Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.
Trascender
"Are you... awake?"
Ichigo had finally awaken to the sound of a familiar female's voice. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he slowly opened his eyes, noticing an Auburn-haired dressed in a peculiar-looking Vandenreich dress, hovering over him with worry on her face.
"...Kagura?"
"... How did you know my name?"
Ichigo began to slowly stand to his feet, digging out his ears in the process in order to hear better.
"What do you mean? You told me... Oh wait! It's Hoshiihime, isn't it? Sorry, I forgot you lied about your name..."
"No... that's my name... Ichigo Kurosaki."
Ichigo, rubbing the back of his neck, twisted his head slowly to look at the woman standing below him, her hands together in payer-like gesture. One thing he noticed was that, compared to Hoshiihime, this woman's air was completely innocent... Her style was more closely related to Orihime than anything, if her straighter locks had anything to do with it.
"Wait... are you the Kagura that Juhabach's hard-on for?"
"... Hard-on? What would that be? Is that some kind of knight, or something?"
Ichigo sweat-dropped as he stared at her as she propped her head sideways, trying to understand as she did sword-swinging gestures to symbolize a knight.
'If I didn't know any better... I would have thought I was talking to Orihime.'
"Never mind all that. You're the one Juhabach wants. What are you doing here?"
"Juhabach? I have no idea who that is. I also don't have any idea where I am at... or why I'm here exactly. Hoping you knew...?"
Ichigo face-palmed when she began rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly as she smiled nervously.
"Not really... I remember pain... then seeing the Hogyoku in my chest..."
He stopped when he finally noticed the crystal blue surface he was standing on. Gazing around, he attempting to see through the blue darkness surrounding the walls and ceiling, but couldn't see beyond that. Next to him, Kagura began twisting around in circles.
"What... are you doing?"
"I don't know... I thought you saw something, like a monster. So I was looking for whatever you was looking for."
"No... I just realized that this is my inner world... we're standing on the side of building, if the crystalline blue window below me is anything to go by."
Kagura looked down as he spoke, suddenly screaming and jumping into Ichigo's arms, rendering him speechless.
"We're falling! You can't defy gravity! We're gonna die! Every woman for herself!"
"... You... You can't say that after you've jumped in my arms for protection! And we are not falling!"
"Oh. Okay."
Just as quick as she hopped on, she jumped right out of his arms, dusting herself off and returning to her neutral stance. However, unlike before, a serious gaze through Ichigo's souls, nearly causing him to rear back away from her.
"Earlier... you mention my husband, Hogyoku. Why would he be in your chest...?"
"No, I meant the object... the orb... thing."
"Named after my husband? Did Lady Hoshiihime have that?"
Ichigo nervously scratched his cheek, turning away from her as he did so.
"Well... yeah..."
"..."
Kagura suddenly dropped to the ground, burying herself in her knees. Ichigo was shocked when he saw this, and even more when he watched the tear collided with the crystal surface.
"Uhhhmmm..."
"I know what happened."
"What happened?"
"Did Lady Hoshiihime have the Clevar la Espada?"
Ichigo sat next to her as he began to recall the events.
"I mean... Vater stabbed her with it... In the Hogyoku, if I remember."
"Then... she did that on purpose to release me from the key."
Kagura stood up as she began to pace around, like a classic cartoon detective discovering a mystery.
"Which means... she's trusting me to do something... "
Ichigo dead-panned as he watched her step back and forward in a continuous loop.
"Might have something to do with me, considering you are in my inner world... and the fact that she gave her Hogyoku to me."
Kagura snapped her fingers and punched her fist into her hand as she twisted and pointed at Ichigo.
"I know! She wanted me to help you, since I'm in your world and she gave my husband to you! I'm so smart!"
"She... didn't give the Spirit King to me... she gave me the Hogyoku... And I just said that."
Kagura waved him off as she continued with her speech.
"So, I'm gonna be here, inside my husband-"
"...That sounds so wrong... just call it the Hogyoku... Please..."
"-and help you with... whatever Lady Hoshiihime wanted me to help you with!"
Ichigo jumped away when she suddenly sat in front of him, staring at him with her wide, deep brown eyes.
"So... what do you want me to help you with?"
"I don't know, damnit! I just woke up here... and I am currently trying to figure out what drugs I've been on!"
Ichigo hopped away from her as she moved closer.
"Drugs are bad for you. You're supposed to say no to them... But I don't think drugs are actual people, so you can't really say no to things that aren't people."
"I can obviously tell you didn't say no! I swear, I didn't think you would be like this, based on Hoshiihime's reaction to you!"
Just as he said that, the seriousness seeped onto her face again as she narrowed her eyes.
"...What happened to Lady Hoshiihime anyway? Why did she take my name?"
"... I don't know, she was probably insane after thousands of years, just like you."
"...Ignoring that comment, I wonder why she lied... It baffles me..."
Ichigo stood up, dusting himself off as he continued to look around the crystallized world, shaped very familiar to him.
"You must have been pretty close to her... since you keep calling her 'Lady'."
"...She was my mistress... I was her servant maiden, long before she married Hogyoku... She disowned me when she discovered I was to be married to Hogyoku."
"...Wait, both of you were married to him? How the hell...?"
"Hoshiihime always desired power. Her marriage... was meant to be a symbol of her rise to power. She might have loved Hogyoku, but he believed she was using him for power... So he had an affair with me to draw that side of her out. The only reason he married me was to spite Hoshiihime. Nothing more, nothing less."
"But you keep referring to him as your husband. Didn't you love him?"
"...I was a servant... I learned to respect everyone, regardless of how they felt to me. It's a symbol of respect, nothing personal."
"Tch. Maybe she wanted your life... If you helped in her downfall, she probably hated you so much because she desire to take your position."
"I believe she wanted my life... I helped lead Hoshiihime to her downfall, so she probably hated me because she desired to take my position."
Ichigo dead-panned as she mumbled her thoughts out loud.
"I just said that..."
While she was turned away from him, gazing outwards into the blue sun in the sky, Ichigo took the time to explore this new realm. While he was gone, Kagura narrowed her eyes as she sensed the being behind her.
"...I was wondering when you were going to come out."
"I decided to wait and see what Ichigo thought you before making any rash decisions."
"...So are you his Zanpakuto?"
Behind her, the tall dark figure of Zangetsu stood, cloaked covered in crystalline ice.
"You could say that. I'm the remnants of his Soul Reaper powers attached to his Hollow. Right now, I'm in control."
"I'm sure of that. That Hollow you're holding back is pretty angry at my presence, isn't he?"
"Of course. It's natural that the Hollow fears the Quincy Queen Kagura Ishida. He wants to tear you apart."
Kagura click her tongue and turned away, gazing at the crystal sands.
"I though it was weird that a Hollow had an inner world... and one that shadows Las Noches, no less."
"...You do know who he is, don't you?"
"...The reincarnation of my husband? Of course. It makes sense. He can only access his Hollow powers, but even those are connected to his Soul Reaper powers... Hoshiihime placed me here through this... 'Hogyoku'... to help perfect his Quincy abilities."
"Perfect?"
"This object that we are inside manipulates desires to be accomplished. In essence, it manipulates the Reishi around the people connected to it. With my powers, I can help Ichigo manipulate the Reishi in the air."
"...Yet, you are not connected to me or the Hollow? Interesting. Also interesting that you know what the Hogyoku can do."
"The prototype was created by Hoshiihime long ago. She used it to overthrow our husband."
Zangetsu nodded as he walked next to her. Kagura hopped to her feet, straightening out her dress. The both stared at the floor where Ichigo stood.
"... You are obviously here for something else. If the key was not for releasing you, then..."
"...The other reason Hoshiihime brought me here. I myself am the Clevar la Espada. Only I can free the Old One trapped in the Crimson Moon of Hueco Mundo."
"Look, Urahara. No one has any plans of killing Ichigo Kurosaki. We are for the supposed release of the Spirit Queen and to make sure the Old One stays sealed away. We don't need the Spirit King making an appearance in Hueco Mundo."
Aizen looked between Shutara and Kisuke as she explained the situation.
"Did you say the Spirit Queen was released? She's been here the entire time..."
"Not Lady Hoshiihime... She's dead. I meant Lady Kagura"
Kisuke's eyes appeared from beneath his bangs as he appeared shock.
"Wait, what?"
"Lady Hoshiihime was killed by the Vandenreich Emperor. In the end, Lady Kagura's pressure was felt across the Soul Palace. We are here to investigate. Therefore..."
Kisuke and Aizen felt a hand grab them and toss them to side.
"...You are required to move..."
Kisuke and Aizen rubbed their sore heads as they stood to their feet. Tenjiro rubbed his chin as he stared at both of them.
"... I think we should take 'em with us. Shutara... bubble wrap 'em."
Aizen blinked, "What?" before he was encased in a clear bubble of glass.
Ichigo sat in his meeting room surrounded by the other Espada after he finally woke up.
"Now... the thing is... we got a boat load of Arrancars outside roaming around aimlessly. Today, we are going to sort them out into squads..."
Grimmjow, propped on his fist, stared at Ichigo like he was an idiot.
"...It sounds like you're trying to separate us like the Soul Reapers, dipshit."
Ichigo turned in his chair and glared Grimmjow, who did the same in return.
"That's exactly what I'm doin', asshole! Don't bitch at me! You are all going to be leading squads!"
Nel shook her head at Grimmjow, who angrily banged his fists on the table.
"Fuck that! I didn't sign up for more Fraccion! I'm done with them!"
"I think it would be great to be like a Soul Reaper Captain! Do we get those coats, too? I wanna coat, Ichigo!"
"Then... go get your own damn coat, Nel!"
"It won't be great unless you make it official! Make it happen, Ichigo!"
"I wish you both would shut up, so Ichigo can finish."
At Halibel suggestion, Nel and Grimmjow became quiet, though Grimmjow's expression did not change. On the other end of the table, Gantenbainne raised his hand, causing Luders and Asguiaro to stare at him oddly.
"Dude, what the hell are you doing?"
"It's how you draw attention in the human world."
"Yes, Afro-dude, what is it?"
Raising his eyebrows at the fact that Ichigo forgot his name, Gantenbainne shook his head as he continued.
"How are you going to seperate them?"
"...By... uhhmm... squad specialties... I mean... The squads in Soul Society have like... special qualities and missions... and stuff..."
"Damnit, Kurosaki, you don't even know what the hell you're even doing!"
"Shut up, Grimmjow!"
Halibel's spiritual pressure radiated through the room, causing Grimmjow to shut up. Ichigo turned to her with his eyebrows raised.
"Oi, stop that. It's like an annoying itch."
Halibel continued to glare at Ichigo before dropping her shoulders and staring at the table. Sung-Sun patted her shoulder, addressing the confused faces in the room.
"You embarrassed her, Lord Ichigo."
Ichigo continued to gaze at her for a moment before shaking his head and slamming his hand on the table.
"No more joking! Everybody get serious! Now, excluding Rudbornn, for obvious reasons, what is everyone else's specialties!?"
No one at the table spoke up. Ichigo face-planted into the table when no one said anything after half of an hour.
"This is hopeless..."
"Well... I mean... I have healing saliva..."
Ichigo raised his head as he faced Nel, who jumped away from his scared look.
"Great! Can you do any other healing!?"
"...No..."
"Then you are going to learn! I'm making you medical specialist!"
Everyone at the table, including Ichigo, shifted uncomfortably at his words. Nel was about to hop from her seat in joy before Ichigo continued talking.
"...Maybe that's... not a good idea... I think... I'll just talk to Kisuke or Unohana about this. Better yet, my father's here! Loly, go get my father and tell him to meet me at the desert circle. Everyone else, dismissed. Come back to the next meeting tomorrow with some ideas!"
"On it!"
As Loly disappeared, the other Espada filed out of the room. Ichigo followed behind them, leaving towards the desert. He arrived and waited for one of his father's stupid antics.
"No stupid antics, my son! There's only pure manly action in this place!"
Before his father could attack him from beneath the sand, Ichigo stomped him back into the desert.
"No!"
"My... son... I have... nothing left... to teach you..."
Ichigo dead-panned until his father pulled himself out of the sand. Clapping his hand upon his to knock the sand out, Isshin turned to his son.
"What did you call me for?"
"I think... It's time you tell me about your time as a Captain."
Isshin stared Ichigo, lowering his head toward the ground as he sighed.
"No."
Ichigo nearly face-vaulted to the ground.
"You gotta be fuckin' kidding me!"
"There's no point. It's not important."
"It is if you're keeping it secret!"
"...Nah."
Isshin turned and walked away from Ichigo, who continued screaming obscenities at him. Isshin paused as his eyes widened out of his skull.
"...It... can't be... Why would they... be here of all places!?"
"What are you-"
Ichigo stopped when a frightful, overwhelming amount of Reiatsu filtered through pores, causing him to feel as if he was turning inside and out.
'I thought... Kenpachi was bad... This just takes the cake!'
A gigantic space rattled the area behind both of them, causing them to turn as they watched a gigantic pillar open up. Seven shadowy figures appeared from inside.
"Oi, Ryoka boy. I'm back. I hope you didn't miss me too much."
"Aizen!?"
Aizen was suddenly pushed away as a man, decked out in a very comical hairstyle, lean over him to stare at Isshin.
"Yo, yo, biznitches, what's up, what's up!? Isshin, I ain't seen that ugly mug in years!"
"...Well... this is quite the surprise..."
Trivia
-I wanted to do the squad specialties in this chapter, but I couldn't think of all of them, so I cut it out. So far, I have planned out:
Ichigo: La Espada Ropera (Spanish for "The Dress Sword". Special Guards)
Nel: La Remedia (Spanish for "The Remedy")
Luders, Halibel, or Sung-Sun: La Capa y Espada (Spanish for "The Cloak-and-Dagger". Stealth)
Luders(If Not Above): La Ciela (Spanish for "The Sky". Aviator-type Arrancars)
Halibel(If Not Above): La Mar Depredador (Spanish for "The Sea Predators". Naval Arrancars)
Rudbornn: Exequias(Obviously)
Asguiaro: Las Noches de la Espada (Spanish for "The Blade of the Night". Las Noches Security Guards)
Grimmjow, Tesla, and Gantenbainne are unknown. And sadly, I think Halibel's and Luders's would be stupid. For Halibel, Las Noches/Hueco Mundo is nothing but desert. And no Quincy is gonna be like "Enemy Arrancar-130 above!" when seeing Luders's squad because an airstrike team in Bleach would be dumb.
-If you didn't figure it out, Hoshiihime/Kagura were attempts at Orihime, just as Rukia was built up for Byakuya replacement.
-Kagura is a serious character, as shown from conversation with Zangetsu and flashback. She pretends to act like Orihime around Ichigo to make him comfortable.
-Ichigo's inner world was Las Noches's towers replacing Karakura town. Now it's a crystal blue Las Noches.
-Ichigo will learn to manipulate Reishi, probably like he manipulated the Fullbring and in order to enhance his physical abilities. No Heliel Piels, Quincy Chants, Spirit Weapons, or Volstandigs for this guy. (Though I still want to do a Quincy!Ichigo one day...)
-Originally, I intended to bring Hoshiihime back, but I felt Kagura, with her Quincy abilities and being the key to unlock Old Spirit King, would be more useful.
-Old Spirit King, during his early attempts to have an affair with Kagura, used her Quincy abilities to mold the other Quincy. As stated long chapters ago, They were created to protect Kagura from Hoshiihime if she ever overthrew the king.
-Isshin was a Royal Guard in this story. (Also believe he is in Manga as well. It would explain his unique Haori style, the unrecognizable division symbol, and his weird, crazy habits.)
-Another thing I forgot to place in the story, since it was overshadowed by Isshin's appearance chapters ago, is that most of the Fraccion that were recently trapped (Dondochakka, Szayel Aporro's experimental ones that survived, etc.) were released when Isshin was released.