a/n: Hello people! Moon-chan is back with the latest chapter. It took me a while to write. I think this is the longest chapter I've written so far (almost 3,200 words). This chapter became long because of inukagome-san's review. And I thank him/her for pointing that out. I really want my fic to be as accurate as possible. Thanks for the many reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH! Darn it!


Love not with the heart for it does not know any better. But, love not with the mind for it would not be love at all.


Chapter Six:Death and Strawberry

Just as she was about to accept her fate and surrender to death, Rukia Kuchiki took a glimpse of her surroundings. She had been surprised with the burst of familiar reiatsu. With her remaining energy, she forced herself to sit up and search for the familiar reiatsu. She slightly coughed blood and leaned on a nearby rock. Despite her vision being blurry, she found out the source of the reiatsu was actually her saviour for he was defeating the hollows one by one. There was a pause in her mind as she tried to figure out who her rescuer was. He had bright yellow hair; like the sun; and he wore a mask. A half smile came over her lips. She fainted again.

I won't thank you for saving me.

Ichigo Kurosaki slashed the hollow's trunk like knife through soft butter. He was surprised with his quick reflexes. He recited a kidou spell. It was twice as powerful as he remembered it to be. Was he always that strong? How could he not have access such power earlier on? You were pushed to the edge. His reiatsu was a thousand fold stronger than just a few seconds ago. Why was that? You wanted to protect someone. He flashstepped and moved closer to the two remaining hollows.

There are adjuchas. They could not be defeated easily, not with in shikai definitely. He needed a more powerful attack. "You have two options." Said Nightbringer, "you can use your bankai or you can call me out, either which would be powerful enough to defeat them; so what would it be, your majesty?"

"I'm not sure." Ichigo replied. "I don't clearly remember how to use either." Ichigo paused surprised with the cooperativeness of his other self. "And why are you helping me? Aren't you supposed to be like 'You're weak, Let me take over'? Alter egos are supposed to be like that." Ichigo barely dodged a hollow's attack.

"So you don't want me helping you?" replied the other Ichigo. "And me? Take over you? I am you!" Nightbringer chuckled. "So what it's going to be kid? Hollow or Bankai? We don't have all day. Our chick ain't going to last that long, you know."

The boy looked at the woman a few meters from him. She was the one his other self called their chick. She was unconscious and bleeding. He had no freaking idea what he would use. He had no idea what to do with the power he recently acquired. But he had to choose one of thing, otherwise he would die and his vice-captain would die as well. "Um...I choose," he said still undecided which power he wanted "I choose the um..." he paused. "My hollow powers?"

"Boy, you watch." His other self said. "I will give you a glimpse of our true power. This is something no entity can attain in his entire life and afterlife. This is tease of our true power. Watch and learn. And remember this well."


Nobody would dare question the torture of what hell had to offer. And it was no question that nobody would choose to go to hell moreover aim to go to hell. But why the hell did he go hell? It's not like he charmed the Devil or committed genocide. He would never do that. And the crimes he committed as a hollow bear no gravity at all.

There are had to be a logical reason why he was sentenced to hell. What did he do that was equivalent to being an evil person in the human world? Could it be his usual beating of his father? Or could be just plain hatred from some divine being? There had to some freaking reason he was sent to hell. And he knew it wasn't some random thing. There had to be something that he had done that caused his sentence to hell.

"Why was I sent to hell?" he asked as if waiting for a reply.

"Oh, how long I have waited for you to ask that question." An angelic voice replied. "But now that the moment came, should I tell you or should I just leave you clueless about it?" A pause and a cough. "I know. I'll tell you then. You wouldn't hate yourself for it, would you?"

"Tell me what it is already."

"You are on the right tracking thinking of something similar to what an assassin could have done, but then again, not even a thousand years would you find out what it is. Do you still want to make a guess?" The boy didn't answer. He did not have time to listen to the voice's dilly-dallying. The voice continued. "Whoever you meet in this place is a slaughterer, pushed someone to their death, committed suicide, and, of course, someone similar to you, Ichigo. Do get what I'm saying, kid?"

The boy looked puzzled. The voice continued speaking. "The answer is that they disrupted the normal cycle of life and death." The voice paused. Ichigo looked as shocked as ever. "That's right. Instead of following the flow of life and death, these people hasten the cycle. In some cases, they kill a person before they are fated to die, and in your case, you overlooked the cycle of life and death by overcoming death herself. That's true, Ichigo. And that one thing that caused you your soul, by cheating death, was stealing a soul reaper's power. Now you know why transfer of shinigami power is forbidden." (1)

"But, I didn't know. She didn't know."

"Ignorance of the law is not excuse, my boy."

"But—"

"Let us not cry over spilled milk. So, what are you going to do now; now that you know that the person you wish to protect, the very person you risk your life for, the one you esteem, the very person you hold most dearly is the same person that sentenced you to hell from the very beginning? How are you feeling? Don't you feel hell twice as before? Do you not feel the anger and hatred? Do you intended to take revenge and send her to hell as well? Tell me, Ichigo. What do you plan to do?"

"I intend to keep my promise. The power in my hands was gained for her sake! That's the only way I know how to repay her for giving me this power."


From the moment they are born, men are hoped to be great. Most people aim to be great but fail miserably. Some are made great. Others are born great. And only a few accomplish greatness. Most of the time, their greatness is achieved at the twilight of their lives. But, he was lot like other men. He was Ichigo Kurosaki. He did not aim to be great. He was not made great. He was not even born great. No, it was far grander than those. He, Ichigo Kurosaki, was destined for greatness. (2)

And no man could deny that fact.

And this same person stood before her, bleeding, dying because he saved her (but again) from her apparent death. Still, all she could do was watch him protect her. She was weak. She never grew tired of telling herself that a million times. She wanted to protect him but all she could do was depend on him as she held on miserably to life. She was pathetic. She failed to keep his promise again. She watched him defeat the two remaining hollows.

He slashed one of the hollows' limbs and blasted it with Cero in less than thirty seconds. The remaining hollow tried to slash the man with its claws. He was able to dodge it with ease. He flash stepped to the right and appeared at the left. The hollow evaded...barely. The orange-haired masked man jump into the air and lifted his zanpaktou. He shouted as he released a large amount of reiatsu. He landed on the ground squatting. He stood up and his mask shattered. And behind him, the hollow disintegrated and crumbled to dust. The man walked towards her. She sat there in disbelief.

"Rukia, I came to save you." The man said in a familiar tone. With his remaining strength, he called up again his other self and told him to cut open Hueco Mundo to escape to another world. He smiled at the girl before him. And finally, he fell to his knees and fainted. She was so relieved that he was still alive.

With all the possible strength she could muster within herself, she carried the injured shinigami on her shoulders. She made her way to the dimensional cut. Though she was reluctant at first, she knew this is a safer gamble than staying in Hueco Mundo. She had no choice but to trust in the boy. That was the only thing she could do, after all. She dragged herself and the wounded boy into the warp hole and out into some familiar place not soul society. They were safe from hollows, for the meantime.

But, she could not bear it anymore. Her fragile body was nearing its limit. It won't be a long time until she fainted as well. She needed to get help. She looked around her surroundings. They were in a small town. Karakura, she mentioned at the back of her head. She hoped it would turn out all right. It was raining. That was for sure. No, she couldn't handle it any longer. The weight on her back kept her from moving. But she could not leave him. She made her last effort. She was out of strength. She fell on the wet pavement. She prayed that someone would come rescue them but she knew that the chances were low.

She waited a while, hoping that their predicament would change. Nothing happened. Still, it was raining. Nothing about their fate has changed yet. It was still painful. It still hurt. It still felt cold. It still felt heavy. They were still bleeding. It still has not stopped. Blood still mixed with the puddles of water. It was still hopeless. Both of them lied on the ground clinging miserably to life. And yes, it was raining. (3)

No, it finally stopped.


He had no idea why did not hurt anymore. Warmth. Was he finally dying? Is this how the death of a soul reaper feels like? It was warm; a good kind of warm. Has he finally become a new born baby in the human world? The cold chill he felt before was gone. He felt really warm. It felt really, really nice. Ichigo Kurosaki slowly opened his eyes to see his apparent knew life. He opened them slowly as he was a bit blinded by the bright light that shone on his face.

"Hi!" Ichigo Kurosaki screamed at the top of his lungs with disgust. A heavily built man apparently was lying on top of the boy. He wore thick framed square glasses and a white shirt under his dark coloured apron. The man had a thick moustache. "A quick response! Very good! Boss, Kurosaki-san is awake."

"Get off me!" the injured boy shouted as he kicked the man out of his bed. "You're too close." He sat up and looked around the place. He wasn't dead as he thought it would be. His injuries had been well taken care of. He processed the area and tried to remember if he had been to that place. Where was he? He wasn't in soul society, Hueco Mundo, or even hell. He stood up and tried to look through an opening to the outside world. Where was he? He knew he had been to the place but he wasn't quite sure when.

"If you move around too much, you'll die." A jolly voice said as he entered the room. The newly entered presence in the room wore a familiar striped hat. It took the boy a few seconds to form the man's name in his head. Mr. Hat-and-Clogs was the first name to come out of his head. Ichigo searched deeper. He got a few images concerning the man; a fight scenes mostly. The name Benihime surfaced. No, that was the name of his zapkatou. Finally, the name popped out. He was Kisuke Urahara, former captain of the twelfth squad and founder of the Research and Development Departmeny; Kisuke Urahara. Yes, how could Ichigo forget the man's name?

"So, is this your house?" said Ichigo having nothing to say.

"Yes," replied Urahara with his fan covering his mouth. Ichigo spread his eyes as if looking for something. The shop owner smiled. "If you are looking for Kuchiki-san­, she is having breakfast. Would you like to join her?" The boy stood up signifying yes as his answer. "You healed almost completely," continued the Urahara-shoten owner. "I am impressed as always, Kurosaki-san."

"I don't know what you mean." Ichigo stood up and walk towards the small table in front of the television.

"Ohayo, Ichigo." Rukia said in her 'usual' bubbly manner and deep voice. Ichigo swore that he almost tripped when he heard her talk. He felt like the she-demon was dressing in sheep's clothing and that it was a trap to sit right next to her. He stood there for a few seconds (looking like an idiot) until he finally gathered enough sense to talk like an intelligent being.

"Rukia, what the hell?" he said out of instinct. "You almost killed me with surprise with your goody-two-shoes acting. Cut it out." The boy frowned and sat on the floor. He took the chopsticks and began eating the prepared breakfast. It took him about another set of seconds to realize that he was acting like his old self. He mentally slapped himself and he reverted back to the submissive subordinate. "I mean," he said as he bowed his head. "Good morning, Kuchiki-fukotaicho-san."

Rukia Kuchiki looked at the boy before her. She looked away from him, then she smiled; a sad smile. She put down her chopsticks and stood up. She turned her back towards the boy. "By the way you are acting, I assume you are still not willing to tell me, right? Honestly Ichigo, why don't you let me help you with your problem. After all, you saved me again. Won't you give me a chance to pay you back?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"I see." She said as she opened the door out of the shoten. "I apologize again for mistaking you for someone else." She recovered her smiling mask and stepped out the door. "I'll be right back." She said regaining her strict voice. "I've already contacted Soul Society and they'll be picking us up in a short while. I'll just be outside to survey the area; to make sure the area is free of wondering plusses."

"Rukia," Ichigo said as he stopped her with his voice. Kisuke Urahara and the others left the room living the two behind. "I...I'm sorry" he paused trying to find the right words to say. He stood up and ran to close the door to stop his superior from leaving. He left his hand on the door. He repeated the word 'I'. He looked at his vice captain who was now in front of him. He sighed and rested his other hand on the door. "Kuchiki-fukotaicho, I mean." He sighed. "You don't understand what I'm going through."

"I would," she replied as she gazed up to look straight into his eyes. "If you just tell me. I don't know how hard it had been for you, but if you tell me I'm willing to help. Please share me your burden. It's the least I could do to repay all that you have done for me. You saw what you did back there in Hueco Mundo. Only you could have done that. You were incredible. You are who I think you are. Don't you see, Ichigo?" She looked down. Tears had begun to swell up her eyes. "Please, tell me. I just want to confirm if—"

"I can't." Ichigo said as he looked away from the girl but still kept their position. He wanted to tell her so bad. "I can't, Rukia. I just can't." All that he had done for her would be in vain. And there was one more thing he knew he needed to do. And it wasn't only for her; it was for the rest of the world. He would not say it. (He could not imagine himself being trapped in this sort of drama.) But, it was his resolve. He had to hold on a bit longer; only when all was done. "I can't be this person you esteem most, Ma'am. I'm fit not for the credentials you speak of, Fukotaicho-san. Kami, I'm so sorry." He removed his hands from the door.

"I'm going to look around and stay here." She looked at him coldly. She had no idea what to feel. One minute the Ichigo she knew was there and then another it was gone. It felt like she was trapped in a whirlwind of emotions and she was being blown away. And the worst part was she had to keep all her emotions in a little fragile box. But, she had to let it all out because she was about to have an emotional breakdown. And no one should see her breakdown, especially not him. It was not right for her to cry even if it was about him. She would never show her vulnerability to him. She was as hard as rock; she was strong, and unpredictable. That was why he let her stay by his side. And she did not want to leave his side.

But, why was she crying?

"Kuchiki-fukotaicho," the boy said. "Let me come with you. I know I won't be to do anything, but I'm here as a shoulder to lean on." He looked at the girl. He did not have any right over Rukia Kuchiki but he wanted to be there for her, not just because of his personal feelings but as a fulfilment of his duty as a shinigami. But, she shook his hand away. He had no right over her. After all, he was her subordinate. He had done nothing that pleased her or even at least made her smile. He did not deserve her. He was not worth welcoming back. But, he understood that. She had every right to do that.

"Stay here." She said sternly. "Try coming after me, and I swear I will never forgive you."

Ichigo Kurosaki looked at her; tears forming in her eyes. She could have said anything, anything but that. He knew she said those very words a long time ago, but to have such impact... It felt like a nightmare coming to life. And a familiar feeling brewed from within him; an impulse to get her out of her misery and darkness. Yet, he could do nothing to ease her predicament. Not now, there was too much, too little to gain.

Rukia, I'm sorry. This is one form of darkness I can't save you from.


a/n: That was the sixth chapter. Please review. Hahaha. I really would appreciate that.

Rants: One of the main reasons I did not update earlier was I read/watch a lot of anime/manga.

Naruto: Wah! I just fell in love with Itachi. I never expected that he would be such a martyr. (spoiler) He is now my second favourite character in Naruto. (after naruto of course) I hoep he's still not yet dead!

Bleach: The flashbacks are really good! Wah... Byakuya's so cute, and the plot thickens!

D gray man: It's good. It's kind of like a fullmetal alchemist cross all sorts of anime crossover plus Penguin.

American Idol: The finale is near! I can't decide who I want to win.

Avatar: I'm so in love with Zuko!

Notes:

(1) For me, it sounded logical. It took me two nights. What do you think?

(2) My friend asked me, "So what's the difference of the four?" And I said to her, "Sakuragi of SD, Kenshin of RK, Ren Tao of Shaman King, Ryoma of PoT, Kyo of Samurai Deeper Kyo and, the Rayearth girls are made great. Byakuya, Kasuma Asuma of yakitake, Ash of Pokemon, and Itachi of Naruto are born great. But, Ichigo, Naruto, Yusuke of Yuyu Hakusho, Recca of flame of Recca, Allen Walker of D gray man, and Yoh Amakusa are destined to be great."

And my friend said, "Oh..."

(3) This is a scene borrowed from the Bleach manga volume 7.

Love lots,
Moon-chan