Here's another installation of 'Crystal Snowflakes'. And it's a long chapter too! :D Probably the longest I've written so far! :3

I'm on a roll; but I think I'm a victim of Stress-Induced Writing. I've gotten so stressed out over the exams that I've just poured it all into my stories and it's helping me come up with ideas twice as fast as it usually takes me.

I've also tried my hand at an action scene in this chapter! Not very good, or long, really, but I tried! :)

Please review with your thoughts and if you see any mistakes, please tell me about them, as I don't have a beta reader.

Thanks a bunchies!

~ Blue Moon ~

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor do I own Bleach and Naruto. However, I like to think I own the idea, but considering how much I still have not discovered on the world wide web, -and how I cannot read minds- I'm probably not the first one with this idea.

This chapter is named after the song "Brave" by Sara Bareilles.

Reviews:

Hot-Magma: Thanks for the comment! :) My creativity is like a giant waterfall at the moment so I really hope it doesn't end up running dry anytime soon, if it does I'd probably curl up and cry.

Your reviews mean a lot to me :)

~Blue Moon~

Aladdinina Magi: Haha :) The climax point for the Soul Society Arc will be coming soon :3

Personally I think that Nagisa and Ichigo would get along great most of the times, they're both a lot alike. (Stubborn, protective of their friends, scorned as children for something beyond their control) But other times they'd probably get on each other's nerves they're so much alike. The two of them will probably have a Brother-Sister relationship in the story.

Thanks for the comment!

~Blue Moon~

Windninja1000: Thanks! I'm glad people enjoy my geeky-ness. ;P

Thanks for your support!

~Blue Moon~

idea,gethe: Thanks for your opinion :)

The writing process for Crystal Snowflakes will probably slow down once my exams are done, because I'll no longer be working off my stress-induced energy that tests seem to dump on me.

Don't worry, more fluffiness will come, but the story can't be all about adorable fluff ;P (no matter how much as I want it too)

Constructive criticism will help me in the long run, so don't hold out on your opinions for my sake. (But no hate flames, I'd probably cry ;) )

~Blue Moon~

"Blah" - Talking

Blah - Thoughts

Blah - Zanpakuto spirit

Nagisa shunpoed swiftly from roof to roof, blue eyes scanning the mass chaos that was the streets of Seireitei. The ground had been shredded by the many gouges and holes. Walls were crumbling in some areas, and burn marks from kido attacks were visible.
Her keen eyes instantly zeroed in on a head of messy orange hair, and with a sigh the young lieutenant leapt from the building and blurred in front of the two intruders.
She stood calmly, face void of emotion as she held Rankiryuu loosely at her side.
"W-What the hell?! What's a kid doing here?!" The orange haired one - Ichigo - exclaimed, skidding to a halt; his companion, a heavy set man with chin length black hair and odd eyebrows, did the same.
"I'm sorry, but I have to stop you here." Nagisa told them, shifting so she was in a ready position.
"I-Ichgo! That's a Lieutenant!" The dark haired man hissed in alarm, dark eyes trained on her armband.
"Like hell! She's just a little girl!"
Nagisa glowered, "I may be young but don't look down on me because of my age!" She snapped, before taking a quick, calming breath and asking; "Why are you invading Seireitei?"
Ichigo looked at her, a scowl on his face, "I'm here to save my friend."
Nagisa faltered.

"It's because you're my friend!"

Shaking her head, the blonde looked at the two men in front of her. "As much as I respect your loyalty to your friends. An order is an order; I have to stop you here."
Then she moved.
The sound of metal clashing filled the street as Ichigo blocked Nagisa's swipe.
"Che." Nagisa used the force behind the human's block to push herself into the air in a gracefull backflip, and the moment her feet touched the ground she shot forward once again.
Their swords clashed briefly, sending sparks into the air before Nagisa spun to the side, sword nicking Ichigo's side.
The orange haired shinigami leapt back, hand moving to his side, and coming back bloody.
Nagisa ingored the blood dripping down her forehead -when did that happen?- as she stared at the two intruders. "As much as it goes against my morals to stop you from saving your friend, it's also against my morals to go against my word." She sighed, "Man, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Not fun." Her eyes moved back to Ichigo, "You're lucky you ran into me. I'm one of the weakest lieutenants; I'm also the newest. This is my first month as acting lieutenant."
Ichigo blinked, "I've seen you before! You were with that fox-faced bastard!"
"Yup. Uzumaki Nagisa, Lieutenant of the Third Division under Captain Ichimaru Gin. At your service. You're Kurosaki Ichigo, ne?"
"That's me."
Nagisa hummed, "If you're going to save your friend, you'll have to get past me first, so fight with everything you have and I will too. Surge! Rankiryuu!"
Ichigo had to cover his eyes when Nagisa was engulfed in blinding yellow light that crackled with electricity. When it faded, Nagisa stood in front of him, two katana in hand. The hilts were black, golden ribbons attached to the pommels. The guards were diamond shaped and the blades a glowing silver with golden dragons carved into the metal.
The young blonde shifted into a ready position, electricity arching off her body, "Let's do this."

- *Crystal Snowflakes* -

Toshiro was in a meeting with the other captains of the Gotai 13 when he felt it; the explosion of familiar Reiatsu.
The young captain froze in the middle of his report, eyes widening. "Nagisa..." He muttered in horror.
She had run into some of the invaders and had released Rankiryuuu; which she rarely did.
"Ahh..." He heard Ichimaru say, "Looks like Nagi-chan 'as run inta one of th' invaders. Even released 'er Shikai too, who ev'r 't is mus' be strong."

Toshiro stayed silent as he felt Nagisa's Reiatsu clashed violently against another's (much stronger, and more violent and uncontrolled than Nagisa's). The levels of spiritual pressure continued to raise until the unknown Reiatsu signal spiked so violently that Toshiro's knees shook slightly, and then Nagisa's signal took a sharp drop.

Without so much of a second thought, Toshiro had shunpoed from the meeting room and towards Nagisa's Reiatsu signature.

- *Crystal Snowflakes* -

Moments Before

Nagisa vaulted off of Ichigo's large Zanpakuto, twisting in the air as she called out; "Raikou Kousen!" Rankiryuu's blades glowed violently as she swung them towards her adversary and a beam of yellow electricity shot towards the orange haired teen, who dove to the side to dodge it.

The young lieutenant staggered as she landed, panting as she tried to ignore the growing patch of blood on her shoulder, and she swiped her hand across her forehead, smearing her own blood across her temple.

"You ready to give up yet?" Ichigo taunted, ignoring the pain from the slash on his back and the numbness of his arm.

"Nope." Nagisa told him, flipping her right blade into a reverse grip and pointing at the orange haired shinigami, "What about you? Hado Number Four! Byakurai!"

Ichigo yelped, lifting his large cleaver-like blade as a concentrated bolt of lightning shot from the young lieutenant's finger and raced towards him. He was pushed a few meters backwards as the lightning connected with his Zanpakuto.

Nagisa let out a wheezing cough; using Rankiryuu's Shikai for so long and for so many consecutive attacks was draining. She was so exhausted she barely noticed Ichigo's eyes glowing an eerie silver-blue, but she did notice when the teenager swiped his blade through the air and a large arch of pure Reiatsu was sent flying towards her.

"Shit-" She didn't have enough energy left to dodge and the attack connected with her torso.

Pain exploded through her being as she was sent flying into a wall, and she was barely conscious when her spine connected with the stone wall.

Her small body slumped limply to the ground, Rankiryuu reverted back to his sealed state the moment his blades clattered to the ground.

- *Crystal Snowflakes* -

Ichigo stared at the limp body slumped against the wall, a smear of blood leading from the spot she connected with the wall to where she was sprawled at the base of the stone.

He shivered.

She looked so much smaller than she really was, she was so much like Yuzu and Karin that it had hurt to attack her.

The orange haired young man turned away from her; it hurt his heart to look at her.

"W-Wait..." Nagisa rasped, before coughing violently, blood splattering to the ground. "Y-You're h-here to s-save K-Kuchiki Rukia. S-She was m-moved to the Senzaikyuu."

Ichigo's brown eyes met the young girl's blue ones, "Why are you telling me this?"

"B-Because I u-understand your goal t-to save your friend." She told him weakly, "That y-yearning to p-protect them..."

"What do you -?"

"G-Get going." Nagisa muttered, "They're o-on their w-way here n-now. Go save Rukia."

Ichigo hesitated for a moment before nodding and fleeing.

- *Crystal Snowflakes* -

Toshiro reached Nagisa in record time and stumbled, his heart leaping into his throat.

The blonde girl was slumped up against a wall, a smear of blood showing that she had hit the wall rather violently before sliding down into the position she was in now, a sealed Rankiryuu laying uselessly next to her limp hand.

"Nagisa!" He cried, rushing to her side. The only thing running through his head was a never ending mantra of; Don't be dead. Don't be dead. Please, don't be dead.

He gripped her shoulder shakily as he stared at his friend's face. It was pale and half of her face was coated in blood from an injury on her temple, her eyes were closed, and a thin stream of blood rolled from her mouth. A large gash ran from her left shoulder and down to her hip, still losing a dangerous amount of blood.

Ironically enough, the only part of her body that wasn't bloody was the orange scarf he had gotten her.

"Damn it, Nagisa." He growled, "You stupid idiot. You just had to go do something stupid."

The white haired captain didn't bother looking up when two other presences arrived behind.

"Well, damn. Kid went all out." Kyoraku muttered, looking around at the destroyed street and the buildings reduced to rubble.

"Impressive." Ichimaru drawled, "Is Lil'Nagi-chan still alive over there?"

Toshiro glared at his fellow captains, why couldn't one of the serious members of the Gotai 13 have followed him? "Yes." He ground out, "But barely, we need to get her to Unohana-taichou."

Without a backward glance, Toshiro slung Rankiryuu over his shoulder and gently scooped Nagisa's limp weight into his arms; showing an impressive amount of strength for someone so small, and took off in a shunpo in the direction of the 4th Division, leaving the older captain where they stood.

"They're cute together." Kyoraku said airily, "How long do you think until they notice?"

"It'll take awhile. The're both so oblivious." Gin answered.

"Who do you think will realize first?"

"Hitsugaya-taichou." Gin said without a second thought.

"Oh?"

"Mhm... The're both oblivious, bu' Nagi-chan 's pro'lly th' most oblivious person I've ever met."

Kyoraku snorted in amusement.

- *Crystal Snowflakes* -

"H-How can this be?" Momo asked in shock, covering her mouth with her hands as she tired not to cry. "First Nagisa-san, and now Abarai-kun..."

Kira Izuru, 3rd Seat of the 3rd Division (and acting Lieutenant no that Uzumaki-fukutaichou was unconscious), stared at the red-heads limp and bloody body. "When I found him he was already like this... If I had found him earlier, I could have helped him..."

"This... It's alright..." Momo said shakily.

Kira nodded, "Anyways, we should hurry up and call the Fourth. Ask for a higher officer for help-"

"There is no need."

The two conversing shinigami froze, eyes widening and they spun around to see the Captain of the 6th Division standing behind them.

"Throw him in jail."

"Kuchiki-taichou!"

"N-No... Abarai-kun faced the intruders alone... And now he's-"

"I don't want excuses." Byakuya interrupted coldly, "Since he was fighting alone, there is no reason he should have lost. I don't want an idiot who cannot even understand this. He's just getting in the way, hurry up and move him somewhere else."

Momo clenched her fists, "Please... Please wait! How can you say that!" She exclaimed.

Kira grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away from the dark haired captain, "Never mind, Hinamori!"

"B-But, Kira-kun!"

Kira ignored her and bent down into a bow, "I'm very sorry!"

Momo's lip wobbled as she did the same, "I-I'm very sorry..."

Byakuya stared at them coldly before striding from the room.

"Oh~~~ Scary!"

Momo jumped, looking over her shoulder to see Ichimaru leaning calmly against the wall, watching his fellow captain's retreating back.

"Ichimaru-taichou!" Kira greeted.

"He actually said those words~ Kuchiki-taichou's scary as usual~" The silver haired captain turned his grinning face to the two lower level officers, "Don' worry! I'll help ya contact th' Fourth. C'mon, Kira."

"Hai."

The two 3rd Division shinigami swept out of the room.

Momo dropped into a bow, "So-Sorry to trouble you!" She called after them.

Silence.

"Owah! How did Abarai get beaten so badly."

Momo squealed in fright, H-How do they keep doing that?! She thought as she spun around to see Toshiro standing calmly behind her, arms crossed over his chest.

"Hi-Hitsugaya-kun!" She exclaimed, clutching at her heart in fright.

"Oi! I'm already a captain! You shouldn't address me like that."

"B-Be quiet! That's enough!" Momo spluttered, "How come all the captains don't make any noise when they walk?!" She paused, looking at her childhood friend as he stared up at her with deadpan turquoise eyes, "By the way, Hitsugaya-kun, why are you... Why are you here? And you didn't bring your lieutenant... Is Nagisa alright?"

Toshiro huffed, looking away from her, "I'm here to give you advice." His face darkened slightly as he said his next sentence, "Watch out for the Third Division."

"Huh...? The Third Division? You mean Kira-kun? Why?"

His eyes moved from the wall back to hers, and Momo noticed for the first time the bags under his eyes... Did he not get any sleep last night? She knew that he spent the whole night in the Fourth, sitting with an unconscious Nagisa, but he must not have gotten an ounce of sleep while he was there.

"I'm talking about Ichimaru-taichou." Toshiro said coldly, "But keep an eye on Kira, too. It won't hurt to keep an eye on them."

Glossary:

Raikou Kousen : (Lightning Beam - lightning type) - Beam of electrical energy shoots from the blades [looks like a yellow cero]

Byakurai : (Pale Lightning - Kido/Hado) - The user fires a concentrated, powerful lightning bolt from their finger.