The Devouring Mask

Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Tite Kubo.

Author Note: This was written last summer, back when the manga chapter came out. I left it on livejournal for awhile, but thought I might post it here in honor of the anime episode's release. I apologize for any mistaken Japanese terminology and I welcome corrections. Please enjoy.

Summary: Hiyori's thoughts on the night of her Hollowification. Shinji/Hiyori

The tsunami of adrenaline mixed with fear crashed through Hiyori's body, pooling like acid in her stomach and turning her limbs to lead. She hung limply from Shinji's arm, able to only stare in horror as her fellow shinigami battled with a hollow, a hollow that had once been Kensei. She screamed as the first blade sliced across his arm but it was drowned in the roar of the battle.

She flinched as Love was thrown past them, his limp form bouncing and rolling like a toy thrown by a petulant child. Now only Rose and Lisa stood against Kensei, flanking him to either side, their zankpaktuo's reflecting slices of moonlight into the darkness.

"Stop! Don't you get it? It's Kensei! You can't-," she screamed but another bone-wracking cough shook her body to the core. Vomit choked her throat and she struggled to keep it down, retching with nausea and chills. A cold sweat had broken across her forehead and trickled down her back.

"Quiet Hiyori," said Shinji, his voice gentle but firm, "We have to stop him. Especially if it's really Kensei." Hiyori could only stare at him. Lisa and Rose flew forward only to be thrown backwards as well. Hiyori bit back another scream as Rose was crushed to the ground by a black and green blur that tumbled out of the sky, scissor kicking him to the ground. She needn't have bothered, the world exploded into chaos as the shape flew towards the spot where Shinji stood holding her under one arm. Mashiro, she realized feeling the sick feeling in her stomach well up once more. Another wave of dizziness struck her and darkness crashed across her vision like a black wave. Something twisted inside of her and she fell into another coughing fit, even as Shinji dodged Mashiro's attack, jerking Hiyori against his chest to shield her. Her eyes stung with tears in the wake of the coughing fit and the last of her strength fled her body. She could barely lift her head as an explosion sent a shockwave across the ground. Bars and ropes of pure light now bound Kensei and Mashiro and an enormous shape that she could only assume was Hachi loomed to her left but the world was spinning out focus and black stars exploded across her vision. The vomit at the back of her throat felt almost solid with its need to escape and a low wicked laugh sent chills down her spine.

…Laughter?

"What do we have here?"

Hiyori opened her eyes and squinted up into a blue sky stripped with jagged white clouds. There was something odd about those clouds but her head throbbed like the morning after a hard night's drinking and forcing her thoughts through the haze was like trying to punch through a stone wall.

"Does the littlest Shinigami want to play?" A hollow voice rang out, the sound distant and tinny and somehow echoing as if the speaker was underwater.

Red exploded across Hiyori's vision as a lance of pain pierced her in the gut and she twisted in agony.

"Hey, you listenin'?" Hiyori's eyes focused on the black spot hovering in front of her vision. It resolved itself into a black silhouette against the blue sky. The form was slight with two bone-white pigtails and a white haori trimmed with black. It stood above her, one leg poised to deliver another kick to her stomach. Its black lips were twisted in a bloodthirsty grin and one fang glinted over the edge of its lips.

She recognized that face. She had seen it every day for the few moments she glanced into the mirror to put her pigtails up. It stuck a blue tongue out at her almost mischievously then faster than she could blink it had seized her by the neck with one death-white and yanked her upwards into the air.

"Who the fuck are you?" Hiyori gasped, struggling to breathe around the clenched fingers.

"Kind of a deep question, ain't it?" the other Hiyori said, "Guess you could say I'm your future." An image flashed behind the white-clad figure, a monster with a hole in the center of its chest and a long horn protruding from its forehead.

A Hollow.

It opened its mouth as the white girl in front of Hiyori did and the haunting scream of the Hollow rang through the air. The Hollow pulled her counterpart forward and her hot breath whuffed across her face. It dove foreword. Hiyori twisted in its grasp, kicking out with both legs and throwing herself backwards out of the grip just as the teeth clamped down where her throat had been.

She slid backwards across the ground, for the first time noticing her surroundings. A city, taller than Soul Society, with buildings that defied gravity as they stretched upward into the sky. She had been to this place before, glimpsed it in her dreams when she first began to speak to her zankupaktuou. But there was no time to wonder where her swords spirit was in all this emptiness. She barely had time to breathe as the Hollow shot after her in pursuit. Her hands shot instinctively to her hip and finding her zankupaktuo there she ripped it from its sheathe, pulling it up to block just as the white Hiyori crashed down in front of her like a meteor, its black sword ringing like a bell as it struck hers.

How the hell does it have a zankupaktuou?! her mind screamed as she dodged then throwing her sword up above her head just in time to block a blow from above. Her knees nearly gave out under the weight of the blow. Her left hand flew from the hilt to the back of the blade and with a twist of her body she threw her strength into throwing the creature off of her. But at the last moment the resistance gave way and she stumbled forward, overextending her reach. The creature sprung, slamming its foot down on Hiyori's back, driving her face-first to the ground. Hiyori twisted her neck, her eyes wide as she stared up at the looming figure, staring into her own white face contorted with malice. The shadow of the Hollow still hovered over the other Hiyori's back like smoke, its boney grin wide and mocking.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt for long," said the other Hiyori. "At least, it won't hurt you for long. Once I have control of your body, well, that will be a different matter entirely…"

Hiyori spasmed as fear sucker punched her in the gut, "Shinji!" she gasped. Her vision flickered and for a moment she was staring at a blood-soaked battlefield lit by moonlight. She was pressed against a warm body clothed in white, one strong arm wrapped around her body, "…Shin…" she whispered, feeling the tears trickle down her face. Dizziness contorted her vision and coughing spasms tore through her chest. The sick feeling at the back of her throat was rippling as if it was alive, pushing its way forward. "Shin…ji…," she choaked out. His body shifted as he looked down at her, "Let…"

The city flashed across her vision and for a moment she felt the weight of the Hollow's foot pressed into her back. The sound of distant laughter…

"Let… GO!"

The vomit poured from the back of her throat as the last of her strength went into that desperate scream. Liquid bone rushed from her mouth and covered her face, pulsing in time with her heartbeat that raced with anguish. The last thing she saw before the bone mask covered her face was the flash over her blade and the spray of blood as it tore across Shinji's chest.

Something in her heart broke in that moment and she wasn't sure if the wail that echoed in the air was the newly born Hollow or herself.

Hiyori's eyes snapped open and her sword came up in time for another block. The Hollow crashed forward, screeching laughter as it pounded Hiyori's defenses to break them open.

"Bring it on, bitch!" Hiyori howled back in its face.

The sound of clashing steel rang through the air as the two collided and what felt like hours but may have only been a few minutes passed in a flurry of clanging blades, Hiyori's cursing, and the Hollow's laughter.

It was exactly like fighting against a mirror. The other Hiyori with her white skin and black nails seemed to know every trick that the real Hiyori could pull. Even her speed, always her strongest suite whether it meant dodging or even running away, was beginning to lag in comparison with her tireless opponent. She realized this when it scored the first blood, a slice down Hiyori's sleeve scratched at her arm like a long deep papercut. It burned just as much too.

"Getting sloppy, little shinigami?" it cackled, "Does little shinigami need a rest?"

Hiyori spared the cut barely a glance and looking back to her opponent saw her opening. The Hollow was standing only a few feet from her, its smile wide and mocking, one fist on its hip with its zankupato rested lazily against one shoulder. Hiyori fought down a snicker. Her sword darting like a snake's tongue, she had the pleasure of watching the Hollow's eyes widen in surprise and bring its sword up to block just as she delivered a flying kick to the creature's stomach. She heard the whuff as the air was driven from her lungs and for a moment she was on top, one fang gleaming as she stared down at her opponent, her breath escaping from her lungs in triumphant gasps.

Then the world when dark.

She was standing upright in the cool night air, her shoulders hunched. Something was obstructing her vision, something white, like a mask…

"Aizen, what's going on? What the hell do you want…?"

A gurgling howl filled the air, drowning out whatever Aizen said in response. There was something wrong, Hiyori could feel it but her body felt so heavy and her brain too fogged. Her body was telling her to lie down and let the weight of her exhaustion drag her down to sleep. She was so exhausted from the battle and she wasn't even sure if it was over, why she was back in Soul Society and not in that strange upsidedown city.

Her weary gaze followed the sound of the scream until they came to rest on Shinji. His white haori was stained with blood that disappeared into his black haori. She had never seen him look so defeated or so angry. The cocky, ridiculous captain that she had come to know and…

His face was covered in the same bone-white material that she had seen just before blacking out. Only from this angle she could see what it was.

A Hollow mask.

Even as she watched it crept along his features, devouring them and replacing them. Despite that his eyes continued to burn as he glared forward at Aizen. Suddenly he doubled forward as another gurgling cry was torn from his throat and the white mask spread further as if to strangle him.

Alarm fluttered in her breast like a trapped bird and she turned her head, willing her body to follow. His eyes were white and wild as he struggled with the devouring mask and she felt as if her heart was being torn from her chest.

How could this happen?

"Shi…Shin…ji?" she rasped

He looked up towards her and his entire body jerked forward, one arm flying forward, "Stop-!" he shouted.

Pain turned her world to red and the last thing she felt the warm sticky bloody pouring from her wound as she tumbled bonelessly to the ground.

The last thing she saw was Shinji's form as the strength left his body and his shoulders fell in utter defeat and helplessness.

All she could think as her body went numb and the pain seared across her back like a red-hot wire was that of all that she had seen that day, the look on Shinji's face had been the worst.

A/N: If you are at all interested in the continued adventures of the Vizards on Earth, or if you just liked the story, please leave a review. As stated at the beginning, I welcome any corrections you may have, especially for the Japanese terminology.