Chapter 1

Ichigo stood over the barrens at the outskirts of Karakura town, breathing lightly. A fissure and bottomless crater cut into the rocky terrain, next to a topless mountain—cleanly sliced in two. A sacrifice—a scar the landscape would bare for years to come. Though to him, it meant little in comparison to the price he just paid to stop the madman Sosuke Aizen. At the cost of his Soul Reaper powers, he just won the war.

Dust settled around Aizen's remains, revealing his bisected form.

Ichigo's breathing hitched. White skin on Aizen's back stitched together in a web of goo; regenerating his body as if Ichigo's final attack was useless. Was the Final Getsuga Tenshou not enough? It couldn't be possible. Holding a breath, he flash stepped down into the valley with the remnants of his power. Even that much was difficult.

The madman's form had reverted close to his normal state. No longer like a butterfly monster, but still not quite human or Soul Reaper. Only white skin and fragments of a Hollow-like mask were left of his transformation. "You have lost, Ichigo Kurosaki!" he said, rising to a kneel.

Ichigo could only stare, unable to retort, unable reason how he had regenerated. The Final Getsuga Tenshou was an attack dimensions higher than Aizen's comprehension.

But yet he took it head on and lived—an impossibility.

Ichigo's remaining powers over darkness shattered off his body as he slumped. He palmed the dusty ground for support, breathless from the shock of sudden drop in spirit energy—dropping to the level of a lieutenant, barely.

Part of him wanted to chuckle, because at this moment, even Renji would be more useful.

He couldn't do a thing now, and no one else could either.

"Behold, my Zanpukto is vanishing," Aizen said, holding up his crumbling Zanpukto. "Surely you, of all people understand what this means."

Ichigo glared in response—nothing he could do now.

But he understood perfectly well; everyone would die if Aizen wasn't stopped. Everyone would die because Ichigo failed, despite giving it his all. It was his fault in the end, despite giving it his best.

Was his best still not good enough? Apparently so.

Aizen grinned maniacally, as if able to read Ichigo's growing despair.

Yuzu, Karin, Chad, Orihime, Uryu. Goat chin. Soul Society.

And Rukia… The sapphire-eyed midget whom he owed everything to.

Aizen's expression turned into ecstatic triumph. "The Hogyoku has decided that I have no need for a Zanpukto! You became one with your Zanpukoto and its powers, and now I am the same. No… Now that you have lost that power I will ascend to heights far above you."

Ichigo tried to get up, but just couldn't—half because of his own weakness, and the rest from Aizen's captain level spiritual pressure, pinning him down like the weight of his flooded inner world. "Aizen," he mumbled, pushing harder.

His despair boiled into hatred, burning through his core. He gathered his fading spirit energy to summon Zangetsu. He growled, clawing into the dirt, not letting this be the end.

His spirit energy only further slipped, leaving him with only glimmers of his previous power.

"This is the end! Ichigo Kurosaki!" Aizen roared. He moved to finish Ichigo off, but was abruptly halted by a crimson nail of spirit energy erupting from his chest.

To Ichigo's surprise, this wasn't part of another transformation. For several seconds, he only remained still, speechless at the development.

"What is this?! Kido?!" Several more crimson nails erupted on his torso. "Arrrrhhhh."

This was Ichigo's chance. He gritted his teeth, pushing against the ground every last strand of spirit energy left in his soul, clawing the dirt till his nails throbbed in pain. But It wasn't enough to even stand—not nearly enough.

He only watched as Aizen convulsed under the growing daggers. The red energy resembled a Kido, or Zanpukto ability. It wasn't Ichigo's own technique, he was sure of that, unless Zangetsu had something planned the whole time. That was unlikely, because he didn't even know any damn Kido. Only a few people he knew who could do such a thing, and they were all laying unconscious—defeated.

"When did something like this—" Aizen began, but was cut off by a newcomer at the corner of Ichigo's eye.

Blond hair, green cloak, and clogs. Urahara!

"It appears to have finally activated," he said, emotionless, and without hiding behind his hat or fan either.

Aizen spun his head to the shopkeeper, still convulsing under the effects of the Kido. "Kisuke Urahara! This is your doing?!" he said, scowling enough to reveal the gums of his teeth.

Urahara walked up to him, appearing to measure each step with precision. "Yes, before you achieved complete transfiguration. In your most unguarded moment I fired that kido into your body on the back of another Kido," he said, pausing as the Kido daggers grew.

A heavy weight lifted off Ichigo's shoulders. Aizen was finished. After all, his sacrifice was worth it. He let out a long breath, relaxing into the dirt, able to sit up straight again. Even the spiritual pressure started lifting now.

Urahara continued with his explanation, voice stoic. "It's a seal. I thought that if you fused with the hogyoku, you would most likely become all but impossible to kill. So I developed a kido for the purpose of sealing you away."

Of course he did. He was Urahara; the shopkeeper with a multitude of plans and back-up plans.

"What…" Aizen said, glaring, wrinkling his nose. "That's impossible."

Urahara considered him with an unchanging expression as the seal grew, not showing a glimmer of worry or hesitation.

The white shell of Aizen's form shattered. He raised his hand, examining himself with widening eyes. "Wha— What is this…?"

Ichigo looked at him blankly, struggling to understand how he hadn't realised sooner, or at least notice his own reduced level spirit energy. Something must have been up, as usual—something to do with what he had felt in the madman's blade when he caught it during their battle. Pain, loneliness, and despair, much like his own.

After a moment, Urahara continued with his explanation. "This is the will of the Hogyoku," he said, gesturing to the swirling purple orb in Aizen's chest. "The reason the seal I fired into you before has finally activated is because your power has weakened."

Weakened, from Mugetsu. That much was obvious, although…

Ichigo furrowed his brow, not sure what to make of that revelation. Something told him that wasn't the case, that Aizen wanted to lose his power, as if it was part of his plan. Neither was it the true will of the Hogyoku, which currently pulled at him through a thread in the air. A link—a fibre in the fabric of existence.

"H-how?" Aizen stuttered.

Ichigo glared at his words, his demeanour. Something was off.

"The Hogyoku is saying… that it does not recognise you as it's mast-"

A multi-layered, titanic spiritual pressure burst forth from the Hogyoku, crushing down onto the valley in a vortex of purple and white energy. A swirl of energy surrounded Ichigo, resonating with his complete being, calling out to him, reaching into his core, and bringing out the depths of his soul.

Urahara appeared next to him, and began chanting with a gesture of his hands.

But whatever he was about to do was too late—the energy intensified several fold as Ichigo cried out in pain, and reached towards his glowing chest. The skin wasn't hot, but the depths of spirit energy was endless, as if he were reaching into an infinite void.

The pressure kept rising, flattening him against the ground. Every bone in his body shook, and every muscle ached, yet filled with energy unlike anything comparable. He never felt such levels of spirit energy before, even when he used the Final Getsuga Tenshou. This was something different, something on a dimension of it's own.

The pain approached his limit. "AAAARRRHHHHH!"

Then purple-while light blinded him, and a searing dagger pierced his heart.

Urahara's frantic voice called to him as he blacked out.

Rukia Kuchiki stood in the observation room, next to the multi-layered Kido barrier. A month already passed since Ichigo's spiritual pressure vanished, since his spirit energy darkened to a pitch black— and he still hadn't even shown any signs of waking up, or signs of life apart from a steady heartbeat and gentle rise of his chest every breath.

She looked down at his form, through the Sekkiseki reinforced glass. His face was serene and calm, as if he were having a pleasant dream.

His eyes were half covered by his longer hair, less messy, but still gave him that unique wild look, much like Kaien.

It made him look even more handso—she stopped the thought as her cheeks warmed in a blush. Where the hell did that thought come from? Ichigo wasn't like that.

Cracks formed on the inner Kido barriers as several tendrils of spirit energy bounced around the room.

The new form of his spirit energy still unnerved her. It was spirit energy unlike anything recorded in history—pitch black with tiny flecks of indigo, red, and blue. And inky in texture.

She held out her hand, chanting the barrier Kido taught to her by the head captain.

After a minute, the barrier stabilised, and she sat down, letting out a breath. The drain on her spirit energy was quite substantial, but it was for Ichigo, and she owed him much more than bit a of spirit energy.

Everyone did.

She volunteered to watch over the barrier, giving her brother an explanation to why she stayed by his side during every second of her free time. Thankfully, her Kido abilities were high enough to maintain the barrier. The task didn't require the abilities of a captain, and the head captain assured her the Kido he used would only require mid-level spells to maintain.

Eventually, it wouldn't hold of course; his spirit energy kept rising to unimaginable levels—levels she'd never comprehend.

How high would spirit energy ascend to? Whatever the Hogyoku did, and is still doing, would change him forever. She just hoped when he wakes, he wouldn't need to be sealed for good—she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. The guilt sank into her heart like an icy needle. Her own mistakes dragged Ichigo into the world of the afterlife, after all.

A velvet voice interrupted her thoughts. "How's he doing?"

Rukia jumped at the surprise, turning to face Yoruichi Shihoin—ex-captain of squad two a hundred years ago, as she found out months earlier, when everything was explained after the war. She wasn't like captain Soifon in way.

"His condition still hasn't changed. I had to reinforce the kido barrier just before you arrived," Rukia said.

Yoruichi gave her an amused look. "how many times do I have to say it? Don't be so formal around me," she said, laughing for a second.

Rukia didn't respond for several moments. Without her Kuchiki mask, her worry might bubble to the surface—that would be bad. Everyone would see her real emotions she hid under the Kuchiki mask, but that wasn't much of a secret anymore. Everyone knew her history with Ichigo and Kaien… well people who mattered knew.

"I'm sure Ichigo will be fine when he wakes up," Yoruichi said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Her warmth seeped into Rukia. "Remember, Kisuke said that the Hogyoku grants the greatest and innermost desires of those who interact with its powers. I bet our little Ichigo simply wished for the power to protect us all from anything. He'll be fine."

Rukia scowled, because everything was that stupid orb's fault. Every last thing, starting from when she lost all her powers to when Ichigo used some final, sacrificial technique that nearly cost him his powers.

Her selfish side kicked in at that—the idiot won't be getting rid of her any time soon… assuming he doesn't get sealed forever. However, what Yoruichi said made sense, somewhat. Her strawberry was always like that.

She blinked. Her strawberry? When did she start thinking that?

Yoruichi gave her a quizzical look, raising an eyebrow. Rukia just waved her away, and got a chuckle in response.

Perhaps she'd take her brother's advice… Staring at Ichigo every day after her duties were completed was unbecoming for a Kuchiki. "I wonder how he will react to the change…" she said absentmindedly, but deadpanned as something else occurred to her. "Though having another idiot around will be stressful… especially a war hero idiot."

"Oh I'm sure we'll be getting to know our little Ichigo very well. You should be one to know, since you slept in his closet for three months," Yoruichi said with a suspicious smirk.

"Nothing happened," Rukia said, though a small blush coated her cheeks. A blush of betrayal, revealing way too much of her inner thoughts. They'd shame her for decades if they found out what she sometimes thought of Ichigo these days, and Kaien all those years ago.

Kaien who's now dead thanks to her, and now his cousin might have to live an even worse fate, thanks to her—partly.

Yoruichi nudged her, looking at her reddened cheeks. "Really? He's a teenage guy you know? You should be careful around him when he's in bed at night," she quipped.

Rukia's imagination picked up with her insinuations, and her face heated in a rage of fire.

"I-I dont know what you're talking about," Rukia spat out. Ichigo wasn't like that—she reminded herself. "Ichigo's not like that," she said aloud.

"Oh I'm sure you do know, and..." Yoruichi said, trailing off teasingly, and leaned in towards her ear. "He couldn't stop staring that one time."

Rukia blushed, thinking through all the possibilities she could have meant. Perhaps a beach party with bikinis, or a tight stealth uniform, or even Rangiku just being herself. Endless possibilities. "Hmph," she grunted, crossing her arms.

Their shallow breathing whispered through the room, prolonging the awkward silence. But Yoruichi still smirked at her, not finding this awkward one bit.

Spirit energy flickered at the corner of her eye.

"Look," Yoruichi pointed out, before Rukia could say anything.

Yoruichi was dead serious—unusual for her. Rukia blinked, and tilted her head back to the barrier. Ichigo's sleeping expression was now that of a scowl. Maybe a nightmare?

"Whatever's happening has reached the next stage… Looks like Kisuke was right," Yoruichi said.

A drop of cold sweat ran down Rukia's neck. In Ichigo's current state, his spirit energy would kill anyone weak who gets too close to him. Not even their strongest limiters would be able to suppress him at that level, according to the head captain at least.

Rukia swallowed—he might needed to be permanently sealed after all.

"Does Urahara have anything planned?" Rukia asked, eyes watering and shoulders slumping half an inch.

She didn't answer, but a tiny scowl spread across her mocha skin.

Before Rukia questioned further, Yoruichi nudged her, nodding towards Ichigo.

Pitch-black spiritual pressure lined with traces of his other colors filled the Kido barrier, and hundreds of cracks to spread across the surface.

Her heart raced as Ichigo's form started changing, transforming into a black mass. His hair grew to long, black locks while black spirit energy engulfed his body, morphing into something like— bandages.

Yoruichi spun around and pulled Rukia into her embrace, lifting her off the ground, and moving in one of the fastest flash steps Rukia ever experienced. For a second, the fourth division blurred into a smudge of many colors.

They landed a few hundred meters away from the Kido barriers, and Captain Unohana wasn't already nearby, oddly, and neither was Urahara.

Her attention darted back to the matter at hand. Ichigo was in trouble, or whatever was happening. "Yoruichi! We have to do somethi—"

"Stay back! I'll go get the captains!" she interrupted her, and flash stepped away.

"Wa-Wait the barrier's going—" She called out to her fleeing form as the barrier exploded in a shower of spirit energy.

Ichigo moaned as he regained consciousness. For a moment, blinding light and pain filled his mind, torching his body in a stinging blaze. A picture of a dusty valley appeared in his thoughts. Hat n' Clogs was there too… He yelled something before the memory cut off. So was that bastard Aizen.

Aizen. He had to be stopped, at any cost, or he'd kill everyone in Karakura—

Then it all came back. He used the Final Getsuga Tenshou, and Urahara had some kind of back up Kido that activated in the end.

He coughed a couple of times, and tested his limbs, making sure everything worked like usual.

Did Urahara win? Was Aizen sealed?

He groaned, and rubbed his head—he was alive at least.

And he must be laying the world of the living since since he was— alive without his soul reaper powers.

Either that, or dead, laying somewhere in the Rukongai.

He opened his eyes all the way, and a clear blue sky flooded his vision.

No clouds, or sun, or even a bird.

He sat up, looking around as his blurred vision return to normal. A large green field surrounded him, near a sparkling lake and tall trees—at least a hundred meters tall, the tallest ones at least a few hundred. Within the trees, many skyscrapers were intertwined within the greenery. The buildings were familiar, as if they were sky scrapers from his inner worl—

Where was he? It didn't look like Karakura town, or the Rukongai of old Japan, and the water was way too clean for anything in the living world.

And why would they dump him him by a lake?

He mumbled, and made a mental note to flog whoever did that. They should have at least left a note, or money to catch a bus or something.

Urahara. This was some crap joke of his.

A silvery voice interrupted his thoughts. "It looks like you've finally woken up, Ichigo, how was the nap?"

"Alright! Why the hell…" He twisted his head around, but couldn't find anyone. He scowled in confusion, and stood up, sauntering towards where the voice came from. And to his surprise, the lake was huge—perhaps a sea or ocean instead. The other side wasn't even visible.

Gentle waves lapped at a beach in the distance, and a cool breeze blew against his longer hair and hot skin. The wind wasn't salty, or sea scented.

He continued walking, to a pebble lined inlet, filled with calm, clear water. A light laugh rose to him.

"Down here dummy, I should have known you wouldn't be able to notice… anything that isn't freakishly tall as you are" The voice said, tone full of implication.

"W-what? Im not freakishly tall you- " Ichigo said as he looked down.

A girl floated by the edge of the lake—the most beautiful girl ever. His mouth dropped to a gape and eyes widened as her features hit him. She had fair skin, full lips and large, blue eyes. Her long, waist-length blue hair fanned around her back and sides, accentuating her slim body, which was barely clothed in a see-through dress.

His face heated up, reddening in an instant as he examined every last detail and curve.

Why was he even looking?

Probably because taking his eyes off the beautiful girl was impossible. "Dammit, put some clothes—"

"Oh, you think I'm beautiful, do you?" she snapped, floating along the line of pebbles.

He stepped back, blush fading by a few shades of red. "You can rea—"

"Judging from the look on your face of course."

His cheeks heated back up to a crisp burn, because, somehow she caught him staring without even looking at him.

"I wasn't—"

"How about a closer look?" she said in a sly tone.

He was about to deny any desire for that, but she smirked and disappeared, in a blur similar to a flash step. She even gave off the characteristic buzz of the technique.

He frowned, puzzled by the development. Was she a soul reaper?

She could be, but it's impossible to see a Soul Reaper without any spirit energy, unless he still had some tiny sliver of his previous power. He focused on his inner self. 'Zangetsu…? Are you still there…?'

No response, though the old man wasn't the talkative type, even when he fused with his inner Hollow.

He closed his eyes, and concentrated on his core, bringing out any reserve of spirit energy.

Nothing, not even a glimmer of power.

He sighed, and looked around for the girl.

She abruptly appeared in front of him, and hugged him. Her large, full breasts pressed against his chest—his semi-bare chest, revealed in an open Kimono. He felt everything and every last detail of her chest and hard nipples, poking through the open weave of her dress.

He noticed what he was doing, and enjoying.

But he wasn't that type of man. He pushed he away and stepped back. "Gah! Why are you hugging me? And put some clothes on dammit!"

"You have quite the body, and I like hugging you, especially when you're awake," she said, putting her hands behind her back and stepping closer to him.

"Wait what? What did you do to me while I was asleep?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her tone was innocent.

"What. Did. You. Do."

"Hmm?" she hummed, blinking and looking around the area. "And what are you talking about with the clothes? I am wearing something silly" she said, crossing her arms under her breasts, pushing them up an inch.

He narrowed his eyes, and hardened his jaw, but his burning blush just wouldn't go away, neither would the blood drain from his waist. If she noticed that, he'd be in real trouble.

"Who the hell wears clothes like that?!" he demanded, letting her comment about his sleep drop, trying his best to keep his eyes off her slender body. The lace wasn't helping either.

Twenty seconds of silenced passed as he stared her down.

"You really want to know?"

He hardened his jaw even more, glaring into her swirling blue eyes.

"Alright, but you might not like what you hear," she began, putting a had on her hip, highlighting her privates. "This is what you people in the world of the living call lingerie. I believe you saw it in a magazine once…" She trailed off, pushing out her chest even more.

Ichigo nearly tripped on the spot; there was no way she could have known about that—his darkest secret.

"And secondly for who am I, I am your cute, lovable and adorable Hogyoku, well, kind of," She said with a straight face.

He lost balance this time, needing to step back to regain his composure. She couldn't be serious, and how did she know about that damn orb?

"I am the Hogyoku," she said, absolutely serious.

He froze. What the hell does she mean by that? She could be insane, or playing one of Urahara's tricks. He looked around, but no annoying shopkeeper could be found within the trees, and the girl started giggling, making her breasts jiggle.

The sight captivated his eyes, like a hypnotic, bouncing pair of heavenly cushions.

"You know, staring at my body like that isn't going to get you any explanations, but it might get me to conjure up a bed for us to sleep in together."

Images of them together in bed and under the sheets filled his mind, firing up his entire body.

"Wow I'm surprised Ichigo. Already thinking of going all the way?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

So she could read mind.

"I could make that happen right now if you really, really want to." She added and took a few steps towards him.

They were less than an inch apart again. A part of him wanted to tackle to to the ground, and do— he backed away before that a crazy thought could take hold.

The girl could be dangerous—not a single person he ever met could read minds.

He growled and covered his eyes. "Ok I want some answers now dammit! Where am I? How are you the Hogyoku? And what do you mean kind of? And is Aizen sealed?" Ichigo demanded, voice rising after each word.

"hmph… Guess you're a prude after all. I'll just have to change that… "She said.

Ichigo growled again, keeping his eyes covered.

"Alright, fine, We are in your inner world."

"What?! I lost my soul reaper powers to take down that bastard Aizen! Don't lie to me!"

"It's the truth…" She said in a light voice "As for your soul reaper powers, all I can say is that… I'm your cute, lovable and ad-"

"OK I heard dammit," he cut her off, somewhat accepting her answer that she was the adorable Hogyoku. Those two words weren't meant for the same sentence, but her tone and body language suggested she either believed that, or told the truth.

"So no more questions?"

"That wasn't the start of the questions!" he shouted, gesturing with a flail of his arms. "This looks nothing like my inner world! What's with the trees and lake?!"

"Hmmmmmm," she mumbled, pausing for a few seconds. "Well Tensa Zangetsu said he always wanted you to plant some trees here…"

Ichigo uncovered his eyes and spun around.

Only the same greenery and skyscrapers—just like those of his inner world. She could be telling the truth after all.

"And as for the lake, you should know that trees need water dummy," She added with a light laugh.

Ichigo twisted back to face her, scowling, glaring as his temper rose in a boil. "Where's Zangetsu?! What did you do to him?!"

"Don't scowl so hard, or it will be engraved onto your handsome face permanently," she said, crossing her arms under her breasts, making them jiggle again.

"GARRH-" Ichigo roared, but a familiar voice cut through the field—a voice belonging to someone he fought against for three months.

"We don't have much time," Tensa Zangetsu said in his sharp voice.

Ichigo turned around, slowly, forcing himself not to faint or suffer whiplash.

Tensa Zangetsu stood in the middle of the grassland, as if nothing changed since his battle with Aizen—still in his half Hollowfied, transcended state.

For half a minute, Ichigo just stared, and nearly walked over to poke him just to make sure it wasn't a trick or illusion.

Eventually, he swallowed as the half-Hollow's features sank in. A fragment of the full Hollow mask and single horn remained, partially covering flowing white hair, framing his porcelain face and single black-sclera eye.

It couldn't be anyone else.

Tensa Zangetsu's face twitched a fraction, impatient, half-crazed, just like before.

"What do you mean? What happened? Tensa Zangetsu, what happened to Aizen and the Hogyoku?"

"The Hogyoku is part of your soul now. You must accept that if you wish to keep your powers," he said, features wrinkling in impatience.

Opening his mouth, Ichigo couldn't find anything to say to that. The claim was so preposterous, so maniacal that he'd laugh if Tensa Zangetsu hadn't said it.

"All will be explained but right now you need to do as I say!" His voice was much harsher than anything before.

Why is he in such a rush? He ignored Ichigo's questions like usual though.

The so-called Hogyoku girl appeared next to Tensa Zangetsu. "If you wish to keep your powers, you must take my blade and run it through the center of your being. You must accept Tensa Zangetsu and I to be one and the same," she explained with a hard voice and blank face—as if a completely different person stood in front of Ichigo.

The minutes passed as her words cemented, because what she said was an impossibility, a dream he gave up after Zangetsu revealed the true nature of the Final Getsuga Tenshou. The cost of the technique was a sacrifice he already decided to make, and live with, but apparently a loophole existed. A failsafe, in the shape of that damn purple marble, or the stunning girl standing in front of him.

Ichigo smirked, keeping his gaze eye-level. This was exactly like how it all started with Rukia—the cute midget he'd still be able to see, and trade jabs with again. She wasn't getting rid of him any time soon.

"Then give me your blade, Hogyoku."

She smiled, eyes warm. "My name is Tensa Zangetsu," She said, and materialised her blade, holding it out to him.

She held a pure-white Wakizashi close to the length of a Katana, slightly curved, and hollowed out in the center towards the guard—a Manji. A purple and white pattern criss-crossed on the grip in silky bandages.

"Then from this moment, we will fight as one, Tensa Zangetsu." He took the blade and lifted it to his chest, and without hesitation, he ran the steel through his heart.

An explosion of unfathomable power tore through his inner world.

A/N In this alternate universe Zanpakuto are called "Zanpukto" hehehe…