Notes:
On the Grimmjow notes, I did actually plan to have something with Szayel and another Espada, but I couldn't think of a way to do it without it feeling forced. Given Grimmjow was the only one that knew he had human ties and was the only one that had seen him as Ichigo, not White, it kind of forced him into a position of confidant. Given Ichigo's trust level is abysmal, and he had a checklist of things to fix, he was glued to Grimmjow for awhile. Now that his laundry list of not dying it mostly checked off, I can actually get back to the subplot.
[EDIT] Thanks for catching those mistakes! For the mistakes in the beginning, I must be glossing right over it, because I can't find it. I've failed, shame on me. That or it was because I tried to re-copy and paste while I was at work to fix a mistake. it might have removed the formatting. I hope it's fixed now.
Ganbari masu!
La Alma
"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets." - Arthur Miller
- xxx -
Kurosaki Ichigo
About 4 months later...
Ichigo raised Tensa Zangetsu, stopping the inverted twin of his blade short. Even if Zangetsu managed to hit him, it wouldn't hurt him, but he tried to keep his reactions sharp like it would. He tilted the blade, letting Zangetsu's momentum and force grind the blades together, slipping until they were forced apart to repeat the dance. Their clashes happened in less than an instant, a speed that was more than normal to them, but too fast to track for their onlookers.
Zangetsu and Ossan were one when he was in bankai. They looked far more like Ossan in this form, but younger. Short, white hair whipped around his face, black horns stretching forward without mask fragments. He was a pale reflection of his hollow form, and every bit as fast and strong as Ichigo was, if not more so.
Zangetsu got inside his guard, reaching for his throat with his free hand. Ichigo sidestepped and grabbed his arm, throwing him over his shoulder. Zangetsu recovered in midair, catching himself with reishi before he threw himself back at Ichigo.
They continued in that vein, both with the mutual understanding not to lean on any Getsuga's or cero's. Both were too destructive to use so close to Las Noches, he didn't want to kill anyone on accident.
His routine had become fairly consistent. He would train Grimmjow, 'meditate' with Starrk (or catnap, depending on his mood), speak with Harribel or the other Espada, explore Hueco Mundo, then train on his own.
Training consisted of fighting his inner spirits, and to keep his reflexes and focus sharp, he fought them manifested. No one else stood a chance against him when he tried, which wasn't their fault, they were trying their best, but he couldn't afford to get rusty simply because he had no challenge to face.
Ichigo's mind began to wander, thinking back to what Ulquiorra had shown him. A patch of desert scorched to glass. From a distance it looked like some great lake, but once Ulquiorra had gotten closer to it, the ripples were stagnant, the surface smooth and unyielding. The desert either wouldn't or couldn't encroach on it, it seemed untouchable, and it carried with it the stillness of death.
Zangetsu's blade cut harmlessly through his shoulder. "Focus!"
He grit his teeth, parrying and dodging Zangetsu's renewed assault. He knew his sword could feel his unease and curiosity, it had only grown since he'd seen it. Through Ulquiorra's eyes, but he'd seen it nonetheless.
He thought his curiosity was only growing because it was someplace Alteza wouldn't allow him to go, and his fascination with something he didn't understand persisted like a bad toothache. He so much as considered going to see for himself and Alteza clamped down on his soul like a Rottweiler. As if it wasn't irritating enough that the only pain he could feel was the pain Alteza allowed.
Zangetsu got behind him, taking advantage of his distraction, and his sword grazed Ichigo's cheek. He was getting hit more frequently, not less, as the time carried on, and it was Zangetsu that ended it.
Zangetsu jumped back, stabbing the sword in the sand. "Don't waste my time, call on me once your mind has settled."
Ichigo heaved a sigh, hefting his sword up on his shoulder. "I'm not…" He trailed off at the look of annoyance on Zangetsu's face. His inner spirits vanished back into his inner world, and he dropped out of bankai, replacing his swords.
Don't be so put out, it's not like we don't spar every day.
"I know you're distracted, Ichigo, you don't like leaving things unfinished, resolve this soon. Speak with Alteza if you must."
"Don't go crawling back to that fucker!"
Noted, Zangetsu. Don't tell me it doesn't bother you that there's something out there even Alteza wants nothing to do with.
"No it doesn't. We'll crush it to dust if it gets in the way, just like everything else!"
I'm not in the market to be overconfident.
Their little talk ended at that, leaving Ichigo wondering if Alteza would even answer him if he tried asking. So far he'd gotten nothing but nonverbal responses. If he opened a garganta with the intent to go look, he was shut down immediately.
It left him with the idea that going might be bad for his health, and not simply because Alteza was stopping him. He was his oh so precious host, if going to that place might threaten his life, it made sense that Alteza would want to avoid it.
In a single step of sonido, he was back at the wall of Las Noches, and directly in front of his spectators.
They both shrieked, startled, and he suppressed a smirk of triumph. He greeted, "Menoly...Loly."
Loly tried not to fidget under the extra attention, snapping. "What do you want?"
He raised a brow. "I was going to ask you the same thing. You've been watching me for almost an hour."
"The old man was right, you really weren't paying attention."
Ichigo chose to ignore that jab; it wasn't like he could ignore his surroundings, and he knew they both didn't expect him to.
Loly shifted uncomfortably as Menoly took a step behind her. Loly accused. "You killed him, I want to know who it is that's replacing him." She spat the words like saying them at all was a personal insult.
"Don't let the bitch talk to ya like that."
Ichigo both agreed and disagreed with his hollow. She's harmless.
He took a leisurely step forward, and he had to admit he was impressed that she held her ground. He said, "Watching me from over a mile away isn't going to do that."
Her expression flitted between fear and hatred. She said, "I don't believe you killed him. You're nothing but an usurper."
He spoke slowly, and with threat. "Nothing but? Like me or not, Loly, I'm king." He honestly wasn't sure what it was about Aizen and making girls loyal to him in his spare time, but these two didn't have the sympathies he'd had for Hinamori. "I've been more than accommodating of your feelings."
Ichigo's eyes slid to Menoly. "Go." She didn't need to be ordered twice. She backpedalled, too afraid to turn her back, then spun and ran. She was loyal to Loly, but not enough to disobey.
Ichigo turned his eyes back to Loly, who hadn't moved at all, though he was close enough that he could smell her fear. On top of that, he felt it in the flicker of darkness in her soul. That was a 'perk' he could have done without.
He took another step closer, now we'll within arms reach, and to her credit, her trembles were only barely noticeable. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."
Her eyes narrowed and she bit her lip, defensive. "I'm not scared."
Sure, if that made her feel better. She was only a numeros, he didn't interact with those arrancar much at all, but maybe he needed to fix that. He wasn't social on his best day, but cutting himself off from the others was foolish in the long run.
Considering that, he continued, "I'm not asking you to like me, but I do expect you to follow orders. Can you do that?" No answer. Well if she couldn't, he would know soon enough, and he would handle it. He couldn't afford to have arrancar rebelling against orders.
He said, "I want you to go find an adjuchas and recruit them. Without holding their life as an ultimatum." He could hand this task off to anyone, but he was giving it to her as a test.
Her eyes widened, confused. "W-why?"
She hated him, yet he was sending her out into the desert to convince an inherently solitary creature to put their life in the hands of a more powerful hollow. He was curious about what Loly would do when confronted with a situation she vehemently opposed.
He leaned a little closer and said, "Because I'm ordering you to." She swallowed, her eyes flicking away.
Satisfied she wasn't going to complain, he leaned back and gave her a bit more to work with. "You can promise power, and protection from regression." He was fairly confident he could do something about a hollow's evolution, especially with the vision he'd seen of the past.
He asked, "Can I trust you with that?"
She flushed in anger, or maybe that was humiliation. She hissed, "As if I can't best an adjuchas."
"I'm not asking you to defeat them, merely convince them. If they refuse, what you do with them isn't my concern." He could see the thoughts crossing her face, and he wondered if she would even come back at all. Clearly she had no loyalty towards him, only resentment.
He repeated himself. "Can I trust you to do this?" She scowled at him and he resisted the urge to sigh. Anything blatantly dismissive would only garner more resentment, and that wasn't what he was digging for. "Yes or no, Loly."
She grit her teeth, warring with her pride. "...Yes." He was surprised when she followed it up with a question. "How long do I have?"
"As long as it takes." He started past her and he didn't look back. "Happy hunting."
He left her to grapple with her decision on her own time and turned his thoughts inward. Do you think returning to Karakura so soon would stir up the waters?
"You intend to bring your friend to Hueco Mundo?"
I promised.
"Soul Society can do little to stop you, but if you wish to maintain some semblance of good will, proceeding with caution is wise."
Ichigo knew ossan wouldn't take sides, but hearing his options laid out for him was always nice,
"Fuck em', king, do what you want. We could kill the old man if we really wanted to."
Killing Yamamoto was the last thing he wanted to do. He couldn't say he liked him, but he was necessary. What did I say about arrogance?
"Che. If you weren't so distracted the last time, he never would have touched you."
He decided Zangetsu wasn't entirely wrong, he didn't really care how Soul Society reacted to what he wanted to do, he was going to do it anyways.
It would be stupid to take him lightly. I might have raw strength, but he has centuries of experience. He shrugged dismissively. That's beside the point, and I have some questions that have been keeping me up at night.
They knew his insomnia had been getting worse, not better, but now he didn't have as many physical limiters to stop him from staying awake. Alteza's power seemed to either mask the exhaustion or help keep it at bay.
He opened a garganta somewhere outside Karakura, wondering how far their sensors ranged. He lingered for awhile in the desert, and when nothing happened, he stepped into sonido. He had no idea what day it was, in Hueco Mundo it didn't matter in the slightest, but he knew it was just after sunset, so at least he wouldn't be interrupting his friend's day. No shinigami either noticed his presence, or bothered to do anything about it. He highly doubted it was the latter.
He had somewhere he wanted to go before he went to see Chad. He headed for the hospital, remembering to drop his transformation before he got there. He wasn't going to intimidate or fight, he just wanted to talk.
He approached the building, lit windows glowing against a deepening indigo sky. He scanned the outer windows for Ryūken. He'd been here a couple of times, but never for a pleasant reason. This wasn't necessarily pleasant, but he wasn't very fond of keeping his friends out of the loop.
Ichigo stepped forward, crossing the space to the window in a single step. He rapped on the window, and to Ryūken's credit, he didn't flinch. He spun around in his chair, fixing him with a look of annoyance and mild disinterest. He couldn't tell if it was acting, or if Ishida's father really wanted nothing to do with him. Either way, he was the only Quincy left alive besides Ishida, and Ishida couldn't answer his questions.
Ryūken stood, sliding the window open. "Kurosaki. Why is it always a Kurosaki?" He took a step to the side and Ichigo took it as an invitation.
Ichigo stepped in through the window, and Ryūken started for the door. Ichigo asked, "Where are you going?"
"To smoke."
That was all the conversation it seemed he was going to get. Ichigo followed him up the stairwell to the roof in silence, and truth be told, he felt much more comfortable outside. He didn't like being indoors, and that feeling had only intensified after he'd come back in time. Now that he was back out in the cooling night air, he felt more at ease.
Ichigo's attention was drawn back to Ryūken at the click of a lighter. Ryūken protected the flame from the breeze, his face illuminated orange. The lighter flipped shut, and he pocketed the lighter, looking out at the city through the chainlink fence.
Ryūken completely disregarded Ichigo, so Ichigo stepped forward to stand beside him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ryūken beat him to it. The breeze carried away the smoke when he exhaled, the quincy commenting. "I thought you'd be older."
Ichigo scoffed. "I died when I was 22, what can I say?" His mind stuttered over a memory; he could feel his breath warm on his hand, his fingers digging into his own face. He sucked in a breath, almost to reassure himself that he could. He pushed the memory away. "I didn't come here to socialize, how much did your son tell you?"
Ryūken let out a dry, mirthless chuckle. "We don't talk." He took another drag and looked over at him. "Are you here as Kurosaki, or the king of Hueco Mundo?"
"You know about that?"
He exhaled. "Not much escapes my notice."
Ichigo answered, "Both. I take it you know what I am?" Ryūken gave him a look. Clearly Ryūken knew about Masaki, but he wasn't sure how much he knew about his shinigami and hollow side. It seemed like he knew enough.
Ichigo didn't necessarily trust Ryūken, but he knew he and his father were 'friends', and the quincy was a fairly neutral party. "I'm not familiar with my quincy side, or gathering reishi, and you're a doctor."
"So is your father."
"He's not a quincy." Ryūken looked at him, and he continued, "All I have is a theory, but I need something more solid."
Ryūken looked genuinely intrigued. "Why?"
That answer came easily to Ichigo. "I don't want to drop dead. If I do, I'd at least like to know why." There was a good chance that what Alteza had done to him wasn't sustainable. He wasn't exactly human anymore, but he was no God.
Now he had Ryūken's attention, but he could see the man struggling to hide it. Ryūken asked, "Will you come down to the lab?"
Ichigo tensed. He could recall the feel of cold, unrelenting metal holding him down, the chill of sekki sekki stone against his back. His heart started to race, but he covered up the rush of fear with a cold question. "Is that necessary?"
'If you want a thorough answer." The quincy seemed to remember his cigarette, knocking the ashes and taking another deep drag.
Ichigo lifted his hand, gathering darkness in his hand. He asked, "Is this even reishi?"
Ryūken looked surprised, watching the coiling darkness in naked interest. The quincy raised his hand towards it, his eyes narrowed. He wasn't trying to touch it, knew he was reaching for the reishi in the air. He dropped his hand, putting his hand in his pocket. "I don't sense anything. If it is reishi, I can't affect it."
Ichigo let the darkness go with a sigh. It was worth a try. "Is the lab the only option?"
"King, you can't be serious."
How else am I supposed to know what's wrong with me?
"Who says there's somethin' wrong?"
You can't be serious. This isn't normal, I don't like being ignorant. While we're here, we might as well try to get answers.
Zangetsu had nothing else to add, he knew he was only protesting because a lab was the last place he wanted to be.
Ryūken dropped his cigarette, crushing it under his shoe. He said, "If you want an answer, then yes." He paused, then asked, "Why come to me, and not that shinigami shopkeeper?"
Ichigo fought back a sigh. "He's not familiar with quincy, and he'll talk to my father."
That earned Ichigo an intense look, one he pretended he didn't notice.
Ryūken started inside and said, "If you come with me, we can stop wasting time."
Ryūken didn't wait around, and once the rooftop door slammed shut, Ichigo decided to follow after him. Even once he was out of sight, tracking him was easy, his reiatsu was so similar to Ishida's. He ended up in a room full of medical equipment, various pieces of technology crowded around the room and built into the ceiling and wall His heart beat faster, but he forced down his immediate reaction to flee with determination.
Ryūken went over to a computer and spoke absently. "Have a seat. Lose the Zanpakuto."
There was a flat patient table in the center of the room, one that put a bad taste in his mouth. He hesitated, then removed Zangetsu from his hip and back. He leaned his swords against the side of the table and took a seat, much to Zangetsu's protest. Pride alone kept him relatively calm, at least to any observer. He'd gotten quite good at hiding his emotions.
He wasn't thrilled about being unarmed, but logically he knew that he could overpower Ryūken with ease. Somehow this didn't squash his fear. He listened to Ryūken type for a few moments, then the quincy came over and stood before him, and he had the sense he was looking through him, at his reiryoku. Ryūken asked, "Tell me what you can, even if it seems irrelevant."
Ichigo thought about censoring his answers, but out of everyone he could possibly tell, Ryūken might possibly be one of the safest. He didn't understand his motivations, but the man clearly had no interest in being his enemy.
Ichigo schooled his answer, distancing himself. He said, "I fuzed with the Hogyoku when I was pulled into this time; it was a long, painful process, and I think to complete itself, it needed me in a specific location in Hueco Mundo." He decided the Hogyoku was a term Ryūken would know best, and from the recognition on his face, he was right.
"It resorted to possession to get me there. I was overwhelmed by that darkness I showed you, I was unconscious for three days, and when I woke up, my Saketsu was severed, and I couldn't feel pain. Not unless the Hogyoku wanted me to."
Ryūken was quiet for a moment, then questioned, "You can't feel pain? What about other sensations?"
"When I hollowfy, my sense of touch is dulled, that's normal, but this feeling persists even as I am now. I can feel pressure, heat, cold, but nothing resembling pain."
Ryūken's eyes narrowed, thoughtful. "You're telling me if you leaned on a hot stove, you wouldn't notice?"
Ichigo answered, "Probably not."
Ryūken went over to a set of cabinets on the far side of the room, opening and closing it. He pulled out a pair of latex gloves, putting them on, then a butterfly needle. He took it from the packaging and held out his hand to Ichigo palm up. "Give me your arm."
Ichigo sighed, realizing Ryūken either didn't believe him, or wanted to test it for himself. He put his arm out, and Ryūken took his wrist in his hand. He stabbed him in the palm with the needle, watching for a reaction. Ichigo felt nothing. He tried again beneath a nail. Then again in the sensitive flesh on the underside of his wrist. Ichigo didn't even flinch, which they both knew wouldn't happen if he could feel pain.
Ryūken asked, "How long has this been going on?"
Ichigo looked down, but couldn't be certain. "Uhhh...I'm not sure how long it's been...Since I died."
Ryūken nodded, letting his arm go. "About four months then." He asked. "Did you feel anything at all?"
Ichigo gave a stiff shake of his head. "A bit of pressure, but no pain."
The quincy nodded again, thoughtful. He readjusted his glasses in a way that reminded Ichigo of Ishida, then jerked his head toward the table. "Lie down."
Ichigo felt fear grip his chest, followed by shame. Even when he wasn't hollowfied, he refused to lay down on his back, it felt too much like submitting, he felt too vulnerable. "No."
Ryūken watched him intently, then said, "Do you want my help or not, visored?"
Ichigo gripped the edge of the table he sat on, but there was a flicker of anger coiled inside his trepidation. He'd called him a visored like it was a grievous insult. He decided to be a bit more honest. "It would be awfully awkward if I killed you on accident."
This seemed to grip Ryūken's attention as much as his initial question. The quincy asked, "Are all visored's so unstable?"
Ichigo frowned, leaning forward on his knees. "Doesn't have anything to do with being a visored." He didn't want him to dig, so he humored him and laid back. His instincts writhed, but he stayed still, giving Ryūken a pointed look to continue.
The quincy stepped closer, raising his hand over his heart. "Well, you have indeed lost your Saketsu." His brow furrowed, and his hand made contact with his chest. Ichigo's hand snapped to his wrist, and Ryūken gave him a hard look. "Let go."
Ichigo started to breath faster, aware Ryūken could feel the pounding of his heart. He was grateful that the man made no comment on it. Calm down. Calm. Calm.
Ichigo let go, and Ryūken's eyes unfocused. He could feel the quincy taking his reiryoku from him in so small a dose he almost didn't notice it. He sifted through it, and Ichigo felt Alteza stir inside him. Before he could warn him, Ryūken jerked his hand back, and though he hid it well, Ichigo saw pain in his eyes.
Ryūken said, "Your reiryoku is inexorably tied to your hollow power, and something...darker. It doesn't mix well with quincy power. I imagine this balance between your hollow and quincy power was disrupted by this Hogyoku, or perhaps your quincy blood is keeping it in check?"
Ichigo had similar theories, but they were just guesses in the end. "What makes you say that?"
"I can't sense your reiatsu, but when I touch you, I can feel the well of your reiryoku, and the power that makes you a Quincy. Are you aware how much power you're expending?"
"My reiatsu?"
"No. Your power, your blood, is in a frenzy. Fighting your other half, I imagine. Normally, this should be quite painful. It's not quite the equivalent of soul suicide, it's more like a persistent illness. You're right to be concerned."
Ichigo sat up, extending his senses inwards, but could feel nothing. It wasn't anything he was consciously doing. Were you aware of this, ossan?
"I was not. We are as numb as you are, Ichigo."
Ryūken said, "It seems your control over your own ability is pitiful. Did you never learn?"
Ichigo swung his legs back over the side, a bit of a bite in his tone. "Gemischt."
"At least you understand. My son should be competent enough to at least help you control the reishi in your own body. Your body's natural response might very well be the only thing keeping you alive; Tread carefully should you try." He regarded him for a moment, then asked, "Are you sleeping?"
Ichigo couldn't help the flicker of annoyance that crossed his face. "Everyone asks that." Ryūken put his hands in his coat pockets, waiting for an answer. "A bit."
"I'm no psychiatrist, but you have a long list of symptoms for a stress disorder. That's a lot of fractures for someone so powerful, forgive me for my concern."
His tone was dripping with near mockery, something that had Ichigo's jaw tightening. He stood and said, "If that's it, I'm leaving."
"I can't imagine sleeping in an area surrounded by arrancar is relaxing."
Ichigo asked, "Is there a point to this?"
"Yes. It seems to me the situation is forcing you to allow yourself less and less body needs more sleep, not less. It doesn't matter how you do it, you need more sleep. You're putting undue stress on your body. Until you can learn to control reishi, if you can, don't overdue it."
Ichigo protested. "You aren't my doctor."
He raised a brow. "Aren't I? I was under the belief I was your last resort."
There was a confidence in his voice, one Ichigo found grating. No wonder Ishida wasn't fond of his father. Ichigo said, "Fine." Knowing what he needed to do and doing it were two entirely different monsters. Why Ryūken gave a shit, he could only guess.
He turned to leave, and the quincy didn't stop him.
He pulled on the darkness, inky shadows congealing before him. He stepped into it without hesitation, re-emerging across town. The darkness swirled over his skin, cold, but not unfamiliar, then evaporated beneath the glow of a streetlight. He was outside Chad's complex, sensing his reiatsu as distinctly as he would his own family. He was second guessing himself.
He could leave Chad be, he could live a fairly normal life. He knew Chad liked his work with his band, they were good, people liked them, Chad had a future. But he promised, this is what Chad wanted. Was this really his decision to make?
He paced outside, then realized he'd already made his decision. He took the stairs to his apartment and knocked, dread settling in his stomach. If he let him be, he would involve himself anyway, and possibly be killed for it.
He was second guessing himself again, but it was too late to act before Chad opened the door. The warm glow from his apartment shone out into the walkway, and Ichigo felt a sharp sense of displacement that tugged at his heart.
Chad looked surprised. "Ichigo…"
Now he felt foolish, though he couldn't be sure why. Chad was studying him too intently, he was seeing far more than he intended. Ichigo looked away. "I promised I'd come back." He lifted his hand to his hair, running his fingers through it. It was getting long, he was hollowfied so often, he hadn't noticed. "I promised I'd bring you to Hueco Mundo."
Chad still hadn't said anything, but for once, the silence was a bit uncomfortable. Ichigo shifted, folding his arms, and said, "Sorry if it's not a good time. It's hard to keep track of the days."
Chad went back into the apartment, then stepped out, closing and locking the door behind him. Ichigo wasn't expecting so much trust or dedication. Ichigo's brows furrowed. "Say something." That sounded so pathetic out loud, but he couldn't handle the silence.
Chad paused with his back to him, then turned, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. The action was slow, giving him more than ample time to brush it off, but Ichigo stayed still. Chad was still taller than him, he could only feel the weight of his arm, no warmth, nothing.
Ichigo's breath caught, his eyes flicking down to his hand. No one had touched him in months, not without the intent to harm. It was painful, his heart clenching in his chest, no matter how careful Chad had been.
Chad's voice was soft, even for him. "Nothing's changed, Ichigo."
Ichigo looked back up at Chad, and saw no judgement there. How he could do that, he still didn't understand. He'd seen judgement in his father, disappointment in Orihime, his sisters...He swallowed, then turned away, swinging over the railing to land at the ground floor.
Chad took the stairs, and when he came up along beside him, Ichigo opened a garganta. He stepped into it, the platform of reishi forming beneath his feet. Chad followed him without hesitation, and a trust Ichigo promised himself he would never betray.
Ichigo was surprised when Chad broke the silence. "Are you okay?"
"I could be dead...so sure, I'm fine." He could sense Chad's eyes burning into him. He glanced at his friend, then ahead, clenching his jaw. "It's good to see you." He'd been lonely, that was the long and short of it. Zangetsu was always there, but his inner spirits were still a part of him, it just wasn't the same.
Leaving his family the way he had was painful. He could have gone to see them, but he just didn't have the courage to do it. He was grateful Chad didn't ask.
Before they reached the end of the garganta, Ichigo stepped into his hollow transformation, and his heartache was suddenly muffled, distant. The pain was his, but it hurt so much less. He wasn't sure if that was a blessing or not.
He stepped out into the sand, the wind tugging his hair over his shoulders. The cold here was different, the silence more resolute. He both hated this place, and found it was the closest thing to home he could imagine.
He'd brought Chad some distance away from Las Noches, not about to bring him within distance of any over curious Espada or arrancar. Overprotective? Maybe, but he didn't want to introduce more problems than necessary into Chad's life.
He looked over at his friend, who was currently turning in circles, analyzing his surroundings. Chad spoke. "This place…"
Ichigo knew he could feel it, Chad's instincts could never separate themselves from something like this. Chad's power was a bit different from his, but it was born from the same source. Ishida had been deeply uncomfortable here, but for Chad, it would feel like home.
He dropped the full weight of his reiatsu, watching as Chad fell to his knees, catching himself with an arm. Chad looked up, not in fear, never in fear, but in something closer to awe. He knew he was struggling to breath, but this was something he needed to feel.
He put his hand on his shoulder, leaning down so they were nearly eye to eye, "You feel it, don't you?" He could read the look in Chad's eyes so clearly. It was the realization of what he was, what his power was. "Show me your strength, show me what you can do."
Ichigo stepped back on the sand, giving Chad space. His friend struggled to his feet, a feat Ichigo was immensely proud of him for. He called on his power, and he noted that Brazo Derecha de Gigante's pattern was more intricate that it had been in Soul Society, it was more like the power of the Chad he'd known.
Chad didn't stop there, he rushed at him, raising his left arm. White liquid rushed over his arm like a hollow mask, Brazo Izquierda del Diablo forming with a red stripe standing out starkly against the white. Ichigo smiled, his chest tightening in anticipation of a fight. He stepped back too quickly for Chad to follow, hunching forward with an excited grin.
Chad spread his hand, energy gathering at each fingertip. Ichigo could feel the massive pull of energy, and his pride for his friend swelled. To jump in power so quickly was a feat in and of itself. He braced himself, watched as Chad curled his hand into a fist. Chad threw his whole weight into his punch, aiming right for Ichigo's face. "La muerte."
Ichigo caught his punch in a clawed hand, Chad's attack surging over his hierro and into the desert behind him. The landscape exploded under his attack, sand blown away in a wave for over a mile. Ichigo's smile spread, his reiatsu still pressuring Chad, yet here he stood. He pushed Chad's fist back, but his friend recovered, feet spreading apart.
Chad steadied himself and held his ground, drawing his fist back to throw another punch. Ichigo kept his reiatsu low, pressuring his friend, and lunged forward. He didn't use sonido, but it was still almost too fast for Chad to block. His arm shifted to his defensive form, the shield blocking his punch. It still sent him sliding back several feet, but he stopped it, and that's what mattered,
Ichigo blurred out of Chad's sight, directly behind him, his claws resting just between his shoulder blades, right above his heart. "You can't just be strong, you have to be fast. Again."
Chad whirled, his fist aimed for the source of his voice. Ichigo found his reaction impressive, but it wasn't good enough. He'd need to be faster, stronger, more experienced, and he could give that to him.
They fought for hours, and despite Ichigo hardly laying a finger on him. Chad could barely stand. He helped him up, then brought him back through the garganta to his home. He followed him inside, making sure he was safe. His friend stripped off his shirt, heading into the bathroom to start the shower. Ichigo asked him. "What's today?"
Chad answered. "Thursday."
Ichigo nodded, then asked, "What day is best for you?"
"It doesn't matter."
Ichigo sighed. "Fine. Then I'll come back every Thursday. How's that sound?" Chad just gave him a small smile, but had nothing else to say.
Ichigo turned to leave, pausing in the doorway. He smiled at his friend. "I'll see you soon." Somehow the promise of knowing when he'd see him made saying goodbye far less painful.
He shut the door, then leaned on it, tilting his head back to rest on it. He'd settled matters with Chad, for the moment, but now that left Ishida.
He closed his eyes, letting his senses blanket the city. There he was.
He pushed off the door and stepped into darkness, appearing just outside Orihime's house. He pulled his senses in close, leaving them some privacy, no matter what it was they were up to, and waited outside.
He wasn't sure how long he stood there. Time had begun to have no meaning, but eventually Ishida left. He could hear Orihime laughing as she said goodbye, and Ichigo found he was smiling. That was the laugh of someone unburdened by fate, by fear. That was good.
He leaned against the wall, waiting for Ishida to step outside the gate. The quincy noticed him immediately, flinching. "Kurosaki!"
He pushed from the wall and chided. "Shhhh, don't want to scare the princess." He realized he was still hollowfied, it probably wasn't the most inviting look. He dipped his head in a shallow nod, his horns angling downwards. "I didn't get to thank you for helping me with Soul Society. Doubtless, your presence helped keep my arrancar alive."
Ishida sounded skeptical. "Is that heartfelt gratitude?"
Ichigo noticed how tense the quincy was; every muscle in his body was drawn tight, preparing to fight. Was he really so frightening? Ichigo tilted his head. "It is." He slipped his hands into his pockets and said, "I spoke with your father."
Ishida's eyes widened, brows drawing together in distaste. He asked, "About what?"
Ichigo summarized. "Health problems. I need to learn how to control reishi. Can you help me do that?" Ishida said nothing, but Ichigo didn't take offense. He sighed. "Not to pile on pressure, but if I don't, my condition might only get worse."
"Condition?"
Ichigo didn't like explaining things more than once. He said, "My quincy side is reacting badly to being possessed. I'm running at one hundred percent without being conscious of it. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that's a bad thing?"
Ishida's tone was far less hostile, but he was still suspicious. "Why are you asking me?"
"Your father sure as hell isn't interested, you're all I have, Ishida." Ichigo winced. He hadn't meant to sound so defeated, but it was true, Ishida was his only option beyond trial and error.
The streetlight caught Ishida's glasses, obscuring his eyes. Ichigo couldn't tell what he was thinking, and Ishida said nothing, so he looked away and closed his eyes, exhaustion creeping into the edges of his psyche.
Ishida asked, "Is it really wise to drop your guard?"
"If you were the one that decided to kill me, I'd probably deserve it." He wasn't afraid of Ishida, even the Ishida of the past, a person he wasn't nearly as close to. He wasn't sure he was that close with anyone in this time.
Ishida said, "I wouldn't even know where to start, it's not like you're a good listener."
Ichigo smiled and tilted his head back, opening his eyes. He was pleased that he could see the stars. He'd missed seeing them. "If you're willing to try to teach me, I'm willing to learn." He dropped his head, stepping forward and meeting Ishida evenly.
Ichigo could smell his fear, which was a bit disappointing. He pretended he didn't notice, he had no doubt it was because he was uncomfortably close to Orihime's house. It was coincidence, but he often forgot how frightening he could be.
Ishida said, "Your father held a funeral, Orihime went. I've never seen her cry so hard…"
Ichigo swallowed, looking away. He could hear the blame in Ishida's voice. Ichigo said, "You know if I could have spared her that, I would have...it's probably better this way."
He barely finished speaking before Ishida's hand was gripping his shihakusho. He hissed, "Better?! Karin wasn't even there, Yuzu didn't even cry. How is this better, Kurosaki?"
Ichigo swallowed. He hadn't wanted to know, but Ishida wasn't allowing him that escape. He looked back at him, not hiding the pain he felt. Ishida let him go. Ichigo said, "I was unconscious when my connection to by body was broken... there was nothing I could do. But...it's better this way. It's a clean break."
Ishida protested. "How can you talk like that, they're-"
Ichigo cut him off, he couldn't bare to hear it. "Ishida. Do you think this is what I wanted? I'm doing my best...will you help me or not?"
Ishida grit his teeth, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. He readjusted his book bag, looking back at Orihime's bedroom. Her light flicked off as they stood there in silence, and Ishida let out a stiff breath. "I'll help you." Ichigo opened his mouth, but Ishida wasn't done. "On my terms, where and when I say."
That wasn't unreasonable, Ichigo had no complaints. "Whatever you want, Ishida."
Ishida narrowed his eyes, looking away again. He said, "Is it really okay for the king of Hueco Mundo to bend to another's whims?"
Ichigo huffed, shifting his weight. "That title doesn't protect me from doubts, mistakes, mortality…"
Ishida said, "Sunday morning, come find me."
Ichigo relaxed some now that he had a real answer. "Thank you, Ishida."
Ishida asked, "What's your goal, Kurosaki?"
"Is it not obvious?" Ishida's silence was all the answer he needed. "To protect you, everyone." Aizen wasn't their sole threat, he never had been, and he refused to lose them all. He'd tear himself to pieces before he would let them die.
- xxx -
Okay, posting this, before I overthink it. I had a couple friends over this week, so it was a pleasant distraction, and made posting take a couple days longer than usual. Here is ~ Another time skip is in the future. There's too much for Ichigo to do, poor guy.
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