Chapter Six: The Rose and the Strawberry

Marluxia was alone in the mall's hallway as he strode to his next destination. The few spectators left in the area had departed, due to the newest rule. It seemed they had no wish to be caught in the crossfire.

"Last round…" Marluxia murmured contemplatively, twirling a rose inbetween his fingertips. A smirk grew on his features. He rose to his feet. "And killing is finally allowed." The pink-haired man fought back a laugh as he continued on.

Ichigo intercepted him before he got five feet further, Zangetsu held in his hand. "Where are you going?" the orange haired boy asked, slipping into a fighting stance. His question was more of a statement.

Marluxia stopped walking, slowly taking in the boy that stood before me. "Why, to fight you, Shingami," Marluxia replied, summoning his scythe to his hand. "Did you expect something else?? Roses perhaps??"

Ichigo scowled. "I'd heard about your flower obsession, but this is pushing it…"

Marluxia shrugged off the statement. "You should be careful though. I'm a rose with thorns."

Ichigo was yanked off his feet. While the two had briefly spoken, Marluxia had called forth a thorny vine, and subtly ensnared Ichigo's ankle with it.

The substitute shinigami let out a grunt as he fell to the floor, shoving back his scolding thoughts of being careless. With a quick motion, Zangetsu had severed the vine and the boy was back upon his feet, just in time to block a strike from the scythe. Ichigo grimaced. His ankle stung where the vine had grabbed him, but he couldn't give in. Not yet.

Marluxia grinned. "This will be interesting…" He commented, pressing his weapon against Ichigo's. There was no reply to his statement. Ichigo twisted his sword, freeing it from the scythe's grasp and thrust it forward through an opening.

The pink haired nobody twisted his torso, barely dodging the blow. His smirk was still on his face as he swung his scythe once more, forcing Ichigo to take a step back. The Shinigami recovered quickly, his sword snaking forth once more to be caught by the scythe's blade.

The two pushed against the other for a short moment, before the two jumped apart. Marluxia eyed the boy. "You're quite strong…"

Ichigo's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "I should be. I fight a lot." He disappeared, quickly reappearing behind the Nobody's back, slicing quickly. Marluxia burst into a shower of petals. Ichigo blinked. Where had he…

"Very good, I do suppose that's shunpo. You almost got me there." Ichigio turned around. Marluxia was standing before a small flower bed, one that's main purpose was to take up space in the middle of a hall.

Ichigo cursed, before taking a few steps forward. "How'd you know so much about Shinigami anyways?"

Marluxia shrugged. "I've killed several," he stated nonchalantly. He noticed Ichigo's grip tighten on his blade. "Upset? Don't be. Concentrate… on our Fight!!" Vines shot out of the ground at Ichigo's feet, tearing and ripping at the boy. He fought of the vines, reducing them in seconds to discarded ribbons at his feet.

"I am." Ichigo glared at Marluxia, his eyes full of determination. "I'm not going to lose this fight!! BANKAI!"

Marluxia watched as the boy's sword changed, slimming down and becoming pure black. His clothing changed as well. "I'm terrified," Marluxia stated sarcastically, before almost falling backwards to avoid a blow. Ichigo had charged him so fast that the Nobody hadn't even seen him coming.

A few minutes later, Marluxia was panting slighting, blood seeping out of several cuts. He had underestimated the boy. This bankai of his… was truly formidable. The nobody grinned. "Time to finish this."

Ichigo frowned slightly. He stood a short distance away, pausing before he attacked again. Ichigo was winning, and here the man was talking about finishing this?? "You're weird," The substitute shinigami shifted his grip on his weapon, and zoomed forward.

Marluxia swung his scythe.

There was a flash of blood, and the sound of a body collapsing onto the ground.

Ichigo gasped for breath. Zangetsu dropped out of his hand, returning to its normal form. Why did he feel so… weak?? He felt a shadow spread over him, and saw Marluxia towering over him. "I do think you're pondering the situation. Do you want to know why you're feeling so… weak?" Marluxia didn't give him a chance to answer. "At the beginning of the fight, you were stabbed with one of my vines." The Graceful Assassin reached down and grabbed the boy's foot, dragging it up. Visible on Ichigo's skin was a black zero. "It's a hit limiter. I don't know how many hits you started out with, but that last time I hit you put you over your limit." A smirk crawled over the man's face. "If I had a heart, I would have gotten worried several times. You put up quite a fight. Although the ending was rather anticlimatic." Marluxia dropped Ichigo's foot and rose to his full height. "I don't think I can let you have a chance to come back and get me though…" A sickening noise reverberated throughout the hall as Ichigo's head rolled.

Marluxia eyed his handiwork, before turning and leaving, a rose reappearing between his fingertips.

Disclaimer: I own nothing… for I am flat broke and Christmas is a few weeks away…

Author's Note: Ah, Marly, you are a bloody man. This is my first time writing any Bleach character… although I am very fond of the manga and the anime. Szayel Aporro Grantz is my favorite… hehehe… but Ichigo's not bad either. I do hope I did a good job writing him. My opponent this round is Khellen Rafe, so good luck to him!! I can't wait to read your side of the fight!!

The hit limiter is inspired by the game… one round, in the remake, when you go up against Marly, he imposes a hit counter on you. And if you get hit so many times, you automatically lose. And, even though I've never played this version, it must… really… suck… especially if you're down to his last bar of health…

Anyways, thanks for reading. Have a nice day!!