Chapter 8
In the Grey
Ichigo appeared in a flash behind the Regai.
He held his hand out and called Tensa Zangetsu back with chain.
He swung it down and he leveled a treeline, freeing Kon in the process.
"Kon. Take care of Nozomi. I'll handle these jokes."
"What...are you?" Said the fake Rukia.
"Ichigo Kurosaki...Perfect Vizard." He raised two fingers and pointed them at the fake Rukia.
"Cero." The red blast annihilated the Regai.
The Regai of Ikkaku grabbed Nozomi.
"I don't think so," Said Kon, eyes narrowed. He swung his blade and cut the Regai's arms off.
"Rip the moon, Zainengetsu." The blade transformed and he raised it above his head. "Getsuga Tensho!"
The Regai was turned to dust.
Kon stuck Zainengetsu into the ground and turned to Nozomi.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Y-yeah."
"Go! Go back to my house! I'll clean up here." Ichigo commanded.
"R-right! Come on Nozomi!" Kon grabbed her wrist and they started running.
Ichigo stared down the remaining Regai as red lightning sparked around him.
"I just learned this technique, so forgive me if I go a bit overboard." His Reiatsu flared. "HOKO!"
All the beings were engulfed in a pillar of red spirit energy.
When the dust cleared, Ichigo was the only one standing.
Then a lone red pill rolled up to his feet. He picked it up.
"It almost looks like Kon's old form, except it feels different. I should show this to Rukia." He then vanished into Sonido.
Back at Ichigo's house, Kon and Nozomi had tried to sneak back in... but failed.
Ichigo's father had been aware of Nozomi the entire time, and proceeded with his usual speech.
He mentioned something about "four daughters" and "like a harem".
"Mr. Kurosaki, I'm not sure you should use "daughters" and "harem" in the same sentence." Kon said, questioning Isshin's morals.
Later that night, while everyone else was asleep, Nozomi woke up.
Unable to return to her slumber, she left the house for a walk.
Kon awoke soon after, subconsciously sensing Nozomi's spirit energy leaving.
He popped out of Ichigo's body via the Combat Pass and went in pursuit.
Nozomi hit the ground; a hollow had appeared and attacked her.
Her thought drifted to just accepting her fate and dying right there.
Then the hollow roared as it lost an arm.
Kon appeared in front of her.
"I can't believe you! Going out on your own like this at this hour! Not even putting up a fight? Why wouldn't you, with even your last ounce of strength, fight for you life!"
Kon went to block another strike, but felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He was knocked backward, his black shinigami robes a snow white and his sword nowhere to be seen.
'Shit... Urahara was right... Of all the times for my Reiatsu to go haywire...' He couldn't even move to stop the hollow.
"Dammit..." he growled.
The hollow went for Kon, angered.
But it stopped when a glowing green object appeared in front of Nozomi.
As the glow faded, it was revealed to be a Zanpakto.
Then her outfit changed as well, becoming a variant on the standard Soul Reaper Uniform, with a skirt instead of the long pants standard to the design.
She drew the sword and slew the hollow in one swing.
Then she ran over to Kon and placed her hands above him.
They glowed green and Kon's uniform went back to its normal color.
"Woah... Alright, one thing at a time. First, of all, how did you stabilize my Reiatsu? Second, I thought you didn't have a sword!"
"It was a kido that helped stabilize your power. The sword... I thought of protecting you and it appeared to me."
Kon felt something under his hand and picked it up.
It was what looked like a small, orange lion.
He handed the doll to Nozomi.
She put it on the hilt of her sword.
"Geez, you're such a kid Nozomi!" Kon laughed.
"Well what else was I to do with it?"
Kon stood up. "I don't know, put it on your phone?"
The two bickered for a bit before Ichigo showed up again.
"Kon, I've got some errands to run. You're in charge until I get back. Take care of her, alright?" Ichigo commanded.
"You don't have to tell me!" Kon replied. "What do you mean, 'errands'?"
"That's none of your business." Ichigo tapped the air and opened a Gargantua.
"What-!" Kon began.
"You tell nobody about this, alright? Tell them I'm off brooding or something."
"R-right."
Ulquiorra had recently met up with Tia Hallibel and her fraccion. He was currently discussing Ichigo's situation...and where here loyalties would lie if he returned.
"It was his friend that saved me, was it not? Was it not also him who defeated Aizen? Ulquiorra, I will let you know I am with the two of you."
Ulquiorra nodded. "Very well. For now, let us see what we can salvage from Los Noches."
Ichigo appeared in the sands of Hueco Mundo.
He smelled the air and shuddered; the spirit particles everywhere were glorious to him now.
He felt three familiar Reiatsu, and one very large unfamiliar riatsu.
He sonido'd in that direction.
It was time for him to save an old friend.
Nel and her fraccion were playing Endless Tag when an Adhudjas had appeared and started attacking them.
Her fraccion were fighting bravely, but in their current forms they weren't much of a match for the larger hollow.
The three started running again, but Nel tripped.
As the hollow brought its fist down, a white hand stopped it.
There was a growl and then the smaller being shoved the large hollow back.
"What the hell?" The larger hollow growled.
The smaller being let out a roar and lowered its horns.
The Cero that fired off blew away the top half of the enemy's body.
The being turned around and looked at new with glowing blue eyes.
"Hey."
"Itsyu...go?"
Nel's eyes widened with joy.
"Itsyugo!"
She jumped onto his back and started pulling on his hair and touching his mask, talking about his new form.
"Ow! Hey, knock it off, Nel!"
Ichigo explained his situation the best he could to the amnesiac arrancar.
"If you three want to come with me, I'm going to Los Noches to meet with Ulquiorra."
"But isn't he one of tha' badth guys?" Nel asked.
"Times change, Nel." Ichigo said.
The four then began the journey to Los Noches.
"Alright, that's everyone!"
The next day, the entire group of original soul reapers had gathered in Ichigo's room, along with Orihime, Chad, Nozomi, Uryu, and Kon.
"...still say we should just hide the girl somewhere." Said Shuhei.
"No. I want to fight too!"
This surprised everyone, except Kon. He just smirked.
"Inaba's Zanpakto can record and replay spaces; in other words, manipulate space-time! My zanpakto can counter his!"
"How does it do that? You don't sound too certain," said Yumichika.
"I can't remember everything yet, I just know!"
Nanaso pushed her glasses up on her face. "We can't risk it."
"I can almost remember my Zanpakto's name! You have to let me-!"
Kon stood up and put his hand on her shoulder.
"If the sword's dormant, why don't we help her awaken it?" Asked Kon, giving Nozomi a thumbs up.
Everyone was at a local park, and Nozomi was in Soul Reaper form.
"Alright, Rukia, Chad, Uryu and I will spar with you. This should wake your sword. Ready?"
Nozomi nodded and Kon charged in first, striking multiple times.
Kon jumped back and Rukia jumped in, repeating the process.
Uryuu shot a few arrows at her, each she blocked.
Chad powered up his first level right hand for his "El Directo".
The fist impacted the blade and then Chad backed off. The pattern repeated multiple times until Nozomi was noticeably tired.
"We should take a break." suggested Kon.
"No. I want to keep going."
"You'll fail if you try too hard at once!" Pleaded Orihime.
"...Fine. I'll go wash my face."
When Nozomi had reached a fountain and splashed some water on her face, she was approached by Ikkaku.
"Give up kid. I'll admit you have some real power, but you'll just get killed."
"I planned on dying anyway. But I was told to keep living, so I'm going to keep helping everyone, even if I die doing it." Nozomi responded.
"If you're gonna take what the enemy's gonna throw at you, you better be ready to strike back."
The training began again, but was shortly stopped.
"The regain are here!" Said Renji practically as soon as he appeared. "We should stop the training and get her somewhere safe!"
"No way!" opposed Kon. "If they're here then there is no safe place, Renji."
"You've both been holding back." Noted Yumichika. "Kon you can do that... Getsuga.. thing Ichigo does, right? Use that at full strength."
Kon nodded. "Alright. Bankai!"
He activated his Bankai and everyone was chilled by how much it looked like Ichigo's.
He began gathering power on his sword.
Nozomi raised her sword in defense.
"AOI...GETSUGA!" Kon fired the attack.
Moments before the attack hit, Nozomi remembered her sword's name.
"Rain without end... ARIZOME SHIGURE!"
The blast was sucked into the sword.
Then, a nearby explosion detonated, and Regai Kenpachi appeared, standing over a defeated Ikkaku.
"Oh shit!" Kon exclaimed; normal Kenpachi was scary enough, but-
He noticed Nozomi was charging him.
"Wait, wait, Nozomi!" He sighed and face-palmed.
"Dammit, Nozomi..."
Nozomi brought her blade down... and released a massive blast of violet energy.
Kon's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
...then the Regai stood up... and laughed.
"AHAHAH! That's more like it! Is that all you've got though?"
Nozomi narrowed her eyes and started fighting. Meanwhile, the other Regai appeared; Kon was faced with Regai Byakuya.
"Scatter."
Kon jumped away from the flower petals of death and fired an Aoi Getsuga, blowing them away.
"You won't get me that-!" He was engulfed in petals from behind.
He winced as the blades cut him.
He saw Nozomi was holding her own and flared his spiritual pressure, knocking the flower petals away.
He was quickly in front of Regai Byakuya and delivered several swift slashes.
Kon barely dodged the petals behind him and got away from the Regai.
Eventually, the whole group was backed into a corner.
Then Kon, for once, had an idea.
"Let's all attack Nozomi's blade! Put all your power into it and we should be able to beat these guys!" Suggested the mod soul gone soul reaper.
"Right." Nozomi held her blade out and everyone attacked it.
It began to crack from the sheer power in the blade.
"NOW!" Yelled Kon.
"Rain DOWN!" A massive blast of violet energy shot out of the blade and the explosion engulfed the Regai.
After the dust cleared, the only one left standing was Regai-Byakuya, having protected himself with kido.
"Soren Sokasui."
The blast knocked out everyone but Kon and Nozomi.
Then the regai was engulfed in flames.
Head Captain Yamamoto had arrived.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. How go things in the world of the living?" Ulquiorra asked.
"Bad. Well, not entirely, but in general, bad. We've got a situation that I've got someone handling right now, but I have a more pressing matter at hand."
"What might that be, Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"It's something I've been worried about for a while. Not urgently, but it was there." Ichigo explained.
"What do you mean?" Asked Tia Hallibel.
"My old Combat Pass. Thankfully Kon's power is close enough to my own to dupe the boys at the Science and Technology division. It was made to both track and restrain reiatsu. Specifically, my reiatsu. They see me as a liability, and now that I've finished the Vizard transformation, I might become... expendable."
Ichigo crossed his arms. "That's why I want your help. I want to find the Vasto Lorde that are roaming Hueco Mundo. I need my own counter to the Gotei 13; I remember Hitsugaya once said if Aizen had 10 or more Vasto Lorde with him, the Soul Society would be doomed. I'd like some... Insurance... just in case they try to blackmail me into submitting."
"You are looking upon two of the Vasto Lorde right now," said Ulquiorra. "Three if you count Nelliel."
"So there's like what, 7 more?" Ichigo asked.
"Not any more; in the time since you arrived here, at least 3 more have arisen."
"Where do I start?" Ichigo asked.
"I cannot say. There is only one being that would know."
"Who is it?" Ichigo asked, afraid of the answer.
"Souske Aizen."
Yamamoto had blown off Kon and Nozomi and was in battle with Regai Ukitake and Regai Shunsui.
However, Nozomi had stepped into the fray as well.
Then Inaba himself arrived.
"Stand down." He ordered, to the surprise of all the combatants. "I'll finish this myself."
The three finally devised a plan to fight Inaba, with Nozomi taking the lead and having some of Yamamoto's power in her blade.
The sneak attack failed.
Kon and Yamamoto both attacked from different sides as well.
This was also a failure, Inaba mimicking Nozomi's power and firing the entirety of the two powers at Yamamoto.
Nozomi jumped in the way and started absorbing power with her sword.
"Foolish child! That sword cannot hold that much power!" Yamamoto chided.
Nozomi didn't move.
The blade began to crack again... until it finally shattered.
Yamamoto shoved Nozomi out of the way and Kon caught her, leaving Yamamoto to counter attack.
An explosion detonated, sending both combatants to the ground.
Kon put Nozomi down and she walked over to Yamamoto.
"Why would you save me... 'Just a mod soul'?"
"I would not allow a child to protect me... and you are still a lady." He passed out...then Inaba rose, battered but combat -worthy.
Kon stepped in front of Nozomi.
"You stay the hell away from her! I"ll cut you down. I've never been more intent on killing in all my life!" The mod soul growled.
Inaba laughed. "You're a mod soul as well, right? Well, we're two halves of the same mod soul."
Kon's eyes widened. "What...Nozomi...Is this true?"
"Yes. I-we- were the first mod soul ever created."
"That's fine. It means we have something in common. Nozomi," Kon started.
"Huh?"
"Run."
Kon dashed forward and impaled Inaba with his sword.
"AOI GETSUGA, FULL POWER!"
The explosion engulfed them both as Nozomi ran.
X
Ichigo smirked under his mask;
with his spiritual pressure undetectable by even the Soul Society's best sensors, he had sneaked into the prison with ease. Now he approached the single room where Aizen was locked away.
Taking advice from his inner hollow, he picked the lock with his claws.
He unstrapped the gag in Aizen's mouth.
"Who's there? More mortals to judge me?"
"Black Fifteen." Growled out Ichigo, a pun-like code based on his name.
"Kurosaki Ichigo? Well, well this is certainly a surprise. Have you come to me because the Soul Society finally realized that you too, also a trancendent being, are also a threat?"
"...Not yet."
"So you foresee it? Just as I did?"
"Shut up Aizen, I don't need your mind games. I'm here to bargain."
"Bargain? With me? My, you MUST be desperate. I'll listen. What are your terms, Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"You swear fealty to me and help me find the Vasto Lorde and I'll bust you out of here. They can't sense us, it'll be a walk in the park." Ichigo said.
"Fealty? To you? A mere Hollow?"
"A "mere hollow" who kicked your ass Nine ways to Los Noches if I recall you cocky bastard. And I could do it again if I wanted to."
"...Your agreement sounds fair. I will help you locate the Vasto Lorde if you tell me what you'll do when we have them."
"What you did, but better. That sound about right?"
"Yes, quite. Ichigo, it pleases me to know you've matured so much..."
"Just as you always planned, bla bla bla. God damn, this stuff's sealed with Kido. It'll take me a while."
"We have all the time in the world, Kurosaki Ichigo. After all, we of the immortal realm shall never..."
As Aizen rambled on, Ichigo thought about gagging him again to shut him up.
But if his plan was to work, he'd get used to it.
Kon pounded the dirt with his fists.
Inaba had taken Nozomi.
He'd played Kon for a fool and taken her.
'I broke my promise...' Thought Kon.
"Dammit I'm no good at this Kido thing! I can't even get this first seal undone!"
"Calm yourself, Kurosaki Ichigo. I shall teach you in the time we have. First, feel for your power..."
With Urahara's help, Kon was able to infiltrate soul society and reach Nozomi.
He looked at her inside a glass cylinder before running over to a computer.
"Alright, alright he said to do this... "
he was then hit in the back of the head and made contact with the monitor.
He stumbled back and saw Regai Nemu.
"Shit..." The computer flashed red. "Looks like I'll have to get you out the old fashioned way, Nozomi."
"You will not be releasing her." Stated the fake Nemu.
"Watch me. Rip the moon, Zainengetsu!" He transformed his blade and slammed it into the tube.
The glass barely cracked.
"What?"
"You can't break that glass." informed Regai Nemu.
"I can break you though." One stroke from his sword killed the Regai.
Kon panicked. "What to do, what to do. Oh yeah, that might work."
He went Bankai and charged a Getsuga in his blade before striking the glass.
It shattered and he caught Nozomi.
"Are you alright?"
"..You're too late. He already took my power. He'll be unstoppable now." Nozomi replied.
"I don't give a damn. You're safe, that's what matters!"
"He'll take over the real world!" Nozomi argued.
"No he won't. I won't let him! Then I'll take you back and you'll be able to live how you want!" Kon yelled confidently.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I know Ichigo would say the same thing."
"Wow, you're right this is easy." Said Ichigo as he broke the last seal.
"You always have been an exceptional individual, Kurosaki Ichigo. Now undo the bonds."
Ichigo removed all the bonds with a stroke of his sword.
Aizen stood up and stretched. His power had re-stabilized into his first form past chrysalis stage.
He rubbed his wrists and cracked his shoulders.
"Thank you ,Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Stay here while I deal with something. Feel that Reiatsu? That's Inaba. Once he's dead, I'll come back and create a Gargantua and we'll escape to Hueco Mundo. Got it?"
"I understand, Kurosaki Ichigo. I shall await your return." Aizen said with his infamous smirk.
"Thanks for the kido training I guess. Hope you don't mind, I'm going to borrow that move you used." Ichigo said.
"Hado #90? Impressive Ichigo."
Ichigo vanished.
Kon had made his way to Sokyoku Hill and had begun combat against Inaba in his new form. He had gotten younger and thinner.
Kon was about to fire a full strength Aoi Getsuga when he froze; his Reiatsu had destabilized for a final time. His robes turned white and he fell to the ground.
"So, there was nothing to you more than that? Oh well. Now you die-!"
"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness! HADO NUMBER 90! Kurohitsugi!"
The outline of a violet-black box appeared around Inaba's new form, then solidified.
When the box faded away, Inaba's new form hit the dirt. Behind him a ways was none other than Ichigo Kurosaki.
He was wearing something different however; the cloak he had worn when he saved Rukia.
The upper half of his jacket had been taken off and hung limp around his waist.
"...Ichigo?" said Rukia. "Was that... Kido? A level 90 Kido?"
"I've been training," he lied. "I figured with my new control over my spiritual pressure I could do it. I just used one I knew the incantation for."
He looked at Kon. "Kon, take Nozomi back to the real world. Live well. And keep my body safe until I return for it."
"Where are you going?" Asked Kon.
"I'm going to Hueco Mundo. Where else?" He opened a Gargantua and vanished.
Back in the prison area, the Gargantua opened again.
"So have you completed your business here?" Aizen asked patiently.
"Yeah. Come on, we're leaving."
The two stepped into the Gargantua and it closed.
Upon their arrival, Ichigo didn't leave the Gargantua.
"Stay. Right. Here. I've got some business in the Real World to deal with before I come back."
"Very well. Do not keep me waiting, Kurosaki Ichigo."
"I don't plan on it."
Ichigo reappeared outside of Orihime's house.
She opened the door when he knocked on it.
"Ichigo! Where-!"
He grabbed her hand. "You're coming with me."
The gargantua opened and the two were pulled in.
Aizen smiled upon their arrival.
"You brought this girl?"
Orihime's eyes were wide. "A-Aizen..."
She looked up at Ichigo. "Don't tell me..."
"Don't take it the wrong way, Orihime. I'm not with him... he's with me."
"I-I don't-!"
"I'll explain later, Orihime. We need to get to Los Noches."
He picked her up in his arms bridal style and vanished into Sonido, followed by Aizen and his own fast movement technique.
Ulquiorra had been talking to Halibel when the doors to the room they were in opened.
Ichigo entered with Orihime by his side.
"He's agreed to aid me."
The two stepped out of the way to reveal...
"Geetings, by dear Espada."
Aizen was back.
END CHAPTER 8
Holy shit, Aizen is back, Ichigo's gone traitor, and Kon (might) have a girlfriend?
This is the chapter where shit went down.
Kon's unique Getsuga, "Aoi Getsuga" means "Blue Moon Fang", and its aura looks like the one Final Ichigo has in Bleach: Soul Ressurecion (look it up on Youtube if you don't know).
Ichigo has already mentioned his control over his power, hence his ability to fire Cero without it going off in his face.
Aizen is the form he was before becoming Butterflaizen, stage one (the one right after the crysalis stage)
Next time:
Orihime's fear; the hunt for the Vasto Lorde!