#old man zangetsu - not yet old and not yet zangetsu but still

[getsusun]

There is silence, there is cold.

0.5 whump points out of ten. A little more than an eight hundred of years before main Bleach storyline.

It takes Naumi almost two weeks to require his zanpakuto actually to be present in shinigami’s inner world. Koigetsu can’t say that he is surprised. He also can’t say that he anticipated the call. Koigetsu returned to his shinigami, of course, not like there was a lot of choice. Things were already tense between them, and now, after…

white pillars / scorching sun / hands tied up / pain / humiliation / hot breath on his neck

Koigetsu shuddered and forcefully stopped this line of thoughts. While his back was healing, although Koigetsu could already feel that it would scar badly and that he was in for a long time of movements restricted by pain, it was not the blade of sword that made the deepest wounds. And these wounds were more on the souls than on the body. Koigetsu took a deep breath and tried to relax his mind.

He was standing on the top of one of the thousands of mirrors filling in Naumi’s inner world. Everything around was familiar to Koigetsu, the scenery he had spend all his time before they with Naumi mastered manifestation, and most of the time before zanpakuto spirit himself learned to materialize without help of his master. The cloudy darkness of endless space – was it really not that dark before, was it barely of light shade of gray? - and, of course, the mirrors.

A long, long time before Koigetsu loved them. The mirrors, all of different colors, could work as windows into the real world as much as in Naumi’s memories and thoughts, allowing Koigetsu to accompany his shinigami in everyday’s life with ease. Naumi himself, when visiting his inner world, could use the mirrors as a tool to master his emotions, to understand himself.

Naumi barely did.

Now, however, Koigetsu rarely caught a glimpse of image in the dark depths of the mirrors. They never reflected zanpakuto spirit fully, usually showing him a blurry humanoid shape instead. Now, when almost all his body was covered with cloth, Koigetsu couldn’t see more than a hint of movement. He prefers not to look into the mirrors much anymore.

While the mirrors varied in sizes, from small ones, barely of child’s height, to the large ones, ten times higher than Koigetsu was, and some wide enough to reflect a whole street, the one detail all of them had in common. They had narrow edges, not even flat ones – tapering into sharp blade-like lines.

When Koigetsu only started to be aware of his existence, when he first realized that he had a body, legs to walk and eyes to see, these edges were like streets for him. He had no footwear then, also no long sleeves and collar, and he felt light enough, like a feather, so he could step on sharp upper edges of mirrors and walk on them. He could sit on them, lay down, do whatever he wanted.

Koigetsu remembers quite clearly when did it changed. Well, may be not exactly the date – the year or even the decade, he still had difficulties tracking the passage of time. But Koigetsu remembered that it was soon after he mastered the trick of helping Naumi with manifestation. His shinigami was happy. Naumi was still in Academy then, just a student, but as a Kuchiki he got separate room, and Koigetsu had spent a lot of time in this room. Koigetsu was happy to be with his master, even if already not all Naumi’s choices of activities were quite… Pleasant. But it was enough that Naumi was enjoying himself.

That was what Koigetsu said to himself then, and that was what he thought he believed. But one night after returning to Naumi’s inner world a single misstep left Koigetsu with a deep wound on the sole of his foot. It was sudden and scary feeling, even if Koigetsu already knew pain. He, however, never before had cut wounds not from training with Naumi, and at that time wound from Naumi’s sword never hurt and never stayed for long. There was also rarely blood shed, at least more than a couple of drops of it.

The cut on Koigetsu’s foot stayed and scarred. He became more careful after, always protecting points of contact with sharp edges with additional layer of reitsu, and one day this protection just stayed, transformed into a pair of soft black boots. At that time Koigetsu was satisfied that at least Naumi was not affected by the strange behavior of mirrors. Also, with Koigetsu spending more time in manifested state, having a footwear was convenient.

Over the last hundred years Naumi’s inner world became a dark, lonely place. Koigetsu often contemplated on how it was his own fault. Zanpakuto should take care of their wielders, should support and help them to grow and master their powers. What had Koigetsu done wrong? Why everything seemed to became just worse and worse?

Strangely, Naumi didn’t actually seemed unhappy. Koigetsu felt him being angry – pretty often, on his elders, and on his – well, at this point their, considering how much paperwork Koigetsu had done over the last decades – Captain, and on Koigetsu himself. Bored. Joyful and satisfied, lately more often than not by Koigetsu’s expense, but… It still counted, right?

It is not like Koigetsu could actually die. Probably. Even with bankai broken – yes, Koigetsu was scared, and it was horrible and painful and wrong, but Koigetsu still could fight. Mostly. ...Good exercise in using his right arm instead of left one?

Koigetsu shuddered again and tucked his aching elbow closer to his chest. No, he could try to come up with any number of reasons, but the truth was that broken bankai was a big thing. A big bad thing which should never had happened.

Was it always that cold in here?

Lately Koigetsu sometimes felt a strange duality of his thoughts. One half of his mind diminished justified any tortures and cruelties Naumi performed, over his zanpakuto spirit and over others. The other half… The other half, which became stronger and stronger with every hit and every insult and each control collar being fastened on Koigetsu’s neck, was thinking about how it was not right. How it was not right for Naumi to be like that with his own soul, and – at the same time – how it was not right for Koigetsu to blame himself for all of it.

How it was wrong that Koigetsu loved being alone while manifested more and more. Away from his master. He shouldn’t be capable of being happy away from Naumi, and still. Somehow. He was.

Was it always that… Quiet?

Koigetsu frowned. He hadn’t paid attention before, but it was eerily quiet. It is not like Naumi’s inner world was a loud place, no, but there was always a peaceful hum of mirrors, and – and there were always echoes of Naumi’s thoughts, barely audible, not clear enough to distinguish words, but here, a background noise of emotions.

There was nothing now. Koigetsu could hear only his own breathing – a previously irritating, but lately calming habit of his, which he got after staying materialized for too long (after drinking tea with Juushiro, his mind suggests, but Koigetsu pushes that thought away). His breathing, occasional rustle of clothes, heartbeat becoming louder and louder with every passing second.

Koigetsu closed eyes and concentrated. The bond between him and Naumi was here, as it always was, but many years – decades – had passed since their bond was a thick and springy flow of energy. Now it is stretched to its limits. One moment it is barely perceptible, only the small fracture of reitsu from Naumi transmitting, the other moment – ready to burst from the volume of energy being drained out of Koigetsu. Koigetsu learned a lot about how to balance their bond, mostly through trial and error, and for a long time he was managing fine – they could fight, Naumi used shikai without thinking, they even had bankai, for hell’s sake!

Not anymore, apparently. Both about balancing and bankai.

The bond is weak, but it is here, and Koigetsu reaches out for Naumi, calls him – but there is nothing. A cold and rigid nothing, which is somehow worse than having energy drained out of Koigetsu.

- Master?

Koigetsu calls softly, long time of being used to speak seldom and quietly forcing his voice down. He feels how the bond shifts, reacting on his voice reaching to Naumi, and his shinigami should be able to sense that, but there is nothing, no spark of attention, not even an annoyed mental shrug. Emptiness.

Koigetsu spends a long time calling for Naumi. The time in inner world flows strangely, and what felt like days – weeks, even – could have been both hours and months in the real world. Koigetsu goes through negative half of spectrum of emotions, from anger to fear, from despair to denial. His throat aches, and it should be – must be – a fantom pain, because Koigetsu does not have a body now, is not manifested, but it still hurts.

Long, long time later Koigetsu not quite gives up, but more like spends all energy he had, mental and physical. He listens to the quiet of Naumi’s inner world for a while, surrounded by dark mirrors, and than whispers, softly, but with more power to break through the invisible shield to his master than he ever had.

- Can you hear me, Naumi?

Koigetsu does not care how furious could become Naumi after being called by name. Naumi may be his master, his wielder, but Koigetsu is also half of his soul, and even if he failed as a zanpakuto spirit, his shinigami should be still able to hear him.

Koigetsu waits. Calls. Waits and calls. But there is nothing.

Koigetsu feels like crying. But Naumi does not wants him to cry, and after dying from hunger, alone, in the stone pit Koigetsu really can’t anymore. But his eyes burn, and the scars in form of words on his wrists burn, and his back feels raw, like if the skin just melted, leaving inflamed flash exposed. The last one is not as far away from truth as Koigetsu would have liked. Yes, the pain lessened after Juushiro treated the wounds on his back, but it was still bad.

Koigetsu feels like a ruin. Wreck of a sword, like one of the debris that scattered on the earth when his bankai was broken. Koigetsu himself was broken, it seems, because what zanpakuto spirit he is, if he can’t even speak to his wielder anymore?

It takes a long time for the feeling of self-hate to stop being the strongest one. Even longer for sadness to settle into a calm shield around Koigetsu’s mind. But if he has something now, then it is time. A lot of time of being alone in the quiet darkness.

The darkness seems to become thicker, eating up even the sounds Koigetsu himself makes. At some point he starts speaking again, this time not to Naumi, to noone in particular. Quote poems from his memory, chapters from books he read. Koigetsu remembered a lot.

His voice dies down, and finally Koigetsu feels some kind of peace. He is getting sleepy, actually. Too tired to think, too tired to feel anything. Koigetsu is still standing on the mirror – not the same one, he may have moved around a little, trying to calm his thoughts. He is standing, perfectly balancing with the help of reflexes developed over the decades, but at one moment it seems easier to make one step ahead and just float in the empty darkness. Not much control and energy is required for that, and Koigetsu feels himself slipping into the sleep.

He wakes up – how long was he asleep? Does it matter? - and he is not floating, but falling down into the void, and it should bother him, but for some reason it does not. It is hard to think, and Koigetsu still wants to sleep – now even more than before, so he closes his eyes again. Not much changes.

[asukaskerian]

monthly word count - April

TOTAL: 4 889 words i had really good progress for two weeks and then fell assbackwards into the scum villain novel and have been obsessively reading fic since. it was fun so i'm banning myself from having unwriting guilt. not bad then for two weeks, i suppose. POSTED: nothin! IN PROGRESS -naruto - cherry wine - madatobiizu ABO (3 621 words) (bwehehe) -bleach pack fuckening ABO epilogue (884 words) (get wrecked mayuri) -bleach suburban OT4 (384 words) (plotted for the next part tho but it's angsty so i've been dragging my feet on committing to the ouch)

suburban ot4 -- "When do we have to leave?" Nelliel's words fall in the silence of the room like a rock in a well. A brief echo against the walls, and then swallowed entirely. They're in the kitchen, sitting at the table in -- oh, they have usual seats now. Grimmjow's favorite mug is on the drying rack. "Nel-chan," Hime says, looking up at her with wet eyes. Nelliel can't make herself reach out to take her hands, twisted together into painful shapes on her lap. Not yet, not before she knows. "Ichigo?" Ichigo's eyes are angrier than his wife's, but still just as helplessly lost. "He can't kick you out before the current lease ends. He just -- he can't, we had it in writing--" "Ichigo." "Two months. And a half. I have the date somewhere, let me just--" He starts ruffling through his folder. Nelliel places a hand on it, keeping the pages flat. When he looks up at her again she produces a smile. "That's pretty good." Orihime makes a small, wounded noise. Grimmjow says nothing at all. "It's plenty of time," she repeats. In two months and a half she'll be two weeks from her due date. "We'll be fine." -- bleach pack fuckening ABO -- Ichigo was just a normal human young adult. Lecturing a military leader of hundreds of people felt -- wrong. Disrespectful. They had centuries of tradition he knew nothing about, political and social pressure from places he had no idea about. It was easy to be idealistic. It wasn't his job to sort them out, so why was it his job? He tilted his head back, breathing deeply as he stared at the ceiling, and turned his hand in Rukia's grasp so he could grasp her back. Tight pressure, anchoring. Chad's hand on his other shoulder, gentle and warm. He'd killed Mayuri out of hand, and that part terrified him. That he had decided, 'this man brings nothing to the world that would pay for who he is,' and erased him. That he was able to do that. It hadn't felt like righteous anger at all. Or like self-defense. It had felt like handing down judgment. "Ichigo?" Rukia asked. 'Was it the wrong judgment call to make, though?' he thought, or old man Zangetsu thought, or something murkier in between the two of them. Something cold and old and remote, that asked of his choice, 'Would you unmake it?', and the answer was no. "Ichigo." "Queasy," he managed to answer. Inoue immediately went rummaging in her backpack for a bottle of water, presenting it with a worried frown. He somehow managed a smile. The water was on the tepid side but still helped distract him, bring him back down. "Hormone hangover?" Ishida asked, sounding only vaguely interested. "It's not actually an uncommon side effect." "Ah... Maybe. What do you do to get over it?" "Just sit in a room alone until it passes, honestly. It happens more often when there's several omegas at once," he added, and looked away, and Ichigo arched an eyebrow. The tip of his visible ear was a little red. Hm. Inoue was rummaging in her bag with twice the enthusiasm suddenly, and her face was pinkening rapidly. Dang. Apparently he owed Tatsuki a fistbump. -- Mada/Tobi/Izu ABO -- "You maintain this." Naohime's chakra flickered with nerves and confusion. "Y-yes. I really--" The daimyo's sister tapped a nail against her cup with the slow deliberateness of a cat starting to lash her tail. "Not a disguise or a trick." Huh. "Y-yes, Tarashi-sama. I've fought on the same battlefield as this man, I -- the sharingan wouldn't--" "Wouldn't?" "Wouldn't lie, Tarashi-sama, a genjutsu would show, I--" Tarashi-sama cut Madara and Izuna a side-look. "I'm sure. But wouldn't you?" Naohime had gone so pale, Izuna actually started to worry she might pass out. She hadn't lost so much blood, but the pressure put on her was visibly not helping. Izuna straightened up, flicked his chakra at his brother to intervene. Naohime looked bewildered. "Begging your pardon, Tarashi-sama, why would--" "Didn't he humiliate you just this morning?" Madara lifted his cup to his lips, took the tiniest of sips, placed it back down, breaking the stare-off. Tarashi-sama scowled at him even before he opened his mouth. "As far as Naohime knows, she is not lying," he said; his voice calm, casual, as if all the pressure the daimyo's sister and voice slid right off him. "She shared her memory of the event with us and it seemed quite convincing. Obviously, Tarashi-sama has a reason for feeling otherwise?" "Only the fact that the Senju brothers spent the day in our honored sister's presence and only left her recently to wander the extremely public gardens," she said, tone acidic. "Is Uchiha-dono suggesting our very capable guards somehow mistook them?" Ah -- no doubt they had sensors on staff. Maybe even Hyuuga guards to watch against genjutsu, so they would know everyone wore their real face in their presence. A normal, insubstantial clone would be immediately obvious to a Hyuuga, or any type of sensor... Every single Uchiha lining the walls knew of Tobirama's solid clones and every single one of them seethed quietly about it. "... I am not," Madara said in a slow, measured voice. "My own brother, reviewing the memory, thought it did not feel quite right, though there was nothing obvious to point to. As he is usually the one who meets Tobirama-san on the field, I defer to his expertise." Tarashi-sama simmered down, leaning back. Madara tilted his head, smiled thinly. "Too, there is the fact that, should he want Naohime dead... She would not have seen him coming."

[aurora-313]

If it wasn't a retcon, then Isshin and Kisuke's conversation after the former kills Grand Fisher makes no goddamn sense. Why would Kisuke ask if Isshin is satisfied with his revenge and felt better after avenging Masaki's death (and Isshin responding in the same way) if they both already knew that another man was responsible for killing her?

In that conversation, Masaki is treated as only having one killer; Grand Fisher. There's no reference to her 'losing her powers' or having powers at all until TYBW pulled that out of his ass.

Furthermore, they supposedly """knew""" the Quincy were coming for years. YEARS. Yet they had absolutely no prep work.

Kisuke, the 'man who is prepared for 1000 things' would've - should have pulled out all the stops to ensure the first Quincy invasion was as costly as possible for the Quincy. He would've gone through all historical records of the Quincy and extrapolated potential avenues for their powers evolution based on what he'd seen with the Ishidas and developed every and all counter possible.

Moreover, the Masaki in TYBW is a completely different character than the Masaki referred to in the first arc of the manga.

Kubo is a pantser. He vague posted throughout his story then pulled shit out of his ass to 'fill in the blanks'. Yhwach wasn't foreshadowed in the slightest.

Zangetsu originally appeared that way because Ichigo had shit parents. One dead, the other utterly useless. His sword realised the best way to get through to him was providing what Ichigo thought was an ideal parent. And the Hollow was taint from the shattered shaft that Ichigo simply had to deal with as a consequence of regaining his powers in such a dangerous way, that was it.

"Oh, but his name was inked out!" - bitch PLEASE. That's a standard 'you are not ready' trope of shonen. Ichigo was fearing for his life and still had that problem when Kisuke was trying to kill him after the fact. And the old man says 'your ears are blocked by fear'.

Not to mention, knowing all this and refusing to tell Ichigo until he has ANOTHER war to hide behind makes Isshin an even bigger douchebag than he already was. What the fuck was he doing in that 17 months after Aizen's defeat? Could've fessed up to his son at any fucking time. Instead, like goddamn always, he does things in the worst possible way and escapes the outrage and punishment he rightfully deserves.

Surely Masaki dying to Auswhallen would've prompted a sane man to realise 'okay, yeah, my kid is vulnerable to the spirit world, I can't protect him but I can start teaching him to protect himself.' and have Isshin introduce those concepts at a basic child-friendly level. Like road or pool safety, you don't wait until after a kid's been hit by a car or almost drowned in a pool and rushed to the hospital to tell them not screw around.

The more logical reason is everything from Isshin's powers to the TYBW are all retcons (and Kubo hates parents).

People can point to the past battles and say 'Oh, Ichigo clearly used Blut Vien, he's clearly been foreshadowed as a Quincy all along'. To which I respond, Hisagi's zanpakutou literally pulls him back together with its chains when he loses limbs (and his head at one point). You don't think someone as doggedly determined as Ichigo wouldn't have a similar self-healing type zanpakutou ability to him push through battles? Or that maybe the Hollow taint from shattered shaft jacked his endurance?

People who still think Kubo actually planned his entire story: "Of course Old Man looks exactly like Yhwach! It's foreshadowing!"

Me: "The entirety of Thousand Year Blood War is a massive Retcon of the Quincies history and Masaki's background. He didn't plan anything. Yhwach was designed afterwards to look like the Old Man so it would look like foreshadowing..."

[hezuart]

That anaversary aizen looks absolutely fabulous, he looks like a figure skater xd.

I heard along time ago the last arc of the anime was being animated finally bc they pulled a 90s sailor moon were the last season was not either animated or dubbed untill decades later.

I recall near the end of the current 366 episodes there was an episode were the creapy demon ppl woke up in hell and we're all bitter, and there was the other guy who was like, iM cOmEiNg FoR u IChIgO, but then is never mentioned again after and I'm like,why? Why is lt there just plopted randomly into a different arc that seams unrelated.

And locking aizen up underground seems ok, but It deff won't hold, and he will. Escape, and he will kill, you either need that one spell from star, dubbed, the darkest spell of moon the undaunted, a powerfull dark spell that killed immortal beings, that came from best character, eclipsa, the queen of darkness.

We need that.

Or stick him I'm crystal like eclipsa was in star. Is there no one who could trap him in ice or crystal for all eternity.

How about throw him into the centre of a volcano trapped and caged , forverr being killed by heat?

I assume there's space travel, send I'm into a black whole, were a black whole don't fuckin care if your immortal or fat, you will die

:3

Yes, I love anniversary Aizen. His original octopus-butterfly hollow design was ugly so I'm glad he's back to being the fashion icon he is.

Locking Aizen up underground once is one thing, doing it twice after saying he got more powerful by just sitting there, and he escaped to battle the Quincy Soul King God... is another. I think he should have escaped at the end of the Quincy arc. That is the only feasibility.

I heard the anime is coming back for the Quincy arc as well, but because of COVID its probably going to be delayed. (I'm not gonna watch it until the Rain section of the arc then I'm dipping out. I'm only here for Zangetsu)

and funny that you mention that hell scene in the manga :)

-> spoilers for the new BLEACH 73 page anniversary chapter / thoughts/critique on it

So hey you had a premonition! Syazel .... returned? And his hole is outside of his body??? for some reason???

(I didn't understand the explanation or why / how that happens and what that means for the hollow)

And my friend and I were laughing because out of ALL the things. Kubo could do in this anniversary. He gave Syazel his dick back after going to hell. That is iconic. (that's where his hole was located, and now that its not on his body ... well...) This is the funniest thing Kubo has EVER pulled. Kudos to you, sir.

The entire internet is freaking out over Ukitake being in hell. Honestly Kubo has done far worse, and we've established that Soul Society is a corrupt system that hasn't changed, so I'm not surprised he would pull something like this.

At the same time, Kubo 1. cheated his audience. 2. continues to prove me right that he cannot bring himself to kill his characters

1. Hollows who have commit murder in their human life are sent to hell. Syazel and Aaorniero are two of these hollows, and yet, when they are killed, there is NO gates of hell scene. We see them there later in the hell chapter (which was more of a promotion for the fourth movie and I didn't believe it would hold any merit)

But the same goes for Ukitake. We never see the gates of hell take him. What, was hell late? Did hell's gates get lost like an uber before picking him up? It's bull. Withholding such vital information from your audience, not showing the gates of hell when they should pick up this soul IMMEDIATELY is ... I mean its a lie. Kubo lied to his audience.

2. Now we are told powerful shinigami are sent to hell when they die. First of all that sounds like a security threat. Wouldn't shinigami want revenge for that? Or attempt to escape? Why would they still hold loyalty after being sent to a prison of eternal suffering?

Also "Yhwach and Aizen" were the only ones keeping Hell's gates closed is way too convenient and doesn't really make any sense. I feel like Aizen should have deliberately gone to hell to retrieve powerful shinigami / hollows for his army instead of keeping it /closed/.

This is definitely a Kubo-doesn't-know-what-he's-doing-and-is -making- stuff-up-as-he-goes, but it might have a pinch of merit because of previous plot lines.... but either way, there's some big plot holes here, but again, its Kubo, so I expected nothing less.

Again, he can't kill off his characters. He introduced zombification, he introduced immortality through the hougyoku, he has Orihime and Hachigen's reversal / rejection abilities. He brought back Luppi, friggen.... a character who's entire upper half of his body was incinerated. Like.... come on. No. He's dead, you can't bring him back like that. That's a cop out and just weird. You're taking away consequences and grief.

(Also Yamamoto and Unohana deserve to be in hell far over Ukitake, they've done some fcked up stuff in their pasts unlike him)

Also Kubo's favorite character is Mayuri, which.... you're allowed to have a favorite problematic character. But Keeping said character alive and bared from the consequences of abusing his daughter, murdering innocents, and experimenting on your own squad members? Nah. Nope. Kill him, Kubo. Kill this dude.

(his weird attachment to Mayuri is probably why he keeps bringing Syazel back, since Syazel is Mayuri 2.0, but Syazel is the bad guy who does face consequences for his actions while Mayuri is not)

~

Also, I'm certain Kazui and Orihime are going to be THRILLED that their precious husband/dad is going to hell when he dies :)

(I just... Rukia teased Ichigo about leaving Orihime at home. She teased him about having a house wife who he leaves all the chores to. Orihime had two panels. She checks on her son who promised he would be at home and sleep. Kazui fcking breaks his promise like it never mattered to him and JUMPS out the window after pretending to sleep in front of his mother. ... An 8 year old... alone... in the middle of the night.)

Orihime is abandoned. She is not invited to SS, she is not informed of what is going on, her son leaves her.... I...

Orihime is a side character. She doesn't matter anymore. She hasn't mattered for a long, long time.

A part of me is glad she had little screen time, since she tends to waste it, but another part of me is embroiled with rage.

I've even see people try to defend this. "Orihime and Ichigo can't be together ALL the time, that's an unhealthy relationship!" and I'm like guys... that's not the point. The point is Orihime is not part of Ichigo's other life. Any shinigami stuff from now on is none of her business. She's going to stay at home while Kazui and Ichigo go off and save the world. Ichigo is going to be fighting by Rukia and Renji while Orihime watches from the sidelines, or worse, doesn't even know what is going on with her husband and son. Orihime is going to be uninformed and abandoned, because she has not proven she is capable of fighting by their sides(go on, @ me. I will fight this. She's a failure.), and also because she prefers a human life over a dead one. Which is ironic, because she married a dead man. Ichigo is a shinigami, and he will be one forever. god forbid she ever meets his Zanpaktou. She would tremble in fear at the monsters her husband harbors in his soul, especially when she realizes they don't care about her and would rather see her dead. (Zangetsu would absolutely kill Orihime. Not sure about Kazui, but Orihime has not accepted Zangetsu, she does not like either of them, and the feeling is assuredly mutual.) frick now I want to make a comic about this

Also still frustrated over Zangetsu's shikai / bankai regression. Kubo once again lied to his audience. Ichigo has no bankai. How ridiculous is that? The main character of BLEACH doesn't have a bankai. Insulting.

(RIP to Chad. He doesn't exist anymore. He's just gone. No mention, no cameo. Gone.)

Kazui is a demon child. That character from the novels? Hikone? They're the same character. Literally same personality, same power level. Its worse because Kazui is a liar. He constantly goes behind his parents' backs. He can summon creepy fish and creepy eyeballs and open portals like is ANYONE aware of this? How has SS not kidnapped Ichigo's son and experimented on him / locked away his powers yet? All substitute shinigami require a reiatsu controlling / spy badge to keep them in line. Where is Kazui's? Or is he just a weird fullbringer?

I was worried Kubo was gonna try and pull a knock off Boruto but luckily he kept the focus on Ichigo and the others. But that being said, Ichika and Kazui are now just... sort of there? Kazui was kinda just.... having his own adventure that doesn't matter to the plot at hand, and Ichika had some nice characterization at first but she just hid behind her dad the whole time.

I have a feeling Kazui is gonna step in at the last minute or do some major behind the scenes thing that indirectly interferes with the main plot so no one will realize how powerful and dangerous he actually is. Its sad because Ichika is the superior character in personality and likability, but she clearly is not going to have a bigger part in this.

Ichigo having a normal life after everything still feels extremely boring and uncomfortable to me. Everyone's like 'I'm still bLEACH!" but.... BLEACH just... doesn't feel like BLEACH anymore. It hasn't for a while now.

~~~

There's two new shinigami characters. Didn't care for the girl, but the Sign Language kid who talks to animals is adorable ... however... he just reminds me of Chad, and I just... it hurts knowing Chad has essentially been deleted. Chad and Orihime are officially benched. They have chosen the human world, and Orihime has given Ichigo his spawn so she has no more use/purpose to him anymore... ////sigh

~~~

Also. This is claimed to be a new "arc". So is the BLEACH manga coming back? What is happening. I thought Kubo was tired and didn't want to do BLEACH anymore. I thought Shounen Jump cut him off. People made so many excuses for Kubo and why the past two arcs have been so badly written the past 6 years and now almost everything they've attempted to defend him with has been revoked.

BLEACH is going to continue to screw up its plot lines and characters, so Its probably best for it to stay dead but I've seen a lot of Kubo stans drooling over this content, they're desperate for BLEACH's return, but its already given out all its possible revelations. There's really nothing else to top here. It's just going to make things up as it goes along ,and I'm not really here for half-assed writing like that, especially since the damage of rushing the previous manga has already been done. Kubo and Shounen Jump are riding off a money nostalgia. None of this was planned.

Honestly though.... overall feeling of this chapter, not as bad as it could have been.

Syazel stole the spotlight, and he's my friend's favorite character, so that's all that really matters.

[hashtagartistlife]

BLEACH X ASOIAF AU pt 1/??? 

House Targaryen are known for their sleek black hair, violet eyes, and dragons. They were ousted 50 years ago from the throne (the ruling King back then was Ginrei, Rukia and Byakuya’s grandfather), at which point they surrendered and swore fealty to the new King. For this they were allowed to escape with their remaining family intact. They were resettled in Stony Shore in Stark land for two reasons: 1) given that the Starks did not pick a side during the revolt, it was the safest option for the Targaryens (as opposed to being resettled in the fiefs of someone who directly revolted against them, like the Lannisters), and 2) it puts the Baratheons (the new rulers of the Seven Kingdoms) in an awkward position if they have to ask one of their allied Houses to give up their land (“Oh hey, I know you just spent a lot of money and effort to help make me King, as a reward I want you to give up some of your land to resettle the old royal family!”). Since the Starks did not support them during the revolt, they can afford to saddle them with the double duty of providing land for the Targaryens + monitoring them to make sure there are no signs of counter-revolt as a sort of mild punishment. Unfortunately, the only members of House Targaryen currently still alive are Rukia and Byakuya (full siblings related by blood in this au).

Byakuya was born on the mildest, loveliest day during cherry blossom season of the second-longest spring on record, while Rukia was born in the middle of a snowstorm at night during a short (but very harsh) winter. 

Dragons are not yet extinct in this AU though they are getting close to it. Not every generation of Targaryens have dragons anymore and that is one of the main reasons why they were able to be ousted 50 years ago— they did not have any hatched dragons at that point. In this generation there are three hatched dragons: Byakuya’s Senbonzakura, and Rukia’s Shirayuki + Kaien. However, for reasons unknown, Shirayuki cannot breathe fire and Kaien (despite being nine years old) is only about the size of a one-year-old dragon. Thus, the only dragon with battle capabilities is Senbonzakura. His existence is a secret to the other Houses, as they would no doubt try to kill him, and so everyone else thinks the Targaryens remain powerless with only two somewhat faulty dragons on their side...

The current King of the Seven Kingdoms is Genryuusai of Baratheon House, who has two sons (Chojiro and Kyouraku) and a daughter (Momo), who is betrothed to the King’s Hand (Aizen of Lannister House). Gin of Payne House is Aizen’s right-hand man, and Rukia is nominated to be betrothed to him (Targaryen House do not have a say in this as they are currently supposed to be powerless). She is summoned to King’s Landing for the betrothal. 

Isshin is the current head of Stark House, but there are rumours he has gone slightly insane following the tragic death of his wife nine years ago. Ichigo is, for all intents and purposes, running the household. The other Houses look down on him for his young age and supposedly crazy father, but maybe that’s exactly what Isshin wants— to give off the impression that his House is not a threat…. Or maybe he’s actually insane. Who knows? 

The Starks traditionally all have direwolves. Isshin’s direwolf is Engetsu. Ichigo’s is Zangetsu. Yuzu and Karin’s direwolves are Starlight and Spirit respectively. 

Yuzu, Karin and Ichigo go on a picnic on the first day of winter and get attacked by bandits. Rukia, who was on her way to King’s Landing for her betrothal, stumbles upon them and saves them. In the process, half her men die and she herself sustains an injury not conducive to travelling. Furthermore, the Neck (swampland that separates the North from Riverrun and thus King’s Landing) has flooded and is unable to be traversed through normal means, all of which contributes to Rukia deciding to stay at the Stark’s castle (Winterfell) till her injuries heal. However, all of the letters she sends to her brother and to King’s Landing explaining the situation fail to arrive through unfortunate (possibly forced) circumstances, and eventually both Byakuya and the Lannisters start to look for the ‘missing’ Rukia, suspecting foul play at hand… 

[kurosakikai]

. xx4 . Truth Hurts

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Kisuke wasn’t sure what he was expecting, when Ichigo had invited him to visit.

He did not expect to see Ichigo, up to his elbows in work, sleeves rolled up, fingers gently taking shrapnel out of someone’s arm. He also didn’t expect to see Yuzu-chan there, also helping her brother with tweezers.

“My goodness,” he says, and Ichigo flicks a glance up, nods at him. “Ichigo, what happened?”

“Accident,” Ichigo says bluntly. “You just missed Ishida - he took the worst hit and drove them to the hospital.” Kisuke nods understandingly. “You’ll have to give me half an hour - if you want to aid me, I won’t say no.”

Kisuke thinks about it. Knowing Ichigo, he knew how highly Ichigo regarded his clinic, and the offer was not made lightly.

“Let me put up my coat and hat. Do you happen to have spare socks and sneakers?” He asks, and Ichigo flashes him a relieved smile.

“Got a uniform for you, two doors down, has your name on it.”

Maaa. He wasn’t the only one who knew Ichigo well, it seemed, and he dutifully gets changed, helping out Ichigo as he takes care of his patients.

Thankfully, he’d come prepared with lollipops.

It’s a good two hours before they’re able to clean up, and Ichigo shoos him out so he can sanitize the place, Kisuke amiably cleaning up in the bathroom and getting changed back into his usual things, leaving them in the sanitation bin for Ichigo to ensure they were cleaned to the clinic’s stringent standards.

“Bit more than half an hour,” he teases, and Ichigo shrugs, not in the least embarrassed, using a soft cloth to polish his glasses as he gives Kisuke an arch look.

“Are you expecting me to apologize?” Ichigo says dryly, and Kisuke snorts.

“Heavens no. I’m simply saying, your timekeeping skills could be better, don’t you agree?” He chuckles, and after a moment, Ichigo gives an amused smile, content to accept the teasing.

“I suppose. Come along, I’ve got some new tea Yuzu brought. If I remember correctly, you do like spicy teas, right?” He asks, and Kisuke beams.

“I do! Such good memory,” he compliments, and Ichigo laughs. He sobers however, once the tea has been poured, and Kisuke is properly seated.

“I want your word that not one breath of this gets to Rukia.”

My, my. Straight to the point. Kisuke blinks, but the flat look Ichigo levels at the shopkeep makes him sigh, and nod despite his misgivings.

“I became the Godslayer a little before Kai was born,” Ichigo recalls quietly, fingers folded around his cup, his expression shuttered and flat. “I didn’t know, at the time, what my connection to him would become, that I would want to protect him so fiercely. I loved him, of course I did he was going to be my child, how could I do anything less?” Kisuke nods along - this fits Ichigo’s overprotective personality, he would agree with that.

“And then I saw him. Zangetsu had already affirmed his love for my little one, both halves, when they were separate spirits, but when I walked into that room...” His eyes go distant, and a soft smile curls his lips up. “Zangetsu loved my little boy on the spot, cooed over him and demanded to be allowed to keep him safe. He went so far as to beg me to put his sealed blade by Kai’s bedside before he was even old enough to crawl. I was fine with it, but Rukia… she lost it, at first. We had an argument, that leaving even a part hollow weapon nearby would hurt my son.” Ichigo gives a sarcastic smirk, and Kisuke winces.

“In the end, what happened?” He says tentatively, and Ichigo spreads his palms out.

“I won. In the end, I managed to get Orihime as godmother too, though Rukia fought for Kukaku.”

Having seen Kai as he was, and knowing how much Kukaku idolized her parent/big brother Kaien, Kisuke can’t hold back another grimace.

“I take it that ended well,” he says, takes a sip of his tea and shakes his head.

“The first of many arguments. Especially in regards to Kai’s… resemblance. I get it, I do,” Ichigo admits. “They look strikingly alike, and my son came to her after she’d nearly died in childbirth. I get that she was in shock. But naming him Kai only exacerbated the complication of his looks, and it’s not helped by the fact that she lets people call my son by a dead man’s name.” Ichigo’s chest heaves a bit, fury lining his expression. His expression becomes resigned as he admits, “There are some who try their best to not hold his legacy over Kai’s head, but...” His forced smile crumples.

“Who?” He asks gently, fingers wrapping around Ichigo’s hand.

“Isshin.”

… That’s even worse than I could have guessed.

And yet, that was possibly the only answer he should have thought of. Isshin had never mourned Kaien in the way Rukia and Kukaku or Ganju had. And the reason why was because he’d never known Kaien was dead.

Not until he’d taught Ichigo, but given Isshin’s… ah… preoccupation, he may not have learned about it even then. They’d been infrequently in contact once he and Masaki had married, and Kisuke, still raw and in pain, had been unable to speak to Isshin in person.

“What did he do?”

“What do you think he did?” Ichigo’s voice is a searing cut of bitterness and anger. “Kai was four. I thought I could trust him. I fucking trusted him with my son.” Kisuke grips Ichigo’s hand tighter, and is gratified that he can at least react to that, fingers tightening around Kisuke’s.

“My son cried when he saw me, said he was sorry, he was a good boy he promised.” The loathing cuts deep into Ichigo’s words. “He fucking begged me to never make him go back to Isshin again.” Ichigo’s eyes glow a faint amber, his Hollow possessiveness to the front. “I took him to Yuzu’s, promised him that I would be back, and when I went to confront Isshin, he wasn’t the slightest bit sorry about what he’d nearly done to my son. I was not going to let him raise another me.”

Oh. Oh dear. Hazy wisps of red smoke plume from his lips, and Ichigo closes his eyes, strangling back sheer, unadulterated rage by his fingertips. “The worst of it...” Ichigo takes a deep breath.

“The worst of it was that Rukia didn’t see a damn thing wrong with it at first.”

The other shoe hits with the force of a sledgehammer to his temple.

He should have expected this. He knew of Rukia’s upbringing, knew how she treated Ichigo at times, and yet.

And fucking yet.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmurs, reaches out to cup a cheek in his hand, Ichigo leaning against it like a cat. “I had no idea.” Ichigo gives him an understanding look and leans back.

“I guessed as much,” Ichigo says, voice dry. “Thank you, by the way. Kai mentioned your conversation with him.”

“Oh?” Ichigo gives a little laugh at his wary tone.

“Told me all about how you called him Kaien once - and then didn’t do it again, even after he tested you and gave you permission.”

… That was a test? It had completely flown over Kisuke’s head, he would admit. Ichigo’s lips curl up into a slight smile.

“My son is well aware of his legacy, even if he doesn’t know why he’s forced to bear it. He overheard his mother and I arguing too often to not know.” Ichigo’s eyes turn briefly distant. “The others… they try. Rukia and I… we were good together once, but honestly, at this point, it’s been more of a mistake to stay with her than it’s been to divorce her.”

Ouch.

“We fell in love, and - god, I tried, I fucking tried - to stay in love with her, and she tried so hard too, to be with me. Any other child, any other parent, and Kai would have been a happy son, a well-loved one.” Ichigo’s head hits the table. “I want my son to feel loved for being himself.”

Kisuke hesitates.

“The others?” He asks, and Ichigo doesn’t look up.

“We’re all together in this. Hime, Ishida, Chad… we’re friends. We protected each other, even when we didn’t have Soul Society to rely on. If worst comes to worst, Kai and I will close the clinic and stick with Chad for a while, or I’ll take Kai to Tokyo, lose ourselves there. Come hell or high water, where one of us goes, the rest will follow. No matter what.”

A gleam of a catlike smile curls Ichigo’s lips. “You can come with us, if you want.”

Kisuke wasn’t sure how to feel, but there was a warm, faint glow under his breastbone that had nothing - and everything - to do with how Ichigo smiled at him.

[opscurus]

● ━━━━ ✘✘ He licked his lips, hoping to soothe the persistent itch in his throat, but it did little to alleviate the discomfort. Breathing caused him to wince, yet he concealed his pain from the stranger's gaze.

All he needed… He pondered over the words, squinting as the pain in his ribs intensified with their prolonged stand—a mistake beyond repair.

Could he reveal his true desire to the other? The wish to perish while still human, not dominated by the entity within. Or the longing to bring his father back, despite knowing it was futile.

Ichigo was uncertain of his true wishes; his life was constantly disrupted and unsettled by Zangetsu's interference, and despite the Old Man's assistance, a perpetual rain drenched his soul.

"… I crave solitude yet yearn for companionship."

well, genesis could understand the need to be alone, considering he frequently isolated -- or, tried to.

with the distance, genesis takes a moment to get a good look at the other, noting the weapon but not being bothered. if the man wanted to hurt genesis, well, genesis was sure he'd have deserved it. plus it'd heal fast anyway. it's low on the list of concerns.

the redhead hums, crossing his arms over his chest.

"somewhere to be alone?" repeated, just to be sure. "you sure that's all you need?"

[grimmichi-ao3-feed]

[New AO3 Fic!] Warrior of Darkness

by Maveri

Sequel to Shadow of Warrior

So much time had already passed, and yet Ichigo still wasn't even a step closer to finding the Hollow King. Not even a step closer since the end of the war. Since he killed Aizen and broke the Hougyoku with his bare hand. He felt as if fate itself was trying to screw him over. Blocked out from living his human life, yet with no possible way of succeeding in this empty desert. Suspended between what he wanted and what he should. Maybe Hollow King was just a legend hollows were passing on to give themself hope in this God-forsaken world? Maybe his mission was doomed to failure from the very first second? These kinds of thoughts were constantly clouding Ichigo's mind, only getting worse with every unsuccessful journey. At least until something very unexpected forced him to reconsider. Something that hadn't occurred in over 500 years. A phenomenon that only the oldest of hollow-kind witnessed before. The Eclipse...

Words: 4761, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of Renascentia in Tenebris

Fandoms: Bleach

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/M, M/M, Multi

Characters: Kurosaki Ichigo, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Hollow Ichigo | Zangetsu, Old Man Zangetsu | Quincy Zangetsu, Espada Ensemble (Bleach), Various Arrancar Character(s) (Bleach), Various Shinigami Character(s) (Bleach), Urahara Kisuke, Kurosaki Isshin, Various Visored Character(s) (Bleach)

Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo, Inoue Orihime/Ishida Uryuu

Additional Tags: Kurosaki Ichigo-centric, Angst, Fluff, Blood and Violence, Blood Drinking, Post-Winter War (Bleach), Feral Behavior, Soul King - Freeform, Hollow King, Saving the World, BAMF Kurosaki Ichigo, Shadow - Freeform, Soul Bond

Read it now on AO3!

[getsusun]

The bond is weak, the bones are broken

Timeline: uhhh... eight hundred and fifteen-ish years before main bleach plot?

Over the years, Kuchiki Clan had more than a few members who achieved bankai. Not many, because while almost every shinigami can, or at least had communicated with their zanpakuto, only a quarter advance to activating shikai, and only a small percent of them would be able to reach the final form of their weapon. But still a few. And, even if Sixth Division of Gotei-13 is silently considered to not exactly belong to Kuchiki’s, but be strongly bound to this noble family, never before there were simultaneously two Kuchiki with bankai at the same time.

Kuchiki always had a lot of strong fighters among their people. So it is not surprising that there are some training fields, far away for any settlements or any important objects on Kuchiki’s lands, adapted to withheld colossal amounts of reitsu pressure and lessen damage from all types of attacks one’s shikai or even bankai could possibly produce.

It was useful for when Naumi was learning to control his bankai. Naumi had a lot of reitsu, and while Koigetsu could control his own perfectly and taught his master everything necessary to do the same, shinigami rarely bothered to. Something about big-flashy being for some reason better than precise-effective. Long time ago Koigetsu thought that to be a pity. He would have been loved to see Naumi master bankai to the highest level. But now – now Koigetsu was bitterly happy that Naumi never learned the most deadly of attacks.

Well, Koigetsu tiredly thought while dodging Naumi’s strike and releasing small directed blow of reitsu to distract him, if Naumi thought that this was bankai training, his master was severely mistaken. Blowing up half of the training grounds was a step back, not further.

They already spent half a day here, and while Naumi, if a bit sweaty and covered with dust, looked full of desire to continue, Koigetsu long ago started to feel the world getting all blurry and gray on the edges. Koigetsu almost managed to break the last controlling artifact the night before, but it is still on his neck, feeding on reitsu and burning like a melting metal. Koigetsu needed just a couple of more hours of quiet concentration, but Naumi had training in mind, and so training it was.

Koigetsu hated collars, all and each of these diabolic devices. Hated the tangles of twisted seals of bakudo and intricate hado, limiting, binding and hurting him with every breath. Hated how after he broke one after one, Naumi just won’t stop. Where his shinigami was even taking these?

And they became harder and harder to break. Burning his fingers, sticking thorns into his neck, poisoning him. It was like two-sided game: Koigetsu tries to break controlling collars, while collars try to break him. For now Koigetsu won almost all rounds. Well, “won”. The victory tasted like blood, because there was a lot of blood – from bitten tongue and inside of cheek in attempt not to scream, from his nose and then ears when the pressure of hado became too much…

Koigetsu doesn’t want to remember the only time he failed to destroy the collar. Dematerializing – dying – from hunger, after what felt like months alone at the bottom of stone pit was bad. And it would have been worse, if Naumi had not decided that after dematerializing – dying – with that collar Koigetsu was non-responsive for too long. Naumi never used that collar again. And Koigetsu could not remember a thing between falling asleep in the pit and being forced awake in Naumi’s inner world by loud call of his master.

It was also the last time Koigetsu cried. Must have been the effect of Naumi’s farewell words.

Koigetsu does want to cry a little right now. His leg pulses with hot pain after every step, and finally healing skin over the burn on his cheek annoyingly itches. Koigetsu did not slept for a week, had not eaten once, and is starting to hate the sun, too bright for his sore eyes. Also, the collar he currently wears was active for almost a week, draining his reitsu reserves to strengthen itself.

Overall, Koigetsu wants to – need to­ - rest. If only Naumi had even slight intention to hear out his zanpakuto spirit...

It goes like this for a while longer: Naumi attacks, Koigetsu defends and dodges as good as his leg allows. Koigetsu does not really need to think for that sort of things, it is, overall, what he is made for. Especially since Naumi doesn’t try elaborate attacks or tricky kido. Just brute force, just strike after strike after strike, like an exercise to determine their stamina limits.

So Koigetsu fights.

And fights, even as his mind becomes numb and tiredness grows.

And fights.

And then it is over. Koigetsu falls on his knees, barely holding back a cry because of the hot wave of agony his left leg provides, and parries the blow from above which otherwise would have cut his body in halves.

It would have been actually easier if he did not, runs in Koigetsu’s mind. Yeah, dematerializing did hurt, and being half-awake and half-aware of surroundings for quite some time was not Koigetsu’s favorite feeling, but it was some kind of a break. And not hearing Naumi for a while – not doing anything for a while – sounded nice.

But no. Koigetsu blinked the dust away from his eyes – still annoyingly no tears – and clenched his fist, stopping the blade growing from his arm from shuddering. Not the most important part, but he had no idea how collar’s seals would answer on a forcible dematerializing, when an attempt of voluntary one left Koigetsu half-unconsciousness from pain. But mostly it was just that there was something deeply wrong with being purposely killed by Naumi now, especially in bankai. Koigetsu was not sure what exactly scared him, but the cold feeling in his chest – between the clavicles, from where the bond between zanpakuto and shinigami grew – signaled that it was a very, very bad idea.

It shouldn’t have felt like a big deal. Zanpakuto spirit was part of shinigami, even when having a separate mind and thoughts, and killing – destroying the physical body – manifested zanpakuto should have just return the spirit back into the inner world of their master.

But Koigetsu suspected that “killed” zanpakuto usually were not exhausted beyond the limits and tied via intricate kudo.

Also, to acquire manifestation ability – and bankai – zanpakuto and shinigami must have been reached a deep level of mutual understanding and trust. And Koigetsu was really, really not sure that there was any of each left in his soul.

Naumi pushes down, puts more weight on his own bankai blades, and Koigetsu barely holds back a scream. His arms burn, bones almost crushed under the tension of bankai pressing on them. And there is also something else – cold, mind-devouring feeling of cracks filling the blades – filling Koigetsu – and it won’t stop, won’t pause…

- Nau… mi… S-stop! Please!

A plea breaks from Koigetsu’s mouth, but he sees the excited anticipation in Naumi’s eyes, sees the cold, satisfied smile, and Koigetsu knows that his master would not stop. Koigetsu sees Naumi’s emotions and intents, but for some reason feels nothing, only emptiness, like if their bond went numb.

Naumi presses.

And Koigetsu screams.

His left blade shutters, debris of black metal flying apart, and there is blood too, but there is also dreading feeling of something twisting, warping in Koigetsu’s left arm. The agony is so strong that for some time Koigetsu is left blind and deaf to the world. There is nothing: no sounds, no colors, no light. Only pain, and queasy feeling of bones moving where they should not move.

Koigetsu feels wrong, wrong, wrong, and scared, and burning, and freezing to death, and it just won’t stop. His world narrows to the sensations in his arm, and nothing else Koigetsu is able to notice.

The agony lasts, and lasts, and lasts, and it does not makes better, but Koigetsu manages to alienate the pain a little, to build a fragile mental wall, and then he is able to see again. He is still manifested. Still on the training ground, well, on its remains, which looks like something big exploded here. There is also distant buzz in Koigetsu’s ears, which gradually becomes more legible and ends up being Naumi speaking. Because Naumi is, apparently, also still here.

Koigetsu has difficulties with formulating any coherent thoughts. The time is moving strange – Naumi is standing over him, then shinigami is much closer, then there is a short-lived agony of Koigetsu’s arm being touched, of bankai debris being pulled – to no avail – out of his flesh. Then Naumi stands again and his lips move, but while Koigetsu hears the words, he has no understanding of them. They are just a noise.

And then Koigetsu blinks, and the sky is suddenly much darker and Naumi is nowhere to be seen.

Thinking is hard. Koigetsu feels like his thoughts are heavy rocks, barely moving despite all efforts. Koigetsu really wants to rest. May be lay down – why is he still sitting on his knees, when there is so much land around? But there is some kind of strange voice on the edge of Koigetsu’s mind which forbids him from falling.

May be then if he just closes eyes for a bit… No, this desire is also firmly rejected.

Koigetsu blinks, forces himself not to leave eyelids down, and slowly shifts his head to look at the spot where hot pain pulses, almost soothing, like waves of ocean must be, gently rocking him into sweet darkness…

No, wait, no falling asleep.

Koigetsu looks and. And it is not good. The black metal growing from his left forearm is twisted, sticking out under the wrong angle. The blood mostly stopped, pooled into a small puddle half-absorbed into earth, half-dispersed into reishi particles. Koigetsu’s skin must be itching from the dried blood, but he does not feel it, weak sensation overcomed by pain. It is hard to distinguish anything in mess of black and red.

There is also something whitish sticking in a few places, and Koigetsu frowns for a while, too tired to thinks. Finally it clicks in his mind. Bones. Broken bones in addition to broken blades. Great.

Koigetsu slowly moves his right arm – and amazingly close to no pain follows, so Koigetsu looks, and yes, at least the right side of bankai dispersed successfully, leaving only a couple of dark lines of already half-closed thin wounds. That is not actually how it should work. Koigetsu forces his thoughts to move faster, and it is hard, but he feels a little more back into reality.

There is no such think as half of bankai. You either have it or don’t. Yes, it can evolve with time, adapting to shinigami or revealing new skills, but the base thing, the foundation stays whole. Koigetsu just knows it. Must be part of being a zanpakuto.

Koigetsu knows it, but facts are looking at him with debris of metal and bones mixed together. Right arm: no bankai. Left arm: broken mess. And Koigetsu has no idea what to do with it. It does not feels like he is still using bankai. Well, mostly. Koigetsu concentrates, and while Naumi certainly has his bankai deactivated, zanpakuto can detect reitsu slowly leaking from his own left arm.

It must be really broken then. Well, hell. There is actually close to none innate knowledge about broken bankai in Koigetsu’s mind. And all the fragments he remembers reading in books are not drawing a pretty picture. Mostly all the sources said that broken bankai can not be fixed, but there were some vague references on something called reforging… Which does not sounds like something Koigetsu wants to experience. And his gut sense mostly agrees with can-not-be-fixed part.

May be Koigetsu should be panicking, but he is honestly too tired on this point, so there is just weariness mixed with uncertainty. But he needs to do something, because sitting in the middle of nowhere with still if slightly bleeding arm does not looks like the best course of action even for Koigetsu’s exhausted mind.

But it is not like he has a lot of options either.

Option one would be dematerializing, returning back into Naumi’s inner world, only Koigetsu is unable to do so because of the collar… Wait. Where is the collar? Koigetsu touches his neck, and while it is sore and also slightly burned and cut, there is nothing here. Huh. Koigetsu looks around, and – and there are, in fact, small pieces of metal which is not his bankai, laying around. Must have been the explosion of reitsu which finally broke damn artifact.

Koigetsu moves to option two, because he actually does not to return back into Naumi’s mind. Half because it feels like it probably would not make the things much better, since with his bankai stuck in weird middle position between being activated and dormant, and it is Koigetsu’s business, like a zanpakuto, to fix it. The other half, however…

Koigetsu just does not want to do it, okay? Returning back into his shinigami’s mind means the bond between them, now stretched and barely perceptible, becoming strong – eh, stronger at least, and Koigetsu is fine as it is now. Just… It was something really wrong in Naumi’s feelings when he broke his zanpakuto. And Koigetsu is not ready to meet it. Yet. May be he will later.

After taking care of his bankai, which is still broken and hurts and pulses with hot pain after every breath taken.

What was the option number two, again?

Collecting his thoughts was never that hard before, but Koigetsu manages. He is manifested and his bankai is broken. He can’t – won’t – get un-manifested, so he needs either to fix himself or… Get help from somewhere else.

And Koigetsu even have a whole one place to ask for healing. Lucky him.

The last thought before Koigetsu forces himself to get up is about how it would be at least a rare and interesting case in Captain Unohana’s medical practice.

[lo-55]

Shattered Chains of Fate Ch.11

Silver and Steel 

Ichigo holds his sword firmly, his eyes narrowed at the man in front of him. They’d separated. Ukitake stays behind, but Ichigo has no doubt that he’s just as powerful as the man in front of him.

 Ichigo knows good and well that he can’t beat the both of them, but that won’t stop him from trying. Rukia still stands behind him, uncertain.

 “I can see you’re determined,” hatman says. He changes his stance. “It’s unfortunate, but today my zanpakuto is feeling playful. She’s a bit picky, you understand, but you’ve gotten her interest.”

 “Lucky me,” Ichigo says dryly.

 That get’s the man to laugh.

 “I’m Shunsui Kyoraku, the captain of squad eight, and you won’t find me so easy to pin as these young bucks here.”

 “...are you aware that that sounds suspiciously like an innuendo,” Ichigo narrows his eyes at the man, Kyoraku, who looks startled but laughs a moment later.

 “We’re going to have fun with you,” he predicts. There’s an undercurrent in his easy voice, something that is not quite malice but still not nice. Ichigo cocks his head.

 “We’ll see.”

 Kyoraku crosses his swords at the blade and changes his stance. The world seems to shift, just enough to set Ichigo’s teeth on edge. It’s a familiar sensation, one he’s missed in the past few months. He knows, as soon as this Katen Kyokotsu is released, what has been done.

 They’re in a reality marble, or something akin to it.

 Ichigo narrows his eyes. This is a man strong enough to warp reality itself to his whims.

 “You have to know you can’t win,” Ukitake actually sounds gentle. “If you give up now, you and your friends won’t be hurt.”

 “Until you execute us, you mean,” Ichigo shoots him a dark glare. He has the decency to wince.

 Ichigo looks to the other man. Kyoraku, captain of the eighth. He’s a whole different kind of monster to Kenpachi. Not a claw in the throat but the shadows that lurked just out of reach.

 “So. Shall we begin?”

 “I suppose. However, I should explain now what it means for my Zanpakutou to want to play with you,” Kyoraku’s smile turns just a little bit sharper. “Katen Kyokotsu makes childrens games real.”

 “... you’ve got to be fucking with me,” Ichigo can feel a twitch develop over his eye brow.

 “Excuse me?” Kyoraku asks, cocking his head just so.

 “No, no. See, I met a little girl who makes nursery rhymes real, and now you’re going to make a kids game real. That just. Yeah. That’s my life. Why the fuck not.” Ichigo shakes his head. “What game are we playing?”

 Kyoraku looks intrigued by his admittance, but tells him all the same.

 “Have you ever played Kagome Kagome?”

 Ichigo was exasperated. “Which of us is the demon?”

 Kyoraku started walking, clock wise, leaving a trail of copies behind him while shadows slithered up and locked around Ichigo’s eyes. He stiffened, but he knew how powers like these worked. Kyoraku was just as bound by the rules as he was.

 The question was, now, what happened if he guess wrong? What damage would it do?

 Kyoraku’s voice echoed around him. It circled him on all sides, front and back, left and right.

     Kagome kagome  

     Kago no naka no tori wa  

     Itsu itsu deyaru  

     Yoake no ban ni  

     Tsuru to kame ga subetta.  

     Ushiro no shoumen daare  

     Kagome kagome, The bird is in the cage,  

 Ichigo tilts his head. The voice will be no help. This game is hardly fair.

     When, oh when will it come out  

     In the night of dawn  

 On top of that, all of the space around them now feels distinctly like Kyoraku. The laugh on the wind, the shadow at his back, the scent of sake and, now, some type of bun. He can’t feel where Kyoraku is, and the song is coming to a close.

     The crane and turtle slipped  

     Who is behind you now?  

 Ichigo swallows thickly. His instincts hum under his skin. He’s always trusted them. They’ve guided and protected him well for years.

 And, according to the prickling along his arms, the greatest source of danger is to his right.

 “A shadow,” Ichigo says with sudden certainty. “It’s one of the copies of you.”

 He swings to the right, fast and hard, and feels flesh cave to the bite of Zangetsu.

 It’s the last good blow he makes in the fight.

 *

 “So. What do you think is wrong with him?”

 “Karin!” Yuzu frowns minutely at her sister from where she stands before the stove, a ladle in one hand. Sauce bubbles cheerfully in the pot in front of her,

 “What? We both know there’s something weird about Ichigo. There’s been something weird about him since he got home. And now he’s even weirder. Does he really think we believe he’s our brother?”

 “Karin!”

 “What?” Karin is unrepentant. They both know. Ever since Ichigo came back he’s been weird. He’s up at all hours, he barely sleeps and he’s skittish as all hell. Karin has started walking louder to make sure he jumps less when she shows up in the room. Even their dad has started acting different and distant from Ichigo. On top of all that, Ichigo is more physically affectionate that she’s ever seen him in their lives.

 “I’m pretty sure that the guy upstairs now isn’t even Ichigo. He’s a clone or something.”

 “That’s a horrible thing to say!”

 “But’s it’s true!” Karin insists. Yuzu falters, the irritated furrow in her brow easing. The spatula in her hand is brandished like a weapon until she sets it on the spoon holder beside the stove.

 “But he looks just like Ichigo…”

 “The one that came back from his trip is definitely Ichigo.” Traumatized, and Karin isn't’ an expert but is he supposed to be so traumatized from an explosion? Did he hit his head? Was it worse than he said? That sounds like Ichigo. “But the one we have now is definitely not our brother.”

 “Karin… How is that possible?”

 “Ghosts are possible,” Karin reminds her, ignoring the fact that Yuzu can’t see them. Still, Yuzu believes in them, more than Karin herself does. If she doesn’t acknowledge that they’re there they won’t bother her like they do her brother.

 Yuzu bites her lip.

 “Still… What do we say?”

 “I wasn’t gonna say anything yet,” Karin admits. It’s too soon, and there’s too much weird stuff going on right now. She doesn’t trust that they’ll get the truth if they go after it without more facts to shuffle through whatever crap the adults try to feed them. They’re young, but they aren’t stupid, and Karin knows that they’re going to have to pull answers out like they pull teeth.

 “Good,” Yuzu says with finality. Quieter, with a glance at the ceiling, she adds, “That Ichigo, even if he isn’t our Ichigo, he seems… lonely, Karin.”

 Karin knows the look in her sisters eye. The one she gets with stray cats and the cast off friends that Ichigo brings home sometimes. It’s the look that lead to the entire year they’d spent devoted to guarding a single caterpillar in a jar until it was a butterfly. Yuzu is not the temperamental one, she isn’t the scraper, but there’s not doubt in Karin’s mind that she’s the real power in the household. When Yuzu puts her foot down that’s all there is to it.

 “Then we just make him our,” she says with a roll of her shoulders. Simple as that.”

 “Yeah!” Yuzu grins. “Oh! Did I tell you my doll is haunted?”

 “... huh?”  

 * *

 Shunsui Kyoraku is a dutiful man.

 He does what is required of him, to serve his home and protect his friends. He always has, since he’d first felt the weight of the heavy black kosado on his shoulders. He is the second son of nobility, he was born to know duty . Even if he prefers to be lackadaisy, even if he bends the rules until they’re twisted knots, and lets events take their course, he will follow the orders Yamamoto gives directly.

 He and Juushiro were some of his first students, and they are the only ones left from their class for a reason. He is perhaps one of only five who remain to remember the wolf that Yamamoto truly is, for all he falls to heel at the call of the Central 46 now under the guise of a loyal dog.

 He has seen the fight it had been for Yamamoto to establish the shinigami in the first days of their existence, when the foundations of the world had been shaky and the throne had been empty. He had been there for the first quincy war, one thousand years ago, and then again for the second only two hundred prior.

 That one had hardly been a war. It had been a slaughter, and he had raised his sword to it just as he had been told.

 Now a child stands before him, desperate to save a girl who he can’t have known longer than a summer. She is one of Juushiro’s, one of his favorites in fact. He knows he’s been grooming her to be his next lieutenant for the last forty years, since even before Kaien’s death.

 (Privately he thinks it should be the two of them trying to protect her, but they have seen Yamamoto incinerate men, they have witnessed his      bankai    first hand. If he presses the issue, what chance do they have? They have gone to the Central 46 as captains and nobles and been turned away both times, in spite of the ancient laws.)

     This child,     Shunsui thinks while he bleeds from his shoulder down to his sternum,      is frightening.  

 He is young. He is human, he cannot be more than two decades old. But it is his eyes that are the most unnerving.

 They are not the eyes of someone who knows defeat. They are the eyes of someone who knows that defeat means death. The eyes of someone who has not been beaten by the merits of his simple being alive right now. The fact that he stands before him, with Shunsui’s blood on his sword, is a testament to that fact.

 It’s been a long time since someone had done so well in one of his games. They’re never in anyone else's favor, but now Kyokotsu laughs somewhere in the back of his mind, his swords thrum in his hands.

 Truthfully, Shunsui would rather not kill this child. He would rather not kill any of the children in front of him.

 He knows Juushiro feels the same way. Killing Rukia would be like killing a part of him, too.

 They’ve both sent petitions to the Central 46. Both as captains and as noblemen, but none have been answered. It’s a violation of their own laws, but then the Ryoka had come and their investigation had been cut short.

 According to Nanao, little Hitsugaya has taken over for them.

 Kyokotsu switches games, and Shunsui sinks into the shadows.

 The boy is good, for all he is young. He’s been well trained, he thinks on his feet. He fights like there’s something missing.

 And that red ribbon on Rukia’s wrist. Her new clothes. It’s interesting.

 Shunsui has never seen anything like it. It’s almost like a pseudo bankai, forcibly unlocked by the child in front of him.

 Yes, frightening is really the right word for it.

 The games change. Ichigo catches on quickly to each one, to the rules and the ways they are both bound by them.

 He’s also accumulating more injuries. Cuts on his arms, his back, his chest. Kyokotsu is fond of the boy. It’s rather unfortunate, really.

 Shunsui feels bad when he goes in for a hard attack, an emotion he ruthlessly crushes down. He can’t afford to be worried about an opponent in a battle.

 Ichigo barely moves back. He’s not fast enough to completely dodge the blade the cuts into his shoulder, just shy of his throat.

 Rukia screams, so does the boy from the forth and kid that looks like a shinigami but probably isn’t.

 Blood erupts from the split in his skin, a deadly strike if a slow one. It won’t be a quick death. It might not be a death at all if he can, say, get seen by the fourth division member that’s not twenty feet away in the next ten minutes.

 Shunsui is broken out of that idea when white overtakes red and it is no long blood that splatters out of the child's body, but a paste that looks awfully familiar.

     What in the hell?    

 A half an answer comes a minute later, when a hand grasps Katen by the blade and yanks Shunsui forwards so Ichigo can try to cleave him in half.

 Shunsui blocks with Kyokotsu. The boys reitsu has changed. It was once light and brilliant, a small sun in his young chest. Now it lashes out darkly, black and tinged with red. The eye that turns upon him doesn’t match the other.

 One brown. One yellow, rimmed first in black and then in white.

 A hollow eye.

 It’s only the fact that rules of their current game mean that Shunsui can’t be cut anywhere where his clothes aren’t white, and the fact that his haori and kimono are already off to the side that save him from the brutal counter slash. The boy is fast, his movements vicious and harsh.

 Shunsui separates from the attack. He can feel the wind and the faint crackle of lightning that gives away the presence of the oncoming storm that is Shihoin Yoruichi.

 She crashes into the platform and knocks Ichigo unconscious with something that looks suspiciously like a very large baseball bat.

 She stands before them, two of the old guard, surrounded by children. She cannot take them all, and Ichigo’s reiatsu is still dark and dank, an ocean of shadows that even Shunsui is weary to tread into.

 Kyokotsu laughs softly. She wants to play with this boy. Katen inches forwards, her true nature flickering at the edge of his soul. Pure and holy, she wants to split the boy’s darkness with light.

 Shunsui cannot allow it. He smothers her in the darkness of Kyokotsu and bids her sink further into his soul, a burden he still bears with grace and secrecy.

 “The lost lady of the Shihoin,” Shunsui greets with a smile. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your return?”

 Yoruichi doesn’t answer immediately, and her playful smile is tight around the edges. Shunsui remembers when she and her brother were still just children at their fathers knee. Yukihira hadn’t even been going grey in the temples when he’d died. It seems all Shihoin lived short, fast lives. They are quick shadows that burn away in the light. Disowned or not Yoruichi is now one of the oldest Shihoin on record.

 “You certainly did a number on the boy,” she says instead of answering. Kisuke is involved with this, somehow, the mask is proof enough. Just what do they want with Rukia?

 This changes things.

 The banishment of half the upper echelons of the gotei 13 had never sat right with Shunsui. It was too much too fast, and Kisuke had never struck him as the type. Not to say Kisuke was a good man, but he certainly was not a good enough liar to fool someone like Shunsui for so long, or Shinji for that matter.

 If there weren’t strict orders against it, he might have hunted them down in the living world and demanded answers himself. But Yamamoto had made it clear. No one was to launch any further investigations into the hollowfication incident.

 (Now he wonders again ; why?)

 “He did trounce little Bakuya over there pretty badly,” Shunsui points out.

 “So he did. I’ll be taking him now,” she warns. Her body tenses, ready to flee. Shunsui steps forwards and swings lazily at her head.

 He slices through open air and a few stray purple strands of hair.

 She’s slower now than she was before, he notes, but still fast enough to flee his field of influence before he can cut her down.

 Now all that’s left to do is see to the wounded, figure out what to do with their little turncoats, figure out what’s possessed their central government, find out why a child has been hollowfied, unlock the strange mysteries of Rukia’s new powers, and possibly get drunk.

 Easy breezy.

 An explosion sounds from where Yoruichi has run off to, and Shunsui figures his plans may have to change.

 * * *

 Kon paces the basement of Ichigo’s strange house in his borrowed body, wearing a trail in the cement floor.

 He’s surrounded on all sides by the strange things that Ichigo keeps in here, the magical artifacts and tools that he’s accumulated.

 Amongst all of them is the plain brown box that Kon had found on a table upstairs.

 The weirdo from the dreams,      Merlin    , swears he gave it to Ichigo. Kon would normally call Bullshit but honestly? It’s Ichigo.

 There’s just something about that kid that makes him feel like anything is possible. Even gifts from dream men who smell like too many flowers and don’t give straight answers.

 Kon arranges the thick crystals on the markings carved carefully into the floor. He’d tried to make it look exactly like the picture in the book, but he wasn’t an artist. It didn’t matter. Ichigo’s body seemed to know what they were doing without him having to tell it. He could feel a strange power thrumming through his borrowed skin.

 It sunk in from the world around him, filling up the empty spaces in the bone marrow, in the muscles, in the very pores of his body.

 This vessel knows what to do, even if Kon doesn’t.

 He sets one of the other items in the middle of the circle. There’s six crystals that shine incandescently on each corner of the design.

     “Use the stones first,”     Merlin had said, his lilac eyes curved with some hidden joke, “      You’ll need Ichigo to use the last bit.”  

 The last bit being a scrap of cloth that he’d left in the box. It was same shade as his hair, and tattered at the ends. Kon left it where it was and set in the center of the circle two more stones. One was a red crystal. The other was dull grey, and shaped like the head of a small serpent.

 Everytime he touches them Kon feels his fingertips tingle with      something    .

 Kon picks up a paring knife.

 On Ichigo’s palm is a long scar, one that’s been opened over and over again. Now, Kon presses the blade to the same thin white line until it splits neatly under the sharp edge.

 Red wells up. He barely feels it. Ichigo’s pain tolerance is insane.

 He holds his fist out over the circle and let’s Ichigo’s body do as it apparently knows to. Blood drips into the careful lines he’s made and it spreads with a vermillion glow that crackles faintly.

 “Let Silver and Steel be the Essence…”

 * * * *

 “Again,” Ichigo touches his forehead. It throbs horribly. “Why the      hell    does this keep happening to me?”

 His groan of pain is met with silence. He can touch his forehead so he’s not tied up. And he can feel pain so presumably he’s not dead. That’s good. If he dies he can’t keep his promises.

 On the other hand, if he was dead he probably wouldn’t feel like he was chewed up and spit out again.

 When he finally peels his eyes open, he finds himself in the ‘inside’ again. Vertical buildings, and pieces of himself in the form of places he’s gone. The water at the street is a bit deeper.

 Ichigo rubs his head and squints around him.

 “Zangetsu?” he calls, looking around. The old man is nowhere to be seen. There’s something familiar about this entire situation. He can taste chalk and blood. His chest aches. What the hell is going on here?

 “Zangetsu!” he yells louder. No response.

 Fine then. Maybe if he focused on his zanpakuto? Zangetsu was the manifestation of it right? Or something.

 Ichigo closed his eyes and reached out, taking a deep breath.

 He focused on the feeling of his sword in his hand. The cool metal until sturdy wrappings. The wicked blade. The weight of the weapon. The comfort of Zangetsu against his back.

 He closed his hands around something and opened his eyes.

 And nearly had a heart attack.

 “What the fuck!?”

 Standing in front of him, no holding his hand, was      him    . If he’d been sent through a bottle of bleach. His eyes, the other him’s eyes (fuck this was confusing) were bright, luminescent gold. Where there should be white was instead black. When the other him grinned his teeth weren’t as sharp as Ichigo felt they should be.

 “Hey there, Partner.”

 Ichigo extracted his hand warily. “Who the fuck are you?” He asked bluntly.

 A flicker in the corner of his eyes came from the side. His head snapped to the side to see Zangetsu, the old man.

 “Zangetsu.”

 Ichigo looked back at the other him. The one who spoke. His head throbbed. His chest ached.

 “Huh?”

 “Ichigo.”

 “Yes, yes. Ichigo, Zangetsu, whatever,” he waved his hands impatiently. “What the ever loving fuck is going on here? Why am I here? I was just fighting and- Did I get stabbed?” Ichigo patted down his chest. There was no blood, and it didn’t hurt.

 The other him scoffed. “Damn you’re dumb. Yeah ya got stabbed!”

 “Don’t be rude,” Ichigo said absently. He lifted his shirt. There wasn’t even a scar on his chest. Just the same red circle that had rested on his chest since he’d been speared through. It felt like an eternity ago. The longer the wars went on the harder it was to keep track of everything and everyone. Sometimes he felt like he mixed up the order of operations. Did he go to London first? Or Oceanus? Fuck.

 “      I’m     rude!”

 Ichigo has to jump to avoid being stabbed by the sword Zangetsu. Now wielded by the other him, and also reversed in color.  

 “You’re the one that made us wait that long before you heard us, asshole!”

 “Huh?!” Ichigo ducked and dodged each slash. Finally, Zangetsu (the man) blocked Zangetsu (the sword (except they were technically both swords (and this was making Ichigo’s head ache))) to stop the fight.

 “Ichigo,” Zangetsu intoned. “You were being beaten. Badly. We cannot allow this to continue.”

 “Okay,” Ichigo says slowly. “So you suck me out of consciousness and throw me here while everyone else is back there? What about Rukia and Hanataro and Ganju!”

 “What about them?” the Other Him. White Ichigo maybe? Shirogo? Espejo? Nieve? Speaks up. He leans on his sword, looping his arm casually over the bite under the curve of the blade. “Why do you think we give a shit about your friends?”

 Ichigo scowls. “If I go down we all do.”

 “Exactly,” says Zangetsu. “We all die if you do. If you lose. We cannot lose, it cannot be an option. So you must become stronger. You can hear my voice now. You can wield my blade. But there is power inside of you that you do not know. Prepare yourself, Ichigo. We will make you stronger now.”

 “To gain that strength, you must fight. Take your sword back from yourself.”

 “Huh?!”

 He only has a second to duck a sword strike at his head. Neive (he’s going with that for now. Snow) comes at him with a wild grin and vicious intent. A berserker who swings Zangetsu by the ribbon like a demented yo yo.

 There’s something weird going on here. Ichigo knows it. He knows there’s something not right about this. The whole thing feels too familiar.

 He doesn’t have time to contemplate it before he comes back at Neive with the best counters he can manage whilst unarmed.

 Zangetsu is calm and methodical. Ichigo can see in him the commander, the strategist and the pragmatist that he has had to be when war clawed at his throat and shadowed his footsteps.

 Neive is wild and vicious. Ichigo sees in him the desperate strength he’s drawn out at the last seconds, the hail mary victories that he's ripped from the claws of defeat time and time again.  

 The careful planning of Zangetsu, the intricate steps of a dance of strategy, falls away in the face of Neive’s brute forced, deadly strikes. He aims to win, even if he has to cut himself-who-is-Ichigo down to do it. Ichigo’s blood sings with it.

 Even though he steps away from death, even though if he’s just a hair too slow he’ll lose his head, Ichigo has to stop himself from tipping his head back and laughing. Fighting like this, he feels almost free.

 Almost.

 He steps in close, suddenly, regardless of the fact that Zangetsu-the-sword cuts into his shoulder from the sharp curved heel. Blood dots the blue beneath their feet and Ichigo catch’s Neive’s arm between his hands. With a vicious twist that threatens to break his arm he’s forced to let lose the sword. The ribbon keeps it stuck to his wrist, and Ichigo twists his body until he’s back to front to Neive. He grabs the swords hand and swings it around until it’s a hair breadth away from both of their throats.

 “What the fuck?” Neive asks, too loud in his ear.

 Ichigo shoots him a crooked smile. “You only said I had to take it back.”

 Neive stares at him, the angle awkward and painful to his neck. Finally, his doppleganger relaxes and legs the ribbon slip free. He steps back, letting Ichigo hold the sword on his own.

 “Well I’ll be damned. Not bad, boss.”

 “Why are you so surprised,” Ichigo hoists the blade onto his bleeding shoulder. “Aren’t we all part of the same person? Me?”

 “So we are,” something in Zangetsu’s voice doesn’t sound entirely pleased about that. “You’ve done well.”

 “Yeah. Thanks,” Ichigo scowls at him. “There’s something wrong with the both of you, I want you to know.”

 “By your own logic, there’s something wrong with you too,” Neive pointed out, far too cheerfully.

 “Uh huh.” Ichigo rolls his eyes. “How was that supposed to make me stronger? It was a fight, I’ve been a million of them. “

 Maybe more than that.

 Zangetsu doesn’t answer right away.

 Ichigo sits on the sideways building and motions the other him to do the same. Neive drops to his side, both of them criss cross and the blade long enough it covered both of their laps.  

 “Well?” he presses.

 Zangetsu is not quite stoic enough for Ichigo to miss the way his mouth turns down and his shoulders draw together. He’s bracing himself for something.

 “We are both… facets, of your power Ichigo. I needed to introduce you to him as well.”

 “A simple hand shake wouldn’t do?” Ichigo scowled at him.

 “We did shake hands,” Neive points out cheerfully.

 “Not the point. Why the song and dance? Or are you all the drama in my soul too?”

 Neive crows with laughter and slaps Ichigo hard on the back. Ichigo rocks with the force, hissing. His shoulder burns.

 Zangetsu comes to crouch before him. He lays his hand on top of Ichigo’s shoulder and the pain eases minutely. The blood stops staining his shirt.

 “What…?”

 “I can stop your bleeding,” Zangetsu explains.

 Ichigo nods, slowly. He remembers, faintly, injuries that weren’t as bad as they should have been, blood stains that were too small. Roman had commented on it once or twice.

 “You’ve done it before, haven’t you?”

 “Yes.”

 Ichigo looks between the two of them. Their words ring through his head.

 “How long have you been with me?”

 Neive grins. Zangetsu looks at him solemnly.

 “      Always    , Ichigo.”

 * * * * *  

  It’s over.

 It’s over and they’ve won. The price was high (it’s higher every time and Ichigo dreads the day that one of them does not return to Chaldeas) but they snatched victory away with bloody hands and desperation.

 They’ve won. Nero is not there to celebrate their victory. Karna has faded away. Arjuna had never really been one of them but Ichigo knows they owe him. Billy the Kid. Geronimo. Scathach herself. All gone.

 And how many yet to go, before this bloody conflict is ended? This is one war won, and three yet to go. They’ve come more than halfway, but done so by the skin of their teeth.

 What else can they do?

 Run?

 Hide?

 Chaldeas is the only safe place and even that can’t last forever. Even if it could, Ichigo would never stand by, safe within the walls.

 Ichigo looks down at the cracked tile of the Whitehouse and finds the tips of his shoes glittering. The war is over. It’s time to go.

 “Ichigo?”

 He looks to Kyo. His impassiveness is finally gone. His expression is open and horrified.

 “It’s time for us to leave,” Ichigo says solemnly.      It’s time for you to forget    .

 “No!” Kyo lunges for him, grabbing his hand, and for the first time Ichigo can see it clearly. His brown eyes, wide and open, his hand grasping desperately at Ichigo’s sleeve. One feeling sings through the touch.

 Loneliness.

 The lion that stalks in Kyo(in      Sousuke)    ’s shadow. The yawning the maw of solitude.

 He’d broken past it, Ichigo realizes. Had dragged him off of that isolated pillar that Sousuke stood so precariously upon and brought him to stand on solid ground surrounded by heroes and rebels, emperors and goddesses. And Ichigo, just a human.

 His throat tightens. What kind of place is seireitei that someone like Sousuke is so utterly alone?

 “I don’t have a choice,” he says. He’s gone up to his knees and the light is rushing swiftly to his midsection. Eating him up. He can feel the familiar pull of ray shifting.

 “Find me!” Sousuke grips his hand all the tighter. “Promise me. Find me in the future! Make me remember!”

 Ichigo feels his hand start to dissolve in his grasp and does his best to hold on for a few seconds longer

 “I’ll find you.” He vows

 Light glitters, air rushes, and the last thing he sees is the crushing sorrow on Kyos face.

 (Ichigo will not break his promise)

 * * * * * *

[hesesols]

Into the WILD

Day 16 of Ichiruki month 2020

Trapped inside fantasy MMORPG. Send help please?

Rating: T

FF/ao3

.

The first thing that strikes him as odd is that the ground underneath him is dewy soft. Not that the carpet in his tiny student accommodation isn't soft. It just isn't as soft by comparison and doesn't smell so strongly of grass and urgh- he hates pollen with a vengeance.

It makes his nose itch like mad and –

Wait!

Last time he checked summer was already over and the northern hemisphere was entering early autumn.

.

Brown eyes open in alarm.

The sun is in his eyes as he sits up and he's lying in a sea of golden tulips and ruby red camellias, blades of grass and crushed flowers under his fingertips.

He isn't alone.

There are others next to him. Each one garbed in unusual medieval clothing- intimidating-looking armours with spikes and brightly-coloured capes, fur-trimmings and equally garish-looking armbands; brandishing weapons that range from claymores to wooden staffs. Everyone seems to be in more or less the same state of disbelief and wide-eyed amazement at their new surroundings.

Where are they?

And holy shit! Is that a real-life armoured bear?

.

"You look like you could use a hand there, Kurosaki."

"Ishida?"

Ishida or at least who he assumes to be Ishida- his annoying cousin of sorts and fellow guild member- stands in front of him, offering an outstretched hand. Ichigo recognizes the voice but those pointy ears, the gleaming ivory bow that stands at a grown man's height and strange cleric-like clothing- those are definitely new. He grabs hold of it and pulls himself up, wiping at the grass stains with a fierce scowl before turning to the strange elf-like creature.

"What are you wearing?

Uryuu snorts, "I could ask you the very same question, Kurosaki."

Ichigo glances at the midnight black armour he has on- light weight, extra resistance to magic and +25% endurance to all physical attacks- wait, where did that come from?- the reassuring weight of Zangetsu in his hands-

He blinks.

.

Name: Zangetsu. Also known as: Sword of the Moon, Cursed Fang. Status: Legendary. Raid item from the Sacking of the Gollum King's Palace at Hueco Mundo. The mythical black blade forged by the Grandmaster Yhwach over the Fires of Sokyouku for a full year and a half in preparation for the Conquest of the Soul King's Throne (see also Conquest of the Soul King's Throne). Grants the wielder—

.

Reeling from the surprise, he falls flat on the grass.

How the hell did that just happen? How did all those words and background information just pop into his head unprompted? Almost like they're in a fantasy RPG gam—

"What's going on?"

Uryuu's smile is grim and sardonic, sliding the half-moon glasses up the bridge of his nose before he tells him, "Don't freak out but I think we're inside the game."

.

.

.

"Anything?"

Uryuu shakes his head.

Ichigo sighs. The lines of communication are down and no one has been able to log back out into the real world since they first entered.

"This doesn't make any sense at all!"

10,000 WILD players across the world and different servers who were online and active at precisely 12 midnight that day somehow found themselves transported into the game world and trapped there as their game character persona.

They're calling it the Lockdown.

No one has a clue as to why they were the only people affected, nor do they know how they came to. One minute they were logged in, playing the game as usual; the next thing they know they're lying flat on their asses in this strange new world strongly reminiscent of the game world of WILD, as their respective game characters.

He's one of the lucky ones he thinks. As a human Swords Master, there isn't much alteration to him besides the clothes and the muscle bulk added to his physique, unlike Chad who woke up as a bear armed to the teeth with a war axe and metal gauntlets. It wouldn't have been a pleasant wake up call for anyone, much less someone who wakes up trapped inside a fantasy MMORPG.

"What about Keigo then? Have you managed to locate him yet?"

Uryuu's eyebrow twitches. The pale blue glow from his hand falters for a fraction of a second when his attention shifts to shoot his guild leader a nasty glare.

Ichigo growls before mumbling out an apology to the raven-haired Cleric. He knows of course that Uryuu is trying his best and really in a strange new world that seems equal parts deadly and fascinating, the best is all they can do.

He's just … frustrated over the lack of answers and to make matters worse, one of their own still remains unaccounted for. Out of all the guild members who decided to switch servers during the Lockdown, it just had to be Keigo- scatterbrain extraordinaire. He wouldn't trust Keigo not to get sold on some crazy-ass get-rich-quick scheme in the real world, let alone in this virtual reality full of bloodthirsty monsters just waiting to make a nice dinner out of unsuspecting players.

The double doors to his studies are suddenly pushed apart, jolting him out of his thoughts. Orihime stumbles in barefooted and narrowly avoids tripping over the trail of her druidic dress robes in her excitement. Her cheeks are flushed and the pretty flowers in her flower crown bloom and blossom in magnificent shades of pinks and violets as she makes her announcement.

"Kurosaki-kun! I have his location!"

Ichigo jumps to his feet.

.

Finally!

.

It's the first piece of good news he's had since he found himself stranded here with the rest of his guild members.

"So where is the idiot then?"

Behind her, trails Tatsuki- their resident cynic and Shield Maiden who purses her lips and informs both him and Uryuu rather miserably, "You're not going to like this. He's in the Forest."

Ichigo resists the urge to face-palm as he sees Uryuu rubbing at his temple.

"Keigo must have been on his way back to HQ and decided to take the shorter route," Uryuu rationalizes things- as the team tactician he excels at it, "he couldn't possibly have known."

That's right. Keigo couldn't possibly have known that he would get sucked into the game and be left standing in place of his game character.

Tatsuki gives a derisive snort, "Doesn't make a difference. A level 25 Bard like him can't possibly survive the Forest of Hueco Mundo alone. He's going to get himself killed. The Forest is no man's land- level 70+ Hollows and player killers aren't warded out."

All eyes turn to their orange-haired team leader.

"What do you want us to do?"

Call it instincts but Ichigo has a nasty suspicion that player death in their new world would also mean certain death in the real world. The thought makes him nauseous and for obvious reasons, he isn't too keen on testing out the theory himself.

Keigo may be a pain-in-the-neck and downright insufferable at times but damn it! He's one of them. He's their pain-in-the-neck and they can't just leave him there.

In the real world, Ichigo Kurosaki may be just an ordinary university student bogged down by studies but here in WILD, he's a guild leader, it's his job to look after his guild members and he pledges to make sure that every single one of them makes it back home to the real world in one piece.

Ichigo heaves a loud weary sigh, grabbing the sleek black katana by his side.

"Let's go get our idiot back!"

.

.

.

"I told you we should have gone left instead of right!"

Tatsuki can feel her skull throbbing. She should have just stayed behind with Chad and Orihime.

"Stop yelling at me! It's not my bloody fault that you're so fucking incompetent that you couldn't get a better map!"

"Oh so I'm the incompetent one?! Never mind I was the one who organized the rations! We would have starved to death days ago if I hadn't triple checked our provisions!"

Tatsuki grimaces as the feel of exhaustion creeps in as does the unbearable chaffing on her thighs. It wasn't just the lines of communications that were shut off with the Lockdown. It turns out the Portals- their main means of transport have also been disrupted and that means that the full distance between Karakura and the Forest had to be covered by good old-fashioned horse-riding.

They've been riding nonstop since they left Karakura, trading horses with NPCs in the farmlands nearby to push ahead at a gruelling pace and rescue Keigo as soon as possible. It is a noble cause but the trade-off for the weeks' long worth of hard-riding leaves the three riders surly and sullen. This virtual reality that they're trapped in certainly feels real enough, right down to hunger pangs and sore muscles.

Chaffed thighs, bland food, little sleep and the heat (the sheer humidity was making her hair frizz) made for horrible traveling condition and it seems that both Ichigo and Uryuu are about to hit their respective boiling points.

She rolls her eyes, tugging at her horse's rein to halt.

"Both of you need to shut up before –"

A sudden rustling in the bushes nearby draws their collective attention and sure enough from the depth of the overgrown bushes, a Hollow emerges. This one seems more reptilian in features, flickering pink tongue and all. Something jumps at the back of her mind but Tatsuki ignores it.

The Guide is nothing more than a useless collection of WILD lore and trivia.

She doesn't need a lecture on Hollow classes and their special attacks to know that the only good Hollow is a dead one.

With a loud battle war cry, she unsheathes her blade and leads the charge, throwing herself against the beast.

.

.

Ichigo leaps through the dense foliage with Zangetsu drawn and bloodied in his hand. Despite Tatsuki's misgivings about his foolhardy plans and recklessness, the woman is just as bad with her own brand of battle lust, leading the charge like a crazy berserker.

All hell literally broke loose the second they stormed through the clearing. The sheer number of the Hollow horde overwhelmed them and forced them to break formation and the three of them took off in different directions in a bid to divide the remaining Hollows' attention.

He ducks behind a tree to catch his breath. Having lost sight of both Uryuu and Tatsuki during their retreat, he is in a sour mood and more than a little embarrassed that a level 98 Swordsmaster like him is being forced back by a horde of weakling Hollows in level 50s.

"Psst. Ichigo."

Ichigo grips Zangetsu tightly, eyes nervously darting at his surroundings. He could have sworn that he heard Keigo's voice. Well it's either that or he's officially losing his mind.

"Over here."

A head pops out from the bushes next to him and Ichigo reacts accordingly- nearly slicing the newcomer's head clean off his shoulder and Keigo almost becomes a casualty of friendly fire before Ichigo sees through the heavy layer of disguise and stops the blade mid-swing.

"Keigo?"

The bard is barely recognizable with his slashed and dirtied tunic, patches of dirt and dried leaves covering his face.

"The fuck you doing- sneaking up on me like that! I could have killed you!"

Keigo couldn't have cared less. With a loud wail and snot running down his face, he throws himself at his saviour and professes his undying gratitude in between hiccups and tears.

"ICHIGO! I knew you would come for me! I never doubted for a second!"

"Get off me! You stink!"

The happy reunion doesn't last as the roar of a Hollow and heavy footsteps of a lumbering giant still their movements. Ichigo pushes Keigo away from him and readies his blade, but even his quick reflexes are no match for the suddenness of the attack.

"ICHIGO!"

The Hollow's swipe knocks the air right out of him and sends him flying. The tree trunk of a young sapling snaps in half as his back connects painfully with it. The pain disorients him and he is enough of a doctor's son to recognize the signs of concussion. Also, he thinks he might have cracked a rib (or two) as fresh blood- metallic in taste gurgles past his throat.

His vision clears in time for him to see the Hollow- a Dragon class one with beady yellow, thick, iridescent scales covering its front and gigantic wings sprouted at his back, rearing up for another charge.

This time at Keigo, who is down on his knees- eyes wide with fear as he scrambles to get away from the advancing Hollow.

There's no time to think. Ichigo pushes everything he has- the very last spurt of HP and MP within him towards Keigo, taking his place before the monster with gapping mouth, awaiting certain death to come.

.

.

"Out of the way!"

His eyes snap open just in time to see a small lithe figure, sunlight reflecting off the bone white armour- so bright that he squints, leaping through air and landing gracefully on the Hollow's back. A glint of light flashes yet again and before his very eyes, one of the Hollow's tattered wings is cut off, an arc of blood spurts high into the air and the Hollow's roar of anguish follows.

"Are you deaf or stupid? Get out of the way!"

Ichigo doesn't hesitate. With Keigo tucked under his arm, he pushes past the pain and sprints for the clearing.

With them gone, the mysterious stranger makes quick work of the beast, easily dismantling its other wing before diving for the kill; sinking the white blade somewhere between the soft scruff, flabs of excess skin free from the scaly armour.

Ichigo watches in silence as the dying monster screeches in pain, a swan's song in roars of fury before it topples over with dead eyes, a fine cloud of dust from where its body fell.

With the urgency of the situation gone, he focuses on the newcomer. Sheathing Zangetsu as it becomes apparent from the markings and sigil on the stranger's shield and helmet that he is a Paladin, one dedicated to the path of the light. They're in safe hands- for now at least.

"Where did you come from?"

The Paladin regards him oddly.

"What do you mean?"

.

"Princess!"

Half a dozen of swords are suddenly drawn and held under their throats by what seems to be a band of armed knights. Their armours gleam with the same bone-white shine and the leader of the men- a tall redhead with inked markings across his forehead approaches them with a fierce scowl and the intent to kill.

Next to him, Keigo yelps.

"The fuck!" Ichigo curses. His chest hurts, he's barely standing on his feet and now this?

Can this day get any worse?

.

"Watch your mouth, you punk!" The redhead growls threateningly, "You're in the presence of the Princess."

Amber eyes narrow. Did they think he's stupid? There's no one vaguely even female in their company unless—

The Paladin removes his helmet and a cascade of black hair- dark as the night pours forth. Apple cheeks, soft petal lips and elfin features curtailed somewhat by the iciness of her stare and her unsmiling face.

Their eyes meet.

.

Oh!

.

The short stature suddenly makes so much sense. Ichigo gulps.

"They're Heroes, Renji."

Renji scowls and gives them a dirty look.

Ichigo's eyebrows knot in confusion. "Hang on- what do you mean by Heroes and how are you a princess? Royalty isn't a job class and Paladins don't call themselves Princesses. I don't care what level you are, that's not allowed by the game admins."

The smile on the woman's face- Ichigo doesn't know what to make of it, but he thinks he's about to be made into a fool of epic proportions, especially when she pushes past her armed guards and tilts his face up by the chin with the tip of her white blade.

Smirking with dark violet eyes gleaming, she tells him, "That's because I'm not a Hero. Look closer."

Sure enough- when Ichigo focuses his gaze at her, her presence is shrouded in golden aura. The Guide pings- very belatedly and most unhelpfully, he might add.

.

Name: HRH Princess Rukia of the noble house of the Kuchiki, heir apparent to the throne of Seireitei. Status: NPC

.

He bites his tongue.

"B-But- but NPCs aren't sentient," Keigo blurts out.

Ichigo turns just in time to see him give out a pained yelp, being pummelled by the angry redhead, "Oh I'll show you how non-sentient my fists are!"

He winces. That looks like it would hurt… a lot. But Keigo's an idiot with thick skin, he'll live.

Rukia- her name rolls off his tongue easily. He refuses to even entertain the idea of addressing her by her royal title. For starters, a princess isn't supposed to be a Paladin, or know how to fight or use a sword, or look this good while having him at her mercy.

He gulps when violet eyes narrow at him.

"And you? Do you think that NPCs are non-sentient beings too?"

Ichigo is a fast learner and gives a quick shake of his head.

"Good-" her lips curve into a smile, hair dipping low to tease at the contours of his face as she whispers into his ear- "Because this NPC just saved your life. I'll show you just how deadly I am with my sword before you dismiss me as just another background token NPC."

The sword tip leaves his neck.

"Now, hold still."

That's all the warning he gets before a green glow is emitted from her hands- smelling faintly of mint and something fresh he can't quite name. He shuts his eyes, letting the healing magic wash over him, knitting most of his superficial cuts and wounds back into place.

When the light fades, his chest still hurts but at the very least he feels a little less light-headed and breathes a little easier despite the pain.

He wants to thank her- both for her healing and her timely rescue from the Hollow but she refuses to meet his eyes.

"Renji," she barks at her captain of guards who immediately stands to attention.

"Take them with us. He needs a proper healer. I can't set his broken ribs."

"It's Ichigo!" he calls out, interrupting their conversation and earning himself a hard glare from Renji but Rukia's gaze is almost thoughtful.

"Can you still ride, Ichigo?"

He nods.

A horse is brought to him under Rukia's instructions and as soon as he is properly mounted with Keigo seated behind him, the woman sounds the horn, black hair unbound and flailing in the wind as she leads the company into a gallop.

"To Seireitei!"

.

.

FF/ao3

Review, like, comment or reblog to send some love my way pretties~~~

I have a thing for fantasy AUs. Can’t you tell? Click on link for rec list of some off-main Isekai/Game animes. I have a special place in my heart for them.

[uraichievents]

UraIchi PC4 2019 Masterlist

Here’s a list of all the works submitted for PC4! I’ve ordered them in by prompt number under each work type, and it looks like we came pretty close to finishing the whole table! Thank you to everyone who participated this year~

FANFICS

Third Eye Blind by DevinePhoenix [#02]

Long before Kisuke was blinded by Askin, his eyes had already been damaged.

Patchwork Soldier by DevinePhoenix [#02]

When they wake up, they will have to deal with what their decisions have wrought. He will have to cope with his injuries and Kisuke will have to cope with his scars and guilt. But they still have time before that morning of uncertainty. In the dusty twilight of the Soul King’s realm, they could rest together and dream of a better ending.

Death Gods by Chaos_Greymistchild [#03]

AU in which Kisuke is still a mad scientist with only slightly more morals than the rest of them, but Ichigo is a vampire/death-dealer/human hybrid, a legal executioner, and (still) the world’s most recent supernatural anomaly.

The long avaited encounter by SueGra [#04]

Kurosaki Ichigo left Karakura after he lost his power. Urahara Kisuke listened to Isshin and he broke up with Ichigo. Somebody killed the rogue shinigami and his partners. Urahara went after the person who killed them and he was surprised. Who was it?

Wrong Side of Reality by Starrie_Wolf [#06]

If there was one thing that every invader of Soul Society did wrong, it was that each and every one of them measured one's power by the strength of their reiatsu alone. And every single one of them failed, because they did not understand that to be truly powerful, one must first have the Means to ensure their plans succeed.

He, who has been watching from the shadows for a thousand years, refuses to make the same mistake.

By Invitation Only by FeelingFredly [#10]

“No weapons are allowed past this point.  Please move forward to the weapons check and place them in the tagged locker.  You will be given the code to retrieve them when you leave.”

Ichigo turned on his heel as if to follow the robot’s directive, only to stop and spin back, trench knife in one hand and katana in the other, the smooth swing of the blades separating the brassneck’s head from his body.

“I’m sorry,” he said, standing over the sparking remains, “but I refuse to make Aizen-sama’s acquaintance so underdressed.”

Kisuke snorted in his ear.  “No one is there to hear your dramatics, Kurosaki-kun.”

Ichigo kicked the head to one side, like a soccer ball. “You know that you’re the only audience I need, Kisuke."

stay with me (until the sun rises) by Fox_the_Hermit [#12]

Ichigo is friends with a great deal of supernatural entities. The one monster under every bed in town is his favourite, though.

these dreams like ashes float away by howls [#12]

Ever since Ichigo refused to leave something well enough alone, a shadow man would visit him once, or twice, a month. (What he never realized was that there was more going on in those moments than the shadow man would reveal. For now, at least. He could never refuse Ichigo for long.)

Gambit without Guarantee by Starrie_Wolf [#18]

How did everything go so wrong so quickly?

new life, same shit by Chaos_Greymistchild [#19]

Not all knowledge is gained through the Gate of Truth. Not all reincarnates are born with their memories. Ichigo’s not sure how comfortable he is with this knowledge.

Arsenic by FeelingFredly [#20]

He was poison and he'd accepted that fact. Now if only everybody else would.

Police Tricycle (or: it’s not a buddy cop if I’m the third wheel, says Rukia) by Chaos_Greymistchild [#21]

Ichigo chases Szayelaporro Gantz down the highway in a high-speed car chase with a grenade launcher cameo. That’s it. That’s the fic.

Winds of Change (Tempest) by Sky_King [#24]

When the war is over and Ichigo has won, fate will come back to get her due.

Ichigo gambled and gave everything away in exchange for power, and finally the price paid has to be claimed.

(When the war is over, Kisuke finds himself adrift, too guilty to live, too guilty to die. He carries on, fueled by that single promise, trying to find a reason for being.And when he does, he'd sooner kill the Soul King himself than let it disappear, no matter the cost.)

Whip It Good by FeelingFredly [#25]

You didn't live a life like Kisuke's without developing a few interesting preferences, but he knew they weren't for everyone, and really, his relationship with Ichigo was more than he could have ever asked for--loving and supportive in ways he still wasn't sure he deserved. It was just very vanilla. Which was fine. Really.

So why he was "just visiting" at his old BDSM club?

The very bad, terrible, no good first few days of Junior SID Agent Dokugamine Riruka by Starrie_Wolf [#27]

Sometimes, Dokugamine Riruka wishes she could go back to her 22-year-old self and tell her to choose another department, any other department, she’s got the grades to take her pick.

Berry Nice by Chaos_Greymistchild [#28]

“Can I kiss you?"

“If you don’t,” Kisuke said with remarkable control, “I think I might do something regrettable.”

“Okay.”

Calling You (Maybe) by EternalEclipse [#29]

Ichigo never answers his phone, and Kisuke always does.

building a future (and tearing down the past) by EternalEclipse [#30]

At first, Ichigo had just been an invention of Kisuke's, nothing more than a gear to be moved. A pawn. It was only natural that after the war, Kisuke left him to his own devices--they'd won, which was the best he could ask for. As it turns out, once he starts making things for Ichigo instead of just countering Aizen, it's a hard habit to break. By the end of it, he won't even want to.

Or, five times Kisuke made things with Ichigo in mind, and one time Ichigo asked him to destroy something.

Companionship (Stay with Me) by Nikolaila [#31]

People are people, even in space. Sometimes the required conversations in relationships are hard to have but necessary to hold.

Tsuki no Tsuppane by Silmariën (Starrie_Wolf), Starrie_Wolf [#32]

They have scarcely begun to unravel the complex web of Aizen no Sōsuke's treason when Kisuke is made aware of another layer to the conspiracy, one that threatens to expose all the secrets he has not yet decided if he will share with Ichigo-no-mikoto.

Few enough people are willing to accept onmyōji, but even fewer will be willing to accept that their lover is not even human.

Work/Date Balance by Starrie_Wolf [#33]

Kisuke doesn't seem to really grasp the meaning of a date, but it's okay, Ichigo loves him anyway.

“So… are you doing your usual fainting damsel imitation, or shall I take care of it?”

(Interlude during their vacation in London.)

a breath of fresh air by Fox_the_Hermit [#34]

Ichigo refuses to let Kisuke win yet another round of the "I took a cute photo of you and I'll use it to fund my experiments" game. Mostly on principle.

The world is changing by Starrie_Wolf [#35]

They’ve been doing this for so long that Kisuke has no idea how to wake up in a world where he doesn’t need to prioritise the Hōgyoku over his family.

Interlude: the day after Aizen's defeat.

Accidental Pokèmon Acquisition by EternalEclipse [#36]

Ichigo had never wanted to be a pokèmon trainer. To be flat honest, the ghosts kept him busy enough. But when Monferno fell into his life with a burst of laughter and trouble, Ichigo is drawn into a side of the pokèmon world he didn't even know existed.

Or the one where there are both ghosts and pokèmon, the Gotei 13 is a government organization with as many checks and balances as ever, and Ichigo will do whatever it takes to keep his own safe.

Feeling Horny by Silmariën (Starrie_Wolf), Starrie_Wolf [#36]

When Urahara shoved Ichigo to Hirako to learn how to control his inner Hollow, Ichigo thought it meant Urahara wasn’t Hollowfied.

He was wrong.

the fear is eating you alive / so I'll be your reason, I'll be your shelter by Chaos_Greymistchild [#37]

Sometimes, Kisuke doesn’t remember where he is, or who he is in his own personal timeline. Sometimes, Ichigo is more Hollow and instinct than human. But that’s okay.

one-sided understanding by Angst_Distribution_Service (Fox_the_Hermit) [#37]

suspended animation (patiently waiting for the end) by Chaos_Greymistchild [#38]

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck is new on the starship Zangetsu, piloted by Captain Kurosaki alongside his AI Urahara Kisuke, who seems to have an… unprecedented freedom on board the ship, if she was being entirely honest.

Freedom worth Fighting (for) by Starrie_Wolf [#39]

Things have a way of coming full circle...

You Haven't Lost Me by FeelingFredly [#40]

Ichigo has moved on. It doesn't matter if his Shinigami powers are gone--he's a weapon, and there was always a market for that skill set. Currently that skill set was being tasked to collect the oyabun's past due tribute from a troublesome shopkeeper.

Troublesome shopkeeper. No... it couldn't be.

What they don't understand by Starrie_Wolf [#42]

Ichigo comes back from winter break with bruises he can't explain and a significant other who looks to be much older than him.

His classmate thinks she's put two and two together.

With Affection by wynnebat [#44]

"Yoruichi asked me if I had any family," Ichigo says. His gaze rests on the courtyard and squad buildings across from them while Kisuke cannot look away. Ichigo's voice is even, but Kisuke knows better than that. Ichigo adds, wryly, "I told her all I needed was you."

painting in blood by Chaos_Greymistchild [#45]

“It’ll be fine.”

He hopes that that proves true.

You Don't Have a Soul, You Are a Soul (You Have a Body) by FeelingFredly [#47]

Kisuke has a disregard for his own safety a mile wide and it's enough to drive Ichigo mad. This time he finds the shopkeeper unconscious but not alone, and the woman with him has some very interesting things to say.

Thunder For Bells In This Church Of Two by Chaos_Greymistchild [#48]

“[Resonance for a human is] total, complete, irreversible blending” -- Bell Tolls, esama

For the shinigami, it is... less so.

wear your soul (outside your body) by Fox_the_Hermit [#48]

Ichigo has no idea how he ended up with someone so brilliant. Kisuke has no idea how he got lucky enough to end up with one of the best people he's ever met.

your heart doesn't beat (let me teach it to) by Fox_the_Hermit [#52]

Kisuke understands that his time to go has come. It's time to accept that he can't hang around forever. His dear friend Ichigo has agreed to help him with finding what is needed to help him move onwards, whatever that really means. (Except he’s not ready to let go.)

roots in my lungs, blooms on my tongue by Chaos_Greymistchild [#55]

Astilbes, dahlias, and Queen Anne’s Lace. Patience, devotion, sanctuary.

Will you become my... by SueGra [#57]

The war with Ywhach has ended two years ago. Everybody enjoying the peace. Suddenly all captains get an invitation to the Shiba compound because there is a new clan head? Who is she/he?

Happily Ever After by Starrie_Wolf [#58]

Ichigo wasn't expecting a happily ever after, but it seems like he could find a little peace at last.

Omega as Fish Oil by EternalEclipse [#59]

Yeah, Ichigo's an omega. He's fine with it, especially since some of the instincts that come along with it are useful for protecting his own. What he's not fine with are a bunch of shinigami noble knotheads deciding that he's up for the taking because of it. Luckily, he's got a Kisuke to help him set them straight.

You are my Sanity by OrangeTeaMoon [#60]

And so, it had taken Urahara Kisuke nearly 4 months, 1 week, 3 days and a direct run-in with an absolutely impossible apparition of Kurosaki Ichigo to realize that he had lost his mind.

reach the epilogue (and then take it from the top again) by Fox_the_Hermit [#61]

Ichigo's alive and healthy and whole. But too many people aren't (friends, family, the one single crush that hasn't had the time to get anywhere), and this isn't an epilogue to his story that's worth living in. He'd rather rewrite the whole damn thing from scratch.

Only the truth you want to see by Starrie_Wolf [#61]

Growing up as the daughter of a police detective father and a novelist mother, it’s no small wonder that Rika chose to study English Literature in university. The class is unavoidably small – even for Todai,finding students interested in pursuing a degree in the classics of a foreign country is a difficult matter.

Which makes all her classmates so unavoidably interesting.

Especially that Kurosaki Ichigo.

I'm a Certified Genius, I Swear by Chaos_Greymistchild [#64]

Kisuke’s not quite sure why he keeps getting gifts from the Shiba Clan Head, Shiba Ichigo, but— Hiyori please stop laughing please.

-0-

FANART

UraIchi PC4 Prompt #32 - Magic AU / Mythology AU / Fantasy AU by @ananfer [#32]

UraIchi PC4 Prompt #48 - Daemons AU by @junoagriffin [#48]

[myristicisms]

How strange it was to be able to bounce between topics and moods with someone, that was the sort of relationship she'd only really experienced with Gebel when they were mere children, but truthfully the man beside her was different from the one of the past; Gebel was kind, yes but he'd held a darkness within him just the same, a grudge that opened that once kind heart of his to bitter resentment, and it was that burden that left her childhood friend vulnerable to manipulation and possession. The ability to withstand such a thing, ignore a grudge and simply continue onwards steadfastly, that was admirable and a trait Dante displayed all too strongly. Both men were caring of Miriam, both strong in their own ways but vastly different aside from happening to have resemblances to one another, a fact of which was what drew Miriam to Dante's presence to begin with.

She knows the reasoning was unfair but the results would have been the same eventually given how often the duo cross paths, even still though there's the ever present need to remind herself that Dante, and even his terror of a brother, were vastly different from the man she thought she once knew. Gebel was long gone, slain by Miriam's own hand and perhaps that too had been what pushed her into attempting to befriend the two silver haired men with varying levels of success. It was a secret she'd keep locked away though, the man clad in red had earned her respect in a way nobody else ever had simply because his own situation was similar to her own. ( To use the power he's been granted for good rather than personal gain, that is what it means to be human. ) She muses to herself, remembers those damned words uttered to her when she was battered and weeping within her shared quarters, a heavy hand resting on her shoulder demanding she continue living and offering words of encouragement.

No, perhaps Miriam wasn't human to most, but to herself and to the man that laughed and smiled with her whenever their paths crossed, she was no monster. Neither of them asked for the power granted upon them, Miriam certainly never asked to live for as long as she had and yet Dante never questioned nor prodded her much on the matter; Her origins weren't something she felt she could share but in time, the raven haired huntress felt she might be willing to confide in the taller man eventually, he was trustworthy enough, there didn't seem to be a judgemental bone in the man's body whenever she was the topic of conversation although she never bothered to ask if Dante talked about her to others.

With that trust though, was the inevitable pits of fear that her newest companion would endanger himself for her sake; He was beyond capable yes but then again, ( So was Zangetsu... ) And it's that thought that steels her resolve to ensure that Dante wouldn't need to step in for her during combat. Miriam wouldn't allow another to sacrifice their well-being or themselves for her, not again.

Instead of focusing her attention upon old wounds slowly reopening though, the shorter of the two makes her way away from the viscera and blood covered ground, careful steps to ensure she doesn't further stain her boots or God forbid feel something give way beneath her weight. She turns to face him, amusement glimmering alongside something sorrowful within crystalline eyes, almost knowing in a sense of what was going through the silver haired man's mind. “ Indeed, which means to make the most of it no? ”

She cringes internally, hears Dante's steps more than sees them and further falls into her thoughts, spiraling out of control further into all the reasons she's preferred to be left in solitude even if it was utterly miserable. Miriam was by no means a social butterfly but loneliness was utterly maddening, debilitating at times even if the alternative was experiencing loss over and over again; Everyone was only given one life, it was what they chose to do with it that left things utterly murky and that confusion only further left Miriam's heart aching so terribly. His confirmation though, that he'd take a home cooked meal, eased the thoughts away momentarily.

“ Then we'll head to my residence, I don't think you keep your fridge stocked with ingredients. ” The brunette remarks, concern tinging her voice given she knew of his spending habits. “ Your boots are to be taken off outside on the porch though, I won't have my floors gunked up and reeking of rot. ”

How often had she allowed the giant of a man she'd managed to befriend the privilege of coming to her rescue as though she were some damsel? More often than Miriam would ever care to share, not out of incompetence and she knows that the silver haired man knew that fact well enough, moreso out of a sense of trust. ( Right? I only ever allowed Zangetsu to come to my aid. ) And even still, the huntress could not help but feel a bit odd that someone who knew her capabilities would still come and save her. It was beyond the shardbinder's comprehension but she never felt bothered by the display of care that Dante often regarded her with.

It's a thought that, while unsettling at times, doesn't leave a bitter taste in Miriam's mouth simply because she's grateful for there to be someone she knows she can rely on should she be put in a situation that would be less than ideal. Most often when in combat, the shardbinder much preferred to work alone but Dante's assistance always proved to be helpful, he was strong and knew how to use that power efficiently, but never did he use it to bring harm to those not strong enough to protect themselves and that was a trait Miriam also seldom saw in others, something she admired about him.

Even with the admittedly ridiculous nickname he's given her, there's no bite in her usually empty gaze, just a soft grin sat atop her lips. “ Yes sir, I'll be sure to be more cautious next time. ” Sarcasm tinges the warmth in her voice, she'd braced herself for the attack long since forgotten the moment she'd caught the scent of rot but even still, she appreciates Dante's help. The soft expression on her face is interrupted though by the brief cringe that crosses over her features, nose crinkling at the scent of sulfur assailing her senses in a way that even falsified stoicism couldn't hide her displeasure.

After their small friendly exchange, she slowly steps away from their position, trying to escape the foul odor of death for even a second before turning to face Dante with an incredulous look for a moment before snorting softly and nodding. “ Home cooked or were you wishing to eat out? The choice is yours but do know that if you choose commercial, you're missing out on the meal of a lifetime. ” She jokes, and despite how light the mood is, something bitter lingers within her mind. ( I should have spent my natural life cooking for Gebel and Johannes... ) She shakes it off though, no use wishing for something that can never be.

“ I can make quite the delightful wood fired pizza, after all. ”

[fantasyinvader]

I kinda want to do a post on heel-face turns with regards to Edelgard. Specifically, those done by Kamen Rider over the last few years.

Let’s start with this year’s model, Gai Amatsu or as I like to call him Bitchboy.

What did he do? Well, in addition to owning an extremely punchable face when he got to work with his idol on creating a city where man and robots live together, Gai sabotagued the project because (due to his upbringing) he couldn’t accept the idealistic goals of the project. Instead, he only viewed it as a matter of profits. So, he showed the satellite that was supposed to oversee the city the worst of humanity. This taught the machine to hate humanity, believing they should go extinct, causing the city to end up at the bottom of a lake. However, some robots survived and went to form a terrorist cell...which Gai covertly aided.

Gai is the cause of everything that happens in the series, and once he’s introduced he proceeds to challenge Hiden Intelligence to a contest in order to take them over. The robots they create versus humans equipped with his Zaia Spec, a pair of glasses that allows hooks a person’s mind up to a computer. Gai initially talks about humanism and how the robots are just tools. However, he’s shown to cheat, drive the robots berserk in order to have an excuse to kill them, corrupt the hero’s belt so all he has is a transformation that sends him into a berserk rampage, reveals that he has chips in the brains of Fuwa and Yaiba to control them (in addition to wiping Fuwa’s memories and implanting traumatic ones to turn him against the robots) and does everything to turn people against the robots so he can sell both Zaia specs and weapons.

How does he turn into a hero? Well, after he won the contest and took over Hiden Intelligence, the show basically shat all over him. He lost time and time again, to weaker riders who were discovering their own dreams. His victory was all for nothing, but then when it was revealed the terrorist robots could hack not only Zaia specs but also Raidraisers and send people berserk, Gai decided to promote Raidraisers as a means to protect yourself. Even arranging to corrupt the code of the Zaia specs to make them even more hackable in order to drive up sales. The people working under him have enough and collect evidence of his wrongdoings to get him kicked out of his position.

At his lowest point, Gai reveals his backstory of having a father who told him he had to strive for not 100% but 1000%. He also gets reunited with the only friend he had, the AI of a toy dog he owned as a child. This dog acts as his morality pet and saw Gai turn to the heroes side...which everyone feels is just super weird, out of character, and still hold him accountable for all the shit he’s caused. The show doesn’t drop what he did, it just acknowledges there’s a bigger threat now.

Next up is Gentoku Himuro, from Kamen Rider Build.

Gentoku was present when an alien artifact from Mars activated, creating walls that split Japan into three countries as well as having an effect on his mind. He became more aggressive as a result. Wanting Japan reunified under his pacifist father, Gentoku founded Faust, a secret organization that created weapons in addition to human experimentation. He does a lot of scummy things, including triggering the war to reunify Japan, before he is exposed and his father disowns him.

In an attempt for more power, he is further experimented on. However, this clear up the effects of the alien light, causing him to return to his normal state of mind. He continues to fight because he is forced to due to a bomb planted in his head, and feels guilt over what he has done. Though he also still believes he’s doing this in the name of the greater good. It’s even in his Rider catchphrase.

"Be a sacrifice for the greater good!"

He eventually wises up to what’s really going on, and leaks information to the heroes. Eventually, the bomb is removed but his father ends up taking a attack for him, dying as a result. Since everything he did was to give Japan to the one person he believed should govern it, he falls into depression and ends up joining the heroes seeking atonement for all he’s done. He eventually begins to understand what his father believed, that the power of the leader comes from his people, and in the end sacrifices himself in order to weaken the final boss (see above).

Next up is everyone’s favorite meme, Kuroto Dan.

As a teenage game designer hailed as a genius, Dan discovered a version of the Y2K bug that could infect human beings through exposure, digitalizing them if they succumb to it. This included his mother. However, at the time a young boy sent fanmail to him, which included a few suggestions for what he’d like to see in the next game. This enraged Dan to the point of sending a game with the virus to the boy, turning him into Patient Zero to spread it among the population. This boy ended up being the series lead, Emu.

People ended up being digitalized because of this, in addition to some committing suicide. Dan made it a point to appear to fight this problem in addition to the video game characters coming to life and attacking people, creating the Kamen Riders. But in reality, it was all a ploy for him to collect data to make the greatest video game ever, Kamen Rider Chronicle. He also wanted to see Emu suffer, and killed/digitalized Kiriya (Kamen Rider Lazer), who was investigating what was going on, during the Christmas episode. Eventually, he was stopped by Emu using what amounted to a game shark, but the data was enough for the video game characters to begin Kamen Rider Chronicle so that they could kill humans in revenge for them being killed in their games.

Kamen Rider Chronicle saw people turn into pseudo-riders, able to fight the Bugsters. When one of them defeated all of the bosses, the final boss would appear and the player would be able to transform into Kamen Rider Cronus with more powerful abilities to defeat them. When the game is cleared, that player would be the hero of mankind and all the digitalized people would be released. However, once you start playing you end up infected with the virus, needing to seek out the bosses to keep yourself alive. If you lose, you end up digitalized. Tough, but Kuroto intended for the game to be clearable.

That is until his father came in, and attempted to use it to assert control over the world in addition to claiming Cronus for himself. This led to the heroes searching for and finding a backup of Dan’s data, allowing him to return and aide them (giving Emu his final form based off the stars in Mario along with a save option to stop Cronus from resetting things). This coincided with him declaring himself a genius and a fucking god, and his control freak tenancies made it so that he wanted the game to be cleared as it was intended.

However, they still held him accountable for what he did and at the end of the series was shown in digital jail for his crimes.

Finally, the former owner of the title of Bitchboy. Mitsuzane “Micchy” Kureshima

Micchy actually starts off on the Heroes side, as Kamen Rider Ryugen. A rich kid dancing with Kouta’s old group, Micchy looked up to Kouta and when Kouta was unsure if he wanted to continue as Gaim after nearly dying, Micchy used his family name to become Ryugen and aide him.

However, as time went on a dark side of Micchy emerged. He wanted Kouta to do as he wanted while Kouta was more prone to heroic actions. Micchy also discovered that one of the monsters Kouta killed was the leader of their dance group as he ends up under the wing of his brother, Takatora aka Kamen Rider  Zagetsu. Following his brother’s belief that they would have to make hard decisions in order to survive, Micchy ends up undermining Kouta and the other’s attempts to deal with the threat of Helheim.

However, when Kouta reveals to Takatora there may be an alternative to solving the problem rather than leaving most of humanity to die, Takatora wants to work with him on this. This angers Micchy as once again Kouta isn’t doing what he wants, and now his brother is as well. This leads to him attempting to kill his brother, assuming his identity and Zangetsu Shin, and attacking Kouta in disguise. As time passes, Micchy is shown to try and save those he wants, including the girl he likes.

He eventually gains even more power and seemingly kills his brother yet again. Then he attempts to kill Kouta, whose power is slowly turning him into a Overlord of Helheim. The girl he likes is killed from having her heart removed by the guy who told Micchy to kill Kouta, though she ends up gaining god-like powers from the McGuffin that was implanted in her heart.

In the end, Micchy has lost his friends, the girl he likes, Kouta and her go off to be gods on some distant planet while also saving Earth. Micchy has lost nearly everything, with the exception of his brother who barely survived the last fight. His brother helps him cope with what he’s done, and as the last person able to fight and transform Micchy resolves himself to be the hero Kouta was in atonement for his actions.

Trust me, Micchy’s fall to villainy is gradual and very well done.

These are characters who all, to varying degrees, go from villains to heroes. And these are all in children’s shows. But how does Edelgard make the transition? Simple.

She doesn’t.

Crimson Flower isn’t a route about Edelgard redeeming herself. Fuck no. Instead it’s about the player, after seeing all that she’s been a party to during the first half, deciding to join her. There’s no atonement from her, instead it’s all based on the idea that everything she’s done was right, while she argues some form fo the greater good. You absolved her of the events of part 1 by joining her, while part 2 implies there’s a whole bunch of shady stuff she’s keeping from you. You endorsed her actions during White Clouds, believing she wasn’t the heel but rather the face.

[north-peach]

Holy shit peach y'all're on some galaxy-brained shit there with the dadgetzu. Do you have any headcanons about how he'd take the kids before yeeting isshin into the dangai (or whatever the spooky tunnel to ss with the cleaning death train is called)?

Do I have any headcanons?

Do I have any headcanons?

DO I HAVE ANY HEADCANONS?

Sit down, buckle up, I have so many headcanons.

Ichigo is the only Shinigami/Quincy hybrid. Living. He had no formal training, Rukia just shoved her own zanpakuto into his soul and it imprinted a ‘this is how things should be’ thing.

But that’s not how things are because it made his zanpakuto a hollow, one without a hole, because Ichigo has a heart. And then it made his Quincy Powers that actual soul fragment of the Quincy King.

Which it already was, but now it had sentience. Form and substance, not just a shard. Now it had power, control, a voice and choices. Choices.

So Zangetsu who isn’t the Hollow, isn’t Ichigo’s Shinigami powers in any shape or form.... makes himself into a zanpakuto. To keep Ichigo safe. To keep him able to protect his friends and his family.

But Ichigo keeps going against stronger opponents and Old Man Zangetsu keeps on pulling more and more power from Ichigo’s actual zanpakuto. The real Zangetsu.

He’s Yhwach. He’s got this handled though. They can take this slow. There’s no danger, not for at least two, maybe three more years.

He can do this, Ichigo can be safe, Yuzu, Karin- safe.

But he can’t do this.

One of Ichigo’s people gets taken, the Shinigami interferes, Urahara Kisuke interferes. 

Zangetsu The Hollow is now acknowledged. Ichigo knows he’s there.

He can do nothing but allow a little more power to slip out. And a little more, and more and more.

It’s never enough.

Ichigo keeps fighting, keeps fighting and then-

and then.

Ulquiorra. 

Who kills Ichigo.

Obliterates his heart, his lunges, ribs, and Ichigo falls.

But.

But. There’s still life and Yhwach has nothing here, and the Hollow surges forward, the Hollow is the one with the power, and Yhwach has nothing.

In all this, Zangetsu loves Ichigo too. Yhwach is preventing a zanpakuto from properly forming, from its full powers, from protecting their wielder.  

A false Bankai. No sealless state. 

But Zangetsu is a Hollowfied spirit. He is poison to Quincies and yet, Yhwach and he live in the same soul, co-existing without harm to the other.

....okay, I actually went from headcanons to something like a meta...or a mini-fic.

*squints*

Headcanon that should Old Man Zangetsu be able to, in any situation, over come the primary soul piece and essentially get himself a body, would absolutely drop kick Isshin into next week and adopt Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu in a New York minute.

Would also pay a visit to Central 46, Urahara Kisuke, the soutaicho, you know, all the bases.

[smorgasbordofobsessions]

hichiichi week: day 4 - rain

tagging: @shiroxichigo <3

the moment i saw this prompt i had a good idea of what i wanted to write for it. i think it came out well, and i liked sticking to shiro’s pov for this.

title: rain (imaginative i know)

summary: shiro hates the rain.

Shiro fucking hated the rain. The water, the cold, the dark gray skies, the puddles, ugh, all of it was fucking gross. Why did he have to suffer this just because Ichigo was depressed? It wasn’t his fault that Ichigo, once again, refused to use the power he had to actually kill an enemy instead of just hoping they would see the light. And it wasn’t his fault that his King had all these god-awful emotions that caused him to feel guilty and sad over events that didn’t warrant those feelings at all. Who cares if he almost killed Ichigo’s friends when he fully took over? If Ichigo’s friends couldn’t get out his way then that was their problem, not his. There was no need to be punished with the fucking rain just because Ichigo felt bad about losing control.

Shiro had lived with the rain ever since Ichigo’s mother was killed protecting him and Shiro could maybe understand how that impacted a child, but couldn’t understand how, once Ichigo had actual power to kill the Hollow that murdered his mother, he was still depressed enough to make it rain. All Ichigo was made of was power, power that Ichigo refused to fully acknowledge let alone even know about, and yet, all Ichigo could do was worry himself over the pain he was causing his friends and how horrible his actions are and, yada, yada, yada. Fucking weakling.

Shiro definitely believed he should be on the throne, if only so he could stop the constant rain. If he wasn’t a part of Ichigo’s power and consciousness he would’ve died from all the oceans of rain that Ichigo has let loose in his inner world. It was fucking ridiculous that he actually had to seek high ground in the place where he lived when it rained because the King couldn’t be bothered to stop being such a fucking girl most of the time. He’s had to do it countless times already and it got old after the third time.

Zangetsu didn’t like the ideas Shiro had to dethrone Ichigo, but Shiro couldn’t give a shit what that old man thought. He was content with just observing and occasionally guiding Ichigo, but not Shiro. Shiro wanted Ichigo to submit, wanted Ichigo to finally admit that the feelings he had were useless and didn’t give him anything in return, wanted Ichigo to stop the goddamn rain!

It wasn’t gonna happen, at least not any time soon. Unfortunately there was a plan he had to stick to in order to properly ensure that Ichigo could actually handle the combined powers of himself and Zangetsu, but he was the complete opposite of happy with it. He wanted this shit to be done with already.

The rain was the bane of his existence and he was willing to do whatever it took to get rid of it and, honestly, if it took getting rid of Ichigo to do it, Shiro didn’t have a problem with that.