A Thousand Miles From Home

Chapter 2: I Made It Down Alright…ish

His words hung in the air. Everyone listening could not believe their ears. This unknown person, shows up out of no-where, and challenges a known demon to a fight!

"Why?" Leina asked, for it was a question that everyone had on their minds.

"Why not?" Was his reply. Stunned by his answer, Lenia voiced her opinons.

"But, you can't just fight her, there has to be another way. If you fight her like that, you'll be killed for sure, and if that happened..."

"Leina." Ichigo interuped. "I'm not the kind of person, who can just stand by and let someone get hurt if I know that I can do something about it, and I'm not very good at talking my way out of a situation. So when I do try to talk, I end up making everything harder anyway. Besides," He turned his head round to face her. A hint of a smile under the half mask. "If there's one thing I can do, it's put up a good fight." He turned back round. "Just stand where you are. I'll finish this quickly."

Leina just stood there, rooted to the spot. A hint of red coloured her face.

"He's going to fight, for someone he only just met? For me?" She thought to herself.

"Now that's just cute." Melona happily spoke out. "A man, fighting for a defenceless woman, against a beautiful but powerful demon." She said in a dreamfilled tone, and a sparkly pink mist surrounded her head.

While Ichigo just sweat dropped.

"Ok, something is very wrong here." He thought to himself. "One does not simply, create pink sparkly clouds out of thin air."

"Well. This sure is turning out to be rather interesting don't you think." Urahara said to a dark skined woman. They were the only ones in the control room now. Everyone else had been asked to leave a few minutes before.

"Interesting is definetly the word I would use Kisuke." A smile on the woman's face.

"Glad we can agree on that." Urahara replied, a small smile on his face. "But he's still a bit of a prude, don't you think? Yoruichi."

"She can work on that." Yoruichi said with confidence."By the way, I think the angel you were talking about is going to get there on time."

"Is she? Damn, looks like I was wrong." Urahara replied with a slight hint of mock sadness in his voice.

Yoruichi's voice became slightly serious. "But what I want to know, is how you're planning to get Ichigo out there?"

"What do you mean by that?" A confused Urahara asked.

"Kisuke." Her tone was serious. "You of all people should know that we can't just let Ichigo stay there forever. At least, not without help. Even if the dimension is under Time-Lock, there still has to be a way in. How else did he get in then?"

Urahara stayed silent. His eyes were shadowed by the darkness of the room. He took a deep breath, then spoke.

"To break though a Time-Lock." He began. "One must do one of two things. The first thing that they can try to do, is have someone on the inside deactivate it from there. Which is impossible because, Time-Lock also stops communication into an area that wasn't recieveing and sending back signals, before the lock down."

Looking at Yoruichi's face, Urahara could just see the question marks floating above her head.

"In other words, the only thing capable of breaching the Time-Lock, are things that were already in place, like a communication signal. That's how we're seeing him on the moniter now."

Seeing that Yoruichi no longer had a queastioning look, he continued."The second thing that should be able to break though, is to fire a large concentration of spirit energy at the edge of the Time-Locked space. Now, this method will only blow a hole in the barrier, but it should allow someone, or something to pass into, or out of the Time-Locked space."

"And this is how Ichigo made it inside in the first place?" Yoruichi asked.

"I would have expected him to do so." Urahara replied. "As for the queastion of getting him out? Well, that is where the problem lies."

"You really are an interesting person. You know that, right?" Melona said, coming out of her dream like state.

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked back, curiosity in his voice.

Melona let out a giggle, then spoke.

"Your not the first man to challenge me, but you are the first to challenge me with that look on your face."

"Your point is?"

"You look cute when your face looks like that. I think it suits you. Most men who try to fight me, always look pathetic. They're all scared and full of fear, it just doesn't look right on them."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed slightly, yet he said nothing, allowing her to continue.

"That's why I like to play with other girls more," Excitement was in her tone. "They just look so cute when they're clothes are torn and their face is full of fear. But you." She paused, a small smile worked it's way arcoss her face. "You are different."

"How so?" He asked. "What makes me so different from the rest you've faced?"

Her smile grew wider, she raised a hand, and pointed at his face.

"What makes you so different?" She repeated. "Your face is different."

Ichigo said nothing, yet his eyes narrowed.

"Your face lacks any kind of fear." She explained. Her smile growing almost creepy. "You should still be hiding behind those rocks, cowering in fear. Yet you stand here, ready to fight, for someone you don't even know? That's makes you different." Her smile was definetly creepy now, as it threatened to tear her face apart.

Ichigo readied his sword, knowing that she was going to charge at him any second from now. But that was before someone made themselves known.

"Late! Late! I'm going to be late!" Ichigo heard a frantic voice cry. Looking up, he saw someone flying over to the stone archway.

"I am the Great Angel Nanael!" She called out to anyone who could hear her. "Heed my voice, warrior participants of the Queen's Blade! The first battle of the tournament has already begun!"

Ichigo and the others just stared at the new arrival. She had spikey neck length light blue hair and green eyes. She was wearing a white blouse, along white dueling glove on her left arm, and steel a gauntlet on on her right. She also wore a pair of steel plate leggings. Both Ichigo and Lenia saw that her white wings were not the same length, as her right wing was shorter than the other by about twenty-four inches.

Nanael pointed her right arm in their direction, just as she spoke.

"The first battle for the Queen's Blade, is between the Infamous Protean Assassin, Melona!" She then pointed toward Ichigo. "And her challenger, from the farthest lands in the east, The Samurai Warrior, Ichi... Ichi..." She stopped, a look of confusion on her face. Just as Leina was about to ask her what she was going to say, Nanael pulled out a small book. After turning to a seemingly random page, she spoke up again.

"The Samurai Warrior, Ichigo Kurosaki!" She exclamed happily.

After a short pause, only one queastion was on everyone's mind.

"What?" As what Ichigo just said out loud. "You've got to be kidding me?"

"Now that introductions are over," Nanael cried out once more. "Gods of the Heavens, please grace us with your radiance!"

"Wait! What are you..." Just as Ichigo was about to ask Nanael what was going on, she raised her right arm into the air. At that moment, a pluse of red light shone from the ground below her.

Everyone had to cover their eyes from the intensity of the light. When the light faded, Ichigo realised that he was under a red, see-though dome.

"Now. Let the trial begin!" Nanael cried out happily. While at the same time arcoss the world, the spheres that hovered in the sky glowed red. After two seconds, the image of Ichigo and Melona having their stand off was seen in the skies. However, because Ichigo's torso was completly covered, no-one realised that Ichigo was in fact a male rather than a woman.

"But I'm not..." Before he could explain himself, he was forced to block an incoming sword. Locking their swords together again, Melona spoke.

"So your going to compete in the Queen's Blade?" Her smile slowly coming back. "I didn't even know that it was possible for a man to fight for the title?"

A grunt was his only reply.

Ichigo forced himself to back out of the sword lock. Standing a short distance away from her, he charged back into the fight. Holding his black nodochi with both hands, he lifed his sword above his head for an overhead, downward swing.

Melona, blocked the attack with both hands on her sword, held above her head. Yet she stuggled to hold her ground.

"He's stronger than he looks." Melona thought to herself. "Maybe he is the one that managed to escape all those years ago?"

Melona countered, she tried to make Ichigo to lose his grip on his sword, by forcing his blade into the ground. Ichigo's sword slid of her blade, and into the ground. However, Ichigo twisted his hands, and cut upward. At the top of the upward swing, he flowed though by sending his left fist into her chest.

Recoiling from the shock of such an impact, she was forced to block a strike from her right side.

"Damn. This cutie is much stronger than I thought." Melona thought. "If I could suprise him somehow?" Then an idea popped into her head.

Smiling to herself, she circled round Ichigo's guard. Now that she was behind him, and Ichigo was still turning to face her. She fired a stream of breast milk.

Ichigo, just catching a glimpes of Melona's actions, and knowing that he didn't what to be hit by the liquid, did the only thing he could. By pumping spirit energy into his legs, he stepped out of the line of fire.

Leina's eyes widened in shock, One second he's standing just under the archway, the next he's got his back to her while standing at only an arms length away!

"What the heck?" She said out loud.

"Sorry about that." Ichigo apologised, with turning his head round to face her. "I guess that you've never seen a Flash Step before." Their eyes locked-onto each other.

"I can't say that I have." Leina replied with a shakyness in her voice. Looking into his eyes, she saw a determination unlike anything she had ever seen before. Just the intensity of the fire in his eyes, forced some colour onto her face.

What Ichigo saw in Leina's eyes, was a strong warrior willing, but unable to fight. Yet the warrior inside was being held back by fear and hesitation. But before he could look any further, Leina broke eye contact with a slight blush.

"What's that all about?" Ichigo asked himself.

"You may what to check on were your looking!" Melona cried.

Keeping both his hands on the grip, Ichigo turned to block an overhead strike with the flat side of his sword. Knowing that they would be fighting to close to an unarmed person, Ichigo forced Melona to back off by pushing hard against her blade.

Melona stumbled back four paces, but before she could regain her balance, Ichigo charged forward. Holding the blade with one hand, he readied a horizontal swing from his left side.

Melona was forced to jump back, away from the blade that would have cut her in half. She landed just infront of the archway. Looking up, she saw that Ichigo was still moving toward her.

Melona ran towards him, but just as Ichigo went to swing his sword. Melona jumped up and over him. Ichigo carried on moving forward till Melona almost touched the ground behind him.

He turned to face her, expecting Melona to turning to face him.

Melona readied her sword, but she don't turn round to face him. Insead she carried on moving, straight for Leina.

"What is he?" Leina thought to herself, jus as Ichigo and Melona clashed blades. "I've never seen anyone move so quickly." Melona was forced back. "And his skills with a sword, esaily suppass my own. He even has the demon backing away." Melona jumped.

"Leina! Look out!" Snapping out of her thoughts, she saw Melona charge at her.

Fear took over her. She couldn't move, every instinct she had told her to run. Yet she couldn't. Her face contorted with fear, she closed her eyes and waited for the pain.

The sound of metal slicing though flesh resonated though the air.

Then, a hard grunt.

Leina's eyes widened with shock. She wasn't hurt, yet she was lying on the ground. Looking up, saw the back of the person that had taken the blow for her.

Holding his sword in a reverse grip, Ichigo swung his sword arm upward, forcing Melona to jump back again.

"Damn it" Ichigo bearly made out, just as blood sprayed out of the wound. The blow he suffered, was a long cut starting from his shoulder on the left side, running diagonally to his hip on his right.

"You..." Leina started, just as crackes began to form on the bandages that covered his torso. Two seconds after they appered, the bandages shattered. Like broken clay, the peices fell to the ground.

Ichigo, without saying a word, fell to his knees.

"What?" Nanael cried out in shock. "SHE'S A MAN!" She screamed, but Leina payed no attention. She just focused on the man that just saved her life.

"ICHIGO!" She cried. She ran towards him, catching him just as his body started to fall backwards. Lieing Ichigo on his back and setting his head on her lap, she noticed that he still had not let go of his sword.

"Damn it." Ichigo said again with his eyes closed. "And here I though that a wound like this wouldn't have effected me this badly."

"You mean, you've been though worse?" Leina asked.

Ichigo, only just realising his postion opened his eyes, only to see a pair of blue eyes looking straight in to his. Her eyes filled with concern.

"You could say that." Ichigo relied. He tried to get up, but found that he could only move his right arm. Even then, movement was slow and he could bearly find the strengh to lift his sword.

Seeing that Ichigo having trouble, Leina moved to take hold of his sword. When her hand made contact with the hilt, she was hit by a massive felling of power. She could feel the pain he was suffering, yet it was being drowned out by a massive unknown force. It was as if she see into his soul.

"Well, isn't this touching." A sarcastic voice broke Leina out of her thoughts. "The cutey has been defeated, and weakling is going to die with him." Melona laughed in delight.

Leina turned fearful.

Ichigo just grit his teeth.

Melona charged. Everything seemed to slow down, while the sound of a heart beat rang in their ears.

Just as Melona reached the half way mark, the red haired woman made herself known.

By throwing her moring star at Melona no less.

The weapon hit Melona's left shoulder, the force of the impact sending her off the side of the cliff. A second later, they saw a woman with wild red hair move infront of them.

Now that the two of them were alone, and the threat gone, Ichigo finally allowed himself to relax.

No-one saw the red dome above them fade away.

"Who the hell are you?" A rather pissed Melona asked.

"My name is Risty. Noble Pirate Thief" She said with pride.

"Risty." Melona's angered expersion changed to a small smile. "I will remember your name. That and the cutie's and weakling's too." Just as she finished speaking, she turned into a pile of slime, and retreated.

"No, no, no this can't be happening!" Nanael panicked.

"He's a male that I just entered into the Queen's Blade, but there's no way that a man could be competing for the title. Arcangel-Sama is going to send me to the underworld if she finds out about this! And a man can't enter the Queen's Blade at all, yet he... Unless?" She opened the book that she use only a few minutes ago. After finding the page that contained the information on Ichigo, her eyes widened in shock.

"No way. He's..." In the section of important information there was a passage that went like this.

"Name: Ichigo (Kurosaki)

Age: 17

Place of brith: Unknown

Warrior Title: The Last Samurai

Additional Notes: Born from one of the far eastern Samurai Tribes. Ichigo was known from early childhood to have been born, both a fighter and a protector. Growing up as one of the only male fighters in the tribe, he always strived to do the best he could. His skills with a sword became unmatched by those of similer age. Yet he never showed signs of arrogance.

It was noted that he saved his rival from a wolf before he was five.

Not much is known about him after that, as it was only a few days before the village that he lived was attacted, by the ninja clans of the north. After the attack, Ichigo went missing as his body was never found.

As it stands, if Ichigo is found alive, then it is to be known that he is THE LAST of his kind."

Nanael was still in shock. The words still echoed inside her head. But that still didn't explain why he was able to fight a Queen's Blade combatent. Deciding that she needed to look into this, she opened her book again.

"Are sure that you're ok?" Leina asked Ichigo, his head was still on her lap. "After all that wound looks quite deep."

"I told you, I'm fine." Ichigo replied. "I've had worse, remember."

"I know." Leina looked at the wound with concern. The bleeding seemed to have slowed down, but he still needed medical attention. "Can you move?" She asked.

"Urrr, Let my try." Ichigo tried to get onto his elbows, just as a sharp stab of pain shot though his torso. Ichigo grunted as he fought against the pain in his chest.

"Ichigo, are you..." Leina didn't get to ask that was wrong. She was cut of by the sight of a black smoke energy erupt from Ichigo's chest. The energys carried a strange form of pressure, as Leina's vision started to blur.

Just as quickly as it came, the energy and pressures vanished. Leaving Ichigo unconscious, and Leina knocked out next to him.

TO BE CONTINUED.