Summary: Defeated by Grimmjow for the second time, Ichigo makes a rash decision. How will his choice change himself, his friends and the outcome of the Winter War? When choices are made in despair the consequences are often dire and what is done, cannot be undone.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters; it's all Tite Kubo's. I do not make any money off of this, it's all for fun.
A/N- Focus is on Ichigo and the Vizards. This story is a work in progress, however the chapters that were previously posted are being re-written has of sept.2013. Pairings are undecided and it's likely there won't be anything more than flirtation and innuendo. I'm looking for a Beta, someone familiar with the manga and comfortable with yaoi. (This won't be yaoi but all my other stuff is. I might make an adult version for AFF at a later date.)
"Normal speech"
"Thinking"
"Ichigo's Hollow"
Devil You Know- Chapter 1: Ichigo's Despair
"It seems the power you used now... was pushed to the limit. Looks like once you lost your mask, your breathing has become laboured. Eh? It's over Shinigami!" Grimmjow grinned widely has they plummeted towards the ground. "I also got fairly wasted by you but in the end, the fact remains that... without your power, you can't beat me!"
Ichigo tumbled and scraped across the pavement, then steadying himself into a crouched position he glared at the approaching figure. "Damn... It…" Ichigo pulled his hand over his face to reactivate his mask but the brutal kick he received from Grimmjow sent him skidding yards away.
Even though Grimmjow was covered in blood he could not suppress his mirth. "So, it seems like that mask can't be used again once it's broken, eh? Nah… You're in the stance to take out the mask again, so that can't be right."
Ichigo struggled to regain his footing.
"Could it be because you took too much damage? Or did you waste too much reiryoku? Or does it have a limited amount of uses?" Ichigo had never pegged Grimmjow for the inquisitive type, why didn't he just shut up and attack already. Seeing the murderous gleam in the blue haired Espada gave him his answer, Grimmjow was enjoying prolonging Ichigo pain, rubbing his weakness in his face.
"I have no clue what the reason could be... but that's ok. You see, the point is..." Sharp pain seared through Ichigo arm as Grimmjow drove Pantera through his wrist and into to ground. "At this moment, you can't bring it out. Am I right?" Grimmjow gloated, extending his only arm towards Ichigo's blood stained face, the red glow forming in the palm of his hand. "Don't worry. A cero from this range... Will blow straight through that mask-wearing head of yours!"
Ichigo's eyes widened, he was sure he was about died. "I lost, again! Damn it. Not like this!" Ichigo winced at the cackle inside his mind.
"I told ya King, I told ya not to die. Whatta are ya gonna do now, ummm?" The Inner Hollow hummed playfully.
"No, you shut the hell up! I'm in charge! I won't let you take over!" Ichigo raged back against the mocking voice in his head.
As Ichigo's mind raced, the cero had never arrived. Instead, he watched Rukia fend off Grimmjow with a single swing of Sode no Shirayuki, freezing the Espada in large spray of ice.
"See, ya always need someone ta come ta ya rescue. We could do so much better..." The Inner Hollow's tone was both condescending and seductive.
Ichigo groaned while Rukia tried to pry the sword free from the ground and out of his wrist. However what little hope Ichigo had held was shattered when a large hand grabbed Rukia's head. It hadn't worked, Grimmjow was still alive. "Fuck! I'm so fucking useless! Rukia's gonna die and I'm just sitting here frozen!"
"Like I said King, we could do better..."
Before Ichigo had the time to tell his Hollow to fuck off, there was a loud sound and Grimmjow hand was blasted away from Rukia. Ichigo felt his humiliation increase as he realized Shinji had had to interfere. "God damn it all! What the fuck!"
The Hollow cackled again inside his mind. Ichigo felt pathetic. He'd trained for one month straight and he could barely keep his mask for 11 seconds, Rukia could have finished Grimmjow off if she hadn't insisted on helping him first and now Shinji was toying with the blue haired Espada. Ichigo's pride took another blow when he realised that Shinji could use a Cero, why hadn't they showed him how to do that?
"Because yar weak!" The Hollow continued taunting him.
The fight continued before him, the Espada was able retrieve his zanpakuto, yanking it brutally out of Ichigo's wrist. Tightening his grip on Zangetsu, Ichigo pulled on all his strength to join the battle and finish the blue haired bastard off but again he was thwarted by the green-eyed Espada. He watch numbly has the Espadas were pulled away from him, again victory had been denied, again, he had failed.
Ichigo raged inside as he felt exhaustion and darkness take over. "NO! Not again, not after all I put myself through." He saw his Hollow in his inner world, it was smiling at him. "What do you want?"
"It's simple King, I'mma done sittin' back, waitin' for ya ta get us killed. If ya tired of gettin' ya ass handed ta ya over an' over, ya gonna have to listen to me. Ummm?" The Hollow was leering at him.
"I don't have to listen to shit!" Ichigo barked back but the Hollow only laughed more.
"But ya will!" The Hollow stepped forward and grabbed Ichigo's neck, squeezing it tightly between marble fingers. "Aren't ya tired of fightin' me, aren't wastin' ya energy keepin' me locked up all time. I am! I'm bored! Wouldn't it be so much better if ya and I became friends? "
Ichigo stared numbly at his Hollow. Yes, he was tired and even if he didn't want to admit it, the Hollow had always kept him alive; it had even learned how to use Zangetsu before he did. Would it really be so bad, to get along with the Hollow inside... It was a part of him after all.
"I can see ya starting to understand, we can be stronger!" The Hollow let go of Ichigo's neck.
"What do you want to do?" He asked scowling at his albino reflection.
"Ahhh, it's better if I show ya." The Hollow grinned wickedly and step in closer to Ichigo so their bodies would touch. "This will hurt at first but after, we will be a force no one will be able to resist."
Ichigo's breath caught in his throat and before he had time to think the Hollow crushed him in an embrace, wrapping its arms around him. His Hollow found the tender spot in Ichigo's neck and sank its teeth deeply in the exposed flesh. The scream that erupted from Ichigo echoed not only through his inner world but in the living world as well.
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Shinji and Rukia had been staring at the escaping Espadas, unaware of Ichigo's inner struggle. As the Garganta closed they were startled by a scream of pure agony erupting behind them. Looking back at Ichigo, they saw him sink to his knees, arms wrapped tightly around his torso, howling at the sky.
"ICHIGO!" Rukia ran towards her friend but Shinji grabbed her by the collar.
"Wait!" The blonde's face was devoid of his usual over-wide smile; instead it was grim and ashen.
Ichigo's howling stop abruptly and he slumped to ground, his body was shaking lightly and his breathing was raspy and shallow.
"Stay back." Shinji ordered as he carefully made his way to Ichigo. The blond kneeled beside the broken teen and turned him up, observing all the injuries Ichigo had sustained, his brow creased. He reached a hand to one of Ichigo's eyes, carefully pulling the lids apart. Shinji sucked a sharp breath when he saw the black and gold eye. "Shit!"
"What's wrong with Ichigo? Tell me!" Rukia didn't have time to fool around, this man may have helped them but if Ichigo was hurt she needed to get him to Urahara quickly. The look she received from Shinji made her heart skip.
"There's nothing you can do, we're the only ones who can help him now." With surprising grace and ease, Shinji picked up Ichigo, cradling the teen in his arms. "You may come with me if you want to but you cannot interfere!" He didn't bother looking back to see if the Shinigami woman was following him and he ran as fast as could. Getting Ichigo back to the others before he woke up was imperative. Looking down he could see the tremors shaking the orange head's body and he could hear the sound of the Hollow-like quality in the small moans he let out between shaky breaths. "This is bad... Damn it Ichigo, do you have any idea of the mess you just threw us all into."
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TBC