Save Me from the Dark (Old)

Sacrifice

Welcome back for another chapter of Save Me from the Dark! So far this was one of the hardest chapters to write, but here it is: complete and hopefully exciting. So fair warning this chapter does get a little gory, but enjoy. As usual all rights go to Tite Kubo except for OCs.

---------------------------------------------

Ichigo and Orihime stood in silence near Urahara's Shop entrance waiting for the doors to open, signaling that the final preparations were completed. These were the final moments before everything went to hell. Ichigo was leaning against the old, weathered wall that had always shielded the shop, while Orihime stood in the open courtyard bathed in the moonlight.

Ichigo stared over the girl he had known since middle school, 'She looks so beautiful in the moon's light... Wait second! Did I just admit that I think Orihime Inoue is beautiful? Damn it! My life just decides to drop these type of things on me at the wrong moments!'

Ichigo's mind rambled on for a while till Orihime spun around and gave him a small smile. He couldn't help but return it with a quick smirk. She walked over and stood next to him, heat radiated off his body like a furnace. On a chilly, autumn night like this, it was irresistible not snuggle against him.

Ichigo peered down at her and asked, "You cold?"

"A little. I didn't really think it would be this cold so early into fall." Orihime replied honestly. Ichigo silently slipped off his jacket and gently handed it to Orihime.

"You don't have to, it's your..." Orihime began but was cut off by Ichigo saying, "I want to, so let me," He and Orihime stood in a self-conscious silence, leaning against the aged wall. In a few, quick moments the Urahara Shop doors opened and Uryu told them everything was ready.

Team Karakura entered the large training ground and faced the Garaganta with determination. Almost a year later and this would be the final mission of the Winter War.

"Now you should all remember the protocols for entering the Garganta, and if not, too bad just ask someone else!" Kisuke Urahara cheered sadisticly. The team just stared blankly at the man and one by one leapt through the Garganta.

They soon arrived in the white sands of Las Noches, a place that held both good and bad memories, the large majority being quite terrible.

"We should expect to meet up with the other soul reapers near the entrance of the Las Noches palace," Uryu explained.

On the horizon a large cloud of dust had picked up and bee-lined for Team Karakura. A small object no bigger than a five-year-old child flew out of the cloud, and slammed into Ichigo's stomach with an audible smack. "Itsygo!" The object exclaimed.

"Nel... please... get off." Ichigo choked out.

"Sowwy Itsygo," Nel said sorrowfully.

"Ichigo!" Another voice called from the distance. A mop of bright red hair and a smaller blob of black could be seen nearby.

"Rukia, Renji!" Orihime called waving her hands madly.

The two neared the group and were immediately thrown into a laughing fit at the sight of Ichigo being held down by a young child. Ichigo picked Nel up and carefully placed her by his side as he attempted to sit up.

"Geez Nel can't you slow down a bit so you don't hurt anyone next time?" Ichigo said tentatively as to not hurt the young arrancar's feelings. Nel nodded her head rapidly and calmed down as Ichigo turned to Rukia and Renji and asked, "Are the others coming?"

"They'll come if we need them. The head captain opted against sending an army here, it would be to noticeable," Rukia replied.

Team Karakura nodded in understanding at the statement. A large group would alarm the enemy, and give them time to escape or prepare a counterattack. It was an undebatable fact that no one dared deny. A moment passed, and a silent agreement was made that it was time to make way to Las Noches Palace, a place most dreaded to go. Nel was ecstatic at the mention of the hole that Ichigo and Renji made the first time they were here, due to the fact of it taking too long to reach the official entrance of the large palace. Orihime stood in astonishment at the shear size of a hole the two well known idiots had been able to make. Upon entering the lower palace foryer they each split up into small groups and headed in opposite directions. Nel went with Ichigo and Orihime to the right, while Chad, Uryu, Rukia, and Renji went left.