Hey, everyone! Sorry it's been a while but you know summer's over so I have a lot less free time but I'm back! This chapter is easily the longest one yet and it took a while to write. I hope you guys enjoy! (Italics means it's in Wan's world. I tried to make it a different font but it didn't work so I had to settle for italics. Sorry:/)


Chapter 7: Beginnings Part 1


He awoke to the sound of twittering birds and a fresh natural scent. His hands brushed along the mossy grass. The warm sun soothed his sore body and a light cool breeze wafted above him. His eyes opened.

Above him, he could see the leaves of great trees that arced over his resting place. The sounds of nature were all around him, rich and vibrant. Everything felt like a painting or a mirage. It was too beautiful, too picturesque.

He heard a rustle to his left and there he saw a tall, furry creature that looked cat-like and also not. It's ears were large and open and it's snout was small and pointy. The fur was a myriad of different shades of brown and it bore a toothed necklace. Curiously enough, the creature walked on its hind legs. It's fingers and toes were thin and gnarled like claws.

He stared at it with wonder and confusion.

"Where the hell am I?"


The girl known as Korra stared up into the hazy sky as her rescuers carried her on a stretcher through the woods. The sun beat down on her and her eyes were only half open.

They carried her quickly up to an old temple in a large clearing. Inside, they approached an ancient-looking lady dressed similarly to them in a deep red robe varnished with black lining.

"We found the Avatar washed up on shore," one said, "But she doesn't remember anything."

The girl groaned and croaked out a word.

"Raava. Raava. Raava."

Small plumes of fire appeared on the old woman's hand. She moved them over the girl's body, hovering them slightly in the air.

"A dark energy has infected her," she said, "We must purge it before it destroys her Avatar spirit."

They took her to an immense cavern where there was a vast hole in the ground. "Let the waters cleanse the darkness that plagues your spirit." Lowering her into it, she emerged in an enormous carved out area beneath the surface of the cavern. A giant pool of glittering, clear water was at the bottom.

She rested on the water, floating in the net. Instantly, her eyes opened and she beheld a different world. Looking across a small distance she glimpsed a girl.

The girl was tall and muscular, with dark skin and brown hair secured by three ponytails. She was wearing a blue, warm outfit and a blue aura surrounded her. Separating them was a thin line. It was as if two colours were meeting in the middle and fighting for supremacy.

"Who are you?" The girl asked.

"I am you." The other responded in a deep voice.

"Who am I?"

The blue girl faded like a drop into water and was replaced by a new being. This one was tall as well. But he was bald, and dressed in orange and yellow robes. A blue tattoo shaped like an arrow pointed down from his forehead and his beard was coloured brown.

"You are the Avatar," he said.

"I don't know what that is."

The second being faded also, revealing an old man with long white hair and a beard.

"In order to remember," he said, "you must regain your connection with your Avatar spirit."

Now the third being was replaced with a big woman with stark, vibrant makeup and a green outfit.

"If you don't," she continued, "darkness will engulf the world. You will die and our era will end."

"How do I regain my connection?"

Once more, another being appeared. He was dressed similarly to her and his hair was brown and tied at the top of his head.

"Go back. Return to the beginning. Find Raava."

He also disappeared and the girl was propelled deeper into this inner world. She turned and saw a young man, bathed in ethereal golden light. His clothes were poor, and his brown hair was spiky. He sported a cocky grin and his eyes twinkled with mischief and kindness.

"Are you Raava?" The girl asked.

"No," he replied, "But I can help you find her. My name is Wan, and I will show you how I became the first Avatar."


Ichigo awoke to the sound of steam hissing. His eyelids fluttered and he felt around on the mattress with his hand. Asami wasn't there. The hissing began to get more intense and Ichigo slowly rose up into a sitting position. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and yawned.

Asami was leaning over the kitchen counter looking at him with an expression of satisfaction. "Morning, honey," she said with a smile.

He looked at her sheepishly, remembering the night before. "Morning," he said with a blush.

The kettle popped and the hissing sounded ceased. Asami took out two clay cups and pouring smoking hot tea into them. "We have a long day ahead of us," she said. "I thought this might wake you up."

He swallowed. "Long day. Yeah." She handed him his cup. "Thanks."

She sat cross-legged in front of him and they sipped their drinks in silence.

"So, you got a plan?" Asami said eventually.

"A plan for what?"

"You know… to get to the North Pole…?" She prodded.

"Uh, yeah. I figured I'd hop on a boat or something."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? That was your plan?"

He nodded slowly. "Yep."

"Well lucky for you, that's not going to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"Future Industries may be going under, but with Varrick buying a large share of it, I can afford to spare one last boat. It's a good thing you didn't leave me, you would've gotten nowhere fast."

Ichigo's brow creased. "I'm still not certain it's a good idea to bring you, Asami."

She exhaled loudly. "Why, Ichigo? What's out there that would stop me from coming?"

"Well for one, the Northern Water Tribe is in open hostility against Korra and the South, our allies. They won't exactly welcome us in. We'll have to constantly sneak around."

She shrugged. "Not like we haven't done that before."

He grimaced. "There's just some stuff up there that maybe you shouldn't see, Asami. Stuff from my past…"

She narrowed her eyes. "So what you said last night about going home and living a lie… what was all that about?"

Ichigo looked away. "I probably should've told you this a long time ago. There's a reason that I'm so different from you guys. There's a reason that I have these crazy powers that are different from anything else here. It's because I'm from another world."

"What?"

"Yeah, I don't understand it either. But it's true. I can communicate with my friend Rukia at the spirit portals. She can… she can help me."

"Help you what?"

"Get my memories back," Ichigo said uncertainly.

Asami crossed her arms. "Last night you said you wanted to return. You're going to ask her how to get back, aren't you? Is that why you didn't want to bring me?" Her voice was sharp with anger.

He sighed with guilt. "Yes. But I was wrong. Can we just go? I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Asami looked at him suspiciously. "Hmm. Alright. Lead the way. I have a ship waiting at the docks for us."

Ichigo nodded. "Okay. Thanks."

The two of them gathered their belongings and stuffed them into bags. Then together they headed out the door, the tension still hovering in the air between them.


Wan was running. Well, he was always running. But today was slightly different. Today his smile was a little brighter, his gait a little quicker. For today, he had committed a crime.

He ran along the streets, a bag of food in his hand. Behind him, three soldiers bearing halberds and dressed in royal robes were in pursuit.

"Nobody steals from the Chou Brothers!" One called.

"Really?" Wan replied, "Because I just did."

"You're dead, Wan." The other said threateningly.

Wan gaily jumped onto a railing and skipped off it, saluting as he went.

"Actually, I feel quite alive."

He landed in a shirt hanging from a clothesline. Using the spring from the rope and his own agility, Wan sprang lightly back onto a windowsill as his pursuers fell right through the clothes.

Bouncing off their fallen bodies, Wan continued onwards. A huge grin on his face, he ran along a bridge, disturbing some birds who flew into the air and took the time to excrete on the Chou's' heads.

Wan leapt and flipped from rooftop to rooftop. He came to rest on a small deck, where he thought he was safe. Sitting down, he reached into the bag and pulled out a dumpling. Then the Chous dropped down from above.

"Hey, fellas," Wan laughed nervously as they glared imposingly at him. "You're just in time for lunch!"

With that, he threw the dumpling straight at the first Chou, and leapt over his bent head. But then another put out the end of his halberd in a tripping manoeuvre and Wan fell flat on his face.

They grabbed the bag.

"I told you no one steals from us."

Wan chuckled sheepishly as he was grabbed and thrown off the deck. He landed in a pile of pig slop and groaned.

Travelling into the forest, he climbed up a tree and into a small, badly put-together wooden home. He stepped through the door and sighed. A young man with brown hair was sitting on a blanket.

"Did you steal from the Chous again?" He asked.

"Yeah. And I've got nothing to show for it except a few dirty rolls and a whole lot of bruises." He tossed a roll to his friend and went over to another area of the room that was covered by curtains.

"Hey, Yao, I got some food for you."

An old man reached out his hand and came into the light. His hair was white and his clothes were green. But his face and body were horribly disfigured. He looked like he was half man, half tree.

Taking a bite, he smiled.

"Mmm. Delicious. Thank you, Wan."

Some small creatures smelt the food and came inside. Wan sat down and looked at them.

"You guys are hungry, too, huh?"

He gave them the last roll.

"Wan," his friend said, "You should eat."

Wan shook his head. "Nah. They need it more than I do." He took a cup and poured some cold tea into it. "Besides, I'm tired of eating scraps. If only there was some way of getting into the Chous' food cellar. We'd be eating like… well, like Chous."

"If Chou the Elder catches you sneaking into his palace, you'll end up dead. Or worse, he'll banish you to the Spirit Wilds."

"No, don't get banished!" Yao cried. "You don't want nothing to do with those spirits. They'll get inside ya, scramble up your mind. Turn you into this," he indicated his wooden limbs, "A monster!" He turned away, hiding his face in his hands.

"Don't do anything crazy, Wan," his friend said, "You just gotta accept the world is the way it is. Some people have power; some people don't. And you don't."

Wan took a sip of his tea, narrowed his eyes and smiled mischievously.

"Not yet, I don't anyway."


Ichigo pressed his back up against an alley wall and peered around the corner at the docks. Asami leaned up beside him. There were people meandering about doing their own business around the shipyard.

"Why are we hiding?" Asami said in a hushed voice. "It's not like we're doing anything wrong."

"I don't want people to see us leaving. Varrick's film studio is near to here remember?"

"Oh, who cares? They're gonna find out anyway."

She pushed out past him and strolled confidently onto the street. Ichigo grimaced and followed her cautiously. They made their way across the docks to where Asami's ship was moored. The gangway was laid out for them and a man stood there waiting for them.

"Miss Sato," he said with a slight bow.

"Good morning, Captain," she replied.

"Where are we off to today?" he inquired.

"The North Pole," she declared.

The captain looked at her with surprise. "The North Pole?" he repeated. "Isn't that enemy territory right now? I would advise against it, Miss Sato. It would be extremely dangerous to travel there at this time."

"Yeah, that's what this guy is for," she pointed a thumb at Ichigo who nodded.

The captain swallowed uncertainly. "But, Miss Sato, he is just one man."

"He's enough." Asami said quietly. "Let's go, we're in a bit of a hurry."

The captain nodded and led them up the gangway to the deck. Asami and Ichigo headed below deck to their cabin as the crew prepared to cast off. Their cabin was spacious with a beautiful oak wood dresser and a large tapestry of Republic City. The bed was soft and adorned with a crimson red duvet. Ichigo sat down in a plush velvet chair. He looked around awkwardly.

"What is it?" Asami asked.

"I can never get used to living in all this luxury. Back home I have nothing like this. Rukia always used to make fun of how small my room was."

"We're going to be travelling for a while. Might as well be comfortable." She ignored his Rukia comment.

"I suppose," Ichigo said. The ship began to sway as the crew cleared its moorings. The sensation of rocking waves passed under the ship and it moved out from the dock and into the bay. Beyond: the open sea.

Ichigo looked out a window. His journey had finally begun.


In the town square, people milled around, going about their business. A small group of large, weathered men stood in about the centre of the square. Their leader, a big man with a jagged beard and hair tied in a blue piece of cloth and dressed in heavy furs and leathers, addressed the people around him.

"Are you strong? Are you fearless? Do you have what it takes to battle the Spirits? Then join the Hunt!"

Wan jogged up to them and raised his hand.

"Count me in!"

The man studied his skinny frame dubiously and then began to laugh.

"We're going to be out in the Wilds for a week. You wouldn't last two seconds."

Wan crossed his arms and smirked confidently.

"I can handle myself. We all get fire, right?"

"Yeah," the man replied. "But do you know how to use it?"

"Well, not exactly but I-"

He was interrupted by one of the other men in the group who put his arm around Wan's shoulders.

"Ah, let him come," he said. "It's not like we have any other volunteers lining up."

The big man nodded slightly and put his hands on his waist.

"All right. Welcome to the Hunt."

They set out quickly on a path that circled the city for a while. The leader obviously walked in front, with his three companions in the middle and Wan at the back. Coming to a cliff overlooking the city, they stopped.

From here, Wan could see across the forest behind him and the two volcanoes that stood to the sides of the city, which was on a slant of sorts.

Facing the city, the leader of the party blew a large horn from his belt and all of a sudden, there was a great movement in the earth beneath them and the city began to rise higher into the air as the sound of huge boulders moving against each other enveloped their ears.

Soon they beheld a gigantic face. It was like that of a lion but it was massive and old. It's eyes were black as soot and were rimmed with a green-brown colour.

"The Lion Turtle," Wan said in awe.

"Great guardian of our city," said the leader, "We are venturing into the Spirit Wilds to bring back food for our people. Please, grant us the power of fire."

Speaking in a deep and ancient voice that exuded power and wisdom, the Lion Turtle replied, "The power is yours to keep until your return."

"You're first, kid," the leader said to Wan.

He same closer and the great beast raised its paw and touched two of its long claws to his forehead and chest. A glowing light emanated from where it touched.

"May the power of fire protect you from the Spirits."

It withdrew its hand and Wan stretched out his palm quickly but tentatively. A large plume of fire came from his hand and threw him back to the ground.

"Just make sure you aim at the Spirits and not us, okay?" the leader said gruffly.

Wan looked at his hand and grinned. "Sure thing."

With their fire, the group now proceeded into the mists of the Spirit Wilds.

"Everyone stay close," the leader said. "Spirits love to pick off stragglers."

Wan stopped and stayed back.

"Uh, guys," he said timidly, "I don't think I can do this."

"Oh, quit your whining," the leader replied. "We haven't even seen a Spirit yet."

"I think I wanna go home."

"I knew you were nothing but a snivelling coward." He shoved him. "Go give your fire back to the Lion Turtle. And don't ever show your face around me again."

As they walked away, Wan clenched his fist and gave a cunning smile. He went back to his makeshift home in the trees and entered.

His friends looked up.

"Wan, you're back."

"What goodies did you snatch for us this time?" Yao said as he rubbed his belly.

Wan smiled and ignited a plume of fire on his palm. His friend gasped and Yao yelped and backed away in fright.

"What did you do?" His friend demanded. "You can't steal from the Lion Turtle."

Wan smirked. "Really? Because I just did."


Ichigo stirred in the bed beside Asami in their cabin as the waves passed slowly underneath the boat. He lolled his head to one side, attempting to match his breathing to the rolling of the sea. Sleep escaped him, and he yearned for rest. But none would come. It wasn't that he couldn't sleep on a moving ship, but far too much was on his mind.

It had been several days since their journey began. Nothing had really happened at all. Ichigo tried his best to calm his mind and sleep. He even used meditation tactics he'd learned from Tenzin but his eyes stayed open. Footsteps went close by and he tensed up, not daring to breathe. They faded and he relaxed slightly. He listened to the sound of the waves and the wind. Taking slow deep breaths, he finally drifted off to sleep.

His dreams were fitful and unorganized. Images flooded into his mind. A beautiful chocolate-skinned woman with purple hair holding up three fingers. Hundreds, maybe thousands of swords stuck in the ground, spread out across a wide, rocky landscape. A tall man with long dark brown hair, dressed in black robes appearing in the midst of the swords. And the sounds of clashing metal.

Then he awoke.


Night had fallen upon the city. The moonlight was strong but the clouds were heavy. They shrouded the land in a deep blue. Through the city there was a long winding path that led up to the castle that housed the Chous. It was the greatest and grandest structure in the city and it cast a shadow upon all its neighbours.

At the base of the path, Wan and several others marched towards the castle. Wan's friend was still trying to convince him of his folly.

"You know it's forbidden to bring the power of the element into the city. Please. Go back to the Lion Turtle and return the fire," he pleaded.

Wan turned to face him. "Jaya, it's time to stop being so afraid of the Chous and time to show them we have the power to change things." He reached into a sack he had been carrying and pulled out a mask. The others all did the same and they continued on.

Reaching the end of the path, they beheld the palace's scale and magnitude. A great gate barred their way. Wan stepped forward.

"Hey, Chous!" he yelled. "Open the gate and let us in."

One of the Chous', a fat middle-aged man, strode out onto his veranda and peered down at them. "What are those filthy peasants doing here?"

Three other Chous had followed him all bearing halberds. "Don't worry, Father," one said, "We'll take care of them."

The three of them went down and opened the gate. They stood together in an imposing line before Wan and his followers.

"Hand over all the food you're holding and you won't have any trouble," Wan said.

The three brothers laughed hysterically. "You're not getting past us. We have the weapons. You're powerless."

Wan crossed his arms smugly. "Powerless, huh?"

The Chous charged him but then scattered as he blew through them with a blast of fire. The gate was thrust open by the flames and Wan dashed in. "Follow me!" he called.

Quickly making their way inside, Wan found the storehouse and destroyed the door. "Grab as much food as you can!"

Jaya came up to him. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we do have the power to change things."

"Stop right there!"

The Chou brothers had regrouped and were flanked by several soldiers.

"Looks like the Chous found backup."

"Get everyone out of here," Wan instructed. "I'll hold them off."

Wan went right at them and again tossed aside the Chou brothers with his flames. The soldiers surrounded him. Wan hurled one into another using his spear and held his hands up defensively.

The littlest Chou brother jumped onto Wan's back who grunted and flung him off while creating a tornado of flames around him to fend off the soldiers. The Chou rolled to the ground, Wan's mask in his hand, and cowered on his knees.

"No please! Have mercy!" He looked up at Wan's unmasked face and his flaming hand. "Wan?"

Wan hesitated. His scowl faded as he realized what he was about to do. He extinguished the flames and was tackled to the ground by several soldiers. They held him fast as the Chou brother sneered at him.

"Even when you have the power, you're afraid to use it."

Wan grimaced with defeat and looked away.


Ichigo stood leaning against the railing of the ship's deck, gazing intently at the misty afternoon sky and the almost too calm waters beneath him. His expression was passive. The air around him was bitterly cold. They were getting close.

Asami, wrapped in a fur-lined black coat and big puffy earmuffs, strode up beside him. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were red from the cold. Ichigo glanced over at her. He smiled before he could help himself.

"What?" she asked.

"You look cute."

She smiled. "Thanks."

His attention returned to their surroundings.

"Ichigo," she said.

"Mm?"

"Are you doing alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you've barely said a thing this entire trip. I kind of hoped that this could be a nice bonding time for us. But you just lock yourself away and shut yourself off from me."

"That's not true," Ichigo defended, "We've talked."

"About the most mundane things, Ichigo. Do you know how many times we've talked about the weather?"

He pursed his lips and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Not really keeping count, no."

"Ugh!" She took hold of his arms and spun him around to face her. "Can you focus on me for just two seconds? Can you at least look at me in the eyes?"

He stared at her. "What do you want? What are you expecting from me?"

"I miss you, Ichigo. I miss how we used to sit and just talk for hours upon hours. I want to go back to that."

Ichigo continued to stare. "Korra said the same thing. She misses me. Even Mako said that. What am I supposed to do with that? It's not like I miss you guys; I haven't gone away or anything. I've got nothing to miss. Like what is that even supposed to mean?"

"It means you've changed!"

"Yeah, I know I've changed! I know! Look at me, Asami. I'm a depressed, shallow version of myself. My whole life here is a lie. I am torn between my life here and my life in my old world."

"Feels more like you're torn between me and this Rukia girl," Asami said with crossed arms.

"What? No. You don't know what you're talking about. I'm with you. I'm loyal to you. Rukia is… she's a friend. A good friend. One who I miss a lot." He said honestly, not realizing till now how much he actually did miss her.

"Whatever," Asami said dismissively. She crossed her arms and turned away.

Ichigo sighed deeply. "Asami, what's wrong?"

She sniffled. "Will you leave me here?" She said quietly.

Ichigo stopped. He looked down. "I-"

"You will, won't you? You're going to abandon me here. Abandon our relationship."

"No, I… I don't-"

"You can't even give me a straight answer. That's really all I needed to hear." She began to walk away but Ichigo quickly reached out and grabbed her, pulling her back into his arms in a tight embrace.

"I'm here now. I don't want to leave you."

She clutched at the arms that held her and sobbed. "I don't want you to go. Please, Ichigo. I don't want you to go."

He held her securely against him. "I will not abandon you. But I have to know the truth. I have to know the truth about my past. Will you help me?"

Asami sniffled again and brushed away her tears. "I'll help you," she said eventually in a haggard voice. "But I want you to promise me something in return."

"What is it?"

"When all this is over, when all is good and right in the world… I want you to promise me that we'll all go on a journey. We'll take a bison and we'll travel the world like Aang and his friends did. It's an odd request I know; but it's something that I've wanted for a long time. Will you promise me?"

Ichigo turned her around so he could look her in the eyes. "I promise."

She smiled faintly and they kissed. It was less passionate than their previous kisses. It was a dry, desperate kiss; attempting to cling on to the feelings that had brought it together. Their lips separated. Both of their eyes held deep sadness but also resilience and more importantly, resolve.

Footsteps alerted them to the presence of the ship's captain. He nodded awkwardly to them.

"Sorry to interrupt but we're nearing the North Pole. We should be in sight of it in the morning."

"Take us west of the gate," Ichigo instructed. "We'll have to enter the city secretly. We can't trust anyone there."

"Couldn't we enter under the guise of merchants hoping to sell goods? We could smuggle the two of you into the city that way."

"This is a Future Industries ship," Asami said. "The company is partnered with Varrick, a Southerner. I don't think that would work."

"Hmm," the captain acknowledged. "If only we had a man on the inside."

"That would be nice," Ichigo agreed. "We'll need disguises. Preferably with hoods. Most Water Tribe people have darker skin. Neither of us has that."

"Do you even know where to go once we're inside?" Asami asked.

"I've been doing some reading. I think I may know a place. But first off, we need to go to the Spirit Portal."

"You two should get some sleep," the captain advised. "I'll let you know when we're nearing the drop off point."

"Thank you, Captain," Asami said.

She led the way towards their cabin below deck. Ichigo sniffed the cold air. I'm close. I can almost sense her presence.


Rukia sat in the barracks of Squad 13, deep in thought. It was after dark and the wind whispered outside her door. She had stayed for many hours with Nemu in Squad 12, learning all she could about the other world and the strange phenomenon known as Harmonic Convergence.

There was a slight knock on her door. "Rukia, may I come in?"

It was Jushiro Ukitake, Captain of Squad 13.

"Yes, Captain!" She got up for him and bowed slightly as he entered the room. He smiled warmly. "You needn't bow, Rukia." He said with a laugh.

"Yes, Captain."

He lowered himself to the floor with a grunt and a sigh. "Sit, Rukia. We have something to discuss."

She obeyed. "What is it?"

"It's about your friend, Ichigo. I know you've discovered evidence that he is in that… other world."

"It's not evidence. It's fact."

"Well whatever it is, I advise strong caution regarding this world."

"Why?" She asked quizzically.

He hesitated. "There is not much known about that other world. We know some of it's history and phenomena but beyond that we don't know much. But there is a legend about that world. An old Soul Reaper legend."

"What is it?"

"If I remember correctly (I haven't heard it since I was a child myself), it is a short story about a fierce and terrible spiritual being that lives in that world. Its powers are unknown but they are said to be vast and incomprehensible. It is undying; if you kill it, it will eventually be reborn. This story used to be told quite frequently but now it is mostly forgotten and dismissed. That is why I urge you to be cautious. There are far too many unknowns about this world. It is without a doubt extremely dangerous. I do not know why Kurosaki Ichigo is there or how he got there but I do know this: his presence there does not bode well for him."

He got up. "That is all I wanted to say. If you pursue this further, the consequences might be grave."

Rukia nodded. "I understand, Captain." She paused. "What is this creature that you speak of called?"

"Here in Soul Society we call it Fukinko; or, imbalance. The people in that world call it the Avatar."

"The Avatar…"

"Be wary, Rukia. If Ichigo has encountered this being… he is in far greater danger than we can even imagine."


The next morning, Wan was brought before the great Lion Turtle. He was held securely by two guards. The Chous stood in front of the majestic creature to testify.

"Tell me who else was involved in the rebellion," the head Chou instructed, "and I might take mercy on you."

"I'm not telling you anything," Wan retorted.

"Then you've left me no choice. Wan, you are hereby banished!"

"Yeah!" said the young Chou. "And give back the fire you stole."

Wan was forced forward closer to the Lion Turtle.

"No, wait! Great Lion Turtle," Wan implored, "I am sorry for stealing the fire from you and I accept my punishment, but please, I need to be able to protect myself in the wilds."

"Never again may you return to this city," the Lion Turtle said solemnly. "But I will allow you to keep the power of the element."

With his verdict in place, the guards shoved Wan in the direction of the Spirit Wilds. He looked back, then hung his head. Slowly, he turned and began to make his way through the mist. It would be a miracle if he lasted till morning, if the legends were true about this place.

Entering the forest, Wan ignited flames on his palm to help him see. The mist had quickly turned to a thick and heavy fog. Wan couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He looked at his surroundings with fear as he walked.

Two snake spirits materialized behind him and he hurriedly lashed out at them with fire. There were spirits flying all around and he flung flames at them. Stepping backward, he heard a gross squishing sound.

"Hey!" said a voice below. "Watch where you're stepping, human!"

"Who said that?"

"Down here!"

Wan looked down. Beneath his foot, a frog spirit struggled its way out. "How would you like it if I started walking all over you?"

Wan sighed with relief. "You're just a little frog."

The frog quickly grew gigantic before his eyes. "Who's little now?" It said in a deep voice. Wan backpedalled furiously as the frog lifted it's foot to squash him. He gasped with fright and ran away. Suddenly, a plant reached out in a mouth shape and trapped him inside it. Wan yelled and burnt the plant inside. It burped him out and Wan continued running.

He found a grassy clearing and he collapsed on his back, completely out of breath. Then vines sprouted from the ground and entwined themselves around him, dragging him beneath the surface. He struggled and blasted his way out.

The spirits seemed to be following him. He fired shots at them constantly but they had no effect. Totally spent, Wan leant against a large rock. Suddenly, he heard yelling and panting breath. He turned and saw a young man running at full sprint from a large spirit creature.

"Get the hell away from me!" the man yelled loudly. Wan coughed and then steeled himself. He stepped in and used both hands to shoot a large plume of fire at the creature. It disappeared at the sight. The young man stopped running and put his hands on his knees. He was clearly exhausted.

"Thanks for the save," he said in between breaths.

Wan studied him closely. He looked to be around the same age as him, maybe a little bit younger. He was tall and lean and dressed in strange straight clothes. Wan had never seen their like before. They looked tight and uncomfortable unlike the loose robes he wore. The most striking thing about this man was definitely his hair. It was bright orange and spiky all over.

"Do you know where the hell we are?" The man asked.

Wan blinked. "We're in the Spirit Wilds," he said cautiously.

The man looked confused. "Spirit Wilds? Never heard of it."

"Well how did you get here? Were you banished too?"

"Banished? Nah, bro, I just woke up here this morning. I've been running from those damn things all day. They're a little bit like Hollows, huh?"

"Hollows?"

The man glanced over at him. "Yeah. Ugly bastards with white masks. I'm assuming this place is somewhere in Soul Society. You know about Hollows, right?"

Wan shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The man shrugged. "Whatever, man. What's your name?"

"Wan. What's yours?"

"Ichigo. How did you get here?"

"I was banished from my city by the Lion Turtle. I didn't even know there were other people here."

"The hell is a Lion Turtle?"

Wan frowned. "Okay, seriously who are you? Why are you so different than me?"

"Well I-"

He was interrupted by a loud rustling noise. The two men looked at each other. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Ichigo said.

"Yeah. Run."


"Wake up! Ichigo! Wake up!"

Ichigo moaned and opened his eyes. Asami was above him. She hit him on the stomach and he grunted.

"Hey!"

"Get up!" she said with humour. "Come on, we're nearly there."

Ichigo pushed aside his covers and got out of bed. Following her up to the deck, he shivered bitterly at the sudden gust of cold air that greeted his body.

"Brr…" he said while rubbing his arms. "Yeah. Certainly feels like the North Pole."

The ship had stopped beside a giant wall of ice that stretched up above them. They had laid down the anchor because even though the water was deep enough for the ship to reach the shore, there were many treacherous rocks and large icebergs that blocked their way.

At the shore, there was a small fishing dock; however, there were no boats moored to its sides. Beyond the dock was a path that led up and into the ice wall and presumably, to the city.

"We have to lower a boat and row our way in," Asami said.

"Be cautious, Miss Sato," the captain instructed. "Those waters look dangerous. And none of us are water benders."

"We'll be fine," she said.

"We need our disguises before we leave," Ichigo said.

"We don't have Water Tribe garb here," the captain said. "You'll have to find some ashore."

"So, we'll have to rob someone?" Asami asked.

"Looks like it," Ichigo answered. "Whatever. It's gotta be done."

"That orange hair of yours won't win you many friends," the captain said.

"Well, not like I can change it."

"Actually, we do have some black dye on board. It will fade with time, but for now I think it's a good idea to dye it black. That way your hair will match Miss Sato's. You could even pose as siblings if you so wished."

Ichigo looked to Asami and she nodded. "It's a good idea," she said.

They went below deck and carefully lathered Ichigo's hair with the dye. He hated every second of it. After several hours, it was done. The job was crude but it would pass. They also placed dye on his eyebrows.

Asami studied his new look with amusement.

"What?" he said indignantly. "Does it look that bad?"

"No. Just different. You're not as striking now. Don't worry, you're still handsome but maybe a little less unique."

Ichigo scowled. "Gee, thanks."

Asami laughed and they went back onto the deck. The sailors lowered a boat with four men on the oars and Ichigo and Asami entered it.

"Thank you for bringing us here, Captain," Asami said.

He nodded to them. "I wish you safe travels and the best of luck. Would you like us to wait for you here?"

Asami looked to Ichigo. He nodded. "Wait for five days. If we don't return or send word to you, go back to Republic City where it's safe."

The captain bowed and they began rowing towards the shore. The waves were violent and choppy. The rowers were already struggling.

"This is not going to be easy," Asami said.

"No. But we'll be fine," Ichigo said.

The rowers began to carefully navigate the boat through the rocks. The water was freezing and the ship and shore were both far away, if they sank, they would surely drown. There were several close calls and brushes. The rocks scraped against the underside of the boat causing everyone on board to wince with fear. At last, they reached the shore.

Ichigo got out of the little boat and waded over to the land, pulling the boat with him. He helped Asami get out and lifted her onto the shore so that she wouldn't get her feet wet.

"Such a gentleman," she said with a smile.

Ichigo thanked the sailors for their hard work and then they turned and began heading towards the path.

"We can't go into the city without disguises," he said.

"Agreed. Hopefully there will be some smaller settlements along this route before we reach the city. I just don't like the idea of stealing."

"Who cares? These people are the enemy anyway. They'll have clothes to spare."

Asami didn't say anything more. They travelled along the path for several hours in silence. Ichigo was beginning to get very cold. Asami wore a fur-lined Future Industries coat but Ichigo was still clad in his normal clothes from Republic City and a thin jacket. He shivered constantly.

"Are you okay, Ichigo? You must be freezing."

"I'm fine," he said with steel. But he couldn't keep his teeth from chattering.

"No, you're not. Come on, we can trade coats for a while. You need it."

He shook his head. "No, Asami. I can handle it. You need that coat more than I do."

She sighed. "I really won't be able to convince you, will I?"

"Nope."

They continued on. Ichigo was now bitterly cold. His steps were laboured and his skin was deathly pale. Asami wrapped her arms around him and they walked extremely slowly. The path they were on had led them deep into the mountainside. What's more, it was on an incline which made walking harder. The ground was icy and slippery.

At long last, they reached the end of the path and appeared at the top of the mountain. Instantly they were buffeted by great winds from the open sea. Out from under the cover of the mountain path, it was snowing heavily and it was very hard to see in any direction. Ichigo froze up and collapsed onto the ground.

"Ichigo! Ichigo!"

Asami attempted to bring him to his feet. She gripped his hands. They were terribly cold and likely numb. She blew air onto them but it turned cold before it reached them. His eyes were glossy. She held him tightly to her body and screamed for help. But her voice just got lost in the wind.

Ichigo couldn't go on. Nearly his entire body was numb. Asami began to cry. She had never seen him this weak, this helpless. All she could do was whimper and hold him.

"Please," she said aloud. "Please someone help us."

She laid her head on him and sat there in the chilling wind for some time. Then, all of a sudden, she heard voices. She looked up. In the distance, she glimpsed a bobbing light. She tried to call out but her throat and voice were choked. The light was getting dimmer.

Asami looked at Ichigo. His face was beginning to turn blue and he shivered uncontrollably against her. There was only one thing she could do. She gripped him tightly and began to rise. He was nearly immobile and very hard to move. Somehow, she hefted him into her arms and lifted him off the ground, staggering to her feet.

She was not as strong as Korra by any means, but her resolve that day was as strong as anyone's. She began to walk. Step by step, she struggled mightily towards that fading light. It was easily the hardest thing she'd ever done. The cold snow and wind bit ferociously at her skin, her joints felt brittle and weak. Ichigo was not a heavy man but he wasn't light either.

Asami gritted her teeth against the pain. "Come on, Asami. Come on, Asami. Come on, Asami!"

She battled her way through the icy tundra, carrying the limp Soul Reaper on her shoulder. The light had stopped. Every step was an incredible struggle. Her body was exhausted and cold but still she kept on going. After what felt like an eternity, she glimpsed the outlines of a house. Hope filled her veins and she fought on. Suddenly her foot got caught and she tumbled to the ground with the full weight of Ichigo collapsing onto her.

Asami tried to rise again but it was no use. She was spent. She cursed bitterly. She had been so close! More tears appeared in her eyes and she hung her head in defeat.

So this is where it ends. 20 feet away from shelter with my frozen boyfriend immobile on top of me. I'm sorry, Ichigo. I tried. I tried so hard! All for you. All for you.

"I'm sorry," she said aloud.

Asami heard a moan above her. "Ichigo?"

She felt movement. Ichigo creakingly raised his numb hand into the air and closed it into a fist. There was a small humming noise and a blue aura surrounded his hand. His voice, croaking and weak, was like music to her ears.

"I won't let you die in a place like this. I will protect you!"

His hand shone brighter and brighter. It began to vibrate rapidly. He was focusing all his reiatsu into his hand and it shook uncontrollably. Pouring out every last bit of his power, he shot a blast of energy into the air that hovered for several seconds and then dissipated into the wind.

Ichigo's hand fell back down to his body and he fell into unconsciousness. Asami stayed awake. Her eyes fluttered open and shut and then she heard voices.

"Don't stray too far out, son. That light was fairly close."

Asami raised her head and yelled. It was a pitiful noise but it got the boy's attention.

"Father, over here! There's people!"

"Help me get them up, Neeruk."

Asami felt Ichigo being carefully lifted off her body and then she also was off the ground. Strong hands placed her in a sleigh and she felt herself moving towards the light. It came into view. It was a simple lantern hung outside a small but cosy ice hut.

They were taken inside and enveloped in warm furs next to a roaring fire. Ichigo was quickly roused and bowls of deliciously hot soup were placed in their hands. He finished first and was taken away by who Asami figured was the mother and placed into a bed. She sipped her soup appreciatively and continued to warm herself.

The boy, Neeruk was young, barely a teenager and he gazed at her, entranced by her fair skin and beautiful face. His father patted him on the shoulder.

"Come Neeruk, give the poor girl some space."

Neeruk continued to stare as he was led away. The father sat down across from Asami and cleared his throat. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Asami blinked. "Yes. Thank you for saving our lives. We would've died out there if it weren't for you."

"The spirits were on your side this day, young lady. That boy was on the brink of frostbite and you would've followed suit soon enough. A terrible way to die."

"Will he be alright?" Asami demanded.

"He should be, yes. My wife Neera says he's a strong, tough lad. He'll be just fine."

Asami sighed with relief. "Thank goodness."

"If you don't mind my asking, this conversation can wait till later if you'd like, but how on earth did you get here?"

"We were travelling to the city to study the spirits here," Asami lied smoothly. "My brother and I have always been interested in the spirits and the only place in the world to study them is here."

"Well, you couldn't have come at a worse possible time for your purposes. Yes, there are spirits here but Chief Unalaq, the wisest and most knowledgeable man in the North, is gone. You could've learned a lot from him."

"Oh. That is unfortunate," Asami said awkwardly.

"You still haven't answered my question. How did you get here?"

"Our ship ran aground on some of the rocks and icebergs on the way here. Our sailors staged a mutiny and killed the captain. My brother and I were lucky to escape. We travelled up the path from the docks and arrived here."

"Your brother was not properly dressed for the cold. It wouldn't surprise me if he collapsed as soon as you left the path. Seems like you two weren't exactly prepared for your little escapade."

"Oh, we were but we had to escape and my brother was unable to grab a coat in time. And yes, you're right he did collapse as soon as we got out."

"Wait so did you carry him all the way out here? There's no other explanation."

Asami nodded slowly. "Yes."

The man's eyes widened, impressed. "That is certainly a remarkable feat, young lady. You must love your brother very much."

"With all my heart."

She began to cough.

"Forgive me," the man said. "You must rest. We can speak more in the morning."

He led her to a bed and she sank down gratefully into it. The mother, Neera, stepped away from Ichigo's bedside where she had been tending to him.

"Do you believe her story, Ronak?"

"I do. It is incredible but I do."

"We have to help them," Neeruk said. "I don't care if they're strangers. We should do everything we can to help them."

Ronak tussled his son's hair with a chuckle. "And help them we will."


Wan watched with curiosity as Ichigo led them slowly through the forest. He seemed impulsive and impatient to get out but there was an air of calm and experience about him. He wasn't afraid of anything here. Wan continued to marvel at his clothes.

Ichigo had said indignantly that they were just a shirt and pants; two words that Wan had never heard before. Around his waist there was a leather strap that Ichigo called a belt and attached to that strap was a strange wooden object that resembled a skull.

Wan also couldn't get over Ichigo's bright orange hair. It was so foreign to him and he was very intrigued by it. Ichigo glanced back and scowled slightly. That was also a constant. It seemed his only expression was a scowl.

"Would you stop staring?" Ichigo said. "You're making me uncomfortable. It's creepin' me out."

"What? Oh, sorry. You're just so different, you know? Your clothes, your hair…"

Ichigo's scowl deepened. "Yeah shut up about my hair. I know it's different. Get over it. You're weird too, you know? You look like a peasant but you got those fire powers. Looks like a hado or kido or whatever the hell it's called."

"It's the power of the element," Wan said. "It was given to me by the Lion Turtle."

"Yeah, okay buddy."

"Do you know where you're going?"

"No. But if we keep going in one direction we'll eventually get somewhere, right? I don't know where we are or how I got here. I just want to go home. I couldn't be asked to deal with another crisis after all that Fullbring stuff and that Ginjo bastard."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"You seriously haven't heard about the Soul Society?"

"No. I'm beginning to think you're not from around here."

"Yeah, no kidding. I swear to God if this is another bullshit dimension or plane of existence I'm gonna be pissed. What do you know about this place, Wan?"

"Not much. Just that it's extremely dangerous. Being banished here is my punishment. Without the power of the element, I'd be dead by now."

"Yeah."

Wan's stomach began to grumble loudly. They had been waling for hours through the night and it was now the middle of the morning. Wan was used to going hungry but not this hungry. Beside him, there was a tree with some low-hanging fruit on it's branches. Wan grabbed one and bit into it. Suddenly it turned into a swarm of buzzing spirit wasps.

"Ah! Get off me!"

"You idiot!" Ichigo yelled.

The two of them began to run. They plunged straight off a cliff and tumbled down it to the ground below. Rubbing their sore bodies, they looked up and glimpsed a beautiful oasis quite near to them. It was right in the middle of a small lake and there was a bridge that led straight to it.

Wan and Ichigo grinned and began to walk towards it. They reached the bridge and then all of a sudden, a tall, lithe, cat-like spirit materialized before them and shoved them forcibly off the bridge and onto their backsides.

"You are not welcome in my oasis, human." The spirit declared loudly.

Ichigo pointed at it. "It's you! You're that creature I saw when I woke up!"

The spirit looked at him quizzically. "I think I'd remember seeing a human as ugly as you."

"Hey!"

"Although," he sniffed. "You don't smell entirely human. You smell… foreign."

"Please," Wan said. "Help me. I'm starving and I haven't slept all night."

The spirit crossed it's arms. "That's not my problem."

Wan scowled and fired some flames at it's feet. "Let me pass," he ordered.

"That might not have been such a good idea," Ichigo said.

"You dare use fire against me?!" The spirit said furiously. It dematerialized and then rematerialized behind Wan. It grabbed him by his collar and tossed him into a bush. "Now begone with you!"

Ichigo slowly moved his hands towards the wooden object on his belt. "Alright then, you cat bastard…"

"What did you call me? Listen here, demi-human, you may have the scent of a spirit and I'd be inclined to let you in, but I also smell the scent of a devil. Your coming here is a forbearance of woe. You do not belong here. Now beat it!"

It kicked Ichigo in the chest and sent him flying into the small bush where he fell in a heap. Ichigo shook his head to clear it and Wan helped him to his feet.

"We're getting in that oasis," Ichigo declared.

"Agreed. But how?"

Their thoughts were interrupted as they saw a procession of spirits of all shapes and sizes walking along the path, across the bridge and into the oasis. Ichigo and Wan stayed hidden in the bush. Then Wan grinned.

"I have an idea."

A few minutes later, the two of them emerged from the bush wrapped in its leaves with vines as necklaces and two sticks to pose as ears.

"This is a stupid idea," Ichigo said.

"Shut up! It'll work. Just let me do the talking."

They joined the procession casually and proceeded to cross the bridge. The cat spirit eyed them dubiously.

"And who might you be?" He said with suspicion.

"We are Bushy and Busho, the twin bush spirits," Wan said dramatically. "And we would like to enter your oasis."

"Very well," he waved them on. "You may pass." Then he began to sniff again. "Wait a second! Something stinks." He tore the heads of their costumes off. "I knew it! I knew I smelled humans."

Wan grinned awkwardly and Ichigo sighed. The spirit grabbed them and flung them into the lake.

"Come on," Wan pleaded. "Let us in. Just for a little while."

"No! Go back to your Lion Turtle."

"Believe me, I'd love to go back home. But I can't. I was kicked out."

"That's too bad," another spirit said.

"And my friend here just woke up in the wild! He doesn't even have a home," Wan said desperately. Ichigo did his best to play along, hanging his head with attempted sadness.

"Poor humans."

"Don't pity them!" The cat spirit said. "They're just like every other human: ugly, destructive, and lacking any respect for nature."

Wan put his hands on his hips. "Who you calling ugly, ugly?"

"Yeah!" Ichigo added. "I've seen plenty of souls and spirits in my time but you're definitely the worst!"

"Hush, demi-human!" the cat spirit said with a humph.

"If you can't go back to your old city," a spirit said, "Why don't you go live in another one?"

"What?" Wan said in shock. "There are other Lion Turtles?"

"There are other Lion Turtles?" the cat spirit repeated mockingly. "Of course there are! Dozens of them! Boy, you humans are stupid, too!"

"So which way to the nearest Lion Turtle?"

"Hmm… I think it's on the other side of none of your business valley!" He croaked out an awkward laugh. The other spirits didn't join in.

Ichigo cringed. "What a prick."

"Real funny," Wan said. "You know what, we don't need your help. We'll find it ourselves." He and Ichigo turned and walked away.

"Good luck!" a spirit called.

"So, I guess this is our mission now, huh?" Ichigo said.

"You don't have to come with me," Wan answered. "You're obviously not from around here. But if we find another city, maybe they'll have information about where you come from."

Ichigo nodded. "I'll come with you. We'll show that stupid cat wrong."

The two young men laughed and then began their journey.


Ichigo dreamed that he stood in front of the Senkaimon gate. But he was not inside Soul Society. He was on the outside looking in. In front of him was the gate and beyond were the tiled roofs of Seireitei. Behind him and to the sides was only darkness. A purple tinted blackness. He stood upon the brink. It was cold.

Before him at the gate stood Rukia. She was saying something but he couldn't hear. He strained his ears to no avail. She reached out to him and he stretched out a hand in response. But then he felt what seemed to be a chilling, cold hand wrap its fingers around him and pull him back into the darkness.

Ichigo stirred, now awake and opened his eyes. Above him was the thatched wood of a hut. It was the roof he assumed. To his right was a wall and to his left, the hut opened up into a room. It was warm and cosy inside and he felt safe. His body felt very weak and brittle.

He attempted to struggle into a seated position but then he felt a calm hand push him back down. Ichigo looked at its owner. She was a kind-faced middle aged Water Tribe lady with dark skin and small wrinkles. Her eyes twinkled with humour and her hands felt capable and rough but also gentle and protective.

"Rest, young one," she said. "You've had a rough night. But don't worry. You're safe."

Ichigo swallowed. "Asami. Where is Asami?"

"Your sister? She's here. She's fine."

His eyes clouded. "My sister?"

"Yes. Your sister. It makes sense that your mind is slow. You nearly froze to death out there."

"I… yeah."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Collapsing just outside the path through the mountain. Then raising my hand."

"Well, you certainly missed a lot. Our home is quite far from the shoreline."

"Did you find us or something?"

"Yes. But only around 30 feet from this hut. Your sister is quite incredible. She carried you from the top of the path all the way to here."

"She what?"

"She did. You must love each other very much."

Ichigo looked across the room. Asami was curled up in a bed sleeping peacefully. He smiled with pride.

"Yes. I love her with all my heart."

The lady smiled. "She said the same thing."

"I'm sure she did."

"You're probably hungry. You had some soup when we found you but you were pretty out of it. My name is Neera, by the way. My husband Ronak and my son Neeruk found you and brought you here. I tended to you as you slept."

"Thank you. You saved our lives."

"It's our pleasure." She brought over a bowl of meat stew and Ichigo took it thankfully. It was warm and perhaps too salty but it filled his hungry belly and gave him some much-needed energy. When he had finished, he got out of the bed and sat down beside Asami's bedside.

He put his hand against her cheek gently and smiled. She stirred and turned to face him.

"Hey, honey," she whispered.

"Hey. I heard about what you did. You saved my life."

"Mmm, you saved both of our lives back there."

Ichigo chuckled. "Call it even?"

"Yeah."

He handed her a bowl of stew. "Eat up. We've got to get moving soon."

The door opened to admit Ronak and Neeruk. Neeruk grinned.

"You're awake!"

He rushed over to Asami's side and took her hand. "I'm so happy you're alright."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

Asami coughed. "This is awkward."

"Neeruk, come here. Leave the lady alone," Neera chided. "You're much too young to be interested in her anyway."

"Yeah, back off," Ichigo said, half-jokingly.

Neeruk stuck out his tongue at him. "Bla!"

"Neeruk!" Ronak said loudly. "Show them some respect."

The boy frowned. "Sorry."

Asami laughed. "It's okay. Ichigo's just a little overprotective."

"Tch. Am not."

Neera placed a large bowl of stew on the table. "Here, boys, come eat your lunch. You're more than welcome to take seconds," she said to Ichigo.

"I'm good, thank you. Asami and I should get going."

"You're leaving already?" Neeruk whined.

"You're still weak," Ronak cautioned. "I would advise you stay here for the time being and rest up."

Ichigo put his hand on Asami's. "It's your call."

"If you're ready to go, then I am too," she said.

"I'll make you some food to take with you," Neera said. "And you'll need coats as well. You're both a little smaller than Ronak and I so your clothes might be a bit big but it should be fine."

"Thank you all so much," Asami said. "You're too kind."

"I'll point you in the direction of the city," Ronak said. "It isn't far from here."

"That would be appreciated," Ichigo said.

Soon enough, they were ready to go. They and the kind family stood outside the hut. The day was clear and it was a lot less windy. Ichigo and Asami both wore heavy blue Water Tribe garb and carried knapsacks full of food and supplies.

"Thank you again," Asami said. "You've saved us, provided for us and have shown more kindness than we deserve."

"You're both worth it to us," Ronak said with a warm smile. "We wish you well on your journey. If only Chief Unalaq were here to help you. You'd be lucky to meet him. He is a remarkable man."

"So I've heard," Ichigo said awkwardly. "Thanks again."

They waved goodbye and turned to be on their way. The family stood outside their hut watching for a while and then headed inside. Ichigo and Asami both pulled their hoods up to hide their hair and faces as best they could.

"What a kind family," Asami said.

"Yeah. It's too bad that they support that bastard Unalaq. Ah well, they probably don't know any better. Who knows the extent of the lies he's told these people."

"Yeah. Ronak said we should reach the city soon. If we continue in this direction, we'll reach a pass that will take us down into the city."

"If we time it right, we should enter the city after dark. That will make it easier for us."

"From there it's to the North Pole, right?"

"Yeah. We'll need directions. From what Tonraq said about when he destroyed the Spirit Forest here, I don't think it's too far from the city."

"What happens after we get there? You're going to speak with Rukia?"

"Yeah. I don't know what will happen after that."

Asami paused. "Well, whatever happens, we'll be together."

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah."


Wan and Ichigo had been walking for hours. They were now deep in the forest and far from Wan's city. The landscape had not changed that much; just more trees and rocks. Ichigo's stomach growled loudly and he grumbled his annoyance.

Wan laughed. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's hungry."

"Shut up. I don't even remember the last time I ate. I think I was having breakfast with Yuzu and Karin and then Dad wanted me to run an errand with him. Which was weird, partly because I said yes."

Wan shook his head. "Still don't know what you're talking about. But we'd better find some food soon. We won't last long otherwise."

They turned round a corner and then glimpsed their salvation. It was a deer-like creature that was trapped in a hunting net and hanging from a tree. Both boy's mouths turned to grins and a sinister look appeared in their eyes. Ichigo rubbed his hands together and Wan ignited some flames, already preparing to cook the beast.

They walked closer and the cat-deer began to struggle. Wan hesitated and then it looked him right in the eye with a mournful purr. He sighed and extinguished the flames.

"It's okay," he said. "I'm gonna get you outta there."

"You're what?" Ichigo said. "Bro, that's our dinner!"

"I can't do it, Ichigo. It's innocent."

Ichigo groaned. "Ugh, I guess you're right. Here's let's cut it down."

Wan began to climb the tree as Ichigo waited below. Suddenly, the same group of hunters that Wan had travelled with in the beginning appeared in the clearing.

"Finally, we caught something!" The leader said. "Get it down."

Wan jumped onto the branch. "Back off!"

"Wan? What are you doing here?"

"We're saving this animal."

"That animal is our dinner. Wait, we? Oof!"

He was belted back by Ichigo's fist who had hidden behind the tree when he heard the voices.

"Yeah," he said. "We."

Wan jumped down and blew the other three hunters to the ground with fire. He scampered off and they followed him, leaving Ichigo to deal with the leader. They brawled on the ground. The man was bigger and heavier than Ichigo and so had the advantage in a wrestling situation like this one. Ichigo coughed as the man wrapped his hands round his throat.

"All I have to do is ignite the fire and you'll be burnt to a crisp, boy."

Ichigo scowled. "Go for it."

He yelled as he felt the searing flames around his neck. Reaching down to his belt, he gripped the wooden object and hit it against his chest. The resulting shockwave knocked the man off of him and into a tree.

He gaped at what stood before him. Ichigo was dressed in black robes with white sporadic armour plating and a red sash. Most striking was the giant sword that he held in his palm. The burn marks on his neck faded.

"You're really in for it now, old man," Ichigo said with a snarl.

The man blasted fire and charged. Ichigo cut through it and then raked his sword along the man's chest, opening a deep wound. Blood spurted out and he collapsed to the ground. Ichigo wiped the blood off his sword and reverted back to his human form.

"What the hell are you, monster?" the man croaked.

"Dangerous," Ichigo replied simply. "Now get out of here. I didn't wound you that badly." The man crawled away, leaving a trail a blood in his wake.

Meanwhile, Wan was still being chased. Ahead of him, he saw the clearing of grass that had tried to ensnare him and he swung on a vine to get over it. His pursuers ran right through it and one of them got trapped and taken under by the vines.

Wan reached up and grabbed one of the fruits that turned into wasps and he flung it at the men. The wasps enveloped one of them and carried him screaming away. The final pursuer blasted Wan off his feet and he fell to the ground.

"Looks like you're all out of tricks, Wan."

Suddenly the cat spirit appeared and entered the man's body like a blue aura and began to change him. His limbs twisted awkwardly as the spirit fought for control. His features began to change and take on half of the look of the cat spirit. His face bulged.

"I… really… hate… humans!"

The transformation complete, the spirit left his body and the man stared at his hands and his hideously deformed features. He looked exactly like Wan's friend Yao except merged with a cat spirit instead of a tree one. He screamed and then ran off.

The cat spirit picked up Wan into its arms. "I don't know what he's screaming about. He's better looking now."

Wan was unconscious and he walked back to the clearing where Ichigo was. He had cut down the cat-deer and was standing there waiting.

"Hey, you. Demi-human! I can smell your evil scent from a mile away. But I do like that you seriously injured that cursed human hunter. Come with me. We're going to the oasis."

They arrived and the spirit placed Wan in its waters. Ichigo watched with intrigue as blue light emanated from the water and began to heal Wan's wounds. He moaned and opened his eyes.

"I feel great," Wan said. "What's in this water?"

"It has special healing properties," the spirit answered. Another one handed Wan a fruit.

"Thanks," he said. "So what did you do to that hunter?"

"Spirits are able to take over a human body for a short time. If I stayed in there any longer I would've killed him. Which I did consider."

"Thanks for saving my neck. But, why'd you do it?"

"I saw you and the demi-human save the cat-deer from those hunters. I've never seen such an act of selflessness from a human before."

Wan smiled and stroked the cat-deer's fur. "Told you we weren't like the others."

"I guess I underestimated you, human. Also, I'm aware you think of me as a cat spirit but I am not. I am the aye-aye spirit."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ichigo said with a scoff.

"Show some respect, demi-human! That is what I am."

Wan got to his feet and another spirit approached him. "Are you off to find another Lion Turtle city?"

"I was… but I think I've had enough of humans for a while. I've decided to stay here and learn the ways of the spirits."

"What a great idea! That'll be fun!"

"As long as you're okay with that, Ichigo."

Ichigo crossed his arms. "I don't care either way," he said finally. "I'll find my way home eventually. For now, I think I'll stay here with you."

Wan smiled. "Thanks, friend."

"Now hold on!" The aye-aye spirit interjected. "Humans living with spirits? It's never been done."

"First time for everything, right?" Wan said.

"Hmm. I guess we can try it. I've never had a human as a pet before. I think I'll call you… Stinky."

Wan frowned. "The name is Wan."

"Stinky is more accurate."

"Do I get a nickname too?" Ichigo asked sarcastically.

The aye-aye spirit studied him. "Come with me, demi-human."

They walked a little bit into the forest and then stopped. "You can stop playing games now. Tell me what you are."

"I'm a human," Ichigo replied. "Just like Wan."

"No. You're different. I can smell it on you." He sniffed him dramatically and Ichigo recoiled.

"Piss off. I don't care what you smell."

"Hmm. I shall allow you to stay with us for the time being but only out of respect for Wan's wishes. The human is growing on me."

"All I want is to learn about this place so I can find a way to go home. That's all."

"Very well."


Night had fallen on the frozen tundra. Ichigo and Asami were still forging their way towards the city. The moon shone favourably on them, illuminating their route. At last, they reached the end of the path. Before them was a great staircase that stretched down into the city.

The two of them gazed with awe at the vast icy capital. It's streets were canals and every structure was made of water and ice. It was truly an incredible sight.

"My father used to tell me stories about all the great capitals in the world," Asami said. "Places like here and Ba Sing Se. They're always so much grander in person."

Ichigo took a deep breath. "Let's go."

They began their descent down the staircase. Now that they were there, Ichigo didn't want to waste any more time. They made their way quickly into the city and entered the gate. There were no guards. Most of the soldiers were in the south fighting in the civil war.

They jogged lightly alongside the canals, heading up and deeper into the city towards the palace.

"We need to find someone to question." Ichigo said.

"Will you question them by force?"

"If I have to."

They turned round a corner and saw a lone person, sitting outside their front door, playfully waterbending the canal below them. Ichigo and Asami approached the person slowly. The person looked up. It was a young girl.

"Hello," she said anxiously. "Who are you?"

"It's okay," Asami said. "We won't hurt you."

"What do you want?" the girl asked.

Ichigo knelt down beside her. "We want to know how to get to the North Pole."

Her eyes widened with fear. "Why would you want to go there? You know Chief Unalaq forbade anyone to go there without his permission. It's dangerous."

"That doesn't matter. Just tell us where to go."

The girl cowered away from his scowl. Asami took Ichigo's shoulder and pulled him away.

"Let me handle this, tough guy."

She knelt down and gently took the girl's hand. "Please. We need your help. My brother and I must get to the North Pole; it's incredibly important. Please. Will you help us?"

The girl swallowed. "There is a path that leads past the Spirit Oasis and out of the city. That will take you out into the wild. There are several villages along the way where you can take steeds and travel quickly. The frozen tundra is treacherous, not even the most experienced hunters go there willingly. You most likely will die."

Asami smiled. "Thank you for your help." She got up. "Let's go."

The two of them began jogging up the street towards the palace where they knew the Spirit Oasis was near to.

"If it's as dangerous as she says, what are we going to do?" Asami asked.

"I'm sick and tired of walking," Ichigo replied. "Once we get clear of the city I'll go into my Soul Reaper form and we'll fly there."

"Yeah, why didn't we do that in the first place?"

"Because I didn't want us to be seen and also because I would have no idea where to go."

"Fair enough."

Eventually they found the path. They continued running then suddenly Ichigo stopped. He stared at an entrance in the rock beside them. Beyond it was the Spirit Oasis.

"Ichigo? What is it?"

"The reiatsu is very strong here. Besides the Spirit Portals, this may be the most spiritually connected place in the world. This is what I was reading about. We'll have to stop off here on our way back. Let's keep going."

The path stretched up and up and they continued to move as quickly as they could. The dawn was beginning to break by the time they reached the top. Now before them was a vast expanse of space, littered with jagged rocks and great crevices. There were also villages dotted across the landscape.

"Yeah, I think flying is a great idea," Asami said jokingly.

Ichigo placed his Combat Pass on his chest and his Shihakusho appeared. He lifted Asami into a cradle carry and paused.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We're almost there," he said breathlessly. "One last push."

With that, he took off, rocketing across the sky towards the Spirit Portal.


Rukia sat meditating in her room in the barracks of Squad 13. She had all the information. She knew how to get him home. Assuming he wanted to come home that is. With Ichigo you never knew.

Her eyes opened. She had felt something. A great ripple across the universe. She went outside. It seemed to her like the Senkaimon gate was humming. The other Soul Reapers didn't seem to notice. A small smile lit her face.

"He's close."


The leader of the hunters struggled his way through the city gates. He had managed to stem the bleeding and close off the wound but it still throbbed painfully. The people in the city rushed to his side.

"What happened in the wilds?" One asked. "Where are the others?"

"Gone. Spirits took them. They were protecting that kid, Wan. Like he was one of their own."

Jaya and Yao looked at each other.

"Did you hear that? Wan's still alive!"

As time passed, Wan became more and more proficient with the power of fire. He followed the techniques of true fire breathers: the dragon spirits and every day he grew stronger and learned more about the spirits and their ways.

Ichigo, for his part, remained with them and continued to wait and watch Wan grow. He had never seen anything like it and had never felt more out of place. He still believed that he was on the same plane of existence as Soul Society just far, far away from the Seireitei. His friendship with Wan deepened and they became very close. But he could not shake the slight distrust from the other spirits. They avoided him slightly; though they flocked to Wan. It was a bit of a mystery to him but he supposed it was because of the Hollow inside him.

Wan's ability with fire became legendary. The leader of the hunters and his pack would often encounter Wan who would parry and deflect their attacks with ease, defending the spirits and his new home.

"The way Wan moves fire," the leader would say, "It's like nothing I've ever seen. He uses it like it's an extension of his body."

Ichigo never did use his Soul Reaper powers. There was never the need for Wan was more than enough against the hunters. He did miss his friends and his family. But time seemed to pass differently here. It seemed more like a dream than anything. Oftentimes he would go off on his own to think and wonder about his place here. But he knew that back home, his friends were holding things down.

Wan's success inspired those of his former city who sought to emulate him, especially Jaya.

"Wan has proven that with the power of fire, anyone can survive in the wild," Jaya said one day to a crowd of gathered peasants. "We don't have to live under Chou the Elder's rules anymore. So I say we leave this city and start over! Who's with me?"

The crowd cheered their approval. One by one they all gained the power of fire from the Lion Turtle and as a large group, they left the city to strike out anew in the Spirit Wilds.

Many months after first being banished, Wan and Ichigo lay on the grass outside the oasis. The night was cool and a soft breeze wafted over their heads. Everything was peaceful.

"I'd say we've done pretty well for ourselves, huh Ichigo?"

"Yeah. I'd say so. You especially."

Wan laughed. "I don't know what it is. I just feel a connection to the spirits. As much or even more than I did with other humans. I mean you're not even fully human, right? All the spirits call you demi-human."

"Yeah. I'm kind of like your spirit friend."

"Exactly. You know, all this time has been devoted to me. I think it's time we do something for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I think we need to find those other cities and find your home. You must miss it."

"I do. But not as much as I thought I would. Being here… in the spirit wilds… it's like being part of a painting. It's hard to describe."

"That sounds weird coming out of your mouth. You're usually too cool to get that deep."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Wan laughed again. "Tomorrow morning, let's head out. It's time for an adventure."

Ichigo smirked. "Sounds like a plan."

The next morning, Ichigo loaded supplies onto Mula, the cat-deer they had saved. He and Wan jumped on her back and Wan rubbed her neck affectionately.

"Ready to go, Mula?"

The other spirits gathered round, their sad faces were downcast.

"You sure you want to leave?" The aye-aye spirit asked.

"Yes. It's time that we see the rest of the world and find the other Lion Turtle cities. I promised Ichigo that I'd help find his home. And I will."

The spirit smiled. "I'm proud to call you my friend… stinky."

Wan smiled back. "Thank you for everything. Goodbye, everyone!"

"We'll miss you!"

The two boys headed out and began their journey. They travelled through mountain passes, across gorgeous grassy plains and camped out together under the stars.

"You really connected with them, didn't you," Ichigo said one night.

Wan sighed wistfully. "Yeah. I miss them."

"You're probably the first human they ever cared about or became friends with."

"They cared about you too."

Ichigo shook his head. "No. No, they didn't. Not like you. I've always been… different. And judged differently."

"Hey, me too. Being different is good."

"Hmm. Sometimes."

"Do you think we'll ever find this Soul Society place of yours?"

"Hopefully. One day."

"Yeah."

After travelling for some time, they reached some mountains and decided to stop near a river to refill their water skins. Ichigo frowned.

"What's up?" Wan asked.

"Something's wrong. I feel immense spiritual pressure east of here."

As if on cue, many spirits of all shapes and sizes went stampeding past them.

"What's going on?" Wan asked loudly.

"The almighty spirits are battling. They're going to wipe out the entire valley!"

Ichigo's eyes went wide and he clutched at the wooden skull on his belt. He and Wan jumped on Mula and headed east at speed. They broke through a treeline and then Mula screeched to a stop. Before them, two gargantuan spirits were fighting brutally. They were intertwined, rolling back and forth attempting to gain control.

They looked nearly exactly the same, massive, oddly shaped beings with tattoo-like symbols spanning across their fronts. In the center of their fronts was a diamond shape with a hole in it. The only difference between the two was one shimmered a bright, white blue and other a deep, black red.

Ichigo stared in wonder. He had never felt such raw spiritual energy. They were polar opposites. Wan immediately jumped off Mula and ran towards the battle. He unleashed a ferocious blast of fire at the two spirits.

"Stop!" He yelled. "Or you'll destroy everything!"

"This doesn't concern you, human!" The white spirit said.

"It does when the lives of spirits and animals are in danger!"

The white spirit had her tendrils wrapped around the other spirit tightly like a vice, not letting it get any leverage. It was clear who had the upper hand.

Ichigo stepped forward slowly. "Wan…"

"If you're a friend to spirits," the black spirit said. "Then use your fire to help me break free."

"Don't involve the human," the white spirit said venomously. "This is between us!"

"Please," the other spirit pleaded, "save me. She has tormented me for ten thousand years!"

"Ten thousand years?" Wan made his decision. "Let him go!"

"Wan!" Ichigo ran up to him. "Don't do it. I've never felt such energy before. This is beyond you. Don't get involved!"

"What are you talking about?" Wan said.

"Listen to him!" The white spirit yelled. "Listen to the Soul Reaper!"

Ichigo's eyes jerked to her in shock. "How does she-"

"That boy is a devil!" The black spirit cried. "Don't let him stop you from doing what is right."

The white spirit now only held the other one by a single tendril and Wan saw his chance. Before Ichigo could stop him, he slashed through it with fire and a great white light blanketed the skies. The white spirit screamed in pain and the black one, now free, increased in size and wrapped itself round a mountain.

"Thank you, human. You have performed a great service for the spirits. And you, Soul Reaper… your presence here is a strange omen. It will be interesting to see how it pans out."

With that, he flew away. Ichigo stared after him with narrowed eyes and a clenched fist. The white spirit was rapidly decreasing in size.

"Do you realize what you've done?" she said.

"Yeah! I helped a spirit who was being bullied by you!"

"You are gravely mistaken. I was keeping him under control."

"And what gives you the right?"

"You don't even know who I am, do you?"

"Should I?"

"Yes. My name is Raava. That spirit you freed is Vaatu. He is the force of darkness and chaos. I am the force of light and peace. Since the beginning of time, we have battled over the fate of this world. And for the past ten thousand years, I have kept darkness under control and the world in balance. Until you came along. You should have listened to your friend. Unlike you, he sensed the darkness and the magnitude of what you were dealing with."

Wan looked down. "So by freeing Vaatu, I let chaos into the world?"

"Precisely. The human and spirit worlds are headed towards annihilation. And it's all your fault."

Ichigo stepped forward. "How do you know what I am?"

Raava looked down at him. "Your kind is known to this world but only to a few. Like Vaatu said, your presence is a strange omen. You do not belong here, Soul Reaper. You must return to your own world."

"My own world?"

"Yes. You are a little out of place here."

Ichigo stared at her incomprehensively and then looked down.

"How do I get home?"


"Ichigo.."

Korra muttered slowly in her deep slumber back in the waters of the cave where she still lay.

"Ichigo… Raava… I found you…"


The Spirit Portal was fast approaching. Ichigo began to descend towards it. They had been travelling for some time and he was beginning to get very tired. Thankfully, he touched down outside the forest and set Asami on her feet. The forest was exactly like the one in the South, frozen in ice. However, the spiritual energy here was vastly stronger than in the South.

"Do you know what to do?" Asami asked.

"No. I'm just going to go inside and see what I find. Let's go."

Cautiously, they went inside, stepping gingerly over the jagged ice that jutted out at them from the ground. Ichigo's mind began to be assaulted by memories as they neared the center. He winced and groaned. The reiatsu of the Soul Society was very close.

His steps began to be laboured and Asami put her arm around him for support. Together, they entered the middle of the forest. It was a flat clearing covered by ice. Beneath the ice, was the Spirit Portal.

"Wait here," Ichigo said. Asami stayed by the entrance to the clearing and he moved towards the center. A mist appeared behind him, shielding him from Asami's view. He was alone now.

The Spirit Portal was right below him. He didn't know what to do. It wasn't like he could open it. He paced around, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. He cleared his throat and then felt a shift in the reiatsu. Curious, he tapped his foot. Again, another shift.

"Uhh… hello?"

Then she was there. Clad in Soul Reaper robes with her zanpakuto strapped to her belt and a Lieutenant's armband along her sleeve. Her black hair glistened and her eyes stared at him with wonder and happiness.

Ichigo smiled wide. "Rukia… I found you…"


And that's the end of the chapter! So, yeah lots of different ideas in this one for sure and lots of questions as well. Tell me your thoughts! It's great to be back. I don't know when the next chapter will be out but hopefully the wait won't be too long. Thanks for reading I hope you all enjoyed. See ya next time!