A/N:

Mother tongue isn't English. Inform me about any major mistakes if there is, what lazy bastard I am. As always I hope they wont distract your reading experience.

"Thoughts"

"Zangetsu"

"Hollow"

War after the war: Chapter 12

They decided to take a Senkaimon to the sparring area, and there were a lot people interested about the fight. But everybody had their own work to do so in the end there would be only other Soul Reapers, Weasley's family, Sirius, Harry and Hermione.

After arriving, Sirius and Molly threw few more spells around so humans wouldn't be bothering them. Renji and Ichigo had been grinning like maniacs since yesterday so others were bit anxious about the fight.

"Don't worry", Hitsugaya leaned closer Molly who had concerned look etched on her face when she looked at two Soul Reapers: "They won't kill each other, this happens often when those two are around."

Molly nodded but still she couldn't relax. Hitsugaya frowned at Ichigo and Renji: "And you…" he narrowed his eyes: "We don't have whole day so be quick."

When others moved bit further, Renji turned to Ichigo: "So… Are you ready or do you want to withdraw? Last chance."

"Oh shut up! I bet that you are scared!" Ichigo snorted and they clashed their swords together.

First both just danced around, speeding their movements along the way. When they found the right rhythm, all what the wizards could see, was some flashes when sunbeams reflected from their blades.

"That's some good sword skill they have." Sirius tilted his head taking deep breath. He enjoyed fresh air since he hadn't been outside for ages now. Matsumoto nodded: "It is basic skill what they teach us in Academy because we mainly use swords."

The dance continued some time and they still weren't any injuries. They just knew each other too well so they could predict coming blows. Suddenly other sword stretched out several meters and it looked like it was having joints.

"Howl, Zabimaru!"

Renji attacked with increasing speed but Ichigo was already ready. Swords clashed once again when stretched sword hit something which looked like a big cleaver.

"Brings memories, eh?" Ichigo chuckled when it reminded him about their first fight when Byakuya and Renji captured Rukia back to Soul Society.

"Hah! Feeling nostalgic? Not so long since I am not going to let this end same way!" Renji blustered, and he actually got through Ichigo's defense with next attack. Zabimaru slashed straight Ichigo's shoulder, causing massive bleeding. Renji's eyes widened: He really didn't think that he could be able to slash Ichigo that badly. Whole thing gave him more courage. "I can do this!"

"Hah! Got dull, Ichigo?"

The orange-headed Shinigami grasped his shoulder, gritting his teeth together: "Che. Don't let your guard down! This kind of thing won't hold me!" Ichigo took a grin which resembled too much his Hollows, taking a step forward: "That's all you can do, Renji?"

Flashes stopped when fighters took more distance to each other. Renji grinned: "All I can do? Well let's see about that!"

"BANKAI!" Renji yelled: "Hihiō Zabimaru!"

Giant skeleton-like snake appeared next to Renji and he seemed to hold its tail in his hand. Snake had some kind of red fur around its head and Renji's cape seemed to be made from same material. Wizards gaped at the snake: "What the hell is that?"

"It's called Bankai", Matsumoto explained happily: "Bankai is final form of Shinigami's powers. Everyone who have attained it, has their own kind of final release."

"I see…" Sirius smirked: "Interesting."

On the battlefield Ichigo had just dodged Renji's attack and brought his sword in the front of him, holding it with two hands.

"Well… It is my turn! BANKAI!"

Huge black pillar of reiatsu arose to the sky, and impact hit viewers though they stood pretty far away. Hitsugaya staggered and snapped: "That idiot can't keep his reiatsu under control!"

Black smoke dissolved and everybody waited to see what kind of monster would be with Ichigo. But there he stood alone, just having his appearance changed. Ichigo wore a black long robe which hem was ripped. It didn't resemble normal Soul Reaper attire at all and the hem seemed to dissolve endlessly in the air. On the other hand, his sword didn't change much: It changed back in the black, slim katana and there was still white Captain's cloak on his shoulders. The most drastic change was his eyes. Another was yellow with black sclera when other one stayed brown.

"Tensa Zangetsu." Ichigo continued.

But in general view, Ichigo looked very fragile against huge snake.

"What the heck? That's all?" Ron frowned: "I thought that he went Bankai too!"

Twins were nodding next to him and Ginny turned to Soul Reapers. Rukia snorted: "Just watch. That was the reaction from my brother when he saw Ichigo's Bankai. And he regretted it afterwards."

Renji started to get anxious. He knew how fast Ichigo was in his Bankai and even if he didn't want to admit, Zabimaru was slow in this form.

But he decided to try and swung Zabimaru towards Ichigo. Wizards watched with horror when skeleton snake flung straight to Ichigo who didn't move an inch. Snake hit the ground, jaws open and it reminded Harry of the Basilisk he had killed few years ago.

Everybody froze. They were sure that Ichigo was now in pieces, but then he appeared above the snake. Unharmed.

"How did he do that?" Sirius breathed.

"Ichigo's Bankai is actually high-speed type. He condenses his reiatsu in small sword and it gives him possibility to move faster than anyone else." Hitsugaya explained.

"Fascinating!"

Ichigo smirked. He stood in the air, while Renji was trying to slash him. It was easy to dodge the snake when he had been sparring with Byakuya. Millions of sharp petals were a lot harder to dodge.

"Well. Try to dodge this one!" Ichigo yelled: "Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo poured all energy he could get in to huge black crescent which flew towards Renji, and lieutenant's eyes widened. He tried to bring Zabimaru to cover him, but the crescent broke skeleton snake.

"Shit!" Renji yelled and disappeared from the view when crescent hit him. There was a lot dust and Ichigo wondered if he put too much power in it. He hasn't had many opportunities to let out reiatsu like this so he wanted to bring all out.

"Oi! Are you okay Pineapple?" orange head walked closer.

"Fuck you!"

Everybody relaxed when they saw red headed Shinigami staggering out of the dust cloud, coughing.

"Too much?" Ichigo grinned. Renji frowned: "How is it even possible to parry those?" he coughed once: "They break everything what they touch!"

"Well, that was what I tried to do." Ichigo shrugged: "Maybe it's just lack of skill, you know…"

"Hah! I bet that even you can't control how powerful Getsugas you throw!"

"ENOUGH!" Hitsugaya cut them. White haired Captain and the others had walked closer since fight seemed to be over: "No time for arguments. We need to keep going if we are going to greet Mrs. Weasley's husband."

Both of them nodded.

Ichigo was going to say something, but stabbing pain in his shoulder stopped him. Ragged, white Captain's cloak started to have some reddish spots on it when blood came through his Shihakushō. Soon white fabric was soaked all over chest.

"Damn. I wish that Inoue would be here now!" Ichigo cursed and took his cloak off, examining wound: "I have never been good with healing kido…"

"What the hell? Where that did come from! You are bleeding!" twins blinked, amused. Color escaped Molly's face: "Quickly! Sit down! We need some healing spells! Are you dizzy? Bring some water!"

Ichigo blinked few times, and then shook his hands in the front of his chest: "Aww! It's nothing! Don't worry, Molly, really! See!"

Harry frowned: "There is no way that you are fine with a wound like that!"

"Eh? I have been gone through a lot worse than this! Believe me!" Ichigo moved his Shihakushō a bit so they could see wound. It wasn't even bleeding anymore, though they could see flesh and bone since it was so deep.

"Eww…" Ginny and Hermione put their hands on their mouths. Sirius just looked interested: "What did you do to stop the bleeding?"

Ichigo glanced at the wound. He couldn't heal wounds, but bleeding was different thing: "I concentrate spiritual energy in the same spot and it prevents it."

"But I just was wondering…" Ron cut them all: "Why does it seem that even Renji lost, Ichigo seems to be more injured?"

Renji and Ichigo both blinked few times. Renji took shit-eating grin on his face: "Haha! It wasn't total loss! A tie!"

"No way! Didn't I say that this wound is nothing! I smashed your Bankai!"

"That was actually AWESOME!" Ron started grinning like an idiot, cutting their arguments once more: "What was that black thing?"

"It was my own personal attack. It's called Getsuga Tenshou." Ichigo turned to him: "Though I don't have any fancy and huge Bankai, it doesn't mean that there's no power."

"And since it's you, there won't be lack of power, ever." Rukia snorted and Ichigo narrowed his eyes.

"Aww king! I wanted to fight too!" Shiro started to whine. He was sleeping and just woke up: "Why didn't you tell me that you are going to spar?"

"Well, maybe because I wanted to concentrate without your constant whining?"

"…It's not still fair, isn't it?"

"Seems that Shiro wanted to fight with you too, but he was sleeping." Ichigo grinned to Renji: "Now he is whining even more than before."

Renji lifted his eyebrow. They had gotten familiar with Ichigo's insane Hollow, and they had even sparred with it sometimes when Ichigo let Shiro out.

"Who is Shiro?" Hermione blinked.

Ichigo startled. He forgot that he hadn't told them about his inner Hollow.

"Ah…" he scratched his neck: "No one. Forget it. I will explain later. Shall we go now?"

Sirius lifted eyebrows at the sudden change of topic, but didn't say anything.

Ichigo sealed Zangetsu once more, though its appearance didn't change. He sheathed black, long katana: "Hitsugaya, please open Senkaimon for them."

"Eh? Becoming lazy now?" Renji lifted his eyebrow.

"Nah", Ichigo half-smiled: "I have seen Arthur already and I have some business to take care of." he turned around wondering look on his face: "Say greetings from me anyway, will ya?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded and Ichigo waved at everybody, flash stepping off.

"What the heck was that?" Rukia tapped her foot.

"Your acting sucks." Shiro noted. Ichigo grimaced: "Oh shut up!" taking few long-range flash steps over the canal.

"Besides…" he closed eyes: "I don't care if they start getting suspicious." Zangetsu and Shiro waited him to continue, but it didn't happen.

"…How's so?"

"It really doesn't matter. If they want, they can ask me about it. Not that I would tell anything. And they have no way that they could shadow me around and get any evidence. That includes Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Renji and Rukia too." he added when Shiro opened his mouth.

"And…" he stopped in his tracks when old building came in the view: "It's better for them not to know anything before this is done."

"They just need to trust me."

Zangetsu and Shiro withdraw back Ichigo's inner world, turning to look at each other.

"Stubborn as always, eh?" Zangetsu whispered and Shiro sighed in annoyance.

"Whatever. Shiro, could you please heal my shoulder now?"

"Hai, King, anything you want."

Hope you liked.