Hey again with chapter 12 of Substitute in Fairy Tail. To be honest, I never thought I'd make it anywhere near this far and thanks to the people who reviewed in it. You've kept me going and are still pushing me to move forward with the story and I thank you all for that.

Disclaimer: Still Applies

As the memories came flooding back I shuddered at the feelings that ran through my body. Daichi growled at me before reaching behind him and pulling out a sickly pale sheathed katana. It seemed to glow the ominous color of the moon as he grasped the golden hilt and drew the blade while throwing the sheath away.

"This is where I get my revenge" he growled before leaping towards me with a roar. I ducked under the blade and went to block the next strike before realizing I had dropped my swords. He grinned as I panicked and dropped to the streets below. I quickly ripped my swords off the ground and flew towards him as he dropped towards me.

We roared as our zanpakuto clashed. I ducked an overhead swing before countering with a right vertical slash. He sidestepped my sword before parrying the other and slamming his foot into my chest. I threw my sword into the air above me before grabbing onto his ankle and spinning him around before letting go and sending him flying farther into Magnolia. He slammed into concrete walkway near the park as I caught my sword and flew after him.

"Luna Danza de Hojas" he whispered as I threw one of my swords at him. His sword turned into a French rapier with a golden guard and a turquoise bandage wrapped hilt before he deftly knocked my blade up into the air with his sword. My eyes widened as he used his free hand to grab the hilt and stab the blade into the concrete. I growled as I moved my remaining blade into a two-handed grip. He rushed forward and the real fight began.

One slip up and it was all over as I ducked, blocked, swung, jumped, sidestepped, and parried all of his moves. He matched my every move as his speed increased exponentially with the rapier. He went in for a stab before feinting and spinning to the right. I cursed under my breath as I barely leaned my head back in time so that the tip barely grazed my face.

He leapt back and chuckled as my eyes narrowed.

"Ichigo, you gonna let this wimp beat you!" A familiar voice shouted below me. I looked down to see Natsu standing under me looking pissed off.

"Get off your ass and beat him before I gotta come in and save you" he shouted up as I chuckled at his antics.

"You're right, Natsu. I can't let him beat me; because I have too much I need to protect" I said before my other sword ripped itself free and flew into my free hand. I crossed my swords in and 'X' and narrowed my eyes at Daichi.

"Bankai" I roared and exploded in black reiatsu.

"Tch, guess I gotta get serious. Frenesí Hueco: Alma Blanca!" he roared exploding in white light.

When the reiatsu cleared I stood with twin black katana. The sleeves of my shihakusho looked torn off and my left sword had a chain wrapped around my arm up to the shoulder; connected to the hilt. I had a silver guard on my right shoulder with the kanji for shinigami written in black and my hollow mask was hanging on the left side of my face; with the right eye slot on the mask above my left eye so the black and golden eye was clearly visible as I glared at Daichi.

Daichi now was shirtless in dark midnight black pants. His hands were wrapped in silver bandages; and his fingernails on his left hand had elongated into blood-red claws while he held the French rapier in his right. The scar on his face was an angry red as the Roman numeral for 2 appeared on his right shoulder. His short, unruly black hair was now wilder and in a low ponytail at the back of his neck. His face looked more feral as his eyes watched me calmly.

We both used Sonido to appear in front of each other as we clashed. The air seemed to vibrate with our blows as the sound of swords clanging ran through the air. I spun away from his sword, before slashing on the right. He sidestepped while my left moved in to stab him. He deftly parried the sword; throwing it into the air before going in for a piercing thrust. I blocked with my right as I used the chain on my left to bring the katana swinging back to cut him in half.

He used Sonido to appear behind me as I mimicked him to appear above. I grasped both blades tightly and roared "Getsuga Tensho!"

He barely managed to spin around in time to block the wave of reiatsu as I forced more power into the technique. He growled as the reiatsu exploded on him. I got into a defensive stance as he rushed out of the resulting cloud of smoke. He went for a downward slash which I easily blocked with both blades.

"Bala" he whispered as his free hand glowed red and he slammed his fist into my gut. I coughed up blood onto his cheek as he grinned insanely. I narrowed my eyes and swung my blades outwards; sending him flying away.

'Shit; gotta think of something fast' I growled as I rushed after him while he was still recovering. An idea slowly formed into my head as he went for another Bala attack this time focusing it into his feet as he leapt towards my head. I ducked under his overhead roundhouse before he spun around in mid-air quickly and used his other foot to catch me with a heel-kick in the shoulder before I had the chance to side step.

I roared in pain as he dislocated my shoulder and I was sent crashing into the park below. He chuckled above me as I ran into a nearby tree and forced my shoulder back into its socket. I growled before we both used Sonido and clashed once more.

Gray

I panted heavily as I formed an ice katana and leapt up towards one of the giant masked monsters. I slashed at it repeatedly but, only managed to make a crack in its mask before it hit me with opened its mouth wide.

My eyes widened in fear as that strange magic slammed into me and obliterated my white and blue jacket while leaving me with multiple burns as I slammed into the ground far below.

'Fuck, this is ridiculous! I can't even make a dent in this guy's mask yet that raven-haired chick and the ice dragon kid are cutting through them with ease' I cursed as I coughed up blood and staggered to my feet once more.

'To make it worse; I'm just about out of magic energy' I thought as I leapt away from another blast. A woman screamed as another one was sent towards her while a child not far away was about to be flattened by one of the monster's feet.

"Fuck!" I roared as I slammed my fist onto my palm and focused the last bit of my magic energy into it as I rushed towards the woman.

"Ice Make: Dragon!" I roared summoning a moving ice dragon to nab the kid out of harm's way as I leapt in front of the woman with my arms out. She screamed as the blast slammed into me and I roared in pain as it burned my skin.

'I guess this is it; thanks, Fairy Tail' I thought as I fell to the ground, unable to stand anymore. I heard Juvia's voice screaming my name in worry as my vision faded and I lost consciousness.

Ichigo

We were both panting heavily as we faced each other in a dead set. Suddenly, a garganta opened behind him and he sighed in frustration.

"Well, looks like my times up. Before I go though, I want to know; why did you leave me to die that day?" he asked me seriously.

I looked him in the eyes and with shame in my voice I responded "Because, I had already lost someone once to a beast like that. I had seen what could happen to people if they were foolish and tried to play hero and….it scared me. I was afraid; afraid of death."

He nodded "So was I; one day we'll settle this Kurosaki. Now, that I understand better; maybe it'll be on friendlier terms if I can get free of this curse" he said cryptically before sealing his powers back into his sword and walking through the garganta as the Menos Grande left through garganta of their own.

I returned my Zangetsu to his sealed form and sheathed the two katana in dual sheathes on my waist as my shihakusho returned to normal. I sighed in exhaustion before passing out and falling towards the ground below. Erza leapt upwards and caught me in her arms as I lost consciousness.

She changed into armor with silver wings, a steel bra with a circlet on her head and a pure white skirt as she flew towards her home with my unconscious body in her arms. She gently set me down on her bed as she rested my head in her lap with a slight blush on her face as she watched me.

"You're so powerful yet so gentle…..and I think…..I love you" she whispered as ran her fingers through my hair. She gave me a soft smile as my heavy breathing seemed to slow to a calmer pace. She leaned down and kissed my forehead with a blush on her face before walking off to get bandages so she could tend to me.

'Well, Zangetsu-san; looks like the King's getting around some, eh? He's already got that Mira chick and now he's about to have this strange cosplay loving red-head. Wonder if her tits are big underneath that armor of hers; I got a little peak when she switched into that earlier armor and DAM they were pretty nice' Shiro chuckled as he leaned against one of the skyscrapers inside Ichigo's innerworld.

Meanwhile, Zangestu stood there stoic as ever until he flash stepped to an unknown location where a flower garden grew. Inside were flowers that symbolized Ichigo's feelings for those around him. Of course, there were twin roses, a tree with black leaves, and a flower with pure snow-white petals with an aura that made even Shiro smile, and now a budding flower with blazing crimson red petals that had small thorns on the stem.

Ichigo, you don't even realize how much more difficult you're path is becoming and how much quickly it will get harder and harder Zangestu thought as he watered the plants within with an exasperated sigh.

Hey, guys hope you enjoyed the chapter not sure if it's longer or shorter than the other more recent ones, tried to make it a bit longer than usual you've been getting (working on trying to get them to at least 2k a chapter.) Anyways, looks like the old rivalry between Erza and Mirajane is about to start up again this time with our dear resident Substitute Shinigami caught up in the middle of it. O.O lucky bastard, am I right?

DX Chaos- forever alone.

So yea, anyways do me a favor and click those little buttons down there. You know the one that says review. That'd be nice and be sure to leave constructive criticism please or just tell me if you have an idea; I'm always looking through them for new ones. Thanks, and see ya next time I update; Chaos out! –flashsteps away-

-Chaoskeeper