" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

3rd Person POV:

Yamamoto: ... All right. As you requested, by morning tomorrow, the drifters will be sent back safely.

Rukia: Really ? I'm very grateful...

Isane: How cruel... he says that even though he doesn't plan to let any of them live...

Unohana: That is not cruelty, Isane. It is kindness. Since her end is unavoidable... At the very least, this will let her pass away peacefully.

Yamamoto: Release the seal... Of the Sôkyoku !

Rukia: 'After being stirred up... My heart is at peace again... Is it because of the commander's agreement to my request ? Or maybe... It's because, while my mind was in chaos trying to think of a way to stay alive... My brother did not even look my way and acted so serenely.'

Rukia: Thank you very much... Brother...

From beneath her, three strange cubes appeared from the floor, her arms got free from their restraints, and she slowly rose to the top of the structure.

Kyôraku: My little Nanao... Please, don't look so upset, otherwise I'll become sad, too.

Nanao: Upset... I didn't mean to show that on my face...

Ômaeda: Wh... What the ?! What's going on ?!

Soifon: The spear is...

Isane: Engulfed in flame...

Kyôraku: It's changing it's shape... What a terrifying sight... !

Yamamoto: Kikô-ô ! This is the true form of the Sôkyoku and the executioner of the grand penalty. After it pierces through the criminal's body... The grand penalty ends.

Rukia: 'I'm not scared... I'm content with my life... Meeting Renji and the others, adopted by my brother, Lord Kaien's guidance... then, Ichigo and Y/n who rescued me...'

Rukia: 'No pain... No sadness... No regrets... there is nothing for my heart to linger in this world... Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you... And goodbye.

She waited for the end of her existence, but the fact that she was still feeling something made her open them again. Their was something in front of her, blocking her field of vision... or rather, someone...

Ichigo: Yo.

Rukia: I... ICHIGO !! IDIOT !! WHY DO YOU KEEP COMING BACK !!

Ichigo: Wh... What ??!!

Rukia: You already know ! You can't win against my brother ! You'll be killed !!! I MADE MY DECISION !! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP !!! GO HOME !!

Soifon: I... Impossible... He stopped it... !! With a single Zanpakutô, he managed to block the Sôkyoku, that's worth one million of them ! He... WHAT IS HE ?!!?

Kyôraku: I'm afraid you're mistaken on that one... If you look closely, you can see it... That the Sôkyoku isn't even touching him. Something's forbidding it from going any further...

There was a set of glowing chains, going around the Kikô-ô, and leading to somewhere down the hill.

"... Good grief, Ichigo. I told you to not just rush in like that. I was almost too late."

(A/n: You see Shun from Saint Seiya ? That's it. The chain, I mean.)

Ichigo: Don't be like that, you're the one who was late.

Kyôraku: Nanao... Those might be the two drifters everyone's talking about.

Nanao: Yes. Their looks match the captain's report. That's them.

Kyôraku: Really... After all, they are the ones, who made it in time.

"Whoa there birdie ! Calm down, or it's gonna hurt."

Ichigo: It's taking longer for this second attack... Whatever come.

Rukia: S... STOP IT !! THAT'S ENOUGH !! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HOLD IT BACK A SECOND TIME !! YOU'LL BOTH BE TORN TO PIECES !!!

Before any of us could act, there was a cable that wrapped itself around the Sôkyoku.

Ômaeda: What... What's that ?!

Isane: Captain Ukitake ?! Kiyone also...

A pole was attached to the free end of the cable, that was swiftly grabbed and firmly stuck into the ground, by no other than Kyôraku himself.

Kyôraku: Yeah... This handsome man. I've made you wait for so long, huh ?

Isane: CAPTAIN KYÔRAKU !!

Ukitake: Sorry, I took longer than expected to unseal it. HOWEVER... This will be enough like that !

Soifon: 'That is...' STOP THEM !!

Ômaeda: What ? Me ?!

Soifon: THEY WANT TO DESTROY THE SÔKYOKU !!!

Ukitake/Kyôraku: LET'S DO THIS !!

"OVERDRIVE !!!"

Ichigo: Now that is done, it's my turn.

Rukia: WH... What are you trying to do, Ichigo ?!

Ichigo: Ain't that obvious ? I will break... This execution pole !!

Rukia: Wha... STOP THAT ! THAT'S NONSENSE !!! Listen ! Ichigo ! Destroying the Sôkyoku...

Ichigo: Shut up... Shut up, and watch this.

Rukia: Ichi... Go...

Ichigo: "... Don't help me, go home... Don't make a fuss, you brats." We said it before, that your opinion would be rejected from now on. This is the second time, and I'm gonna say it again. We're here to help you, Rukia: ... I won't... Say thank you... idiot...

Ichigo: ... Yeah.

Isane: The... Sôkyoku's pole... And the blade... Has been demolished ! Look !!

Ômaeda: WHAT ARE THEY ?!

Rukia: Hey, Ichigo... I want to ask you... What are you going to do now , Is there any chance to disappear from here when there's so much people looking...

Ichigo: Run away. We'll use that secret technique Y/n told me about.

Rukia: Im... IMPOSSIBLE ! THE OPPONENTS ARE CAPTAINS ! There's no way to run !

Ichigo: Then we'll beat them up first and then run away. Not only me and Y/n, but Inoue, Ishida also, and Chad as well are here. And Ganju, and Hanatarô. We'll save everyone who helped us, and run away together.

"I've taught you well, Ichigo..."

Shinigami: ARRG... OUCH... GAH... !!

Rukia: Wh... What's that ?! You...

"Took you long enough, Renji. What may have happened on your way here ?"

Renji: You know, the usual. Almost died while facing captain Kuchiki, then was saved in extremis by your 4th division buddy Hanatarô. Classic.

Rukia: What a surprise ! You are alive ! Good-

Ichigo: Hey, Renji !!

Rukia: Em ? Wai... Wait, Ichigo ! What are you trying to do ?!

Renji: Wait, you fool... Don't say you're going to...

Ichigo: CATCH HER !!!

Renji: YOU IDIOOOOOOOOT !!!!!

"Bullseye, Ichigo ! Nice, nice ! Very nice, Ichigo !!"

Rukia: YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT, ICHIGO !!

Renji: WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IF SHE FELL DOWN !! YOU BASTARD !!

Ichigo: TAKE HER AWAY !!!

Renji: Wha... ?

Ichigo: Don't just Stand there, take her away now !! That's your job ! Protect her with your life !

Renji: Tch !

Rukia: Re... Renji !!

Isane: Renji... Abarai... !

Soifon: Why are you just looking ?! You fools ! CATCH THEM !!!! All of you, vice-captains !!!

"My, my, what do we have here... If you wish to go after these two, I'm afraid we'll have some problems, as I can't decently let you just go like that. I have to cover up their escaping, you know."

Ômaeda: GET OUT OF MY WAY !!!

Isane: Confuse ! ITEGUMO !! (Freezing cloud)

Sasakibe: Perforate ! GONRYÔMARU !! (Circle of violent souls)

Ômaeda: Crush ! GEKETSUBURI !! (Pentagonal head)

"That truly is cute. But I shall not hold back simply because you guys are vice-captains."

Ômaeda: SHUT UP !!

"Fine... Let's do this, SUNLIGHT YELLOW SMASH !!!"

Disarming them all one-by-one, and knocking them out was outrageously easy, and soon the three of them were done for. However, by no mean did it meant the end of my fight.

"*sigh* Saisentan, Shield."

*SCHKLING*

"I believe I already told you that, but I can see you... Byakuya Kuchiki."

Byakuya: Why... Why do you try to save Rukia so many times...

"Hey, that's what I should be asking YOU. Aren't you her brother ? So why don't you save her ?"

Byakuya: ... What a trifling question. I can answer, but foolish people like you will never understand why. So it is useless to discuss this matter.

Ichigo: I agree. Let's fight !

Two at once. While I was keeping him busy by blocking his sword, he was wide open for Ichigo to attack. But even with that, he was still able to knock us both back, readying himself for battle once more.

Byakuya: ... There's only one way, for me to choose. Ichigo Kurosaki, Y/n L/n, I will kill you both. And Rukia, next time, I will kill her myself.

Ichigo: We won't allow you to do that. That's why we're here !!

Byakuya: Interesting... You were able to master Shunpo as well... However...

"Hey, aren't you taking it easy, here ? You've been casually analyzing what we've done until now, is it really a good idea to only do that ? You should try and actually attack us, you know."

Ichigo: You haven't even been able to scratch us once ! Can it be that this is... The best you can do ? Hurry up, and use your Bankai !"

Byakuya: ...

"Earlier, you said that you were going to kill us, and then execute Rukia with your own hands, right ?"

Byakuya: ... So ?

Ichigo: I don't like it ! I'm going to use everything I have, to defeat you ! I'll beat you, until you have no strength left !! To execute your own sister with your own two hands , What a sick joke ! No matter what reasons you have, under whatever circumstances... Don't ever say that, in front of Rukia again.

Ichigo: use your Bankai ! I will destroy it ! Then I will take you to Rukia, and make you cry while apologizing to her !

Byakuya: ... What a shallow taunt, brat ! No matter what you say, I will not change my mind... About Rukia's fate, and yours. You want me to use my Bankai ? Don't forget your place, brat. It is a thousand years too early, for any of you to become worthy enough to die by my Bankai. Fall... Senbonzakura.

"Here it comes. I do hope you know what you're doing, Ichigo."

Ichigo: Sit back, and watch.