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The Spirit Society was a strange place. Ichigo was sure he’d never get used to it, even if this was his third time visiting, but how could anyone really get used to the idea of a parallel world filled with spirits and demons? Even for Ichigo, this was crazy.
He’d met a Shinji that wasn’t really Shinji, a Lisa, Byakuya… hell, even Rukia had a double here. So, of course, the idea that Ichigo’s double could be out there somewhere had crossed the Substitute’s mind at one point in time.
But never, not in a thousand years, did Ichigo expected to see him.
He thought, if only for a second, that his brain was playing tricks on him. But then they stood face-to-face and it was impossible for Ichigo to deny it. He knew that grin, that distorted voice, and most of all, he knew those eyes.
“You’re…” Ichigo gulped. “...me?”
He knew the answer already, of course, deep down. He could feel it like an itch under his skin.
“That’s right,” the demon answered.
Ichigo felt his heart sink in his chest.
“You must’ve felt my presence inside you, too.”
Ichigo gasped and suddenly felt light-headed. So, this other him, he could feel the same pull Ichigo felt? Did Rukia feel this way too when she met the other version of her? Or was it… something else? A deeper, darker connection that somehow bound the two?
Ichigo really didn't want to think about it.
“So, there really was another me in that other world, huh?” The demon’s grin only grew. “Interesting…”
Ichigo’s clenched his fists, his nails biting into his skin. He reminded himself that this very much was the wrong time to get lost in his thoughts, and he refocused his shock into anger. He needed to stay sharp.
“What do you want!?” Ichigo snapped out.
“It’s only natural to wanna be able to use your own powers however you please, right? But right now I’m too unstable to use them to their fullest potential. I need a vessel.”
The demon’s eyes looked Ichigo up and down.
“And I think I’ve found a suitable one.”
Ichigo reached for his sword. In one swift motion, his sword clashed with the club-like weapon that the demon wielded.
“Ichigo!” Rukia shouted.
“I’m fine! Don’t worry!” Ichigo replied as he braced himself for the next strike. “Just stay back!”
Ichigo knew that in her Shinigami form, Rukia could help, but trapped in her gigai she would only get in the way.
“Take Kon and get out of here!”
The demon chuckled. “You want to play the part of the brave hero, huh? How incredibly foolish of you.”
Ichigo pushed as hard as he could against the demon, sending him further back into the forest. He knew he needed to distance his battle from Kon and Rukia if only so they wouldn’t accidentally get caught up in it. They seemed to understand that too because when Ichigo glanced at them over his shoulder, Kon and Rukia were running away.
They wouldn’t go far, Ichigo knew that, but they would go far enough that Ichigo wouldn’t have to worry about them. He could put his all into the fight.
“Hey, we’ve got your back too, kid!” Ichigo heard one of the other spirits speak… was it Kaien? Kaien, Shinji, and Lisa were still there with him, and Ichigo felt his anxieties quiet down a little.
But then a warped chuckle filled the air. It was a warm night in the Spirit Society, but Ichigo still felt a shiver rush down his spine.
“I’m not usually one to deny others the chance to fight,” the demon spoke, “but I need to conclude my business with Ichigo first before I can kick all your asses.”
Ichigo blinked and the demon was suddenly right in front of him.
“I’ll be right back,” the demon said to the others.
Ichigo felt his Shihakusho tighten around his neck as the demon gripped the front of his shirt. He grabbed the demon’s wrist but it didn’t matter, they were already tearing through the forest, the wind whipping against Ichigo’s skin as they moved.
The demon threw him against a tree and Ichigo felt the air leave his lungs. He coughed and sputtered to get his breath back.
“There,” the demon said, “now we can finish our little chat in private.”
Ichigo glared daggers at the being in front of him.
“Ah, good, I’m glad that little toss didn’t kill you. I’d hate to have been wrong about your strength.”
“Screw you,” Ichigo hissed out.
The demon got up close to Ichigo’s face and grinned with amusement. “Ah yes, I do think we’re going to get along perfectly, Ichigo.”
Ichigo’s head began to pound. He could feel his heartbeat as though it was pressing against his skull. It was slowly getting harder and harder to breathe.
“Can you feel it?” the demon questioned. “My power is resonating with you. It won’t be long now before you become my vessel.”
Ichigo felt his limbs grow heavy and unresponsive. His eyes threatened to close but he forced them back open.
“Just give in. There’s no avoiding it now.”
Ichigo’s head slumped forward and his vision went black.
The demon smirked and carefully laid Ichigo down on the lush grass. He reached forward to claim what was his, but then a hand wrapped around his wrist. The grip was strong, almost painful, and the demon’s eyes widened.
“Ah, ah… you think you’re the only one with a claim on this body?”
Ichigo’s head snapped up, a grin replacing his usual scowl. Black crawled across his eyes and the gentle brown had turned a violent gold.
The demon snorted. “There you are…”
Ichigo’s body leapt to its feet, bringing his sword up with him. The demon pried his arm from Ichigo’s grip and jumped back just in time to avoid his sword.
It took only one look for the two beings to understand each other. They were creatures of instinct, living for battle, clamouring for power. So, of course, no talking was necessary. They understood that the winner would get the prize and wasted no time rushing into battle.
Sparks flew. Trees and branches that dared get in the way shattered into billions of splinters. Blood coated the ground, staining the grass red.
The battle was relatively even. There were a few minor cuts on Ichigo and on the demon, but nothing too serious. And neither party really seemed to be exhausted at all by the fighting. In fact, they both looked ecstatic.
“Ichigo!” Rukia’s voice sounded in the distance. It was muffled through the trees and almost too quiet to hear beneath the sounds of weapons clashing, but her cry reached Ichigo nonetheless.
His eyes widened and a hand reached for the mask clinging to his face.
“DON’T YOU DARE,” his Hollow screeched.
“I don’t belong to you!” Ichigo shouted back. “I don’t belong to either of you!”
With a burst of blue spiritual pressure, Ichigo cried and ripped the mask from his face. He panted as it crumbled to nothing and faded with the wind. Brown eyes turned on the demon in front of him, equal parts determined and exhausted.
Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but stumbled instead. He took one step forward before he collapsed to the ground.
Rukia’s voice grew louder. It was joined by a few other voices as well.
“Damn they’re persistent, but it looks like they’re too late.” The demon knelt next to Ichigo. “I’ll have my vessel before they get here.”
Rukia…
Ichigo could remember her voice. She was calling for him?
But… why? Why did she sound so worried? And… why did he feel so cold?
He blinked his eyes open only to immediately shield them from a blinding light. Ichigo sat up, groaning and rubbing his eyes.
He opened them again, slower this time. Ichigo saw blue first, then little by little, his vision came into focus.
“I’m… back here?” Ichigo mumbled to no one in particular. His eyes scanned the familiar layout of his inner world. It was just as he remembered it: skyscrapers reaching up towards an endless blue sky. It was almost comforting until the memories of his earlier battle rushed back to him.
Ichigo jumped to his feet.
“I wondered just how long you were planning to sleep,” the demon’s voice greeted him.
Ichigo spun around and narrowed his eyes on the intruder. “You! How the hell did you get in here!?”
“I told you that I was going to make you my vessel,” the demon replied casually. “So here I am.”
Ichigo reached behind him for his sword.
“Looking for this?” The demon taunted, swinging Zangetsu in front of him.
Ichigo froze.
“Oh please, as if I was going to just let you sleep without taking advantage of it! And as much as I’ve had fun fighting you, I think it’s time we wrap this up, hmm?”
Ichigo widened his stance and braced himself for the demon’s next move. It didn’t matter if he didn’t have his sword, Ichigo refused to go down without a fight.
“Good.”
Ichigo blinked. That voice… in his head...
“I’d be incredibly disappointed in you if you decided to just give up now, King.”
With a scowl, Ichigo replied, I thought I got rid of you.
“I’m all you’ve got against this guy, and that’s really all you have to say to me?”
Ichigo sighed. Fine. What do you want?
“For you to win, of course. If you die, then I do too.”
So how do I win?
“I guess I could lend you some of my power. So long as he’s here, his presence is acting like a magnet, pulling me to the center of your soul. You should be able to use that to your advantage, take hold of my power and crush him.”
Alright.
“I suppose I could let you say your final words, Ichigo, since you’re about to do me such a big favour and all,” the demon teased. He raised his weapon above him with one hand and readied Ichigo’s sword in the other. “Anything you want to say? Perhaps a message I can deliver?”
Ichigo narrowed his eyes. He called on his power, searching inside himself for the strength not only to survive this fight but to win it.
He thought about how it felt to first receive his Shinigami powers, then he thought about how it felt to call upon his Shikai for the first time, then Bankai… He remembered that moment when he thought he was about to lose to Byakuya and how it felt to have his Hollow take control. He felt something similar inside him, bubbling towards the surface, and he reached his hand out to grab it.
When met with Ichigo’s silence, the demon leaned forward. “Very well then.” He lunged at Ichigo.
What happened next went down so fast that Ichigo almost missed it himself.
Ichigo jumped to the side to avoid the demon’s weapon. He saw his own blade coming at him next and leapt into the air. As the Zanpakuto slashed harmless below him, Ichigo reached for the white bandages trailing behind it. Ichigo pulled on the bandages, feeling the connection between himself and his Zanpakuto grow stronger. He landed and used the momentum from his landing to pull the blade from the demon's hands. Ichigo caught his blade and Zangetsu’s power surge through his body. Where he once felt tired, he found himself re-energized, and where he once felt weak, he now felt powerful.
There was the unmistakable, twisted spiritual pressure of his Hollow lingering just underneath his Shinigami powers, but Ichigo didn’t care. He had what he needed.
He pointed his blade in front of him and shouted, “Bankai!”
Ichigo never felt a rush quite like that before. He was certain his Hollow was behind it, but he felt excited to fight. He poured his spiritual pressure into Tensa Zangetsu and rushed towards the demon.
Unsurprisingly, the demon was able to block Ichigo’s first attack, but Ichigo was ready for that. He flashed from in front of the demon to behind him and let his spiritual pressure fly off his blade into a quick, nameless Getsuga.
The demon took the hit with a pained growl. He spun around, swinging the club towards Ichigo. Ichigo jumped back out of the demon's reach. As soon as Ichigo found his footing again, and before Ichigo even had time to think, he thrust his Zanpakuto forward. It pierced the demon's body and black blood rolled down Ichigo's blade.
“This body isn't yours to claim,” Ichigo felt himself speak, but it wasn’t really his words. His Hollow spoke through him.
The demon chuckled. “Damn. Too bad. You would’ve made a great vessel, Ichigo, but you’re not the only candidate available.”
Ichigo gritted his teeth and the demon laughed.
“What, just because you won in here, did you think I was done? Nah, I’ll see you again soon.”
The demon shattered in a burst of purple light and then faded from Ichigo’s world.
Ichigo sighed and collapsed to his knees, his Bankai fading. He was only then really feeling the effect that their battle had on him.
Then, slowly, he felt his Hollow’s presence begin to recede. Ichigo was thankful for his help, but he supposed that his Hollow would leave things up to Ichigo from then on. Or maybe Ichigo had broken the connection between the demon and his Hollow powers, and now they were unable to climb to the surface of his soul?
Either way, Ichigo didn't care to know. He had to get back to the real world, help the spirits defeat that demon, and then get himself, Kon, and Rukia back home.