Bankai.
A word that changed the entire atmosphere of the fight. The shimigami who were close enough to hear the word were confused, the enemy he was fighting was astounded, and the person who said it had disappeared.
Five years since the winter war, and the wounds were finally starting to heal. Aizen had been defeated, Ichimaru and Tousen were dead. Soul Society went into a panic when they detected a hollow with a reiatsu on level with the Arrancar from the war. Three captains were dispatched with their vice-captains, in order to bring the matter to a close promptly. One vice-captain was severely injured, and the other two were trying to pull him and the two unconscious captains away from the fight. The remaining captain stood battle ready for many minutes after the enemy had disappeared, praying that his companions were safe and had been too far away to hear what he did.
Thirteenth Division Captain Ukitake Jyuushiro sealed and sheathed his zanpakuto. He turned to see two vice-captains with wide eyes staring at him. He sighed softly and addressed the question he saw burning in their eyes in the only manner he knew how.
"I don't think it's possible. If he had survived the battle with Aizen, he would have at least gone back to see his family by now."
Vice-captain Kuchiki Rukia and Vice-captain Abarai Renji had seen many many things in their long lives, one of the most painful was watching their friend and companion Kurosaki Ichigo disappear in the explosion that killed Aizen. Search parties went through the rubble for almost two years looking for bodies or evidence of bodies, and the only thing ever found was a tattered almost destroyed hilt of a guardless sword, with white cloth wrapping on it.
The two of them gathered up the unconscious 6th division captain, 2nd division captain and the wounded 2nd division vice-captain, as Captain Ukitake opened the gate to Soul Society so they could all be treated. They shared a look that spoke only one thing. He was alive and they were going to rescue him, the same way he'd rescued all of them. They would get Kurosaki Ichigo back.
In Rukia's mind though, another thought passed… 'this time, I'll tell him what he means, how I really feel…'