Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 17

Shoot the hostage might work on cowboy cop shows, but not when your bad guy was a near-indestructible steel hairball and his hostage was a quivering, fragile chouchinobuke. Ichigo had had to get in close – and getting anywhere near that razor hair was an invitation to pain.

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 16

“What’s going on?” Ichigo demanded. “Why isn’t there a patrol on top of us already?” Not that he wanted a fight, but – well, hey. They were breaking a condemned prisoner out of Soul Society. They had to face off with the shinigami sometime.

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 15

“Your affinity is the protection of those you care for, as much as mine is mischief,” Loki stated. “I am my strongest when tangling others up in plots and magic, but in payment I may draw the wrath of the universe down on my head just by breathing.

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 14

“As you may have deduced, my shinigami is not dead. Though it was a near thing. Ichigo was charging Abarai when Loki managed to teleport us aside, and leave an image in our place. Barely in time; even with the flash steps Yoruichi has taught us these past years, I do not wish to know if we could have dodged Byakuya’s strike.

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 13

Her physical form locked in the Chamber of 46, Sode no Shirayuki stalked a mindscape of snow and frozen rivers. If only she’d been stronger. If only her shinigami had had the heart to draw her, to fight, instead of retreating from the red-headed idiot who had been her best friend-

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 12

“And Fenris is a youkai,” Rukia said, still not sure if she should be wary.

Bridge Ficbit – Rescue Rukia 11

Ichigo, scratching the back of his head in a sheepish gesture that made her shiver all over again. “Um. Could you forget you saw that?”

“Forget you’re a youkai?” Rukia sputtered.

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 10

“Don’t be afraid,” the white-haired specter had said with Ichigo’s voice, months ago. “Okay?”

“I wasn’t afraid!” Rukia had blustered, still trying to reach for a sword that wasn’t there. “You startled me. That’s all.”

Bridge ficbit – Rescue Rukia 9

“…I want to fly.” No. Not quite true. “I want us to fly.”

Toushirou grimaced. “You know what the old bastards think about calling on bankai without a good reason. Usually a Menos Grande-sized reason.”

Ice cracked under Hyourinmaru’s claws, before he made himself ease his grip. “I know.”

“I’ll see if we can get patrol beyond the edge of Rukongai,” Toushirou said bluntly. “If we’re out of range of other souls – we can always say we thought we sensed something.” A shadow of a grin twitched the corners of his mouth. “Heh. If Zaraki follows us looking for trouble again, it’ll be true.”

I doubt we will have leisure for patrol. Not with intruders on the loose. Powerful, determined intruders. But his shinigami would learn that soon enough.

And the offer itself, to the part of his power Toushirou had once feared….

Pleased, Hyourinmaru soared down, coiling about the other half of his soul. “What if there were another way?”

Unflinching, Toushirou raised white brows.

Hyourinmaru laughed, ice crackling on winter branches. He knew his shinigami. He knew himself.

We never could resist a challenge.

---

I’m alive, sang on the wind; the howl of a wolf reverberating not just off the walls of Seireitei, but from the forest-laced concrete and steel that haunted Rukia’s dreams. I’m coming for you.

Rukia! Saeki! Stay alive!

Caged in the stillness of Sixth Division’s prison, Rukia felt her traitorous heart skip a beat. Impossible. It wasn’t possible. Yes, they’d laid plans with Urahara against her eventual capture; yes, she’d almost dared to hope. But she’d seen her brother strike. She’d kicked Ichigo’s hand as his soul lay dying in the street!

Loki’s power is illusions.

And Ichigo had never been just a shinigami.

Bridge ficit – Rescue Rukia 8

Its own name.

Thoughtful, Hyourinmaru took to the skies again, circling into the center of Toushirou’s soul.