A/n: So… I feel I need to put in a warning here before you waste your next several minutes reading this. I fell down the rabbit hole and created this big one shot when this FF is supposed to be shortish drabbles where we have an Ichigo deferring Canon in some way. This is not short. I do not know where this came from, and I even had to reread this to make sure it's not just crazy talk.
Thank you to Cute_Kirby on AO3 for the Fey Ichigo idea. I hope it does not miss your expectations by a mile.
One thing for context, in this one, I have Isshin set as a Visord. He fled to the human world when the other visord did and met Masaki one day and fell in love. That's all, just a bit of extra data.
There is a reason Ichigo has not told his father. It might or might not be the same reason Masaki did not tell Isshin, but Ichigo has a reason not to tell him. The twins share his reason, and while Ichigo never enforced it, when they turned seven, he sat them down and explained the situation before they came to the same conclusion he did.
So there is a reason they have not told their father that they are Fey, and he thinks, that reason will not disappear unless he really makes it up to them.
Isshin had never told Masaki he was a Shinigami, even before they married, even when Masaki herself had inquired and made pointed questions that even someone as stupid as Isshin could understand. Masaki had told Ichigo he never budged, and so because he never budged, she did not see the need to say anything either.
It might seem petty of them, holding it against Isshin when they also have a secret from him, but family is important to the Fey, and if Goat-face doesn't see it that way, than that means they don't have to make an effort either. They may not be dark fey, but they were Fey nonetheless, and while Elves may be considered some of the most harmless of creatures, they had still been called ælf in the olden days and that was a derivation of ælfadl (nightmare).
As such, Isshin does not know his children are Elves, and while the Kurosaki clan were definitely Quincy, they are Fey before they are "Monks of Destruction".
Ichigo and the twins do not grow unawares of the spiritual world. Really, one might be tempted to say that they are even more aware then most spiritually active beings. While they do not practice much magic around home, that doesn't mean they don't practice it elsewhere.
The forests around Karakura had once belonged to the Kurosaki clan, and while most are now open to the public, the ones north-east of town are still there, intact and private property. There is a big ornate building that most would consider a mini mansion that is really mostly for show, but the forest behind the building is where the Clan had really resided once upon a time.
It is empty now, beyond the animals and other Fey of course. There are still Fey who are Vassal to the Kurosaki Clan, but no Clansmen to speak of.
It is here where Ichigo spends his free time. The twins are regular fixtures as well, but Ichigo spends a lot more time in the forest then he does anywhere else.
He walks the forest on bare feet and no enchantments covering his pointy ears. He reads the libraries left behind by his ancestors, learns every magic he can find, mediates the wood's population, gains the understanding to communicate with the greenery and lounges in mostly every tree available -after gaining their permission of course, his mother did not raise a rude boy.
Most of his studies are slow going without any Elf adult guidance, and while most of his books are very informative, there are some things that are only vaguely mentioned and not really explained, as if the reader should already have this knowledge and so they don't bother with more data. What he can gleam, shows that most of the more powerful magic cannot be executed until you are an adult, and while Ichigo finds displeasure in having to wait until he's eighteen, he very quickly finds out age has nothing to do with being and Adult in an Elven Clan.
Something else he learns, is that because he and his sisters are the only ones left, that makes him as the eldest the clan head, which is supposed to be kinda important even though the books are once again vague and not helpful at all.
He starts growing his hair out when he enters Middle School, and while the twins don't question his choice, everyone else does.
He does not care though, what kind of clan leader -a clan of Elves nonetheless- would he be if he didn't grow out his hair. He knows spells to get it to grow instantly, but that would be very, very suspicious so he doesn't. He does use charms and mixtures to keep it ever shiny and ever soft though -he soon becomes the envy of many girls, but not much that can be done there.
When Ichigo is fourteen, he finally understands what the books meant and what it entailed to be an adult. It also coincided with his first kill, which is mildly terrifying because it implies that there will be more.
He had been practicing mind magic earlier in the morning and had botched up a spell -that he really shouldn't be trying until he's an adult, ugh- and so had opted to skip school since he would be hearing people's surface thoughts for the next 16 hours. Before school was up, he made his way out of the forest and towards the girl's school to pick them up and walk them home since he really had nothing else to do.
Whenever he passed people on the street, he could hear their thoughts, and while some areas were overly crowded and all he could hear was a mess of voices, he was able to ignore them and walk along.
The school gates were expectedly crowded but he breathed through the noise and waited for the girls in an out of the way area where he could see the gate but not stand with the crowd.
The rest of the people's thoughts had become background noise, so it wasn't very hard to hear and understand what the man standing a couple feet away was thinking.
It took very much self-control for Ichigo to not turn around and give the man a frankly terrifying stare, but his fists clenched at his side, and his next breath was even deeper then before.
That man was a perving sleaze bag and Ichigo could not stand- would not stand to see that man anywhere near his sisters again.
Ichigo took another breath, greeted his sisters with a strained smile and half turned in the direction of the despicable human being to properly categorize and memorize his signature before ushering the girls home.
Once they were inside, safe and far away from that man, Ichigo walked right out the front door and made his way in the direction of the sleaze bag while casting camouflage magic on himself. He shadowed the disreputable human and caught other surface thoughts that made his rage grow but continued to assess and find the right moment. After the sun had gone down, the man had walked into a tiny apartment at the edge of town and stayed there until he went to sleep. Ichigo continued to observe until around 3 am where he walked into the apartment and started looking for further proof of the man's misdeeds.
He didn't find a lot, but what he did made his blood boil even further and that was the breaking point. Ichigo extended his arms and summoned will-o-wisp to start flickering outside the apartment and creating a trail towards the nearby forest -it was only a passing thought to make them visible only to this man, but he did remember before he lured some unsuspecting human.
Once he had set up his path, he started to hum a soft but haunting melody. As expected, it woke the man and the combination of the will-o-wisp and the Siren Song made him stand up and step out of his apartment barefoot and without hesitation.
Ichigo strolled in front of him and continued to hum his tune until they were very deep into the woods. It was dark here and far away from civilization so the lights from the city did not reach, and as such, the only light source were the will-o-wisps Ichigo had summoned. As the man vaguely blinked somewhat coherently, his only thought was to follow the tiny flickering ghost lights as if they were the way out.
Ichigo merely watched him stumble through the thick roots deeper and deeper into the woods -soon enough he would reach the cliffside and walk right off solid ground and down to his death. The trees down there were not kind to non-fey and would absorb his being whether he survived the fall or not, that man was as good as dead.
He heard a snap, and a second later the will-o-wisps flickered once more and disappeared. Not even two minutes later Ichigo felt it, the shift in his being, the sensation of knowing and understanding that this, this was the moment he was now an adult Elf.
He felt a tiny smile quirking at the corner of his mouth and turned around to walk back to the Kurosaki Clan territory- he was already there, this was his territory too, it had always been his, his to protect, his to cherish and the forest had once covered the entire town.
His territory was big.
"Most younglings don't kill as their rite of passage." One of the Nymphs that resides in the Kurosaki territory cautions. "Established Adults take care of the serious and poisonous beings or problems while the younglings have their rite of passage by protecting a tree, helping a wounded creature or things like that."
Ichigo snorts from where he is lounging atop her tree. Ever since then he feels hyper aware of everything in his territory. If there is a tree alive nearby, he can feel and almost see what is going on.
"There are no more Kurosaki, what did you expect?" Ichigo counters back.
Her expression remains serious but there is a faint smile on her lips. "Just remember Ichigo-sama, the rite of passage is important. It becomes a part of who you are and how you are perceived."
That sounds mildly upsetting, if only because that means murder is one of the things that will stand out.
Cwellend Cing is what a lot of the Fey and trees begin to call him. He doesn't particularly like it because Cwellend is Slayer -Killer, murderer- and Cing is KING and he is not a King, the Elves still have a King and that is not him.
Physadeia, the Nymph Leader laughs at him when he tells her this which only makes him scowl harder.
"Cerdices Cing, of course you are not the Elven King, that's not what we mean."
He finds it very much more demeaning that she calls him Little King which makes no sense at all. He should dislike the whole title, not just parts of it.
"That doesn't make any sense." He ends up saying even though it's not what he wanted to and gets a knowing smirk in return.
"Of course, it makes sense Ichi-ni." Yuzu pipes in from where she is seated on a branch below his. Her smile is as bright as ever but there is something not quite as kind as it usually is. Karin is sat at the base of the tree with a book on wind enchantments that Ichigo instinctively knows she will not be able to assimilate yet.
Physadeia's smile turns even more smug then before and Ichigo tries to deepen his scowl.
It has no effect on her.
"Why don't you speak with Faelyn-sama?" she suggests instead.
Ichigo finds his scowl vanishing and the color leaving his face in less than a second.
"W-what?!" he exclaims in incredulity. "I can't just-" he splutters unintelligibly "-you can't just call on his Majesty! His family has been the reigning monarch since the olden days!"
The Nymph simply smiles wider at him and purrs. "And the Kurosaki go further than that. The only reason the Yelwraek are ruling until now is because the Kurosaki were too interested in their experimentations to be bothered."
"Faelyn-sama probably doesn't even care about Japan." Karin adds unhelpfully in Ichigo's opinion while turning a page of her book. "Records show his Majesty always gave the Kurosaki free reign in Japan anyways, who cares if you have the title now."
"I care!" Ichigo interjects in dismay. "Why is this suddenly happening now? It makes no sense!"
"Faelyn-sama would know!" Phsyadeia sing songs and Ichigo just gives up.
So he contacts the King of Elves.
He really isn't expecting much really. Faelyn-sama is a King, he must be busy, and his mail is probably redirected to someone else anyways, he'll be lucky to get a response in the next decade.
Ichigo gets a response a week and a half after he sent his introductory letter via Sprite courier, and it's not in the shape of another letter.
"You are not what I was expecting." The astral projection tells him out of nowhere as if it were normal to suddenly have a transparent-y Elf sitting cross legged on the branch adjacent to his. "Then again, the first Kurosaki had fire hair too, I'm not surprised you would inherit it after so many eons."
Ichigo stares in disbelief but doesn't take the bait. "I'm sorry, and who are you?"
The man merely laughs before giving a winning grin. "You can call me Faelyn."
Ichigo finds his breath hitching before he stares wide eyed at the hazy figure in something close to horror. "Wait but… no one can take a name that belongs to royalty so that means- you're Faelyn Yelwraek, the-the King of Elves."
Faelyn -the KING- just chuckles and settles his head on his fist. "That's me! But well, as a Cing in your own right, I think it would be silly to call each other by such titles, right?"
Ichigo grimaces and finds himself looking for any hints of anger from the other Elf. "That's reached you already?"
The King of Elves snorts in amusement. "Yes and no. The Fey gossip grape vine has passed on the ascendance of a new King, but I knew of it way before then -I imagine it coincides with the moment you became a King."
Ichigo finds it very puzzling that Faelyn doesn't look offended in the least. He's nothing like he was picturing him either, a serious and no nonsense demeanor, yes; but he also holds amusement in his eyes and a childish energy that has him very confused as the image of a regal and untouchable king shatters in his head.
"I really don't understand what this all means… it doesn't make much sense to be honest, and I don't really know why the forest started calling me King." Ichigo reveals, more than fed up with this entire situation and wanting to find answers.
"I'm not surprised." Faelyn doesn't miss a beat in answering. "The Kurosaki are all but extinct and this is connected to something that happened a long time ago, even before my time."
Ichigo finds his eyes widening. Faelyn may not look it, but the King is at least 400 years old. For it to be before his time means its incredibly old indeed.
"What's this about then?" he asks
Faelyn hums in assertion before elaborating. "When my family ascended to the throne, the Kurosaki came to us with a prophecy that had been told about their family line back when the first Kurosaki did not have the name Kurosaki yet."
"T-that's-" Ichigo chokes off mid-syllable. "The first Kurosaki was from almost three thousand years ago."
The Elven King nodded. "Yes, and this prophecy is why the Kurosaki began." He revealed.
A descendant, born from Elf and Not will rise to a Throne.
It won't be an Elf Throne, but it will be a Throne above and unlike all else.
They will rise from extinction and eradicate the darkness.
For They will be the Black Peninsula.
"I still don't understand." Ichigo grouched.
Faelyn laughed as he gestured a hand in Ichigo's direction. "In simple terms then. Someone born from an Elven parent and a non-elven parent will be born."
"That's the easiest part." The orange head snorted." The other sentences are the confusing ones."
"I'm getting there!" he chuckled. "Next verse states that this child will have a throne, but it won't be an Elf only empire which is why the Kurosaki from back then were okay with my Clan taking the Elven throne. They knew the Kurosaki had a better throne awaiting them."
Ichigo nodded as the pieces started slotting in place. "The third I imagine talks about the fact that the Kurosaki Clan is pretty much extinct. I mean, it's just my sisters and me now."
"Correct." Faelyn agreed. "And the darkness refers to some bad event that will happen or is happening; can't help you there, I haven't seen anything." His smirk widened as he gave Ichigo an unnerving look. "The next part is kind of self-explanatory. The Black Peninsula is a reference to The Kurosaki themselves -it's where they got the name in the first place. But in reality, it's a three part-er. First is the Kurosaki as a whole, second is The Kurosaki, The Black Peninsula who will rule; and the third refers to the land mass they are currently on."
Ichigo finds his eyes widening for the nth time that day. "Wait a second, does that mean-?!"
"Congratulations!" Faelyn claps languidly. "You are King of the Japanese Fey."
Everything goes downwards from there. Faelyn-sama Faelyn is unhelpful with further details, and Ichigo ends up with more questions than he does answers -it's aggravating.
In the end it doesn't change much. He has a territory he must protect, and if that now includes the entire country, then he guesses he has no other choice in the matter and stops sulking. It doesn't matter if he had no input on this, he does not do half assed jobs in anything. So he sets up representatives in different points of Japan and delegates where he can to make a working system.
Now that the Fey have instructions, they are much more coordinated, and thing stop slipping through the cracks. Many more people get lured and lost in the forest, and while missing people reports grow in Japan, the amount of violence gives a big drop.
There are speculations of some vigilante, but oddly enough there are a lot more speculations of paranormal entities. Somehow, someway, rumors start to float around that a deity -Cwellend-sama- is responsible. Ichigo will find the Fey who was responsible for this and show them why he has steadily become the most powerful Fey in the continent.
He wonders sometimes if the humans have even realized what Cwellend means -he doubts it.
When Ichigo is fifteen, his world his turned upside down.
All Fey know of the Shinigami, of course they do. That means they also know about the Hollows, and while most Hollows don't bother trying to eat Fey, some of the more powerful ones will definitely attempt it. The Hollows are Shinigami duty though, and Ichigo respects that. He does make sure the Hollows stay away from the forest, and while he can't do much to the actual Hollows without destroying all the souls it has, he can at least keep them at bay.
When Ichigo is fifteen, his world his turned upside down not because he was introduced to a whole new world he knew nothing about, it was turned upside down because the situation strayed from his control very vastly ,very badly and he ended up having to take the Shinigami's power to protect his family. He could have eradicated the hollow of course, but he likes to leave that as his last option, and against popular belief, he does not like to Kill or Slay -he takes the peaceful route first!
He ends up regretting it if only because the poor Shinigami ended up powerless and now Ichigo has to play/be normal boring Shinigami while she recuperates -it was not worth it!
Later on, when the poor Shinigami -Rukia, a person he had become fond of, a being that was now under his protection- was kidnapped, all he could do is rage and regret, regret, regret! Because he should have just eradicated that Hollow, now Rukia was snatched away by her own brother like some sort of criminal and the shabby Candy Shop Owner -A Shinigami in his town and thus his protection, Urahara Kisuke- tells Ichigo that Rukia is schedule to be executed.
Ha! As if Ichigo will let that happen.
In the end Ichigo is joined in his excursion by some of the few people he actually interacts with.
Yasutora Sado- Chad really, has been a friend for a while and is the only one that really knows Ichigo is not really human beyond the Shinigami thing because his family tree isn't exactly human either and so he just knows. Ichigo isn't quite sure what he is because it's a being from ancient Mexican times that probably doesn't have a name anymore.
Inoue Orihime isn't human either, but its very obvious to Ichigo she doesn't know anything about her Fey side. Ichigo knows one of her grandparents was some sort of fairy, but beyond that he can't tell unless he scries for the knowledge and he doesn't want to invade her privacy like that.
Ishida Uryuu is really the most normal among them and that's just nuts to think about because Ishida is a Quincy. He is Ichigo's kin, at least in some sense of the word. It's a bit sideways and back one step from cousin, but he's still kin even if the idiot doesn't know it.
So yes, Ichigo does not go alone into Soul Society, and while his fights become tough and exhausting since he is restricting himself to Shinigami powers, he still makes it in time to rescue Rukia and plummet Rukia's brother -Byakuya- into the ground -it's very satisfying.
Aizen Sosuke is a nuisance, and while Ichigo does not like the man for orchestrating the entire thing, he finds himself pushing it to the side since it's the Shinigami's problem now -he has many things to handle already, he is not adding another problem to his list.
He goes home, back to Karakura and back to his little Kingdom. The Fey had been restless in his absence, and while Phsyadeia had done a great job at keeping things in order, it was clear to him that no one had been calm with his disappearance.
Ichigo is content to return to normal. There may still be Hollows around, but for the most part he lets his friends and the stationed Shinigami take care of them. If he's nearby he will find them and defeat them, but he has placed barriers around the busier areas of Karakura to keep the people safe and that's the most important part to him.
When the Arrancar arrive the first time, they materialize in the outskirts of town for no reason they can understand and do not kill or hurt unsuspecting citizens in their -Yammy's- temper tantrum.
Ichigo arrives, because of course he's going to investigate these overpowered Hollows who appeared out of nowhere and gets his ass kicked as if he were a ragdoll. Only Kisuke and Yoruichi's timely intervention saves him and his friends, and Ichigo is seething at this point.
He does not fall into depression, and when Rukia and the rest of the Shinigami arrive, it is to find a quietly, dangerously fuming Ichigo.
Rukia tries to ask, but when a glance at his cold freezing eyes has her faltering, she decides to change the topic of conversation instead.
Ichigo plummets his inner Hollow into the ground too and makes him understand that there is no sense in fighting against each other when the real enemy is outside. He ends up gaining a real understanding of his soul and puts the pieces together of who is who and what role they really have.
His sword changes to reflect the duality but no one has to know that just yet.
When Shinji arrives at his school, Ichigo takes one look at him and snorts in humor. He's stalked for the next couple days, and when Shinji actually confronts him, Ichigo takes one look at the hollow mask and proceeds to match him.
The blond looks horrified for a second before comprehension dawns on his face and wonder comes the moment Ichigo perches the mask on top of his head so his own cocky smirk is visible.
"Don't need your help." Ichigo tells him without a by your leave while Shinji merely stares at him in amazement.
"I can see that." The blonde answers blandly but doesn't look away from the Hollow mask on Ichigo's head.
And that's how Ichigo met the Visord -they reside in Karakura too, that means they are his too, his to protect, his to cherish as all beings are in Japan.
The second time the Arrancar come, Ichigo is not caught unawares. He perches on the top of the highest building in Karakura and extends both hands as if he were about to start conducting an orchestra. He brings his right hand up and downwards in a curve while his left makes a quick and violent slash.
That's the only warning given before tornados descend upon the location of the Arrancar.
It may look like a violent and normal tornado, but it really isn't and Ichigo is not in the least when all but one of the beings had been completely and utterly eradicated. The last one, a blue haired Arrancar with a number 6 is bleeding in multiple locations and missing an arm but he is still breathing. Before Ichigo can make another gesture though, the man makes a slashing motion with his remaining appendage and stumbles into the Garganta.
Oh well, maybe he can be a messenger of what will happen if someone else comes into his territory.
Everyone is perplexed by the tornado and no one understands what is going on. Urahara-san is the only one that remains calm in the ensuing chaos and he alone notices that Ichigo is unrefutably composed and showing no shock. The piercing gray gaze the shop keeper gives him is nowhere near as terrifying as he probably thinks it is, but it's still heavy with intention that Ichigo easily picks up.
He doesn't answer the unspoken question, and Urahara does not ask it out loud.
The next batch of Arrancar get swallowed by a rain that crushes them into the ground, where the earth gobbles them up and the nearby trees absorb their life force before they can even break through the rock.
It is only later, when Ichigo has settled back into his position in a corner of the Shoten watching the disaster unfold that he finds out an Arrancar had waltzed into Karakura while he was distracted by the scum and had kidnapped Inoue.
This does it, it has now become obvious that this is the darkness he must eradicate, screw keeping a low profile.
When he ends up conferencing with the Captain Commander via the weird screen Toshiro and Matsumoto had crammed into Inoue's apartment, he drops all pretense.
"I'm going to Hueco Mundo to rescue Inoue, and I will end this stupid silly squabble you Shinigami have going on once and for all." Ichigo tells the old man with a finality that has everyone staring at him in shock.
Yamamoto frowns even harder and levels Ichigo with a strong gaze. "This is no simple matter, Aizen was one of our strongest Captains and he had very clearly been holding back -do not pertain to know what's best child. Wait for further instruction."
Ichigo's scowl deepens and his fingertips crackle with sparks of electricity that has those nearest to him stepping back. "I am not one of your Shinigami, and I have never been. The Kurosaki- The Black Peninsula are Fey before they are anything else. Do not think you can command me, Genryūsai."
He hears a gasp behind him, but Ichigo does not let his gaze waver from the Captain Commander.
"The Black Peninsula…" Yamamoto whispers. "That is a name I have not heard in eons."
Ichigo nods in agreement. "The Kurosaki never left, but we were most active over two millennium ago when the Yelwraek ascended to the throne."
The old man's grasp on his cane tightens, but his shoulders drop an inch. "Black Peninsula is even older than I am; they are powerful beings, so much so that their greatest warrior could eradicate the world in three days if they wished."
The shocked looks increase, and somehow someone must have sent a message out to others because the room is even more crowded then it was before. Ichigo would bet Urahara was hiding somewhere in a dark corner with his damned hat and fan.
"We agreed to stay at peace if you kept your ruffians in line and away from what was ours." Ichigo agreed and reminded the man unashamedly.
This makes Yamamoto draw back up in slight indignation. "Then why is Black Peninsula mobilizing now? Or are you acting on your own?"
Ichigo snorted. "I am The Black Peninsula. It's now only my sisters and me. I am not asking for permission, and I am not asking for forgiveness. I am mobilizing because I am sick and tired of you Shinigami destroying what is rightfully mine."
The Captain Commander stiffens a bit at the tone, as if he's used to dealing with that particular stubbornness from his clansmen and knows that he needs to tread carefully.
"If you are… stating that you are The Black Peninsula, does that mean…?"
"So you know the prophecy." Ichigo states calmly. "Good, this will make it easier. Yes it means the prophecy is being carried out now."
Yamamoto takes a deep breath before doing something that no one had ever seen before, he drops to one knee and bows his head for a couple seconds before looking up once more -he does not stand up.
"Your Majesty, I apologize for the disaster created in your territory." The Captain Commander states in a tone that can almost be labeled deferent.
Ichigo finds a knot that had been steadily building in his soul slowly unclenching and is only vaguely surprised to note that his anger -not rage, it had not reached that point- for the Shinigami was slowly unraveling and that had probably been why Yamamoto had assessed how badly they had screwed up in Ichigo's territory and promptly made a respectful and honest apology. Having an all powerful being, capable of destroying the world alone in three days as an enemy was not a good idea.
"Forgiven." Ichigo tells the old man brusquely. "Not forgotten."
Yamamoto winces but probably knows that's the best he will get and stands up.
"Would you like assistance in your excursion to Hueco Mundo, Your Majesty?" he asks instead.
Ichigo snorts and merely shakes his head. While it's weird to hear and see the Old man be so formal and submissive, he has become accustomed to it since every Fey in Japan -and some outside of the country too- treat him with similar reverence.
"They'll just be in the way. I have my people guarding here, but if you don't want to be useless, helping out in that would be nice." Ichigo adds a tad humorous. "I am Cwellend Cing- the Slayer King for a reason you know."
Yamamoto sags a bit, but the grip on his cane tightens even further. Ichigo can't help but think the man is relieved that Ichigo is kind of on their side, but still stressed out that he exists in the first place.
Ichigo is sure the man will get used to it.
Not to be continued…
Oh my dear mother of pancakes, how in the world- what in the world just happened. This monster is longer than some of my actual multi chapter chapters. This is supposed to be a short drabble one shot thing!
Just… sorry I guess… ugh.
Also, as some of you have noticed, I am obsessed with King Ichigo right now… sorry again.