The first thing Rukia felt was cold. She shivered slightly only to realize that she also felt wet. Her body cried out in protest as she tried to move. She could feel a distant pain plaguing her body.

The first thing Rukia saw upon opening her eyes was white. Her initial reaction was to panic in fear that she had lost her sight, but soon vague images started forming until she was able to identify the blurry objects.

Taking in her surroundings Rukia discovered herself in a very unusual place. She was currently sitting on what appeared to be a huge snow covered lake- explaining why she felt chilly. But, it was strange because all though it was cold, it was not completely discomforting. Around the frozen lake was a forest covered in snow, dark and silent.

Then out of the shadows of the woods a figure emerged. Rukia squinted, trying to make out whether or not she should try to run. As the figure got closer, she noticed that it was a woman that was approaching her. She was of medium height wearing long white robes. Her hair was a long midnight black that twirled in the wind. The woman then stepped onto lake, now only a few feet from Rukia. Upon getting closer, Rukia also noticed her sharp piercing blue eyes that seemed to look through her very soul.

She was now standing right next to Rukia, towering over her sitting form. The wind whistled as they stared at each other in silence until Rukia finally spoke.

"Who are you?"

At first Ichigo was in shock which quickly turned into anger. He could feel his heart beating fast as his spiritual pressure suddenly increased. The hollow, noticing this new threat stepped back causing its claw to be pulled from Rukia's body.

"NO! RUKIA!" yelled Ichigo as he rushed forward to catch her just in time. As he lowered her to the ground he looked at her face to see that she was desperately trying to breath. Then working as quickly as possible, he began to pour massive amounts of his own spiritual pressure into her body. The wound slowly and grudgingly began to heal, but Rukia still remained unconscious.

In the mean time it looked like the hollows were starting to inch back to towards the shinigami. Looking up, Ichigo noticed the approaching hollows, after making sure Rukia was breathing, he gently laid her down on the ground before standing up.

Pulling out his zanpaku-to, Ichigo glared at the hollows, his eyes showing only revenge. His fiery gaze landed on the hollow that had hurt Rukia and he immediately sprung forward to attack. The hollow didn't stand a chance against his enraged attacker as it quickly met its end.

Ichigo then spun around towards the other hollows daring them to attack. He charged forward swinging his blade with little thought as he cut down hollow after hollow. Unfortunately, he started finding it harder to draw out his spiritual pressure and found himself slowing down.

Ichigo cursed as he pulled back towards Rukia in order to better protect her. As he did this the hollows, finding their advantage in numbers, kept moving forward as even more of them joined the fight.

With the hollows getting closer, Ichigo glanced back toward the fallen shinigami and started pondering some sort of escape. He really didn't have a choice seeing that there was no way that he could defeat this endless amount of hollows by himself especially while he was still worried about Rukia.

Standing his ground, Ichigo held out his zanpaku-to to cut down the closest hollows. He took another step back, trying to figure out what he should do next.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked. "And where am I?"

"Who am I?" The woman's voice floated in the wind like snow. "You of all people know me best and yet, you do not know my name?"

Rukia sighed in frustration. This was going nowhere. "Look, I don't have time for this, so would you-"

"You're right, there is no time at all…" said the woman, confusing her even more.

"Look, I-" started Rukia.

"Quiet," ordered the mysterious person. "We don't have any time. Stand up."

"Wha-"

"Stand up!" Rukia stood up uneasily, balancing herself on the ice.

"Why-"

"Do you see that light?" She really must have liked interrupting people, but Rukia did as she was told and looked. She nodded seeing the white light resting in the middle of the lake. "Good. Now go to it." Rukia looked up at the woman, confused. "GO!" she yelled.

Just as Rukia began to make her way across the ice an eerie wind whistled across the lake. Then all of a sudden a loud crash came from deep inside the forest giving Rukia a scared feeling in the pit of her stomach. Following the sound, the large trees that made up forest started falling down with a sound that could only signify that it wasn't good. Sensing danger, Rukia tried walking faster, shuffling her feet along the unstable ice.

Just then, it started to hail, hard, effecting Rukia's vision. From what she could see she was a about half way to…- well wherever that weird lady thought she should go. Thinking of which, she looked up to see the woman standing not too far in front of herself standing in a position that that looked like she was guiding Rukia.

She turned back to glance at Rukia. "Hurry! We need to go! This place is falling apart!"

She was in a dream, Rukia decided-or perhaps it was more like a nightmare. She hoped she would wake up soon, because this it was getting really bad. She was now about a hundred feet away from the light, which she was still clueless as to what it was and why it was so important.

Just then, a giant BOOM echoed the surrounding area. The ice beneath her feet shook violently, causing Rukia to fall. A big, echoing and eerie cracking sound could be heard from her left and when she turned to look, Rukia saw cracks starting to form within the ice, which began spreading rapidly across the lake. Then as one piece broke off, water splashed between the giant pieces of ice.

Now Rukia was worried, dream or not she had to get out of here. Picking herself up she turned in the direction that she came from, but a hand grabbed her shoulder, stopping her.

"No!" shouted the woman trying to be heard over the wind. "Keep heading towards the center! That is the only way you will be able to stop this!"

"I don't want to stop it!" Rukia yelled back. "I just want to get out of here!"

"Then do what I tell you and keep going!"

Rukia growled; it didn't look like she had a choice. The cracks of ice were now surrounding them and the only way left to go was towards the spot she had been ordered to go.

Upon reaching the center -running from the breaking ice at her heels- Rukia gazed into the light to see what was so important about it. Looking down, she saw that the light was coming from a white sword that was frozen in the ice.

Coming up behind her, the woman spoke in her ear to be heard. "Pull it out."

Rukia turned up to the woman to question her command, but by the look in her face she decided not to waste time, but to just do as she was told.

Reaching forward, Rukia grabbed the freezing hilt and tried pulling. It wouldn't budge.

"What is you reason for fighting?" asked the woman. "Why must you carry a blade?"

"Wha-" Rukia was lost now. What did any of this have to do with anything?

"What do you fight for?!?" She sounded both panicked and worried.

Rukia felt the ice under her feet starting to break. She gripped the sword harder in order to retain balance.

"You need to hurry! This world is falling apart! You need to pull me out!"

Me? Thought Rukia. Why- Then it clicked. She looked back up towards the woman with her new realization. Seeing this, the woman smiled down at the girl, before questioning her again.

"Why do you need to fight?"

Strengthening the grip on her sword, Rukia answered. "To protect them!"

"Who?"

"My friends-" Rukia was suddenly cut off when her right foot fell through the ice. She shivered when the freezing water touched her skin, but kept a tight grip on the blade.

Teeth clattering and body shivering Rukia continued. "All of them! They're like my family!" With a crash her other foot fell through the ice, the water traveling up to her knees. With as much strength as she could muster she pulled herself out of the water. She lost the feeling in her legs.

She tried going on. "N-ni-sama a-and R-R-Renji too! A-and….and EVERYONE!" She felt the ice cracking beneath her knees. Her tears froze as soon as they left her eyes. "I NEED TO PROTECT EVERYONE!" Breathing was becoming harder as the hail pelted her shivering skin.

"PLEASE!" Rukia screamed, giving the white sword another pull. "I NEED TO PROTECT THEM!! I HAVE TO PROTECT ICHIGO!!"

The ice below her shattered and Rukia fell into the deep, freezing waters. Everything went black as she lost all of the feeling in her body, though she kept a firm grip on the blade that was still in her hand. Rukia barely realized that the sword had come out.

Suddenly, she heard a voice whispering in her ear. "Now what is it? What is my name?"

Rukia didn't answer, she didn't think she could.

"Look into yourself and find my name!"

Ichigo backed up, standing right next to his fallen friend, trying to cut down as many hollows as possible, trying to find some way to escape. Ichigo was furious. Not only was he angry at these hollows and that four-eye creep, but at himself. He hated this weakness and inability to save his closest friend, not to mention the entire town that was now in danger.

Just as Ichigo was about to pick up Rukia and try to escape, spiritual pressure started coming from the fallen shinigami. Ichigo looked down at the girl whose unhealed wounds were now closing. She took a deep breath in as her slackened grip tightened around her sword.

Rukia's eyes flashed open and her spiritual pressure increasing even more, especially around her zanpaku-to. Moving her body, she tried standing, while Ichigo just stood there in confusion and amazement.

Finally standing up, Rukia turned to Ichigo and flashed him a confidant smile as she turned to face the hollows. Ichigo stared at her, wanting to yell at her, wanting to understand just what the hell was going on, but something made him hold back. They weren't out of danger yet.

Smirking at the hollows, Rukia lifted her sword directly in front of her, blade horizontal to the ground.

"Dance…" Rukia said as she swung the sword in a circular motion so that her zanpaku-to pointed towards the ground. "SODE NO SHIRAYUKI!"

Ichigo watched in utter amazement as the hilt of her sword changed and a white ribbon erupted from the end. The blade also shortened as the entire sword became white.

The hollows in the front suddenly found themselves fatally cut as Rukia expertly swung her zanpaku-to across. Then using her newly powered speed, Rukia stepped in between the hollows and swung her blade across, strangely missing all of the hollows.

"First Dance," she said. "Tsukishiro!" As soon as she spoke a large white circle appeared on the ground underneath Rukia and the hollows. The hollows soon found themselves frozen to the ground as ice appeared from the bright circle and started climbing up the beasts. They screamed in pain as their bodies froze where they stood.

Ichigo looked on as Rukia stepped out of the circle, just as a huge column of ice shot up into the sky destroying all of the hollows who had been unfortunate enough to be inside.

Rukia turned to Ichigo, their eyes meeting. Rukia immediately saw the pain that was written in those deep amber orbs and immediately felt guilty. But, before she could do anything she felt her body shake, her zanpaku-to becoming dormant once again.

Rushing forward, Ichigo caught Rukia as she fell. Then holding her in his arms, he looked down at her and scanned her body for any injuries.

"Ichigo…" Her voice was weak, almost a whisper. "I'm sorry I-"

But, she was unable to finish when Ichigo suddenly pulled her into a tight huge and whispered into her ear. "Rukia…please, please…"

Figuring out what he was trying to say, Rukia returned the comforting huge and responded. "I'm sorry. I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again…"

Relieved for now, Ichigo laid her down on the ground being careful not to hurt her.

"So, it seems you were able to take down some of the hollows," A voice came from not too far away. "I guess you're not completely useless."

Remembering his anger, Ichigo spun around to see Uryu standing a couple hundred feet away. He stood up, murder written in his eyes.

Uryu seemed to be unaware of the hate being directed towards him, as he continued speaking. "Oh, and just to let you know, I took care of all of the hollows on the other side of town."

Ichigo started walking forward, gaining power as his anger built up again. He didn't notice that Uryu had been greatly weakened and seemed to be running low on spiritual pressure.

Uryu finally noticed Ichigo's increasing anger. He pulled out his bow and aimed it at the approaching shinigami. "Since most of the hollows are finished, it looks like I have time to defeat you too." At these words, Uryu released his arrow.

Ichigo, not missing a beat, cut down the arrow and continued towards the Quincy.

Ichida's eyes went wide with surprise. Where is he getting this strength? I could have sworn it had been much lower only a moment ago!

Ichigo smirked at Uryu. "You know what…I think you're right. Why don't we stop talking about who can kill the most hollows and face each other now!?"

A little unnerved, Uryu started to speak, but was interrupted by a giant crack that echoed through the town.

Looking up at the sky, the saw a huge crack forming and ripping the sky. The remaining hollows then strangely started moving towards the crack, gathering around it.

Feeling a growing threat, Uryu, took out his bow and arrow and began to rapidly fire at the hollows. Ichigo was about to follow Uryu- who had run off to get the rest of the hollows- but was stopped by Rukia.

"Wait Ichigo!" called Rukia. Hearing her voice, Ichigo immediately rushed to her side. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What?" said Ichigo.

"It's something that Urahara told me before I left…"

"Uryu!" Said person turned away from the hollows to see Ichigo running up towards him, seeming a lot less angry. "Hey Uryu! I know your story now-"

Recognizing what he was talking about, Uryu interrupted. "That's ancient history. I don't care what happened to the Quincies two hundred years ago. That isn't the reason why I fight." He fired another arrow at an approaching hollow. "When I heard the story about the fall of the Quincies I actually thought the Shinigami were right." He paused as if remembering something. "I became angry when my master died right before my eyes." Ichigo was quiet; he didn't know what to say. "If the Soul Society had only accepted the strength of the Quincies, then my master wouldn't have died, which is why I must show you our true strength."

"You-" Ichigo started, but as interrupted by a scream coming from the sky. The two turned to see a huge hand reach out of the hole in the sky followed by a haunting face with a long nose. Both of them stared up in shock as the huge hollow started entering the world of the living.

"Whoa…" said Ichigo. "What is that? Is it even a hollow?"

"T-that's a Menos Grande!" Rukia came up from behind them. They turned to see her staring up at it with huge eyes. "It is way beyond anything that any of us would be able to deal with."

Just then, the Menos started taking in and eating the surrounding hollows as it fully emerged from the rip in the sky.

"Shit," said Ichigo as the giant hollow started destroy everything around it. "We're going to have to do something about this." He turned to the Quincy. "We're going to have to work together." Uryu was quiet.

"Are you insane?! Did you not hear what I just said?!" yelled Rukia.

But, before Rukia could continue, the spiritual pressure in the area spiked as the Menos Grande started collecting energy at its mouth. All three of them stared at it, quickly trying to figure out what to do. Then, the hollow released its blast, aimed directly at the unaware town.

It was Ichigo was the only one to react as he charged forward to block the attack with his blade. Rukia felt her heart skip a beat when Ichigo rushed forward, and continued to beat rapidly.

Uryu watched in amazement as Ichigo held the blast with his sword. How is he able to do that? Especially after already having fought a bunch of hollows! There was a strange sound in the air as an abnormally high level of spiritual pressure started coming from Ichigo.

Ichigo then built up his spiritual pressure and started pushing against the power that was trying to get past him. With a loud yell, Ichigo deflected the attack and sent his own power at the hollow.

Ichigo's attack cut the Menos from head to toe, causing the creature to cry out in pain. Wounded the Menos shrank back towards the crack in the sky and pulled back out of the world of the living. Uryu and Rukia gasped at the fact that Ichigo had been able to wound the giant hollow.

With the Menos gone, Ichigo let out a breath of exhaustion, letting his zanpaku-to fall to his side.

Uryu stared at the shinigami who had just done the unthinkable.

We're going to have to work together.

The words echoed through his head. Him…work with a shinigami? He glanced over at Ichigo who was currently getting beat up by Rukia for his stupidity.

A small smile was threatening his lips. Well…I guess it's something to think about.

"Sode no Shirayuki?"

Rukia nodded. They were getting ready to leave, standing in front of the portal back to Soul Society.

"Wow," said Ichigo. "I can't believe you released your zanpaku-to."

"It wasn't easy," said Rukia as she remembered what she had to go through.

"Yeah, but still…" then he realized something. "Damn it! Now I have to catch up to you!"

Rukia smiled. "You had better catch up then Strawberry, before I get to far ahead!"

"Not a problem," said Ichigo. "I'll get it soon." Her thoughts wandered to what had happened with the Menos Grande and she wondered just how powerful Ichigo's released zanpaku-to would be.

"We'll see," replied Rukia.

"Then I'll start training as soon as I get back!" said the determined Ichigo.

Rukia's smile dropped. "No you will not! When we get back, you're going straight to the fourth division."

"Yeah, yeah," said Ichigo. "You need to go there too."

"No I don't," Rukia retorted. "I'm fine. All I need is some rest."

"Then you can rest in the fourth division," said Ichigo, pulling her towards the gate.

"Alright, I'm coming," said Rukia trying to pull away from him. "You don't have to drag me."

Ichigo looked down at her and noticed that she still looked exhausted after today and was moving slowly. "Okay, then," said Ichigo with a mischievous smirk. "I won't pull you."

Then in one motion he bent down and slung Rukia over his shoulder, before turning around heading back to Soul Society.

"What the-?" At first, Rukia didn't realize what was going on. "Ichigo! Put me down!"

He didn't answer, and instead just kept walking.

"Damn it Ichigo! Put me down!!!"

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I hope you liked the chapter

PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

Sorry for any errors! I went through this faster than I should have. I wanted to get it out soon because I felt I owed you guys a chapter after not updating for a whil before the ch. 14.

~StrawberryShinigami