Having depression sucks, having blockage for talking also sucks. Waiting for better tomorrow. Also, tomorrow is my birthday so... Happy birthday to me, alone, while coronavirus is around. Hopefully you're doing better than me.

Talking - Hollow talk

Talking - Yhwach talk

Talking - memories or Ichigo's talking in his mind

3.774 words

18.03.2020

"I'm a Quincy, I don't have a Zanpaktou so how can you teach me how to control it?" Ichigo asked, feeling a bit left out.

"Of course you have it, don't you hear anyone speaking to you from time to time~?" Urahara grabbed his arm and started leading him somewhere.

To say Ichigo was confused by Urahara's actions, it was a misunderstanding. So he turned to the only person he knew had answers.

"Guys? Are you still there?"

"Of course we are, Ichigo." Ichigo let a sigh of relief, Urahara saw that if even he tried to talk to young man, it was pointless. He was talking with his sword's spirits. But something didn't feel right. He decided to watch Ichigo closer than before.

"What is that man talking about? I am a Quincy, right?"

Right?

"You are. But at the same time, you are something that this world had not seem yet."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just shut up and fight with me." Another voice spoke. "You don't want to be their soldier, you hate them, you despise them-."

"I don't hate them." Ichigo said aloud, bringing Urahara's attention to him.

"I'm glad you said that, even after what happened." Ichigo almost jumped out of his skin, he didn't realize that he said something aloud. He looked at blonde man who showed him a door. "You go first please."

Ichigo felt weird. When he opened the door, people stared at him, he felt like he was a traitor of some kind.

"'Cause you are." Voice answered him. "Try not to get killed now, it's too soon for it."

""Why am I here?" He turned around to ask Urahara. He didn't feel save with Captains around.

"I told you, you have to learn how to control your Zanpaktou." People around them gasped.

"Urahara, what were you thinking?!"

"You-!"

"Do you want to get us killed?"

"Let me test on him first, I'm sure after I'm done he won't hurt anyone."

"You want to teach this abomination?!"

Ichigo didn't feel that much stress since accidentally walking on his father's training. He still felt the bruise, even if it wasn't there anymore.

Somebody walked to him and tried to grab his arm but Urahara stopped them. Young man still flinched.

"Wait, my friends, there's no need for that." He let go of the woman's hand. She had a short black hair and she was... kind of small compared to everyone around her.

"I thought you were smarter that that, Urahara."

"I thought Yoruichi teached you better, Soi Fong." Ichigo saw that she wanted to beat him into a bloody pulp but she went to her spot between a woman with long hair in a braid and some old man with a really long beard.

Old man's eyes opened and he looked at Ichigo. His eyes felt... cold.

But not as cold as Yhwach's.

"As you see, Ichigo, these people are the strongest people in the world, Captains of Gotei 13." Ichigo said nothing, he learnt the hard way not to talk without permission with people he hadn't known.

Ichigo looked at them. Of course, he'd already met Mayuri, Kenpachi, Byakuya and Kyoraku. He disliked a few of them already, it wasn't going to be a happy ending.

"Why am I here?" Ichigo asked after a few moments.

"Actually, they were talking about you a lot since I came here~!" Urahara hid his smile with a fan. "We've been hearing about you a lot so-."

"Why is Yhwach interested in you?" A boy with a white hair stopped Urahara's sentence. Room fell into silence, everyone waiting for an answer.

"...I wish I knew why." Ichigo looked at the floor. Suddenly, he remembered something. He opened his mouth to say something but-.

"We have our ways to make you speak so you better start." He frowned at Mayuri. "Or not, I'd really love to test your body's limits."

"Mayuri-."
"You all act like you're not curious!" Mayuri threw his hand in the air irritated.

"I see that Soul Reapers are no different from stories that I've heard." He looked at them, Mayuri expecially. "Liars that only care about themselves, even when their job is to protect everything around them. At least Yhwach cares about his men." Urahara grabbed his forearm to stop him but he continued to talk. "Who do you even think you are?"

"That's enough." Old man lightly kicked his stick at the floor. "Have you ever met Yhwach in person?"

"...Yes." Ichigo answered, Urahara still held his arm. "Two times."

"When?"

"Why should I help you?" Ichigo answered with a question. Nobody answered him. "I don't even know you, how can I-?"

"Remember the position you are in, Kurosaki." Byakuya stopped him. Ichigo took a deep breath.

"I don't trust you."

"The feeling is mutual." Urahara let go of his arm and stood in front of him with hands in the air.

"I don't think we're going to achieve anything now." He started. "Remember that in two days, Ichigo's been through a lot: his village was attacked, he fought with Kenpachi and came back alive which is a hard thing to do, he was captured by Yhwach's Quincies and-."

"I don't need your pity." Ichigo said feeling angry. "WE don't need your pity." He felt the other voice agreed with him.

"Calm down, Ichigo. You don't want to be knocked out twice in a day, right?" Ichigo glanced at him. "I know it's too much for someone as young as you but please don't interfere, ne?"

"..." Ichigo sighed again. "Whatever." He leaned against the wall and looked at his shoes.

While they were talking, Ichigo was in a conversation too.

"...I want to go home."

"Do not worry, Ichigo." The deeper voice said. "I know you feel angry and anxious, young one." He almost felt like a warm hand was pressed against his face.

Meanwhile Urahara stopped talking and looked at Ichigo.

"The most important thing to do now is to regenerate your body and mind. Soul Reapers might not see the scars but I know they are here. You have to calm down and decide if you want to trust them or run away. Remember that with a single choice, comes a great responsibilities and troubles. No matter what you choose, you will always be supported by us. Because we are the only beings that understand and will accept and support every decision you go with. Do not be afraid, young one." The voice repeated. "You are not alone."

"Who were you talking with, Ichigo?" Urahara asked with curiosity in his voice. Ichigo frowned.

"..." Ichigo looked around them and looked down. "He doesn't have a name."

"Does he remind you of someone in particular?"

"Why are you so…? Ugh!" Ichigo looked at him. "Why do you have to be such a curious cat?"

"Don't be so mean, Ichigo~!" Urahara hugged him and quickly let go. He patted Ichigo on his shoulder. "We've decided that you're going to train with Ukitake..." He pointed at a man with long white hair. The man kindly smiled at him. "And Kyoraku, you know who he is, right?"
"Right."

"Are you feeling okay, Ichigo?"

After that not really pleasant meeting, Ichigo went with Ukitake and Kyoraku to train a bit. He still felt the stares from the other Soul Reapers, they knew who he was but that didn't mean that they liked him or they would help him anytime soon. They were sipping tea at that time. Ichigo's hands were holding a warm cup with bitter liquid in it.

"It feels nice, right, Ichigo?" Ukitake asked him with a smile.

"Yeah, kinda like home..."

"Maybe you should try sake? It's good for creating new memories-, agh, why did you hit me, Nanao?!" Ichigo looked at a girl who just punched Kyoraku with a metal plate.

"He's underage! Don't try to force him into things he shouldn't do just because you're doing it!"

From what Ichigo've heard, she was Kyoraku's lieutenant, 8th Division. Near Ukitake were standing two Soul Repears, he didn't know them.

"Who are you?" He asked them politely.

"I am Sentarō Kotsubaki, the best 3rd Seat of the 13th Division!" Man with black hair said.

"No, I, Kiyone Kotetsu, am the best 3rd Seat!" Woman with blonde hair commented.

"Alright, alright, please stop the argument, you both are the best." Ukitake stopped them from argument. He turned to Ichigo. "Ichigo, do you want to know something about Soul Society?" Ichigo thought for a moment.

"Where is your lieutenant?" Ukitake smiled again and answered the question.

"You see, my lieutenant's name is Kuchiki Rukia, she's a sister of Byakuya." Ichigo nodded. "She's probably training somewhere with Byakuya's lieutenant, Abarai Renji." He nodded again. "I'm sure you'll meet her soon."

"Maybe you should traing with Rukia and my Nanao? They're both really strong and if there's going to be a war with Quincy-." Ukitake punched Kyoraku for bringing that up.

"Don't worry, I understand." Ichigo with a small smile. "Better to know what Quincies can do before than it's too late, right?" He looked at the grass outside the house they were in. "It looks so similar yet so different..." He commented quietly.

"Did you have a family before?" Kiyone asked feeling excited. "My sister is Unohana's lieutenant and she-." The other 3rd Seat stopped her.

"How dare you ask questions like that?! Don't you think it's-!"

Ichigo silently listened to their argument for a while.

"I've had a family." He grabbed his cup with tea in it. "My father's name was Thomas. He's probably dead because of me." He took a sip. "I don't know my mother's name, she never acknowledge my existence until I did something bad." He look at the table frowning. "But now some guy called 'Isshin' tries to convince me that he's my father. Idiot..." He took another sip.

Room fell into silence.

"Thomas is at Mayuri's Division's barracks." Ichigo looked at blonde haired woman. "Nemu was talking about him and-."
"So at least he's alive. But probably not for long with that bastard around."

"After everything goes back to normal, Yama-jii's probably going to let him go." Kyoraku said while grabbing his own cup. "We're not as bad as you seem to think, Ichigo."

"He's probably dead by now." After a while he quietly asked.

"Why don't you just kill me? Wouldn't it be easier for everyone?"

"Ichigo..."

Ukitake tried to make Ichigo look at him but his eyes weren't moving from the table.

"You want to join him? I can help you with it."

"My, you sure went through a lot, didn't you?" Kyoraku commented.

"If being kidnapped and tortured by my people, meeting with Yhwach and being trapped there is a lot then... Yeah." He closed his eyes, things that happened in a few days came back, repeating in his mind, every single breath, every single step, repeating over and over again. Every single emotion.

Fear.

Anxiety.

Anger.

And helplessness.

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked at them.

"Why are you so different?" Ichigo asked. "You are so... Nice and the others are so... Mean." Ukitate's brows furrowed in worry.

"They're not as bad as they seem to be. We are all stressed out, especially..."

"Something happened not too long ago, right? Something... bad." Ukitate took his hand from him.

"There was a betrayal in Gotei 13. And not only just some soldier. Three Captains almost destroyed Soul Society." Ichigo's eyes widened.

"No wonder you don't trust me." His eyes softened. "I'm sorry-."

"Don't be, Ichigo, you're still too young to worry that much." Kyoraku said and got up. "Anyway, we should go to our training ground and see what you've got, right?" Ichigo nodded and got up too.

Ichigo looked around the place.

It was huge.

"Wow..." It was definitely bigger than his village, how he could not notice something so big. Some Soul Reapers laughed at his actions but he couldn't care less. "Wow."

"I'm glad you like it."

"This is-. I-I don't even know what to say."

"See, you don't have to say anything. If you want, you can come here everyday." Ichigo looked at Captains and then at people who were pointing at him and laughing, who knows at what.

"I don't think I will." Kyoraku looked where he was looking but bystanders already stopped what they were doing a few seconds ago.

"I'm pretty sure after a while, you will be talking to each other and maybe become good friends."

"Like hell we will."

"So, what are we doing today?" Ichigo asked.

"Well, first you'll be sparring with our lieutenants, please welcome my dear Nanao-chan and Rukia, Ukitake's lieutenant."

Ichigo looked at both girls. He've already met Nanao. Rukia was shorter than her and didn't wear glasses.

"Nice to meet you." He said with blank face. They nodded after a moment.

"Nice way to make enemies, moron."

"So, are you ready?" The three nodded and Captains moved away, bystanders too. Ichigo looked up and saw that some other Captains were there too.

Byakuya probably to interfere when he'd try to hurt his sister too much.

"He doesn't look like 'I care about anything' guy."

Mayuri probably to take notes when he lays his hands on Ichigo.

"Maybe we can kill him while no one is looking, hm? That would teach them."

"Not a bad idea, but now shut up and focus on the current fight." Ichigo grabbed the Cross that 'his father', Isshin gave him.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked him.

"It's your mother's Cross, she told me to give it to you when I'd think it's necessary. So I'm giving it to you now."

Ichigo still didn't feel like that 'Masaki' was his mother. Mother is a person who loves you and treats you kindly. He never in his life met 'Masaki', his mother was Thomas's wife, no matter how much people tried to correct him.

"Are you going to attack or stare at it all day?" The shorter girl, Rukia asked with a frown.

"I think you'll have to attack me first." Ichigo looked into her purple eyes. "'Cause I'm not starting a fight with a kid."

Ichigo knew that comments like that make the receiver not think straight so he tried to summon his sword but it didn't work, his eyes widened and Nanao used something he's never seen in his life.

Kidou.

She missed the spell but after he landed on the ground, a circle made of ice formed under his feet, before he noticed what was happening-.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro."

The ice shoot out, but he wasn't panicking.

"Tsk."

The ice crushed, but only a bit of ice was left on his body. He sneezed.

"Damn, I never liked winter." Not only Rukia was shocked. Everyone around were, how could he come back with no bruises or cuts? "Looks like I can attack now." He grabbed his own Cross and summoned his cross.

It was a unique bow, you would never see any like that. Maybe it wasn't even a sword, that's why his father never wanted to see it too long.

It was too beautiful to watch.

Normal Quincy's bows were light blue, white with a touch of black, long and conventional, nothing special.

Ichigo's however was a total opposite. It was dark, black, like a void with no end, depending on who he was fighting or how he was feeling it had a touch of blue or dark red. Now it was the latter. It was long like a normal one but it almost didn't have a form, like he was holding a pressed together reiatsu.

He smirked at the horrified faces Soul Reapers had.

"If I were you, I'd be terrified." He grabbed a bow string and looked at Captains. "Better interfere now."

"Why?" Ukitake asked. Mayuri looked excited.

"Because I might do something stupid." He looked up again and looked at grinning Mayuri. "That's for dad."

Many things happened at the same time.

Ichigo let go of the bow string.

Mayuri's face turned into deep fright.

His body turned into bloody mass fulled with reiatsu with eyes.

People started screaming, crying, begging for help.

Ichigo was satisfied.

"Why I couldn't use my sword?" Ichigo asked his voices.

"Old man won't teach you shit." The younger voice answered. "You're too angry for his peace-ass, I'll show you how to fight."

"I'm not angry." He frowned and looked at his hands. They were covered in blood. "I'm not angry."

"Of course, keep telling yourself that."

"I'm not angry." He repeated, he looked up to see his village being burnt with people in it. "I'm not angry."

He stood in the same place that he used his attack.

The bow disappeared but the emotions not.

"They fear us."

"And that's how things should have been." Ichigo added.

People were starring.

Terror in their eyes.

He felt his eyes were getting darker, senses sharpening.

Ichigo laughed and said.

"The last man standing gets no pity."

"What's the meaning of this?" Ichigo turned around and looked into Yamamoto's eyes.

"Just what you saw, you fool. Are you too old to remember our fight 1000 years ago?" Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.

"Yhwach."

"Remember my words, old fool:

The seal would be broken and the king would regain his heart after 900 years. 90 years after, his intellect would return. And 9 years afterwards, his power would return. To regain his powers, the king would have to steal the powers of impure Quincy. And 9 days after he regains his power, the emperor will regain the world."

And with that, Ichigo passed out.

Ichigo slowly woke up, he remembered nothing. His body hurt. He slowly sat up and grabbed his head in one hand, the other supporting his weight from behind.

"What happened?" He asked his voices.

"Nothing for you to worry about, child." Ichigo closed his eyes. "Nothing to think about. Fools will always be fools and Kings will always rule the world."

"That was stupid thing to do, Ichigo." Ichigo looked up to see Urahara and Isshin. "That was really stupid thing to do."

"What did I do?" Ichigo asked confused. Isshin walked to him and grabbed his head in both hands.

"Do you want to get yourself killed?!" Younger man was really confused. "Do you even remember what's happened?

"N-not really..." Isshin almost slapped his face but Ichigo stopped him. "Hey, I really don't know what happened." He looked at Urahara. "I was fighting with two lieutenants, right? What happened after?"

"..." Urahara came closer, moving Isshin away. Ichigo looked into his eyes and waited for something he didn't know. "Show yourself." Ichigo frowned not knowing what was going on.

"He wants to talk to us."

"Why?"

"'Cause old man did something he wasn't supposed to do and now he has a problem." Ichigo heard laughter. "Lemmie talk to them." Ichigo closed his eyes. After he opened them, they were black and yellow.

"Ya really wanted that much to see me?" 'Ichigo' grinned. "How cute."

"Were you-."

"Nah, the old man wanted to show his power." Black-yellow eyes looked at Urahara. "So, now what? Going to lock us away, kill or what? I'm reaaaly dying to know. How's Mayuri?"

"...He'll live." Isshin commented. "But I'm not sure about you."
"What a shame, he deserves to die." He supported himself again the wall. "So?"

"Where is Yhwach right now?"

"Prob'bly in his castle. He's a King after all. Would be surprised if he was somewhere else."

"Why is he inside Ichigo's head?" Isshin grabbed Ichigo's shirt.
"'He's the chosen one as you saw." 'Ichigo' narrowed his eyes. "Prince to rule them all."

"I don't understand."

"I think I do." Urahara said and quickly asked. "How is Ichigo?"

"Not gonna share what you get and what you don't?"
"Not really. Does Yhwach hear what we're talking about?"
"Depends if Prince wants to share." He shook Urahara's hand away. "Let us kill Mayuri and we'll tell you everything."

"Probably not going to happen."
"Prob'bly not gonna tell." And with that, Ichigo started blinking away the blackness. He looked around the cell he was in.
"I thought you were supposed to help me." Ichigo said while looking around. "Not lock me away."

"Well, after a small incident that happened, Captains are a little bit unsure about you."

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Ichigo crossed his arms.

"We almost got that crazy guy and instead of being grateful, they are mad." The voice informed him.

"Oh." Ichigo looked at Urahara, then at Isshin. "So… Yeah."

"Captains are discussing what to do about you." Ichigo huffed.

"He deserved that." After a break, he asked next question. "Can I see Ukitake and Kyoraku?"

"Why?"

"You can tell Captains that..." Ichigo took a deep breath. "I can tell you a thing… Or two about Quincies-."
"What are you offering, young one?" The other voice asked.

"Our friend decided to join, huh?" Isshin commented and sat in a chair. "What is-?"

"You cannot do that, child." Ichigo furrowed his brows.

"Why?" He started talking aloud.
"You cannot betray me, one of your soul parts."

"I'm not betraying anyone, I'm trying to make it out alive."

"We had talked about it in the past. You have to wait for saviour."

"I don't need saving." Ichigo got up. "I'm fine on my own."

"Yes, you do, child. I will show you why." Ichigo suddenly felt dizzy and if it wasn't for Isshin, he would fall to the ground.

"What's happening?" Isshin asked while laying him on the cold floor.

"He wants to show me something." Ichigo said and closed his eyes.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Ichigo was looking through the glass, everything was clear but he couldn't react, move. He felt like it was out-of-body experiment. "Do you wish-?"
"Bring me Ichibē Hyōsube".

"Of course, Your Majesty." The maid quickly left leaving Soul King with Ichigo.

"Your Majesty." Ichibē walked through the door.

"I've seen the future." Ichigo slowly walked closer. "The Chosen One was born."

"The Child of Darkness." Ichibē bowed with wide eyes. "The perfect hybrid..." Ichibē got up and made one step towards Soul King.

"Find him and bring him to me." Soul King said.

"Of course."

"He's currently in Soul Society. Yhwach is getting bolder every day." Ichibē nodded. "Bring him to me so I can destroy his soul."

Ichigo's eyes opened and he was looking at Urahara.

"So? What did you find?"
"Soul King wants me dead."