Chapter 22 - Revelations
Hueco Mundo - Above the Sands
Madara eyed the new arrivals, before greeting them with a nod. Harribel was out of her resurreccion, and there were no immediate threats inbound, so he too sealed his zanpakuto. He closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh as his blood red battle armor faded into wisps of reishi, leaving him in long-sleeved, dark purple overalls that flared out with a turtleneck collar. The gunbai and scythe in his hands glowed briefly, before they too dissipated into pure spiritual energy, and reformed into the form of a regular, silver katana sheathed at his hip. Madara grimaced; he hadn't realized in the heat of the battle, but a painful throb was nagging at the back of his head.
He was distracted from the headache as Ichigo dashed past him with a shunpo. "Orihime!" Ichigo called urgently, sweeping the girl up in his arms and cradling her head gently. She was breathing, but unresponsive.
"What the hell happened here? Who did you just kill?" He fixed a glare at Madara.
"Nobody you need to concern yourself with, Ichigo. As to what happened here…" He trailed off, gathering his thoughts.
Harribel also raised an eyebrow inquisitively as Madara made eye contact with her. "I would also like to know. That was the 5th Espada, Nnoitra Gilga who you just slew," she said emotionlessly. She had never gotten along with the loudmouthed Espada, but she did not know what to make of his death. He was still the Quinta Espada, and the fact that he was so easily overwhelmed by Madara could have enormous implications on the Espada rankings. "What was he doing here? It can't have been more than ten or fifteen minutes since I dropped you two off."
She paused, before frowning at the sight of Nel. The little Arrancar had reverted back to her childlike state, and was lying face down in the sand. "And what is that over there?"
Madara called forth a small bed of vines beneath Nel, flipping her over and supporting her unconscious form as he made his way toward her. "That's Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck." Harribel's eyebrows shot up at that. "I believe she was nearby and sensed your reiatsu, so she came to investigate," Madara said, while checking that there was no sand impeding the tiny Arrancar's airways. "Nnoitra showed up a few minutes later, also attracted by your reiatsu."
Harribel scowled. "I should have known that showing up in my resurreccion was going to attract unwanted attention. Nnoitra's been itching to fight me for years; I just never found it worth my time to indulge him." She knelt before Nel, then, studying the unconscious Arrancar's features. Her eyes fell upon the green zanpakuto beside her. "Gamuza... That red marking on her face... And the position of her hollow mask. She certainly resembles the Nelliel I remember, but why is she… a baby? And why is she unconscious?"
Madara shrugged. "I don't know. You can ask her yourself when she wakes, but she sounded like she had some substantial history with Nnoitra."
He turned toward Ichigo and Orihime then. "Orihime is just exhausted from overexerting her reiatsu. I don't know what side effects there are from that. Physically, she should be relatively unharmed."
Ichigo narrowed his eyes, but Madara continued before he could say anything in response. "I take it by your presence that the day is won at Konoha, too?"
Harribel grimaced at this, and Madara's eyes widened in alarm before she waved his concern away. "The day is won, for now. The Shinigami have retreated and there are no casualties."
"They got away, alive, from Hashirama?" Madara asked, incredulous, and Harribel opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. He held her gaze until she continued. "They were too strong, Madara." She looked down, clenching her fists. "I was not powerful enough to make any significant impact to the fight, but Hashirama managed to beat them back before his body gave out. He is being tended to by his wife and medical team as we speak."
The alarm was suddenly back in Madara's eyes. "Hashirama's body gave out?"
Before any more words could be exchanged, Orihime stirred. "Ichigo?" She whispered softly, eyes focussing on his face. "You came, just like you said you would."
Ichigo nodded with a ghost of a smile. "Yeah, but I was too late to do anything." He glanced toward Madara. "I'm sure you guys won't want to explain things twice, so let's head back and get comfortable before the debrief."
Madara nodded, and Harribel opened another garganta back to Konoha.
Las Noches Throne Room
Sosuke Aizen was sitting atop his throne as Kaname Tosen wordlessly entered the vast room. "Lord Aizen, I cannot sense Gin anywhere, and one of our reiatsu concealing cloaks has gone missing."
The Lord of Hueco Mundo waved a hand in dismissal. "That child has always had a bad habit of wandering off at inopportune moments. Pay him no heed. He will show himself again soon."
Kaname nodded, before addressing the more pressing matter at hand. "Nnoitra is gone, and those two new reiatsu signatures that flared moments before his death… Do you think it was…"
"One of them was Madara Uchiha. The timing of it cannot be anybody else. The fact that Harribel reappeared moments before they left again together only serves to confirm it." Aizen stroked his chin contemplatively. "I have my suspicions regarding the other signature… She could be considered a privaron Espada, but you needn't concern yourself with that for now, Kaname."
Tosen frowned, but did not press the matter further. "I find it quite troublesome that Harribel did not report to us immediately. Do you think she could have gone rogue, like Nnoitra?"
Aizen chuckled. He had Harribel securely in the palm of his hand. "Doubtful. I'm sure she has her reasons. Aside from Starrk and maybe Ulquiorra, Harribel is the most loyal of my Espada."
Tosen started as he felt Gin's familiar reiatsu signature appear behind him, and Aizen smirked as he saw the former Squad 3 Captain remove his reiatsu concealing cloak. "Gin. How kind of you to join us. Kaname was just becoming concerned regarding your whereabouts."
The ever-present smile on Gin's face did not falter for a moment, and neither did his step as he exited the shadows, sauntering toward the former Squad 9 Captain with his hands concealed in his robes. "I'm touched, Captain Tosen. But you needn't worry about me - I'm a big boy who can take care of himself," he chided, and Tosen placed a hand upon Suzumushi's hilt. The gesture was not lost on Gin, as the former Squad 3 Captain backed away dramatically. "Whoa whoa whoa, easy there, Captain Tosen. I was simply observing the little scuffle between our late Nnoitra Gilga and a certain Madara Uchiha."
He paused, and only continued when Tosen removed his hand from his zanpakuto. "Looks like Madara ran into some trouble in the world of the living. Harribel brought him back before leaving again in a hurry, and he was looking rather worse for wear. A couple hollows were killed, and Orihime got roughed up a bit. Oh, and Nelliel showed up, before she too was defeated and Madara tore off his mask and became a natural Arrancar." Gin finished with a shrug; he had recounted the battle as if speaking about going on a morning stroll, but the two former Captains humored him. It was nothing out of the ordinary for the eccentric man.
Aizen nodded. That was about as much as he had surmised from monitoring the reiatsu signatures. "So he finally got one over Nelliel before he died, hmm?" He mused. "My Espada have certainly evolved much in the past few generations. I suppose Nnoitra got some satisfaction in this life, at least."
Gin's smile widened. "Yeah. I think he's happy, wherever he is. Ya know how he'd always prattle on about how he wanted to die in a 'glorious battle' before his body hit the floor? Madara chopped him up into a million little pieces and scattered him into the wind. One moment he was there, then poof. Gone. Just like that." He clicked his fingers for emphasis.
Tosen spoke up, then, before Gin could get too carried away. "Is there anything else of importance you can tell us? Madara's abilities? Is Hashirama going to join us?"
Gin paused again, before he opened his eyes and his features grew serious. "The Shinigami have some new intel on our Espada. I'm not sure exactly what, or how they got them. But Ichigo let that little fact slip when he showed up, and he was acting quite friendly with Madara and Harribel."
Aizen raised an eyebrow. "The only people who could have leaked anything regarding the Espada are Nnoitra and Harribel."
Gin shrugged. "It could have been Nnoitra. I'm not trying to imply that Harribel's turned traitor or anything. All I'm saying, is that I heard Ichigo say that they needed to 'hurry back to the Seireitei and get this info on the Espada to the old man.'"
Aizen's expression grew contemplative. "I see. Thank you for your report, Gin. Your information has been most valuable."
"How do you propose we respond, Lord Aizen?" Tosen asked.
"Well at this point, it's too late to do anything about what the Shinigami know. Let us assume the worst case scenario - that somehow they have obtained all the information regarding my Espada's resurreccion, combat styles and relative power levels," Aizen said with a glint in his eye.
"And why, pray tell, does that seem to amuse you so?" Tosen demanded.
"Because all it means is that my Espada need to become stronger. Come to think of it, even we have not seen all that they are capable of yet, have we? We know they have Captain level reiatsu, but how much beyond that are we really aware of?"
Gin raised his eyebrows, and Aizen smiled viciously. "Call a meeting immediately. Harribel can be filled in when she returns. Now that I have subjugated the Hogyoku, I think it is time to personally oversee some training exercises, and conduct a formal re-ranking of the Espada," Aizen declared. "And then we will be ready to sweep aside the Gotei 13, and cleanse this world of its stagnation."
Land of Fire - Konoha; Hokage's Office
The room was silent as Hashirama Senju sat wearily in his Hokage's chair. His left hand drummed against the desk, while he massaged his eyes with his right. Fanning out around the room were the remaining heads of each major clan, minus the Uzumaki and Uchiha. His wife Mito stood directly behind him, flanked by Danzo and Hiruzen, and Madara sat beside him. Nel had decided to commandeer one of Madara's shoulder pauldrons as her seat, and Harribel stood beside them both with her arms crossed. She had Tiburon strapped to her back as usual, but was also helping Nel carry Gamuza for the time being.
Isshin knelt before Hashirama, eyes downcast, and an extremely uncomfortable looking Ichigo stood nervously behind him, Orihime at his side. Most of the village could now see spiritual beings from their exposure to reiatsu, and each clan head made sure to direct the most vicious glares they could at the trio. Tobirama's revival had failed, and the greater Konohagakure region had once again been the unfortunate battlegrounds of otherworldly forces.
"The leaders have been gathered, Isshin Kurosaki. Choose your words carefully, now. Your life rests upon them," Hashirama's deep voice sounded out.
Isshin swallowed. "The history of the Soul Society, as well as of Hueco Mundo, the world of the living, and even the Dangai, is an extraordinarily complex one. I will not bore you with unnecessary details, but know that, eons ago, these four planes of existence were one. Before the Soul King, there was no clear boundary between life and death. Before the Soul King, existence itself was chaos. The Soul King has the power to regulate the flow of souls. His power alone is what keeps our existence the way it is, and Sosuke Aizen desires this reality-shaping power for himself."
Madara let out a bark of laughter. "The Soul King wishes to maintain this hellish existence? Then I am with Aizen. Such a being must be removed from power."
Isshin shook his head. "No. The Soul King…" He scrunched his face up and drew a deep breath; "It's hard to explain, because I have never seen him myself, but my understanding is that though the Soul King has unfathomable amounts of raw spiritual power, he does not have any agency. He is almost like the battery that fuels the system we know as 'existence.'"
Madara scoffed, and Hashirama frowned, then. "Is he even a man, then? As in, is he a physical being with a body that can be destroyed?"
Isshin looked into the Hokage's eyes, and answered honestly. "I don't know."
"Then why are you Shinigami so hell-bent on protecting this thing?"
"The Seireitei itself was founded as the primary layer of defense against those who would raise arms against the Soul King. It is drilled into the history of the Shinigami…"
"So you all protect him simply because it's what you've been taught?" Hashirama asked in disbelief.
"If you want to put it that way, yes." Isshin scowled. "I'm sure there are traditions in your world as well that you observe without question, despite not knowing exactly why," he said dryly.
Madara slammed a fist on the table, before throwing his head back in laughter again. "Look at this fool. He but parrots rubbish spewed from other puppets, dancing on the strings of those infinitely his greater. I have heard enough." He made to get up, but Hashirama placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"Madara. Regardless of what new powers you have awakened, we cannot afford to be arrogant. Given recent events, we cannot be cautious enough." His voice was firm, and left no room for argument.
Madara held his gaze briefly, then relented. "As you wish, Hokage..." He sneered mockingly before settling back in his seat. "Continue, Isshin Kurosaki," he ordered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The former Squad 10 Captain took note of the exchange. So Madara listens to Hashirama, he thought, before he obliged; "I may be a fool, and I admit that many Shinigami are puppets to this greater regime, but I was once in consideration to join the Soul King's royal guard. There are currently only five members that I have seen with my own eyes, and let me assure you the combined power of those five is greater than the entire Gotei 13."
The mocking amusement fell from Madara's face, and Hashirama's frown deepened. "Even Yamamoto?"
"Yes. He is the leader of the Gotei 13, but any individual in the Royal Guard, or 'Zero Division' has both power and authority that surpasses his…" Isshin scratched his stubbled chin. "Or so they say, at least."
Madara shook his head with a scoff. "So you're kneeling here before us, and expect us to believe that you have power rivaling Yamamoto?"
Isshin managed to look sheepish, despite the situation, and Ichigo was now turned fully toward his dad, mouth agape. "Maybe not rivaling the Head Captain, but back in the day, when I was a Captain, I was certainly stronger than I am now. Enough to catch the attention of the Royal Guard, at least. Look, nobody really knows how strong the Zero Division truly is, but they definitely exist, as does the Soul King."
Hashirama addressed Ichigo, then. "Can your father's words be trusted?"
The troubled-looking teen grabbed a fistful of his own orange hair in frustration, before sighing and making an exasperated gesture. "I honestly don't know," he said, walking up beside Isshin and squatting down, bringing himself face to face with his father. "I didn't even know you were a Shinigami until yesterday. I used to think you were an idiot, after Mom died, but I just realized something, Isshin."
Isshin felt a twisting pain in his chest as his son addressed him by name, and not 'Dad.' He couldn't remember Ichigo ever having done that before in his life.
Ichigo's eyes darkened. "You're a former Shinigami Captain. A candidate for this 'Royal Guard,' capable of toying with someone like Harribel, who I had no chance against even in my Bankai." His eyes bespoke not admiration, however, but accusation. "So where the hell were you when Mom was killed by Grand Fisher?"
Isshin averted his gaze, unable to look his son in the eye. He took a breath to speak, but Ichigo continued before he could.
"I was there. I saw Grand Fisher's bait before I dove after it into the river. He didn't kill her immediately. There should have been more than enough time for a Captain of your ability to shunpo a hundred times around Karakura, and yet you were nowhere to be seen as your own wife was killed protecting your son!" Ichigo's voice rose as he spoke, ending with him shouting in his father's face.
Isshin met his son's gaze, then, and whispered softly; "I had lost most of my powers, but Masaki hadn't. Or at least I thought she hadn't. I don't know why she wasn't able to defeat a hollow of such low caliber."
"What the hell are you talki-" Ichigo began, before he cut himself off, eyes widening. "What did you just say…? Powers? Was Mom a Shinigami, too?"
"Ichigo, please. Can't this wait until we're home? Yuzu and Karin deserve to kno-"
"You know as well as I do that once we get home," Ichigo began, looking at the gathering around him; "-If we even make it home, you're never going to reveal anything to them. Nobody here trusts you right now, and that's going to need to change otherwise they're going to kill you, so start explaining, goddamn it!"
Isshin sighed. "Alright. This all ties into Aizen, anyway, so now is as good a time as any, I suppose," he relented. He took a deep breath. "Masaki was a Quincy. One of only a handful that survived the purge."
Ichigo's jaw worked, but no words came out. It was Orihime who squealed out behind them; "What?!"
And then Isshin told them the story of the Quincy genocide 200 years ago, of fighting Aizen's experimental hollow and then Masaki coming to his rescue. He spoke of their forbidden love, and of sacrificing both his powers and his heritage, deserting his Captaincy in the Soul Society to spend his life with a Quincy girl.
As he finished, Ichigo was the one who broke the silence. "Goddamn it, Dad…" He said, pulling Isshin into a hug. "Six years since Mom died… You should have trusted us enough to tell us."
"I didn't want you involved with the Soul Society at all, Ichigo. I just wanted my family to live a normal life."
"Well fat load of good that did! Maybe if we were all stronger and worked together earlier, then Mom wouldn't have died. Maybe we would have been able to stop Aizen before h-"
"Ichigo..." The former Squad 10 Captain had not moved a muscle, and his gaze was fixed on the floor before him, but Ichigo's words caught in his throat at the sorrow in his father's tone. "You will watch your words with me, Ichigo. I am still your father." He took a deep breath, and sighed. "Nobody loved your Mom more than I did. She was a Captain-level Quincy, and to this day I still don't know just how she died by the hands of fodder like Grand Fisher."
"Dad… Sorry. It's just a lot to take in so quickly, you know?" Ichigo's head drooped, and he made a weak gesture around him. "Especially given everything that's happened, and our circumstances right now."
Isshin nodded, and looked over his shoulder solemnly at his son. "I know I've made mistakes, Ichigo, and I know now that hiding things and scheming is just going to complicate matters further. That's why I'm laying it all bare for you now."
Hashirama had his head buried in his hands. "You have my gratitude for your openness, Isshin Kurosaki. And Ichigo; do not worry. Your father's life will be spared." None of the other Konoha clan leaders protested his statement, so he continued. "But these revelations have done nothing to ease my concerns regarding the Soul Society. The Gotei 13 has done more than enough to earn my ire already, and now you tell me that these people carried out the genocide of an entire race?"
"That, and more, is why I distanced myself from them in the first place, Lord Hokage."
Madara crossed his arms, drawing their attention to himself. "Why are you so worried about Aizen usurping this 'Soul King'? How powerful is Aizen, truly? Could he really defeat this 'Royal Guard?'" He asked.
Isshin grit his teeth; "I don't know, but if it comes to that, then the Gotei 13 has already failed. If his Arrancar army is relative to the strength of the Gotei 13, then it is not outside the realm of possibility for Aizen to succeed in killing the Soul King. That is why we absolutely could not afford for you to join him, Madara. Even if the risk is infinitesimal, it's still not worth gambling the end of existence as we know it."
"I take it that outside of the Royal Guard, Yamamoto is the one who knows the most about the Soul King?"
Isshin nodded.
Madara looked thoughtful for a few seconds, before turning toward his old friend. "Hashirama."
"What do you have in mind?" The Hokage replied.
"I intend to have a chat with Aizen, and I want to organize a way to speak with Yamamoto. I'll wring the truth out of him one way or another."
Harribel's eyes widened. "Madara, I saw how you dealt with Nnoitra, but maybe your evolution into an Arrancar is getting to your head-"
Madara cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Before that meeting, I intend on becoming the Jinchuuriki of the Ten-Tails."
A litany of gasps filled the room as the Konoha clan leaders were finally listening to something that they understood.
Hashirama remained composed, though Mito narrowed her eyes at him. "The Ten-Tails? Only nine tailed beasts have ever been reported to be spotted. Is this something else that you have learned from that stone tablet of yours?"
Madara nodded slowly. "Yes. Let us rest up a little and consolidate the events of today. Meet me at the site of our final battle when the sun has set. I will show you everything."
Hashirama stood, and placed his hands on the table. "Alright, you are all dismissed, then. I'll see you later, Madara."
As Isshin rose, however, Hashirama held up a finger. "Not you, Isshin. I have a few more questions for you."
Seireitei - Squad 1 Barracks; Captain Commander's Office
"Captain Commander, Sir," Shunsui Kyoraku greeted with a slight bow. He was standing beside his old friend and Captain of the 13th Division, Jushiro Ukitake. "Former Captains Shinoin and Urahara are in critical condition and will not be ready to receive you for a few days, according to Captain Unohana.
Yamamoto growled. "Very well. Am I to assume by your reports that Hashirama and Madara have already joined forces with Aizen?"
Captain Kyoraku shrugged. "I don't know. Former Captain Isshin did not say much aside from reporting that Madara is still alive. Urahara's plan almost worked, though. According to Isshin, Madara was on the verge of death as he escaped via garganta. He should not be an issue anymore." The Squad 8 Captain narrowed his eyes, then. "Isshin remained with his son in the Land of Fire to ease tensions with Hashirama. He has asked for us not to send reinforcements."
Yamamoto contemplated Kyoraku's words. "Very well. Our resources are limited as they are in this fight against Aizen. Isshin was not initially a factor in our plans, anyway, so nothing is lost by him staying behind. Captain Kurotsuchi is in the process of greating a working garganta that would allow us to send forces into Hueco Mundo-"
"What about Ichigo?" Ukitake interrupted. "He is with his father in the Land of Fire. Aside from him, the rest of us have all seen Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu."
Yamamoto's brows furrowed slightly. "That is indeed unfortunate. However, even if the five senses have been compromised, I know that I will not mistake the reiatsu of Sosuke Aizen. As I have said before. I will deal with Aizen."
Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku shared a worried glance, but both bowed their heads simultaneously. "Of course, Captain Commander."
Yamamoto grunted and stood. "You two are dismissed. Inform me when Yoruichi and Kisuke are able to make their report." He raised his cane and pointed it toward the Squad 8 Captain. "Shunsui. I will personally to lead the strike force into Hueco Mundo once Mayuri's device is completed. You will assume the role of acting Captain Commander in my absence. My lieutenant Sasikabe is drafting this into law as we speak."
Shunsui did not react beyond a light scoff. "Sure," he said. "So you're bringing the fight to them, huh? Who's going to be in this strike force?"
Yamamoto nodded. "Correct. I will be accompanied by Captains Unohana, Komomura, Kurotsuchi, as well as former Captains Shihoin and Urahara, once they have recovered."
Kyoraku nodded. There would be more than enough manpower left to defend the Seireitei then; it would leave himself, Ukitake, Hitsugaya, Byakuya, Soi Fon and-
"And also Captain Kenpachi. Now that he is with us again, and has awakened his zanpakuto, our victory against the Espada is all but assured," Yamamoto finished.
Uchiha District - Madara's office
Madara, Harribel and Nel all sat cross-legged on a few stacks of hay. Madara hadn't had the chance to organize anything more comfortable yet, and the persistent headache in the back of his head was becoming increasingly bothersome as he entertained his guests.
"Nelliel. It's been so many years I've lost track, but it's good to be able to exchange words with you in peace and quiet again," Harribel began.
Despite having reverted to her child form again, Nel had both regained and retained her memories. "Yeah. I need to find a way to transform back to my normal form permanently, though. Nnoitra showed me beyond any doubt today that I can't fight like this." She waved her stubby arms around and despite the seriousness of her situation, Harribel smiled. She teasingly offered Gamuza back to Nel, who pouted and crossed her arms. "Just you wait, Harribel. Once I'm back to normal, I'm going to test if you're really deserving of your rank as the Tres Espada."
Madara shifted on his haystack to grab their attention. "Once Hashirama has recovered, I'm sure he can have a look at you. Maybe Orihime, as well, if Hashirama can't figure out what's wrong. Between those two, I doubt there's any ailment in existence that can't be reversed."
Nel looked skeptically hopeful, raising her eyebrows without opening her eyes any further, but Harribel nodded in agreement with Madara. "Certainly. Hashirama brought me back from the brink after a brute of a Shinigami Captain almost sliced me in two, and Orihime's powers restored the current Sexta Espada's arm after it was completely severed and vaporized."
Nel's eyes widened, then, and she said; "Wow, that's impressive. Hopefully they can figure out how to stop my reiatsu from leaking away, then."
Harribel nodded again. "So what will you do afterward, Nelliel? When you're all healed and your powers return for good?"
Nel craned her head, playing with her bottom lip with a finger. "My fraccion were so good to me, but they're gone now. I know they wouldn't have wanted me to go back to Las Noches if Nnoitra was still there, but if Lord Aizen's plan is still to make Hueco Mundo a safer place for all hollows, I want to lend my strength to see that happen. So that weaker hollows will never need to be hunted down and killed by the strong again."
Harribel smiled. "You would be a great addition to our cause, Nelliel. I don't know if you would still be strong enough to be in the Espada, but I'm sure Lord Aizen would love to have you back, too. He remembered your zanpakuto even after all these years."
Madara grimaced, remembering the way he lost his most recent duel with Hashirama. "I don't know how you can fight with such a clumsily long weapon."
Nel jumped up at that, clutching Gamuza protective against her small body. "Says the man with a fan and a scythe?"
"Touche," Madara said with a chuckle. "I suppose all weapons are equally deadly in the hands of an experienced enough wielder." He rose as he finished. His headache was getting on his nerves, and he was craving some fresh air.
"Where are you going?" Harribel asked.
"I'm going to the Valley of the End. I want some time to familiarize myself with my new body, and get used to my weapons again." As he turned to leave, Harribel stopped him.
"Do you want a training partner?"
Madara looked at her quizzically, before shrugging. "Sure. Want to come along too, Nel?"
The little Arrancar nodded, a gleam in her eyes, and the three of them set off toward the valley.
Konohagakure
"It's a nice village, isn't it?" Orihime said, awkwardly trying to make conversation as the two strolled down Konoha's main street. It was deserted. Most of the dwellings they had walked past looked abandoned, having been sacked for any supplies that could be brought along as the entire village prepared to march for war.
"Yeah." Ichigo nodded. His eyes fell on a doorless straw hut that had partly collapsed, and grimaced. "It's like these people are living hundreds of years in the past or something, though."
"But there are still people like Madara and Hashirama here, who are stronger than most Captains in the Gotei 13," Orihime replied softly.
Ichigo nodded, and the pair walked a few more steps before Ichigo suddenly turned toward Orihime. "Look, Orihime, what did you want to talk about? Just come out and say it already."
"...So your Mom's a Quincy, huh?"
Ichigo breathed in an entire lungful of air, before letting it all out in a sigh. He spotted a small, round wooden table outside another deserted hut, and sank into one of its surrounding chairs, before burying his head in his hands. "So it would seem, according to my Dad."
"Ichigo-"
"You know, Orihime, after these last couple of days, I'm just wondering just what the hell else is being kept from me. What else is being hidden from us right under our noses?" He stabbed zangetsu into the ground beside him, and casually swiped his left hand up before his face with practiced ease, donning his hollow mask.
"What the hell am I, Orihime? Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy? But I was born human. Or at least I think I was." His voice had morphed into its two-toned, hollowfied state, but even then, Orihime could hear the sorrow within it. "I've been training so hard to get stronger, but for what? My powers don't make a single bit of difference in any of the fights I'm in, and I constantly have to rely on others to protect the people I care about. I'm so damned useless."
Orihime slowly walked up behind him, and draped her arms over his shoulders, bringing her face close to his. She didn't know why, but it just felt right to do so, just like when she had embraced her brother Sora as he had tried to devour her. Ichigo didn't react to her contact.
Although his hollowfied reiatsu was not on the level of Madara's or even Nnoitra's, it was still strong and sinister, but she didn't fear it anymore.
"Don't you feel the same about me?" She said in a small voice.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm so useless. I couldn't do anything for you guys when you rescued Rukia except watch as Uryu sacrificed everything to defeat Captain Kurotsuchi… I wasn't there to heal you when you were injured by Grimmjow in his first attack, and just today, I ran out of reiatsu and couldn't heal Madara earlier. I'm-"
"Stop, Orihime. Your parents were just normal people, yet look how far you've come from just a regular high school girl. Only a few months ago you couldn't even see spiritual beings, and now you're being fought over by the most powerful beings in existence." Orihime blushed at Ichigo's praise, and he continued. "My Dad was a Shinigami Captain, and my Mom's a Quincy that survived the genocide. I don't even have any Quincy powers, and trying to awaken my Shinigami ones somehow managed to turn me into this… abomination." He waved his hand again and the mask disappeared.
Orihime rested her chin on Ichigo's left shoulder, and closed her eyes with a small smile. "You're not an abomination, Ichigo. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that you're part Shinigami, part Quincy and also part Hollow just makes you unique. Special… One of a kind, you know?" She said softly into his ear. "It doesn't matter who your parents are… Or who your grandparents are or whatever. You're you, and you'll always be Ichigo to me," she said with a smile.
"Orihime… Thank you. That means a lot to me."
She opened her eyes, and almost jumped out of her skin when she saw that Ichigo had turned so he was face to face with her. Their noses were so close they were almost touching, and she could feel his breath tickling her neck. She swallowed nervously, and her eyes flicked back and forth between his mouth and his eyes.
She leaned forward.
And recoiled as she felt Madara's released reiatsu crash down upon her. Ichigo stood suddenly, eyes fixated on a column of crimson light that was flaring not too far from the village.
"Come on, let's check that out," Ichigo said.
Land of Fire - Valley of the End
Madara took his position at the center of the valley, and Harribel stood ten paces before him.
He drew his zanpakuto. "Dream, Luna Carmesi."
Harribel let out an involuntary cry of surprise, as her knees threatened to buckle under the force of Madara's reiatsu.
"Hunt, Tiburon," she declared, also drawing her zanpakuto.
Madara grinned; "Swords only?"
Harribel shrugged. "Fine by me." And dashed forward toward Madara.
Madara could not help but smile as it looked to him as if Harribel was moving in slow motion. This is far too easy. I feel ten times stronger than I was, even in my prime! He grinned savagely, before ducking a swing and slashing forward with his scythe. Harribel sidestepped, knocking his scythe aside and lunging forward with a riposte, which Madara caught on his gunbai. She tried to sweep out his legs, but Madara somersaulted over her, and before she knew it, she was caught in his chains.
Madara smirked, before untying her. "That was a trick I had intended for Hashirama when I was preparing for our final clash upon these very stones. But the bastard was too smart to fall for it."
Harribel grunted, before lowering Tiburon. "I yield. There is no point continuing this further."
Madara raised an eyebrow. "This is the extent of your power?"
Harribel flashed him a glare; "For now."
Madara looked at her contemplatively, analyzing her reiatsu. It was easily the most stable of any of the Espada he had faced thus far. "So you wish to become stronger, Harribel?" He asked seriously.
She stood straighter. "Of course."
"I believe I know a quick way to make that happen. Close your eyes and concentrate on your surroundings. Focus on the natural energies around us, and draw them within you, as if regulating your reiatsu." He closed his eyes, and frowned slightly as if concentrating.
Harribel opened her Pesquisa, and gasped slightly as she saw reishi particles flowing into Madara from all around them. She almost recoiled when he sensed that even her own reiatsu emanating off of her was being absorbed by Madara. Then, as his spiritual pressure grew considerably denser, the familiar black markings she had seen on Hashirama appeared around his eyes, and he opened them.
"Here in the Elemental Nations, we call this 'sage mode,' but it's essentially just absorbing and controlling nature's energy. It shouldn't be too difficult if your reiatsu control is half decent," he explained.
Harribel nodded, and closed her eyes. She extended her Pesquisa as far as she could, concentrating on each and every speck of energy around her.
"That's it," Madara said. He had activated his Rinnegan to be able to see what she was doing. His head throbbed harder in response to his dojutsu. "Now imagine all this energy is yours to control. Command it just like your own reiatsu."
Harribel did just that, and her heart began to beat faster as she felt her own spiritual pressure increasing. She frowned, lips pressed into a hard line in exertion as she took in more and more of the ambient energy around her.
"Very good, Harribel!" Madara said as he saw the lightning bolts tattooed on her face growing darker and extending up to frame her eyes. The ache in his head was still growing in intensity, but he tried to concentrate on Harribel. Maybe I just need some rest. "Now, once you've stabilized the energy, come at me with your full strength."
Madara flared his own reiatsu, preparing for her attack, before his vision suddenly distorted, and a splitting headache sent him to the ground. "Madara!" Harribel and Nel cried in unison as he fell.
"Madara Uchiha." A deep, sinister voice rumbled throughout his head.
He blinked, and his surroundings suddenly became a plain, white void as far as the eye could see. "W-what?" He stammered, trying to regain his bearings. "What is going on? Who are you?! Show yourself!" Madara demanded. The sheer nothingness around him was disorienting, but he could tell from the pressure beneath his feet that he was standing. He tightened his grip around his weapons, glad that they were somehow still in his hands.
"...Hmm." The voice seemed to reverberate throughout the entire dreamscape, before a shadow began to form in front of Madara. Within seconds, it had taken on the shape of a mouthless man with sickly yellow orbs for eyes.
Madara brought his weapons to bear against the creature. "What are you, and where have you taken me?" He demanded.
"This is your inner world, Madara Uchiha. My name is Zetsu. I was once the will of the Sage of Six Paths."
"The Sage of the Six Paths...? What are you doing here? What do you mean my inner world?" Madara's voice had taken on more of a curious tone, now.
"This is the world that exists within your soul, Madara Uchiha. If you will land to exist beneath our feet, so it shall be. If you wish the sky to be above us, then so too, it will be.
Madara's eyes widened, and he lowered his weapons. He looked beneath his feet, envisioning the barren, rocky ground of the Valley of the End. To his surprise, the void began to change, and instantly morphed to take the form of his imagination.
"You have read the Uchiha stone tablet, left by my old master... What did you make of it? What is your desire, Madara Uchiha?" Zetsu asked. Walking toward him.
Madara looked up toward the red moon that he had created in his dreamscape. "Once I have become the Jyuubi Jinchuriki, I will unite the Shinobi world."
The creature stopped before him, yellow eyes boring into his own Rinnegan.
"And I will share eternal peace and happiness to all who will partake, in the form of the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
The creature smiled, gradually sinking to one knee. "How very noble of you. I did not imagine that there would be a being such as you, who could approach the Sage's power without even having absorbed the Ten-Tails. Your desire aligns with his. To that end, I am now… The will of Madara Uchiha." The creature knelt before Madara, humbly bowing its head.
AN: Sorry for those of you who have messaged me asking where I've been; just taking a holiday during the easter break heh. Updates will be more regular again from now. I'm aiming to write longer chapters as the story evolves and becomes more complex, though, so please don't worry if I don't update for 4-5 days :P This story will not be dropped and I intend to finish it before TYBW part 2 anime starts. The plan is to end this fic before the quincy invasion, and then possibly start a part 2 after the anime finishes so any new anime canon can be accounted for.
Anyway, less action, more development this chapter.
Thanks to everybody for their support, please leave a review if you've enjoyed this so far etc etc.
Responding to reviews:
Guest: I am definitely not going to drop this! 1 billion % will finish it.
Obama: Madara in canon doesn't (as far as I can recall) copy anything with his sharingan/rinnegan. He probably could, and maybe I'll think of a situation where it's useful, but it's not in the plans at the moment.
Witcher: Madara's full power will be revealed soon :P and other characters are going to get power ups of their own. Hopefully all the powerups will make a certain amount of canonical sense (e.g Harribel's little lesson on sage mode) but I intend for all the main characters to stay relevant, power wise.
MadaraLimboClone: Lol you really have too in-depth knowledge about Madara's abilities. I honestly hadn't thought of the human path absorption much, but now that you've brought it up I do have a scene later in mind where it will be quite useful :P
otakusage: Tobirama's involvement in the story is not over, but that's all I'll say on that point for now :P. Also, Ichigo is definitely going to become stronger very soon. I just want to make sure things happen organically, and the progression of events makes sense.
Anyway, until next time! Next chapter won't take nearly as long.
