A hand trailed over the electrical panel covered in switches and dials, all for a specific purpose. Some were for experiments and others cameras…well actually most of them were for cameras, however most of these cameras were for the experiments. The experiments, oh so many, it's a wonder any of them have survived so long…oh, no, there goes another one. No doubt he'd have to clean up the mess later for Aizen. Him and his precious experiments, despicable.
"I'd rather you stayed away from there Gin." A calm but serious voice echoed in the dark room that was filled with the glow of the monitors on the back screen.
The clack of wooden tabi on the stone floor sounded closer as Aizen approached. Gin retracted his hand and hid it within his sleeve and wore the face splitting smile that he was known for. He rarely stopped the smile, and when he did, it was never without reason. He kept it there so his thoughts would remain hidden, even from the likes of Aizen…though in recent events he wasn't too sure of that anymore. He'd have to pick up the ante.
"See anything you find interesting Gin?" Aizen said now standing beside Gin, his haori swaying behind him. Aizen smiled without the kindness and warmth he usually showed his subordinates, but rather glee and a sinister darkness that he need not hide from one of his accomplices even if not completely trustworthy. That's what Tosen was for anyway, to fill the gap of insubordination.
"No," Gin replied with an un-amused tone to his voice, "not really." Gin scanned the screens in front of him, all ranging from hollowfying Shinigami, which was still yet to be perfected despite the success of the previous eight captains and lieutenants.
They had escaped and Aizen didn't manage to get much data on them. Needless to say the next time they tried the experiment wouldn't be so easy, and since they couldn't hollowfy any more captains or lieutenants, a stabalising agent couldn't be found. The Arrancar project had been running rather smoothly though if he did say so himself, the recruitment process for hollows had been rather easy despite the rumors of how strong Vasto Lorde and Adjuchas hollows were. The arrogance of some was completely out of this world sometimes as well, having tried to fight back even after they were proven to be weaker. Fortunately for Aizen though there weren't any Vasto Lorde among this count.
"Though I really must ask you something." Gin said turning his head towards Aizen, who didn't even bother to turn and face Gin.
"Yes," Aizen said reverting back to the tone he usually used around subordinates and those not of his little group, "what is it Gin?"
"This little do-hicky here," Gin pointed to a flickering light on the panel that phased in and out of brightness although somehow seemed to always remain dim against the light from the screens above it, "I don't think I've ever seen it actin' this way before. I was just wonderin' whether you, having made the thing and all, would know why it's doing that?"
Aizen looked down at the console before him and saw the light as well. For a moment the reason of the lights existence evaded him, but it soon came to and a look of dismissal came over his face. "Don't worry about that. It just alerts of any slight fluctuations in the Dangai, nothing to be too worried about. My research with the Dangai ended a while ago and I abandoned the project. It just seems no one has reset it since the last fluctuation."
Gin narrowed his eyes slightly opened eyes when he looked at the flashing light. What was happening with Aizen and the Dangai? Who knows. He couldn't think of a viable solution to the question. The Kōtotsu limits the amount of research that could be carried out for employment of the Dangai's possible uses. Shrugging to himself Gin turned back to the screen, allowing the light coming off the screens to enter his pale blue eyes so he could see how far Aizen had come in his projects.
"Well I think it's time we leave for now," Aizen said turning around and beginning to walk away, "after all we wouldn't want to have to explain where we've been all this time to the others."
"Indeed." Gin replied silently taking one last quick glance at the monitor labeled 'White' before he followed Aizen through the exit and left to join his Division, a frown adorning his face instead of the usual grin.
White. Everywhere was white. People dressed in the colour and lived in the colour. The only slight variation among the people of this foreign land was the hair on people's heads and the silver and blue chains with pendants on that hung from them that they wore on their wrists, as well as the odd slight variation in uniform that usually took the shape of a five pointed cross.
Among them were many but only a few stood out from the rest and acted far differently. It was almost as though they were in complete charge, scratch that, they were, at least until a greater power could come to overrule them that is. This power however was still quite a few years away from leading his people, especially with the condition he was in.
Among the mass of white uniforms though there was a girl with navy blue hair that seemed to watch everything around her as though she was about to be attacked. She was discreet about it though and managed to avoid most without much trouble at all.
"Well, well." A mocking voice could be heard that made the girl freeze in her footsteps and a light sweat break out on her forehead. "What do we have here?" The man's voice could be heard as his footsteps came closer to the girl. "Don't answer, it's rhetorical." He stated the obvious before clasping a hand on the girls shoulder and spinning her around to face him. "The skirts need to be shorter, buuuut it's not like any of the others will listen." The man thought referring to the other Stern Ritter while taking in the girl's appearance. "If it isn't the Stern Ritter wannabe?" he smirked in the girls face, "Don't answer, it's rhetorical."
The last sentence made the girl think for a moment and adopt a frown which just made the man burst out laughing and pointing at her face while trying to form coherent words. "You just watch, I'll become a Stern Ritter even better than you 'E' Eraser!" The girl proclaimed making the man stop and look at her with a strange face as though checking to see if the girl still had her head screwed on.
"You're joking right?" the man said raising an eyebrow, "It's not rhetorical."
"I'll become strong enough to take your place!" the girl said to the mans face with defiance and then closed her eyes thinking that she might be punished for her outburst towards one of the higher ups. When nothing came however she opened her eyes and looked back up towards Stern Ritter 'E' and blinked when the man let an almost invisible smile grace his lips before he kicked her sending her crashing into a stone pillar where she coughed up some blood.
Everyone had steered clear of the two and were taking longer paths around the two now as though they were expecting a fight to break out. They didn't stop moving about and progressing onwards as though life was just going along as it normally did, which in all normal happenings this was rather mundane since the fights that occurred with a Stern Ritter was usually with another of the same caliber.
The girl looked up with fear present on her face as the man walked over with a smirk on his face. "Ready to hurt others for your own entertainment but fear getting hurt yourself. Ha! Pathetic, isn't it?" the man said to the girl obviously having some kind of relation or knowledge of the girl. "Don't answer…it's rhetorical." The man then scowled looking down upon the girl. "You've received a mission. You are to go to the world of the living and find out something for the Stern Ritter. There has been a disturbance of strange hollow energy and you are to go check it out. You may kill whoever gets in your way. Mention of this to someone else will result in your demise. Rest up before you go, I have a feeling you'll need to be in peak condition."
The man then just turned on his heel placing both of his hands in the pockets of the white trench coat he wore and walked away with a blank look on his face. Some would think that the sudden change in mood meant that his only source of entertainment was picking on the particular Soldat called Bambietta Basterbine which wasn't far from the truth, it was just one of his very few sources of entertainment.
Bambietta picked herself up and left, wiping away the blood that had gathered at the corner of her lip. Walking past some others with smug grins on their faces she kicked out their legs from under them concealing the two small reishi explosions that happened to each of them, effectively breaking the bones in their legs into small shards. She just smiled to herself as the men groveled on the ground screaming obscenities as others came to help them knowing what had happened.
(Next day: Weekend, Sunday)
Ichigo grunted as he shoved the only suitcase of possessions he had onto the spare bed in the Ishida mansion. Most of them were clothes and school equipment though, no real personal belongings. Man he really missed his iPod right about now. Too bad it didn't come out for at least another twenty years, the sound tracks included, give or take a few years for each separate album.
Looking around the bedroom he realised just how rich a friend he had when he was still in his timeline. Well-furnished timber polished black, although some natural features remained such as the redness of timber and grain patterns. The timber was used for the beds and furniture and stylish designs in some places showed these features of his mysterious friend. He should've milked the damn bastard for all he was worth, even if he was simply just a good friend, though he would refuse to admit it in person.
Uryuu wasn't really the type to act irrationally or the stereotypical rich kid way, rather he was conformed, well mannered…somewhat anyway, shit would often fly out the window if Ichigo got involved with something. Being a noble of sorts being related to an Echt Quincy and all it was surprising with the way his grandmother acted that he didn't at least receive some form of training when he was younger from his father.
Opening the case on his bed he went about unpacking for his long stay in the home of Quincy's, he himself of course being one as well. Making himself comfortable was essential and if he couldn't do that in the luxurious place he'd been given to live such as this room, he didn't know what would, maybe being back at home in the comfortable bed he'd grown up with, but that was no longer an option.
(Karakura high: End of school day)
"You will," Yuki said raising her voice a little when she said 'will', "be moving in with us." She finished sternly pointing a finger at Ichigo while both were standing near the school gates.
"What?!" Ichigo shouted in a surprised voice alerting the passerby's to stand clear of the possible ensuing argument…which, didn't happen.
"Uh uh, no buts." Yuki said before suddenly grabbing hold of Ichigo's shoulder and dragging him off to god knows where as he struggled and kicked like a little child while being manhandled…if that was the right word, by a woman who was clearly shorter than him. Seems familiar.
Ichigo fell onto his bed face forwards to bury his face in the sheets having finished unpacking everything and began mumbling to himself in a very childlike manner at how much of a bossy Grand-aunt he had. Before that happened and in the morning where she had just shot a hole in his text book which he had yet to come up a reasonable excuse for other than 'my dog ate it', she had only requested that he come by for lessons in 'the waaay of the Quincy' as Ichigo had dubbed it with a mystical tone, instantly earning himself a slap to the back of his head.
Rising back up and readying himself to head out Ichigo almost jumped at the voice that came from within the doorway. "Ah, so you're the one my Yuki talked about. She was right, you do resemble a Kurosaki if not for the missing tact, but I'm sure we can fix that up in no time."
Ichigo blanked for a moment snorting silently, "You haven't met my family, they have no tact whatsoever." Ichigo thought remembering all the things Isshin did but maybe that was just a Shiba thing, after all Kukaku and Ganju were a bit of a nutjob themselves. Turning around Ichigo caught sight of the middle-aged man who leant up against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He wore a pair of glasses and had white hair that was combed back all for the suit he was dressed in. What was with Ishida's? Did they all wear suits?
"I'm Soken Ishida," Soken held his hand out to Ichigo who complied and shook it before retracting it back to a safe distance in case he got himself shot by another arrow, "I already know who you are Ichigo. You appeared almost a week ago in Karakura if I remember correctly and according to Keisuke Urahara,"
"Shit, he knows Urahara! Fuuuuuuuck!" Ichigo thought mentally screaming and swearing in whatever order of words he said fit.
"you are from the future…and the son of Masaki." Soken narrowed his eyes at Ichigo. "Is this true?"
Ichigo nodded carefully and was unprepared and completely surprised when he received a bone-crushing hug from Soken. "It's good to meet my Grand nephew, even if he is from the future and technically older than his mother at the moment. But hey, beggars can't be choosers." Soken said in a way that seemed to confuse Ichigo as his eyebrows furrowed and awkwardly hugged back his grand uncle. "Now don't tell Yuki," Soken started back up with a tinge of fear to his voice, "she'll kill us both if she finds out I haven't told her."
"Then why not tell her?" Ichigo said pushing off of Soken, having released his hug. Ichigo just watched as Soken's mouth just opened and closed as though thinking 'why didn't I think of that before!' Well that was what it looked like until he came up with an answer.
"You really don't want to know." Soken said with the voice that hung on most male minds, women can be scary if they want to. "Well," Soken continued as though the conversation before never happened, "I'll be your teacher in Quincy techniques and abilities. Since it's the weekend I reckon we can get started as well. Mind you I'll also be teaching Masaki at the same time so my attention will be divided between the two of you."
"That's fine." Ichigo said finally getting the hang of surprises now. His grand uncle knew who he was. He was snooping beneath his grand aunts and mothers nose and had managed to avoid most attention and complicated circumstances so far, so things were going pretty well. That is if you didn't account for the one person he had yet to meet in the family, though if things went by smoothly no problems should occur.
"Great!" Soken slapped a hand against Ichigo's back making him lurch forward unexpectedly, "We should get going then!"
Ichigo began to worry when Soken began to grin like a maniac as he walked away. As he passed through the doorway though he reverted back to the almost emotionless appearance that seemed to be a trait that all Ishida's possessed when not conversing with each other.
(Super secret training grounds)
Ichigo, Masaki, and Soken stood within a large room, apparently underneath the privately owned Ishida hospital above them. The strange thing about the room though was that there was no obvious up or down, only gravity to guide the way as the various light sources were placed randomly within the room to give some light to the dim expanse of the large twisting and turning room.
"To begin I would like to just see where Ichigo is at with his abilities so a quick spar between you two." Soken pointed at Ichigo and Masaki. "In this fight Masaki will be allowed full reign of her Quincy abilities," the small 'yes' and fist pump from Masaki having realised what was about to happen and went unnoticed by either of the other two present, "and Ichigo, unless you have any idea how to use Quincy abilities the only ones you are allowed to use is your hand to hand combat and your high speed technique."
Ichigo stood slack jawed, "B-bu, hey that's unfair!" Ichigo complained and then pointed at Masaki, "Why doesn't she get a handicap instead? She's been doing Quincy stuff for longer than I have."
Soken just held up his hand to silence Ichigo. "That's because the current abilities you use aren't those of a Quincy. Besides I hear your speed is quite impressive. Masaki has a hard time hitting fast moving objects," Soken said causing Masaki to chuckle sheepishly, "so if you keep moving I have no doubt that it will be a closely met match. Other than that aim to seriously harm the other." Stepping back and further away from his two students watching as their eyes widened at his proclamation, "You're no longer children. A bit of this kind of training needs to be done rather than teaching you how to shoot straight." Soken held up a hand to signal the two to get ready.
Looking closely Soken noticed that even though Ichigo had been complaining a moment before about not being able to use his complete abilities he was completely calm, or was he just trying to look that way to Masaki by standing still with his hands in his pockets? "Eh." Soken shrugged while rolling his eyes before letting his hand decend.
The first movement came quickly enough as Ichigo sprinted forwards with green light sparking at his feet and a golden shine to his eyes along with the slight maniacal grin that accompanied the dark reiryoku within his soul. Ichigo bent his left arm back across his chest and unleashed it for a chop to Masaki's neck. Time seemed to slow down for Ichigo though as he saw blue lines travel up Masaki's neck and down her arms and legs. The moment Ichigo struck Masaki had vanished.
"Blut arterie." Were the words Ichigo heard when Masaki appeared behind him. Masaki conjured up a blue bow of reiryoku and pulled back on the thread, forming an arrow while Ichigo turned around to face her. Masaki was about to fire the bow when the gold gleam of Ichigo's eyes showed allowing him to see her and her to hesitate. Blinking, the glow suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a similar vibrant blue of the bow she held, supposedly just the reflection. Releasing the thread the arrow moved forwards and out of her grip before she backed away using Hirenkyaku.
Ichigo twisted out of the way just in time for the arrow to skim past his cheek and cut it open enough to almost go all the way through to his mouth. Little bright blue specks clung to the wound before sinking into the blood stream and disappearing. Turning around to face where Masaki had gone off to the wound on Ichigo's cheek gradually closed itself. It didn't go unnoticed by Ichigo though as his hand came up to his cheek and swiped away the small amount of blood that was there without feeling a cut. Holding his hand in front of himself Ichigo smirked a little before taking off again. It was almost exactly like that time he fought Kenpachi and his bleeding stopped even after the cut hadn't been closed. There should have been far more blood than the small amount that dribbled out.
Soken narrowed his eyes as he saw the cut heal itself over with the same proficiency as a hollow with regenerative abilities. He had seen the gold in Ichigo's eyes as well although dismissed it as it only stayed there for a moment before leaving. The boy he was teaching was far different than other Quincy. Normally if a Quincy became infected with hollow reiryoku their body would deteriorate rapidly and eventually their soul would be destroyed, as the hollow reiryoku was poison to a normal Quincy. This obviously wasn't the case for Ichigo.
Masaki hid behind one of the walls before peeking around the corner to reveal no one on the other side. Turning back she almost had a heart attack as she swiped out at Ichigo who appeared beside her after she detached a seele snider from her belt with her left hand. Her eyes widened however when Ichigo grabbed her forearm with his right hand and sported similar blue markings to her own. Twisting her wrist a little to try and cut Ichigo a little she gasped when the blue reishi blade just bounced off of the skin and sparked.
Ichigo jabbed out with his left fist into her gut but barely made her budge when the blue lines on her skin flickered and her body became stronger than steel. Ichigo barely held his surprise in as he could have sworn he never saw Uryuu use that ability before. The lines on Masaki's skin flickered again and her flesh became soft.
Masaki launched her knee upwards and nailed Ichigo in the jaw making him stumble backwards slightly but rather unharmed, as Ichigo felt no pain from the strike. Moving back again using Hirenkyaku Masaki summoned her bow and let loose a barrage of arrows, continuously moving her arm back into position to fire one after the other. Ichigo tried dodging each one but was only successful for the first few before he was struck in the chest sending him backwards into a wall.
Groaning Ichigo picked himself up feeling unnaturally tired from the relatively short amount of time he'd been fighting. Maybe it was because he was somehow defending himself against all the attacks Masaki had been sending at him. It didn't matter either way, her speed, strength and power had drastically increased when those faint markings appeared on her skin. Looking down at his palm Ichigo turned over his hand and saw the same kind of faint lines on the back of his hand that trailed up his arm. "Hm." Ichigo pondered for a moment before shrugging it off. He wasn't being overtaken by a foreign entity like his hollow so everything was all right at the moment.
Looking back towards Masaki as she fired another shot him, he 'gripped' the ground and moved out of the way in a burst of energy. Flashing again in another movement Ichigo appeared before Masaki with a trickle of blue light coming out of his feet as well as the usual green flickering that accompanied his light bringer.
"Stop!" Soken yelled for an unknown reason. "Ichigo, it seems you have an inherent grasp of Quincy abilities. For instance those markings under your skin are usually only achievable for Gemischt that have trained long and hard." Soken paused realising that the two were too far away and motioned for them to come closer. "You have poor control though when it comes to using any of your Quincy abilities though. Your Hirenkyaku was terrible, only that other thing you…did, made up for it."
"I did other Quincy techniques?" Ichigo tilted his head questioningly making the other two sigh and realise he really did have no control.
"It seems only your experience saved you from your fight then." Soken sighed again resting his head in his hand and shake it before looking up again to see the annoyed expression on Ichigo's face as he crossed his arms. "We'll continue tomorrow. Masaki, I want you to do some training by yourself while I teach Ichigo to actually control his reiryoku and the reishi around him."
(Next day)
A hand swept over the panel filled with switches an dials for the monitors above again seemingly uncaring for the talking to the owner had received the day before. Gin just widened his semi-permanent smile slightly when he felt another presence enter the room. Turning around he was greeted with the sight of the other accomplice of Aizen, Tosen Kaname. He was as blind as a bat but could see you clearly with his extraordinary sensory skills that put the form of Gin Ichimaru into perspective.
"Didn't Aizen-Taicho tell you not to get too close?" Kaname asked causing Gin to chuckle quietly to himself. "I fail to understand how this is funny at all." Tosen said to Gin as he stood beside the throne like chair near the back of the room that was used to observe all of the screens at once.
"Don't worry about him Tosen. He'll listen eventually." Aizen's voice could be heard through the doorway. Stepping through Aizen revealed himself wearing his usual captains attire. Strolling casually over to the panel that Gin stood by he placed his hands on a bit of the overhanging bench that was left open and held himself there seemingly already engrossed by the images on the screen. That is until he hit a few key switches and one of the monitors was replaced by the recording of a male human with orange hair.
"Why are we watchin' a recordin' Aizen-Taicho." Gin pointed at the screen with his right thumb, having turned to his left to look at Aizen.
"It's not a recording. This is live in the world of the living. Right now." Aizen said causing Gin's smile to falter if only a little before it grew bigger. Aizen held up a hand to silence both of his accomplices as though anticipating the question they were going to ask, 'Why?' "This human possesses Hollow, Shinigami, and Quincy reiryoku." Aizen revealed. Turning to Gin he smiled. "I wouldn't have found him if it wasn't for you pointing out the Dangai disturbance yesterday. I found him during the night when I came to take a quick look before the night was out. Fascinating isn't he." Aizen said marveling at his discovery of the orange haired teen.
Gin almost felt sorry for the kid as Aizen set his sights on him. Looking at the boy Gin was surprised when he disappeared with a flicker of green light disappearing in his wake. What was that? Gin turned to look at Aizen and ask him the question of what it was but stopped and allowed his smile to drop a little when he saw Aizen's grin grow even bigger obviously now having a larger interest in the boy. Gin faltered a little when he saw a brief flash of surprise move across Aizen's face.
Aizen blinked a little not quite sure he saw what he though he saw. Rewinding the live recording a little he played it in slow motion and stopped it when he saw the brief flicker of white and black cross the screen. The figure also seemed to have a glowing blue weapon in their hand. "Quincy." Aizen thought a look of anger spreading across his face as he raised a fist and slammed it back into the bench. "That person might be after him, and judging by the difference in reiryoku levels it looks like it might be a losing fight for the boy. Damn, I'll have to continue experimenting after all to find out how to combine a soul reaper and hollow. Quincy is out of the question at the moment. Urahara, you are truly a genius capable of besting me."
"Come back here!" Bambietta roared as she shot another blue ball of reishi at Ichigo who avoided it at the last second and watched as it exploded the moment it hit the ground. "Damn, I'll attract too much attention this way." Bambietta thought looking at the small crater where her attack hit with a small frown. "I'll just have to use my spirit sword instead." Bambietta materialised a short broadsword with some effort and struck.
NOTES: A poll has been set up because of a few requests so check it out for pairings.