AN: Hey everyone, sorry for the wait, I didn't forget about this story. It was always nagging at the back of my mind that I needed to pick it up again. I will say that I've had a good chunk of it done since pretty much I uploaded last but, I didn't finish it off then because of a lack of response from you guys! Though thanks to everyone who did review. To those who joined last chapter thanks for any reviews, you really made me want to write but unfortunately I was otherwise occupied. But I vowed that the next subscriber or review would make me write, so all in all, the moral of the story is moar reviews = less waiting :p
Lying suspended in midair, Ichigo's soft, troubled brown eyes gazed at the formless purple clouds, continually tumbling around and swirling at his feet. A permanent scowl marred his strong features. Indeed his thoughts somewhat resembled the clouds around him.
"Please be ok Inoue, Ishida. I'm sorry I can't be there to protect you, but I swear, I will save you no matter what it takes. Just please be ok!"
Forcing himself out of his inner torments, Ichigo exhaled in a long and steady fashion and willed himself to his inner world. He found his two counterparts standing a short distance away from him. Silently, they beckoned him to follow, and immediately they shunpoed and sonidoed away. Releasing his Bankai, he tore after them, raising a small gust after him. He followed the two, for what seemed like hours, unnoticed, the skyscraper plains passed below him.
"I wonder where they're taking me…" As if they had heard his thoughts the two suddenly stopped. He glanced down and was shocked by what he saw. A large crater had smashed its way down into the dense population of skyscrapers, and in the centre, a crackling dome of red-edged black energy shot off lightning bolts in all directions, sparking and cracking, as if alive. Ichigo looked questioningly at the other two, searching for an explanation. The two stood facing the crater in a somber silence, their hair whipped back by the silent gusting wind, emanating from the black hole. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Ichigo cautiously slid down the side of the enormous crater, but when he tried to stop, he found he was being sucked in by a gusting force. Thrusting Tensa Zangetsu into the rocky ground below, he slowly slid to a halt. As he did, the suction force seemed to dissipate, leaving the low growling of the dark orb. Approaching it cautiously on foot, Ichigo found it was a truly an enormous structure, more than five times his height and a good fifty metres in diameter.
"What is this thing? It looks like its made of the same stuff as my getsuga tenshos, but it seems a lot denser and... alive?"
Raising Tensa Zangetsu in a double-handed grip, slowly he sank the tip into the ominous mass. It was like a million watts was flowing into him, but oddly enough he felt no pain, only immense power seemed to surge through him, making his hairs stand on end. Ichigo drew his blade back and examined its obsidian surface for any sign of damage, but the blade merely winked in the sunlight. Raising his hand, he examined the section of black in front of him. It continued sparking and cracking black bolts, taking no notice of the figure before it. Summoning his courage, Ichigo plunged his hand into the roiling mass. Instantly the flow of energy currents were all the sensations he could feel, his mind was rapidly fired along all the connections of his spiritual network, and he could feel the sheer power that radiated out along every coursing artery of power. This numbing information and awareness made Ichigo struggle to remember his goals, his values and even his sense of self, so great was the raw intensity of this power. Out of the fuzzy throbbing of power, Ichigo felt sharp pain along his arms and shoulders, and with a painful wrench, as if thrown out of the structure, he crashed into the hard wall of the crater.
"Oops, y'think we pulled to hard?" Hichigo sweat dropped.
"So you can talk! Care to tell me where the hell we are?
Tensa Zangetsu and Hichigo immediately grew serious, when at last Tensa spoke, it was with a heavy tone.
"I'm afraid this is where I must say goodbye Ichigo"
"What? Why?"
"That dome there is the core of your power, of your vary existence, it is what links all of your spiritual self together, by that I mean with Shirosaki and I. But it is also a gateway, and where you will be going I cannot venture."
"But why can't you guys come with me?" A disturbing grin spread across Hichigo's parodied features, making an a sick twisted mockery of Ichigo's grin.
"Who said anything about me not going?"
"He's right" Tensa cut in, "He'll accompany you, he has to otherwise this would not work, but while he is there, someone must keep your body from death, and so it must be me that stays. In any case, it would not be good for me to head there anyway.
"Can you please explain where 'there' is?" Ichigo exasperated.
A deathly silence chilled the normally bright atmosphere. Slowly raising his cold, gleaming eyes, as if looking through Ichigo's soul, the hollow at last spoke,
"Why, we're heading to my word partner.
Standing before the dark dome, the doubles gazed into its turbulent depths. It seemed to pulse more vibrantly with their focus, sending a light wind through there hair.
"So how do we en- woaah"
A sharp violent shove, drove Ichigo headfirst into the hemisphere, breaking its smooth surface.
Strangely, Ichigo found he could see out into his inner world, though slightly distorted, as if underwater.
He scowled at the wild grinning face of Hichigo, the last image that filled his sight before he was pulled down into the darkening depths, losing sight of his inner sanctuary perhaps forever.
Hichigo stood grinning into the hemisphere as he watched Ichigo flail down into the hemispheres depths. Quickly, Tensa materialized next to Hichigo,
"You know what needs to be done?"
"Yeah of course Tensa-san, I can handle it all."
"Don't be rash Hichigo, you know how close you came to losing everything last time you changed mask. They haven't forgotten you know."
"And I haven't forgotten them either" spat Hichigo venomously "No, I'm more than ready to get my vengeance. After all, my power has grown exponentially since our last unfortunate encounter."
"You shouldn't get arrogant when it comes to facing them down there again, that's what led to your downfall last time."
"Oh I wasn't just talking about myself, after all, I have Ichigo with me now…" He trailed off as if to emphasise this.
"You really do surprise me Hichigo, I would never have thought you believed in him that much…"
"Shut up! I'm just using him for my own gain, so get back to keeping this body safe!" Raged Hichigo, truly feeling the rage building up inside him.
"When it comes to it Hichigo, I know you'll do what it takes to protect Ichigo."
Hichigo grunted angrily, before striding into the dark hemisphere, leaving a bemused Tensa Zangetsu behind him. "I believe in you too Hichigo…".
Swiftly leaving the crater behind him, Tensa shunpoed to his customary skyscraper, sitting down towards the east to meditate on Ichigo's perilous body.
AN: And that's it guys. I look forward to hearing your, I'm sure numerous, replies lol
Quick check: Is everything consistent with the other chapters? Also, as for chapter length, I want to write more for you guys, but do you want longer chapters? The only real reason I haven't is that the chapters seem to end naturally for me at the points they do and I don't want to waffle in a load. But anyway thanks for reading, and I'll maybe have a Christmas update if there are a enough responses.
Merry Christmas
Solasuke