Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with it. All rights belong to the creator Tite Kubo.
This is an AU story with some OOC.
And with nothing else please read, enjoy and review.
Chapter 11: Phase 1
-X-
"Can you repeat that again, Starrk-san?"
Starrk found no signs of playfulness on Urahara's face as he asked his question. He understood why both Urahara and Yoruichi were dead serious right now. He had just accidentally met one of the three Shinigami that they told him to avoid. "There was a Shinigami Captain in Hueco Mundo. An Ichimaru Gin and he asked me about how Aizen wishes to talk to me."
Cursing from the brunette's bad luck, Yoruichi looks back towards the shopkeeper. "What do we do now? Starrk can't go back to Hueco Mundo now. Aizen is probably creeping around there."
"And he doesn't have to return to Hueco Mundo for some time now, so don't worry about it." The blonde replied to his friend.
"With the dead Hollow that Starrk-san just brought, that should keep us fed for another 2 months," Szayel said.
"2 months?" Starrk repeated back, a frown on his face as he heard how long the Hollow would last as food pills. "Why is it less time than the last one?"
Looking at Starrk, the shaggy blonde said. "The Hollow wasn't far into its evolution stage. However," the shopkeeper looks towards the special guest that Starrk has brought with him. The bat-Hollow was with both children and Kuna Mashiro.
Soon after coming back from Hueco Mundo with a Hollow, a ton of questions got dropped on Starrk. As he made a lie towards Lily and Ichigo, Starrk told the rest of the group, minus Mashiro, to come with him to speak about an important matter. Yoruichi was around, and after a quick explanation, he brought everyone up to it. But now, here was the big question. What to do about the Hollow that he brought here. Starrk said with his own words how the Hollow was of no threat.
His words are empty for both Urahara and Yoruichi. The Hollow that Starrk had brought is easily a Vasto Lorde. Seeing how it didn't die when Starrk released his Reiatsu towards it and with how easily both the shopkeeper and werecat could pick up the amount of Reiatsu pouring from it.
Following Urahara's line of sight, Starrk looks back towards him. "I told you already, he's no threat to us. I'm positive about it."
"So what are we supposed to do with him then?" Yoruichi asked, also looking towards the Vasto Lorde.
"Well, why not turn him into an Arrancar?"
Everyone looked towards the glasses-wearing Arrancar. For Szayel's part, the man looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Stuttering back a bit, he says, "I-I mean it would be better if we make him into an Arrancar, right? If we do that, then we can create a Gigai for him so that he could hide and he can also train for when we go back to face Baraggan."
"I don't like the idea of turning a random Hollow into an Arrancar." Urahara said while turning towards his apprentice. "We know nothing about the Hollow."
"He's no threat."
Looking at Starrk, the shopkeeper stares at him with a blank look. "Yes, I know. You already said that. But he could be working for Baraggan."
"He doesn't know who Baraggan is."
"How are you sure about that?"
Looking down at the black feline, Starrk sends Yoruichi a shrug. "Instincts."
"That's not a legitimate reason, Starrk-san." The shaggy blonde said while sending the Arrancar a deadpan look.
"Then what do you have in mind then? Something tells me that he won't go back to Hueco Mundo." Szayel said, looking at the Hollow as both Ichigo and Lily spread its wings, while said Hollow allows them to do so. "He doesn't seem to be an aggressive Hollow."
Partially agreeing with Szayel, the shopkeeper looks back towards him. "But what if turning him into an Arrancar changes that?" This was a situation that Urahara would have never seen himself be in. Keeping creating Arrancar made him feel ill. This all felt like something Aizen would do.
As Yoruichi kept watching the kids play around the Hollow, the cat released a sigh before looking back towards Urahara. "I don't think the Hollow would change. I mean, even Szayel stayed the same when HE turned into an Arrancar." The black feline started heading towards the exit, but before leaving she looked back towards the group. "If the Hollow turns out to be a risk, then we will put it down."
With that final saying, Yoruichi left to do a quick tour around Karakura Town.
Releasing a sigh and knowing defeat, Urahara looks back towards both Arrancar. "Well, guess I should go make another chamber for the transformation then." Szayel was already following behind him.
"Can you make two of them?"
Making the scientists stop in their tracks, he turns towards the duo and says, "I was having thoughts about it, but I think it's about time Ichigo became a true Arrancar. He needs the training too, both of them do."
"If that's what you wish for Starrk-san, then it'll get done." Kisuke got a glimpse of the look in Starrk's eyes. The brunette knew that with the number of enemies they made, he wouldn't always be around for Ichigo or Lily to protect them. Eventually, something will happen to him and he wants to be sure that he won't leave the children with no way to defend themselves.
Watching them both leave, Starrk releases a sigh before walking towards Ichigo and company. There was another thing that he wanted to ask Urahara, but he guesses that it can wait for now.
"How can you breathe when you don't have any holes in your mask?"
"How fast can you fly?"
"Y'know any super cool moves?"
The only thing that both children and Mashiro got from the Hollow was a tilted head.
Growling at the silent bat, Lily pinch the bridge of her nose while closing her eye. "Can you at least write or something for you to talk with us?"
Again, all she got was a tilted head.
Pouting at the Hollow, Mashiro says, "Booo~~! Here I thought we finally found someone who could play Heroes and Robbers with us~!"
Looking towards the taller lime-haired, Ichigo says. "You know, his only problem is that he doesn't have a mouth to talk." Sending her a deadpan look, he continues. "Is not like he's too stupid to understand how to play a game of freeze tag." A quick 'Berry-baka~~!' was the only response he got from Mashiro.
Ulquiorra was looking between both children and the woman with interest. He could easily feel how 'Berry-baka' and 'Lily-chan' felt like Hollows while the one called 'Mashiro-Neesan' felt more like the person who Starrk shot at, but there was a bit of Hollow in her. Why was it that they were acting like friends? Starrk did not hesitate to shoot at the other being, so why was it that they were not acting like foes?
The green-eyed Hollow's attention was back to the boy.
"Hey, do you know how to write?" Ichigo asks. To make his question clearer to the bat-Hollow, the boy started writing on the dirt with his fingers. A simple 'Hi' was all he wrote, and he waited for the Hollow to at least reply.
Ulquiorra's green eyes were on the words the boy had written. What is he supposed to do? Is he supposed to write back? He was confident that he doesn't know how to write.
Ichigo watches the Hollow only raises one of his arms and points at the word. "Yeah, that's a 'Hi', like when you greet someone." For better results, the orange-haired boy waves at the Hollow while saying 'Hi'. As he waited for the Hollow to take action, the boy let out a sigh when all it did was tilt its head to the side again.
"Looks like he's stupid." Lily said.
Right when Ichigo was about to reply to Lily, he noticed how the bat-Hollow raised his hand and slowly started waving back at him. Whatever he was about to say to the girl stopped. Looking at the Hollow, the boy slowly nods back. "That's right." He waves back, "Hi."
Lily stared at the Hollow with astonishment. "Huh, guess he's not too stupid."
"He's not stupid." Ichigo sends Lily a mock glare before it turns into a sly grin. "My Nii-san is not dumb like your Nee-san."
"Care to repeat that again, Berry-baka." The lime-haired girl said as she looked towards Ichigo. Ignoring what the boy had called the Hollow.
"You heard me, Lily-hime." Ichigo said.
A small blush reached Lily's cheeks. It started as a joke a few months back. Both her and Ichigo were talking one day when the boy brought up on what might happen when they returned to Hueco Mundo. If Starrk challenges the King of Hueco Mundo and wins, would that make him the new king? And if it does, would that make Lily a princess? It started as a joke, but now Ichigo uses it every time to annoy her, but it's not like she hates it. She likes how he calls her, but that doesn't mean she'll tell him that.
"S-shut up! Menso!"
"Fea!"
"Menso!"
"Fea!"
"Ehh~~, what are you two calling each other?" Asked a confused Mashiro while mirroring the same action as the bat-Hollow, tilting their heads.
Ulquiorra was taking the scene with a bit of curiosity. While screaming at one another, he couldn't sense any kinds of negative vibes from the way they're talking with each other and what was it with how the boy called him. Brother? Him? Why?
With a snap from her fingers, the lime-haired woman said. "Aha! They're the 'pet names' that couples use with each other! Right!?" Ignoring the bright red on their faces, Mashiro pulled Lily into a tight hug. "AWW~~, Lily-chan has a cute nickname for her boyfriend!"
"W-w-what?! No, he's not my boyfriend, Nee-san!" Lily pulled herself away from Mashiro while pointing a finger at Ichigo. "I just called him an idiot in Spanish while he called me ugly."
"Eh~. How is it that you two know Spanish?" Asks back the Visored.
"We don't know Spanish. This stupid place only has one television, and it seems to only receive one channel at the moment and it's some Spanish soap opera channel." Ichigo said.
Before Mashiro could say anything, Starrk finally reached the group. "And instead of wasting your time in front of the television, you two should practice your Sonido and Cero."
Glancing at the brunette and ignoring his comment, Ichigo pointed a finger towards the bat-Hollow. "Neh, Starrk where did you find Nii-san?"
Starrk raised one of his eyebrows with how the boy had just addressed the Hollow. Looking at Lily, he could see how dangerously her right eye was twitching. 'Oh Kami, why did these two started bickering with each other for every little thing.' Releasing a sigh, Starrk looks at Ichigo. "Why are you calling him a brother?"
"Yeah! You two have nothing alike!" Lily said, also putting her own two cents.
Thinking this was a nice way of annoying her, Ichigo pointed a finger towards Mashiro while addressing Lily. "Oh, then why do you call her your 'Nee-san'?"
Looking at Ichigo with a stupify expression, the lime-haired girl pointed at her hair. "Because we both have around the same hair color." Lily sends the boy a mock glare. "What do you two have in common?"
Returning the look, Ichigo said. "We both have white skin."
"..."
Ulquiorra kept staring at the boy's skin. He's positive that the boy's skin was not white at all.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Starrk started slowly walking towards his Gigai, ignoring the argument between the children. It's not like they're arguing for real. Maybe he could take a walk around Karakura Town?
- Karakura Hospital -
The Director of the Karakura Hospital is a man who's cold and is a strong work-oriented individual. He is Ishida Ryūken, a middle-aged man of average height. The man was currently in his office, wearing thin, frameless glasses and a plain grey suit with a light blue shirt and a tie adorned with crosses.
As Ryūken read through the reports of the Hospital, the white-haired man looked up to his door when he heard a knock. Sparing it only a second, he looks back down to the report. "Come in."
"Yo!" Isshin said as he slammed the door open.
"Kurosaki?" Ryūken asked, with a bit of surprise in his voice. The white-haired man hasn't seen the Shinigami since the funeral for his wife and son. Isshin has mostly kept to himself, completely ignoring any of the people who wished to help him during his time of loss.
Looking around the office like he owns the place, Isshin turns towards the Quincy. "You know, they told me that I needed an appointment to see you and all that crap, but, I told them that I was going to only take a few minutes of your time."
The white-haired man was looking at Isshin with an odd look. He could see that Isshin seems more... relax? No, that's not the right word. The Kurosaki patriarch looks as if someone has washed away his pain. "Are you feeling okay?"
Looking at the picture of Ryūken's son, Ishida Uryū, the Shinigami looks back towards his old friend. "Never felt better."
Ryūken sends Isshin a nod. He guesses the man finally accepted what had happened and let it go. He won't judge him for staying so depressed for such a long time. Sometimes he'll start feeling depressed from losing his wife. "So what is it that you wish to speak about?" The white-haired man won't kick out his uninvited guest. It'll do good for Isshin to talk.
"Well, I would have asked you this a few months back, but I have been cautious lately. What with all the Shinigami that have been here lately." Isshin said.
He frowned upon hearing that. "Yes, it seems they're still searching for the Hollows that appeared all those months back." Ryūken interlocked his fingers and lay his head on top of them. "Why would they increase the numbers of their patrols and Shinigami? By now they must have noticed that those Hollows had left." The Hospital Director stares at the man in front of him with a deadpan stare when he notices how Isshin was rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "And something tells me that you know why."
Losing his goofiness, Isshin gave his friend a gentle smile. "He's alive. Ichigo... my boy is still alive."
That was a shocker for him. "Ichigo?! As in your son, Ichigo? The one that died 3 years ago?" His only reply was a simple nod. "How? The boy's body didn't have a soul. Was a Shinigami able to send him to Soul Society before any of us found him?"
"Well, that's the thing. Ichigo isn't... eh.. normal."
"No doubt he will not be normal." Ryūken sends the Shinigami a blank look. "He would be a soul by now."
Laughing sheepish, Isshin started rubbing the back of his neck again. "Well, he wouldn't be a eh, regular soul…" Seeing how the white-haired man was waiting for an answer. The Shinigami answered the man while looking everywhere but at Ryūken. "He's actually a Hollow."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"He's an H-"
"I heard you the first time, Kurosaki." Ryūken lay back on his chair, rubbing his temples. "Tell me everything."
- Soul Society-
"How about 3 bottles of the finest sake?"
"No."
"Okay, okay, how about 5 bottles and a date with Nanao-chan?"
Byakuya's calm demeanor was seconds away from breaking. "No." The 28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan doesn't know why Kyōraku Shunsui showed up at the Kuchiki's estate to come and asked if he could enter the Library that his clan had been guarding.
"C'mon~~! There must be something I can do to allow you to let me go inside the Library!" Shunsui whine.
"If you can get permission from Central 46, then I shall allow it," Byakuya stated.
Frowning from basically the only option that he has, Shunsui says, "Ughh, c'mon now, Byakuya-san. No need for all that government crap."
"I'm sorry Captain Kyōraku, that is the only way I can allow you to enter. You know how precious the History of Soul Society is."
Seeing no way to allow the 6th Captain to let him inside the library, Shunsui released a sigh. He stood up and gave Byakuya a bow. "Well, thanks for at least giving me a second of your time, Byakuya-san."
"What was it that you wish to check?"
Hearing the headpiece-wearing Captain's voice, Shunsui turns around. Debating if he should tell him why he was actually here. Giving Byakuya a smile, he says. "I'm curious. Yama-jiji hasn't told me when my tour around Karakura Town might be, and if I end up contacting these Humanoid-Hollows, well, what should I do? I know that the old man has asked for us to kill them on sight, but what if these Hollows have some tricks up their sleeves?"
"So you wish to see if there was anything written about these Hollows in the library, I believe?" Byakuya asked, already grasping the reason for Shunsui's visit.
Shunsui sends the Clan Head a smile. "That's about right, Byakuya-san. I need to know my enemy."
"I see. Well, sorry to tell you this Captain Kyōraku, but you won't find anything about these Hollows." Byakuya replied.
Blinking a few times from Byakuya's comment, the 8th Captain raises one of his eyebrows. "Did you check Soul Society's History?"
"I did, yes."
"And you found nothing?" Shunsui frowned, he was sure—well not 100% sure—but he was positive that at least something got mentioned in the books.
Byakuya understood the frown on Shunsui's face. "There was nothing at all. The oldest record that we have is the reason for the creation of the Sōkyoku, but even then the reason is simple. They used it for executions... However, there seems to be more to it."
"And that would be?" Shunsui asks while lifting one of his eyebrows. Wasn't the reason for the creation of the Sōkyoku simple enough? It's a tool used for executions. What other purposes could it have?
Locking his gray eyes with Shunsui's very own, Byakuya says. "The Sōkyoku's first victim was a being of pure evil, an evil that was too much of a threat to Soul Society. An evil that tore its own heart and learned what it was. Completo."
Frowning once he realized that Byakuya finished, Shunsui said, "That's all? An evil that tore its own heart? Is there really nothing more?" Only receiving a nod back, the 8th Captain released a sigh before he said his farewells and was ready to leave when something came to his mind. "Neh, Byakuya-san. Do you hate these Humanoid-Hollows?" Turning around to look at the clan head's face, Shunsui wasn't surprised when even his random question didn't even break the strict look on his face.
The only action Byakuya did was a lift of one his eyebrows in a slow and delicate manner. "If you're referring to Zangetsu for what he did." He looks at his re-attached right hand. "Then no. I don't hate him or any Hollows that I have slain. It's our duty as Shinigami to 'purify' Hollows. There is no point to hate them."
"But these Hollows killed a few of our men. Don't you hate them for that at least? Wouldn't you hate them if they killed Rukia?" Seeing the glare coming from Byakuya, Shunsui took his leave.
As the clan head watched the man leave, Byakuya released a sigh and looked down to his hand. In some form, Zangetsu's actions are justified in some twisted way. He knows the Hollow had him pay for what he did towards the girl by cutting his arm. If he wished to, Zangetsu could have killed him or any of the other Captains easily. But he didn't.
Captain Kyōraku was looking down at the ground as he recalled the first victim that they used the Sōkyoku on. 'An evil that tore its own heart?' Was that supposed to be figurative? And what about that last word? Completo? A frown came to his face, he felt like this was something that he already had to know.
- Karakura Hospital -
Removing his glasses, Ryūken pinches the bridge of his nose. How is it possible for the Kurosaki family to get in this much crap? Ichigo is a Hollow who has been in the care of another Hollow and not so long ago they ended up making enemies with the Gotei 13 and a Hollow King. Honestly, this is none of his concern. "So why is it that you came here, Kurosaki? Because if you wish for me to get involved in this, then you're deeply mistaken."
"Nah, I don't need your help. All I wanted to ask you was about what abilities do Quincy have."
Releasing a sigh, Ryūken answered Isshin so that the man would leave faster. "You should already know this because you married a Quincy, but, some of our abilities are too absorbed spiritual energy from the atmosphere, and combines it with our own spiritual energy to form weapons, mostly bows, and arrows. Pure-blooded Quincy are born with Blut. But some, like Masaki, are born with exceptionally powerful Blut, or better known as Blut Vene. This doesn't mean that Ichigo could have inherited it. That boy is not normal."
"Wait, that's all?! I thought you Quincy had more up your sleeves!" Isshin asks. Only getting a nod back, the Shinigami stood up, said a small thank you and started walking towards the door when Ryūken's voice reached his ears.
"Are you planning to get involved with your son's affair?"
Not even turning around, the Kurosaki patriarch answers, "No. If I get involved, then I will put the girls in danger. Yuzu and Karin aren't ready to know the truth." Turning around to look at his friend, he says. "Besides, my Shinigami's powers haven't completely come back to me. What use could I be to Ichigo?"
Sending him a nod, the white-haired man looks back down at the Hospital reports when Isshin asks him a question. "If any of the girls show signs of having Quincy's powers. Could you teach them?" He releases a sigh upon seeing the scowl on Ryūken's face. "I know that you left all the Quincy stuff behind, but you're the only Quincy left that I know who can teach them."
Now it was Ryūken's turn to let out a sigh; If only his father was still alive then he would tell Isshin to ask him instead. "I will teach them the basics only. They will need to learn everything else by themselves."
A quick thank you and Isshin left.
As the Shinigami left, Ryūken felt like he should have told him about what he found in his wife's body.
- 4 Months later, Urahara's Basement-
"Cero!"
A pure look of happiness formed on Ichigo's face once he finally was able to shoot 4 continuous Ceros. It took him weeks for him to figure out what he was doing wrong between his Cero and Cero Gravedad. Turns out that Szayel was right. He was putting too much Reiatsu on his Cero. Once he learned the line between his 2 different variations, the redhead started practicing. During the beginning of his solo training—Starrk was training with Yoruichi and the Visoreds—there were some accidents with a couple of Ceros going off.
'Good work, kid. I think you might be ready to learn Capa Cero now.'Zangetsu said as he watched through Ichigo's yellow eyes on how the Cero was able to destroy the mountain.
'Neh, you once said that I couldn't learn Capa Cero before I learned how to shoot a Cero. Why?' The boy asked.
Zangetsu sends Ichigo a nod. 'So you remember that, huh? That's right I needed for you to learn at least how to make a Cero before I could teach you Capa Cero because I needed you to at least gain some kind of Reiatsu control.'
'Are they both not the same thing?'
'Capa Cero is something different, Ichigo. Cero is an attack; it causes damage; however, Capa Cero is the complete opposite. It's meant as protection.' Zangetsu mimics Szayel's voice when he tries to explain anything. 'Capa Cero has exactly 3 different forms. Capa, Exoesqueleto and Devorar.'
'Don't I actually "wear" the Capa Cero?' Ichigo asks, he guesses that's why his skin was white before.
'That's right. The very first one is the basic form. A cloak that surrounds you, but even then, Capa has 2 different abilities. The first would be the common one; a radius of having anything around you in a 30-foot radius to disappear. Making it harder for anyone to sense you unless they get inside your radius. The 2nd one is more different. You can decrease your radius only YOU would disappear but that's not where it stops. Any of your attacks from a Cero to a Bala can completely 'disappear' too. I'm not saying that you can't see the attacks, but you can't sense those attacks at all. Exoesqueleto works differently now, and it's a very basic ability so I'm going to keep it simple, the only thing that it does is enhance your Hierro to a point that your body can handle most attacks. If an attack is too strong, then it will pierce through it. You could also focus your Reiatsu to where you think you'll get attacked at, increasing that zone's strength but that will also leave you open from any attacks that come in different directions. And the final one is Devorar. As it's in the name, this ability allows you to devour any Reishi base attacks, but just like Exoesqueleto, it has its limits.'
Ichigo blinks a few times with just how much C. Cero could do. 'And I get all that by just "wearing" it?' Feeling how Zangetsu sends him a nod, the redhead lets a grin reach his face. "All right! Let's get started then!" Ichigo said as he pumped his arms up into the air.
"Are you talking to your imaginary friend again, Ichigo?"
Hearing that emotionless voice, the redhead turns around to see a young man with fairly short, messy black hair, pale white skin, a black upper lip, and green eyes with small slit-shaped pupils, similar to a cat's. Part of his bangs fall between his eyes and has distinctively thick eyebrows. He has teal lines which descend from the lower part of his eyes. Ulquiorra's attire comprises a white jacket, black sash, and a white hakama. However, his jacket has longer coattails than both Starrk and Szayel, and the collar is higher. A hole in his sternum and the rest of his Hollow mask lies on the top-left side of his head, forming a broken horned helmet.
"C'mon now, Ulquiorra-niisan, I already told you about Zangetsu before!" Ichigo whines to the once bat-Hollow.
Tilting his head to the side, the green-eyed man says, "Why are you still calling me 'brother' for?"
The boy sends the barely transformed Arrancar a shrug. He honestly doesn't know why he still bothers to call him that. He only called him a brother all those months ago to annoy Lily, and he kept calling him Nii-san every time Lily walks by them. But now that habit seems to have gotten stuck to him. "Does it annoy you?"
"Is it supposed to annoy me?" Ulquiorra replies.
Ichigo releases a sigh before answering the clueless man. "I guess not." He watched Ulquiorra walk towards Lily before sitting on the ground with her, who was taking a break from practicing her Cero. Ulquiorra is an... interesting person. The once Vasto Lorde lacks a bit of... 'Eh, what word am I looking for?'
'Has sucky people skills, can be awkward as fuck sometimes and looks emo?'
'Yeeeaah... that.'
Zangetsu was pretty much spot on, but that still doesn't change the way Ichigo sees Ulquiorra.
- Flashback, 2 months ago-
"C'mon Nii-san! Szayel and geta-bōshi finally finish the chamber for your transformation." Ichigo pulls the Vasto Lorde towards Urahara's lab. Ulquiorra completely let Ichigo guide him.
Feeling how someone was glaring at his back, the boy let a playful smirk reach his lips. "It'll be so much fun when you become an Arrancar, nii-san~! I bet you can teach me lots of cool things." Sensing how the glare seems to intensify, Ichigo turns around and gives Lily, who has been following behind him, an innocent look. "Ah, didn't know you were there, Fea. Where's your Nee-san?"
"Mashiro-neesan said that she would come tomorrow." The pink-eye girl replies as she sends Ichigo a glare. As if she's hoping the boy would catch on fire.
Reaching the lab, Ichigo spotted Szayel, Urahara, Starrk, and Yoruichi. Both scientists were giving a last-minute inspection to the chamber while the other two were there to put down the Hollow if it turned out to be a threat, not like Ichigo knew that. "Neh, Szayel, I got Nii-san!"
"Good job Ichigo-kun. Now if only you could get your friend to come inside the chamber so that we can get started." The Arrancar scientist said as he opened the door to the glass cube.
Nodding, Ichigo brought the Hollow inside the chamber and was about to walk out when he felt Ulquiorra's hand on his right shoulder. Turning around to look at the Hollow, the redhead was able to spot a bit of worry in the Hollow's green eyes.
Ulquiorra doesn't understand what's going on. Are they sending him back to Hueco Mundo? Why did the boy bring him inside this weird glass cube? Is the pink-haired man going to turn him into those 'food pills'? Did he do something wrong?
"Wow, is okay Nii-san nothing bad will happen to you," Ichigo reassured him. Seeing how the grip on his shoulder loosen up a bit, the boy pulled himself away but before leaving he turned around and gave Ulquiorra a smile. "Trust me, 'kay?"
Ichigo may not know it, but Ulquiorra will always trust him, but he wants to tell the boy. The redhead has been doing everything he can to help him with his social skills. Being a Hollow born in a world to eat or become eaten, having social skills doesn't help anyone survive. But with the little help that Ichigo has shown him, he now at least has some ways to communicate with Ichigo and everyone else, even the Visoreds who got close to asking him questions—most coming from Mashiro. Sure, all he does is wave and write some simple words on the dirt, but it is still a way for him to communicate with them. And it has helped him with filling up that empty void that he feels in his chest.
But Ulquiorra wants to tell Ichigo with his own voice that he'll always trust him. 'I trust you!' Why can't Ichigo hear him? Why was it that he was born with a mask with no mouth! Without thinking about it, Ulquiorra grabbed his mask from the top left horn.
Ichigo watches with shock as the bat-Hollow tries to rip off his mask. "Oi! What are you doing?" He started freaking out when he was able to see green Reiatsu pouring out from the crack on Ulquiorra's mask. Turning around to ask someone to stop the Hollow, his words got caught in his throat when he and everyone else sensed Ulquiorra's Reiatsu skyrocketed before a shower of his own green Reiatsu engulfed the Vasto Lorde.
Kisuke was watching the whole event with interest. He believes that the bat-Hollow was going through his last step of evolution. The Vasto Lorde was becoming an Arrancar. As things finally settle, he notices how the Hollow's transformation didn't damage the chamber. That was not right. He could also feel that lack of power coming from the Hollow. As a Vasto Lorde that naturally reaches the end of his evolution, shouldn't the Hollow feel any more powerful? He could sense how it was far weaker than Starrk, no surprise there, but the Hollow's Reiryoku felt around the same level as Szayel, a high-level Adjuchas.
It only took a moment for Urahara to know why. 'I used the Hōgyoku on both Szayel and Starrk-san, giving them far greater power than they would have naturally had. So if used on the Hollow then he would be stronger than Szayel and perhaps just a few steps behind Starrk-san.'
Removing his arm from his face, Ichigo saw a white-skin man with messy black hair and green eyes that was only a few feet away from him; the glass wall keeping them separated. The boy watches as the barely transformed Arrancar opens his mouth before speaking his first words.
"I trust you."
- End of Flashback-
Two things happen after that event.
The 1st was that Ulquiorra had to still go through his power-up by the Hōgyoku, strengthening him more than Szayel and weaker than Starrk. The 2nd thing would be that now Ichigo was able to help the green-eyed man with his social skills even more. Ulquiorra had a weird habit of speaking his thoughts at first, but after some time Ichigo was able to help him with that little problem of his. Urahara has also been nice and has given Ulquiorra books that have helped the Hollow. While he finally got better at greeting people, in a very dull and neutral tone, the black-haired Hollow seems to have trouble expressing himself. Making him seem like some emotionless man.
'Emotionless man? I'm sure you could have just said emo instead. Okay, let's just forget about your Nii-san and let's go back to C. Cero.'
'Right.' Ichigo waited for Zangetsu's instructions.
'I want you to listen closely, Ichigo. While I already told you the difference between your Cero and C. Cero, here's where using them becomes different too. When you use Cero, you're spreading your Reiatsu around your body and then you're pushing it OUTSIDE your body to form a Cero.' Zangetsu's voice took on a hard tone. 'C. Cero only follows the first step. You spread Reiatsu around your body, BUT you don't push it out. You instead pull it to your skin.'
'That's all? It doesn't sound so hard.' Ichigo said as he started spreading his Reiatsu.
Zangetsu sends the boy a glare. 'Do you know why your Cero used to blow up in front of your face? Is because you were focusing too much of your Reiatsu on them. You came out from those situations with minor injuries. BUT that's because I told you that the Cero would blow-up.'Seeing how Ichigo, while still listening to him, was still trying to use Cero Capa, Zangetsu raises his voice. 'What do you think will happen when a Capa CERO fails in a blank zone!'
That finally made the boy stop before he answered back to the now angry man. 'It will blow up right on me..'
'Exactly. While they work differently, they're still both a Cero. I want you to first try to form a Cero Capa on your hand.'
'I can just form them on my limbs?'
'No shit.'
Releasing a quick breath, Ichigo looks down to his right hand. 'Okay, then what do I do?'
'All right. Listen closely. The reason I wanted for you to learn Cero is for you to gain some experience in controlling your Reiatsu. Because trust me you'll need some very top notch control for things to go right.'
'What's the control for?'
'Simple. You release TOO much Reiatsu and with the Sonido and Cero training you have been doing, things should be a little easier for you now. SO listen closely, Ichigo. Capa Cero only needs a small amount of your Reiatsu. If you add too much, then it will go Boom.'
'How much should I add then?'
'You now know the line between your Cero and Cero Gravedad. And that's good since it is right between a regular Cero and your C. Gravedad.'
Zangetsu watches quietly as Ichigo does the first 2 steps right. He spread his Reiatsu around his hand and he's not pushing it out but pulling it instead. However, as he expected, telling Ichigo about what would happen if he messes up has been affecting his control. But that's okay, that's why he told him.
With the warning still fresh, Ichigo was being extra careful as he did the first two steps right, but now came the part in which if he messes up, he may lose his hand. Or worse. The boy watches as the Reiatsu around his hand takes on a familiar white coloration. Thinking he had the steps done, he released more of his Reiatsu, believing how he could speed up the process.
That was a mistake.
BOOM!
"ICHIGO!"
Ichigo didn't get any kind of warning from Zangetsu. Nothing at all. The boy was lying on the ground, looking up at the fake sky. The sound of the blast still ringing in his ear. He watched as Lily came to his view and her mouth was moving but no words came out with a worried expression on her face. Even Ulquiorra was showing a worried look. Looking to his right and spotting Starrk with Yoruichi, the boy wonders when they got here. Feeling a sting on his right hand, he turned around to see what was the problem with his hand, but he found nothing wrong because he no longer had a hand, actually, from his hand to his lower elbow was nothing. Just a stump.
It took only a couple of seconds for his brain to process what just happened and when it did; the boy released an agonizing scream.
"AHHHH!"
Lily watches as her friend was holding his stump of an arm while screaming in a way she has never heard him before and all she was doing was watch him roll around in pain. What is she supposed to do! How is she supposed to help him! She has never been in a situation like this before! Before she could say anything, Yoruichi's voice broke through Ichigo's screams.
"Why are you idiots just standing around!?" She looked towards Starrk. "Remove your jacket and wrap it around Ichigo's arm! Put pressure on it too!" As the brunette does what he's been told, she looks at Ulquiorra. "Go fetch Kisuke!"
"No need, I'm here." The shaggy blonde said as he appeared with Szayel.
"What happened?" Szayel asks.
"Ichigo was practicing something that Zangetsu told him." Ulquiorra answered.
'Ichigo calm down!' Zangetsu yelled, screaming loud enough for Ichigo to hear him.
'IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!' The boy replies, surprised that he hasn't passed out from shock by the pain.
'Yes, it hurts! But you need to calm down!'
'B-B-B-BUT MY ARM! IS HALF GONE!'
Changing his tone, Zangetsu started speaking smoothly towards the redhead. 'It's okay Ichigo. Haven't you noticed? The pain is all gone.'
Hearing that last statement, Ichigo started relaxing before realizing that Zangetsu's words were right. He no longer felt the pain. Looking at the jacket-wrap arm, the redhead removes the clothing and watches as his arm re-grew from the bone all the way to his skin. Ignoring everyone's voices, Ichigo grabbed his re-grown right arm before bringing it towards his chest and started crying.
Not saying anything at first, Zangetsu waits for the boy to calm down a little and when he does, the man releases a sigh. 'That's enough of crying around. Let's get back to it again now.'
'no...'
The man scowled at the boy. 'Don't be such a bitch now, Ichigo!'Zangetsu ignores the way Ichigo cringes from the rude insult. 'Did you forget what will happen once y'all return to Hueco Mundo? Starrk will face Baraggan! Win or lose, we both know that Baraggan will have hundreds of Hollows after y'all and eventually you'll get caught in a mess you don't want to be in! SO LET'S GET BACK TO TRAINING!'
'please... no.'
Scarred from the accident, Zangetsu used the worried expression on Lily's face to his advantage. 'Ichigo, I want you to look at Lily and tell me what you see.'
Doing what the man said, Ichigo looked at everyone before ending at Lily. While it hurt to see everyone worry about him, the look on Lily's face sends a sharp pain through his chest, like a real physical pain. He could see tears on her cheeks. 'She looks scared and worried. She doesn't want me to do that again.'
'That's right. And all because your arm blew up.' Zangetsu made it sound like no big deal. 'Could you imagine the look on her face if she saw you die?'
Taken back by the man's question, Ichigo yells. 'What are you trying to say, Zangetsu!?'
Ignoring his question, Zangetsu started checking his nails before asking the boy another question. 'What do you think would hurt more? If you saw Lily die, or if Lily saw you die? I mean it will hurt you if you saw Szayel, Ulquiorra, and Starrk die. But Lily, oh boy, Lily is a different thing, huh? It would devastate you to see her die. But I bet you want that, right?'
'no..'
'Sorry, can't hear you. Can you repeat that again?'
'No.'
'No, you say?' Zangetsu let out a huff. 'Don't lie to me Ichigo, if you don't want to see Lily die then you would man up and keep practicing C. Cero! Did you really think that this would be easy! You're not some Gary Stu that will be perfect at everything! Practice makes perfect! Even if the practice will make you bleed, scream and sweat! So stop crying!'
Lily watches as Ichigo stop crying and started wiping his teary face with Starrk's blood cover jacket before raising his right hand again. And much to her horror, she watches as Ichigo started spreading his Reiatsu all over again. Before she could say anything to her friend, the limenette felt as if someone put a hand on her shoulder before they Sonido away from Ichigo, who became engulfed in smoke again. As she reappears a few feet away from Ichigo, she was able to hear his screams again. Turning around to see who it was that took her away from the redhead, Lily was more than surprised to see that it was Starrk.
No longer hearing Ichigo's screams, she turned around to see how the boy, while still having streams of tears running through his face, was biting down on his lips to stop himself from screaming. She watches as his arm grows back again thanks to his instant regeneration and once again the boy starts the process all over again.
Spread his Reiatsu, have his arm blow up, scream, wait for his arm to regrow, and repeat.
Starrk would have stopped the boy a long time ago, but Yoruichi has already given him this talk before. Ichigo, like everyone else, is training to not just protect one another but themselves. Though it looks like self-torture, he knew better that this was Ichigo's way of training. He closed his eyes and looked away as Ichigo blew his arm for the 7th time already.
Getting sick and tired of watching her friend keep abusing himself, Lily ran over to Ichigo and grabbed the boy's right hand with her own before he would try to use C. Cero again. "Stop... please." She stood in front of him and made eye contact but as she looked into his eyes, Lily noticed the way they seemed to be unfocused.
Ichigo was pretty much running on a high adrenaline rush, but it's not like the redhead knew that. The only thing on his mind was that he needed to get C. Cero down already. Before he would cover his right hand again. A deep part of Ichigo told him that wasn't such a good idea. Forgetting about his right hand and remembering how Zangetsu has mentioned that he could use C. Cero on his limbs, the redhead focuses his Reiatsu on his left again.
Waiting for a full minute and seeing that Ichigo would no longer continue his self-harming, the limenette released a sigh and before she knew it, the boy raised his left hand instead and repeated the process.
Everyone, even Ulquiorra, watches with shock as the blast engulfed both children. Unlike the other times, the lack of Ichigo's scream was new and as the smoke cleared out, they saw the way Lily's clothes got torn and dirty from the blast but that was all the damage that was on her. As the smoke clears out more, Lily and everyone else notices the white coloration on Ichigo's left forearm. The technique was far from perfect so he still lost his hand.
The pink-eyed girl waited for Ichigo's left hand to regrow before she got a hold of it too. "That's enough... please Ichigo... stop." She plead and watch her friend stand there emotionless before she notices the way, while still holding his hand, the redhead was seconds from trying C. Cero again before he stopped and passed out. Adrenaline rush long gone.
"I'll... protect you... Lily..." was the last thing the boy said before falling unconscious into Lily's waiting arms.
'You did well... Ichigo.'
Releasing a breath that she didn't know she was holding, Lily tightened her arms around Ichigo.
Watching everything from a distance, Starrk turned towards both scientists. "I want that chamber done already."
Clearing his throat, Szayel looks towards the brunette. "It's actually done already, Starrk-san. We have just been working on the children's Gigai, we need a bit more time befo—"
"Forget about that and just have the chamber ready by tomorrow." With nothing more, not like he needed to say more, Starrk left the area.
As the next day came by, it surprised Ichigo when he woke up down on the training grounds instead of the room that he shares with Lily. Grabbing his head while releasing a small groan, the redhead said, "Why am I down here?"
"We couldn't put you back inside your Gigai. So we left you down here."
Hearing Starrk's voice, Ichigo turns towards the brunette. "You left me down here alone?"
The man pointing his hand towards the green-eyed Hollow who was sitting on top of a hill. "Ulquiorra has been watching over you." Before the boy could ask anything, Starrk sends him a glare that stops him. "What the hell were you doing yesterday, Ichigo."
Feeling as if his parents were scowling him, Ichigo looked down at the ground before answering. "Zangetsu was teaching me how to use Capa Cero... he told me how to use it, and... he also told me how risky it can be..."
"Risky? Ichigo, it was more than just 'risky'. You were basically blowing up your arm yesterday! Lily was worried sick about you!" Seeing Ichigo flinched from the way he raised his voice towards him, Starrk released a sigh. "I don't want you to train for your Capa Cero anymore. In fact. I don't want you to train until you're old enough to fight. You're still just a child." Starrk doesn't understand why he's against it now. He was fine with having Ichigo become a true Arrancar, but that was just it. The boy would just be a true Arrancar, there is no need for him to train just yet to protect himself or anyone. That's what HE was training for—so that he could protect him and Lily. Seeing the shocked look on Ichigo's face, Starrk turns around while heading towards the lab and addressing the boy. "Come now, Szayel and Urahara have the cha—"
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME!"
Stopping on his tracks from the surprise that Ichigo would raise his voice towards him, Starrk turns around to see the glare he was sending him.
"You, you just can't tell me to stop training just because of yesterday! What else am I going to do?! Just watch Ulquiorra, Szayel and you protect me and Lily?! Watch maybe one of you die because I didn't know how to defend myself! You guys won't always be there for us! That's why I'm training! So that I can help you guys! So that I can protect Lily!" Breathing heavily from his ranting, the boy calms down a bit before speaking back to Starrk. "Please don't take this away from me. I need to train. I don't want everyone to always protect me. I'm supposed to be the protector..."
"Damn it, Ichigo." Running a hand through his hair, he looks back to the redhead. "Fine. Train, BUT I don't want you to ever, ever, EVER try to train for Capa Cero again. Got it?" When the boy nodded, he waved Ichigo over. "Come on now. We need to head towards the lab. Your chamber is ready for you."
As the group finally reached the lab, Ichigo spotted Lily sitting on top of Szayel's desk. Remembering how Starrk said Lily had worried about him from yesterday's event. The redhead walks over to his friend but before he could even say anything, Lily turns around first. "Lily... I'm s-"
"Are you okay?"
The lack of emotions on her face made Ichigo feel scared. "I am."
"Good."
Lily gave him the hardest punch that she could muster and sent the boy flying back without a warning. "That's for making me feel so worried about you, Menso!"
Seeing the way the boy went flying, Starrk gave himself a nod. 'Looks like a perfect punishment.' Seeing Lily not done with the boy, Starrk was ready to stop her when Urahara's voice reached his ears from behind him.
"Sure looks like everyone is in a lively mood." The shopkeeper said while coming inside his lab, with a Gigai in his hand. Szayel behind him, holding a Gigai, too. Watching the way Ichigo's face was turning purple from Lily choking him, Urahara interrupted the duo. "Now, now Lily-chan. Calm down. It's okay with feeling concern now, what with the way your idiotic boyfriend was blowing his arm yesterday." As Lily let go of Ichigo and turned around to chew at him, he brought everyone's attention to the important matter that was about to happen. "And now that I saved Ichigo's life. Should we now get started?" He said while pointing at the glass cube.
Getting back to his feet, Ichigo looks towards the chamber that will soon make him into a true Arrancar. Months of waiting and it was finally his and Lily's turn. Both of them would become Arrancar by using the same chamber. Seeing as they're kids, the chamber would be big enough for both of them. But it feels like there's something more that Urahara isn't telling him.
Releasing a sigh, the redhead started walking towards the glass cube, ready to get this over with.
As everyone gathered around, Yoruichi was out in town doing her usual patrols so she was busy and Mashiro came to see her 'little sister' become a true Arrancar.
"I'll be here, waiting for you, Lily-chan!" The bright lime-haired woman said.
Lily just sends her sister a small wave before she goes back to relaxing. "I hope this doesn't hurt." she told the boy.
"This won't hurt. Right?" asked back the boy. None of the children bothered asking any of the previous Arrancar if this would be painful or not.
Thinking about having fun, the shaggy blonde spoke loud enough for both children to hear him. "Don't worry now. This won't hurt a bit. It'll hurt a lot!" Just like that, Urahara activated the Hōgyoku and watched as light engulfed the children. Unaware of the events that were going inside Ichigo's mindscape.
Not feeling any pain, the boy opens his eyes and sees that he's back to a very familiar beach. A beach where he met—
"Yo."
Turning around, Ichigo saw the bandage cover man.
Zangetsu was resting his back on a Buster Sword that had its false edge in a pitch black coloration while the true edge had a pure white one instead, the quillon of the sword was barely bigger than the blade and it had a blue coloration and adorned with crosses. An interesting design from the sword was that it had two grips instead of just one and just like the blade, both grips came in different colors.
The grip that seems to 'touch' the black part of the sword was white with a blue sun on it, while the grip touching the white part of the blade was black with a red moon.
"It's been a while since you've been in here huh, Ichigo?"
"Zangetsu? What am I doing here? Where the hell did you get that sword at and why aren't I turning into an Arrancar?" The boy asks the questions in his head.
"Hmm, where to start with those questions. First should be why you're here. Well, that's simple. I brought you here. As for why, well, it has to do with the 3rd question, the reason you haven't turned into a 'true' Arrancar and it's because I haven't allowed you to get your powers. Which is this bad boy right here." Zangetsu pointed at the Buster Sword, then crossed his arms. "You know, I'm just gonna say it. I am proud of you, Ichigo. I wasn't expecting for you to keep practicing Capa Cero even after having your arm blown up a few times."
Having the man mention the events from yesterday, Ichigo reaches towards his right arm. "Yeah well... I wanted to know how to use it... to protect them."
Vending down to Ichigo's height, Zangetsu teases the boy. "Ohh~? Them or just her?" Releasing a laugh towards the blushing boy, the yellow-eyed man calms down and turns around towards the blade. "You know. I knew that by telling you about the consequences of a fail C. Cero would make you lose your concentration... but I did it to see if you would truly keep pushing yourself to learn it."
"Of course I would still keep doing it, even by knowing the consequences." Ichigo looks down at the ground before continuing. "I really need to learn Capa Cero... it would help us stay hidden from Baraggan... and then we won't have Hollows after us."
"You know... something tells me that Starrk won't kill Baraggan. He'll just beat the Hollow and when that happens, Baraggan WILL throw his entire army on you guys. And you, a child, won't be ready to do what will need to get done."
"You think I don't know that? That's why Urahara-san is turning us into real Arrancar. I know that I'm just a kid, a kid who soon will do a lot of fighting, but this is a step that I need to take if I wish to help Starrk and everyone!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"And what will you do then, Ichigo!? Will you still try to learn Capa Cero even after Starrk told you not to?"
"I AM!"
"AND WHY!?"
"BECAUSE THIS WILL HELP ME PROTECT THEM! SO I CAN BECOME THEIR PROTECTOR!"
Zangetsu turns around to face the boy while pointing towards the blade. "If you want to protect them Kurosaki Ichigo," he said while pulling out the sword from the rock and pointed it towards Ichigo. "THEN ACCEPT YOUR POWERS!"
The redhead was expecting for the man to hand over the giant buster blade; what he wasn't expecting, however, was how Zangetsu drove the blade through him instead before stopping midway. Ichigo, however, did not freak out, the boy felt the power that was surging through his body instead of pain. The boy looks down to the blade in his chest before Zangetsu's last comment finally becomes clear. Reaching one of the blade's grips, Ichigo started helping the man push the blade in.
Zangetsu sends the boy a grin. "Heh, how come you're not scared of having a blade through you?"
Ichigo returns the man's grin with one of his own. "Why would I fear my power?"
"HA! NOW THAT'S THE SPIRIT ICHIGO! YOU KNOW WHAT!? JUST FOR THAT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE GIFT!"
Before the boy could ask about it, Ichigo's eyes started getting blinded by a light and he watched as Zangetsu's Hollow mask disappeared before he sent him a close-eyed smile.
"Never forget your reason for wanting power, Ichigo."
With that done, Ichigo finally became an Arrancar.
'And hopefully, this will fix you up. I don't know how you became stuck between the two.'
Urahara frowns upon how long it has taken for the children to finish their transformation. It only took a couple of more minutes for everyone else to finish, so why are they taking longer? Before he could keep thinking about it, the shaggy blonde noticed how the Hōgyoku started to forcefully push more power into the glass cube, as if the Hōgyoku was trying to do something to Ichigo and Lily. Then it stopped and everyone took cover from the explosion.
Everyone waited for the smoke to clear, but before clearing out, two different voices got heard.
"Ughh, what the hell. That actually hurt a bit." A teen boy's voice said.
"Damn it, why didn't anyone tell us about this." Another voice added, sounding much like a teen girl.
As the smoke finally cleared out, everyone was able to see, not two kids, but two teenagers instead. One was a fairly tall, lean-built young man with white skin and spiky orange hair. The other one was a young woman of average height, lean frame, fair skin, and wavy light green hair that reached her shoulders.
It didn't take a genius to figure out who these two teens were, but there was something very, very different in both Ichigo and Lily now, and it wasn't the fact that they have aged.
Turning to her left side, Lily spotted a boy she had never seen and before she could question him, Lily recognized the white skin, orange hair, yellow and black eyes. "Ichigo?"
Hearing such a mature and beautiful voice, Ichigo turns to his right to see a girl with lime-haired and a pink eye. "Lily?"
Before Lily could say anything, she felt a weight on her chest. Looking down, she spotted two fairly big lumps with each having one light-pink pebble. It took her only a second to realize what she was looking at. "Ichigo! Look!" she said while turning to her friend before giving her perky breasts a small squeeze. "I HAVE BOOBS!"
Ichigo was gaping towards his friend as she gave her breast another squeeze before closing his eyes and looking away, a small amount of blood pouring from his nose. "W-w-what the hell Lily!"
Looking at her friend like an idiot, it only took Lily another second before she realized what she just did. She flashed her friend. As she looks over at herself and finds out that she was naked, she looks around for anything to cover herself up. "Why the hell am I naked!"
"Idiot! Did you just realize that!" Ichigo said as he turned towards his friend, an angry comical look on his face.
As Lily turned to reply to the boy, both teens spotted one new major difference in them.
"Ichigo, you have a mask now!/ Lily, what happened to your mask?"
Hearing that weird statement from one another, Lily and Ichigo's hands went towards their faces.
The limenette ran a hand through her entire head and noticed the lack of the helmet-like part of her mask, but as her hand kept going through her face, Lily noticed that the only remaining part of her Hollow mask was the small piece that covered her left eye.
As Ichigo mirrors his friend's action, he notices the hard material that covers his nose, cheeks, and mouth. Ichigo's Hollow mask resembles Zangetsu's mask, even though he couldn't see it, the mask had the same coloration; it was black. Before he could say anything about the mask, the teenage Arrancar spotted a blue object.
Turning his head, Ichigo saw the 2 grips from the sword that went through him. But that was just it. There was no blade, no quillon, just the 2 grips. "What, what the hell is this? What happened to my Zanpakutō!"
Before she could respond to her friend, Lily saw a quick gleam to her left and spotted a slender, white, sharply pointed sword. The sword had a sweeping hilt that looked complex and was black with light green rings extending forward from the crosspiece. "Is this my Zanpakutō?"
Before any of the two could say anything more, Urahara stepped in. "Well, congratulations to you two. You're both now real Arrancar."
Jumping a little from joy, Mashiro ran towards her little sister before giving her a hug. "Look at you, Lily-chan! You're so pretty~!"
Ulquiorra slowly walks towards the now white-skin Ichigo. Looking between Ichigo's skin and his own, he sends the redhead teen a nod. "Brothers."
- X-
"Neh, how long has it been?" A gentle woman's voice said.
"I don't fucking know... 5 or 600 years, lost count after 400." The harsh tone of a man replied.
The woman turned around to see her 'roommate'. She had short light-blue straight hair, pale skin, and a curvier figure. Her eyes were closed as she sent the man a smile. "C'mon now, don't be like that. I know that you're lying."
Seeing the woman's smile, the man sends her a glare. "Damn it! Can you stop smiling for once! I have been looking at that ugly smile of yours for the last 958 years!" The man had spiky silver hair, peach skin, and his eyes were a light-orange color.
Opening her eyes, which were a forest green color, she pointed an accusing finger at the silver-haired man. "AHA! YOU DID KNOW!"
Releasing a sigh, the man looks back to the 900 year white void they have been living inside for over 900 years. "Yeah, now what? What good does knowing give you.."
Hearing the gloomy tone that his voice has taken, she moves behind the man before hugging him. "Don't be like that. Eventually one of us will get out."
"You have been saying that for the last 845 years."
Moving her head to look at his orange-eyes, she sends him a kind smile. "And it's true, but I'm sure the one that will get out first will be you, Luna."
Pushing back the woman, Luna sends her a glare. "Can you stop calling me that already! I told you a million times already! I don't have a name, and I don't need one! So stop calling me that! Luna!"
The green-eyed woman, whose name was also Luna, gave her companion a sad smile. "Sorry, it is just sad that you don't have a name..."
"And I don't need one! And you shouldn't have given me that same name as yours!" Releasing a huff, the silver-haired man returns to looking at the white void.
"You know." She went back to giving the man a kind smile. "One day, someone will give you a name. A name that you will like, a name that will fit you, a name that you will wear with pride."
"Thank... you... Zangetsu..."
Lily's eyes shot open, and she started looking around the room that she shares with Ichigo in a haste. Seeing that she wasn't in a white void, she lay back in bed before bringing her hands up to her eyes. Both her and Ichigo were inside their new Gigai that Urahara had made for their transformation.
Looking around the room, the teenage Lily stops her sights on Ichigo. His new Gigai, just like the last one, has alternative looks. The only thing it changed was his hair color. Urahara said it was fine for him to have his orange hair now, his eyes are still an amber color and his skin is still a peach shade.
As she kept staring at his calm face, she stood up before walking towards the sleeping Ichigo—the young woman wearing just underwear and an oversized shirt that reached her thighs. Standing beside him, Lily sat on her knees before moving her face above Ichigo's. How did a boy like Ichigo become such a handsome young man?
Hearing her own thoughts, she closes her eyes. 'Ughh, c'mon don't think like that! He's your friend damn it!'
Opening her eyes again, Lily froze as she saw Ichigo's sleepy eyes opening. "Lily?" The redhead rubs his eyes before looking back at her. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Can't sleep." Lily, if she could, would smack her forehead.
"And that's my problem because?"
With a red hue on her cheeks, Lily said. "Because now I'm gonna try to sleep with you."
"What!? What kind of logic is that!"
"J-just shut up and move a bit, Menso!" Lily moves in bed with Ichigo, back turned to his and a blush on her face. "Goodnight." Only getting a grunt back, she turned around and hit Ichigo on top of his head. "I said, Goodnight!"
"Damn it! Goodnight."
As Ichigo lay there awake for a bit longer, he was able to sense 3 powerful Reiryoku that appeared out of nowhere. One of them feels all too familiar. "I'll always protect you, Lily."
As a Senkaimon opens above Karakura Town, 3 Captains step out.
Looking around, Captain Kyōraku gave out a low whistle. "Man, the Human World has sure changed a lot since the last time I have seen it." Looking to his left, he addresses Hitsugaya. "I bet you're tired of this site, right? Tōshirō-kun?" Shunsui releases a sigh when Captain Hitsugaya just disappears. The young captain has been on every tour in Karakura Town for the past 8 months, he even asked Kenpachi if he could take his turn, even promise the man a spar!
Looking towards his right, the 8th Captain spoke to the most unexpected person to be here. "And how come YOU came to the Human World, Captain Kurotsuchi?"
The make-up wearing captain didn't even turn to look at Shunsui before replying. "Research." And just like that, he vanishes.
Been alone now, Captain Kyōraku released a sigh. 'Gonna be easier than I expected it to be.' Looking around the town, he started tapping his chin. 'Now where could you possibly be hiding at, Hollow-san.'
- Unknown Location-
Inside a large, ice-covered building surrounded by a vast city roughly the size of the Seireitei was one man sitting on a throne. He was a tall man with a long face, broad chin, and pronounced cheekbones. Has long black hair, which reaches to his lower back and thin eyebrows. He has well-kept mutton chops and a connected mustache. His attire comprises a white, double-breasted trench coat, which has a cross symbol on the middle, with large buttoned cuffs and lapels, white trousers, and trench boots. Over this, he wears a tattered, ankle-length maroon-black cloak, which has a red ribbon near the neck.
The man was resting his cheek on his hand, eyes closed with a frown on his face.
"Is something the matter, your Majesty?" said a tall young man with a thin build and long blonde hair, which descends past his shoulders and blonde eyelashes. Wearing a white uniform, comprising the order's signature hooded-cloak, a calf-length trench coat, a green belt with a golden belt buckle, along with white trousers and shoes.
Opening his reddish-brown eyes, the man looks towards the blonde. "It seems I have lost the sight of one of my children, again."
"Is that a problem? Yhwach-sama?"
Closing his eyes, Yhwach sends a nod towards his Sternritter Grandmaster. "A problem that will get between my plans, Jugram."
-X-
Annnnnnd done! Wow, that was a lot! I was supposed to post this chapter yesterday but felt asleep:v
God, there's a lot to say about this chapter... So where to start? I guess for starters lets talk about the scene with Ichigo calling Ulquiorra a brother. To be fair it just came to me and it was a form for Ichigo to annoy Lily.
As for the part where I wrote about Ulquiorra been around the same level as Szayel, it wasn't really some BS, ALL the Arrancar's in Aizen Army went through their transformation using the Hōgyoku. SO they actually did come out stronger than they originally were meant to be.
Added a scene with Isshin and Ryūken. Nothing much there... Put a scene in Soul Society and drop some little hints on an Arrancar that will be used later in the future.
Here's one that maybe I should clear out more and that's with the way Capa Cero works. The 1st ability of Capa has 2 different forms. The 1st being the cloak that covers anyone in a 30 feet radius and the 2nd one only covers Ichigo and his attacks. The 2nd ability, Exoesqueleto is pretty much a enhance Hierro just more powerful than any normal one. And for the last ability, Devorar, it just 'eats' Reishi. The reason, why Starrk would feel like Ichigo's Reiatsu, would leech to him.
Okay, was the scene with Ichigo blowing his arm too much? Eh, not really (well for me.)
Finally turn Ichigo and Lily into teens if anyone is curious about how their weapons look like. Lily pretty much has a Rapier while Ichigo's looks like the Buster Sword that Cloud (From FF7) uses, Lily having a weird dream, and the form of a small crush towards her friend. Oh, and they're both around 15 now. So Ichigo looks the same while having white skin and yellow eyes, as for Lily she has a body compare to Tatsuki.
And then we got the 3 Captains. Hitsugaya showing a small obsession with finding Zangetsu, Shunsui planning on meeting with Starrk and everyone else, and then we got Mayuri :P oh boy, the thing his gonna do. Muahahaha!
AND now we have the Quincy in the mix!
As for the IchigoxTia pairing, I think I know which stories you're talking about. Kind of the reason why I didn't go that way; oh no, I'm not against it, in fact, I'm positive it could work but if there's something I wanna do, is create unique pairings. Something people don't see often about.
And wow, are those really the reason why they killed them off? Man. That sucks but this FF won't be any different. I am going to kill off just a few.
If anyone got a question or anything, don't be afraid to PM or leave it as a review! And with that done, next chapter will be up in 2-3 weeks.
-Ten out.