Chapter 4: Uncomfortable confrontations.

A few days after the attack, Rukia told Ichigo of the Menos Grande. The powerful hollows that rarely if not ever actually show up in the world of the living. She also told him of what she knew about the Quincy's and how they operated back then. Ichigo later on went to the source and talked to Uryu about his powers and how they work in more detail. Uryu at first didn't want anything to do with the soul reaper, but after what happened the other day and how he saw him fight in his form, he relented. He remembered everything about what Ichigo looked like and couldn't really think straight whenever he was around. Not just in his soul reaper form, but also in his regular form as well. It was hard for him to really grasp, but that was another story for later.

After Ichigo got some important information from Uryu about the Quincy's and how they fought hollows, Ichigo decided to at least treat the young Quincy like an acquaintance now. Though he really didn't get why Uryu would sometimes blush whenever he saw him. Whatever he guessed.

Right now, Ichigo was doing some homework rather quickly actually. It was astounding how much wiser he felt. School started to feel a whole lot simpler to him. Another side effect of having Rukia's soul imprinted onto his. As he was doing this though, he heard a muffled sound. Turning towards the closet, Ichigo tried to feel for Rukia's energy, another useful perk he had gotten from the imprint. When he felt nothing, he quickly stood up, albeit rather uncomfortably thanks to said imprint, and went to the closet door.

"Rukia?" He asked as he knocked on the door. No response. This was weird. Rukia may have lost her powers, but she was slowly gaining them back. It was enough for Ichigo to be able to sense her at least. "Rukia?"

Ichigo opened the door and was both surprised that she wasn't there and irritated that he knew she wasn't there. He quickly opened his window and closed his eyes to see if he could find her out there. Her energy was very feint, almost non existent really, but there nonetheless thanks to that red ribbon Uryu told him about. Once he found that, he opened his eyes and went to get Kon, though that was a little bit difficult at first.

With Rukia

"I'm sorry Ichigo." She kept saying to herself as she ran though the dimly lit streets of Karakura Town. She didn't want to leave the way she did, but things were getting rather risky now, especially after what Urahara told her.

Yesterday, Urahara shop

"What do you mean the soul society has been notified?" Rukia nearly shouted in horror at what she was told and stood up.

"I mean exactly what I mean miss Kuchiki." Kisuke answered her from his seated position in front of her. "It seems that a soul reaper had witnessed the whole event that took place with the Menos and saw that someone who looks exactly like you did the job." He paused and took a sip of his tea. "Since your spirit energy and Kurosaki's are vastly different, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that you performed a forbidden technique on a human."

Rukia went wide eyed at what she was told just then. If that were true, then that meant that Ichigo would be in danger. She had to keep him safe despite what the odds were.

"Most likely, only the head captain and few of the other older generation know of said forbidden technique. So," Kisuke continued, getting her attention once more. "What are ya gonna do miss Kuchiki?"

Rukia didn't know how to answer him, yet she figured he knew what she was gonna do either way.

Rukia continued to run through the streets as she wanted to get as far away from Ichigo as possible. She was completely unaware of the two men watching and following her though.

"So," one of them started with a smirk as he lifted his visor from his eyes. "That's the real Rukia, right captain?"

The man he was referring to simply nodded as he looked towards the still running Rukia. "Let's go Renji."

"Yes sir." Renji answered as the two disappeared in a burst of speed.

Rukia was still running down the street when she felt it. A familiar energy from above caused her to stop dead in her tracks and look up to see an old face. "Renji."

"Hey there," Renji spoke from his crouched position above, removing his visor from his eyes. "Rukia."

Renji leapt from his position and drew his sword in the process. He gave Rukia no time as he brought his blade down and cut her. Fortunately, Rukia stepped back at the last second and only received a cut along the side of her face. The two stared each other down for some time as Byakuya simply stood back and observed in a seemingly uninterested fashion. Rukia noticed her brother and went wide eyed at her situation.

"So," Renji started as he brought his blade to rest on his shoulder and a grin on his face. "you really did it, eh Rukia."

Rukia simply swallowed the lump in her throat and began to nervously sweat. This situation had deteriorated beyond her control.

"Rukia." Byakuya spoke up in his stoic tone. "It is time for you to come back to the soul society to face your punishment." Byakuya didn't even look at her when saying that. In all honesty, he hated this. He hated that he had to bring his sister to certain death and he hated that due to his law abiding clan, he had no choice in the matter.

Renji continued to grin and walked forward. "Lets go, Rukia." When he was within an arms reach of her, he went wide eyed and jumped back, avoiding an arrow made up of blue energy. "What the hell?"

"I don't know who you are," a new, familiar voice broke the silence, causing all three to look to the source. "but you are making a grave mistake attacking someone who can't even fight back." Uryu stood there with his bow at the ready as he had just finished shopping for groceries earlier. "I think you should mess with someone who can actually fight you."

"Fight me?" Renji spoke up as he grinned and saw that it was a just some strange human of sorts. "Big talk from a human." He rushed in and the battle was underway.

Byakuya noticed that the arrow was clearly from that of a Quincy. He had heard of them before from the previous clan head of the Kuchiki's but never imagined that they still existed. If he knew Rukia, then that could mean he knows the one who took her powers. Right? Did Byakuya really want to know who took his sister's power? Right now the charges for Rukia was desertion with a faint idea that she gave her powers to a human. The second charge was only suspicion and she would most likely be imprisoned for the charge for a few decades, maybe a century at worst. He knew that if evidence pointed to the second charge being factual, that he would surely lose the one thing that still connects him to the one true happiness he had. Hisana. He didn't want that and had hoped they could find and retrieve her before said evidence would become apparent. A fools hope.

It didn't take long for Renji to deal with the Quincy while Byakuya was in his own thoughts. Renji stood above the fallen human with a mocking and cocky grin that in all honesty made the captain upset. Out of everyone in the Seireitei, he should be the most reluctant to retrieve Rukia.

"Guess you were all talk." Renji said as he casually made his way over towards Rukia. All the girl could do was stand, frozen as she watched someone she knew help her and fall in the process. She didn't even process the fact that Renji was standing right in front of her at this point. "Alright, enough playin' around. Time to bring you back Rukia."

He reached his arm out to grab a hold of her while Byakuya silently thanked whatever god he knew that there would be no other complications. Unfortunately, it seemed that that god had a sense of humor tonight. Right before Renji could make a grab for her dress, they felt a spike in spiritual pressure and suddenly, a large sword was singing down towards Renji. Said man moved out of the way just in time as the blade connected with the ground and formed a large crack. Everyone looked towards where the impressive blade came from and both Renji and especially Byakuya gasped when they laid eyes on another Rukia standing next to the original.

"R-Rukia?" Renji spoke in shock as he saw his old friend standing there with a hard glare aimed right towards him.

"Wrong." The double spoke up as she turned towards the original Rukia. "What the hell were you thinking leaving in the middle of the night like that?"

"You shouldn't be here!" The original spoke up in a hastened tone. "You need to leave right now Ichigo!" Noticing her mistake, Rukia quickly covered her mouth and mentally cursed herself.

"W-What?" Renji started as his brain began to work once more. "You mean to tell me that this isn't you, Rukia?"

Ichigo looked towards the red head and lifted his massive sword to rest on his shoulder, no longer fazed by the weight difference. "Names Ichigo Kurosaki, and I don't know what the hell is going on, but you're not taking Rukia anywhere."

Both Renji and Byakuya looked to the Rukia double with wide eyes. Byakuya was mentally panicking. He knew that with this Ichigo person having taken Rukia's powers that they would have to now execute her, but he never expected this. He was ordered to retrieve Rukia for desertion and a potential human taking her powers, but the head captain never mentioned anything like this. Just what exactly does this forbidden technique do?

Renji, on the other was mentally fuming. He had no idea what was going on and the frustration from having to capture Rukia already was too fresh. Now with this other version of her calling herself Ichigo Kurosaki and carrying that large sword had broken that frustration to anger.

Gritting his teeth, Renji looked straight at the fake of his once best friend. "You think that some cheap imitation is gonna save you!?" He shouted as he lunged towards Ichigo at his top speed.

Ichigo, having never faced a soul reaper before or a person with experience in swordsmanship, quickly blocked and parried the best he could. Even with his strength to help him carry and swing the large blade better, it still didn't help with his short stature mixed in with his inexperience. The soul reaper was relentless as he just kept striking at Ichigo with ferocity in each strike. Ichigo eventually caught him in a deadlock and gritted his teeth as he tried to push the reaper back. The reaper didn't stop though as he pushed harder and forced Ichigo to retreat to catch his breath. For some reason, Ichigo was having this gnawing feeling in his mind and blade. He couldn't describe it, but now wasn't the time for distractions.

"You think that this'll distract me?" Renji said in a low tone as he clutched his sword tighter and tighter until his knuckles were white.

"The hell are you talking about?" Ichigo questioned as he raised his blade in front of him in a defensive manner.

This just caused Renji to lower his head and grit his teeth once more. "You really don't remember me?"

"I don't even know who you are?" Ichigo answered in an honest but harsh like tone that was an odd combination coming from Rukia's voice.

Renji snapped at that moment, memories of the past coming back to him in vivid succession. He raised his head and looked at the double in rage. "MY NAME IS THE LAST YOU'LL EVER HEAR!" He yelled, surprising everyone at his sudden outburst. "RENJI ABARAI!"

He raised his zanpakuto in the air and shouted. "NOW ROAR, ZABIMARU!"

Suddenly, his once regular katana changed. To Ichigo's eyes, it sort of morphed into some sort of larger blade with teeth like blades attached to the front. Ichigo went wide eyed as he had no clue what he just saw. That was when a flash of information quickly came to his mind from Rukia's life. A Shikai? What did that mean? What exactly happened to his sword? Why does Ichigo have that feeling that he should know this person? Too many questions that left Ichigo wide open.

Renji leapt into the air and brought his blade down just as Ichigo regained himself and hefted his own sword up to block. It didn't go so well. Renji's blade was even heavier than before and broke through Ichigo's poor defense as the teeth sunk into his left shoulder.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia shouted out as Ichigo lowered his blade and stood there in shock.

Byakuya closed his eyes in his usual stoic self to show an impassiveness, but on the inside he couldn't bare to see his sister killed like that. By her own friend and his lieutenant no less.

Renji pulled on his blade and it extended back to him while also shredding into Ichigo's shoulder. Rukia stared in shock as she grabbed her own shoulder almost like she could feel the same pain. Renji's zanpakuto finally freed itself from Ichigo and came back to the man while Ichigo fell down to his knees, head down and blade dropped almost exactly like how Rukia was when they first met. It was a dark reminder to Rukia that she should never have met Ichigo.

Renji looked down at the double with a cold anger in his eyes as he placed his zanpakuto onto his shoulder and walked off towards the real Rukia. "Now that that is taken care of, you're coming with us Rukia."

Rukia looked into his eyes and saw that rage that was still there and shuddered. The intensity coming from those eyes was unlike the man she knew growing up. What exactly was going on with him to cause that look to surface?

Ichigo was completely motionless as the blood flowed from his wound. For some reason or another, that gnawing feeling came right back to him at that moment, only this time it was in full force. He felt his body and consciousness slip away from him as an energy started to take over. His vision was narrowed as he felt whatever this power was take control. The blood that fell on the ground froze, unnoticed by the others and his zanpakuto exuded a faint energy. Ichigo reached out and grabbed the handle of his blade and slowly stood up much to everyone's shock. Renji saw this and gritted his teeth again. Byakuya saw this and went wide eyed for a brief moment. Rukia was prepared to tell Ichigo to stop and stay away, but then she felt it. An incredible amount of pressure reigned down upon the three and the entire area as well. Renji and Byakuya were caught completely off guard by this while Rukia found herself down to her knees. A strain could be felt in the deepest parts of her chest as the pressure continued on.

"W-What the hell?" Renji started in surprise.

Ichigo didn't answer as he simply raised his head and showed his eyes. They weren't dark blue like how they usually were. Instead, they were a light violet with slitted dark pupils. Before Renji could even react to the hard look Ichigo was giving him, Ichigo rushed forward, faster than ever. Renji went to attack with the fraction of a second he had, but Ichigo disappeared from sight. Suddenly, Renji felt a long cut on his left shoulder. He turned just in time to see Ichigo land behind him and rush over towards him once more.

"Damn you!" He yelled as he tried to attack only for Ichigo to raise his blade up.

The force of that one motion struck Renji's zanpakuto and forced him into the air. He grabbed hold of a railing and slid to a halt a good distance away from the double of his friend. He looked up and noticed his visor was broken and he was bleeding. He looked towards Ichigo once more to see a dead look in those eyes. A look that sent a terrible shiver up his spine and caused him to tremble. Ichigo rushed over and leapt towards him to which he slowly jumped out of the way, receiving a shallow cut on his chest. He fell to his knees when he landed and looked up to see those eyes once more staring at him. They held no remorse, no emotion, nothing.

Ichigo charged over and raised his blade up to destroy his target, not even hearing Rukia's weak pleas to stop. Renji couldn't move due to the pressure and fear started to set in as he kept thinking to himself that he was going to die right then and there. Right as Ichigo brought his blade down though, he realized that his zanpakuto's blade was cut down. His eyes went back to their natural color and Ichigo regained his senses once more.

"What the hell?" He thought to himself as he noticed his zanpakuto was broken somehow. "What just happened?" He looked to Renji with wide eyes. "Was it him?" Renji had the same shocked look on his face. "No." He turned towards the still unmoving other man. "It couldn't have been him. He's too far away."

That was when Byakuya raised the other half of Ichigo's zanpakuto blade and dropped it on the ground. Ichigo went wide eyed at what he had just seen. Byakuya started to move and Ichigo readied himself only for the man to disappear from sight. The next second, Ichigo felt two stab wounds in his chest and fell to the ground.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia shouted out as she went wide eyed at the sight of her brother basically killing her from a certain point of view. She rushed over to Ichigo's down form.

"That is enough." Byakuya started, stopping her in her tracks. "Renji, we're leaving, now."

Renji hesitantly nodded as he had the same feeling Rukia had, only to him it felt a lot worse. To see the man he had envied and held animosity towards cut down his once best friend was nerve wracking to the lieutenant, but he took a breath and did as he was told. "It's time to go, Rukia."

"I can't just leave him to die like this!" She yelled out to him as she was about to go over towards her double.

"Enough!" Renji grabbed her by the collar of her dress and forced her towards a light post. "We were just sent here to arrest you Rukia, do not make me have to do something I'll regret later!"

Rukia was about to argue further until her brother cut her off. "I merely cut his soul chain Rukia, nothing more, nothing less." He spoke in the same stoic tone as he was about to leave. Truth be told, he never wanted to do something like this again. "It is time to go-"

"Hey." Ichigo muttered as he used the last of his strength to grab onto Byakuya's leg, surprising everyone. "Don't you dare think that I'm done yet." He spoke in short breaths as he looked up to the man that cut her down so fast.

Byakuya, for a single second, went wide eyed before recomposing himself. He went for his blade once more, intent on ending this whole thing here and now despite what his heart was telling him. That was when Rukia broke free of Renji's grip and ran over to kick Ichigo's hand off. Ichigo was surprised by this but even moreso when he saw Rukia stand in front of him defensively with her arms outstretched.

"I'll go back willing." She quickly said to her brother, panic and desperation clearly evident in her voice. "Just please, please spare him brother. He already lost his soul chain, he won't be a threat. Please."

For another brief moment, Byakuya went wide eyed. He sighed and turned away from her. "Fine. Then let us leave this place. Renji."

Renji, breaking out of his stupor, nodded and went to his captain. He used his zanpakuto to open up a large gate like door that opened for them. Three black butterflies flew out towards the three before leaving completely. Renji changed his sword back and sheathed it as he looked towards Rukia and briefly glanced at the still stunned double on the ground.

"Rukia?" Ichigo started as thunder could be heard and a cold breeze was felt.

"Just stay there." She started, not even looking towards him. "Just stay here and live your life." She turned towards him right as the rain began to fall. Ichigo looked at her with a clear shock in his eyes at what he was seeing. Rukia was crying. "Please," she continued. "just live your life before you met me. Please." She said that last word so low that Ichigo had to strain to hear it.

Before Ichigo could say or do anything, Rukia walked over toward the two. Without wasting anymore time, the three went inside the gate and right as it closed, Rukia turned and gave Ichigo one last sorrowful look.

Ichigo watched as the gate closed and disappeared into thin air. The last of his strength was leaving him and his consciousness was fading. The cold wind and rain wasn't helping much either.

"I-I-Ichi-go." The weak tone of the last Quincy muttered out from his position.

Ichigo turned toward him ever so slightly and saw right before his vision faded away, Uryu being picked up by a man in glasses and disappearing. That was it for him. Ichigo sighed out as his world faded to black.

Unknown land

"It is almost time." A chilling, female voice spoke in the pitch black darkness she was sitting in. She stood up, her light gray cloak flowing with an unknown wind, and she stood on slender, pale white legs. As she stood up fully, her dark hair fell down to her mid back, just above her rear, and she stretched herself out. As she did, she looked out to the never ending darkness and smiled to herself once she felt the cold wind going past her.

"I'll see you soon, Queen."

And done.

Hope you guy still enjoy this story and I'll continue to try and update regularly. No promises though. Lol.

Stay awesome and as always,

PEACE!