HEYYY! im back and the next chapter is all about what happened when Ichigo died. Thanks to everyone who reviewed I really appreciate the commentry! So sorry I haven't updated in a long time I have been SUPER busy and was having computer problems. :'( anyways! HERE IT IS!

Blood coated the ground as another solider went down. Renji held Zabimaru over his shoulder and looked one last time at the dead enemy before leaving to search for Rukia and the others. Last time he had seen his friends was at the captians meeting. He, Rukia, Hisagi and Soi Fon had been dispatched to the outer rim of Rukongai, while other captians had been seperated across the rest of Soul Society. Renji walked away from the body and towards the rendezvous point. The small tent came into view as he walked past grave markers of fallen soul reapers, too many of them Renji had known. He held Zabimaru's hilt and hung his head in a silent prayer for them in hopes that they moved on peacfully, though he knew it was a dream if someone were to die in a foul place like this.

"Captian Abarai!" A voice called to him. It turned out to be Izaru standing infront of him and bowing like his back had thrown out. Renji secretly smiled to himself, Kira had always been to humble and even though they were old friends he still refused to call him Renji now that he was a captian.

"What is it Izaru? News from the Head Captian?"

Kira stood up straight and nodded, "It was reported that Captian Kurosaki was seen heading through a gargantua. Scouts from second division report that he was seen activating his hollow mask and that it looked as if he was chasing someone. Also Captian Unohana reported that Ms. Orihime Inoue never checked back to fourth division relief station."

"What!"

He gathered Rukia and found Orihime stumbling towards Seiritei. Rukia caught her as the brunette fell to the ground.

"Orihime! What happened to you? Who did this?" Rukia was very worried. Orihime was covered in cuts and had a gash on her leg that still bled. Her white jacket was torn and covered in mud and blood just like the rest of her black soul reaper uniforme. She looked at Rukia through tears,

"Rukia...please. It was the only thing left." she sobbed and held up a sword. Not any sword though, this was the zanpaku-to of Captian of fifth division, Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Orihime, what-"

"PLEASE!" she yelled, shocking both of them. In all the years Renji and Rukia had known Orihime she had never once raised her voice to such a manner. It was always soft and motherly unlike the desperate and longing tone she now used. Rukia held the sobbing woman close as Renji took the blade. He had to have Rukia's help to pry the sword out of Orihimes grip without hurting her. He took the blade in his hands and a feeling of confusion swept over him. Why did Orihime have Zangetsu and what happened to Ichigo? He knew that Ichigo was chasing someone, that had probably been Orihime( everyone knew how protective Ichigo was about her ever since Hueco Mundo), and now only Orihime had returned. The blade began to feel heavey in Renji's hand. In fact it seemed to be getting heavier the longer he held it to the point were Renji was straining to hold the weapon. So he placed it into the ground.

He looked at the crying woman in Rukia's arm"s. "Inoue, what happened to you?"

"I went out to heal some wounded officers so we could take them back to the relief station, but there was an arrancar and he grabed me." she said between sobs, " I yelled for help and Kurosaki-kun was able to follow us into Hueco Mundo. He attacked the arrancar and killed him and I was sad to see him die but happy that Kurosaki-kun was there. Then someone came up from behind me and I had a sword at my throat. I didn't see his face and he told Kurosaki-kun that I was to die if he didn't follow his kings orders. I didn't know what he was talking about but Kurosaki-kun seemed to understand. He refused and told the man to let go of me and then..."

Her crying got heavier and she could barely finish the sentence.

"What happened to Ichigo, Orihime?" Rukia asked. She was beggining to understand but she needed to hear from Orihime to confirme her theory.

Orihime chocked back a cry, "Kurosaki-kun died! There was a hole in his chest and I didn't know what to do and then a flash of light...blood...he was laughing, I didn't...just the sword and...and..." she broke down completely. Heavey tears streamed down her face and she cryed into Rukia's arm's. Rukia herself did not want to believe it. She wanted it to be some crule joke or even an illousin or a dream, but this was reality, no matter how much she wished it wasn't. Ichigo was gone and only his sword remained as a reminder that she failed him. How many times had he come to her rescue, how many times had he put his life on the line for those around him? She broke into a fit of tears.

Renji was speachless. After all the battles and training he had still been a step behind Ichigo, but that was the bond of their friendship. Years of rivalry gone in a single hour. Renji would have never believed it if he hadn't heared it from Orihime, who never lied to them. His best friend had died, no! He had been murdered and his killer was unknown and out there still. He looed at Zangetsu, the cloth bindings and red chain that his friend had always worn. He crouched to one knee and pricked his middle finger so blood ran free, then drew onto the cloth. When he stood a dark symbol was placed onto the middle of the sword, the company number five. As a final promise to his life long friend, Renji swore to avenge the man who killed Ichigo.

The three turned back to the fouth company relief station with Orihime carrying Ichigo's zanpaku-to. Rukia dried the tears from her eyes and thought about what they were going to say to the Captian General. Many who knew Ichigo would be devistated, Zaraki would hate to lose his sparring patner. She wondered how they were going to tell the rest of fifth company- oh god! Momo! What was Rukia going to tell her! Momo had been crushed by Aizen's betrayl and his supposed 'death', and Ichigo had helped in opening her up again. She admired him as much as she did Aizen and Rukia knew that the loss of a second Captian would probably destroy her. She looked at the enterence to the relief station and wonered above all else, what she was going to tell Ichigo's family.