Yo, got another one out. A quick word before continuing, the changes to canon will be apparent once they're in Konoha, starting with the Sasuke retrieval. Some things need to happen in order to get a story moving. I don't wanna write something where Ichigo just fights every single enemy in the series. The story would end in like 4 chapters and nobody wants that. Anyway, if you're not caught up with bleach there are some SPOILERS in this chapter so you have been warned.
Ichigo appeared in front of the downed forms of Tsunade and Shizune, quickly scooping them up. He hopped forward just as a giant serpent crashed into the spot they'd previously been occupying. Shizune rested on his left shoulder while Tsunade was on the right. Almost as if their weight had no effect on him, he soared through the air effortlessly.
"Naruto!" Shizune yelled, and the distress was clear in her voice.
Taking a moment to look over his shoulder, Ichigo noticed the blond was in the direct line of sight for the snake. It stretched its mouth open, letting everyone see the inside of its mouth. Its large fangs shimmered in the sunlight and, before anyone could blink, shut its fangs, effectively eating the blond.
'Damn.' Ichigo thought to himself. Keeping his eyes on it, however, he noticed that it never swallowed. Whether that was because it couldn't or because Naruto was in there moving around, Ichigo wasn't certain. He remembered how hard Naruto had been training his technique over the past week, and one thing he could say about him was that his spirit to persevere was near unbreakable. 'Come on, Naruto, I know you won't let something like that put you down.'
Hitting the ground once more, Shizune slid off of his shoulder and gave him a small nod as thanks. He had to place Tsunade down in a sitting position in front of him since she was still unresponsive. It was almost as if she hadn't realized that she was about to be killed by a snake.
"What's wrong with her?" He asked Shizune, though his gaze didn't stray from the blonde. The woman was trembling, and he could see her shaking faintly. Her stare was directed down at her bloodsoaked hands, and her mouth moved minutely. It was as if she was in some sort of trance.
Hearing no response from the black haired woman, he looked over at her. Shizune broke out of whatever was ailing her mind, and was going to respond, but stopped abruptly. Her eyes momentarily darted from his own brown off to the left and slightly upward behind him.
Frowning at the display, he turned around and, with instincts honed by many battles over the years, quickly raised Zangetsu in time to block the attack. The kunai that clashed against his Zanpakuto was wielded by the same silver haired shinobi that was accompanying Orochimaru. Ichigo noted that while there was a bit of force to the strike, it was considerably weaker than that of Hidan.
Applying a bit more strength, Ichigo swung the blade, easily sending his opponent back a few yards. The man did a quick backflip and landed, skidding a few feet back before coming to a stop. Spinning the kunai in his hand, he caught it in a reverse grip and kept it up in front of his face.
Ichigo didn't move, instead opting to rest the blade along his shoulder, but his eyes never left his opponent. Seeing that he wasn't moving, the kunai in the man's hand was quickly discarded in favor of having both of his hands freed.
The shinigami narrowed his eyes at the sight of the silver haired shinobi's hands glowing a faint blue color from the wrist up to his finger tips. The man pushed his glasses further up his nose and stared at the downed form of Tsunade. Ichigo protectively took a step to the side in order to block the man's view of her.
Apart from how Hidan, Aoi, and now this man with glasses enhanced their bodies, this was the first time he'd seen any sort of worthwhile chakra technique up close. However, with the only thing he could see being the slow flow across his hands, he didn't know exactly what would be coming.
His focus was suddenly broken when a voice stricken with fear rang out from behind him.
"Stop!" She yelled. "Don't come closer!"
Ichigo frowned, and had to resist the urge to turn his back and check who it came from. He immediately recognized it as Tsunade, but the fear he could detect in her voice was alien and discomforting. What had happened before he'd made it to the battlefield? He could see slight bruising on her right cheek, as well as some blood, but the lack of open wounds on her person showed that it couldn't have been hers.
"Relax, Tsunade." He said in a reassuring tone that hid his bewilderment. "I won't let him near you. Shizune." He called out once more. Not bothering to turn around, he continued. "What's up with his hands?"
Shizune cleared her throat and answered. "He's using chakra scalpels." She informed him. "It's a medical jutsu used to create incisions within the body without actually cutting through the skin. If he touches you once he can cut muscle, nerves, or even cleanly through the bone."
Ichigo hummed to himself. 'That could be trouble, but in order for it to work he needs to physically touch me. As long as I'm out of his reach, I'll be fine.'
"Tsunade." He called out, not bothered by the sprint his opponent had broken into. "Why aren't you moving?" Again, he was met with silence.
"You're traveling with her, but you don't know that she's hemophobic?" The man asked as he leapt into the air and came down with an extended hand. Ichigo sidestepped the first swing and followed up by ducking under the next attack. With a bored gaze, he stared back and noticed the smirk on the man's face. For someone who had yet to land an attack or even get him to flinch, he seemed pretty confident in himself.
After a diagonal slash of his hand, Ichigo swung his Zanpakuto horizontally, only barely missing the man's face. The glow in the shinobi's left hand died down, and a frown marred his face as he once again pulled out the kunai. Not bothered by the display, Ichigo swung again, though he didn't bother letting off his signature attack. The kunai managed to stop the swing in its tracks, albeit barely.
The chakra in his right died down as well, and was used to add force to his other hand as Ichigo began applying more pressure. A small crack formed on the edge of the kunai and began traveling across the length of the blade before it was split in half. Once again, he managed to evade the attack, but wasn't able to stop the kick that was aimed at his face.
A crunch was heard as his foot connected with the man's nose, and Shizune watched as he was sent tumbling.
"I'll ask you again, why are you…" He was cut off by an incoming attack once more. Exhaling in annoyance, Ichigo stepped into a Shunpo and met him half-way, before he could reach him. Clearly caught off guard by his speed, the man wasn't able to bring his arms up for any sort of offense or defense. The back of Ichigo's fist connected with his left cheek which once again sent the man flying.
This time, he wasn't able to right himself in the air and only came to a stop once his body collided with a large rock several yards away. The other men that were currently locked in battle momentarily paused to see what had happened. The white haired man seemed relieved while Orochimaru looked less than pleased.
Now that he had taken care of business, for the time being at least, Ichigo placed Zangetsu on his back once more, and this time turned to face Tsunade completely. Kneeling down so that he was at level with her, he studied her face and couldn't help but think back to what he'd heard.
She was hemophobic. It was strange considering she was a medic, but there had to be more to it than that. His mind thought back to when they'd run into Hidan, and the dots began to connect. There was blood splattered all over the place and Tsunade had avoided looking in their direction. Even when she spoke to them she made sure her face was looking elsewhere.
At the time he chalked it up to her being uninterested, but now he knew. It was because she would've frozen up, just like she was right now.
"Tsunade." He called out gently. Still no reaction. Reaching forward, he held her by the shoulders and gently shook her back and forth. "Tsunade, snap out of it." He tried again. Clenching his jaw in annoyance, he swiped the small handkerchief that was in Shizune's hand, and began wiping away the blood that was on Tsunade's own.
A red tint remained on the back of her hands, but most of the blood was gone. Turning his attention to her face, he wiped what had gotten on her cheek and stared at her expectantly. Unfortunately, his work had little effect on her mental state. Dropping the small piece of fabric, he shook her with just a bit more force than before and called out to her again.
"Your friends need your help Tsunade." He tried once again. Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere, he was a moment away from heading out to handle Orochimaru himself when an idea struck his mind. Whenever he had been down it wasn't pity or sympathy that helped him, but instead a good kick in the ass. As much as Goat-chin got on his nerves, Ichigo wasn't sure if he would have been able to leave his room after his mother's death if it hadn't been for his father's ridiculous antics.
The angry screech of a serpent roared from behind them interrupted his musings. The brown snake that Orochimaru was on had been attacked by the white haired man, and it seemed like he was using some sort of technique that weaponized his own hair. Individual strands had been fired at high speeds with strength powerful enough to pierce the scales. The other snake jerked its head to the side, and its mouth opened a moment later to reveal Naruto, perfectly intact.
"You see that, Tsunade?" He questioned sternly. "Naruto didn't give up even after being swallowed whole. But you're still just sitting here, letting them do whatever the hell they want. They've already attacked you and Shizune, are you just gonna waste away and let that snake bastard kill them too?" He questioned, nodding his head towards the two men.
"You're supposed to be the greatest medic in the world, but right now I'm not seeing it." He said sternly. "All I see in front of me is some coward willing to let a bunch of assholes trample over her and her friends!"
"Ichigo!" Shizune warned with some edge to her tone. He made a note to apologize later, and ignored her as he stood his ground.
"I can't…" Tsunade managed in a low whisper. "I can't move like this…" She continued in the same broken tone.
He shook his head and loosened the hold he had on her shoulders. Tired of seeing her looking down with a defeated expression on her face, he grabbed her by the sides of her head without applying too much pressure. Forcing her to look directly at him, he continued.
"You can. You're strong Tsunade." He spoke with conviction. "Whatever caused this fear inside has held you back long enough. If you don't move, you might as well have killed those two yourself.. I know what Orochimaru said back then. He claimed to be able to bring the dead back to life. But what if he uses them to destroy your home? What if they found out the true cost of their return? Can you say you'd be able to face them the next time you saw them?"
Tsunade's eyes widened at his words and for the first time, Ichigo knew he was getting through to her. Before he was able to press on, he felt two signatures approaching him. Turning around, he saw the man back up on his feet, quickly making his way over to him. He was saved from having to give up his chance when Naruto intercepted the man, landing directly in between them.
"I don't think so!" Naruto said angrily as he stared the man down. "You're dealing with me."
Nodding at the younger man, Ichigo turned his attention back to Tsunade who was now staring at him with a strange look on her face. It was as if she was looking at him but through him at the same time. He wasn't sure what was going through her mind, but he knew he needed to finish up quickly.
Letting go of his hold on her, he stood in between the two women while putting his attention toward Naruto, and continued speaking. "Look at him, Tsunade. He's outmatched, but he continues to stand up and fight. He has something he's fighting for and that drive keeps him going."
They watched as Kabuto's fist slammed into Naruto's face with a sickening crunch, as an audible crack rang throughout the clearing, but he refused to budge and continued to try and retaliate.
"You know what you have to do Tsunade." Ichigo spoke. He remembered the words that had been spoken to him all those years ago. A motto that had stuck with him, and that had forced him to push forward no matter the obstacle in his way.
"Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate." He chanted, reiterating Zangetsu's words.
Ichigo didn't understand just how deep those words truly reached the woman. Whether it was by chance or something else, those words resonated through Tsunade in more ways than one.
Tsunade looked up at the young man, who by all accounts shouldn't have been present, in a much different light. Even after being told their time together was done, he still stuck around and now he was here pulling her out of the darkness she once again found herself in. His words of encouragement came from the heart, and she knew he was completely serious about every word he spoke. Looking at Naruto, she couldn't help but see the translucent figure of her deceased younger brother next to him. The two shared similar traits, from the way they spoke to how they behaved.
Looking up at Ichigo, she almost lost her breath when her mind showed her another person standing next to him. This one with long white hair standing in the same position as the orange haired man. While they didn't share the same dream, the words he spoke and the calm determination she could see in him were so much like Dan.
She thought back to a moment in time where she had been in a similar position. Dan had that gentle smile, and then he tilted her head towards his and spoke those reassuring words. That she was strong. That she could do anything. That he would always find a way to pick her back up. Her forehead tingled with warmth at the memory, and as the image disappeared she found kind brown orbs staring back at her.
Looking down at her hands, Tsunade took a breath and clenched them into fists. The sound of metal being impacted rang out from in front of them, and everyone looked to see Naruto having stopped a punch with his headband and another with his bare fist. A clone popped into existence and began pawing at the open hand Naruto had held out.
Ichigo watched as the blue orb was created, and then thrust into the man's sternum, sending him flying away once more.
"He actually did it…in one week." Tsunade said in shock as she allowed Ichigo to help her stand up.
"You see that?" Naruto asked with a shaky breath. "I did it." He said before falling onto his back.
Now free of the paralysis that plagued her when seeing blood, Tsunade rushed forward to check on Naruto. Ichigo knelt down and silently wondered what had happened for her to suddenly begin healing his chest. There was no noticeable wound, but that was when he remembered the chakra scalpel technique.
At one point during their short lived fight, the man had managed to tap the blond in the chest. Nothing had happened so he figured something had gone wrong, but it seemed this had been planned.
"Come on, Naruto, stay with me brat." He heard Tsunade say desperately. "When did Kabuto do this?" She questioned. Ichigo knew exactly when, but kept his mouth shut. It was best she didn't feel any more guilt than she already did.
"It's no use, Tsunade…" Everyone turned to see Kabuto peeling himself away from the boulder that he'd been embedded in. He stared at them with a malicious grin on his face as he slowly crept forward while holding onto his midsection. The trio stared in shock and surprise that he was still able to move. Ichigo remembered what had been done to the dead trees during Naruto's training, and there was no way a perfected version would be less lethal than that.
"I started healing before the attack landed." He said, noticing the looks on their faces. "A little later, and that most likely would've killed me." He added with a muffled laugh. That laugh suddenly stopped, and was replaced with horror and disbelief. Ichigo knew full well what a visage of pain looked like, and Kabuto was definitely experiencing it. His body froze in place, and suddenly all motor skills stopped.
Kabuto fell forward until he was laying face first in the dirt. Tsunade paused momentarily when Naruto's hand reached up and took hold of the small pendant on her necklace and, with a smile on his face, muttered, "I won it."
Ichigo smirked at the sight of Tsunade placing the necklace on him. "I told you, Naruto." He began, getting both of their attention. "When you bet against Tsunade, you're almost guaranteed to win."
The downed shinobi let out something between a laugh and a cough, before closing his eyes and letting himself rest. Tsunade looked between the two men and silently wondered exactly when they had met, but also made note of the jab to her gambling skills. This time, she let it go. She knew he was just trying to lighten the mood, and for the first time, she smiled at her own expense.
"Maybe one more time I'll stake my life on it." She muttered silently.
"Well, it looks like you're ready now." Ichigo said with a smile. Tsunade nodded back.
"Yeah, but I'm going to have to ask you not to get involved in this battle any further."
Ichigo blinked in surprise as he hadn't expected that to be the first thing she said to him now that her mind was clear.
"Orochimaru is our problem, you let us deal with him, no matter what." She said sternly, only for the familiar sound of air being sliced to catch her attention. Both Tsunade and Ichigo looked up to see the snake man soaring through the air whilst the blade of a sword was regurgitated from his mouth.
As if time was set in slow motion, Ichigo watched as Tsunade moved her body in front of Naruto's unconscious one. The blade pierced through her chest, easily coming out of her back. His hand instinctively grabbed Zangetu's handle, and he was fully prepared to turn the man to dust.
"Stop!" Tsunade ordered. "I told you, Orochimaru is ours to deal with."
The blade retracted into the man's mouth and, with a malicious grin, he turned to Ichigo. "You heard her, she wishes to die."
Ichigo grit his teeth, but he couldn't help the image of Rukia that flashed at the fore of his wondered if this helplessness he was feeling was what she had experienced when things had gone down with Kaien. To be forced to stay out of it while someone you cared for was in danger. He knew how that situation had ended, and he would be damned if he let that happen here. His body tensed in anticipation. If Orochimaru landed another blow, then he would die by his hand.
Orochimaru lunged forward once more, attempting to stab her again, but this time Tsunade moved first. In a display of speed that caught Ichigo off guard, she met Orochimaru as he was moving and delivered a hard kick to the underside of his chin. Tsunade stood up straight, and they watched as she brought her hands together and her body took on a reddish tint.
Black lines formed out of the diamond shape on her forehead before they disappeared along with the open wound on her chest and back. The cuts released a bit of smoke before closing rapidly, leaving her in perfect condition. It reminded him a bit of his regenerative abilities when channeling his hollow powers.
She smeared blood across the back of her hand and performed a few hand signs that he was unfamiliar with. It was not lost on him that the white haired man that had been battling Orochimaru was doing the same thing, as was Kabuto from his prone position.
Black lines formed a circle, and branches extending outward branched across the ground before a large puff of smoke encompassed the general area. Keeping his senses extended, Ichigo could tell that there were three new additions to the battle, large beasts from the feel of it. His intuition was proven correct as the smoke cleared, and in front of them were a large slug which Tsunade stood atop of, a large dark orange toad, and a much larger purple snake.
A smaller slug formed out of the large one, bringing Naruto's still unmoving body down next to him and Shizune. To his surprise, the slug spoke, relaying Tsunade's orders to keep him safe. Having handled that, the battle officially began and the three shinobi dashed toward each other.
"I know you want to help, Ichigo." He heard Shizune say as she looked over Naruto. "I do too, but you heard her. We need to trust that she and Jiraiya will be alright. Orochimaru is weakened right now, and as much as I'd like to just kill him now, this is something they have to deal with."
Crossing his arms, Ichigo did as Tsunade had said and kept out of it. As much as he'd rather join, he did concede that she was doing well. Taking advantage of the fire and oil combination, Tsunade had grabbed the large knife the toad wielded and slammed it into the skull of the purple snake as it tried to attack. From lower on the snake's body, Orochimaru launched an attack and, in a disgusting display, wrapped his freakishly long tongue around her neck the way a snake would coil around its victims. However, he soon regretted that action as Tsunade was able to free herself and pull him toward her before delivering a flurry of blows to his face. Left and right hooks, kicks and uppercuts, they all connected.
For a moment it seemed like she'd lost her momentum and Orochimaru couldn't help but take the time to taunt only for that to backfire as well. In a display of strength, Tsunade stood tall once more and continued her assault on the man. Her fists glowed blue with chakra, and every punch delivered was strong enough for a crunching sound to ring out.
He was sure Orochimaru at least had a few broken ribs after a punch to the body, and the final blow to the man's left cheek almost turned his head completely backwards. And Ichigo thought her strength had been impressive before.
Orochimaru landed with a hard thud on the body of the large serpent they'd been on and Kabuto was quick to try and provide aid. The snake disappeared in a plume of smoke leaving the two upright, albeit taking heavy breaths.
"It doesn't matter if you won't heal me, Tsunade. There's still another way." Orochimaru said through labored pants.
"What the hell?" Ichigo muttered to himself when Orochimaru looked up again. The left half of his face was peeled back, revealing what looked like another person beneath it. Mayuri with his makeup couldn't compete with what he was seeing.
Orochimaru chuckled evilly and began to sink into the floor talking about immortality while glaring back at them with his golden eyes. The last thing he said was how he would destroy Konoha without fail. Kabuto performed a series of hand signs before disappearing as well, no doubt following his master.
Now that the battle was over, he flashed away until he was standing right beside Tsunade. Looking at her with a concerned stare, he spoke.
"Are you alright?"
She looked at him and closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm fine. It's just been a while since I've been in a fight like that, that's all. How's Naruto?"
"He's fine, I think. He's breathing."
"Good. Come on, let's take care of things here. I have to talk to Jiraiya about something."
xxxx
The next few hours were spent tying up some loose ends. Tsunade spent a bit of time with Jiraiya discussing both the Hokage position as well as the friends Naruto wanted her to heal. Tsunade didn't seem against the idea as he'd heard she had originally been, and in the end, she had accepted the responsibility.
Ichigo could see that she looked much healthier now. Almost as if some sort of weight had been taken off of her shoulders. Perhaps she'd wanted the position all along? He wasn't sure, but he knew that she would be a good fit to lead a village. Now that she had seemingly gotten over the issues that plagued her, she seemed to walk with her head held high and a sense of purpose.
He hadn't gotten the opportunity to talk with her as there was a lot of logistics that seemingly went into ruling a village. Jiraiya had gone into fine detail over the state of the village after Orochimaru's attack, as well as a multitude of other things regarding clans, missions, finances and so on.
By the time night fell over Tanzaku Gai, they had agreed to head out to Konoha the following morning. Ichigo wasn't sure if that included him or not, seeing as he and Tsunade hadn't had a chance to iron things out between them. After dinner, the trio made their way to the inn while Naruto and Jiraiya headed to their own.
The walk was silent for the most part until they made it to the hallway where their rooms were located.
"I'll join you in a moment, Shizune." Tsunade said softly. Shizune looked back from where she was about to enter their room, but understanding seemed to flit across her face as she met Tsunade's eyes. Her door closed with a soft click, and the two of them passed by. Tsunade wordlessly followed behind Ichigo as he made his way down the hall, and left him bewildered at her intentions.
Arriving at his door, he opened it gently, and Tsunade slipped past before he could even enter, making herself at home. Ichigo set Zangetsu down along the wall next to his bed and took a seat at the edge, bringing his feet up to rest along the metallic frame that the mattress rested on. Tsunade took a seat next to him, but said nothing.
The silence was deafening and he wasn't sure how to start. It was clear that it was time for them to have a talk, but there was so much to go over. Glancing over at the blonde, he noticed her eyes were focused on the floor beneath them and she was seemingly just as lost in thought as he was.
Swallowing some saliva that had built up in his mouth, Ichigo went to speak but was beaten to the punch.
"I lost the two most important people in my life." Tsunade began suddenly. "My little brother sprang a trap…they couldn't even recognize what was left.. The man I loved…died in my arms.." She continued in a sorrowful tone. "I remember the moment clearly. Even after all this time, and it's like it was yesterday. His chest was blown open by an enemy shinobi in the Second War. What was left of his stomach and intestines were on the ground next to us. I was delusional. Thought I could save him. I managed to stop the bleeding, but it was pointless. He told me he didn't want to die. That there was so much he hadn't done…. It was raining that day, but his blood wouldn't wash off my hands. Since that moment the sight of it just…" She trailed off.
Ichigo listened carefully, and empathized with the woman. Just like Tsunade, he'd lost someone dear to him in the rain as well, and just like her he could remember it as if it was only yesterday. Her warm embrace, quickly chilling in the cold rain, laying atop him. His body was wet and sticky, as the life poured out of her and onto him.
"I really do need to thank you for what you did today; and apologize for what happened earlier in the week."
"No, I…" He was stopped by a single hand being raised.
Tsunade shook her head. "Please, let me finish Ichigo." She requested.
Closing his mouth, he stayed silent.
"The truth is, had you not been there today there's a chance things could have turned out a lot worse. I know you haven't told us the full truth about yourself, but that's alright." Tsunade turned and looked him dead in the eyes. "I trust you. I'm sure you have a reason to keep things to yourself, but I hope you'll come to see me with the same confidence that I now see you in."
Ichigo bit the inside of his cheek when he heard the woman's words. She trusted him enough to reveal her past trauma, and yet he was still hiding and lying about himself. He debated whether he should tell her now, but halted that train of thought. He couldn't just say he was from a different dimension entirely, she would think he was insane, wouldn't she?
He would tell her, he decided. One of these days before they reached Konoha, Tsunade would learn the truth. After her admission, she at least deserved that much. Her words from earlier in the week weren't entirely off the mark. He did claim they were friends, but he constantly lied to them and that wasn't the way to start any kind of relationship with a person. Especially with the woman who was about to take the post of Hokage.
"Give me a few days, Tsunade." He requested. "Let me get my thoughts together, and I'll come clean with you."
She raised an eyebrow. "It's that delicate?" She asked curiously.
He nodded. "Yeah. I need to make sure I get everything out right."
Tsunade still looked confused, but inclined her head in agreement. "Alright, I'll look forward to it."
The two sat in comfortable silence once more. The air had been cleared and their previous issue resolved. Clearing his throat, Ichigo was the one to break the silence this time.
"So…Hokage huh? I'll admit, it caught me off guard when Naruto told me about it."
Tsunade blinked in surprise. "Naruto told you about that? When?"
"A few nights ago. I found him training and we talked for a bit. Told me about that bet you made with him."
The medic smiled fondly at the thought of the young blonde that reminded her of her own little brother. Suddenly, her smile changed into a confused frown before she crossed her arms under her bust and shifted one leg over the other and gave him a knowing look.
"Now that I think about it, you told Naruto he was guaranteed to win against me." She accused.
Ichigo shrugged, "Was I wrong?" He shot back.
She kept her stare on him but soon huffed and chuckled. "No, I suppose you weren't. But yes, I'm going to be the next Hokage." She replied. Once more, her right hand went up to stop him from saying anything else. "Don't worry, I'll do my best to help you with whatever it is you originally wanted. I'm still going to keep my word."
Ichigo smiled widely, but also felt slightly confused at the change in attitude. All he'd done was give her a little pep talk similar to the one's he'd received from Zangetsu and Urahara. In reality her conquering her fears was an achievement she'd done on her own. He wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it was still a bit strange.
Tsunade stood up and lifted her arms over her head and stretched left to right, groaning at the feeling of her muscles being relieved of some stress. Deciding to at least walk her out, he led the way and opened the door for her.
The blonde medic stopped in front of him and took a deep breath. "I know I said this once before, but thank you again." Her right arm reached out, and Ichigo was certain he was about to be locked in between her elbow joint as he had grown accustomed to. However, this time, that hadn't happened.
He was pulled into a soft embrace that was over just as his own arms had wrapped around her. She bid him a goodnight and closed the door herself.
Just as she took a step forward and grasped the doorknob to her own room, she muttered. "You'll age if you pull back, huh? Guess I have yet another reason to keep going." She said to herself with a chuckle before entering her room.
Ichigo meanwhile stared at the closed door before making his way back to the bed. He wasn't sure what had gotten into Tsunade, but he was glad things between them were ok. Better than ok actually, he was going to Konoha after all. Taking a quick shower, he emerged in nothing but a pair of boxers and hopped into the bed.
Tomorrow they would depart and he wanted to make sure he was well rested. At least that was the plan. A few hours into his sleep, his eyes snapped open and he was met with the sight of his inner world once again. The familiarity of the area filled him with a sense of serenity that he had missed for some time now.
Unlike last time, the area was devoid of rain and there was no sound of metal clashing. Things were oddly calm until the sound of two thuds was heard from behind him causing him to turn around. Old man Zangetsu and his hollow were standing next to each other, both staring at him with indiscernible looks.
"Zangetsu? What's going on? Why did you bring me here…and why did I get kicked out last time?" Ichigo asked in rapid succession.
The two spirits gave each other a look out of the corners of their eyes, almost as if debating who should speak first. After a mere second, Zangetsu sighed and took the reins first.
"You were kicked out last time because we had some matters to discuss." His Zanpakuto spirit answered, nodding his head towards the other resident of his inner world.
"Ichigo…" He began again. "You have been stranded in this strange land for the better part of two months now, and there's been no indication that that will change. We have nothing that says there's a way home from what we have observed."
Predictably, Ichigo shook his head in denial. "I have a potential lead. The people here…they have abilities too. That includes teleportation. There's a chance." He said in a hopeful tone.
Sadly, neither spirit looked convinced. Even his hollow who would usually be the first to shoot down his hope stayed silent, opting to look down and shake his head.
"Regardless, it isn't a certainty. Both of us believe that we might be stuck here permanently. To that end, we figured now would be the right time to tell you." The man clad in black continued.
Ichigo frowned in confusion. "Tell me what?"
This time, it was his white doppelganger that answered with two simple words. "The truth."
"Ichigo." Zangetsu took over. "There's some things you need to know and since there's a chance we won't return, it's best everything's out in the open now."
Ichigo felt a sense of trepidation upon hearing the man's words. He sounded far too serious for it to be anything lighthearted, and he could only guess what he was about to be told.
"We'll start with the truth about your Zanpakuto." Zangetsu began, shooting a look at his hollow. "Ichigo. I am not your real Zanpakuto."
The shinigami's eyes narrowed in confusion at the revelation. What was the old man even talking about? Zangetsu had trained him and kept him alive during his time back home. He had been with him through every battle he'd ever been in.
"What is that supposed to even mean?" He questioned slowly, still trying to wrap around how that was possible.
"It's as you heard, Ichigo. I am not Zangetsu."
"I am." Ichigo's eyes darted to his hollow, who wasn't wearing his usual smirk. His blade rested against his shoulder in the same fashion as Ichigo. His yellow eyes were staring at him with a focus he'd never seen before.
Turning his attention back to the man he was led to believe was Zangetsu, Ichigo took a deep breath before asking another question.
"If you're not Zangetsu, then who are you?"
The man closed his eyes and remained quiet for a moment. Before Ichigo could erupt and ask again, this time more forcefully, the man responded.
"I am the source of the Quincy power within you, and my name is Yhwach." He revealed.
Ichigo felt his head spin, everything he had been led to believe was seemingly falling apart around him. Grabbing his face with his right hand, he began to breathe heavily. He had been lied to again, just like with Ginjo and Tsukishima. Rain drops began to fall, but it was a far cry to the torrent that had plagued the world before.
"I don't understand! Quincy? What are you talking about? Are you an enemy? Was everything you've told me a lie up until now?! Answer!" Ichigo roared angrily.
His outburst did little to affect the man as this was the exact response he had anticipated.
"I am not your enemy, but I'm also not an ally. However, I have never lied to you except when I told you my name." Making sure he still had Ichigo's undivided attention, he continued.
"You must have noticed it. When I taught you to use your Zanpakuto, I always used the powers of a hollow. Whenever your life was in danger, the one who saved you wasn't me, it was always a hollow."
The shinigami's eyes widened as he thought back to every battle he'd been in. Specifically, when he had battled Ulquiorra in Las Noches and had a hole blown through his body.
"I never wanted you to become a shinigami. That's why I tried to suppress your growth, and became the core of your power." Yhwach spoke seriously. Ichigo seemed to be in a state of shock and could only form the beginning of the word 'why'.
"If you became a shinigami, you would be involved in fights. You would be hurt, and you would suffer." He said. He was definitely right on that front. People like Byakuya, Kenpachi, Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Aizen, and most recently Ginjo ensured he had been hurt and suffered.
"Worst of all, one day…" He said with the utmost seriousness. "I would have had to kill you with my own hands. But now…" He trailed off, forming a blade the same way Uryu formed his weapons. "Now that we're seemingly stuck here, I no longer have to worry about such an event occurring."
"Well, you sure know how to drop a bomb on someone, don't you?" The real Zangetsu spoke out.
Ichigo's eyes darted to his hollow, but soon stared at the ground in front of him as he took all the information in. He wasn't sure how to feel that he'd essentially been lied to, and apparently had his growth stunted by one of the people closest to him. How many times could he have used more power? How many times could pain have been avoided if he'd been allowed to grow as he should have? He pushed those thoughts from his mind for the moment and, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat, tried to think about things rationally.
Looking back at the manifestation of his Quincy abilities, however he acquired those, he asked another question. "So what happens now?"
"Now." Yhwach said slowly. "I take a step back. Up until now, what you've been using was merely a fraction of your power. The part that I wasn't able to suppress. From here on out, you fight with your own strength."
"My own strength?" He questioned, looking down at one of his fists.
Zangetsu took the opportunity to speak once more now that silence had enveloped the area. "I told you once, Ichigo, that Zangetsu was capable of so much more. That if you'd opened up your heart to him just a little, you would have become much stronger. But you didn't care about your Zanpakuto at all." He finished with a frown.
Ichigo closed his eyes and realized he was right. Not once had he bothered to listen, if he had just taken a moment to do so, maybe this revelation could have been sorted out earlier.
"You're right." He admitted as he looked back up at the yellow eyes of his Zanpakuto. "I never listened, and I'm sorry."
"All is forgiven Ichigo. You are not the only one to blame, and it was I who deceived you." Yhwach reassured.
The shinigami nodded, but still felt like he would need to do more to make amends. Still, at the moment, another question resided in his mind.
"Yhwach. What did you mean when you said you were the manifestation of my Quincy powers? As far as I know, I'm not a Quincy."
The man shook his head and looked downtrodden. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Ichigo. Your Quincy side comes from your mother." He revealed. "That is the second truth you were to be told about. Your mother was not supposed to die to such a weak hollow like Grand Fisher."
Ichigo remained silent, he had questions certainly, but he was sure those would be answered within the next few minutes.
"Your mother was highly adept at using her Quincy bloodline. So much so that Grand Fisher should not have even made a scratch on her. Using a technique named Blut Vene, she could've stopped the attack with ease. However, on that night, her powers failed her."
"Why?" Ichigo asked. A feeling of anxiety began to well within him. His mothers death had always been a sore topic for him, but he couldn't just not listen. He needed to know what had caused his mothers death.
"There is an old legend among the Quincy that tells of the Sealed King. The saying goes that after 900 years he would regain his pulse, after 90 years he would regain his intellect, and after 9 years he would regain his power. To do so, he took back the power from select Quincy and made it his own."
Ichigo's eyes began to widen as the realization began to set in.
"Do you understand now, Ichigo? Your mothers powers were taken back by the King, and she was defenseless to stop Grand Fisher."
"Who is the Quincy King?" Ichigo asked.
"Who do you think?" Zangetsu asked rhetorically, staring at Yhwach. "That's also what he meant when he said he would have to kill you with his own hands."
The man nodded. "Ichigo." He began seriously. "Had we stayed in our world, the day would have come where the Quincy King, of which I am a fragment of, would once again reamass his army. And then the day would come where I would return to him, and I would be forced to kill you. However, now that we are here in this world, that is no longer a worry."
Ichigo was silent, what could he say? Another major revelation was just made to him. To find out that Yhwach, or at least some unknown version of Yhwach, had a hand in his mothers death…well he wasn't sure what to feel. Anger was the first emotion to rise within him, but he couldn't be mad at the one in front of him.
"That's… a lot to take in. I don't know whether to rage and take what little revenge I can get from you right here, or to thank you for telling me the truth everyone else hadn't. But it's as you said. The only time you ever spoke falsely was when you told me your name, and I can't believe that all the battles we went through meant nothing. To you or to me. I don't blame you, Old Man." Ichigo finished with a smile. Small, but true. Yhwach's eyes widened behind his glasses, before he bowed his head with a similar expression. "So, is there anything else I should know?" Ichigo asked seriously. The two biggest truths had just been revealed to him, and if he found out that they'd still kept more from him in the future, chances were his reaction wouldn't be as calm as it was now.
Fortunately, the men shook their heads. "Nothing grand." Yhwach replied. "However, there will be some changes."
"Changes? What kind of changes?"
"Without him holding us back we're gonna be a lot more powerful. If you've accepted me, then your Zanpakuto is also going to change to reflect you coming into your own." Zangetsu said with a massive grin. "Well…that and one other thing." He said with a laugh.
Ichigo wasn't sure he liked the sound of it, but he could feel it wasn't anything malicious. It would be counter productive to what had transpired here if he had just decided to be the crazy hollow Ichigo had thought him to be.
"He's releasing too much reiatsu." Yhwach commented sternly, looking at the Zanpakuto spirit. With an aggravated sigh, he began to rein it in only to be stopped by the shout of the irate spirit.
"Hold it! I'll take care of it. You've suppressed it long enough, now it's my turn to be in control." Zangetsu exclaimed. Ichigo didn't feel much of a difference, but that was because he was in his inner world. He had no idea what could've been happening on the outside. "That should be good enough."
Yhwach gave the spirit an annoyed look, but even that didn't ruin his feeling of relief. "One more thing before you go, Ichigo. Although I'm happy enough to take a step back from here on out, I still wish to remain as a source of power for you. To do so, I wish for you to learn some Quincy techniques, beginning with Blut Vene."
"Blut? That's the one my mother was good with right?" The thought of having something, anything, to keep the memory of his mother alive was welcome.
Yhwach nodded. "Pure blooded Quincies are naturally able with the technique, whereas impure Quincies must train to become proficient. You are a unique case, however, and I will be able to activate it if you are ever in great need. It would be prudent for you to learn to use this ability on your own, though. To do so, you must flow reishi directly through your blood vessels. The patterns of lines tracing your veins are the indication that the technique has worked. Blut Vene increases your defense to superhuman levels, and can also be used to stop the blood flow from existing wounds. There is another form of Blut, called Blut Arterie, but I imagine you will take more to Blut Vene like your mother did." He lectured.
Ichigo stared at his left arm and mentally thought about the instructions. Channeling reishi through his blood vessels, how hard could it be?
"It's more difficult than you might think Ichigo." Yhwach added, knowing the look that had crossed Ichigo's face.
Zangetsu scoffed. "Now that we aren't held back nothing can stop us. If he's going to be the king, he needs to show it. Now, you should probably get out of here…you're in for some fun."
Ichigo felt himself being pulled out of his inner world, and the last thing he heard was the joyful laughter of his Zanpakuto spirit. While usually it was a cause for distress, right now Ichigo felt relieved. He didn't care who they were, to him they were both Zangetsu.
xxxx
"Ichigo, open up." Tsunade called out while she knocked on his door. It was earlier than she was used to waking up, but for some reason her body had woken her up. Oddly enough, she didn't feel tired or groggy as she usually did.
Placing her hands on her hips, she tapped her right foot as she thought about her next move. If he was still asleep, it would be the perfect time to give him a small scare to wake him up. Call it payback for what he'd said about her gambling skills to Naruto.
With a mischievous smile, she forced the door open. Unfortunately for her, things wouldn't be going as she had imagined.
