(Disclaimer) I will not repeat this every chapter. Allow this to act as a blanket disclaimer for every drabble I place in this archive. I do not own Bleach. Characters and setting copyrighted to Tite Kubo. All rights reserved, etc, etc. The plot and any character unrecognizable from the manga or anime are mine as well. Please do not use anything that falls underneath those categories without my permission. I am writing this for the sole purpose of entertainment and am not making any money off of it.

(A/N) Instead of cluttering the site with random drabbles (cause I doubt I'm going to write anything longer than a one-shot for Bleach), I created this. It will act as an archive for any and all Bleach drabbles I write. One-shots longer than 1500 words will not be included. I'll gladly take requests if you have any, though there may be a few pairings I won't do. Reviews welcomed, constructive criticism loved, anonymous flames will be laughed at, and signed flames are applauded, simply because of the guts needed to actually sign a flame.

Monday, April 17, 2006: Some spoilers for Soul Society arc in this one.

Helpless
Taiyoukai Lady

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He hated being helpless.

He had felt helpless when his mother died. Dead because of some stupid mistake of he made. Dead because he had been such an idiot. Dead because he had been helpless.

It was then that he had decided he would never be helpless again. Never be saved by anyone again. Never be forced to live a life given to him by someone else's sacrifice.

But he'd felt that overwhelming despair again when Rukia was taken away. He'd been helpless as she was led away, helpless as she gave him a chance at life, helpless as she willingly offered her own life to save his, helpless as once again, he lived off another's sacrifice. He gone to save her, but in the end, he'd ended up being saved.

When he'd stepped into the first fight against Byakuya after defeating Renji, he'd thought that he wouldn't have to be so helpless anymore. He'd been relieved to see Rukia still alive, confident enough to take on Byakuya. But no. He was still too weak.

He been helpless again when Yuroichi took him away from the fight against Byakuya, away from Hanatarou, away from Byakuya, away from the white towered prison he wanted to tear down, away from her. He'd raged against Yuroichi, yelling and screaming at her. But deep down, he knew she'd been right to do what she did, and that enraged him even more.

He hated being helpless.

So when he saw Rukia again, at the execution stand, waiting passively to be killed. He refused to be the one being saved anymore.

Kurosaki Ichigo was done with being helpless.