Long Way Home: A Desperate Tale of Survival

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any characters. We should know this by now.


Alternatives

30 Years Prior…

A young boy, not even ten years of age, huddled beneath a large tree.

He sought shelter from the pouring rain, his torn and loose robes notwithstanding the cold winds. Pulling his knees to his chest, the boy shivered violently as his body began to numb. One hand pressed against his forehead, just above his left eye. Red stained his fingers and although the wound was small, it refused to cease bleeding.

If he lived long enough it would surely scar.

The wound was obtained when he tried to steal a satchel of meat from a nearby village. The owner of the shop had nearly cleaved his face in two when he was discovered and forced to flee. It had been over three days since he'd last eaten and his hunger had driven him to theft. What that such a crime?

Just as the young boy was about to collapse, he felt a presence in front of him. However, he did not look up at it. No doubt it was the shop owner from before, come to finish what he'd begun.

"Hey there, kid. You out here all on your own?"

The boy gasped slightly, taken back by the gentle nature of the voice. Slowly lifting his head, he saw a tall man with shaggy black hair smiling down at him. He wore black battle robes and had a katana on his hip. Clearly, this man was a samurai.

Seeing the blade, the boy instantly slid back against the tree. The man raised an eyebrow and slowly knelt down in front of the boy.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, kid. I just want to know why you're out here all on your own."

The boy abruptly frowned at him, obviously disbelieving his words. At this, the samurai sighed deeply before reaching into his robes. Watching him carefully, the boy expected him to pull some form of blade from his robes. And unfortunately, he had no strength to even attempt to run from the man.

Then, much to his surprise, the samurai pulled out a small package.

Unwrapping it, the boy's eyes widened as he saw a half eaten loaf of bread within the wrappings. Instantly, the boy's mouth watered and he stared at the bread intently, hunger pains ripping his insides apart. Despite how appetizing and how tempting the food appeared, the boy knew to be cautious.

This man was probably toying with him, ready to snatch the bread away just to prolong his suffering—

"Here, catch."

The samurai abruptly tossed the loaf to the starving boy. On instinct, the boy reached up and grasped the bread as it came at him. The moment he felt the soft loaf in his hands, the boy lost all sense of control. Without a word, his teeth dove into the bread, tearing a large chunk of if off and chewing audibly.

The boy heard an audible chuckle from the samurai who'd fed him and before he had a chance to look up, a soft hand plopped atop his head. However, the boy didn't even lift his eyes, intently devouring the small portion of food.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you're all alone out here, aren't you?" the samurai asked, his voice gentle and soothing. Hearing this, the boy slowly nodded, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Well then, would you like to come with me? We can keep each other company, at the very least."

The boy's head shot up and stared intensely at his savior, unable to speak. A warm smile decorated the samurai's face as he patted the boy on the head, patiently waiting for an answer. After what seemed like an eternity, the young boy lowered his head and nodded sternly.

"Great! From now on, we'll stick together!" the samurai exclaimed, lifting his hand and standing over the boy. "I'm Kugo Ginjo. What's your name, kid?"

For almost a whole minute, the boy kept his gaze fixed on the cold earth. Finally, he lifted his gaze up to the samurai, a smile slowly forming on his lips for the first time in all his life.

"…Shukuro…Tsukishima."


Tsukishima stared down at the cloth covering the body of his deceased Master. His breathing was slow and shallow, dark circles hung beneath his eyes and the skin on his face was visibly pale. His armor, still dripping from the pouring rain, clung to his body heavily. Not even he knew how he'd found the strength to stand.

Ginjo's body had been moved into the inner sanctum of the castle, the large structure now serving as a tomb.

"Why…Master? Why would you let this happen?" a low whisper escaped Tsukishima as he slowly pulled back the cloth on his Master's face. Staring down at the peaceful visage of the deceased Ginjo, the distraught Lord's visage twisted in rage and agony.

"Why?! Why did you have to die?! And for them of all people!" His fists balled and he slammed them down harshly on the deceased man's chest. "Why would you do that, Ginjo?! You taught me to be strong! Taught me to fight and to never give in! So why, Ginjo, why?!"

Tsukishima thrust his head toward the sky and screamed, "Why did you never teach me what I should do when you were gone?!"

Chanting 'why' as if it were a mantra, the grief-stricken Lord continued to pound his fists onto Ginjo's unmoving body. In the midst of his frenzy, fresh tears erupted from Tsukishima but he made no attempt to cease them. His body trembled and slowly, his beatings lessened until he eventually laid his head down on his Master's chest.

Breathing raggedly through grit teeth, Tsukishima gradually lifted his head, his teary bloodshot eyes narrowing as he stared forward.

"They won't escape…I'll make sure of it!"

Pushing off Ginjo's body, he sprang to his feet and furiously wiped away the moisture on his face. Turning his head, he saw his sword leaning against the nearby wall. Moving with purpose, the infuriated Lord grasped this blade tightly and thrust it to his waist, tying it tightly with a cord.

"I will make them suffer. I will tear out that bitch's tongue, break apart that bastard's jaw, and let my men ravish that whore's body while I force that son of a bitch to watch! And then, when they beg for death, I shall deny it to them! They will never know peace, in this life or the next!"

He took a brief moment to return to his Master's side, re-covering Ginjo's corpse with the sheet. Once he finished, he turned around and faced the door, his eyes burning furiously. Just then, the door to the room slid open and a soldier bowed to him from outside.

"Your Lordship, we have done as you asked. We are prepared to leave at a moment's notice."

Hearing this, Tsukishima's persona shifted and a merciless grin spread over his face. Taking one last look at his Master's body, the Lord promptly advanced to the door and stepped out. The soldier moved aside and waited as his Lord closed the door with a slam.

Without looking at the soldier, Tsukishima marched forward and said, "Very well, let's be rid of this abominable place."

The soldier nodded, immediately standing up and trailing behind his Lord. As Tsukishima reached the courtyard, a massive force of nearly two-hundred samurai awaited him. His eerie grin still in place, he looked over to a small group of soldiers, all carrying torches. Beside them, oil was spread all around the area, waiting to be lit.

Waving his hand at them, Tsukishima watched as the soldiers tossed their torches upon the oil, a blaze instantly erupting. The flames lapped at the walls of the castle and slowly began to consume the structure. Seeing the task done, the Lord marched to his waiting horse and quickly mounted it.

Turning his mount around, Tsukishima advanced to the head of the force. Upon reaching the front, he turned back to his men and shouted, "The Great Lord Ginjo has been slain! We go to the border to avenge his death! And then, when reinforcements arrive, we shall march upon the Kuchiki Clan and demand penance for their crimes against us!"

A massive roar erupted as the loyal samurai concurred with their Lord. Drawing his blade and spurring his horse around, Tsukishima pointed toward the large forest the bandits had fled through.

"Nothing will deter us! Set the forest ablaze!"


The fire burned brightly, flickering fervently as it illuminated the cave that Ichigo and Rukia found themselves in.

Both of them had changed out of their soaked robes and into their new ones, discarding the tattered rags of their old clothes. A cooking spit hung over the fire, picked clean of the meal the two of them had just finished devouring.

"Ah! I never imagined that a simple meal could make me feel so alive!" Ichigo sighed as he set down his bowl and patted his stomach before leaning back onto his hands and staring upward. "It feels like an eternity since we last ate."

Across from him, Rukia chuckled as she set aside her own bowl and replied, "I know what you mean. It's been a long time since we could stay in one place and enjoy a moment of rest."

"And we don't have much time now either," her orange haired companion insisted, drawing her attention. Lowering his gaze until he met hers, he continued, "Tsukishima won't stay down for long. He's probably on his way to the border by now."

Lacing her fingers together, Rukia lightly tapped her hands against her lips, pondering the situation. "He's certainly got the advantage. We can't retreat and going forward is proving almost impossible."

"Not to mention that he's probably out for blood now," Ichigo added, sitting up straight. "I doubt he'll be much of a mood to capture us. He'll probably go straight for the kill—".

"I disagree," Rukia interrupted, gaining his attention with a raised eyebrow. "Knowing what we do of him, do you really think he'll just kill us?"

She waited a moment, watching her partner as his face when from shocked to confused to stern in a matter of moments. Shaking her head before leaning back against the cavern wall, she let out a great sigh as she stared upward.

"No, that would be too merciful. He's not the kind of man to show anyone that kind of mercy," she said solemnly

Ichigo fell silent, taking in her words and choosing his own carefully. In the end, he quietly replied, "…Considering we killed the only person that bastard ever seemed to care about, you're probably right."

Heavy silence followed those words and neither of them felt like speaking. Ginjo's death weighed greatly on their tired minds. However, their flight earlier had left no time to even think about it and they hadn't been able to bring themselves to discuss it. But now, as they sat in silence and had time to consider their actions, both of them began to question themselves on the matter.

"Why do you think…he saved us?" Rukia apprehensively asked. Ichigo didn't need clarification; he was thinking the same thoughts as she was.

"…Honestly, I don't know." The orange haired samurai gazed into the fire with sad eyes. "I thought I understood him once before, but I was completely wrong. And yet, I still feel that I do understand him regardless."

Lowering her gaze, Rukia gave him a concerned expression. Ichigo had placed his faith in Ginjo, formed a bond of understanding even. The orange haired man trusted him because the Retainer had gone through a similar tragedy. Unfortunately, that is where their similarities ended.

Ginjo chose to vent his anger and pain on those around him, doing anything to soothe his own anguish. Ichigo did the opposite, growing stronger and learning to help and trust others, seeking solace through hard work and following his beliefs no matter the cost. Two men with the same pain, taking two entirely different paths. In the end, they both betrayed each other's expectations.

Rukia understood the pain of betrayal as much as her partner did. It had been a harsh reality to discover that her own clan not only despised her, but they wanted her dead for their own ambitions. It had rendered her almost unable to trust anyone ever again.

"Even so," Ichigo's voice disrupted her thoughts, drawing her gaze to him. "I can't speak for the dead but if I had to guess. I'd say he did it was because he wanted to keep his word to me…At least that's what I think."

Hearing that, Rukia couldn't stop the gentle smile that overtook her. Most warriors wouldn't have given the deceased Retainer a second thought after slaying him but not Ichigo. Even now, after all that had transpired between them and Ginjo, her partner had the strength to forgive him for all he'd done.

Some might consider it a weakness of character to be so forgiving. To Rukia, however, it was a sign of great respect and she admired her partner even more for it. For she was incapable of forgiving the evils that man had committed.

She watched as he lifted his gaze up to her, a fragile smirk on his own face. As they stared at each other, she gave a light sigh and said, "Perhaps you're right. And regardless of his previous intentions, we're alive today because of him. If nothing else, he deserves our thanks for that."

Slowly, Ichigo leaned his head back, staring upward. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Another somber silence existed between them and Rukia felt it was best to drop the subject. Picking up her bowl and standing up, she moved over to their pack and took a bit of water from a tube. She sloshed a small bit of the water in the bowl to clean it before wiping it out and replacing it in the pack.

Her eyes moved over to Ichigo's dirty bowl, that still sat beside him as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. He appeared to almost be in a trance, as if he was seeing something far off in the distance. A distant sigh escaped Rukia as she marched over to him.

"We need to get ready to move out," she said to him, startling him out of his dream-like state. He turned to see her picking up his bowl and beginning to wash it out. "We can either rest for a few hours or continue on once the rain lets up."

"…Yeah," was all he said in response. His monotone voice surprised her and she turned back to see him averting his gaze from her. Rukia could tell that something new had infiltrated his thoughts and it was digging into his mind.

A deep frown settled on her face and she was about to ask what was wrong when he abruptly said, "Rukia…I need to apologize."

The raven haired woman froze, staring down at her partner in confusion. "Why? What for?" she asked, sitting down near him and setting his clean bowl down.

A fearsome scowl overtook his features and he hardened himself before turning back to her. His amber orbs met her confused violets and he wanted to turn away again. However, his hands gripped his robes tightly and he refused to look away.

"If I hadn't trusted Ginjo and gone off on my own…we never would have been captured. Hell, we might have made it across the border by now if I hadn't of let myself be so easily fooled by him!"

Tearing his eyes away from her to avoid his own guilt, he raised a fist and slammed it into his own leg with a vicious smack. Scoffing at his own display, he took a deep breath and seethed, "I'm so angry…and ashamed of myself. I practically abandoned you! That's not how a partner is supposed to act! And you were right; I was just walking us both into a trap!"

Lifting his head up, his gaze fell upon his partner's stern gaze. Her violet eyes had narrowed and she wore a fearsome scowl. She was obviously ashamed of him as well but Ichigo knew she had every right to be. So, he straightened up and faced her directly, ready for her wrath.

"I failed to live up to the trust you put in me. And if you don't think you can trust me ever again, then I—".

"Idiot!"

The world spun as Ichigo felt something crash into his face, toppling him over onto his back. His head hit the ground hard and he groaned as he pressed a hand against the wound. His eyes had squeezed shut at the abrupt pain but one eye managed to open and glare forward.

Standing over him, looking absolutely livid, was Rukia. Her teeth were grit and her fists clenched, retracting the arm that had struck him.

"What the hell do you have to be ashamed of?!" she shouted down at him, folding her arms and glaring. "It wasn't your fault that Ginjo tricked us. I fell for his deception too, you know. And you don't see me crying about it!"

Her voice shocking him back to his senses, Ichigo shook his head before leaning up and retorting, "You weren't the one who nearly got us both killed—".

"Just shut up, Ichigo!"

The orange haired samurai's eyes widened as she screamed at him. For the first time since she'd punched him, he stared directly into her gaze. A noiseless gasped escaped his throat as he saw her piercing violets bearing down into his very soul.

To his utter shock, her eyes held more concern than anger or frustration. There was also a great deal of understand buried deep within. And although he could see a hint of disappointment too, he somehow knew that it wasn't for him 'abandoning her'.

He was shell-shocked by her expressive gaze and could only sit quietly as she continued, "Sure, you made a mistake but it was for good reason. You honestly believed that going on ahead was the best thing to do. You believed that and despite knowing how much I'd protest, you didn't let that stop you, because you knew you had to do it."

She paused for a moment, letting that sink in before her glared softened, if only slightly.

"I respect that kind of determination and I trusted you. That's why I let you go through with it. Because I knew, even if it was a trap and we ended up being separated, I knew you'd keep your promise to me. And you did."

Suddenly, her expression softened and she let a confident smirk overtake her lips as she said, "When I was captured by Tsukishima, I thought that there was nothing left but to give in and accept my fate. But then, you burst in, despite suffering from your wounds, and did your best to save me."

Hearing that, Ichigo's features hardened and he averted his gaze as he replied, "But it didn't do any good. All I did was get captured—".

"But you never gave up. Even as you were about to be executed, you held your head up high and didn't give in." Rukia cut him off again, forcing his eyes back up at her "And because of that, we were able to escape. We survived because of you! You have nothing to be ashamed of!"

Amber eyes bulged at those words, as he realized that she was saying everything that he felt about her in that situation. She had been the one who didn't give in, she was the one who encouraged him to hold his head up despite his imminent demise, and she had been the reason he fought so hard to live.

Did she not even realize that he had been inspired by her bravery?

Before he could think further, she abruptly continued, "And if you don't think so, if you still feel ashamed, then all you have to do is get stronger! Fight that shame until you can see how honorable and respectful you really are!"

His amber eyes widened even more as she sharply thrust her finger toward her chest and shouted, "That's the kind of man I know you are, in my heart!"

A brief gasp resounded from Ichigo as her words sank in, cutting through all the shame and despair that came from his mistake. He never imaged that Rukia was inspired by his actions, the same way he was with hers. All this time, he felt that he was drawing strength from her trust and conviction, never giving rise to the thought that she felt the same.

His features hardened and just as he was about to pull himself up, he watched as Rukia's hand stretched out to him, a confident smirk on her face. All at once, his fears and regrets seemed to vanish as he grinned back and took her hand, letting her pull him up to his feet. Once he was standing, his amber orbs met her shimmering violets and they stared at each other wordlessly for a few moments.

"You know Rukia, you talk too much," he finally chided as he continued to grin at her.

Rukia thought about retorting but in the end, she decided against it. Because she could see the gratitude radiating from his amber eyes as he smirked down at her. Instead, she reached into her robes and pulled out a small object.

"By the way, I found this while I was evading capture in Ginjo's castle," she told him, tossing the object directly at his face.

One hand shot up and grasped the airborne object moments before it hit him. Turning his hand around and uncurling his fingers, Ichigo couldn't help the audible gasp that escaped him. In his hand was the Seal of the Kuchiki Clan, the very same that he had held before, many years ago.

"But how…where did…when did you…why are…?" he sputtered, trying to form words as he stared at the object he'd long searched for.

Rukia chuckled a bit at his shocked expression before lowering herself to sit by the fire. Rubbing her hands together and pushing them toward the flames for warmth, she replied, "It was hidden in a secret room that had been sealed off. It's ironic really, if you hadn't decided to separate, I never would have found it."

Finally coming out of his stupor, the orange haired samurai sighed and said, "No wonder we never found it. Uryu and I never would have thought to search the castles near the border."

Carefully, he sat himself down by the fire and stared at the Seal. Slowly, a warm smile broke out on his face and he gripped the object tightly in his hands. After so long, he finally found the one thing that could make things right. With this, he could finally put his past behind him and move on.

"With this, we can clear your name," Rukia said to him, his gaze shifting back to see her smiling at him. "You won't be a fugitive of the Kuchiki Clan anymore."

Suddenly, his eyes uncharacteristically widened and he looked back at the small Seal. Staring at it intently for a moment, he closed his fist around it before slipping it between his robes and into a hidden pocket. With a heavy sigh, he turned to face Rukia with a conflicted expression.

The raven haired woman was taken aback by his sudden somber visage and looked over to him with concern. He must have seen her worry because he let a reassuring smirk slip over his face as he said, "Listen, Rukia. When we get back to the Kuchiki territory—".

Abruptly, he choked and began to cough violently. Rukia's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak when suddenly a vicious cough erupted from her as well. Both of their eyes watered and they had trouble breathing. Thinking it was the fire, Ichigo kicked dirt on it to extinguish it.

"What…!" Rukia tried to say but suddenly coughed hard again, "What is…?!"

Again, she couldn't breathe enough to speak, her throat burning as she tried to suck in fresh air. This inspired Ichigo to hasten his efforts and he quickly smothered the flames with upturned earth. Once the fire was out, both of them noticed a radiant light coming from the crack that led outside.

Not only that, it seemed that thick black smoke was leaking in from there.

Moving toward the crack, the pair grabbed their swords and pack before squeezing through the slender passageway. This time, Ichigo followed after Rukia, carrying her blade in her hand to avoid getting stuck again. She emerged from their hideaway first and when she did, the orange haired samurai heard her gasp.

Quickly following after her, Ichigo slid out of the crack and adjusted himself before looking off into the distance. His eyes widened as he saw the same image that had shocked his partner so.

The once luscious forest was now engulfed in a sea of flames. The sky had changed to a sickening red and dark billows of smoke rose up high above them. Ichigo grit his teeth and realized that the blaze was spreading fast and would undoubtedly consume their location soon.

"Dammit, why did the rain of to stop now of all times?!" he heard Rukia curse as she thrust her blade into her sash.

Looking up, Ichigo found that she was correct. It had been pouring a few hours ago but now it was as dry as a summer's day. Even though he had always hated the rain, this was the one time it decided to stay away. He was tempted to believe that it had rescinded just to make his life more difficult, it would certainly explain a few things. Gripping his blade tightly in his hand, he quickly turned it back-handed and tugged on the pack to secure it.

"Come on, we don't have time to lose," he said to his partner as he turned toward began running north along the cliff-side.

"Right behind you," Rukia said calmly as she spun around sped after her partner, catching up to him within moments.

Far behind them, the inferno blazed, cutting off all hope of escape. For them, the only path available now, was forward.


As fast as their legs carried them, Ichigo and Rukia sped through the forest with all haste. Once in a while, they peered back and saw the flames in the distance but fortunately, it seemed that luck was still on their side. There was no wind to propel the blaze and thus, the fire spread slowly, giving them ample time to flee.

Above them, the sky was darkened by the pillars of dark smog that rose in the fires wake. What might have been a vibrant summer afternoon had been reduced to a dark and dismal day. There were only a few hours left until sunset and the pair knew that there was no longer any place for them to rest.

Just as they felt their situation couldn't worsen further, they saw the edge of the forest ahead of them. At once, both of them came to a full stop, barely avoiding rushing out past the tree-line. Ducking down to hide beneath the bushes near the edge of the trees, the pair looked out at the place they had struggled to reach.

Across a field of green, a daunting structure obscured their path. It was nothing less than a fortress, with large wooden walks that stood over thirty feet high. The large gate leading inside was taller still, discouraging any who dared to approach it. Even more terrifying was that the fortress had been built into the side of the rocky foothills surrounding it, meaning that the only way to pass was to go straight through.

Lining the wall of this impressive stronghold were numerous archers and watchmen, their gaze turned toward the forest as it burned.

Ichigo turned and was about to ask if his partner had any idea of breaching the fortress when she abruptly tackled him to the ground.

"What are you—?!" he questioned before Rukia's hand pressed over his mouth.

"Quiet!" she furiously whispered, pressing into him and flattening them both out as much as possible.

The orange haired samurai was only confused for a moment before he heard the thunderous sounds of hooves fast approaching. Tilting his head to the side, he was just in time to see a huge force of nearly two-hundred samurai gallop past them.

Riding at the head of the pack, was none other than Tsukishima himself!

Careful not to move around too much, Ichigo shifted to get a better view. All of the soldiers that rode with the hateful Lord were fully equipped with battle armor and most of them were armed with spears alongside their katana. Certainly not a force to be taken lightly, they almost appeared to be readying for war.

Fortunately for the both of them, the pair went unnoticed by the battalion, merely passing by without even turning a head. When the sounds of hooves lessened, Rukia let out a heavy breath before rolling off her partner. Picking themselves up, the pair hunched behind the brush and glared toward the now reinforced border.

"Dammit!" Ichigo seethed as he watched the large gate open wide and receive the massive force. He heard a frustrated sigh beside him and shifted his gaze to see Rukia turn away from the border.

"Well, this is a fine mess we've stumbled into," she said aloud to no one in particular. Rubbing her hand over her eyes, she breathed a quick huff before turning to her partner. "So, any ideas?"

He shrugged and replied, "We could grow wings and fly over?"

"One can always dream," she retorted, looking back at the formidable structure. Looking it over, she could see no visible means of entry. And due to its large size, she couldn't even get a glimpse of the land beyond it, although she knew what was there.

"Just on the other side of that checkpoint is a large and barren field," she found herself telling her partner, "It wide and open, even if we manage to somehow make it through the border, we'll have to cross that large strip of land."

"And you're saying it'll be impossible for us to go unnoticed?" Ichigo questioned, scowling hard at the structure.

"If we still had Uryu's cloaks, we might have been able to sneak across after dark but…"

Both of them hung their heads, knowing that their chances of survival were growing slimmer by the moment. Rukia in particular felt ashamed at bringing up their missing cloaks. Despite her encouragement, it was obvious that her partner would still blame himself for losing their belongings. She should have chosen her words more carefully.

As she lifted her head to apologize, she was shocked to find Ichigo staring intently at the border, his face wrapped in a mixture of surprise and hope.

"Look! Over there!" he pointed toward the far end of the border, along the edge where the building made contact with the rocky hills. "By the end of the far wall, do you see it?"

Following his indication, Rukia's violet irises trailed along the edge of the wall until she saw what her partner meant. At the far end, up at the top of the wall, a part of the structure was damaged and wasn't quite as high as the rest of the walls.

Nodding to him, Rukia finally replied, "Yeah, I see it. A part of the wall's been damaged."

"Or it was never completed," Ichigo proposed, setting his sword down and pulling the pack of his back. Opening it up and reaching in, he pulled out the rope that the bandits had graciously given them. "This should be long enough for us to scale over the wall. Now the only question is getting to the spot without being discovered."

"Not to mention that the guards above are probably aware of it," Rukia purposed, her hand resting on her chin as she stared at the opening. "In any case, I don't see how we're going to get in without being discovered. And this time, I don't think we can fight our way out of it."

A frustrated grunt came from Ichigo as he saw her point, glaring at the fortress with contempt. Time passed by slowly as they both tried to conceive a way through this final obstacle. However, their limited supplies and desperate situation severely hindered their options. Like it or not, they had been effectively backed into a corner.

And when the desperate are backed into a corner, they tend to do reckless things.

With a stern gaze, Ichigo turned to his partner and reached out his hand. When he did, Rukia shifted her gaze over to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, I think I have a plan, Rukia. But I need you to do exactly as I say."


"We need more guards posted atop the fort," Tsukishima relayed to his men, walking around and assessing their defenses. "These criminals cannot be allowed to pass through. Until these criminals are caught, we will not open the main gate for anyone. Not even if Lord Byakuya Kuchiki came to pass through our lands. Is that understood?!"

"We shall seal the main entrance immediately, Your Lordship." Two soldiers bowed and ran to perform the task.

Nodding at their example, Tsukishima turned back to his men and continued, "We cannot allow ourselves to lower our guard. We must careful that the fugitives don't try to rush the main gate with those savages. To that end, prepare flaming arrows to rain down upon them if they dare to scamper out of the forest."

"It shall be done, Your Lordship!" another small group of soldier said before rushing off to complete this request.

Pleased that his soldiers were working so quickly, Tsukishima couldn't help but smirk. Most of these men had no idea of the true reason Ichigo and Rukia were fleeing these lands. As much as he hated to admit it, Ginjo's death had inspired these men to work that much harder to apprehend the 'criminals'.

Silently, the Lord wondered if this was a final gift from his Master, a way to avenge his own death from beyond the grave. In any case, Tsukishima knew their loyalty to him was unrivaled and it gave him a clear advantage over the bumbling pair as they, no doubt, blindly fled. They would be as easily dealt with as rats fleeing a sinking ship.

With that in mind, Tsukishima continued his orders, "Also, we will have twenty-four hour watch over the fortress. And keep torches burning all through the night. We have the advantage of numbers, so if you spot them, surround them and bring them to me at—".

"Lord Tsukishima!" a messenger shouted from atop the fortress wall.

"What is it?" he shouted back, frustrated at being interrupted.

"O-One of the fugitives is heading this way! Directly for us!"

Tsukishima's eyes bulged and he instantly forgot what he'd been doing. There were already here! And much sooner than he had expected!

The devious Lord felt his blood boil as he sped into the fort and rushed up the stairs leading to the lookout point above. Pulling himself up onto the highest point, Tsukishima cautiously glanced over the top of the high wall. His eyes widened as he focused on the approaching figure.

Far off in the distance, slowly walking toward the fortress, was a tall orange haired man. Clutched in his right hand was his long, black blade, having been separated from its sheath. However, the most surprising fact was that grasped in his right hand was a pure white sword with a long ribbon that flowed as he walked.

Tsukishima gasped as he saw this. Why in the world would Ichigo Kurosaki approach them carrying nothing but his and his partner's blade? It was obviously a diversionary tactic but for what? There was no way for Kenpachi or his bandits to break in from anywhere but the front this time.

What purpose did this action serve, considering it could very well cost the cautious Ichigo his life?

"Lord Tsukishima, command me and I shall extinguish his life."

The voice of one of the soldiers startled the Lord out of his shock, allowing him to turn and see that all of his archers had their arrows notched and prepared to fire upon the advancing criminal. For a long moment, Tsukishima looked between his archers and the slowly approaching Ichigo. He could have it done with now, killing the bastard that confused and murdered Master Ginjo would be a simple task for his archers.

However, something inside the Lord made him desist. A sick and twisted pleasure rose up inside him as he thought of how intriguing it would be to pretend to be interested in conversation with the orange haired man before releasing a swarm of arrows to swallow him mid-sentence!

"Wait a moment," Tsukishima ordered, giving them a slight grin. "Let's see what the thief wishes to say. But prepare to fire on my mark."

The archers smirked back and nodded to their Lord, all prepared to rain death upon the fugitive at any moment.

Standing up and allowing himself to tower above the fortress in clear visibility, Tsukishima shouted, "Welcome! Ichigo Kurosaki! We've been anticipating you're arrival!"

The sound of his voice instantly stopped the orange haired samurai and he slowly looked up to see the hateful Lord addressing him. With a fiendish smirk, he called out, "Not much of a welcome, if you ask me! You shut yourself up in there and didn't even both to invite me in!"

"Perhaps if you had brought Lady Rukia with you, I may have?!" Tsukishima countered, his grin matching the thief's. "Where is she, if I may ask?!"

Lowering his head and shrugging his shoulders, Ichigo answered, "How should I know?! I'm not her keeper, you know!"

"The way you toil after her, I had thought that was exactly the case!" the Lord replied with a mocking chuckle. As he continued to laugh, he watched as the thief suddenly lifted the white blade up for all to see.

With a deep scowl, the orange haired samurai vigorously shouted, "Rukia's vengeance has been entrusted to me! She's fled south toward the opposite border! Protected by the bandit's you failed to kill!"

Tsukishima unintentionally gasped, unable to comprehend what he'd heard. For a moment, he stared down at the young man before he put up a smirk and said, "You're bluffing! The two of you are practically joined at the hip!"

"Rukia resisted, that much I can assure you. But I convinced Kenpachi and his men to forcibly take her with them!" Ichigo mercilessly retorted, narrowing his eyes. "And besides, this isn't the first time I've separated myself from her to keep her safe!"

The Lord slightly flinched as he realized the possibility that Ichigo was telling the truth. If he had really sent her down south, then she and those bandits could easily make it all the way to the southern border long before he and his men could reach them. And with that border being so lightly fortified, it wasn't out of the question for they to break through.

But what if it was a ruse? If that was the case, Rukia could be hiding nearby and simply waiting for his men to chase after her shadow, allowing her an opportunity to sneak through this border. She'd proven more than capable of doing so and it would be more than humiliating for the Lord.

Or was there another purpose for all this? Could the orange haired thief be hiding something even more dangerous behind him? If the bandits really were with the pair, then it would pose a significant problem. Kenpachi had shown himself to be more formidable than he'd ever realized and he didn't want to have to face that monster in battle again.

As his mind scanned all options, he was interrupted by Ichigo furiously shouting up at him.

"Tsukishima!" the Lord flinched as Ichigo called his name, staring down at the orange haired man. With a fearsome scowl, the orange haired samurai pointed his blade at him and shouted, "I challenge you to a duel…to the death!"

A noiseless gasp escaped Tsukishima as the challenge washed over him. It took a moment for the thought to register in his mind but eventually he imagined himself slaying that pathetic thief with little effort. Oh, how he would revel in that victory, and how he would enjoy the humiliation he'd put this bastard through.

And while it would be most fitting for Ichigo to fall to his blade, it just wasn't worth the effort.

Surely, there was no need to indulge in such a trifle affair. Tsukishima was the greatest swordsman in this entire land, none could match his skills. Fighting this boy would only bring himself down to the thief's level. And besides, it was beneath him to give in to such childish demands.

"A filthy peasant such as yourself should be honored that I even bothered to speak with him!" Tsukishima shouted back with a curt laugh, openly refusing the duel.

Such an insult would undoubtedly be met with a wicked retort from the orange haired thief, which is exactly what the Lord wanted. Unbeknownst to Ichigo, he slowly began to signal to his men, intending to unleash the hail of bolts when he replied.

The fool would never see it coming! He'd die before he ever got to give a clever retort! An even more fitting end for such a pathetic man!

However, far below him on the ground, Ichigo let a confident smile break out as he replied, "Are you afraid that you'll die like a dog?! The same way that Ginjo did!"

All at once, Tsukishima's hand froze before giving the signal, his jaw instantly clenching and his teeth grinding as those words sank in. Before he had time to think, the orange haired samurai continued.

"You call me a peasant, but this peasant managed to kill the previous Lord of this land fairly easily! Compared to me, that would make Ginjo even lower than dirt, now wouldn't it?!"

Tsukishima's fists balled as his ears reverberated the horrid words the thief had forced him to hear. Gritting his teeth, the Lord was about to respond when a furious shout near him drew his attention.

"How dare you speak of Lord Ginjo that way?! You will die for your insolence!" one of the many archers abruptly shouted, preparing to loose his arrow.

"Stop!" Tsukishima abruptly shouted, startling everyone.

Unfortunately, the archer had already released his grip. Everyone watched as the arrow flew high before furiously descending. Quick as lightning the bolt came down and smacked into the ground, directly beside Ichigo. All the while, the orange haired samurai didn't even flinch.

The archer who fired stood wide-eyed as his gaze turned to see his Lord fiercely glaring at him.

"Y-Your Lordship! I-I—".

Before the archer could explain himself, Tsukishima's hand flew to his blade and he mercilessly quick-drew his blade. A flash shot up, slicing up from the archer's abdomen up through his neck. With a slight flourish, the Lord jerked his blade back to his side. A monstrous glare reflected in the archer's eyes as he saw his Lord's fury directed at him.

Blood slid down the Lord's blade as he glared down at the dying archer as he fell to his knees. Glancing up at his Lord, the archer slowly reached hand out and whispered, "…B-B-But…why…?!"

Without explanation, Tsukishima thrust his blade down and pierced the archer's throat. The archer gave one last gurgled cry before his body flopped to the floor, red oozing out and staining the fortress.

Slowly retracting his blade, the Lord turned his head to his men, all of whom gaped at him in shock. All of a sudden, Tsukishima smiled back at them and shrugged his shoulders.

"This man disobeyed my direct order. He was not to fire until I gave the command." His eyes suddenly narrowed at the soldiers and everyone felt an involuntary shudder course through them. Unbeknownst to them, Tsukishima reveled in their fear and continued, "I will not tolerate disobedience, especially from my own men. Do I make myself clear?"

As one, the soldiers nodded to him and slightly backed away, terrified of their Lord for the first time in all their lives. With a smirk on his face, Tsukishima wiped the blood from his sword on his sleeve before replacing it into his sheath.

Before turning back to Ichigo, he glared at his men one last time and said, "Lower your weapons." Startled by the command, most of the men hesitated. Seeing this, Tsukishima narrowed his eyes at them and seethed, "Lower. Your. Weapons."

Fearing for their lives, all of the archers abruptly un-notched their arrows and slung their bows over their shoulders. His glare lingering on the archers for only a moment, Tsukishima soon turned his attention back to Ichigo.

For a moment, the Lord considered if he had made the right choice. This was a perfect opportunity to eliminate this bastard quickly and without incident. If the thief hadn't made such a demeaning comment about his Master, he would have been content to let him die under the hail of arrows.

However, as his gaze fixated on the hated thief, he saw that arrogant smirk on the orange haired man's face widen. It was at that moment, Tsukishima knew he'd made the right decision. This boy not only mocked his late Master, but himself as well! Did he not understand the situation at all?! Did the thief not see that he only lived because of good graces the Lord was bestowing on him?!

What did he have to feel confident about?! With a flick of his wrist, the Lord could easily have this man killed in the most brutal of ways! As much as it infuriated Tsukishima, it also filled him with twisted ideas.

If he had let the archers dispose of the thief, it would have been a quick and relatively painless death. This bastard thief didn't deserve such peaceful demise, oh no! Ichigo Kurosaki would suffer long and hard before he was given the chance for eternal rest. That is, if Tsukishima was merciful enough to permit him it!

With a warm smile on his face, the Lord shouted down to him, "I apologize for my men's rude behavior! By way of apology, I believe that I shall take you up on your earlier offer! I accept your challenge!" Glaring over his shoulder, Tsukishima ordered him men, "Open the gates."

Another wave of shock overtook the soldiers at this command but no one dared to refute it. They all remembered the fate of their comrade and instead of pleading with their infuriated Lord, they merely bowed and went to do as he commanded.

Meanwhile, Ichigo watched as Tsukishima spoke to his men, waiting patiently. He'd been sweating the entire time, terrified that if he misspoke, he'd been felled by an arrow before he had a chance to face the Lord himself. However, as the large gate slowly swung open, all he could feel was a swell of confidence as he prepared to enter.

"Enter, Ichigo Kurosaki! Unless you feel that you can't face me alone!" Tsukishima shouted to him before disappearing into the fort, to prepare himself for the battle.

A wide smirk broke out on Ichigo's face as he snuck one final glance behind him, giving a firm nod. However, his smirk quickly faded and he scowled fiercely before whispering, "Don't worry, I won't be alone."

Advancing forward, the orange haired samurai hardened himself for battle as he entered the fort.


Piercing through the darkness of the tree-line, Rukia's violets stared out as she watched her partner stride into the fortress. As the massive gate began to close, she swore that she saw him turn back to her one final time.

"Stubborn fool!" she whispered before she straightened up and glared at the fort. "Don't die…Ichigo."


To Be Continued…

What's gonna happen now?! Ichigo's going to face Tsukishima alone! Will Rukia stand for this?! And what does Ichigo have planned?! Will the cliffhangers never end?! Look forward to the next chapter to find out!

My beautiful readers…we've been together for so long. This day, March 7th, marks the one year anniversary of my initial posting of this story. It's been a long year, filled with twists, turns, excitement, sadness, overwhelming action and IchiRuki-ness! You all made this possible, because every review you guys gave me inspired and encourage me to continue.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for loving this story so much! I'm so proud to have such great friends like you all! :)

As always, leave a review for reasons stated above and have a very happy day! Keep on smiling my beautiful readers, and I'll see you next time! :D