichigo.
"I will...always be here. Don't ever...forget...me. King." And then he disappeared into the sword's cloak.
"Ichigo, listen to me, you are not acting like yourself. I implore you to sit and meditate for a while, time moves faster in here than outside, so in here hours can pass while only a few minutes will go by in the real world." The calm voice from his sword and mentor caused Ichigo to look up.
"Why should I, I feel great! I don't know what you're talking about." Ichigo did not meet Zangetsu's eyes as he stared with a blank expression into the distance, then he allowed himself to leave his inner world, and regain control outside.
Present...
The rescue group stared up as Ichigo's body stood up, undergoing a change as it did so. The white skin fell off in flakes, disappearing as they hit the floor; his shinigami robes re-wove themselves until they were once again covering his body. The mask fell away last, leaving the human Ichigo standing before them.
His face was expressionless as he took in the scene around him. Noting Kenpachi struggling to rejoin the group, and Rukia staring up at him with a hopeful yet dismayed face.
"Ichigo, why don't we have you decide." Kanzin finished, looking over at the emotionless boy.
Ichigo's hand rose, his fingers pointing down at the group, his index finger extended towards Rukia.
"No! You can't do anything to her, we only came to rescue you, Ichigo, snap out of it!" Renji jumped in front of Rukia, yelling desperately at his friend. He jumped just in time to be hit by the force of an invisible blow. He was shoved back into the group, toppling over Rukia and Ikkaku who were behind him, and they all slid for a few feet.
Byakuya walked over to check that Rukia was not hurt, he watched with a calculating expression as she extracted herself from the unconscious redhead, along with Ikkaku.
"No! ICHIGOOOO!" Rukia screamed.
"Nice, we got three in a row! Good choice Ichigo." Kanzin spoke to Ichigo like one would to a little sibling. "Let us go to my home, the medicine will kick in fully soon, and you will not want to be around these people when that happens."
Ichigo nodded, turning and flash-stepping after Kanzin. His eyes were rimmed with purple and red, slowly growing more distinct, his regular brown eye color barely noticeable beneath the swirling mess caused by the medicine.
They traveled for a while, before coming to a large pillar, towering above the rest, and entered a cave in the side. The cave opened into a large cavern, furnished with a throne and a few smaller chairs. Kanzin walked up to the throne and took a seat, motioning for Ichigo to sit in one of the other chairs.
"Don't worry, the medicines effect will be completing its course through your body soon now, then you will be completely under my command, and even more powerful than before!" Kanzin motioned and a small hollow came out of a little side passage carrying a tray of fruits. Kanzin ate a few of them, before giving the rest to Ichigo. "I'm sure your hungry."
Ichigo took the fruit, but did not eat any of it; he just stared at it, deep in thought.
The white fuzz enveloped him. It covered him with warmth and comfort, made him never want to leave. He embraced it, curling up in this blissful state. He couldn't remember how he got there, or where there was. All he could think about was the wonderful euphoria he was feeling at that moment.
Then he felt a tugging, at the back of his mind, a little piece of un-comfort, like a hook, dragging him out of the sea. He turned away, trying to block out the sound, but he couldn't, so he listened. Then he realized it was his name.
Ichigo...
He swam towards it; his eyes were still closed, trying to hold on to the bliss.
Ichigo...Ichigo...
Then he peeled his eyes open, hearing the urgency in the voice.
Wake up, Ichigo...you need to wake up...
Then the air disappeared around him with a loud pop and he was falling, through stars and buildings and faces. Then it's as if he's surfaced from drowning, he bursts out of the blissful sleep and everything is rushing back to him, all at once.
The medicine, the rampage, his friends trying to save him, his hollow being defeated by something like him, and he looked around to find himself lying in front of his soul center.
Ichigo stood up, walking towards the circle of light, emanating power, but as he watched, it slowly began to turn a sickly purple and red. Swirling around it and blocking out the beautiful white light. Ichigo began to run, yelling for it to stop, he made it only a few steps before the pain hit him, he doubled over. He began stumbling towards his soul center, desperate to save it and himself from the medicine encircling it. Using the last of his strength, he fell forward and shot his hands out, shoving them deep into the center of the swirling mass. He felt a jolt of power, like he had been hit by lighting, but he couldn't stop now, regaining some strength, he pushed his hands in further, now the light covered up to his elbows. Zangetsu appeared then, standing behind Ichigo, placing his hands on Ichigo's shoulders and lending him his strength.
"Go, Ichigo, move only forward, never look back."
His arms were all the way into the light, and Ichigo was now being enveloped all the way too, zangetsu still stood behind him, whispering soft words of encouragement. And then he was all the way inside the light. He was blinded for a moment, stumbling forward as the resistance stopped. When he regained his balance, he looked around.
The floor was white, and no walls or ceiling could be seen, only a pretty white surrounded him.
"Hello? Where am I? I need to stop the medicine from consuming me!" Ichigo called out, receiving only a faded echo in response.
Then a figure appeared, slowly forming out of the mist. It looked like a walking shadow as it neared, only to reveal a perfect copy of Ichigo. Down to everything, they were identical.
"Who- Who are you? And why do you look exactly like me?" Ichigo took a step back as his doppelganger approached.
"I am you. As you are me." Its voice was the same as Ichigo's too. It took a step forward, appearing in front of Ichigo, it reached out and placed its fingers on Ichigo's forehead.
"What do you think your doing?" Ichigo tried to take a step back again, but found he could no longer move. All he could do was stare at the copy in front of him.
"I am your true inner power, a power that can only be unlocked when you are ready. I believe you are ready, Ichigo." The figure moved his hand back, forming his fingers together into a point, and then he slammed his hand into Ichigo's head. Ichigo screamed as the pointed fingers delved into his brain. For some reason he could not fall unconscious, he could not move, he could only bear the pain.
The look-a-like pulled out his hand, receiving another agonizing scream from Ichigo. "It is done, now you must use these powers as you see fit. Meet your full potential now Ichigo."
The wound was gone, and Ichigo was rushed into his inner world, which was now back to normal (if sideways buildings were considered normal) and Zangetsu was standing on his pole as if nothing had happened.
"Zangetsu! What's happening outside? Quickly, we must stop the medicine from spreading!" Ichigo ran up to the man.
"Ichigo, now that you have received your true powers, you will no longer need me, I am too weak to be of any use to you now." Zangetsu spoke softly, watching with little expression as Ichigo's face went from confusion, to dismay.
"But-"
"No, you must go and save yourself now, I will still be here when it is over. Now go!"
Ichigo turned, with one last glance at Zangetsu, and left his inner world.
R&R Hope you enjoyed! Please review with any questions you have!
