Title: To Fight and Protect
Author: Cywsaphyre
Rating: T
Genre: Drama/Friendship
Pairing: None
Fandom: Bleach
Chapters: 9
Words: 99,501
Updated: April 30, 2012
Published: August 18, 2011
Status: Work in Progress
[summary]The War was over, but Ichigo's subsequent exile starts a rebellion under the rule of Central 46. Two years later, Aizen escapes, sparking off a chain of events that thrusts Ichigo straight back into the world he had left behind. AU. Full summary inside.[/summary]
Link: To Fight and Protect


I found this one a few days ago and am really into it. Its insanely interesting, superb writing quality, a bit of OOC when considering it in terms of the canon, but not so much as you get little peeks into the past and how it came to be that way.

I would recommend that anyway looking at it with hesitation because of Aizen's part in the summary to give it a go anyway. Its not quite what it seems and is most certainly worth the read.

There are only to things that depress me about this one:

One, the last update was April 30th, 2012, though the authors profile states nothing is abandoned but continues with erratic updates. Activity in the last two or so months make me cautiously hopeful more will come. (9 chapters, at 99501 words currently posted so far.) Made me hesitate on posting it here or in almost recommended. Definitely has the quality to get in the library, though.

Two, a quote from the board I found it: If their interactions seem a little, er, too much to you, I might as well say that the author is fan of Yaoi (THIS IS NOT A YAOI FIC) and I think it shows a little bit in the way she writes Ichigo with other male characters.

There are no slash pairings (overtly shoe-horned in or otherwise) and it doesn't look to be going that way at all. Some of the interaction seems a bit odd on occasion but no where near slash levels.

Definitely worth the read.



Checked by Minion, February 27, 2013

 

I know that Bleach is one of the worst shows ever - but is no one out there to review and rate this fic?

If it doesn't get any reviews / rates within the next seven days I'll have to assume that it is not of interest for DLP and will move it into the trash bin.

 

Honestly I just feel that there isn't enough written yet to make a decision one way or the other.

 

Yes quite short. Not really sure what to say.

 

I assume it's just some pre-fight banter that usually spans over three or four anime-episodes?

 

^I was about to say. Since when is 99'501 words "short"?

Tbh, I tried it when it first posted and didn't get very far into it. It felt a bit too..."messy", I guess? The way the events proceeded didn't feel a smooth read as if the writer was in a rush and didn't let it develop properly. And I wasn't a fan of what he'd done with Ichigo's skillset.

The idea was a step outside the norm, at least. I think I'll give it another go but for now I'd only give a 2.5/5.