Chapter 3: Brotherly...Bonds?

Ichigo groaned as he awoke. He was exceedingly tired. He had been slaying Hollows for the past five days, and he was utterly sick of it. He was exhausted, then again, Rukia forced him to wake up every single time a Hollow appeared, as he had vowed to destroy them all. She was holding him to that promise, along with the promise that he would deal with the problems of that when it came to that.

"Speaking of which," Ichigo said aloud, although no one was visible. "Why are you staying in my room?"

His closet door opened, revealing Rukia in her pajamas. "Because I can't stay anywhere else. Besides, you should feel honored, you have an attractive young lady in your room, of her own free will."

Ichigo blanched. "Maybe I'd feel honored if she wasn't one hundred years older than me and also wasn't, oh I don't know, dead."

Rukia frowned at him. "Sometimes, your an asshole."

Ichigo shrugged before he yawned, standing. "I'm going for a walk."

"It's nighttime."

"And your point?"

"At least let me come along. You might need it. Besides, we haven't really begun your combat training. We could do so tonight."

Ichigo gave her a look that said he didn't believe her but he sighed, throwing on his regular clothes. "I'll give you five minutes before I leave without you."

(-A Different Side to the Story-)

"So," Ichigo said, walking towards the outskirts of Karakura, Rukia in her Shinigami form by his side. "What do you plan on teaching me?"

"Battle tactics," Rukia said plainly. Ichigo looked at her with annoyance. "I feel like I've got that down." Rukia shook her head. "No you don't, you think, you feel like you do. You really don't. All you do is cut and fire that technique of yours. First off, we need to make you proficient with those blades of yours. The only reason you can use them is because they are parts of your soul and are so light. No we need to actually make you a master with blades. After that we see if you have any other abilities, along with uncovering what that mask on your face is about."

"You still think I'm a freak huh," Ichigo asked. Rukia shook her head sadly, but didn't respond. As they reached a clearing that Rukia deemed suitable she sighed and looked at him.

"I don't think you're a freak, but I know you are not normal. The way you gather Reiryoku for that ability of yours is very Hollow-like, but you aren't one. Not only that but I sense traces of human Reiryoku in you too. You are not normal."

Ichigo gave her a look that said he only partially believed her. "I'm not normal, and I have Hollow-like Reiryoku. Why am I not classified as a threat then?" Rukia frowned.

"For one your behavior. You've been anti-Hollow, along with the fact that you're helping me out by slaying them. Add that on to the fact you do have a fair bit of human Reiryoku in you makes me hesitant to do anything reckless, like labeling you a threat and forcing me to kill you."

"You can't beat me Rukia."

Rukia giggled lightly, a hand covering her mouth. "Please tell me you don't actually think you are stronger than me."

Ichigo nodded. Rukia just shook her head, drawing her blade. "Let's get started, so I can massacre you."

Ichigo smirked, taking both blades in his hands, the large in his right and the smaller in his left. "Let us begin."

Rukia charged, running across the ground, however Ichigo just rolled his eyes, lifting his left hand. "Don't joke around."

Black energy swirled around Ichigo's left hand as he raised it, however Rukia smirked. "You've become reliant on that," Rukia called out, sheathing her blade. She put her blade out in front of her, letting go of it before lightly hitting the hilt of it with her right hand.

The Bala finished forming before Ichigo let it fly, before he raced after it, hoping to get in two attacks for the price of one. Rukia however was prepared, catching her Zanpakuto as it was upside-down by the hilt, and putting her palm against the blade.

"Hado #58: Tenran!" Suddenly a tornado-like blast shot from the blade, catching the Bala and sending it flying back at Ichigo. Ichigo's eyes widened before he raised his oversized khyber knife, cutting the attack in half before it exploded. Ichigo cursed, smoke surrounding him before he jumped out of it. As soon as he did so he had to raise his blade again however, as he saw a blade cut through the smoke and almost bifurcate him. Ichigo groaned, trying to push Rukia back, however she was the one who sent him skidding backwards, a smirk on her face.

"That is what I meant by battle tactics." she said. "You don't have that." Ichigo frowned, thinking deeply. Rukia could easily counter his only real attack other than hacking and slashing, by all means and purposes she had him beat. He however refused to admit defeat when they had only been fighting for around a minute. Ichigo charged, his legs pumping at full speed.

'If my attacks won't work then all I need to be is faster,' he mumbled, his legs slowly but surely increasing in speed. Rukia raised an eyebrow but smirked. "You're slow! Bakudo #30: Shitotsu Sansen!"

A burst of crackling yellow energy burst around Rukia's palm, before she drew an inverted yellow triangle, before it solidified. Each of the vertex then sprang forth, in the shape of smaller triangles. The smaller triangles shot forth afterwards, two slamming into Ichigo's arm, one per arm, and a second hitting him in the waist. The smaller triangles carried him through the air before he was slammed against a tree.

"I win." Rukia said, a smirk on her face. Ichigo frowned, closing his eyes. 'Let me see here,' he thought, testing out his Reiryoku. All of a sudden it exploded outwards, the Reiatsu pouring of his body and shattering his bindings. Rukia's eyes widened at the sight.

'He can break my bindings with the sheer power of his Reiatsu. That essentially nullifies all defensive Kido. But I shouldn't have to use Shikai against him. I'll just use Shunpo then,' she thought.

Ichigo smirked, although he dropped to the ground, panting a little. "You don't have the control to that," Rukia said, pointing behind him. He looked, to see several trees on the ground, all of which were charred beyond belief, and the ground was no longer it's green color.

"Oops," Ichigo said, mumbling. "I think that settles what we need to focus on," Rukia said. "Learning how to control and harness your Reiryoku and Reiatsu. Because I swear that drew around fifty Hollows here at least." Ichigo groaned.

(-A Different Side to the Story-)

Ichigo did not smile as he was forcefully awoken from his slumber. He groaned, rising before he glared at Rukia. "We were sparring until five in the morning, it's a Saturday, let me sleep."

Rukia just laughed and shook her head. "I think not. There are still Hollows out-and-about and they don't care about your beauty sleep." Ichigo laid back down, before rolling over, his back to Rukia. "You handle them. You're a Shinigami right? You need less sleep than humans."

"You're not fully human."

"I don't care."

Rukia just rolled her eyes before she popped him on the back of the head. "Get up, or I can force you to spar with me every single night until I'm ordered to leave, how about that?"

Ichigo arouse, grabbing his blades and strapping them on, although he glared at her. "I hate you." Rukia just rolled her eyes and hopped out the window. "Come on, I need to show you something," she said. Ichigo looked down at her, noticing she was in her gigai. "Hold up," he said, walking from his room and downstairs.

"Ichigo-nii, you're up, finally. You seemed really tired when we came into your room," Yuzu said, a worried look on her face. "Are you okay? You still seem pretty exhausted."

Ichigo gave Yuzu a kind smile and ruffled her hair. "Thanks for the worry Yuzu, but I'm fine. I've just been busy is all. Where's dad though?"

Karin walked in, leaning against the wall. "He's out, saying something happened. He said he won't be back for a few days." Ichigo nodded, although he frowned. "Alright. I've got to go though, my friend says she has something important to show me."

Karin raised an eyebrow. "That Rukia girl or Orihime?"

Ichigo looked at her. "Rukia."

Karin frowned. "Listen Ichigo, I have nothing against Rukia, she's pretty and nice, but Orihime has had a crush on you for years. You can't continue to blow her off like this. It's disrespectful to her! What would she do if she caught you hanging out with Rukia, who you've been spending a lot of time with lately?"

Ichigo sighed and nodded at Karin. "You're right Karin," Ichigo mumbled, but he walked towards the door anyways. "But you just don't understand," he said quietly, so only he could hear it, before closing the door behind him.

"He's going to get himself killed," Karin mumbled, a frown on her face. Yuzu just looked at her sister with sympathy. "Orihime wouldn't do that."

"If she snaps she will," Karin mumbled.

Outside Ichigo caught up with Rukia, walking down the street with her. "So where are we headed?" he asked.

"Urahara Shop," Rukia said, leading him to a more secluded part of Karakura town. There was a convenience store down the dirt road, making Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "A convenience store?"

"You'll understand."

Rukia led him into the shop, opening the door and activating the annoying jingle it made whenever someone entered the shop.

"Welcome to the Urahara Shop, what can I-oh it's you," a man said as he stood behind the counter. The man was tall and lean-built, with light skin and gray eyes. His hair was messy and light-blond, with strands framing the sides of the face and hanging between his eyes, and he had chin stubble. He wore a dark coat, which sported a white diamond pattern along its bottom half, with a dark green shirt and pants underneath. His coat's design was reminiscent of an inverted haori, specifically white with black diamonds. He carried a fan. He wore traditional Japanese wooden sandals, geta, and a striped dark green and white bucket hat.

"Kisuke Urahara," Rukia said. "Rukia Kuchiki." he responded. He glanced at Ichigo. "Is this the one you wanted me to see?" Rukia nodded. "Yes. He has Hollow traits in him, yet he has human one's too. Do you think you could find out what he is?"

Kisuke frowned, looking Ichigo up in down. "It's definitely possible," the man said. 'He looks like an Arrancar,' Kisuke thought, but was silent. That mask was a dead give away for the mutated Hollow, however he trusted the girls judgement, even if slightly. Not only that, but she said human Reiryoku. Hollow's did not have human Reiryoku. Kisuke waved his hand, telling them to follow him as he walked into the back of the store. They followed, although Ichigo was hesitant, he did not know him after all.

"Tessai, can you run the store for a bit? I have something I need to check up on," Kisuke called out. A man appeared from a nearby doorway, nodding at Kisuke. Tessai was a tall, muscular, lightly tan-skinned man. His hair was cornrowed and he had a large handlebar mustache, which was connected to his long sideburns. He wore a pair of rectangular-shaped glasses. His attire consisted of a white muscle shirt with regular pants and a blue apron.

"Of course Urahara-san," Tessai said, walking through the back and to the counter. Kisuke sighed, glancing back over at them. "I keep telling him to call me Kisuke. I grew up with him, yet he still refuses to do so."

Ichigo staid silent, still studying the man with the cane. The man did not look dangerous, or in any way special, yet Rukia was positive he could find out what he was. It was rather unnerving, especially since the man seemed to be a regular human, yet by the way he talked to Rukia he obviously knew about Shinigami and Hollows.

Kisuke walked up to a trapdoor at the back of the shop, lifting it and revealing ladder. He slowly began his descent, followed by the duo as he did so. As Ichigo descended down the ladder and reached the ground his eyes widened. "No freaking way," he mumbled, awed. Rukia just giggled at his reaction, sitting down on a nearby rock. Kisuke outright laughed. "Yeah, I always get that reaction whenever somebody comes down here," he said.

The giant training ground was a large room with a ceiling and walls painted to resemble a cloudy sky over a floor of desolate, brown, craggy land dotted with dead trees, with rocks scattered around here and there.

"Impressive ain't it? I built the entire thing within a single day and night."

Ichigo looked at him incredulously. "There's no way." Kisuke shook his head, raising a single fear. "Oh quite the contrary my dear mutant."

Ichigo frowned at the word.

"I used the Soul Society's technology for it, it was quite possible."

Ichigo still didn't believe it but settled for silence, instead looking around the wide area. It was then he noticed it. Two people were in the middle of a battle, one female and one male, and seemed to be evenly matched, however they were easily changing the landscape with their brawl.

"There they go again," Kisuke said. "Jinta, Ururu, cut it out!" he yelled. Jinta was a small boy with red hair. He wore a white t-shirt with the Urahara Shop logo printed on the front and blue three-quarter length trousers, the bottoms of which were noticeably turned up. An oversized kanabo was in his hands.

Ururu was a young-looking girl with a perpetual blush on her cheeks who wore a white t-shirt with the Urahara Shop logo in pink print and a knee-length, pink skirt with white dots. She had round purple eyes and long, black hair with a purple tint. It was parted down the middle, with two strands of her bangs in the middle of her face, opposing each other. The rest of her hair was in pigtails with pink ties.

"Who's the downer," Jinta asked as he walked forwards, looking at Ichigo with wide eyes.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Kisuke said. Ichigo turned on him. "You know my name? But I never introduced myself."

"Rukia."

Ichigo looked at her, a mild glare settling on his features. She just whistled innocently.

"Why's he here?" Jinta asked rudely. Ichigo glared at the boy, annoyed with the smug and superior look on his face. However, it wasn't the look of one who truly thought that, it was more the look of someone who was just lazy.

"He needs something tested. That's why I told you to stop your fight, so you don't attack him by accident."

Jinta seemed to take that answer and was quiet after that, so Kisuke turned to Ichigo.

"Flare your Reiatsu."

"Huh?"

"You don't know how to do that? Rukia, he's useless."

Rukia simply smacked her forehead, a blush on her face. "What you did this morning Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Oh!"

"I freaking told you what Reiatsu was you idiot!" Rukia yelled. Ichigo rounded on her. "I'm fucking tired because of you though!"

"To bad! Grow up and stop whining about it you idiot!"

Ichigo glared at her, but she glared back at him, lightning shooting between their eyes.

"If you two would stop your lovers spat," Kisuke said, interrupting them. Both of them scoffed before simultaneously saying, "Not in a million years!"

"Rukia you likely will live that long, at Ichigo will just die and live that long afterwards."

Both of them glared at him before Ichigo closed his eyes and concentrated. "Right, flare it right?"

Kisuke nodded. Ichigo spread his legs before his Reiatsu flared upwards,sending a cloud of dust in every direction. Kisuke smirked, feeling out the power as Jinta and Ururu looked on in wonder. Kisuke was right to call them off. If they had felt this Reiatsu when they were fighting they likely would have attacked him, simply because of the Hollow-like feel it had, yet even they noticed the traces of human in it.

Before the Reiatsu faded Kisuke whipped out a vial, and whispered something that couldn't be heard. The black wisps of energy Ichigo was giving off was drained into the vial, filling it before Kisuke capped it.

As Kisuke did that Ichigo stopped powering up, dropping to his knees and panting. "How was that," he said between gasps. Kisuke smirked. "Perfectly fine. Now all you'll need to do is give me a little while and I'll get back to you on it. You're done here."

Ichigo nodded and turned to leave, but Rukia spoke up. "Actually, Kisuke I was hoping that we could train here. Ichigo definitely needs it, and since you know a thing-or-two about Hollows I was hoping you could teach him some stuff as he progressed."

Kisuke shook his head. "Nah, it wouldn't help much. You can train here, but Hollows are instinctive. When his body decides that he needs to learn something he'll learn it, it's just the way Hollows are."

Rukia nodded although Ichigo frowned. "So that means I'm essentially an animal?"

Kisuke shook his head. "No, you're a much more deadly animal."

"I think I'm going to hate you."

"Ah, that's impossible."

(-A Different Side to the Story-)

Ichigo and Rukia, in her gigai, walked down the street, just taking a regular stroll through the city, while also scanning the area for any Hollows. As they walked down the sidewalk they came to the street, waiting on the light. Ichigo's eyes widened as he saw Orihime standing across from them. Orihime's eyes widened.

"Kurosaki-kun, Rukia-san, good afternoon!" she called. Rukia smiled, looking at the girl pleasantly. "Hello Orihime, how is your day going?"

"It's been really tiring, but I've got to stay in a positive mood."

Ichigo nodded, smiling at her although he remembered Karin's words. 'But I don't like Orihime like that.' he thought, a frown mentally. The light turned green and they walked passed each other, waving before they went their separate ways. Ichigo did not notice the frown on Rukia's face.

'Those three markings on her leg,' Rukia thought with a frown.

(-A Different Side to the Story-)

Ichigo yawned as he lay against his bed, Rukia sitting on a chair in front of him.

"So, not a lot of activity today."

Rukia was surprisingly silent, before her eyes widened. "Duck!" Ichigo instinctively did what she asked, a good thing as a large red hand grabbed where his head used to be. Ichigo rolled off his bed, glaring at the creature that took form outside his room. Ichigo opened his window and hopped from the door, his blades swinging. The Hollow shot backwards, barely avoiding the strike. As Ichigo reached the ground Rukia appeared, already in her Shinigami state.

The Hollow was large. It was a red and brown, Naga-like Hollow. There was a black pattern on the top of its tail and its Hollow hole was in the center of its chest. Ichigo glared at the Hollow, who just screeched before rushing him. It raised a fist before sending it flying towards him, however Rukia blocked the fist. Ichigo shot in, his sword flying upwards, clipping the Hollow's mask. The Hollow screeched, opening a black portal before vanishing. Ichigo cursed, looking over to Rukia.

"What the hell happened there Rukia?"

"Those markings on Orihime's leg."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "At the stoplight, there were three markings on Orihime's leg as if she had been grabbed. Those markings likely came from that Hollow. It's why I was tense. That Hollow, it's after Orihime!"

"Let's move then!" Ichigo said, rushing over to Orihime's house.

(-A Different Side to the Story-)

Acidwire smirked as he appeared in his sisters apartment. He looked around briefly, finding that Tatsuki girl with Orihime. He frowned, his arm reaching out and batting Tatsuki out of the way. He then reached inside his sister, pulling out her soul.

Orihime's eyes widened, before she screamed at the large thing in front of her. "What are you?" she asked, stepping backwards in fear. Acidwire frowned. "It's me Orihime."

Acidwire then turned, rushing at Tatsuki, and bringing his fist downwards, however he stopped when he saw Orihime standing in front of Tatsuki. "Run Tatsuki! We need to get out of here!"

Acidwire smirked, placing a hand on his sisters head. "Foolish little sister. She can't hear nor see you."

"Little sister? How do you know me? How do you know my name?"

Acidwire frowned. "Have you forgotten even my voice!?" he roared, his body reaching the ceiling. Acidwire raised his fist before bringing it down, however a blade shot through the air, leaving a silver streak as it blocked the attack. Another blade shot through the air, cutting off the arm Acidwire was using. It was Ichigo and Rukia, respectively.

"You again!" Acidwire hissed. "You started it," Ichigo said, in a child-like manner. He then looked around, his eyes widening as he saw the two Orihime's. "I swear to God if you did what I think you did..." Ichigo mumbled. Acidwire smiled. "I killed her." His other arm shot forth faster than Ichigo could react to, sending him flying out the window, making Tatsuki scream at the actions that were happening, seeming like something was happening although she could not see what it was, only fuzzy shapes.

Rukia frowned, her eyes widening as she looked at Orihime's body. 'I have to be quick.'

Acidwire glared at Orihime, the original part of his face showing. "Have you truly forgotten me?"

Orihime's eyes widened as she remembered his face. "Brother?" Acidwire smiled. "Yes, it's your brother, and I've come to reclaim you from this Tatsuki and Ichigo, they were tearing you away from me!"

Orihime shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"After I died in the car accident you prayed for me every day. I felt happy you cared for me so much, protected even, yet as you met Tatsuki and Ichigo you began to pray less and less, until you stopped! You began to talk about those two! Eventually I felt so lonely, so lonely, my one-and-only sister had abandoned me, left me to the wolves. I wanted to take my rage out on something, anything, so I became a Hollow, so I could kill."

Orihime shook her head again. "That doesn't make sense. Why would you hurt them? Couldn't you have just told me!?"

"Shut up!" Acidwire roared. "You made me what I am! Deal with the consequences!" he roared, bringing his arm down. Orihime shook her head. "You're my brother! You're Sora Inoue!"

"No longer!"

Ichigo's shorter blade cut through the air, cutting Acidwire's forearm off at the elbow. Acidwire turned, snarling at Ichigo. "What's wrong with you!? Orihime is mine, and she should die for me, for my happiness!"

Acidwire charged, but Ichigo shook his head, raising his larger blade. Just as Ichigo was about to bring down his blade Orihime appeared between them, blocked the blow Acidwire had planned with his teeth. Orihime coughed, blood falling from her mouth as blood fell from her spiritual body.

"...I'm sorry, brother," she said. "I thought you wouldn't want me to stay sad all the time, and would want to hear about the happy things in my life so you wouldn't worry about me. It's not that I forgot about you, I always thought about you, every second of every day. I love you, you're my brother! I can't just forget that!"

Rukia smiled, walking up and putting a hand on Orihime's dead body. A glow overtook it before she walked up to Orihime, placing a hand on her shoulder as well. The blood flew back into Orihime's body, her wounds healing.

Acidwire let go of Orihime, sitting on the ground. "I knew it..." he said, his Hollow mask crumbling. "I always knew you loved me...I just felt better when you prayed for me."

"You're a selfish older brother you know that, thinking you're the only one who is sad. Look at her hair, she's wearing your hairpins." Sora glanced up, noticing her hair. He smiled serenely. He turned to Ichigo. "Slay me, please, before Acidwire takes over again."

Ichigo smirked, "Sure." His blade fell.

"Goodbye...brother."

"Goodbye...Orihime."

The blade carved through Sora's body.

Hey guys it's Kuma Akuma. I don't have much to say other than the poll outcome is Nel, meaning Nel will be Ichigo's girlfriend, meaning what I have in mind will be happening. You guys will just have to wait on it. That's pretty much it, along with check up on my other stories. See you guys later and avoid the Earl.