Heart

Chapter 1 – I Give You My Heart

"…That's because Kaien-dono… entrusted his heart to me!" The words the shinigami said only seconds before rang in his head, piercing his heart.

Dropping Nejibana, which had the short, raven haired shinigami girl impaled on it, the espada Aaroniero Alulueri screamed in pain, the body that wasn't his broken and bleeding. Sode No Shirayuki's third dance…

"AIZEN-SAMA!!" Aaroniero screamed in rage. "HELP ME!! HELP ME, AIZEN SAMA!! YOU SAID…SAID IF I FOLLOWED YOU, I'D BE RELEASED FROM ALL THE PAIN!!" The pain of knowing her face, but not seeing it every day, like the soul he had devoured, Kaien, had gotten to do. The pain of being forever unsatisfied because it was a nameless, female arrancar instead of…instead of that girl. "WHAT IS THIS?! THE PAIN!! THIS IS SO PAINFUL, I HATE IT!! I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT!!" The female shinigami that was sprawled on the floor stood up shakily and looked up at him screaming, watching the body of her ex vice captain writhing in pain and hatred, anger and resentment…sadness…

The girl watched him hit the floor, only a split second before she herself landed beside him. The ninth espada, Aaroniero Alulueri was dead.

Nejibana returned to his original state, and Rukia was no longer impaled by the katana. The blood flowed freely from her stomach to the floor, mixing with the blood of Aaroniero. More literally, the blood of Kaien Shiba.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, and then opened them again. No…no! I will not die alone! His words floated through her head. "Your heart will be passed on to your nakama." Her tears suddenly flowed, realising…realising that Shiba Kaien chose her, Kuchiki Rukia, and her alone, to give his heart to. Kaien-dono…

After much effort, she moved her head so that she could look at his broken body. It was in that moment that she realised she would not die alone. Of course, Kaien had already been dead, but now he was free. And she was free to be with him. She smiled to herself. Thank you, Kaien-dono… Her last image was of his face, so peaceful looking he could have been asleep. She imagined what it would be like, to touch those lips with her own just one last time.

And suddenly, that thought linked itself to the thought of another person, orange haired, amber eyed, a scowling face…

Kaien's face began to blur, her vision darkening as her heart sank into hopelessness, realising that she would never see the orange strawberry again. Against her own will, her eyes closed. She struggled to reopen them, but she couldn't. When she had begun to slip into darkness, she was sure that she deserved it; it was redemption for killing her beloved, and it was alright anyway because she would be able to see him again.

But the image of that boy, that arrogant, scowling, orange haired human…that image flashed in her eyes. And for the first time in a hundred years…

Kuchiki Rukia did not want to die.

There was now so much for her to live for, and so many more things that were worth dying for. And she knew that Kaien Shiba would have told her "this isn't one of them. You must absolutely not die alone, Kuchiki!"

The image of Uryu and Chad burst into her head. She pushed herself up with her arms.

Byakuya-niisama and Renji…she frowned in pain as she got up on her knees.

Ichigo…Her eyes widened in determination as she tried to put her weight on her right leg.

Orihime…She held herself up, standing on shaky legs. I know what it means to be alone.

"Do not fear, Inoue…" Her voice shook as she fell back on her knees. "I'll be right…" her head hit the floor. "…There!" She struggled to get up, but she couldn't stop her eyes from closing, and couldn't open them again. She would have cried in frustration, but she was too weak.

"K-Kaien…Kaien…help me, Kaien…" And her head began to spin.

Her last thought was of the orange haired, amber eyed, frowning shinigami who she was now so used to…it was strange. Since meeting Kurosaki Ichigo, she couldn't imagine dying without him being near her. She had just assumed that when she eventually died, it would be with him and Renji.

"Your heart goes to your nakama."

Ichigo…I give you my heart.

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When Ulquiorra told Ichigo that Rukia was dead, he refused to believe the espada, even though he had already sensed the fading of his nakama's reiatsu. He had sensed it, but had managed to push it to the back of his mind; after all, she was Rukia.

He had frowned to himself as he faced Ulquiorra as he descended the stairs, thinking of only Rukia. Che. She's not dead and she's not dying; there's no way. He wasn't thinking that way because he believed in her abilities as a shinigami; other than having an elemental zanpakuto, Rukia was a rather average shinigami, nobody who was unbelievably strong or anything. No, although he had confidence in her shinigami abilities, it was her abilities as a person that made him sure that she would not die. She was a strong, determined and wilful person. She won't just lay down and die.

"You remember my name? Although I don't remember telling it to you. So be it." He seemed to secretly savour the dramatic pause between his last words and his next sentence, although a smile or smirk never graced his lips. "Kuchiki Rukia is dead."

And just like that, Ichigo fell apart. "What…did you say?!"

Ulquiorra went on to tell him how Rukia and Aaroniero had defeated each other. Ichigo made towards her fading reiatsu.

"Where are you going?"

Ichigo kept his head down, staring at the floor as he walked away. "To save Rukia."

"Even though I told you she died?"

"…I don't believe you." She won't die. She won't die. Dead people can't die, they just…can't, dammit!!

And somehow, the espada goaded Ichigo into not going after Rukia. Ichigo felt his blood boil as he learned that Ulquiorra was the espada who had captured Orihime in the first place…and they fought.

It was a long and hard battle, but Ulquiorra won. Ichigo was half dead, when Grimmjow appeared and allowed Orihime to heal him. When she had finished, Grimmjow fought Ichigo himself…

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Grimmjow was nearly defeated, until they were interrupted by a tall, thin espada with long, shiny black hair and a wide grin on his face.

"The shinigami's mine."

"Who are you?!" Ichigo shouted. The espada continued to grin in a menacing way. "I said, who are you?!"

"Noi…tra??" Grimmjow mumbled. "You bastard…"

"What the fuck?? You're still alive?" The espada called Niotra made a move towards Grimmjow with his zanpakuto, but was stopped by Ichigo's own.

And the fight persisted.

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Not ten seconds into the fight, Ichigo decided one thing – Noitra was so much stronger than Grimmjow had been, but still he fought back; he had to beat the espada so that he could get Rukia and Inoue home. He owed them that much…

Suddenly, Zangetsu was knocked out of Ichigo's hands and the tip of Noitra's own zankaputo was digging into his throat slightly as Ichigo lay sprawled on the floor. Ichigo's eyes widened slightly in shock. I can't die…I won't die! I can't die now, when I've come so far!

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue screamed, but was held back by Tesla. "ICHIGO!!" The tears streamed down her face. "ICHIGO!!" Her cries went unheard by the espada.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…the determination in your eyes…don't you know she's dead?" Noitra taunted, his grin wide, his eyes shining as he looked down at Ichigo. "Don't try to kid yourself that if you somehow manage to beat me, she'll suddenly breathe!" He laughed manically.

"She's not dead, you bastard," Ichigo said calmly, although he had to fight to keep his voice from shaking. The hatred never left his eyes.

"I beg to differ, shinigami. Kuchiki Rukia has been dead for an hour. I saw it in here," Noitra tapped at his head, a manical look in his eyes, his grin never faltering. "We all did!!"

"LIAR!" Ichigo screamed. "SHE'S NOT DEAD!!"

"Oh, but surely you felt it? Your nakama's reiatsu, fading away? Is it not completely vanished now?! It is! She's dead!" He held his head back and laughed long and loud. "Didn't you feel it, shinigami?! She is nothing now, as will be you!"

"She's alive, you asshole!!" Ichigo screamed.

Suddenly, Noitra's eyes seemed to go glassy, almost as though he was staring into space, but still…seeing something. His mouth opened slightly as the visions and sounds in his head lasted a fraction of a second, but he had still seen all that had just happened. He saw the body of a tall, slightly tanned, raven haired man standing up shakily, his injuries no longer in existence. Alulueri is alive?! The man seemed slightly dazed, but it appeared as though he was searching for something, looking around frantically. He shouted a name, and tears ran from his blue eyes. He shouted it again but didn't get an answer. What the hell is this? His eyes seemed to rest on a small body, lying sprawled on the floor about twenty feet away. He ran to her and shook her shoulders… Aaroniero Alulueri is a traitor? Impossible…no, if Alulueri died, which he did…then this is the soul of the body he was possessing…how can this be?! Noitra frowned slightly in his mind, but still wouldn't wipe away that insane grin on his face, or dull the shine in his manical eyes.

He grinned insanely down at the shinigami. "You are Ichigo, ne? Your name is not Kaien?"

Ichigo frowned. "Stop fucking around!"

"Touchy, aren't you?" Noitra laughed. "It's just that, if your name is Kurosaki Ichigo, why was she screaming for Shiba Kaien?"

Ichigo felt a pang, but it was as though he felt it twice…almost as if…there was someone else inside him…

Hey. King. Aren't you a little tired of this bastard?

Ichigo's eyes widened. No…not you!

You sound disappointed King…even though I'm the only one that can get you out of this.

No…I learned to control you! How am I suddenly hearing you again?!

You aren't complaining, are ya?

Yes!

That's too bad, ne? Cause believe me, I aint leaving so easily this time.

You will if you know what's good for you, bastard!

What about what's good for Rukia?

Why would you care?!

Ichigo's hollow seemed to exhale in a thoughtful manner. I won't let her die, he said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. It seemed he was speaking more to himself than to Ichigo.

Ichigo raised his eyebrows in surprise. What the fuck?

The hollow spoke directly to Ichigo this time. I won't let her die!

"What's wrong, shinigami?! Are you wondering who Kaien Shiba is?!" Noitra laughed insanely. "She belongs to him!" The espada threw back his head and laughed manically -

- Until he was stopped by the sudden sword edge that was held at his throat. He opened his eyes in shock. Ichigo Kurosaki was no longer lying on the ground.

Ogihci Ikasoruk held Zangetsu to Noitra's suddenly fearful looking face. His skin and spiky hair were pure white, and the only thing about him that wasn't white were his eyes; black and yellow, like something evil. When he spoke, his voice was mocking, almost…crazy. It was a voice that sent shivers down even Noitra's spine.

"Kuchiki Rukia is mine, bastard!" he laughed, slowly putting more force behind the blade at the espada's throat, as blood began to slowly spill. His face formed into an evil, insane looking smirk. "Mine, and mine alone! And she is not-" he threw all his reiatsu into his sword in one fast motion and thrusted it upwards into Noitra's throat "-dead!" The espada fell to the floor. Dead.

"NOITRA!!" Tesla yelled in disbelief. He made towards his fallen comrade but before he could go to his fallen body, a portal appeared in front of him. "Aizen-sama," he whispered to himself as he walked into the portal, and it vanished.

"KUROSAKI-KUN!!" Ichigo's hollow turned towards the source of the voice, and saw a teenage girl with long, orange hair running towards him. "ICHIGO!!"

"Are ya blind? Do I look like your Ichigo to you?" he smirked evilly. Orihime's eyes widened.

"But…Kurosaki-kun can control you…"

"Well look who's in control now, little girl!" Ogihci walked towards her in an intimidating manner.

"Kurosa…Ichigo. Ichigo! Come back!" Tears sprang to Inoue's eyes as she felt her heart break. "Ichigo!" The hollow grabbed her by the shoulders roughly.

"Listen, little girl. You're lucky I've not killed you by now!" Inoue's eyes widened and a shiver went down her spine. This wasn't the Ichigo she loved. "The only reason I've decided to keep you alive is that I'm going to need you to heal Rukia!" If possible, Inoue's heart broke even more. "So do as I say, and help me find her!"

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Good? Bad? Loved? Hated?

This is my first Bleach ficcy!! I hope at least ONE person out there liked it!! Feel free to review, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is also greatly appreciated.

I know that was a long first chapter, but I just wanna grab some attention. Also, I tend to go on a bit…as you might have guessed :P But anyways, hope you stay tuned! Peace out.