Author's Notes: I go by anime, not manga, which means for the purposes of this story that last manga arc never happened. You know what that means? I can make my new Ichigo's zanpakutoh into anything that I want.

Keep that in mind as you read.

Chapter Thirteen

Ichigo didn't know how to explain to anybody what had happened without sounding like a complete and utter lunatic, so in true repressive fashion, he didn't tell anyone about it and tried to pretend like it hadn't happened. He went to school, went to work, came home, made dinner for his sisters - but he was distracted the entire time.

He was on his bed doing homework for the night when it happened.

A black butterfly fluttered through his closed bedroom window. He looked up, confused - and the samurai spirit girl floated straight through his bedroom wall. Her feet gracefully touched the floor. She was staring straight ahead, not looking at him, as if listening for something.

"It's close," he heard her murmur, and her brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Hey." Ichigo cleared his throat. "Um. I can see you." She still didn't look at him. "I'm the kid from the street today? I - I can see spirits."

Finally, the samurai spirit girl turned to look at him, confirming his suspicions. Her eyes widened and she stared at him for a long moment.

"Yeah," he said quietly, nodding. "I'm, uh - I'm talking to you." He stood up and walked over to her. "My sisters are playing video games in the living room. We won't be disturbed. Look, what was that in the street today? What the hell happened?"

He was used to talking to spirits, so this was a somewhat normal conversation for him. But he was, frankly, bewildered.

The girl lifted her chin. "I am a Shinigami. I do not have to tell a human anything," she said loftily. "Now go away. You are interfering with my duties."

"Bullshit," said Ichigo bluntly. "If you don't tell me what's going on, I could mess up and interfere again when it really matters. Wouldn't that be worse?" The girl paused, looking torn. Then something she'd said clicked in his head. "Wait a minute - Shinigami? The spirits who ferry ghosts and dead souls to the afterlife?"

"... That is correct," the Shinigami girl admitted after a long moment.

"So why the hell haven't I ever seen one of you before?"

"... Excuse me?"

"I've been able to see dead people all my life," said Ichigo, frowning.

"As well as you are seeing them now?" the Shinigami girl asked expectantly.

"... No…"

"Well, that explains it. Only people with great spirit energy can see us. In fact, I have never met a human who could see a Shinigami before. Why your spiritual pressure has suddenly increased, however, I cannot say…" she murmured.

"I can." She blinked, surprised. "I've been working with ghosts around the area - doing things for them, helping them find peace. Look, that's not really the point of my question. What was that monster out there?"

"It is called a Hollow," said the Shinigami girl, still looking uncertain as to whether or not she should be conversing with a human at all. "Shinigami have two principal duties: to send spirits on to the afterlife, a place called the Soul Society, in a ritual called Konso, and to vanquish evil spirit monsters called Hollows. Hollows attack the living and the dead indiscriminately and devour their souls."

"So… those souls they eat… are gone forever?" Ichigo confirmed.

"No. When Shinigami vanquish Hollows, the souls the Hollows ate are released."

"And what about the afterlife - this Soul Society place. Do all the souls who have ever died just stay there?"

"No. Life is a cyclical process, a process of reincarnation. When one dies in the Soul Society, they are reincarnated in the land of the living. But the Soul Society aging process is slower. Ten years for every one of yours."

"And what powers do Shinigami have? How do you decide who does what?"

"Shinigami can perform Konso on ghosts, and vanquish Hollows - using either their zanpakutoh, or swords, or kido, spells using spirit energy. Shinigami duties are divided into districts. Each Shinigami is assigned a mission, a place to guard for a set period of time, either in the living world or in the Soul Society.

"I was sent here. I am searching for a Hollow, but it suddenly went off my sensing radar. It is peculiar, as if some force is blocking my senses. There is a lot of spiritual pressure in the air in your district, but I can't discern the cause of that either. And now I've met a human here who can see me. This is a strange place."

"It figures I'd live in the weirdo district," Ichigo muttered dryly. "So, what about you? What's your name, your story?"

"Kuchiki Rukia, seated officer, Thirteenth Division. Member of the noble house of Kuchiki."

"Soul Society has nobility?"

"New souls are born in the Soul Society often. Those with spirit energy become nobility and marry others with spirit energy. Most often, they also become Shinigami. Many ingrained noble families have produced nothing but strong Shinigami for centuries."

"Great. But that wasn't the point of my question, Kuchiki Rukia," said Ichigo, amused. "Who are you? What do you like?"

Rukia looked uncertain and almost offended. "I am not allowed to fraternize with humans," she said stiffly.

"Oh, for -" Ichigo rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I'm gay."

Rukia seemed to relax minutely. "You are?"

"Do I look straight to you?" Ichigo asked sarcastically.

"... Fair point. Then what was the point of your question?"

"I just… was curious to know what Shinigami are like," said Ichigo, shrugging.

"Shinigami are all different. They are individual souls with personalities and hobbies just like everyone else," said Rukia, sounding almost as exasperated with Ichigo as Ichigo was with her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." She moved past him.

"What, you've finally sensed the Hollow?" said Ichigo curiously.

"Not exactly."

He turned around. The ghost of the old man was floating there. Rukia put the hilt of her sword to his forehead, which glowed blue when she pulled it away.

"P-please…" he whispered, tears in his eyes. "I-I don't want to go to the Netherworld…"

"You are not going to the Netherworld." Rukia smiled quite kindly, seeming much less stiff for a moment. "You are going to the Soul Society. May you find happiness there."

The ghost dissolved away in a flood of blue, and a black butterfly carried the soul up through the ceiling and beyond.

Hands in his back pockets, posture casual, Ichigo watched them leave and let out a long, low whistle. So she really was what she said she was. Well, that answered that question.

"Hey, I got a question."

"Another one?" said Rukia flatly, smile falling flat.

"Why was the Hollow after that little girl today? I mean, he could have eaten anyone on that street, right? Why her?"

Rukia paused, as if this had just occurred to her. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "We are still studying the Hollow's behavioral patterns. Its motives are sometimes unknown to us. It was at least attacking the entire block - we know that for sure. Hollows are only noticeable, even during an attack, to the people they are attacking. All other humans come under what is known as the unnoticeable effect."

Ichigo nodded. "You know, if you're looking for ghosts to send on…" The Shinigami turned to him sharply. "I know pretty much all the ghosts around here. I could point you in the right direction."

"You're not helping me," said Rukia flatly.

"I'm not talking about helping you. I'm a selfish bastard, no way am I putting my life on the line for a bunch of total strangers," said Ichigo bluntly. "But it just makes sense for me to show you where the ghosts are. It's of little risk or inconvenience to myself, and besides, a lot of those ghosts have become my friends."

"I don't need your help."

Ichigo was very close to losing his temper. "Alright," he snapped. "Fine. Stumble around blindly after a bunch of ghosts hoping a Hollow doesn't eat one of them first."

He and Rukia glared at each other for a moment. Then Ichigo suddenly stiffened, a sound reaching his ears. "Hey, uh, Shinigami?" he said in an unnaturally high, falsely calm tone. She apparently couldn't hear a goddamn thing.

"What?" she said, looking puzzled as the blood drained from his face.

"You don't have to worry about finding the Hollow anymore."

"Why?"

"Because it's howling right outside."

Then there was a rumbling, earthshaking crash and a scream. "Karin! Yuzu!" The Hollow was attacking the living room. Ichigo sprinted toward his bedroom door -

"Bakudo Number One! Sai!"

Ichigo felt his arms and legs spring together, bound by an invisible force, and he fell over flat on the floor. Kido, he registered distantly as he struggled. This must be kido.

"Stay here, human!" Rukia barked. "There is nothing you would do except get in the way!"

"No, you don't understand! I'm raising my sisters, they're my only family, they need me!" Ichigo pleaded from the floor. "You have to release me!"

"I'm not releasing you -!" Rukia paused, stunned.

The blood was pounding thick in Ichigo's head and ears. Panic and anger and fear raced through his veins. He registered a golden glowing emanating from his body.

"No, stop, no human can break kido! If you force it, your soul will -!"

And then in a great surge of energy, Ichigo felt himself become freed. He shot to his feet and raced past the Shinigami out the door to save his sisters.

As soon as he moved away from Rukia, the Hollow's spirit energy hit her like a ton of bricks. It had been he leaking energy, he jamming her senses.

What on earth was that boy?

Ichigo skidded into the room to find Yuzu crawling toward his bedroom door, covered in blood. He bent down to her, but she gasped out, "Onii-chan - Karin-chan -"

"I know, I'm going to get her," said Ichigo hurriedly. He ran into the living room, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and ran out the hole the Hollow had made in the living room. It was huge, hulking, and humanoid, with a fish-like white mask. There was the same hole through its chest, the same white mask over its face, the same howling roar. It was holding Karin above the city street.

Ichigo threw the knife at the Hollow's hand holding his sister, it roared in pain and dropped Karin, Ichigo caught her in midair (she was unconscious) and as the Hollow reached out for them he set her on the ground and blocked her with his own body -

But the Shinigami had appeared. Rukia leaped upward and cut at the Hollow's arm. It retreated, howling, and disappeared for a few precious minutes.

Rukia landed in front of Ichigo with her sword out. "Now I understand," she said softly.

Ichigo straightened, breathing deeply, his heart still pounding furiously. "What do you mean?" he said.

"Hollows will eat all souls, it is true, but they prefer souls with high levels of spirit energy," said Rukia. "You, human, can see Hollows and Shinigami as a living being. You can break top notch Shinigami binding spells. You were the one jamming my senses, the one leaking spirit energy all over your district.

"You have grown too powerful. Hollows are voluntarily seeking you out, attacking people and places you know but eating no one because they are not looking for anyone else. They are looking for you."

Ichigo had stood. The weight of this hit him, and he looked at his unconscious sisters. If this kept on, they could die, he realized - die because they existed near him.

Anyone he was around could die because they existed near him. And he refused to accept that.

The Hollow had reappeared, facing them.

Ichigo pushed Rukia out of the way and got into the space where she had been. "What are you doing?" Rukia snapped from the ground.

"Protecting my sisters in the only way I know how," said Ichigo in a low voice, and he braced himself and ran straight at the Hollow's open maw.

"You idiot! No -!"

Right before he reached the Hollow, a flash of black cloth passed before his vision and the Hollow's teeth crunched around Kuchiki Rukia's form instead.

Ichigo stopped, stunned. He hadn't expected it, because from a Shinigami's perspective, what she had just done made no sense. Without him around, one measly soul, there would be far less Hollow attacks in her area. She could then save his sisters and send him on to the Soul Society.

Why the fuck would she sacrifice herself just to save him?

The Hollow spat a struggling, dying Kuchiki Rukia down on the ground, and disappeared once more. Blood began pooling around her fallen form. "You… idiot…" she gasped out. "Hollows are never full; it would just have attacked your sisters!"

"Yeah, with you there to save them!" Ichigo snapped, and then he paused and closed his eyes, trying to keep a hold on his temper. "You should have let me die; I'm not that important."

"You are more important than you think," Rukia whispered, and Ichigo's eyes opened in surprise. "You would do anything, then, to save your sisters?"

"I'm their mother… and their father… I'm all they have. I promised myself a long time ago I wouldn't let anyone else in my family die," said Ichigo fiercely, heatedly.

Rukia sat up with effort and held her trembling sword out to him. "Then take my blade, and become a Shinigami."

Ichigo paused. "... What?"

"If I pierce my zanpakutoh through your heart, I can temporarily gift some of my powers to you. You would remain a living human despite this - if you survived the transfer. But to someone who would recklessly throw his life away, that risk should be no problem," she added coldly.

Ichigo nodded, straightening, firm. "I'll try anything. If it doesn't work, I'd have died anyway. Give me the sword." He reached out a hand.

"... Your name."

"What?" said Ichigo, caught off guard.

"You have me at a disadvantage," said Rukia, remarkably calm given the deadly wounds eating away at her abdomen. "You know my name, but I do not know yours. I am about to risk it all for you, and I don't even know your name."

"It's Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo said. "Ichigo. That's my name." He grasped the sword.

The Hollow had reappeared. "Are you ready?" said Rukia solemnly.

Ichigo nodded, swallowing, unable to speak.

The zanpakutoh was pierced through his heart and it all went black.

He was by a quiet riverside, one not unlike the river his mother had died at, hung by shady trees. A geisha was having tea beside the river, her back to him. All was calm, quiet. It was raining. She sat underneath the shade of a tree, the rain dripping onto her head and into her teacup.

"Hey," he began, confused. "Where am I? I thought I was saving my sisters -"

She turned to look at him. Lines of black mascara ran in tears down her white face. Her eyes were wide and unhinged. She gave him a beautiful smile, revealing black, rotting teeth. "You are," she said calmly.

Ichigo had backed up in instinctive fear.

Then rivers of dancing ice sparked through the sky, the rain shuddering, thunderclouds shuddering, falling water turning to snow. The geisha looked up, and her high, unnatural laugh echoed across the landscape. She suddenly turned into a huge being made of lava, and shot up into the sky to meet the dancing ice.

Soon, giant geisha made of lava, snakes coming from their hands, were entirely engulfing the dancing ice, which was melting underneath their grasp. "Wait, stop! What are you doing, stop! You'll kill it!" Ichigo called, panicked. The laughter got louder.

The lava engulfed the ice completely and shot up into the sky where it had come from, and Ichigo blacked out again.

When he awoke… he was in a Shinigami's black robes, standing in front of the Hollow. He was wielding a sword the same shape as Rukia's, but at least three times its size.

What kind of bizarre hallucination had that been?

He registered Rukia knelt behind him, beside his body - behind him, like his injured sisters. He felt hot anger fill him.

He shot forward and cut off one of the Hollow's legs, then its arm when it reached out for him. "This is what happens to people who touch my sisters," he growled in a low, deadly voice, and he sliced through the Hollow's head and down through its body.

It dissolved with one last shriek.

He felt the world spinning - Rukia calling to him as if from a great distance - he felt himself falling, and he blacked out again.

He had done it, was the last thing he registered - he had saved the Shinigami, and his sisters.