Ichigio didn't know how long he stood in the waiting room of the hospital, were he took Bambietta. But for every passing minute, his worry for the sternritter increased. Along with the massive amount of guilt he felt for allowing her and the rest the quinces having their literal souls on the brink of destruction. Which now lie in the hundreds. As each of them were being attended by the medical staff.
All which this happen this happen just because he was hesitant to reveal his shingmai powers.
Then of course there was the circumstances with Ulquiorra knowing that he is a shingmai and his alternate's part in humiliating This version of Neil who was dear friend to him in his reality. Which leaves him with some extremely serious questions on just what kind of person is in this world.
'Ichigo Kurosaki?' One the medics spoke to him and the youth raise his head up.
'The doctor would like to see you now'
A few minutes later Ichigo was in another waiting room. Only this one had a glass window and from what ichigo could see from it, was Bambietta on an operation table. Hooked to life-support equipment and covered from head to toe in bandages. While being attended by several doctors and nurses.
Ichigio stared in silence as he watched over the sternrriter from the glass as his heart began to sank further in shame upon seeing her condition. As he felt her spiritual pressure just barely being kept stable by the machines and can only hope that Bambietta would make a full recovery soon.
'She has pass through the worse of it. But she is still quite unstable and it will take a couple of days before she is ready to walk again' a man spoke to the ichigo and when the latter turn his head his eyes widen in shock.
For standing was a man he thought the lest likely to be in such a position in this world.
Sosuke Aizen.
He wore a pare of glasses, a black medical uniform with a white lab coat draped over him and brown hair that came over his head and neck. Taking on an appearance that made him looked almost exactly how he looked when he was a captain of the gotei thirteen and more over was apparently he was the doctor that the nurse wanted him to see.
'Wait So he is the one treating Bambietta!'Ichigo thought in a panic as mind began racing.
Qme up, have I somehow fallen under his illusions!' he ranted inside his head in fear but immediately force himself calmed down.
'Focus Ichigo, don't allow your own paranoia get the better of you. If you were under Kuio Suguistsu you would have sensed it and this Aizen for all you know could just be another alternate version in this world who likely has nothing common to the one you face off against. I mean he doesn't even feel as powerful as…wait a minute...'
Though Kurosaki's inner rationalization. He then realized that Aizen's spiritual pressure was far lower than his counterpart ever was to the point it felt no more powerful than a regular human's and yet he felt that it was somehow suppressed by another power that he couldn't quit register. However, as ichigo began to reach out with his spiritual senses he realized that this was same for all the medical staff here. Which then made ichigo realized another revaluation about this world.
'Wait, if his spiritual power is just like with everyone else here does that mean…all of them are shingmai too!?' Ichigo wondered to himself in confusion. But then decided to put it hold for now.
'You seemed distressed Ichigo. Is there something wrong?' The alternate version of Aizen asked, while Kurosaki made an uneasy cough to regain his composer.
'It's nothing…' Ichigo lied and then looked down towards to Bambietta.
'So, you are saying that in a few days she will be leave soon and fight again?' The hybrid asked. Yet Aizen himself hesitated in his response before then answering.
'She will be able to walk freely in few days' time yes. But as for her fighting days that is another matter entirely' Sosuke explained which made Ichigo narrowed his eyes in confusion and distrissed.
'What do you mean by that?' he asked once more and Aizen though still reluctant still answered.
'As you should know kurosaki, Quincey's lack the antibodies to combat hollow infection and given Bambietta sever injuries she was on the brink of having her soul self-self-destruct when its barriers were nearly dissolved, but lucky I was able to use my powers and the purifying power of the Quincy arrows to save her soul…but it came at the cost of greatly and permanently weaking her spiritual powers. To the point that she may no longer be capable of carry out her duties as a sternriter' Aizen explained solemnly and ichigo's heart ache once more in guilt while turning his head away.
'So...it would seem that shingmai here use a similar process to treat soul suicide unliked what urahra did for my dad and mother. But then again concerning shingmai are much different then ones I know. It only makes so me they would need a different method to treat that sort of thing…but it doesn't change the fact it's my fault that Bambietta gotten herself permanently crippled out of my own personal fear' Ichigo lamented in his mind with his shook and grief laid bare on face. Which did not go unnoticed by Aizen.
'…are you worried about her Kurosaki?' The doctor asked and the orange haired youth looked at Aizen in offense.
'What…of course I am worried about her! What kind of question is that?!' Ichigo asked angrily while Aizen raise an eyebrow in confusion.
'I just find it rather odd…usually you are indifferent to people dying unless they were your friends and or family members like Keigo and your mother.
Ichigo's face then frozen at what Aizen just said to him until the shingmai doctor suddenly rememebred something and then quickly changed the subject.
'Ah yes speaking about Keigo he also requested that you meet with him in his own personal room' Aizen's eyes then uneasily narrowed. '…along with his other associates'
Ichigio began to wonder on what Sosuke meant by Keigo's associates and his alternates counterparts lack of concern for others. But upon seeing the shingmai already leaving the room. He decided out those question on hold too for now and follow him.
However, when Ichigo approached near Keigo's room he begin to wonder if he had just stayed at the waiting room
'WHAT THE HELL where you thinking Asano!' a voice ranged out from the door to room which made ichigo almost jump off the floor.
'Oh, come Tatsuki I didn't have a choice. He was an Esapda and I had to go all beat to him!' Keigo wine as he tried in vain to defend himself. But what caught Ichigo's ear was the mentioning of the other women's name.
With just a little bit of hesitation Ichigo open the door to the room and was greeted by more people he recognized as his friends from high-school.
Tatsuki who was shouting to a bedridden Keigo with his entire chest covered in bandages, wearing a hospital gown and his right arm encased in a cast. While Mizuiro who stood near the near door with a lack of intrest.
When Ichigo got a good loock at both of them, He notice that they were wearing the same Xcuation tie-shirts that Keigo wore along with different typs of clothing. With Tatsuki wearing short geans that exposed her well honed legs and Mizuiro wearing light-brown pants.
'So instead of retreating or having Ichigo deal with him you decided to nearly shatter the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead!' Tatsuki snapped back in anger.
'You should be lucky that you still have an arm and the repair crew was able to clean up your mess. I mean seriously how is it that you of all people has to the have the most destructive full-bringer of all time!' She continued rant. But Keigo Just cross his arms and continued to pout.
'Yeah, well if Ichigo did help me out, He probably wouldn't be able to save miss Bambietta! So would you rather have her die instead!' The brunette yelled back but this only made spiky hair fullbringer to twitch her eyebrow in annoyance.
'…I am pretty sure that that Bamabettia would give you the ass whopping of a life-time if you dared placed her life over structure of all of reality' The women said coldly and Keigo face then grew pale.'
'…fine you made your point' Keigo growled as looked away in defeat. While Tatsuki in turn her head back and snorted in annoyance. Until her eyes lit up when she saw Ichigo.
'Oh, hey Kurosaki nice see that their is at least one level headed guy around here' she snarked welcomingly while Keigo growled in and continued to look away in spite.
Ichigio however was much more perplexed by the whole conversation involving the true nature of his carefree freind's fullbring.
'Uh I am sorry but did you just say that that Aasno, nearby destroyed the barriers between worlds?' Kurosaki question nervously . While everyone else in the room looked him strangly.
'Ichigo…' Mizuiro began to explain. 'That is the power of Keigo's fullbring the Reign of Discord. It basically allows him to break the laws of physics in order take out powerful enemies' he explained as if it were the most obvious thing to world...which ichigo realized it should be. Considering his counterpart already knew that and thus should keep up his act.
'Oh, uh yeah the...ability to break through reality with his uh...his fists?' tried to keep up his act but everyone else still looked at him weirdly. Though Keigo seemed to have quickly gotten over it.
'You bet your sweet ass Kurosaki!' Asano shout out happy as raise up his fist and showed off his golden crusted embelm glove to Ichigo. 'With Reign of Discord I was able to weaken that old fish leg's body until it exploded from the inside out by his own spiritual pressure and even dispelled a grand ray cero on top of that!'
'A...you caused Grandfisher's body to overload with his own power...and dispelled a grand ray cero?' Ichigo barley managed to spoke out. As he tried to comprehend or even buy into the fact that not only Keigo Asano. The overeacting, lovable coward idiot that he knew from his world...would have a power that was just below the Almighty in terms of sheer brokenness. Hell, not since his fight with Kenpachi, did ichigo felt a need to avoid fighting someone...or at least without their said fullbring.
'Yeah, he did...' Tatsuki said dismissively, 'but he ended up severally damage the barrier between the dangai and the world of the living and nearly lost his arm in the process, so he he's still an idiot'
Keigo angered by his friends dismal comment was about to say something until Ichigo interrupted him.
'Like always?' Kursoki agreed bluntly and the women smirked.
'As always' she responded evenly. Which then made Keigo drop his jaw in shock.
'Oh, come one Ichigo you were supposed to be on my side! What turn you into such a traitor!' Aasno whine but Ichigo just twitch his eyebrow in agitation.
'I was never on your side. In fact I was going help you with Granfisher until you insisted, I save Bambettia first had I known you would have done that suicidal stunt with that power of yours, I would laid out your ass to ground and then taken that fish legged bastard out in one go!' Ichigo argued harshly, which made Keigo sheepishly avoided his gaze.
'Well...you know it was kind of personal to me Ichigo in case you didn't know...' Aasno defended weakly in an almost quieted tone. Much to Ichigo's confusion.
'What do you mean-'
'As much as I appreciate this touching reunion among friends Keigo arm still needs to make a full recovery and visiting hours are now closed' Aizen announce abruptly. Much the rest of fullbringers annoyance.
'Oh, come on Aizen is it really closing time or do just want to get rid of us for annoying you?' Tatsuki asked mockingly while the deathgod keep an even face.
'Both actually' he said in a brutal monotone voice much to Tatsuki, Sauno's and Keigo' displeasure. Which Sosuke was quick to notice.
The doc shinigmai then sighed. 'I can assure you that once his arm fully healed and given a full night's rest. Keigo Asano will be ready to leave this ward and you can continue this conversation to your hearts content. So please for the sake of my profession leave'
Tatsuki gave a disappointed look, but they complied and both fullbringers quickly walked out of the room. 'See you tomorrow Keigo' Misuke said as he and Tatsuki went down the hallway, merged into the passing crowd and faded away from sight.
Ichigo later tried to exist the room himself until Aizen placed his right hand on his shoulder.
'Kuroaki Ichigo, there is something that wanted to speak to you in private if you give me a moment' Aizen asked. Which made Ichigo trembled with suspicion and anticipation.
'Okay' Ichigo reluctantly complied as he then followed Sosuke out of Keigo's room with the later giving Ichigo a worried look.
A few minutes later Ichigo arrived at Aizen Sosuke's office. That had fully filled up bookshelves aligned on all sides of its walls, a large wooden desk that had large stacks of documents on top of it and with a leather seat chair seated behind it. While the back of the office had a wide row of widows covered with white blinds. In many ways to Ichigo it looked not all that much different from the typical business offices in his own world of the living or even the captain offices he occasional visited in the Seireitei.
Though he couldn't but fell completely on edge especially since this was Aizen he was dealing with. Regardless of whenever or not you cold use his powers.
'It would seem that you have done well for yourself Ichigo Kurosaki, were as Bamebettia suffered near fatal injuries and Asano nearly lost a limb. You yourself mearly suffered a few flesh wounds to your forearms that only required a first aid kit to mend...and all because of that power you used to defeat the 5th Espada Grimijow' Aizen praised, but Ichigo didn't care.
For all this showed was that Aizen now knows about his powers as a shingmai and while he wasn't too surprised that he figured it out. It none less filled Kursoaki's heart with dread in wondering what the manipulative man would do with this information.
'Alright you found me out, I did use my shingami powers in my fight agasint Grimijow so what exactly do you want from me?' Ichigo question uneasy while the spec wearing doctor stared at Ichigo with his cold calculating brown eyes. As if he were a beast deciding on what to do with his captured prey. Though the rest of face was completely unreadable.
'...Nothing, aside from insisting that you be much more careful in how you display that power in the future' Aizen said carelessly. Which took Ichigo off guard.
'Wait...what do you mean by nothing? What sort of game you are playing with Aizen!?' Ichigo shouted back not wanting to be played a fool but the docter remain stoic.
'I am not playing with anything Kurosaki. Just expressing my concern for your well-being. After all your father Isshin who once worked here beside me. Made me promise to look after you after his...damnation from this world when he used his own powers in the past' Aizen said coolly yet carefully. Which caused Ichigo to raise his eyebrow in further confusion.
'So, my father worked here alongside Aizen in this world?' Ichigo thought in bewilderment. 'Okay that makes sense, since he is the head of our family clinic...' Ichigo face then began to go soured. 'But apparently him using powers...resulted in his damnation? Does that mean he was imprison inside muken?' Ichigo's eyes then widen in further realization upon remembering what Ulquiorria said about his shinigmai powers being untainted by sin.
'However, I must admit even among all the shinigmai I have witness even amongst your father...' Aizen explain which caused Ichigo to refocus on him. 'Your powers are truly unique among them...or rather I would say completely untainted and unbranded by the mark of our great sin'
The Orange haired youth's heart then almost stop upon hearing what Sosuke had told him that of all things. Having learn about it himself when Hisagi interview during his vacation in the world of the living.
'Which you seem to be fully aware of' Aizen commented in a foreboding tone and Ichigo still in a state of bafflement and shock was left unable to respond. Which Aizen then took his que to end the conversation.
'Well, regardless of the actual nature of your powers. I suggest you work much harder to keep them hidden from your fellow Quincy and Fullbringers...for while there are many among them who are forgiving to us shingami even if we were to use our abilities in public...there are hardly any who are willing to forgive a descendent of the five great noble clans and you are no exception to that Kurosaki... just as it was for your father' Aizen warn grimly as he began to sit at his desk and began looking over the documents on his table. While Ichigo just stood there in silence.
'Be sure to send my regards to your mother as you walk yourself home' the Shinigami doctor said dismissivly before going back to work and Ichigo with nothing else to say or question abide to Aizen's words and walked himself out.
However, when Kurosaki left the head doctor's office. The Doctor pulled out a cell phone from his lab coat and began to make a call.
'Yes, this Sosuke Aizen...no he is still in the dark about everything, but he is coming dangerously close to finding uncomfortable truths about our own world...'Aizen then narrowed eyes.
'If I had lied or kept my silence others will no doubt told him regardless. In fact, due to his lack of said knowledge, he could barely contain that embarrassment of cover he has already...' Aizen's eyes then widen a bit on he heard you hear on the phone.
'So you are going to meet with them to decide what to do next...very well keep me posted for any changes you have made'
And with that Aizen closed his flipped phone, hanged it up, placed it back into his pocket and folded both of hand on his desk. All the while sporting a smile of interest in wondering how the rest of the events will play out.
For the soul reaper boy from an alternate reality.