(With Ichigo and Esdeath)
The icy general led him to one of her favorite stops in the capital, a simple ice cream stand. Apparently a regular as when the owner spotted her, he immediately scooped out two balls of white and green and gave it to her despite the line. Ichigo wasn't surprised, not when he thought of the corruption in the capital and the terrifying reputation that Esdeath maintained. The hybrid got himself a chocolate cone and the pair sat down, ready for a potentially lengthy discussion. Sheele wasn't with them as Ichigo ordered her to patrol the city for wandering souls.
"So," Esdeath started, "I've seen Soul Reapers and I've seen Hollows. I watched as you commanded the latter with absolute authority and apparently make more of the former at your leisure." Ichigo watched her as the two licked their frozen treats. "You've already told me that regular souls can become Hollows and I'm guessing that any soul has the potential to become a Shinigami, but some are closer to unlocking that potential than others. The only thing you haven't told me is the so called 'enemy' that you're facing." The general surmised, going over everything she's observed. "Did I miss anything or can you tell me what kind of enemy it is that you need to gather your own forces?"
"There is something I didn't tell you about Hollows, but that's not important. For now at least." Ichigo started, getting that out of the way now since he doubted the different levels of Menos Grande would ever be relevant for the general to know. "As for the enemy I face, they are called Quincy." Ichigo held out his hand and manifested a Quincy bow. "Quincy are spiritually aware humans that learned to manipulate ambient spirit energy into weapons like this bow. Seems like something useful, but unfortunately they were unable to purify souls and instead often destroyed them. One Quincy in particular became their king and somehow made it so any Quincy connected to him could feed him power with every soul they slay. This forced the Soul Reapers into action with committing genocide on nearly all Quincy, except for two families as far as I know. My mother's and my cousin's. The first tried to stay out of the fighting while my cousin's family wanted to work WITH the Shinigami."
"But if Soul Reapers tried to destroy all the Quincy, why would they want to work with their destroyers?" She asked, confused since Ichigo was against her 'strong devour the weak' philosophy. "And how are you a Soul Reaper if you're also a Quincy?"
"My soul has the powers of a Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow, making me a hybrid being." Ichigo answered, dispelling his bow. "As for why my cousin wanted to do that, why I wanted to help in that, is because our grandfather and previous Quincy master was among the last of the Quincy that supported coexistence, since the Shinigami were more of a reactive force rather than an active force. Not enough in the world of the Living to protect all the souls."
"And the enemy Quincy survived the war and are building an army?" Esdeath guessed. "To think a war on such a scale happened and no one knows about it."
'I'll tell her later.' Ichigo thought, not wanting to reveal the multiple dimensions beyond the realms of the dead just yet. "And their king is still alive." He said, surprising Esdeath. "The ultimate enemy of my mentor, the current Commander of all Shinigami, for over a thousand years he's been building his strength and biding his time." Ichigo clenched his fists, thinking of what he almost lost and what Yhwach tried to take from him. "And I will end this war once and for all." He promised. Esdeath just watched him, breathing in his killing intent. Sounds like Ichigo's promise of a good battle will be kept. Enemies that threatened the balance of existence itself, that would be a grand battle to be a part of.
(Timeskip. Because.)
A month had passed since that day, nothing of great note occupying the time. The training Ichigo had Sheele, Bulat and Daidara go through finally paying off as each one managed to attain their respective Shikai. Sheele's and Daidara' resembled their Teigus while Bulat had a spear with a large blade, explaining to Ichigo that it was similar to Incursio's auxiliary weapon that could be summoned. With that power under their belts, Ichigo gave them a pass to join in the patrols of the capital. Bulat and Daidara were in a pair, searching the outskirts and edges of the capital while Ichigo and Sheele mainly patrolled the city itself. Despite his declared loyalty to the hybrid, Ichigo still didn't trust Daidara to not report Night Raid's location to Esdeath when he learns she can now see spirits.
Speaking of Esdeath, her training was going much slower. Since her humiliation with the Hollows, she realized her over reliance on her Teigu. Without it, she wasn't nearly as effective in combat. To fix that, Ichigo set up a some simple rules. When they're training, she cannot use her Teigu at all. If she breaks that rule, then the training is over. No spirit form for either of them until she can battle WITHOUT using her Teigu. In two weeks, she only managed to get ten minutes of actual training time with him. To fix that, she trained with Wave and Kurome to make up for the lack of training with Ichigo as her partner.
She ordered them NOT to hold back, wanting it to be as close to her training with the Shinigami as possible. It had the added benefit of helping Wave and Kurome improve their skills as well, becoming trusted partners on the battlefield. Kurome also got a lot closer to Wave, since the armor user also tended to get beat up pretty badly and she helped patch him up. That training did bear results as Esdeath had become less reliant on her Teigu, managing to get up to an hour by the end of the month. That was enough for Ichigo to decide it was time for proper Soul Reaper training, but he needed to take care of some other things first.
The first thing was the one he felt the most uneasy about, suspecting that some Vandenreich Quincy made their way into the dimension. If they did, then that means Yhwach found him and sent an assassination squad after him. That, or the Quincy would start recruiting from other dimensions like he was doing. Either way, he needed to put a stop to them before they gained too much of a foot hold in this world. The only problem was finding them and Ichigo was unable to find even a trace of their presence since that bandit fort. There was also that second matter he's been meaning to get to, forcing the two sisters to talk.
During what free time he had between patrols and training, he stole some more of Kurome's drugged cookies and began working on an antidote. It took him a few days to set his lab back up and a couple of weeks to make the detox medicine, but he was eventually successful. The next step was to get the sisters to actually sit down and talk, without trying to kill each other. Akame would be easy to convince to do this, she WANTS to save her sister. Kurome... might need to be forced... on second thought, he'll probably restrain and drag her there. When Ichigo told Akame it was time, she said she'd be waiting at the ruins that lie in the Gyou forest in the outskirts of the Empire. It was an important place to her and Kurome. Now Ichigo just needed to get Kurome.
(Gyou Forest: Later that night)
Akame was sitting amongst the ruins in the forest, just like she told Ichigo where to be. It was a nostalgic place, her old training ground with her sister while they were still together in service to the empire. Now it was either the last chance they might have to be together as siblings or Ichigo would pull off a miracle and bring them together again for good. This place was neutral ground, she had no weapons with her and all she had to do was wait.
"You ready to talk it out?" She heard him say, appearing out of nowhere with that insane speed of his. The assassin turn to see him, carrying an unconscious Kurome over his shoulder. "Don't worry, she's fine. I've just been running out of patience lately and... I was less than generous with giving her a choice." The hybrid informed her as he sat Kurome against a wall. "Ready?" He asked her, Akame nodding in response. Ichigo snapped his fingers in front of her face, waking the girl up. Only he saw the small flash of Kido from the 'wake-up' spell.
"Wha... where?" Kurome asked, tired and groggy, as she tried to stand up. "What happened?" She got to her feet and froze as she slowly recognized her sister, the most precious person in her world. "Sis? Big sis!" She cheered with happiness at seeing her dearest sibling, while reaching for her weapon and only grabbing air. "What?"
"Ichigo wanted us to talk." Akame told her younger sister. "And he said we weren't going to kill each other." Kurome looked to the side to see the Shinigami and then analyzed her sister to find no weapons. "I never told him that we already said all that we could to each other, and he insisted on this meeting." Ichigo perked up slightly, not knowing the extant of what Akame tried to do already. "I already tried asking you to leave the empire behind, leave the drugs and the killing, try to find a way to extend your life from the damage your 'training' did to you. And what was your response?" Akame asked her sister, who looked away, knowing the extant of the damage to her being.
"I told you that leaving the empire would be a betrayal of our fallen comrades." Kurome finally answered. "It would also make our comrades at the time my enemies, and I couldn't bear to lose our comrades. …Losing you was rough, but I found a way to keep you with me forever when I kill you."
"And I thought the only way I could save you was by ending your life." Akame admitted, looking to Ichigo. "But someone reminded me that the job of the older sibling is to protect the younger ones, and I've done a pretty poor job of that in retrospect, haven't I?" Her hand went to her forehead, as if trying to hold back her tears. "I've should've tried to save you sooner. Should've tried harder to get you away from that place, even if I had to force you. Kicking and screaming."
"I could never abandon my allies... even if the capital is mired in as much sin as it is." Kurome admitted, twitching and feeling her own head as it started to throb. "I can't leave my allies... can't leave the empire..." She started to shake, it had been too long since her last dose.
"Okay, I'm starting to think there was a little bit more than drugs and trauma at play." Ichigo suddenly said, walking up to Kurome. "Tell me, was there a special facility during your training?" He asked, Kurome desperately trying to remember all the details.
"....A room. A room where we were put to sleep sometimes." She said, picking out bits and pieces from her memory. Then she doubled over and started screaming in pain.
"KUROME!" Akame cried out, terrified for her little sister and being torn by her own inability to help.
"Guess that's out of time." Ichigo muttered, pulling out a syringe and stabbing it into Kurome's neck. He quickly injected the specialized detoxification antidote into her bloodstream and waited for it to take effect. It was quick in coming with the girl gagging before violently vomiting up a disgusting yellow and black bile from her stomach.
"KUROME!" Akame cried out, running to her sister's side as she began shaking rapidly and occasionally coughing up more bile. The color of which also shifting to green and red as years of poisons were forcibly expelled from her body. The assassin took her little sister in to her arms, holding her to herself as she began to sweat profusely. "She's burning up." Akame said, feeling her sister's forehead. "What did you do to her!?" She demanded from Ichigo as he took her away from the Night Raid member.
"Full and rapid detoxification." Ichigo answered, his own brotherly instincts compelling him to hold the girl in a comforting manner. "I said I'd help, but I never said it'd be pleasant. This is too many years of too many drugs being forcibly expelled from her system. To say nothing of her rehabilitation, she's going to be in for a rough few weeks to months." Ichigo began to turn and walk away when Akame grabbed his cloak.
"You told me to talk it out with her, and we did." She said, holding tight onto the Soul Reaper. "Now you're taking her away? You're taking her back to the empire? Why? Did you do this just to take her away from me again? Are we going to have to be enemies aga-"
"Just be patient Akame." Ichigo suddenly said. "If it wasn't for my insistence that he do things fairly and justly, demanding he has evidence before publicly condemning the Prime Minister, Makoto would've had Honest's head on a spike long ago." He turned and smiled at the red eyed assassin. "Don't worry Akame, I promise you that you'll be reunited as sisters." Akame felt her face heat up, the Shinigami seeming like her own guardian angel and the promise making her place her full faith in him. The only other sound was Kurome throwing up on Ichigo's chest.
(Unknown mountain range)
Two days passed since the talk between the sisters and Kurome's forced detox treatment. Esdeath was not so pleased with the condition her subordinate was returned in, sickly and weak, but was willing to ignore it in favor of it saving the poor girl's life. Wave and Bols were on nursing duties while Kurome recovered from the ordeal and Esdeath was calmed with Ichigo's offer to have a full day of training with him instead of the small portions she's been forced to make due with. Makoto was also informed of what happened to Kurome and he ordered Budo to launch a surprise investigation into the matter, intending to shut down the drug and brainwashing operations with due haste. Till then, Esdeath was enjoying her time with Ichigo.
"Here I come!" The general shouted, in her Shinigami state with her body laying off to the side. Both her and Ichigo were at the summit of a random mountain in the outskirts of the capital, giving the general the combat she craved for. She charged at him with a downward swing, only for it to get brushed aside with ease and pushed back in the same motion. She turned and let the momentum help with the next swing, only for it to be caught in his fingers.
"I can't help but feel like this isn't helping you make any progress." Ichigo said before ripping the nodachi from her hands and striking her in the gut, knocking the air out of her and making her drop to her knees. "Take five." The hybrid casually ordered before returning her blade. He was about to take a seat when three Danger Beasts made their presence known, slowly stalking toward Esdeath's body. He put his Gigai Ring on and quickly killed the beasts with a single swing of one of his Zanpakuto before tossing them aside. All the while, Esdeath watched his two blades with interest.
"When we fought the first time, you only used one sword. I think it was called, 'Kyoka Suigetsu.'" The general suddenly said, gaining Ichigo attention as he removed his ring. "The second time you used the other, said 'Zangetsu', and it became two blades. Is there something I should know about these swords of ours?" Ichigo looked at her before unsheathing Zangetsu.
"Did you, even for a second, wonder why the sword you plunged into your chest changed so much?" He asked, holding the single sealed blade in front of her. "The Zanpakuto is more than just the sword you wield as a Soul Reaper, it's a reflection of yourself. Each blade unique to its master and its abilities represent that. My Zangetsu," the blade splitting into its dual knives, "represents the two parts of my soul; Quincy and Shinigami. The Hollow is mixed with the Shinigami, before you ask." He said, making Esdeath close her mouth. "When you learn the name of your Zanpakuto, you release its Shikai and the special abilities of that Zanpakuto."
"But if the Zanpakuto is unique to its wielder, why do you have two?" She asked, pointing to his sheathed blade. "Is that because of the vast amount of power you command?"
"Yes and no." Ichigo answered, resealing Zangetsu and sheathing it while grabbing Kyoka's hilt. "I have this blade from someone I fought to the death, using a forbidden technique of my Zangetsu. Doing so took his Zanpakuto away from him and made it my own, which I didn't see coming at the time."
"Does that mean you have a way to continually grow stronger?" She asked, fascinated by the unlimited potential it represents.
"At the cost of another's life." Ichigo insisted. "And I don't like doing so. I am content with the blades I currently have." Esdeath stayed her tongue, knowing better than to try to push the angle. Instead she held out her blade, wondered, and changed the topic.
"How does a Zanpakuto get its name?"
"The spirit of the Zanpakuto will tell you in time." She blinked in surprise at that information. The Zanpakuto has its own spirit, like her Devil's Extract had the remnants of the Danger Beast's mind? "When the Zanpakuto deems you worthy of its power, then it will speak to you."
"But you just told me that the Zanpakuto is a reflection of the wielder. Why would it hold its power back from the rightful master?"
"Just because it's a reflection, doesn't mean you know what's looking back." Ichigo answered, thinking back to some of his comrades that held their own powers back. "The strongest fighter I've known was unable to summon the power of his Zanpakuto for the longest time until he learned to accept his own power. He was terrified of his own strength because no one was ever strong enough to match him, so he subconsciously held back. If you want to hear the voice of your own Zanpakuto, Esdeath, you'll have to be willing to accept everything about yourself. Even the parts you might hate." The general looked to her long katana and thought back on her life, believing that it was all pretty simple for her.
'I can't hear anything.' She admitted, gazing deep into the blade. Just then, underneath their feet, a Yin Yang symbol flashed into life with four 'li' trigrams surrounding it. The sudden appearance surprised the pair and soon made them vanish. No trace of the Shinigami, or Esdeath's body. They were gone.
"That ought to take him out of the picture." A man said while removing his hooded trench coat, revealing a lean and fit tan skinned man with an X scar between his eyes. He also had white hair and golden eyes and wore a small skin tight shirt. "But that's only temporary. I thought you guys wanted him dead?"
"It's only by my power that we're even alive." The man's companion said as he put on his uniform, though the man himself was transparently clear. Though they were out of danger, his voice still shuddered in fear. "Ichigo Kurosaki is NOT someone to underestimate Syura. It's better to secure our standing among the court NOW and wait for the proper moment to strike. If anyone has a chance to best that monster, it would be my king."
"I still haven't met this 'king' of yours, but fine." The named Syura acquiesced as they began to head for the capital. "I was planning to wait until my team got here to announce myself, but I can't wait to show you guys off." He said with a twisted smile.
(Location: Unknown)
Ichigo and Esdeath stood on a beach, the latter slipping into her body while the former examined their surroundings.
"What the hell happened?"
(Illustrated Guide to Special Police)
Kurome's Kidnapping
Kurome and Wave were at the meeting table, the former cleaning out the latter's wounds from their latest training session with Esdeath, Run was reading in the corner, and Bols was making a nice dinner to help cheer up his teammates. Esdeath was making notes of strategy and her progress in making herself independent of her Teigu.
"Hey guys. I'm taking Kurome." Ichigo announced, suddenly appearing in the meeting room. Before anyone could react, he held a hand in front of Kurome's face and the girl slumped over unconscious. "I'll return her later." He said, throwing her over his shoulder and disappearing.
"...WHAT!?" Wave shouted. "Captain! We need to go-"
"It'll be fine. Not like any of us can stop him." The general said, casually dismissing the kidnapping.
"But... I just finished baking cookies." Bols said sadly, holding a steaming tray of cookies.
Kurome's Return
Wave was pacing about nervously, worried about his teammate and partner. He was torn between going after his partner and obeying his superior. Just as he was about to don his Grand Chariot and run out, Ichigo reappeared with Kurome in his arms.
"Take her." He said, passing the girl to Wave. "She's detoxing from all the steroids and drugs in her systems. She'll be out for a while." He turned to Esdeath, who was about to confiscate Wave's Teigu before Ichigo showed up. "She'll also be drastically weakened without the drugs to boost her strength, but she'll have a longer life. I need to go clean my clothes." He said before disappearing again.
"What do you think he meant by that?" Wave asked, just before Kurome coughed up some bile into his face. "...Nevermind."
Ichigo's Cleaner
Susanoo was setting his team's laundry out to dry when something fell on his head.
"Clean that up for me, would ya!?" Ichigo called down from high above before flashing to the hotspring. The living Teigu pulled the thing off his head, glaring to the sky before realizing what was in his hands.
'The regenerating fabric!' The Teigu thought in awe as he beamed, looking at the clothes.