I do not own Bleach... it is a sad, sad day.

When Yhwach and Aizen had finally been killed Ichigo had just stood there dumbfounded. It was done but he didn't know what to do, even with both of them gone he couldn't fix everything. This war had been different than all of the other battles he had fought - the main difference being that people had died. Even during the Winter War, sure people had been badly injured, but no one had actually died.

He felt numb. His brain faintly registered that the edges of his vision were starting to go black and his stomach was churning but he couldn't will himself to do anything. So many people were dead. Most of the Gotei 13 were deceased and the seireitei destroyed. Ichigo came to the horrible realization that, aside from Renji and Uryuu who were currently with him, Ichigo had no idea who was alive and who was dead. He had failed.

That thought seemed to knock the wind right out of him. Ichigo collapsed to the ground with a wheeze. Again his brain registered that several people, including his swords were calling to him, but he just couldn't care. He knew that unless some one was hit directly with a rashi arrow their soles were sent back into the reincarnation cycle and they would be reborn as humans; but he didn't know how anyone had died. He had been busy fighting. Either way it wasn't like he was ever going to see any of them again.

The war was over but how long would it be until the next god wannabe came around threatening what was left of Ichigo's world. He would never find peace. There was no way. Someone would always be coming after him and his friends would get caught in the middle. Would it be days, weeks, years? How long until this new enemy showed up? Or were they already here preparing to strike at him when his guard was down. Ichigo whirled around desperately searching for an unseen enemy, not that his eyes were really working any ways.

Violently emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground in front of him, Ichigo collapsed to his hands and knees. His ears were ringing and he felt dizzy. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder. DANGER. Was the first thing that flashed through his mind at the touch. Throwing himself backwards, he desperately tried to get this new enemy off. To his horror his movements were slow and clumsy. His arms felt heavy. He felt so weak.

Ichigo was hyperventilating and he attempted to will himself to calm down only to fail miserably. He needed to calm down and defeat this enemy if he didn't more people would die. His vision was almost completely black by now and he could hear the frantic cries of his name as someone was shaking him. Before he could attempt to pull himself together again, or pass out, there was a blinding purple light that shattered through even his blackened vision. Someone screamed and Ichigo's body erupted in pain.

His lungs were already so oxygen deprived from his hyperventilation that he couldn't even scream before his mind overloaded with pain and he lost all consciousness.

When he woke up he was ling in a cot in a tent? Quickly taking note of his surroundings, Ichigo decided that this must be a temporary shelter in the seireitei. How he got here, he could only guess.

"Hey his reiatsu just calmed down." That sounded like Renji. "Do you think he finally woke up?" Ichigo felt his stomach drop. Shit. He really hoped he hadn't been unconscious for days... again.

"That would be the obvious conclusion." Now that was definitely Uryuu.

"Should we go see him." Ah. so Orihime was okay to "You said Kurosaki-kun was acting strange before..."

"Before the Hogyoku vanished" Good that was Rukia. WAIT! What is this about the Hogyoku? No. no. nononononono this couldn't be happening. Ichigo felt panic start to rise in his chest choking him as he tried not to cry out in frustration. Aizen was suppose to be gone. Dealt with. DEAD! He couldn't breath.

"SHIT. He definitely heard that." Ichigo barely registered Uryuu's voice as his a deafening ringing in his ears began. He rolled in his cot as he desperately tried to breath. So many people died and he couldn't even take down Aizen. And Aizen was not even the mane threat! Ichigo managed to catch a glimpse of Chad, as he was trying to restrain Ichigo now violent thrashing. He only struggled for a few seconds before he drifted back into a state of unconsciousness.

"Ichigo"

"Hey King"

"Ichigo!"

"Is it normally this difficult for him to be conscious in his own world?"

"No but he has been through a lot."

"Yo, Partner you really need to wake up."

"ICHIGO!"

Ichigo sat up with a start and desperately attempted to scramble away from whoever was hovering around him. Only for one person to grab him from the front in a tight embrace and another to do the same from behind him.

It took a good ten minutes of his two spirits murmuring comforting words for him to calm down enough to realise he was in his own inner world. Then it was only a matter of seconds before he identified his assailant huggers as Zangetsu. He noted with mild surprise and pleasure that his inner world was not submerged again, though it was raining... hard.

Slowly he allowed himself to relax and hug Zangetsu back. The spirit gave him a watery grin, blue eyes shining, before burying his face back into Ichigo's left shoulder. While he couldn't see Zangetsu he could feel his grin and his grip tighten.

"Ya did good this time King."

"I know you don't believe it but he is correct. You did better than anyone could have expected."

Ichigo was not sure how long they stayed like that not that time mattered all that much in his inner world. But eventually the rain stopped replaced by thin mist that traveled up the sides of his sideways buildings. The were not skyscrapers right now but it was still eons better than when he had tried to learn the Final Getsuga. While inspecting his inner world, over the head of Zangetsu, to see how badly his head was currently screwed; he spotted a figure a few buildings away.

"Um Zangetsu, Zangetsu, damn I need to sort out what to call you; but who is that?"

"Ah, ya have spotted the leacher."

"I am not a leacher and nor do I wish him any harm either." Suddenly the figure was in front of Ichigo. She was beautiful in a deadly sort of way, suddenly what he thought Benihime would be like flashed through his mind. Definitely deadly.

"If Korisaki-san truly wishes for me to leave I will but given his heart I think he will alow me to stay." She was only a few inches shorter than Ichigo. Her skin was pale but not Zangetsu's bleached. Her eye were a deep purple not unlike Rukia's but a much darker shade and pitch black hair cascaded down her back in waves. She wore a purple kimono with black trimming that completely covered her hands and trailed along the ground behind her. But more than anything Ichigo noticed how familiar she felt.

Zangetsus had moved to either side of him, they weren't getting ready for a fight, which eased Ichigo's mind a little, but they definitely don't like whoever this was.

"Just who are you?" She opened her mouth to reply but Tensa cut her off.

"Before that, Aizen is dead Ichigo. Dead gone forever. He can't hurt you any more. I know you heard what the others said but Aizen is gone." Ichigo just stared at his Quincy spirit in confusion.

"Okay. That is good to know but why does it matter."

"This is one of them points were yur' bein' really dense partner. But Aizen and Yhwach to fur' that matter are dead."

"Yah. Okay I get it they are dead now who is she?" At some point his spirits had grabbed the sleeves of his Shihakusho. White Zangetsu on the right and Tensa on the left.

"I." Ichigo's attention snapped back to the woman in front of him. "I am the Hogyoku."