Description: Ichigo can't believe the three of them just left Soul Society. Months later, drastic actions are taken. Ichigo decides to join Kurosaki when Orihime is kidnapped by a newly discovered enemy, the espada. Zakuro thinks Ichigo betrayed the Soul Society and is furious with her.

Rating: T

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The sun glared down at them. The air was hot and dry, the wind blew dust in their faces. Renji was covered in blood, he kept telling Ichigo to stay back. Ichigo was helpless against them, she knew it. Ichigo walked over and helped Renji to his feet, they stared helplessly as Aizen dragged Rukia away from them. Aizen stopped when Tosen and Gin appeared beside him,

"Sorry it took so long Aizen-Taicho, we got held up."

Gin said, before looking over at Renji and Ichigo. He stared for a moment, Tosen looked up,

"Its high time we get going, don't you think Aizen?"

Aizen nodded, "Of Course Kaname. Give me one moment, there is no reason to bring Rukia along, I can remove the hougyoku right here."

Ichigo and Renji watched in horror as Aizen ripped the small sphere from Rukia's chest. Ichigo was so confused. Renji tried to lift his sword, but it was broken apart, he knew he stood no chance. Ichigo looked over at Gin, he smiled sheepishly at her.

"Rukiaaaa!"

Ichigo turned and saw the orange haired girl from before, with the tall dark guy and the guy with glasses all running towards them. Gin walked forward and unleashed his spiritual pressure, the trio dropped to their knees, all quivering. Ichigo's legs shook, she turned towards him. Before she could say anything, an enormous sword came crashing down onto Aizen. Ichigo fell back from the air wave from the blast, she stared up as Komamura stormed towards Tosen. Aizen was suddenly standing beside the blind captain Tosen, uninjured.

"Kaname! You'd better have an explanation! That man killed everyone at the central 46!"

Aizen seemed to teleport before everyones eyes, he appeared directly in front of Komamura. The wolf captain froze, Ichigo screamed as Aizen unleased Hado 80, Black Coffin. Komamura was sealed up into an enormous black coffin and violet blasts erupted from its sides. Renji shook his head and crumpled to the ground.

Komamura emerged from the coffin and collapsed in a pool of blood. Ichigo felt her eyes water, she couldn't believe what was happening, she was so helpless. She transformed and summoned her weapon, she held it out towards Aizen, Tosen, and Gin. She froze when suddenly all three of the men were seized.

Yoruichi and Soi Fon were on Aizen, Shuuhei had Tosen, and Matsumoto had Gin. Gin sighed,

"Sorry Aizen-Taicho, I'm caught."

Ichigo glared at the three, all of the other captains appeared shortly afterward. Aizen took off his glasses,

"I'm afraid our time here has come to an end, I have a much more important purpose."

Yoruichi suddenly panicked, the sky cracked open and dark hands reached out, a glowing purple moon shape behind them. Ichigo stared as everyone was blown off of the three villains by three beams of golden light landed on them. Gin looked at Matsumoto,

"Sorry Rangiku."

He turned toward Ichigo, a weak smile still on his face, he didn't want to leave her standing there with no answers. But his plans were beyond her comprehension at the moment. He looked in her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks, in his gut he wanted to wipe them off and feel her soft skin again. The three were lifted into the air in front of all the captains, Komamura leaned up and shouted,

"Kaname! What about your friend? What of her? All you ever wanted was justice and to be a soul reaper!"

Tosen's response was even and barely heard, "I choose the path of Justice. The path of justice is the path with the least amount of blood shed."

Aizen addressed them as well. "I alone will stand in heaven. I know you soul reapers cannot understand my power quite yet, but the day will come. Only one can stand in heaven, I will become god."

Ichigo dropped her weapon and clenched her hands, tears boiled over her cheeks. The cat girl shook her head as she cried aloud, the three of them disappeared into the sky and it closed behind them.

Zakuro dove down beside Komamura,

"Sajin! Are you all right?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled the large wolf man up, Iba rushed in to help as well. His blood seeped down off of his haori and onto Zakuro, she felt her eyes water, she couldn't believe what had happened to him. She couldn't stand seeing him hurt like this. While she fought her urge to break, Ichigo collapsed to the ground and sobbed. Renji laid on the ground beside her, her cries making his heart ache.

Blood dripped down over Iba and Zakuro's upper bodies as they struggled to move the large wolf captain into the 4th division medical emergency unit. Iba groaned as they dragged him through the hall, Unohana and Isane rushed in and helped two other squad nurses prepare the medical room. Komamura wheezed, blood gurgled in his throat and seeped down his jaw and onto Zakuro's right side. She winced,

"Hold on Sajin!"

Unohana and Isane helped Zakuro and Iba lay Komamura down onto a large medical bed. Zakuro shook her head and backed against a wall, Iba stood beside the bed but out of the way. The violet haired girl had never imagined she would be so afraid of something happening to him. She felt helpless, she couldn't have saved him, and now he was suffering because Aizen used one of the most deadly Hadou. Zakuro felt weak, as though she wasn't herself anymore, she fought back tears.

Hours later…

Iba came back with a plate of soup and a drink, he groaned as he walked in. Zakuro stood beside Komamura, her dainty hand on his large one.

"Don't worry Fujiwara-san, Unohana Taicho said he will survive. He needs to recover. Brought you this."

Iba placed the soup down on the small table beside the bed and patted her shoulder, "He's lucky."

"How?"

Her words were like cold steel in the quiet room, Iba smiled and nudged her, "He's got you lookin' out for him!"

Zakuro shrugged off his comment and watched as Iba headed for the door, "I'm going to get some rest, I'm exhausted and will be of no use to my captain if I'm like this. I'll be on the couch in the hall, get me if he wakes up or if you need anything."

Iba left Zakuro alone in the room with Komamura, she sat beside the bed stroking his hand. She shook her head, "I'm so sorry I'm not strong enough… I know what it feels like now… I'm so mad at myself."

She stared at his chest rising and falling slowly, her eyes were watering. She wasn't sure what brought this sudden change in emotion, she felt like she needed to be stronger. Her heart ached, she had died trying to protect Tokyo and it was barely enough to stop the ultimate evil. And now, compared to all these people in this soul world, she was so weak. Zakuro clenched her jaw and eyes shut, she wanted to be stronger now to protect this world. It was all she had left. No career. No lovers. No family. All she had was the man that saved her, and she couldn't even protect him in the slightest.

Her jaw cramped from thinking and cramping. The wolf girl fought herself as tears began to leak from the corners of her eyes. They were warm on her cheeks. She didn't remember the last time she cried. Her throat ached and tightened up, she exhaled slowly, her breathing shaky. Her hands trembled. She lifted her hands and covered her face, she shook her head in her hands. She was dead, and she was so helpless against all these people. She wanted to be stronger, and protect what she had left in this world.

Zakuro heard Komamura stir in his sleep, she sobbed quietly in her hands. Zakuro didn't want to be seen like this, she felt weak enough. A hand firmly grabbed her shoulder, she looked up through her hands. Komamura was looking at her, she froze, tears rolled silently down her face. Her hands slowly fell down by her side, Komamura smiled at her.

"You are quite the woman Zakuro-san. I can rely on you always."

Zakuro felt her throat choke up further, she blinked as more tears fell from her face. She hung her head and winced. His hand found its way to her cheek, he used his index and middle fingers rubbed her cheek. Zakuro sighed and looked up at him.

"I feel weak."

Her words were quiet and quaked as she spoke. The wolf man reached over and used one arm to pull Zakuro off the chair and onto the medical bed beside him. She shook her head and cried openly, she didn't know what to think of his actions. Komamura held the wolf girl close to his chest, he couldn't help but smile at her,

"You are far from weak Zakuro. You have the heart to do anything you want, you are far more powerful than you think. I couldn't be more pleased that I found you, I'm lucky."

Zakuro felt like a child, she didn't cry. She sobbed into his coat. His embrace was so comforting, she felt like she was in the safest place in the world. It was like no one could touch her. No one had ever held her like this. Her parents didn't even hold her like this.

His heart was steady and it made her feel comfortable. Komamura held Zakuro close to him, he smiled to himself, he knew he had a soft spot for this girl. It was just chance he stumbled across her.

He walked into the Rukon District, people moved away from him as though he was a prophet. People in the district were deathly afraid of soul reapers. Komamura noticed a small crowd of people, he knew the new strange spiritual pressure was around this area. The captain of the 3rd division was also on the lookout for another similar pressure that popped up.

The wolf captain made his way toward the small crowd of people. They parted in fear of the large man, he looked down. A girl laid in front of him. She wasn't moving. Her long violet hair swirled around on the ground beneath her head, she was nude and on her side, the front of her body was away from him. Komamura thought just for a moment, then he shed his haori and lifted her. The seventh division captain wrapped her in the haori and carried her scooped in right arm. He gently held her legs with his left hand. He then used shunpo and took her to Unohana's medical unit to check her over.

Zakuro opened her eyes slowly, her head pounded. She felt a slight rush of panic and she sat up. Komamura was fast asleep, he was still recovering from the black coffin. Amethyst eyes stared down at the sleeping captain. So many thoughts raced through her head, this wolf headed man, was the best and most noble man she had ever met. He had a huge heart.

The wolf mew slid off the medical bed and fixed her hair a bit. She shook her head, she couldn't believe that she had fallen asleep beside the captain. Zakuro knew she had to go meet up with her own captain. She had no clue about Byakuya's health. Her skin had Komamura's dried blood on her. She had to go get cleaned up, she was a wreck.

A few days later…

All the captains had recovered from their injuries, Hinamori was still in a special medical unit.

Ichigo sat alone behind the barracks. She was supposed to be training. But Izuru had been busy taking care of all the 3rd squad's duties, he had a lot on his plate now that Gin was gone. The cat girl had spent a lot of time crying, she had no idea what he could be thinking. She didn't know what she should be thinking herself. Ichigo had felt so attached to him, and trusted him the mot out of anyone she knew, and now here she was. He had left her. Just gone.

There was a hollow part inside her, as though she had lost what little she had learned here. Her throat ached, all of her muscles ached, and her eyes burned, they were so dry. What was there to do now?

Months later…

A new type of enemy had arisen. Arrancar and Espada had been causing hell in the real world. Since the fuss with Rukia Kuchiki had calmed down, she was back in her own squad. But there was a rumor that she was going to the world of the living with Renji. She was supposedly joining the orange haired boy from before, Kurosaki for a rescue mission. One of their friends had been taken from the world of the living and was still missing.

Ichigo was on her way to see Rukia in the 13th division now. Her pace was quick and decisive. Over the last 8 months she had trained and gotten a seated position as 5th seat, Zakuro was already 3rd seat behind Iba. The two girls had excelled with their training. Ichigo had grown, and was different now. She wanted to see Gin face to face and see what he had to say. If anyone were to fight him or bring him back, it would be her. If he wasn't doing this willingly, she would bring him back. If he truly was a lying evil maniac, she would try to kill him herself.

The 13th division was quiet, Jyuushiro Ukitake sat at a small table as a few of his members trained in the courtyard fighting area. Rukia was among the few fighting.

"Ukitake-Taicho."

The sickly man turned to face Ichigo, he smiled and waved her to join him, "Oh hello Momomiya-san! How are you doing today?"

The red head walked over and stood beside the captain, "I'm well, thank you sir. I'm wondering if I could perhaps borrow one of your squad members, Rukia Kuchiki. I''ve got something to ask her."

Ukitake was quiet for a few moments, his smile rather stagnant. He knew exactly what they would do, and where they were going.

"Momomiya-san. Be careful. Soul reapers do not return from that realm alive. I hope you find what you are looking for."

The cat girl was taken aback, he knew. Ukitake knew what they would be doing, and where they were going. Ukitake yelled for Rukia, the young Kuchiki acknowledged his call and came towards them. Ichigo looked over and locked eyes with Rukia. Both of them knew what the following conversation was going to be. Ichigo felt stronger now. She had become more powerful, and knew she was ready as she would ever be to face Hueco Mundo. This, was her wildest journey yet.

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MewMid: This was a fun chapter! :D Love Komamura and Zakuro. ;)