Disclaimer: If I did happen to own Bleach and it’s infamous character base, you’d all be having constant nose-bleeds. And since there hasn’t been an up-rise in that case scenario, I obviously don’t own Bleach. ©Tite Kubo.

Official Sequel to Cold November Rain

Fiction Title: Twilight Fading

Pairing: Yoruichi/Ichigo

Chapter: 4- Angel of Darkness

Rating: T

Summary: It has been ten whole years since Ichigo had last seen her. When she suddenly returns, things are not what they seem to be. Their child is no where to be found, Kukaku is still MIA and Aizen has returned. With an army of Vizards known as the Espada, Aizen’s plans are to destroy Soul Society and take over both realms. His vision, to bring together ten Vasto Lordes. Just how does Yoruichi fit into this? And what sort of surprises await Ichigo and his friends.

Authors Notes: The reason why I update after 20 reviews is because, 1- Gives me time to write the next chapter and come up with ideas to make this fic better. And 2- Writing is not as easy as it seems and reviews are the only thing I get in return for doing so. I really don’t have to upload any of my fanfics online, I write because I love doing it, so that does not mean I have to put my work up on here. Plus, reviews really do make you feel good. Its like..being complimented. I don’t get praise or anything often, I guess it makes me feel a bit appreciated. I don’t know how to put it. But I ain’t used to getting a lot of reviews and a lot of my friends who write fics on here get about 400 reviews in the first couple of chapters. I’m envious/jealous of them.

Mononoke is the Japanese term for Demon or Monster (from what I got when I searched it). Since Yoruichi is a master of the proclaimed demon arts, I figured it would be a suitable name for her Zanpakuto. I will probably change this for future stories. I was running out of time trying to research a name for her sword, and thus, that was the outcome. “Dance” for the release command was something in reference to her speed. Remember the episode, “Yoruichi, Goddess of Flash dances”. Yeah, it came from that. Lack of creativity on my part. Although her Ban-Kai release, which you will find out, is something entirely different and it doesn’t use the original Zanpakuto name. The Japanese I used for it is most likely incorrect, and I am very sorry to the Japanese culture for my mistake on the word since I did just put together the Japanese words..and well, you will see. I mean no insult to anyone; I’m merely not too educated in the language.

It seems a lot of you want to know what happens with Kukaku and to her. So far, that could quite possibly to turn out to be a whole new story itself. Though, who to pair her with I’m not so sure. I may not even put her with anyone at all. Perhaps Byakuya, but I got such condescending commentary about that in the past, I’m afraid I might have to give that idea a miss. Any suggestions? Of course, she will still be in this story. She has a major role, after all.

Read. +Review+ Enjoy!

She had moved so profoundly fast, Ichigo was still in a state of lull. Since when did his flash goddess perfect the art of sonido? It were as if she truly had crossed over to the other side. From what he knew, she could still regain her full form back. The hole in her chest could close. At the moment, his primary concern wasn’t that, however.

The little girl in his arms gazed up at her mother with awe. Ichigo was wholly surprised to see that she was neither afraid nor fearful of what was going on around her. Why was she so brave? Did she know these arrancar? Ichigo refused to believe Yoruichi would even take their daughter around such scum. But, it had been ten years.

How well do you really know someone?

“Masaki.” Even her voice seemed to boom and echo with a power unlike that of which she had years ago. The little girl nodded her head, never removing herself from her fathers protective grip. “Why don’t you head on back to Kukaku’s? This is no place for you to be right now.”

“But Mommy!” Masaki shouted in protest, taking a step forward. It seemed to escape all their minds that Yoruichi was currently cutting a cero the size of a giant submarine in half.

“No buts!” Yoruichi growled softly, completely slicing the cero in half before stabbing her sword in the ground and turning to her daughter with her hands on her hips. It was a move to display power and position. Every child needed to respect her parent and vice-versa. Mutual agreements and those family bonds.

“Why can’t I stay and play too? Its not fair!” Tears welled in the corners of golden-brown eyes. Pouting her lip out, the scene were more like a family quarrel than a battlefield. Heaving a sigh, Yoruichi was about to protest once again before a hand was laid on her shoulder.

Ichigo immediately tensed, clenching his teeth. Though, Yoruichi seemed unfazed and unaffected.

“Lady Yoruichi…” The voice began. It was a cold, stoic voice that barely had any emphasis whatsoever to it. Golden eyes gazed up into green ones before the violet haired shunshin smiled and nodded her head. “I promise to keep her safe.”

“Aizen will not like this.” Yoruichi stated as she folded her arms below her chest and chuckled. “One of his best and most loyal defying him to side with me and the ryoka?”

“I am not siding with you.” Ulquiorra stated as he held open his arms for Masaki. Golden-brown eyes blinked twice before smiling wide and glancing up at her father.

“I’ll see you later, right daddy!? Me you and mommy have lots to talk about!” She smiled with a brightness that confused Ichigo. Small arms wrapped around his waist, and all he could do was hug his little girl back tightly.

“She’ll be fine, Ichigo.” The warm words were spoken by Yoruichi, who noticed his hesitance to let her go. Why the hell should he! Ulquiorra was the enemy. And a damned powerful one at that. His mission was to kill. “Ulquiorra won’t hurt her. He’s been more like…” her voice trailed. She couldn’t say a father. That would hurt Ichigo too much, and she knew she needed to mend what she had destroyed. At least try to pick up the pieces and move forward. If, of course, they escaped with their lives.

“A father, I know.” Ichigo seethed through clenched teeth, closing his eyes tightly as he kneeled to hug his little girl better. After pulling away, time seemed to freeze itself. Masaki smiled to him, reaching up with small hands to trace the form of his face before wiggling her nose against his own and stepping back.

“Don’t worry, daddy. Uncle Ulquiorra would never hurt me. Mama would kill him for that.” Despite her talk, Ichigo was mildly taken aback. Though, there would be time after the battle to rekindle his bond with his little girl and her beautiful mother. Standing again, Ichigo smiled down to her with a new sense of pride. He would not allow anyone to die here today. Not unless it was the other team.

“Well alright then.” Brown eyes shifted up to Ulquiorra. “If anything happens to her. Even if one single hair on her head is removed, you won’t live to explain.”

The stoic man for once let out a laugh in mockery, glancing to Yoruichi before she nodded her head to him. Masaki slipped her small hand into his large pale one, and in an instant, they were gone.

“What the hell!” Ichigo shouted, mouth agape as he turned his eyes back to her. “Just when the hell did she learn to do that!”

After shedding a hearty laugh, Yoruichi shook her head, turning her eyes back to their opponents. They stood watching with semi-confused faces. Perhaps as to why they would pause in the middle of a fight to babble. Regardless, they had a fight to finish. Gripping her sword, she removed the blade from the ground, its violet-red tint allowed the black blade to shimmer with an aura that was neither good nor evil. Something in-between the realms of both light and dark.

Ichigo watched her from behind. Since when had she gone from the sidelines to the front? For as long as he could remember, save when she transformed into a Vizard, she was more of the back up. Stepping in to fight only when needed. And now, she comes out with a spiritual pressure no one should have. Not even over a ten period time. However, the more he thought about it, the less he knew about her. She had always been one to keep him guessing.

Her knowledge had forever been boundless. There was never an end to how much she knew. She could teach a great many things. Said orange haired reaper had never thought to stop and think about just how much she could do what she preached. He’d known she had a Zanpakuto. Known she had a bankai because of her status in Soul Society.

And he had been told that a shunpo master could always enhance their skill and speed at will. That there was no limit for those who mastered the skill, and for someone like Yoruichi, the first true Flash God, limits and laws didn’t exist. There was a limit to the body’s endurance but not to the speed she contained. Not to the many techniques she could sprout from combining two works of art. Had she figured out any more moves like shunko? Ichigo was both eager and apprehensive to find out.

“Are you done with your little family reunion?” Yoruichi recognized the voice. And her eyes shot towards the man who had fired the unique shot of cero. There was only one who could summon that much power with such force.

“Sorry to bore you, Stark. A mother has her duties.” Golden eyes glared, thin lips lifting in a subtle smirk. She hadn’t had the pleasure to cross his path too many times, but when they did run into each other, they’d had some pleasant conversation. Not that that was always the case.

“I would much more appreciate it if you started putting the sword where your mouth is.”

“What a rude thing to say to a lady.” Yoruichi grinned, gripping her Zanpakuto as she thrust it out forward. The tip sparked with a black electricity. Her reiatsu swirled around her arm and body once again. Stark’s expression darkened.

“You’re no lady, Shihouin.”

“Ouch.” She mock pouted, and before Ichigo could even lift his own Zanpakuto from the ground, a bright flash rendered him blind for moments.

“Yoruichi!” He shouted, fearing the worst. Though, the violet haired beauty was no longer standing in place, and instead was going at it with Stark. But she didn’t have the upper hand. Far from it, as Ichigo noticed. The large newly made crater in the ground must have been from her attack.

“Combining shunko with a blast from your sword.” Ichigo smirked, shaking his head as he thrust his own blade out. “That’s sort of impressive. But we haven’t got time to play silly games.” His eyes swirled with the blue power of his spiritual pressure. Said power began to swirl about his feet, causing the ground to shake violently before the entirety of that rising reiatsu swarmed back into his blade. “Ban-Kai.” The earth shattered beneath his feet, shredding away the precious ground nearly fifty feet all around. The smoke and dust cleared as if it had been waiting on a breath. Ichigo’s bright orange hair came into view first, causing Yoruichi to pause for a moment as she admired his bankai from afar. She simultaneously blocked a kicked with her arm, grinning slightly. It was about time… She could use the help.

“You’re too distracted.” The words were finished by the time Yoruichi had grasped the meaning and the voice. There was a push at her mid drift, before the blast began to materialize. With wide eyes, the Goddess used her infamous Utsusemi. The art allowed her to narrowly escape the attack, her tangible after image acting as a clone. Starkk smiled with victory, all too soon. Before he had known what hit him, his face met the ground.

For a moment, Ichigo himself was stunned. Not to mention the long forgotten Halibel, who stood off to the side with a sweat drop forming on the side of her face. The clone of Yoruichi faded out just as it looked as if it were in-pain. Everything, down to the last detail of blood was perfect. Almost too real.

From the sky, Yoruichi narrowed her golden eyes down at the spectators. Had they really thought she were that stupid? Had that really even, for just an instance, think of her as weak? The Shihouin everyone had once known was long gone. The familiar spark of recognition no longer donned her golden eyes, nor did the promise of assurance.

Ichigo could remember a time when he sensed safety. When her presence was shrouded in reassurance.

There was nothing now but the cold, painful bite of a hollow.

Starkk stood with a slight scowl on his face. Clearly, he had reached a state of annoyance. The woman moved so fast, it was hard to land a hit. Her speed was possibly greater than his own. How she managed to learn sonido without being a hollow was unnerving. He’d strived for that speed during training. Whilst it came naturally to her; almost like breathing. Perhaps it was a fruition of her birth. A talent, an art, born within her.

“And you’re a bit slow.” Came the counter, her words echoing down. Ichigo paused a moment, his eye’s widening when her form suddenly vanished from its hovering position. (Another thing he would question her about. She seemed to hover better than anything. Perhaps she had some sort of new accessory?)

Starkk faltered only a moment before shifting his eyes towards Ichigo, to which the orange haired reaper clutched his blade. Was he going to right him now?

“Step aside Ichigo.” Yoruichi’s voice rang. But something was oddly different. The air changed yet again, gravity began to push and pull. It almost felt as if his body were being blown apart, as if his limbs were being torn off. The pain was almost excruciating, and Ichigo had to up his own spiritual pressure to counter its affects. Had he really grown so weak? Though, he were doubting his own abilities. This Starkk fellow wasn’t even exerting any spiritual pressure, yet was able to inflict so much damage with a punch. Even his cero was extremely powerful in this state. “He’s holding back.” Yoruichi stated simply, her words shrouded in that same echo.

Glancing behind him, the substitute shinigami stepped aside, his brown orbs narrowing and widening at her.

Standing a few feet from him, Yoruichi was covered in a swirling reiatsu. It was different from usual. Black pressure churning inward, while red blew outward. It covered the area, blanketing everything around them. Her eyes were missing their golden hues, completely black, thin red lines replaced her iris. The ground crackled beneath her feet, busting up from its compact form and crumbling. The earth disintegrated into then air right before his eyes.

The spiritual pressure of Halibel completely disappeared, though Ichigo couldn’t tear his eyes away from his beloved.

“Yoruichi.. What are you-”

“Let me show you,” The Goddess managed, grasping her sword firmly in hand. The blade grew, its mass increasing. Like a flashing light, its form changed repeatedly. Her power exerted itself again, and the blade paused still on a slender form much like his own. Red reiatsu swirled up around the length of the blade, covering its whole entirely before hardening into a sharp, aluminous sword. Black armor materialized from thin air, packing itself on her forearms and shins. Ichigo’s eye’s failed to blink when the armor formed over her entire form, leaving her mid-drift and back open, shoulder armor spiking out and upward with a slight point. The armor continued to trail up her neck, covering the outer part of her face before spiking behind her ears to form something cat like. “Let me show you, the power…” Her voice faded slightly, straining as the reiatsu turned strictly into red.

That’s when Ichigo noticed it. The power. The black spiritual pressure had been her defense. While her offense was scorned in the red, signifying blood. They acted as a balance, the red becoming her opposing power, while the black became her armor; her source of protection.

“Open Seki-Heru.” The words blew past her lips, so softly, it was almost inaudible.

That had to be the exact moment.

Instantly, the ground beneath shattered. The debris blew into the air, whipping up in speed before slowing to a complete stop. Everything seemed to stop. Time ceased, but Yoruichi’s form became invisible. The bright red light blinding her as her form gradually became outlined by black.

The moment I realized the Yoruichi I once knew was gone.

The bright red aurora shooting through the earth expanded, completely destroying the earth beneath them. Ichigo used his shunpo in order to get out of the way. Starkk spared Yoruichi her glory and did the same, unsure if he would have been harmed by this mysterious light, or not. The red light began to die down, a cloud of smoke making vision impossible.

Seeing her, for the very first time…like that…terrified me. It made me want to crawl away. Assume a fetal position somewhere and weep away time.

Starkk glared in Yoruichi’s direction, his face unchanging as the dust subsided, and sight was once more possible.

Removing his arm from his face, Ichigo narrowed his eye’s in his lovers direction. What was this feeling? This intense…overwhelming power that made him feel small. Smaller than small. As if he didn’t even exist. As if, he was a mere human. An insect. Inferior.

Standing upon a single pillar of crumbing rock, was the form of Yoruichi. Her body was covered in a black armor. It lined her curves, no where near bulky. It ran up her sides, around her thighs, chest, and shins. Even her forearms were covered. Her right hand, which held her blade, was incased in a large piece of armor extending down over her hand’s, acting as a glove. It pursed up off her shoulder blade, spiking out at the top before forming into her armor at the other end. Her mid-drift was free of the armor, her belly button visible. He could see the apex of her toned abdomen forming before the armor cut in. Wrapped around her form in a hovering, spiraling fashion, was a tail bone. A spike at the end signifying its sharpness. The thin piece of spinal cord shot out from the back of her armor, blood the only indication it was hers. Her face was outlined in the armor, everything covered but her knows and eyes. The red and black hues were narrowed. Yoruichi’s hair spiked out in the front, more so than its usual husky look. It once again reigned in its usual pony tail, falling down her back. Steaming rolled off the armor, and a light hiss was heard.

But this feeling… it was nothing compared to what I would feel within the coming days.

Silence filled the area. Starkk’s usual stoic expression rested upon his face, unlike Ichigo. The shinigami hollow had forgotten all about his own magnificent power. Instead, he focused on hers and made himself believe she were stronger. But that was not… and never would, the case.

“Yoruichi…” Ichigo began, breathing tightly, as he took a step toward her. A floating piece of dirt pierced his skin, drawing blood on the side of his face.

“You see Ichigo,” The Goddess began, her eyes never moving from Starkk. “this is my Bankai.”

End Notes: My apologies for this late update. I know, I reached 60, but a string of RL issues rendered me without time to update. My grandma has cancer, and its taking its toll on me emotionally. Updates may be slow, words of encouragement are appreciated. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Personally, I hated it.