"I'm sorry, he what now?" Ichigo gapes dramatically. "Then why was Zangetsu the one talking shit all this time? I've never even seen the vasto lorde."
"I'm still a Hollow, ya know?" Zangetsu grumbles.
"Hollows are entities full of souls, Ichigo, and one of those souls is in control of the body. You are the soul in control of the body, but one of the other souls is strong and detached enough to attempt all functional control," Yhwach explains.
"And that one soul is the vasto lorde because Zangetsu is literally apart of me, and the adjuchas is apart of Zangetsu," the ginger nods in understanding. "How do I get him to understand that I want all of us to work together to make us the most powerful being in the realms?"
"Fight him. Duh," the bleached spirit grins.
"Ah yes, the simplicity of Hollows never ceases to amaze me."
The Hollow mocks a gasp, hand over his... heart? Does he have one? "You wound me."
"Now the cycle is complete."
The older spirit shakes his head at them. "You must fight the vasto lorde before we can do anything else."
"Is he the reason that I get attacks?" Ichigo inquires, remembering back on what Ryuuken said. Hollow instinct makes him pace, apparently. While it's a good theory, Ichigo himself thinks it's more complicated than that. What if the vasto lorde is trying to take over? What if the vasto lorde controls specific parts of his body when he's under emotional distress.?
"Quite possibly."
"I know it's not me," Zangetsu claims.
"Let us assume it is the vasto lorde, in that case."
"Alright." Ichigo gets to his feet. "Where is he?"
"Hang on, partner. You need to know one more thing before you go." Zangetsu gets up as well. "While you're fighting him, your body will change forms. Because your consciousness will not be present, your basic instinct will take the wheel."
"You're saying I'll be running wild."
"Yeah."
"This may be the time to meet up with the Vizard, Ichigo," Yhwach recommends.
Ichigo wants to disagree yet doesn't. He exits his mindscape with the plan lingering in the back of his head. The sun peeks out from the tree tops, leaking gentle warmth into the barren field. The long grass is wet with morning dew and waves good morning in the slight breeze. Clouds move sluggishly through the sky, revealing the pinks, oranges, and yellows of the sunrise.
He'd give anything to watch more of the gorgeous scene, but decides it's time to get going. He's been gone long enough. Oh god. Rukia is going to kill him. With the threatening image in mind, he jumps to his sore legs, and rush walks in the direction he's pretty sure he came from.
The last time he was out of the Seireitei was his first trip here. It's been a while. The villages he passes through are falling apart, and the people aren't doing much better. They watch him in surprise and caution, gaping at his different attire of jeans and a t-shirt. Yeah, he doesn't really do robes. They kinda suck. The shihakusho is the only comfortable outfit they have in this entire goddamn realm.
Fighters size him up. Every village is like this, the groups always consisting of at least five armed men. There's a group per four blocks, too. God, how far in the districts is he? These guys look ready to eat him alive, and he's got no idea how close help is. Shit, he's just going to have to avert back to his street fighting days if it doesn't calm down soon.
His mind opens up in calculation, studying man after man. He estimates their height and weight, and takes in their faces and distinguishing features. Plans lay themselves out in his head as he decides the demise of every single fighter that even dares to stand on the same side of the street as him.
About seven villages later, a group approaches him. He runs his cold eyes over each one, assessing them as threats. The six of them surround him like a pack of rabid wolves, their snarling faces and bared teeth showing all intentions. Ichigo replies to them with a snarl of his own, and he can feel his eyes turn yellow.
"Who are you?" The alpha male demands.
"No one important," he dismisses.
"Oh, yeah? Then why are the Shinigami searching for you?"
Ichigo keeps his expression blank, but on the inside, he grimaces. "I don't know what you mean. I'm not familiar with the way this place works yet."
"Shut up. We all know you're lying."
Oh, boy. That's aggressive. This isn't going well. The group moves in, inching a little closer with cautious steps.
"Oh, yeah? How's that?" Ichigo challenges.
"We've all heard of the ryoka that broke into the Seireitei. The boy with orange hair."
He bites his tongue, running scenarios in his head. What should he say? What should he say? Dammit, don't panic. He can do this!
"If that's true - which it's not - and I really am the guy they're looking for, is it really your best intentions to mess with me?"
The alpha doesn't falter. He's completely comfortable and in control of the situation. It makes Ichigo's teeth grind.
"Of course. We're bored, kid. We need a challenge, and the boy who kicks Shinigami ass is just the kind of challenge we're looking for," he grins, his yellow teeth almost as difficult to look at as the sun.
"I'm not here for a fight. Just passing through."
"Oh, really? Too bad we don't give a shit."
Yoruichi arrives at the end of the fight, Byakuya at her side. They silently gape at the unconscious bodies pooled around Ichigo's feet as he bites his fingernails. He wants to pace. He can't pace. The vasto lorde is restless. Ichigo needs to fight him.
He then notices the blood coating his fingers, and immediately stops biting his nails. Gross. How did he not notice? That fight really knocked him off his metaphorical feet. He must've slipped up, and the vast lords briefly took control. Oh boy. He needs to get some place safe - for everyone's sake.
"Are they..." Yoruichi trails off.
"Yeah, they're unconscious."
"You're out of control," Byakuya scolds.
"They deserved it!" Ichigo snarls, the whites in his eyes darkening.
He bites his lip now, hoping it'll shut him up. The vasto lorde. He's forcing his way through. The ginger is resisting against the urge to pace now that he's aware what it means, but it seems that the vasto lorde has other means of taking control. Ichigo needs to get the plan over with. Now or never.
"Did they?" Yoruichi scowls, already in his face about it.
"It's him," Ichigo says through his teeth. "The other guy. He wants to come out. I can't let him out."
Her eyes widen in sudden understanding. "Was this his idea?" She gestures to the beaten and bloody bodies laying in piles.
"No. They attacked us."
"Us?" Byakuya quotes.
Wow, he really needs to shut up. "I need to get to Shinji. Please. Before-" he hisses in abrupt pain and grips the side of his head. "Before he gets out."
"Of course. I'm going to have to bring you back to the World of the Living for that."
"Fine!"
She slings his arm over her shoulder, gives Byakuya a nod of message, and speeds off. They get to the Seireitei and out of the Renshi Henkan-Ki in no time - at least, that's what it feels like to Ichigo. He's too busy trying to keep himself together to notice time passing. In the training grounds is where all the people Ichigo treated poorly stand.
And he doesn't say a word to any of them. Especially his father.
Hachi immediately starts an incantation to set up a boxed barrier around Ichigo, yet leaves a door open. Probably for Yoruichi and Kisuke. Speaking of the devil, Kisuke rushes over as his childhood friend sets the yellow eyed ginger down on the ground. Wow, this was all prepared rather quickly. Did Yoruichi call ahead while Ichigo disassociated?
Tessai murmurs softly to Chad, Uryū, and Isshin while the Vizard discuss the next course of action. A Senkaimon opens, and Rukia and Orihime sprint out of it. The shinigami catches Ichigo into her sights, and uses shunpō to enter the barrier.
"Ichigo! Oh god, your Hollow." Why does she sound like he's going to die?
"You need to get out of here," Ichigo manages to say between grunts and groans.
"No way! I'm not leaving your side ever again!" She exclaims.
"You have to. Please. Go."
"No!"
"Ichigo, is your Hollow taking over?" Kisuke demands.
"Kinda."
"What does that mean?"
"I have two Hollows is what it mEaNs," he snarls. He really doesn't know how else to explain it at the moment.
Ichigo lashes his head to the side, a demonized scream erupting from his throat. He sucks in a heavy breath when it ends, and he does his damn best to control the monster inside of him.
Monster. Monster. Monster. MonsterrRrrrRrRrrrrRrr...
"How can you have two!" Yoruichi has a hint of panic in her voice.
"I don't know! Leave before the bad one comes out!" He snatches Rukia's hand. It startles her at first, but the sudden intimacy between them banishes all hostile emotions. He grips her hand in his. "Please. Don't make me the monster. Go."
"But-"
"GOOoooOoooOooOoOooo!"
He releases her hand, and pushes her away from him. He caves in on himself, cradling the sick feeling in his stomach. Against her will, Rukia is forced out of the barrier, and he feels only a little better. At least the plan is working out so far. God, that is literally the only upside in this entire predicament.
More layers to the barrier appear, leaving about a square meter of room left. That's fine with Ichigo. Less opportunity for the other guy to escape. That's all he needed from them, and now it's his turn. With some struggle, he manages to sit up right. Rukia is almost glued to the outer barrier, and damn does she look worried.
"It's okay," he says. "It's all apart of the plan."
"Who's plan?" She demands.
"Our's."
"What are you talking about?"
"That's the second time he's referred to himself as a plural," Yoruichi murmurs to Kisuke, but Ichigo can hear.
"Not myself. Us. The souls who I share this body with."
"You mean your two Hollows." It sounds more like a statement than a question.
"Yeah, that's most of them. There's also Yhwach."
Uryū's eyes widen in a mixture of horror and disbelief. "Yhwach! That's not possible! He's dead!"
"Who's Yhwach?" Orihime asks softly.
"He was the Quincy King. How do you even know of Yhwach, Kurosaki? You're not a Quincy."
"Your dad told me, actually," Ichigo proclaims, holding in the pained groans as he uses the closest barrier wall to slide up to his feet. Once he feels his legs are shaking from the need to pace, he stays leaning on the wall. No need to worse the situation.
"What? Why would he tell you?"
"Did you know that Kurosaki is a Quincy name?"
"Ichigo," Isshin half begs half snaps.
Ichigo openly ignores him. "My mother was a pure blood Quincy. Just as my father is a retired shinigami by the clan name Shiba."
"Shiba," Chad mutters in a surprised tone. "Like Kukaku and Ganju Shiba?"
"They're my cousins."
"What?" His three human friends gasp, heads turning to Isshin. The older man turns his head in frustration and shame.
"Oh, that's not all." Ichigo proceeds to spill his guts on all the information that he can remember. Of course, there's the occasional help of his spirits.
"Kukaku wants you to lead the clan?" Isshin gawks.
"What did you say?" Kisuke asks in surprise.
"I said no. I also, kinda, stormed out," Ichigo wears his shame on his sleeve. "It was immature, but this all is hard to handle. I don't know what to do."
"You beat five men unconscious." He can't tell if Yoruichi is reminding him or sassing him. Either way, it's annoying.
"There were six, actually," he corrects.
"Ichigo!" Rukia scolds. "What did I tell you about that?"
"Rukia, not now. Please."
"Hate to interrupt," Shinji approaches and stops beside Rukia, "but where did you get all of this from?"
"Oh, here and there. But I really have the Vizard to thank."
The lanky blond narrows his eyes in suspicion. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"
A grin so sinister pulls at Ichigo's lips, it causes a couple of people to step back. Black clogs the whites in the ginger's eyes, and his yellow irises glow like a hunting predator in the dead of night. "Why, it was the Vizard who said my father is nobility and my mother was a Quincy."
"No we didn't!" Hiyori barks.
"We did," Lisa sighs. "No point in lying. He heard us."
"But Berry-kun was asleep," Mashiro pouts.
"Oh, will you shut up. Your voice gives me a headache," Ichigo pinches the bridge of his nose and scrunches his eyes shut. Oh, the vasto lorde is getting bitter.
"Don't talk to her like that," growls Kensei.
"Because I'd listen to you."
"Hey, Ichigo," Shinji frowns. "We'll only help you if you cool down. From what Kisuke tells me, you've been out of control lately."
"I never had any control. Everyone knows that," Ichigo snarls.
"He... doesn't want our help," Rose realizes.
"He didn't want it in the first place," Love adds.
"Then why did you want us here?" Hachi asks the ginger.
"All I needed was someone with enough power to encase me for a while," Ichigo shrugs.
"But you asked for Shinji specifically," Yoruichi says.
"Yeah, I know. He's for back up."
"Back up for what?" Shinji asks.
"For if my body breaks out while I'm still fighting the vasto lorde in my mindscape. Speaking of which, I think I've stalled you guys long enough. I need to get this over with."
It takes quite a bit of concentration, so the yelling voices of his friends doesn't help, yet he manages to get it. He reaches elbow deep into the invisible ripple of the spiritual plane. With just a little more concentration, he pulls Zangetsu directly into the physical plane. Zangetsu is a little heavier, but nothing Ichigo can't deal with.
"Ichigo? What are you doing with Zangetsu?" Rukia almost sounds afraid.
"Yhwach says this is the only way I can get to the vasto lorde. I need to beat him so I can stop being emotionally all over the place. I need to beat him to be whole again."
"Then let the Vizard help. They know how to control their Hollows. Let them show you how," Rukia coaxes.
"I don't want to control the Hollows. I am not their king to rule over them: I'm their partner to help them. There's a difference."
"Then why challenge the vasto lorde?"
"He's the only one not in uniform. I need to show him that we can coexist. Fighting is just the only language Hollows speak, ya know?"
"No," her breath hitches, "I don't."
"What's wrong? You look sick," Isshin points out not unkindly.
"He's going to stab himself," Rukia blurts.
Damnit. Ichigo flips Zangetsu into a reverse grip quickly. They're already opening up the barriers to stop him. He can't let them stop him. He thrusts Zangetsu's blade into his chest with both hands, and his already weak knees give out. Shinji is the first one to get to him, but it's already too late. A bright white light begins to engulf Ichigo, starting from his stab wound. His mask slowly flakes to his face, and Shinji looks hesitant on what to do.
"Run, Shinji."
And he does. he forces the others behind him back out the way they came. The barriers close to the sound of Ichigo's distorted Hollow laughter.
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."