The characters in this fan fiction are property of Tite Kubo, Viz Media, Shonen Jump and the others, I do not own and part of the Bleach manga/anime series. I am not nor have I ever made any money of Bleach series.
This is a fan fiction about Ichigo , Hiyori, and somewhat about Rukia . Many things about this story are the same as in the current continuity of Bleach while some things are vastly different.
Chapter 20
"…I'm looking forward to it ,Captain Hitsugaya.." Replied Captain Ichimaru.
"We'll see about that, Ichimaru." Toshiro said, readying himself for the inevitable battle.
"Hehehe… shoot to kill, Shinzo." said Ichimaru quietly, holding his sword to the side and pointed forward.
It shot forward at high speeds ready to pierce Toshiro, but he was also fast, and flash stepped into the air and out of the way. He drew his sword up and back and as he swung it downward, he yelled out " Reign over the frosted heavens! Hyorinmaru!"
His Zanpaktou remained the same shape, but long chain grew from the bottom of the hilt and had a small crescent moon shaped blade on the end of it. A stream of water and ice then flowed around him and it flew from the end of the blade, in a form that looked like a dragon. It shot out from his sword and roared as it flew towards Ichimaru.
He frowned and ducked out of the way. "Ooh, someone's testy, aren't they." Ichimaru said, grinning.
"Be quite, Ichimaru!" Toshiro yelled, sending another ice and water dragon at him.
This one actually nicked Ichimaru's shoulder, leaving ice on it. He turned to the side, holding his frozen shoulder.
" Your mine!" Toshiro said, rushing at Ichimaru with his sword.
"Actually, I got you.." Ichimaru said, quietly while smirking. "Shoot to kill… Shinzo…"
Ichimaru's sword sliced into Toshiro's side, as he tried to dodge it. "Oh, no, now it's going to stab poor Momo, over there on the ground." Ichimaru said, smiling.
Toshiro looked over, in fear. "Momo!" There's no way I can stop it…
But someone grabbed Momo and moved her to the side, and out of the way of Ichimaru's blade. It was the Lieutenant of Squad 3 Izuru Kira "Captain Ichimaru, what do you think your doing , you could have killed Momo!"
"Ahh!, Kira my Lieutenant, your just in time, ..I found Captain Hitsugaya doing something awful to Hinamori here," Ichimaru said, calmly. "You can help me bring him down… I mean bring him in.."
"Sorry my Captain," Izuru, holding on to Momo, "I don't believe you,
"Kira! Quick, get Momo away from here, and to somewhere safe!" Toshiro yelled to him, taking a swing at Ichimaru.
"I'm already on it, Captain Hitsugaya! "Izuru yelled back to him. " Be careful, and good luck!"
With that he flash stepped away from the area and towards the Squad 4 barracks. Toshiro turned and looked at Ichimaru and said " You should know, ..that now that Momo is safely away from here,.. I don't have to worry about holding back anymore."
"Oh really?" Ichimaru asked, his snake-like grin, somehow growing wider. " By all means, don't hold back"
Toshiro's eyes glowed icy blue and he raised his sword and pointed it to the sky. " Tenso Jurin"
The sky in the area, grew dark and thunder and lighting began to be seen and heard. Snow also began to fall from the sky and ice started to appear on some of surrounding buildings. His eyes glowed brighter, and hail began to hit Ichimaru ,who growled in annoyance.
"Getting frustrated, Captain Ichimaru?" Toshiro asked looking at him with narrowed eyes. "Good, cause if I've made you mad so far, then these moves will make you extremely pissed."
"So confident, aren't we?" Ichimaru asked, appearing before him and slashing wildly, while never loosing his smile.
He blocked all of his attacks and had the chain on his hilt wrap around one of Ichimaru's arms. "There's nothing wrong with confidence. In fact I'm going let you in on something."
"I have such precise control over Hyorinmaru, that I can use a weakened form of any of it's Bankai's attack while in Shikai form." Toshiro said, smiling slightly, before growing serious again.
Toshiro kept a hold of him with the chain that was still wrapped around Ichimaru's arm and stabbed him in his leg. As Ichimaru grunted slightly form the pain, Toshiro said "Here's one called, Ryusenka"
Ichimaru looked down at his leg and ice grew around it until his entire leg was covered in ice. And the weight of it caused him to crash down to the ground. For once, Ichimaru didn't have a grin, but a sneer on his face. He looked down at his ice covered leg and growled slightly.
"You truly are heartless, Captain Hitsugaya." Ichimaru said, looking up at him.
Toshiro narrowed his eyes and said " Perhaps,… but when you hurt and threaten my friends, I have no choice… It's time to end this, Ichimaru"
Ichimaru raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.
Toshiro looked at him, and closed his eyes "Sennen Hyoro"
Several, giant pillars of ice irrupted from the ground around Ichimaru, who couldn't move out of the way, because of his ice encased leg . These pillars rotated around him and drew closer and closer to him before slamming into him, and encasing him a block of ice. Ichimaru was dead, but Toshiro knew something was wrong, there was no way he had killed another captain so easily, something was wrong.
He returned his Zanpaktou to its sealed form and placed it back in the sheath on his back, before dashing down to the ground and walking up to the pillar of ice in front of him. He looked closely and his eyes got huge. Inside the ice dead, was not the Captain of Squad 3, but a low ranked Soul Reaper who had joined his squad only a few weeks before hand. "What in the name of.. How.. how is this possible?"
His face, his voice, his Spiritual pressure, his attacks… everything said Ichimaru… He thought, unable to remove his eyes from the sight before him even as the ice on the ground and buildings around him began to melt. "Captain!, Captain are you alright!"
He turned and saw Rangiku running towards him. "Captain, I felt the Spiritual Pressure you, Captain Ichimaru, and Lieutenant Hinamori!"
"I saw Izuru, carrying Hinamori on my way over and he told me you were fighting Captain Ichimaru." Rangiku said, coming to a stop. " So how…did ..it ..go!"
Her eyes were wide and she saw the Soul Reaper incased in ice in front of them. "Captain ..what. What happened here?"
He turned back to look at it. And said "To be honest.. I'm not sure.. I saw Ichimaru out of his prison cell, and I follow him to this building. He opened the door and had Momo in there, tied up and knocked out."
"I was fighting him and even though something felt off , like he wasn't even trying, I kept the battle going until I used Sennen Hyoro to finish him off." He said finally looking away from the frozen squad member. " I didn't know it was another person until afterwards, but it doesn't make any sense at all…"
"Hmm.. Maybe we should just go check on Hinamori for right now, try to figure out what's going on later." Rangiku said, looking at her captain. "Afterwards, we can report this strange situation to the head-captain or something."
"I suppose your right, Rangiku… Let's go to the Squad 4 Barracks and see if she's alright." Toshiro said, walking away.
Several miles away from them, Izuru came to a stop on a rooftop and looked around for a moment before smiling evilly and dropping the still unconscious Momo on the ground with a thud. He then reached up and pulled away a shimmering veil from beside him and reviled the real Captain Ichimaru.
"Hehehe … Too easy, that for sure." He said, grinning. " Our master's powers are something else, though is a shame I couldn't fight Captain Hitsugaya personally."
" I see you you've accomplished your mission, Ichimaru." Said a voice, belonging to a man with purple braided hair and sunglasses.
Ichimaru turned and looked at him. " Ah, my fellow partner in crime, as it were. What brings you here?"
The man looked in his direction for a moment before saying "I was nearby and sent to check on your progress. Our lord felt you remove the illusionary veil and figured you were done."
"You know.." Ichimaru said, pushing the knocked out Hinamori with his foot. " I don't really understand reason behind needing this girl for, other then making them think I'm behind this."
"Neither do I , but it is not our place to question our lords orders." The braided haired man said calmly.
" .. Now come, our lord wishes to speak to us about the final stages of our plans."
"Yeah, yeah, let's get going." Ichimaru said, grabbing a hold of Hinamori and dragging her behind him.
Meanwhile…
"So your finally awake, Ichigo" Said Yoruichi, standing and grinning with her arms folded. "Come, on get up, you have work too."
Ichigo managed to open his eyes and sat up. He looked and saw Hiyori using his lap as a pillow. He smiled and ran his hand over her hair. " Hard to believe she can be so cute and innocent when she's asleep. And such a pain in the ass the rest of the time."
"Ohh, so cute. You two make a perfect couple." Yoruichi said, laughing. " Now come on, flirt with your girlfriend later, Ichigo"
Yachiru laughed and ate some of her candy she had gotten from, who knows where.
"Shut up" Ichigo said, gently pulling Hiyori's head off of his lap and shaking her awake. "Come on, snaggletooth, wake your little ass up."
"Ehh…. Yeah , I'm up shut up ,moron." Hiyori said, yawning and standing up.
"Where are we anyway?" Ichigo asked, looking around. " it looks like Mr. Hat and Clog's place."
"Very good, that area is modeled after this one" Yoruichi replied to him, grinning.
"Now then Ichigo, I know your probably mad about leaving Rukia behind, but You couldn't have survived against two captains at once. Yoruichi said, uncrossing her arms. "Besides, Ukitake is Rukia's captain and a very kind person. He won't let anything happen to her for the time being."
"Now then, Ichigo have you noticed how your Zanpaktou Zangetsu, is different from all other Soul Reaper's Swords?" Yoruichi asked, in a serious tone.
"Yeah, it's in a constant release state." Ichigo said, pulling out Zangetsu. "What about it?"
"You already know, good" She replied grinning. "But do you know that your Zanpaktou has a second release state, called Bankai."
" Yeah, I know the name, but not what it is." Ichigo said, looking at her as he rested his sword on his shoulder.
Well I'm glad you don't know everything," She said, in response, "Otherwise I'd have nothing to say, you spoil sport you."
Yoruichi walked over across the ground away from Ichigo. "In any case, all Zanpaktou's have three levels of power. The first is the sealed state, which you don't have, is where it's no more powerful then an ordinary sword."
He waited for her to continue, while Hiyori poked Ichigo with a stick, much to his annoyance.
"The second stage, is called Shikai, and it's the most used form of a Soul Reaper's Zanpaktou. And finally, is the 3rd and last stage of release, called Bankai." She stated to him. "Now while the strength increase in Bankai varies for each Soul Reaper, but it's generally between 5 to 10 times powerful then The Shikai form."
"That much!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"Crazy huh?" She said grinning "That's why it takes roughly 10 years of training to master it's power"
"But I don't 10 years! I only have a few days!" he yelled.
"Relax, I'm well aware if this" She said, pulling out a strange white , person shaped item." but with this little contraption that Kisuke created, you can achieve Bankai in a time span of just 3 days"
"This device is called a Tenshintai, and it forces the spirit of your Zanpaktou into the real world." Yoruichi said, handing it to Ichigo. " I already know you can manifest it yourself to some degree, but this will for it to remain for the 3 day time period."
"So what do I do, let's get started!" Ichigo exclaimed, " What do I do?"
"Just a moment, I need to warn you that if you don't reach Bankai with in 3 days, using this device again ..could kill you" She said, very seriously. " if you understand the risks, then stab your Zanpaktou into it's center, to begin."
Hiyori started to protest about him doing this training but Ichigo, walked over and put his hands on her shoulders. He gently lifted her chin and looked her in her eyes. "I have to do this, just have faith in me, alright?"
She looked uncertain, but nodded anyway. He walked over and picked up the Tenshintai.
"Fine, I understand the risks, but it doesn't matter, cause I will get it , And I will save Rukia" He said, angrily. " Let's get going!"
He stabbed his Zanpaktou into it and a moment later Zangetsu appeared. "Hello again, Ichigo"
"Hello old man. So what do I have to do to achieve Bankai?" Ichigo asked gripping his Zanpaktou.
Zangetsu looked at him and waved his hand. Ichigo's sword disappeared and hundreds of swords, of all different shapes and sizes appeared, stuck in the ground. He turned to Ichigo and said " You must find the true Zangetsu amongst these swords and use it to defeat me in combat"
"Come, Ichigo. It is time to start your Bankai training" Zangetsu said, grabbing a random sword , While Ichigo did the same. "Good luck, you will need it"
Hiyori was sitting on a rock with Yachiru and said "Luck ,has nothing to do with it."
"Yoruichi.. Is it possible I could achieve Bankai as well?" Hiyori suddenly asked. "I can already manifest Kubikiri Orochi, and I've done some early training to achieve Bankai, but I've done it for only the last 4 years, I still have a ways to go"
Yoruichi put her hand on her chin and though for a moment, before reaching behind a large stone and producing a second Tenshintai. " I'm not exactly for this, but I have a strange feeling that we may need it's power in the very near future."
"So do I " Hiyori said, before releasing her Zanpaktou and stabbing the device.
A moment later a tall woman with short black hair, hanging in front of her left eye appeared. She had red, silted snake-like eyes, a darting snake's tongue, and was dressed in black and red gothic clothing. She had a black and red tank-top, with fishnet arm warmers, black and red mini skirt, thigh length socks that were black with red hearts, and black boots with metal bits on it.
She opened her mouth to lick her lips and revealed razor sharp teeth. "Hello little bitch, who I call master."
Hiyori grinned and replied. " Hello yourself, you crazy whore."
"My ,my you seem so different from little Hiyori here, Kubikiri Orochi." Yoruichi said, looking at her strange attire.
"She's different alright." Hiyori said, with a sneer. "She's a constantly horny slut who keeps trying to get me to do ..things"
"It's true, I am." Kubikiri replied, grinning. "But no matter how much I persuade her ,she just won't give in to her,.. naughty side and invite that sexy hunk of meat, Ichigo to a have a little fun with her."
Hiyori turned red and ad said "Shut up, I'm not doing that with him, so stop asking… Now come on let's continue our Bankai training."
"Fine.. But if you don't tell him how you feel eventually, another girl might snag him away from you, just keep that in mind, Hiyori." She said, walking away. " Now,.. I think I'll use the same training method that Zangetsu is using, so lets go to the far side of this training hall and get started."
Hiyori nodded and the 1st day of her 3 day training regiment, began.
Some distance away, at the Squad 4 relief barracks and hospital, Isane was in front of her captain, Retsu Unohana, the Captain of Squad 4 and head doctor of the medial department.
"You understand I was very worried about you, Isane…" Unohana said, looking down at her. " But you still aided a person who invaded us and killed one of the captains."
"This could be considered treason if it was discovered you helped him by your own free will… " She said, closing her eyes. " Even so, you did do so because you believed you were doing the right thing at the time. Do you have anything to say Lieutenant?"
Isane stood up and looked her captain in her eyes. "Yes, I do ma'am. I did knowingly help the Ryoka, Ichigo Kurosaki, because I believe his mission to save his friend from an unfair, and unjust death is a noble one."
"It's not right Rukia Kuchiki should die, and It seems like someone or something is behind this." Isane said, looking determined. " If I could go back in time to decide on helping him again, I would gladly do so, because it's what is right."
Unohana opened her eyes and smiled. "I know and I agree. In fact my self, and Captain Ukitake and Kyoraku are working on a way to stop the execution by Sokyoku as we speak. Would you like to help?"
"Captain…yes ,.. yes I do" Isane said, smiling back. " When do we start?"
"Come, we begin now, and have lots of work to do." Unohana said, walking towards the door.
Many others were on the move throughout Seireitei, like Captain Hitsugaya and his Lieutenant , Rangiku Matsumoto. "Captain, how are we suppose to find Izuru and Hinamori?"
"I don't know but.. I'm fairly certain that wasn't even the real Izuru at this point.." Toshiro said, coming to a stop. "Then again…. ever since we visited the Squad 4 and Squad 3 barracks, I'm not sure what to think."
-Flashback-
"Captain Hitsugaya, and Lieutenant Matsumoto, what brinks you here?" Asked Captain Unohana, sitting at her desk, doing paperwork.
"Were here to see Momo, she was brought in by Izuru." Toshiro said folding his arms. "Which room is she in?"
"I'm sorry, Captain Hitsugaya, but as far as I know, Lieutenant Hinamori, wasn't brought here at anytime." Captain Unohana said. "Are you certain she was brought here? Perhaps she's at her barracks."
"No, she was brought here, by Lieutenant Izuru sometime ago!" Toshiro said.
"Captain.. What if that wasn't really Izuru?" Rangiku asked, nervously. "Like with Captain Ichimaru."
"Not the real one?" Captain Unohana asked , confused. " What do mean?"
Toshiro sighed and told her about his battle form earlier. "I see, it could be possible, though I've never heard of such a thing before."
"Either have I, but .. It doesn't matter ." Toshiro said turning around. "Come on Rangiku , we have to find Momo and Ichimaru….. And figure out what's going on."
"I'll try to find out anything on my end, with any information The department of Research and Development might have recorded." Captain Unohana said, standing up. "Good luck to both of you, and be careful"
Toshiro nodded and said "Right." with that him and Rangiku raced out the door.
They went to Squad 3 Barracks to discover Izuru was gone and hadn't been seen since the Lieutenant's meeting, things were getting stranger by the second.
End of flashback…
"Come we have to keep searching, until we find them" Toshiro said, gritting his teeth. "No rest until then, Rangiku, let's move!"
He flash stepped off and Rangiku sighed. And before going after him she thought, Just what's going on.. And what are you up to, Gin?…
Later…
"Alright, Ichigo, Hiyori, that's enough." Yoruichi said, jumping down off a large rock. "You've both done extremely well, better then I though you would have in fact, but you both need to call it a night and rest."
Both Ichigo and Hiyori had broken several dozen swords while fighting their individual Zanpaktou spirits. They were both bruised, cut up, exhausted, and they just nodded before dropping to the ground and tried to catch their breath.
"Alright you two, go get undressed and get into one of the two hot springs, you'll definitely find it very soothing." She said ,walking out of view.
Hiyori had just entered the hot spring and was almost immediately relaxed. "Hey there, mind if we join you?" asked a female voice, from behind her.
"Yeah, sure Yoruichi.. And I assume Yachiru is there as well?" Hiyori asked, not looking back. " Come on , in I guess."
Yoruichi slowly striped naked and carefully got in, while Yachiru , pulled off her clothes and jumped in splashing them both.
"Was that really necessary, you little pin haired weirdo?" Hiyori asked, wiping water out of her eyes with a towel.
"Now then Hiyori, how are things going with Ichigo?" Yoruichi asked grinning. "You ready to confess your love to him yet?"
Hiyori spit out the water, she had taking a sip of from a nearby flask. "What!… are my feeling's for that moron really that obvious, to everyone?"
"Pretty much, so when are you going tell him?" Yoruichi asked, again. "You still haven't answered me."
"I..I don't know.. I don't even know how he's feels about me.. " Hiyori said somewhat quietly. "What if he only likes me as a friend"
"Well you two relax, I need to do some training of my own" Yoruichi said getting out the hot spring. "I'll see you two later."
She walked away and found Ichigo ,alone In the other hot spring on the other side of the training area. She turned into a cat and said to him "Hello there Ichigo, how's the water?"
He turned around and saw her in cat form. "Oh Yoruichi, it's fine. What do want?"
"I wanted to ask you ..how do you feel about Hiyori?" She asked, sitting on the edge of the spring. "Do you like her,.. As in LIKE her, like her?"
Ichigo sputtered and tuned red. "I ..well that is.. I ..kind of like her.." He managed to sputter out. "Why?.."
"Oh no reason ,…I was just told by a certain yellow and red bird …" She said grinning as best as a cat can. "…That she likes you a lot too."
"Yeah ,I heard her say that…" Ichigo said, still somewhat red in the face. "She though I was asleep , But I heard her tell me, how much she liked me."
"So? Are you going to ask her out, to be your girlfriend?" She asked, moving closer to him. " You both love each other, so why not?"
"Well,… were kind of busy right now trying to save Rukia.." He said, thinking "After wards…I don't know.. maybe.. It's not like I've got much experience with girls or anything.."
"Well, at least Think about .." She said, walking away. "I'll see you later. There's food I set out by your Zanpaktous, make sure you eat and then get some rest for tomorrow's day 2 of the training."
Some distance away, it was early the next morning and Toshiro and Rangiku had finally gotten a hint of Momo's Spritual pressure, and were in route to find her….
"Come on Rangiku, we've finally found Momo's general trail, we can't loose it" Toshiro yelled to his Lieutenant.
"Yes sir , I know" Rangiku replied running behind him
Suddenly a loud speaker sounded making them both stop in there tracks.
"ATTENTION, SOUL REAPERS OF THE SEIREITEI, THE EXICUTION OF THE PRISONER, SOUL REPAER RUKIA KUCHIKI HAS BEEN CHANGED. THE EXICUTION HAS BEEN MOVED TO TOMORROW DECISION IS FINAL AND UNCHANGABLE. THAT IS ALL!"
"Sir, what's going on here?" Rangiku asked wide eyed. "Is Gin behind this?"
"I'm not sure , it certainly doesn't seem like something he would be able to do on his own though.." Toshiro said, eyes narrowed. " We need to find Momo and find out what's going on here… any maybe stop Rukia's execution as well"
"Are you sure captain?" Rangiku asked walking up beside him " I'm willing to help but.. If we go through with this ,were going to be in a lot of trouble.."
"I know, but I get the feeling it's something we have to do" He said, looking at her. "Come on we only have today and part of tomorrow to find Momo and help save Rukia Kuchiki, let's go!"
END OF CHAPTER 20
To be continued….. Next chapter
Please read, enjoy and review. See ya in a few with another chapter , everyone.