They got up at dawn despite the fact they'd both been out late. Grimmjow had rolled in just four hours earlier and collapsed face first on the bed, pants still half undone. A cold morning shower perked him up and despite the bruise down one side of his face he seemed invigorated after a night of wild abandon. In fact, Ichigo did too. He might not have gotten drunk or had sex, but he felt the same high Grimmjow did as they set off again—the high of victory, of success, and for the first time since they set off on their journey there was levity between them, and they might have actually been mistaken for friends.

They talked. Grimmjow had started by bragging about how hot the woman had been, then he'd slipped into a tangent about this girl he'd met in in the West and the strange town he'd visited there. Ichigo reciprocated with stories of some of the strange places he'd seen in his journey. And from there it just flowed from time and place. Ichigo was particular enthralled by Grimmjow's stories of Hokkaido where he'd gone deep in the Vandenreich territory just because he could.

By the end of the day everything was different. Ichigo suddenly felt like he knew the man beside him. And Grimmjow lay down still laughing about a story he'd told about one ridiculous night in Junction City. And they stared up at the multitude of stars that dotted the night sky and fell asleep.


They hit Shiroishi the following day. It was their best guess to the half-way point of their journey. Everything had gone smoothly since the Junction. They still walked over broken sections of highway that sometimes got consumed by sand and looked out onto waste lands of crumbling buildings or deserted sections of the Soul Society slums. Twice they had passed white pillars and Grimmjow had explained Las Noches was not the only building in Hueco Mundo. Some were outposts, others were just ancient ruins.

It was strange to talk to him about those times. Ichigo found it almost a relief to be able to talk to someone about the supernatural world that had existed before the Clash, but at the same time he felt like they were unearthing ghosts of the past when they referred to the pre-apocalypse.

Soon enough their conversation turned back to this world. It seemed they'd travelled much of the same territory in Japan and Grimmjow was eager to get any information that was more current than his own. Ichigo told him everything but he didn't have too much new to contribute since Grimmjow constantly heard news in his business.

Eventually they got back around to a topic that had been piquing Ichigo for quite some time.

"So you can you tell me what Rukia was like, when you saw her?"

"Rukia?" Grimmjow shrugged. "She was fine, I guess."

Ichigo sighed. It was hard to express what he wanted to ask. "Well, was she okay?"

"She was kicking ass, so yeah, she was okay."

"Did she tell you anything?"
"I already told you she didn't."

"I just...never mind."

"Look kid, she's alive, that's more than you knew a week ago."

"True." Ichigo should look at it that way. He nodded. "So what about you, Grimmjow? Is there anyone from before you want to find?"

"No," he said shortly. Ichigo knew the espada were dead but he had wondered if Grimmjow had met up with some other adhuchas or something before the war.

"So what was it like, when you woke up after the Clash?"

"Shitty."

"Yeah I know but...I mean as an espada it must have been confusing."

"No shit. I still find things in this world I don't know what they are. Like coffee—someone gave me coffee a while back—what the fuck, man? Who'd want that shit?"

"Really, you had coffee?" Ichigo couldn't hide the longing from his voice.

Grimmjow smiled. "Humans, you are too strange."

Ichigo was about to counter when they felt a rumbled in the atmosphere. They both looked up to the thick grey clouds above that had been hovering for two days. Now though, they knew what was coming.

"FUCK!" Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's arm and started to run. They were completely unprotected from the rain that would no doubt strike within minutes. Thunder boomed above, shaking them as they bolted over the sand. The next stretch of highway loomed but it was far off. Shelters dotted the expanse of sand off to their right. Ichigo was looking that way, Grimmjow kept glancing there and then finally he abandoned their course toward the highway and veered off.

Once in the mishmash of buildings Ichigo saw why he might be hesitant to retreat here. The buildings were far from sound and they ran past many that would be insufficient protection against the onslaught.

It hit them just before they got inside. Its force stung their skin even through layers of proectection. Ichigo was blind in the storm but he followed Grimmjow's iron hold and next thing they were undercover in one of the small shacks that had survived from the rukon distict.

"Shit," Grimmjow cursed, shaking off the water but he was already drenched, as was Ichigo. The metal roof clattered with noise, the walls shook in the thunder of rain.

"Jeeze these rains are gonna kill me some day."

"Probably," Grimmjow consented. "Get us all eventually."

The space they were in was just a single room, a pair of bamboo mattresses on the floor and a pit for a fire. They were in luck: there was still wood in the pit.

"Do you have a light?"

"Yeah." Grimmjow handed over the lighter. Ichigo got it burning quicky. Only a bit of smoke stuffed up the room, the rest filtered out a window that was sheltered by the roof. Ichigo stripped down and spread out his clothes and lay them close to the fire. Grimmjow did likewise with his shirt and coat but then paused when he undid his pants. Ichigo wondered why, then when the espada pulled them down over his boxers, he understood.

It was hard not to look at the gruesome scar that slashed through Grimmjow's calf. He had told the story about being burned when Rukia saved him and Ichigo had briefly seen the scar when they'd crossed through the swamp but he hadn't seen it like this, in such clarity. It was clear the whole iron rod must have been red hot when it fell over his leg. It must have seared deep into his flesh to leave such a puckered, miscoloured scar.

For a while, there was silence, then Ichigo dared ask a question that had bothered him for a while.

"Grimmjow, how did you get into the fights?"

Grimmjow didn't give the question much thought. "What do you mean? I needed money."

"Oh, I guess."

"What, you think I should have led a life of seclusion like you?"

"No I...well I don't know what I think."

"That's 'cause you don't even know who you fuckin' are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said. The world went to shit, and you're still trying to be the noble son of a bitch who couldn't save it to begin with."

Ichigo's hands tightened over his bare knees and he met challenging blue eyes over the fire.

"So you think I should give up?"

"On saving the world—yes. You can't let go of what's already gone. You need to find out who you are without all that soul reaper shit."

"I'm not trying to save the world anymore."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm trying to find my sisters."

"You keep telling yourself that. But I see it in you: You still think the universe has one last trick up its sleeve, and if you can find that, you can solve anything, including finding your family."

Ichigo found no words to argue. He lowered his head. "You can't possibly know that."

"I do know that. I know that no matter what good we find, you're still miserable inside because you're thinking about the world you lost. Instead of feeling guilty and trying to save the universe, you need to focus on this world, and what matters in that."

"My sisters do."

"Then live by that. Forget the other shit, kid, it will only bring you down. Just be a brother, not a soul reaper, not a hero."

"How would that be any different than the life I'm leading now?"

"Because finding two little girls in this fucking sandy shit hole is more reasonable than reverting it back to the way it was. You need to cling to what might actually be within your reach."

"Well, I never knew you were so full of wisdom."

"I ain't." Grimmjow shot back. "I'm just tired of spending my time with a delusional brat. You need to see the world for what it is, kid, and not what you want it to be."

Ichigo pursed his lips. He wasn't sure how he felt about what Grimmjow said. He wasn't sure the espada was wrong about any of it.

"Fine," he said eventually. All I want to do is save my sisters. Nothing else."

"Good."

Ichigo poked the fire, embers stirred up and he guessed they'd get another hour of heat from it, enough to dry out their clothes.

"So what about you? What do you focus on every day?"

"Tomorrow," Grimmjow stated simply.

"Really? That's it?"

"What else is there for me to fight for? Tomorrow is all I have. If it ain't worth fighting for, than nothing is."

"Huh." Ichigo let his hands fall back behind him, propping up his weight on the bamboo mat. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am." Grimmjow flattened on his own bed. "Now get some shut eye, we leave as soon as this rain lets up."


The rain hammered down for half the night. Ichigo fell asleep for short bouts, the thunder of noise constantly woke him and he would just get under the surface and see those frightened eyes, hear his name shouted by a hundred desperate voices and come awake again.

He sat sharply at the end of one particularly vivid scream. Grimmjow was redressing. He watched the young man struggle to calm his breathing. Ichigo didn't look at him and ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you ever sleep through the night?" Grimmjow asked when he fully dressed. Ichigo started gathering up his clothing as well.

"No. Do you?"

Grimmjow smirked at this. "Touché. But I don't have nightmares."

"You just can't let your guard down for that long."

"Exactly."

The rain was just a patter now. "Are we heading out then?"

"We'll give it another hour, make sure it's really over."

They both lay down again, warm in their clothes and the shelter and trying to enjoy it before they had to go out into the cold drizzle.

After the hour was up the rain had stopped completely but a heavy fog rested low on the ground, cutting off their sight completely. They stood at their shack, seeing no more than shadows looming around them.

The sun had just risen, they could hope it would burn off the fog eventually but for now they just had to push on.

"Stay close," Grimmjow warned. It could be bad if they lost each other in this.

Ichigo was worried they wouldn't find their way, but Grimmjow must have had a better sense of direction than him because suddenly the sand was interrupted by pavement and they were back on the road.

They travelled at the ready to bump into violence at every step. Grimmjow's sword was unsheathed and in hand—it was the perfect circumstance for bandits to attack.

The fog didn't lift all day. Moisture beaded along the edge of Grimmjow's blade; their hair was damp and hung heavy as did their clothes. The sun above must have been hot because they both started to sweat in the humidity. The mist was pure white under the rays of the sun. It was over-bright and disorienting in the endless swirl of ground clouds.

They heard people approaching ahead. Grimmjow pulled them to one side of the road and in the dense mist they stood invisible to the travellers who passed by just feet from them. They didn't want to risk a fight in this fog, but it wasn't a fight they ended up getting, it was information. The conversation of the pair drifted toward them.

"...even in Tokyo I heard. I thought those bastards had settled in the North."

"Nah, them damn Vandenreich pop up all over. That shit down in Tokyo was just what they're always doing in other cities. Who cares anyway? It's not us they're after."

"Well who knows who is a soul reaper? I mean, how do they know I'm not a soul reaper. I don't want to get killed on one of their cleansing missions."

"No different than any other dangers out there. Besides, I'm not sure it's a bad idea, getting rid of those supernatural freaks."

"Yeah but they were the ones on our side before all this shit happened. Don't forget, the Vandenreich were supernatural freaks too."

"Ah, I don't know, it's all so damn confusing."

"Yeah, but I just can't help but wonder why they're bothering to go around offing soul reapers now."

"'cause they were fighting each other."

"But what's the point? Unless they're clearing the way."

"For what?"

"To take over. That's what they wanted originally, right—to take over this country. They got pushed up North by the Soul Reapers. Maybe now they want to try again."

"I guess so, I just don't see why..."

The conversation was now too far out of range for them to hear. Ichigo looked to Grimmjow.

"What do you think?"

"Dunno. I haven't seen a Vandenreich for ages. What about you? Was it them who stabbed you?"

"No, that was my own kind, unfortunately."

"Well, it doesn't change anything, they know where I am if they want to kill me."

They left it at that. Ichigo wanted to know more, but at this point anything was just speculation.

They travelled another hour before they came across more souls—these ones departed.

"Oh no..." Ichigo stopped when he saw the first body. It was young, a boy no more than thirteen, dressed in ratty jeans a t-shirt swathed in red. Someone had cut him open with a sword. Grimmjow moved ahead of Ichigo and held up his weapon. The fog had begun to burn up but their field of vision was still limited.

"There." Grimmjow pointed to a form just clearing ahead of them. "A store." They took the off ramp into the driveway of the gas station. Another body lay against a concrete barrier, crouched in fear where she died.

"This was less than a day ago." Ichigo recognized the state of decay of the body.

"I'd say twelve hours. The killer's probably gone." He didn't drop his guard at all. They approached the gas tanks and saw that the front door to the store was open.

"Stay out here and watch my back."

Ichigo nodded. Grimmjow stepped inside as Ichigo watched the surrounding area for other signs of life. It didn't take long for Grimmjow to give him the go-ahead to come inside.

"Turns out the killer got what was coming to him."

There were other dead bodies in the shop—it seemed the swordsman had gone a spree—probably just so he could take whatever he wanted from the store. But there he lay, slumped dead across the body of his last victim. His sword still impaled the man who'd been operating the convenience store.

"Shot?"

Ichigo saw the bullet wound through the man's chest. The operator must have shot him in the same moment the killer stabbed him. They'd killed each other.

"Yup." But Grimmjow nudge the operator's hand that look unnaturally twisted. There was nothing in the other one either. "Someone else must have come along and made off with the gun."

"Looks like."

"Well, we got you a sword anyway." Grimmjow yanked the sword back out of the body and handed it to Ichigo. Then he pulled the holster from stiff limbs. "Why didn't you already have one?"

Ichigo took the weapon but didn't put it on. "I just..." how could he explain his unwillingness to kill to a man who killed for a living?

"Just clean that off and put it on." Grimmjow dropped his bag on the counter. "And fill up our food supplies."

"Where are you going?"

"Out back for a piss."

"Great."

Grimmjow ignored Ichigo's disgust at being left to pick past the bodies for salvageable goods. He went around back of the build and stuck his sword tip in the dirt while he aimed at the wall.

His zipper was half way back up when he heard the crunch in the dirt at his back.

Damn it.

He'd dropped his guard.


Until next time! Thanks for your reviews.

Riza