Ichigo woke to sunlight streaming into his bedroom window. Rukia was snuggled against his chest, and her small breaths tickled his skin. A slow blush crept across his face as he recalled the events of last night. His mind was still reeling for answers, but none came.

Ichigo snapped to attention when Rukia began to stir. She lifted her head and blinked drearily. A soft smile formed on Ichigo's lips, and he brushed her hair from her face.

"Good morning," Ichigo whispered, tucking her hair behind her ears. Rukia twined her fingers with his and earned down to kiss him.

"Yo, Ichigo!" A voice boomed. The face of Zaraki Kenpachi was pressed against the glass of his window. Rukia withdrew from Ichigo and glared.

"Why do they always show up at times like this," Rukia snarled coldly as she hopped out of bed. Zaraki opened the window and stepped into Ichigo's room. Ichigo sat up in his bed, and cool air slipped over his chest.

"Are you healed yet?" Zaraki asked. Rukia folded her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, I am. I don't know about Rukia. She was stabbed in the chest the other day," Ichigo said sleepily.

"Ah, I will just step out for a second, and I will let ya check if her wound is still in bad condition," Zaraki said slowly. Rukia's face reddened and she opened her mouth to protest, but Ichigo was quicker. He jumped to his feet, red as a strawberry.

"What the hell? I wouldn't do that!" Ichigo shouted, blushing. Zaraki heaved a sigh and shrugged.

"Your loss. Anyway, the new king of Hueco Mundo has arrived, and you need to confront him on the battlefield. It's not our town, you should be protecting it," Zaraki said, exiting through the window. "I will jump in if anything goes wrong, only because you are very important to the Soul Society."

   When Zaraki was out of sight Ichigo let out a groan of frustration, tugging at his hair. He mumbled curses under his breath as he searched through the drawer for his Combat Pass.

   "I guess I gotta fight," Ichigo said, transforming into his Shinigami form," Just hang low for a while until I'm done, 'kay?" Rukia sighed and fixed Ichigo with a death glare.

   "I would punch you, right now, but we can't afford to waste our time," Rukia walked over to him and twisted her fingers into his kimono. Ichigo flinched and expected her to hit him, or something. Instead, she kissed his cheek and gave him a not-so-subtle thumbs up. "If things get bad, I will be the first one to jump into the fight," Rukia said sternly.

   "Okay, Rukia," Ichigo said with a smile," See ya." Ichigo jumped out of the window, and headed towards the king of Hueco Mundo. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so he could put this mess behind him.

   Ichigo stopped when he spotted a tan-skinned, gaunt looking man in the streets. He appeared to be around six feet tall, and had short black hair. A partial Hollow mask coved his face from the nose down, and resembled that of a snake. Ichigo thought that all of the Arrancar had been wiped out, but this man was an exception. The Arrancar looked up at Ichigo and fixed silver eyes on him.

"Are you Ichigo Kurosaki?" The Arrancar hissed. A forked tongue flicked between the jaws of the Hollow mask.

"Hell yeah!" Ichigo shouted, rushing down to meet him. Ichigo landed on the road, and continued toward the Arrancar, stopping when he was about fifteen feet away from him. "Are you the one who caused all of this mess?" Ichigo snarled.

"Ah, I believe so. I sent those imbeciles to kill you, but they couldn't finish the job," Sagino said sadly," I came to finish you off, Kurosaki." Ichigo's brow furrowed, and he unsheathed Zangetsu. Sagino raised a thin eyebrow at the gesture.

"You are scum," Ichigo spat.

"No, I am Sagino," Sagino replied wittily," Sagino Hebi." Sagino drew his own Zanpakuto. It was thin, and unlike a katana, it was double edged. The hilt was a dark shade of green, almost black. Light from the risen sun bounced from the gleaming blade.

"What a fitting name," Ichigo sneered. Reiatsu wrapped around Ichigo, and he raised Zangetsu over his head. "Getsuga, Tenshou!" Ichigo screamed as the arch of reiatsu surged toward Sagino.

   "Pitiful," Sagino said, hefting his Zanpakuto. The Getsuga Tenshou bounced harmlessly off the blade and dissipated. Ichigo cursed under his breath, and realized Sagino is not to be taken lightly. Sagino was surprised when Ichigo made a clawed hand over his face, summoning his Hollow mask.

   "Prepare to die, you wretch," Ichigo screamed, diving at the Arrancar. Sagino blocked each attack, and flung Ichigo to the side. Rebounding, Ichigo used shunpo to appear behind Sagino. With a quick thrust of Zangetsu, Ichigo sliced off the lower half of his arm.

   "You are stronger than I originally thought, Kurosaki," Sagino hissed, clutching at his bleeding arm," I guess I shall not hold back." Sagino gripped his Zanpakuto in his only remaining hand, pointing the blade at Ichigo," Tsuinhebi, Kokomo O Shokyo!"

The blade of Sagino's Zanpakuto fell to the ground, and it left only the hilt. The hilt of the Zanpakuto grew into a large green scythe with a wicked edge. The blade, which lie on the ground, writhed and turned into a large black two headed snake. It had red eyes and ferocious fangs that dripped with corrosive venom.

"Get ready to taste my blade," Sagino hissed. He swung the scythe at Ichigo, and Ichigo was unable to dodge. The scythe sliced through his Hollow mask, and it crumbled to the ground. Sweat gathered in Ichigo's palms, and he charged the Arrancar. He aimed a slice at Sagino's chest, but before he could deliver the blow, Sagino had cut his arm. Blood gushed from the wound and trickled down Ichigo's arm, pooling at his feet.

"I just sliced one of your major veins," Sagino commented with a sigh," I expected you to be stronger than this." Ichigo shouldered his pain and aimed a feign blow at Sagino's head. When Sagino raised his scythe to block the attack, Ichigo swooped his Zanpakuto under the scythe. Zangetsu pierced Sagino's chest, and satisfaction flooded over Ichigo.

"Good bye, Sagino," Ichigo whispered. Before he could withdraw his blade, pain lanced through Ichigo's leg. His vision blurred, and he lost grip on his Zanpakuto. Ichigo looked down to see that the black snake had bitten him. The world spun, and Ichigo collapsed to the ground.

"What did you do?" Rukia screamed as she ran up to Ichigo. She cradled his body in her arms, and her tears fell onto his bloody kimono. Ichigo wondered when she had gotten here, and why she ran to him. Why would she throw her life away?

"Rukia," Ichigo's screamed as Sagino's snake plunged its fangs into her ankle. Rukia collapsed on his chest, motionless. Pain erupted in Ichigo's head and he groaned in pain. Black blotted his vision, and he fell towards unconsciousness. Ichigo knew that they would die, and knew that it was inevitable.

"Let me finish you off," Sagino grinned toothily. A sudden light exploded and Ichigo saw someone with the mask of a wolf standing in front of him. He had silky gray hair, and a long tail. He looked muscular, and well built. A smaller figured appeared beside him, and had the mask of a fox. She had long hair that cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall.

"Do not lay a finger on them," the mysterious hero snarled. Ichigo blacked out, and drifted into a deafening silence.