An: Hi! I'm Cisqua and I'm new in writing stories here at bleach, I and my friend, Reverie (Rev) started talking about stories in bleach so here it is. Mostly I make stories in Gundam Seed, well please enjoy this story! Read and Review! I don't own bleach...

In Between

Chapter 1: Conficts
"Ichigo!" Rukia Kuchiki called in horror. Ichigo Kurosaki was badly injured; his left arm, chest and right shoulder were bleeding badly.

"Ichigo!" Rukia was about to run to his aid but Kon stopped her.

"Kon, please..." She said as tears started to swell up in her eyes. But Kon in Ichigo's body shooked his head in reply. A drop of tear streamed down her cheek.

"Who are you? Why did you come here?" Ichigo questioned, he was trying hard to stand and fight but was very weak not too.

The two shinigami who were wearing anbu masks didn't reply. The two were like experts in fighting; they haven't even gotten a scratch from their fight. Then the girl spoke.

"Rukia Kuchiki now is the time to die..."she said. But as soon as she could attack, Ichigo threw his sword in front of her, almost hitting her face. She phased to a non-fighting stance and looked at Ichigo then back to Rukia.

"You won this time Kuchiki, Rukia..." she said as the two vanished into the shadows.

"Ichigo!!" Rukia ran to his aid.

"I...I couldn't do anything..." Ichigo said before he slept in Rukia's lap, defeated.

"Ichigo..." she murmured.

The next day...

"Ichigo how did you sleep?" Rukia said cheerfully.

"Um... Fine..." Ichigo murmured. Ichigo was about to take a second step when he heard a squeak.

"Ichigo Kurosaki... It hurts..." A stuffed teddy bear squeaked.

"Kon?" Rukia said picking up the toy.

"Rukia-chan! Ichigo... Ichigo almost ripped my arm..." Kon replied as he hugged Rukia with big teary eyes.

Rukia glared at Ichigo, but he didn't look straight at her, he just kept staring at his hands and turned it to a fist.

Ichigo...Rukia thought as she looked down with teary eyes.

Something was bothering him, she could tell. A thought about losing and weakness. He couldn't even protect himself, how could he protect his family, his friends and... And Rukia. He hated himself that day; his heart sank at the bottom of the deep ocean. Why? Even if he has the power but he hasn't got the skills and... And the courage to do it.

"Are you still thinking about defeat?" Rukia said seriously. Ichigo turned and looked at the small framed girl.

"What?" he replied as if that he didn't understand?

"Defeat?" Rukia lowered her gaze to the stuffed animal who was cuddling closer into her chest.

"I... I..." He couldn't make out the words. Just then Rukia's cell phone rang, she and Ichigo became alarmed, then they ran towards a deserted alley and Ichigo changed into a shinigami.

They ran as fast as they could but then the signal vanished, the two teens where half way where the hollow had been.

"What?" Rukia called out in curiosity.

"Is your phone broken again?" Ichigo smirked at her. Her eyes gazed through him, and replied.

"I don't know... I just had Urahara fixed it a week ago..." Strange... She thought as she pocketed her cell phone. Ichigo returned to his body, stretching.

"Well let him take a look at it..." he replied as he walked towards home, the wind blew cold that night. Two shadows were lurking behind the trees. Watching the two teens talk with no worries but curiosity.

"Kuchiki..." a female voice whispered. She clenched her fist and followed the two teens, monitoring their moves.

"Hmm... What is her purpose?" a deep manly voice said to him self.

He followed his partner through the shadows, watching the teens every move.

The small framed girl stopped at her tracks, absorbing the weak energy which was following them. That reiatsu... it's kinda familiar...

"Rukia..." Ichigo called out.

"Shh... Someone's following us..." she whispered.

"How many?" Kurosaki questioned.

"I'm not sure..." she replied. After a few moments the weird energy grew weaker as the two shoved off the feeling and headed back towards their tracks. Someone is watching us... I feel it...Rukia thought.

Kurosaki Household...

Rukia and Ichigo arrived in front of the Kurosaki household gates, then Rukia climbed up the rooftop towards Ichigo's bedroom, she quickly opened her closet and slid inside it. Meanwhile Ichigo entered their front door, only greeted by another surprised attack by his father.

"DAD! STOP IT!!! I HAVE SOMETHING TO DO!!!" he yelled. In defeat, Isshin Kurosaki retreated back to the kitchen, cooking their diner.

The carrot-top teen walked towards his bedroom, just to see a raven-hair girl wearing pajamas and reading girly magazines on the floor.

"Hey, that was longer than expected..." Rukia said not looking at him.

"Uhumm..." he replied as he got his stuff and went towards the bathroom to change. After a few minutes Ichigo left the bathroom already in his sleeping attire, a pajama pants and loose comfortable T-shirt.

"Have you told Urahara yet?" Ichigo questioned as he sat down in front of his desk and brought out his homework.

"Yeah..." she replied as she looked at him."What are you doing?"

"Answering our Homework, dope..." he annoyingly replied.

"Home...works?" Rukia asked as she remembered what the teacher has told. "Oh, Crap! I forgot mine at my desk!" Rukia exclaimed. Ichigo didn't bother, Rukia was in panic. "Nooo... My perfect school-girl act! Gone..." she mourned.

As the wind blew pass the two teens, they sensed a great reiatsu. What was that? Why is it so strong? Rukia Kuchiki looked out the window just to see a shadow jumping from roof-top to roof-top.

"Ichigo!" she called.

Park... 10:21 pm

The two shinigamis ran through the park following the weird reiatsu only to see two shinigamis and the hollow being vanquished, in a blink the monster was gone. Then Rukia's cell phone rang but faded in a second.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked. The two turned around and looked at the two.

"You!" Ichigo gasp. The two were the shinigamis who attacked them the other day.

"Now. Surrender or die painfully..." The same female voice threatened.

"Rukia stay back!" Ichigo yelled. Rukia walked back a few feet but stumbled, she was waiting for the fall to come but it never came. The other masked shinigami caught her in time. Rukia blushed a slight pink.

"Tensa, Zangetsu!" Ichigo called his Zanpakuto.

"Dance, Towa no hana!" she whispered, her sword turned into an Iris-petal covered katana which was sharp as Ichigo's but longer and yet deadly. Behind the mask the girl smiled in joy of calling upon her beloved katana.

"Huh?" Ichigo said to himself. "A Iris?"

"Yes, The Happiness of the Believer... do you believe that' you'll die today?" she asked. Ichigo made a 'tch' and charged towards her only to be stab by the arm, his winced in pain. Then she grabbed hold of his Zanpakuto and tried to throw it towards the other side but failed, hitting her mask by the swords handle, it broke. The mask revealed a girl with long ankle length brown hair and her eyes are also brunette. Ichigo smirked at her. She smiled lustfully towards Ichigo, wanting to taste his blood.

"Re-Reverie Ethime!" Rukia exclaimed.

"Well there's no point in hiding our faces..." the man behind her said. He removed his mask only to reveal a raven headed man; his eyes were pure crimson red.

"Tsu..Tsubasei!" She exclaimed. Tsubasei smiled at her, making her blush red again.

"Enk... WRONG! It's Fuyuki-taicho" he replied.

"Let's finish this..." Ichigo said.

"Gladly..." the shinigami smiled as she used Shunpo, in a blink she was below Ichigo striking his stomach. It began to bleed more and more. He winced in pain, he coughed blood because off the blows pressure.

This can't be happening again... Ichigo thought smirking.

"I'm not done yet substitute..." she teased.

Then she gave him another bloody blow. He screamed in agony.

"Ichigo!!" Rukia screamed as she saw him bleeding towards death. She tried run to his aid but Tsubasei held her tight.

"Let me go Tsubasei!!" She protested. Tsubasei shook his head.

"Him or you? You choose Rukia Kuchiki..." he proposed.

"What?" Rukia exclaimed.

"We'll let him live if you surrender..." Then another scream was heard from Kurosaki. Ichigo!!! She mentally screamed.

"Surrender or Die?!" Tsubasei said again louder.

"I'm sorry Ichigo..."she mumbled.

"Your choice..."

"I... I ... Sur-" her eyes were now forming tears.

"Don't you dare Rukia!!" Ichigo yelled. "Don't you dare surrender!"

"I-Ichigo..." she smiled. She looked at the raven haired man, her eyes were full of fury "I, die with him!" she proudly said.

Rukia... Tsubasei thought.

"I...I Understand your decision... But why did you choose to die with him?" Tsubasei questioned. Reverie stopped at beating Ichigo mercilessly and looked at the two. Ichigo tried to stand up and coughed a great amount of blood.

"Because... I- I have something that I need to answer which involves him, and... And my mission is not done... He's... My responsibility and most of all I began to understand them, and many things which is compared to nothing in soul society... " She finished.

"And what is that?" Reverie butted in.

"Friendship, care and unity... Most of all family..." Ichigo said with his last ounce of strength.

"I see..." Tsubasei replied. "We'll let you go, Rukia..."

"What?!" she replied a little bit surprised.

"Tsubasei what are you talking about?" Reverie asked.

"We're done here. It is better not to return home... and it's Fuyuki-fukutaicho to you" he smiled as he wore his half broken mask.

"No... Are you really quitting our mission, Fuyuki-fukutaicho?" Reverie asked again. Tsubasei smiled and used Shunpo. He was gone.

"Well... No offense to Kurosaki... We'll meet again Rukia..." she said as she wore her half broken mask and smiled. She used Shunpo running after her partner.

"Thanks, Tsubasei..." Rukia whispered as she smiled.

Bank... 11:32 pm

"What are we doing Tsubasei?" Rev asked.

"Shh... Stealing money dope! We'll be living here in this world for a while..." Tsubasei replied.

"Oh..." The two shinigamis stole three bags of money from the national bank unnoticed.

"Mission Accomplish..." he exclaimed. "All we need now is a gigai..." he said to her as the two traveled towards Urahara's shop.

Urahara's shop... 11:48pm

"Welcome Tsubasei and Reverie, what would you like?" Urahara questioned.

"A gigai..."Asei replied.

"A gigai you say... Well there..." Urahara pointed towards two bodies.

"Thanks...but can we change into shinigamis right away?" Reverie questioned.

"Yes, those two are my latest model of a gigai... A soul can leave and enter that gigai anytime they wished and look like what they used to be..." Urahara explained.

"Thanks..." Tsubasei thanked him as they left and bought a suitable home with their stolen money.

"This house is perfect..." Reverie exclaimed as the two entered inside their newly bought house.

Kurosaki's...

"Ichigo are you alright?" a certain lion asked.

"..." he didn't reply.

"Kon, let him sleep..." Rukia said.

"But I'm not done beating him up yet!" Kon proudly said. Rukia glared at him then back to the sleeping carrot-top teen.

"Sleep well..." Rukia whispered as she entered her closet. Kon didn't notice her until the closet was closed tightly.

"Rukia!! Let me in!" Kon knocked but it was no use, Rukia was fast asleep. "Rukia!!!"

Rukia's room...

Why did he help us? Asei why did you risk your life for us? Do still have feelings for me?... Rukia thought as she closed her eyes and let out some tears stream down her cheeks. Thank you Asei...

Tsubasei's Room...

That was awfully tiring... I understand now... I did the right thing, did I? Do I have the same feelings as before for Rukia when we were just kids studying the ways of being a shinigami? I thought I have changed? Tsubasei thought until he yawned exhaustedly and went to a deep slumber. What do I feel now?

"Achooo!!...Snif"

Reverie's Room...

Asei is really acting weird today... But I'm glad that we are still together through thick and thin... He's changing again... She sighed at the thought. We'll I'm going to shoved that off and wait for tomorrow's school activity... Yep... Our new school... Kurakura High...

"Asei... you're changing since we've been given that mission... To kill her..." Reverie sighed, her eyes slightly closed until she was sound asleep.

To be continued...

AN: eheheheh... I'm really not good at this... I forgot what Ichigo says to call his Zanpakuto... I hope you like it! Read and Review!