Chapter 3

Hitsugaya was back on the ice plain.

He was walking, step by step, trudging along in the snow, but this time, he wasn't alone. He could feel someone guiding him. Her hand warm in his, she was leading him to Hyorinmaru. When he looked hard enough, he could see a vague outline of the girl, smiling as usual, telling him that he was almost there, and soon, he was.

The ice dragon was facing him yet again. Hitsugaya stared back into his icy eyes, and a silent treaty passed by them. He would learn to fight with him, along side him, and together. He closed his eyes, letting the girl's warmth spread through him as he talked to the dragon.

"Will you?" he asked.

The dragon nodded, and growled in pleasure. He had been waiting for this for a long time. He had been waiting for someone who he could be together with, forever partners, and now, he had found him.

Starting from his hand, ice began to cover him. His fingers transformed into claws made of ice, and the ice itself was still spreading upwards. It was slowly moving up towards his arms...

But something inturrupted the transformation. He opened his eyes, and he was back in the small room with Rika still holding his hand. Spread all over her face was surprise and concern. He opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but instead, he heard it.

It was Ichigo, but then again, it wasn't. Half his face was covered in a Hallow's mask, and those who saw him then would have thought he looked exactly like the time when he was battling with Hichigo. He was.

The Shinigamis stepped back.

"Kurosaki-kun, think of the people you'll be hurting if you go through this!" Histugaya shouted, defending the rest. He had gotten up in that split second. Bayakuya was heading his way to aid him.

Ichigo didn't hear him. "Ichigo - focus!" Rika yelled. Ichigo didn't hear her. He made a quick swipe at her, bringing her down to the floor, stained in lbood.

"Can't you do something?" Renji asked looking at Rika. He knew it'd be hopeless-even with his Bankai, to even get a swipe at Ichigo. He wasn't himself. Even though as he said it, he tried anyway, and along came Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"Not really!" Rika managed to say. "I'm still not a fully grown Shinigami! I can only hold my release for no more than a minute!"

"Ichigo! Fool, look at the people you've already hurt! Think of how much pain this will cause you!" Rukia shouted at him. Ichigo paused. In that moment, Rukia ran to him, and gripped his right arm. "You know you can do it" she whispered at him from the side so only he could hear.

Ichigo stopped. Instead of flailing his sword, guessing where the next blow would come, he began to see. He began to see where and when Hichigo would attack next. He was thinking what Hichigo was thinking. He was becoming him.

Rukia let go, and at that moment, he unlocked his third and final release. He shone a bright red, but soon faded away into nothing.

Ichigo's Third Release was the opposite of his Bankai. His outfit was completely white with black bandages over his chest. His sword was still black though, but white ribbons twirled around it, and even those places with the bandages were razor sharp. Blood stained his face, but on the other side was a hallow's mask. But when he smiled, they knew it was Ichigo.

Rukia hit him in the head, showing how relieved she was. With the help of Hitsugaya, Rika got up slowly, smiling. Ichigo turned to face her, his face streaked with guilt. He smiled slightly, apologizing to Rika, then everyone else in the room.

Rika smiled. Instead of being mad she said, "Good job! You've mastered your third release! Now it's a matter of how long you can go with it, and what you can do..."

She trailed off as Ichigo's release became undone, and in his place was a sleeping Ichigo.

Ichigo's POV

The Third Release - it was amazing. I could feel the power pulsing inside of me. It felt… great. I began to mumble another apology, while turning back into my regular form, to Rika, whom I had accidentally hit during my "fight" with Hichigo. Then, I turned to the one who had snapped me back into this world. At first, I had thought it was Rika, but when I came to, I saw that Rukia was the one grabbing at my sleeves. I saw that it was her who was telling me to stop.

Rukia's POV

Ichigo had already mastered the third release. I know I'll be the last to master it, that is, if I master it. It's true that Captain Yamamoto sent me here, but how was I supposed to release my zangpatou, if I didn't even have my bankai yet. It was going to take a miracle for me to achieve the Third Release.

Hitsugaya's POV

I was done. I had mastered it. Who cared if I was the only one who knew. I wasn't going back. When the time came, I would perform the Third Release, but until then, I would keep quite… just watching.

Normal POV

It was getting dark, so as Bayakuya stood up to take the first watch, the rest began to get ready for sleep. Luckily, there were two rooms, one for the girls, and one for the boys. None of them, except the Captains, knew where they were, but they were certainly thankful for not having to sleep outside.

Rika came into the room, only to find that Rukia was already dressed for bed. She timidly said, "Hi,"

This was the first time she had spoken to Rukia. Rukia, slightly surprised, said hi back.

Rika began to lie down on the far side of Rukia, and as she was about to fall asleep, Rukia asked, "What happens in the future?"

Rika whispered, "It's better if you didn't know. That's why I'm here, isn't it? I'm going to change the future. When I get back, everyone will be there - my friends, the adults who have looked out for me since I was young, and… my mother. She'll be there too,"

"You, too. I don't remember much about my mom either. I only remember her holding onto my hand once, and that's it. Who is your mother?"

"I can't say. If I tell you anything about the future, it might change, for the worse. My father is very sad, too. He misses mother just as much as I do," Rika breathed out. She was close to tears.

Rika could feel someone getting closer to her. It was Rukia, smiling down at her, "Mind if I sleep next to you?"

"I can take watch, now," Hitsugaya said. He began to sit down where Ichigo had been just a second ago.

"Hey, what do you think happened in the future that made Rika come here?"

"Most likely, we lost," he answered back in monotone. He began to gaze at the moon, sensing that Ichigo was sitting down next to him.

"Do you think we can beat them now? What would happen if we did… loose?"

"Go back to sleep, Kurosaki-kun. I can keep watch by myself, now," ignoring Ichigo's question.

Ichigo stood up without complaint and went to sleep.

Two weeks later…

"Let's head back. We're ready."

Long Authors Note:

Sorry! I know it's been a long time sinsed I updated, but at least my chapters are getting longer. (he he) I bet you spotted tons of mistakes (sorry)but anyway, I HOPE you liked it, but... Well, Please REVIEW!! (Now, Im seriously desperate) I thank you for those who have bore with me and read all the way up to chapter 5. Thank you. XD

I'd like to thank Tenshi no Ashi, and Sonata Ann for such great ideas!!! Be on the lookout for that very soon. I'd also like to thank those who have made it this far into my story. Congratulations, and I hope I didn't bore you to your deaths. I'm planning to make Ichigo fall in love with Rika, but she's going to fall in love with… (read the summary). Also, there's going to be a new character coming in – Espada zero!!! If you have any great ideas, please, please, tell me! I'd love for some, since I get stuck really easily, then you see me writhing stuff for no reason…. Look at that, I'm doing it right now. He, he. XD. Well, I hope you liked it, and please review!! (Yes, I do realize my story is boring to most of you.)

Also, if you have any idea of how you want the Third Release of a certain character's to look like, tell me PLEASE!!! I need an idea! plus, I cant get to writing the next chapter unless a brilliant idea comes to me....

Also, ALSO, if u have any questions about the story, or suggestions for improvements on the chapter, please tell me! I want to become a better writer, so I need a lot of critisim...

Thank you for all those whove read my story and reviewed - I m so happy I have 20!!! Thank you to all the people who have reveiwed. They've really helped me think back on my writing... um... what else??? Probaby most of uv skiped this extra after u saw how long it was :D.

Thank you!! –whitemoon46