He'd learned a lot in the past few weeks.

One, reincarnation was a very real thing.

Two, reincarnation had a sense of humor.

Three, that he fucking hated reincarnation.

That was the only explanation for how he, the sixth ranked Espada, had been reborn as someone's pet. Even though his eyes had taken weeks to adjust, he was familiar with the form. The problem was that he was too damn small. He wasn't a panther any longer. He wasn't even a lion or a tiger or a cougar or a bobcat or one of the hundreds of felines that he would have been fine with because it at least would have meant he could go out and kill something to make himself feel better.

Instead, the most he could do was beat out his siblings for the right to eat first.

Speaking of which-

Out of my way, weaklings! His words were translated into a feral cry as he shoved them out of the way to reach their mother. The others had long since given up on fighting him. His fangs might not have been fully developed and his claws were pathetic, but he still had the strength to pin them down and educate them on the hierarchy around here.

It was good to be the King.

"Are you being mean to your brothers again, Tora-chan?"

Gah, the old bitch was back again. He didn't bother stopping to eat, just glared up at his keeper.

"Now now, they need a chance to eat too."

He fought – he did not flail – as her massive mongoloid hands surrounded him and pulled him away.

"You're such a little troublemaker, aren't you?"

He tried to tear out the veins in her wrist in a vain attempt to kill the old woman. Sadly, his arms were too short to reach. He settled for glaring at her. That would show her. Instead, she began rubbing her face into his way too damn hard and he fought with every ounce of his strength to push her away. You stupid bitch, let me go! I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!

"Aw, I love you too, Tora-chan!"

He went limp and accepted his fate.

He'd heard that hollows that had sinned in their human life went to Hell when they died. He must have been a real bastard. At any other time, he might have felt proud of that.

"I'm just sorry we won't be together much longer…"

Was she going to die? Hell no! Not before he killed her!

"You're going to be going to a very good home."

Oh. He was being sold. Or given away. Like a slave. He'd always known this was a possibility. He looked down at his littermates and his mother. He wouldn't be seeing them ever again then, would he? As much as he could in his current form, he sneered down at them. I'll be seeing you bitches later. The old crone was carrying him off. His three brothers' heads popped out over the edge of the box he'd called home for the last few weeks. Their stares were pissing him off.

He hissed at them, as nasty and as feral as he could make it.

And then they hissed back, in just the same way.

…

Anyway.

When he saw the girls he was being handed off to, he scowled. Or, well, whatever a cat trying to scowl was. One reminded him entirely too much of that set of tits and the other one like she was a small, somehow even girlier version of Ulquiorra.

"He's so cute!"

"…I guess he's cute."

"It's so nice to meet you, Tora-chan!"

"I was hoping we'd get to call him something different like Hellbeast 666 or Murderclaw…"

Well shit, he was starting to like the dark-haired one.

"Karin! No way!"

And now he was being smushed against the annoying one's face. He was so near to her jugular. Only a bit lower and he might have been able to bite through it.

"Tora-chan is Tora-chan! You can see it in his eyes! He's a proud and noble beast!"

You're damn right, so stop choking me, bitch! His cries did little to stop her. He was definitely in Hell and this was his punishment for probably eating little girls like her when he'd been a human. That was the only thing he could think of that was bad enough to explain why he had to go through this shit.

"You two girls take good care of him now. Tora-chan's a feisty one so don't let him outside or else he'll try to escape."

Before he could do anything else, he found himself shoved into a literal mobile prison cell. He wasn't sure what the humans called him, but what else escaped the enclosed space and the bars blocking his exit? As much as he tried to bend them or even unleash a cero – and he really did try, hoping it would incinerate an entire city block – eventually he gave up and laid down. He wasn't defeated, just… recovering until he had his chance. If these two girls let him out when they were sleeping, he was going to do everything in his power to kill them… well, at least the annoying one.

Eventually, he found himself freed from his miserable jail and allowed to walk free.

"Isn't he cute?! He already knows his name too! Watch this- Tora-chaaann!"

Shut the fuck up! I'll kill you!

"See? He called out when I said his name! He's so smart for a kitty!"

Hell. Actual fucking Hell.

He could hear someone at the front door though. Which meant he had his chance. The second it opened, he took off with all his speed.

"Ichi-nii! Shut the door!"

He tripped over his own feet, falling flat on his face. He looked up, slowly, and felt his whole body grow hot with anger. Or, well, maybe embarrassment. There was no telling if he'd be able to recognize him which, if he did, probably meant being hauled off to the Soul Society. He bristled as the lanky teen crouched down and reach out for him…

"You were supposed to send me a message when you got him."

And pet him.

He was being pet by that fucking SHINIGAMI.

Raw instinct took over and he chomped down as hard as he could on the male's finger and he felt elation when that familiar coppery-taste flooded his mouth.

"Yaow! He bit me!"

"You scared him!"

He was snatched up by the annoying one which he, for once, felt grateful for as it brought him closer to eye-level with the bastard. What the hell was the Shinigami doing here? Was this his home? Were these girls his sisters?

"You be nice to Tora-chan. He's just scared because he's adjusting to his new home."

Ichigo was glaring at him. He glared right back.

"Be. Nice."

…huh. This bitch actually could sound pretty authoritative when it mattered. He took no small amount of pleasure in the way the orange-haired prick's face scrunched up and reached out for him, slower and more carefully.

He bit the shit out of him again.

"Gah! You little-!"

"Ichi-nii! Stop scaring him!"

It was obvious that the Shinigami wanted nothing more than to smack him, but his sisters(?) wouldn't let him.

"Now apologize to Tora-chan."

"Apologize?! He bit me-!"

"A-PO-LO-GIZE."

The orange haired boy's face scrunched up like he'd bitten into something unpleasant then glared at him and, through gritted teeth, spoke. "I'm sorry."

That look brought back a lot of unpleasant memories and he wasn't in any kind of position to wipe it off his face… but. As long as he was here, he'd have his change at revenge. He'd have his chance to prove which of them was King.

Until then, he'd bear with it. Be patient. Swallow his pride.

"Now, how's about a bath Tora-chan? I've got the cutest bow for you!"

And then murder every one of these fucking Kurosakis.

A/N: A little fun separate from what I usually write, for someone special! Drop a review or whatever if you have time or check out one of my other stories! If this gets enough attention, I might expand on it.