Bleach by Kubo Tite-sensei, not me.
Notes: Italics are thoughts Bold is Shirayuki talking.
Enjoy!

It was darkness. Utter darkness.

It's… cold.

Very cold.

Rukia felt every place on her body cold like an ice berg, yet she couldn't shiver, her teeth did not chatter of being in the cold.

Where… am I?

Rukia finally opened her eyes. When they were closed, everything was black, dark. When she had looked in front of her, she could only see grey, and white. She shut her eyes; unable to keep them open a moment longer. She squinted, but still couldn't see anything except the grey.

I can't see anything…

Fog.

She moved her hands in front of her and saw her guess was correct. It was fog, all around her and what looked like even farther away. Rukia twisted her head to look all around her.

Fog.

She couldn't see anything; she could barely make out the outline of her bare arm if she reached into the cloud.

Her eyes flashed in surprise.

My arm is bare…

There was no sleeve cover her arm from her arm, her gi was gone. It wasn't until that moment did Rukia look down at her body. She was wearing nothing. Even though she couldn't see below her waist because of the fog, she could feel the absence of her gi, hakama, and obi, even her white kosode. Her eyes stared in shock. She remembered wearing her shinigami clothing before everything went dark, and then she was here. But now they were gone. She could feel her skin make contact with the coldness all around her- no wonder she was so cold.

She grabbed her arms and pulled them tight to her chest. She could feel it getting colder all around her. She clenched her jaw tightly as she tried to fight of the chill all over her body, but didn't realize she had gotten on one knee.

Why… is it so cold?

"Because you are strong."

Rukia opened her eyes, and noticed she was on both knees, her face hovering an inch above the ground. From what she could see, the ground was green, but white covered it. Her breath came out in shuttering pants, the cold air filling her lungs.

She had heard the voice… but where did it come from? The voice came from in front of her, she knew for certain. She slowly sat up a little and looked forward, but still saw nothing except fog.

Who... was that?

"Come over. Or you'll freeze in that position. You'll look like you're bowing down- what a pathetic pose."

Rukia's eyes focused straight on- the voice was over there no doubt, hearing its condescending tone in her ears. She felt like obeying the order, but she couldn't move. Her hands felt frozen the ground, her knees numbing.

"Get up."

Why?

"Get up, Rukia."

She arched her back as she let out an anguished cry, breaking her hands off the ground. They were frozen to the ground. Soon she was able to free her legs, as she stood up. She still couldn't breathe properly, as she lifted her head and looked forward.

"Come over."

Who are you?

"Come over, Rukia."

She looked down as she heard the echoes of her feet stepping over the ground. She let her feet carry her to where the voice was. She still couldn't see anything as she moved through the fog, as the cold bit into her already cold skin. She continued walking, waiting to see a faint silhouette of the source of voice, but what felt like walking for half an hour.

Where are you?

"Closer, Rukia."

She kept on, now dragging her tired feet. She could barely feel her arms anymore as they felt dead holding the other arm, but she kept moving forward.

It's so… cold. I can't go on anymore. Where are you…?

"I'm right here. Don't you see me?"

She snapped her head up and stared wide-eyed straight ahead. The voice sounded like they were in arm's reach… but she still could see nothing.

No… I don't see you.

"Why don't you try and touch me… Rukia."

Rukia looked ahead, and stared at the fog. She remained staring, still as a sculpture. After a moment, her right hand released its grip from her left arm, as she lifted it up in front of her. She stretched her hand out, but felt nothing. She moved her hand all around, attempting to feel something. She continued flailing her hand around to feel something until she felt a hard surface graze the top of her middle finger.

She didn't realize until she felt ice all around her. She gasped, and gasped as no more air went inside her. She stared wide-eyed as she saw her vision become distorted.

I'm in ice..!

The ice touched her whole body, piercing her with the bitter cold in her already numb body. She wanted to scream, but couldn't.

I can't breathe.

Panic surged through her entire body, but she couldn't move a single limb.

"Why don't you move, Rukia?"

She could still hear the voice even through the thick ice. Rukia felt hopeless, immobile. The only thing she could was close her eyes, as the brilliant whiteness and blue of ice disappeared from her gaze.

"Don't shut yourself out- don't give up. Why don't you fight, Rukia?"

I can't fight… There's no way out.

Rukia's eyes remained close as she felt the ice stick to her body, not able to feel her feet or hands anymore.

"Just because you feel weak you give up. Weak from guilt and regret."

No… I'm not guilty anymore, I have no more regrets.

All guilt that scarred her heart for so many years were now healed, after facing against Aaroniero Arleri- the espada that had Kaien's body. After defeating him, no regret lied in her heart of him.

But the feeling of weakness still was in her.

"You think you're weak now… so you quit."

The voice echoed in her head, making her snap her eyes open. As she opened them, she saw images of everyone- Inoue, Ishida, Chad, Renji, Byakuya, and Ichigo.

Everyone… they wouldn't quit.

"So why do you?"

The question echoed all over inside of Rukia. Her eyes blinked slowly as she set them to a lazy gaze.

I can't quit. I wouldn't quit.

"Then move, Rukia."

Rukia closed her eyes, and remained still, doing nothing. She regained feeling in her hands- they felt like they were being stabbed by sharp rocks. She gathered her strength as she scratched the ice away, making her able to clench her hands into fists.

What could I do to get out? It's ice.

Rukia's eyes brightened a moment after, and began breaking the ice that was in front of her, separating her arms from one another. She crushed the eyes until she could touch her arm with her other hand. Her left hand clasped onto her other arm, and steadied it.

"Destructive Spell #31 shakkahō..!" She struggle to say with the little air. Her hand lit red as it sent the spell against the ice, creating an explosion. Rukia could hear ice breaking and shattering, and could feel the ice encasing her break. She landed on the ground with a thud as she gasped at for air. Soon after it became silent, Rukia lifted her head up to see anything. Her eyes widened when she saw an object in arm's reach in front of her, the fog clearing all around her.

She was able to see the fine blade that was connected to the hilt, and at the end, a ribbon laid on the ground with it.

"S-Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia gasped, staring at her sword on the ground. Her hand stretched- she could get it from where she was, but her hand froze in air a few inches away.

"Certainly you want to learn Ban Kai, right?"

Ban Kai…?

Rukia's eyes widened as the voice called out, still in the same direction where her zanpakutou laid on the frozen ground. She knew how the captains had ban kai excluding Zaraki taicho, even Renji and Ichigo were able to achieve ban kai. But the process was difficult to obtain, and then to 

master ban kai… she knew how long and hard it was to even get your zanpakutou to materialize, ban kai was almost impossible… for her.

"You'll never obtain ban kai if you don't become stronger- leaving your weaknesses."

Rukia's eyes widened in realization as the voice spoke. She finally understood who the voice was as her hand remain hovering over the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki.

"It's… you." She whispered as she gazed at her zanpakutou in wonder.

"Grasp me, Rukia. You'll never achieve ban kai if you never touch me."

Rukia gave a small nod. She brought her hand back to her side, away from the white hilt. Rukia put her palms into the ice on the ground and pushed, trying to get up. Her arms were shaking as she was able to get on her knees. She looked up towards the sword, and her hand reached again. She strained her arm to touch it. The second her fingertips touched, she grasped the hilt and held tightly. Power and warmth surged into her cold body, as she moved to one knee, pushing to stand up.

I don't care of achieving ban kai so quick… I just need to be strong now. No more of the weakness from long ago.

"Open your eyes to reality, Rukia…"

Rukia stood straight as she assumed the pose of a proud Kuchiki- a shinigami. She slowly opened her eyes as everything around her disappeared, replaced with something entirely different. Rukia stared for a moment at the ocean sky that was spread across above her, the light from the sun covering her. The ground felt warm- the air felt warm- she could feel her hakama and gi wrapped on her small body, and lastly, the weight of her sword in her open palm.

"Rukia, oi Rukia! Are you alright?!" The loud voice called out to her, as she heard the noise of quick footsteps coming towards her. It felt like she hadn't heard the voice for days.

"I-Ichigo..?" Rukia carefully sat up in her place on the dirt ground, and turning her head to see the shinigami representative running towards her, his eyes staring at her. Her face held surprise at seeing him all of the sudden, and she looked at where she was at again. The sky wasn't really- the sun wasn't real. It was Urahara's basement under the shop, the last place she remembered before the whole event.

"Rukia, are you okay?! You were acting really strange for a while, and you just dropped to the ground!" Ichigo arrived to Rukia's side as he crouched down in concern. Rukia gave him one more confused look before putting on her regular, Kuchiki face.

"I'm fine, Ichigo…" She muttered, slightly irritated. "It's not like I'm hurt, so why do you need to be concerned, when you shouldn't be concerned if I get injured anyway?" She asked him in a stern tone. His eyes drooped for a moment before giving a sigh of relief.

"It's time to go home now, isn't it? We should get going." Rukia began saying as she stood up. She sheathed her zanpakutou and looked up at Ichigo.

"Ah, let's get going." Ichigo said as he realized it was getting late. They both walked side by side as they walked to the ladder, and climbed up back into the shop itself. They gathered into their bodies and started making their way towards the entrance of the shop before passing Urahara.

"Good-bye then, Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-san!" He waved to them with his smile, hat hiding his eyes. Ichigo raised his hand as a good bye as they left the shop, and continued walking back to Ichigo's home.

All the while Rukia's mind was filled of the memory of her encounter with her zanpakutou inside her mind, and what her sword had told her.

"Become stronger, leave your weaknesses."

I will.

Hope you enjoyed! Comments are loved. I'm thinking of making an extra chapter for this... Thanks!