Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

A/N: Well here is the newest story from me. This one though isn't my idea it is from a challenge I received...thus the credit goes to the creator of the Challenge for thinking up this wonderful idea... that person being Ryuken-Sogetsu.

Here is the challenge in its entirety, just so you guy's know what I'm working with:

#1 Any time before Ichigo gets owned by Byakuya, or when he's about to be, Sode no Shirayuki tells Ichigo her name to protect Rukia forming a link between the two of them

#2 Ichigo can use both Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki and Rukia can use Zangetsu as well

#3 It doesn't need to be an IchiRuki pairing but it fits the easiest so have fun if that's what you want

#4 Sode no Shirayuki forces Ichigo to learn kido/forces Rukia to teach him because she "Can't stand being treated so roughly." because of his fail-tacular control of his reishi

#5 If you want to be poetic and have Byakuya get beaten by Sode no Shirayuki because it's his sister's zanpakuto

#6 Because of her bond/link/whatever term you decide to Ichigo's soul, Rukia becomes a Vizard (this one I might drop...sorry Ryuken)

#7 Rukia can "borrow" reishi from Ichigo

#8 Only one "copy" of each Zanpakuto can exist at one time so when they call on the other Zanpakuto, the Zanpakuto has to agree first.

#9 Ichigo's Sode no Shirayuki is a different size and shape from Rukia's to suit his physical and fighting style differences, and her Zangetsu is tailored to her as well, but the Zanpakuto's powers are the same

So there you go, that is what I'm working with...the overall concept here is that Ichigo can use Sode no Shirayuki, and that said Zanpaku-to let him do it. That being said, I hope you all like it.

Rukia: They better like it, you put a lot of work into this.

Ichigo: Yeah I know he did...which is weird considering just how many stories he has.

A/N: Yes I know I need to work on the other ones, that's no reason to scare people off strawberry.

Ichigo: My name does not mean STRAWBERRY for the last time!

Ichigo Kurosaki found himself in a very dangerous situation. His friend, Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki had ran off, supposedly to protect him when her people came to arrest her for giving him her powers. But Rukia had to have known that Ichigo would chase after her…it was in his nature after all. When he had found his friend, Ichigo had to save his rival Uryu Ishida from the blade of a Soul Reaper with red-hair shaped oddly like a pineapple. That same Soul Reaper had cut Rukia's arm and cheek, and the sight of the blood, and Rukia holding her wounded arm made Ichigo angrier than he had ever been. He didn't understand why…but he wanted to kill this man for even daring to hurt Rukia.

"Hey carrot-top, I asked a question, what Squad are you from?" the redhead yelled at Ichigo, breaking him out of his daze.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki pineapple, and I don't come from one of your Squads!" Ichigo yelled back, completely beyond caring about if the Reapers knew who he was.

The Reaper glared at Ichigo over the hair joke…and then yelled, "The names Renji Abarai boy! And if you aren't from a Squad you must be the human who stole Rukia's powers!"

"So what if I am? It was the only way to keep both of us from dying. Why should it matter anyway?" Ichigo asked, lazily holding his Zanpaku-to behind his back.

"It matters because if I kill you she will get her powers back!" Renji yelled, jumping at Ichigo and bringing his blade down.

The younger Reaper brought his blade up and intercepted Renji's strike. Though the redheaded Reaper kept on swinging, pushing Ichigo back. As soon as it looked like he got an opening, Ichigo swung his blade down…but Renji just jumped over him and cut Ichigo's shoulder.

"So pitiful…you didn't really think you stood a chance did you? Rukia ran away to save you…but you had to be a moron and come after her didn't you? " Renji asked, holding his blade on his shoulder.

Ichigo just glared up at the older Reaper, as Renji continued talking, with a very sad looking Rukia in the background, "You know, you never really had a chance kid. You're a sad excuse for a human, let alone a Reaper, you could never hope to even scratch me."

But Renji was interrupted as Ichigo surged upwards and cut his jaw.

"What was that…something about not even giving you a scratch?" Ichigo asked, smirking at Renji, despite the pain in his arm.

"Why you little…" Renji said, before the other Soul Reaper distracted him.

"You let your guard down Renji." The other Reaper said.

"But Captain! He's just a human with Rukia's powers. I mean look at that monster of a Zanpaku-to! He obviously can't control his reiatsu!" Renji yelled.

"I recognized him from a report that the Secret Remote Squad sent in. This boy, Ichigo Kurosaki drove a Menos back to Hueco Mundo." The Captain said.

Renji's eyes widened, but then he broke out laughing, "Are you serious Captain Kuchiki? There is no way this boy could hurt a Menos! The Remote Squad isn't what it used to be. Hey twerp, what's the name of your Zanpaku-to?"

Ichigo looked at Renji like he was crazy, "What do you mean name? You named your Zanpaku-to?"

Renji just laughed again, before raising his blade, "See, you don't even know your blades name. Let me show you what your missing boy, Roar Zabimaru!"

And with that the Reaper's blade transformed into a segmented monster of a sword, that Renji brought down on Ichigo after jumping into the air. The young human brought his own Zanpaku-to up to block, but Renji's blade split into segments, and sliced into Ichigo's shoulder, the older Reaper ripping it out slowly and very painfully.

As Ichigo collapsed to the ground, Renji gloated again, "Told you that you weren't a match for me kid. A Zanpaku-to changes according to the wielder's reiatsu…how do you like the shape of my reiatsu?"

Ichigo didn't say anything; he was still in too much shock and pain. But Rukia was in shock too, Ichigo…how could this happen! I told him not to follow me, but deep down I guess I always knew he would. Ichigo is too stubborn to just stay behind…but that's what I love about him…wait did I just think that?

Rukia shook her head to clear those thoughts, and ran at Renji, grabbing her oldest friends arm yelling the whole time, "Ichigo get out of here! Run while you can!"

But Ichigo just grabbed the hilt of his blade, and slowly stood up.

"Hey, looks like you still have some fight in you carrot-top. It's no fun killing a helpless enemy anyway, so come on, die with your blade swinging." Renji said, raising Zabimaru, once more aiming to kill Ichigo.

But he was pushed back when a fierce wind blew out from Ichigo, the result of his skyrocketing reiatsu. Renji couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he was soon forced out of that daze as Ichigo shot by him and cut his shoulder.

What was that? He was dying a minute ago and now he has all this power! This shouldn't be possible! Renji thought angrily raising Zabimaru, only for Ichigo to appear right in front of him, driving the Reapers own blade into his face.

Renji skidded along the road, only avoiding falling by grabbing onto some railing, his goggles falling in broken shards all around him.

"Ha, what was that about killing me pineapple! I have never felt so alive, there is so much power flowing through me! I don't know where it came from but I don't really care, my wound's don't hurt, and I feel like I can take you apart now!" Ichigo yelled, jumping up and bringing his blade down on Renji…only for it to be snapped in half.

Ichigo looked at Renji, and seeing he hadn't moved, looked at the other Reaper who he guessed was Rukia's brother or something along those lines. He saw the Captain holding the blade of his Zanpaku-to, even though Ichigo couldn't remember him moving. He then saw the elder Kuchiki drop the blade, and move his hand towards his own blade. Ichigo held his shattered Zanpaku-to in front of him, ready to fight with the ruined sword…but he heard a distinctly feminine voice yell in his head...

"Move Ichigo! He's going to attack!"

…Not sure why he was listening to the voice, Ichigo twisted his body to the side, but it wasn't enough, he still felt the blade enter his chest.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia yelled, not believing what she was seeing.

Rukia's brother looked over at her, before turning back to Ichigo, "Your slow boy, even when you fall."

He then drove his blade into Ichigo yet again, not noticing how his body dodged slightly to the side again. As Ichigo's body crumpled to the ground, the Captain sheathed his sword and walked away. Rukia ran towards Ichigo, only to be slammed into a pole by Renji.

"Don't bother Rukia, the boy is dead! All you will do by running to him is add 20 years to your sentence!" Renji yelled.

"I don't care! He died trying to save me! What's wrong with running to him! I even lo…" Rukia stopped herself at the end, not believing her own ears on what she had almost said.

"You what Rukia? You love this boy? Is it because he looks like him?" the Captain asked.

Rukia just hung her head, not answering her brother. But her head shot up when she felt a surge of very familiar reiatsu from Ichigo…it was her own!

A few minutes earlier~

"Ichigo…Ichigo…wake up!" that female voice from earlier yelled.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, and saw nothing but blazing snow around him. When he looked around, he saw a bunch of buildings surrounding him, but it was hard to make out details through the blinding snowstorm.

"About time you woke up. I see you noticed you aren't where you used to be." The female voice said.

"Who are you? And where are you!" Ichigo yelled, looking wildly around the area.

"Up here Ichigo." The voice answered from behind the young Soul Reaper.

As he turned around, Ichigo saw a beautiful women standing in front of him. She had long white hair, and an intricate blue kimono.

"Who are you? And where are we?" Ichigo asked again.

"This is your inner world Ichigo…though I imagine it would look quite different if I wasn't here. I am Rukia's Zanpaku-to, you formed a link with me when you took her powers." The women said.

Ichigo's jaw dropped, "Inner World? And you're Rukia's Zanpaku-to? Why am I in here in the first place?"

The women laughed lightly, "My aren't you full of questions Ichigo. This is the deepest refuge of your soul. You are in here because Byakuya Kuchiki, my wielders brother nearly destroyed the source of your powers, your Soul Chain and Soul Sleep. I did what I could to move your body after the first blow, but you still took a bad wound. I can help you get back up and fight them more, but only for a very limited time, and I will be strained to hide your powers after that. Knowing that…do you want to fight or live?"

Ichigo stood up, and looked his best friends Zanpaku-to straight in the eyes, "I want to fight!"

The women nodded, "Okay then, my name is….

Back on the outside~

Rukia watched as Ichigo stood up, his body cloaked in fierce white reiatsu. He was no longer holding his massive, if broken, Zanpaku-to…but Rukia recognized the weapon he was holding…it was her blade! It was slightly off though…the blade was much longer, and the ribbon wrapped up around Ichigo's arm.

"Sode no Shirayuki…what an interesting name." Ichigo said softly, looking at the new blade in his hand before launching faster than ever at Byakuya.

The Captain barely raised his own blade in time to intercept Ichigo, who was raining blows down on Byakuya faster than Rukia could follow, the beautiful white blade contrasting sharply with the black uniforms of the combatants.

How could Ichigo be using Sode no Shirayuki? I didn't know it was possible for a Soul Reaper to use another ones Zanpaku-to…Rukia thought, not sure what to make of what she was seeing.

Ichigo was slowly pushing Byakuya back, the Captain not expecting the shear ferocity behind the younger man's blows, and the length of his blade. But as soon as the attack started, it suddenly stopped, as blood flew out from Ichigo's chest, and the blade in his hands faded away in a burst of white reiatsu…along with any signature of Spiritual Power from Ichigo. The young man then fell back to the ground, where Byakuya raised his katana, ready to deal a killing blow. But Rukia had broken free from Renji and jumped in front of Ichigo.

"Stop brother! That was just my power trying to defend me! Ichigo has none left, why bother killing him!" Rukia yelled, standing protectively in front of Ichigo.

"And how do you know that Rukia? How do you know he wasn't using your power and is just hiding it now?" Byakuya asked, raising an eyebrow at how much Rukia cared for this human boy.

"Have you ever heard of a Soul Reaper being able to use another's Zanpaku-to brother? I'm telling you it was just Shirayuki using him to try and defend me." Rukia shot back, desperately hoping her brother would listen and not kill Ichigo in front of her.

Byakuya sighed and sheathed his blade before turning around, "Okay Rukia, the boy's Soul Chain and Soul Sleep were severed anyway. He will die soon enough…now come with us."

Rukia nodded sadly, and with one final look at the battered and bleeding Ichigo she followed her brother…tears flowing freely, and she didn't even try to stop the crying.

Ichigo looked on the whole time, too weak to move or even talk…all he could do is watch as Rukia walked through the portal Renji made, looking back one last time, and Ichigo's heart nearly broke seeing the free flowing tears on Rukia's face.

"I'm sorry Ichigo…I did all that I could. Whenever you wake up, don't be afraid to call on me for help…just call my name…" Shirayuki said, as Ichigo slowly faded into unconsciousness.

A few hours later~

Huh…I'm still alive…and why does it feel warm all of a sudden? Ichigo thought as he slowly returned to alertness.

But he soon jumped up as he saw a strange face hovering just inches above his own.

"AHHHH! Who are you!" Ichigo yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to push the man off of him.

"Boss he's awake!" the man yelled, just as Ichigo recognized him…while throwing him off.

"Wait, your one of Hat and Clog's guys, why were you on top of me?" Ichigo asked, sitting up too quick and pulling his still healing wounds.

"I wouldn't move around too much Mr. Kurosaki, you could reopen your wounds." Kisuke said walking into the room, holding both his cane and a sealed Zanpaku-to.

Ichigo recognized the blade immediately…it was Rukia's Zanpaku-to. Which reminded him, "Hey are you still in there Sode no Shirayuki?"

"Yes I am Ichigo, and you don't need to use my full name. The fact is that I will be in here until we can rescue Rukia and she can recover me along with the rest of her powers. Though we will always have a link." Shirayuki answered.

Ichigo nodded slightly and noticed Kisuke staring at him, "What is it Hat and Clogs? I'm assuming you save me and brought me to your place right? What about Uryu, is he okay too?"

Kisuke nodded, "Yes I did Mr. Kurosaki. Mr. Ishida is fine, his wounds weren't that bad, so he just went home, though he did seem worried about you. But that's beside the point, I don't know how you did it, but you retained your Soul Reaper powers. I can tell that you know your Zanpaku-to's name too."

Ichigo shook his head, "No I haven't actually."

Kisuke looked confused by that, "What do you mean you haven't, your blade shrank to a sealed state and I could sense you talking to your blade."

Ichigo just shook his head again, "No I was talking to Rukia's blade. For whatever reason I can use Rukia's Zanpaku-to. Which reminds me, can you please hand Shirayuki over?"

Kisuke numbly nodded and handed Ichigo the sealed blade, not quite sure what was going on…he had never heard of a Soul Reaper being able to use a Zanpaku-to other than their personal blade of course.

"Well then, that saves me some trouble, I was planning on having to replace your powers. But now I don't have to, since you can use Ms. Kuchiki's like that." Kisuke said, hiding his shock behind his fan.

"Well actually I would like some training…since I can tell you must have some idea what your doing from what Shirayuki has told me. That and I can't run around using Rukia's Zanpaku-to all the time, I need to learn the name of my own." Ichigo said, putting Shirayuki on his waist.

"Okay then Mr. Kurosaki, let's get started tomorrow, for now you need to go home and finish healing." Kisuke said.

Ichigo nodded, and set off for his house after hopping back into his body.

A/N: Well there was the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this, my first attempt at writing a challenge response. Please read and review. Oh and the OOC'ness with Ichigo and Rukia was intentional, the point of it being this story has the Ichi/Ruki stuff from the start, that and Rukia wasn't even sure where her sudden feelings came from...as you can notice by her never outright saying anything about loving Ichigo (that was Byakuya not her).

Rukia: What a short chapter...

Ichigo: And I should have won that fight easily!

A/N: Oh stop complaining.