Hello everyone, we are here with the third part. For those who asked in the past I said the first chapter would be up in January and here we are. I'll try to update once a week on Mondays but right now I'm finishing up exam season but around February my schedule will clear up. For some reason I couldn't find a lot of inspiration for this part but I kicked my way through it and here we are. Also, you may notice a change in the writing style from the last part that's just natural so hopefully its not too noticeable. Read on and enjoy!
X
Ichigo swung his bag back and forth as he idly listened to Orihime talk about her latest recipe it sounded of dubious quality but Tatsuki had tried it and was still alive so Ichigo was certain at the very least it wasn't deadly; most of Orihime's recipes if given the chance weren't that bad, they just weren't great. Uryū looked slightly nauseous at the list of ingredients Orihime was still rattling off and Ichigo grinned as he bumped his shoulder against his cousin's with a teasing grin. Uryu rolled his eyes with a scoff but he was grinning too. Chad beside Ichigo tilted his head and Ichigo caught the movement out of the corner of his eye as he flashed his friend a grin. It felt better, easier; normal
It still felt strange to go back to normal. To go to class, patrol the streets, help his sisters with their homework. It felt like only a few days since they had all filed through the shoji doors Rukia waving at them and the badge Ukitake-taicho had given him burning a hole through his pocket because he knew he wasn't going to use it.
He wasn't sure what he had expected coming back to be like. Ichigo hadn't really expected how normal everything was, it was like coming back after summer break, except over summer break he invaded a military society and fought a bunch of people, oh and it was only two weeks long, but he knew it wasn't over and yet was still expected to act like a teenager, like nothing was wrong.
No one had told him that but Ichigo gathered it was kind of expected like he acted like nothing had happened.
But something had happened and Ichigo couldn't ignore it.
He couldn't shake off the strange sense of waiting. Waiting for Aizen or Soul Society to make a move and here he was going through the daily motions of life, it was like the cold war from the sixties each side waiting for the other to make a move. Except, Ichigo wasn't involved enough to know what was going on and was just waiting for the fall out.
He couldn't stop the way his dreams kept changing at night to the throb of pain, the flash of a knowing smile that was all too promising. Couldn't help but watch his phone waiting for something from Kisuke or Ashido or anyone to tell him to do something. Ichigo kind of hated waiting.
Uryu sighed beside him arms crossed over his chest and Ichigo shook himself out of his head and glanced at his cousin; it was hard to get a read on him sometimes but Ichigo knew him. Bumping his shoulder gently against Uryu's he asked gently, "Your father still being a prick?"
"When isn't he," Uryu responded with a scoff and a knowing tilt of his head before he continued, "He won't answer any of my questions and when I told him about Soul Society, he got angry at me for fraternizing or something."
"You told him about Kurotsuchi?"
"Yeah, he didn't seem to care."
"Kami he's such a bastard, well if you need a place to stay four eyes there's always a spare cot."
Ichigo offered with a grin resting his hand for a long moment on Uryu's shoulder as he stared into his icy blue eyes. Ichigo knew that his dad was a Shinigami, his spirit was almost entirely visible but Ichigo was ignoring it, and ignoring all the lies. God, if Kisuke hadn't trained him Ichigo would have been so ignorant and the girls could have been hurt, he didn't want to imagine how it could have gone.
"Thanks, I don't think I could deal with Isshin for that long though."
"I barely tolerate him, it's only through Yuzu's cooking that I make it."
"She is talented."
Uryu agreed and Ichigo nodded before he pulled back slightly to stand next to Chad, who raised a brow. Ichigo nodded and pressed close for a moment basking in the familiar feel of Chad's reaitsu, hollow in nature, recently he had been training with some new people but Ichigo hadn't met them yet.
Suddenly, Uryu stuttered to a halt in front of Ichigo and he bumped into him with a huff before Uryu asked, "Do you feel it?"
Ichigo tilted his head and spread his reaitsu out as far as he could reach and found the Hollow Uryu was speaking about, it wasn't high enough to be of much concern to four of them but it was definitely dangerous. He nodded and instantly Orihime and Tatsuki were still as Chad beside Ichigo pressed a frown into his features.
What had happened to the teenagers before Soul Society? The ones in front of him were somehow inexplicably different. Was he different too? A stranger?
"Last one there is a rotten egg."
Ichigo challenged with a grin he didn't really feel as he materialized Zangetsu and disappeared in a burst of shunpo to appear a few feet away under the shade of an oak tree. Tatsuki frowned and yelled, "That's not fair and you know it Ichigo."
He stuck out his tongue at his Tatsuki even as Uryu beside her scrunched up his face in annoyance, Ichigo winked at Chad before he turned and shot forward in another burst of shunpo. Ichigo could feel the others behind him as he darted over the roofs of Karakura with sure footing remembering a hundred patrols and games of tag with Yoruichi.
The Hollow was in a small parkette with a sad swing set and the dying grass of autumn golden beneath his feet as he touched down. Ichigo leaned against a tree and watched for a moment as the Hollow lumbered around searching for a victim, there were no other souls in the area so it would be searching for a while.
Orihime popped into existence beside Ichigo a moment later sweeping her hair over her shoulder with a giggle as her fingers hovered over her clips. He glanced at Orihime, took in the determination etched into her features and felt her reaitsu like sunlight against his skin.
"How did you beat Tatsuki?"
Never mind Uryu who prided himself on being faster at the Quincy version of shunpo than Ichigo.
Ichigo asked as he glanced at Orihime, she grinned up at him and replied. "Trade secret."
"You've been spending time with Yoruichi, haven't you?"
He asked with a raised brow; they had all been training extra lately. Orihime blushed and her hands fluttered in front of her chest for a moment as she shook her head before she sighed and nodded as she replied, "I don't want to drag you down Kurosaki. I was practically useless in Soul Society."
"That's not true, without your medical skills I probably wouldn't be able to walk."
Orihime looked doubtful but then Uryu and Tatsuki appeared with a burst of reaitsu and Ichigo supposed the conversation was finished for now. It was true though, Ichigo could heal things but Orihime could reverse the damage so it had never happened, that was levels above what Ichigo could do. Tatsuki crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at the Hollow and stated, "I swear they keep getting uglier."
"And bigger."
Uryu added as he materialized his bow with the sharp hum of something like electricity humming through the air. Chad was the last to appear and when Ichigo grinned at him he rolled his eyes which was answer enough. Ichigo tilted his head with a half grin and said, "Well let's finish this quickly, Yuzu's cooking dinner tonight."
"I see you have your priorities in order Ichigo."
Uryu commented with a roll of his eyes, Ichigo shook his head because Yuzu's food was amazing and anyone who said otherwise was just delusional. Also, Uryu was just arguing for the sake of arguing because he loved Yuzu's food even if he wouldn't admit it just to be stubborn. With a burst of reaitsu, Ichigo appeared in front of the Hollow and called out, "Oi ugly come here often?"
The Hollow stared at Ichigo with beady yellow eyes before it roared and lumbered forward swinging one large fist. Ichigo ducked out of the way as Uryu fired an arrow and it lodged itself in the Hollow's arm, it roared and swung at Ichigo again. Ichigo brought Zangetsu in front of his chest and the Hollow's arm cut into the blade with a spray of blood as Ichigo deepened his stance and Tatsuki appeared from behind.
Before Tatsuki could drive her heel through the Hollow's mask it whipped around and lashed out. Tatsuki cried out as she was flung into a tree with a loud crack and Orihime rushed to her side her hair pins already glowing like a halo around her head.
Chad appeared from behind with a roar and a burst of crimson reaitsu that cleaved through the Hollow's arm as Ichigo struggled against the Hollow Zangetsu shaking in his hands.
Something angry bubbled up in Ichigo's chest as he stared at Tatsuki with pressed lips and he glanced back at the Hollow who was charging Chad, a roar like a dying animal pierced the night. The anger was burning him up, building and building, like a rubber band pulled back waiting to snap. It felt wrong; like the anger wasn't even his.
Ichigo lifted Zangetsu and right as the Hollow was about to plow into Chad, who caught Ichigo's eye once in understanding, he jumped into the air and dragged Zangetsu down through the Hollow's mask in one quick motion. He landed on the squishy glass and glanced at Chad who had his arm aimed to fire if the Hollow hadn't changed its course. There was a surprised look rushing over Chad's face, wide eyes and concern.
"Kurosaki what's on your face?"
Uryu asked and Ichigo reached up with one hand to touch his face. Something cold and smooth met his fingers and Ichigo flinched back confused as he glanced at Zangetsu's blade which was pulsing with crimson reaitsu. He could still feel that anger burning him up as he glanced into the blade and watched the white shell-like substance that was clinging to his face crack and fade away.
"I don't know."
Ichigo said with a frown rubbing his hands over his arms as he dematerialized Zangetsu and poked at his spirit.
"Zangetsu?"
Except he did have an idea he just wasn't sure he wanted it to be confirmed or what it even meant if he was right. He felt it when his spirit's attention was rustled from whatever it was his spirit did when he wasn't talking to Ichigo.
"What was that?"
"I don't know."
Zangetsu's voice warbled through his head, dual-toned and familiar. Ichigo couldn't say what it was but something about the statement rang false and that scared him more than anything else because his spirit had promised to never lie to him. He would figure it out later.
"Something's wrong."
He thought at Zangetsu and the spirit rustled back something in agreement which did little to settle his nerves.
Ichigo glanced up from his hands and over at Tatsuki who was leaning against a tree with Orihime's shield around her, she looked pale but otherwise okay. Regardless, he trotted forward, because between him and Orihime he had more medical knowledge, and asked, "You okay Tatsuki?"
"M'fine, just sick and tired of Aizen's weird modifications."
"It is annoying."
Uryu added as he crossed his arms over his chest standing on the outskirts of their little group staring at the parkette as if he expected a cluster of Hollows to appear. It had happened before and since Soul Society none of them were really good at letting their guard down.
"This one wasn't too bad, remember the one with spikes?"
Ichigo added with a gentle grin as he observed Tatsuki who was already looking better no sign of concussion which was good. Orihime nodded bouncing on her feet as she added, "Or what about the one with that weird sticky substance."
"You mean the spider-webs?"
Tatsuki questioned with a grin as Orihime nodded and clapped her hands together a metaphorical lightbulb turning on over her head. Ichigo grinned but it couldn't hide the unease stirring in his chest. There had been a string of strange Hollow lately, one after the other sometimes in droves and Ichigo got the feeling they were testing the waters, testing them. He didn't need to speak to Kisuke to know that Aizen had sent them.
Rolling his shoulders back Ichigo glanced at the sky where the sun was beginning to drip towards the horizon and stated, "Come on we should start heading home I know Chad and Orihime are on patrol tonight and I need to speak to the Vizard."
Everyone nodded in agreement as Uryu rolled his eyes and muttered about sewing while Tatsuki brushed her shoulder against Chad's and asked about his band.
"Is everything okay Ichigo?"
Orihime asked setting a gentle hand on his arm as the others dematerialized their weapons and Orihime's golden shield disappeared leaving only the hanging darkness of the early evening. He nodded and tried to flash her a reassuring grin but he could tell it fell a bit flat when she pinned him with a doubtful stare but let it go.
The truth was Ichigo wasn't certain if everything was okay and all he could see were the fragments of white like a shell clinging to his face.
X
Going to the warehouse was always like going home. Don't get him wrong the Kurosaki Clinic was home, it was where his sisters were, where he had grown up but it wasn't where he had spent most of his early adolescence and there was something about the place that was just easy, there weren't any expectations from his sisters or his dad because let's be honest he basically raised his sisters, he wasn't forced to train if he didn't want to constantly being instructed by Benihime, and the other spirits were pretty chill nowadays.
Ichigo slipped through the kido barrier, Hachi's kido sliding over his skin like a familiar embrace as Ichigo shoved the doors to the warehouse open. They squealed in protest but otherwise moved aside easily as Ichigo shut them behind him with a clang.
The place hadn't changed at all since Ichigo was a kid, they still had the same lumpy off-white couches and the big armchair, the tv still worked somehow and Love had refused to take down the posters plastered over the wall no matter how many times Lisa insulted them.
Shinji was sprawled over the couch, limbs too long and flung haphazardly watching the tv, which was playing infomercials even though it was still early in the evening. Ichigo glanced around the warehouse but he couldn't see any of the others he peered suspiciously at the rafters but couldn't see Hiyori so he presumed it was safe enough.
Ichigo settled onto the couch beside Shinji with a thump that sent Shinji sprawling towards the floor. He caught himself at the last moment and pinned Ichigo with a narrowed glare from behind the curtain of his hair as he settled his legs over Ichigo's and said, "What's up kiddo?"
The words were there, right at the tip of his tongue but Ichigo pushed them down as he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. He could see Sakande out of the corner of his eye curled up in the chair, bandages floating ethereally around her as one golden eye peeled open to stare at him.
"Nothing much, we fought a Hollow today."
"Is that what that was?"
Shinji asked with a grin all insinuation, Ichigo rolled his eyes and replied, "I hardly used my reaitsu, I don't know what you're talking about. How are you?"
"Things have been pretty boring since the others left."
Shinji said draping his head dramatically over the back of the couch to stare at Ichigo with his not-quite gold eyes, his voice sounded nonchalant but Ichigo could detect a whole slew of emotions hiding beneath the simple words. Ichigo nodded and ran his fingers over the material of the couch as the infomercial about a four in one juicer playing in the background, just being for a moment.
"How have they been settling in?"
"Lisa's just happy to be serving under Kyroraku-taicho again which I can't blame her for, even if I don't understand why she likes the dude with how much she yells at him. Rose and Love are enjoying the Fifth and the Third, and Kensei's taken over the Ninth with Mashiro. They seem to be settling in well, Lisa's only called to complain twice a week."
"Only twice a week, that's not too bad."
Shinji grinned at Ichigo and then a comfortable silence descended broken only by the hum of the generators and the stupid infomercial voice. Ichigo stared at Sakande who blinked slowly once at Ichigo before curling back into a cat-shaped ball.
"It's lonely isn't it?"
Ichigo asked as he tucked his knees to his chest, thought of the caves and Ashido. Shinji glanced at Ichigo for a long moment before he looked away at the posters decorating the walls, the turntable tucked into the corner and said, "I'm not really certain what to do without them, knew I couldn't go back yet still had to look after ya, but with just Hachi and Hiyori it's… different."
"Do you resent the fact they left?"
Ichigo asked and with a tug of reaitsu Zangetsu materialized on the end of the couch, staring at Ichigo with narrowed eyes that seemed to glow in the half-light. Shinji shook his head, his hair shifting like stalks of wheat in the sunlight with the motion as he replied, "Nah, it's what we all wanted ya know… well maybe a little bit. Guess just that it was easier for them. But we're not here for a therapy session, what's on your mind Ichigo?"
"Too much."
Ichigo replied melodramatically and grinned at Shinji when he rolled his eyes and replied, "Alright angsty brat don't talk to me we can just sit and watch infomercials all night,"
He grimaced and crossed his arms over his chest as he stared resolutely at the tv for a long moment before he said, "I guess its just Aizen and everything." And it was sort of true.
"There's more than that."
Shinji bumped his shoulder against Ichigo's and the words were there again pressed onto his tongue and when he glanced at Zangetsu he nodded in encouragement. Ichigo shrugged and glanced at the wall as he replied, "I think I summoned a Hollow mask today."
Silence reigned for a long moment, long enough that concern started to filter through his veins as Ichigo glanced away from the wall and at Shinji. Did this change things? Was this normal? What did it mean? The Vizard was frowning, the expression casting his eyes in shadow and pull his lips into thin lines and Ichigo couldn't tell how he felt about it.
"Did you summon it on purpose? Cause I thought your powers didn't cover that."
"That's what I thought!"
Ichigo responded the words torn out of his mouth as he settled back against the couch and picked at the threads of his sweater. Shinji raised an eyebrow at him and bumped his shoulder against Ichigo's as he asked, "So what happened?"
"The Hollow threw Tatsuki into a tree and I just got so angry, I felt like I was going to lose control."
"You sure that's not you know just hormones?"
Shinji asked with a raised brow and Ichigo glared at the Vizard until he raised his hands in front of his chest and continued, "I'm just saying that sounds hormones to me."
"But I summoned a mask or at least part of one."
"And you saw it?"
Shinji asked and Ichigo nodded glancing at Zangetsu who was frowning his one golden eye seemed to glow unnaturally bright in the dim lighting of the warehouse. He just wanted Shinji to listen to him and maybe offer dubious advice. Shinji rubbed a hand over his face and asked, "Have you talked to Kisuke about it yet? Or your zanpaktou?"
Ichigo shook his head and replied, "Zangetsu doesn't know either."
"Have you done anything different lately?"
Shinji asked staring at the grainy infomercial on the tv, one about a vacuum it cast strange shadows over the floor and the plains of Shinji's face in the deepening twilight. Ichigo shook his and replied, "No everything's been normal since we got back except for some of the Hollows we fought which were modified."
"But that's not anything new."
"Exactly."
Ichigo responded in frustration. He had tried in the past to summon a Hollow mask, it had seemed a natural part of his powers, but no matter what he had done nothing had happened. Uryu thought it was because he had activated his Quincy powers before his Hollow powers and they didn't work well together like fire and ice, Hachi said it probably meant the Hollow aspect of his powers weren't that strong or couldn't manifest because of the balance of his powers. Ichigo had given up on it and instead focused on Shikai. And now here it was.
He didn't like how suddenly it had manifested. Or how it was manifesting now in particular.
Suddenly, a jolly tune broke through the heavy silence and Ichigo rummaged through his pockets before he pulled out his cellphone. It was the same one he had brought to Soul Society and Kisuke had insisted on fixing the dents but it worked well enough so Ichigo didn't care.
"Hello?"
Ichigo called out as he flipped the phone open, the Chappy key chain Rukia had given him dangling from the end.
"Kurosaki-kun something's wrong. These Hollows have attacked the park near my house but they are way stronger than other Hollows I think they might be Aizen's."
"Are you there right now Orihime?"
Ichigo asked as he rose to his feet and tried to think of what the Hollows could possibly be, tried to calm his breathing and think. Shinji stared at Ichigo with narrowed eyes as Orihime's voice traveled through the phone, "Yes, I'm trying to prevent any casualties, there's two of them, I don't think I'll be able to handle them on my own."
"I'll be right over can you call Kisuke? Stay safe."
Ichigo asked and Orihime hummed in affirmative as he flipped the phone shut.
"What's going on?"
Shinji asked as Ichigo started walking towards the warehouse doors. Ichigo glanced over his shoulder at Shinji, sitting alone in the half-baked darkness with an infomercial flashing over his face and replied, "Two powerful Hollows wanna stretch your legs?"
"Sure, why not."
Shinji replied with a grin and rose to his feet. Ichigo smiled back and opened the doors to the warehouse evening had set with a chill and Ichigo couldn't muffle a frown as he stared out at the slowly deepening darkness. It would be fine.
X
The park was quiet, disturbingly quiet, even for the evening as Ichigo and Shinji popped into existence with a final burst of reaitsu. Ichigo's eyes observed the park carefully, every part of him on high alert as he noticed the bodies on the ground. He couldn't tell if they were dead from the distance but he suspected and hoped they were alive.
"What happened, never seen a hollow do damage like this."
Shinji muttered as Ichigo casts his reaitsu out in a wide net, he could feel Orihime, familiar and warm, like a greenhouse or the first breath of spring, but nearby were two presences all-consuming like a black hole, like the infinite darkness of space. Ichigo muffled a shiver and materialized Zangetsu as he started to walk forward and called over his shoulder, "This way."
They walked quietly through the park for a long moment before they reached a small clearing. Ichigo could see Orihime standing defensively in front of a young woman her shield was cracked and nearly gone and Ichigo could see the way her arms were shaking. In front of her were two Hollows that were very human shaped, one was large, a giant, with dark skin, a white coat and a matching set of pants and a large sword. The other was thin with lanky black hair, teal underneath his eyes and a similar white outfit.
He was also familiar. Very familiar.
Ichigo stumbled back a few steps as he recognized the hollow, the scent of dust and desert seemed to fill his nose as he recalled endless white all around him, swallowing him, crushing him, and he couldn't escape. All Ichigo could feel was the helplessness, the wall closing in on him and all these adults with power trying to control him.
Had anything changed?
"Ichigo."
Shinji said his name softly, hand warm on his arm as he stared at the two Espada with narrowed eyes. They had to be Espada, Ichigo remembered the smaller one from Los Noches, he had been powerful then but now it seemed with the aid of the Hogyoku his powers had grown even more. From what he could gather they were near the power level of the Captains in Soul Society.
"I'm fine."
Ichigo assured Shinji, who looked dubious, and with a nod and a burst of reaitsu he appeared in front of Orihime, Zangetsu in his hands clashing against the blade of the larger Hollow. Orihime's surprise and relief was tangible behind Ichigo as the larger Hollow raised a brow and questioned, "Who's this?"
"Ichigo Kurosaki."
He introduced himself as Shinji appeared beside him in a burst of shunpo with a roll of his eyes in Ichigo's direction. He barely noticed as he watched the smaller Hollow… Ulquiorra, that was his name, who was studying Ichigo with narrowed eyes something like recognition there.
"Our orders are not to engage, just surveillance Yammy."
Ulquiorra intoned in an apathetic voice staring at Ichigo with wide blue eyes. Yammy, the larger Hollow, grunted and said, "Don't care finally something exciting's happening."
Before Ichigo could prepare Yammy brought his blade back and down towards Ichigo. He readjusted his grip on Zangetsu as their blades clashed with a shower of sparks and a deafening screech sending Ichigo sliding back a few feet near where Orihime was hovering over an unconscious human.
Ulquiorra made a displeased face, though it was hard to tell, and unsheathed his own sword, his reaitsu was heavy, settling on Ichigo's shoulders like sand piling and piling on top burying him. Shinji stepped forward Sakande glinting in the half-light of the evening eyes narrowed and a dark shadow of the Captain he had once been and all the more dangerous for it. Yammy grunted staring at Ichigo like he was a bug as he brought his blade back and suddenly launched into offense.
Ichigo cursed under his breath as Zangetsu weaved in his hands blocking the heavy strikes of the large Hollow, each strike shook through his arms to the marrow of his bones like when he had battled Kenpachi and Ichigo couldn't hold his ground as he panted for breath and darted back a few steps.
"Ichigo switch."
Shinji called out and when Ichigo glanced at him he had his mask pulled over his face curls of dark crimson reaitsu seemed to wreathe Shinji, drifting from him in thin tendrils. Ichigo nodded and didn't question it as he darted to the left in a burst of shunpo as Shinji appeared in front of Yammy.
Ulquiorra stared at Ichigo in silence for a long moment, eyes dark as he stated quietly, "I recognize you, Ichigo Kurosaki. Do you recognize me?"
"Yes."
Ichigo replied with a frown the memories of Los Noches even after all these years still weighed heavily on him even blurry with panic and fear. It had seemed easy to deal with while things were happening but it was hard for him to accept how utterly out of his depth he had been, how close he had been to falling into Aizen's hands, to never coming home.
The Espada nodded and swung his blade out to the side, sending the air curling in large gusts as reaitsu saturated the air and the Hollow disappeared in a burst of Sonido. Ichigo cursed and centered himself as he brought Zangetsu up to block. Ulquiorra wasn't as strong physically as Yammy, but he was fast and Ichigo could barely keep up as he blocked an overhead strike, darted to the side and tried to attack Ulquiorra's weak spots only to be intercepted again and again.
"It is useless, surrender."
Ulquiorra stated again in that monotone voice and Ichigo was really starting to wish the guy would show some kind of emotion. Shaking his head, Ichigo drew on his reaitsu and whispered, "Tear the heavens asunder Zangetsu."
The blade in his hands split into the familiar dual blades of his Shikai and the Espada raised a brow at Ichigo, the first actual sort of emotion Ichigo had seen. He wondered if it was a bad idea to show his Shikai to one of Aizen's soldiers, but Ichigo had used his Shikai against Byakuya and the chance of Aizen having not seen that was close to zero. He needed to prevent Ulquiorra and Yammy from harming anymore of the souls. Besides that, it was dangerous to fight the Espada without it.
Suddenly Ulquiorra was in front of him, his blade clashing against Zangetsu's larger blade. Ichigo crossed the smaller trench knife behind the large blade to reinforce it as he stared into Ulquiorra's eyes the scent of the desert seemed to linger heavily in the air.
Reaitsu crackled through the air and Ichigo cursed and sprung back as Ulquiorra released a cero, it was a deep cyan and it crackled through the air towards Ichigo. He snapped Zangetsu's blades in front of his chest and with a tug released a Getsuga Tensho. The black reaitsu hurtled through the air bisecting the cero and crashing towards Ulquiorra.
The Espada batted it aside with a swing of his blade and suddenly he was in Ichigo's space. Zangetsu's larger blade snapped up as he drove the trench knife towards the Hollow's side. Ulquiorra disappeared in a burst of reaitsu and Ichigo whirled around a second too late as Ulquiorra landed a kick to Ichigo's solar plexus sending him flying backwards.
Ichigo gasped for breath as he crashed into a tree and struggled weakly to his feet something itching in his chest as he snapped around and Zangetsu skidded against Ulquiorra's blade. The blade skittered down the length of Zangetsu's large blade as Ichigo began the incantation for a kiddo his heels digging into the soft earth as he struggled against Ulquiorra.
Suddenly, the Espada reversed his blade and disappeared in a burst of Sonido. Ichigo couldn't see him, he was too fast. Fuck. Ichigo took a breath and listened, he whirled around at the last second, one too late as he deflected Ulquiorra's blade away from his chest and into his shoulder. Ichigo cried out as the blood trickled from the blade and Ulquiorra drove the blade in deeper with a blank face like he was a kid killing frogs.
Ichigo shot back roughly in a burst of shunpo and he could hear Shinji call out, "Kid you okay?"
"Fine, I'll be fine."
Ichigo called out gasping for breath as the wound throbbed and hot blood trickled down his shoulders. Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes and Ichigo could just imagine the guy saying a witty one-liner but he was silent and grave. He disappeared in a burst of reaitsu and Ichigo cursed and raised Zangetsu's blade.
"Careful Ichigo, his strength far outmatches what we have right now."
Zangetsu's voice rippled through his mind as Ichigo's breathing filled his space, Ichigo nodded and replied, "I know; besides I can't pull out all the stops here, not if we don't want to level Karakura."
A twitch and Ichigo whirled around. Too late again. Ulquiorra's foot collided with Ichigo chest and sent him sprawling backwards into the dirt. Ichigo dragged to a stop and shouldered his way to his feet eyes darting around the area searching for Ulquiorra.
He heard the hum of Sonido before he saw the Espada. Ichigo gathered his reaitsu as it arced around his dual blades and he shot forward and collided with Ulquiorra before he could catch him unawares once more. Their blades strained against each other for a long moment before Ichigo grinned, blood from a cut heavy on his tongue as he released the Getsuga. The ebony reaitsu slammed from his blades and forced Ulquiorra back only a few steps before the reaitsu was dispersed. Ichigo's chest sunk but he couldn't fail as he rose Zangetsu once more.
"Ma I think it's time you two went back home."
A voice stated suddenly halting the sounds of fighting. Ichigo's heart did a happy little somersault as he glanced over to where Orihime was, Kisuke, Tessai, Ashido, and Hiyori were gathered together staring at them with narrowed eyes.
Ulquiorra frowned the expression miniscule on his blank face as he retreated from Ichigo and stated, "Yammy now."
Yammy was apparently missing an arm, cool. The larger Hollow frowned and sulked towards Ulquiorra glaring at Shinji who was grinning bloodthirstily and Ichigo could see the gold of his eyes even from that distance. Ulquiorra ripped a Garganta into the night sky and with a last glance at Ichigo they were gone.
Ichigo slumped and took a shaky breath as he summoned from the pool of his reserves and started a healing kido. The sound of geisha on grass appeared and Ichigo glanced up at Kisuke who had a troubled expression, eyes dark as he observed the park.
"Come on let's get you home Ichigo. I suspect we should get our rest while we can."
X
Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, we're going to be exploring more of this arc soon and a lot of stuff is going to happen very quickly. I don't know yet if I'm going to include the Quincy arc in this part but we'll see. Reviews/comments are always appreciated till next time!