Pact of Fighters

(With Chad)

The hours passed outside as he rested, inside he went through years of his life. The life he regretted as a kid, angry at everything and anyone just waiting for an excuse to lash out. The life he had because of his grandfather, helping others with his powerful fists while taking unbelievable punishment with his strong body. Now the life he lives, as an unbreakable shield to a mighty protector. His strength granted to one that helped him find a sense of meaning in his life, a best friend that he'd be ready to die for because he would do the same. He'd then defy death because he knew Ichigo would never forgive him for that. He chuckled slightly, finding humor in the contradiction of refusing his death when that was Ichigo's job description. He was brought out of his musing when he heard the shouts of Shinigami outside the warehouse he was sleeping in.

"Guess that's it for my nap." He mumbled before transforming his arm. He rose up and walked over to the door, the yelling and thudding getting louder and louder. He made a swift strike at one of the hinges, blowing a hole through the frame and quieting the crowd outside. He repeated that three more times, leaving the door very loose in its place. He backed up a little bit before charging and using the door as a makeshift ram. A good chunk of that crowd of Soul Reapers ended up unconscious from the sudden impact as Chad began his rampage through the crowd. Punches like lightning sending his opponents flying as he pretty much waded through the crowd. Throwing some around like discarded clothing, kicks that cleared a path like axes to wood, the intense cannon blasts of Reishi from his black right arm, more akin to a force of nature then a man to all the Shinigami against him. A group of twenty strong reduced to naught but mangled broken bones. "Maybe I should try to hold back more." Chad wondered aloud as he studied the aftermath. Craters in the walls and streets with bent or broken swords all around him with piles of unconscious Soul Reapers. "Oh well." He said before fishing out his locator and proceeding with his task. "I wonder how Ichigo's doing."

(With Ichigo and Kenpachi)

"Kenpachi." Ichigo said, staring down his opponent. "The greatest fighter of the Court Guard Squads, the man who stands atop a mountain of corpses." He remembered the stories of the various title holders told by his teachers. All the hollows he faced, the hardest his teachers attacked him, none of it compared to the dark savagery of the man standing across from him. It was both unsettling and exciting for the young hybrid. "Ikkaku said you'd want to meet me. Any reason why?"

"Because you're strong." Kenpachi responded, like it was the simplest thing in the world. "My interest has always been in a good fight. Good, evil, justice, chaos? I don't care about any of that because none of it matters in a fight." He then adopted a confused scowl, thinking that Ichigo knew what he was talking about. "Why should fighting need a reason?"

"You fight for the sake of fighting?" Ichigo said. "Can't say I understand that. My fights usually ended up being disappointments because they were too weak or because they were holding back."

"Like Ikkaku and Aizen?" The battle scarred man asked. 'I did get the feeling that Ikkaku was holding back in a lot of his matches. But what about Aizen then?'

"Ikkaku needed to be taught a lesson." Ichigo said while his presence was turning darker. "Aizen on the other hand must die." Zaraki felt an old familiar tension in his body, one he hasn't sensed in centuries. A sense that this opponent might kill him.

"Wow! Ichi can be really scary!" The tension was broken as a small pink haired little girl made her presence known. Ichigo looked down on the small lieutenant as the two calmed down. "Looks like this can be a lot of fun Kenny!" She cheered as she ran back to her captain. Kenpachi smirked again as his lieutenant destroyed the tension.

"Yeah, its been so long since I've had a good fight." He said, already unsheathing his blade. The small display Ichigo gave earlier put him on a slight edge, no longer needing to see if he could put up a good fight. "Now get out of the way Yachiru, this could get messy." The small girl jumped off to her vantage point on top of the first division barracks.

"Hey King," Zangetsu spoke out to his wielder, "There's something I wanna check out. You mind?" Ichigo looked up to the small lieutenant, almost understanding his blade's interest in the girl. Something about her was off. Without saying anything he materialized his Zanpakuto's spirit, appearing as a familiar reflection of Ichigo with his skull mask, who disappeared just as quickly.

"Sorry, my Zanpakuto was interested in your lieutenant." Ichigo said, drawing his blade. "Now, why don't you show me how to enjoy a fight." He growled before the two charged at each other, resulting in a loud clang.

"With pleasure!" Kenpachi roared, already feeling his battle high coming on.

(With Chad)

He kept on with his mission, following the signals to the next hotspot on his locator to place the next tag. No Shinigami was able to stop him, against his overwhelming strength and surprising speed and reaction abilities, they were leaves tackling a concrete wall. His signal was now coming from his immediate right, behind an eight foot wall. The extension on his arm snapped open as he charged his energy.

"El Directo!" He yelled, blasting a hole through the wall and removing or scaring off any other Soul Reaper in the area. He made his way through the hole and kept moving forward. When his way was blocked by one Shinigami, claiming to be a third seat, Chad just shoved him out of the way. The apparent 3rd in command was shot through another wall. He only stopped when he saw the flower petals, and a man in a flowery kimono with a straw hat.

"Hello there, Yasutora Sado." The man said in a cheerful, lazy manner. "I am Shunsui Kyoraku, captain of squad 8." The two continued to stare at each other, Kyoraku with a smile against Chad's passive expression. All the while, flower petals kept falling... or was being tossed around by the female secretary Soul Reaper above them. "Hey, Nanao!" The captain called. "The moment's passed, you can stop now." She just kept on tossing. "Nanao! Can you hear me? My sweet Nanao! Lovely little Nana-" She dumped the rest of the petals on him with no tact, annoyance clearly showing on her face.

"Does this happen often?" Sado asked as Kyoraku got out of the pile.

"Yeah, she's just shy is all." He said, brushing off the remaining flower petals. "So, what now?"

"Since you know my name, I'm guessing you know that I'm also not supposed to fight captains." Shunsui smiled and nodded. "How is Tatsuki?"

"She's fine. Quite popular with the members of the 2nd squad for her martial arts skill. But there's some things I wanted to ask you Yasutora Sado." He said, gaining a sense of seriousness about him. Chad immediately had his guard up in case he needed to run or defend himself. "Will you join me for a drink?" The captain said with a smile, pulling out a jug of sake with two small cups. After the initial shock wore off he relaxed again but was still ready to move. "Come on, it's a lovely day. Just sit down and have a few drinks while we chat." Shunsui said.

"Sorry, but no." Sado said, earning a surprised look from the captain. "I appreciate the offer but I'm underage. I'm not supposed to drink any alcohol." Kyoraku let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Well that's a shame. This is some good stuff too." The two again just stood and waited as time passed. "My lieutenant makes excellent tea." The captain offered.

"That works." Chad said as he dispelled his power and sat across from the captain.

"Nanao! Could you be a dear and get us some tea and snacks~!" He asked his stern lieutenant who just disappeared after shooting him a glare. "Why do you have to be so cold my sweet Nanao." He cried with anime tears running down his face.

"Can you explain to me the current situation Mr. Kyoraku?" Chad asked seeing as he had nothing else to do. He remembered hearing about Shunsui Kyoraku as one of the oldest captains of the thirteen squads. Above all, a man that he did not want to make an enemy of.

"You mean with your friends?" The captain clarified, getting a serious nod from the giant. "Capture, dead or alive. Ichigo Kurosaki is considered a captains only target. So whatever it is your friend has to say to old man Yama, it better be good." He said while they sensed a sudden burst of Reiatsu.

(Zangetsu and Yachiru)

"That guy has no idea does he?" The hollow blade asked the child sitting at his side. Their gaze fixed on the hybrid and the berserker as they struggled against one another. The clashing of their blades were enough to be an orchestra of battle.

"Nope, he doesn't." Yachiru said with a melancholic smile. "All he cares about is fighting, nothing else really matters." She explained to her companion. "He understands himself perfectly and I help him with what he wants. If he wants to cripple himself so badly that he's just a shell of his real power than that's fine. I've gotten used to him doing that."

"But because of all that, he's the closest to understanding himself. Even if he's blind to see it." Zangetsu finished, seeing a close parallel between Ichigo and Kenpachi. The battle hungry warrior was simplistic and chose to ignore what was right in front of him, the hybrid was complex but tackled it head on. On was already powerful but was holding back while the other had unlimited potential and had to earn it. "Zaraki will lose in the end." The white spirit said just as Ichigo was starting to get sloppy in their fight. "Ichigo's too stubborn to die."

(Ichigo vs Kenpachi)

The fight was even when it started. Slashes, blocks, stabs, dodges, clashes and grunts between the two as they struggled, showcasing their skills. Ichigo was fast but Kenpachi was experienced, no matter how he went at him Kenpachi had a dodge or block ready. Unfortunately, something else was happening that affected Ichigo's performance. Ichigo was used to his opponents being level headed or in fear of him. This man thrived on the feeling he was getting from fighting Ichigo. It wasn't like when Ichigo fought Zangetsu because he knew his blade. The man across from him, the Kenpachi, was a savage beast that killed for sport, and he was getting stronger as the fight went on. It started to unnerve the hybrid and got slashed across his chest.

'Ah damn!' He cursed as the burning pain rang out from the tear on his chest. A shallow cut, but it was not healing as quickly due to the blade fragment still in his back. Zaraki came on him with another attack, which Ichigo blocked but was overpowered as the chipped blade dug into his flesh. 'What the hell is wrong with me!?' He yelled out as the captain continued to cut and slash him. The damage was minimal but was building up.

"What's wrong Ichigo?" Kenpachi growled, feeling a level of disappointment in his enemy. "I thought you wanted to learn how to enjoy fighting? Why are you cowering now?" Ichigo froze, the battle scarred man's words ringing in his ears. He hadn't been afraid since Urahara and Yoruichi drilled killing intent into his skull. He fought Aizen with the intention of...

'Wait, no I didn't.' Ichigo realized. 'Aizen's goal was to spread chaos among the Soul Reapers. Everyone else was trying to capture me. Why is this affecting me so much? Even he isn't supposed to try to kill me... right?' Ichigo struggled with the idea, feeling that if he wasn't careful with Zaraki then he was going to die. Regeneration just wouldn't work if he was cut in half. On the surface, Ichigo and Zaraki were pretty even, but there was more hidden deep within. A monster hiding underneath the battle hungry warrior, that's what had the protector on edge. His mistake was fighting Zaraki like a man, when he needed to be more like a beast. Steeling himself, Ichigo did the best thing he could to calm himself down.

"What are you-" The captain asked as Ichigo punched himself in the face with a loud resounding crack. Kenpachi could only watch as Ichigo took several breathes, each one becoming more and more even as he brought himself back to reality.

"Sorry, lost my nerve for a bit." Ichigo said, his injuries already healing. "I wanted you to show me how to enjoy a fight, and you did." Ichigo's Reiatsu took on a noticeable shift to a more hollow like one, fully aware of his audience. "I was too focused. I just need to let myself go." He said as his eyes shifted. "I promise to give you what you want." He said, glaring at the man with his black and gold eyes. Next thing Kenpachi knew, Ichigo was in front of him making a long cut across his chest. Ichigo had a manic grin on his face, which matched Kenpachi's own.

"That's it." He said before their blades clashed once again. "This is what I was hoping for!" He started laughing as they continued their fight. This continued as they both struck at the other, trying to come out on top. Both were in tatters and blood as their blades continued to find their marks. "This is the best!" Kenpachi yelled as his cut through Ichigo's shoulder who left a dangerous mark on Kenpachi's neck. They separated as Zaraki continued to laugh. "Thank you Ichigo. Thank you for existing. Never have I come across someone like you." He said through his laughter. "There has only been one other person that has made me feel this way. No, you might even eclipse that." He stopped laughing, keeping that manic smile. "I can't give you anything but my full effort Ichigo! Let's go!" He ripped off his eyepatch and unleashed his Reiatsu. All over the Seireitei, people felt this battle.

(With Yoruichi)

'Ichigo.' She thought, watching the two behemoths clash. 'Be careful.'

(Squad 4 Barracks)

"Looks like the captain is having fun." Ikkaku said as he and Yumichika were enjoying a few cups of tea as the bald warrior was visited by his friend. "He's way out of my league, I can tell that much."

"And the captain's about to use his trump card." The fifth seat said. "To think he was strong enough to push him that far." Unbeknownst to the two fighters was the current captain of the fourth division.

'Far from it you two.' She thought, feeling her lone scar on her chest ache a little. 'The boy is undoing my greatest sin just a little bit. Either way, one of them will end up here.'

(Near the Repentance Cell)

"Is that Ichigo?!" Hanatarou yelled, the massive Reiatsus clashing affecting them as a blizzard in the mountains.

"Just what the hell is he!?" Renji growled out as he helped keep their small group going. There was only one problem.

"Yeah! Go Ichigo! Kick his ass!" Ganju cheered, holding up their progress a bit.

"Shut up and keep going!" The lieutenant yelled.

(Uryu and Orihime)

"Let me go Uryu!" Orihime yelled as she struggled against her Quincy companion's strength. "He needs help! Just let me go!"

"I can't do that!" Uryu yelled. "Ichigo would never forgive me if you got hurt and I could have prevented it." She kept struggling, but it was weaker and weaker with every second, knowing that Ichigo would want her somewhere safe. With Uryu it was certainly much safer than wandering around on her own trying to find whatever fight Ichigo was in the middle of. "Calm down Orihime. Ichigo has the strongest will of anyone I've ever known. He'll survive. We have to keep moving." He urged one last time before she started crying.

"Even with my powers, I'd only be in his way." She sobbed before her turned her around and hugged her.

"Think of it more as, waiting for him to come home and get patched up." He said when she calmed down. "Afterall, think about him with a couple scars." 'For once.' He said. Orihime did just that... and a drip of blood came out of her nose. "Doesn't sound so bad now does it?" He waited for a response, but she was clearly in her own little world. "And I lost her. Good job idiot." He berated himself before throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her off.

(Chad and Kyoraku)

"Looks like things are getting a little hectic over there." Shunsui noted as he munched on another rice cracker. "So as I was saying. Why are you here? Your friend seems fixated on meeting with the old man and saving Rukia." He took a drink of his tea while looking Sado in the eye. "His reason makes sense. But what about you?"

"There's not much to it." Chad said. "Ichigo is my friend, if he needs my help I'll give it. Deliver a message, help him move, fight off a group of thugs, even if it puts my life on the line I'd help him."

"Heh, he must be a good friend to have that kind of loyalty out of you." Kyoraku noted, thinking of his own best friend in a sickly captain.

"To be completely honest Kyoraku, if he didn't tell me to not fight a losing battle, we'd be fighting right now." This earned a look from the lazy captain. "Ichigo swore to me that if there was anything I'd give my life for, then so would he. All he asked was that I do the same. Its a meeting that gave me purpose." The captain burst out laughing in noticeable cheer.

"Then I'll have to thank him for this nice conversation!" He reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You're a good man Yasutora Sado. It's a shame I have to put you in the detention cell."

"You have your duties, I had mine." Chad said as they finished their picnic.

(With Tatsuki)

"Come on! I've got restraints on and I'm still beating you!" Tatsuki yelled out jumping around with fantastic agility while wearing cuffs on her wrists and ankles, kicking and punching various members of the 2nd division. She had enough favor with Soi-Fon to keep up her martial arts skills, but only under strict supervision. Most of the squad took it to mean, 'the ones that get to watch are fine, everyone else needs to improve.' There were only five people watching, excluding the lieutenant who was turned into Tatsuki's punching bag as a result of his embarrassing defeat. Tatsuki needed the distraction, feeling Ichigo's fight was putting her on edge as well. 'Ichigo if you die, I'm gonna be pissed.' She thought before jumping and kicking another guy in the head. 'You win, then I'm getting that sexy nurse outfit I found.'

(Zangetsu and Yachiru)

"Ichigo seems like a good guy." Yachiru said with a smile, almost envious of the protector.

"Yeah... Zaraki is going say something stupid soon." Zangetsu bluntly said.

(With Ichigo and Zaraki)

"Fine! Call out your Zanpakuto!" Ichigo called out. Zaraki merely raised an eyebrow.

"My Zanpakuto doesn't have a name." He bluntly said, destroying the mood of the fight.

"...What?" Ichigo dryly asked. He thought he saw Zangetsu give himself a tired face palm.

"My spiritual pressure is so great that no seal can contain it. This is the true form of my Zanpakuto." He declared.

"...You are a captain of the Gotei 13, telling me you have no connection to your blade, despite x number of years, decades even, of using it." Ichigo tried to clarify.

"Zanpakuto are simply weapons for killing, that's all there is to it." He defended ignorantly. "Even if they do have spirits of their own, they are simply tools of battle."

'Is he for real?' Ichigo asked himself as he felt his eye twitch. The look in Zaraki's eyes told him that he believed what he was saying. "Zangetsu!" Ichigo called out, making his blade turn and his spirit appear at his side.

"Yep?" The hollow blade asked, just as irritated.

"I'm going to start hurting him now, I don't know if I'll stop." Ichigo almost growled out.

"Mask?" Zangetsu asked, concerned about how far this was going to go.

"I honestly do not care at this point." He said before a black vortex of Reishi consumed the both of them. When it calmed down, it revealed Ichigo with his red and white hollow mask. "Play time's over Zaraki." He said before spinning his blade by the cloth. "I'm ending this."

"Ending?" Zaraki laughed. "This is just getting start-" He was interrupted by Ichigo massive blade slamming into his stomach and sending him flying with a deep slash. The blade returned to Ichigo's hand as he spun it again.

'He said he's releasing his full power, but even now it's steadily increasing to match my own.' Ichigo observed, sensing the growing power in the Kenpachi. Zaraki soon got back up, his psychotic smile still on his face. 'What's happening?' Kenpachi made a downward slash on Ichigo, but it stopped cold on his shoulder. Ichigo kicked him back and brought his blade down like a buzzsaw on Zaraki. He blocked, but the repeated slashes made several cuts in the behemoth, and his power kept growing. 'What am I feeling from this guy?' Ichigo charged at his opponent raising his arm to block another slash. The chipped sword connected and slowly dug it's way through his arm. Ichigo quickly tilted his arm and slashed down with Zangetsu, coming out with a thin slice out of his forearm. 'And now he's cut through my hierro?' Ichigo took his chance to kick off of Kenpachi and into the air. "Take this, Getsuga Tensho!" He yelled, swinging his blade wildly downward and sending a barrage of Reishi blasts. 'All that power, he can't even hear his own Zanpakuto, and all he wants is to fight. Even unrestrained he's holding back!'

"Not consciously at least." Zangetsu let slip.

"It seems like he has the most insulting seal on himself." The elder version said. "He holds back because of it."

'Wait, is he?' Ichigo asked his spirits as he landed. Zaraki marching out of the darkness radiating his yellow light, highlighting all the burns, cuts and blood he's covered in.

"Come on Ichigo!" He said, staggering a little, not used to this level of damage anymore. "I'm not done yet!" He charged at Ichigo, fully enjoying himself despite the condition he was in. Until Ichigo froze him with a single statement.

"You're afraid to kill me, aren't you." Kenpachi stopped, a storm of emotions going through his head. Confusion at the general statement and anger that he would be afraid of anything.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He demanded. "Who could possibly be afraid to kill their enemy? I killed hundreds for fun, so why should I be afraid of another's blood staining my sword?"

"You said it yourself, you thank me for existing." Ichigo explained, dispelling his mask. "You've gone so long without a truly worthy opponent that you are incapable of releasing your true strength out of fear that you'll never find a worthy challenge again." Zaraki continued to glare at his opponent and hating the fact that, on some level, this lecture was making sense to him. "Don't mock me! Come at me like you mean it! Prove me wrong and ram that chipped blade through my heart!" The hybrid yelled, demanding action from his enemy. "Quit your quivering and attack!" And Kenpachi did. He charged at Ichigo with his blade, aimed straight for the boy's heart. Time slowed for the both of them as the blade inched closer to it's target. For the slightest instant however, it became apparent to the captain. Ichigo was right. Right about him. He didn't want to kill such a worthy match, not when he could have more battles like they just had. He tried to avoid the fatal strike before he felt a hand grasp his own.

'What?' He saw Ichigo's grab the blade and skewer himself through the chest. Blood slowly dripped from his wound as Ichigo pulled himself further down the blade, coughing up some blood on the way down, until he came face to face with the battle hungry captain. He took hold of the man's haori and slammed their skulls together.

"Now listen here you bastard!" The hybrid yelled. "You will NEVER be able to kill me! Stab me, cut me, slash me, whatever, I will never die by your hand! If you want an opponent to fight you then that's what I'll be." Kenpachi looked at the defiant boy on his sword, and felt a strange sense of hope in his chest. "Become my ally, fight by my side, and I will be the last opponent you will ever face. All others will be a warm up for our next fight." Ichigo then stabbed Kenpachi through the chest, just barely missing anything vital. "This is our pact. I will be that fighter you've been waiting for and you will return to you true strength or I'll kill you trying. Do you accept this?" Ichigo asked, glaring at his enemy as the shock fell from the man's eyes. Slowly he began laughing excitedly, striking terror in many hearts as the unbridled joy of Zaraki filled the air.

"Very well then Ichigo, I accept." He whispered with tears of happiness streaming down his face. It was a new feeling for him, hope that he finally found someone on his level. And he liked it. Ichigo pried out the sword from Zaraki and threw him to the side, before blasting him away with a point blank cero.

"He'll be fine... right?" He asked his blade as Zangetsu materialized again and the small pink haired Yachiru came down.

"Yeah, Kenny will be fine." She chirped excitedly. "He's really tough. Thank you for fighting him Ichi!" She said before turning to where her partner went. "You better keep your promise, or I'm gonna be really mad. 'Kay?"

"Don't worry." Zangetsu said. "When we get the time, there'll be a round two." Yachiru beamed the duo a smile before turning to leave. "He'll call you by your real name soon enough." He said before she disappeared. The two looked on before something registered with the strawberry.

"Wait, is she?" He asked his blade.

"Yes she is." He said before pulling out the sword in his partner's chest.

"Ahh damn it! That hurts!" Ichigo cried out, the blade tearing through his body as he dropped to his hands and knees. "That was a bad idea!" He began healing. "Just leave a scar, I need that for our agreement." He said while the blood stopped flowing. After a few seconds passed, he rose up and staggered his way towards the doors of the first division's barracks.

(With Chad and Kyoraku)

"So you're certain that the Head Captain will hear Ichigo out?" The giant asked the captain as they made their way to the prisoner cells.

"Of course, he was interested in your friend for a long time. He can be a reasonable man." He assured Sado before they heard an explosion rock the Seireitei. They turned to see a tower of fire and smoke rise in the distance.

"What is that?" Chad asked, afraid for his friends.

"That was old man Yama."