5 FORGING
CHAPTER 5: FORGING
Ichigo's POV
The 'movie' was over. Looking at the blackened screen, I couldn't help but stand and mutter "I understand now".
Indeed, After watching the entirety of the 'movie', I understood many things, Who were these beings? why were they saying Ichigo Kurosaki was dead? And Why the hell , they were showing me a recap of my life? And most importantly who I was.
As I looked at them, they were each sporting a small smile.
"How much time do we have left?" I asked them with a voice so gentle, even I didn't know I was capable of.
Well, My Knowledge of what I truly am and what I was capable of was completely refreshed, so it wasn't a big deal.
"In here?" Red asked, I nodded
" About 426 hours" He replied
"Tch" I knew it was very little time but " We have to make do, Lets get started"
"Is that okay?" Quincy asked and as I looked at him, he continued " Can we even do it? I can sense your Mind and Heart are in a disarray"
True, " I know but now is the perfect chance and I know if I were to wait, I would ignore a lot of it or subconsciously suppress it" I said " and we don't have much time either"
He nodded at that, Even if he won't recommend it, it was our only option.
"We only have one chance" Hollow spoke " We need to do it right, the first time"
"Its not like its our first time anyway" Oni added with a smirk" We got enough practice at Oetsu Nimaiya's place anyway"
"Haahhahahaha, True" We shared a laugh together. I think it was the first time we laughed together.
I used my will to change the place and create a replica of Nimaiya's forge.
"Let's do it" We yelled throwing our arms in the air
Then the atmosphere turned serious as we put on, determined faces.
" Here, I go" With that Oni, my Oni powers jumped and turned into fire for the forge
Then, Quincy simply held out his right arm and as I shook it, he entered my body and the Blut Vene activated and the power of Hell turned into a smithing Hammer.
I looked at the two remaining manifestations of my powers. Yes, they were the sentient forms of my very powers unlike a Zanpakuto which was part of a Soul Reaper's soul.
They raised their arm as if grabbing something and two very distinct Katanas appeared in their hands out of thin air.
One was Pitch Black as if the Darkest Moonless Night and Other was So white it was actually impossible to describe it more than simply white.
They were each an Asauchi , Normally every Shinigami only got One Asauchi, but my case was different. Aizen had fused White with one and since White already had an Asauchi, when I found and accepted my heritage in my previous world, the Asauchi, Nimaiya gave me for White bonded with Old man Zangetsu instead.
Holding the Katanas with one hand each, I put them in the forge and watched as the slowly started to melt in a viscous liquid similar to mercury, then they started fusing into each other and solidifying into a metal, which was black in some places and white in another.
" Turn up the heat!!" I yelled and the fire intensified turning the piece of metal red instead.
" Its my turn now" I mumbled as I walked forward.
"Now, go and awaken those two sleepy heads" Red, my angelic power's manifestation cheered me up
" I can't wait to see White Zangetsu putting you in place" Hollow, well he was the manifestation of my hollow powers, of course he would be happy about it.
I gave them both a thumps up behind my back and kept walking forward.
Standing infornt of the forge I raised the Hammer made of Hell's energy and every second of my life came rushing to me, both this one and the previous and then I brought the hammer down.
*SLAM*
I remembered attending kinder garden, Elementary school, Middle school and High school and meeting each of my lifelong friends.
*SLAM**SLAM*
I remember holding the newbor Karin and Yuzu. Mom instructing me how to hold them.
*SLAM*
I remember meeting Tatsuki Arisawa my only friend in K.G and the one who introduced me to my first crush Orihime Inoue in Elementary.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember the self hate and sadness I felt when I lost my mother.
*SLAM*
I remember my rage changing my personality, turning me into a 'delinquent' or so I was told.
*SLAM* *SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember befriending Keigo and Mizuiro in Middle school.
*SLAM*
In my second year of Middle school, I remember saving a boy named Yasutora Sado aka Chad, my best friend ,from a bunch of racists High School thugs.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
In the third year of Middle school, I remember arguing with that girl Chizuru who transferred to our school. That was the start of our friendship. Huh, It was tiring to help Tatsuki in keeping her lecherous hands away from Orihime.
*SLAM*
I remember entering the world of supernatural thanks to Rukia stabbing a sword through my Heart.
*SLAM*
I remember meeting Uryu Ishida, my friend and rival and cousin apparently.
*SLAM*
I remember the humiliating defeat at the hands of Byakuya and Renji.
*SLAM*
I remember them dragging their childhood friend and sister for execution without a single hesitation
*SLAM*.
I remember Byakuya destroying the powers I got from Rukia.
*SLAM* *SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember Urahara and Tessai (along with Jinta and Ururu) helping me awaken my own Shinigami Powers.
*SLAM* *SLAM* *SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember the training/crash course Urahara gave me.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember Invading the Soul Society along with Chad, Uryu , and Orihime and fighting against an entire world just to save a single friend whom I had known for less than 6 months.
*SLAM*
I remember fighting against the seasoned warriors of Soul Society.
*SLAM* *SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember the desperate training for achieving Bankai in 2 days to stop the execution of Rukia
*SLAM*.
I remember beating some sense into Byakuya as to what his duties as an older sibling were.
*SLAM*
I remember Aizen ripping out the Hogyoku out of Rukia.
*SLAM*
I remember meeting the first love of my life, the one to teach me the true meaning of love, Senna.
*SLAM**SLAM**SLAM*
I remember Senna sacrificing herself protecting the world for ME, leaving only a red ribbon behind.
*SLAM**SLAM**SLAM**SLAM*
I remember every one around me slowly forgetting her very existence.
*SLAM**SLAM*
I remember meeting Shinji, Hachi and others Vizards.
*SLAM*
I remember fighting Zangetsu (White) for control and to learn the Mask.
*SLAM*
I remember Invading the Heuco Mundo for Orihime, whom I had come to love.
*SLAM*
I remember the feeling of Shame for loving someone else so soon after Senna.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember meeting Nel and her fraccions.
*SLAM*
I remember dying to Ulquiorra Cifer.
*SLAM*
I remember everything going black and letting my Instincts rampage.
*SLAM*
I remember the scared and tear stained face of Orihime.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember witnessing Aizen+Hogyoku's Powers.
*SLAM*
I remember training in the Dangai for 3 yrs.
*SLAM*
I remember learning Final Getsuga Tensho.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember the sadness and unwillingness of Tensa.
*SLAM*
I remember weakening Aizen enough for Ura by Using Final Getsuga Tensho.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
(But my execution of the technique left much to be desired. Why? Because, How could I perform it when It needed me to become Getsuga itself but I kept suppressing one part of me and was unaware of another? The contradictory nature of my technique resulted in a power much greater than possible similar to a Nuclear Reaction but shattered my Core of Power. I would be dead the moment my spiritual energy ended (Because it also housed my soul, Unbeknownst to me)Thankfully, I was a powerhouse in that manner.)
I remember Invading Hell to save my sister Yuzu.
*SLAM*
I remember using the power of Hell to judged the sins of Kokuto, whom I thought was similar to me and giving him a sentence for eternity.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
The power of Hell, was great indeed, if I accepted the Position of Hell King, I could easily surpass Butterfly Aizen but... but.. It wished for me to constantly judge people for their sins even minor ones and I didn't have that much problem with it but I still had a family and a life to live. So, I told Hell, Not Now. Thankfully, Hell understood my words and allowed us to leave. When I left Hell my Spiritual Energy and Hell's Energy instantly left me but I didn't die? It seemed Hell had repaired (patched up) my core as a Thank You Gift.
I remember spending 18 months of my Powerless life pathetically. Zangetsu(Both) ever asked me only one thing" To Keep moving forward and to not Despair" and I couldn't even uphold that!!. Pathetic.
*SLAM*
I remember my supernatural friends distancing themselves because they didn't want to hurt my feelings, but it hurt, it hurt more than ever because they were treating me as a fragile piece of glass. They even used code words around me, ME, who although de-powered now, who was a already aware and involved in the world of supernatural.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remembered the bitterness in my heart when no-one from the Supernatural contacted me, despite the existence of Gigai, Not Rukia, Not Renji, even Urahara or Yoruichi, and the Vizards for all their talk about being a family, they had discarded me as the useless trash. That was the only thought going through my Head at the time.
*SLAM*
Because of that I made some of biggest mistakes in my life:
1) I alienated myself from my Human friends, I was so deep in my self dug pit of despair that, I failed to notice the people who were doing their best for me. Tatsuki, I..I caused her a lot of pain by just treating her as a Classmate. We were so much more than just friends, not lovers, but definetly more than friends. We just connected so well together. I truly was a dumbass.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
2)I never questioned the motive of Kubo Ginjo and the Xcution. I was not one to trust people easily so why , WHY did I not treat them the same? I guess I was just that desperate for regaining my Powers.
*SLAM*
I recalled the despair I felt when Ginjo stole my Powers, it was so great that I don't know what I would have done,if Rukia didn't gave me my powers back.It was a 1000 times worse than losing my Powers.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
"When a beggar stays a beggar stays a beggar, he will not feel anything. But when a beggar wins a lottery, but then bankrupts himself soon after and back to being a beggar, he would feel a lot more pain and regret." This saying, perfectly encompassed how I felt during that time.
*SLAM*
I was so shook by this incident that I basically allowed the Gotei 13, ( Thirteen Court Guards) and Yama-jii the permission to use me as a tool. I was that desperate for Power.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
Then, The War started, Many lives were lost in this war. Even the Arrancars were dragged into this,I later learned.
*SLAM*
I remembered the shattering of Zangetsu and how it needed to be reforged. But I couldn't do so until I understood my true heritage and truth of Zangetsu.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
The shock I felt from the truth of my true lineage and identity of my Zanpakuto was so great, I couldn't process it all. But I had no choice but to forge "True Zangetsu" with all that confusion, resulting the Zanpakuto to be a glass cannon ,Sharp yet Brittle.
*SLAM*
I remember finally defeating the abomination, Yhwach had become with everyone's help.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember Yhwach Stealing my Quincy and Shinigami Powers at the last moment.
*SLAM*
The forceful extraction of my Powers, made the wound on my core re-open.Then, I lived final weeks my life without knowing that I had very limited time.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
On the night of Funeral, Death, which had been delayed for so long finally claimed me, Ichigo Kurosaki.
*SLAM*
But that was just the begining of next Great Adventure.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I was reincarnated, into this world which was so similar yet different from my own.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
Unfortunately, I had lost all the Memories of my previous life and my soul was whole again, meaning White and Old Man were gone.
*SLAM*
Luckily, I was reborn into the same family as my past life.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
Family, huh. Such a short,simple yet powerful word. Blood Related or Otherwise family was family.
*SLAM*
Mom, Dad, Karin, Yuzu. Family.
*SLAM**SLAM*
My life till the Elementary Was Same then it changed from when I met Orihime in Kurosaki Clinic worrying for her brother.
*SLAM*
I remember the Promise I made to her that day. To be her strength.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I remember the declaration that I made infront of Tatsuki to marry her. What? I was 8 at the time.
*SLAM*
Then ,I remember Mom falling ill to seme unknown disease and passing away asking me to be a kind person and to take care of my sisters.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
I never made any more 'True Friends' other than Tatsuki and Orihime even though I had hundreds of classmates/friends.
*SLAM*
I remember graduating from Middle School last week. I would be entering Highschool again soon.
*SLAM* *SLAM*
Then I, I remember waking in the middle of night and finding the Reb Ribbon of Senna on the window.
*SLAM*
When I touched it all the memories of my past life came rushing back to me... From the Ribbon?
*SLAM* *SLAM*
Then, the Vommiting and Headache Incident Occurred.
*SLAM*
*SLAM**SLAM*
*SLAM*
*SLAM**SLAM*
*SLAM*
*SLAM**SLAM*
Third person POV.
Ichigo moved infront of the forge and raised his arm high above and seemed to be recalling something. Then he brought it down. It had so much force contained in it that not a single ripple appeared in the air.
Ichigo kept raising and bringing the Hammer down again and again. Again and again. Various expressions flashing by his face each second.
Happiness. Sadness. Love. Despair. Hope. Anger. Hate. Fury. Restlessness. Desperation. Joy. And much more which couldn't be expressed in mere words.
In the beginning, he was inexperienced and every movement was wasting a lot of energy but as he kept swinging the Hammer, his posture corrected itself and he found a rhythm to work with.
Each of his swings carried great emotion and Ichigo was using these very emotions to shape the white and black metal.
Zanpakuto are a part of their wielder's soul but they have their own memories, so what would happen if they were given full access to their host's memories.
But with each of his swings the power behind them grew and the Fire responded to the force slowly turning Darker , Hotter and Fiercer.
That was not the problem, the problem was that Ichigo's form was cracking.
Seeing this, Hollow gave a nod Red and went behind Ichigo putting his hands on Ichigo's back as the cracks were transferred to him. His high-speed Regeneration worked like crazy to Heal them.
The Cracks kept appearing on Ichigo and then we're transferred to Hollow, who's Regeneration kept working hard on healing him.
As for Red, After recieving the nod from Hollow, He went to the lake and dived in it reaching its base and released all his powers dispersing and mixing them into the very water, dying it red as he slowly faded.
After a while the lake had turned deep Blood Red and no traces of Ichigo's Angelic manifestation coul be found.
*SMAAASHH*
With a last mighty swing Ichigo Kurosaki brought Hell's Hammer down on the almost completed weapon and with that the Hollow's form couldn't hold anymore and shattered, the hollow spiritual energy rushing back into Ichigo.
When the Hammer touched the Soul Weapon, it melted into the weapon and the Now Black flame followed suit rushing in to the sword.
"Almost" Ichigo told himself as he held the hot red weapon.
*Hisss*
When it came in contact with Ichigo's hand the heat burned his skin even though he had Blut Vene active because Yhwach had stolen Most of his Shinigami and Quincy Power leaving behind only the Hollow ,which was a poison to to the Quincy, with a hint of Shinigami Powers.
And the Quincy Powers he had Inherited from his Mother.
Ignoring the burning pain in his palms, Ichigo lifted the weapon and went to the blood coloured lake.
It was time for Quenching.
As he brought the blade down, the lake started boiling and waves surged toward the blade. Baptizing the blade with the Holy Light Powers of the Angels.
The Powers of Oni and Hell in the blade reacted differently the Oni accepted the power but Hell was rejecting Heaven's Power.
It created a smoke screen.
Standing there in the midst of waves Ichigo Kurosaki could now finally relax a little as the most important stage was done. All that was needed was time.
Ichigo didn't know if he had that time though, Earlier Red had said that they could maintain their sentient form and help him for another 426 hrs but he didn't know how much time had passed.
Red, Hollow, Quincy and Oni were just his powers who had gained sentience due to the sudden increase of the mass of his Soul. They would have vanished after a while anyway but still he felt a pang of guilt as they each sacrificed their sentience to help him awaken, White Zangetsu and Old man Zangetsu.
*Sigh* Ichigo sighed as he stood amidst the waves holding his blade upside down.
Holding onto the the handle of the blade with both hands he looked like some valiant King waiting for a promised time.
Karakura Town, Evening, 7 PM
To the average people of Karakura Town, It was a normal day .There was nothing remarkable, nothing important. Overall a very forgettable day. One that some would rather forget altogether.
However, that was not case for Kurosaki family, Ichigo, the oldest son of the family was ill. He had not waken up from his sleep till now.
Isshin, his father had let him sleep till noon considering the condition of Ichigo from last night. But when Ichigo still didn't wake up he grew worried.
He could sense Ichigo's temperature was rising and weird markings similar to his Kijin clan, a higher sub species of Oni clan, but rather than arms they started to form on his chest and his hair kept flickering between black and orange. This was not natural.
"Why didn't you wake me up when he was ill !?!?" enraged voice of Karin Kurosaki could be heard upstairs.
"I..I...Didn't know what to do" Sob, Sob, Yuzu's tearful response came.
Karin also started sobbing. Sob, Sob.
The twins arguing didn't prove to be any good to Isshin's state of mind either.
They already had such arguments for the nth time since Karin and Yuzu were informed. Yuzu had been blaming herself for not finding Ichigo sooner last night and Karin,she just didn't know what to do . The reason for her occasional outbursts.
He remembered his Daughter ordering him" You are a Doctor!!! Fix him!! Fix Nii-can" .
But this thing, whatever was happening to Ichigo, was something he hadn't seen ever, never in Human World nor in UraKanto.
His and Masaki's children were supposed to be just normal Humans!!!!
He just hoped that, "that" man would come sooner, he had already called him last night and didn't know what was taking so long
Hence, here he was pacing infront of the Door.
"Yo, Isshin" suddenly there was a voice next to his ears.
"IEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!" Isshin would forever deny all claims of ever screaming like a girl and jumping in fright.
There standing behind him was a tall man appearing to be in his twenties with an average build, black hair, golden bangs and black goatee, holding a camera in his right hand. However, if there was a thing different from a human, it was that he had 12 Jet-Black wings growing out of his black.
"Your reactions are always priceless" the man said with a grin on his face
"Azazel" Isshin breathed a sigh of relief.'" You are finally here"
TO BE CONTINUED
