"Isn't that...?!" Nel recognized him as well, though she almost never interacted with him back when she was under Aizen's command.
"Now this is a surprise! And what's more... It seems that we're on the same page" The silver haired man said with his characteristic grin.
He looked almost the same as before, the only difference (aside from his primal clothing) being the void in the center of his chest, exactly where his heart would be.
"But you... I saw you... Dying!" Ichigo muttered in disbelief. "How is it possible that...?"
"I have no idea" The ex-Captain raised his hands in sign of ignorance. "All I know is that I am alive"
Satya's eyes seemed brighter as his master arrived on the field.
"Ichimaru... Dono..." His expression was emotionless, like always, but they could all tell how much that gesture meant.
"Oh, did my new friends give you trouble? Sorry about that. I've tried to teach them to be more friendly, but their wild side takes over whenever they see someone strong" Gin apologized, but his usual ironic tone made it difficult to tell if he was even half-serious while at it.
"So you are... The leader of these Hollows. The Legion of the Serpent, huh?" Ichigo inquired.
"I could ask you the same... King" Gin had heard it. "And about that cool name... I never asked them to do such thing, but they seem to really look up to me for some reason. It's nothing, really" He dismissed it as something unimportant.
"Don't play fool. You clearly lead them, that makes you responsible for their actions"
"And what action would be out of the norm, Kurosaki-sama?" Gin asked mockingly.
Ichigo widened his eyes at the mention of his name. It was the first rime Gin had used it.
"After all..." Gin continued. "It's only natural for a Hollow to kill and feast upon the other's corpse. Survival of the fittest. Are you really so naïve to consider that a crime even after becoming an Arrancar yourself? And here I thought you had matured, but it seems you are still the same kid"
"You're wrong" Ichigo replied coldly.
"Ho?" Gin seemed interested in his response. "Enlighten me"
"I never said it was a crime for a Hollow to behave as such. That is just their basic nature" He explained. "On the other hand, you used to be a Shinigami, and right now, you are their leader. In that position, you should try to teach them and lead them into a more peaceful lifestyle".
"Now what are you talking about? For someone who used to hunt Hollows by sport, you sure have a lot of faith in them" Gin replied. "Do you really think that can be a Hollow's reality?"
"I don't think so, I know so. I trained and fought alongside Nel, Harribel and Grimmjow. I became an Arrancar myself and spoke to the spirit inside my Zanpakutou. Hollows are not even close to what Soul Society thinks they are, or even what they believe to be themselves. I learned the truth, and so I'll just go ahead and demonstrate that fact"
On the outside, Gin continued making fun of him with his scornful expression, but on the inside, he was actually intrigued by this 'truth' Ichigo spoke of.
"Interesting... So what is your objective?"
"Now that I became King of Hueco Mundo, the first thing I wanted was to reform the Espada. That's why Nel and I came to this place..." He gave a look at the girl, who was hugging her legs behind a curved stump. "After that, I'll continue to find ways to make Las Noches a nice place for Hollows to live in. Somewhere they don't have to worry about fighting and survival, and they can focus on filling their void"
Gin's smile dropped, becoming a serious expression that was very rarely seen.
"Is that... Possible?" He asked.
"Of course it is. If you want to know how though... Why don't you and your people come with us?"
Gin seemed surprised by the sudden invitation. Maybe becoming a Hollow truly had made Ichigo mature. In the past, he probably would have reacted in an aggressive way. Now though, it was clear that he didn't even need to act that way. He knew he was beyond their level, not even considering them a threat. Instead, he chose to spare them and even give them a chance to collaborate with him.
"Hehehe... Scary" Gin laughed. "Not even Aizen would've predicted that you would become this powerful. His failure is just a proof of that"
"I don't think his greatest mistake was in measuring my potential though" Ichigo answered. "His greatest flaw, was not taking into account all the things I was protecting. He had nothing to lose, and while that may have seemed to be an advantage at first, in the long run, it was his downfall. His only objective, was a mere illusion he created to believe that he had a reason to do all those things... And that wasn't nearly enough"
"But then..." Gin refuted. "What would've been the reason for my failure? Are you gonna say that I lacked motive? Maybe, that what I was trying to protect wasn't enough?"
"Wrong again, Ichimaru" Ichigo replied stoically. "You didn't fail. In fact, you're one of the very few who truly defeated Aizen"
"What... What do you mean?"
"You were able to see through Aizen, and were the only one who could get as far as tricking him. The only two people who could outsmart him are: Kisuke Urahara... And Ichimaru Gin" He clarified.
"Heh, but what's the point of achieving all that if in the end, I lost. I couldn't stop him. I was a failure" Gin remembered Rangiku's tears falling on top of his dying body.
"That's not true. After all, look at yourself... Who is the one imprisoned under Squad 1s barracks? Who is the one that earned a second chance and is standing in fron of me right now?" Ichigo made him realize. "All the actions you took, all those sacrifices you made... I won't let you say it was all worthless!"
Gin widened his sky-blue eyes as he heard those facts. What he believed to be a naïve and unrealistic point of view at first, was in fact a completely valid statement and a much more precise cescription of the facts. Aizen had lost. That was the only absolute truth there was.
"And then again... Without you, I would've never had the chance to become stronger and face him again. Without you... Many friends of mine would've...!" Ichigo continued.
"Enough. I get, I get it" Gin replied. "Jeesh, If you get all sentimental I'll probably get sick and die... But, I gotta admit that's a way I didn't see things. Thank you, Kurosaki-san" He addressed him seriously, not in a mocking or overly formal way either. He respected him.
"It was nothing. I just wanted you to realize that" Ichigo said calmly.
"So, changing the topic a little bit... How far is Las Noches from here?" Gin asked in a fake uninterested way.
"For us... It was a bit more than two days. For you though, it might be a bit longer" Ichigo said with pride. "But don't worry, we can always wait for you to catch up"
"Is that so? Well, I guess there's no helping it" Gin sighed. "However, I'm gonna have to request you give us a night to recover" He said as he looked at the whole Legion, completely drained of energy in the ground. "Even I get tired of pretending that your Zanpakutou's ability wasn't that effective"
Gin moved a bit dizzy to the left, losing his balance and tripping.
"Ichimaru-dono!" Satya sprinted with his little strength to catch him.
"Oh, Satya... You didn't have to do that" Gin chuckled. "I just wanted to get a bit of sleep, that's all... Although... We should try... To at least... Lead them to the cave..." Gin murmured before falling blacking out.
Satya pamted a bit, before falling unconscious himself.
Ichigo sighed as it was all calm again, except for one thing.
"So, Nel... I imagine you know where this cave is" He said with a hint of sadness.
"Ah... Y-Yeah... I know..." She replied, with the same energy.
"Do you want to rest? I'm sure it must be hard for you... After that... You can tell me every-"
"No. Please, Ichigo... Stop doing this to me!"
"I'm sorry Nel, but I won't accept that you-" Ichigo thought she was refusing to tell the truth.
"No, that's not it! I cannot accept that you... That you... How can you speak to me with that warm voice...? How can you look at me with those eyes... After what I did...?" Nel started crying again. "What I can't stand... Is that you don't show any contempt to me after my betrayal..."
"Nel..." He looked at her with sad eyes, and embraced her. "I'm not hurt because you didn't want to tell me... I'm hurt because you lied. I... I thought you trusted me enough to tell me anything, or at least to say that it was something you didn't wanna talk about... But don't ask me to hate you when the only thing I can do is love you, Nel"
"Ichigo... Don't do this... I don't deserve it..." She tried to escape from his arms, to no avail. "You... You deserve something so much better..."
"Don't say that. We chose to be together, because we love each other" He caressed her face with his hand, washing away her tears. "We are one, Nel. How could I ever wish for something else?"
"Ichi..." She buried her face in his chest.
"Nel..." He smiled as he pat her head.
After a while calming her down, she decided to finally speak.
"Okay... It's time you learn the truth about me... This time... I promise to tell the truth, and only the truth" Nel said as she layed her head on his chest. "Ready to hear about Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Queen of the Blood Forest?"
"I'm ready" Ichigo replied calmly, caressing her hair gently. "You don't have to leave anything out. I'll be more than glad to accept your pain"
"Okay... Well, here goes nothing..." She sighed. "I was born in this forest as a Gillian, but my very first memory is of the time I became an Adjuchas. While the physical description I gave you before is correct, my behaviour was... That of a normal Hollow, and possibly, a bit more darker. Most small Adjuchas tend to be stronger than their bigger counterparts, so it was easy for me to exploit that, overpowering every Hollow that came in my path.
After some time, I came across Bryssling, who was a squid-like Adjuchas of big-size, on one of my hunts. He begged for his life as soon as he realized how superior I was. For the first time, I actually gave it some thought, probably because I saw some use in him. In the end I decided to spare his life, at a price. He would become my subordinate, and as proof of that, I gave him the scar he now has in his left eye.
As time passed by, I continued to find both Adjuchas and Gillian who had potential, but that were weaker than I was. They all went under the same ritual, some choosing death and others a life under my command, carrying a scar in their bodies that I had carved myself, so that all my followers would have a mark to distinguish them. As a result, after a couple years, I was known as Scar Queen in the vast area of the Blood Forest"
"So that's why he called you that" Ichigo remembered.
"Yes... Honestly, I don't think that was so terrible. The part that I hate, is what I did to those who refused to become my servants" Nel painfully remembered. "I... I would torture them in so many ways... If I had the chance, I even took baths in the blood of my enemies, at the same time as I enjoyed their flesh..." She seemed unable to continue as she remembered that.
"Nel... I know that isn't the current you, so don't worry about it. Why don't you skip to the part where you met Nageki?"
"Okay..." She sighed, relieved that she wouldn't have to go deeper into that. "You see, in one of our group hunts, I happened to come across something I had never seen. A Hollow whose mask was broken"
"I see..."
"As soon as I saw him, I felt intrigued as to what he was. I didn't see him as an equal and neither did I recognize him as a Vasto Lorde.
Of course, my instincts told me I had to fight it to find out and... The result was rather surprising. For the first time, I had to face defeat. He had simply played with me and yet I irrevocably lost.
After I was knocked out, Nageki dragged me to a place in the desert he had arranged. There, he tried to reason with me about things such as how I wasn't supposed to kill for mere fun, how there was more to life and other stuff I thought was just... Plain bullshit at the time. I knew he wouldn't leave me alone until I showed some progress, so I decided to pretend I cared, since I was pretty good at deceiving others.
As expected, as soon as he lowered his guard, I tried to kill him, but he was prepared for that"
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked with a smile, seeing as Nel had tried to impale him with her horns, but failed due to the fact that he slept with an almost unbreakable metal barrier covering his skin.
"Shit!" She thought as she ran like a devil to escape his sight. "That guy is no normal Hollow..."
As soon as I came back, I encountered various Hollows who wanted to kill me, taking advantage of the fact I was alone. Even then though, I was powerful enough to kill them all and feed from their carcasses. That was my last meal as an Adjuchas.
I came back to the cave Ichimaru mentioned earlier, as a Vasto Lorde. For them... It was like the Queen had returned, but it would be a lie to say I hadn't changed. Little by little, the ideas Nageki had been planting in my head started popping up with more frequency, to the point in which I ended up questioning my own existence.
The day it all changed, was one in which I fought another group of Hollows on purpose, trying to feel better, only to find that destruction would not fill my void, and that all pleasure I used to find in those sadistic actions was just an illusion"
"And then... Nageki came back I assume"
"Yeah. How did you know?" Nel looked surprised.
"Because I doubt you would've been taught of Wholes before having your mind open to said possibility"
"Ah, so that was it. Anyway... The second time he came, I decided to leave on my own accord. Honestly, I wanted to know what was it that made him so strong. I wanted to learn from him, for real... And that's how I ended up despising my own self for the things I used to do"
"And that turned you into the Arrancar you are today. One who hates every form of violence"
"Exactly. But nothing lasts forever. Nageki simply disappeared from my side one night. There were no goodbyes or best wishes. He just... Vanished. After that, I simply decided to look for something that truly made me happy. That's the story of how I left Scar Queen behind, and now... Please believe me, Ichigo... The last thing I want is going back to that. The rest of the story is as I told you. Pesche and Dondochakka don't know it either"
"I understand... The blood on your teeth has faded away, yet you are in infinite pain, all due to this dreadful past..." Ichigo pressed her head tightly against his chest.
"Don't try to comfort me. I am a murderer, a sadist, a coward and a traitor... That's why... I don't feel like I deserve you, Ichigo. It's simply unfair for you to be with a monster like...!"
"Shut up" Ichigo said pissed.
"Huh?"
"Stop. All you've done is rant nonsense, Nel. You know I don't care about any of that" He replied. "Sure, there's a darkness inside of you, I know because it's in me too. But now... Those days have faded away. You are the Queen of Las Noches, not of the Blood Forest. You are not the violent Scar Queen you once were, so there's no reason you should feel guilty"
"Ichigo..." Nel sadly muttered, still in disbelief because of his comprehensive reaction. "How could I...?"
"There's nothing special you have to do. As long as you start being completely honest with both yourself and those around you, there's nothing else you should worry about. I love you" He replied as they stared into each other's eyes. "Besides, you can't lie to me about that, Nel"
"Huh?"
"A sadist? Please. Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck is an S Class masochist, I bet my life on that" He teased her and bit her lip in a painful yet delicious kiss, making her laugh and blush.
Her heart was finally released of the crushing weight that was tormenting her. It was just like Nageki said. Ichigo loved her just as much as always.
"Fuck" She cursed. "I feel so damn stupid for lying to you in the first place, when I should've known that you would forgive me"
"Well, if you had told me the truth from the start, there would be nothing to forgive. I'm nobody to judge your past, no one is. You should be proud of the fact that you left that life behind, and that you're surrounded by people who love you unconditionally, starting with me"
"I know... And I won't ever doubt that again. You and I are one, so it's only natural that I can tell you everything. I'm sorry for not realizing that any sooner, Ichi" She cuddled and made out with him in that spot, having sorted out her past and feeling more than relieved that Ichigo accepted it.
About an hour later, Gin and the other two Arrancar seemed to slowly wake up.
"Ungh... My head hurts" Bryssling complained.
"Aum, it must be a side effect" Satya felt the same.
"Well then... think we should at least carry them to the cave" Gin proposed, holding his head as well. "Would you mind helping me with that?" He asked Ichigo and Nel.
"Um... Sure" Ichigo replied. "Nel, could you...?"
"On it. Declare, Gamuza"
As she turned into a centaur, Bryssling's eyes seemed to shine.
"It can't be...!" He muttered.
Ichigo noticed the great amusment in the Arrancar's expression, but decided to leave any question for later.
They all carried the inanimate, but living bodies of the Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes that had lost consciousness as a result of Ichigo's ability.
Once inside, Nel couldn't help but relive memories of darker days, though such moments meant only joy and entertainment in the past.
She sighed as she tried to focus on what Nageki and Ichigo had said. She was Ichigo's Queen, not Scar Queen. Still, a part of her was still afraid that there was even a tiny leftover of said persona hidden somewhere inside her.
"Nel" Ichigo interfered her thoughts.
"Ah, what's wrong?"
"By any chance, was the group you lead this big?" He said looking at the resting Hollows inside the cave, some asleep and others just tired.
"Now that you mention it. No, not even close. I believe, I had about twenty something Hollows under my command, while Ichimaru seems to have around a hundred, though most are Adjuchas"
"That's true, but still..." He digressed for a moment. "Hey... Ichimaru" Ichigo called his attention.
"Yes, Kurosaki-san?"
"I noticed that your Legion is pretty big. Nel explained that her group was not even close to this so..."
"What? You're wondering about my recruiment methods?" Gin inquired. "You got me. We have a little expansionary policy..."
"Aum, don't be so modest Ichimaru-dono" Satya said. "Thanks to you, practically the whole Blood Forest is united under your name"
"Now you're flattering me, Satya. I just did that cause it was easier for everyone. Instead of aimlessly fighting, why not just work together and get along well?" Gin replied.
"So... Your objective was basically the same as mine, the difference only being the scale" Ichigo realized, improving his image of Gin.
"Yeah. At first I wasn't sure about what to think, but I can't deny that he's made our faction a lot stronger" Bryssling agreed. "Though... The objective has changed completely from the old days"
"Aum, don't mind him. He's a grumpy old man, always running his mouth about the past. I couldn't care less, actually. The only reason I fought you was because I sensed great power, nothing more" Satya replied neutrally.
"Hey! I'm not that old! Just about... 300 years I believe" Bryssling grumbled.
"Aum, a total geezer. Anyways, what are we gonna do now, Ichimaru-dono?"
"Apparently, we are all going to Las Noches. We fought, we lost and now we must follow their orders" Gin simply replied.
"You didn't even try to fight me. Actually, what is your Zanpakutou called?"
"My Zanpakutou? Shinsou, of course" Gin said with his typical grin.
"No, your REAL Zanpakutou"
"Ah, that would be Kamishini no Yari"
Ichigo gave a pissed smirk at him as he replied that.
"You won't even try to tell me, will you?"
"Nope. If the time comes, then you'll see for yourself. Regardless of that, my Hollow Zanpakutou can also extend, but not nearly as fast as Shinsou. However, it is able to do a couple other things, ~Tee-Hee~"
"Okay, keep your secrets then" Ichigo said with the same look of a certain Hobbit.
Satya and Bryssling had made a fireplace in the center of the cave, illuminating the place better.
Nel started going around the place, possibly remembering more things. Ichigo decided to leave her alone and instead went to Bryssling and Satya.
"Hey, it's Bryssling, right?" He asked the more adult Arrancar.
"Right. Bryssling Bildungsroman" He said his full name.
"And you are Satya"
"Aum, Satya Żytecki. My likes are fighting and eating. My dislikes are weakness and stupidity. My activities aside from those of a normal Hollow would be meditating and writing"
"Writing, really?" Ichigo was impressed that a Hollow like him would know that.
"Aum. Ichimaru-dono taught me. He said it helps to calm one's soul. My mind is constantly drifting and showing weird stuff I don't understand whenever I'm not entirely focused on one activity. Because of this, writing a diary has really helped, and I thank Ichimaru-dono deeply for that"
"I see..." Ichigo was now more curious of Satya. Since the start he seemed like an odd fellow, but now he could confirm that there was a lot more to him.
"Well, I guess there's no need for introductions about you" Bryssling went back to the start. "I heard Ichimaru-sama call you Kurosaki-san, so I guess that's it"
"Kurosaki Ichigo, in full. Since you're not asking me for answers I guess you already know the truth about Gin"
"Yep, he never hid it. When he and Satya appeared before us, he revealed himself to be an ex-Shinigami. At first we all thought it was just a joke... But he's so different from a Hollow that I started believing him"
"I used to think that the existence such a possibility was null. Now though, the line between Hollows and Shinigami seems as blurry as ever. Three of us became Arrancar in such a short time... It's unbelievable"
"Three?"
"Yeah. There's another friend in Las Noches who went through the same. He was a Shinigami a couple days ago, but that's no more"
"Shit... And, what do you guys think of being Hollows?"
"I guess, we are still getting used to it. But at least from my personal experience... It's been great" He smiled, looking at Nel.
"Aum, you are looking at her in a strange way" Satya joned the conversation. "Or, maybe I shouldn't say strange. But it's a way I've never seen in a Hollow"
"Of course. That would be because I love her" Ichigo simply replied.
Satya tilted his head in confusion.
"Love?"
"Oh, I think I've heard of that!" Bryssling raised his hand. "It's... Like some kind of feeling... But I don't know what it is"
"I thought so. Most Hollows don't, and considering the fact that you grew in this place, it's even more understandable" Ichigo nodded. "I would try to explain it but... It's not easy, to be honest. Though believe it or not, Ichimaru can tell you about it as well" He looked at the silver haired Arrancar, who was sitting by the entrance of the cave.
"Ichimaru-dono knows?" Satya asked impressed.
"Yeah. Even I had trouble believing it at first, but he is a man who actually sacrificed everything because of his love to a certain woman. I don't think it would be appropiate that I said more though..." Ichigo muttered.
"Ichimaru-sama..." Bryssling said thoughtful.
"Hey, changing the topic a little bit, Bryssling..." Ichigo decided to ask him.
"Hm?"
"Earlier, I noticed you were quite stunned when you saw Nel's Resurrección. Why was that?"
"Oh, that! Well, I actually wanted to check if I was right for myself, but I had some kind of flashback when I saw her"
"Aum, what do you mean?" Satya seemed interested, despite having his usual expressionless face.
"I think I once saw something similar in this cave. Like, an image of some sort" Bryssling recalled.
"Like a drawing?" Ichigo inquired.
"Yeah, I think so. This cave is actually really large and full of different passages. Because of that, it's easy to get lost inside, but there are many curious things you can find from ancient eras. I think this drawing is really deep though"
"Hm... Would you mind if we searched for it anyway?" Ichigo wanted to see it with his own eyes.
"What a drag..." Bryssling said as he scratched his head.
"Aum, don't be lazy. Now I'm curious too" Satya replied.
"Such a pain..." Bryssling stood up. "Let's go"
Satya passed Ichigo a stick to use as a torch, and followed Bryssling deeper into the cave.
"I'll be back soon, Nel. I just want to check something" He approached her.
"Oh, okay. Try not to get lost, this place is pretty big" She replied.
"Yeah, Bryssling said so as well. Don't worry, I'll be back soon"
"Okay. If they try anything weird, don't hesitate to-"
"I know. You be wary about Gin as well. I wouldn't go as far to say he's evil, but it's impossible to know what goes through his head. If he approaches you, even if he doesn't show signs... Be very aware"
"Okay. I... I love you, Ichi" She placed her head on his shoulder.
"I love you too" He gave her a quick peck and went inside the labyrinth.
He followed the light of Satya's torch that was some meters ahead.
While his senses in general were pretty developed, the cave was too chaotic to simply work with that.
He and the other two Arrancar took about 15 minutes before reachimg the place Bryssling had mentioned.
"I think this is it" He said.
He lit up another torch that was in the wall to see the room more clearly.
"Like I thought" Bryssling said proudly, admiring the art piece.
"No way..." Ichigo murmured, looking at the ancient drawing in the wall. It was painted with delicacy, and resembled a portrait.
"Aum... It really does look like her" Satya pointed out.
In the wall, the carefully painted drawing was of a centaur Arrancar, just like Nel, with long green hair and a cross scar on top of her nose.
"So you found out" He heard the voice inside his head.
"Mugetsu! What... What's the meaning of this?"
"Well, let's just say that Nel wasn't the first Scar Queen to ever exist" He explained. "My Yukari was"
"So... Nel really is Yukari's reincarnation" Ichigo thought, being heard by Mugetsu.
"As much as you are mine, at least" The Hollow spirit replied. "I found Yukari in this same forest. After fighting hordes of Hollows I became tired and looked for a place to rest. Deeper in this forest, is a fissure that's always bathed in the moonlight. That place is known as the Hidden Gardens, and there... I saw her. Gorgeus, powerful, exotic... I don't know... My mind just... Blew in that moment"
"And what happened?"
"Heh, to my surprise... She was expecting me"
"So, you are the one that's been retiring the weaklings in my army" She softly said as she sat on a rock covered in aquamarine weeds, the moon illuminating her like she was the only one worthy of being bathed in its light.
"Army? Are you by any chance the Scar Queen those beasts seem to adore?" Mugetsu asked back.
"The one and only. You see, while I'm grateful that you served as a filter, I cannot allow you to continue doing as you please in my dominion"
"Oh, really? Sorry about that. Actually, I was about to leave. I just wanted a nice place where I could rest for a little while, but... Now I cannot simply let you go" Mugetsu grinned.
"What a coincidence" She stood from her spot and pointed her blade with a sadistic look. "It's been so long since I've tasted the blood of a truly powerful Arrancar... This is a golden opportunity I cannot miss" She giggled madly as she charged against him.
"Damn, that vicious smile she used to have..." Mugetsu laughed. "We fought for a whole night, although... I think I could've easily ended earlier but, I believe you've seen it. Just how beautiful does Nel look when she fights?"
"Can't argue with that" Ichigo agreed. "Then, how did she change?" Ichigo wondered.
"Oh, those were different times. After I defeated her, I went back to Las Noches with her as a reward, of course, against her will" Mugetsu chuckled. "She hated me at first, I'm sure! But you know... As time passed by, something kinda... Bloomed between us. It's difficult to explain, but I believe we always connected in some special way, so sooner or later, it was meant to happen... Before we knew it, we became Wholes"
"Damn... So it was a lot harder for you. I was lucky to find an already peaceful and sweet girl when I met Nel... Though she has always been a bit rough" He remembered the various ways in which she playfully hurt him back then.
"You can thank Nageki for that. Though remember, while you may be our reincarnations, that doesn't mean you're the same people. You are unique in many ways, so Nel isn't defined to be like Yukari in every sense. It was possibly a tease from destiny that the two were leaders of violent Hollow factions, recognized by the scars inflicted by their female warlord. The most impressive fact I can make out of this, is that such a piece of art is still in almost perfect state in this day and age. How many years has it been...?"
"An eternity for sure"
"Probably. Well, if you have any doubts, meet me in your dreams. I'm gonna leave you so you can interact with these two in the normal world" Mugetsu said goodbye.
"Okay. See you later" Ichigo bid him farewell too.
"Hey, you!" Bryssling called his attention.
"Ah, what's wrong?" Ichigo asked.
"You spaced out for a little while. I was asking you what you think?"
"That it's amazing" Ichigo said with admiration.
"Yeah. She looks almost just like our Scar Queen..."
"Hey, Bryssling. I know you probably have good memories of those times, but I would appreciate if you didn't say those things in front of Nel" Ichigo said a bit serious.
"O-Okay..." The Arrancar sighed, not willing to argue with someone whose sole pressence could overwhelm him.
"Aum, will you show this to her?" Satya asked Ichigo.
"Not yet. Not until she's sorted out this whole Scar Queen thing. It might not be easy... But it's something she has to do eventually, and while the real fight is hers, I will support her in every way possible"
"I've never seen an Arrancar speak like that. Seems like you really are not of this world" Bryssling said.
"Indeed. But believe me, if everything goes like I planned... Soon, everyone will understand the meaning of these words"
~~~~X~~~~
"So... Nelliel, right? It's been a while since I saw you. Well, it's actually been some time since you last saw me, I'm sure... Nnoitra told us you had been killed somewhere, but I never believed him to be honest. Seems like I was right after all. Oh, by the way, I also saw your performance against him and it was awesome. I'm sure you'd have easily crushed him if you had been in your full potential"
"What do you want, Ichimaru?" Nel asked him with distrust.
"Oi, oi... What's with the hostility? I just want a little idle chat while those three come back"
"Really...?" She still looked at him with an inquisitive expression, but sighed and played the part. "So, what do you want to talk about?"
"Well, I overheard my subordinate and... I can't say I'm uninterested in your past with him. You're the one who gave them those scars, right?"
"Yes, I was. What of it?" She was pissed.
"N-Nothing, I just... Thought it was quite impressive coming from such a calm and peaceful Arrancar like you" A drop of sweat seemed to appear on his face.
"People can change, okay? And Ichigo has taught me Arrancar can do it as well"
"Ichigo, huh? I couldn't help but notice you two are really close actually..."
"Yes, we are. Anything else you want to meddle into?"
"Eh? No, that was really not my inention" Gin seemed confused. "I'm simply... Shocked by the fact that an Arrancar learned to truly love"
"I could say the same about you... Oh, wait, I can't. You are a coldblooded snake, right?" She said with a smile, though she knew that it wasn't a nice thing to say, but she only did it because of the way in which Gin was trying to get information out of her.
"That's mean... I didn't expect that from you Nel-san" Gin pretended to be hurt, covering his Hollow Hole with his hand. "But I'm sorry to say, you're wrong about that"
"What? You're now gonna tell me you once loved someone else?" Nel couldn't believe him, not after seeing his cold behaviour first-handedly.
"Hehehe... Not gonna lie. I doubt I ever loved anyone else but her... But yes, I actually did love a woman"
"If that's the case, tell me about that. I'm actually intrigued by this" She did not lie.
"Very well then.
It all started about a bit more than a hundred years ago, more or less, when we were kids. I found her unconscious in the soil as I wandered through the Rukongai District, a large poor area of the Soul Society.
You see, she had collapsed due to hunger, so I gave her dried persimmon and took care of her. We started living together afterwards"
"So you two were orphans? It's not weird for me but, Ichigo has told me about the importance of families and stuff"
"It's not rare in the Rukongai District. Some people die, others disappear, it's natural that many orphans live in that place. The only thing we know, is our names, probably in the same way you know yours" Gin explained.
"I understand"
"Anyway, I once discovered some strange people in the same place where I found her, storing a bright ball of Reiatsu inside a strange object I didn't recognize back then, but I did understand what had happened. It was no coincidence that she was in such a deplorable state when I found her. They had taken a part of her soul, and that's something I would never forgive, so that was the moment I decided to kill the man behind it all... Aizen"
"Wait. Ichigo told me about your intent to defeat Aizen, but this means... The plan to betray him was-"
"Yes. It was something I decided way back. I became a Shinigami with the sole objective of becoming close to that man, learning his weaknesses, trying to find the slightest possibility, while still scheming a way to make him pay in the process... And when I finally thought I had him. I failed. I couldn't take back what was taken from her..." Gin's tone was legitimately sad. Even covered by his grin, it was a sadness Nel could feel.
"So, in the end... Everything you did was because of her"
"Yes. I dedicated my whole life to that goal, so that she would never have to cry again... But instead I failed, and as a result of my Failure, she cried as my body lost its life..."
"Wow... Ichimaru, I... I don't know what to say..." Nel felt ashamed of treating him so poorly before.
"Don't worry. I understand that people are more distant, or even show spite towards me. My attitude and actions give them a fair amount of reasons to do so" He admitted. "I just harvest what I planted"
"Just out of curiosity... What was the woman's name?"
"Hm? Do you really need to know?" Gin seemed evasive about that.
"Not really... Sorry for asking more of what I should have"
Gin gave it some thought though, and considered how Nel probably wouldn't know even if he told her.
"*sigh* I guess I can tell you, as long as you promise not to tell anyone else, though Kurosaki-san surely knows..." He finally decided.
"Really?"
"Yeah. So what do you say?"
"I promise!" Nel's female impulse was getting the better of her.
"How eager..." He chuckled. "Her name is... Rangiku"
As soon as she heard that name, she saw the face of the woman and became mute. Her smile turned into a face of shock.
"No way..."
"What's wrong? It's like you suddenly became pale" Gin observed. "Don't tell me you..." His blue eyes opened.
"The man Rangiku-san used to love so much... It can't be..." She muttered in denial. "Are you telling me Ichimaru sacrificed everything because of Rangiku's happiness?" She thought.
"Nel-san. By any chance, would you happen to know Rangiku?" He asked seriously, his eyes staring straight at hers.
"I..." Nel doubted telling him for a moment. "I do. But I don't know her much, I just happened to come across her when we were at Urahara's"
"Ah... I see" Gin said more calmly. "So... How was her?"
"She seemed happy. That day, she picked an attire for me and seemed glad to see me wearing it. That was it"
"That Rangiku... She always liked that kind of stuff" Gin giggled. "Well, Nel-san. I gotta say that I did not expect you to know her, but this being the case, just... If you see her again, don't... Don't tell her about me, okay?"
"Why?" Nel asked confused. After all his speech about his love, he didn't want her to know he was alive?
"Because I am a failure. It's better if I simply... Disappear" He replied. "Rangiku is so young and beautiful... I'm sure someone else will be able to make her happy, if she's not merry enough on her own" He chuckled nervously.
"Ichimaru... I understand your feelings. Only a while ago, I felt the same way because of my past and the pain I inflicted upon Ichigo because of my lies" Nel replied. "However, he did not feel that way about me. Ichigo loves me so much that he easily forgave me. That made me realize, that my wish to leave him was only one-sided, and it was not born of empathy but of cowardice. 'I feel I'm not good enough' or 'I don't deserve this' are just selfish thoughts to feel better with oneself and not face reality. It's an egoist decision and it is totally unfair for the other person. Now that I understand it... I couldn't be more ashamed of having thought that way myself... And that's why I am telling you, please don't do that to Rangiku. It's not good for anyone"
"But... It's different" Gin tried to convince himself. "She thinks I'm dead, and, in fact I am. My Shinigami self does not exist anymore so... There's no harm"
"How can you say there's no harm when you are suffering?! How can you say that after you saw her crying as you died?!" All the Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes that were awake directed their looks at the discussion. "Those tears..." Nel started crying herself as she remembered the times Ulquiorra had 'killed' Ichigo. "Those tears are the worst. Cause when your loved one dies... It's like a part of you dies with them... It is a pain so deep, that it's the same as if you were dying inside...!"
"Did I really make Rangiku feel that way...?" Gin thought as he witnessed the pain such memory gave to Nelliel. "I don't know the meaning behind of this... But I can see that she knows what she's talking about"
"Ichimaru... How long have you been dying inside?" Nel asked him, drying her tears. "All those years, doing things you despised, wasting time and energy in all that shit while your heart only wanted to be with Rangiku...!"
The silver-haired man couldn't take it anymore. He grinded his teeth as he swallowed all the sorrow.
"How much longer will you wear that mask? That fake smile that only inflicts pain upon yourself..." Nel's hazel eyes looked at him with pity and anger. "If you do this to Rangiku... Then, you will be the greatest failure you can imagine...!"
"Stop. Please..." Gin's voice sounded upset as he begged. For the first time, he could not keep his composure. "I..." He covered his face with one hand. "I get it..." A tear fell from under his hand, despite his intent to keep any show of weakness hidden, his throat producing a gagging sound as he forced himself not to cry. "I will get out of here... And I will see her again. Whatever happens later, will be up to her. But you're right. I won't make a selfish decision while her heart and mine are torn to shreds"
"Good" Nel concluded with a sniff. "I'm sorry for getting like this too... But believe it or not, I've felt that way a couple times. In spite of the fact that Ichigo is alive right now, mark my words when I say that just the illusion of losing him has left scars in my heart far greater than any of the ones I inflicted upon them" She said as she looked at her past subordinates. "And this pain... Is the price we have to pay in exchange of the strength bonds give us. I was taught that there was a lot more than violence in this world... By someone a really long time ago, someone who is unable to really form bonds himself, but even so, tried his best in making me cherish them. Ichigo made me understand it, and for me it's no surprise that his power is so great after caring so much for us all. There's no greatest source of strength other than protecting what you love most"
"I must say, you're a fascinating Arrancar, Nel-san" Gin regained his composure.
"Huh?"
"You've come to understand something even geniuses like Aizen have yet to grasp. It's no wonder they don't though, as it's not a measurable quality, yet it seems to be the most defining aspect in every outstanding fighter I've seen. Either an unbreakable will..." He remembered Yamamoto. "An insatiable thirst for battle..." Kenpachi came to mind. "Or the selfless desire to protect your friends..." He thought of Ichigo. "...These all have turned out to be the source of strength for the best of the best"
As Gin concluded that point, Ichigo and the other two Arrancar came back to the main cave.
"...I told you it was a long walk" Bryssling was saying.
"I know, but you got lost on the way back, making it longer. Don't try to pretend you're not at fault" Ichigo replied.
"Aum, it's pathetic, Bryssling"
"Shut up, Satya!"
Gin laughed as he saw Ichigo quarrel with the other two.
"I see you've become good friends in this little while" He commented.
"Me, friends with this guy? Give me a break..." Bryssling pointed at Ichigo.
"I could say the same about you. It's been some time since I found a brute that was so annoying" Ichigo spat back, making the scene similar to a typical encounter with Renji or Grimmjow.
"Yep, it seems they get along well" Nel happily said.
"Hey, Nel... Why are your eyes like...?" Ichigo noticed she had been crying. "Ichimaru, what did you do to her?!"
"No, Ichigo! It's not his fault... I just, happened to remember something sad" It was true in the end.
"Is that so? I'll let it slide then, but you better not test your luck" He gave Gin a threatening look.
"Oh, how terrifying... You know I wouldn't dare to mess with your Queen" Gin lied mockingly, as he had been bothering her at first, and he definitely was now with that scornful tone of his.
"Ichi, can you kick his ass?" Nel gave him permission.
"I was wondering when were you going to ask..."
"No, wait! I was just joking, really!" He moved his hands from side to side nervously.
"Too late for that" Ichigo did a smirk.
"Satya...! Bryssling...! C'mon guys, say something! You know I wouldn't...!"
"Actually, you love teasing everyone, so it's to be expected that you would fuck up eventually" Bryssling replied.
"Aum, you brought this upon yourself, Ichimaru-dono" Satya agreed.
"Well, it seems everyone's awake..." Ichigo gave a look at the group of weaker Hollows, who were all looking at the scene awkwardly. "...So I'll give you a chance to escape. If you get to Las Noches before I get you and kick your ass, you're free. How's that? Damn, sometimes I'm amazed by how benevolent I've become as a king..."
"Las Noches is...?"
"Straight north from the forest. How about I give you ten seconds?"
"Thirty?"
"Fifteen. Take it or leave it"
"Ah, shit"
Gin's smirk became a nervous smile as he started running.
"What are you waiting for? You are coming too. If you take too long I won't feel sorry to hurt you either" Ichigo said to the Hollows of the cave, who immediately followed after their leader.
"Are you sure they won't get lost?" Nel asked him. "I can see the fear in their eyes"
"Nah, and if they do, I'll find them. Let's get moving"
"Okay" The three Arrancar nodded.
~~~~X~~~~
And so, the missing links are found and now head towards Las Noches. This Chapter turned out to be longer than I expected, but here we are. Lots of feels in this one!
Reviews:
Antex-The legendary Zoroark: Hm! Fascinating. To be honest, I have no idea what to think of this specific chapter. I will admit though that I wasn't expecting Neliel to have such a "dark and bloody" past! Then again, Hueco Mundo is THE realm of Hollows. And even someone as "human" as Neliel couldn't have always been that way. It would explain things though on why she abhorred violence along with Nnoitora's view on battle. Those things must've reminded her of her "bad blood".
What'll happen next? I'm quite sure that Ichigo and Neliel will most definitely have a LOOONG talk, but how will it affect their future(s) together? Will they drift apart? Forgive and (eventually) forget? Or worse than that? I must say that the answer that awaits next chapter is killing me! I MUST KNOW MORE!
Reply: First time getting this reaction from you, which means I'm doing well. I wanted to explain Nel's development into what we know today as well as justify how a Hollow like her could have an aspect of death like Betrayal.
In the end though, for the way in which I built their relationship and character, it would be very hard to believe a rupture could occur for something like this, especially at this point. We all know how Ichigo is, and while it certainly isn't easy to withstand lies, he is easily capable of forgiving friends, and most certainly his Whole. More than forgetting, I'd say Ichigo wants Nel to truly overcome her past, and said thing is important if she wants to keep growing further as an Arrancar as well.
le-maru: Couldn't they turn her into a hollow first? Her hollow brother was able to knock her soul out of her body, wasn't he? Just yank the chain connecting her to it until it pops out. Or do what Urahara did to Ichigo. Or I guess Ichigo and Ulquiorra might think that would be too painful to want to put her through it? It's her choice though... maybe Ulquiorra - who is smart enough to think of the possibility - is being both selfish and unselfish. He doesn't want to hurt her, even for his own benefit. But that's selfish because that choice is born out of his own feelings instead of taking hers into consideration. Or maybe he was just caught by surprise so suddenly he won't think of such options until later.
Reply: At the time yes, Ichigo was too shocked to think of other ways, though of course, he and Ulquiorra would be against any ways that meant pain or stress to her. There is always a better way to do something, and Ichigo is gonna keep learning about his power to find a solution. Ulquiorra is not perfect, and even after everything he's learned, a whole life lacking emotion and empathy is hard to leave behind, but he's doing his best to understand others and especially Orihime, so his selfish and unselfish desires would be 50/50.
See you all next chapter, where we're getting back into the Demon business.
Evhron out.