Afire Love (Bleach: Ichiruki)

Prologue

Third Person

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried out.

A strong and secure arm wrapped around her waist, stopping her from going to him.

She looked up to the eyes of her best friend, Renji Abarai, as he looked down at her with horrified eyes.

"Renji, let me go." Rukia pleaded. She had to go down and help Ichigo before he was completely consumed by himself.

She couldn't let him transform into a hollow. Not now.

Yhwach was standing over him, grinning down at the hollowfying Ichigo. He planned to use Ichigo as a tool to wipe out all the shinigami that had gathered around.

The shinigami stood in a wide curve upon the ruins of what once used to be the Soul King's palace.

In the center of it all stood Head Captain Shunsui Kyōraku. Spread out around him were the majority of the Lieutenants of the Gotei 13, along with the Captains, except Zaraki Kenpachi and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who had been injured badly during battle, along with Jushiro Ukitake and the ones who had sacrificed their lives. Kisuke Urahara and Shihōun Yoruichi stood among them, along with Inoue Orihime and Sado Yasutora. The two Arrancar, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck stood close to them.

"I can't just leave him down there! We can't just leave him down there!" Rukia screamed. She managed to pull herself free from Renji, before being caught in the arms of her brother.

"Rukia." Byakuya said. Inoue ran over to Rukia at this moment, stopping a few feet from them. Rukia pulled herself from her brother's arms as she ran into Inoue's. Tears begun to pour down Inoue's eyes as Rukia was still in shock.

Rukia pulled away from Inoue, facing away from her. She felt the tears threaten to leave her eyes as she stood there helplessly, painfully watching Ichigo transform into his inner hollow, under the influence of Yhwach.

The quincies stood on the opposite side. Uryu Ishida watched as his friend was being forced to turn into a monster. He wanted to stop Yhwach. Yhwach was taking this too far.

But he couldn't. Because he is a Quincy.

And Shinigami are his enemy.

Ichigo let out a final cry before he stood there in all glory, fully hollowfied. His bleach hair reached to the end of his back, horns protruding from his head. His zanpakuto was now the similar shape of Shuuhei Hisagi's shikai, but the blade was completely black and bigger. There was a hole in his chest, his skin white and bulky, as he looked among the crowd of astonished shinigami.

"You don't have to do this!" Head Captain Kyōraku called out. He was breathing heavily from his previous battle, his clothing torn and cuts covering his entire body.

But he was not the only one injured. Everyone else would soon carry permanent scars from this battle.

"Oh, but I do." Yhwach grinned. "Now, Ichigo, who shall I have you kill first?" Yhwach scanned the crowd of shinigami before him.

"He would never kill for you!" Madarame Ikkaku yelled out.

Yhwach's grin only widened.

"I can stop him." Rukia spoke softly, her eyes on the fully hollowfied Ichigo.

"Rukia, you'll die." Inoue said, looking at her from the side.

"Ichigo wouldn't forgive himself if he killed everyone."

"Ichigo won't forgive you if you got yourself killed trying to stop him." Inoue pleaded with Rukia's hard stare.

"Then I'll kill him."

At that moment Yhwach's eyes landed on Rukia Kuchiki. He looked at her for a few moments as he suddenly saw images in his head of what was about to happen.

He had seen images of Rukia in Ichigo's head during his hollowfication. Ichigo had heard Rukia's voice during it; probably the reason why it took Ichigo quite a bit longer to hollowfy. Ichigo didn't know it. Rukia didn't know it.

But Yhwach knew.

"Rukia Kuchiki." Yhwach's voice boomed.

Rukia's eyes widened. Byakuya Kuchiki was in front of her in a second, blocking Yhwach from seeing her. Renji stood in front of Byakuya, his zanpakuto drawn in front of him.

"You will not take her." Renji said through clenched teeth.

"If Rukia Kuchiki beats Ichigo, then I will allow us to come to an understanding. If not, then you all will die at his hand." Yhwach grinned. Of course, he knew Ichigo would kill Rukia in a second.

Rukia gripped onto her brother's arm.

"Nii-sama-

-No." Byakuya spoke.

"But you all will die, and I can't have that."

Byakuya stayed silent. Rukia sighed, maneuvering around her brother's frame so that she was now standing in front of him, looking up at his face.

"Nii-sama. I have to do this. Please." Rukia said. Byakuya moved his gaze down to her face.

She had a determined expression on her face.

Byakuya looked down at her for a few more moments.

He understood. This was a fight to protect her pride.

Byakuya nodded his head, shutting his eyes painfully at the thought that he was about to lose his only pride.

Rukia let out a small breath of relief.

"Captain, you can't be agreeing to this." Renji said. Rukia begun to walk away from the shinigami, a determined look on her face as she shunpoed from the shinigami.

She didn't want to say goodbye. That would be too painful, more painful than it already is.

"Captain, she's your sister." Renji pleaded.

"All the more reason to let her do this." Even though he would lose her.

"Oi, Byakuya-" Head Captain Kyōraku started.

-Let her go. Do not interfere no matter what happens." Byakuya said.

He had faith in Rukia. Maybe she could get Ichigo back.

Rukia walked fearlessly into the battlefield, feeling all eyes on her. When she was twenty feet from the hollowfied Ichigo, she stopped, looking at him in pain.

There was not a trace of Ichigo in the monster.

Yhwach watched her curiously. Uryu watched her with wide and worried eyes.

"Rukia Kuchiki. Do you know why I brought you here to fight Ichigo?" Yhwach asked her.

"No. And no offense, I don't care of the reason."

Yhwach grinned.

"Because you're the one thing that holds him back the most."

Rukia's eyes widened, confused at what he meant.

Yhwach sneered, walking closer behind to Ichigo, placing his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Kill her, my son."