Hello everyone! I hope you like this new addition to my collection.
Please note I don't make any money from this story and same goes for them all (I just don't want to bore you with disclaimers all the time so I'll only mention it once or twice)
Enjoy!
MissSilverfox666
~Chapter One: Connection Established~
Darkness.
Silence.
It was all Ichigo could perceive, he couldn't see and he couldn't hear. It was as if his senses were completely obliterated and yet he could still think and breath, he could still feel.
What the hell is going on?
Thoughts ran through Ichigo's mind one after the other but could come up with no explanation for his current state of limbo except for the disturbing thought that he was about to die but he refused to think about that, if he were about to die he would feel his life slipping away and he would feel pain but he felt nothing but the rise and fall of his own chest as he breathed and a strange floating sensation.
Ichigo had been on the verge of death far too many times than he cared to remember and had died on at least three separate occasions where he somehow inexplicably managed to come back from the cold clutches of death.
Ignoring that Ichigo knew he was not dead or dying but all the same his mind seemed to have travelled somewhere completely separate from his physical body. Just where that was Ichigo had no clue nor how the hell it had happened but he was certain his mind was no longer within his own body, despite appearances Ichigo was no fool.
Ichigo must have been in that state for several minutes but they felt like hours to him before abruptly everything changed and colour burst forth in his vision, temporarily blinding him.
Hastily covering his eyes Ichigo blinked several times to try and dispel the harsh light before it suddenly vanished leaving Ichigo staring at his arms, which he could now see.
Slowly and cautiously Ichigo lowered his arms to look around and much to his shock found himself in what appeared to be a clearing in the middle of a forest. Red and gold flowers blooming to create a brilliant sea of colour.
Ichigo stared. It was beautiful. Just where in the hell has his mind taken him? Or was he actually only dreaming? No, it was too real to be a dream so then where was he?
Frowning Ichigo decided it would be best to look around and find out rather than just stand there like an idiot and ask himself that question over and over hoping the answer would pop out and punch him in the face.
With a sigh Ichigo turned and eyed the clearing he was standing in. It was surrounded by a thick mass of trees on three sides while on the forth was a sheer cliff probably about fifty feet tall with jagged rocks protruding from the surface.
Spots of colour adorned the cliff face also with what looked like ivy vines and rose vines intertwining to create an interesting mix of colour.
Eyeing the cliff with contemplation, Ichigo wondered just what was at the top of the cliff but to find out one would either have to find a path elsewhere that led to the top or if one was ambitious climb the sheer face which would be suicide. Even as Ichigo thought that he suddenly spotted what he had missed for the last few minutes.
Ichigo stared at the small figure standing at the base of the cliff, head angled up and titled slightly to the right. The figure was undoubtedly a child judging by his height and small stature and yes also a he.
Curious Ichigo began to walk towards the boy dressed in a rather clean if somewhat ripped dark blue kimono with small silver designs Ichigo couldn't discern from such a distance. He did however notice a head of messy but clean brown hair that hung just past the boy's shoulders.
What is he doing? Ichigo wondered to himself as he moved closer with a frown as they boy moved closer to the wall and placed a hand against the rough earth of the cliff face and craned his head back further.
"Hey what are you doing?" Ichigo asked of the boy only a few metres from him now but his question went unanswered, in fact the boy showed no sign that he had heard Ichigo at all.
"Hey kid!" Ichigo tried again but still no reaction. His frown deepening he reached out to grab the boys shoulder, "Hey k-," Ichigo broke off abruptly, staring at his hand that had gone straight through the boy like he wasn't there…or like Ichigo wasn't there.
Backing up several steps Ichigo couldn't do anything but stare at his hand for several long moments before his gaze was caught by movement from the boy in front of him. The boy had moved again and was to Ichigo's astonishment heaving himself up so he was perched on the cliff face.
Is this kid crazy! Ichigo thought in a panic but before Ichigo could utter a single word he felt a sudden burst of spirit pressure coming from the boy. Pale green light surrounded the boy's hands and feet and he began to climb.
Ichigo was flabbergasted. This kid was managing to scale a fifty foot flat cliff face at a rapid pace without any visible effort. What the hell? Not to mention the spirit pressure coming from the boy itched at the back of Ichigo's mind, it felt like he knew that spirit pressure but he couldn't place it.
"What is going on?" Ichigo asked aloud as he watched the boy climb further and further up the cliff, carefully avoiding the flowers as he went. At this rate Ichigo was going to lose the boy considering there was no way he could climb a cliff like that.
Letting out a deep sigh and looking to the ground Ichigo finally noticed that he was dressed in his Shinigami robes…Maybe, if this is a dream… deciding to test the thought Ichigo stared up at the top of the cliff and suddenly with a burst of power found himself standing at the top.
"Shit." Ichigo muttered, reorientating himself. He hadn't expected that to work, he didn't have his powers in reality so perhaps in this…state he had thought just maybe he could use what he had lost in that final battle and he was actually right.
It felt good. Ichigo may not show it but he dearly missed his powers, the ability to protect those he held dear but he also missed the powerful and calming presence of Zangetsu hell he even missed his hollow's crazy and annoying presence as well.
Ichigo closed his eyes and breathed in deep, feeling the power pulse through him like it had never left. Damn it felt good. Ichigo was thoroughly distracted for the next couple of minutes that he didn't notice when the boy reached the top of the cliff at least not until he walked straight through Ichigo.
Letting out a gasp and shivering rather violently Ichigo sprung away from the boy who had passed through him, a hand on his chest as he tried to dispel the unwanted sensation similar to that when he flash stepped but it was felt within his body so it was just plain creepy.
However that didn't bother him for much longer. As the boy had past through him he felt a spike of spiritual pressure that he recognised all too well.
Aizen.
It was Aizen's spirit pressure. At that realization the boy in front of him seemed to freeze and tense in front of him before turning to look over his shoulder to reveal piercing calculating brown eyes obscured by thick dark locks of hair.
Those eyes travelled over Ichigo without seeing him as he searched behind him, eyeing the clearing below but not finding anything.
The boy now identified as one Sosuke Aizen frowned and a hint of confusion entered those soon to be cruel brown eyes. Currently those eyes were weary and hard with a look that could only be brought into a child's eyes through hardship and horrific things witnessed.
Is this seriously Aizen? Ichigo had to ask himself but there was no mistaking the spirit pressure, while it was no where near as strong as Ichigo was familiar it was still the same and those eyes, he could never mistake those dark eyes that seemed impenetrable like he had built up a very large and thick concrete wall.
The child Aizen, no more than eleven Ichigo deduced frowned slightly and shook his head before facing forwards again into a very dark and thick tangle of trees. Apparently Ichigo had been wrong when he thought there was a clearing or field instead there was more forest.
Unsure of what to do or what to think Ichigo could only follow as the young Aizen entered the forest, moving through the trees with obvious practice and knowledge.
Ichigo was soon covered in scratches and was bleeding slightly, so much for not being materialistic. Ichigo was scowling at a cut on his arm rather intently so didn't notice when Aizen stopped and walked right through him which totally freaked Ichigo out again and if Ichigo wasn't going crazy or reading too much into things Aizen looked around again as if he had felt Ichigo but that was impossible, this was obviously some kind of dream his mind had decided to screw him with.
Ichigo sighed to himself and looked back to Aizen who was now reaching a hand into a large bush of thorns. What the…? Ichigo wondered but he was answered a moment later for once he blinked he found that he was actually grasping a handle that was attached to a door that lead straight into what was another cliff.
Apparently even at such an age Aizen was still able to use Kyoka Suigetsu.
Ooh! Aizen is a kid how cute! And yes even as an adorable boy Sosuke Aizen kicked ass with his awesomeness.
Review if you liked it or even if you didn't cheers!
MissSilverfox666