Hōōden (鳳凰殿, Fenghuang Palace)
"The Chōkaimon that sent you to the World of the Living can't be opened with setting a strict round-trip time limit. The palace lord planned to bring you back after one night from the start. He said if nothing changed overnight, it'd be useless no matter how long we waited," Mera explained, unceremoniously tossing Ichigo down into the pit.
Ichigo bounced comically twice before landing on his face, skidding with his cheek in the dirt. With a groan, he pushed himself up and dusting himself, shooting a glare at the two standing at the top. A sly smile appeared on Nimaiya's face as he sized Ichigo up; the teen stood taller, and despite the glare, his brown eyes held determination.
"You look good. You should be able to do it now."
Ichigo turned to face the black sea of Asauchi ahead. Just three days ago, it was incredibly daunting being surrounded by Asauchi, but now? It was nothing to him. As Ichigo took a step forward, the Asauchi took one back, making a path for Ichigo. At the end of it was a kneeling Asauchi, his arm extended as if he were a subject waiting for his king. Ichigo stopped in front of it, studying it for a moment before taking its hand in his. The moment Ichigo's hand touched the Asauchi's, its black 'skin' peeled away to reveal a pure white Asauchi with a remarkably familiar mask covering its face.
It was the same mask that donned Ichigo's whenever his life was in danger. The same mask that taught him the Final Getsuga Tenshō. The same mask that disappeared when his spiritual powers waned, leaving him alone. The same mask that had been silent since getting them back. He almost hated to say that he missed the Hollow inside him; it was part of him, right?
"You," Ichigo whispered, pulling the Asauchi to its feet. It made no sound, only slightly tilting its head when it stood. Their eyes met; Ichigo recognized the golden irises surrounded by black sclerae staring back at him. Black pupils punctured the gold, a glint in its eyes shimmered. "Zangetsu…"
A faint voice echoed in Ichigo's head. It sounded as if the voice was coming from underwater, calling to him. Ichigo twitched his ear muscles to hear the voice again, but Nimaiya's voice called from above.
"Niiice… c'mon up! Ill personally reforge it for you."
Suddenly, Ichigo found himself diving headfirst into a large spring of water. Zangetsu followed behind him, falling while cross-legged into the water. Ichigo struggled standing up, due to coughing lungfuls of water. Finally able to breathe, Ichigo wrung his clothes of water, glaring at Nimaiya and Mera in front of him. Where did the water even come from?
"Sheesh, to dive headfirst even after I warned you of the dangers?" Nimaiya snickered. "I now see the true warrior in you."
"Shut up! You were the one who shoved me!" Ichigo rebutted, a vein popping in his forehead and he pointed and shook his finger at Nimaiya and Mera.
"Forget about that already. Take a look yo!" Nimaiya brandished his arms in a grand flourish as he walked towards the center where a forge sat. The sound of rushing water and mist filled the air. Ichigo looked past him, astounded by the massive waterfalls circling the cliff they were standing on. "This is the reason why Hōōden was built on a cliff! A bankai can't be forged without these waters!"
Nimaiya's face shadowed with seriousness, exuberance gone. "And listen well, Ichigo. This is where you'll bid adieu to Zangetsu!"
"What the hell!?" Ichigo's eyes widened, an arm extended protectively in front of Zangetsu. "I've already done that before! What are you getting at!?"
"Everybody, are you ready!? Welcome to my… shooooooow!" Ignoring Ichigo, Nimaiya posed extravagantly, crossing his arms, and bringing them up, hands up in a sign similar to a rock n' roll pose of the devil's horn.
From behind Ichigo and Zangetsu, five women jumped up high in the air. Upon their descent, all five women beat up Nimaiya–one elbowed him in the face, another karate-chopped him across his back, one knocked him over, another snapped his pinky finger before the last stomped on him. Ichigo stared at the scene with major concern and terror before deadpanning when they introduced themselves:
"The Nimaiya Bodyguards are here!"
Nimaiya pushed his head from the ground. "What're you staring at…?" he asked pointedly to Zangetsu. "When I said 'everybody,' that included you, too, Asauchi." Nimaiya pointed his hand up, a screw hole appearing in Zangetsu's chest before turning into flaming orange energy that transformed into a blade. Ichigo reached out lamely for Zangetsu.
The pink-haired girl, Nomino Nonomi, jumped to a stone pillar and, with exceptional speed, hollowed out a funnel for Nimaiya's forge. Mera used explosive fire-breath to kick-start the forging process. A dark-blue haired woman, Tonokawa Tokie, sniffled and tears started rolling down her face as she held a basket over a basin that Nonomi created. The empty basket in her hands emptied water into the earthen basin.
"I don't want to do this… What a drag. Why am I involved in this kind of mess again? What a horrible life," she whined.
Nonomi responded, "What do you mean, Tokie-san!? This is your job!"
The blonde hair of Hashihara Hasuka shot through the air, chasing after Zangetsu. After a few moments of chase, it grabbed onto the energy and threw it down onto the anvil. The last girl with black hair, Tsuchiyama Tsumiko, pulled down the bandages around the lower half of her face and snapped a premolar and crushed it in her hands. When she pulled her hands apart, a large black mallet formed.
Nimaiya pulled his hair back and removed his sunglasses and vest, taking the mallet from Tsumiko. "Now, let's get started." Hasuka served as an assistant, using her hair as the tongs to hold the hot metal. Nimaiya brought the mallet high over his head, and with a mighty swing, struck against Zangetsu with a vibrating gadoom!
As Ichigo looked on, concern washed his features as Nimaiya pounded the hot metal.
"What are you thinking as you watch, Go-Ichi?"
"Uh… well, it's much brighter now, so maybe you should've left your sunglasses on…?" Ichigo was taken aback by the new nickname but confused about the question.
"Fool!" A swing and sparks flew from Zangetsu and glowed a bright orange. Sweat dripped down the sides of Nimaiya's face and either side of his nose. "If I kept my sunglasses on, I wouldn't be able to see the color of the flames!" Another swing. The flames grew into a bright yellow as Zangetsu turned white.
"Have you figured it out Go-Ichi? The reason why this Asauchi turned white the moment it touched you. Perhaps you thought to yourself that it's just like the Hollow in you." Nimaiya submerged Zangetsu into a basin of water, steam rising rapidly across the floor.
Ichigo stood in silence. He didn't want to lie and say that it hadn't crossed his mind. It was like he instinctively knew it was Zangetsu when he walked up to the Asauchi. But he couldn't quite understand why it was Zangetsu. Or perhaps he did already know but wanted confirmation.
"That's right. This guy is the Hollow inside you. I had the Asauchi become the catalyst to draw this zanpakutō out. Do you understand what that means? The Hollow is your zanpakutō, Go-Ichi! The method that Aizen created the Hollow named White, from layers of countless shinigami souls, is oddly the same of how my Asauchi are created."
Ichigo's eyes widened, silently putting together what Nimaiya was saying. Zangetsu still glowed white as Hasuka placed it back on the forge, Nimaiya continued his striking.
"That Hollow entered your body and melded with your natural shinigami powers. It became your zanpakutō. You already know about the man who's been pretending to be a zanpakutō inside your soul! You've seen that man up close with your own eyes, quite recently too, as the enemy who destroyed the Soul Society! He is not your shinigami power, but your Quincy power! Taking the form of Yhwach from a thousand years ago!"
Ichigo was in his inner world—white clouds drifted along the blue skies; bleached skyscrapers laid sideways. The buildings had an air of familiarity; they were the same buildings found in Karakura Town, reaching great heights in this world. As Ichigo touched down on one of the skyscrapers, he spotted his zanpakutō spirit standing hundreds of feet away.
'I've been trying not to think about it,' Ichigo pondered, his mind flooded with whispers of doubt and sorrow from that fateful day. 'That day, when I first stood face-to-face with him, it felt like I was drawn there. I tried not to think of why that was.'
Memories flooded back; the chill of the rain and the initial confrontation with Yhwach washing over him again. 'Why did I go straight to him without knowing a thing? Why did I recognize him as the most important enemy? And why did the first time I saw him remind me of somebody I know?'
The black-clad man stood stoically with eyes closed, his ragged overcoat billowing with the wind. The brown semi-transparent sunglasses on his sharp nose did nothing to obscure the familiar features. Yhwach's image superimposed over Ossan's in Ichigo's mind, then fading away into dust. Ossan finally opened his eyes, striking blue through the sunglasses. Weren't they always brown? Ichigo's heart thrummed in panic in his chest. It can't be that Ossan… No, Ossan was Zangetsu. He always said so. Right?
No, it was the Hollow who always insisted that he was Zangetsu. That the old man was the impostor. If Nimaiya was right about the Hollow being his zanpakutō, shouldn't he also be there? Ichigo took a step towards Ossan, or was it Yhwach?
The blue skies blackened, clouds growing heavy before dropping a deluge upon them. The clear blue of skies morphed into an ominous shade of grey, almost black. Amidst the rain, Ichigo called out for Ossan, but his voice was drowned out by the downpour.
Ossan looked up at the storm, his own words replaying after granting Ichigo a second chance against Zaraki Kenpachi.
"Ichigo, do you know how I hate rain? And it rains in this world, too," he had said. A frown tugged at the corners of his lips, remembering the rolling thunder and the flicker of lighting. "If your heart is troubled, the skies will become cloudy. If you grieve, it will rain ever so easily. I can't stand it. I wonder if you can understand the fear of being rained on in this lonely world. Should you place your trust in me, I won't let any rain fall on this world."
"It's as you were told, Ichigo. And I… am not Zangetsu," Ossan replied, his deep voice carrying over the downpour.
With that, Ichigo's inner world was completely submerged in water. The building they were standing on split in half, crushed by the weight of the water. Other buildings followed suit—debris littering the greyed-out ocean, jagged concrete blocks slowly cascading into the deep. Listlessly floating, Ichigo stared at Ossan a distance away; Yhwach and Ossan's images constantly switching in Ichigo's vision. The pressure of the water bore down on Ichigo, but he fought against it, refusing to lose himself in the storm of his thoughts. He demanded to have answers that he desperately sought.
"Are you really Yhwach, are you really not Zangetsu!?"
Ossan took a moment before replying, "I am the source of the Quincy power inside of you. I am Yhwach and I am not Yhwach."
Ichigo petulantly shook his head as frustration flared; he was practically so close to throwing a tantrum. Why did he have to speak in riddles? "I don't understand! Are you my enemy or are you my friend!? Was everything you told me a lie? Are you—" Ichigo screwed his eyes tight, a sinking feeling growing in his belly as his throat constricted and his voice betrayed him, "Are you the one who killed my mom?!"
Ichigo felt like he would rather drown in this world. It was one thing for revealing the real reason for his mother's death, but it was another thing entirely when the person responsible is his own zanpakutō spirit! The sinking feeling in his belly slowly bubbled into anger as Ossan/Yhwach stood in silence. His upper lip curled into a sneer as he shouted, "Answer me!"
"I am not your enemy nor am I your friend. I did not kill your mother and yet I did. There are no lies in my words or in my heart; the exception was the name I told you," Ossan replied, each syllable of his words repulsing against Ichigo's anguish.
"I know you've noticed, Ichigo. You're not daft. When I taught you how to handle a zanpakutō, I always had the help of the Hollow. When you couldn't handle the power of your zanpakutō, when you were truly on the verge of losing your life, your life was not saved by me but by the Hollow. I didn't want you to become a shinigami. That is why I suppressed your true power, which had not full matured, and I became the center of your power."
Memories of all of Ichigo's past battles replayed in his mind, recounting all the instances the Hollow was there for him. How even when he died, not once but twice, Ossan wasn't the one who saved him, it was his Hollow. A faint voice called out again—it still sounded as if underwater, but it was louder, closer.
Questions ripped through Ichigo's mind, words going a million miles per second, but he was unable to articulate anything more than a "Why?" whispered weakly.
"I did it because I wished to keep you far from danger and from conflict. What is there to question? If you became a shinigami, you would be dragged into battle whether you wanted to or not. You would get hurt, you would suffer. Eventually, I would be forced to kill you with my own hands."
The old man's words hit a nerve; Ichigo's fingers twitched at his sides before forming into tight fists. His nose crinkled in anger and a scowl wrinkled his features. It didn't matter whether or not the man in front of him was responsible for his mother's death; it was more than enough that he resembled the man.
Somewhere in the vast ocean of the world, a presence flickered—like a candle wick, it sparked quickly and gradually grew into an echoing cackle, rage and malice filling the space. Without warning, Ichigo was pulled deeper into the water, Ossan's unmoving figure shrinking as he sank. The cackling didn't cease, only continued to grow louder in the black surrounding Ichigo.
Eventually, Ichigo was able to reach the bottom as his feet found purchase on something solid. In front of him, a white luminescent ripple broke the water; a figure slowly revealing itself with black water dripping off them.
The echoing laughter ceased when Ichigo finally called out, "Zangetsu."
Zangetsu sighed and stretched his arms, bending at the waist to remove the kinks. "Finally! Jeez, I was starting to think you would have rather forgotten me… And after everything we've been through together? I'm hurt, aibō," he quipped, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a playful spark in them.
"What the hell, are you sure it was me ignoring you, or maybe it was you ignoring me!" Ichigo had a smile that broke free before quickly pursing his lips and looking to the side, only a little agitated at his spirit's accusations.
Monday April 1 2002 – Karakura Town
The fragrant cherry blossoms painted the town in vibrant pink, signaling beginning spring and the beginning of the school year. In the aftermath of the battle of Fake Karakura Town, the real town had suffered some damage: a few buildings had collapsed partially, a small number of streets were littered with cracks and craters. The news had explained that the cause of the damage was due to an unusual earthquake. Until the repairs were completed, all schools had been closed from the winter to the spring.
It had been roughly four months since Ichigo recovered from his coma, and Ichigo never thought that the world around was so peacefully quiet. Though that didn't stop him from jumping up from his seat, reaching for his badge when he thought he heard the howl of a Hollow. Which may have happened more than a handful of times…
Inés had suggested, more than a few times, to relearn his katas as a form of meditation. So at least twice a week, Ichigo would return to Tatsuki's family's dōjō, the same one Inés attended, and relearn katas from Inés. Unfortunately, while he retained muscle memory from when he was a child, Ichigo couldn't stay focused on the forms and would often end up sparring with Inés. The results of those bouts would split about evenly, though Ichigo did find himself slightly more on his back on the tatami.
School let out for the day and Ichigo would walk home by himself for that day; Chad was busy with his part-time job at the Gonzalez gym and Inés had a doctor's appointment at Karakura General. Ichigo's long legs dragged him to a nearby playground that was surprisingly empty. Well, there were kids, but it was only a pair of siblings playing soccer at the other end. On his left was a large and sturdy hinoki, or Japanese cypress, its thick trunk and towering build indicative of longevity.
Ichigo decided to sit at the base of the tree, leaning back on the trunk. Through the bark, light citrus and earthy notes wafted in the air, evoking a sense of deep calm. With steady deep breaths, Ichigo crossed his long legs as best he could, laying his hands against the side of his knees and closed his eyes. The gentle breeze that rustled the branches faded into the background after a few minutes and the orange light against his eyelids darkened.
When he opened his eyes again, he could not recognize where he was. In front of Ichigo was not the inner world that was turned sideways; there were no buildings, just nothingness. As he took a step forward, it felt like he was walking in molasses; there was so much resistance–was the air that thick, or was his world submerged in dark waters? He continued to struggle wadding, trying to call out Zangetsu's name but the words were caught in his throat.
Defeated, Ichigo opened his eyes, returning to the real world. The setting sun painted the skies in pink and purple, the sun a deep orange as it began its descent into the horizon. Groaning, Ichigo patted his clothes of dirt and threw his schoolbag over his shoulder. He hated to admit it, but he missed the old man and maybe even the hollow…
–
Despite what it took to get a semblance of his powers back, Ichigo was elated to have a sword in his hands again after nearly a year and a half. Fullbring wasn't his shinigami powers, but at least now he could protect his loved ones again. He no longer had to stand by and watch Chad or Uryū hide wounds that Orihime wasn't around for. He could participate in fighting with them again. In defending his home, his town.
Over the past year, Ichigo kept the habit of training at the dōjō, the practice of katas became second nature to him now. The biggest improvement, especially since unlocking his Fullbring, was his focus; the number of sparring matches between him and Inés had declined steadily, though there were times where Inés was the instigator, and more matches ended in draws.
It was the end of another school day and this time he walked home with Inés. On their way, they made a detour to the playground nearby; the same one where he attempted to communicate in his inner world. The hinoki tree emanated the same balmy citrus scent; they sat at the base, with Inés giving Ichigo space with his long legs. She pulled out a notebook from her bag as Ichigo leaned back, cross-legged. The light scratching of a pencil against paper and rustling leaves faded into the background as Ichigo delved into his inner world again.
At least this time, he was able to recognize the landscape; the bleached concrete buildings returned in the sideways world and thick clouds populated the skies. Ichigo was able to walk around the world with ease, but there was still no sight of Ossan or the hollow, no matter how long he called for them. He chewed the inside of his cheek in indignation though he was willing to give the benefit of a doubt that it was too early to try to talk to them. Perhaps they still needed time to regain their strength.
"No luck again?" Inés asked, closing her notebook when she noticed Ichigo had returned. Wordlessly, Ichigo shook his head, almost dejectedly.
"No, but I'll keep trying." Ichigo stood, stretching his back, joints cracking at the release.
If Ichigo had waited just a few more seconds, he would've heard whispers echoing from the farthest reaches of that world. Although he did try a handful of times, he always left just a few seconds too early.
With the time apart, Zangetsu's demeanor changed. Zangetsu was softer around the edges. His laughter that echoed in the space, while menacing it truly lacked the bite it had before. Perhaps it was due to the time apart from each other, or maybe this was one of the few times Ichigo's life wasn't in peril. While it was slightly strange for Ichigo, he couldn't help but feel that this was the real Zangetsu–not a bloodthirsty maniac, but rather the other half of Ichigo, a dutiful protector.
"There's something I have to say to you, Zangetsu," Ichigo started, looking back at Zangetsu's golden eyes. "I'm sorry for all the times I pushed you away, treated you like an enemy. I was wrong for that. It took me far too long to understand that I could never escape you. How can someone escape themselves? I was just too weak, too afraid to admit it."
"What was it that you said before? Something about doubts being traitors?" A hint of amusement danced across Zangetsu's lips. "Ah, I remember: 'Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win but fearing to attempt.' You feared me, ergo, you feared yourself."
Ichigo chuckled to himself; never did he think his own Hollow would quote Shakespeare back at him. He extended a hand towards Zangetsu resolve swirling in his eyes, "Aibō?"
"You're the King and I'm the horse, a loyal steed to the end." Zangetsu took a step closer to Ichigo, taking Ichigo's hand. "I am Zangetsu, just as you are Zangetsu. I am the blade; the blade is you."
The Hollow's form faded and the world around them shifted; just as Ichigo was plunged into the deep earlier, he was now soaring through the depths. As he climbed, rays of sunlight glimmered until he burst through the surface like a geyser. Ossan's towering figure materialized before him, sun rays gleaming.
"How do you want to do this, King?"
"Zangetsu!" Ichigo called out, his right hand open.
A zanpakutō materialized in his palm, a long, obsidian khyber knife; it was not unlike his shikai. A thin, hollow-out portion ran along the back edge of the blade from the base to the middle. The blade gleamed as Ichigo examined his new zanpakutō; it felt different and yet it was familiar. A confident smile split his face as he pointed his blade at Ossan.
"You wish to fight, Ichigo?" Ossan's deep voice echoed as he summoned a blazing blue blade at his side. "Then, so be it."
The water surrounding them bubbled in anticipation, tension crackling. A rumbling pulse in his chest, Ichigo glanced around the ruins of buildings that jutted from the depths. His fingers tightened around the handle, and with a fierce roar, he dashed towards Ossan. The edge of Ichigo's khyber knife shimmered with a bright aura as he summoned the strength of his Hollow.
Ichigo closed the distance in an instant, swinging his blade down at the old man with all his strength. As the blade arched above him, a turbulent wave followed as if the waters were echoing his fury. However, Ossan side-stepped effortlessly while rising his blue blade to meet Ichigo's strike.
Vibrations radiated through the water as their blades met forcing Ichigo to take a step back, but he did not relent. Ichigo gritted his teeth, pushing harder against Ossan and broke the lock, spinning away for momentum. As he turned to face Ossan, Ichigo tossed a brutal volley of slashes directly at him, followed by a "Getsuga Tenshō!"
Ossan countered each strike with precision, his blue blade cutting through the water like a knife through butter. He even swatted away the Getsuga Tenshō towards a remnant of building, obliterating concrete and sending shockwaves through the water. Ichigo felt the sting of Ossan's might in his nerves, but the thrill of the battle spurred him on.
"C'mon King! It's not over yet!"
"Bankai!" Ichigo's voice thundered, the khyber knife morphing into the sleek black blade. Golden energy crackled around him, illuminating the ruins around them. Propelling himself forward, Ichigo drew Zangetsu behind him, "Getsuga Tenshō!" An enormous wave of golden energy burst from the top of his blade, barreling towards Ossan.
A radiant blue shield erupted in front of Ossan. Getsuga Tenshō crashed into the barrier, the collision illuminating the depths like a dying star and reverberated through the ruins. The backlash swept over Ichigo, pushing him back.
"Is this the limit of your resolve, Ichigo?" Ossan's voice echoed, unfazed by the collision.
Ichigo centered himself and with a deep breath, he shunpoed, instantly closing the distance. Tensa Zangetsu was raised high over his head, a wild swirling of energy forming at the tip.
"Getsuga Tenshō!" With a mighty swing, he sliced through Ossan's shield. Behind the split shield, Ossan faltered, his eyes narrowing then softened with defeat. Ichigo caught the change in Ossan's expression and was going to call out, but the shield exploded, enveloping them in turbulence.
Ichigo found himself forced to a knee, panting heavily. As the haze cleared, he saw Ossan standing only a few feet away, his form now flickering, barely held together. Ossan summoned his blue blade again, but this time in front of Ichigo. Confusion and curiosity mingled in Ichigo's expression as he watched as Ossan slowly unravel.
"You felt it as our blades met, didn't you, Ichigo? I did not want you to become a shinigami and yet you still chose that path. Through pain and suffering, you traveled down that path with your own free will. As I watched you grow, I could hear my heart waver. And now I almost feel joy in stepping away," Ossan's voice softening into a fatherly tone as he continued to fade away.
"Ichigo, you've grown strong. I was blessed to watch your growth right beside you. There is no greater joy. I am content…" Ossan's words came to a whisper, barely carried by the currents. As he gazed at Ichigo, Ossan was overwhelmed with emotion; closing his visible left eye, a single tear escaped from his lashes before he completely disappeared.
Light erupted from the blue blade in front of Ichigo. "What you've been using, Ichigo, is merely a fragment of your power I could not contain. You can fight with your own power. Take it; that is your true zanpakutō–that is Zangetsu."
A rush of energy coursed through Ichigo, surging into him like a tidal wave as his Quincy powers intertwined with his Hollow and shinigami powers. Ichigo felt the blood coursing in his veins and light erupted once more. As the radiance faded, his inner world returned to normal–the world still stood sideways, but the rain cleared, and the sun beamed down on Ichigo's face.
Ichigo floated weightlessly, staring at the returning clouds. 'Zangetsu, I won't ask for your help anymore. I won't tell you to stay out of my way either. I don't need you guys to fight with me; I will fight on my own, for myself. The blade is me.'
Ichigo was back in Hōōden, already walking towards Nimaiya's forge. Without hesitation, Ichigo reached into the flames as Nimaiya stepped back. The bodyguards protested, cautioning about the flames.
Nimaiya cut them off, offering to Ichigo, "I was thinking it'd be complete once your soul's been poured into it. Go on… pull it out, Go-Ichi! That is your zanpakutō!"
Ichigo pulled both arms back from the flames, the waterfalls evaporating as the forge's flames grew.
"What do you think, Go-Ichi? You think you can get along with your zanpakutōs?" Nimaiya challenged, replacing his sunglasses back on his face.
The blade in his right hand was the same blade he fought Ossan; in his left was a smaller blade, resembling more of a trench knife than a sword. It was also obsidian and had an enclosed handle acting like a hand guard. As Ichigo examined his new blades, the spirits of Zangetsu and Ossan appeared over Ichigo's shoulders, siding with their respective blades.
"Yeah, I'll get along just fine." A swell of pride and gratitude swirled in Ichigo as the blades shimmered in an ethereal aura. He crossed them, the metal gently sliding against each other with a high-pitched ringing before uncrossing them; sparks flew from the motion.
End.