Chapter 43: Kurosaki Ichigo, Defiant to the End 1/2

(A/N: I am on fire. That is all. Enjoy your chapter)

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Soul Chess

3rd Person pov

Underground, Kukaku felt like it was just about time for her and Ichigo to head off. She stood up from her watch spot and went to go wake them only to see Isane with her arms wrapped tightly around Ichigo and using him as if he were a body pillow.

Oh this is gold! Kukaku gleamed. I am so saving this. She patted herself down. Now let's see here where did I put my...? Aha. She pulled out her trusty Soul Pager. Kukaku went into the camera function and went into the camera mode. She took a snapshot of Ichigo and Isane together and snickered. Once this whole thing blew over she was handing this to the newspaper or she'd just use it to blackmail poor Isane. Kukaku put her phone away and with her foot lightly tapped Isane's back. "Hey, rise and shine we gotta go." She said.

Isane stirred and turned over onto her back. She opened her eyes slowly to see Kukaku staring down upon her.

"Nightmares again Kotetsu-fukutaicho?" Kukaku asked her.

"What are you talking about?" Isane asked rubbing her eyelids. Kukaku pointed to Ichigo.

Isane backed away via crab walk. "When did I get all the way over here?" she asked frantically.

"In your sleep I'd wager. Still can't handle nightmares without cuddling the closest person to you I see." Kukaku beamed down on her.

Isane just laughed nervously. "You won't tell anyone about this will you?" Isane asked.

"Me?" Kukaku asked innocently. "No, why would you ever thing that? I'm hurt Kotetsu-fukutaicho. Perish the thought." She then reached for her phone. "Although." She showed Isane the picture.

"No! No!" Isane shouted, red in the face. "Delete that right now!"

"And why would I want to do that?" Kukaku asked, grinning at the photo. "You two look so happy together."

"That's mean Kukaku-san." Isane whined leaning against Kukaku and grabbing onto her leg. "Please don't show that to anyone."

"Oh, all right, but if you don't want this getting leaked to the press you have to do all of my paperwork for a week." Kukaku told her.

"Done." Isane said.

"And wash my brother's pet boar." Kukaku told her.

"Done." Isane said.

"And you have to be my maid servant for an entire month at the manor." Kukaku decreed.

"I…uh…done." Isane said.

"Great." Kukaku put away her phone and then went over to Ichigo. "Hey! Dumbass! Wake up!" She kicked him lightly, but harder than she had tapped Isane, in the back.

Ichigo grunted and slowly got up. "Ugh."

"Hope you had a good night's rest. We need to get moving." Kukaku told him.

"It's morning already?" Ichigo asked.

Kukaku pulled out her Soul Pager and showed Ichigo the time. Unfortunately for Ichigo she had forgotten to exit out of her image gallery.

"What the…what the hell is this?" Ichigo pointed at the photo.

"Huh?" Kukaku looked at her phone. "Oh, yeah. Don't you two look cozy?" she asked.

"What the hell? Gimme that?" Ichigo reached for Kukaku's phone she pulled back to prevent him from grabbing it and the teen squeezed her ample bosom. Ichigo retracted his hand like he had just touched hot iron. Isane backed away as Kukaku's rage built up. "H-hey…l-let's not be h-hasty…y-you know."

Kukaku growled like an angry tiger.

"Heh…heh…AAAAAGH!" Ichigo ran at top speed away from Kukaku.

"I'm gonna fucking slaughter you, you little shit!" Kukaku shouted swinging her sword violently at Ichigo.

Isane just walked on behind the two. She figured they'd stop fighting eventually.

Back above ground, Uryu and Chad had finished tying off their wounds and Tatsuki was finally feeling better. Both groups were once again on the move.

At the same time, Lelouch was now wandering through the Seireitei headed for Ichigo's location as well as, unbeknownst to him, a little black cat.

Fifteen minutes went by and Kukaku finally caught up with Ichigo and did nothing more than shove him into the water. "Touch me like that again and I'll actually kick your ass you fucking jackass!"

"I told you it was an accident. Jeez." Ichigo grumbled and got up and wrung out his Shihakusho. "As if I wasn't soaked to the bone enough from fighting Kaien."

"Oh get over yourself. A little sewage and seawater never hurt anyone. Now let's go." She said.

Ichigo, Isane and Kukaku came out of the sewers to where the collateral damage where Ichigo fought Kaien was still present. "Man, no guards? How lame." Kukaku frowned.

"Ah, I wouldn't be so eager to get into a fight Kukaku-sama." Isane stated.

Kukaku closed her eyes and realized what Isane was talking about. She could very faintly sense a spiritual pressure up ahead. There's only one spiritual pressure I know that can reach out this far. She opened her eyes. "Yeah, I see what you mean. We should be careful." The trio headed up the stairs to where Kenpachi was lying in wait. The moment they got onto level ground his crushing spiritual pressure affected them all.

What the hell…is this? Ichigo asked.

His spiritual pressure…was it always this powerful? Kukaku asked herself.

Zaraki-taicho's spiritual pressure…my body…I can barely move. Isane began to fall forward, but Kukaku helped her remain standing.

"Easy there Kotetsu-fukutaicho," she told her, "We can't have our medic crapping out on us."

1st Division Incarceration unit, Block 9B

Momo sat in her prison cell having calmed down from earlier, but the events of earlier that morning still haunted her.

It was then that she received a visitor. "Hey, how are you feeling?" It was Talbumosuke.

"Ah, Atrumier-kun." Momo said, recognizing her direct subordinate.

"Man what is with things today? It's not even lunch time and our captain is dead and our vice-captain is in jail. What a mess." He rubbed his head.

"Atrumier-kun, aren't you upset about Aizen-taicho's murder? Don't you want revenge?" Momo asked him.

"Of course I want revenge, but I'm not about to throw out wild accusations towards potentially non-guilty parties." His eyes converged on her. "Unlike some people."

Momo looked down. He's right…I shouldn't have outburst like that…I don't know what came over me…but it's just…at that time…

"Hey." Talbumosuke said clutching one of the bars. "If it means anything to you I found this in the captain's room." He handed Momo a rolled up letter. "It's addressed to you. It seems our captain has a dying message for you." Momo took the letter and clutched it tightly. "Anyway, I should be going, I've gotta fill both you and the captain's shoes until you get released. Man this is not going to be easy, especially with the Ryoka running around." He walked out of the room.

Momo watched him go and then opened the document containing her captain's final words.

"Momo, if you're reading this letter then it means that I didn't make it back."

He knew…he knew that someone was after him. Was it Ichimaru-taicho…Lamperouge-taicho…what happened?

Momo continued to read:

"I know that my actions lately have been a source of great worry to you and for that I am truly sorry. Until now, I never spoke to you about the feelings of apprehension I've been having. You must understand Momo that what I kept from you it was to stop you from becoming involved, but I'm afraid I've done just that."

No captain it's not your fault, I was involved long before all of this. You needn't blame yourself.

"The chain of events was unavoidable. By now I have probably been recycled into the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Therefore, to you, who I trust more than any other, I leave this record of the truths I have uncovered."

Momo couldn't believe her eyes with what she read. No…how can this be…was I wrong all along…was I deceived completely? Has everyone followed the wrong person all this time? What…I don't…I don't understand.

Everything Momo had been taught felt meaningless. She didn't know how to respond.

Sensei…why? What does this mean?

While Momo had her little panic attack, shut down, and began to reboot like a computer running on Windows Vista, Ichigo, Isane, and Kukaku began to run through the ocean that was Kenpachi's reiatsu.

Ichigo was doing fine on his own, but Kukaku and Isane had to support each other to keep themselves from collapsing.

Three of them. Kenpachi thought to himself as his prey ran through his territory. Which one is the one? He took note of Isane. Not that one. Kukaku. Not that one. Ichigo. I guess that makes it you then.

Ichigo stopped dead in his tracks and turned to see Kenpachi up on his perch. Kukaku and Isane skidded to a halt.

This is bad. Kukaku thought to herself. Powerful herself or no even she could never hope to do much of anything to the powerful Zaraki Kenpachi.

Ichigo felt a blade run through his body, but it was just Kenpachi's murderous intent to kill him and slaughter him like a cow on the cutting board about to become steak.

Ichigo turned around to see Kenpachi behind him. "Are you Kurosaki Ichigo?" Kenpachi asked the teen.

"How do you know my name?" Ichigo asked.

"Come on, I'm sure Ikkaku told you all about me." Kenpachi stated.

Ikkaku…wait. Ichigo had a flashback.

Yesterday

"Just a minute." Ikkaku called out to Ichigo. The teen stopped.

"Which one of your group members is the strongest?" he asked.

"Huh? Well…I guess that would be sensei. She said she used to be the Executive Militia Commander of the Soul Society or something like that."

"I thought you said your teacher was Urahara Kisuke?" Ikkaku asked.

"Well, yeah I mean he taught me how to fight as a Soul Reaper and all, but I'm talking about my karate instructor and academic teacher, Fong Shaolin." Ichigo said.

"Fong Shaolin huh?" Ikkaku squinted. "I see." Soifon was before Ikkaku's time therefore he was unable to put two and two together about her.

"But…I'm definitely the second strongest!" Ichigo declared. "I've learned all I can from my sensei and Urahara Kisuke."

"I see are you really strong?" Ikkaku asked.

"Absolutely." Ichigo said.

"Heh. Then you better keep an eye out for my captain Ichigo. The captain likes fighting strong opponents. If you and your sensei are the strongest in your force, he will likely target the two of you first."

"Is that good?" Ichigo asked.

"You'll find out once the two of you meet. That is…if you can survive long enough once he finds you to take his measure." Ikkaku told Ichigo.

"Tell me what his name is." Ichigo said.

Present Time

"I'm captain of Squad Eleven Zaraki Kenpachi. I'm here to fight you to the death."

So this is him huh? Ichigo said with a scowl. Fear struck him. Wait…if he's here…and I'm second strongest…does that mean…

"I would've gone after your sensei first, this 'Fong Shaolin' person, but not being able to identify your target really puts a damper on things. So I'll have to settle for you." Kenpachi told him.

Great that means I have to have to deal with him first. Ichigo said hand gripping his sword.

"Speaking of which, none of you except Soifon should even think about engaging a captain."

Ichigo remembered Lelouch's words. I've already felt his reiatsu, there's no running from it. Looks like I'm stuck.

"What's wrong?" Kenpachi asked. "Is something the matter with your hearing? I've just challenged you to a fight to the death. I assume since you won't answer me that it's all right if I start."

Ichigo was about to draw his sword, but then turned to see Kukaku down on her knees and Isane on the floor. "Kukaku! Isane-san!"

"Idiot! Eyes on your opponent!" Kukaku growled.

"But…"

"We just got the wind knocked out of us, we're fine." Kukaku said and slowly started to get to her feet. Her legs started quaking under the weight of Kenpachi's reiatsu. Quit shaking dammit!

All of a sudden Yachiru popped out from over Kenpachi's shoulder. "Whoa! Look at that!" She landed on Ichigo's shoulder. "You really did a number on Isa-Isa and Kuku, Kenny." She said.

Ichigo, as a reflex, tried to fling Yachiru off his shoulder. She leapt back landed next to Kenpachi.

"Uh oh, I think I made him mad." She said in response to Ichigo's sudden anger.

"Well what'd you expect?" Kenpachi asked her. "That was just stupid."

What the hell? Ichigo asked himself. Where the hell did she come from? And how could she be unaffected by his spiritual pressure?

"And stupid is as stupid does right?" Yachiru looked up at her captain.

"Well, you said it. Not me." Kenpachi said.

"Hey!" Ichigo shouted. "Twerp with the pink hair! Who are you? Or perhaps I should ask…what are you?"

Yachiru giggled like a link schoolgirl and then spoke. "My name is Kusajishi Yachiru. I'm also the Vice-captain of the Eleventh Division." She broke out into a huge smile. "It's nice of you to ask, thanks."

A vice-captain? Same rank as Isane-san, Kaien and Hisana? But I didn't even sense her presence. I didn't notice her at all until she landed right on my shoulder. Obviously she's no normal opponent either.

"Hey, Kukaku!"

"No, need to shout. I'm right here." She began to draw her blade.

"Take Isane-san and go." Ichigo told her.

"Say what?" Kukaku could not believe she just heard that. "No way! Out of the question! I'm helping!"

"Kukaku! What is our priority?" Ichigo asked.

"Your objective is to rescue Rukia not go maiming every captain in the Seireitei."

"Dumbass! Completing the mission won't mean a thing if you die in the process!" Kukaku told him.

"I'll last long enough." Ichigo stated.

"You fool!" Kukaku raged. "This isn't your run of the mill Soul Reaper! This isn't even your average captain! That's Zaraki Mother Fucking Kenpachi! You'll die in less than six minutes!" Kukaku told him.

"I don't think I will." Ichigo said.

"Ichigo it's great to be confident, but don't let your confidence become arrogance." Kukaku told him.

"I'll be fine, after all," Ichigo turned to look at her and gave a confident grin while clenching his fist, "your brother is fighting with me."

Kukaku's malice turned to content disbelief. You stupid idiot. That's another thing you and Lelouch have in common, you're both fucking crazy. "I swear if you die I will stomp on your grave and carve the word 'idiot' into your headstone." She picked Isane up off the ground and piggy backed her. "Come on Kotetsu-fukutaicho." The two women headed on ahead.

When Isane and Kukaku got outside Kenpachi's mountain of reiatsu Isane found the feeling back in her limbs. "Ah, Kukaku-san, I can walk just fine now and…ah, where's Kurosaki-san?" she asked.

Kukaku first let Isane and then took off into a sprint. "That dumbass stayed behind to fight Zaraki-taicho. He thinks he can take him. To make sure he doesn't get himself killed we need to get to Rukia and stat."

"Ichigo won't die."

Isane and Kukaku stopped in their tracks when they heard Lelouch's voice.

"Lelouch…is that you?" Kukaku inquired.

"Lamperouge-taicho? Where are you?" Isane asked.

"I'm contacting you both through Tenteikura and using Kakushitsujaku to read your lips and to watch Ichigo. I'm at the hideout right now." Lelouch told them.

"Fuck the hideout! Go and help Ichigo before he gets himself killed!" Kukaku shouted.

"And I said it already, Ichigo won't die. Call me crazy, but somehow I just know that he's going to be just fine…rather he'll live." Lelouch told Kukaku.

"You can't be serious. Lelouch he's going up against Zaraki-taicho. There's no way that he'll win this fight." Kukaku stated.

"Zaraki has no form and is just a lot of raw power. Ichigo was trained and prepared by Urahara Kisuke. Rest assured Kisuke would never send him here if he thought Ichigo couldn't handle it." Lelouch told him.

"He probably thought Zaraki-taicho would go after Soifon." Kukaku stated.

"And what if Soifon wasn't here? What if I wasn't around and she never went with Yoruichi to the World of the Living? That would make Ichigo the strongest and he'd be fighting Kenpachi anyway because Urahara still would've sent him. I'm telling you…he'll live." Lelouch told Kukaku.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again you are fucking crazy Lelouch." Kukaku said and she and Isane ran off to go and save Rukia.

As Kukaku and Isane made their way to the Senzaikyu, Chad and Uryu were on their way straight through 8th Division's territory where Shunsui was prepared to meet them. With an energy blast, Chad broke through the wall and he and Uryu were now in front of the gate to the 8th division's inner sanctum. If they broke through here it would just be smooth sailing straight on through to the Senzaikyu. Unfortunately to get by the gate they'd have to get by Kyoraku Shunsui, the captain himself.

With the wall busted open, Shunsui's 3rd seat Enjoji Tatsufusa attempted to be Mr. Big Shot and scare the pair away. He was ultimately eliminated by a barrage of arrows and one badass punch from Chad.

The pair ran straight forward towards the gate and that's when the day became the end of the line for them. A flurry of rose petals fell from the sky as well as the form of Kyoraku Shunsui. He stood up and looked at Uryu and Chad. "The name's Kyoraku Shunsui, nice to meet you two."

"Which would make you that last guy's captain." Uryu said and readied his spider web shaped bow. "If that's the case you won't be much of a challenge. The last 3rd and 4th seat we took on were much harder."

"Oh?" Shunsui asked.

"We contended with individuals from second division, they were sent to kill us and we're still alive." Chad said.

"Is that so? Whoo, man, sounds like I got my work cut out for me." Before anything else was said more rose petals began to drop and Shunsui looked up. "Oi, Nanao-chan, that's enough with the flower petals." Nanao, who was up in the rafters continued to throw petals. "Huh, I guess she didn't hear me. Oi, Nanao-chan, that's very kind of you, but that's enough set decoration all right? I think we get the point, Nanao-chan my lovely Nanao-cha—" Nanao dumped the bucket onto Shunsui and chucked the basket itself at his head before going back inside. Uryu and Chad had no idea what to make of this.

Shunsui got out from underneath the pile of petals.

"Sorry, but we don't have time to stay and watch your routine." Chad said, "Please just step aside."

"Oh come on." Shunsui said. "Can't you loosen up a little and try to have some fun? Life's too short to take it so seriously."

"We asked you nicely." Uryu pulled back the bow string. "We're in kind of a hurry Kyoarku-taichosan."

Chad nodded. "You seem like a decent enough guy so if we don't have to fight we'd prefer not to."

"You might want to tell that to your Quincy friend." Shunsui laughed.

"Oh don't mind me, I've just been taught never to let my guard down in front of a potential threat." Uryu said.

"Me? A threat?" Shunsui asked. "Come now, don't be like that. Of course, this does leave us with a problem. You see none of us want to fight, but I can't just go and let you pass. I don't suppose you'd be willing to retreat would you." Uryu's gaze tightened and he prepared to fire. "All right, all right, I see you mean business. I guess that leaves us no choice." Uryu and Chad both prepared a stance. Both were surprised though when Shunsui brought out a sake bottle. "We'll have to have a friendly drink." The two teenagers were confused. "Why not? If you won't retreat, at least you can take a break here for a while. Let me show you a little hospitality."

"No thanks." Chad said suddenly.

"Come on relax." Shunsui said.

"It's a rule." Chad said. "Minors aren't allowed to drink any alcohol."

"Oh well that's unfortunate. I hate to drink alone." Shunsui said.

Uryu's brain however had just hatched a wild scheme that he thought just might work. "Now, now Sado let's not be hasty. If Kyoraku-taichosan wants to show us some hospitality let us honor his request."

"Ishida?" Chad couldn't understand what Uryu was up to.

"You wouldn't happen to have any amasake would you?" Uryu asked.

"Sure do." Kyoraku put out another bottle. "See, there's no problem big guy."

"Oh there's still a problem." Uryu said. "I just needed a proper drink is all. Kyoraku-taichosan," Uryu said, "Let's make things interesting shall we? If you don't want to fight perhaps we can settle things another way." He pulled out a brown glass bottle.

"Hmm, what's that?" Shunsui asked.

"This is a bottle of poison I took from the warehouse this morning. I thought it might come in handy. I also have," Uryu pulled out three scraps of cloth. "These blindfolds."

"Hmm." Shunsui seemed interested in Uryu's little idea for fun. The rules of the game were simple. Shunsui would pour out seven different servings of amasake and then Chad would pour a dose of Uryu's bottle of poison into one of the cups and then rearrange them in a honeycomb formation. Chad would then put on a blindfold so as not to give away if either Uryu or Shunsui grabbed the poison cup. The poison Uryu had taken from the warehouse was nonlethal, but it would knock out the individual who drank it for several hours.

The amasake was set up and Uryu and Shunsui sat down and prepared to play Uryu's dangerous little game. Since Uryu was Shunsui's guest, he opted to go first. He began by taking the cup in the center and drank every last drop. "Your turn."

"I must say," Shunsui said picking up the cup closest to Uryu's left, "this is one of the most interesting drinking games I've played." He drank it all. "Your turn."

Uryu reached for the cup in the middle right, his right. He nodded to Shunsui. The 8th division captain picked up the cup closest to his right and swallowed it all. Uryu reached for the cup next to Kyoraku's left.

"Well now, look at this. There's only two cups left. Kind of makes it hard to tell which is which doesn't it?" Shunsui asked.

"Yes I suppose it does." Uryu said. He reached for the cup closest to him. "Bottom's up." He drank it all. "Well how about that. I feel fine. I suppose that means that that last cup is yours to drink. You lose Kyoraku-taichosan."

"Hmm, and how do you know your little poison isn't slow acting?" Shunsui asked.

"Simple, because I know how Sado thinks." Uryu stated.

"Huh?" Shunsui was confused.

"Chad's a good friend, therefore he'd never put the poison in one of the cups next to me. However, he's also a nice guy so therefore he'd never put sake in the cups next to you. The middle would be too obvious. That just leaves the last two cups." Uryu stated.

"And I'm saying you picked that other middle cup awfully early." Shunsui said.

"That's just it though the two side cups also are a giveaway. Kyoraku-taichosan you carry two swords. That's the sign of someone who is ambidextrous. However, surely you noticed it earlier, which hand do I use to pull my bowstring. Therefore it wouldn't matter which side cup the poison was put in you'd grab either one equally, but a person naturally goes for their dominant hand side or rather that's what Chad's subconscious would've told him." Uryu stated.

"Well, let's test your little theory then, shall we?" Shunsui held up the final cup.

Is he really going to drink it? Uryu asked.

Shunsui drank all the amasake and then put the cup down. He took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'd say that's a bit strong for normal amasake. However," he stood up, "the poison you used isn't exactly strong enough to knock out someone like me so I guess that makes this game a draw."

"An immunity, then…I was doomed from the start?" Uryu asked.

"It was a good ploy, but hey we had some fun." Shunsui stated. "What does it matter? By now the other captains will have rounded up your friends so it's all good."