AN: For anyone interested, you can now vote on some of the pairings which haven't been cemented yet. There is a poll on my page here as well as a link to an external poll in the AO3 version where you can vote once a day instead of once period, no registration required so guests can vote as well.
The human half of Ichigo's friends took the whole spirit world in stride. After seeing what they did it would be hard not to. But now that means she has twice the number of people worrying over her. They try to act normal but even when they smile she can sense their worry. Any strangeness, any dissonance, between the Ichigo before them now and the one of last month is put down as a reaction to the impending loss of her powers and she doesn't bother correcting them; it's still too soon.
Instead she bides her time. She attempts to find a new normal and when that fails she starts making her own. She still goes on her nightly patrols, making the most of her powers while she can. She spends time with her sisters, playing soccer with Karin and letting Yuzu rule over her in the kitchen. Surprisingly Yuzu is the more suspicious of the twins but once she realizes it's just Ichigo's way of spending time with her she latches on with both hands while Karin watches with a smirk. For Ichigo it's both a new experience and one far too familiar as she remembers a slightly older Yuzu teaming up with Tessai to boss her around the kitchen. That had been after the shoten had become not only their home base but their home.
She goes to school as well since it's expected of her. She thought being back at school would be bothersome. In a way it is but at the same time school was the only semi-normal thing about her life and it's nostalgia at its best. She never got to finish the first time around.
The school took some damage in the Winter War after Ikkaku's pillar fell and the scaffolding is still up where they're putting on the finishing touches. Every time she comes to school she stands in the courtyard staring up at it, counting down the days until the Sinners will make their appearance. Today she feels a ripple in the air and knows that it's finally time.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
Ichigo turns, not the least bit surprised to see Orihime and Chad.
"Tatsuki's not with you this morning?" She asks, glancing at Orihime from the corner of her eye.
Orihime returns her look, smile firmly in place even as her gaze sharpens. "Tatsuki-chan says she has morning practice."
Tatsuki had taken Ichigo at her word. The moment things calmed down she'd gone to Orihime and insisted on being taken to the Visored. She and Kensei hit it off well enough and things progressed to the point that Kuna had to run interference before they could killed each other. No surprise to Ichigo there but she knows they'll move past it eventually and become the closest of friends. Since then Tatsuki spends her mornings being put through the paces by the Visored. While Ichigo hasn't been back to the warehouse since the day Orihime went to Hueco Mundo, Hiyori and Orihime have found ways to keep her informed of what's going on.
Wind tears through the courtyard, faint traces of tainted reishi chasing on its tail and latching onto the scaffolding over the front entrance. The three of them come to a stop, watching as the structure teeters for a moment before it starts collapsing. The other students start screaming, rushing inside or scrambling backwards in a bid to escape. One of the girls is unlucky enough to trip and fall but Chad makes it in time to protect her, his body shielding her from a blow that definitely would've killed her. Ichigo and Orihime are quick to pull the shaking girl to her feet and direct her inside where her friends surround her and whisk her away.
People chatter about the incident for the rest of the day, everyone theorizing what could've caused the sudden collapse and worrying if it will happen in other areas where scaffolding is still up. They're all sitting in homeroom talking about it when Uryū comes up to lean against the desk behind Ichigo. She doesn't have to turn to know the look he's giving her. He may not have been there to see the incident himself but he doesn't think it was a chance happening either.
They wait for everything to quiet down and for the authorities to clear out before Ichigo and the spiritual half of her friends make excuses to leave, sneaking outside to check out the site of the collapse. The others aren't able to sense it but Ichigo is far too familiar with the taint of Hell. Even now faint traces linger and cling to the area.
"There was nothing natural about the way it fell," she comments.
"Are you sure?" Orihime asks. She shifts forward a little, leaning past Ichigo to look at the fallen scaffolding, no doubt trying to sense whatever she was missing.
Ichigo watches as Uryū kneels and tests a piece of the metal. "You sense something?"
Uryū nods. "It's very minimal but it's still here. I've never sensed anything like this before."
"What's that mean?" Chad asks.
"I don't know," Uryū confesses as he withdraws his reishi and stands. "It's not a Hollow or a spirit. And it's not a human with special powers, like Sado-kun or Inoue-san. Furthermore, it's not a Shinigami either."
It's become habit for Ichigo to track her sisters, to keep her senses attuned to their location at every moment. She can feel the moment they're snatched by the Sinners, the way their reiryoku quivers. It takes everything in her not to act, reminding herself that they made it out fine before and that they'll be just as fine this time. Reminding herself that she has to follow the plan, that she has to go to Hell.
As if on cue reiatsu starts bearing down on them, the taint heavy enough that Ichigo can taste it on her tongue moments before part of the school explodes. The explosion is centered on their homeroom and Ichigo has already shifted to her spirit form before the others can move. Uryū is right behind her, both entering through the hole caused by the blast.
Ichigo glances around, checking that everyone is alright but otherwise staying at the edge of the room. The classroom is in shambles but Uryū ignores it as he focuses on the students who were caught in the blast. Orihime and Chad come racing in from the hall and immediately set to help checking on the others.
Reitsu starts pushing down on them as the Sinner lets his presence be felt again and Ichigo is ready when the attack comes. Zangetsu is in hand and already moving for when the Sinner breaks through the ceiling.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," the Sinner rasps from behind his mask.
Ichigo knocks him back, watching as the oversized beach ball turns his stumble into a somersault and springs away. "Want to tell us who you are?"
The Sinner lets out a high pitched giggle and Ichigo releases a quick Getsuga. She knows it won't do any damage– if she remembers right this is the one who absorbs reishi– but it does push him outside. Chad and Uryū follow him out while Ichigo pauses long enough to motion Orihime to stay.
Orihime nods, her Rikka already tending to Tatsuki. "I'll be fine here. Go help the others."
Ichigo doesn't need any more encouraging before she joins the two boys. Uryū has his bow and Chad's right arm is at the ready so Ichigo uses the opportunity to activate her Bankai, conscious of Renji and the other Sinners closing in on them. Uryū senses them moments before the second appears and they all stumble as the ground shakes with the force of the third landing.
"Who are these guys?" Chad wonders aloud, glancing between the three.
Uryū's focus is on the hulking Sinner, hands tightening into fists. "This reiatsu is the one I sensed earlier."
The three of them turn, each facing their chosen opponent before taking off. As before Ichigo goes for the one with the sword. She keeps her movements controlled and precise even as she downplays her abilities, slashing almost sloppily. Chad and Uryū are having problems with their own opponents, undoubtedly distracted by the unfamiliar feeling reiatsu the Sinners are exuding. They are knocked down easily enough and Ichigo jumps back to get some distance of her own.
"You suck," Taikon whines as he flashes closer to Ichigo.
Renji chooses that moment to make himself known, striking out with Zabimaru's Bankai. Taikon avoids the attack, flashing back to his companion with the sword.
Renji sets down next to Ichigo, Zabimaru coiling around him. "You alright, Ichigo?"
"More or less," she replies, just wanting this entire mess to be over already. "You know who these guys are?"
Ichigo doesn't need Renji to outline what's going on, she feels Rukia's reiatsu waver, feels as Yuzu and Karin are knocked unconscious and captured. The moment Renji gives the go ahead she's gone.
She senses the Gate of Sinners as it opens to reclaim Hell's lost captive, a shiver going down her spine as she imagines the giant sword reaching through. Hell was possessive of normal souls and the Gate of Hell was eerie enough, but it got supremely pissed when captive souls tried to escape. The Gate of Sinners was special for such events and she'd seen first-hand that in a bid to claim a Sinner, the Guardian didn't care if it happened to snag an extra soul or two.
Burying the thought before it has time to take hold, Ichigo zeroes in on the Sinner holding her two sisters. Rukia is attempting to fend off Gunjo's attack with a Hadō spell but his tentacles push through, catching Rukia off guard. Ichigo intervenes, cutting them before they can make contact and placing herself between Rukia and the two Sinners.
Ichigo's eyes drift to her sisters, taking them each in and ensuring neither are visibly injured. Once she's assured what she sees matches with what she feels, her attention returns to the Sinners. "Just what the hell are you bastards planning to do with Yuzu and Karin?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo, come with us," Shuren demands. "We need you to do something for us."
"Return Yuzu and Karin and I might consider it," she hedges. She feels Rukia bristle at her back.
"That won't be possible," Gunjo answers as he regenerates his tentacles.
"Then you can go to Hell," she sneers. "And I'll just take them back by force."
"Gunjo, go on back ahead of me." Shuren summons his fire and leaps at Ichigo before she has a chance to go for his subordinate.
She meets him readily, his flames whipping through the air and rebounding off Zangetsu's blade. Flames spark through the air as they strike and parry in turn, dancing through the air. Ichigo reminds herself to keep her powers reigned in, though she can't help smiling when she manages to draw blood, cutting into his shoulder before catching him off guard and slicing him across the stomach.
Shuren jumps back, putting some distance between them and pressing a considering hand to the cut at his waist. "You live up to your reputation, Kurosaki Ichigo. That's why you're the woman we want."
"Sorry, not interested. Besides, I already promised someone else I'd consider him," Ichigo mouths off. "And if you wanted my help, you sure as shit went about it the wrong way."
Her gaze slips passed him and catches on Gunjo who is already in the rift with Karin and Yuzu. When she cries out for them it's no act. Her chest aches at what she's putting them through, the danger they're in, that she put them in. Shuren jumps to block her path and she reminds herself that she can't stop this, she has to let it happen. She has to.
Instead, she prays for that bastard to hurry, prays that she wasn't too hasty and hasn't moved up the timeline. She prays with all her might that she did not just give them both her sisters. Risking one to the environment of Hell is dangerous enough but she won't be able to stomach this farce if she's having to worry about both.
It seems like eons before her prayer is answered, blue flames filling the rift and exploding outwards. Shuren is sent flying and Ichigo watches as the tentacles holding Karin dissolve in flames, her sister arching through the air and being caught by Kokuto. Ichigo keeps her glare to a simmering scowl as she watches him set down near her and Rukia, his sword dangling in his right hand while he holds Karin in his left.
"Who are you?" Rukia demands.
"Does it matter?" Kokuto asks off-handedly, eyes on the other Sinners.
Gunjo retains his grip on Yuzu as he climbs back to his feet. "We weren't expecting you to sneak up like that."
"I don't like watching you people have your way." He answers, slinging his sword up to his shoulder negligibly.
Ichigo hears Shuren growl before he lights up and jumps to attack. Kokuto manages to fight him off well enough, and even manages Gunjo when he joins in. It's not long at all before the Sinners decide to retreat and Ichigo jumps to follow, knowing it's expected of her.
She engages Shuren once more, exchanging blows and pushing closer to the rift Gunjo has just opened. They're only feet away from it when Ichigo feels the dissonance of Yuzu being in a different realm and she knows the rift is closed without having to look. Yuzu is still whole and her spirit is safe but already Ichigo can feel the atmosphere of Hell poking and prodding to find weakness.
Ichigo growls, rounding on Shuren. "You will give Yuzu back to me."
Shuren sends a streak of fire at her and before she can block Kokuto jumps between them, negating the attack and landing a blow of his own that cracks Shuren's mask.
The mask cracks, pieces falling away to reveal one of Shuren's eyes. He glares at them and shoots out a burst of fire, only it's not aimed at Ichigo or Kokuto. Already expecting this, Ichigo is ready and sends out a Getsuga that intercepts the blast, the two attacks colliding and canceling each other out in an explosion.
When the smoke clears, Ichigo sees Chad standing guard in front of Rukia and Karin, Uryū and Renji arriving moments later. She sends her friend a nod of gratitude, breathing a small sigh of relief that the tactic worked and she was able to spare her friend some pain.
She doesn't bother to listen as Shuren gives his spiel, already knowing exactly what he wants. If it were up to her, Ichigo would destroy Shuren and Kokuto right here and now but she can't. Instead, she satisfies herself by turning on Kokuto the moment Shuren has made his escape.
All the anger she is feeling at herself right now is channeled into her confrontation with him as she wraps her hand in the collar of his shirt, twisting the material tight and pulling him close. "I don't care what anyone else says or thinks, but you are taking me to them so I can get my sister back."