Ryo: (Cracks knuckles) (Sighs heavily) Alright, time to get back to this story.

Chapter 37: End of a Friendship

The next day, somewhere deep in the forest, Grimmjow groggily opens his eyes and looks around. He sees that he's now lying on the ground and his chest is wrapped up with bandages.

"You should be more careful next time." A voice said. Grimmjow turns his face to see Soi Fon, sitting next to him.

"Soi Fon, it's a good thing you came for me in time." Grimmjow said. He furrows his eyes angrily as he remembers his last fight with Ichigo. "Ichigo…Damn him!" He pounds his fist onto the ground hard. "The next time I face him, I'll finish him this time. I swear."

"But if you don't watch yourself again, your next battle will also be your last." Soi Fon pointed out.

"Don't worry Soi Fon." Grimmjow narrows his eyes. "In the next battle, I'll rip him apart."

That night, Ricky and his group finally arrived at Talim's home. It was a small traditional Japanese house that is built a few miles away from the town.

"Well, here we are. Home sweet home." Talim smiled as everyone stepped inside. Immediately as they entered the house, they see two people sitting at a kotatsu. They were Talim's parents.

"Talim, you're home." Her mother said joyfully.

"Who are these people, your friends?" Her father asked.

"Yes. They are Ricky Blade, Saber, Ben Tennyson, Allen Walker, Lenalee Lee, Will Vandom, Rukia Kuchiki, Toph Bei Fong and Ichigo Kurosaki." Talim introduced Ichigo, Ricky and his group to her parents.

"Wall-E?" Wall-E said as he rolled over to Talim.

"Oh yeah, and Wall-E."

"Ichigo Kurosaki!" Talim's father said joyfully as he stood up, walked over to Ichigo and bowed down to him. "It's an honor to meet the hero of Japan."

"Not a problem at all." Ichigo smiled as he bowed down as well.

"We're just about to have dinner, wanna join us?" Talim's mother asked.

"Of course, we're starved!" Toph nods her head.

Later, everybody gathered around the kotatsu and have their dinner. On the table were several Japanese food such as bowls of soba noodles, sushi, salmon, unagi and small cups of sake.

"So, you three are Templars?" Talim's mother asked Ricky, Saber and Lenalee as she placed a plate of steamed spider crab on the table.

"Yes, we are." Saber nods her head.

"So, our daughter is protected by three Templars and two Shinigamis? My daughter is fortunate, isn't she?" Talim's father laughed.

"Yes. I guess I am." Talim chuckled.

"Then who are the others?" Talim's mother asked.

"The boy with the white hair is Allen Walker." Ricky said. Allen gives a sharp nod and grins. "He's the lieutenant of the Royal British Army. Next to him is Will Vandom, a bounty hunter." Will smiles and nods as well. "And next to her is Toph Bei fong." Toph smiles brightly and waves her hand. "We all fought against the Faction together. And…we're like a family." Ricky smiled.

But suddenly, Ben bangs his fist on the table and stood up.

"Ben, what's wrong?" Ricky asked surprised.

"I'm going outside!" Ben snapped. He walks out of the house and walks over to a huge rock. He climbs up, sits on it and folds his arms angrily. The others walked over to the door and looked at him in concern.

"What the hell happen to him?" Will asked.

"Let me talk to him." Ricky said to the tohers. He sighed heavily, then walks over to Ben.

"Ben, what's wrong?" Ricky asked in concern as he walks over to Ben. Ben turns his head around and glares menacingly at him.

"Ricky, are we still friends?" Ben asked.

"Why…yes. Of course we are." Ricky nods his head.

"Then why have you been ignoring me?"

Ricky widens his eyes. "No Ben! I'm not ignoring you. I-" But before Ricky can continue, Ben immediately grabs Ricky by the collar and tosses him to the ground. Talim, ichigo and the others gasp in shock as they see this.

"YOU CHEAP PUNK! You never care about me! You only cared about your other allies! Even since you became friends with Saber and the others, you have been ignoring me! We never talk much to each other anymore! I thought we were friends!" Tears start to form in Ben's eyes. "I…I…I NEVER WANT TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN!"

Ben then runs back to the house, tears running down his cheeks. Ricky just laid on the ground stunned. Those words crushed him. A while later, he bit his lip and tries his best to fight back his tears.

Talim and the others watched Ben ran into the bedroom and slam the door after he enters. Saber and Wall-E turned to Ricky and yelled, "Ricky!"

"RICKY!" Wall-E cried. He and Saber ran over to him and help him get up.

"Ricky, are you okay?" Saber asked.

Ricky didn't reply. He simply turned around and walked aimlessly. But a while later, he tripped over and fell back down to the ground. Saber and Wall-E ran over to him and help him get up again.

"Ricky…" She uttered.

"I…I…" Ricky said. He closed his eyes tightly and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Later that night, after everybody quietly finished eating their dinner as they are still shock by Ben's sudden outburst, everybody except Ricky, Saber, Rukia and Ichigo went to the bedroom and get their rest.

Saber walked out of the house and saw Ricky sitting on the wooden steps. He hasn't say a word after the outburst. Saber felt a lump in her throat as she walked over to ricky and sits next to him. "Need some company?" She asked.

"Sure. Go ahead." Ricky whispered.

"He really hurt your heart real bad, huh?" Saber sighed. She knew that Ricky was taking Ben's outburst roughly.

Ricky lowered his head and felt his eyes become watery and teary, and he blinked back his tears. He refused to cry in front of Saber, he wouldn't show such weakness.

"This is all my fault. Ben is right, I have been ignoring him. It's just that…ever since I made new friends, I felt that our friendship is drifting apart." Ricky said.

"He must be really important to you, huh?" Saber asked.

"He was the first friend I ever had after my mother's death. After my mother died, I felt like my life isn't worth anything anymore. So I became a rebel. I start bullying kids in school and break the rules. But Ben…he stepped up to me. When I first met him, he told me…why am I wasting my life with bullying and rebelling…when I can do other things. Things that are good. I'm doing all this bullying crap is all because I couldn't get over my mother's death. I soon realize that I really need to let go of the past. Since then, Ben and I became close friends. I start to have a deep bond with him. He was the first true best friend I ever had." Ricky explained.

"Are your eyes teary?" Saber asked.

"What?" Ricky turned his head to her. "No, of course not."

"No, Ricky. It's okay. Everybody needs to cry their heart out once in a while."

Ricky then finally wrapped his arms around Saber and sobbed silently on her shoulder. This causes Saber's eyes to become watery and teary as well and she closed her eyes as she gently rubs Ricky's back to comfort him while she felt him cry.

"I…I don't know if we are ever going to be friends again…" Ricky sobbed.

"Don't worry Ricky. Just forget about what happened. I'm sure he will forgive you. Just wait and see." Saber whispered.

Meanwhile, at the back of the house, Ichigo and Rukia are sitting together, watching the night sky.

"Tonight sure is beautiful, isn't it?" Rukia asked Ichigo softly.

"Yeah." Ichigo replied. He turned to Rukia, feeling guilty. It was all his fault. If he and Renji hadn't agreed with the council, Rukia wouldn't have been exiled and she would have become a strong Shinigami like him. He sighed heavily, then said, "Rukia, are you still mad of me?"

Rukia turned to Ichigo. "Why do you ask?"

"This is all my fault. If I haven't banished you, you would have become a great Shinigami. Renji and I never should have exiled you. We really do care for you, as a friend. And we also do miss you after you left Japan."

"Actually, I should be the one who should be asking for forgiveness. I'm sorry, Ichigo. I guess I was kinda jealous of you lately. But…I really want to be as good as you, Ichigo. I want to be a strong Shinigami and be respected by everybody, like you. I really should stop thinking that I'm weak and naïve."

Ichigo wrapped an arm around Rukia. "Rukia, I understand how you feel." He smiled warmly at her. "Don't worry Rukia. You will become a strong Shinigami like me one day. Just keep fighting and training yourself. And with some time, you will become a hero like me."

"Thank you, Ichigo." Rukia said softly as her eyes become watery. She rests her head on ichigo's shoulder and Ichigo simply smiled.

He sighed in relief. "And…at least it's good to be with you again…"

END OF CHAPTER

Ryo: I would also like to dedicate this chapter to MistressOfDawn. She's going to leave Fanfiction for a while and I hope we will see her again. But if she doesn't, then I would like to thank her for being my first friend and reviewer. I'll miss you. (Sniffs) Stay tune for the next chapter and read and review!