4 months later
Ichigo had been training nearly every waking hour under the two masters of hakuda. Soifon, who was nowhere near as skilled as Urahara and Yoruichi, managed to teach him much as well. What he didn't realize was that he had almost caught up to Soifon's level of expertise. His rapid growth surprised Yoruichi, but Urahara contributed to having all those aspects within his soul.
Ichigo himself was wondering when he would get to leave the infernal cavern he had been in for months according to the others. They thought they were working him to the bone with the training. But after they all left he would work on both his Quincy abilities and hollow powers. Neither spirit was as impressed as his coaches.
He manifested which ever spirit was training him at the time. Currently he was working on his Quincy abilities.
'Why do you insist on drawing power from within?'
"Old Man, I can't just stop drawing power from inside of me!"
'If you just created a simple bow we could move on to the utilitarian aspects of the Quincy abilities."
"Well I am trying my hardest. The bow just won't form right!"
'If you cannot do it than you can give up on any Quincy abilities. Maybe you will have to try differently.'
Ichigo was beginning to hate Zangetsu's teaching methods. He told Ichigo the basics and hasn't stopped judging his lack of progress in that aspect. Ichigo knew he deserved it after all he formed a rod of spirit energy, really a holly arrow that was supposed to be his bow. This time however he tried creating a vacuum within himself and felt something different. He had tried this many times over the last few months but now he felt like he did when he was stuck in that cage between Heco Mundo and Soul Society. He felt the rush of the particles. His bow was too big, but it was a bow.
'Well done Ichigo. When we next train I will teach you control over the reaishi you draw in.'
Zangetsu dissipated and Ichigo choose to sleep. The training he had been doing meant he would only get a real sleep every third day. A half night tonight would be a welcomed relief.
Ichigo looked over at the stack of books Urahara had given him. Because the three who were keeping him hidden were all very high ranking Soul Reapers they weren't constantly with him. Yes most days he spent training with them at different points of the day. Some days however he spent alone. On those days he would read through the books on Kido that Urahara had given him.
At this point using kido was still a challenge. In four months he had learned only the most rudimentary spells. At the rate he was learning kido it would take more than a 100 years to master a spell to counter whatever technique had sent him back in time. He wasn't have a problem creating some effect with the kido. He didn't have a problem with the power. He had a problem refining it. He could call it up, that was just like when they used the cannon ball to break into the Seireitei. He could push it into a specific direction; that was almost like using a Getsu. But he was just now learning any refined control over his reiatsu. It was difficult but he was making head way.
All day today he knew he would be training alone. He didn't want to work on anything that might incriminate him should another Soul Reaper walk in. In four months no one had, but he couldn't be too careful. So he picked up the book on basic defensive kidos. He was focusing on those and healing kidos for now. He was fairly certain he had enough attack power, soon he knew he would have enough defensive capabilities.
The book seemed dull in his hands. He couldn't stop thinking about what Yoruichi had said to him the second day he was hear.
Flashback
Ichigo was woken with a start. A very serious Yoruichi looking down at him.
"You know what Aizen is doing. I know Aizen is doing something. No one else knows that. Urahara is to focused on some research that I don't really care about. Soifon would try something before we had enough information."
Yoruichi seemed to be looking right into his soul. He hadn't seen her like this often. It was strange, Yoruichi telling him not to let Urahara know something.
"Why don't you want him to know?"
"Well it comes down to the fact that I'm not sure he could look away from his research. He's obsessed with it."
Later that night
'Well Ichigo, you suck as a Quincy but you aren't too bad at the hollow techniques I'm beating into your head!" Ichigo couldn't help but feel that Zangetsu was enjoying teaching him to turn his skin into a hierro and instantly regenerate a little too much. Zangetsu said that if he could just use hierro then he wouldn't be learning instant regeneration, but since Zangetsu was using himself and Ichigo couldn't use any blades he didn't think it was entirely truthful.
As ichigo dodged a strike going for his leg he began charging a cero. These he could do. These were just like the Getsu he had mastered ages ago. These didn't need any kind of refined control.
'King you can't DODGE! That defeats the point of our training. The blade needs to hit you and either BOUNCE off or you need to HEAL. So just let me hit your leg, if it comes off you get to practice instant regeneration!'
That settled it in Ichigo's mind. Zangetsu must be insane. What that meant for Ichigo he didn't know. But he couldn't dwell on it because Zangetsu then connected with his wrists. Ichigo had brought them up to stop himself from losing his head, but the fact that Zangetsu hadn't cut him was amazing. He didn't have time to really celebrate his success as Zangetsu moved his blade and struck his leg. It didn't bounce off but Ichigo knew it wasn't easy to cut.
'Kingy, looks like you figured it out. Now I'ma take your leg off. Getsuga TENSHOU!'
The wave of energy very effectively took his leg off. Ichigo felt it, it wasn't the first time Zangetsu demanded he regenerate something. Usually it was a chunk of flesh he managed to carve off. This time his whole leg was next to him. He couldn't feel the pain yet. He knew it was shock. He knew how to push the reiatsu into the wound to heal it. He felt everything reconstructing. It was strange. Forcing his body to heal. Healing kido would do the same thing just not as effectively.
The muscles reforming drained almost all of his impressive reiatsu. In battle it would be pointless to use it as a technique. He wouldn't have enough strength to fight after that. In the controlled setting he was in now it left him barely standing.
'Well Ichigo, I'm impressed. Your connection to me is how you use hollow abilities. I didn't think you'd be able to regenerate your leg yet without using your bankai.'
"You cut my leg off not thinking I'd be able to regenerate it." The color had gone from Ichigo's face. He was shocked. Never had Ichigo felt so angry at his blade.
Zangetsu cackled his crazy laugh. No malice in it this time just… a strange happiness. 'I knew you could just not without bankai. You're done for the day though. I'm out'
With that Zangetsu dissipated. Ichigo was left alone in the cavern barely able to stand with a leg to dispose of. 'Damn Zangetsu went overboard.'
With that in mind he started moving some of the smaller rocks to hide his leg.
It was still early in the night, so Ichigo decided to study the books on kido. Every attempt he made had a little success. That didn't mean they were complete and able to actually defend against anything substantial, but they were there.
Ichigo wasn't the best student. He would admit that. He was studious though. He knew how to study, and he knew when he shouldn't study. When the words started floating around on the pages he knew he should put the book down. He knew there was no way he was actually learning anything. Something kept him from putting it down though. He wasn't even trying to learn, but he felt as though he needed to at least seem alert.
The man watching him had seen enough. He definitely had the full range of powers of both hollows and Quincy. He could only use them with his shikai. From what he'd heard tonight they would get stronger if he released his bankai. The level of power this kid had produced so easily was definitely what he meant to do with hollowification. Now he knew the secret. The way to create the balance was add Quincy to the mix.
The next morning he awoke with a start, rolling away from an attack aimed where his sleeping form had just been. "Good morning to you too Soifon."
For her part she was fairly unconcerned her attack didn't land. Over the last two years she had learned he couldn't be snuck up on if he was asleep. An amazing talent in her mind. To be sure, it is impressive, but it was something Ichigo was trained on since he was very young. Soifon had no idea however, because although she had gained respect for him, she didn't trust him. It wasn't a distrust, in fact she was more open with him than anyone other than Yoruichi, but in her mind he was still something to wary of.
"I almost got you that time. You're far too slow." Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. She enjoyed their sparring. He was the best sparring partner she had besides Lady Yoruichi herself. She couldn't let him know that though, it might have gone to his head. "Now put on the gloves Lady Yoruichi got you."
Ichigo flashed over to his pile of things. The gloves she referred to were an invention of Urahara's much like Kenpachi's eye patch. They reduced his reaitsu to Soifon's level. That made it so he could actually learn the techniques without relying on his overwhelming power.
When he put the second glove on she attacked ruthlessly and relentlessly. With his powers reduced he was hard pressed to keep up. The finer aspects of the techniques escaping him. With every blow he got better, the problem was that Soifon was getting much better as well. While Ichigo just worked on Hakudo with her, she was training in it night and day. Her only breaks came when she was undergoing bankai training.
Ichigo spent two years like this. He would train relentlessly. Yoruichi constantly said if he reached Soifon's level she would find a place for him outside of the cavern. Ichigo hated staying in and being useless. Soul Society was in a time of peace, but it didn't matter. Ichigo wanted to do something, anything, but he wasn't able to. If he left before Yoruichi had a place for him in either her squad or Urahara's he would draw way to much attention. Constantly in the cavern living with the fear that he would be caught. Yoruichi had him dye his hair. It irked him to have to, but he also grew it out.
He knew no one could recognize him. He wasn't even born yet. When he was born he didn't want people to make a connection between him and the younger him. If they did it could ruin his life. Thankfully he could mitigate the chances of that with some basic ascetic changes. His hair was huge, but he also took to wearing tighter pants, and he now wore a top with the arms and sides ripped out. The only reason for this was because of the way his reiatsu exploded outward when using hakuda. It didn't explode outward the way he had seen Yoruichi's in the future. But it was something. He wrapped bandages around the exposed skin. Yoruichi also started making him where a mask.
Ichigo was sitting on a rock waiting for whoever would be coming in to train with him today. He knew right when Yoruichi entered. He felt her approach. After two years of constant, nonstop training. The only thing that still gave him trouble were some of his Quincy abilities and his kido. His sensory perception had been trained to a razors edge. That's why when Yoruichi landed on his shoulders he wasn't surprised. Her cat form did surprise him.
"Well Ichigo, I think it's time for you to leave the cavern. I have an opening at my estate."
"So that means I'm at Soifon's level?" Ichigo didn't feel that was true. Soifon seemed to still be more skilled. It was possible they were closer than Ichigo thought, but he knew they weren't on the same level at hakudo.
"No but I'm not making you a body guard as originally planned. I have an opening as a gardener."
"Are you stupid? I don't know how to garden!"
"Irrelevant. Gardeners to the Shihouin clan don't need to be good gardeners."
"Then what do they actually do?" Ichigo was confused about the whole thing. Why wouldn't gardeners need to know how to garden?
"You're quite dense. For noble families gardeners are guards that hide in plain sight. You will be doing some gardening but your main job will be to patrol the grounds."
"Fine then, when and where do I need to go?"
"Just follow me." Ichigo turned to follow the cat out, but he found Yoruichi had changed forms just after getting past him.
"Cloths lady! You forgot cloths again!" Over the last two years it wasn't uncommon for Yoruichi to tease Ichigo like this. She found his innocence amusing and couldn't get over the fact that Ichigo had seen her naked more times than either of them really knew at this point and yet couldn't not be embarrassed by it. It was endearing. Soifon, who had seen some of these encounters was just as embarrassed by seeing her idol nude as Ichigo, always threated Ichigo as if it was his fault Yoruichi kept getting naked.
"Ichigo, why do you peek if I just transformed. You pervert."
"I had no idea you transformed!" Ichigo hated these encounters with Yoruichi. He knew she meant nothing by it, but he still had a goal to avoid the physical temptations without a serious emotional connection.
Her laughter floated over to his ears. He had to admit over the last few years they had grown closer. He'd told her as much as he knew about her future. With the others he had refused no matter how hard they tried to pry it out of him. But Yoruichi had spent actual time with him as more than a teacher. She spent time with him as a friend. In this time Ichigo knew he would draw attention to himself but she had worked with him to minimize that. She made sure he would have a job to minimize questions and the tools to keep his massive power under wraps. It meant a lot to him that she would help him like this.
For her part all she could say was that Ichigo had confirmed her suspicions at first, which forced her to concede some trust to him. However, over the years she had genuinely come to like the boy who dropped into her life quite unexpectedly. He trusted her; that much was obvious. According to him she was a teacher and confidant in the future. It made sense that the trust he showed her came fairly easily. The way she trusted him did not. Her best friend was Kisuke Urahara, a man who has always been good to her. Recently he had become obsessed with hollowification. She knew that he wouldn't take it too far but that side of him scared her.
That didn't matter now. What did matter was taking him to the manor. Once he was there he would have some degree of freedom. He would be training mostly on his own, but the tradeoff would be worth it. Recently certain parties, namely the Head Captain, wanted to know more about what she does all the time. He was concerned that the Onmitsukido was starting to move against the wishes of the court guard. Her loyalty was being called in to question.
This was the reason she needed someone she could trust at her home. She wasn't there often but it held the secrets of her clan. Secrets that people like Aizen would love to have.
"Ichigo I need you to put your gloves and this cloak on." She threw him a cloak with the symbol of her clan on the back. Other than that it was just like the ones Renji and Rukia had worn into Hueco Mundo.
"You want to hide me completely?"
"Yes. Very few people know exactly how to get there. We can't have them following us."
Ichigo dawned the cloak and they were off. As fast as Ichigo was, it was still difficult to keep up with Yoruichi without his shikai. He could tell that they weren't on a direct path. He was going to ask her about this later. He wasn't sure exactly why she was being so couscous. She had told him a little, just enough that he knew the Head Captain wanted complete control over the Stealth Force and Kido Core. She had also mentioned that someone was managing to cast doubt on her actions. The slightest provocation would bring down the wrath of the head captain.
Yoruichi stopped at a sudden drop in the ground. When Ichigo stopped he noticed that it was a ravine. The manor lay on the other side on the ridge.
"Why did we stop so far away?"
With a heavy sigh, "Look at it, really look, and tell me why we stopped."
Ichigo really focused. At first when he sent his senses towards Yoruichi's home he felt nothing. He knew there had to be something there if there wasn't she wouldn't have told him to find it. Suddenly he felt it. The barrier around the ravine was casting an illusion. It wasn't going to stop anything but there was something just past the barrier. It felt almost like a garganta but it couldn't be that. It was a portal of something though.
"What does the portal lead to?"
"It leads to a world that you don't want to end up in."
"I didn't know that some people had access to the worlds beyond the three we travel to all the time."
"Before Kisuke started the department of research and development soul reapers had to be everywhere to know where hollows where. The Onmitsukido where the ones to do that. We explored a few other worlds in the process."
"How do we get around it?"
"The point is no one being able to get around it. That portal is designed to guard the secrets of my clan and the Onmitsukido. If you try to go around it will shift to meet you."
"Okay then how do we get there?" At this point he was getting fed up with her not just telling him. He didn't know why there had to be so much run around just to get the answer.
"What I'm about to show you is a secret only the Onmitsukido knows about. The way to get to that manor is a portal much like most humans would call a wormhole." Yoruichi glanced at him, her face was the picture of calm danger. It imparted the knowledge that if he told anyone about this technique she would end him.
"Okay, so how do we open it?"
With a sly grin Yoruichi took out a small jewel and dropped it. It didn't fall, it floated. Yoruichi looked over her shoulder at him with a full smile brimming on her face. "Watch and learn, I'm only going to show you once. After this you'll have to do it on your own if need be." The look on her face returned to serious as she put her hands around it. "Open burakkuhoru wapu supesu." As soon as the last word left her lips the jewel expanded into a hole. When Ichigo looked into it he felt it was inescapable, that if he stepped in he would never be able to step out. "Kyoka suru homu."
The portal lightened and seemed to extend without extending. It wasn't something Ichigo knew how to describe. It didn't seem so deadly, it seemed more like a passage. It still didn't feel safe.
"Yoruichi is that really stable?"
"Ahh… I'm glad you picked up on that. No." with that she walked through. Immediently it started to close up. Ichigo rushed in to avoid being trapped.
"See you made it out alive." Yoruichi called down to ichigo from her perch in a tree. It wasn't just a tree though. It was massive. Bigger than anything Ichigo had ever seen in his life. Its leaves were red and broad. "You like? It's the grandest tree in the soul society. This lace leaf maple is almost 5,000 years old. My clan has used it to train hakudo for generations. The wood from the branches and cloth from the leaf fibers makes all our most powerful artifacts we have."
Ichigo studied the tree. Its roots were massive, they were surrounded be shale stone layer over the dirt. There were no other plants in the court yard.
"I take it you need me to protect this?" He gave her an incredulous look. "What about the portal around this place?"
"Ichigo, if what you say is true and I am banished then that portal might collapse. If that happens I need you to stop anyone who comes here. If someone were to get their hands on this tree they could form a jewel like the one I showed you."
"Why would that matter?"
"Ichigo that jewel can reach the Soul King's palace if someone had enough spiritual power."
Suddenly Ichigo understood that this may be the most important thing he could do if that barrier fell. "So you said that you can use this tree to train."
Yoruichi smiled like the Cheshire Cat, "I'll show you how."