"Hey Kokoa take a breather will ya" Ichigo said as Kokoa stood there determined training with her soul cutter
"Okay, I'm getting tired anyway" Kokoa said changing back into her gigai which looked like a teenaged version of her wearing a red and black striped tube top, a pale turquoise jacket and black jeans with ballet flats.
"So what now?" Kokoa asked stretching to cool down after her exercise
"Yokai Academy" Ichigo said
"Why there?" Kokoa asked.
"Because it's been three months since you started training here" Ichigo said
"It would be good to see Nee-chan again" Kokoa said referring to Moka her older sister
Yokai Academy
Moka sat down by her younger sister's side like she did nowadays, after the battle she didn't wake up and that left the young vampire with unanswered questions.
"Once again we find her in there with that traitor" Kurumu said bitterly
"Kurumu she couldn't help it" Tsukune said defending the young girl as a black clad figure past them
"Great; Spectre's patrolling the halls again?" Kurumu groaned as the ghostly figure walked past him.
Ever since the defeat of Nightmare, Spectre a yokai of unknown origins patrols the school as if something bad was going to happen; majority of the students accepted him considering he hardly did anything that could be classified as dangerous of suspicious behaviour towards them; sometimes he would help students transport their heavier luggage such as projects or sporting equipment to where it was needed.
"Hey Spectre, how you found what it is you're looking for?" Tsukune asked, to which Spectre just shook his head
"Sorry to hear that" Mizore asked.
"Why doesn't he talk?" Kurumu asked only to get a shrug from Spectre.
It was at this point Moka walked out of Kokoa's room with her eyes red from the tears she had shed when she visited her sister's unconscious body, Tsukune managed to see this and walked over to her, wrapped his arms softly around her and just held her was she unleashed the rest of her stored up tears, Everyone gathered stopped arguing and griping as they heard the gut wrenching sobs of their friend as Tsukune tried to settle her down, Kurumu joined in on the hug with her best friend feeling a little guilty over what she had said before about Kokoa being a traitor. Spectre just walked away after placing a comforting hand on Moka's shoulder.
Dorm Building
Wondering outside the dorm rooms was Kon, the perverted mod soul trapped in the body of a plush lion toy, it had been three months since he first came here with Ichigo to stop Nightmare; but in the aftermath of the event had been left behind wondering around the area, trying not to get the stuffing ripped out of him as he surveyed the students dorms and locker rooms; namely those of the female variety, which somehow went unnoticed by the girls, and for that matter the guys of Yokai academy.
"Being small does have its advantages" Kon smirked as he saw a couple of female student in their swimwear heading for the lake.
"Hello! It's Kurumu" Kon said going into his perverted state of mind even more when he saw the Succubus, then he noticed how down trodden they look.
"Must be back from visiting Kokoa again, poor kid" Kon said before sighing.
Karakura Town
"Absolutely not!" Rukia screamed at Ichigo and his idea. The shinigami and humans gathered sweat dropped.
"OH yeah; why is that?" Ichigo barked towards the shinigami he was arguing with over the matter.
"Because everything has gone back to normal and you'll have to ask to get permission to enter Yokai academy"
"I grant him permission" Kokoa joked before taking a swig of her soda.
"You're a grey area now Kokoa," Rukia said turning to the young girl.
Kokoa's situation was unique, a yokai shinigami who was a spirit form even though she was still alive at Yokai academy, she was examined by both Unohana The capatian of Divison 5 and Kurotsuchi the Captain of Division 12, even Urahara took a look at her and couldn't figure out how her transformation happened; each person had their own theories as to why this happened but not one turned out to be correct, Unohana said she wanted Kokoa to come in for checkups to see if anything changes, while Kurotsuhci on the other hand wanted to dissect her, only to have a knuckle sandwich hand delivered to him by Kokoa, Urahara had to chuckle at that fact.
"OH I see" Kokoa said saddened before pulling her knees up under her chin; to anyone else Kokoa was a normal teenager who was saddened over the fact she couldn't go home.
"So I'm to stay here until they do find out why I'm like this" Kokoa said angrily
"Oh honey it's alright I'll keep you company" A blonde and busty woman got up and hugged her
"Thanks Rangiku" Kokoa said hugging the shinigami back,
"I don't know about you guys but I'm going to Urahara's to train" Ichigo said getting up
"Back to patrols guys come on" Renji said.
"Don't think this is over Ichigo, we'll talk about this when you get home" Rukia said glaring at him.
Urahara's secret training grounds
Ichigo was doing some simple katas with his shikai Zangetsu while his mind reflected on the problem of Kokoa like it had been doing for the past three months, namely why Nightmare was easily defeated and how Kokoa became a Shiningami, each step was a way to work out some mental equations that alluded him, which thrust was a change in the equation, but during this season he heard a voice he hadn't heard in a long time
"Mum?" he asked turning around, he didn't see anything. He shrugged it off and went back to training trying to find out why Kokoa was a Shinigami yet living, he was that same but he was born half shinigami due to his father being a former Taicho of the Soul Society. But what had him most perplex was the reason why he heard his mother's voice.
"I'll go to her grave tonight and find out I heard her voice" Ichigo said returning to his normal form
Graveyard
It was raining as the shinigami hybrid walked up the hill that led to his mother's final resting place, the only noises that could be heard was the gentle pelting of rain on the leaves and trees around the path and the soft foot falls of Ichigo as he took steps closer to his destination, one that he only visited once a year with his family in the warm summer days, which were unlike the cold and raining night that she was killed by the Grand Fisher; a hollow that gave the soul society trouble for ages before he was slain by his father sometime ago. As soon as he saw the grave; he noticed a white piece of paper on it
"Huh?" he asked picking up the piece of paper, on it was written:
"Ichigo I'm proud of you and all you have done, especially what you did in the Soul Society"
Ichigo stopped reading the not at that; his mother was in the soul society and no one told him; not even his father who probably sent her there, a snarl appeared on his face as he crumpled the note in his hand leaving the rest of it unread. He knew of the one person who could give him answers.
Kurosaki Clinic/Household
"Yuzu, have you seen dad?" Ichigo masking his rage; in front of his sisters, who were hanging out with Kokoa and Rukia doing their homework.
"He's in the clinic, doing inventory, I think" Yuzu answer placing a ladle to her left cheek in thought
"Thanks" he said letting some of the anger slip through alerting the two older females. As he entered the clinic he closed the door so the others couldn't hear what he was about to do to their father
"Ah Ichigo, come to help your old man out with inventory?" Isshin said writing down something on a chart before looking up to see Ichigo throwing a fist into his face
"You lying BASTARD!" Ichigo shouted as he went to throw a second fist only to have it caught
"What did I lie about, the fact that your pet mouse ran away"
"No, That mum was in the Soul Society" Ichigo growled angrily before slamming a knne in his father stomach.
"Good thing we're in the clinic you'll need it after I'm done with you" Ichgio threatened until a foot was slammed into his face, before Ichigo smashed his fist into Isshin's sternum. This fight was not the usual one the father and son duo had, but a real one.
A little over an hour later Ichigo was bandaging his arm, from the injuries he had sustained when his father kicked him through the door making the girls flinch.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you Ichigo, it was only a couple of days ago when Abarai-fukutaicho told me he had found your mother in the poorer part of the soul society facing down a hollow of small stature, anyway I met with her and talked to her about you Yuzu and Karin, she's proud of all of you, but if you had read the rest of the note you would have understood that" Isshin said indicating the crumpled up note on the bench.
"Sorry dad, it was just that when I heard mum was in the soul society I was angered I wasn't told about it until now" Ichigo said getting up before limping upstairs, Isshina watched his son slowly ascend the stairs before turning to Kokoa
"Hey Kokoa, I need you to pack a change of clothes for tomorrow, don't worry I'm not kicking you out of the house" Isshin said before walking upstairs
"GOODNIGHT!" he shouted back
The next morning
Ichigo, Rukia and Kokoa were up at the crack of dawn to prepare for this trip Isshin was send them on, the three teens were quietly and quickly having breakfast; which was toast with various spreads and coffee to keep them awake at an early hour, Ichigo's mind was still plagued by the Kokoa Shinigami question, he was still mulling the idea of his mother being in the soul society was well, but whatever he was thinking about Ichigo just kept munching on his toast with the occasional slurp of coffee, while she was going on Yuzu was awake and was about to prepare breakfast when she spotted the teens and Ichigo got and redirector back to bed for a while longer. The two girls couldn't help but smile at the older boy helping his sister get some more rest.
"Good morning I hope you're already for the big trip, now if you'll just step through here" Isshin said to the front door which he had opened up for the trio, as they stepped out they couldn't feel the ground underneath their feet anymore and looked down to see an open senkaimon
"How the hell?" Ichigo asked as he dropped into room generated by the Jigokucho butterflies.
"When did he open that" Kokoa asked as the door on the other side opened up to a familiar red sky and crimson moon.
"Ichigo; was this your idea?" Rukia growled. Ichigo just gave her a look and that told Rukia her answer.
Yokai academy front gate
"Please tell me his is not a dream" Kokoa gleefully shouted. Ichigo knew what he had to do here and grabbed Kokoa by the collar of her Shinigami uniform and dragged her away, he looked back at Rukia who nodded and went to the headmaster's office to tell him they were there. Ichigo walked forward with an excited Kokoa looking all around, before noticing the lack of students, she figured they were still in bed due to the fact it was early.
"Come on, we need to hurry before the student rush to class" Ichigo said turning towards the infirmary. Kokoa still marvelling at the school and what it was like to see it again after three months
"Yep, sure whatever" Kokoa said as they entered the infirmary building.
Kokoa's infirmary room
Laying there still as a statue was Kokoa's body, her fiery red hair was frizzy and dull from lack of care; her skin was becoming a pale colour of lack of sunlight, her oxygen supply was from a mask over her nose and mouth. Banadges covered the many wounds from her fight with Ichigo as Nightmare, both internal and external. The only sounds heard were the sound of breathing and the beeps of a heart monitor, standing next to her body Kokoa could see what had happened during the fight.
"So, how do we do this?" Kokoa asked the shinigami
"I don't know try lying down on the bed and enter that way" Ichigo suggested as Kokoa removed her bag and handed it over to Ichigo before exiting her gigai thanks to Ichigo's badge.
"Here I go" Kokoa said laying on the bed as a bright light shone blinding Ichigo, forcing him to shield.
Once the light stopped shining, Ichigo lowered his arms to see a sight he was not expecting, causing his eyes to widen in shock.
"That feels good" Kokoa said stretching her arms above head
"Um, Kokoa?" Ichigo said
"Yeah Kokoa asked turning around before noticing Ichigo's look, before looking down
"PERVERT!" she screamed throwing something at Ichigo while pulling a screen across.
Ichigo stood outside the door still thinking about the mystery that plagued him when he figured it out
"Hey Kokoa" Ichigo said
"What?" Kokoa asked back pulling her top on
"I know how you became a shinigami" Ichigo said as Kokoa poked her head through the curtain to grab her turquoise jacket waiting for him to continue
"When I slashed the choker of your neck, I think the blade of my Zenkai nicked you transferring some of my power to you, and the fact you all ready had a hollow inside you at the time could have helped"
"That sound like a solid explaination" Kokoa said adjusting a black tie around her neck.
Kokoa later emerge from her room fully dress while adjust her jacket collar when Moka walked up for her usual morning visit, she stopped when she saw her younger sister was awake, Kokoa turned and saw Mokia standing there with a small smile on her face. Kokoa's smile appeared as well as tears of joy as she saw her sister running at her, once Moka was close enough, the two sisters flung their arms around each other and cried on each other's shoulder as tears of joy leapt down from their eyes.
Ichigo observed the sight from where he was standing with a smile on his face before walking away deciding to give the sisters time to themselves before school began, the last thing he saw was Moka fussing over how her sister now looked her proper age with Kokoa shouting her sister's name out of embarrassment; this made Ichigo laugh as he left the building.
Once outside he decided to find Ruika, well he would have if he didn't see a certain object of annoyance, up in a tree outside the girl's changing room was none other than Kon, the perverted mod soul was peeking into the girls change room. Ichigo in annoyance grabbed the nearest object he could throw: a rock; pitching it like a baseball at the branch Kon was on making the perverted plushie fall towards the ground as Ichigo flash stepped over to him grabbing his tail before the plush hit the ground.
"Kon, so this is where you've been for the past three months" the shinigami growled
"Ichigo! Oh thank you saved me!" Kon said
"From what future suffocation from a girl hugging your cute little self in her chest?" Ichigo barked
"Yeah pretty much, but that girl with the blue hair was sure to hug me" Kon said delirious
"Sure, keep telling yourself that Kon"
As this was going on Spectre was patrolling the area when he saw Ichigo and Kon arguing; he smirked to himself before walking in almost opf a glide fashion over to them as the student had just walked into class, he had what he was searching for three months now, he was now a predator stalking his prey, there was no way that he would get away now; he forced his reiatsu to spike before lowering it forcing the shinigami to look around him in a panic for a hollow that never existed. He created a blade out of his pure black reiatsu
"Hello Ichigo" Spectre said as he walked up to the pair rising the blade
"ICHIGO WATCH OUT!" Kon said as the shinigami dodged the black reiatsu blade in the nick of time, releasing Zangetsu from it cloth coverings turned to face the cloaked figure.
"Are you a shinigami or something else?" Ichigo asked nervous at the pressure this figure, the best way he could describe the 'figure' talking to him, the figure just smiled and reached for the edge of the cloak he wore.
"Something else" he said tearing the cloak off.
What?" Ichigo gasped.
Standing before Ichigo was Ichigo, it was like looking into a mirror, but somethings were off, namely the colour of his hair and eyes, instead of Ichigo's orange hair, the reflection had blood red hair with piercing golden eyes that reminded Ichigo of Shirosaki's cruel eyes, over one was a scar, he wore shinigami robes and held a pure red ninjato which Ichigo guessed was his Zanpakuto,
"Who are you?" Ichigo asked at his darker reflection which made him smiled.
"I told you that I was not that easy to defeat Ichigo Kurosaki" the reflection then smiled cruelly revealing something that made Ichigo feel like his blood was replaced with ice, there hanging from his black obi was a rosary, black in colour separated down the middle and appeared to have cracks all over it
"Nightmare! It can't be I destroyed you three months ago, how are you back?" Ichigo demanded to know
"Not important, what is important now is that you run for your life" Nightmare said lifting his Zanpakuto into the sky
"Burn Kaosudoragon" Nightmare said as his zanpakuto ignited in black flames