Author's Note: Hey everyone, sorry for not having this out last Monday. I just wanted to make sure it was written well and properly before I posted it. This chapter turned out to be my longest one so far with over 8,000 words. Anyways, please enjoy my take on the battle between Ichigo and Grand Fisher.
"Juha Bach"
"Shiro"
"Aka"
"Ao"
"P.O.V."
'Thought'
"Attacks"
Shikai/Bankai
Chapter 13: Goal, Defeat Grand Fisher
{Opening Theme: "*~Asterisk~" by ORANGE RANGE}
The Hollow continues to pin Karin to the ground while lifting Yuzu higher into the air.
"Yuzu, no." Karin continues to grunt in pain.
"You're too noisy. And anyway, you're too small, even for an appetizer." The Hollow says opening his mouth ready to devour the Shinigami-in-training making her go pale at the sight but the sound of running closing in was heard. "Hmm?" He asks looking in the direction of the sound only for a blur to appear and slice through the tentacle holding Yuzu.
It turned out to be Ichigo was the blur as well as the one who sliced through the tentacle holding Yuzu aloft using one of Getsu no Ikari's (Moon's Wrath) blades. As she falls to the ground, Ichigo Shunpo to her and held her close as he landed safely away from the Hollow. As he turns to face the Hollow, who applies more pressure to his hold on Karin making her yelp in pain.
"Karin!" Ichigo yells as the Hollow holds her up causing her to scream more in pain as his grip tightens.
"One hostage is all I need. I've been waiting for you, Shinigami." The Hollow says watching Ichigo lean an unconscious Yuzu against a gravestone.
"Karin!" Ichigo calls out to her.
"Ichigo, I-" Karin begins to say as her voice breaks up before passing out.
Just then Eikichirō came hopping in from atop the gravestones and lands beside Rukia, who was standing behind Ichigo, as they stare at the Hollow before them
"Whoa, now that's an ugly one." Eikichirō says getting a good look at the Hollow before them.
Laughing, Grand Fisher stands with the girl from the day Masaki Kurosaki died standing in front of him, making Ichigo gasp in shock and bewilderment.
"It's not possible." Ichigo says as the girl lets out an evil laugh using the Hollow's voice. "It's her. It's the girl I saw that day six years ago, the one down by the river." He says still in shock.
"Six years ago? Ichigo, do you mean-" Rukia begins to ask.
"That's right. She's the one. I tried to stop her from jumping into the river, but when I finally came to, she disappeared. And my mother…she was dead." Ichigo says trembling.
"Six years ago? That's a long time. And there have been so many. You can't expect me to remember every one of the souls I've eaten. Now can you?" The Hollow says through the mysterious girl with a laugh as her head splits open, revealing a bone-like carapace underneath that shoots out a tentacle before shedding the rest of the girl's body and attaching itself to the Hollow as he laughs evilly.
"It's Grand Fisher. That's the code name we've given him. He keeps himself invisible, and disguises the lure growing out of his head as a human. Anyone who sees the lure he knows has high spirit energy and immediately attacks and devours them, thus, gaining all of their power. For over 50 years, this Hollow has evaded every Shinigami that's gone after him." Rukia tells Ichigo.
"Ah." Ichigo says looking over his shoulder towards his partner.
"And we know his favorite victims are women." Rukia tells him the grim news.
"So that missing piece I've been searching my memory for has finally been revealed." Ichigo says calmly but Rukia looks at his hand holding his Zanpakutō and sees it was shaking.
'Ichigo.' Rukia thought feeling for her partner but then hears Grand Fisher laughing.
"Impressive. You have been lucky, little boy. You saw my lure, and yet you lived. Perhaps it was my intention to eat you on the spot for your Reiryoku, but there's something about the women. They're just too sweet and lovely for me to pass up." Grand Fisher says laughing evilly.
"Bastard." Rukia says in anger.
"That's the most disgusting Hollow I've seen in a long time." Eikichirō says.
Ichigo was now visible shaking with anger as he draw Getsu no Ikari's (Moon's Wrath) second blade with his left hand in a reverse grip and charges at Grand Fisher in a burst of speed that surprise the Hollow.
'He's fast.' Grand Fisher thought as he watches Ichigo leap high into the air.
"Karin!" Ichigo calls out to his unconscious sister and begins spinning around like a top, downward, in an attempt to slice Grand Fisher.
Grand Fisher, however, jumps back at the last second causing Ichigo to strike the ground with his Zanpakutō, breaking off shards of stone in the process.
"Ichigo, above you!" Rukia calls out to her partner running towards him to assist.
"Huh?" Ichigo asks looking behind and above him and used Shunpo as Grand Fisher extends his arm to slam into the pavement where Ichigo had been standing.
Landing on a nearby brick wall, Ichigo looks up to see Grand Fisher's fur extending from his body and begins to surround him. Ichigo however acts quickly and surrounds himself with a spherical Kidō barrier that shields him from the fur but it still manages to enclose itself around Ichigo barrier.
"Ichigo!" Rukia calls out seeing her friend/partner and thinking he got captured.
"Impressive. You a very skilled for someone of your age. But what will you do now, little Shinigami?" Grand Fisher asks laughing evilly.
"I don't need praise from a bastard Hollow who resembles a god damn hamster. And I knew you were ugly, but up close, you smell worse." Ichigo growls keeping the barrier going strong.
Rukia rushes forward to get within close proximity of Grand Fisher as she crosses her right pointer and middle fingers and begins drawing symbols of a spell in the air.
"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat! Bakudō #9: Geki (撃, Strike)!" Rukia shouts as her entire body permeates a red energy, which engulfs the body of Grand Fisher as he temporarily stops moving while groaning in pain.
"How dare you interfere?" Grand Fisher calls out as he overpowers the spell as a tendril of his hair lashes out and crashes into her, sending Rukia flying into a headstone.
"Huh?" Eikichirō asks looking at Rukia to see her bleeding from her forehead and panting.
"Now just sit there and watch as I devour this little girl." Grand Fisher tells Ichigo, who was still inside his Kidō barrier. "Tasty." He says as he raises Karin closer to his mouth.
"Don't you dare, you bastard!" Ichigo yells.
"If you feel so strongly about it, maybe I should just eat you first." Grand Fisher says opening his outer and inner drooling mouths.
Grand Fisher laughs as he prepares to devour Ichigo, but Eikichirō appears and cuts off Grand Fisher's right hand, freeing Karin and prompting an angered Grand Fisher to grab Eikichirō with his teeth and throw him to the ground. As Karin and the severed hand land several meters away, Ichigo drops his Kidō barrier and begins to cut himself out from the fur surrounding him and lands on the ground in front of Grand Fisher, whose fur ripples before separating into several tendrils that quickly hurtle toward Karin, to Ichigo's shock
"Karin!" Ichigo shouts and attempts to start a Kidō spell. "Bakudō #10: Hōr-" He begins to say but stops when he sees Eikichirō appear.
Eikichirō lands in front of Karin with his Zanpakutō held in front of him, and the fur tendrils split around the blade to impale him and the ground several times, stunning Ichigo and Rukia. As a green-tinted apparition of Masaki appears in Grand Fisher's parted fur for a split second, Ichigo cuts through the fur tendrils, causing Eikichirō to set his Zanpakutō down as blood drips from his wounds.
"Why? You sacrificed yourself. To save my sister." Ichigo says looking back at the Shinigami over his shoulder.
"I'm a Shinigami, kid, and we fight Hollows. We kill them without mercy, no matter what." Eikichirō says grinning before retches up blood. "When a Hollow attacks at random, and kills someone-ugh-" He starts to say before falling to his knees making Rukia gasp. "That person's loved ones are the real victims. They're left with nothing but an emptiness. As a Shinigami, I couldn't let that happen. We must always protect the innocent. Do you understand, spike head?" He asks with a smile before falling to the ground with a groan.
"Hey, get up! Do you hear me? Get up!" Ichigo shouts to the downed Shinigami as Rukia walks over to him. "He not dying, right?" He asks.
"Ichigo, I'm sure even you know Shinigamis are not immortal. If the injuries are severe enough." Rukia says but then hears the sound of snoring. "Huh?" She asks looking down to see that Eikichirō was indeed asleep.
"Wait a minute. He's only sleeping! Tell him to get up. Or I'll kill him!" Ichigo shouts with a tick mark on his forehead.
"Rukia." Kon, still in Ichigo's Gigai, calls out as he runs up carrying his plushie body "Whoa, this dude looks like he's leaking." He notes observing Eikichirō sleeping form.
"Kon, take Ichigo's sisters and run." Rukia orders him as Grand Fisher laughs evilly.
"Run where?" Kon asks picking up Karin and Yuzu and holding them under his arms.
"Just hurry." Rukia tells him.
"All right." Kon says back and runs off to safety with the girls.
Ichigo meanwhile holds his right pointer and middle finger in Eikichirō direction and creates a Kidō barrier around him just as it begins raining.
"There. That'll help him heal." Ichigo says turning back to face Grand Fisher.
"Impressive, you know Kaidō too. I shouldn't be too surprised since your sisters know it as well. Unfortunately, you'll have to say close to him now or the barrier will disappear." Rukia says walking forward past Ichigo. "I'll go, and you back me up." She says. "Wait!" She shouts seeing Ichigo leaps past her to confront Grand Fisher up close.
"No way, Rukia. You back me up." Ichigo says raising Getsu no Ikari as he takes a battle stance.
"What did you say?" Rukia asks in shock. "If you get too far the Kaidō barrier will disappear." She says trying to get him to let her handle the fight.
"Yeah, if it were any other normal Kaidō barrier it would've disappeared the moment I landed here but throughout all of my training I developed a new type of Kaidō, long range Kaidō. I no longer have to be in the vicinity of the barrier for it to remain working. If you don't believe me then look behind you." Ichigo says pointing one of his swords towards Eikichirō.
Rukia looks behind her and sees that the Kaidō barrier is still up and surrounding Eikichirō making her wonder what kind of training Ichigo had to go through in order to accomplish this.
"Besides…" Ichigo begins to say regaining Rukia's attention. "I have to do this for my mother. So, stay out of this." He getting back into his battle stance.
"Have you lost your mind?" Rukia asks. "This Hollow's been getting the best of Shinigamis for 50 years. He's way too strong for you to take on-" She begins to say before being interrupted.
"That's enough!" Ichigo shouts. "It may be true that this Hollow has gotten the best of Shinigami for over 50 years but he's never faced anything like me." He says releasing some of his Reiatsu causing the raining that connects with his body to turn into steam while the ground around him starts freeze.
'His Reiatsu…I knew Ichigo had a large amount but it's causing two different things to happen. The rain is turning into steam once it makes contact with him and the ground is freezing. I've only heard about one of these two things happening in two different Shinigami but never from the same person. Ichigo, could you…' Rukia thought observing her partner and the area surrounding him.
"Now please…don't interfere or try to help me. This fight…is all mine!" Ichigo says as he raise Ikari's blade a little.
At this Grand Fisher releasing an enormous roar as his fur flares out, Ichigo screams and runs toward him to resume their clash.
Meanwhile, at the local shrine, Isshin stands near Kon, who is keeping watch over Karin and Yuzu.
"So, Ichigo is facing a powerful Hollow who happened to kill your wife and you're just going to let your son handle it?" Kon asks looking to Isshin.
"Personally I bear no ill will to that Hollow for killing Masaki since it was just doing what comes naturally to it. Besides, it's not like I could really do anything in my current state. My Shinigami powers still have yet to fully return and if I were to interfere, my son would definitely never forgive me. This is his fight and it will finally help him have some closure with Masaki's death. Plus, I have no doubt in my boy's abilities. He's a Shiba and a powerful Shinigami too. That Hollow will not live past this day, that much I'm sure of." Isshin says looking in the direction he sensed his son's Reiryoku.
Kon stares at Ichigo's father in awe at the trust and faith he has in his son before hearing the sound of groaning behind him. Turning to his left he sees that it was Karin making that noise as she starts to regain consciousness.
"Oh, hey, Karin. Whoa, are you all right?" Kon asks in a serious manner, and after a few seconds he doesn't get a response. "Oh, man. I'm trying to act like Ichigo, but staying all serious and scowling every minute of the day is impossible! How can anyone look so mad all the time, huh?" He asks making Isshin chuckle at the Kaizō Konpaku inner turmoil.
"You don't have to act that way around us, Kon." Isshin says making the Kaizō Konpaku look at him. "It's only in public when ours are around that you need to keep up Ichigo's appearance." He says before feeling a flare up in Reiryoku. 'Son, this Hollow has evaded Shinigami for over half a century because of its special ability but I know you'll be able to overcome it.' He thought.
Elsewhere, Ichigo screams as he runs through the forest, where dozens of tendrils of Grand Fisher's fur snake between the trees, and slashes at the Hollow's mask, only to be shocked when it disappears.
"You're too slow, human." Grand Fisher says as he launches three tendrils at Ichigo only for him to vanish seconds before his tendrils could reach the Shinigami and felt himself get slashed twice on his back making him howl in pain.
"Now who's the slow one?" Ichigo asks whispering the question menacingly to Grand Fisher as he appeared right beside him on his right side, next to him mask.
"COCKY LITTLE BRAT!" Grand Fisher yells attempting to slash at Ichigo with his left claw but he quickly Shunpo away.
Grand Fisher reaches a clearing and notices that he is alone. Looking around for any sign of Ichigo but can't find him or sense him.
"Where are you, Shinigami?" Grand Fisher asks shouting.
"Above you." Ichigo voice calls out as Grand Fisher looks up and sees Ichigo standing in the air with his right hand's palm facing downward and holding both Getsu no Ikari's blades in his left. "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hadō #63. Raikōhō (Thunder Roar Sear)!" He yells generating an orb of yellow lightning above the palm of his hand, then fires the built-up energy at Grand Fisher as a massive concentration of energy which resembles a lightning strike.
Grand Fisher reacts quickly and dodges the Kidō spell by a hair but the resulting explosion sends him crashing to the ground. Regaining himself, Grand Fisher gets to his feet and sees Ichigo standing about 10 yards away from him with both hands back to holding one sword each. Grand Fisher pants as he glares daggers at Ichigo who in turns glares daggers right back at him.
"I admit that you're much stronger than the other Shinigami I've dealt with, but telling your friend you didn't need any help from her to fight me. Pretty brave and pretty stupid." Grand Fisher taunts.
"Shut up because from the looks of how things are going, I'm holding my own pretty well against you." Ichigo says. 'I don't really know how long Yuzu grieved after our mother died. And I can only imagine how lonely Karin must have felt without her.' He thought remembering Eikichirō's words. '"We must always protect the innocent."' He thought and also a question Kisuke asked him during Zanjutsu training. '"Tell me young Ichigo, for what reason do you wield your swords when you could just live a normal life?"' He thought. 'I was never about to true answer that question until now.' He thought. "The reason I wield my swords…" He begins to say as Rukia enters the clearing via the staircase from the cemetery. "Is because it's my duty to protect the innocent. And that means it's my duty to destroy you!" He yells in anger making Grand Fisher laugh.
The two charge towards each other, only for Grand Fisher to disappear as Ichigo swings his Zanpakutō toward him. Reappearing behind Ichigo, who makes an upward "X" slash with his swords.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a little reckless?" Grand Fisher asks as he caught the blades with a finger in each of the four angles Ichigo's swords made from the slash and didn't even flinch when they cut into his rodent-like hand. "I admit that you are better than most of those one-trick-pony Shinigamis I fought in the past and you do seem to have a strategic mind as well but I can tell that you've mostly gotten by on pure luck but guess what." He says tightening the grip he had on Ichigo's Zanpakutō. "Today's the day your luck finally ran out, maggot!" He shouts and from the hand that grasped the Zanpakutō, long talons emerged and speared into Ichigo's body.
"Shit!" Ichigo cursed a bit as he felt two claws stabbing into his shoulders and a third one in his chest.
As a stunned Ichigo coughs up blood, the talons retract, leading him to stumbling a little as he falls to one knee while plunging one of his blades into the ground and leans on it for support.
"That'll teach you to be so reckless, amateur Shinigami. Rejecting your comrade's offer of help will prove to be your final mistake. And now, you'll endure the shame of dying for having wounded the great Grand Fisher." Grand Fisher boasts about himself as the stump on his right arm regenerates to reform his severed hand.
"Ichigo!" Rukia calls out in concern.
"Stay back!" Ichigo demands.
"Huh?" Rukia questions as she halts her advance.
"I'll do this my way, whatever it takes. No matter what it costs, even if I die, I'm gonna finish this." Ichigo proclaims.
"Then die you will, because you played right into my hands. Giving into anger, attacking wildly, getting overly confident, you're young, impetuous, and you anger easily. That anger blinds you and dulls that sword. Overwhelming strength is not enough to defeat me and now, I shall show you why your mind is not strong enough to fight me, either." Grand Fisher taunts as his lure came forward and reformed into the young girl it had been before as he wrapped his clawed hand around the head of his lure and a strange sound was heard. "It's over now, boy. You were far too green to have challenged me. Behold!" He yells and when the hand let go of the lure the face had changed and Ichigo's eyes widened…it was the face of his deceased mother, Masaki Kurosaki.
"Is that your mother?" Rukia asks.
"Bastard!" Ichigo curses as he pants heavily remembering all the times he had with his beloved mother.
"Even the most cold-blooded Shinigami has one person whom he can never kill. That is a fact which you cannot deny. By learning who that person is, I have evaded every Shinigami who has come before you for over 50 years. And I have learned that for you, this is that one person." Grand Fisher says mocking and taunting Ichigo.
"Do you remember me, Ichigo?" The Lure spoke with the voice of Masaki.
"Ichigo." Rukia calls out but suddenly remembers something from the past.
[Flashback]
"You're forgetting something." A man with long white hair wearing a standard Shihakushō with a white Haori over it.
"Huh?" Past Rukia asks looking to the man with her hand on her Zanpakutō.
"What about his honor? You want to help. And if you lend him your strength now, he will probably be saved. But in doing so, you will have forever destroyed his honor. Now listen and remember this, there are two different kinds of battle. We must always be careful to distinguish between the two. There is the battle to protect innocent life, and then there is the battle to preserve one's honor." The man says as Rukia reluctantly struggles to remove her hand from her sword.
[End Flashback]
'I understand. This is a battle for Ichigo's honor, and one he must fight alone. I cannot lend him my strength.' Rukia thought as she uses her right hand to clutch her left arm to restrain herself from helping while visible shaking. 'No matter how much I may want to, or how much I want him to live, I won't help him. I must not help him. But…don't sacrifice yourself, Ichigo.' She pleaded through her thoughts.
Back in the cemetery, Eikichirō's sleeping form inside the Kaidō barrier begins groaning as starts getting up.
"Oh, damn, I fell asleep again." Eikichirō says as he fixes his hair. "Oh, well." He says as he stands up while picking up his Zanpakutō. "Hmm? Is this a Kaidō barrier?" He asks and looks around but doesn't see anyone maintaining it. "No one is here. So how is this possible?" He wonders and then the barrier dissolves around him. "Huh? Strange but at least my wounds have been healed." He says and rushes off.
Back in the clearing, Ichigo is still frozen at the sight of Grand Fisher's lure having the face of his deceased mother in front of him.
"Well, Shinigami, can you draw your sword against your own mother?" Grand Fisher asks tauntingly as he laughs.
"Bastard. How dare you defile her memory by bringing her into this? You disgusting freak! You make me sick!" Ichigo shouts as a small amount of his Hollow Reiryoku emits from him due to his anger. "I'll cut your heart out!" He screams as he charges forward with Getsu no Ikari held in a reverse grip in his hands but suddenly, Grand Fisher's Lure appears in front of Ichigo making him halt his advance on the Hollow.
"Ichigo, you mustn't do this. You mustn't hurt your mother. Please, son, you must put your sword down." The Lure says making Ichigo pause as he stares at it while gritting his teeth. "Do it for me." She says as Grand Fisher's mask appears behind her.
Grand Fisher formed his fur into a thick tendril that is aimed to impale Ichigo through his right shoulder. However, Ichigo acts quickly and manages to lean backwards making the tendril only graze the top of his shoulder. Rukia gasps in shock and a little relief that her partner managed to avoid a possible fatal blow while Eikichirō arrives on the scene behind her. Ichigo quickly leaps away from the Lure and Hollow as he grasps his wounded shoulder with his left hand while gasping in pain as he falls to one knee. Ichigo grits his teeth as he stares at his enemy while he covertly began applying Kaidō to his injury.
"Just how far do you think your luck will take you boy? Even with all your skill and strength you are allowing your anger to take control and I did tell you, didn't I? Your rage only serves to dull your blade. It makes you vulnerable and predictable. And now in your weakened state I'll finish you off with my next blow! Now, before you die, I want to tell you that after having faced so many Shinigamis, you may be stronger than those others but are the most foolish of them all for not accepting help from your partner!" Grand Fisher yells as he appears to launch another thick tendril at Ichigo.
"Ichigo, watch out!" Rukia screams with wide eyes but suddenly the most unusual thing occurs.
Grand Fisher's Lure suddenly starts radiating light and electricity, to Grand Fisher and Ichigo's shock promoting the Hollow to pause in his attack.
"What? Why don't you die?" Grand Fisher asks in confusion.
"What is that?" Rukia wonders as she shields her eyes from the light while Eikichirō grins and chuckles as they continue to watch the Lure.
"Mom? Is that you?" Ichigo asks seeing the Lure become a non-menacing version of Masaki before him.
"That lure we see isn't actually his mother, but she's transmitting her thoughts to him." Eikichirō says.
"That can only mean that the lure recorded her thoughts at the very moment she was killed." A stunned Rukia says.
"Her dying thoughts were recorded?" Ichigo asks wondering what that could mean.
"I thought this might happen. I had a vision of it earlier. Now this battle could go either way." Eikichirō says as both he and a shocked Rukia continue to watch.
"Ichigo." Masaki says making her on gasp at hearing her true voice. "My son, I'm very proud of you. You and your father and Karin and Yuzu, I am so lucky to have had those years with all of you. And I know that because of the love that all of you share, you will always keep the family together and strong, even without me. Ichigo, live on, my son. Live with strength and kindness, and never lose that smile, the smile you always wore when you looked at me. Ichigo, thank you for loving me." She says as her spirit wraps her arms around him in one final hug. "And remember to listen to them." She whispers before her spirit disappears.
"Mother." Ichigo says as he lets out a sob.
"Ichigo." Rukia says keeping an eye on her partner.
"Mother, now I know what your last thoughts were." Ichigo says as he finished healing his injured shoulder and gets back to his feet.
"Huh?" Grand Fisher asks watching his foe.
"You say anger dulls the blade. You may be right about that. But there's something else that you haven't considered. I thought to kill a slimy scumbag like you, I thought I could do it without using my full power, but I was wrong. From now on, this battle is going to fought with everything me and these swords have got!" Ichigo shouts as his Reiryoku explodes off his body.
Meanwhile in Karakura Town, back at Tatsuki's house, the rain continues to pour as Orihime stands outside with an open umbrella above her. Tatsuki bids farewell to her friend as Orihime heads home.
'Sometimes, I wish I could be like the rain. If I were, then would I have a way to connect two hearts together…the way the rain connects the earth and the sky, even though the two never touch?' Orihime thought as she thinks about her deceased brother, Sora. 'With each day that passes, Ichigo…I think I've come to understand you at least a little bit more.' She thought looking up to the sky.
Back in the clearing, Ichigo had just released his Reiryoku and everyone present was feeling the weight of his Reiatsu as it slammed down on them.
"What incredible Reiatsu. There's no way this kid obtained that power simply from you transferring your power to him." Eikichirō says feeling the air around him get heavy from Ichigo's Reiatsu.
"That's what we tried to tell you when you first confronted us." Rukia says. 'But I had no idea Ichigo had this much Reiryoku. It's might be at a lieutenant's level, possible even a captain's.' She thought struggling to stay on her feet.
Ichigo glares at Grand Fisher and his Lure that still had his mother's face as he begins slowing his breathing and calming himself down. However, Ichigo notices the world around him has stopped including the rain.
"Ichigo." Juha Bach's voice calls out to him as he turns around and sees the spirits that represent his powers.
"Juha Bach. Shiro. Aka. Ao." Ichigo says looking at each of them.
"Ha! Looks like we finally managed to get through to you, King." Shiro says crossing his arms.
"We've been calling out to you since this battle began but your anger blocked our link to you." Ao explains.
"I'm sorry. It's just…when I learn he was the one who killed my mother, I just lost it and wanted nothing more-" Ichigo begins to say.
"Than to kill that disgusting Hollow. We understand Ichigo." Aka says appearing behind her master and wraps her arms around him. "But you don't have to do it alone." She says soothing him with her voice. "You still blame yourself for Masaki's death but remember what your father told you that day when you started your Shinigami training." She says making Ichigo think back to when he was ten years old.
[Flashback]
"Wh-Why don't you blame me?" The ten-year-old Ichigo questioned his father after coming back home from the funeral, still not able to get over the fact that his mother was gone.
"Why should I blame you?" Isshin questioned his son with a look of understanding on his face.
"Huh?" Young Ichigo asks as he wiped at his eyes.
"Masaki would be mad at me if I did that." Isshin says giving Ichigo a soft smile. "It's not your fault that she died, Ichigo. Be proud, like me, that the woman I loved, your mother, gave her life to protect you." He says as he pulled his son into a warm hug. "It'll make her happy on the other side if you live a good life here." He says to the boy.
"A good life?" Ichigo asks as he looked up at his father with watery eyes.
"Live a good long life, Ichigo." Isshin smiled at the boy, his dark eyes warm with affection for his son. "Make friends, fall in love, go bald, and pass on long after I do. And if you can…die laughing. I'm not sure I'd be able to face your mother otherwise. So don't sulk, you're too young to live with a burden on your shoulders." He tells his son.
"Dad…" Ichigo says and hugged his father and cried out his pain and loss into his chest.
"You'll be alright, Ichigo, I promise." Isshin says as he held his son close. 'I'll do everything in my power to make sure that was true. No matter what it takes. Even if I have to help you step into my world.' He thought.
[End Flashback]
"It was thanks to him King that you learned the truth about your mother and why she died." Shiro says.
"And then you began replaying that day in your mind to try and figure out who killed her. But upon learning it was this Hollow, you ignored our calling out to you." Juha Bach says. "But you did well in surviving against him where few others have not." He says.
"But now it's time to let us help you defeat him." Aka says releasing Ichigo from her hug and stands on his left side.
"Let the two of us fight this scum bag together and give him the death he deserves." Ao says walking over and stands on her master's right.
"Now, Ichigo. Face forward." Juha Bach says as he begins to fade away. "Abandon your blind rage. Turn and face him. Don't give an inch. Now, Ichigo! Advance! Never stop!" He shouts as he returns to Ichigo's inner world.
"If you retreat, King, you will age. Be afraid and you'll die." Shiro says as he disappears and returns to the inner world as well.
"It's time."/"It's time." Aka and Ao say together as their spirits enter Getsu no Ikari's swords.
The real world began moving again as the rain continued to pour down on everyone. Ichigo holds out his sealed Getsu no Ikari in front of him as he crosses the right blade over the left in a reverse grip pointed downwards while the left blade was pointed upwards yet diagonally.
"Ichigo?" Rukia asks as she and Eikichirō look at him in confusion.
"Ignite and Disintegrate. Turn White and Solidify. Getsu no Ikari (Moon's Wrath)!" Ichigo says the command phrase of his Zanpakutō as an explosion of fire, the blades glowed brightly and slowly started morphing and taking new shape.
When the fire and light died, it reveals Ichigo holding two massive Khyber knives nearly as big as him. Half of the blade was obsidian black while the other was white instead of silver. In the division of the two colors ran a thin and long hollowed-out portion near the back edge of the blade starting at the base of the blade to a few inches before the tip of the blade. From the hollowed-out portions, there were flames of reddish-orange licking across the dull surface covering the black part of the blade revealing little of said part. The most eye catching part were the barely visible yet glowing blue circuit patterns that ran throughout the whole blade horizontally and vertically crisscrossing over each other. The blade had a handle that was the length of Ichigo's forearm covered in white cloth that burned with blue flames not affecting Ichigo in the slightest. The grip between the base of the blade and handle had only little space for a single hand to be held in instead of two.
"Now…" Ichigo begins to says as he turns the reversed Khyber knife in his left hand to a forward position. "…time to die, Grand Fisher." He says.
Rukia and Eikichirō look on in complete shock by what they just witnessed and what they see as one thought ran through their minds.
'Ichigo has a dual Zanpakutō?/The kid has a dual Zanpakutō?' They thought at the same time.
'There have only been two dual Zanpakutōs in existence; my captain's Sōgyo no Kotowari (Truth of Pisces) and Captain Kyōraku's Katen Kyōkotsu (Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness) and now Ichigo possesses a third one and it seems to be a fire type as well.' Rukia thought staring at her partner's released Zanpakutō and notices the flames in the hollowed-out portion on the blades.
'This kid has one rare Zanpakutō. I mean a dual Zanpakutō is about as rare as they come and yet he still has a third one. Just who are you boy?' Eikichirō wonders.
"Ha! Just because you released your sword doesn't mean you can defeat me maggot!" Grand Fisher roars. "With this heavy rain I doubt those flames will do any real damage." He boast with a laugh. 'Plus I still have my ace in the hole; my Lure.' He thought knowing Ichigo wouldn't attack anything that resemble his mother.
"Do not underestimate my Getsu no Ikari (Moon's Wrath). My girls' flames are much stronger than you think. Observe." Ichigo says and holds both blades outward in opposite direction. "Enjomo (Blaze Net)!" Ichigo shouts as he uses Getsu no Ikari (Moon's Wrath) to create a circle of fire around the clearing. "Now there's no where you can run too, you Hollow slime. Prepare to die." He says and in a burst of speed Ichigo rushes towards Grand Fisher.
"Foolish brat, charging in recklessly again." Grand Fisher mocks as he moves his Lure in front of Ichigo's path. "Let's see how you deal with this." He says.
Ichigo snarls at the Lure and jumps over it, slicing the tentacle connecting it to Grand Fisher. Ichigo, while in the air turns around and aims the tip of one of his blades at the Lure.
"Hadō #1. Shō (Thrust)." Ichigo says as small amount of energy, encased in fire, shoots from the tip of his blade, thrusting the Lure out of Enjomo (Blaze Net) and straight into a tree trunk.
"What?" Grand Fisher asks in shock and not a small amount of fear. "How?! You can't hurt her! My claws never fail!" He shouts.
"The same trick won't work on me twice. Now let's see how far you get without your little toy." Ichigo says landing back on the ground and continues his charge towards the Hollow.
Grand Fisher, in an attempt to halt Ichigo's advance, unleashes a massive amount of tendrils from his body and hurls them straight at Ichigo. Ichigo however didn't flinch or slow his advance one bit as he sliced and diced his way through the Hollow's fur attacks at great speed and once he was in range of Grand Fisher, Ichigo raise one of his swords above him as it begins gathering the surrounding Reiryoku.
"Getsuga Tenshō (Moon-Fang Heaven Piercer)!" Ichigo shouts as he brings his sword downward in a slashing motion that takes the form of a crescent moon or the shape of a wave.
The Hollow barely had time to jerk to the side to avoid having his mask cleaved in two. But now he was in a perilous position. His body had been severed, even striking right next to his Hollow Hole, the true center of his main body. He hacked up a fountain of blood as the injury was registered by his body. Even his ability to regenerate was barley helping. His fur tendrils were reaching for his severed body, but he was losing too much blood too fast.
"Not bad. This kid might actually pull off defeating this Hollow that's eluded us for half a century." Eikichirō says with an impressed look on his face.
"Yeah." Rukia agrees unable to think of anything else to say.
"Curse you, Shinigami! You haven't seen the last of me!" Grand Fisher shouts using his only option left; flee. You'll burn for this someday!" He yells and using what little strength he had left propelled himself into the sky in an attempt to escape.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ichigo asks. "I told you, you're not leaving here alive." He says holding one of his blades above his head. "Dai Enkai: Entei (Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor)!" Ichigo shouts as he creates a large, spiraling fire centered on his location and amassing it at a focused point, the tip of the Getsu no Ikari's (Moon's Wrath) blade he had raised, Ichigo turns it into a gigantic fireball resembling the sun. "Catch." He simply says as he hurls the attack right at Grand Fisher.
"What?" Grand Fisher asks turning around and sees the massive fireball heading straight for him. "NO!" He screams as his remaining body is engulfed by it.
A minute passed before the fireball died down and from the center Grand Fisher's burnt body crashes to the ground leaving a crater where it lands, which happens to be close to where his Lure was as well. Ichigo slowly walks over and observes his work before hearing footsteps approaching him as he turns to see Rukia behind him.
"Ichigo…" Rukia muttered as she stared at her Substitute in shock.
"Hey, Rukia…" Ichigo says as he was bleeding from his wounds where Grand Fisher's claw pierced him, but he had a smile on his face. "Thanks for not interfering…I needed to do that on my own." He says as his Reiatsu starts reducing a good bit.
'Why do I feel so warm?' Rukia wondered even as she felt heat rising to her cheeks when Ichigo smiled at her.
"I have to admit, spiky head, I truly am impressed. Not only by your Zanpakutō but also your feat in killing off a Hollow that has escaped Shinigami for the pass 50 years. So, my congratulations on your victory." Eikichirō says walking over with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.
"Victory? Don't make me laugh!" A voice shouts making the three Shinigami eyes widen as they look around.
"Ichigo, behind you!" Rukia shouts noticing something coming out of Grand Fisher's mostly charred mask.
From the small holes of Grand Fisher's mask a tentacle shot out and aimed itself directly at Ichigo. Ichigo, however, simply leaned backwards thinking it was going to strike him but he along with Rukia and Eikichirō were shocked when the tentacle made a sudden turn in the air and connected itself to the Lure. They look on in shock as Grand Fisher's charred body was merging into his Lure which still had Masaki's face.
"Boy, I'm pretty sure when you first saw my Lure you were wondering if it was a "Part of me" or my "Real" body. Well I'll clarify for you, the answer is no! Both are my real body!" The Lure shouts with Grand Fisher's voice as it now had his limbs as well. "If one body is destroyed or injured, then I can jump into the other! And with me now is this body, there's no way you can cut me!" He shouts laughing evil but stops when Ichigo suddenly appears in front of him an slices off the Lure's left arm. "What?" He asks in shock.
"Did you forget that I already attacked this thing once and I'll have no trouble doing it again." Ichigo says glaring at the Lure making it's face go pale. "I've already accepted that my mother is gone and I know what her last thoughts were, now all that's left is to finish you off so her soul can rest in peace." He says lifting one of his swords up as the cutting edge shines a little.
Grand Fisher began sweating as he realized that his death would be guaranteed if he stayed and fought, so with only one option left he did the only thing he could…run away.
"Don't think this means you've won! I'll get my revenge someday!" The Lure (Grand Fisher) yells rushing off in the direction of the forest.
"Not so fast. Suitchi (Switch)." Ichigo says as the fire disappears from the holloed-out portion of the blades and cold ice took its place. "Aisu Ranpādo (Ice Rampart)!" Ichigo shouts as he swings one of his swords upward and creates a massive wall of ice that blocked off the Lure's (Grand Fisher's) escape.
'An ice wall?' Rukia thought in complete shock at seeing Ichigo's Zanpakutō use a different element than the one she first saw.
'That dual Zanpakutō has dual elements too?' Eikichirō thought in astonishment as well.
"No! My path of escape is block!" The Lure (Grand Fisher) shouts.
"That's right and now you're finished." Ichigo says as the Lure (Grand Fisher) looks over it's shoulder. "Kōrudo Ekusukaribā (Cold Excalibur)." He says coats one of his swords in ice turning it into an extremely large longsword and charges straight at the Hollow.
Once Ichigo was in range for his attack to reach, he delivers and upward slash that leaves large amounts of ice trailing in its wake. The attack delivers a devastating deal of damage to the Hollow as Ichigo's attack slices right through his body and finishes him with his mask being cut in two.
"Curse…you…" The Lure (Grand Fisher) says as his body begins dissolving into nothingness.
"Rest easy, mother, you're free now." Ichigo mumbled as he saw the multitudes of tiny blue souls rise up from where the Hollow once stood.
"Ichigo, it's over. You did it! You killed him! Put down your swords and rest. This battle is over." Rukia says with a happy look on her face
"Yeah, you're right." Ichigo says as he deactivates his Shikai and sheathes his swords. "It's over." He manages to say before tumbling forward but Rukia acted quickly and caught him while gently lowering him to the ground and rests his head on her lap.
"I'm glad you didn't die today, Ichigo. I'm so thankful." Rukia says smiling as her hands glowed green and began using Kaidō to heal Ichigo puncture wounds.
"Your friend is something else. As you know, the power a Shinigami possesses is determined by his life force." Eikichirō says with a scoff as he knelt a few feet away from Ichigo and Rukia. "This kid's potential is a little frightening. Not to mention that Zanpakutō of his. I mean it being a dual Zanpakutō was one thing but having dual elements that are polar opposite of each other? It's never been heard of." He says.
"You're right and it makes me curious the more I learn about Ichigo." Rukia says looking down, never taking her eyes off of Ichigo.
"Well, time for me to head home." Eikichirō says standing up. "After all, two's company. Three's a crowd. Isn't that what they say? It looks like our little Rukia's finally grown into a woman. And, uh-" He begins to say as he places his farmer's hat on his head.
"Give it a rest, will you?" Rukia says interrupting his babbling.
"Okay, have it your way. But you know the Soul Society's going to find out eventually. I hope for your sake, your story is good enough to convenes them. Bye, Rukia. Good luck. Say goodbye to the kid for me." Eikichirō says as he walks off.
After a while the rain begins to clear up as Karin and Yuzu rest inside the shrine as Kon walks out to look up at the moon alongside a smiling Isshin.
"Well, it feels like the battle is over." Kon says.
"Yeah and Ichigo has emerged victorious." Isshin says with a small chuckle.
"Well, I'll go return his body to him while checking on him and Rukia." Kon says walking in the direction he sensed Rukia's Reiryoku.
Sometime later, Ichigo, now back in his body, stands in front of Masaki's grave with a smile on his face.
"I did it mother. I finally got revenge against the Hollow that took you away from us." Ichigo says.
"Yes and now Masaki can finally rest in peace." Isshin says standing next to his son. "But the question now, Ichigo, is; how do you feel? Satisfied?" He asks.
"Yes." Ichigo says quickly. "No." He changes his answer. "I don't know." He confesses not knowing what he really feels. "I thought that by killing that bastard it would make everything better. That the pain would go away but it doesn't. I still feel empty without her here with us." He says shedding a few tears.
"The feeling of salvation never quiet feels the way we want it to, huh?" Isshin asks as he takes a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket and lights one.
"Yeah." Ichigo says before realizing his dad was smoking. "Hey, I thought you quit smoking." He says watching Isshin take a puff before exhaling the smoke.
"Your mom told me once, back when had only been dating for a little while, she thought I looked cool holding a cigarette. Now that I think about it, that might have been the first compliment she ever gave me. It might have been the last one too. That's why I always smoke just one when I come here on this one day of the year." Isshin explains to his son before his face turns serious. "Today was a hard day for us. More so than usual. Which is why I've come to a decision." He says.
"What's that?" Ichigo asks.
"That it's time for Karin and Yuzu to go through the process of becoming Shinigami." Isshin says making Ichigo's eyes widen a little. "My original plan was to wait until they met their Zanpakutō spirits like you did but you developed a bit more quickly than they have been. Plus today showed me that their current skill set isn't enough to keep them safe. So the only thing I can do is train them with Kisuke so in the future they'll be able to protect themselves if neither one of us are around." He says.
"Well, it's your decision. I just hope they'll be able to handle the process as well as the training." Ichigo says.
"As do I my son, as do I." Isshin says ask he walks off, leaving Ichigo alone at Masaki's gravestone.
"I know you're there, Rukia." Ichigo says turning and stares up at the tree above the gravestone as Rukia walks out from behind it. "I promised you I'd tell you more about me when the time was right. Well I hope you're ready for it." He says smirking at her.
"Ichigo." Rukia says with a smile as she readies herself to hear her partner's story.
{Ending Theme: "Life is Like a Boat" by Rie Fu}
Author's Note: There it is. The battle between Ichigo and Grand Fisher ends with Ichigo's victory and him being able to help his mother rest in peace. As for Getsu no Ikari's attacks I used some of Ace's attacks from One Piece for Ichigo's fire techniques and for the ice, there from Fairy Tail's Ice-Make Magic. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please be sure to review or PM me and tell me what you think.