I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.
Smarten Up
Kurai dropped to the ground and stepped out of the way a moment before Ganju and Renji dropped Ichigo through the trap door into the massive underground training room Kisuke Urahara had below his shop. Kurai took the room in for a couple of moments as Ganju and Renji dropped into the room before Kurai turned back toward them.
"Who's first?" Kurai grinned.
The point of their trip to the room was simple. After being so thoroughly beaten by Jin Kariya, Ichigo had slipped into depression so strong his Spiritual Pressure had become suffocating. Now, they intended to beat Ichigo back into his senses. And Kurai still needed to send Nemu a recording of him fighting Ichigo.
"Me," Renji stated stepping forward and drawing his zanpakuto. "Here I come Ichigo."
He sprinted forward and slashed at Ichigo, who barely managed to block it. He slashed twice more and Ichigo blocked both but Renji was easily forcing him backward.
"Come on you coward!" Renji spat as he slashed again and again. "Put up a fight!"
Finally Ichigo stopped himself, blocking another slash and gritting his teeth.
"I never should have let Renji fight," Ganju shouted from off to one side. "In your condition pathetic condition even I could have whipped your ass!"
"Oh ya think so?" Ichigo shouted back at him. "Then why don't you come down here and prove it!"
"Don't let him distract you!" Renji growled, kicking Ichigo in the stomach.
"Now it's my turn," Ganju shouted as Ichigo landed below him. "Seppa! Become the power of sand!"
He drew a small circle in the air then slammed his hand down and a tidal wave of sand flooded down over Ichigo. Ichigo dug himself out as Ganju leapt into the air pulling out fireworks.
"Senpen Banka!" Ganju shouted hurling the fireworks at Ichigo.
Ganju landed beside Ichigo and began shouting in pain.
"The tears of blood bombs got me too!" Ganju complained.
He turned and ran away as Ichigo slashed at him, retreating to the top of a rock a safe distance away where he bent forward and swatted his rear tauntingly.
"Ganju!" Ichigo growled. "Come back down here and fight!"
"Sorry I don't take orders from a coward," Ganju laughed. "But I will you some more sand."
His phone rang before he could continue and he put it to his ear.
"Ganju here," Ganju answered. "Oh Hanataro what's goin' on? Oh right, I'll come right away. The store's busy so Hanataro says I've got to go back! You'll have to finish up!"
"Hey, what's the deal!?" Renji shouted as Ganju walked away. "You ask me to come along to help and then you just leave?"
"I don't want to go but Hanataro said I've got to get back to the shop right away," Ganju stated. "I'll see ya later."
With that, he turned and ran off.
"Now the guy's running away," Renji sighed before looking back at Ichigo. "Well, it doesn't really matter."
He spun, slashing at Ichigo who ducked under it and stepped away from Renji who switched to his shikai, swinging the blade around himself for a moment before swinging it around Ichigo. Ichigo tried to block it but it smashed his sword down and hurled Ichigo away.
"He was right about one thing," Renji spoke up. "You're in such a pathetic state right now that you can barely even defend yourself."
"Shut up Renji," Ichigo growled.
"Why are you afraid of Kariya?" Renji questioned.
"I am not afraid!" Ichigo spat.
"When did you turn into such a sniveling coward?" Renji asked, causing ichigo to stand up, gripping his sword tightly.
"I'm no coward Renji!" Ichigo growled.
"Zabimaru, roar!" Renji shouted sending his blade at Ichigo as Ichigo charged.
Ichigo blocked the blade, knocking it away, before continuing. Renji swung the blade down at Ichigo again and Ichigo blocked it over his head, continuing forward. After a moment, Renji retracted his blade and swung at Ichigo, keeping the blade locked together this time. Ichigo blocked that and several more.
"Since when did you start obsessing so much about winning and losing Ichigo?" Renji growled. "You are pathetic. That's the reason you're so nervous isn't it? 'I don't see how I can win.' Why are you wasting your time thinking about winning now? You never gave it a thought when you charged into the Soul Society!"
Renji leapt into the air and flipped over, sending Zabimaru at Ichigo again. Ichigo blocked it and their Spiritual Pressure began to fight against one another for a moment before the point between their blades exploded, launching Renji away. Ichigo walked out of the dust with his zanpakuto resting on his shoulder and a calm look on his face for the first time since his fight with Kariya.
"Looks like you found some of that old determination huh?" Renji smirked, his zanpakuto having been thrown away by the blast, but Ichigo silently continued walking toward him. "Hey, you're not going to hold that against me are ya? Wait, that coward stuff? I was just tryin' to give ya a friendly shove, ya know?"
Ichigo stopped in front of him, glaring at him for a moment before turning away.
"Thanks for the shove," Ichigo said. "It worked."
He started to walk away but Kurai dropped to the ground from the rock where he had been watching.
"Ichigo," Kurai spoke up stopping him. "If we're going to stand against Jin Kariya, either you need your bankai, or we both need to be stronger."
"I know," Ichigo nodded. "But now's not the time to redo my Bankai training."
"You don't need to," Kurai stated. "You just need to fight hard enough and work up enough determination."
"Pass," Ichigo sighed.
"It wasn't an offer," Kurai stated drawing his zanpakuto. "Renji, you'll be recording this."
"Why?" Renji questioned.
"I owe someone a recording of my fighting to test the results of an experiment I went through recently," Kurai stated. "Now, are you ready Ichigo?"
"I'm not fighting you," Ichigo stated.
"Then I guess I'll just have to find Rukia someone more worthy," Kurai stated. "Maybe someone like Renji."
Just as he said this, Renji, who had gotten a camera from Urahara, returned and got the camera going and facing Kurai at the same time as a furious Ichigo slashed at Kurai's head. Kurai blocked it but the force of the attack launched him sideways. He landed on his feet on the side of a rock then dropped to the ground.
"Impressive," Kurai commended. "This will be a lot more fun than I thought."
He sprinted down the rock then along the ground at Ichigo. Ichigo slashed at him but Kurai flipped over the blade before landing and spinning, slashing at Ichigo who blocked it then threw and elbow at Kurai. Kurai caught it then tripped Ichigo and drove his zanpakuto down at it.
"Wake up Haruko!" Kurai shouted as Ichigo rolled out of the way.
Ichigo kicked Kurai, launching him away before standing and charging at him. Kurai blocked the slash then spun past Ichigo and drove his sword at him. Ichigo spun, knocking the blade away and slashed at Kurai. Kurai managed to block the blade but Ichigo grinned.
"Getsuga Tensho," Ichigo growled.
The blast filled a hundred foot radius instantly with smoke and dust and when it cleared, Kurai was pushing himself up off the ground, dusting himself off and smirking at Ichigo.
"Now bad," Kurai smirked. "But not nearly good enough."
Kurai sprinted forward as Ichigo fired another Getsuga Tensho at him. This time, Kurai sidestepped it then slashed at Ichigo. Ichigo blocked the blade but slid back a few feet on impact. Kurai shoved Ichigo's blade aside and punched Ichigo in the jaw then stepped forward and slashed at him again. Ichigo blocked the blade, knocking it aside then stepped forward and stabbed at Kurai. Kurai smacked the blade away with his own and Ichigo pulled it back and began jabbing at Kurai rapidly. Kurai blocked attack after attack before dropping and sweeping Ichigo's legs out from under him. Then he rolled aside as Ichigo's zanpakuto drove itself into he ground where he had been. Kurai stood and charged at Ichigo again, slashed at him once before Flash Stepping behind him before Ichigo had even blocked his attack. Ichigo flipped his sword over his shoulder, blocking the slash then back kicked Kurai in the stomach and throwing him back. Kurai stood and smirked, dusting himself off.
"Not bad," Kurai smirked. "You're pretty good at using your hands and feet with your sword. Why don't you more often?"
"No need usually," Ichigo shrugged. "Usually my enemy fights at least relatively fairly."
"You think Kariya's going to fight fair?" Kurai questioned. "You think Aizen will?"
Ichigo recalled the circumstance behind his being beaten in two seconds by Aizen and growled in frustration, charging at Kurai again.
Kurai blocked his blade and shoved it away, smashing his knee into Ichigo's stomach then spun past him and smashed his face into the ground. Ichigo flipped, wrapping one leg around Kurai's throat and the other around his torso then flipped and smashed Kurai into the ground before stabbing downward at him. Kurai blocked the blade, barely redirecting it so that it missed him then smashed his knee into Ichigo's side, knocking him off himself. Then, he flipped to his feet and smashed his foot into the end of Ichigo's zanpakuto's hilt, planting it further into the ground before stepping up onto the sword and kicking Ichigo away from it with his other foot, retaining his balance perfectly.
"That's pretty low," Ichigo growled. "Taking away my sword."
"A true Soul Reaper can fight without one," Kurai stated. "Like so."
He tossed his zanpakuto aside and held out his hand.
"Hado Thirty One, Shakkaho!" Kurai shouted launching the spell at Ichigo.
Ichigo dove aside, avoiding the blast before sprinting at Kurai. Kurai dropped to the ground and met Ichigo's charge, blocking a kick then kicked the back of Ichigo's other leg and smashing his knee into the underside of Ichigo's jaw, launching him into the air. Ichigo flipped and spun for a moment before looking down and barely supporting himself on the air.
"You don't know that one do you?" Kurai questioned calmly walking straight upward on air before leveling out when he was even with Ichigo. "You'll get used to it quickly. For now..."
He charged, throwing at punch at Ichigo who blocked it then tried to knee Kurai in the stomach. Kurai blocked it with his free hand then pushed off of it, flipping over Ichigo and bringing the hand that had blocked the punch with him, pulling it backward over Ichigo's shoulder and making Ichigo let go just before Kurai kicked him in the side of the head, launching him sideways into a massive rock. Ichigo launched out of the dust around the crater he had made, streaking toward his sword. Kurai laughed once then used Flash Step to get between Ichigo and his prize.
"Out of the way!" Ichigo shouted throwing a punch at Kurai, who blocked it, then kicked Ichigo in the side of the head, blasting him away from the zanpakuto.
"Impressive," Kurai commended landing beside his own zanpakuto and holding out his hand. "But try this one. Bones of beasts scattered far and wide. Stable crimson crystals. Steel wheels. Wind in action, and the sky at rest. The sound of flying arrows. Hado Sixty Three, Raikoho!"
A ball of lightning formed in Kurai's palm and instantly fired at Ichigo as a bolt of lightning. Ichigo fired a Getsuga Tensho to block it but the spell blasted straight through and missed Ichigo only because he had thrown Zangetsu immediately after firing the attack. the lightning curved through the air, hitting the zanpakuto and blasting the ground instead, leaving a massive crater. Then, Ichigo walked over and retrieved his zanpakuto.
"Good move," Kurai smirked. "Slow it with a blast of your own then throw the sword to redirect the lightning. Impressive. You might just have the ability to stand against Kariya after all."
"Yeah," Ichigo growled. "But right now you should worry more about your ability to stand against me."
"Oh please," Kurai snorted. "It's not like you'd actually kill me."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Ichigo growled sprinting forward.
Kurai's eyes widened in surprise but the moment hi blocked Ichigo's slash, ichigo's other hand shot up and pointed his index and middle fingers at Kurai.
"Don't make me laugh," Kurai smirked.
"Sai!" Ichigo growled and Kurai's hand instantly shot behind his back, his zanpakuto spinning away.
"You bastard!" Kurai shouted leaping out of the way of a slash from Ichigo. "You can use Kido?"
"Only that one and it only works for me at point blank range," Ichigo stated. "But still."
"Damn," Kurai growled. "And I suppose you have every intention of attacking me while it's affecting me?"
"Of course," Ichigo grinned. "A true Soul Reaper can fight without his sword."
"My sword's one thing," Kurai growled. "But my arms are another matter."
Ichigo snorted in amusement and stepped forward, slashing at Kurai who jumped over the blade spinning and kicking Ichigo back then landed on his feet and began to try to pry his arms apart. No luck. Ichigo's Sai was much stronger than Kurai had expected. He'd have to wait until it wore off in about five minutes.
"Alright Ichigo," Kurai growled. "If that's the way it is, come get me."
Ichigo sprinted forward, slashing vertically at Kurai who flipped sideways out of the way before push kicking Ichigo back, making Ichigo bend forward before Kurai slammed an axe kick into the back of Ichigo's head, slamming him into the ground. Then, Kurai kicked Zangetsu away and jumped back from a kick.
"Not bad," Ichigo growled standing and spitting out blood. "Fine. No swords."
He charged at Ichigo and jumped spinning and sending one foot at Kurai who ducked under it then jumped, raising a leg and using his shin to block Ichigo's other foot. Ichigo landed on his feet and sent an elbow at Kurai, connecting with his right temple and sending Kurai staggering away, his head throbbing painfully. Kurai spun in time for Ichigo's fist to connect with the left side of his jaw, then the other fist on his nose. Kurai flew backward, spinning through the air before crashing into a rock and stopping. He leaned forward and spat out a mouth full of blood, more pouring out of his broken nose as Ichigo pulled Zangetsu out of the ground where it had landed.
"What a shame," Ichigo growled. "Looks like the great Kurai isn't so great after all. What happened to all that talk about finding someone more worthy for Rukia?"
"You actually bought that?" Kurai growled, voice distorted by the blood in both his nose and mouth. "I was just getting you angry you dumbass. You really think I don't think you're worthy of Rukia? Why do you think I trusted you enough to spare you and then help you and your friends in the Soul Society?"
"You wanted your childhood friend to survive," Ichigo stated lifting his sword. "Simple as that."
"I trusted you to save her," Kurai stated. "Even though I never could have. Even though I knew that you'd have to fight both Captain Zaraki and Captain Kuchiki. You're the only person I trusted to save Rukia."
"And you were right," Ichigo stated. "Getsuga Tensho!"
He swung his sword, sending the blast at Kurai who pushed off of the rock, barely getting out of the way of the blast. He landed in a roll, coming to a stop at the bottom of a small boulder where Ichigo now stood.
"Such a disappointment," Ichigo sighed. "You yield?"
"No," Kurai smirked as the spell finally wore off. "But you should. Hado Thirty Three, Sokatsui!"
He blasted the rock Ichigo stood on and Ichigo fell. Kurai spun, pushing himself up and looked around, spotting his zanpakuto in the distance. He turned and sprinted to it, drawing it and spinning in time to block a slash from Ichigo. He planted his feet and shoved Ichigo back. Ichigo pointed his sword at Kurai who grinned and sheathed his sword.
"That's enough," Kurai smirked. "Attack Kariya with that same determination. I don't know if it'll be enough, but it should work better than the last time."
Ichigo nodded and put his own sword away as Kurai turned to Renji. Renji tossed him the camera and Kurai replayed the fight, noticing where he had begun to underestimate Ichigo. He stopped it and rewound to the beginning then ejected the tape and tossed the camera back before opening a path to the Soul Society and releasing a Hell Butterfly and giving it the tape. It flew through and the Senkaimon closed behind it.
"Let's head back," Kurai suggested. "It must be late by now."
Ichigo nodded and the three of them headed back up the ladder and out the trap door where the others were waiting.
"What happened to your nose?" Rukia questioned as they arrived.
"Ichigo pulled a couple of tricks," Kurai stated looking back at Ichigo who grinned smugly. "In the end I'd say it was a draw though. Although, he did fare the best."
"I see," Rukia nodded. "Orihime would you mind healing him? In the mean time, I suggest we all get some rest. It's been a long day."
The all agreed and went their separate ways and Orihime left after healing Kurai. Kurai then went to the guest room he was staying in at the shop.
I wasn't sure about giving Ichigo Kido. I think I might give him one or two spells total. Let me know what you think.