(Okay, this is where I started allowing more sexual content in the story. Most of the time I referenced it, but it had no greater point to the story. From now on? Read at your own discretion.)
A sleek white bullet train was gliding along the rails, speeding the people inside to their destinations. Simple people with simple lives, some going to the same places as others, some traveling for pleasure while others do for business. Just normal people living their normal lives. That wasn't a description that applied to the young man sitting rather isolated from the crowd, a young man with spiky orange hair and a scowl. He had brown eyes with a scar over his right eye and wore a light long sleeved gray hoodie over a white T-shirt with a stylized 15 on the front and black jeans and a fingerless glove on his right hand, a black skull ring on his left middle finger, and a large packed backpack next to him. People kept their distance, believing him to be a thug and troublemaker, but this was no delinquent.
This was Ichigo Kurosaki, a unique existence among the spiritual realm of Japan. In that realm were Soul Reapers/Shinigami, warriors and guides that protected and directed the wandering souls to the Soul Society to live a new life or to proceed to their reincarnation, Hollows that were the corrupted souls of those filled with malice and regret before they could be sent to the Soul Society that devour other souls to fill an endless void, and the Quincy who were humans with the ability to manipulate ambient spiritual energy to their whims. Hybrids could exist as the result of Shinigami gaining Hollow powers and vice versa, becoming Vizards or Arrancar respectively, or a human woman could be infected with a Hollow's spirit and pass that down to her child to create a Fullbringer, humans that could control the souls of objects. Ichigo was unique in that he was a mix of Soul Reaper, Hollow, and Quincy, giving him the powers of all of them and a nigh endless potential for power.
He was like this because his father was a Soul Reaper and his mother was a Quincy that had met while fighting an artificial Arrancar created by a man called Aizen, who sought to take over the Soul Society. Ichigo would eventually be born from that meeting and would live a happy and carefree life until a man known as the Quincy Emperor, Yhwach, almost killed his mother. Ichigo's powers had awakened that day and he vowed to defeat Yhwach, training under the tutelage of his father's friends until he finally made his way to the Soul Society and trained under the very best they had to offer, gaining friends and lovers along the way. Eventually Aizen was exposed and they fought a war against him and his Arrancar Army, ending with Ichigo absorbing his power and taking command of the Arrancar.
Time passed and Yhwach would assault the Soul Society, taking the lives of many of Ichigo's friends and his teacher who would give Ichigo his own powers as well which would force Yhwach back for a day. Ichigo then learned a horrifying truth of Soul Society and would undo its greatest sin, gaining more power in the process, and would erase Yhwach from existence. Now here he was, months after ending the Quincy war and still reeling from the battles and the loss, but he could not rest. He was expected to gain more strength and power in the hopes that he could protect everything he held dear but before he could travel the world for more training, he had to do something in Kyoto.
"Hey there mister~!" The hybrid heard someone call to him, finding a pair of girls eyeing him in a sultry manner. One was very tanned with dyed blonde hair while the other had wavy brown hair, both wearing a lot of flashy make-up and dressed like school girls. "You wanna have some fun hot stuff?" They grinned in a seductive manner before flinching when they saw his eyes.
"Entering the Kyoto Station." The intercom announced. Ichigo grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.
"Sorry, but this is my stop." He said politely before exiting, the two girls still in shock from the look in the teen's eyes. One that was more tired and hurt than anyone should be at that age. As he walked away from the station and into the historical city, his hand rested on his left shoulder as his mind wandered back to the last time he was in Soul Society.
(Flashback: Soul Society Kido Corps. Barracks)
"So Amaterasu is real and wants me to meet her in Kyoto... why?" Ichigo asked while two men in robes used Kido to sear a black Eastern dragon tattoo onto Ichigo's entire right arm, coiling around the limb with its gaping jaws resting above his wrist. The hybrid's body was marked with a few scars from his training and battles with the only other notable mark being a ring with a horned skull in the center of his chest, part of a ploy to help him fight Aizen who was a master of hypnosis. The two applying the tattoo were Kido masters Tessai and Hachi and the dragon was meant to be a seal to restrain the power of fire that Ichigo had trouble controlling. The reforged blade of his master, Kagutsuchi.
"Lady Amatersu likes to think of any native born Japanese as being her child." Explained a man with wavy brown hair tied with a pair of needles, a rugged thin beard, a pink flowery overcoat, two swords at his hip, and a Haori that had a 1 written in kanji on the back. This was Shunsui Kyoraku, the current leader of the Shinigami and Ichigo's superior in spite of his dual rank, ranked as the third seat of the 1st Division and the only member of the Zero Division, the royal guard of the god of the Soul Society, the Soul King. "She tolerates it when her 'normal' children travel outside of Japan, but if anyone with power and in the know of the hidden side of the world wanted to leave then they need her permission. When Chad, Tatsuki, Orihime, and Uryu left for their training, old man Yama got permission for them but she wanted to see you personally. She was also less than thrilled when you left for a different dimension without her permission."
"Sounds like a bit of a helicopter parent." The hybrid returned as the finishing touches on his seal were applied and the two masters backed away while Ichigo inspected his arm.
"Don't let her hear you say that, she's not used to blatant disresptect." Kyoraku said with a slight laugh while Ichigo walked out into the courtyard. "Maybe she can help you control that new sword since she is a sun goddess."
"Reduce all creation to ash, Kagutsuchi." Ichigo chanted while grabbing and unsheathing one of the three swords at his hip, turning the courtyard around him into a field of fire. Along his Kido tattoo, the outline on the scales of the dragon lit up as if the flames were coming from it. Ichigo placed his hand on the head of the dragon and swiped up his arm, his hand catching fire as the heat around him grew stronger. Satisfied with the results, he resealed Kagutsuchi and quenched the flames on his being.
"I also recommend you pack for a lengthy stay there too Ichigo. She says she wants you to learn something from the Youkai as well."
"Can never be simple can..." Ichigo was saying as he went back to Tessai and Hachi before registering what Kyoraku said. "Youkai are real?"
"Yep, but they aren't really spirits and are well behaved so they don't count as our problem." The head captain said as Ichigo simply nodded.
"I'll start packing tomorrow, YOU explain this to everyone else." The hybrid said, throwing Shunsui to the wolves that were Ichigo's friends and family. Kyoraku had a small laugh before realizing that Ichigo was serious. "Hey, I wanted a vacation. You said I needed to train some more."
"Well, you can take some time to yourself. They need to get ready for you as well." Kyoraku tried to reason, hoping to avoid the wrath of nine angry lovers of the teen hybrid or at least stall it. "Kyoto still doesn't know if the war is over yet, so you can time a bit more time for yourself." The head captain then left Ichigo with Tessai and Hachi.
"There's another tattoo I want." The teen said, showing his back and pointed to the left side. "I want an ash gray cat and a silver fox here." A grim reminder, of the loss of one of his lovers and the man that was like a brother to her.
(Flashback End)
The hybrid shook himself free of the memories and refocused on where he was, touring the historic shrines, temples, and castles of Kyoto. He was told that someone would come find him and take him where he would need to go, but why wait in one spot? Might as well sight see and enjoy what little time he still had to himself. Ever since he was nine the majority of his life had been spent training in one way or another for the next big conflict with school being the closest thing to a vacation for him. Even after the last of Soul Society's darker side was crushed he was expected to continue training for whatever might come next. It was honestly quite tiring for him, but he's someone that protects. It's just his nature.
He was making his way to the golden temple, Kinkaku-ji, when he felt a new presence behind him. He never felt such a presence before and doubted it was human but still checked with his spiritual senses. He released a Pesquisa, a spirit sonar, and got results that it had a stronger spirit than the humans around him. He raised his hand like he was checking the time on a watch and made the spiritual energy around him manifest as ribbons around him and grabbing onto the one that wasn't white but a light shade of blue.
'Maybe this person is my escort.' Ichigo guessed as he suddenly turned towards an alley with his stalker pursuing him. When that person turned into the alley however, he couldn't find Ichigo. The hybrid Shinigami disappeared in a burst of speed that the other person couldn't follow and froze when Ichigo appeared behind him with a hand on the man's shoulder. "Tell me who you are and why you're following me." The teen ordered, causing the man to freeze in shock and tremble at the ability the hybrid displayed.
"F-forgive me sir." The man said while cat ears perked up from his head and a tail sprouted from his back. "My name is Tsuji and I was sent to bring you to Yasaka-hime." Tsuji had short black hair and baseball player's build wearing a white T-shirt and brown slacks. "I was told that I was supposed to escort a human to our princess and she would take things from there. I... I wanted to see what was so special about you. I wasn't told much else." The answer satisfied Ichigo, though he hissed in slight irritation from the lack of communication. Soul Society had trouble getting back to an acceptable standard of military after he broke in and wasn't looking forward to trying to rebuild another one.
"Very well. Lead the way." The teen said as he released the Youkai, who restored his disguise back into looking like a normal human, and began to follow him to a hidden location. After about ten minutes they came to a new part of the city, filled with Japanese spirits and demons of all forms and appearances. Some were humanoid, some were animals, a few were objects and just a floating head, all were looking at the teen in surprise. Ichigo ignored their stares in favor of examining the world around him, rich in an energy he was unfamiliar with. 'I really was blind to just how vast and different the world is, wasn't I?' He thought as he passed under a large torii gate leading to a Japanese wooden castle.
In front of that castle was a group of people wearing shrine outfits with blonde hair and fox ears, but it was the one in the center that Ichigo paid attention to. Her long hair was in a gold ponytail, her eyes were gold, she had nine golden fox tails behind her, she had a gold crown, a white coat over her shrine maiden outfit, short eyebrows, and had a notable cleavage despite the modest dress, giving Ichigo an idea of her figure. But it wasn't her beauty that caught his attention, it was her power. The Youkai seemed to be the leader and was far stronger than the entire population of Kyoto combined, too much of a gap between the soldiers and the leader in Ichigo's opinion.
"Welcome sir Kurosaki." The nine tailed kitsune said with a slight bow. "My name is Yasaka, leader of the Kyoto Youkai and priestess of lady Amaterasu." Ichigo bowed in return while the other Youkai parted as Yasaka turned around. "If you would follow me, my lady is waiting." The walk itself was uneventful, Ichigo taking the time to examine some of the traditional Japanese art that decorated the palace interior, before they came to a room that was set up like a miniature shrine with a mirror inside that radiated a power Ichigo had felt from only one other being. That being was a god, meaning that this was where he was to meet her. The most important god of the Shinto pantheon. "Lady Amaterasu, I have brought Ichigo Kurosaki." Yasaka announced with another bow while the mirror began to shine.
"Thank you Yasaka." Ichigo heard a soft but firm voice say as the light began to take shape. The woman that appeared had long black hair in a hime cut, sharp yet soft eyes, wearing a white dress with red outlines, red flowers and wind designs, a red obi and armbands with gold wind patterns, a magatama gem necklace, and a straight sword at her hip. She looked to Ichigo with a gentle smile he recognized as one only a mother could give her child, one of love and pride. "It's good to finally speak to you, my dear child." The hybrid couldn't help but bow to the goddess, something deep within him wanting to show piety to her.
"It is an honor to meet you as well." He said before righting himself. "You know what I'm here for," Amaterasu nodded, "but I was told that you wanted me to learn something while I'm here and that it may take some time?"
"My son, you are steadily reaching the peak of ability as a Soul Reaper, a Hollow, and those foreign archers the Quincy, but you can still learn so much." She said, reaching out to touch the hybrid only to ghost through him because she was a magical projection. "That is why your friends went out into the world the first time and why Yamamoto asked some of his old comrades to take you under their wing. But before you leave us to train with foreign masters, I want you to study the power of Senjutsu."
"Senjutsu is the practice of understanding the flow of life energy and manipulating it." Yasaka explained while displaying her control by summoning a ghostly flame and letting it dance around her hand. "Using it for powerful attacks, strengthening the body, sensing others' auras, and healing."
"This should be a natural step since it is closely related to controlling Reishi, but be warned my child," Amaterasu continued, "it is more than just raw power. You will also feel the emotions of yourself, those around you, and the very world. If you make a mistake, the malice hidden within the world's aura will destroy you. For your training, my favored priestess Yasaka will assist you." Ichigo turned back to the fox and bowed his head.
"Thank you." He said to her before turning back to the goddess. "How long do you think this will take? I don't want to keep Scathach or King Hassan waiting for too long."
"You will stay until you graduate from high school young man." Amaterasu said sternly, surprising the pair. "I permitted the others because the situation demanded it, but you can leave after you graduate. From both school AND your training here." Ichigo was unused to a mother's scolding, since he was usually a well behaved child, his mom was in a coma, and his dad was... more of a goof when he wasn't training the teen. "Now go to your room and get settled in. You'll find a class schedule for the new private school you will be attending. I also expect you to be at the top of your class." Ichigo nodded again and left the room, following a crow Tengu Youkai that was taking him to his new room. "Yasaka, what do you think of him?"
"My lady?" The fox asked while turning to the goddess, finding an expectant look that was waiting for an answer.
"As a husband. I want you to court Ichigo." Yasaka gasped in shock and outrage.
"My lady, he is a pup! Why should I, a princess and a centuries old noble kitsune, be the one to pursue him? A child who is nowhere near my power?"
"If you think that, then you need to better your skills in sensing aura." The goddess calmly admonished, shocking the Youkai once again. "Ichigo has much of his power sealed away to make it easier for him to reside in the world of the Living, but his true strength greatly exceeds yours. While you were spending your days in peace while governing the Youkai, that 'pup' put himself through hell to fight two wars. One of which put the stability of this world and the ones around it in jeopardy." Yasaka looked back to the door, wondering just what happened with the hybrid that she wasn't seeing. "That war left scars on him Yasaka, scars on his heart that's still hurting him even if he tries to hide it. That's why I want you to pursue him, to help him heal even a little bit."
"My lady." Yasaka whispered, feeling her heart ache at the thought of what a teen like Ichigo must've gone through to gain such scars, and becoming determined to find out more about the hybrid. "Very well. I shall do what I can to mend his heart." She said with a bow.
"Also, like you said, you're a few centuries old. It's time to have, at least, a pup of your own." The goddess said, making Yasaka blush fiercely. "Ichigo would be an ideal father and partner, you two would have adorable babies together." Yasaka's face continued to burn with shock and embarrassment as the goddess kept talking. "It is surprising that he doesn't have kids already since he already has so many lovers, but that was because he was more focused on the coming battles. If I didn't see him as my son, I might pursue him myself."
"OKAY GOOD-BYE!" Yasaka screeched out as she cut the connection. "I... me? A mother?" She stammered out before her mind flashed to what a child between her and Ichigo would look like and what their family might be like. She immediately shook her head furiously and slapped her cheeks. "Get it together Yasaka, you are a princess and the leader of the Kyoto Youkai. Not some bitch in heat with girlish fantasies." She scolded as she left the shrine, but try as she might she couldn't shake the idea of having a child. Probably a girl... a cute little girl with the fluffiest little tails anyone would ever, she shook he head again. "Damn it Amaterasu."
(One Week Later)
Time had passed since Ichigo had arrived in Kyoto and he quickly found himself a new hobby when he wasn't at school or practicing his Senjutsu, training the Youkai soldiers. The day after he arrived and finished his classes, he accurately picked out the ten strongest Youkai guards in Yasaka's service and bested all of them with ease in front of a large crowd. The Youkai were embarrassed by such a loss and dedicated themselves to improving their strength and abilities with Ichigo giving them much the same lectures he had heard when training under his former master, the late Genryusai Yamamoto. Yasaka found herself watching him during one such training session as her schedule finally allowed her to help Ichigo again.
"What have you learned?" She asked the great Tengu, a red skinned man with a long nose wearing hermit clothes, in charge of the Youkai spy network, having ordered that Ichigo be watched and studied since she was supposed to court him.
"Princess, he seems... almost mechanical." The Tengu explained. "At the school, he doesn't talk with anyone no matter who approaches him, he maintains the exact amount of effort to be at the top of each class, and when some delinquents tried to assault him... they'll live, but I daresay Ichigo looked ready to kill for a brief moment." Yasaka absorbed this information as she watched Ichigo in a spar with dozens of Youkai attacking him, almost all of them attacking Ichigo with actual weapons and methods that could severely injure most Youkai. None of which made a difference as he flitted around the sparring arena like water through a bamboo forest and the Youkai were downed within seconds when he finally attacked. Never once did he take up a sword against them but from the look of things it was for the best.
'How much blood is on his hands?' She thought as she watched him leave the arena while the unconscious Youkai were moved aside and other sparring matches took over. "Go inform Ichigo he is to meet me in the empty field behind the castle, it's time for our next meditation session." The Tengu bowed and left to perform his task while she tried to think of a way to get a better glimpse into the heart of the man known as Ichigo Kurosaki. An answer she was no closer to then when they first started his training. Another day, another few hours guiding him in his meditations.
"Just keep it like that Kurosaki." The fox Youkai said, standing just a bit away from Ichigo as the hybrid meditated. "Feel more than the spirit energy, feel the very life within and around you." She stood watch over the hybrid every time they had these sessions, making sure that he didn't make a mistake and absorb the maliciousness of the world's hate. Ichigo's being began to radiate life energy and gain a faint glow. 'Better get ready, it usually happens around this time.' She thought as she channeled power into her hands, waiting for when things went south as they have been. Seconds later and Ichigo's aura started flickering black and Yasaka slammed her palm against his back, disrupting the flow and canceling it out. "You lasted a little longer Kurosaki." She said, trying to sound supportive while Ichigo panted from the strain of the negative emotions flowing through his being.
"Thanks. Same time tomorrow?" Ichigo asked as he got back to his feet and started stretching.
"Actually..." She started, almost second guessing herself while trying to think of a way to phrase it in a way that wouldn't be insulting or intrusive. "I was hoping you could join me for dinner and tell me a bit more about yourself." Ichigo paused at looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
"I would say 'I'm taken', but I have nine girlfriends so..." Ichigo answered as the kitsune realized what she said may have sounded like, causing her face to turn red with burning embarrassment.
"NOT LIKE THAT!" She shouted, a bit too loud for her liking and immediately tried to compose herself again. "I mean, it's odd that such negative energy seems to so naturally flow into you during your practice. I'm hoping some more insight into you may help explain why that is and how we can fix it." Ichigo took a moment to think it over.
"Very well, but not today. I've got homework to do. Maybe Saturday."
"Good. Saturday it shall... wait. NINE girlfriends?!" She shouted as that finally registered to her. The embarrassment she was suffering from Amaterasu at the time blocking out the bit about his many romantic partners.
"Well, one wife and eight fiances." Ichigo corrected himself before noticing Yasaka looking at him in disbelief with an eye twitching. "I heard that some of them had some free time so they were planning to visit if you wanted to meet them." At first Yasaka wanted to smack him and call him an adulterer, but then she realized that they might be instrumental in solving the puzzle of Ichigo Kurosaki.
"Very well. Dinner this Saturday and let me know when your... harem arrives." Ichigo nodded before heading for his room in the castle. 'I need a drink and a long soak in the bath.' The fox thought, deciding that would be an ideal way to end her day.
(Saturday Dinner)
The days passed in much the same way; Ichigo would attend his classes, come back to the shadow side of Kyoto, help train the Youkai with lessons and sparring, work on his Senjutsu with Yasaka, and go to bed while the fox princess tends to her role as leader of the Youkai of Kyoto, with the notable exception of anticipation for the coming Saturday. Most of her tried to focus on the main reason for it, to better understand the hybrid she was supposed to train in the sage arts and help overcome the most recent barrier to their progress. However there was still that one nagging part of her that still reminded her of what Amaterasu wanted and realized that this was, on some level, a date. Those thoughts only got stronger the closer they came to the promised Saturday.
'It's just for training purposes.' She repeated to herself, a part of her demanding that she lose interest after hearing that he's already married with more would be brides to come and refuses to just be another notch on his belt. Another part was curious as to how and why he attracted so many and was willing to wed all of them. The more civilized parts and the animal parts of her were in conflict; being insulted but also wanting such an impressive mate for attracting so many partners, wanting to refuse him out of concern that he'd never commit to being a husband and father but also wanting a strong mate to breed a strong and healthy child. For probably the thousandth time that week she cursed her matron goddess for putting the idea of motherhood into her head while she dressed for her not really but also definitely date with the hybrid Shinigami.
"This is... interesting." Ichigo said, not sure what he was expecting as he looked at the table in mild surprise while Yasaka looked more shocked and embarrassed. The theme of the dinner was apparently meat as there were lean steaks, sashimi, grilled chicken, assorted grilled veggies, three different bottles of high grade sake and wine, two pitchers of mineral water, cups of milk tea for both of them, and on Ichigo's plate was a softshelled turtle's head with a burger in place of a body. The floral arrangements around them were lavender, chamomile, sage, and jasmine. "Am I missing something?"
"NO!" Yasaka shouted before recomposing herself. "No, this is just dinner." She insisted as she took her seat, gesturing him to do the same. "Just dinner while we talk and see if we can't figure out how to fix your tendency to attract the more malicious energy of the world."
"Very well." Ichigo said as he sat down and poured himself some mineral water before taking a few bites of beef first. "Tasty." He muttered before deciding on where to start. "I used to be an average kid, no real care or worries, I was happy living every day with my family. Tried to get into Karate when I learned my name meant 'protector' and I wanted to live up to that." He paused to take a drink of water before resuming his story. "That changed one rainy day in June when I was nine. My mother and I were coming home from my karate class and I saw a girl standing a little too close to a river, one that was overflowing with strong currents from the sheer amount of rain that day. I can still hear the rushing of the water sometimes when I close my eyes, how I thought that girl was in trouble and I tried to save her. That's when it all began."
Thus Ichigo told her about how the man known as the 'Quincy King' decided to purge the impure Quincy from existence to fuel his own resurrection, how Ichigo's own powers awakened that day, that his mother barely survived having her powers drained from her body, and that he began his training to one day meet and defeat the Quincy King for what he tried to do. He explained how he spent the next six years honing his skills with his teachers, other Shinigami and his cousin's family, and meeting new allies along the way, establishing dedicated friends and allies throughout the years. Eventually he was told of the madman that was Aizen and what his plans were, but nothing could be done until he reached the Soul Society. Eventually opportunity came and Aizen made his move which gave Ichigo reason and motive to enter the Soul Society and meet with their leaders. This was the beginning of his true training as he also found and brought to light the depths of corruption within the realm of souls and his efforts to make it a better place.
"Aizen eventually made his move while I was cut off from any news, he attacked and kidnapped my sisters." Yasaka gasped in disgust at the thought of anyone being low enough to resort to such a cowardly move. "It was an obvious trap for me, but I went in anyway because I had to save my sisters. I took my closest friends and the Quincy that were sent to spy on us with me and together we infiltrated Hueco Mundo and Las Noches. We fought through the ranks sent to stop us, all while recruiting those that would join us."
"And they accepted because part of your soul is Hollow correct?" Yasaka asked, thinking the Hollow part may be a key factor in Ichigo propensity to the world's malice.
"It made it easier, but Hollows follow their instincts first and foremost. To them, I was the alpha and they would have a better chance at surviving if they sided with me." He continued to tell her how he finally rescued his sisters and went to fight Aizen himself. A brutal fight that saw Ichigo using all the skills he had gained up to that point and that resulted in Ichigo eventually absorbed Aizen's Reishi and Zanpakuto into his own being. "I wasn't expecting to gain Kyoka Suigetsu, but I wasn't going to decline having such a useful blade."
"I don't think anyone would blame you. What happened after that?"
"Well, when everything was finally settled with Aizen, I went to Hell." He told her of his trip into the realm of punishment that was accessible to the Soul Reapers and how he gain the alliance and powers of Hell, the realm becoming one with him. Yasaka filed this knowledge away, now realizing how natural it must be for him to have such dark energies attracted to him and inhabiting his body, as he continued on to the war with the Quincy. "It was... brutal. They moved swiftly and without mercy. They hit Hueco Mundo first and I went to protect my kingdom, which allowed them to launch an attack on the Seireitei." The hybrid's eyes grew distant as he remembered what he lost. "I... I expected to be back sooner. I expected almost all of the captains and lieutenants to survive till I got there... And I came back just in time to see my master take his final breaths, as he gifted me with his power as well." He paused to wipe his face and drink some water before forcing himself to continue. "I went into a rage then, trying to kill the Quincy Emperor, our enemy... I failed and he fled. Then I learned that we took some heavy losses and some people I was close to had died. But I numbed myself to it, I couldn't afford to let myself feel it because I had a war to fight."
"Ichigo..." Yasaka felt herself whisper, wanting to comfort the hybrid as she now saw those scars he kept hidden open up.
"Yamamoto had some final instructions for me, which proved to be key to ending the war and fixing the mess that was Soul Society. He wanted me to undo the 'Original Sin' and the less you know, the better. Let's leave it at I undid it and we're better off because of it. Almost immediately after that, I fought the Quincy King... the only person I couldn't beat on my own. It was a team effort between Uryu and myself, canceling his powers before I dragged him to Hell and then erased his entire existence." Yasaka's eyes widened in shock at what the hybrid admitted to, killing was one thing but to completely erase someone? "I try so hard to forget about him, but I always try to recall his name... I can't remember it. All I hear when I do is him begging me not to do it... and I found him irredeemable to the point that I channeled all that pain into his destruction. Even now I feel my soul burning because of that attack." He said, grasping at his chest. "All the suffering he caused channeled through me and into him as one burning strike to erase-" He stopped as Yasaka quickly moved around the table and pulled him into her chest, hugging him firmly in a calming embrace as she used Senjutsu to calm his mind and try to heal that burning in his chest.
"Tell me more about your friends." She said, rubbing circles on his back while slightly rocking back and forth. "Tell me about happier times. Your wars are over, focus on what makes you happy." Ichigo felt a calming warmth from her and listened to the beating of her heart, then he moved his head to be able to speak and breath and he told her about the ones that helped him through his journey. His cousin Uryu, his childhood friend Tatsuki, meeting Chad and Orihime, the Vizards, how he eventually met Rukia, the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 and later 16 as they added new squads, the Fullbringers, Arrancar, Quincy he managed to make his allies, and the women he intended to marry. Orihime whose cheeriness and bright life illuminated those around her, Tatsuki who was always watching his back and helping her friends, Rukia who was a stalwart ally and his first bride, Senna who made him see life and compassion for all things, Neliel and Tier helping to bring and maintain peace in Hueco Mundo, Esdeath, Bambietta, and Candice who risked everything to side with him, all the better memories of his journey from innocent child to scarred veteran, serenaded by the humming of the kitsune as she stroke his back.
"Shall I tell you about why I became your teacher for the sage arts?" She asked as Ichigo found himself slowly drifting to sleep. "Beneath Kyoto are spiritual leylines, if Karakura was a lake of spiritual power then imagine Kyoto as a series of rivers and I regulate them all. I can do this because of my mastery and control of Senjutsu, but that wasn't the reason why lady Amaterasu wanted me to teach you. She wanted me to meet and train you because she was hoping that I'd heal you, help you with your scars." She leaned down to kiss his crown, recognizing that he fell asleep just she finished telling him about the leylines. "And she believes that I'll fall in love with you. Maybe I will, but... for now." She gently lifted him up into her arms and carried him to his room and placed him in his bed, kissing his cheek. "Sleep, noble warrior. Enjoy a well deserved rest."
"Lord Kurosaki." A Nekomata maid called, rousing the hybrid from his slumber. Ichigo forced himself up to a sitting position and regarded the black haired feline Youkai. "Breakfast is ready sir." She said with a bow before departing, giving Ichigo the privacy to dress himself for another day at school. After her did so and came down for breakfast, he found Yasaka there at the table waiting for him.
"Princess." Ichigo greeted as he sat down to eat, recognizing much of the food to be the leftovers from the unfinished dinner as memories of last night replayed in his head. "So, teacher-"
"Yasaka." The nine tailed kitsune interrupted, making Ichigo pause. "I think after last night we can drop the formalities Ichigo. Please, let's talk normally." The hybrid was a little surprised but didn't think much of it.
"Okay Yasaka, did you figure anything out from last night?" He asked as he enjoyed his breakfast.
"I may have an idea, though I would like to test it later on by feeling out your Hollow and Hell energies. See if that has anything to do with it." Ichigo nodded, understanding that Hollows are naturally corrupted souls and Hell was a literal realm of torment and pain. If either didn't have a part in his lack of progress in Senjutsu then he would be shocked. The pair finished their breakfast and Ichigo was about to walk out the door to start his day. "One moment." Yasaka called out before Ichigo could leave, the Youkai coming over to... tidy up his uniform and hand him a bento. "There. Have a nice day." She said with a smile.
"Thanks Yasaka." Ichigo returned, wondering what was up with the fox priestess.
"Was I being too forward?" She asked as some of the Youkai servants came out of hiding, quickly saying that their leader was doing fine in her current courtship attempts... then she felt her goddess summon her, causing her to rush to the golden shrine and kneel before the mirror as it projected Amaterasu's visage. "What is it my lady?"
"While I want Ichigo to learn Senjutsu, he cannot be allowed to let his other skills degrade as a result." The goddess told her priestess. "So I've summoned Susanoo and Hachiman to refine his bladework and archery respectively. Hachiman will arrive in Kyoto soon, but my brother is being his usual self and disappeared. I'd like Ichigo to find him and bring him to Kyoto."
"Any idea on where to look my lady?"
"If I did, I wouldn't send my favored son on such a dangerous task."
(Another Week)
"Are you ready?" Yasaka asked as Ichigo prepared for another meditation session, one that was going to be very risky. "This is the world's malice itself. Nothing, not even Hell itself, comes close to the depths of rage and hate that you'll experience."
"I'll sleep it off." Ichigo returned as he sat down and focused, letting his mind sink into his meditation. Yasaka watched in worry as he began to glow with life energy and then as it slowly grew black. It was small at first but then erupted like gasoline poured on a fire, covering him in the malice of the world. Ichigo wasn't even in that state for a full second before his hand pierced through his chest and brought him out of his trance, coughing up blood from tearing open a lung and ripping his hand back out, dyed in gore as he continued to bleed.
"Ichigo!" Yasaka cried out, grasping his shoulders and using her Senjutsu to help heal him. "Ichigo! Ichigo speak to me!" She called out desperately, seeing nothing but horror on Ichigo's face as he took shaking breaths. The hole was healing quickly to someone using Senjutsu, but very slowly for someone of Ichigo's regenerative ability, due to how shaken his spirit was as a result of touching that much malice. As he began to grow steady his eyes grew vacant and distant until he stopped moving aside from light breath, now in a catatonic state. "Ichigo! No!"
(Ichigo's Inner World)
Once it was a perfectly calm world, filled with only two beings occupying a city of skyscrapers that stood horizontal. Two separate halves of a single soul, representing his original dual nature with Zangetsu. Eventually those two entities became permanently fused together, creating a new equilibrium to the hybrid's being. This world, standing on its side, then gained a massive lake far beneath the sideways buildings once he gained Kyoka Suigetsu. Eventually, once he gained Kagutsuchi, the entire realm caught aflame with the power of the fire blade. Everything was on fire yet nothing burned, ready to collapse but it stood strong, the lake would ripple at the slightest disturbance remained still like a mirror. Or at least it used to, now a formless monster of black and red is attacking that world and the four residents of the world were resisting it.
"GAH!" Ichigo coughed out, grasping at his chest. "Stopped the meditation... forgot how much being impaled hurts." He groaned as a lean muscular figure with long spiky black hair, black skull mask with red tribal lines along his body, sharp angular horns, and black Reishi wing dressed in a long white coat with black fur around the wrists and collar and baggy Hakama pants.
"Back on your feet king, we've got a monster to slay." The spirit ordered as he helped Ichigo to his feet. This was Zangetsu, the spirit of Ichigo's powers and original Zanpakuto. Fighting the monster was a beautiful woman with long, wavy brown hair in white robes that shimmered like a mirage, and a humanoid figure made of flames, Kyoka Suigetsu and Kagutsuchi respectively, slashing at the monster with blades and blasts of power. "You're not waking back up until this thing is either dead or locked away." Zangetsu said before rushing back into the fight.
'If I stayed connected any longer, I'd have become that monster.' Ichigo thought before rushing in to battle the mass of hate and rage.
(The next day)
"He's stable lady Yasaka." Said a Youkai doctor. "Stable, but still comatose. There's nothing that can be done from him medically." Yasaka could only look at the human she was supposed to be teaching, blaming herself for allowing him to do something so dangerous in the first place and letting herself get that desperate for him to make any progress in Senjutsu.
'Why? Why did I let this happen!?' She thought as she stared at the teen she felt she failed. Using Senjutsu on him now would risk infecting others with the malice. 'This was just stupid! There could be any other reason why he just attracts malice, why did I let him attempt this in the first place!?' The days passed and her mind kept plaguing her with these thoughts until she was informed that women matching the descriptions of Rukia, Orihime, Neliel, and Candice have appeared in Kyoto. They were being brought to the castle and would be there in a half hour. As if Yasaka didn't have enough troubles, but she wasn't sure how she would tell his lovers about Ichigo's vegetable state.
The time passed and Yasaka was told that the women were now waiting in the meeting room, never once did she leave Ichigo's side as she tried to think how to explain what happened to their lover. She got to her feet and made her way to the meeting room and finding the four women; four of whom had long bright colored hair and curvy figures with one being more petite with a chin length bob cut. The two that she guessed were Orihime and Neliel from their burnt auburn and minty green hair colors, moving about the room excitedly in an almost childlike manner, and wearing short sleeved shirts and pants that clung to their figures, Orihime having a strawberry pink and beige color scheme while Neliel had a white and pink shirt with blue jeans, a bar of pink across her nose and a large scar from her crown to the middle of her face. Candice had neon green hair and was sitting in a rather informal manner and wore a scandalously small crop top, showing off her midriff and cleavage and wearing daisy dukes with knee high boots, looking around the room in boredom. Rukia, the only one being formal, wore a sky blue sundress and was at the table waiting for Yasaka patiently.
"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting." The Youkai princess announced as she headed for the table. "There's something that I need to-" She was stopped when Orihime got uncomfortably close and began sniffing her.
"I smell Ichigo on you." The human teen suddenly said, making Yasaka feel rather nervous at the annoyed glares she was receiving from Rukia and Candice. "Ichigo's blood. He was injured." Now the room grew cold as all four were now glaring at her threateningly. "What happened princess?" Yasaka was impressed by the human's sense of smell before taking a breath and explaining what happened, how they were spending all this time trying to train his ability in Senjutsu but always getting stymied by the malevolent energy that Ichigo just seemed to attract like bees to flowers.
"We then theorized that because of his Hollow side and his connection to Hell, we might as well let him touch the world's malice and see what the effects might be." The Youkai priestess said as she brought everyone up to speed. "To break himself out of the trance, he stabbed himself in the chest. That's where the scent of blood came from. Unfortunately, experiencing the malice has left him in a comatose state." She bowed her head to the others. "I'm sorry for my negligence in this matter." She waited, expecting anger and hate, but all she heard were irritated sighs and an annoyed scoff.
"Damn it Ichigo." Rukia said quietly, steadily getting louder as she kept talk. "You always do this, jumping in head first and to hell with the consequences. How often has this happened?" Orihime took a thoughtful expression as she counted off the times their lover charged in headfirst.
"There was that time with the Dark Ones, that Zanpakuto Rebellion, going into Hueco Mundo, jumping into Hell, and... pretty much any time he was directly involved in said conflict." Orihime admitted, naming off more than half of the crises Soul Society had to face. "The only times he didn't was when he went along with a planned course or when someone else had to deal with the root of that event's problems. But then again he went in these comas only... let's see, restructuring his soul, absorbing Hell's power, I think that one time he used Hell's powers, so three times. Never took him too long to recover."
"Right, give that stubborn blockhead of a husband a week and he'll wake up. A month at most." Rukia said, easing Yasaka's worries in one way but surprising her with what Ichigo must do often that his lovers are casual about this situation. "So... the thing stymieing his progress is because he keeps attracting this 'malice' right?" Yasaka refocused on the matter and nodded her head. "And you theorized that it may have something to do with his Hollow or his connection to Hell?"
"I did hear that Hollows become the way they do because of the soul's own maliciousness." Yasaka continued. "That humans become Hollows because of greed or rage or-"
"The souls just stick around so long that they lose a piece of themselves." Neliel interrupted, her demeanor switching from childlike to serious as she explained the nature of Hollows. "Hollows aren't creatures born of malice but instead are the result of the souls losing themselves and basically becoming beasts, creatures of instinct that seek to fill a void that cannot be filled. Even we Arrancar are missing a piece of ourselves, but we're not creatures of malice."
"Hell is a more plausible explanation, but he says he's not connected to the hate, pain, and sorrow that fills that realm. He's connected to the forces that punish the guilty that suffer for their sins." Rukia continued, thinking about Ichigo's role as that Hell's avatar. "So I doubt it's that either."
"Than what else could it be? Any ideas?" Yasaka asked, feeling more desperate for an answer since their only explanation came up short.
"Unfortunately, things were so busy after the war that we weren't really around each other that much." Rukia sadly admitted, looking disappointed with herself for not being able to help her husband. "He rescued me when I was fated to die and helped me forgive myself, and I still can't help him when he needs me." Orihime hugged her future sister wife.
"He has always been like this, protecting others by taking on the burden himself is what he does." She said, rubbing Rukia's arm soothingly. "Always putting others before himself. It's why we love him."
"Being the promise for a better future for the Arrancar." Nel added, smiling at the reason why she loves her king.
"Being the reason ANY of the Quincy survived." Candice said, remembering how many of her kind died on the false promises of a parasite king.
"That's just who he is." Orihime finished as the girls supported each other, remembering why they stood by the hybrid. Yasaka watched this herself and briefly wondered if they would welcome her and treat her like family as well but had to stay focus on the task at hand, figuring out why Ichigo attracts malice so easily.
"What about the others in your group? Would Tatsuki have an idea?" The Youkai asked. Orihime thought for a moment and answered.
"She's known Ichigo the longest, but was transferred to the 2nd division and hasn't seen Ichigo that much since the war." Yasaka tried again.
"What about Senna?" Rukia answered this time.
"She's a ball of sunshine, but she lives for the moment so I don't think she'd know." Yasaka tried again.
"Tier?" Nel answered.
"Was busy with the reconstruction of Las Noches and ruling the Hollows in Ichigo's stead."
"Bambietta?"
"She's like a stray dog right now. She's loyal to Ichigo for saving us but still not too trusting." Again.
"Esdeath?" All the harem answered.
"She's the last person to ask about this." Yasaka hunched over, feeling defeat as they ran out of options.
"So not even his harem knows." She said in disappointment, now wanting to help Ichigo out of her own personal desire. She was about to summon a maid to show the girls to Ichigo and then their rooms when Orihime spoke up again.
"Would he attract malice if he was feeling emotions like anger and sadness?" The orange haired girl asked, making Yasaka think. Senjutsu was about controlling life energy and emotions played a large role in that, so if it was his own emotions interfering than that would explain everything. "Did he tell you about Rangiku?"
"Who's Rangiku?" The Kitsune asked, never hearing the name before, and the room grew somber as the girls bore an expression that could only be known as loss.
"She was another of Ichigo's lovers." Rukia revealed, her voice catching slightly. "She was like the oldest sister among us, and was among the first casualties in the Quincy war." Now things were making sense to the Youkai. "Ichigo was told to take care of her by her closest friend and for all her teasing and laziness about work, she was probably the most emotionally mature of us and strove to make us all feel better when we were together. But when he left to save the Arrancar and the Quincy attacked the Seireitei, we lost many of our people."
"Rangiku, Yumichika, Cirucci, Mira, Marik, lieutenant Chojiro, captain Soi-Fon, and head captain Yamamoto." Orihime listed off, sounding more heartbroken with every name of those that died. "A few other almost lost their lives too, all while Ichigo wasn't around. It probably wouldn't have made a difference since he's still just one man, but that probably didn't stop him from blaming himself. Gin likely made it worse when he had Ichigo kill him." Then something in Yasaka's mind clicked.
"During a few of our training sessions, I saw this tattoo of a cat and a fox on his back. When I asked him about it he said it was a reminder."
"Were they grayish in color?" Rukia asked, Yasaka nodding in affirmation. "The cat is Rangiku and the fox is Gin. They were like brother and sister and Gin would do anything for Rangiku, even spend a century or two plotting his revenge if she was hurt, which he did."
"The official story is that he was poisoned in the war and held on long enough to see things through, but any of the healers could tell you that he was perfectly healthy." Orihime continued. "But after we laid our fallen to rest, Ichigo was the last person to see him... and he looked like he was crying and was still covered in blood." They all looked to Yasaka again. "He never told you?"
"Ever since coming here, all he does is train and work." The priestess admitted, feeling a little ashamed of herself for missing all this. "He told me it was no big deal since he spent most of his life training and the Youkai were... lacking in ability compared to his standards. No wonder he's attracting the world's malice, he's still hurting from that war."
"It was the first time he truly lost anything." Orihime answered, thinking back on every victory Ichigo claimed and how each one usually ended with him saving all his allies and defeating all the villains. "And none of us even noticed. Too busy to look because he seemed to be the same as he always is."
"Uh... did I miss something?" Their heads snapped to find Ichigo, standing by the doorway, awake and somewhat disheveled. "Sorry, I just woke up and felt your-" He was cut off when Rukia got up, and did a jumping side kick into his face sending him through the wall.
"Ichigo, my darling husband, what the hell were you thinking!?" She demanded while Ichigo got up, none the worse for wear. "Why are you so against coming to us and asking for help? If not for fighting than at least for emotional support. What's the point in us being married, you having that harem, or even being around your friends and family if you don't try to rely on us to help you?"
"Rukia, I-" He was about to say before she grabbed him by his ear and dragged him back to the rest of the group.
"This is what's going to happen Ichigo; we all have the weekend off, you are going to talk to us, we are going to help you cope because we love you and you will not suffer alone." She said before basically tossing him into Neliel, who caught him with Orihime and Candice all coming in to hug him. "Ichigo... for once, learn to just be yourself." Rukia then joined in the group hug as Ichigo let the embrace happen, a few stray tears falling from his eyes. Yasaka watched this and started to leave, only to hear Orihime somehow whisper something to her despite the distance.
'There's something else we'll need to discuss. Concerning your continued relationship with our Ichigo.'
(Transition)
True to their word, they made sure he talked. They took him to the mountain hot springs on Mt. Kurama, a nearby mountain just north of Kyoto and home to the king of the Tengu clan, Sojobo. Yasaka was good friends with the Tengu due to their alliance and was able to secure a reservation for their entire group, the entire weekend as a mountain hot spring camping trip. Yasaka and Candice made the fire, Orihime and Rukia got the camp ready, and Ichigo and Nel hunted a bear which Orihime then cooked. The skin and fur was claimed by Yasaka for a new coat while the meat was split between steaks and stew. During the campfire, Ichigo confessed all of his pain; how he blamed himself for not being there when Rangiku and the Soul Reapers needed him despite going to save the Arrancar, how he failed to protect his sisters from being used against him again, how he had to feel all the suffering that the Quincy Emperor caused and actually take the strain of erasing the man's whole existence, and finally admitting that Gin had Ichigo kill him because Rangiku was dead. It was only after admitting to everything he kept inside, all that rage and pain, did he start crying again.
It was building, slow at first because he tried to hold it in, but he eventually let it out. He tried to resist, too used to needing to be ready for the next battle, but the women of his life got him to finally release it. There was no need to be ready for another fight because all of his battles were won, no need to hold it back when they understood the weight on his shoulders, no need to pretend to be fine now that he could be honest. After that therapy session and many hugs of comfort, the women decided to take the first dip in the nearby hot springs while Ichigo wanted some time alone to make peace with himself.
"Ahhhh~, this is nice." Orihime said with a smile as she lowered herself into the hot water, the warmth sinking into her flesh and soothing her muscles and aches of the day.
"The Tengu clan are monastic warriors, but even they know that a good hot spring is vital." Yasaka added, subtly using Senjutsu to add some strength to the relaxing powers of the spring. "Even they like to relax after their training." She smiled as she looked over the other woman in the spring, unconsciously comparing herself to them as they bore their full naked forms to each other. A part of her smirked as she realized that she had the biggest breasts and finest curves, feeling up her own soft and firm tits while wondering how the others might feel by comparison. She also noticed that none of them seem to be doing the same, no sense of competition about their figures. Not that any of them were unattractive, but it was that they were completely comfortable with each other and her. 'Are they... unthreatened that I might take Ichigo for myself?' She thought before all eyes focused on her.
"Now then, princess Yasaka, why does your interest in Ichigo seem to go a little beyond 'teacher and student'?" Orihime asked, making the Youkai reevaluate her previous thought.
"When he first came here, lady Amaterasu told me to court him." The fox princess admitted, revealing the goddesses plan. They might even help her since they seem to be quite open with each other. "She said he bore deep scars and that I was supposed to help heal him." The four girls kept looking at her expectantly. "... And she says that it's time to think about having a child of my own and that Ichigo would be an ideal partner." Rukia, Orihime, and Nel were nodding in agreement, briefly thinking about children of their own... Candice meanwhile claimed that she'd definitely rock a mom bod.
"Well, do you love him?" Rukia asked, making the others look at the Youkai expectantly and making Yasaka feel uncomfortable by the attention.
"Honestly? No... I don't think I do." She admitted, feeling a little disappointed in herself. "I admire him though. Everything he went through in less than a decade was more than I've had to deal with in centuries. He's strong, kind, and selfless... lady Amaterasu sure knows how to pick them." All four of the other girls nodded in agreement knowing that anyone could do a lot worse than Ichigo, even if it meant sharing him. "How... how would I know if I fell for him?"
"You'll know." Orihime said with a smile. "I knew when I did."
"Just a bit of advice, you have to pursue him. Not the other way around." Rukia added. "As beautiful and sexy as you are, it gives you no real hold over him." A quick glance showed the Youkai that the other girls agreed with Rukia.
"What are you all talking about?" Ichigo asked as he finally joined them, equally nude as Yasaka stared at his scars and then his manhood, surprised at its length and girth while still flaccid.
'Wait, flaccid?' She realized as Ichigo sank into the water with them, Rukia positioning herself in front and resting against his lean muscular chest while Orihime and Nel took up the sides, leaving Candice to pout at being too slow to claim a spot.
"So, what are we doing tomorrow?" He asked, easily maintaining eye contact while she tried to get a different reaction by shaking around her tits while pretending to think.
"Well, tomorrow I was thinking of trying to start by centering our minds with a tea ceremony." Ichigo's eyes never strayed from her own once so she stood out of the water, moving as seductively as she could while putting an emphasis on her breasts, hips, and butt as she left the water. "I'll go see what tea is available from the Tengu." She smiled while Ichigo nodded.
"Sounds good. It's been a while since I last did a tea ceremony." He said before leaning his head back and just enjoyed the warm water and the presence of his lovers. Yasaka left and was seething.
'HOW!?' She mentally roared, having used Kitsune magic to dry off and dress herself in an afterbath Yukata. 'I'm glad he can control his sexual desire, but HOW DID HE NOT REACT AT ALL!?' Once she was done raging, she slumped over slightly in defeat. "This must be why everyone keeps saying I have to court him... this is a real blow to my ego."
(Next Day)
They came together to a clearing near the campsite as Ichigo performed the tea ceremony, a constant practice from Yamamoto to help him find balance within himself by making a flavorful balanced tea. While Ichigo did create such a tea for them to drink, the end result was a deeper and heavier flavor than what he would usually make. A reflection of the weight he carries on his back for anyone to taste. After that the hybrid wanted to try again with the Senjutsu meditation.
"This is too risky," the Youkai princess said, "he just woke up from that coma. We should wait another few days, at lea-"
"He'd do it with or without you." Rukia stated as Ichigo began his meditation. "Our Ichigo can be stubborn like that." Yasaka couldn't help but be worried as they watched Ichigo start channeling the life energy for Senjutsu. The Youkai priestess nearly jumped into action when Ichigo's aura took a black tint but Rukia held her back, watching Ichigo with calm faith like Orihime, Neliel, and Candice did. Ichigo took a deep breath and released it, the tint of malice fading with it as the teen exhaled, and Yasaka nearly shouted in joy as Ichigo channeled a pure clean aura. The first step was completed. Just as fast as Ichigo managed it, he broke the connection.
"That... that was... intense." He panted out, just before his girls tackled him in proud and loving hugs. "The world... it felt so vibrant. So beautiful."
"That is Senjutsu Ichigo." Yasaka explained, managing to restrain herself from jumping for joy at the teen's progress. "Let's keep this going until you can channel it as easily as one breathes." Soon after Ichigo's girls returned to Karakura town, Ichigo went back into his routine of schoolwork and training the Youkai. Except now he did so with a smile and more energy, Yasaka helping him in his training along the way and finding that she preferred the happier Ichigo to the more somber teen that came into her life. She's also become much more daring in her choice of dress when it's just the two of them, mainly to try and catch his attention with her sex appeal. Much like in that hot spring, she has yet to succeed. This pattern held until two months passed and Amaterasu announced that she's found her brother in Okinawa.
(Okinawa)
The distance from Kyoto to Okinawa was negligible when one was as fast as Ichigo, a few flash step jumps and he reached his destination. It was nearing midnight when he arrived and he started looking around the bars and pubs, looking for the 'degenerate, drunken, asshole' that Amaterasu called her brother. It didn't take too long, once he started looking at the ones near the U.S. military base, to find someone being thrown out of the bar.
"Hey!" The man slurred with a few laughs. "I know how to stop the jokes, just don't bomb other countries! Mind blowing right?!" He started cackling while the soldiers walked away from the drunk and back into the bar. Ichigo touched down and looked over the man taking a swig from a sake bottle before struggling to his feet; strong, muscular body, a pointed beard on his chin, a trimmed mustache, long straight black hair, thick sideburns, and stormy gray eyes. He also wore sandy brown khaki shorts and an ugly blue tie-dye shirt.
'This is Susanoo?' Ichigo wondered as he approached the god, who was downing the rest of his bottle. 'This can only end well.' Ichigo thought sarcastically before calling out to him. "Susanoo!" The god apparently wasn't expecting that and turned to the hybrid before jumping in surprise.
"You are?" He slurred before stumbling around, trying to regain his footing. "Wait! Wait wait... I know.... who are you again?" He asked, looking ready to fall over at any moment.
"I'm Ichi-"
"STRAWBERRY KID!" Susanoo shouted out while drunkenly stumbling to Ichigo and wrapping his arms around the teen for support, his liquor heavy breath making the hybrid want to gag. "You! You you yo~u, you're the... something... that sis wanted me to train... right?" He asked, looking up to Ichigo through one open and one drooping eye. "I, I like, you you yooooooou. Swordssssss." Susanoo's head slumped over as his full weight followed him, nearly throwing Ichigo off balance. "No wanna~! Teaching's boring." He yelled out, Ichigo dropping him in response. "Ground feels nice~."
"Look, Amaterasu told me to bring you back, by force if necessary." Ichigo warned, making the god look at him. "Don't make this harder than it has to be." Susanoo held his hand out, Ichigo cautiously taking it and helping the god back to his feet.
"Look.... no." He simply said before uppercutting Ichigo into the sky... then promptly falling back on his butt. "Tell sis I don't wanna... Oh wait. Did I kill him?" He asked, looking up to where he sent the teen before suddenly ducking and dodging a slash from behind.
"By force if necessary." Ichigo growled, wielding a large black trench knife and an even bigger Khyber blade, his Zanpakuto Zangetsu. "And I'm not scared to fight a god." Susanoo raised an eyebrow at Ichigo before a sheathed katana appeared in his hands. Ichigo immediately attacked the god... and failed to land even one hit. Despite his drunken state, Susanoo blocked or narrowly dodged every attack with such a casual ease. This kept going for thirty minutes; high speed attacks and effortlessly evading the same attacks, nothing explosive or flashy to avoid drawing too much attention, and Ichigo finally felt some strain of effort as he kept moving faster and faster while trying to understand the drunken god's movements. Movements that became smoother and more fluid, Ichigo realizing a change as Susanoo stood up perfectly straight for the first time since Ichigo met him.
"Shit. Now I'm sober." The god cursed, glaring at Ichigo and the hybrid realized the next move decided this night. Susanoo grasped his blade's hilt and Ichigo flashed in front of the god, ready to cut him in half. "Too slow kid." Susanoo whispered, Ichigo freezing just as his Zangetsu was about to touch the god's flesh. The storm god removed his hand from his blade and tapped Ichigo on the chest, the teen's body immediately gushing out blood from thousands of cuts all over his body as it fell over. Susanoo walked to the side and felt Ichigo's neck. "Still alive, healing, and even for us both holding back I'm amazed you actually managed to block some of that." Ichigo didn't respond, having been rendered unconscious from the many sword strikes. The god grabbed the hybrid by the head and unceremoniously threw him onto his shoulder. "What the hell sis? Now I'm interested in the brat." Susanoo began walking toward Kyoto with Ichigo on his shoulder. "You win... maybe he'll be worth the effort."
(Kyoto, as Ichigo fights Susanoo)
"Princess, they have arrived." A Tengu guard announced to Yasaka as she did the paperwork dealing with the affairs of the Kyoto Youkai. Earlier that month, unknown to Ichigo, the messenger squad of the 2nd Division of the Gotei sent a member to meet with Yasaka and to establish a reliable line of communication between herself and the current Captain Commander of the Shinigami. The Gotei were going to expand and getting closer to the Youkai was a good first step, starting with Yasaka since she was already familiar with the Shinigami. During those talks Kyoraku raised concerns that Ichigo might start to get dull in his usual skills and Yasaka informed him of Amaterasu having Ichigo train under the gods Hachiman and Susanoo for archery and swordsmanship. In response, Kyoraku said he would send a team with the intention of building a proper training ground for the hybrid. She relented out of interest in seeing what they considered a 'proper training field' and how her own might be lacking.
"Show them in." The kitsune ordered, putting aside the papers to give her guests her full attention. The Shinigami filed in, all wearing either black Shihakushos or white concealing robes, with the one leading the group wearing a lab coat over his Shihakusho. He had short spiky black hair with a noticeable hairline on the left side, and three horns on his forehead that made the Youkai wonder if the man was related to the Oni. All of the Shinigami knelt before her with the leader doing a slight bow.
"Princess Yasaka of the Kyoto Youkai, I'm honored that you would meet with us. My name is Akon, third seat of the 12th Division." He said with no enthusiasm in his voice, just a focus calm. "These are what we consider the minimum requirements for Ichigo's training ground. If you would look it over and tell us where we may begin?" He unfurled a large blueprint and the numbers shocked her.
"A mile underground and bigger than the city itself?!" She cried out. "Even should I fight, I doubt these are necessary."
"You haven't really had to fight then have you?" Akon returned, angering the Kitsune. "Lady Yasaka, Ichigo has a tendency to blow stuff up should he have to fight. This is for the safety of the city and for anyone that joins." He explained just before the door was kicked in, revealing Susanoo and an unconscious Ichigo.
"Hey there little fox." The god said, marching up to her and tossing the hybrid on the floor. "You can tell my sis that she won, again, and I'll teach her new favorite kid how to really handle a sword.." He was about to turn and leave to find the nearest bar when he spied the blueprints for the training ground. "....make it a little bigger and triple the strength of the dome. If it doesn't crack by the time I'm done with him, than I failed." Akon looked at the god then to Ichigo on the floor, shrugged, and made a note of it. Yasaka decided then and there that she would see for herself just how strong Ichigo really was when this new training ground was done.
(One Month Later)
The training ground was finally completed, a perpetual sunny wasteland of scattered boulders and varying mesas and cliff trenches. As instructed by the storm god, the underground arena was a size and a half bigger than the city above it and a couple miles in volume, more than enough space to contain the entire population of the city's denizens. Both the normal humans including tourists and the Youkai. The dome itself was supposed to be rated to contain a fight between Ichigo Kurosaki and Kenpachi Zaraki, two of the strongest Shinigami, fighting as hard as they could, housing a large elevator for group transport up and down and the now standard healing hot springs for when the training was done.
"Eh. I guess it's passable." Susanoo said as he looked over the training ground. "What do you think Hachiman?" He turned to the Shinto god of Archery in the form of a tall and sturdy man with gentle expression and long green hair with messy bangs in front and a long ponytail in back, wearing a red open kimono top and poofy blue pants with a purple sash belt. On his back was a crimson longbow with a quiver full of arrows that shined with a divine power.
"Certainly will be useful," the archer said, "like we can really test him and push beyond that." The gods turned to Ichigo, who was helping many of the Shinigami explain to the Youkai the Soul Reapers needed to gather data around Kyoto. "Oi kid! Who do you want to start with first?"
"Do you want to train your archery till your fingertips fall off or are you ready to really learn how to master a sword?" Susanoo added, drawing a blade he summoned out of thin air.
"If I may my lords?" They heard Yasaka call out as she appeared from the crowd before pointing at Ichigo. "I'd like to challenge Ichigo to a sparring match." There was a gasp as the Youkai were shocked their princess wanted to fight and the Shinigami knew that the training ground became far more dangerous than anticipated. "Let that be the first of many bouts to water it with sweat, blood, and tears."
"I won't say no, but answer me why." The storm god said to her as she walked up to Ichigo, confidence in her step and determined in her graceful march to the hybrid.
"When you first came here, lady Amaterasu praised your strength and ability. You've managed to impress lord Susanoo enough to make want to take you under his wing, and lord Hachiman from what lady Amaterasu has said to him. I want to see the power of the one so favored by the gods of Japan. I want to see your strength, sir Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo looked to Susanoo, who had a bottle of Sake out and was drinking from it, for approval.
"Don't kick her ass too much kid." The storm god said as everyone else started to get some distance. "She still has an important job to do." Ichigo nodded and removed the ring on his left hand as his spiritual body was ejected from his flesh and blood form. Yasaka's eyes widened in shock at the sheer increase in the amount of power she could feel from the hybrid and got the sense he was still holding back a great deal. Susanoo took Ichigo's body and walked away to a safe distance while the Youkai leader and the hybrid Soul Reaper got ready for their bout, fire dancing around Yasaka's hands while Ichigo's own hand hovered just slightly over the three blades at his hip. "On my mark, BEGIN!" The god shouted, starting the match.
'Show me your power.' Yasaka thought as she threw fireballs at Ichigo. His response was to hold out both hands.
"Bakudo #39, Enkosen." He said as a yellow spinning disc appeared in front of his body and took each one of her blasts, shattering as the last ball hit. Despite Yasaka keeping her eyes on him, he was immediately gone the second his Kido was broken and reappeared behind her. "Hado #33, Sokatsui." He said, holding out his hand as a torrent of flame erupted from his palm. The force of the attack pushed her back many yards and burned off part of her outfit, leaving her left arm and breast exposed to the air as she wrapped herself up in an aura of white energy. "What's that?" Ichigo asked, noting the increase in power coming from the kitsune.
"It's called Touki," she answered, "drawing on one's own lifeforce energy to increase their abilities." She brought out her tails, each tip of the nine tails glowing with ghostly blow flames, and started shooting at him at a rapid pace.
"Bakudo #81, Danku." Ichigo cast, creating a massive invisible wall between him and the fox that took the force of Yasaka's attack. As the wall absorbed the blasts, Ichigo started to gather blue flames into his hands. "Ye lord. Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man. On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens. Hado #73, Soren Sokatsui." Ichigo dispelled the barrier and fired another, far larger, torrent of flames that slammed into the Youkai. Yasaka shielded herself with her own flames as yet more of her outfit was burned away by the attack, then started to scan her surroundings as she suspected that Ichigo was already on the move again.
'Maybe I have underestimated him.' She thought before Ichigo appeared before her, aiming to strike her in her chest. Yasaka quickly sidestepped and reached for his wrist, seeking to twist him into a flip and pin him with an arm bar. A common move from Aikido, a preferred style of her's. But as she reached for his wrist, it disappeared from her sight and she took an open palm strike into her gut. She coughed out all of the air in her lungs as she noticed his veins glowing red. 'What is that?!' She wondered in shock as the force of the blow sent her back.
"Touki sounds like it'll be useful." Ichigo said as he disappeared from her sight again, appearing in front of her. "Now I'm all the more motivated to learn it." Yasaka found the hybrid twisting into a throw, reaching to grab what little remained of her shirt and her waistband... except from volume, the pillowy sensation, the hard bead like thing in his palm, and the loud gasp and moan from the kitsune, he wasn't grabbing her shirt.
"Hey~! Be gentle! These are sensitive!" She teasingly sang out, thinking this might stun the hybrid enough to give her an opening.
"Sorry." The Shinigami said, quickly switching from her breast to grabbing onto her shirt and pants, AND THEN throwing her over his shoulder before she could take advantage of his moment of hesitation.
'How? HOW?!' She thought as she rolled for a bit before landing on her feet. 'How can a human soul possess this much power? This much skill?' She unconsciously began gathering energy, intending to turn into her beast form. 'More than that, HOW CAN ANY TEEN CONTROL THEIR LUST THIS MUCH!? My pride as the kyuubi refuses to allow me to lose and my pride as a woman refuses to be denied!' She started glowing light blue and began to transform, growing in size and taking a fox's form with nine tails. "Show me what you're really capable of!" She roared as blue fire started to rise from her maw before she unleashed a torrent of flame at the teen.
"Reduce all of creation to ash, Kagutsuchi." Ichigo calmly said, quickly unsheathing one of his three blades just before the fox fire could touch him. Yasaka watched as her flames grew into a tall pillar of spiraling flames, then became shocked as the ghostly blue flames shifted to crimson and then dispelled to reveal Ichigo. The teen was shirtless now, but unharmed despite the power of her flames, or were they now HIS flames since the changed happened when he drew that sword. The biggest surprise to her was that he seemed to quadruple in power the moment he lost his jacket.
'How much more strength does he possess?' She thought before activating her Touki again and lashing her tails at him. Ichigo jumped back to avoid the swipes of her tails, magic and Senjutsu making them like steel whips, and felt himself collide with some kind of barrier. "Got you!" Yasaka announced before stabbing her tails at him, the hybrid dodging while ascending higher and higher to evade the furry spears. Yasaka then opened her maw again to spew her fox fire, knowing that it wouldn't hurt the teen but that didn't mean it couldn't distract him. As Ichigo was engulfed in the flames, quickly converting them to his control, Yasaka brought her tails down an him and smashed him into the ground. The force of the attack caused a crater to form when Ichigo hit the ground and was pinned as the fox slammed one of her fore feet into his body, causing him to cough out blood before his veins glowed blue. "You're definitely strong Ichigo, and I can understand Amaterasu's favor, but this battle is mine."
"No, it's mine." Ichigo said, raising his right hand only for it to disappear while a giant hand appeared at her side just before smacking her off of him. The hybrid was then surrounded wit threads of light that wrapped around his body, letting him stand up despite the crushed ribs, pelvis, and legs, as he created another giant hand that was bigger than Yasaka's beast form. "You lose." Ichigo then clapped his hands together, trapping Yasaka between the spirit hands despite her struggles.
"Yeah, this is his win." Hachiman said, appearing on the kitsune's head and getting her to stop her thrashing. "This match is over! Both sides, cease!" With that, Ichigo ended the Spirit Manifestation technique and freed Yasaka as she returned to her human form, thankfully dressed with magic restoring her clothes. "Your connection to the ley lines of Kyoto may give you nearly unlimited power, but that kid's faster, can hit way harder, and has a wider variety of techniques to counter you. That last move was something only one other Shinigami could manage, requiring an insane amount of power and control to create the parts manifested. Ichigo as he was normally could match you in strength, but imagine him as the same size. How much stronger would he be like that?"
'…I really have gotten complacent. Haven't I?' Yasaka asked herself, saddened by her disgraceful loss, as Ichigo met her at the halfway point. 'How embarrassing. To be beaten by a pu... no. To lose to such a young warrior.' She looked to Ichigo, not seeing a hint of condescension or disappointment, even the scowl was gone as he walked up to her with a slight smile.
"I gotta say, if that's what mastery of senjutsu can lead to, then I better work harder at it." He said, before giving a slight bow. "Thank you for teaching me." Yasaka looked directly into his eyes and silently gasped, seeing the look of determination, strength, and desire that led him to where he is. Someone that was ready and willing to do whatever it took to keep those around him safe and protected. Everything clicked for her in that moment.
"Come on Ichigo, it's time for us to start your training." Hachiman guiding Ichigo away so that they could begin their archery training. Yasaka was left alone as she watched Ichigo leave, visions of him in a wedding garb, royal robes fit for a lord, a small child in his arms, while her chest and body began to burn.
'Well...' the fox thought as she was very familiar with this particular sensation, 'it seems I've gone into heat.'
(Later the next day)
"Hngh! Damn, I thought uncle Ryuuken and master Yamamoto were harsh." Ichigo groaned as he sank into the waters of one of the healing springs in the training ground, his regenerative ability long since spent doing the training that Susanoo and Hachiman devised for him leaving him without any Reiryoku to use for even the most minor of Kido spells. Training with Susanoo held inspiration from Kojiro Sasaki's creation of the move Tsubame Gaeshi, namely that Ichigo had to cut down a small bird in mid-flight. That bird was a projection of electrical energy that flew at speeds even Ichigo had trouble following and he had to cut off its wings with two strikes at the literal exact same time or he'd suffer an electric shock of one billion volts from it connecting to him. If he fails to cut both wings, they multiply and he has to make more attempts in less time. Hachiman's was more gentle, he just had to shoot a pin sized bullseye at trillions of small rocks being thrown at him with enough force to slice through his skin. Ichigo learned very quickly to manifest and accurately aim with four Reishi bows at once, but not before having his skin peeled off.
"How's the water?" Ichigo heard from behind, leaning his head back until he could see who was talking. "Akon told me about the healing effects of the Shinigami made hot springs." Yasaka said, now wearing a light yukata and stretching her shoulders. "I was wondering if it might help with my shoulders."
"I think so." The hybrid said, looking at the water once again. "This is one of the 'regeneration' springs that accelerate the natural healing process. The longer you soak in it, the deeper the healing can effect you so it should help ease the stiffness there."
"Good. You don't mind the company, right?" She asked while already naked and sinking into the spring, directly in front of the teen. She stepped over him and settled into his lap, purposefully taking her time to sit while letting him look at her bare and round ass and slender back before resting against his chest. "No wonder Rukia liked this seat." She purred in delight, slightly grinding her butt into his crotch to try and excite his flesh rod. "You feel so comfortable... mind rubbing my shoulders for a bit? They're really stiff because of my breasts." She asked while leaning forward, letting her womanhood press against his shaft and still grinding against him, to give him easier access to her shoulders for the requested massage.
"Sure." Ichigo answered, quickly and expertly finding the best spots to begin easing the tensions in her back muscles and making her gasp before melting into his touch. "By the way, why are you trying to seduce me?" The hybrid suddenly asked, making the kitsune freeze up.
'Should've expected this.' She thought to herself before letting out another gasp of pleasure as Ichigo worked out another knot in her back. "When you first came to Kyoto, lady Amaterasu told me to court you for two reasons. One, she knew you were still hurting from your war with the Quincy and I did so little to help with that before your other brides came to help. The other reason is because she decided to play matchmaker and saw you as the perfect candidate to be my husband."
"I find it hard to believe that someone like you has a hard time finding a husband. Unless managing Kyoto has kept you that busy."
'You say that, but you're not even reacting to my advances.' She thought dryly. "Being busy was part of it, but I also had high standards. I want someone who was strong and gentle, powerful and caring, someone that I could trust to stand at my side as an equal should the need arise. And when Amaterasu told me to court you, my first thoughts were 'he is a pup'. And then we fought and you showed me just how powerful you are, making me go into heat for the first time in centuries." She stood up and turned around, making sure Ichigo saw her in all her glory. "I want you, I want your child, and I'm willing to happily be a part of this harem of yours." Ichigo calmly stood up, reached out to cup her cheek, and gave her a chaste kiss on the head.
"Let's discuss this AFTER my Senjutsu training is complete." He said with a smirk before leaving the hot spring they were in and going into a different spring twenty feet away, this one with Reiryoku restoration properties.
'Always focused on training, aren't you Ichigo?' Yasaka thought as she fell back into the spring, floating in the warm healing waters. 'You better get ready. I'm not stopping.' She smiled, already planning her next attempts while soaking in the heated waters.
(Months Later)
Ichigo's months were much the same after that; harsh and vicious training by the two gods to force him to improve or suffer great pains and frustration, calm meditations with Yasaka to improve his control of Senjutsu with the ambition of obtaining Touki, going on a few dates with the kitsune after she was given the rules about the harem by the rest of Ichigo's lovers, and her utter disregard for personal space as she constantly took every chance to be close to him while the Youkai kept slipping him various aphrodisiacs and virility boosters... they were honestly surprised the hybrid didn't ravage their princess yet. The effects of the training showed as Ichigo's swordsmanship and archery skills improved drastically and Ichigo started to channel more life energy, closing in to tapping into Touki. But the year was coming to a close with a couple months remaining in his final school year before he had to proceed to his next mentor. Unfortunately, Ichigo was about to get his first taste of the other pantheons of the world beyond the foreign heroes that aided him in the Blood War.
The day started as normal for him since Yasaka's confession, waking up in her bed since she always found her way to him to sleep with, with her cuddling him for the warmth of their contact, her being naked and him bare chested with no evidence of anything beyond cuddling, when a kitsune maid came in to get their day started. But instead of the usual government affairs Yasaka was to deal with or the training schedule Ichigo was to engage in this time, it was with the announcement that Uryu Ishida had come to Kyoto and would soon arrive at the castle. Some time back, Uryu left Japan to go to London and join up to the Western Branch of Soul Society known as Wing Bind in an effort to learn more about Yhwach in the western lands of Europe. The Western Branch did not deal with souls, as Uryu would learn, but instead busied themselves with the Living and the hidden world of dragons. This sparked an idea to try and exchange some methods and ideas between the two and only recently did the higher ups of the Gotei and the Wing Bind Agency come to an agreement on what to share. Uryu was bringing along a few Quincy and hopefully his cousin, but he needed to gain Amaterasu's permission before he was allowed to leave since he now had an important role as the new Quincy King.
"So that's why I'm here." Uryu said, repeating his reasons for wanting to leave and why he wanted to bring Ichigo along in the audience chamber used to contact Amaterasu. "I worry Scathach might be getting impatient with how long Ichigo is taking and I think he should come to London to see the dragons and whatever else may affect us in the future." Yasaka was possessively clinging to Ichigo, not wanting to lose her prospective husband so soon after realizing her desires for him while Amaterasu was pondering Uryu's proposal.
"If I remember correctly you have precognitive powers, yes?" The sun goddess asked the Quincy, earning a nod in response. "Then can you not look into the future and tell me when our dear Ichigo will finally master his Senjutsu to an acceptable level? That's when I will permit him to leave." Uryu sighed, still not entirely used to the strain of the Almighty but was still willing to look ahead and see when he could take his cousin with him. For a few minutes his eyes grew multiple pupils as he looked into hundreds of futures, quickly growing nauseous from the visions and the strain with them, but suddenly dispelling his power and gasping in shock.
"Uryu!" Ichigo shouted in concern, immediately flashing to the archer's side as Uryu was sweating bullets. "What happened? What did you see?" Uryu looked to Amaterasu and Yasaka who both felt an unholy sense of dread from the look of terror the Quincy gave them.
"Blood, hate, a horrible genocide." Uryu panted out as he tried to coherently recall what he saw, time was of the essence. "Cat Youkai, slaughtered by... beings with black wings a-a-and magic." Both the goddess and Youkai priestess knew what he was talking about. A future attack by the Devils.
(Deleted Scenes)
Susanoo and Yasaka
"Are you finished lord Susanoo?" Yasaka asked, letting the god do as he pleased.
"Not yet." The only sounds were those of Shinigami construction as the storm god continued to stare at the kyuubi's chest. "Now I'm done. Where's the liquor?" He said before walking off to find something to drink.
"This is only going to make the year longer." The kitsune groaned, dreading the god's future continued presence.
Why no lemons this chapter
It was the middle of the night when he woke up, fully aware of Yasaka's soft breasts pressing against him and her legs entwined with his. He was also aware of a rather painful erection forming as a result of the soft and warm flesh of his bedmate resting on him.
"Great." He quietly groaned before holding a glowing hand over Yasaka's face. Once he was sure the Kido took effect, he slipped away from the bed and put a shirt on before tearing open a hole in dimensional space. As fast as he could, he flew into the empty void between worlds and used his senses to find his way back to the Soul Society. Specifically to the 12th division barracks to speak to one man in particular. "KISUKE! I NEED MORE!" The hybrid roared as he entered an office where the only other occupant was a man with messy sandy blonde hair and a white and green bucket hat.
"Didn't she say she WANTS your babies?" The man groaned as he opened a drawer as pulled out a syringe kit with over a dozen quick shot syringes. "Can't you just start fucking already?"
"I want to focus on training." Ichigo returned before sticking a needle in his arm and injecting the drugs, sighing in relief as his erection died down. "I've gotten so backed up that I wouldn't stop even after my legs give out."
"And you're still sterile because you never asked me to undo that one surgery, so it wouldn't do her any good." Ichigo failed to notice the sudden and rather evil smirk on the man's face as he left to return to Kyoto.