Chapter 1.1
Groaning in pain, you opened your eyes. From your head, right down to your feet, every bit of your body was on fire. Your head felt as if someone had taken a particularly heavy hammer and smacked you multiple times. Breathing felt like it was through syrup, your lungs struggling to suck in air. Muscles burned with the effort of pushing your protesting body to a sitting position, staring out at familiar- now
achingly familiar -trees and seas. The soft sand beneath your hands fell through your loose grip, just driving the point further home. This was
your Inner World. If you put emphasis on that word, it was only natural.
You weren't Ichigo Kurosaki anymore, after all. Not entirely. Maybe not even a
little bit. It was all very,
very confusing.
"Ne--" Your voice skipped a beat, the voice you heard
wrong and
right all at the same time. "Nejibana? Where are you?"
It was the voice of a teenager. Higher and different in pitch than your voice. It should be the voice of a man in his physical twenties. Right? Not a boy in the flower of his youth. A man in the prime of his life.
Gah! I don't know what's going on!
"I'm here...Kaien." A soothing voice spoke up, soft and quiet. As if water rushing down a stream, her voice echoed in your mind. "You
are Kaien, yes?"
Forcing a sore neck to twist around, you looked up at a familiar face. Nejibana stood above you, though she soon knelt down to your level. Violet eyes stared into sea-green (brown?), concern etched into every line of her pretty face. Her green hair seemed...wilted. It hung in limp strands around a face that had visible tear tracks. Her eyes were rimmed in red, and her nose was swollen. If you hadn't known her better than you knew yourself, right now, you may have missed those things. You didn't. You
couldn't.
"I---I think so?" Once more cursing the unfamiliar-yet-familiar voice, you reached out a shaking hand to grasp Nejibana's arm. The turquoise fabric melted beneath your hand, pale skin replacing it. Water. "I
am Kaien Shiba. I am." Even to you, the words were unconvincing. Not too long ago, after all, you'd be saying something different. "Ichigo Kurosaki...that was who I was?"
Nejibana nodded. Uncaring of her kimono's length, the
Zanpakutō sat beside you, and wrapped her lithe arms around your back. She held your head against her chest, gently running a hand through bl--
orange hair. It was at once a familiar-
mom? a voice whispered in your mind -and unfamiliar gesture.
"In a way, yes, you were." Nejibana's voice washed over you, soft and filled with grief. Her hand continued to carefully brush your hair. "This body was born Ichigo Kurosaki. This soul as well. I...Kaien, promise me something?"
You lifted your head, staring into suspiciously wet violet eyes. A familiar scowl forming on your lips. "You don't need to ask that, Nejibana. You're my
partner."
"...I'm not sure if that's Kaien or Ichigo speaking to me, right now." Nejibana sniffled, her free hand reaching up to rub at her nose. Her smile was wet, when she looked down on you. "It shouldn't be like this, you know. Reincarnation doesn't work this way." Shaking her head, the
Zanpakutō averted her eyes and sucked in a shaky breath. Letting it out, she continued speaking, her gaze focused on the endless sea of this world. "I don't know why I woke up. I should have died with you, Kaien. It---there should have been another
Zanpakutō in this world. I think there might have been, if I had just let myself fade away. I couldn't."
Now, it could be said you were stubborn and maybe lacked a bit of common sense. Fighting Captain Kuchiki like that hadn't been your-
Ichigo's! -smartest idea ever. Fighting that Hollow alone had been your rage and pride getting the better of you, and look where it left Rukia. You were not, however,
dumb or unintelligent. You knew what Nejibana was saying, without actually saying anything at all. You saw it in the way her shoulder's slumped, and her body shook. In the suppressed sobs she was holding back. Even if it hadn't been on her...well. You'd seen more than enough subordinates act like that.
You'd seen Yuzu and Karin act like that enough times. Ganju and Kūkaku.
It was familiar, and you were always the biggest brother of them all. To your siblings and your Squad.
"Hey, Nejibana, don't cry like that. You'll make
me sad." You whispered, ignoring how it felt
wrong for your voice. Your arms wrapped around her body, this time, hugging the blade close to your chest.
Nejibana didn't seem to care, just letting out a
true sob. "I killed Ichigo, you know. As surely as if I had driven a blade into his heart myself. If I weren't selfish--if I had just let myself
die like you had, Kaien, he'd still be fine. He'd have his own
Zanpakutō and his own life."
"Maybe it's a bit selfish of me to say this, but I'm kinda glad you were." Smile settling on your lips, you gave the
Zanpakutō a good, solid squeeze. "After all, it got me a second chance. I'm not sure how I feel about Ichigo yet. Don't know how much of him is left in here either. Damnit, though, I'm not going to let it stop me from protecting anyone. Especially you and Rukia."
You were almost certain you heard Nejibana chuckle weakly. Something about how 'that was an Ichigo thing to say' muttered under her breath. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. If it was Kaien or Ichigo speaking there, it didn't matter. The meaning behind the words, the feeling of it all, would stay the same. You were going to save Rukia. You were going to protect Nejibana, this time, after getting her destroyed because of your pride. It wasn't even a question. It was a fact.
I won't let either of them be hurt, if I can stop it. If that means I need to give up anything of Ichigo, fine. If that means I need to live a double life, fine. I don't even care if part of me is always Ichigo. I won't give up.
Nodding your head sharply, you forced your body to a standing posture. Nejibana came along for the ride, squeaking just a little at the sudden movement. You smiled at her, placing her firmly on her own feet. A lopsided smile, like the ones you gave Rukia, so long ago.
"Come on, Nejibana. I think we've spent enough time cooped up in here. I want to get out there and get moving, now!" Grin sharpening into a thin line, you nodded at the other islands. It was still familiar, even now. "Whatever I am now, I'm still Kaien Shiba. I'm still the Lieutenant of Squad 13. It wouldn't be right for me to leave a subordinate out to hang like this, would it?"
Shaking her head, a small smile crossing her own pale face, Nejibana nodded. Her voice was a little, just a little, stronger when she replied. "No, you're correct. It wouldn't be proper form, Kaien."
"Exactly!"
Lopsided grin firmly in place, you stepped away from Nejibana. Patting yourself down, you felt a little bit of
joy at the feeling of her sheath back on your hip. After losing her...even as short as it had been, before the Hollow took over, you had felt like something had been taken from you. Something that was at the core of your being, and could never be replaced. Having her smiling face in front of you and her steady weight at your hip? It did more than words could
ever hope to express. Nejibana was the one person that would always be closer to you than any other. You could never, would never, want to replace that relationship.
"Ah...Kaien?" Speaking of whom, the
Zanpakutō spoke up hesitantly. Her violet eyes were still a bit downcast, even if she looked much better now.
You raised an eyebrow, wondering what she wanted. "Eh? Something up, Nejibana?"
"I---I don't know how much of your old skills and abilities are left. That body is still mostly Ichigo's," Nejibana raised a hand, gesturing at the noticeably shorter image you cut. Right. That. "I
believe you are more powerful than you ever were before, however, I don't know how much training it will take to reach your old peak. Please...be careful?"
Scowling, if just a little, you nodded your head. "You know me, Nejibana. I'm always careful."
Considering the way
both of you winced, you knew how hollow those words were. From you, or Ichigo, it didn't matter. Still, you couldn't deny her point. Just what
did you have left? You didn't know the answer.
You could only sigh, and try to smile at Nejibana, despite that. "Well, I'm going to head out now. I'll be listening, though. Don't worry about
that."
"...thank you." Nejibana whispered, raising a shaky hand to wave, as darkness consumed your vision once more...
Character Creation Vote, Skill Edition:
Choose one Skill to be Favored. Zanjutsu is locked in, due to Kaien's latent memories and ability.
[] Kidō: The Arts of Destruction and Binding, a skill focused primarily on the 'magic' of the Shinigami.
[] Hohō: The Art of Movement. Shinigami possess a technique known as 'Shunpo' or the 'Flash Step'. This technique allows for movement at speeds few can comprehend, flashing around the battlefield at will.
[] Reishi Manipulation: The ability to draw out one's power and put it to use is the difference between a merely 'average' Shinigami and the future heroes of the Gotei. However, it is a skill that will not necessarily aid one in any particular area.
Choose one Skill to be Unfavored. Hakuda is locked in, due to Kaien's latent memories and ability.
[] Kidō
[] Hohō
[] Reishi Manipulation
, "The Blade and me/is me", and so on.
