12 [+1] days of Christmas. Day 11.

[actionreaction]

“Oi! Rukia! Who the hell is that guy? What the hell’s his problem?” Ichigo wasn’t even looking at the petite brunette to whom he addressed his question. Instead he stared off after the tall slim guy who’d just left, blistering remarks that would have left many a shinigami angry, but Ichigo confused, and irritated.

“He’s a Quincy. I didn’t think there’d be one here.” Rukia stood, arms crossed over he chest staring darkly after the white-clothed figure.

“Quincy?” That didn’t really answer Ichigo’s question. Rukia had a habit of doing that. Answering his questions with just enough words to raise more.

Rukia sighed. “Yes, a Quincy.” For once, she explained, and in full detail, how Quincys evolved. The biggest point, however was the fact that they were so opposed to the shinigami. That they killed Hollows, instead of releasing them. That there’d been an almost all-out war between Quincy and shinigami. Ichigo listened, a scowl on his face, but an interested expression in his eyes. The Quincy had called himself Ishida Uryuu. Ichigo was certain this wasn’t the last he’d see on him. He just didn’t expect to see him again so soon.

Not even hours later, Rukia’s cellular phone beeped, and Ichigo had no time to react before she used that glove on him again, and he was in black shinigami robes, zanpakutō in hand and the giant creature with far too many legs, grotesque mask on its face and gaping hole in its chest, approaching fast.

Ichigo leapt high in the air, sword swinging down closer and closer, and he moved, even as he flew, dodging spiked claws… And suddenly there were two bolts of bright blue light and Ichigo swung instinctively, slicing through them both, and dropped to the ground, mere feet from where a white-robed figure stood.

“Step aside, shinigami,” Ishida said, note in his voice faintly cold. And he aimed his glowing bow, and released; the bolt flew straight and true, cleaving the Hollow’s mask in one shot.

“Oi!! What the hell are you doing?” Ichigo roared, closing the small distance between them. Ishida touched the bridge of his glasses, sliding them up his nose. He hadn’t once bothered to actually look at Ichigo until now, when his eyes flashed open and he responded, “Doing the job. Better and faster than you can.”

Ishida’s expression hadn’t changed. Ichigo’s, however… eyes and mouth widened in pure undiluted aggravation, and he grabbed Ishida by his white collar. “You’re just killing them. Who cares if I take longer; I can purify them. Keep your nose out of this!”

Ishida rather calmly reached up, lighting his hand on Ichigo’s and then quite nearly smacking it off him, a clear message of “Don’t touch.” And then it was him advancing, leaning close – a little too close – and there was a strained almost palpable pause between them both, before the Quincy’s lips curved, just a hair, and he responded, “You think you can do better, shinigami?” He took a ring out of his pocket.

“Then let’s play.”