Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Sode no Shirayuki

Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Sode no Shirayuki is a brief fight that takes place in Karakura Town at the beginning to the Zanpakutō Rebellion.

Prologue
After the Zanpakutō of the Seireitei manifest in their spirit forms and begin to rebel against their former masters, Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai get caught up in all the commotion as some of the High Ranking Shinigami are defeated by their Zanpakutō, including Sajin Komamura and, seemingly, Byakuya Kuchiki. Before either Renji or Rukia can check on the status of Byakuya, they are ambushed by Rukia’s Zanpakutō, Sode no Shirayuki, who uses Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren in order to attack the two friends.

Rukia loses Renji in the scuffle, but manages to escape to the Human World by using the Senkaimon. When she arrives in the Karakura Town, Ichigo Kurosaki senses her and he arrives just in time to catch her as she falls toward the ground, injured. Rukia tries to tell Ichigo not to worry but he replies that she should look at the state she’s in before telling him to do something like that. Just then, another Senkaimon opens and Ichigo carries Rukia away from it using Shunpo just as Sode no Shirayuki steps out into Karakura Town.

Battle
Ichigo is, again, forced to move away with Rukia as Sode no Shirayuki begins to freeze the ground directly in front of them. Ichigo notices that her Reiatsu isn’t like a Hollow's reiatsu nor does she have a Hollow mask, and so surmises that she is not a Hollow. She politely asks him if he is the Shinigami of Karakura Town but he demands to know just who she is. In response, Sode no Shirayuki sends an ice barrage towards him. Ichigo repels it using Getsuga Tenshō, causing an explosion that Sode no Shirayuki jumps away from and up onto the nearby bridge.

The Zanpakutō spirit declares that Rukia belongs to her but a confused Ichigo replies that although he didn’t know her intentions, he wanted to take care of Rukia himself. Understanding that he wouldn’t give his friend up without a fight, Sode no Shirayuki charges at him, forcing him to get out of the way as she asks if he is a Substitute Shinigami. Again Ichigo demands to know who she is but she responds by using Some no mai, Tsukishiro on the baffled Ichigo, once again forcing him to avoid the attack.

Ichigo recognizes the attack but before he has time to question her about it, Sode no Shirayuki immediately follows up her attack with a Tsugi no mai, Hakuren so that Ichigo has to use another Getsuga Tenshō to block this attack as well. During the resultant explosion, Ichigo gets in front of Sode no Shirayuki and slices her with his Zanpakutō. However, his target is immediately revealed to have been an ice clone as Sode no Shirayuki appears several feet in front of him, unharmed by his attack. One more time, Ichigo asks to know who she is and why she is using Rukia's techniques. Much to his further confusion, Sode no Shirayuki corrects him and lets him know that they are actually her techniques. Sode no Shirayuki blows ice and snow in Ichigo’s direction, distracting him long enough for her to escape back to the Soul Society using a Senkaimon.

Aftermath
Ichigo rushes to Rukia's side, finally able to get some answers when she informs him that their attacker was none other than her own Zanpakutō, which explained why she was able to use Rukia's techniques. Ichigo takes her back to Urahara’s Shop where he summons his friends, including Orihime, who heals Rukia's injuries. When she is recovered she explains what happened to her in the Seireitei and how it had come about that her own Zanpakutō had attacked her. Yoruichi later arrives and reassures everybody that the Gotei 13 were not as defeated as it seemed and that they were preparing to counter the attack.