A/N Well, here is Chapter 26, and I will be posting the next chapter on Friday. Why? Because I can...
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or any of its characters, and I make no money off of this.
Chapter 26
Las Noches: Ichigo's Room
"This has been one long day." Ichigo sighed as he entered his room and walked towards his balcony.
"Hopeful Risha isn't too out of her element." Ichigo thought aloud as he leaned on the railing of his balcony and stared out into the faux desert below.
"I'm sure she will be fine Ichigo." A calm feminine voice replied from the doorway.
"Something the matter…" Ichigo said as he turned to face the source of the voice.
"…Halibel?" Ichigo asked.
"I came here to ask you something." Halibel stated as Ichigo began to walk closer to her.
"Ask away." Ichigo said as he stopped in front of the female Espada.
"Why?" Haliblel questioned, curiosity evident in her tone. Her question though, only succeeded in confusing Ichigo.
"Meaning…" Ichigo trailed off, giving Halibel the signal to finish her question.
"Why did you sacrifice yourself to save me when we were in the Menos Forest? Why risk your own life for my sake?" Halibel asked, somewhat to Ichigo's surprise due to the urgency of her tone.
"I don't know about risking my life… I was pretty certain that the attack would only temporarily injure me." Ichigo said before Halibel cut him off.
"That does not answer my question." Halibel said with conviction, dead set on getting a real reason.
"I… I really can't explain why I did what I did. I just felt the overwhelming need to protect you from something that could kill you. Since I've started remembering my past this overwhelming instinct to protect those close to me just started to spiral out of control." Ichigo replied. Halbiel picked up the words 'protect' and 'close to me' and that made her smile, though she continued her inquiry despite this.
"What if you had died Ichigo?" Halibel asked, causing Ichigo to adopt an expression of serious thought.
A moment of silence passed between the two as Ichigo gave serious consideration to her words, thinking of what exactly he should say.
"If I had died…" Ichigo began, staring deeply into Halibel's eyes with his own.
"Then I would have died knowing I was able to save your life… and that is all that matters." Ichigo continued, causing Halibel to smile under her high rise collar.
"I see…" Halibel said as she began to unzip her jacket, revealing her face to be without its mask fragment and an affectionate smile gracing her features. Her appearance was that of when she had woken up inside the cave during their mission.
"What are you…" Ichigo said before Halibel silenced him by placing her finger on his lips.
"Thanking you…" Halibel began, removing her finger form his lips as she moved her face closer to Ichigo's.
"…for saving my life." Halibel said before she captured Ichigo's lips with her own and began to kiss him.
Ichigo simply stood with tensed muscles and wide eyes for a moment as Halibel continued to kiss him.
'Never thought she felt this way.' Ichigo thought as he gradually worked his way into the kiss.
After about a minute into the kiss, Ichigo tilted his head and deepened it, eliciting a throaty moan from Halibel. The two brought their hands around the other, Ichigo finding her hips, and Halibel throwing her hands around his neck as they continued kissing each other with genuine affection.
'I can feel my heart racing.' Halibel thought with excitement before her moment with Ichigo was interrupted. She was confused at the concept, but she enjoyed it too much to care.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO LADY HALIBEL?!" Apacci and Mila Rose screamed from the doorway.
Las Noches: Throne Room (Several Minutes Prior)
"Before you leave…" Aizen began after Ichigo had left the room.
"I would like to ask you how your spiritual energy became so dense at the level of a Vasto Lordes. It isn't normal for a being of that level to possess such power." Aizen continued, making Risha nod in response.
She was perfectly aware that she should not have been that strong and figured that she would have to explain a few things, though how she went about it was going to be difficult.
"If you want to know the answer to that, I suppose I could tell you… but, I can't say it will make sense to you." Risha stated.
"Try me." Aizen dryly replied.
"Very well… several months ago, Straga, the hollow that I previously served, found out about the arrancar and about you…" Risha began, causing Aizen to raise a brow.
"More than anything, he despised you. He disliked the fact that you were a Soul Reaper who claimed to rule over hollows." Risha continued.
'He isn't the only one…' Barragan thought annoyedly.
"But he was well aware that he was nowhere near as powerful as you were, so he set out to gain an army of Vasto Lordes, praying that the strength of that army would be enough… but he soon discovered that he couldn't gather the army due to your having control over the Menos Forest, and that's when he came…" Risha stated, gaining Aizen's curiosity.
"He?" Gin inquired, curious as to who or what she was referring to.
"A man found Straga along with myself and Minos, a hollow that also served him. How he did, I do not know, but his spiritual energy was great, easily that of an arrancar that is slightly below the Espada. When he found us, he said he would give Straga power in exchange for an alliance with him should he obtain his goals." Risha explained.
"Can you describe this man and how he fulfilled his promise?" Aizen questioned, genuintly confused as to who it could be, let alone how they would manage to "give" power to a hollow.
"He was clad in a white buttoned vest, had black boots, and had a very distinguishable hat with some kind of symbol on its front. As for how he did it, I don't remember, after I woke he was gone and his promise was fulfilled." Risha replied, making Aizen frown.
'A man clad in white…' Aizen repeated again and again in his head. He may not know for certain who this person served or who they were, but he had an idea, and that made him frown. One-Thousand years just goes by so quickly when you're scheming.
"I see… Ulquiorra, please take her to her room so that she may get situated." Aizen requested.
"Follow me." Ulquiorra ordered before walking out of the throne room, Risha in toe.
After them, Halibel left the room, which didn't go unnoticed by her fraccion.
"Where's she going?" Apacci asked to no one in particular.
"I believe she is going to see Ichigo." Sung-Sun guessed.
"Well the, let's go." Apacci said. Mila Rose nodded in agreement but Sung-Sun grabbed both of them by their arm and halted their path.
"Do you think that wise?" Sung-Sun asked, though it was less of a question and more of a warning.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Apacci questioned back before walking off, Mila Rose in toe.
'I suppose I should stop them… but this has too much potential.' Sung-Sun thought before she herself walked out of the throne room.
"Lord Aizen…" Gin called, noticing that Aizen appeared deep in thought.
"Yes Gin?" Aizen asked, though his expression of deep thought did not vanish.
"Are you alright? You seem troubled." Tosen observed.
"It's nothing Gin… just a hunch, nothing more." Aizen replied.
Las Noches: Ichigo's Room (Current Time)
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO LADY HALIBEL?!" Apacci and Mila Rose screamed from the doorway.
The abrupt scream caused Ichigo and Halibel to break apart instantaneously with traces of red gracing their cheeks due to their recent activities.
"Do you need something?" Ichigo asked as the enraged fraccion got up close and personal to him.
"What's the big idea?!" The two shouted simultaneously, causing Ichigo to hold up his hands in an attempt to get them to calm down.
"Ladies…" Sung-Sung called as if trying to warn them.
"Who do you think you are?!" Apacci exclaimed.
"Ladies…" Sung-Sun called in a louder voice, her voice seemingly urgent.
"What gives you the right to touch her?!" Mila Rose yelled in an agitated voice.
"Ladies!" Sung-Sun practically screamed.
"WHAT SUNG-SUN?!" The two fraccion roared as they turned to face their comrade.
Sung-Sun was seemingly pointing at someone or something with her sleeve covering her mouth as it usually did.
Apacci and Mila Rose instantly moved their eyes towards what Sung-Sun was pointing at, only to grimace at what they saw.
Their gaze landed on Halibel, who was giving them a death glare that would freeze over hell. Needless to say, she was not pleased.
"Uhhhhhh…L-Lady H-Halibel?" Apacci stuttered out, seemingly paralyzed with fear.
"Do you three need something?" Halibel asked heatedly.
'For your sakes I pray you do.' Halibel thought as her frustration began to get the better of her.
"W-We… ummmm." Apacci said sheepishly. If she could come up with a good excuse, now would be a good time, sadly, for her, none popped into her head, though Halibel gave her several seconds to reply.
"They do not need anything Lady Halibel, nor do I." Sung-Sun replied, herself shocked at how angered her mistress appeared to be at the moment, though she didn't show it. At her words, Halibel's glare intensified and she cringed, albeit slightly.
"Excuse me Ichigo. I need to speak with my fraccion for the time being." Halibel said in an annoyed tone as she zipped up her high rise collar.
'We're so dead.' Apacci and Mila Rose thought similarly as Halibel began dragging the two out of the room.
'What'd I do?' Sung-Sun thought as she followed her mistress and her fellow fraccion out of the door.
"That was strange." Ichigo thought aloud before he shut his door.
"I'm beat." Ichigo said with a yawn before crashing on his bed.
The strain of using his Segunda Etapa had tired him to the point that he almost immediately fell into a deep sleep. The form was powerful, that was easily discernible, but how long he could use that much power without straining himself too much was the big question.
Las Noches: Halibel's Room
"So would you two care to explain your outburst?" Halibel asked in an annoyed tone.
"You'll have to excuse these two Lady Halibel, after all it's not every day they walk in on their mistress in the company of a man." Sung-Sun replied, smirking behind her sleeve as she brought it to cover her face.
"Yeah, since when did you two get so close?" Apacci asked, though she was met with Halibel's glare.
"What I do, and with whom I do it with, is none of your business. You are my fraccion, not my watchdogs." Halibel stated in her usual calm tone.
"B-but Ichigo…" Apacci started before being cut off.
"…is someone who appears to make Lady Halibel happy." Sung-Sun said, finishing Apacci's sentence before she could say something she would regret.
She may take any opportunity she could get to mess with her fellow fraccion, but there were some instances where she would just feel she needed to intervene or she may lose the pleasure of aggravating her in the future due to her existence coming to an end.
"Is this true Lady Halibel?" Mila Rose asked in a slightly surprised tone.
The blond Espada said nothing and closed her eyes, seemingly out of mild embarrassment, before someone spoke out on the issue.
"If what I saw was any indication, she may wish to make Ichigo her mate." Sung-Sun observed, immediately causing Apacci and Mila Rose to become spastic.
"WHAT?!" The two shouted simultaneously. At Sung-Sun's statement, Halibel's blush became visible on the top of her cheeks where her high rise collar ended.
"Don't say such stupid things Sung-Sun. Enjoying someone's company is one thing but that is entirely another." Mila Rose stated, quickly regaining her composure in the presence of her master.
"As if Lady Halibel would ever request something like that." Apacci added, equally as distraught with Sung-Sun's observation.
"Am I correct in my assumption Lady Halibel?" Sung-Sun asked, bringing all eyes to their mistress.
'Wait… can she actually want to… no that's not possible.' Apacci thought as she noticed how flustered her mistress appeared at the question.
"You are not entirely wrong Sung-Sun. However, it is still none of your business and I would prefer if you three would not inquire on this subject further." Halibel chided, half-expecting Apacci and Mila Rose to have a conniption.
"But Lady Halibel…" Apacci and Mila Rose began simultaneously.
Before the two could continue their protests, Sung-Sun slapped her hands over their mouths in order to silence them
'They just won't learn…' Sung-Sun thought.
"We'll be going now Lady Halibel." Sung-Sun stated before using sonido to take herself, Mila Rose, and Apacci out of the room.
'I have a feeling this will not be the last I hear of this from those three.' Halibel thought, knowing her fraccion all too well.
Ichigo's Dreamscape
Ichigo woke within his dream to find himself inside some shop within the confines of Karakura Town. He found it ironic that he knew the name of the town, but didn't know the name of the shop.
'This room is familiar.' Ichigo thought as he recalled sleeping in this very room for prolonged periods of time, but for what reason he hadn't the slightest clue.
'I know I didn't live here but why is it I still can't remember this place?' Ichigo wondered as he walked out of the door and down the stairs.
"Good morning Ichigo." A redheaded girl chirped from the kitchen as he arrived downstairs.
"Morning." Ichigo greeted absentmindedly.
"Hey Ichigo." A muscular tanned-skin boy greeted from the couch.
"Kurosaki." The boy with glasses greeted from his seat in the common area.
Then it clicked, Ichigo realized something was off with this situation.
'This is very strange… first I'm practically invisible and now they seem to be able to see me.' Ichigo thought as he took a seat on the couch next to the large muscular boy that had greeted him moments ago.
"So Ichigo, what are you doing today?" The red head asked in her characteristic peppy tone.
"Ummm… I guess I don't really know." Ichigo replied.
"How does one 'guess' whether or not they know something?" The boy with glasses asked in a condescending manner.
"Come on Uryu, don't be like that on such a nice day." The redhead lightly chided.
'Uryu… Uryu Ishida…' Ichigo thought as he remembered the intelligent Quincy that had fought by his side since he invaded the Seireitei. Intelligent or not, he specifically rememberd why he had the urge to punch him in his previous recollections.
"Just pointing out Kurosaki's mistakes, you got what I meant, right Chad?" Uryu questioned the large muscular man that was sitting on the couch.
'Chad…' Ichigo thought as the memory of helping Chad out when thugs were after his coin passed through his mind as he heard the name. After that incident with the medallion, they were like brothers, something that he didn't take very lightly.
"I agree with Orihime…" Chad said, immediately before whatever form of memory or dream this was immediately froze.
That's when it hit him. The memory of her brother being turned into a hollow and nearly killing her, the memory of her accompanying him to the Soul Society, how her powers worked, but that wasn't all.
'Orihime…' Ichigo thought moments before his current location faded away and he found himself in the throne room of Las Noches.
"Why am I here?" Ichigo wondered aloud before he began to look around.
'Aizen?' Ichigo wondered as he looked up to the throne to see Aizen. A moment later his sight was brought to the forms of himself alongside Orihime standing front and center, as if speaking to Aizen.
'How is it that this time I'm not part of… whatever this is?' Ichigo wondered as he saw himself once more, in an apparent memory.
A moment later the sound of Orihime's voice stirred Ichigo from his thoughts.
"Ichigo Kurosaki… you are my heart… I love you." Orihime quietly said before, bringing her lips to meet Ichigo's in a soft kiss.
"You don't have to say anything…in fact it may be better if you don't considering the fact that we may not see each other for such a long time." Orihime whispered sadly before taking her head off of Ichigo's chest and looking into his eyes one last time.
"Be safe Ichigo… just please be safe." Orihime said before walking towards Tosen, who had opened up a Garganta.
A moment later Orihime walked through the large black hole that appeared in the throne room which subsequently bolted itself shut before his eyes.
The scene before him froze as the Garganta disappeared, leaving Ichigo to absorb what he had just witnessed, be it a memory, or some form of dream.
"I remember… I made a deal with Aizen… for her safety…" Ichigo remembered as he felt his heart ache slightly. Even if he didn't know how he felt, knowing how she felt was something that was like a dagger to his soul considering that all this time, he hadn't
The surrounding began to crumble before him, creating a tremor beneath Ichigo's feet as the scenery changed once more.
"Great, where am I now?" Ichigo asked rhetorically as he found himself in the middle of a cemetery.
'This place… its somewhere in Karakura town.' Ichigo realized as he began to walk around the seemingly deserted cemetery.
'Are they who I think they are?' Ichigo wondered upon seeing the figures of his himself, his father, and his sisters walking to a very specific location.
"Karin, Yuzu come on already." The human form of Ichigo ordered halfheartedly as he walked up to a particular tombstone with his hands in his pockets.
"Hold on Ichigo." Karin exclained as she along with the others arrived next to Ichigo.
"What took you so long?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly.
"Had to drag dad up here after he fell down the hill… you know, tradition." Karin joked, eliciting a light chuckle from Ichigo and a giggle from Yuzu.
"That's the spirit girls!" Isshin said in his usual goofy tone.
'Why does he have roses?' Ichigo wondered as he observed the four walking towards a specific grave.
Isshin laid the roses over the ground directly in front of the tombstone and developed a look which was a mix of saddened and somber. Needless to say this confused Ichigo slightly and had the added effect of raising his curiosity.
The moment froze before him once more as Ichigo walked up to the grave to see who it was, though he had a pretty good idea at this point.
"Here lies Masaki Kurosaki…" Ichigo read from the tombstone before a bright light flashed, ending his sequence of memories.
Las Noches: Ichigo's Room
'I wonder when I will start to remember pleasant things.' Ichigo thought as his eyes slowly fluttered began to flutter open and he prepared to exit his deep sleep.
'What the hell?' Ichigo wondered as he saw a pair of pure purple eyes in-between his rapid blinking.
Risha was now standing over his bed and hovering directly over his body, her face inches from his own.
"Gah!" Ichigo exclaimed as he rolled off the bed.
"Is something the matter Lord Ichigo?" Risha questioned in an emotionless tone, though she was confused as to why Ichigo had rolled off the bed.
"Why the hell were you doing that?!" Ichigo shouted as he recovered from his practical heart attack.
"I wished to see if you were indeed asleep." Risha replied as if the answer was obvious.
"I thought I told you to stop calling me lord." Ichigo added, catching that little quirk of Risha's.
"My mistake, master." Risha replied in a respectful tone, causing a tick mark to appear on Ichigo's forehead.
"For the last time, I'm not your master, and I am no lord, just call me Ichigo." Ichigo said, maintaining his calm with his new fraccion.
"If that is what my master wishes." Risha replied as she gave a slight bow to Ichigo.
'I can't catch a break.' Ichigo thought as he released a tired sigh. That's when he realized it, or more specifically, her.
Risha's had flawless white skin, hair as black as night, and currently wore a white version of what was unmistakably a Stealth Force Uniform, which hugged her body and emphasized her figure. Her captivating purple eyes were more defined due to her clothes, and her hair now fell freely, resting in her shoulders and extending to the middle of her back. Many things about her reminded Ichigo of people he had seen in his memories, but he decided to ignore those thoughts at the moment.
"You really should lighten up Ichigo…" A feminine voice came from the door, brining Ichigo's attention towards her.
"…even my fraccion call me lady, or master, or mistress. It seems to be a force of habit." Nel stated as she walked towards Ichigo.
"I assume you need to talk to me?" Ichigo asked as he finally got up from the floor and dusted himself off.
"I do, but I also came to speak to Risha and welcome her to Las Noches." Nel replied, turning her head to Risha as she finished.
"Thank you Lady Nelliel, your welcome is most appreciated." Risha replied emotionlessly, causing Nel to sweat drop.
'Okay, I'll admit that could get annoying…' Nel thought, noticing how robotic Risha appeared in speech and demeanor.
"Risha, do you think you could give me a minute to speak with Ichigo here?" Nel asked politely, almost too politely.
Risha only nodded her head before exiting the room, leaving Nel and Ichigo to talk.
"She seems very…" Nel trailed off, trying to find the right word to describe Ichigo's fraccion.
"Emotionless? Calculated? Robotic?" Ichigo listed off as Nel tapped her chin in thought.
"Yes, but in a good way." Nel replied, releasing a small chuckle due to herself not being able to find a better description. Her mood almost immediately changed after she recalled the reason she had come to Ichigo's room, and that was not good for Ichigo.
"So what is it you wanted to talk…" Ichigo said before he was met with Nel's glare.
"…about?" Ichigo finished, looking at Nel with a confused expression on his face.
"You really shouldn't have been that careless in the Menos Forest." Nel chastised, causing Ichigo to grow slightly confused.
"What if you had been killed?" Nel asked with worry in her voice, almost hesitant to ask the question.
'She's obviously upset… what is it with female arrancar?' Ichigo wondered as he held his hands up defensively and motioned her to settle down.
"Nel, I didn't die, and would not have. The reason I was injured was because I saved Halibel from an attack." Ichigo explained, though he was met with skepticism.
"I'm so glad to hear that you'd readily give your life for her sake." Nel said in a sarcastic tone.
"Was that supposed to make me feel better?" Nel asked heatedly.
'Okay… in hindsight that was a bad excuse.' Ichigo thought as he noticed that Nel was shooting him a death glare. He made a mental note to learn what not to say when trying to comfort someone, specifically a female that was capable of causing him bodily harm.
'I didn't actually know she could do that. In fact, if she and Halibel ever decided to glare at me in unison I may have to tear out my eyes.' Ichigo mused, finding a bit of humor in the situation though he decided not to make it apparent less he make Nel even more agitated.
"That question was not rhetorical Ichigo." Nel clarified, her tone still one of agitation.
"Nel…" Ichigo began in a low comforting voice.
"I didn't mean to make you worry… for that I am truly sorry." Ichigo apologized, causing Nel to instantly drop her death glare and give Ichigo a small smile.
"If it helps, I would gladly risk my life for you ask well." Ichigo added, prompting Nel to capture him in an embrace.
"It does help Ichigo… in fact it means a lot to me." Nel replied as she tightened her grip on the orange-haired Primera.
Several minutes passed as Ichigo just held Nel in his arms affectionately and comforted her, making her feel as if all was well with the world.
"Ichigo…" Nel began in a voice just above a whisper, effectively breaking the silence.
"Yes Nel?" Ichigo asked, bringing his head back so he could look at Nel directly.
"I need you to promise me something." Nel stated in a tone of finality.
'Something I should get used to.' Ichigo thought, having recalled he had done the same thing for Halibel a moment ago.
"I want you to promise me… that no matter what… you will come back to me… alive." Nel said slowly as she stared directly into Ichigo's visible brown eye, and his obstructed one.
"Nelliel… I promise that I will always return alive no matter what." Ichigo promised, mimicking Nel's action by looking her in the eye.
No sooner than Ichigo had said this Nel captured Ichigo's lips in a soft kiss. Though it only lasted for a moment, it felt as if time itself had frozen for this moment, something Ichigo was quite familiar with by now due to the manner in which his memories chose to return.
"I just can't stay mad at you can I?" Nel sighed as she rested her head on Ichigo's shoulder.
"Thankfully for me… no, otherwise I think I'd need a lot more than instant regeneration." Ichigo joked, causing Nel to giggle and lightly hit his chest.
"I'm not that scary am I?" Nel asked in her usual cheery voice.
"Never to me Nel… never to me." Ichigo replied, prompting Nel to tighten her grip on his for a brief moment before releasing him.
'Except for when you're mad.' Ichigo added in thought.
"I need to speak with Aizen for a moment." Ichigo said in a serious tone, realizing that he needed to find out a few things about the man he had pledged himself to.
Before, all he knew was that Aizen had deliberately not told him about his mother or his past as a Soul Reaper, but now he knew that Aizen had
"What about?" Nel asked with a raised brow, noticing that this had been the first time he had used his name without the title of 'lord' in front of it.
"Nothing of importance." Ichigo lied, though his tone showed no evidence of this.
"But I would like for you to tell Risha she may come back in, though she will have to wait for me to be done." Ichigo added.
Nel nodded at Ichigo a moment before he used sonido in order to speak with Aizen.
Las Noches: Chambers of the Hogyoku
"Ah Ichigo, what a pleasant surprise." Aizen greeted as Ichigo walked into the room.
"I trust Risha is doing well?" Aizen asked in his usual smooth tone.
"Lord Aizen… I thought I should inform you that I have recalled more of my past." Ichigo said, causing Aizen to raise an eyebrow at Ichigo.
In his mind, Ichigo thought that it would be better to approach this delicately if on the off chance he was wrong in assuming that Aizen didn't have a good reason for doing what he did.
"Specifically what have you remembered?" Aizen asked, slightly believing that this conversation would lead to a confrontation.
"I know I was once a Soul Reaper, I remember several of my friends…" Ichigo began cryptically.
"I remember my father, my sisters, my mother, Chad, Uryu… Orihime." Ichigo listed off, causing Aizen to frown slightly at the mention of Orihime.
"Then are you aware of the circumstances that brought you here?" Aizen asked. Ichigo only shook his head at the question, prompting Aizen to grow deep in thought. Ichigo was clearly lying though, and Aizen knew this.
He was simply trying too hard to feign indifference, which was a tell in it of itself. It then occurred to Aizen that Ichigo could be testing him in some way, but no matter how this conversation would end, Aizen would still have Ichigo stay in Las Noches, one way or another.
'It was never my intention that he lose his memory… I suppose him hearing from me will ultimately work to my advantage.' Aizen reasoned before making to speak.
"What is it you want to know?" Aizen questioned.
"Everything." Ichigo replied.
"You were once a Soul Reaper, that is correct. You were in fact a crucial part of my former plan, and became the epicenter once I was forced to modify it." Aizen began, causing Ichigo to grow confused.
"Modified?" Ichigo asked, wanting Aizen to elaborate.
"I had sent Ulquiorra and Yammy to the world of the living in order to ascertain your current state of power. It became apparent that your hollow nature was becoming more dominant faster than I had anticipated. I realized that the most likely reason for this was that in your training with Kisuke Urahara, you awakened a part of you that was actually a hollow, which was something that neither he or I had thought possible. You see… you became a near complete hollow, something that should not have happened unless you were in fact fighting it for control, but the hollow being a part of you would explain why you had not vanished from existence." Aizen explained, though Ichigo only understood bits and pieces due to not having his memory.
"Due to your actions, your friends Orihime Inoue, and Yasutora Sado opted to train in order to become stronger so as to assist you against me. I used this to my advantage by having Orihime Inoue brought here to Las Noches, and kept her as bait to lure you in without having any complications." Aizen said before being cut off.
"I remember Orihime being in the throne room… she told me she loved me and then she was gone… tell me what happened after that." Ichigo requested.
"After that occurred, I had you battle your hollow for supremacy by using the Hogyoku as a catalyst. After you had defeated your hollow you began to revert back, I then used the Hogyoku to trap your hollowfied nature within your being while keeping your humanity in control. However, I had not anticipated your memory loss." Aizen answered.
"So you turned me into a hollow?" Ichigo asked, almost angrily.
"I won't lie, that was what I attempted to do, but I can say with absolute assurance that you are not an arrancar." Aizen stated, making Ichigo confused beyond belief.
"The Hogyoku reacts differently to your spiritual energy than any other being, which was evident by your fraccion along with Starrk and Halibel not possessing a hollow hole and your fraccion also not possessing a mask fragment. Surely by now you are aware that your mask fragment is removable in some way." Aizen replied.
Ichigo's eyes widened for a moment and he receded his mask fragment, proving that Aizen was in fact correct.
"So what am I?" Ichigo questioned, sounding lost on the matter.
"That I cannot say until further thought on the matter, but you are not a mindless beast, your humanity is very much in control." Aizen replied.
"Then why didn't you tell me I used to be a Soul Reaper, used to be human?" Ichigo inquired, using his last line of questioning towards Aizen.
"I didn't tell you because I believed your memories would return, and with them, your humanity and personality. If I had simply told you everything about your life, I risked losing or impeding the process by confusing or angering you in some way." Aizen answered.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Ichigo asked, being genuinely confused.
"I tell you these things because now regardless of what you believe, it was never my intention for you to lose your memory. I offered to keep Orihime Inoue out of harm's way in order to secure your cooperation in the first place and if need be I can easily promise that those others you hold dear will not be harmed." Aizen replied.
"I don't entirely remember everyone… I recall events and certain faces but no concrete names outside my family and my human friends." Ichigo stated, clarifying a few things on Aizen's end.
"Have you recalled the events that placed me as an enemy of the Soul Society, as an enemy of you?" Aizen asked, prompting Ichigo to shake his head.
"When you do remember, you will likely despise me, or at the very least consider me an enemy, but you will find out the reason for why I didn't intend for you to lose your memory in the first place." Aizen continued, making Ichigo confused once more.
'If he knows that my remembering will make me his enemy, why help me?' Ichigo wondered. Several things occurred to him.
Aizen had not really hurt anyone he knew, at least that he could remember, which was possibly why he would leave his service in the first place. If that was the case, Ichigo would likely turn on him, but if that was to happen, he would likely go to the Soul Society, but if he did that he may lose an opportunity to help them by possibly lulling Aizen into a false sense of security by feigning loyalty, and if he could get others to turn on him as well, that would just be a bonus.
However, on the off chance that Aizen had actually not done something that would make Ichigo dislike him, which was unlikely at this point, then remaining here in Las Noches would still work towards his advantage. His thoughts, however, were interrupted by Aizen's words.
"And it is my promise that I help you to remember… which I will." Aizen reassured, noticing that Ichigo didn't appear angered.
"If what you said has been the truth thus far…" Ichigo began as he reached into his pocket.
"…then I will give you another chance, who is this?" Ichigo questioned as he opened the watch to reveal the picture of his mother.
"Have you remembered what happened then?" Aizen asked with traces of something that was rarely evident in his voice… pity.
"Then you did lie before about not knowing her." Ichigo stated as he closed the watch and placed it in his jacket pocket once more.
"Since you are no doubt aware of how terrible that experience was, you no doubt see why I didn't wish to tell you before realizing it for yourself." Aizen defended.
"Care to explain your reasoning?" Ichigo asked in an amused tone.
"Certainly… you see, I had determined that regardless of the sorrow that event caused, it helped to form you as a person… believe me when I say that none understand that better than I." Aizen answered.
"As I said before, if I had just told you, I risked you losing your humanity, which was in fact a worry of mine considering you appeared to act differently after losing your memory." Aizen added.
"And my personality makes me valuable to you I imagine?" Ichigo asked, seriously curious by what Aizen had meant.
"I knew before I had brought you here that your colossal growth rate was fueled by your will to protect. That was the reason I had chosen to keep an eye on you." Aizen explained.
"So you really have no issues with me remembering the past? What if I remember other things you have done? Will I then want to turn on you?" Ichigo asked, obviously suspecting that Aizen was responsible for more than he was letting on.
"Ichigo… if you have listened to what I have said, you already know the answer to that." Aizen replied, giving Ichigo his answer.
"Then you still intend to help me regain my memory?" Ichigo asked in order to get confirmation, this time checking for any signs of a lie. Aizen nodded in response, surprising Ichigo by his seeming genuineness.
"Perhaps I can prove that I will keep my word with a gesture of good will… are you aware of what today's date is in the world of the living?" Aizen questioned, prompting Ichigo shake his head.
"Today is the day your mother died, nearly six years ago. I would like to know if you would like to visit her grave." Aizen stated, surprising Ichigo.
For a moment, Ichigo adopted an expression of serious thought. Just because he was suspicious of Aizen didn't mean he couldn't do take an offer like this.
"I want to visit the site of my mother's grave…" Ichigo replied solemnly, the depression in his tone not going unnoticed.
For a brief moment Ichigo could swear he saw Aizen's ever-present smile fade in place of a genuine frown of sorrow.
"Though this will be difficult to accomplish accomplish considering the fact that several high level Soul Reaper's guard the town I would normally not allow this to happen." Aizen replied, prompting Ichito to raise a brow.
"However…" Aizen continued.
"I had assumed you would eventually desire to go to the world of the living. As a result of this suspicion, I had Szayel prepare a more advanced version of the devise you used in the Menos Forest. It is essentially a cloak that completely represses your spiritual energy. You will need to wear it when you depart." Aizen finished, prompting Ichigo to smile.
"Thank you, Lord Aizen." Ichigo thanked, giving a slight bow of appreciation. If he was going to accept the offer, he may as well show he intended to follow his instructions… for now.
"I would ask that Starrk accompany you." Aizen added, confusing Ichigo slightly.
"Why would I need someone else to come with me?" Ichigo asked.
"The cloak you will wear does not allow you to utilize your spiritual energy… therefore you will not be able to release or use anything outside of your blade, your firsts, or simple sonido, which means that in case you run into Soul Reapers you will need someone to help you should events get out of hand, and Starrk is excellent at hiding his spiritual energy." Aizen explained.
Starrk was a curious arrancar, appearing to have more humanity than the others, at least, until Ichigo arrived in Las Noches he was the most human "arracnar". However, Starrk's origins made him the perfect candidate for this assignment, he wouldn't complain and due to the problem he used to have with his spiritual energy, he was rather adept at hiding his presence and on top of that he was incredibly powerful.
'I suppose it wouldn't hurt…' Ichigo thought, deciding that visiting his mother's grave on the anniversary of her death was more important.
"Change into the cloak before you leave and let no one see your face during your visit to the world of the living. After you have changed, inform Starrk and be on your way." Aizen ordered as he gave Ichigo the bright white cloak, knowing full well that he was taking a necessary, but very, very calculated, risk.
"Very well." Ichigo replied before using sonido to exit the room.
"Trouble in paradise Lord Aizen?" Gin asked in a teasing manner as he reared his head out from behind a column in the room.
"Eavesdropping again Gin?" Aizen knowingly asked.
"Little ol' me?" Gin asked melodramatically as he pointed his hand to himself in order to feign being offended.
"I do feel the need to ask, what is the method you are going to use to keep him here?" Gin questioned, honestly curious.
"That will be revealed in due time." Aizen replied cryptically, making Gin quirk an eyebrow.
"Regardless of how you intend to keep him here, do you really expect him to fight the Soul Reapers he used to call friends?" Gin asked, hoping that Aizen would at least answer that question.
"He won't have to." Aizen replied before walking off, confusing Gin to no end.
'What are you planning?' Gin wondered, being used to Aizen telling him most things about his plans.
Las Noches: Ichigo's Room
"Risha." Ichigo called as he appeared in his room via sonido.
"Yes master?" Risha asked from directly behind Ichigo.
"GAH!" Ichigo yelped, Risha having successfully scaring the life out of him.
"Don't… do… that." Ichigo said in-between pants.
"Are you well master?" Risha asked with genuine concern.
"Answer this Risha… how many times have a told you to call me Ichigo?" Ichigo asked rhetorically.
"Counting this one?" Risha inquired, prompting Ichigo to faceplam at her not understanding the concept of a rhetorical question.
'Why is he wearing that white cloak?' Risha wondered as a moment of silence passed between the two.
"I'm leaving for a personal matter in the world of the living." Ichigo said, changing the subject.
'Leaving?' Risha wondered, being worried about why he was leaving.
"Will you return soon master?" Risha asked, maintaining her calm demeanor.
"Most likely." Ichigo replied nonchalantly, causing Risha to frown slightly.
"May… may I accompany you?" Risha asked with hope filling her voice
"Unfortunately no Risha, the fewer people there are on this one the better." Ichigo replied cryptically.
"I see…" Risha said as she adopted a saddened expression and took a sudden interest in the floor.
"Hey…" Ichigo began as he cupped her chin and brought her gaze to meet his own.
"Don't worry… nothing is going to happen to me." Ichigo reassured in a low comforting tone.
"Uhhhh." Risha mumbled as she felt his touch.
'Why am I blushing?' Risha wondered as her face heated up.
"C-can you… can you at least come back soon… Ichigo?" Risha asked, for the first time using Ichigo's name.
At this, Ichigo gave Risha genuine smile before moving the hand that had been cupping her chin and affectionately tracing on her cheek. Risha nuzzled into his hand seemingly out of instinct and began to blush even more so than before.
"You don't need to worry Risha… you are my fraccion and I will not leave you hanging in the wind like that." Ichigo stated with conviction, causing Risha to nod before Ichigo brought his hand to his side once more.
Ichigo made to leave before he was forcibly turned around by his fraccion.
"Before you go…" Risha began as she pulled Ichigo into an embrace, something that caused Ichigo's eyes to practically shoot out of his head.
"Ichigo…" Risha began, for the second time addressing Ichigo by his actual name.
"I want to let you know that I truly am grateful that you freed me from under Straga's service. Also I want to thank you for allowing me to follow instead of serve… no one has ever allowed me to do that in my existence as a hollow." Risha stated in an honest voice before letting Ichigo out of her grasp.
"Risha… that's not something I need thanks for. I do want to thank you for using my name without a title. I dislike being referred to as a higher rank than a comrade." Ichigo said before using sonido to exit the room.
Las Noches: Starrk's Room
"Starrk, wake up already." Lilynette ordered as she poked Starrk in the cheek repeatedly.
"I can't hear you Lilynette I'm sleeping." Starrk said lazily before rolling over on the pile of pillows he was sleeping on.
"If you responded to me…" Lilynette began as she moved her mouth right next to Starrk's exposed ear.
"THEN YOU'RE NOT ASLEEP!" Lilynette shouted, causing Starrk to practically jump out of his skin.
'Dammit that was loud.' Starrk thought as he held his hands over his ears in an attempt to stop the ringing in them. A moment later Starrk opted to shove his head into the pile of pillows in a second attempt to stop his ear drums from resonating.
The sound of sonido filled the air as Ichigo arrived to find Lilynette scowling at Starrk, who currently had his head buried into a pile of pillows.
"What is he doing?" Ichigo asked, a confused expression present on his face as he asked.
"He didn't want to wake up." Lilynette replied simply.
"I see…" Ichigo deadpanned as Starrk finally came out of the pile of pillows.
"When the hell did you get here?" Starrk asked as he noticed Ichigo was in his room.
"I got here while you were… well, I don't know what you were doing. But I'm here to tell you that Aizen has allowed me to go to the world of the living and he wants me to take you with me." Ichigo replied.
"Alright… when do we leave?" Starrk asked, surprising Ichigo with how little he actually wanted to know.
"We leave n…" Ichigo said before being cut off.
"No fair, I wanna come!" Lilynette whined, causing Starrk to sight.
"Your Starrk's fraccion, so it's not my call." Ichigo replied, not having anything to do with the whining child.
"Please Starrk?" Lilynette begged, getting down on her knees and clasping her hands together in an overdramatic fashion.
"If I let you go, you've gotta let me sleep when we get back." Starrk said, causing Lilynette to jump up in the air out of joy.
"Deal!" Lilynette chirped.
"So when do we leave?" Starrk asked, turning to Ichigo.
"We leave now." Ichigo replied as he flicked his wrist and opened up a Garganta in the middle of the room.
The three stepped into the Garganta and headed off to the world of the living without uttering another word until inside the large black hole.
Inside the Garganta
"So any particular reason we're going to the world of the living?" Starrk asked out of curiosity.
"I'd prefer not to talk about it for now." Ichigo replied cryptically, causing Starrk to raise an eyebrow.
"Why not?" Lilynette asked.
"Lilynette, just drop it." Starrk ordered, noticing that this clearly wasn't something they should harp on.
The group traveled in silence for several more moments until Lilynette spoke.
"So what do you think of the beach day we're going to have?" Lilynette asked, addressing Ichigo.
"To be honest I really don't know what to think of it. In all honesty the only memories I have regained that involve a beach have been… unpleasant." Ichigo replied, the memory of Grand Fisher's lure flashing before his eyes.
"Szayel's got his work cut out for him with all the Gigai he has to make." Starrk added as an afterthought.
"True… but then again, Szayel doesn't seem like the type to pass up an opportunity to create something." Ichigo mused.
World of the living: Forests Outside of Karakura Town (Several Minutes Later)
"Oh wow the air here is heavy." Ichigo commented as he stepped outside the Garganta.
"What'd you expect? The air here isn't as spiritually rich as the air in Hueco Mundo, so of course the air's gonna feel different." Lilynette stated as she and Starrk walked up next to Ichigo.
"So what is it that you came here to do?" Starrk asked. Ichigo stood for a moment in silence, staring off at the city in the distance.
"Ichigo?" Starrk called, getting Ichigo out of his apparent trance.
"Sorry Starrk… you'll have to excuse me for staring off like that. This is where I was born… that city is where I lived." Ichigo replied, causing Starrk to frown.
"Aizen told me not to reveal myself to anyone… he expects me not to run off into the city… but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it." Ichigo said truthfully, never taking his eyes off of his hometown.
"Look kid, even if you wanted to leave Aizen's command for your old life… you have to know they wouldn't accept you back when you're a hollow… that's their way… that's always been the way of the Soul Society." Starrk stated, growing saddened as he could guess how Ichigo was feeling at the moment.
"Aizen told me I wasn't actually an arrancar, but he also said he doesn't know what I am and I suspect that whatever I am, you Halibel, Risha, and even your fraccion are as well. That aside, I am positive they wouldn't kill me even if I was a hollow." Ichigo replied in a quiet voice.
"Still, I can't have you running off like that. I know how you must be feeling… you probably feel like you've lost all your friends, everything you've ever cared about." Starrk began.
"Before I became an arrancar my spiritual energy was so high that those who came around me that weren't strong enough died due to the pressure. I was once one being made up of myself and Lilynette. Our previous form separated and created the both of us just so that we wouldn't be lonely any longer. So believe me when I say that I understand the loneliness, the loss you are experiencing as you get your memories back." Starrk stated.
"Is that why you joined Aizen, in order to quell that feeling of loneliness?" Ichigo asked. Starrk nodded in the affirmative before continuing.
"Before Aizen, I had nothing that could even resemble a friend other than Lilynette. Now I am a part of something, I have comrades. The same goes for you, regardless of the fact that you used to be a Soul Reaper, I have no issues calling you a comrade." Starrk added, prompting Ichigo to smile sadly.
"You are right… Starrk… I do have people I hold dear to me in Las Noches… but the thought of fighting those I once thought of as friends, even if as of yet I do not remember them, is unbearable to me." Ichigo replied sadly.
He would be lying if he said Halibel, Nel, Risha, even a few others he saw as comrades, didn't mean a thing to him.
Though he had no intention of fighting his friends at the moment, he was deadly afraid that Aizen would find a way, but that was all the more reason to gain his trust and find out what he was planning.
"Right now, I have something that I need to do." Ichigo stated as he took his eyes off of the city.
"Where are we going?" Lilynette asked, breaking her long silence as Ichigo put the hood up on his cloak.
"To a cemetery…" Ichigo replied before using sonido to head towards his intended destination.
A/N Next Chapter will be posted on Friday.
Explanations:
Ichigo kissing Nel after kissing Halibel: You'd think he'd be less dense, but he isn't… he really isn't… and that will come back to bite him, eventually. Plus, if you look at it a different way, they did kiss him... (Not going to be a good excuse, just a quick FYI)
Ichigo's thoughts: Basically, his thinking is that if he stays in Las Noches, he will be able to keep an eye on Aizen and, if he gets the chance, start a revolt. He already knows that Risha, Nel, and Nel's fraccion will join him, and there are several others that are potentials in this department.
Starrk: Yes, I figured he'd be a character Ichigo could relate to in this kind of situation. Yes, this will be the start of a friendship between the two c
What does Aizen have planned?: Won't tell!
Aizen not telling Gin: You'll find out why in the future.
The man clad in white: Quincy, but it won't come into play until the sequel and it wasn't the Quincy king.
The Precise Date of Ichiogs' Mother's death: I don't know it, but I just placed it here because I could, sorry if that bothers you since I know there will be one guy...
What Aizen meant by "He won't have to": Again, won't tell!
The Harem: The full list for the first installment will be revealed within the next few chapters… I think.
The Beach: Someone said this in a review, and they will be on opposite ends of the beach for obvious reasons considering that the Soul Reapers believe that a "human" gang of people rented the other half of it, therefore, they can't really be mingling with people considering what they will do. About Ichigo not seeing anyone, that will happen, as in he will see someone, and that acts as a catalyst for the future chapters, you'll just have to trust me when I say I will make it work!
A General Thanks: To anyone who has read, reviewed, favorite, or complimented the story I say from the bottom of my digital heart, Thanks You! I really appreciate your support and I hope I can continue to impress in the future.
Squad 10 Not Squad 9: I know, frankly I have to give you a shout-out (To: The Unknown Shinigami) because I didn't realize that I made that mistake, so TY! :)))))))))))))))))))))))
GENERAL STUFF: If you have a question that wasn't answered in the Explanations: that you left in a review for Chapter 25, just PM me because, as I said, a few too many review to respond to given that I do need sleep.
Reviews (As I am editing this chapter, there are too many reviews and it is getting slightly late where I live, so I will add stuff to Explanations above, but in the future I will still respond to every review simply by planning it out better xD)