AAAAND WE ARE BACK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Last time, our sword wielding duo reached the Eldin Volcano, Link being completely unaware that Ichigo had met with and helped Zelda in her endeavors. His beloved Goddess will have to wait, however, as a new worry enters Link's already troubled mind: He and Fi are cursed, and unless they beat it, they will DIE. *Laughs maniacally*

Link: Uh…

Fi: Master, I calculate a 99.99% chance I am experiencing what humans call "fear for my life".

Link: Me to, Fi… Me too…

Oh quit whining, you two! Yo, Karin! Do the disclamer, would you?

Karin: Fine… BladeOfThePoet does not own The Legend of Zelda or Bleach.

Soul Society

Yuzu was… bored, really. She couldn't really complain, but the 4th Squad barracks didn't offer much in the ways of entertainment. Originally, she and her family were all going to stay in the 1st Squad barracks, next to the Head Captain himself so they'd receive news regarding Ichigo and the others immediately, but the Captain of the second squad vehemently refused to let the three Kurosakis be in the same location. She said that the last thing they needed was another Kurosaki attack. Yuzu chuckled nervously at the thought of her big brother storming the place (which, from what she had heard, did happen.)

"Come oooon, let's go somewhere. There's so much to explore here!" Well, at least she had company. Ever since her bow had appeared, she could hear the feminine voice of the spirit that inhabited it. She seemed to have an intense wanderlust, which Yuzu had to admit she kinda shared.

"You know we can't. We'd get in trouble." She admonished the Spirit. "Do you want me to get in trouble, Bow-chan?" The spirit growled in agitation.

"Damn it all, I told you my name is _" Sadly, the girl was unable to hear the spirit's name. Again.

Sighing, Yuzu laid back on her cot. "Still can't hear your name, Bow-chan…" She heard the spirit sigh sadly, so she decided to change the topic. "Ne, what are you?"

"Pardon?"

Yuzu gulped. Her spirit sounded angry at the question. "I-It's just that you're not a sword like most people here have. You're a bow so… what are you?" The Spirit was silent for a few moments.

"… Great, you just gave me an existential crisis. Thanks, gaki…" The sarcasm was strong in this one. "Well, I really don't know either. I'm not a normal Quincy bow, cuz I'm 100% solid – and sentient – but I'm no Zanpakuto either. I guess I'm in-between the two. We can thank your mom and dad for that. Engetsu otou-san should be able to explain it."

"Engetsu?" The blond inquired.

"Hai, my dad. You dad's Zanpakuto. He's nowhere near as annoying as your dad though. Otou-san is usually dead serious except when the three of us, Zangetsu, Hangetsu and me, _ are together with him. He lightens up a bit then." Yuzu had a hard time picturing someone like that was part of her father. "Trust me, I can't believe it either. Your dad drove everyone here insane with his laziness and antics."

Well, that much she DID picture with ease.

Eldin Volcano. Half an hour after Link's arrival

"So… How are we supposed to subjugate this… curse thingy?" Link asked tentatively. All of a sudden his worries about Zelda were pushed aside by the thought of his body being used for evil. He and Ichigo had been walking down a rocky path (or what remained of it), guiding themselves with Fi's dowsing ability. The place was full of bokoblins, and a few moblins here and there, but nothing to cause too much trouble.

"It's kinda hard to explain…" Ichigo answered, reminiscing to his training with the Vizards. "You have to… how to say it… go into yourself." Judging by Link's confused expression, Ichigo's explanation was not working. "Ok, let me rephrase: You have to go into your own soul and beat the bastard. It ain't gonna be easy though." Link shrugged, although his left hand was trembling ever so slightly.

"Eh, just beat up my evil clone, how hard could it be?" The Hero laughed nervously, but his laughter died when Ichigo glared at him. That glare would've had Ghirahim trembling in his boots.

"It ain't a joking matter, Link." Ichigo's tone was cold and dead serious. "That bugger will know you better than you know yourself. Same goes for Fi and her counterpart. He is the embodiment of your darkest thoughts and desires… I think." Link nearly tripped when he heard the last two words.

"You think!? What the heck do you mean, you think?" Ichigo was tempted to punch the kid then and there, but swallowed it down.

"I think it's different according to the person…" he stopped to slice down a bokoblin. "A friend of mine's Hollow seems to be more loneliness and pain, while Hichigo is the incarnation of my most primal instincts… or so he says, at least. Got no reason to trust the madman."

'Other than, hey! If you die, it's game over for me too, King!' Ichigo ignored him and the two swordsmen kept walking, not noticing the bokoblin archer hiding behind a rock.

'Gihihi! If I kill the boy, I shall be rewarded!' The red creature chuckled to itself, readying its bow. That's when he saw the blue spirit pop out from the sword. He stared at the spirit. 'Hm… the blue thing comes out of the sharp thingy. If I kill her, the boy will be sharp-thingy-less!' He peered out, taking aim. Meanwhile, Link and Ichigo had stopped to listen to Fi.

"Huh? Is something the matter Fi?" The Hero of the Skies asked, worried about his partner. Ever since finding out her curse was manifesting faster than his, he felt a lot more protective of her.

~ Master, according to my calculations, I believe we'll find Zelda at the top of the mountain ~ She said. Link looked up to the summit… which was blocked by massive rivers of red hot lava. He turned back to the spirit.

"Something tells me we're gonna have to find a different route… Maybe through the caves we saw back…" A small glint of light in the corner of his vision caught Link's attention. He saw the Bokoblin aiming at Fi just before it let the arrow loose. Pure instinct overcame the Hero at that moment. "Fiona, WATCH OUT!" He tackled Fi out of the way, the arrow impaling itself harmlessly in the chainmail he wore under his green shirt. The creature didn't have time to prepare another shot as a wave of pure spiritual energy destroyed him.

Ichigo growled as he put Zangetsu over his shoulder. "Damn things, they pop out from everywhere!" He turned his attention to Link and Fi. The latter looked… distraught? 'Now that's weird…' The blue spirit slowly turned to Link.

~ M-master… W-what was that name you... you called me by? ~ A horrible feeling welled inside Fi's robotical mind. She felt something stir within her, something that she didn't even know was there. Link looked just as confused as she did.

"I… I don't know…" He answered. "When I saw the arrow… everything went blank." Ichigo stepped forward, kneeling in front of them.

"I think you called her Fiona… Does that mean anything to you, Fi?" Fi looked down, eyes closed. The Heroes of Sky and Souls could hear a soft whirring coming from her, which reminded Ichigo of his computer when it was overheating.

~ I… I have no information regarding the name 'Fiona' in my data banks… However I… I feel something when I hear it… ~ Link was worried now. Fi always spoke with precision, leaving out no detail. Ichigo shrugged.

"Meh, I'm sure it was nothing." He said nonchalantly. "I'm sure it was only Link spacing out again and saying the first thing that came to his empty little head" He gave Link a couple of knocks on the head to prove his point. To the annoyance of the Hero, it did sound hollow.

"Hey, cut that out already!" He swatted Ichigo's hand away. Ichigo chuckled and pulled the two to their feet.

"Come on. It's gonna take us the better part of the dayto get up this damn mountain."

As a matter of fact, it did. Even though the cave systems under the mountain were extensive and helped them a lot, the combined effects of the heat and the seemingly endless walking and fighting wore the travelers down. The Mogma Mitts they received from helping the curious creatures known as the Mogma did come in handy (although Ichigo said he wanted nothing to do with the underground). By the time they had finally emerged, the sun was already gone.

"That… took longer than I thought it would…" Link muttered, weary from their long walk. Ichigo stretched his back next to him.

"Yeah, no kidding. Maybe we should stop and rest for now. I do NOT want to know what lurks here at night." Ichigo looked up the mountain. He wasn't sure if Zelda was still there, and he knew that Link wasn't meant to find her just yet. Link looked about to protest, when Fi silenced him.

~ Master, Ichigo is correct. I calculate a 95% chance that you are exhausted, and a 99% chance that you wish to keep going as a result of what humans call "Stubbornness". I advise against such reckless behavior. ~ Link sighed.

"Fine, we'll stop and rest for the night..." He sulked, showing he really wanted to keep going.

"Ah, relax, I'm sure Zelda isn't going anywhere soon. I doubt she's that fast" Ichigo said. Halfway to Lanayru Desert, said blonde sneezed.

'Someone's talking about me…' She thought angrily.

Back to the heroes.

Link had thankfully thought that he might get hungry while on the surface with no chance to return to Skyloft, so he'd gone ahead and bought some pumpkin soup to go, kept in the ever handy empty bottles he carried. They warmed the soup on the stone around a lava pit, and quickly drank their share. Ichigo was honestly surprised by how much those little bottles could hold.

Ichigo looked around, the area well lit by the intense fire and lava around. "Oi, you get some sleep greeny. I'll take the first watch." Link wanted to protest, but Ichigo's slightly sadistic grin stopped him. "Zangetsu and I are gonna train you and Fi to the ground so you can defeat your curses. You'll need your energy. So trust me, you want to sleep now." And with that, he went to sit a little ways away from him. Unnerved by his friend's words, Link lied down on his hat and, somehow, managed to fall asleep.

DREAM!

Link found himself walking through a vast, green field. He could see the Demon army's campfires, miles and miles away. It would take them at least three days to reach them, assuming they didn't fly. But tonight he wasn't going to worry about that. His eyes were suddenly covered by a pair of smooth, small hands.

"Guess who?" A feminine, beautiful voice reached his pointy ears. The young soldier couldn't help but smile.

"Hm… Hylia herself? Who else could have such a lovely voice?" He didn't have to look to know he'd made the girl blush. He quickly whipped around, trapping his surprised companion in a hug. She was a petite woman, with short, choppy blue hair and deep blue eyes. "Of course, no one else but you, my dear." The girl blushed crimson at the praise she received.

"You flatter me, my handsome knight." Illuminated only by the moonlight, they shared a quick kiss, unaware of the jealousy-filled glare they were receiving from the realm of the Gods. "Why did you call me here tonight? We're not supposed to leave the city, with the Demon army so close." Link smiled reassuringly at her.

"It's alright. I had my men scout the area a while ago. I just wanted to ask you something." He couldn't help but grin at her confused expression. "We've known each other for many years now. When I was imprisoned, you were the only one that believed in me." The girl scoffed.

"Hmph, I was the only one in the village with half a brain in her head…" She retorted.

The man seemingly ignored her. "Your visits to my cell were a blessing, and I hoped for the day we might be reunited. Do you remember what we promised when we were little? In this exact same spot, under the moonlight, 10 years ago?" The girl blushed.

"I remember, but why are you bringing it up no…" Her words were cut short when Link went down on one knee. From his pouch, he pulled out a small ring, with a diamond shaped sapphire embedded in the band. She gasped at the sight.

"You have brought light to my life. Without you, I would've succumbed to the darkness a long, long time ago." Link began. "So I ask you, after this war with the Demon Lord is over, will you marry me?" The girl looked at the ring, shocked, for a few seconds, before tackling the man.

"Oh, Link, yes! Yesyesyes a million times yes!" The two kissed, sealing their promise for the future as the girl slipped on her ring. "I love you, Link…"

"And I you, my dear F…"

"-UCKING WAKE UP ALREADY!"

"WAH!" Link's dream was brutally terminated by Ichigo yelling into his ear. The young hero jumped away, his hand going to his sword… only to find it gone.

Ichigo smiled as he waved the Goddess Sword over his head. "Looking for this, mate?" Link growled at Ichigo. How dare he take the sword of the Goddess?

"Hey! Give it back!" Link ordered, taking a step forward. In a second, he was slammed against the ground by some unseen pressure. Ichigo grinned from his spot a few meters away.

"Sure, just come and get it." He held the sword in front of him. All Link had to do was stand up and grab it. Easier said than done, as the pressure on him was relentless.

Link groaned, trying to stand up. "W-what is this? Why can't I stand up?" The Hero said as he forced his limbs to respond.

Ichigo laughed heartily. "Reach me, and I'll tell you."

And so began the Hero's tort… I mean, intensive training.

Elsewhere

She hated it when they came here. Whenever Ghirahim wasn't out looking for the Goddess, they returned to the demon realm, a place Rukia felt didn't welcome her, despite her master's assurance that she'd stayed in the realm many times before. Even so, she always found ways to distract herself, like, for instance, polishing her sword.

"What's bothering you, Rukia?" Her sword asked her. Ghirahim had told her that the sword was like himself, a demon that took the shape of a weapon for their master.

The tiny girl sighed. "I dunno, Sode… I can't stop thinking about that carrot haired man." The image of the man was imprinted in her head, taunting her with the memories she had lost. "Ghirahim-sama said he was just a random warrior but… why do I feel like I know him?" The spirit materialized next to her master, the same expression of confusion in her face.

"I… I don't know, Rukia. I too feel a… a bond with him, you could say. Or rather… with his sword. I could feel the spirit in his sword, calling out to me when we fought." They both sighed, resting their heads against each other's.

Rukia sniffled a bit, tears threatening to spill. "Why can't we remember anything? I see that man and I… I don't want to fight him. I want to fight alongside him but… he's human and we're demons… right?" Before the snow-white spirit could answer, Ghirahim walked past them.

"Rukia! Get ready, my darling, I have found a trace of the Goddess! We're off to Eldin!" The flamboyant Demon Lord yelled, not even looking in her direction.

Rukia nodded and stood quickly, her sword spirit returning to her home. "Hai, Ghirahim-sama."

Welp, that's it for now guys! What is that dream Link had, and why did he call Fi, "Fiona"? Who was that girl in the dream? Why is Sode no Shirayuki suffering from amnesia too? Find out all these answers next time! This is BladeOfThePoet, logging out!

PS: The reason Yuzu can't hear her zanpak-bow's name, but Karin is able to hear her Zanpakuto's, is because Yuzu's spiritual power is dismal compared to her sister's. Remember that Karin can not only see ghosts, but also infuse items with her spiritual energy, as shown when she striked a Hollow with a reiatsu enhanced ball. Admittedly, it barely tickled the thing, but then again, it was an Adjuchas level hollow, not just a garden variety lesser hollow. Yuzu, on the other hand, only knows when something's around, but cannot see them (except for the isolated, Anime-only case of the super spirit cat Raku).