The Double Edged Sword

27

Recap:

"So she did it again. Izumi bailed me out when I was in trouble yet another time." he said grimly while glaring down at the floor thinking of a certain raven haired girl he couldn't save. A clicking noise of disapproval came from the older man's lips making Ichigo look up at him in confusion. Was he wrong? Did she not save him?

"You saved me? Not Izumi?" he questioned slowly while gripping his aching shoulder. He was a little disbelieving, ever since they were children Izumi has always stuck her nose where it hadn't belonged and saved him to the best of her abilities.

"Oh? What's this? Your tone is unexpected. Even if it was Izumi who saved your life, you make it sound as though she would've done something wrong." Kisuke questioned while keeping his angry tone under lock and key; Izumi had been saving this kid's life for years and he seemed not even the least bit thankful.

Silence consumed the room while Ichigo held a sad expression and simply stared at the floor thinking of his failure. He let her go. He wasn't strong enough to save Rukia, there was no reason for him to be alive right now. Those were his thoughts at least.

"Oh right, did you also find Uryuu? How is he? Is he here too!?" he questioned worriedly while looking up into the man's eyes once more. He didn't remember much about Ishida being there, he just knew that the boy had taken on an injury while trying to defend Rukia.

"No sir. He's already gone. He lost a lot of blood, but his injury wasn't vital. Even if I just left him lying there, he wouldn't have died for another two days. So I just treated his injury on the spot. When he left, he was worried, worried about you, and worried over Izumi." Kisuke commented while thinking about the dark haired boy he had treated. Izumi was completely unconscious at that point; she had both physically and mentally tired herself out that she was just hurting herself more by staying awake. He took away her pain, he had to. If he had known the Quincy boy was still conscious to see the whole thing, he would've handled the situation a little differently however.

"He was worried about me and Izumi?" Ichigo questioned before thinking over his words. "Wait, what's wrong with Izumi!?" silence followed as Kisuke became a little upset in thinking about the girl in question.

"She's currently unavailable." he mumbled while looking up towards the ceiling. 

....

Silence was shared between the two men before Kisuke shook his head and gave Ichigo a wide smile. Panic spread through the boy's body but right as he opened his mouth to ask questions an image of Rukia's back as she walked through the door to the Soul Society made all emotions leave his body. He was depressed, and sad that he couldn't save her. He didn't care about anything at the moment, not even about the wellbeing of his best friend. In his mind she always came back, she was always there for him, so he didn't think now would be any different. 

"The Quincy boy believes that only you can save Rukia from the Soul Society." Urahara commented while trying to ignore the fact that not a question was asked about Izumi. 

"Only me? What does he expect me to do? Rukia's already back at the Soul Society! How can I follow her there!? How the hell am I going to rescue her!? There's no way!" Ichigo yelled loudly while completely ignoring the fact that anyone might be in the building other than him. He was angry, angry and sad. 

"Do you really think that there's no other way to get to the Soul Society?" Kisuke questioned with a frown resting on his lips. He wasn't fond of the way the orange haired boy was acting. Nor was he happy about giving him such information whenever he didn't seem like he was thankful at all. 

"So there is another way!?" Ichigo exclaimed before getting to his feet in a threatening pose. "How!? How can I get there!? Tell me!!" he roared completely forgetting any of his manners or thanks for the man who had just saved his life and was his best friends uncle. 

"Of course I'll tell you, however under one condition. Starting now, for ten days you will learn how to fight with me." Kisuke said evenly while holding up one finger to show his one condition. 

"So you're telling me to train!? Do you think I have time for that!? You don't know when Rukia's going to be executed! I should try to get there as fast as possible!" he glared thinking he was going to win this fight. 

"You are one exasperating person." Kisuke muttered before he had Ichigo on the floor with his cane pointed right at his throat. He held the boy in place while he glared down at him with killing intent. "The point that I want to make is you will die if you go there in your current condition. Do you think you can win if you fight with them now? I purposely let you fight them the previous time, I thought it would be easier for you to realize after you fought them and saw for yourself. With your current skill, you won't stand a chance fighting against the Soul Society! You are weak, a weakling walking into enemy territory is suicide. Stop being so childish, don't use other people as an excuse to go kill yourself."  the intensity in Kisuke's eyes and voice was enough to keep Ichigo from even attempting to move; even though he knew it was a cane, he felt as though Urahara was holding a blade to his throat. After a moment of silence Kisuke shoved the boy away from him then stood straight once again. 

"The Soul Society usually allows a grace period that lasts a month for the maximum penalty in convicts execution. I will be the same for Miss Rukia. We will just take ten days to annoy you. It will take seven days to open the door to the Soul Society. So after you arrive, you will have thirteen days. You have plenty of time." the older man finished while Ichigo looked towards the window lost in thought. 

"In ten days, will I become stronger?" he mumbled thinking once again of the raven haired girl he wanted to save. 

"Of course, if you truly desire to save Rukia. A strong will is stronger than steel. If your determination is anything less than whole-hearted, throw it away. For ten days can you be seriously determined to fight?" he questioned with a scheming glint in his eyes. 

"If I don't do it, then no one will. I guess I have no choice! Let's give it a try!" he exclaimed while Rukia's image faded.