A New Horse and King Chapter 1: A New Enemy, a bleach fanfic

Bleach anime/manga/story/characters: No es mio. If it were mine, I'd be a heck of a lot richer.

A New Horse and King

Chapter 1

Orihime concentrated as hard as she could. Trying not to lose focus. Trying not to let the events around her distract her from contributing the only thing she had to her spiritually bound circle of friends. Sweat dripped down her right temple and caused her wound to look bloodier than it really was. It took a lot of energy to focus on healing Rukia, rather than let her own pain hold her back.

"Kuchiki-san ... ? Just a little while longer. I know I can save you."

Rukia laid lifeless on the floor. A large gash ripped open her left shoulder while her head sustained numerous blows that would render any human dead. Uryuu placed his hand on Orihime's shoulder as she wiped the blood that dripped into her eye. This was taking far longer than usual. Rukia had been badly beaten and Orihime was not in peak condition to handle a situation so life threatening. Renji returned from his battle and scooped Rukia up in his arms.

"Renji! I haven't finished. Kuchiki-san is still hurt!" Orihime cried out.

She looked up at the exhausted shinigami holding her closest friend as gently as a porcelain doll.

"We can't stay here. We're out in the open and we have no idea what he'll do when he gets back. We leave now and Rukia still has a chance. We stay here ... and we all die."

Renji wanted Rukia alive more than anyone, but he knew they wouldn't be much good to her if they all sat around waiting to be picked off one by one.

"Urahara's shop. Now."

Renji carried Rukia and shunpoed his way to the Urahara Shop. Uryuu followed with Orihime in hand. Kiske was already awaiting their arrival with medical supplies in hand for both Renji and Uryuu. He knew Orihime would have to concentrate all her efforts on Rukia.

"Take her to the room at the end, there's a bed ready." Kiske stated.

Renji placed his best friend down and Orihime returned to work immediately. He stepped back slowly, wanting to stay, but not wanting to get in the way. He turned his head to see Kiske, as he motioned for him to follow. Renji, Uryuu, Kiske, and Yourichi sat, in a circle, looking down, silent. Yourichi broke the silence, knowing there was business to take care of.

"What did you learn?"

"Nothing." Renji scolded. "Except that he's gotten stronger."

"And faster. It's as though he has no limits. Whatever power he attains, he continues to surpass." Uryuu claimed not wanting to fully believe.

Renji let out a hard sigh. He remembered every detail of the battle. Every attack he threw that was blocked, every defense he placed that was too weak. Every move he made that was already two steps behind his opponent. A style that had already been completely memorized.

"I need something new. A new ... technique. Something strong."

Renji looked up at Kiske searching for an answer. But he offered no solace to the over eager death god. He was already a powerhouse, continually relying on his brute strength to save him from the numerous death matches he had come face to face with before. But it had been repeatedly proven to him time and again, that it obviously was not enough. He wasn't fast enough. He wasn't strong enough. He was horrible with demon magic and he held no other opportunities for improvement with his Bankai. The constant downpour of defeat had halted his growth and diminshed his confidence. As his thoughts drifted to Rukia in the other room, he would fidget in place and failed to keep his eyes focused on any single image.

"Stop worrying" Kiske noted as he watched Renji shift back and forth. "It won't help either one of you. Let Orihime take care of her."

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It had been nearly an hour since Orihime began the healing process on Rukia. She was slightly more conscious but still incoherent and barely mobile. Orihime continued to talk to her, hoping that her words, as well as her powers, would get through to her.

"You did well Kuchiki-san. You were amazing out there. I can't believe how strong you've become. You've trained so hard lately. You're not alone Kuchiki-san. We're all here for you. You don't have to do this alone. " Orihime sniffled "We're ... all here for you." she muttered as she continued to cry.

Rukia began to move ever so slightly. Her head titled up and she struggled to move her severely injured arm. Minor moans and indecipherable words were whispered from her mouth. A small amount of blood dripped from the right corner of her mouth. Orihime's eyes widened as she watched Rukia come more to life. She was still bleeding, but at least she was waking up. Slowly, Rukia's movements became more agitated and frequent. Her head tossing back and forth, quicker and quicker, as though she was still in battle. As her movements increased, her wound healed more slowly and bled more profusely.

"Kuchiki-san?" Kuchiki-san!?"

"He was really going to kill her. He had such a hard intent in his eyes. The resolve to kill." Renji sated solemnly, remembering his friend lying in the next room.

"I know." Kiske managed to mutter as he continued to analyze the situation.

"He toyed with her. He led her on. Letting her believe they were on equal footing, only to overpower her once she had worn herself out." Renji declared with anger in his voice slamming his fist against the ground.

Kiske had nothing to say. He held so much wisdom, and experience, but no matter how many times he came face to face with death, words alone could not offer the comfort or resolution his friends needed.

"He taunted her. Pulled her in, deeper and deeper into his world where he knew he could manipulate her. Where he could use her own force against her. Her strengths. Her memories."Renji paused as he ran Rukia's battle over again in his mind.

"He's fast. He's strong, and smart. His reiatsu rivals that of any captain or Espada. I don't know what we have that can possibly compete with that." he said with troubled crack in his voice.

"You need to stay still Kuchiki-san. Please. Calm down." Orihime stressed to her injured friend.

"No..." Rukia whispered, barely audible. " ... no ... "

Orihime felt herself tense up. Hearing those words made her work only harder. Rukia continued to struggle slightly, but slowly calmed down. Orihime knew it would only be a bit longer before she was done. She just needed to calm down and focus. Don't let her words trouble you. Don't get distracted she kept repeating to herself.

"NO!" Rukia shouted as she awakened in a cold sweat.

Rukia looked up at Orihime as she slowly began to realize where she was and the obvious outcome of her battle. She sat up and stared down in disappointment, turning from Orihime. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around Rukia's neck and drew her close to her chest. Rukia clenched her eyes shut as she let her friend embrace her, but didn't return the sentiment. Too embarrassed to accept comfort.

"Don't worry Kuchiki-san. We'll rescue him. We'll rescue Kurosaki-kun."

"It seems a retrieval has completely eluded us." Uryuu stated more logically than emotionally. "I think it's safe to say, the opportunity to save Kurosaki, has passed."

The four of them turning to one another. Each hoping someone would object and offer a new hope. A surprise alternative that somehow they had all overlooked. But there was no such alternative. They had planned out numerous attacks, drawn out hundreds of tactics, and played out countless strategies in hopes of allowing their comrade to return home. The substitute shinigami that had saved all of them at least once. Whose honor he had continually defended and whose friendship and loyalty he valued more than himself.

"He would never abandon us. We shouldn't do the same to him." Renji stated as sincerely as he could, with slight skepticism peaking out.

"No. Ichigo wouldn't." Yourichi stated very matter of factly staring at Renji.

"We have to modify our rescue attempt ... into a death match." Uryuu stated.

A long disturbing silence fell amongst them. Renji finally broke the tension, closing his eyes and letting his chin fall to his chest,

"We have to kill Ichigo."

They sat on the floor, silent, and scared. Neither of them wanting to speak or admit defeat. Wanting this moment to last, if only so that the future would never materialize.

"We'll rescue Kurosaki-kun." Orihime stated as comfortingly as possibly as tears flowed down her face and her voice struggle to keep composure.

"We'll rescue him ... from his hollow."

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