I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.


Payback

Ichigo glanced down at Rukia for the fiftieth time in ten minutes. He was riding on Nel's back with Rukia while Nel was in her Shikai form. Rukia was as pale and cold as ever and Ichigo had a sinking feeling that she couldn't be saved and Lisa had lied. Finally, after nearly three hours, they stopped. The horizon still lit up once in a while with an explosion from one combatant or another. Ichigo slid to the ground setting Rukia down gently and looked up at Lisa while Nel returned to her normal form.

"Lisa," Ichigo spoke up after a moment, voice hoarse and throat painful as though he had been sobbing, even though he had managed to keep a lid on it for the most part.

"Ichigo," Lisa began, face betraying shame and hurt. "I'm sorry. Rukia is dead. I'm sorry I lied. But I couldn't leave you there to die and you wouldn't have left if I didn't say that."

"No," Ichigo mumbled staring down at Rukia again. "You can't. Not this. Please. Someone has to save her. Please."

After a moment of no one moving, Ichigo's shoulders sank in defeat.

"I'm sorry Ichigo," Nel stated kneeling beside him.

"As am I," a voice behind them stated making them all spin to see Ishida standing there with Ichigo's blades. "I had hoped you would all be the perfect little prisoners until such a time that I could convince them to let you all return to your realm, minus Nelliel. Unfortunately, you decided to cause more trouble than you are worth. I'm afraid, your decisions have consequences. Rukia learned that the hard way by deciding to follow you until the end. That decision resulted in her death. You fell in love. With Nel. With Lisa. And with Rukia. Now that Rukia is gone, you don't have the will to continue. I apologize for what happened. But now, it's time for you to join Rukia. And, if it's any consolation, this fate is better for you. Because I was never going to allow you to be with Rukia. I was going to take her for my own. I would have left you Lisa, but Rukia would have been mine."

"You think so huh?" Ichigo growled, standing with Rukia's zanpakuto in his hand, ice slowly spreading from the point his hand touched the sword. "Well, I beg to differ. I'm going to FUCKING KILL YOU! ! !"

Ichigo sprinted at Ishida and slashed at his neck only for Ishida to easily block it. Ishida slashed at Ichigo with the larger blade and Ichigo spun past him, slashing his arm and encasing a portion of it in ice.

"You bastard!" Ishida spat backing away, the others forming a circle but making no move to aid Ichigo.

"I thought the sword only lowered Rukia's body temperature," Kensei whispered.

"Look at Ichigo's hands," Lisa whispered. "The zanpakuto spirit inside of it is resisting Ichigo by dropping the temperature of the sword, likely to absolute zero. Anything the sword touches will freeze, including Ichigo. Ichigo knows how it will end. He is going to join Rukia. He is going to die. But he is going to take Ishida with him."

Ishida spun, slashing at Ichigo who ducked under the blade then spun, slashing both of Ishida's legs. ice spread over both and Ichigo stumbled backward gritting his teeth. Both his hands and half his forearms were now completely encased in ice. It was hard for him to swing the sword with it locked in one position with both hands frozen around the grip.

Ishida jabbed the larger blade at Ichigo who slashed it aside as the smaller blade flashed at him. He ducked under it then leapt over Ishida, slashing his back on the way down.

"You...bastard," Ishida grunted falling to his knees with ice covering the entire back of his torso. "You're...going to...die!"

"Yes," Ichigo agreed as the ice reached halfway up his biceps. "But you'll die first."

With that, said, he lowered the sword and stepped forward, the blade sprouting from Ishida's mouth and instantly freezing his entire head. Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief just as the ice covered the center of his chest and his heart throbbed painfully, beginning to slow.

Suddenly, Ichigo was in a massive field surrounded by trees and everything was covered in snow. It was almost blinding but Ichigo didn't care. His attention was focused on the figure before him. She had long white hair in a loose bun with the extra falling past her shoulders, a single lock falling between her eyes. There was a blue hair clip on the left side with a white star in the inside. The girl herself was extremely pale with icy blue eyes, a white kimono with large sleeves and a long hem, and a light green obi around her waist that was attached to a large pale purple bow behind her. She was beautiful but something about her set Ichigo's nerves on edge. Probably the fact that she could kill Ichigo with a blink in the inner world of the zanpakuto he was holding.

"You're Rukia's zanpakuto spirit," Ichigo breathed, voice barely more than a shaky whisper, as cold as he was.

"I am," the girl nodded. "You're the man that got Rukia killed. You must have known I would kill you if you used the sword for what you did. Why would you use my sword to kill Ishida?"

"Because I knew you wanted to avenge Rukia," Ichigo stated. "You're right. It's my fault. I could have sent Rukia with the others. I chose to keep her with me. I caused her death and deserve to be punished for it. But I couldn't allow Ishida to kill the rest of my friends either. So I decided to give you what you wanted while protecting my friends."

"I see," the girl nodded. "So you accept your guilt then? And you're willing to die to make it right?"

"I do and I am," Ichigo agreed, unable to nod as the ice was now covering all but his face.

"Then I'll make it..." She stopped as the light clouds overhead cleared, leaving a blue sky and the sun, which blinded Ichigo when it reflected off of the snow. "That's...you're a Quincy, right?"

"My mother was," Ichigo stated. "I probably inherited something from her. Why?"

"Your blood," she said thoughtfully. "Your Quincy blood gives you limited power over life and death."

"Really?" Ichigo blinked. "How?"

"Long story," the girl said waving a hand. "The important thing, is that you can save Rukia."

"How?" Ichigo questioned.

"Your blood," the girl stated. "Use Rukia's zanpakuto, my sword, to cut your palm, then stab her through the heart with it."

"That's it?" Ichigo questioned.

"It should work something like making a Substitute Shinigami," the girl stated.

"Shinigami?" Ichigo questioned. "You mean Soul Reaper?"

"Yes," the girl nodded. "Sorry, I use a bit more traditional vocabulary."

Ichigo smirked as the ice began to recede and his heart began to return to its normal pace. Ichigo opened his eyes in real life just as the last of the ice melted and he stumbled, catching himself and glancing at Rukia.

"So just do that huh?" Ichigo muttered to himself walking over on numb legs before dropping to his knees beside her. "Time to wake up Rukia."

He cut his palm with the blade, wiping blood on the blade then flipped it over and drive it down through Rukia's heart. A moment later, her eyes opened and the sword rose out of her chest which healed as she sat up, color returning to her face.

"How did you..." Rukia began but stopped then smiled and hugged him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ichigo smiled, hugging her back.

"Hey Ichigo," Nel spoke up. "Think you remember how these work?"

She grinned as she held out his swords and he took them grinning.

"It's only been a few days," Ichigo grinned. "Hey, I thought Hitsugaya said only I could use these."

"Only those whose blood was used to form it can use them," Rukia clarified. "Technically, Nel could use them too."

Ichigo glanced at Nel to see her flash him a wicked grin and shook his head.

"Alright then, who's ready to go get the captains to fight for us?" Ichigo grinned.

Everyone cheered for a moment before several Quincy swarmed out from the sand dunes around them, aiming at Ichigo.

"No prisoners," one of them stated. "Kill them all!"

Before anyone could react, Ichigo blasted the three Quincy with a Getsuga Tensho, removing the sand dun they had been hidden behind and revealed a small army of Quincy. Ichigo leapt into the air, hovering over the others and inspecting the army. As he did, his arms moved of their own accord, the smaller blade firing a horizontal Getsuga Tensho just before the larger one fired a vertical one, the two mixing and forming a massive cross-shaped Getsuga Tensho. The Quincy had mixed reactions, most staring in awe at the incoming attack while others turned to try to flee, only to trip over the ones simply standing there. After about two seconds, the blast impacted in the center of the army, exploding and killing them all.

"A cross-shaped Getsuga Tensho," Ichigo mumbled thoughtfully. "Getsuga Jujisho."

"Where did you learn that?" Rukia asked as Ichigo landed beside her.

"No idea," Ichigo shrugged. "I like it though."

"Me too," Lisa grinned walking over. "So, I take it you've made your decision?"

"I have," Ichigo nodded looking a bit apologetic.

"Relax," Lisa smiled waving a hand. "There's always Hiyori."

"What did you just say Dumb Ass?" Hiyori growled reaching for her sword.

"Don't hurt yourself Hiyori," Lisa smirked.

"Yeah, that'll work out," Ichigo grinned.

"What is your decision?" Rukia questioned.

Before he could answer, a massive blood red explosion let the horizon to the point of lighting them up as well.


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