Chapter 13: Their strawberry is back

While Ichigo was making his way to three of his girls, they were not looking too good themselves. Yoruichi had a bad cut along her back and legs, making it very difficult for her to move at her fastest. Orihime was bleeding heavily from her head and arm, close to passing out and having an impossible time focusing to heal anyone. Rukia was the only one standing, albeit on wobbly legs. She was using her shikai right now, but was at a major disadvantage. Why? Both Blue Renji and Blue Byakuya were using their Bankai. It was a very dire moment for the three as the two fakes made their way towards them.

"It would seem that this is the end for you three." Blue Byakuya spoke to them in his usual tone.

Blue Renji placed the handle to Zabimaru on his shoulder, causing the large weapon to circle around him. "Guess this is the end, huh Rukia." He said to her with a smirk holding no malice. "I'm sorry it has to end this way."

"The real Renji and my real brother would never do something like this." Rukia spoke, trying to find strength in her words. "I don't know why Kageroza is doing this, but he will not succeed!" She got in her stance and could only hop some kind of help would get here in time.

Sighing, Yoruichi stood up from her kneeling position, leaving a barrier in front of Orihime. She limped over to stand next to Rukia and flared her Shunko, pouring the last of her energy into it. "This isn't gonna end the way you think, little Byakuya." She smirked at seeing the scowl on the fakes face, trying at least to get under his skin one last time.

"It is time to end this." Blue Byakuya began as the sakura petals of his Bankai circled around him.

Blue Renji sighed as he lifted the handle up and the rest of Zabimaru rose up as well. "I guess so."

Yoruichi and Rukia waited for any moment to strike that they could take advantage of, but didn't expect for the fake Kuchiki to launch his blades at them with his hand. The speed of it would be too much for Yoruichi to move herself and Rukia at the same time, especially with a bad leg. Yoruichi, in that split second, grabbed Rukia by the collar and threw her away from the incoming attack.

"YORUICHI!" Rukia yelled out while she was still falling to the ground. The last thing she saw of the dark skinned woman, was nothing but pink. Rukia landed on her back and looked on in horror as the petals covered the womans entire form in a ball. "No." Rukia spoke up as she tried to stand up only to see Renji's Bankai headed right towards her at the last moment. Right before it was able to sink its jaws onto her, Rukia's last thoughts were to the man she couldn't even say her true feelings to. 'I'm sorry Ichigo.'

She closed her eyes and accepted her fate, only it never came. She sat there for what felt like an eternity as nothing happened for the longest time. She cracked one eye open and found that the large snake/baboon like Bankai was stopped by one person's hand. She looked up to see who this person was and went wide eyed at the familiar mop of orange hair. She focused her blurry vision and tried to stand up on her own two feet to get a better look at him, hoping this wasn't what death felt like. Her answer came at the sound of his voice.

"Rukia." He started as he turned his head towards her. Her eyes nearly came out of her head when she saw him standing there with the same, determined look in his eyes, the beautiful brown eyes. "Are you okay?"

Rukia could only nod as a few tears came down her face, but then she realized that this was no time for that. "Wait. Yoruichi, she's-"

"Right here in my arms." Ichigo cut her off as he held an unconscious Yoruichi in his free left arm. She had more cuts on her body now, thanks to Blue Byakuya, but Ichigo was able to get to her in the knick of time. "Rukia," he started as he felt Blue Renji push onto him. "Take Yoruichi and get to Orihime." He strained out a bit. Ichigo may have more strength now, but that didn't make him all powerful to hold off a Bankai with one hand. "I was able to heal her a bit before I got Yoruichi, so she should be able to heal you both without passing out. Go!"

Rukia nodded and resealed her zanpakuto. She took Yoruichi and left to where Orihime was in the courtyard. Once they were out of harms way, Ichigo used both hands to push Zabimaru off of him. He noticed that he didn't absorb the spirit like he done the others whenever he touched their blades.

'Maybe it only works for their sealed state and shikai's?' Ichigo thought to himself as he saw the shocked looks on both fakes faces. He didn't really think much of it as he was too upset at the fact that these two hurt his girls, and for that, they were gonna pay.

Blue Byakuya narrowed his eyes as he examined Ichigo's form. Some of the new parts and colors to him were new, meaning that he had newer zanpakuto's. "It seems you've been busy since your untimely death, Kurosaki."

Ichigo's answer was to bring out Benihime in her sealed state and get into stance.

Blue Renji recognized the blade and visibly paled. If Ichigo had the Reigai of Kisuke's zanpakuto, then that means this battle could get even more difficult than before. Blue Renji prepared himself for a battle while his captain was trying to figure out what all the pieces to Ichigo's body meant.

"You two are gonna pay." Ichigo spoke in a low tone, causing Blue Renji to sweat a bit. Ichigo let Benihime glow a vibrant red color before disappearing from sight. The speed was shocking to the two as it was faster than how Ichigo usually was even in his old Bankai. They couldn't think too hard on it as Ichigo appeared within Blue Renji's close perimeter. "Sing, Benihime."

He swung his sword and an arch of red energy flew from his blade, striking the fake dead on in the chest. The fake flew away a considerable distance as Byakuya tried to summon his blades back to him, but something wasn't right. When he called to them, nothing happened. He turned to where they were supposed to be and saw that the dome that had encapsulated Yoruichi was frozen solid in ice. Blue Byakuya went wide eyed before hearing something that made him flinch.

"Shibari, Benihime."

Blue Byakuya turned too late as he was captured in some kind of black binding that pinned him to the ground. Ichigo quickly stabbed the net and said in a whisper. "Hiasobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi."

The fake of Byakuya tried to use the technique that Yoruichi had taught him as the balls of fire came closer to him, but the bindings restricted it somehow. The last thing he saw was the hardened look in Ichigo's eyes as the fire finally consumed him. The fire shot high into the air and all that was left of the fake was the clothes that quickly turned to ash.

"One down." Ichigo started as he turned to see where Blue Renji was only to find that the crater he was in was empty. He sighed in annoyance as he wanted to make the fake pay for hurting Rukia, but someone must have gotten him while Ichigo was focusing solely on defeating the fake Kuchiki clan head. Making sure the Shibari negated the use of Shunpo did take its toll on Ichigo though. He let out a heavy breath and let go of Benihime. The blade disappeared for later use.

Ichigo turned to where his three girls were and smiled when they looked fully healed. They were all amazed by his power but were happier just to see him here in the flesh once more. Ichigo smiled to them as he could only think of one thing to say right now.

"Did ya'll miss me?"

His answer came when all three tackled him to the ground at the same time. Safe to say, he probably had a few bruised ribs by how hard they were squeezing him, but in his opinion, totally worth it.

Back in action now. I decided to have a little rule with Ichigo's ability to steal zanpakuto spirits. If they are in Bankai, he can't steal them since that is when a soul reaper and a zanpakuto are as close to one another as possible. Hopefully that doesn't make him seem like an OP mofo. I'll explain how and why he has this ability later on.

Who would ya'll like to see him take next? Ones that are off the table though: Ryujinjakka. Just because I don't plan on having a Reigai of the head captain in it. Sorry.

Stay awesome and as always.

PEACE!