Well, I wasn't sure if we would be able to do it, but here it is, a new chapter at the beginning of the month!
Technically it was ready yesterday but...College got REALLY busy. Trust me, I couldn't have uploaded this if i tried. Some of you have commented on how this story feels similar to "A Grim Tale of Reapers."...Well, thats because my writer, GreatKingrat88 is one of the co-writers of that story. If you haven't checked it out, I would suggest you do so, its a very interesting take on Bleach. Speaking of which, hereare a few words from my friend. Greatkingrat88:
"Hi guys, Greatkingrat88 here again. I've been pretty quiet up till now, but I have a thing or two to say. First off, two chapters in one month? "GKR, you handsome stallion, what prompted this utter madness?" I'm glad you asked, imaginary representation of our readers! Let me treat you to a bit of backstory: a good long while ago, Vogo got me to start writing a crossover for Fairy Tail and Bleach. Due to a miscommunication, I was under the impression that it was generic and unremarkable, and as such I was poorly motivated to write (Vogo had a plan, much grander than I thought, and claims he told me- I can't for the life of me remember that, because I would have had far more motivation if I knew). It got to a point where I delayed so much he told me that either I shape up, or he changes writers. So I made a deal: one chapter each month, a deadline I've stuck to till then.
I'll admit it: at first, this fanfic was a chore. It didn't excite me. I had no idea where it was going, and the premise didn't interest me. But with time, that changed. Around the time Aizen was introduced- one of the all around most fun people to write- I began to get invested. Over time, I became more and more intrigued, and by now I DID know the greater plan- which I won't spoil for you here. So now, years later, I am finally syked enough to actually write on my own volition.
A few things:
At least two of you pointed out that "hey, this fic reminds me of Calamitas Wrath's "A grim tale of reapers!"
...y'all need to read your descriptions better, pardon my 'murican. Cal is a good friend of mine, and it's not just his fic- I am the co-author of it. Half of the content in there is all me. So yeah, that would explain it. And as we are not too far from the soul society arc, if you see more and more similarities, that's why- and I do intend to re-use any and all good ideas Cal and I had that would work for this fic.
Bleached Guest, in his/her latest review, mentioned fillers. Let me just state my position clearly: I think shonen fillers in general range between mediocre to pure cancer. Ironically, the first filler arc of bleach is better than most of post-hueco mundo bleach, despite being bland and stupid, but that's another discussion.
In short: barring one of the movies, we are not doing ANY fillers whatsoever. Fillers are crap- Vogo doesn't feel quite as strongly about them as I do, but nevertheless, fillers will not be a thing.
KishinoKurobi, we notice and appreciate your e-peen.
Well, that was about it. Enjoy Erza going full Gunnery Sergeant Hartman on Ichigo."
Yes, GreatKingratt dosnt share some of the fondness that I do for some of the fillers. I enjoy all of them atleast SOMEWHAT. That means no bounts, no Amagi, no zanpaktou arc. I only added Nozomi because of how much I love her character and I wanted to see Aizen kill a filler villain. However, I MIGHT do something with movie 1, and WILL do something with movie 4. I mean, its HELL, that's a missed opportunity I wont let go by. I want to do the zanpaktou arc, but I dont really know how to work it in properly myself...I feel its a huge missed opportunity personally, but one I dont know how to have it go if we were to do it at the moment.
Anyways, I also wanted to take a moment to tell you all about another story ive just updated as well, "A quincys fairy tail." More or less, its like this story, but instead of it having a character from fairy tail end up in bleach, its the other way around. Which character? My favorite Quincy Bambietta Basterbine. I know some of you don't think that sounds interesting, but i think you'll be pleasantly surprised once you give it a read.
With that all said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please, feel free to leave us a review and give us your thoughts.
Thank you once again Greatkingrat88.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.
Ichigo blinked.
"Wait, you're real?" He said, in utter disbelief. Seeing those red locks, that staunch face, something long forgotten had resurfaced- a memory from a time when he was very young, when princess Crimson had come in through a window, no fairy tale but flesh and blood, as real as he was. As usual, when his mother had mentioned it, she had got a funny look on her face, and dismissed it. Princess Crimson, the brave warrior hero who stood up to the evils of the kingdom-
And then, a second later, reality caught up, and he saw the face of the new arrival clearly. "Aunt Erza?" He said, his disbelief somehow climbing even higher, now somewhere in between Charles Darwin and Richard Dawkins.
"What- I mean, um- what?!" Was all he managed. She looked different, like a westerner of some kind, and her hair was a bright red, like something out of an anime, but it was definitely her. Her voice, the same; her face different but unmistakably Erza Scarlet, his aunt, long-time babysitter and all-around fiercely protective pillar of support.
"There is much to discuss." She said sternly. "More than we can cover in one evening, and you still need your sleep. Still, some things you must know."
"Well, speak then!" Ichigo said loudly, throwing his arms up. "Because this is just getting nuttier by the second! One moment I think I'm a lunatic who just sees ghost, the next I'm a monster-slaying soldier, and now you- you are a shinigami too?"
"I have been since before you were born, yes," Erza said, nodding slowly. "More than a century, actually, but that's
beside the point."
"What the hell is going on?" Ichigo insisted. "How- I mean, have you been one all along? Are you with Rukia? With the other shinigami?"
"I am not with the other shinigami, no," Erza said firmly. Somewhat evasively, she continued, "You could say I'm a...freelancer of sorts. It's a long story."
"Well, what is it I need to know, huh?" Ichigo said, still reeling from the shock. "About how hollows are evil and scary? Because I already got that part!"
Erza looked him in the eye. He was familiar with the stare, how harsh she could be, but she had always been soft on him and his sisters. Now, she looked cold and matter-of-factly. "You have been granted power, Ichigo. Great power unlike anything most souls see in a lifetime."
Ichigo flexed uncomfortably. "Um, yeah, Rukia's power. I know that. Shinigami must be really powerful. Well, I guess you'd know..."
"No, Ichigo," Erza said, shaking her head. "It is true you absorbed her power, and that it won't last forever. But you have always had power- all she has done, in the end, was awaken them."
"What?" Ichigo said confusedly, with a sinking feeling in his gut.
"You have always had power." Erza repeated. "And once Rukia's powers drain away, you will need to find a way to manage it. It burns brightly now, and hollows will be drawn to it like a moth to the flame. I am here, because you need to learn how to fight, to defend yourself and your loved ones."
"...what?" Ichigo said again. "You- you come here, out of nowhere, dropping all of... this on me, and never mind that you've basically been lying to me my whole life, and now you expect me to just-"
There was a sharp pain across his left cheek, as Erza lashed out and slapped him. She looked furious, her eyes blazing with a cold and quiet rage.
"I have not lied to you." She insisted.
"Yes, you did!" Ichigo spat, putting a hand to his cheek. She had never hit him before- what the hell? "For god-knows- how-long, you've known I was strong, right? If you're a shinigami, that means you can tell stuff like that, don't it? You've known, and never filled me in! Now you barge in here and expect me to just... accept all of this? This is some crap, Erza!"
A look of guilt flashed across Erza's face. "I wanted to, believe me, but... it was not my place. I have kept you and your family safe for as long as you have lived, not that you would know!"
"Your place?" Ichigo murmured. He was both angry and confused; this whole spirit world thing was confusing enough without this piled on top of it. Erza was one of his favorite people in the world, practically family and part of his life for, well, all his life- and now it turned out she had hid this secret for so long?
"Yes, my place," Erza said. "I won't say anymore on that, but I had my reasons. For respect, and family."
"Family?" Ichigo said. "You mean mom and dad-"
"Enough!" Erza said firmly. "I am not saying another word on the subject. What matters is that you have entered a world beyond your understanding, and there is no going back. Rukia may think you are an ordinary human, but believe me, you are not. One day you will be strong, Ichigo, but until then it is my job to protect you- until you can protect yourself."
"I handled myself pretty well back there," Ichigo said, thinking back to the hollow he had just purified, only minutes before.
"No, you did not," Erza said bluntly. "You are like a child playing with fire. You have no form, and while you have talent, you have no practice, no routine, no anything. You are a complete beginner, and likely to get yourself killed if you keep going this way. Rukia is truly desperate."
Ichigo felt a bit like a balloon deflating at Erza's blunt assessment. He had beaten a hollow, he had done it well enough, and he had felt good about it. Of course, a seasoned shinigami would think he wasn't good, but... that was harsh.
"Whatever..." He mumbled, unable to mount a comeback.
"If it were up to me, your training would have begun long ago," Erza said. "But that was not my decision to make. As it is, your power is awakened. Starting tomorrow, I will begin training you until you have grasped at least the basics."
There was no room for disagreement, and Ichigo was used to being ordered around by her anyhow.
"Umm... after school, then?" He murmured lamely.
"No." Erza said. "Call in sick. The whole week. Two weeks, probably."
"What?" Ichigo protested. "But- what about your kendo?"
"I'll take a leave of absence." Erza said. "This is more important. I am not letting you take another step like this."
"...but..." Ichigo tried lamely.
"Meet me here tomorrow at seven hundred hours." Erza said, completely ignoring him. "Eat a healthy breakfast. We have training to do. If you are late, I will personally drag you out of bed, kicking and screaming if I must."
"...right." Ichigo murmured. What the hell had he got himself into?
At the crack of dawn the next day, the two of them headed out. Erza had all but given Ichigo a heart attack, giving him a rough awakening in his very own bedroom. Things like modesty had never concerned his auntie, and he was only glad nobody had seen his outraged fumbling as she towered over him by his bed. She had ignored his protests, and handed him a small pill- something called a "mod soul". At her insistence, he had swallowed it, and found himself catapulted out of his body, in shinigami form. It really was a lot more convenient than Rukia's glove, as- according to Erza, at least- the pill contained an artificial intelligence that would look after his body while his soul was out of it. With that done, and a quick breakfast in the form of a sandwich to eat on the go, they sped out into the city. Ichigo would have asked where they were going, but was too sleepy to bother. They did not go too far- well, quite far, but not more than fifteen or so minute's worth of running; it was fascinating just how fast you could go in this form, jumping across roofs in a single bound like it was nothing. He watched Erza from behind as he followed. Knowing she had hidden this truth for so long had made him hurt, angry, but deep down he was also impressed. He was a complete novice, but even he could sense her power, radiating out from her with the slow, steady thump of a heartbeat. It felt enormous, so much greater than anything he had ever seen... and she wanted him to have power like that.
It was hard to admit, but the idea was appealing. As madly dangerous and scary as that first time had been, the rush of power had been incredible. The entire world had felt right, like he was awake for the first time in his life; it had been like... well, it was indescribable. The closest he could come was the times he had had to fight punks in the street, when his blood was pumping and adrenaline surged through his body. He was far from comfortable with this scenario, but at the same time he was much more accepting of it than he thought he should be.
Power... strength.
Unlike anybody else. Who wouldn't want that?
Before long, they landed in front of a seemingly innocuous candy store, quiet and grey in the morning light. It was a strangely humble place, for where it was placed in the city- tall buildings were not far off, yet here in the middle of town, almost hid away, was this one building.
"Um," Ichigo began, "is this..."
"Quiet." Erza said firmly, and marched up to the store. Fishing out some keys from a pocket, she unlocked the door and walked inside. Ichigo followed, knowing better than to disagree at this point.
The inside was as unremarkable at the outside. Simple goods, packaged pastries and candies; a small selection for a small shop. What was the idea here?
"Are we really supposed to train here?" Ichigo said, letting out a yawn.
"I said quiet," Erza said, her voice level. "You'll see soon enough."
And see, he did. Erza went to the back of the store, and in a storage room she opened an inconspicuous part of the floor, a trap door. Confidently, Erza jumped down, ignoring the ladder placed just by it. Ichigo followed suit, and a second later, he had landed. What he saw was yet another surprise in this time of surprises- if this was the basement, then it was a basement unlike any other. From the gloomy shop, lit only by the early morning sun, he had ended up in an open landscape where the sun was beaming down brightly on what looked like rocks and dirt, stretching for miles, as far as he could tell. He had to look back up, toward the ladder and opening they had come to, to convince himself he hadn't been teleported to some strange, new world. The dirt under his feet felt real. The rocks- which ranged between huge boulders to pebbles in size- looked very real. The sun looked real. There was even a slight breeze, keeping a cool and pleasant temperature.
"Whoa..." he said, looking around.
"This is where I go to train," Erza said bluntly. "It is an artificially created environment, designed to withstand power like mine. If you wonder how, don't ask, because I don't know. It was created by an unsavory but industrious person, the same man who owns the store above."
"Well, um, crap," Ichigo murmured. "I... I guess this isn't that big a stretch. I mean, if there can be ghosts and shinigami and monsters, why not a place like this?"
"Good attitude," Erza said, nodding. "You'll learn to keep an open mind in this world. Now, let's get started."
"Wait," Ichigo said, knowing it was at his own peril, "this... whole thing, training, with you... I mean..." He paused. What could you really say? "I mean, what the hell?"
"You have exactly thirty seconds to clarify yourself before I come at you," Erza said coolly.
"Look," Ichigo said, finally having shaken himself awake, "you're asking a whole lot. And I know you'll say it's necessary, or whatever, but... I mean, you can't just spring this on me like that and expect me to be ready to... do whatever this is, okay?"
To his surprise, Erza's face softened a little.
"I understand, Ichigo."
"You do?" Ichigo said, a little surprised.
"For all this time, you thought you knew me. And you did- no matter what you may find out about me, not one second of the time I spent with you, with your family, not one second of that was fake."
She said the words with conviction, and Ichigo believed them, but it was not quite enough.
"And now it turns out that there was... more to me than you thought. A lot more. It's a lot to take in. If I had any other choice, I would let you take some time to breathe, to accept this." Slowly, she pulled her sword out from its sheath. "But there is no time. Your power is awake, and until you learn at least basic control and skill, it is a potential danger to you and to everyone close to you. I do not have the time to hold your hand until your feelings are calm, Ichigo. You are not five years old. When I was your age, I had gone through things you cannot even imagine- so believe me when I say that you are strong enough, in body and in mind, to keep going."
"Um..." Ichigo said hesitantly, "Was that a really roundabout way of saying 'tough break, suck it up'?"
"Just about," Erza admitted, and shrugged.
"Well." Ichigo said. This whole thing had left him all but speechless. What had she gone through? What else didn't he know about her? "I... I want to know what the hell this is, okay?"
"You know enough." Erza said. "Shinigami, ghosts, hollows. Magic. An afterlife. A corps of shinigami working to send souls on their way and purify hollows. I will tell you the full story later, but right now... I am not wasting any time."
"...okay then," Ichigo said, figuring this was as much as he'd get out of her. He reached for its sword, and pulled it off his back, assuming a basic stance. "So, how do we do this?"
"What do you think you're doing?" Erza said. She was holding her own sword down, at ease.
"Training?" Ichigo murmured confusedly.
"You think you are fit to spar with me?" Erza said dismissively. "You learn to run before you learn to walk, Ichigo.
First, I will test your endurance. Drop down, and do pushups."
"...are you serious?" Ichigo said with disbelief. "All this power, a whole mystical world hidden from humanity, I'm supposed to train to become a freaking death-god, and your idea of training is... push-ups?"
"Once I know the limits of your strength, I can adapt. I need to know how far I can push you." Erza said resolutely, and Ichigo began to realize that training might look less glamorous than he imagined. "Get down. Start."
"...you're serious." Ichigo said flatly. "Okay. Fine, I guess. You know, with this kind of power, I'm pretty sure I can do thousands of pushups before I'm done."
"You're right." Erza said. "Which is why I'll make it harder. Get down."
Somewhat defeated, Ichigo dropped down, and began pushing himself up and down, not sure what 'harder' would mean. He would not have to wait long, as Erza held her sword up. Before his eyes, it transformed, from a sleek Japanese longsword into an enormous, black hunk of metal, only vaguely in the shape of a sword.
"Whuh?" Ichigo said.
"Keep still." Erza said. Holding the sword, she sat herself cross-legged on his back, putting the enormous blade across her lap. She kept the balance remarkably well, although that was the last thing on Ichigo's mind, as he nearly collapsed under the weight. It was quite the shock that he did not, actually, fall flat on his chest. As it were, he let out a loud, pained grunt under the strain of the added weight.
"What are you waiting for?" Erza said, knocking him on the head with her knuckles. "Start doing those push-ups. I'll keep count."
"This is insane!" Ichigo grunted, just barely getting the words out.
"Start." Erza said mercilessly, knocking him on the head again. Grunting angrily, Ichigo pushed up, and let himself go down, nearly collapsing again.
"One." Said Erza. "Keep going."
"What the hell even is that sword?" Ichigo grunted, as he painstakingly pushed up again. "Aren't they just supposed to be..." He didn't finish, his sentence ending in a strained groan.
"That is advanced class," Erza said. "Two. Shut up, and keep going."
Ichigo had lost track of time when he finally collapsed. Erza's physical weight was not quite according to the regular laws of physics, he realized, even with the monstrosity of a sword across her lap. Her energy was overwhelmingly powerful, as he felt it up close, and it was like a mountain on his back.
Finally collapsed, and barely conscious, Ichigo let out a whimper, long having lost the energy to even groan anymore.
"Three hundred and fifty-six," Erza said, sounding pleased. "Get on your feet."
"Mmmmhrhfffffgg..." Ichigo said, which, in his mind, translated to 'fuck off'. His muscles were burning, and he'd have given up a long time ago if not for Erza's voice, constantly pushing him, constantly encouraging him to keep going against everything, against the pain, the strain, the common sense, his aching muscles that just wanted relief.
"Get on your feet." Erza said again. His every muscle screaming in protest, Ichigo just barely managed to push himself up to a sitting position. It took him the whole of three minutes to finally gain the energy to stand up- yet, strangely, he found he could stand perfectly well, despite the exhaustion. He had been exhausted before, but this...spiritual form had far more energy, far more resilience, than his regular body ever had.
"What no-ow," He groaned, grabbing at his poor, aching back.
"You may rest for a bit." Erza said. "Sit."
"I can sit?!" Ichigo said incredulously. "You just made me stand!"
"Sit." Erza said, and Ichigo simply did not have the energy to disagree, and slumped down to the ground. "You need to learn to stand up, even when it feels impossible." Erza said. "You will many times feel like you are at your limit, but that is a lie your body tells you. Your limit is not reached until you are physically unable to move."
"Well thanks, mister Miyagi," Ichigo said, and rolled his eyes. He huffed, and took in long, deep breaths. Sweat was running freely all over every part of his body, and he was sure he'd feel the hurt from this for weeks to come.
"Hum?" Erza said.
"Never mind," he murmured, finally having the energy to groan and moan again. They sat there in silence for a while,
Erza cross-legged, her sword now turned back to its original shape, and Ichigo just barely sitting up, rested on his arms for support.
After a while, he said, "So, um... this place of shinigami..." He wanted to ask, to know more, but was half afraid of prodding where he shouldn't, and half lacked the energy to form a coherent sentence.
"I was once a shinigami." Erza said. "I still am. It depends on your definition."
"Definition?"
"I have the powers of a shinigami," Erza explained. "I carry a zanpakutou. I know their techniques and their magic. Yet, most shinigami would not consider me one of their own."
"Why?" Ichigo asked, genuinely curious.
"We come from the Soul Society," Erza said. "Rukia might have said as much. There are thousands of us. In the heart of the afterlife lies the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the thirteen companies in which our corps lies. To be a shinigami is, to them, not just having the powers and skills of one, but to follow their laws, their culture, to be as they are and do as they do."
"And you didn't?"
"I was... different." Erza said evasively. "I am powerful- I do not brag, but I tell you without hesitation that I was one of their very strongest."
"Why did you leave?" The question was so obvious, so clear to ask, yet Erza seemed phased by it. Her face was inscrutable, stoic, and she fell quiet.
The silence might have gone on long enough to become awkward, except Erza's head suddenly snapped toward the opening they had come through, through which somebody could be seen climbing. Even some ways away, Ichigo recognized the figure- it was Rukia. And in her tow was Tatsuki and Orihime, following behind her.
"Oh, crap," Erza murmured. Slowly she stood up, and Ichigo followed suit. Rukia, it seemed as she got closer, was not in a good mood. At first, Ichigo thought she was mad at him, for having disappeared like this- but then he saw the look of utter fury on her face, as she made her way toward Erza- toward her, not him.
"Get away from her, Ichigo!" She cried. "Get away- she's dangerous!"
Ichigo, unsure what to do or say, stood still. What was going on?
"You!" Rukia all but snarled, marching up to Erza. She raised her palm, and cried, "Ye Lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!"
A blue energy formed in her palm, surging toward Erza. Before Ichigo was able to cry out, Erza had caught it, and with as much effort as she would put into swatting a fly, she threw it aside, and the spell- Ichigo presumed that's what it was- sizzled out into the air.
"You are powerless now, Rukia," she said calmly. "and even if you weren't, you'd be no match for me. Let's not fight."
"TRAITOR!" Rukia cried, and this time she really did snarl. Her hand shot out, slapping Erza across the face. Erza did not even react, just taking the hit.
"Are you done?" She asked.
"We are not nearly done, betrayer!" Rukia shouted angrily.
"Well, that's a hell of a reunion," Tatsuki said with a grin, watching from the background with Orihime.
"What the hell is going on?" Ichigo said loudly.
"She is a traitor to our organization, that's what." Rukia spat. "She is dangerous, and you need to stay away from her."
"Traitor?" Ichigo said. "I don't understand."
"And you wouldn't even if I told you. Not yet, anyhow," Erza said. "For now, all you need to know is that 'our organization' are no angels, and I had a good reason for leaving."
"You stay away from him!" Rukia said. "You ran away- there was evidence-"
"Listen carefully, Rukia," Erza said, her tone firm and cold, "nothing in the world will stop me from training him. Your desperate little idea only barely works, and is liable to get people killed. And think about it- if I were truly some evil traitor, then I could have killed any of you whenever I wanted to. I know you have no reason to trust me, but you are out of options. Be angry with me if you think it helps, but I am training Ichigo."
"Erza, what... what happened?" Ichigo murmured.
"Later." Erza said. "Suffice to say I got involved in something very serious, and it went wrong."
"'Wrong' is one way of putting it, terrorist," Rukia said.
"Enough." Erza said. "Ichigo, training. Now. And no questions. Is that understood?"
"Um. Yes, ma'am," He murmured. Today was confusing as hell, and he was almost grateful for the distraction of pain.
"Now then," Erza said, leading him off for a bit, "let's start with the basic kendo stance..."
As Erza began teaching Ichigo the basics, how to stand and how to swing, Tatsuki walked up to Rukia. She and Orihime had, after Rukia had gone asking them if they knew where Ichigo was, decided to skip school to go find him. For all they knew, he could have been hurt, or worse. The trail, such as it was, had led them here- where, of all people, Erza was showing him the ropes. A very different Erza.
"So... what the hell was that?" Tatsuki said. "You seem like you hate her. What'd she do?"
"You heard it plain and clear," Rukia said, anger still in her voice. "She was one of us. Now, she is not. That makes her a traitor."
"Sounds awfully personal, doesn't it?" Tatsuki said. "Or are all you shinigami just frothing at the mouth whenever somebody blasphemes against your little shinigami organization?"
"She's right, Rukia," Orihime said sweetly. "You sound like you know her."
"...that was a different time." Rukia said stiffly. "Besides, you have no reason to know- you are not shinigami."
"Classified, got it," Tatsuki said, rolling her eyes. "But in general?"
Rukia sighed. "She was... one of our best once." She said the words hesitantly, as if convincing herself to speak. "And you're right. She was one of my friends. She was a friend to a lot of people. She seemed so... dependable. She helped me through something... hard." Rukia shook her head, a strange look on her face like she had just remembered something deeply unpleasant. "And then she is arrested for conspiring against... our organization. For terrorism and acts of sabotage. There's hard evidence. And somehow, she escapes and runs away. She left a lot of hearts broken that time. She's a criminal. Evidence doesn't lie."
Tatsuki gave a whistle. "Plan terrorism, then escape and be part of a family for over fifteen years? Sounds like a diabolical master plan to me."
"That would be TOTALLY diabolical though," Orihime said. "Like, going into hiding..." She shook her head. "I mean, you're wrong, Rukia." Her voice was unusually calm and resolute. "She's cared for me since I was like twelve years old. She loves his family, and she loves me. She's the greatest person in the whole world."
Rukia shook her head. "You don't know half of who she is, Orihime. I'm sorry, but you don't. She's been alive for over a century."
"I believe in her," Orihime said resolutely.
"A lot of people did," Rukia murmured. Sullenly, she looked at Erza, training Ichigo. Even in her state as it was now, she could read her reiatsu. She was in fine shape, no doubt about it-stronger, perhaps, than when she had left. Her swordsmanship was impeccable. A traitor she was, but there was no denying she made a good teacher.
Three hours later, during which time Tatsuki and Orihime had the time to go buy lunch and eat it, lazily looking on as Ichigo got thoroughly worn down by Erza, in one exercise after the next, Ichigo was finally as done as done could be.
Unable to even walk by himself, Erza half supported, half dragged him toward his friends, and unceremoniously dumped him on the ground.
"Hhhufnnnnr... fffuh... buh..." Ichigo said- although 'said' was a bit of a glamorization; it was more like a series of incoherent groans and huffs. He lay on the ground, oblivious of the harsh, uncomfortable pebble-filled dirt surface that it was, just deeply relieved to be at rest. For five minutes he lay still, letting out only the odd groan, while the rest kept silent. Rukia shot Erza vicious glares, Erza avoided responding, and Tatsuki and Orihime took their time finishing their lunches.
Finally, Tatsuki kicked Ichigo lightly, and said,
"Oi, sloth-boy, get up. We saved you some dumplings, on account of you being a young shinigami who's still growing and needs his vitamins, and stuff."
"Shaddap," Ichigo groaned. "I wish I was dead or something," he groaned melodramatically. "Fifteen years of being sweet, kind and supportive, and then she snaps and turns out to be a harpy..."
It was probably not the wisest of moves to insult Erza in her presence, but Ichigo was well past caring.
"Technically, you are dead," Erza said.
"What?!" Ichigo said, looking up. He was not nearly as exhausted as he seemed, Erza decided.
"In that form, at least. 'Death' is really just the separation of body and soul."
"But I'm still alive, right?" Ichigo said anxiously, still lying on the ground. "I mean, I have a body and everything!"
"True, true," Erza said. "I don't know exactly how it works, but I'm pretty sure it will work as normal, aging and everything. Your soul, though... well, you'll probably have this look for decades. Maybe a century or more."
"Brilliant," Ichigo murmured.
"Hey, don't knock semi-eternal youth," Tatsuki added cheerily.
"Erza," Orihime said, interrupting what was sure to be yet another not-so-friendly argument between Tatsuki and
Ichigo, "I think it's time you explained some things."
"Oh." Erza said, this time sounding quite guilty- Orihime had that effect on her. "Well. Er. Yes. Explanations."
"This should be good," Rukia murmured, her arms crossed.
"I'm sure there's a good reason for all this," Orihime said sweetly, "but... there seems to be a lot I don't know about you. So, please?"
Erza could do many things; face down impossible odds, slay giant monsters and fight the system at the cost of everything she had, but denying Orihime was not one of those things.
"All right," she said, and sighed. "I'll start from the beginning."
"All ears," Ichigo said, his voice a little muffled- despite still being on the ground, he had accepted Tatsuki's offer of dumplings.
Erza took a deep breath. "I am a shinigami. I have been dead for over a century. I was sent to the afterlife from another world, one similar but different to this one. For most of my afterlife, I served the Gotei Thirteen, the thirteen divisions of shinigami. I am shinigami, and we are the guardians of lost souls, those who guide the dead to the afterlife, purify the monsters we call hollows, and protect the balance between worlds."
It sounded more dramatic than she had meant, but there was nothing to it.
Tatsuki gave a whistle. "Well, that's a hell of a coming out confession," she said with a grin. "Don't worry- I'm sure everyone here will love and accept you for who you are anyway. Just don't flaunt your spirituality in our faces too much."
Not quite sure what Tatsuki meant, Erza decided to ignore her. "I believed in doing good. In helping others. But I came to realize that my beliefs were not the same as that of the people I worked for. I came to realize that the people I worked for had no interest outside the status quo, not a care in the world for the suffering of common souls. So eventually, I was forced to run away. That is a very short version of the story, but that's all you get."
"You would say that," Rukia said angrily. "The Gotei thirteen protects the balance of souls between the worlds, and without that working, all three worlds would collapse. Our work is more important than anything else in all the worlds, and you turned your back on it because what, it didn't suit you? Because you had a moral high ground? You're a terrorist, no matter the excuse."
"Terrorists are usually idealists," Erza said, her voice unusually quiet. "So yes, I think 'moral high ground' was the issue. How exactly I left, or why... that's dangerous knowledge."
"Convenient," Rukia snorted. "You have a good reason; you just won't say what it is."
"Enough," Ichigo said. With a long, loud groan he forced himself up into a sitting position. "Now, she may just have whipped my ass so hard I'm not even sure I have one anymore, but she was there for me since I was a baby. If you're going to tell us she's secretly evil, that's going to be a no-sell for everyone here."
Rukia balled her fists, took a breath, and said,
"...I understand."
"One thing," Erza said, looking Rukia in the eye. "Renji. Momo. Shuhei. Nozomi, Rangiku, Isane... how are they all doing?"
Her voice was firm, but there was a noticeable undertone to it, loaded with emotion, far less stable than the cold, controlled tone she had kept today.
"...they're fine." Rukia muttered. "Making careers. Advancing. They moved on with their lives and they did well- no thanks to you. The only one who refuses to see what you are is vice-captain Hinamori."
"...I see." Erza said, and nodded. "Thank you. I'm glad."
"You left a lot of people behind, didn't you?" Orihime said quietly. "Were they important?"
"Yes." Erza said simply. "Yes, they were."
Without another word, Orihime walked up to her, and pulled her into a hug. "Stupid Erza," she murmured, "keeping that to yourself for that long? You shouldn't."
"I know," Erza murmured, awkwardly patting Orihime on the head. "But it was my baggage, not yours. It's... complicated."
"I'm honestly not sure if I should join in on the hug, or if I'd ruin a moment between the two of you," Tatsuki muttered. "But yeah. That sucks. And we don't think you're a terrorist, so there's that."
"I'd join, but I can barely move," Ichigo murmured.
Erza smiled, feeling a bittersweet joy rising in her heart. "When I was alive, I learned a few things," she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "That family's more than just blood. It's people like you," she said, putting her arms around Orihime. "I'm sad about what I lost, but I'm glad for what I have."
"Stupid onion-cutting ninjas," Ichigo murmured, not having been the only one to have been moved.
"You're not getting out of training, though," Erza added. "We'll keep doing this until you get the hang of it."
"Well, son of a..." Ichigo grunted, and Erza let out a laugh.
And despite herself, Rukia could not believe any of this was fake. Traitor she was, but she had made real bonds here- that, or she was an outstanding actor.
The pillar of light was astonishingly large, a symbol of how far she had come. Momo's mind was one of total focus, the kind only determination could bring, as she built it higher and higher. It was risky, even with the barrier of invisibility her sensei had put up; it was large enough that no amount of caution could completely mask its presence. Risk, though, had been part of the arrangement from day one. This, here in the Rukon, was where she spent her free time now, always under the excuse of visiting her home village. Her sensei was an ornery and difficult man, the polar opposite of charismatic, but his skill was undeniable. In the years that had passed, she had learned much- more than she had ever thought possible. She had learned that the formal school of kido, the one she had been taught, was just one option, one of many ways you could work and master magic- skilled and artful in its own right, yet so narrow and limited in its scope. Unlearning it had been the hardest part, in many respects- although the demanding training and the strain it put on her body was a close second. She had many times considered giving up; for nearly a year she had thought there was no progress.
Then she had created her first spell, a pathetic attempt compared to where she was now, but so amazingly innovative compared to anything she had ever done. She really had come far. As it was now, she was sitting cross-legged, levitating mid-air with her eyes closed as the tower grew. It was a complex exercise, building a tower simply out of magical energy, snaking upwards like vines growing out of the ground. Complex circles were aglow on the ground, the anchors of the power she called upon- imperfect, she knew, but well made. Glowing tendrils of energy were rising from them, looking almost like a mist of yellow light, forming the alien-looking spire before her, a complex mass of vines, pillars and walls.
To master magic, there were no shortcuts. On that point alone, her sensei was in agreement with her instructors back at the academy. It had seemed silly at first, just stapling energy on top of energy, but this new form of kido had turned out difficult to control. Her first attempt had been no taller than three feet before it had collapsed, and her sensei had chided her for her arrogance, believing herself capable of that much control. Now it stood tall, over thirty meters, and Momo had had to learn levitation to keep track of its growth properly. It was like a direct representation of her progress- she had slowly begun to make her own spells, to learn some of her sensei's work, and the better she learned to control it, the better she could raise the magicks.
She could not be sure, but she suspected it was not unlike the quincy method. Her magic, unlike typical kido- which was created from the user's own reiatsu- drew energy from everything around her, utilizing it perfectly, with more power than anything she had been able to create before. But power had no shortcuts, and this method, while dangerously powerful, demanded an equal amount of control. It was dangerous, not just in the sense that it could explode in your face, or backfire and send you into a feedback of energy that drained your life until you died, but dangerous because power made you feel powerful, and when you felt powerful, you felt self-assured. When you felt self-assured was when you made mistakes, her sensei had insisted, and he had turned out right. Humility before your own power was vital, because without it you might well die.
Finally having reached her limit at thirty-six meters, Momo paused, huffed, and looked at her work with some pride. The tower was, of course, not really physical matter and would shatter easily if attacked, but she could maintain its ethereal state without too much trouble.
"Enough, you," Her sensei said down from the ground. "Let it go, and come down."
"Yes, sir!" Momo said, letting the energy structure dissipate. She felt she could perhaps have gone a little further, but the old man didn't take well to being contradicted, she had learned that early on. What he said was law, and if that did not suit her, she was welcome to hit the road. So, smoothly Momo descended to the ground, letting the magical construct dissipate and crumble, stood up, and gave her sensei a bow. Master Jekkun, she called him, although the locals seemed to know him only as Jek the loner- which was how he preferred it.
"That was the biggest 'un yet." Jekkun said matter-of-factly. "Not so shit as it used t'be, I suppose."
"Thank you, master," Momo beamed. Praise came hard with the misanthropic old man, but Momo had learned to read between the line.
"Don't think you're ever done, pup," the old man said sternly, pointing at her accusingly. "Nobody studying magic ever is. You could put a thousand people like me to work for a thousand years, and still have just an iota learned outta all there is to find out."
"Yes, sensei," Momo said, and nodded. "But... I've come pretty far, I think."
"Walkin' instead of crawlin'." Her sensei said dismissively. "You ain't runnin' yet."
"Could I learn... you know, that spell? The one you told me about the other week?" Momo said hopefully. As much as she had learned from him, he still kept much from her, including some ancient, truly powerful and complex spells of destruction.
"Shoulda kept my mouth shut," master Jekkun grumbled. "That one's a five-step full incantation, an' you're looking at city-wide destruction if it goes right. Worse, if you get it wrong. You ain't ready for that till I say you is, so keep your mouth shut and don't ask."
"Yes, sensei," Momo said. She was a little disappointed, but she could never feel too sad with this much power coursing through her body; it made her feel strong, in awe of the world, like she was standing on a cloud, above everybody else. All for Erza, all so that she could one day see the woman she loved most again, to be useful to her...
It was a long road to walk. But one day, one day she would be there, ready to join Erza again.
The training eventually concluded, Erza having pushed Ichigo as hard as she dared- he was still new to this, and she had to be soft on him until she was sure of was he could handle. Well, comparatively soft. The next day, training continued, Ichigo feeling the ache from yesterday. Yet, Erza would not give him time to recover, because strength never came easy. After a quick breakfast, it was five hours' worth of basic kendo, strength exercises, and basic reiatsu control. He blazed with power, but just like herself once, he had no control over it.
Life was funny that way. Once the learner, she was now once more the teacher- she would be his master, and he would be her apprentice- and that was a tremendous responsibility, because he would live or die based on what she could teach him. She never showed it, not for one second, but it hurt to push him so hard, to force him to go through pain and hardship. He was still the little five-year-old boy who wanted a bedtime story, in her mind, the little boy who depended on her almost as much as he depended on his parents. But unlike Masaki, she could look past that, because if she didn't, it would be he who paid for it, not her.
Eventually, they broke for lunch. Ichigo was trembling with effort, sweat trickling down his face and chest, and gratefully collapsed to the ground at her command. Erza had bought simple lunch boxes- no time would be wasted on cooking- and they ate together, in silence.
"So, uh," Ichigo said after a while, slowly chewing down a rice ball, "how long is this training gonna be...?"
"As long as necessary." Erza said evenly, knowing that answer would be far from satisfying.
"I can't be away from school for too long, you know," he murmured tiredly. "Shinigami business and all, I still have to get an education... right?"
He sounded afraid, Erza realized. But of what?
"Because, you know, I..." He said lamely. "...forget it."
Erza sighed. "Yes, Ichigo, you will get back to school eventually. Your life as a human isn't over just because of this."
"Oh. Good." Ichigo said, nodding, and Erza heard a hint of relief in his voice.
"Let me tell you something," Erza said, deciding to let this break go on for a little while, "back in the soul society, the thirteen court guard divisions train their recruits in an academy. It's not that different from a normal school, actually, aside from the magic and spiritual techniques."
Ichigo let out a small smirk. "Sort of like magical afterlife Hogwarts?"
Erza couldn't help but grin. A sense of humor was a good sign.
"Not that cool. We didn't have hippogriffs or magic potions, just hard work and all the techniques you need. We did have a Dumbledore-looking person, though, only much harsher." Erza said, staring off into the distance. "Anyway, point being: in the afterlife, very, very few people have the spiritual potential to become shinigami. Most souls just exist, and they don't need more than a bit of water to sustain themselves. And among the few who have that potential, only the best of the best have a chance to become truly strong. It's fair to say the vast majority of recruits will never become high ranked because they lack the power."
"Huh." Ichigo said. "Doesn't sound fair."
"Life's not fair." Erza said, her voice being the equivalent of a shrug. "The afterlife is no different. Point being, I used to teach there, a long time ago. For two years, I never saw a single student who had nearly as much power as you. You don't know what this means, but I'd say your power is near that of a tenth seat- that is to say, a very highly ranked officer. You have been granted an enormous amount of power, more than any regular soul could dream of, and when you get shinigami powers of your own, you have the unique opportunity to one day rise to the very top. I am not sure how or why, Ichigo, but you are exceptional."
"Oh." Ichigo said simply, and blinked. That was rather overwhelming to hear- he hadn't figured he was much stronger than their rank and file. "Me? Really?"
"I have no doubt." Erza said firmly. "Which is why it's so important you be trained properly. You have been granted power, enormous power, and you're just a kid still."
"I'm not a kid," Ichigo grunted.
"Yes, you are," Erza said firmly. "You are a kid, and with this power of yours, you are a kid who has been given a machine gun. But unlike a machine gun, you can't put the safety on and lock it away until you're old enough to handle it. It's part of who you are now, as much as your brains, your blood and your skin, and hiding it isn't an option. That's why I am going to push you, and push you, and push you, because if I don't then you could die. Or somebody else.
There are so, so many things that could go wrong, and the only way to stop them from happening is to act now, to prepare you for it. Is that clear?"
"...yes ma'am," Ichigo said tamely. She sounded completely serious; this was no joke. "But look... what if there's a hollow attack while we train?"
"Then I'll deal with it." Erza said.
"But-"
"Let me be clear," Erza said, and there was that hint of cold in her voice, "I am responsible for you now. You didn't have a choice in that, but I didn't either. You are my responsibility, and I will not allow you to use your powers outside this room until I say you can."
"Even if there's an emergency?" Ichigo said defiantly.
Without a word, Erza stood up, took a few steps back, and stood herself astride.
"Pick your sword up," she said.
"Um, okay." Ichigo said, and slowly got to his feet, hoisting up the massive blade.
"Now cut me."
"What?" Ichigo said, with disbelief.
"Cut me." Erza said simply. "That's an order."
"You can't be serious," Ichigo said.
"Yes, I am," Erza said. "Hit me. Put all you have into it, and hit me, or so help me, I will break your arms."
"...you really mean that?" Ichigo said, sounding puzzled. Was she crazy?
"NOW!" Erza barked. Taking a deep breath, Ichigo raised his sword, took a step forward, closed his eyes and brought the blade down, as hard as he could. Horror images flickered across his mind; Erza bloodied, cut in half, badly injured-
Then the blade connected, and it was like smashing it against concrete. Opening his eyes, he saw the blade rested on her shoulder, seemingly with no effect.
"Again." Erza said firmly. Even more confused, but quite relieved, Ichigo hit again, putting as much effort as he could into it. His eyes were open this time, and he felt baffled as Erza brought it to a complete halt... with nothing but her index finger. There was no blood, and no matter how he pushed, he could not make her budge.
"Here is a lesson," Erza said calmly, maintaining her position effortlessly, "reiatsu works nothing like normal physics. It's all about strength. Every ability you ever use, every special move or ordinary strike, will be effective relative both to your strength and the strength of your enemy."
"The hell does that mean?" Ichigo grunted, finally letting up, putting the tip of his sword in the ground. There wasn't even a mark on her skin.
"It means that two people of roughly equal power and skill will fight not unlike two humans, in a sense," Erza explained, "but when one is much stronger than the other, there is no chance. You cannot cut me, because you cannot even muster the power to overcome the basic flow of reiatsu in my body. In essence, the power I let out unconsciously is greater than the best you can put out consciously. That is the difference in power."
"Great," Ichigo murmured. "You're way stronger. Got it."
"You're not listening," Erza snapped. "What do you think will happen when you run into a hollow stronger than you, one you can't cut very well, or cut at all? One that's cunning and vicious? You have power, Ichigo, but unless you can harness it, you are wheat for the reaper's scythe."
"...I see." Ichigo murmured.
"You are part of this world now, Ichigo," Erza said firmly. "There is no turning back. One day, you will lose Rukia's power, and when that happens you will have to find powers of your own. It's the only way you can protect yourself and your family."
"I-I understand," Ichigo said. "I won't talk back. It's just..."
"A lot at once, yes," Erza said, grabbing her sword. "Before you learn anything special, any magic, any special move, you must learn the basics and learn them well. You should fear the man who has practiced one move a thousand times more than you should fear the man who has practiced a thousand moves once. You will learn how to move in a sword fight, how to push your body, how to hold your sword and hit with it... you will learn to crawl before you learn to walk, and some time, far from now, you will run."
"To protect my family," Ichigo said, nodding resolutely.
"It is good to have a reason to fight," Erza said, nodding. "But my first family, from when I was alive, taught me that protecting other people is good- but it's even better if they can protect themselves. Before you protect anything, you need to realize you can't protect anything. Not all of the time. Your sisters, Tatsuki, Orihime... they may all need protecting at some point, but they can't be dependent on you."
"I understand." Ichigo said resolutely. "So... shall we continue?"
"Yes," Erza said, nodding with a pleased look on her face.
It was late at night, not long from midnight, when the two of them found themselves back at the Kurosaki residence. Erza had only intended to see him to the door before heading back to her place, but when they got back, Isshin was waiting for them outside. Having a smoke outside, the butt of his cigarette glowing like a firefly in the dark, he gave them a knowing look and said,
"She knows."
Ichigo just looked confused, but Erza felt that sinking feeling, the kind any first-time bungee or parachute jumper gets when they make the leap, and see the earth coming at them a thousand miles an hour.
Shit.
"What?" Ichigo said. "Look, if it's about me being late, it's not what you think. I wasn't out getting drunk or doing drugs or anything, so-"
"Boy, you'll wish that was all it was." Isshin said grimly, sighing.
"What?" Ichigo said. "Erza?"
"...it may be, just may be, that your mother is spiritually aware," Erza croaked, trying to muster the energy for what was to come. This was no surprise, of course- years of inactivity aside, Masaki was a quincy, and reading spiritual signatures was second nature to her. "It just may be that she sort of explicitly forbade me from doing, er, what we've been doing."
"Wait, mom knows?" Ichigo said, with the horror of a teenager who, with the honest naïveté that came with his age, believed there were things you could hide from your mother. "What- what the hell is going on?"
"We'll get there." Isshin said. "Best get inside for now. You too, Erza. She'll hunt you down if you don't."
"Oh, crap," Erza murmured. "All right then." Better to just take the bull by the horns. Masaki was one of her best friends. Surely it couldn't be that bad?
...well, it totally could, and she had probably just jinxed it.
In silence they walked in, still in shinigami forms- the idea had been for Ichigo to sneak in; Masaki had not been expected back for another day or so. Feeling confused, in Ichigo's case, and feeling like she was marching up the scaffold for her beheading in Erza's case, they walked into the kitchen. Masaki was sitting at the table. She had a frighteningly calm look on her face, the only hint of anger being her furrowed brows. Quietly, they both took a seat,
Isshin being the last to join them. For half a minute, they sat in silence, Erza feeling monstrously awkward, afraid, and more than a little defiant.
"Look, mom," Ichigo began awkwardly, "we can... we can uh, explain. Let's just talk about it-"
"Before we start," Masaki said, ignoring him, her voice quiet and noticeably restrained, "I'm just going to lay down the ground rules. Ichigo, Isshin, be quiet. Erza... well, we'll see about you."
Knowing nothing she could say would make it better, Erza just nodded.
"So," Masaki said, in her best judgmental, son-I-am-disappointed kind of tone, "you just couldn't stay away, could you?"
"Masaki, I didn't-" Erza tried, but she was cut off.
"You shut up," Masaki snarled, her voice rising with anger. "I put this much effort into protecting him, all his life, and you just ignore everything I say, because you think you know better what's best for him than his mother? You arrogant little-"
Her voice had risen to a shout by the last sentence, and Erza simply kept herself quiet. Masaki was angry, very angry, and nothing she could say at the moment would calm her down. For five minutes, Erza kept quiet, stared into the table, and let Masaki lay into her. It was a flurry of insults, mixed with motherly self-righteousness and protective instinct, and more than a few guilt trips. It was stressful, hurtful, and more than a little unfair, and Erza had to keep reminding herself that she was her friend, that she was only looking out for her firstborn, that she was doing what she was sure was right...
"...I mean, did you even think about what this meant?" Masaki snarled. "You've pulled him into your world now, Erza, and he can't go back! You put him right in the way of all these monsters, all these..." She ran out of breath to scream with, and paused only to take a breath. "I mean, how long before one of your asshole shinigami pals get their eyes on him and make him a target? Did you think about that, Erza? Did you think at all? You stupid, reckless, worthless-"
"Mom, wait," Ichigo said, trying to cut in, "it's not fair-"
"QUIET!" Masaki snarled. "I don't know how she roped you into this, but don't think you're off the hook, young man!"
Ichigo shut his mouth, caught between his loyalty to Erza and the undeniable force that was his mother.
"Right." Masaki said. "You came crying to our doorstep once, Erza, and we took you in. We made you part of our family. You helped raise the kids, even. I know those fascists back in the soul society left their mark on you, and you can't help that, but not everyone has to be a soldier for your cause without a cause. I thought you respected my judgment. I thought you respected this family. Clearly, you don't."
"Listen," Erza mumbled, "just let me say-"
"I'M NOT DONE." Masaki said, a wild look in her eyes. "You're not welcome here anymore, do you understand? I don't need a backstabbing bi-"
"ENOUGH!" Erza cried, slamming her palm into the table. She stood up, a fire in her eyes. Masaki had had her time, and Erza was not about to let her continue unopposed. "I respected it when you raised your children ignorant of all the threats around them! I respected it when you lied to them about the spiritual world! We all make decisions, hard decisions that might seem wrong but aren't- so I never told him a thing! I never told him his dad was a shinigami once, and I never told him his mom was a quincy!"
Masaki gasped. "You did now! You're unbelievable, Erza!"
"You are a quincy, Masaki," Erza said fiercely. "Sensing energy is nothing to you. So look at your son. Feel his reiatsu. Feel for even a trace of my energy in him!"
"Don't try to distract-" Masaki began, but Erza was not letting go.
"Do it!" She insisted. "See for yourself if it was by my hand that this was done! That's the least you can do! You can call me a backstabbing bitch if you must, but you owe me at least this much!"
"...fine," Masaki growled. She looked at Ichigo, viewing his energies carefully. Her furious glare turned into confusion, frustration, then anger again.
"...I don't understand," she murmured.
"It's not me," Erza said gravely. "It was another shinigami, somebody I haven't seen since I left. I only picked up on it when he got back from that tournament with Tatsuki and Orihime. Somebody else's power, not mine- and all I am doing is teaching him how to handle it."
"It's true, mom," Ichigo said eagerly. "Erza didn't do this- her name is Rukia, and she was the one who-"
"Quiet," Masaki said, her voice having sunk below the level of a shout, at least.
"I kept quiet because I knew you were angry, and you don't listen when you're this angry," Erza said, keeping her voice calm, if not friendly. "You needed to shout. You needed somebody to blame. That's fine. But the truth is this was inevitable, always was. If not now, then later. Your son is strong, Masaki, too strong to go unnoticed in the long run. At least now I can train him."
"Just like you always wanted, right?" Masaki said bitterly.
"For his sake, yes," Erza admitted. "He's... extraordinary. His sisters don't even come close-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Masaki snapped. "All I wanted was for him to go to school, get a normal life, find some girl to settle down with, maybe grandkids eventually... you know, have a life. Without having all of this hanging over him."
"I know," Erza said, and nodded. "And I understand. You said those 'fascists' left a mark on me- but don't you think the quincies left a mark on you, too?"
Masaki flinched.
"They did." Erza said, "So I don't blame you. You just wanted a normal life. But we don't have that choice. It's not an option anymore. And whether you like it or not, I have to teach him, or he'll have no way of protecting himself."
"You know, I'm still here-" Ichigo tried.
"Quiet," Erza and Masaki said in unison.
"Goddamnit," Masaki mumbled. "I just..."
"I will make him strong," Erza said resolutely. "I will teach him everything I can. He will be ready to take on anything. I will make him strong, Masaki."
"That's what I was afraid of," Masaki mumbled, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.
"I think we need some time to calm down, okay?" Said Isshin, finally daring to speak up. "A good night's sleep will do us some good. We can discuss this in the morning. Sound good?"
Masaki just nodded weakly, and Erza nodded with her. "Tomorrow," she said. "We'll talk tomorrow."
"Fine," Masaki said. "And um... I'm sorry."
That could not have been easy, not with so much self-righteous rage built up, and Erza appreciated that.
"There's nothing to forgive," She said simply. "I'll see you later."
With the worst of the drama having died down, Ichigo snuck away from the table. After getting his body back, he went outside; he needed some fresh air, and badly. He hadn't seen his mother this angry since two years ago, when he had got into a fight with a couple punks twice his age. He had won, but that hadn't mattered. His mother, love her as he might, could be a bit bullheaded.
He stared up at the night sky. As much as training made him ache, this whole ordeal had made him feel much worse- the two women he loved most in the world shouldn't be fighting like this, and he hadn't been able to do much about it either. He would think to himself that life was funny, weird, crazy, but it seemed superfluous by now. Crazy was everywhere, no escaping it.
After a minute or two, his father joined him, lighting a cigarette. He had that haunted look on his face, the one he always got when mom was on the war path- she had always been the one in charge at home, something his dad never seemed to mind- but he also knew when to get out of the way.
"Want one?" Isshin muttered. "I'd tell you not to smoke, but shit like this is what made me start smoking in the first place. You're not likely to die of lung cancer the way you are now, anyhow."
"...no." Ichigo muttered. He looked at his dad, then back up to the skies.
"Hey, pop," he mumbled, "is it true?"
"What part?" Isshin said, blowing out some smoke. "The whole afterlife thing, us keeping this from you, leaving marks...?"
"Were you a shinigami?" Ichigo said bluntly.
"Oh." Isshin said sounding guilty. "Uh. Yeah. A really strong one, too. Lost my powers, decided to stay behind, and that's a long story for another day. But yeah, I was."
"So I get it from you, huh?" Ichigo muttered, and sighed.
"Don't be so sure," Isshin said. "Your mom is plenty strong, too- I guess you don't know what a Quincy is?"
"Nope," Ichigo said, shaking his head.
"Well, son, let's just say there's humans with powers too," Isshin said. "You got this from both your mom and your old man, I'm sure." He took another puff of his cigarette, then dropped it to the ground, and put it out with his shoe.
"To be honest... that makes me kind of proud." He said solemnly, sounding so different from his normal, goofy self. "I always knew you'd go places, son. If you turn out to be a chip off the old block... that's not so bad."
Ichigo frowned.
"Hang on. I come home, and aside from mom shouting at Auntie Erza, she acts like I'm some... I dunno, like I had come home saying I just knocked a girl up, and I'm also gay and a junkie, but you're... cool with this?"
"Dunno about 'cool'," Isshin said, "but being a shinigami teaches you things. Your mom's got good reason to be angry at the people she came from, but me... I was a soldier for a long time, and I can tell you it's better to have power than not having it. You're better off with 'em than without 'em, at least. I ain't asking you to go and be monstrously strong like your aunt, but having enough of it to protect yourself... that's good."
Ichigo nodded. "Uhm. Thanks, dad."
"Don't mention it," Isshin said, and nodded. "And don't be angry with your mom neither. She had her reasons."
"I'm not," Ichigo said, shaking her head. "I never could."
"Good lad," Isshin said.
"Hey, dad..." Ichigo said ponderously. "Erza. Did you know her back then?"
"...I did," Isshin said apprehensively.
"What was she like?"
"That's dangerous territory, son," Isshin said, lightning another cigarette. "Even I don't know what happened to her. But... suffice to say I used to be her boss back in the days. She's a good person, and that's what matters."
"So she betrayed the Gotei Thirteen, then?"
"She told you that much?" Isshin said.
"Rukia did."
"Kuchiki Rukia?" Isshin said. "She was the one?"
"You know her?" Ichigo said confusedly.
"Long story. Her family's a big deal back there. As for treason... I don't know. But I don't see your aunt doing nothing if it wasn't the right thing to do. That's all I need to know, and that's all you need to know."
"Sure, dad," Ichigo said, nodding. "Thanks."
"Twice in one night?" Isshin snorted. "Watch yourself, boy, or people might think you have manners."
"You'll keep a secret, won't you?" Ichigo said with a grin. "Can't have people ruining my bad reputation."
"My lips are sealed," Isshin said. "Now, head inside and get to sleep. If I know Erza, you got a hell of a week ahead of you."
"Don't I know it..." Ichigo murmured, and headed back inside. This week had been a conga line of dramatic reveals, and somehow his parents being in on this didn't even surprise him. In a way, he was even grateful for the training- at least he'd have something to take all of his focus. Quietly he went to bed, and soon fell asleep.
And there we go. Wow, that was ALOT of drama wasnt it? Well, I figured the story would be far more interesting if his parents told him right out what they were and how they felt about the whole situation.
As for Momo's training...Yeah, she is going to be significantly more powerful than she was in canon by the time we get to the soul society arc. Just letting you all know that right now.
Not much else for me to say about this chapter really. I do hope all of you enjoyed it quite alot.
Please, if you could, leave a review for us. Reviews make us want to work harder, do better, and upload the next chapter even quicker. It REALLY means alot.
Thank you!