This is a Bleach fanfiction story that I am teaming up with Openminded15 (from fanfiction.net) to write. We do not own anything associated with the Bleach series and/or its characters. However this story is an original idea as some of the characters may seem a bit OC as we have also thrown in some completely OCC characters for this story. Please leave your comments and reviews telling us what you think. Thank you!

Key guide: bold - hollow voice, italic - zanpakuto voice, *mental speech*, "regular speech", 'thinking', bold italics - attacks, (author notes/translations)

Chapter twenty one: finally over

Ichigo's eyes shot open, his head pounding. He was surrounded by Shiro, Dairichi and Zangetsu. He sat up, hold his head in his hand as he didn't know how come he had awoken within the mindscape instead of the real world.
"You did it, King. Hakurai has been defeated." Dairichi said.
"Way to go, King! You sure as hell showed him who's boss!" Shiro cheered.
"I couldn't have done it without that power I obtained." Ichigo looked at his hand and body. The armor that had encased his body during the fight had disappeared.
"Things can finally return to normal." Zangetsu said.
"Things are never really normal around here." Ichigo joked.

As Shiro and Zangetsu continued to praise Ichigo for his valiant efforts, he noticed the Dairichi was missing. He found the Vasto Lorde sitting on the edge of the building, with his feet dangling off the side. Ichigo made his way over to him and sat down joining him.
"You did good out there, Dairichi." Ichigo said.
"I should have used all of my strength when you first summoned me here, King. But I didn't. I didn't want to lose control again so I suppressed my powers." he confessed.
"I understand, but it's okay. What was important is that you maintained control. If you hadn't, there could have been a strong possibility that Hakurai could have controlled you."
"But, because I didn't you're now unconscious and got more injured than you needed to be."
"It's not a big deal, I'm fine and so is the Seireitei. You did a great job." Ichigo smiled, as he got up from his place.
"Thank you, King."
"I should be getting back to the Seireitei." Ichigo waved everyone off, as he faded away from his mindscape.

When he retained consciousness, he noticed Renji and Toshiro were lying in beds beside him. The pigment on their skin was starting to regain their normal coloring, as splotches across their bodies, and they lost the masks that covered their faces. Ichigo sat up and rubbed his bandaged shoulder. Unohana smiled down at Ichigo.
"The rain has stopped and the clouds are starting to clear. The Seireitei should return to normal within a few hours." she informed him. She then left the room to take care of others in another room affected by the rain. Grimmjow stood at the doorway. He looked like he wanted to pick a fight.
"Are you here to fight?" Ichigo asked.
"Not today." Grimmjow grabbed a hold of Ichigo and pulled him close. "I may have blown my chance to end you last time, but next time we meet I promise I will end you." he hissed. Ichigo couldn't help but to smile at the sixth.
"You can try all you want Grimmjow. But I assure you that you will continue to fail. Just remember what I have done here, what I am capable of, and what you saw me do. My powers will continue to get much stronger." replied Ichigo. Grimmjow released him pushing the young teen away.
"Then I look forward to the next time we fight again Kurosaki. In no ways is this over until one of us is dead." Grimmjow stated as he opened up a descorrer (loosed void) leaving the Seireitei. Ichigo laid back down on the cot thinking about everything that he had accomplished as he knew that the sooner things returned to normal the better. He just wanted things to be normal again. Well close enough when it came to someone like him anyways.