Notes:
Thanks to all my wonderful guest reviewers! You give me life. I would not stay up until 3am trying to edit my garbage just for my health lol I'm glad you like.
The 'he' problem. Yes, boo. I hate that English doesn't have possessive modifiers so you know who the hell you're talking about. I try to catch all those confusing bits, but I know I miss some. Thanks for pointing that out!
Now you get to see what happened to Ichigo, and why Zangetsu was losing his goddamn mind.
Ganbari masu!
Susurrar
"Stop looking for happiness in the same place you lost it." -Unknown
- xxx -
Ichigo
178 min earlier:
Shinji spoke. "Inemuri."
Ichigo didn't have time to panic, he felt his consciousness stolen from him as he was yanked down into darkness.
The pain struck him like an anvil. He had the faint realization he was staring up at the sky, but he couldn't blink or move or scream, there was nothing but agony. Agony and the crawl of sharp whispers inside his mind.
nnnhlirgh hafh'drn ron fhtagn nach' Azathoth throd li'hee ilyaa, Cthulhu y'hah syha'h wgah'n
His body moved, but he had nothing to do with it. It wasn't like giving Zangetsu control, it felt like something had forced its way inside his soul; his being was too small, too insignificant.
shugg uaaah throdor. 'ai fm'latgh shtunggli geb 'ai athg li'hee syha'h grah'n
There was a 'voice'. No...it wasn't one voice, it was many.
Sgn'wahl ebunma Hastur wgah'nog kn'a fm'latgh sgn'wahlog Nyarlathotep chtenff
He was still seeing, but it felt distant, fake. His mind turned inwards, towards the source.
He couldn't speak, he couldn't comprehend anything through the pain, but his desperation was clear. GET OUT
R'lyeh ftaghu shagg throd h'ilyaa na'bthnk hafh'drn ph'goka ooboshuyar, y-ya fhtagn ep fm'latgh
GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT
He caught himself on his hands and knees and retched, his entire body trembling. He could feel Zangetsu again, he could move, he could breathe. The sudden absence of that soul rending agony was too sudden, he couldn't do anything but be. He could distantly feel Zangetsu's panic, but his senses were too overloaded, it was like he'd been drowning.
The only thing that pulled him out of it was Zangetsu's violence and rage. It raced through his veins like ice water, and he forced himself to move.
56 min earlier:
"It'll keep me from bleeding out." He sighed, his voice softer. "I can't hold him back anymore. Sorry." He blinked slowly, consciousness slipping away from him.
shugg uaaah throdor
CAST IT OUT
'ai fm'latgh shtunggli geb 'ai athg li'hee syha'h grah'n
YOU DO NOT BELONG
Now he could understand. The whispers had meaning, he'd heard those words before. Ichigo felt a sliver of awareness. He wasn't awake, but he wasn't asleep either.
This was Alteza. He recognized it, but this time the pain was absent. He felt it reach into his soul, darkness spreading through each and every vein and artery. Maybe it wasn't spreading, maybe it never left, and he was only now aware of it. It blanketed his senses, the vast feeling of wrongness writhing inside him.
He wasn't a silent observer. Not this time.
Leave me alone.
bugnyth
YOU
ph'r'luh
ARE
ph'orr'e ilyaa
ALONE
...
- xxx -
Ichigo
Zangetsu was furious, and that was an understatement. From the instant he was aware, he could feel the rage simmering in his soul. Ossan wasn't much happier. His quincy side had kept him from bleeding out as long as possible, but he'd underestimated how exhausted he would be. From Zangetsu's whispered warning, he knew he'd be dead if his hollow hadn't sent Grimmjow to bring Orihime. He hated pulling his friends into his messes, it was how they died the first time.
He'd actually been asleep, and being on death's door kept Alteza from stringing him up like a marionette. Waking up weak and in pain, his reaction wasn't a surprise, especially not with an Espada level reiatsu looming over him. Zangetsu protected his friends from him yet again; he leaned on his help too much, and too often.
"King, I couldn't feel your mind while you slept. It was like before. Darkness. Whispers."
I know.
"It spoke to you. What did it say?"
Later.
"King!"
Later...His tone had only gotten softer, and that lack of fight concerned Zangetsu enough to shut him up. He felt him fighting to access parts of him mind he hadn't been privy to, and Ichigo knew he would fail.
He turned away from Grimmjow, content that he was at least square with the Espada, and walked over to Orihime. He had a lot to answer for when it came to Inoue, and he couldn't stop the regret that stabbed his heart.
She took a step back in fear, straight into Ishida's chest. Ishida lifted his hand to her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. The gesture was so automatic, Ichigo didn't think he realized he did it. At least one good thing had come of all this.
He knew he looked frightening like this, and he'd given her no reason not to fear him. He was volatile on his best days, and vengeful in his worst, but seeing her back away from him didn't feel good.
He bent in a low bow, and tried to articulate what he felt in his heart. He didn't think he was very successful. "I'm not sure what it's worth, but I'm sorry, Inoue. I didn't want to get you involved…" He straightened, meeting her eyes. She looked away, and his heart twisted. "You saved my life. Thank you."
Tears welled up in her eyes and she wrung her hands together, still not brave enough to look up. "I don't want you to die, Kurosaki-kun."
He let out a long, slow breath. He couldn't promise her that wouldn't happen, not when it would taste like a lie. He said, "I owe you a lot Inoue. If you need me, I'll be there."
He'd had a lot of time to think on it. He loved her, she was irreplaceable, he'd go to hell and back for her, but he wasn't in love with her. The sheer amount of self loathing he felt when he saw her was more than enough to crush any hope of that, and his own stubborn need to push her away sealed his fate.
Even if it hurt, he preferred things this way. He wasn't blind, she'd had a crush on who he use to be, but the more she found out about who he was, the more that fire died.
He looked to Ishida, extending this to him as well. "I'm afraid I might have caused problems for you. I can take you home, but I'll warn you, there's the chance Soul Society will label you traitors. At the very least, they might be less friendly." He looked between them. "It's your choice what you want to do, and whatever that is, I'll help you."
Ishida stepped around Orihime, his hand still in hers. "Kurosaki, what are you planning on doing?"
Ichigo looked up in thought. "Hnnn…" He already knew, but deciding what he should and shouldn't tell Ishida was enough to give him pause. His eyes flicked back down to Ishida's. "Invade Soul Society."
Ishida said, "What-again?!"
Grimmjow cut in. "Again? What do you mean again?"
Ichigo brushed off Grimmjow. "It's a long story."
Inoue spoke up, voice unsteady. "Uhhh, but why do you want to invade Soul Society?"
Ichigo thought maybe she was uncertain of his motives, but he couldn't be sure. He answered, "I need the Hogyoku. It's that or kill myself, and I'm not fond of that idea." He glanced at Zangetsu, who was still simmering in silence. "Contrary to popular belief."
His sword was still materialized as a passive aggressive show of force. Ichigo had shoved him down, refusing to let him force his way into the driver's seat. Letting him do what he wanted for now was Ichigo's only way of apologizing.
Zangetsu was just trying to protect him, and there was nothing he could do to express his disapproval of his methods that his inner hollow didn't already know. They were one in the same. The hollow knew he was scared, he knew he was at his wits end, and he knew he was dealing with it.
Ichigo continued, "I wish I had more time, but I intend to move as soon as Kisuke updates me on the Hogyoku's whereabouts. I can't afford to do this every time I need a goddamned nap." He huffed, letting the anger go. It's not like this was their problem. "I don't mean to rush you, but I have to return to Las Noches. What do you want to do?"
Orihime and Ishida shared a look, and Ishida said, "I want to help."
Ichigo asked, "Why?" He wasn't saying no, and he wasn't planning on cutting his reasons out from under him, he just wanted to know.
Ishida said, "You wouldn't go to these lengths over nothing, and you wouldn't put others at risk over your own life for no reason. Why do you need the Hogyoku now? Couldn't you have just taken it after Urahara extracted it from Rukia?"
Ichigo frowned, not looking forward to explaining all over again what was going on. "I brought another Hogyoku from my time into this dimension; there can't be two. I didn't realize the Hogyoku from my time merged with my soul until recently," He shrugged, "I don't feel all that different."
Zangetsu snorted, disgusted. "You mean aside from the possession?"
Ichigo frowned and continued like he hadn't interrupted. "The Hogyoku can change reality. I'm no fucking expert, but I don't think that's a good thing. With two, things are already changing. I'm going to get the Hogyoku back, and then I'm going to get rid of it."
Ishida looked confused. "Get rid of it? Even Urahara couldn't come up with a way to destroy it."
Ichigo crossed his arms. "I'm not going to destroy it, I'm going to give it back."
Ishida started, "What-"
Grimmjow interrupted. "How many times do we have to say it? There's a goddamned monster in the sky."
Orihime looked up, then back down, her curiosity far from satisfied. "Monster?"
Ichigo didn't want to scare her, so he didn't try to explain further. "The thing that's possessing me, or trying to. Alteza." He was just assuming that would stop once he solved the problem, but he couldn't be certain, and he didn't really want to think about it.
He waved a hand in dismissal. "That aside," he looked at Ishida. "You can come with me if you want to," his gaze shifted to Orihime. She wasn't making a decision, so he decided for her. Maybe that made him an asshole. "I'm taking you home."
She protested. "But I want to help!"
Ichigo didn't have the luxury of sparing her feelings. He kept his tone neutral, feeling guilty, but not wanting her to know. "I'm going to hit hard and fast, you wouldn't be able to keep up."
She bit her lip, considering arguing, but Ichigo wasn't done. "You don't have a lot of offensive capability, no matter how badly you want to help, this isn't the time to do it."
He sighed, glancing at Grimmjow. The Espada had witnessed his weakest and hadn't taken advantage, but out of everyone, Grimmjow and Zangetsu knew what he was dealing with best.
He looked back at the pair and explained, "If I could afford to, I'd bench myself, but I can't."
Both Inoue and Ishida gave him a questioning look, but he didn't expound on what he meant. He said, "You're both still living, I don't think Soul Society will do anything besides bother you, but tell me what you want to do about them."
Ishida pushed up his glasses and looked at Grimmjow, then to Ichigo. "Will it be a problem if I stay in Hueco Mundo?" Clearly Ishida grasped how irritating running around to avoid Soul Society could be. He could do it, but it was a pain, and the less he had to beat down their captains, the less bad blood would be between the two.
Ichigo saw no reason to lie. "Maybe, but if you want to, I'll make it happen."
Grimmjow argued, "He's a quincy."
Ichigo shot him a look. "And I'm part shinigami. Do you have a problem with that?"
Grimmjow opened his mouth, but Zangetsu beat him to it. "Kitty's just upset he has to share."
Grimmjow bristled. "Don't call me that!"
Ichigo sighed, lifting his hand and opening a garganta. "Come on, I'll take you home." He looked at Grimmjow and ordered. "Go back to Las Noches."
Grimmjow frowned, but didn't wait around. He disappeared in a flurry of reishi. The arrancar was tired, even if he'd never admit it. The more rest he got, the better.
Ichigo pulled Zangetsu back into his soul, tugging gently, and the spirit didn't fight him. He couldn't thank him with words, it just didn't feel like enough.
Ichigo stepped into the garganta, hands in his pockets. "Come on." When they didn't immediately move, he paused to face them, raising a brow.
After a moment of hesitation, Inoue moved first, and Ishida followed. The quincy said, "If it's going to be a problem, I won't stay."
Ichigo lifted his shoulder in a loose shrug. "Arrancar aren't fond of much anything that isn't them. I'll handle it." He was still tired, but he'd live. After nearly dying, he was oddly apathetic. Maybe it was the result of too much adrenaline, maybe it was...
Ishida started. "Kursosaki-"
Ichigo yawned and said, "I told you, I'll handle it. If they complain too aggressively, I'll just kill them." He kept walking, and when they were quiet, he looked back. They were watching him cautiously, and that bit of fear he'd seen in Inoue hadn't faded.
Ishida said, "Isn't that-"
Ichigo cut him off. "Ruthless?" He looked ahead. "What were you expecting? The arrancar don't listen because they like me, they listen because it's good for their health."
Ishida said, "Then I really don't think I understand, Kurosaki."
"Understand what?"
"Why you took their side. They're hollows!"
Why did it always circle back to what people were? He sighed, but didn't look back. "And you're a quincy, and Inoue is human, and I'm a bit of everything. Who cares?" He didn't think that answer would fly with Ishida, so he continued. "You saw, didn't you?" Silence. "I'm dangerous."
Inoue said, "But, Kurosaki-kun-"
"If Zangetsu wasn't there to stop me, you would be dead. You saw what I did to Grimmjow." There was little inflection in his tone, he'd accepted this was how things were...for now. Living a normal life sounded like a distant dream. He was worried enough about accidentally killing an Espada, let alone a human.
Inoue's voice was small, reaching. "But you were hurt, you wouldn't…"
He stopped, facing them both. "I would. Inoue...I don't want to hurt you, but that doesn't change reality." He didn't waver on this, he couldn't. "I'm sorry I'm not the person you knew. I dragged you into this world, but you don't have to stay. Go to school, Inoue, graduate, get a job, find someone nice. It's not too late for you."
Ishida grit his teeth, brows furrowed. "Is that what you think? You think it's too late to change?"
He cocked his head. "No. I think this life isn't mine. Pretending I'm the same is a farce." They seemed distraught, but he wasn't sure he could truly understand why. He'd come to grips with his friend's death's once already, but now they were understanding for the first time that the person they knew was gone. "I initially ended up here for selfish reasons. I just wanted to see you again, and look at the mess it caused...I'll fix it. I can't give you back the Ichigo you knew, I can't give you back your friend, but I can try to fix what I've broken."
They didn't say anything, he wasn't sure that they could. He turned and started walking again, and after a moment, he heard their footsteps behind him.
"King, yer the farthest thing from selfish I've ever seen."
Would I even be here if I wasn't?
"Maybe not, Ichigo, but look where the Hogyoku led Aizen, and look at where it's led you."
Thought you told me to stop comparing myself to Aizen?
"Ichigo! You are not the product of your mistakes, but your choices. What do you want?"
To protect.
"Like I said, King. That ain't selfish."
He stepped out of the garganta into Karakura, expecting the captains there to swarm them. He looked to Orihime. "You have about two minutes until they get here. If they ask, you were a hostage."
She fussed with the hem of her shirt and said, "I'm not a very good liar."
"That's not a bad thing. I'm sorry about all the trouble. Talk to Kisuke if you need me, he gave me a phone."
Ishida said, "I'm going back with you."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Don't panic, I wasn't going to leave without you." He looked back at Inoue and said, "Maybe in the future you can do more, but at the moment, you have to stay. If Soul Society gives you trouble, I'll help you, Kisuke will help you. You don't have to deal with it on your own."
She smiled, but Ichigo could see she was on the verge of tears. It ached not to be able to protect people, he understood, but he wasn't changing his mind.
He grabbed Ishida by the shirt, dragging him back into the garganta. He knew with Inoue looking like that, getting him to leave on his own would be like pulling teeth. Ishida protested, but he didn't let him go until the garganta shut behind them.
He let him go and reassured him. "She'll be okay."
"How would you know?!"
Ichigo wasn't offended by the accusation. He raised his brows. "I'm from the future. Something similar happened in my time. She's a strong girl."
Ishida snapped, "I never said she wasn't."
Ichigo let that end it, turning around and heading back to Hueco Mundo. Only a moment passed before he spoke. "Do me a favor, don't use my name."
Ishida caught on quick enough. He asked, "What should I call you?"
"White."
Ishida questioned, "Isn't that the name of the hollow that-"
"It is. No one ever accused me of being creative."
Ishida asked, "Why did you let me come, and not Inoue? If it's just about strength, you're still much stronger than me."
Ichigo looked over his shoulder. "Suspicious?" Ishida said nothing, he only scowled at him. Ichigo faced forward, not surprised by his distrust. "That's fair." He explained, "Some of the Espada have never even heard of a quincy before. It would be convenient if they met one outside of combat."
That ended the conversation until they stepped out into Las Noches. Before Ishida could argue, Ichigo picked him up, hoisting him over his shoulder. The quincy let out a strangled sound of protest. "Kurosaki! Put me down!"
"Nah, I told you, I don't have a lot of time. Deep breath."
Ishida tried to twist to see him. "What?!"
Ichigo huffed, repeating himself. "Deep breath." He sprang forward, moving at a speed he knew even the quincy would find uncomfortable. He paused so he could properly heed his earlier warning, then stepped back into sonido.
Ichigo only stopped when they were within Las Noches, dropping his breathless baggage on his ass. He said, "If it makes you feel any better, turns out shinigami and arrancar hate that too."
Ishida pulled himself to his feet, panting. "Why would that make me feel better?"
Ichigo smirked. "It doesn't make you feel better to know you're not special?" He turned away, leading him deeper into Las Noches. He wasn't surprised to find two arrancar intercepting them. They couldn't sense his reiatsu, from their perspective this was an intruder, and he had no reason to believe Grimmjow would have given them a heads up.
He paused and warned Ishida. "Best behavior."
Shawlong appeared in their path, and he seemed surprised to see Ichigo. No doubt he'd been hoping for a fight. Yylfordt wasn't far behind him, and he looked just as surprised. Shawlong eyed Ishida with barely concealed distaste. "Apologies, heika, I thought there was an intruder."
Yylfordt was less respectful. "Who's this?"
Ichigo wasn't surprised the other Espada hadn't taken action, most of them fucked off to do what they wanted. He said, "A guest. My guest." He kept walking, and Ishida took the hint, keeping pace.
Yylfordt looked upset. "This reiatsu feels…"
Ichigo got it over with early. "He's a quincy."
Yylfordt looked like he'd been personally affronted. "You brought a-" He was cut off by Ichigo's hand around his throat, lifting him off the ground. If he dropped his reiatsu, it would effect Ishida, and that was the last thing he wanted.
The arrancar's eyes widened, but he didn't make any move to defend himself. There was still a flicker of resistance in his eyes, and he wasn't taking chances when it came to his friends. Ichigo squeezed harder, and Yylfordt looked away. Good enough.
He let go, and the arrancar fell to his knees, coughing. The visored hummed thoughtfully. "The quincy is a guest. Am I clear?"
Yylfordt got to his feet and stepped back. "Yes." To his credit, his voice didn't shake.
Shawlong pretended this exchange didn't happen, hands behind his back. "Harribel has been looking for you."
Ichigo said, "I see." He'd been absent for awhile. He had no doubt it was about Alteza. The oppressive vibration in the air never seemed to leave, it had been present ever since he'd woken up. It complimented the hum he felt in his own soul, a feeling he didn't like, but was rapidly growing use to.
bugnyth
YOU
ph'r'luh
ARE
...
He shuddered at the reminder. He walked past the pair and Ishida trailed behind silently. Ichigo ordered, "Gather the Espada in the throne room, I've got good news and bad news." Shawlong and Yylfordt both disappeared in a rush of sonido, not about to linger.
Ishida waited until they were gone before he spoke. "How many Espada are there?"
"Officially? Ten. But in actual numbers, there are…" He counted in his head. "Thirteen."
Ishida asked, "What does that mean?"
Ichigo said, "One is a part of another Espada's soul, and the octava Espada right now is actually three arrancar, if only for their ability."
"You have control over all of them?"
Ichigo glanced back at the question. He defended. "They listen, I don't control them."
Ishida frowned. "They're arrancar."
Ichigo didn't humor that with a response. He kept walking, thoughts turning inwards. It was going to be a long walk, and that was fine with him, it gave the Espada time to get where he wanted, and it gave him time to think.
Zangetsu was still upset, he could feel it. "You're keeping something from me, King."
You used to keep shit from me all the time, get over it.
"Fuck you."
I told you I'd tell you later.
"Why not right now?"
…
ph'orr'e ilyaa
ALONE
Chaugnar Faugnog REND THE DARK syha'h
naflilyaa nwagl RETURN IT TO US lloigyar kadishtu
...
He pushed the memory away. "You know why."
Ishida asked, "What?"
"Not talking to you." It was getting harder to keep his thoughts separate, he hadn't intended to answer aloud. He changed the subject before Ishida could question him. "I don't command you and I'm not going to pretend I do. Will you spar with the Espada? A couple of them, anyway."
Ishida didn't answer immediately. He asked, "Who are you asking as? A friend, or the King of Hueco Mundo?"
Ichigo thought about that, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hmmm, both. Its strategically smart, but at the same time, the Espada are restless, and I don't want them getting use to fighting one person. Grimmjow is already falling into that rut. They need experience, and no offense, but you could use it too."
Ishida didn't say anything, and he looked back at the quincy. "You're not curious?"
Ishida asked, "About what?"
Ichigo explained, "Fighting an Espada." Ishida didn't answer, so he looked back at him. The quincy looked thoughtful, and a touch distressed. "I wouldn't let you get too serious. It would be a learning experience."
Ishida said, "I don't know if I want to reveal all of my weaknesses to potential enemies."
Ichigo asked simply. "Am I an enemy?"
"No."
Ichigo turned ahead again and said, "There's your answer. As long as I'm alive, the Espada aren't your enemy."
They walked in silence for a moment before Ishida asked, "I can refuse?"
Ichigo didn't take it personally that Ishida was assuming the worst of him. "Of course you can, you're a guest. It was a request, not an order."
"Fine. I'll fight an Espada."
Ichigo smiled, looking back. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled. Thanks, Ishida."
Ishida narrowed his eyes, studying him. Ichigo didn't like that aspect of Ishida, but only when it was directed at him. Ishida always saw through him, he couldn't lie to his friends, no matter how hard he tried. He looked ahead, changing the subject. "You were walking Orihime home when Grimmjow got you?"
Ishida blushed. "Yes, of course I was! Like I'd let her walk home alone with all the weird shit that's been going on."
Ichigo's lips turned up in a smile, glad Orihime had someone around to take care of her. She might swear up and down she was fine, but he knew she appreciated it, maybe even needed it, and he'd never been that person. "Well, when all that weird shit goes away, you still going to walk her home?"
Ishida blushed, pushing his glasses up. "If she wants me to."
Ichigo teased, "What a gentleman." Ishida didn't look like he could tell if he was joking or not, and Ichigo didn't mind, letting the conversation fall off. They got closer to the throne room and he warned. "Let me do the talking. I don't want to break up a fight."
He led him into the room, what was left of the ceiling stretching high above them, then opening up into Hueco Mundo. The walls were trying to repair themselves, but the traces of his reiatsu were likely hampering those efforts.
The Espada were scattered around the room, and he noted everyone was there except Starrk and Zommari. Ishida got a few sidelong looks, but no one said anything. He paced up to Harribel, trying and failing to read her expression. "Looking for me?"
She completely ignored Ishida, she didn't even glance at him. "We need a way to keep track of you, it's too difficult to simply wait for you to feel like showing up."
So maybe she was a little annoyed. Ichigo couldn't blame her for that, he would be too. He said, "I'll have Szayel look into it. What did you want to talk about?"
Her eyes slid to Szayelaporro, then back to him. "The tear in the world hasn't gone away, it's remained open. On your orders, no one has attempted to get close to it, but Szayel's sensors picked up the tres Espada's reiatsu flickering out."
She looked pointedly over to Grimmjow, who was sitting in one of the highest places in the room he could find. His eyes met Ichigo's, but Ichigo let him be, letting the Espada have his space for the moment. "Given he returned, but won't speak of it, I'm left to assume it has something to do with why we're all here."
"Yeah, I've been busy. It's complicated, but I'll explain most of it when all the Espada get here."
She raised a brow. "Most of it?"
He answered, "Some of it is personal, irrelevant." He didn't want to tell the Espada he'd nearly killed Grimmjow, nor did he feel inclined to illuminate his weaknesses. It was bad enough Grimmjow knew, but it had been unavoidable.
She dipped her head in a nod, her eyes finally turning towards Ishida. "Who's this?"
He gave her the same answer. "A guest, and a quincy."
She didn't question him further, she simply gave Ishida a once over, then ignored him again. Ishida seemed a bit insulted, but he held his tongue.
Ichigo caught sight of Zommari, Starrk not far behind him, looking more than a little put out. He stepped forward, not about to waste their time or his own. He raised his voice and drawled. "Now that you're all here…" All eyes shifted to him, his hands in his pockets. He was at ease, he had been since he'd come to his senses, but he had yet to determine if that was a bad thing. "I'll start with the bad news. Alteza, the fucker in the sky, isn't going away. That's fine, because Alteza really doesn't give a shit about you, but I know what it does care about. That little rock that made you arrancar, there are two, and one is in Soul Society. I plan to invade Soul Society to take it back."
There was a general consensus that this was good news, judging from their reactions. Starrk yawned and Szayel looked like he wanted to leave, but the promise of a fight seemed to be favorable across the board. Now all he had to do was adequately curb that enthusiasm. He said, "I'm waiting for intel, but as soon as I get it, I'll brief you and we'll go. Questions?"
Starrk lifted a hand. "What happens if we don't get the rock?"
lloigyar kadishtu
RETURN IT TO US
fhtagn phlegeth ah s'uhn li'hee lloigyar kadi-
THE ABYSS IS SPLITTING. REND THE DARK. RETURN IT-
Ichigo said, "Bad things. Very bad things." They seemed to accept the lack of detail, all accept Szayel, but he expected that from him. He was glad this newest problem kept the madman frown showing even the slightest bit of interest in Ishida.
One of Harribel's fraccion spoke up, he forgot her name. The loud one, it seemed. "Who's the new guy?"
He should have known better than to expect any questions about any sort of battle plan. He wasn't sure if Ishida wanted to give his name, so he didn't volunteer it. "A guest. He's been to Soul Society before, he's a good strategist. That aside, I thought it would be a benefit to let you fight and observe an actual quincy."
Yylfordt spoke up when no one else did. "When can we fight?"
"On his terms. If you want to fight, the same rules apply; You can't kill or maim each other." His tone didn't leave wiggle room. If they tried, he'd reflect the damage back on them.
He looked around, and there were no more questions, so he dismissed them with a gesture. "Szayel, Aaroniero, Edrad, and Starrk will remain in Hueco Mundo; you're dismissed. The rest of you, don't wander off."
He turned back to face Harribel, effectively dismissing the lot of them. He didn't feel a need to ramble on about unnecessary things. Alteza was his problem. He told her. "It's up to you if you want to go or stay. I don't think Soul Society gives a damn about trying to take Las Noches, but it's your call."
She folded her arms, looking to her fraccion. "Szayel doesn't have much combat practicality, neither does Aaroniero. Starrk will fight if it comes down to it, but there won't be anyone left to pass down orders. I'll stay."
He asked, "Your fraccion?"
"If they wish to go, I will not stop them."
He dipped his head in a nod, watching Szayel leave out of the corner of his eye. He didn't want to talk to him just then, he could afford a bit of procrastination.
Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow, jerking his head to the ground in a subtle gesture to come down.
The Espada stared at him impassively, then stood, stepping into sonido to appear before him. Grimmjow straightened, watching Ichigo thoughtfully. It was strange when the Espada was quiet, but given he was the only one that knew what was actually happening with the Hogyoku, Ichigo wanted him close by.
Yylfordt didn't leave, he had the guts to step up and demand, "Oy, we can fight, right?"
Ishida stepped forward, pushing up his glasses. "White doesn't speak for me. If you want to fight, ask me yourself."
Yylfordt drew his sword, and from the grin on his face, he seemed more than happy to cut out the middleman, especially since he already had permission. "So let's fight, bro."
Ichigo jerked a thumb at the desert. "Take it outside, kids."
Ishida lifted his hand and a bow of blue light materialized. "Ginrei Kojaku." He disappeared with hirenkyaku, reappearing outside the walls of Las Noches.
Harribel's fraccion relocated to watch, the loud one and...Mika? Hell if he could remember, offering shouted words of "encouragement."
Ishida dodged Yylfordt with ease, taunting the arrancar for being slow. To the Espada's credit, he didn't get blinded with rage as easily as Grimmjow did, but he was a little too cocky for his own good.
Ichigo had a feeling Ishida would win, based on his knowledge of his friend and Yylfordt's lack of caution. He leaned against some rubble to watch, arms crossed. If they got out of hand, he'd stop it, but at least for the moment, both were merely testing the waters.
Grimmjow asked, "What's wrong with you?"
They were standing alone, so clearly the question was broader than his tone implied. Ichigo glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
"You're acting different."
fm'latgh gof'nn, cR'lyeh h'phlegeth Dagon
nafhtagn shagg f'zhro ulnsnaagl hrii shugg gof'nn
Was it so noticeable?
"Yeah, King, it's weird."
Chaugnar Faugn li'hee yaor ngebunma geb
k'yarnak llll gotha
He knew Zangetsu heard the whispers, those were still present, rising and falling like a howling wind. It was distracting, and it made him uncomfortable. Zangetsu hadn't heard what it said to him, and he'd kept it from his inner hollow out of denial and uncertainty.
Ichigo couldn't forget the pain that razed his soul, and neither could Zangetsu. He didn't know why it didn't hurt anymore, but he wasn't sure it was a positive thing that his soul wasn't burning at the mere touch of Alteza. Shinji had once remarked over how distant pain felt when he was hollowfied, how strange it felt. Ichigo felt numb, but he wasn't certain if that was because there was no pain, or he simply wasn't consciously aware of it anymore.
Ishida fired a volley of hundreds of arrows, catching Yylfordt off guard by the sheer number. He wasn't fast enough to dodge, so he took them all head on. Ishida's arrows didn't hit especially hard, but when there were hundreds, it stacked up. They cut through Yylfordt's hierro, leaving him a bloody mess. Ouch.
Since he made no effort to elaborate, Grimmjow demanded. "Why?"
Ichigo dropped his voice, just in case someone had sharp ears. "It's still talking, it hasn't shut up."
Grimmjow's eyes widened. "Alteza."
"King, what aren't you telling me?" Zangetsu sounded afraid, and it was hard to ignore.
He let his grip on the memory loosen, sharing it with Zangetsu.
bugnyth
YOU
ph'r'luh
ARE
Nakadishtu Dagon
THE HEART
"That means-"
This is permanent, Zangetsu.
Zangetsu's distress was tangible, it nearly stole his breath away. The hollow was angry at his own helplessness, and Ichigo might have been right there with him, but what he felt was resignation. He didn't know what would happen once the Hogyoku was gone, but the one in his soul wasn't going anywhere.
He looked to Grimmjow. "It's talking to me. It doesn't always listen, but I know what it wants." He glanced at the sky, knowing there was something there. "I don't think it's evil, I don't think it's anything, it just is."
Yylfordt had released his sword, healing most of the damage he'd taken. He charge at Ishida like a bull, but he was still too slow.
Grimmjow asked, "Should you really be waltzing straight into Soul Society?"
"What other choice is there? You're not as pathetic as I tell you you are, but we can't afford to lose any Espada. I'm faster, stealthier. I can get in and out and get this over with."
His phone rang, and he picked up. "Give me a second." He pulled the phone away and looked to his fraccion. "Watch them. If they get too rowdy, separate them."
Grimmjow scowled. "I ain't a babysitter!"
Ichigo noted that, then stepped into sonido. He knew that while Grimmjow complained, he would still do it.
He stopped a ways out onto the dome of Las Noches, lifting the phone to his ear. "Hey, Kisuke."
The shopkeeper's tone was filled with his characteristic cheer, no doubt genuine given he was about to explain a way for him to step on Soul Society's toes. "I've sent some blueprints to your phone, but I have a lot to tell you. I hope you have a good memory, Kurosaki-san. It seems Kurotsuchi made quite a few modifications to security."
nog llll fhtagn
phlegeth ah s'uhn li'hee
"I'm listening."
- xxx -
Notes:
Okay so Aizen comments on Ichigo being on an even higher level of existence than he is, and he comments on how he didn't know the Hogyoku had its own will until he was fued with it. So if the Hogyoku also operates at a level Aizen doesn't understand, and Ichigo is even one step above him, I'm going to say that explains why Ichigo is having a different experience than Aizen did. He's truly fuzed with the Hogyoku, and Aizen was just using it. At least in my headcanon.
(Guess who found a Cthulu generator. Hint. It was me. It was me all along. I found the thing.)
Current Espada Ranking
King Strawberry
0 - Harribel
1 - Ulquiorra
2 - Starrk & Lilynette
3 - Grimmjow
4 - Zommari
5 - Aaroniero
6 - Szayelaporro
7 - Shawlong
8 - Cyan, Mila Rose, Apacci (Quimera Parca: Ayon)
9 - Yylfordt
10 - Edrad Liones
Fallen Espada
Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck
Fraccion: Dondochakka Birstanne - Pesche Guatiche - Bawabawa