Next morning, Ichigo woke up with Nel still embracing him in her sleep.
He couldn't help but caress her hair as he patiently waited for her to wake up.
"It must've been really late that night, and by the looks of it, she had been trying her best to stay awake. Just how long were you waiting for me to wake up, Nel?" He thought and kissed her forehead.
Only then did he notice that it was entirely covered by her mask's skull.
"Huh? It is... Healed. I didn't notice in the heat of the moment, but was she like this before as well?" He gazed at her more, but still couldn't make out wether it had been like that since last night or it was a recent change. "Guess I'll just ask her when she wakes up..."
Not much time passed before her hazel eyes slowly opened, to see the face of her loved one as the first thing in the morning, making her smile.
"Good, morning, Ichi..." She kissed his neck.
"Heh, good morning... Nel" He gave her a proper kiss in response. "Hey, I didn't want to wake you up... But I noticed that your skull is as good as new"
"Oh, right! I forgot to tell you. Inoue-san took care of us while we were unconscious. She healed my skull and asked Rangiku-san to buy me clothes"
"Really? That means she's okay, thank God... I can't wait to see her to thank her properly" He was more grateful about his girlfriend's healing than of any time the human had saved him. "And... You met Rangiku?"
"Yeah. She picked that very... Special attire" She blushed as she remembered how Ichigo put it to good use last night.
"Did she...? Well, that explains much" He blushed as well. "How much time were you awake before me?"
"About half a day. I woke up in the afternoon. After that, I went to check up on the others. Only Pesche and Dondochakka were here, but the others are alright"
"That's great news. Is Urahara around?"
"Yoruichi-san told me he was summoned by the Gotei for a meeting regarding the Demon invasion. He took Arikado with him, so I learned he's fine as well"
"Really? I'm sure he knows more than any of us about Jigoku at least, so he should be of use. It's a pity that Urahara is not around though..."
"Well, that was yesterday, so he might be back by now" Nel pointed out.
"That's true..."
"You want to know if you can go back to being human?" She asked him.
"It all happened so fast... I couldn't really process what this all meant at first. I probably wanted to return to my old life back then, feeling how this change was never done out of my own volition..." He started saying.
"I see..." She replied sadly.
"But after last night... After becoming a Whole with you, Nel... I couldn't care less about going back" He smiled.
"You really mean it, Ichigo...?!" She asked surprised.
"Of course. I love you, Nel. I'm yours... Even after the day I die"
"Ichigo...!" She rushed over him and kissed him wildly. "I love you... I... Want you...!"
They looked at each other with lustful eyes, just like the night before.
"Would you like another go...?" He asked her, knowing the answer.
"Heh..." She chuckled, ready for him. "You know I won't say no"
Before she could take him once more, his stomach roared.
"S-Sorry...!" He was as red as a strawberry.
Her stomach growled in reply as well.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. Now that you're an Arrancar, if there's not much Reishi in the atmosphere, it's normal that you feel hungry. Let's get up and grab something for breakfast. We can try it again at other time" She caressed his face gently.
"Yeah, you're right..." He replied cool, though he was thinking: "Otherwise I would probably faint!" As he remembered her energy and savage nature during their union.
"Let's go!" She said getting up.
"There are hot springs in a section of the training area. Knowing Urahara, I doubt he has a normal bath or shower, but I can go with you so you don't have to look for it" He grabbed his ragged Shinigami pants and wore them.
"Thanks. Huh? What are...?" There was a pair of shopping bags right by the door's side.
"Did someone leave that during the night?" Ichigo asked her.
"It looks like it, though it was probably earlier in the morning. Now that I look at it, Rangiku-san was carrying many bags like these when she arrived..."
"Maybe she bought you another outfit. It wouldn't be strange coming from her..." He theorized.
She got its contents out to see for herself.
"Oh... She's so sweet!" She cheerfully said as she extended a green and white striped t-shirt and a pair of jeans.
"Well, now you have another attire to wear. I'm sure you'll look beautiful in it"
"Thank you" She put on her Yukata. "And look! She left a kimono for you in the other bag!"
"Really? That's great. I'll have to thank her later"
"Let's go. We'll have something to eat afterwards"
"Yeah"
The two went to the underground and entered the hot spring area.
"Last one has to get food for the other! Ahahaha!" She laughed as she jumped towards a pool.
"Hey, that's not fair!" Ichigo extended his arm as if trying to catch her, but she had already thrown her Yukata away and was trying the bath.
"Ah... It feels so good!" She said as she got in the hot water.
"And here I was, about to forget you were a brat" He told her, cheeky as he got in with her.
"What a bad loser, Itsygo" She called him like she used to do as a kid "Good luck with the punishment game"
"Seems like Yoruichi also influenced you in these kind of things"
"She was quite a mischievous master, I gotta say, though I would never get to her level of annoyance" She knew how bothering that woman could be if he proposed herself to be so.
"I know, and I thank you for that. Besides, I love your playful side as well, it reminds me of my sisters... Well, maybe Yuzu more than Karin at that"
"Oh... I bet, you would like to see your family" She thought of how hard it must have been for him at the moment.
"I'd really like to... But how am I going to explain... This?" He sighed troubled.
"Step by step. I'm sure they'll understand... After all, they are your family! Pesche and Dondochakka are not even blood related and yet I know I can trust them completely. Human bonds can only be stronger, I imagine"
"Well, that depends on the family. There are some in which that rule doesn't apply, at all. But, in my case... You're right. They are not the kind that would despise me for this, or anything really" He smiled. "Thanks, Nel. I feel better thinking that way"
"It's nothing, I just said my thoughts" She blushed lightly at his gratitude. "Oh, this is amazing! How don't we have one of these in Hueco Mundo?" She cuddled with him in the water.
"Is there even water there?" Ichigo asked, remembering how all he saw was an endless desert.
"Well there has to be somewhere! I remember some of the hieroglyphs in Ruinas Huecas show fountains and rivers"
"The dark labyrinth we entered the first time we came to Hueco Mundo is part of that, right? How old are those ruins?"
"I don't know. There's not a Hollow I know that has lived that long"
"That's true..." He agreed.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" He heard a familiar voice in his head.
"Huh? That voice is... You!" He recognized his Hollow.
"Is something wrong, Ichigo?" Nel noticed his attention was somewhere else.
"It's nothing. Just, you know... My inner Hollow and stuff"
"What, he still exists? Even after you became a Hollow yourself?" She was surprised.
"It seems like it. Though he's just my Zanpakutou's spirit right now, not a part of me as it was before"
"Actually, what is your Hollow Zanpakuto's name?"
"Hmm... What was it?" Ichigo remembered his other half telling him, but didn't remember clearly, until the shape of the black scythes on Nel's Hollow hole reminded him. "No way...!"
"What is it?" She was more curious.
"Okay, don't freak out... But my blade's name is... Las Noches"
"Las Noches? Just like..."
"The palace of Las Noches" He finished the idea.
"But, Ichigo, that must mean something!"
"I know, but I don't know where to begin!"
That made her remember what her brothers had said the day before.
"There is someone in Hueco Mundo... That might be able to explain that and much more"
"Really? And who would that be?"
"My brothers encountered an Arrancar who claimed to be the guardian of the treasure in Ruinas Huecas"
"But that would mean...!"
"That he's either REALLY old, or simply... Immortal" She completed.
Only then did he remember what Ulquiorra told him. There was a deathless Arrancar.
"Damn... He's in the ruins now?"
"Yes, and apparently, he will only explain the power of such treasure to you"
"To me? But why would...?" His mind remembered Ulquiorra's words even more clearley:
"Your Hollow, Kurosaki Ichigo, is the reincarnation of Gran Rey Cero. Your power, your aura... It can't mean other thing..."
"Did you remember something?" Nel asked.
"Something Ulquiorra said... But, until I speak with this Arrancar, it's pointless talking about it"
"I understand" Nelliel felt that there was something bigger going on, but they didn't have enough information to confirm it. "Well, enough problems. Let's enjoy this a bit more..." She kissed him.
"Yeah... It's been long since we've had free time on our hands..." He embraced her. "So a little fooling around wouldn't hurt anybody" He kissed her again.
"~Ah... Ichi~" She moaned and licked his neck.
"You're crazy..." He thought, and grabbed one of her breasts to return the favour, making her moan louder.
A couple minutes later, they got dressed in their new clothes. Like Ichigo said, Nel looked very good with that simple, yet pretty outfit.
"See? It suits you really well" He told her.
"Really? Thank you. I really liked this t-shirt cause it has green in it"
"I imagine that's your favorite color"
"Yeah, what would be yours?"
"I don't really care now, though I really liked orange as a kid..."
"I wonder why that would be..." She ironically said as she played with his hair.
"Heh, maybe in my subconscious I chose it because of that" He raised his shoulders. "But now... I don't really care. I do like black and white clothes in general though"
They went upstairs and Ichigo looked for eggs and rice in the kitchen.
"Even if I had won her little game, I would've still cooked. After all, I doubt she knows anything other than instant ramen..." He thought as he started making breakfast.
After he finished, he served her an omelette decorated with tonkatsu sauce and with rice as side, in a bowl-like plate.
"~Mm...~ It smells delicious!"
"Th-Thanks..." He blushed at the compliment as he sat down on his knees, in front of her.
"Itadakimasu!" The two said while splitting a pair of chopsticks and started devouring their food.
Just when they finished, Nel realized.
"Oh no! Everyone's gonna kill me!"
"What? Why?" He asked oblivious.
"What do you mean why?! Everyone was dying to see you when you woke up! I'm gonna find Yoruichi-san and tell her to..."
"There won't be a need for that" A young man's voice was heard.
"I-Ishida?" Ichigo recognized it.
"Who else would it be?" He said entering the room. "I thought this could happen anyway, so we came just in case. The worst thing that could happen is that you were still asleep" He explained.
"How are you... Ichigo?" Chad asked his friend.
"I'm fine Chad, you don't have to worry. I'm still getting used to being... Different. But, it's not bad at all" He smiled at his friend.
"That's good to hear, Kurosaki-san" A more mature voice greeted.
"Urahara!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"Urahara-san!" Nel said in unison with her loved one.
"I heard you were in Soul Society" Ishida spoke.
"That's correct. It seems they were interested in knowing what the Hell was going on... Heheh, I can't help but laugh at how literal that is" The shop owner replied. "More importantly... I want to know what you will be doing from now on, Ichigo. Cause, it's true that the Hogyoku saved the Vizards in the past, but that was a completely different case..."
"I know..."
"I'm afraid that you are likely to stay an Arrancar for the rest of your life. I don't know how that makes you feel... But one thing is clear. It's impossible to continue living as you have until now"
"Don't tell me you...!"
"No. I did not say a word about your transformation in the meeting. All I said was that you couldn't come due to exhaustion. I did explain all the rest though. Believe or not, the Captain Commander is willing to make a truce with Hueco Mundo during this conflict..."
"That sounds good" Nel commented.
"Central 46 is another story though... Some of those imbeciles even proposed to punish all Shinigami that allied with the Arrancar to fight the Oni and that we should've left Hueco Mundo to rot"
Nel's look seemed shadowed as she heard those words.
"Those fucking bastards...!" Ichigo was filled with rage.
"Fortunately, most of them considered this to be an extreme measure, so it was denied. They are still debating about forming a formal pact with the Hollows, even with all that's happened so far, but in the meantime, we can still act freely"
"What would be the next step?" Ishida asked.
"That depends on how the enemy responds to this defeat, although we don't even know if that's what they really think of our confrontation"
"Are you saying that they could've planned this all along?" Ichigo asked.
"It is a possibility we cannot discard. In the best of scenarios, that's not the case, but they are far too unpredictable as an enemy"
"That's true..." Chad frowned.
"In any case, I think our top priority right now is that you investigate what the Heart of Tsukoyomi is, Ichigo"
"Tsukoyomi..." Ichigo repeated, hearing Ulquiorra's voice in his head.
"That's the treasure of Ruinas Huecas" Nel remembered the name.
"Yes, Pesche and Dondochakka told me about it" Urahara answered. "Of course, I didn't mention that either in the meeting"
"I bet they would love to put their hands on it" Ichigo said thinking about Central 46.
"That's why I want you to investigate first, and also... Cause its guardian won't tell anyone but you" Urahara sighed. "I honestly don't know why... But it seems you're far more important in Hueco Mundo than any of us could imagine, including yourself"
"Yeah... I want to know more about that as well" He admitted.
"Then it's clear what you should be doing next. But before you leave, some people came to see you"
"Huh?"
"Yo" A blonde man greeted with his distinctive grin.
"Wow... So this is...!" Rose muttered as he looked at the orange-haired Arrancar.
"Look, Kensei!!!" Mashiro tried to call her Captain's attention.
"I can see it myself, no need for you to yell in my ear!" He reprimended her, knowing well that she would keep being the same way anyways.
"It's you guys!" Ichigo recognized them immediately.
"Baldy would've gotten pretty upset if we didn't tell him after all" Hiyori chuckled.
"And it's not for the less. One miscalculation and we could become fully Hollowfied as well... Not saying that's a bad thing but...!" Love explained.
"I understand. You might not be as lucky as me" Ichigo replied, thankful that he got his consciousness back.
"Hey, Ichigo. If you don't mind, could you please explain how everything happened?" Lisa requested.
"Yeah, sure. Although, I doubt I remember everything so clear... But I can give it a try"
"I think I can fill the missing blanks" Nel cheerfully added. "Only if you don't feel uncomfortable with me saying it..."
"Don't worry about it. They deserve to know. All my friends do, in fact"
Ichigo described his battle with Ulquiorra up to the point where he was pierced by the Espada's Cero Oscuras. From there, Nel took over and told the rest.
"Sheesh... You sure have been through a lot..." Shinji sighed after hearing the conclusion.
"I still can't keep up with everything as of now, but I guess I just move on without giving it too much thought" Ichigo admitted.
"As long as it works for you, don't sweat it" Kensei replied.
"Thanks" He felt supported by them.
"So... What will you be doing now?" Shinji asked him.
"I think the best is to go back to Hueco Mundo to solve a couple things. Though I would like to see my family before leaving..." He spoke in a more somber way.
"Kurosaki...! You are not implying that..." Ishida knew what was on his mind.
"*sigh* Yes... I probably won't be coming back here or to Soul Society either"
Almost all the others looked astonished, except for Urahara, Shinji and Nel.
"But Ichigo...!" Chad tried
"Chad, it's something I've just been thinking about, it's not absolute. However... The truth is that I don't belong here anymore, and you all know it..." He bitterly replied.
"And where in Hell do you belong then?" Hiyori asked back, pissed.
"I... I don't know where exactly. But... That place is definitely not here. This World, belongs to humanity. Soul Society, belongs to the Shinigami... I gotta find somewhere I belong" As he said that he realized the answer was right in front of him. "And wherever that place is, I don't care, as long as I'm with Nel. If I belong anywhere, it's with her" He smiled and held her hand.
"Ichigo...!" She wanted to jump on top of him and asfixiate him with her love, but she kept herself calm as there were more people.
"Hmph!" Hiyori crossed her arms. "As long as you have an idea... That's fine by me" She concluded.
"WHAT?!" Everyone else was shocked by her reply after being so angry.
"What do you mean with that? It's obvious he would only face trouble here. I got angry cause he was saying such thing when he has family and friends that support him. To be honest, I was about to beat the shit outta him, but then he got all corny about his girlfriend so whatever..."
"Hey!" Ichigo spat back, although he was blushing as he knew it was true.
"Anyway..." Shinji sighed. "It's good to see that despite everything you're doing fine. We were worried cause, maybe you don't feel that way but... We've always thought of you as one of us" He grinned a bit as he admitted that.
"Well, it's not like that... It's true I don't feel like I'm a Vizard, although that is truly impossible now, but even before, I never thought that way cause I'm... Just me. You guys are my friends, and that's always been enough for me"
All Vizards felt instantly moved by his words.
"I would expect no different from you" Kensei approved.
"Aww..." Mashiro tried to hug Kensei but was dodged.
"I'm... Glad you think that way" Hachigen played with his fingers nervously.
"What an inspiring thing to say..." Rose complimented.
"We're happy to be your friends too!" Love said with a smile while striking a cool pose.
Lisa did not say anything although she looked away with an embarrassed smile and Hiyori crossed her arms while deviating her look just as her friend.
"It seems everyone feels content with that. But, you'll always be an honorary Vizard regardless of what you think" Shinji concluded.
"I thought you'd say something like that" Ichigo replied.
"Well, if Ichigo is alright and the same as always... That about does it! Though we could go hang out for a little while..." Shinji grinned. "It's been a while since I bought a Jazz record... Maybe there's a Giant Steps vinyl laying around somewhere"
"I could go check some guitars..." Rose said agreeing. "Who knows what models they have on display today...?"
"Yeah! Mashiro can go try all kinds of sweets!!!" The green haired girl said all fired up.
"*sigh* Kisuke, would you happen to have a Gigai for us?" Kensei asked.
"Conveniently, yes. Go take a stroll, don't worry" The shop owner replied. "Now, Ichigo..."
"Yes?"
"I think it's time you go see your family" Urahara recommended.
"You... You're right" He agreed. "I imagine you at least gave dad an introduction of what he's about see..."
"I explained the basics, yes" Urahara replied.
"Then, I'll go see them real quick before leaving again"
"Take your time. Oh, and... Arikado-san, the Fallen Angel you saved is currently being studied by Kurotsuchi-san. Don't worry, I made sure to show them that he's our ally, so they shouldn't be doing anything that endangers him, although he's more than able to defend himself in case they try anything weird anyway"
"As long as he's alright, it's okay" Ichigo noticed how his human friends were turning their backs to go with him. "Chad, Ishida... There's no need for you to come. Just call Renji, Rukia and... Inoue. I want to see them one last time before my leave"
"I understand" Uryuu agreed, and Chad stayed silent.
"If you want, I can stay here and wait for you to..." Nel started.
"No, I want you to come with me. I want them to know the person I'll be spending my life with"
"Ichigo..." She blushed. "Okay, I-I'll go then"
"See you later and... Thanks for coming, Shinji" He put his hand on the Captain's shoulder as he walked past him.
"It's nothing. Anything you need, just let me know" He said, tilting his head.
Ichigo replied with a nod and a smile and left with Nel.
The two walked through the streets to get to the house.
"It's strange imagining my dad's face when he sees me"
"I don't know how will your sisters react when they know I'm taking you away from them either..." Nel shrugged.
"It's not like that"
"Maybe not, but it might be how they take it"
"Well, I never even had a girlfriend, so I don't know how they would react in this situation..." He chuckled nervously. "They have never been the jealous kind though"
"I hope they react well..."
"They will, Nel. You are a wonderful person. I'm sure they will see that" He grabbed her by the shoulder and walked with her in his embrace.
"Thank you" She smiled and kissed him as they walked.
When he finally arrived at his door, he let a loud sigh.
"Do you feel alright? Maybe it's too soon..." Nel told him.
"No, I'm... I'm well enough. If I don't say goodbye now, maybe I will never get another chance"
"Don't worry. Everything will be alright" She hugged him.
"Thanks... Let's do this"
He slowly opened the door and entered the house where he had spent his whole life.
"Ichigo... Is that you?" It was Isshin's voice. He was expecting him.
~~~~X~~~~
Ulquiorra looked at a plate of a poisonous purple soup.
"Inoue... I remind you that Arrancar don't really need to eat" He said in an intent to escape the girl's meal.
"Don't give me that excuse! I heard your stomach growl before, so you must eat" Orihime pouted as she prepared a spoon full of soup for him.
"Ungh..." He received the spoon with a shaking hand and carefully put the liquid on his mouth.
"So...? How is it?" She asked expectating.
"Sour... Bitter... Spicy..." He suddenly felt faint and collapsed backwards with x eyes.
"No! Cifer-kun!"
She left him on a futton to rest.
"Sorry, I thought the mix would be more nutritious if I put a lot of stuff in it, but it seems it was too much..."
"Don't worry. Once I return to Hueco Mundo I will nurture myself with the Reishi in the atmosphere. I appreciate that you tried to feed me though" He smiled a bit and sat with a pillow on his back.
"I bet you smile a lot more than you ever imagined you would"
"To be honest, I never thought I would smile in my entire life. During my whole life, there was no need for any emotions. I thought that having such a thing was a terrible weakness so I never even tried. I didn't feel anything, and I was content with that. I didn't care about anything... But that was until I met you. I believe it was that encounter that made me feel curious about the heart I had discarded from the moment I was born"
"I think it's fascinating how Hollows have hearts without even realizing they do. It's true, in such a hostile environment, most of you become really cold and heartless, but that doesn't mean you cannot feel again" She played with his black hair.
"What are you doing?" He asked stranged.
"Oh, sorry!" She blushed. "I just thought it looked so soft and touched it without thinking"
"You seem to be more distracted than usual" He observed.
"Really? Maybe it's just your imagination" She dismissed it, although it was clear he was right.
"You know, if I had seen that same behaviour a couple days earlier, I probably would't have noticed such thing. Maybe, I wouldn't even care. However... Thanks to you, I can easily tell you are lying"
"Eh?" She was surprised.
"Is this because of Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"That is..." She looked away.
"Correct. I imagine you are worried about him. After all, you love him" He casually said.
"I-It's not that...! Although... I can't deny I'm not worried"
"He should be awake by now. You could go see him. It would put your heart at ease"
"I... I don't want to see him unless he wishes to see me as well. Kurosaki-kun has had it rough"
"*sigh* It's all my fault" Ulquiorra looked sadly at the floor.
"Don't say that... I know you had the best intentions" She held his hands.
"Please, don't try to make me feel better. I deserve this misery..." He let go of her touch. "I betrayed my kind, I put your friends in danger and I ruined my King's life for eternity... I still don't understand how can you not despise me"
"Because you never did those things with an evil purpose. Now, you even care about Kurosaki-kun, because you see him as your savior"
"And that's why I feel this way. I'm supposed to protect him, not to hurt him. As a result, he hates me. I'm a failure..."
"Cifer-kun, it's natural that he's angry at you now. You can't blame him for that"
"I know..."
"But, it won't be like that forever. You just have to give him some time... Just like the others" She remembered everyone's reaction back in Hueco Mundo.
"If it wasn't by your presence they would have annihilated me, I'm sure" He remembered as well. "Though I did expect my past acquaintances to try that much after what I did before. It's truly a miracle that I'm still alive"
A phone buzzed.
"What was that?" He asked.
"It must be a message" She grabbed her cell and read the sender. It was Ishida:
"He's awake. Please come by evening"
"What happened?"
"It seems Kurosaki-kun wants to see me after all"
"So you will go?"
"Yes. We will go" She corrected him.
"I don't think anybody there wants to see me. Especially Ichigo"
"Then I'll talk to him about it. I'm sure I'll make him understand"
"I think it's a bad idea, but whatever. If you believe it's gonna work somehow, I'll take the risk"
"I'm happy to hear that you finally trust me" She smiled at him.
"Because now I understand, that without trust, I'd be alone. And to say the truth... I'm tired of being alone, I'm tired of having no one to rely on..."
"Then it's very simple. First, try to apologize to everyone properly. After that, little by little, try to open your heart to them... Not literally of course!" She made clear.
"Hm" He chuckled. "Don't worry, I understand those metaphors now. In fact. you don't know how happy it makes me to be able to interact this way..."
"I'm glad I could help you. Remembering the old Ulquiorra that was under Aizen's command and comparing him to the dear friend I have by my side... Is a priceless experience!"
"Then... You mean we are... Friends again...?" He asked shyly.
"Cifer-kun... You never stopped being my friend. That's because friendship is a bond that's not easy to break. We just had a disagreement, that's all"
"Really?" He couldn't believe how easily she forgave him. "You are the most wonderful person I've ever met"
"Cifer-kun..." She blushed at that compliment. "That was a very nice thing to say, although, you haven't really met many people have you?"
"No. But even so, I'm sure of what I just said. I could even die happily knowing I'm your friend" He smiled, fully.
"Please don't die. You just found a purpose...!"
"It was just a manner of speaking" He chuckled.
The two laughed at that fact together. Orihime still couldn't believe how much he had changed, but she was glad he had.
"Hey, Cifer-kun... You are going back to Hueco Mundo to follow Kurosaki-kun, right?"
"Yes. I believe that's the right path"
"Would you mind if I... Went with you?"
"Why would you do such thing? Even with the return of the Arrancar and most of the other Hollows, it is still a very dangerous place for a human"
"I know... But I..."
"You want to follow Kurosaki-"
"No... I want..." She denied. "...I don't want to leave you, Cifer-kun" She told the truth and embraced him from the back.
"Huh?" He was surprised by her answer and reaction, feeling her warm embrace.
Suddenly, she started crying.
Once again, Ulquiorra was oblivious about what was going on. He saw her so happy a couple seconds before, and now she was filled with sorrow.
"Inoue... What's wrong?" He asked worried.
"I don't know why... But thinking about you leaving made me so sad..."
"But why? I'm sure you have so many friends that must be better than me..." He said disappointed in himself.
"That's not true. You are very important to me... So please, let me go with you"
"*sigh* Very well then, but I don't think your friends will be pleased by that"
"I don't care. As long as you are not against it, I couldn't care less"
Ulquiorra hugged her as well, although it was still awkward to him. Even so, he was more than happy to realize how much Orihime needed him. He was never needed by anyone, and feeling that way was certainly a secret joy he had just discovered.
"I understand. I'll make sure to protect you while we are there in that case, although it's clear everyone will be doing the same" He let go of the embrace.
"Thanks, Cifer-kun. You don't know how happy that makes me" She washed away her tears.
"It's the least I can do after everything you've given me. You are my only friend, Inoue"
"Don't worry, I'll help you make new friends as well. I don't think you'll be against it after experiencing Kurosaki-kun's power firsthand"
"I have no doubt about it. The heart... Is what makes Kurosaki Ichigo the most powerful rival I have ever faced. It is what gave him the strngth to become an Arrancar on his own terms. My plan would've never worked with someone else. Only his heart is that powerful, and that's why I want to keep filling my own"
~~~~X~~~~
"Hi, Dad..." He said shyly.
Isshin approached his son calmly, in contrast to his typical violent greeting when he arrived.
Ichigo didn't know what to expect, but Isshin's reaction was clearly the only one possible.
Ichigo felt his father's strong arms wrap around him protectively.
He didn't know why, but he felt comforted with that single action.
"Dad... I'm sorry"
"What are you apologizing for? I know this is something you didn't choose. I understand that things will not be like they used to be, but even so, I will always be your father and I will always be there for you" He put his hands on Ichigo's shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes.
"Where are... Karin and Yuzu?"
"They are upstairs. I'll tell them to come"
"They won't be scared, right?" He was worried.
"Ichigo... They are your sisters. Karin, Yuzu!"
The two girls came down, ready to see their brother. Isshin had explained more or less the situation, but it was better that they saw for themselves.
"Ichigo...!" Karin gasped. She recognized him immediately.
"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu started crying and ran to her brother's arms. "I don't care if you are not human anymore. You will always be my big brother"
"Thank you, Yuzu. You two will always be my little sisters as well, so don't think for one second that I want to abandon you" Ichigo pressed her head against his chest.
Nel simply looked at the scene with watery eyes, trying to contain her tears to not make Ichigo worry, although he was already used to the fact that she was a crybaby, even as an adult.
"But... Why do you have to go?" Yuzu asked sad. "Dad told us, you would have to leave us"
"You can now see us clearly can't you?" He asked her.
"Yes. You and... Her as well" She nodded and looked at Nel. "What's wrong with that?"
Ichigo slid his hand under the kimono to let her see his chest.
"Yo see..." He showed her his Hollow hole. "She and I are Arrancar. We are considered enemies of Soul Society. For that reason, it is only a matter of time before they come here to hunt us down. That's why... I'm going to Hueco Mundo, where Hollows live, to find answers and... To find a place where we can live in"
"You" Karin spoke to Nel. "You are Nelliel-san, right?" She asked her.
"Yes"
"So you are Ichi-nii's girlfriend" She wanted to make sure.
"I think that's what they call it here" She agreed, blushing a bit.
"Then..." She pressed her fists. "Please take good care of Ichi-nii!" She bowed to her.
Nel looked at her surprised at first, but then smiled and chuckled.
"Yes!" Then she bowed as well. "I should apologize for taking your brother without notice"
"Don't say that, Nel-san" Isshin said. "We are all very happy to know that you will be with him during this transition. If he was alone... Things would be a lot rougher for poor Ichigo, but with you by his side, I'm sure he'll be more than capable of moving on. We thank you in advance for that"
"There's no need to thank me, Kurosaki-san. Without Ichigo, I would have never found true happiness. I'm also very happy to see that you accept me as his woman" She blushed brighter as she finished that sentence.
Yuzu let go of Ichigo to hug Nel.
"Please, I know Ichi-nii can be difficult at times, but don't leave him. Please, promise me, Neru-nee!" Yuzu showed the Arrancar girl her pinky.
Nel chuckled, remembering the time she made a vow with Ichigo the same way.
"Of course, Yuzu-chan" She made the promise, deciding not to ever break it. "I would never leave him. Actually, I think it's important that you know, that as Hollows we already share an unbreakable bond..."
"Hm? What does that mean?" Isshin asked curious.
"Nel and I... Are something known as Wholes. We are Hollows who found their other half, and well... We now share these markings" He showed the fuchsia lance on his Hollow hole.
"We don't know much about it, but there is one thing we know for sure. This is the proof of our love" Nel giggled as she hugged Ichigo tightly.
Ichigo hugged her back and smiled in a way they had never seen.
"I can already see, how happy you'll make him" Isshin concluded. "There's nothing else I care about. If things weren't so complicated, I'd be more than happy to organize a wedding"
"Wedding?" Nel repeated oblivious.
"It is a ceremony held for couples to simbolize their union" Ichigo explained. "It is a nice thing to celebrate, but we are certainly not in the best moment" He smiled sadly.
"That's true... But maybe we could do it in Hueco Mundo once this is all over!" Nel seemed anxious only to imagine what that event would be like.
"We'll see about that..." Ichigo digressed. "Anyway, I think we should be going. We still don't know what the Oni are planning next, so I must be quick to find out what was that they were looking for, along with more information about well... Everything being a Hollow means"
"Then we won't spend more of your time. Ichigo, Nelliel... I wish you two the best of luck, and if you need anything from me, don't mind to ask me"
"Thanks, Dad. Oh... One last thing" He remembered something important. "Is Kon around?"
"He should be upstairs" Karin replied. "Oh right! What will happen with your human body?"
"That's what I wanted to discuss with him" Ichigo went up the stairs.
Inside his room, nothing was out of place. Kon, in his body of course, was quietly reading a Manga when he entered.
"Ichigo! You... WHAT THE HELL?!" Kon wasn't informed about the recent changes.
"Exactly, so I'll be quick. Kon... I can't stay in this world anymore, so I'll leave it in your hands. Do you want to continue your life as a Mod Soul inside a plush or... Would you rather live as Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"Ichigo...! That... That is something I. simply can't answer out of the blue!" Kon protested.
"But you're gonna have to! If not, my family's gonna have to fake my own death or somethin', so now's your only chance"
"Eh... I... I..." His human heart accelerated. "I want to keep doing this! I-I'll go to school! And I promise to control myself more around girls! I won't give your family any trouble so... Please, let me have a normal life!" Kon bowed in the bed.
"As long as you keep that promise... Do your best. And please... Tell Tatsuki..."
"There's no way in Hell I'm letting you disappear without even saying goodbye to my face, Ichigo!" The mentioned girl shouted from the doorstep.
"You gotta be kidding me..." Ichigo was astonished, but he smiled as he was happy to see his childhood friend.
"Hello, Kurosaki-san! Girls and...?" He noticed Nel.
"And who, Asano-san? It's just Kurosaki-san and Ichigo's sisters" Mizuiro said, looking at his phone.
"So you are...!" Keigo covered his mouth in amazement.
"Yes, I am a Hollow! But more importantly... I'm Ichigo's girlfriend" She replied happily.
Keigo jaw-dropped at the beauty of Nelliel, but came back to reality instantly as Tatsuki grabbed him by the ear as she entered the house.
"Argh! Let me go, Tatsuki! Please!"
"Ichigo!" She yelled again.
"*sigh* Guess there's no other choice" The Arrancar said as he went downstairs.
Tatsuki was about to yell once again, but stopped as she saw her friend's state.
"Ichigo..." She said again, more worried than anything.
"Huh? Where is he?" Mizuiro couldn't see him.
"It can't be...!" Keigo was shocked.
"Hi. I'm sorry for not telling you... I bet Ishida or Inoue told you to come, Tatsuki, but this is the reason I didn't want to see you"
Tatsuki started panting slowly until she violently charged towards him.
Ichigo was expecting a punch or a kick, but was surprised to feel Tatsuki's embrace.
"Idiot... We would never be afraid of you and you know it. We're your friends"
That made Mizuiro understand.
"Ichigo is... Right there isn't he? Something happened to him, and now he cannot go back to his human body" The boy deduced.
"That's... Correct" Isshin replied, sad that one of his friends wouldn't be able to properly say goodbye.
"Aw... That's a pity" He looked at the floor in disappointment.
"Dammit. I'm sorry Mizuiro" Ichigo put his hand on his friend's shoulder, although he knew he would not hear or feel him.
Or so he thought.
"Don't worry, Ichigo. I can somehow tell you are right here, trying to make me feel better in some way. I just came to say goodbye anyway" He smiled as he looked at his phone, the screen was overflown with static.
"So... This time you're leaving for good?" Tatsuki frowned.
"It seems like it. I'm sorry, but it's quite complicated to explain"
"Don't bother. I know that there are many things we don't know about... It's just... That I can't believe it"
"Yeah... It must be even harder for you to accept. But, that's how things are right now" Ichigo sighed.
"That means... We won't ever see you again?" Keigo asked sad.
"Not necessarily... But it is a possibility" He admitted, to which Keigo made a sad face.
"If we can... We'll come to visit in the future!" Nel tried to comfort them.
"It's the least you could do..." Tatsuki crossed her arms. "Wait a minute, who the Hell are you?!" She was so fixated on Ichigo when they arrived that she completely ignored her.
"I'm Nelliel, Ichigo's girlfriend" She was starting to like saying that. "I'm so glad to finally meet you Tatsuki-san!"
"She knows me?!" Tatsuki asked amused.
"I told her a bit about my life so I must've mentioned you guys quite often" Ichigo scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Hmph, so you become a Hollow and get a girlfriend in no time" She pouted.
"Actually, I've been with Nel for almost two years, but since we were in the Dangai, you had no way of knowing"
"Well, if she's your girl I assume she must be pretty strong, though I gotta say she looks like a bimbo"
"Hey, that's not very nice, Tatsuki" Keigo pointed out.
"Hey, Ichi, what is a bimbo?" She asked oblivious, giving Tatsuki the impression that she was right in her judgement.
"Nel doesn't know because she's from Hueco Mundo, but she's not stupid. She's very smart in fact" Ichigo replied, a bit bothered, but kept his cool.
"Well, in that case I apologize" Tatsuki bit her lip.
She didn't want to fight. She just felt a bit jealous that Nel would have Ichigo to herself while they would probably lose their friend.
"So to summarize, you'll live in this Hueco Mundo place now?" Keigo asked.
"It seems like it. That's where Hollows and Arrancar live, and I'm one of them now"
"I heard from Ishida-kun that you were fighting Demons or something of sorts. You're still in that?" Tatsuki asked.
"I'm afraid yes. We won the first assault, but they are far from defeated. Now that I'll be in Hueco Mundo, I'll use this chance to get backup from its inhabitants, though I still don't know how I'll do that. At the very least, the current Queen is kind of our friend, so I'm sure something can be done" Ichigo explained.
"I understand. Then, you gotta come see us when that's over. Otherwise I... I'll become a Shinigami and go to Hueco Mundo just to kick your ass!" She threatened.
"Hahaha, I'd love to see that" Ichigo laughed.
"And of course, don't you dare die!" She added.
"That goes without saying" He replied.
"You've been warned. We're done here. Let's go, Keigo, Mizuiro!" She ordered.
"But, I haven't said goodbye-"
"Then do so, idiot!" She punched him in the head.
Tatsuki wanted to leave as soon as possible, or her true feelings would show. She wanted no tears to fall, not in front of Ichigo at least.
"Ichigo... I know I'm stupid and clumsy and... Well, that doesn't matter! What I want to say is... That I'm glad I could be your friend, and I can't wait to see you again"
"Sure. I'm looking forward to the time we all meet once again" Ichigo gave him a strong hug.
"Ahahahaha!" Keigo cried.
After that, the three friends left together, with the hope that they would see Ichigo in a not so distant future.
~~~~X~~~~
And so, Ichigo gets ready to leave the Human World behind. Will this be permanent? Hell if I know.
Anyway, I'm glad to see even more people reading this! (69 follows xD). If this keeps up, maybe I'll get to 100 follows by the end of the year, which would be awesome!
I also wanted to flex a little by informing you all that I finally got my Alpha Omega figure of Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck from eBay and it was authentic so, damn, it's just beautiful! It's also important cause with that, my collection of green hair waifu figures is complete (C.C., Mion and Nel). With that said lol...
Reviews:
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Holy wow! Fantastic! This was incredible! I also loved how well-written and perfectly timed the Lime was. And now wouldja lookie here? Instead of being Hollows/Arrancars, they're now fully Whole! So amazing! Dang man. This was good! I hope to see more soon! Please, update again soon!
P.S. I also liked how Nel and Orihime both found closure with one another as well.
Reply: See? At least that's what I had in mind for a lime. I'd like to explain that the Whole state is an addition to being Hollow/Arrancar, it's not a new species or something. It will probably be explained in detail next Chapter anyway... I'll do my best with the update, cause I've been trying to get my marks up, as I'm having trouble with a particular class right now.
Until next Chapter! Evhron out.