This War's Not Over: Chapter 24

And The Sky Will Stain Red

Greetings to all! I'm back from my trip, and I hope you're all enjoying your own summer holidays. :)

First of all I'd like to say that I appreciate all your reviews and as for the Ichiruki subject, I agree that some parts I deem to be ichiruki may be different for others. Please see what I write however you wish.

Hope you enjoy

Bloodlock.

The same poison that left Miko to wither away in silence. It was that very poison, fabricated by the enemy that for eons, Soul Society had worshipped, that was slowly killing one of her most treasured freinds. Ichigo. Rukia traced with her narrowed eyes the familiar unruly orange hair, her teeth gritted together in silent anger.

She immediately looked away from her friend, her throat burning. They were back underground beneath Seireitei, Yamamoto ordering that Ichigo was to be watched over in case he woke up. Or in case he might wake up and turn on us, was what Yamamoto really meant. The Head Captain had the right not to trust Ichigo, but only because he had let Aizen join the battle was simply…

Rukia shook her head in frustration. There were so many gaps that Ichigo hadn't filled everyone in on. How was he going to get everyone to trust him if he went and did things on his own?

The white creature gave an angry snarl that echoed all over Ichigo's inner world. Shiro sat crouched on the windowed floor, his smouldering golden eyes trailing over Zangetsu. The old man was as per usual standing atop his pole, staring out into the distance.

Despite the hollow's angry snarl, the zanpakuto still hadn't moved. Shiro's hand rose to grip his sword, but as soon as his fingers curled around the handle, Zangetsu's voice stopped him. "That is unnecessary."

"As if you could stop me if I chose to," Shiro snorted, his usual toothy grin splitting across his face.

"You are in no condition to fight me right now," Zangetsu said. "The poison has clearly affected more than just Ichigo."

"That would include you too Zangetsu," the hollow sneered, although his smile had faded, replaced with fury that spread across the whole of his expression.

Zangetsu ignored Shiro's biting remarks. The zanpakuto was used to this. Almost every word that had rolled off of the hollow's tongue until now had been designed to cut.

"The war is nearing to its final outcome. Ichigo must choose what he wants to do."

"How about finding a cure?" the hollow snapped.

Shiro was almost surprised to see a flash of irritation in Zangetsu's eyes as the zanpakuto turned to face him. Considering how usually emotionless the sword was, it was unexpected to see Zangetsu betray what he was feeling. Perhaps he was so worried about Ichigo's condition that he had let his emotions slip. "Do not pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."

Shiro's eyes narrowed, before he looked away from Zangetsu's cold stare. "I was just saying."

Silence reigned on the pair as they both gave each other frustrated and angry looks. The atmosphere was so different without Ichigo here. And now, with the poison running its course, the two seemed even easier to irritate.

"The choice is easy. I personally thought he already made it when he let Aizen join him in battle," Shiro hissed after awhile.

"I have told you countless times before that the choice had to be his."

"Don't be upset if Ichigo doesn't turn out to be the saint you wanted him to be. Ichigo is human. Hatred is easily bred. The dislike the soul reapers have for him is contagious," Shiro said, a smirk of disgust forming on his face.

Zangetsu didn't respond, simply turning to face the cloudy sky once more.

"Let him choose."

Ichigo drifted back into consciousness in cold sweat. His whole body felt like it had been drained away of strength. For a moment, he was worried that if he opened his eyes the light would blind him, but to his surprise, the place was surprisingly dark. Now fully awake, his eyes drifted to the two hunched figures that sat next to him.

"Rukia and Renji," he said, yet couldn't help the shock crossing his expression as he heard the sound of his voice: it sounded terrible.

Renji, suddenly seeming uncomfortable, stood up and mumbled something. "I'll go tell everyone you're awake."

Ichigo stared after his friend, watching as he greeted the guards curtly before taking his leave. Ichigo did a double-take. Guards?

"Rukia? Why are there guards?" he couldn't stop his voice from dripping with disappointment.

"Yamamoto asked for it. But he didn't mean anything by it, he just—"

"Yeah, I know he still thinks I'm such a villain," Ichigo found the strength to spit.

Rukia opened her mouth before closing it again, her eyes dropping to her feet.

"How are you feeling?" she asked instead.

"Okay."

Ichigo could tell by his shihakusho that Shiro had reverted him back to his usual form. Ichigo blinked, remembering his defeat against his battle with Yosuke. His shoulders sagged as he glanced at Rukia. "So what kind of poison is it?"

He tried to keep his voice cool, but he hadn't forgotten that Yosuke's zanpakuto had been dipped in some sort of poison. Rukia's eyes glazed over as she continued to stare down at the ground, before she seemed to summon her courage and tell him. "It's bloodlock poison. The same that's killing Miko."

Ichigo braced himself. Fear. Horror. Anguish. Regret. But the teen felt strangely calm. Ichigo had never really considered dying before. He just knew that if he died protecting the ones he cared about, then so be it. It felt almost the same way as when he was told that he was to lose his soul reaper powers. Solemn.

Rukia had expected one of the four reactions from Ichigo, but she was surprised also when they never came. "Ichigo?"

But Ichigo didn't want to die. It was simply that if the chance was given to him to find a way out of this, he would take it without a second's thought.

"I'm okay," Ichigo said. "It will take awhile before the bloodlock swallows me whole right?"

Rukia frowned. "You sound like someone who's about to die."

"I still have to kill the Spirit King," Ichigo reminded Rukia, his voice reduced to a growl. "I'll do it in time I have left."

Rukia's eyes were ablaze with fury, and Ichigo recoiled, attempting to crawl out of his bed and escape her wrath. There was nothing more the girl hated than someone who gave up.

She had him in an arm lock when Isshin and Urahara came in.

Urahara hid his taken aback expression with his fan, watching the two scrabble for who was in control of Rukia's fist. Isshin gave a huge goofy grin, tapping Urahara on the shoulder. "My third daughter learns from me! It is a perfect duplicate of my father and son bonding time!"

Ichigo's sandal in Isshin's face. "That, I learned from Hiyori."

The sandal slid off his father's face, Isshin flopping down to the floor.

"I see…You've learned a lot while you've been away…" Isshin gasped, rubbing his sandal-steaming face and picking himself off the ground.

"My, I see you're in fine shape Kurosaki-san," Urahara smiled widely.

Ichigo gave him a weak grin. "I guess."

Urahara seemed to measure Ichigo's expression before he seemed to come up with the knowledge that Ichigo already knew his situation.

"I see you have been well informed," he concluded, glancing at Rukia.

Rukia snorted. "As I expected, he's given up already. He's still obsessed with bringing down the Spirit King."

Urahara fanned himself, his smile becoming as big and as smug as ever. "You might get to do just that Kurosaki-san."

"Eh?" Ichigo frowned.

"I've done some research on the poison by taking samples from yours and Miko's body. It seems that the source of the bloodlock's power is not just the chemicals themselves. It seems that the poison has been infused with a powerful being's reiatsu. This is what gives it its killing capabilities."

"So do you know who this reiatsu belongs to?" Rukia asked.

Urahara brightened up at Rukia's question, as if savouring that he was the only one who possessed enviable knowledge. "Yes! The reiatsu is so dense and powerful that it could only belong to one person: the Spirit King himself."

Everyone let out a gasp, but Urahara raised his hand. "I'm not finished yet! If someone were to kill the one sustaining the reiatsu inside the poison…"

"…Then the bloodlock would be rendered harmless," Rukia finished.

"In other words this makes two reasons why the Spirit King needs to get his ass handed to him," Ichigo grinned.

"In any case, I'll be coming with you Ichigo," Isshin said, surprise registering across Ichigo's face. "I need to cut off my ties with the Spirit King too."

"I'm not even gonna ask what you mean by that," Ichigo groaned, knowing his father was going to pull up some past of him being in the Royal Guard and sweeping Ichigo off his feet again. That was the last thing the teen needed.

Ichigo and Rukia watched as the shopkeeper and Isshin walked away, with promises that they would inform the Head Captain about Urahara's new discovery.

"Well, me might as well train like everyone else is," Ichigo shrugged.

He flash stepped away after Rukia's look of approval.

"Someone looks happy," a voice made Ichigo jump.

Ichigo turned around to see Miko approaching him, her facial expression showing that she was in a foul mood. Ichigo refrained himself for biting back a stinging reply. Instead he reflected on whether Miko knew that what was afflicting her health could be taken away.

"It's impossible," Miko muttered.

That was when Ichigo knew she knew.

Ichigo frowned at her, his patience wearing dangerously thin. "I could defeat the Spirit King."

"He's impossibly strong. He'll kill the both of you."

Ichigo understood that by the both of them she meant him and Shiro. He heard his hollow let out an indignant hiss.

"We'll get stronger and kill him for sure then," Miko wasn't too sure which one of them spoke there.

A smile formed on Miko's lips. "You've got guts; I'll give you that reaper boy. You have no idea how much I wish he was dead."

"I need to train so I know how to fully use my hogyoku powers," Ichigo announced.

Miko erupted into laughter, much to Ichigo's annoyance. When she stopped, she smiled again. "It never ceases to amaze me how Aizen can predict you so easily."

Irritation added to Ichigo's previous annoyance. Was Ichigo so predictable that Aizen could formulate his plans so perfectly around him?

"That still doesn't change that I want to get stronger," Ichigo said through his teeth.

Miko gave an accomplice bow, grinning as she gestured back towards Maggot's Nest.

"Then follow me, 0 Espada."

"The Hogyoku's power enables you to take a look at the soul's wishes, am I correct?" Aizen asked.

Ichigo stiffened uneasily as he remembered that he was talking to the very person that had made him a natural hogyoku in the first place, but he nodded at the man.

"It happens that the hogyoku can refuse to grant wishes as well, and do the complete opposite of what one has wished for. If we can get this training done, you'll be able to fire a getsugatensho that is far greater in power than the Final Getsugatensho. It will completely reverse the Spirit King's wish if he desires to kill you."

Hogyoku no Getsugatensho.

The name ran through Ichigo's ears as he made his way to the Garganta. Soul reapers streamed passed him, their eyes glittering with newfound strength. Aizen's arrancars followed soon after, casting respectful glances every now and then at Ichigo.

Ichigo's training had ended and Aizen had commented that whatever awakened the Hogyoku no Getsugatensho now would be the feeling of battle and Ichigo's wish to beome stronger. Ichigo was in his espada form, figuring he wouldn't have time to transform when he was on the other side.

Ichigo stared at the Garganta. On the other side was where it ended. If he was dead or alive, if it was bad or happy ending, it would end on the other side of the Garganta.

The War was going to unleash its full wrath and stain the sky with blood.

"Ichigo."

The orange-haired teen turned to face the voice of his father. Ichigo did not mistake the glint of worry in his father's eyes.

"Don't worry about me dad. I'm fine," Ichigo tried to assure him, but his throat felt dry. "We should go."

Isshin watched as his son walked away, his espada cloak billowing in the wind. He tried not to think of how he was watching his son, who had lived no where near as long as everyone else around him, walking towards a War he was still too young to fight in. He followed his son towards the Garganta.

Ichigo said his final goodbyes to Karin and Yuzu, his heart aching as he left them alone in hiding. Some soul reapers had been positioned to guard the fort, but Ichigo couldn't help but worry.

With Nel and Grimmjow at his side, Ichigo joined the rest of the substitute team, surprised to find Aizen, Gin and Miko amongst his friends. They all waited for the horde of soul reapers and arrancars to pour into the gaping black hole, Ichigo's yellow eyes scouring the entrance to the bloodiest battle he would ever have to face.

"Scared?" Aizen smiled.

Ichigo settled his cold gaze on Aizen, his mouth twisting upwards playfully. "This will all be over…in an instant."

Tadaa~! :D And it's done!

The fic is nearing its end… :(

Oh well. I'll be writing a new fic soon after. Please review!