Chapter 14:Heavens Divide

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked as he and the rest of the Nueva Espada stood out of their seats

"Easy, easy" he said as he waved his hands "I just wanna join"

Ichigo carefully studied the man, he wore a black shirt and pants with red lining along with a pair of black boots, a white yakuta with blue swirl patterns sloppily draped over his left shoulder, a wooden sword sheathed in his blue obi

But most striking of all was his wavy silver hair

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked again as he began to approach him

"An Arrancar" he stated

"Prove it"

He proceeded to tug his collar down to reveal the small hole at the top of his pectorals

"What can you do?"

"My hobbies include eating Sugar and I can sleep with my eyes open"

The meeting room fell quiet

"What?" Chad asked

"Why weren't you at the gathering of the Arrancar when I inherited Las Noches?"

"I was in the world of the living" he said as he began to pick in his ear

"Devouring Souls?" Harribel asked

"No, buying Shonen Jump"

…

"Hey, if you guys know if they're any convenience stores in Hueco Mundo, give me a heads up."

"Give me an actual answer this time" Ichigo grumbled "Who. Are. You?"

"My name is Gintoki…Gintoki Sakata" he stated

…

"I see…welcome then" Ichigo said "As of now, you have no rank but you can change that in the future."

"Just like that?" Gintoki asked "Wow, I though I was going to go through some assault course/trial thing would take up the rest of the chapter"

"Rest of the what?" Ichigo asked with a raised eyebrow

"Never mind" Gintoki said with a wave of his hand "Just an F.Y.I, I have Hypoglycaemia, so I need to eat something sweet now and again, and I'll be out on Wednesday Mornings buying JUMP in the world of the living"

…

"I regret this already" Ichigo muttered

"It may be tough now, but the worst is yet to come, keep that in mind and you'll be fine"

DAY 8

8 DAYS TO THE INVASION

Steel ricocheted off steel as the two Zanpakuto's clashed

Ichigo growled as his Tensa Zangetsu grinded against Ulquiorra's Murciéalgo

"Your strike is weak" the place Arrancar noted "Why are you holding back?"

"I'm not!" Ichigo snapped back

"Then is this truly the extent of your strength?" Ulquiorra asked "I heavily doubt it"

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped back as he pulled his blade away and swung back, colliding with Ulquiorra's zanpakuto once again.

"Is it your emotions getting the better of you?" The Arrancar asked "You're supposed to be out leader, The King to save us from the dark and this is the best you can do?"

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped back "Don't make me transform!"

"Into that thing?" Ulquiorra asked "You've used it twice and you have no idea how to activate it, let alone control it. How can I possibly abide to that feeble threat?"

"You'd think I'd listen to your trash talk?" Ichigo asked "As long as my blood pounds through my veins, I will never lose!"

"YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING!"

Ichigo was taken aback with Ulquiorra's thunderous roar

"Look at you!" Ulquiorra snapped "You're scared aren't you! Your despair has taken over! Having second thoughts, You've just realised the situation you're in! do you think you can take on the whole Soul Society? NO! BUT YOU CAN! WHERE IS THAT MAN WHO WOULD NOT GIVE UP UNTIL THE VERY END! THE MAN WHO CONTINUED FIGHTING ON AFTER HAVING A HOLE BLASTED THROUGH HIS CHEST!"

Ulquiorra ran up and proceeded to grab Ichigo by the collar and lift him up

"My eyes don't see everything after all, If they could, I could see that you were a coward all this time" he growled

"I'm not scared about any of that…I'm…concerned" Ichigo choked out

"About what?" Ulquiorra grumbled

"Ru…Rukia"

"What about your wife?" Ulquiorra asked as he began to lower him down

"She's unwell…" he said as Ulquiorra finally let him go "I don't know what's wrong with her, I'm worried and it's distracting me from this fight"

A few moments of Silence passed by until Ulquiorra dropped to one knee

"My apologies, Kurosaki-sama" he said "I am prepared to suffer any punishment you deem fit"

"It's fine" he said to the arrancar "You've…changed"

…

"I am aware of this…" he said, still bowing "I am coming to term with these…emotions"

"All because of her"

From the distance, Uryu watched on at the confrontation between Ulquiorra and Kurosaki, still finding it hard to believe that they were comrades

Comrades…that word was foreign here

No one truly got along

The Espada were more like rivals if anything, Kurosaki hardly spoke to anyone apart from his wife, even he was refraining from speaking so much

"Especially after that happened" he moaned

"Especially after what happened?"

Uryu almost jolted at the voice behind him, he creaked his head around to witness his fraccion, Cirucci glaring at him

"When I fell on top of you and-"

"It never happened, got it?" she cut him off sharply

"Hmph" he shrugged as he turned back to face Kurosaki and Ulquiorra

"I Know what you're thinking"

"What?" Uryu asked without turning back to her

"You're think why are those two working together" she stated as she folded her arms "You're thinking the whole idea of Arrancar, Humans and Shinigami working together is ludicrous"

"What'd ya know, you're good at guessing" he grunted

"What's up with you?" she asked

"He's not human anymore…" he muttered quietly "All he lives for is revenge…"

"It's a living" she shrugged as she arrived at his side, he merely grunted

"He's left his whole family behind" he proclaimed as he pushed up his glasses

"So have you" she noted

"I only had one member in my family and he's probably glad I'm gone…" he said stoically

…

"I had a family once" she proclaimed out of the blue "Back when I was human"

"Can you remember…?" he asked "Your time as a human that is"

"I can remember my real name…"

"So your name isn't Cirucci Sanderwicci?" he asked

"You think pale boy's parents named him Ulquiorra Schiffer?" she scoffed

"Fair enough" he shrugged

…

"Hiromi"

"Huh?"

"Hiromi" she said as she creaked her head towards him "That's my name"

…

"That's a nice name" he noted "Why change it?"

"I didn't have a choice" she grunted "When you become a Hollow, you're designated with a new name"

"I see" he noted, that made sense "Can you…remember your family?"

…

"My mom always woke me up at 7am…even when it wasn't a school day…I had to get up bright and early like a civil girl they said…I was born to a bunch of royal wannabee's…they were always so snooty and arrogant…bastards"

"Take it you didn't exactly care for them"

"They hit me…"

…

Uryu didn't know how to respond to that

"If I so much as dropped a fork then my dad's fist would meet my cheek…They called me a Vexation in their spotless family, Son of a bitch…and I if I screwed up…If I spilled some milk on the floor…he…he…"

…

Uryu wasn't quite sure if he wanted to ask what was so horrible that she could even describe it

"You don't have to tell me if you don't-"

"He threatened to kill me."

…

"Jesus" Uryu muttered under his breath

"…And one time…"

"Please…No" he cut he off "You don't have to tell me more"

Uryu didn't know what came over him…why he was being so hospitably

Her story…her reactions…her tears

She seemed so…Human

Maybe…every arrancar still had a part of their original lives in them, like her

Were they…in a way

Still Human?

"He almost went through with it"

"Don't-"

"He just pinned me against the wall, and started beating me senseless, I screamed at her to help me and what did she do? Nothing…"

"Don't tell me anymore" he seemed to plead

"Fucking little skank he called me" she sobbed "You're nothing but a disgrace!"

"Don't-" Uryu began to gasp

"I kicked him and ran outside, I just wanted to get away from it…I just wanted it to end…So you have no Idea how grateful I was when that car hit me"

…

"Why did you tell me that…" he asked

"You asked if I remembered" she pointed out

…

"I see" Uryu said as he faced forward "You haven't lived a good life…have you?"

"No"

…

"I didn't know…" He muttered quietly

"It's…fine" she muttered back

…

"Thank you"

"For what?" Cirucci asked

"I'm beginning to understand this a little better" Uryu declared as he hung his head low

Cirucci…still had some sense left in her…Could it be…

Could Kurosaki still be human deep down

"He's lost all traces of sense and Humanity within him, God Help us if you get him angry!" a voice yelled in his head

"What if they came after you?"

"What would you do if you were in my position?"

"What if they came after the Quincy, again?"

"First the Quincy…Now the Vizards" Uryu sighed "Is…the Soul Society truly this heartless?"

DAY 9

7 DAYS TO THE INVASION

"Damn It!" Starrk roared as he dropped his released form "I should be able to do this!"

"Calm down moron!" Lilynette shouted as she booted him in the shin

"I'm not in the mood" Starrk growled "Just shut up and help me with this!"

…

"What happened to you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked

"You used to be lazy, you envied the weak and you hated being the strongest"

"I'm still all of those"

"Bullshit!" She snapped "You never cared about getting stronger before, has losing the top spot made you realise that you want to be strong after all?"

"No…"

"Then what"

"I don't want to be lonely"

…

"Huh?"

"The captain, Shunsui Kyoraku" Starrk said with his beck turned to her "He…took you from me…

I was alone…I was alone again…

I don't ever want to be alone again" he stated as he turned to face her

"I'm getting stronger to protect you….so that I'll never be lonely again…I don't want to be lonely again…" he said as he departed from the room

"Starrk" Lilynette whispered

"So that's why…you worked so hard to get this power"

SOUL SOCIETY: THE MAGGOTS NEST

"They say that a war's coming"

"Why would he do this, wasn't Kurosaki their ally?"

"Maybe he got sick of their bullshit laws"

"Keep it down" Shinji groaned

"Hey, up yours!"

*SMACK*

"Ow, Bitch! Where the fuck did you get a sandal in here?"

*SMACK*

"Sunova-!"

"Hiyori's beating up her cellmate again" Love grumbled

"Poor guy…that's the fifth time today" Rose murmured

"She must be extra pissy today" Kensei sighed

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to!" Kensei snapped

"Oh great, here we go again" Lisa grumbled

Shinji mumbled as he looked up to the damp ceiling of the cell

"Hurry up Ichigo…Hurry up and get us out of here"

DAY 14

3 DAYS TO THE INVASION

"Oi! Bastard! you could've hit me!" Gintoki snapped

"It was supposed to!" Grimmjow snapped

"Why!"

"We're training dumbass!"

"But you tried to kick my balls!"

"Anything goes in a fight, dipshit!"

"Not cool man! They're fragile, I was told that they'll explode if I exceed my daily sugar limit!"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah! Luckily my hard head makes up for it"

"How so?"

*Smack*

"Ah!"

"See?" Gintoki asked as he knocked on head "It's like I have bicycle helmet built right in"

"Sunova!" Grimmjow growled as he reeled back his head

*Smack*

"Ah!"

"See?" Gintoki asked again "Hard as a 5 month old baguette"

Ichigo grumbled as he turned away from the Arrancar's 'spar'

He figured getting a little training would help him get his mind off things

But no…he was still wondering what was wrong with Rukia…

"Why has she fallen ill?" he asked himself

It had gotten to the point of asking Inoue to heal her

but apparently nothing was wrong with her

But perhaps Rukia herself knew what was wrong

"Ichigo"

And maybe he was about to find out

"Ichigo…" Rukia said quietly "I have something to tell you…"

"Rukia" he said as he paced towards her, he went for a kiss only for Rukia to hold him back

"Can we talk in private?"

"Um, sure…" he said as Rukia began to drag him towards their chambers

"What is it?" Ichigo asked as Rukia finally lead them into their room

"Sit down" she said as he took a seat on the edge of their bed

"What's going on…?" Ichigo asked nervously

"Szayel said he would talk some blood and find out what was wrong with me…and-"

"Yeah?" he edged her on

"When did we…first…"

"Um…that?" he asked, she nodded in response "About…two weeks ago"

"Ah…that sounds about right"

"What do you-"

Rukia proceeded to walk over to him

And placed his hand over her womb

"Ichigo…I'm pregnant"

…

"Wh…What?"

"I'm pregnant" she said quietly "I ended up getting pregnant after our first time…"

"This is…"

"I knew it…he doesn't want it"

"Excellent!"

…

"W-What?" she asked

"This is amazing!" he leapt up "We're going to have a baby!"

"Y-You want to have the baby?"

"Of course!…don't you?"

"Y-Yes!" she stuttered

"T-The invasion though…you'll…the baby will be at risk and-"

"I'll be fine" she said softly "I'm strong…remember"

"Well, you can kick my ass" he chuckled before he leaned in and kissed her

Becoming a father at 16 years old wasn't on the agenda…but it was a welcome addition to it

URAHARA SHOTEN

"I will not" Kisuke Urahara said coldly

"May I ask why?" Byakuya asked

"I will not involve myself in the Soul Society's quarrels" he said coldly

"We are asking you for assistance in the battle against Kurosaki Ichigo"

"I know fine well what you are asking for Kuchiki…And I deny your offer"

"Why?"

"This world…lacks an order of peace, By starting a war, you bring conflict, and as long as conflict exists, so will hatred, and that hatred will consume you… and if Ichigo keep's going on like he is now…his hatred will become so great…that he will become the Second Sosuke Aizen…you say that Ichigo is doing this because of his hatred of the Soul Society…may I remind you that all this started due to your report of him to Yamamoto?"

"Enough"

"I Can understand that it's far too late to forgive Kurosaki for his actions…but Kurosaki was supposed to end the Hatred of Aizen…and he would've eliminated that hatred…if it wasn't for your arrogance"

"How dare you…"

"Think it about it, the Soul Society's arrogance has blinded you in the past, Why would I, experiment with Captains and Hollowfication? I didn't, yet you were too stubborn to even consider the fact that'd I'd been set up, and when Kuchiki-san was sentenced to death, didn't you find it odd that she wasn't even given so much as a trial? No, you didn't, because your arrogance blinded you from realising the truth!"

…

"Very well then" Byakuya said as he began to take his leave

"I deny you access to my Garganta and my assistance" Urahara said coldly "I will not be a fighter in this pointless war…"

DAY 17

THE DAY OF THE INVASION

Ichigo stood in the throne room, facing a blank wall

His friends and his wife, to his left and right

His army behind him

"Ready?" he asked

"You bet your fucking ass!" Grimmjow laughed

"Let's go" Gamma and Gintoki said in unison

"Time to exterminate the weak" Arturo said quietly

"I'm ready…" Chad muttered

"Hmph" Uryu muttered

"Let's just go…" Orihime said quietly

"I'm ready" Rukia said

"Rukia…open the senkaimon"

"Yes" she nodded as she stood in front of him and held out Sode no Shirayuki and twisted it "Unlock"

The air twisted around into a vortex-like shape, until a gate appeared in front of them

"Let's go" Ichigo said as he entered the gate, his army following behind

"Welcome to the Soul Society" he said as they entered the Dangai

And as the gates closed

They left this world

Just as two men entered the room

"Damn it!" one of them cursed "They just left"

"My apologies" the older looking of the two bowed "I was not able to keep up with your speed so I slowed you down, Lord-"

"Enough" the younger one commanded "We'll just wait"

"Sir?" he asked as he looked up to see his master with a smirk on his face

"Relax" he commanded his Fraccion as he took off his helmet and leaned against the wall "We'll just take it easy until he gets back and then the real party will begin, you see?"

…

"Yes sir" he bowed

"Good" he smirked "This Kurosaki guy's took my place as the next ruler or Hueco Mundo without my consent, can't have that now can I?"

"No sir" the other one bowed

"How good" he smiled "Are you ready Ichigo Kurosaki?…'Cause you when you get back, you're in for a hell of a crazy party"