In between worlds, Ichigo's inner world.

The darkness began to clear, and light came into view, overwhelmingly bright that Ichigo awakened in his inner world to see Tensa Zangetsu staring at him. The familiar figure was enough for him to relax for a brief moment, stiff shoulders now slouch as his gaze narrows around the world that only contains the two of them. He wonders if this means that his sisters are in peril while he remained safe, there was a twist in his stomach at the thought. His teeth grind against one another before he finally brings himself to ask the question that is at the tip of his tongue.

“Zangetsu does this mean that my powers are coming back?” Hope colors his tone and is reflected from his eager gaze. However, disappointment was fast to come; the powers needed to protect were no longer within his grasp.

Zangetsu shook his head, a clear indication that the answer was a no. At that moment, Ichigo could feel his heart sink. “That connection to you will most likely stay closed, but the combination of you accepting your darkness and the awakening of the new power in you will allow me to grant you a blade in a new form.” The words at least gave him the hope and strength Ichigo needed; there would be many battles he would face. Regardless of what the weapon turned out to be, he would accept without question. Zangetsu then materialized a blade within his hand and tossed the object towards Ichigo.

“A new form?” Ichigo mutters the question to himself; his gaze squinted towards the object in his hand as he slowly began to take in the features. Though truly seeing it had to be put on hold as his attention went back to Zangetsu, a brow arched as he waited for further explanation.

“This is the blade I can give you once the other blade shows itself to you. You will be able to wield both at the same time.”

The seeds of hope now grow as there is a promise for more. To Ichigo, this could only amount to one thing: the dangers of the world. To be given more power leads one to believe that there has to be evil crawling out there. A sullen expression appears on his face; he would have to combat against darkness soon. However, this doesn’t turn him away from the path given to him. A logical explanation that makes him tighten his grip around the blade’s handle before he finally gives the object a thorough once-and-over.

In Ichigo’s hand was a blade that looked liked his Bankai’s but different. A standard-size, moderately curved, Japanese sword with a blade length that was a bit longer than most. The blade itself had a distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, and single-edged blade that is dark as obsidian. Moreover, paired with a squared guard and a hilt long enough to accommodate two hands. Attached to the guard is a black chain connected to a pendant similar to his pass card. Towards the edge of the sword, there is a skull similar to the skull that appears on his face when he switches forms, crimson seeping out of the corner of its eyes that wraps around the rest of the blade in a criss-cross pattern. As if the keyblade is consumed, darkness is embedded within as it glowers darkly. At the tip of the blade, there is a symbol with the radiant shine of sky blue for the symbol of the Quincy Zeichen, a five-pointed cross.

Spoiler: Spoiler

Link to the blade: https://imgur.com/3jq1cp0

However, he hears Zangetsu clear his throat, and his attention lifts away from the blade as he transfixed his gaze onto the other.

“The chance we will meet again will be slim, so I will leave you a little riddle.” Humor colored their tone as they began to speak in a voice that alludes to nothing.

“Okay.” Ichigo nods his ascent.

“I was always was your blade… King.” Zangetsu says grinning maniacally; the words made him feel like he was gripping for something. The answer he had was there, but he couldn’t reach for it. Ichigo eyes widen, but before he could say anything, he woke up. The last image he would have of Zangetsu was that appearance as the sudden confession rung in his head.

(Scene Change)

Waking up, Ichigo bolts up from his position; his heart thumped against his chest erratically. Immediately, he notices the lack of his sisters next to him, the responsibility he had come to grip at him as the anxiety began to spread; panicking, he shouts his sisters’ name. His gaze flickered around as he squinted, the more he searched for them, the less he found to anchor his hopes that they were okay.

“Karin, Yuzu! You here!” he loudly calls for them, yet he receives silence on his end. Then the sound of the rustling of plants next to him catch his attention, quickly, his head swivels towards the source of the noise. Instinctively, he has himself in a defensive position until the sight of what he sees catches him off-guard. Sitting next to him is a child with brown hair cut shortly around their face, paired with a blank expression amplified by closed eyes. They wore a blue shirt with two purple stripes and black short shorts. He didn’t know how, but he knew the child blinked at him as if he didn’t belong there.

Maybe he didn’t.

“Who are you?” he asked, there was little distance between them, but he knew better than to let his guard down around a child. The child once again was able to blink with their closed eyes, the blankness never left, but the more she stared at Ichigo, the more he felt like she was analyzing him.

“Frisk…” she says with a tired quiet yet determined voice. There was no quiver or no shyness often associated with children. As if she had years of experience under her belt, but that couldn’t be it when she looked so young.

“I see, my name is Ichigo,” he says, looking around finally he notices that above him is a hole that goes on quite a while. The distance to get out from the spot he was in wouldn’t be feasible. Even if he tried, he lacked the power to do so; his body was aware of this. Then he looked around, and he noted that he was seated on a bed of yellow flowers.

“Ichigo?” the girl says as if testing the name and nods as if she thought it was the perfect name for him. The action made Ichigo see Yuzu overlap her, with Yuzu giggling. The fact he saw her projection over Frisk caused his perpetual scowl to lessen and a slight pleasing smile formed on Ichigo face, the corners tugged upwards by a margin. His expression made him unbelievably handsome to the small girl.

For a few seconds, the silence was shared between them as Ichigo hoped for his sister’s safety. He knew that he shouldn’t be overlapping the image of her onto this child, but he couldn’t help it. Perhaps that’s why his guard lessened around her despite his general attitude.

“Kawai,” the girl whispered to herself. Ichigo blinked and looked around to what got the girls attention, only to find nothing causing his scowl to comeback.

“Don’t scowl,” Frisk says as her lips just out into a pout, giving her a child-like atmosphere. The demand catches him by surprise, but she begins to explain herself to him. “You’re so good looking when you smile.” She brought her hands up to force Ichigo to smile again, fingers pressed against his face. Ichigo couldn’t help but laugh at her innocent antics, a nice change from the dreariness that he had been experiencing. The sudden laughter heard from him caused the girl to stop and giggle, both of them relaxing considerably in a place that had no way out. Ichigo found himself ending the mirth shared between them with a sigh as if all the negativity that had grown inside him would disappear.

“Thanks, I needed that.”

Frisk nodded and gave him a breathtaking smile at the same time. Her response was minimal, but he liked it. He looked away from her; the image of Yuzu remained even if minimally. As his gaze took in the bareness of a place that appeared to be underground, his brows furrowed till a wrinkle formed between them. His stare returned to the child, who still focused her attention on him.

“Do you know where we are?”

(POV Frisk)

She blinked, the confusion seeped further into her as she tried to grasp at his words to find understanding. Did Ichigo not know that they were underneath Mt. Ebott? The underground where all remained? Most humans knew better than to enter, so maybe his appearance here was accidental. That had to be it.

I don’t know Frisk. He is a new variable, be careful with him. Chara said to me, suspicion colored their voice, and Frisk knew better than go against the judgment made. She mentally nodded in agreement with Chara. Despite her agreement, Frisk knew that there was something about Ichigo that Frisk deemed different. A factor that couldn’t sway her, she decided to bring it up to Chara.

However, can’t you feel it; the determination within him. It’s stronger then what I had when I fell here.

Yes, I can. That’s what scares me the most about him, Frisk.

How do I answer him?

Tell him about the resets, see if he will believe you.

(POV Ichigo)

Frisk tilts her head back and forth as if thinking about her answer; he wonders if she didn’t trust him. Not that he would hold it against her, they didn’t know one another. However, to his surprise, she begins to explain to him about the answer she had in her head. She then tells him about the “resets” and on how she always tried everything to stop it, but they won’t stop despite her best efforts. She told him about her “runs” both pacifist and genocide runs. She has done this for years by now and has lost count on what “run” they are on now, her exhaustion was reflected only marginally by her tone, but the determination never left despite her multiple runs that seemed never-ending. Him being here is entirely new to her. Blinking and tearing up a bit, Ichigo says this.

“The fact that you haven’t lost yourself to this madness says a lot about you.” Honesty intertwines with the respect that he has for her; this is not to coddle or pity her but his genuine feelings. The fact she had not lost hope meant that she had a will and determination that he could see his reflection in despite them being different.

However, he didn't expect her to be ecstatic by his words.

“You believe me?!” Surprise paints her features, the blankness that she usually has now disappeared.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Your story is and will not be the craziest shit I have heard in all honesty.” Frisk tears up and starts to cry her SOUL/HEART out. Ichigo blinked at the affection and hugged her till she stops, this was the least he could do for her. While he hugged her, one hand rubs her back in a comforting motion that he often did for his sisters when they were much younger. While he waited, Ichigo stared at the red heart in front of him if looked close enough he could see a smaller darker red heart in it. Weird. The girl finishes her session of crying into his chest to see him staring at her SOUL.

“That’s my SOUL,” she says, she makes a grabbing motion towards him as if pulling something out of him. Ichigo didn’t expect much but tied to the action, a Red SOUL appears out of his chest, and it is easily five times bigger than hers. In it were two smaller Hearts one was Green the other one was burgundy. Kindness and Athletic. Along with it, a blade that looks like a key falls to the ground with a clink. There is something familiar about it, but he couldn’t place his finger on it, but he knew that it belonged to him. That wouldn’t change; he was able to wield both.

“And this is yours...:” she says but stops talking and studies the blades that were there, her lips press together in thought. She could positively feel the deep connection to Ichigo’s SOUL that the swords had. Ichigo grabs both blades, knowing that he shouldn't have room for hesitation. Being indecisive would only harm him.

Within his mind, the appearance of his status returns along with information about the blades that his hand gripped tightly. Filled with information, he felt dizzy from the overwhelming amount. However, he doesn't lose the hold on his swords; they were his first touch of power that had thought he lost - forever.

Keyblade Name: Hallowed Heart (or Hallowed Defender)

Strength: 14

Magic: 6

Length: long

Abilities:

Damage control:

causes the user to take half the usual damage while his or her HP is in the "Alarm Zone".

Defender:

It increases users Defense when users HP is critical.

Negative Combo:

Reduces maximum combo of both air and ground attacks by one.

Light & Dark:

Any attempt to enter any Drive Form besides Final Form while fighting will redirect to either Anti Form or Final Form.

Berserk Charge:

This ability prevents the user from using there finishing move while in MP Charge, which creates an infinite combo until MP is restored.

Keyblade Name: Ultima Blade

Strength: 13

Magic: 13

Length: long

Abilities:

Once More:

Can survive a combo that would have knocked him out as long as he has more than 1 HP when hit.

Overcome:

Strength and Magic are increased when facing a strong enemy.

MP Hastera:

Regenerates MP at an increased rate.

Stats (change some of the stats)

Name: Ichigo Kurosaki

LVL: 1

HP: 20

MP: 100

Strength: 6+14+13= 33

Magic: 7+6+13= 26

Defense: 2

AP: 2

Frisk looks up at him with the unsaid but obvious question of what are they? However, even with the information that had flowed into him, it gives him little to work on and instead, more questions than answers remain. He knew the basics of what they were, based on the given knowledge, but that did little to help them understand them. He lifted them closer to his face to examine them, but he still drew blanks, why did he have them?

“I have no idea what these are. I have about the same knowledge that you do.” He replied to Frisk since he could still feel the heavy stare on him, not sparing her a glance just yet but he knew that’s not the answer she wanted.

She nodded, but a sigh escaped her, there was nothing left for them to do now. With that in mind, Frisk got up and made the following motion towards him. He figured that there was nothing else to find in this area that seemed barren.

“I might know someone who does.” Her voice had the familiar determination that he had heard before. With nothing better to do, Ichigo decided to follow Frisk.

As they ventured deeper into the darkness, Ichigo makes a mental note. Even if the place that had flowers was useless, it was the best for him to remember how to get back. In the off-chance that either of them got separated at the very least, he would be able to find a way again to figure out another plan. However, then he remembered her words, within the dark confines of the underground, there was someone who would know about the blades he held. He looked at her, her face trained forwards before she looked at him curiously as she had felt his gaze.

“Who?”

“Sans.” The name itself meant nothing to him, but she realized that a second after she had said it. She gave him a small smile, an act of comfort from her. She reached out to pat his hand, a sweet gesture that only heightens her innocence as she continued. “Don’t worry.”

They shared a comfortable silence as they walked through an empty corridor, the darkness had been overwhelming at first, but Ichigo was able to adjust to it. Soon he was able to make out the outlines within, but then they encountered something odd.

Rather than odd, it reminded him of the darkness he had faced.

“Flowey…” Frisk muttered under her breath and Ichigo at least had a name for the thing that looked eerily creepy as his face seemed too polite for his taste. There was something manufactured about the expression.

“Howdy, it's me! Your best friend, Flowey!” The creature responded to Frisk in a friendly manner, but the expression on Frisk's face said that the intimate relationship he presented wasn't mutual. Still, Ichigo couldn't help but be surprised at its features. The appearance of a conscious golden flower with an expressive face. The flower swayed left and right, eerily focused on the dark shadows that reminded Ichigo of those he faced earlier but different.

“What the fuck are those…” Ichigo wondered out loud, he cursed but had little care for that fact. The creatures twitched as they looked at Flowey, clearly under his control as they waited for his demands.

"They remind me of the Amalgamates..." Frisk mentioned, but those words meant little to him. He had no idea what Amalgamates was, but he knew for a fact that he'd need to defeat those creatures before they caused harm.

They were reminiscent of shadows, but they had a monster-like quality to them. Their appearance varied but the fact that they moved in a rigged motion, a hint of the fact they were still undergoing the process of being controlled. They remained still as if waiting for the commands that would give them the will to move. Flowey noticed that Frisk and Ichigo were staring at the shadows and he laughed heartily, a laugh that bordered near the edge of insanity.

"I wonder... What happens when something without a SOUL gains the will to live?" Flowey snickered as it began to do something to the shadows. The mutterings of a flower meant nothing to Ichigo, but he could see that Frisk looked less than pleased at this outcome. "Or better yet... without a HEART."

Then without warning, pellets came towards them. From Frisk expression, there was a flash of pain as if she had recollected something she had felt before. That was all he needed to know, using his two blades he was able to block the attack for both of them, wielding them with ease as he countered each of the pellets that came towards them. A minor defense that pushed him back despite his best efforts. Thankfully, he had the strength to block the attack. He glanced back at Frisk, relieved that she was safe and in return, she returned a grateful expression towards him.

"Be careful... those are-" Frisk tried to warn him, but there was an interruption by Flowey, he didn't want to give them a chance to find a way to defeat him. Their deaths were all he needed.

"KILL OR BE KILLED!" Flowey yelled at them, angered that Ichigo blocked his pellets with ease. So he fired another round, but not before he sent the shadows to attack them. "Go, heartless! Kill!"

The shadows, or as heartless as Flowey called them, went after them. Ichigo wasn't going to let someone harm Frisk, either because she had brought him laughter or because Yuzu's image was there. He'd fight for her, without a second thought he charged in with the two blades in his hands. Thankfully, Ichigo was able to reach the heartless with ease; the keyblades were long enough and did a substantial amount of damage. He effortless moved around them, hitting them with the keyblade as he began to learn how to use them.

That isn't to say he didn't get hit because he did. He couldn't deflect all attacks as much as he tried to. A pellet or two had touched him, rendering him to hiss in pain. He recalled his defense was insanely low and he wanted to curse at himself for that because the pain was severe. In his lapse of weakness, the heartless came for him, attack him, but then a blare started to be heard from within his head as he panted from pain and exhaustion.

There was something he remembered: damage control. The keyblades stats explained that it caused the user to take half the usual damage while their HP is in the "Alarm Zone." For a moment he couldn't help but grin widely, he had a chance still. He was low, but if he was going to take damage, he still had a fighting chance. He went back in, swinging his blades with a few combos but there was never enough as if he was falling short. Thankfully, the number of heartless had been reduced, after attacking them a few times they had poofed into nonexistence, a heart lifted from their bodies as it descended upwards.

The battle wasn't an easy one despite the numerous heartless he defeated, the fact of the matter was that got hit only a few times and his hp dropped lower and lower. As he panted, the alarm rang louder in his head. Luckily for him, he wasn't alone. Frisk wasn't going to let him handle this by himself, instantly, she ran closer to him.

The look on her face screamed the determination and will that she had after so many runs. "Bandage!" She yelled the spell, and there was a faint glow that extended from her to him.

Soon the blare in his head subsided. Healed by the spell that she had yelled, a small amount, but it would have to do. In his mind, the bar for his health points had increased by 8. Moreover, he would make sure each one counted.

As Ichigo finds himself pushed into a corner, he makes sure Frisk remains behind him. His blades were now nothing more than their meager shields as he scowls at Flowey that seemed eerily excited to see them close to death. However, instead of attacking, he decided to taunt them first.

"How does it feel? To DIE."

"Ichigo, come!" Frisk called out for him; her hands reached for him as his HP was still too low to handle the next attack that Flowey was about to send towards him. Even after she had healed him with a bandage spell, it wasn't going to be enough.

There a fireball was thrown out, luckily hitting Flowey and not them. Ichigo looked for the source and was surprised at what he saw. There, before them with an aura of maternal protection was a white-furred Goat. She had droopy ears and short horns paired with visible fangs and long eyelashes. The creature had an anthropomorphic body that had paws at the end of her limbs, covered by a purple robe. Despite this, that's not what Ichigo saw. Instead, the image of his mother overlapped onto her. Feelings of nostalgia flowed within him, and he couldn't help but loosen his grip on his blades. He found himself at a loss before he shook his head, that wasn't her even if he wanted it to be.

"You miserable creature." He sneered at her, his body now lit ablaze, but still, he remained. Screeching at the creature that had saved them, the anger that blazed within his eyes was no laughing matter. The rage that seeped in him from missing the chance to kill both Frisk and Ichigo was unrelenting.

"Do not test me." Words that were a threat to Flowey but protection for Frisk and Ichigo.

"If you let me live... I'll come back. I'll kill you. I'll kill everyone. I'll kill everyone you love." He rages on, the ends of him burnt but she lets him wander off. She doesn't need to finish him; he is nothing but a helpless creature that delves deeper into the ruins. Moreover, Ichigo wonders if they should have killed him there, but it was too late for such thoughts.

Ichigo breathes a sigh of relief, the exhaustion he feels now hits him harder than before. However, there is something he cannot ignore, and it's the creature that had saved them with the fireball attack. They both looked at her, but from the corner of his eye, he sees that Frisk has an odd expression on her face before the blankness returns.

She knew her.

"I am TORIEL, caretaker of the RUINS." She offers them her name kindly, a sweet tone that sounds sincere.

“Ichigo... this is Frisk,” Ichigo says slowly, the hesitance within him wouldn’t be there if he hadn’t noticed the odd expression on his companion’s face. Usually blank, there was more to be seen. There was a familiarity in her appearance that was relatable. That made him feel that she was more than the child that had determination and innocence wrapped into one.

Frisk looked nothing short of longing and pain, the same kind of stare he knew he would have on his face when he thought about his parents or sisters. If he had been looking at this objectively, he probably wouldn’t have read into it too much, but he was well aware of the circumstances that Frisk found herself in. Ichigo wondered if there was something between the two of them, no matter how many times his gaze shifted between the two, he knew that any words he had weren’t his place to say. After all, Ichigo had just met Frisk, and now Toriel. Moreover, he couldn’t hate her even when Frisk had that expression. Because with each glance, there was the image of his mom and the way she smiled at him. The feeling of nostalgia burned within him, but he wouldn’t let emotions get the better of him. Not now.

The sole reason behind his will was because he knew that he didn’t want to lose sight of the responsibility that he had taken upon himself. There was the duty to find his sisters, the very sisters that he had promised to protect. Along with the fact that he had taken it upon himself to guard Frisk even if she never asked for that. Her story still resonated within him and he wanted to make sure that this time she would be free from the cage that the resets had put her in — trapped in a place where humans seemed to less than likely to appear. Perhaps, this was him just being protective and responsible, but he wouldn’t let that be known. So he opts for silence instead despite the desire to comfort Frisk, he knew he wasn’t good at it.

However, there was little he could do about this fact because the next words that Toriel said to him caught him by surprise.

“Hmm, why is it like meeting an old friend for the first time?” The amusement in her tone was filled with curiosity before she turned. She looked back at them once and offered a sincere smile. He didn’t feel any animosity from her, so he decided to follow her, but the fact that Frisk looked unsure made him hesitate. “Come, I can offer you safety.”

Frisk followed after her, almost captivated and he knew to follow suit even if she looked forlorn.

She had never looked smaller than she did now. The maturity that Ichigo had seen from her now dwindled into someone who was looking into the past. He knew that the reason for this must have been many times she had re-lived her life over and over, the meetings she had repeated in so many scenarios. Ichigo found himself concerned for her and he wanted to draw her back to the present. The place that had yet to reset. He holds both of his blades in one hand so that he could use his now freed hand, placed against her shoulder in the form of concern. A comforting touch was all he could offer.

“Is everything okay?” The question made Frisk pause; hesitantly, she looked up at him with a tired expression. The determination that had always been there seemed to be weathered down. She opened her mouth to say something but the words fall into silence by the fact that they were surrounded by more of the heartless.

The numbers were far more significant than when they had to face Flowey.

“There are more!” Toriel mentions with a hard expression. It was time to fight; there would be no more time for conversations.