~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~ (Ryuuken's POV)

He sat on the couch, a medical book held between his fingers while he stared blankly into the script, seeing only his inner thoughts. He had meant it: when he said he would train Uryuu, and yet... this morning only seemed to set off warning bell after warning bell. He honestly wasn't sure what was going on in that head of his, but whatever it was, it gave Ryuuken goosebumps. So to actually have time to figure out what was going on, he attempted to stall for time. Breakfast had gone too fast, and Uryuu wouldn't leave him alone for long enough, so a suggestion of homework seemed to do the trick, and Uryuu was in his room for a few hours studying.

Using that free time, Ryuuken gave one of the psychologists at his hospital a call and against his nature, tried to delicately skirt around the details while still asking for advice. Surprisingly enough, the doctor agreed to meet them that evening even though it was his only day off in the week.

"We all know you can be heartless at times," Keto* told him. "But I know what it's like to worry about your child. Besides, job or not, you saved my daughter from losing her legs, so this is just my way of showing my gratitude."

Those words stayed with him long after the conversation had ended; long after he had decided how the events of the day were to play out. To drop everything for someone whom he barely knew, all because he had performed surgery that wasn't even life threatening... the idea baffled him, and yet, he understood it at the same time. That was, after all, what his own father had tried to teach him about the Quincy Pride. The same Quincy Pride he had forsaken because there was no profit in it. The same Quincy Pride that Uryuu held onto like an almost severed lifeline.

His thoughts were broken suddenly by a loud thumping noise from his library, and instantly he wondered if he had pushed Uryuu too far. Yes, it was obvious he was stalling, but Keto hadn't given Ryuuken the word he was on his way yet. Sighing, he glanced up, over his book as Uryuu marched into view, and arched an eyebrow despite his growing anxiety. Over the phone, Keto had warned him that someone in a psychotic episode would be more prone to over-the-top anger, and that until it was either confirmed or denied what Uryuu was going through, it would be best to keep him happy for now.

"I'm done with all these trivial things. Train me. Now."

Obviously, that wasn't going to be easy. Still, even with the overload of information Ryuuken had gotten today about how to act around the mentally unwell, he tried to prolong it, unsure now more than ever if giving Uryuu back a stake in the Quincies was really the best option. So with as gentle a voice as he could muster, he lowered his book before saying quietly,

"It's getting late in the day, though. Perhaps we should wait until tomorrow."

"No."

He should have figured.

"I'll train all night if I have to. We're doing this now."

Sighing inwardly, Ryuuken thought heavily on how this would change their plans. It was still early evening, and with Uryuu's state, there wasn't too much he could do in training except for run. Hopefully that would speed up the process, at least, and when he woke up, he could take him straight to Keto. Pursing his lips, Ryuuken knew this wasn't the best way to go about it, but he couldn't take any more chances. He just had to make sure he was there every step of the way.

He closed the book where it lay on his lap, he watched Uryuu's expression turn from defiance to an inflated joy that he'd never shown Ryuuken before as he said slowly,

"Grab whatever you need, then. There's a training ground underneath my hospital."

When Uryuu turned from Ryuuken, he took off in a dead run toward the stairs, bounding up them like he was five again, when Soken had promised to read him a bedtime story. The thought was bitter sweet, and left a nasty taste in his mouth. How could something so traumatic cause the boy to act like nothing had ever happened? His actions, his words, his outbursts... they were all confusing and contradicting. It almost made Ryuuken wish he'd taken a better stance on psychology much earlier in life. Maybe then... maybe then he would have caught this situation before everything became... distorted.

He just hoped he still had time to reach the boy.

~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~ (Uryuu's POV)

It was hard to keep the grin off his face, but he had to show discipline. He kept his gaze squarely focused away from Ryuuken as he watched the houses fly past on the way to the hospital. This was the first time since everything happened that he'd donned his battle costume, and it felt soft and wonderful on his skin. It gave him a sense of hope, even as he clutched the small, blue and white duffel back on his lap; hope that things really could go back to normal. Hope that when everything was all said and done, he would return to being a Quincy, battling Hollows, and all with his father actually supporting him this time around...

Just the thought of it all made it even harder to keep the grin at bay, but he still had to make sure he proved to Ryuuken he was worthy of this. He was just glad Ryuuken so dismissively told him to get ready; he clutched the bag a little tighter to his chest, his thoughts wandering to the Ginto vials he'd packed from his closet. They were there for any time of need, though when he originally stored them there, he could never have imagined that he would be using them against his father. Well, it might have been a possibility, but not in this situation, he amended.

Turning into the hospital parking lot put a halt to that train of thought, and instead, brought him back to fighting off a grin. This was it...! Finally, after all this time, he would be just as powerful as before and able to find and kill Ichigo for what he did. Then... and only then, would Ryuuken truly love him as a son. So it was with a deep breath that tried to calm himself down as the car was parked and Ryuuken began to get out.

Stalling, Uryuu waited until Ryuuken was halfway out of the car to ask if he could have a moment to 'collect' himself. His father watched him carefully before shrugging, and stepping fully out of the car. It was with that he felt a sudden sense of victory; if his father didn't know he brought Ginto vials, then his attacks could actually surprise him. It was a one time thing, of course, but he had to at least show him he wasn't entirely useless anymore.

He had to show Ryuuken that he was a son worth loving.

Carefully, he squirreled all seven vials away in his battle costume before stepping out of the car himself.

He was worth loving.

Right?

~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~

"I can train you to restore your powers," he said.

"It won't take too long," he said.

Diving out of the way of another barrage of arrows, Uryuu rolled behind another one of the large silver structures in the room beneath the hospital, slamming his back against it as he tried to relieve pressure on his lungs to take deeper breaths.

This wasn't good. If things kept up like this... A shifting in movement above him made his body react instinctively even before he was rested, and he dove to his right, narrowly missing being blown apart by a powerful arrow. As he rose onto his shaking legs, he found just how difficult it was to move anymore, and yet he pushed himself further, narrowly avoiding another rain of arrows coming after him. His chest was heaving with everything he had as he ran, trying to find the strength to turn around and attack, but his mind wouldn't stop swirling.

Ryuuken had said that this stupid game would return his powers, but he felt like he was no closer to being able to form his bow than he had been the first night Ichigo attacked him! It was like he was just stalling again! Even with his body shaking, he forced himself to a halt, turning around to confront Ryuuken like before as an arrow sliced past his cheek, the sting of pain registering as the arrow impacted the wall behind him, dust and fragmented wall blowing back at him. His entire body froze as he registered the look in Ryuuken's eyes; it was no longer kind or gentle. This was Ryuuken. A Quincy. A killer.

"Run..."

He watched Ryuuken draw back an arrow, and even as his legs trembled in their effort to move, his entire body seized up as he watched he arrow be loosed as Ryuuken's last words washed over him,

"Or die."

With a yelp, he threw his body to the left, feeling the scorching pain as the arrow sliced open his right shoulder, tearing his cloak and undershirt to all hell. Without time to think of how many hours he'd put into that cloak, there was a sudden noise above him, and just like that, his entire body went cold and the room, dark.

Swish.

With blood thrumming in his ears, Uryuu launched himself into a forward roll, the only evidence he'd avoided an attack was the rumbling of the ground and the wind behind him.

He's back.

It can't be. It just can't... Stumbling and struggling to get to his feet, Uryuu whipped around, hoping beyond levels to only see his father baring down on him, but the sight that met his eyes nearly drew a scream from his throat. It was his father's bow that was aimed at him, yes, but it was Ichigo's body the bow was wielded by. Choking back a sob, he backed up slowly, with each step hearing Ichigo's laughter echoing out around him. His hands were trembling but his eyes were stuck on Ichigo, even as another arrow fired. Still in the process of backing up, Uryuu accidentally yelped when his foot gave way underneath him and he fell backwards, off one of the higher pillars. The arrow passed over his head seconds later, but the sudden stomach flipping feeling of falling to his death seemed to release what hold Ichigo had over his body, and he quickly fumbled for one of the vials.

Muttering the incantation, he activated Wolke**, landing harshly on the Reiryoku and hurting his shoulder, but with no bones broken he could say that went well. At least, well enough to let Ichigo catch up with him; within seconds he could all but feel Ichigo's spiritual pressure behind him, and with a frightened yelp he dove out of the way again, reaching for the vials. There was hardly any time for moving, let alone thinking, and yet his mind spun with shadows dancing off the walls, waiting on Ichigo's call.

How could this be happening? Leave it to Ichigo to make his appearance right when Uryuu was at his limit... his limbs were shaking and he couldn't even rise to his feet without stumbling several times, hearing the mocking, cackling laughter echoing behind him. When he finally turned back around to face him, it took all the will power he could muster up to even stand there, facing the orange haired menace, knowing what could happen.

You're weak.

Uryuu swallowed, watching Ichigo's lips part and move, but whatever mocking words he had for him were left unheard.

You're wrong...! I'm not weak!

You said you'd kill him, but you're too scared.

No, you're wrong... It's not like that! I can't -

Do you want Ryuuken to watch you get raped again?

The thought froze Uryuu's body for only a split second; in that split second, he literally felt a part of him break. Just the thought...

He saw the arrow being loosed and it felt like his entire body reacted despite the strain, pain, and trembling, sending him charging forward toward the arrow, his entire body turning sideways just enough for the arrow to rip open his shirt and nothing more. He almost felt satisfaction in Ichigo's widening gaze and the halt to the cackling laughter, but it took everything he had to focus on what was going on. His entire vision filled with Reishi arrows as Ichigo fired several at once, and without thinking, he recited the incantation for Gritz***, watching as the Reishi seeped from the vial and swooped over him, encasing him in a barrier. He knew it was normally used to stop enemy movement, but he ducked behind the barrier and watched as arrow after arrow tore through the Reishi, ripping it slowly open.

Tightening his grip on the remaining vials, as soon as the barrage had ended, he sprang out with as much speed as he could muster, charging at Ichigo with all the will he could muster, reciting the Heizen**** as he went. Ichigo must have understood the words, because once again his eyes widened and he dodged as best as he could when Uryuu threw the Ginto vials, firing off one last arrow as he did.

Uryuu's entire vision exploded into an array of colors, and within seconds he was standing above a kneeling Ryuuken, the ground beneath him cratered and smoking. Had he... gotten rid of Ichigo? Had he done it? Had he really killed him?

That was when the pain hit. A blinding, white hot pain that began at his heart and scorched through his entire body. Chancing a glance downward, he noticed the fading light of an arrow protruding from his chest even as he felt his entire body give out underneath him.

... What happened...? Did he... lose?

Fire gave way to darkness long before Uryuu's head hit the ground.

~.X.~ ~.X.~ ~.X.~ (Ichigo's POV)

Where... was he? It was like coming out of a deep sleep that even your body doesn't agree to, and he could feel himself wanting to just turn over and go back to sleep. Sluggishly, he remembered falling asleep in the abandoned playground, so he must not be very comfortable. That was why he woke up.

But if that was really the case, why did something feel... wrong? Struggling to open his eyes, Ichigo felt a rising panic when he realized he couldn't roll over: more so, he couldn't move. It felt like he was entombed by darkness, and that very darkness was threatening to consume all he was. Had the Soul Society gotten to him while he slept? Maybe... maybe they had taken it easy on him; taken pity. Maybe they had just locked him up somewhere where he couldn't hurt anyone again.

While the thought was slightly more uplifting than being dead, he could still feel his anxiety growing with every second that passed.

He felt wrong.

A/N: *Keto - No, this is not a name of anyone actually in Bleach, this is an OC character for the purpose of MAYBE making Uryuu better. ~
**Wolke /***Gritz /****Heizen - Ginto Spells. wiki/Gint%C5%8D

Also as an added note, so the next chapter doesn't surprise anyone; I've always enjoyed the darker sides of explanations, and so I've used Willster328's idea on Uryuu's Power/Ryuuken's Sacrifice for these past few chapters. Please enjoy! (Link won't post, send me an IM for post)

Sorry about the long time it took to update; I really have no excuse this time, except I was putting it off. Hopefully, this chapter makes up for the wait, though! Until next time. ~