Afire Love (Bleach: Ichiruki)

XXX

Shunsui Kyōraku

"Woah, Kisuke. You never mentioned that." I said.

"Huh? Oh? I didn't?" Kisuke said, acting all innocent as he tapped his chin.

I chuckled.

"Only the most clever scientists don't reveal their secrets!" Mayuri said.

"Aw! Are you complimenting me, Mayuri?"

"Shut up. I'll kill you."

I smiled to myself, moving my gaze to Ichigo's unstable form.

Poor Kurosaki. Rukia's survival, her life, was in his hands once again. I pitied him.

But I admired his strength. He would do anything, go through any lengths to bring Rukia Kuchiki back.

I would too for Nanao.

I just hoped Ichigo could perform the distribution of his soul properly.

I don't know all that is needed in your heart and spirit to be able to perform that flawlessly. Zaraki, a man far from flawless, performed it flawlessly.

His heart must have physically broken, his soul spiritually tearing at the thought of Yachiru dying.

I assume that's what pushed him, that overwhelming need to bring her back, to perform his soul distribution.

But if it was purely Zaraki's soul in Yachiru right now, she would be acting different. Like Rukia did when the Soul Queen's soul was in her, along with Yhwach's.

Zaraki probably pulled Yachiru's soul back from the brink of death. Of course, it was nearly impossible to fully bring back an entire soul from my experiences, which is why Zaraki had to distribute a part of his soul to keep Yachiru's alive and stable.

Just like Asami did to a huge number of shinigami and arrancar.

How she did that at will, physically breaking her heart and tearing her soul into pieces still astonished me.

Probably from the help of her bankai. Which kept the shinigami under her will.

But the way Ichigo would restore Rukia Kuchiki would be completely different.

Since he had her entire soul in him, it would be easier to bring her back. Or at least I assume so.

Ukitake placed his hand on my shoulder to snap me out of my thoughts. My attention was forward, as the process seemed to have started.

In the midst of all my thinking, Ichigo had moved into the tall cylinder on the left of Rukia's, as he floated in a slightly gray liquid. But he could move freely, since his body was turned to face Rukia's paralyzed one.

The tiny black orb, Urahara's weapon, was manifesting into some dark black mist like form.

It floated around in the small cylinder for a few more minutes. It was tiny. And terrifying looking. Its like a black soul.

The sound of Mayuri amplifying something vibrated throughout the room as the weapon flung around harshly in the tube it was in. The liquid Rukia's body was in also switched to a clear color.

Her eyes snapped open. She was now able to move.

But her eyes were full of emptiness.

At that moment the black mist of the weapon was sucked out from the cylinder near the control center.