Reaper of Rome chapter 12- healing and training
This chapter will cover the events of 122- 127.
I will cover the events of ichigo's vizard training while the others do their own training and prepare for Aizen to make his next move.
While Ichigo and Rukia get closer
Ichigo pov
While my injuries were pretty minor and I could eat ambrosia candy to speed up the healing, Rukia was badly hurt and needed Orihime to fix her. My only hope was that if Aizen ordered the arrancar back that he ended up being punished for his actions. I wanted to hurt him for hurting Rukia. But I also wanted to hurt the blue haired man myself and hoped Aizen didn't kill him. but I knew I needed to get stronger before I battled the arrancar again. I knew I needed to see Shinji and train to master my hollow powers to have a chance to fight back.
Rukia pov
After I recovered, I thanked Orihime and saw the depressed face on Ichigo and told him he should ask Urahara about his inner hollow. But at the same time, I also wondered about what happened to me and if I would have similar hollow issues that need fixing. But he told me he didn't trust the shopkeeper to help him solve his issue.
But the next day came, and Ichigo left home early enough that his sisters worried about him, I then called Orihime and learned, before my team arrived in Kurakara that a strange boy showed and didn't return the day my team showed up. I knew I had chased my moody boyfriend down and learn what was happening to him. I did remember the messages from Hitsugaya about the troubling power of the arrancar and that all but the blue haired man had to be the lowest class of Menos and he wasn't happy he needed to remove his limiter to battle them. But the captain did tell me most of the team decided not to show up to school along with Chad, Uryu and Ichigo. I had to guess all three were in some kind of training including Ichigo himself. I was sure if this Shinji could help Ichigo he might just be able to solve my future problems as well.
Ichigo pov
I was able to use the spirit ribbon trick I did to find Rukia not long ago to find Shinji but on arrival, I found many more strange people as well as the mop haired boy. He then revealed the group had teamed up to make his ribbon much easier to find. Shinji clearly wanted me to join their team, but I wanted to just get stronger to protect my friends. I would do anything to get them to help me get strong enough to fight and part of me figured this group would end up joining the battle against Aizen sooner or later.
To try and get his help, I released my soul to battle in my soul reaper form, but Shini clearly had the combat skills that I never really learned. I could tell he was holding back, and I was equally holding back out of fear my hollow side would try and take me over. I was as the fight went on, a young-looking blond girl kicked Shinji out a barrier and told the pink haired man to make a new one. It was then I found out that he was likely the support member of this group. The blond girl then told me they would only teach me if I proved strong enough to really fight them, I had to truly let out my power to get their attention.
I refused but the girl then formed a hollow mask of her own to try and force me to use that power. She then proved her power by hitting me faster than I could even see with her hollow mask on. Her hit felt even harder than anything Rukia had hit me with before. I was struggling after that attack and knew I would need the power boast it gave to face off with Aizen's forces. She then told me to use bankai, but I was scared the hollow would take me over again. I had to figure out how she was winning but her attacks were damaging my shikai blade. Then I blacked out and likely the hollow took control.
The next thing, I had the vizard team on my body and holding me down. Shinji then said, "you pass, we will teach you the control you need." I then wondered what this control training would require and if it would give me the power I needed.
Rukia pov
After spending hours looking to Ichigo, I returned to his house again to find his sister Yuzu crying over him never coming back. I had to tell her I didn't find him, and I could tell both sisters were sure he and I were dating. I wanted to go on a date with him soon enough but wasn't sure when. I wasn't happy with the fact I couldn't find the boy, but I hoped he was training to get stronger.
Ichigo pov
While I did the next stage of training for a day or so, I learned about these Vizard and all of their strange quirks. It didn't take long for me to snap and get into a fight with the short blond girl Hiyori. It was after said fight and lunch, Shinji explained "the device was to test my endurance." I then said "between legion training and my level of spirit power, It would take a week for me to stop." I then snapped at them about time but then Shinji snapped back and revealed her knew Aizen and that we would have plenty of time until Aizen can fully awaken the device and that he knew Aizen and likely the rest of the group knew Aizen as well.
He then told me "I don't know what this legion training entails, since you are pretty much captain level you should be ready for the next level of training. I will let you learn to master your inner hollow in battle. It was then I was knocked out and woke up in my inner world. inside said world, I was met by the black and white copy of me and sure he was my inner hollow. I then asked him where old man Zangetsu was but then the hollow me revealed so both had the Zangetsu blade. I then knew we would have to battle. I then clashed with the hollow asking about Zangetsu as he just told me he was Zangetsu. Then he said he was always Zangetsu and shared a body with the old man. I knew I had to defeat him to gain control of my hollow powers
Rukia pov
I soon got a phone call from a unknown man that said to me "i am about to send you Ichigo's location but be prepared for to see the darkest side of him and what you may have to face within yourself soon enough." I then got a message with a location on a map and knew I had to run soon as a second text said, "let the sun open your path." I then wondered what that meant but knew it was best to get there soon.
I soon found the location was an abandoned building with a spirit barrier around it, but when I thought my progress was stopped, a beam of sunlight made a hole I could split through and then more beams pointed me to a large cave. It didn't take me long to find a barrier with a hole that looked strangely like Ichigo inside fighting a strangely dressed girl and a bunch of other strangely dressed people outside. A short girl with blond hair said to me "you feel like we do spirit energy wise but right now we must help reign in Ichigo. After that, maybe Hachi can help you." I then knew I had to watch and wait and see what would happen next. While watching, I felt the power of the hollow grow and I was sure Ichigo released his bankai.
Ichigo pov
Not long after releasing bankai and clashing with my hollow, I woke up in the soul society and had to relive my fight with Rukia's brother. He called me pathetic and said I wasn't worthy of Rukia. I then had to face the man down. he then insulted me as I fought and when I finally clashed blades he was replaced by my hollow and we were back in my inner world. with that I started to figure this hollow may be wanting me to learn a lesson before I can use his power freely.
Rukia pov
After ten minutes of fighting, the schoolgirl was replaced by a white-haired man that looked like a boxer that used knives and I was worried they group may have to end up killing my lover, but I wasn't sure even my shikai would help. The unitard clad girl in the group told me, "The goal is mostly to hold off Ichigo while he tames his hollow side in his inner world. if he can't do that we might have to kill him or he might get claimed by Aizen."
I then watched Ichigo become more and more hollow as the battle went on. As they talked, I worried his life may be over in an hour. Next thing I knew after thinking I may turn into a hollow like him, it was another few minutes and Ichigo was pretty much completely hollow and I knew Ichigo didn't have much time left to try and overcome this trial.
Ichigo pov
Next, I knew in the clash with the hollow, he destroyed my bankai blade and I then saw the face of the titan I met in battle before I gained my soul reaper powers. I then fought the titan in my inner world and struggled as he seemed to take me to the place, I trained with old man Zangetsu to learn bankai. He even told me to claim a blade. But I then remembered the lesson the old man taught me and the regret I had for defeating the titan. With that I figured I was being taught a lesson again and then woke up in my inner world again with the hollow as he told me he was Zangetsu.
He then asked me about a king and his horse, he seemed to want me to prove I had what it took to claim him, and I then figured I had to let him stab me and take back my bankai blade. With that I began to feel I was winning this battle.
But the next thing I knew I was in the Seireitei facing Zaraki and I knew this battle was another lesson and I had to try and admit to myself I liked to fight. I could tell this lesson was about me needing more power to reach my goals. It was then I stabbed the hollow me through and I knew I claimed his power. I knew I needed to kill some enemies but when all this fighting was over, I also knew I wanted to be a healer not a killer. He then told me if I hit the edge of death, I would meet him again after that he vanished.
Rukia pov
I then watched as the battle changed and the hollow Ichigo began to scream in pain as blood began to burst from cuts on him. After that the hollow coating stopped and my lover was just left with a hollow mask on his face. Then the pink haired man let the barrier break and I ran over to catch Ichigo before he fell. He then landed on me with his face between my breasts.
The blond man then came over to me and said asked how he felt, and my lover just said fine as I could tell he was fighting to stay awake. After that I forced him off me and texted the twins to tell them their brother was just fine but training. It was after that; I got a message from Hitsugaya that he wanted the key to the soul king's realm, and he would need this to erase this city and everybody in it to make said key. the last part of the message said in four months Aizen would make his move to attack this city with all of his forces.
It was then, the large man told me "Give me a day and I will check you over to see if you need this level of training or not. I need to recover from keeping the barrier up so long. Then we can talk, and I can figure out what to do. Also please don't let your superiors know about us, that is my only condition for helping you."
I then agreed and the blond girl told me "You two lovebirds can have a double room to rest and please don't do anything naughty unless you put up a barrier and you have to drag him to the room while I lead." After I managed to carry Ichigo to the room we were given, I got another message from Hitsugaya saying that Momo was at least awake. After that Renji sent me a message that he had to help Chad train in his powers. he didn't say why but he was training Chad.
It was the next day while I was watching Ichigo train/ get beat up that the pink haired man talked with me and used my answers to say "I can tell for now your hollow is much more stable than any of ours. It could be your hollow side hasn't had a real chance to come out but until it does, I can't offer you any real help. It could wake up in battle, but I wouldn't be surprised if the twins may have melded with that hollow into your personal inner hollow. But I can't be sure until your power awakens. But I can say you are at least a soul reaper / hollow mix just more stable than we were."
Ichigo pov
It was during my training, that I got the shock of Orihime arriving and her explaining all the details of the message the captain commander left. It was after that Rukia took up her own training partner in the form of the Vizards that were free. After our talk Orihime left and the others talked how Orihime may have had abilities close to what the pink haired man Hachi had and with those she was able to get past his barriers. It was after that Rukia got a call saying Orihime will be training with Yoruichi.
Rukia pov
It was on one of my training breaks, that I met I very hopeless Orihime that was sad about her own powerlessness, and I had talk to her about it and the fact she could be of help. but even I could tell Orihime was lacking confidence in herself and that was her greatest weakness. It was in our talk that Hiyori came to bring Orihime to meet with the pink haired man. He the man revealed Orihime hair pins were like a zanpakuto, and he was able to fix it. I saw the pin get repaired and the spirit fairy Tsubaki restored but the large man told her she still wouldn't have much use as a front-line fighter. From how her powers worked in theory she could be do much if she believed in herself.
Chapter end
Next chapter Ichigo and Rukia will get some time to bond during a few breaks in training
But first
While Shun, Katerina and the gang hit the elf village and prepare for the battle to come
For updates
week of 10/8/23 the hero becomes the villainess or not
week of 10/15/23 reaper of Rome
week of 10/22/23 the hero becomes the villainess or not [last chapter of spider arc ]
week of 10/29/23 reaper of Rome
week of 11/5/23 the hero becomes the villainess or not
dates subject to change
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