Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. - Is this necessary?

Twin Hatred

1st Chapter – Introduction

~ Bite them! Poke them! Torture and gore them! Bug them! Tease them! Mess with their heads! ~

The orchestra played as the thousands of skeletons sang from atop of the giant burning walls that surrounded the castle.

Chains rattled with the cries of burning flesh that surrounded him.

Bodies aflame were on their knees begging for mercy.

Each step with his bloodied feet sizzled as the land was covered in burning ash.

Each drip of blood that slid down the edge of his blade fell onto the ground and turned to smoke in an instant.

~ Slaughter, gore them. Skin them and wear them. Burn them – grill them! Rattle their bones! ~

The skeletal choir continued, the orchestra quickening their rhythm.

Ichigo's slouched over body stepped forward, glaring in anger at the figure in front of him.

"Paah, he made it a step further today!" The figure's voice echoed throughout the land, his laugher bitter and unsettling.

"Sending your pawns instead of facing me, haven't peed your pants now, have you?" Ichigo taunted, his fatigue already unbearable, he knew it wouldn't end today.

~ Bite them! Eat them! Torture and beat them! Main them! Kill them! Cut off their heads! ~

"And he can still talk…" The figure tilted its head to the side, "Never knew corpses could talk."

Ichigo's eyes widened at the sudden throbbing feeling in his gut and before he could even look down at his lower half he was already in the air, blown away by the sheer force of the kick… Or was is a punch.

"It's a thousand years too early for you to face me, you lil' shit!" The figure laughed maniacally, "Pretending to be a big deal after dealing with a few of my disposable figures… Trash!"

Ichigo's eyes shot open as he coughed up blood.

"Still nothing…" The orange haired teen sighed in frustration as he threw his Asauchi* into the unknown darkness of his empty apartment. "How am I meant to attain this power when he won't even look me in the eyes…?"

He tried standing up only to fall to his knees, "Not only is it difficult to get to that state… My body can hardly handle the strain." He angrily looked down at his bruised and cut hands.

His body ached immensely as he dragged himself into the shower.

Deciding on an ice cold shower to provide a small portion of relief to his shredded body.

'Suffer if you want it the fast way, Kurosaki-san.' Rang inside his head.

His wounds slowly healed under the flow of cold water.

'Your clan has some amazing qualities. Ignoring your enviable constitution and almost endless stamina - which can eventually be gained through strenuous training and practice. But what is special is your incredible healing prowess… You simply rest a few minutes and small bruises will heal, you rest a day and you might even regrow an organ…' Continued inside his mind as he looked at his chest wounds closing and disappearing.

"He forgot to mention that the pain is also magnified with faster healing…" He frowned as his wounds sealed one after another, groaning with every newly sealed wound.

He was about to curse the man's existence before hearing a familiar shriek.

"Tonight too, huh?" He put on his Shihakushō* and picked up the Asauchi he threw earlier, "Hollows…!"

"Tatsuki! Tatsuki!" An orange haired teen ran towards her close friend, embracing her dearly.

"Orihime." Her mouth was slightly agape at her friend's unusual morning energy, she tended to be quite sloppy in the morning, but today she seemed very sharp and ready. "You seem in high spirits today, something happen?"

"Mhm!" Orihime nodded, a light blush appearing on her face, "I-kun said he's bringing sweets that his father brought him from Korea." Orihime clapped in excitement.

"I'll never get what you find so great about him. He seems impassive, overly-mature, serious and not to mention his stern look." Tatsuki sighed, "A girl with boobs like yours could do a lot better."

"He's good hearted!" Orihime said with an innocent brimming smile.

"Wuh…?" Tatsuki was taken aback.

"He's always been nice to me and cared about me." Orihime timidly looked at the ground, "I don't see why I wouldn't like him…" Her blush only increasing every time she thought of liking him.

'I guess even a girl as airheaded as her can see peoples true colors.' Tatsuki smiled as she continued walking to her school, 'You've matured greatly Orihime.' She was happy for her dear friend.

"As long as it isn't that guy." Tatsuki pointed at a brooding Ichigo who stood by the school gates.

Orihime gasped, "Don't worry Tatsuki..." She looked at her shoe laces, "That's all in the past now…"

Tatsuki was taken slightly aback by her friend's tone, "I didn't mean to bring back bad memories."

Orihime shook her head, "No, it's fine." She looked up, "I've already accepted what happened." She gave her friend a reassuring smile, yet Tatsuki also saw sadness behind it. "Well anyway, I wonder what he's doing in front of the school gates…"

"He's waiting for his agent."

"Mizuiro!" Orihime and Tatsuki said in unison.

"His agent?" Tatsuki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Haven't you heard the rumor?"

Both girls shook their heads.

"He got invited by the new global company Seireitei." Mizuiro opened his flip phone, "Seireitei Enterprises invites students with potential into their work environment. Only a lucky few students per school get the chance to enter the corporate world and many are said to never return to their schools after a mere day one day at Seireitei Enterprises." Mizuiro read out from an article he saved on his phone.

"Court of pure souls Enterprises?" Orihime thought, dumbfounded by these news.

"Wasn't Iyo from class C also chosen as one of these potential students?" Tatsuki thought out loud.

"As well as Yuki, she only just entered our high school too, she was a first year." Mizuiro confirmed. "Apparently the company sends agents to check on the students with potential before departure to their company."

"I wonder what makes him so special…" Tatsuki frowned, "It's not like his grades are any better than mine…"

'And it's also not like he has any friends either…' She finished in her mind.

"He has been giving it his all though…"

"I-kun!" Orihime smiled brightly as she embraced the tall, black haired teen.

"Hey." Ishida smiled as he pat Orihime's head.

"He's been giving it his all?" Tatsuki raised an eyebrow.

"…" Ishida remained silent.

"I agree with Ishida." The usual goofball of their group proclaimed as he joined his friends. "If I were Ichigo, I'd have given up a long time ago…" Keigo continued with a sad expression.

Mizuiro nodded, "I guess even the most misfortunate of us get salvation eventually."

Orihime was confused with their odd explanations, "I-kun, what're they talking about?" She whispered as she looked up at Ishida's serious face.

"Apparently at the age of nine," Ishida's eyes were locked onto Ichigo, "He lost his whole family in a tragic accident."

"Wha…" Orihime was speechless as she looked at Ichigo from afar. She always thought he frowned out of habit and that his scary eyes were just a means to 'look cool' to the ladies, but now she noticed the subtle details of his face; his frowning face changing from remorse to anger every few moments, his eyes burning with a passion that could only be described as the 'will to destroy anything in his path', as well as, 'A tint of red in his eyes?' Orihime quickly shook her head and looked once again, noting it as her imagination going wild again.

Suddenly the school bell rang as they were all still entranced in their own thoughts about life and death, the ringing waking them up in the process, quickening their steps to their classroom.

They were only able to take a single glance at the agent that stood in front of Ichigo, they couldn't distinguish many of his features in the crowd of students. The only feature they could remember was the bright red hair.

The schoolyard was left abandoned only moments later, leaving the orange haired teen and the bright red haired agent to their own devices.

The red haired agent sighed, 'Maaaaaaan, I can't believe they sent ME for this shitty job!', he rolled his eyes. "Oi, kiddo."

"Kiddo?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know why I of all the people was sent here to pick up a snot nosed brat like you, but let me check you real fast and then decline you swiftly." He pulled out a flip phone.

'I wonder where they manage to get these types into their ranks… Seriously stuck up.' Ichigo also rolled his eyes in disbelief, 'Makes you wonder if that Ukitake really is from that place.'

"Now let's see…" The red haired man tapped on his flip phone as if to find a certain option.

Ichigo simply hummed as he stared at the man's bright hair and slightly visible tattoos.

"Out with it brat…" The man said with his eyes still glued to his phone.

"Oh, just wondering if that's your natural color." Ichigo thought out loud, "And no, I don't want to check myself." Ichigo added.

"Aren't you a funny one?" The man said impassively, thought inside he was ready to rip the kid in half. "Now I want you to pass the check so that I can kill you myself." He added with a smile.

"You shouldn't overexert yourself, sir. Too much stress in the everyday life of middle-aged men can cause rapid hair loss." Ichigo smirked as he saw the man's eyes look up from his phone for the first time.

"Now you've done it." The man grabbed Ichigo by the neck and lifted him up, "Now let me check before I spill your guts all over the schoolyard." He brought up his phone up close to Ichigo's chest, the place where his heart beat the hardest, only to release Ichigo a moment later.

Ichigo glared at the man in front of him as he coughed and gasped for air.

"Looks like you've got someone interesting inside you." The red haired man laughed, "Makes me wonder how he ended up in the human world… Inside a brat nonetheless."

"What's your name brat?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

The man raised an eyebrow, "Nothing's coming up…" He scratched his head, "Seriously how…"

Ichigo simply stared at the man in confusion.

The man then snapped his finger, "Which clan you from kiddo?"

"What does it matter?"

"It matters lots!"

"Oh really?"

"Really…"

"Well then you wouldn't mind explaining it to me…?"

"Of course not, mister curious. In layman's terms, depending on your clan I may take what's inside you and give it to someone who could eventually use it." He gave his most sincere smile.

"Shiba." Ichigo continued glaring at the man.

"Heh… Never thought I'd find a Shiba in the living world…" The man sighed. "Looks like you'll keep your guts for now." The man took a brief look around, "Follow me brat, we don't have all day." The red haired man said as he walked towards his car.

"Hey, I don't know your name yet!"

The red haired man turned around, his fierce glare freezing Ichigo's core, "Abarai Renji, Lieutenant."

'Lieutenant.' Ichigo gladly returned the glare, "A superior of such degree coming to check my Shinigami powers, what an honor."

"Don't think that'll make me forgive your actions earlier." Renji scoffed.

Ichigo simply nodded, glad he got to meet a strong person so early.

"Now come, we gotta get to our HQ. It isn't too safe being out in the open anymore…" Renji ordered, continuing to look around the area.

Ichigo stood up and followed the lieutenant, his eyes also scanning the area, 'Four shinigami at four o' clock.'

Ichigo was told to take the back seat, while Renji drove the luxurious car.

Only a few minutes passed as they drove in silence, though something made Ichigo feel uneasy and anxious.

"Oi brat."

"…?" Ichigo was brought back to his senses.

"Don't die…"

"Wuh…?" Was all Ichigo managed to say before their car collided with an unknown object, sending their car flying.

"Ugh…" Ichigo coughed up blood as he slowly opened his eyes, revealing a blood red vision, "What the f…" He tried to unbuckle his seatbelt.

"Oi brat…"

"Huh?" Ichigo tried to find the source, but his vision was still too blurry.

"You're alive... Heh…" Renji chuckled.

*cough*

"Listen carefully brat."

"Let us get out of this goddamn car first…" Ichigo yelled as he struggled getting his seatbelt loose.

"There's not much time… Pay attention brat." Blood spurted out Renji's mouth.

Ichigo's vision returned with Renji's order, "Oi Renji, you…"

"I told you to listen… Shit, don't have enough…"

'Strength anymore'.

"Let me get you out first." Ichigo's eyes widened at the sight, Renji had three metal pipes imbedded into his chest and several smaller ones across his limbs, completely incapacitated.

"Ichigo, you have… someone important… inside you, fool…" His eyes staring directly into Ichigo's through the rear-view mirror, strength rapidly leaving his body.

"Oi…" Ichigo stared in disbelief.

"Don't die… Ichi…" Renji said with his last breath.

"Oi! Renji!"

*Shihakushō : Garment of Dead Souls, basically the standard Shinigami uniform.

*Asauchi : Shallow Hit, basically a unnamed Zanpakuto, practically a katana that can cut hollows.

AN: Uh, came up with an interesting idea in my head that I wanted to try, hope you enjoy. ^^