Author's note: Hello everybody. I'm back with a new story. I have quite a bit of it already prewritten, so I'll be updating regularly every week until I run out of completed chapters. After that the updates will come whenever I write them.

Those who read my other epic-length stories might have gotten used to mu illustration. This story will have them too. Look at my Author's profile page for a link to my DeviantArt page. You'll find an illustration for the first chapter there.

On another note: my serious Bleach fics are connected. This is tied to both On the Frozen Plain and Stinging Bee (except parts of its last chapter). You don't need to read them to understand this, but if you did, you might spot a familiar character somewhere or a reference to a scene that happened in another fic. It's just a little bonus for some of my readers.

Also, I finally found a beta-reader. It's xJ11Cx and (s)he says this chapter is okay. I thank him for his work.

That's about all I wanted to say. Now on to the story and tell me whether it is any good.

The Importance of the Name

Chapter 1: Learning the Name

"Don't fidget," Rukia commanded while healing Ichigo's wounds. "It is much easier to patch you together if you don't."

"Okay," the young acting shinigami answered, "I'm trying to lie still, it's just that there's a stone digging into my back, and it's quite painful."

"It can't possibly hurt more than those gashes," the currently powerless shinigami girl argued.

"It sounds strange, but it does," the Strawberry replied with a grimace.

"That's really strange, because you got nearly torn to shreds," Kuchiki commented.

"I don't like it any more than you do. That Hollow was just too strong. And that regeneration was a pain too. No matter how much I cut it, it kept coming back." And now matter how wounded it was, it kept coming like it even didn't feel pain. Ichigo had to cut its mask into several pieces before it finally dissipated.

"Such Hollows really are the most dangerous," Rukia nodded. "If I just had my Sode no Shirayuki, it would have been no problem."

"Your what?" the redhead didn't understand.

"Sode no Shirayuki. My zanpakutou," the girl explained.

"You give names to those things?" Ichigo asked showing a lot of disbelief on his face.

"No, we don't give them names." Rukia looked at him like he was stupid. "They have their own. Discovering your zanpakutou's name is an important step for every shinigami."

"Why is it so important?" the carrot top asked, mainly to distract himself from the rock digging into his back. And also the four deep gashes in his torso and numerous smaller wounds.

"Because it's the key to unlocking their power," Rukia explained.

"What power?" Now the Substitute was genuinely interested. If he just had more power, he wouldn't be lying in the dirt with Rukia healing him now.

"Every zanpakutou is different," the petite girl explained. "For example, my Sode no Shirayuki is an ice elemental type zanpakutou. Her dances are designed to entrap the opponent in ice, freeze him and then shatter him."

"I can see how it would have come in handy today," Ichigo muttered. He'd like to see the Hollow try to regenerate that. But then something occurred to him. "If it is so awesome, why didn't you use it the day my family was targeted? That way you could have dealt with it easily and you wouldn't have lost your powers."

Now Rukia looked both downcast and ashamed. She remained silent for a moment. Ichigo thought she wasn't going to answer, but then she spoke.

"I underestimated it. I thought I wouldn't need it, that I could save my reiryoku for tougher opponents. I wasn't paying attention, I was scolding you, and it got the drop on me. And then I was too weakened by my wounds to use my shikai anymore."

"Shikai?" Kurosaki raised an eyebrow.

"That's what the initial release of the zanpakutou is called," Kuchiki explained.

"Initial release?" Ichigo repeated. "Does that mean there is a second release to?"

"Yes," she nodded, "but only a handful can achieve it. Even the shikai is something only half of the shinigami learn to use. And it's not something you should concern yourself with. Once my powers return, you can forget all about my world."

"Forget about you? That would be impossible."

"Baka!" she hit his head. "You know that lending you my power was illegal. You can only get in trouble."

"I don't care. It's worth it."

"You say that now," Rukia muttered. "And get up, you're all healed."

"Thanks," he grinned. He was so glad he could finally get off the rock. He got up and walked over to the giant blade lying nearby. He picked it up and eyed it like it was the first time he saw it.

"So Sode no Shirayuki," he muttered. But as soon as he said it, there was a feeling of wrongness. Like the sword didn't like being called this name. Rukia laughed.

"Of course this isn't Sode no Shirayuki."

"No?" the carrot-top raised an eyebrow.

"No. The zanpakutou is part of every shinigami's soul, did you forget?"

"I'm sure you never told me before," Kurosaki replied.

"I did. I even drew a diagram!" Rukia answered with irritation.

"Ah, that must be why," Ichigo nodded in understanding.

"And just what was that supposed to mean?" Rukia asked smacking Ichigo over the head.

"I remember now," Ichigo said hurriedly. "Your picture was very enlightening. I can't believe I forgot about it. You were saying?"

"I was saying that every zanpakutou is a part of the soul of the shinigami wielding it. That's why only I can wield Sode no Shirayuki."

"Then what's this?" Ichigo hefted his blade.

"Just an asauchi," Rukia shrugged.

"And that's what?"

"A nameless zanpakutou," she explained. "All weak shinigami wield such."

"Hey! I'm not weak!" the redhead took offense.

"While I admit you have considerable power, you aren't a real shinigami," Kuchiki explained. "That's why you can't have a real zanpakutou. And now return to your body, or you are going to give a scare to that old woman who is about to discover it."

"Oh." Ichigo realized that there really was an old lady about to reach the alley where he left his soulless body. He raced to reach it before she did. But before he entered it, he took one last glance at his sword.

Nameless? he mused. I don't think so. You do have a name, don't you? He couldn't be sure, but he thought he sensed approval coming from the blade. So what's your name? he asked. He didn't get an answer. But he was determined to discover it. He grinned when he imagined Rukia's face when he'd show her.

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Ever since then, the thought of his sword's name refused to leave his mind. He tried talking to Rukia to ask her how he should go around about discovering his zanpakutou's name, but she only laughed him off. She remained firm in her belief that because he wasn't a real shinigami, he couldn't have a real zanpakutou, but he knew she was wrong. His blade had a name, he was getting more and more certain about it with each passing day. If only he had any inkling to what it could be.

If he couldn't have that, he at least asked Rukia to teach him more about the arts of shinigami. She readily agreed. That near-death experience had really spooked both of them. Ichigo learned more about sword techniques, enhancing his strength and speed, detecting reiatsu, improving his ability from hopeless to merely bad, raising his reiatsu for tough battles, though he still didn't get the hang on suppressing it when no fight was going on, and even some basics of Kidou, though his attempts at Hadou #31: Shakkahou either looked like a werelight or exploded in his palm, making Rukia compare him to some Renji character and forbid him trying to use it in battle. And he kept trying to talk to his zanpakutou. Sometimes he thought there was a voice answering him, but it was too faint and he couldn't make out the words. A small voice in his head was telling him that this was only temporary, that once Rukia regained her powers, he would lose his, but he didn't believe it. He felt that the power was his to keep, though he couldn't explain why he was so sure.

All the shinigami training was causing him trouble at school, but he didn't regret it. He came to be especially grateful for it when the Grand Fisher appeared about a month later. Without all his extra abilities, he doubted he would have been able to survive the fight, much less win. And what would have become of his sisters than? The sight of Yuzu dangling in the monster's paw was one that was going to frequent his nightmares for a long time to come. He only regretted that he wasn't able to avenge his mother. He thought he had defeated the Fisher, but then he realized that the Hollow transferred its 'core' to the lure and escaped before he realized what happened. But he wasn't too unhappy about it. Everybody was alright and that was all that mattered.

Life was good until the day he accepted the Quincy's challenge.

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Orihime cowered before the onslaught of her possessed classmates. She was on the verge of despair. She had tried to convince her friends to leave, but she couldn't do it without mentioning what the problem was. And who would believe her that there was a huge tentacle monster with hearts for eyes? They would think she was even crazier than they thought now. Maybe she should have been more forceful. But she didn't know how to do that. And now they were all going to die.

Then she heard several loud slaps and the barrage disappeared. She dared to look up.

"What are you guys doing?" Tatsuki's angry voice cut through the air.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime exclaimed. She was torn between feeling relieved and worried. On one hand, she was glad to have her long-term friend and protector here, on the other, she wasn't sure that Tatsuki's karate prowess would be enough to defeat this monstrosity, especially if she couldn't even see it.

"I'm sorry, Orihime, I didn't realize it earlier that this thing was here."

"This thing? You can see it?" Inoue asked a bit surprised.

"Yes," Tatsuki answered. "It's a bit blurry, but I can see it well enough. The huge one!" she faced the Hollow. "You mistook who it is you're fighting! Come and get it! Since the old days I have always been the one who beats the shit out of those who make Orihime cry!"

Then the fight begun. Tatsuki managed to beat the possessed students easily enough, they had absolutely no style or tactics. They were just marching straight to their target, trying to overwhelm the two girls with their numbers.

"Come on, what's wrong? None of you are a match for me!" the dark-haired girl taunted.

"Oh my, such a lively girl," the monster spoke. "That's fine. The livelier a girl's face, the prettier it is when it contorts to tears!" And then the downed students rose again in another onslaught. Tatsuki managed to fight them off for a while, but then one managed to grab her from behind and with her movements limited, she soon found herself completely restrained. She felt something entering her shoulder, but strangely enough, there was no pain.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime cried desperately from where she was being held down by three of their possessed classmates.

The monster began gloating. It explained how the seeds that had just hit her were going to take control of her body and make her do its bidding. And then it began thinking up possible gruesome fates for Orihime, while the red-haired girl listened with tearful eyes. Tatsuki cursed herself for not realizing the danger earlier. There had been the strange feeling in the air and then Orihime began acting oddly, trying to usher them away. And she didn't heed her warnings, opting instead to change her clothes instead, secure in her belief that there was nothing she couldn't handle. And now they were both going to die a gruesome death because of her overconfidence. She looked at her clenched fists. She was always so proud of her ability to beat up anyone, but now it did them no good. Tatsuki couldn't bear it anymore. She was supposed to be the strong one, the one protecting her friend. Not the one who was bound and in need of rescue herself. She won't suffer it.

She felt something inside give way. Something shifted and it felt as if something fell into place. Suddenly she didn't feel powerless and desperate anymore. She bit into one of the hands holding her. It let go with a jerk, giving her a little space to move. She used it to all it was worth. She jabbed her elbow into the stomach of a second attacker and stomped on the foot of the third. A few more hits and she was free.

"I'm going to kill you," she growled. The monster looked startled. It fired another of its seeds at her, but it was slow. She saw it coming from a mile away and dodged easily. Then she started after the tentacle thingy.

Even though its face was like a mask, it still managed to look shocked. It barely had the time to raise one of its appendages before Tatsuki's strike landed. Bloody gashes appeared all over the tentacle and the Hollow wailed in pain. Tatsuki kicked it. The wounded tentacle fell apart.

"Unforgivable!" the monster roared shooting multiple spores at once. Tatsuki tried her best to dodge, but there were too many to avoid completely. She felt three more entering her body and she was knocked down. The Hollow used the brief reprieve to escape to the school roof.

Tatsuki picked herself up, considering what she should do. The monster was momentarily out of reach and its cursed seeds were working their magic on her. She already couldn't use her left arm and she knew she was going to lose control over more body parts soon. She had no time to use the stairs to get up. It would just jump down and hurt Orihime.

Before she could come up with a plan, she was attacked by her possessed classmates again. She found it very hard to defend with only one arm. She struck the seed embedded in her left shoulder and it shattered, but her arm remained useless. No good. Then she felt a punch flying towards her neck and when she tried to dodge, her leg refused to obey her. She had only the time to think crap before her world turned to darkness.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime cried in despair. No! This couldn't be happening! Not Tatsuki-chan! Who would protect her now? No! She can't be forever the one being protected. Now it was her turn to protect Tatsuki-chan. She felt something moving inside her chest, a wave of warmth and light rising. Her hairpins disappeared, transforming into six little fairies. After that, the fight ended shortly.

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Ichigo was staring at the monstrosity crawling out of the tear in the sky. His first impression was that it was huge. Much, much bigger than any Hollow he had seen before. The second one was that it was powerful. Its spiritual pressure easily dwarfed everything he had felt before. It made the monstrosity extremely scary, despite its grotesquely clownish appearance.

"What the hell is that?" he asked no-one in particular.

"I have no idea," Ishida replied. He too was staring at the giant wide-eyed.

Ichigo cursed himself for not finding and stopping the last Quincy sooner, but it felt to him like every time he made three steps in any direction, a Hollow popped out and he had to stop and fight it. None of them had been particularly difficult opponents, most of them requiring no more than one or two strikes, but there was just no end to them. He had never imagined that there could be so many Hollows in the world. Where were they coming from? He could only hope that his family and friends were alright. And he wished Rukia was here now. He could use her guidance. He was sure she could give him some sound advice in this situation. She always could. But instead only Urahara and his crew appeared. And though their assistance was welcome, it just wasn't the same.

They watched in astonishment as the giant ate the regular Hollows in vicinity.

"What can we do about this thing?" Uryuu asked. "It's enormous."

"We just cut at it until nothing is left," Ichigo decided. He tried to sound confident, even if he didn't feel that way. But really, what else could he do? He had to protect the people of Karakura after that idiot of a Quincy put them all in danger because of some silly old grudge. He remembered everything Rukia had taught him. Concentrate. Send your reiryoku to your blade. Keep it concentrated. Attack!

He sprung forward, sword poised to strike. He swung with all his might, slashing the Menos' leg. It cut deep, but failed to sever the limb. The giant Hollow kicked absentmindedly, like a horse swatting away a fly, and sent Kurosaki sailing through the air. He landed in a heap at Ishida's legs. The Quincy began scolding him on his lousy battle tactics. Like you had one, Ichigo thought climbing on his feet. So what did we learn from this? That thing isn't invulnerable, just tough. All it needs is more power. He attacked again. The results were the same as the first time. Oh well, he thought, if I slash at it long enough, its leg will eventually come off.

Ishida grabbed his bow, preparing to scold him again. But then his spiritual bow suddenly grew twice as tall as he was. He stared at it in bewilderment, and then a plan formed in his head. He began explaining it to Kurosaki, but suddenly paused. There was a change in the Menos' reiatsu. It was rising. Both teenagers turned around to see what was going on. A red light was forming between the Hollow's jaws.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"No idea," Ishida admitted.

There was no time to think. Whatever the giant Hollow was doing, it was undoubtedly dangerous. Probably more dangerous than anything he had encountered before. He had to act and stop it and he had to do it now. He gripped the handle of his sword harder. Give me strength, he asked the blade silently. He could feel its silent reassurance and a feeling of power seeping through his veins. Beside him, Uryuu was still describing his master plan, but the redhead paid him no mind. He dashed forward.

The Gillian finished charging the Cero and fired. Thick, red beam of concentrated energy headed straight towards the young shinigami. Ichigo swung his sword against it. The zanpakutou connected with the beam. The Cero was powerful. So powerful. The teen could feel it pushing him back, threatening to overcome his defense any moment. There was a flash of light and suddenly Ichigo found himself falling. A feeling of vertigo overcame him.

He was lying on something smooth, cold and hard, but he didn't remember the impact with the surface. What did happen? Where was he? How did he get there? Was he dead?

"Ichigo," a voice called his name. "Ichigo." He realized that the speaker had been calling him for quite some time. He sat up, looking for the source of the voice. There, on a metal pole extending from the glassy plane he was sitting on, stood a man. He was garbed in strange black clothes, his long wavy hair bellowing round his shoulders, his cold pale eyes hidden behind light brown shades.

"Who are you?" the teenager asked.

"Who am I?" The man looked at him like he was stupid. "It's me, ~~~~~~~~." Ichigo couldn't understand the last word the stranger said, but now he thought about it, the voice sounded familiar.

"Are you my zanpakutou?"

"Yes."

"So where are we?" the boy asked looking around. He made to stand up but immediately sat down again, when he took in his surroundings. He was sitting on a wall of a skyscraper. Clearly seeing the ground down below and the sky high up, only they didn't seem down and up but behind and in front of him. It was like the gravity got bored with pulling things down all the time and decided to drag them horizontally instead. He couldn't shake the feeling that it was going to get back to work anytime now and he'd plummet to his death on the pavement.

"Don't look so scared," the spirit told him. "This is your inner world. You won't fall."

"Why is everything sideways?" Ichigo's voice was trembling a bit. Despite the zanpakutou's reassurance, it was hard to believe that he wasn't going to fall.

"It represents your heart and mind."

"Are you telling me I'm skewed in the mind?" Ichigo sounded more curious than offended.

"No."

"Then why is everything sideways?" the redhead didn't understand.

"You should know best," the sword spirit answered mysteriously.

"But I don't," the shinigami sighed.

"Maybe you'll understand once," the man shrugged. "But that isn't important right now."

"Than what is?"

"The battle you're fighting." Oh yes, the giant, freakishly strong Hollow. How could he have forgotten?

"Damn, I have no time! I have to get back!"

"No, you don't. No time passes in the outside world while you are here."

"That's good to hear." Ichigo was relieved. He really didn't want to think about what might be happening to his spiritual body if that wasn't the case.

"So why am I here?" he asked.

"Do you have to ask?" the man tilted his head sideways. "I thought it was obvious." Ichigo paused for a moment to think about it. Why would he be here when there was a freakish giant Hollow about to fry him with its energy beam? Now he formulated the question this way, the answer really did seem obvious.

"Because I need your power."

"Yes," the dark-haired man nodded. "I thought you were ready to hear my name, but it seems you aren't on the level yet."

"Maybe you can try it again?" Ichigo pleaded. "I almost got it the last time."

"Do you think it will help?" the zanpakutou questioned.

"It better have to," Kurosaki answered. "Otherwise I'm toast. We're both toast."

"Then listen well. My name is ~~~~~~~~."

"Eh, sorry," Ichigo scratched his head in embarrassment. "I guess it didn't help after all."

"What did you expect?" the zanpakutou spirit shrugged. "Did you really think you have improved significantly within the last minute?"

"When you put it that way, it really sounds stupid. But what else can I do? If I don't get some extra power soon, I'm going to end up as a stain on the ground."

"I can help you only if you are receptive to my help," the zanpakutou spirit replied.

"What does that mean?" the boy wanted to know.

"Exactly what I said," the man answered.

"Thanks, old man," Ichigo muttered sarcastically, "that really helped."

"It would help more if you thought about it," the black-clad man suggested.

"I don't have the time to think!" the redhead shouted. "I have to fight or that thing will kill me and who knows who else."

"Didn't you listen?" the zanpakutou spirit scolded. "I told you no time passes outside."

"Yeah." Ichigo calmed down a bit. "But it's hard to actually believe it, you know?" The man didn't answer. "You're not making it any easier," the Strawberry complained.

"I'm not supposed to make it easier. You have to deserve it."

"Deserve it? How?"

"That's for you to figure out."

"Thanks a lot," Ichigo replied sarcastically. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing mind. So talking to the spirit didn't help. What else could he do? What did Rukia say about shikai beside that he won't be able to ever achieve it? That he'd need to learn the name. So far, it wasn't helping. But there must have been something else. Some actually helpful hint. If he could just remember and recognize it as such... Oh, wait, didn't she once mention the shinigami works in harmony with their zanpakutou? He wasn't sure what the 'harmony' exactly meant, but arguing with the spirit probably wasn't it. Well, it was an idea worth a try.

"Old man?" he asked. The spirit looked at him intently. "Uh, I know we probably started on the wrong foot, but... I'd really like if we could go along better. I probably don't have the right to demand anything of you, but could you please help me deal with that giant Hollow so we can learn to get along later?"

The spirit smiled slightly. "Of course I can. As long as you would listen, I can help you. Now, go back. And remember. My name is..."

The sound was nearly drowned by the roar of the Hollow, when Ichigo suddenly found himself back in the real world, being pushed back by the weird energy beam. His muscles were straining, barely able to hold off the attack anymore. But the name was still echoing in his mind.

"Zangetsu!" he called and immediately he could feel the rush of power racing through him. He thought the hilt in his hands changed shape slightly, but he paid it little attention. The Hollow was a more pressing concern.

He pushed against the Cero and suddenly it was easy to slice through it. He swung with all his might and he could see something separating from his blade, surging forward towards the grotesque creature. He couldn't see it clearly, his eyes were blinded by the light of the Cero.

Then the attack suddenly stopped. Ichigo blinked to clear his eyes. The giant Hollow was cut from its shoulder down, both halves of it falling to the ground. It let out an ear-bursting soul-shattering shriek. Ichigo nearly faltered, but regained his composure quickly. He had to act promptly, while he could still feel Zangetsu's power inside him. He raced towards the Hollow's head, reaching it just as it hit the ground. One mighty swing of his blade cut through the clownish mask. The Menos slowly dissipated into spiritual matter.

Ichigo sighed in relief. That had been close. Then he sank to his knees as fatigue suddenly hit him. The fight had taken more of him than he originally thought.

"It wasn't the fight," Zangetsu's voice sounded in his head. "It was summoning me for the first time that took so much of your energy. Next time it will be easier."

"Thanks. I don't think I could endure another battle like this."

"Who are you talking to, Kurosaki?" Ishida's voice interrupted.

"Uh..." Ichigo hesitated. What would the Quincy think if he said he was talking to his sword? And why did it matter what he would think?

"You don't have to talk to me aloud," Zangetsu said. "I can hear your thoughts."

"That's good to know," Ichigo thought before the exhaustion caught up with him and he fainted.

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Orihime, Chad and Tatsuki were watching Ichigo and Uryuu fight the Menos Grande from the window of a nearby building.

"So that's the world Urahara-san was talking about," Orihime observed.

"Yes," Tatsuki answered. She hated just watching idly. She wanted to be out there and help and she was sure Chad felt the same, but she understood that this battle was far above her current level.

"So I guess this is where we have to decide whether to step through the door or not," Orihime commented.

"No, it's not," Tatsuki opposed.

"What do you mean, Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime asked in confusion.

"Look there," the dark-haired girl pointed. "Now that you've seen it, can you really return to your old life and pretend this never happened?"

"No," the redhead shook her head. Chad mirrored her action.

"So you see it. That Urahara fellow is a trickster. He led us here because he knew there was only one possible choice for us now." She had nearly attacked the businessman when they had awoken in his shop and her opinion of him didn't improve a bit since then.

"Don't speak about him like that," Orihime protested. "He saved us."

"Only after we saved ourselves," Tatsuki scoffed. "If he really was such a philanthrope as he says, he would have acted immediately."

"Maybe he couldn't get to us sooner," Orihime theorized.

"No," Tatsuki shook her head, "he's far too resourceful for that. He wanted us to use our powers first. I tell you, that guy's plotting something."

"But what?" the long-haired girl questioned.

"I wish I knew," Tatsuki sighed.

"Do you regret gaining your powers?" Chad asked.

"No," Tatsuki replied. "Not at all." Orihime nodded in agreement.

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"I still can't believe you really did it," Rukia shook her head. For somebody to defeat a Menos Grande, that was a feat worthy of the best of the best in the Soul Society. It usually fell to captains, though lieutenants were also capable of it, though with great effort. She had never heard of anyone below Third Seat accomplishing it.

"I have trouble believing it myself too," Ichigo replied. He had woken up in his bed a short while earlier, feeling tired, but no longer about to pass out. Today's battle felt surreal to him; if it wasn't for the soft hum of Zangetsu's presence in the back of his mind, he would doubt his memories. But as it was, he was glad that it happened. After discovering his zanpakutou's name, he felt complete, like he never did before. "Guess I should thank Ishida," he muttered. "Even if he's a jerk."

"What?" Rukia blinked in confusion. "Why would you do that?"

"If he didn't release the Hollow bait, I wouldn't have talked to old man Zangetsu today," the carrot-top explained.

"That's another thing I don't understand," the petite girl said. "How could a mere Substitute acquire a zanpakutou, let alone shikai? It's unheard of."

"Well," Ichigo scratched his head, "I guess it isn't so unheard of anymore."

"Don't make fun of it," Kuchiki scolded him. "It's a serious matter."

"Of course it is."

"So how did you do it?" she inquired. He shrugged.

"As I was about to get blasted by that energy beam thing, I suddenly appeared in the weird sideways world, saw that old guy, talked to him for a while and he told me his name," the redhead explained.

"This doesn't explain it."

"It's the only explanation I have," Ichigo shrugged.

"But I still don't understand it," Rukia sighed. "How could you have a zanpakutou? And one different from mine? You aren't a real shinigami."

"I am," Ichigo stated.

"You're just a substitute," the girl argued. "You had no shinigami powers before I gave you mine. So how is this possible?"

"I have no idea," Kurosaki shrugged. "I just know that it is possible and that I'm glad it is."

"Yeah," Rukia sighed. She still didn't know what happened here, but she knew one thing for certain: there was no way the Soul Society could have missed what had transpired today. And that meant one thing: they'll be getting visitors soon. Her time here was up.

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Rukia was running. She didn't like it a bit, but she had no choice. The time she had spent in the Living World, with Ichigo and his friends, it didn't matter whether hunting Hollows or just hanging out and talking about this and that, it felt all like a dream to her. A dream she had to wake up from. The time when she could just be herself, without the restrictions placed upon her as a member of the noble Kuchiki house, was the happiest in her life. She wished she could have stayed longer, but that would mean putting the redhead in danger. She had already stayed for far too long. The hunters from the Soul Society were nearby, she could feel them despite her powers still being depleted.

She prayed that Ichigo would not follow her. She had left him a note saying so, but she couldn't be sure he would obey. But it was Ichigo. He was almost certain to disobey. She could only hope he would take long enough for everything to be over by the time he'd arrive. He might be unbelievably strong, but he was still no match for the true elites of the Gotei 13 and Onmitsukidou.

"Kuchiki Rukia, Found ya!" She had been expecting it, but still the voice nearly made her heart stop. She slowly turned around. Sure enough, there stood her once-time best friend Renji and behind him...

"Nii-sama," she whispered. That was bad. If Ichigo indeed did show up, he wouldn't stand a chance.

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Rukia watched as Ishida collapsed to the ground. Why did the Quincy have to come to her assistance? Was it his stupid pride or what? He stood no chance against Nii-sama or even Renji. She could tell that he wasn't dead, but his condition would become serious if he spent the night out in the cold. She hoped somebody would find him soon. The street was deserted at this time of night, but some late walker would appear, wouldn't he? Almost as soon as she thought it somebody did appear. She shuddered as the familiar reiatsu slammed into her. Ichigo, you idiot, she thought. Why couldn't you heed my warning?

Kurosaki completely ignored her pleading glance telling him to run. Rukia really should learn to trust in his abilities more. Didn't he just achieve shikai? He was eager to test it on those two guys that had come to capture her. When the red-haired tattooed punk ridiculed 'the stupidly huge sword on his back,' it made him that more determined to show him what Zangetsu's released form could do.

Renji attacked first, cocky and assured of his victory. He showered Ichigo with slashes. Kurosaki had to admit that his opponent was good. His strikes were strong and fast. Ichigo had to raise his reiatsu to keep up with him. When he got bored of it, he went on the offensive. He swung Zangetsu at Renji, causing the lieutenant to jump back in surprise. Ichigo immediately followed up with another attack. Abarai was hard-pressed to defend.

After a minute of this, Renji jumped back to create distance between them.

"I have to admit that you are good," he spoke, "but it isn't enough."

"Oh?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "It looks like you're the one pushed back."

"That's because I wasn't fighting with my true strength," the lieutenant explained. "I will be now. Howl, Zabimaru!" Ichigo watched as Renji's sword lengthened and changed into something that looked like a saw. "Behold the sword that will take your life and then Rukia will regain her powers."

"Big words," Ichigo scoffed. So Renji's reiatsu rose and his sword grew, but it still wasn't something he couldn't deal with. In the next instant he was forced to reassess his opinion. Zabimaru suddenly lengthened, aiming for his neck. When Ichigo blocked it, the blade curled around Zangetsu and bit into his shoulder deeply. Ichigo cried out in pain, nearly dropping his sword.

"So you see the difference between our strengths now?" Renji sneered.

"No," Ichigo replied. He raised his reiatsu further and attacked Renji. The tattooed lieutenant was completely taken aback by the sudden increase in his speed and strength. But he wasn't a lieutenant for nothing and through his greater skill and experience held his own against a clearly superior opponent. But eventually Ichigo prevailed, knocking Zabimaru from his hand. Renji stared at it in shock.

"So who's the stronger one now?" he asked, raising Zangetsu to finish his opponent. The other redhead had really pissed him.

What happened next was so fast that he barely saw a blur. Pain suddenly exploded in his chest and he felt weak. He realized that the other guy was standing behind him now. He had been so quiet that Ichigo had completely forgotten about his presence until he chose to act.

"You're slow," the man Rukia called 'brother' said in a condescending tone. "Even when toppling down." Ichigo wanted to wipe the arrogant expression on his face, but he couldn't. All his strength had left him. He could only collapse to the ground, Zangetsu falling from his limp fingers and reverting to his original form. He watched helplessly as the two shinigami grabbed Rukia, preparing to take her away. He had to do something, even with his weakened body. He grabbed Byakuya's pants.

To his surprise, it was Rukia who stomped on his wrist. As he listened to her rant about coming to her senses, he wondered who she was trying to fool. She certainly didn't sound like she believed a word of what she was saying. When she turned to him and told him that if he followed her, she would never forgive him, he was struck by the look of desperation on her face. He resolved to save her, no matter what. But as he watched the party walk through the Senkaimon and disappear from his sight, he wondered how he was going to accomplish it. He felt so weak he couldn't even move. He was bleeding, his blood mixing with the rain that started the moment the Senkaimon closed. He found it oddly appropriate. He lied there, wondering how he was going to defeat the conceited noble, who didn't consider him worth finishing off, if he was going to die here. And he was afraid he was dying. Either the night was getting darker or his eyesight was failing. And either the rain was getting colder or the cold was inside him. The last though he had before his mind plunged into the darkness was that the rain had stopped.

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The first sensation to register in Ichigo's mind was warmth. He was lying somewhere warm and it was comfortable. That was strange. Last thing he remembered he was lying on the cold pavement, his blood mixing with the rain. So how did he end up here? Was he dead and this was Heaven? Or Soul Society, where Rukia lived and now was held prisoner? The thought made him open his eyes with a snap. That was when he realized that there was somebody lying on top of him. Namely a really big guy. His body jerked with shock. That was when the pain hit. As he pushed Urahara's huge assistant off him, he realized that he wasn't dead. If he were, his wounds wouldn't hurt so much and he doubted the afterlife looked exactly like the Urahara Shouten.

After he calmed down from his freak-out caused by being in the same bed with a man, the shopkeeper himself appeared and explained him the situation. Then he asked him whether he wanted to gain his powers back. The answer was obvious. He needed all his strength to help Rukia. And he had to help her. Not only was she his friend, he owed it to her. And there was another reason. Despite having Zangetsu for a very short time, hiss loss felt like somebody (Kuchiki-taichou) had ripped out a part of his soul and discarded it. Even if there was no other reason, he would try to regain his powers for just that. And once he had his strength back, he and Zangetsu would charge into the Soul Society and free Rukia. He left the shop in a determined mood. The only thing he regretted was that he had to wait until he healed before he could start training.

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The three friends were standing in the street, watching Ichigo's retreating back.

"So he's going to train," Inoue said. "What are we going to do?"

"Train, what else," Tatsuki replied with a shrug.

"But..." the orange-haired girl started.

"But what?" the dark-haired one replied. "Do you want to just sit back and watch him run off on his own? I thought you wanted to save Rukia-chan."

"I do, but what can I really do? I'm not strong like him," Inoue said, her eyes downcast.

"Nonsense," Tatsuki stated. "You slew the monster I couldn't, didn't you?"

"Well, I did," Orihime admitted.

"Then you are plenty strong," the martial artist concluded.

"But I don't know how to do it again," the redhead admitted.

"That's what the training is for," Tatsuki informed her. "And we're also going to revise your karate. And yours too," she looked at Chad. The giant nodded.

"But what about the National Karate Competition?" Orihime asked. "It's just a few days away and you looked forward to it so much."

"Forget about some stupid competition, Rukia is more important," the dark-haired girl stated. "And do you really expect me to let Ichigo run off on his own? He'd get himself killed if there weren't somebody to keep him in line."

"I know, but still," Orihime said. "The nationals were your dream."

"I said forget it," Tatsuki replied. "There's always next year. Besides, if I contended now, I'm not sure I wouldn't kill somebody accidentally. I broke the kitchen sink yesterday when my powers suddenly activated. It was a pain to explain it to my parents."

"But how are we going to train?" the red-haired girl wondered. "We don't know anything about it. If we only had a teacher like Ichigo..."

"If you're looking for a teacher, I can help you." The trio turned around, looking for the source of the voice. There was nobody in the vicinity, neither alive or dead, only a black cat was grooming its coat.

"Huh?" Orihime blinked. "Who said that?"

"I did," the cat answered. "Do you want to become my students?"

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Ichigo lay at the bottom of the Shattered Shaft, bound and irritated. Damn you, Urahara, he thought. When he had agreed to train with the shady shopkeeper to regain his power, he hadn't expected this. Being pushed out of his body wasn't so bad. Being chased around by that creepy little girl was worse, but he could do it. But having his Chain of Fate severed, being bound and thrown into this hellish pit was worse than anything he could imagine. If the Corrasions weren't bad enough, that redhead brat had to taunt him regularly. Just wait, you miserable little wretch, I'm going to get out of here and wring your neck, just watch it. But first he had to get out and for that he needed to regain his power.

Zangetsu! He called. Where are you, Zangetsu? No answer. The zanpakutou spirit wasn't just silent, it was like he wasn't even there. It was like Urahara said. His Soul Sleep had been nearly destroyed. If Byakuya's sword struck just a millimeter higher, he would have lost his power forever. It was a good think that the nobleman didn't realize that the redhead had his own powers and aimed only for Rukia's, despite having seen his shikai. As Urahara said, for all his smarts, the head of the Kuchiki clan was surprisingly dense. When Ichigo asked how did he know, the mysterious shopkeeper avoided the question. But it didn't matter. What mattered was that now there was still a chance. He just had to find it and rediscover his shinigami powers before he turned into a Hollow. So far, he had zero success.

Zangetsu! He called again, hoping beyond hope that maybe now the zanpakutou spirit would finally answer. But it didn't happen. He kept calling for the Old Man until the next Corrasion hit him.

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They found an abandoned building at the outskirts of Karakura. It was scheduled for demolition in a month, so it wouldn't matter how much damage they would inflict on it. Unless they brought it down on their heads, as Orihime remarked. Yoruichi just told them that they'd have to be careful. So now they were standing in an empty hall, trying to remember what it was like when they first activated their powers. The talking cat explained to them that their emotional and mental state was important for using their spiritual power.

Tatsuki looked at where Orihime and Chad were having no success in their endeavor. It wasn't as easy as it sounded. She recalled her own experience. What was she feeling at the time? Fear and anger. Fear that they were going to die and anger at the monster responsible. And the desire to protect. She wanted to save Orihime and loathed herself for being too weak to do so. And she remembered something snapping inside and a sudden rush of power. She concentrated on the feeling, trying to cal it forth again. Nothing, not a twitch. She punched a wall experimentally. Yep, still nothing. She just nearly hurt her hand. Back to the starting point.

She closed her eyes and tried to recall the straight-out-of-a-horror-movie scene. She pictured the tentacle thingy leering at her with its heart-shaped eyes. She pictured their possessed classmates and their empty stares. She tried to recall the feeling of their hands on her body, but failed. And last she pictured the tearful face of Orihime, looking at her with desperation. She thought she felt something moving inside her, opened her eyes and punched the closest wall. Nothing again. Maybe she wasn't imagining hard enough?

She closed her eyes again and tried again. Orihime's tears. Chizuru's empty gaze. The Hollow's laughter. Orihime's scared shriek. Wait, that wasn't just her imagination. Tatsuki opened her eyes just in time to see Orihime running around, six little lights flying around her, pulling her hair and attacking her face.

"Orihime!" she cried in rage. She leapt forward and swung at the closest light. It dodged and Tatsuki's hand struck the pillar. It crumbled.

"What are you doing?" Inoue shouted.

"What?" Tatsuki blinked in surprise.

"Yes, what are you doing, woman?"

Tatsuki blinked again. There was a little pixie floating in front of her eyes, looking ready to attack her any moment. His eyes staring from above a scarf hiding the lower half of his face certainly belonged to someone dangerous.

"I'm saving Orihime," she answered.

"From what?" the midget asked.

"Yes, from what?" the redhead girl echoed. "Those are just my Shun Shun Rikka."

"Your what?" Tatsuki blinked in incomprehension.

"My Shun Shun Rikka," Inoue repeated. "They are my power."

"Then why were they attacking you?" Tatsuki questioned.

"Yes, why?" Orihime turned to her animated hairpins. The pixies answered all at once. Neither of the girls could make much sense of their chatter.

"Enough dawdling," Yoruichi commanded, "Now you both activated your powers, use them."

"Yes, sensei," the two girls bowed in unison. They moved to practice some more.

Before they could do anything, there was a flash of light followed by a loud explosion. Everybody whirled around to see what was going on. Chad was standing there, purple and black armor enveloping his right arm, and he was staring at the remains of the wall he just blasted away.

"Wow," Orihime said.

"Somebody might have noticed this," Tatsuki pointed out. There was a creaking sound.

"Out!" Yoruichi yelled. "Run!" They didn't need to be told twice. Everybody darted for the door.

Tatsuki stopped a short distance away from the building and realized that she was alone. Huh? Where was everybody? She watched the door intently for any sign of them. She was debating going back inside when the threesome finally sprinted through the door. Shortly afterwards there was a loud crash as the ceiling collapsed. Dust flew through the broken windows.

"Are you alright?" Tatsuki shouted concerned.

"Yes," Orihime answered. Chad nodded.

"We cats have nine lives," Yoruichi stated.

"What took you so long?" the dark-haired girl inquired.

"We ran our fastest," Orihime answered. "You moved like when somebody pushes the fast forward on the VCR."

"What?" Arisawa didn't understand.

"Tis so," Yoruichi nodded. "It looks like a part of your powers grant you enhanced speed. That's a useful ability to have."

"So what now?" Tatsuki asked looking at the cat.

"No we're going to find a new training spot."

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Ichigo roared in pain and despair. The three days were finally up and he still didn't manage to make contact with Zangetsu or enter his inner world. He was utterly alone in the Shaft. And now the Corrasion was eating the last segment of his Chain of Fate. It hurt. It hurt like hell. He had thought he was prepared for the onslaught of pain by the previous Corrasions, but even put together they had nothing on this one. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was just about ready to give into despair. But he couldn't. Despair was what drove plus souls to become Hollows. Despair would speed up his transformation. He had to fight it. But how? He could already feel the mask forming on his face. He wanted to reach out and rip it off, but he couldn't. Tessai's spell held firm. He cursed the big man silently. If he just had his arms free, he could tear the mask off and then... no, it wouldn't be fine. Just destroying the mask wasn't enough to stop the transformation. It would simply reform. The only way to truly stop it was to find his shinigami powers like Urahara said. Unfortunately that was easier said than done.

"Zangetsu!" he cried in a last desperate attempt to summon his zanpakutou. It sounded like an inarticulate yell. He hoped beyond hope that the zanpakutou spirit would answer. But he still couldn't hear him. And the Corrasion was spreading. The mask was growing. The world was crumbling around him, the giant skyscrapers falling apart, the boxes they were made from falling to the ground. Wait, this was his Inner World. So he had finally reached it, just in time to see it crumble to dust. Just his luck.

But he couldn't give up. He had already succeeded in the first part of regaining his powers. He was in his Inner World. Now he only had to find Zangetsu. Even if it was in the nick of time, he would prevail.

He looked around, but couldn't see the old man anywhere. "Zangetsu!" he called and this time he heard an answer.

"Ichigo!" It was far and distant and he wasn't sure he didn't imagine it.

"Zangetsu!" called again. "Where are you?"

"Here!" Well, that answers everything, Ichigo thought sarcastically. He couldn't tell what direction was the old man's voice coming from.

"Where?" he shouted. "I can't see you!"

"Find me!" the zanpakutou urged. "You have to find me and claim your shinigami power back!"

And just what am I trying to do? Ichigo grimaced. But there was no time to dawdle. The skyscrapers were already reduced to half their height and were crumbling further. And all the boxes they broke into looked the same. Ichigo knew that Zangetsu was inside one of them, but he couldn't tell which one.

Okay, concentrate, he tried to calm himself down. How do I find something with spiritual power? His reiatsu-sensing abilities hadn't been good even before he had lost his power. But there had to be something he could do. He wracked his brain for something useful. He remembered the time he and Rukia had chased after Chad and the cursed parakeet. He had materialized the spirit threads, reiraku or something, and found the two. Maybe he could do it again.

He concentrated. He wished the spiritual energy in the air to take form. It worked. He realized that at least a part of his powers had come back. Or was it his new Hollow powers manifesting? He decided not to think about it. He had to locate Zangetsu first. But it was proving to be a problem. There were countless spiritual ribbons around him and all of them looked the same. There was no way to tell which one of them belonged to Zangetsu. He touched one of them experimentally and immediately recoiled as if struck. This one definitely didn't belong to Zangetsu. It felt more like a Hollow.

Then he realized that the ribbon remained stuck to his palm. He tried to shake it off, but it didn't work. The box attached to it moved closer. The lid began to open. Ichigo was hit with a sudden sense of panic. If he pulled out whatever was in this box, he would turn into a Hollow for sure. He didn't know why he was so certain, but there was no doubt in his mind. He had to find Zangetsu pronto and cut off that thing or he would be lost. But how to recognize the correct one? The boxes still looked all the same. And then he remembered the conversation he had with Ishida. The Quincy had told him how to recognize a shinigami's reiraku. But what was it? What did Ishida say as he held the red ribbon in his hand? Wait, that was it: the ribbon was red. Usually they were white. So was there anything red around?

His eyes searched frantically for a hint of red. The box attached to his hand was open now and something was revealed inside. Ichigo thought it looked like a skull, but he didn't spare it a second glance. He had to find the red ribbon. But where was it? Just as he was about to give into despair, he noticed it. A glimpse of red amongst the sea of white. It was so far away. And the skyscrapers were already... he couldn't see them anymore. Only the white boxes falling through a black void, disappearing into nothingness. He didn't even notice when had the scenery changed.

He rushed towards the red ribbon. There was nothing to step on, but it didn't matter. When he wasn't thinking about it, he could run just fine. He dragged the open box behind him, the monster inside slowly climbing out. Ichigo didn't turn around.

Finally he reached the red ribbon. He grabbed it and pulled. A box landed in his arms. Ichigo waited for nothing and opened it. Inside was the hilt of a sword. A familiar one.

"Zangetsu!" he cried in relief as he grabbed it. Suddenly he realized that there were no boxes around anymore. Only the one containing Zangetsu and the one stuck to his hand remained.

"Hurry!" Zangetsu's voice urged him. "Pull me out! There's no time!" Ichigo could see it himself. The creature from the other box was already halfway out. It was almost like looking in a mirror, but a twisted one. It was his face, but it was bone white and the bloodthirsty sneer on it twisted it into an appearance of a monster. Ichigo knew that it was him as a Hollow. It was what he would become if he didn't succeed here.

He pulled Zangetsu out of the box. But as he was doing it, the box disappeared. He realized that he held only half of the blade in his hand. But he had a more pressing concern. His Hollow self had climbed out of the box fully and was now advancing at him with obviously malicious intent. Ichigo swung Zangetsu's broken half at him. But thanks to the sword being shorter than he was used to, he didn't reach the creature. He only cut through the ribbon connecting them. The white apparition screamed in anger and then began falling into the darkness. Before it disappeared out of sight, it shouted.

"You could cut me off, but you cannot get rid of me! I'll be back!"

Then both the Hollow and the darkness disappeared. Ichigo realized he was standing in Urahara's basement again. He had no idea how he had gotten out of the Shattered Shaft. But it didn't matter right now. What concerned him more was that he saw the world through two slits in a mask. There was a mask on his face. A Hollow's mask. Did he fail after all? No! He didn't feel like a Hollow. He was going to get rid of the mask and forget it ever existed. He slammed Zangetsu's hilt into it. It cracked. He hit it again, harder. The mask broke apart and fell off, leaving only a few shards in his hair. Ichigo looked down. He was dressed in his black shihakushou. He checked his body. No hole. He exhaled in relief.

"I did it."

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"Shun'ou, Ayame, Souten Kisshun: I reject!" The two fairies separated themselves from Orihime's hairpin and settled around Tatsuki's leg, forming a glowing golden shield between them. She had no trouble activating her technique now. The dark-haired girl sighed in relief. She had torn her muscles in an attempt to determine how fast could she run and it hurt more than anything she had experienced during her karate career. But as soon as Orihime's technique began, she could feel the pain lessening.

"That's quite a technique you have," she said.

"Really?" Inoue looked up.

"Yes," Tatsuki confirmed. "I can already feel it working. Normally this would take months to heal, but you can do it within minutes." Orihime blushed. "I just wonder, why do you always say 'I reject'?"

"It's part of the spell," the redhead answered.

"I know, but why?" Arisawa questioned.

"They said so," the redhead answered, not understanding where her friend was heading with this.

"But why did they say so?" Tatsuki prodded. "Why not say 'I heal' if that's what you're doing?"

"I don't know," Orihime answered, confused. "They said something about rejecting the damage, but I can't remember it clearly."

"Then ask."

"What?"

"Ask them again," Tatsuki advised her. "Knowing the extent of your abilities would be very useful. And you have the advantage that your powers can talk, so use it. Ask them what all can they do and how to do it." Orihime stared at her for a while. Then she broke into a grin.

"Tatsuki-chan is so clever! I wouldn't have thought of it myself! Hey! Shun Shun Rikka! What can you do?" The fairies whirled around her head.

"Hey! Don't forget to heal my leg first!"

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Just knock the hat off my head, that's what the shopkeeper had said. Ichigo was happy to try. In fact, he would be quite happy to knock off the head as well. After what Urahara had put him through, he was more than just angry. Furious was more like it. He had released Zangetsu into Shikai, thus repairing the blade, he had even managed to fire off one of those energy blasts he had used to defeat the Menos Grande. But no matter what he did, he couldn't even touch the shopkeeper and he had the sinking feeling that the man was only toying with him. He hadn't fought an enemy so skilled other than Kuchiki Byakuya. He wondered what did it mean. And why did a shopkeeper have a zanpakutou.

But soon he had more pressing issues to worry about than how Urahara knew what he knew. The spar had started easy enough, with Ichigo attacking and Urahara blocking. He had been so focused on his anger at the shopkeeper that he had completely missed a vital fact: Urahara was blocking his swipes completely effortlessly. Therefore it had been a shock when Hat-and-Clogs suddenly went on the offensive. Now it was Ichigo who was only defending and he had a hard time of it.

His anger at the shopkeeper soon gave way to fear when he suffered his first wound. It was just a scratch, but it was dangerously close to his neck. It slammed home the fact how easily he could die if the mysterious shopkeeper wished so. Because no matter how hard he fought, Ichigo had the sinking feeling that the man was just toying with him. That this was barely a fraction of what he could do. This feeling didn't help his confidence any. The wounds on his body kept multiplying. Soon he found himself pressed to the wall, panting, bleeding, barely able to stand.

"Is that all you have, Ichigo?" Urahara asked him. "Is that all you are capable of?" Ichigo had the sinking feeling that the answer was 'yes,' but there was no way he would accept it. There must be a way to get the better of the infuriating man. He gathered whatever strength he had left and attacked. Urahara batted his wild swing away with insulting ease.

"This isn't even worth being called an attack," the shopkeeper commented disdainfully. "Unless you can do what you did to the Menos, I'm not letting you out of here!"

"That was an accident!" Ichigo shouted. "I don't even remember how did I do it!"

"Then do remember," Urahara suggested before attacking again. Ichigo just barely dodged, still receiving a shallow gash on his hip.

"I was under pressure?"

"And you aren't now?" Urahara probably raised an eyebrow, but Ichigo couldn't be sure in the darkness of his hat. "Then I have to remedy it." He leapt at Kurosaki with a flurry of attacks the boy couldn't block. Soon he forced Ichigo to the ground, gasping for his breath and trying not to cry with pain.

"What's wrong with you?" the man shook his head. "I am really disappointed. All I can feel from your sword is fear. When you're dodging, you're afraid of getting hit." Who wouldn't be? Ichigo thought sarcastically. "When you're attacking, you're afraid of hitting me." Infuriating as you are, I don't really want to hurt you. "When protecting someone, you're afraid of them dying." Of course. Why else I would be protecting them? "Your sword is filled with fear and that fear is blunting it. Right now, it isn't any better than a piece of fluff in the shape of a sword." Ichigo felt a stab of anger at the insult to Zangetsu. "That's pathetic! When you're dodging, think 'I won't let him hit me!' When protecting someone, think 'I won't let them die!' When attacking, think 'I'm going to cut you!' See? Can you see this in my sword?" The blade of Benihime came uncomfortably close to Ichigo's face. "Do you see my determination? Do you see 'I'm going to cut you in half?'"

Ichigo could see it. He could see it very well. At that moment, he understood that the shopkeeper would kill him if he failed to meet his expectations. It scared him. But then he realized that that was the worst possible reaction he could have. He could see the truth in Urahara's words. He had to find his determination. I'm going to cut him, he thought climbing to his feet. I'm going to cut him, I'm going to cut him, he repeated like a mantra. He raised his reiatsu as much as he could and charged at Urahara. The man smiled and blocked. Ichigo could see that he wasn't blocking as easily as he did before, but he could still block.

I can do it! Ichigo thought. I can cut him! He attacked furiously, but the shopkeeper dodged. He suddenly appeared behind Ichigo's back. Kurosaki's eyes widened in shock as he moved to block. And then he had to block again. Urahara's attacks were suddenly faster and more powerful. Damn it, he's going to cut me! Ichigo realized. Then he corrected himself. No! I'm not letting him hit me! He isn't going to hit me! I can stop him!

And then he fell for Urahara's feint and Benihime's tip grazed his shoulder. Crap. After the first hit, another soon followed and then another one. Ichigo felt his resolve crumbling. The position on his knees was now familiar.

"Is that all?" Urahara asked. "It was better, but still not enough. Your resolve wasn't enough, if you lost it so easily. That just wouldn't do. And you still haven't repeated the attack you have used on the Menos. That wouldn't do either. Ichigo, if you cannot do it, I am going to kill you." One look into the shopkeeper eyes was enough to confirm that he meant it. For a moment, It wasn't Urahara who he saw approaching him ominously. It was the giant black Hollow, its grotesque face illuminated red by the charging Cero.

I did it before, Ichigo thought, suddenly calm. I can do it again. But how did I do it? How did I do it? Zangetsu, how did I do it? No, how did we do it? At that moment he felt he wasn't alone. There was somebody standing next to him. The old man with the glasses and black cloak. Ichigo couldn't see him, but he knew he was there nevertheless.

"Remember, Ichigo," a familiar, barely audible voice spoke. Ichigo understood every word. "Remember how you gave me your power and I gave you yours." Power. Ichigo's memories of the event were still jumbled, but now Zangetsu mentioned it, he could recall that much. He smiled and pushed what little reiryoku he still had left into his blade. He could feel Zangetsu adding his own. The sword began to glow white. Urahara's eyes widened a bit as he approached them.

"That's right. Now, lift me." Ichigo did so, adding yet more power. The zanpakutou shone brightly. "Now, attack." Zangetsu's voice sounded closer. Ichigo had no idea when did it happen.

"Getsuga..." the zanpakutou spirit said.

"Getsuga," Ichigo repeated loudly.

"Tenshou!"

"Tenshou!" Ichigo shouted, swinging the sword down. The bluish white glow separated from the blade and flew at Urahara. The shopkeeper swung Benihime, making red mist appear around the blade and rush forward to meet Ichigo's attack. They met with a blast. Ichigo was thrown off his feet. When the dust settled, he could see Urahara standing quietly, contemplating a piece of cloth. It took the redhead a while to realize that it was what remained of his hat. And now that he could see clearly, there were tears in Urahara's clothes.

"You killed my hat," the blond man spoke slowly. "If I didn't have my red shield, I would have been dead." Then he smiled. "Very well, Ichigo, you could do it after all. This part of your training is over. But because you finished earlier than expected, we have several days left for some more training. Right now, Ichigo, you are powerful, but you lack experience, something the shinigami have aplenty. So for the next few days, we are going to remedy it." Before Ichigo could say anything, Urahara attacked him again. "We are going to spend these days fighting."

Ichigo blocked. He wanted to curse. He felt too tired to be fighting now, but he mustered some strength and tried a counterattack. No matter how exhausted he felt, he had to get better if he wanted to save Rukia. He had to train until he dropped. He'd have a plenty of time to relax once Urahara would be busy building the Senkaimon.

Zangetsu's edge met Benihime's blade.

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Uryuu watched as the last arrow hit the rock. He studied the impact it made before letting his bow disappear. A week, he thought. He did it. He had kept his bow activated for a whole week with the Sanrei Glove on. Now he was finally strong enough. He had reached the pinnacle of Quincy power. Now, if he met those two shinigami, he wouldn't be defeated so easily. He still burned in anger and shame whenever he remembered that. He had trained for years to reach his current level and he had been beaten like he was nothing more than a bothersome insect. His pride couldn't let it slide. He had to show the shinigami. He had to teach them about the power of the Quincy.

His thoughts flew back to the day when his grandfather had entrusted him with the Sanrei Glove. He recalled the warning his teacher gave him. Never to take off the glove unless he knew what was it he wanted to protect. So what did he want to protect? The pride of the Quincy? Definitely. But was that enough? What else mattered? He didn't know. He just knew he wanted to defeat the shinigami to regain his honor and that was what he was going to do. Now he just needed some shinigami to fight.

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Ichigo walked towards Urahara's shop. As he navigated the deserted streets, he thought about what was ahead of him. He knew that saving Rukia was the only option and he was determined to do it, but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive. The shinigami that had come for her were strong. And there were probably more such guys. Maybe even some stronger ones. He knew that determination alone wasn't going to help him against them. That was why he spent the week while Urahara prepared the Senkaimon training. He had talked with Zangetsu about his abilities and practiced them in the dark of the night. He had practiced with the energy blast: Getsuga Tenshou. He liked it. It sounded cool. He shot many of them into the night sky, hoping he wouldn't hit a plane accidentally. He didn't want to have a disaster on his conscience. He debated with his zanpakutou's spirit the possible ways to make the attack more effective. He practiced making the Getsuga more concentrated, but his progress was slow in his opinion. He could reduce the size by about a tenth while keeping the total power the same, but Zangetsu assured him that even this would make the destruction noticeably bigger. Ichigo had to take his word for it. There wasn't really anything to test it on, the two Hollows that had appeared during the week were small fries and one hit with his blade was all it took to purify them.

He was brought out of his musings by the sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up and saw Orihime rounding the corner.

"You are here too?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Are you sure?" Ichigo questioned. "It's going to be dangerous."

"Yes," she confirmed. "I made the decision myself."

"And where she goes, I go too," Tatsuki said appearing from behind another corner.

"You too?" Kurosaki blinked.

"Don't look so surprised," the girl replied. "You need somebody to beat some sense into you." Ichigo scowled, but Tatsuki ignored it. "Let's go," she said. "We don't want to be late."

Chad was already waiting in front of the shop. And then Ishida appeared, ready to pick a fight with some shinigami. Once the party was complete, Urahara lead them inside and showed them the gate he had constructed for them. When the modified Senkaimon appeared, it was really impressive, but then Urahara explained the dangers of going through. Yoruichi asked them whether they still wanted to go. Nobody backed out. Then Urahara activated the gate and the party of six headed off.

End note: So this was the introduction to the story. If it felt too rushed to somebody, I apologize, but I didn't want to write all the parts where the only difference was that Ichigo won his fights faster. That would have been boding. Next chapter: Entering the Soul Society and the story starts really picking-up pace.