Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and RWBY. Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and the late Monty Oum (rest in peace you saint of a man).
A question one would ask why type this up? Simple – why not?
Chapter 3: Resolve
(Que "Number One")
Before their eyes, Ruby's blade transformed into Ren could only know as the new Crescent Rose. The blade was as humongous as it always was was but carried a hint of power in its sharpness and black and gray steel. The polearm of the reaper was more elegant in design and less compact, and was no longer bulky to the compartments for a sniper. There was a muzzle at the end of the polearm to shoot reishi as Kisuke pointed out, and at the other end was a spear point of black steel. Ruby held it as she always did: behind her back with her left hand over the polearm and the reaper on the ground on her left side.
Ichigo was amazed that Ruby pulled off Shikai even before he knew Zangetsu's name. Ren was even more amazed because he never expected this kind of transformation from a simple blade. He looked at his Zanpakuto and wondered what power it held as well.
Kisuke approached Ichigo and Ruby and clapped his hands. "Congratulations. It seems you went and became Soul Reapers. Ruby, I am deeply impressed that you were able to call on your Zanpakuto so early."
Ichigo would've smacked Kisuke in the head for putting him through so much hell, but he was focused on the power brimming from Ruby. It felt in between Renji and Byakuya's power, but he could tell there was something missing. In congrats, Ruby seemed to blush a little and laughed nervously like the child she is.
"That doesn't mean you can skip Lesson 3." said Kisuke, "In this Lesson 3, all you have to do is knock over my hat. You are up first, Ruby."
"Okay." said Ruby, suddenly getting all serious and brimming with red reiatsu, "But I have to warn you. I never felt this much energy. I feel like if I take just one step, I'm gonna overdo it."
"Huh?" wondered Kisuke, "What do you mean?"
Ruby's Semblance of speed blended well with her new Soul Reaper powers. When she took that step, Ruby unconsciously jumped into a shunpo, or flash step. It carried Ruby at Mach speeds that sent force ripping through the ground in her wake. She sped passed Kisuke before his eyes opened widened, and his hat was blown. It took a few seconds for Kisuke to regain his composure, pick up his hat, and put on his usual smile.
"My, my." said Kisuke, turning back, "You pass. You've got thorns there, Ruby."
He showed no reaction to the destruction behind him as though he knew it the second Ruby did that shunpo. Ruby tried slowing herself down by anchoring her reaper into the ground, but that only left a deep slash into the earth like a giant would've done. Ruby was only slowed down by running into a boulder that she was no stuck in. Her Aura was still there but flickering to heal whatever wounds she had in front.
"Ruby!" cried Ren, "Are you okay?"
Ruby's response was only a high-pitched moan.
"Yeah, that's a stupid question."
Ren with the help of Jinta and Ururu pulled Ruby out. Once released, she finally got a breath and wiggled her head to get any dust out of her hair. Crescent Rose, or rather Mazarozu, was still in her hands. They could feel the massive, yet calm, reiatsu coming off from it like a heat wave. Ruby didn't look like the impact even fazed her as her Aura already healed her injuries and replenished itself instantly.
"Good." said Kisuke, "That leaves Ichigo and Ren. You two will be fighting me at the same time if that will be okay be you."
Actually, Ren couldn't allow that. He could tell in Ruby's eyes despite the hell she went through and dying even, she was still the same childish Ruby of Team RWBY. No, Ren knew too well that this attitude is going to get Ruby killed again. Call it a hunch, but Ren knew that Kisuke was planning something for them and they'll be faced with people probably even stronger than they are. If he was going into such danger, he needed Ruby to know that they have to get through whatever the cost. Just like when Ren sacrificed himself for everyone.
"Kisuke," said Ren, "I would actually like it if Ruby would be the one to initiate Lesson 3 with me."
"Peculiar request." said Kisuke, tapping his hat with his cane, "I'll grant it. In this case, you gotta knock Ruby's weapon out of her hand."
"I'm fine dealing with you myself." agreed Ichigo.
"What!?" exclaimed Ruby.
"Come on." said Ren, sounding more commanding ironically, "Let's get to a spot where we won't interfere."
Ren led Ruby to spot in the training grounds far away from Kisuke and Ichigo were training. They saw Jinta and Ururu watching from clifftops with curious eyes. Ruby prepared a stance against Ren, but there was hesitance in her motion. That's what Ren wanted to get rid of.
"Ren why-"
It was only by Ruby's sense of speed that she managed to raise her guard in time against Ren's attack. His enhanced Aura also increased his strength, and the ground cracked at their feet and a shock cracked through the air. Even so, Ruby was the superior in every factor thanks to her Shikai, but Ren could still see that hesitance. It was starting to get on his nerves.
Ruby jumped back to get distance. "Ren, could you just calm down?"
"Ruby." said Ren, raising his voice, "I don't want this to be some practice. I can just feel it. It's so close: the name of my Zanpakuto. I have the resolve, but even against you I don't feel as if I'm in danger."
"Wha-Resolve?!" exclaimed Ruby, "Ren, have you gone crazy?!"
Ren rushed forward for his first shunpo. Not as great as Ruby's but it closed the gap between them in a literal flash. He swung his sword in fluid acrs and swings, but Ruby intercepted everyone with her swift defense. He curled his lip, frustrated that Ruby wasn't pushing him to his limit.
"No, I haven't." said Ren, "All I need is for you to come at me as though to kill me."
"Kill you?!" exclaimed Ruby in terror, deflecting Ren away with more force than she meant to, "No, I would never-"
"Because I won't hold back." snapped Ren, showing a face of battle fury.
Ruby was in disbelief, but he was telling the truth. She could feel it in the speed and force of his attacks on Mazarozu. The only reason Ruby held such an edge in the fight is because of her power after obtaining Shikai, and she was, admittedly, scared that one strike would kill Ren. Again.
"You have all that power," said Ren, his swings becoming more heavy, "but you lack something that I have: the resolve. When I died, I made a resolve to sacrifice myself. Because when I protect someone, I don't let them die. However, you have the skill that I do not, but you hold back. When we fought Tyrian, you fought him to protect us, but your resolve was off. You were afraid you would fail. That's how Qrow got hurt."
Ruby was feeling a burning sensation in her. It was like anger, but it had a much more darker sensation to it. She bit her lip and her hands tightened around Mazarozu.
'I'm sorry Ruby, but this is necessary.' thought Ren.
"Grimm are soulless, that's why you can kill them." continued Ren, "Like it or not, you're going to fight people. You are afraid to fight them because you're afraid of killing them. Just like now. It is that awful resolve that we are here right now. I was supposed to die myself because I did protect people. I attacked to kill. You can see it in my Zanpakuto, and in the very force of my attacks. But you Ruby... when you defend, you're afraid of dying. When you attack, you fear killing. When you protect someone, you fear letting them be killed."
"Stop it..." mumbled Ruby, her jaw tightening.
'That's it.' thought Ren.
"All that your reaper shows is fear." stated Ren, "It is that fear that got you killed. That got Qrow hurt. That got Yang's arm cut off. And what got Pyrrha killed because you didn't have the resolve to kill to make it in time."
Ren had done it. Those words crossed a line never thought to be trespassed. Ruby's heartbeat drummed in her head, and her mind succumbed to a strange rage and instinct. This was the first time Ruby felt she was going to kill for real.
"Don't," roared Ruby, her reiatsu rising, "ever - say - that I - let Pyrrha die!"
With just the pressure of her reiatsu, Ren was pushed back. He barely had time to put up his sword to block Ruby's opener. Her blade cut through Ren's Zanpakuto like it was butter, and Ren was terrified, though relieved, that Ruby was definitely trying to kill him. He could see it not only in the ferocity of her attacks, and the look of fury in her silver eyes.
Elsewhere, Ichigo had finally called Zangetsu's name, turning his blade in a giant meat cleaver. But they were distracted when they sensed the enormous spiritual pressure coming from the Remnanties' direction. Kisuke measured at a level on par with a captain in Shikai. He gave a flat look, thinking that he would be one Soul Reaper less if the situation continued, but he wouldn't interfere.
Ren had never seen Ruby wield her reaper with such speed. The very air around her was dangerous to approach, and his weapon was almost reduced to his hilt. Then, Ruby anchored her reaper into the ground as she would to steady shots. Instead of bullets, the muzzle of Mazazoru charged a silver orb of reiatsu.
"Piasusan."
Ren could only describe the blast as something from sci-fi: a laser of pure energy that tore all through its path. Kisuke glanced to the sky seeing the ray blast through the "sky".
'That almost looked like a Cero.' thought Kisuke.
And Ruby had a lot more where that came from. As in as many as she would in a clip of dust. Ren was pushed to the limit of his agility dodging every blast that would surely kill him even with his iron Aura.
"Shirubasukai."
Silver reiatsu charged on the blade of Ruby's reaper and launched a similar blast in the arc of the slice made horizontal. Ren had no way to dodge it, but he made his ground proudly. This is what he needed from both of them. Ruby's resolve, and getting himself pushed to the limit. With such danger putting his mind in the trust of his instincts, Ren knew a name and prepared his Zanpakuto.
Don't run in fear. Face the danger and do not give ground. Make the enemy regret their chase after your life.
"Haunt, Kakushifokkusu."
In the blink of an eye, Ren's Zanpakuto grew and split into dual blades. They had a green hilt, and the blades elongated down like a bayonet to make way for a muzzle. Ren brought down the blades upon the reiatsu blast and split it apart. The dust settles to reveal Ruby tired from wasting so much energy, and Ren leaped at the chance. With a shunpo, Ren blinked the distance, knocked Mazazoru out of Ruby's hand with one blade, and held the remainder pointed to Ruby's throat. The rage left a hint, the "resolve", but Ruby was back to herself at least.
"I guess you pass Lesson 3." said Ruby.
Ren sheated his dual swords on his back where a dual-sheath was made for him. He could see the regret in her eyes for trying to kill one of her best friends. However, Ren was glad that Ruby could harness such a feeling against another human.
Ren rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder and gave her an assuring look. "Don't forget that resolve. You're going to need it in the future."
Ruby looked up at Ren with a troubled look. There was still a hint of doubt, but overall she did agree the necessity of that resolve. Her skills and reaper would be useless without it and she would die again. But the look in Ruby's silver eyes said otherwise.
"Alright." said Ruby, composed and calm, "Let's see how Ichigo and Kisuke are doing."
Jinta and Ururu had watched the entire show with amazement. They were wide in awe at the increase of spiritual pressure they both had.
"Woah, that was awesome." said Jinta.
"They are quite strong." added Ururu, "Are there others with that kind of strength I wonder?"
Ren and Ruby returned to find Ichigo in his Shikai. Instantly, Ruby went all fangirl over the giant cleaver on Ichigo's back with eyes sparkling like diamonds. She zipped around Ichigo with her speed and shunpo to look at Zangetsu at every angle.
"Hey," cried Ichigo, trying to get a hand on Ruby, "quit it."
"It's sooo cool!" Ruby squeaked.
It's not as cool as me.
It took a moment for Ruby to realize that the voice was her Zanpakuto, or rather her mother, Mazazoru. In fact, Ruby glanced behind her and saw the woman with her white robe flowing in the wind.
"Mom." said Ruby.
Summer smiled. "Looks like you're getting the hang of those eyes of yours. Try revealing me to your friends, then try to see Ichigo's Zangetsu."
Ruby tried just as Summer said in her inner world. Do not search, but find on first glance. Those words still confused Ruby, but they triggered some sort of instinct in Ruby. Her eyes and reaper blade flashed silver, and Summer was revealed to everyone. Ichigo was on the alert at Summer's sudden appearance, but Ren just stared in awe. He had seen pictures of Ruby's mother before and noticed the same pair of silver eyes that Ruby has.
"Where the heck did you come from?!" demanded Ichigo, drawing Zangetsu at Mazazoru.
"Wait, wait!" panicked Ruby, flailing her arms up and down, "She's my Zanpakuto, or my mom. I don't know. It's really weird."
"Oh, that's your Zanpakuto." said Kisuke, examining Summer as she floated above the ground, "I didn't expect you to be able to bring it into view in the real world."
"That's not all I can do." said Ruby, and her eyes flashed again.
This time another Zanpakuto spirit materialized. It was Zangetsu, and he wasn't that much different from Summer as they both retained themselves a human appearance. Zangetsu also levitated above the ground, and was wrapped in a brown cloak that was ragged at his legs which were hidden. He had stubs on his face like Qrow but wore strange orange eyeglasses.
Kisuke didn't say anything, only making another note of Ruby's powers. Ichigo was surprised to find Zangetsu visible in the real world. He had this expression where Zangetsu was always serious, contrasted to Summer (Mazazoru) who Ruby took a lot from in personality and looks.
"Hmm." said Zangetsu, his voice deep and an echo. "What a strange ability you have, Ruby, to reveal myself in the physical world. And I believe that is your Zanpakuto by your side."
Summer levitated around Zangetsu, examining him and the blade. She stopped in front of Zangetsu and held out a hand.
"You and Ichigo seem to be alright." said Summer, "Let's shake on it as good friends."
Zangetsu and Ichigo raised an eyebrow unexpected of this behavior from another Zanpakuto. Since Summer was directed to Zangetsu, he revealed an outstretched hand from his brown cloak and shook her hand.
"You seem," said Zangetsu, "different than I would expect from any Zanpakuto."
"Just making sure my little petal is in good hands." said Summer, smiling.
Mazazoru and Zangetsu disappeared from the real world back to their inner world. Ruby was still marveling the sword of Zangetsu, and was turning her fan girl eye to Ren's Shikai.
"Congratulations everyone." said Kisuke, "You three have awakened your power as Soul Reapers and unlocked your Shikai. That completes Lesson 3 and your fruition as a Soul Reaper."
Ren was reading the Kido book, but suddenly closed it with a deep clap that caught Kisuke's attention.
"Hold on, Mr. Urahara." said Ren with a stern look, "I get that becoming Soul Reapers saved me and Ruby, but there was something to all this. You didn't need to help us, but you did for a reason. What is it that you want from us?"
Kisuke smiled and tilted his hat. "Ren, you are scary observer. Yes, indeed I need you for something. In five days time, you three shall infiltrate the Soul Society to rescue Rukia Kuchiki from being executed."
"Rukia?" wondered Ruby.
"Rukia is a Soul Reaper from Soul Society." explained Ichigo with a frown, "Soul Society took her away for punishment in awakening my powers. She saved my family, so I'll return the favor and save her."
Instead of looking backed down, Ruby stood with Ichigo on this quest.
"This person saved your family." said Ruby, raising Mazazoru over her head, "That's plenty of reason."
Ren said nothing but nodded.
"I'm glad you're on the same page." said Kisuke, "So for the next five days, the three of you should hone your powers. Ichigo, Ruby, you two spar with each other. Go crazy. Ruby, I'll call a friend of mine who'll be perfect with teaching you so Ichigo can fight with me. Ren, you focus on learning Kido spells, but you won't be exempt from a few spars. I'm going to go take a nap."
Kisuke walked away, twirling his cane (Benihime) in the air. Ren sat in a secluded spot studying the Kido book, which did catch Ruby's attention. However, she was more excited crossing blades with Ichigo who raised Zangetsu in an opposing stance.
(Que Bleach "Battle Ignition")
"Listen here." said Ichigo, his reiatsu burning blue around him as well as his eyes, "I'm not gonna go easy on you just because you're a girl."
Ruby smiled, and her reiatsu and eyes glowed silver. "I'm not gonna hold back either."
Their blades produced an aura akin to their reiatsu. A screech could be heard in the air, as though the Zanpakuto were calling each other to battle. Right before Ichigo and Ruby would clash, Ren tried his first Kido spell after a long study.
"Bakudou 81: Danku."
Ren pointed his hand forward that glowed with reiatsu, and a glass-like barrier formed in front of him. This allowed to study the Kido further without being whipped in the face of Ruby and Ichigo's battle.
Took longer than I expected. I am in disbelief how this got so popular faster than my other two stories. Definitely will be more in the future, but I also want to focus on my other two stories: Fairy Tail EX and Fairy Fire.
I could use your help. I am deciding what kind of weapon Ruby should have for Bankai? There is a poll for it.
Next Chapter, The Flash Goddess.