Otsuu was overwhelmingly overjoyed. Not only had her wish worked, but she was also a Blood Maiden once more. Everything was great, she was happy once again. She basically had everything she could have ever asked for. But then she remembered a girl from her past.
"Hey everyone?" She called out, they turned to her.
"What's up Otsuu?" Jack responded first.
"I just remembered. Back about the time I was born as a Nightmare, a Blood Maiden had protected me a few times, saying that even as I looked and am, that I'm a person. Her name was Ichigo and she felt like a scary older sister. I want to see her again... I was hoping you all might be alright with that?" She stated, putting into words of how she felt about the kind girl.
"Do you think she's still alive? Because if she is, that'd meen we can make an even bigger family~!" Otsuu's beloved Little Mermaid said happily.
"One way to find out, if that's okay with everyone?" Otsuu asked as she looked at everyone pleadingly.
Red Riding Hood looked over everyone to see many of them giving nods, only Gretel looked slightly apprehensive. "Wouldn't this place an even greater strain on Jack? He might be able to keep up now, but what if the addition of this Maiden be what finally pushes him?"
Jack immediately shook his head, "I'm still comfortable even now. Of course I may need to eat and sleep a bit more, but I am doing quite alright as is." He said with a beaming grin.
Gretel, with that, gave a nod as well, accepting his words. Otsuu then took in a deep breath and yelled as loud as she could, hoping that their promise would be kept. "Ichigooooooo!!"
They waited for a moment before crazed laughter began to fill their ears.
"Looks like she might still around, but probably not like the sister you remember..." Red Riding Hood said as she and everyone else readied their weapons.
Soon they saw a tall beauty with a crazed, pink, eye, the other looking like a ball of swirling pink energy. She had long snow white hair, a dark pink circle in between her breasts that had seven lines coming from it. It covered said breasts, her womanhood, extended up to her eyes and the last pair wrapped around her lower ribcage. She had a pair of solid pink/black horns jutting out and forward from her temples. Her arms were two enormous khyber knives with pink flames where her wrists would be and her right arm up until halfway up her bicep was covered in more pink. Similar flames were on her ankles which were attached to pink clawed feet with the claws being black as obsidian. And one last set of flames around her neck like a collar.
"She looks... definitely scary..." Rapunzel said as she locked her crazed eye on the group.
"Everyone! Brace yourselves! Blood Skelter is beyond dangerous and we have no estimations of her strength from before she turned!" Red cried as she headed the group.
Otsuu ran up right next to her, "Jack! you know the drill! We'll pin her as best as we can as you get your shot ready!" He nodded as he fell back a bit. "And everyone! Her physical strength from what I remember was like Red Riding Hood's in her youth! So she'll be a monster in close quarters!" She'd shown Otsuu many times that her strength was enormous and highly dangerous.
And just as everyone nodded, Ichigo let out a loud, crazed laugh. Then, she charged.
Otsuu had blocked the attack, but she hadn't expected such a fierce blow, or her speed. She was so fast, she hardly had the time to block, and even then she was put through a wall.
With that, everyone sprung into action. Everyone had begun to engage her in combat, and with around six people engaging her in close quarters while four fired from a short distance, Little Mermaid ran up to Otsuu.
"Otsuu! Are you okay!?" She asked as she began to heal her injuries. Jack rushed past them to stay relatively close to the fight to shoot Ichigo.
"I'm... not ever going to get on her bad side. Because... damn that was strong..." She said dazedly.
Back with the fight, Ichigo was able to mostly keep up with everybody, attacks still slipped through. Jack was anxiously awaiting for an opening.
It was a brutal exchange, but no one was getting seriously injured. They worked in tandem to ensure this after seeing Otsuu getting launched. Red Riding Hood, Alice, Cinderella, and Rapunzel were on either side of Ichigo. Alice and Rapunzel on one side with the other two on the other side. Each one only hit with a few attacks before switching out for someone else. And with Gretel and Snow White coming in every so often, switching from providing covering fire to getting up close and personal as well, while Hameln, Thumbelina, Sleeping Beauty, and Kaguya all forcing Ichigo on the defensive with ranged spells and attacks, soon they made the opportunity.
While her maniacal laughter filled the halls, she was pinned. Red Riding Hood and Alice soon both took advantage of her being unable to block every attack while being surrounded. As soon as she blocked a couple of shots from Kaguya and Sleepy, they immediately struck the top of her blades and brought them into the ground. This was immediately followed up by Cinderella and Rapunzel unleashing a devastating kick on her blades and driving them further into the ground.
With this opportunity, and not one to waste it, especially after how nimble Red Riding Hood was in his previous life, Jack ran right up to her struggling body and practically hosed her down.
As soon as she was detransformed, they all looked on in shock. She was wearing a gown and most of her body that they could see was covered in bandages, including most of her face, and they saw a her severed right arm holding onto her blade for dear life, even her left arm wasn't holding onto it as tightly.
She was bearly conscious, obviously exhausted from what dealt those injuries.
"Ah... More people... I'll bring you to... the village, and keep you safe..." Ichigo said weakly as she used her Tensa Zangetsu to help her up.
"Ichigo!" Otsuu cried out as she ran up to the bandage covered woman, shocked to see her in such a horrible state.
"Hm...? Oh! We'll, if it isn't my little scaredy cat... It's been a couple of years, but damn you've grown squirt..." Ichigo said as she smiled proudly at the girl in front of her. Not paying much attention at her radical changes, but softly began to pat her head.
"Enough of that! What happened!? You're missing an arm and you're completely covered in bandages!" Otsuu cried out as she brushed her hand away, but immediately grabbed her as Ichigo began to wobble.
"You had disappeared for a couple of years, and when I thought I found you with the darkness you exude, I got caught off guard, lost an eye and an arm..." She said sadly as she pushed off of Otsuu and began prying her own arm off of her sword.
"So... You encountered the Nightmare who was in my place..." She said sadly, her heart hurting at the thought that the woman who saved her, and often acted as a sister was harmed because of her.
"Yeah. Although, I should have stopped when it took my eye. It pissed me off and I wanted revenge." Then fingers finally began to come off, sounding like they were breaking as they were
"Considering how much you beat it into me, you've always been hot headed and stubborn." Otsuu let out a soft laugh as she looked at Ichigo.
She looked exhausted and haggard. But even so, she still stood. Most of the others when they were reverted, would collapse, or be too tired to do much else. But Ichigo stood. Sure, she was using Tensa Zangetsu like a crutch, but even still, she was up and ready to fight.
"Well, either way, let's head to my village. I'm tired and hungry, and I kinda jumped out of my bed to fight, so I still need to finish getting patched up." Ichigo pulled her daito from the ground as she said that. "Tell me about your friends while we do."
As they made their way to the village that Ichigo protects, Otsuu began to silently tell Ichigo about herself.
"She looks gravely injured, shouldn't we be carrying her or something?" Red Riding Hood asked as they trailed behind the two.
"I agree. When we had to deal with those who were in Blood Skelter, we had to take them to the Liberated District to rest for a bit before we let them join us on exploring." Little Mermaid stated as they watched Ichigo unsteady on her feet.
Soon they saw a marchen wandering in front of them, they began to ready their weapons, but then they saw Ichigo leap forward and bring down her blade in one swift motion and cut it clean in half. Even with one arm she was still able to cleanly cut it down.
"She definitely has strength in spades." Alice stated as she put her sword down.
"Yeah, no kidding. I think even sister Red would have trouble getting it that clean." Thumbelina said as she watched as Ichigo stumbles and Otsuu try to help them up.
"But even still, she's not in an ideal condition, we must have her rest." Cinderella stated as she looked at the tall woman sadly.
"She's beyond stubborn. I thinkth we might have as much of a relatively difficult time trying to carry her as we did fyighting her." Hameln stated as she had a careful eye on the girl.
"Why do you say that?" Jack said as he looked towards Hameln.
"She's obviously exhausted. You lot stated that those in Skelter were left exhausted. Yet she stands as steadily as she can, trying to fuss over our previously Nightmarish ally, all the while brushing off anything that she seems to approach her with worry. She's strong, but is close to collapse." She said, her pinkish eyes lighting up in respect.
Everyone was silent. They saw how unsteady she was, but her legs barely shook. All through sheer force of will.
"Then we'll just stick close to her." Jack said, everyone turning to him. "If she won't easily accept help, then we'll stick close and catch her when she falls. Then we'll dig our feet into the ground and not allow her to do much until she rests."
Everyone began to think before Snow White smiled. "Snow White agrees. She might be putting up a strong front, but we'll show her that she can relax when she needs it!"
"Sounds like a plan. Just wish she'd just go ahead and relax sooner than that." Thumby stated with a grin.
After a while of walking, they reached a wall, many thought that they'd taken a wrong turn until Ichigo began pushing it out of the way to reveal a gate. As they began walking towards the front, they all noticed how quiet it was.
"Hey, Ichigo-chan, is it normally this quiet?" Little Mermaid asked as they walked.
"Sometimes, when everyone is asleep. I don't know if it's that time or not. I've apparently missed eight years, so things could be different." During their walk to the village, Otsuu managed to figure out that Ichigo had been in Blood Skelter for eight years while they began to reconnect.
Soon they reached the front, the whole village had been converted into a prison town. They saw the marchen torturing her people, her wards.
Ichigo let out an angered howl as she charged them. After a breath, everyone followed suit, due to not wanting the injured woman to fight alone.
They were able to kill a few marchen, but Ichigo was just cleaving her way way through them. A single swipe of her blade bisected one marchen after another.
"Getsuga Tenshou!" She yelled, followed by a a wave of black and pink energy that wiped marchen away like a stain.
During the fight, Jack had done his best to follow Ichigo, as she seemed emotionally unstable. Which was understandable, her village was gone, replaced by this... sickening town, one that brought up memories of his time with Alice. He occasionally sprayed her when her normally soft and kind brown eye began to glow an ominous pink.
Soon, all the marchen were gone, none remained in the ghost town. Everyone saw how exhausted Ichigo was from all the fighting before she fell to her knees and began to weep.
She was exhausted, pushed to the brink and even further beyond. She hardly had any strength left.
"You... look like the Beast..." One of the younger children said as they cowered near her.
She immediately pulled him into a hug, "It's okay. You're safe now. I won't let any Marchen hurt any of you any longer."
Soon everyone went out and began releasing people from their cages and shackles. As Ichigo was on the verge of collapsing, they sent a few members to retrieve anything that can help everyone with their injuries and feed them. Once Ichigo finally collapsed, they heard the villagers talking about a horrible beast. One with horns that constantly slew anything and anyone who came too close to them.
They knew they had a difficult road ahead of them in convincing them Ichigo is no monster.
"Alright! Listen up! Once everyone has rested and ready to move, we will be abandoning this place!" Red said, immediately taking charge of the situation.
"But why?" Immediately cried one of the villagers.
"Because, it's been compromised. One of your best defenders may have had her mind restored, is still heavily injured and exhausted. And the district we plan on bringing you to, has a route to the surface. You older folk will get to see the sun again for the first time in... more than two decades! And those as young as me and younger can finally see the surface!" She said, immediately grabbing everyone's attention and giving hope to everyone.
"And why not now? Can't we carry our injured?"
"You're all exhausted," Jack immediately intervened. "I personally know what it's like to be caged up by the marchen. It's a long walk, with many marchen in the way. So we'd like to make sure everyone is ready for when we go. We can't push on smoothly if many of us collapse from exhaustion. So rest and be patient. We will see the surface soon."
The villagers were wary, but began to break away to eat and rest, so they can leave this hell soon.
"Alright you guys, we need rest too. Cinderella, you and Hameln will guard the place. Change out when you need to rest before we leave. Mermie, watch over Ichigo as she's the worst off out of everyone. If she tries to help, guilt her into resting, as she might be burdensome as she is. Questions?" Red asked as she looked over everyone.
"I should take charge while you rest Red. I'm as much a leader as you." Otsuu tried to reason.
"No. I think you're probably emotionally compromised at the moment. It's been a rough day for you. So rest, Mermie is as much a leader as you, no?" Red immediately countered.
Otsuu immediately went to argue, but Little Mermaid gently stopped her, and gave her a worried look. Otsuu immediately backed down. "You're right. But I should be rested enough soon. So don't be afraid to call upon me."
"Good. We'll spend the next few days getting everyone ready, once everyone is rested, we'll head back home. We'll have everyone be around the villagers when we go to keep them safe. Got it? Good. Let's get going."
They immediately broke up their huddle and went to either rest or guard the place. Readying for the departure.
I hope this is turning out okay. Sorry it's been so long, work, writer's block, and games were distracting me. The third chapter should end right as the Finale begins.
Once I have this finished I have a few ideas. One is a Bleach x Blue Reflection Tie crossover where Ichigo replaces the based Ao. Another is Magical Girl Raising Project x either Bleach, set in the second arc, or Gushing Over Magical Girls, set in the third arc. My last idea is Madoka x Bleach, but I need to iron out a number of details for that. I also had a RWBY x Bleach, but my idea only extends to the end of the Vytal Festival, so it might be a while.
Also, if anyone has a ship they'd like with Ichigo, put it in a review and if I like it, I'll see about maybe doing it. Note that if there's multiple, I'll either choose the one I think fits the best, or make it polygamous. Mostly the former.
Well, I hope you all have a good day!