A:N- Okay so due to coming down with a cold that has slowly but surely been morphing into Pneumonia. I've become bedridden and with nothing else to do to clear my head of the pressure in my nasal cavity, and lungs (anatomy class DOES come in handy :D) I decided to type up the 6th chapter. Though.. due to the fact that I've become delusional... in the form of chappy the rabbit plot bunnies attacking me while I try to sleep and anything they can get their furry paws of doom on... it might not be the best chapter I've churned out.. Either way I hope ya like it!
random side note~ CURSE YOU YOU SPINNY BEACH BALL OF DOOM!*(if ya own a Mac ya know what I'm talking about) kay I'm good.
ENJOY!
Chapter 6 A New Point of View and More information
In small clearing in the midst of the Menos Forest in Hueco Mundo a single Adjucas-class hollow lay seemingly in a state of comatose against one of the many quartz-like trees. At first site many think it is dead or dying, yet when you look closer you see that none of the blood red stripe-like tribal markings adorning its hulking tiger-like body are actual wounds. The hollow is of perfect health and exuding monstrous amounts of reiryoku in waves, easily warding off the lower classes of hollow and inadvertently drawing the more powerful levels to itself.
In a final shudder of power the beast wakes, its muscles rippling and stretching as if waking from a pleasant nap. And in truth that's what it was. Its maw armed with twelve-inch-long razor-sharp canines opened in an imitation of a yawn, a long drawn out growl of contentedness echoing in the silence. In the matter of a few days it had evolved, forced onto such a path by the overwhelming hunger that it had learned early on, was futile to resist, and the sheer numbers of hollow that were drawn to it like moths to a flame due to its massive amount of power that continued to grow.
It had rapidly learned that it was not a speed fighter, rather a power and endurance, something speed didn't have.
If the power it held wasn't enough of an abnormality this hollow remembered its name from when it was alive and a few hazy memories as a human child.
Its name was David Johnson, sister of Alicia Johnson, and his goal was to find his sister if she was still alive. For his last memory of her was in a rain soaked parking lot sprawled out on the ground bleeding from fatal wounds.
'I will find you Ali.'
With that thought he tensed and bounded up to the tree line to scout the immediate area for breakfast. He had already searched almost all of Hueco Mundo, he needed to get stronger and regain his human form as either a Vasto Lorde or an Arrancar and travel to the Living world and search for her there.
He'd risk going up against the "Mighty" Shinigami to find his sister. But that wasn't at the forefront of his thoughts at the moment. Instead a group of newly evolved Adjucas meandering a little to close claimed the spot light making them todays breakfast. Though a part of him still cringed at the thought of murdering others in cold blood for food the majority of him was rejoicing at such an easy meal. Hungry golden eyes flashed as the group of three continued their trek to where he had been laying mere minutes before. Silently kneading the quartz-like tree under him his muscles coiled in preparation. The younger more inexperienced Adjucas never really stood a chance. In an instant he had leapt down from the canopy landing with a sickening crunch on the first and simultaneously ripping out a heaping chunk from the startled hollow next to it. The third let out a warbled shriek of surprise and immediately darted into the thicker areas of the forrest. With an annoyed grumble the tiger-like hollow turned and began gorging it self on what could be called "fast food". With each hollow it ate its power increased, increasing his chance of reaching that next step in evolution and furthering his goals in reaching the living world for his sister. In the end that was his main reason for doing what he does. His sister meant everything to him. He had to know if she was alive or not, if he survived to get that far. Licking his jowls clean David lept into the forrest intent on finding that straggler already suppressing the loud and irritated voices of the two new hollow he had just consumed.
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
With a groan I slowly returned to consciousness. I was sore in places I had never been sore in before.
Carefully, as to minimize the discomfort -I had had enough of that for a life time-, I positioned my self onto my knees and surveyed the area. It was dark the only source of light was the full moon casting a silver glow onto anything and everything. So enraptured was I by the beauty of it all that I sat stunned for a few minutes enjoying to cool air and the odd sense of peace.
With a heaving sigh I clamored to my feet realizing with a start that all my injuries I had acquired from that animalistic hollow were healed over, replaced with bright pink scar tissue.
"Oh that's neat... I guess that's a nice little perk to having a former espada and your own personal inner hollow..." I mumbled to my self as I stared at the raised and tender skin.
Almost on instinct I bent over and grabbed the stormy gray and electric blue hilt of my as-of-yet-to-be-named zanpaktou and sheathed it in one fluid motion.
I looked up at the moon with the sudden urge to know what time it was. For a moment I just stared at its beauty before sighing and striding over to my bo-. . . my gigai which was laying face up on the grass. A few blood stains mottled its appearance but other then that it was unharmed.
With a wave of relief I reentered the container, wincing as a migraine shot through my skull and all of the wounds and scar tissue transferred from my soul body to my artificial body.
"Note to self... don't just jump out of your gigai... shit hurts later." I grumbled as I staggered to my feet.
For the longest time I just stood and turned in circles trying to figure out how the hell I was going to get back to the warehouse I now call home. It then hit me.
I wasn't ready to go back. Not yet anyway. So much had happened in such a small amount of time I'd never really gotten a chance to deal with it all. I was through thinking about my dead family.
"What the hell am I going to do now?" I mumbled incoherently as I brushed my fingers through blood matted hair.
I stood silently as I warred with my self. Reason told me I needed to go back to the warehouse and get some well needed sleep and I could think with in the confines of that room, my stubborn side was telling me to just walk.
With a reluctant sigh I closed my eyes and pinpointed that spark of energy I had left right outside the concrete entrance.
Snapping my eyes open I turned my head toward the south scanning the rooftops of the jungle like expanse of suburban homes.
Taking one last longing look at the moon I stuffed my hands into my pockets and trudged off toward the ware house.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
The walk back passed in an indiscernible blur, colors and sounds melding with one another to form a cacophony of sensations. And faster then I had originally thought I was inside the old and worn structure with half lidded eyes. I didn't care to notice the barrage of stares the were sent my direction, instead I made a "B" line for that room that had my name on it. And as soon as I had reached it I flopped down onto the futon, asleep before my body came in contact with the bed not bothering to remove the sword strapped to my back.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXx
With a muffled sigh I shifted my elbows under me using them as a prop to move into a sitting position. With bleary eyes I gazed around the room, trying valiantly to fight against the haze of sleep clouding my brain. That 'mini-battle' was sped up as sounds of foot steps and not-so-hushed voices coming from right outside the door.
'I refuse to call anything 'mine' in this place' I thought gloomily.
Shifting off the futon and standing on my own two feet, I winced as my muscles and joints protested. Apparently I was still sore and not fully recovered.
'How long had I slept?' I wondered idly.
When it became painfully obvious that they wouldn't outright enter the premises I strode out there myself and came face-to-face with none other then the two blonde-haired dimwits of the Vizard.
Why would I expect anyone else?
Almost immediately I knew why they were here.
Training had finally begun.
"Yo, come on ya've missed breakfast and lunch. If ya hurry with yer' trainin' you might be able to make dinner. Now let's go we need to evaluate how much reitsu ya have." Shinji commented nonchalantly.
I could only stand like a deer in head-lights. I slept away most of the day.
'HELL YES!' I rejoiced.
Smiling to my self I only nodded and followed the two obviously bewildered Vizards towards the main area of the compound.
Hiyori was oddly silent with a rare contemplative look on her face. I probably should have cared. But I didn't.
'I slept an entire day!'
Reason for my overly happy reaction to that piece of information? For close to five years I never had more then nine hours of sleep on a good day. To have an excess of fourteen hours was god-send. Yeah my limbs were slightly stiff from not moving for so long but I hadn't been this refreshed in ages. And Urahara's place doesn't count. That was unconsciousness, most of which spent in my own inner world, not sleep.
Again on just pure instinct my hand drifted to the handle of my nameless zanpaktou, taking great comfort in the tingling sensation that warmed my hand when I made contact with the nylon-silk hilt.
"Alright gaki, ya' see this 'ere?" Hiyori drawled out as she pointed to that stair-stepper thingey of doom.
I remembered this alright. One of the funniest damn things I've ever seen was watching Hiyori chuck that piece of equipment at Ichigo's face.
"Of course I'm not blind." I quipped back, a smug smirk dancing on my lips at the sight of Hiyori's disgruntled glare.
I felt amazing. I don't think anything could bring such a great mood down.
"Watch yer' tongue. Just get on and run till ya' drop 'efore I beat it out of you." She snarled back.
'I don't think she likes me...' I thought amusedly.
"Yes mom." I said back, nothing but sugar coating my words as I strode over to the exercise machine, clamored on, and started running.
The look of pure fury on the girl's face was priceless.
So with high spirits I ran. Time once again seemed to blur as I slipped into a state of trance, the rhythm of my feet, the feel of blood rushing through my veins, the tune of my own heart slowly gaining in volume as time seemed to stretch on.
Who knows how many hours had passed and I was only just starting to become winded. Closing my eyes I tried to focus on the ball of white energy that belonged solely to me. And to my surprise I found not only my ball of roaring white energy, which looked surprisingly like a ball of pure white electricity, but my hollow's tainted black and Grimmjow's powerful yet suppressed neon blue. Each looking surprisingly like a miniature sun, just the color was all wrong. It was fascinating to watch as the flames, or in my case electric sparks, arced out to one another seemingly attempting to merge but were to volatile to even attempt such a thing. I reeled in shock, and outwardly I just barely realized that I had stumbled slightly in my rhythm. The old adage " A soul is destined to die if it cannot merge as one entity.", or something of that nature suddenly seemed to true.
It scared me.
Squashing the fear to think on at a later time I drifted toward that white sun. Almost tentatively I reached out and brushed the edges of my fingers against it. Those same tingles I always got when I grabbed the hilt of my nameless zanpaktou roared to life in my hand stronger then ever before but not entirely uncomfortable. A laugh filled with the merriment suddenly erupted from me as I outwardly threw my head back in sheer joy.
Snapping my head forward, unseeing to the strange looks being sent my general direction, I mentally drew on just a sliver of that energy. The rush that swept through me was euphoric. I could only laugh as I ran, reveling in the sensations. I would not be alone in my joy as the powerful, enigmatic, wolf that happened to be a part of my soul joined in my laughter with a deep rumbling chortle of his own.
'Soon, pup. Your finally learning.'
For a moment I paused. After yesterday I hadn't heard a word from my otherwise talkative zanpaktou.
'Awesome.' I thought back with a grin that threatened to split my face in two. Though I still didn't get what he was talking about.
Realizing I had outwardly stopped running and Hiyori was prodding me with the butt end of her sheath I snapped back into reality.
"OI! Don't space out like that! Get back to running!" The short, ill-tempered, Vizard barked.
"Yes mother." I taunted as I resumed my rhythm on the tread-mill knock off.
A feral snarl was my answer as she stalked off. It was only when she returned with the somewhat spread out group that the question hit me.
"Hey! How long have I been running on this thing?" I called out to no one in particular.
It was Lisa who answered my inquiry with a monotone response.
"Three days, eight hours, and thirty-seven minutes."
I choked on air and promptly hopped off the machine.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" I almost screeched.
I was beginning to fear that I was going to go into cardiac arrest, my heart had stopped beating for the longest time.
"Unfortunately we're not kiddie." Shinji replied from behind me causing me to whirl.
"Ya' just love to sneak up behind people don't ya'... sneaky bastard." I grumbled under my breath.
Unfortunately my statement didn't go unnoticed and Hirako raised a light blonde eyebrow before continuing.
"We were actually gon'ta pull ya off if you didn't get off yer' self. Ya passed it seems. It's lunch now I'm pre'y sure yer' starvin' after not eatin' fer' four days straigh'." He drawled in his nonchalant way.
With a sigh I glanced toward the Vizard who had grouped tighter together in favor of scooping out servings of some rice and chicken. I waited till Shinji had taken the initiative and headed towards the group that I chose to follow still wary of the tense atmosphere that seemed to cover me in a cloud since I had first arrived.
Silently I plopped a few scoops of the meal then promptly high tailed it to a more secluded section away from the Vizards. I had made it half way into my meal when I heard her.
"Ah top o' the mornin' to ya girlie." She drawled in a very poor attempt to sound british, which in a voice that was mine but warbled and distorted sent chills down my spine.
"Go away." I growled, stunned and very very annoyed. She wasn't supposed to show up this fast!
"Can't do tha' now can I? Wouldn't like to leave ya all on yer' lonesome." She quipped back now sounding very country.
'What the hell are you like a ventriloquist or something?' I thought incredulously, wonderfully oblivious to the several pairs of eyes that was honed in on me while I was having my own inner conversation with someone- no something that wasn't supposed to be awake for a few months.
Apparently when you talk to your inner hollow they are close enough to the surface to taint your reitsu giving it the unmistakeable trade mark of a Vizard.
"Ah I'm flattered! Ya' were thinkin' of me." She cackled.
An irritated growl slipped past my lips, my upper lip curling into a feral snarl, revealing the slightly longer canines of my upper and lower jaw.
"Shut up and go away." I barked.
I wasn't scared. Nope. Never. I was annoyed. Yep that was it.
Of course that's what I thought till she suddenly pushed on my hastily erected mental barriers almost shattering them in an instant.
Her mad cackling echoed in my mind causing me to flinch slightly.
" I can't ever leave ya girlie, after all I am very thankful to the person who brought me into existence of her own free will. Oh and don't worry I won't fight ya for this body for a while yet. I know my limits. But I can sure have fun other ways" She laughed.
In an instant I was on my feet, meal long forgotten on the rock next to my seat. When had I set it down?
"SHUT UP AND GO AWAY! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE AWAKE YET!" I screeched unseeingly into the ceiling, hands balled into fists at my sides as I shook with fury and fear.
With a huge mental shove her cackling settled into the background, out of sight but never ever out of mind. Almost instantly a haze of fatigue settled over me causing me to waiver where I stood.
I had never really understood what it felt like to have someone pushing at the control over your own body. To say it was unnerving is a severe understatement. I never saw her face and I don't think I ever want to, but I got that feeling that I'd been seeing her sooner then I had thought.
Sometime between when my conversation with my inner arse monkey started and when it ended Ichigo had walked into the compound.
The realization of what just happened hit me like a dumbbell to the gut and I fell to my knees, hazel eyes wide with terror, knowing, and anger.
I jumped when a comforting hand was placed on my shoulder, head snapping around to get a look at the owner of said hand.
Gazing down at me with painful understanding were a pair of molten doe brown eyes. Yes I'm short say anything and I'll gut you.
Of course he would understand he'd gone through the same thing. How long ago? I still hadn't a clue, never got that information out of the conniving hat-wearing bastard.
Composing my self, which turned out to be fairly difficult under that stare that sent shivers down my spine, I shook my head as if clearing it and turned to face the strawberry.
"I'll be fine" I whispered as confidently as a whisper could sound not meeting his eyes, choosing to stare mindlessly at the black cloth of his shihaksho on his shoulder.
I didn't really trust my voice that much, I was still shaken from that sudden unexpected encounter.
With a subtle squeeze he let go of my shoulder and walked toward the Vizard. For a moment I just stood stunned as I unconsciously raised a hand to where his had been moments ago. My shoulder felt oddly warm and.. tingly.
'Oh no I'm not..NO never...' I thought shakily as a warm feeling pooled in my gut causing a blush to erupt across my cheeks.
'Gawd damn it'
With what could be called a whine... which wasn't! Because I don't whine. I turned and watched the antics of Ichigo and the Vizards. And I have to say nothing beats having front row seats. The anime could never compare.
Almost immediately Hiyori had attempted to beat the guy with her sandal.
"YOUR LATE BALDY!" She roared as she lunged forward, her ever-trusty flip-flop thing in her hand aimed for his right temple.
"NO I'M NOT SNAGGLE TOOTH! YOU NEVER SET AN EXACT TIME!" He yelled back with a smirk while dodging the projectile.
I could only smile at their antics, past uneasiness forgotten. For a while it just consisted of Ichigo barely dodging Hiyori's sandal as they shouted insults at each other. It wasn't until Love cut in, with his obnoxiously shaped afro almost ten minutes later did they stop.
"Hey now are you here to goof around or are ya here to train Ichigo?"
Almost comically both participants froze where they were. In Ichigo's case it happened to be in the air, Hiyori was poised to launch her self at him from a precariously positioned rock.
"Yeah I guess. Come on baldy let's see if you can hold that mask o' yers' for longer then fifteen seconds." Hiyori goaded.
Everything seemed to freeze.
"F-Fifteen seconds." I choked out.
'This can't be. This early in the plot line. What happened... why do I have Grimmjow in my soul! If the war against Aizen hasn't ended... how did Grimmjow...
"Oi new chick. Ya alright?" Rose questioned from beside me.
"No... no I'm not." I responded as if on auto-pilot. In an instant gears began to turn and I spun to face the musically inclined Vizard.
"How did Ichigo defeat Grimmjow?" I asked with a slight tint of steel. I needed to know and now.
"You'll have to ask him. It's not my story to tell kid." Rose responded slightly taken off-guard.
"Thanks."
With that I jogged over to the Vizards.
"Ichigo!" I called.
At the sound of his name he stopped and spun to identify the voice. At the sight of me his eyes widened in curiosity.
"How and when did you defeat Grimmjow?" I asked, immediately getting to the point.
At the sudden guarded look in his eyes I knew that I was walking on thin ice.
"Come on just tell me. I need to know this. Already my story and this one isn't matching up." I almost begged.
I don't beg. I just needed this information really badly.
"My hollow took control in our first fight two weeks ago, he did enough damage to the espada so that when I finally took control a massive Getsuga was all it took to end him." Ichigo replied with a little bit of ice in his tone. "Why do you want to know?" He continued.
I paled.
"I need to see Urahara." I said absent-mindedly.
"What? Why?" Ichigo called out confusedly.
"In the first battle between you and Grimmjow your hollow didn't take over. He started encroaching on you but the espada was called back to Hueco Mundo because he came with out orders. He lost his left arm then. Your black Getsuga only scarred him. And at the time you didn't have your mask. And he didn't even use his Resurrection. He basically beat you senseless. It could barely be called a fight." I said in one big mess of words.
"So your informant was wrong. What's the big deal?" Shinji asked, trying to play it off.
"THAT'S THE PROBLEM! Up till then I haven't missed a single damned detail of what happened with Ichigo and his closest friends. I know it all! I know almost all the way up to where..." I stopped almost choking on my words.
'Shit. I wasn't supposed to go that far.'
I mentally cringed as looks of fear, doubt, confusion, and in Mashiro's case complete emptiness were cast onto me adding a metaphorical weight onto my shoulders. I immediately knew I had screwed up when the pressure in the room seemed to skyrocket.
"What do you mean you know it all!" Ichigo snapped.
I was to frayed to even think about dealing with all of this 'calmly'.
"It's exactly as it sounds damn it!" I retorted.
With the doubtful looks I was receiving I knew in my gut I was going to have to explain somewhat if they were ever going to really trust my word.
'Gawd I hate this.' I groaned inwardly.
"Ichigo your hollow made a speech about killer instinct when you fought him for control right?" I inquired at a brisk pace.
When all I got was a wide eyed nod I moved on.
"Shinji you were the last to lose consciousness the night Aizen ran those hollowfication tests on you right?"
Again I was met with a wide-eyed nod and moved on to the next Vizard.
"Mashiro you were the only one who didn't have to do an inner battle you could already hold your mask for fifteen hours or something ridiculous like that right?"
"Hai hai!"
"Kensei you were the one of the first, the information is kinda hazy it's been so long, to hollowfy right?"
"Yeah but that doesn't prove anything." He grunted out.
"I'm not done!" I snapped.
"Hachigen-san that night you were sent out with Shinji who was the captain of the fifth, Rose who was captain of the third, Love who was captain of the seventh, and Kyoraku's Lieutenant Lisa by the Captain-Commander him self. Am I wrong?" I asked semi-calmly as I desperately tried to get a hold of my raging emotions.
"You would be right." His airy voice responded.
"Look I could spout off more information but all it is, is wasting time." I finished my voice straining not to devolve into a feral hiss.
"What more could you possibly know!" Hiyori cut in.
"That Aizen will capture Inoue Orihime in order to draw Ichigo into Hueco Mundo making it look like she betrayed everyone so he states that the Seireitei can't afford to send a rescue team for a traitor! Yet later into the advance the twelfth, eleventh, sixth and fourth captains will join Ichigo and his gang in Hueco Mundo effectively cutting Soul Societies fighting force in half! And when that rat bastard finally decides to show up in the Fake Karakura town he seals any and all Garganta! Trapping everyone!. To top it off he brings his top three espada who end up dying in the end due to YOUR intervention. But it won't be a-freaking-nough! He still makes it to the real Karakura Town, because even though with the arrival of a few more key people he will have already merged with the god damned Hogyoku!" I yelled, anger and frustration getting the better of me.
For a few moments silence reigned, the only sound coming from me and my harsh breathing.
"Unfortunately though all of that needs to happen. Along the way Ichigo here gains a level of power none of you ever reached as far as I know. But I can try to make it so that you stand a better chance by knowing what might possibly happen next. With me here I'm one-hundred percent positive that a lot of things have changed." I finished in a defeated sigh.
"Alright Ichigo, Hiyori, Love, Kensei stay here and spar. According to this little red head here we need to prepare a little more. I'll take Lisa and Rose with me to Urahara's. We'll be back by dawn." Shinji called out in what could be called a relaxed commanding time.
With the orders handed out nods of ascent were given and everyone went off in their respected directions. Immediately Shinji spun on his heel and started walking to the large garage like entrance with Lisa and Rose not to far behind. For a moment I looked only at Ichigo gouging his reaction. There was a determined steely glint in his eye and I knew he would be stronger then I would ever hope for him to be at this stage.
"OI shorty ya' comin' or what!" Shinji called from the entrance.
"Yeah I'm coming." I began airily, then his full comment sunk in.
"I'M NOT SHORT DAMN IT I'M FUN SIZED!" I yelled after him as I ran to catch up.
Maybe I'd fit in with the Vizards more then I had originally thought.
Maybe.. eventually they'd come to understand.
And maybe just maybe I'd be able to turn the tide of the upcoming battle farther away from that rat bastard Aizen Sousuke.
A:N- I AM GOD! About 9-10 pages in the matter of a few hours AND AND! it's up extra early... I'm a moron it's one a.m. I'm getting pneumonia... and I'm typing this! Ah well. It just kinda hit me so... TADA!-hack- -cough- -sniffle-
Anyway this was all my sleep deprived, feverish mind could gloop out for ya.
I hope ya like it! And excuse any error's I can't see with my eyes watering and I'm sick and tired and...
I'm going to stfu nao.
If ya likes it PLEASE leave me a review! I LIVE off of those things!
Much Love
~Animelover
Edit: RAGE! MY LINE BREAKS DIDN'T SHOW! So they should work now. If not.. well apparently I'm gonna have ta cap a #$^$&%$.
Alright SO I've just taken an hour or so and hastily beta'd this on mai own. I am somewhat proud of this chapter. Not only in the speed in which I got it done but the amount of plot holes I've been filling.
As you've noticed some huge thing's have changed. With the SPOILER whole Final Getsuga stripping Ichigo of all of his power SPOILER I've had to edit some things.
I had originally planned for this to be a post-war fic. But with chapter 420 that idea just went down the drain seeing as I want to keep to canon as much as possible.
So at the moment Alicia conviently landed right before Inoue was taken by the emo-spada.
Also Ichigo did end up beating Grimmjow but at the same time he didn't really beat him. His hollow was string enough to finally push for that control and beat the living cat nip out of one of our favorite Espada.
Alright so I'm done ranting. Hopefully that's cleared up any questions...
Of course please leave a review. I love to hear what you think and what I could possibly change and what I should keep doing.
REVIEWS ARE MY REASON FOR LIVING!... okay... not really... but they mean a lot.