A King and His Horse

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Ooookay so hopefully everyone will enjoy this chapter a little better. For my last one I just went to BleachWiki and summarized what they said. So after this chapter tell me if you think I should keep going.

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Chapter Two

Rain pattered again the window of the Urahara Shop. Two blue eyes could only watch the injured teen that lay on the ground. She watched his steady breathing as she remembered what condition he was in when the two groups met in Las Noches. It was hard to believe if he was even alive. Inoue had told her what really happened with his fight with Ulquiorra. He was so determined to protect her that he went as far as to almost kill his friends.

Rukia watched as Ichigo's hand twitched in his sleep. She heard his breath hitch in his throat before letting out a shaky sigh. What Inoue had described, it sounded like recovery would take a while. Rukia looked out the door at Inoue. She was sitting on a chair, staring into space. There was no doubt that she was thinking of what happened before.

Golden eyes pierced her mind like a reoccurring dream. She's seen them so many times before, but this time it hit her like the plague. It was slowly tearing her apart.

You…

Golden eyes turned and glanced at her. "Protect…you."

Orihime folded her hands as she closed her eyes trying to rid the image that haunts her.

"Are you afraid?" Ulquiorra asked as he slowly disappeared.

"No…" Tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Orihime let out a shaky breath before glancing into the room where Ichigo lay.

The defeated Arrancar held out his hand only to disappear into the wind.

He had won and still the memories kept haunting her. He had won, but it wasn't him. Inoue glanced into the room across from her, where Ichigo lay. She gripped her hand before standing up and walking into the room. "Rukia…"

The dark-haired Shinigami looked up at the shy girl. "Inoue?"

Orihime smiled before looking at the teen on the floor. "I wanted to see how he was doing."

Rukia smiled in return as they both looked at Ichigo.

Che….

Ichigo's hand twitched.

Ready for this …. King?

Rukia and Inoue looked at Ichigo with concerned eyes. A groan escaped his lips before his hands shot to his head. The two hurried to his side and looked at each other with worried expressions. Rukia could only watch as the brown-haired girl was thrown to the other side of the room. She turned back to Ichigo before being pinned against the wall. Rukia struggled to breathe as the orange-haired teen's grip became tighter around her neck.

Golden eyes stared into her dark blue ones as more and more of the Hollow mask began to form on half of his face. "What did you do to Ichigo?!"

Hollow Ichigo smirked before laughing. "Why does it matter? King isn't here. Let's enjoy it."

Rukia closed her eyes when she suddenly fell to the ground. "I can't even leave you three alone for a few minutes, now can I?"

Rukia opened her eyes to see Hollow Ichigo on the ground with a cane pressed against his mask. She watched as the white mask cracked before shattering in a thousand pieces. Ichigo's eyes were filled with shock as the mask crumbled to the ground. How did this happen? "Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo sat up and glanced at Urahara. "Come with me."

Ichigo followed the storeowner into a backroom filled with shelves and boxes. "Ichigo, you do know the seriousness of this, don't you?"

"Urahara, it's happened before. I can take care of myself."

"Eh? What are you talking about? I was referring to you defeating those Arrancars."

Ichigo sweat dropped. "Oh yeah, that."

"I think it calls for a celebration, what do you think, Kurosaki-san?"

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"Rukia, are you okay?"

The Sinigami put her hand to her throat and sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Rukia stood up before suddenly being pulled backwards. "We're leaving."

The two stumbled before regaining their balance. Inoue and Rukia looked at the teen standing in front of them. "Ichigo, what happened back there?"

Ichigo closed his eyes and sighed before turning towards them. "I really don't know. I wasn't on my guard."

The two girls smiled before looking outside. "So, where are we going?" Rukia asked.

"Home. Who knows what Kon decided to do in my body since I've been gone."

"Inoue, you should go home and get some rest."

Orihime nodded and smiled before heading the other direction, towards her own house. Rukia watched her leave before turning back to Ichigo. Her eyebrow twitched when she noticed that he had already started walking without her.

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Ichigo lied on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Rain pattered against his window as lightning lit up his room. His eyes moved to look at his clock on the side of his bed. Three a.m. A sharp howl pierced through the sky, making Ichigo quickly sit up in his bed. His closet door slid open followed by Rukia quickly jumping out. "Let's go!"

The two Shinigami hurried through the deserted streets. Rukia looked at the phone in her hands. This Hollow looked strong according to the device. A screaming girl averted their attention away from the device. The two watched as a young girl went running passed them with tears in her eyes. Their heads snapped in the other directions when they felt the ground below them start to shake. The girl stopped and looked at the two. "Please, don't let it get me."

Rukia crouched down in front of the girl and smiled. "We won't let anything get you, right Ichigo?"

Ichigo smiled and then nodded. "Rukia, I can handle this one. Protect her."

Rukia nodded as Ichigo turned around and drew his Zanpakutō. Another howl shook the air around them as then creature slowly made its way around a building. Four muscular legs each tipped with sharp, pointed claws. A long tail swung through the air. Two powerful wings folded against its side and two golden eyes glowed from under its bird-like mask. "W-what is that?"

Rukia stared at the large Hollow before them. "I've never seen a Hollow of that size or shape before," she mumbled.

"Where did you go, girl?"

Its voice sent chills up his spine. "Ichigo, are you sure you can handle him?"

Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts before nodding. "Yeah, let me handle him."

Golden eyes glared down at the two protecting the girl. "Shinigami, eh? Today couldn't get much better."

The Hollow's clawed hand shot out at the Shinigami. Ichigo jumped into the air and swung his Zanpakutō at the creature's arm. His blade sliced through the appendage before it fell to the ground. The Hollow squealed in pain. Ichigo landed backed on the ground in front of the fallen arm. "You! You will pay for this! I will eat you first!"

Ichigo smirked at the Hollow's comment. "We'll see about that, Hollow."

The Hollow's two wings started to flap, lifting the Hollow into the air. The Hollow swung its large tail at the teen. Ichigo jumped to his side only to be hit with the creature's large hand. He was swept off the ground and slammed into the side of a building. "Ichigo!"

Debris fell to the ground and Ichigo slowly stood up. This Hollow was strong. The force behind that one blow almost crushed him. Ichigo quickly jumped out of the way right as the Hollow's giant tail came crashing down where he once stood. The teen stopped in the air and charged at the creature, his weapon raised. Che…

Ichigo suddenly froze in his tracks. What was going on? His hands shook at who he saw before him. His Hollow. Hichigo grinned before letting out a small chuckle. "Ichigo!"

His eyes widened when Hichigo sudden vanished and the teen was sent hurdling towards the ground. Rukia could only watch as Ichigo crashed into the ground and being picked up by the monstrous Hollow. "Not so tough now, Shinigami."

Ichigo's eyes widened. Those eyes. They looked exactly like his. The Hollow squealed with joy as he saw the fear in the teen's eyes. "You should have never come here, Shinigami. And now you will pay with your life."

The Hollow rose into the air and brought its enclosed fist towards its beak. But before he could do anything, the Hollow screamed in pain as it watch its other arm fall towards the ground. "Ichigo!"

He couldn't move. He could only watch as the ground started to come closer. His body hit the concrete with a thud. Rukia forgot about the girl as the Hollow began to disappear. She hurried over to the orange-haired teen who was lying on the ground. Blood started to pool around his head as Rukia started to panic. She looked to her side as a shadow formed in front of her. "Renji…"

"How is he?"

Rukia looked at her fallen friend and shook her head.

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His eyes slowly opened. Everything was blurry. His head was pounding and his body was sore. Soon his vision cleared and he looked at his surroundings. Ichigo's eyes shot open when he quickly sat up. Footsteps started to sound behind him, causing him to slowly turn around only to see the one person he always feared. "Oi …King."

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End

Itachi2011