Knight & Moon

By: Renaa Blackrose

Flame of Destiny

Hollows howled all around them, Ichigo found himself beginning to tire under the intense battle he was facing, but he saw the end in sight.

Calling forth his hollow mask he sliced through many different hollows at once. The dark power of his own hollow slowly draining him, he flashed to his target: a prison for an entity that he and his friends: Chad, Uryu, and Renji were sent to rescue. Ichigo didn't know who, or what it was, even less what it looked like. His mask dissipated as he cut the skin-like sphere holding its captive.

Out of it fell a small figure, he caught it in his arms. Ichigo looked upon his damsel. She was a beautiful girl with long white hair with jewels in her hair. She was out cold, probably by whatever rebellion this alternate dimension was undergoing. Momentarily, he was mesmerized by her beauty, but snapped back to reality upon Uryu's yell.

"Ichigo! Let's get her out of here!" He said as he pulled his arrow back once again.

"Right!" Ichigo darted towards his friends as they made their escape back to the soul society.

The girl opened her eyes a little, just enough for her dark blue eyes to be visible. Everything was blurry, but she did see the shinigami's orange hair blowing in the wind.

Once they entered the Seireitei, Captain Unohana took the girl from him.

"Why exactly were we thrown into a hollow invested dimension to get some random girl?" Renji asked, not realizing the head captain was approaching behind him.

"She is one of a rare race called the Ryuu. That was one of whom was chosen to be sacrificed to the hollows. We cannot have the hollows connected to our world possess the power of a Ryuu." He said. The girl was laid on a bed in the corner of a room from where they were talking. All the captain were gathered.

"Such a beautiful specimen." Captain Mayuri said.

"For the moment we are going to keep her here under close watch to be sure that no creature uses her power to overcome the Soul Society. You may research her in anyway you wish, Mayuri." Captain Yamamoto said as he turned and left the room. Mayuri smiled. Ichigo wasn't comfortable with his order.

"You're going to let him dissect her like some sort of science project?!" Uryu yelled before Ichigo could speak up.

"How else am I supposed to find out the source of her power?" The less than sane Captain said as he smiled.

"How are we any different from the hollows?!" Ichigo yelled. Mayuri was about to explain himself, but a bright light shined from where the girl was lying. Everyone rushed to see what was happening. The nurse who was tending to her, was thrown up against the wall as a large shining white dragon roared at the shinigami. The beast dissipated revealing the white haired girl crouched in the window. She glanced back revealing her dark blue eyes, her white dress slightly torn. The moon shined behind her, making it seem that her pure white hair glowed in the dark.

With a powerful leap, she jumped from the window onto the rooftops, and began making her escape. People started going after, screaming, demanding that she return, but she escaped.

Ichigo just stood and watched as she escaped, her face still engraved in his mind.

Many years had passed since that mission, and Ichigo had become stronger in the many battles he had faced. He still remembered the girl, even though so much time had passed. Hollows had started appearing more often in Karakura Town. On top of that, he had a full time job now at Unagiya Shop, mostly against his will. He had already graduated, and now he was trying to have a life of his own, which is difficult whenever a hollow decides to enter into town.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled at Ichigo from afar. It was turning dark outside.

"What is it now?!" He yelled back at her as he turned. He was starting to get annoyed by how many times his work was getting interrupted. Rukia was in her Shinigami form, so he knew there was hollow trouble.

"There's a hollow on the south side of town, let's go!" She demanded. Reluctantly, Ichigo exited his body and raced toward the south side of Karakura.

"Why are there so many of them showing up lately?" He asked as they were leaping from building to building.

"I'm not sure, but right when they started all showing up, a large spiritual energy came into town and then suddenly disappeared."

"So you felt that too, huh?" Has someone from Hueco Mundo rallied the hollows again?

They finally arrived and Ichigo saw the ugly hollow roaring at them. With frustration from doing this nearly nonstop for two weeks, Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu off his back and defeated the beast with one strike.

"And your telling me you couldn't handle that?!" He said in frustration.

"Of course I could!" She yelled back at him. Suddenly, they heard more screams of pain from more hollows.

Countless amounts of them fell out of the sky and surrounded both of them.

"What the-?" Ichigo said as he raised his sword. Never before had this many come at one time. Rukia was back to back with her battle partner.

"I guess this isn't going to be as easy as you thought." She said, almost smug-like.

"Well," Ichigo smirked, "just don't get in the way." Rukia laughed with sarcasm thick in her voice as they both struck down charging hollows.

Starting out, it was only a few attacking at once, then they starting attacking as a whole. No matter how many Rukia and Ichigo slayed, more kept showing up. It began to be overwhelming, even for one of the most powerful soul reapers. Fatigue sat in. Now they were just on the defensive.

A sharp pain ran through Ichigo's leg.

A hollow had bit down on his thigh.

"Ahh!" He yelled.

"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled. But she was pinned down to the ground by a dog-like hollows. Ichigo raised his sword to free himself but another hollow bit Zangestu. Several hollows began making their way towards him. Is this how he was going to die? By hollows, of all things.

Suddenly, a white flamed consumed the monsters constricting Ichigo's arms and leg. He darted away from the hollows who were now disoriented from the sudden attack out of nowhere. Ichigo's injured leg gave way when he landed back on the ground.

While the hollow on top of Rukia was distracted, she used her strength to shove it off of her and went to Ichigo's side.

Something jumped down in front of them. Whoever it was, they were small, and wearing a white hooded cape. All of the hollows seemed to be concentrating on this person standing before the soul reapers. Soon, Ichigo realized that this being's spiritual energy was steadily rising, and the hollows were realizing it as well.

"Hurry up and get out of here, or they'll kill you!" Rukia yelled. The caped person lifted her head, revealing…white hair? The girl also had dark eyes.

Ichigo may have been mistaken, but she looked like that girl from years ago.

Her mouth turned into a curved into a smile as she turned her back to the Shinigami and jumped into the air. She soared, and all of the hollows followed her.

In midair, they formed a circle around her as her spiritual energy kept rising.

"What the heck is she doing?! That's suicide!" Ichigo yelled.

Her body glowed as her energy came to its peak. She outstretched her arms on each side of herself, and white flames circled around her. With the force and power equal to that of a bankai, the flames forced outward consuming the hollows. All of them had disappeared, as well as the girl's energy.

Her gaze remained on the both of them, more or less on Ichigo at least. Suddenly, she flashed from their vision. Leaving both of them curious of what had just occurred.

*Alrighty! I'm sorry for the delay! Bunch of stuff going on in life right now. I hope this story is better than the last I came up with. Please review! It helps a bunch!

-RB*