Chapter Five:
Rukia and Renji's description of what a Gigai felt like was vastly more accurate than Ichigo was happy with, he'd never felt so trapped in his life, it was unbelievably tight, restrictive, suffocating and felt at least three inches too short for his body, and that was before he even started to sense the repression of the majority of his reiatsu.
Rolling his muscles, not for the first time, since arriving in the World of the Living, he walked down the street alongside his Taichou in silence. They hadn't spoken a word since before he'd entered his Gigai. It was awkward, uncomfortable. He didn't dare ask what their mission was, through the discontented idea at receiving the same seethingly cold response.
Karakura was a large town, with a marginally normal population. There was a weak Hollow presence, low level and low threat, nothing to get excited over, though it suggested to him that there must have been at least a small spattering of Humans with higher than average reiatsu.
They walked for what felt like ages, though he was certain it was mostly related to the faux body, passing shops and cafes, car parks, even a large school. Ichigo looked around with interest, never having been to the World of the Living before, it all looked so different to Soul Society, so modern and flash.
"Taichou?" He finally asked, looking at the man.
"Yes?"
"What are we doing here?" The Third Seat's head tilted, genuine curiosity seeping into his voice.
Byakuya hesitated, glancing over at him and gritting his teeth until it hurt, he let out a long breath through his nose and forced himself to relax, "I received word about some important information in the town... We are here to retrieve it."
"Information?" Ichigo repeated, glancing around again, "About Aizen Taichou?"
"Not this time." He murmured.
He wasn't sure whether he was pleased about that, or not. At the very least, if it had been about Aizen he would have been able to report back to him upon their return, yet if it was unrelated he would return empty handed. Aizen wasn't the most patient of people.
What was more troubling, was that Ichigo was beginning to feel like he was being watched. It had been subtle at first, starting not long after their arrival, but the feeling was growing more and more intense the longer they wandered around. He couldn't sense a specific aura following him, nor could he see anyone who was obviously watching. He wondered if his Taichou had noticed the feeling as well.
Alarm bells were ringing, blaring even.
His back stiffened suddenly and he twisted on the spot, looking back the way they had come tensely, squinting through the crowd of people. None of the faces were recognisable to him, none of them seemed overly suspicious. But that feeling was still there. Eyes were on him.
"Kurosaki?" Byakuya raised one perfect eyebrow, confused as to why his Third Seat had stopped so suddenly.
"Can't you feel it?" He breathed, eyes narrowed.
"Feel... What?"
Disbelief swept his expression, he broke his gaze from its search to look at the noble instead, "We're not alone. Someone has been watching us since we arrived."
Byakuya frowned, he had sensed no such presence, and to him at least it made little sense as to why his subordinate would have been able to do so in his stead. Nevertheless, he could see that Ichigo was being genuine, he could sense something.
Glancing around swiftly as well, he reached out with his reiatsu, making a sweep of the area. He still came up sensing nothing out of the ordinary.
"Let us continue, we can do nothing until they make themselves known." The Taichou murmured, gripping Ichigo's shoulder firmly and spinning him back around, "We are not far from our destination."
The only comforting thing about their current situation, was that his Taichou had unintentionally dropped the majority of his coldness in the wake of him mentioning being watched. Ichigo was uncertain if it was because Byakuya could sense it too, or because more worryingly, he couldn't.
Their destination came into view, a large central town library, Ichigo found himself feeling all the more confused as to the purpose of their visit, but remained silent on the matter, constantly and burningly aware of the eyes boring into his skull.
"I want you to wait here and keep an eye out. If you see anything amiss come and get me." The Taichou said as they reached the entrance.
"Eh? Are you sure?" Ichigo frowned, not keen on the idea.
"Perfectly sure." Byakuya said a little more firmly, "Stay here."
The strawberry haired Shinigami watched reluctantly as the nobleman disappeared inside the public library, wondering again what sort of information they were here for. It seemed like a strange mission.
The haired on the back of his neck stood on end abruptly and he looked back out into the street, a chill running up his spine. Something was really wrong.
"Hm, how odd." Aizen murmured to himself, unable to sense Ichigo's reiatsu anywhere in Soul Society. He couldn't help but be curious as to where the young man had disappeared to, especially without informing him first.
Striding down the wooden walkways past Division Six, he smiled warmly at the Shinigami he came across, his kindly mask was as easy to pull on as it was to take back off. But it was an essential part of his plan to remain believable till the very last moment.
"Ah, Abarai Fukutaichou!" He called out, he didn't care if the man was as suspicious of him as his Taichou was. While they were out in the open, they had to act like allies.
"Uh..." The redhead swallowed hard, staring back at his old Taichou, "Aizen Taichou..."
"A lovely day, isn't it?" He came to a stop in front of the younger man.
"Yes... Very nice." Renji replied stiffly, unable to break eye contact with the man, "Is there something I can assist you with? You look... Puzzled."
"As it happens..." Aizen tilted his head, "I was looking for Kurosaki-san, you see one of my subordinates found some of his possessions in his old room, I was hoping he would be available to collect them."
The movement of Renji's Adam's apple was apparent as he gulped in response to the question, staring up at Aizen with clear tension, "I-I'm afraid he won't be able to do that today, Taichou. Ichigo is... On a mission."
"A mission?" The brunet pressed, eyes narrowing only very slightly, far too little for the other man to notice.
"Yes... He went with Kuchiki Taichou to the World of the Living."
"He did what?" Aizen breathed, his eyes widening sharply behind those lenses, almost dropping his facade completely.
Grunting softly, Ichigo clenched his fists, he felt tension coil in his muscles, making it even harder to move within the damned faux body. He felt himself panting softly, unable to understand why it had suddenly become so much harder to breathe. He'd been doing fine.
Blinking suddenly, he found it increasingly hard to keep his eyes open, a fog settling in his mind, making his thoughts slow and incoherent. He staggered, using the wall for support, blinking hard and repeatedly, trying to clear the feeling.
What was going on?
In the back of his mind, he knew he should seek out Byakuya, and tell him what was happening. But his legs just wouldn't move. It was as if his entire body was turning to stone.
Then, it finally happened.
The reiatsu to match the feeling of being watched. It was close, impossibly close. Above?
His eyes shot skyward, and without a doubt he saw someone above the city. Squinting, he tried to make out their features, but they were simply too far away, but he knew there was something not right about them, their reiatsu was all off. It didn't feel normal. It wasn't a Shinigami.
It vanished, faster than his eyes could follow, faster than Byakuya's Shunpo. Lurching back as he felt that sudden, overwhelming aura right in front of him, his eyes snapped ahead and he came face to face with someone... Something, he had never seen before.
Humanoid in appearance, appearing to be male, his hair was jet black, shoulder length and partially concealed by what looked like half a helmet, dead green eyes were framed by thick lashes, while sea green lines appeared to trail down his cheeks like tears.
Ichigo recoiled, there was something unnatural about the man in front of him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. His eyes were drawn to that helmet shaped structure on the side of his head and with a thick gulp he realised it was bone.
"Who are you?" He breathed.
The man blinked once at the question, "My name is of no importance to the likes of you."
"Wow, rude huh?" Ichigo made a displeased face.
"You need not worry, I will make your death swift, Byakuya Kuchiki."
Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw the man's pale hand flash to the blade at his side, the movement was so fast he didn't have time to tell him that he wasn't Byakuya, and was forced to dart to the side as the blade arced up towards him from its sheath.
Gasping at the man's speed, he was forced to duck again, narrowly missing being decapitated. Digging a hand in his pocket sharply, Ichigo grabbed his Gikon, shoving the small green candy into his mouth as fast as he could.
Shinigami form bursting forth from the Gigai, he ordered it to go and find his Taichou, letting out a shout of surprise as he was attacked again, darting around quickly to try and avoid the impossibly quick slashes of the other man's sword.
This... This was nothing like training.
He drew his Zanpakutō, just in the nick of time, putting the huge blade between himself and certain death. Grunting as the impact sent him to his knees. He looked up into the stranger's eyes, there was nothing there. No emotion. Just emptiness.
'Is that what I look like?' He wondered.
A kick to his ribs sent him flying, crashing hard onto the ground and coughing sharply, eyes widening as he was pursued with an apparent disregard for anything around them. All he could do was fend off his attacker, meeting his strikes and arcs with his own sword to deflect them, he simply wasn't fast enough to retaliate.
He had no idea what this creature was, but it was powerful. The eyes which had been watching him all day where right there before him, orbs of blank jade, unfeeling and uncaring. Though, the longer he looked at them, the more he was sure he could see something within, what was it? It looked like hatred. Loathing. What a sight.
The sting of metal against his ribs brought him back from his thoughts, staggering as he held his side, blood seeping through his robes. He could feel that the cut wasn't too deep, but it was long. Ichigo winced, teeth clenched, he could feel their power difference. It was crushingly strong.
This creature, whatever he was, was unbelievably powerful, his reiatsu dense and carrying a gripping sense of death within its bowels, the stench of a thousand years of fear rippled over Ichigo. Were he anyone else, it would have terrified him. Perhaps it was a good thing he had stayed outside after all.
"Do they not teach you manners where you come from?" He hissed, "It's polite to tell someone your name before declaring that you are going to kill them."
The green eyed demon seemed surprised for a moment, before his frown returned, "If it means so much to you... I shall tell you. My name is Ulquiorra Cifer."
He paused as he took in the man's appearance again, eyes lingering on the bone structure atop his head, his brain going into overdrive. The strawberry haired Shinigami froze, sword lowering slightly in light of his realisation.
"You... You are..." He felt his mouth dry, "An Arrancar..."
"Correct." Was the only reply he received.
Ulquiorra vanished from his sight, leaving Ichigo reeling, looking around urgently for him before he let out a cry of pain, feeling a blade slice up his back roughly. He lurched forwards, hitting the ground and scrambling back to his feet, nearly falling again as pain rippled up and down his spine.
He barely had a second to right himself before the Arrancar appeared again, sword coming straight towards his exposed neck, Ichigo's eyes widening as he realised he would never be able to block it in time.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
A dense webbing of pink petals stormed their way between Ichigo and his on coming demise, deflecting the blow which would have killed him. His gaze shot around and he saw Byakuya, in his Shinigami form, hilt of his Zanpakutō outstretched. Ichigo had never been so glad to see the man before in his life.
Ulquiorra, however, looked far less pleased, eyes narrowed as he withdrew his blade from the mass of flowers, gaze focusing on the raven haired male, and then flicking back to the injured Shinigami on the floor.
"Kurosaki, are you alright?" Byakuya asked, eyes never leaving the Arrancar.
"Y-Yeah... I think so..." He answered, slowly getting to his feet and backing up, back pulsing with discomfort, he glanced at his Taichou, "He's fast."
"I saw." Was the simple statement, "Arrancar always are."
"Kurosaki?" Ulquiorra interrupted them sharply, looking at Ichigo, "Your name is... Kurosaki?"
"Yes! And I would have told you that if you hadn't tried to kill me without asking!" He hissed, clenching a fist before he faltered, suddenly realising what that meant.
"Mm. Then I attacked the wrong person. That was clumsy of me." The dark haired Hollow shot towards Byakuya without warning.
The Taichou tutted, re-summoning Senbonzakura in one swift motion and using his blade to deflect the on coming blow. Ichigo had to duck out of the way as he was nearly hit in the crossfire, darting out of the way as the pair began clashing violently. He watched Byakuya with amazement, he was able to keep up with the Arrancar's movements far easier than he had been able to, though gaining a few shallow cuts, he could clearly see through the Hollow's speed.
Wincing, Ichigo leaned heavily against the wall, certain that he would only be a hindrance if he tried to fight before he recovered at least a little. He let out a weak groan, his legs shaking as the pain from his back wound.
Not for the first time that day, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end and with a gasp, he threw himself forwards, skidding across the floor just in time to avoid being struck by the massive fist of a second Arrancar. Ichigo felt his palms scorch with heat as they dragged across the tarmac, he felt tiny sharp stings, cuts opening on the soft skin.
"Shit!" He swore loudly, lifting his sword.
This Arrancar was enormous, with tanned skin and a powerful build, his cranium seemed lined with strange ridges. His jaw was encompassed by a similar bone structure to Ulquiorra's. Greedy brown eyes looked down at him, red markings visible beneath them.
"Ichigo!" He heard Byakuya shout before he felt another back press against his own, realising it was his Taichou.
"Don't worry about me." He replied, eyebrow raised as he scanned the big Hollow before him, "How are you holding up?"
"You have the nerve to worry about my safety, in your position?" The Taichou half snarled, however Ichigo was certain he heard a touch of amusement hidden under that automatic response.
"Heh... Well, I guess you have a point." He mused.
Things didn't look good. They were pinned between the two Arrancar, without any means of backup. Ichigo let out a long breath and considered his own options, dying here wasn't really part of the plan, his plan or Aizen's plan for that matter.
On the one hand, he could make a run for it, leave his Taichou behind and unintentionally lead to his death. But then, on the alternative, he could stay, he could fight, and then they'd probably both die.
"Tell me honestly, Ichigo, are these Arrancar in anyway related to Aizen?" The raven haired noble asked, sparing a small glance at him.
"Eh?" He met his gaze and paused, "On my life, I don't know. Why do you ask?"
Foolish or not, Byakuya believed him before puffing out a breath, "Arrancar are incredibly rare. The amount of reiatsu a Hollow must possess to even stand a chance of becoming one is... Immense."
"Agreed." He murmured, "Too much of a coincidence to find two together, right? That worries me."
"Worries you?" The Taichou repeated, raising a sceptical eyebrow.
Ichigo chuckled softly, "Just a turn of phrase, I assure you. I'm as calm as ever."
The Taichou appraised their chances of getting out of this alive, eyes trained on the pale Hollow in front of him, thinking over their options, "How well can you fight with those injuries?"
"Well..." The Third Seat began, "There might be something I haven't told you."
Kuchiki's eyes narrowed slightly, he was sure there were a great many things Ichigo had so far failed to tell him, things which he was undoubtedly certain he might never learn at all. Ichigo was an enigma of hidden depths, that he knew.
"Well, what is it?" He pressed, watching the pale Arrancar drawing closer.
Lips twitching slightly as he loosened the sash around his waist, allowing his robes to flutter free in the breeze, "I heal vastly quicker than most Shinigami." He threw a thumb towards his back as the wind caught his robes again and lifted them.
Byakuya looked around in time to see the bared flesh of the other man's back, eyes widening as he saw the horrific wound had already stopped bleeding, "How..." He breathed.
"No clue. But I've always been the same!" His voice hitched slightly with the thrill of their situation, lifting his Zanpakutō a touch higher.
"Our only hope of getting out of this, is to work together, I suggest that we-"
"Say," Ichigo interrupted him bluntly, head tilting slightly as he observed the huge mass of Hollow moving his way, "I have a favour to ask you."
"A... Favour?"
"Yeah... It's not gonna be an easy one for you either. Especially with our current... Personal conflicts." Ichigo clenched his jaw tightly.
The Taichou hesitated and then sighed as he was forced to remember the turmoil between them, "What is it?"
"Do you think that... At least for a minute... You could trust me?"
That had not been what Byakuya had expected and he nearly turned around to look at the younger man in disbelief, though that would have been foolish in their present predicament. He faltered slightly as he considered the question, wonder where it had come from, what had prompted it. There had been no trace of humour in Ichigo's voice, he was serious.
Could he trust him? Even for a moment? What was the younger man planning that would require such a thing?
Closing his eyes, Byakuya released some of the tension he was carrying, and swiftly lifted his gaze again, "Yes."
"Mm? That's a relief." Ichigo pulled a face and then lifted his giant sword above his head, straight up towards the sky, "When the moment is right, please be sure to move, Kuchiki Taichou."
The noble's spine went rigid in the wake of his words, feeling the abrupt elevation of the man's reiatsu, it was tempestuous and wild, much like the man it was coming from, his gaze was drawn by the vivid illumination behind him, and he dared himself to steal a glance. His breath was stolen by what he saw.
Ichigo was stood tall and proud, sword lifted high as he focused every ounce of his power, brilliant blue reiatsu swirling around him violently, channelling from the very soles of his feet, to the very tip of his blade. His usually chestnut eyes were alive with something, the first time Byakuya had witnessed anything within those orbs, other than disconnection and disinterest.
That was right wasn't it? Ichigo had told him before. He was only capable of feeling anything when he was having sex... Or when he was fighting. Was this Ichigo's resolve to defeat his enemy? His will to kill?
It was terrifying.
"The enemy is one, and you are one. Cast off your fear. Look forward! Go forward! Never stand still. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will... Die!" Ichigo recited the words he knew so well, the wisdom contained within the soul of his Zanpakutō.
Byakuya's eyes widened as Ichigo moved, his Shunpo was visible to his trained eyes but he had to acknowledge that it was far swifter than it had ever been during their training sessions. The spike of his reiatsu was phenomenal, sharper; crisper than before.
Ichigo appeared in front of the large Arrancar, eyes narrowing as he brought his blade down in a almighty arc, a single shout leaving his lips as he released the energy he had been storing, "Getsuga Tenshou!"
The dense wave of power lashed out obediently, making impact with the body before him, he pushed harder, with all his might, letting out a roar as he pushed his reiatsu even higher, watching as the arc of light carved its way clean through the Hollow's chest.
Without warning, Ichigo twisted on the spot, planting his feet in the face of the Arrancar he had injured, using the momentum he had built to shoot back towards Byakuya, and the Arrancar behind him, sword already charged for another blast.
The Taichou's eyes widened as he momentarily lost sight of Ichigo, his breath hitching as he saw that flurry of strawberry hair heading directly towards him, sword raised, resolve to kill in his eyes. Shooting to the side, the noble felt the burn of his energy against his cheek, spinning on the spot to witness the moment of impact.
The explosion was earth shattering, and the Division Six Taichou found himself knocked clean off his feet, slamming into a wall sharply and sliding down it, dazed as he witnessed the tendrils of smoke clear from the epitome.
Ichigo stood over the crumpled form of the second Arrancar, he was heaving for breath, sweat rolling freely down his face and chest as he staggered on the spot. Ichigo's vision pulsated, twirled and blackened, he found himself glancing briefly towards his Taichou. Taking a single staggering step towards the raven haired man, he drove his blade into the ground and hunched over it, knees shaking as he sank to the ground.
A long, grim wound slowly edged up his chest, reaching his shoulder before it split, splattering the floor with his blood. Unable to keep his eyes open for a moment longer, Ichigo fell forwards, hands slipping from the hilt of his sword, crashing against the ground heavily, gaze unfocused and distant for a whole new reason.
Byakuya let out a quiet groan, wincing as he picked himself up, holding his ribs as he detected broken bones, the pain faded from his mind as soon as he saw Ichigo hit the ground. Worry tingling across his face at all the blood pooling around the younger man, he hurried forwards, dropping to his knees beside him and gently rolling him onto his back, gasping at the ugly carving in his chest.
Had he and the Hollow struck each other at the same time?
"Ichigo?" He swallowed hard, resting a hand gently over his chest, feeling a very shallow breath being taken, "So you are alive. Thank the Soul King."
Closing his eyes briefly, Byakuya then turned his attention towards the two Arrancar, neither were dead, but they were severely injured, and that alone terrified him. What was Ichigo? To summon such strength, seemingly by instinct alone... His reiatsu had been utterly overpowering, easily on par with a Fukutaichou. But now it was dwindling back to its usual restraints, as if there had never been any change at all.
His disbelief only grew as he saw what appeared to be finger-like tickles of steam started to rise from the younger man's chest, and a brief flare of his reiatsu resulted in an impossible halt to his blood loss, "Ichigo Kurosaki... Just what are you?"
