"Come on! This way!"
"Rukia, I- WOOOAAAHHH!"
"Quickly! It should be right around-" Rukia was cut off by a feral, roaring scream. A monstrous hollow slammed into the ground in front of her and Ichigo, cratering the playground's asphalt. It screamed again, then lowered its brutish face down to leer at the two soul reapers before it.
Without stopping for a pause, Ichigo pulled a giant, black sword off his back and slashed the hollow in half. It split straight down the center, disintegrating upwards before the cut even reached the cross of its legs. Ichigo turned away with a sigh, looking at Rukia. "See? I've got it under control. Not that hard."
Rukia was nodding silently, then her eyes suddenly went wide, and she shoved Ichigo off his feet. A massive, clawed hand slashed visciously through the air where they had been standing just a moment before. Ichigo rolled up to his knees, but stop dead, staring at the high wall surrounding the playground. Deep gashes had been cut into it, even though the clawed swipe had still been almost 20' away. Suddenly realize his danger, he swung his blade up quickly, countering another slash. A glance across showed him Rukia in the same predicament, pinned down by an identical hollow. A realization hit him like one of Ishida's arrows- Both these hollows were identical to the one he'd just killed! Also, he noticed something he hadn't on the first one- this hollow's mask was a deep blood blue. A deep laugh rumbled from the hollows in unison.
"Ichigo Kurosaki…. Rukia Kuchiki…. Have I surprised you? I'm very sorry." Despite its monstrous appearance, the hollow seemed to mean what it was saying. "But, I cannot help my orders. I bear you no personal grudge, but you must be destroyed. Your broken memories will usher in the new regime!" The monsters swung back their great claws in unison, and brought them down to the side of the Shinigami not protected by their swords. As one, Rukia and Ichigo rolled away, back to back, dodging the strikes.
"Do you honestly think we are that easy to take down? You saw the ease with which we took out your comrade"
"Yeah! How many of your asses do I need to kick exactly? Just keep them coming!" Ichigo shouted at the hollow he was facing.
Both hollows laughed again, deep and menacing. "Only the one, Ichigo Kurosaki… but can you even manage that small task? Soon, your memories will feed the cause!" Both hollows lunged forwards at the same time, swinging with both claws at once.
Ichigo and Rukia reacted at the same time. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki," She shifted her stance. " Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" A blast of pure cold slammed into the hollow on her side. "Getsugatenshou!" An immense wall of riatsu slammed into the other hollow. In mere moments, both hollows were disappearing into thin air. Ichigo relaxed again. "Like I said, too-" "DON'T MOVE!" commanded Rukia, looking around, worried. She suddenly spun, swiping at the air, where a hollow had just shimmered into being. He nimbly leapt back, grinning."
"Well done, Rukia Kuchiki. That is to be expected of one with training such as yours. However, this will not be nearly as simple as you assume…" He raised one sininster claw, and slowly, mockingly, he cut himself down the middle. Each side flopped for a bit, then shimmered into their own hollow. Each half repeated the process. Now there were four hollows staring the two soul reapers down, grinning. "Can you really defeat me? Can you cut me so that I can no longer react? Or, will we over power you first?" All two of the four leapt as one, as the other two replicated.
The battle went on for minute after minute. Each little bit of time seemed eternal, stretching out into eternity as Ichigo and Rukia battled for their lives against the ever-increasing tide of hollows. Not even Ichigo's Bankai seemed to faze them. They two took out some, but far too often, they just created more enemies for themselves. Everywhere they turned, blue masks grinned at them. Expectant, almost eager for their death. Suddenly, a scream rent the air. Five of the hollows were holding Rukia down, another was holding her own sword over her head, about to plunge it into her. "RUKIA!" Ichigo's screamed, racing to reach her, even as the blade dropped towards her face. Ichigo felt a hollow's hand on his leg, and he fell, dropping Zangetsu. It was instantly seized by a hollow, but Ichigo didn't notice, his eyes fixed on Rukia, and the falling blade.
"Kirikorosu, Kumori." A deep, calm voice came from beside Ichigo. Suddenly, the hollow attempting to impale Rukia staggered back, disintegrating. A man in the black robes of a thief was standing behind him, only slightly visible through the particles, All the hollows turned, slashing at him. The claws all passed right through his body, and the hollows ended up slashing each other's masks, staggering back, and disintegrating too. The bladesman turned, tossing Rukia's sword next to her head so it quivered point down in the ground. Without a word, he quickstepped past the hollows. A moment later, they were all staggering back, their masks in pieces, disintegrating.
With a casual flick of his wrist, the pure black katana full of shifting shadows regained its normal shining color, and he sheathed it again. Rukia was watching his every movement with huge eyes. She and Ichigo were picking themselves up, still staring at him, when suddenly two more men landed next to him. One was in pure scarlet thief's robes, the other in dark green. Rukia realized with shock that all three carried a katana, and a blade no longer than Ichimaru Gin's old Shikai, but with a Katana-style wrapped hilt and guard.
"Oh, come on, Suri! You finished already!" the one in crimson said, looking annoyed.
"You cannot blame Bikou for being more skilled than his opponent, Aki…" the one in green said completely calmly.
"Oh, hush, you old fart! You-" snapped Aki.
"Quiet, both of you," Bikou quietly commanded, and Aki fell silent. Bikou stepped forwards to Ichigo and Rukia, and held out a hand. "Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, I am Bikou Kusemono. These are my allies, Aki Hateshinaku –the man in red bowed ironically- and Hissori Shikaku –the man in green bowed. There was nothing ironic or disrespectful in his actions. We have searched for you for several months now. You both need to come with me, so we can get word back to the soul society as soon as possible. The Ko Hollows are on the move."
So, what'd you think? Suddenly, Ichigo and Rukia's powers aren't working against hollows, and somehow, this new man in the strange robes can kill them with ease. Who is he really? What is he and his companions after? And why did that hollow(s?) have a blue mask! Well, you'll have to read next chapter to find out. Note- I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters, except those OCs that I create, of which there will be plenty. But even then, the real writers can steal them, because I stole their ideas for how to make them. So Please don't sue me!
Notes about words-
Shifuto Kumori- Shifting Shadow. Bikou's main blade.
Kirikorosu, Kumori- Slay, Shadow.
Suri- a nickname that Aki uses for Bikou. Meaning 'pickpocket'
Bikou Kusemono- The man in the black thief's robes. Meaning 'Shadow Theif'
Aki Hateshinaku- The man in the red thief's robes. Meaning Fall Eternally'
Hissori Shikaku- The man in the green thief's robes. Meaning 'Silent Assassin'