Part II: The Reveal
Remember.
How was he supposed to remember? Kisuke hadn't given him a moment to remember. Yet his mind felt fuzzy and his eyes hurt as if he was looking directly at the sun. That is when he saw it. He was no longer in the mental asylum but standing on Sōkyoku Hill.
In front of him was Aizen. He remembered his talk with Aizen from earlier, when he had been asked how long he had been in love with him. Aizen was the one who gave this very moment. The moment that the two of them had first met. He had only come to the Soul Society to rescue Rukia from being executed. Yet he had been taken on the ride of his life.
He could hear the imposter Kisuke's words.
The ride of your life, connection, a loss of control, death and defeat.
Those words could easily describe his life, but they could also describe his journey through the Soul Society. Rukia had formed a connection to him, it had been because of her that he had been thrust into this world. Yet he would not give it up for anything. He could not be normal. She had given him the ride of his life by sharing her powers with him. He had almost died countless times on that journey.
He lost control because of his inner hollow, who at the time he had no clue how to control. It was because of Shinji and the vizards that he learned how to control his inner hollow. That was just another phase of his life, another phase of the journey. Death and defeat was so close together. He had defeated many and made friends with them. Yet he had never killed any of the people he fought. That was wrong.
He had killed Kariya when he had fought him. He had killed countless hollows.
"You have gotten yourself into a mess, king." His inner hollows' voice echoed through his mind.
He watched the scene in front of him. His first fight with Aizen, the moment where Aizen had claimed he had first fallen in love with him. He was watching himself hesitate in the fight, no one else could have caught it. Aizen really had been right.
The scene went backwards, he briefly saw his first true exchange with Rukia. That was the beginning of his life as a Shinigami. He saw his first fight with Renji and Byakuya. He had almost died that day, if it hadn't been for Kisuke he would have died. Kisuke had started to train him after that day. None of it made sense, why was he watching his own life as if he was... dying? The thought hit him hard, although his life he had heard how life flashed before your eyes before you died. That couldn't be happening.
The scene briefly showed his fights in the Soul Society. Then the vizards came into his vison. The scenes were skipping around rather than going in order. He was forced to watch the scenes from Hueco Mundo then as he came into the battle with Aizen. The scene that had begun this adventure was then before him once again.
The pillar of light. Ichigo remembered thinking that Aizen wasn't truly a monster despite his outward appearance. He had hesitated again, it had been brief but he had noticed it this time. He was watching every time he hesitated. How did this fit into him being the key? Aizen had talked about a key before, the Oken. Karakura Town had to be destroyed for it to be created. None of it fit together. How could he be some key, and what was the imposter Kisuke?
Everything thing he saw had been real. Which meant it couldn't be a true illusion. He knew it was Aizen's Bankai that created the dimension, and the Hōgyoku somehow had come into play. The power was familiar, he knew it when he touched the orb earlier.
Did Aizen know something? He had made a rule about the Hōgyoku after all.
….
Gin had to watch the boy as he screamed. He could only imagine what the boy was living through. He looked towards Kisuke.
"So do ya want ta tell me how the boy is the key?"
Kisuke shook his head. "Not particularly."
"How bout what the boy is seein."
Kisuke rolled his eyes. "He is most likely reliving his life."
Gin frowned.
…..
Orihime was up from her seat in the corner of the room and by the bed that Ichigo was on. He looked like he was in pain. Aizen's hand caught hers before she could do anything.
"Don't touch him."
Orihime felt her hands drop after Aizen's hands had left hers. The man wouldn't let her anywhere near Ichigo. "Is he okay?"
"I don't know, just don't touch him. If you try to reject the damage you might hurt him more than you would help him. "
Orihime looked at the man, it was clear he was trying to remain calm but his composer was failing him.
"Ichigo wouldn't be happy if he knew how much you were suffering. "
Aizen raised an eyebrow at Orihime.
Orihime continue. "I can tell that you're trying to remain calm through this, but it is really affecting you. I've known Ichigo long enough to know that he would never want to be cause of anyone worry. Tatsuki told me the reason why he tries to take everything…" she started.
Aizen sighed. "Don't try to comfort me. The only thing I need is for him to be okay. I'll kill Gin if he lets anything happen to him."
Orihime decided to stay quiet. She had no clue how to help the man in front of her.
…..
The scenes had stopped for a minute. Ichigo was staring into darkness, his head was on fire. Then the scenes continued again. He saw the scene of his mother on top of him, the rain was falling on them. Then he saw the blood. He then saw his sisters and his father. This was when he didn't go to school or go home. He had spent his time wondering alongside the river. He had blamed himself for the death of his mother, the death of their sun.
The scene he saw next was the time they had gone to visit his mother's grave. Rukia had appeared that time.
"Make it stop!" He couldn't take it anymore, if he had to see any more of the pain in his life he would break. His voice was not heard though.
Ichigo remembered what Aizen had told him, he wondered if it would work without the zanpakutō in his hands. He had to try it though.
"Shatter Kyōka Suigetsu" he called out into nothingness. Nothing happened.
He remembered something else that Aizen had said. He had been talking about death. What he would become after his death. An Arrancar or a Shinigami.
"Have you given up all hope, king? Are ya breaking? You are weak! You don't deserve to live." His inner hollow's voice echoed around him.
He wasn't dying?
That was when he felt the pain.
….
Gin unsheathed his zanpakutō as he made it appear on his side. "I was sent ta protect the boy. Let him go."
"What are you going to do to me? Try to kill me just like you tried to kill Aizen? You can't protect him."
Gin noticed the look of pain twisted on the boy's face.
"What are ya doing ta him?"
Kisuke smirked. "Every memory is being replayed before his eyes. He is almost ready."
Gin looked at him. "I won't let you do what you want with him." He began to say his release command.
"You wouldn't want him to die, would you?"
Gin paused and finally sheathed his zanpakutō.
"Good choice."
…
The scenes had begun again. This time he watched as he lost control of the hollow inside of him and how he killed Ulquiorra and almost killed Uryu. Again the scene kept going back to his final fight with Aizen. That was the key to all of this. He walked forward and the scene stayed.
He could see Kyōka Suigetsu breaking, he could see himself. That was he watched himself collapsed and the Hōgyoku rejecting Aizen. It was all as Aizen had told him. He walked towards the Hōgyoku that now rested on the ground next to Aizen's body. He could hear it calling him now, he reached out towards it. That was when he saw Kisuke. He could hear his own muttering. He saw the small smirk on Kisuke's face, and he realized that the imposter had been the one not the real Kisuke.
"Ichigo" he heard his name but no one had spoken. The orb was so close to his hand, Aizen was the one who took it.
What did he know about the orb? Kisuke had originally made it, I, and implanted it in Rukia somehow. Aizen had taken it and implanted it into himself after making Arrancars with it. It could bring Arrancars back to their original states, as Aizen had proven when he had brought back most of his Espadas.
The scene stopped. He looked at Aizen's face as he saw the concern on it as he was stopped looking briefly at his own body. All of it was confusing. Ichigo went towards his own body. He didn't know what he hoped to find by doing such. That was when it hit him, if this was the imposter where had the real Kisuke been during this scene?
The scene was still stopped, Ichigo moved around the scene as if he was truly a ghost. He flashstepped back to the scene in Karakura Town. Rangiku was on top of Gin, tears frozen on her cheeks. The scene was frozen. Ichigo had his ideas about the scene. He decided to try to say Aizen's release command again.
"Shatter." He watched as Gin's body shattered into nothing. If that had been an illusion, where had the real Gin gone? The illusion appeared back like it was, he at least knew that Aizen had done something. He remembered his friends and his family, but only the good things. He remembered his love for Aizen.
…
Gin looked at the boy, his body was still, he was no longer screaming. "What happened?!"
….
Ichigo's eyes opened. Good he was in the real world and not in Kisuke's room. Aizen was sitting on the bed. He looked like he was going into shock. Ichigo noticed Orihime was in the corner of the room. She was shaking her head.
"Why does it look like you just saw death" Ichigo got out. Aizen's arms were around him the moment he had heard his voice. "I…can't… breathe. Too….tight" he got out. Aizen let go of him, but his hand went to hold Ichigo's.
"Gin isn't back. What happened?"
"I don't know how much time I have here before the imposter takes me right back there. Kisuke is the mastermind behind all of it. The imposter Kisuke was the same one who locked you up. Same one to release us. I have no clue where the real Kisuke was during the fight. You used Kyōka Suigetsu during your fight with Gin, didn't you? Gin was an illusion."
Aizen looked at Ichigo. "Breathe."
Ichigo took in a very shaky breath. "Where was the actual Gin? I mean I told Gin that he didn't actually die, because he was going on about how he remember death and all that."
"I did kill Gin. He tried to kill me, I expected him to try to kill me. I assure you Ichigo, I didn't use Kyōka Suigetsu to make an illusion of Gin."
Ichigo was shaking his head. It was a hard motion to do though. "The illusion broke when everything was frozen. Gin's body was an illusion, it reappeared though."
"Tell me more about my imposter."
Ichigo frowned. "There was not another you in the scene. Kisuke told me everything was real. The Hōgyoku was calling for me though."
"Do not touch it, do you understand me. Ichigo. "
Orihime had been quiet, she couldn't take it any longer. "Ichigo, are you hurt?"
"No, but thank you for asking."
Ichigo winced as he said it. "You're lying." Aizen was looking down at Ichigo.
"You try remembering every memory you ever had, then tell me how you feel. Though physically I am fine. That wasn't a lie."
"So Gin is not doing his job."
"No, Gin did his best. The imposter did something so that I would go back to him. He said I was the key to everything. The memory that I keep remembering is the battle right before I collapsed."
"What else did he say?"
Ichigo bit his lip. "I've figured out mostly what the words he told me meant. He said this to me the ride of your life, connection, a loss of control, death and defeat. I figured it could be taken a few different ways. Do you have any idea what he meant by the key to everything?"
"Has he given away anything else?"
"No. Well the Hōgyoku called out to me, it isn't something he said but it might help. Gin thought he was the embodiment of the Hōgyoku, he simply told me everything was real."
"Ichigo do you think you can take me with you?"
Ichigo had opened his mouth to reply, but of course that is when his eyes rolled back and he collapsed against the pillow. Aizen took that as a sign that he should just let Ichigo deal with it. He at least had something to think about.
"A…aizen" Orihime got out.
"What?"
"Maybe I could help. I know Ichigo better then you…" She was putting herself out there.
"Go ahead, if this makes sense to you. Do share with me."
…..
Ichigo was plunged back into the darkness. He wanted this all to end.
"Ichigo" the voice was calling him again. He reached out into the darkness, he needed to get free of it. He landed in the throne room. No one was here, he didn't know if this was a memory or if he was actually there. The Hōgyoku was there, it had been the one to call to him. He could hear Aizen's warning, why didn't he want him to touch it?
"He wants to take away what is truly yours." The Hōgyoku was answering him. "My power belongs to you, will you take it?"
Ichigo swallowed, his gut told him not to do it. He couldn't stop his hand from reaching out and taking the orb from the glass case it sat in though. The orb felt warm to his touch, it almost felt accepting.
The walls began to crumb around him, he did not let go of the Hōgyoku. The darkness welcomed him again, before slowly he felt like he was drowning in blood. He couldn't breathe, his body felt like it was on fire.
A scene he couldn't remember started to play. He could see Kisuke as he pushed something out of sight. Ichigo noticed it was the very orb he was holding a few minutes ago. He looked down to see the orb was very much in his hand still. He saw a figure come in. "Did Aizen send you?"
Who was that figure, he couldn't make out much.
That was when the scene changed again, he saw Sōkyoku Hill. It wasn't as Ichigo remembered, Aizen still stood on the hill regardless. "We will meet again" Aizen got out. He was talking to the same Shinigami that Kisuke had been. That was when Aizen bent down to kiss the Shinigami, his lips was stained with blood when he pulled back. Ichigo frowned at the exchange, as the man moved away he saw the individual he had kissed. The individual felt familiar yet he had never seen the man before.
"Everything has an ending, I know you can no longer hear me. The Soul Society killed you, I will get revenge on them. I promise you, and one day we will be reunited."
Ichigo then realized who Aizen had promised that to. It was him.
His head felt like it was on fire, he did not let go of the Hōgyoku.
…..
Gin's eyes opened as he saw the scene changing. Kisuke had not been a help in telling him what was going on, but the man was now wearing a smirk.
"The boy is waking" he said.
There was light that surrounded Ichigo, Gin couldn't help but feel that the light looked familiar.
Ichigo's eyes opened, he looked at Gin before he looked at Kisuke.
"How do you feel?" Kisuke was inspecting the boy.
Ichigo realized that this was his chance to get everything back to normal. The last scene was still haunting him. To get everything back to normal he would have to act exactly like Aizen had before.
Ichigo stood up from his place on the floor, the Hōgyoku was still in his hand.
"I feel like getting my revenge" he got out. It made sense, he wondered if Aizen remembered the promise he had made or if the man no longer remember. He would have to question him when he got back.
"Perfect, I shall help you. "
Gin was looking at Ichigo and he knew that Aizen was going to kill him.
"What will we do with him" Ichigo got out as he gestured towards Gin.
"He is yours to do whatever you wish with. I doubt he could be trusted."
Shit.
"Can anyone really be trusted? I'll keep him around, he could be useful."
Kisuke brought out something, he knelt before Ichigo handing him a zanpakutō.
"My lord, I saved your zanpakutō until I could finally bring you back. "
Shit he was in trouble. What would Aizen do? Ichigo took the zanpakutō, memories flashes before his eyes as he held it in his hand. He had tied the sheath into place, it looked out of place as he was still in his patient clothes from this reality.
Kisuke had stood back up. Ichigo had to do it now, he didn't know how long he could take any of this. "End all Shinokagami!" Ichigo said. Kisuke smirked thinking that Ichigo had come to his senses about Gin.
Gin stood in shock as Ichigo grabbed his hand. They were taken back to the reality Ichigo knew.
"What the hell" Gin got out as he looked at Ichigo. "My lord, what did you get yourself into kid?"
…+++…
Author's Notes:
The feels, and oh so many more to come.
First off trip down memory lane or the "dying flashback". This whole chapter was actually interesting to write, because I had to truly look at some of the "key" moments of Ichigo's life.
The ride of your life, connection, a loss of control, death and defeat.
These words do truly describe Ichigo's life.
Gin's death scene being an illusion. This is something I have been wondering about ever since I first saw that episode. Gin is actually one of favorite characters (my second is Aizen), so of course I decided to overthink that scene after watching it like five billion times. I have my theories about Gin's "death", which I have briefly included in this chapter. So that was my long way of explaining that little part.
Who is Kariya? Kariya was the leader of the Bounts. Yes I know this was not part of the original series and was a filler, but it still is important to Ichigo. I forget what episode it is, but Kariya does appear when Ichigo is having his moment where he is relooking at his fight with Byakuya and Kariya. I am not imagining this, I know there is some episode (maybe a filler, most likely a filler.) The point for bringing up the memory of him killing Kariya is because Ichigo does have morals. He doesn't go around killing people, this is what makes him special. He befriends the people he fights after all. Each fight he goes through makes him stronger. Yes this is an important point to this chapter.
The exchange at the end, did anyone one see something like that coming? Oh lovely foreshadowing (hint I use it a lot.)
Shinokagami means Mirror of Death
Just in case anyone is wondering….yes the imposter Kisuke did make "Ichigo's" zanpakutō appear out of nowhere.