Leaving Town Chapter 15: This Is Your Life, a bleach fanfic

A/N: Okay, so kind of a side story in the beginning of this chapter. I hope you like it, considering I barely talked about anybody else except our main two lovebirds. So just go with it and see what happens. Okay? Good! Alright then! So! Lots of fighting, but of course I try to fit in the emotional stuff because that's what I'm all about. This chap is named after "This Is You Life," by Switchfoot. Okay, Enjoy.

Disclaimer: No.

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Chapter 15: This Is Your Life

"Captain! Ulquiorra escaped. I couldn't overpower him."

"What about my other orders?" he asked firmly, ignoring what she had said.

"Anyone of squad four is too busy to come right now. They're so many in need of healing," Rangiku said running up to Toushirou.

"There's not one free member?!" he asked in surprise and urgency.

"Well, sir. There are some, but they are totally wiped out of their energy," she said sadly.

He went quiet and turned around, walking slowly to bench, which seemed to be well hidden from the obvious battle going on.

"Captain, who is in need of healing?" she asked in dismay.

He froze, but didn't turn around. "Momo," he said softly, and then continued walking to the bench.

Rangiku's eyes grew. She then ran over and saw him bend down next to the bench, brushing her hair out of her face. "Momo," she said softly looking at the helpless woman in front of her.

The injured woman was seen breathing heavily. Her face was covered in sweat. Blood was seeping through her clothes around the side of her lower stomach and her chest.

"W-what happened?" Rangiku asked moving out of her shock and into a devastated state.

Toushirou was still kneeling down next to her, but his head was bent more to the ground now. "I was," he paused and then began again. "I was fighting Tousen when Shuuhei came to help. I- I found myself surrounded by hollows while Shuuhei took Tousen head on. So I figured he could handle him while I got myself out of that mess…"

-Flashback-

Toushirou was taking on all the hollows that seemed to group up on him all at once. To him it felt like they wouldn't stop coming.

"Shirou!" he heard causing him to turn to the voice that called for him. She ran up with her zanpaktou ready in hand.

"Momo! I can handle this!" he said continuing to take on hollows that attacked.

She was now right next to him fighting with all her might. "I'm helping you. I'm not just going to leave you when you're in a situation like this!" She stabbed straight through one's abdomen and then swirled around to slice one completely in half through the chest.

Toushirou ran up a hollow and jumped off it, killing a hollow by slicing it down the center and then spinning to stab the hollow he ran up in the head. "I don't want to risk something happening to you! I don't want to get you involved in this!"

"You don't have to! I'm getting myself involved," she said side stepping a hollow and then slicing it to pieces.

He huffed, and then turned to see a hollow jumping towards him in midair. His eyes grew but he simply ducked and through his zanpaktou into the air, causing the hollow to collide with that instead of him.

"Shirou!" Momo yelled, causing him to swirl around in what seemed like slow motion. In front him was Momo. She wasn't standing on her own freewill, but the zanpaktou that was going straight through her chest kept her from falling to the ground. She had apparently jumped in the way of an attack that was meant for him.

His mouth went dry and his chest caved in. "M-Momo…" he said processing what his eyes were showing him.

Finally he had registered. "Momo!" he yelled running to her as the zanpaktou was ripped out of her. She began to fall to the ground when Tousen went to give her a final swing.

Toushirou saw this and moved faster than he could have ever moved before. When he was within reach of her, she was falling to the ground and Tousen's blade was inches from slicing her in half. He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her back. It wasn't quick enough as Tousen had sliced the side of her stomach, but the attack was mainly evaded.

Toushirou had her in his arms now, holding her against his body as he looked back at the ex-shinigami. He saw Shuuhei raise his zanpaktou behind him, his face bloody and his right arm looking unusable. Right when he was about to strike, Tousen turned around and blocked effortlessly.

Then, many shinigami came out of the woodwork and were beginning to charge for the traitor. The said traitor saw this and quickly swung his zanpaktou, causing Shuuhei to block and then Tousen reached with his other arm and pushed him to the ground. He then looked over at Toushirou glaring at him and then shunpoed away.

-End Flashback-

"She jumped in the way of a hit that was meant for me!" he yelled in after explaining what had happened. "I'm supposed to be lying here on this bench! Not her!" he was breaking down now.

"Not you," he said more directly to the woman lying down as his voice became weak.

He grabbed her hand and held it, bending his head down so that her hand was against his face. He had his eyes closed to stop the tears from welding up.

"I won't let you die," he said harshly with determination. He picked his head up and placed her hand back on the bench. He then stood up and turned to Rangiku who was crying as she looked at her motionless friend.

"Rangiku," he said softly but confidently.

"Y-yes, Captain," she said swallowing and a tear sliding down her face.

He looked back down at the suffering woman, "I'm getting help." He looked back up at Rangiku, "I'm not ready to give up yet." He looked back down at Momo.

She put on a stern face and nodded, "What are my orders?"

He gave her a pitiful look, and for the first time she could see what he was truly feeling, "Please watch Momo for me," he asked his blue eyes shining brightly in the fiery night.

She gave a sad smile, "Of course." He nodded and took off.

"Ah, you have gotten stronger," he said continuing to smile as he blocked every one of her lunging attacks. She continued to attack him, driving him back farther and farther. There wasn't any skill in her attacks. She was fighting using pure rage.

He laughed as she wouldn't let up, "Though you seemed to have lost any strategy you once had. Do you really expect to win by just doing this?"

"Shut up!" she yelled continuing to attack.

He finally seemed to have enough of it and pushed her back about ten feet with a forceful block. She regained her balance and stood there breathing heavily.

"I'm curious, what has gotten you so worked up?" he asked wearing a smile as he swirled his trident in a circle like a baton.

"Go to hell," she said through gritted teeth before charging for him again.

He blocked her again, "Aw, wanna talk about it?"

"Bastard! Shut the hell up!" she yelled, before screaming, "Dance!"

The ice came up from the ground, attempting to engulf her opponent with in it.

He jumped out of the way, but the ice continued to come. He continued to dodge it until finally it hit him. He was frozen inside now. She stared at the frozen block with a livid face.

Then, suddenly, she heard scratching. She squinted, watching it curiously. Then the ice shattered. He was seen spinning his trident in a circle, like he usually did.

"Well, now. Someone decided to shake things up a bit," he said glaring with an amused face. He began to walk towards her slowly. "Did I hit a nerve?"

She gave him a look that could kill. "You pretend to be Kaien, yet you act nothing like him. You could never come close to being him."

He sneered, "I fooled you once didn't I? But don't give me that 'Fool me once shame on you,' bullshit."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well I wasn't really thinking that, but thanks, you have a point."

He chuckled, "Why is it that you hold him on such a pedestal?" he asked pacing back and forth in front of her, but still alert.

"You don't deserve that answer," she said getting irritated by his small talk.

"Are the feelings you have for him the same as the feelings you have for the man with the bright hair?" he asked with an interested smirk.

His question surprised her, but as fast as her eyes went wide, they went back into a glare. "No. I don't feel anything anymore," she said and then charged.

"It- it can't be…" Ichigo said continuing to stare in front of him. "Grand Fisher…"

The past enemy smirked, "You remembered?"

"How could I forget such an ugly piece of shit?" Ichigo said seething in anger from the past.

The arrancar chuckled arrogantly, "Good, because we never got to finish our confrontation from long ago."

Ichigo continued to deliver a glare. "No we didn't," he said gripping Zangetsu tighter.

"This time daddy can't help you," Grand Fisher replied getting ready to fight.

Ichigo squinted, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but I'm going to personally make sure to take care of you myself."

"He never told you?" he chuckled. "I went looking for you some years ago and ended up coming across the wrong Kurosaki. This time… there will be no mistake," he said smirking.

"No there won't be. This time, I will get revenge for my mother," Ichigo said determined.

He lunged in the air at Grand Fisher., and just like that Grand Fisher brought out his zanpaktou and blocked. They continued to push against the other with their zanpaktou, knowing the same thing. This fight was going to be to the death. There was no way it was going to be left unfinished this time. No one was going to escape. There would only be one walking away from this battle and they both were going to put everything they had into it to make sure it was them that would be staring at the corpse of their opponent.

They broke apart and just stared at the other trying to read their next move.

Ichigo's mind flashed back to the day at his mother's grave seven years ago. The day he fought his mother's murderer with all his might, but still wasn't good enough. That same day he almost lost his sisters and his self to that same murderer. That same day he told Rukia to not interfere and that it was his fight. Yeah, his fight ended with him bloody and collapsing on Rukia. He frowned at the memory.

Grand Fisher held out his zanpaktou towards Ichigo, "It's your move."

Ichigo continued to stare at him, thinking about all the pain this one creature had caused him and his family; how his entire life changed just by the simple encounter with this beast thirteen years ago. He finally shook his mind from his thoughts and shunpoed to the right of Grand Fisher, aiming Zangetsu at his heart, but was swiftly blocked.

The arrancar then swatted Zangetsu away and swung at Ichigo's face, which grazed his cheek as Ichigo was too slow to completely dodge it. He had a horizontal gash along his cheek, right below his left eye now, and blood slowly slipped out.

Grand Fisher took advantage of the time he had when Ichigo was recovering from his lost balance of his slow dodge. He moved so that he was now behind Ichigo and swung his zanpaktou so that it sliced along Ichigo's back.

It hit him in surprise and his body was going through a shock from the pain along his back. He turned to see his opponent standing still, leaning against his zanpaktou that was placed slightly into the ground.

"I can't help but notice how oblivious you are in this fight. I heard you were a lot stronger than this, Kurosaki." The arrancar smiled sarcastically.

Ichigo's fire on his back pushed through his body so that it was now seen in his eyes. His mind was way too distracted. He kept thinking of the past and wasn't focusing on the present. He needed to focus otherwise he wouldn't be able to get his revenge. He wouldn't even be able to walk away from this fight if he didn't focus now.

Ichigo's glare turned into a blue glow, which then grew to surround his entire body. He lifted his zanpaktou so that it stretched out straight in front of him. It was time to get serious.

"Bankai!" he yelled, letting even more of the spiritual pressure within him release.

Grand Fisher stood there, fear growing within him as he started to pull up his zanpaktou, readying to defend.

Ichigo was too fast for him now. He ran and was behind Grand Fisher within a blink of his eyes. He swung swiftly and quickly cut off his left arm around his bicep. Grand Fisher let out a yelp, while Ichigo then ran so that he was in front of him again and swung directly at him.

Grand Fisher threw up his only arm left that still had his zanpaktou gripped tightly in his grasp. He blocked just in time, but was hissing with pain. He had to admit, the force Ichigo attacked him with was incredible.

Their faces with inches away as their blades continued to clash. The arrancar noticed the cut on Ichigo's cheek barely existed to the owner. Blood was sliding down his cheek, but it didn't receive one reaction from his opponent. And neither did the huge gash created on his back just moments ago.

"Tonight you die, Grand Fisher. I'll tear each of your limbs off one by one so you can feel the pain you've caused my family all these years. And then I'll end you once and for all," he said in a dangerous voice that left no trace of exaggeration.

Grand Fisher was not quite frightened. He could feel the power that flowed throughout the man in front of him, and he was now at a disadvantage: he was missing an arm. He needed to act now and fast. So he decided to make an offensive move.

He charged at Ichigo swinging his zanpaktou left and right as Ichigo continued to move backwards while dodging every one of his attempts of a hit. Finally, Ichigo shunpoed so that he was behind Grand Fisher again. The arrancar then turned around quickly and blocked his attack just in time.

Ichigo continued to stare into his eyes, seeing the struggle to hold Ichigo's zanpaktou back from hitting him. Ichigo continued to stare for a few more seconds before putting his entire strength against his opponent. This caused him to knock Grand Fisher's zanpaktou out of his hands, and then Ichigo went and swept Zangetsu so that he took off his opponent's right leg.

Grand Fisher lost his balance and fell to the ground, with his left leg, and right arm holding him up so that he wouldn't be flat on the ground on his stomach. He was breathing heavily and felt the pain coursing through him.

Ichigo continued to stare down at him with an emotional face now. He saw his enemy push up off the ground, trying to keep balance and begin to try to stand, but Ichigo wouldn't have this. He simply swung and took off his other leg around the knee. The blood spread all over the ground from his severed body.

Grand Fisher then fell backwards on his back this time. His face was scrunched up and his right hand was gripping the ground for strength. He began to sit up and Ichigo was standing over him now. He quickly chopped his blade down so that it took his remaining arm off, right above the elbow. He screamed in pain again.

After Ichigo stood over him for minutes watching the murderer breathe for air through his cries of pain, the expression on Grand Fisher's face changed. He slowly began to grin and his eyes opened staring up at Ichigo's bewildered face.

"You do know boy," he paused but then continued, "that killing me won't bring your mother back. She's long gone, but I believe I can actually taste her right now." He laughed as he licked his lips.

Ichigo then plunged his zanpaktou straight through Grand Fisher's chest. "I know it won't bring her back. But it sure as hell will make me feel better," Ichigo said through gritted teeth as he saw the breath taken face of his opponent stare back at him.

Grand Fisher swallowed as the blade was still within him. He then smirked slightly and glared at the man in front of him. "That's," he grunted, "pretty selfish of ya, boy."

Ichigo pulled out his zanpaktou and gripped it with both hands. He looked back into his eyes one more time, "So is killing my mother," Ichigo then swung Zangetsu so that he decapitated the arrancar that haunted his dreams for countless nights.

He watched the body lie limp on the ground as the head slowly rolled over a few feet away. He felt the emotions he had all those years ago, as if his mother had just died again. He felt a sob coming from within him, but he began to breathe heavily so he could keep it down. He then turned around and began to walk.

It was a slow pace. He was absorbing what had just happened. The pain on his back was acting up now and he hissed as he walked. He then replayed what had happened to him seven years ago, and then the events of tonight. "I- finally did it," he said softly through a slight sob that turned into a slight chuckle.

He stopped and looked to the sky, hoping that where ever his mother was right now, she was happy. He smiled to the sky, and then looked back to the hell in front of him. His face was now determined. "It's time to end this," he said before shunpoing away.

"Ishida, stay still! Your arm isn't completely healed yet!" Orihime said trying to pull him back to finish her job.

"It's good enough, Orihime! There are others that need your abilities more than me," he said beginning to pull away again and walk away.

She then grabbed his hand, catching his attention and causing him to turn around to her. Concern was written all over her face. He walked back to her and held her hand back in his, while placing his other hand on her cheek.

"I'll be fine, Orihime. Don't worry. I have to get back out there now." He paused as she continued to look into his eyes. "And you have to go be Superwoman and go save others' lives," he said kindly with a smile.

She smiled understandingly, and turned out of his grasp and started to walk away.

"Marry me," he said confidently, causing her to stop in mid-step. She froze. She then turned and looked back at him over her shoulder in shock. Her mouth was ajar as she kept staring back at him.

He continued to smile at her, although you couldn't see the anticipation he was feeling for her to answer.

Her mouth then slowly formed into a smile as she sprinted back to him, throwing her arms around his neck and slamming her lips into his. He was left unbalanced from the impact of her collision.

He pulled his head away, "Is that a 'yes'?" he asked curiously with a smile. She giggled in his arms, "I'd love to marry you, Uryuu Ishida."

He smiled and claimed her lips again. After a moment they parted and he placed his forehead against hers. "I have to go now," he said softly. He felt her head nod slowly against his. He pulled away and began to walk backwards slowly, while smiling at her.

"You better come back to me, Uryuu," she said with a smile, but was dead serious.

He continued to walk backwards, "Hey, you called me 'Uryuu.' You always call me 'Ishida.'" He said interested.

"Well I can't keep calling you that when I'm soon going to be, 'Orihime Ishida,'" she said perkily.

He smiled widely, "I guess you're right. Don't worry. Nothing will stop me from coming back to you."

She smiled and nodded, seeing him turn around and sprint into the distance where Tatsuki and Chad were seen tearing apart hollows left and right.

Orihime blew out some air and turned around. She spotted a few shinigami in the distance on the ground as some others were around them, defending their injured friends from hollows.

She became determined and ran to aid them.

Kaien hissed in pain. Rukia had managed to work her way around a block of his and cause a major gash on his left arm. It was nothing big, but it was the first hit that she got on him.

He gritted his teeth, holding his arm. He took his hand off his arm and saw the blood soaking his shirt and covering his hand. He smirked and then looked up at the woman still looking dead to the world as she stared at him with her zanpaktou ready.

"It looks like I have to start playing serious," he said striding closer to her with his trident held up so it could lean back on his shoulder.

"You were never supposed to not play serious," she said, steadying Sode no Shirayuki.

"I guess your right. I'll have plenty of fun later anyway," he said, lunging at her.

She blocked and pushed him away, sheathing her zanpaktou quickly and throwing her hands up to use her kido, "Abolishing flames!" The spell hit him slightly, due to his dodge of turning to the side, causing it to hit him along his chest.

He hissed, but didn't waste time and ran towards her, ready to ram his trident straight through her. She yanked out Sode no Shirayuki and prevented his plan from occuring just in time, but he quickly reacted and forced her blade out of the way. He then took his chance and tried to stab her through the stomach yet again.

She pivoted to the side to avoid the thrust, but one the trident's throngs still managed to hit her; going straight into her stomach.

She screamed out in pain, while the arrancar swiftly took out his zanapktou. She bent over weakly and held her stomach, but still kept her zanpaktou up in front of her; ready to block if he decided to make a move. She was breathing heavily as she felt her blood soak through her clothes.

He stood there with his trident in front of him, like Rukia with her zanapktou. He was investigating his chest from her kido attack and found it was quite singed.

"What- eh," she tried to speak through the throbbing pain. "What- did you mean- you would have plenty of fun later?" she said weakily, but confidently.

He looked up from his body, which he found to be quite bloody from his chest and arm. He smirked, even though he was in a great deal of pain too. "Once I devour you, Rukia, I'll use your form to take advantage of your little orange head friend."

Her eyes went wide. Her chest ballooned up. She wasn't about to let that happen. She wouldn't allow her failure to be used to bring down Ichigo. "You son of a bitch!" she yelled forgetting her abdomen and charging toward him.

He was being pushed backwards now, but was was fumbling to stay balanced. She was coming at him with greater force than before and he was pretty surprised to see such a great increase in such a short period of time.

Her speed was excellent now as well. He finally got a grip of himself and swung with all his might, causing her Sode no Shirayuki to go flying. She then jumped backwards, predicting he would try to stap her again, which she was correct about.

As soon as her feet hit the ground, she sprinted toward her blade. Little did she know, the arrancar threw his zanpaktou like a javalin towards Rukia.

Luckily, she decided to dive for her zanpaktou, landing right next to it. She gripped it and turned over on her back only to see the trident flying directly towards her face. She quickly rolled over and the arrancar's zanpaktou landed an inch away from her head, and was now stuck in the ground.

Kaien was now in front of her, about to jump forward for his trident, but Rukia had other plans. She leaned up off the ground slightly and held up Sode no Shirayuki and spoke very clearly in a determined voice, "Third dance." And just like that, her blade pieced straight through the arrancar's stomach, causing him to to turn white, until his body shattered into pieces.

The battle was over and the world suddenly felt a slight at ease.

yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
yesterday is a promise that you've broken
don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes
this is your life and today is all you've got now
yeah, and today is all you'll ever have
don't close your eyes
don't close your eyes

Rukia was breathing heavily and leaned back down with her elbows propping her up a little. She leaned her head back to the sky and closed her eyes. She stayed there feeling the wind dance across her face and through her hair. Then, a smile grew on her face.

this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
when the world was younger and you had everything to lose

'This time,' she thought, still feeling the gentlness of the wind, 'I made it.'

yesterday is a kid in the corner
yesterday is dead and over

She looked down at her stomach, "But I did get pretty injured," she said feeling the pain again due to her adrenaline rush fading. And just as the pain came, she realized the fire that was still all throughout the town.

Her moment of tranquility was ended in a matter of seconds. She sat there for another moment realizing this was not over yet. She still had to make it through the rest of this war and who knew how long that was going to last for.

don't close your eyes
don't close your eyes
don't close your eyes
don't close your eyes

this is your life are you who you want to be
this is your life are you who you want to be

She huffed. She didn't feel anything anymore during that battle. She knew that. She was positive about it. But as soon as he threatened to go after Ichigo, she flipped.

this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, are you who you want to be
this is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be
when the world was younger and you had everything to lose

She sighed. She closed her eyes and allowed a smile to dance across her face. 'No matter how hard I try, I guess I can't stop loving you.'

and you had everything to lose

"Miss Kuchiki. It's good to see you again," a voice said from her side. She opened her eyes, and fear flowed throughout her body. She remembered that voice. She turned her head slowly to the side and was met with what she hoped she wouldn't.

"Aizen," she said softly, then seeing Ulquiorra standing slightly behind him.

The broad shoulder man stood with a smile on his face. "I think you should come with us, Miss. Kuchiki." He smiled even more seeing the refusal she was about to dismis, but interefered before she could.

"In fact, I highly recommend you come with us," Aizen said showing off his sheathed zanpaktou hidden beneathe his coat.

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What the hell does Aizen want with Rukia? Can't the world just leave them alone?! Damn. Okay, so Ichigo has finally got closure with his mother's death. And even through all the destruction and madness, there is still happiness Ishida and Orihime. Awww, blah blah blah. I wish it was Rukia and Ichigo instead, but they are still a cute couple! Okay, so please tell me what your thinking. Reviews keep me going like any other writer! So please leave your thoughts! Later