*A/N* Okay I love reviews and would like to hear what you think of this chapter and the prologue! I don't own bleach, sorry wish I did though. In any case, I greatly enjoy the reviews I got already. I hope you keep with me because a lot of the stuff going on right now is a little left in the dark so stay with me and I promise you'll find out. Enjoy! –Chey
Zanpakuto of the Dead King
Chapter One
I sat drinking my tea in the small room that we once held important meetings in; the backroom of Urahara's shop. Karin and Yuzu were fidgeting nervously in their seats while I seemed as relaxed as I would be sitting in the warehouse with Shinji and the others. Hell, sometimes I still go see them.
"Would you like more tea?" Ururu asks softly, even as a very young woman she still holds her meek personality.
"No thank-you, but would you tell Urahara to hurry up?" I say and she nods before walking out. Yuzu looks at me for a moment studying my face before looking down.
"You've been here a lot when we were younger." I nod slowly and she frowns. "Is this where you were for that long time when we were twelve?"
"No Yu, I was somewhere else for that time. The first time I disappeared for a little bit of time I was here for half of it." I reply ad she nods before falling silent and fiddling with the hem of her skirt. Yoruichi walks out in her cat form and I reach over and absentmindedly rub the back of her ears. She purrs and before I know it Benihime is whacking me on the front of the head and I'm falling out of my forty-five year old body and into my twenty two year old spirit body. I stand slowly and stare at Urahara feeling the well-toned muscles in my arms ripple with the thought of beating him senseless.
"Kisuke if I were you I'd run." Yoruichi says softly from her perch with a purr. Yu and Rin gasp and turn shell socked to the black cat with wide eyes.
"So Urahara you could do that all along huh?" He looks down as I crack my knuckles before clearing his throat.
"No I could not however I did help you with something look at your hip!" He shouts as I close in on him. I pause and look down at my hip to see a sealed Zangetsu settled neatly at my side.
"I don't have to learn Bankai again do I?" I wonder aloud and he chuckles before shaking his head 'no'.
"While you lived your life as a human and allowed your reiatsu to naturally mature it seemed to lessen when really it started to conceal itself to better protect you. That and consciously you learned to control it when it leaks from around you." I nod at his explanation before turning around and folding myself to the floor easily.
"So what's up Urahara I know something's going on here?" I ask and he looks away before sapping his fan open and fluttering it in front of his face. With a snap of his fingers a wall that we always thought was solid starts to turn revealing three magnificent swords made out of gold, silver, and bronze. The first was gold and the hilt was platted to look like reptile scales. On the sheath was an etching of a dragon in flight crying out with a wide mouth.
"The first sword you see is Gōrudendoragon, or golden dragon. This is the most powerful sword, Gōrudendoragon was said to be forged by the Kami's themselves and gifted to the first born male of your line for eternities. The second is Shirubāurufu, silver wolf; this is the second most powerful sword said to be forged by the creature of the shadows and gifted to the first born daughter of your family. The third and final blade is Buronzuhachidori, bronze hummingbird; this blade is said to be forged by the sun's light and the moon's waves. It was created to be a balance between Gōrudendoragon and Shirubāurufu so that they may live in harmony together." I nod and he lifts the golden blade form the top box wearing gloves that could resist the hottest of fires.
"Ichigo Gōrudendoragon is your blade to have until the day you perish. He would answer only to you and will forever protect you as if he were your zanpakuto. He has Shikai and Bankai however they will only be used when completely necessary and will not come out unless the situation calls for it. Therefore you will not replace your zanpakuto you will simply have two." Yoruichi replies and Kisuke walks over and hands me the blade as it settles in my palms it glows a deep gold that runs over my hands and up my arms before washing my body with it and sinking the glow into me.
Two bodies hitting the floor bring my attention back to the now shinigami forms of Karin and Yuzu. Both wore black leggings but Yuzu wore a kimono version of the shinigami uniform and Karin wore a long sleeve black jacket with white wrapping binding her chest and a tight fit black shirt hugging her body and allowing the wrappings to peak out above its cut.
Looking at my own outfit I realize I don't look exactly the same either. I'm wearing the pants but they are hung low on my hips and a tight black shirt, which was like a second skin to my body, hugged every line of my toned chest. A black short cropped version of the shirt for the shinigami uniform hung off my shoulders and was synched at my waist with a bright white band. My blades rested on my right hip Zangetsu higher than Gōrudendoragon.
Kisuke hands Karin Shirubāurufu and she stick the sheath over top of another. Buronzuhachidori is given to Yuzu and she places her blades on either hip. These names are really long I'm shortening mine to Gōru, Karin's to Shiru, and Yu's to Buro. Yeah, that will work.
"So I take it that Yu and I have to learn how to use our zanpakuto before we can do anything?" Karin asks and Yoruichi frowns and shakes her head.
"No you three will be leaving the world of the living tomorrow and suddenly disappearing. Only once you are in the soul society will Yoruichi, Ichigo, and I train the two of you. If you train here with any of your swords now you will bring massive amount of hollows here." Kisuke says quickly and we nod before I frown and sigh.
"Why do these swords now belong to us?" I ask and he looks down smirking.
"I was waiting for you to ask that." He says and I smirk at him before motioning for him to continue. "Ichigo your father was the heir to the throne of the spirit king and the only heir. He ran away though before anyone knew who he was and became a shinigami captain leaving your grandfather in charge. When he married your mother and ran from the Seireitei they never thought anything about it until your name spread like wildfire through the Seireitei and the whole way to the realm of the Spirit King. Your grandfather sent the swords to your father and he knew that you three would take throne together and redefine the Seireitei as we all know it there for you are all going to be powerful people."
Kisuke finishes in a hurry and we sit back and look at him nodding every once in a while before I shrug and stand.
"Got any food around here Urahara I'm starving?" I ask and his face goes blank.
"I tell you that you're the heir to the throne of the spirit king and you ask for food?" He says incredulously. I shrug my shoulder as Rin and Yu nod.
"I'm a bit hungry as well Ichi-nii." Yu says softly while smiling sweetly almost like Unohana-taicho.
"Honestly Urahara with how much I've been through already I find it unusual that something weird hasn't happened before all of this. Same for Rin and Yu." I say before sliding open a door and seeing Ururu standing with a tray balanced in her hands.
"Are you hungry Ichigo?" She says meekly while looking up at me. I smile and turn going back to the table and sitting down politely. Ururu settles the plate on the table and we all start to eat the silence a little unnerving. Suddenly Rin's bowl drops onto the table with a clatter.
"What the hell who is talking to me in my own head?" She shouts her eyes wide and unseeing. I smile brightly and shake my head.
"Karin calm down it's your zanpakuto." I murmur before returning to my drink and listening to the long forgotten chatter of Hichigo and Zangetsu thrown in with the offhand comment from the new voice of Gōru.
'Oi King why can't we blow off some steam I want to fight!' Hichigo shouts loudly in my head making me jump.
"God dammit Hichigo…" I growl roughly slamming my bowl down and giving him a mental lashing.
"Wow do those two always fight like this?" Gōru asks Zangetsu who mutely nods his answer and we both turn our attention to them.
"Who do you think you're talking about!" We growl together pointing our fingers at the pair who were standing side by side. They mutely point at the two of us before walking away.
I smirk and move back into the real world to meet the speculative gazes of everyone.
"Having an inner party again Ichigo?" Yoruichi taunts and I sigh and shake my head slowly.
"No, I was having a very in-depth conversation about manners and being patient with Hichigo until Zangetsu and Gōru had to interrupt so rudely." I grouch and Yoruichi chuckles before raising and eyebrow.
"You mean you were beating up Hichigo for saying something crude and those two commented?" Yoruichi says and I nod slowly as if it was obvious. She laughs before slinking from the room. A few moments later she comes back in her body morphed back into her human form. She flicks my forehead before sitting down next to me and placing her hands on her knees.
"So, what exactly are you going to train us in?" Karin asks looking at me and I frown and shake my head.
"Everything… of course you'll both probably excel in everything just like your brother but all three of you need to learn Kidou." Kisuke says softly before fluttering his fan in front of his face. I smile and stand before sliding open the door and walking onto the porch.
"Kisuke I'll be back in a few hours I'm going to see the others." I murmur before shutting the door behind me. My legs flex and I take off faster than I ever have before and oddly I can feel the reiatsu around me flexing and boosting my speed.
I hit the warehouse districts and smile as the barrier's power flashes into my mind forcing me to look at it. I enter the barrier and slip inside before looking around the walls that once felt cold to me and now seem like a second home. I walk toward the hatch of the training room to find it opened and I walk down the stairs.
My eyes rest of the figures that are dancing around each other and laughing and having a good time. I stand perfectly still for a moment before speaking and bringing them into a harsh silence.
"Do you have any room for one more vizard to join you, I'm a little rusty after so many years." I say and they all swivel to face me before their mouths drop open and I smirk at them before walking toward them. Smile light up their faces and Shinji moves forward and pats my back before wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
His voice carries over the group as he smiles and pushes aside my shirt only slightly to reveal a darkly outlined tattoo of a nine on my collar bone. "Our ninth member has finally returned to us. However it seems we will be leaving soon." Shinji eyes me curiously before his eyes fall to the ground and he kneels slowly smiling his creepy smile down at the ground.
"Stand up you idiot I promised Kisuke and Yoruichi I wouldn't try out my new sword until I got to the Seireitei so stop trying to get me to." I reply pushing him backward onto his butt where he starts laughing.
"Whatever Ichigo, come on you and Zangetsu need to practice!" Kensei shout lunging for me with a gleeful smile at me. I attack back just as fiercely and my mind is for once happy to be me again. I missed being with them and training, mostly I missed feeling whole again and talking to Zangetsu and Hichigo.
"Alright, alright we're done for the day go clean up you all smell horrible!" Shinji shouts pinching his nose and sticking his tongue out at Hiyori. She growls and punches him before storming away followed by the others.
"Shinji I know you wanted to talk to me about something." I murmur sitting on a rock and watching as he folds his body to the ground easily.
"Well Ichigo honestly I'm wondering in part how you got your shinigami powers back and how you got a second zanpakuto." He states firmly all playfulness lost in the serious tone of his voice. I catch his gaze and meet it steadily with unwavering courage and confidence. "I thought as much, no matter how much I'd like for you to stay the same you've grown up and there are things on your plate that none of us can understand isn't there?"
"You could say that. However I do need most of your skills to help me train my sisters. That and we need Hachi to hide us because I sort of broke the barrier around the training grounds when I trained for Bankai." I murmur scratching the back of my head. He smile and pats my shoulder before standing slowly.
"You know that we'd do anything for one of our own. You bear our mark don't you?" I look closely at him and he smile before sticking his pierced tongue out at me.
"Yeah I bear your mark, the ninth one of our group." I reply standing slowly and enjoying the ability to stand without stiffness or any sore muscles. "Shinji I'm worried about one thing though…the shinigami have no idea that we are coming."
"Are you positive that they have no knowledge of this?" He questions with something in his eyes that dares me to lie to him. Shinji and I have secretly been the closest in the group for many years because although he's annoying and crude he understood better than anyone else the situation I was in. Taking a deep breath I nod slowly and stand beside him.
"You know for a fact that I would never lie to you or put any one of you in danger purposely." I reply before throwing my hand behind my head and walking beside him up the stairs.
"You know we haven't sparred in a while Ichigo perhaps Hachi can work on improving the barrier he's been testing with us as guinea pigs in the Seireitei." Shinji states as we enter the group lounging area and settle onto the couches comfortably.
"Yeah that sounds like fun if the old man is in then I am." State and earn a chuckle in my mind form Zangetsu as he slowly works himself up for our impending fight. I smile and we relax and watch Mashiro and Lisa try to force Hiyori to wear make-up.
"Oi, snaggle-tooth shut up and let em' do it. I might even take you out for dinner if you dress up real nice." Shinji says resting his face in his palm in a bored manner. Hiyori snorts but soon give up and lets them play dress up with her.
Shinji stands after fifteen minutes and walks into his room changing into something nicer. He walks out in dark wash jeans a button down yellow dress shirt and dress shoes while also holding a small flower in his hand. The girl push Hiyori out into the room and she is wearing a tight knee length red dress that flares slightly around her knees and gives her womanly curves a good outline.
"You look nice Hiyori…" I say and she nods and bites her lip taking the flower from Shinji. Shinji smirks down at her and presses his lips to her before grabbing her hand and walking out.
"Those two are just two cute. I hate how they realized they loved each other but I'm glad they're together." Mashiro cheers from her spot on the arm of the couch beside Kensei. Kensei looks up at her with irritation before she smiles brightly and leans down kissing him softly. "Don't be so grumpy."
Kensei doesn't respond but pulls an arm around her anyway. They don't show a lot of affection toward one another but you can tell they love each other dearly.
"I missed you guys…" I murmur leaning back against the couch and closing my eyes for a few moments just taking in the feel of everyone's reiatsu. It feels nice to be back with them. Hell it feels nice to just feel the power of Zangetsu and Hichigo in me now. Tomorrow we train but for today we relax and connect again.