Chapter Ninety Four:

"You idiot! It ain't just Rukia!" A familiar voice yelled from above.

Ichigo's eyes shot skywards, his breath catching in his throat once again as he watched a Garganta split the sky apart in a flourishing beam light and darkness combined. He was sure his heart stopped as he saw six familiar figures emerge from the inky blackness beyond.

"Grimmjow!" He exclaimed as he saw the prominent blue, "Szayel! Nelliel! Harribel! Lilynette... Starrk!"

A crack of lightening shot across the park, illuminating their faces for him to see them all properly. They looked exactly the same as when he had last seen them, when they had visited him in the World of the Living. But they looked stronger. Bolder. Brasher. They looked... Free.

"I can't believe it!" He shouted, smiling brightly, "I can't believe you're all here!"

"It's not just us kid!" Grimmjow flashed a wide toothy grin, "Turn around!"

Spinning on the spot, he watched as on the other side of the park, the familiarly elegant split of a Senkaimon rippled across the sky, it was larger than any he had ever seen and was illuminated with a backdrop of startling crimson. The shōji doors clunked softly as they slid open, revealing the three Shinigami beyond.

"Renji!" His smile only grew at the sight of his fire haired friend, the man's ponytail was longer than he remembered, "Unohana Taichou! Hitsugaya Taichou!"

"It appears we are a little late, my apologies, Urahara-san took a little longer than we wanted to prepare things." Hitsugaya's droll was as familiar as breathing as he folded his arms, looking at the scene in the park.

His heart was thundering in his chest, but it seemed to skip a beat as he watched another figure walking forwards, stepping out beyond the others. Tall, proud, hair slightly longer than he remembered and yet elegant features he could never forget.

"Byakuya!"

The Kuchiki heir looked down at him, his expression seeming to soften almost immediately as he offered an up turned twitch of his lips, "We all put our reiatsu into that sword." The nobleman's voice was certain and confident, "Espada, Visored, Shinigami! I think you'll agree that restoring Ichigo's reiatsu and Shinigami powers would be an easy task with all of us combined!"

"Ichigo!" Rukia's voice yanked his attention away from the Shinigami and Espada, "These two don't know that this isn't enough to make you give up hope! They don't know what kinds of hopeless situations you have overcome! Show them, Ichigo! Show them that despair isn't enough to stop you! Show them who you are!"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed slowly at her words as his gaze turned towards the two Arrancar stood in front of him. His fingers tightened around the dual swords at his sides. She was right. He had been a fool. Despair had been foolish. Fleeting. Momentary. A fleck of emotion cast on him by the depravity of his situation. He felt none of that now. There was no despair. No hesitation. He had hope. He wasn't alone.

He shot forwards, Shunpo and Sonido combined into one explosive boom as his feet left the floor. He glided around Izanshi's outstretched talons as if skating on ice, bringing both blades around in wide arcs. Yelling with force as he pushed every inch of strength he had behind the flows. Metal collided with metal. Ulquiorra had blocked him with Murciélago.

Teeth clenched, movements he could never forget trickled to the forefront of his mind as he danced his own version of chaos. Weaving around the build of both enemies. His combat training kicking into life as he accounted for their varying sizes, how much he would have to alter his axis, his swing, the way he ducked and wove.

Sword at hand. No. Swords at hand. This was how it was meant to be. No bow could ever equate to the sensation of completion which came from sharing his Soul with two so utterly different beings. He could feel Shiro's power in one blade. He could feel Zangetsu's power in the other. He could feel the heady weight of mania tickling around the insides of his skull while tranquillity kept it at bay as easily as a hand on the chest. Balance. There was balance between them now.

They took to the sky with the force of their fight, the clangs and sparks of combat spraying the ground below, but it was barely a dent in his armour to exert himself now. Ichigo pressed on, pushing harder. Faster. Swings more accurate. Strikes more piercing. Izanshi's form was riddled with cuts and slices. Ulquiorra's was mostly untouched, but there were bruises already flourishing.

He spun, kicking hard. He heard the impact of the shape shifting Arrancar hitting the ground and immediately plummeted after him, swords outstretched. Ulquiorra barely blocked in time to prevent his ally being decapitated.

Darting apart, Ichigo felt the thrill of battle pulse through him. The feeling of being alive after so many months of merely existing. His eyes were bright. His reflexes sharp. It was like he'd never been away.

"You're faster than you were before." Izanshi sneered, prowling again as he and Ulquiorra circled Ichigo, "But that's to be expected. I can account for it. I can alter my size to keep up with you."

Ichigo watched as Izanshi's body began to shift, all at once his bones seemed to click in and out of joint, twisting and gnarling to shrink himself, a smaller target, a faster target. There was no loss in his power, but... Ichigo didn't care to see it complete.

He swung his larger blade forwards with all the strength he could muster, letting out a harsh yell as it released all at once. He watched as it struck the Hollow in the chest, engulfing them in smoke for the briefest moment before it cleared and he watched as Izanshi's torso slid away from his legs. Dead.

"Your Getsuga Tenshou is stronger. Impressive. But you will not touch me with that ability." Ulquiorra said from behind him, "I spent months hiding in Las Noches, devouring Hollows... Arrancar... Números... Hoarding their power to inflate my own. I am stronger than I was when your Hollow tried to slay me."

"Idiot." Ichigo muttered, looking down at his swords thoughtfully before he turned to face the man he'd grown to fear with all his heart, "That wasn't a Getsuga Tenshou. That was just the force of my swinging sword."

"What?"

He wasn't entirely sure how his abilities would work with two blades instead of one, so he allowed his eyes to slip shut as he felt the two Souls inside him guiding his movements as he crossed the blades over his head, reiatsu pooling in the very tips of his toes, coiling higher around his legs, spilling into his belly before rising to fill his chest, wrapping around his arms. Engulfing him in an icy seat of golden flames.

A soft breath sucked in through his lips before he exhaled, the name coming to him from the Souls that made him who he was, "Getsuga... Jūjishō!"

Eyes flashing open as he felt the reiatsu release through his swords as he drove them forwards, he watched as a Getsuga Tenshou was fired from each blade of his Shikai, they fused together in a cross shaped arc of energy and rapidly exploded against Ulquiorra's sword. Bending, twisting, arching, clawing. Piece by piece it pushed forwards until it made contact.

Panting softly as he watched the former Cuatro disappear within the torrent of raw power and energy, the strawberry lowered his swords to his sides and stared as the thick forestry circling the back half of the park splintered into thousands of fragments of bark and leafage. He stood just a little taller, reminding in stark contrast of his power during his battle with Aizen. The destruction of Fugai.

He had to be careful.

Puffing out a soft breath as he watched Ulquiorra's body crunch against the ground, splattering mud in every direction as the Hollow howled and screeched, enraged by the diagonal slices in his torso, blood welling in the divots, running down every indent of flesh and bone exposed.

"Hopefully you won't question just how out matched we are any further." The strawberry was sure he saw Byakuya smirk as the words slipped free.

Blinking as Ulquiorra disappeared in a crackle of Sonido, the strawberry released a small sigh as he tracked his movements with ease. Rolling his eyes, Ichigo followed and easily overtook him. He lifted an arm, tucking the smaller blade under the Arrancar's neck as he watched a hand reach out for the Kuchiki heir's face.

"Tut, tut. Clearly Aizen didn't teach you any manners when he made you." He was contented with how quickly Ulquiorra recoiled, he let out a small exasperated sound before he stabbed both of his swords into the ground and cracked his knuckles, "I reckon it's only fair I beat some manners into you before you die."

"Well haven't you grown arrogant since all your friend's turned up?" The Arrancar snarled, spitting black drool, "Even after they abandoned you for so long... Making you lonely... Desperate... Depressed... Everything changes the moment they come back for you?"

Ichigo tensed at his words, teeth clenching as regret clawed at his insides. He swallowed thickly as he watched Ulquiorra's lips twitch towards a smirk. They were both thinking the same thing.

"You were so frightened... So alone and sad... So desperate. So angry." Ulquiorra's voice took on a malicious edge, "So angry that your friends had abandoned you, left you here to rot as a Human after everything you sacrificed for them. So angry... That the love of your life seemingly didn't care about you anymore."

"Stop it." He growled.

"Why? Are you scared of what they might think of you if they learn the truth?" The former Cuatro tutted mockingly, "Are you scared that your friends will turn on you in disgust if they learn that you willingly begged me to fuck the loneliness out of you?"

Ichigo's back stiffened, his expression turning pinched. He winced, almost able to feel the judgemental looks from his friends... From Byakuya... He lowered his head, shame creeping up as he felt his confidence wane.

"You were so desperate for contact, intimacy, for anyone to show you the slightest bit of affection." That voice continued to peck at him, bringing back the memories of his former rage, his fury... His desperation to make everything disappear for a few hours in bed with Makoto... With Ulquiorra.

"Stop it." He said again, his voice smaller, less certain.

"You should thank me, Ichigo Kurosaki. After all, I would have willingly followed your rules... Ah, I mean, Aizen-sama's rules." Ulquiorra's eyes almost seemed to ignite with victorious glee, "I would never have guessed that he had broken you so much that you'd try use his rules on someone else."

Ichigo flinched, his chest tightening as he felt his breath catching in his throat. Disgust flooding him like a toxin. He stared at the mud slicked floor. He couldn't remember a time when he'd hated himself more. Even in the hellish pits of despair he'd felt after Ulquiorra's attack in Las Noches... He hadn't felt like this.

He could feel the icy chains of shame coiling around him, binding him as he sank to his knees. Holding him in place as he seemed to freeze. Seemed to shut down. He felt like he was in Las Noches all over again. Except this time it wasn't Ulquiorra's overwhelming power that held him down, it was his own torment. The sickness rising as he slowly realised more and more what he had done.

He had invited Ulquiorra to touch him. He had invited Ulquiorra to take him. He'd consented. He'd be willing. He'd wanted it. He would have enjoyed it.

"Stand up, Ichigo!"

He flinched as Byakuya's voice reached him and he looked around in surprise. There was no mistaking the tempest of emotions on the nobleman's face. Hurt, surprise, anger, disappointment... But there was no judgement. Ichigo's eyes widened as he watched the Kuchiki heir slowly offer him a smile, his heart thundering suddenly in his chest.

The chains snapped. Crumbling like ash around him as he saw the same acceptance from everyone. They didn't hate him. They weren't judging him. They were still with him. They were still his friends! They were still fighting along side him! HE WASN'T ALONE!

He rose to his feet sharply, holding his head up high as he sucked in a gasp, eyes setting on Ulquiorra's face harshly, he felt reiatsu pulsing through him from his head to his toes. Warm. Comforting. Strong. He was strong. Stronger than the creature before him. Stronger than his shame.

Ichigo snarled, "I won't allow you to continue ruining my life! I made the mistake of letting you live once before, I won't do it again! This time I'll end it with my own power! And I'll scatter your ashes in Muken so you can be with your precious Aizen-sama!"

"Stay calm Kurosaki," Hitsugaya's voice hit him like the very ice the man could control, "Urahara said that we aren't sure how much control you will have over your Hollow, due to us returning him in such a way."

"Well?"

"Ya askin' if I want to be the King? Always." Came the immediate silvery reply, "Ya askin if I will take the crown from ya?"

"It would... Be good to know where we stand. We never completely got past everything that happened with Aizen after all."

He didn't receive an immediate reply, but time around him seemed to slow to a halt, even the rain appeared to hover no longer falling from the clouds lingering above them and the strawberry turned slightly, feeling movement on his left. He was greeted by golden eyes and white skin, Shiro. His manifestation wasn't the same as it had been before, he was certain that he was hovering somewhere between consciousness and his Inner World, if he squinted hard enough he could see the towering skyscrapers he knew so well. Blues and blacks, now glinted with specks of white.

His Hollow gave no reply to the question he had asked, but Shiro's expression seemed to mellow, it seemed almost affectionate as he lowered himself onto one knee, lifting his hand up for Ichigo to accept, just like he had in Las Noches. The strawberry didn't hesitate, even if every instinct screeched for him to remember the last time he had openly accepted his Hollow side, and the horrors released as a result, he knew Zangetsu would have stepped in if there was any real danger.

Cool, pale fingers wrapped around his own tanned ones and he could feel. Shiro wasn't simple insanity or mania now, he was so much... More. He felt whole. His entire being felt like a bundle of Human emotions made just slightly more brittle by a different understanding of them. One and the same, but slightly altered. Shiro felt warm, despite the irony of his cold touch. He felt like he had a heart.

"My King, my Aibou, my Ichigo." Golden eyes flicked up to meet chestnut, "Whether in life or in death, I can protect you... and I will, I will protect you. My power... Is yours."

"I believe you." Ichigo whispered back, "And I thank you."

The sound of rain spattering around him again drew Ichigo from his thoughts, a small smile gracing his face as the anger he'd previous felt simmered down. Shiro was gone, the image of him and the feeling of his voice in his head, quiet but not forgotten. Ichigo looked at his hand, it was at his side clenched around his Zanpakutō, and yet he could still feel the weight and grip of his Hollow's grasp.

"I am in control, Hitsugaya Taichou." He said simply, eyes moving back towards Ulquiorra as he lifted his left hand, fingers twisting around the hilt of his blade as drew them in front of his face.

"Don't you dare!" The former Cuatro roared suddenly.

"Bite me." Was the last thing Ichigo said before yanking his hand downwards.

"Enclose, Murciélago! Segunda Etapa!" He could hear the fear in Ulquiorra's voice, he didn't falter.

His mask rippled into life, it felt easier and freer than before. Less like he was yanking Shiro's power out and more like he was accepting it from an open hand. Pure white, with a single elegant black whorl beneath the right eye piece and a black Gothic zero beneath the left. Two vast and spiked horns twisted themselves horizontally from the crown of the mask, jutting forwards just as they had done in the past. It felt familiar, like pulling on an old jumper. But ten times deadlier.

His hair fanned out around him as his reiatsu spiralled up around his body, charging a Cero between his horns, it released fast, too fast, blindingly quickly it crossed the threshold between the two of them. Engulfing Ulquiorra's body whole in brilliant red and black.

Ichigo heard his scream of pain and shot forwards. The ground seemed to shatter under his feet as he pushed off it. The swirling amalgamation of Shunpo and Sonido boomed, it felt as fast as his speed at Bankai once had.

He twisted in the air, whipping both blades out in unison and felt the immediately heady weight of them making contact. Ichigo felt the resistance of leather wings, he remembered the feeling from Shiro's memories. He pushed harder. He heard a wail, a thud and smelled the fresh spillage of blood as his feet landing squarely in Ulquiorra's chest, pushing the Arrancar backwards out of the smoke and steam swirling in the aftermath of his Cero.

He could see one of Ulquiorra's wings on the ground near their feet, still twitching as if attached. He remembered Ulquiorra's high speed regeneration. He had to finish this. Properly.

He was done playing.

If it hadn't already been enough of a motivation to sense and smell Orihime, Ishida, Chad, Hotaru and Kaida being treated by Unohana somewhere behind him... The burning knowledge that Ulquiorra Cifer had almost violated his body for a second time brought white hot rage through his entire body. Ulquiorra wouldn't see daybreak. Not while there was reiatsu in his body.

He flipped forwards, feet touching the ground as he brought the larger blade in an upwards arc. The smaller blade in a downwards swing. They met in the middle, slicing flesh and bone. He watched a jade green lance come to life in the former Cuatro's hands, he knew the pain one of those could cause. The devastation.

Ichigo twisted his wrists, catching the lance between the hand guards of his dual blades before he shattered the green energy with a single movement. He saw Ulquiorra's eyes widen, he could see fear in his eyes.

"Burn in Hell you piece of shit." He growled, and spun his blades, bring one up and one down. He felt the splash of blood against him as he eviscerated the dark haired Arrancar.

His mask crumbled at his command and he stepped back, watching motionlessness as Ulquiorra's body split apart. Striking the floor with two sickeningly wet thuds. He waited, one second, two seconds. Three turned to four and then five. And then... Ulquiorra's body disintegrated, turning to ash and mottled sludge in the rain and the mud.

He was gone.

He was dead.

Ichigo sagged, energy spent as the world seemed to catch up to the battle that had taken place. A small smile tugged his lips upwards as he watched Nelliel sprinting towards him, her arms flung open wide as she jumped and half wrapped herself around him as she sobbed noisily into his neck, crying that it was good to see him back to his old self. It felt distant, and a little muted as he received touches to his back and shoulders from the other Espada. Murmurs of reassurance and comfort.

His gaze caught Grimmjow's for a long moment and the blue haired Espada bowed his head. He knew why. There was no need to say it. No need for either of them to say it. Ulquiorra was dead. At last, both of them could truly move on.

When Nelliel de-tangled from him, he was greeted by a tight hug from Renji. The feeling of his redheaded best friend slapping him on the back was a comforting one, and something he couldn't help but return. He ruffled Rukia's hair despite her protests, thanking Hitsugaya for his presence as he moved forwards.

He stopped, quite suddenly as Byakuya came into view. His gut twisted uncomfortably at the sight of the nobleman, not entirely certain what kind of welcome he would receive after Ulquiorra had so publicly revealed his tormented and twisted mental state.

"I... It's... Good to see you." He found himself saying awkwardly, struggling to meet his gaze. Not entirely able to tune out how quiet his friends were behind him, it seemed like all of them wanted to see how things would play out.

Byakuya's sigh was loud as he closed the distance between them, reaching up to wipe a smear of blood from the strawberry's face, "Honestly... Trying to use your Quincy powers when you barely understand them. Getting beaten black and blue and bowing to an enemy like him. Call yourself a nobleman."

Ichigo gulped hard at the scolding, biting his lip uncomfortably as he slowly lifted his eyes to meet the steel grey ones that awaited him, "I'm sorry... For everything... I... I..." His shoulders rose and slumped as he let out a weak sound from the back of his throat, "I have missed you so much."

"I've missed you too." The Kuchiki heir breathed, yanking him closer as he wrapped his arms around him so tightly Ichigo was sure he would be crushed, "Don't you ever do anything so stupid and foolish again, do you understand me?"

"Are we talking about tonight or-"

"Everything." Came the growled response.

Ichigo bit his lip as he heard his lover's voice crack, his fingers digging into the nobleman's haori as he sucked in his familiar scent. He was overwhelmed by the smell of warmth, musk and blossom, something undeniably Byakuya lingered around the edges, making his heart pound harder in his chest.

"Ichi-ji!" Kaida's voice was rushed, panicked and out of breath.

Pulling back from Byakuya's embrace, the strawberry watched as the girl sprinted towards him, breaking free from Unohana's grasp with surprising ease. She collided with him, almost knocking him off balance as her arms wound around his waist, she was shaking and sobbing, her face burrowed into his belly like she couldn't entirely believe he was there.

"I thought you were going to die!" She barked, "I couldn't leave you! It wasn't right! I had to come back but I put you in danger! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Ichi-ji!"

He couldn't help but sink to his knees, pulling her in close and cupping the back of her head as he hugged her so incredibly tightly, "Shh, don't cry. You did the right thing. I'm proud of you, you were so brave. Oh my God, you were brave."

"Ichi-ji?" Hotaru was approaching too, eyes wide as he stared at his changed form, "You... Look like a Shinigami..."

"You always said you wanted to know what I looked like." The strawberry smiled, "Well, here I am. You're not... Scared, right?"

"Scared?" The boy repeated, shaking his head quickly as he joined the hug as best he could, "You're so cool."

"Cool, huh?" Ichigo chuckled contentedly at the assessment, "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine." He nodded, eyes squeezed shut, "I couldn't do anything... I tried but... I'm not strong enough yet."

"You'll get there." He said knowingly, "Never give up, keep going forward. You'll become as strong as you want to be if you just keep trying."

"I will, Ichi-ji. I promise."

His eyes met Byakuya's as he stood up straight again, and he couldn't help but laugh aloud. He felt so happy. Happier than he had felt in months. As if all the pain, the longing and the loneliness had melted away into something so much better, so much brighter. He knew they had to talk, about everything. About the battle in Fugai, his reckless surrender of his Shinigami powers, his stupidity with Makoto... Or Ulquiorra... But... Everything felt... Good.

The feeling of the first rays of sunlight hitting his skin was warming and he could help but look up as he realised the storm had passed, releasing the vibrant shining orange of dawn. It couldn't have felt more right.

A wash of nausea flooded his senses as his adrenaline died down and he felt his legs buckle beneath him. A strong pair of arms caught him before he hit the ground and the smell of blossoms flooded his consciousness as tiredness got the best of him.

"Rest, Ichigo. We're all here." He heard Byakuya whisper as sleep carried him away.