Freezing: Nova Reaper
By: Castlecrasher009
Beta by: SoulEmbrace2010 and NSG
Chapter 1: From One War To Another
"The Final Getsuga Tenshou...is me...becoming Getsuga itself."
Kurosaki Ichigo glared at the horror that Sosuke Aizen had become. The traitorous Former Captain floated before him with the Hogyoku suspended in the center of the hole in his chest. After months of fighting against Aizen's forces and trying to stop his plans, it all came down to this moment. Ichigo was going to end all this, one way or the other.
"The Final Getsuga Tenshou...if I use this technique, I will lose all my Shinigami powers. That's what 'Final' means."
He watched as Aizen stared at his transformed body, the product of his power's evolution. Three months spent inside the Dangai, the corridor between the Living World and Soul Society. Three months of battling with his own Zanpakuto to attain the ability to end Aizen's ambitions. All that effort to obtain the Final Getsuga Tenshou and knowing what it means when he uses it.
Strange how calm he felt at that moment.
"Absurd! That couldn't possibly be! A mere human cannot surpass me!"
Ichigo ignored the horror's ranting as he reached out and 'grasped' his blade. The phantom form of his Zanpakuto flickered into existence, darkness flowing through his fingers. Raising it into the air above his head, Ichigo felt a sense of resignation wash over himself.
"Mugetsu."
Ichigo sliced the air with his sword, and the world filled with black, a wave of unfathomable power surging up from the Earth, dividing the sky in absolute silence. Remembering the last words Zangetsu had said to him, as his blade's soul imparted unto him this ultimate attack, Ichigo watched as Aizen, his face in complete shock, was split straight down the middle. The brunt of the energy slowly shredded the traitor's mutated body into oblivion.
'Goodbye, Aizen. Goodbye…Zangetsu.'
A flicker of light in the darkness stole him away from his thoughts. A small object glimmered in the void, the very thing Aizen had spent thousands of years trying to obtain, perfect and utilize for his ascension.
The Hogyoku.
'That's…' Ichigo thought as he watched the small orb begin to flicker violently. He became alarmed when he started to feel the energy around him, still charged from his final attack, shifting as the orb began to shudder and vibrate. Then, in the soundless void of darkness, a loud crack filled the air.
It was as if day replaced night. The light from the Hogyoku became a sudden all eclipsing flare. Ichigo barely had time to notice the orb splitting into several pieces before a force pulled him straight towards the center of chaotic power where the Hogyoku once existed. There was no time to brace himself, no time to react. Only helplessness as he was dragged through what he would later describe as a hole in space, an event horizon that was just as inescapable as was light was to a black hole.
Outside, the power from Mugetsu and the light of the Hogyoku began to spin around in a twisted dance of light and dark, the two forces cascading and lashing about, tearing away at anything within reach. Urahara Kisuke landed on the ground a distance away from the anomaly, his eyes wide as he took in the sight.
"Ichigo…" The former captain muttered as he witnessed the event, hoping that the young man he placed his faith in didn't get caught up in this strange phenomenon. After a short time, the ball of chaos began to collapse in on itself, getting smaller and smaller until it finally consumed itself, leaving behind a massive crater, along with a canyon-like gash extending several miles into the distance. Kisuke moved forward to investigate, trying to determine what happened to his one-time student. Nearing the crater, he stretched out his senses, trying to feel out Ichigo's Reiatsu. Even if Ichigo had ascended to a level beyond his sensory limits, he should still feel something from his presence alone.
But, there was nothing. Not a single hint of the young man remained, and this worried him greatly.
"This...is not good." Kisuke thought as he looked around before his eyes caught a tiny flicker on the ground in the crater. Jumping down, he walked over to the source and bent down to see a fragment of a jewel-like object he was intimately familiar with.
"The Hogyoku…" He said as he picked up the piece, examining the fragment with a critical eye. He knew Ichigo was strong, but to break an object as powerful as this? What a frightening thought.
Kisuke sighed. He just knew the kind of trouble this was going to stir up. He wasn't looking forward to telling everyone about Ichigo's disappearance, especially Yuroichi. She was going to let him have it.
"I hope you're alright, kid. Wherever you are."
...
Ichigo was not alright. He was far from alright. He was as far from alright as you can be and then getting pushed away even further. He was being thrown around in what could be described as a kaleidoscope with a sugar rush. Every fiber of his soul felt as if it was being ripped apart ten times over. He felt like screaming, but no sound came from his lips. He couldn't move. He couldn't act. He could barely even think! He was helpless as his body was thrown around in this chaotic storm with no end in sight.
Worse still, he could feel his powers leaving him, the toll of Mugetsu finally catching up to him. He knew, instinctively, that when his power eventually faded away, his soul would be left defenseless in this storm, and then he would be torn apart.
'Is this the end? Am I going to die in this place? Without even seeing everyone after ending that bastard? After everything I went through, this is my fate? No! I refuse to believe that! I won't let it end like this! If there is anyone that's listening, help me! I want to survive! I want to make it back to everyone I care about! Please!'
A flicker of light appeared in his vision as something flew around in the chaos within the strange realm. The object flew about covered in a white glow as it honed in on the older teen before flying into his chest. A brief moment later, Ichigo was enveloped in the white light before vanishing from the gap between dimensions.
Ichigo had felt pain before, but never to the extent that he felt at that moment. His whole body twitched and spasmed for several moments as he laid on the cold ground. Even breathing hurt, but he resolved himself to move his body. Slowly he pushed himself up, taking notice of his state.
He had lost the form he'd taken as the Final Getsuga Tenshou, and amazingly, had returned to the Bankai form he had been in before his training in the Dangai. Astonished, he realized his power was still intact. He even had Zangetsu in his hand, the black blade shining in the faint light.
"I'm…still a Shinigami…!" Ichigo breathed out as he stared at his Zanpakuto. He began to chuckle. What a strange twist of fate. He was fully prepared to give up his powers to defeat Aizen, but here he was, his powers still intact.
Sadly, that was the only thing that was, because as he started to reach with his other hand to caress the blade, he realized that something was missing.
His left arm was gone!
"Geh!" Ichigo gasped out as his mind was sent reeling. He started to notice other things about himself. There were patches of flesh missing from his body. Nothing severe, but it still looked horrendous. He also realized that he could only see out of his right eye.
"Damn it...what the hell happened to me?!" Ichigo grunted as he stood up on shaky legs. "Come on, Ichigo. Get it together. You're still alive, just not in one piece. You've been here before." Ichigo said to himself as he willed himself to move. "Okay, just need to find some help...Orihime will fix me right up later."
Finding the strength to walk, Ichigo started moving towards the nearest light source. It was nighttime, and everything around was in ruin. It looked like a part of a city that had been abandoned for some time. Still, there was light in the distance, not far from where he was.
Passing a fallen sign, Ichigo nearly did a double-take when he saw the writing. It was not Japanese. The lettering written on the sign was foreign. Looking carefully, he recognized it as German.
"What the hell! I'm halfway around the freaking world!" Ichigo shouted. How the hell did he end up on the other side of the globe? Shaking his head, Ichigo grunted in frustration as he moved on. "Shit...how the hell am I going to get home?"
Ichigo continued to move towards the light. Getting closer, he began to realize that something was amiss. The glow was too luminescent to be simple street light or another artificial lighting. It wasn't until he rounded the corner of a dilapidated building did he find the source of the light.
A giant glowing blue dome sat in the middle of a clearing. The light slowly pulsed from within as a low hum filled the air.
"What the hell is this?" Ichigo muttered as he examined the dome.
Shortly afterward, the light within intensified, and the dome collapsed, revealing a giant figure inside.
The strange creature was the size of a Minos Grande, had a white body with blue accents painted along portions of its armored shell. It had no legs but a long trunk with two blade-like protrusions curving upward while floating above the ground. It had an almost feminine, humanoid face under an elongated armored helmet, and three long, blade-like extensions for arms.
*Play Invasion - Bleach*
"What the...is that some kind of Hollow…?" Ichigo asked as he gazed at the massive creature. It suddenly started moving, turning towards him. It made no sound, no indication of intent towards the teen, but a moment later, one of the blades on its arm blurred out of focus.
Instinct honed from countless battles with fast opponents kicked in, and Ichigo raised his blade fast enough to block a strike meant to bisect him. He was pushed back with tremendous force, his feet dragging across the ground as he grunted from the sudden attack. Ichigo pushed the blade away with a loud groan and saw that the blade flexed like a whip. Great. It was like fighting a giant version of Renji's Zabimaru.
"Damn it. Going for a sneak attack. I don't know what the hell this thing is, but it sure as hell ain't friendly."
The monster retracted its blade and paused for a moment. Ichigo readied his stance, preparing for anything this thing might throw at him. Suddenly, a series of blue hexagons rippled out from under the monster. Ichigo was shocked to find himself nearly immobilized as the hexagons formed underneath him.
"What the?" Ichigo grunted as he strained to move. The monster floated closer, and another of its blades started moving.
"Shit!" Ichigo cursed as he pumped as much Reiryoku as he could into his legs to get them moving. The blade blurred off the creature, and Ichigo initiated a Shunpo, barely avoiding being sliced in half as the whip-like blade slashed the ground. Ichigo reappeared on top of a nearby building; his breathing labored.
"Damn! That took nearly everything I had just to move."
The monster quickly turned in his direction. Its six blades began to wave around. It looks like this thing was done playing around.
"Alright...I don't know what you are, but I'm not going to give you the chance to hurt anyone." Ichigo declared as he pointed his blade at the monster.
The blades blurred, and so did Ichigo, using his Bankai's speed to avoid the slashing strikes. Concrete slabs flew off building sides, and trenches formed on the ground as the battle went on—Ichigo dove to slash at the monster's face, leaving a gash across its hide. This time, the beast let out an almost feminine cry as it recoiled and slashed wildly at the Shinigami.
Ichigo flickered away and stopped in the air, trying to see if his attack did anything.
"Can't be a Hollow. It's not disappearing after attacking the face." Ichigo observed from his spot. His eyes widened as a ball of red energy formed in front of it. "Shit!"
Another Shunpo carried him off to the side, avoiding a massive beam of energy that sliced upwards and split the clouds. Ichigo groaned as he landed on the ground. This fight was taking what was left of his strength. He needed to end this and fast.
"Alright...Let's see you shrug this one off. I'm ending this!" Ichigo declared as he raised his blade and focused his remaining Reiryoku into Zangetsu. Black wisps of energy swirled around his sword and flared up like a bonfire. The monster made to turn towards Ichigo, just in time to hear the words leave his mouth.
"Getsuga...TENSHOU!"
...
The twin rotary blades of an Osprey VTOL chopped through the air as it flew through the sky. Onboard, a group of young men and women sat on either side of the cargo area. Everyone inside was dressed for battle, wearing full composite body armor. No one carried any visible weapons on them, but none of them needed to. The women, Pandoras, were able to generate their weapons using the Stigmata embedded in their bodies. They were the frontline fighters in the war against the Nova. Meanwhile, the men, Limiters, acted as support units, projecting Freezing Fields that neutralized the Nova's own fields and slowed their movements.
But even with a large number of 'soldiers,' their chance of victory without heavy losses was slim to none, even against a single Nova, which is why everyone looked nervous as they waited to arrive at the site where the Nova Incursion was detected.
Suddenly, the speakers inside the compartment clicked on.
"Attention all Pandora and Limiter teams. The situation has just changed. The sensory outpost reports that the reaction from the Nova has ceased. I repeat, the reaction from the Nova has ceased."
Confused murmurs filled the compartment as the pairs spoke amongst themselves, trading questions and theories.
"HQ has therefore altered the mission. You are to scout the Incursion Zone and report back on the status of the Nova. Continue with Maximum Alert Status as conditions are currently unknown. Follow the orders of your superior, and God be with you. That is all."
"Alright, you heard the man! We are switching from Search and Destroy to Recon! Keep your guard up; we don't know what we'll find there!" A Pandora, an older blonde woman who was the group's superior officer, shouted out to everyone.
A collective 'Yes, ma'am!' sounded throughout the compartment. As everyone prepared to mobilize, the VTOL entered the area where the Nova had been detected.
"We've reached the AOE. Nothing out of the ordinary so fa- Holy Shit!" The pilot's voice sounded over the speaker.
"What's going on?" The leader asked as she walked up to the pilot cabin and opened the door.
"Look at that!" The pilot pointed out ahead of them.
The leader looked up, and her eyes shot wide open. From where they were, in the early dawn light, they could see the remains of a Nova lying against a partially collapsed building. Its head and chest were gone, and there was a deep horizontal gash halfway down through the trunk. Its arms laid limply along the ground.
"What the hell could have done that?!" The leader asked as she placed a hand on the pilot's headrest. Well, that explained why the reaction ceased. The Nova was as dead as it could get.
"Hell if I know. But whatever it was, it was huge. Look behind it."
She did and noticed the large trench dug through several buildings in a straight line aligned with the damaged section of the Nova.
"Take us down. Find a place to land."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
The pilot guided the aircraft to a nearby clearing large enough for the VTOL to land. When the craft landed, its rear door opened, and the occupants rushed out with military efficiency.
"Spread out and secure the area! I want no surprises!" The superior shouted to her troops, receiving affirmatives as the pairs ran off to carry out their orders. The Pandora herself headed straight towards the remains of the Nova with her Limiter in tow.
Arriving at the corpse of the Nova, the pair stared in astonishment at the sight of the nearly obliterated monster.
"I've never seen anything like this before, Anna. What in the world could have caused that much damage to a Nova?" The young man asked his partner.
Anna shook her head. "I haven't a clue, Hans. Never have I seen such a sight."
The two continued to stare in wonder until a voice snapped them out of their trance.
"Over here! We found someone!"
Anna and Hans rushed over, along with others who were within earshot. By the time they arrived, a small crowd had formed around a person lying face down on the ground. As Anna approached, the group parted, allowing the superior to see who they had found.
It was an older teen in ruined black robes clutching a black Japanese katana in his only hand. The other arm was missing, and numerous open wounds were littering his body. His features were foreign, with his bright orange hair standing out the most.
"What in the world is this guy doing here? Damn, he's in bad shape. Is he even alive?" Hans asked, bewildered and slightly disturbed by the number of injuries on display.
"As hard as it is to believe, he's still alive, but if we don't do something soon, he won't be for long." A Pandora who was kneeling beside the teen said as she checked the teen over.
"Right. Let's get him back to the VTOL!" Anna said as she activated her radio. "This is a Priority-One declaration. We have one unknown in critical condition. We need immediate Med-Evac to the nearest hospital. Get those engines spooling, Stat!"
"Roger that! Engines are spooling! Preparing for immediate Med-Evac!"
"We need a stretcher here! Medical, get here on the double!"
"On our way!"
"Let's get him prepped. We need to be careful with his wounds."
Anna watched as her troops moved as one and carefully prepared the teen for transport. Turning back towards the Nova, she continued to marvel at the sheer destruction wrought upon the monster. She could see the trench through the bisected Nova from where she was standing.
'Wait a minute!' She thought as she came to a realization. The long trench was aligned with the Nova's corpse, which created a straight line to where she was standing.
Right where they found the unknown teen.
'Impossible! Was he the one who did this?!' Anna turned back to stare at the teen, who was being loaded on a stretcher. The thought was incomprehensible, yet it was the only evidence presented to her. Only, the evidence was ludicrous. There was just no way that this unknown male could have annihilated a Type-S Nova.
Right?
...
Doctor Aoi Gengo sighed as he sat at his desk. He was going over the latest results from his experiments with the Stigmata he had recently developed. The results were promising if he could find a suitable candidate for them. Unlike the regular Stigmata created through the 'usual means,' these Stigmata were developed from the material harvested from a Stigma Body. Due to this, the Stigmata required an extremely high compatibility rating specifically with this tissue.
This practically reduced the number of even likely candidates to zero.
Gengo groaned as he threw the report on the table. What good was the tool when there wasn't anyone capable of using it?
His eyes landed on a picture frame sitting on his desk. It showed two children, a boy, and an older girl, smiling for the camera. Eyes softening, Gengo picked up the picture and stared at the two children, his late grandchildren.
His granddaughter, Aoi Kazuha, was a strong Pandora who'd died in the line of duty during the 8th Nova Clash, where she was hailed as a hero.
His grandson, Kazuya, had passed due to health complications only a year after his sister. Despite what the official records stated, Gengo knew his sister's death had hit the boy hard. He adored his sister more than anything in the world, and after her passing, he had all but withered away. Gengo was convinced his grandson died of a broken heart.
The ringing of his phone pulled him out of his thoughts. Answering, he was surprised by the news given to him.
"I'm on my way."
...
Walking down the hospital corridor, Gengo headed straight towards the high-security wing with his bodyguard, Lee Su-Na. His personal Pandora stayed a step behind him as he entered the wing and used his credentials to get past security.
"So, let me get this straight. This unknown young man who, as far as we know, has no form of identification registered anywhere in the world, appears at the same time a Type-S Nova appears. All indications say that this guy, in a half-dead state, was able to not only defeat the Nova but almost obliterate it. Did I get all that right?" Lee Su-Na asked the man she was accompanying.
"That sums it up very well, Miss Lee," Gengo said, reaching another locked door and sliding his key card through the reader.
"Do you realize how ludicrous that sounds? Not only has no one since Maria Lancelot has been able to fight one-on-one with a Nova, but without Stigmata? And it's a male? That's impossible to believe!"
"Our belief is irrelevant in this matter. Only the facts are important." Gengo responded as he passed through the last set of doors and entered a laboratory-like medical room.
Several technicians and physicians were busy working at terminals and looking over charts. The center of the room held a large cylindrical tank filled with liquid, with a nude orange-haired teen floating in the center. An oxygen regulator was securely fixed to his mouth, supplying him with air.
Gengo approached the tank, examining the teen with a critical eye.
"Do we have any clue to his origin?" Gengo asked a nearby technician.
The man shook his head. "None, sir. He has no identification on him, and nothing has returned from the facial recognition search. No travel records or anything. It's like he just appeared out of thin air."
"He was wearing tattered clothing and holding a black katana in his hands when he was found, but as soon as they were removed from him, they disintegrated. We have no idea what they were made of."
Gengo hummed to himself as a physician approached him, tablet in hand.
"Sir, I think you should look at this."
Taking the PDA from the man, Gengo looked at the data displayed on the screen. His eyes slowly moved across the text before widening.
"This is…"
"Yes, sir. His DNA shows he is human, but his body comprises an unknown composition that is almost perfectly compatible with Stigmata tissue. I know it's hard to believe; I even re-ran the test to see if it was some error, but all results were the same."
"I see. Thank you." Gengo said as his eyes left the tablet and stared at the teen floating in the tank, his mind whirling with plans and scenarios involving the teen.
Su-Na slowly walked up to Gengo. "Doctor, what are you thinking?"
"I'm just wondering if we haven't just been handed our…deliverance…."
...
Ichigo groaned as he woke up, his head throbbing as he tried blinking away the bright light and waited for his eyes to adjust. Once he was finally able to see again, he looked around to see where he was. A glance around revealed he was in a white room with monitoring equipment sitting around. The familiar smell of anesthetics was enough to clue him in that he was in a hospital or clinic.
'Fitting, considering how much of a bad shape I'm in...wait….' Ichigo's eyes widened when he realized that he could feel things with his left arm. Glancing down, he moved the appendage into view and felt his breath hitch when he realized that his formerly missing forearm had been restored.
"Wha...how can this be?" Ichigo asked aloud as he examined his perfectly good arm. There wasn't a single blemish on it. Lifting his other arm, he saw that it too was intact. Carefully pushing himself into a sitting position, he examined the rest of his body and found it in perfect condition. Not a single scratch or scar on him.
"But how? My body was a wreck earlier!" he protested to nobody as he marveled at his pristine form. He was almost too lost in thought to notice the door to the room open, and an older Japanese man in a doctor's coat walked in. The man quirked an eyebrow at the teen but gave no other show of emotion at Ichigo's awakening.
"I see you're awake. How do you feel?" The man said in fluent Japanese as he walked over to the bed.
"Surprisingly good, Doc. Actually, I'm surprised I'm in as good a shape as I am." Ichigo responded honestly, glad he was able to speak to the man in his native language. Sure, he knew English thanks to his course studies back in Karakura High, but it was much easier to speak fluent Japanese.
"Considering the condition you were in when they brought you in, that's not surprising." The man said as he pulled out a flash pen and shined the light in Ichigo's eyes. The teen allowed him, knowing the whole song and dance thanks to his father's profession. "Reflexes look good. No sign of neurological damage, and your body has healed nicely."
"Yeah, about that. How the hell did I get my arm back? The last time I checked, it was kinda gone." Ichigo deadpanned.
"We'll get to that in a moment. But first, I do believe introductions are in order. I'm Doctor Aoi Gengo, Chief Scientist of the Chevalier Organization." Gengo introduced himself.
"Uh, Kurosaki Ichigo. Thanks for fixing me up, Doctor Aoi." Ichigo returned the greeting.
Gengo picked up a nearby tablet and began typing on it. "Kurosaki Ichigo…Well, Kurosaki-san, I must say that you had to have had a harrowing experience when the Nova appeared."
Ichigo looked perplexed. "Nova? What's a Nova?"
"That massive creature whose corpse was located near where you were discovered." Gengo tapped the tablet, and a screen across the room turned on, showing an image of the destroyed Nova.
Ichigo's eyes widened, realizing that the creature was not the same kind of entity he was accustomed to. These things had physical bodies, which meant it had left evidence of his involvement behind.
Then another realization dawned on him.
'If my soul is outside my body, how is it he can see and touch me? I never returned to it since I left to rescue Orihime.'
"Kurosaki-san…" Ichigo turned to look at the scientist as the older man stared down at him. "Considering your reaction, I'm assuming you had something to do with the Nova's defeat."
"Guh…" Ichigo's breath hitched, providing all the evidence Gendo needed.
"Before you say anything, let me inform you that we have also seen the strange blade you held when the squads found you. It disintegrated when it was removed from your persons."
Well, damn. Ichigo knew there was no way to talk himself out of this. He only hoped the man was open-minded enough to believe his story.
"...Look. What I'm about to tell you might be hard to believe." Ichigo begins as he leans back in his bed.
Gengo smirks. "You'll find that I am quite an open-minded man, Mr. Kurosaki."
"It's kind of a long story, too."
"I have all the time in the world right now," Gengo responded, pulling up a nearby chair and sitting down.
Ichigo breathes in deeply and lets out a calming sigh. "Well, you see, I'm not exactly human."
"Oh?" Gengo says as he raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah. The truth is I'm a hybrid of a human and a spiritual being known as a Shinigami…."
And so, Ichigo began his lengthy explanation of who he was, the powers he wielded, and the long and elaborate events that lead up to the present. Gengo simply listened and recorded things on his tablet, interrupting only when he wanted clarification and explanations on things Ichigo spoke about. It took hours, and they even stopped to eat halfway through when a nurse brought food for Ichigo. Gengo asked for something as well. They resumed the discussion once they had their fill.
Finally, Ichigo finished his tale with the conclusion of the battle against the Nova.
"Hmm, that is quite an interesting story, Mr. Kurosaki. It is a bit of a stretch to believe. However-" Gengo spoke quickly when he noticed Ichigo rolling his eyes in exasperation. "-given the evidence and circumstances, I am inclined to believe you."
"Uh, just like that? I'd figure you would want to see proof or something." Ichigo admitted to the Doctor.
"I told you, Kurosaki-san. I am an open-minded individual. Not to mention the sheer detail of your story is far too complex to be a work of fiction." Gengo says as he typed on the tablet. "There is also this."
A new image appeared on the screen. It was the abandoned section of the city Ichigo woke up in. The image zoomed in on an open area of the street just before a ball of light flickered into existence. The light pulsed before expanding rapidly with bolts of energy dancing around it before it collapsed in on itself, leaving the still body of a teen in tattered black robes and a black blade in his hand lying face down on the pavement. Moments later, the teen slowly rose to his feet, revealing a head of orangish-blonde hair swaying as he started walking away.
"It seems you have been displaced, and not just across the planet, mind you."
"What?" Ichigo asked as he turned away from the screen.
"You asked me what the Nova were. They are inter-dimensional invaders who come to this world and cause catastrophic destruction. That is why your story is believable, Mr. Kurosaki. It could have only occurred in another dimension on a parallel Earth."
"What?" Ichigo asked.
"The Nova have been invading the world for the past fifty-two years, Mr. Kurosaki. It is impossible for anyone in this world not to know about them, yet you asked what they were, and you have never once brought them up in your story. There is also the fact that Karakura Town does not and never has existed here in this world."
This revelation floors Ichigo. He had thought he simply was transported across half the globe, but he never thought he had been transported to another dimension. Then he began to think. What if he was stranded in this world, never able to see his friends and family again? Ichigo's body began to shake as he started to panic.
"Kurosaki-san! Calm yourself!" Gengo quickly said as he grabbed the teen by his shoulders. He could quickly tell what he was thinking. "Do not panic! If there is a way for you to get here, then there is a way for you to get back."
"H-how can you be so sure? Do you know of a way?" Ichigo asked as he slowly calmed down.
"Honestly, no. But I will look into finding a way. However, I would like to ask you for something in return."
"What's that?" Ichigo asked.
"That you help us fight the Nova. You have already demonstrated that you can defeat them, and with your body restored, I can assure you that you will be more than capable of combating them."
"You want me to fight the Nova? How would I do that now? I don't have my Shinigami badge to eject my soul."
Gengo smiled. "I believe I've already found a workaround. You see, conventional weapons do not affect the Nova, so we had to devise a new way. That is where I came up with the Pandora System. A means to combat the Nova using its tissue to create Stigmata. This allows humans to create weapons and utilize powers to combat the Nova, not much unlike your ability as a Shinigami. It was this same power that healed your body and restored your arm."
The man showed an image on the tablet screen, and Ichigo's eyes widened. He raised his hand and reached up over his shoulder to feel a distinct, crystal-like object embedded in his back. On the tablet, Ichigo could see twelve elongated octahedron-shaped objects embedded in the flesh.
"You are the first-ever successful male Pandora in existence, Ichigo Kurosaki. Congratulations."
...
"Alright, Ichigo. Let's see if we can draw out the power of the Stigmata," said Lee Su-Na, standing across from Ichigo on the lawn of Gengo Aoi's private estate.
After explaining to Ichigo the role of the Pandoras and their power to create weapons through Volt Texture and inform him of anything relevant to Nova, the Chevalier scientist took Ichigo to his home and introduced him to his bodyguard, Lee Su-Na. Explaining that she was an active duty Pandora herself, he had Ichigo settle in and began to educate Ichigo about the events of the world over the last five decades and any crucial facts of the world.
After a few weeks, Gengo decided that it was time for the teen to learn how to draw on the Stigmata and manifest his Volt Weapon. The man sat in a chair on his patio, watching the two as one instructed the other.
"To deploy your Volt Weapon, you need to reach into yourself through the Stigmata and draw out the power within. Just close your eyes and feel out the energy flowing from the Stigmata."
Ichigo nodded and closed his eyes, feeling for the energy. Drawing on his experience feeling out the threads of spiritual energy of others, he turned that 'sight' inward to find the foreign power from the Stigmata. A few minutes, he found something but was perplexed when he found it flowing deeper into the center of himself.
'Could it be…?' Ichigo thought as he followed the flow deeper in, and to his delight, began to feel a familiar power from deep within his very soul.
'This is...this is it...my powers!'
Ichigo reached into his very soul, calling out to the power he knew so well, and it answered.
*Play Number One - Bleach*
Su-Na looked on as Ichigo's eyebrows knitted together as he concentrated. As she watched, she was startled when she noticed the air around Ichigo begin to spin around him.
"What the-Kyaa!" She was nearly thrown off balance when the teen was enveloped in a pale light before a force pulsed from him, and the air rushed past her. Blinded by the light and air blast for a second, Su-Na opened her eyes, and her jaw dropped open from what she saw.
Ichigo stood there, now wearing a set of black sleeveless robes over a set of thin white armor extending halfway up his neck, covering his arms to his wrists, and completely covering the exposed parts of his legs and feet. His hands were covered by white gloves, with an X emblazoned on the back. Strapped to his back was a large, curved, single-edged black sword, partially wrapped in cloth. The sword resembled a large knife, with the blade extending over the hilt, creating a guard for the hand, and the spine dipping at the tip. A long chain dangled from the butt of the grip.
Su-Na stared at the teen in astonishment. "That's...not a Volt Weapon...is it?"
Gengo also stared, but soon a smirk appeared on his face. "My, Kurosaki-san. You are just full of surprises."
Ichigo looked down at his gloved hand, flexing it as he felt the power of his soul course through him and revealed in the familiar weight resting on his back. A grin spread across his face as he threw his head back and shouted out to the heavens above in revelry.
...
"We are commencing the exercise. Kurosaki, destroy the Nova Dummies."
Several months passed since Ichigo had arrived in this new world. A lot had happened, and now Ichigo was testing his abilities against a group of Nova Dummies to evaluate his strength to fight the Nova. He was inside a sizable holographic simulation room in his new Shikai form, Zangetsu resting on his shoulder as he gripped the zanpakuto. The environment showed a ruined city block with three S-Type Nova advancing on him.
Ichigo smirked as he watched a large Freezing field radiate outward from the dummies, feeling his body lock up as the field passed under him.
"Freezing."
The Freezing field under him shattered, and a new one radiated out from him instead. The new field rapidly spread to the dummies, freezing their limbs in place. Ichigo lifted the sword off his shoulders and pushed himself off the ground, flying through the air as he soared straight at the nearest dummy.
"Huuaaaah!" he shouted as he swung Zangetsu, the blade biting through the outer shell and core of the dummy in a single stroke. Even as the top section of the dummy started to slide off, Ichigo was already moving towards the next dummy. The bladed arms began to move again, albeit slowly, still under the effects of the freezing field.
Ichigo easily avoided the slashes and stabbed his blade forward, plunging the blade into the dummys' chest. Channeling reiatsu into the sword, Ichigo sent a burst of spiritual power into the dummy. A plumb of power and smoke exploded out the back of the dummy, sending it toppling over.
Ichigo then turned his attention to the last dummy, which was charging a particle beam that it fired in a narrow beam. The Substitute Shinigami swung his blade just as the beam connected, splitting the energy in two, which passed the teen harmlessly.
"Getsuga...Tenshou!"
The wave of destructive energy roared forward, dispersing the particle beam as it raced towards the dummy until it slammed into it, splitting the dummy in two. The teen landed on the ground as the two sides of the Dummy Nova fell, kicking up a dust cloud.
"Destruction of the Dummy Nova confirmed. Very well done, Mr. Kurosaki."
The PA announced the conclusion of the exercise as the cityscape faded away and left behind a large white room with black grid lines covering the floor, walls, and ceiling.
Up in the observation booth, Gengo, Su-Na, and a few loyal technicians watched as the teen dismissed his Shinigami form, the clothing and armor evaporating to reveal a set of light practice fatigues. Gengo smiled as he analyzed the performance data.
"He did better than expected. His power is truly something; it still amazes me how he can channel his Shinigami power through the Stigmata to utilize it along with the Volt Texture."
"It gives me shivers. That blade of his can do some real damage," Su-Na remarked, remembering several of her spars with the teen as she'd taught him a few Pandora techniques. She still had a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact his 'Shunpo' had been just as fast as some of the High-End Skills without the aid of Stigmata.
Gengo grunted in response, remembering the discovery himself. He could only imagine what kind of reaction the boy would garner when an unfortunate fool learned of the comparison the hard way.
A moment later, Ichigo arrived in the box. "So, how'd I do?"
"Exemplary, Kurosaki-san. I believe you've demonstrated that you are more than prepared to face the Nova. Thus, we will be proceeding with what we discussed."
Ichigo nodded. "So I'll be headed to Japan to attend West Genetics Academy."
"Correct. You will be joining the Pandoras that are training there. Forming bonds with your allies will be important, so make sure you make friends while you are there."
"When do I leave?"
"Tomorrow. I'll be finalizing things with the headmistress tonight before I leave for a conference in the morning myself, so, unfortunately, I will not be able to see you off."
"I got it. Thanks for everything, Doc."
"It was my pleasure. Enjoy your flight, Kurosaki-san."
...
Ichigo stretched his limbs as he departed the plane. Prior to his leaving, he had been given his new West Genetics uniform, consisting of a white dress shirt and black tie, black dress slacks, and black dress shoes. He also wore a yellow swallowtail coat, extending down to his knees, with the Genetics emblem sewn into the shoulder. A matching yellow dress-vest was visible under the coat.
It had been a long twelve-hour flight to get from Germany to Japan, but now he was back in more familiar surroundings.
'As familiar as it can get for me…This isn't my Japan,' Ichigo thought as he walked through the terminal. He looked around as he tried to locate the person who he had been instructed to contact. He had been told she would be meeting him just outside the security checkpoint. Getting through security had been amazingly easy. The guards had taken one look at the ID he had been given and waved him right through.
"Alright, where is this Chiffon Fairchild I'm supposed to meet?" he asked himself, looking around.
"Yoo-hoo~ Kurosaki-kun! Over here." A voice called out nearby. Turning towards the source of the voice, Ichigo saw a girl near his age, with short brown hair and eyes narrowed into slits waving at him. She wore the Genetics girls uniform, a burgundy dress shirt, and skirt with white accents, white thigh-high leggings, and brown dress shoes.
She also had a slim, voluptuous figure.
Ichigo blinked, not used to seeing someone who could see with her eyes nearly shut. Walking over to the girl, Ichigo greeted her. "I take it you're Chiffon Fairchild?"
"I am, and you must be Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm the Student Council President for West Genetics. The Headmistress, Sister Margaret, asked me to retrieve you. Let's get your luggage and get to the transport." Chiffon said as she led Ichigo away to the baggage area.
The carousel was already moving, so it didn't take long to retrieve it. Ichigo followed Chiffon out of the terminal and, to his surprise, onto the tarmac where an Osprey VTOL sat waiting.
Ichigo almost stumbled upon seeing the vehicle as Chiffon saluted the pilot and climbed aboard.
"Coming, Ichigo-kun?" The smiling brunette said as she stuck her head out of the plane.
"Y-yeah," Ichigo responded as he walked to the plane and boarded just as the engines began to spool up.
Seeing that Chiffon was already strapped into a seat, Ichigo stowed his luggage and found a spot across from the girl. As he strapped in for the ride, Chiffon gave the boy an appraising look over.
"You look nice in that outfit, Ichigo. It suits you."
"Ah, you think so?" Ichigo said as he scratched the back of his head.
Chiffon nodded. "Hm. Though I do wonder why it isn't the standard boys uniform?"
"Eh?" Ichigo blinked.
"Yes. The boys just wear dress clothes and a jacket. Yours is much more sophisticated. You're going to stand out."
Ichigo groaned. If there was one thing he didn't want was to draw unnecessary attention to himself. He should have known the doctor was planning something.
"Still, I don't think it is a bad thing," He heard her continue. "You shouldn't have any problems finding a partner if you dress like that," Chiffon giggled. "Even I'm half-tempted to claim you. You are certainly a step up from the usual Limiter candidate."
"Ah, well, I'm not actually going to Genetics to be a Limiter, you know," Ichigo confessed to the girl.
"Oh? But why else would you be going? Only boys with the compatibility to become Limiters are allowed to attend Genetics Academies."
Ichigo scratched his head again."Well, did the headmistress say anything about me?"
Chiffon placed a finger on her chin."She just said that I was to escort a special VIP to the academy so he can enroll as a student."
"Well, you see, I'm attending as a 'Pandora' myself…though I guess, that sounds weird when people associate that word for girls."
"…It's not very nice to fib, Ichigo-kun."
The boy groaned. "Look, that's how it is. I've got this Stigmata implanted in me that helps me draw out my abilities. The Doc can vouch for me."
"Prove it."
"Huh?"
"Show me you can produce a Volt Weapon."
Ichigo sighed. It figures no one would believe him at face value. Straightening up, Ichigo held out his hand and called forth his Zanpakuto. The blade materialized right before the girl, whose mouth fell open in shock.
"Believe me now?"
Chiffon stared at the massive black blade for a moment before shaking herself out of her stupor. "Th-that's amazing! I've never considered it possible for a male Pandora to exist. You are a marvel!"
"It's not that big of a deal," Ichigo responded as he dismissed his blade.
"Not that big a deal?! Ichigo, this is huge! What else can you do? Are you capable of producing a Freezing field?"
The boy shrugged. "Yeah, I can generate one easily. It makes fighting so much easier when your opponents are having trouble moving." Ichigo said with a smirk. Now he knew why Byakuya loved using that one Kido.
Once more, Chiffon was stunned silent. "You…can use Freezing without an Ereinbar Set?... Ichigo, you are a complete game-changer."
"I'm a bit surprised you believe me so easily."
"I can't deny it after you brought out a Volt Weapon before my eyes."
"Well, do me a favor. Don't spread this information around. I don't like unnecessary attention," Ichigo told her, grimacing at the thought of being the center of a massive amount of unwanted attention, "I only told you because you're the Student Council President."
Chiffon hummed as she sat back in her seat. "I can't promise anything, Ichigo. This is a major development, and sooner or later, it will come out. I'll tell you what; I'll only tell those that need to know. But, if word gets out or you expose yourself, there won't be much I can do for you."
Ichigo sighed and nodded his head. "Fine, whatever."
"Attention, passengers. We will be arriving at West Genetics shortly. Prepare for landing."
Ichigo blinked and turned his head to look out through a window. He hadn't even noticed they had taken off from the airport, and they were already near the academy. Either the ride had been so smooth he failed to notice, or he had been in a deeper conversation with Chiffon than he thought.
From the VTOL, Ichigo could see the academy, and what an academy! The entire school was laid out on a massive island in the center of an even more enormous lake. The teen figured it could hold a third of Karakura Town in it.
The VTOL descended towards a section of the island that appeared to be designed more like a military base, as he could see heavy transport vehicles and more VTOLs parked on the tarmac. He could see they were landing on one of the outer landing pads along the perimeter. Moments later, the VTOL slowed to a hover before landing smoothly on the pad.
"Ready to go, Ichigo-kun?" Chiffon asked as she got up.
"As I'll ever be," Ichigo responded as he followed the girl out of the plane. Just as he thought, it was a small military base built on the island. He could see a few servicemen moving around performing their duties. None of them seemed to pay them much attention, so moving through the base was uneventful. Arriving at the security checkpoint, the two showed their IDs for clearance, and Ichigo was told to leave his luggage to be delivered to his new room. That suited him fine; he was getting tired of lugging it around anyway.
The hike to the academy gates was short, and soon Ichigo saw just how grand the academy was up close. The buildings were large, and the architecture was impressive. He could tell the academy wasn't lacking for funding.
"They sure aren't skimping on the luxury," he remarked as they passed an extravagantly designed fountain.
"This academy is one of several in the world that trains the next generation of defenders of humanity, so it naturally gets a lot of funding from governments and private company donations. No expense is spared for those who put their lives on the line, especially when many don't make it back."
Chiffon's words made him frown. "What do you mean?"
"Fighting the Nova is extremely dangerous," Chiffon explained, looking over her shoulder as she walked. "Even a single Nova can decimate whole squads of Pandora and Limiter teams if its strength is inaccurately gauged. The odds of survival ranges from forty to sixty percent when fighting just one Nova, and it declines if there are more. Still, we fight with all our strength to ensure as many will survive."
Ichigo didn't like that. The odds were too low for his taste.
He would have to make sure those odds increased significantly.
"Oh, it's the Student Council President!"
Ichigo looked up and noticed they were now in a more populated part of the academy, as several students were milling about.
There were plenty of girls and boys, all in peak physical condition, but it was to be expected for a military-style institution. Although, he had to wonder why every girl in sight had the figure of a fashion model.
The uniforms were indeed matching between the two genders. The girls all wore the maroon uniform Chiffon wore, and the boys wore a combination of dress clothing under a yellow jacket.
Given this fact, it was apparent why Ichigo would stand out in the crowd.
"Hey, who's the new guy?"
"His uniform's different."
"Is he a transfer student or something?"
"Maybe he's an exchange student from one of the other academies."
He could hear the boys talking about him, something he didn't like. At least they weren't talking about his hair. The last thing he wanted was to be considered a delinquent like back in Karakura.
Just because his hair was orange didn't mean he dyed it, dammit!
He had taken great satisfaction in watching his dad tear into a teacher who had taken exception to the hair his mother gave him.
The best way to piss off one Kurosaki Isshin was to make a slight related to anything about his late wife.
He was pulled from his thoughts by…a wolf's whistle of all things.
"Well, well. What have we here."
Ichigo looked over to see a group of Pandora shooting him appreciative looks.
"Not bad, new guy."
"Is he transferring in?"
"I hope so. What a hunk."
"He's got that 'Bad Boy' thing down pat."
"Just the way I like 'em."
"Would you make him your Limiter?"
"In a heartbeat, sister!"
"Oh, the things I would do with that body."
Ichigo found himself blushing from this new kind of attention, something that did not go unnoticed by the girls who squealed a little, thinking it was cute. Chiffon looked back at him with her smile growing. "See? I told you you wouldn't have had any problems."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get to the Headmistress's office already."
"Of course...oh, and just for the record, I'd make you my Limiter, too."
"W-wha?!" Ichigo almost tripped at the bluntness. "Wait, what did you-"
"Let's hurry! Sister Margaret is waiting!" Chiffon plowed on, suddenly skipping away. Ichigo stared at her retreating form before groaning. This girl was going to drive him nuts, he could already tell.
Catching up to the girl, the two walked on in silence through the academy towards the administration building. A few minutes later, as they were walking by a large brick wall, a section exploded outward. Caught off guard, Ichigo instinctively placed himself between Chiffon and the large dust cloud. As the dust settled, Ichigo saw a person standing in the rubble.
The person was a buxom blonde woman with long hair reaching her waist. Her cold, blue eyes staring at the hole in the wall. She wore a variation of the Genetics uniform, a long maroon dress with white cotton fabric covering her shoulders, neck, and chest with a section cut out to reveal her cleavage and the top of her breasts.
In her hand was a large sword that bent and curved along the blade. It had three holes drilled in the side with the handle affixed a third of the way up the sword's spine.
"Don't think you can escape, Satellizer!"
Ichigo turned to the hole to see another girl step through.
This one had long burgundy red hair tied in twin pigtails that curled at the ends. She wore the standard Genetics Pandora uniform. Her brown eyes locked onto the blonde as she smirked sadistically.
"I'm going to erase the loss you gave me in the Carnival. The first rank will be mine, and you will taste defeat!" The girl said as four weighted chains appeared from behind her, wriggling inches air like vipers.
The blonde just grunted before lunging at the girl, who responded by jumping back and sending a couple of chains at her. The chains were deflected with a swipe of the sword as the blonde charged towards the redhead once more, swinging her blade. The blow was blocked by a pair of chains that pushed the blonde back, forcing her to dig her heels into the ground to stop herself. A look of frustration crossed the blonde's face as she charged again.
This cycle continued, the blonde attacking with sword strikes and the redhead throwing her chains. Things started getting hectic as a deflected chain slammed into the wall near a couple of students, sending them running as debris fell around them.
"Enough of this!" Ichigo snarled out as he ran straight towards the two girls.
"Wait! Ichigo!" Chiffon cried, trying to stop the boy, but couldn't grab him in time.
The two girls closed in to clash once more when a blur entered the vision. The next thing they knew, an orange-haired boy was holding the two back, holding them both by their wrists.
"What the hell do you two think you are doing?! Do you realize people could get hurt because you two got careless?" Ichigo shouted at the pair.
The redhead blinked a couple of times, stunned by the sudden interference. Growling in anger, she began yelling.
"Who the hell do you think you are?! This doesn't concern you, so back the hell off before-"
She stopped when Ichigo gave the girl a glare that sent chills up her spine.
The blonde, meanwhile, stood as still as a statue as her eyes slowly traveled to the hand on her wrist. Those eyes widened before the blonde jerked her arm out of his grip. Ichigo turned to see the girl backing away with a look of surprise and watched as she abruptly turned and ran away, disappearing into the distance.
"What the…?" Ichigo said before the redhead also pulled her arm free.
"I won't forget this! You better watch yourself, mister!" She declared before stomping off.
Ichigo sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Hell of a way to start my first day."
"Ichigo-kun!" Chiffon called out as she ran up to him. "What were you thinking getting involved like that. You could have gotten hurt."
Ichigo grunted irritably. "They were getting out of hand. Someone had to stop it."
Chiffon shook her head. "Perhaps, but there were better ways of stopping them. I was about to step in myself. Next time, allow people in authority to handle things."
"Right, sorry. I take it fights like that aren't really allowed?"
Chiffon shook her head. "No. Combat outside the simulators and Carnival is not allowed. Both of them will face discipline for what they've done. Also, Ichigo…" Chiffon showed a serious expression. "That girl, Satellizer."
"The blonde girl?" Ichigo asked.
Chiffon nodded. "You shouldn't get involved with her. She's been known to be violent with others. For your safety, you should stay away from her."
Ichigo remained silent as he thought over Chiffon's words. He felt that there was something more to the girl. He also felt that there was something...strangely familiar about her.
...
Meanwhile, Satellizer stopped running once she felt she had gotten far enough away. She leaned against a wall while staring at her hand, her mind replaying the encounter she had with that orange-haired teen.
"...The reaction...didn't happen…."
To Be Continued -
Author's Notes:
Special thanks to SoulEmbrace2010 and NSG for helping me write out this chapter. I'll admit I'm not as knowledgeable on the intricacies of Freezing as I'd like to be. Having some helping hands is a blessing.
I always wanted to do a Freezing Crossover, and I remembered this chapter layout from some past stories that, to my knowledge, don't exist anymore.
By a stroke of fate, Ichigo ends up in the Freezing Universe with his power still (mostly) intact and gets a few upgrades as well. Now, he will help battle the Nova to save humanity. With his skills and abilities honed during the Hueco Mundo Invasion and the Winter War, Ichigo won't be a pushover.
Why did I choose Bleach? I can't really tell without spoiling some of the plots for Freezing, but I will say they can blend well if done the right way.
This will be a harem-leaning story with Stella (Satellizer) as the primary focus.
I hope you enjoy it and leave a review.
Peace.