1Hi, I haven't written much but this is more or less my project to slowly chip away at for practice. if there are spelling/grammar errors, sorry.
Summary: Ichigo finds himself alone and out of place in this world and seeks to find a place for himself. When he is alone, he is approached by a mysterious stranger who offers him a deal in order for him to balance the line between the worlds. He must first perform a series of trials to prove his worth and train him. The first of which, is to become a shinigami the normal way, through the academy.
TLDR: Ichigo trains to become a bridge between the worlds
Some things will change from the cannon but it basically starts 10 years after the 2nd war.
Inner Hollow/Shiro
Zangetsu/Old Man
Thoughts
Part 1: Alone
Ichigo Kurosaki, substitute soul reaper, Visord, Quincy, and general pain in the world which keeps it moving to its next point. Ichigo Kurosaki, the head of a small medical clinic in Kurakara town, and a man of few words.
The war had taken its toll on him more than anyone. His life, and death, had been changed forever. How could he ever return to how things were before he was exposed to everything the world had to offer and the kitchen sink. Though he was never able to find the thrill he once had simply through his daily fights with low hollows, he attempted to live on in the human world, now with his powers sealed by his now transformed Substitute Soul Reaper pass, as per the deal he made with the Soul Society so he would not lose his life in the human world, including watching his younger sisters grow up. So now, here he lived in the human world, with his medical license and a boring job, now alone as his friends had moved on. He had tried to too, however unlike his friends, he couldn't make friends from outside his loop as easy, finding their little problems trivial. But in his defense, dying everyday used to be his daily routine.
He found it odd that the profession both he and his father chose was doctor, despite their shared involvement with the dead. Perhaps it was what set them apart, the ability to comfort those close to the departed and the departed themselves.
Today was no different than any other day. Ichigo rose from his bed in the same room he had for his whole life. His childhood house, now empty of all others who once called it home. He skipped breakfast, as always, having found it served him no benefit now that he had the combination of constant absorption and expulsion of spirit energy, on top of his body technically already being dead, meaning no need to eat.
Sitting on his couch watching some morning cartoon he liked when he was a kid, Ichigo looked down at his body. Another fissure had appeared in his skin. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and walked to his bathroom cabinet. He pulled out a small tube of super glue, forgoing the medical grade stuff, saving it for his patients. His body was covered in fissures which began appearing every month or so since about 10 years ago when the war ended. He threw the tube down in anger as it split and spilt all over his fingers, reducing the already fading feelings on his fingertips. With a curse under his breath he rinsed his hands under the sink and cleaned up his little mess.
'Maybe it's been long enough now. My body is failing me and I have nothing for me here anymore.' Ichigo thought to himself and his inner tenants.
"You got that right King. There is nothing left for us in this world. Not even the old man stays here anymore." His hollow, Shiro said spitefully. "It would be more fun to just run away and do as we please. The soul society couldn't catch us if they tried."
'You and I both know that's wrong. Also do you know how lonely that would be?' Ichigo thought back to Shiro.
"Aren't you already lonely?" That retort was met with silence. "We can't keep living like this. You'll go more insane than me."
Ichigo muttered a retort under his breath and threw the broken tube of super glue away. "We need a permanent solution. My body will have split itself into pieces by the time of my natural death," Ichigo paused and asked his spirits another question, "Would it be insane to go to Urahara and try to turn this body into a Gigai?"
"At this point, Ichigo, to not would be, as it would more or less be suicide, and I don't think any of us wan't to go down with the ship," Zanguetsu said for the first time in this conversation.
The other parts of the soul hummed in agreement. Ichigo turned to sign of his clinic to say 'closed for the day' as he walked out of the house and down the long road towards the Urahara Shop. He didn't pause to knock, only letting himself in with a cheerful "Yo!"
The sound of spilt boxes came from the other room as Kisuke Urahara fell. He poked his head though the doorway. "Ichigo-kun! I forgot you had no spiritual pressure. You've gone and snuck up on this poor old man," he said as he wiped the likely explosive powder from his green robes. "Now then, what can I do for you?"
Ichigo rolled up his sleeve, which he had taken to wearing even in the summer due to the fissures. "My body isn't strong enough to sustain my power which is now constricted to within it. Every once in a while I have to release power in Hueco Mundo but it doesn't look like it'll work as a long term solution," Ichigo finished.
The old scientist examined his arms, first with intrigue, then a grim look on his face. "It's a combination of a few things. First, since you died as an adolescent, your body is trying to age while your soul is still barely older. You appear somewhere in your early twenties, but you are nearly thirty, and you still look like a teenager in your spirit form, correct?"
Ichigo nodded along.
"Well that confirms that. Second, your spirit energy is trying to fight it's way through your body since that is acting as it's prison. And third, I believe your body is simply just…dead. Simple as that. You are keeping it alive through sheer willpower but your body, like you, are more or less dead."
Ichigo cringed a little inside as Urahara said he was dead with such cheer. "Soooo…permanent solution?" Ichigo asked impatiently. "Could I just use a gigai?"
"Well, yes. But you would run into two of the problems still, without a doubt. I may be able to figure out a solution but it will take time. I would request that you leave the body here so you don't damage it further, if that is alright. I have no idea how long this could take," Urahara said.
"I don't have much of a life to live, but people would wonder if I suddenly disappeared. Should I just die, officially I mean. No offence to Kon, but I wouldn't trust him to stay in my body for a day, especially since I work as doctor," Ichigo shuddered at the thought of Kon in his body anywhere near medical equipment.
"No, that won't do. I suppose you wouldn't want to live in the Soul Society?" Urahara suggested
"Not since Central 46 is back. They would surely turn me over to Mayuri for testing and possible mutilation." This was clearly not up for debate.
"The only other place I can think of is Hueco Mundo. You would be able to survive there, couldn't you Ichigo-kun?" Urahara said teasingly.
A woman clad in orange made her presence known to the duo. "You could use that time and space to try to refine your abilities. No offence Ichigo, but when it comes to low level abilities you don't consider necessary, you are a little bit more than lacking. I think it would be a good opportunity to practice some control."
"Hello Yoruichi," Ichigo said with true happiness. He had missed his old teacher, despite her perverted nature. "It would give me something to do there."
"Then there's the plan! I would be correct in assuming you don't want the Gotei to know?" Urahara said enthusiastically and poked Ichigo out of his body, which promptly fell forward.
There was a massive explosion of power before he reeled it in and things were mostly back to the way they were. "You'll check in with me when you're done?" Ichigo asked as he turned towards the door, his zanpakto in his massive shikai state.
"That would be correct my boy, good luck out there." Urahara and Youruichi waved the young man off as he stepped through his garaganta.
Idk when I'll update but I have a bit of time as of current