THE HITS KEEP COMING

Things Have to End

Nel comes in and encompasses Ichigo into a hug. He's getting touched a lot here. He's personally a little... in awe? Did they miss him or something? Or they just happy for the help?

"Are you going to be king of the Hollows again?" She asks.

"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Ichigo asks himself.

"I think it's a very important and fair question."

"No. I'm not king of anything."

"But you will be," she sings.

"You need to calm down," Ichigo snorts.

"So, what's the move?"

"I'm taking Karin to clear the camp Stark and Ulquiorra scouted. I want enough people for a decent sized team, but I also need Karin to prove herself by handling the camp."

Nel frowns, her tilted head carrying her long, cyan hair. "Why does she need to prove herself? She's your sister."

"She's my baby sister that you brought to a war zone," Ichigo stresses. Maybe he used too much aggression, but he thinks it helps with his point.

Nel shrinks back momentarily. She wasn't expecting this kind of reaction. "Was that a bad idea?"

"No, no. I'm sorry, Nel. Karin has always had the ability to see spirits. Her sight is so strong," he starts.

"But?"

"But she's never seen death. She's never watched the life leave the body before. And now she's here, thinking she's grown and can take care of herself."

Saying it out loud makes him feel less angry. If anything, he's worn now. He can feel the tiredness in his bones. Rukia stops what she's doing to gaze at him for a moment. He waves her off so she can finish her work. She gives him a very cheesy thumbs up before continuing.

Ulquiorra tilts his head in curiosity, eyes going back and forth between the couple. Ichigo isn't going to explain the weird connection the two of them have. Their Reiatsu has always been connected in a sense. He can find her spirit ribbon anywhere, even though it's impossible in the Soul Society althogether, despite Rukia's insistence. After they got married, the ability to sense each other went through the roof. His mother, a married woman, said her and his dad were never like that.

"You say she hasn't seen life leave a body before. You have?" Nel asks. "I don't mean to question you, but she seems like she is capable."

"That brat is nothing like Kurosaki," Ulquiorra states.

"Don't call my sister a brat," Ichigo orders half-heartedly.

"Why not? You were merely trash when we met. I offer her a higher standard as brat."

"Point taken. Continue."

"She is small and angry with no one to point her anger at. At least Kurosaki has purpose."

"She has a purpose. It's to prove me wrong for leaving her," Ichigo argues.

"But you died. It wasn't on purpose... was it?" Nel asks.

"No. I was pretty annoyed waking up with a severed chain and my dead body next to me," he confesses.

Grimmjow's invasive question from earlier whispers his way into his ear. What was it like? To die? A cold feeling crawls up his back, across his arms, over his neck. It takes all his strength to not shiver. He dismisses the thought quickly.

"What makes you more capable than Karin?" Nel inquires again.

"I've seen someone die before when I was nine. I could also see spirits so well when I was a child, my mother had to teach me how to tell apart dead people from living people. Karin wasn't like that," Ichigo puts a hand over his mouth as he considers his next words. "Look, I just... I want her to be ready when she goes to battle. She's not experienced in life and death like anyone else in my family. Not including Yuzu, of course."