Tyrants

Notice of not owning Bleach or Deus EX

Normal/Internal

"Did you guys get all that?" Ichigo asked with a smirk forming as Ginjo left him. "We got it on this end kid. Heh, little pecker wood actually thinks your buying his bullshit." Ichigo chuckles at the gruff tone speaking in his head.

"It's almost funny, but Jaron was right again. That fool Ginjo is the 'target' that those backstabbing scum in the S.S are most likely pitting me against." "Told ju so." Ichigo scowls slightly as his 'partners' chuckle at his expense. The moment Ichigo steps out of the school, his image seems to jump for a second, and the illusion fades. "Check your nanites Ichigo-kun, your cloaking field failed for a second."

Ichigo looks down and spies the networks of augmented bio circuitry shimmer in the late afternoon sun. "Shit! Thanks Yelena." Concentrating for a moment, his arm shimmers again turning back to what seems to be flesh and blood.

(Line Break)

"So, did he buy it, or what?" Ginjo scowled slightly as he entered the dark and dingy room. "I'm not sure... It seemed like he believed me, but there was something about him. Something odd." A waifish looking girl with red hair done up in twin pigtails kicks her legs slightly before turning toward Ginjo.

"What do you mean odd?" Ginjo plopped down onto a chair and sighed slightly. "It's like he was reading me, and his eyes.." He shudders slightly. "They where ice cold, the kind of eyes a trained killer, or a murderer would have."

A stubby blond kid looks up from his hand held device. "Are you sure you saw right? Cause last time I checked he was nothing but a self righteous loser."

"Hero boy grew a spine huh?" Ginjo turns to the new voice. "This is serious Tsukishima, If we cant convince him to trust us, our plans will fail." Tsukishima nods before running his hand through his hair. "You might be right about that, his friends have told me he's all but abandoned them. Hell he doesn't even live with his family anymore."

"Have you located his current domicile?" A tall man with one eye asks with a low tone as he polishes a glass. "No, I've only been able to spot him when he occasionally visits his sisters. After that though, he drops off the radar, he's like a ghost, there one second and gone the next."

Ginjo growls as his hands grip the rests of his chair. "Damn it all, this was supposed to be easy." A woman with mocha colored skin looks up from her magazine. "Life isn't easy Ginjo, why not send someone else to try and convince him? Like me, or Riruka. He's supposed to have a soft spot for the whole damsel in distress thing.

(Line Break)

A man in a green and white striped bucket hat stands before a large screen showing the form of an aged man with a long white beard. "And you are certain about this?" "Yes So-Taicho, Something is seriously wrong with the target. Kurosaki has almost gone completely off the radar, he's even lost Yoruichi a few times. If he wasn't going to high school with the others we would have lost contact with him long ago."

The So-Taicho runs his hand through his long white beard. "This is troubling, is it possible he has regained his reiatsu?" Urahara shakes his head. "If your sensors failed to notice anything, I doubt mine would."

"What has me very troubled is the sudden and almost overnight rise of that strange organization Belltower. The technology they have been releasing is greater then what we have by at least twenty years. And somehow they have the ability to sense hollow activity." The So-Taicho nods in agreement. We have lost three high level infiltration experts from second squad trying to infiltrate their buildings."

Urahara rubs his chin in contemplation. "Has Central labeled them as a threat?" The So-Taicho shakes a negative. "Not currently, but they have been labeled as a watch target. Concentrate on finding Kurosaki, his loyalty is essential to our long term goals."

Walking out of the room, Urahara feels a familiar energy signature land next to him. "Anything new?" Looking down, he spies a small black cat looking up at him with curiosity shining in its golden eyes. "Central is has a bur up it's ass about Belltower and Kurosaki's ghost act. The fact that they caught, most likely interrogated and executed three members of the infiltration squad has them scared."

"Ichigo-kun's changes have me worried, without Zangetsu guiding him, he might have been overtaken by his hollow." Urahara gives the cat a condescending smile. "I'm sure he's fine, If your so worried about him, why not try and contact him." As Yoruichi hops away, Urahara's face hardens. "She has feelings for the brat.."

(Line Break)

Walking into a spacious but dimly lit apartment, Ichigo smiles softly. "Good to be home." "Tired kid?" Plopping onto a leather couch Ichigo huffs slightly. "To be truthful, I'm sick of pretending. Going to school is pointless, with the data dump you gave me, I have the equivalent of a twelve year collage degree. "Along with multiple years of experience in varied military fields."

"That's the thing, I'm the fucking CEO of a fast rising multinational corporate conglomerate, what need have I to play along with my former life?" "Patience Ichigo-kun, this is like a game of chess. If we move too fast, all of our pieces will be relieved. We are going against three different sides here, With the Soul Society, the Fullbringers, and that Urahara fool all against you. You need to tread carefully."

"Yelena's right kid, normally I'm all for a full frontal assault, but you need backup. The R&D boys are close to getting them ready, but until then, you have the only usable prototypes." Ichigo rises to his feet and walks to a full length mirror.

His body shimmers slightly before transforming to something else. Standing tall he smiles at his reflection. "It took a while, but it was worth it. A body that's faster and stronger then I could ever have as a soul reaper." Most of his body was replaced by augmented circuitry and steel, a sub dermal layer of armor composed of a dual silicon carbide mono-filament matrices covered his remaining organic areas. His hands traced the lines of inner circuitry running along his neck to the two small black clusters near his eyes. (Adam Jensen's augments)

"If it wasn't for you three, I don't think I'd have anyone to trust. That fucker Urahara has been talking to Karin so she's most likely lost to me, I don't want little Yuzu to be involved in this, and my so called friends are the pawns of Ginjo's pet. Plus the people I thought I could trust from the S.S have abandoned me." "They are nothing but sheep Ichigo, and ju are a wolf. Ju belong with us." The spectral form's of three people appear in the mirror.

"Ginjo will most likely try to use them to coerce me into following their plans. Any thoughts?" The three specters watch as Ichigo sits down near a table and slowly starts to dissemble a large caliber handgun. "That's the question you need to ask yer self kid, can you kill people you considered friends? Can you truly become a Tyrant?"

"I've already killed people Barrett." Jaron crosses his arms as he lightly glares at Ichigo. "Yes Ichigo, but not like this. They were not like those rats you killed in China." Ichigo looks up from his task and frowns at Jaron. "They mean nothing to me now." Yelena's form shifts from the mirror to a nearby darkened computer terminal.

"It's up to you Ichigo-kun, we are with you for life, but.." Ichigo picks up the barrel and slowly swabs it. "But they have powers, and if things come to a head.." The sound of a ringing phone breaks his chain of thought. "Hello? They're awake?" A sinister grin spreads across Ichigo's face. "Good, keep them under guard, I'll be their soon."

"Good news kid?" Grabbing his coat, Ichigo turns to the mirror. "Our 'guests' have awoken." Jaron nods slightly as a snake like smile crosses his face. "Then we musnt dally Ichigo, we don't vant to be poor hosts, now do we?"

(Line Break)

Sine the end of the Winter War, Karakura has experienced an expansion boon, The arrival of the enigmatic Belltower company has brought new buildings and growth at an alarming rate. All this did though, was make a certain little black cat's travels slightly harder.

"Damn it, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack." Landing on the balcony of the new Sarif towers penthouse, Yoruichi manages to spot a shock of orange hair inside the dark room.

"Ichigo?" Squeezing inside through a cracked open door, Yoruichi silently follows Ichigo, making sure to keep her reiatsu as low as possible to avoid detection. Thankfully, the low lighting has enough shadows to hide her approach.

(Line Break)

"Mailk? Is the V-tol prepped?" A small screen blinks to life next to the closet while Ichigo throws on his jacket. The Image of a woman with short brown hair wearing a black and red flight suit appears. Grinning happily she flashes Ichigo a thumbs up. "You bet Ichigo! Where we headed?" Chuckling slightly at his pilot's exuberance, Ichigo turns to the screen. "Shanghai, the R&D boys need me to personally review something."

Seeming to notice something, Malik peeks over Ichigo's shoulder. "Hey Ichigo, when did you get a kitty?" With a slight quirk of an eyebrow Ichigo turns to the screen. "What are you talking about?" Malik points to an end table behind Ichigo. "Right there! There's a black cat with really bright yellow eyes staring at you!"

Ichigo flashes a calm smile to Malik. "Sorry, forgot about her. I adopted a stray." Malik smiles softly. "Ya big wuss, See ya soon boss." After switching off the communicator, Ichigo turns to the cat. "Long time, Yoruichi." Yoruichi takes a tentative step back. "I-Ichigo...you can..see me?"

Ichigo smiles slightly. "I guess I can at that." Walking up to her, Ichigo leans down and holds out his hand. "Up for a trip to Shanghai?" Yoruichi cocks her head in confusion. "China? Why would you need to go to China?" Ichigo's grin widens slightly. "A surprise, but I promise you, go with me and I'll explain."

"...Ok...I trust you Ichigo-kun, but first.." Yoruichi gives Ichigo a sly and slightly playful smile. "Who's Malik?"

(Line Break)

Walking to the V-tol pad, Ichigo lightly strokes Yoruichi's fur. "This might be strange to you, but trust me, Malik is a great pilot and the V-tol is a reliable bird." Yoruichi looks up to Ichigo and nods slightly. "I trust you Ichigo-kun, but.." "KITTY!" A red and black blur slams into Ichigo's waist. As his vision clears, Ichigo spies a rather plump and shapely rear sitting on his chest as Malik nuzzles a highly confused Yoruichi to her cheek. "Kitty kitty kitty!"

"Malik..." A pair of black and fuzzy cat ears pop into place on Malik's head and she turns towards Ichigo. "Ichigo-kun, when did you get here?"

(Line Break)

After the small incident with Malik and Yoruichi, Ichigo and his new passenger settle in for their flight. "You never told me she was so odd..." Ichigo chuckles softly at Yoruichi's grumbling. "Malik's ok, you just got to get used to her." Yoruichi pouts harder. "I'll take your word for it."

"Ichigo..what happened to you, why are your arms and legs fake?" Looking down to the little black cat giving him a sad and concerned look, Ichigo smiles softly. "It's a long story, you sure you want to hear?"