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 35: Reconnecting

"Uh, what are they doing?" That was the question Yang asked when the group of WBY and JNR saw Ichigo and Ruby in the family room sitting on the couch in a meditation stance. They were absolutely still like statues and not even made a whisper, but their chest ever so slightly rose and fell. If they squinted their eyes, they could see a faint glow around their body, blue for Ichigo and silver for Ruby. Their zanpakuto were rested on their legs and held down by their hands.

Ren answered. "It is called jinzen, a very important art of meditation for death gods. It acts as a passive exercise to hone one's spiritual pressure in both power and control, but its main purpose is to enter their mindscape and communicate with their zanpakuto."

"Wait." Yang exclaimed with wide eyes, "Are you saying those blades are alive?! Sounds like Ruby's dream come true."

"A zanpakuto isn't a tool." Ren explained, "It is the reflection of the wielder, and they form a bond of partnership unlike anything else. Each person has their own unique zanpakuto, and there are never two that are the same. In rare cases, they may have two such as mine, Kakushifokkusu."

"What does he look like?" Nora asked.

Ren was a bit reluctant to answer. "...A little fox pup with white and orange fur and six tails."

'That's just adorable.' That was the common thought of the Remnanties in the room.

"So why exactly are they meditating?" Weiss asked, taking note of the slight downward shifts of frowning on Ruby's lips.

"From what Ichigo has told me, they actually have a second spirit being their Inner Hollow." Ren explained, and WBY, Qrow, and Oscar felt a chill run down their spines from the memory of Ruby pulling up her mask, "These two are very unique in every sense of the word. Perfect hybrids is what I can describe them as, but I digress. Apparently, they are trying to find their original zanpakuto spirits that somehow disappeared in their mindscape."

Blake raised a brow. "How does a part of you hide in their own mind?"

Ren shrugged. "Ask them then."

"Might as well wait till they wake up to discuss a plan to get to Atlas." Oscar said as he set himself on a couch. Last night, Jaune snapped at Oscar in suspicion he knew of the lies Ozpin was hiding. Most of the party of Huntsmen went out to Argus to search for him only to come back to Saph's house where he returned after some kind of soul-searching, and now carried a new air of confidence. He now wore a green coat trailing down below his knees, tan cargo pants, brown boots, and a white shirt with a box.

"Where is Qrow by the way?" Ren asked.

Yang had a sour look on her face. "Our 'dedicated' uncle has decided to pass out drunk upstairs."

"Perhaps it can't be helped for now." Ren said with a sigh.

"Welp." Senna yelped and jumped to the door, "I am going to go for a walk and see what the tiny hag is doing. See if I can find a chink in the armor so to say."

The door shut with an audible click, and they could hear slight humming from the amber-eyed teenager. Her mind initially may have gone to scouting at the Atlas base, but as far as Ren knew she could've switched to shopping.

And thank whatever higher power that existed Yang or Nora didn't go with her. This town would be run dry if that were to happen. A level ten Grimm attack wouldn't even compare to the long-term effects.

(Ichigo's Mindscape)

Ichigo relaxed finding himself in the familiar scenery of the forest of horizontal skyscrapers, and he himself defying gravity by standing on the wall of the building. Off to another building behind him was the real Zangetsu... sitting in a chair while waiting for a television to turn on without the static.

"I am not even going to ask." Ichigo deadpanned.

Zangetsu gave his usual devil's grin revealing his yellow teeth behind the black lips. "I've got to do something. It gets soo~ boring in here. And now you've stopped the wonderful show cause you're in here."

"Is that how see what's going on?" Ichigo said a bit more surprised.

"Duh." Zangetsu retorted with a look that screamed 'it's obvious'. "Ever since we arrived at this place, it's been the best show I've seen in forever. But now you turned it all and I'm bored."

"What do you want then?" Ichigo asked in an agitated tone.

"I want a fight!" Zangetsu declared, "I may be your zanpakuto, but I'm still a Hollow so it is my job to keep your instincts in shape."

"Troublesome, but I think I'll manage." Ichigo said.

"One more thing." Zangetsu added, "I want out, just for a bit."

"Yeah, you're definitely insane if you think I am actually going to let you use my body." Ichigo said, narrowing his gaze upon Zangetsu.

"I don't mean like that." Zangetsu said, rolling his eyes at his wielder's ignorance, "All I'm asking is you let me out for just a little bit on the outside. All shinigami of captain level can project their zanpakuto spirit in the real world for a short time. That way, I can enjoy a fight that isn't in the same place."

Ichigo put in some deep thought in Zangetsu's request. It didn't seem bad since as insane and violent Zangetsu was, he was still his zanpakuto, thus a part of him and as such wouldn't hurt anybody close to him. At his worst, Zangetsu would probably just destroy something, like leaving a crater from a spar, as long as Ichigo kept those from the public.

"I'll think about it." Ichigo answered.

Zangetsu shrugged off the answer. It was the best he was going to get.

"Now then," Ichigo mused, focusing on his original goal, "where the heck is the old man?"

Zangetsu sighed. "You are still an idiot, you know that? Remember the thing with the ribbons."

Ichigo glanced at the Hollow zanpakuto with a twitching eyebrow before both of them rose in realization. Jeez, why didn't he think of that earlier?! He knew he was bad at sensing stuff, but he knew it was worth a shot. In fact, he may even have a better chance than Zangetsu since he is technically them while the Hollow is merely a part of Ichigo's soul.

Just like when Ichigo first found his shinigami powers, he concentrated on the spiritual energy in his mindscape. Instantly, the air was filled with flying ribbons, most of them being white. To Zangetsu, his ribbon was red with stripes of black, which indicated his Hollow side. Ichigo peered in the horde of white ribbons blocking his view, but a normal human could only see white as far as the eye could see.

One ribbon that was seemingly like all the rest caught Ichigo's interest. It automatically flew to his hand as he outstretched it. At first glance, it was like all the rest, but Ichigo was not the regular folk. His eyes squinted on the ribbon and a smile crossed his face. Very faint were lines of red and blue, for Quincy.

'Found you old man.' Ichigo thought before disappearing in shunpo to the source.

If there was an end to his mindscape, Ichigo probably found it. Once he reappeared out of super speeds, he noticed there weren't as many towers around and eventually ended to a white void. However, in that white void was a black mass in a spherical shape just below, surrounded by dark clouds dropping down rain. The pseudo-shinigami couldn't sense anything from the darkness, like there was nothing there. That was probably the trick Juha Bach was going for. Evidently, it almost worked except with the spirit ribbon.

Ichigo didn't hesitate to leap off the horizontal skyscraper into the black mass. A thought came to his mind that it was solid and his legs would break on contact. Those doubts were mercilessly crushed before Ichigo's body sunk through the dark veil into whatever lay hidden.

Ichigo's vision was temporarily blurred by sudden light. Sunlight to be exact, yet it was not the same in the real world. When his eyes cleared, Ichigo found himself at both the happiest and saddest place he could be: the river. The very same river he always passed as a kid, and where his mother died. In the "sky", the sun was just a pale orb of white light, and the clear sky couldn't mask the drops of rain from outside.

Hearing that gave Ichigo a hint of emptiness and his lips turned into a frown. He really hated the rain.

Standing at the very edge, looking up at the white sun was the manifestation of Ichigo's Quincy powers, Juha Bach.

"Hello, Ichigo." Juha Bach said without emotion, "You've really have grown since you've managed to find me."

"...You know why I'm here." Ichigo said.

A thick silence grew between the pair. The sound of the rainfall seemed to echo without anyone speaking.

"Do you hate me, Ichigo?" Juha Bach broke the silence. "Do you hate me for holding back your power. Power that you could've used to prevent so much suffering as you have sought out to?"

Ichigo could only sigh. "I don't what to feel anymore."

The orange-head lazily sat on the ground. He really couldn't know what to feel or even do. His mind was in a storm of a million things. So many emotions all at once with their own range of questions. Should he be angry at all? Should he vent out his rage in shouts, only for it all to be pointless in the end? Should he feel sad that he didn't have the power to do better than he did and right whatever mistakes he made?

So many questions, yet Ichigo had no answer to them. But it was only his emotions, and for right now he could put those aside.

"I really don't know what to feel." Ichigo said, "But I do know this. If I had all of the power from the very start, I know a lot of things may have been different. I know that Rukia would never had been taken back to Soul Society. Maybe I could've stopped Aizen completely from getting away with the Hogyoku while he plans only Kami knows. But yet if I had all of that power... I probably wouldn't have met Ruby at all." A warm smile plastered on Ichigo's face as he looked up to the pale sun that seemed to brighten in the memories and emotions of the Huntress. "No amount of power will never amount to that."

Juha Bach's own lips slightly curled upwards in shared feeling. He knew all too well how much of a beacon of light that Ruby Rose had become for Ichigo. They both drive each other, pushing the other passed any obstacle in their way. In light of this, the rain from outside seemed to lessen into a heavy drizzle.

"So what will you do now?" Juha Bach asked.

"I want you fight by my side again." Ichigo announced, getting wide eyes from the Quincy spirit, "You are not just a part of me. You're also a part of my mother as well, and I will cherish all that she left me. I wish to know this side of me. We can take it slow for now if you want."

Juha Bach turned his head till he could see Ichigo's face from the corner of his eye. There was no lie in his brown eyes, only the absolute truth as usual.

"Very well, Ichigo." Juha Bach agreed, turning to face Ichigo, "You are right. Quincy, shinigami, and even Hollow must fight as one through you. I'll teach you all I can, but I cannot promise everything upon demand. Even the very spirit of the Quincy is limited in teaching of the art."

Ichigo shrugged. "I'm not going to cry about it. But if it's not too much trouble... If you're from my mom, could you tell anything about her?"

Juha Bach smiled. "There isn't really that much that you don't know. Well, for a Quincy, you're mother was very open-minded and was very open to her opinions to others, especially to her foster parents and Ryuken."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "I know I've heard that name before - ! Holy shit, isn't that Goat-chin's colleague!? He's a Quincy too!"

"Indeed." Juha Bach confirmed, "You've already met his son."

"Ishida..." Ichigo mumbled, "So if mom and Ryuken knew each other, what does that mean?"

"In technical terms, you are cousins." Juha Bach said.

"Don't know how feel being related to stick-ass." Ichigo muttered, "Anything else?"

"Not really." said Juha Bach, "I can only say that Masaki has always lived up to her kind spirit, even willing to abandon her guardians to help a shinigami's life. That in turn brought her to your father."

"What does Goat-chin have to do with this?" Ichigo said.

"It is not my place to say." Juha Bach said, "When you return to Karakura, confront your father and everything will be made clear."

"Of course." Ichigo said, "I guess I should go now. Don't get yourself cooped up in here or I'll have to drag you out myself."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Ichigo." Juha Bach replied with a smile, watching as Ichigo's body faded away. "Very soon Ichigo, you'll call on the power of all three spiritual beings, and I promise I will be there to help you on your way. Because you are a protector."

(Real World)

Ichigo opened his eyes and almost fell over the couch by how Nora was looking at him. Thankfully, Nora jumped back at the exact same time to give the pseudo-shinigami breathing space. Once he did, he then took a full look around the room that was filled with all of the Huntresses with Ren and Oscar.

"Were you all just staring at me the whole time?" Ichigo deadpanned.

"It does stir up a scene when someone is sitting in the middle of the family room." Weiss said.

"I think that whatever you were doing was important." Blake noted.

'At least someone kinda gets it.' thought Ichigo.

A strong arm pulled him out of his position and it was only by his trained reflexes that he didn't lose his footing and trip. He looked to where Yang's robotic arm was gripping on his own right arm.

"Hey, I have to make sure you don't doze off again." Yang said in her cheerful tone, "Now all we have to do is wait for Ruby to wake up so we can get on with the master plan Jaune and Oscar are cooking up."

"Goddammit!" Ruby growled as she abruptly awoke from her jinzen meditation with her wolf ears twitching up a storm.

"And the gang is all here!" Yang cheered.

Ruby had a scowl (again, Ichigo's fault) on her face not even batting an eyelash at the small crowd that she suddenly awoke to. She closed her eyes and went into a breathing exercise to calm herself down. The bristling frustration disappeared in an instant leaving Ruby a little blue.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked.

"I can't find her anywhere." Ruby huffed out, "Even Cristina has no idea where she is. Maybe Mazarozu is still upset at me that I snapped at her. I just hope she isn't too hurt.

Ruby's face took on a teary-eyed, yet cute look of regret and hurt. A few seconds of agonizing silence and Ichigo couldn't take it anymore. He rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder, and her ears stiffened to attention and looked up to Ichigo.

"Just give her time." Ichigo consoled, "She needs some space, and we both know that you don't hate her."

"Right!" Ruby instantly perked up to the comforting words. Her face made a megawatt smile and her eyes shimmered like precious metal yet again. Ichigo smiled so warmly at the awfully cute sight. It was too much like Yuzu that he couldn't help but raise his hand to Ruby's head and rub it a bit.

Instead of the expected cute pout, Ruby's eyes alarmingly dilated when Ichigo's fingers touched her wolf ears. The orange-head winced thinking he did something wrong. He retracted his hand away, only for Ruby to shoot her arms up and put them back in place behind her wolf ears.

"Who said you could stop?!" Ruby exclaimed with a bit of sass.

Ruby's exclamation got mixed reactions from some of the crowd. Weiss was trying to reconnect her bottom jaw, Blake rolled her eyes in a knowing fashion, Yang was highly amused, Jaune and Oscar were confused, and Ren and Nora were too busy with their own antics. (Mainly Ren prying Nora away from a jar of syrup).

"What?" Ichigo said dumbly.

"Head. Pet. NOW!" Ruby commanded, her grip on Ichigo's wrist growing painfully tight.

'There's no way...' Ichigo thought as he reluctantly began to scratch behind Ruby's wolf ears, which he silently noted were perfectly soft like a plushie. The effects were instantaneous. First, Ruby's posture relaxed till she seemed she was going to turn into jelly, then her eyes became glassy and aimless, a dust of pink painted her cheeks, and finally soft whimpers of bliss escaped her lips as she nudged her head closer to the addictive scratching that was making her mind turn into mush.

"You have to be kidding me." Ichigo mumbled at how just scratching Ruby's ears turned her into... this.

Ichigo sighed dejectedly. "Okay, you may as well tell us the plan now. There is no way that Ruby is letting go anytime soon."

"Just give a moment... or hours." said Blake.

As weird as the situation Ichigo landed himself in, at least he didn't have to worry about any of the level of chaos from his own world.

(Senna)

The amber-eyed, bubbly shinigami was skipping down the streets of Argus humming a merry tune. Her sudden joy was due to the new set of clothes she now adorned from shopping with the money Saph was nice enough to lend to her. Instead of the shihaksho, Senna switched to a light tan shirt with sleeves reaching to her elbows under a sweater similar to the one she wore in her gigai state in Karakura. At the bottom Senna had a bright red skirt with black pants reaching below her knees where she wore blue shoes that didn't hinder her movement.

"Thank you, Saph." Senna said, "Only we girls know the needs for shopping."

The shop that the shinigami went to was near wall of Argus, across from Saph's house. As Senna rounded a corner, she was ignorant to the lack of people ahead of her path. Or the oppressive presence in the air that drove off the people in fear. The presence of this malice made itself known to Senna when a mighty pressure descended down upon her shoulders. It was so sudden that she collapsed to her knees.

'W-What is this spiritual pressure?' Senna thought, 'It's not only massive, it's feels so cold.'

"Get yourself together, Senna." The shinigami bit her lip. She rose her own spiritual pressure to push against the other alien force allowing her to stand on her feet. However, she was no captain-class yet and the effort was taxing on her body to maintain the constant flow. Solid footsteps thudded behind her, and a cold sweat dripped down her neck.

"A lone, little shinigami fledgling." Spoke a voice that oddly sounded human if it wasn't for the subtle hiss.

Senna gripped onto her zanpakuto and spun herself around to face the attacker. It all happened less than a second, but to her opponent she was moving in slow motion. Her blade was held between two talon-like fingers, and as Senna trailed the appendage to the body her eyes widened in terror as a mask of an oni stared back at her. Burning pale yellow eyes stared into her soul like she could feel two daggers plunging into her chest. Her eyes trailed down to the hole running just below the oppressor's chest.

A Hollow. This thing was a Hollow, but it was standing on two feet with a bipedal figure. That only met this... was a Vasto Lorde.

The Hollow leaned his demonic mask closer to Senna. She wanted to get away, but her body refused to move. Not because of the spiritual pressure, but the sheer killing intent and malice that Vasto Lorde was giving off. Even for a Hollow such terror was unreal.

"I've missed this smell." spoke the Vasto Lorde with a dark chuckle, "The smell of a shinigami's fear. You so-called gods' that ooze such fear."

The sharp fingers slid down the blade slowly, creating sparks down the steel. Each second the fingers came closer felt like agonizing hours.

'Move dammit.' Senna screamed inwardly.

Having enough of her fear, Senna bit down on her lip hard to draw blood. The sudden pain was enough to snap Senna to move out of the way with a quick shunpo. Just as she looked back, the Vasto Lorde also disappeared in a burst of static. The next she knew, a house must've smashed into her and she was sent tumbling across the pavement of the street.

Senna tasted blood in her mouth and her vision was blurry. Another boom of static and the Vasto Lorde didn't give the shinigami a chance to get up as he used his flat hand and claws to cut into Senna's body before ending with a kick.

"I - am not - going down like this!" Senna said through gritted teeth, getting herself up, "Bring them to the the Twilight, Mirokumaru."

Senna's zanpakuto quickly turned into a golden staff. With a twirl, she fired a twister of ripping winds to the Hollow. The Vasto Lorde smirked behind his mask. He held the twister back with a single palm while keeping his ground despite the cracks at his feet.

"Very impressive indeed but not good enough." said the Hollow as his outstretched palm glowed red, "Bala."

An orb of reishi fired from the Hollow's hand canceling out the twister and racing towards Senna. The amber-eyed teenager put her staff in opposition to defend herself. She strained to hold it back, and her feet slid for several yards before she summoned enough strength to deflect it away. The Vasto Lorde hadn't made any intention for a follow-up and Senna would not waste it.

"Orutenpesuto."

Multiple twisters of wind spun through the air and converged from all angles upon the Vasto Lorde.

"Useless." mumbled the Hollow, pointing his thumb, index, and middle finger with a glowing red orb in the between, "Cero."

A mighty ray of reishi overtook sound itself as it roared passed the twisters to Senna. She could do nothing but take the hit, screaming in pain from the burn of the oppressive reiastu. A scorched trail was left between Hollow and shinigami. At the end lay Senna covered in burns and one eye wounded shut. Beside her was her zanpakuto snapped in three pieces.

As Senna tried to move up, a shadow loomed over. Her vision was too blurry to make out the figure, but she knew it was the Vasto Lorde. She felt a tug on the front of her shirt and her feet leave the ground.

"Be glad that was at low yield, shinigami." the Vasto Lorde said and Senna could feel the grin from his mask, "Take care in the knowledge that the Grave God, Shao Kin, has use for you."

That was all Senna heard before her vision went black from a blunt blow to her head.

Sorry this took so long. I just didn't want this chapter to be so lacking and I've been a bit busy.

Up next is Chapter 36.

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