The Black Flame and the Frozen Wasteland

Summary:

A soul reaper long thought dead turns up in Karakura town the night of the attack on the Kurosaki family. Who is this new Reaper and what does he want, who are his allies and what does his return to mean for them all. A femIchi Fic

DSF- "So I finally have managed to get another chapter done."

Souketsu – "We apologize for our wielders lateness, but do to family issues among other things have led to the lateness of this chapter."

Sougetsu – "This chapter along with the chapters before this one has some changes, so be sure to reread them."

DSF – "The rewrite isn't big, but there are changes, again I'm sorry for its lateness and I would ask that anyone who would like to beta my work pm me. Grammar was not and is not my strong suit and it would be much appreciated if someone would be willing to beat my work."

Souketsu and Sougetsu – DSF does not own Bleach. That honor belongs to Tite Kubo. He does own us and any of his other OC's. Enjoy this chapter and please review.

Chapter 10 - Is Darkness Always Evil

Doloran woke to Ichigo in his arms once again. It seemed to be happening a lot lately; he was becoming aware of a growing connection between them. The more time they spent together, the stronger the connection seemed to him and he realized ever since the battle with the Quincy he found he knew where she was or at the very least a very good idea. He wondered him the connection had to so with his power or something else entirely.

Knowing the answers were unlikely to come to him, he very carefully extracted himself from the young woman in front of him. Once on his feet he cast his gaze on the young woman, her face peaceful, a strand of hair falling across her face. The stress from the night before appeared to be gone. Her drive amazed him, never willing to give and always fighting for what she felt was right. He knew once she awakened he would likely be given hell over what he kept from her, but he didn't care. He would let her get out of her system.

Just watching her sleep gave him a since of peace he had never felt before meeting her and becoming a part of her life. It was becoming clear to him what kind of effect she was having on him and he also realized what effect he was having on her. She had become very important in his life and it was clear to him that it was something he had yearned for, but never had.

He grabbed his clothes and took a quick shower and made his way to the training grounds feeling no need for briefest. Finding a secluded spot and settled down to enter his inner world. Upon entering utter confusion settled over him. His inner world stood calm, not what he expected with his inner hollow having awoken. He had expected utter chaos, for the weather in his inner world to be tarring the place apart. Standing on his usual spot he expanded his senses trying to locate his Zanpakuto spirits. After several minutes he concluded they were nowhere he could sense them, however he could sense his hollow. Rising to his feet he set off toward it.

After several minutes he reached his query. His hollow stood with one hand on the Zanpakuto laying on his right side while the other lay loose at his side. His smile held none of the usual sadistic flare or malice. "So you've finally come, I was beginning to wonder when you would get off your ass."

Several minutes passed while Doloran waited for his hollow to attack before he realized his hollow was relaxed and calm, something he rarely so out of him. "Why are you not attacking, you don't expect me to believe you just want to talk?"

"Figures you haven't figured it out yet." His smile widened. "Doloran we are not Visored, we are Hybrids. I never was after your soul. I was born from you, unlike the Visored who had their hollows forced into their souls. They will never reach the heights which we can and there is only one who can, the young lady and we will help her."

Doloran stared at his hollow utterly godsmacked, it was not the hollow he knew and his hollow knowing of Ichigo possessing one of her own troubled him greatly. "If you were never after my soul, then why say so, why would you wish to help Ichigo and furthermore what do you mean the heights which we will reach?"

"I said those things when you needed to get stronger and to urge you on. What I said when you were fighting fisher was because you were letting yourself fall to the depths of depression. We would have fought more if you hadn't accepted me as a part of yourself. I will always protect what you wish to protect just as the others do and have. I will protect her because of what she means to you and us. She has an effect on you and I'm sure you're aware. This conversation would be going much different if she didn't." Doloran sensed no deceit from him as he spoke.

"If you trust me as you do the others and once you gain both bankai and proven yourself to me, I will teach you a technique that will make us untouchable, the hollow version of bankai. Once you have it only a few will be able to stand a chance against you."

"You must understand that it is imperative that you reach for both, because without them and the powers the lady possess, we are all going to lose. Your Otou-san may have been strong, but I think even you feel it, even without the Hougyoku he will he'll find a way to finish his own and make your Otou-san look like a defenseless puppy."

Doloran smiled, he knew even if his hollow hadn't said it, he was challenging him. "So what now, there is no way this is the only reason you lured me here?"

His hollow smiled again. "Your right, I'm going to give you my name and then we're going to wake those two old sleeping fools and get to training with the lady."

"Well then let's have it"

His hollow got a wicked grin. "Be careful what you wish for." He drew his Zanpakuto on his right hip and pointed it at Doloran's heart. "I'm going to stab you and if you have fully accepted then you feel a rush of power and I will give you my name. I was going to what until latter to stab you as it will give you full access to my power, but I think you can handle it and if you haven't accepted me this is going to hurt." He said laughing insanely plunging the sword into his heart giving him no time to stop him.

Ichigo was pissed, she had woken and he was already gone. She wondered if he was avoiding her because of the conversation the night before and in truth was the fact he had woken before and not woken her that miffed her, not the conversation last night. She knew they had ended up in each other's arms again and she had to admit she likes waking in his arms. She was noticing something was going on between them even more now.

She could not for the life of her remember how they were ending up next to each other that night or how they had in the past when they went to bed apart from each other, excluding the few times when they had went to bed in each other' arms. She had begun to notice that their powers were stronger when they fought together than when apart. She could also swear she was feeling an ever increasing need to be next to him even when it was not possible for her to be.

She felt an ever increasing need to kiss him as well. They had not talked about what they were to each other and she had to wonder if his past was keeping him from acting in the feelings she knew he had for her. They had long ago passed the area of friendship and she wished he would just ask her out. The few times they had kissed even when it was awkward had set ablaze of feeling in her stomach. Hell they knew more about each other than even their family and friends knew about each other. It didn't feel right to say he was her boyfriend even though by all rights he was and yet it didn't feel right not to either.

She realized they were connected in some way that defied any words she had for it. After all she knew after she had gotten up the never to ask Zangetsu why she had felt like she had been guided to and through his memories. She asked him why she had been drawn to him and that she had talked to one of his Zanpakuto.

"Ichigo I am not surprised you feel a connection with him as I am apart of you, I feel it as you do. Whether this connection is to blame for you feeling guided to and through his memories you were shown was the cause, I cannot be sure."

She looked at her Zanpakuto wondering if he was being completely truthful with her or not. She couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't telling her everything and that he was hiding something from her. "I've been to his inner world and one of his twin Zanpakuto spoke to me and I don't know why." She said in an almost whisper."

Zangetsu looked surprised for the briefest of moments, that she almost wondered if she had imagined it. "Did you think I would be angry with you for not telling me sooner or are you embarrassed because you have been told it is an intimate thing to venture into another's inner world?"

She looked to her feet before answering. "A little of both I guess." She felt shame for doubting her Zanpakuto wondering why she thought he would be mad. "Why did it happen?"

"I cannot be sure, perhaps you should speak with him."

After he had pushed her out and they hadn't spoken since. She realized he was going to help.

She had just reached the latter leading to the training ground when she felt a surge of power, knowing it was from Doloran she raced to where she felt it coming from. She wasn't the only one either, her Otou-san, Hat n' Clogs and Tessai followed shortly after her descent.

The air around Doloran was chaotic and shimmered with electricity when they arrived. Doloran was surrounded by a ball of energy that it felt like it might crush her. She just began to wonder what the hell was going on when Zangetsu materialized, much to the surprise of the others standing beside her. "What's going on Zangetsu?" She asked in a worried done.

"Doloran has fully accepted his hollow and I would say it has given him its name and a test. If I am right, then what we are seeing and feeling is the release of his hollow's stored power and it has caused this disturbance and will most like not settle until he has absorbed its power."

Isshin turned to Kisuke. "Kisuke I don't remember you ever saying anything like this happening to the Visored."

Zangetsu answered him before Kisuke could speak. "That's because he is not one of the masked ones, he is a hybrid. His hollow was created when he was born just as his Zanpakuto were, not forced to become a part of him."

Kisuke's eyes widened with interest. "Does that mean he will be something like an Arrancar?"

Zangetsu's eyes darkened and Ichigo could swear she had felt a surge of power from the old man. "No" He all but barked. "Arrancar are just the opposite of the masked ones. He will wield the full power of both hollow and soul reaper. His power will be perfect balance, instead of fighting for control."

Ichigo was confused about what he meant, not knowing the full story about them. Isshin, Kisuke and Tessai however knew well what he meant. "How long will it take?" She asked him.

"The awakening of his power is almost complete, however I suspect that this is just the beginning. They will most likely try and wake his other Zanpakuto."

Doloran could say without doubt that he had only felt this much power welled up within him once before. He had with the help of one of his Okaa-san's techniques while fighting his grandfather's bankai for the first time. He had managed with the technique to force some of the power that held its home in his bankai out without having gained it. The power flowing through him made his skin crawl with every wave it washed over him, his finger tips crackled with electricity. He felt a wall in his very soul lift that he hadn't been aware was ever there.

He felt his power settle somewhat and he wondered what it would fell like once he could release both of his Zanpakuto with his full power. He knew that even if they were unable to gain bankai before leave for Soul Society they would have a good chance.

He saw his hollow look at him and smile. Doloran felt the new sword on his that sat between his other two. His hollow, Blaze, had said that it would always be there and that it would only be visible to those he wished to see it. He had also told him that his sword would not be needed to use his powers until he gained the hollow equivalent of bankai, resurrection. He was surprised to find that Blaze's sword felt much the same as his Zanpakuto, even if his power felt different. "So, now what?"

"Now we wake them."

Doloran nodded and Blaze led him to where his Zanpakuto rested. The spirits of his Zanpakuto lay deep within the skyscraper he always rested on his arrival in his inner world. The room in which they rested held a floor of magma, walls of rock and two stone slabs of marble on which they rested upon.

Doloran gazed down at them with great sorrow for what had happened to them. making a silent pledge that he would never allow it to happen to any of his spirits again, he withdrew their swords from there sheaths and drove them into the respective spirits. The moment the blades struck their chests he was driven out of his inner world.

They all felt his power settle and then several minutes passed before his spiritual pressure skyrocketed. They all watched with interest as the energy surrounding him disappeared and he opened his eyes. "Hey." He said looking at Ichigo.

She wasted no time in approaching him a run and hugging him, however the hug was short lived as she withdrew and punched him full force in the stomach. Doloran leaned over with the force of the punch and the pain it caused. "Of all the stupid things you have done, you choose to go off on your own and face your hollow without telling anyone and all you have to say for yourself is hey. What the hell were you thinking and what's more, were do you get off not telling me your darker side was a hollow and don't tell me no one knew, because from Otou-san's, Hat n' Clogs and Tessai's reactions they all knew." Tires she was trying desperately not to shed fell freely from her brown eyes.

"I was being stupid and trying to be noble, just didn't want to worry you. Otou-san and the others knew, but from the looks of it, they didn't know everything." He said raising her head to meet his own. His use of Otou-san was missed by nobody present. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't have to deal with him or me if the worst were to happen, but now that seems to have been an impossibility."

"So it is done then?" Zangetsu's voice caught all of their attention.

Doloran wasted no time answering him. "It is and it's good to finally meet you Zangetsu-san, Ichigo has told me much about you." Ichigo stiffened momentarily wondering if he knew about her visit to his inner world, but quickly pushed it aside.

Zangetsu regarded him for several minutes and then spoke again before disappearing. "Then all is well, take care of her Darkblaze Doloran. Have her ready. I will take my leave."

"So what happened Doloran, Zangetsu-san said you got your hollows name and that you accepted him?" Isshin asked.

"He did and it's as I suspected long ago, I am not like the Visored, but a hybrid and I suspect by Zangetsu-san's appearance he told you the same." At their nods he continued. "Blaze, my hollow, confirmed my suspicions and told me about some of his abilities. After that he gave me a test of sorts and we woke up my other Zanpakuto."

"So he wasn't after your soul after all." Kisuke stated more than asked.

Doloran answered anyway. "No he wasn't, but that's not all he said either." His face dropped and he gripped both swords at his waist so hard his knuckles turned white.

"What is it Doloran?" Ichigo asked not only seeing his distress, but feeling it through whatever connection they had.

Doloran took a moment to answer and when he did he caught all there gaze. "Blaze confirmed something I have been feeling and it's not good. Neither of us can shake the feeling that even if he doesn't have the Hougyoku, he will find a way to complete his own and I also can't shake the feeling that we won't stop him in Soul Society."

Ichigo could feel he was really worried about it. She wondered now for the first time why they wouldn't the traitor's name. She said nothing about however, knowing they must have good reason not to say it. "If we don't stop him their then we stop him were ever he goes next."

Kisuke spoke. "I doubt it well be that easy. He had an intelligence that rivals mine and he may very well have plans in place to prevent us from finding him and even if we so it won't be easy to get to him, especially if he completes his own Hougyoku."

"It changes nothing. Rukia's life is at stake, if we save her then we expose him and whoever's working with him." Ichigo said frustrated.

"She's right, if save her we expose him. We'll just have to train harder and hope luck is on our side." Doloran said placing a calm hand on her shoulder and with the other placing a loc of air behind her ear.

"We'll leave you to it then." Isshin said leaving with the others.

"Thanks Doloran." She said looking into his eyes.

"I'll always defend you Ichigo." He gazed in her eyes for several minutes before she backed away. "So why did he give you his name now and back then when you fought your father?"

"Things have changed since then and it wasn't the right time." Sensing he wasn't going to say more she moved several feet away from him. "So can you use your Zanpakuto?"

Doloran's eyebrows rose. "I should have full access to my shikai, why do ask?"

"Do you want to spar?"

"I thought you didn't want to train today?"

She smirked. "That was before you had awakened your Zanpakuto and there is something Zangetsu taught me a want to try."

Doloran smirked too. "Well alright, but be careful what you wish for."

Her smirk widened. "I wouldn't have it any other way,"

Doloran grasped both swords on his back unsheathing them and held them in front of him in and x formation. "Death and rebirth, Shi Fenikkusu Kurogetsu Ryuujin!"

"So what do you think Kisuke?" Isshin asked

"I can't be sure, but if what Ichigo-san Zanpakuto said and with Doloran's confirmation then he may very well be able to stand against him. I'm more inclined to believe it than not after what you told me of the battle with fisher and from what I have seen myself."

Isshin looked grim. "They will go after him again." Kisuke nodded.

Tessai spoke next. "From what you have told me about last night boss, he passed a message through the Taicho, Kuchiki." Kisuke nodded. "Then perhaps the Soutaichou can help, I can't see him letting his Mago be pursued by them again."

Kisuke looked thoughtful. "If I know him like I think I do, he will most likely kill the old fools, if he hasn't already, which will leave full command in the Soutaichou's hands."

Isshin's demeanor lightened somewhat. "If it does come to pass, then with my message to the Soutaichou we should have no problems and then he will indeed take full control and look to Doloran for any orders from me."

Silence hung over them as they felt a wave of spiritual pressure wash over them. Tessai never having felt that much from the young reaper not having been present during his time in Soul Society gasped at his power. Isshin and Kisuke wore expressions of glee and anticipation.

"He's grown." Kisuke said.

Isshin looked at Kisuke and smiled. "And he's only released one Zanpakuto."

Tessai's eyes widened at the implications. "Is this what he wielded when he fought his Otou-san?" He asked wondering just how powerful he would be with bankai and what more they speculated he would wield from his hollow.

"Not even close." Tessai's eyes widened once more at Isshin's words. Isshin laughed at the expression on Tessai's face and continued. "You have to understand that Doloran is not completely human, his Okaa-san and her people are older than anything you will come across and they were old even when Soul Society was created and formed. They look human, but that's only what they wanted us to see, what they allowed us to see. They do look close to us, but there are differences that would single them out if they had shown them."

Isshin stopped and Kisuke continued. "The human legends of elves were inspired by them and at one point there were many of them here and in Soul Society. I'm not sure what Doloran looks like as for he is half reaper and has never shown either of us what he really looks like, they only one who might know is Yoruichi."

"How do they walk among the living?"

Isshin answered him. "They aren't dead." At Tessai's confusion he continued. "No one knows how, but they walk an existence between life and death. They are neither dead nor alive, but both at the same time and we aren't sure what happens to them when they die."

"So because of what he is through his Okaa-san he was able to defeat his Otou-san?"

Kisuke answered. "Yes, but that is not all of it. Doloran's Okaa-san was the most powerful of her kind. She taught Doloran techniques that gave him more power than any bankai we have ever seen, however the technique are dangerous. They are dangerous enough that he was only willing to use them after he was sure there was no other way to win. What he used the others of their kind forbade any one, but his family to use, for if not under control the damage to the user would be death or worse and the damage to world, catastrophic."

"Can he use them in this war?"

Kisuke looked grim. "I have talked to Doloran about that very thing and he has told me even with what more he has learned and possibly mastered while away make what he used against his Otou-san to dangerous to us even now. Doloran also told me that he may have others that would be useful, but nothing like what he used before or is willing to and in truth I think he is scared to use them."

Fear momentarily gripped her as his power washed over her, what she was feeling was nothing compared to what see had felt that night they had fought fisher and she could once again feel the darkness which seemed rawer and somewhat maleficent than the darkness that usually resided in his reiatsu. Gripping Zangetsu she drew him from his sheath while wordlessly releasing him.

Doloran stared at her intently as she withdrew her Zanpakuto from its sheath, surprised t find she could wordlessly release it. "So when did you learn to do that?"

Ichigo smiled knowing she had surprised him. "You are not the only one who has gotten stronger or a power boost. Ever since the fight with Ishida, I have talked with Zangetsu at length and fought him several times. He has shown me much."

Without another word and a burst of shunpo from Doloran their spar began. Doloran appeared behind her bringing his sword on his right toward her neck while bring his left straight forward in a piercing move.

Ichigo turned away from the sword coming at her neck and brought Zangetsu behind her back to meet the second. She then twisted her wrest to get under his guard to deliver a kick to his chest while pushing away from him. With a burst of shunpo she withdrew from him and took a moment to look over his Zanpakuto.

Both swords handles were black with deep red wrappings which extended to a long ribbon in the same color which flowed from the end of the hilt. The tsuba were rectangular and in black. They blades themselves were red, the same as the wrappings and a black spider web like formation ran the length of the blades.

The similarities ended there, the right swords tsuba had a phoenix with black and red feathers with fire surrounding it. Its eyes burned with fire the likes of which she had never seen. The left sword tsuba had a grand black dragon with red eye and spikes. Its eyes burned in the same way as the phoenix, but the fire was black.

Ichigo wanting to test just how much his power had grown launched her most powerful silent Getsuga Tenshou at him. When the attack was half way to its target she shunpoed behind him and launched another at his back. She watched in frustration as he held both swords at the attacks and absorbed them without a scratch.

"That all you got?" He asked smiling. Mift that he would ask such a thing, she began using Kidou. "Bakudō number four Haiwana!" Long robe like energy leapt from her hand wrapping around Doloran. "Bakudō number 61 Rikujokoro!" The robes transformed into six bars of light binding Doloran in place. She looked at him and felt anger at the smile on his face. She brought her Zanpakuto in front of her and pointed it at Doloran, with one fluid motion she brought it down yelling. "Getsuga Tenshou." The Getsuga raced toward him.

The smile slipped from Doloran's face as he realized the attack was not something he could negate. He expanded his senses to his other Zanpakuto mentally grasping the hilts and yelled. "Reign over the frozen heavens, grant asylum to the innocent in the frozen wastelands, Souketsu Kyuuten Sougetsu Ryuujin!"

The three men upstairs felt the release as another wave of spiritual power washed over them and they weren't the only ones, Shihoin Yoruichi stood against the doorframe. "What did she do to him to make release this much power?"

The three men turned toward the new arrival and Isshin answered her. "Her powers have been growing rapidly since the battle with the Quincy and I think what she learned last night and what Doloran did this morning have lit a fire under her." He said with pride.

"So you finally told her?"

Kisuke answered. "Doloran wasn't giving us mush choice and after last night Isshin felt it might do more harm than good."

Yoruichi looked thoughtful for several moments. "He seems stronger than before and what's this about this morning?"

"He went off on his own and went into his inner world to face his hollow."

Ichigo watched in awe as Doloran emerged once again unharmed. She felt his power fully press down on her in its full glory. Doloran's four swords merging into two, she wondered how she could match him, his power was terrifying and well beyond what she had ever felt. She felt a shiver rune down her spine.

"Ichigo don't fear, it's time to show him my true form." Strengthened by her Zanpakuto words, she did as he told her and reached within the depths of her soul for her Zanpakuto's power. After several moments his power and form enveloped her, she could fell him standing beside her with his hand on her shoulder. Gripping hold of his power she drew it from her soul.

Doloran felt her spiritual pressure raise and change. Before his eyes her Zanpakuto changed. The blade curved slightly at the tip, more so than before. The cloth and the end of the hilt changed into a blue tassel and the grip was no covered in red leather rather than cloth. "Can you fell it Doloran, she had another." The Souketsu's voice rang through his mind. Once the words sung in he felt what she meant. Concentrating on her he could feel a faint energy he had not before, now he felt something else that must have lain dormant within her power. It was cold and held darkness to it, for the briefest moments he thought it to be her inner hollow in her which none of the others knew about, but he quickly discounted as it didn't feel right. After several moments he realized it to be another Zanpakuto spirit. "Yes Doloran, she carries' a twin as well. Press her Doloran and get her to call it."

In a burst of shunpo he appeared before and swung both swords down upon her. Ichigo brought her Zanpakuto up to meet his and was driven back several feet by the power behind them. She tightened her grip in her Zanpakuto and tried to push him with now results to show for it. Removing one figure from her Zanpakuto she pointed it at Doloran and yelled. "Hadō number four, Byakurai."

The streak of lightning struck Doloran in the chest pushing him back several feet. He resisted the urge to rub his chest and pressed forward. He swung the sword in his right hand toward her chest upon reaching her. She parried his strike, so struck with the left. She twisted slightly, his strike missing. She then twisting her wrest sending his sword upward away from her while striking with her fist toward his chin.

She the strike Doloran spun away from her and once clear launched several Kidou at her. "Hadō number thirty one, Shakkaho. Hadō number thirty three, Sokatsui." The first was batted away by her Zanpakuto, but the second caught her right leg as she tried to move away. Leaving her no breathing room he launched one of his own attacks. "Jigoku Kasai (Hell Fire)." Fire engulfed Doloran's arm, he swung the sword on his right toward her in a downward motion. A crescent moon of fire approached her.

Ichigo saw the attack coming and even thought she wasn't sure how she knew; she knew she could cancel it with her own attack. As quickly as she could she launched a Getsuga at the crescent fire ball. The attacks meet just before her and she felt her body be pushed back. The force pushed her into a rock, creaking and then breaking it. She landed hard bouncing off the ground hard sending her into the air. Unable to stop herself she landed again felling the boned in her body get jarred hard by the impact.

She slowly got up every bone in her body aching. She watched as the world around her froze. A woman appeared wearing a dark blue kimono with white snow flake pattern and whit obi. Her hair flowed down her back and deep blue in color, her deep blue eyes held a soul piercing look. Her beauty astounded her and she realized she had seen her once before that night they had fought fisher, the first night she saw Zangetsu. "Young one you are on the right path. Stay close to him, for he will always stand by your side. You are not quite ready for my power yet, but you are close. Take my shikai this once and show him that you can stand by them."

The women disappeared and she felt a sword appear in her other hand. She held up the blade seeing it looked much the same as her other; however the blade produced a cold aura which hung around the blade and her. Like Doloran, she could feel darkness in it.

Doloran watched on feeling joy fill him, he knew she would be able to use its full capabilities yet, but he knew she would still be a match for him. The voice of Souketsu reached him once more. "She had shown us the true form of her Zanpakuto, now it is the time for us to do the same." At Doloran's confusion he felt all their voices in his head. "It is time for us to show you what we never got the chance to before your Otou-san attacked. Let us show you."

Ichigo felt his power shift and she saw his energy manifest around him. She felt the slit unbalance in his power vanish and the energy around him merge into one. The energy stayed around him for a few seconds more before exploding outward.

The four up stairs also felt what was happening. Yoruichi gasped. "Has he really gotten that much stronger? He's putting off almost as much as the Soutaichou in shikai."

"It feels like it did that day he fought his Bankai the first time and somehow forced out the power he would have in Bankai without having it." Isshin felt even more pride for the kids, but he to wonder what was allowing them to reach such heights so soon. He knew it would be easier to grow as he had held and felt tremendous power before, however that didn't explain how she was able to keep up with him and how he had shed the seal on his power. It had been breaking when he returned and he knew it wasn't fully gone as he hadn't had his other twin Zanpakuto. If having it now it didn't explain how it was gone, not even his hollow would have been able to break the rest of the way, it was the kind of thing that just took time.

What troubled him more was that both were using power they should have in shikai without having Bankai. It was if the barrier between their stages of power weren't fully intact, but he could think of nothing that would cause it. Isshin was one of the best when it came to sensing the power of others and that was probably way he outside of his daughter was one of the few who could sense him. He had been keeping a close eye on them since earlier that morning never letting his sense retract from them.

Every increase they had he had felt happen and he had been just as surprised as the others when he had felt Ichigo release another Zanpakuto or rather the other half of hers. He was now fully realized that both their Zanpakuto were different than any other duel wielded Zanpakuto in existence. His Zanpakuto was just as confused as he and none of them in the room had the answer he wanted and felt he needed.

What bothered him the most was that he was noticing their powers acting weird around the area surrounding them. Their seemed to constantly reach out to the other and then withdraw, but that wasn't the really weird part about it. The reiatsu seemed to always have a sliver of the other in it. A thought stuck him and he turned to Kisuke looking directly at him. "Kisuke is there something happening with them? I'm growing concerned."

Before Kisuke could answer him Yoruichi spoke looking at Isshin and Kisuke. "Your kid is putting off almost three quarters of what he is, I'm I missing something?"

Kisuke removed his fan from his face lying on the table and removed his placing it beside him. "I've noticed it to, they draw off each other when they fight and their power always seems to be stronger when they are around each other."

Isshin looked concerned. "When did it start?"

"It started after she delved into his memories."

"She what?" Yoruichi screamed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, the first day Doloran brought her here, he was teaching her how to sense those around her and the reiatsu in the air. He had left her to speak to Kuchiki-san and me when she sought out Doloran, delving so deep she could see and feel his emotions and see his past."

Yoruichi stood stunned, knowing full well only Isshin and a handful of others, now all deceased all but for one could delve even close to that. "How much spiritual pressure was he putting off?"

"Just enough spiritual pressure for me to sense it and know he was there." Yoruichi looked at him and Isshin godsmacked.

Isshin looked thoughtful for several moments as silence hung over them. "Kisuke there is a connection between them isn't there?"

Kisuke dropped his head for a moment. "Considering their growth rate and what I have seen, I would say there is."

"You can't mean…" Kisuke broke her off. "Yes it seems their souls have intertwined and considering the rate at which Doloran's seal as been broken it is very strong."

Isshin knowing full well what could happen looked at Kisuke once more. "What does it mean for them?"

Kisuke answered the unasked question. "The connection is stable from what I have seen and as long as they stay together they should be fine. I'm more concerned with what Doloran will do to protect her."

"They can't stay together the whole time they are in Soul Society Kisuke." Yoruichi said. Kisuke was quick to address her concern. "By the time you get into the Seireitei the connection will have established itself enough that as long as they are within Seireitei no problems will arise."

Doloran felt his two twin Zanpakuto merge completely into two swords and his power fell in full sink neither having to be balanced. The power was more than he had ever felt from his Zanpakuto. His spiritual pressure condensed around his body forming a cocoon of energy only slightly visible. The Zanpakuto on his right remained looking like Shi Fenikkusu, while around his hand and extending slightly past it appeared a long gauntlet which held what could only be described as a claw down his middle finger. The gauntlet was stylized in Souketsu's colors. His left had held Sougetsu and Kurogetsu Ryuujin became another gauntlet like the first, stylized in his colors.

Doloran gripped the Zanpakuto enjoying the feeling of having them both in his hands again together. The flowed through him as one were before they were unbalanced. He could feel the elements they controlled more easily and he they swirled around his arms. Taking a deep breath as he hadn't noticed he had been holding his breath he looked on to Ichigo waiting for her to make a move.

Ichigo stared at Doloran's Zanpakuto knowing she should feel fear, but she couldn't help but fell joy and anticipation of battle. She could feel her power level still rising as if trying to reach his. She could fell there power mix in the air leaving the air to feel cold and the ground hot. The darkness she felt in their power hung in the air as if waiting to swallow their foe. She also like him could feel what elements she possessed in her body and surrounding it.

"So you have two Swords as well, but can you wield two." She gripped both blades wondering if she could. She swung both in front of her several times in a duel wield manner. She gasped, surprised that it had felt like she had done so before, like she had wield two all along and that it felt like second nature.

In a burst of shunpo she appeared behind him swing both swords at his back. Doloran spun on his heal bringing both his swords forward meeting hers. The force of contact between them cracked the ground below them. Electricity crackled between their blades striking out at the ground around them destroying rocks and anything else in their way. Their spiritual pressure crashed together forming sonic booms.

Doloran moved first bring his right foot out swipe at her leg. She saw the move and met his leg locking them in place. Doloran pushed his full weight against her along with his power trying to force her back. After several seconds she gave falling backward. Doloran struck out with Zanpakuto on his left intending to hit her shoulder.

Ichigo continued to fall backward placing her hand behind her while putting her weight on it raising herself into the air. Doloran's sword went passed her and she spun around several times delivering several kicks to his chest. He stumbled backward barely catching himself before she struck out with her Zanpakuto. Rising both of his Zanpakuto he parried her strike while placing two fingers toward her casting a Byakurai. The Kidou hit her in the right arm causing her to drop her guard, using the window he struck out cutting her left forearm.

She quickly recovered shunpoing to his left. Doloran saw her but didn't react fast enough and see caught his right arm leaving a deep gash. She fallowed her strike with another before he could recover cutting his left shoulder while casting a silent Getsuga.

Doloran encored the pain feeling the Getsuga. He quickly wrapped his spiritual energy around his body to lessen the attack he knew he could not stop. The Getsuga hit him hard and it felt to him much stronger than the one she had sent him earlier. He hit the ground several times before he managed to catch himself with one hand. Flipping himself her landed on his feet only to meet her two blades.

They pushed off away from each other both launching Kidō at the other. Two powerfully massive Sokatsui collided between them in a massive bang. The battle field became covered in dust. Reiatsu swirled around the sight of the explosion.

Doloran and Ichigo expanded their spiritual pressure blowing away the dust giving them a clear view of each other. Launching themselves at each other the collided sending dust into the around them. Strike for strike they meet each in turn, neither gaining nor losing ground. They sent Kidou after Kidou at each other never hitting their intended target.

They both stooped several yards away from each other panting heavily. Neither spoke, they stared at each other looking into each other's eyes trying to gage the others next move. Neither of them blinked nor moved a muscle. Sweat poured down their faces and bodies.

Doloran knew he was about spent and he could tell Ichigo was as well. Gathering what little reiatsu he had left he focused it into his Zanpakuto. He could fell her doing the same. Bring both blades before him with the edges slightly touching he brought them down in an arc toward her yelling. "Jigoku Kasai" The massive fiery crescent went barreling toward her.

Ichigo saw the attack and copied him launching a massive Getsuga toward him. The attacks meet between them with a loud explosion and force, knocking them to the ground. The last thing either of them saw was the dust before they lost consciousness.

I hope you guys like this and again sorry about the delay. I rewrote this several times not happy with how it turned out and I'm still not completely happy about it. The fighting bugs me as it's not my strong suit. The next chapter will have an new character and the bio for Doloran's other twin Zanpakuto and they will appear. As always thanks for reading and I hope to see you review.

Hope you enjoyed.

Peace, DSF.