Hey guys!
Strong (Guy): Sorry, this took so long, I was stuck here for a bit longer than we wanted.
Kind (Girl): Usually, we wanted to do more but since cousin took a while, we decided it will have to do for now. We're just trying to practice being more consistent.
And we forgot something since we've been busy. Shout out to Ryner510 for being with us since we started the fanfic all that years ago! And yeah, we'll add Bea or Nessa to the harem.
Disclaimer: We do not own Pokemon and Bleach.
Hope you guys enjoy it!
Chapter – 9
"Onii-chan! Onii-chan! Look!" A girl calls out to a young man walking toward the kitchen from the top of the stairs. She was smiling and was ready for compliments.
"….?"
"What do you think?" The girl twirls trying to show off her new school uniform as it seems she was about to enter a new school.
"Yuzu… you're entering high school now, right?"
"…." The girl was no pleased as she watches him continues into the kitchen.
"Karin, pass me the salt."
"Here, tch!" The girl seems annoyed for no reason as she seems to forcefully poke her chopsticks in the air out of nowhere.
"Something wrong?"
"It's nothing Ichi-nii…" The girl discloses the reason and continues eating as if she's afraid of his wellbeing if she told him.
*thud!*
"Ah-Yuzu?" He was surprised at the sudden forceful placing of his bowl of rice. This was a first, she usually was quite caring except when they
"Here's your rice Onii-chan! Hmph!"
"Thanks?"
"I was saving you the tastiest part but I'm gonna eat it myself. Baka Onii-chan!" She was disappointed at his dense brother who lacks the need to complement, "Here I was saving up till now to show you my new uniform! You didn't even say anything about it!"
"*sigh* Your skirts unzip." He was paying attention but wasn't all the into it.
"heh?!"
"See, I look."
"Onii-chan Ecchi!"
"YUZU, help Papa! Does this look weird, or is this better!" The adult of the house finally came carrying two ties asking for his daughter's opinion.
"…"
"….."
"? Either is fine." She dismissed his question and gave him a vague answer.
"Yuzu!?"
"Get off the table Old man! Yuzu is growing up too! Get with it!" The other girl kicks his father's face before he did something embarrassing.
"Hey! That's mine! Get your own!" He was also disrupted by the father of the house.
"Masaki! The kids are growing up! I'm so lonely! Ichigo can just go off where the hell he wants but our two daughters are distancing away from me too!"
The mention three kids of the house watch their father groveling before a wall picture of their deceased mother. He was just really pathetic looking to them right now since he did this almost every day.
"This is my family… My dad, my sisters, and mom."
Ichigo…
Ichigo…..
"…"
"Did you have a good dream?"
That… wasn't a dream. That was my family.
"Yeah, it was."
"That's good to know."
Looking up, the boy saw the same smile that always greets him whenever she had the chance. She's the girl that seems to like hanging around him since he was the closest to her age back in town. She could've hung out with the other girls but she, like her grandfather was a pursuer for research regarding pokemon.
He remembers her always around books and tons of documents. Back then he always wondered how she had such a good idea in her future since unlike her, his situation was very different.
"You know, you didn't have to."
"*giggle* I already said it's fine, I don't mind."
He was sleepy earlier and she suggested he lay his head on her lap. He was reluctant but she insisted and forced him. She a grip which he couldn't remember her ever being one to be physically strong.
"…"
"Do you have to do that too?"
"Your hair is so spiky. I remember Misses Ketchum having a hard time cutting it. Hehe… that was a fun day."
The girl happily plays with his hair as he kept laying his head on her lap. She at times made a sad smile as she could see him again making an expression he always seems to have even before the accident. An expression that pains her inside.
"And what's with that face? Is it already that time of the day to scream at my face?"
From a few inches, away was Clair, she was currently glaring at him and it was kind of making him uncomfortable.
Did he have to doze off like that?! And why does she have to keep doing that? Is she? Urgh! Wait, did she just smirk at me?!
"Whatever…"
They were all currently on a boat inside the cavern of the Dragon den. Her grandfather had something he wanted Ichigo to do before he could go and she just tag along for no reason which she was regretting.
"You could lay on lap too…" The girl whispers, she couldn't help being flustered when his eyes were still on her. She couldn't understand why she was like this.
"What?"
"N-Nothing!"
Seeing the two teens, Daisy was a little amused. She loves this kind of thing, a romantic comedy scene. So, she decided to play a part.
"Ichigo."
"hm?"
"Look at Clair."
"…"
"Don't you think she's cute?"
"!?"
Daisy smiles at the reaction Clair was making. Getting all fidgety when the question was marked at her especially when the question was regarding a touchy subject.
"Wait! What are you saying!?"
"Oh no, Clair it's okay. I was just asking a friendly question."
"T-That's not something you can say out of the blue…"
"Sorry, sorry. Just want to make things interesting. Right, Ichigo?" The amused girl tilts her head as she looks down at him.
"mu~" Clair, pouts as she shyly glances at Ichigo.
"…" Ichigo wasn't reacting much as he kept his eyes on Clair longer than usual.
"W-What?"
"I guess, you're cuter than the average girl."
"…"
"Ichigo…"
Cuter than the average girl? Ichigo… that's so you.
Daisy couldn't help but sweatdrop at Ichigo's words. She forgot he was a little too frank and headstrong even at a time like this.
"…"
"hm? What's this, what's this?" The girl saw Clair's reaction and finds it adorable. The dragon trainer girl couldn't even look at him for his blunt compliment.
A Cheshire smile crept upon the girl's lips.
"Hey, give me that." Ichigo finally got up from Daisy's lap when he saw something on Charizard's claws. "I remember you having a bad reaction every time you have too much sugar."
"Charr!"
"Don't give me that crap, I saw you this morning scarfing down with your tea."
"Charr?"
"Yes, yes you did."
"…."
"!?"
"Hey, don't come over! We'll fall!" Charizard was on a separate boat riding along the way with the others sitting on a different. It refuses to stay in a pokeball like always and thus follows normally.
*chomp!*
"…"
"Get your mouth off my hand." Ichigo glares at the black Charizard who flew over instead of jumping over like plan before taking one huge bit on the cupcake on his trainer's hand without hurting the hand.
"Charr~" The pokemon enjoys that sweet taste as it quietly sat back down on the other boat. That sweet tooth was a bit of a problem.
"…"
"Hm?"
Ichigo wanted to give Charizard a piece of his mind for doing something stupid. He could now really feel that experience, the memories return, and now the feeling of those times return as he looks and watches the pokemon act.
But a sudden strange feeling bothered him out of nowhere and for some reason something was egging him that he needed to check it. Call it a gut feeling or his instinct, the important thing was that they can be trusted.
"Gunther, lend me that goggle."
"Here, Ichigo!"
*Splash!* Without wasting time, Ichigo jumps and dives into the water.
"Hey, what are you doing!?" Clair who was already being annoyed by Daisy screams at the young man but her words were deaf to him.
"Get back here!"
"Calm down Clair."
Clair was a little worried not because about if he could swim or not but because diving in the water inside of a cavern was very dumb especially when said person was only using a goggle.
*Splash!*
"You too!?"
"Charizard always follows him."
"The pokemon's a fire type!"
"It's normal for our Charizard because Ichigo and Charizard trained very well."
"What? Who are you people…?"
Clair looks doubtful at the calm smiling girl. She could believe a physically fit person but when it came to Ichigo she always looks at him as if he wasn't normal. His stamina, strength, skills, and his unbelievable secrets.
"No Gunther. I don't think your Trapinch could do like them." Daisy warned seeing the chubby kid carrying his pokemon.
"You don't know that~"
*Splash!"
"I can't swim!" Gunther and his pokemon which was a ground type decided to try too. Both had to be rescued not only because one of them have a type disadvantage, but the other also forgot he didn't know how to swim.
…..
"…"
"….."
Underwater, our hero continues diving down as the feeling was getting stronger. His body was not just physically fit, the power of aura which he had control of helping him make faster strokes.
I know there's something there… something familiar. Just need to get closer.
As he continues, our hero's mind was still distracted. Maybe it might never settle as he believes his situation was as ever a fuck up one.
Huh?
"…" Ichigo holds out his hand and signals Charizard who was swimming behind to stop as well.
Is that…
*!*
Ichigo quickly crosses his arm and blocks something that came fast (Zen headbutt) at him. He almost released his breath at the sudden attack.
This was a pokemon that was mainly not very fast if compared to other water types but it was still faster than Ichigo underwater and it had the power to boat with. Unfortunately, it was the first time our hero had seen the pokemon so he wasn't aware of its capabilities. Both could hardly see anything since it was quite dark and they were only navigating with the use of aura.
"…"
Another one?
Ichigo felt Charizard's back hitting his. As he could only figure there was more than one attacking them. Maybe they had entered their territory or they may be just aggressive pokemons, he didn't know. He also didn't know they were a pokemon name Whiscash.
The only thing they had an advantage in was their stamina as any other normal human or grounded pokemon would've already munched on their stamina underwater.
"…" They both waited since they could only rely on countering.
The two pokemons then suddenly came back for more, both using the same move (Zen headbutt).
*!*
Fuck countering! I'm almost out of breath!
Countering was the act of evading a coming attack while simultaneously hitting back instantaneously. But both Ichigo and Charizard just charged up their respective attacks (Aura and Dragon claw).
*!*
*!*
Pulling back their right arms, both use each other as a pushing wall and redirected their respective attacks in a curve making a spiral force. Thus, hitting and exchanging opponents as they sucker punch the two Whiscash with their one hit blow.
*grab*
"!?"
Oi, you not going anywhere.
Their attack scared the two pokemon but Ichigo wasn't done as he grabbed on one of them and Charizard did the same.
They were almost out of breath due to the short bout and they would be idiots to just let them go since they need to hurry back up for air.
Under the scary pressure from both Ichigo and Charizard, the two pokemons took them to the surface as quickly as possible. They both knew the powerhouse they just fought and weren't willing to flee, thus, compel to their order to re-surface with them.
"Are they just leaving like that?"
"Charr…"
Ichigo and Charizard came back up using the two Whiscash but the moment they let go, the two pokemon rushed toward the direction of the cavern's exit.
Ichigo looks around, saw that Daisy and the others already were long gone by now leaving him since they all knew he was going to be okay.
"So, they were just invaders." Ichigo and Charizard were surrounded by a bunch of water pokemons explaining the situation. They weren't a lot of strong pokemons among them so Ichigo could imagine the two Whiscash dominating when they invaded the area.
"…"
"What is it?" People find it weird since he could communicate with almost every type of pokemon but he dismissed the idea as he finds it convenient but not at all amazing. Sometimes the things he heard are not easily forgotten.
"…"
"Since you're the one who came with the idea. So, why not. Help us get back down." Ichigo said, a little tired after exerting aura underwater.
It was a Lanturn, a pokemon that can emit light on an area even underwater. A couple of other water types also decided to help him and his Charizard.
It didn't take long with the help of the pokemons to get to the bottom of the underwater.
Is that it?
Still holding on to Lanturn, they swam near something that was supposed to be the strange feeling that bothers him since entering the cavern.
A chest? This tiny thin-!?
*grab*
"Don't you dare."
Out of nowhere, someone grabs a hold of Ichigo's hand. The same hand that was about to reach out to the small box.
The person was an old man but something was wrong. The old man was standing normally underwater as if the water was not doing anything to it, not to mention the unusual glowing transparent appearances he had.
Normal people would be afraid about the concept that was the man and the pokemons were the same.
But we're talking about our protagonist, a person who was a being that guides souls and protects them. A person whose everyday life was used to seeing the ghost of various origins, a person who went to hell to retrieve the soul of his little sister. A person who was getting tired of the annoying obstacles and so on.
*!*
*grab*
Oi, back off.
Ichigo annoyed, listlessly broke off the old man's hold and grabbed his transparent neck before pushing him off which surprised the presumed ghost. His spiritual energy burst up.
"…" Charizard who felt the animosity from Ichigo flare its anger by channel draconic energy into one claw (Dragon claw) from the side.
"…" The ghost of the old man stops and stayed still surprised. Because he knows the warning Ichigo was giving him as a trace of pain still lingers on the neck where the young man grabbed him.
Ichigo grabbed the small box began descending to the surface with the water pokemons helped again and ignored the ghost that for some reason followed them back to the surface water.
"Would you hear out this old man wish?"
The moment he surfaces from the water and got onto a nearby platform made of some short stalagmite the ghost appears and bows at him.
Ichigo look at the old man, the very same ghost that just tried to bothered him using spiritual energy as he had earlier shrugged off due to him being a master of using such an element.
He didn't need to do or listen to the old ghost words but he was still him. A person who helps, especially those that had passed on. He couldn't count the number of souls that he helped back in his previous life.
"Fine, I'm listening." Ichigo extends the hand that was holding the small chest towards the ghost.
"Hey, Clair. Is this the place?"
"Yes, we have arrived on the Holy land of Dragons."
"Guys, let's sit down for lunch. My belly keeps making a weird noise."
The three had easily arrived with the help of Clair's Dragonair lead as only dragon pokemon were able to navigate the area.
Gunther quickly made a picnic for all of them as he too sat down and ate with the girls. While resting, Daisy looks around at the rich field land of pokemons and nature. She was simply amazed at the abundance of life here as if it was a place where humans hardly come by.
"You're wondering why the name when there is hardly any dragon pokemons right?"
"…" Daisy paid attention back to the dragon trainer, "Not really."
"You don't?" Clair was a bit spectacle, usual anyone who came here for the first time would question the land's name when no dragon pokemon could be seen.
"Gunther already told me on the way that the first blackthorn gym leader reserve this place for his Dragonite. Mentioning that one dragon pokemon as the owner and guardian of the land."
Daisy was more amazed at the amount of life and how the pokemons actively came out even when strangers like them came out of suddenly.
"Gunther!"
"I'm sorry Clair! I can't help it when I got a big mouth! Darn, this cursed loose lips!" Gunther gave her the puppy face with fake tears. He felt guilty for his slip but didn't want to argue over it as he mule towards the sky.
"Don't blame him, Ichigo asked and he answered. Besides, is that our destination?" Daisy points at a shrine that was situated from afar barely visible due to the distance. It was the only man-made structure that can be seen for miles.
"Yeah, that's our historical shrine where a lot of ceremonies are attended. The first gym leader's Dragonite should be around it too."
Clair then got up and ready herself for the walk to the shrine, "Let's head there, we'll wait for Kurosaki there. Without him, this errand wouldn't finish anyway."
"I wonder what caught his attention back there? A ghost or a treasure?" Daisy walks by not concerning her words that might affect the others.
"A ghost?" Gunther felt a chill as he remembered the stories spread in the clan. "Could it be…"
"Quite Gunther." Clair was also a victim of a particular ghost story told among children as she was once one too. "And what do you mean by 'ghost'?"
"You don't know? I thought spending all that time with him, you would've known something like that by now." The lab coat-wearing girl just gave the dragon trainer a smug expression to tease her.
"S-Shut up! Why on earth would something like 'ghost' ever come in a conversation!?" Clair felt she was being kept challenge by the other girl as she knew she was being made fun of again and again.
"Is he a psychic?" Gunther out of nowhere asked something as he always sees Ichigo do things out of the ordinary. "Or some kind of superhero? *gasp!* Is he a hero!?"
"Haha… I don't know where you got that idea from but in a way, he is a hero… to a small group of people." Daisy said it lovingly which did not go unnoticed by the dragon trainer as she felt a flag was being raised, "You wouldn't believe the amazing adventures I went through with him and those were beside the ones he had gone alone."
"Normally, I… I wouldn't believe something that would only come by from stories without some kind of proof but seeing him do things up till now. I sort of believe you." Clair could never forget the power and mystery Ichigo possess as well as the black Charizard with dark flames. The experience always seems to give her a cold shoulder.
"So, he is a hero!"
"Ahaha, yep, let's just go with that."
"A hero…"
The three already went quite a mile to their destination, and while they continue on their way, Ichigo just came out of the cavern waterway with the help of the water-type pokemon that insisted to help him for solving their problem.
"*huff* *huff* I need to rest."
"Charr…"
Both were quite exhausted from diving as well as going into combat underwater. Their stamina was drained especially Charizard who might've got a good resistance to water as he was a special case but it did not completely remove the natural disadvantage water brought to him. Ichigo was just supernaturally strong and Charizard's dark flames were no ordinary flame as well as the ability to use aura to help them.
Both just lay down the moment they step back on firm land.
"That old man just had to ask for something like that."
"Chaar?"
"Yeah, I'm doing it. Don't ask why."
He had a reason from the words the ghost of the old man spoke of. It kinda pisses him off. Now, he knows even pokemon can be unreasonable.
"…"
Pulling himself up, Ichigo slowly went to the nearest tree and materialized a blue blade the size of an average sword (Aura blade).
*!*
*thud!*
Cutting down a tree, Ichigo then started downsizing the tree. Adjusting the blue glowing blade when required since he was trying to make a specific thing from the lumber.
After finishing, Ichigo moves in the direction where the others went while carrying a very heavy tired, and lazy black fire pokemon that was still affected from diving underwater but still could and will fight if necessary.
…
"huh?"
Despite the day being a good blue sky recently, the weather quickly changes within the holy land of the dragon. Daisy as professor assistance was also had a good amount knowledgeable about the topography, climate, and weather cycle for a pokemon's environment.
Because right now, the weather change of a storm was coming too fast especially when the weather review of the day should've been purely sunny.
It's too fast.
Daisy mule over as if something similar happened a few years ago.
"Let's get in the shrine, this weather looks terrible," Clair suggested as both Daisy and Gunther quickly agreed to take shelter at the front porch of the shrine.
"And the weather was so nice…" Gunther felt disappointed at the disruption of their picnic which he was not trying to scarf down every food available, he was honest he could leave some over for Ichigo.
"Clair, why don't we enter?" Daisy proposed as she felt they could just wait inside with this kind of weather.
"Sorry, but Kurosaki holds the key currently, we need him to enter. And putting that aside what is taking him-!?"
*click!*
"It's open~!" Daisy wasn't listening as she went to the large front door and unlock the ordinary lock with a few simple accessories she had.
"Wait! What are you doing!?" Clair was a little surprised but couldn't understand why the girl who does something like this. Especially, on a sacred shrine, their clan has been protecting for generations.
"Oi~ It's warm inside. Let's go in Gerald!" Gunther and his Trapinch quickly got in from the sudden storm.
"This…" Clair knew it was a violation without the clan's head's consent to enter the sacred shrine and now they were about to break such a law.
*!?*
"Wait, what are you!?"
"Come on, come on. We'll get sick if we kept on being splash by the scattered rain." The unhesitant Daisy pushes the other girl inside without listening to her complaints.
It didn't take long for them to get warm-up and dry. The inside of the shrine did hold the sacred flame 'the prayer flame'. A treasure the clan had for generations.
"It's is a phenomenon, there's no residue inside the flame and nothing that fuels it to last this long," Daisy crept closer to the flames, "and the amount of heat it generates outside of it is almost all the same and stops at a certain distance unlike the heat fading out."
"Please, don't get close to our family's treasure." Clair didn't even bother to stop the curious friend she just made but stops another curious Gunther whose eyes were like a bug pokemon trying to reach the flame.
"If it's so important, why isn't anyone here guarding it?" The curious girl asked as she looked around where no one aside from them was here. The thought occurred to her for a while.
"Well, for one. No thief can come here since the only passable entrance is the water cavern where only a few pokemon can navigate."
Clair didn't mind sharing since the curious girl was Ichigo's trusted friend and she didn't give any reason not to be trusted.
"And who says there's no one guarding the prayer flame? A strong pokemon is always nearby protecting the flame and this secret land."
"The first Blackthorn gym leader's pokemon, right?"
All of them gather near the flame and sat in a circle around the sacred from a respectable distance.
"Yes, the task was handed to the pokemon through its own accord."
"I see… was it supposed to be someone else's duty?"
"It is," Clair looks at the flames as she began to wonder about something, "The gym leaders of the Blackthorn city were supposed to do and it was being done up till one day, the old Dragonite of the first gym leader just came and never left the area. Grandfather suddenly just handed the task to the pokemon."
"…"
Clair then stretches out her hand toward the flame, "Do you know why a flame-like this was called the prayer flame?"
"A symbol?" Daisy had read up on the origin but couldn't find any as the researcher never came in contact to this day. The only reference he could find was the single word her grandfather told her.
"Yes, a symbol of peace between humans and pokemon. That's what a few members of our clan would say." Clair was tired for some reason as she yawns, maybe the day had tucker her out.
"It abruptly came the moment when peace came and it stays lit for 500 years. But…" Clair's eyes linger at the flames.
"Whenever I stare at the flames, I think there's more to it than just being a long live flame."
"Do you mean, the prayer part of the name?"
"Yeah, it's a symbol, and yet, its name the prayer flame."
"Do you have an idea?"
"I… It's stupid, let's forget about it." Clair wasn't sure but she can't just blurt something she shouldn't even be talking about. Besides, it was her thoughts and idea which was a bit crazy. She doubts no one would believe her but she didn't care much to say more either.
"Come on, you already got me all hype. Tell me, Clair."
"No, I said to forget it."
"Well, I can't."
"Just drop it, will you? And get off my face." Clair pushes off the curious girl, and wonder she made the mistake of even giving hints.
"Guys, I think theirs s-someone outside…" Gunther interjected with a frightened look as he points towards the open door.
"…"
"….."
They all heard it, someone was outside and under the rain doing something to make some kind of noise. It sends a chill under Gunther's spine as he wasn't all that good when it concerns ghosts.
"Let's go and see."
"I don't know about this."
"Then you can stay inside alone Gunther."
"I don't know about that either!"
All of them slowly went back out onto the shrine's porch, it was a dark storm so it was hard for them to see the one outside making the noise under the heavy rain.
"There's someone there."
"What is he doing?"
"Can't we just ignore the strange person and maybe head back inside where it's safer than here?"
Much to the dread of the scared boy, the two girls move closer to see who it was until lightning suddenly strikes somewhere.
*!*
"AHH!" All three suddenly scream as they suddenly saw the face of the person from the light of the lightning.
*!*
"Ow! Hey, watch it!" Came the angry voice of some familiar to them and all could now finally see that it was just Ichigo. Gunther had suddenly thrown a small rock at him since he was frightened from the thunder sound as well as Ichigo's scowling face sudden flash under the rain.
"Ichigo? What are you doing?" Daisy asked as she walks closer to him.
They all saw that he was holding a wooden shovel that was emitting a blue glow (Aura) as he continues digging on a particular spot for reasons unknown to them.
"Kurosaki, what took you so long? And what are you doing digging there?"
"Is he making a big puddle?"
But Ichigo continues ignoring all of them as he only focuses on the digging of the ground. He was doing something strange for them, but he knew what he was doing.
"…"
"huh?" Clair suddenly realized something, but she couldn't understand why it was moving here so fast from its spot, "Kurosaki, watch out!"
"Ichigo?"
The young man spotted the coming assault, and effortlessly tosses Daisy who had come too close to the others. He quickly raises one arm infusing it with his power (Aura) to block.
*!*
The ground heavily shook under the strong attack Ichigo just block with his arm. Even though, his arm was infused with power unknown to many Ichigo's heads still bled as the attack somewhat reach him. It took a majority of his current aura to stop the attack and a minimum on his body to endure the shock from the powerful hit as it seems the assailant gave everything it had from the single blow.
"…" The young man still dropped on one knee as he glares at his attacker. He was strong especially when using his abilities but the attacker was also quite strong itself.
The assailant was a Dragonite wearing a scary expression as it was glaring back at him while its claw (Dragon claw) was still trying to push his arm down further.
"Ichigo!" Daisy then dashes toward Ichigo, scared from the injury he just took and most importantly scare that he was going to do something that might cause him to be away at a place she won't be able to see him again.
And done!
Ichigo's current abilities:
Aura user – Expert (Occasionally, subconscious use of aura at times of danger.)
Spiritual pressure – Expert (Immense amount of spiritual energy.)
Unusual resistance and Endurance – ? (Very High resistances to Psychic attacks.)
Hero's aura - ? (Those gather around him have the chance to manifest capabilities the current world can provide.)
Power of a previous life – Soul reaper (Ichigo can use the abilities of his previous to only a certain extend. Eg. The ability to see souls at times.)
Bye!