(AN): Thank you to the guest reviews from Bleachpower, that 1 person, and rosanegra! I am glad you are enjoying the story so much!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Chapter 22
It took all of Renji's will power to leave Rukia and Ichigo fighting by themselves with Grimmjow, but he knew that Ichigo was right. Byakuya needed to be found before this giant mass of chaos grew any larger. By following Byakuya's spiritual pressure, Renji found Shuuhei and Hitsugaya out of their stations. Shortly after this, Renji realized his friends were in fights for their lives. Their plan was slowing crumbling.
A black blur flew by Renji. He followed the line until it slammed into a tree to see Shuuhei fighting a long, dark green haired Numeros male with a partial hollow mask diagonal over the front of his face. Renji started forward to help Shuuhei, but stopped when Shuuhei wrapped Kizashi's chains around the Numeros' neck. "Find Captain Kuchiki!" Shuuhei yelled just as the Numeros broke free. Renji nodded as he watched the Numeros try to take off Shuuhei's head only to be stopped by his sword once again.
Over to his right, Renji felt Hitsugaya's spiritual pressure explode along with one he dreaded ever having to fight. Renji rushed over to see Hitsugaya watching as Shinji Hirako stepped out a hidden mirror door barrier. "What the hell is going on?" Renji murmured.
"Yoruichi's trap." Hitsugaya stated as he took his fighting stance.
"Awe man! I was looking forward to a rematch with Ichigo!" Shinji complained as a sigh escaped Hitsugaya's lips. "Oh well, guess you'll do captain shortly. Time to have some fun." Shinji said as he pulled on his hollow mask. Power surged through the area.
A vein bulged all the way down from Hitsugaya's face to his neck. "It's Captain Hitsugaya to you, Hirako!" He yelled right before he crossed swords with a blonde captain. "Run along now, Abarai. I have some unfinished business with this bastard."
Heeding Hitsugaya's words, Renji flash stepped toward Byakuya's spiritual pressure. A loud shout stopped Renji in his tracks just as he got to his target. "No! You've made a mess of things!"
"What was Rangiku doing here?" Renji asked himself.
Renji said a bakudo spell to hide his presence, but he highly doubted that he would succeed. "We did what we had to, Rangiku!" His captain stated matter-of-factly.
"She didn't have a choice!" Rangiku yelled a suspiciously, cloaked Byakuya.
"Rukia didn't have a choice when you made her go on a date with Shinji either!" Byakuya countered in a cold voice.
"You know damn well that their "date" was a set up to push Rukia and Ichigo together. Instead, it pushed her and my captain together because Ichigo was too thick headed to fight for her!"
"He did fight for her, Rangiku, just not the way any of us suspected. Kurosaki came to me right after he saw her on the date. Then eventually, he came and talked to Rukia, but she did the noble thing. She let him go live a normal life even if it broke her heart."
"Then why are you so concerned with this now? Quit pushing her! Hell, I haven't even set up dates for her because I knew something was wrong! She acts like she's happy, but she's not! The only time I really see her smile now is with the four men you brought here." Rangiku's face flushed with furry. She couldn't believe Byakuya set this up with Yoruichi of all people.
"Our problem in finding her a husband should be solved shortly. Kurosaki, Hisagi, and Hitsugaya are out there somewhere fighting for her." Byakuya replied as he tried not to let the woman in front of him get the best of him.
"They shouldn't have to fight! None of them should!" Rangiku walked up to the tall man and stared him down. "This was supposed to be her decision, Byakuya!" She yelled forcefully at the captain.
"You dare address me in such a manner?" He replied in a steeled voice. Grey and blue eyes clashed in a battle of wills over his sister.
A sane person would run, but Rangiku wasn't sane at the moment. She was a strawberry-blonde ball of furry. "I dare address the big brother of my best friend! The one who pledged to protect her from anything even his clan! Wasn't that the promise you made to me if I agreed to help?"
"This is protecting her." A purple haired figure said from the shadows. Yoruichi stepped in between the two so no blood would be shed. She liked Rangiku too much for that.
Renji turned around to leave. He saw all that he needed to. The others had to be warned, but his plans were derailed by a blonde man with a green and white stripped hat.
"Where do you think you're going, Renji?" Kisuke asked as he waved his fan in front of his face. "More importantly, what did you hear?"
"Dammit, Kisuke! Get out of my way!" Renji growled as he drew his sword. "The others need to know about all of this! How could any of you do this to her?"
"I'm sorry, Renji, but we can't let you do that yet. All of this needs to play out on its own, and there is little time." Kisuke said as he withdrew his sword from his cane.
"Little time for what?" Renji's voice pleaded for an answer.
"For Rukia to choose." Kisuke replied sadly. He knew what the petite, raven haired soul reaper was going through. He almost had to watch Yoruichi go through the same thing.
"Not if I can help it!" Renji started to dash off only to be stopped by words he hoped he never would hear.
"Scream, Benehime." Kisuke smiled as he saw Renji gulp. One man that you did not want to fight was Kisuke Urahara.
A red shot of energy flew at Renji's head. "Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji was able to block Kisuke's attack right before another Kisuke appeared behind him.
"Good night, Renji" Kisuke whispered in Renji's ear as he placed syringe into his victim's neck.
"Why does it have to be double Kisuke's?" A sleepy Renji asked as he fell back into Kisuke's arms.
"You'll understand all this soon enough, especially after Byakuya gets through with you." Kisuke said with a slightly evil laugh.
Rukia stood her ground as Grimmjow charged her yet again. "Move out of the way, midget!" Ichigo yelled at the raven haired beauty. His heart was hammering in his chest as he watched Rukia met Grimmjow's blow.
"No! He insulted me!" A furious yet worn Rukia yelled back as ice particles formed on her sword as Grimmjow hopped away with a smile on his face.
Ichigo knew that he had to stop her. He stepped in front of Rukia just as she was getting ready to release an attack. Blood ran down her arms and small cuts decorated her pale face. He was concerned for her; yet, she wasn't the only one battered and bloodied. Grimmjow looked far worse, but Ichigo couldn't understand why the Espada was still holding back. Grimmjow's spiritual pressure never reached the maximum level, like when they previous fought.
A determined Ichigo placed his hand on her shoulder so Rukia would look up at him. "Then move and let me fight him, Rukia. You've…" But their moment was shattered as Grimmjow came up behind a distracted Ichigo and sliced his back. The blow wasn't deep enough to truly hurt him, but Ichigo was pissed off at Grimmjow's low blow.
"Ichigo, the Ice Princess to me. You have more trouble to worry about now." The Espada said with a wide grin as a yellow outline emerged out of nowhere. "Congratulations on activating the Kenpachi Trap! That man is a beast!"
Kenpachi jumped out of his hidden hole. "Ichigo! Give me a real fight!" He called out to the orange haired soul reaper.
Amber eyes widened at the amount of trouble that the two of them were in. Where the hell was Renji with Byakuya? Ichigo throw a glance over to his side to see a slightly worn and bloodied Rukia smile. He knew that smile. He saw it a few times before, and none of those times were good.
"Thank you, Grimmjow! I've been dying to do this since I saw you." Her face changed from an evil smile to glorious peace. The three men watched the petite woman wrap her hands tightly around her sword. "Bankai: Hakka No Togame." Rukia whispered.
"Rukia, no!" Ichigo yelled as his ice queen became the most beautiful yet deadly vision in white. Ichigo shivered at the increased cold pressure in the air, but something was stopping him from feeling the majority of Rukia's bankai. Was this her doing?
Suddenly, a bright, white light surrounded the area as everything. The ground froze like the water molecules in the air. Her two opponents were covered in a light dusting of snow without her even attacking.
Ichigo's head began to pound as he watched Rukia glide towards the most powerful captain in the Gotei 13 and the Espada who almost killed her before. The woman was biting off more than she could chew!
This was too much for Ichigo. Rukia was in danger. White and black spots swam in front of his vision as a mask formed on his face. Rukia immediately recognized the hollow mask at once, but not the weird voice that escaped from the mask. "Hello, Queen!" Ichigo said before he charged the two men in from of her.
"What the hell! Ichi…" Rukia yelled at the carrot top. Ichigo spun around Kenpachi landing a few strikes on the giant while Grimmjow was clutching his stomach as blood poured from the wound.
The hollowfied Ichigo appeared before her in a flash. "He's not here right now, Queen. He's too weak for someone like you – a dark beauty with a fierce soul." Ichigo pulled her closer to him while the Kenpachi and Grimmjow watched in shock as they nursed their wounds. Neither man knew what to do. Yoruichi and Kisuke would kill them if something terrible happened to Rukia, but this was Ichigo. Even if he was hollowfied or not, Ichigo would never hurt her.
Rukia looked up to the man in front of her. Her eyes filled with wrath as the black and golden hollow eyes met her. The ground frozen beneath the hollowfied Ichigo hold him in place even though he did not struggle. He just watched her curiously as ice slowly crept up his legs.
Her voice was firm and deadly. "You say Ichigo's weak? I say he's the strongest man that I know. You say he doesn't deserve me? I don't deserve him! He's saved me so many times already, and I am fixing to start repaying the fair back in full." Rukia promised just as she encased a hollowfied Ichigo, Grimmjow, and Kenpachi in her ice prison.
Byakuya arrived in time to see a very angry woman. "Why did you do this, Rukia?" Byakuya asked as he walked up to his sister in awe of her accomplishment.
"I had to save him. He held Ichigo hostage." Rukia said in a small voice as she turned to her brother.
"Why did you freeze all of them at absolute zero? They all should be dead." He asked curiously.
"They're not dead brother, just froze, brother." Byakuya let out a breath that he did not realize he was holding. Everyone was alive for now.
"When were you going to tell me about this power?" Byakuya said as he placed a hand on Rukia's cheek.
"When the time was right." Rukia replied with a smile.
"I'm proud of you." He murmured lowly, which cause Rukia's smile to broaden. Rukia nodded her head in thanks to keep her emotions in check.
With Byakuya's appraisal out of the way, Rukia walked over to Ichigo and begun to melt him slowly. His hollow mask fell off as he pulled her into his arms. "Thanks for bringing me back, midget." He told her fondly.
Rukia grabbed his hand. "Come on, strawberry. We need to leave before the others break free." The two took off and left Byakuya to deal with the aftermath.
"ICHIGO!" A deep voice yelled across the field.
"Awe, hell! I had hoped he would stay frozen a little longer." Rukia sighed.
"You froze Kenpachi!" Ichigo asked in horror and astonishment.
"Yep. I didn't trust him or Grimmjow not to make a move while I was trying to get you back."
Byakuya flash stepped in front of the couple. "Take her and get her out of her Kurosaki! That's an order!" Byakuya commanded.
Ichigo didn't have to be told twice. He scooped up Rukia, who was still in her bankai. He didn't feel like fighting Kenpachi to the death because that man is crazier than his father, and that was saying something!
Byakuya placed Senbonzakura back in its sheath once Ichigo and Rukia were out of the area. Then he turned to look at his fellow captain and the Espada. "Thank you gentlemen for your help today! I believe today was a success."
Grimmjow gave Byakuya a fake bow as he headed to find Kisuke and Yoruichi. He needed to get the gashing wound in his stomach fixed soon before he went back to Neil.
Kenpachi and Byakuya watched the blue haired Espada walk off. "You know, Little Kuchiki has a lot of bite to her. She's impressive." Kenpachi stated to the emotionless captain, who was dancing and singing high praise for his baby sister inside his mind. Kenpachi rarely handed out complimentary remarks.
"Yes, she is." He agreed whole heartedly. After all, Rukia was Byakuya's pride.
"By the way, Kuchiki, you promised that I'd get a rematch with Ichigo. You failed to deliver!" Kenpachi complained.
"Do you want a rematch that badly?" Byakuya asked with a smirk. This delighted Kenpachi to no end.
"What do you need me to do?" Kenpachi asked with an evil laugh.
Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone! Y'all are awesome! I wanted to note that we've only seen Rukia's bankai once in the manga. Some of her powers are my imagination here while some are probably possible once she master's bankai completely. In here, she has unleashed her bankai multiple times and has been practicing with it.
To rosanegra: Yes, Shiro and Rukia would make an adorable couple, and they would have lovely babies! But I can't tell you who she will end up with yet! Y'all still have about 5-6 chapters till the story finishes :D I hope you continue to enjoy it! Thanks for all your kind words!
For any of my readers who love the Rukia-Shuuhei pairing, go check out my collection of one and two shots called Searching For You. It's pieces of their life together set in a modern day AU.