Crimson Winter

Prologue

    Karakura Town, Aizen's Invasion

Ichigo watched on in awe and shock as the visoreds and captains attacked Aizen. Some of them were wounded and left unable to continue the fight after being cut down by Aizen's sword. Ichigo could feel his sword begin to tremble as his hands grew more and more shaky. He watched on in horror as Captain Kyoraku stabbed "Aizen" in the back leaving him immobilized and still trapped in the ice created by Captain Hitsugaya. Aizen's eyes narrowed at his attacker. "Kyoraku." He said in obvious pain and anger. Shunsui removed his blade from the betrayers back. "AHHHHHHH!" Toshiro charged forward, blade extended and pierced into Aizen's exposed back with a large spray of blood.

Aizen grunted in pain as Toshiro forced the blade in further with a sickening crunch, the young captain letting his anger seethe from himself as he took joy in ending his former comrades life. Aizen grasped his attackers blade wincing in pain. Then his hand went limp and the betrayer was dead.

For a moment everyone rejoiced. The betrayer was dead, Karakura was saved. That is.... everyone except a certain Strawberry.

Ichigo looked on in horror. They were happy. They were proud of their kill. He felt sickly and his hands began to tremble even more. This was the power of Aizen's shikai and none of them ever even knew they were under its spell.

"You guys." Ichigo let out softly to himself . He gripped his blade tightly and let his anger overwhelm his fear. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOINGGGG!!" Ichigo cried out. Eveyone stopped in place. And then. The reality set in. Toshiro looked to his blade, but there was no traitor impaled upon it. No. Toshiro started to tremble as he realized what had happened. Everyone looked on in horror as the person they thought was Aizen turned into Momo.

"What the hell? Momo what are you doing? You really shouldn't be up yet." Kira said, moments before "Momo's" blade cut him down. "What the-" Iba barely uttered before falling to the ground, a large cut etched in crimson along his chest.

Shinji's eyes, which were sparkling with victory moments before, turned to anger and disgust as Aizen's trickery faded. "How long? How long have you been using Kyoka Suigetsu?!?" He was terrified, yet he still faced Aizen.

An evil chuckle escaped the Traitor as he flash stepped forward a bit. And then his face dropped into an icy glare. "When were you under the impression that I hadn't been using my Kyoka Suigetsu?" Shinji gave him the reaction he was looking for. His cheeks puffed out in anger a bit as he grimaced at the words. He had been a fool. "I'll kill you, Sosuke!!!"

Ichigo stood still. His sword felt like an anchor that would drag him to the depths of the ocean. Blood painted the ground as Aizen easily cut down his opponents one at a time. It was hard for Ichigo to tell who was still alive by the end of it all. Toshiro's arm was severed, Shunsui had a massive wound across the back, Shinji was lying in a pool of blood. Nothing but pure chaos surrounded him.

"Do you understand now, Kurosaki?" Ichigo's face broke into a nervous sweat all of the sudden. Not even five feet away, standing with his blood stained sword and robes, was Aizen. He felt his grip start to tremble on his sword. "This fight is all but hopeless. In fact, it seems you have lost already." Ichigo stood helpless, they had lost and he knew it. All he could do was sit by helplessly while his friends and loved ones were slaughtered. It wasn't until two hands gripped him and threw him through a portal that he snapped out of his trance. Before it closed he heard Aizen proclaiming he would come to destroy the Soul Society and he would destroy everyone in the process.

He sat dazed as the names of the fallen were listed. His dad had been cut down as well as Chad, Uryu, and Orihime. Kisuke was missing as well as Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro. Alarmingly, the head captain had faced Aizen as well, but had his flames silenced and was sealed away somewhere unknown by a forbidden kido. More names were listed, but Ichigo had become numb. He had failed and the rain started to fall once again.

Ichigo felt tears run from down his face and drop onto his hands. He had lost the remainder of his family and his friends were dead or missing. I'm a failure. I can't protect anyone. Everyone protected me and now they're dead! Maybe it'd be best if I jus- cold hands touched his own, interrupting his thoughts. Cold and yet they still held a loving warmth in them.

Ichigo looked to the person who's hands held his own. "It's not your fault, you fool." Rukia. He looked at her face. Tears streamed from her bright violet eyes, leaving rivers upon her pale skin. She held a kind smile on her face and her look said she knew his pain and understood it. "This grief isn't yours to bear alone Ichigo, I will bear it with you so that you are not consumed by it." She placed a hand upon his cheek softly and wiped his tears with her thumb. "I couldn't take it if I saw you in that much pain again, Ichigo." She said softly.

His tears stopped. Rukia. I'm glad, You're safe. I've lost too many friends today. If I lost you I.. I couldn't stand any longer. I'd stumble and fall, and drown in the rain. I... His hands gripped hers a little tighter. "Rukia, I-" he stopped mid sentence, afraid to speak those words. Afraid she would be ripped from him too. I thought I'd lose you too. The rain hadn't stopped, but it wasn't as heavy anymore, he could bear this pain and he would take his revenge on Aizen so that no one else would have to go through this. He would kill him.