Blades of Resolve

Written by Scarredbyshallowness

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Devil May Cry or anything else that I use in my story.

Author Notes: Been getting quite a few e-mails from you guys. Let me explain one thing: Kingdom Hearts characters are NOT going to be playing a major role in the story. Also, the only Final Fantasy series I shall be using is VII and VIII. Why? Because I need to set up some kind of boundary for myself. Either that or the next chapter would include Lupin the Third swiping the batmobile while being tracked down by Robocop while driving Optimus Prime.

Note: This story takes place after the Bounto Arc.

Chapter 7

Stress

-Bleach World-

Sometimes the hardest thing to do in life is to be given devastating news. A murder in the family. A loss of a pet. Or in Ichigo's case, a death sentence. Four days. What can anyone do in four days?

The breeze suddenly felt icy upon his skin. Then again, the park itself took on a deep shade of blue.

"I-I'm so sorry, Ichigo…" Orihime cried guilty tears, hugging the shock ridden Ichigo softly with a sob.

"It's not your fault, Inoue." Ichigo spoke in a light voice as he snapped back into reality, placing a hand on her back. "Let's get going." he suggested with a little smile.

"Oh…-sniff-…ok." Orihime wiped her tears aside.

"Ichigo…" Chad uttered upon a whisper. The look that reflected in Kurosaki's eyes was apparent. Even from several feet away. It was times like these that Chad really envied the guy.

"Hey, Chad." Ichigo blurted out as he wrapped his arm over Inoue's shoulder. So sad. He couldn't even support his own body weight.

"Yeah?"

"Get strong." Kurosaki commanded. No. Demanded. "Get so strong that there is no way in hell that I can catch up to you."

"Don't talk like that, Ichigo."

"Promise me, Chad!"

"I CAN'T!" Sado roared with watery eyes.

The wind howled through a creaky swing seat that stood beside the emotionally torn teens. The air blew viciously. Almost as if it wanted to join the argument.

"You know as well as I do, Ichigo. You won't die. Cloud will make it back in time!" Chad clenched. This is what he truly believed. Ichigo has lived through so many deadly situations before. He should have been killed a hundred times over.

How could something like a microscopic virus kill him?

"Heh. That's so like you, Chad. The glass is always half full." Ichigo grinned from Orihime's shoulder.

"Besides…" Chad added, turning away from his best friend. "I don't think anyone in this world can gain strength as fast as you."

With those final complimentary words, Chad walked away. He had to get prepared. A year is a long time to be away from home.

Across Town

"A year. How does one prepare for a whole year in just one day?" Uryuu thought carefully to himself as he walked down the placid street.

Of a group of lunatics, the two people of reason were first to train. No doubt that Chad and himself were going to be used as guinea pigs in some way.

"Urahara is an exile. So he shouldn't count either." Ishida sighed mentally. "As long as I'm not seen with a soul reaper, my father's pact won't be broken (A/N: In the anime and manga, Uryuu's father helps him train to reattain his Quincy powers in exchange for never helping a shinigami (soul reaper) ever again). " Usually this wasn't an issue since Ichigo didn't count as a soul reaper. He was simply a 'representative'.

Nothing but straight practicing for 360 days should dramatically increase his shot, but what about power? Raw strength? This is where he was lacking. Even with mastery over several advanced Quincy abilities.

"Maybe something of father's can help…"

Space, Aboard the Ragnarok

"URG!" Cloud yelped as his arm pulsed in unexpectedly piercing pain. The kick was strong enough to even force his blade out of his grasp. Why now? There was so much work that needed to be done!

"See! That's why I told you not to push yourself so hard, ya idiot!" Yuffie scoffed with rolled eyes. Sheathing her weapons away within an instant, it was obvious that the day's training session was over.

"Stupid Geosigma…" Cloud spat, glaring at the grayish purple blotch that engulfed the bicep of his left arm. Even when he wasn't around, Sephiroth still found a way to torment him.

"You know you're quite a toughie, Cloud." the petite ninja grinned to the sweating swordsman. Moving in closer with an off beat dance, she took a close look at his eyes. All clear. They were radiant blue as ever. "These little matches of ours has at least made me five times stronger! I betcha I can take on Vincent!"

"Heh. I wouldn't count on that." Cloud chuckled. Just the thought of her trying to take on the enigmatic gunman was laughable.

"Oh? Why's that?" Yuffie demanded with puffed cheeks.

"Because Vincent never fights unless it's serious. Ever."

"Tsh. Figures. That guy really needs to get out more! I never see him UNLESS something serious is going down! When we get back…" Yuffie rambled on. Being almost completely tuned out by Cloud. Over the years he discovered that there was always that small little part of her voice that you just couldn't get rid. "…I bet that cloak of his is so dirty! Huh, Cloud? Cloud! Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh? Yeah, sure." he nodded thoughtlessly, lying on cold metallic floor of the impressively spacious gym. His mind pondered upon the look on everyone's face when they get back home. Home. The word alone just sounded so…comforting.

"Cloud! Yuffie! Get up to the bridge! I got good news!" Leon excitedly commanded over the ship's intercom.

In an sudden burst of vigorous energy, the two warn combatants zipped their way down the hallways and into the seemingly closer ship bridge. Looks of amazement was plastered on the rest of the crew.

"That's the fastest I've seen you two move in years. " Cid chuckled to himself while careful to not let his cigarette escape his teeth. Continuing his work on the highly complex main computer of Ragnarok, Cid was convinced that he was the ONLY one who didn't want to go home. Space travel has always been his dream goal in life. Who wants to end a dream?

"Yeah. Yeah. Did you finally find our planet, Leon?" Yuffie questioned the scarred hero with a growing smile. Her hope was peaking out. Even Cloud was giving the guy wide, begging, eyes.

"No. Not yet." Leon spoke regrettably. Cloud and Yuffie's hopeful expressions shattered instantly. "Cid and I have calculated that your planet is very close by. No more than a couple hours flight."

"Then what's the news?" Cloud spoke through a heavy sigh.

"We just found my planet." Leon stated with a growing smile.

"I'm home, Rinoa." (A/N: Anyone who has played FFVIII knows who that is. If not, she's basically Squall's lover.)

Soul Society, Gotei 13 Science Bureau

"How's the gigai feel?" Renji questioned, his eyes glazed toward the metallic ground. The rusty air that filled the bureau always made him sick to his stomach. However, it wasn't the cause of his queasiness this time.

"Heavy. Every move I make feels restricted." Rukia stoically explained, testing the flexibility of her hands through constant clenching. She was forcibly dressed in the nostalgic white robe she wore during imprisonment. Though it didn't seem to phase her. It was as if her eyes were devoid of the world around her. She was utterly consumed by thought.

"I still don't understand…"

"I'm sorry." Rukia suddenly cried lightly.

"For what?" Renji rose a brow, completely lost in the sudden emotional transition. "For not thinking of you when I spoke to the Captain Commander. I never meant to hu-"

"Save it, Rukia! I don't want to hear another apology from you." the 6th squad lieutenant harshly commented. "It's obvious who your thoughts are about."

A tiny blush grew over her face.

"I just got one question for you." Renji spoke, standing over the petite girl. "Why him?"

The words struck her like a knife. She remained silent as she shifted her view toward the floor.

"Why not ME? I've known you for over fifty frikkin' years! Did you ever once think that I…I might…" he yelled as tears began to swell in his eyes. "To think that it took some stupid kid just a couple of months. That b-stard…"

"But that's just it, Renji."

"What is?"

"He only knew me for four months. That's hardly enough time to call someone a best friend. And yet…" Rukia reminisced happily, bringing a small smile along with it. "He sacrificed everything for me. His life. His family. His friends. He put them all in danger just to get to me."

"So what! I defied your brother to protect you! I am the one that caught you after that idiot chucked you off the scaffold!" Renji roared viciously. How could he lose to some fifteen year old BRAT!

"Yes. And I am very grateful for what you have done for me. Especially all the times while we were growing up." Rukia expressed whole heartedly. It was tough being an orphan in a poor town. A truth that the two had learned while growing up.

"Tsh. You don't need to thank me for anything." Abarai sneered. She was always thanking him for things she never had to. Inhaling a deep breathe, he prepared the speak the words he had been dreaming about saying for so many years. "You know, back then I don't think life would of even been possible if you hadn't been there for me. I have always waited for the moment to tell you just how much - "

Rukia rose a finger to his lips. She knew what was going to escape from them. And the further pain that it would cause.

"I'm sorry, Renji." Rukia spoke with solid words. Though her speech was unaffected, her eyes told of her sorrow. This was her best friend after all. Causing him pain was killing her inside. "My heart belongs to another."

Another crushing blow to the blood red head. He stood in silence. Visibly absorbing the words that were just exchanged.

"You could at least say the guy's name. It's not like I don't know who the punk is…" he spat as he returned to reality. The whole conversation was making him sick. But, this was his best friend. That only left one thing to ask… "Does he make you happy?"

"Yes…" Rukia answered without hesitation. Through out her whole life, she was never as happy as when she lived in Karakura. Ever.

"Then c'mon. Let's get going." Renji suddenly announced as he headed for the door. " I need to have a talk with bleach head."

Karakura Town, The Next Morning

"What a quiet little town." Lady spoke with slight admiration. Her and Dante hardly, heck, RARELY received silence. The cleansing feel of the wind was an added bonus.

"I couldn't care less. Where are they?" Dante gritted through clenched teeth. He's been so tense lately. Anyone that knows the hunter could tell you that this was the ABSOLUTE WORSE time to mess with him. Last time Dante was like this he shot a, albeit VERY stupid, punk through the legs and side kicked him so hard that he made it into the stratosphere.

And no, that's not an exaggeration. He literally slammed the guy into orbit. All because he called Dante a 'gay vampire'.

Immediately detecting a familiar warp in the air, the devil hunter finally found himself a stress reliever.

"Mine." Dante simply commanded with an extended arm blocking Lady's approach. Why not. It'd save her ammo anyway.

Appearing from the riff in the sky was a ridiculously masculine looking creature. Easily seven feet tall and bulging with muscles, it's dark green skin looked sickeningly nauseating as the stench of sulfur emitted heavily from it's body. Even it's face was covered by a plague black mask that hid everything except it's deep yellow fangs along with a pair of blood red eyes. It's most unique feature, however, was the muck brown wings it used for flight.

This is a demon.

Dante's play toy.

"They've already sent out the scouts?" Lady said with a hint of concern. Demons only send out troops like these if they are planning a massive assault. Looks like the call was legit after all. This city doesn't stand a chance.

Not even bothering to reply, Dante took off like a bullet. Dashing toward the dropping demon completely unarmed (like he needed to for this weakling), a grin found itself upon his face. The moment the beast touched the surface of the concrete, Dante forcefully smashed the demon's skull into the street with a deadly axe kick.

"Before I beat your a-s into oblivion, I need some answers." the devil hunter spoke in his usual cocky manner, grinding his steel boot's sole into the monster's back.

Instead of using human speech, the demon reverted back to it's roots. With high pitched roars and screams in an ancient language, Dante rolled his eyes in the familiarity of it all.

"Quite a mouth you got. It's almost as filthy as these wings of yours." Dante replied coolly. With an easy placement of a boot, he viciously ripped the massive wings from the demons spine with pitiful ease. All it took was a little tug of the arms. "Oops. They came off. I wonder what other parts of you are cheaply made…"

The display of dominance was enough to say the least. Spilling out his little demonic soul of all near useless information, it eventually managed to hit the nail of Dante's worry on the head.

"So the rumor is true." Dante clenched with renewed rage. What a horrible way to find out. From the mouth of a filthy demon… "D-MMIT!" the hunter roared, continuously pummeling crushing low kicks into the torso of the demon's once fearsome stature. With a final round kick packed with pent up anger, Dante set the remains of the creature on a course clear across Karakura and into a nearby lake.

"Feel better?" Lady asked mockingly before noticing the grim expression on his face. She watched silently, hearing him mutter the words;

"Father… What the HELL are you doing?"

Sorry for the late update everyone. I have a HUGE test in bio that's eating my free time alive. No 'Free Zone' this week either. Why? Well, Kon tried to pull a move on my lovely girlfriend (love ya, baby!) and ended up leaving in pieces. Uryuu should have him back together and ready to go next week. Later guys!

-Scar