I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.

Answer

"You've been lucky so far," the hollow, Grand Fisher, snarled as his hand crashed into Ichigo's zanpakuto. "How many times do you think you can get away with jumping into the lion's den without any strategy? Well today's the day your luck finally ran out, maggot!"

Suddenly, all four of his fingers sprouted claws which extended and impaled Ichigo through the chest.

"Shit," Kurai growled reaching for his zanpakuto but stopping, knowing Ichigo wanted to fight alone.

The claws all retracted from him and he nearly collapsed, stabbing his zanpakuto into the ground to stop himself.

"That'll teach you to be so reckless, amateur Soul Reaper," Grand Fisher sneered. "Rejecting your comrade's offer of help will prove to be your final undoing. And now you will die with the shame of not even having wounded the great Grand Fisher."

His other hand, which Saido had removed before being wounded while shielding one of Ichigo's two younger sisters, regrew from the hair that made up most of his body.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted running forward but Kurai caught her arm.

"Stay back!" Ichigo shouted. "I'll do this my way! Whatever it takes, no matter what it costs, even if I die, I'm gonna finish this!"

"Then die you will," Grand Fisher promised. "Because you let your passion and your rage to distract you from your purpose. And that distraction dulls your sword. You flail wildly but your physical skills are low and are not enough to defeat me. And now, I shall show you why your mind is not strong enough to defeat me either."

He swung the lure attached to his head around in front of him and wrapped a hand around the face.

"Behold!" He cried as he removed his head, leaving another face, which made Ichigo freeze.

"Is that, your mother?" Rukia questioned.

"Bastard!" Ichigo spat.

"Even the most cold-blooded Soul Reaper has one whom he can never kill," Grand Fisher stated. "That is a fact which you can not deny. By learning who that person it, I have evaded every Soul Reaper who has come before you, for over fifty years! And I have learned that for you, this is that one person."

"Do you remember me Ichigo?" the lure questioned.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called but faltered when a memory surfaced in her eyes.

"Well Soul Reaper?" Grand Fisher growled. "Can you draw your sword against your own mother?"

"Bastard," Ichigo spat. "How dare you defile her memory by bringing her into this? You disgusting freak! You make me sick!"

He charged again, preparing to slash but before he could, the lure moved into the way, stopping him.

"Ichigo you mustn't do this," the lure pleaded. "You mustn't hurt your mother. Please son, you must put your sword down. Do it for me."

Then, a spake made out of several hair spikes twisted together drove itself through his right shoulder.

"Didn't I tell you?" Grand Fisher lectured. "Your rage only serves to dull your blade. It makes you vulnerable, and now with my next blow I'll finish you off!"

He extended the claws of his left hand again.

"Now before you die, I want to tell you that after having faced so many Soul Reapers, you were the most foolish and by far the weakest of them all!"

He drove his claws toward Ichigo as Rukia screamed, "Ichigo watch out!"

Suddenly the lure began to glow a blinding white and electricity shot up from it, stopping Grand Fisher's attack.

"What?" Grand Fisher roared. "Why won't you die?"

"What is that?" Rukia breathed.

"The lure seems to have recorded Ichigo's mother's final thoughts," Kurai stated. "Which are now being transmitted to Ichigo."

Ichigo fell to his knees muttering something under his breath.

"Ichigo," Rukia called. "You have to help him Kurai."

"No," Kurai stated shaking his head. "You know why he's fighting. We cannot interfere."

Ichigo suddenly reached up, gripping the spike in his shoulder and gripping his sword more tightly.

"You made a mistake," Ichigo growled.

"And what's that?" Grand Fisher growled as Ichigo pulled the spike back out, pushing it away as the lure, once again his mother, moved into his way.

"You believed that my mother was the one person I could never harm," Ichigo stated. "And you're right. I could never harm my mother...before. But her place has been taken by another now."

With that, he sliced the lure in half and darted forward, stabbing Grand Fisher then twisted the blade and ripped it out sideways, spraying Grand Fisher's blood across the ground. Grand Fisher stumbled backward, holding his side and screaming.

"Curse you Soul Reaper!" Grand Fisher raged. "Who is it!? I must know! Tell me who it is!"

"If you insist," Ichigo grinned readying his sword. The person I could never harm now, is Rukia!"

He darted forward, slashing at Grand Fisher and removing his entire right arm as Grand Fisher leapt to the side.

"Damn it!" Grand Fisher swore. "I'll be back! You'll burn for this!"

He leapt into the air, flying out of sight quickly and then disappearing.

"Ichigo," Rukia breathed, walking over to him as he raged and shouted for Grand Fisher to come back so he could finish him. "Ichigo, it's over. You did it, you stopped him! Put down your sword and rest. This battle is over."

"No it isn't!" Ichigo raged. "It wont be over until I've killed him! I have to! I will avenge my mother!"

And with that, he passed out, falling onto Rukia, who caught him. Kurai and Saido, who had arrived to see the end of the fight, walked over and stood quietly off to one side.

"I'm glad you didn't die today, Ichigo," Rukia muttered laying Ichigo so his head rested in her lap. "I'm so thankful."

"You know your friend is something else," Saido commented. "As you know, the power a Soul Reaper possesses is determined by his life force. This kid's potential is a little frightening...Well, time for me to head home."

He stood from his crouch, putting his hat on and smiling.

"After all, two's company, three's a crowd," Saido added. "Isn't that what they say? It looks like our little Rukia's finally grown into a woman. Am I right?"

"Yes," Rukia mumbled after a moment.

"What's that?" Saido questioned. "I can't hear you."

"I said yes!" Rukia snapped. "Tell them that's why I'm here."

"I knew you'd come around," Saido smirked. "Don't worry, I'll say nothing about Ichigo's night job."

"Thank you," Rukia sighed. "And what about you?"

"I have no reason to force you to return," Kurai stated. "Orders and hollows both continue to come so I have no reason to risk the lives in this city. Besides, I wouldn't want to separate the two of you."

He grinned and Rukia rolled her eyes.

"I won't tell either," Kurai promised. "Good luck."

"You too," Rukia nodded.

And with that, the two Soul Reapers turned and left.

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