Universe: Bleach
Parings: None!
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Adventure
Disclaimer: Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo
Warnings: Some Spoilers for Fade to Black, Mild Swearing and Violence.
Author's Note:
Oh my god! Who watched the finale episode of the BLEACH anime? It was so beautiful! You can tell they put all their effort into making it the perfect ending and they did it brilliantly!
First the fight between Ginjo & Ichigo; that done so well! It's been ages seen we seen Ichigo fighting and looking good at the same time; they actually remembered Ichigo's main use of his Bankai is speed and they used it to the limit. But while Ichigo was faster than Ginjo, Ginjo's instincts were excellent in this; if you watch carefully you can see his sword is blocking Ichigo's attack before Ginjo releases what happens.
I noticed they skipped some things but I think that's because they had to fit about 4 chapters into 1 episode as well as find a good way to end the series.
When Ichigo is in the Soul Society I thought it was done so well; I also loved the interaction between him, Renji and Rukia; it's so good to see those 3 together again.
They did Ichigo's confrontation of the Captains so beautifully! I also loved the part where they added Ichigo personally stating that he was staying as a Substitute Shinigami, which made his hint of how he wanted to be treated when he died more obvious; you could see the relief on all the Captains, Toushirou actually grinned! But the best part of this was when the Head-Captain granted Ichigo's request, Rukia looked like she was about to cry with relief.
The final part where Ichigo was walking to the Senkaimon with Ginjo's body was crafted so well; the final scene between Rukia and Ichigo was so heart-warming, especially her flashback to all the times Ichigo fought. Finally I loved the final part where Ichigo was greeting by all his friends and family in the Human World, it was a lovely way to end the episode.
I'm going to miss the Anime so much! And I only hope, like many others, they do end up doing the finale Arc of BLEACH but as a different series; considering how long it's going to be but as the series is going further on I'm starting to have my doubts about it.
Anyway guys here is Part IV for you; thanks for all your lovely reviews! I love reading them and it's so nice to hear all the praise you guys are giving me!
Please enjoy and if you have time please give me feedback! Later guys ^_^
Fade to Black: Memories of the Black Sun
Part IV
Seireitei/South Rukongai: District 1-Yoshiyuki
"Damn it. They're guarding the gate." Rukia cursed quietly as she spotted a group of Shinigami surrounding the gap where the gate once stood; the walls surrounding the gap was covered in the same substance as most of Seireitei was and Rukia knew she was heading in the right direction.
"Nee-San, South Rukongai is a big place; how do you expect to find Ichigo when we can't sense his Spiritual Energy?" Kon questioned as Rukia pulled back into the shadows.
"I know where Ichigo is." She stated simply causing Kon to look at her in confusion.
"Not long after Aizen rebelled Ichigo disappeared into South Rukongai for almost a week, Renji and I went searching for him and we found him in District 78, Inuzuri."
"What was he doing there?" Kon asked and Rukia fell silent as she tried to gather her thoughts.
"You were found in South Rukongai: District 78-Inuzuri unconscious, Ichigo. What were you doing all the way out there?" Renji growled in annoyance but Ichigo only blinked in shock.
"Inuzuri? Isn't that where you two grew up? Why would I be all the way out there?" Ichigo questioned causing everyone to face-falter in shock.
"We don't know, Ichigo; that's why we're asking you." Rukia stated sharply but Ichigo shook his head with annoyance clear on his face.
"I don't know what you're going on about, guys. The last thing I remember is having my last physical therapy session with Unohona-San then going to bed. I don't remember getting up after falling asleep." Ichigo explained as he rubbed the back of his neck; in the back of his mind he realised he could move without feeling any pain in his spine.
"But then how did you get into South Rukongai? Hell, how did you get all the way out into District 78 and what were you doing over there for the past 4 days?" Renji shouted but Ichigo could only shrug to show he didn't know; Rukia noted that even though he had lost a week of his memories he didn't actually seem to care.
"I feel like I know why you were out there and what you were doing but every time I try and find it in my memories it disappears." Rukia admitted quietly causing Renji to blink in shock before he nodded in agreement.
"We don't know. Ichigo had no idea why he was out there in the first place; when we asked him Ichigo said the last thing he remembered was going to sleep after his session with Captain Unohona. Ichigo had basically lost 4 days worth of memories and we never did work out how that happened." Rukia explained with narrowed eyes.
"Nee-San you don't think that has something to do with everyone forgetting Ichigo, do you?" Kon questioned and Rukia sighed as she shook her head.
"I don't know what to think anymore Kon. Everything is so messed up. The one thing I do know is the only way for us to get answers is to find Ichigo; which means getting through that gate." Rukia said simply.
"Okay!" Kon agreed readily with a sharp nod; Rukia waited for a few seconds before Kon's brain caught up to what she had just said.
"W-Wait Nee-San! You mean we've got to go through the Shinigami? We'll never make it!" Kon shouted and Rukia smirked slightly before she ran out of the shadows with Kon screaming in fear.
"Look! It's Rukia Kuchiki from the 13th Division!"
"Capture her! She must be brought in for questioning!"
"Understood!"
Rukia narrowed her eyes as she saw the more weaker Shinigami charging towards her with their Zanpakutos drawn; she knew what she was about to do was risky but if she had any chance of getting by then she had to try.
"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!" She chanted while quickly making hand signs as she continued to run forward; the Shinigami group paused as they watched her become surrounded by a bright red glow.
"She's using Kido!"
"Quickly stop her!"
"Bakudō #- 9 Geki!" Rukia shouted and held out both palms to the group in front of her; the Shinigami screamed as they were surrounded by a bright red glow and frozen in place.
"You did it, Nee-San!" Kon cheered as Rukia quickly ran through the frozen guard quickly gaining distance on the gap to Rukongai.
'I've got to hurry! I'm not sure how long that will hold them.' Rukia thought as she pushed her Shunpo to the limit; her hopes raising the closer to she got.
"Rukia." A familiar cold voice called stopping her in place and completely destroying every hope she had; with wide eyes Rukia looked behind her in fear.
"Byakuya Nii-Sama..." Rukia whispered as she saw her older brother standing not far behind her with his usual cold mask; his blank silvery-blue eyes bored into Rukia's form freezing her in place.
"What is the meaning of this, Rukia?" Byakuya demanded causing Rukia to shiver in fear; she swallowed as she slowly turned to face the person who had taken her in.
"Please Nii-Sama...Let me go! I haven't got any time to waste; you must let me pass!" Rukia pleaded desperately as Kon trembled in fear on her shoulder; Byakuya merely stared at her with narrowed eyes before he answered.
"Why are you doing this? You've abandoned your post and broke our laws during a time of war; you've shamed the Kuchiki name and you ask me to 'let you go'? Why should I do such a thing?" Byakuya retorted and Rukia swallowed again as she tried to force her body to stop trembling.
'That's right. Nii-Sama doesn't remember Ichigo, which means he never fought him on Sōkyoku Hill; Ichigo never made him see the errors of his ways and make him actually care for me. In his mind, those who break laws should be punished not matter who they are.' Rukia clenched her fists tightly at her side as she prepared herself for what she was about to do; she knew it was the only way to make Byakuya understand at least slightly to what is going on around her.
"Because that's what Hisana Nee-Sama would have wanted." Rukia replied and watched as Byakuya's eyes widened in shock.
If Byakuya never met Ichigo, then he never would have told Rukia about who Hisana truly was after saving her from Gin's attack; he never told her the truth and as such Rukia shouldn't know that Hisana was her sister.
But it still hurt Rukia to use such a horrible tactic against the brother she loves.
"You told me all about her after you saved me from Ichimaru's attack; you told me how she abandoned me in Inuzuri and then searched for me until her death day. She then made you promise her that you would look after me-"
"I don't remember telling you anything of the sort."
"Exactly!" Rukia cries out as she slashed her hand out in front of her in frustration; she knew how stubborn her brother was but she needed to get by.
"You don't remember telling me this! No one seems to remember anything because they've all forgotten one important person! The one person who changed everything for all of us! No one remembers Ichigo!"
"Ichigo...?" Byakuya whispers in confusion as he tries to work why this person is so important to Rukia; as he stands in front of her Byakuya could tell why Renji said she showed great distress when he said he didn't know this Ichigo person.
To Byakuya it looked like his sister had completely lost her mind; why else would she be screaming about this Ichigo person?
But then how does she know about Hisana? That was what bothered Byakuya the most.
Even if she had created Ichigo with her mind, there was no way Rukia could have discovered Hisana by herself; someone must have told her and according to the small Shinigami someone did.
But Byakuya has no memory of telling Rukia about Hisana; in fact he never had any intention of doing such at all.
"Tell me. Who is this 'Ichigo' person to you and why are you so determined to go to them that you would abandon your post?" Byakuya demands as he watched his sister fidgeted slightly before taking a deep breath.
"Ichigo is-"
"Nee-San! Look out!" Kon suddenly shouts and Rukia barely manages to move out of the way before Renji crashing down with his Zanpakuto in his hand.
"I won't let you get away this time, Rukia!" Renji promises with a fierce grin; Rukia slowly straightens up from where she had crouched down to reveal a bleeding slash across her cheek.
"Nee-San..." Kon muttered in fear as he watched the blood slowly stain her pale skin and her black Shihakusho.
"Don't worry, Kon. Something like this won't take me down." She reassured the small stuffed toy before straightening up and drawing her Zanpakuto.
"I don't want to fight you, Renji but if you get in my way I will defeat you!" Rukia shouts as she allows her pure white Spiritual Energy to surround her.
"Ha! You defeat me? Don't make me laugh! I'm a lot stronger since the last time we trained together; I'm not going to let you pass!" Renji shouts before he placed his hand on his Zanpakuto.
"Hoero, Zabimaru!" Renji loudly chants and his Zanpakuto changes into the familiar spiked blade; with a loud yell he swings his blade forward releasing the whip Shikai.
Rukia barely manages to dodge to the side and her eyes narrow as she quickly blocked Renji's 2nd strike; she grits her teeth before she managed to push the heavy blade back.
"Seems like I've got no choice. I'm going to have to beat you and make you see sense!" Rukia cries before holding her Zanpakuto out horizontally in front of her; Renji's eyes widened in slight shock as Rukia's Spiritual Energy spiked higher than before.
'What the hell? When did she get so strong?' He thought to himself and when he looked over at his Captain, he could tell that the noble man was also shocked by his sister's strength.
"Is she actually going to use Shikai?" He whispered wondering why Rukia was planning on using the one thing she swore to never do again; not since the death of her Vice-Captain.
"Mai, Sode No Shirayuki." Rukia called as she slowly turned her Zanpakuto around in a circle; the blade quickly turned pure white and a matching ribbon burst from the handle fluttering in the wind.
'Sode No Shirayuki. The most beautiful Zanpakuto in the Soul Society; its blade, hilt and hand-guard are all made of the purest of white. This is Rukia's Shikai. But why? Why is she using it now? What has changed since that horrible night when her smile died once again?' Renji thought to himself frantically as he watched Rukia get into a lose guard position.
"What's the matter Renji?" The Vice-Captain broke away from his thoughts hearing the mocking tone in his friend's voice; Rukia smirked as ice started forming around her feet.
"Why are you not going Bankai?"
"What?" Renji gasped in confusion causing Rukia to shake her head with a sigh.
"Usually when an opponent shows more strength than you, you end up releasing your Bankai. Don't you remember? You trained with Ichigo to gain it so you could save me!"
"Shut your mouth!" Renj roared angrily as he swung his Zanpakuto forward once again; Rukia's expression turned cold as she brought her own blade up and blocked the attack.
She skidded back slightly causing Kon to scream out in fear but to Renji's shock she managed to stop and held the whip Zanpakuto in place; Renji's eyes widened when Rukia disappeared using Shunpo.
"Some No Mai: Tsukishiro!" He barely had a chance to dodge to the side to avoid being frozen by the giant ice pillar that had appeared underneath his feet; he looked at Rukia in complete shock as he fell back into fighting stance.
"When did you get so strong?" Renji grunted as he quickly blocked Rukia's next strike; he glared into her determined violet eyes over their locked Zanpakutos.
"Remember him, Renji." Rukia pleaded quietly causing Renji to growl in anger as he pushed her back before swinging his Zanpakuto once again.
"I don't know what you're trying to get me to remember!" Renji shouted back and Rukia blocks the attack before she kicks Renji sharply in the stomach.
"Use your head, Idiot! Remember him! Remember Ichigo Kurosaki!" Rukia shouts as she holds her blade above her head and Renji's eyes widened when he saw a blurry figure appear in front of him where Rukia was standing.
It was the orange-headed Shinigami again, blood was covering the side of his head and his face was still shadowed but Renji saw the clever Zanpakuto held in the same position as Rukia held her own blade.
"When you attack someone, you kill!"
Both the image and Rukia swung down at the same time but Renji only felt one blade slicing through his skin; with a spray of blood Renji collapsed on the ground unconscious.
Rukia panted for breath as she stayed frozen in place; it took a few seconds before she finally straightened up and looked down sadly at the blood staining her pure white blade.
"I'm sorry Renji." She whispered sadly before she slashed her Zanpakuto to the side to clear if from her friend's blood; she knew the wound wouldn't kill him but she knew it would keep him out of the way until he saw sense.
The sound of a Zanpakuto being drawn brought her from her thoughts and Rukia looked over her shoulder in fear as she saw Byakuya holding his Zanpakuto up in front of him.
"Chire..." He called but then stopped; Byakuya stared into Rukia's violet eyes, the same eyes Hisana had, as she silently pleaded for him to stop. After a few seconds Byakuya finally closed his eyes with a sigh.
"I don't know what you're planning on doing but you better leave now. Other Shinigami would have been alerted by the rise in Spiritual Energy." Byakuya warned and, to Rukia's astonishment, sheathed his Zanpakuto; Rukia swallowed before she forced herself to turn and bow to her brother gratefully.
"Thank you, Byakuya Nii-Sama." She whispered before she used Shunpo to disappear into Rukongai; leaving Byakuya and an injured Renji alone to face the consequences.
Omake
Glossary
- Bakudō #- 9 Geki (撃, Strike) — Engulfs a target in red light, completely paralyzing them. Incantation: "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and then claw out your own throat!"
-Zabimaru (蛇尾丸, Snake Tail) - Zabimaru's sealed form resembles a typical katana. It has a rectangular bronze tsuba with a jagged design to it and a red handle and sheath.
-Hoero... (咆えろ, Howl) - In its Shikai, Zabimaru transforms into an even longer 6-part segmented blade; each segment is wider than the one preceding it from the hilt with 2 pick-like protrusions on the front and back of each segment, with the ones on the front much longer than the ones at the back.
The segments are connected by a stretchable thread, making Zabimaru more useful as a whip than an actual sword, though it can serve as a regular sword just as easily, thanks to Renji's swordsmanship. Zabimaru's guard and handle pretty much remain the same in its Shikai release.
While Zabimaru can be stretched to incredible lengths in its whip form, Renji has a limit of three consecutive attacks before having to bring the segments of Zabimaru back together for recovery - which makes him fairly vulnerable during the time interval. To make up for this, Renji usually relies on Shunpo for evasion as he retrieves Zabimaru's segments.
Renji's Shikai, while durable to an extent, can ultimately sustain serious damage the longer the fight drags on. Not that it can't withstand dangerously prolonged combat, but even it has limits in enduring high-level attacks that were conducted by either the enemy or by Renji himself.
- Sode No Shirayuki (袖白雪, Sleeves of White Snow) - In its sealed form, Sode no Shirayuki is a normal katana with a rectangular tsuba with inward-curved corners with curved slits above and below the blade and a series of curved lines embossed on either side of the blade. It has a reddish-brown hilt.
-Mai... (舞, Dance) - Rukia holds her Zanpakuto out in front of her and turns it in a circle counter-clockwise.
While she is turning it, the blade, hilt and tsuba turn completely white. The tsuba becomes a hollow snowflake-like circle and a white ribbon forms from the pommel from the end of the handle. Sode no Shirayuki is regarded as one of the most beautiful Zanpakuto in the Soul Society. The transformation comes along with a rush of cold air in all directions and can potentially cause a cold fog to descend upon the area.
-Some No Mai: Tsukishiro (最初舞・月白, First Dance: White Moon) - Rukia calls out the name of the dance while holding her Zanpakuto upside down. The blade glows and then she makes a slashing motion when her target is in position. When she does this, a large ice circle forms around her intended target which freezes everything that touches it. The circle not only freezes the ground but everything within the circle's influence including anything above it up in the air, creating an extending pillar of light that then freezes all within in the circle. Shortly after being frozen, the victim then shatters along with the ice.
- Chire... (散れ, Scatter) - In its Shikai, Senbonzakura's blade separates into a thousand slender, tiny blade fragments, which then fly away from the hilt, leaving only the sword's handle in Byakuya's hand. The release can be negated before it completes, however, if the release completes itself, then Senbonzakura is rendered near-unstoppable.
While the blades are supposedly too small to be seen normally, they reflect light in such a way as to appear as cherry blossom petals. By swinging Senbonzakura's hilt, Byakuya can control the blade fragments at will, allowing him to shred opponents at a distance and break through almost any defence.