First, I'm going to explain a couple things from the previous chapters, because from some reviews I got that maybe some things weren't so clear:
- Yuzu and Karin are wearing the same lentil-like devices that Urahara gave to Ichi's friends to make them temporarily forget. This will serve a purpose in the future. Meanwhile I'm sure you all get that Urahara spoke to the Kurosaki family too when all this mess started.
-I know you liked the Ichiruki hug (thanks again for the wonderful reviews!), but I just wanted to stress that Rukia did it because she thought she was never going to see Ichigo again!
OK, I think that's all.
XXX
Many thanks to DeviantHollow23 for beta-ing!
- PREVIOUSLY -
"I'm ready." the Substitute said raising the simple katana with a red hilt and silver blade.
As it moved, a long piece of white cloth unwrapped from around the hilt and hung from its end.
The ex-captain studied him for a moment. Impressive, he did it in just a few minutes…but let's see how long he manages to keep his concentration, he smirked, noticing how tense his student was.
They lunged at each other, zanpakutos clashing in mid air.
CHAPTER 5
The fight quickly moved up in the skies, their movements so fast that the human eye could barely follow.
Ichigo aimed low and to the right, but Urahara blocked stepping back, and with a flick of his wrist swung Benihime towards the younger shinigami's throat.
In a split second Ichigo's sword was up protecting him from the slash and at the same time he used Urahara's momentary open stance to jab him hard to the liver with his left.
The ex-captain winced and quickly changed his tactics feinting and attacking from different directions, trying to catch Ichigo off-guard. Several times he got really close but Ichigo always managed to parry and sidestep in the nick of time.
Well, look at that, half reiatsu sealed and he's so fast I can barely keep up with him! Urahara thought when Ichigo once again avoided his attack and retaliated with a combination of high and low reiatsu-powered slashes.
It's high time I come up with something or my student will think I have nothing left to teach him!
In the following second he purposefully lowered his left guard and Kurosaki immediately aimed in that direction. The ex-captain ducked at the last possible moment and lunged for his opponent's abdomen.
The move startled Ichigo, who barely managed to sidestep, but he felt Benihime's blade slide along his side, cutting his flesh. He scowled. An inch to the left and he would have been stabbed.
He's always the same cunning bastard! …but, after all, that was the reason why he'd chosen Urahara to be his teacher.
Now though he was itching to wipe that sly smirk off the ex-captain's face.
Yo King! his Hollow called. Just blast his ass next time he dares to come that close!
Since when are you so interested in my spars with Geta-Boshi? Ichigo commented distrustfully while parrying another hit from Urahara.
Since there's nothing better to do, he drawled, so ya' heard me? A nice Cero to the chest should do the job.
And how exactly do you suggest I avoid frying my own ass in the process? Ichigo asked while attacking his opponent with another combination of slashes. He still had problems controlling the huge amount of energy contained in a Cero, so firing one at point-blank range didn't seem like the smartest idea.
Who cares? You can heal yourself later, Hichigo shrugged in dismissal, not like the shop-keep'll be able to do anything after that.
Ichigo felt like rolling his eyes. You'd think you idiotic egomaniac would've learnt to care about this body just a little in all this time. Not like you have another one!
Suit yourself…pussy, Hichigo shot back.
Now Ichigo really wanted to go and bash the idiot's head, but unfortunately at the moment he was too busy dodging Urahara's own Hado blast.
Ichigo, Zangetsu chose to intervene, the Hollow has a point. You can surprise your opponent turning a punch into a reiatsu blast the moment he thinks he's avoided your hit.
But how? Ichigo asked, while Urahara inflicted a shallow cut on his right shoulder.
Can you feel all that spiritual energy boiling under your skin, trying to get out?
Yes. Actually he was having quite a hard time keeping it in check, not letting it spill out enough to unseal his weapon, which was the whole point of this exercise.
Then, at the right time, channel it along your arm and release it towards your opponent. It's the same principle as with Shunpo, just use a major amount of reiatsu, Zangetsu explained.
What? You mean without any kind of incantation? This had him a bit worried – 3rd degree burns weren't any fun.
Trust me, Ichigo.
Ichigo pressed his lips together and took a decision. To hell with it…I'm doing it.
Some moves later he found the right opening.
Now! He heard the double echo of Zangetsu and Hichigo in his mind.
While blocking Benihime with his own sword, he extended his left as if to punch the ex-captain's side, but, as expected, Urahara moved slightly out of its range.
In that same moment Ichigo gathered his reiatsu and pushed it out of his left palm aiming at the opponent's chest.
The black blast that resulted lacked any finesse or the strength of Cero, but at that distance and without any protection, it was simply devastating.
The ex-captain flew back about a hundred feet before landing in a heap, while Ichigo stared at his left hand in amazement. …and it's just slightly singed!
Urahara got up after a minute coughing and wheezing. "Well, that was a surprise Kurosaki-kun!".
Ichigo shot him a self-satisfied smirk, but it didn't last long after Urahara added "You won the spar, but not the game" pointing at his weapon.
Ichigo glanced at Zangetsu and scowled. It was unsealed. Damn it!
Meanwhile the shop-owner was inspecting his scorched kimono mournfully, then with a sigh he looked back up at his student "Since you've managed such a good no-name reiatsu blast, why don't you show me some Kido?"
Ichigo swallowed. He remembered all too well the huge explosions and extensive burns to his arms that usually followed all of his attempts at Kido – which was why he used it only as a last resort.
"Come on, after what you've just shown me, that should be a walk in the park!" the ex-captain added teasingly.
Ichigo scowled. Even though they both knew 'walk in the park' was very far from describing reality, he wasn't one to back down from a challenge.
OK, let's do something easy. He located a 6-foot rock near them, focused on his reiatsu and chanted "Bakudo N. 4: Hainawa!"
Ichigo felt the heat of the bright energy rope as it coiled around his fingers, then a second later it shot towards the rock at the speed of light, wrapping around it.
The rock suddenly crumbled under the pressure and he winced. Too much, definitely too much, but at least my fingers are just a little reddened!
"Hmm…" Urahara tapped his chin with his fan "What do you think Tessai-san?" he asked the former Kido Corps captain that had been observing the whole thing.
The huge man turned to Kurosaki with an unreadable face. "Please, show us a Hado"
Definitely not what Ichigo wanted to hear, but he had to admit he was a bit curious if he might have improved here too.
He chose Rukia's favorite, since he knew it by heart. He located another rock in the distance, positioned his hands and started.
"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado N. 33: Sokatsui!"
A huge blue ball of light flared dangerously in front of his right palm.
He was loosing control of it!
No! I'm not gonna let it explode on me! With a mighty effort he managed to somehow stabilize it and it shot at lightening speed towards its target.
The explosion that followed blinded all the present.
Ichigo took a few deep breaths. His hands were hurting like a bitch, but this time he'd managed to avoid burning off a couple layers of flesh. Actually he was feeling quite proud of himself.
"Exactly as I thought," Tessai spoke "too much reiatsu and too little control. You almost didn't make it there for a moment, but I'm sure with my help you'll be able to get much better!" he grinned, giving Ichigo a thumbs up.
Ichigo turned to the two ex-captains and raised an eyebrow "Care to tell me why we're suddenly so focused on Kido?"
"Well," Urahara smiled clapping his hands "I think it's time for that talk"
XXX
The three sat on some rocks, Ichigo looking at Urahara expectantly, but the shop-owner was taking his sweet time – as usual.
Fortunately, before Ichigo's annoyance reached its limit, the older shinigami started – and dropped his bomb.
"Tessai-san and I are going to train you to enter the Shinigami Academy!" he said grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Aren't you excited?"
Silence.
Ichigo stared at him for several seconds, then he finally blinked and his brows knitted in suspicion "Are you high?"
"Oh no! Not at all!", the shop-owner chuckled "There's no reason to be worried Kurosaki-kun, you have over two months to prepare for the Academy recruitment exams, and the best possible teachers at your disposal!" he finished pointing with flourish first at himself, then at the fellow ex-captain.
Ichigo's left eye started twitching.
"Who the hell's worried?" he growled. "Stop spouting non-sense! I'm supposed to not even know of the existence of shinigami, and you want me to attend the freaking Academy!" he yelled in Urahara's face. "And what the hell for!"
The older shinigami ignored the outburst and replied smiling "Everything will make sense. Just listen carefully, alright?"
"Then let's hear it" he said, irritation lacing his words. He leaned back a little, crossed his arms and waited.
Urahara tipped his hat and launched into his explanation. "I've discovered who started the whole idea of 'rewarding' you and your friends for your services in the War. He's the most powerful and influential member of the new Central 46 and…" he paused for dramatic effect "…his name is Yamamoto Ideyoshi".
Ichigo's eyebrows shot up in surprise "Is he related to…"
"Yep, he's the Sou-taicho's younger brother"
"OK," Ichigo nodded "so we've gotta find out his reasons, but I still don't see the connection with the Academy."
Urahara smiled smugly. "He happens to be its headmaster as well as the founder of the most exclusive student club in the Academy, the 'Four Sakura Leaves'. Of course he's also very respected and very powerful".
"Then why isn't he a captain?" Ichigo asked more and more interested.
"That's a good question, actually, but rumor has it – mind you, very few people know this – that many centuries ago he was indeed one of the most probable candidates for a Taicho's position, but then something happened that forced him into retirement from active duty and also…" another dramatic pause followed "…Central 46 had part of his own powers sealed".
Now Ichigo was starting to get where this was going. "The old man's gotta be holding a hell of a grudge against somebody in the Seireitei –"
Urahara smirked and nodded.
" – but what have me and my friends got to do with it?"
"That's what you're going to have to uncover, but it's a starting point, isn't it?" he grinned. "There's also another interesting fact that may or may not help you in your investigation.
"In the year since the War, four of the most promising students of the Academy have disappeared into thin air and, coincidentally, they were all members of his club. It may mean nothing, but…" he let it hanging there.
"So," Ichigo scratched the back of his head thoughtfully "basically I have to get in the Academy then apply for this 'Leaves' club and see what's up."
"Exactly, though you can get in only by invitation."
"Whatever." Ichigo waved his hand. "The most important question here is, how the hell am I going to avoid being recognized?"
"Indeed you're quite a popular guy there at the moment." Kisuke chuckled, thinking of some posters – Shinigami Women Association special edition – that Yoruichi had gotten her hands on. Good thing Kurosaki hadn't seen them yet, or he would have already murdered all the ladies there.
"But that's the least of our problems now!" he patted the younger shinigami on the shoulder, receiving a glare in return. "Tessai-san has developed a foolproof disguise for you".
Ichigo's eyes turned to the kido master, who stood up and walked in front of him. "I'm going to perform a Bakudo on you." the huge ex-captain informed him.
Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed, but he let him do his thing.
Tessai raised his hands, palms facing the sides if Ichigo's head and intoned:
"Lord of the Night
hide the seas
with brown skies"
– he brushed Ichigo's hair –
"Lord of the Night
hide the hills
with wide clouds"
– he tapped his nose –
"Bakudo N. 26.62: Transmutation!"
Ichigo felt a weird prickling in the area of his hair and nose, that made him sneeze then touch his nose automatically.
Something felt wrong. Very wrong. What the hell did he do?
He glanced up at the two men and found them looking at him while grinning like madmen – which meant the thing was possibly even worse than he thought.
"Wonderful job Tessai-san. I think it suits him!" Urahara said.
"Thank you! It took quite some time to develop just the right kido, but the result speaks for itself!" the other replied happily.
Now Ichigo started panicking. "What the fuck did you do to me!"
Still grinning, Kisuke produced a medium sized mirror seemingly from nowhere and handed it to him.
Ichigo stared at his reflection for a long minute, touching his hair and nose several times. It surely serves its purpose but…ugh!
His hair was now dark brown and curly and his nose, well, probably the best way to describe it was 'large and flat'. As he'd just thought, 'ugh!'. (1)
…and Hichigo laughing his ass off in the back of his mind wasn't helping.
"It isn't permanent, is it?" he asked warily.
"Of course not!" Tessai seemed almost affronted "I made this Bakudo especially for you, attuned to your Reiryoku, so it's almost undetectable and you can also turn it on and off at will!" he said proudly. "It even tweaks the quality oy your reiatsu!"
Ichigo couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped him. Then, looking at his sword, he asked "Did you also create a disguise for Zangetsu's Shikai?"
"No, it wouldn't be practical. You'll just have to never unseal Zangetsu." Tessai replied simply.
"O..kay" Ichigo drawled. "So, are you telling me that students without a Shikai can enter this most exclusive club?" he asked skeptically.
"Of course!" Kisuke nodded "…but only if they're really good in all the other combat techinques!"
"Which means," Tessai cut in "that we're gonna turn you into a master in kido and reiatsu control!" he finished with an enthusiastic grin.(2)
Ichigo gulped. Suddenly he wasn't so sure that two months would be enough to prepare for his mission!
XXX TBC XXX
NEXT CHAPTER: The Academy! – I'm sure you're all thinking 'finally!', well, me too!
Here's some question for you:
- Did you like the fight? Could you imagine the moves I was describing? And, most important, was it cool? ^_-
- IMPORTANT: How much are you interested in reading about Ichi's training? I'm thinking of including that as short flashbacks, but if you don't care, I won't !
(1) once I saw on youtube a slideshow about celebs that got a nose-job (too many, really), and I found it really incredible how much that can change a person!
BTW, I didn't change just his hair, because I think it's obvious that wouldn't be enough! People usually recognize others even when they change hair color! ^_^
(2) Please, don't think that what Tessai says is necessarily true! I'd never turn Ichigo into an overpowered Mary Sue – or Gary Stu, since he's male.