Chapter 3: Remembrance of the fallen

Trying out a new dialogue system for this chapter. Tell me what ya'll think if this is easier than my previous one or if I should stick to my original style. Thanks Whisper Yoyo BTW.

"So Kazui." Ryu started as he placed his arm around his older half brothers neck.
"I see you checking her out."

Kazui blushed a bit and shook his head to rid those words from his mind. Ryu always had ways of teasing him all the time. It was mainly due to how his mother taught him.

"S-shut up Ryu." Kazui stammered at first as he continued healing the soul reapers.
"I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't." Ryu leaned on his half brother to whisper in his ear.
"She is cute though, so I'll give you points on that bro."

Kazui shrugged off his half brother and focused solely on healing. His method was a little bit rougher than his mothers method, but his advantage compared to her speed was his range. His healing dome could range from one or multiple people in front of him, or multiple people across great distances. The only drawback to range was time. While his mother could heal many people to a basic form in a short time, Kazui could do the same but it would usually take a little longer.

As Kazui was healing the soul reapers and Ryu was standing with him, silently teasing him in the process, Yuzu and Tier were watching Ichika. Since said girl was the only one not injured, she was looking around the large room they were in. The two watched her and were still wondering why their father had decided to let her and the rest stay here for now. From what they were told in bits and pieces by others who were there. Something about a betrayal that can never be forgiven.

"Ichika." Renji said to his daughter to get her attention.
"Don't wonder off too far. Understand?"

"No problem dad." Ichika said with a smile as something in another room caught her eye.

She looked around to make sure nobody, especially her parents, were watching her as she left. Ichika went into the next room and looked around to see several large pillars in an empty room. The pillars looked to be in various states. Some are shattered completely, some perfectly intact, and some with strange red vines going around them. The red vines had this strange aura about them. Something that made her want to go over and lay her hand upon it. Her eyes were starting to take in a red hue to them as she slowly approached the vines and went to reach for it. Before Ichika could though, a hand grabbed her by the left shoulder and she quickly whipped around to see that orange haired boy standing behind her. The look in her eyes died out and she was just staring at him now.

"You shouldn't be here." Kazui started in a calm tone.
"Come on. I finished fixing everyone up. We should go back to my dad."

Ichika nodded and followed him back to the others. As soon as they were all gathered, Kazui and Ryu led them back to the palace with Yuzu and Tier at the back. The moment the soul reapers saw the red palace, they shuddered. To the ones that were at Hueco Mundo long ago and saw Las Noches, they would all agree that this palace made Las Noches look like an ant in comparison. The place was huge and even made the Seireitei look like nothing in comparison.

They all went inside and were almost immediately floored by the intense reiatsu coming from inside the second the massive doors opened. They all looked around and saw in the large courtyard, various arrancar and hollows of multiple different types all around. From Gillian to Vasto Lorde to even a few of the arrancar in their released states. From what the reports said when Mayuri was still alive, some of the arrancar from the war had evolved to the point where their released state, or at the very least their more human states, were now their lowest forms. Only the ones from the war were effected though while the newer ones still had a ways to go. The Gillian's had also evolved as well. They weren't the freakishly tall and mindless mass of hollows put together but instead a humanoid figure with a many consciousness inside of it. From what Mayuri gathered back then was that a new hollow would spawn from these new Gillian every few weeks, allowing for more hollows without sacrificing the others within that mass. A remarkable feat in hollow evolution to some, a dangerous thing to others.

It came as no surprise that they would all direct their anger and rage towards the soul reapers entering with prince's and princess's of the Blood Palace. They would have attacked without a moments hesitation, but the order from their king told them otherwise. The order for the soul reapers to enter unharmed came as a shock to the hollows as they knew of their leaders hatred and disdain for them, but they followed their orders out of the respect for their king and loyalty to him.

As they all walked along, Ichika was looking around in awe and some not so hidden excitement as they continued through the courtyard. She had never seen anything like this in her life. A large and wide courtyard filled with so many white bushes around trees with lush and white leaves. A fountain in the center of it all that was shooting out some kind of red liquid from the top of what looked like a sword of some kind. The hollows around them were giving them very hostile looks while the arrancar gave them very angered glances for now. Ichika didn't know what had happened long ago to make the hollows hate soul reapers, but she had a feeling that maybe things would change in the future. Maybe.

Her musing and sightseeing were disrupted when she saw the orange haired boy from before stop at the gates and felt her mother stop her from walking any further. Kazui raised his hand towards the gate and it flashed a light blue color like his hood before opening. When it did open, it led to a large room that was the size of some sort of meeting area of sorts. Their was a large circular table made out of what looked to be red energy and ten red chairs around it. Kazui motioned for the group to head inside as his task was done and over with now. As the soul reapers headed in and Kazui was about to leave, Rukia stopped in front of him with Ichika stopping as well.

"Excuse me."
She started to the boy, stopping him in his tracks.

"Yes?"
He answered her in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Could you take Ichika somewhere where she'll be safe for now."
She asked, surprising her daughter in the process.

"Mom? What are you talking about?"
Ichika asked her mother.

Rukia looked at her daughter with a bit of hesitance as she didn't want her only child to hear what was to be discussed with Ichigo. Taking a deep breath, Rukia placed her hand on Ichika's shoulder.
"It's okay Ichika. Just wait with this boy outside and me and your father will be right out to get you. I promise."

Ichika looked into her mothers eyes and could see conflict and pain in them. Not wanting to be the cause of anymore pain, Ichika nodded to her. Rukia smiled a little and kissed her on the forehead before following the rest of her comrades inside. Right as they all went in, the doors closed and Ichika was now standing there, next to Kazui. She didn't know what to do now aside from just standing there and waiting.

"Well if you're gonna be my responsibility,"
Kazui started, getting her attention.
"Then you'll have to come with me. Okay?"

He held his hand out to her and she hesitated for a moment. Ichika looked at him for a brief moment before nodding and taking his hand. Kazui nodded and started to walk away from the door and to a normal sized one. Ichika looked to the larger one as she was being walked over to another area. Her thoughts were all on what her mother and father didn't want her to hear.

Inside the palace

The inner sanctum of the palace is where the King and his Queens resided in when it was time for decisions or other trivial things were to happen. The room was large, able to fit multiple Menos' into it if need be. The walls were blood red as was the ceiling, while the floor was a clean white. The thrones were on a small platform that was raised enough for everyone present to look up to it, but not too high as to give a false sense of Godhood. The thrones where all crimson to different degrees. The one in the center, obviously Ichigo's, was tall and the deepest shade, giving it a true blood color. The other four, two on each side of his, were the same light shade of red with only a hint of color on the top of the headboards. Each color representing a different Queen and their own thrones. Orange for Orihime, purple for Yoruichi. Both to Ichigo's right with Orihime being the closest. On the left, yellow for Halibel and aquamarine for Neliel with Halibel being closest.

As the remaining soul reapers stood in front of the thrones of the King and Queens of Hueco Mundo, they took in the images hanging off of the walls of the large room. On one wall was a painting depicting the Winter War from the arrancar's perspective. Their defeat and loss as they were seen retreating into the darkness beneath while the soul reapers stood tall.

A similar painting showed the War from the soul reapers perspective. The victory wasn't as glorious as the arrancar's had thought it was. The image showed their great loss as it showed the head captain lying in the center of it in a pool of his own blood. He died that day.

Another painting on the opposite wall showed the same War from the perspective of the king himself. It showed Ichigo in his full Getsuga form standing in front of Aizen's transcended form. While Aizen was ready to attack, Ichigo stood motionless.

The next painting showed the destruction done to Karakura Town and the massive hole that used to be the town. All the dead that were involved in the destruction weren't depicted, but all of the soul reapers knew that that moment was the true beginning of the end for them.

The forth and final painting showed an image most of them would want to forget. Especially Rukia. It depicted what happened after Aizen was sealed away. After Ichigo had attained the Hogyoku and returned to where the remains of his family and friends were. His sisters embracing him, happy to see their big brother okay. And then the tragedy that happened afterwards. The soul reapers showing up, a battle ensuing, and then the true reason for Ichigo's hatred toward them all.

The death of his sister, Yuzu. Stabbed through the heart, by none other than Rukia Kuchiki.

Rukia looked away from the paining and tried not to shed any tears as the memory of her greatest betrayal to her former friend threatened to come back to her once again. Renji placed a comforting arm around her shoulders and she looked up to see his saddened eyes as well.

"So."
Ichigo started, breaking everyone from their failure of the past. He sat on his throne in front of them while his Queens sat on their own thrones, glaring hatefully at the group.
"He's gone isn't he?"

They all looked up at Ichigo, knowing exactly who he was talking about. Seeing as though she was the highest ranked captain right now, Unohana spoke the already answered question.
"Head captain, Shunsui Kyoraku, is gone."
To her, she now realized with that statement, that made her the only one left out of the original Court Guard squad. The sudden realization of it all caused her to breathe in deeply to try and regain her composure.

"Hmm."
Ichigo started again as he leaned back into throne.
"It's a shame. I would've liked to have seen that. Oh well I suppose."

"Why did he send you all here?"
Halibel demanded them to answer.

"Because he knew that this was the only safe place for us to go that was safe."
Lisa answered her, holding onto a piece of his coat.

"Then he was a fool."
Yoruichi spoke up with her arms crossed and legs propped up onto the arms of her throne.

"Aizen is free and his creation-"
Shinji started only to be interrupted by Orihime.

"Beat every single one of you near death I'm assuming."
She gave another hateful glare towards them all before continuing.
"In my honest opinion, it should've killed you all and be done with you."

There was a silence from the group of soul reapers as they knew that Orihime hated them the most out of the Queens for what they've done.

"With your permission,"
Toshiro spoke up with a slight nervousness in his voice.
"All we need is a few days to recover. Then after that, we will leave your palace."

"And go where exactly?"
Yoruichi asked with her signature Cheshire grin, only this one was more or less done to bring about despair from the group.
"You all know that you can't go back to the soul society, Aizen would destroy you all with ease. There's no safe place in the world of the living anymore. So tell me, where exactly are all of you going to go?"

Yoruichi was right. Where could they go now? There was no way they could defeat Aizen at his current power and then what happened to the world of the living.

Where could they go then?

The uncertainty on their faces was all the answer that Yoruichi needed and she was prepared to rub it in their faces. That is, until Ichigo spoke up, stopping her.

"Fine."
He spoke in an authoritative tone that caught everyone by surprise. All three Queens looked on to their King in shock at what he said.
"I will allow you all three days to rest. After that,"
He stood up and released a tiny portion of his power on the room. This tiny portion, aside from the three Queens who felt as if they were bathing in his power, brought all of the soul reapers straight to the floor.
"After those three days, you will all leave. No questions asked. If for any reason I see any of you ever again, I will not hesitate, I will show no mercy, and I will wipe you from existence. Do I make myself clear?"

He let up on his energy and allowed the group to nod to him in weakened states. They all stood up on wobbly legs with some of them having to be helped up and let out. Ichigo sighed and sat back down on his throne. He watched as the soul reapers left the throne room before signaling to a dark corner of the room. A pale white figure with dark hair and black, bat-like wings came down from the corner. The figure was dressed in the standard outfit for all arrancar's and 'Other Ones'. It was the same outfit as What Aizen had them wear, only instead of white, it was crimson with black linings around the trims and collars. The figure bowed his head as he receded his wings back into his own back. He raised his head to show the blacked out eyes with yellow pupils and dark green iris's.

"You called Lord Kurosaki."
The ever present stoic tone of the former forth espada, Ulquiorra Cifer, answered his king.

"Yes Ulquiorra."
Ichigo started.
"I want you to keep an eye on them while they're here. Report each and every single thing they do to me during their days here. Understood?"

Ulquiorra bowed his head again.
"I understand my lord."
And with that, Ulquiorra grew his wings back out and flew out of the room using a secret passageway on the ceiling.

Ichigo knew that he would catch hell from his Queens for his decision, especially when Neliel gets back.

I completely forgot about this story. Sorry bout that.

What do ya'll think so far? Also, do ya'll like this dialogue format that Whisper asked me to do? If not, then just say so in a not so douchy way, okay. Lol.

See ya'll when I have time to update.

PEACE!