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WARNING MASSIVE SPOILERS

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Bloodbath

Hollows! This close to Seireitei. The 13th District was supposed to be safe. Ever since the incident with Grimmjow, patrols had increased in size and frequency throughout Rukongai. Ganjyu fretted his decision to leave his Zanpaktou in Seireitei, even his fireworks had been depleted. It was supposed to be a peaceful outing and now it was quickly being turned into a nightmare. Yukino and Hyou could only gape at their first Hollow encounter.

Two pairs of vacant eyes examined the room intensely. They finally found someone who interested them and a smile peeled away their faces, revealing rows of serrated teeth. The two groups within the inn looked worriedly at each other. Rukia, forsaking any sense of propriety now tore the bottom half of her Yukata off. Years in the Arrancar wars had taught her how to lead men in battle.

"Everybody! RUN!"

She vaulted over the veranda in one swift move, landing on the soft grass outside. She ran through the open meadow, glancing back to make sure everybody followed. Over a dozen Shinigami students were jumping, leaping or flipping over the railing. She made out the fiery colour of Yukino's hair, Ganjyu's great bulk and Hyou's panicky expression under the moonlight. Though all were trained fighters to some degree, this was the students' first true Hollow encounter. Except Ganjyu, they were all absolutely terrified.

"Where's Ichigo!" Rukia asked.

"He's holding them off with Saito, said he'll catch up soon."

"That idiot! He didn't bring his Zanpaktou!" Rukia cursed. "Get these guys to safety, I'm going – "

A united scream cut her sentence short. Turning around, her eyes bulged. Four more Hollows blocked off their avenue of escape. Students panicked and ran back towards her. Hyou and Yukino stood, transfixed by the scene.

Ichigo stepped defiantly beside Saito, who had drawn his sword. He seemed relaxed, unlike the rest of the students, keeping his eyes steadfast on the Hollows.

"Kurosaki-san, I believe this is the first time we've fought together."

"Yeah," Ichigo responded flatly. "Let's hope it's not the last."

"Kurosaki-san, I…" Saito to seemed to struggle for words. "I…ah… Kurosaki-san, it is a great honour to fight by your side."

Ichigo frowned at an embarrassed Saito, not knowing what to make of his statement. The Hollows regarded them with a little curiosity. A snigger left its lipless mouth. "Ho Ho! This will be fun! Looks like Ichigo will put up a fight."

Ichigo! The Hollow knew his name. He shot forward, bouncing off the wall to gain height. "Who sent you! Why do you know my name?"

Ichigo received an answer in the form of a large reptilian tail, lashing down on him. Covering his face with his arms, it hurled him back through the wall. Spurred into action, the other Hollow lashed out with its talons. Rolling aside, Saito barely avoided the fatal blow. Turning around he slashed with his Zanpaktou, its edge biting into scale and flesh, drawing blood.

Rukia attempted to retain some semblance of order within the group. Herding slowly, the Hollows had the group penned up in a small cluster. A few of the armed students drew their weapons unsteadily. Shaking, they put on their best front and tried to rally against the foes. Hyou grabbed Yukino's hand, drawing her behind him and Ganjyu. She slapped away his hand. When he turned around, she was scowling. She crouched slightly, into a fighter's stance. Ganjyu laughed. "Guess she wants a piece 'a the action."

The Hollows struck at once. One student died instantly when she couldn't leap away in time. Her head was squashed like an overripe pumpkin, spilling it's juices over the soft, green grass. Fuelled by vengeance, the armed students retaliated. Hacking and slicing blindly, they sprayed blood in all directions. A lucky thrust found its mark in the creature's eye and its body slowly disappeared.

Kenjimaru dodged attack after attack, but without his Zanpaktou he was helpless. His shikai still hadn't healed after his duel with Kurosaki. His Hakudo skills were average but against a true opponent, he wasn't sure how long he could last. He skipped to the side as the Hollow whipped its tail. The momentary pause allowed him to run up the beast's spine and to its broad back. Clasping his hands around the protruding horn on its mask, he clung for dear life as the monstrosity wailed in protest. Blindly, it clawed its back, trying to dislodge Kenjimaru.

"Filthy soul! I'll kill ya! Then eat ya! Then kill ya again!" the Hollow cursed as it lashed out, crushing another student and flinging the body at Kenjimaru.

Rukia swore silently, cursing herself for trying to act like a proper lady. Today of all days, when she needed her Zanpaktou most, it was not here. She was had no choice but to rely on her kidou. This had been third time she'd tried to cast her kidou spell. Each time a Hollow struck, interrupting her incantation. There was no room to run. She needed space but abandoning her position would mean more student deaths. She had no choice now. She knew she was close to doing it anyway. Stepping backwards, the huge knife like claws clamped down on the ground before her where she had just stood. Stamping on the talon with one foot, she used all her strength to pin down the paw. Pointing her palm outwards. "Demon Art, number 31 – Shakkahou (1)!"

The Hollow shrieked in pain. It lurched backwards, its hand springing out of the ground as it went to cover its burning mask. The sudden strength of the Hollow came as no surprise to Rukia. Following its momentum she allowed herself to be flipped through the air. Landing on the shoulder of a terrified student, she bounded back even faster, beginning her spell casting in mid air.

"I'll eat you alive! Bitch!" the Hollow screamed.

When it uncovered its face, Rukia was ready on its mask. Palm resting flat on his temple, she released the spell. "Demon Art, number 31 – Shakkahou (1)!"

Magical fire coursed through the creatures body, incinerating it to cinders. Rukia surveyed the area, quickly noting the situation.

Ganjyu, Hyou and Yukino held their ground. The Hollow attempted to stomp them into panini. Diving, Ganjyu landed between the creatures legs. Summoning up reiatsu he placed his palm to the ground. "Renkinsebbasen! (2)"

The ground around him changed into sand instantly trapping the Hollow. "HAHAHA!" Ganjyu sniggered. "You're trapped."

Attempting to leap back, he made a stunning discovery. "Shit! I'm stuck too!"

The Hollow sneered at the immobile Ganjyu. Lifting it's arm back it was going to make short work of the stout man.

"Demon Art, number 4 – Byakurai! (3)" Hyou shouted above the din.

Hyou had advance to this spell already, being the best Kidou user in the year. However, today, the best was not good enough. The spell shimmered and sparked harmlessly on the Hollow's chest. It bore its piercing gaze upon Hyou.

"That was the weakest ki…"

Before it could finish, Yukino had launched into the air before its face. Punching with all her might and summoned reiatsu at the foul mask, she was rewarded by a crack. Pirouetting in mid air, she smashed out with her heel in a spinning kick, further splintering the mask. Landing on the ground she met the sweeping arm of the furious Hollow. Calmly, she lowered and stretched out her stance further, hand almost touching her leading foot. Palms open and upwards, she waited for the gargantuan limb to reach her. On contact, she lifted her arm up, raising the Hollow's fist in a lever like action. Her body leaned backwards, ramping the weight above and over her, utilizing its own momentum. Adding her own force behind it, she allowed herself to flip over on her hands and plunged her feet into the back of the giant arm. Overshooting the target, the Hollow unbalanced and over swung.

"Demon Art, number 4 - Byakurai." A bolt of lightning speared forth through the Hollow and shattered it's mask. "Was that strong enough?" Rukia asked the air with a smirk, to the space formerly occupied by the Hollow.

Ichigo picked himself up and stormed through the wreckage. Saito stood on the Hollows head, thrusting his Zanpaktou into its skull, carving through the mask as he withdrew. Ichigo ran frantically as he watched the last Hollow hurled itself at Saito. As a late reprieve, Saito managed to bring his Zanpaktou around and blunted the force of the Hollows attack. Ichigo shunpo'd, ramming into its side with his shoulder. The Hollow crushed the neighbouring building as it landed. Ichigo howled a war cry as he leapt into the air. The vile being lashed out with its tail again.

"Oh no you don't!" Ichigo bellowed, "I don't fall for the same thing twice in the same day!"

As the two collided, Ichigo made a firm hold of the appendage. He wasn't phased as he was slammed through one wall, nor the next. As the tail came to a stop, Ichigo planted his feet on the ground and heaved the tail over his shoulder. Increasing his reiatsu, he flung the abomination over. The power flowing through brought a thrilling sensation. The Hollow, stunned, only had time get back up before it was struck through the face. Ichigo pushed hard against the mask, dislodging his deeply embedded arm as the Hollow faded away.

Saito landed beside him. Before he could show his astonishment at Ichigo's energy level, a foreign reiatsu came hurtling towards them. The two leapt back in haste. As the rubble settled, a lilac woman stepped out. Her mask was cracked open revealing one human eye. The hole in her stomach and sword at her hip showed her status as an Arrancar.

"Well, well," she crowed. "You two seem quite the fighters. This should be fun! First I'll finish you off before I join my comrade in finishing your friends off. Or maybe I'll toy with you a little and feast on your souls. I haven't had a Shinigami soul in ages and yours looks rather delectable. My, my, it should be feast worthy of kings. Oh yes, I'm gonna enjoy myself. I will…"

"Demon Art, number 1 – Sai," she came to an abrupt stop as her arms was bound behind her back by Ichigo's spell. "You talk too much!"

"Sing a song of mourning - Divine wind. (4)" Saito unsealed his Zanpaktou. "Go protect Kuchiki-sama. I'll finish this one off."

The mention of another Arrancar destroyed Ichigo's already thin patience. Without giving a reply, he hurtled away. In the distance, he could make out someone struggling on the back of a Hollow. An incoming speck matched the reiatsu of another Arrancar. Boosting his own reiatsu even more, he sped up.

The bound Arrancar looked up at Saito with a smirk. "I wouldn't get too cocky if I were you," with an abrupt burst of power she ripped through Ichigo's spell. "Shred him to bits, Creeping Doom! (5)"

Her body grew, longer and larger. White liquid flowed over her, hardening until she took on the form of a centipede. Her large mandibles clacked together, sending chills down Saito's spine. Each and every one of her legs were blades, glistening under the full moon.

Rukia's mind blanked. She knew the Arrancar was coming. Kenjimaru was prone, clinging to the back of the Hollow. In a heartbeat she stood between the oncoming Arrancar's lance and Kenjimaru. She hoped that her body could stop the blade in time. The world went black for a split second. A flash of bright tangerine hair and the smell of his reiatsu told her she had been saved.

Ichigo stood in mid air, impaled through the back. His blood soaked through his brand new t-shirt, mixing together to form a colour closely resembling his hair. Going through his stomach, the attack changed trajectory to just a few centimetres upwards. The tip had just missed Rukia, grazing her slightly across her shoulder. A trickle of blood slowly spread where she had been nicked. The lance landed in the gap between Kenjimaru's head and his hand, penetrating the Hollow's mask.

Ichigo reached his hand up and vainly tried to wipe the blood off her shoulder. "I swore to protect you from harm, Rukia. I'm so sorry."

"Ichi…"

Ichigo's rage was rising like a fever. Ignoring the pain he turned around, shattering the lance with his fist. The Arrancar leapt backwards, laughing manically. The rest of the Academy students huddled together. The reiatsu from the new adversary was beyond anything they had ever hoped to encounter. Ganjyu, Hyou and Yukino helped Rukia back to the group, their breaths coming in short gasps.

The four-armed Arrancar appraised the group, snarling through his half mask at Ichigo. "What are you going to do now, Shit head! Your body's all torn and you're pretty much fucked!"

Ichigo watched hazily as what he thought was a lance was really the monster's arms. It slowly reformed itself to the weapon it originally was. He knew, once done, the attack would start again. Grasping the tip of the embedded weapon, he pulled it out of his abdomen and tossed it aside. Glowering back at the opponent, he summoned forth his reiatsu.

The class watched through squinted eyes. Sweat came pouring out of their glands. A new reiatsu was growing larger and larger. A blue aura surrounded Ichigo as his posture straightened. Unable to move from the sheer weight of it, the class gaped with a mixture of awe and fear as his energy output rose to levels they could not comprehend.

"Ichi…go…" Hyou muttered under his breath.

"Damn… I can never… get used ta this…" Ganjyu choked to himself.

Kenjimaru forced himself on one knee as he attempted to watch this battle. A million thoughts raced through his mind. The class was just as awestruck.

Quick as lightning Ichigo was once more behind his aggressor. His injury no longer seemed to hamper him. The insect like Arrancar disappeared and reappeared behind Ichigo. He twisted around, smashing his fist into the Arrancar's head. The lance like weapon shattered on impact. A surprisingly small wound opened up for the size and sheer power of the weapon used.

Ichigo's reiatsu climbed higher still. He began pounding away at the monstrosity. A glancing blow to Ichigo's cheeks drew blood. He grabbed the offending weapon and crushed it in one hand.

"Ha!" Ichigo goaded, "your weapons take too long to reform!"

A snapping kick from Ichigo pulverized another lance. The last one broke on impact on Ichigo's chest.

"I was once taught that when two spirit forces collide the stronger one will always win!" Ichigo started to bleed from small wounds over his body.

"You bastard! I'll fucking kill you!"

The fight became a frenzy of exchanged blows. The Arrancars mask slowly crumbling but more wounds were opening up on the unarmed body of Ichigo.

An explosion tore up the ground behind the students. Saito stood up, with wounds from several large gashes on his body. The giant centipede-like creature raced towards him. He held out the hilt of his sword, its blade missing, bracing himself for the attack. A high pitched melody could be heard. The ground around the monster exploded. Nimbly it swerved and dodged all the explosions until it was almost upon Saito.

"Your missiles of air won't work on me weakling. I can sense their energy even if I can't see them!"

Saito wanted to move away but his legs seemed to move at a snail's pace. A huge mass of energy and bloodlust pin him down and crush out his lungs. All he could do was take one last thrust with his blade of air.

The centipede wrapped itself around him like a boa constrictor crushing its prey. Hundreds of blades tore through him as he tried to bear the attacks with his own reiatsu. The last he saw was the ground slowly rising up.

Ichigo collared the Arrancar and swinging wildly, he threw it at the centipede. As their bodies collided, the centipede uncoiled itself. Ichigo had no time for grief as he saw Saito's bloodied body collapse in a ruby red pool.

"Shit!" he berated himself for leaving him.

Launching his own tattered body at the two adversaries he spied Rukia carrying the students away to safety. A couple had even fainted because of his reiatsu. Ganjyu, Hyou and Yukino looked on helplessly, unable to move. He swore at himself. He would have to finish this quickly before more casualties piled up.

Kenjimaru tried to stand up. Hoisting an unconscious student over his shoulder he intended to leave the frightful scene. This was more than he'd imagined.

The centipede Arrancar cajoled the fleeing Kenjimaru. "Where do you think you're going? Dinner is supposed to be served."

The four-armed Arrancar leapt at Ichigo. Ichigo ignored him as another lance tore at his arm, ripping the sleeve off his jacket. The large tattoo on his exposed biceps reminded Ichigo, surrender was not an option. The Death Bloom covered most of his upper arm in an intricate Celtic rune.

Plummeting onto the centipedes head, he stopped it just inches away from Kenjimaru. Kenjimaru stared in disbelief. At this proximity, he collapsed onto his knees. Pounding over and over again at the ghastly head, Ichigo was thrown off and stabbed in the back by the other Arrancar. Ichigo, bordering on berserk, whipped around and blindly struck out, again and again.

Finding the neck of his assailant, Ichigo clothes-lined him and brought him to the ground. Sitting on his chest he repeated his bone jarring treatment on the victims face. A crack, then two, started appearing. It spat out blood, its wounds formed bright rivers on the grass beside them.

"Die! Die! Die!" he ranted.

A sharp slashing pain shot through Ichigo's back as the centipede sped by him, its bladed limbs filleting his body. Ichigo ignored the centipede and hammered his forehead into the mask of the Arrancar under him, twice. It reverted back to its sealed form. Its eyes turned white as it lost consciousness.

Ichigo stood unsteadily, scanning around for the last Arrancar. His reiatsu had started to fluctuate. The vile being came around again, slicing at his arm. Ichigo grabbed a bladed limb with his hands and kicked her roughly in the belly. Ramming his fist forward he crunched through carapace and sinew. She yowled in pain as it backed off from the diminutive Shinigami. Lining up once more she rocketed forward.

Ichigo took a step and his knees buckled. He was near his limit and his reiatsu was undulating wildly. A shadow cast over him. The sound of metal on carapace and the cheery mock told him what had happened.

"Ichigo! You bastard!" Ikkaku lamented. "You didn't leave any for us to fight!"

As the fight drew away, the 11th Division arrived to take care of the last Arrancar, and to clean up. Rukia came and knelt down beside Ichigo. She saw his deep gashes and blood stained clothes. Steam rose off the copious amount of blood coalescing around him.

"I'm sorry, Rukia," Ichigo muttered. "You got hurt."

She slapped him. "Shut up you idiot!" punching him in the stomach she buried her face in her hair. "You're the one that got hurt! Moron! Trying to be a big hero!"

"Ow!" protested Ichigo. "That …definitely… hurt!"

As his vision faded he could feel the warmth of Rukia's hands as she began healing him using kidou. He wasn't sure he saw it or if it was a hallucination due to injury, but it looked like there were tears in her eyes.

End Chapter 14

(1) Shakkahou – Shot of red fire. Kidou spell.

(2) Renkinsebbasen – Change to sand technique. Ganjyu doesn't seem to incant. I took this from Volume 10 chapter 90 of the manga. Seems the sand techniques are a Shiba clan technique and this one is supposedly the master technique. (Although I personally doubt it. Doesn't seem like an ougi level technique for this manga.)

(3) Byakurai – White Lightning. Kidou spell.

(4) Shoukanashiiuta – Kamikaze – Sing a song of mourning, Divine wind. I need a bit of help on this one because I first wrote it out in Chinese (My native language) and translated roughly to Japanese then to English.

(5) The canon Arrancars run Spanish based Zanpaktou names. My new Arrancars run English names. I know it doesn't sound exotic but what the hell.

A/N: Thanks to my editor Shannon. This one really had to be smoothed over a lot! Great job and I hope you all like it.

PS. Now that you're here REVIEW! LOL Oopsie I forgot to accept change before upload! Not editors fault!