Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.
Quincy Craft
"...ietta...? Bamb...?"
A melodious voice drifted in and out of her ear, interrupting her peaceful moments of precious sleep. Her blue eyes fluttered open slowly, and she found herself face-to-face with a pair of large, gray eyes blinking steadily at her. Horror struck at the Quincy's face, causing her to scream loudly and back away from the curious human. Orihime did the same, jumping with a mix between a gasp and a cry.
Bambietta gathered a few moments to herself to understand her surroundings, shivering in what seemed to be surprised and shock. It was then that Orihime jumped onto her feet and dusted herself off before reaching out a hand for the Quincy to grab.
An embarrassed blush reddened Orihime's cheeks as she apologized, "Sorry, Bambietta...! You'd been out of it for so long, I thought it was about time to wake you! We're at Urahara's place, now!"
She recognized the room as the place where Ichigo attempted to cut his hair after realizing that he had obtained the powers of Haschwalth through Domination. A brief image of his panicking expression and form had appeared in her mind as she stared at the mirror, and she let out a tired sigh after realizing that it wasn't too long since that happened...
It felt like it had been forever ago, even though it wasn't even a week... Time flied by so fast.
Bambietta turned back to Orihime, noticing the girl's questioning stare before saying, "There's nothing wrong... Just...admiring old memories."
"Ah, I see you've finally awaken, Bambietta!"
The Quincy's eyes narrowed slightly as she carried herself slowly down the stairs. First Orihime, and now the eccentric shopkeeper in the hat, clapping as she arrived. Why the hell did all of them talk to her as if they'd known her all their lives?
She let out a grunt of acknowledgment before her eyes wandered across the room, noticing that many of her Stern Ritter compatriots were already awake and sitting around at various spots away from Urahara and his group. Each of them contained an expression akin to surviving torture, and she was even surprised to see Berenice with the same expression. She also noticed that Askin was nowhere to be found.
'Where did that bastard go...?'
While she still pondered over the suspicious Quincy's whereabouts, she wasn't able to see Kisuke Urahara as he quickly moved in front of her and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the back area of his shop. With a large, creepy grin on his face and his hat covering his eyes, Kisuke sang, "Come back here with me, Bambi! We just need to talk to you for a second!"
"H-Hey! Wait a minute! What are you doing!? Stop that!"
She struggled to move him away from her, but his grasp was tight and she was unable to. The curtains covering the entrance was pushed apart, and then he nearly tossed her into the room. She nearly tripped over her own feet, but came to stop at a pillow case.
"...Lady Bambietta...? What are you doing...?"
Blinking, she found herself staring into a pair of maroon eyes staring back at her, just as expressionless as they've always been. Gina Dokugamine stared at her from her spot on the pillow, clearly confused as to why the former Stern Ritter nearly bumped into her.
Bambietta opened her mouth as if to retort to a snide comment before a deep voice reverberated over the room with a order of, "Keep it down. Don't give me an even bigger headache than the one I have now."
Both of the Quincies turned in the direction of the owner of the voice; a white-haired man dressed in a white suit with a pair of glasses, similar to his son in every way and fashion. Ryuken Ishida gritted his teeth before sighing loudly and leaning onto a nearby wall right next to Uryu. Her eyes wandered the small room, noticing several others who often worked with Kisuke.
There was a black cat in the corner of the room, whom she presumed to be Yoruichi Shihoin. On the other side of the room was Ichigo's friends Chad and Orihime. She also noticed a blonde woman dressed in an outfit reminiscent of the Stern Ritter Attendants, one she presumed to be Haschwalth's. Her blonde hair was disheveled and her expression was layered with sadness, quite possibly since she knew about Haschwalth's death.
"Shut it, Kisuke...! I need to know now!"
The curtain behind her opened again, and she turned as Kisuke entered the room, followed by the owner of a loud, feminine voice. The clicking of crutches against the wood floor rung in her ears, and she was surprised to see Masaki Kurosaki hobble into the room.
"Gosh, sorry I'm late... These crutches here are a bitch to use..."
She paused in her limping as her eyes locked onto Bambietta's, causing the Stern Ritter body to freeze solid in fear. She doubted that Masaki was still a big fan of hers considering how she jested with the woman about her son. However, she said nothing and continued making her way to a seat that the blonde attendant held out for her.
With a soft plop, Masaki Kurosaki collapsed into the seat with a relieving sigh. With her arms crossed over the pair of crutches, she her eyes finally moved back to Bambietta. The girl was still uncertain of how Ichigo's mother was feeling at that moment, seeing as she wasn't smiling nor was she frowning.
Just blankness. Her glazed lips parted slightly as she stated, "I already know where Ichigo is heading... And of course, we both know that it's too late for me to protest...not that I'd actually want to, anyways..."
Bambietta's eyes widened, and Ryuken commented, "I know. Shocking, isn't it? I said the same thing when she tried to tell me that. I didn't believe her."
Masaki turned to her old friend and cousin with an angry, but slightly whiny shout of, "You shut the hell up, Ryu! I'm capable of letting my son grow up and protect himself!"
The cracking in her voice as she said those words killed any ounce of trust Bambietta had in her words... She knew that if the woman was on her feet, she'd have been half-way across the Soul Palace about now. It seemed she wasn't the only one who thought that, as several people had coughed in response.
With a sigh of frustration, she finally caved and said, "Okay, I want to go and stop him... But like I said, it's too late for that...to stop him from his stupid decision..."
A slight frown was indented into Bambietta's face as she began, "...And you don't believe your son is capable of winning...? What kind of mo-?"
A cold scowl appeared on Masaki's face as she interrupted her and retorted, "Don't misunderstand me, Stern Ritter girl... If I know my son like I know I do, then he'll win somehow...despite whatever Yhwach has up his sleeve."
The questioning gazes appeared in both Bambietta's and Gina's eyes, and the maroon-haired attendant asked aloud, "If you think the Young Master is capable of such, then why are you trying to stop him...?"
Silence entered the room swiftly and calmly as all eyes turned to Masaki. A solemn, but serene smile appeared on her face as she began, "...You know...I loved my husband dearly... Ever since the day that I met him, I knew that I felt something for him that I've never felt before... In my eyes, he was the greatest man that I had ever met...but even the greatest of men have flaws..."
Her eyes narrowed, and the smile became more of a reluctant grimace as she continued, "...And Isshin's flaw...was his need to put his life on the line for everything... I understand that taking action is completely necessary...and I know that he sacrificed everything to keep Sosuke Aizen away from Ichigo... I would have done the same, if given the chance... I'd do anything to protect my baby..."
That was when Bambietta realized where Masaki was going with this. And so did Gina and Uryu, and all of his friends. When Masaki placed her face into her hands, hiding her incoming tears, she finished sadly, "That was one trait, from either of his parents, that I wish Ichigo had not received... Because he'd put everything on the line to protect the things closest to him...and that's the last thing that I want him to do."
"I'm curious, Ichigo Kurosaki... Please enlighten me as to how you can defeat these all-seeing eyes? I can understand every move you're going to make before you do..."
Ichigo's frown deepened as Yhwach smiled viciously and added, "Go ahead. Summon those Zombies if you want to. Just like the last time, I'll crush every last one of them..."
The teenager's eyes had widened. Gremmy and Giselle were out of sight, there was no way he could see them... But just as he said, two white blurs attempted to collapsed on either side of him, one glowing with thunder and the other with fire. Yhwach's head tilted slightly as he bemoaned, "How boring. Not this again."
Time seemed to slow down before a large blast of Reishi erupted over the side of the palace. It was then Ichigo had realized that not only was Bazz-B and Candace shot down, but he couldn't even sense Giselle or Gremmy either... He had hit them as well, even though they were placed under the bridge...
His thoughts were abruptly cut short as a voice echoed through the smoke, "I see it now...why you didn't take Bambietta Basterbine's power for yourself... You could not accept my power...and with your power now flowing within her, she cannot either. So they returned to me, and invigorated my life long enough to destroy you... I'm glad for it...because it is with this girl's power, the power of the one who chose to dedicate her life entirely to you, that I will destroy you."
The look on Ichigo's face caused him to laugh sinisterly, "Don't make that face, Ichigo Kurosaki. It is unbecoming on someone like you."
Ichigo glared back at him before tightening his grip on the handle of his blade. Yhwach watched as he suddenly brought his hand up to his face. He gazed at him with boredom before saying, "I don't think that mask will work, Ichigo Kurosaki. Not even if you-"
The sudden explosion of Reiatsu did little to pause Yhwach in his statement and he finished, "-activate your Vollstandig with it."
The Quincy Zeichen appeared in the sky, the symbol of the Vollstandig. He watched it shatter apart with disinterest, and he moved back as a thick blade of Reishi nearly scraped the front of his chest. Yhwach grunted lightly before explaining, "It matters not if you try to make your attacks unpredictable... These eyes see everything... These are the eyes of a god, Ichigo Kurosaki... You may resist and rebel, but in the end, it's pointless."
The masked and winged figure, glowing blue with the skeletal-patterned Reishi, levitated in front of him. With a loud roar, Ichigo grabbed his sword with both of his hands and held it at the sky. The Reishi from the blade blasted to the sky, creating a swirling vortex within the clouds above the palace.
Yhwach watched with slight interest before adding, "It has been quite a while since you've used the original... It is not going to work, however. I have seen it, and I've declared it worthless to me."
"Getsuga Tensho!"
He brought the blade down with a heavy smash, sending a large blast in the direction of the Quincy Monarch. The man grinned before stepping slightly to the left, dodging it with little effort. With his finger pointed directly at Ichigo, he launched a Heilig Pfiel at him, powerful and fast enough that the arrow shattered Ichigo's mask, revealing his shocked and fearful expression.
Two pairs of irises stared directly into his eyes, Yhwach suddenly moving to the point where they were inches away from each other. The Monarch leaned in before saying, "I told you... Ichigo Kurosaki... I am the Almighty. I am the King, and no one shall question my rule. A glorified pawn may become a Queen..."
Ichigo's eyes widened and he gasped as the right side of his body was completely blown away by the sudden blast of energy, causing his smoking body to fall deliberately slow to the ground. Yhwach stared down at him with narrowed brows as he finished darkly, "...But that still does not mean checkmate."
He stared into the smoking crater that was created upon Ichigo's hard landing. Yhwach covered his arms within his cloak as he waited.
"You still have not revealed everything to me, Ichigo Kurosaki. These all-seeing eyes are aware that you are not finished yet. You must get up and reveal your power to me. Let me see it... Let me defeat it, and crush every ounce of hope that you have left in you body... So that you may understand that there is nothing that can defeat this great power of mine..."
"Can you hear me, Ichigo Kurosaki?"
He floated aimlessly through the dark space within the depths of his mind, lost after the ground had shattered beneath his and Suriel's feet. He found himself face-to-face with "Maskieren", whom he realized was the one speaking.
"...I grow tired of telling my name to you, Ichigo Kurosaki... I have been telling it to you since the night you were hospitalized in Karakura, but you've never listened... You were afraid of me and my power... And you succumbed to that Arrancar's words the second time I tried and avoided me ever since."
That was the night that he nearly succumbed to the hollow and fought Saido Ekichiro to protect Ryo and Tetsuo... When Haschwalth and his subordinates came and saved him after he nearly died to the Stealth Force before meeting them again.
But avoiding him? The last time he avoided "Maskieren" was...
"Kurosaki."
He felt something pull him back from the 'light'. Was he going to fall into insanity again...?
"I've got you. You aren't going anywhere."
He tried to arch his neck so he could see who was pulling him away... Away from the blissful light.
"I've finally gotten rid of it, and you want to go back down that damned road? Like hell, Kurosaki."
The figure that had grabbed him seemed to be much than he was originally placed. The tattered, long-flowing white robe of the figure gave him an ominous appearance, much more sinister than even the light itself. Coupled with the dark fur collar and wrist cuffs, Ichigo preferred the light than this person.
"...Did you not hear me? I've finally broken down that thing's consciousness from your Reiatsu. You really want to give it control again?"
His eyes furrowed, as the being never turned around so he could see his face.
"Who...are you?"
"...Me? Look at your hands, idiot."
When Ichigo did so, the symbol of the Wandenreich shone clearly through the darkness of its background. As he stared at the Sanrei glove, the spider-like clawed hand of the figure grabbed his wrist.
"Take the damn glove off, unless you're still gonna give yourself up to that thing. The point of Sklavarei is to enslave, not be enslaved. You're hopeless, Kurosaki."
The person reminded him of someone, but it felt so long ago. Who was he...?
Eventually, the person became more annoyed by the second and pulled the glove off.
"Imbecile. Thank me later when you survive."
"...You...still haven't told me who you are."
The figure slightly craned his neck to gaze at Ichigo from the corner of his eye. The pale-blue hue of his eyes shone over his shoulder.
"...My name? You can call me..."
It was Suriel who prevented him from making contact with the Arrancar's own Zanpakuto. It was the manifestation of his Quincy powers that kept him from doing so.
"That thing that you call Suriel... The Arrancar whom was created that night when you had broken your Mask... The holder of your Quincy power, and the one who devoured the manifestations of Yhwach to prevent his power from entering your body... The Arrancar who've been lying to you this entire time."
Ichigo could feel the billowing white-cloaked figure standing behind him, a hand in his pocket while he played with a pair of sunglasses in his other. He never turned to face him, but simply asked, without any expression, "Is this true? Have you...really lied to me this entire time?"
Silence had taken a hold of them both before "Suriel" said, "It depends. I have lied to you about my name...and I have lied to you about being unaware of 'Maskieren's' real name... But I am an Arrancar who holds your Quincy powers, and I have spent everything I had to keep you alive... I never lied about that."
The Arrancar was slightly surprised when Ichigo turned him around forcefully and grabbed him by his collar, shouting into his face, "...Why did you lie about your name!? Why would you prevent me from using this power, especially when I need it most!? I needed this a long time ago!"
He stared at his master with a blank expression before explaining, "...Because...the Mask and I once were the same. I am me, and the Mask is my Zanpakuto, which is just as much a part of me than anything... If I had told you my name, than I would have told you his name as well...because we both share the same name."
The answer didn't cause Ichigo to feel any better. His arms did, however, slide from the Arrancar's collar before he continued, "...Why...were you so adamant on me not using this power...?"
He glanced past the angry Quincy before saying, "Are you seriously asking me...an Arrancar formed from the Hollowfied Zanpakuto you possessed and the Hollow Virus, both which came from your mother and father of all people...why he'd want to protect you from everything at all cost...?"
He scoffed and turned back to Ichigo before adding, "I told you before...that I wasn't kidding when I said I didn't want to die...and I didn't want you to fight Yhwach or any of that shit because I knew you'd be the type of dumbass to sacrifice everything just to win... That's the shit I don't like."
The Arrancar finally pushed the boy away from him, who stared as the human-like creature held his hand out to the Mask. Ichigo watched as it began disintegrating into tiny particles of Reishi, all rushing towards his outstretched hand.
He stared in awe as the Reishi began bounding together, forming an odd shape in his hand. It was at the end of it all that he realized that the created object was a Quincy Cross in the shape of the Zeichen, though it didn't seem to be made of the Soul-synthesized silver that the typical crosses were made of... In fact, it was a bright ivory, the color of bone.
"Because I am an Arrancar who has devoured and dominated Yhwach's power, this power represents an untold combination of Hollow and Quincy, something that the ordinary Quincy cannot make use of...not even Yhwach. Thanks to the Soul Reaper powers that you've once had, you possess a Soul Body... With this Zanpakuto Cross, the two powers will fuse... Your Quincy Powers will be poisoned with Hollowfied Reiatsu... Your Soul Body will keep you alive, but you will be severely weakened when all is said and done."
He dropped the Cross into Ichigo's outstretched hand before turning around and walking away. Ichigo watched as he faded into the shadows with his last words.
"I would've worried about your decision a long time ago, maybe even destroyed your powers like your mother... But I know that those Quincy that believe in you won't let you stay down for long... I'm peacing out this time until we meet again... Remember my name, alright, Ichigo Kurosaki? That name..."
As I free fall...
The silence in this hole is deafening... A muted, cold abyss...
Just a continuous path of darkness... Nothingness... It felt...perfect
But oddly enough...I feel no fear...
Like... I belong here... In this emptiness... I understand...
I understand who and what I am...and then I realized that...
"Null Sein."
Yhwach's bisected eyes widened briefly as a muted explosion resonated across the palace walls, overflowing with white and blue Reishi. He smiled...and then that turned into laughter. Booming, destructive laughter as the white faded began slowly fading away. It was exhilarating... It's because he has already seen the future. He knows that whatever power Ichigo Kurosaki had obtained was for nothing. Because within his all-seeing sight, he realized...
That in his future that he had foreseen, there was no such thing as an Ichigo Kurosaki. He laughed again before taunting, "Like I said...show me everything you have...because in the end, nothing can beat me!"
"...I like that you've said that, Yhwach."
The deep, echoing voice of Ichigo Kurosaki rung through the entire palace. The Quincy King could do nothing but smirk at this new-found power... It would be interesting to dissect every thing he could about it before he took a hold of it.
From the bright light, a snowy-pale hand emerged and was held out to him, followed by twin blue orbs similar to the color of Reishi, each lacking a pupil. It was then that the light finally dissipated, revealing a silhouette dressed in a white cloak trimmed with black fur. Equally white hair flowed behind the pale-skinned teenager.
The expressionless, white Quincy stared at the Quincy Monarch with his hand held out to him in acceptance. His lips parted as he murmured, "...I'm going to show you...the true power of the "A"...and watch you die in vain as you attempt to stop it."
Yhwach's brows furrowed slightly before he retorted, "Is that for "Arrogance"? Or maybe the "Audacity" that you possess to say that to my face while I still stand here in control?"
"...Be the first to witness it here, Yhwach...the power of the 'Annulled'..."
He was slightly confused... Because in his future, there was no such thing as an Ichigo Kurosaki... But as he tried to look into his adversary's future, to see what Ichigo Kurosaki had in store... He realized...that...
...He couldn't see a thing...
The monotone voice of Ichigo spoke out at his confusion and jested, "...I can see you are confused... Your all seeing eyes can see everything...but I guess that there is something they can't see..."
With an amused noise, though he never made a smile once, Ichigo continued, "I really think that it's ironic...that you boasted earlier about how nothing could defeat your Almighty power because..."
I understand who and what I am...and then I realized that...
Yhwach's brows dug into his skull as Ichigo finished darkly, "I am nothing.
Trivia:
-Null Sein is German for "No Existence/Null Existance/No Body/No Person/Zero Person/etc.", so basically, you can equate it to "Nothing". It's also a reference to a Hollow's Cero, which means "Zero". It is taken from the German idiom "Eine Null Sein", which means "To be a mere nobody" (or "to be a dead duck").
-Annulled means, of course, "Something that has been voided or nullified".
-As shown on the cover page, Null Sein!Ichigo is essentially Hollow Ichigo with blue eyes. Suriel (Null Sein) is basically Hollowfied Tensa Zangetsu without the horn and with Quincy Zangetsu's shades.
