Chapter 3

The History of the Rider

Both Ichigo and Orihime looked left and right for the source of the voice that they saw sitting on a rock an man in his forties, wearing a pair of visor over his eyes, and wearing an oversized cloak that was moving in the wind.

Ichigo instantly recognized the man and ask "Zangetsu (Japanese:Moon-Cutter)! What are you doing here!"

Zangetsu just said "I thought you would need a little more information about what you've become Ichigo."

Ichigo just stared and before he said anything, he heard Orihime voice.

"Um…Ichigo, who that?" She asked

Ichigo was shocked. As far as he knew no one else should be able to see Zangetsu, except Yoruichi when trying to help him achieve Bankai. But that was with the help of Kisuke Urahara invention. Orihime shouldn't be able to see him.

He turn his head to Orihime and said "Orihime, you can see him?"

Orihime was confused by his question but still said "yes."

Zangetsu decided to clear things up and said "My name is Zangetsu Orihime, Ichigo's Zanpakutō." He then turned to Ichigo and said "She can see me Ichigo because her power, originated from her, but awaken by you own energy. So it explains why she can sense you and see me when I'm materialize."

Ichigo was astonished by that fact alone what his energy did, but before he could say anything else, he remembered Zangetsu words about his knew power. And said "What do you mean about what I become?"

Zangetsu took a deep breath knowing this was going to be hard for him to understand. But he said "Ichigo, the man you meant during you fight with the Arrancar was Mephisto, the ruler of Hell…" He said plainly and continued "and you become his Ghost Rider."

Ichigo was shock, but remembered the stranger's words saying he worked for him and ask Zangetsu "What's a Ghost Rider?"

Zangetsu just said "A Ghost Rider is his bounty hunter, sent by him to bring back the soul that breaks free of the devil and must be sent back through his rider. A Rider is also capable of damming the souls of the wicked."

Ichigo then felt something jog his memory when Zangetsu said 'Dam the Wicked' He then said "I saw...I heard all the scream and those people Nnoitra kill. I wanted it to stop. And I just looked at him and turned all he done against him." He said as he shudder at the disturbance of the thought.

Orihime hearing this understood then and their why Ichigo was fighting like he was. But saw how uncomfortable he was remembering it all placed her hand on her shoulder and smiled to comfort him. Which Ichigo saw and was a bit relived for some reason.

"The Penance Stare…" Zangetsu said gaining the two's attention "The Rider's greatest weapon. It is able, as you described, turns the wicked's wrong on to them and burn their very soul, if he they possess enough sins to earn such a fate."

Ichigo then asked "Where did Ghost Rider come from?"

Zangetsu then said "Millions of years ago, When the world was in a time of dominance. Where the Soul Society and Hell fought as well for dominance. The souls of the living were used to breed warriors for both sides, Shinigami and Ghost Riders. While Shinigami help souls of the dead pass on, Ghost Rider dam the souls of the living and sending then strait to hell. It was soon proposed from Mephisto to turn Shingamis in to a Ghost Rider hybrid so he would have no limitation on the souls he would collect. But his idea was soon reject by the Shinigamis because this would cause imbalance of the harvesting of souls and Hell proclaimed war out of the rejection. that cost the soul of the living their life more then both sides. Just as it was going to get worst. The Spirit King intervened in the war and had both sides reach an agreement. As long as Mephisto restricted use of the Ghost Riders for any problems that would threaten the livings existence and only use human souls, or at least no Shingami. The soul Society would not interfere in his
affairs. "

"But why did he chose me as his next Ghost Rider if I'm a Shinigami?"

Zangetsu closed his eyes in a moment of thought then said "I think he wanted to go through with that theory and see the result, but bound to his word he couldn't use a shinigami, but he could use a you because your not dead and your not a Shinigami, but a hybrid. That did not fall under the agreement between the Soul Society and Hell, he exploited it and got the result we liked. A Ghost Rider's powered by a source know as Hellfire. It charges ever aspect of you body, and infusion it in to you has caused some changes that not only effect you like a normal human, but your shinigami powers as well."

Ichigo figuring what he said remembered the chain that popped out of his sword. And the strange energy blast that he launch.

"Ichigo, a Ghost Rider is only able to activate in darkness and the presence of Evil. But because of you Shingami powers infused with the Hellfire. Your Transformation can activate at will." Zangetsu said.

Ichigo then said "How do you know all this?" He questioned his Zanpakutō Spirit.

Zangetsu responded "When Mephisto Power had infused with your spirit. All the information of your power and duty to him was transferred to me."

Ichigo then remembered something else "Who's Blackheart and what's he got to do with this?"

Zangetsu once again spoke "Blackheart is Mephisto's son. His father said he will have his rule till the end of days, but Blackhearts was impatient and tried to take the land of the living under his rule, Only to be stopped by another Ghost Rider. I don't know how he came back after being sent to Hell. But it clear he thought he could stay of reach of his father's Ghost Riders. Obliviously he was wrong when his father though of another way to put him down, transferring the power's of the Rider through a hybrid."

"One more thing before we part Ichigo. As a Ghost Rider you are able to summon a transporter of any kind you can link to. Just focus and summon it. You'll know what to do from there." Zangetsu said before he faded from existence leaving Ichigo and Orihime in the plains of Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo saw as Zangetsu disappear and he thought about all the things about the powers that Zangetsu said about being a Ghost Rider. Then he remembered how terrified Orihime was when he saw him, killing so relentlessly. He was surprise That she didn't run away from him at all. He was ashamed of what he become. He looked at Orihime and Said.

"I'm sorry you had to see that Orihime…" He said in a sorrowful voice "I must had been a monster to you." He said the last part looking away from her.

He was surprised when he felt a pair of arm wrapped around his neck and a body pressing on his back. He turned his head and saw Orihime hugging him. He heard Orihime's soft voice

"Ichigo I was scared when you put that mask on and when you transformed. It was as if you weren't you anymore. But when you saved me I knew it was still you, cause you sacrifice anything to protect everyone. That was the Ichigo I knew."

Ichigo was shocked by this confession. He looked at her face then in her eyes and got lost in those grey orbs. He felt more relieve now more than ever. He didn't know it, but his face was pulling himself closer to Orihime lips.

Orihime saw this and felt herself drawn to him as well.

Suddenly they heard a childish voice "Ichi-chan!!!" and Ichigo was pushed back from a little green haired child named Nel. Officially ruining the mood.

Ichigo was knocked to the ground, looked up, and said "Nel! Where were you?!"

Nel was just hugging him and looked up with a smile and said "Nel was hiding when you went caught on fire. I was worried Ichi-chan."

Ichigo heard this and softened up and patted her on her hollow mask saying it was okay.

Something clicked in Ichigo's mind and remembered he had to save Rukia and Chad. He quickly got to his feet and looked at Orihime, who looked confuse, He said "We need to get going. Rukia and Chad need are help"

Orihime getting the message got up too.

Ichigo wondered how they would get their remembered Zangetsu saying he can call some transporter to him. Seeing if it would work or not, he let out a loud whistle and what'd to see what happen.

He got results instantly and saw a portal form in front of him and a motorcycle coming out. The motorcycle looked like any other. He then felt like it needed to be updated. He focused his new powers in his system, and his hollow mask formed while the flame also form turning him in to the Ghost Rider. He then placed his hands on the motorcycle and fueled it with his energy.

The bike then started to mutate and looked like him. Hellish.

The head of the bike had a skull like hood, instead of legs on the bike, chains were what was holding the wheels that were incased in flames. And a scabbard appear on the left side of the bike, no doubt to hold Ichigo's Bankai sword. He then stealth his sword in the scabbed. Ichigo then spoke in his Ghost Rider voice "Orihime, you best sit in front of me. It maybe a bumpy ride."

Orihime blushed at this, but understood that he was going to probable going to fast and she needed to hold Nel.

She got on the bike while holding Nel, then Ichigo got on and started to start it up and got going. He was racing across the desert like plains and he sensed Rukia presence near by and headed towards her.

He approached a building blocking his path and knew what he had to do. "Hang on." He warned Orihime as the front end of the bike lifted off the ground and hit the wall. Going up. He then saw a ledge and jumped. He parked himself as he sensed four indicial sprits and looked in their direction.

He saw four women with white uniforms and three of them each having a strange mask fragment on their head, meaning the were Arrancar.

The first one he saw had long, smooth green hair and three beads under her eyes, a little hair pin-like mask fragment on her left eye and her uniforms had long sleeves.

The second one also had long black hair but more wavy and had a head piece of a mask fragment. Her uniform looked like something from the Amazon.

The Third was had a horn of a mask on her forehead, and an two different color eyes. Her Uniform was just a jacket.

The Forth was a black skin one, with blond hair, however had no mask fragment showing because half of her face was hidden behind a huge collar that also covered her large breast.

Ichigo's eyes saw each of their souls and saw no wrongs they done when they claimed their sanity.

So he pointed at them and said "You…Innocent." Turn his motorcycle around and rode off. But he heard from the horned Arrancar "What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" She said sounded furious. But Ichigo was to far to responded.

Finally Arriving at the spot where Rukia was, he saw Rukia laying on her belly, he also saw the body of Āronīro Arurueri the Novena Espada (Spanish:Nine Sword; Japanese:Ninth of the Ten Sword). She was unconscious, but alive. Ichigo signed in relief. He knew she was to injured to move, so he said to Orihime "Orihime can you heal her while I go get Chad?"

Orihime said "Yes." and begun healing her with Nel watching. They heard the a loud noise and turn to see Ichigo starting his bike.

Ichigo turned his head to Orihime and said "Keep your shield up and around you, Nel and Rukia. I'll be back soon." He then rode off quickly to get Chad. He found him also unconscious. He picked him up on his back and got on his bike. He told the chain on his sword to wrap around him and Chad. Which it did and tighten it self then Ichigo started to ride back to Orihime.

When he got their, he saw Orihime finished healing Rukia and saw him return. Ichigo brought Chad over to her and Orihime got to work and walk away a few feet.

She turned to look at Ichigo and smiled at him. But the smile soon dropped to a frighten look when she said "LOOK OUT!" She screamed

Ichigo jumped just in time as a blast of red energy nailed the ground where he was standing.

The dust was preventing him from seeing who did it. But as the dust settled it showed four shadows facing him.