Ok...sorry this update took a little longer but it was important that it came out as long as it did. 29 pages in word long. Over 11,000 words. I had to make sure that it flowed right and corrected all the typos and cleared anything that would have confused even me. k? k!
Toshiro opened his eyes slowly, trying to bring them back into focus. He didn't know how long he'd been out for but he knew he'd fainted. Being that close to so many of the heavenly host had overloaded his senses.
"Ah! You're awake," Orihime exclaimed.
He sat up slowly, his now focused eyes taking in his surroundings. He was on a comfortable couch, the neutral colors of the room were warm and inviting, the whir of a ceiling fan moving the air, keeping it cool.
"Where am I?"
"Inside the house I share with my sister," Ulquiorra answered from not far off. "You passed out along with the woman who came with you. We brought you in here so that you could rest comfortably."
"Y…you're that arrancar we saw earlier," Toshiro observed.
"Your powers of observation are astounding," Ulquiorra said drolly. "Can you stand?"
"Yeah," the captain answered. "I want those answers Kurosaki promised."
"Then follow me."
Toshiro jumped up, immediately following after the arrancar. He stopped at the doorway, blinking in the bright sunlight that greeted him, not feeling the expected heat that he had felt earlier. The reason why was the covered canopy of green, a small pool near the edge and a breeze carried from the nearby river. Once he left the green, however, the heat of the desert hit him full force.
Orihime walked next to him, smiling as she did.
"What are you so happy about," he grumbled to her.
"Oh…it's nothing. My heart is just happy. It's been making up songs," she answered, humming to herself.
"Orihime has finally joined the ranks of those capable of battle," Ulquiorra answered. "The mere thought that she can now fight alongside Ichigo Kurosaki and his other friends has made her this way."
"But I thought you could only heal," Toshiro asked.
"That was until Uriel showed me other ways to use my powers," she answered, starting to skip as her humming got louder.
Luckily, the tenth squad captain did not have to suffer it long before they came to the portal. Ulquiorra stepped aside, motioning for him to enter first. Hesitating, Toshiro did just that, taking the stairs again as he did previously.
Going down, Ulquiorra and Orihime followed, both going in different directions as the captain when they reached the bottom.
"Oy! Taicho," Matsumoto called, running to him. "Sleep good?" She smiled upon reaching him. That's when he noticed that her clothing was changed. She wore close fitting but not tight leggings, her shirt like vest was also close fitting, her generous bosom covered well by it.
"We've been waiting for you, taicho. I've been here a while but you need to hear this for yourself. If everyone weren't so serious about it, I would have thought they were making fun," she rambled, walking beside him toward the group.
"What have you gotten yourself mixed up in now, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya growled softly at him as they stopped.
"Eh? You make it sound like I did it on purpose," Ichigo responded. "I just came here with Ishida and Sado for an elective class at school. I didn't know what was going on."
"So this just unfolded around you," he asked.
"Pretty much," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head. "Sachiel was one of the benefactors of our trip, letting us stay with her. There's two groups of us. We just happened to get stuck with her instead of the others."
"I think it's the other way around, Kurosaki-san," Ishida interjected.
He looked back at Ishida, a grin on his face. "Yeah, you might be right about that."
He turned back to Hitsugaya, his face serious again. "After we arrived, we discovered that Sachiel was a demon slayer in the area. At least, that was her cover. Ulquiorra is serving as her guardian, so to speak," he explained. "I found out what she was doing and the story behind her through images she projected into my mind during our first weekend with her. I asked her to train me. When she wouldn't…I…well I kind of forced her to by getting into a fight with some demons."
"Demons? Like the ones from Hell," Hitsugaya asked.
"Yeah. But stronger since these are part of Lucifer's legion. As time went on, we discovered that she wasn't actually a demon slayer but the Archangel Sachiel who had been sent here to repent for what she'd done. She created an alternate world where time flowed much faster so that she could train me during a weekend while we weren't at the dig site. She returned, not only my spiritual powers but my zanpakutou and taught me some of her abilities. It was during the time there with her that my feelings for her changed. Fighting side by side with her when Ulquiorra was injured just reinforced those feelings until I told her how I felt. That's when she came clean to me about everything."
"And you still feel this way?"
"More so now that we're joined," Ichigo answered.
Hitsugaya stuttered, shock written on his face. "J…joined?"
"I created a link between the two to help Ichigo's powers advance since he no longer has an inner hollow," another voice explained. Hitsugaya turned around, seeing the same guardian he'd seen before.
"You?"
Michael nodded, walking toward the youth. "It had to be done or else he would never be able to defeat her or any of the arch demons that we'll be fighting to get her back."
"Those connections are just temporary, though. Right," Hitsuguya asked.
Michael laughed softly, "No, my friend. It's temporary if they don't make it permanent. However, they did."
Now he was speechless again. Finding himself, he turned to Ichigo. "You're mated with an Archangel?"
"Catches on quick, doesn't he," Ichigo commented to the group.
The captain flushed with embarrassment.
"Toshiro," Ichigo started again. "I'm a normal man. Getting involved with a woman as beautiful as Sachiel is and becoming her mate was something that was a bonus for me since she chose me for this role. I chose her, too."
"You weren't coerced into it?"
"No," he answered. "Before she told me who she was, before her brothers came and backed up her story, I already had feelings for her when I thought she was someone else. After it was made public, our feelings for each other, it just got stronger. Even after finding out who she was."
Hitsugaya looked around at everyone, expectation on their faces. Renji smiled at the captain.
"So this is why you haven't come back?"
"That and because she needs our help in destroying a way gate."
"A way gate?"
"A portal through which our brother Lucifer can come through from Hell to create his world here on earth," Michael explained. "As you know, Sachiel is a fallen angel but we worked together to find a way for her to redeem herself. She wants a life here on earth, with Ichigo. She was wounded by him when he drove a spear through her which contained a taint to turn her. She allowed the taint to do what it would to her physically but her mind is still her own. She plans on destroying the gate. But in order to do that, Ichigo and the others need to be trained properly to take on the demons that are currently around her."
Michael brought his hand forth, summoning a large orb. Glowing red faintly, the image of Sachiel appeared after a moment. Ichigo's chest swelled at the sight of her, his longing increasing suddenly. She was standing in a large cavern, fiery chasm before her. Around her were several demons. From the looks of their weapons, they didn't seem all that fierce but feeling their auras almost brought Toshiro to his knees.
"What have you gotten into, Kurosaki," he whispered to no one.
"I've been helping him train, along with Michael here," Renji said. "Since I'm considered the strongest next to Michael, they asked me to help him with his endurance. He's gonna need it."
"Indeed," Ishida added. "We haven't gone up against any demons yet but we're working to get stronger. With the help of the others."
"Others?"
The other angels appeared behind Michael, staring down at the smaller captain.
"I don't believe it," Raphael said. "So you're the one who now commands the ice dragon."
Hitsugaya looked at him curiously. "You know of Hyorinmaru?"
"Well of course we do! We know of all the guardian's assigned aspects," he replied.
"Guardian?"
"This young man is the incarnation of a heavenly guardian," Uriel explained quietly. "He was originally split into two beings but we were told that the two finally merged. Was something we didn't expect but it was corrected."
"You know about that?"
Raphael and Uriel both gave him a blank look, neither wanting to get smart with him since this was his first time meeting them.
"So how about we get back to training, Michael," Ichigo said, interrupting the small tension that was building.
"Good idea," he agreed. "We'll move on to your mastery of Sachiel's abilities."
"Alright."
Renji followed as Ichigo moved toward the center of cavern. Michael put his hand on his arm, stopping him.
"This is as far as you go, Renji," the man said. "From here, you will not be able to withstand the abilities. Gabriel and I will handle this stage of the training."
"But…"
"It would not be wise to insist, human," Gabriel interrupted. "What flows through his body now is not what you know."
Renji stood down, standing with the others as Michael and Gabriel both followed after Ichigo.
"Uriel, Raphael," Michael called. "Barriers if you would, please. We would not want their human friends to be injured."
Both angels nodded, stepping forward as both brought up the barriers that were requested, both of them melding, creating a misty shield around the center of the cavern before becoming clear enough for them to see through.
"What can you feel, Ichigo," Michael asked him.
"Energy, unlike anything I've felt before."
"Can you bring it into your hand," Gabriel asked.
"I can try."
"There is no trying. Do it or don't," Gabriel said harshly.
Ichigo stared at him for a moment before nodding slightly, closing his eyes. He could feel the strong energy, pulling it forth as he coalesced it into the image of an orb in his mind. Sachiel knew great control when she was teaching him, her only evidence of her annoyance with his inability to produce the results she wanted was a hard flick on the nose. Opening his eyes slowly, he found a smooth, golden orb hovering above his hand.
"Good," Michael said. "Now, form it."
"Into?"
"A rod or lightning bolt. If you prefer, form it into some type of weapon."
The image of Sachiel's lightning bolt flickered into his mind, the orb changing shape before his eyes.
"You've tapped into her proficiency," Gabriel commented. "That's good. But can you fight with it?"
"Wanna give it a go?"
Gabriel smirked at him, pulling his sword free as he suddenly launched himself at him. Instinctively, Ichigo brought his sword up, blocking Gabriel's sword swing at the last moment.
"No! Use the weapon you just formed," Michael yelled.
Gabriel backed up, giving Ichigo room to put his sword away. "We're trying to teach you how to use her energy for attacks and defense, human. Don't sully my sister's abilities."
"I won't."
Without warning, he attacked again. This time, Ichigo brought his bolt up, blocking the angel's sword. He suddenly found himself staring at the ceiling of the cavern as he flew through the air. "What happened," he thought to himself. The scenario played through his mind, showing him how Gabriel had formed his own energy attack, releasing it as Ichigo was distracted by the sword. Flipping over to right himself, he landed on his feet.
"Tricky," he said. "I forgot for a moment."
"Forgot what," Gabriel asked, walking toward him.
"That you don't like me so you'll use any trick or maneuver to get the upper hand on me," Ichigo replied.
Gabriel scoffed. "Again!"
Ichigo could feel a whisper in his mind, the feel soft and familiar. "Tap more into my abilities, Ichigo. You've seen me fight, you know what I can do. Draw that knowledge forth."
"Sachi?"
"Do it!"
He focused just in time to catch Gabriel's sword again, forcing it down as he used the force to swing his body around, his leg coming up to kick at him. At the moment of contact, energy swelled around his leg. Gabriel had been expecting the kick but not the force of energy behind it as it pushed him aside.
"Good! I see you're tapping in more to her other battle knowledge," Michael remarked.
"Lucky break," Gabriel chided.
"Lucky, my ass," Ichigo shot back.
"Is it? I guess we're about to find out."
He came at him again, this time Ichigo pulling his sword free, working both the lightning bolt and sword together as he began to feel Sachiel's battle knowledge flow into him. As they fought, Ichigo realized the reason for the barriers. The force of the two attacking each other caused huge explosions of energy to be released, the power even shaking him to his bones.
Inoue, Ishida, Sado, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto all stared from behind the barrier. As soon as Ichigo had tapped into Sachiel's powers, his own power had increased almost tenfold of what his bankai state gave off. For Inoue and Ishida, who had been present for his final hollow form, what he gave off now made that power seem weak.
They watched the two spar for several minutes before Michael called out for them to stop. Gabriel backed away, smiling a bit. Michael walked toward him and Ichigo, a huge grin on his face. "She's given you her battle knowledge, hasn't she," he asked.
"I think so," Ichigo answered, panting slightly.
"That's good. Very good. You can call forth her abilities and with her adding her own battle knowledge to yours…the only thing left is to hone it," Michael said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Ichigo looked at the angel, smiling a bit at him. "I could feel her in my mind. She talked to me."
"She guided you? She must be sleeping then if she can tap into your mind like that."
Ichigo nodded. "For two days now, I've been able to feel her strongest at different times of the day. Most of the time, I can barely sense her."
"That's the bond," Michael explained. "Since it's been instilled, you can feel her at all times but when she sleeps, she can be free of her taint and so, is freer to communicate with you."
Ichigo stared at him. Michael knew best what transpired between the two.
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Sachiel sat in her room, in the chair by the mock fireplace that had been put in when she was here during the first turning. She had been reading through different anthologies, making mental notes in her head about the subjects she read. She mainly read through the alchemical tomes, looking through for new elixirs, potions that she didn't know that could be made through the herbs she grew. She didn't really interact with anyone, even when she was here the first time, she was often alone. Except for Alex.
Hearing her door open, she looked in that direction, smiling slightly at the sight of the cat coming in, the door closing quietly behind him.
"Where have you been? Spying for your master, I assume?"
"Is there any other task that he has me complete," the cat said harshly.
"Tell me, Alex. When we leave here, what will you do? It's been many centuries since you've been in society aside from as a spy," Sachiel teased.
The cat hopped up in her lap, his green gold eyes staring intently at her. "I hadn't thought about it really. But I was thinking, depending on how old I look when this curse is removed, I might go to college," he answered.
"And do what?"
"Be a doctor? Help instead of harm as I've done for so long."
"A noble profession."
"Much more so than spying and relaying what I've seen," he shot back.
She nodded. "So tell me. What have you learned?"
"He's improved greatly. His powers are immense. It's not a drain on you," he asked.
"Not at all. You forget who I am. Though I appear as I did so many years ago, my powers have never wavered."
"I suppose so. Since my powers were restricted, I can't do much more than open a door."
"You know that he took your powers for his own, don't you? You will not get them back after you're returned to human form."
"This, I know. And what of you?"
"I will take up my post again. I can't bind my human to me forever. I will release my bond with him that we have now and most likely, erase his memory. When this is done, I will fulfill my sentence."
"You would go back to that," Alex asked in surprise.
"I don't have a choice. I won't force him to stay with me. I wish there was a way but there simply isn't one that I can think of. The time I've had with him has been wonderful. However, to remain bonded with him, over time he will begin to change."
"And if he chooses to stay with you? Will you drive him away?"
She looked at him sadly, smiling softly. "He won't stay. I will remove myself from his memory. He will go home and all he will remember is the school trip."
"I doubt that would work. He's very …stubborn is a good word. He might be resistant toward any spell that you might try. I believe his heart is too pure and true to you in order to just allow you to wipe your memory from him."
"You may be right about that. We'll just have to see what happens then."
Alex curled up in her lap, the faux fire still giving off warmth. He was tired. He dozed while she continued to read. "He looks amazing in that form," he mused. "I can see why you're so enamored with him."
Sachiel smiled. "That wasn't what drew me to him. When I first saw him, he gave off no spiritual energy. It wasn't until later that I learned the reason why," she said softly, her fingers brushing through his fur.
"So, even knowing he wasn't of any spiritual use, you kept with him?"
"He lost his abilities by sacrificing himself to stop an enemy who threatened his world, his friends. I restored those to him. They were a big part of who he was. Without them, he was just trying to survive in this world."
"Very noble of him, that was. I don't know of many people who would do the same in that situation."
"I know."
"Would you sacrifice yourself for him?"
Sachiel looked down at the cat in surprise. "Odd question," she remarked. "Though, I believe I would. He has so much more to live for than I do. I saw a vision of him. It's off into the future. He has a wife, children and a good life. I didn't see his wife's face, so he probably hasn't met her yet but he will. She'll make him happy."
"You foresaw a good future for him, then?"
"I believe so. It breaks my heart to know that that woman will fulfill everything he needs. I care for him so much. But I cannot interfere with that. What have you told my brother?"
"Aside from the training? Nothing."
"He doesn't suspect that something is making Ichigo more powerful?"
"If he does, he'll probably think he's like every human man and consummated with you before you turned. He's been watching your actions in the human world for a very long time."
"I know. Hopefully he will continue to not suspect."
Alex looked away, feeling guilty. He had told Lucifer of the bond but didn't tell him that it was put in after Sachiel's turning. He also felt guilty partially because…at that moment, his lord was listening.
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Michael clapped his hands, walking toward Ichigo and Gabriel. After two weeks of constant sparring, Ichigo was finally able to take Gabriel down and pin him.
"Congratulations, brother," Michael teased. "You finally got your butt handed to you."
Gabriel scoffed, pushing Ichigo off him. "You make it sound like it's the first time that's happened."
Ichigo looked at the men before moving toward his friends. With the coming of Rangiku and Toshiro, they had been recruited into training for the fight that was to come.
"Yay! Kurosaki-kun, that was amazing," Orihime cheered for him. Rangiku stood next to the woman, clapping for him as well. For the past hour, they had rested from their regimen to watch Gabriel and Ichigo go at it. Try as he might in the past, Ichigo was not able to pin Gabriel, often having to be carried away due to losing consciousness during their fight. Sachiel's power was a bit taxing on his body as he tried to get used to it. It was almost like learning to breathe again.
After the first week, he had been able to manifest his wings and his Zangetsu had been transformed into a scythe like instrument that crackled with lightning.
Orihime and Rangiku had swooned slightly at their fight sight of him in his soft gray with black trimmed tunic vest, his leggings loose as the bottoms were tucked into wraps that came to mid calf, black shoes on his feet. His longer hair ran down his back between the wings, the ends of them tipped in black to signify his connection to Sachiel.
When Gabriel and he weren't sparring, Uriel had taken it upon himself to teach Ichigo how to use his wings to his advantage, creating a shield with them as well as using them for offense. Raphael had taught him how to use the lightning rope that was attached to Zangetsu's hilt, just like the original wrapping he used to have on it.
It didn't take him long to incorporate what he learned from them into his fighting style. After that first week was when Gabriel began to have to really work for his victories over Ichigo.
"That was impressive, Kurosaki-san," Ishida said, smiling slightly at him. "Who knew you could finally beat the angel who kept handing you your butt."
"Hey! He had an advantage that I didn't," he replied.
"Really," Renji asked. "I didn't think smarts would be that big of an advantage over you."
"What are you saying," Ichigo asked, fist raised.
"Temper temper, gentlemen," Haniel said, stepping between the two. For an angel, Haniel didn't like fighting on any level but he would certainly step up to the plate when needed.
"Since I think we're done for the day, why don't you all go have some dinner and relax for a bit before going out tonight," he suggested. "I'm sure you'll be needing your rest."
"What do you mean," Ulquiorra asked, coming up behind them.
Haniel looked over at Michael, earning a nod from the older angel. "We've been finding small portals opening around the area," he stated. "They're small now but by dark, they'll be big enough to let through a small army of demons. You'll all need to help each other fight them off. They mean to destroy the town."
"Do you know who's leading them," Jo asked.
"Terra did not say," Michael answered, joining the group. "She only knows that Sachiel will be among them. If she is, Ichigo…you must be ready to make your move against her. If an all out fight happens, you must take her away from the town so that needless casualties do not occur."
"If she is leading them, then there may be casualties anyway," Ulquiorra said. "She controls the lightning demons. If any of the other arch demons come with, there's a good chance that there'll be a mix of various demons."
"That's true, Michael," Uriel added. "If that is the case, we'll need to help them. You might have to call Terra for back up on this."
Michael looked at Uriel, eyes narrowed. "I won't endanger her," he said. "She's still healing from her surgery."
"Her leg is fragile, yes, but she can still fight with her brace. From what she's told me, she's been walking without the brace to help strengthen her leg. She has almost full range of motion with the brace."
"No!"
"Keeping your mate out of the fight for purely selfish reasons then? She would not appreciate that, Michael," Uriel continued.
"Wait. Mate," Jo asked, stepping forward. "You're the reason my aunt never married?"
Michael looked at her, suddenly at a loss for words.
"Yes, Jo," Uriel answered. "Your aunt mated with Michael many years before you were born, when she herself was just around your age. That is why she's our archivist and watcher."
"That's why she's so powerful."
Michael nodded.
"Can I call ya Uncle Mike now," Jo teased.
Michael looked at the girl in horror, everyone around her cracking a grin as they watched. She'd wanted to ease the tension that she'd caused by asking so abruptly and she had succeeded.
"I'm just kidding. I'll still call you Michael but now that I know you're family, you won't get off that easy," she said, turning away and walking toward the stairs. Ishida and Inoue followed, Renji right behind them. "You might still wanna give her a call," she yelled down.
"You're mated to a human," Toshiro asked.
"Yes," Michael answered. "But no one was supposed to know about it." He shot an accusing glance at Uriel, the angel taken aback by the heat of the stare. He suddenly disappeared, a wisp of smoke left behind. "I'll go see if she wishes to join the battle."
"No need," they heard from behind them. Michael turned, seeing Terra standing there in her black and silver armor, her black leg brace over her legging. "I may not be able to fight to full capacity but I will still lend a hand. Merihim and Adramalech will also be joining Sachiel for this razing."
"That's a lot of heavy artillery to throw at this small town," Gabriel commented. "They mean to destroy everything?"
Terra nodded. "And from the looks of it, take as many souls as they can in the process. Lucifer will be needing a small army to start his infestation," she said. "He'll need them to create his legion since that's what's called for in the ceremony."
"You read the requirements," Ulquiorra asked, stepping forward. "How many souls does he need?"
"From the ceremony that's written, he'll need roughly three hundred souls to get it started. Anything after will just be a bonus for him."
"This town grew rather quickly after Sachiel and I moved into the area," Ulquiorra said. "There's over five hundred that now live here where there used to only be less than fifty."
Michael nodded. "That was one of her gifts," he said. "She brings prosperity to wherever she lives, influences those around her unconsciously to strive for better than they have."
"So basically, we're just waiting," Ichigo commented.
"For right now, yes," Michael answered. Terra stood next to him, looking intently at Ichigo.
"Ichigo?"
"Yeah?"
She walked toward him, looking up as she kept her eyes locked on his. He felt a bit uncomfortable as she stared, unblinking.
"The angel Sachiel, fallen from grace and made to repent for her actions, has a very dark side. Not only is she grace, beauty and prosperity, but she can be anger, corruption and vengeance," she said. "Thus far, her brother has not been able to bring that out of her but if it is no longer present, he won't be able to. Are you willing to sacrifice part of yourself for her? Will you willingly take up her other mantle so that she cannot be put back on the wrong path?"
"I've made my commitment to her, Terra," he answered. "I will see her safely brought back to where she belongs."
"And where is that, Ichigo," she asked.
"By my side, as my mate, my partner…my equal," he said.
"Well said, young man. Keep that resolve close. Never lose sight of what she means to you," she said.
"I won't," he answered, turning away and going upstairs.
"Do you think he can do it, Michael," Terra asked, turning back to her mate.
"From what's been shown of his past, he doesn't know how to give up. If it's in his heart to do something, he sees it done," he answered.
Terra walked to him, the other angels disappearing as she put her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest. "Take me home, my love. I need to spend some time with you," she whispered.
Michael held her close, kissing the top of her head as they, too, faded from inside the cavern.
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Sachiel sat in the middle of her field, legs crossed at her ankles as she leaned back on her hands, enjoying the feel of the faux sun in her dream world. A small smile played across her lips as she went over Ichigo's last visit to her dream. Since their mating and instilling of their permanent bond, she would often find him waiting for her if he slept before she did. They had talked much more than anything else, Ichigo always holding her close as they did.
She sighed softly, letting herself fall backward, rolling onto her stomach as she inspected the closest flower. Here in this world, she didn't feel as if she had a care for anything. This had always been her escape.
She felt a shadow fall over her, blocking the sun from warming her. She smiled to herself.
"I was just thinking about you," she said, turning over.
Her eyes went wide in surprise, quickly rising to her feet.
"You disappoint me, little sister," Lucifer said. "You, of all people, betrayed me. I welcomed you back into our fold and this is what you do to repay me?"
"I…I haven't done anything!"
"You conspired against me. You let me think that you were once again among us," he accused. "You lied to me!"
"I did not! I just left a few things out is all."
"I entrusted you with opening the gate so that I could leave my prison. If it hadn't been for Alex, I would never know that you meant to betray me." He took a step closer to her, Sachiel taking a step back.
Her mind began to think quickly, trying to find a way out of this dream. She tried to will herself back to her body, an unseen barrier stopping her from leaving. She continued to back up as he stalked closer to her.
"I will rid you of these ideas, sister. I will take your purity," he growled, a black ceremonial dagger in his hand.
Quicker than she could get away from him, he grabbed her arm, pulling her close as he brought the dagger down, burying it deep in her chest. Her eyes went wide as she felt the dagger pierce her heart, feeling the corruption embedded in it begin to fill her, calling forth her own twisted portion of her soul.
"You will fall again," he hissed as he noted the changes in her dream body beginning. "There will be no redemption for you this time…little sister!" He pulled the dagger free, leaving her convulsing body on the ground as he walked away.
"They're waiting for you. Try not to take too long," he said, disappearing in a wisp of smoke as he exited her dream.
She stood up slowly, her limbs shaky as she tried to steady herself. Around her, the flowers began to wilt and die off, the ground turning barren around her feet.
She turned, her black hair hanging over part of her face. She opened her silvery green eyes, staring at the spot her brother just vacated. A grin began to spread across her lips.
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Everyone stood in the canopied yard that connected to the back of house, the sun beginning to set behind them. Some were antsy, some not. No one knew what to expect of this battle that was coming. They didn't have time to evaluate the demons that they would be fighting. All they could go on was the knowledge of what had already happened, the demons already defeated and their own sense of self preservation.
For Ichigo, he knew more was riding on him than on the others. He was the one who would be the deciding factor in this battle.
During their resting period, he had tried found his way back into Sachiel's inner world while he slept. He had been met with a desolate and barren landscape instead of the field of wildflowers that she had surrounded herself with before. He had looked far and wide, finding only the gnarled trees that stood tall with their bare branches, the flowers were gone, replaced by dead foliage.
He didn't understand what it meant, the decay of her world. When he went to the area where he usually met with her, the only thing he had found was a single flower, still fighting away the desecration that threatened it from all sides. It was a single snowdrop. He knew the name only because it was in Sachiel's memories that she shared with him.
He knelt down, plucking the single flower and bringing it close. Sachiel had told him that all flowers had a special meaning, special properties when used in medicines. Although he couldn't recall what the flower was used for, he knew it's meaning. Hope.
He shook himself from his reverie, putting his hand over his left chest where the pocket inside his vest shirt was. When he'd awoken from the dream, the flower had been in his hand; it still hadn't wilted.
"Kurosaki-kun," Orihime called to him softly, coming up beside him. "Is everything ok?"
He looked at her, smiling gently at her. "Yes, Inoue. Everything's fine. Are we almost ready?"
"Hai," she answered enthusiastically. "Ishida went back inside with Ulquiorra to get something but I'm not sure what it was…" Her voice trailed off, her finger going to her chin as it usually did when her mind wandered, her lips pursed in thought. He smiled as he watched her, imagining the wheels turning.
A shimmering portal appeared by the edge of the yard, gaining their attention as they watched Michael, Gabriel and Uriel step out. They made their way to the group of fighters. The faces of all three angels looked grave, as if to bring bad news. And it was.
The silence mounted as the three stood there, not saying a word to anyone, waiting for Ishida and Ulquiorra to come back from inside. When the two men arrived, Michael took a step forward.
"We have some unfortunate and possibly very bad news," he started.
Ichigo and everyone gave him their full attention. "What's happened," Ulquiorra asked, coming forward.
Michael sighed. "She's been completely turned," he said. "Lucifer found a way to corrupt her inner goodness. Unless we can fully defeat her, she's lost to us. As she is right now, she is no longer capable of any kind of retaliation on our brother. She's completely lost to us."
The news stunned everyone. Feeling for the flower again, a thought came to the orange haired former shinigami. "Not completely," Ichigo interrupted.
Everyone turned to him, Gabriel stepping toward him, stopping a few feet away. "What do you know," he demanded.
"I went into Sachi's dream world. All I found there was decay and desolation but there was something in there that caught my attention," he answered, putting his hand in his vest. He pulled the flower out, holding it up for Michael to see. "I found this in the spot where she used to lay down to watch her flowers."
Michael stepped quickly, pushing Gabriel aside as he stared at the flower in Ichigo's fingers. He could have cried for what this signified. He smiled brightly at the man.
"What's a flower got to do with this," Ishida asked. He, Inoue and Sado were all confused by the reaction this single flower caused.
"Flowers are how Sachiel communicates when she isn't capable of speaking directly to someone," Jo answered. "That one flower that she left for him to find can only signify one thing. She's placing her full hope in us that we can turn this in our favor."
"Snowdrops are flowers of hope and renewal," Terra added, stepping into the yard behind the group.
"I really hate when you do that," Jo turned to her aunt, her chest heaving slightly, her hand over her heart. "You scare the crap out of me every time!"
Terra smiled sheepishly at her niece. "Sorry, bug."
She walked to Ichigo, standing beside Michael. "You're her last hope, Ichigo," she said, placing her hand on his arm, locking her eyes with his. "She's put her full faith in you. If you fail, her hope will die. If that happens, this flower will wilt and die as well. You have to be stronger than she is. She will fight you with everything she has. She won't remember you or your connection to her when you see her. So please don't hold back. She won't. You'll need everything in your arsenal to bring her down. If you don't, we are all lost."
Ichigo tucked the flower back into his vest, pulling forth his zanpakutou. "Then I'll have to make sure I win. I won't let her down," he swore.
Terra and Michael smiled at him, everyone else around him echoing the same sentiment.
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It was time. The sun was set, twilight creeping further across the sky as the portals began to shimmer brightly, elongating. Sachiel looked to her right and then to her left, nodding at Adramalech and Merihim.
"Now comes the hour of destruction," she said loudly, her voice echoing through the cavern. "Tonight, we feast on the souls of the humans that took our place. It is the time for the ritual to begin. As we step through this portal, Paymon and Verdelet will begin the ceremony. When we reach three hundred turnings, the gate will open for our brother."
She took a step forward, then another, making her way through the portal. They would appear, not at the town, but at the dig site not far from it. They would start there, turning the guards before making their way to the town. She smiled as she stepped into the ritual room hidden inside the ruins. She had one goal aside from opening the gate. She intended to find that man who had tapped into her. She had felt the connection but had been unable to sever it. It made her wonder why it was there. She could feel him but he wasn't like her. In order to be free of any enslavement, she would have to kill him.
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Michael lifted his head, facing the east. He had been listening for the sounds that would signify not only the portal opening, but the approach of his sister and her small demon army.
"We still have three days," Jo said to no one. "Three days before the solstice. Why are they making their move now?"
"I guess they hoped to catch us off guard," Ulquiorra answered.
Ichigo looked over at them, half listening as he stood guard with Michael. He was crouched next to the angel, his heart beginning to race as he could feel the anticipation building in light of the coming battle. He looked back to the east with Michael and Terra, Gabriel and Uriel taking the south and west. Hitsugaya and Motsumoto were looking toward the north.
Suddenly, everyone turned to the south. It was just a few minutes after the sun had set. By the dying light, they were able to see a small black cloud heading toward them.
"Merihim," Gabriel said quietly, hatred thick in his voice.
"Should we be worried," Renji asked.
"Remember those cloths we gave you," Uriel asked.
"Yeah?"
"Put them on. Now," he yelled, answering the unspoken question that showed on their faces.
Confused, everyone did what they were told. Within moments, they found out why. The sky, already dimmed by the absence of the sun, was filled with swarming locusts, flies and whatever other flying insects could be found.
Orihime was screaming in alarm, Rangiku trying to contain herself. Being pelted as they were in the small storm of insects was not exactly her idea of fun. Michael, Gabriel and Uriel stood guard before the humans and shinigami, using their hands to create small shields around them all to ward off the insects.
"What the hell is all this," Ichigo shouted.
"This…," Michael answered. "…is the pestilence of Merihim. Watch closely, Ichigo. Your mate is about to show herself."
Ichigo faced forward with him, staring as the swarm began to lessen. Behind the swarm, they could see a flickering, like lightning. He could feel his connection with Sachiel begin to strengthen, the woman coming closer. He took a deep, steadying breath as he began to form his resolve. The woman he had bound himself to was coming toward him. Through the connection, he could feel intense hate and the desire for death. His death. He swallowed hard as the flickering confirmed itself to be lightning. It sparked and flew from a black cloud as it rolled forward. He began to feel apprehensive for a moment before shaking it off.
The others watched Ichigo, not sure what they should do as they stood behind their shields. Ichigo bent his knees slightly, the modified Zangetsu in his hand as he prepared himself. Following his example, his friends did the same as everyone watched the rolling cloud move toward them. Behind them, they could hear the screams of the townspeople as the swarm began to descend on them.
As the cloud came closer to them, they could hear a murmuring, excited shouts and yells mixing in with it.
"Their demons come first," Terra said.
"We'll make short work of them," Gabriel returned, his energy levels rising along with hers, Michael's and Uriel's. Taking that cue, Ichigo, Jo and Ulquiorra began to raise their levels along with Rangiku and Toshiro.
Terra took a step forward, out of the shield as she raised her spear. Her energy around her glowed brightly, like a golden beacon as she raised her voice. "Here me, Great Father! Heed this call for strength! Answer our need for protection for these innocents! Raise your barrier and make it strong! Protect them now in their hour of need!" She let her energy flare wildly, slamming the butt of her spear into the ground of the small hill they stood on.
In answer to her call, a golden line began to form in the ground around the town as it created a perfect circle. As it drew to a close, the barrier wall that she had willed forth was created, locking the townspeople in as it protected them. Any further insects met that barrier with their end. Any that hit it were instantly disintegrated.
Taking that as their cue, the angels stepped out of the barrier, leaving Ichigo and his friends behind it as each began to call forth their weapons to deal with the lesser demons.
Michael's flaming sword appeared in his hand, Gabriel's bow in his and Uriel's staff in his. All three took a battle stance, waiting as the roiling cloud came closer. They could see now that the cloud wasn't a cloud, but the sulfuric smoke given off by a wave of fire. At the crest of the wave was a small army of demons, their commanders at the back as they strode forth.
Adramalech rode a flaming horse, his fiery robes encasing him in moving fire. Like Michael, he held a flaming sword. Merihim rode forth on a decayed horse, his robes black as the night. He held a small cloud of flies around himself, his red eyes the only thing showing against the blackness that surrounded him.
Ichigo held his breath as he saw Sachiel for the first time since her turning. Seeing the woman before him and the woman in his dreams, he was reminded abruptly that the two women were not the same in this world.
She rode a serpentine dragon of turquoise and jade, lightning flaring from its wings, bursting forth with each step it took. She was dressed in deep gray armor, fanged skulls at the knee and shoulder. It was plated to give her ease of movement, even though it covered her arms from shoulder to wrist. Heavy gloves and gauntlets covered her hands and wrists. It all connected her to breast plate that enhanced the fact that she was female. She wore nothing on her legs save for her boots that came up to her thighs, the right side covered by the metal scales, the left bare; black stockings showing just above them. Her midriff was bare, a steel belting around her hips that held a fanged skull in the center where it covered the juncture of her legs and body. Strapped to her back was the scythe she had tried to use on him before.
Ichigo stared at her flowing black hair, electricity crackling from it as the dragon strode forth. She must have been feeling the weight of his eyes on her as she turned hers toward him, pinning him with their malicious intent.
No, she definitely wasn't the same woman he fell in love with.
"Be ready, Ichigo," he heard in his mind.
He swallowed hard, never taking his eyes off the woman he would be fighting against.
"Sachi. We will be together again," he thought to himself, steeling his resolve. He could feel the familiar ache that their bond brought to him, using that as his base.
"Comes now, the time of our battle," Michael cried.
"By strength and grace," Gabriel and Uriel replied to his shout.
"Comes now, the time for courage," he said back to them. "Be ready!"
Their energies flared around them, the heat of it mixing together as it began to push back the smoke and rolling fire. It created the first barrier before the one that protected the town, the lesser demons recoiling in fear and pain.
Sachiel never took her eyes from Ichigo, her anger building inside of her. "I leave you now, brothers," she said to Adramalech and Merihim. "I have business here."
"You're not to leave our side, General," Adramalech said.
"Gather your souls needed. Destroy the one standing there in white, behind Michael. She is your first half of the key. After you kill her, kill the short one with the black hair. She contains the other half," Sachiel said.
With those words, she turned her dragon, leading him to the group standing inside the second shield. She easily passed through the energies of the angels that held the rest of the demons back for the time being. Seeing her coming, Ichigo stepped out of the second barrier, unfurling his wings.
"You! You're mine," Sachiel screamed at him, jumping off the back of her dragon.
He took flight, leading her away from the town as Michael had instructed. Taking the bait, she followed.
Ichigo closed his eyes for a moment during his flight, taking her back to the area near the home she had lived in, where she had sheltered him. Seeing the image of her smile, he opened his eyes, raw determination filling them. He led her a bit further, past the area where they would sit, another image of her smiling up at the stars filling his mind.
Coming to an open space several miles from her home, he stopped. He could feel Sachiel coming up behind him, stopping not far from where he stood in mid air.
"Why do I feel a connection to you," she demanded. "I do not know you, yet you appear as a guardian." She pulled her scythe free from her back, holding it ready. "Who are you," she yelled at him.
He turned to her slowly, his burnished gold eyes hard and unyielding. "I'm your mate, Sachiel. You chose me, a human, and I accepted you," he answered.
"Lies! I would never align with a human," she spat, rage and disbelief showing on her face.
"Only your mate would be able to access your powers, you abilities, right?"
She glared at him, her anger rolling off her in waves.
"I have to defeat you in order to get my Sachi back," he continued. "I will defeat you."
"You're welcome to try, little monkey," she taunted. "All you will find is pain and anguish for your foolish attempt!"
She launched herself at him, his sword coming up and blocking her scythe. Her eyes widened a fraction as she felt his power and hers lying just beneath the surface of it. He sensed her foot coming up beside him, a lightning bolt appearing in his hand as he blocked it.
"You will come back to me, Sachi," Ichigo said calmly, holding her gaze as her eyes widened a bit more.
"You think you can defeat me? You may have a tap to my powers and abilities, but you don't know everything," she shouted at him as she pushed away. She slammed her scythe into the pressure around her feet, splitting it in two. She held in both hands, shortened versions of her original weapon, thick leather straps securing them to her wrists.
"I'm sure as hell gonna give it my best shot," he answered.
"Then bring it, little monkey. Let me show you the power of my storm."
"And I'll show you how to stop the rain," he whispered, launching himself at her.
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Ulquiorra looked off to the side, watching as Sachiel had said something before she left to battle with Ichigo, his mind calculating. He knew that Sachiel hadn't told him all that he needed to know about what was going on before her turning and seeing her stop to say something to the other demons told him that there was something wrong.
He looked toward the small woman standing next to him before looking at her taller aunt. Sachiel's words from long ago fluttered across his mind.
"She's the one we have to save."
Save how? What did she mean by that? Looking ahead, he saw that the aura of the three angels was still holding back the demons, none of them venturing any further toward them or the town.
"She has two souls inside of her, brother. Her own is very weak but the other is what's keeping her alive."
Revelation hit him like a stone. Out of all of Jo's family members, only Terra was as close to her as a mother. And only Terra knew the arts necessary to be a slayer.
"You share a soul with Jordan," he asked Terra, his voice sure of his thought.
Terra stopped her chants, looking back at Ulquiorra for a moment before giving him a smile and a small nod of her head.
He looked back at the demons, Adramalech and Merihim pacing back and forth. They were getting antsy.
"Why? What good did that do?"
"It kept her from dying," she answered. "She was supposed to have died shortly after birth. But she is the first of the next generation. And I needed her to keep something for me."
"They're coming," Michael shouted, interrupting their conversation.
Jo had been on the verge of asking her aunt what she'd meant but quickly turned her attention back to the front, watching as the wave of minor demons began to make their way past the barrier of angelic energy.
Feeling the heat of the rolling flame, everyone jumped back. Terra's barrier stayed in place as she moved next to Michael, her wings spreading out behind her. Ulquiorra's wings manifested themselves as well, taking Jo with him. Ishida and Sado moved away, Ishida taking hold of Orihime as he jumped. Renji, Captain Hitsugaya and Rangiku used their shinigami abilities to move themselves.
From a distance, they could feel the battle between Sachiel and Ichigo commence, the waves of power rolling toward them, interrupting the smoke and flame. Michael just hoped that Ichigo would be able to take her corruption from her, take up the mantle of her darkness to free her from it. He had faith that he was strong enough.
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Ichigo grimaced as he felt one of Sachiel's scythes run across his thigh as she used her momentum to kick upward as she used her hands to brace herself, the heel of her foot connecting with his chin. He flew back with the force of the blow, feeling his jaw throb from the impact.
"You're weak and full of openings," she hissed. "Is this how they trained you?"
He looked at her, seeing the hatred in her eyes for him. It broke his heart that he would have to fight her. He didn't want to, didn't have the heart for it. He wasn't sure if he could inflict on her the same damage she was doing to him.
"Why can't you see that I'm trying to help you," he yelled at her.
"Help me? By coming here and thinking you can defeat me," she shot back. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes," he said quietly. "I knew exactly who you are." He flew back to her, his energies wrapping around his blade, the getsuga coiling menacingly. He fired it at her but the blast wasn't a full blow. He didn't add her energies to it…or his resolve.
She easily deflected it with her hand, slapping it aside as it came near her. She moved quickly, fluidly as she came face to face with him, her hand grabbing the back of his neck. She pulled him forward with ease as she brought her head back. Her forehead slammed into his, dazing the man for a moment. She didn't give him time to recover, her fist connecting with the side of his jaw before hitting him again.
He fell to his knees, his ears still ringing loudly from her earlier attack where she'd stood on her hands, bringing her feet to his head as her boots slapped together. He stayed there, panting as he watched the blood slowly trickle from his wounds. He wouldn't look up at her.
"Pathetic," she growled. "How are you supposed to save me, Ichigo? You can't even put up a fight against me. Maybe I'll make you swear fealty to me, eh?" She flicked him hard on the head before she walked a small distance away, crouching as she stared at him, one elbow on her knee as she propped her chin in her hand. Ichigo grabbed his head, rubbing the offended spot.
"I couldn't reach your nose, Ichigo. So that's the closest I could get."
He jerked, startled that she would use his name. From the time she had seen him on the battle field, she had mockingly called him Monkey. "Is she remembering who I am," he asked himself. He put a hand to his breast pocket, the flower there felt soft. He pulled it out, looking at its petals that had begun to wilt. He was losing.
He closed his eyes, trying to find the will to keep going; his resolve to keep her with him.
"Ichigo…"
He heard the distant voice of Zangetsu in the back of his mind.
"You have to take her darkness from her, Ichigo. You have the will to do this."
"How do I take her darkness. I don't want to hurt her," he whispered. Sachiel cocked her heard, curiosity written on her face as she watched him
"I can help you but you have to trust me, Ichigo. You have to pierce her heart."
Ichigo's eyes went wide. "Pierce…her heart?"
"Remember that you carry her essence inside you. She is a part of you now."
He began to shake, tears threatening to spill from his eyes as he realized that he needed to kill this form to get back the woman he had been fighting for. A small sob tore from his throat, his body shaking even more.
"I …can't," he whispered to himself, the tears flowing freely down his cheeks.
"You must trust me, Ichigo."
An image flashed into his mind of the last time he saw Sachiel on her private world. They lay together, looking up at the clouds, holding each other. She was smiling as she pointed to them. He turned to her, seeing her face lit with the simple joy of just being with him. Could he do it? Could he fight her on equal ground? He had to.
Sachiel perked up, her eyes wide as she realized what he was doing. For her? Or was he reduced to this because he was weak? "Hey," she called. "You ok? Why are you crying? Does it hurt that bad?" He didn't answer her taunts. He continued to sob, bent over before she suddenly felt his energies spike dangerously high. She arched an eyebrow, waiting to see what he planned to do now.
"I love you, Sachi," he said quietly. "I would give my life for you. I would protect you with everything I have. I swore on my soul that I would get you back." He planted his sword in the air, using it to brace himself as he stood. Sachiel stared, watching as his golden eyes shimmered into a glowing pale green before radiating an icy blue. The tracks of his tears showing against his cheeks.
"And how are you going to do that," she asked curiously. He didn't answer, swiftly coming face to face with her. She spun away, still in her crouch as she arched backward, flipping away from him. She grabbed her scythes, electricity wrapping itself around them. She looked at him for a moment before taking the offensive, her weapons swinging in time with each other, slashing at him. With each slash, lightning sparked off them, burning into his flesh. He ducked and dodged each blow before catching both her wrists.
"Like this," he said, brushing his lips lightly against hers for a moment. That fleeting contact caused her to see an image in her mind. Her eyes went wide as she recognized her alter self sitting in a hot spring with him. She was behind him as they sat, her arms around his chest. They were laughing, joking. They looked completely at ease with each other. She looked at him with wild eyes before shoving him away, grabbing her weapons as she took her stance up again.
"I can show you these memories because I am linked to you," he said to her, his eyes filled with his sorrow and pain. "I'm saying sorry now for what I have to do."
He took up the offensive this time; Sachiel using her bare hands as she deflected each of the blows. Zangetsu never cut her as Ichigo slashed at her. She grabbed the blade, holding it as she used Ichigo's arm and height to wrap one of her legs around it near his shoulder. Her other leg came up, hitting his side with tremendous force. He winced, feeling a few ribs crack but she wasn't done. Dropping her leg from his arm, she released the blade as she jumped over him, landing just behind him. She quickly dropped into a crouch, one leg swinging out as she caught his knee. As he went down, she reversed her momentum, slamming her elbow into his chest. The force sent him crashing to the ground. She hovered above him, glaring.
Another image surfaced. This time, of the same man that was fighting her but he was badly beaten. She'd done it as punishment. She was straddled over his hips, leaning down as she kissed his forehead before leaving him there. It flashed to another scene, of the two of them by a river looking up at the stars before she saw herself in his arms, kissing him gently.
Alighting on the ground, she stood over him, her eyes slitting as she glared at him. He didn't move as he watched her.
Yet another image of the man, possessed by a lesser demon now. While she was fighting another man, he came up behind her with a spear, running her through. Betrayal.
"I should kill you now," she whispered. "For betraying me as you did. You didn't even have the strength to fight off a lesser demon. You poisoned me!"
"Go ahead," he replied, his eyes locked with hers. "If that will make you happy, then I would gladly give my life to you. I wasn't me when I drove that spear through you. But it was by my hand that you were turned into this."
"You said you would protect me," she whispered.
"I did," he replied gently. "That's why I'm here. To protect you from yourself. I'm keeping my word."
"He came for me, Ichigo," she sobbed. "He came for me and you weren't there!"
Ichigo closed his eyes, shutting out the image of her heartbreak. He opened them again, raising himself up until he was level with her. He looked to her wings, his head turning to each one as he noted their leathery look, not at all like the black feathered ones he knew so well. She took up her weapon into her hand, the scythe formed into a single blade now instead of two.
"There is no future for us," she whispered, raising it over her head. Ichigo locked his eyes with hers, seeing her resolve to kill him there. There was no choice now. Her weapon began to swing down, to cleave him in two.
The blade never reached him.
Sachiel's eyes went wide as her weapon dropped from her hands. She had left an opening. In her anger, she had left an opening.
Ichigo watched as her blood trickled slowly down his blade. She raised her eyes to him, letting her body go limp as she slid further down the blade toward him.
Ichigo felt himself go numb. He knew that Zangetsu had infused the blade with not only his power, but holy power as well just before he raised the blade to her chest, impaling her.
"You win," she whispered hoarsely, a thin stream of blood falling from the corner of her mouth as her green eyes closed.
The words came to his mind without aid. They echoed loudly as they repeated over and over in his mind. He released one hand from the blade, taking her in his arms and laid her on the ground gently.
Keeping the blade filled with the holy energy and his own, he said lovingly, "I take from you, the darkest parts. I give you my love and peace to fill that void. I will hold this darkness until time ends. I will be the other half to your soul and you, will be the other half of mine."
He expected an explosion but didn't get one. As Sachiel lay there, his blade still protruding from her chest, a single spark of light began to shine there as it began to fill the wound, pushing the blade from her chest. The silver light began to darken, turning a silver gray as the blade was freed from her chest, clattering to the ground next to her.
As the wound healed, the light formed into a small orb, glittering darkly above her. He stared at it for a moment before he reached out, taking the orb in his hand. It was cold, yet warm at the same time. It felt like her when she was angry. He cupped it in both hands, drawing it to him. He stared at it's swirling silver and black colors as they drifted over the orb like oil. "I will give you peace," he whispered, putting the orb to his chest. It sank into his skin, merging with him.
Pain ripped through him as he felt it merge, Ichigo bending over double as it seared through his blood. His wings spread out behind him, their black tips bleeding further toward him as they darkened, lightening to a pale gray just before his shoulders. His golden eyes flickered green for a moment before returning back to their original brown state.
As the pain passed, he opened his eyes, staring at the small angel that lay before him. Her features had returned to what they were before, to what he remembered. Her hair was no longer black or straight; the mahogany hair coiled around her face as it splayed across the ground and her wings. Her beautiful black wings were feathered again instead of the leathery membrane of before. Her skin was the same golden peach color he remembered. Gone was her dark armor, replaced by a dove gray Grecian robe. Her breathing was deep and steady.
He smiled gently, his eyes never leaving her face as he put his hands around her shoulders. He gathered her to him, one arm around her shoulders as his hand brushed away a stray curl. He let his gaze roam her face before lightly kissing her forehead. Her eyes flickered open, staring at him for a moment in confusion before registering who was there with her.
"I…Ichigo?"
"Yes, Sachi. It's me."
She sat up slowly, looking at his wings for a moment, registering their color change before she looked back at him. Her eyes met his, searching as if trying to find the answers to her questions. She put a hand to his cheek, noticing her fingers were no longer as pale as death. She looked down at herself before looking back at Ichigo. "You did it," she whispered to him, smiling gently. She kissed him softly before wrapping her arms around him.
"Swear it to me, Sachi," he whispered as he held her tightly to his body.
"I …I swear my heart to you, Ichigo Kurosaki," she whispered to him.
He held her tighter, his face buried in the crook of her neck. "I will never let you go again," he whispered. "I will be your strength, Sachi. I'll be the guardian you need."
"Always," she asked.
"Always."
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