Void Of Reflection

https://www.fanfiction.net/~thestoryhungrydemon

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Ichigo found himself floating in the air above a dark abyss.

He looked down only to see the infinite below him, and darkness surrounding him.

"This is not right," said Ichigo. "It shouldn't be this way!"

As he tried to reach for the ground, he couldn't get a grip and he fell down into the endless nothingness. He hit hard as he made a platform out Reishi, but his body didn't hurt. His eyes began to burn, and tears streamed from them.

"Why!"

Ichigo ran and ran inside the void, feeling as if he were running away from something.

He had a feeling he knew he didn't want it to me true, until someone spoke to him from within.

"Stop! Ya bastard!"

Ichigo stopped dead in his tracks, his back turned to the voice.

"Zangetsu?" Says Ichigo then finally turning around and seeing both his hollow self and old man Zangetsu they were both his Zanpakuto.

"Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo Ichigo Ichigo."

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Ichigo.

Hollow Zangetsu smiles but that quickly disappeared."This is not who you are Ichi, this is not who we are, you are supposed to understand these things by now, you shouldn't BE RUNNING AWAY!" Screams hollow Zangetsu

Ichigo's eyes were glazed over with tears.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Ichigo, this is the path you chose, why are you crying? What are you trying to run from?"

Ichigo had no answer to give.

"Hmph, well you're the strongest Soul Reaper in history and you can't say why you are crying. Well, I'll tell you, because you can't live with your own failure, you swore to protect them, but you ended them yourself. So now you are running away from your own past, it's pathetic, It's pathetic!" Yell's hollow Zangetsu

"I…I…"

"You're pathetic because you failed. You failed not only Rukia but also Orihime. You know what happens when you fail in life right? You die. That's how it works, and you're scared aren't you? Scared to face the future."

"No, no, I'm not afraid of anything!"

"That's not true, you are a coward. You are a coward because you are running away from your own failure. Running away from yourself."

"No, No, I'm not a coward!" Yell's out Ichigo

"Then prove it to me!" said hollow Zangetsu.

Ichigo stood there frozen, he was confused, and he needed answers.

"Please, just tell me what to do."

"I don't know, that's your problem. You're the King not me and you need to figure out how to live with what you have done, or you will end up dead. And that's all there is." Answers hollow Zangetsu

"I'm sorry Ichigo, but you are a coward." Muttered hollow Zangetsu in a cold tone.

With that Ichigo's head fell lifelessly on his shoulders and he collapsed to the ground.

"If you wish to be better than Train and reflect on yourself since you have put yourself into solitude, in here you can't hurt anyone, now learn how to control and balance the complex soul that you are Ichigo." Says Old-man Zangetsu after being silent for so long.

"I really am sorry, please forgive me. I'm a coward, a failure and an idiot for letting them die like this."

"I know you are Ichigo, and I know that you are tired. But you mustn't run away, you mustn't hide from yourself."replied old man Zangetsu

"I'm so sorry, so very sorry, I'm so weak."

"You mustn't apologize for anything anymore. You're strong, you are far stronger than you think you are. If you can't stand up to your enemies, then you are not strong."

"I don't want to fight anymore; I just want to disappear. Please, please, please..."

"I've told you before, you are not alone. You are our king, and we will always be here to help you, even if you run away, we will still be there." Says Hollow Zangetsu.

"Rukia, Orihime, Yoruichi, Kisuke, Shunsui, Ishida, Byakuya, and everyone else you lost. They wouldn't want you to be like this so get up and fight, show them what you are capable of. If you can't do it for them, then at least do it for yourself."Says hollow Zangetsu.

"I'm sorry..."

"You should never run away from your problems. Always confront them and take action. Fight for those you love, and always remember, if you don't face your fears, you will lose everything. Not just now, but in the future too as I've told you before Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back." Says old-man Zangetsu.

"I know..."

"You are a great Soul Reaper; you are not a coward. Remember that and remember that we are here to support you. We wouldn't ever abandon you."

"Thank you..."

"I know you are scared, but don't let fear overwhelm you. You are stronger than you think you are. Never forget that. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Replies Ichigo.

"Good, now go train." Says old-man Zangetsu.

"What should I do?" asks Ichigo.

"Train, always train. You'll figure it out soon enough." Replied hollow Zangetsu

"I'll talk to you guys later then." Says Ichigo.

As Ichigo starts walking down the infinite void to train and reflect for thousands of years.

After what felt like forever Ichigo stopped thinking about the past. He was just training and reflecting, trying to find a way to live with his past, and make peace with himself. As Ichigo trained, he thought about the time he spent with Orihime and Rukia, they were both so happy and full of joy. Those memories made him feel guilty and angry at himself, and he wished he could change things.

A few thousand years have passed, and Ichigo began to get bored with training, he trained by himself and with both the old-man Zangetsu and hollow Zangetsu.

One day Ichigo decided to rest for a while, since he had been training nonstop for so long, he just wanted to relax for a little bit. Ichigo sat there on his rock looking at the stars, watching them go by one by one. These stars aren't real stars, but they were made with his Reishi, Ichigo has learned many things over the 25,000 years of being in this void his void which he has named the void of solitude as this was where he desired to be all those years ago.

Well, any ways in the first thousand years he plenty of time to reflect and with that came meditation and that meditation helped him gain the memories of when he had destroyed everything and well… it was bad Ichigo didn't do anything for decades but cry but he eventually he came to terms with at the end. Meditation helped Ichigo gain control of Spiritual energy to the point where before when he used a technique, he would power a lot of in, not anymore only a fraction is required now to have the same power as before.

He has masted his Quincy side thanks to old-man Zangetsu and his hollow side do to hollow Zangetsu and with all that training if the level of spiritual power he had all those years ago was impressive, well let's just say if let go of the leash things will go poof but good thing, he can direct the poofing. Finally, after all this year hard work Ichigo has reached the level of power he had when he had the HORNS OF DAMNATION if not surpassed it.

"Huff… it's been quite some time huh" mutter's Ichigo to himself.

"It's been a very long time indeed Ichigo. Time flies when you are training to improve yourself." Says old man Zangetsu materializing himself behind Ichigo.

"Yeah, it does, I am surprised I got this powerful in this much time although it was a long time." Replies Ichigo.

"It takes a lot of focus and dedication to achieve what you have achieved."

"I know, you told me that a million times already." Smiles Ichigo.

"The reason why I wanted to talk to you Ichigo, is because you seem a lot happier now, but something bothers me. There seems to be something missing. I know you don't have your friends anymore and that must hurt, but there is still more to life than that." Replies old-man Zangetsu.

"Well… yes, you are right. It does hurt and I miss them a lot, but I don't want to dwell on the past." Sighs Ichigo.

"Then what do you plan on doing next?" asks old-man Zangetsu.

"Next? Well, I think I am going to try to train even harder." Answers Ichigo.

"That won't help. You need to put your mind to something else, or you will never move on from this."

"How do I do that?" Questions Ichigo.

"It's simple, you have to find a purpose. Something that drives you forward, and makes you feel alive again." Explains old-man Zangetsu.

"Like what?"

"It's time Ichigo, it's time for you to leave this void, the void you placed yourself in."

"What do you mean?" Questions Ichigo.

"You need to decide what you want to do with your life and follow through with it. If you don't no matter how strong you become it will do you nothing by staying in this place forever. The thing is Ichigo you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, for you can finally start living your life, and who knows maybe you'll meet new people and build a new family." Answers old-man Zangetsu.

"How? How will I do that?" Questions Ichigo confused. 'How can I leave anyways I don't think opening a garganta would work' think's Ichigo.

"Simple destroy it, destroy this damn place!" Yell's out Hollow Zangetsu coming out from nowhere.

"What? Why would I do that?" Questions Ichigo confused.

"Because you need to do it, you need to find a meaning in life, and stop wasting away your time here. Ichigo, you have a choice, you can either kill yourself or you can live." Yells out hollow Zangetsu.

"Live? What would I live for? How could I possibly live without my friends?" Questions Ichigo.

"As I said Ichigo you have a choice, and the only way you can make a difference in this world is to make it better. Don't waste your life away anymore Ichigo, take the opportunity to live. Do it Ichigo, do it for yourself, do it for everyone." Replied old man Zangetsu

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo looks up at hollow Zangetsu. "What?"

"Now's your chance! Now's the time to destroy this place! Destroy all of it!" yells hollow Zangetsu.

Ichigo sits down and thinks about what Zangetsu is saying. He can't believe what he's hearing.

Ichigo looks at Zangetsu and nods. "Tch,fine I will." Says Ichigo with smile.

Zangetsu smiles as Ichigo stands up. Ichigo is about to use all to leave the void.

"Wait Ichigo!" Screams out hollow Zangetsu.

Ichigo stops and turns around.

"Destroy this place and make a new one Ichigo, this place isn't for you any longer. This place is dead, it needs to die." Yells hollow Zangetsu.

"I know, I will," says Ichigo.

"Good, now go Ichigo! Go and make a new life for yourself!" Yells out hollow Zangetsu.

Ichigo closes his eyes and releases all of his power. First, he entered his BANKAI then activated his Quincy powers to protect him using blur vein then finally using a cero. A small light form in front of Ichigo then explodes into a huge explosion. The whole void is blown apart, and a large portal opens up from where the void once was.

It was a crack, a crack of reality.

And with-it Ichigo was surprised. "Wow it... it worked hahaha."

"Of course, it would!" says Hollow Zangetsu from within Ichigo blade.

"Hah, I thought I wouldn't be able to make it out of there? But I did. Guess I'm stronger than I thought."

"You were more powerful than you knew, Ichigo. That's why you made it out, because you're strong enough to do so. Now you must decide if you want to live or die." Say's Old-man Zangetsu.

"I already know which path I will choose."

"Good. Now, it's time. It's time to live, Ichigo Kurosaki." enthusiastically says old man Zangetsu

And with that Ichigo entered the crack of reality.