Heritage
It was this sight before him that Ichigo felt at full alert, despite the presence of his Zanpakuto and Hollow beside him, he merely watched the memory of his mother playing in the soft sand pit with a toddler version of himself, he stared at the sight with tears threatening to fall, the sight of his mother smiling as he toppled the sand castle he had made, Ichigo wiped his eyes with a sniff as another laugh echoed form the memory.
The feeling of his Bankai resting a hand on his shoulder spoke volumes of their commitment to his cause… though the silence was broken by the voice of Kuro as they sat on a park bench.
"You always cherished you're mother" turning to Kuro as the scene changed, it showed a Playground in a park, with Masaki, Isshin and a younger Ichigo on the swings, the deceased mother pushing the toddler Ichigo on the swingset.
"She was the one thing that kept this world organized and full of life" looking to the sky as it shown a bright sun, the fading library hovered around them with a see through aura.
Looking to his once whole family, ichigo dipped his head down in shame until his Bankai spoke.
"Do not blame yourself for the demise of you're sun, Ichigo" turning to the calm Zanpakutō, his Hollow spoke with a quiet voice.
"She would not want you to wallow in despair after the revelations shown to you by the coward of hypnosis" shaking his head with a sigh, Ichigo spoke while holding his face with his right hand.
"How can I not blame myself, with what Aizen had said, if I hadn't been born, she wouldn't have died by the hands of Gran Fisher" feeling a sob move to escape him, the memory faded to show the scene of the dreaded day in it's glory, with young Ichigo lying trapped beneath the lifeless form of his beloved mother, her last act of protecting her son.
"If you hadn't been born, than the world will have no protector… Masuyo would had never been born" waving a hand, the scene changed to one that made them all stare with pride at the sight of Ichigo holding Masuyo in his arms, Yoruichi smiling to his right with a loving smile to both him and their daughter.
"Yoruichi would never have forgiven herself for the death of her former lover" watching the scene once more change, it showed the one time Ichigo had found Yoruichi sitting before an alter.
Watching his past self move to comfort the woman, Ichigo lowered his head as the memories came rolling in the fateful night, the fateful night that had started their love for each other through their embraces for comfort.
Watching the scene go on, Urizen spoke.
"Do you truly wish that fate on her instead of the happiness she has now thanks to you?" shaking his head, ichigo growled with his fists clenching tightly.
"I would never wish for it" seeing the scene change back to the two parents and child, Yamato spoke.
"then why Ichigo, did you hesitate to strike?" looking down in shame as the scene melted into the battle against Aizen, the teen spoke.
"My resolve was broken… my will to fight shattered… my fear overtaking my bravery" looking down, the four sat in silence.
"I don't know what to do anymore" sitting with the memories morphing into a well of colours, the four sat with defeat on the brink of their minds…
Until a voice spoke… a familiar voice.
"Than you need to get back up and face you're fears, ichigo" turning in alarm at the voice behind them, the sight making them all stare with alarm as a figure approached… smiling a soft, gentle smile, the beings figure fitted into an attire of white, a Quincy cross sat on her right breast, a cloak of pure white on her being, the figure reached up to remove the hood to show… a younger Masaki Kurosaki, a serious look to her features as the teen turned to her with wide eyes.
"Mom?" staring at the woman before them in alarm, the woman smiling softly as a tear fell from her left eye.
"I'm sorry I couldn't reach you… Ichigo" standing from the bench with a stagger, the teen approached the woman who had to crane her neck to look up into his eyes, her own tears falling from her eyes alongside her sons.
Reaching up to his face, Ichigo's breath hitched in his throat as she caressed his right cheek.
"Mom?" the voice, the voice of a broken man echoed in the silence as mother and son were reunited with tears falling from their eyes.
"You've grown… my god you've grown so big" hugging him gently, the teen burst into sobs as he returned the embrace.
"How… how are you here?" looking into her eyes, she smiled.
"Well, I should have told Isshin to come clean with you if I ever died, better late than never right" stepping away, Masaki raised her hand to summon a quincy bow, alarming Urizen as he stepped back while Yamato and Kuro stood in alarm.
Smiling as Ichigo stood dumbstruck, Masaki spoke with a smile filled with life.
"I… am a quincy, Ichigo… and you are the first hybrid of Shinigami, Hollow and Quincy. You need to reforge that will to protect, I am here for you… Always have been, my son" smiling as Ichigo stood in silence, his right hand twitched before clenching it tightly as his eyes shined with determination.
Landing in a heap of intense rage, Senza Nome stood up calmly while tossing a ruined building off of itself while Aizen had dispatched Isshin and Kisuke, the false god laughing at the scene around him, his laughing stopped however at Senza grabbing his throat and punching him without hesitation, cracks forming over the white covering his being, Aizen's head was exposed with his eyes taking a hollow look to them with a black eye shown as well, seeing Senza roar with a punch reared back, the shockwave from the strike sent Aizen flying back on his feet.
Scowling at the beast, he spoke.
"Why won't you just die, you take hits but you never show any pain.. just what are you!?" staring at the man with a glare, Senza spoke as Loki's presence echoed within his connected minds.
"I am a mind, born from rage, never ending, never faltering… I am rage encarnate" frowning at the beats as it began to approach, Aizen spoke.
"What enrages you most, to keep you from faltering?" seeing the being stop, it closed its eyes with a deep inhale before steam flew from it's nostrils.
"My deepest rage…" glaring at Aizen with fiery reiatsu rising from it, the beast spoke with a growl.
"is being forced to leave my FAMILY!" rushing at Aizen with renewed rage, the two collided with Aizen's being glowing in defiance to Senza's blackened aura.
Staring at Senza's roaring maw, the being suddenly fell through a Garganta. Leaving Aizen staring at the closing portal being turning to see Gin approaching, showing his attire torn.
He smiled pleasantly.
"Well, there he goes" nodding in agreement, Aizen spoke.
"Than we must depart before any other nuisances arrive" with that, a senkaimon opened with the two departing, entering the doorway they turned in time to see a wave of red reiatsu shooting towards them, showing Yoruichi flying towards them in her draconic bankai until the doors closed, leaving the two in the darkness.
"Well, let us continue" turning away from the doorway, Gin winced at a small gash on his right shoulder before following.
Landing with a growl as the senkaimon faded away, Yoruichi turned to the area to see Isshin standing up slowly, a wound heavily on his being he growled in rage as Kisuke gave a groan.
"You two alright?"
"Shihōin does it look like we're alright?" turning to Isshin as he stood up, he held his sides before his eyes widened.
"Aizen, he's heading to Karakura!" moving to follow, Isshin fell to his knee's while Yoruichi's eyes widened in horror as Masuyo flashed through her mind.
"Kisuke, Kisuke open a Senkaimon!" moving to the shop keeper, the ash blonde gave a cough as he was lifted off his back, looking down her eyes widened as a stab wound on his abdomen.
"Second thought, let's get you both to that Healing world Hoshi has open" lfting him up, Kisuke gave a whimper that gained him a light smack to his head
"Oh be quiet you've had worse stabbed into you" flashing away, Isshin stood up with worry before he followed.
Failing to notice a crack in the air, Senza Nome suddenly burst through with a shake of his being, glaring at the area, he stood calmly for a second before his being cracked, leaving a tired Loki in his place.
"Ok, finding a dimension while falling between realms is nightmare fuel" sensing the three leaving towards, Hoshi, Loki followed, failing to notice another Senkaimon opening in the distance.
Standing before his mother as the scenery changed once more, Masaki and Ichigo stood against one another with Masaki smiling.
"You catch on quickly Ichigo, with the memories of before I would have expected you to be slow on the in take" seeing her son grimace, she smiled fondly.
"Yeah, I was a slow learner, until I met Yoruichi" smiling as a memory of the woman appeared beside Ichigo, it showed them both sharing a kiss before fading away.
"She taught me more than anyone, she is also one of many I will fight to keep safe, her, Masuyo, Karin, Yuzu, Old man Isshin, Orihime, Suì-Fēng, Unohana, Ulquiorra, Harribel, so many names of those I have come to love and cherish I've lost track of them" looking up to his mother as his reiatsu gathered, Quincy, hollow, Shinigami.
All fusing into one form as his body glowed, showing Masaki smiling as Yamato, Kuro and Urizen appeared before him as he held a Katana.
"I lost myself to grief at an old wound reopening… I've acknowledged my weakness, and made it my strength" calling forth the powers of Griffon and Shadow, Ichigo's lower body glowed with black reiatsu flowing over his being, as his mind raced through those he met, those he befriended… those he loved. Smiling fondly at the many faces, his eyes glowed bright blue as Nightmare's power covered him entirely.
"I'm done being a mere protector…" staring at the reiatsu as it writhed over Ichigo's body, his Reiatsu glowed a cerulean blue with black added in as wing like appendages began to form.
"I'll be the guardian of this world, Heaven and Hell holding no power over me or my loved ones" staring at the form her son had taken, Masaki smiled with pride as the teen looked to the skies as the clouds of doubt receded from sight, showing a bright summer day.
"I will be the father, a brother… and husband, all with pride in my steps, I am Ichigo Kurosaki…" feeling his mind begin to wake up from the trance, Ichigo looked to his mother with a smile.
"And Aizen has crossed enough lines" with that his mind faded with Masaki smiling to him the last sight.
Leaving Masaki alone with her fellow spirits before she turned and approached a Toddler Ichigo playing in a sand pit.
Seeing the memory look up to her, she shared a smile.
Yeah, i did that, Instead of old man Zangetsu being Ichigo's quincy powers... the source of his quincy heritage has taken it's place, the return of Masaki Kurosaki
