(Karakura High school)
Ichigo wandered through the halls of his school, still reeling from the events in Soul Society and their homecoming. Before he, his dad, and his squad departed for the World of the Living, Urahara and Mayuri gave a disturbing description of his current state of being. They predicted that if he returned to his body without the seal, it would be torn apart by the wild Reishi running through his being. They wanted to seal his powers completely, just to be on the safe side because he still had a human life to lead. His mom was home by then, already working on dinner with Yuzu and for the first time in years, the Kurosaki family was whole and enjoying being a family again. She started catching up to all of the years she missed by watching the videos Isshin made. Everything was fine until she found one that Isshin swore he was going to hide. Ichigo and his sisters' fled when their mother became disturbingly like Unohana and demanded what that 'cradle robbing hussy' Yoruichi was teaching her baby boy. That morning she demanded to meet Ichigo's girlfriends to see if they passed the 'mom test' she called it.
"This is my life." Ichigo groaned, not looking forward to this entire week. "I should've known better than to expect it to be easy." He looked down at the small wooden badge with a skull on his belt loop. It was given to him in case he couldn't use Kon for any reason, and they could monitor and control his Reiatsu in case things went south. He understood the reason, but he hated that he was vulnerable again. When he asked Lisa about her thoughts on the matter, she told him 'Lieutenants shouldn't get their hands dirty with grunt work.' and then left to join Hiyori at the Shoten, taking the squad with her.
"I~Chi~Go~!" He heard a familiar yelling as Keigo ran towards him, stopping in front of the hybrid and avoiding a surprise lariat. "I heard from Chad that everything's good." Keigo said, smiling happily that his friends were safe. "But what changed?" He asked as they headed for class, Mizuiro joining them.
"Well, there's finally a squad of Shinigami here to handle the dead and the Hollows." He said as they walked. "I can finally get back to focusing on my schoolwork." He reached his desk as his friends began congregating. Orihime wrapped her arms around him, asking for details on his time in Soul Society. Chizuru attempted to attack Ichigo before Tatsuki pulled her back and whispered in her ear, something that turned Chizuru redder than her hair with a look of contemplation. Chad looked at Ichigo with grave eyes that told Ichigo something was up. Uryuu, frighteningly enough, was the cheeriest of the group.
"Hello everybody!" He said with a smile. "What a beautiful day it is. How are you Ichigo?" He asked as everyone backed away from him.
"Uryu, stop that." Ichigo ordered, still looking mentally scarred. "You're scaring me." Uryu merely chuckled.
"My apologies. It's just something good happened." He said, displaying his purification cross with five points. "What was broken is now fixed." He said, manifesting a small, black, metallic bow. It was surprising for most of them but for Ichigo, it was a miracle.
"Your powers were restored." He said, shocking the rest of the group. Uryu kept grinning.
"Yes, my once lost powers were fully restored and I'm finally ready for the next level." He put a hand out in front of his cousin. "I'll always have your back." He said with a smile. Chad put his hand in with no hesitation, followed by Orihime and Tatsuki. Ichigo smiled and before he put his hand in, Keigo joined in.
"I'm just a spectator here," He said with a smile, "but I'm ready in any way you need." Mizuiro put in his hand next, and finally Chizuru. They looked at him expectantly and Ichigo could only smile at his friends before putting his hand on top.
"Thanks guys. This means a lot." He said as they separated and went to their seats. The day went on without much of a hitch, sights of the new 15th division members performing their duties came in every now and then but overall, everything seemed normal for the teens. Chad, Orihime, and Tatsuki never realized how boring it felt after what they went through. The normalcy was relaxing after the invasion of Soul Society, but they all knew it wouldn't last. Everyone headed home, except for Chad who dragged Ichigo away.
"Ichigo, why can't I sense your power?" Chad asked his friend. He wanted to be sure of somethings before bringing him anywhere near Xcution.
"They got sealed." Ichigo replied. "There's enough capable Shinigami in town now that I can kick back and relax." He spoke with melancholy. "They only come undone in Soul Society or if the situation really calls for it." He held up his hand. "I can't channel or absorb Reishi with these seals on. It's a pain." Ichigo groaned. Chad knew what he had to do. Ichigo was far from helpless, even now, but with the coming wars he needed to keep up his skills. Another skillset couldn't hurt either.
"You told me that your mother was attacked by a hollow, right?" The Fullbringer asked his friend. Ichigo nodded and Chad continued. "Then you can manipulate the souls of things. A soul psychokinesis ability." Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Watch." He said, taking off his medallion and holding it in his hand. He opened his other hand as the coin glowed with a pale green light and flew to his other hand. He then pointed to his feet as a pair of green rings resonated from his feet and he disappeared in a burst of speed. "I'm told this power is called, 'Fullbring'. Manipulating the souls of objects around us to control as we desire. This is what my powers are." He explained to his friend. "Our main abilities come from an object we have an affinity for. Something we care about or we have strong emotional ties to. I'm proud of my arms because they help me help others, but I'm still testing the waters myself."
"Is that so?" He pulled out his badge and thought over his life. Training with his mentors, fighting alongside his friend, reuniting with family, saving people, all off his experiences with his powers, making tendrils of Reishi similar to his come out of the seal in the form of a manji seal. "Okay then." He said, not shocked in the least. At this point, he wasn't sure what would surprise him. "How did you learn all this?" He asked after dispelling his Fullbring.
"I was approached by a group called Xcution." Chad said. "They already knew about you, Ichigo." That did it. An unknown group knows about him. That surprised him. "They're led by a man named, Ginjo Kugo." Ichigo's eyes widened. Before he left, Ukitake told him about the last human who became a Soul Reaper that disappeared almost a decade ago. The man of the same name as the leader of Xcution.
(Xcution Hideout: Saturday)
After living a normal, peaceful, week of school, Ichigo and Chad headed for Naruki city, to where the Fullbringers hid. Masaki met with Orihime and Tatsuki about their suitability to date her son. She ended up accepting them both because together, they resembled her. She wasn't too happy about the situation, but made it a requirement that she teach them about their 'wifely duties'. There was an awkward time when he came home and both girls were only wearing aprons. Masaki insisted that they continue the lesson until he ran away. Now he and Chad were heading for Naruki as Chad voices his distrust.
"Ginjo said their mission in life was to remove their powers, which can only be done by a human Soul Reaper." He said, talking about the history he was told. "But according to Juushiro, he's a former substitute Soul Reaper. There goes my trust in him."
"Yeah, stay on guard." The hybrid told his friend, fully aware they were being watched by someone. "We'll use them to strengthen ourselves and decided what to do from there." They reached the apartment as Chad opened up the door. They were greeted by Tsukishima, who wore a happy face to see the two new members.
"Welcome back, Sado. Hello to you, Kurosaki." He said in a calm, friendly tone. "Were you followed?" He asked.
"No, we're good." Chad said as the rest of the Fullbringers came in.
"Well, well, well. Ichigo Kurosaki." Ginjo said as the hybrid came into view. "I take it Sado has told you the situation." The two stared at each other, studying an opponent in the possibility of a fight.
"Yeah. I'll help you out." Ichigo said, pulling down his shirt to reveal a Chrysanthemum tattoo on his chest. The insignia of the 1st division. "They locked away ALL of my powers. Didn't even need to, they just did." Even Ginjo let out a whistle.
"That's why we're hiding." The former Substitute said. "Soul Society is cold and uncaring. We have to live in constant fear that they'll never find us. You're the only human Shinigami hybrid we've found in years. The last one tried to kill us," he said while digging out a Soul Pass badge similar to Ichigo's, "we're that desperate to get rid of our curses. To live without fear." Ichigo scanned the room to find everyone else nodding their heads, one man feeling the strap that covered what must be a missing eye.
"Then we're in agreement." Ichigo said, manifesting his infant Fullbring. "I'll free you of your curse of fear. You make me stronger." Everyone's eyes widened aside from Chad at Ichigo's swift development before they even started. "I've been told I'm a natural when it comes to fighting." He shrugged as Ginjo grinned.
"Let's begin." He said, turning to Riruka and Giriko. "Let's start with the 'Fishtank.'" The two Fullbringers nodded as they went to the back room while a dark skinned woman walked up to Ichigo.
"You and me first kiddo." Jackie said, glaring at the young hybrid. "Word of advice, you better treat this like a real fight. Because I'm not holding back." Then the other two came back with a fish tank that had eyes and a mouth like a teddy bear.
"This place will be your battleground." Riruka told Ichigo. "You're lucky you're a hottie, otherwise this won't work." She rubs her thumb along her index finger before flicking out a small heart with the letter R on it. The heart attached itself to Ichigo's shirt. "My Fullbring is called 'Dollhouse'. Anything I like and put that pass on, I can move them freely into objects like this cute fish tank." She put her finger on the rim of the tank. "I permit you." She said before Ichigo and Jackie were pulled into the fish tank.
(Urahara Shoten)
Isshin wandered through the halls of the building that became the main base of operations for his squad, slowly transitioning from a simple shop and training center to a legitimate military barracks for Soul Reapers. Memories of helping his son train here filled him with nostalgia as some rooms were completely redone to house the new occupants that was his squad. The only person missing that would finish this base, was his lieutenant by his side. Speaking of which.
"Captain Isshin." Lisa said, finally catching up to her new captain. He turned to greet the Vizard as she delivered her report. "Hiyori confirms that Ichigo has made contact with Ginjo."
"That was fast. Does Ginjo trust him?" Isshin asked. He remembered the first substitute Soul Reaper. Seemed like a good guy at first. But then again, so did Aizen. He really didn't like using Ichigo as bait, but they had little options with this. Either ignore him, or find a way to bring him in. If there was anyone he trusted to take care of himself, it was his son.
"He seems to be baiting Ichigo and lying about his past." Lisa responded, adjusting her glasses. "Says the last Substitute Shinigami they've met tried to kill them. Almost as if what Captain Ukitake said about him was completely wrong."
"Ginjo was always a bad liar." Isshin said as he headed for Hiyori's station in the shop. "It's easier to believe his memory is being manipulated by some means." They came into a room filled with monitors displaying rows of data, images of Karakura, and lines of text, along with a few speakers. In front of it all was Hiyori, sitting in a highback chair wearing her usual tracksuit and keeping an eye on everything.
"-called 'Dollhouse'." They heard from one of the speakers. "Anything I like and put that pass on, I can move them freely into objects like this cute fish tank. I permit you."
"Well, sounds like he's just going to get stronger." Hiyori said before an image of Urahara and Yamamoto appeared on one of the screens. "You get all that?"
"Indeed." Urahara said, his curious mind already reevaluating what they've heard. "The ability to manipulate the souls of everything around them. Even a specialty skill wholly their own. This 'Dollhouse' seems to create her own Trojan horse or a prison cell for anyone caught inside."
"But only subjective to her own emotions." Yamamoto said. "I cannot deny Ginjo's claims about how we would have responded earlier, but as Ichigo has shown, change is upon all of us.
"So what now?" Isshin asked the two older captains.
"From best to worst case scenarios," Genryusai started, "we could recruit them for the war, turn a blind eye and they go about their lives, or they have to be put down." The statement hung in the air as Kisuke and Isshin silently prayed that the third choice never comes to pass.
(Xcution: Fish tank)
The moment the two entered, Jackie activated her Fullbring, 'Dirty Boots' and began attacking Ichigo. Since then Ichigo was on the defensive, evading her attacks and testing his Fullbring. He tossed his badge, he tried to cut with the Reishi, he threw energy glaives from his badge that had no cutting ability, it seemed like this Fullbring was solely for defense. During this time, Jackie was taunting him for his complacency.
"What? Did you think you hot stuff activating your Fullbring?" She yelled at him as he dodged another kick. "You might have been powerful as a Soul Reaper, but you're just human right now with an ability you just got. You have to fight back or you'll never master your Fullbring." He threw more of those projectiles from his badge that she kicked to pieces with ease. "My Fullbring, 'Dirty Boots', makes me stronger and faster with how dirty my boots get. While you've been running, I've grown stronger." Ichigo stood in place, looking at her with an impassive gaze, like the entire situation was under his control. "Giving up?" No response. "I expected better." She charged at him as fast as she could go, ready to deliver a devastating kick.
"Too slow." She heard him say as he slipped past her attack and threw his fist into her gut, stopping her instantly. "Too weak." He said as he managed to use Bringer Light to deliver swift kick to her side and sent her flying. "You thought this was a challenge? I've played tag in my human body faster than this. You have no technique, just speed and power." He turned his focus on her again as his badge's Reiatsu started flaring wildly. "I've been trained in all three so my body could handle the kind of power my soul could unleash. I'm not the cocky one here, you are." The Reiatsu from his badge soon cloaked his body and turned into a ragged, smokey form of Shinigami robes with a blade of swirling black energy extending from his hand. "Now why don't you stop playing and give me a decent fight?" At that moment his vision started to get fuzzy, Jackie was suddenly moving faster, he couldn't stop the harsh kick to his face that sent him flying.
'What the?' She wondered as Ichigo seemed to be reacting slower to her movements. 'Giriko must have made it so the odds are stacked against him. But what are the conditions?'
(Outside the Fish Tank)
"So the only real method of training a Fullbring to it's max potential is to force it out in combat?" Chad asked, finally getting the chance to learn more about developing a Fullbring aside from the short summary that let know how it worked.
"Yeah, it's a simple concept but harder than you think." Ginjo said as the other Fullbringers were doing their things. "You have to draw on the soul of the object of your Fullbring more and more, like finding the strength to push yourself when you think your at your limit." He turned his gaze to the container that held Ichigo and Jackie. "Putting him in a life or death fight, at least making him think it, is sometimes the best method." Over by the bar, Giriko checked his pocket watch.
"And it's only going to get harder for the poor boy." Everyone turned their gazes to him as he explained. "For Sado's sake, I should explain. My ability is 'Time Tells No Lies'. With it, I can set timers with set conditions within those time frames. The contract in the Fish Tank is thus; after fifteen minutes if neither of them calls off the training, than Jackie will move through 'accelerated time' while Ichigo will go through 'decelerated time'. Jackie will be faster, and Ichigo will be slower."
"It's for the best." Tsukishima said. "Always fighting and training in his soul body is not the same as fighting in one of flesh and blood." They knew Ichigo had spent years training his spiritual powers but they thought he only trained in his soul body.
"He's only trained in his soul body twice." Chad said, making all eyes turn to him now. "I only know as far back as middle school, but he's spent years training to his limits in his physical body." Their eyes widened in shock. "I thought you knew. When did you start watching him?"
"....Shortly after he became a Soul Reaper." Ginjo breathed out before hurrying over to the Fish Tank, which was shaking violently. Just as he reached it, it exploded. Everyone was shaken as they waited for the dust to settle down. The first thing they saw was a beaten and bruised Jackie, cradled in the arms of Ichigo, now clad in a white armor covering most of his body with his badge becoming the guard of a short blade in his hands. A good portion of the armor was cracked and he had some burns on his form.
"I exploded." He said, letting Ginjo know that he was referring to when he completed his Fullbring. Something that shouldn't have been possible as anyone would've been torn apart by the power release unless another Fullbringer was there to control the output. The scariest part was, Jackie didn't seem to have helped him at all. "It hurt." Ichigo said as he handed Jackie to Chad.
"Now we can end this charade." Tsukishima said, turning his bookmark into a katana and slashing the other Fullbringers as he moved towards Ichigo will all possible speed. Which, for any student of the Flash Goddess, was not fast enough. Ichigo watched as Tsukishima got behind him and waited till the last second to deflect the man's sword, taking his attention away from the other Fullbringers. He caught Tsukishima in a blade lock as Ginjo got back up from the attack.
"Thanks for that." He said before aiming to impale Ichigo. He thrust for Ichigo's back before a clawed white hand caught his claymore blade.
"Hello~." A warped voice sang out as Zangetsu materialized from behind Ichigo, staring the former substitute in the eyes. He was in the same lean, horned, form from when Ichigo fought Kenpachi. "That wasn't nice. Or smart." He said before punching the backstabbing Fullbringer out of the apartment.
"Kugo!" Tsukishima cried out, giving Ichigo the window to sucker punch the guy and follow Ginjo out of the small space. The other Fullbringers soon followed. Ichigo and Ginjo were standing across from each other in the air, staring down their opponent.
"I thought you said your powers were sealed." Ginjo yelled out furiously. Tsukishima could keep the plan a secret, so he altered the memories of every Xcution member to get Ichigo to drop his guard. "You showed me your seal!"
"Yeah. One of them." Ichigo said. "I can't use those powers, but my Zanpakuto spirit could." The others, sans Chad and Jackie, came up behind before a storm of spirit arrows flashed in front of them.
"They're talking. Don't be rude." Uryu said from his vantage point on the roof of the apartment. "Backup's coming Ichigo!"
"You're really going to do this?" Ginjo asked the orange haired hybrid. "You're going to condemn us all? If Soul Society finds out about us, we're all dead! That badge is a tracker and a Reiatsu controller! If you step out of line, they'll render you helpless and kill you! They'll betray you just like they did me. The first substitute Soul Reaper." The two continued to glare at each other before Ichigo spoke up.
"First off, Ginjo, I only said that they sealed my powers. If they didn't, my human body would have been destroyed by my Reiatsu. They didn't have to seal ALL of them, but they did. You wouldn't come out of hiding otherwise." He said dispelling his Fullbring, Zangetsu still protecting his partner. "I'd still need a seal, but that's a rule regarding my rank." He pulled down his shirt to reveal two more flower seals, the Yarrow of squad 11 and one that looks like a Red Spider Lily. "Speaking of, Hiyori?" He asked, speaking into his badge.
"Conditions are met for level 1 and 2 seal release." Hiyori said from the comm link. "Have fun Baldy"
"Always with that stupid name." Ichigo groaned as they were getting surrounded by Soul Reapers. "But whatever, I've been aching to do this." He placed his hand on his chest as the Yarrow and Higanbana flowers glowed. "Limit, release." He said, bringing the badge to his chest as the seals faded. He exited his body and his Reishi flared explosively. Some of the braver Shinigami recovered Ichigo's body and began bringing it to safety. Soon his Reiatsu began to settle and reveal Ichigo with black bands on his arms, ankles, and neck, and a badge on his left arm with the Kanji 15 and the Higanbana insignia underneath it. "Squad 15 lieutenant, Ichigo Kurosaki." He said, leveling a glare at Ginjo. "And you're under arrest."