Yukibana
Summary: What if Ichigo released his Zanpakuto against Renji and Byakuya with Rukia's power still flowing through him?
Ichigo stared, wide eyed, as his stump of a sword that he now held in his hand. At some point between raising it and striking down it had been emasculated by a clean severing of the blade just beyond the tsuba. Renji seemed just as shocked, but Ichigo followed the red haired lieutenant's gaze to the other man that had come for Rukia, and he had not appeared to move, but held in his hand was the rest of Ichigo's Zanpakuto. "What?" The orange haired substitute muttered dumbly.
The scarf wearing pretty-boy dropped the severed blade on the ground with a clang. Then the esteemed Kuchiki-sama grasped his own sword and vanished with the sound of wind.
He was fast. He was much faster than Renji, too fast for Ichigo to even see. However there was a moment of pause as the man reached Ichigo's side. The strawberry had a single moment where a voice in his head told him to move. Move any way he could. Move sideways, move up, or move down, it didn't matter. He was going to get hit no matter what, but something inside his mind screamed, "Get hit anywhere but where he's aiming!"
He was merely able to shift his weight to his left foot in time to avoid a devastating blow to what he didn't know was his spiritual vitals. Instead he had his right lung punctured, centimeters from the blade's original mark. Regardless of the wound's location, Ichigo fell to the ground, but his sword remained clutched in his hand.
If the man spoke after his alleged fatal strike, Ichigo didn't hear it. For some reason, all sensation faded except the pain from his wounds and the feeling of his sword in his hand. I… need to protect Rukia… Ichigo thought. I… need to save her… I need more power… His vision began to blur. Then suddenly, he felt it, a surge of power like moments ago, this time originating from his sword. It rejuvenated him, and he felt it block out the pain and pack itself into his wounds, stopping him from bleeding. He could only really think one thing to his sword at that point. Thanks… I owe you one. He felt an odd sense of gratitude for his thanks radiate off the hilt in his hand, but that was just a vague impression.
The Shinigami, Renji, and Rukia included, stared in disbelief as Ichigo rose again, this time the power washing off him in waves was cold as ice, and heavy as a snowstorm. "I won't let you take Rukia…" Correction, we won't let you take her. Ichigo wasn't as surprised as he should have been. Perhaps he was just too caught up in the moment. You want the power to save her, don't you Ichigo? Yes. He felt a woman embrace him from behind, her breasts pressed into his back through her silky white kimono, her arms wrapped around his neck and her head slipped into place beside his, their cheeks pressed together. Then tell them that I won't stand for it either. Tell them my name… and show them what I can do…
Ichigo held his sword out at his side and began spinning the hilt in his hand. "Mae (Dance)…" His opponents and spectator's eyes went wide, the blade he was spinning emitted a cold wave as it began to stretch out, and the tsuba began to shrink away. "Yukibana (Snow Flower)!" He halted the spin, and in his hand was an overly decorative pure white spear with a uselessly bladeless hollow headpiece, and at the base of the spear's head was tied a long white piece of cloth.
Rukia was trembling in the presence of this eerily familiar spiritual pressure. How… how could he have obtained Shikai out of nowhere like that?!
Renji growled. That Zanpakuto… it resembles Rukia's…
Byakuya glared at the new weapon. A pure white spear… with the same release command as Rukia's Shirayuki… and that name… "It appears I have underestimated you…"
Ichigo's face was set into a cold scowl. "Don't be stupid. Yukibana's the one you've underestimated." Bringing the spear in front of himself it began to spin in his fingers and he heard his Zanpakuto whisper in his ear again. "Getsufubuki!" They both shouted as one and a gust of frigid wind raced at Byakuya, leaving behind a horizontal pillar of ice.
The Shinigami captain dodged easily, and stood atop a nearly power post. "I see… Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki… and Shiba Kaien's Nejibana… that Shikai is a fusion of those two Zanpakuto."
Rukia's eyes grew wide and stared up at her brother in utter shock before turning her gaze to Ichigo. Kaien-dono's style… and my power… why? Where did that come from?
Renji hissed as he landed in a crouch next to Rukia, all things considered it was the safest place. "That attack just now… was just like Tsukishiro…"
Byakuya's sword came down and Ichigo blocked with the haft of the spear. "You've gotten faster, rookie."
The substitute grinned. "It aint me you need to worry about, it's Yukibana!" Wind burst around the weapon, and guided the long white cloth to strike out and wrap around Byakuya's arm, but he pulled away immediately, avoiding the attack. Hoho, he dodged it. Now I'm impressed. Yeah, well I'm not. That last attack was too slow. Got anything faster, I feel like I'm always attacking an after-image. He felt ice cold hands wrap around his wrist and guide him, and he felt her grin. But of course… He twirled the pure white spear at his right side, the white cloth blurring as ice and snow laden winds flowed around the twirling weapon. "Hokufu Tensho!" Ichigo swung the spear with one hand, sending the built up ice laden wind flying at Byakuya in a massive wave of frigid white Reiryoku.
Byakuya's eyes widened at the sight. Hakuren?! No… this is faster! But it wasn't as fast as Shunpo. Byakuya was behind Ichigo again. "Admirable, but it takes a conceited fool to name an attack 'Tensho'. There was never any hope for you to win to begin with. Die quietly… and think hard about what you've done."
Ichigo didn't even get a chance to turn around. That speed again?! I should have known… a pair of stab wounds erupted from his chest and he began to fall. Damn it… I'm sorry… Rukia…
Feel free to speculate what happens next, since this probably won't be going much of anywhere… maybe. Who knows? Good reviews might inspire me and change my mind.