A/N: I haven't said this before when invoking Sode no Shirayuki, but I'm choosing to acknowledge her anime appearance while disregarding the anime-only filler arcs. Thank you for any and all reviews, favorites, and follows, as well as all you other readers out there!

Bleach and all products thereof are copyright to Tite Kubo, et al.

Sunday, February 23, 2003

Ichigo woke up to the sound of Rukia yawning. Opening his eyes revealed her sitting beside and looking down at him, backlit by the sun coming in through the window. He realized he had no immediate idea how he'd gotten to be where he was. They were in her room and she was wearing pajamas, and he was as well, so the consequences couldn't be too bad, whatever had happened.

She smiled down at him even as she adopted a sardonic expression, saying "And I thought I was going to have to do something drastic to wake you up."

It hit him then all at once. They had dozed off against one another on the couch before getting up late into the night to shower and change for bed. She had sneaked into his room right as he'd finished brushing his teeth and wordlessly tugged him along, ignoring his every protest and question to drag him to her bed. They had held each other for a time before truly falling asleep again. He blinked in confusion up at her.

Her smile widened as she leaned down and poked his nose. "Don't act so weird, space heater-kun," she said in her schoolgirl voice, before sitting back up and getting off the other side of the bed, adding in a callous tone "Now get out of my room unless you want to watch me get dressed, fool."

"H—Hey! What the hell, you can't just throw me out like that after you're the one who brought me in here in the first place! And what kind of a threat is that anyway?!" Ichigo said with sudden indignation.

Rukia was at a dresser and turned back to shoot him a glare that could've been mistaken for some sort of laser charging up. She opened a drawer with a huff and held up two different pairs of panties, demanding "So, Ichigo, do you think it's a black silk and lace day or a grey cotton day?"

Ichigo flushed a deep red and held up his hands to shield himself from the sight. "Rukia, what—what the hell," he managed to get out at her sudden escalation.

"If you're not going to help out then get out already!" she shouted.

Ichigo clamped a hand over his eyes, and pulled the covers off himself, standing up and navigating to the door. He smacked into the door frame before getting through it and closing the door behind himself. He never saw Rukia's triumphant grin at having flustered him so. If it bothered him that much then it meant Yoruichi had been right about who he really did have eyes for. She pondered asking the older woman for tips.

Through the door Ichigo could hear her humming and opening and closing drawers before her bathroom door shut and the shower came on. He exhaled and went into his own room, likewise picking out some clothes before going to take an unseasonably cold shower. Despite everything, and despite having occasionally seen her in compromising circumstances during their cohabitations of his family's house, he didn't really think of her in that kind of way much. Even if it was natural, he just had too much respect for her to let his mind freely go there. He'd never been chaste or anything but…he grabbed the shower's temperature knob and lowered it still further, until it was all the way down. Don't think you can get away with this, Kuchiki Rukia!

He refused to scream or in any way complain at how cold it was, instead moving with efficiency to get out and get dressed. Getting out long before she ever would, he went to make breakfast. They hadn't had anything to eat the previous day other than breakfast, and although their bodies had been idle, he found he was starving. He also felt that it was a coffee day. He wound up putting together a hearty meal of his own take on tamagoyaki, a rather large helping of baked fish, and some rice and vegetables. Getting back at Rukia through better cooking was only one part of his strategy.

By the time she walked out of her room he had laid out the spread on the table along with two steaming mugs of coffee (with creamer and sugar) and was patiently waiting for her to arrive before beginning himself. He wouldn't be undone by her flirting, or cold water, or hunger, not today of all days. If he couldn't stand up to those things, how could he possibly…

"You sure have been busy," she said, sitting down opposite him.

"You just take a long time to get dressed," he said dismissively. She kicked him in the shin lightly but he ignored it in favor of starting in. Not even a word of thanks! They were both well into their meals—she had been just as hungry, apparently—and she happened to be sipping at the now warm coffee when he asked her nonchalantly "So did you pick black or grey?"

She spat out the drink and almost dropped the mug as she looked at him in surprise. She immediately put the mug down and stood up, leaning forward as if to slap him from across the table when suddenly she stopped. Her eyes fell into an alluring half-open state as a devilish smirk came onto her face. "Oh, I see, suddenly interested now are you?" she taunted.

Ichigo met her look directly with one of completely steadfast indifference, saying "Not really, it just seemed like a big deal to you."

Rukia stood up fully opposite him, a completely superior expression on her face and an ominous twinkle in her eyes. "Well, I guess if you're so concerned about my choices I could show you," she said. A day ago, she would've never played such a game even with Ichigo, but things between them were different now, and so too was the game. It was a game just for them, just between them, and one she had decided she would always win.

Ichigo gave no immediate response except a raised eyebrow even as inside his head alarms were going off to warn him. No way, she wouldn't possibly… She was just beginning to take hold of her long skirt to potentially call his bluff when the doorbell rang.

Both their heads turned to the door, their taunting of one another immediately forgotten. "Who could that be at this hour?" Rukia said.

Ichigo shoved his chair back and stood, making his way past her to the door. "It's probably a package or something from those guys." Their indirectness in referring to Nightmare Eclipse had become by now commonplace enough to enter their private conversations, if not quite their thoughts.

Rukia blinked as Ichigo went past her and then frowned, realizing he had just managed to evade her ultimate victory over him. She used her napkin to mop up the coffee splatter, plotting her revenge at his good fortune.

The doorbell rang again right as Ichigo was walking up to the entrance. "Yeah, yeah," he said, unlocking the door and opening it. He was immediately struck dumb by who was on other side. "You guys?!"

Rukia's eyes widened and her head snapped up as she heard Renji's voice declare "Yo, Ichigo!" and her brother's add in "Kurosaki-gunsō," in greeting as much as in correction of Renji. I was about to…when nii-sama and Renji were… She spun around to see Ichigo standing like an idiot in the doorway.

"So can we come in?" Renji said, "It's kinda cold out here."

"Y-yeah, come on in…" Ichigo said, moving out of the way. And with that the taichō and fukutaichō of the 6th Division were in their home. They were in gigai and wore modern fashion, both in long coats against the weather. Renji was carting two small suitcases; it was clear they intended to stay awhile. They presently took off their coats and shoes.

"Nii-sama, Renji!" Rukia exclaimed, with genuine cheer as much as to hide her own embarrassment at what had been happening before their arrival. She came up to the three men right as it dawned on her how unusual this was. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Decision of the sōtaichō," Renji said, glancing at Byakuya in a way the latter wouldn't see.

"Indeed, the sōtaichō was convinced that an independent assessment of your conditions here in the Living World was a wise decision," Byakuya said. He did not address whether Yamamoto had come to this opinion on his own, or whether he had been convinced of it, and if so, by whom. There was no need; his final words to Ichigo the week before made all the answers clear. "We are here to observe your work week, Rukia. Kurosaki-gunsō," he concluded.

Rukia and Ichigo exchanged a glance that communicated volumes about the futility of trying to resist before Ichigo looked at Byakuya with a slightly nervous smile "B—Kuchiki-taichō, considering the nature of our mission, it will be suspicious if we continue to address each other by formal ranks."

"A sound observation, Kurosaki," Byakuya said, starting to finally regard their place of abode. His expression gave away nothing of whatever assessments he was making.

"Are either of you hungry? Ichigo fixed breakfast this morning and we still have plenty," Rukia offered, gesturing toward the dining room.

"Yeah," Ichigo added, "I can get some more plates!"

"Thank you, Rukia, but I will survey these lodgings instead," Byakuya replied, before giving Renji a do-what-you-will glance and starting to inspect the house.

"I'm starving!" Renji said, happily moving to the dining room.

Ichigo and Rukia shared another look and Ichigo went to get Renji a plate, the pair joining him at the breakfast table. Both found that their appetites had deserted them at this development and only had a few more bites. Renji gladly wolfed down what they left over. The pair of Shinigami had apparently not eaten and had left Soul Society before sunrise.

"So, how did you find out we were here anyway?" Ichigo asked of his friend. Byakuya was, in the background, systematically going over the house and having apparently finished with the office, was now looking at the guest bedroom.

"We went to your house first and your dad told us the two of you were living here. This is a pretty nice place, Ichigo, how did somebody like you wind up with it?" Renji replied. He caught Rukia's narrowed glance and added "No offense or anything."

"It was a gift," Ichigo said absent-mindedly, before whispering "He's not going to poke through our bedrooms drawer by drawer or anything is he?"

Renji looked at Rukia and then back at him and shrugged, having no earthly idea. He just barely managed to hold back his congratulations on the fact they did have separate bedrooms, or else Ichigo would surely be dead soon. He had the feeling if he voiced the thought it'd be his funeral everyone would be attending instead.

As if on cue, Byakuya left the guest bedroom and office alcove and went to the other one, surveying their bedrooms. He scarcely bothered with Ichigo's room, and didn't spend much longer in Rukia's, apparently only sufficiently long to confirm she had furnishings and clothes in her closet. After that he considered the backyard and moved past them to the kitchen. The trio of friends at the table found themselves silent in his presence, Renji just quietly eating.

Finally Byakuya walked up to the dining room table, elegantly withdrew a chair, and took a seat, considering quietly. "I am satisfied with these accommodations," he said at last, "Renji, you may take my bag to the guest bedroom."

"Yes, sir," Renji said, snapping up and going to do as ordered.

Byakuya then turned his cold gaze to Rukia and Ichigo, and then to the remains of the breakfast on the table. None of them said anything for awhile. Byakuya said: "I believe that if I asked as to how you had acquired this residence that I would receive an evasive answer in the understanding that it has to do with your newfound position, Kurosaki?" It wasn't actually a question.

"Yes," Ichigo said simply.

"Indeed. And your methods of providing for yourself and for my sister are of the same origin?" Byakuya continued. It was again not really a question.

"Yes," Ichigo said again.

"I see. And this source is both legitimate and stable?" Byakuya asked. This time, there was a hint of a question: he was demanding an assurance.

"Yes," Ichigo said for a third time, before adding "I'm currently on a six-month renewable contract. The house and assets are irrevocable."

"Nii-sama," Rukia said gently to draw her brother's attention, "Ichigo has been taking care of all the cooking and cleaning and everything, except when I want to try my hand at learning it. One of his sisters has been very helpful and patient in educating me."

Byakuya seemed to evaluate the two of them in silence. "Kurosaki, understand that my sister is not beholden to you in any fashion for any and all expenses you willingly take upon yourself, even in her name," he said at last.

"Believe me, I know, and I would never consider it to be otherwise," Ichigo said earnestly.

"As long as you understand that point, and since you now appear to be a man of sufficient means, I will not extend the financial assistance of the Kuchiki clan to your efforts here," Byakuya concluded.

Ichigo blinked, not entirely grasping the man's meaning. If I was unemployed, he'd subsidize me as well as Rukia? He glanced at her then and she gave him a look that conveyed that this finding by Byakuya was a good thing.

"Renji," Byakuya said, "Based on my assessment of the living quarters here, you will board with Kurosaki—if that is acceptable to him." Byakuya's eyes slid over to Ichigo. It was clear that the noble was willing to grant him final control over his own home, regardless of how he had come about it.

"Yeah, that's fine, he'll need access to a shower and that's better than having him stay in the living room," Ichigo conceded.

"Yes, sir!" Renji replied again as he exited the guest bedroom. It became immediately obvious that he had been waiting there while Byakuya discussed things with Rukia and Ichigo. He took his own bag to Ichigo's room before rejoining them at the table.

"Renji will be accompanying the two of you during your daily routine. Rukia has already informed both Ukitake-taichō and myself that she has resumed attending your school as part of your cover," Byakuya said upon Renji's return, before adding "He will report to me, and I will consider his observations in addition to my own in my final independent report to the sōtaichō. Is that understood?"

Rukia and Ichigo both nodded, Rukia adding "Yes, nii-sama."

"Very well," Byakuya replied, "Based on your current state of dress I assume you had some sort of plans for today; please inform us of them now."

Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other. "We were going to Urahara Shop to train with our friends, nii-sama," Rukia said.

"We've been working on learning hakuda and hohō with Yoruichi-san. Rukia has also been instructing me and everyone else in kidō. We'll probably cover these again later today but our main focus will be…engaging in jinzen," Ichigo added. The two had decided in their own ways what they would do the night before, and had discerned they were in agreement without ever really saying as much. It occurred to him then that they would be unable to hide the other side of their training commitments from the Shinigami given they had a different performance review next weekend. A shared look with Rukia confirmed she was having the same thought.

They noticed both Renji and Byakuya seemed to be scrutinizing them for their newfound interest in zankensoki. "In that case, we shall accompany you to observe and potentially assist in your training," Byakuya said, and it was clearly non-negotiable.

By the time they arrived at the Urahara Shop it was mid-morning and only Ururu and Jinta were still above-ground. Neither remarked much on the arrival of the four, and so they left their physical forms behind in one of the back rooms and proceeded downstairs. Ichigo and Rukia surreptitiously touched hands in a moment when they were certain neither Byakuya nor Renji were watching to reaffirm their resolves. It was likely to be the last time they could do so for the day.

As a group, they descended into the training room, finding Tessai working with Inoue, Yoruichi working with Chad, and Urahara conversing with Ishida. They all looked up at the arrival of Ichigo and Rukia's reiatsu just as Byakuya and Renji released the holds they had been keeping on their own.

"Oh, Kurosaki-san," Urahara called out, "We were starting to wonder if you weren't all talk yesterday; I suppose we should have known you and Kuchiki-san were delayed by guests!" Something in his tone conveyed he had known of their presence all along. He then continued: "Kuchiki-taichō, Abarai-kun, welcome!"

Yoruichi called out "Good to see you, Byakuya-bo!" with a mischievous grin. The teenagers mostly reserved their greetings for Renji.

The three training pairs came to meet the newly arrived group of four. "So, what brings you two gentlemen to this humble shop?" Urahara asked, eyes glinting from under his hat.

"We were sent by the sōtaichō to observe the circumstances and training of the special assignment squad," Renji said, referring obviously to Ichigo and Rukia. "Since they were coming here, of course we had to come too, and maybe we can help out," he added.

"I see," was all Urahara said in response.

"So, will be it be the same thing as yesterday?" Yoruichi asked, looking at her two new pupils. There was a glint in her eyes: today she was much more thoroughly prepared and had dragooned Urahara into helping her.

"No," both Rukia and Ichigo said with a confidence that drew the glance of everyone, including Byakuya. They were suddenly all business. Each subconsciously placed a hand on the hilts of their zanpakutō as they stated "We'll be starting with jinzen." Their two gazes rapidly scanned cold and hot lines across the assembled faces around them as if daring questions before they both used shunpo to make their way to opposite corners of the training room. Their tones had made it clear they expected privacy, even from their two new monitors.

Urahara, Yoruichi, and Byakuya said nothing, having weighed the seriousness of their intents from the sudden shift in their reiatsu. The three teenagers exchanged glances with one another and the high-ranking Shinigami, both present and former. Renji rubbed at the back of his neck at the sudden change in mood of the two, saying "So, this kind of thing happens a lot now, huh?" He was met with nods from the teens and stares from Urahara and Yoruichi.

"Have you seen this before?" Chad asked his one-time sparing partner.

"Too scary to talk about," Renji said idly, recalling Ichigo's threat the week prior in Soul Society. A silence followed.

Urahara spoke up first "Well, while they do their own thing, perhaps you two would be willing to assist us in training?"

"Ah, I will, even if the taichō would prefer to take his leave," Renji offered; anything to escape the sudden oppressive feeling in the atmosphere.

"I will do so as well," Byakuya said calmly, drawing looks of surprise. He was looking at the corner that Rukia had gone to, and looked back at the assembled group with what could almost have been called the smallest of smiles.

Arriving at a secluded corner, Rukia came to a stop and centered herself, focusing. She put everything else out of mind and withdrew her zanpakutō. "Mae, Sode no Shirayuki," she declared. The ordinary katana transformed with a rush of cold air into a stunningly beautiful all-white one with a long white streamer coming from its pommel.

She focused upon it intently and her efforts were soon rewarded. With a sudden chill, the manifestation of Sode no Shirayuki appeared behind her.

They said nothing to one another for awhile. Sode no Shirayuki spoke first: "Nothing has changed, Rukia. I—"

"Everything has changed!" Rukia said with a force that made Sode no Shirayuki's eyes widen. The Shinigami turned to face her with an expression that could freeze a volcano, and within her eyes was a still yet far colder determination. She raised the zanpakutō and drew it into a ready stance with both hands, holding it against the manifestation. Even in the artificial sunlight it gleamed with sinister purpose that reflected its wielder's intent. "Everything," Rukia reiterated as her eyes narrowed down to icy judgmental slits.

Sode no Shirayuki could only stare at the rising tide of reiatsu that radiated off her wielder's soul. It was as chill and murderous as the depths of interstellar space.

"We've had an agreement, Shirayuki, to be civil toward one another, to talk our way through things together like reasonable people," Rukia said harshly. She tilted the sword to a final cutting position, "But now, I'm afraid I have to be rather unreasonable. There is a man I love, and to stand beside him I need something you have. You know all of this, and still you stand in my way. So I will only ask you one time: tell me what I want to know."

At this, Sode no Shirayuki's brows knitted together as she narrowed her eyes.

Ichigo arrived at one corner of the training room, drawing Zangetsu out from over his shoulder and plunging the tip down into the ground in front of him. He grasped its grip with both hands, focusing inwardly. He allowed himself to finally look at the problem that had rankled in his mind the other day.

Hollows, Shinigami, and Quincy were all derived from humans in some way. A Hollow was the exact opposite of a Quincy. A Shinigami was orthogonal to both, and likewise distinct from a human. The aspects of a Hollow and Shinigami could merge, as revealed by both Visored and Arrancar, which approached the matter from two different directions, but a Hollow and Quincy could not. The situation his mother and father had been forced into was proof of all of this.

Ichigo, as a Visored, even if a differently generated one, had a Hollow within his conscience. He had reckoned that as being distinct from Zangetsu. But it was the Hollow that had always claimed to be Zangetsu. It would be the Shinigami component of his soul that had fused with the Hollow. That meant that what he had so long addressed as Zangetsu must in actuality be…

So you finally figured it out, a voice said, and he opened his eyes to find himself sideways on a skyscraper in his inner world. Before him stood both the "Hollow" and "Zangetsu," the former regarding him with a smile and the latter looking upon him passively. "I was beginning to think it would take divine intervention," the inverted reflection of him said, smirking "But not only did you finally figure out who we are, you figured out what we mean." At this he started to slowly and ironically clap.

"Your assumptions are correct, Ichigo," the man in black rumbled.

"So you," Ichigo said pointing at the one in black, "are the manifestation of my Quincy powers, and you," he pointed at the one in white, "are the manifestation of my merged Hollow and Shinigami powers. You're Zangetsu."

"Good job, King, thumbs up," the newly recognized Zangetsu said sarcastically.

"So," Ichigo said, looking coldly at the man in black, "Are you supposed to be Yhwach?"

"Yes and no," the man replied, earning a severe scowl, "All Quincy powers derive from Yhwach. In this sense I am him, but not in a way that you would recognize meaningfully as such."

"Why?" was all Ichigo asked of him.

"To keep you from a life of harm, and to keep you from dying at 'my' hands," the man-who-was-and-wasn't-Yhwach said. "But I have watched you grow in the face of adversity. I have watched you chase after your fate no matter the heartache it brings you, in the name of your fellow man, your friends, your family, yourself…and your love. I have watched you fall in love with a Shinigami, as did your mother before you. I have watched you become a man. I have become tired of resisting you, even as I have grown enormously proud of you. I cannot express to you in words the joy of that. Now, I want nothing more than to help you. Ichigo, what you've been wielding until now has been only a fraction of your power, the fraction I was unable to suppress. The time has finally come for you to fight with your own true power..."

"You figured the other part out too, eh, King? That we…ain't real?" Zangetsu said with a sinister smile, lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah," Ichigo said. Even every zanpakutō begins as an asauchi, the guy had said, What is really being discussed is, of course your killing intent. Nightmare Eclipse had known, and Ichigo had instinctively put the smallest of hints they had offered him together with his experiences. A zanpakutō wasn't really a separate entity from its wielder, it was the wielder's killing intent given physical and mental form through an asauchi. Ichigo didn't know of reification, or verdinglichung as a Quincy might've called it, but if he had he would've seen the immediate application.

The one who had been encouraging him to give in to his baser instincts and kill indiscriminately the whole time had been him. He had always only ever been fighting himself. He had always only ever been fighting to determine the kind of man he would be.

"Who woulda thought all it took was some guy talking before a shooting lesson, huh, King?" Zangetsu continued, his mouth contorting into a smug grin as he added "And winning the Queen's heart."

Both new Zangetsu and old Zangetsu were now both dissolving before his very eyes, and disappeared then, a burning sword appearing between where they'd been standing.

"Take it; it's yours," they said together, "This is your real zanpakutō... This is the real Zangetsu."

Ichigo walked forward and reached for the sword that smoldered in the flames…

On either side of the training arena two tremendous pillars of reiatsu suddenly roared into life. One was black and radiated an otherworldly heat, and one was white and radiated an unfathomable cold. They expanded and swirled, feeding on one another remotely, and the teenagers and Shinigami both past and present stared in awe as the world shook beneath the rise of a black sun and white moon.