Surprise? Definitely! Shock? As if Lighting has struck him! Confusion? Deja vu can’t even describe it! Happiness? Many would argue about that…Hope? Hope…it was hope, something in there, deep in heart, a spark you could say has awoken in Ichigo after he heard those words from Mūnroau’s mouth. His hand on Ichigo’s shoulder, the fact he could see his eyes that were just looking at him, that described what facial expression he has behind that horned terrifying mask…

“W-What do you mean?” Ichigo uttered

“Let’s get some samplings!” Cheerfully said his hollow

“B-But you just, you…we were enemies a few moments ago!” Ichigo raised his tone, to underline that statement

Mūnroau took his hand away, he turned to look at the horizon, you could say that wind, a breeze has moved his hair. Long Like Ichigo’s, but the difference was that they were under water, technically the movement of water like a breeze moved his lush hair.

He brought his hand to his forehead, and looked like someone who has just witnessed something horrible, or really stupid done, asked, accomplished by his friend or close relative. This posture and this reaction wasn’t far from such a thing. Mūnroau sighted, weakly, but Ichigo heard the amount of exhaustion it carried with it.

“I’d be a bad philosopher” Said the horned hollow

This doesn’t make sense, what is he after? What plan does he have? Why did he choose such words to say something to him? Will there be more? Probably yes, knowing him he likes to talk a lot! Any moment, an explanation will arrive, in the form of a small lecture. Or him playing a teacher explaining something to a student, in this case Ichigo.

Student, Ichigo mentioned many times that he misses Zangetsu. Old man will return in time, as said Mūnroau, Ichigo would prefer it happening rather quickly. Not everything can be forced to be done quicker, he knows it from the fact his family had a clinic. If something has to regenerate, it will take its time, be it a year or more.

“I want to go with you” The hollow started ”There, into the plains and look with me for some saplings, for some as mentioned earlier by me, wood and memories”

“I have no memories” Ichigo said blankly “Any of this world, anything valuable”

“Well, excuse me King but you are lying”

“How exactly am I laying?” Ichigo asked back

“You have, from the party that you were on”

Yes, he has some memories from this, but they aren’t to strong or to valuable for the moment. What can Ichigo remind him off? What he saw when he peaked who is o the other side of the window? He better not remember that, veterinary medicine is not something he is interested in, or learning about horse anatomy.

“What memories?”

“You’ll see King, why should I spoil it for you? You are the King, you need three hundred percent of the average surprise power a normal person can get!”

“It won’t bring anything good, I can tell right now”

“Of course it will, you just have to trust me” He said welcomingly “Besides” His tone changed to a more bating one ” I can tell you a few things about your Zampakutou that even the old man couldn’t tell you”

“Tch” Ichigo looked away ”Wonder what” he whispered

“You won’t see if you don’t come”

He came here to confront his hollow, he did confront him they did talk, they did settle a few things down. Does he have anything to lose?, anything to lose grip of? Might as well go and see, while listening to what he has to say about his Zampakutou, after all Mūnroau is his sword right now, he is his weapon.

‘Moon roar…funny name’

Ichigo stood up, helping himself out with his Zampakutou. He brushed off the sand he had on his legs and the bottom parts of his jacket that got dirty too. Shouldn’t the sand be wet? He is underwater after all. Not bothering about such detail anymore, Ichigo looked at Mūnroau with narrowed eyes.

“Let’s go then”

“I knew you make the decision King” Mūnroau said calmly

Mūnroau waited for Ichigo to be by his side, both went deeper into the plains, moving forwards and they didn’t stop. Avoiding the tree stumps, this land looked so sad, it was heavily affected by Ichigo’s mood. Depressed and alone, lost everything because of destiny and a stupid space painted pearl. Why does he have to suffer so much?

“Now” His hollow said “As promised I will tell a few curiosities about me”

“I thought you are going to tell me about my Zampakutou, not you”

“King? Please, don’t act like a stupid person because you aren’t. I can tell by the fact I’m very intelligent and smart, this means you are too. I’m your Zampakutou”

Of course, Ichigo himself has admitted that Mūnroau is his Zampakutou. Goddammit, his mind doesn’t work properly anymore, he forgets about things he has said seconds ago. This trip better be worth it, he doesn’t want the princesses in the castle to worry about him. What’s worse of they see the mess he has caused in his room, from his spiritual pressure, this will end badly.

“Did you ever wonder, why the hell you abused you Bankai so much?”

“What?”

“I asked if you are aware yourself why you abused your Bankai so much?”

What kind of question is this?! He didn’t abuse his Bankai, he just used as it gave him the strength and power to quickly deal with his enemies, the quicker the better, the less problems they may cause.

He didn’t use his Shikai as often since he gotten his Bankai, there are plenty of reasons to defend himself. One is that everyone was powerful. Two, he wanted to deal with problems as soon as possible. Three, if he trained his Bankai, he could grain his usement of his hollow mask, becoming even stronger.

“See, you don’t have anything”

“I do in fact!” Ichigo protested “Using my Bankai often meant not only training it, but also dealing with things quick.”

“Indeed a good reason, but not only that. You see, you always used your Bankai to deal with your enemies, not often but also sometimes your Shikai. Didn’t you ever think it showed weakness to activate your full power? As if you were so weak, that you couldn’t even stand someone in your Shikai?

“It isn’t always about power and strength, sometimes there is more than that”

“Yes there is, I will give a quick example why you did things wrong. Bankai is the third form of your Zampakutou, as you know, it can strengthen you five times the power of your Shikai or ten or more. You just increase the number that multiplies your power, you never increase thru training the number that is multiplied by your Bankai.”

“But… that’s… really?” Ichigo asked in amazement

“Yes, I’m not done yet, let's assume, ASSUME that your Bankai strengthens you six times and the power of your Shikai is a hundred. When you activate your Bankai it multiplies times six, and you get a nice sixhudred. You increase the number that multiplies, this time lets increase the number that is multiplied, let's say by twenty five. One hundred and twenty five times six?

“Seven hundred and fifty” Ichigo responded immediately

“Exactly, while every a few wins or rough fights you increase the power for your Bankai, you can by small fights and constant training increase the power of your Shikai. If you find the balance, and I tell you, you will be golden King”

“I didn’t know it can work like this, I thought that by only increasing the power of your Bankai you also increase your Shikai’s power, because you train every part of your power”

“See, every day you can learn things. Such an easy thing to think about, yet you needed someone to explain it to you.”

Ichigo and Mūnroau continued to go thru the wastes, yet they didn’t find a thing. Ichigo was getting slightly nervous, he feared that someone might check on him. Or someone will come in without knocking, see a big mess, think something happened to him. There will be panic and anarchy around him.

But there was one question lurking in Ichigo’s Mind. Why didn’t Zangetsu tell him what just his Hollow has said? Why didn’t he know about this? Maybe Mūnroau somehow has stolen this information from Zangetsu. So that he can use his hollow powers more and get control?

It could be, or the Old man yet didn’t want to prepare him for this, maybe he had a plan or a new way of increasing his Shikai’s power without training it but just increasing the power of his Bankai? He definitely learned a new thing today, he wonders what else is he going to learn, maybe after all Mūnroau isn’t as bad as he thought.

The thought that Mūnroau did indeed hid this information, and just said right now is because he doesn’t have the means or ability to activate his Bankai. And he just bought him with this information that for now is pointless. After all he admitted he wants to take control an that he should be prepared.

Better be have his eyes open, its better they stay as rivals for now. After all there is a saying that came from the west ‘Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies’ True, yet so sad

“Have you ever wondered why do you have a chain on your Zampakutou?” Mūnroau asked

“No, but for sure it is linked to my Shikai”

“You are right, but maybe in the future I will tell you for what it’s for”

“Why not now?”

“Do you want to train?”

“Not really”

“Then it is pointless to explain why”

Ichigo and Mūnroau didn’t stop, tree stumps were dominant, they ventured on the desert twenty minutes since the last time they spoke. They found nothing, nothing worth attention but Ichigo felt warmer in that part of the desert, why? He doesn’t know, but maybe they will reach something in a few minutes.

It was hard to walk in the depth of his inner world, the water put a lot of pressure for him. His eyes and vision adapted to the underwater world and it looked like he was surrounded by air. Mūnroau was scary looking and to think he looked the same when Ulquiorra has fought with him when he was saved by his hollow.

Ichigo has a few goals if he has to stay as an Arrancar for eternity, he wants to know how to shoot a cero. And maybe even a Cero oscuras. Who knows, he might have an overpowered cero attack in his arsenal. To try and fire a Getsuga, but in the form of a beam and not a wave of energy. He might as well train for his own safety, this world s filled with magic, sorcerers that can raise continents can live here and wage duels and wars on him and his home.

Now that he had time to think, he could more deeply think about who he had met. He met Applejack, Spike, Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, PienkiePie, Rainbow Dash, both of the Princesses plus Twilights brother and Cadence. This big horned pony, Fancypants, he offered him a few places to work. After all who wouldn’t like to get some money by using a war hero like he is?

Staring with Applejack, she has a pony face, like everyone he saw. She has long and very golden blonde hair. A hat and she is from a farm, he could sense the tries to hide her dialect while trying to speak like someone from a city. She seems happy and cheerful, optimist and he can tell by the way she sometimes eyes him that she likes him. He does too, she’d be a good friend

‘Friend…’

Twilight, she is simple, she is smart. And she really is worried about the Princesses, more importantly about Celestia. She is her student after all, if you ask him she acts to tense on that topic. Twilight could lose some stress and think less about the princesses. It would do her good, a lot of good actually. She is friends with the princesses, so if something went wrong she could try and help him out by having ‘contacts’

‘Like Urahara…’

Rarity, she seems to be from the higher class, or at least she seems to be raised in the higher part of society. She definitely isn’t poor and has some money in her pockets. This world is far more friendly then he thought, even weird he dares to say. Maybe she donates to charity? She looks like a generous person. She is also acting like a sister of some sorts representing her family here and there

‘Sister…’

Spike, he seems to be one of those buddies for life. He wouldn’t object that, he definitely does a lot of work for Twilight as he is her assists, he also is a dragon. Imagine him growing wings and flying with him around. That would be cool. To fly on a dragon and like in a video game burn villages! Not that he intends to do such things. Spike would be a good friend too, there if needed, loyal and willing to give advices in the time of need.

‘Maybe I should try?’ Ichigo thought

Rainbow Dash, nothing wrong with her, of course she cares for her personality. It drips out her. She definitely values her good name over some important things like money or even health. After all having a good name is worth sitting in a wheelchair. Not that he is insulting Stephen Hawking’s, Rainbow Dash is a completely different subject. She is one of those rough and very energetic kinds of personalities, he doesn’t like such people but they aren’t bad too so she is in the middle. She’d be a good friend too.

PinkiePie, she is smiling the whole time, looking at everything positively. Try to find good things in bad, maybe she is weird, but she is funny and you could have a small laugh with her, but you’d need to activate your childish side from the sixth or seventh grade. What can he say? She is in fact fooling around, but in the good way.

Twilight’s brother, he didn’t talk too much with him, but he isn’t too friendly to him. He might try to from a better relationship with him. He hopes they won’t become enemies, the more he hopes he isn’t angry that he became the hero and he was under some crazy mind spell control! He is the captain of the royal guard, and now a husband to a princess. Having him on his side would be beneficial.

Cadence, she is sweet, she doesn’t look hostile. She looks like one of those good looking, friendly, rich, and caring about others women. Those girls, they are very rare, Shining Armor had luck he found such a wife. Or maybe more than luck, he found a princess to Mary, what more? Above law, rich, skilled because he is a captain, and has some power in the court. Cadence also choose well, she definitely is jealous each time someone talks to him.

FancyPants? He seems to be friendly too, he pointed a few jobs for him to get and to get some money. Or as he said, some coin. He might claim some money from this weird state funded organization he mentioned. He could try and be a guard, as Shining Armor looks for some soldiers. Don’t you need papers for this?

Maybe the whole problem that he didn’t want to replace his friends by finding new ones is because he doesn’t want to be like Aizen and betray them? But he is like Aizen and would in the end betray them. They would like to see him happy, his hollow was right mentioning that. He wouldn’t ever forget them.

“I see a sapling!” Mūnroau shouted

Ichigo shook his head, he looked around, but he didn’t see any saplings, nothing. But the water got warmer, definitely warmer. It also seemed that the sunlight was stronger here. He didn’t notice it as he had his head low and he followed Mūnroau steps blindly the whole time. But he looked around and yet he couldn’t see where was the sapling

“Where is it?”

“There!” Mūnroau used Sonido and disappeared.

Ichigo heard the buzzing sound more to the left, he turned his head and saw something strange. He himself used sonido to go where Mūnroau has appeared, he had to sonido himself from the small hill both of them were on. Ichigo appeared right next to Mūnroau who looked down at the strange yet beautiful anomaly Ichigo's inner world.

On a tree stump that broke into three equal pieces, in the middle of the the crack a small green plant was located. This plant wasn’t in the water, it was surrounded by air, it had a bubble around itself and it seemed that the water wanted to push on the babble to destroy the plant. A small sapling that would grow into a tree.

Ichigo also noticed that the bubble protected one leaf of grass, small and tiny yet very green and strong leaf of grass. But how and why was it here? What purpose does this thing have? What is it for? Why did he come here in the first place, he came here only to know some new things about his Zampakutou! Yet he learned only one thing.

“Touch it”

Ichigo looked at the hollow

Ichigo bent forward and extended his hand, he looked like a shy child afraid of petting a dog. He stroke the surface of the bubble, it seemed to try and form a new shape for itself but the sapling begin to glow green. The green light worked like a projector that showed an image the size of a mirror everyone has in their bath’s.

The image was him helping those poor soldiers from the changelings, how he fought with the changelings. He defeated them easily, let's not be afraid to say it, he wiped the floor with them! The image changed, this time it was him going up to the city ignoring the citizens whom he could help but he decided to instantly eliminate the threat, to eliminate the invader.

It was a hard choice, many could have died back there. But defeating the queen proved to be more important and the right decision, after all it saved many. But what happened to the changelings? He would gladly know the answer to this question, not all of those changelings were bad. Some were forced for sure, just like not all of Japanese soldiers supported what happened in Nanking.

The image changed again, this time when he battled with Chrysalis. For a bug pony like creature she also didn’t look bad, she actually looked quite good. Anyhow, he saw how he delivered his blows to her, he had her pinned back there and he promised that nothing bad will happen. After all if something would happen just because the ponies would do this from pure anger, he could let her go. Violence and revenge destroys everything.

The image once again changed, now after the war, when he had a few words with Celestia, it also showed moments where he talked with Twilight and how he was pushed by PinkiePie. The moment where he went mad in the restroom also was there. He was angry, he might have gone to far. He will have some problems after they find out who did this.

The image started to get more and more blurry, Ichigo looked at it with surprised look. These memories were quite strong, he could remember them very well and with most details. Although why do they disappear? Is everything after that less important? It actually is important, why won’t it show how he talked to Luna!

In moments the light vanished leaving Ichigo looking at Mūnroau with hungry for answers eyes

“You want more? Touch it again”

“I don’t understand, why?”

“King, look, if you fill this forest with those memories, with good memories, you will push this water this weight, this sadness and weakness away like this plant from itself.”

Ichigo looked at the small plant, this was his strength? Caring? Memories were what was driving him? Or what the memories had in them? If it is supposed to look like this, good memories shall fill this place up. If it is the only way to get away from all the sadness? But he isn’t sure, how can he be sure this isn’t a trick?

“I-I, how?”

“Remember what I said King? I never intended you to forget about your Friends, I just wanted you to have new ones. I know when things are impossible believe me.”

“You did” Ichigo admitted, he again extended his hand, he again touch the bubble. This time giving it more confidential touch

It did what it has done before, the plant begin to illuminate green light that worked like a projector, this time it was on a black background, the image it showed was cleaner and less disturbed. It continued to tell the story of him in this world.

This time Ichigo got what he wanted, he saw the moment when he talked with Luna. It was good spend time. She is a warm pony, she isn’t liked, he can tell that the nobles are not fond of her. But he understands, he was bullied. Both of them can feel the same pain. The image changed and it showed how she touched his mask.

Ichigo touched it too, he forgets that he even has it on him. It’s weird it shows the old pattern of his mask. Why not the new one? Its simpler and looks less scary. But he will leave it for now, he can ask it later. Maybe it is linked to his Resurrección he will or will not learn in the near future?

The image continued to change, it followed with his story all the way to the point where he asked Luna about the sleeping spell. When the party changed, the sapling went back and forwards sometimes showing other conversations. The one with Fancy Pants and his advices, to the point where he went to the forest.

The sapling stopped glowing at one point. Ichigo nodded to himself and looked at Mūnroau who stood there the whole time watching with Ichigo. Ichigo had his hand on his Zampakutou the whole time. He didn’t know what to think of this, maybe truly he did wrong by refusing giving this world a chance?

“King, you have to try, I know you miss your home. But isolating yourself isn’t too good, either way someone would sooner or later force you to open yourself ”*

“Maybe I should” Ichigo said, unwillingly but still he did

“From this forest that will be built on your memories, maybe it will rebuild something similar or the same thing. I don’t know”

Ichigo once again looked around, he imagined all his I tress, all his filled with memories, good memories and new goals and new highs to reach. His new and ultimate goal? To get back home, if possible. If not, then there are other heights to reach for and conquer hem.

“King, you should get back to the palace”

“Y-Yes I should” He looked at him “It’s been a nice talk”

“Yes, yes, now get back before they will knock on the door”

Ichigo was still in the same position he was when he entered his inner world, he was sitting on the dirt with crossed legs and his Zampakutou on his lap. Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, he quickly was blinded by blinding light, by sunlight.

He has been sitting in one position the whole night all the way to the morning. He stood up, his muscles gave a painful sign of pain from the amount of siting, and his back also hurt. He stood up, and walked here and there, left and right to get his blood run in his legs again. He grunted and stretched his arms and legs before using sonido.

The sun wasn’t yet to high in the sky, but surprisingly it was moving very fast. Ichigo stopped in mid air to look up but it was a foolish move as the sun blinded him. He could tell that in fact this thing was moving very fast. Ichigo didn’t know what to think about this, is this normal here or is something bad happening right now?

He moved towards Canterlot, he could see it very clearly. It was a magnificent city, still in the time of enlightenment, but it was magnificent from far to look at. The palace was the main source of glory, thou the waterfalls also had their charm.

Ichigo like a bullet shot from a gun flew to the city, he had to remind himself which balcony was his. He didn’t pay much attention to it. Not to mention the amount of harm he has done with his anger. He doesn’t like the fact that the sun is moving way faster than it should! Is the whole planet moving so fast or did Luna say the truth and Celestia moves it?

‘That’s impossible’

Ichigo was now near Canterlot, he recognized his balcony rather quickly and without effort. It was the only one open. He gained more speed and with a blur and booming sound he appeared inside his chambers. He panted, it seems that his sonido takes stamina from him, so there are bad sides of being half a Arrancar and Human.

However it shouldn’t be that bad, he can work on this, it’s like he was really tired, he just had to run a small distance. He quickly stopped breathing heavily and he calmed down. He had to clean everything, what’s worse he will have to somehow explain what has happened. He tried to find a brush or anything that could help him clean the glass.

His four poster bed wasn’t in that bad shape, worse with the columns which had small crack. The metal barriers preventing from falling down on his balcony were bend, he could bend them back. His strength enhanced by his reiatsu will do the work.

“Alright, I need to start with something”

Ichigo started with the glass, his hierro will protect him from unnecessary cuts, with his Zōri he got all the glass in one place and looked inside the drawers to find anything that could hide the glass. But he got a batter idea, he got all he glass in one pile and tied the ends of the cloth he found. Now he had a bag he could dispose of, the forest is not too far away.

Ichigo went to the forest and then back, he threw the glass away.

“Sorry nature”

When Ichigo came back, he had to think of an excuse why there is no glass in the doors that lead outside. He could just say it was like this this, or he could think of something better. The columns and the four poster bed, he can accuse them of giving him a room with furniture that is in bad condition. If he is lucky he will find someone who will believe him.

Knock Knock Knock

Ichigo jumped from the knocking, he organized himself and went to open the door. He pushed on the handle and he opened the door. Behind them, was a guard, he only peaked so that the guards wouldn’t see anything orthodox in his room.

“Good morning sir Ichigo. I have been sent to invite you to a breakfast with the Princesses.”

“Really?” He opened the door slightly wider “When?”

“In twenty minutes sir”

“Alright I will attend the breakfast, tell the princesses I thank them for the invitation”

He wanted to close the door but the guard managed to call him “Sir Ichigo! We have reported strange sounds during the night, apparently close to your balcony, please check if everything is alright”

Ichigo froze “Thank you, If I will find anything I will tell someone. Farewell”

He slammed the door, closing it before the guards nose, it isn’t polite to do so, but he was forced to do it.

‘Think of something!’

‘Was this to me or to yourself?’ Mūnroau asked

‘To myself’

‘Tell them someone stole it’

‘You know how stupid this sounds?’

Ichigo got back to thinking, there has to be some way. Something easy and something realistic, something that could save him and also have small repercussions on him. But he can’t think of anything. It’s morning so he still has some time, nineteen or eighteen more minutes before he will attend the breakfast he was invited to.

Why did they even invite him? He understands he has done much, but to have such honor and eat together with them. He doesn’t object of curse if that’s their will, although who first said it? Celestia or Luna? It's not time for that, he needs to think for something, why did the glass break? Why? An question that everybody in their life said many times. Why?

Maybe because there was a draught, yes there was a draught and he opened the doors to ventilate his chamber. But somehow he didn’t see the doors quickly closing and when it was already too late they slammed and the glass has broken.

It all happened just after he came to his chambers. Yes! This has some sense, later he can think of something better on the way. The problem is, he of the glass, he won’t just say he threw it out the balcony.

“A clean start, yet I already have a stain on it”

Author's Notes:

*

“King, you have to try, I know you miss your home. But isolating yourself isn’t too good, either way someone would sooner or later force you to open yourself ”

*

If someone knows History he might connect this to a certain event

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I have been looking for an editor, no one wants to be one