Rated Teen: Coarse Language and Violence
R&R please :) Basically this is during the phase where Ichigo's Inner Hollow begins to take over, I used lines from the song Monster by Skillet because the lyrics were perfect for this story also I was listening to it while writing ;)
Deep Within, Beneath the Skin
CHAPTER ONE
The rain had begun to pour over Karakura Town. The earth was pounded into mud by the relentless torrent. Ichigo looked up, the miserable, black sky was reflected in his brown irises. I hate the rain. He thought glumly to himself. He never had liked the rain, it always reminded him of that day, when he had been so powerless, that he wasn't able to protect his mother. Just like he wasn't able to protect Inoue from those Arrancar the other day.
He hoisted his bag, packed with schoolwork, on to his shoulder and continued to walk forward.
By the time Ichigo got home, he was soaked through. He opened the door, shaking his orange-coloured hair to free some of the water.
"Welcome home Ichi–nii!" Yuzu said just before Ichigo dodged a flying kick from his Dad.
"Honestly Dad!" Karin had come downstairs and stepped deliberately on Isshin's head. "You're.. too.. old.. for .. this!" She exclaimed, punctuating each word with a stomp.
"I'll be in my room till dinner" Ichigo mumbled as he trudged upstairs. He was glad Kon wasn't around when he opened his bedroom door, throwing his bag onto a chair and lying down on his bed, listening to the rain tap it's fingers on the window.
Then he heard it, a ringing laughter right next to his ears. He bolted upright and backed up against the wall. But the laughter didn't stop, it got louder until it filled his whole conscience.
I feel it deep within,
It's just beneath the skin,
He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sound. Then he saw him. Shirosaki, his inner hollow. The twisted mirror image of himself. The white hair, the white skin and insane, gleeful grin. But the worst was the eyes, golden yellow irises and where there should have been white was black. The very eyes themselves seemed to be already devouring Ichigo's soul.
My secret side I keep,
Hid under lock and key.
I keep it caged but I can't control it.
Cause if I let him out,
He'll tear me up, break me down.
"Ah King, what's with the doom and gloom. It's depressin' lighten up will ya? You have me to talk to you know."
Shirosaki's mocking voice reverberated around Ichigo's mind.
"Get lost, you freaking hollow"
"Che, well that would be no fun, would it? But you seem to be descending on your own anyways, so I'm just here to help ya along."
"I'm not going mad, you bastard!"
"Well for starters ya do look like you're talkin' to yourself"
"Shut the hell up!"
Shirosaki sniggered, once again sending ice through Ichigo's nerves, beads of sweat began dripping down his face. He still saw the taunting face, even though his eyes were open. His waking nightmare.
I hate what I've become,
The nightmare's just begun.
He knew his sanity was beginning to slip further and further out of reach, he was constantly forcing the hollow back and he knew Shirosaki was getting stronger.
Suddenly he heard a loud screech from his bedside table.
"Holy shi.." Ichigo spun around to see that it was his Shinigami Combat Pass, telling him a hollow was nearby.
"Heh, you sure are jumpy today" Shirosaki remarked snidely.
Ichigo ignored him, pressing the badge to his chest, which forced out his soul and jumped out of his body in his Shinigami form. Black Shihakusho and a huge sword as long as his body wrapped in white cloth on his back. Ichigo leapt out of his window and flash-stepped through the rain, over the small houses.
He felt the hollow's reiatsu before he saw it. It didn't seem particularly strong. It was an ugly thing, with two horns jutting out of it's head and the body of a lion. Giant claws protruded from huge paws and ripped the muddy ground beneath them to shreds, the white mask had green lines down the short snout. It's tail flicked angrily, the tip of it seemed to be metallic, glowing red eyes flashed warningly.
Ichigo grabbed the hilt of Zangetsu, the white cloth wrappings fell away revealing a menacing black sword, similar to a giant cleaver, with a lethal silver edge. He leapt forward, swinging the sword over his head, with a roar he began to bring it down to slice the hollow in half. But it moved faster then he expected and it's tail flicked past his face.
"What the.."
Something cut him; the blood trickled from the slash on the side of his face. The hollow's tail was not only metallic, it was tipped with a sharp edge. It swung around preparing to attack.
"Shit!"
"Pathetic, Ichigo. Need help?"
"Go away!"
Ichigo flash-stepped out of the way and jumped high into the air, finally bringing down his zanpakutou and slashing right through the creature's mask. Blood sprayed onto the wet ground, mingling with the rain then a mist engulfed the hollow and cleared it away.
"See I didn't need your help after all" Ichigo said smugly as he wiped the hollow's blood off the black blade.
"Let me ask you something, Ichigo. When a horse throws off its king, what happens?"
Ichigo didn't reply, he had become very still. The rain was still hammering down but the Shinigami didn't notice. He could see Shirosaki again; he saw the malevolent grin. He saw the black and yellow eyes.
"The king gets trampled"
To Be Continued…
Please let me know what you think and how I can improve =)