Hey peeps! Jermaine here again! Have at another chapter of [Memoirs]! Enjoy!
Ship of reviews!
MyMad-Robotdoctor: it's a great username! Glad you enjoyed it! It's because people enjoy my work that I continue writing! Ywach plays a major part in Ichigo's story but not the DxD story. Bambi is important laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaater on. Sorry for the wait but here is the next chapter!
Cg037: Thanks mate! Here is the next chapter!
Gearhead2177: Dude. Thanks. You're awesome. Enough said.
Guest: Ooooooooooooooooh. Tough choice, but Ichi is with his waifu my OC Ana haha
Previously on Memoirs…
Ywach froze on his throne. Since he had awoken, he had placed in motion his plan of exacting his revenge on the Shinigami and Soul Society. His plan had been thrown into disarray when Ichigo went missing, with nothing coming from the Transcendent Shinigami in 1000 years. But now, he had reappeared. And it seems that he had become much more powerful than anything Ywach had in his army. Not even his other half was that strong. Not even he was that strong. He watched silently as his Quincy soldier was literally crushed by the sheer force if Ichigo's spiritual pressure. Grinning, he began to chuckle.
"Hachwalth, bring Miss Basterbine. I need her for an important mission." The Quincy King turned to his other half, who nodded and walked off.
"She will bring Ichigo, my lost son, to me. I will use her to control him, and kill her if he disobeys me. He has a new born tendency for killing, so I'm sure he will fall for her." He laughed again. His laughter echoing through the hall of Stilbern.
"COME TO ME! MY SON! BORN IN THE DARKNESS!"
Chapter 3:
She ran through the halls of the palace. Blood was dripping from her busted arm and from a nasty cut on her forehead just above her left eye. She coughed and felt blood dribble past her lips. Looking up, she narrowly dodged the sleek black daito of her attacker. Spinning, she lashed out with her foot, but drew it back quickly as something in the back of her head screamed at her.
Good thing she did.
Just after she brought her foot back, the black daito screamed through the space her leg had just been, and if it had been extended, then the blade would have cut through skin and bone, and then she really would have been fucked.
She had believed this would have been a simple recruitment mission based on what Her Majesty Ywach had told her. It really shouldn't have resulted in her running for her life from the person she was supposed to be recruiting.
"FUCK!" She dropped to her knees as a lightning fast green cero almost took her head off. "Stop aiming for the head! Jesus Christ! Is that too much to ask for?!"
"Quiet…we're trying to kill you."
"Oy Ulqiuorra, she has a point though…you have been aiming at her head for the past 15 minutes…I'm surprised that she's managed to last this long."
"Very well. I shall stop aiming for her head. But it's easier for me to hit the body than the head. I like to challenge myself."
"FUCK YOU! CHALLENGE YOURSELF BY SEEING HOW LONG YOU CAN HOLD YOUR BREATH UNDERWATER! WITHOUT SURFACING!"
"Hey! That's not very nice! I'm agreeing with you here! Why don't you just come out here? Let's talk this over like civilized people." Bambietta growled and tried to run again, but a sigh and something really hard made her stop. She looked up to find herself looking into the face of Kurosaki Ichigo, his blood red eyes screaming painful death. She gulped, and tried to quickly retrace her steps to see if there was any way she could escape.
~Flashback – 3 days ago~
"Bambietta, I have called you here for a mission, you have no right to refuse. Completion shall see you reap rewards of the highest caliber, failure shall result in you becoming a stepping stone on the path for peace. Do you understand?"
The woman knelt before her King, her head bent in respect.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand. Thank you for selecting me for this mission. I shall complete it without failure. I swear it."
"I thank you. The objective of this mission is recruitment. The target is a person considered to be a Special War Potential, one who has been missing for the past thousand years. His re-appearance signals the coming of the time we march for peace." Ywach stood, and walked down from his throne, an act he never usually did, and placed his hand on the woman's shoulder, to which she shivered from the touch. "Your target is Kurosaki Ichigo, the current Shinigami Daiko, and the King of Hell. We do not know the scope of his powers, but we expect him to be as strong, or perhaps stronger, than me with my eyes closed. His current location is Kyoto, living in the Palace of Yasaka, the Leader of the Kyoto Yokai Faction. Use whatever means necessary to obtain his allegiance, then bring him to me for re-education. I shall handle that personally. You will have no back-up, as I will be looking for a suitable replacement for Sternritter T, there was a young woman who control lightning quite proficiently amongst the Soldat, perhaps she may make good use of it as a Sternritter. Now, gather what equipment you need, everything is at your disposal for this mission. Prepare yourself well, for Kurosaki Ichigo seems to be quite adept at killing in this lifetime, and has no qualms to do so without hesitation. Now go. I wish you luck, young Bambietta."
"I thank you! Your Majesty! I shall now take my leave!" Bambietta stood and rushed out of the Throne Room, eyes set hard at figuring out a suitable strategy for recruiting such a powerful person. As soon as the door closed, Ywach returned to his throne, where he dropped into it and let out a weary sigh as he rested his head on his left hand.
"Your Majesty."
"Haschwalth, how are the Sternritter responding to the death of the Torture?"
"They all want revenge. Bringing Kurosaki Ichigo to us may result in unwanted violence, and many unnecessary deaths amongst the Elite."
"Yes, but with The King of Hell on our side, the war against the Shinigami will be simple and easy. He has power enough to overcome the Old Captain Commander with a flick of his wrist. And if I do fall, then he will be a suitable replacement for me."
"I understand the boons of having him join us, but that leads me to my other question. Why Basterbine? She's young and a recent addition to the Sternritter. Wouldn't it be a better idea to send someone who has more experience in recruitment? I would have volunteered to go myself for someone of this importance."
"The reason I sent young Bambietta was for that exact reason. She is young, she is sexually active, and she has an attractive figure. Sending her to lure in Kurosaki Ichigo was the most logical idea. If she manages to seduce the King, then it would be easy to control him through threat of her death. If she manages to bear a child of his, then the threat of his child's death would be logical, and he shall be our dog of war. I make these choices based on what I've seen in the little time I can open my eyes, Haschwalth."
"And what have you seen for young Basterbine?"
"Death."
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The Gate of the Sun opened to reveal the bright skies of Kyoto, and Bambietta breathed in a lungful of clean, crisp morning air. Letting out a content sigh, she slung her gear over her shoulder and made for her safe house, which was conveniently located near the Yokai palace. Looking around, she took in the happy faces of the Japanese population as they begun their morning rituals. Little cafes had already opened to begin serving the early risers, and the smell of fresh bread reached her nostrils. Shaking her head, she kept moving when she had stopped to stare into a window of a bakery, her mouth watering at the sight of freshly backed bread.
She looked down at the map she had in her hand, looked around for the street names, and kept moving, her mind wandering as she went. It wasn't even 10 minutes before she reached her destination, a two-story house located in the middle of the street.
'Good place for a confrontation. If he reacts violently, then I can use collateral damage as a way to calm him down and listen to me.' She nodded, set her bags down and rummaged through it for her keys, and quickly moved inside. She cursed loudly as a gust of wind almost revealed her lower half to the world. 'I fucking hate dresses.'
She had to dress for the occasion, meaning ditching her usual skirt and button up vest for a knee length white dress and a black leather jacket over it. She wore a wide brimmed hat on her head and black knee-high boots. Looking around to see if anyone caught a glimpse, she was happy to see that there was no one around, and quickly entered the house. What she didn't see, however, was the pale figure standing around the corner from her house, hands in pockets, and a helmet on her head.
The figure pulled out a phone, dialed a number and held it to his ear. "There is one Quincy in the safe house we discovered. My guess is that someone is here for recruitment. Understood. I shall keep watching until she makes a move. Understood, Ichigo."
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Two days passed without incident for Bambietta. She had tried hard to force a chance meeting with Kurosaki Ichigo, but alas, there had been little to no chance to get to him. The one opportunity where she hand only caught a glimpse of him had been when she was up on the second floor of her house airing out some of the rugs when he had run past her place. He had been quick, but she managed to catch a short glimpse out of the corner of her eye. That was on the first night she had stayed there, and since then, he had been a ghost. Grumbling, she had decided to be more proactive, and decided that if by the third day, she would go meet him. An idea which would immediately backfire in the most violent of ways.
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It had been easy to sneak into the palace. The guards didn't sense her at all, and she had deftly snuck past them without making even the slightest of sounds. The guards who patrolled the halls we half asleep as she snuck past. Looking around a corner, she counted the number of guards, waited a second, and ducked through an open door, hiding behind it as the guard walked past.
Letting out a quiet breath, she continued to move, eyes darting left and right, searching for any signs of guards or her target. What she never noticed, was that it was stupidly easy to sneak in, or the guards muttering into an earpiece telling someone of her exact location.
She rounded a corner to avoid a guard, but her blood ran cold as soon as she did. On instinct, she activated her Blut Vene and guarded against a vicious kick that sent her sailing through a couple walls. She coughed up blood and grimaced in pain. She did a quick check and found that, even though she defended, she had sustained serious injuries. Her arm was broken and cut badly, as the blood that was flowing from a nasty cut proved, and she had cut her head as she flew through a wall, and she was sure that she had a couple broken ribs to boot. She pulled herself from the rubble and dodged an axe kick that would have popped her head like a melon, fear permeating every pore of her body. Looking up, she found herself looking into the blood red eyes of Kurosaki Ichigo, the King of Hell. She let her body take over, and she did the most logical thing she could think of.
She ran.
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Ichigo looked down at the woman before him as she cradled her broken arm and protected her busted ribs. She began to crawl back but stopped when she slid into the legs of Ulquiorra, who had silently moved behind her. She looked up at him and cried out in fear, seeking refuge in a nearby corner, where she huddled and brought her knees up to protect herself as best as she could. Sighing, he walked over and stood before her, to which she responded by whimpering in fear.
"Hey. How bad are your injuries?" He waited a second for her to respond, but got nothing. Still looking at her, he let out another sigh, before he bent down and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She, of course, freaked out.
"HEY! THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! PUT ME DOWN!" He glared at her, forcing her to shut up.
"Ulqiuorra kicked you pretty hard back then. I'm sure your arm is broken and a couple ribs as well. Your reiatsu is fluctuating meaning you're struggling to keep yourself awake. I guess you're new at this whole thing aren't you?" He started to walk towards the back of the palace, where guards were lined up and waiting.
"How did you know? That I was new?"
"Well…the guards at the door noticed you immediately, and they contact Ulqiuorra here, who told me, and I told them to let you in. Everyone made way for you. I was expecting you to attack and try to fight it out, but you snuck through the palace and made your way to somewhere potentially dangerous for you. Which is why Ulqiuorra kicked you back the way you came and away from there." She nodded in understanding, her head dropping slightly at the thought that she had failed her mission. He knew she had been there the entire time, and had actually made way for her to get to him. If only she had just knocked and asked to see him.
Ichigo turned a corner and walked into a wide open area with a table in the middle, where he set her down. She looked around, worry etched onto her features. She looked to where Ichigo was and found that he was gone. Instead, she saw something dangerous. She saw Hell. Death. Violence. Hate. Anger. Rage. Evil. A range of emotions crossed over his face as he looked at her. Then he nodded.
A cloth was placed over her mouth and nose. Her eyes bulged with fear and she screamed into the cloth, trying not to breath in the chemical which was trying to send her under. She fought valiantly, but her efforts in the end were in vain, as she felt herself slipping under. She managed to pick up a couple things before silence took her. She heard the sad voice of Kurosaki Ichigo.
"What the hell…did Ywach do to this poor girl?"
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Ichigo watched as she drifted off into unconsciousness, her head gently laid down onto a soft pillow. Footsteps sounded out beside him, but he didn't turn to face the newcomer.
"Father? Who is this woman? She was dangerously close to Kunou's room before, I have half a mind to kill her where she is." Her tails bristled dangerously, a couple of her fingers twitched with anger, but a gentle hand from her Father calmed her.
"Yasaka. This woman…her name is Bambietta Basterbine, Sternritter E, the 'Explode'. A new addition to Ywach's Star Knights. She is…a victim of that man. Her body has been extensively modified without her consent. Her eye is not hers, as there is something in there that would probably kill her if she rebelled. Her heart is not hers, her lungs either. Her left arm has had the muscles removed then replaced, and her right leg has had the same thing done to it as well. Her spine has various implants that force cooperation. I believe that she was an unwilling member of the Star Knights, forced to comply through any means necessary. A Stolen Child."
Yasaka felt disgust well up in her stomach. As her Father continued to tell of the woman's various modification, she felt herself getting sicker and sicker at the thought of what they've done to her. She walked over and gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from the girls face.
"She's also most likely been forced to undergo a rapid aging process. By her souls feel…she should only be about 10 to 13 years old, but she looks about 20 to 25. She is only a bit older than Kunou, but has already been forced to do things not even an adult should do." Yasaka spun, her eyes full of fury aimed at the man called Ywach.
"How vile. That man doesn't even deserve to be called human. A monster would only do these things. A monster without measure! Father…is there a way to fix her…all of her…to give her a life free from that man? A way to let her experience a childhood free from the Quincy?" Ichigo shook his head.
"There is no way to remove her Quincy powers, the only way I know is by using Letzt Stil, but that would destroy a part of her, and the method to regain them is even more dangerous, so I don't recommend it. But there is a way to remove every single modification in her body and return her to her natural age." Yasaka perked up, her eyes filled with hope.
"How Father?"
"Inoue Orihime."
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"So…we have to get to Soul Society earlier than anticipated, get Inoue-sans cooperation, and fix Basterbine-san. Correct?"
"Yeah, Kisuke. Can you set up a Senkaimon now? I'll go with Ulqiuorra and Yasaka. Having her there would get us through the gate no problem. Plus, she's still technically in Kyoto so her going to Soul Society shouldn't be dangerous for her. As for everyone here, I need you to hold down the fort. Kisuke, you are in charge of taking care of the sleeping Bambietta. Yoru, can you look over Kunou? Preferably in cat form so she doesn't suspect anything. Ana, you and Senna should return to Hell and sent either Akroma or Mordred here as back up. I know Ulqiuorra is powerful, but we are gonna be facing foes who've been training non-stop for a thousand years if they decide to make their move." Ana nodded, and she lifted her fingers, clicked, and opened up a Breach to Hell, where Akroma and Mordred walked through. Ana then took Senna back through, but not before the young girl gave her Father a hug, and her sister as well.
"Be careful, Yasaka-nee." Yasaka smiled warmly, embracing the girl tightly.
"I will Little Sister. Run home now, and listen to Ana-Okaa-san. Understand little one?"
"Hai! Yasaka-nee! Can I come play with Kunou later?"
"Of course, little sister. When all is said and done, you can come over any time you want."
"Yay! Bye bye!" With that, she walked through the open portal with her mother following close behind. She looked back at Ichigo, her eyes filled with worry.
"You too, my love. Be careful."
"I will, I'll see you at home okay?"
"Okay. Until then, my Love." And she took walked through the portal, which promptly closed behind her. Ichigo looked up at the assembled forces. Ulqiuorra stood beside Akroma, who had a determined look on her face. Mordred leaned up against a wall, eyes scanning the room for any possible threat. Kisuke was setting up the Senkaimon, and Yoru had already gone to protect Kunou. Yasaka was off with Hanami preparing for the Soul Society trip. Looking at his Generals, he began.
"We have a plan, and we will technically be Ryoka within Soul Society as we are going to be going through an un-authorized Senkaimon. They will be on high alert. I have two orders. First, no killing. Incapacitate your opponent, and make sure they aren't in any life threatening situations. Second, find Inoue Orihime. If you find her, bring her to me immediately, if you find her location, relay it to me via mental link. I will also be out on the field searching. Understood?"
"HAI!"
"Good, Kisuke?"
"Ready and open." Ichigo looked up and saw the open Senkaimon. Nodding, he walked to the door and opened it, eliciting a startled yelp from Yasaka, who grumbled.
"Change of plans. I will be going alone. Having you away from Kyoto may be too dangerous. Hanami has already transferred control of the ley-lines to you, and you must be here to regulate them, correct?"
"Yes Father. I was about to mention it to you now."
"Father? Ichigo, is she…"
"Yeah Mordred, she is. I'll explain it to everyone after, we have something to do now. Let's go." He got a nod from the armored woman, and they all made their way to the Senkaimon, with Ichigo going through first, followed by everyone else. Kisuke closed the portal, and smiled when he heard Yasaka whisper to herself.
"Be careful…Father."
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Rukia sprang up from her desk when the alarms began to blare out a worrying tune.
"INTRUDERS WITHIN SOUL SOCIETY! WARNING! INTRUDERS WITHIN SOUL SOCIETY! LEVEL 4 WARNING! UN-RESTRICTED USE OF ZANPAKTOU IS AUTHORIZED! WARNING!" She hurried to her Captain's office.
"Ukitake-Taicho! What's happening? The alarm!"
"Breath, Rukia-chan. Squad 12 has increased the range of the warning sensors to encompass up to district 50. This means that we either have a powerful Hollow attacking…or a powerful enemy has just made a move. Anyway…we have to report to our station…no?" He smiled at her, to which she smiled back.
"Right! I'm off Taicho! I'll go gather with the other Lieutenants." She flashed away, leaving her Captain to his own task of reaching the Meeting Hall where the other Captains were gathering to discuss the situation.
She made her way to the Lieutenants Meeting Room rather quickly, but found that everyone had beat her there. "Renji!"
"Rukia! Has Ukitake-Taicho said anything about the intruders? If a Level 4 warning was issued then that means we are facing some powerful intruders."
"No, he hasn't said anything. The last time we face a warning of Level 3 was when those two from Hell attacked and almost wiped out three-quarters of Seireitei. B…WHAT!" She ducked as a huge explosion rang out from the Eastern Gate, her eyes shooting in that direction. "JIDANBO!" The other Lieutenants all picked themselves up, shaking the dizziness from their heads away. They were about to move when an alarm they had never heard before sounded out, and it brought fear to their very core.
"WARNING! INTRUDERS IN SEIREITEI! WARNING! INTRUDERS WITHIN SEIREITEI! LEVEL 7 WARNING! USE OF BAN-KAI AUTHORIZED! LEHTAL FORCE AUTHORIZED! INTRUDERS WITHIN SEIREITEI!"
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The groans of the big man guarding the gate was all that could be heard. Ichigo felt sorry for him, as he was good friends with the gentle giant after his first invasion. Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to delve into pleasantries. He looked to his left, where Mordred stood, sword drawn and crackling with red energy.
"Clarent Blood Arthur." She looked at Ichigo and gulped. "Sorry."
"It's fine. Don't use that inside the walls."
"Understood."
"Go. Now, Find Inoue and bring her to me if you can. All of you, move." With that, Akroma took in a burst of speed, her wings propelling her forwards at a sickening pace, breaking the sound barrier as she skimmed the rooftops towards the Western end of Soul Society. Ulqiuorra buzzed away to search the North. Mordred dashed forwards to search their immediate area, and Ichigo moved to the South, goal clear in mind.
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It didn't take long for Shinigami to cross his path, and the distant explosions echoed true for the others of his search party. He quickly dispatched the defenders as he made his way to one of the areas where she must be, Squad 4 Barracks. He knew facing down Unohana would be a stupid thing to do, but he had no choice. A buzzing sound made him look to his right as a spinning blade sailed at him. He followed the chain that was attached to the blade, and recognized it as Kazeshini, Shi-Kai of Hisagi Shuuhei. Reaching up, he snatched the spinning scythe as it flew past him, inspected it, frowned and yanked the chain towards him with a bit too much strength. The wielder shouted out as he flew from his perch, and straight at the attacker.
"Surrender! Now! There is no chance for victory!" Hisagi managed to avoid a bare handed attack aimed at his shoulder. His attacker frowned at him.
"I know you have Ban-Kai. Why don't you use it?"
"Because…I don't need it to beat the likes of you!" Hisagi leaped forwards, scythe ready to be launched, when a foot was planted in his stomach. He spat up blood as he was launched through the streets of the Seireitei. He finally came to a rest when he slammed heavily against a wall. He could feel his bones grinding as he tried to move, falling back to the floor as a useless heap of muscle and flesh, unable to even stand, he could only lift his head as the intruder landed in front of him.
"Bastard…the Captain…he will…surely…defeat you…" He spat up blood as he drifted in unconsciousness, leaving Ichigo in the silence. Sighing, He bent down and applied basic first aid, closed his wounds and made sure he didn't have any serious internal injuries. Once he was satisfied that Hisagi wouldn't die, Ichigo set off to continue his search, making his way to the now ominous looking Squad 4 Barracks.
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"Now…why is such a lovely young Lady like yourself carrying such a dangerous looking weapon?" Mordred perked up at the silence being broken by the speaker, whom she sensed to be making his way to her location rather quickly. Turning her head slightly, she found herself looking at a middle aged man wearing a white coat under a flowery pink jacket. Raising a blonde brow, she turned and rested her weapon on her shoulder, a murderous smirk making its way onto her beautiful face.
"Hm? You talking to me? From what I can see, the young Lady behind you seems to be carrying a weapon almost as dangerous as mine. Shouldn't you be chastising her as well?"
"True, but my Little Nanao doesn't invade peoples home and swing her sword around like she owns the place. I'm not saying that's what you're doing now, but from what I can tell, and the residual energy coming from the gate, you were the one who broke the large wooden doors and killed the Gate Keeper." He tipped his hat and shadowed his eyes. Mordred leaned forwards and began to laugh.
"Bahahahaha! If you're talking about Jidanbo-san, then he is very much alive. Master just used Hakufuku on him to make sure he stays out of this. Can't have the Keeper interfering. Talking about interfering and whatnot, tell me, do you know where Inoue Orihime is?" She watched as the man shifted his foot back slightly, preparing for an attack. Mordred, for her part, just lifted her blade from her shoulder and brought it to rest by her side, her knuckles cracking as she flexed her grip on the pommel.
"Inoue-dono? Why are you after her? She is far out of your reach now if that's what you're after. She has the best security in the whole of Seireitei." Mordred just smiled.
"So…she was adopted by the Captain-Commander and made the Heir of the Yamamoto Clan. Thanks for the info." She felt herself get giddy with excitement and cracked her neck when the man before her lowered his head more, and placed his hands on his own blades. Her suspicions that battle was coming were confirmed when the man looked at her, his eyes devoid of life and set in a murderous gaze.
"Nanao-chan, get to the Captain-Commander immediately. Tell him Orihime-sama is in grave danger and to look after her. Young miss…may I have your name? Mine is Kyoraku Shunsui, Captain of Squad 8 of the Gotei 13." Mordred just shrugged her shoulders.
"Sure. My name is Mordred Pendragon, Daughter of Arthuria Pendragon, King of Knights of Camalot, and the current Cardinal General of the East." She raised her blade so that it was now level and pointed at the Captain.
"Cardinal General of the East? East of what?" He raised a brow when her smirk returned full force, and her eyes glowed crimson.
"Hell…CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!"
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"You can come out now, Mr. Captains! I know you're there so there really isn't a point in hiding." Akroma spun gracefully, using her wings to turn herself around, spear ready for a surprise attack. She was pleasantly surprised when none came. Instead, she found herself looking at two men and two women. Both men were tall, one dark haired and had a stubble on his face, and the other had hair white as snow. The women were gorgeous in her eyes. They both carried themselves similarly, so she figured they were twins, and both used bows of light.
'Hmm…two Quincy and two Shinigami. This is…going to be…fun.' She touched down gently and gave a short curtsy. "Greetings, my name is Akroma, the Fallen Valkyrja, The host of Ragnarök, and the current Cardinal General of the West…oh…I'm sure Grandfather would be pleased to see me, can you direct me to him?"
The black haired man spoke first. "Oh? You have a Grandfather here in Soul Society? I didn't think Valkyrja would be related to Soul Society in the first place. I'm sure Odin wouldn't be very happy. Oh! I'm being terribly rude. My name is Kurosaki Isshin, Captain of Squad 10, and this is my Lieutenant, Hitsugaya Toshiro, and my co-third seats, Kurosaki Yuzu and Karin." Akroma frowned, something which Isshin picked up on. "Something wrong, Akroma-san?"
"Yes. Something is very wrong. The fact that it's wrong, means we must inevitably fight. Please forgive me for injuring you, know that I do so with a heavy heart." She raised her spear, light gathering quickly, causing the blade to shift from a metallic silver color to a white. "Seal of Light."
She brought her spear down, and the four defenders dodged, each jumping in different directions as a white seal appeared beneath them and exploded. They all turned to face her when suddenly a gigantic explosion of red erupted from the East, followed by an equally gigantic explosion of green from the North.
Isshin turned to face the explosions, his eyes wide with fear. He turned back to Akroma, and clicked his fingers, causing six rods of light to slam into her stomach. Smirking with victory, Isshin made his way over, but was quickly pulled back by Toshiro as Akroma swung her spear up, almost cutting his chest open. Isshin watched as his Kido shimmered before breaking apart with ease. Her voice brought him back to the fight.
"God's Shield. Makes me immune to all status effects. Binding, burning, freezing, sleeping. Nothing affects me. Come. It is time for battle, Captain, for the sake of my Master and his goals. I shall keep you here."
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Ulqiuorra dusted his hands as he walked away from the short Captain of Squad 2, whom he had completely overpowered without any warning. She had appeared before him, barking orders at him, demanding his cooperation. He quickly got tired of her, so he aimed a Gran Rey Cero at her feet and launched it point blank. No one was killed, thankfully, but everyone would be out of commission for a little bit. He looked in the direction of the Captain- Commanders office.
"I'm coming…Inoue."
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"Stay here, Daughter. These intruders are here for you, based on the information gathered by Nanao. I will be here as well, as there is no better security than me." Yamamoto turned to face the doors, waiting for the intruders to arrive.
They hadn't been here long, but they had caused a significant amount of damage. Captain Soi-Fong was already out of commission. Captain Kyoraku was currently engaged with one of the intruders, and Captain Kurosaki the other. Two of the intruders were unaccounted for, which means they would be making there way here. He readied his hand on his cane when a knock was heard on the door.
"Come in. Face your opponent with honor!" The doors opened and he heard a stifled gasp come from Orihime. Looking at the enemies, Yamamoto frowned, his grip getting harder and harder. "Now…this is surprising. A Hollow in the Seireitei. Be assured, you will be the last." He drew his sword, flames raged around the room, but staying away from Orihime.
The orange haired woman could only stare in abject horror. Standing before her was a man she thought long dead. She reached out, hand passing through the flames. "Ulqiuorra? Is this real? Are you…really here?" The Hollow glanced at her, watching her outstretched hand reach for him. Sighing, he shot forwards, completely getting passed the flaming titan in his path in a second. Yamamoto spun, sword whipping through the air, only to be stopped by a black clad hand.
"Enough Old Man. We need her for something. She will be returned with nary a scratch on her persons. I assure you this." Yamamoto turned to look at the new person in the room, haven't even noticing his arrival. His eyes widened slightly when he saw the black hair and crimson eyes. He grit his teeth, and poured every inch of spiritual pressure he could muster into his sword.
"BAN-KAI! Zanka-no-Tachi!" Sighing, the black haired man reached forwards and gripped the charred blade that was the Captain-Commanders Ban-Kai, said to be the most powerful fire based Zanpaktou in existence. "Fool! You shall lose you hand for this transgression! If you surrender and pull your forces out, then I shall be lenient and execute you swiftly!" As he was shouting, the doors behind them flung open to reveal every Captain, and through the windows on the right appeared the other two intruders. Just as they laid eyes on the unfolding scene, they saw something that brought forth fear of death, even from the most battle hardened Captain.
"Sleep now…Ryujin Jakka." As soon as the name left his lips, the sword vibrated and returned to its sealed state, shocking the Captain-Commander to the core. He looked at his blade, and mentally communicated with it for the briefest of moments.
'HOW! WHY WOULD YOU SEAL YOURSELF?!'
'I cannot refuse this man. He is…more powerful than anyone we have come across. His words are like commands from God…or even…Death itself. Forgive me…Master…' Growling, he turned back to the intruders, who now had gathered by the window, Orihime firmly in the grasp of Ulqiuorra.
"Return my Daughter to me! Now! Or face the might of the Gotei!" Sighing once again, the black haired man lowered his reiatsu, crushing everyone in the room, but as soon as the pressure hit them, their eyes went wide, both with fear and realization. They watched as his black hair fell from his head, his crimson fade away, and the armor covering him flake away. And standing before them, Kurosaki Ichigo turned to face them all.
"I said we need her for something. I promised that she will not be harmed and returned to you promptly. Have a little faith in me. You used to have so much before I went to Hell. What changed? Got senile?" He stepped forwards and addressed everyone in the room. "I swear that she will be back by tomorrow afternoon. After that, we have many things to discuss." Ichigo turned and clicked his fingers, opening a Garganta back into the World of the Living, which caused some confusion. Before they stepped through the tear in the dimensions, two screams made him stop.
"ICHI-NII!"
"ONI-CHAN!"
He turned back to look at Karin and Yuzu, who were staring at him with hope in their eyes. "I'm sorry." He let his power rage forth again, his hair extending and a white armor covering his body. The transformation was instant, and Ichigo was in his Vasto Lorde form, a large Cero already charging between his horns.
"KUROSAKI!" Uryu appeared behind him, Seele Schnider swinging towards the horn, only for his blade to be caught by Ulqiuorra, who gripped the blade with two fingers, shocking the Quincy. "YOU! YOU DIED! HOW!?"
"That does not matter now. My Lord, the mission is accomplished, the woman is in our possession. Let us retreat." Nodding, Ichigo launched the Cero at the floor, destroying a large chunk of the office, sending debris flying everywhere, obscuring them from sight. Shouting, Yamamoto swung his sword, dispersing the dust only to reveal a downed Uryu and no Kurosaki. Growling, Yamamoto slammed his reformed cane into the ground.
"ALL CAPTAIN! PURSUE KUROSAKI TO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING! HE IS CURRENTLY IN KYOTO IF WHAT I SAW WAS TRUE! RETURN MY DAUGHTER TO ME! NOW!" A chorus of 'yes' rung out, quickly followed by the sound of Shunpo. Turning, he saw Isshin standing in front of the twins, who were crying into each others shoulders.
"Isshin, why haven't you left? I gave an order."
"Yes, but that was Ichigo. He shouldn't be able to be here. Why was he here? What does he want with Orihime? Who were those three that were with him? I have so may questions, but no one to answer them." He grit his teeth and clenched his fists. "What is he doing? Why invade Soul Society?"
They stood in silence until a voice broke it.
"I believe I can answer a couple of those questions." They looked up, eyes going wide when they found the speaker. Yamamoto spoke first, dropping to one knee.
"Soul King-sama. Why have you descended?"
"Because of Kurosaki Ichigo…or the King of Hell. He is here because he requires Yamamoto Orihime's powers of rejection. That is all I know. I haven't been able to get more out of Amaterasu. She denies knowing of his plans." Yamamoto growled. Isshin fell to his knees and sighed.
"Ichigo…why? Why would you attack all of us…even your sisters? Ichigo…"
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"LET ME GO! There are injured people in Soul Society that need to be healed! I have to go! I-"
"ENOUGH!" Orihime flinched at the volume Ichigo used to silence her. She stared at him in shock, backing away slightly. "I brought you here for a reason. I put my family at risk for a reason. You are not to ask questions or demand things from me! Just do as you're told!" He glared at her, his once again crimson eyes boring into her soul. She could only nod and sob quietly. Sighing, Ichigo took her by the arm and led her to the room where he had left Yasaka with Bambietta.
Noticing his arrival, Yasaka perked up. "Father! Have you brought her? Her condition as deteriorated! It seems like Ywach is trying to kill her before she is separated from him!" Orihime felt her eyes go wide when Yasaka spoke.
'Father? Ichigo has a daughter? Why? With who! She…SHE…!' Her head shot up and anger filled her veins. She was about to retort when a crushing spiritual pressure filled the room. She looked up at Ichigo, who was looking at the opposite wall.
"They're here. Mordred, keep them busy. Ulqiuorra, stay here and protect Bambietta, and by extension, her. Akroma…go greet you Grandfather. I'm sure he is dying to meet you." The three nodded and two left in a blur. Ulqiuorra turned to Ichigo.
"What will you do?" Ichigo could hear the curiosity in his voice, and gave him a wicked smirk.
"I'm gonna go distract Ywach."
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Ichigo had left rather quickly, leaving Orihime alone with Ulqiuorra. The pale Hollow turned to her. "Stand and come here. Now. I will have no objection. Move." She stood and walked over, the conditioning from a 1000 years ago sill present. She stood silently next to him, and he turned to Yasaka. "Yasaka-sama, please reveal our young friend." The fox nodded, and waved her hand, revealing a table with a young woman lying on it, deathly pale, and breathing quickly. Orihime felt her blood run cold.
"Who is this? What happened to her?" She reached out and felt for a pulse, immediately using what medical knowledge she learnt from Unohana to determine the cause of her distress.
"This young woman is a Quincy. Forced into servitude by a mad man. She has been extensively modified through rather nefarious means. We believe your powers of rejection can save her life." Orihime looked up at Yasaka. She felt a knot in her stomach when she spoke. She could feel Ichigo in her, and her whole presence was violently intimidating, not on the level Ichigo was, but very high up the list.
"And why should I help her? I could just leave her to die. I don't owe you anything." Yasaka growled, slammed her hand down on the table and leaned forwards, her nine tails now in full display and twitching violently.
"Because…I'm telling you to do it. Hurry up. Fath-"
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL HIM FATHER! HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER! YOU'RE PROBABLY SOME WENCH TRYING T-" Her world stopped. Everything froze. She dropped to her knees and struggled to breathe. A hand grabbed her by the front of her top and lifted her into the air. She felt her blood run cold when she found herself staring into the violently crimson eyes of Ulqiuorra. He was glaring at her with such violence that her heart threatened to stop. Suddenly, a hand plunged into her chest, blood poured from her mouth and splattered all over the floor, it lasted a second, but she felt fingers wrap around her heart, fingers that felt so cold. Suddenly, her heart was crushed, and she felt herself leave the world behind.
She dropped to the floor, clutching her chest. Looking down, she saw that there was no wound or blood. Looking up, she saw Ulqiuorra staring down at her, his face set in a murderous gaze. "Don't you ever disrespect her again. If you do…I won't just hit you with murderous intent…I will straight up murder you. You are speaking to royalty, but not only that, you are speaking to the Daughter of the King of Hell, my benefactor, and my King. Learn your place. Now do as you're told. I won't repeat myself again. If I have to, it'll be because I'll be ripping your powers from your chest and giving them to someone else." He let his power recede, and let her breath again. She tentatively stood, and stumbled over to the table, her eyes wide with fear, and her body drenched in sweat. She looked at the girl on the table, wondering how he had only managed to crush her with his power and not anyone else in the room.
"Santun Kesshun…I reject." Her barrier formed quickly, and the golden glow indicated that she was doing what she had been told. Nodding, Ulqiuorra placed his hands in his pockets, and began his watch. Yasaka stood and watched, curious about the power she displayed, but still pissed about the way the woman before her had treated her. "It'll take me about an hour to heal her."
"That is fine. Take as long as you need. The others are occupying the invaders." She looked up, her face set with worry. "Don't worry. No one will be killed. Ichigo-sama has given strict orders not to kill, only to incapacitate. There are more dangerous things coming, and the world needs to be prepared." She looked back at the Quincy on the table. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.
"Ywach is momentarily blinded. He cannot see or do anything for about half a day. How goes things here?" Ichigo strode into the room, his eyes falling on the golden barrier. "Good. Was she trouble?" Ulqiuorra nodded. "As I expected. Can't have things the way they were before huh? Shame." She watched as Ichigo walked over to Yasaka and placed a hand on her shoulder, and the woman instantly relaxed into his touch, and she began to nuzzle his chest. "Once a fox, always a fox. Just like Hanami all those years ago…tell me…she loved it when I done this…how about you?" He scratched the base of her ear, and she let out a delighted 'yip', to which she furiously blushed and attempted to swat his hand away.
"Father!"
"Hahahaha! Sorry Kid. Guess I'll head out to the battle myself. I think my Old Man is looking for me. Karin and Yuzu as well. I'll introduce you later." He turned to walk away, raising a hand over his shoulder. "Work quickly, Yamamoto." He vanished a second later. Orihime turned to face Yasaka, who was playfully growling in the direction her father just went.
"You really are his daughter." Yasaka turned to face her, her face set in annoyance.
"Yes. You sound skeptical though."
"Of course I am! How could Ichigo have a child! There is no way that he could!"
"It's been 1000 years since you've last seen him. Is it so difficult to accept?" She turned to Ulqiuorra, her brows set in an angry glare.
"Yes! It is difficult! I loved him! I want nothing more than to be his! Why did he end up with someone else! Why didn't he ever look at me!"
"Have you ever considered the fact that he may have not reciprocated your feelings? Have you ever thought about what he would have felt for you? I understand that he invaded Hueco Mundo for you, but he also invaded Soul Society for Kuchiki Rukia, and subsequently Hell for his sister Yuzu. Father is the kind of man who would do what his heart decides is the right thing to do. He cannot be chained down, well, except for now, with Ana-Okaa-san and Senna-chan." Orihime felt her heart skip a beat.
"Ana? Senna? Who are they?"
"Ana-sama is the Queen of Hell and his wife. Senna is the Crown Princess of Hell and his second child." Her whole world seemed to shatter with that one statement.
'Ichigo…is married…and he has another child…he really…doesn't love me…' She looked at Ulqiuorra, who was looking out into the distance. Yasaka frowned.
"Something is wrong. Akroma-dono seems to be struggling." Ulqiuorra didn't respond. "Could it be…someone has set off Ragnarök?!" Her eyes went wide. Ulqiuorra turned to Orihime.
"Stay here. Do not move. Continue healing her. Yasaka-sama, forgive me, but something is compelling me to be by her side. I can feel it. And it hurts. I need to go." Yasaka nodded, raised her hand and clicked her fingers. Three people appeared out of nowhere, but Orihime could feel power pouring off them in waves. They were easily as powerful as her adoptive father, especially the blonde haired man and the red haired man.
"Thank you for answering my summons. Sirzechs, Akuja, Serafall. I humbly apologize for being so presumptuous." She bowed her head, to which the only woman in the group dashed forwards to stop her mid bow.
"No need, Yasaka-dono. Shiba-sama asked us to be at the ready, and to move in case you needed us. We have been ordered to assist you with anything you need." Yasaka smiled.
"I thank you, Serafall-dono. Please guard us whilst Ulqiuorra-dono goes to assist his fellow Generals." Sirzechs nodded, before turning to Ulqiuorra.
"You've probably never faced Ragnarök before, so let me tell you this. She needs a powerful external stimuli to snap her back to reality. Shiba-sama told us that he contained it by beating her to submission the first time round, but that resulted in the Splits End Gorge. Be careful though, she's about as strong as me, maybe even stronger than me when she's using the power for Ragnarök. Go, now, make haste, Cardinal General." Nodding, Ulqiuorra vanished in a burst of Sonido, leaving everyone behind.
'Akroma…why am I being called to you? Why does Ragnarök feel so…intimate? Who are you…Akroma?'
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Isshin landed heavily, his sword cracked in many places, and the tip broken off. Looking up, he saw the person he was fighting alongside Kuchiki, Ukitake, Soi-Fong, Hirako and Unohana. 'It's the same person who wiped out Jidanbo. Damn this woman is insanely strong.' He stood up and was enclosed in a light green box, feeling his wounds vanish, before the box opened and he was ready to jump back into the fray. He vanished with Shunpo, appearing besides Ukitake. "How goes it?"
"Not well. This woman is about as strong as Sensei. Maybe she's about as strong as one of the Royal Guard. This is extremely difficult. She calls herself Mordred Pendragon. According to human history, Mordred Pendragon is the child of Arthur Pendragon, the King of Knights in British history. Never was it mentioned that Mordred was a woman." Isshin nodded.
"A difficult fight indeed. Karin! Yuzu! On me!" The girls responded quickly, appearing behind their father with quick bursts of Shunpo. "We are going to hit her with all we got. Full powered Getsuga Tensho from the three of us should break her defense even momentarily. A second is all we need." They nodded. "Good. Ready?" Another nod. "On my mark." They all raised their swords, spiritual energy pouring into them, materializing as blue flames pouring our from their swords.
"GETSUGA! TENSHO!" They all shouted as they swung their swords, the torrents of energy arcing straight at Mordred, who was happily dancing around the battlefield, blocking strikes from the attacking Captains and countering with precision. She looked up when she felt the three attacks getting closer, a worried smile making its way onto her face.
"Oh shit. This is gonna sting."
"Heads up." Her head shot around and she caught a glimpse of Ichigo shooting past her, sword drawn. He stopped before the combined Getsuga, raised his sword, caught the attack on the flat of the blade and, with a flick of his wrist, redirected the attack skywards, where it detonated harmlessly. She noticed the shocked faces of the three who attacked, and she went to launch herself at them when Ichigo raised his hand and blocked her path. "I've got this. Go help Akroma. Ulqiuorra is on his way. Ragnarök is going crazy. The Old Man must have done something stupid as per usual." Mordred nodded and took off in the other direction, worry plastered on her face. Ichigo looked up at the now assembled Captains.
"Let's begin, Soul Society."
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Isshin watched as the person he now recognized as Ichigo sent his comrade away, earning a snort from Soi-Fong. "Idiot. He can't be thinking of taking all of us on. It's suicide." They all frowned as Ichigo spoke.
"Let's begin, Soul Society."
With that, he vanished, appearing behind Soi-Fong in an instant. The petite Captain spun, foot swiping in a kicking motion, but yelped as her foot was caught and she was launched at the ground, where she created a sizable crater, taking her out of the fight instantly.
"One."
Hirako raised his sword, beginning the twirling motion for the release of his Shi-Kai, but he didn't get far as Ichigo appeared in front of him and punched him through his sword, shattering the blade and launching him into the distance.
"Two."
Next was Unohana, who launched a powerful Kido spell at him, to which he responded by redirecting the attack back at her with ease, his hand smoking from grabbing the spell.
"Three."
Ichigos head snapped up when a million petals floated around him. Looking around, he caught sight of Byakuya with his hand raised. "Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageoshi." The petals wrapped around him before beginning to compact.
"Four."
Byakuya spun to find Ichigo behind him, fist raised. He hit the Kuchiki head with a straight jab into the stomach, doubling him over, before grabbing his scarf and throwing him into a building. Looking behind him with a slight tilt of his head, he flashed away from Ukitake, who had his Shi-Kai released. He spun when he heard footsteps behind him, spinning and slashing, but hitting nothing. Turning again, he found himself facing Ichigo, who had his hand raised right in his face.
"Inemuri. And that makes five." He caught the sickly Captain before he hit the ground, lowering him gently. He turned to face the last three.
His father and his two sisters.
Isshin stared in shock as Ichigo easily dismantled the attacking front, all of it happening in the time span of about 30 seconds. Gulping, Isshin raised his sword, but was taken aback when Ichigo appeared in his face, hand extended. He couldn't bring himself to move or try to counter as Ichigo ripped Engetsu from his grip and threw the blade away.
"You'd raise your sword against me? Goat-chin, Soul Society really has changed you. I get the fighting at home, but Soul Society has made you a soldier who raises his sword against his own family." Isshin grit his teeth.
"And what about this? What about what happened in the Captain-Commanders Office? You fired a Cero at me! At your sisters!"
"Would you have simply let me leave? I have my reasons for doing what I did! I don't expect you to understand me! I thought after all this time, maybe Soul Society had changed! I had hope that it would be different! All that was achieved was the changing of the guard. A dictator for a tyrant!" Isshin reached forwards and grabbed his son by the collar.
"That 'tyrant' as you call him was trying to protect his family! If you had simply knocked and asked for cooperation, we would have discussed it amongst the Captains and have come to a decision!"
"WOULD YOU HAVE LISTENED?!" Ichigo swatted his fathers hand away, his eyes squinting. "Would you actually have discussed it? Or would the Captain-Commander have denied any means of peaceful negotiation without hearing the needs or reasons? Don't tell me that he would have listened, because I tried to promise him that no harm would befall his daughter, pleaded that I would have her home by tomorrow, but what does he do? He uses his Ban-Kai! His fucking BAN-KAI! He didn't care about listening! He wanted something and he didn't care about who got hurt as he tried to get it! Then! He sends you as his own personal attack dogs to reclaim what was lost! What does that sound like to you! A dictator!" Isshin was stumped. Here he was, trying to understand his son, his boy who had vanished from his life a thousand years ago, only to find that his son was now a man. Sighing, Isshin took a step back and crossed his arms.
"Ichigo. Help me understand. I want to understand. Why couldn't you just knock?" Ichigo crossed his own arms.
"Because the man who took Mom away all those years ago is coming back. Ywach is still alive. And he's powerful. Much more powerful than you. Not as strong as I am now, but he can crush the Gotei under his thumb like a child would an ant. There is no time for cordiality. I needed Orihime. So I took her. With this, at least the Seireitei will be on alert. He's already made his move, and I was forced to do something in return." Isshin was now dumbstruck.
'Ywach? He's still alive? That's impossible! There is no way that could be possible! The Old Man killed him almost 2000 years ago!' Ichigo looked at him.
"It didn't work. He managed to go into hiding. I know where he is and how to get to him, but I can't do much at the moment. I have more pressing matters to attend to than dealing with a Quincy Demi-God." Ichigo turned to face his sisters, who had remained quiet throughout their fight. "Yuzu, Karin. I'm sorry about what I did. I had no choice other than create a diversion to get away." He walked over to them, breathing slowly, letting his powers vanish, revealing the form they were very used to. The orange haired, brown eyed big brother they always knew.
It didn't take long for Yuzu to throw herself into his arms. Karin followed shortly after. He held them close to his chest, taking in the changes they had gone through over the years. Yuzu had gotten taller, and she had let her hair grow out. All in all, she looked just like how their mother looked when she was younger. Karin on the other hand, had kept her hair short, letting it reach her shoulders. She wasn't as tall as Ichigo, but she was slightly taller than Yuzu. Smiling, he picked them both up and spun, the girls laughing, a sound he hadn't heard in a long time. He stopped dead when he felt a vibration in the air. He put the girls down and moved them behind him, placing himself between the oncoming torrent of dark green reiatsu and them. His eyes went wide when the wave hit them.
"ULQIUORRA!"
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Whilst Ichigo handled the Captains and his family, Ulqiuorra had found himself in quite a difficult situation. He dodged a swing from Akroma, who was now seething with black energy. He reached out and caught the incoming swing with a dark green lance made from his energy.
He had quickly been pushed into Segunda Etapa after arriving to assist Akroma, with the arrival of Mordred being a blessing. But the power they were facing was something crazy, with his Segunda Etapa being released and Mordred wrapping her sword with the power of Clarent Blood Arthur to boost her physical attack. It didn't take long for Mordred to be incapacitated, with Akroma aiming for her first. They fought, Mordred valiantly putting up a good fight, but Akroma was just getting stronger and stronger.
It was at this point that Ulqiuorra found himself in his current dilemma. Should he call Ichigo for help? Or try to get Akroma back to help and get help from Stram? Surely that monster of man would be valuable assistance right about now. He looked and dodged an overhead swing that would have cleaved him in two. He quickly spun, using his tail to lash out and push Akroma back, creating some breathing room. He steadied himself, and analyzed the situation.
'She's far more powerful than me now. I'm on the defensive. I cannot pierce her armor, and I cannot block her strikes. She isn't as fast as me though, and her attacks have a bit of a wind up. I may be able to break through to her if I can just get in close enough. What would Ichigo do…what a stupid train of thought…that fool would just get himself stabbed in order to get close and seal her movements…that…I see…' He looked up as Akroma charged at him, spear raised for a strike. 'I see now…why she felt so similar to me…I understand everything…why I found myself moving faster to get to her…why I've fought so hard to get her to recognize me…why I wanted to save her…the first person I've ever wanted to save…' He braced himself, energy lance at his side, eyes set dead straight. 'She is…she has…my…'
The spear tore through him. The pain was unlike anything he ever felt. Akroma looked up at him in shock, her black eyes wide with surprise. She went to tear the spear from him, but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "I've got you now." She looked at him. "It's only been about a couple months since I joined you. In that time, I've gotten to know you. You are patient. Kind. Timid. Gentle. Perhaps you are the best of us. The only one of us who knows what she wants. You want a partner. Someone to share your burden with. Not once have you found that someone, as they all fall to the power of Ragnarok. But…there is no need to search anymore…for I am here…" He reached up and gently took her cheek in his hand. She froze at the touch, but she started to lean into it. A smile found its way onto his face. "I will…share your burden…I promise…for you…are my heart."
It was at this moment that he brought all his power into himself, taking in all the surrounding energy as well. He felt like his entire body was about to explode, but he grit his teeth, not wanting to forsake the person before him. He reached down and grabbed onto the spear, ripped it from his chest, raised it to his mouth, and bit it, tearing a chunk of corrupted metal into his mouth. It was at this point that all the power inside of him burst forth, exploding out as a torrent of dark green reiatsu. Akroma could only watch, her sanity restored to her by the actions of the man before her. She heard him scream out from within the vortex of power that had appeared.
"ULQIUORRA! NO! STOP IT! YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS FOR ME! PLEASE! ULQIUORRA!" She reached out, but the power was spinning rapidly, and she couldn't get close to him. She watched in horror as the vortex began to spin faster and faster, with green bolts of lightning shooting out from within. Then…it froze…as if on command it just stopped, and began to fade away. Looking into the eye, Akroma saw Ulqiuorra standing there, but something was different.
Not wasting time, she lunged at him, reaching him just as the power completely vanished. Her heart froze when she saw him. Standing there was Ulqiuorra alright, but he had changed. There was no helmet fragment on his head, no hole in his chest, and his skin had changed color. All in all, he looked…human. She caught him just as he was about to fall, and she dropped to the ground, worry etched all over her face.
"Ulqiuorra? Ulqiuorra! Please! Say something! Please…don't leave me…come back…please…" Tears fell from her eyes, and she didn't notice the arrival of three Captains, whom had swords drawn. Finally noticing them, she summoned her spear to her, and raised it protectively over herself and Ulqiuorra. The three Captains were known to her, the middle one being Kyoraku Shunsui, flanking him were Kenpachi Zaraki and Kurosutchi Mayuri.
"Well, now this seems like fun. I'm glad I have to specimens to take back. Guess this wasn't a failed mission after all." Kurosutchi stepped forwards, needle in hand.
"Get back! Don't you dare touch us! I'll kill you!"
"Ho ho! Such fire! I think you'll be perfect for my collection. Especially that Hollow. I have never seen a Hollow lose its mask and hole before. Don't worry…I promise not to cut him up too much…he'll still be recognizable." His vile smirk grew wider, but it quickly turned to horror as a presence made itself know behind them. Turning slowly, they all came face to face with Ichigo, who was breathing bloody murder.
"Back off…now." The double layered tone of his voice left no room for discussion. He walked past them, but as he walked past Kurosutchi, his hand shot out, grabbed the needle from the mans hand and stuck it into his eye, and extended the needle. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he had just killed the clown faced Captain. Zaraki looked at Ichigo with confusion etched on his face.
"Why'd you kill him?"
"Because…not everyone…is who they seem." Everyone turned back to the corpse, only to see that the skin was flaking away, revealing a bald man with an extra eye on his forehead, and a pristine white uniform. Kyoraku spun towards Ichigo, who was tending to his wounded friends.
"Royd Lloyd the Y "Yourself". Quincy Sternritter, elite dog of Ywach. Probably here to take back The E "Explode" from us. And to gather data on us as well. You okay, Akroma? What happened to Ulqiuorra?" Zaraki and Kyoraku looked at each other as Akroma explained what happened to Ichigo, who nodded in understanding. "I see. I know what happened. It's very rare for this to happen to a Hollow, even rarer for it to happen to an established Arrancar, who have halted their evolutionary process. It's called 'humanification'. It's what happens when a Hollow regains their heart, and their memories. Basically…he's a human with Shinigami, Hollow and Valkyrja powers. There is no telling what his limits are now." Akroma looked stunned at this revelation.
'He became human…for…me?' Ichigo smiled at her.
"He did…because that stupid fool accepted that he loves you. The obtaining of Resurrection involves taking on an Aspect of Death, such as Isolation. Segunda Etapa is when you surround yourself with the opposite of your Aspect, such as Ulqiuorra and the Espada. This…is when you completely, utterly and truly reject your Aspect. He didn't want to be isolated anymore. He wanted something that he truly longed for. Companionship. He longed for you, Akroma. He's gonna be on a rollercoaster ride of emotions he's never even dreamed of having. He'll need you now more than ever." He turned to walk away, but stopped when Ulqiuorra spoke, surprising them all.
"If she wants…if you allow…I want her…to be…my mate…" Ichigo smirked, his playful glare landing on Akroma.
"Well? Do you want that…Akroma?"
"Yes."
"Perfect! I hear wedding bells! Ooooh this is gonna be fun! Haven't had a wedding at Horizons Reach since Sirzechs married Grayfia! Oh I can hear the pitter patter of tiny feet! I can't wait!" Ichigo skipped (literally) away, a big smile on his face, before he stopped and turned to face the Old Man, who appeared not too long ago. He saw the look on his face as he mouthed Akroma's name, and laughed loudly as realization appeared on his face.
"AKROMA! I SEE NOW! You…you are my Grandchild! Stolen from Soul Society and taken to Valhalla by Odin!" Everyone who heard him facefaulted. Ichigo just laughed, and walked over to the Old Man.
"Ready for that chat now? I believe Orihime has finished her task, and I do believe that this this fight is now over. Shall we, Captain-Commander Genryuusai Yamamoto?" The grizzled titan looked at him, and nodded.
"I am inclined to agree, Shiba Ichigo. If you don't mind…I think I need to sit down for this." Ichigo laughed.
"Of course. I'll have my Daughter bring us some of her jasmine tea. It does wonder for headaches." He froze when he realized what he had just said out loud in front of the now completely gathered Gotei 13…including one moronic old goat.
"DAUGHTER?! HAS MY LITTLE ICHIGO FINALLY CROSSED THE LINE INTO ADULTHOOD?! HAS HE FINALLY BLESSED THIS OLD MAN WITH MANY GRANDBABIES?! OH MASAKI! I FEEL AS IF I CAN NOW CROSS THE BARRIER BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH WITH PEACE IN MY SOUL AND A SONG IN MY HEART!" He would have continued if he hadn't been knocked squarely on the back of the head by a metal bow.
"SHUT UP ISSHIN! I COULD HEAR YOU FROM HELL! HOW CAN YOUR VOICE IRRITATE ME IN ANOTHER DIMENSION!?" Isshin spun, and his eyes went wide. Standing behind him, with anger on her face, and an arrow knocked on the bow in her hands, was Masaki.
"Honey? Is…that…y-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! MY EYE!"
Whew~ Done and dusted! I really am sorry about the long wait for this chapter, but I've decided to take some more time with these things. I've also stared on a proper re-write for [Sub] that I'm more than sure you will enjoy…I kinda really fucked up with that one…I'm sorry!
Hope this makes things a little better!
Peace!