Disclaimer – I don't own anything from the Bleach anime/manga. All I own are my original characters and plot twists.
'Talking'
"Thinking"
'Hollow, Inner Hollow or Zanpakutou talking'
"Hollow, Inner Hollow or Zanpakutou thinking"
*expression*
Flashback
Chapter 14 – Fondness
As Ichigo walked through Karakura Town, his mind was churning over his new dilemma.
"I know I probably shouldn't trust Aizen, but he did help us out. It felt like he only did it because we were helping him though. Can I really trust him to help make me stronger?" Thought Ichigo, as he made his way through the area, passing a few stalls, as he reached the markets of Karakura Town.
Pulling out his Substitute Badge, Ichigo looked at it pensively.
"But can I really trust Soul Society? For that matter, if Aizen is against Soul Society and I can't trust either of them, who am I supposed to listen to? Can I really trust Urahara as well? Shinji and Urahara both left Soul Society and Aizen has as well, but it doesn't seem like they trust each other… just what did I get myself into?" Thought Ichigo, before looking up.
'I hate that stupid brat, acting so high and mighty just because he has some money.' Muttered a magenta haired girl, with matching eyes, before slamming into Ichigo.
'Ah! Watch where you're going!' Yelped the girl, as she landed on her bottom.
Looking down at the girl, Ichigo blinked in surprise.
'What? You're the one who bumped into me.' Said Ichigo.
'Oh yeah!' Exclaimed the girl, as she leapt to her feet and shoved her face into Ichigo's personal space.
Ichigo leaned back slightly, unsure of what to make of the girl, before seeing a blush spread across her face.
'*cough* Never mind. You dropped this.' Said the girl, picking up Ichigo's Substitute Badge and handing it to him.
Ichigo looked at the badge and grasped it for a moment, before his head snapped up to look at the girl.
'Wait, you can see this?' Asked Ichigo in confusion.
The girl looked at Ichigo oddly for a minute, before looking down at the object she had picked up. Her face quickly drained of all colour and she quickly released it.
'Of course, you dropped it. I need to go now.' Said the girl, before turning on her heel and starting to walk away.
Ichigo focused for a moment and caused the Spirit Ribbons around him to manifest quickly. Coming off the girl, was a magenta coloured ribbon. The girl turned slightly when Ichigo had gathered his energy and her eyes widened, at seeing a magenta ribbon, made up of her own Reiatsu, in Ichigo's hands.
'Wait!' Said Ichigo, before a green ring of energy surrounded her feet and she shot off into the air, far away from Ichigo.
Ichigo quickly focused whatever energy he could to his feet, before shooting off after the strange girl.
'Oh, my little boy is using Hirenkyaku for the first time!' Exclaimed Masaki.
'And using it to chase after a girl!' Added Zangetsu.
'You two are so immature.' Muttered Y, only for both of them to poke their tongues out at him.
'Children.' Muttered Y, before he and the two others were blocked out by Ichigo.
Ichigo kept chasing the magenta ribbon, slowly gaining ground on the girl. Her technique was much more refined than Ichigo's, but Ichigo had much more stamina. Dropping down into an empty park with a small lake in the centre, the girl turned to face where Ichigo would soon arrive.
'What are you chasing me for?' Shouted the girl in annoyance, breathing heavily.
'I just wanted to ask you a few questions. You're the one who ran off.' Said Ichigo, as he arrived in the clearing, looking only slightly winded.
'Well why didn't you say something?' Ranted the girl.
'You ran before I could say anything.' Protested Ichigo.
The girl continued to glare at Ichigo, huffing as she tried to catch her breath, before standing up straight, completely recovered.
'Fine. Let's talk.' Acquiesced the girl, slumping down in front of the lake, keeping her gaze on Ichigo, with the water to her back.
Ichigo walked towards her, getting progressively closer, before she suddenly stuck her hand out.
'That's close enough!' Shouted the girl.
'I'm not here to fight you.' Said Ichigo.
'I don't care, don't get too close!' Repeated the girl, a small blush on her face.
Ichigo sighed, before reluctantly sitting down.
'Okay. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki.' Said Ichigo, introducing himself to the girl.
'Riruka Dokugamine.' Said the girl curtly.
'Can I ask you how you can see this?' Asked Ichigo, holding up the badge.
'Well it isn't the first one of those things I've seen.' Said Riruka.
"I see… I really can't trust Soul Society then, can I?" Thought Ichigo rhetorically, before throwing the badge into the park, away from sight.
'What the hell did you do that for? That thing is important!' Exclaimed Riruka indignantly.
'Why?' Asked Ichigo curiously.
'Why? Did you just get that thing yesterday?' Asked Riruka in annoyance.
'More or less.' Said Ichigo, stopping the girl cold.
'Oh…' Muttered Riruka.
'Want to tell me why that thing is important then?' Asked Ichigo.
Riruka grumbled to herself for a minute, before sighing.
'Fine, just go and get it first.' Said Riruka.
'Will you leave if I go get it? I didn't really like needing to chase you.' Asked Ichigo.
'Just… just go get it, I won't go anywhere.' Said Riruka, as her shoulders sagged slightly.
Ichigo nodded at this and quickly retrieved the trinket. Returning back, he noticed Riruka indeed hadn't moved.
'So why is this thing so important?' Asked Ichigo, holding the badge up.
'If you know how to use it properly, it can give you the powers of a Fullbringer.' Said Riruka.
'Fullbringer. Is that what you are?' Asked Ichigo, only for Riruka to nod.
'Yeah, that's also the power I was trying to use to get away from you.' Huffed Riruka.
'So how does it work?' Asked Ichigo.
'A Fullbringer is capable of manipulating the soul that resides in objects. All objects have a soul in them.' Answered Riruka.
'Is that why you said this thing is powerful, because it can release my soul from my body?' Asked Ichigo, shocking Riruka.
'It can do that?' Asked Riruka.
'Yeah… wait, what did you think it did then?' Asked Ichigo in confusion.
'I thought it was just a strong conduit for Fullbringer powers! I didn't know it could split your soul from your body!' Exclaimed Riruka.
'Hmm. So how do you use Fullbringer then?' Asked Ichigo.
'Fullbring. The people who use it are Fullbringer, but the power is called Fullbring. You awaken your Fullbring powers by forming a deep attachment to an object. Strong emotions that cause your soul and the soul of the object to resonate.' Explained Riruka.
'I see, then this thing really is useless to me.' Muttered Ichigo, preparing to throw the badge away again.
'Wait! Just wait a minute!' Exclaimed Riruka, standing up as she did so.
'What, you said I need to have a deep attachment to this object and I don't care about it one bit?' Asked Ichigo in confusion.
'It doesn't just have to be of the object! It can be emotions or memories of the object too. Like if it was a good friend who gave it to you, even though you don't care about the object, because it came from your friend, then it becomes a strong emotional link!' Protested Riruka.
Ichigo hummed at this in thought.
"Well, I suppose it was Rukia who activated my Shinigami powers, so if this thing works as a memory of Rukia and all of my friends, then maybe I can use it. It was what helped me save her after all, along with all my friends in Karakura town when Uryuu released that Hollow bait. Idiot. I was also able to avenge mother and kill Grand Fisher, plus I was able to help Nel thanks to it as well." Thought Ichigo.
As Ichigo was thinking this, black Reiatsu started coming off the badge, in the shape of four tendrils, before sharpening into a cross-like shape.
'You activated your Fullbring powers so easily.' Commented Riruka in surprise, walking over to Ichigo and looking at the badge.
Opening his eyes, Ichigo noticed the energy coming off his badge. Looking up, Ichigo noticed Riruka in front of him, as she was bending down to look at this badge.
Riruka continued to look at the badge in awe, not noticing Ichigo had switched his gaze from the badge to the girl.
'So does meeting you and learning about Fullbringer and Fullbring powers count as a good emotional tie?' Asked Ichigo.
'What are you saying? You just met me, that is hardly a strong connection.' Huffed Riruka, turning her back on Ichigo.
'Maybe. That depends though.' Said Ichigo.
'Depends on what?' Asked Riruka, glancing over her shoulder.
'If I'm right about you being a nice person.' Said Ichigo.
Riruka felt her face heat up at this and quickly turned away.
'Don't say stuff like that! Trying to win me over with compliments.' Huffed Riruka.
'Sorry, I just have a good eye for people. I can tell you are someone I can trust, like my other friends.' Said Ichigo.
'You don't know that!' Shouted Riruka, turning to face Ichigo in anger.
'Why? Has someone else made you think you're not? Do you think you are a good or bad person?' Asked Ichigo.
'I kidnapped someone once with my powers! I stole toys from my sister and made her cry!' Protested Riruka.
'Did you regret it? Where you just doing it because you were spiteful, or were you just lonely?' Asked Ichigo.
'I'm not lonely! I have other Fullbringer that I can turn to. We have our own organisation, Xcution and we have strength in numbers! I'm not alone!' Screamed Riruka.
'Then, if you have such good friends, why are you alone now? Why are you talking to me? More importantly, why are you crying if you have such good friends?' Asked Ichigo.
'I'm not crying!' Shouted Riruka, only for Ichigo to stand up and tower over her.
Ichigo sighed to himself, before pulling the distraught girl into a hug, causing her to stiffen.
'Honestly, you're just like Yuzu, getting too emotional over every little thing. It's okay to cry you know.' Muttered Ichigo.
'I'm not crying.' Protested Riruka, hesitantly wrapping her arms around Ichigo's back.
'Is this what you normally do? Go around finding emotionally unstable girls and try to win them over with sympathy?' Sniffled Riruka.
'Is this what you normally do? Yell at someone when you bump into them and later on reveal a bunch of secrets and then break down in front of them because you are too stubborn to be truthful to yourself?' Retorted Ichigo.
Riruka didn't respond to this.
Ichigo held Riruka for a few minutes, until she calmed down and pulled herself away from him.
'There is another thing I never told you. Fullbringer are capable of sharing their powers with each other, but are also capable of taking away the powers of others.' Revealed Riruka.
'So, does that mean I can share my powers with you and other people who are Fullbringer?' Asked Ichigo.
'Yeah, but why is that the first thing you think about? What about taking away the powers of others?' Asked Riruka.
'I have my own powers; I don't need to take away anyone else's.' Said Ichigo.
'Idiot. It doesn't matter how strong you are; what matters is how many of you there are. Survival of the fittest isn't about being the strongest, it is about being a part of the majority. That is the only way to survive in this world.' Said Riruka chidingly.
'What if I have power and friends? What if I'm not alone, but I'm also strong enough to hold my own?' Asked Ichigo.
'That's impossible.' Protested Riruka.
Ichigo stared at Riruka for a moment.
'What?' Asked Riruka, seeing Ichigo stare at her, before feeling a powerful energy well up inside of her.
'How's that? Did it work?' Asked Ichigo.
'D-did you just transfer some of your power to me?' Asked Riruka in shock.
'So it worked then. Lucky. I was just experimenting, but turns out it isn't hard to transfer powers at all.' Said Ichigo.
'Why… why did you do that? I'm basically a complete stranger to you. A Fullbringer's power is linked to their soul, so sharing powers is like sharing part of your soul with someone… so why would you do that?' Asked Riruka quietly.
'Because it feels to me that the thing you need more than power, is friends.' Answered Ichigo.
Riruka looked at Ichigo in surprise at this.
'Why would you want to be friends with someone like me? I'm not a good person.' Mumbled Riruka.
'Go into town and ask around about Ichigo Kurosaki and you'll hear a lot of people don't think I'm a good person either. What they think doesn't matter though. My friends know who I am and that's all that matters. You're not a bad person, Riruka, no matter how much you think otherwise.' Said Ichigo.
Riruka didn't know how to respond to this and merely settled for staring at Ichigo.
'Finally, I found you! You'll pay for what she did!' Exclaimed a slim, dirty blond-haired man, who had emerged from a Garganta and swung a strange looking rapier, with a chakram, embedded into the blade, right at Ichigo.
'I forbid you!' Exclaimed Riruka, standing in front of Ichigo and staring down his attacker, right hand outstretched towards him.
'Out of the way woman!' Shouted the man, only for a red cross to come out of her right hand.
When the cross made contact with the man, he suddenly froze in mid-air.
'How did I do that?' Questioned Riruka, looking at her hand in surprise.
'So there you are, Tesla. Aizen will not be happy with you.' Said a dark-skinned man, who had also just emerged from a Garganta.
'T-Tousen.' Said Tesla, struggling to get the words out.
'You'll be coming with me now. Forgive this disturbance, Ichigo Kurosaki.' Said Tousen, before grabbing Tesla and preparing to leave.
'Wait! I'm ready to see Aizen.' Said Ichigo.
'Very well then, you may come with us. Who is this person beside you though?' Asked Tousen, turning towards Riruka.
Riruka felt very small under the man's gaze, even though he was blind, and it was only thanks to Ichigo stepping in front of her, that she was able to relax.
'A friend of mine, leave her alone.' Said Ichigo, a hint of warning in his tone.
'Very well then, shall we go?' Asked Tousen.
Riruka and Ichigo shared one last look, before Ichigo turned back to face Tousen.
'Lead the way.' Said Ichigo.
Tousen opened another Garganta and he, along with Tesla and Ichigo, disappeared into it, before it closed behind them.
As the gateway closed, Riruka slumped to her knees.
'What did I get myself into?' Asked Riruka shaken by the presence of Tousen.
"Although, maybe it would be nice to have a real friend." Thought Riruka, recalling how Ichigo had stood up for her.
-line break-
Stepping out of the Garganta, Ichigo found himself back in Hueco Mundo, but it looked decidedly less sandy than it had before.
'Where the hell did this thing come from?' Asked Ichigo, pointing to the large, domed building, in front of the trio.
'Please save your questions for once we are inside.' Said Tousen, before walking towards the structure, Tesla in tow, expecting Ichigo to follow.
Ichigo hesitated for a moment, giving one last thought on his course of action, before steeling his resolve and following after the blind man. Ichigo was led through the halls of the building, idly noting the very high ceilings. Ichigo was eventually brought out of his musings, when Tousen stopped outside a pair of double doors.
'A word of advice, don't antagonise anyone in there. Most of them can kill you easily as you are now.' Warned Tousen, before opening the door.
Ichigo bristled at that statement, feeling Zangetsu swell up with anger as well.
'If they try anything, destroy them.' Snarled Zangetsu.
Ichigo silently agreed with his more instinctual half, but decided he wouldn't start anything. Of course, if someone else started things, he would of course finish them. Entering the room, Ichigo noticed many people of various colours, shapes and sizes. The diversity actually surprised Ichigo somewhat, expecting all of them to appear as the previous Hollows he had encountered. His gaze quickly shifted to the head of the table though, as seated there, was the man he had come to see, flanked by his Lieutenant, Gin Ichimaru, none other, than Sosuke Aizen.
'Welcome, Ichigo. I'm glad you could join us so quickly. Before that though, Tesla, you will be punished for your actions at a later date. If not for Tousen's timely retrieval, you could have very well have alerted the… no, as it stands, you will no doubt have alerted the Shinigami in Karakura Town of the existence of Arrancar, especially with that man being there. You may leave now, but I do strongly warn you, against taking such actions like that again.' Said Aizen.
Tesla gave a small nod at this and turned to leave. As he walked past Ichigo, his gaze turned to him and he walked closer towards the hybrid.
'Soon.' Muttered Tesla, before leaving the room, the door closing behind him.
'Now, as I was saying, welcome Ichigo, it is a pleasure to have you here. Quite a few of the occupants in this room have been quite eager to meet with you again, myself included.' Said Aizen.
Surveying the room once again, Ichigo noticed Nel beaming at him and gave a small wave, to the green haired Arrancar. Next to her, Ulquiorra was gazing at Ichigo intently. There were a few others who looked at him with bloodthirsty gazes, but no one in particular stood out to him. While all formidable, they only seemed to be surveying him as an object of interest and not a threat, which honestly suited Ichigo just fine. Ichigo didn't come here for a fight after all.
'Have you finished… your enhancer?' Asked Ichigo, getting down to business.
'Of course. Am I to believe you are willing to receive your enhancement now?' Asked Aizen calmly, brown eyes peering into Ichigo's own.
Ichigo gave a curt nod.
'Then by all means.' Said Aizen, as he stood from his chair and made his way towards Ichigo, standing in front of him.
Reaching into his robe, Aizen pulled out a small, blueish-purple orb.
'Given that you are already both Shinigami and Hollow, there is a slim chance that this object may not assist you terribly, but it should provide a noticeable benefit to your abilities.' Explained Aizen.
'Just do it already.' Huffed Ichigo, never being one to care for fanfare that much.
Ignoring the rising animosity from some of the people behind him, Aizen smiled.
'But of course.' Said Aizen coolly, before the orb started to glow and float into the air.
Ichigo felt the energy from the orb approach him and felt something foreign invade his system. At first, Ichigo felt his skin start to tingle. The feeling started to intensify slowly, before inching its way towards pain. Suddenly, it felt as though Ichigo's skin was on fire, causing him to roar in agony.
'What's happening?' Asked Nel in distress.
Aizen for his part merely stood there, gazing into the light, which was engulfing the hunched over form, of Ichigo Kurosaki.
"Can you truly stand on my level, Ichigo, or are you only an experiment?" Thought Aizen calmly, waiting for his many labours to bear fruit.
Ichigo roared again in agony, before his form was engulfed in blue Reiatsu. Ichigo felt as though his soul was being torn to shreds and reformed, over and over again. He started to fear for his sanity and wondered just what was happening to him. A bone white mask, with two forward facing horns, made out of Ichigo's Reiatsu, formed above him. The mask swelled in size, easily reaching a metre in diameter, before the mouth opened and blue Reishi started to pour out of it. The blue Reishi turned on the mask and tore it to shreds, followed by the mask slowly reforming, taking up the particles of blue energy which had just destroyed it, before incorporating it into its being. The mask then shattered completely, with the particles moving to a point beside Ichigo, before starting to reform again.
Ichigo's screams had ceased.
As the mask broke apart the second time, Ichigo felt a sense of peace, as though he had become whole in some manner. Despite this though, he didn't feel that much stronger. If anything, the gain in power he experienced, was equivalent to the increase between a Captain's Shikai and Bankai, significant, but not overwhelming. As his Reiatsu output stabilised, Ichigo snuffed out the waves of energy coming off him in an instant, surprising himself at how easily his Reiatsu had responded to his will.
"Interesting. He did gain some power, but it seems the Hougyoku decided control was what Ichigo desired most. How very interesting." Thought Aizen, before turning his gaze to the mass of energy that had come from Ichigo, but had yet to disperse.
Ichigo also looked over at the mass of energy beside him and saw it was not responsive to him at all. Instead, Ichigo saw it taking on a life of its own, reforming and condensing multiple times over. After a few minutes, the energy had condensed into the shape of a person. Suddenly, all at once, the energy solidified and a form was revealed in detail. A figure, wearing a white robe, stood beside Ichigo. Wavy brown hair and brown eyes filled Ichigo's vision, as the figure turned to face him. Ichigo felt as though his heart had stopped, then started beating at twice the normal speed.
'M-mum…' Gasped Ichigo.
The figure's features softened as it smiled.
'Ichigo.' Said the figure, who was undeniably: Masaki Kurosaki.