Alright, Bleach fans. If you wanted some action, here it comes.

NOTE: I do not own Bleach. I'm just a huge fan.

Chapter 10: Extraction

The yellow eyes he had grown to loathe and fear so deeply stared back at him with contempt glowing fiercely within them. Ichigo had no doubt about the evil the owner of these eyes had. He could feel it all around him, penetrating his very being.

'You can't run forever, King. One day, you will fall, and I will take control.'

Ichigo jerked awake, sweating bullets as he clung to his sheets, the maniacal laughter still filling his ears. He was certain now that he had gone insane. No sane person had these types of dreams, heard these voices in their heads.

His movement stirred Rukia in her sleep. Without waking, she snuggled deeper into his chest, a sigh of contentment escaping her in her dreaming. Ichigo calmed at the sight of her thin figure, her bare skin thinly veiled by his bed sheets. She was so serine with him, and yet being with her couldn't keep his troubles away. He was worried about his wellbeing, yes, but he was more concerned with how his supposed psychosis could harm his love in the future. Could Rukia handle this information?

Sighing out of frustration, Ichigo reached out for Rukia's bag lying carelessly next to the bed. He rummaged around inside, careful not to stir the sleeping beauty atop him. Grasping the intended object, he extracted the Gokon Tekko, not wanting to use Kon in this situation. 'The little perv would enjoy it too much' he thought to himself.

He touched the fabric to his head, jolting his soul out and upright in its usual Shinigami attire. Ichigo desperately needed to clear his head, and running across the rooftops of Karakura was all he could think to do. Glancing back at Rukia asleep on top of his empty body one last time, he vaulted out of his window and into the night.

All was quiet above the city. Not a soul was in sight…other than the two figures standing above the clouds. Both were watching the scene below them, waiting for their chance to strike. Low and behold, the spirit they were after happened to have surfaced in the center of town.

"It would seem the boy is out on a late night stroll this evening. Perhaps it will be easier than we originally thought, eh Kaname?"

"Never assume such things. It would be unwise to underestimate any opponent you face. Thoughts such as these will be your undoing, Ichimaru."

The lanky Captain just shrugged, grinning as usual. "Now, now. No need to be so melodramatic. I was merely stating how much easier it will be to find the boy. Must you always be such a downer?"

"My attitude is not the point here. We are here on orders, and we must follow through. It is the just thing to do." With that, the blind Shinigami disappeared after his intended target.

"Sheesh. I still do not see why he is so glum. I was just trying to liven the mood."

Ichigo was not very successful in clearing his mind. The run across the city was only giving him more time alone to think, and thinking was the exact opposite of what he wanted to do at the moment. Why was this happening to him? What exactly was happening to him? The more he thought about it, the more confused and frightened he became.

Finally, he caught a slight fluctuation in spiritual pressure indicating a hollow had arrived. Maybe this was exactly the distraction he needed. He veered off to the East to deal with the pest, unaware of the observers closing in on him. His arrival to the scene was swift, startling the hollow attacking. Its resounding scream was cut short by Ichigo's quick slash to its face. The thing was dead and disintegrated before it hit the ground.

Huffing in boredom, Ichigo shouldered his Zanpakto and was about to leave as quickly as he came. A voice from the shadows suddenly cut him off midstride.

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

He froze, not recognizing the voice. He couldn't sense any power emanating off of the speaker, adding to his confusion. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

The two figures stepped into the open revealing their respective Shinigami attires. The silver-haired one spoke up first. "I do not think you are in a position to order us around, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Who are you, and how do you know me?"

This time, the one in the visor answered. "Who we are is not your concern. Your immediate concern should be what we are here for."

Ichigo's scowl deepened. "What do you want, then, dammit?"

Tosen frowned at the boy's disrespect. "That, Ichigo Kurosaki, would be you."

Rukia awoke with a start, her soul pager vibrating on the desk. Aggravated, she grabbed at the device to see the hollow alert screaming at her. She was about to get up when the alert was cut short, the hollow disappearing. Adding to her confusion was the lack of Ichigo's breathing below her. Rukia was almost worried before she noticed the glove sitting on his head.

'Why would he go off on his own like that?'

She continued to wonder until she caught the strong spiritual pressure flaring on the edge of town. This power was unbelievable. Its magnitude could put a Captain to shame, and worse still, there were two of them. Shocked into silence, she barely sensed Ichigo's power right next to them. It was then that she jumped into action. Grabbing the Gokon Tekko, she extracted her own soul and bolted out the window, racing across town as fast as she could flash.

'Hold on, Ichigo! I'm coming!'

"What do you mean me? Why in the hell do you want me for?"

Gin's smile broadened. "Well, not you, per say. We just want what's inside you. You have something very powerful that we need."

Ichigo was to say the least dumbfounded. "What the hell are you talking about? I don't have anything."

He was cut short by Tosen's sudden appearance behind him. "I'm afraid you're wrong, boy."

The blow to his back was too much for him. Ichigo hit the ground hard, spitting blood as he went. The pain that came next was so profound that his scream caught in his throat.

"You do have something of ours. You just don't realize it-"

"HADO #33: SOKATSUI!"

The blue fireball arced across the ground and exploded next to Ichigo. The smoke cleared, revealing the scorched earth.

Tosen appeared next to Gin, not a scratch upon him. "How nice of you to join us, Ms. Kuchiki."

Rukia landed in front of Ichigo, recognition hitting her as soon as she saw the two assailants. "Captain Tosen? Captain Ichimaru? What is the meaning of this?"

Gin simply shrugged as he strode forward. "I'm afraid we do not need your assistance here, Rukia. If you would please vacate the premises…"

"What is the meaning of this?" Rukia repeated. "We received our orders from Captain Kuchiki two days ago! We were told Ichigo was not in violation of the laws!"

Tosen strode closer as well. "We are here on business of our own. Kurosaki is in possession of something of ours, and we must see to it that it is delivered to our superior. If you do not move, we will have no choice but to kill you as well, Rukia Kuchiki."

Rukia was stunned. Why was this happening? What could Ichigo possibly have that they wanted?

"R-Rukia. Get out of here" Ichigo whispered weakly.

Though she knew she was no match, Rukia wasn't about to stand by while Ichigo was slaughtered. "I refuse. Ichigo has done nothing deserving of this. If I must, I will give my life to protect him." She took her battle stance, Zanpakto at the ready. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki…"

The wind picked up around her as her spirit energy exploded. Ichigo began to wonder if he'd been hit harder than he thought, because the temperature began dropping substantially. He was corrected by the sight of ice forming at Rukia's feet. 'What the hell is going on here? Rukia?'

Neither Gin nor Tosen flinched a bit. "You do realize that your chances are slim to none, Rukia" Gin said mischievously.

"I won't know until I try!" Rukia flashed behind the Captains, horizontally slashing simultaneously. Tosen simply stepped aside whereas Gin went airborne. Suddenly, light erupted around her. "Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

The light rose as quickly as the words left Rukia's mouth. Gin was soon surrounded by it as a pillar of ice rose up from within. Never losing his grin, the Captain just flashed down to Tosen before the ice was able to consume him. An instant after it was solid, the pillar shattered.

Tosen turned toward his partner, annoyance clear on his face. "There is no time for games. Finish this now before Lord Aizen becomes displeased."

Rukia flashed back in front of Ichigo, taking a new stance. She touched her sword to the ground in four places, frost beginning to flow from the points. With that, she raised the blade to point at her enemies. "One way or another, this will finish it. Tsugi no mai, HAKUREN!"

Before Ichigo's eyes, Rukia's Zanpakto sent forth an explosion of ice and snow similar to an avalanche. He had no idea she was so powerful. It almost seemed possible now that she could win.

"As you wish, my friend" Gin replied to Tosen. As the wave of ice approached the two, Gin simply raised his finger towards its center. "Hado 4: Byakurai."

Ichigo was stunned. Here he was all this time thinking Rukia needed him to protect her. Now she was protecting him. "R-Rukia…you're…"

She turned her head, glancing his way out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not letting you get away from me that easy, Ichigo. You're not dying on me. Not now, not ever."

"You're so…p-powerful."

Before she had a chance to reply, a large bolt of lightning split the avalanche in two. Rukia could only stare on in horror as the blast consumed them both.

"Well, then. Is this the ending you intended, Kaname?"

Tosen didn't answer as he made his way toward the smoldering valley cutting across the street.

"You could at least tone down the melodrama by a fraction."

The blind Captain trekked across the blackened asphalt, stopping before the tattered pair of Shinigami barely conscious on the ground.

"I'm afraid this is the end, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo couldn't manage to muster any strength in his limbs whatsoever. No matter how hard he tried, nothing would move. He had to get to Rukia. He had to stop this. He had to keep fighting.

"Resisting will only cause more suffering than is necessary. I suggest you submit, else this will only cause more harm in your final moments" he said as he placed a strange device on his hand.

Ichigo barely had time to wonder what the hell he was going on about before a searing heat pierced his back. The blood-curdling scream erupting from him was almost enough to bring Rukia to her feet, but she was just as battered as he was. Ichigo couldn't believe the pain had gotten any worse than it already had. What was that son of a bitch doing to him?

"I warned you, foolish boy." Tosen's hand had entered Ichigo's back, extracting the object they desired so much. "With this, we are finished here" he said, holding the artifact before his face as if studying it with his unseeing eyes. "And I'm afraid you are as well. Taking this has severed you soul chain, and in the process, damaged your spirit. I have ensured your already inevitable demise here, Ichigo Kurosaki. You and Ms. Kuchiki will not survive the night out here. For that, I apologize."

Gin sauntered over, grinning widely as ever. "You've had your fun, Kaname. Let's leave the love birds to die in peace. I don't want to hear Lord Aizen complain."

"You do not need to remind me. Our job is now complete here. It is time to leave."

Ichigo could barely make out the light emanating from the Senkaimon the retreating Captains entered in his fading vision. Before he lost consciousness, he berated himself for his weakness. He failed yet again to protect Rukia. Now they were both going to die for it. With that, he gave in to the darkness creeping across his vision, the scorched concrete cooling in the sudden rain the last thing he saw along with a pair of wooden sandals.

Thanks for reading. Any reviews/comments are welcome.

A short fight to be sure, but two Captains versus two officer-level Shinigami? I think you can see the odds. Also, their difference in power was my reasoning behind Ichigo's senses. Think a plain much higher than his own. There's that, and he was always bad at sensing spiritual pressure.

Let's just say I was surprised after I wrote this to see Byakuya doing the same thing to Sode no Shirayuki during the Zanpakto Rebellion Arc in the anime. I almost laughed when Byakurai pierced through Hakuren on that episode.

Next time: Rude awakenings.