I originally meant this to be two chapters, but after writing it that way... no, it wasn't happening. This one kind of drags as it is, but so important! I just had to write it.
The silence seemed so vast now compared to the battles that occurred on and above the ruined city. Over one of the crumbling streets Ichigo strode slowly, as if counting every step he took. He finally stopped, looking out at the rubble-pile that had once been his home. There was nothing left. Just broken glass, cracked walls, burnt grass. The destructive powers that had destroyed the city had spared no one, his home being no exception.
As he watched all this he felt a small hand press against him. Rukia was fighting another tremor. She barely had the ability to speak now, her eyes it seemed shut permanently. Ichigo just looked at this and felt utterly helpless. So much was going on, so much had happened so fast. It hurt just to try and think about it. He'd tried to make himself forget, for the longest time he convinced himself that all ties were broken. What had once been was no more, he'd said it himself. All that time it was anger winning over his heart and nothing more. He'd covered his own eyes to the truth, something he'd promised never to do again.
"I'm sorry," He spoke, gazing to the horizon. He couldn't bring himself to look down, even as he held her trembling body to his. "I was too late… like always. I only wanted… honestly I don't even know anymore." Finally bringing himself to look at Rukia, Ichigo saw her cringe in pain. Her breaths were shallow as the crests grew larger every passing moment. "Why didn't you hate me like the others? Why didn't you just try and kill me like you were supposed to? You didn't curse my name; you didn't even try to attack me. It would have been so much easier… so easy to forget if I knew you despised me! Even when I hurt you, captured you, forced you to see what has become of me… why did I never see what I wanted in your eyes?!"
Her heartbeat was weakening, slower and softer with every rhythm. The single tear showed itself again, slowly making its way down her cheek. She was in so much pain, and Ichigo could see it. "WHY?! Why when I looked into your eyes I only saw sadness?! I gave you every reason to loathe me, every reason to fear me! Why didn't you? Tell me!!"
"I… loved… you…" Her voice was so weak it would have been shamed by a whisper. But those tiny words held the power to twist Ichigo's insides into knots. He felt the icy grip of dread claw at his veins, wrapping every inch of him in its wintery embrace. Something that truly mattered was slipping, and that alone pushed a cold horror into Ichigo's mind. The realization of it all came rushing back to him. All of it so fast that he couldn't fight it. He'd spent so many years of denial, so much time trying to forget. How blind he had been. His hate and his pride had covered his eyes to what mattered most.
Ichigo fell to his knees as he hugged Rukia close to him, eyes clenched shut as tears poured from them. "I was so stupid! I've always been a fool, and now this is all my fault! Rukia, please! I can't lose you. I've lost everyone else, not you too!"
Ichigo wiped his face. He was a grown man, he should not be crying. But try as he may, he could not stop the tears. So many memories, so many faces, all lost. Those shattered remains that still lingered were only shadows of what once was, hiding behind the fragments of masks. All of it because of one day. "When will they stop? Why must everything I love be ripped from my hands? They won't let me have even a single piece of life! Betrayed, banished, and forced to endure… forced to endure… so much, and now you! I can't lose you Rukia!"
Ichigo's eyes clenched tighter. For all his combat prowess, for the unimaginable fury he could unleash, it was all for naught when faced with this. As he let the tears fall Ichigo felt something soft against his cheek. It traced the deep scar that curved under his chin before covering his mouth. It felt like smooth, delicate fingers. Ichigo opened his eyes and looked into hers. She had fought with all her might to look at him, touch him, and smile. It wasn't a smile wracked with pain, but calm and serene. "You idiot. You haven't changed at all." Her voice, it sounded almost normal. "The biggest battles you fight are always with yourself." Rukia pulled herself up, giving every last bit of effort to this last act. She drew herself to him and before he even realized what was happening, she kissed him. It was the first time in so many years. Not since simpler times, younger days.
Ichigo hoped the moment would freeze. Time would stop, and he could share that single spot in life for all eternity. He held her to him, not ever wanting to give her up. As long as he held her, she would be fine. He begged in his mind that as long as they were together, everything would be alright. But, like all others, the moment passed. Rukia looked into his eyes and he looked back."I never stopped… hoping… Ichigo..."
The icy fingers coiled around Ichigo's veins as he watched Rukia's arm go limp. He cradled her head with his free hand, looking desperately for a flicker of life. "Don't leave me alone… please." She didn't answer, she couldn't. There was no longer a beating heart in her chest. Ichigo shuddered, gazing down at the first woman who had ever told him she loved him. The first kiss, the first night under the stars… all of it with her. All of it… gone.
Ichigo did not cry, did not shout, he roared. This was no human sound, nor shallow whimper of a hollow cry escaping his lips. With a wave of spiritual pressure he crushed the ground around him to powder he let out a howl that shook the whole city. A howl of loss and pure despair that no living thing or spirit had ever heard before. It was all gone. Everyone, everything, all of it torn away. In his grief Ichigo felt a chilling twitch crawl up his spine. With it came a voice, laughing in his mind."Such a display, all over some little girl. Sheh."
The city was gone. Ichigo looked down, so was Rukia. Only blue sky and white clouds in all directions. Up, down, left, right… all over. The only other thing there with him was a cold presence like some creeping shapeless thing all around him. "You bawl and you cry and you weep, over what? Some soul reaper that didn't even have the courage to stand up to us! This is embarrassing."
"She believed in us and we sat and did nothing! We let her die, we could have helped her!"
"We wanted her dead! She's our enemy, they all deserve to die! She betrayed us, don't you remember? Where was she when those bastards killed everyone you lived to protect? Where was she when we were thrown back to Hueco Mundo? And where did she stand when we finally returned? With them, that's where!!"
"We can't just let her die like this! I won't let this happen!"
"If you're so desperate about this then don't. Just bring her back the same way as the others. Use it, and she'll live. That simple."
"No! She'll end up like Fade if I bring her back that way. She'll never be the same, no memory of who she was!"
"Oh, come on! Do I have to do everything for you? We have the power to do anything we ever wanted! If saving her is the only thing that matters to you then fine."
"You know a way? If you know, then tell me!" Before him Ichigo watched as the white-skinned mirror of himself appeared, staring menacingly forward with the same unblinking eyes he now bore.
"Give it back to her. Give back her life, by using your own. Give her the life you have, and she'll come back. But, that means giving her everything. All the memories, all the pain, all the hate, all of it! Do you think her little mind can take it? Even still, would we survive it?"
"I'll do what I have to do. I've blinded myself to the truth for the last time. I'll do this even if it kills me."
"If you die it'll be a problem for me. I've told you that before."
"If she dies now it won't matter if we're alive or dead. There'll be nothing left."
"If you die then all your hard work will be for nothing! All you've done won't mean a thing!"
"Then I won't fail! Now give it to me, or do I need to show you again why I am king here." With a sly grin the mirror just held out his hand, in it was a tiny white ball.
"Fine, have it your way."
In the midst of Ichigo's destructive roar a black dot appeared on his chest. It grew wider and wider as it formed inwards, the beginnings of his transformation. As the hollow hole grew on his chest a pair of horns like crooked blades slowly materialized from Ichigo's mask fragments. Finally, halfway through this change his roar finally abated. Placing his hand over the black pit in his chest Ichigo reached inside and took hold of something. He hissed as he drew it out, a flow of blood following after what had been removed. Like a large white marble, an object kept safe and hidden within his own body.
The object pulsed, as if within it were the beatings of a tiny life all of its own. Drawing his hand across the stream of blood from the hollow hole, Ichigo clenched the ball tightly and let the red drops cover it. Already it was beginning to glitter as he held it over Rukia. The light within it was becoming so bright its rays shone through the gaps of his fingers like the shining of the rising sun. Ichigo gently placed Rukia on her back as he kept the orb over her. It was all or nothing, and he chanted it in his mind as he broke one of his horns away from his forming mask. He placed this on her chest, covering it with her hands. "You know this is going to hurt worse than anything you've ever experienced, ever dreamed of! IF it doesn't kill us… come on, this is stupid! Just let her go, she isn't worth it!"
"Shut up, you're not in charge of anything. You have no say, and if I have the chance to change this I will." Taking a deep breath Ichigo pressed the orb against his broken horn in Rukia's hands. The both of them were suddenly bathed in blinding white light. All the energy Ichigo had unleashed came rushing back, swirling around them like a whirlwind made of pure spiritual pressure. It spun faster and faster, tearing up the surroundings with destructive abandon.
Within this storm, though the winds tore at him, Ichigo held his hand steady. His own energy was turning inside out, but still he didn't waver. The orb's pulses increased in speed, each brighter than the last. Through the shriek of the whirling spirit energy a loud cry could just barely be heard. Ichigo was shouting, but not with the inhuman ferocity as before. This was a cry of pain, one that could only be brought by the worst of agonies. Even still he kept his hand firmly placed over the broken horn. The orb's light was washing over Rukia now, illuminating her like an angel's embrace.
Blood was streaming from Ichigo's eyes now as black cracks spread out from them. The same cracks were forming from his chest hole, blood pouring from them as well. Even his partially formed mask was breaking apart, his remaining horn crumbling into flakes of white and red. It was as if he were simply coming apart, his body ready to fall to pieces at any moment. Despite this Ichigo pushed forward, forcing everything he could muster into the orb. His power, his strength, his very soul. Everything.
As the pulses continued to speed up, the whirlwind around them began to condense, forcing itself lower and lower until it was nothing more than a spinning ball. It spun with such strength that everything around it was pulled up and flung away. The power was truly a sight as this whirling ball of spiritual pressure began to take on a similar light as the orb inside of it. It gave off a blinding glare as it circled, faster and faster with every turn. Each turn accompanied by a pulse of radiance, like a tiny star trying to break from a shell.
Then, all of a sudden, it stopped. No movement, only the powerful glow from the large ball as it pulsated. Like a heartbeat it gave off a steady rhythm. Slowly the beats began to increase in tempo as a beam of light from the top shot into the sky. It parted the clouds, passing straight through the barrier as if it weren't even there. The ball swirled upwards again, this time forming itself into a shining pillar of pure white light. It was beautiful.
At its base Ichigo had spread his arms, Rukia floating in front of him as he spoke something. The horn she had held under her hands was gone as the tiny orb that hovered above her shimmered like a strobe, spreading its light over her body. Ichigo on the other hand could not have looked worse. His face was bent in anguish as he fought against the torrents of energy the orb was releasing. He was forcing his hands towards it, pushing them closer and closer as the orb burned away the flesh of his palms. It ate at the muscles as the very bones could soon be seen. Despite it all he fought, even if he was blown apart he would not quit. Grasping the orb between both hands, Ichigo gave one last push and pressed the orb down to touch Rukia.
The moment he did the entire pillar of light collapsed. The two disappeared within it as a noiseless wave of white spread out across the city. This time, there was no destruction, no overwhelming force of power. Just the soft white rush as if some heavenly being was spreading its wings. And as this too passed by, the city was silent again.
