WARNING(4/26/17): Out of respect for the feedback I received in reviews, I'd like to mention that this chapter contains scenes that imply possible rape and torture. While I had written the scene to be ambiguous, enough reviewers have expressed their distaste that I feel a warning is appropriate. See AN at bottom for further explanation.
AN: A bit rushed, not that my other chapters are polished to a mirror sheen either. Let me know if you see any mistakes or inconsistencies, always appreciate thoughtful reviews, warms my heart to hear what people think of my writing.
10 Years Ago – Hueco Mundo
The pristine wall of untouched marble exploded into a shower of broken pieces, unable to stay intact under the power that had been unleashed against it despite its renowned reiatsu resisting properties. Nearby Hollows scattered away from the impromptu entrance into Las Noches, some attempting to flee from the enemy presence, while others turned to cautiously stand their ground.
Instead of the hoard of Shinigami pouring through as they had expected, a lone figure stood by the massive hole that had been recklessly torn into the side of the castle. Despite their overwhelming numbers, not a single Hollow dared charge at their sole adversary.
A dense malevolent aura radiated outwards from the man, a thousand invisible iron hands reaching up from the ground and holding the numberless Arrancars in place.
He wore a tattered coat of black, graced by a few trims of white here and there. The frayed edges of the material looking torn and burnt, fluttering like ghostly wisps on the cool air pouring in from the eternal arid desert.
Of average height, the trespasser held in his hand a single black sword with an odd angular hilt, the entire blade dark as the void itself. The chilling bone white mask of a Hollow hid his face, the sneering porcelain plate frozen into a twisted grimace, filled with fury and hate so palpable one could almost taste it in the air.
Eyes of gold and black stared out vengefully from behind the eyeholes of the mask, promising violence. For a moment, neither side moved, the only sound that could be heard was the flapping of the intruder's robes.
A terrifying roar was unleashed from his throat as he leapt into the midst of the dumbfounded Hollows, shattering what little will there was to fight. Fear gave most the strength to flee, although even the swiftest of legs would not carry them very far. Some stood as still as statues hoping that perhaps their presence might be overlooked. Others were pushed to the brink of madness, charging forth to face their foe even though the most foolish amongst them could sense that they stood no chance against this adversary.
None were spared.
The black blade rose and fell, a scything pendulum hissing through the air like a thousand asps. Limbs and heads were hacked off with little elegance or mercy, blood flowing like rivers to paint the untouched floors in hues of red and black gore.
Claws and fangs flashed, weapons were raised and abandoned. It did not matter. None stood before the man for long, and none could flee fast enough to escape his fury. Terrible cries and roars filled the atrium, the sounds of a corned animal being tortured, multiplied a thousand times over. A deathly choir wooed an invisible audience with promises of suffering and despair that tore at sanity like cruel picks.
There could be no other word to describe the scene other than slaughter. A God of War had descended into Las Noches and his wrath would not be deterred until the blood of the sinners ran like rivers and the bodies of his foes piled into monuments of worship.
At last the lone figure slowed, having slain all those in the room save one.
The last breathing Hollow was pinned down to the floor, the black blade piercing its stomach and into the ground below which was rapidly turning a dark ruby. The Shinigami knelt over the Hollow, breath ragged and both hands resting on the pommel of the sword as if it were the only thing holding him up. His mask cracked and began to break, pieces falling away to reveal the human face hidden beneath.
"Where is she?" Ichigo demanded, reaching up to pull away the remains of the Hollow mask clinging stubbornly to his lower jaw. "I know she's here! Where are they keeping her Hollow? Tell me and I will make your death swift and painless."
The dying Hollow was one of the newly created Arrancar that had been recruited into Aizen's army. Like the thousands of others that had been promised power in exchange for loyalty, it had been just another unnumbered foot soldier caught in a war beyond their understanding.
Not particularly powerful before its transformation, it had been a simple serpentine creature capable of spitting acid and coiling about its foes and squeezing them into stillness. It had never been destined for greatness, simply another Hollow that would have been swallowed by one stronger and forgotten like so many others. The answer to Aizen's offer to escape that cycle had taken little deliberation, any other response would have ended in swift death anyways.
In its Arrancar form it retained its viperlike fangs and reptilian eyes, the more recognizable parts of its body shaped into a mockery of the female human form. There was something decidedly wrong about her, a bestial beauty contorted from the combined form of serpent and human. Alien and disturbing without a doubt, but oddly pleasing to the eye nonetheless.
Her bosom rose and fell with shuttering motion, her breath unable to come with the blade piercing through her stomach and pinning her diaphragm down. She gasped desperately, unable to speak beyond a whisper that pained her with each word spoken.
"You won't be able to save her," she hissed softly, forked tongue darting out. "No one can save her."
A pained grin forcing its way past bloodied lips, death giving her the courage to spit in the face of her foe. She knew her time had come, there was nothing left for her to fear.
"You're too late Shinigami," she said with vindictive pleasure. "Far too late."
Ichigo snarled, rotating the blade in his hand savagely, eliciting a cry of pain from his unfortunate victim.
Leaning down until his nose practically touched hers, he glared into the cold reptilian eyes of his enemy.
"Where…Is…She?" he growled.
He punctuated each of the words with a violent twist of Tensa Zangetsu. Coagulated blood flowed out in thick viscous streams, her coiled body writhing in agony.
"Long live Aizen-sama," the Hollow whispered with her dying gasp, her body falling still at last.
Ichigo swore beneath his breath, standing up and pulling his weapon free. He gave the corpse a frustrated kick for good measure. Another dead end.
His gold flecked eyes scanned the room, looking for an exit.
In the distance, he could hear battle raging outside. He did not have much time.
Picking a random corridor, the hybrid Shinigami took off at a break neck speed. Ichigo was strong, but his power was not infinite. Alone in enemy territory, it would only be a matter of time before he used up all his strength.
The number of hollows serving Aizen were endless, a tide of monstrous flesh that would overcome even the strongest man who stood with no ally to guard his back. Luckily, the main forces guarding Los Noches was currently being occupied by his allies.
Kenpachi had agreed to take his division into Hueco Mundo as back up to Ichigo and his human compatriots, despite the Captain Commanders orders not to enter Aizen's territory until the war preparations were finalized. Even now, Shinigami from the Eleventh Division were cutting a swath through the hordes of Arrancars defending Aizen's fortress while Ichigo, Chad and Ishida infiltrated the castle with the guards distracted.
They had tried unsuccessfully multiple times before to rescue Orihime, following every bit of intelligence they could get their hands on.
Days had to turned to weeks.
Weeks into months.
It had been nearly two years since Orihime had been first kidnapped. Although she was considered an important asset and her retrieval remained a high priority, the shift of the war had made it impossible for the Shinigami to mount the sort of operation needed for a successful rescue mission.
The Captain Commander had finally put his foot down, declaring that one human life could not be put above the needs of the whole, no matter how important. With no more Shinigami aid, the humans from the living world could do little against the overwhelming forces standing between them and their kidnapped friend.
Finally, it had been Urahara who had been able to trace Orihime's unique reiatsu power and narrow down the location definitively for them. With that information and the promise of battle Ichigo had been able to convince the bloodthirsty Captain of the Eleventh Division to help him mount the illegal rescue op.
This was their final chance, if they failed they would no doubt all be thrown into prison cells even if they somehow managed to survive and get back to Soul Society in one piece. But Ichigo was determined not to leave Inoue behind. He had sworn an oath with Chad and Ishida before they had split up, either all four of them were returning to the human world or none of them would.
A sharp spike of reiatsu mingled with the familiar presence of Inoue's unique power signature brushed against the edge of his senses, so faint he had almost missed it. Without thought he swung his blade against the wall holding him back from his friend. The same scything black crescent wave of power that had allowed him to enter the castle tore through the wall standing before him, revealing another seemingly similar featureless corridor behind it.
Again, and again he allowed his power to rush forth, tearing down walls and carving a path closer towards where he could feel his friend's life force. Each step brought him closer to his goal, Inoue's reiatsu acting as a beacon for him to follow.
Finally, after nearly exhausting all his strength, Ichigo broke through a wall that revealed a different structure behind it. The darkened room was of the same featureless design, a single window on the far side giving a radiant view of Hueco Mundo's moon hanging in the eternal night sky.
The lone figure slumped against the far wall was enough to draw a cry of relief from the human invader, for even at a distance there was no mistaking who it was.
"Inoue!"
He stumbled her still form, his legs weak from having exerted so much of his power in such a short time, but so close to his goal he could not falter.
Ichigo reached the curled over body of his friend, gently resting a hand on her shoulder and pulling her around to face him.
"Inoue, it's me! Come on, we have to –"
His words were cut off by his own aghast cry as he got a good view of the woman he had come to rescue.
The untouched white gown she wore had hid the damage she suffered from a distance. There were bruises all along exposed flesh that he could see, a dark angry purple welt around her throat shaped in the print of a hand. Her lips were swollen and bloodstained, the corners of her mouth dyed black from dried blood.
Worst of all were her eyes. Orihime had always had such expressive eyes, the warmth and curiosity projecting her every unguarded thought and emotion for the world to see. Gone were those beautiful orbs, replaced by dark bloody pits that sunk into her eye socket, the angry streaking red scars across exposed skin evident of a blade that had ended her sight.
"What did they do to you Inoue," Ichigo moaned as he cradled the whimpering girl to his chest, the wet tears from his eyes coming uncontrollably. His heart tightened at the unimaginable horrors she must have suffered at their hands.
"Ichigo," Inoue cried, clinging to his robes.
"Hush Inoue," the man whispered as soothingly as he could. "It's ok, we'll get you out of here. Unohana will fix you up, you'll be good as new. I promise."
Ichigo had never felt so helpless in his life. He had promised he would make things right, but what could he do in the face of Inoue's suffering? He tightened his grip on her, preparing to carry her out if necessary. Either they would leave or he'd make sure to end Inoue's suffering himself.
The soft wound of footfalls reached his ears, but he could not bring himself to look away from the broken form of his friend.
"Odd, isn't it? She has the power to remake and unmake all things in existence, yet the one thing she can never change is herself."
A deep seething hatred welled up in Ichigo's chest as he at last turned to glare hatefully at the Espada crowned Numero Cuatro in Aizen's army.
Ulquiorra Cifer stood a bit shorter than Ichigo himself, a Hollow of slim build and pale complexion. His detached bottle green eyes stared out from a handsome face marked by two green tear lines down his cheeks framed by dark hair. The remnants of a Hollow mask clung to the left side of his face, the shard reaching around the back of his head like a helmet that had been sliced in two, a single pointed horn jutting out to the side.
His hole was nestled center above his breast in the valley of his throat and collar bone.
"Bastards!" snarled Ichigo. "Why did you do this to her?! What the hell was the point?!"
"To help her see better," Ulquiorra replied emotionlessly.
"You tore out her eyes to help her see better?" demanded Ichigo in disbelief. "What the fuck are you saying?!"
"She has a power that infringes upon the territory of God," Ulquiorra said flatly. "Yet her powers are held back by her mortality. In losing her physical vision, she has been gifted with sight that allows her to see nothing but the truth."
"You're fucking insane," Ichigo spat furiously. "I'm going to end you!"
Inoue let loose a cry of pain, hunching over and folding her hands over her abdomen, curling into the fetal position in her agony. A torrent of reiatsu was released from her body, more power than Ichigo had ever felt before.
"Inoue!" he shouted as he held his friend close.
"It's your fault you know," Ulquiorra continued as he looked down listlessly at the suffering woman. "I wanted no part in it. She suffers now because of your existence."
"What the hell are you babbling about?!" Ichigo demanded angrily.
The Espada tilted his head to one side. "Can you not feel it Kurosaki? Can you not feel what is happening to her reiatsu?"
Ichigo looked down at his tortured friend, reaching his senses out. Her unfathomable power washed over him, stronger than anything he'd ever run into. Yet there was something different about it. Almost as if there was something foreign inside it.
"Aizen-sama is fascinated by your existence," Ulquiorra continued, dragging Ichigo's attention away from Inoue with his dull droning voice. "A being born of a human mother with unusually high spiritual energy and a father who was a Shinigami. You achieved in a short time what would have taken others decades, perhaps even centuries. Even now your power continues to change and grow, neither human, Shinigami nor Hollow."
"What does this have to do with Inoue?!" the hybrid human snarled. "What the fuck did you do to her?!"
The Espada looked down pensively at the ground. The silence between them seemed to stretch on for eternity.
"He was curious you see," the hollow finally said. "If a Shinigami and a human could produce such a powerful offspring, what would happen if a Hollow and a human were to sire a child?"
Ichigo felt his heart pulse in his ears, the implication in his enemy's words coupled with the odd foreign signature in Inoue's reiatsu finally making sense.
"You bastard," he whispered, hands trembling helplessly at his side. "You utter bastard."
Ulquiorra looked up, staring unflinchingly at his adversary. "I am a monster Kurosaki, but there are even some lines I would not cross. I did not force myself upon her, she came to me willingly."
Ichigo stood up, his sword in hand, power radiating from his form. Blackness had begun to creep its way into his eyes, his words barely understandable as he fought to force them out between his trembling lips.
"Liar!" he howled, his voice deepening into a monstrous growl. "She would never stoop so low!"
Bleached froth spilled from his lips, thick snow white liquid leaking from eyes alight with madness.
The Fourth Espada straightened up. "I am the embodiment of emptiness. I alone understand what having nothing left feels like. For her to have been trapped here for two years amongst her enemies, who could understand her better? Aizen-sama wished to know what would happen. I obliged, but I never once forced her to do something she did not want."
The final words from the Hollow seemed to have finally pushed Ichigo over the edge. A torrent of power exploded forth from his body, engulfing the entire room in blinding destructive energy.
Ichigo Inner World
The dark reflection of Ichigo stared pensively at the crumbling world before him, his eyes narrowed as he tried to process what was happening. The King's inner world was made up of a large number of skyscrapers, the weather above them an indication of his emotions.
Never before had the Hollow seen such a storm brewing, the sky was pitch black, dark thunder clouds that swallowed up the entire heavens raining destruction all around him. Entire structures were being destroyed in bright flashes of light and thunderous noise, the rubble tumbling into the abyss below them.
A howling hurricane force wind blew all around, forcing the Shinigami's inner demon to fight for his footing. It was so bad that the Hollow had to jam his blade into the ground to not be blown away.
"What the hell is happening?!" demanded Hichigo loudly, turning to look at the manifestation of Zangetsu.
The rugged middle-aged man in the black cloak was scowling more fiercely than usual, but in his flinty eyes was a hint of worry that was beginning to alarm the Hollow. Zangetsu never looked worried, not even when Hichigo was attempting to dethrone the King. This was bad.
"Come," Zangetsu said, "We must go to Ichigo."
Hichigo scowled as he watched Zangetsu leap off the rooftop, bounding forward using the falling debris as stepping stones to head towards where Ichigo was. Cursing beneath his breath, the Hollow followed after a brief moment of hesitation, seeing little alternative.
They found Ichigo standing on top of the tallest building in his mindscape, his back turned to them, orange hair whipping wildly in the wind.
"Oy King," shouted Hichigo as he landed besides Zangetsu. "Get a fucking grip! You're going to destroy all of us if you let this continue!"
The human did not respond, standing still as a statue.
Temper flaring even further, Hichgio marched up and grabbed Ichigo by the shoulder.
"You dumb fuck, are you even listening to me?! You're going to-!"
The Hollow's words were cut short as Ichigo's hand shot forth, grasping a vice like grip around his dark counterpart's neck.
Hichigo could feel his power being drained, but was unable to move his body to stop the process.
He watched in panic as his form began to fade, the hand that was gripping his throat bleaching white at the fingertips, then crawling up to engulf Ichigo's entire arm.
Zangetsu came to stand beside them, watching silently as the Hollow was forcibly absorbed by Ichigo.
"My powers are yours Ichigo," the sword spirit manifestation said solemnly.
The sky lit up in a blinding flash, a dazzling bolt of lightning coming down and striking all three of the men.
Hueco Mundo
A quick motion with Sonido and Ulquiorra had darted forward to grab Inoue and moved them both away into a safe distance.
The explosion of power continued to radiate from the room they had fled, the roof caving in and the nearby walls and corridors collapsing under the strain of the Shinigmai Hollow hybrid who had lost control of himself.
"Ulquiorra," Inoue whispered softly, from her resting position on his leg, reaching a hand to cup his face.
He reached out his own, carefully entwining his fingers between her delicate digits.
"Do you regret it?" he asked softly.
Inoue gave a bitter smile. "No, I do not. And I hate myself all the more for it."
The Espada nodded his head once. "Promise me something Inoue."
"Anything," she whispered.
"Don't let them punish our child for our sins. They will try to destroy them for simply existing, but no one is born guilty. Promise me you will give them a chance to live their life, to choose their own path."
Inoue nodded once, her ruined eyes staring unerringly into his. "I promise."
A flash of red shot up towards the heaven, the overpowered cero a beam of absolute destruction that cut through the sky in a crimson display of awesome power.
Ulquiorra stood up. "He will not be satisfied until my mangled corpse lies at his feet, this is not a fight I will win. With this, you will be able to go home at last. Goodbye Inoue."
Gently laying her on the ground, the Espada turned his back resolutely on the one woman that had for a moment filled the emptiness of his heart, and doggedly marched towards the one enemy he would not be able to defeat.
"Goodbye my love."
He savored the final words of the only woman who had briefly warmed his cold existence, allowing their meaning to give his feet strength. Death was not something he feared, only failure. Once upon a time that had only meant failing Aizen-sama.
But now, he had a greater purpose. He would not live to know what it meant to be a father, to help bring another life into existence and nurture it to adulthood. But his death would give another a chance to live.
Power surged through his body, Ulquiorra didn't even bother with his released form, transforming into his most powerful state in an instant.
"Long live Aizen-sama!"
With that uncharacteristic war cry, the battle between two titans was joined.
Present Day
His cellphone rattled on the kitchen counter, the vibrations bumping the device up against his keys adding to the noise that suddenly filled the house. Ichigo frowned at his phone, wondering who it could be calling at this hour. He had just finished dinner and was in the process of putting away the dishes he had just hand washed.
Drying his hands on a towel, he picked up the phone and glared down at the unknown number. There were only a handful of people who had access to his personal number, he always gave the clinic line for anything else. Never once in the twelve years he had this number had anyone accidently dialed him.
As the insistent vibrating continued, his curiosity got the better of him.
"This is Ichigo."
"Hey there," the sultry voice of one Natasha Romanoff sounded into his ear. "So, I just met your friend Inoue."
Completely thrown for a loop at the unexpected direction the phone call had taken, the ex-shinigami answered with the first thing that came to mind.
"What were you doing in Africa?"
"India, actually. Just picking up a package. Learned some interesting stuff from your friend though. How come you guys never told me about my inner world?"
Ichigo frowned into his phone, wondering exactly what had transpired between his old friend and the spy.
"It's not really anything you need to bother with. Only Shinigami really have need for it, everyone else is just a mental space they create."
"Uh huh. You ever hear about someone with a monster hidden inside their inner world?"
"Heh, a monster she says. Sure, you do. Why don't you tell that redhead hottie about moi?"
Ichigo could feel the beginnings of a sharp headache lancing through his temple. He seriously did not need Hichigo butting into an already complicated situation.
"Nope, never heard of it," he replied as blandly as possible.
"Liar," Natasha chuckled through the phone. "Fine, keep your secrets. It's not really my problem anyways."
The soft rumble in the background that Ichigo had been hearing since the start of the odd conversation got the better of him. "Are you traveling right now?"
"Airplane," she replied. "Delivering that package, I told you about earlier to my boss."
"Do I even want to know?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
There was an expectant pause before she replied hesitantly. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but things might get hairy the next few days. Hopefully none of it will make it into the news, but bad things could happen if I screw up."
Ichigo clucked his tongue, weighing his next words.
"Are you in trouble?"
"I'm always in trouble," laughed the spy although it was tinged with some uncertainty. "Usually it doesn't involve the rest of the world though."
"Dude," said Hichigo. "Damsel in distress bro, time to do our thing and get laid!"
"Shut up," Ichigo snapped internally. "You stay out of this!"
"You don't sound too sure of yourself," he said gruffly. The unspoken offer of aid hung between them, something Ichigo could already hear Ishida scolding him for.
There was a long pause on the other end, as if the spy was seriously considering taking him up on the silent offer. Distant voices could be heard muttering in the background, too soft to be understood over the sound of whatever transportation the Russian was traveling in.
"I'm a big girl," Natasha finally responded. "I can take care of myself."
Sighing, Ichigo drummed his free hand on the kitchen counter. "Any reason you called me other than to tell me about your run in with Inoue?"
"Nothing important. Can't I just want to hear a friendly voice?"
"You've made some poor choices in life if I'm the one you go to for a friendly voice," Ichigo responded flatly.
Natasha laughed again, this time the sound lacking any mirth at all. There wasn't much to be said when both sides understood that what might have sounded like an insult was the closest thing to acknowledging what might pass for friendship between them.
"How's Yoruoichi doing?" she asked lightly, changing the subject.
"She's gone back to Soul Society."
"You guys never did explain how that worked to me. I mean she's technically dead, isn't she?"
Ichigo sighed, rolling his eyes. "It's complicated."
"Isn't it always?"
Ichigo grunted noncommittedly. "I'm hanging up."
Natasha laughed again. "Fine. Next time I drop by I expect actual answers."
The doctor rolled his eyes again. "I'm moving to an undisclosed location soon. Good luck finding me."
The spy laughed. "There's no place on earth you can go that I can't find."
This time it was Ichigo who gave a derisive laugh. "Who says I'm going to be on earth?"
He hung up before the startled woman would respond.
"So, that was the Natasha Romanoff I've heard so much about?"
The deep voice of Ichigo's old friend Chad held a tint of amusement despite his expression being relatively passive. The world-famous boxer was seated causally at the table where the two men had been eating at. His large frame making the furniture look slightly ridiculous in comparison, like an adult sitting in a child's chair.
Ichigo shot his friend a peevish look.
"That Ishida is the worst gossip in the world," he grumbled darkly. "I'm gonna kick his ass the next time I see him."
"It is human nature to be curious of the relationships between those closes to us," chided Chad with a hidden smile. "And she does sound like an interesting woman."
"Don't you start on that as well," Ichigo complained.
The large half Mexican half Japanese man hummed noncommittedly. "Your love life aside, have you given our proposal any more thought Ichigo? Jackie and I would be delighted if you would accept our offer."
The relationship that had sprung up between Chad and their former nemesis Jackie Tristen during the war had been rather unexpected, but their romance had lasted through the years despite the questions they had faced at the beginning.
"Chad, I'm honored really," Ichigo said with a sigh. "But I don't think I'm the best choice for godfather for your unborn child. I'm not going to be around for much longer."
The dark-skinned man laughed. "Ai, but you can watch over them in death can you not?"
Ichigo chuckled sardonically at how literal that expression was for someone like him.
"I suppose I'm not going to be able to change your mind, am I?" he asked ruefully.
"I would want no one else taking care of my child should my wife and I pass unexpectedly."
Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, you win. I reserve the right to say I told you so when this goes down in flames."
Chad gave a wide smile, reach out a hand that Ichigo automatically clasped, their palms gripping each other's forearms in a familiar grip. Friendships could fray and weaken with the passing of the years and miles in-between, but bonds forged in the fires of war were timeless.
"You don't know how much that means to me Ichigo," the larger man said quietly. "Thank you."
Ichigo smiled despite himself.
"So, you ready for your match?" he asked, purposefully changing the subject. "This is what, your thirty second title defense?"
The dark-skinned man had joined the boxing world a little bit after the war, and had rapidly gained a reputation as an undefeatable champion. He had conquered three weight classes, starting as a Light Heavyweight before finally settling for being the Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the world.
Even without taking his spiritual powers into consideration, Chad was still tougher than anyone Ichigo knew. This was the man who had taken on a hollow without powers and actually won.
Chad nodded with a smile. "It might very well be my last. Jackie doesn't like seeing me get hit, and she doesn't want our child to grow up watching their father get hit. I think I will retire after this fight."
Ichigo nodded, raising the beer bottle in his hand in a silent toast. "That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. As much as I like winning bets I place on you, from a doctor's stand point getting punched in the head is terrible in the long run. I know you have Inoue look at you to make sure nothing's wrong, but I still feel better knowing you're avoiding the noggin hits."
Chad raised his own drink to clink against Ichigo's before bringing it to his lips. "Besides, the construction company is starting to take off the ground; I haven't really needed the fight money for years."
The doctor nodded, happy for his friend.
"On another note," Chad said his expression getting serious, "Did you feel that reiatsu eruption a day ago?"
Ichigo frowned, remembering the sharp spike in reiatsu he had felt in the clinic despite the distance. It had been a short-lived thing, barely a second long, but for a moment it felt almost like someone had opened a Garganta.
"I did," he said. "Yoruichi was pulled back to help investigate. Last I heard the location of the disturbance was some research facility out in Nevada. It's a hole in the ground now. They said the actual destruction had nothing to do with spiritual power so as far as I know it's case closed for the Shinigami."
Chad frowned. "You would have think they've learned by now."
Ichigo snorted. "Yeah well no one ever accused them of making the best decisions in the world. We'll have to keep our eyes peeled. World's been peaceful for too long; it never lasts."
He glanced over at Zangetsu hanging on the frame over the fireplace.
Chad eyed the sword as well.
"It's been a long time since we've gone to war," the larger man said quietly. "I had hoped that we could avoid it again in our lifetime."
Ichigo sighed and placed his now empty bottle on the counter, staring moodily into his distorted reflection in the amber glass. "There's no telling what this is. I'm sure the Shinigami will take care of it if something does turn up."
The boxer echoed his friends sigh. "I'd like to believe that, but experience tells me otherwise. Just be on guard Ichigo."
The two men allowed the comfortable silence to build between them, both lost in memories of darker times when war had been all they known. It would be a terrible thing to have to go back to that, but both men had survived what had been labeled as the worst crises the spiritual world had ever faced. There was nothing that would make them flinch from doing what was necessary to protect them and theirs.
Nothing.
4/26/17 - As mentioned above, I added the warning in after looking at the reviews left by a large number of readers. I had written the scene with no explicit implication of rape and left it up to the reader to interpret as they saw fit so I did not feel a warning was necessary when I first posted, however I can understand that not everyone expected that graphic nature of that scene despite this being a rated M story.
In truth, I myself did not write this with an actual act of rape in mind. Aizen is a cold bastard, however I see him more as a manipulator rather than someone who uses brute force. He captured and trapped Orihime and put her in a situation where her loneliness and despair would push her to seek solace in Ulquiorra in order to satisfy his curiosity of a human/Hollow hybrid child. The act was consensual. Would some people still consider that rape? Probably. Will I change the scene to make it less ambiguous? Probably not. I wrote as intended and good or bad reception it will stay that way.
As a side note, while it's doubtful I would ever include it in this story, in my mind it was not Ulquiorra or even Aizen who had blinded and physically tortured Orihime, but Tosen. Of the three shinigami who betrayed soul society, Tosen is the one with a few screws loose in his head in my opinion. Aizen was an ambitious asshole who wanted to be greater than the soul king and he made no apologies for it. Gin wanted to kill Aizen for what he had done to Matsumoto, classic case of being revenge driven. Tosen is the one who believes what's being done is for "justice", and in the face of that he really is capable of anything.
One other thing I'd like to address is the fact that Ichigo hasn't played a central role in the story, at least not as much as Natasha has. He was never meant to be the central figure despite playing a big role and I don't think that's going to change, but it has been pointed out that my summary doesn't quite match what is being created. I will take a look at it and see if an update is necessary, but that probably won't happen until the next update.
AN(4/25/17): Not much to say I guess, times been slipping away from me again despite my attempts to get this out sooner rather than later. At the rate I'm going I think Infinity Wars part 2 will be in theaters before I'm done with this story XD
Anyways let me know what you think, I know it got a little bit dark there, but I wanted to again dip back into the war and how it had shaped my version of Ichigo and his friends.