DISCLAIMER: Bleach nor any of the characters are mine, but if it were.. IchiRuki all the way!
AN: Sorry for the wait, I've been busy preparing for some art stuff and haven't had much time. I hope this makes up for it, rate and tell me what you think.
Chapter Two: Test of Strength
"Wow, this kid. He's got nerve don't you say, Kuchki-taicho?" The rough voice belonged to a dark red head with tattoos and some strange glasses on his head. So, Kuchki-taicho... He's a captain, and seems to be related to Rukia.. I'll have to talk to her about that once I'm done here. Ichigo's thoughts were still trying to get a grasp of all of the things that had happened in the last twenty-four hours alone, now all of this was happening.
"Yes, but then again... Maybe he has something to back it up?" The captain looked over to him and just stared into his eyes, "Why don't you find out Abari?" With that the red head grew a large glowing smile, his eyes gleamed with the desire to fight.
"Most certainly." He rushed at Ichigo with unbelievable speed, nearly knocking him off his feet as the two's blades collided, "Ha, well I can defiantly say that you do have the largest and most over-sized Zanpaktu that I've ever seen before." His smiled gleamed yet again, "But why have size when power can overwhelm that?" Ichigo was forced back and slide across the ground, within seconds he blacked out as his head collided with a light-post.
-Rukia's-Point-Of-View-
Ichigo... Why must you do this? You put yourself in grave danger today... There was a knock on the front door of the Kurosaki house that startled Rukia out of her lost thoughts, as she approached the door she felt an unusual reatsui, one that was believed to be long extinct... One of a Quincy. Why am I feeling this... It's so unreal.. There are no Quincy left in the world, they were all killed in the war minus a select few whom died of age or hallow attacks... She opened the door and saw the face of a classmate at the door.
"What are you doing here?" Rukia looked at him questioningly, "I mean, this is Kurosaki's house." The classmate by the name of Uyru Isshida stood in the doorway looking inward. "He went after them.. Didn't he?"
"What are you talking about?" Who is this guy? What does he know about where Ichigo is?
"You know what I'm talking about, the people who kidnapped his family, he went after them. Don't play dumb." He was getting obviously annoyed at this little game.
"What? I just came here because he had asked me to meet him here after school, he hasn't shown up yet." Well, this situation is... Problematic at best.
"Damn it Rukia! I know he's a Shinigami! Now he will be killed if you don't cooperate with me! So tell me, did he go or not?" The glare on his face and the seriousness in his voice set Rukia running past him and into the street. Running only steps behind her she was fallowed by the student, she stopped and slammed her elbow into his groin causing him to fall to his knees.
"I'm sorry, but I can't have you dying or getting hurt for me.. I need to stop this madness before they kill him." With that she ran off into the dark leaving Uyru on the ground as she took off to save the human who saved her life. Ichigo.. I'm so sorry, I have to save you now... You saved me and now it's my turn to save you, thank you for teaching me everything I know of this world, of the happiness of being a human. And then for this strange feeling that I get.. Every time someone mentions your name.. Thank you so much Ichigo, but now it's time to go back to how things used to be... I don't want you to die.. You can't die.. You have to live to protect your family... They're the ones that matter, if I die then at least I'll die happy on the inside knowing that I managed to prolong your life and meeting you..
The roads were dark and Rukia could run no longer, her energy depleted from the last twenty minutes of running in this human body. She could feel the cold chill run up her body and the strong reatsui that was being emitted from her brother, Nii-sama they sent you? No.. There shouldn't be a reason for sending a captain level Shinigami to return a fugitive... What's going on here? Wait.. Is that Renji? There must be something that I'm missing here... She let out a scream of terror and pain as she felt a wave of energy rush over her, one that did not resemble a Shinigami at all but a powerful hallow, one that not even her elder brother could handle alone. It was a Menos Grande, the most feared of the hallows that one could hope to battle without being sent into Hueco Mundo and for some reason it has appeared here in Karakura Town. Her body fell as she let out another scream when the dark shadow covered her body, then the strangest thing happened, it all disappeared.
-Ichigo's-Point-of-View-
That scream.. It can't be.. Rukia? I have to help her.. I have to save her... She's hurt and scared.. I can't let her be hurt.. I can't let someone take her away from me.. I WILL SAVE HER! Ichigo's eyes shot open just as he saw the two adversaries leaving to the sound of Rukia's yell, he stood up and called out to them but they were already gone. Damn it! He ran as fast as he could to where he felt the spiritual pressure of the two and Rukia mixing. It had gotten darker than from when he had first came outside but it wasn't too dark for him to see clear enough to know his way around the town.
As he rounded a corner he saw it, there was a giant hallow like creature standing in the middle of the park the reatsui around it was think and powerful but it stood in his way to saving Rukia, so it must be destroyed. He charged head on to the hallow sword drawn back ready to slash out, the was a wisp in the wind as an arrow flew by his head and shattered at the ankle of the hallow Ichigo spun around and saw Uyru standing wielding a blue bow with another arrow drawn back.
"What the hell are you doing Isshida?! This is dangerous!" Ichigo was stunned at the weapon in his classmates hands.
"Shut up you moron, I know what I'm doing. This stupid hallow may be big, but it's going to die just as any other would." Uyru stood there staring at Ichigo for a moment, "So are you going to keep attacking or what?" With that a sly smile formed on Ichigo's lips.
"With pleasure." He spun off his heel and continued his charge, arrows flew by his side and the still did no damage to the massive hallow when Ichigo finally reached the beast he swung his sword to the leg of it. With no effort on the hallow's part the blade bounced off and Ichigo fell over, he rolled back and attempted the attack again with no more success than the time before hand.
"Kurosaki, get over here." Uyru sat on the ground and waited, "We need a plan, this thing is to tough for either of our weapons."
"Really? I hadn't noticed..."
"Hey!" Uyru punched at Ichigo, getting his fist caught mid-way through. With that his bow grew to four times the size and pulled him down.
"What happened to your bow?" Ichigo looked confused as the bow was back to it's normal size.
"I think," Uyru reached out an grabbed Ichigo's arm and the bow sized up again. "The reatsui that you produce runs through my body and gains me access to it, making my attacks even stronger."
"Really? Well that's.. Interesting?"
"It's an advantage, can you increase the flow so the attacks can be even greater?"
"Um, yeah.. 'Bout that... I don't really know how to, I kind of just figured that my reatsui was just always at one hundred percent."
"You mean to say you're a Shinigami and you have no control over your energy?"
"Basically, I mean I've never needed to before."
"Great, well just come over here and hold onto me or something so I can attack this thing." After a short while the managed to tie Ichigo's blade to Uyru's head so when Ichigo grabbed it the energy enhanced the power of the arrows.
"So are you sure this is going to work?" I don't know what to do here, I'm wasting time..
"Yes I'm sure, just hold the sword and we can take him out." The hallow let a loud roar and peered down to the two students, with another cry a small ball was forming at it's mouth as it charged an attack of it's own. "Ichigo.."
"Ha, one step ahead of you! Ichigo grabbed the sword and tore it off Uyru's head, he charged once again at the hallow with his weapon directed at it's legs. It looked down and fired the blast at him, he slid to a stop and covered his body with his blade. The force of the attack alone shook the tress around him, the ground was cracking and breaking beneath his feet the reatsui from the blast was forming a blood red and black umbrella of energy around Ichigo whom was still struggling the keep his blade over his head. As the blast came to an end Ichigo slashed his sword in an arc form, cutting the hallow from it's feet to the next curving around to the back of the head, it screamed in pain and was forced into a retreat. Ichigo fell to the ground from the struggle with blood pouring out of his forehead and into his eyes.
"I did it.. But I can't move.." The red and black energy reappeared from the end of Ichigo's sword and his body was in shearing pain. Uyru ran over and attempted to move Ichigo away from the sword only being forced backward. When his foot landed on the blade his bow expanded to an amazing ten times that of the original and he made a mental note of what to do. He stood with his legs slightly apart and his arms in the air and began to fire, arrow after arrow, launching off the reatsui being produced from the Zanpaktu. After several shots his arm began to bleed, then it felt numb as he lost more and more blood, yet finally the energy was depleted and he fell to the ground next to Ichigo.
"You fool.. You could have gotten yourself killed..."
"I need to save Rukia..."
"Rukia? Oh no..." Uyru Isshida then vanished from sight and Ichigo blacked out.
-Rukia's-Point-Of-View-
Where am I? Rukia stood up and looked around, she was in the middle of the road and it was dark. That's right, I saw the shadow of a Menos, then I used what was left of my reatsui and forced myself as far away as I could..
"Well well well, look what we've finally managed to catch up with."
"Now, Abari you know better than to taught anyone."
"My apologies Kuchki-taicho, I just meant to surprise her a little."
"I can assure you she is surprised enough." It's them.. They caught me.. Does that mean... Ichigo is.. Dead?
"If only that human were a better protector then maybe we could have lost track of you, but he was nothing." Renji Abari looked down from a light-post.
"You killed him?" Her voice quivered with the thought of Ichigo being killed due to her lack of warning.
"No, not really. It was more one sided, so I demolished him." He laughed as he dropped to the ground. "Now, why don't you just come along an-" Rukia spit in his face and turned to run off, she was caught off guard as Renji brought his sword down cutting her arm. She spun around still attempting to flee, yet again to be cut off by Renji and a cut across her face.
"Rukia, how disrespectful!" He shoved her down, "I thought that being in a royal family would have taught you something!"
"Shut up Renji... You don't know anything.."
"I know that you had your powers stolen by a human, and that it's time you pay the price!" He began to walk to her with his Zanpaktu drawn when suddenly a blue arrow shot past his face. "What in the world!"
"I think that this scene is a bit off." Uyru Isshida carried a bag of yarn and string, "I mean, two grown men attacking a defenseless young woman? How pathetic."
"Who are you!"
"Just a student that shares a class with Rukia Kuchki, who happens to hate Shinigami."
"That doesn't answer my question!"
"Fine then, if you must know my name is Uyru Isshida, ranked number one in all of Karakura High, and the last of the Quincy." Then I wasn't going crazy earlier! I thought the Quincy died off though, once the war ended and there was an elder man who was killed by hallows.. But there is one more...
"Then it'll be my pleasure to finish off your kind!" Renji charged to the Quincy, as he reached him though he no longer stood there. There was an arrow shot from the sky and it landed right next to him, in the air there was a figure of a man with a bow looking downward.
"This is your only warning, let her go."
"Ha! You wish!" Renji appeared next to Uyru and kicked him to the ground, when they landed he brought his sword across his arm and back leaving him on the ground bleeding. "That was no use, now.. Back to what I was doing." The ground shook slightly, then another man appeared this time standing with a large Zanpaktu and wearing a shihakuso.
-Ichigo's-Point-of-View-
"Stay away from her." Ichigo stood looking upon Renji and Rukia, he was standing next to Uyru checking his pulse. Good, he's fine. Just unconscious. "Now you have to deal with me."
"Ha, well then kid. I guess you didn't die like we intended for you to." The red haired one spoke, "I'll make sure to finish you off this time."
"Bring it on." Ichigo challenged.
"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted, "Run! Ichigo, Renji is far to powerful for you!" Ah, so his name is Renji Abari. I'll remember that, if he lives.
"I can't do that Rukia, I'm here to take you home."
"Aw, well how touching. It makes me sick!" Renji spat out.
"Be prepared Renji Abari, for this is the last name you will ever hear again." Ichigo looked up to see if he was paying attention. "My name is not "kid" I am Ichigo Kurosaki, remember it. And if you live this battle, then make sure every other Shinigami knows who I am an not to mess with the people I cherish."
"Well them Ichigo Kurosaki. I have a name for you to remember, because it will be the last one you ever hear. You will die by not only my hands but by the hands of my Zanpaktu." Ichigo was clueless.
"You named your Zanpaktu?"
"Really? Kid, if you think you can take me on and not even know your Zanpaktu's name! Think again. Maybe in the next one hundred years!"
"Renji.. Please, he's just a human.." Rukia pleaded silently.
"No, he brought this on himself when he took your powers!" He drew his Zanpaktu and laid it sideways in the air, "Now prepare yourself to die human. Roar Zabimarru!" A bright green flash escaped from his weapon, then in the dust and light a blade reached out and struck Ichigo right in the shoulder forcing him unto his knees. When it all faded Renji stood there wielding a black and silver Zanpaktu with sharp points in increments along the sidewith a small section in between each increment where the blade seemed detached. Then he swung again, the sword expanded outward, Ichigo bought up his weapon to block but was shoved backward into the railing blocking the street and sidewalk.
"You can't even cut me you child! Don't even think you begin to stand a chance! You will die here and now for your crimes!" He swung again and cut a gash into Ichigo's left shoulder. He fell to his knees and closed his eyes. I can't move.. I can't move... I can't die.. I have to save her... I have to rescue them... The blade came crashing down again this time it landed next to Ichigo, he looked up and saw Rukia on Renji's back.
"Run Ichigo! I'll stop him! Just run!" Renji flung her off his back and walked up in front of Ichigo.
"You should of listened you human child, them maybe you could have lived." A strong source of energy was released, Ichigo swung upwards and cut Renji right across his forehead.
"Sorry for the rudeness, I guess you just left yourself too far open.. Now what were you saying? That's right.. I can't even cut you..." Renji growled in anger and swung again, this time Ichigo side stepped and kicked the blade away. He was avoiding attacks left and right, he made his way to Renji and cut him again on his shoulder. He brought his blade down for another strike but Renji managed to avoid it and slide across the ground, the energy around the grew stronger and Renji was forced to his knees.
"Renji Abari... It's time you die." Ichigo leaped into the air and brought his sword down to Renji's head, with a flash of white the top half of his blade was gone, leaving him with little more than the hilt. What.. What happened.. There's no way he did that, he hasn't even moved.. He looked around, Was is.. Him? His eyes reached the captain, and he saw the silver shine of the top of his Zanpaktu.
"You're too slow human" He felt something enter his chest, "Even when your dropping." Then again the pain hit him. Ichigo fell to the ground and was bleeding out of two small cuts in his chest, he was unable to move and the blood just poured out of him.
"Rukia.. I'm.. Sorry." Ichigo's vision faded and he lay on the concrete under the rain.
AN: Yeah, again sorry about the wait I hope it was worth it. If you like the story please review, I don't know if I should keep going or not because no one's saying anything. Also, if you could share this with friends who also like Bleach that would be cool. And if you want you can check out my OC The Assassin it's pretty far in. I added characters to the original Bleach and make a new story-line, just review this and the other if you read it to. Thank You.
-Crazyandwhite
