章 11: Chapter 11: Sending a Message
*This fanfic belongs to Melkor's Mercy, i don't own anything*
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Soul Society, Sokyoku Hill XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Pure disbelief was the unanimous emotion shared by the vast majority of high ranking Shinigami present. Isshin's face was a mixture of terror and fury. The man balled his fists enraged, "Damn it! Getsuga Tensho!"
Ripping his Zanpakuto out of its sheath, Isshin swung Engetsu with full force towards the closing Garganta. His attack proved to be ineffective and too late as the wave simply went flying into the air. Isshin gritted his teeth as he shook with anger. Stabbing his blade into the ground he howled, "Ichigo!"
"Captain Shiba, control yourself…they're gone," Kyouraku was quick to intervene as he placed a hand on Isshin's shoulder. The dark haired former captain looked over the reactions of his fellow Shinigami. They were all staring at him with wide eyes and distrustful glares.
"Rukia, are you alright?!" Ukitake ran over to check on the condition of his Lieutenant. Thankfully, she appeared to be conscious still, but the raven haired woman was not in good condition. Unohana and Isane both ran to her sides as well and immediately began medical treatment.
As this happened, Yamamoto retrieved his Haori and approached Isshin with a stone-faced stare, "Captain Shiba…can you confirm that what White said is true? Is that creature truly your son?"
Minus Isane, and Unohana, everyone else turned to eye Isshin suspiciously as if he was somehow at fault for what just happened. The former captain glanced over the crowd and sighed, "He certainly looked like Ichigo…but with longer hair and those evil eyes."
"It used your trademark ability, Getsuga Tensho, against me in battle…" Yamamoto shook his head.
"You should have told us this sooner! White is your son?! That's ridiculous!" Soifon said condescendingly.
Byakuya stood up from Rukia's side and gave Isshin a quizzical look, "You mentioned your children were humans…and that your son had died in a hollow attack. How could this have come to pass?"
"I don't know…the night Ichigo died, he was attacked by a hollow. The only person who saw what happened was Karin…" the man trailed off.
Yamamoto raised a brow, "How long ago was his death?"
"Around two and a half years ago…Karin told me a hollow attacked Ichigo, and killed him. I don't see how it's possible for him to have become the same hollow that attacked Masaki decades ago. Unless…" Isshin shook his head.
"Unless what?!" Soifon demanded.
"You remember me mentioning that White did not die in a traditional way the first time I faced it correct? It tried to infect my wife through some strange type of hollowfication…but we managed to cure it at great expense. Masaki and I both lost our powers after that day," the former captain elaborated.
"What does that mean though?" Byakyua questioned doubtfully, "I am curious as to what your definition of 'cure' was?"
"When Masaki and I lost our powers, it was to suppress and eradicate the hollow. We had no reason to believe it unsuccessful after our powers went away. The only possibility that can explain this is perhaps White latched onto our son's soul somehow…before he was born." Isshin pieced together.
Byakuya looked a bit spooked by the man's revelation and held his head down, "Such a thing would be disturbing indeed…though it does explain how this could have happened."
Ukitake walked over and gawked at Isshin, "Are you saying that this hollow fused with your son's soul? How is that possible? What was he like before…he died? Did you ever sense any malicious instincts in him?"
The white haired captain's hesitation in speech was a clear sign that he was just as disturbed by the news as everyone else.
"Ichigo was spiritually adept from birth…I knew he would be since his mother and I both were as well. He had a mostly normal life, and was a good person. He might have been a bit of a hot head, but I always thought he'd make a good Shinigami since he usually helped Pluses. I just don't understand how he could have warped into that abomination," Isshin sighed.
"What else can you tell us about the original White, Captain Shiba?" Toshiro joined in inquisitively.
The man shrugged, "Not much…it fought like a Shinigami and was completely black. I don't know where the name White even came from. I don't know much about the nature of hollowfication, but I refuse to believe my son would willingly inflict this much damage. When he died…that darker part of his soul must have manifested. There's no way of knowing if that is in fact the same Ichigo as my son."
"Hollows are driven almost purely by instinct…the original White's personality may have twisted your son's into a completely new one. Not to mention…most are willing to do anything to survive," Unohana agreed.
"Don't even tell me you're trying to justify what just happened here! That hollow is serious threat to the Soul Society…no to the balance of everything. Whether he's your son or not, he needs to be brought down!" Komamura cut in. The massive wolf man was clutching his wounded side as he limped over towards the group.
Many of the others were surprised by his wolf like appearance, but nobody said anything about it. Isshin looked down shamefully, "I agree, Captain Komamura…I cannot overlook Ichigo's actions. I don't know what he has become, but I know that he must be stopped. I will not hesitate to do what must be done…"
Everyone watched Isshin intently, taking in his emotional, but serious remark as genuine. After a brief silence, Yamamoto spoke up, "He referred to himself as the King of Hollows…a title I find preposterous."
"What?!" Hitsugaya gasped, "can such a thing even exist?! Hollows are always killing each other…how could they possibly have a King?"
"White has a way of influencing other hollows…we've seen it before. If he manages to unite multiple Vasto Lordes against us, then we may very well be in serious trouble. Not to mention…with three rogue captains at his side, we will face a crippling disadvantage. Aizen's likely going to tell them all about our powers and defenses," Kyouraku sighed.
"We need to catch that monster and lock him away in Muken, if you ask me…" Soifon interjected seriously.
Kyouraku gave her a doubtful look, "I doubt that is the kind of hollow we could capture. But it may very well come to that, depending on how powerful he becomes."
"We need to act fast! The longer we leave that thing free to gather allies, the worse off we'll be," Komamura stated.
"Calm yourselves…he may be powerful, but we are not outnumbered. There has never been any proof to suggest that there's even a handful of Vasto Lordes in Hueco Mundo. What are the chances White could unite them all?" Ukitake questioned.
His remark was met with a few doubtful faces, but was soon overlooked as Yamamoto turned towards Rukia, "What was it that Sosuke Aizen took from Rukia Kuchiki?"
Answering his question, a painted face captain with a strange headpiece landed nearby, "That would be the Hogyoku, Captain Commander…"
Isshin's eyes widened, "We should probably bring Kisuke here to explain why Aizen would be after something like that."
"Send word for him immediately…tell former Captain Urahara that I will forgive his transgressions if he agrees to come out of hiding. It would appear his accusations against Captain Aizen weren't unfounded after all," Yamamoto gestured. Kurotsuchi immediately left upon hearing the command. His lack of questioning clearly indicated that he had been watching their conversation from afar or likely on video. His awareness to the situation appeared no different than the others.
Rukia, was somewhat more stable now and gave Isshin a weak look, "What did Ichigo want from me?"
"Don't call him that…I will not disgrace my own son's name any longer. That hollow's name is White…and he wanted the Hogyoku no doubt. If he was in league with Aizen, then he likely seeks to use it to empower himself…or others," Isshin sighed.
Kenpachi placed his sword over his shoulder and grunted in approval, "Well, now I have even more of a reason to kill that hollow."
"Don't be ridiculous…White would annihilate you Zaraki. Hell he could probably devastate any of us one on one. Minus the captain commander of course…" Soifon pointed out, "we're going to have to work together to bring him down. The way that other hollow helped White against Captain Yamamoto is proof enough that he's not going to fight fair. Hollows don't have honor, Zaraki."
"Bah…who needs honor? I just want to fight something that isn't pathetic. I could take him at full strength," Kenpachi boasted eagerly.
Kyouraku shrugged, "Suit yourself…he wasn't even trying and he nearly killed Jushiro and myself."
"That's what I'm talking about…finally an enemy that I can go full power against!" the spiky haired warrior grinned with bloodlust.
"We don't know the limit to his power yet…even without that Vasto Lorde's interference, he was going toe to toe with the Captain Commander. That is nothing to overlook here…" Byakuya cut in somewhat morbidly.
Ukitake glanced over at the head captain curiously, "How would you gauge his power now that you've faced him for yourself head captain?"
Yamamoto grunted in response, "It is difficult to say. His mission here was for the Hogyoku…had he come with the intent to conquer us, I might have had to use my bankai. I have not faced a hollow that powerful in many centuries."
Everyone jaw dropped at his response. "Y-your bankai?!" Toshiro gawked, "isn't that a bit overkill?"
"Perhaps not…" Kyouraku interrupted, "You saw what he did earlier…just look out there. His attack actually went through Sekkiseki stone and blew up half a district. Not to mention…that cero would probably incinerate anybody below captain level in mere seconds."
"How could his attack go through the barrier though?! That's impossible…" Soifon said morbidly.
"He's definitely more dangerous than any of us gave him credit for…we need to repair the barrier before the royal guards start to intervene." Kyouraku nodded.
"Shuunsui is right…" Ukitake agreed.
"So what now then?" Soifon asked glancing over at Yamamoto as if expecting him to already have a solution.
The old man sighed heavily, "With the loss of three captains, and the damage sustained here, I believe it necessary that we withdraw our forces for now. Captain Kurotsuchi will work on the repairs, while Captain Shiba retrieves former Captain Urahara. We may in fact need his aid if White chooses to bring his entire army next time. All available forces will oversee the repair of the barrier in the meantime…but first we must address the squads."
"Kisuke will know what to do…he might even have a better idea of what White's power is," Isshin nodded.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Rukia XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Several hours passed in the aftermath of Aizen's betrayal and Ichigo's infiltration. The entire Soul Society was on high alert and was now gathered in a large plaza. Standing on some sort of stage overlooking the massive crowd of Shinigami stood the majority of the captains.
At the front of the group was Yamamoto. He explained the attack to the rank and file troops to calm the chaos. Rukia was quick to notice the lack of several key details…namely Ichigo being Isshin's son. She couldn't help but think it was for the best. The last thing they needed was to alienate a captain as powerful as Isshin.
The raven haired woman herself was still gravely injured, but thankfully due to Isane and Unohana's quick response, she was recovering remarkably well. Nevertheless, the area where Aizen had ripped the Hogyoku from her body still hurt like hell.
Rukia turned away from the crowd as she noticed Isshin making his way for a senkaimon to the world of the living. She quickly pursued him, despite the movement limitations of her injury and managed to catch him before he stepped inside.
Isshin eyed her surprised as she stepped in front of him, "Excuse me, Captain Shiba…can I talk to you please?"
The man looked away with an uninterested expression, "Now's not really a good time Lieutenant Kuchiki…"
"Please? I just…well it's about that hollow. I promise this is important," Rukia persisted.
Sighing in defeat, Isshin motioned for Rukia to follow him through the spiritual doorway. As they entered, the two walked in calm silence for a few minutes. Thankfully the awkward silence didn't last long as Rukia took her cue to begin, "I don't know if you've heard about how White took me hostage a while back…that night he fought Captains Zaraki, Hitsugaya, Aizen, and my brother."
"I heard about that…" Isshin replied bluntly. He didn't follow up with any other comment leaving Rukia to cautiously rethink her next remark.
She glanced over seriously, "Well the part I didn't tell everyone is that when he took me hostage, he went to this graveyard…I can't remember the faces very well, but I could have sworn I saw your daughter Karin there."
Isshin's eyes widened as he looked over at her, "We were all there…it was the anniversary of Ichigo's death. Karin, Yuzu, and myself…you saw us?"
"Yes…I feel terrible for not saying anything, but I saw him go after Karin that night. Which is one of the reasons why I was shocked to see her in the Soul Society," Rukia explained slowly.
The former captain stared ahead blankly, "That's the night my powers came back…I thought I caught a fleeting glance of him, but until now I just assumed I was seeing things."
"If you don't mind me asking…why do you think White is so powerful anyway?" Rukia wondered.
"Well considering his heritage, it makes more sense. As his father I am a captain level Shinigami. His mother was a Quincy…and with White's soul combined with his own…it's likely he possesses the power of Quincy, Shinigami, and Hollow. Individually they're all powerful…but together I can't even imagine." Isshin replied seriously.
"Your wife was a Quincy?!" Rukia stuttered in disbelief. Isshin didn't even bother to acknowledge her question as he looked away. Knowing it would be unwise to press the issue, Rukia changed the subject.
"When he attacked the Academy, your daughter tried to confront him…he wouldn't kill her for some reason. It makes sense now…she's his sister," Rukia concluded.
Isshin seemed confused by her statement, "Ichigo always did care about his sisters…if there's even a shred of humanity left in him, then it would be for spared on those two. I need to speak with, Karin…and figure out the whole story."
"Is your other daughter safe?" Rukia questioned.
The man nodded, "I left her with Kisuke…she should be alright. If nothing else I'll ask Ryuken to watch her until Kisuke gets back."
"Why do you think Aizen betrayed us?" Rukia asked.
Isshin glared, "I couldn't say…I barely know him, but the guy did seem to have a fascination with hollows."
"Sorry to pester you with all these questions…" Rukia apologized as she clearly took the hint that he was annoyed. The rest of their walk was spent in silence.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hueco Mundo, Menos Forest XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Ichigo and company passed through the closing Ganganta, he let out a heavy sigh of relief, 'Finally out of there…it's good we left when we did...'
Aizen was quick to notice his expression, 'He must still be surprised by the news of his family being Shinigami.'
"Well that was quite the exit, Captain Aizen…I had no idea you intended to leave in such style," Gin chuckled. Kaname remained passive, but nodded in agreement, "It will definitely send them a message…"
"Ichigo…I must say, I rather liked the way you revealed yourself to them," Aizen grinned as he placed a hand on the hollow's shoulder.
Before he could even react in time, Ichigo had spun around and grabbed his wrist. The orange haired hollow squeezed it with incredible force causing Aizen to grimace in pain. The Hollow King glared at him, "Don't touch me, Shinigami…you knew about this didn't you? You knew my father and sister were Shinigami?!"
Kaname and Gin both reached for their blades, but hesitated, as Ichigo formed a cero in his hand, "I wouldn't do that if I were you…now then, Sosuke…why don't you explain this to me!"
Releasing Aizen's wrist, Ichigo chucked the captain back. He reached down and left his hand on the hilt of Zangetsu as he stared fearsomely.
Ulquiorra did the same, whilst Wonderweiss remained still. After a very uncomfortable silence, Aizen nodded, "Very well…I will explain what I know. Your father, Isshin Shiba, is the former captain of Squad 10. He lost his powers several decades ago…only recently did they return. As for your sister, I believe he came to enroll her in the Shinigami Academy a week or two ago."
"Let's make this perfectly clear before going back to Las Noches…You three answer to me. Not the other way around. If I ask you a question, or order you to do something, then you better do it. There are many hollows that would hate to see your kind wandering about like you own the place. You're all going to have to prove yourselves if you want any kind of authority here. Also…give me the Hogyoku," Ichigo said darkly.
Gin and Tousen both glanced over at Aizen, wondering how he was going to react. The captain eyed Ichigo uncertainly, "Why exactly? Do you not trust me to carry it? I don't believe you are aware of how to use it…so would that really be appropriate?"
"Don't make me repeat myself…" Ichigo said threateningly as he drew his blade halfway. As it lifted out of the sheath, black spiritual energy poured forth. Before he could fully draw it, Aizen pulled out the orb and walked over to him, "There's no need for that, Ichigo…here, you can carry it."
Upon grabbing the orb from Aizen, Ichigo sheathed his blade and shook his head, "Don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be…"
"Of course," Sosuke nodded respectfully, "I'm just used to running things, so forgive my stand off behavior. You made it perfectly clear that you are in command. We will respect that. Thank you for allowing us a place in your army."
Ulquiorra watched Aizen curiously, 'He seems too agreeable…why does that bother me? I better watch him from here on out.'
Gin shook his head and chuckled, "I don't believe we were properly introduced. My name is Gin Ichimaru. It's quite the honor to meet you in person. You should have heard the tall tales about you in the Soul Society. Your infiltration will likely demoralize them greatly."
'I don't know which one of these Shinigami seems more suspicious…Aizen or Ichimaru?' Ichigo wondered as he bluntly nodded at the foxy man. Kaname bowed his head respectfully, "I respect what you stand for, White. You have a strong sense of duty and honor from I've seen. Your justice also aligns with my own ideals. I have faith that you will make a good leader."
"Well, we should go break the news about you three to the rest of Hueco Mundo. Wonderweiss, Hooleer…you two are coming as well. Las Noches has more than enough room," Ichigo turned to leave the colossal cave. Everyone slowly followed him as he made his way back to Las Noches.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Karakura Town Graveyard, Yuzu XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Onii-chan…" Yuzu sighed sadly as she stared down at her brother's grave. The past few weeks under the tutelage of Uryu had proven rather interesting for her. The training was unlike anything she could describe, but thanks to her "natural skills" as Ryuken had come to call them, she progressed remarkably well.
She chose to visit Ichigo's grave today to clear her head. Uryu believed that she needed some kind of motivation or closure, so here they were. Staring down at the tombstone, she couldn't help but wonder where her brother's soul even went. Uryu had explained in vague detail that hollows dwell in a strange world called Hueco Mundo. Part of her wondered if it was possible that Ichigo was there.
To her side, stood Uryu himself. This was his first time visiting Ichigo's grave, and he seemed deep in thought as he stared down at it alongside Yuzu. The raven haired teenager broke the silence finally, "It's a shame he died…the world could definitely have used another Quincy."
"Ichigo was a caring person…he didn't deserve to die to a hollow. His death was so unfair…why'd it have to be him? What did that hollow want from him?" She shook her head sadly.
"You really loved your brother I take it? You never stop talking about him…" Uryu shook his head somewhat annoyed as met Yuzu's saddened gaze. The young teen stared up at him somewhat unhappy, "Everyone kept telling me that these things happen for a reason, and that he's in a better place! Where is he now?"
"Well my father theorized that the hollow sensed his emerging spiritual powers. Hollows consume the souls of their victims. If that's the case then your brother's soul is likely buried somewhere within Hueco Mundo," Uryu speculated.
Yuzu looked down again, "He's in Hueco Mundo after all?"
"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly did the hollow look like? The one that attacked your brother I mean?" Uryu asked curiously.
The girl shrugged, "I overheard Papa and Karin-chan describe it somewhat. I believe they mentioned it had forward facing horns and long hair. It also had markings over its black and white body. Papa called it White I think."
The older Quincy's eyes widened horrified, "What?! Wait a minute…I've seen a hollow by that description before. It was chasing some girl at a park. I tried to stop it but it easily overpowered me. It had long orange hair. It must have been the same one!"
"What?!" Yuzu gasped, "you've seen that hollow before?!"
"If your family's description is accurate then it would have to be the same hollow…at the time I had no idea what it even was. After some digging, and Shinigami espionage, I discovered that the hollow I encountered is actually quite infamous. The Shinigami have a name for it…they call him White. It is probably the same hollow," Uryu explained whilst simultaneously piecing things together.
The girl seemed frightened by the name, but nodded, "Then that's the hollow that killed Ichigo?"
Uryu nodded slowly, "If that's the case, then avenging your brother will prove quite difficult. The Shinigami I overheard talking about it described White as the most powerful hollow the Soul Society had ever encountered. Allegedly it took on multiple captains in battle…which would explain the vast spiritual signatures I sensed the night I encountered it."
"Why didn't that hollow kill you though?" Yuzu wondered.
Uryu shook his head, "I couldn't say…my father found me the next day. From what I can remember, the hollow seemed very interested in the girl it was pursuing."
"What did this girl look like?" Yuzu asked.
Uryu thought for a moment, "I believe she was around your age and had black hair. She wore it in a ponytail if I remember correctly."
Yuzu's eyes widened, "Do you remember what she was wearing that day?"
The Quincy shook his head, "Barely…she was dressed casually as far as I can remember. Though her shirt was black. I remember that much."
"That sounds like Karin…could White have been after her?!" Yuzu gasped at the thought of it.
Uryu seemed distraught, "Wait…so that girl was your sister? She's alive right?!"
Yuzu nodded, "Yeah…Karin-chan's gone off to the Shinigami Academy, remember?"
The older teenager frowned, "That's unusual…if that's the same hollow that killed your brother, why would it spare your sister?"
"How powerful is that hollow anyways? It took on captains?" Yuzu questioned surprised. Her recent exposure to the topic had been flooded with a wide range of random facts. The girl didn't know much about the Soul Society, but she knew that Shinigami Captains were very powerful.
Uryu shrugged, "I couldn't say…that hollow was a Vasto Lorde…the most elite evolution a hollow can achieve. I should have realized that before I recklessly attacked it."
"How much do you know about hollows?" Yuzu asked. Though Uryu had taught her much of the basics in the Quincy Craft, she was still ignorant to the nature of their enemy.
He glanced down at the ground, "I know fair amount…but if it's about your brother you're asking, then I am afraid I can't help you. No soul that is consumed by a hollow ever emerges from Hueco Mundo…at least not the same."
"So what happens after a hollow eats a person's soul?" she wondered.
Uryu glared into the distance, "Nobody knows that for sure…but if somebody is consumed by a hollow, they're pretty much lost to the pits of Hueco Mundo forever. I've never been there, but from what I've heard, it is a desolate, dark realm where only the strong survive. I'm afraid there's nothing we can really do for your brother if that's what you're wondering."
"I see…" Yuzu said sadly as she stared at Ichigo's grave. A brief image of his face flashed through her mind, as she remembered the last time she saw him. 'Ichigo…I promise one day that'll I'll find you. We'll be together again…and I'll never leave your side. You've always been strong for me…this time, I want to be strong for you.'
The light haired girl was so distracted in her thoughts, that she barely noticed the footsteps of somebody behind her. Yuzu could feel a certain uneasiness in the air, which immediately led her to suspect the arrival was someone with spiritual power.
Turning around slowly, her eyes met the gazes of two individuals. One was a tall blonde haired man with a white uniform. To his side was a woman she recognized as the Sternritter she met previously. Yuzu eyed them both suspiciously, "Umm…can I help you?"
Uryu immediately spun around in a graceful tension as he eyed the newcomers surprised. His jaw dropped, "Sternritters? What are you doing here?"
"Oi, it's Ishida…well isn't this nice. For someone not interested in his people's cause, you're awfully quick to take this rookie girl under your wing," Candice noted.
"Umm…you're the one that told me to find the Ishidas," Yuzu clarified.
"This better not be a waste of my time, Candice…I assume this is the girl you spoke of?" the blonde haired man asked.
Candice nodded, "Yeah that's her, Jugram, she's Yuzu Kurosaki…and that guy is Ryuken Ishida's son."
"So this is the one the master was interested in? And this girl is under his tutelage?" the man figured as he examined the two teenage Quincies.
"What are you doing here? Shinigami are crawling all over this city in case you haven't noticed," Uryu noted.
Candice placed her hands on her hip and laughed, "Not anymore…I just saw a bunch of them retreat. Thought it'd be the perfect time for Haschwalth and I to pay you guys a visit."
"I believe my father already turned you down," he said dryly as he pushed up his glasses.
"Maybe, but you never did give us your answer, Uryu…to be honest it's kind of insulting seeing rogue Quincies rejecting the authority of their betters. With the master returning, you had better know your place pretty soon," Candice said in a matter of fact way.
The blonde haired man held his hand up to silence Candice, giving her a stone faced glare while doing so. "Enough Candice…let me handle this."
She crossed her arms as the tall blonde man eyed Uryu and Yuzu curiously. After a brief silence he focused his gaze on Uryu intently, "The Quincies are a force to be reckoned with…I am Jugram Haschwalth, leader of the Sternritters. I represent the interests for our kind, and enforce the will of our grand monarch Yhwach. He has awakened and grows stronger by the day. So long as Quincy blood flowers through your veins…you owe him your allegiance."
"Yhwach? Father of the Quincies? But that's just a legend…" Uryu trailed off in disbelief.
"It is no legend, boy…His Majesty and his mighty Wandenreich is absolute in its power. I will give you an ultimatum…serve his majesty or die. If you are not with us, then you are no different than Shinigami in our eyes…" Jugram said calmly.
A heavy chill ran up Yuzu's spine as she reflexively reached for her cross. The blonde woman looked amused by the gesture, but the man appeared far more serious as he examined Yuzu closely.
"You told my father that our presence would not affect your plans…why threaten us now?" Uryu half-demanded.
The blonde man stared seriously, "Emperor Yhwach has no interest in your father…he wants me to recruit you."
"And if I refuse, you'll kill me?" Uryu said narrowing his gaze.
"You won't refuse…because unlike your father, you can see the justice of our cause. The Shinigami must be purged," he explained.
Uryu stared momentarily, "I'll talk to Yhwach…but if you don't mind my asking, Why is he interested in me?"
"You can ask him yourself when we arrive…" Jugram explained, before shifting his gaze to Yuzu, "as for the girl…Yuzu Kurosaki was your name correct?"
"Y-yes…" Yuzu nodded somewhat frightened.
He turned towards Candice curiously, "You say her powers recently manifested? How peculiar…did you know there were other Quincies here Uryu?"
"No…I had no idea until she showed up recently. Though she seems to know Ms. Catnipp. I wouldn't doubt her knowing Yuzu is probably related to the girl showing up and looking for my father," Uryu noted as he adjusted his spectacles.
Jugram glanced at Candice understandingly, before he looked back towards Yuzu, "I see…and you did not know her? I've never heard of anyone by the name of Kurosaki…you're clearly not a pureblood."
"No, I'm-" Yuzu was about to explain her halfbreed heritage before Uryu interrupted.
"She's not a pureblood, but her powers are quite strong. My father has taken a liking to her, and allowed me to train her," he explained.
Yuzu was quick to catch on to Uryu's diverting comment and nodded, "Yes sir…Uryu-kun and his father have been very helpful. I want to understand my powers so that I can better use them."
"Then you should come with us…I will let Yhwach decide your fate, girl," Haschwalth stated.
"W-wait…but I can't just…leave," Yuzu hesitated.
"Secure them Candice…we're going back to the palace," Haschwalth ordered as he turned to leave.
Yuzu seemed afraid, but Uryu placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, "Don't worry…you won't be alone. Let's see what they have to say."
"Your father said to stay away from these people though," she whispered near inaudibly. The raven haired Quincy gave her a serious look, "C'mon…it's not like we have much of a choice anyways."
Without another word, the two followed the powerful Sternritters.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Hueco Mundo, Ichigo XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
After a short trip along the Menos Forest, Ichigo stopped in his tracks and turned around, "Just a precaution…but I barely know anything about you, other than the fact that you three are Shinigami Captains. So you'll forgive me if I don't wholly trust you. Before we continue, I'd like to know more about who you three are and why you want my help in destroying the Soul Society," Ichigo explained.
Kaname was the first to respond, "My name is Kaname Tousen…former Captain of Squad Nine. I believe that the Soul Society is corrupted and I seek to show them justice."
Gin grinned as he spoke up next, "Well as I've said, I'm Gin Ichimaru. I commanded Squad Three. I have been following Aizen-sama for years, and still do. That is my reason."
'Somehow that seems a bit vague…I'll have to watch him just as much as Aizen,' Ichigo thought before turning towards Aizen himself.
The man sighed, "Well you know my name…I was the Squad Five Captain. I wish to overthrow the Seireitei and kill the Soul King."
"The Soul King?" Ichigo cocked his head confused, "who is that? I don't recall seeing a Shinigami that powerful, unless you're talking about Yamamoto."
"No, Yamamoto is merely the commander of the Gotei 13. That thing is the ruler of the Shinigami. It resides in the Soul Palace…in a realm separate from the Soul Society itself. It is normally impossible to reach unless you have an Oken," Aizen went into detail.
"So this Soul King is in a realm by himself? How does he rule your kind then?" Ulquiorra cut in confused.
Sosuke shook his head, "It doesn't…it sits atop the Reiokyu palace protected by Zero Squad. My goal is its death…I trust that is sufficient enough of an answer?"
"Not exactly…why would you want to kill him?" Ichigo shook his head, "how could you have ever even seen him if he doesn't leave his palace?"
"He's awfully curious…though I've wondered that myself Aizen-sama," Gin cut in as he opened his eyes fully.
The brown haired captain shook his head, "That is something I would prefer to tell you in private, Ichigo…"
"Very well…one more thing, before we depart though. What are you Zanpakutos capable of?" Ichigo asked.
All three captains slightly tensed upon hearing the question. Gin's widened eyes stared at Ichigo, 'Not only is he powerful, but he's smart enough to not let Aizen get one up on him. This Ichigo is definitely not a fool…'
"You're quite demanding of us," Kaname noted somewhat disapprovingly, but he immediately shut up when Ichigo's spiritual pressure rose.
Aizen immediately calmed the situation, "Of course we would be happy to tell you about our Zanpakutos. We could all demonstrate them if you'd like…"
"I would in fact…Gillians, move," Ichigo commanded the massive herd of Menos Grande to clear a path so that the three captains had room to show their Zanpakutos.
"Kaname…go first," Ichigo instructed.
The dark skinned man nodded as he took a step forward and released his shikai. It appeared to have the ability to produce sound as well as multiple rings that fired off like a barrage of blades. Ichigo found the display interesting, but quickly brushed it off, "Show me your bankai now…"
'This must have been Aizen's plan…he's going to use Kyoka Suigetsu against Ichigo. Clever…' Gin thought as Kaname released his bankai and explained its abilities.
Afterward, Ichigo nodded and glanced at Gin, "You're next…Gin,"
"Oh? We're on a first name basis already?" Gin chuckled light-heartedly as he took a step forward.
Ichigo nodded his head, "We can be so long as you don't do anything stupid…"
"Of course…allow me to show you my Zanpakuto," Gin grinned. After his release command his Zanpakuto appeared to grow in length. Following a brief explanation of its powers, Gin immediately followed up by releasing his bankai.
Ichigo watched somewhat impressed as the blade grew to a ridiculous length and cut every tree in the open direction down. He retracted the blade in what appeared to be a second before sheathing his Zanpakuto and walking back towards the group.
Aizen immediately passed him grinning with excitement, "Well since you're so eager to see my Zanpakuto, I will show you…"
"We should really be heading back to Las Noches…I don't trust those fools you left in charge will operate well in your absence," Ulquiorra dissuaded.
The hollow king nodded, "I suppose so…go ahead without me, Ulquiorra. Take Wonderweiss, Hooleer, and these other two Shinigami with you. I would like to talk with Aizen in private anyway."
"Very well…hurry back soon though," Ulquiorra nodded before motioning the others to follow him. The massive herd of gillians left with Hooleer as well.
Aizen nodded at Gin and Kaname, "Go with them…Ichigo and I will catch up shortly."
'Aizen-sama seems far too agreeable about all of this…I wonder what he has planned,' Kaname thought as he followed Ulquiorra, Gin, and the other hollows.
After everyone was gone, Ichigo stared at Aizen intently, "Show me your Shikai, Sosuke…I assume it's pretty powerful if you didn't take me seriously in the first place."
"You're very perceptive, Ichigo…I respect that. Allow me to show you…Kyoka Suigetsu,"
Drawing his blade, Aizen pointed it downward Ichigo stared at it for a moment uncertainly. Aizen smiled, "It has the ability to manipulate water. Quite a useful ability in opposition to the Captain Commander's fire. Observe…"
Aizen swung the blade and Ichigo watched as a torrential tsunami like wave fired from it and went crashing through the Menos Forest. He cocked his head, "And that's just your shikai? You're like the opposite of the Captain Commander then…I'm surprised you haven't tried fighting him yourself with something like that."
"All in due time…as for my bankai, it can-" Ichigo's mind completely blacked out as he lost all touch with reality. He looked around in pitch blackness completely overwhelmed by its sudden arrival.
"What the hell is this?! Aizen?! Where are you?!" Ichigo called out in the darkness. Then much to his shock, he appeared in the middle of some type of sideways city.
He landed atop a skyscraper of some sort…greatly resembling those in the World of the Living. His eyes followed it both directions. On one side below he saw a vast ocean of water "beneath" the sideways buildings, and the sky "above" appeared black as night with a red outline over what appeared to be a crescent moon.
He looked around confused, "What is this place? Where am I?"
"Your inner world…" a voice sounded out of nowhere. Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked around frantically for the voice's owner. It was unfamiliar, which greatly alarmed him.
After a moment of searching his eyes finally rested upon an unusual sight. In front of him was somebody he had never seen before. He had dark hair, blue eyes, and a black flowing outfit. His appearance was that of a young man, likely not much older than a teenager.
He had a passive look on his face as he examined Ichigo's confusion. "How did I get here?" Ichigo asked the stranger uncertainly.
Suddenly, the stranger's body began to change. An entire half of his body changed from black to white, as half a black hollow horn formed over it as well. One eye appeared hollowfied, while the other remained blue. The duality of his changed appearance greatly alarmed Ichigo as he reached for his Zanpakuto.
"Who are you?!" he asked again.
"You know who I am…you've known my name ever since you became an Arrancar," the stranger replied.
Ichigo glanced down at his sword which quickly disappeared. He looked up shocked as it was now in the unusual person's hand. He quickly figured out what that meant, "You're…Zangetsu?"
The half-hollowfied stranger nodded as he approached Ichigo. The sword in his hand disappeared as he did so, "You're quick to realize this…you have a strong bond with your own soul. That is good. It makes us both stronger."
"Why did you bring me here? Last thing I remember was Aizen showing me his Shikai…" Ichigo stated.
"I brought you in here because you're in danger…Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu is not what it seems," Zangetsu explained.
Ichigo cocked his head, "What are you saying?"
"There is only one way to know for sure what you see is real…you must absorb the Reishi around you. You must use your Quincy Powers," Zangetsu said seriously.
"Quincy Powers?! How the hell am I supposed to know use those? I'm not a…Quincy," he said the last part hesitantly as he remembered what Karin said about their mother.
"Am I?" Ichigo finished his statement uncertainly.
Zangetsu nodded, "I am the combined manifestation of your power…I am everything that makes you Shinigami, Quincy, and Hollow. You have the powers of all three…and you will need them if you intend to remain King."
"So then Aizen's Zanpakuto is some kind of trick?" Ichigo questioned urgently, "like an illusion?! You said I was in danger…let me out of here, I'll kill him!"
"Calm yourself…you need to be smart about this. If he realizes that you caught on to the illusion, you will lose your one and only chance to break free of it. A preemptive strike is the best thing you can do is break his illusion over you," the two sided being explained.
"How can I use my Quincy Powers then? I don't know anything about them…and how is that supposed to help me? I can just sense his powers anyways can't I?" Ichigo said distantly as he looked at his hands.
"You cannot always trust your five senses…sometimes you must use your inner eye to see through false realities. Aizen understands the nature of your Hollow and Shinigami powers…but he does not know what your added Quincy blood can do. You have a transcendent sixth sense…and it takes the combined powers of all three for you to use it," Zangetsu elaborated.
No sooner had the words left his mouth, did Ichigo see two distinct auras coming from either half of his body. The dark half of Zangetsu glowed blue and white, whilst his other white half glowed red and black. Ichigo watched with confusion as the two halves of his inner world suddenly began to clash.
The entire inner world dissipated right before Ichigo's eyes as he quickly found himself back in the Menos Forest. Aizen continued on in his demonstration, "And this is my bankai. It can absorb the moisture from within the bodies of others and-"
Ichigo tuned out Aizen's explanation as he blankly stared into the distance. The sight of the crashing wave seemed completely real…it even felt real, but something about what Zangetsu said led him to sense that it was not. Another strange feeling overcame his senses as everything began to fade. His sight faded, his hearing lessened, and soon he could sense nothing.
After a momentary absence of perception, he tried to instinctively do what Zangetsu said and absorbed nearby Reishi. As he did so, a faint glow appeared in his mind…and almost like a sixth sense, he could detect the reishi in a way he could not previously
Then suddenly, he felt an alien sensation within his mind. Nothing could wholly describe this mysterious new sixth sense, but for some reason, he could "see" the spiritual composition of everything else around him. (A/N: Sort of like how Neo could see coding in the matrix).
He focused on Aizen's Reiryoku and charged without hesitation. Grabbing Aizen's Zanpakuto by the blade, he drew his sword and plunged it forth, straight into the Shinigami's shoulder.
A split second later, reality returned to normal as he now stood behind an impaled Aizen with a bloodthirsty growl. Confirming the truth behind the illusion, Ichigo noticed a lack of water in the distance and twisted his blade, "You must think you're a genius…don't you, Sosuke?!"
Aizen was petrified in disbelief as he looked down at the white blade sticking through him. Ichigo ripped Kyoka Suigetsu out of Aizen's hand and threw the blade against the ground. Moments later he pulled his sword back and sheathed it causing Aizen to fall to his knees.
The captain grimaced painfully as Ichigo walked around in front of him. Aizen looked up with disbelief, "You…broke through Kyoka Suigetsu?! How?"
"I should cut you down right now, Aizen…you're already plotting against me?!" Ichigo growled as he grabbed the man's throat and held him at eye level.
The captain appeared both amazed and horrified by Ichigo's astounding immunity to his Zanpakuto. He stared into Ichigo's eyes for a brief moment and sighed, "Truly…you are beyond my expectations. Nobody has ever broken the perfect hypnosis…it affects all senses."
"I could see your composition in its rawest form. You shine like a torch compared to everything around here," Ichigo answered.
Aizen tilted his head confused, "Kyoka Suigetsu even affects one's ability to detect spiritual power. That would be impossible…unless you've gained transcendence."
"What?!" Ichigo demanded.
"Of course…I should have considered that. You're part Quincy, Part Shinigami, and Part Hollow…and as an Arrancar, you embody the perfect conditions to be a transcendent being. You have a sixth sense…you can physically see spiritual power in its true form can't you? Remarkable…you're truly fit to be King of the Hollows," Aizen noted calmly.
Ichigo released his grip on Aizen and stared at him confused, "For someone who just got caught in the act of deceiving me, you seem awfully casual about all of this. I'm done playing games with you! Tell me why you wanted this Hogyoku? Do you intend to use it against this Soul King somehow?"
"Yes…I do in fact, but first and foremost, we must create your Arrancar army," Aizen replied with a grin as he clutched his wound. It didn't appear fatal, but Aizen was still bleeding a decent amount from it.
"You need our help to kill the Soul King…but you never really explained why you wanted to," Ichigo stated.
Aizen looked serious now as he stared Ichigo down. After giving him a strange look, the former captain spoke distantly, "You're not ready to hear it…and I am not ready to tell you. I will not cloud your mind with such distractions."
"Why do you think I'm not ready?" he growled.
"Because you are impatient. If I tell you everything, you'll simply go on a rampage and get yourself captured. I recognize your power, but even you at your current level are not strong enough to face the dangers you would recklessly confront. Consider this for your own good…I'm protecting you against your own hot-headedness Ichigo. If you were to do anything stupid, the Soul Society could capture you and lock you away in Muken," Aizen calmed him.
Ichigo raised a brow, "What the hell is Muken?"
"It is the lowest level of the Soul Society's prison. There one is sealed deep beneath the Squad One Barracks. Originally it was created for traitors that could not be slain. I imagine it would be your fate should the Soul Society ever catch you…it restricts all spiritual power and renders one petrified deep underground in darkness…indefinitely," The man sighed.
"Is this your game, Aizen? If you think withholding information from me is enough to spare your life, then you're sadly mistaken!"
"Then go ahead and kill me Ichigo…" Aizen smiled.
"I will then…" Ichigo growled as he drew his sword and brought it across Aizen's throat. Much to his astonishment, the Hogyoku, flew in front of his blade and blocked Ichigo's strike.
He stared in disbelief, "What the…"
Ichigo looked down at his own free hand and noticed the Hogyoku was absent from his possession, 'When did I drop it? Maybe he took it from me when I was under his Kyoka Suigetsu's illusion?'
Aizen retrieved the orb before giving Ichigo a heavy sigh, "You need my help…and I need yours. Let's call a truce. Neither one of us gains anything by betraying the other. You know this…and I know this. I am no good to you dead…and you're no good to me unless you're willing to cooperate."
The captain extended his hand out with a serious look, "Deal?"
The arrancar glared at Aizen's extended hand with extreme hostility, but finally nodded in acceptance, "Fine…but this conversation will be continued. Got that?"
"Of course," Aizen nodded.
"Let's get out of here…" Ichigo sighed. In truth he was partially glad the Hogyoku stopped his attack. Killing Aizen, might have been for the best in the long run, but he needed Aizen's knowledge and expertise. 'I know next to nothing about this Soul King…it must be something bad if Aizen is so intent on killing it. But I wonder why he doesn't want to tell me anything? There's something strange about all of it…but I guess I have no choice but to go along with this for now. I doubt he'll be dumb enough to betray me again anytime soon after this…' Ichigo speculated as he and Aizen left the Menos Forest.
As they arrived back on the surface of Hueco Mundo, Ichigo took a deep breath and looked at the moon, 'Transcendent being huh? Maybe that's what Aizen wants…'
A resounding boom erupted in the distance, breaking Ichigo and Aizen from their awkward silence. Both of their heads darted towards the outskirts of Hueco Mundo, where they could see a massive pillar of Pink spiritual energy radiating on horizon.
It seemed to be extremely far away in the opposite direction of Las Noches. The Orange haired Arrancar glanced over at Aizen, "I sense a hollow…but what is that other spiritual signature?"
"Hmm…that spiritual power doesn't feel like a Shinigami's," Aizen noted.
"Go tell my Vasto Lordes that I'm investigating it…" Ichigo gestured.
Aizen gave him a quizzical look, "You want me to return without you? They might see that as suspicious…"
"Somebody needs to tell them why I'm not back yet…now do what you're told and go," Ichigo said annoyed.
"Very well…good luck," Aizen nodded before heading in Las Noches' direction.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A considerable distance away XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Arriving at the scene of what Ichigo could only assume was a battle, he noticed a peculiar sight. Collapsed on the ground were the Arrancars he previously encountered a while back. Dordonni, Circucci, and Gantenbainne. They were all wounded and unconscious from what he could tell. Following the pink glow, his eyes widened in surprise as he noticed Neliel, standing there in her released form.
She appeared heavily wounded, but was the last one of them standing. His eyes shifted over towards her opponent.
Ichigo cocked his head confused, 'Humans? What!? They definitely aren't Shinigami. What the hell are they doing in Hueco Mundo?' Standing across from the wounded Arrancars were what appeared to be two human women dressed in white. Both of them had dark hair and blue eyes.
One had a playfully bored expression her face, and was standing further back, whilst the other appeared to be the one fighting. The one in front had a uniform styled white outfit, and a white hat that somehow reminded Ichigo of a sailor.
He blinked several times trying to process exactly what he was looking at. The battlefield surrounding them looked heavily scarred and was still burning. Ichigo cautiously and stealthily got a closer look.
"So Arrancar, are you done wasting my time? You don't have a choice you bitch…you're coming with us!" the woman with the hat declared.
Nel grimaced painfully, "Your invasion of Hueco Mundo won't go unnoticed…this is our world. You don't belong here, Quincy!"
'Quincy?!' Ichigo thought shocked.
"Ha! Your world?! That's a joke…everything his Majesty wants is technically already his! You pathetic hollows are no match for the Wandenreich! Not to mention, it's not like any of you rule this barren wasteland anyway? Haha." the woman laughed.
The girl behind her chuckled, "She was stronger than the others though, Bambi-chan,"
"Who this slut? She's already beaten…I should just put her out of her misery," the woman with the hat spat.
Nel glared at them angrily, "Lanzador Verde!" Chucking her lance at remarkable speed, she narrowly clipped the front woman causing her to stagger slightly off balance.
Before the woman could react, Nel kicked her in the face with one of her hooves. The Quincy woman hissed angrily and immediately stomped the ground causing a series of explosions to erupt all around them.
"You just don't give up do you, bitch?!" the woman shouted annoyed as she absorbed Reishi from the air. Nel quickly retrieved her lance and ran in for a sweep.
The woman leapt over the attack, and formed a blade out of Reishi in her hand. She narrowly parried Nel's ferocious jab, and followed up with a counter strike. Satisfied by her attack, the sadistic dark haired woman barely had time to fall back as Nel unleashed a powerful pink cero at her.
"Watch out Bambi-chan!" the other girl shouted as if amused by the battle..
The woman delivered a powerful series of slashes against the weakened Nel and soon brought the Arrancar down. Ichigo was shocked, 'For somebody as strong as Nel to be downed like that…who are these people?!'
Nel wasn't down for long, as she channeled spiritual power over her lance and charged the Quincy again. The woman smiled as she formed a large orb of reishi and chucked it at the incoming Arrancar. Despite the magnitude of the explosion, Nel barreled through it, and managed to stab the Quincy with her lance.
It seemed to catch the Quincy off guard, giving Nel the time to pull her weapon back for another jab. "Urgh, you damn bitch!" the woman with the hat screeched
Before her follow up attack could hit, Nel's lance was diverted by a large arrow from the other woman. Ichigo's eyes darted over and saw her holding an energy bow of some kind. Before Nel could recover, the woman with the hat swung her Reishi sword and disarmed the Arrancar.
She delivered a series of devastating cuts and slashes bringing Nel down again. Adding to overkill, the woman grinned maliciously as she formed another couple of Reishi bombs, igniting Neliel in a massive series of explosions.
After it subsided, Nel was remarkably still standing. Though, she looked heavily injured now.. Ichigo gritted his teeth, 'I need to get over there…'
Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw Nel's release form dissipate. Now back to normal she staggered weakly as she tried to hold on to her sealed sword. The black haired Quincy with the hat scowled, "I don't like the way you keep glaring at me…I think I'll just kill you, and take the others!"
Deciding to finally intervene, Ichigo appeared in front of Nel via sonido just in time to stop the woman from striking the wounded Neliel down.
Nel herself gasped in disbelief, as the flowing orange hair in front of her quickly caught her attention. She looked at the stranger now in front of her, and noticed his clothes, and the missing horn. She could barely believe her eyes and spoke weakly, "I-Ichigo?"
Holding the Quincy's wrist in his hand, Ichigo slowly turned back and looked Nel in the eyes, "Neliel…"
Several tears leaked from her eyes as she saw his face for the first time, "You're…an Arrancar?"
"Yeah…" he smiled, before shifting his attention back towards the cruel Quincy woman in front of him.
Both she and her companion were completely shocked by Ichigo's arrival. The one directly in front of him stared with widened eyes, "Where did you come from?! I didn't even sense you!"
Before she could get her answer, Ichigo backhanded the Quincy to the ground. His strong arming display must have been quite the feat, since the other girl gasped, "Bambietta?!"
A red mark covered the downed Quincy's face as she looked up in disbelief, "You fucker! Did you just slap me?!"
"Ichigo…wha-" Nel began, but was silenced by his look.
"Stand back Nel…I'll deal with these intruders," Ichigo said calmly.
"Intruders?! Bah…just who the fuck do you think you are asshole?!" The dark haired woman demanded. The wound inflicted on her by Nel from earlier seemed to be healing up for some reason, much to Ichigo's curiosity.
"Bambi-chan…he's cute isn't he? I love your hair Mr. Arrancar," the other girl said as she ran in closer.
Bambietta stood up and glared at her companion, "Shut up Giselle, you whore…"
Ichigo gave the women an intense glare, "What are two Quincies doing in Hueco Mundo?"
His question was quickly answered by Nel, "They're trying to abduct Arrancars for their army…"
"Your army? Is that right?" Ichigo asked threateningly.
Bambietta glared at him, "Yeah, that's right…the almighty Yhwach wants Hueco Mundo for himself. He needs Arrancars for his army. They're quite useful since they require almost no training."
"Yhwach? Who is that?" Ichigo asked.
"I don't have to tell you a damn thing! You're going to die for hitting me!" she said sadistically. Forming several massive Reishi orbs, she immediately launched them at Ichigo.
Ichigo reached up and stabbed his hand with his own horn. The sight seemed unusual to the two Quincies as they stared in confusion. Holding up his bloody hand, Ichigo charged his spiritual energy, "Gran Rey Cero."
Bambietta and Giselle both gawked for a brief moment before a tremendously powerful white and red cero fired from Ichigo's hand. The beam completely obliterated everything in its path. Blasting the reishi orbs back, it ignited the desert in a chain of explosions as Ichigo blasted it against the Quincies.
After the blast subsided, he was surprised to see them both alive, but their formerly crisp white outfits looked visibly seared, and Bambietta's hat was even gone. They were both covered in some type of blue patterned glow much to his confusion. Ichigo stared surprised, 'What is that?'
"I've never seen a hollow do something like that before…" Giselle said with an interested tone. Despite the devastation of the attack, both Quincies appeared relatively fine now as the blue patterned glow, faded from their bodies. Giselle appeared less concerned, but Bambietta was now glaring hatefully at him.
He eyed them curiously, "I'm surprised that didn't kill you."
"First you slap me…and then you ruin my outfit?! You're even worse than that pompous bitch," Bambietta shrieked angrily as she pointed at Nel.
"You're starting to sound like Candy, Bambi-chan…" the other woman laughed. The fact that they didn't even seem fazed greatly alarmed Ichigo, 'What am I dealing with here? A cero like that should have killed them.'
"Gigi…My golden buttons…even my hat? That's it, now I'm pissed!" Bambietta screeched.
Ichigo sweat dropped, 'She's certainly got her priorities mixed up…'
"Be careful Ichigo, don't underestimate them," Nel said worriedly.
He grunted in response, "Don't worry, I can handle them."
"Handle us? You'll handle us?! Who the hell are you anyways?!" Bambietta demanded.
Giselle giggled at her outburst, "The other Arrancar called him Ichigo. Hey Ichigo!"
Giselle waved at him in an almost schoolgirl friendly fashion.
"What's wrong with her?" Ichigo wondered aloud.
Without warning, Bambietta began firing waves of explosive Reishi orbs. The woman was furious in her attempts to hit him. Every one of her explosive orbs missed him, as he sped around with unseen speed. It greatly annoyed her, causing the furious Quincy to become even more angry.
"C'mon…stop trying to hit me and hit me," Ichigo taunted. It seemed to fuel her rage as the explosions grew larger and larger.
Finally she stopped and glared at him incredulously. Ichigo landed in front of her again and glared back, "Is that all you got?"
"He's so fast isn't he Bambi-chan? I'll bet he's strong too!" Giselle chirped in an eerily excited way.
Ichigo raised a brow at her, 'She sounds like a ditz, but is probably the smarter one…though the other woman stopped. I wonder what she'll do next?'
"You think you're tough huh, Arrancar? Why don't you show me that Release of yours…" Bambietta said darkly.
'Why would she want that, if she's not even landing a hit against my normal form?' Ichigo thought curiously.
"That's cute…" Ichigo laughed.
"He thinks your cute, Bambi-chan!" Giselle said amused, "I'm so jealous! Maybe he will release for you!"
Ichigo deadpanned, "That's not what I meant…"
"Sure it is…you should tell us who you are, and I'll convince Bambi-chan to be nice," Giselle interrupted.
Bambietta gave him a serious look, "Ichigo huh? You're not easy to kill…I'll give you that much."
"What were your names again? Bambi? Giselle?" Ichigo said uncertainly.
"It's Bambietta Basterbine…this is Giselle Gewelle. We're Sternritters…now who the hell are you?" she demanded.
"Ichigo Kurosaki…but I'm known by my other name around here…White," he replied casually.
Bambietta scoffed at him, "What kind of name is White? I think I'll just called you bitch instead."
"How original...now I can take after you," Ichigo chuckled.
"Pfft...well aren't you a smartass?" she shook her head.
Ichigo shrugged, "What the hell are Sternritters anyway?"
Bambietta grinned proudly as she pointed towards herself, "Elite Quincies...I wouldn't expect some primitive, idiotic hollow to understand. I don't know where you came from, but you're not going to stop us from taking these Arrancars back to the Wandenreich."
"How do you figure? You're not really putting up much of a challenge..." the hollow insulted her.
The Sternritter's grin immediately faded, "I get off on beating down arrogant bastards like you..."
'What did she just say?' Ichigo thought distracted.
"We should recruit him, Bambi-chan. His majesty would love an Arrancar this powerfu. Plus then we could have fun with him," the cheerful, but creepy Quincy noted.
Ichigo shot them down immediately, "That's not going to happen…"
"Like I'd spare you after what you did anyway!" Bambietta hissed as she charged with her Reishi sword. Ichigo swiftly drew his sealed Zanpakuto and countered her easily. She struggled against his vastly superior strength.
"What's with this guy?!" she exclaimed annoyed.
Her moment of distraction came at a price, as Ichigo stabbed the woman straight though her shoulder. Ichigo pulled it out and was about to deliver another blow, before she grabbed his arm and grinned wickedly. An explosion quickly caught both of them in its wake, actually burning off the sleeve of Ichigo's sword arm.
The Quincy stared at him shocked, "That didn't blow your arm off? You must have one tough Hierro. I guess I have no choice…"
Ichigo watched curiously as the dark haired woman grinned at him. She slowly removed a glove off of her hand, and soon after, all the nearby Reishi in the air began to cluster around her.
"Vollstandig!" she said excitedly. Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as literal wings formed over her back. Some strange emblem shaped halo formed over her head as well. Ichigo could sense a tremendous difference in her power level compared to before and stared almost in awe, 'I've never seen this before…'
Her sword appeared much more concentrated now and visibly larger as Reishi focused over its edge. Bambeitta eagerly flew in at surprising speed as she began to assail Ichigo.
He swiftly avoided most of her attacks, but was forced to block several. The sheer difference in her power level seemed akin to a Shinigami releasing a bankai. 'She's taking me seriously now…' Ichigo noticed as he narrowly avoided a reishi bomb that dwarfed anything she previously used against him.
"Die!" the angelic looking Quincy howled as she swooped in for another round of attacks.
Her charge was short lived as she saw Ichigo raise his sword parallel to the ground, "Protect Zangetsu."
A pillar of black and red spiritual energy exploded forth forcing everyone back from the sheer pressure alone. Bambietta grinned at the sight, "There's his release!"
"You finally got him to release on you!" Giselle cheered.
Bambietta briefly glanced over, "Gigi, you're shameless…"
After the energy subsided, Ichigo now stood in front of them in his release form. Giselle frowned at it and pouted, "Ah, we can't see his face anymore…"
The other woman eyed it somewhat cautiously, "Quite the Resurreccion. Maybe I will take you back…assuming you're not dead before I have my fun with you."
The fearsome arrancar growled menacingly, "I'm done wasting my time with you two…"
With both of his blades, Ichigo swung forth, "Getsuga Jujisho!"
Bambietta was clearly not expecting the exponential difference in Ichigo's power as she attempted to counter it with a colossal bomb. Giselle chose to intervene as well, "Heilig Pfeil." Firing a large holy arrow in addition with Bambietta's superbomb, she hoped it would cancel out Ichigo's attack.
Unfortunately for Bambietta, it didn't. The cross shaped black getsuga fired through it in mere seconds completely blasting her away. Giselle gasped surprised, "Bambi-chan?!"
Before Giselle could even react, Ichigo attempted to cut her down. Despite his attack, he watched with horror as the fatal cut didn't kill her. The girl's blood covered his body much to her satisfaction, "You're mine now, I-chi-go!"
Her playful expression soon turned into an evilly creepy grin, "Kill her…" Giselle pointed to Nel.
Ichigo looked at the Quincy incredulously, "Why would I do that?"
The unusual Quincy tilted her head confused, "Hmm…that's strange. It doesn't affect you?"
"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.
"You must be really powerful…maybe the effect is delayed? Kill her," the creepy Quincy pointed at Nel again.
"How are you still alive? I practically cut you in half," Ichigo shook his head.
The strange woman traced a finger over some of her blood and flicked it at Ichigo, sending a few spurts directly at his face. She cocked her head as if fascinated by his reaction, "Huh…weird."
Ichigo swung to decapitate her, but she narrowly ducked. He watched confused as the creepy Quincy began to casually walk towards him. He ceased his follow up swing momentarily, wondering what she was doing. He attempted to stab Giselle with one of his blades, but it appeared ineffective. All it did was cover him in more of her blood.
'I can't kill her like a normal human What's with this freak of a girl anyway?' Ichigo thought somewhat disturbed.
Giselle smiled at his reaction, "You're covered in my blood, and it still doesn't affect you?"
"What the hell's wrong with you?!" he asked.
The unusually weird Quincy stared at him with an unfazed grin, "That's not a nice thing to say…"
He pulled his sword back and stared at her seriously, "Get away from me!"
He formed a cero between his horns and was about to fire it at her. However before he could fire his cero, he heard a sharp whistle, "Hey! You fire that cero, and I'll kill her!"
Ichigo kept his cero charged, but glanced over and saw Bambietta was back. She had her blade pressed against Nel's throat holding the weakened Arrancar on her knees. The Quincy's wings were gone, and she looked roughed up from his attack.
"Make one move and I'll kill your little girlfriend here!" she threatened.
"Sure you will..." Ichigo said sarcastically.
Bambietta's face was almost sadistic, "Don't think I won't...you obviously cared enough about her to get in our way in the first place. I know you won't do anything stupid to get her killed..."
Despite the situation, Nel remained silent. She shook her head, as Ichigo slowly turned around. His cero began to recede much to Bambietta's satisfaction. "Yeah that's right. I knew you would listen to me…now return to normal too."
'I've had about enough of these crazy Quincies…' Ichigo thought as he played along with Bambietta's request. His release form resealed back into his Zanpakuto, which he immediately sheathed.
"You come with us, and I'll let her go…deal?" Bambietta said as she brought the Reishi blade closer to Nel's neck. She jerked her head, signaling for Giselle to restrain Ichigo somehow. The bloody Quincy wrapped herself around one of his arms and tilted her head against Ichigo's shoulder, "Don't we make a good couple Bambi-chan?!"
"Take this seriously Gigi…" Bambietta shook her head.
Giselle continued to grin in her wicked way as she licked Ichigo's now exposed sword arm. Ichigo swung his fist to get the Quincy off of him, but stopped as Bambietta pulled Nel's head back, "I wouldn't do that if I were you…what's your answer, Ichigo?"
Looking over at Bambietta seriously, he had no choice but to ignore the Quincy latched onto his arm. 'This day just gets worse and worse…' Ichigo thought annoyed.
"At least wait until we bring him back before doing all of that. This is serious, Gigi," Bambietta said as she noticed the blood covering both of them.
"Let's make his girlfriend jealous," Giselle said enthusiastically. Nel's eyes darkened slightly at the comment as she mean mugged Giselle. Bambietta seemed to notice it and smiled, "I don't think she would like that, Gigi..."
"Ichigo, don't worry about me…just kill them," Nel interrupted before Bambietta pulled her hair back again.
The dark haired Quincy huffed, "I don't feel like standing here all day…what's your answer pretty boy?"
Temporarily distracted from the comment, Ichigo was caught off guard by a wet sensation across his face. His eyes widened considerably as Giselle licked his cheek with a suggestive grin.
'There's no way in a million years that I'd agree to go with or be alone with this crazy woman,' Ichigo thought. He couldn't exactly throw her off and risk Nel getting her throat slashed. Realizing he had to act fast, Ichigo calmly waited for his opportunity.
"That's a good deal…" he said slowly, causing Bambietta to lower her guard slightly. Giselle appeared excited as she got way too close for his comfort.
"But I've got a better one," Ichigo countered, before appearing directly behind Bambietta. She could barely believe his reaction time, as he brought her own blade against her throat. Giselle plopped to the ground, in Ichigo's remarkable burst of speed and looked up confused.
"How's about you two leave, and I'll spare your lives…take a message to this Yhwach guy. Tell him that Hueco Mundo already has a King…and I'm not interested in working for some Quincy," Ichigo stated.
"What?! You're Hueco Mundo's King?!" Bambietta stuttered completely surprised by the revelation.
Giselle's eyes lit up, "Oooh! I call first dibs, Bambi-chan…"
"Do something, Gigi!" she said urgently as Ichigo pressed the blade closer to her throat.
"If you let her go, I'll be your hostage," Giselle volunteered way too eagerly for his tastes. The very suggestion put a chill up his spine, causing him to shoot down the suggestion immediately, "You're both leaving, or you're both dying…"
"You've won this round, we'll leave…I surrender," Bambietta sighed in acceptance.
Nel frowned, "Is it really a good idea to let them go, Ichigo?"
"Just this once…I'll spare you Quincies. Go tell this Yhwach that Hueco Mundo is mine…and he can fight me for it. If he comes after my Arrancars again I'll murder all of you," Ichigo said darkly as he released Bambietta.
She ran over to Giselle and stared at Ichigo incredulously, "Why didn't you tell us you were the King of Hueco Mundo?! Since when has this place had a King?"
"Get out of here before I change my mind…" Ichigo gestured for them to leave.
Bambietta scoffed at him, "You're going to regret sparing our lives…Yhwach will crush you!"
"Let him try..." the hollow king laughed.
Bambietta gave Ichigo one last look, "You haven't seen the last of us...I'll get you back for this, mark my words."
As they took their leave, Giselle winked at him, "Once he kills you, I'll make you my toy. Though it'd be more fun if you were willing."
Something about her comment was a bit disturbing to him, but Ichigo shook it off as he finally went over to make sure Nel was alright. The Aquamarine haired arrancar took a deep breath, "I'm surprised you let them go…they would have killed me."
"I'm sorry I let that happen to you Nel…I just wanted a better idea of what kind of enemies these Quincies were. Plus I held back so I wouldn't hurt any of you guys," Ichigo pointed towards the other downed Arrancars.
Ichigo extended his hand with a sad smile, "It's good to see you again…"
"You too…" Nel replied somewhat shamefully as she took his hand, "you're not really seeing me at my best though."
"It's alright…I was going to look for you guys eventually. You should come live in Las Noches with the rest of us."
"Huh? So…you really are King of the Hollows then? What about Barragan?" she asked surprised.
"It's a long story, but I challenged him in Las Noches in front of half of Hueco Mundo, and defeated him. I spared him and now we work together," Ichigo explained.
Nel's face lit up, "That's amazing…you really did make something of yourself didn't you? I guess I was wrong…you are the strongest hollow. Not just in power, but in spirit as well. I've never heard of something like that happening before."
"No Nel…I was wrong. I shouldn't have dismissed you so easily…I'm sorry for that," he sighed.
The sea-green haired hollow smiled weakly, "It's in the past now…we'd be happy to join your cause."
"Are they going to be okay?" Ichigo asked looking over the downed Privaron. Nel nodded, "I can heal them before we go."
"So how did you guys encounter those Quincies anyway?" Ichigo asked.
Nel frowned, "Supposedly they've been growing in strength and they want to conquer Hueco Mundo. I'm glad to hear you're in charge now…because I wasn't sure how we could stop them otherwise."
"They're more powerful than I expected them to be…that creepy woman I kept trying to cut down, wouldn't even die. She seemed awfully intent on getting blood on me," Ichigo shook his head.
The female Arrancar gave Ichigo a nervous laugh, "Umm…about her…"
"What is it Nel…" Ichigo asked.
"Actually never mind," she said nervously as she looked away.
'As if that situation wasn't strange enough…now Nel's acting weird about it?' Ichigo thought shaking his head.
"So how did you become an Arrancar?" Nel changed the subject right away.
"I'll tell you about it on the way back. Let's heal them up and get to Las Noches," Ichigo replied.
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