KITTY HAS CLAWS
"Are you having fun yet, Ulquiora?" Ichigo said swinging his sword at the Espada. The pale arrancar dodged and side stepped his swings with ease.
"How tedious", he remarked grabbing Ichigo's blade with his bare hand. The orange head just grinned and jabbed at him with two fingers.
"Akuma Yubi", he chuckled poking him in the shoulder, the jolt of power forced Ulquiora back looking at his smoking shoulder with a calculating gaze. He didn't seem phased by the shattered bones in the least. "Try this one on for size and tell me if it's too tight, Aka Ransu!" he smirked firing red beams from his fingers. Ulquiora stopped each one with his hand looking at him dispassionately.
"I see, that technique of yours is like that of a miniaturized focused cero", Ulquiora remarked looking at his burnt palm.
"I wouldn't call it that, but yeah I guess it is similar", Ichigo admitted with a shrug.
"Let me show you what a true cero is like", the Espada pointed his index finger at him forming a green sphere of energy.
"Come on! Show me what you got Goth Boy!" Ichigo laughed standing his ground in front of such a powerful attack. Nel stood behind him with her tiny arms wrapped around his leg in support. The destructive blast came down on them as Ichigo lazily held his hand out. Ulquiora was actually surprised and confused to see his cero being dispersed around the boy instead of destroying him. Looking closely he could Ichigo grinning with a red orb floating in his hand that swirled with energy that forced the energy from the Espada's cero away from him.
"What is that?" Ulquiora questioned. Ichigo's grin just grew wider as he pulled the orb back.
"Fast ball special!" he threw the ball of energy towards the arrancar as it travelled through his cero dispersing the energy as it shot through it. It also seemed to grow bigger and stronger as it flew towards the Espada. An explosion occurred when it collided with its target kicking up smoke and debris.
"You still breathing in there UL-KEY- AURA!?" he said playfully breaking up the arrancar's name. A few moments later the arrancar came out of the smoke, his sleeves burned and torn away but otherwise unharmed.
"So that was a kido that you shinigami possess in your arsenal", he stated staring at Ichigo emotionlessly.
"Not quite, I don't like kido, it's too structured for someone like me, so I made up my own form of kido", he stated popping a mint green lollipop in his mouth.
"It still makes no difference what you use", Ulquiora rushed forward to attack him this time moving around his red beam attack to palm strike Ichigo in the face sending him flying back into the wall.
"Okay, that one hurt", he said spitting the blood from his mouth out. "Lead us into the light, O no Kishi", Ichigo's sword shimmered in light for a moment as he threw it into the air sending at least forty swords raining down to get stuck in the floor.
"Now then which to use on you first?" Ichigo said mostly to himself trying to pick out one of his weapons that could effectively take down this Espada. He grabbed one of his swords and it immediately transformed into a large black scythe. "Let's go Emo!" Ichigo attempted to slice and slash at him, but the Espada was too quick and easily dodged every attack. He decided to switch things up and transform the scythe into his new black pistol and unloaded several rounds that pierced through Ulquiora's arm and leg.
"Oh baby, you're such a sexy beast", Ichigo said stroking the barrel of his gun like it was his pet. "Don't tell the other's but your my new favorite", he whispered.
"So your shikai can change into multiple different weapons", the Espada said looking at the blades that surrounded him.
"Good guess, you get a piece of candy", Ichigo said reaching into his pocket and offering the arrancar a stick of gum in vain. The two of them engaged in a fight once again that ended a few minutes later with Ichigo pulling himself out of the rubble. "Damn, not bad for the fifth Espada", he remarked struggling to stand.
"The fifth?" Ulquiora looked down on him.
"Well yeah you're definitely stronger than Grimmjow so I assume you're the fifth Espada right?" Ichigo asked using his sword to keep himself up while he kneeled.
"Your assumptions are wrong", Ulquiora said ripping the top of his outfit to reveal the gothic four imprinted on his pectoral. "I am the forth Espada".
"Oh fuck my life", Ichigo groaned having seriously underestimated his opponent.
"Do you understand now, if by some miracle you defeated me there are still three more whose power exceeds my own", the arrancar said dispassionately, he then jabbed his hand through Ichigo's chest right where his heart was.
"Damn…good…shot", Ichigo mumble falling forward to lay on the ground before passing out.
INNERWORLD
"Don't give me that look old man", Ichigo said standing in the throne room of the giant star cross shaped palace.
"What look?" The middle aged black robed man asked.
"That look, like your disappointed in me or something", the boy said accusingly.
"Well you did underestimate your opponent, something I advised you to not do", O no Kishi said with a disapproving frown.
"How was I supposed to know he was a higher number than I thought", Ichigo crossed his arms and turned away.
"You should never assume anything Ichigo", the Zanpakuto spirit said.
"Thanks dad", he remarked sarcastically. "So I am currently laying on the ground with a whole in my chest, what do we do?"
"Perhaps we should have made a healing sword", the old man said.
"I told you I'm not making a healing sword, I'm not going to let Orihime feel useless", Ichigo began pacing the throne room work shop. "I already let you convince me into making that shield one".
"Speaking of your lover, I think I sense her outside your world", as he said that Ichigo's eyes widened at his Zanpakuto's words and he immediately left the inner world. His eyes opened as he felt the familiar warmth of Orihime's power covering him. Looking around he spotted his girlfriend, and his eyes travelled around to the tower that was even more destroyed than when he left it and Grimmjow sitting a few yards away.
"Oh, I see", he smirked putting the situation together.
"I'm sorry Ichigo, he wanted me to heal you so you two can fight", Orihime said sadly.
"It's fine sweetie, you wouldn't be doing it if you didn't believe that I can handle him", Ichigo smiled up at her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Grimmjow growled standing up.
"It means whatever you want it to mean baby", Ichigo taunted while he was healed safely in Orihime's shield. Once he was fully healed he stood up and stretched. "So how do you want to do this?"
"Like this", Grimmjow grinned and kicked Ichigo off of the tower and followed him down to the desert of Las Noches.
"Alright somebody's asking for daddy's belt", Ichigo stood up pulling some sunglasses out of his black long coat to shield his eyes from the fake sun. It was a large pair of orange lensed frames in a seventies style. Ichigo immediately released his Zanpakuto sending his many gilded swords out to get stuck in the sand around the imminent battlefield.
"Fuck Aizen's orders, I'm taking you apart!" Grimmjow charged towards him sword drawn. Ichigo just grinned as he waited for him to come and transformed one of his blades into a giant hammer trying to clothes line the Espada. Grimmjow dodged the attack and tried to attack Ichigo, but he easily spun around bringing the hammer around to slam where the arrancar was momentarily standing. A lot of dust and smoke was kicked up upon the impact obscuring both the fighter's vision. At least until one of them saw the silhouette of their enemy.
"Die!" Grimmjow attempted to cut him in half through the smoke, however he was stopped when a loud screeching sound echoed throughout the desert blowing the dust away. Ichigo stood there in his coat and sunglasses holding a scary awesome black electric guitar with white skulls printed on it. "What the hell is that!?" Grimmjow winced feeling a wave of vibrations through his body as Ichigo struck another cord.
"You wanted a fight right, well this is my axe!" Ichigo grinned striking another cord as a wave of sound blasted the Espada away. "Hey Orihime and Nel, you two might want to cover your ears!" he called to his girlfriend and the child arrancar atop the tower behind him. "I'm about to rock out!" As he said this Grimmjow came charging in sword ready to decapitate. Ichigo smirked and stroke another cord on his guitar sending a focused sound wave that struck the blue haired Espada in the torso knocking him back and making him puke up blood.
"Now time for the finale!" Ichigo struck many cords at once and sent one large sound blast that obliterated everything in front of him for half a mile in a funnel shape including the arrancar caught in the path of the wave. "How's that tune baby!?" Ichigo laughed pulling his sunglasses down to get a good look at the giant dust cloud.
"Grind! Pantera!" a voice shouted in the cloud. A large torrent of spirit energy erupted in the center followed by a vortex that sucked up and blew away all the dust revealing Grimmjow in his resurreccion. Ichigo had only one thing to say after seeing his release form.
"Kitty!" Ichigo smiled like a child seeing his favorite thing in the world.
"Shut the fuck up!" the transformed Espada snapped at him.
"Oh no is kitty grumpy today? Let me play him an encore", Ichigo sent another sonic attack at Grimmjow with his guitar, but the arrancar was much faster now and evaded it, moving around to claw at Ichigo. "Oh shit!" he narrowly ducked a blow that would have decapitated him. After that the two of them exchanged blows and cuts on the other's bodies. Grimmjow finally had enough and cut his hand before charging a large blue orb in his hand.
"This is the strongest cero that only the Espada can do!" he grinned as he pointed it at Ichigo.
"Hey Orihime! Want to get married after this?" Ichigo called up to his girlfriend as he braced himself for this attack.
"W-What?" Orihime was stunned that he would ask something like that in the middle of a fight.
"I mean after this war, when everything has settled. Sorry I don't have a ring yet", he laughed as he waited for the cero to blast him.
"Now's not really a good time for this!", she said back.
"I think now's the perfect time, I might die in this fight and I want to know if you would have said yes so I could at least be at peace!", he said seriously. "And who knows if you do say yes, it might be the incentive I need to win this thing!", Ichigo smiled widely up at her as Grimmjow finally fired his grand re cero.
"YES, YES, YES!" Orihime shouted down at him just as the giant beam eclipsed Ichigo.
"Did that kill him?" Grimmjow said to himself walking towards the left over destruction.
"Not quite", a voice said directly behind him. The arrancar turned around only to be viciously cut diagonally across from his hip to his shoulder. Grimmjow looked ready to fall, but righted himself by gripping Ichigo's sword.
"You little bastard, do you think this will be enough to kill me?" he growled out. Ichigo pulled away before he was clawed, but still ended up with a few nasty cuts on his chest, even his sunglasses were knocked off and crushed. Grimmjow then relentlessly attacked him with fury.
"How…are…you…so…strong!?" he said slashing with each word. "You're not a captain!" Grimmjow clawed at Ichigo's happy face. "You're not a lieutenant!" another slash. "You're not even a real shinigami!" Ichigo dodged every attack, noticing how the Espada tried to literally wipe the smile off his face.
"Well I do have a bankai like a captain", Grimmjow's eyes widened at his words. "Oh mouth, why would you say that?" Ichigo sighed at his stupid blabber mouth.
"You have a bankai, and you haven't used it in our fight?" The arrancar tried to keep himself calm as he spoke.
"Why would I need to use my bankai? Oh shit, my mouth just won't stop", Ichigo's eyes widened as he tried to laugh it off. In his rage Grimmjow disappeared and reappeared far away above him. Giant blue streams came off his fingers resembling claws.
"Desgaron! This is my ultimate technique. With this I'll make you use your bankai", Grimmjow grinned preparing his strongest attack.
"You know I could just dodge, it's a very directional attack", Ichigo dead panned.
"Oh really", the arrancar smirked down at him. "So your fine with your girl getting obliterated?", Ichigo was stunned when he realized Orihime in Nel would be in the path of the attack along with him, and they couldn't move as fast as him. "Take this!" Grimmjow sent the first set of streams at him and Ichigo moved in front of his girlfriend to protect her with his sword raised.
"Okay, which one will block this?" He picked the giant pair of arrange scissors first, but it barley withstood the first attack, so when the next came he knew he had to end this now before it got to out of hand. His shikai sword transformed into a humungous broad sword as he leapt towards the attack. This time Ichigo cut through the technique and pierced Grimmjow's chest at the same time.
"Damn…you", was the last thing the Espada got out before blacking out. Ichigo carefully pulled his sword out of Grimmjow's chest and returned it to its sealed state. He also caught the other's body, gently placed it on the ground and put a cherry flavored lollypop in his hand as a sign of respect.
"Alright that's taken care of", he quickly flashed stepped over to Orihime and Nel. "Can I escort you two ladies safely to the ground", he offered holding his arm out.
"Such a gentleman", Nel giggled latching on to his neck while Orihime took his arm. In an instant they were on the sandy plains of Las Noches where the battle between Ichigo and Grimmjow had taken place. "Alright first things first, we need to find and gather the others then get the hell out of here", he began to walk but actually stumbled, wounds finally catching up to him.
"Ichigo please let me heal you first", Orihime pleaded.
"We don't have time for that", Ichigo again tried to move, but a familiar presence stopped him Grimmjow stood in front of him, bleeding from the stab wound in his chest, the piece of candy Ichigo gave him crushed In his grip.
"This…isn't…over", the Espada breathed out, his resurreccion had disappeared returning him to his sealed state.
"I don't know what your deal with me is, so I'll make you an offer since I'm rather fond of you Grimmjow", Ichigo stated seriously not wanting to have to kill such a worthy foe. "Just wait and go home, rest, heal, train and get stronger. I'll happily fight you again and again if that's what you want", the arrancar lowered his hand and looked to be considering the offer and about to take it when a giant bladed weapon appeared out of nowhere stabbing into Grimmjow's shoulder and knocking him away.
"That was startling", Ichigo turned to see his new opponent, a tall dark haired, one eyed arrancar with big teeth that reminded him of his pal Shinji. "And who is this dare I ask?"
"Names Noitora, I'm the fifth Espada", the arrancar grinned showing the number five on his tongue.
"That's a weird place to get a tattoo, but I supposed there are worse spots", Ichigo commented shrugging his shoulders.
"Are you for real, I can't believe you let this guy beat you Grimmjow!" Noitora laughed thinking this guy would be easy, while the blue haired Espada just glared at the both of them.
"I'm absolutely for real", Ichigo whispered directly into his ear, Noitora was startled at how close he got and tried to slice him in half with his weapon. The boy back flipped to avoid the weapon, wincing a bit from his early injuries when he landed. "Still got it!" he smirked holding up double peace signs.
"Ichigo!" Orihime tried to help him, but was stopped by the Espada's fraccion Tesra.
"Don't interfere", the arrancar said grabbing ahold of her. Watching the fight she could see Ichigo had already unleashed his shikai, but with his injuries his speed and agility were lacking, even his attacks were significantly weaker. Finally he did manage to land a blow on the Espada, but it just scrapped along his skin not even leaving a scratch.
"Surprised?" Noitora smirked. "Out of all the Espada, my hierro is the strongest. None of these pathetic weapons of yours can pierce me!", Ichigo frowned at that, but smirked back at him.
"Well my teeth are swords and my claws are spears", he growled in a fake deep voice, there was a short awkward pause after he spoke. "Really? Aizen doesn't let you guys watch movies?" Noitora's weapon came crashing down where he was just standing. "I'll take that as a no", Ichigo appeared out of the smoke holding the bleeding wound on his shoulder.
"I'll wipe that smirk off your face!" Noitora charged a cero on the end of his tongue and fired it at him. Ichigo wanted to dodge, but he knew he wouldn't make it with his injuries. As he braced himself for the oncoming blast he felt two arms wrap around his torso and pull him out of the way.
"I don't know who you are, but thanks miss", Ichigo knew it was a woman that saved him, going by the large breasts pressing into his back.
"You don't recognize me Ichigo?" That voice sounded so familiar, like a little girl he recently met, but older. Turning his head he was shocked to see a long aqua haired goddess that looked like an older version of Nel. Wait a second. "NEL!"
"Neliel actually", she corrected him with a cheery smile. "And this is my true form".
"BUT YOUR HOT!" he shouted. "LIKE SERIOUSLY HOT!"
"I'm flattered, but your already taken", Neliel said. "Or have you forgotten about the one you just asked to marry.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm just admiring the view, but I would never cheat on Orihime", Ichigo said standing up and turning away with an angry huff that someone could accuse him of such a thing.
"Could you do me a favor Ichigo? Can you sit this fight out and let me have a turn?" She asked stepping next to him.
"Are you sure you can handle this guy?" Ichigo questioned looking from Neliel to the Espada a distance away.
"What do you think?" Neliel stepped forward turning her back to him and revealing the large number three on her back.
"Alright go get him", she didn't need to be told twice. Neliel immediately charged towards a surprised Noitora with her sword drawn and proceeded to kick the crap out of him. "Damn that's hot", Ichigo smirked watching the fight, he then decided to do something about the arrancar holding his girl prisoner.
"Master Noitora!" Tesra yelled seeing his master driven into the dirt.
"Shouldn't you be worried about yourself?" Ichigo asked right behind him.
"Don't come near me!" Tesra sweated holding Orihime tighter, he then raised his sword and pressed it against her throat. "I'll cut her throat".
"How are you going to do that without the use of your elbow?" Ichigo questioned from behind, suddenly Tesra felt his sword arm being locked into place by a force. Orihime's triangular prism encompassed his elbow freezing it in that single space. The arrancar then felt four long thick needles being stabbed into his back, the instant they broke his skin his body went numb and limp.
"You didn't notice that my shikai was still active did you?" Ichigo grinned gently pulling the limp arrancar off of his girlfriend and letting him fall to the sand. Tesra unable to move or speak was only able to get a look at what did this to him. Ichigo was wearing a strange copper colored gauntlet on his right hand with tubes and canisters attached to it, but instead of fingers it had large syringes with long needles filled with a mysterious purple liquid.
"I call it the overdose, I got the idea from Kurotsuchi, I can inject people with any number of toxic or poisonous substances", Ichigo explained brandishing the gauntlet. "What's currently flowing in your veins is a paralyzing agent, count yourself lucky I didn't put anything poisonous in it", the arrancar seemed to understand, but couldn't express it, being paralyzed and all.
"You alright Orihime?" Ichigo turning her head to make sure she wasn't cut or scratched. She just nodded her head, the rush of almost dying coming down. "That was some quick thinking, good work", he said giving her a peck on the cheek. They both looked over to Neliel's fight hearing a loud crash. Ichigo quickly sprang into action seeing Neliel turn back into a child and kicked away.
"Ha! This is too easy!" Noitora laughed about to finish her off or would have if the volley of bullets didn't knock him back. Ichigo marched right up to him firing his black pistol at the Espada, it didn't pierce his tough skin, but it did bruise and leave a mark. A shot in his knee forced him to kneel.
"I may not be able to get through your heirro, but if I shot enough bullets in a single spot even the strongest wall will break", Ichigo smirked getting up close and pointing his pistol point blank at the kneeling Arrancar's heart.
"You think your tough shit?" Noitora grimaced trying to think of a way out. He spotted one when he glanced over to his fraccion who was slowly getting up behind Orihime, the paralysis wearing off. "Tesra! Kill the girl!" he ordered with a grin. Tesra was surprised by the sudden order, but complied, picked up his sword and went to cut the unsuspecting girl down from behind. Ichigo realized what this was, he also realized he wouldn't be able to move fast enough. Making a quick decision without really thinking, he turned around and shot a single bullet from a distance that whizzed past Orihime and pierced through Tesra's skull, killing him in an instant before he could hurt her. Time seemed to slow down as a shadow loomed over Ichigo and the familiar slice of air that came from a bladed weapon came ever closer to his ears.
'You know what, I'm cool with this. I'm definitely cool with this, be safe Orihime, find a stronger man than me', were his final thoughts as he closed his eyes and embraced his oncoming death. A moment later Ichigo opened his eyes realizing that he was still here.
"Oh don't tell me this is one of those things where I got sliced in half so fast that I don't actually fall apart until a few seconds later", he counted to five and lifted his shirt seeing no cut. Ichigo turned around to something even he couldn't have predicted. Kenpachi stood there holding off Noitora's weapon with his sword single handedly.
"Hey Ichigo, this guy giving you trouble?" The bloodthirsty captain grinned.
"Kenpachi, you maniac, of course he was, look at me!" Ichigo yelled with his own grin pointing at his various wounds and bruises. Yachiru jumped from her captain's shoulder to Ichigo with an excited squeal. "Ow, ow watch the shoulder sweetie".
"Ichigo, do you have any candy?" she practically ordered.
"What do you think?" He reached into the pocket of his black long coat and pulled out a fistful of lollypops and chocolate pieces. The pink haired lieutenant made a grab for it, but Ichigo held it out of reach. "No, what do we say?"
"Please", she said politely.
"Good girl", he patted her head and placed the wad of candy in her eager hands. "If you're going to fight this guy Kenpachi, be my guest", Ichigo said nonchalantly as he walked away.
"You must be strong if you gave Ichigo a hard time", Kenpachi said pushing the Espada back. Ichigo limped over to Orihime and collapsed face down next to her.
"I'm gonna take a little nap, wake me when Kenpachi wins please", Ichigo turned on his side and fell asleep in the middle of the battlefield while she healed him again.
Sorry for the wait. I'm almost finished with one of my other stories, so I've been focusing on that lately.
I know Ichigo's Zanpakuto seems rather convenient with its numerous forms and abilities, but as I stated before there's a reason for that and it will become relevant when the Quincy show their ugly faces. As a reward for those who stuck by this story I'll give you all a hint to what Ichigo's bankai is. It's not what most of you are probably thinking it is.
Next chapter in the bottom note I think I'm going to compile a list of his swords and what they all do currently.
Thanks for reading.