So…
Have I mentioned how awesome you all are?
No?
Well you are all so awesome! Thanks for the great support!
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Chapter 16: Conversations
Shinji was near bursting, his whole frame shook as he held himself back as they all watched Ichigo walk back to them slowly but stopped when Karin ran towards him and tackle hugged him down. Ichigo had reverted back to his normal form with a blast of reiatsu. A clearing of a throat brought all attention back to Yamamoto who was looking down at the Visards. It was obvious now that Aizen was to blame for all the misery that had befallen the visards.
"This day will be known, we will know this day as the day when our eyes have been opened and forgiveness was asked, it depends on you of that forgiveness is to be given." Yamamoto looked at them all, he looked them all in the eye as he spoke.
Hiyori grew a tick on her forehead and barked out as she crossed her arms. "Yeah yeah we forgive ya." the rest of the Visards nodded, Shinji was only listening with half an ear as he kept his eyes on Ichigo who was talking to Karin.
"I would welcome you all back to have your old captain positions back." That got their attention.
"That is very admirable of you." Ichigo's voice behind them made some jump. Looking back everyone saw Ichigo looking at Yamamoto. Shinji's stomach sunk, how he wanted to hear those words a few months ago, he would have jumped at the chance to go back home but now…
He didn't want to leave Ichigo.
"I decline the offer, thank you but…" Shinji released a not so manly squeak when he was picked up by the waist. Ichigo who still had his eyes on Yamamoto said
"I'll reason with him." and they were gone in a buzz.
"Have I missed something?" The older man asked the remaining Visards.
Lisa was the one to answer. "They are mates." She said with a straight face. Yamamoto and those who didn't know as well went wide eyed.
"Well damn…" Iba said looking around him seeing an agreement of nods.
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Shinji stumbled when Ichigo lowered him to the ground gently. They were in the Visards' abandoned warehouse. Turning he looked up into Ichigo's confused red hues.
"Why did you decline?"
Looking around the rubble and the cots they slept on for many years now he sighed and looked back up."I would have jumped at the opportunity had it been given a few months back but… I don't want to be away from you." Ichigo frowned.
"You…" He sighed and shook his head. A hand gently ran its way down the long neck before it gripped the collar of Shinji's shirt.
(Warning Yaoi scene! Warning Yaoi scene!)
Shinji was pulled closer before his mouth was caught in a searing kiss that stole his breathe out of his lungs. His knees threatened to give as the kiss heated up his blood while sending it downwards.
He was released of the kiss and looked up at Ichigo.
"Which one is yours?"
Shinji motioned to the one farthest from them and he was again picked up and carried as if he weighed nothing.
Being deposited on the bed he watched as Ichigo looked down at him with hungry eyes, eyes that sent shivers down his spine. He was helped out of his close as his skin was kissed and teased with bites here and there. Just hard enough to leave bruises.
He was breathing harshly when he was finally removed of his clothes, his chest heaved up and down as he watched Ichigo oh so slowly remove his own clothing. He couldn't believe the man's body before him. Oddly enough Ichigo kept the black fabric around his lower abdomen tightly wrapped around his chest but before he could ask as to why he was pushed back and his mouth claimed.
gasping Shinji's back arched when warm hands slid down his sides, thighs then spread them apart so Ichigo could settle between them. He could hardly get a good gulp of air before Ichigo's hot breath was at his entrance.
He couldn't quite stop the yelp that escaped his throat when a warm dexterous tongue wiggled inside of him. He squirmed as he was opened up, a finger soon joined in on the fun and he was trying hard not to scream for Ichigo to just enter him.
The man was doing something no one had ever done to him. Embarrassingly enough he was a virgin.
Something about his sensitivity made Ichigo raise his head but the three fingers inside still pumped in and out while randomly jabbing his prostate. "Have you ever?" His answer was a quick near violent shake of the head, blond hair was sent flying in wild tendrils as Shinji arched his back and with a scream he came.
His body was shivering with the aftershock of what was the hardest and most intense orgasm of his entire afterlife. With shaking arms he pulled Ichigo down and moaned into the kiss they shared.
"Please…" He said in a husky voice. Ichigo knew what the man wanted and spat into his hand. it would have to do. He wished he had more than spit but well…
Coating his straining member he lined himself up and slowly pushed into the blonde man below him. He did a good job stretching the man as he barely felt any pain. That and Shinji had a high pain tolerance as any Visard or Arrancar would have. When fully hilted Ichigo lowered himself to wrap his arms around Shinji. Confused Shinji wrapped his legs around the man's waist and yelped as Ichigo sat back and in doing so sunk in deeper as Shinji sat on his lap fully impaled.
"I-Ichi…" Shinji moaned as he used his grip on the man's strong shoulders to help him lift himself up and would allow gravity to pull him down. This continued till his legs started to shake of the strain. He yelled out when he was pushed back to the bend and trust into hard. His spine bent at the pleasure that was coursing through his blood.
Their harsh breathing, moaning, grunting and slap of skin on skin paired with the occasional gasped or moaned out name the two men knew of nothing else besides the other.
Sadly it had to come to an end as they both found release.
(It is over! It is over!)
They both panted as they waited for their breath pattern and heart rate to return to normal. Ichigo stood and walked to the bathroom where he found it very good condition. It was obvious that the Visards fixed up the bathroom. He got a washcloth and cleaned himself off before cleaning the cloth and going back to Shinji to clean him up as well before returning the cloth to the bathroom after cleaning it again. He slowly got dressed back into his hakama and looked down at Shinji who was looking up at him confused.
"What are you doing? Come here…" He said motioning Ichigo to come closer.
Ichigo did and sat down next to Shinji and he swiped sweaty hair from his face. "Accept the offer Shinji. I could feel the joy in your reiatsu when you heard it." Shinji tried to sit up but gasped as pain flared up his spine.
"No I want to be with you."
Ichigo gave a small smile, the smile was so gentle and sweet that Shinji didn't know what to say for a few seconds. A few seconds were all that Ichigo needed. He leaned in close and kissed Shinji, the kiss distracted Shinji enough that he didn't feel the sharp pain on his shoulder where it met his neck till he lost consciousness. Ichigo looked down at the peaceful face and moved his fingers over one of the black beads on the nearest strip of white hair. His reiatsu activated the bead making it expade. Running his hands through the hair Ichigo took enough hair and smoothed it out between his forefinger and thumb before he ran the hair through the hole and used his reiatsu to make the bead contract around the hair. The black looked nice against the warm blonde hair. It made him smile.
The cero espada dressed Shinji and picked him up in a princess hold. He walked a little while before he used sonido.
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The group looked up when they saw Ichigo appear with the buzz noise. He walked over to Kensei. "Make sure he takes care of himself. He might fight it but it is where he belongs. He… you all are to go home." The group watched as Ichigo ran a hand down the man's cheek.
"I hope you planned on saying goodbye to me as well boy." more heads snapped up in shock as Isshin Shiba ex-captain to the tenth squad who just vanished stood proud in his shinigami form.
Ichigo blinked at him a few times before a sneaky smile made its way onto his face.
"Pfft as if old man."
Gasped filled the air as eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"What is the meaning of this?" Yamamoto asked allowing his confusion to lightly colour his voice.
Isshin grinned roguishly before slapping Ichigo on the shoulder as a father would to a son he was proud of. "That is a long story but for now all you need to know is that Ichigo is my son and Karin…" He turned his head to look at the shell-shocked teens.
"Is my daughter."
Karin was shocked as she looked at her father.
Ichigo just smiled and nodded.
"As much as I love family reunions we must return to Las Noches, start rebuilding and do what we were supposed to do." Yamamoto looked at Ichigo who was looking at the sleeping form of Shinji.
"And what would that be?" He asked, Ichigo and the other Arrancars stood behind him got looks from everyone.
"Keep the balance right." Ichigo replied with a shrug as he swiped at the air and opened a Garganta. Ichigo smirked at Chad. "Keep her safe." If anything Chad felt his chest swell with pride and joy as he got Karin's brother's blessing.
Ichigo looked to Urahara.
"Thanks."
With that said the Espada and four remaining Arrancar walked through the gaping hole.
"Dad?" Isshin looked down at Karin and smiled.
"Ah yes… storytime isn't it?"
Karin nodded never taking her eyes off her father who looked oddly right in the captain's uniform. Isshin sighed and sat down on a piece of debris. He locked his fingers together as he rested his elbows on his knees.
"It was when I was on one of my not so permitted trips to the world of the living." That got him a snort from Hitsugaya. It made him grin as he remembered all the good times he had with his third seat.
"I saw a girl close to adulthood get hurt by a hollow, she got bitten and she was spiritually aware so she saw it all. I… couldn't let her die so when a certain shopkeeper offered a way to save her I listened, I could save her but it would cause me to lose my Shinigami form as I would be bound to her in a gigai. Well we… fell in love after a while and had Ichigo. Sadly the hollow that was inside her went to Ichigo… he was… smarter than most kids in spiritual sense. Sadly… Masaki died throwing herself in Ichigo's place as he was about to fall into Grand Fisher's trap. When he found out he went into depression and committed suicide." Isshin's face was contorted into pain only a parent would ever feel after losing a child.
"I knew he would be a hollow, there was no way he wouldn't be but when I saw him the other day in my study… all I could see was my little boy grown up."
A ruthful smile made its way onto his lips.
"I am proud of him."
Yamamoto looked at his old tenth captain and saw that the man had been through much. He nodded.
"You are excused as are the Visards and Urahara and Tessai. Yoruichi is welcome back anytime she wishes as are you all."
Smiles filled the air but Kensei looked down at their leader and wondered how he would take it all.
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Ichigo blinked owlike at what he saw.
The last time he was in Las Noches the walls were crumbled down and everything was a little… dirty. Looking around he saw that those who were left behind had cleaned and actually repaired everything that was broken. He was impressed to say the least.
"Well…" He said as he looked around in awe at the fully fixed throne and meeting room, even the throne had been fixed.
"Pleased Ichigo-sama?" came Szayel's voice from the doorway. Ichigo looked over and blinked.
The pink haired man smirked.
"We wanted to fix your new palace. As of now you are our leader and we couldn't be more pleased." All the Arrancar and remaining Espada looked and him and one by one they slowly kneeled. Ichigo looked around and looked back up at the throne.
A thought hit him then making everything bitter.
"Where is Akira's body?"
Szayel and those that stayed behind looked down sadly.
"We made him a grave and buried him, we also constructed a monument for him over it." Ichigo looked down, inwardly he was happy he didn't have to bury the man. It was… a weight off his shoulders as he didn't think he could stomach seeing Akira as he was.
He sighed and nodded at the pink haired man.
Slowly he made his way up the five steps leading to the throne and looked down at it. He would visit Akira's grave when all had calmed down and he had a minute for himself. After all he had in a sense even lost his mate, he wanted Shinji to be happy and where he belonged. Amongst friends and in a world that was not as mundane as this one.
Ichigo sat down on the throne and looked down at the many eyes looking at him. Slowy they all rose and erupted into cheer as the true leader was on the throne.
Slowly the Arrancar left the room leaving just the remaining Espada. They took their old seats leaving open spots.
"I will start looking for new Vasto Lordes who would be willing to work with us while we will help them become strong enough to become Arrancar themselves like Starkk had." He got a full table agreement. It would help filling in the gaps.
With that said Ichigo dismissed them all and asked to be left alone. All he wanted to be now was alone but really all he really wanted was to be with Shinji.
The new ruler of Las Noches moved to where Szayel said Akira's grave was and he knew he found it when he saw the statute with his likeness standing over a slab of stone in the middle of the inner compound. His heart lurched as he saw the statue of his fraccion, the one he failed to protect.
Growling softly to himself he walked to Aizen's old rooms that had been cleaned and changed to his old room's style. He was thankful for that.
Stepping inside the main room he arched a brow at the lavish furniture and decor. Scoffing Ichigo moved to the rooms to see what there was. He had a main bedroom, guest room and each had their own bathrooms. It was all he really needed and he promised himself he would look more closely when he woke up.
The bedroom had changed. The deep purples were switched with black silk and hints of red and orange. Ichigo stripped and he walked to the bed letting the clothes fall where they landed uncaringly.
All he wanted was to sleep.
And sleep he did while having nightmares of Akira's death playing over and over in his head.
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Shinji blinked his eyes open and saw the all too familiar ceiling of the fourth division medical ward.
The last he remembered was kissing Ichigo but now he woke up in Seireitei.
A sick feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. The sliding of the door to the room was barely caught by him but he caught it and looked to the side to see who it was. Unohara gave him one look and her eyes turned a sad downturn. It was all he needed.
"He went back… didn't he?" He asked with a small voice. The woman nodded and looked back over her shoulder. Soon the room was filled with the Visards. They had all decided to accept and find a place. Shinji, Kensei and Rose were given captain position while the rest were spread about.
Hyori looked at Shinji who wasn't looking all that happy but didn't put up a fuss.
She never would admit it but she wished that Ichigo could just have taken Shinji with him but she understood his reasoning. It was just unfair, the look in Ichigo's eyes when he left.
A look of pure longing aimed solely on Shinji's sleeping face.
Shinji was given his new uniform but of his old squad and was told that they were more than happy to accept him back with open arms and large smiles. It brought a small smile to the normally cocky man but the fire that was always there had been blissed slightly and it saddened the Visards but they knew that there was nothing they could do about it as Ichigo made it clear that Shinji should go back to where the man thought he belonged.
Urahara claimed that he wanted to remain in the world of the living for now as Karin needed help if she was to continue her job as a substitute Shinigami.
Shinji slowly dressed as his body still complained of his lost virginity.
Once done they all made their way to the meeting room. Mayuri was absent which didn't shock anyone.
What shocked everyone was said man bursting into the room a look of fury and confusion in his face.
"I cannot enter Hueco Mundo."
The group stared in shock.
"What?" Asked Shinji confused as to why the man even wanted to go there but kept his questions to himself. Mayuri looked at the head captain. "I tried to get a path set up to The world of the hollows but I am unable to. It is as if there is a wall in the way. A barrier."
Yamamoto frowned.
That was odd, did Ichigo order this?
If so, why?
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Karin looked at her father who got into his own gigai and was near bursting with her questions.
Isshin looked at her and smirked. His daughter was nearly vibrating with her need to ask her questions. It warmed his heart that he had found a way for her and him to grow closer. After all he didn't have that strong bond with her as he did with Yuzu.
It was good but he wished he could spend more time with Ichigo but he had gone back to the world of hollows.
There was a knock on the door, Karin got up and answered it, she was surprised to find a serious Urahara on the other side of the threshold. "Urahara-san?"
The blonde man blinked as if he was shaken from his thoughts. He nodded at Karin and fiddled with his fan. "Is your father home? I need to speak to the two of you." Karin nodded and stepped back to allow him to come inside.
"Have you included Yuzu-chan yet?" he asked as they walked to the kitchen where Isshin was about start eating. Karin shook her head. "No, dad said he wanted to wait till we could have Ichigo here." She looked to the blonde man only to see his head was bowed and she couldn't see his eyes.
The reached the kitchen and Isshin looked up and smiled when he saw his friend but it vanished when he saw the taut line his friend's mouth was pulled in.
"What's wrong?" he asked gesturing to the chair. He looked at Karin who took her seat as well. Yuzu was upstairs in the shower and would be down in a few moments.
"As you asked I tried to make a more permanent way for us to go though to Hueco Mundo but… I was unable to." Urahara frowned as he removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair making it a little more messy.
"There is a barrier, a wall so to speak. I even asked Mayuri if he could but he faced the same problem. It seems as if someone in the world of hollows has put up a barrier that keeps all non hollows out. I have seen a few hollows open Gargantas easily but we cannot seem to enter the world."
Isshin looked at his fluffy pancakes suddenly not so hungry anymore.
"So we can't see Ichi-nii anymore?" Karin asked in a voice that sounded very young.
"Ichi-nii?" Three necks nearly snapped when they moved to see Yuzu standing at the bottom of the stairs with a confused look on her face. Isshin rubbed his face and motioned for Yuzu to come over. She did and cast curious looks to Urahara.
Once the fair haired twin was seated beside her sister Isshin started.
"Yuzu… I have kept much from you and your sister and i see I should have said more but I wanted you and your sister to choose your own paths but it seemed that Karin had followed in my footsteps anyway." He said and looked at Karin with a proud smile.
Yuzu looked between the three feeling that she was very out of the loop. Seeing this Isshin gave his daughter a comforting smile. It worked well enough to calm her down.
Urahara took over here after giving a small smile at the light brown haired teen.
"I know you might not believe me Yuzu-chan but the afterlife you no doubt thought about doesn't happen to be like what the people alive think it is. You see… the myth of Shinigami are real. Your father happens to be one."
Yuzu looked at her father in shock as he rose and held out his hand for Karin who deposited a small diamond shaped object. She gasped when her father pushed the diamond shaped object against his chest and then there were two of them. Well one was lying motionlessly on the ground.
The one standing looking down at her was dressed in black clothes that looked very… traditional and he had a white piece of fabric hanging from a shoulder while a sheathed katana at his hip.
"Yuzu… I was… am a shinigami. I met your mother when I visited the world of the living and saved your mother. I had to remain here in a gigai, the body on the ground which is just a shell. I fell in love with your mother, we had Ichigo soon after then you two."
Karin took over explaining to her sister of the three worlds and what happened to her that she became a shinigami at first, hollows with some held from both males when she didn't quiet know how to explain something.
Yuzu sat amazed, she believed them, why would they lie to her after all.
A frown marred the space between her eyebrows.
The three watched her with baited breath.
"What does this have to do with Ichi-nii?"
Isshin sighed and rubbed his face, it was still a sore subject.
"Your mother was attacked by a hollow, it bit her and her soul was in danger of destabilizing so with the help of your father here who bonded his soul with her to save her, it is why he stayed in the beginning but just as he said they fell in love. Sadly the hollow that attacked your mother was still inside her, it however moved from her to Ichigo when he was born. It… was dormant as was his shinigami genes he got from your father. It had some influence over him as he grew up he was more mature but he seemed to hide it from most looking like any other child. It would also explain why your brother committed suicide."
Yuzu's mind was in a whirl of new information. It all oddly made sense to her.
"So Ichi-nii is in… what was it called? Seireitei?" Karin sighed and rubbed her arm.
"No, see sis people who are murdered or commit suicide tend to have too much negative emotions on the moment of death. They become hollows. Our brother Ichigo became a hollow. No see hollows like we told you before have a system where they evolve and Ichigo had reached the highest stage where he looked almost human and well… I… we saw him the other day."
What surprised the three was her reaction. Big brown doe like eyes looked at her sister' darker hues and she fired off a barrage of questions.
"What does he look like? Is he strong? Is he kind like he was when he was little? Is he as tall as dad? Is he a bad guy? Does he still look a lot like mom? Does he still have orange hair?" The questions were fired off too quickly for anyone to answer.
Smirking Karin answered her questions as they were asked.
"He's quite a looker actually, He is very strong, he can be kind when he likes the person, he is as tall as dad, no he is not a bad guy, he looked like mom and dad combined and yes he still has the obnoxious orange hair." Yuzu sat back.
"Can I meet him?" She Asked in a small voice. Isshin's face told her what her answer was as the man looked down sadly at his hands. "We cannot reach him in the world of hollows. No one can seem to get in.
Yuzu's lower lip quivered as her breath hitched in sadness.
No one knew how to console the poor girl.
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Szayel shared a look at Grimmjow, they watched as Ichigo talked with a group of Vasto Lordes, one was owl like, another bear like and the other more like an elephant along with two identical ones who resembled wolves.
The owl like one was female while the rest were male.
They had four spots to fill, Second, seventh, ninth and tenth as Ichigo was still their Cero but was also their leader and would not be sitting at the table.
Ichigo nodded as the Vasto Lorde all bowed down at him.
Slowly one by one they all reached for their masks and ripped them off. the explosion sent most back, all but ichigo who remained grounded as he looked on at the new members of the Espada.
The owl like Vasto Lorde was now a stunningly beautiful woman, her hair was a pale blonde and reached her bum, her eyes were a shocking orange like that of an owl. Her facial features were sharp, all for her eyes which were large almost round eyes. The remaining mask fragment was to small horn like spikes on either side of her head that where on her mask before. She was naked but didn't seem to care.
"Name?" Ichigo asked as the other Vasto Lorde came closer.
"Sofia Bello."
Ichigo nodded and held out the white robe out for her. She accepted it with a nod of thanks.
The bear like man was much like he was in Vasto Lorde. Large muscles and a burly face. His hair was brown and short and he had a thick well cared for beard. his eyes were a deep grey green colour. His facial features were strong and straight. His mask fragment was a piece over his nose that resembled a nose of a bear.
"Name?" Ichigo asked as he held out another robe.
"Adelmo Del Bosque."
Again Ichigo nodded and jerked his head to where Sofia stood.
The elephant man was large, very large. He towered over Nnoitra, his face was hard and he had a large nose. His hair was a peppered black and curly with some length to it while he had his mask fragments stuck to his jaw near his ears that looked like cut off husks.
"Name?" Ichigo asked handing another robe over.
"Elonso Aiza."
That left the twins. They were frighteningly identical, two differences, one was their height. One was an inch or so shorter. The other was hair colour.
They both had long shoulder blade length hair that was pure black and the other pure white. Both had facial features that reminded them all of a wolf, sharp eyes in wolf like yellow. Thin lips and long noses. Their mask fragments was a piece over an eye each having the opposite eye. The one with the white hair had his piece over his left while the brunette had his over the opposite.
"Names?"
"Gregorio Espinosa." said the taller black haired male.
"Humberto Espinosa." said the shorter white haired male.
They were both given robes and helped to the stylist so they could be fitted with clothes.
"Okay I need to know, how did you know of those Vasto Lordes who were so close to achieving Arrancar status?" Asked Szayel as he pushed up his glasses.
Ichigo looked back at the Espada. "They knew of me when I first came here. They approached me once and well I could easily find them again afterwards." Szayel nodded accepting the answer for what it was.
The Espada were ordered to the meeting room, they all took their seats. Ichigo had ordered them to take their previous seats before he had joined their ranks. So when the rest came back they looked in shock as they took in the old seats. Sofia took the second seat her number visible at her shoulder of her one sleeved cropped jacket. Underneath she wore a tight black tank top with her hakama pants tied with a rust red obi and the boots they all wore.
Adelmo wore an outfit similar to the Shinigami just in all white. His obi was a mustard yellow, they both had normal katanas at their sides.
Elonso had a long sleeved coat that had a round collar and the rest was normal uniform, his weapon was almost like a warhammer.
The twins wore the same outfit, tight sleeveless vest with deep 'v' necklines, hakama pants and pale blue obi. Their weapons were wakizashi style blades with a black hit for Humberto and a white hilt for Gregorio.
A male Arrancar carried in a chair and placed it next to Yammi's old chair and the twins took their seats in his old place. They both had their ten number on opposite shoulder. Humberto on the left while Gergorio on the right.
Elonso sat where Aaroniero sat and Adelmo sat where Zommari sat. Both's number wasn't visible.
"Well…" All eyes drew to Ichigo who sat on the throne, he leaned to the left side of the chair, chin resting on his raised fist. He looked far better on the chair than Aizen did they all thought inside their heads.
Their true leader was where he belonged.
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Okay so…
This was needed as the next part of the story is going to start next chapter.
I am not saying anymore on the matter other than I am sorry for the little delay.